New 2ft Apisto Tank Journey

**clouser_minnow** · 31st Oct 2006, 13:38

cool stuff!!! do they come in 4 and 5 foot lengths too?

**valice** · 31st Oct 2006, 14:07

I am not so sure... But they should have the 4ft... You can give them a call.

**Cacatuoides** · 31st Oct 2006, 14:12

Great stuff vincent!!! I'm using the solite type 2 currently....it works wonders in my tank though I'm fighting a battle with Mr algae....looking forward to see pictures after installation!!

**valice** · 31st Oct 2006, 14:32

THe problem with T5 is that the lumens is much higher now than PLs... SO you CO2 and fertilisation must increase proportionally to prevent algae.

That's my main worries as well since now I using 96W over a 2ft tank...

The lights are pretty wide... Taking about 20 cm... Now I must figure how to position my fan...

**|squee|** · 31st Oct 2006, 16:09

Cool light set.

Maybe try Anubias nana scattered around the base of the driftwood to "weigh it down"?

**wks** · 31st Oct 2006, 16:35

Theres a very nice lightset! Any twin light or single lightset from "SoLite" brand?
Where did you buy it?

**valice** · 31st Oct 2006, 16:57

Originally Posted by |squee|

Maybe try Anubias nana scattered around the base of the driftwood to "weigh it down"?

Yes. I have that idea too. But thinking how I can do it to prevent them from floating up! THinking of using petite instead of nanas... But I have some nanas in the DW now in the current scape. Will take a picture of it tonight.

Originally Posted by wks

Theres a very nice lightset! Any twin light or single lightset from "SoLite" brand?
Where did you buy it?

T5 will come in dual or quad tubes.
I am not sure if there is still anymore stock for the 2ft two tube ones. And I bought them at AquaMarin @ Jalan Kayu. There are a few of us using the 2 tubes one already. I have one for my low-tech tank. I know Justikanz has one. Cacatuoides also has one.

**|squee|** · 31st Oct 2006, 18:13

Originally Posted by valice

But thinking how I can do it to prevent them from floating up!

You know the small fractured granite stones along certain pavements in Singapore? Get them at a plant farm.. or go to those neighborhood LFSes where they sell small flattish pebbles. Cut the nana's roots short and use plastic ties to secure them. Use the circular thin transparent ones instead of the flat types. I myself use them pebbles with cotton thread, but thread is messy and difficult to deal with.

Then you can easily place them where-ever you want. Lorba of GreenChapter calls it modular aquascaping.

**valice** · 31st Oct 2006, 18:21

Thanks for the idea... Incidentally, I have those small rocks... Will give it a go after I get my nana petites...

Btw, the usual hardware stores will have those transparent plastic ties? Thinking about using the wire-ties which we get when we buy cables or electrical appliances...

**|squee|** · 31st Oct 2006, 20:11

Yea they do, although I don't know if they sell the thin circular types instead of the common flat types. Amano uses wire-ties himself, but I don't know how safe the exposed cut metal ends are..

**valice** · 4th Nov 2006, 00:49

One week plus after the rescape, the submersed leaves are appearing on the stem plants. Tomorrow will be a massive trimming to create the bush effect.

Here's how the tank looks like after incorporating squee's suggestions. Modular scaping is amazing... Hahaha...

I have a question. Should I put some moss on the wood or keep it this way? I have a bag of willow moss and been looking after some of the scapes due previously... Have no idea where I should tie them too...

Anyone to suggest?

**richietay** · 4th Nov 2006, 10:56

Would suggest keep the wood as it is!
willow moss, tie it on the right bogwood's bottom?

By the way, i like your scape!

**ranmasatome** · 4th Nov 2006, 11:02

Wah!!! nice drop checker!!

**Cacatuoides** · 4th Nov 2006, 11:13

Originally Posted by valice

Here's how the tank looks like after incorporating squee's suggestions. Modular scaping is amazing... Hahaha...

Care to share more about what's modular scaping? Thanks!

Vincent: Have you fired up your new lights?

**valice** · 4th Nov 2006, 12:32

Originally Posted by richietay

Would suggest keep the wood as it is!
willow moss, tie it on the right bogwood's bottom?

By the way, i like your scape!

Thanks. I will try to tie the moss on the right and see the effect... But any suggestions on how I can do it without taking the wood out?

Netting?

Originally Posted by ranmasatome

Wah!!! nice drop checker!!

Because that's from you!

Waiting for one more piece of ADA glassware to come!

Originally Posted by Cacatuoides

Care to share more about what's modular scaping? Thanks!

Vincent: Have you fired up your new lights?

Modular scaping was apparently coined by lorba... See my nana's at the bottom? They are all tied to individual pieces of granite and put into place... So I can just shift here and there... Also some of the plants at the background at not planted into the substrate... Instead, they are tied to a sucker and pasted to the glass... Idea was from ranmasatome...

THe picture was taken with the new lights fired up... Wouldn't see much a difference from the intensity of the picture but I can say that it is much much brighter as I can afford to use a faster shutter speed than in the previous picture.

You will notice that now in this picture, you can clearly see the fishes. But for the previous one, it is a blur... A direct result of the shutter speed...

**Cacatuoides** · 4th Nov 2006, 12:48

Oh okok....thats very nice!!! easy to shift the plants around without a hiroshima!!

Care to share the plants you have? thanks!

**valice** · 4th Nov 2006, 13:28

Plant list:

Anubias barteri var nana
A. barteri var nana 'Petite'
Blyxa japonica
Cryptocoryne parva
C. walkeri
C. wendtii 'Green'
C. wendtii 'Brown'
C. wendtii 'Tropica'
C. wendtii 'Mi Oya'
C. walkerii 'Brown'
C. willisii
Didiplis diandra
Eleocharis parvula
Eriocaulon sp.
Heteranthera zosterifolia (Stargrass)
Ludwigia arcuata
L. brevipes
Rotala rotundifolia 'Green'