# GHOST TREES 1.0 "Day 72 Post Flood"



## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

Very cool, I've wanted one of those for a long time but thought there was no way to get one.

Keep us updated!

-Andrew


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## whickerda (Sep 22, 2009)

Omg beautiful aquarium! I guess this is a dumb question but they are building them with those shelves from the factory?


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Awesome design with so many possibilities. Can't wait for you to get started.


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## Da Plant Man (Apr 7, 2010)

JEALOUS! 

If I may ask, how much did the tank alone set you back? I was wanting to get one, but I am hearing they are in the ball-park of around $600. 

You should get some kind of frog, or a newt! I know fire-bellied would work, but they prefer 68*f water and thats too cold for a lot of fish/plants. 

I'm subscribed, and I never do that.


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

^^^PDFs


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Da Plant Man said:


> JEALOUS!
> 
> If I may ask, how much did the tank alone set you back? I was wanting to get one, but I am hearing they are in the ball-park of around $600.
> 
> ...


Frog or newt, well it will jump out the front if it wanted to also dont think the shrimp would appreciate them...

Your on par there for the price, it varies depending on the current strength of the Japanese Yen at the time of order/payment. I made them commit and hold to a quote dollar amount once I committed. The price was just above what you were guessing but not by much and this was before sales tax too. Yes a pricey investment but IMO worth every red cent, tax return well spent!!roud:


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Looking forward to this. I don't think I have seen one of these outside of ADA advertising.


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## Lurch98 (Oct 7, 2011)

Excited for your project, and grateful for you telling me AFA got a shipment. Aquasoil in my future! Subscribed.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

5.12.12
Ok the unboxing continues here are some shots of the nice ADA glassware that is included. The “L” shaped inflow pipe and the long two section glass outflow pipe that will run the length of the about 1 inch shy of the the top of the back glass above the top tier. Again nothing but the best craftsmanship with this medical grade glass stemware 8) .

The glassware all packaged and taped to the bottom of the tank for secure transport. Plenty of bubble wrap was used. No cutting corners when they packed this thing for over seas shipping. 










Outflow









Inflow & Outflow









included literature/instructions


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

talontsiawd said:


> Looking forward to this. I don't think I have seen one of these outside of ADA advertising.


I don't think I was able to find anyone else also. I did see like one homemade one when I googled it once. Nothing like this though. So as far as I know I am a pioneer as far as this goes outside who knows where:icon_roll? I welcome anyone else who wants to embark on this adventure with me to contact AFA and get your order placed. However it may mean a trip to SF to pick it up or an ADA crate with a whole bunch of in$urance on the transport. 

lmk all if you find anyone else with one of these tanks. I too am interested in forming a little Wabi Cascade Tank club if there was anyone else with a sim set up yet.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

@Geniusdudekiran
"^^^PDFs" huh?


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## Da Plant Man (Apr 7, 2010)

I hear somebody in Hawaii has one, username on here is Manini, but thats barely US, :hihi:


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

5.12.12 
ok so I have a full scale sketch that I drafted out a while ago and I am now laying in the large diameter manzi logs (4"-6" dia & 12-24"L) in place where I have envisioned them as well as working in the spikey piece of mopani that I bought years ago back in LA just because its shape was so cool and unique. It reminds me of a huge vertibrate bone of a large mammal like a rino or something prehistoric it has a hollow cave/ tunnel right through the spine of it and will make so all kinds of good places for shrimp and critters to hide of as well as lots and roots nooks for the anubias and other plants to root into. 

This tank is just so big I was worried was beyond its limits but with this marvelous lay out your options and scape is limitless :mrgreen: :mrgreen: 

Here are a few shots of the logs in place as to reflect my scale drawing I had sketched up, the smaller branch manzi is not planned just put in on the spot to experiment with dimension and space in the tank. These are
Front









Close up









Top









Here also are so pics of some plastic suction dishes like for your soap dish and such I picked up for next to nothing that I may experiment with hanging and floating flora dishes both emeresed, submersed and at the water line, oh so many options. 










These are some laundry dryer and clothing mesh bags I also snagged for next to nothing in case I need them to separate and isolate some of my substrates. I may use some ¼”-3/4” Black lava to biuld up elevation and terrain in the tank in some parts and this will assist with keeping the lava from spreading wherever over time and also scratching the glass.









This is only initial playing around I no way is the tank going to sit there as I have a large bay window reserved for it and the hardscape should start going into place permanently next weekend. Until then this is just dress rehearsal.


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

SimonC said:


> @Geniusdudekiran
> "^^^PDFs" huh?


Before he tossed the idea of frogs.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

A morning misting for the Hawaiian collection waiting standby on the fire escape in a buss tub awaiting their time to make their move to the new tank. A little VF-11 dilution with water applied in the morning and an evening and afternoon mist of pure H2O.


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## aweeby (Oct 1, 2011)

Awesome project! I can't wait to see how this turns out. I've only ever seen one of these in my life. Not sure how well the reef thing is going to work out, but hey, you're a pioneer anyway for having this tank, so why not? 

And that is a looooong outflow you have there. 



Da Plant Man said:


> I hear somebody in Hawaii has one, username on here is Manini, but thats barely US, :hihi:


He does! I saw it the first time I went to his shop about 3 years ago. He also had some authentic WK. Not sure what happened to then. And we are totally part of the US. psh.

the postal service doesn't treat us that way though. -_-


And nice concept with the Hawaiian plants. When/if I survive finals and finally get out on a hike, I can collect you some ferns and such if you like.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

aweeby said:


> Awesome project! I can't wait to see how this turns out. I've only ever seen one of these in my life. Not sure how well the reef thing is going to work out, but hey, you're a pioneer anyway for having this tank, so why not?
> 
> And that is a looooong outflow you have there.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the Kudo's I actually talked to Manini about his. It was a 60cm with 3 steps and a slightly different construction. Man would I ever appreciate any Hawaiian mosses and ferns you wanna send my way... For your sake please wrap up those final and get out there and HIKE!! I would hike daily if lived out there, thanks that is a kind offer. Big Mahalo Yeah stay tuned I will be updating the journal pretty regularly with pics, posts and updates.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

2 Hoyas, 1 Fern, 1 Terrestrial Moss & 1 Sundew (carnivorous) also awaiting transfer to the emerged sections of the tank.


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Lovely collection of plants


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Cleaned out and organized the supply closet, all my hardscape materials ready to go. 
30lbs Small Black Lava1/4"-3/4" 
Akadama DRL 2 9L bags, 
Bucket O Manzi, 
Box O Black Lava Rocks Med-Med Lrg
Large Volcanic and Boulder Stones









My SGT500 Regulator I snagged on Ebay also awaiting it's build up (geeez so much to do:icon_roll) Since I am going dry start and water wont be going in for at least another six weeks my priorities both for the tank and where my finances are focused are adjusted appropriately so holding on this for the moment is ok although I wish I could afford to do it all like yesterday:icon_wink.


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## aweeby (Oct 1, 2011)

Alright, you got me. I'm subscribed. this is going to be a heckuva ride. Nice greens btw!


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

5.14.12
“The map is not the territory”
Well since my stand for the tank is no there till next weekend to mid next week looks as though all I can do is toy with lay design concepts for now. What I can really see now though as compared to the full scale sketches I had and a basic footprint, the actual tank is a whole different perspective.:icon_bigg 

The map is most certainly not the territory when it comes to this tank and scaping it first hand. I am finding out that the size of the area is quite massive indeed even with the large Mazi logs and boulders I have place in there now. I placed the hard scape items in the back half section as to leave the front half for grazing area and plants. 

I envision the now bare logs to be totally covered and grown in with a variety of mosses (both semi aquatic and aquatic) and anubias and bolbitus ferns also. I have also arranged the wood and rocks as so they will line up and break the flow from the lower tier waterfall directly as to ensure any plants on them stay adequately moist and also to diffuse the cascade of water directly onto the water surface(if that makes any sense). 

With all the hardscape materials I have at my disposal to work with, black lava, round lrg river stones, large boulders etc... I have more than enough material to complete this build easily. This tank is just so massive and so versatile it’s hard to grasp the entire thing flowing like a Eden like creek. The upper section has just as much potential or more then the lower and right now I am completely drawing a blank as far as a layout concept for up there. I only know that it must compliment the lower sections and look as though it is an immersed / emerged extension of the lower half. My thought is to take my time in the upper half and let it slowly evolve out of the stream scape like natural evolution... Lol... I will just have to see how things progress. 

Here are a few shots of the current layout concept for hardscape, as far as plant placement see my sketch post in this thread. 



















Looking toward the back left corner.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Gnarly piece of Mopani or other Malaysian wood I picked up about 6 years ago in LA at my LFS. Never used it in a tank yet but its shape was so sick I had to snag it. Looks like something out of a Sci Phi novel like a death star or some fragmented piece of meteor, a prehistoric vertebrae bone from some range roaming beast. Who knows my imagination runs wild with it when I hold it and look at it from different angles, as it has so many crevices, holes tunnels and crags extending for every point. Not sure where it will work is way into this layout but I believe it must it some way, shape or form.

I envision shrimp making their home it and crawling all through out it's geography as well as it being a great rooting platform for my anubias, bolbitus, mosses etc...:icon_mrgr


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## toofazt (Jun 18, 2005)

Cool piece of wood, the shrimp will love it!


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Yeah I love the piece but I've given it more thought and I don't think it will be featured in this scape the way it is evolving. It will wait for its place in a future scape or maybe once I rescape this tank in a few years 


From the mud grows a Lotus~
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.


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## Marconis (Nov 8, 2010)

Tank is sexy.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

5.15.12

Dammit I am stir crazy, I want sooooo bad to start AND I just found out I can go pick up my tank stand locally as early as tomorrow:red_mouth even today if I had more time and transportation. They closed at 5pm, tomorrow though or Thursday at the latest I will have the stand and I will be underway. Aye yi yi it's like a child waiting for Christmas morning:bounce:. Wish Scotty could "beam me up" and back home with my Tank stand. Oh well, live long and prosper...

What is this tank stand going to look like you say?









Well it's on the economical side of things and purely functional although it may undergo some retro fitting to make it more contemporary. I am a chef as well as a legal professional and very much a creative Pisces so I use what I know across the board... This here is a Stainless Steel Work Counter that is 48x24 with a 35 inch height. It can hold extreme weight, the ledge underneath is adjustable to height and is prefect for pumps, CO2 Tanks, Filtration etc... For now until I can get my buddy who is a contractor to build me a custom cabinet this will serve my needs just perfect. Cost? $125USD, I found one on Ebay also that I was going to order for the same price shipped but this one is here locally and ready for pick up tomorrow so I am taking that route.


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## shrimpnmoss (Apr 8, 2011)

That commercial stainless steel kitchen stand looks sweet.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

"Do!Progress"
5.16.12

Ok so earlier then expected I got my stand together and up. I have to run off to work but wanted to throw these up to show. Tonight the scape will be underway.

Sorry again for the quality of these shots just wanted to get some up for all to see. 

Before:









The Work Table in Box un assembled:









Assembled upside down still:









Up right in place:









Assembled in place with rug and cardboard for cushion and protection:









In Place with Tank: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: 

















Off to work. Till Later...


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## sc91006 (Nov 8, 2011)

Great detail on the progress, keep them coming. Can't wait to see how you are going to scape the 120. I am very intrigued.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

5.17.12
Do!Scape

Ok so earlier than anticipated today was scape day. With the help of a great friend and hobby mate I was able to create this great scape. Well I again say to you, The map is not the territiory and so went this scape. Originally I had set out a scape that was using granite rocks and boulder like round river stone, although I had in my bevy of hardscape materials a whole arsenal or lava and volcanic like rocks as well and with my friends encouragement. The below shots are the scape as it will be! The shots are crap I know we were running out of light, will post additional build pics tomorrow. When I get the better ones as these pics really area piss poor they truly do it justice. Enjoy for now if you can :icon_mrgr. 


The initial stones once the DRL was added:









Placement is everything. Teeter totter:









The final scape pre plants:









Mosses chopped and dropped, the start of the ferns to be tied down more to come with those, Anubias petites in place:









Saran wrapping it up for night 1 officially:


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Some shots from this morning with better light. Still tough with glare and my iPhone will get some really nice shots up soon enough.

Looking down the length of the foreground:









Left:









Center:








Right:




















Now go re align these and shake you head back and forth and you will see the panaoramic FTS :lol: 


























Happy Friday!


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## izabella87 (Apr 21, 2012)

What a brilliant idea ! Im excitted to see the end result


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## Da Plant Man (Apr 7, 2010)

Who's jealous and has fish? 

<----- This guy.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

5.21.12

Day four

Ok so I got some great pics from a friend who helped me on scape day. He took the fist series of FTS's with his Nikon D5100, there are 100 times better then the shots I posted originally from scape day. Please enjoy these as well as today's iPhone shots. 

To add also I have planted a total of four pots of Marsilea minuta two on the right third and two on the left third from the foreground and the way to the back and also I tore and tossed another large pad of mini pellia on the middle third center view area. Also I have placed some flame moss on the vertical wood extension spanning down from the upper terrace section and on a few select delicate branches on a small manzi twig on the right end of the tank round the corner. 

Placing the mini fissidens was a fun experiment, the portions I had has some soil like mud rooting on them so I tore off patches and pressed them hard into the porous lava rocks on select outcroppings, slopes and overhangs, wood cracks, crevices where ever thought it would make a dramatic effect. I also used these patched and pressed them into the stumpier manzi ends that were bluntly visible. If this mini fissdens takes root and takes off in even half of the places I stuck it I will be way stoked and very pleased. :biggrin:

Also I have gotten one of the lights I will be using in combination with an LED set up that is yet to be determined and the huge abumdance of natural light the tank receives dues to its position with in the giant NW facing Bay Window. The light I have now is a 150HW with an ADA NAG-150W-Green that just makes that plants look amazing and thrive. The pics from today are with the new light fixture on. 

If you notice the scape has this upper terrace that was strategically landscaped to be right in between zone of submersed and emerged and slopes gradually up out of the water to the back glass, I am going to plant the with eiher HC or Elatine Hydropiper I am not sure which would do best. I envision a lush dense green carpeted terrace of one or the other. Suggestions and planting strategy welcome for the terrace section as I need to get something planted up there soon and get it rooting. 

Ok here are the pics, first series of FTS's from Day one. The following with the new lamp from today.



















Day 4(today):

Looking down the front line right front(near) left front (far) also notice near the manzi twig wrapped with flame moss thanks to the help of some moss cotton









Down the line again from a different perspective, ground level:









The middle foreground section and the dark caves and alcoves below the upper terrace:


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

**Drosera/Sundew Update (60% Planted)*120 DoAqua Glass Cascade*

Ok so I purchase this 4" Drosera aka Sundew from Hortica over in the Castro about a month back while collecting terrestrial specimens for the emersed sections. This is a carnivorous plant that spreads by little runners and within the pot there were several smaller runner/sucker tiny drosera's already when I purchased it :mrgreen: . I decided to separate them from their mum and plant them just above the upper left bank on the upper terrace and on the moss and lichen rock. These rocks btw were the rocks I posted in a previous thread entitled “Lichen and terrestrial mosses on tank rocks?” http://forum.sfbaaps.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=12639&p=131042&hilit=+lichen#p131042

Well as you can see some of them made it into the tank scape with lichen moss etc..“el naturale” The mosses that were growing on the rocks dry and crusty have resurrected and are lush and green happy. I tucked the small (>1/2”) lil drosera sucker sprouts in little crater like dimples on the above water level section and one in the Akadama on the left most side of the upper emersed terrace. 

Here are a few pics of the transplanted Sundew sprouts. 

one smaller one just right of center peaking up and one on the left side of the pics peeking up:


















This one is up on the slope planted in the DRL:









Here is their proud mother waiting for me to find her a prime location on the upper cascade:









Tossing this one in just because of that moss in the foreground of the shot. That was was already on the rock but I didn't even see it as it must have just been a dried up scab of a moss ball, well it's beautiful and jumping back to life full boar. 










So the lower section is about 60 percent planted I would like to guess, as far as additional plants to add during the dry start phase? I am still debating between EH and HC on the upper terrace/plateau mid section, other then that though I think the dry start plants are in place for a total of four pots of mini minuta two on each side, 3 portions mini pellia torn and tossed in the middle third foreground viewing area. The mini fissedens will be a toss as to where it takes roots and takes hold and where it fails to so I will just have to hope for the best there and hope that my rationale to put it as many places as I could will pay off even it half of it floats away or dries up. 

Going away this weekend Friday through Monday evening I am slightly nervous about leaving the tank un attended over this holiday weekend but I think I am just going to put it on dark and cool mode and hope for the best with a 3 day black out. I think it is safer then other alternatives at this stage in the game. The plants are all low light plants at this point still also so that is in my favor as well. 

:fish: Ciao for now!


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## aweeby (Oct 1, 2011)

I like the idea of MP on those rocks! That's really going to add a lot of character. Have you thought about getting some narrower branches? THose two logs to the left look a little rough and bulky with the chopped off parts visible. For the top part, are you planning to do a quasi iwagumi up there with the EH and HC? That would be interesting but it might be too busy, having so many different styles on this tank. 

If you're planning on doing carnivorous, have you seen this guy's tank? Granted, his hobby is really focussed on the carnivores more than anything else, but still worth a look. 

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-aquatic-plants-carnivorous-plant-layout.html


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

5.29.12
Day 12 of Dry Start

Ok a quick update to keep the information flowing. Was gone for the weekend and had a friend over making sure things were misted twice daily and excess water removed from the bottom substrate. Things look good, the vertical Flame moss that I chopped and tossed randomly as well as tied to select branches and such is healthy and showing nice green healthy green vertical growth throughout so that is positive. 

The mini pellia in the middle third section that I tore and tossed about it attaching to the Akadama and beginning to creep and spread nicely although not quite as fast or as thick as I’d ideally like. I am still confident in the next two weeks things will start to really take off as it seems things are beginning to get rooted and established more each day. 

The mosses that were pre existing on these rocks are really taking off and coming back to life and blending with the Mini Fissidens, Flame Moss and and Mini Pellia I tossed around. There is some small little patches of wild mold in some other the shadier areas of the scape that I have appeared in the last day or so. I have been removing it as I see it as too keep it under control until the flood and then it won’t be a problem at all as it all will be submerged. 

This terrestrial moss will indeed be totally submerged once I flood so will be interesting to see what happens to it, it will be just barely none the less fully submerged








Notice on the left of this one(below) the tiny little moss starting to prick up with bright green tips









My biggest gripe right now is my inability to take one picture that does this tank like even half the justice it deserves, part of the reason is I don’t have a great camera at the moment and also because of its location in the window, its glass cascades and all the reflections going on it’s tough to get a fair FTS. Once the tank is flooded I will borrow a nice camera and one dark night I will black out the room and get a good shot of it in all its glory. I think I may have also mentioned I want to set up a NannyCam of sorts on the Cascade so I or anyone else with the link can take a peek of the live action remotely via webcam. It may take me a while but I will make this happen. Live streaming tank cam.

On the upper terrace I have yet to plant the EH and or HC. I have decided though I am going to plant both of them at opposing corners of the upper terrace. The Elatine Hydropiper will be planted on the extreme left rear emersed section of the upper terrace and will start out emersed and creep down towards the water line, meanwhile the Hemianthus Callitrichoides will be planted opposite on the submerged slope of the terrace just below the projected waterline. I think this weekend I will go ahead and pick up a few pots of HC and perhaps one of two more pots of Mini Minuta.

As for the Mini Marsilea / Minuta it is doing well and spreading nicely in the Akadama although I think I may not have given it the equal distribution between the left third and the right third where I have it running from the foreground back all the way to the back. 

Anubia Petite nana, Mini Fissedens(on the verticle), Bolbitus Cuspidata Micro and some Flame Moss 









Ok so this picture isn't too exciting right now other then all the nice mosses creeping up that rock and the lushness, however what I want to try to shore project with this shot is the projected water line. Once flooded the water will come up to the the bottom of the manzi branch protruding out from the upper left corner. sp with that in mind this will become this little tidal area that I can only begin to imagine how filthy sick it will look with shrimp just chilling on the slopes:



















Until next time...


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## etane (May 14, 2012)

Can't wait to see what happens next!


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

**Terrestrial Mockup FTS's* ADA 120 Do!aqua Glass Cascade*

Terrestrial Mock Up
5.31.12

Happy last day of May everyone, lets welcome on June and summer officailly regardless of where you live or are currently calling home. I am writing this post to be posted in multiple forums including across the pond and my friends at UKAPS so "hello to all!" :biggrin:

So in response to inquiry on of the the forums I keep this journal on I have done a mock up it’s maybe half to a one third of the terrestrial and epiphytic mosses, ferns, orchids and bromeliads I collected when I was out in Hawaii. 

Someone had mentioned that the second manzi log on top of the primary one looked to “placed” and I am sure other have wondered similar thoughts and are trying to guess or imagine just what I have in store for the upper tiers. I hope this give everyone some idea, as this is such a dynamic layout with so much area and possibility to work with I wasn’t quite sure and still am not %100 percent sure of what the upper levels will evolve to. I do know however I have a Left to Right flow going on and top to bottom and the similar direction at a diagonal from Upper Left Rear ⇒ Bottom Right Foreground. 

In following with the rule of thirds I divided the layout into three cohesive environments including the left upper emersed /emerged third that include Manzi logs extending out of the water from the mid left third up toward the corner of the tank, middle third consists of the coves under the plateau including some dark shadow areas caves and alcoves. 

Extending directly upward in the middle third we have the emergent terrace with both emergent areas extending towards the waterline and continuing on in a downward slope to a emersed underwater plateau. I planted some Elatine Hydropiper on the upper left emersed section and plan to plant some HC “Cuba” opposite it on the submerged right slope the flows gradually down and left to the back left corner and the tank and meets up the the Mini Marsilea the carpets from back to front on both left and right end of the scape. 

The last third and right end of the tank consist of unique delicate branch placement including wrapping only select twigs and branches with Flame moss to make a dramatic yet serene image, along with the delicate branchwork and mosses there is nice ledge feature the has healthy rooting and coverage with Mini Pellia and some Mini Fissidens looking very natural right now and taking nice hold. The Mini Pellia is creeping nicely along the vertical face of the ledge. 

Ok enough with the jabber jaw and on with the show. Here is the onslaught of new pic I took today before during and after the mock up. Feast your eyes & as always I welcome all comments, critiques and constructive criticism. Gracias! 










Looking right to left:









Looking left to right:









Looking at an eye level slice at what will be the waterline, see the Raymond's EH peeking out in the far left rear? The Bolbitus Cuspidata in the middle is a raok from the PlantBrain Mr. Barr. Thanks to both of you :wink: 









One of my sexy lil Anubia Nana Petite-micro, 1 of 7 in the scape:









Mini Fissidens taking root and sprouting new greens on a vertical Mopani extension:









The first of the terrestrial mock up shots w/ flash:









Additional mock up shots from a slew of various angles & some mixed macros as well:



























https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/598477_10150918631349583_575079582_9537725_897288331_n.jpg[/img

[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/179793_10150918631534583_575079582_9537726_615140641_n.jpg




























enhanced to show nice red manzi :mrgreen: :




































Hope you enjoyed :mrgreen:


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## youjettisonme (Dec 24, 2010)

Loving it. This will be epic.


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## wetbizquit (Jul 9, 2006)

this will be awesome cant wait to see it in action!! please hurry want more


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Day 17 of Dry Start

Ok so Day 17 looks pretty much the same as the last few days. The Mini Pellia is continuing to spread in reach over the foreground are and I predict in about 10 more days is should have a firm hold and a good enough carpet and coverage area for me to feel comfortable enough to flood it. The Elatine Hydropiper I planted a few days ago on the upper emersed slope looks as though it transplanted well and has taken root and soon will begin to creep and spread.









New FTS's from today





























some flame moss taking hold of some select branches on this manzi twig:









This is some volunteer that popped up out of the Akadama DRL. I have another sprout in the lower section too, wonder if they're radioactive? :lol: 









Sagina apetala








This is a terrestrial moss that was growing in a potted plant I picked up from the local nursery think it is Sagina apetala. I liked it and I actually bought the plant only to get the two different types of mosses I saw growing with in the pot around the base of the plant that I actually paid for.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

So I have decided on a date for the flood. I think it will fall on June 22nd the Summer Solstice. 


From the mud grows a Lotus~
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.


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## aweeby (Oct 1, 2011)

wow, man, I thought the chopped off wood would look bad, but you've worked wonders with it! It looks great! I love it! Someone bumped up your ID thread with the plants you collected from your trip to HI, I didn't realize that it was so old... but nice to see where you got these plants and where they end up. 

Good luck on your flood!


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Looking fantastic, well done, can't wait to see it flooded.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Please take a video once you flood. I have tried to find videos of one of these things in action but can't find any. Look forward to this one.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

**Update Day 26 of Dry Start* ADA 120 Do!aqua Glass Cascade*

Update Day 26 of Dry Start.

Things are coming along quite well, the Mini Pellia pieces I had chopped up and tossed on have all attached themselves well to the Akadama substrate, and is well on its way to a nice foreground carpet for the center foreground area. 

I was finally able to pick up two pots of Hemianthus Callitrichoides or HC for the upper terrace/ plateau opposite the Elatine Hydropiper up there. I divided the two pots evenly and pre dug out some holes for the patches to go in. I did not plant these stem by stem, or even 3 stem by 3 stem. I think they will take ok because they are also planted on an emersed slope and will be creeping from an submersed state to the elevated emersed plateau. 

I put in only a few of the orchids I collected out in Hawaii and the ones that are in there seem to be adapting well also as I notice nice new root growth of the exposed root system of these epiphytic orchids. 









The Mini Minuta is doing ok just kinda slow and steady that plant, as expected. Again that one is planted on the right and left ends of the scape and runs from back to front. I might toss in two more pots right before I flood just to boost its carper rate a little we shall see though. Maybe it will be more fun to be patient and wait for what’s in there to fill in? 

Ok so I am a little excited because Iast week I was able to secure my primary Fauna for this tank in the way of fish. I got a smokin hot deal on 20 Celestial Pearl Danios they are due for arrival this by end of this week of First thing next week. I have a seasoned and waiting 25 Gal. long that they will go in until the new tank is ready for them. I have always wanted a nice large school of this fish but they are so pricey I could never afford any sizable school at once. 

(Not my image)








I have done quite a bit of research on these fish and their unique natural habitat and and coincidentally my tank actually has a lot of features similar to their home environment and ecosystem. I didn’t plan it this way it just seems it turned out well suited to their liking, or I hope based on my research. Also with the layout the way I have these timid fish will be forced to the viewing areas in the front and the tank and run back and forth along the foreground as the background is elevated for the middle half and there is no where else for them to retreat to but some limited caves tunnels and alcoves. 

Along with the CPD’s I have also secured at least 6 Amanos and most likely another half dozen coming right behind those for the cleaning crew once the Algae starts blooming and the diatom cycle gets underway. In addition to combat that I think I will have almost a half dozen Otocinclus on hand and ready to toss in and got to work. That initial crew the Amanos and the Otocinclus and bi weekly 50% water changes for the first week to 10 days should combat most of the remaining algae issue of course only after the initial 10 days of heavy 4-5 bps CO2 dosing to aid in the emersed submersed transition post flood. 

Here are the latest FTS’s :mrgreen: 










The HC I just planted on the Right slope:


















10 more days till flood...


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

6.18.12
Come Hell or high water... 

We are still on schedule for a flood this Friday. Things are looking goooood in the tank 8) the mosses are all growing well and the HC that I just planted on the upper terrace has really taken well and is growing at a rapid pace emersed. Think I may go pick up two more pots of it and just plant about 2/3's of the remaining area with it since it seems to be doing so well up there emersed. 

Going to pick up the Hydor 200w Inline this week and I have decided also to go with the Odyssea CFS700 w/ UV for my filtration option. Will be purchasing that too all in preparation for the flood; as they are kinda of essential for the job :lol: 

Got word this morning my CPD's are in transit as well from LA this morning all 20+ of them, happy little campers. They have a quarantine and holding tank ready for them, my 25Gal. Long Plexi I cleaned out for them, so they have a pleasant arrival waiting for them. They'll stay their about a month until I cycle this tank and its ready for fishy inhabitants. 

Overall I couldn't be happier with the way the DSM went and how things are looking for flood day. My Hawaiian plants on stand by in the bus tub on the fire escape are antsy and showing signs of stress waiting for their final destination to be ready for them. I feel bad for them  as I monitor there health and know so far the stress they are showing is only on the immediate foliage and nothing more permanent. Hold on another four days and they'll be much happier on the steps of the water fall. 

some close ups



























mini fiss









Ps. I have a Name for this tank finally also, it will be revealed on flood day. Stay Tuned.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Don't get too happy about the DSM until after filling lol. I am not a fan of the technique, even though I have had good luck. Many people love it, only to have a huge melt off after filling. I am not saying it's going to be bad, just don't get too excited, many members loved it until fill.

Everything should be fine though, mosses shouldn't have much recovery and the HC may have die off but it always comes back. Can't wait to see this.


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Looking very good


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

2 days away from flood day

As expected the CPD's arrived this morning and are in the bags floating now in the quarantine tank. They look good I only had one causality out of 20 so that is pretty good I guess for those delicate little guys.




























I was telling a friend, it's like I am on the last mile of a Marathon, so ready for water already I just want to drown the thing :shock:


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Tomorrow is flood day, tonight I planted two more pots of HC up top with the others and also two more pots of Mini Marsilea along the right and left sides running foreground to background and also plopped some substrate and HC in one nice feature spot. If it takes it will be a nice little perch indeed. Stay tuned tomorrow evenings post should have some great updates.


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## Sarus (Jun 18, 2012)

Beautiful fish. Can't wait to see them in your tank and looking forward to the flooding!


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## youjettisonme (Dec 24, 2010)

talontsiawd said:


> Don't get too happy about the DSM until after filling lol. I am not a fan of the technique, even though I have had good luck. Many people love it, only to have a huge melt off after filling. I am not saying it's going to be bad, just don't get too excited, many members loved it until fill.
> 
> Everything should be fine though, mosses shouldn't have much recovery and the HC may have die off but it always comes back. Can't wait to see this.


A little melting is inevitable, but if you really crank up the CO2 for the transition then it is minimal for most plants. I dry start almost all my scapes, and they usually end up just fine. I think that most of the people that are reporting melting aren't addressing the CO2 enough.


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## mesohuanny (Jun 2, 2012)

waiting for this all week like a sunday's game of thrones episode


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## ineedfire (Jun 17, 2012)

Following along. Really cool tank. Only just found your journal and I'm already keen for the flood


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

6.22.12 / 6.23.12

"GHOST TREES 1.0"
Flooded n flowin

Ok so my computer wanted to act up tonight when it came time to update the journal so this one is going to be short and sweet. As they say a picture speaks a thousand words so a few pics should suffice for now. I will give a better update in the morning. Was a long day the flood and all so it consumed me for about 13 hours which included going to South San Francisco to Aqua Traders to pick up the CFS700 canister filter I went with and an hour at Lowes figuring out plumbing schematics. Finally all it flooded.

With out further a due I present to the World

GHOST TREES 1.0










Filling up









Filled 



























Time to fill the beast CFS700 and get things flowing :mrgreen: 









GHOST TREES in all its flowing glory... 
8)


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

I just woke up and now I just sit and stare as I sip my espresso. 8) 










"A thing of beauty is a joy forever"
John Keats


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Wow very nice, kind of Zen garden like.


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## demonr6 (Mar 14, 2011)

You need to beg, borrow, steal or get someone with really good DSLR in there and get good pics brother.. I would love to see some really, really good pics of this.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Link to the Video, couldn't figure out how to embed it sorry:

It's a little shaky and we will get some better ones later down the road. 
http://youtu.be/5ulqtUs3GT0


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

demonr6 said:


> You need to beg, borrow, steal or get someone with really good DSLR in there and get good pics brother.. I would love to see some really, really good pics of this.


Yeah if I hadn't drowned my Pentax K-x DLSR in the process of gathering plants for this tank I would be the one posting the quality shots.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

CO2 is cranking now 3-5 bps and will stay that way for the next 10 days 24/7 to counter balance the melt and assist in the plants transition from and emersed state to the submerged state. 

Here is a link to the Video of it in the works!
http://youtu.be/5ulqtUs3GT0

Some high res shots for you all:
































































The back upper terrace;









Parting shot :mrgreen: :


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Some new update shots. Things are looking good over all. I purchased a very cheap little 18 inch LED h2o proof light strip that I placed on the left front side as that is the darkest spot in my tank right now. Just a temp kinda of think until I can figure out the optimum light set up for my Ghost

Saturday morning, the morning after the flood. 









Sunday, day 2. I put in the LED strip up front. Not my ideal choice or long term route just to suffice for now. 


















A shot of the lower glass tier with my Hawaiian Bacopa species I collected over there this past April. Looking healthy and warming up to its new digs. 









My lil Drosera Sundew carniverous plant, making _its_ transition to the cascade 8) 









In the back ground my Asparagus fern Kokodama, along with the Dwarf Palm on the top tier opposite it.


























Some HC that floated away when I flooded the lower section.

A close up of one of my mosses getting settled in:









This was ID as a "Cane Orchid" no further ID specifics. 









Since I have kept this a pretty detailed build thread all the way along I also wanted to share a few detail shots of the plumbing of the beast of a canister filter. The Odyssea CFS700, so it's outflow ID is a whopping 1"! The inflow lily pipes for the my DoAqua tank were 12mm or 1/5" so I was faced with trying to make a reducer of %50 flow diameter. I spent over an hour at Lowes toying with plumbing combinations until I came up with this 3 piece assembly in which I used the black plastic threaded 1" - 1/2" reduced from the Lawn sprinkler pipe fittings and components. It was a mind straining exercise I could only compare to childhood Lego experiences when I would completely deplete my collection of one specific peice and I would have to get creative to recreate that piece out of several other pieces. Aye yi yi :icon_roll

Really its not much but it was what I needed to achieve the proper reduction, I reinforced all the threading coupling with Thread Tape and joint the slip/slip pvc fittings with pvc primer and cement and also reinforced the large bore couplings with pipe clamps for added piece of mind. 

Here area the pieces both individual and assembled:









In action:

















No glue or Silicone used though as I could easily disassemble this whole thing piece by piece with a screw driver and strong grip for easy cleaning of the parts or splicing in modifications and additional pre and post filters and or reactors. 

Well that's all the news that's fit to print right now. :biggrin:


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## crazydaz (Mar 18, 2007)

Pretty amazing job so far, Simon! Just need a little more growth to cover up the rest of the glass tiers and this display will be a knockout!


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

It looks great. Do you have a way to adjust the white balance though. Some of the pictures are hard to really see any detail. It still looks sick though.


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Those hi-res shots really showed how awesome this is. Can't stand waiting for it to fill in. Hope you can replace your camera real soon.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Had some good light through the bay window this evening took advantage of the light and took some shots. 














































the first signs of the algea phase is starting to be visible. I hope it wont be too bad. Five more days and I will be tossing in about a dozen Amanos and they will be put to work.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Just a quick update, so its been flooded 10 days now and I am going through the endearing phase of initial algae bloom. The tank is definitely not photo worthy at its current condition. I have a nice light green slimy film on almost every inch of the tank now:eek5: I am performing the daily 30-45% percent water changes and have cut back the light to nothing for the last two days but some indirect reflected light. Hoping to test my water tomorrow for ammonia and if its safe I plan to toss in a work crew of Amano's to keep the upper hand on the algae cycle. Oh its been so long since have had to deal with this whole algae and tank break in cycle. Ugh... :icon_roll 

Let me now re iterate my mantra to myself "from the mud(or in this case algae) grows a Lotus(or Orchid) :biggrin: Right now hopefully it's as ugly as its going to get, I hope and in another five days to a week I should be out the the other end of this green machine of a diatom algae stage.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

7.4.12
Life In The Aquatic

Tossed a dozen Amanos in the tank that I picked up from sixth ave. These were healthy looking ones from one of the tanks that I have kept my eye on and things for the most part seem to be ok. I am always skeptical buying fish or anything living for that matter from the place due to the vast amount of dead fish you always see in the tanks etc... However you are free to high grade all you want so that is what I did with this dozen. 

Grabbing another dozen tomorrow and with that population the cleaning party should be well under way.  Happy lil Amanos. They have nice color there ones too each one I picked I tried to make sure they were all at least an inch long and colorful not white and pale colored. Here is a few shots of the first inhabitants of the Ghost Tree water world.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

7.6.12
Otto-Clean Update

Ok so tank is on Otto & Amano clean mode mode literally, I got 13 Ottocinclus in there now along with about 15 Amanos, things are looking better each time I pass by it. I never really saw a significant impact on algae with the couple of Otto's I have kept in the past. Not till you get a group of about 8 or more do you really see there impact. Today I watched a cluster of them clean and detail the whole back corner of my tank and knock out all the algae on the glass and slime that was clinging to me Marsilea Minuta in that section. 

Otto Clean in Prog Do Not Disturb:




































The Amanos en mass make a huge impact too, they are like little dentist cleaners with many many little hands picking away multiple that by like 6-8 in one area and BOOM like a micro abrasion exfoliation! :!: After a half dozen or so tag team an area for a while and leave it you look at it and the rock it's stark white in comparison to the area untouched by the shrimp. Same goes for my wood to the had some wood snot on it as well as some algae attaching to the Mini Pellia. They are both great cleaners but I find my self gazing into the tank like the "watched pot" syndrome waiting for the shrimp to magically make the algae vanish instantly. I find better satisfaction checking in every few hours I see more noticeable results.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Feels like I'm in a jungle foreal!


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Ok so I just tested the water perimeters in my the tank and they are as follows

PH: 6.8
TDS: 100
Temp: 22.8 Celsius


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## aweeby (Oct 1, 2011)

wow, this has progressed a lot since I last saw it. Nice job! btw- how have those glass shelves been holding up under the weight of the rocks? Do you have anything under them to prevevnt scratching?


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

aweeby said:


> wow, this has progressed a lot since I last saw it. Nice job! btw- how have those glass shelves been holding up under the weight of the rocks? Do you have anything under them to prevevnt scratching?


Glad you like the progress, shelves are holding up just fine. The lava rocks I selected are very light and very porous so the weight factor is very minimal. Nothing under them to prevent scratching I just placed them there and tried not to slide them around to much I am not too stressed out should some scratches happen as the cascade will eventually fully grown in and you wont even be able to see through.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Today's reading 
PH: 6.8
TDS:110
Temp: 22.2 Celsius 

One Otto croaked last night. Not too distraught though they are delicate little guys to begin with if I only loose a few due to cycling I'll survive. Not my typical cycling fish either. My go to for cycling is White Cloud Mountain Minnow and I still may add a few to accompany the CPD's as I like there swimming style and they would enjoy the habitat. (who wouldn't?!) We'll just have to wait and see. 

I have considered the possibility this may remain like a species tank with the only fish besides the Otto's would be CPD's and maybe get them to start breeding for me. That would be just tits if that happened 8) One step at a time though, right now I am just waiting for my tank to cycle, get this BGA eradicated, my TDS up another 10 or so points and then I will transition my CPD's over. A few weeks later I will add my Blue Rilli population and after that well, let the plants pearl, good times roll and the Mini Pellia grooooowwww! :mrgreen: Oww! Owww Owwww !!


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Algae continues to thin by the day, the Amano's continue to do their thing. They are such good detail cleaners. I don't think there is a more thorough and delicate cleaner. I would trust them to dust fine china as meticulous as they are. They do dither about a little but if they are one to one spot in the tank they will return to it and clean it to a sparkling almost sanitary like cleanliness. I have recently observed a group of them work over the course of a few days on some of the rocks one my tank and they are no showing a color and clean appearance that is totally stark white in comparison to the color it once was. Like some one took and pressure washer to it... So at the end of the Day who has earned their keep more otto' s or the amanos. I gotta say the amanos are better bang for your buck. I catch my otto's sleeping at times and or just see them laying on the substrate doing NOTHING.... slackers... I take back "Otto-Clean" I said earlier. They do clean but side by side my amanos have done the brunt of the house keeping so far.

So how are things besides algae you ask? When are the CPD's going in? 
When are more shrimp being addded?

Soon. Water perimeters perfect on today's reading. The Akadama DRL is doing the job keeping the PH ideal for healthy inverts both Neos and Cardina's here are today's numbers:

Temp: 22.3
PH: 6.3/6.4
TDS:135/140

CPD's are not far off, maybe this weekend. I just need to make sure I turn off the CO2 for a day before I transfer them over from the non CO2 tank to their new digs. Probably another week or so after that till I toss in a nice Blue Rilli starter population. After that well I'll be off and rolling.


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## travis.808 (Apr 6, 2009)

Subscribed!


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Fish will be added today... I have shut down the CO2 for now, going to do one last big water change then let it settle then add my 20+ CPD's Housewarming party is about to be underway.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Growing in...
7.17.12
Ok so it's been a few weeks since the flood and the tank has been going through its phases and hasn't been the most photogenic lately. Well things are finally starting to come around and the algae is slowly fading away to just a memory. Plants are taking root and things are really looking like they are about to giddie-up and get growing. All the plants on the shelves are putting down roots towards the bottom of the cascade and some have even reached the waters surface and and going straight down into the the submersed hardscape. I see lots of shoots of new fresh green growth coming fro everything if I look close enough and long enough. 

Here are the latest shots of some new growth and a FTS, Enjoy.





































Ok so this moss in the center of the shot below I have no ID what variety it is, not sure where it came from either. 
Any help on the ID, its the spike one? I also have on the branch some flame moss some Mini Pellia and also some Riccia that attached itself.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

8.6.12

So it's been a little while since I have posted any pics and I thought I would share a handful of current pics I took this morning. Still working with a mediocre camera so I apologize for the shot quality. I tried to post edit as many of I could to look as best as possible however like anyone who has seen it in person. Pics will never do the tank justice for what its worth. 

Enjoy


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I really like this. I find it a combination of an indoor garden and an aquarium. The pics make it hard to see the underwater side, not sure how much is there, lol, I know these are not huge in the underwater aspect.


I am feeling it and you should keep up the journal for sure. I think the setup/design is interesting and I personally never saw this setup as more than a Wabi Kusa display so seeing it scaped is really cool, IMO.


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## BS87 (Apr 9, 2012)

I will say that it looks quite chaotic.

However, it's the type of chaos that just works, and it looks wonderful.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

Day 72 post flood. 

Happy Labor Day weekend everyone. I hope you all are enjoying the last throws of summer out there. Us here in San Francisco have barely experienced summer as we wait for OUR summer months of September and October and the Indian Summer afternoons. Ahhhhh. Soon enough lets hope. I have been sneaking away on the weekend to the North to get some warm weather and Vitamin D in the way of Sunshine 8) . 

Thought I would update with a few new pics and let everyone know how things are progressing in the tank. As far as a progress report I have to report that the upper emersed stairs are becoming very grown in and green all around. I have been doing some thinning of the Riccia and Flame moss and every time a trim and weed some of it from the submersed section I just kinda pile it on the black lava rocks on the cascade and it has all kind of adapted to an emersed growing regiment and working well to fill in the cascades and look lush and green. Also I tucked in some nooks and crannys some HC that has taken well and has begun to carpet and creep nicely and naturally where ever in wants. I also have done the same with some UG I picked up from some fellow members and that also is thriving and doing wonders emersed on the cascade. The combination of emersed foreground plants including HC, UG, Riccia and the patches of flame moss will create and nice dense growing base and sea of green on the cascade soon enough. 

The Fern I brought back from Hawaii continues to put out new leaves like every two weeks now and I swear the all the emersed plants that I brought back from HI are growing at an exponential rate right now. I anticipate blooms from about half the orchids this winter and that is there natural bloom season. Should be quite exciting to see what blooms.

What about subsurface you ask? What about my fish? Plants? and Shrimps?

Well the Shrimp are not there yet except for the 11 or so Amanos I have in there from the start. The CPD population is stable and there have been no jumpers or fatalities I have witnessed. I did loose 1 of the 4 Endlers Guppies and she was a jumper who I could not save she jumped twice before and I happened to be around to toss her back in however the last time she jumped I wasn't home and found her dried up on the floor. RIP  

The carpet of Mini Pellia is doing good however I need to weed out the Riccia routinely until I completely eradicate it from the submersed section as it clings to the Mini pellia and inter twines itself within it. 

Here are the latest pics. Enjoy.




























Here is a Video I took to give you all a better idea of the lush flow:

[flash=640,390]="http://www.youtube.com/embed/47hBDjnrqmc?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> [flash=640,390
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47hBDjnrqmc&feature=youtu.be[/url]
Well never mind embedding the video I still have a Failing grade it that topic. I guess, here is the URL to the Youtube link. If any of you are good at embedding and it works on your computer feel free to embed the video below in a reply.


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## SimonC (Jul 22, 2011)

another vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaHK2CHXL1g&feature=youtu.be


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

bump for updates 

very cool tank


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