Tom's 180 wood scaping

[punky]

Interesting thread Keep us updated Tom

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by garuf

That's a sensible approach, I'll clean my filter, forgive me for my ignorance what would be a good approach to maintenance and gardening? I'm very much a newbie and therefore I make mistakes.
I clean out algae when I see it dose ei trim when plants touch the surface and clean my filter every other water change, though should probably make this every water change judging by the quantity of filth I remove.
I've a feeling I have bad circulation because of my hardscape but I have no way of really judging if I do or not.

I don't ever recall coming across an article which lists any form of must know information.

Most of this hobby are sensible approaches. Not scientific mumbo.
For gardening, it means going in, pruning often, weeding often, cleaning and maintaining it consistently.

Does not matter if it "really needs it" or not, you keep on top of things, not just skirt by till you have to do something(the prevailing attitude among many in the hobby, and you will see me often argue and debate such folks).

I do large water changes to clean as much as as a method to dose.
It's simply easier, clean the plants basically, root out any dirt, fluff the plants good, clean the filter intakes, wipe glass, check any plant health issues, prune off anything I do not like, replant, uproot and replant where needed(some species do great with this but not topping and vice versus).

Cleaning thy filter often.
Keep old tanks mulm free(generally from driftwood decay).

Basic stuff.

But stuff folks can often over look.
Maybe their filter is clogged.

Maybe they added Carbon and it works for awhile and 2 months later it's not active and they missed a few water changes..........

Who knows.

So you start by changing the obvious stuff one by one and assuming they have a decent grasp on keeping planted tanks.

If that advice does not work, then you look at the next of possible issues and so on.

We often assume we are doing the right thing with CO2, or with filters and gardening.

Many times we are not and then blame other things on the results.
It's still your fault for the results and making poor assumptions

Not excess PO4 or that you think you have enough stable CO2, even though you have BBA all over.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by punky

Interesting thread Keep us updated Tom

After March 20th or so I'll have some planted picks.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Martin]

Originally Posted by plantbrain

Hi Martin,

I took a good look at the wood and gave your thoughts due consideration.
However, there's simply no room to move or position the wood.

If the tank was 30" and not 24 wide, and or 30" T, then we'd have some room the play with.

In person you can see this three dimensionally.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Hi Tom.

if there's no room to turn due to wood dimensions.. well.. what can you do, but the best with what you have.
I am not saying the wood looks bad, just not as I would have it. Perhaps seeing what I would do, live, would make me like yours. impossible to say.
I just appreciate when wood is in several layers of the tank.

about the rosanervig, I never heard it mentioned as blasii, but C. cordata Griffith 'Rosanervig'

there's a Cryptocoryne cordata var "blassii" .

Anyway, thanks for considering my thought, eventhough no one else stepped up to agree.. I am sure your placement follows the ratio rules. I'd never question a man with a good calculator and a measuring tape

[jazzlvr123]

Originally Posted by Martin

Hi Tom.

if there's no room to turn due to wood dimensions.. well.. what can you do, but the best with what you have.
I am not saying the wood looks bad, just not as I would have it. Perhaps seeing what I would do, live, would make me like yours. impossible to say.
I just appreciate when wood is in several layers of the tank.

about the rosanervig, I never heard it mentioned as blasii, but C. cordata Griffith 'Rosanervig'

there's a Cryptocoryne cordata var "blassii" .

Anyway, thanks for considering my thought, eventhough no one else stepped up to agree.. I am sure your placement follows the ratio rules. I'd never question a man with a good calculator and a measuring tape

In the 70s Mr. Schneider from Zugzen (CH) discovered the plant C. cordata Griffith 'Rosanervig' which he named it until the late eighty's when Jan Re-identified the plant as blassii after several specimens were sent to him from different locations. I actually asked him about this plant at last years ECS meeting.

[Martin]

Really?

Who hides behind your name?

I was at ECS2007, but do not recall anything on this..

[jazzlvr123]

i talked to him privately about this plant. do you have a pic of yourself that you could show, most of the people at ECS i met for the first time but i bet id remember you if I saw you, I was the youngest guy there ; ) Pm sent...

[Martin]

there are photos here:

http://www.aquaristikszene.ch/Zuecht...r/kettner.html

here's Ghanz' photos:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/f...xperience.html

i am here:

http://www.aquaticscape.com/offsite/ecs/DSC_0166.jpg

in the back, blue shirt.

more photos.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/f...-pictures.html

[cichlids4me]

Originally Posted by plantbrain

After March 20th or so I'll have some planted picks.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Can't wait to see those pics!!

[CL]

wow, very impressive, and i like the bonsai trees in the window. is that a fig i spy? never had much luck with indoor bonsai good luck on the hc

[BiscuitSlayer]

Tom-

I often go without reading threads just to give me something to look forward to when I am in the mood for a good read. I read this most and almost spit my mouth full of Mountain Dew accross the room:

Originally Posted by plantbrain

Deep in a verdant forest of Redwoods, sunlight dances of the many shades of green, leaves of aquatic plant reflect the excitement that is life, the sublime experience leaves us in awe.

Come on, that's just not me. I can write silly ADA poems too.
A poem or picture is fine, but it does not compare to being there, experience it, living it.

Funny stuff. That one made my night/morning.

I had a question about your wood. I have access to driftwood (mixture of different hardwoods), and I would like to use a large piece as you have used. I was concerned about cleaning it thourough enough to use in an aquarium. I have one piece in particular that is a massive stump that I would love to use in a larger aquarium, but I don't know how to effectively clean it.

I have read other posts where people boil and scrub driftwood/bogwood, but I wanted to get a first hand oppinion of someone who is familiar with large scale pieces of wild wood.

The tank/stand/light/wood look great together. The silicone seams don't bother me at all. I find it rather entertaining with how many people are so obsessed with it. Looking back at some of the other tank pictures you have shared, I tend to forget there are even joints held together with silicone.

I look anxiously look forward to seeing how you build this one up.

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by clwatkins10

wow, very impressive, and i like the bonsai trees in the window. is that a fig i spy? never had much luck with indoor bonsai good luck on the hc

Ficus are okay inside, most species must be kept outdoors.
I have a new Korean spruce and a mpale and few others, I use to have a large no#, but they where stolen and likely are all dead now.

Few are able to keep them over time and most fools that steal, kill them soon thereafter.

There's no luck about HC, it's a fast growing weed.

I'm setting up a 60 cube today(finally).

Regards,
Tom Barr

[redfalconf35]

I've gotta tell you, this sort of project is what attracted me to the planted side of aquariums. Thanks for documenting your progress for our enjoyment and learning.

[CL]

Originally Posted by plantbrain

Ficus are okay inside, most species must be kept outdoors.
I have a new Korean spruce and a mpale and few others, I use to have a large no#, but they where stolen and likely are all dead now.

Few are able to keep them over time and most fools that steal, kill them soon thereafter.

There's no luck about HC, it's a fast growing weed.

I'm setting up a 60 cube today(finally).

Regards,
Tom Barr

well be sure to post pics. of the 60 cube. cubes are my favorite and a 60 gallon would be awesome. oh and what kind of maple is it? my favorite are trident maples, especially when they are root over rock good luck on your cube!
(sorry about the bonsai being stolen (and for being off topic))

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by BiscuitSlayer

Tom-

I often go without reading threads just to give me something to look forward to when I am in the mood for a good read. I read this most and almost spit my mouth full of Mountain Dew accross the room:

Wasting Mt Dew?
Seems my poetry got more emotion that ADA's
and the kind of emotion I seek, laughter........

but I don't know how to effectively clean it.
I have read other posts where people boil and scrub driftwood/bogwood, but I wanted to get a first hand oppinion of someone who is familiar with large scale pieces of wild wood.

The tank/stand/light/wood look great together. The silicone seams don't bother me at all. I find it rather entertaining with how many people are so obsessed with it. Looking back at some of the other tank pictures you have shared, I tend to forget there are even joints held together with silicone.

I look anxiously look forward to seeing how you build this one up.

A good soak seems to do best and getting old long dead wood.
Well, if you spend the $$$ on a nice tank, you want good work.
I'm less concerned about the seams, rather the glass edges themselves and how they match.

Looking back, I likely should have gone with an ADA.
would have taken the same time frame, cost a bit more, but less hassle and nice seam and edge work.

So they do have a point.

Regards,
Tom Barr