# [Wet Thumb Forum]-new tanks



## plantella

Hy,

if somebody interested on my latest tank I set up. Here are the results:

A 160cm long showtank on a public fair in Germany:
fair tank 1 

also on the fair a bow front 130cm long tank:
fair tank 2 - at the Tropica booth

And a 2 weeks old tank in a German pet store, 130cm long with the bow front again:
bow front tank

I hope you enjoy them a little bit.

Best regards,
Oliver
My Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## plantella

Hy,

if somebody interested on my latest tank I set up. Here are the results:

A 160cm long showtank on a public fair in Germany:
fair tank 1 

also on the fair a bow front 130cm long tank:
fair tank 2 - at the Tropica booth

And a 2 weeks old tank in a German pet store, 130cm long with the bow front again:
bow front tank

I hope you enjoy them a little bit.

Best regards,
Oliver
My Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## imported_Xema

Always is a plasure to look your work.

Some day I will go to Germany to see your "aqua-creation" face to face.

Greetings from Spain








Feel the Chocolate Gourami power
Aquatika


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## Paul Higashikawa

Simply amazing to look at! The solid, 3-D background looks gorgeous! It doesn't look 'flat' and unreal at all. Very nicely done







I have yet to find one of those solid, 3-D natural-looking background here in US, but I got to see them when I was in Sweden. Please show more pictures here in the fure!

Paul


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## Izac

I love that green color! What lightning is that?

I'm new here.
Excuse my english.


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## tony

Hello Oliver, 
I love your pictures and your aquascapes but I do have one thorn in the matress. These aquariums you use with the curved front, to my eye don't seem to have any appeal visually or practically. As I have never seen an aquarium like this in the flesh could you please explain their shape. Why are they better than a straight front glass aquarium? Is it better visually?
Cheers 
Tony


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## imported_locus

I have to agree that the bow front makes for a curious appearance... I think I prefer a standard tank, as the distortion can be unsettling!

With the third tank, I find the composition to be a bit too symmetrical. The strong vertical form of the driftwood near the middle of the tank divides the design in half & draws your eye away from the plants.


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## plantella

Xema,

I love your starting picture on your website...I think I know how much work it was











> quote:
> 
> I have yet to find one of those solid, 3-D natural-looking background here in US, but I got to see them when I was in Sweden


Paul, in Sweden you see the same background who build in this tank. Back to Nature backgrounds produced in Sweden was the first quality artificial backgrounds on the market. Since 1994. In my opinion they are still the best, but not very cheap 
But they be worth:
Back to Nature - International



> quote:
> 
> I love that green color! What lightning is that?


Izac, on the first tank installed TRITON tubes. Produced in England I think.



> quote:
> 
> These aquariums you use with the curved front, to my eye don't seem to have any appeal visually or practically. As I have never seen an aquarium like this in the flesh could you please explain their shape. Why are they better than a straight front glass aquarium? Is it better visually?


Tony, I set up the tanks by order from my customers (here a German pet store group). They build this kind of tanks for show the people something new. When you stand in front of this tank the first impression is very strong. But it is very difficult to get a clear view trough the front glass. It is like you look trough a magnifying glass...or you have one beer too much.

I think a good show effect not more, but a many customers like them because they search for a special tank. There's no accounting for tastes.



> quote:
> 
> With the third tank, I find the composition to be a bit too symmetrical. The strong vertical form of the driftwood near the middle of the tank divides the design in half & draws your eye away from the plants


Iocus, I agree with you that this was a little bit to symmetrical, but the root I use was so long as the hole tank and I can't place them more left or right. So I must place them in the middle. But I hope in the next weeks the layout would be change a little bit because of the growing plants.

Greetings,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallerie


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## Tenor1

Guten Tag Oliver and thanks for sharing these pictures. I appreciated the unsual bowfront designs more than some of the others.

China is exporting all sorts of weird curved glass tanks now readily available in Los Angeles. The problem I see is light reflection and distortion from many viewing angles. This is not related to a poor quality glass but the light angles and the magnification tendency of bent glass. It certain makes picture taking a bit tricky.

What are the tank sizes shown (in gallons)? 

Regards,
Carlos

==============================
I try to keep the tank plain and simple but it never stays that way!


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## plantella

> quote:
> 
> What are the tank sizes shown (in gallons)?


Hy Carlos,

the tank size's with the bow front was about 130 gallons.

Last week Christel Kasselmann visit me on the Tropica fair booth. And we talk about the bow front glas. She means that is impossible to get real sharp tank picture from this kind of tanks. All my pictures I try from this tank's are not really sharp.

Greetings,
Oliver
Aquatic Picture Gallerie


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## Guest

Oliver,

Great tanks. How often do you visit any given tank ?. Are they in Local Pet Stores or various place of business as well ?

Your first Discus tank has _Hydrocotyle_ as foreground ? If so, how do you keep it to stay so low ?

How is Kasselman doing. Did you guys discussed 03' AGA Convention.

-------------
Regards,
Jay Luto


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## Dave L.

Hi Oliver
Beautiful work! I really like the composition in the discus tank; I covet your wood conection ! 

Not to go off topic, but I have two questions foor the group:


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## azet

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Jay Luto:
> Oliver,
> 
> Your first Discus tank has _Hydrocotyle_ as foreground ? If so, how do you keep it to stay so low ?


similar question as jay luto:
yes, it seems to be _hydrocotyle_, but which sort? mine is called _hydrocotyle dissecta_ and looks very similar, but i was never succesfull keeping this plant (i still have it but it is suffering), and also as jay luto mentioned it, ho do you keep it, that it forms such a nice carpet?


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## George Willms

Could it be that it is Hydrocotyle verticellata?

George

4 tanks: 5.5, 12, 29, and 45 gallons.

More complete tank specs in profile.


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## plantella

Jay,



> quote:
> 
> Great tanks. How often do you visit any given tank ?. Are they in Local Pet Stores or various place of business as well ?


The tanks who I take care at the moment are in 4 different pet stores (from the same company) within a radius of 100 kilometer (about 65 miles). All tank (about 26 pieces) I care for once a week, but some tanks even often.



> quote:
> 
> How is Kasselman doing. Did you guys discussed 03' AGA Convention.


She's well, I think. No sorry but she was very busy at this day, giving a lecture for the customers. Unfortunately we talk only 10 minutes about new plants and other things.

Jay, azet and George: 


> quote:
> 
> Your first Discus tank has Hydrocotyle as foreground ? If so, how do you keep it to stay so low ?


At first I must say that this tank was only a fair tank. Set up at Wednesday and take down (unfortunately) at Sunday. So this plant are not growing in this tank.
I use a special planted carpet with this Hydrocotyle from Tropcia. This carpet was evolve only for (trade) fair tanks. 
But I want to try this plant in one of my next tanks, because it is one of the lowest growing Hydrocotyle sorts. But I must make my own experience. The name of the plant is:
*Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides (maritima)*
you can see some more dates on the Tropica Website.

Best regards,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallerie


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## plantella

here a update picture of the bow front tank:

4th week after set up

Greeting,
Oliver
My Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## Guest

Oliver,

Quick suggestion regarding your topics.

Can you keep updating ONE topic on this forum. I'm sure everyone will keep reading it. There are so many topics on this forum with updates of your multiple tanks, its hard to catch up







.

Just a thought.

-------------
Regards,
Jay Luto


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## plantella

Hy Jay,

I think you be right. For me it is better too, when I have only one topic for updating in this forum.

In the future I use only this topic for giving information about new pics or tanks at my picture gallery.

Whats new ?:
A new bow front tank - again...again...again... 

close-up from a Cuba Ludwigia

Gretting,
Oliver
My Aquarium Picture Gallery

[This message was edited by plantella on Tue December 23 2003 at 09:40 AM.]


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## plantella

Hy !

Here are new picture from the 13ft tank.

From my first visit 3 weeks after set up. I still have problems to get a good picture from the total view. I need more experience with my camera. Especially the color of the pics looks a little bit peculiar. Perhaps the reason are the mixed lightning. 70Watts HQI behind and T5 in front ?

13ft tank

Greeting,

Oliver 
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## imported_Svennovitch

Absolutely breath taking !

How do you always get such nice growth, total algae free? What is your secret? Do you use a lot of CO2, special fertilization,...?? Please, tell us (me)!!


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## plantella

Hy Sven,

there are some algae in this tank...but I remove them before making pictures









But this kind of algae are normal for a tank who are 3 weeks old. There are a lot of Otocinclus affinis in this tank. Also for the first 4-6 weeks over 100 pieces Black Molly's a very good algae eater. The owner want catch them after this weeks.

Very intersting: The owner put in over 200 Amano Shrimps, but they are missing. He only see today "one" shrimp...lost in space...mystery

The PH in this tank is about 6.80 and the water is very soft. We need not much CO² to hold the PH low. As fertilizing he use the MasterGrow from Tropica as daily dosing.

In 3 weeks I visit the tank again.

Greetings,
Oliver 
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## Guest

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by plantella:
> There are a lot of Otocinclus affinis in this tank. Also for the first 4-6 weeks over 100 pieces Black Molly's a very good algae eater. The owner want catch them after this weeks.


Oliver,
This is actually a very good idea. I think I will use that approach in my next project.

-------------
Regards,
Jay Luto


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## Raul-7

Great aquascaping! Can you give us more detail on what's in the substrate?


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## plantella

> quote:
> 
> Can you give us more detail on what's in the substrate?


Raul,
In this tank I use a heating cable at the glas bottom, then it comes 2cm gravel on it. Now I spread "Dupla Root" bottom fertilizer from Dupla on this gravel (it is like "Duplarit"). Do you know them ? After this I fill up the gravel (high 8-10cm). So I have a sandwich









Greeting,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## MOR B.

oliver i noticed that u use T5 in your tanks. can u give more details on the lightning ?

live and let live


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## plantella

> quote:
> 
> oliver i noticed that u use T5 in your tanks. can u give more details on the lightning ?


MOR.B,
I realy like this kind of lightning. Because the most plants grow very well under this and the color fidelity is very good. Mostly I use differnt kind of tubes from 6.500 till 7.500 Kelvin. The best experience have with this tubes when they installed near the water surface. But you must pay attention when you have a close tank-cover. They heating the water very much. In some tank (above the cover) I installed a ventilator to hold the temperatur down.

Greeting,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## Raul-7

> quote:
> 
> In this tank I use a heating cable at the glas bottom, then it comes 2cm gravel on it. Now I spread "Dupla Root" bottom fertilizer from Dupla on this gravel (it is like "Duplarit"). Do you know them ?


The only fertilizers Dupla make for the substrate, that I know of, are the Duplarit G and K...Is it one of them? And does Kasselman believe in substrate heating, I don't know if you asked her..just curious?!







One more, would you place L.inclinata in the background?


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## plantella

> quote:
> 
> The only fertilizers Dupla make for the substrate, that I know of, are the Duplarit G and K...Is it one of them? And does Kasselman believe in substrate heating, I don't know if you asked her..just curious?! One more, would you place L.inclinata in the background?


Raul-7,
I think "Dupla Roots" is the same like Duplarit G, just a new name and a new package. I don't ask Christel Kasselman if she believe in substrate heating, but I think it is not to the disadvantage when you use it. It is also dependent on the sorts of plant you want to grow.

The owner of the tank want from me some groups of red (or brown)Cryptocorynes for this tank. As contrast. In the next few weeks I want to planted it between the big lava Stones.

Greeting,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## weeds

Those are amazing.


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## Ptahkeem

Those are wonderful aquascapes. I was wondering what kind of driftwood is being used in them? I especially like the wood that has really fine looking branches.


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## plantella

Hy ptahkeem,



> quote:
> 
> I was wondering what kind of driftwood is being used in them? I especially like the wood that has really fine looking branches.


This woods are from the east of Germany. There is a guy who owned a big plot of land. With an old moor (fen ? bog ? I don't know the right name). He select this old kinds of wood out of this moor and sell it. They are soak when you by them...but they are very expensive...but be worth.

The woods are roots from different kind of coniferous trees like the yew tree.
The roots are preserve cell tissue (cellular frame) from the trees who die 5000 - 7000 years ago. The moor preserve them so long time.

Best regards,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## MarcinB

Hmm, I always thought that coniferous species are not suitable for our purposes. What's your opinion Oliver?

150L (40G) planted tank
click here for photo
Rate my tank!


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## plantella

Hy MarcinB,

my experience with this kind of roots are very good. Perhaps the cause is that this roots are lie so long time under water, so that can be the reason that this roots don't release any bad substance in the aquarium water.

One thing: I love the picture from your tank so depth of focus.

Greeting,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## plantella

Hy,

here are some close up from the swimming plant Salvina natans:

close up
closer
and closer

Greeting,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## plantella

Hy,

here are pictures from a new tank I set up in Dezember 03, for testing a new bottom ground.

The size is about 4 feet long and the volume about 70 gallons.

You can see the little evolution of this tank about the last 8 weeks...but it is not finished..I think:

a new 70 gallon tank

Greetings,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## Alberto Villarroya

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by plantella:
> Hy,
> 
> here are pictures from a new tank I set up in Dezember 03, for testing a new bottom ground.
> 
> The size is about 4 feet long and the volume about 70 gallons.
> 
> You can see the little evolution of this tank about the last 8 weeks...but it is not finished..I think:
> 
> http://www.pbase.com/plantella/panorama
> 
> Greetings,
> Oliver
> http://www.plantella.com


http://www.plantella.com
[/QUOTE]

Nice one as always... , have you used Hemianthus callitrichoides in other tanks in order to form a foreground? does it spread through the surface well?

I'm looking forward to see the end look of this plant as foreground


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## plantella

> quote:
> 
> have you used Hemianthus callitrichoides in other tanks in order to form a foreground? does it spread through the surface well?


This Hemianthus is my favorite foreground plant at the moment. I use it in many tanks for example:
Example tank 1
Example tank 2

Greeting,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## Alberto Villarroya

Haven't realize before it was Hemianthus, I've never used Glosso and had always presume it was that









Does it tends to go up? you have to trim it frequently? one last question I know I ask too much







, once you set one of those tanks you normally go and add liquid fertilizers, or you wait a couple of weeks?

That plants is gorgeous.

Thanks


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## plantella

> quote:
> 
> Does it tends to go up?


No, in my experience. They form small hills but they are not so extremly high.



> quote:
> 
> you have to trim it frequently?


Normaly I trim only some yellow leaves or some who looks not so good.



> quote:
> 
> once you set one of those tanks you normally go and add liquid fertilizers, or you wait a couple of weeks?


I start with a daily fertilizing after about 2 weeks with a very low dosing. Then I rise the dosing in the next weeks.

Greeting to Madrid...incidentally I am a Bayern Munich soccer club fan








love to see Real in Germany again....

Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## Ptahkeem

Hey Plantella
would you be so kind as to state your water parameters and lighting parameters? I think your tanks are stunning.


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## Alberto Villarroya

Thanks Plantella, about soccer... I'm looking forward for that game, it's a classic, personally the most exciting games are always Madrid- Bayern and Madrid -Manchester, this year you are not performing well in the Bundesliga but in this games you never know, that's why I love them.


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## plantella

> quote:
> 
> would you be so kind as to state your water parameters and lighting parameters? I think your tanks are stunning.


Hy ptahkeem,

when you mean the new tank 70 gallon tank. Here I use 4 x 54Watt T5 tube daylight about 6.000 kelvin. The pH is about 6.80 and the carbonat hardness about 5-6. Daily fertilizing with TropicaMaster Grow. And weekly waterchange.



> quote:
> 
> about soccer...


Hy Metatron,
your are right this games are special games. But this year Munich isn't a hurdle for the "Kings of Madrid"...normaly... Wish to see a game in Madrid in future...live.

Greeting,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## Ptahkeem

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by plantella:
> Hy ptahkeem,
> 
> when you mean the new tank http://www.pbase.com/plantella/panorama tank. Here I use 4 x 54Watt T5 tube daylight about 6.000 kelvin. The pH is about 6.80 and the carbonat hardness about 5-6. Daily fertilizing with TropicaMaster Grow. And weekly waterchange.


Hey Plantella
really??? Thats all you fertilize with? Just TMG???


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## plantella

> quote:
> 
> really??? Thats all you fertilize with? Just TMG???


Sorry but I forget something. I using after the waterchange half dosis of the Hagen NPK fertilizer.

Greeting,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## Kurt Reinhart

Oliver-Awesome tanks. 
I looked at several of your tanks and noticed that you also use HQI (I think that is what you called them). I'm not familiar with these lights... Are these like Metal Halide lights? Can you describe them? Thanks & keep up the great work.


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## plantella

Hy Reinhart,



> quote:
> 
> I looked at several of your tanks and noticed that you also use HQI (I think that is what you called them). I'm not familiar with these lights... Are these like Metal Halide lights? Can you describe them?


Sorry that I use the "German" word for this light. You are right HQI are Metal Halide Lamps. I use it but I don't like the color fidelity of this lamps. The color of the plants looks not so good, like for example under T5 or normal fluorescent lamp.

Greeting,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## Matt.M

them tanks are really cool plantella i especially love tha tank with the discus in it and the bow front thanks for sharing









Matt.M

I LOVE BIOTOPE AQUARIUMS


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## plantella

New pictures are available from the 13feet long tank:

10th weeks after set up - left/middle side

and more here

Also pics from a new "African" tank:
Africa 

Best regards,
Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## Raul-7

Awesome tanks! The African tank is really natural, what are you going to house in it? And are Atman filters any good?


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## JamesHoftiezer

Oliver,
You are one of the most gifted aquascapers out there. It is a pleasure to see your albums. The number of tanks that you have set and maintain is amazing.

Thanks you for your time and effort to share them.

*James Hoftiezer
Hoftiezer.Net - Journals and Libraries
Rate My Tank!!

Tank Journal - Aquascape ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))
Tank Journal - Parts and Construction ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))*


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## plantella

Hy friends,

I am pleased when I can give you some insperation and ideas for set up new tanks. Thank's all for your praise.



> quote:
> 
> The African tank is really natural, what are you going to house in it? And are Atman filters any good


Hy Raul,
first congratulation for reaching the quarter final at the CL.








I don't know exactly what kind of fish's are planed for this tank. Different kind of rare African species I think.
And I don't have experience with this kind of filters. These are from JBL...but looks like Atman. Normaly I use only Eheim filter, mostly included heater.

This are the latest tanks I set up for a exhibition:
Tank 1
Tank 2

*For your information:* This was the last reply for the next 2 weeks. Tomorrow I go to a 14 day trip to Niigata / Japan, visiting Takashi Amano and his company. Hope to get new experience.









Best regards and "sayonara",

Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## Robert Hudson

I love the detail of the foreground in the bow, Oliver. I think it's one of your best!

Robert
King admin
www.aquabotanic.com


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## plantella

Hy,

last Sunday I came back from my 2 weeks stay at the ADA company from Takashi Amano in Japan.
A Very nice staff and a very very intersting chief.
Thanks to all for their big hospitality.

Make many new experience and get so much impression, not easy to descripe.

At the moment I'am to busy tell more about it, but I hope I find the time in the next few weeks.

Best regards,

Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## Robert Hudson

Oliver,

You have an incredible collection of pictures and tanks. I hope you are entering my contest!
Since we now have the new ability in this forum to post and create a personal gallery, do you think you can do that instead of just adding more links here? Can you figure out how to do it or do you need help?

I have also started a Gallery for large aquariums, can you add some of your pictures there please?


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## plantella

Hy Robert,

thank's very much for your praise and your offer.
When I have the time I would try to entering your contest, add more links and pics.
Greetings.

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

I have make a test tank for some rare plants I get from Tropica or buy in Japan.

It is not a nice layout tank only a survival tank for plants....I hope









When your are interesting take a look:
Rare Plants - Test tank

Best regards,

Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## imported_Xema

wow!!!

I never heared about some of this rare plants


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## plantella

Hy,

here are some impression's from my visit at the company from Takashi Amano in Japan at March 2004:

ADA Training Day's 2004

Best regards,

Oliver
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## Bert H

That's an unbelievable color to the R.indica you have there in the rare plant section! Is that a new variant of indica?


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## plantella

Hy Bert,



> quote:
> 
> Is that a new variant of indica?


I don't know exactly. I see this kind of Rotala indica in a retailer shop in Germany and buy some of them. They have buy them from a local aquatic plant wholesaler. I think this wholesaler import them from Asia. I wait how they look after 3-4 weeks growing.

Best regards,
Oliver 
Aquarium Picture Gallery


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## imported_bonklers

Hi plantella,

Your plants/tanks are really looking very healthy to me.

Do all of your tank have substrate fertilizer to get that "carpet" growing and to keep the plants in good condition? If so, are you only using Dupla Root and nothing else when it comes to substrate fertilizing? I've read in page 2 that you make a "sandwich" with the duplaroot in the middle, did you mix them with gravel (like in the book from "das Optimale aquarium") or did you just pour it bare?

How long do you expect the substrate fertilizer can last when you're heavily planting your tanks?

BTW I've heard from my LFS that Dupla has replaced duplarit with duplaroot. With duplarit you'll need like 250grams to get a 100L aquarium fetilized while with duplaroot you'll only need 100 grams. The price is still the same though







. So yeah they're the same, only the their new products are more concentrated.

ps. excuse my english


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## knocks

Hi Oliver









Nice thanks and good Job!

Greetings from Azores


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