# First time attempt 4x2x2



## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

Hi everyone,

This is my first attempt at an aquascape using large wood and plants.I have tried to keep it simple for myself so i can get used to keeping my plants healthy and water clear.Im fairly new to ferts etc so this is a learning curve for me. Please comment on what you like/dislike and ways i could improve on it. The tank is 3 weeks old. Sorry for photo quality im new to that too.

Thank you

Brad


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## h4n (Dec 23, 2005)

very nice, i would say a foreground plant? but you said you wanted it simple. Just my opinon it looks plain w/o foreground plant but it still looks great!


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

Nice tank design.

A few things: there's really not enough plant biomass here.
I'd use a light along the back only, 110w at most. 
I'd also suggest Excel or CO2. 

I'd pack the rear with more plants that will grow outward over into the center a little. 

I'm more concerned about the tank over time rather than the design, the design is good and nice, but I just think you will have some issues later with algae with the low plant biomass.

I'd add some narrow leaf java ferns, maybe sword plants, Crypts are always good.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

Hi guys and thank you,

Tom,
The tank has been running for 3 weeks now. Im using dupla pressurised co2 system and fertilising with red sea 24 daily. I am only lighting the back of the tank with an aquamedic ocean light 2x55w compacts giving me 110w.

All the plants in the rear on left and right are swords with the rear right plant being a solid ft high.I have also planted java fern in front of the swords on the left it is probably difficult to see from the pics there.

Heres the Java i have attached to wood.

Cheers

Brad


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## Rek (Jul 19, 2005)

very nice


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## JaySilverman (Jun 19, 2005)

I would get a whole bunch of anubias nana in there. Maybe all along the bottom of the driftwood. Also E.Tenellus would grow with that lighting as a foreground plant.


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## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

Thanks Jay

Would you suggest i cover the whole foreground with e-tennelus. Im scared to cover my beach now lol.

Brad


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## JaySilverman (Jun 19, 2005)

Personally I like the open beach look you got going on. I'm just saying if you're looking for a good foreground plant that seems to tolerate lower lighting you could go with it. You can also use the anubias nana as a foreground plant in a tank your size.


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## skylsdale (Jun 2, 2004)

I like the open sand...but I would extend some of the pebbles and gravel out a bit more (have a wider margin), making a broader transition rather than such a black/white switch between rocks and sand. It doesn't look natural at all.


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## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

Thanks again Jay and thanks Sky

I will take your thoughts into consideration. I can see having such a sudden stop between sand and pebbles is making it seem un natural. As i said this is a learning curve for me and im going to try and get better tank by tank. 

Thank you for your input so far

Brad


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## ekim (Jan 31, 2004)

nice tank and setup.
what brand or where did you get the sand/gravel, i really like.
I cant find it anywhere.

thank,
Mike


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## simonbrown403 (Sep 3, 2005)

Nice tanks, love the design, its only short of one thing IMO  some discus


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## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

Thanks Mike and Simon

Mike the sand is basic pool filter sand that i purchased from a local pool supplies store here in Melbourne,Australia. It cost only $10au(prob $5u.s lol) for a 25kg bag.

Im still deciding wether i bring the pebbles forward by adding extra.

Brad


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## shadow (Jan 21, 2005)

Nice tank i've seen it on the boronia forum as well. Hows the t5's going, would you consider them worth the money, as i've got my eye on them as well, but i'm using your experiment as the guinea pig (Hope you don't mind). Did you end up running with the normal lights(6500K), the corallife(10000K) or a mixture of both.
Shadow


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## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

Hi Shadow

I dont mind at all lol. I think the unit is fantastic, they look great and i wouldnt go past it if your after something that looks neat above your tank. All the plants i have here are low-medium light and seem to be responding very well under only the 1 unit.If i were growing high light or reds i would definately be using 2 units though.

Im using 2 6500k tubes rather than a mix. The tank is not as bright but felt it would be better for the plants using 2 x plant tubes so to speak.

Are they worth the money? They do seem expensive, but when you consider in australia a standard double aqua one fluro costs around $180 then $400 for a aqua-medic imported t5ho system that is very lightweight and looks trick to me is worth the money.

Brad


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## shadow (Jan 21, 2005)

Thanks for that brad, i was wondering more about the effect of the lights on your plants which you answered, if your happy with them then there worth it. i'm looking at buying two units for a 3x2x2 project i'm in the midst of doing, the thing that caught my eye about them was the good output, and I think they'd look great above an open topped tank.As for the cost they are a bit more but if you work it all out there not all that expensive.


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## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

I think another bonus is that replacement time from what ive read for t5ho is every 1-2 years as compared with 6-8 months for NO tubes. Im more than happy especially when you sit the unit next to a d.i.y system lol.

Brad


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## acbaldwin (Nov 3, 2005)

I think it is beautiful as far as the scaping goes, the lack of foreground plants is actually refreshing in my opinion. I would not alter the scape (but I'm a noob too). I agree with tom on the concerns about long term algae issues, though.


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## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

Hi and thanks,

Ive just started having some bba issues. Im getting aquamedic anti green today and starting a 4 day treatement. This is apparently a great treatement and will resolve any algea issues for now. Im not sure if the bba was introduced from the wood or the rocks i collected but i hope to have this under control in a few days. I will poist update pics this week.

Brad


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## JaySilverman (Jun 19, 2005)

the bba will just come back if you don't fix your co2 issues.


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## AQUAMX (Jan 24, 2005)

Hi Jay

what do you mean by co2 issues? 
Im wondering if i should just plant out the whole tank? What do you guys think?

Brad


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## redFishblueFish (Feb 12, 2006)

I think an open beach looks nice, but with the wood and pebbles "holding" all the plants back, it looks unnatural. You seldom find such clean cut lines in nature. I would suggest maybe having a ragged line of pebbles, or even better, a small plant in front of the wood (on the far left? - anubias barteri var nana? small clump of e. tenellus? not sure) Overall though, the tank looks really nice.


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