# New scape



## blackdog76 (Dec 18, 2011)

Tank has been moving along for a few weeks now with the emersed plants.
The HC is sending down some deep roots that look healthy from inspection.
Some green algae popping up here and there in the substrate so I'm spot blasting it with hydrogen peroxide. Not too worried about it as long as it's not the dreaded blue green crap that I can't stand. I also started injecting some Co2 into the emersed setup to speed things along.


----------



## boosted16v (Feb 2, 2014)

Thats a great looking tank...what brand is it?


----------



## blackdog76 (Dec 18, 2011)

boosted16v said:


> Thats a great looking tank...what brand is it?


It's a modified Tru Vu


----------



## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

Looks really nice so far. Have you thought about adding some fissidens or mini pellia to the rocks? Now would be a good time while doing your dry start.


----------



## blackdog76 (Dec 18, 2011)

ua hua said:


> Looks really nice so far. Have you thought about adding some fissidens or mini pellia to the rocks? Now would be a good time while doing your dry start.


Going to stick with what I have for now. I want the repens to cover the rocks almost completely. I was inspired by this:


----------



## Sean W. (Oct 12, 2013)

Looks good, the only thing i don't like is that there isnt much of a contrast between the rocks and the substrate. other than that it looks good!


----------



## AquaJedi (Feb 10, 2014)

Really like your hardscape layout. Curious bout the Staurogyne that is planted in the rocks. Do you have it superglued in place or is there AquaSoil in rock pockets and the Staurogyne planted in the shallow substrate? You also mentioned that your adding CO2 into the tank during your dry start. I've been looking at other forum members doing dry starts and not seen this done before. Good luck and will be watching your progress.


----------



## blackdog76 (Dec 18, 2011)

AquaJedi said:


> Really like your hardscape layout. Curious bout the Staurogyne that is planted in the rocks. Do you have it superglued in place or is there AquaSoil in rock pockets and the Staurogyne planted in the shallow substrate? You also mentioned that your adding CO2 into the tank during your dry start. I've been looking at other forum members doing dry starts and not seen this done before. Good luck and will be watching your progress.


There is a little bit of the smaller grain aquasoil in the crevices of the rock, but the roots should grab either way. Co2 with emersed isn't really needed but it seems to be helping the growth quite a bit so I'll keep it going.


----------



## blackdog76 (Dec 18, 2011)




----------



## blackdog76 (Dec 18, 2011)

Some things that I have noticed from the emersed growth:
The hc grows better with a minimum of moisture. Weird for an aquatic plant? The staurogyne repens new growth turns a reddish color with really long leaves. 
The rotala rotundifolia grows round leaves emersed 
The rotala wallichii stems have a really hard time growing emersed.


----------



## blackdog76 (Dec 18, 2011)

Update:

Filling in nice


----------



## nojke (Jan 18, 2014)

Looking good!!


----------



## Bananableps (Nov 6, 2013)

Looks really nice! I love the high embankments of substrate. Did you consider putting in a false bottom to prevent excessive anaerobic bacterial growth? I haven't had much trouble with that in my tank (which also has some very deep substrate), but it's also less than a year old.


----------



## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

Do you have any pictures of the tank as it was just before the BGA issue hit it ?


----------



## blackdog76 (Dec 18, 2011)

TyrannosaurusSex said:


> Looks really nice! I love the high embankments of substrate. Did you consider putting in a false bottom to prevent excessive anaerobic bacterial growth? I haven't had much trouble with that in my tank (which also has some very deep substrate), but it's also less than a year old.



I have dime-quarter size lava rocks on the bottom and a mesh screen separating the substrate from the rock.


----------



## blackdog76 (Dec 18, 2011)

Raymond S. said:


> Do you have any pictures of the tank as it was just before the BGA issue hit it ?


No I deleted them all


----------



## blackdog76 (Dec 18, 2011)

update. HC is carpeting well and spreading nice horizontally. The staurogyne repens has been growing vertical, so I chopped the tops off and replanted them. Did the same for the rotala rotundifolia. The rotala wallichii really doesn't like to be emersed but even that is showing tiny leaves on the stems I stuck in the back. I also sprinkled some HC over the top of the rocks so it can hopefully cover the tops and prevent algae from growing. As soon as all that stuff mentioned roots properly, I'll flood it and crank the Co2.


----------



## Tyrone (Nov 22, 2013)

Nice set up! 

Any updates?


----------



## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

update? would have of loved to see it in 2 years


----------



## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

^^^


----------



## blackdog76 (Dec 18, 2011)

I think I just created that thread for the scape. The thread for the journal is here:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/12-tank-journals/587289-black-lava.html


----------

