# Hilde's aquascaping trials



## suebe333 (Feb 17, 2009)

Nice work , I like how the scape is evolving


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## Tameyourself (Oct 16, 2008)

I like it!


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Finally I get an opinion. What I like is not what most like I know.

Now looking for an ornament to put in the middle. I thought I would add a ship but that made me sad. Thinking of adding a diver with the helmet.


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## darkcrisis (Jan 21, 2009)

Looking very nice!


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Much improved! How long have you been doing this?


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## brion0 (Sep 28, 2008)

It's getting better, keep up the good work.


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## Pinto (Jan 23, 2009)

Nice rock formation.
Love the scape, keep it up.


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## Trallen44 (Dec 10, 2008)

I like how your tank has evolved. What size tank is it?


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

*Tank restart suggestions, please.*

Thanks for the complements. I started it thinking it would be like setting up a garden. Have found it is not the same.

Oh, I see I forgot to say this is a 29 gallon tank. I started it July 2008. Lost 3 groups of plants before I finally got the ecosystem balanced. KNO3 seemed to balance things out. Impulsively added KNO3 dry to the tank and lost a few fish. 

Hopefully next Sunday I will get diy Co2 set up. Then the 4 leaf clover and sags that are barely visible will start off.

I have decided to downgrade my lights, for I noticed my electric bill is going way over the budget plan. Replaced the 65 watt with a 20 watt ultra sun superdaylight bulb. Thus now have 2 - 20 watt bulbs over the 29 gallon tank. To help the plants to adjust added natural clump charcoal to the substrate. Read someone used it in his planted tank thus certain it is safe. Thus probably not going to add diy Co2. Basically trying to emulate what Trallen44 is doing.

Here it is now before breakdown. Suggestion for new scape appreciated.


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## Trallen44 (Dec 10, 2008)

Any updates on this tank?


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Did a mini-break down. Took everything out but the substrate and crypt v balance. Dug holes in the substrate and put the crushed natural charcoal in. Then topped it with fluorite. Some charcoal came up, which I netted out. Left the crypt v balance in, for concerned moving them would cause them to melt. They got disturbed anyway 1 disappeared. The scaping didn't turn out as I had expected. I have to just leave as it is for a while. Tis a bit difficult for me to do dealing with ear problems. 

It has been up for a week and it is still cloudy. I added gravel for the sand was not reusable and didn't have any more. Now I got some sand but I think it best to wait for the cloudiness to disappear before I add it. Instead of adding diy Co2 decided to order flourish excell Seachem nitrogen. Hopefully dosing tank with flourish nitrogen will bring out the colors of the plants and they will perk up. 

Thinking of adding some lava rock around the path. Any opinions?

Now have 2 - 20 watt T8 bulbs. One is a Zoo Med bulb and the other is a Philips daylight bulb. 

Left side - Hair grass, Vals v cork, Hygro sunset and 4 leaf clover. 
Middle crypt v balance, just temporary.

Right side - Sags, Wisteria, Rotala rotunda, Ludwiga repen, Anacharis.


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## Trallen44 (Dec 10, 2008)

It is looking great! I think I like the white gravel better than sand myself. I hope your ear problems clear up quickly. Pillow floss in your filter should help clear up your tank pretty quickly.


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

> Thinking of adding some lava rock around the path. Any opinions?


Like you did in your previous scape? YES! Looked very cool.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Well, the problem I have with the filter is that with the flash guard over the lights I don't have room to put the HOB filter on the back. Thus I was just using a sponge filter. Occasionally I would put a HBO filter on the front. Just bought a powerhead that has a filter on the end made by Zoo Med. I was just checking out Craigs list and saw a powerhead on sale. 

I am thinking it would be better to leave the rocks. For looking at them there is a lot of mulm on them. It would be horrid on the white sand. 

Thanks for looking! Thanks for the compliments.


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## Alastair (Apr 20, 2009)

Interesting style of aquascaping.. I like it.. I can see some possibilities in the lava rock walling you did.. in picture 10 of the first post I can imagime how using it as flowing terracing might work.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Alastair said:


> Interesting style of aquascaping.. I like it.. I can see some possibilities in the lava rock walling you did.. in picture 10 of the first post I can imagime how using it as flowing terracing might work.


I am uncertain what you mean by a flowing terrace. Could you explain or give me a link to a picture?


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## Alastair (Apr 20, 2009)

At the right you have the wall double-height, as it sweeps to the left of the tank it flows in a gentle curve.. the bottom course takes a wider curve than the top course and leaves a flat shelf of substrate between the two.. with a low level below the wall, a flat level between the walls and a higher level above the second course you're left with a terrace effect.. the way that the wall starts as one at the right and de-merges into two seperate curving lines makes this work really well to me. I've seen similar done with rock/rubble walls in gardens before.


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## Alastair (Apr 20, 2009)

A very crude diagram.. see how on the right the wall starts double height then seperates.. you did this in the original aquascape with a more sinuous curve.


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## CAM6467 (Feb 11, 2009)

Nice diagram. Google sketchup is so awersome!


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Alastair said:


>


Well this will have to wait until I do a complete breakdown. I live in an apartment so that will happen 1 day.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

*Sand storm scape*

After getting plants at AAA auction decided to add sand. Thus added sand to the left side. Used play sand that I got for free from landscaper. It created a dust storm even though I rinsed it 3xs before adding it. Thus planted plants in a sand storm by feel.
TANK IN MAY









Plants:
Anacharis
Rotala rotundifolia
Ludwigia repens
Anubias
Crypt v balance
Sags
Java fern
Myriophyllum mattogrossense
Star Grass
Red foxtail
Vallisneria v corkscrew
Java fern
4 Leaf clove
Hopefully all will fill out and provide a good home for Apistogramma cacatuoides.[/FONT]

Recently found that I had accidentally put zoo med bulb up and had just Philips daylight bulb and a house fluorescent bulb over the tank. No wonder the colors are bad. Put the zoo med bulb over tank May 16. Now not home. Curious and concerned what changes will occur while I am gone.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

This is the tank in April









I am thinking that the Hygro sunset would do better on the left side.


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## fishydaze (May 1, 2009)

Something tall on left side might be good: not necessarily hygro..something as back drop to the triangular rock...but then may need to hunt down larger rock too for that side to grow the mountain scape against the new backdrop...it never ends, eh?


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

fishydaze said:


> Something tall on left side might be good: not necessarily hygro..something as back drop to the triangular rock...but then may need to hunt down larger rock too for that side to grow the mountain scape against the new backdrop...it never ends, eh?


That is the fun of it but due to funds got to stop adding next month.

Now bidding on a lighthouse. Then thinking of building the right side up again as did in last picture shown. Hoping to get the hill up so it slants to the right.


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## Trallen44 (Dec 10, 2008)

I am kinda confused as to what the tank looks like now. I really like the last picture you posted. If it was mine, I would let it grow for a bit before I changed anything on it.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Trallen44 said:


> I am kinda confused as to what the tank looks like now. I really like the last picture you posted. If it was mine, I would let it grow for a bit before I changed anything on it.


This is the latest changes










Planning on a theme with a lighthouse. Next month have to stop spending on the aquarium. Uncertain if I can execute my plan with the plants I have.

Perhaps to speed things up I will add diy Co2 and put the 65w light over the aquarium for a month.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

After accidentally pulling plants out during my struggle to get Amica Splenden out the tank I did a mini scape. That is cut some of the plants down and out. Had to take them out for after adding them my Betta started hiding under moss. The scape is a bit crude. For I can't I pull plants out since I loose a few fish when I do. Probably is because I have kitty litter in the substrate. Thus cut leggy Hygro sunset out, then added some pool sand in the back, and put the Hygor sunset stems in the sand.

Plants now are:
Rotala Indica
Wisteria
Hygro sunset
Java fern
Sagittaria subulata
Cryptocoryne balansae -1
Anubias - 1
4 Leaf Clover
Vals
Ludwiga repen
Moss
Foxtail, green
Foxtail, frill
Star grass

Backdrop is blue material taped on to board and then onto the tank.

Lights are:
1 18 W 24in Life-glo bulb 
1 65 W 21in compact 6,700k/10,000k daylight 









Thanks for looking!!


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## VadimShevchuk (Sep 19, 2009)

I like it! =D You should get more of a foreground estabalished. Use micro swords to establish that look i think. well thats my opion


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

Hilde,

This is the first time I've seen your tank. I like what you've been doing with it. Do you need extra plants or help with anything? If you're going to be at the meeting on Sunday I can bring you a little care package.

Regards,
Phil


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Phil Edwards said:


> Hilde,
> Do you need extra plants or help with anything? If you're going to be at the meeting on Sunday I can bring you a little care package.


Thanks!! I may take you up on your offer after I get the 29 G rescaped. At present the 29 G is overstocked with plants. I am bringing many cuttings to the meeting. Then putting all in a 10G so I can make some major changes to the 29G.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

VadimShevchuk said:


> I like it! =D You should get more of a foreground estabalished. Use micro swords to establish that look i think. well thats my opion


Thanks!!

As for foreground the sags are finally spreading. I am planning on a major rescape. Then will be spreading moss over the left side of the tank and have a very high hill on the left side


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

I finally found time to take it down. It was a must for there was a lot of mulm on the bottom and when I moved plants I lost a few fish. New thread is Lighthouse view - 29 Gallon. It has 2 hills in it. One is 6in. high.

Here are the last pictures:
Right side









Left side


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