# Sandy No More



## Fish Ed (Oct 25, 2011)

Great setup. I can't wait 'till see it with more plants.

Just be careful while you're vacuuming your substrate, because when your black soil/sand/gravel get mixed with the sand, it'll be really hard to get it out. It happened to me and it looks ugly when it's mixed.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Thanks. I will have to keep that in mind. I already have a few grains that have crossed the border. Need to bring my tweezers home to pick them all out.


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## Fish Ed (Oct 25, 2011)

sidefunk said:


> Need to bring my tweezers home to pick them all out.


Good luck with that, but it's gonna be hard.


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

Many rooted stem plants can and will do well in sand but suggest you use root tab ferts in the sand. 
Some types that I have had do very well in sand, besides the Hygros you mentioned, are several types of Swords, Lydwigia, Crypts, Vals, Sags, Rotala, Bacopa, and Lotuses.
Of course, Anubias & Java Ferns are unaffected at all, assuming placement on rocks or driftwood with rhizomes exposed.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Planted. This is a relatively low maintenance setup at the moment, save the sunset hygro. Should fill in nicely in like six months. My first time trying riccia.

I ordered an inline heater. Should be nice to clean up a little clutter inside the tank.

FTS









Go shrimp go


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## Doc7 (Apr 7, 2011)

This looks great!


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Just finished my final planting today. Got some new plants, all of which were in their emersed form of growth so it will be a while before the go into their aquatic forms. Excited to see how this tank will turn out. I'm going to do my best to keep on top of it.

I could not help myself and moss remains in the tank. I'm just going keep christmas moss which I love and grows slow enough and is manageable if you keep on top of it.

I'm also excited to see how the crypt balansae turns out.

Plant list:

Riccia
Stauro repens
crypt wendtii
crypt (? had it in my first tank and has stayed with me since)
crypt balansae
cypres helfri
HM
sunset hygro
bolbitus
anubias nana petite
christmas moss
(rogue needle leaf java fern)


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Really like how this turned out. The shoreline looks fantastic and this is the first time I've seen someone use plants to create the divider (most people used rocks like you did at first). LOL at the lone cherry crossing the "ocean". Too bad the fish prefer to hide in the island instead of swimming in all that open space!


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Thanks. Sure would be nice if the fish would swim out in the open. When the scape is really ready I will have to rile them up to get them out of hiding for pics.

Covering the rocks is really an Amano thing. I always thought it was a great way to help the transition. This was especially so because I don't think the rocks would have provided as nice a transition to the foreground if they were not covered with plants. Looking forward to giving the riccia its first trim next week.


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## doc bonsai (Nov 4, 2011)

beautiful. Is the border moss then?


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

The border is a plant called riccia fluitans. Its my first time using it and I already like it very much. It is a floating plant, making it rather difficult to keep down. It is tied with sewing thread to the rocks so that it does not float up. Amano used to use riccia a lot in his scapes.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

One of my shrimp took a walk. Boo found him in the bathroom. rip little man.

just having some fun taking pics.

these guys have been really happy and are really showing their color lately.









almost in focus. next time


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

sidefunk said:


> One of my shrimp took a walk. Boo found him in the bathroom. rip little man.


What happened? Did it jump out of the tank?

And I gotta say. Using ricca as a wall is so smart :]


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Not to sure what happened. I would imagine he just jumped and took a hike because I found him in the bathroom. I have had amanos do this before but not any crs to my knowledge. I'm assuming something was not quite right in the tank for him, whether it was parameters or someone chasing him. I think it was probably the latter.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Tried to make a break for the toilet? All drains lead to the sea according to Finding Nemo. But the shrimp is freshwater so he might not have gotten the memo.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

he he he

gave the riccia a trim today


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## matty26 (Feb 25, 2011)

love it


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

What'd you do with the trimmed ricca


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

thanks matt26. Hopefully I will remain consistent with my maintenance.

Diwu13,  i tossed them because usually I don't have the time to box em up, but I'm hearing ya.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

You should consider throwing the bits you snipped into a little clear jar and just place it near the window. Ricca will grow out there and when it bunches up more you can sell it !


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## Fish Ed (Oct 25, 2011)

diwu13 said:


> You should consider throwing the bits you snipped into a little clear jar and just place it near the window. Ricca will grow out there and when it bunches up more you can sell it !


Haha, that's what I do to my Bacopa, but emersed and of course with soil.:flick:


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

That's a great idea. It seems it would be much nicer the sell as an actual clump rather then the random trimming I pulled out. Thanks


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## .Mko. (Sep 23, 2010)

i really like how your wood twists. The overall arrangement is really appealing too. thumbs on on dealing with riccia. I had it once and it just didnt work for me. Too much work. But im glad it works for you =)


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## .Mko. (Sep 23, 2010)

and what kind of sand did you use?


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## ibmikmaq (Aug 19, 2011)

beautiful! I really love the look! what I am going for with my 332 gallon!


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

sidefunk said:


> That's a great idea. It seems it would be much nicer the sell as an actual clump rather then the random trimming I pulled out. Thanks


Hm... free ricca for the guy who introduced the great idea ?


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

.Mko. said:


> i really like how your wood twists. The overall arrangement is really appealing too. thumbs on on dealing with riccia. I had it once and it just didnt work for me. Too much work. But im glad it works for you =)


Thanks. I'm not sure how well the riccia will work out for me either as I have only had it for a few weeks now. Will see how it works out long term.



.Mko. said:


> and what kind of sand did you use?


It is playsand from home depot. Kind of want to change it because of all the dust it produces. I should have rinsed it more. Live and learn, eh.



ibmikmaq said:


> beautiful! I really love the look! what I am going for with my 332 gallon!


Thanks. Man I wish I had a tank that big to play with. Although I might think about a marine tank for that size because there are so many nice fish you can keep in a tank that size.



diwu13 said:


> Hm... free ricca for the guy who introduced the great idea ?


 not sure I can keep stray mason jars around the house but I will think of you the next time I trim and if I have to time to box it up I will shot you a pm


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Not really much happening in this tank at the moment, which is kinda nice. The only real problem is that I am getting a good little cyano outbreak on the sand. I wonder if the sand is causing the cyano because it is the only place that it appears. 

Besides that, regular BBA fights and just keeping up with my maintenance schedule. Liking this tank because all in all it has not required too much maintenance.


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## Big O (Jun 28, 2011)

Very nice and clean looking tank.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

I heard someone said excel would kill off ricca. I guess that's not the case for you then?


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Big O said:


> Very nice and clean looking tank.


Thanks. The algae is kinda messing up that cleanliness but I am enjoying the relatively minimal number of plants.



diwu13 said:


> I heard someone said excel would kill off ricca. I guess that's not the case for you then?


I read the same thing and was worried about that when dosing. I just spot dosed and did not do my regular excel overdose to kill all the BBA. Nothing bad happened to my riccia.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Hm... so you did overdose, however it was spot overdosing? How close was this to the ricca walls?


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

It was pretty close to the walls but I did not really see an effect on the riccia.


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## seahunter (Nov 29, 2011)

Your tank is absolutely gorgeous! Love the aquascape.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Hm... that gives me hope! . Glad the algae battle is over for you! (for now)


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## TeaQue (Jan 26, 2010)

What a great scape! Looks awesome


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

seahunter said:


> Your tank is absolutely gorgeous! Love the aquascape.


Thanks. maintenance is coming along nicely hoping that it will really blossom into my vision.



diwu13 said:


> Hm... that gives me hope! . Glad the algae battle is over for you! (for now)


Ha, I wish. Algae, especially BBA, is just one of those things that I don't think I will ever be done battling. I will have to buy a whole new tank and start from scratch to up my chances at avoiding BBA. Even then I'm sure I would not be able to resist the temptation to use plants that I already have.



TeaQue said:


> What a great scape! Looks awesome


Thanks. 

Also, If anyone is able to help it would be much appreciated. I am having the darnedest time trying to keep my stauro repens alive in some spots. It seems to keep melting away and has kind of stopped growing where it is doing okay. Any thoughts on what I might do to turn things around?

Don't have any recent pictures of the tank, but here is one I like from my old tank where the sunset hygro was exactly that.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Can't really help on the plant melt. If you post your question in the "Plants" section of the forum someone there would definitely be able to help you quickly!


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## inareverie85 (Jul 26, 2008)

Loving this tank. That is one gorgeous piece of driftwood.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

diwu13 said:


> Can't really help on the plant melt. If you post your question in the "Plants" section of the forum someone there would definitely be able to help you quickly!


Thanks diwu I posted in the plant section. Hoping someone else might have had this problem and figured out how to fix it



inareverie85 said:


> Loving this tank. That is one gorgeous piece of driftwood.


Thanks, found it in a pet store in Canada. I was pleasantly surprised by the nice selection of drift wood and could not resist this piece. In fact, I was going to upgrade my tank but decided to give it another go because of this piece of wood.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Well my stauro pretty much all melted so I yanked it. The riccia was going alright but I yanked that as well because I was thinking that the "undergrowth" was causing too much detritus in the tank. Turns out the underside was not all that rotted but I decided to go a different route for the rocks. 

So much for my no moss as I want to grow the X-mas moss along the rocks in the front. I also put in a carpet of crypt parva. This is going to be a long term slow grow tank. That's all good because between this tank and my nano reef I have got to stop spending money and just concentrate on making them both better.

I am liking the idea of a relatively low maintenance tank. The last thing I think I want to do now is to replace the play sand with some kind of bigger grain sand. I have my eye on the ADA Mekong sand, but just can't stomach the shipping cost which would be almost as much as the sand is.

FTS from tonight:










Ah heck one of the nano reef as well:


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## BoxxerBoyDrew (Oct 16, 2005)

WOW!!!


Both thank looks VERY VERY GOOD!!!!

The wood is PERFECT for that tank! I love the scape too! The riccia looked great, but I have read it can be a hand full trying to keep it looking good! But once the Christmas moss grows in along the rocks it will look just as good or better with much less maintenance too!

Sorry about the shrimp! I too have had my ammanos do the same thing, but our Dachshunds usually find them before I can save them and get them back into the tank!

The Reef looks like it is doing very well too! Lots of Coraline algae, and very purple!!! The corals look very happy! I love the Black P. Clowns!!! One of my favorite salt water fish! I know they are kind of basic, but very beautiful to me! Any other fish in the reef? Also whit size is it? And what size is the planted tank? 

Keep up the GREAT WORK!
Drew


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## Marconis (Nov 8, 2010)

Your aquariums are beautiful. Spectacular job with scaping.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

BoxxerBoyDrew said:


> WOW!!!
> 
> 
> Both thank looks VERY VERY GOOD!!!!
> ...


Thanks, I' am looking forward to the x-mas moss. The planted tank is 32 gallons I believe. It is some uncommon euro dimensions.

I had not even heard of black clowns before I got into reefing but as soon as I did I had to have them. They are great fish. They are always nipping at me when I am doing stuff with my hands in the tank. I was hoping they would breed, but now I am not so sure as I would not know what to do with any babies. They are just about a year an a half so maybe they will mate. Either way they seems to be good pals. 

The tank is a 29 gallon biocube. Aside from the clowns I have a yasha hase goby. Now that is one colorful little fish. I wanted a pistol shrimp to keep him company but have just never pulled the trigger on that purchase.



Marconis said:


> Your aquariums are beautiful. Spectacular job with scaping.


Thanks. I am really just trying to do an Amano like tank. Although I would just be happy if one tank would turn out the way I would like when I start out.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Quick little photo update. I am happy that I pulled the stauro for the parva, but it will be a while before anything significant happens with this tank. 

Otherwise, still trying to figure out what the deal with the cyano is. Got to get to the bottom of this. Any suggestions?


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Switched out the sand today to some "peace river" instant aquarium substrate. Was a heck of a mess with sand dust everywhere. Here is a shot of the mess. I will post another shot when it clears up and I am able to get most of the sand dust up off of everything. 

Hopefully this will help with the cyano issue as well.


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## Zefrik (Oct 23, 2011)

I like the darker gravel.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

How'd you get the sand out? Siphoned it out or something?

Clean out your canister after that water clears. It'll be nice and clogged with sand by then


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Zefrik said:


> I like the darker gravel.


I'm really diggin it as well. I really wanted to do the ADA mekong sand. However, it would have cost me more to ship then it actually cost. I also saw a few pictures and it seemed pretty bright. Could have just been the pics but I think I will like the darker look a bit better which seems to work with the darker plants that I have.



diwu13 said:


> How'd you get the sand out? Siphoned it out or something?
> 
> Clean out your canister after that water clears. It'll be nice and clogged with sand by then


At first I scoped it out which created a crazy dust storm. Then I siphoned the rest of it out, well the rest I could see of it. I also left a bit so that my eco-complete would not collapse too much. I like how the stones are a bit more burried now.

I definitely plan clean the filter out. I'm sure it it pretty darn gunked up. I also need to clean up the glass and sticky my background. All in all, I am happy to see the sand go.

Here it is a little more cleared up. Still lots of sand settled on plants.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

You also added that new piece of DW in the middle of the plain I see. Any reason for that addition?


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

I haven't really added that to the tank, it's just sitting there while it waits to get sold. I took it out of a tank I had at the office which came down this weekend. I will really miss the piece once it's gone. I think it took me over a year and a half to grow.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

I swear there are fish in here and that is not a massive amount of food just to feed my bacteria and cyano. Here was the tank last week before I cut back the x-mas moss.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Haha whoaaa. You let your fish splurge on food huh? Yea weird how you can't see a single fish in your photos o.o!!

I see you sold off that other driftwood hah?


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Yeah, after seeing that picture I am wondering if I found the reason for my cyano problem. Although I have been feeding a similar amount for years without a problem. There are a good thirty or so fish in there. They are just really camera shy.

I was sad to see that drift wood go. It took me a long time to get the java fern like that.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

After looking at my tank time and time again I decided that I really don't like the new foreground substrate. So I finally pulled the trigger on the ADA Mekong sand. Oh boy, my first ADA purchase. Just hope I don't start going all crazy and next thing you know end up with a 120p (my dream tank). Think that will really give the tank the look I am going for without all the mess of play sand. Will post some pics once I make the switch over.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Hm... does the ADA sand leech ammonia like the amazonia? If so, you wouldn't be able to swap it out right away.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

I can't imagine it would being sand but that is a very good point which I would not have considered. Unless someone else has experience with that I guess I will let you know what happens.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

All the livestock could die if it does indeed leech ammonia :X. Maybe contact the company to make sure? Or ask in the substrate section!


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Made the switch. I like the mekong better.

before:









after:









nom nom


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Hm... I do like the new sand texture! But I don't like the picture of the RCS getting eaten


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Ah, was just thinking of my old tank today. Man I miss this thing. This is when it was in its prime. Gotten clean up my new tank and I will post an update, although not much has happened in the slow grow tank. In the meantime here in to reminiscing.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Glass is kinda dirty but here is an update anyhow.


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## Overfloater (Jan 12, 2004)

Looking good!


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Thanks over. I just saw your thread up top. Man your tanks were sick. Looking forward to the unveiling of your latest creation. 

I have a buddy who has been eying the 48 Mr. Aqua for some time now. I think I will tell him to take a look at your thread and I imagine it won't be long before he has one too.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Just having a relaxed Sunday and was fooling around with the camera. Did a slight re-scape this weekend. Man these plants are really super slow growing (which is actually nice). I can probably have this aquarium for another two years before it really fills in nicely.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Hm.. super slow as in you don't have to trim or anything to keep bits off the sand?


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Definitely still requires some maintenance, but I don't have to stick my hands in the tank every few days or so like with stem plants (not that I did that much with stems anyways). 

The moss is still a pain in the rear but at least once it grows in a bit I can pull a strand and the whole lot will come with it. The moss has started to creep all over the wood and within the next six months to a year will have taken over most of the wood. The crypt parva will take forever to grow a carpet though. I actually stopped using co2 on this tank. I am in no rush (for now anyways).

Here are a few more shot which I had to wait until the room was a little darker to take.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Think you'll attach some moss to the wayyyy right of your driftwood?


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

I've actually been contemplating yanking most of that side off. Just can't decide what I want to do.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Just having a little fun with the camera and lightroom.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Cleaned my filter this week and found 5 shrimp living in there!! Probably should crack that thing open more often or put a sponge on my intake.


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## 50089 (Dec 11, 2011)

Wow gorgeous tank! Very clean looking, I like it a lot (been looking at various scapes for ideas for my 40). Personally I like that branch off to the right. The tank draws the eye from the top left all the way down the slope and that branch on the right helps draw the eye to the other end. Some moss on the right end of that branch might look good.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Thanks librarygirl. Check out Amano's aquascaping contest (IAPLC) the top 200 tanks have been selected by a panel of international judges and they are sure to provide much inspiration for aqaurist everywhere. Have fun putting together your new tank.

Still have not decided what to do but I am now leaning toward adding some more moss to the branch.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Its a festivus miracle. I actually got a shot of one of my elusive chain loaches. Not the best shot but really just about any shot of one of these guys will do for me.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Been a couple months since I posted an update and I have a day off and figured it was about time. Let the tank slip over the past couple months, but I did a big water change last weekend. I will have to wait for things to settle back to normal before I take a FTS. Here is one of the fish with my new flash. Still trying to figure out using the flash.


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## Merth (Sep 9, 2012)

Beautiful!


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Taking some time during my hurrication to play with my new lens (55-200 DX). Tank itself is looking better than before but not so hot.


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

Looks great. Your photographic skills are pretty darn good !


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## callisto9 (Aug 26, 2012)

Excellent pics and lovely tank.


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