Crazydaz's Square 200G RIPARIUM Strikes Back! NEW PICS 4/19-4/21!!!

[c_gwinner]

Truly amazing. Like the driftwood idea you have. Though of trying to hide the hinges more with growing some terrestrial moss or something to help conceal them? Can barely notice them as is. Your tank so don't wanna mess up your plans or anything.

Love the C. Bullosa "Bario" you have. That is quite a bit too.

[Obakemono]

Originally Posted by crazydaz

Obakemono! I love the FX5! It's adjustable in terms of flow, and an all-in-one filter and powerhead. No worries ever about filtration or flow using this beast! I had it when it first came out several years ago, and should have stayed with it instead of trying Ehiems. How would you connect this to a reactor, though? I'm using a different method via needle wheel pump to do my CO2, mainly because I couldn't think of a feasible way to connect a reactor to the outflow hose. Do tell!!

Well I need to see how large the hose barbs are on the FX5 but I was really planning on running 2 FX5's for the main filtration and then a 406 for the reactor. Still thinking of a reactor design that would minimize flow restrictions (DIY pvc).

[crazydaz]

Thanks gwinner! I'll try to point the screw and bolts out in the next set of photos. I guess that I was tired of having to wait for the "perfect manzanita" branches, so I thought that if they could be custom made to fit, so much the better. Devin did an excellent job with them, I feel.......it also makes routine maintenance easier for me as well...just loosen the bolt a bit, bend the branch out of the way, tighten, do whatever I need to do, and then move it back again.

The joints will be covered, but I'm keeping that a secret for the time being. Have to get a few things ordered first, but same to say that it won't be moss.

I love the "Bario"....it should make it much easier to part out and sell from time to time for a decent price. It's been a wonderful plant to have!!

Obakemono--do you need 800 gallons worth of filtration?

Anyhow....next set of pictures were taken October 1st. I added 25lbs of Seriyu stone, mostly to the left-side peninsula. I think that I'm finally starting to achieve the look that I was going for. Still, I need probably another 50lbs more to finish it. The height that I would like is nearly there...just need to "fortify" it a bit, and add some additional height to the other two peninsulas in the tank. This was a blue-colored Seriyu which contrasts with the brown stone that I received from CraigThor....still, it looks nice, and in a few months, any visible rock work will either have enough patina for it to all blend together nicely, or it will be covered by anubia, java fern, or bucephelandra species.

In addition, taking pics of this tank has become unexpectedly tricky, simply due to the height of the lighting....it casts light onto me taking the picture as well. Slight annoyance, and I'll have to figure something out.

At this point, I could already start seeing new leaves forming on the crypts and buces....the coffeefolia quickly grew a nice new leaf, too. The growth is amazing, and I'm not even running CO2 yet! I'm excited to look at the growth after I can get my CO2 up again!

Here is right side of the tank, if you click on the picture you can see a "hinge" on the manzy branch sticking out of the water:


Close up of the right side toward the front....the buces are getting ready to flower in the midground:


A look at the Keei "Jambusan" patch:


Here is a look at the forming crypt "field" between the right side peninsula and the two left side peninsulas...and my hand in the upper-left part of the photo:


This is the same area, just looking towards the left side of the tank...and you can see my camera and hand in this shot as well:


Nice shot of the Left side of the tank with the extra Seriyu stone:


Another shot of the left side...you can see the "hinge" joint on the manzy branches in this picture as well:


Left Oblique:


Same angle, but further away....potential problem is that the walls in this room are painted brown, so it is difficult to get a good shot that really stands out. I may have to re-paint the room:


To make matters more interesting, this is really heavy on the peat right now...so it's basically going to be blackwater for a little while. It's neat to look at in person, but it doesn't really photograph well. Especially against a brown wall.



Thanks for looking!

[DogFish]

Originally Posted by crazydaz

....At this point, I could already start seeing new leaves forming on the crypts and buces....the coffeefolia quickly grew a nice new leaf, too. The growth is amazing, and I'm not even running CO2 yet!...

Whoa!!! New growth in how many days?

[crazydaz]

About six days after re-planting. You weren't kidding about that MTS, Frank! Steroids!

[looking4roselines]

Wow those crypt patches are looking pretty good with minimal to no melt after a transplant shock. Did you get a chance to plant the new "stuff" yet?

I would love to see what you'll mount on the wood. Have you decided what yet?

Frank sent you that miracle dirt? Nice!

Xue

[crazydaz]

Oddly, I did not get the crypts yet that you sent, which bummed me out a bit! It'll be here tomorrow!

I did get my riparium package from Devin today, though! I'm pretty stoked about that. I have some rearranging to do in order to make everything fit, and I should be good to go!!

I have decided on the what will be used on the wood. Just have to order them is all! When I get paid!

Yeah, Frank's miracle dirt is the real deal!

[Obakemono]

Don,
Do you think one FX5, with media, will be fine for an 8 foot long tank? (165gallons) I'm a bit worried that if I have the filter on one end or even in the middle that the tank curculation would suffer.

OT: New growth so fast, that can only mean one thing: You are going to be trimming allot more!!!

[@marko@]

not sure about franks MTS, but i know im in love with the stuff. since i tried it, i put it under everything. even under ADA aquasoil (and i notice an improvement in growth rate too, though not a very dramatic one).

maybe you should put some cool black-water fish in there. like betta macrostoma.

[crazydaz]

Xue: got the crypts and Buces this morning, and they look great! The mailman said that he forgot to leave the package yesterday. Ok..... in any event, they are in the tank, adding to my collectoritis crypt and buce setup!

Obakemono: an 8ft long tank? Dios mio! Maybe if you put it in the middle with some powerheads at each side. If it will be heavily planted, it should be fine. PM me with more details so I know what you are planning!

Trimming shouldn't be too problematic....it's still a predominantly a crypt and buce tank!

Marko--you have to try DogFish's (Frank) "premium blend" MTS for your next set up! It's perfect! Better than Aquasoil. Planning to do some microdarios, if Rachel ever gets them in again from her suppliers!

[@marko@]

well i am just about out of MTS anyway...
alrighty, looks like i know what im using for the next setup.
BETTER than aquasoil? now this i have to see. ok for my next setup ill get some and cap with inert silica sand. never did a sand scape actually ill probably leave some sand open in front of the foreground, might look nice (dammit, i just setup one scape and now you have me think about another, im a college student, not a millionaire).

you mean microdEVario? m. kubotai? http://msjinkzd.com/species/fish/mic...-microrasbora/
i saw pics of them in francis xaviers nano recently. they look cool, and you could stuff a massive shoal of em in there.

[c_gwinner]

Did you get your riparium stuff planted? Would love to see shots of that and your new crypts and buce.

Wish my wallet and wife would let me do something as amazing as this....guess staring at a computer screen of yours will have to do haha.

Just guessing you gonna do something like Orchids or something on the branches? Knowing you you probably have something more amazing in store though.

[keithy]

wow, Don the tank looks very well done. I can't wait to see some more new growth and for the crypts and buces to grow more leaves. Looks like the filter is doing a great job!

[hydrophyte]

Lookin' great Don!

[crazydaz]

Marko....yes, much better than AquaSoil!! DogFish's prices were perfectly fine, and you could always get some and use it later!

gwinner....I did and got the arrangement finally ready for pics. The wife knows who wears the pants in my family. If I want something, I simply buy it. And the beg her not to get mad at me for doing it! LOL!

Thanks Keith!! I've gotten some great growth already, and I just got the CO2 up and running again.

Frank....thank you! I really like the new riparium plants! They look great!!


Just got the CO2 system up and running, as I said yesterday. It was a pain in the butt, however I was successful. New needle wheel pump, tubing, spraybar. The whole 9 yards! If anyone wants me to make one, just let me know! It's even better than my old one! Even without it, I've gotten some really good growth on everything, even my Nasaea crassicaulis and Ammannia latifolia put on some healthy growth without the CO2.

But, I was in there and kicked some dust up, so I'll have to post more pictures tomorrow of the tank. For now, here are a few pics, mainly looking at the new riparium plants from Devin. This should add a REALLY nice element to the tank over the next month or so.

Front:


Top looking down:




Right side of the tank:


Left side of the tank:


Still pretty hazy:


More pics tomorrow! Thanks for looking.