[beedee]

Here we go with a new project, a Mr. Aqua 12g Long. I picked this tank up last weekend from a local SCAPE member and have been dying to get started on this since the day I brought it home. Over the last week and a half I've been lusting over many 12g's over here on the 12g Long Club thread and finally began to build mine up this evening.

These two pictures are my first go at a hardscape with this tank. My goal was to use the entire length of the tank, with the left side being the more dramatic of the two, while having a valley in the middle area. I will be doing a Dry Start, and plan to update this thread weekly.

Specs:
Tank: Mr. Aqua 12g Long
Substrate: ADA "New" Amazonia
Hardscape: Seiryu Stone (11)
Flora: Hemianthus Callitrichoides ‘Cuba’(HC), Eleocharis Parvula (DHG) and Hydrocotyle sp."Japan"
Fauna: Thinking of 15 Boraras Brigittae or 15 Ember Tetras (something to contrast the green plants)
CO2: Pressurized Paintball
Ferts: Liquid NPK+M + Excel
Filtration: Eheim 2213
Lighting: AquaticLife 36" T5HO 6500k & Roseate (using layer of window screen to tame the light)

On to the pix (iPhone with fingerprints galore):

As always, feedback is welcome and encouraged, thanks for looking!!!

Here we go, Day 1
Doing a dry start. I decided not to use hydro japan, and used 4 pots of HC and 4 pots of DHG. Once it floods and cycles, I'll trim the DHG accordingly.

Day 8 update
As expected, not too much to report, i can see the roots of the HC starting to dig into the substrate as well as fresh tiny leaflets. There is a tiny bit of yellowing of some of the HC. The DHG has few random new blades popping up, and a few blades are yellowing. So far, things are moving along as expected. Hoping to see some better HC crawling this week!

Day 15 update
I trimmed down the DHG big time to further help encourage it to spread. It is doing a great job with new blades popping up randomly throughout the tank. The HC is also doing well, crawling like a baby, and it continues to root itself deeper and deeper.

Looking from the right side down to the left

Looking from the left side down to the right

Day 21 update...
More HC crawling, more DHG sprouting.

Day 25ish?

Still seeing nice crawling by the HC and the DHG is responding well to the recent trimming. I'm thinking of flooding the tank next week. Today I picked up an eheim 2213 and plumbed it all, (can see the stock pipes on left side). I am using one of those SS Mesh Pre-Filters on the intake instead of the standard green one. I don't have any plans at the moment to do glass lily's, I might take a stab at som DIY acrylic ones though. I also added 3 layers of window screen between my bulbs and splash-guard in my light to tame it, it really did make a difference! Last night I picked up a 20oz paintball tank and am waiting for my ASA Valve/NeedleValve/O-Ring/Diffuser kit to arrive...holiday messed that up, should be back in my office on Monday, and it should be there. Once I get that all set up I'll fill the tank, I was going to try to do a two month dry start, but I'm too impatient, and a well respected fellow TPT'er encouraged me to fill it sooner than later. Forgot to mention I also rotated the rock on the back right, I feel like this flows better with the rest of the scape.

iPhone 4 pic...

 

[sayurasem]

Can't wait till planted!

 

[Fat Guy]

wonderful scape

 

[Brian_Cali77]

Great looking tank! I'd get the Fluval 206... I love my 106!

 

[Bluek24a4]

Great looking hard scape bee.

 

[andrewss]

great start, get to it

 

[Kai808]

Very nice stones(I know how hard it is to find nice stones that will fit in this tank) and layout. I like the second scape a little better. The largest stone looks grand since you removed some of the substrate around it.

BTW, your caption says 11 stones but I only count 10. I am missing one? Lol

I can't wait to see this one flooded!

 

[beedee]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I do agree about the grand rock looking more robust with less substrate in front of it. The rock in front of it is also a little different, lending a bit more view of the grand rock.

Regarding stone count, there is 11. On the right side there is a small one that I placed next to the long on, it's hard to tell in the pictures but there is about a 1/2" gap at the right end of the long one and the tiny one to the right of it. I did it to create a fractured yet uniformed look to that rock. I'll take a better pic after I plant it. (another day or so).

 

[Geniusdudekiran]

I dunno how I didn't see this -- that is an unreal scape!

 

[Chyrol]

Awesome scape! Can't wait to see it when it is planted.

 

[beedee]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the love!

I planted today and updated the first post with a new picture. I decided not to use the hydro japan, and used 4 pots of HC and 4 pots of DHG. The HC clumps are right around the size of an adult's thumbnail.

 

[Mahawka]

NICE work man. I really like the scaping you have!

 

[somewhatshocked]

Great tank.

If you go with B. brigittae, you could honestly do 31 one of them and the tank would still look lightly stocked. It's got the perfect footprint for a group that size.

 

[Dany08fa]

Looks great!

 

[fusiongt]

Have you thought about going emersed? I figure that might help it spread out a bit faster. But regardless, it looks great! Good idea on the sloping substrate - that 12 gallon long is perfect for that.

 

[beedee]

Thanks again everyone! It really does pick me up when I see such great feedback!

Fusion, I am doing an emersed/dry start. I think the hardwater stain along the top of the tank gives the illusion it is flooded. (i bought the tank used)

 

[iadubber]

Beautiful scape!


Sent from my iPad 2 using Tapatalk HD

 

[plebe86]

hey there neighborino its nice to have some people close that r into the same hobby i am. Im new to it and my fam and friends think im weird. im about to start a 3 gal aquascape. maybe u can give me some poiters since it looks like u know what ur doing. were did u get those stones

 

[beedee]

Day 8 update
As expected, not too much to report, i can see the roots of the HC starting to dig into the substrate as well as fresh tiny leaflets. There is a tiny bit of yellowing of some of the HC. The DHG has few random new blades popping up, and a few blades are yellowing. So far, things are moving along as expected. Hoping to see some better HC crawling this week!

New pic has been added to the first post of the thread.

 

[Hetzer]

Wow- beautiful start and outstanding rock arrangement!