End of an era: Flooded Forest journal

jaidexl · 04-14-2007, 05:12 PM

Update 4/3: Here are a couple full tank shots. 12/07 - 4/08
Stand and specs are here. Read on through the journal if you're bored.

Got a free 65gl tank and driftwood from some old lady's back yard, will make a great grow out for my angelfish. The plan is an SA biotope (edit 12/29; that's no longer the case and it never really happened here), but I'll likely be using non-region specific species here and there for whatever reason, so it'll be more of an SA interpretation, probably not a very good one at that, I'd rather not have a substrate of mud and dead leaves and I'm sure there are no play-sand valleys lined with purple rocks in SA.

First a few inches of Eco that was payed for with lfs gift cards, driftwood, and 20lbs of rock the lfs guy called jasmine.

Now 1 to 3 inches of SMS, sand in the center, both covered with mulm from a filter sponge. *Update/Warning: SMS next to sand is super messy, it's much lighter than sand.

Next I'll start adding stems.

Finch_man · 04-14-2007, 05:17 PM

I really like your lay out but I don't like how the driftwood looks like.

jaidexl · 04-14-2007, 06:09 PM

Thank you Finch_man, I agree about the wood. The tank and wood were freebies, so I'm doing what I can, was very aggravating at first but I'm learning to be less critical. I'm hoping it'll pull together more after the layout is complete.

jaidexl · 06-02-2007, 04:39 PM

I've come close to ripping the driftwood out of this one, but I decided to finish the idea I had first for the experience then rip it up later. The tank cycled in 12 days with the help of running it's Cascade1000 on my 30gl for a month, and using my nasty tapwater (amm 2ppm, nI 5ppm, nA 5ppm) to fishless cycle it. By day 11 nitrites dropped to .25ppm and ammonia 0ppm, I added an SAE, the next day nitrite was at 0ppm, the next week added angelfish and so on.
Anyway, here are some shots before removing starter plants. Vals will go in the back and I'll have replanted pics when everything comes in the mail. Tried to use the Chrome color setting on my new fuji and it wrecked the exposure on the second pic, but who needs it with starters in the tank.

Start

One month. I put a lot of starters behind the wood, but for some reason they didn't really grow regardless of having the light towards the back 70% of the time.

RoseHawke · 06-03-2007, 01:55 AM

Your plants and everything look great but I have to say it; for some reason that piece of driftwood suggests to me some prehistoric creature hovering over a stream!

Casty · 06-03-2007, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoseHawke

Your plants and everything look great but I have to say it; for some reason that piece of driftwood suggests to me some prehistoric creature hovering over a stream!

http://museums.ncl.ac.uk/flint/images/mammoth.jpg

James From Cali · 06-03-2007, 02:02 AM

Looks great. The wood is a little unique to say the least lol. Very nice though non the less.

RoseHawke · 06-03-2007, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casty

http://museums.ncl.ac.uk/flint/images/mammoth.jpg

Nope. Don't think so. More of a saurid of some sort. It's almost rorschach in a way!

LeapingGnome · 06-03-2007, 02:58 AM

Looking good. I suggest putting some long stems back in the corner behind the wood, make that part tall height, the wood is already medium and the plants in front low, will look good I think.

EDIT: Oh yeah, that angelfish(?) is really nice looking!

jaidexl · 06-03-2007, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoseHawke

Your plants and everything look great but I have to say it; for some reason that piece of driftwood suggests to me some prehistoric creature hovering over a stream!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casty

http://museums.ncl.ac.uk/flint/images/mammoth.jpg

That's funny, believe it or not I call it "the elephant wood", lol.

Thanks for looking, everyone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeapingGnome

Oh yeah, that angelfish(?) is really nice looking!

Thanks. Your right, that's Spike the anglfish, he's our bad apple. He's in with an SAE, a rubber nose and ten black neons. I have ten rainbow tetras (Nematobrycon lacortei) on the way and might put some apistos or rams in there.

Ryzilla · 06-03-2007, 03:02 PM

that wood is very unique. I like it alot.

jaidexl · 06-09-2007, 02:56 AM

Thanks Ryzilla.

Added some ET near the rocks, not sure if it clashes with the micro sword. Just finished planting tons of Valisneria nana. Tying down Peacock moss under water is no small feat!

Big thanks to all the members here and at APC that hooked it up in the swap and shop.

Tdon1md · 06-09-2007, 03:06 AM

Completely AWESOME tank. Love the wood, love the contrast, the sand, the mix of stones. Just a gorgeous tank. Makes me want to throw my 30G out in the driveway!

jaidexl · 06-09-2007, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tdon1md

Makes me want to throw my 30G out in the driveway!

LOL, I know exactly what you mean, but your compliment might keep mine from flying out the window a little longer. Thanks!

Roc · 06-09-2007, 02:38 PM

I would add some more A. reineckii just to the left of the stems you have now, this would draw the eye slightly from the wood.

I personaly love the woods look

04-14-2007, 05:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
jaidexl Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (35/100%) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 33919 Posts: 3,131	End of an era: Flooded Forest journal Update 4/3: Here are a couple full tank shots. 12/07 - 4/08 Stand and specs are here. Read on through the journal if you're bored. Got a free 65gl tank and driftwood from some old lady's back yard, will make a great grow out for my angelfish. The plan is an SA biotope (edit 12/29; that's no longer the case and it never really happened here), but I'll likely be using non-region specific species here and there for whatever reason, so it'll be more of an SA interpretation, probably not a very good one at that, I'd rather not have a substrate of mud and dead leaves and I'm sure there are no play-sand valleys lined with purple rocks in SA. First a few inches of Eco that was payed for with lfs gift cards, driftwood, and 20lbs of rock the lfs guy called jasmine. Now 1 to 3 inches of SMS, sand in the center, both covered with mulm from a filter sponge. Update/Warning: SMS next to sand is super messy, it's much lighter than sand. Next I'll start adding stems. Last edited by jaidexl; 10-12-2008 at 10:42 PM. Reason: new info*

04-14-2007, 05:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Finch_man Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (16/94%) Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Beaverton Posts: 386	I really like your lay out but I don't like how the driftwood looks like. __________________ Rena filstar PIMP # ????

04-14-2007, 06:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
jaidexl Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (35/100%) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 33919 Posts: 3,131	Thank you Finch_man, I agree about the wood. The tank and wood were freebies, so I'm doing what I can, was very aggravating at first but I'm learning to be less critical. I'm hoping it'll pull together more after the layout is complete. __________________ 65gl Florida inspired - Flooded Forest - The Yin Yang tank - Apisto tank - SW Macroalgae Last edited by jaidexl; 12-29-2007 at 10:33 PM. Reason: typos

06-02-2007, 04:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
jaidexl Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (35/100%) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 33919 Posts: 3,131	I've come close to ripping the driftwood out of this one, but I decided to finish the idea I had first for the experience then rip it up later. The tank cycled in 12 days with the help of running it's Cascade1000 on my 30gl for a month, and using my nasty tapwater (amm 2ppm, nI 5ppm, nA 5ppm) to fishless cycle it. By day 11 nitrites dropped to .25ppm and ammonia 0ppm, I added an SAE, the next day nitrite was at 0ppm, the next week added angelfish and so on. Anyway, here are some shots before removing starter plants. Vals will go in the back and I'll have replanted pics when everything comes in the mail. Tried to use the Chrome color setting on my new fuji and it wrecked the exposure on the second pic, but who needs it with starters in the tank. Start One month. I put a lot of starters behind the wood, but for some reason they didn't really grow regardless of having the light towards the back 70% of the time. __________________ 65gl Florida inspired - Flooded Forest - The Yin Yang tank - Apisto tank - SW Macroalgae Last edited by jaidexl; 07-25-2007 at 07:00 AM. Reason: fixed exposure

06-03-2007, 01:55 AM	#5 (permalink)
RoseHawke Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Central Alabama Posts: 1,879	Your plants and everything look great but I have to say it; for some reason that piece of driftwood suggests to me some prehistoric creature hovering over a stream! __________________ Sláinte! Cindy 55 gallon - Hi-Res — 2wpg CF lighting; pressurized CO2; 18 watt Turbo-twist UVS; Eheim Pro II 2028; eco-complete; 2 Pearl Gouramis; 7 Harlequin Rasboras; 3 Otocinclus catfish 10 gallon — lo-tech; 1.8 wpg DIY CF light; no CO2; Aquaclear mini; Schultz substrate; java fern; java moss; 7 Neon Tetras; 1 flame dwarf gourami

06-03-2007, 02:02 AM	#7 (permalink)
James From Cali Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (8/100%) Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 2,909	Looks great. The wood is a little unique to say the least lol. Very nice though non the less. __________________

06-03-2007, 02:58 AM	#9 (permalink)
LeapingGnome Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Louisville Posts: 76	Looking good. I suggest putting some long stems back in the corner behind the wood, make that part tall height, the wood is already medium and the plants in front low, will look good I think. EDIT: Oh yeah, that angelfish(?) is really nice looking!

06-03-2007, 03:02 PM	#11 (permalink)
Ryzilla Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (52/100%) Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,935	that wood is very unique. I like it alot. __________________ Peace, Ry I raise my sword in the air in the battle against clado. I have been beaten in this battle but the war is not over. As my wounds heal I amass another army, an army with many legs, an army of Amano's...... I thrust my tridant into the mass of medusa like staghorn. I am wounded but I refuse to take a knee.

06-09-2007, 02:56 AM	#12 (permalink)
jaidexl Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (35/100%) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 33919 Posts: 3,131	Thanks Ryzilla. Added some ET near the rocks, not sure if it clashes with the micro sword. Just finished planting tons of Valisneria nana. Tying down Peacock moss under water is no small feat! Big thanks to all the members here and at APC that hooked it up in the swap and shop. __________________ 65gl Florida inspired - Flooded Forest - The Yin Yang tank - Apisto tank - SW Macroalgae Last edited by jaidexl; 06-30-2007 at 05:23 AM.

06-09-2007, 03:06 AM	#13 (permalink)
Tdon1md Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Salisbury, MD Posts: 430	Completely AWESOME tank. Love the wood, love the contrast, the sand, the mix of stones. Just a gorgeous tank. Makes me want to throw my 30G out in the driveway!

06-09-2007, 02:38 PM	#15 (permalink)
Roc Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (43/100%) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Richmond, CA Posts: 662	I would add some more A. reineckii just to the left of the stems you have now, this would draw the eye slightly from the wood. I personaly love the woods look __________________

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