My aqua-plant landscape - 3rd project

[hc rotala]

Thanks for all compliments above.

Here are some latest snap shoots....

[barmby]

Keep it going The water is crystal

[hc rotala]

Keep it going The water is crystal

It's because the use of an overate size filter.

[volley]

great job..What's the plant with the small leaf on the rock? can it be planted as a foreground plant in a low tech tank? Does this plant need low temperature?

[hc rotala]

great job..What's the plant with the small leaf on the rock? can it be planted as a foreground plant in a low tech tank? Does this plant need low temperature?

Thanks. That's HC (Hemianthus Callitrichoides) that creeping on the rock, they are probably the top well know foreground plants. The temp +/- 26/27 Celsius is crucial for they survival.

[volley]

thanks for enlightening...guess it won't be suitable for my low tech tank that i intend to set up because i won't have a chiller, only a small fan. Achieving 26 degrees will be a problem especially in our hot weather.

[hc rotala]

Thinking of a come back........ after a huge failure by using Nisso's soil, disastrous failure actually.

[Navanod]

Thinking of a come back........ after a huge failure by using Nisso's soil, disastrous failure actually.

Wah! I just saw that your log was since last June! So over the last year or some, the tank had a failure?
What happened?

[hc rotala]

Wah! I just saw that your log was since last June! So over the last year or some, the tank had a failure?
What happened?

Yap! a nightmare, tank load with Black algae, full of them, every way, every side, every angle.

It been totally ignorant, call abundant more exactly. Only filter and chiller are keep running, no light, no C02 supply.

So this it the history for so far till now.

[Navanod]

I feel your pains...had been fighting black algae since I started this hobby.
I think I'm finally winning though heh heh...

Best of luck in your new project

[hc rotala]

This incoming project, I'll wipe out all "Nisso" soil, make damn sure no single piece left..... and back to Amazonia 1 and II

[benjidog]

Just saw the shots of your previous tank shots!
Taken away by the clear water and great layout - very "dutch" garden style.

All the best for your new project and please post pictures of your new set-up!
Yeah!

[hc rotala]

This is my 4th totally-screw-up project......

[hc rotala]

And here now the entirely new project.... the 5th project which start from scratches, 4 day ago.





Bubbles-up so fast? "Quad Core" performance?

[Aquanoob]

What type of algae are those in your 4th project? You said that the algae was caused by the Nisso soil, I am wondering how?
Your 5th project is starting well, and look forward to more mature scape.

[adeguay]

Does your temp still remain at 26-27C?

[barmby]

It does seem to me that the tank was neglected

[hc rotala]

What type of algae are those in your 4th project? You said that the algae was caused by the Nisso soil, I am wondering how?
Your 5th project is starting well, and look forward to more mature scape.

BBA Algae & Hair Algae. As you see those rocks in the pictures are so much clean compare to the circumstantial around them is because they has been boils with hot water few day back there as to sort out those blooming BBA Algae attached to them.

2 problem resorted to the Nisso's soils;
1- Alkaline tendency. PH reading 7.5 constant even after routine water changed.
2- Stem plants can't rooting into the soil. Clearly none roots growing into that soils. Seem like the gravel bed is deadly underneath it. (Deadly affirmative after couple weeks of observing). Definitely not alike ADA which bunches of strong and healthy roots anchoring deepen into the soils gravel.

Does your temp still remain at 26-27C?

Yes, 27C always. Even in within the 4th failure project where I'm just killed the CO2 and the lighting.

It does seem to me that the tank was neglected

Yes, than how? I never used to this kind of strong and invincible BBA and Hairy Algae outbreak, they're totally unmanageable, I have no idea where to start figure that out, I have to surrender that project and abandoned that "master piece".

[hc rotala]

In the previous project 4th, I realized that the major causes of the huge algae blooming is due to this; Plants are relatively weak even a lively condition has applied. Means that ultra excessive nutrients will eventually benefited the unwanted Algae. Secondly, healthy gravel bed not work out in that time, mostly due to none of gravel bed's bacteria colonizers been loaded, especially the "Bacter Balls", with those related promoter and balancer. Third, the soil are also a culprit which not really a native purposes be as "Aquatic" base soils.

Thus, no matter how hard work I'm does to siphons out the Hair Algae, monthly boiled those rocks to eliminate the BBA, they still will come back rapidly and fearsomely particularly the Hair Algae which it blend in solidly into HC and other plants. Make no chance for me to get them separated.

Since this is an unresolvable up-side down problematic. So that I'm think I should better get another fresh start. Correction from the failure, plus some rethinks ideas..... so.... here the project 5th. HEMM! I'll make sure this project must be breath taking!!!

[Jungle-mania]

Boiling the rocks are not going to solve the problem, but just adding to your chores. Have you check the pH of the rocks? A simple way is to do the vinegar test. The pH of the rocks might be affecting your high pH level. I recommend that you add some floating plants to suck up the nutrients first, since they are also way easier to remove.