Tom's 180 wood scaping

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by Khandurian

Well, since no one else asked (or I missed it), which filters did you go with? I see their ocean clear. Which 2 models did you go with?

I have a 25 micron+ UV and Bio+ Chem.

These are arranged in parallel and have garden hose drains for flushing.
Each outflow goes to a heater or the CO2.
the come back together and return at the other end of the tank.

Unlike Ehiem, Rena etc, you simply screw the lids off and can easily remove the media/cartiages etc, you do have to lift the entire mess out.
In tigther quarters, this is easier. They also take up less space and I have a pressure gauge to determine clogging pressure.


Regards,
Tom Barr

[territhemayor]

Really REALLY excellent woodscape. I wish I could do something like that.
Also great idea about the stuff coming in from below the tank, but will water leak? That would be my concern.
And fill the damn thing already!

[plantbrain]

No, I have dual gaskets and Schedule 80 Bulkheads, good threaded and tefloned PVC or Hot Blue glued with flex PVC pipe(handles tension better and less likely to reduce flow and leak).

That and ball valves and True unions makes the plumbing lines modular.

If I ever decide in the future, I can add a built in overflow any old time.
Leaks can occur with any system.

A large leak is rather obvious, the smaller ones are also no big deal.
You catch them and fix them. This can occur on most any filter, your plumber skills etc.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Martin]

Originally Posted by plantbrain

Might be perspective, in person you'd disagree.
Anyway, that is where the plants go, the wood is a transition zone.
Like most hardscape materials.

Yes, there's silicone, but it looks pretty nice, an ADA tank would have been a better made tank, but would have cost 3000$, for the tank alone...........
if you'd be willing to pay 1500$ for that, be my guest.
The trade off was not worth it for me.

I can trim some of the silicone off prior to filling.
I'm pretty good at that.
The issue is if it's noticable when the tank is full and planted.

This is hardly the final product.



Regards,
Tom Barr

Tom, it might be perspective, no matter, taste is different, and from looking at the picture I would've turned the wood to me the tank looks too divided.
I have a local tankbuilder who builds like a dream. Silicone is almost unnoticable on tanks he builds. That is to say, he uses the absolute minimum, and the result is fabulous. And he does it because he loves helping people achieving a superb result. Good mad he is!
My first look told me that a line of silicone was applied on the inside of the glass, where the frontpane and the sidepane meet, a line which holds no point. Perhaps it is not so, but any excess silicone should be gone gone gone! no point in having silicone distracting your view of a hopefully nice tank.

oh and not to pick on small things, but I think you're talking about C. cordata var rosanervig and not blasii. :-)

here:

Since that area is well shaded and hidden back there, I will add the Crypt blassii var Rosanervig back there

anyway, I look forward to seeing the tank in action. I'd suggest a nice bush of Rotala sp. vietnam planted around, and as much inside as possible, the left side of the wood.

[narhay]

I would put the poles so they are at the back two corners, and angle them inwards so they are able to hold the light. That way no back view is blocked.

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by Martin

Tom, it might be perspective, no matter, taste is different, and from looking at the picture I would've turned the wood to me the tank looks too divided.

There's not much space to do any turning, the shape of the wood is bowl shaped, any direction one way or the other and it touches the glass. That's no good. It's very much in the golden triangle ratio, same if not very similar to the winner of the ADA contest layout from 2007.

So as far as general opinion, it's quite fine where's it's at for me(the most important opinion, the tank's owner). You are welcomed to yours as well, but it's not well supported.

I have a local tankbuilder who builds like a dream. Silicone is almost unnoticable on tanks he builds. That is to say, he used the absolute minimum, and the result is fabulous. And he does it because he loves helping people achieving a superb result. Good mad he is!
My first look told me that a line of silicone was applied on the inside of the glass, where the frontpane and the sidepane meet, a line which holds no point. Perhaps it is not so, but any excess silicone should be gone gone gone! no point in having silicone distracting your view of a hopefully nice tank.

Yes, I do agree, the silicone work can be done very well, but such tanks are rare here and the ones made that way cost 2-3x as much for the same thing.

If he'd like to come and tank this one and redo one for me for the same cost, I'm all ears

Ironically, I've found someone able to do the level of work that you mention as well, and for less than the ADA tanks.
But that was after I'd already had this set up....
Oh well........

oh and not to pick on small things, but I think you're talking about C. cordata var rosanervig and not blasii. :-)

I think C. cordata var blassii rosanervig may be more appropriate, I did not intend to suggest it was a "species".

anyway, I look forward to seeing the tank in action. I'd suggest a nice bush of Rotala sp. vietnam planted around, and as much inside as possible, the left side of the wood.

I have most of the plants chosen.
Maybe later.

Regards,

Tom Barr

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by narhay

I would put the poles so they are at the back two corners, and angle them inwards so they are able to hold the light. That way no back view is blocked.

At the corners, it is a bit more of an eyesore in the layout in the home.
I talked to a few folks about it what they thought was best when they came over to have a look. I would have to make new bars to do that design, but it's a good one actually.

I might, but it is still mostly a front and side viewed tank.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[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

[garuf]

I used to like the equal dimensions of the tank but now you say about having more room to play with I see what you mean, 30 would have been much more beneficial, but this then would mean you'd need to totally revise all other equipment?
Many replies back I asked about surface scum, mine has returned after I trimmed out a load of plants what is it that's causing it? someone said it was plants leaking lipids but I don't think that's right.
I've upped Co2 but it seems to be having no effect.

[A Hill]

Originally Posted by plantbrain

Glass lids, they are custom made to fit the wood.
Plastic wrap would, not be my style

Regards,
Tom Barr

Thats what I figured, you're just too stylish for the plastic wrap!

So when are the emmersed plants getting thrown in?

-Andrew

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by garuf

I used to like the equal dimensions of the tank but now you say about having more room to play with I see what you mean, 30 would have been much more beneficial, but this then would mean you'd need to totally revise all other equipment?
Many replies back I asked about surface scum, mine has returned after I trimmed out a load of plants what is it that's causing it? someone said it was plants leaking lipids but I don't think that's right.
I've upped Co2 but it seems to be having no effect.

Bacteria, decomposing material, old filter media, not just the plants.
Anything that might leach hydrophobic proteins, fats etc.

Few folks fit the wood to the tank
In order to play with that dimension, that's what would be required.
That's a large tank then.

Perhaps some day I'll have a 30" front to back tank, I'd considered it, but the weight is murder.

It takes 4 very strong people just to move this one.
Heaven help you if you go up any stairs.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by A Hill

Thats what I figured, you're just too stylish for the plastic wrap!

So when are the emmersed plants getting thrown in?

-Andrew

In about a week and 1/2. I have too many other things I need to concentrate on.

This is an optional hobby, work, school, family come first.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[garuf]

Cheers Tom, I'll clean the filter and see if there are any dead leaves I might have missed.

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by garuf

Cheers Tom, I'll clean the filter and see if there are any dead leaves I might have missed.

If you are ever unsure about anything, try a good cleaning, filter change, prune any spots that do not get as much current, change the media to activated carbon/purigen combo etc, do a 50-60% water change etc.

Then.........look at CO2, nutrients.

Since you did a large water change, it's safe to assume that the nutrients you add, will be in the most bioavailable form, CO2 should be good(hardest thing to measure).

Generally, simple elbow grease, general care, general consistent gardening methods resolves 95% of the issues many seem to like to blame for their issues with algae, scum, so called deficiencies and nutrient issues.

But most cannot see "the wood" through the forest, or something close like that

They think nutrients only.
When I suggest something like CO2, I assuem they know and are doing the other things, the question is not analyze my entire system to see what I am doing wrong.

We often over look things, ask dumb questions, get good answers to them, but then fail to resolve the issue.

Rather than assuming that there's 101 other possible things they over looked, they blame the person who helped them.

There's only so much you can do for someone over the web/internet.
I'm amazed at how many folks simply do not clean their filters frequently.
Or the variation in stocking levels, or plant density, or simply maintaining the same plant biomass relatively.

Which influences flow rates and CO2 mixing etc dramatically.
I've seen it many many times.

Do such things matter, are they significant?
Definitely, are they discussed much when folks have issues?
Rarely.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[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.