# 40 gallon Hardscape Utah Dragonstone.



## DaveFish

The beginning of my new scape. I am using ADA Amazonia II and local Utah Dragonstone. I currently am doing the Dry start with Fissidens f. and have some UG bladderwort, ammania sp. bonsai and staurogyne repens on the way. I will also be using blyxa j. 2- Finnex Ray 2 high output 36" LED fixtures. Eheim classic canister, inline Hydor heater, inline UpAqua Co2 diffuser. Eventually I will get lily pipes. I am going to get dwarf emerald rasboras, like 20 or so and that's it. Plus orange eye- blue tiger shrimp.


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## becky3086

That is so cool looking. Can't wait to see it with the plants


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## Clemsons2k

That stone is awesome. Volcanic?


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## thenameless

this is a great scape, love the stones!!!


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## sapphoqueen

Wow! subscribed  love the scape, love the stones, love to get them too  LOL!


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## FWKiller

Holy cow I love the sheer mass of the hardscape! Fantastic. I want it lol. How much ADA soil did you have to use?


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## Darks!de

He's selling the stones on SnS! Really good pricing too.


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## DaveFish

I used three 9 liter bags of Aquasoil and two bags of eco complete. I put peat and activated carbon at the base with some Osmocote Plus, so the extra... mixed with eco complete is relatively the same as the expensive power sand and a great filler... Initially I filled it half way with water to settle areas of substrate that weren't pact down good enough... I did have a few sinkholes. This packing will help so the slopes don't collapse or settle too much. Thank you everyone for the kind words! I do have this rock for sale and yes it is lava rock from Utah, from very ancient volcanoes. Stay tuned...


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## Badspeller13

All I can say is WOW! The hardscape looks great and +1 to looking forward to seeing this with plants.


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## DaveFish

Thank you! It is taking a long time to gather all the plants, slowly but surely... I still need a few more.... stay tuned...


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## howgeneric

Wow, I love the hardscape, it would be good even without any plants IMO, thats how much I like it.


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## frrok

scape is looking great so far. love to see where this goes. I echo everyone's sentiments, those lava stones are killer! Wish I had the doough to buy my 120p! I would buy a whole bunch from you...


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## Vepr

Really cool stone, looking forward to seeing it planted.


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## DaveFish

Thanks a lot guys! I could see some African Cichlids in there, even though it isn't the usual rocks one would use, it could be a show tank. I just need some more plants. Waiting for them to come... I ended up filling it up today and it only holds 26 gallons of water. So my little Eheim canister is going to work great because there actually isn't that much water in the tank. Because of the light weighted stones and the weight of the substrate per volume is slightly less than that of water the tank is actually lighter and under less stress.


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## ChadRamsey

Magnificent!


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## DogFish

1st impression MARS! I'd keep it simple, plant wise. Just a carpet plant. Fauna - Shimp, dwarf catfish, gobys....Make the viewer search to see the activity.

This could be an epic build.:smile:


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## frrok

DogFish said:


> 1st impression MARS! I'd keep it simple, plant wise. Just a carpet plant. Fauna - Shimp, dwarf catfish, gobys....Make the viewer search to see the activity.
> 
> This could be an epic build.:smile:


+1 on this idea.


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## DaveFish

I call it, "Opposition of Nature". Because the left side is concave with a window to light and the right side is convex with a window to darkness. My eye naturally starts at the cave and is pulled to the left towards the window of light.

I am still waiting on S. repens to come... I have Fissidens fontanus, Ammania sp. bonsai "True Rotala indica", Hydro sp. Japan, Hair grass, Blyxa japonica, Utricularia graminifolia "UG Bladderwort". And eventually I will put the S. repens on the upper and lower left side of the tank and within steep valley at the back.


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## HybridHerp

This is going to look so sick once all the plants are in. That rock really is pretty cool looking too.


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## OVT

Did anyone else use activated carbon in the substrate? It and the peat can be hard to control, me thinks.

The hardscape is dramatic. Looking forward seeing in green.

via Droid DNA Tapatalk 2


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## DaveFish

DogFish said:


> 1st impression MARS! I'd keep it simple, plant wise. Just a carpet plant. Fauna - Shimp, dwarf catfish, gobys....Make the viewer search to see the activity.
> 
> This could be an epic build.:smile:


For sure, Maybe not simple for some, but for me it is. I do want a bunch of shrimp. A goby is a good idea. I have some Green Fire Tetras that I want to put in there. Personally I have to have some fish in there.


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## DaveFish

OVT said:


> Did anyone else use activated carbon in the substrate? It and the peat can be hard to control, me thinks.
> 
> The hardscape is dramatic. Looking forward seeing in green.
> 
> via Droid DNA Tapatalk 2


Well ADA powersand special has peat and activated carbon. A lot of Aquascapers from Denmark that communicate with Tropica use only mineralized clay and unfertilized peat for the substrate and it works great. Once the carbon gets exhausted it won't be much more than added biological filtration, while holding organics in the substrate. And some other person on the plantedtank forum made their own MTS comparable to Aquasoil, which is cool, but takes more time and money to make than to just buy Aquasoil, and he had larger chunks of carbon, which I thought was a little over the top. Peat helps to trap minerals and organics in the substrate as well. What do you mean by hard to control?


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## ChadRamsey

this thing will be epic!


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## melanotaenia

That rock is intense! Great scape. You can also use plastic pieces placed in the soil to help keep the slopes up as well. Can't wait to see some plants in there!


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## DaveFish

melanotaenia said:


> That rock is intense! Great scape. You can also use plastic pieces placed in the soil to help keep the slopes up as well. Can't wait to see some plants in there!


Thanks, I did, but I still needed to do the method of filling the tank half way. And I don't wan't to use too many plastic pieces which would have been the result if I hadn't packed.


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## Allentan97

dave, from the first time I saw the rocks in the video on youtube. i knew that this was gonna be an amazing tank, and indeed it is. i love the cave and the opening how they contrast. how much does the rock weigh? and how much per pound? thanks man. -Allen


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## kingjombeejoe

This tank is amazing, I have to get some of those rocks for my 40b


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## DaveFish

Allentan97 said:


> dave, from the first time I saw the rocks in the video on youtube. i knew that this was gonna be an amazing tank, and indeed it is. i love the cave and the opening how they contrast. how much does the rock weigh? and how much per pound? thanks man. -Allen


I can get a good amount of rock into a large flat rate box. Consistently I get 20 lbs. The heaviest rocks weigh 8 lbs. And that is a large rock 8-12"x8-12" most large rocks only weigh 5-6 lbs and some weigh 4lbs. You will get 3-4 large large pieces, 3-4 medium pieces, few small and some rubble in a 20lb large flat rate box. For example, a heavy rock scape for a standard 55 gallon would need two 20 lb boxes. And extreme scape like my 40 gallon would be more like 5-6 boxes, and some rock are so big that I wouldn't be able to fit them into a flat rate box. I would have to ship normal with higher shipping. Those rocks are specialty and more expensive, but worth it if you HAVE to have something like that. I am going to start dividing up the really big specialty rocks and selling them separately.


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## DaveFish

kingjombeejoe said:


> This tank is amazing, I have to get some of those rocks for my 40b


I can get a good amount of rock into a large flat rate box. Consistently I get 20 lbs. The heaviest rocks weigh 8 lbs. And that is a large rock 8-12"x8-12" most large rocks only weigh 5-6 lbs and some weigh 4lbs. You will get 3-4 large large pieces, 3-4 medium pieces, few small and some rubble in a 20lb large flat rate box. For example, a heavy rock scape for a standard 55 gallon would need two 20 lb boxes. And extreme scape like my 40 gallon would be more like 5-6 boxes, and some rock are so big that I wouldn't be able to fit them into a flat rate box. I would have to ship normal with higher shipping. Those rocks are specialty and more expensive, but worth it if you HAVE to have something like that. I am going to start dividing up the really big specialty rocks and selling them separately.


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## Allentan97

sweet man, when you mean rock heavy 55 gal, you mean like DET's? and do you have small pieces? like for a 10- 20 gal? thanks again


DaveFish said:


> I can get a good amount of rock into a large flat rate box. Consistently I get 20 lbs. The heaviest rocks weigh 8 lbs. And that is a large rock 8-12"x8-12" most large rocks only weigh 5-6 lbs and some weigh 4lbs. You will get 3-4 large large pieces, 3-4 medium pieces, few small and some rubble in a 20lb large flat rate box. For example, a heavy rock scape for a standard 55 gallon would need two 20 lb boxes. And extreme scape like my 40 gallon would be more like 5-6 boxes, and some rock are so big that I wouldn't be able to fit them into a flat rate box. I would have to ship normal with higher shipping. Those rocks are specialty and more expensive, but worth it if you HAVE to have something like that. I am going to start dividing up the really big specialty rocks and selling them separately.


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## DaveFish

Heavier than his. With 2 20lb boxes you would have probably double what he has in his tank. Yeah I have medium, small and even rubble. Medium can be 4-6"x4-6" (ruffly) as they are not perfect squares. If you got 20lbs of medium, small and rubble that would be a really good amount of rock. You want to have enough so you can play around with ideas. The worst is when you don't have enough. Better safe than sorry. As well my minimum sale is 1 large flat rate box at 20lbs of rock. So the total is $37.00


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## DaveFish

Let me know if you want any Allen. If you want to get some later on that is fine. I will have some waiting!!


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## aquacalm500

Those rocks are amazing. The layout seems to have a lot of depth to it. Tons of potential here!!


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## happi

Dave your tank looks awesome man, maybe i will come and check it out. maybe i can use those rocks, it looks very nice, PM me about the price for the rocks or show me where to find them.


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## DaveFish

happi said:


> Dave your tank looks awesome man, maybe i will come and check it out. maybe i can use those rocks, it looks very nice, PM me about the price for the rocks or show me where to find them.


 Thanks man, Mike told me he stopped by your place the other day. You are growing different kinds of algae? That is cool. I can't tell you where they are. lol


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## binbin9

Subbed. I'm anxious to see how it turns out


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## ChadRamsey

Dave, you need to compile all these post and start a journal in the journals section.:biggrin:


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## DaveFish

binbin9 said:


> Subbed. I'm anxious to see how it turns out


 I will have an update soon.


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## DaveFish

ChadRamsey said:


> Dave, you need to compile all these post and start a journal in the journals section.:biggrin:


 True, I wondered about that. When I make my next update, which will be soon, I will get all my posts and start a journal. I will add even more detail as well.


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## DaveFish

I have an update of this tank coming this weekend! I also am going to try and do a journal on this tank and include or do a sepatate build journal for a DIY hanging kit for Finnex Ray LED fixtures.


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## Jonny

I love the look of this dark dragon stone with dark substrate, it is so atmospheric and the plants and going to explode with colour in the landscape. I absolutely want to try this when I can afford a third tank, love it, so inspirational thanks!


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## DaveFish

Jonny said:


> I love the look of this dark dragon stone with dark substrate, it is so atmospheric and the plants and going to explode with colour in the landscape. I absolutely want to try this when I can afford a third tank, love it, so inspirational thanks!


Thanks a million for the kind words. I finally finished the DIY hanging kit and will make a journal of this tank ASAP.


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## DaveFish

Here is a short update of the Dutch Iwagumi hybrid and the 40 breeder Dragonstone Contemporary Iwagumi. Remember to always watch in HD!!!


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## Aplomado

Looks really nice.

What are the plants in your dragonstone aquarium?


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## Vermino

yeah Dave, you should definitely start a tank journal on that beast.


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## DaveFish

Vermino said:


> yeah Dave, you should definitely start a tank journal on that beast.


haha, once I get my Erios then I will.


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## DaveFish

Aplomado said:


> Looks really nice.
> 
> What are the plants in your dragonstone aquarium?


In the video I have blyxa japonica, UG- utricularia graminifolia, staurogyne repens, hydro sp. japan and fissidens moss. I just added some hair grass to mix in with the blyxa. Hair grass and blyxa mixed together looks really good. I am going to get some Erio plants, four to be exact, from my friend and that will most likely be it.


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## Allentan97

man Dave its kinda weird seeing this on youtube and on here, but its definitely comin along. you need to start a journal on this soon


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## mojo8427

How is it that you keep your dwarf baby tears so low in that video? Amazing tanks btw!


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## DaveFish

mojo8427 said:


> How is it that you keep your dwarf baby tears so low in that video? Amazing tanks btw!


I guess just from the really high lighting and PAR levels. Thanks for watching the video!


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## FungusTrooper

Sorry if this was already answered, but do you know how much stone you used? I see you selling 20lbs, but I'm not sure how dense this rock is - how many lbs would you say you used?


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## DaveFish

FungusTrooper said:


> Sorry if this was already answered, but do you know how much stone you used? I see you selling 20lbs, but I'm not sure how dense this rock is - how many lbs would you say you used?


I used probably 60 lbs or more. There is a lot of rock underneath for support and air circulation. I used big premium pieces that won't fit in a large flat rate box. I sell big piecs XL at regular shipping costs.


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