# George's 33G



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

I know it's not generally accepted to keep Discus single but after some research and feedback from various sources I decided to take the plunge. 

The tank is 33 Gallon, 20" tall. pH 6.5, KH 3, GH 6, NO3 15ppm (dosed), PO4 1ppm (dosed), CO2 30ppm. 50% weekly water change RO/CBR filtered tap 50:50 mix. 

Fish - 4 inch juvenile Red Marlboro Discus, 28 Cardinal tetra, 4 Otos, 8 Amano shrimp.

Plants - Microsorium pteropus on bogwood, Sagittaria platyphylla, Crinum calistratium.

Lighting - 2 WPG HO T8 (4 x 18W)

Substrate - Dennerle Deponit, black quartz, 25W heater cable.

Ferts - KNO3, KH2PO4, Dennerle range (S7, E15, V30)

CO2 - 2 x Nutrafin (soon to be pressurized).

Long-term plans include pH controller for pressurized CO2. T5 lighting and changing foreground planting to Hemianthus callitrichoides.


----------



## Jim (Apr 4, 2005)

The tank looks really nice. I would reconsider the solo discus though and add at least one companion. Watch the ottos and make sure they don't attach themselves to the discus (for the slime coat). I know Sha has reported having this problem in his tank.

Jim


----------



## shalu (Jan 16, 2003)

yes, I did see ottos attaching to discus and sucking on them, leaving ugly marks. After I removed half of ottos, now I rarely see the problem. So in retrospect, it was probably due to the fact that I don't have enough algae for all of them (used to have about two dozen in the 100gallon tank).

The single discus will do fine if fed well, but just looks a bit odd.


----------



## Jdinh04 (Mar 15, 2004)

No comments about the discus solo, but you do have a very nice tank. The java fern and dwarf sagitaria both looks great, infact that is the healthiest dwarf sag I ever saw.


----------



## skabooya (Apr 15, 2005)

It looks very artistic, i really like it. I know discus are meant to be in groups of 6 or more because they like their community but if they can do fine with just one of them in a tank and maybe with some other small fish friends then i will consider getting one. 
How did you manage to hide all your filter equiptment and still make it functional? 
What shade of black is that? and is it painted or with that plastic attach to the back stuff?
Ive always wanted to try discus but ive been afraid of killing them if anyting is slightly off espically since they are such expensive fish. 
Its a beautiful tank.


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Thanks for the relpies.

Jim - I did intend buying another Discus but have been informed that bullying will be an issue unless I am very lucky. I don't really want to take risk - as long as he seems happy I'll stick with the one. The Otos haven't been a problem yet as far as I can see. I'm obviously keeping a close eye, I was already aware of their potential sucking but thanks for the tip. roud: 

shalu - Looking odd - I imagine it does to those familiar with seeing only groups of Discus. I have witnessed very few Discus (only in my LFS - BTW this one was by far the best I have ever seen, it was in a tank with 2 others, both of which were no way near as active or colourful) so have no "frame of reference" - therefore I percieve my single specimen as quite normal - admittedly in an "ignorance is bliss" sort of way.

Jdinh04 - Thank you. I did have a green spot algae issue on the sag but this was remedied easily by dosing extra PO4.

skabooya - You can just make out my Juwel Compact H internal filter on the right - this is nearly the height of the tank and is filled with coarse and fine sponge approx. 4"x4" - a powerhead sits on top. I have mangaged to hide my Fluval 204 external pipework in there too. The inlet slots into where the heater used to live in and the output is positioned near the powerhead output. The outpipe is directed to mimimise turbulence.

The background is a thin black laminate and is attached using olive oil and a credit card. Simple.

I too was a little daunted by keeping Discus. However my tank has excellent bio-filtration and minimal pollution which is dealt with easily by my a) filtration b) plant growth c) 50% weekly RO/filtered tap water changes. I just increased my temp to 28C (the summer here has caused near that anyway).

Feeding dry foods is the next hurdle - At the moment he relishes frozen bloodworm but little else (not nutritional). I'm off to buy some Diskusin and garlic additives this weekend. 

Considering he has only been in the tank less than 72 hours I am more than happy so far. I've heard it can take weeks for them to feed and become active.

Here's a close-up of "Digweed" (I don't normally name fish but have made exception!)


----------



## Jdinh04 (Mar 15, 2004)

Grat shot, what kind of camera are you using?


----------



## bigstick120 (May 23, 2005)

looks great. That is a great shot of the discus!


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Jdinh04 said:


> Grat shot, what kind of camera are you using?


It's only a 2 Megapixel Olympus D-230. Old and big but has a really good macro.


----------



## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

very very cool. I like your setup a lot. Simple and really affective. The spacing is terrific and I don't mind the single discus in the tank, especially from an aesthetic perspective. Anyway, I like what you have done.


----------



## zig (Jun 4, 2005)

Fantastic looking fish, im sure hes in good hands, tank looks great as well with the new addition roud:


----------



## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

I like it... 
Do yourself a favor to keep the sags as beautiful as they are now...keep them trimmed regularly and dont let them get out of control. They will choke aout an area very fast. Just keep snipping runners and removing a couple selected plants here and there to prevent them from getting too thick or it can make the tank unhealthy through trapped food and waste. 
I learned the hard way...LOL

Very nice look to the tank roud:


----------



## skabooya (Apr 15, 2005)

Ok this thread is really really making me want to set up my tank with one discus in it. Geez, im wondering if this is such a bad idea because they are a schooling fish and get nervous easily. hmmmm, actually i might need a bigger tank too i just have the 20gal (up for changing). This tank has given me inspiration. Damn you for getting me to do research on discus again when I shoud really be doing research for my final paper and studying for my finals!!!


----------



## Jdinh04 (Mar 15, 2004)

Keep in mind that they do "need" frequent water changes, if you have the time then go for it. Back when I got into planted tanks, I was thinking of keeping discus myself, but I decided to go w/ just a planted tank. 

But I am starting to research more on discus and hopefully get my own discus tank as soon as possible. If you want high quality discus, I suggest getting some from Cary Strong, hes one of the nation's quality discus producer, and lives in my home state, Michigan!

http://www.greatlakesdiscus.com take a look!


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Buck said:


> I like it...
> Do yourself a favor to keep the sags as beautiful as they are now...keep them trimmed regularly and dont let them get out of control. They will choke aout an area very fast. Just keep snipping runners and removing a couple selected plants here and there to prevent them from getting too thick or it can make the tank unhealthy through trapped food and waste.
> I learned the hard way...LOL
> 
> Very nice look to the tank roud:


Thanks for the tips. I already do as you say - thin out a few plants weekly, even with 2 WPG it grows like mad. It is the only pruning I need to do though, the Java fern and Crinum are obviously low maint. I remove a couple of the unhealthiest Java fern leaves every week or so.


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

I took a few photos last night. I'm happy with the progress so far. The Sag is speading well, I thin out about a third of it every week. I may start selling it to my LFS.

Growth has improved loads since I've gone pressurized (24/7).

I'm strongly considering a mate for Digweed (my Discus). I'm just concerned about bullying. Hopefully I can come to a suitable arrangment with my LFS about returning any problem Discus if required.

The white spots are pearling.


----------



## Jdinh04 (Mar 15, 2004)

I love the sag, I have 3 plants in my tank and they aren't as healthy looking like yours. Keep it up =)


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Jdinh04 said:


> I love the sag, I have 3 plants in my tank and they aren't as healthy looking like yours. Keep it up =)


Thanks very much - that is a nice compliment after seeing your 20G in your link.


----------



## Jdinh04 (Mar 15, 2004)

Haha thanks, but thats an old picture ....


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Latest pic


----------



## Marc (Oct 13, 2004)

Great tank...did something happen to the Discus? I didn't see him in the last picture. Also, I'd like to get more info on your tank. Looks like you have some sort of overflow box in the right corner. Is there a sump under the tank? I like the tank- it hides a lot of the equipment.


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Marc said:


> Great tank...did something happen to the Discus? I didn't see him in the last picture. Also, I'd like to get more info on your tank. Looks like you have some sort of overflow box in the right corner. Is there a sump under the tank? I like the tank- it hides a lot of the equipment.


Thanks Marc

The Discus is behind the fern.

Tank spec - 

*Tank* – 32”L x 20”H x 14”W (125 litre, 34 US Gallon)
*Water* – pH 6.5, KH 3.5, GH 6, CO2 30ppm, NO3 10-20ppm, PO4 1-2ppm, Temp 28C
*Filtration* – Fluval 204 external , Juwel Compact H internal 
*Light * – 4 x 18W T8 full-spectrum 6500K and 7500K with reflectors
*CO2* – 500g pressurized refillable – 1 bubble per second into external filter (24/7)
*Substrate* – Dennerle Deponit, 1-3mm black quartz, 25W substrate heater cable
*Fertilisation* – KNO3, KH2PO4, Dennerle A1, S7, E15, V30 (soon to be replaced with CSM+B)
*Maintenance* - 50% weekly water change using 50:50 RO/tap. Thinning of sag by approx third every two weeks (exchanged for credit in my LFS). Remove old, ugly fern leaves when required.

The large black box on the right is actually a large internal filter. They are fitted by Juwel in manufacture. They contain lots of bio-media; coarse and fine sponges, carbon (removed) and floss. On top sits a low-flow rate powerhead. 

I have managed to squeeze most of my equipment into the filter housing with the filter still operating. Inside I have; external filter inlet with CO2 output, external filter output running into the powerhead's venturi slot, DIY thermostat for substrate heater cable and electronic thermometer probe. The flow from the powerhead isn't too much as it is situated fairly low in the water column


----------



## Marc (Oct 13, 2004)

Good to know the Discus is doing alright.

Again great tank- its nice that you were able to fit a lot of your equipment in that box. Its also nice that the box is black! It blends in nicely with the black background.

Do you have any shots of the canopy and the lighting system? It looks really sleek.


----------



## Aussie_Star (Feb 15, 2005)

what foreground plant is that?


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Aussie_Star said:


> what foreground plant is that?


Sagittaria platyphylla - a brute! Needs thinning by around a third every two weeks. 

I'm going to replace most of it with glosso me thinks! :icon_wink 

How's your 187 going?


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Marc said:


> Good to know the Discus is doing alright.
> 
> Again great tank- its nice that you were able to fit a lot of your equipment in that box. Its also nice that the box is black! It blends in nicely with the black background.
> 
> Do you have any shots of the canopy and the lighting system? It looks really sleek.


Thanks Marc - it is nice to get some feedback.

The hood is a simple design. Juwel only supply two tubes so I've added two. These simply balance on the tank's center strengthening brace and the cables are pulled tort to prevent the ends from becoming wet. I use a Hagen electronic twin ballast. The Juwel ballast is intergral to the centre bar you can see. 

I have had 6 tubes squeezed in there at one point but there was too much light loss through bounce back etc. as the tubes were so tightly packed. You can fit 30" tubes in there but I like 24" as there's more room for feeding etc. I find that 2 WPG is plenty for my plants. It will be interesting to see if glosso grows in there - I'm hopeful.

It is possible to retrofit T5s that are designed to fit the Juwel range. I also like the idea of an overtank luminaire - although these are very expensive in the UK. Arcadia do a 32" 4 x 24W model that would be perfect for my tank.



Here's a close-up of my "hidden" equipment. A lot of Juwel owners remove their internal filters but I have found it very useful!



Here's the inside of my cabinet. Not as tidy as it could be.


----------



## Aussie_Star (Feb 15, 2005)

George said:


> Sagittaria platyphylla - a brute! Needs thinning by around a third every two weeks.
> 
> I'm going to replace most of it with glosso me thinks! :icon_wink
> 
> How's your 187 going?


i like it looks really nice.
Well i have move the tank so am restarting it only has water in it atm, sold most of my old plants well update my threads when i start to do some stuff.

but i love ya setup truely amazing


----------



## Georgiadawgger (Apr 23, 2004)

It looks great! Nice and healthy as usual! That poor discus looks so lonely though. Let us know how it/he/she does with some friends.


----------



## Marc (Oct 13, 2004)

George said:


> Here's the inside of my cabinet. Not as tidy as it could be.


Looks good to me!


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

A couple of recent pics.

I’m tempted to add some more similar plants to the left of the fern i.e. Cryptocoryne retrospiralis or balansae, or maybe more of the same Crinum.

I’m still unsure how to plant my foreground. I’m thinking about leaving an open space in front of the fern/between woods. I like to see a little open space sometimes in a layout and it may look quite effective. As for planting in front of the Sagittaria platyphylla – I’m still deciding. Glosso, HC, hairgrass or possibly even E tennelus, or a combo. HC is very tempting as it is very low maintenance; however it is also notoriously hard to get established. Glosso looks great but is very invasive and I’m not sure about lighting (2.1 WPG currently). I’ve had success with hairgrass before and I’m sure it would look good but I fancy trying something new. The same with the tennelus, and it is similar in texture to the sag (whether or not that’s a bad thing, I’m not certain). Anyway, you understand my dilemma – any input welcome.


----------



## Steven_Chong (Sep 14, 2004)

Two other foreground plants come to mind for me, "ranalisma rostrata" and "Elatine Triandra (aka Ah Pek's Plant or APP)".

Ranalisma is a grassy plant with appearence similar to e. tenellus, but grows much shorter.

Elatine triandra is a creeping stem similar to glosso and HC, but has a speed somewhere between the two. Its leaves are similar in size to glosso, but are shaped like long triangles. It doesn't need as much light as glosso either. On the other hand . . . it can melt, isn't easy to transport (it has almost no nutrition reserves) and once established it lays out seeds you'll never get rid of. Also, it's not as easy to plant as glosso and can't easily be cut up into plantlets.


----------



## turtlehead (May 31, 2005)

I think it looks nice now, with the black substrate showing.


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Latest pic.

I've just planted the Glosso. I've increased my lighting from 2 to 3 WPG and photoperiod from 10 to 12 hours in an attempt to get the Glosso established. I imagine my dark substrate won't help and my tank is 20" high. I'm hopeful though.


----------



## Pseud (Oct 2, 2005)

I'm always amazed when I see the quality of your foliage. That java fern is beautiful.
Gonna look amazing when the glosso spreads out.

roud:


----------



## Safado (Jul 10, 2005)

Your tank looks awesome! I think that is the best Java Fern I have ever seen. This tank is a perfect example of how a background, and good substrate makes the plants "POP" out at you. I can't wait to see the glosso fill in.


----------



## timr (Mar 23, 2005)

That's a beautiful tank you've got. How has the discus been acting on it own? I would keep an eye out for algae growth with the longer photo period, it may do more harm than good. But once that glosso fills the foreground in that will look really cool.


----------



## PJAN (Feb 18, 2005)

Nice tank, George.
Good change too. In the "old" layout there were to many "grassy" leaves, I guess.
The small round leaves of the Glosso wil make a nice contrast to the leaves of the Javafern.
Mmm, also I would trimm some lower leaves of the Javafern so the Anubias will show better.
Always beware of the fact that a ( but in this case very beautifull : please send it to me... :wink: ) javafern can grow too big and dominate the scene too much.

Gr. PJAN


----------



## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

George the tank looks much better thinned out like that ! roud: 
I could stare at it for hours ! I think the glosso is a nice addition but Im waiting for the final judgement until seeing some more growth. I kinda like the tank without it ! :icon_bigg


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Thanks everyone.

timr- the Discus isn't very happy if I'm honest. I feel bad about it and realise my selfishness was foolhardy. I will take him back to my LFS where he should be happier. 

Algae shouldn't be an issue. I'm keeping a close eye N and P uptake rates and dosing accordingly. CO2 is stable at 35ppm. I've ran near 4 WPG for 12 hours without problem before now.

PJAN - Thanks for the tips. I am massive fan of your work and your reply has made my day! All the best for the AGA contest. roud:


----------



## StUk_In_AfRiKa (Jan 30, 2005)

Wow the tank looks great! Why are you opting to return Digweed instead of getting him a buddy? He's one of the most gorgeous discus I've seen... it would be a shame to see him go (even though he always seems to be hiding in the tank shots)


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

StUk_In_AfRiKa said:


> Wow the tank looks great! Why are you opting to return Digweed instead of getting him a buddy? He's one of the most gorgeous discus I've seen... it would be a shame to see him go (even though he always seems to be hiding in the tank shots)


I don't have buddies with suitable tanks unfortunately.


----------



## Desolas (May 9, 2004)

The tank and the way you photographed it look very nice indeed.



> the Discus isn't very happy if I'm honest. I feel bad about it and realise my selfishness was foolhardy. I will take him back to my LFS where he should be happier.


Always a bummer to find out something won't work. Before I saw your comment I was going to mention from the previous pics in the last page that it wasn't looking very well at all. I've learned that Discus are one of those fish that when someone says "well they shouldn't be kept alone" they really mean it. Unless kept with Angelfish they really, *really* cannot tolerate being without a school. I've had some success quarantining ours with Angels, but after trying to keep one by itself once I'll never try it again.

3 Altum angels would looks quite good in that tank, IMO.


----------



## cat_rancher (Sep 3, 2005)

I love this tank - the greens and the discus look almost electric on that black sand


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Desolas said:


> The tank and the way you photographed it look very nice indeed.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


33G is far too small for Altums, even though it is 20" H. I had a breeding pair of scalares in there a while back and they outgrew it.

The Discus has been re-homed and I'm just sticking to my Cardinals and algae crew.


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Update.

Well there was no need to worry about the glosso establishing!


----------



## Jdinh04 (Mar 15, 2004)

Looking good, it should take another 2-3 weeks for it to fill all the way and get thick. How deep is your substrate?


----------



## Overfloater (Jan 12, 2004)

This tank looks very promising and your photography is top notch. I only wish that I could take such striking pictures. What type of setup are you using?


----------



## PJAN (Feb 18, 2005)

Very good George !

My remark : 
The look of the long leaved Javafern is somewhat duplicated by the lobg leaves of the Sagg's.
I tried to imagine if the Sagg's were replaced by a small piece of wood with a few Anubias on it. Maybe a round leave will have more impact and will give the Javavern more credit.
I am just thinking... you're tank is worth it !
Great pictures !

Gr. PJAN


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Overfloater said:


> This tank looks very promising and your photography is top notch. I only wish that I could take such striking pictures. What type of setup are you using?


Thanks.

My camera is a very basic 2 Megapixel (Olympus D-230) and is ancient by today's standards. My technique matches the simplicity of the camera.

1. Ensure the room is darknened with all tank lights on.
2. Use the highest quality setting (SHQ).
3. Set the white balance to Flourescent Lighting mode.
4. Adjust the exposure to acheive max. contrast without overexposure (-1.5).
5. Turn off flash.
6. Point and press!


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

PJAN said:


> Very good George !
> 
> My remark :
> The look of the long leaved Javafern is somewhat duplicated by the lobg leaves of the Sagg's.
> ...


Your input is greatly appreciated PJAN, thank you.

Congrats again for your recent accolade, your entry was my personal "Best of Show".


----------



## mikeymoo (May 13, 2005)

Hi George,

Just a quick Q.

I noticed from another of your posts that you have the external filter outlet and inlet tubes inside your juwel internal filter box. My question is how do you prevent the external filter uptake pipe from sucking in water from your external filter output pipe?  

Do you have the black juwel textured back ground in your tank?
Looks fantastic, well done.

Mike


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

mikeymoo said:


> Hi George,
> 
> Just a quick Q.
> 
> ...


Hi Mike

Great to here from a fellow Englishman!

The external outlet simply flows into the venturi hole on the Juwel internal powerhead, it's no way near the external inlet.

The background is black plastic roll from my LFS, it's blue one side and black the other. It is attached with olive oil and a credit card.

Here's an update.

I'm just waiting for the glosso to fill up a bit more, especially the edges, and I intend planting a bit more Anubias under the fern.


----------



## Pseud (Oct 2, 2005)

George said:


> The background is black plastic roll from my LFS, it's blue one side and black the other. It is attached with olive oil and a credit card.


Uhhh.... Did I read that correctly?


----------



## milalic (Aug 25, 2005)

I read the same thing...how do you do that?


----------



## mikeymoo (May 13, 2005)

*Looking superb George.* roud: 

Thanks for the info;



George said:


> The external outlet simply flows into the venturi hole on the Juwel internal powerhead, it's no way near the external inlet.


Before you opted to go with pressurised C02 did you do much research into the safety aspect of keeping a presurised gas cylinder in the house? Would be interested to hear your views on this as I am deciding whether or not to go pressurised at the moment, safety is a current corncen of mine.......  

Thanks


----------



## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

> I read the same thing...how do you do that?


You just put a light coat of oil on the glass , stick the background on and squeegee the air pockets out starting at the centers and working outward. Works like a charm .

Beautiful growth George, love the all green format... :icon_bigg


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

mikeymoo said:


> *Looking superb George.* roud:
> 
> Thanks for the info;
> 
> ...


Pressurized is perfectly safe I would say, DIY pressurized maybe slightly more risky. Mine is a Dennerle system so obviously it has passed as the usual EEC safety standards, as would any off-the-shelf system (JBL are good too). REad the instructions fully when installing and you can't go wrong.

I cannot over emphasize the benefits of pressurized CO2 over DIY - more control, less maintenance and ultimately less algae.

What are you waiting for?


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Buck said:


> Beautiful growth George, love the all green format... :icon_bigg


Thanks Buck. Remember my old Dutch layout - how things change eh?


----------



## Jdinh04 (Mar 15, 2004)

I noticed how your java fern dramatically changed, the leaves are now inclining upwards and getting thicker, it looks very nice.


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Update with new camera.

I'm still not entirely happy with the dark space to the left of the fern. I may move the Crinum slightly to compensate. I've also removed the piece of wood to the right of the fern, I think the layout flows better now.


----------



## Overfloater (Jan 12, 2004)

Excellent. Did you enter this tank into the APC contest?


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Overfloater said:


> Excellent. Did you enter this tank into the APC contest?


No I forgot about it - I'm not very active on APC. 

To be honest I'm very new to all these contests. I know of AGA, ADA and APC - it that the big three? I'd like to enter next year's AGA for sure. I remember seeing the previous contest entries when I started out in this hobby around 2 years ago and thinking; "I hope that one day my tank will be good enough to enter that without me feeling too inadequate!" It appears that "one day" is near at last.

One thing I do wonder is how long a lot of these entry winner's layouts last? I assume a fair proportion of "successful" entries set the layout up just for the contests rather than having a long-term aquascape that they live with for several months or years. I fall into the latter category for two main reasons, budget and spare time. The plants you see cost me a total of around £10 (US $20). The fern is over two years old, the Sag and Crinum over 6 months, Anubias 3 months and Glosso 2 months. I would love to have the time and budget to tear apart layout after layout in search of the killer scape but I have to be content with the humble, easy to live with layout that you see.


----------



## Jdinh04 (Mar 15, 2004)

Looking good, one thing I noticed about your tank is that the dwarf sagittaria has gotten thinner and the leaves of the java ferns has gotten longer and wider. Keep it up!


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

latest.


----------



## Overfloater (Jan 12, 2004)

This layout is very simple but I love it. The photography is very good also. Excellent job catching fish so close together.


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Overfloater said:


> This layout is very simple but I love it. The photography is very good also. Excellent job catching fish so close together.


Thanks.

I cheat a little to get the Cardinals to shoal. I set the camera on self-timer then wave my hands around the top left side of the tank, getting out of the way at the last second. The fish obviously perceive the moving object above them as a threat and go into their defensive shoaling mode at the opposite end of the tank.


----------



## Overfloater (Jan 12, 2004)

George said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I cheat a little to get the Cardinals to shoal. I set the camera on self-timer then wave my hands around the top left side of the tank, getting out of the way at the last second. The fish obviously perceive the moving object above them as a threat and go into their defensive shoaling mode at the opposite end of the tank.


Wow that's a great idea. I'll have to try it sometime.


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Here's some better shots of the Cardinals moving as a shoal. I got lucky with the self-timer!


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

I wasn't sure where to post this question so here we are.

Does anyone know the technique involved in creating the ripple effect on the water's surface i.e. http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2005.cgi?&Scale=258&op=showcase&category=0&vol=0&id=81


----------



## Jdinh04 (Mar 15, 2004)

George said:


> I wasn't sure where to post this question so here we are.
> 
> Does anyone know the technique involved in creating the ripple effect on the water's surface i.e. http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2005.cgi?&Scale=258&op=showcase&category=0&vol=0&id=81


Use a blow dryer, works perfect. Tried It. Done It.


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Jdinh04 said:


> Use a blow dryer, works perfect. Tried It. Done It.


Neat idea, thanks mate.


----------



## Jdinh04 (Mar 15, 2004)

George said:


> Neat idea, thanks mate.


Yup no problem, looking forward to seeing some pictures with the effect.


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Ok I ruined it!

One improvement - notice the lack of internal filter now, all the equipment is behind the fern - vertical spray bar, intake, CO2 and heater (all black).

I'm actually away for 4 months soon so the tank will be half-neglected. It'll be on half lighting, half CO2 and minimal ferts, 50% water change every 2 weeks. I'm keeping the fern and Anubias only.

I look forward to creating a new layout upon my return. I'd like to keep the fern but it's just too big isn't it?

What do you guys reckon, is it possible to create a balanced aquascape with such a monster?


----------



## Raul-7 (Oct 17, 2003)

It's great, but it is too symmetrical with the fern mound centered in the middle. I can see that you left a little more room on one side than the other to avoid that, but it's difficult to notice given the size of the tank. Although we all might like it, I'm not sure the judges will. 

The triangle layout you had before was perfect! Especially with a small tank; executing a mound-scape successfully would fairly difficult, IMO.


----------



## Ðank (Dec 29, 2005)

George said:


> What do you guys reckon, is it possible to create a balanced aquascape with such a monster?


Possible, but difficult. Still looks great, believe me, but I've liked the off-centered placements a little better. Standing the fern up more vertically in a corner would buy you tons of 'floorspace' while still presenting that wonderful job you have done growing it. If you are going away for 4 months I would show your tanksitter how to trim the glosso. That or buy a machete while you are away...


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Thanks guys.

I'm running it real low-maint while I'm away.

Planted with fern and nana only
1.1 WPG
15ppm CO2 or possibly none (any suggestions welcome)
minimal fert dosing
50% water change every two weeks

I'm passing the sag and glosso onto a fellow planted pal so hopefully I can resume a similar layout upon my return - if my fern hasn't filled the entire tank!


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Better but not a patch on previous incarnations.

I can't get motivated as I'm away for 4 months soon and there's no point in me doing anything too drastic to the layout. The plants are healthy and algae-free so I'm happy with that. The lily is a bit of fun.

Upon my return I plan a complete stripdown. New substrate (probably ADA Aqua Soil), new hardscape (more wood), new planting and style. I'd like to get hold of some narrow var. fern for starters, swap the glosso for HC and try my hand at a few demanding stems for a change. I'll obviously keep you posted. I have 4 months to plan it so I'm hoping to come up with a half-decent scape.

Feedback welcome, although I don't intend changing much (until my return obviously).

One quick question - should I lose my substrate heater cable if I use the ADA Aqua Soil? I understand it's mega-rich in nutrients.

Regards
George


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Is it _that_ bad? :icon_cry:


----------



## fishoutawater (Feb 9, 2005)

No way man I dig it!!

Its way simple but looks Amazing!!

2:thumbsup: for me


----------



## Ðank (Dec 29, 2005)

I still really like this tank and your photography skills seem to match the layout. VERY black, VERY green, and VERY beautiful. I'm sure you are excited about the rescaping when you get back, I am. I can't offer any advice about the substrate heater as I've never used one. Not a lot of heat needed in my tanks.


----------



## PeteyPob (Apr 26, 2004)

dito to the photo skills! Your tank is just as sweet. Love that java fern!


----------



## turbowagon (Dec 30, 2005)

What a nice tank! Perfect example of how one can achieve a really nice layout with only a few well-chosen plant species.

Can't wait to see what you come up with when you rebuild the tank in four months!


----------



## Planted punk (Mar 10, 2005)

hey looking good George ( im puffer  ) never knew you had a discus though  liking your tank its so siple yet so effective 

keep up the amazing work


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Thanks guys. 

Anyone else on the ADA Aqua Soil, heater cable issue?


----------



## LondonDragon (Mar 15, 2007)

Hi George, you tank looks amazing 
Love that glosso, shame I can't use it, did try but my gravel is just not good enough.
Keep up the good work


----------



## George (Sep 11, 2004)

Thanks Paulo.

This 'scape is well gone now. It's now ultra-low maint, crypts, ferns, anubias only. It's coming on ok, may even enter into the AGA this year.

Here's a snap - http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/blog.php?blogid=107


----------

