Wind's Aquascape [The Yarra Valley 2015]

[WiNd08]

Hi everyone,

So the story goes... The last time I did an aquascape was back in 2008, I had the tank for about half a year as I was due for enlistment and eventually decommissioned the tank. Read more here

In 2011, I finally got released from the clutches of National Service and began working while saving up for my degree. Worked for a laboratory for a couple of years and went on to become a SQ steward for another year and a half before finally saving enough to study in Melbourne.



While studying, I've been working for a part-time for a local LFS and finally gave in to temptations after looking at fishes and plants everyday!

So here it is...

Tank Specifications
Tank: 3ft x 1.5ft x 1.5ft Standard Tank
Lights: Beamswork High lumen 90 LED
CO2: Pressurized with ANS Glass Diffuser
Substrate: CAL Black Earth Premium (Powder)
Fertilizers: Seachem Flourish, Seachem Iron, Seachem Potassium
Filter: AquaOne CF1000 Canister

Back to being a student means being unable to afford a nice, low-iron, high clarity, rimless, cabinet tank with all the fanciful lily pipes as well maxspect razor light set. But heck, I shall do what I can with my budget and a lot of products made affordable through staff discounts

I've chosen the plants to have medium light requirements and am not going into the difficult carpet plants such as Hemianthus callitrichoides and instead opted for the easier Dwarf Hairgrass (Elocharis acicularis). To cut cost, I managed to source most of my equipment in Singapore last year end during my short break and nearly died breaking my back when carrying all the stuff back alone.

The Yarra Valley- A beautiful wine making region of Victoria, 1.5hours drive from Melbourne.




The idea was simple, to make a cozy corner in my apartment where I can just sit and stare after studying & hopefully influence my girlfriend (who's graduating as a vet) to like aquatic pets more . I think it's good to make my significant other interested in my hobby too!

I would say that this aquascape is fully dutch without any hardscape. I hope to create a gradual slope (totally cannot be seen since it's fully planted with the stem plants) with alternating red / green plants to give a nice visual contrast. Hopefully I can create a lush green carpet of hairgrass with some Hydrocotyle tripartita trailing over them to help construct a "wild" feel to the scape.

And finally, photos!

Day 11 (after first trimming):


Flora:
Elocharis acicularis
Hydrocotyle tripartita
Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
Staurogyne repens
Micranthemum umbrosum
Rotala wallichii
Rotala nanjenshan
Blyxa japonica
Ludwigia brevipes
Ludwigia repens

Fauna:
These guys were with me for quite a few months and I don't have an extra tank for them so they're in the tank early. Both breeding pairs.

2x Mikrogeophagus ramirezi (Male Electric Blue, Female German Blue)
2x Apistogramma borellii 'Opal' (Pair)
3x Neocaridina davidi (Cherry Shrimp, which came in with plants my friend gave me)


I will be selling away either the Apistogrammas or Rams, depending on which will be taken first.



Fertilization:

Seachem flourish- 2x/week ~3ml
Seachem Iron- 3x/week ~5ml
Seachem Potassium- 2x/week ~8ml

I'm following what another forumer is doing in an Australian site and hopefully will get a good effect.

Stuck this on my wall as a reminder


Base fertilizer:
Osmocote® Plus Trace Elements - Water Gardens & Aquatic Plants

This is an Australian brand which I found at a household warehouse which were really affordable and is safe for fish and invertebrates.

More Information

Temperature:
I've got a heater set at 23deg, as my entire building is thermo-controlled at ~20deg year round although temperature seems to still drop down to ~16deg during winter.


With that, I hope you guys enjoyed seeing the tank and I'll be updating here frequently.



PS. I miss Bak Chor Mee

[Clamence]

Very nice setup seems like ur hairgrass carpet is a little sparse, anyway TFS

[Mookie]

Good on you bro! When I was in Aust, the prices of tropical fishes just turned me off. All I could do was go to some pet shop and admire hahaha $5 for a normal guppy was ridiculous

[jiajuen900]

Looks really promising! Hope to see some lush growth soon

[mUAr_cHEe]

Wah. SQ Steward. I like that kinda life but I heard its not that 'shiok' nowadays: lesser allowance, tighter turnarounds.

You may not have the fanciful equipment there but we sure do not have that fantastic weather you have over there: 20C all year round.

Your tank is looking great and it shows good potential. I do agree on the sparsely planted hairgrass. Maybe you can do with more of those. Are you intending to put in more fauna as well?

[WiNd08]

Very nice setup seems like ur hairgrass carpet is a little sparse, anyway TFS

Wah. SQ Steward. I like that kinda life but I heard its not that 'shiok' nowadays: lesser allowance, tighter turnarounds.

You may not have the fanciful equipment there but we sure do not have that fantastic weather you have over there: 20C all year round.

Your tank is looking great and it shows good potential. I do agree on the sparsely planted hairgrass. Maybe you can do with more of those. Are you intending to put in more fauna as well?

I've actually been trying to source for more dwarf hairgrass. I got the last pot from a LFS near my place and the rest I found were from interstate. Not worth paying extra $12 for express postage.. I really appreciate Singapore's small size right now.

So meanwhile, I'll just wait for the LFS to stock up on more dwarf hairgrass and I'll pop in another pot or two.

Good on you bro! When I was in Aust, the prices of tropical fishes just turned me off. All I could do was go to some pet shop and admire hahaha $5 for a normal guppy was ridiculous

Exactly! I did a favor for a friend (LFS boss) by giving out namecards back in Singapore... Hence managed to get quite a lot of things at cost. If not, I wouldn't have started!

Looks really promising! Hope to see some lush growth soon

The Rotalas might need a few more trims to get thick

The umbrosum's old leaf melted but the new growth looks promising. trimmed them every few days and replanted them, hoping for good results!

[fireblade]

good to hear that you are back in the scene bro!

[WiNd08]

Wah. SQ Steward. I like that kinda life but I heard its not that 'shiok' nowadays: lesser allowance, tighter turnarounds.

You may not have the fanciful equipment there but we sure do not have that fantastic weather you have over there: 20C all year round.

Your tank is looking great and it shows good potential. I do agree on the sparsely planted hairgrass. Maybe you can do with more of those. Are you intending to put in more fauna as well?

Haha, allowance is getting worse and layover time is getting shorter as well.

Yeah I plan to add more fauna in there. Hope to get the guys at my work place to bring in some Espei rasbora. Not too sure if ember tetras are too small for my tank

I really appreciate the cool weather! No need for chiller!

good to hear that you are back in the scene bro!

Thanks bro, been awhile since we last spoke. Hope you are doing well.

[fireblade]

I am going well...
nice blue ram you got there...

looking forward for more plants and let it grow wild!
how much is a pair of ram over there?
I last saw in Perth they are selling hornworts at $4 a bunch... and fishes there are not cheap..

if can get some nice rainbows or blue eyes will be great!

[mUAr_cHEe]

Or maybe we can smuggle you something...

"Any fresh fruits or vegetable to declare?"

[AQMS]

So you bought your c02 tank there in AU?
Expensive? I cant pm you last month because your inbox is full.

[WiNd08]

I am going well...
nice blue ram you got there...

looking forward for more plants and let it grow wild!
how much is a pair of ram over there?
I last saw in Perth they are selling hornworts at $4 a bunch... and fishes there are not cheap..

if can get some nice rainbows or blue eyes will be great!

I got my electric blue ram for about $18 and german blue around $3 but that's of course not the retail price haha.

I saw nice rainbows but pity they grow pretty big. I think all their rainbows are Wild caught from the tropical parts of Australia. New Guinea species are not allowed to be imported I guess.

My pot of Rotala costs about $8, so that's an average for you to guess. Tissue cultured HC cost about $20 a tub, similar to that of thos Tropical brand tissue culture containers.

Or maybe we can smuggle you something...

"Any fresh fruits or vegetable to declare?"

Definitely nope! hahaha.

So you bought your c02 tank there in AU?
Expensive? I cant pm you last month because your inbox is full.

Got solenoid + regulator in Singapore but the solenoid broke due to different electrical current. End up buying another one here. $50 just for solenoid (without the regulator part)

[WiNd08]

One thing to add, CO2 cylinders are cheap because lots of people buy CO2 cylinders to make their own beer here. Heh heh

[mUAr_cHEe]

One thing to add, CO2 cylinders are cheap because lots of people buy CO2 cylinders to make their own beer here. Heh heh

Ah. The famous Aussie Bicep Curl.

[mark.s]

Haha hey man! Found your journal.
I've just flooded mine last night... I'll update you on whatsapp

Btw, thanks for sharing the chart. Might follow that regime too!

[tureblue82]

love dutch styles....why don't you just plant the tank completely?...will look even better.

[WiNd08]

Ah. The famous Aussie Bicep Curl.

Not much of a bicep on that bloke! hahaha

Haha hey man! Found your journal.
I've just flooded mine last night... I'll update you on whatsapp

Btw, thanks for sharing the chart. Might follow that regime too!

Thanks Mark, your tank is looking way more amazing than mine haha. Time to post a journal of it too

My dosing regime is copied from someone else too. I might try to get dry fertilizers in the future but will hang on to Seachem for now.

love dutch styles....why don't you just plant the tank completely?...will look even better.

I actually managed to get some (A LOT) trimmings of Ludwigia repens x arcuata and Hemianthus micranthemoides and my tank is pretty much filled.

[alexhaw]

Waiting to see the end scape.

[WiNd08]

After much pruning and replanting and an additional pot of Hairgrass

[jiajuen900]

Nice. Refreshing and lush feel