CodKing

I've been reading through many a heater post here and it would seem most agree Jager are top notch. I have been looking at the Fluval E series as it would blend in well to my background. Am I trying to split hairs choosing between these two brands?

I think you answered your own question

Ah Fry, comic genius.

Learnt that the hard way too :facepalm:

+1 :oops:

If you are in town this weekend I can give you some nice and dirty media to get you started. Drop me a PM if you're interested.

Thanks rcon Looks like I have some dust on my sensor :evil: Water still a bit cloudy too. The sand sinks quickly but kicks up a very fine dust despite all the cleaning I did.

Found a stone amongst my collection which matched the rocks almost perfectly, broke it up and added the bits to the scape. Picked up 2 tall and 1 small Amazons, and a nice little Marble queen from the good folks at Organism. Also remembered I had a tiny sword in a very over-grown dirt tank so that rehoused. Things are starting to look like I had envisioned! Photos not far away... P.S. Happy Feb 22 all you fellow Chchers!

Looks very cool indeed!

The Buller Gorge is my fav spot in the country :thup: Very jealous.

Thanks for the advice. I've moved those two already I'll put some updates up over the next couple of days. The substrate was really forgiving to move them around. What about Amazon swords? I know they get pretty big in the right environment but what if I plant them in tight clumps of 3 or 4, do you think that could help keep them bushy and compact? I'm happy to trim plants as much as I need to as well.

If the flow becomes an issue attach the spraybar, have it quite deep and point the holes straight up. Gives you great surface agitation and still gives you reasonable water movement at the bottom of the tank

Good suggestion bro. I'm using Valray liquid fert and trying to avoid CO2 as I only have a diffuser and at this stage it would be DIY. If I'm going to do it I want it to be nice and stable. I'm hoping to get a few more plants this weekend but they are going to be swords so not the best at taking from the water column yeah? I had a source of some floating plants but it fell through :-? The plan is to change out 60L every 3 days (a bit more than 30%) and keep the dosing reasonably high (1/2ml a day) until the tank is fully planted. Then I will very slowly reduce the water changes and dosing and observe the reaction. EDIT: Oh yeah, photo period is 6hrs a day

First things first, damn the shadow that stupid cross bar casts!! I think I'm going to have to remove it and put in a Perspex one :evil: Right side is going to be reasonably tightly packed with various swords and I will try and keep the one in the front as compact as I can. If it gets too big I will move it behind the two stones. (I have a feeling this will happen sooner rather than later) Something quite tall in the very corner, not too sure what to go with there... Suggestions? (South American only) Left side tall Star grass getting shorter towards the stone. Will have a couple of small clearings that will be quite hidden for the inhabitants. Will also squeeze in 2 or 3 small sword varieties, enough to balance the scape. Center rear, not 100% on this yet. I'm thinking of planting only as far as the two tufts of micro-sword on either side leaving a bare patch of sand. Centre font, That's where the smaller stones will go, only 3 or 4. Depending how the micro-sword does I'll have a go at a couple of patches amongst them. After I've put all that down, I'm looking at the right side and starting to not like it... I think the big guy needs to be the large feature in the back corner at the very least it needs to move to the right about 10cm. Hmmm... Help!

I know exactly what you mean! It lets it down a bit huh. I though I had some stones that would work, alas they are a slightly different colour! All good though, means another trip to a river! :nilly:

Whoa! amazing!

:thup:

In a few months that will fill out superbly. :spop: Good effort man. Yowzer: fast forward to 3:30

:nilly: :bounce: :nilly: Tried to start the 206 but no go. Looks like a bad seal :facepalm: More soon...

Time to scape!! (Please excuse the reflections) Super chuffed with this collection of rocks :happy2: The small rock to the right in the last shot is a deep green with rusty brown/maroon colour marbled through it. doesn't come out in these shots or when it's dry. I might make it a bit more of a feature yet. Substrate is Aquabasis so everything will be lifted up 3cm or so with a dark grey 1mm(ish) gravel. Should make the lighter areas on the rocks really pop.

Yowzer! :dead%fish

I'm thinking an Asian(ish) Boesemani tank is next so that'd be cool! :thup:

Cheers man. I think things will get a bit cluttered if I go putting more than what I've got planned at the mo. I want to get the plants in and let them fill out a bit then I might think about adding some 'roots' coming in from above the waterline.

Good work. You're a brave man to have that much water indoors

Ha ha, good call!! :slfg: