zonkkie's first rock scape

[zonkkie]

After diving into a first planted tank last year which kind of crashed after 2 months, I have been planning for my new tank including consulting a shifu here. Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, got kicked out.

Anyway, got my new tank on 25th Jan and started planting on 26th.

Details:
Tank - 60x30x45mm
Lights - 4x24w T5HO
Filter - Eheim 2026
Temperature - 26'C
Co2 - Around 1bps

Here are the tank, plants and layout tools that I used.


Planning the rock scape. As advised, slept over it for 24 hours before confirming. But then, when planting, things changed with the slope!


Planting completed and filling up with water. Thanks to ProX for introducing the contraption to hold the water hose. I used Amazonia I with Amazonia II powder on top. Water is quite clear despite concerns about Amazonia I.


FTS on Day 4. HC melting around 20%. Not sure if I should be worried. Initially was considering Glosso but decided to try HC first.


So yup, praying that the HC will grow. Some very fine hair algae growing already. Was thinking of putting some algae crew but measured ammonia at 4mg/l so have to hold back.

Thanks again to the shifu who cannot be named.

[eviltrain]

woot~ finally gets to see your work~

looks nice to me , hopefully the HC will grow well for you.

[alvinchan80]

High co2 blasting with strong lighting should do the trick of nice HC growth..
Good luck..

[zonkkie]

Alan - ya, thanks for all your help on the pre-filter and stuff, was thinking between a moss/shrimp tank vs this one. If it is a moss/shrimp tank, will need you to be shifu already!

alvin - fingers crossed.... but then again, how strong is strong. :P

[eviltrain]

i agree with bro alvinchan. he taught me to blast my CO2 and high light the the growth in my scape tank too.

[alvinchan80]

Alan - ya, thanks for all your help on the pre-filter and stuff, was thinking between a moss/shrimp tank vs this one. If it is a moss/shrimp tank, will need you to be shifu already!

alvin - fingers crossed.... but then again, how strong is strong. :P

If I am not wrong, 3wpg shld be the correct 'strong'.. Haha..
But trimming is killing!!

[eviltrain]

since there in no fauna in the tank yet, you can try up your CO2 to 3bps. by the way, my scape tank also not moss/shrimp ah. its with hair grass and HC. 4 x 24T5HO will gives you around 4WPG. so lighting shouldn't be a problem. Oh ya, is it connected to any chiller?

[zonkkie]

yes, connected to chiller TR10 but not external thermostat. CO2 should not be a problem, Light should not be a problem, Temperature should not be a problem. So should grow right?

Alvin - i thought HC easier to trim then glosso? Or at least less often.

[alvinchan80]

yes, connected to chiller TR10 but not external thermostat. CO2 should not be a problem, Light should not be a problem, Temperature should not be a problem. So should grow right?

Alvin - i thought HC easier to trim then glosso? Or at least less often.

Guess you are good to go.. Haha.. Everything swee swee liao..

Well, HC is easy to trim.. Just use scissor and snip away to the height you want.. But it's those portion which you snip away that is a headache.. All floating everywhere and not easy to net when some will be stuck.. Just remember to off your filters to prevent some leaves stuck to the inlet or being blown by the outflow..
Try avoid getting HC that is sold with wool.. Experienced learnt..

[zonkkie]

Day 7

HC melting but seems to be new shoots growing. Not sure if it is converting to submersed form or dying.... Have been whacking the Co2. Lights 11am - 10pm. Temperature also at 25.5C.

[zonkkie]

Comparing Day 9 vs Day 1

Rotala, Long hairgrass and jap hairgrass growing well. Jap Hairgrass sending out runners already. Mini Nana's can't tell the difference.




HC around 70% melted/melting but definitely having new growth, guess it is the conversion process. The HC clumps that I planted mostly look like this.



Eleocharis vivipara pearling.



Algae crew in with 5 x yamatos and 10 x malayan shrimps.

[zonkkie]

Plants doing well and all of them are pearling. Rotala pearls under the leaves... then collect into a big bubble and burst to the surface.



HC dying and growing at the same time. Old leaves melting but the new leaves are pearling. My only concern is that it will take a while to fill up the "lawn" like Bro Alvin's...

[alvinchan80]

Give the HC about 2 months to cover up.. Soon it will be thick & lush..

Right now mine seems to be too thick.. Certain portion has a small cave-like structure that has overhanging roots which those shrimps love to dig into it..

Will try snap that portion show you soon bro zonkkie...

Good luck... Anything can ask me..

[zonkkie]

Borrowed my friend's S90 camera... so tested out some macro shots.

No fancy shrimps - Ammonia still ~ 4mg/l so here are some yamatos playing on rocks first...





Favourite HC pearls...







And rotalas... not sure if the fine bubbles under the leaves are Co2 or O2 actually.

[alvinchan80]

Bro zonkkie, just a suggestion.. You should plant the HC deeper into the soil.. Just plant them into the soil with some leaves sticking out of the soil.. They will creep better in the soil and even when they start getting lush & thick, the tendency of the patch floating up will be less..

[blue33]

alvinchan80 now is a expert in growing HC.

[zonkkie]

ya... bro alvin is king of HC now.... haha. Thanks for the suggestion... will act on it.

[alvinchan80]

No la... Master Blue is shifu of plants.. I am only giving suggestions because I experienced it.. Hehe..
I am still a noob in aquascaping..

Any other plants I problem already.. Learning as I go..

[zonkkie]

Your HC lawn is the envy of many! But ya, managed to get my plants pearling due to Jedi Master blue sifu's advice. Last time used Plant Pro tubes, ADA ferts still cannot get my riccia to pearl.

Here's the latest FTS - Day 13.



Need some advice from experts. Initially wanted the Jap hairgrass to surround the rocks but now it is getting invasive to the HC area. Should I pull it out? Or should I pull out the HC and add more Jap Hairgrass (bro alvin will kill me...) Or should I leave it and let them fight it out for a "natural" scape.

The mini nana are on different colored rocks. I added them later to try and soften the look (realize my rocks take up quite a lot of the scape). Hope they will grow and hide the different color rocks.

[alvinchan80]

Haha.. I no comments on the hairgrass & HC.. I think both gives a different feel to the scape... I might want to change to hairgrass if I restart my tank but it's going to be a flat flat scape with hairgrass on the background and a driftwood in the middle.. Going to be shrimp tank too.. So not giving shrimps anymore chances of hiding in the HC.. Haha..