Help with my new aquascape!!

dougz · 08-14-2008, 02:22 PM

Maybe this should be in the showcase section.. But it's far from finished..

This is what I managed to get done yesterday..

Not very Earth-shattering, I'm afraid..

I know it looks odd with only one rock, but I couldn't find any that were right.. All of them ended up as focal points, and I want just one..

I know just one rock looks odd and un-natural, too, though..

Hopefully once it grows out a bit my U shaped negative space will work out.. Have it just a bit off center, same for the rock, which I tried to place at the "Golden Ratio" sweet-spot..

Don't want to add any more plants, even though I still have 5 Cabomba left, and a whack of Java Moss..

Thoughts?

How long till I should worry about lack of clarity?

SHOULD I have used the Boyd's the the first month or so?

Any thoughts as to how to improve it?

Thats Riccia, to the left, attached to driftwood.

Same on the back of the big rock.

Bolbitus Hedolitii in the center, attached to driftwood that also has Java Moss on it..

Tennelus in the foreground, and anubias var nana..

Dissapointed not to have 2 filters running (broke a piece off the other one), but maybe it's just as well.. It'll give the stems a chance to get rooted..

Still have to hook-up the CO2 system.. But I've been up all night.. Just gonna add some Flourish Excel and call it a day.. LOL

ANY comments and thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!!

Anti-Pjerrot · 08-14-2008, 04:51 PM

Try and break some of the linear planting. You have a lot of plants planted on a line. Thats a nono since plants should be planted in groups (Anubias)
Anubias should be placed as small patches and on driftwood prefferably

dougz · 08-14-2008, 04:57 PM

Yeah, I have them attached to little slabs of rock just under the substrate..

I don't have any driftwood that would suit, besides the one in the middle with the Java Moss and Bolbitus..

I tried to be as random as I could with the planting..

I'll try to break it up a bit more..

Do you mean the A. Reinekii, etc should be even TIGHTER together?

I was concerned about light reaching the bottom..

dougz · 08-30-2008, 05:03 PM

Here's my set-up after 2 weeks:

Thoughts?

Should I have the tennelus covering the whole substrate surface? background and foreground?

What's going on with my A. Reinickii? Why the roots above the surface?

My cabomba nodes are getting longer..

Do I have to add MORE than 3.9 wpg? Is this just start-up jitters?

Still waiting to get my CO2 going.. Waiting on a reactor..

Supplementing with Flourish Excel in the interim.

Also adding a capful of Flourish Iron a day as well.

Ordering some Flourish..

Need some feedback, please!!!

nikko · 08-30-2008, 09:55 PM

I'd let the E. tenellus spread along the rear wall to bring the left and right sides together. It's almost like 2 separate scapes at the moment, I think.

And just a small point - the substrate at the front always looks better if it's levelled.

dougz · 08-30-2008, 10:25 PM

The rear, but not the front.. Good tip, thanks!!

I DID have a piece of driftwood at the back with some Bolbitus on it, but I thought it looked better without..

But what do I know.. LOL

Better?

I'll work at leveling the substrate, but I'm having a cyanobacteria problem and I keep scooping it out each day..

nikko · 08-31-2008, 02:11 AM

I do like having something in that space. I guess it's your call whether to have the driftwood or to let the E.tenellus fill out the space. Sometimes these things just need to evolve as you go along and you can see which works best.

I really feel for you with that Cyanobacteria. I had the same problem in my 'Cangai Crossing' scape. Just after the glosso sprigs had started spreading I had a massive cyanobacteria outbreak all over the Aquasoil substrate.

It was impossible to remove manually. In the US there are antibacterial products readily available but that's not the case in Oz. I eventually had to order the erythromycin antibacterial from my vet, and that got rid of the problem in about 10 days.

If you're still having problems I could probably dig up the link for the recommended treatment that I found on another US forum.

dougz · 08-31-2008, 02:51 AM

Yeah, I've been told it should go away, but we'll see..

I've also been told that leaving your lights on for 14-15 hours at a time will also do the trick..

True?

nikko · 08-31-2008, 03:31 AM

Can't say I've heard of that light treatment before, but with such a long light period you might just make the conditions more favourable for hair or thread algae.

You are probably aware that BGA is a bacterial infection, rather than an algae so apart from manual removal I don't know of any way to get rid of it other than using an antibacterial.

These are the articles I found when I had the problem, so there might be some useful info there for you.

Cyanobacteria (Blue-green Algae)

Jur4ik · 08-31-2008, 12:11 PM

this scum on the water surface doesnt couse any problems - there is not enough circulation on it - take n aqua fan to make some waves on the surface - that will help.

i heard it dissapears at its self after a while

dougz · 08-31-2008, 10:19 PM

Thanks for the link, Niko!

Funny, the bacteria is white, though.. Not blue-green.. Hmmm...

Yeah, I heard current works as well..

Will look into that, too..

nikko · 08-31-2008, 11:09 PM

I'm not sure what you have there Doug but I don't think it's cyanobacteria - and that should be a releif

dougz · 09-01-2008, 12:00 AM

Should it? LOL

At least I thought I knew what I was dealing with..

Can anyone confirm or deny?

08-14-2008, 02:22 PM	#1 (permalink)
dougz Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: mackenzie, BC Posts: 281	Help with my new aquascape!! Maybe this should be in the showcase section.. But it's far from finished.. This is what I managed to get done yesterday.. Not very Earth-shattering, I'm afraid.. I know it looks odd with only one rock, but I couldn't find any that were right.. All of them ended up as focal points, and I want just one.. I know just one rock looks odd and un-natural, too, though.. Hopefully once it grows out a bit my U shaped negative space will work out.. Have it just a bit off center, same for the rock, which I tried to place at the "Golden Ratio" sweet-spot.. Don't want to add any more plants, even though I still have 5 Cabomba left, and a whack of Java Moss.. Thoughts? How long till I should worry about lack of clarity? SHOULD I have used the Boyd's the the first month or so? Any thoughts as to how to improve it? Thats Riccia, to the left, attached to driftwood. Same on the back of the big rock. Bolbitus Hedolitii in the center, attached to driftwood that also has Java Moss on it.. Tennelus in the foreground, and anubias var nana.. Dissapointed not to have 2 filters running (broke a piece off the other one), but maybe it's just as well.. It'll give the stems a chance to get rooted.. Still have to hook-up the CO2 system.. But I've been up all night.. Just gonna add some Flourish Excel and call it a day.. LOL ANY comments and thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!!

08-14-2008, 04:51 PM	#2 (permalink)
Anti-Pjerrot Moderator Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Posts: 383	Try and break some of the linear planting. You have a lot of plants planted on a line. Thats a nono since plants should be planted in groups (Anubias) Anubias should be placed as small patches and on driftwood prefferably __________________ Scape it - Kristoffer

08-31-2008, 12:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
Jur4ik Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Germany Posts: 449	this scum on the water surface doesnt couse any problems - there is not enough circulation on it - take n aqua fan to make some waves on the surface - that will help. i heard it dissapears at its self after a while __________________ Regards Jur4ik

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08-14-2008, 04:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
dougz Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: mackenzie, BC Posts: 281	Yeah, I have them attached to little slabs of rock just under the substrate.. I don't have any driftwood that would suit, besides the one in the middle with the Java Moss and Bolbitus.. I tried to be as random as I could with the planting.. I'll try to break it up a bit more.. Do you mean the A. Reinekii, etc should be even TIGHTER together? I was concerned about light reaching the bottom..

08-30-2008, 05:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
dougz Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: mackenzie, BC Posts: 281	Here's my set-up after 2 weeks: Thoughts? Should I have the tennelus covering the whole substrate surface? background and foreground? What's going on with my A. Reinickii? Why the roots above the surface? My cabomba nodes are getting longer.. Do I have to add MORE than 3.9 wpg? Is this just start-up jitters? Still waiting to get my CO2 going.. Waiting on a reactor.. Supplementing with Flourish Excel in the interim. Also adding a capful of Flourish Iron a day as well. Ordering some Flourish.. Need some feedback, please!!!

08-30-2008, 09:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
nikko Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: NSW, Australia Posts: 26	I'd let the E. tenellus spread along the rear wall to bring the left and right sides together. It's almost like 2 separate scapes at the moment, I think. And just a small point - the substrate at the front always looks better if it's levelled.

08-30-2008, 10:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
dougz Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: mackenzie, BC Posts: 281	The rear, but not the front.. Good tip, thanks!! I DID have a piece of driftwood at the back with some Bolbitus on it, but I thought it looked better without.. But what do I know.. LOL Better? I'll work at leveling the substrate, but I'm having a cyanobacteria problem and I keep scooping it out each day..

08-31-2008, 02:11 AM	#7 (permalink)
nikko Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: NSW, Australia Posts: 26	I do like having something in that space. I guess it's your call whether to have the driftwood or to let the E.tenellus fill out the space. Sometimes these things just need to evolve as you go along and you can see which works best. I really feel for you with that Cyanobacteria. I had the same problem in my 'Cangai Crossing' scape. Just after the glosso sprigs had started spreading I had a massive cyanobacteria outbreak all over the Aquasoil substrate. It was impossible to remove manually. In the US there are antibacterial products readily available but that's not the case in Oz. I eventually had to order the erythromycin antibacterial from my vet, and that got rid of the problem in about 10 days. If you're still having problems I could probably dig up the link for the recommended treatment that I found on another US forum.

08-31-2008, 02:51 AM	#8 (permalink)
dougz Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: mackenzie, BC Posts: 281	Yeah, I've been told it should go away, but we'll see.. I've also been told that leaving your lights on for 14-15 hours at a time will also do the trick.. True?

08-31-2008, 03:31 AM	#9 (permalink)
nikko Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: NSW, Australia Posts: 26	Can't say I've heard of that light treatment before, but with such a long light period you might just make the conditions more favourable for hair or thread algae. You are probably aware that BGA is a bacterial infection, rather than an algae so apart from manual removal I don't know of any way to get rid of it other than using an antibacterial. These are the articles I found when I had the problem, so there might be some useful info there for you. Cyanobacteria (Blue-green Algae)

08-31-2008, 10:19 PM	#11 (permalink)
dougz Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: mackenzie, BC Posts: 281	Thanks for the link, Niko! Funny, the bacteria is white, though.. Not blue-green.. Hmmm... Yeah, I heard current works as well.. Will look into that, too..

08-31-2008, 11:09 PM	#12 (permalink)
nikko Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: NSW, Australia Posts: 26	I'm not sure what you have there Doug but I don't think it's cyanobacteria - and that should be a releif

09-01-2008, 12:00 AM	#13 (permalink)
dougz Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: mackenzie, BC Posts: 281	Should it? LOL At least I thought I knew what I was dealing with.. Can anyone confirm or deny?