Project sunken garden

**medicineman** · 8th Nov 2007, 19:12

Hi again,

Another update on the growth. Sorry for the low res-pics, keep forgetting to take out the SLR from the other house

Here you can see forest of crypt wendtii green. These kind grow quite big. Growth has been strong ever since they were planted less than 2 months ago.

And here you can find Hygrophila agustifolia with flamboyant, green, long leaves that sways to the current. This plant has been growing strong as well, now reaching water surface.

Adeed in more puntius and two dozens of assorted wild caught fish donated from a friend. Perhaps I'll be taking their pics later on for a sure ID.

**Nevada** · 8th Nov 2007, 23:43

Nice and interesting tank Bung Med! Soon enough you can be the provider of Crypts in INdonesia ...

**Jungle-mania** · 8th Nov 2007, 23:53

Originally Posted by medicineman

Thanks!

I might try that out some time, after I get some clean moss that is. Did you roughen up the pipe surface prior to attaching the moss so it would stick easier? (crude sanding with grit paper)

nope, simply tied it with fishing line in a criss cross fashion. just make sure the moss is spread evenly.

**jonas83** · 15th Dec 2007, 12:01

Wow.....Veri big scale, wat are you planning to keep? japaneses coils?

**medicineman** · 17th Dec 2007, 22:15

@jonas83
I keep small aquarium fish for the sake of easy maintenance. Want to have fun and not problem

I have got enough tanks already to keep me occupied.

Update on the garden.

A setback was found around two months ago as water level keeps receding each day. A leak of around 20-30 gallon per day is obvious and fresh water is added daily to compensate the loss. I never intend to do continous water change, but what can I say that now I'm forced to do such. It is a bit wasteful and I prefer not to do it. But fixing and looking for the leak would mean the garden needs to be torn down, and I'm not ready to do such thing at such early stage. Next year perhaps, and only if the leak gets worse.

Growth has been fairly well so far to the terrestrial as well as aquatic plant.
The pothos haired down with wild effect and plants grow bigger. Some branches started to climb up though most are keen to hang low. A bit explosive increase in plant mass, and a mist of occasional WG-Macro+ to terrestrial plants appeared to be beneficial now.

**medicineman** · 19th Dec 2007, 13:19

Pretty sure that it leaks and not just from large rate evaporation (such big system with waterfall do evaporate and seep quite a lot).
I have already did a series of testings by the help of a series of valves.

1. Turned the waterfall off.
2. Turned the tank return line off but waterfall on.
3. Turned the tank return line on but the waterfall off.
4. Turned the main pump off and seal the valves.

In the end I still get reduced water level at the main tank, but not the filter chambers. It must be a tiny crack, or perhaps a series of hairlines (which by experience sometimes gets self clogged, reducing the leak rate significantly).

A close up on the pond section.
Already some lotus formed aerial leaves. I havent got the urge to jump in and do trimming yet to those assorted hygros.

Indeed the growth has taken over the pond section that now you can hardly notice the piping form the pic (although still can see them easy in real).

**bcline** · 19th Dec 2007, 16:54

i just read this whole thread for the first time, and it was a very enjoyable and interesting read from start to finish. I am new the the aquascaping community and am impressed at skill and effort that this project took.

**Jungle-mania** · 20th Dec 2007, 05:46

One way to find your leak is to use a harmless dye and release it slowly from the centre of the pond after you switch off the waterfall. Once you start to see a trail, shift the dye closer to that direction. This is a method I have seen when they are trying to find a new entrance to a flooded underground cave.

**medicineman** · 20th Dec 2007, 20:50

@bcline,
Glad that the thread could be enjoyed. Happy aquascaping (of perhaps making paludarium of normal scale if you like this so much).

@Jungle-Mania,
Thanks for the idea. Sounds good for later investigation. Not so soon, but much later

Hope the dye could still be traced despite the minute leak.

Back to project,

Indeed the growth has taken over the pond section that now you can hardly notice the piping form the pic (although still can see them easy in real).

Close up on climbing pothos (philodendron scandens variety)

The growth has been rampant, occacional sprinkle of WG macro+ fertiliser seems to be helping a lot. That orchid has not flowered yet, need to learn how to induce flowering on them and get more to cheer up the still bald cliff.

This kind of plant can even go under water, but not as aquatic plant. You can see below that already a branch long enough reached water surface and start to grow along water line. More of these will be seen in the future for the plant will learn that the pond is nutritious.

Here you can find tiny hygro poliserma budding out of water. They appear not so good, perhaps due to lack of nutrition (no substrate) grown with just water and any dissolved fert. Or perhaps they remain that size because of humidity factor, any bigger and they may dry up.

**medicineman** · 26th Dec 2007, 20:54

More of the views

Enjoy!

**fireblade** · 27th Dec 2007, 09:02

very impressive grow!!
maybe can take some close up shots of fishes in the tank?

**ytlammm** · 27th Dec 2007, 10:07

Magnificent ! So envy of you having such a big place for such a scape !

**dwgi32** · 29th Dec 2007, 17:13

Really outstanding project, thumbs up.

**medicineman** · 5th Jan 2008, 23:33

@fireblade,
Maybe I will take some using the help of remote flash. There are assorted fish in the pond for now.

Lets look more at the terrestrial plants

One of the Bromelia. Not so reddish anymore due to the swing in sun ray following season. It has not received as many sunlight as before. A plantlet is growing out of the mother plant.

The ferns are growing strong as well. Leaves are long and wavy as shown at one of the variety here (I have no idea exactly of the species).

**winterflame** · 11th Jan 2008, 10:54

i second that wks~

**medicineman** · 12th Jan 2008, 23:52

Some update

Sunlight back again at the right angel. And so the plants responded as it drops directly for short hours on them.
Here is the poliserma sunset forming nice hue

Growth on tiger lotus. No less than a dozen new aerial leaves alone appeared within just 2 weeks time. I guess it is my fault for putting 2 tabs of Wonder-Gro Root+ nearby the base.

I may need to kill off some if they keep growing at such rate. Would not want them to choke neighbouring plants.

Latest nightime shot

It is getting even fuller and fuller over time :icon_roll