Introduction - first scape in 10 years

[Leadmewhereyoudare]

Hello all, lurking for a bit so figured I’d jump in and make my first post.

It’s been a very long time since I’ve started a new tank and definitely more of an amateur at scaping. As I’ve already finalized and flooded this for a dark start I thought it would be neat to get opinions on how you would plant it. The driftwood is hollow on the back and I’d intended to throw some stems in there as well.

As I’ve been collecting everything needed to get it going I thought i’d have tons more planting area than I’ve ended up with so I’m going to have to bring down my collectoritis list.
Ideally I want it so be low/mid growth rate so I’m not trimming stems every week.

It’s a UNS 90l so only 11.8 inches high. Using a cheaper Fzone rgb to start, at 50% getting 62 par at lowest and around 110 at mid tank. May run it around 60% to start.

I will be running co2 via dual stage reg and in line diffuser. APT 1/3, used “start” to kick cycle, and have “jazz” tabs to supplement as the the new substrate gives out. 80% of the soil is filter bagged old spent Ada Amazonia v1 that I shook the dust out of, topped with a fresh layer of Feast.

 

[Sb1415]

I think the hardscape looks great! I think the back of the drift wood could use more aquasoil or could fill the hollow with a mesh bag…. Maybe I don’t understand the driftwood that well with the views provided.

I am always interested in using sand but have been intimidated by the maintenance needed, so following to see how these come up.

Let us know what plants you are planning.

 

[BenB]

Welcome back. I rejoined the hobby just over a year ago myself. It has been quite a ride. I've never really tried to grow in aquasoil, and it has been a steep learning curve. Good luck!

 

[Leadmewhereyoudare]

I think the hardscape looks great! I think the back of the drift wood could use more aquasoil or could fill the hollow with a mesh bag…. Maybe I don’t understand the driftwood that well with the views provided.

I am always interested in using sand but have been intimidated by the maintenance needed, so following to see how these come up.

Let us know what plants you are planning.

Thanks! I was on the struggle bus a bit as I’d seen this ironwood on Etsy and just couldn’t pass it up. While I did know the measurements I just didn’t have a solid plan and was committed to using it. If it had been a little longer or shorter it may have been easier. I was trying to stay with inert stone and this is the first time using black tumbled lava. I really wanted to do more with height and layering but the tank was quite constraining in that regard. The smaller stone had would have been swallowed and I wanted something that would still show once grown in. And all that ate into planting area so my island dream became more like a river bottom.
It seems simple in the end but I put more time into it than I probably should have.

Regarding the sand that’s another first for me. All of my previous tanks were 100% aquasoil and I really like the look of island layouts that I’ve been seeing lately so yeah. It is UNS bora sand and the smaller pebbles are UNS Kona. Everything is much darker once flooded so even if some soil bits get into the sand area it shouldn’t stand out much. I wanted to keep the little bit of slope so I bagged most of the substrate, should help a little with escapees.

Plant wise ultimately going with crypt spirialis/tiger along the back, lots of buce on the wood and around some of the stacked stone. Mini pellia all around and a good bit of other crypts everywhere (nurii/parva/lucens etc). Grabbing a Lilly to go on the right side.
I’ve made my first plant order from burraqua and its for the most part none of the above Jamming as much in there as I can to get things stabilized and then I’ll slowly transition to what I want. Seems at least the nurii Rosen maiden is super hard to source submerged so I’m going to have to go tc or transition emerged growth to get a bunch.
Also don’t want to risk melting a bunch of buce in the start.

I’ve had my years of multiple high energy tanks and having to trim/sell constantly just to keep things going. Not wanting to go back there, it was great but I don’t have the time to commit like I used to. Turning the lights down and enjoying the scenery this time around.

That’s the “plan”, hope it works out!

 

[Leadmewhereyoudare]

Welcome back. I rejoined the hobby just over a year ago myself. It has been quite a ride. I've never really tried to grow in aquasoil, and it has been a steep learning curve. Good luck!

Welcome back too! Yeah it’s a whole different animal.
Coming back and loving the “dark start” method so far. Man that beats the heck out of all those early water changes from the old days!
Kinda shocked that I did a quick test on day three and already had some nitrates going. Old soil or apt start?
Everything else is brand new, didn’t even squeeze a sponge from my cube.

 

[Leadmewhereyoudare]

Guess I need to get my lappy out and see if I can edit this to be an actual journal although it’s a bit intimidating with so many talented folks here!

Code brown!

It’s a week into dark start and I pulled the cardboard wrap to check evaporation and status. The tannins are strong with this one! I’d already soaked the wood for weeks and drained daily to get it to the point of sinking.
Looks like it might even be tinting the sand and front of the stone where the outflow wraps around. Looks like I have quite a bit of NO3 >50 ppm and around .25 ammonia with a quick strip test.

50% water change at this point? Or just let it ride?



I’ve finalized my plant orders for the most part. Looking through the list of what I’ll have coming and trying to roughly sort out placements (almost certain to change) so i’m not overwhelmed on planting day.

Seems like a daft list of plants but wanted to try new things and see what sticks. Lots of stems I’m unfamiliar with the growth patterns outside of pictures but hoping I can make best judgement on the fly. Hopefully I’m not overshooting my planting area massively and am leaving a little room to grow out.

Front/sides:
Marsilea minuta x25 nodes around stone edges plant side. No intention to let it carpet much
Crypt parva - 2 pots - front left by wood fork - dark spot
Rotala bonsai - x3-5 - tucked into center of wood fork on right
Tonina Fluviatilis x3 - tucked into center of wood fork on right behind bonsai
Staurogyne Porto Velho x3 - front right circling wood fork
Staurogyne Repens ‘purple’ x1 - patch in wood fork left
Gratiola viscidula x12 - front right of wood center of tank

Back:
Blyxa Japonica x1 - behind stone far left to anchor slope.
Vallisnaria nana Yabba Creek x1 - to right of blyxa j
Crypt spiralis x2
Crypt Tiger spiralis x2
Crypt nurri ‘Pa Hang’ mutated x1
Poaceae sp. "Purple Bamboo x6 - to allow emergent growth
Isoetes lacustris x1
Nymphaea gardneri x1 small - far right

In/on driftwood:
Blyxa Japonica recurvifolia x3 - plant in wood soil?
Microsorum Philippine x1
Microsorum India x1
Hygro Pinnatifida - x3 in wood cracks/holes
Mini pellia 3x3 - separated thinly and glued all around

Unsure on placement :
Amcella repens x3
Penthorum sediodes x3
Pogostemon decanensis x3
Pogostemon Kimberly x1
Rotala wallichii ‘Vietnam’ x3
Didiplis diandra x3
Crypt lucens x1
Limnophila Aromatica ‘mini’ x3

 

[techman81]

Some Purigen will clean those tannins up.

 

[techman81]

One other note, a number of those stem plants are tall growers, be prepared to do a lot of trimming in that shallow tank.

 

[Leadmewhereyoudare]

Aye I may only end up keeping a few of those, needed some faster growers in there initially so anything annoying will get swapped out. Aiming to throw a little less light at things too which may help a little.