# mahko's Ohko Stone Journal



## ChadRamsey (Nov 3, 2011)

i like the last one as well

looking good


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

great build!!

i like the last layout way better than the other ones! i would just push that second largest rock down in the substrate more, maybe like 3".


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## GDP (Mar 12, 2011)

I personally think 

http://i.imgur.com/pxCNEl.jpg

is the best. It best displays true iwagumi style. You never want even number of rocks for iwagumi. Plus you have the main stone, and supporting stones in good places.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Thanks for the kind words and suggestions!

I modified the last one slightly. Lowered the large stone on the left into the substrate.


Still working on placement.

Just thought I would add that there are a total of 7 stones in the latest pic. I'll have to double check the literature on Iwagumi, but I was under the impression that odd numbers were fine (1,3,5,7)


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

looks a lot better! is the rock right in front of the second largest touching the second largest?


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

The 2 largest stones are touching, and they are resting on top of the flat ones. The smaller 3 stones are not touching anything.


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## GDP (Mar 12, 2011)

mahko said:


> Thanks for the kind words and suggestions!
> 
> I modified the last one slightly. Lowered the large stone on the left into the substrate.
> 
> ...


Yep didnt see the 7th stone. But in my opinion I think there are too many stones for that size tank. But thats just MY opinion, so take it with a grain of salt.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

I'm starting to agree with that. I think it would do better with fewer large stones. 

Back to the sand box to play around. Stay tuned!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

I tried many different layouts, but I started to realize there are only so many with the stones I have (mainly flat), so I ended up settling on one and wet the substrate. I had an order on plants coming so I needed to decide quick.

Used about 2L of treated water to moisten the aquasoil and prepare it for planting. No turning back now.



I ordered 2 tubs of Aquaflora HC and spent about 30 min separating it. I had a huge tupperware lid filled with it, then moved it over in batches to a smaller one lined with wet paper towel.



This was an absolutely gorgeous batch. It's from Aquaflora nurseries in BC, Canada. It's cell cultured, free of disease and snails. I contemplated ordering pincettes from ebay, but found these in my tool box. I had these from school from my electronics fabrication class. Just basic fine-tipped tweezers.



In the soil you go. After watching youtube videos on setting up different aquascapes, this was a lot of fun to experience first hand.



Here's how it sits now. The back left corner was left empty as I was intending on adding a background plant, something like DHG or rotalla. I ended up filling it with left over HC for the time being.



Let me know what you think. I'll be dry starting this for at least 2-3 weeks. There was a LOT of HC from the tubs and I was able to cover 90% of the substrate, so the length of time to form a carpet shouldn't be that long.


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## [email protected] (Nov 7, 2010)

Sweet Scape! This is going to Look Amazing when the plants have filled in. roud:


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

Looks great


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Thanks guys. I've been putting this together for a few months and it's nice to sit back and enjoy it.


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## sapphoqueen (Feb 9, 2010)

looks good  subscribed !


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## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

Nice to see someone do a tank and not screw around. 

Nice stand build, nice light hanger, nice rimless tanks and nice set-up in general.


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

Very nice build! This will be a gem when filled roud:

Did you get the okhu stone in Canada? Care to share where?


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Got the stones from Big Als in Calgary. $2.50/lb I believe. I bought most of it during the 20% sale around boxing day. Just about cleaned them out, although they might have restocked. It was labelled as Dragon Stone, if that helps your search.


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## simply amazing (Aug 2, 2011)

nice start! subscribing to follow your progress!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Cool. Stay tuned as it grows in. I'll be sure to update as it grows and when I add fish etc.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

I pulled a digital hygrometer from my cigar humidor and put it in the tank for a few hours. 



92%? I have the top completely sealed with cling wrap, with no breather holes. I was thinking this would be closer to 100%, but the hygrometer hasn't been calibrated in probably a year, so I'm willing to accept the reading.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

So I realized after planting that I never cleaned the rocks as well as I could have. Before placing the hardscape, I had picked and scraped off the clay/dirt that sits in the holes of the stone. I used compressed air to clean off the dust, but after the stones got wet, I noticed areas I missed.

So I went about and cleaned them the best I could with q-tips.



Not a pretty sight. I really should have scrubbed them underwater or pressure washed them before placing them in the tank.


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## myjohnson (Jan 2, 2007)

How is the hc filling in? 

Don't worry about the rocks being dirty. I think a water change will take care of it.


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## simply amazing (Aug 2, 2011)

question.. is co2 REQUIRED for growing HC? if so, what carpet can i grow in a low-tech setup?


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Some small runners have started their journey into the substrate. No filling in quite yet. I'm still spraying with dechlorinated water twice a day and...observing. I think this process is the hardest part in setting up a planted tank. I've never done it this way and I'm curious to see how it turns out.

I'm not sure you could grow HC in a low light setting. If you added CO2 it could work. These are all guesses unfortunately. My first time growing the plant.


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

mahko said:


> Got the stones from Big Als in Calgary. $2.50/lb I believe. I bought most of it during the 20% sale around boxing day. Just about cleaned them out, although they might have restocked. It was labelled as Dragon Stone, if that helps your search.


Thanks!


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

salmon said:


> Thanks!


They're also called ohko stone


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

IWANNAGOFAST said:


> They're also called ohko stone


Indeed, hence the title 

I was surprised to see them after hearing how ADA seemed to be the only ones selling it. I had to buy up most of it and I still have about 15 lbs left.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Just a quick update showing the root development.



Just about dead center you can see the growth. Also looks like I need to pick out some stray cat hair that made it's way in the tank. :icon_redf

Another shot showing some of leaves turning yellow. 



I'm not sure what is causing that, but I suppose it is to be expected. Any ideas?


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## stevieo (Mar 16, 2010)

mahko said:


> Got the stones from Big Als in Calgary. $2.50/lb I believe. I bought most of it during the 20% sale around boxing day. Just about cleaned them out, although they might have restocked. It was labelled as Dragon Stone, if that helps your search.


I went today to Big Al's and they have a bit left. I was looking for some!
Can you let me know where you bought all the Aquaflora stuff? IIRC I saw a few small tubs at Gold's aquarium but other than that I don't know where to find it. 
Thanks!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

I've been to several stores in town and haven't found much. I ordered from Canadian Aquatics and they shipped next day and the plants were perfect. Cost about $20 for next day shipping with a heat pack, but I ordered some ferts as well so it was worth it to me.

Not sure if I can post links but www.canadianaquatics.com They are based in BC and have many great reviews on several Canadian forums (bcaquaria.com for example)

Send them an email with what you want, they'll get back with the availability. I suppose you could ask pisces or big als for what you want, but I don't get good service from either when I ask for 'special requests'.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

End of first week with a full tank shot. I think I'll update weekly to document growth. I nudged the saturation up a notch to compensate for the washed out look from the flash.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Approaching 3 weeks now. The roots are digging deep into the substrate and the carpet is filling in at a steady pace.


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## bsk (Aug 18, 2010)

I like your layout. It should be nice once it fills in


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## jingleberry (Mar 1, 2012)

mahko said:


> Close up shot of the hanging kit included with the light. Same loop on the top of the light. The Hagen has built-in, adjustable tabs to loop the wire though on the top of the fixture.


Nice looking setup! I've been looking for something like the tabs you're using/mentioned. Would you happen to know exactly what the name of this part is? Thanks!


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## Adkins.its (Oct 15, 2007)

Tagging along. Looks great so far!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

jingleberry said:


> Nice looking setup! I've been looking for something like the tabs you're using/mentioned. Would you happen to know exactly what the name of this part is? Thanks!


The hanging kit came with my Hagen Glo 2x24 fixture. I looked at Home Depot and Lowes and couldn't find anything like it. It seems like such an easy part to have in the 'wire-hanging' section of a hardware store. I can buy the aluminium sleeves everywhere, but they don't have any with tightening screws.


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## jingleberry (Mar 1, 2012)

mahko said:


> The hanging kit came with my Hagen Glo 2x24 fixture. I looked at Home Depot and Lowes and couldn't find anything like it. It seems like such an easy part to have in the 'wire-hanging' section of a hardware store. I can buy the aluminium sleeves everywhere, but they don't have any with tightening screws.



Yea I checked my local Home Depot today and they didn't have anything similar to that. Thanks for trying.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

On March 10th it will have been 1 month since planting. I'll get some close growth pics in a day or two. I have all the necessary supplies to fill the tank, supply CO2 and dose fertilizers.

I read all the other dry start journals and the wait is getting hard! Not sure if I should keep this dry start going for a few more weeks or maybe fill it and let the chips fall where they may.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Been one month since planting the tank and here are some shots showing the growth. 

The roots seem to be really deep and I'm strongly considering filling it up next week.



Spread of HC. When I planted them, the bunches were extremely uniform.



Not much growth in the back corners, so I might move this to the front. Maybe after the fill, the growth might be better due to the water not as available because of the slope.


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## Nocturnal (Jan 25, 2012)

Coming along nicely. Can't wait to see it flooded!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Not much to update. I'm misting usually twice daily. Sometimes I'll skip a day when the relative humidity hasn't dropped under 90%.

I'm waiting on a new Clippard solenoid as the one I had seemed to have stopped working (as I was testing it). When the new one has arrived, I'll test it, then fill the tank. 

The water level has started to pool in the lower areas of the tank. Even though I avoid spraying in those areas, the water flows down and pools there. I hope I don't get algae.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

What do have here?


And where does this lead? Perhaps the dog knows?


Tubing through the kitchen? Where does this 40' hose end? Perhaps the tank?


Inspired by Oliver Knott and his newspaper method. Wet paper towels work just as great and IMO more sanitary. Laid gently on the substrate/HC.


I didn't have any large plastic sheets, so I used saran wrap in several sheets and put it down on top of the paper towels.


As we fill the tank, the entire paper towel/cling wrap floats up as a protective layer in one piece. I found this amazing as there was no risk to the Aquasoil being tossed around. 


Almost done! Kind of looks like clouds... 


All done. Filled and CO2 is bubbling in. Not sure about bubble count as my counter is glass and inline. I filled it with water so the bubble rate is something like 3-4/sec. I'm working on getting/making a drop checker.


Hope you all enjoyed this journey as much as I did.


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## Adkins.its (Oct 15, 2007)

Looks amazing! Definitely worth the wait. The lighting and scape a pretty much perfect!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Thanks. I just did my first water change this morning. I'm going to be following Frank Wazeter/ADA method of daily water changes the first week, then every second day, second week, etc. 

Regarding my fert dosing: I created solutions for "EI daily" as it's much easier for me to dose daily at the same time every day. I don't know if adding my daily dosing after water changes would be a waste of ferts or not. However I believe that the plants will benefit from the lean dose as the week progress.

Any advise?


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## Adkins.its (Oct 15, 2007)

mahko said:


> Thanks. I just did my first water change this morning. I'm going to be following Frank Wazeter/ADA method of daily water changes the first week, then every second day, second week, etc.
> 
> Regarding my fert dosing: I created solutions for "EI daily" as it's much easier for me to dose daily at the same time every day. I don't know if adding my daily dosing after water changes would be a waste of ferts or not. However I believe that the plants will benefit from the lean dose as the week progress.
> 
> Any advise?


I've not heard of that method. Could you elaborate or is there a good link to explan?


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Essentially, I used this idea, but halved the values in order to create solutions that fit in my 500mL dispensing bottles:

http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/3209-Want-more-accuracy-Want-daily-PMDD-style-EI-dosing

And using wet's calculator: http://calc.petalphile.com/ 

I used the option for "EI daily." So I made 2 bottles, 1 for macro, 1 for micros.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Added some filter media from another tank (Fluval Edge) and another daily water change. 

When I started my Edge several months ago (with Aquasoil) the ammonia levels were off the chart (6-8+ ppm). However with this tank, the ammonia levels are around 2ppm before the water change. Seems the dry start has allowed the ammonia to be consumed.

I would also bet that the filter media would be unnecessary at this point, as I believe the bacteria has had a month to form a decent colony within the substrate. I might be able to add some amano shrimp this week pending further testing!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Water change today. 

Ammonia - 1-2ppm
Nitrite - 1ppm
Nitrate - 20-40ppm (API test, hard to tell)
KH - 6
GH - 8 (tap is quite hard)

Did a little trim and removed some brown leaves/stems. Also tested my 4dkh DIY solution and it tested at 8kh!! I diluted it 50% and retested: reads at 4dkh now. Refilled my drop checker and now waiting to see any change in colour.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Water change today with testing:

Ammonia 0-0.25ppm 
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 20-30ppm
KH - n/t
GH - n/t

Ready for some shrimp (going with about 10 amanos) and I'm going to see if I can find some Otocinclus (maybe start with 3) at the LFS today.

A little bit of green algae is forming on the rocks, so the cleanup crew is being called in.


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## Uptown193 (Apr 25, 2011)

Nice setup, good luck.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

wow nice journal! from start up until finally shrimps!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Thanks guys. 

I just got back from the LFS and acclimating 6 amano's and 5 otocinclus'. I'll see how they fair in this tank, then I might bring in a few more amano shrimp from my fluval edge. 

I'll snap some pics of the fauna soon, as I just got a new camera a few days ago.


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## ADAtank (Jul 26, 2011)

i love the stand!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Acclimation went well. I'm not sure if there is a sure fire way of acclimating, or even a specific amount of time spent acclimating. I used silicon tubing with a knot tied in the middle which allowed me to drip from my tank to the temporary storage cups the critters were in. Total time was around 1 hour. I also replaced 50% of the water half way through. 

Other than the oto's scattering to the corners/hiding in the rocks, everyone seems happy.



Here are the Oto cats.



And the Amano shrimp.



Drop checkers is more yellow than green, so I'll monitor the new inhabitants and perhaps drop the CO2 down a bit tomorrow.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Been a few days and the algae is gone from the rocks and hasn't returned. Cleanup crew is busy all day and look happy. I fed them an algae wafer last night and everyone dined together. I'll post a pic when I get home.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Almost a week now with the inhabitants and all is well. I haven't tested water parameters as there isn't much change in the environment. There have been several molts and I'm feeding them a little bit of Hikari Crab Cuisine once a week.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Just wow!
Starting faunas with the cleaning crew, smart move!

btw, when you were dry starting, may I know what gadget did you use to measure the temperature/humidity? (the black round thing)


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

sayurasem said:


> Just wow!
> Starting faunas with the cleaning crew, smart move!
> 
> btw, when you were dry starting, may I know what gadget did you use to measure the temperature/humidity? (the black round thing)


It's called a hygrometer. It measures the relative humidity for the environment it's in. I use them for my cigar humidor. I have 2 and this one wasn't being used.

Not really necessary, but I was curious and had nothing else to do during the dry start!


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## jnaz (Apr 12, 2009)

mahko said:


> Almost a week now with the inhabitants and all is well. I haven't tested water parameters as there isn't much change in the environment. There have been several molts and I'm feeding them a little bit of Hikari Crab Cuisine once a week.


Simply beautiful.


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## vvDO (Oct 18, 2010)

Nice growth, looks like the lawn needs a good mow already. I think you made a good choice with rock placement. Nice clean look.


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## roybot73 (Dec 15, 2007)

Great looking layout and nice build! Makes me miss having my 60-P set up in the house. Soon enough, I guess.
keep up the good work!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

vvDO said:


> Nice growth, looks like the lawn needs a good mow already. I think you made a good choice with rock placement. Nice clean look.


I'm having a hard time finding appropriate wave type scissors. I have some 200mm curved-tipped ones coming in the mail which I'll be using. It takes way too long to trim with cuticle scissors. :smile:


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

I managed to get a trim done while performing a water change. Things look a little more proper and neat.



Here's a shot of the clippings. I feel like I'm throwing money away when tossing these. Anyone keep theirs and propagate it elsewhere?


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Lost an oto today  I was getting ready for work and when I checked the tank I noticed it's tail stuck in the intake grills. I unplugged the filter as quick as I could and reached in to release him, but it was too late.


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## nalu86 (Oct 19, 2010)

when a fish gets stuck in the filter, most of the time, its dead already before it end up there. 

sorry for the loss.

Nice tank, love it


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## manualfocus (Jun 15, 2011)

mahko said:


> I feel like I'm throwing money away when tossing these. Anyone keep theirs and propagate it elsewhere?


I feel like that too. I keep the trimmings if there's enough substance to them. I then use them to experiment with. If they're just small scraps, then I just toss them. 

I really like the clean look you have going. Well done.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

Looks really great! You could start an emersed setup and just sprinkle the clippings in and see if some root


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

yowza that looks good!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Thanks for the compliments guys. As much as I like the layout, I keep thinking of adding some background plants. Hair grass behind the rocks, or perhaps some hydrocotyle surrounding the stones....

I added 15 Cardinal Tetras a couple weeks ago, no losses. Algae has started to overtake the stones, so some manual removal was necessary.

Also got some decent scissors for the HC. They are 6" bent handle embroidery scissors. They look like mini ADA wave scissors, and are very sharp. About $12 from the bay.

Pics coming.


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

Beautiful tank! I say go for adding more plants. You've obviously mastered the single plant carpet.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

I took this a few minutes ago. CO2 has been increased to combat some algae growth. Over time, the cheap diffuser doesn't produce a fine enough mist. Large bubbles were being shot out and reaching the surface before being moved around the water column. Even after a cleaning in a bleach solution overnight, the diffusion was inadequate.

I swapped in another one (I have several, as they are only a couple $ each), and the new one is much better. Quality control is not to be expected for the cheap stuff.


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## beedee (Jul 1, 2010)

wow, those cardinals look amazing in there! great looking tank man!

btw, i just ordered some of those embroidery scissors off of the bay after reading you did. have you had a chance to use them yet?


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

Very nice!! Hair grass in the back would look great, and so would hydrocotle. I'd say go with both!


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## frrok (May 22, 2011)

awesome build. good job..


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## gotplants (Apr 18, 2012)

Jeez, your HC is so green!!! Is it the lighting or your camera? I'm planning on getting new bulbs for my 2x24 watt T5HO coralife fixture. Would getting the 2x 6700k life glos be a good move?


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

I've found a youtube video comparing the Hagen Glo lights and the 2x6700k (Life-Glo) was the one I liked best. I might have adjusted the last picture in Lightroom a bit, but only to show it as close to in-person as possible.

It seems that I have staghorn algae growing on the rocks and HC. Checking the guides, looks like I have low Co2 and/or inadequate flow. I upped my Co2 and later found a few jumpers on the ground. Dialed that back down and performed a large trim to clear up the staghorn on the HC. 

I haven't cleaned the filter in a few weeks and filled a bucket with tank water and rinsed the bio media. HUGE difference in flow now. Going to monitor closely for the next few days. Also spot treated with Excell on the rocks. We'll see in a few days.


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## Mr. Fish (Apr 24, 2012)

This tank came out really sweet!

I'm actually getting ready to do the exact same method, then after it fills in i'll probably throw in some DHG in the back and add a few red plants to make the green stand out more.

But I must say, either you're great @ Photo-shoping colors or your HC lawn is marvelously green


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## vraev (Apr 13, 2012)

This is definitely among the best tanks ever IMO. I love the clean look. So awsome. How did u manage that....no green algae...no green water... awesome! I am having so much problems with green water atm.


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## globali (May 29, 2010)

Grate work.

Grate visuals.

Grate documentation.


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## styxx (Jul 2, 2003)

mahko - You've done a wonderful job. The dilemma that I found with HC is that once its growth reaches the point where you are now, it quickly begins to grow* very thick* and horizontal trimming will only exacerbate this problem. I strongly suggest that you now start "thinning" it by cutting many small "holes" in the carpet to permit horizontal growth to spread otherwise it will grow vertical and get increasingly thicker where eventually it will simply float up off of the substrate. It's nice to have in the beginning but its a PITA after a few months. FYI.


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## gkatz007 (May 22, 2012)

mahko said:


> I managed to get a trim done while performing a water change. Things look a little more proper and neat.
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a shot of the clippings. I feel like I'm throwing money away when tossing these. Anyone keep theirs and propagate it elsewhere?


man u have inspired me to do a tank similar to this but on a smaller scale. im in china rn on vacation but japan is the next stop so im going to aqua forest an aquarium shop in tokyo so im hoping to find real nice rocks i can aquascape with!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

styxx said:


> mahko - You've done a wonderful job. The dilemma that I found with HC is that once its growth reaches the point where you are now, it quickly begins to grow* very thick* and horizontal trimming will only exacerbate this problem. I strongly suggest that you now start "thinning" it by cutting many small "holes" in the carpet to permit horizontal growth to spread otherwise it will grow vertical and get increasingly thicker where eventually it will simply float up off of the substrate. It's nice to have in the beginning but its a PITA after a few months. FYI.


I'm starting to experience that now. I just did a large trim and the growth underneath was definitely dying. Thanks for the tip roud:


Staghorn is still present. Looks like it's growing in the HC again and back on the rocks. Manual removal is fine for a few days/1 week, then it returns. Flow is quite good and I really don't want to add a powerhead for circulation. I think keeping the CO2 diffuser clean is going to be my next focus. I usually swap it out with a clean one when covered in algae. That might be what's causing the inconsistent CO2= staghorn. Probably not the correct solution, but I need to narrow this down.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

vraev said:


> This is definitely among the best tanks ever IMO. I love the clean look. So awsome. How did u manage that....no green algae...no green water... awesome! I am having so much problems with green water atm.


Oh there is algae... I clean the tank glass every week and the glassware/tubing as well. When the rocks get quite green, I'll bring the toothbrush in during a water change. I'm starting to notice how having a clean filter affects performance, so I plan to rinse the bio-media monthly or when I notice flow issues. I also like the make sure the tank is clean before photos.


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## green_valley (Sep 14, 2011)

I love it ....I love it....I love it......Nice scape. Great growth.

Questions for you when you were doing Dry start method. What was the average Humidity and Temperature?

Thanks


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Temps around 75-78F and humidity above 90%.


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## green_valley (Sep 14, 2011)

mahko said:


> Temps around 75-78F and humidity above 90%.


thank you. Did you get any mold or fungus at all? or those spider web looking things?......

Thanks


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Yes I had white webbing in the bottom corners. Almost like a white fuzz. I filled the tank a day or 2 after that and it disappeared.


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## trenton (Apr 27, 2012)

Subscribed! Are you still at 3 to 4 bubbles per second? You used 2 pots of HC at the start of you tank right? I wanna do a wet start so I am thinking I will do three pots. How is cutting the "holes" in the HC carpet? How do you do this?

Seeing your tank makes me want mine planted!


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## green_valley (Sep 14, 2011)

i am sooo jelous with your HC ......man oh man....


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

trenton said:


> Subscribed! Are you still at 3 to 4 bubbles per second? You used 2 pots of HC at the start of you tank right? I wanna do a wet start so I am thinking I will do three pots. How is cutting the "holes" in the HC carpet? How do you do this?
> 
> Seeing your tank makes me want mine planted!


3-4 bps still. I've been swapping out my CO2 diffuser every 7-10 days to avoid algae build up. 

I used 2 pots of Aquaflora HC. Those are about the size of 3-5 normal pots. 








I took the image from bcaquaria.com as I don't have one myself.

I haven't cut any holes, and I don't think I will. I performed a HUGE trim a few days ago (to the substrate) and I'll see if that helps the lower leaves/stems regain some life.


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## sidefunk (Apr 22, 2010)

Great tank and your growth looks super healthy. As to your staghorn i find it only happens when my water quality is not great. Usually a few good water changes clears it right up. Keep up the great work.


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## gotplants (Apr 18, 2012)

How were you able to keep algae off the rocks so well? I do 2-3 wc a week and scrub the rocks with a toothbrush and the algae still always comes back!!


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## gotplants (Apr 18, 2012)

mahko said:


> 3-4 bps still. I've been swapping out my CO2 diffuser every 7-10 days to avoid algae build up.


Oh nevermind.. What does swapping the diffuser do? lol


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Beautiful!


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## Anhvu (Apr 19, 2012)

Nice tank man. I'm searching for Ohko for a month already, but no luck


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## green_valley (Sep 14, 2011)

any pics/?????


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

gotplants said:


> Oh nevermind.. What does swapping the diffuser do? lol


I swap the diffuser for a clean one. The algae build up on the white ceramic plate seems to affect the CO2 output. Bubble's aren't as fine after about 10 days.

Pics in a few min..


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

To the comment about clean rocks. I clean mine with a toothbrush as well. As you'll see in the next few pics, they get nice and green.

Here's a shot of the large trim I did. Siphoning out the water, Protecting fish/shrimp with the net.


After trim.


11 days later (today)


To help with algae... a new light fixture. Sun Blaster 1x24W T5HO 6400k. I decided that raising my 2x24w Glo fixture another 6 inches would be ridiculous. Can you say light spill?


I tried a 10000k bulb, but the colour was a little too blue. I bought the reflector as well, which snaps on easily. Total cost from my local hydroponics store was around $40 CAD. Bulbs are around $8, and if they only last 6months, it'll be still be worth it.

This is currently hanging about 6" above the tank = ~18" from substrate. I swapped it out a day or 2 after the trim and everything is growing great.


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## gotplants (Apr 18, 2012)

Very nice. I just did a cleaning/trimming today too haha. I just hope my HC carpet gets as good as yours.

+1 on the toothbrush. It's quite a lot of work though. I spend about 15-30 mins brushing the rocks during every water change 2-3 times a week. Have you have any issues with the rocks moving while you brush them? I don't think I packed my rocks in tight enough when I did my hardscape and the rocks move a bit which makes it harder to brush.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

They rock back and forth when I brush them. It's a balancing act with the hose in one hand and the tooth brush in another, all while looking through the front of the glass to see what you're doing!

I'm considering another trim of the HC as it seems to be growing back too fast. Been about 2 weeks and it's looking thick already.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Whoa. Almost 6 months without an update. 

As previously warned, the HC started to lift off the aquasoil in large sections and had to be either cut out completely or stuffed in the substrate with my finger. I think where I failed was keeping the HC trimmed enough. I kept leaving it grow thick and the bottom layers of plant were dying.

I trimmed the best I could and added some dwarf hair grass in the bald spots, as well as around the rocks. Pics tonight...


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## AdamF (Jul 30, 2012)

LOVE the tank mate! Just nailed it! 

With the HC issue you have and trimming, I assume same goes for UG? I will make sure Im on top of the trimming to keep it squat. Although I do notice the UG grows right from the bottom of the substrate - see pic




does HC grow more on top of the substrate? Or in a simlar fashion to the pic of UG?


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

looks fantastic!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Sorry about the delay. 

The pics I took were in RAW and i realized that I no longer have Lightroom to process them, so I'm retaking them in jpeg.

I also added some backlighting with LED strip light and white foamcore board. It looks amazing IMO.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Full tank shot. 

White foam core is slightly damaged when I was trimming it. I'm going to see about getting a blue to white gradient image and using that as a background.

Also the picture of one of the spots where the HC had dead undergrowth and floated up. DHG has been planted here and throughout the tank in 'bald' spots.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

During the first 6 months or so, I had shimp, oto's and tetra's jump out of the tank at different times. Lately though, nothing has tried to escape so I added 3 more oto cats to help with algae. 

I also started 2 wabi kusa yesterday. Might start a new thread on those.


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## styxx (Jul 2, 2003)

Yeah, HC is a wonderful plant...for a short time and then it will grow so thick that if you are not constantly thinning it out, it will grow so thickly that it will literally suffocate the plant stems beneath it. PITA after a while, but in the beginning, oh man is it beautiful to have and see!


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Really loving the algae on your rocks. Looks really natural and provides a nice pop.


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

I am sure it will look great when the DHG fills in, nothing like a mixed carpet.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Thanks all. I think when I rescape this tank (ETA undecided), I'll avoid HC and give glosso a try. It seems like it's a more manageable plant to maintain. 

On second thought, I've been seeing some great white sand foreground scapes that have been catching my eye lately. Might just have to start another tank instead. Then there's the nano reef idea too...


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## styxx (Jul 2, 2003)

mahko said:


> Thanks all. I think when I rescape this tank (ETA undecided), I'll avoid HC and give glosso a try. It seems like it's a more manageable plant to maintain.
> 
> On second thought, I've been seeing some great white sand foreground scapes that have been catching my eye lately. Might just have to start another tank instead. Then there's the nano reef idea too...


I think gloss is a much easier plant to handle in the long term; But I have wanted to try out a nano sand set up for the longest time, but never have gotten around to it.


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

you should try out elatine hydropiper if you can find it, mini glosso


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## zergling (May 16, 2007)

Glosso has the same problem -- let it grow over itself long enough and eventually what's underneath will die off. While you can let glosso grow to over an inch thick before this starts to happen, you also have to remember that glosso grows MUCH faster than HC. 

At the end of the day, it's still necessary to mow glosso down every 4-6 weeks (depending on how fast it grows in the tank) to keep it low, compact, and healthy.

Elocharis 'Belem' - I only have a few months worth of experience with this plant, but so far in my tank, I've been able to plant it and left it as is for several months without having to trim. I think due to its leaves being very thin, it takes a very long time to have it get dense enough to get anything shadowed. Like I said, I'm still new to this plant, but right now my opinion is it's much less work than HC or glosso.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

I'll look into that, thanks. I haven't played around with stem plants in a while, so I might go that route with driftwood. I like the thick forrest-of-stems look that Amano always does.


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## zergling (May 16, 2007)

mahko said:


> I'll look into that, thanks. I haven't played around with stem plants in a while, so I might go that route with driftwood. I like the thick forrest-of-stems look that Amano always does.


Thick bushes of stem plants also involve similar repetitive work -- constant trimming make it grow "bushy". Just like with carpet plants, the thicker it gets, the bigger the chances of the bottom portions getting shaded and dying off.

The upside -- stem plants are usually just in "sections", and is MUCH easier to trim than any low carpet plant


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

mahko said:


> I also started 2 wabi kusa yesterday. Might start a new thread on those.




lets see them!!!!!! roud: roud:


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

orchidman said:


> lets see them!!!!!! roud: roud:


Here they are!

The ball is made from sphagnum moss wrapped around 2-4 marbles (for weight) and a small amount of Turface for water retention.

Plants are hydrocotyle sib., rotala indica, HC, DHG, and java moss. All wrapped with dark green thread. Lighting is a 23W CFL on for 12h/day. 

I'd like to give a shout out to geniusdudekiran for inspiration. He has some great threads and even better pictures of his Wabi kusa.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

fantastic! i like the way you have the tank in the background of the pics! i really like the hydrocotyle sib. I did much the same thing for mine, although i didnt use terface.


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

I thought I saw someone use akadama inside a wabi kusa online. Turface is extremely similar, as well as cheaper ($20 for a 50 lb bag). I use it for bonsai as well and it seems to work great for that so I thought to give it a shot. 

The hydrocotyle is taking well to the transition from submersed to emersed and the Rotala is starting to grow towards the light. This small project didnt cost much and I'm happy with the results so far.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

mahko said:


> I thought I saw someone use akadama inside a wabi kusa online. Turface is extremely similar, as well as cheaper ($20 for a 50 lb bag). I use it for bonsai as well and it seems to work great for that so I thought to give it a shot.
> 
> The hydrocotyle is taking well to the transition from submersed to emersed and the Rotala is starting to grow towards the light. This small project didnt cost much and I'm happy with the results so far.


thats what ive seen, as well as aquasoil. i didnt use anything in the three i did.. i may try using a bit of aquasoil now that i have it. we'll see.

its a great plant!! i used to have some but i stupidly sold it all  i really wanna get some again, its great for all kinds of things!! i havent seen it for sale anywhere though


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

I always passed over it at the LFS thinking it only grew upwards. Looks like this one grows sideways too. I might add some to my 60cm tank if the HC keeps dying off. I think it makes a great semi-carpet.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

it does! and very nice wabi kusa!

i just photographed mine, ill post them once i process through them!


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

tank is looking great


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

orchidman said:


> it does! and very nice wabi kusa!
> 
> i just photographed mine, ill post them once i process through them!


check it out mahko! http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=188790&page=10


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## styxx (Jul 2, 2003)

I don't know if I've mentioned it or not before, but I love the decision to let the algae grow on the rocks. The pristine cleanliness of them before seemed, somehow "too clean" and now they look nicely aged naturally; nice composition so far!


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

Thanks styxx. To be honest, it ended up being too much of a hassle to clean them every week. And I could never really get them that clean so I stopped altogether. The otos and amanos do a decent enough job with it. I also drop Excel on the rocks at each water 50% water change. Let it sit for 5-10 min in open air. Got that tip from Frank Wazeter's threads.


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## styxx (Jul 2, 2003)

mahko said:


> Thanks styxx. To be honest, it ended up being too much of a hassle to clean them every week. And I could never really get them that clean so I stopped altogether. The otos and amanos do a decent enough job with it. I also drop Excel on the rocks at each water 50% water change. Let it sit for 5-10 min in open air. Got that tip from Frank Wazeter's threads.


OH wow does that really work, and if so how well!? Are we talking no scrubbing!? lol


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## mahko (Dec 10, 2011)

It does. If I didn't do that the rocks would be a lot more algae covered than they already are. Actually when you look very close, you can see the bottom half that hasn't had any direct excel treatment and it's noticeable more covered.


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## styxx (Jul 2, 2003)

mahko said:


> It does. If I didn't do that the rocks would be a lot more algae covered than they already are. Actually when you look very close, you can see the bottom half that hasn't had any direct excel treatment and it's noticeable more covered.


Wow. Well I had no idea...thanks to you and Frank for the tip! :thumbsup:


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