# Planted Tanks > Aquascaping >  My first big tank

## chesterchuen

Alright after posting numerous times at Jacky's thread, it's time to create a thread of mine. Currently i have a 1.5 feet tank with some simple plants and 5 Amano shrimps. This tank serves as my first planted aquarium setup and main purpose is only to experiment with plants hence there isn't much aquascaping done. I also have a smaller 35cm tank that has no plants due to the presence of apple snails. A simple aquascaping was done. In the tank lives the apple snails, Glowlight Tetras and Amano Shrimps. 

However currently it is positioned infront of my service balcony window which has the morning sun shining in. As a result, there were temperature fluctuations and a bloom in algae. Now i'm planning to build a bigger aquarium setup in my living hall that is shielded away from direct sunlight.

As of now, i have purchased a 60cm x 45cm x45cm tank, 1 driftwood, some rocks and a U.P. Aqua Pro Z-20 LED light (i will need 2 more). I'm also using some drift wood which i've gotten from my colleague. I've sent an email to Aqua Fishtanks (http://aquafishtanks.com.sg) that was recommended by bro Jacky to custom make the aquarium stand that suits my current furnishing colours. The design is largely based on Jacky's design which i find simple and practical.

Aquarium Stand Design02016.jpg

The following is also what i need to complete my setup:
EHEIM Professional 3 [350] or EHEIM Professional 4 [250], depending on my final water volume after all the hardscaping done. I require between flowrate of 900-1000L/h due to my tank size which measures to around 121.5L before addition of hardscapes.2x more U.P. Aqua Pro Z-20 LED light 60cmCO2 System. I'm currently looking at ANS Professional 3L C02 systemADA New Amazonia 9LSeachem Excel, Flourish, Potassium, IronAPI Master Test Kit & KH/GH Test Kit 

With so much to purchase and with limited funds, i can only purchase them one by one while maintaining my current setups. So bear with me as this project slowly becomes a reality.  :Smile:  Meanwhile below is what i've tought of for my setup:

IMG_4354.jpg

IMG_4355.jpg

The slope will look more complete after adding in the substrate. As advised by bro Ryan, the rear of the tank will be higher than what you see here. Initially i plan to have an island layout, but i realised no one will really be viewing the tank from the sofa side, so the main view point will be what the picture is showing. The rocks will also be spaced slightly apart.

Front of tank will be carpeted plants. Mid of tank and rear of tank still thinking of which plants to get.Will be getting 1-2 Grow plants.

Foreground - Elatine hydropiper or Eleocharis acicularis 'Mini'Mid ground - any suggestions?Background - any suggestions?

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## Apistoinka

2 more sets of up aqua pro z you will have a better funds to get a better lighting.. you could get a chihiros a series at $79 and you can grow almost any plants with the light.. whats good is it comes with a 7 stage dimmer too.. just one set of it will save you more money.. 

As for plants you might wanna get those stem plants with smaller leave like rotala indica red and green for the back ground.. they are easy plants.. for mid ground you could try repens or japonica.. plants wise more bro could help you better.. as i just plant what i like and dont know much of plants name..

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## jackychun

Eleocharis acicularis 'Mini' is a good choice for foreground plants. I have never needed to trim it so far. It will cover all over the foreground nicely. 

For the midground,Rotala Bonsai is good too. It is a very beautiful plant with lush colour! 

For Background plant, you can choose some fast growing plants at first. It would help to absorb excessive nutrient and prevent algae bloom at initial period. You can change it later once the tank is stable. 


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## fireblade

looks like your rocks are of different kind?

for the light, I will suggest you get Green Element EVO 3Wx24 instead of UP?

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## chesterchuen

> looks like your rocks are of different kind?
> 
> for the light, I will suggest you get Green Element EVO 3Wx24 instead of UP?


Should be. They were placed together in the shelf at C328 whichout any list of what rocks they are. Hmm now that i realised they were different rocks, how should i go about it?

Also, i've already purchased 1x UP light yesterday(unfortunately before i posted here), should i continue to purchase the UP? I believe i cant mix 2 different lights together unless they emit same power and light temperature.

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## fireblade

you bought everything from C328?
you can bring them back for exchange if you have not destroy the packaging.
as for rocks, there shouldn't be any issue for exchange too...

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## chesterchuen

> you bought everything from C328?
> you can bring them back for exchange if you have not destroy the packaging.
> as for rocks, there shouldn't be any issue for exchange too...


The tank, big rocks and light is from C328. Only the 2 small rocks in the middle is from elsewhere. How do i know if the rocks are all the same since there are no labels to say what rocks they are?

Lights wise, havent even open up 😂 Only taken out to test it. The Green EVO 3Wx24... Just one is enough?

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## fireblade

Have to base on your own experience then .. or invite me to lunch and I help you see.. :P

I am using that in my setup and yes, only one ... you can take a look...
Although I am fighting BBA now... you can see that my MC is creeping nicely

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...escape-in-2015

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## chesterchuen

> Have to base on your own experience then .. or invite me to lunch and I help you see.. :P
> 
> I am using that in my setup and yes, only one ... you can take a look...
> Although I am fighting BBA now... you can see that my MC is creeping nicely
> 
> http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...escape-in-2015


Well if i got experience i wouldn't have taken rocks of different kind. 😂

Definitely need your assistance to see or maybe i can ask C328. Ah thats nice. Really like the looks of MC. Haha

Edit: Oh wait. It appears that the 4 big rocks on the left side of the tank is the same kind, while the right large rock and the 2 small ones in the middle is different. Am i correct?

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## chesterchuen

> Eleocharis acicularis 'Mini' is a good choice for foreground plants. I have never needed to trim it so far. It will cover all over the foreground nicely. 
> 
> For the midground,Rotala Bonsai is good too. It is a very beautiful plant with lush colour! 
> 
> For Background plant, you can choose some fast growing plants at first. It would help to absorb excessive nutrient and prevent algae bloom at initial period. You can change it later once the tank is stable. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Ah i see. I like the looks of your green carpet too. But my current setup has some grass so looking at something different. :P

The bonsai looks really good! Definitely worth considering. As for background plants, noted. Will have a look around 😁

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## chesterchuen

> 2 more sets of up aqua pro z you will have a better funds to get a better lighting.. you could get a chihiros a series at $79 and you can grow almost any plants with the light.. whats good is it comes with a 7 stage dimmer too.. just one set of it will save you more money.. 
> 
> As for plants you might wanna get those stem plants with smaller leave like rotala indica red and green for the back ground.. they are easy plants.. for mid ground you could try repens or japonica.. plants wise more bro could help you better.. as i just plant what i like and dont know much of plants name..


Thanks! Will definitely have a look. 😁

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## Urban Aquaria

Yeah, i would also recommend to consider stronger lights in your tank size and height... especially since its 60x45x45. That usually requires different equipment compared to the more standard 60x30x30 or 30x30x36 dimensions.

For the Up Aqua Z-Series, i would usually recommend it for tanks up to 36cm height. For taller tanks, it'll be better to look at lights which have stronger individual LEDs (ie. Odyssea Evo series with its array of 3W LEDs) or which have the capacity to output higher intensities (ie. Chihiros A-Series A601 which can be tuned up to 5,800 lumens vs only fixed 1,320 lumens on the Z-series).

All that being said, it also depends on the type of plants you are planning to add. If the tank is mainly going to have low demand plants like anubias, java ferns, moss etc, then no issues sticking with the use of less light (would be better since slow growing plants can't use all the extra light anyways). But if you plan to add smaller carpet plant and higher demand plants, and want them to grow fast with Co2 injection in a high tech setup, then it'll be better to look at lights with better depth penetration and which can generate higher intensity.

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## chesterchuen

> Yeah, i would also recommend to consider stronger lights in your tank size and height... especially since its 60x45x45. That usually requires different equipment compared to the more standard 60x30x30 or 30x30x36 dimensions.
> 
> For the Up Aqua Z-Series, i would usually recommend it for tanks up to 36cm height. For taller tanks, it'll be better to look at lights which have stronger individual LEDs (ie. Odyssea Evo series with its array of 3W LEDs) or which have the capacity to output higher intensities (ie. Chihiros A-Series A601 which can be tuned up to 5,800 lumens vs only fixed 1,320 lumens on the Z-series).
> 
> All that being said, it also depends on the type of plants you are planning to add. If the tank is mainly going to have low demand plants like anubias, java ferns, moss etc, then no issues sticking with the use of less light (would be better since slow growing plants can't use all the extra light anyways). But if you plan to add smaller carpet plant and higher demand plants, and want them to grow fast with Co2 injection in a high tech setup, then it'll be better to look at lights with better depth penetration and which can generate higher intensity.


Thanks UA. Lucky C328 is ok to exchange the lights. Will be bringing them down. Will be changing to Odyssea Evo 24P as they dont stock Chihiros. Is one unit of 24P sufficient for my tank size? I do have plans for carpet plants and possibly some high demand plants.

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## Realcaster

Yes, a odyssey 3W led should be sufficient. But to improve the coverage, you may want to purchase the acrylic stand to raise it higher for the light to cover the whole tank.
It is also recommended to plant high light requirement plant directly under the light.

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## Urban Aquaria

> Thanks UA. Lucky C328 is ok to exchange the lights. Will be bringing them down. Will be changing to Odyssea Evo 24P as they dont stock Chihiros. Is one unit of 24P sufficient for my tank size? I do have plans for carpet plants and possibly some high demand plants.


One unit is usually enough... but depending on your plant layout and due to the more directional spotlight effect of the stronger individual LEDs on that lightset design, if you find that certain areas are abit dim (especially at the outer base edges of the tank) and plants in those areas are not getting enough light, then you may need to look at getting a 2nd unit to increase the overall light coverage. 

Alternatively, raising the light higher (like what Realcaster mentioned) with a taller stand or suspending hanger stand can also help to widen the coverage, just have to try it out and see.

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## jamesmj

Bro, 
post more pictures. Its exciting to see the progress.

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## chesterchuen

> One unit is usually enough... but depending on your plant layout and due to the more directional spotlight effect of the stronger individual LEDs on that lightset design, if you find that certain areas are abit dim (especially at the outer base edges of the tank) and plants in those areas are not getting enough light, then you may need to look at getting a 2nd unit to increase the overall light coverage. 
> 
> Alternatively, raising the light higher (like what Realcaster mentioned) with a taller stand or suspending hanger stand can also help to widen the coverage, just have to try it out and see.


Ah i see. Will monitor and see how the light will turn out to be. Exchanged to Evo 24P. Thanks UA!

Btw, based on the photo below, are the rocks on the left belong to the same rock formation? The large rock on the right is definitely different.

IMG_4360.jpg




> Yes, a odyssey 3W led should be sufficient. But to improve the coverage, you may want to purchase the acrylic stand to raise it higher for the light to cover the whole tank.
> It is also recommended to plant high light requirement plant directly under the light.


Thanks! Those stands can be purchased from East Ocean Aquatic right? I remember i saw a post somewhere. Those plants with lesser light requirement need to plant slightly away from the light to prevent light burn?




> Bro, 
> post more pictures. Its exciting to see the progress.



Haha bro wont be so fast la. Now need money for my wedding lunch. So the setup will be slowly built. Thanks for viewing!

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## chesterchuen

I changed my hardscape layout into the picture as shown below with the Evo 24P switched on. Kindly ignore the background photo image haha.

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## jackychun

> I changed my hardscape layout into the picture as shown below with the Evo 24P switched on. Kindly ignore the background photo image haha.


I like your background! 

BTW, in the meantime waiting for other equipment, you can spend time to clean the rock, boil the woods and sterilize them. After getting the soil, you can really pour it in and play with the hardscape. I spent about a week to set up the hardscape previously and I think it would be good to spend time for that. Because once setup done and flood the tank, you wouldn't want to mess up again. 


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## chesterchuen

If only background turns into a real thing hahaha. I'm planning to clean the rocks and woods roughly 3 weeks before i set up. I won't be getting my filter and CO2 system anytime soon due to lack of funds, so currently bo bian research on other stuffs first haha

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## chesterchuen

I'm actually looking into which filter to purchase and narrowed down to either EHEIM Professionel 3 250 or the Fluval 306. The EHEIM is ofcourse the Ferrari of all filters. I'm currently using 2 EHEIMs, 2211 & AquaCompact 40 and they work flawlessly. The Fluval is definitely cheaper although i'm quite skeptical about the lever design for the hose disconnecting portion. Any comments on the Fluval? The only thing that can make me purchase the EHEIM is the ability to purchase spare parts easily. I've read numerous reviews about the Fluval and quite alot of people are happy with them, that sparked the curiosity within me haha.

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## fireblade

you are right, yours eyes are trained for now  :Smile: 
good that you have changed the light... never thank me...  :Sad:   :Razz:  :Razz:  :Laughing:  :Grin: 
as for the different rock, you can still put it in your tank if you plan to have it covered by plants or as the base of other rocks.




> Ah i see. Will monitor and see how the light will turn out to be. Exchanged to Evo 24P. Thanks UA!
> 
> Btw, based on the photo below, are the rocks on the left belong to the same rock formation? The large rock on the right is definitely different.
> 
> Attachment 53278
> Thanks! Those stands can be purchased from East Ocean Aquatic right? I remember i saw a post somewhere. Those plants with lesser light requirement need to plant slightly away from the light to prevent light burn?
> 
> Haha bro wont be so fast la. Now need money for my wedding lunch. So the setup will be slowly built. Thanks for viewing!


I think the light stand should be able to purchased from 328 as well 
Maybe you can skip this for the time being and concentrate your funds on the filter first.
As for the filter, maybe you can look for a 2nd hand Ehiem, price cheaper although used, I think it will last for another few years.




> I changed my hardscape layout into the picture as shown below with the Evo 24P switched on. Kindly ignore the background photo image haha.


Your background has taken all the attention away! Cannot see what you put in your tank.. and don't talk about your formation..  :Smile:  
Btw, I think your wood should be of the same kind or at least same tone? Unless you are planing to tie moss to it and cover up, then that won't be a issue.  :Smile: 

You might need some bigger rocks, and also more rocks... Those that you have will be blocked by the plants after they grow in and with sand poured in, you will feel that even more rocks to maintain the slope..  :Smile: 
Looking forward for more updates!

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## chesterchuen

Hahaha thanks la. 😁😁 Really love the new light! As for the rocks, will it affect my parameters if i place 2 different rocks together? Considering the fact that both have stopped or minimal leaching of minerals into water.

Noted on the light stand. Im actually planning to get the Fluval 306. My 2211 was a 2nd hand from my colleague, so now i plan to have a new one for a new feel haha. My budget, if want to get EHEIM, only suits the Pro 3/4+ 250. However that means reduced media capacity and flow rate. Is 950L/h actually sufficient for my tank size(about 105L after hardscape)? Im actually looking at a rate of 10x(which means 1050L/h). My 2211 is 7x rate for my other tank and i find the flow a little too low for my liking. 

That said, i will be using the Fluval with EHEIM's Mech Pro and Substrat Pro medias. Been using them and loving it. 

Aiya after taking the picture with all that excitement, didnt notice that annoying background 😂😂 Yes moss will be tied to wood haha. Okie shall go for more rock shopping soon.

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## fireblade

As I said, depends on what you want to keep, leaching of minerals is not a bad thing after all if you are not keeping sensitive livestock.
Just remember that wood also will leach... so it might strike a balance after all, most important is that it won't leach poison.  :Smile:

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## chesterchuen

Flora wise havent really decide what to plant. But livestock wise, im keeping only tetras, amano shrimps and possibly some bottom feeders. 😁

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## fireblade

think can worry less on the leaching part

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## chesterchuen

Okay i've purchased the Fluval 306 filter for my setup. Hope i don't disappoint the EHEIM supporters. I do like EHEIMs but would love to try something different. I bought it for a pretty cheap price of $198. Together with 3 different EHEIM medias, they cost me a total of $328. Photos as shown below:



Above: Contents from the box and the 3 EHEIM media that i bought



Above: The coarse pre filter foam



Above: The canister contains 3 trays of media. Bottom tray contains 2 black foam block. In my opinion, the foam block is not a good choice to use inside the canister because they can clog very easily. Will discuss later. Middle tray contains the ceramic rings. Top tray contains the filter floss and activated carbon.



Above: This section contains the ribbed hose clamp, inflow and outflow sections, as well as the Aquastop assembly.



Above: The ribbed hose



Above: Lastly, the canister itself. I hope the next series can incorporate handle or slots to carry the canister more easily.



Above: EHEIM MechPro mechanical filter media. I'm currently using this in my 2211. From my earlier note, i'm against the use of the foam blocks provided in the canister. Reason being they can clog very easily. I've used foam sponge as pre filter before and debris tends to clog the surface of the sponge and block the flow, severely restricting the flow rate. However as it's a prefilter, its very easy to clean as compared to cleaning the inside of a canister. My experience with the MechPro is pretty good. They trap many particles in the water without actually restricting so much of the flow rate. The only issue: it floats on the water. So gotta be careful when cleaning them.



Above: EHEIM BioMech. Have not used this before, so can't really comment although i've read some pretty good reviews.



Above: EHEIM SubstratPro. I'm using this in my 2211 and Aquacompact 40 and they work flawlessly. I read somewhere that they have the largest surface volume of all bio medias, not exactly sure if that is completely true but i am very happy with these medias.



Above: I've completed the 24hrs running test as of today on the filter to check for any leaks(without any filter media). So far so good! No leaks and running quietly. Noise wise, it's slightly louder than my 2211 with a slightly louder hum. However you need to place your ears 10cm beside the canister to hear the hum. My desktop PC is actually 10 or even 20 times noisier than the canister. First impression: I'm pretty happy with the filter.


So that's about it. This Saturday im heading down to Aqua Fishtanks (http://aquafishtanks.com.sg) to order my custom made aquarium stand.  :Smile:

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## jackychun

> Okay i've purchased the Fluval 306 filter for my setup. Hope i don't disappoint the EHEIM supporters. I do like EHEIMs but would love to try something different. I bought it for a pretty cheap price of $198. Together with 3 different EHEIM medias, they cost me a total of $328. Photos as shown below:
> 
> 
> 
> Above: Contents from the box and the 3 EHEIM media that i bought
> 
> 
> 
> Above: The coarse pre filter foam
> ...


The Fluval filter looks very sturdy! And I have read many good reviews about it, too! Bery well written, bro!  :Smile:  


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## chesterchuen

Thanks bro Jacky! Many things learnt from you, bro fireblade and bro UA also. Yeah it's the numerous good reviews and especially the price that got me attracted hehehe.

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## fireblade

Congrats on your new purchase and decision for the different brand. Nothing is more satisfying than unboxing your purchase and studying it  :Smile:

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## aza

Question: Could normal hoses be used or must the black ribbed hoses only be used for this filter? Look like a solid upgrade to get in the future.

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## chesterchuen

> Congrats on your new purchase and decision for the different brand. Nothing is more satisfying than unboxing your purchase and studying it


Yup! I tend to do that for all my purchases. Feels good hahaha.




> Question: Could normal hoses be used or must the black ribbed hoses only be used for this filter? Look like a solid upgrade to get in the future.


Normal vinyl hoses can be used. You can use 16/22mm sized hoses. Currently i'm using it and attached to the glass lily pipe. Will show you the pic when im home. That said, the ribbed hoses is not as stiff as the vinyl hose i'm using now which actually allows me to do installation slightly easier.

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## chesterchuen

Aza, as mentioned, you can use a 16/22mm hose. Shown below is a 16/22mm plugged into the Aquastop assembly. No leaks while running. However take note of using glass lilies and clear vinyl hoses, these are potential algae breeding grounds. Had experienced them with my smaller tank.



Meanwhile, purchased both inflow and outflow lily pipes from C328. These are cheap stuff that i plan to try out and see how it goes. If it doesnt work, will try a something more well known.





And as discussed earlier, the photo shown below is exactly the only available surface area you have with the bio foam that comes with the canister. Once the surface gets clogged, your canister is basically, plugged. The main reason behind all this is simple: foam have a near uniform surface area.





Now compare with EHEIM's Mech Pro as shown above. The surface area is not uniform, with nooks and crannies all round. This meant that some particles do not clog the top surface, but seep in and clogs at any random location *in between* the media. With the nook and cranny features of the media, water can still flow through the media and still perform mechanical filtration. I believe that's one of the main reason why some users of the 306 complained of clogged canisters while some users don't.

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## jackychun

Good info bro! 

For the lily pipes, I think you can consider VIV Lily Pipes and order online (i.e. eBay) with much cheaper price than buying from local LFS here. And VIV quality is quite good, too.  :Smile: 


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## Realcaster

Hmmm... did you DIY the black color cylindrical rings, looks like flexible wire conduit.

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## Urban Aquaria

Interesting look at the Fluval filter's coarse sponge pad... seems its pore size is indeed denser than the equivalent versions used on eheim filters, sort of reminds me of the sponge padding that comes in my camera case. I guess with that denser sponge pad, just have to wash it more frequently to clear trapped debris and avoid clogs.

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## jackychun

> Interesting look at the Fluval filter's coarse sponge pad... seems its pore size is indeed denser than the equivalent versions used on eheim filters, sort of reminds me of the sponge padding that comes in my camera case. I guess with that denser sponge pad, just have to wash it more frequently to clear trapped debris and avoid clogs.


That sponge reminds me to the dust trap in my vacuum cleaner.  Waiting for more update! 


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## chesterchuen

> Hmmm... did you DIY the black color cylindrical rings, looks like flexible wire conduit.


No. Those are EHEIM's Mech Pro medias  :Smile: 




> Interesting look at the Fluval filter's coarse sponge pad... seems its pore size is indeed denser than the equivalent versions used on eheim filters, sort of reminds me of the sponge padding that comes in my camera case. I guess with that denser sponge pad, just have to wash it more frequently to clear trapped debris and avoid clogs.


It's not exactly the coarse sponge pad. The coarse sponge pad is shown below with lower density. It's actually Fluval's bio foam. Indeed, frequent washes are required to prevent clogging of the surface.




> That sponge reminds me to the dust trap in my vacuum cleaner.  Waiting for more update! 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Its actually very similar, just slightly less dense haha.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, here is a shot of the coarse foam block that acts as a pre filter in the canister. It's actually similar to EHEIM's blue coarse sponge.



A closer look at the coarse sponge



Below is the arrangement of the filter medias. Top is EHEIM's Mech Pro as mechanical filtration. Middle is EHEIM's Bio Mech acting as mechanical/biological filtration. Bottom is EHEIM's Substrat Pro and Fluval's filter floss (one side without the floss to show you how the Substrat Pro looks like), acting as biological filter.



Closer look of the Bio Mech 



Closer look of the Substrat Pro

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## boonware

Camping for my update.  :Well done:

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## Realcaster

A fresh breath, very well written  :Well done:  :Well done:

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## chesterchuen

> Camping for my update.



I believe you mean more update? Hehe




> A fresh breath, very well written


Thanks! Glad you enjoyed reading.  :Smile: 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Few days back, tested out my water change outlet system and it works just as i planned it to be. I attach my gravel cleaner to a 16/22mm vinyl hose which leads to my common toilet. In between i installed a EHEIM valve to control the flow of the water in case things get out of control. I begin pumping my gravel cleaner until water starts to flow out. Once the correct amount of water has exited the tank, i shut off the EHEIM valve. This prevents water from sloshing back into the tank as i pick up the pipe and churning the tank water which i experience in my other tank.



Bought some more stuffs too from East Ocean. They include ANS CO2 Drop Checker and 4dkh solution, UP Aqua Tweezers and JBL Pro Scape S30 Curve trimmers, and Continuum Aquatics' Bacter Gen F for bacteria generation. The Bacter Gen F was introduced to me by East Ocean, so decided to give it a try and see how it performs. Previously i used Waterlife's BacterLife with success, so now let's try out something different.



I've already started using the Drop Checker in my smaller experimental plant tank. Let's see how it works.

Edit: Forget to add on. Ordered my customized cabinet. Will take around 3-4 weeks to manufacture and deliver over to me. Can't wait!

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## chesterchuen

Forgot to add on as well, purchased API Freshwater Master Test Kit and GH & KH test kit, as well as a TDS Meter.

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## chesterchuen

Time to wash and clean the driftwood while im waiting for other stuffs. Below is the wood after brushing and cleaning.



Now placed inside a plastic pail to be soaked in hot boiling water. This is the largest pail i have, so the large drift wood can only be soaked half, next time will soak it's other half section.



Now soaked in hot boiling water. Used a rock to weigh it down as it was floating.



There's a question i would like to ask the experts here. I would like to position my outlet and inlet flow pipes as shown below. The reason being the tank has these 2 shelves as seen in the photo. The outlet can be positioned over the shelf, but it's a very tight fit and i'm worried of breaking the lily glass pipe. That said, i predict the water current and flow as shown with the red arrows. What do you guys think?

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## boonware

Opps didn't notice it. Yes waiting for your update.

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## Urban Aquaria

> There's a question i would like to ask the experts here. I would like to position my outlet and inlet flow pipes as shown below. The reason being the tank has these 2 shelves as seen in the photo. The outlet can be positioned over the shelf, but it's a very tight fit and i'm worried of breaking the lily glass pipe. That said, i predict the water current and flow as shown with the red arrows. What do you guys think?


Yeah, thats an odd placement for the lily pipes at the front, as it also blocks the front view too... but with the tank having side bracings which are too large to fit the lily pipes, looks like thats the only placement option. As the tank shape is angular (not curved), water flow from the outflow pipe will mostly hit the opposite glass, then flow down and back under it, so the left side will tend to have more flow and circulation than the right side. Although some of the water will also get pushed around the back of tank, there will be a reduction in circulation at the areas curving to the intake pipe.

There will probably be dead spots and low flow areas at the front and right side of the tank, so you'll just have to adjust your tank layout to compensate for it. Thats one of the reasons why most aquascapers prefer to use braceless tanks, so that lily pipes can be positioned properly on the sides without blocking the front view.

Ideally the lily pipes should be placed together on one side, so that they can generate a circular return flow pattern, especially if the tank has Co2 injection too. Here is a diagram for reference:



Picture source: http://www.ukaps.org/index.php?page=...h-planted-tank

Since you haven't setup and filled up the tank yet, its still not too late to change the current braced normal glass tank to a 60x45x45 braceless crystal glass tank, it would look much nicer and allow the lily pipes to be position correctly without blocking the front view. You can find such tanks at places like Seaview or East Ocean. It'll cost more than your current tank though... but you've already spent so much on all the other equipment, no point skimping on the tank itself, might as well get a proper tank since thats what you'll be looking at everyday. 

Here is a link to the 60x45x45 braceless crystal glass tank example at East Ocean website: http://www.eastoceansg.com/ans-optic...er-p-1462.html

Once an aquarium is setup, all other equipment can be changed out easily, but if you decided to change the tank then, it will be a total overhaul of the setup. So its worth a consideration to do it right the first time round.

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## chesterchuen

Thanks bro UA. The lily pipes will actually be placed at the rear, not the front. The picture was actually showing the back view, my bad that i forgot to mention that. That said, i agree that there will be dead spots should i place the lily pipes that way.

Hmmm actually i dont feel like changing the tank hahaha. While the brace is unsightly, im lucky that the outlet lily pipe can actually fit over the brace. Just that it's a tight fit, but i can still fit it in such a way that the outlet is below the water line.

----------


## Urban Aquaria

Oic... in that case then it could work, see if the side placement fits, just have to be more careful when moving them. 

If not, then your current pipe positions at the back could suffice too, if not enough circulation at the back, then maybe can just install a wave maker to move around water there.

----------


## chesterchuen

Side placement do fit, tried before haha. Just that it's a little tight fit. Maybe i can try put some thin rubber tape to minimise glass to glass contact. 

Ah i see. Thanks! Shall see how it goes. 😁👍

----------


## chesterchuen

UA bro, as mentioned, the outlet lily pipe can fit over the brace, but it will be tilted slightly downwards as shown in the pic below.



If i have to make it upright, the lily pipe will be positioned slightly above the water line, unless the water line exceeds the level of the brace.



I'm waiting for my cabinet to arrive which will be 3-4 weeks from now. Afterwhich, i will test out which position will be better. Im only concerned with the first picture's position due to possibility of churning the substrate. But at 45cm tall, maybe it won't churn the substrate after all. In short, gotta test it out!

----------


## chesterchuen

Another option i'm looking at is the expensive BorneoWild P3J Stainless Steel outlet. I will measure again at GC and see if it fits.

----------


## Urban Aquaria

Yeah, seems like with that tank design, you'll to have to compromise and search for alternative equipment just to fit around it. I guess its sort of like having to construct a house around an oddly shaped foundation.  :Grin:

----------


## fireblade

it is not advisable to put the lily pipe the way you are thinking of putting as you will add stress to the lily pipe and let it got stuck on the tank when you want to remove it and this might break the lily pipe.

putting the lily pipe at the back will be a bit hard to remove if your tank is against the wall and something is blocking. remember to leave a bigger allowance at the back in case you got problem removing the lily pipe.

Actually your plan for getting a stainless steel inlet and outlet will be a good choice!

----------


## chesterchuen

> Yeah, seems like with that tank design, you'll to have to compromise and search for alternative equipment just to fit around it. I guess its sort of like having to construct a house around an oddly shaped foundation.


Hahaha that is indeed true. Somewhat like building the MBS, odd shaped buildings.




> it is not advisable to put the lily pipe the way you are thinking of putting as you will add stress to the lily pipe and let it got stuck on the tank when you want to remove it and this might break the lily pipe.
> 
> putting the lily pipe at the back will be a bit hard to remove if your tank is against the wall and something is blocking. remember to leave a bigger allowance at the back in case you got problem removing the lily pipe.
> 
> Actually your plan for getting a stainless steel inlet and outlet will be a good choice!


Yeah. Exactly my concerns! Having a high pressure point on a glass tool is a very bad idea. That said im checking out Borneowild's P3J Stainless Steel outlet later. Brought along my lily glass to compare and see if it could fit. 😁

----------


## chesterchuen

Ok i measured my glass lily pipe with BorneoWild's P3J at GC's shop and found that the P3J was wider by quite a bit. Decided to buy it and i'm really glad that it can fit as shown in the pic below. The height of the pipe will be adjusted accordingly when i fill the tank with water. Finally my outflow issue has been solved.

----------


## chesterchuen

I bought a huge 30L pail today to boil and soak the big drift wood. The huge pail will be used to change water for the 2 feet tank in future.



I also began measuring the dissolved solids using the new TDS Meter. So far the driftwood is averaging around 73ppm. Meanwhile i've done a mock setup of the tank + filter as shown below.



Below shows the glass inlet at the back while the foreground shows the BorneoWild Stainless Steel outflow.



Bought some Seachem stuffs too. Stupid photobucket refuse to rotate the photo.



Meanwhile, in my experimental tank, i'm feeding my Glowlight Tetras with the Amanos as the cleanup crew. The moment the food was introduced the Tetras went on a feeding frenzy first, then the Amano start to come out as an Army. Notice some of the left over on the substrate



Now a team of Amanos have cleaned up all the left over food. Pardon my poor conditioned plants. Was meant to be an experimental tank where i try and learn about plants.

----------


## mugenpower78

great writeup  :Well done:

----------


## jamesmj

Bro, full pic of your tank please. 

Let us admire. Dont be stingy.  :Grin:

----------


## AQMS

full front pic of the tank please..

----------


## chesterchuen

> great writeup


Thanks bro!




> Bro, full pic of your tank please.
> 
> Let us admire. Dont be stingy.





> full front pic of the tank please..


You guys mean my current setup ah? I thought it was a disaster that's why i didnt take full pic of my current tank haha. It was meant to be an experimental tank. So i have big and tall plants planted at the front, blocking some view of the tank. But since you guys requested, will take a shot next time. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, my cabinet has arrived! I'm very surprised as it took just 5 working days for them to build the cabinet. Then again it's a very simple cabinet so i guess that's why it was so quick.







I chose this colour as it's meant to match my current furniture theme and colours, as you can see below





Now with the big tank on top



And with inflow/outflow pipes and LED light on top



A closer look at the outflow pipe



Front view of the tank



Now with canister inside the cabinet, along with a nano tank to show where the Apple Snail tank will be in future. The upper right corner space is catered for the CO2 tank.



I also noticed that the black wiring of the Evo 24P is very distracting as you can see below



So i routed the wiring around the corners of the tank using suction cup holders. That way it looks neater!





Used level spirit tool to check that the cabinet and tank combination is flat and level.





Overall look of the tank with the LED switched on. Notice that the black wiring of the LED is no longer a distraction



Also purchase a 9L bag of ADA Amazonia Aqua Soil. However it appears to me that i need another bag of 9L? I do plan to use a bag of 3L powder type Amazonia too to cater for MC plants.



Initially i toyed with the idea of doing the same for the outflow pipe by using elbows and line the hose along the corners of the tank just like what i did with the black wiring. However i learnt from my own experience that elbows introduces air pockets and turbulences within the hose itself. Therefore i decided to leave the hoses as it is.

Also, my large driftwood and 1 small driftwood is still floating despite nearly 2 weeks of soaking. TDS measurement also showed a slow increment in reading during a 4 day soaking monitoring. It's not alot, just a slight increase. Next week i will begin to measure it's effect on GH and KH.

----------


## Urban Aquaria

Yeah, one 9L bag of ADA aquasoil is usually suitable for a standard 2ft tank with base area of 60cm x 30cm... but for your tank's larger 60cm x 45cm base area, you will need 50% more (or just get another 9L bag or two, will be useful if you need extra soil to create a taller slope to the back).

----------


## chesterchuen

> Yeah, one 9L bag of ADA aquasoil is usually suitable for a standard 2ft tank with base area of 60cm x 30cm... but for your tank's larger 60cm x 45cm base area, you will need 50% more (or just get another 9L bag or two, will be useful if you need extra soil to create a taller slope to the back).


Thanks bro UA! Will get another bag  :Smile:

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## jackychun

Great to see work in progress! That would be the most exciting part! 

Will you put any foam mat under the tank later? It will offer some support strength for the filled aquarium and slightly leveling it, if any. 

BTW, 3ft to 4ft tank would look nice in this location too. 



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## fireblade

Your house is very nice and neat... like show flat, minus the clothing on the chairs and door :P

Wow! nNce to see the cabinet arrived and equipment in place!
For this setup, I think you should consider to have your layout be viewable on 3 sides , maybe an island setup view.
Think you should a SS inlet also... the inlet looks like in a odd position...

I will recommend you to turn the cabinet 90 degrees to have the door facing front. and the holes facing wall. It will look nicer at the sofa side, since your tank is almost a cube, it will look almost the same, do you intend to add chiller? 
Maybe you can shift the cabinet out a bit for easy access in future while doing maintenance. 

I foresee you might need another light as your tank is so wide. but you should add it at a later stage if you find that the light is not bright enough.
having said that, if you don't mind old looking, East Ocean has 2 pieces of 2nd hand 1.5 feet green element LED going at I think $25 each you can drop by to have a look. maybe you can consider that but then u might need to remove your 2 feet light, maybe bring back to exchange for 2 packs of amazonia?



I forsee you will need 3 packs of amazonia to have the tank nicely and comfortably setup.

----------


## chesterchuen

> Great to see work in progress! That would be the most exciting part! 
> 
> Will you put any foam mat under the tank later? It will offer some support strength for the filled aquarium and slightly leveling it, if any. 
> 
> BTW, 3ft to 4ft tank would look nice in this location too. 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yup! Will be placing foam to give an even pressure on the glass. Haha i did think of that, but a 3 feet or 4 feet tank will come close to 200kg, which will exceed HDB's loading i think.





> Your house is very nice and neat... like show flat, minus the clothing on the chairs and door :P
> 
> Wow! nNce to see the cabinet arrived and equipment in place!
> For this setup, I think you should consider to have your layout be viewable on 3 sides , maybe an island setup view.
> Think you should a SS inlet also... the inlet looks like in a odd position...
> 
> I will recommend you to turn the cabinet 90 degrees to have the door facing front. and the holes facing wall. It will look nicer at the sofa side, since your tank is almost a cube, it will look almost the same, do you intend to add chiller? 
> Maybe you can shift the cabinet out a bit for easy access in future while doing maintenance. 
> 
> ...


Thanks! Maybe because new flat so it's neat looking now. 10 years on things might be alot different hahaha.

Hmmm i did think of the island view. If i go with island setup, the foregrounds on 3 sides will be sand without any plants growing. Near foreground to mid will be MC. Direct centre will be the tall plants. Hmm can try shifting tank. Lets see how. Will try out and post later. Currently no plans for chiller, but have reserved a space for a chiller in case i need one in future.

Haha won't be changing the 2 feet light. Possibly purchase another one if i really need 1. If i'm going along with the island arrangement, the foregrounds will be sand without any plants as mentioned. So the Evo 24P will be at the centre focusing on the plants in the middle. And adding light stand might help too.

Yeah going by the looks now, definitely need at least 2 packs. Maybe need 2 9L pack and 1 3L pack, since foreground dont need so much Aquasoil, will be occupied by sand instead.

----------


## chesterchuen

Meanwhile i've tested the GH and KH of the water with rocks currently under going soaking. Current GH and KH is 107.4ppm and 71.6ppm respectively. TDS reading is 94ppm. Last water change was done on 22 June 16 with a reading of 81ppm for TDS reading after a few hours of soaking. Any comments for the GH and KH?

----------


## chesterchuen

So i've shifted my tank as advised, as shown below.



Also bought a used 2L CO2 tank with 70% remaining. Comes with OF Regulator and bubble counter. Next to buy is CO2 hose and diffuser.

----------


## jackychun

That looks better now IMO. The CO2 set is also the same as mine. Last time I bought was an empty tank so I just exchange a new tank in NA. The exchange tank looked not so new as the set but that is fine by me. Hehe. OF solenoid valve also works well. 


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## chesterchuen

> That looks better now IMO. The CO2 set is also the same as mine. Last time I bought was an empty tank so I just exchange a new tank in NA. The exchange tank looked not so new as the set but that is fine by me. Hehe. OF solenoid valve also works well. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks bro. Yeah as long as it works, doesnt leak can already haha.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, bought more stuffs as shown below. Includes BorneoWild Tank Mat, ANS Cooling Fan 3000, gUSH Check Valve, gUSH Diffuser 10, BorneoWild air hose with suction cups. 4 1-2 Grow! plants were bought too. Not shown here is 1 9L Amazonia Soil that i bought today.



The 4 plants that i bought were: 

Eleocharis Acicularis as foreground. I find these neater than MC for an island setup.Rotala Bonsai for mid groundStaurogyne repens for mid groundHeteranthera zosterifolla for background 



I've also started my hardscape as shown below. Currently using 2 9L bags of Amazonia.



I might add 1 small river pebble at the bottom left to balance out the layout. Currently looked a little empty. Supposed to have smaller rocks but they were used to tie down the driftwood as they were floating.







------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have 2 questions to ask though:

 What other 1-2 Grow! plants can i plant that suits the layout? Especially the background. Is my hardscape looking fine? Soon i will draw out where i plan to plant the plants.

----------


## jackychun

Hi bro,

IMO, the front and around the island should be more shallow in depth of soil and slope higher to the 'top of the hill'. May be: 3-4cm at the front and can go up hill much higher. 

The big piece of driftwood can put at the focal point according to golden ratio, it might look nicer. Normally, if the wood can tweak to about 45degree, it would look more natural than pointing upwards. You try to tilt it a bit to see how it looks.

You can refer to this video from Hiep Hong when he made aquadcape for very good "island":

https://youtu.be/oGLxnYHIdkI

It is all about tweaking around to see what please your eyes. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## chesterchuen

Hi bro, thanks! Noted! Will try slope the hill even more. 😁 Currently cant slope too much because i havent buy those DIY plastic sheets to support the slope. The more i try to slope it the more soil comes drifting down. Will try again tomorrow!

Meanwhile maybe try tweak the driftwood a little. The rocks are fine? How about recommendation on plants?

----------


## jackychun

Other than the plastic sheet that I used in my tank, you can source for the corrugated plastic board in Popular for substrate support. That is stronger and quite similar to what James Findley have in his tank setup. 



Source: Google Image

Other than that, can use more rock to support the soil, too. Like what Hiep Hong did in his video I sent just now. 



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## jackychun

For the plants you chose, I really like them, especially Eleocharis acicularis 'Mini' carpet grass. It will grow naturally and you don't even need to trim it. 

Rotala Bonsai is very beautiful and Staurogyne repens is really beautiful fore or mid ground. I have never needed to trim S.repens, too. 

Heteranthera zosterifolia is very fast growing plants that is beneficial for beginning stage. It will absorb excessive nutrient and prevent algae. However, I recently removed it from my tank since my Amano Shrimps keep eating and damage it. 

You can try to arrangr rocks and stones vertically and also tilted to see how is the effect? Just try to play around with the hardscape, take photo and change until you satisfy with it. End of the day, it is really up to personal taste. 


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## fireblade

For island look,i think your wood is a bit too thick. . Maybe good for Base structure.. you might need some thinner wood. .maybe u should build up your rock base then add soil then place wood. .. after the rocks are in things will flow nicely ..

Are there plants all round or just sand all round? If sand all round, then what u do now is wrong

----------


## AQMS

you need more wood if you are going for the island,like another 2 or 3 more driftwood.

----------


## Ingen

Google island aquascape, some nice references: https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=i...afe4nCIYsYM%3A

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## Urban Aquaria

If you are going for an island layout, try moving the hardscape closer together so that you can create a more central focal point.

Note that if you are using tall stem plants in the island, most of the wood will eventually be covered by the dense crops of plants, so consider them more of an "accent" feature.  :Very Happy:

----------


## chesterchuen

> Other than the plastic sheet that I used in my tank, you can source for the corrugated plastic board in Popular for substrate support. That is stronger and quite similar to what James Findley have in his tank setup. 
> 
> 
> 
> Source: Google Image
> 
> Other than that, can use more rock to support the soil, too. Like what Hiep Hong did in his video I sent just now.
> 
> 
> ...






> For the plants you chose, I really like them, especially Eleocharis acicularis 'Mini' carpet grass. It will grow naturally and you don't even need to trim it.
> 
> Rotala Bonsai is very beautiful and Staurogyne repens is really beautiful fore or mid ground. I have never needed to trim S.repens, too.
> 
> Heteranthera zosterifolia is very fast growing plants that is beneficial for beginning stage. It will absorb excessive nutrient and prevent algae. However, I recently removed it from my tank since my Amano Shrimps keep eating and damage it. 
> 
> You can try to arrangr rocks and stones vertically and also tilted to see how is the effect? Just try to play around with the hardscape, take photo and change until you satisfy with it. End of the day, it is really up to personal taste. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks for the tips bro Jacky. Yeah! Been watching some of The Green Machine's videos and i find that it's very packed with valuable information. Ah i see. Glad that i made the choice with the plants. I quite like the outlook of the plants hence my choice hehe. Yeah i've completely changed the layout of the hardscape but stupid Photobucket is currently down for maintenance so i can't upload any photos yet  :Sad: 






> For island look,i think your wood is a bit too thick. . Maybe good for Base structure.. you might need some thinner wood. .maybe u should build up your rock base then add soil then place wood. .. after the rocks are in things will flow nicely ..
> 
> Are there plants all round or just sand all round? If sand all round, then what u do now is wrong


Yeah i felt the large driftwood on the left is a little too big, but after paying $30+ for it i just have to use it anyway, just have to blend it into the aquascape :P As mentioned above, i've changed the layout completely but can't upload photos yet. Will show you guys again once it's up!

Plants all round. I've ditched the sand idea as i felt that the spaces are a little too tight.





> you need more wood if you are going for the island,like another 2 or 3 more driftwood.


Noted, i've purchase 2 more driftwood. Currently soaking, will take out and display few days later.





> Google island aquascape, some nice references: https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=i...afe4nCIYsYM%3A


Thanks! Have seen some examples and using some as a guide.





> If you are going for an island layout, try moving the hardscape closer together so that you can create a more central focal point.
> 
> Note that if you are using tall stem plants in the island, most of the wood will eventually be covered by the dense crops of plants, so consider them more of an "accent" feature.


Noted bro UA. I've rearranged the hardscape more together now to achieve the focal point effect. Yeah i'm planning to use 1 or 2 tall plants hehe.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My apologies that i couldn't upload any photos as of now as Photobucket is currently down. I will upload once it's up!

----------


## chesterchuen

Alright as promised, here are the photos.

Initially i tried to push the substrate towards the middle. End result? It's a complete disaster, with the centre looking like Bukit Timah Hill.



So this morning i took out everything, rearrange the driftwood and rocks. Took out the odd shaped rock that you see earlier and used the rocks of the same type instead now.













Overall i like how it is now. The centre hole you see between the rocks and the driftwood, i plan to plant _Microsorum pteropus 'Trident'._ I like how it will grow up and over the rocks in some of the layouts i saw on Google. Any comments? And where can i purchase _Microsorum pteropus 'Trident'_? I've asked C328 and they dont have stock of it.

----------


## fireblade

The latest scape looks better

----------


## Ingen

I feel too much substrate to your front, too thick now. Either remove some of move to the back for some depth of field.

----------


## jackychun

Hi bro,

Yup, I am 2nd to Ingen, substrate at front part is a bit too thick, you can slope up or remove some soil and add in later, if necessary. Try to slop up so that can have better depth of field vision. 

For the scape, it looks better than the initial one since things are getting closer to each other and uniform in the rocks. However, IMO, you probably can shift the hill top to the left or to the right , so that the focal point will be at the better spot according to golden ratio guideline. 


(Photo source: Google Image)

BTW, it is a good idea to plants some ferns at the island. You can find Trident Fern and other kinds of ferns at SeaView. Remember to quarantine it before using since many snails could be found.  :Smile:

----------


## AQMS

Read this 

http://scapefu.com/aquascaping-project-ryuboku/

It will help you in your design.

----------


## chesterchuen

> I feel too much substrate to your front, too thick now. Either remove some of move to the back for some depth of field.


Noted on that. I also felt that it's a tad too thick at the front. Interestingly i had started planting and filling the tank when i saw your post. Nonetheless, i've taken out the plants, adjusted the substrate and replanted them.





> Hi bro,
> 
> Yup, I am 2nd to Ingen, substrate at front part is a bit too thick, you can slope up or remove some soil and add in later, if necessary. Try to slop up so that can have better depth of field vision.
> 
> For the scape, it looks better than the initial one since things are getting closer to each other and uniform in the rocks. However, IMO, you probably can shift the hill top to the left or to the right , so that the focal point will be at the better spot according to golden ratio guideline.
> 
> 
> (Photo source: Google Image)
> 
> BTW, it is a good idea to plants some ferns at the island. You can find Trident Fern and other kinds of ferns at SeaView. Remember to quarantine it before using since many snails could be found.



Yeah, as mentioned to Ingen, im in the midst of planting when i first saw his comment. Took out the plants, adjusted the substrate and replanted them. Haha i prefer my island to be centralised as seen in some island aquascape hence my choice of putting it in the centre. Btw if i'm not wrong i think the golden ratio is identical to photography's Rule of Thirds. However for this setup, i prefer my hardscape to converge towards the centre.  :Grin: 

Yup! I'm planting the Trident Fern in the island. Bought it from SeaView. I did a simple quarantine, didnt do it as extensive as bro UA haha. Hope it works.





> Read this
> 
> http://scapefu.com/aquascaping-project-ryuboku/
> 
> It will help you in your design.


Thanks!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adding onto the plants list are the following:

1) Didiplis diandra


2) Christmas moss


3) Taxiphyllum 'flame'


After misting the substrate, i started to slowly fill the tank with water. I did not use an plastic bag or plastic sheet to cover the substrate as i fill up. As such i have to use this EHEIM valve to reduce the flowrate to prevent stirring and washing away of the substrate. It worked pretty well.



This is after planting of all the plants and before i adjusted the substrate later on.





After filling up. At this point i notice there is a lack of depth as mentioned earlier by bro Jacky.









Hanging basket that stores all the SeaChem fertilizers. As i'm someone with very poor memory, i had to print out the listing so that i can keep track of when and how much fertilizer to put.



Although the canister itself is very quiet, to further reduce any noise, i placed a piece of rubber mat under the canister.



Did a water parameter test and the result is as follow:

pH: 6.4Ammonia: 4ppmNitrite: 0ppmNitrate: 0ppm 

It will take awhile before the bacteria colony starts to build and break down the Ammonia. Meanwhile performing a 1/3 water change daily for the first week.



Now, this is after adjusting of substrate and replanting. I have no choice but to adjust the substrate with the tank full of water, hence the cloudiness. Plants ofcourse had been placed elsewhere as i readjust the substrate. Now it looks slightly better.



This is looking at the tank horizontally. Notice that the slope is noticeable now.





Slight slope at the left of tank.



Really like how it looks now.  :Grin: 



Forgot to add on: Currently CO2 is at 2 bubble a second, CO2 checker is at green too.

----------


## jackychun

Congrats on your initial setup bro! That would be very interesting process! 

The latest scape looks cool with water fill in. You can boost up CO2 rate to even more in this period and add in fertilizers from Day 1 so that the plants can have a push to grown up better. 

I have noticed the Trident Ferns was planted on soil? If yes, it would be better to tight it to rock or driftwood instead. So that the rhizome will not be buried and roots can developed better. With rhizomes buried, it will be rotted and die soon. 

Cloudy water will be gone after few days. 


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----------


## chesterchuen

> Congrats on your initial setup bro! That would be very interesting process! 
> 
> The latest scape looks cool with water fill in. You can boost up CO2 rate to even more in this period and add in fertilizers from Day 1 so that the plants can have a push to grown up better. 
> 
> I have noticed the Trident Ferns was planted on soil? If yes, it would be better to tight it to rock or driftwood instead. So that the rhizome will not be buried and roots can developed better. With rhizomes buried, it will be rotted and die soon. 
> 
> Cloudy water will be gone after few days. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks bro!  :Grin: 

What rate should i be looking at ah? Oh nope, the Trident Fern is rooted onto a driftwood. I pushed the driftwood slightly into the substrate hence it looked as if its planted on soil. But after you mention that, i've taken out the driftwood and now it's resting on the top of substrate instead.

Yeah after some water change it should disappear completely.

----------


## jackychun

Well, you can increase even to 4bps for instance and also check the CO2 drop checker to see if it indicate yellow?  Since there is no fauna yet, you can adjust it time to time to see how it goes. You can also play around with fertilizer dosing regime and lighting period as well. For the first stage, 6hrs a day is good enough to let the plants get use to the environment and prevent algae outbreak. Cheers!


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## chesterchuen

> Well, you can increase even to 4bps for instance and also check the CO2 drop checker to see if it indicate yellow?  Since there is no fauna yet, you can adjust it time to time to see how it goes. You can also play around with fertilizer dosing regime and lighting period as well. For the first stage, 6hrs a day is good enough to let the plants get use to the environment and prevent algae outbreak. Cheers!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Ah i see. Can try haha. So far indicating green. Fertilizing dosing i follow as per manufacturer's recommendation currently and lighting i set at 6 hours from 12pm to 6pm. CO2 same, but is 11am to 5pm.

Just found out that some of my Rotala Bonsai had turned brown and presumely, died. There are a few still standing and growing. Wonder if it's my planting that caused it to die off. All the other plants are fine.

----------


## chesterchuen

As shown below, the plants have turned brown from bottom up. I have a gut feeling that i planted them too deep in an attempt to prevent them from floating up. The rest of the plants are fine.

----------


## jackychun

Looks like it is melted. You just cut off the melting parts and the healthy one normally will acclimate to the tank gradually. Don't worry much, Rotala Bonsai is quite easy grown plant, they will be better before you know it. 


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## chesterchuen

> Looks like it is melted. You just cut off the melting parts and the healthy one normally will acclimate to the tank gradually. Don't worry much, Rotala Bonsai is quite easy grown plant, they will be better before you know it. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I hope so!! Now everyday cant help looking at it.  :Grin:

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## jackychun

Haha. Ya, soon you will have an Empty Wall Syndrome. Cannot leave any space empty. Haha! 


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## chesterchuen

> Haha. Ya, soon you will have an Empty Wall Syndrome. Cannot leave any space empty. Haha! 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


That also mean Empty Wallet Syndrome. Hahaha.

----------


## chesterchuen

Now it is Day 5 of the tank's setup. Unfortunately most of my Rotala Bonsai had melted, but the rest of the plants are fine. The Staurogyne is growing pretty well too. Ammonia is still high at 4ppm, while Nitrite and Nitrate is at 0. I'm expecting some changes to Nitrite and Nitrate by the end of this week. Currently doing 1/3 water change daily. However what bugs me is the cause of Rotala's melting when other plants are fine.

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## chesterchuen

Suddenly i realise, the lack of lights could be the cause of the melting. I measure out to be only 0.48W per Litre (amount of water is 100L). Not sure if insufficient light could be the cause of the melting. I do feel that the front and back of tank is a little dark than the centre. I tried shifting the light back and forth and its quite obvious in the amount of light difference

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## Urban Aquaria

> Suddenly i realise, the lack of lights could be the cause of the melting. I measure out to be only 0.48W per Litre (amount of water is 100L). Not sure if insufficient light could be the cause of the melting. I do feel that the front and back of tank is a little dark than the centre. I tried shifting the light back and forth and its quite obvious in the amount of light difference


Yeah, while light is probably not the main issue of the particular rotala melting (otherwise your other plants would have also had the same melting problem)... the larger 60cm x 45cm base area of such tank dimensions often do require either a wider lightset or 2 sets of light to ensure coverage at the front and back. Looks like for your setup and layout, it'll be a good idea to install a 2nd light set.

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## chesterchuen

> Yeah, while light is probably not the main issue of the particular rotala melting (otherwise your other plants would have also had the same melting problem)... the larger 60cm x 45cm base area of such tank dimensions often do require either a wider lightset or 2 sets of light to ensure coverage at the front and back. Looks like for your setup and layout, it'll be a good idea to install a 2nd light set.


I think i have spoken a little too early. The Eleocharis acicularis are starting to melt as well. My Didiplis bottom leaves are melting too, except for the upper stems but plant still growing and surviving. Staurogyne and Heteranthera zosterifolia is the only one growing and surviving well, and so happen i found that these plants can survive in low lighting.

Nonetheless, i've purchased another set of Evo 24 as shown below. Hopefully things get better from here. I didn't try out the light stand because i did try lifting the light up to see how much light is dispersed. Light is more spread out but light penetration became lower due to taller height.

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## jackychun

Yes, Heteranthera zosterifolia and Staurogyne repens can grow well under low light. I hope with 2nd light set, the plants can thrive better in your tank. You might as well increase CO2 rate a bit to match the increase of light, too. 


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## AQMS

what is the temperature of the tank?

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## chesterchuen

> Yes, Heteranthera zosterifolia and Staurogyne repens can grow well under low light. I hope with 2nd light set, the plants can thrive better in your tank. You might as well increase CO2 rate a bit to match the increase of light, too. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I hope so! Hopefully things work now!




> what is the temperature of the tank?


Currently it is 28 Degrees. But everytime i perform a water change the temp rises to 28.5 degrees. I went to GC today and spoke to Roland. He told me that a daily water change might have shocked the plants hence the melting. I got a feeling that a combination of shock and lack of light caused the melting.

24 hours after the water change, the temperature hovers around 27.7 degrees(fan blowing, no chiller). Now that i've reached Day 7, i will reduce the water change to once every 3 days. Let's see how it goes.

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## Urban Aquaria

Also note that its normal for newly added plants to melt abit during the initial few days or week as they adapt to the new tank environment (some plants are more sensitive than others during the transition phase, some melt earlier, some later, also depends on the plant condition). So give the various plants some time to adapt and resume growth. In the meantime, keep up with ample Co2 injection to help improve their transition rate.

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## Realcaster

There are no reason for your plants to melt badly during transition, in my humble opinion . With the Evo, you can grow almost anything. Since your soil is new, water change everyday is not necessary at all since you have no live stocks. The ammonia is there for a reason, removing them is basically wasting the money on why you acquire the Ada soil in the first place.

in fact just do some water change once a week, add bacteria to cycle your tank.

Taking water reading for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate is more to observe and enjoy the tank cycling process. And of course to let you know when live stocks can be added.

by changing water, you are doing the reverse, you are slowing down the tank cycling process.

just my 2 cents worth.  :Smile: 

Yes, UA is right, turn up the CO2, 6-8bps would be good. Infact if your soil is new, you can get away without dosing Fert for the first 2-3 weeks. Too much excess Fert with little plant mass to take them up and with High lights, you will have algae outbreak soon.

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## AQMS

I second that , just do weekly water change will do.

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## chesterchuen

> Also note that its normal for newly added plants to melt abit during the initial few days or week as they adapt to the new tank environment (some plants are more sensitive than others during the transition phase, some melt earlier, some later, also depends on the plant condition). So give the various plants some time to adapt and resume growth. In the meantime, keep up with ample Co2 injection to help improve their transition rate.


Noted on that bro UA. Will continue to monitor them based on your direction.





> There are no reason for your plants to melt badly during transition, in my humble opinion . With the Evo, you can grow almost anything. Since your soil is new, water change everyday is not necessary at all since you have no live stocks. The ammonia is there for a reason, removing them is basically wasting the money on why you acquire the Ada soil in the first place.
> 
> in fact just do some water change once a week, add bacteria to cycle your tank.
> 
> Taking water reading for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate is more to observe and enjoy the tank cycling process. And of course to let you know when live stocks can be added.
> 
> by changing water, you are doing the reverse, you are slowing down the tank cycling process.
> 
> just my 2 cents worth.
> ...


Ah i see. Thanks! Think i've misread some of the information, hence my daily water change. Shall reduce down to just weekly instead until the tank is cycled fully. Alright, shall do away with dosing Fert for this coming week. Perhaps will start dosing again 2 weeks later and see how.





> I second that , just do weekly water change will do.


Yup. Will do just that!

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Meanwhile, some of my Staurogyne leaves have melted as shown below. However it's not too much of a concern because it's not the entire plant that had melted. Trimmed away those leaves that had melted, hopefully they will grow back healthy.





Ammonia readings have dropped down to 2ppm, while Nitrite reading is at 0.5ppm. Nitrates currently zero.

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## jackychun

The cycling process seems like OK.  :Smile:  

How is the flow circulation in your tank bro? Do you see the water movement around the tank? That is also important factor for plants growing, too...  :Smile:

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## chesterchuen

> The cycling process seems like OK.  
> 
> How is the flow circulation in your tank bro? Do you see the water movement around the tank? That is also important factor for plants growing, too...


Movement is very good. Plants at every corner waving at me hahaha. Moving on, i think i found out the reason of the Rotala Bonsai's melting. After my 2nd planting of the plant, i noticed yet again some melting of the plant. A closer look and i noticed that the plants are melting from the roots up, so that means something is wrong with the roots.

I took them out and realised they seems to be rotting from the root. This is because when i plant them, they were all bunched together as they were in the pot. The reason why they were bunching is because the roots were so badly tangled and twisted together that i'm afraid of pulling them apart and tearing the roots. So i planted them like that anyway. 

Then i realised, roots that have no aeration in the soil will eventually rot and die away. Correct me i'm wrong here. Somewhat it's like everyone being stuffed into the MRT with the aircon switched off. Below you can see on the left, where the plants were bunched together as their roots were tangled in a mess. You can see some darkened roots, which i believe were roots that are rotting. On the right are plants that i had slowly untangled and taken apart individually. 



Eventually i planted the plants individually as seen before.



Hopefully after this the plants will slowly grow back healthily.

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## chesterchuen

My Rotala Bonsai and Eleocharis is still melting badly while Heteranthera and Staurogyne is fine. However i read somwhere that it is because the plant is transitioning from being grown emersed into growing submerged. No wonder the bros here mentioned that it will happen during first few weeks after planting. For the Rotala Bonsai, from the image below you can see roots growing from the nodes of the stem, but anything below is dark and appears to be melting. So i trimmed the upper healthy portion that has the roots growing and replanted it into the soil. Let's see what will happen. Fingers crossed.

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## jackychun

That is fine to plant rotala bonsai from stalks without any roots. I always do that with mine. After trimming, I just remove few leaves at the bottom end (so that the roots can grow out from there), and plant it directly to the soil.


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## chesterchuen

Today is the 19th day of the setup. So far going fine except hair algae starting appearing almost everywhere, but in tiny quantities. I just use my siphon to suck them out. Meanwhile, pH values remained the same at 6.4, Ammonia had dropped to zero while Nitrites is very high at 5.0ppm, Nitrates at 40ppm. Water change carried out every 3 days for now. Next week reducing to just once per week. I've replanted some Bonsai, currently 4 stems growing well. Eleocharis slowly expanding too. Staurogyne some had melted, but leaves growing back. Heteranthera growing as per normal. I've changed the Trident Fern to a big one, now i can see them bubbling oxygen. Did saw some bubbles from Eleocharis too.

Unfortunately my com kicked the bucket recently, so wont be able to upload photos as of now.

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## Stanley Ng

I'm having same problem. The uncle told me don't stick them together. But not nice if separate them out. I did put roots fertilizer around them but suspect the fertilizer is lousy. Going to get solid fertilizer and let them grow like a jungle!lol

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## steinerss

> If only background turns into a real thing hahaha. I'm planning to clean the rocks and woods roughly 3 weeks before i set up. I won't be getting my filter and CO2 system anytime soon due to lack of funds, so currently bo bian research on other stuffs first haha



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## BFG

You should cut a portion of the roots off before planting as it would stimulate the plants to grow new roots and hence anchor the plants onto the substrate . Do this to all newly introduced plants . Also , a healthy roots should look fresh and white , I did not see that in the image you posted . What you can do now is to give the plants time to adapt and grow . Cut away dead stem and leaves but never remove the whole plant , who know , it will regrow back in a matter of time .

Do not add fertiliser in the 1st few days , not useful for the plants .

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## chesterchuen

Been very long since my last update. This year April i replanted most of my plants. Removed the Trident fern and Heteranthera. Added Downoi, Rotala 'Green', Alternanthera Reineckii and AR Mini, and Fissiden Moss. I also experimented with removing one light source (i had two Odyssea Evo 24).

Here are my experiences: 

I noticed some parts of the tank were dark when i removed one of the lights. Downoi and my hair grass growth became really slow and stunted. So recently i added back 1 light, meaning now i have two Odyssea Evo 24 lights.I was also advised by a LFS to try switching on my CO2 for 24 hours. Did it for close to 2 months, no issues and no deaths on my livestock.Dosing of ferts (SeaChem) as according to a schedule like this on a weekly basis:
 

After having 2 lights for a week, i have been battling algae issues as shown below:





Prior to adding 1 additional light, the Fissiden moss had been growing nicely and lush without any algae. My plants aren't melting and is pearling actually. But the algae is really freaking my out. Algae is also growing on the glass, which is why the tank looks yellowish.

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## EvolutionZ

Looks bad, whats the reason for 24 hours of co2? i dun see a need or any reason why it will stop algae. And why are you not dosing nitrate and phosphate? These 2 are park of the macros (NPK).

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## chesterchuen

I was told it would help maintain a stable pH value. I didnt know i had to dose Nitrates and Phosphates. I just measured my parameters, Phosphates at 0.1, Nitrates at 5. Seems like its not correct. I read that planted need to have Phosphates at 1, Nitrates at 10-20?

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## Zep

For planted with co2 and reasonable light you can aim for phosphates 1-3ppm and nitrates 10-20ppm.

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## torque6

If I recalled, Beamswork Evo is 3 watt LED. For a 2 feet tank, why do you need a 3 watt led? Why would you even need 2 of them? LFS told you to on 24 hour co2? You sure? Which LFS?

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