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Hello Hi from Tucson
Hi all! My name is John. I live in Tucson, AZ. Got introduced the hobby as a kid in the early 90s by my parents who had been in and out of the hobby for many years and had run a few early Pier 1 Imports stores that had fish sections(basically a fish store inside the retail location.) I had my first case of MTS by the time I was 10. 
Stepped away from the hobby for a while after high school. Set up my first planted tank in 2011 and haven't had less than two or three tanks since. I've always had an interest in plants but planted tanks really kicked off an obsession. Ended up going back to school a few years later and majoring in plant sciences.
Been keeping emersed Cryptocorynes and other aquatic/semi-aquatic aroids almost as long as planted tanks. My collection is pretty limited these days but I still keep a 40b of emersed plants.
Currently I have only four tanks running, with a fifth in the works. This is down from around 30 in 2018/2019. Had an injury in 2020 that made existing back problems worse, leaving me unable to handle the maintenance of so many tanks. I've been downsizing and slowly redoing tanks to get a few I can easily maintain for now.
I've been lucky enough to have an awesome local aquarium club in town, the Desert Aquarist Society, and a couple others active in Phoenix. It really took the community I loved about the forums to a new level. Many of the people I've met through the hobby at the club level(some who I was talking to on forums before I even moved here) have become close friends. Didn't take much convincing after the first year to get me to volunteer for the board. It has made me a huge supporter of local clubs. If you have one near you, please go check it out! If not, have you considered starting one? I'm certainly no expert but feel free to reach out with any questions you may have on the topic.
If you're interested I can also be found on IG @ johnsplantedaquariums lol
A couple old aquarium pics
Stepped away from the hobby for a while after high school. Set up my first planted tank in 2011 and haven't had less than two or three tanks since. I've always had an interest in plants but planted tanks really kicked off an obsession. Ended up going back to school a few years later and majoring in plant sciences.Been keeping emersed Cryptocorynes and other aquatic/semi-aquatic aroids almost as long as planted tanks. My collection is pretty limited these days but I still keep a 40b of emersed plants.
Currently I have only four tanks running, with a fifth in the works. This is down from around 30 in 2018/2019. Had an injury in 2020 that made existing back problems worse, leaving me unable to handle the maintenance of so many tanks. I've been downsizing and slowly redoing tanks to get a few I can easily maintain for now.
I've been lucky enough to have an awesome local aquarium club in town, the Desert Aquarist Society, and a couple others active in Phoenix. It really took the community I loved about the forums to a new level. Many of the people I've met through the hobby at the club level(some who I was talking to on forums before I even moved here) have become close friends. Didn't take much convincing after the first year to get me to volunteer for the board. It has made me a huge supporter of local clubs. If you have one near you, please go check it out! If not, have you considered starting one? I'm certainly no expert but feel free to reach out with any questions you may have on the topic.
If you're interested I can also be found on IG @ johnsplantedaquariums lol
A couple old aquarium pics
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I've really been digging pearlweed in my low tech tank, and thinking of growing a shaped pearlweed bush in my high tech experiment tank.
But I came across this listing for a white/platinum variety of pearlweed. Can't find any info on it anywhere. So I ordered 5 stems, the most expensive pearlweed stems on earth!
Think it'll actually survive/be platinum or light colored?
We really need some lighter colored plants in this hobby. Myrio 'Golden' is one I've successfully used, but it grows too crazy and the trimmings drove me nuts so I ditched it. What other white/platinum plants are there?
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890 views
Hi guys,
I'm planning to do a switch, but I would like to know if it makes sense before buying anything.
My actual tank is a 110x50x60h, this is my first bigger tank and it's the tank where I started to truly love this hobby.
This tanks gave me joy, anxiety and satisfaction.
I bought it for relatively cheap (around 130€), but know I was thinking to buy a standard 120p.
I plan to reuse my old tropica aquasoil (I'll remove the First 1-2cm and topping It with apt feast).
What do you think? It's a waste of time/money or you'll think that is a change that make sense?
I always felt strange about this tanks proportion.
I plan to do it with 3 buckets (fish, plants and soil). The water is fully ro.
Any suggestions for doing it? Is worth it? Or it's just late and I'm overthinking?
I'm planning to do a switch, but I would like to know if it makes sense before buying anything.
My actual tank is a 110x50x60h, this is my first bigger tank and it's the tank where I started to truly love this hobby.
This tanks gave me joy, anxiety and satisfaction.
I bought it for relatively cheap (around 130€), but know I was thinking to buy a standard 120p.
I plan to reuse my old tropica aquasoil (I'll remove the First 1-2cm and topping It with apt feast).
What do you think? It's a waste of time/money or you'll think that is a change that make sense?
I always felt strange about this tanks proportion.
I plan to do it with 3 buckets (fish, plants and soil). The water is fully ro.
Any suggestions for doing it? Is worth it? Or it's just late and I'm overthinking?
2 Replies
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I Donated 2026
Rockstar
With all the talk on Amazonia pro, I wanted to get some basic understanding of rich aquasoil.
- everyone seems to agree that the richer the aquasoil is, the more the amount of water changes you would have to do initially. Basically meaning that aquasoil leaches its contents into the water and you replace the water. Now….. doesn’t that just mean that you are throwing away what you paid for ? Even if one does a dark start, and minimize the number of water changes one still has to do a water change after the dark start and still end up wasting the nitrate/phosphate?
—— trying to ask then does that mean the only person who benefits from a super rich aquasoil is someone like an insta or YouTube person who wants a quick burst of growth with the initial leaching of nutrition. For everyone else wanting a stable long term system, a not so rich aquasoil which might help the plants a little bit in the beginning but being used more for long term stability and buffering capacity?
- do the plants actually get the boost initially from the root zone or is it more from the leaching that happens and ultimately from the WC? The later makes sense since their roots have not yet developed.
- if one has the whole substrate inside a container with water, wouldn’t water touch all aspects of the substrate regardless of it being capped or not ? How does capping a aquasoil actually help? Green aqua stated that ada recommends capping the Amazonia pro with Amazonia 2.
Curious on people’s thoughts on this.
- everyone seems to agree that the richer the aquasoil is, the more the amount of water changes you would have to do initially. Basically meaning that aquasoil leaches its contents into the water and you replace the water. Now….. doesn’t that just mean that you are throwing away what you paid for ? Even if one does a dark start, and minimize the number of water changes one still has to do a water change after the dark start and still end up wasting the nitrate/phosphate?
—— trying to ask then does that mean the only person who benefits from a super rich aquasoil is someone like an insta or YouTube person who wants a quick burst of growth with the initial leaching of nutrition. For everyone else wanting a stable long term system, a not so rich aquasoil which might help the plants a little bit in the beginning but being used more for long term stability and buffering capacity?
- do the plants actually get the boost initially from the root zone or is it more from the leaching that happens and ultimately from the WC? The later makes sense since their roots have not yet developed.
- if one has the whole substrate inside a container with water, wouldn’t water touch all aspects of the substrate regardless of it being capped or not ? How does capping a aquasoil actually help? Green aqua stated that ada recommends capping the Amazonia pro with Amazonia 2.
Curious on people’s thoughts on this.
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I Donated 2026
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This is the future home for the announcements when someone obtains an achievement badge. Let the games begin!
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I'm looking for recommendations for neocaridina retailers. I'd like to order them at the end of October, and have them shipped to Asheville NC.
Any recommendations?
Any recommendations?
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1188 views
Journal Farmer D. Singh's journal
Ive reorganized the order of my tanks so I can better keep track of them ie. Tank 2 moss tank is now tank 3. This helps in any confusion I had when tracking tanks they are in a sort of order now. Rather than taking time editing my old journal id rather create a new thread. Pics will be current (for the most part) as they are posted. I am not aquascaping. I am just farming.
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5398 views
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Journal Kwyet’s 60G Hillstream Tank
Sometime in Nov 2024, I bought a 60G Aqueon tank at the 50% off sale. I already had a 75 gallon stand and tank, but I wanted a shorter tank so I could look in over the top. The 75 gallon was relegated to the garage in case I want it again, and I painted the stand black. I also put black vinyl on the back.
My goal was to make a hillstream environment, based on the long-running tank of Rachel O’Leary. I had looked at other options like the river manifolds, but I liked Rachel’s better. I set it up with an fx6 filter, a horizontal spray bar on the left side, and 2nd modified spray bar situated vertically behind a corner Matten filter on the back right side. Glass strips were attached with silicone to hold it. I cut the Matten filter horizontally a few inches from the tank floor so the top part could be easily removed for cleaning. I also cut a small vertical groove from the inside so it wouldn’t constrict the holes so much on the curve.
This was how it looked on Dec 20, 2024:
My goal was to make a hillstream environment, based on the long-running tank of Rachel O’Leary. I had looked at other options like the river manifolds, but I liked Rachel’s better. I set it up with an fx6 filter, a horizontal spray bar on the left side, and 2nd modified spray bar situated vertically behind a corner Matten filter on the back right side. Glass strips were attached with silicone to hold it. I cut the Matten filter horizontally a few inches from the tank floor so the top part could be easily removed for cleaning. I also cut a small vertical groove from the inside so it wouldn’t constrict the holes so much on the curve.
This was how it looked on Dec 20, 2024:
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6051 views
Hey all,
Just wondering what your thoughts or experiences are with running some form of moon or dusk lighting.
With my tank only running 8hrs of light per day, I have recently added a 2-3% setting on my Chihiros WRGB II from 18:00 - 21:00.
It's running quite a blue light and is just so that I can still get some enjoyment from my fish when I am at home in the evening.
Does anyone else do this in planted tanks? Do you think it will create algae issues?
Cheers
Chimera
Just wondering what your thoughts or experiences are with running some form of moon or dusk lighting.
With my tank only running 8hrs of light per day, I have recently added a 2-3% setting on my Chihiros WRGB II from 18:00 - 21:00.
It's running quite a blue light and is just so that I can still get some enjoyment from my fish when I am at home in the evening.
Does anyone else do this in planted tanks? Do you think it will create algae issues?
Cheers
Chimera
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65 views
Staff member
I Donated 2026
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Hello Welcome, c.guzman91
Welcome to ScapeCrunch, @c.guzman91!
We would love to get to know you. Please tell us about yourself. What tank do you have?
We would love to get to know you. Please tell us about yourself. What tank do you have?
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Staff member
I Donated 2026
Founding Member
Hello Welcome, X-Aquatixs
Welcome to ScapeCrunch, @X-Aquatixs!
We would love to get to know you. Please tell us about yourself. What tank do you have?
We would love to get to know you. Please tell us about yourself. What tank do you have?
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17 views