Journal Garden Aquascape

[Asher E.]

I’m working on this garden style aquascape

 

[Phish Tank]

Sweet tank. What type of filtration are you using?

 

[Asher E.]

Sweet tank. What type of filtration are you using?

I had gotten one of these, but it was an older version. https://www.aquascapeguide.com/product-page/asg-mini-canister-filter
It was leaking and the guy who owns the company is sending a new one when it’s ready, so the tank hasn’t had a filter for a while, just lily pipes attached to a pump. Also there’s an intake sponge on it.

 

[Asher E.]

Ok, so I have a plan now.
I’ll put the shrimp into my dad’s tank and replace the substrate with netlea aquasoil and upgrade the light to a netlea at5s.
When I get it planted again I’ll do a garden style scape again with at least a few of the same plants.
I’ll try to post more updates here when I can.

 

[Asher E.]

I’m ordering the netlea substrate and light in a couple days. I’ll update again when i get the old substrate cleaned out of the tank.

 

[Unexpected]

Netlea Professional? keep us updated about using it.

 

[Asher E.]

Netlea Professional? keep us updated about using it.

Yes. I will.

 

[Unexpected]

Yes. I will.

I've had a little trouble with it. Make sure to do those water changes. I'm sure it my fault, but things are starting to get easier after the 5 month of it cycled.

 

[Asher E.]

I've had a little trouble with it. Make sure to do those water changes. I'm sure it my fault, but things are starting to get easier after the 5 month of it cycled.

Did it release a lot of ammonia at the start?
I’m prepared to do daily 50-100% water changes for a while if I have to. And I have cycled filter media and established plants so the ammonia should be used faster than usual.

 

[Unexpected]

Did it release a lot of ammonia at the start?
I’m prepared to do daily 50-100% water changes for a while if I have to. And I have cycled filter media and established plants so the ammonia should be used faster than usual.

My media was already cycled so never saw any. But it will for sure. It's rich so keep up on them.

 

[Asher E.]

I mixed up some diy fertilizer today, it’s similar to apt3 but with more pottasium and it’s less concentrated.
So I’ll be using that when I have the tank set up.
And I ordered the netlea substrate and light from aqua rocks Colorado today.

 

[Asher E.]

My netlea light arrived today.
Here are the settings I’ll start with after I do a dark start.
After that I’ll add the plants and increase the light a little each week.

The netlea substrate also seems to be pretty good, much better than fluval stratum, it’s not dusty and i can’t crush it with my fingers like I can with fluval stratum.

 

[Asher E.]

I finished cycling the tank and I added the plants.
I’m starting out with 8 hours of light at a lower setting, and each week I’ll increase the light power and time until it’s around 200+ par and on for 10-12 hours a day.

For now the planting is a little messy because I just used what I had already, I’ll swap some plants to different and move some around before it’s finished.

I also got a hygger hob canister filter and put the cycled media into that. I really like that it has a surface skimmer on it.

 

[Asher E.]

Starting to get some diatoms and GDA. And the plants are growing well.

 

[Asher E.]

This aquarium is starting to stabilize a lot more now. The plants are all growing well after the algae.

I think I’ve mastered growing plants, but now I need to get better at shaping them so they look nicer, especially stem plants.

 

[Art]

Hey, congrats! Plants look healthy which is a huge accomplishment.

Gaining the skill and “art” of trimming and shaping takes time. Check out @Dennis Wong’s early YouTube videos on trimming. They are a great way to start.

 

[Art]

Here’s the one I was thinking about:

 

[Asher E.]

Here’s the one I was thinking about:

Thanks art. I’ve read his article “maintaining stems the 2hr way” but it’s harder to do than it looks. I think I’ve done it pretty well before with lobelia cardinalis, in this picture.
I just have to practice it more on other plants, and I will definitely check out that video.

 

[Art]

It's not easy. This takes time to "get" it and learn the "art" of it. And, you need to learn how each of your chosen plants react to it. So give yourself some grace to learn. Here is another good resource on Mastering the Beauty of Plant Clusters from ADA.

And, BTW, your avatar now looks like you're a much younger version of myself.

 

[Asher E.]

I got some least killifish. I’m currently acclimating them.