[fozard]

The tank is much deeper than the picture looks.

 

[Plinkploop]

Love the little cave!!

 

[fozard]

Love the little cave!!

Thanks! Hoping once the plants are in, it will look a bit more natural

 

[Plinkploop]

Even without it looks like something that could happen naturally. I can't wait to see how you scape it out!!

 

[selty]

Love this! Do you mind sharing how you built up the depth in that corner? Do you just have more rocks under the gravel?

 

[brooklyntankster]

Looks amazing! What are the specs on the tank? I will be following.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Awesome scape, what are your plans for plants?

 

[fozard]

Looks amazing! What are the specs on the tank? I will be following.

thanks! Its a CADE river 900. 900x500x500mm. ~59 gallons.

Awesome scape, what are your plans for plants?

I ended up ordering a variety of plants. With the main ones being a bunch of different kinds of java ferns, amazon swords, sagittaria, bolbitus heudelotti, Alternanthera’s, hygrophilia, christmas moss.

I ordered 21 plants (ie either a pot or a 1-2 grow). Hoping that will be enough to get me going. I have some jungle vals and some crypts I could pull from my shrimp tank if need be.

One concern in retrospect, I dont think I have any fast growing plants and I recall that being a factor for a successful no/low algae startup.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Sagittaria and Hygrophila are pretty moderate growers, so if you have enough that should be okay. The key is LOW light, plenty of nutrients, and MAX allowable Co2. As long as plants have ample CO2 you can get away with lower light. Don’t be tempted to go stronger with the light, or longer in duration. The startup will be slow, and you may experience some melt but hang in there.

what kind of soil did you go with? I have not had a lot of luck with 1-2 grow or any other tissue culture plants at startup. Which sucks because they are double the price of emersed grown plants.

 

[fozard]

Sagittaria and Hygrophila are pretty moderate growers, so if you have enough that should be okay. The key is LOW light, plenty of nutrients, and MAX allowable Co2. As long as plants have ample CO2 you can get away with lower light. Don’t be tempted to go stronger with the light, or longer in duration. The startup will be slow, and you may experience some melt but hang in there.

what kind of soil did you go with? I have not had a lot of luck with 1-2 grow or any other tissue culture plants at startup. Which sucks because they are double the price of emersed grown plants.

Oh ok nice. I only have a couple of each of those coming but i guess better than nothing. I will be injecting co2 as well. What does max allowable co2 mean?

For soil, primarily fluval stratum. I also used about 8-10lbs of some no name aquasoil i bought in bulk from an aquarium shop who claimed it was as good as ADA.

Love this! Do you mind sharing how you built up the depth in that corner? Do you just have more rocks under the gravel?

Thanks! Its about 50lbs of aquarium gravel, and then 2-3 inches of aquasoil on top of that. Rocks probably would have been easier/cheaper .

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Oh ok nice. I only have a couple of each of those coming but i guess better than nothing. I will be injecting co2 as well. What does max allowable co2 mean?

Meaning as much as your livestock can tolerate. Do you have a way of measuring your co2? Either a drop checked or ph pen?

For soil, primarily fluval stratum. I also used about 8-10lbs of some no name aquasoil i bought in bulk from an aquarium shop who claimed it was as good as ADA.

Well I hope you didn’t pay “as good as ADA” prices lol. The reason I ask is because “hot” substrates have been known to melt tissue culture plants in a new tank.

 

[fozard]

Meaning as much as your livestock can tolerate. Do you have a way of measuring your co2? Either a drop checked or ph pen?



Well I hope you didn’t pay “as good as ADA” prices lol. The reason I ask is because “hot” substrates have been known to melt tissue culture plants in a new tank.

I did purchase a drop checker, yes.

As for the soil, it was fairly inexpensive. Is there something specific in the “hot” substrates that melts tissue cultures?

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

It’s usually the initial release of ammonia from the substrate that can cause problems.