Beginnings to future (Pic Warning)

[Vis]

Hi all

Like many the newb I started of small.
Visited my sister one weekend and she had a little 1ft with guppies. Thought it was cool and now that I am working could actually afford a aquarium.

Went to the petstore and bought a 1.5ft with bright white pebles, heater, few bright coloured plastic plants ,a little castle and bubble filter.
Also got 8 neons and 3 angels, yes for a 1.5ft and all at the same time.

So being very chuffed with myself I setup the whole thing and stared at it fir ages. 3 Days later 2 angels were dead and 3 neons. Needless to say I started looking for help and got more than that. also got MTS :p

Had pics of my first setup but they are lost somewhere.
So here is what followed after that ............

[Vis]

This was the first tank that I had some real plants in.
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Bredding1.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/SmallLeft.jpg


http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Front-1.jpg

Taken apart to build a cabinet
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/S7301413.jpg

New interior.
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/NanowStand2.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/TreeUpdate.jpg

Then taken apart again.

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Fishflame009.jpg
And still growing.
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Flameforest2.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Flameforest.jpg

[Vis]

3 ft
Start of my 3ft tank
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/TankfullUp.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Tetraglow.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/MossTowerUp.jpg

Beginning of the moss wall
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/MossUpdate.jpg

Beginning of moss floor
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/MossFloor1.jpg


http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/TankFull.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Mosswall3.jpg

Middle polystyrene replaced
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/NewRock.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/MossWall.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/FlameMoss3.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Floor2.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Mossfloor.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/MossWall-1.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Taster.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/MossWallFloor.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Couch.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/RightFull.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Mossfield2-1.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/MossWall2-1.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/MossWall-2.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/FullTank-3.jpg

And tank was taken apart to become a terrarium of sorts.

[Vis]

Bought a 2ft from Dolphin
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/2FtJunkjar.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/2FtJunkjar2.jpg

Moved tank and put some betas in
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/2ftbetta.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/S7302015.jpg

A few changes and waiting for glosso to fill in. Tank was rescape for purpose more than looks.
Have some Stiphodon gobies in them and need pebbles with flow over them.

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/2FtBetta-1.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/2FtBetta2.jpg

[Vis]

My crazy Nano experiments

First try with hairgrass.Flop
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Klein1.jpg

Never got all the moss I wanted for the tank. Flop
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Firstrocks.jpg\
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/FullTank.jpg

Start of back filter idea
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/SumpBuild.jpg

Glosso and funny substrate idea. Flop
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/S7301929.jpg

Filter rebuild and cabinet
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/S7301958.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/S7301997.jpg

Was then sold to Whipme and Zoom
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/S7302069.jpg

[Vis]

Upgraded somewhat
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/S7301681.jpg

Some interior concepts
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/S7301685.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/S7301694.jpg

Water tetras action
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/S7302027.jpg

Some time later
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/Tetra2-1.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/TetraTank.jpg

The future...

If things go to plan the tank will change a little and be turned into a discus tank.

[Skaapietjie]

Hey , on that last photo , what grass/moss do you use?? (The one that grew on the drift wood) And how do you get it to grow like that? Nice tanks by the way =)

[Skaapietjie]

And in the sevent picture ( The one with the pile of white rocks) What are those plants that grow upright? they seem like they can grow pretty dense?

[Vis]

Hi Johan

Those are both flame moss.

[dragon8]

awesome....lol 56k beware...went to this thread first to be warned...was pleasantly surprised....

[shihr]

off topic and silly question.. i always see 56k and know that im going to be expecting lots of pics.. b ut what does 56k actually represent??

nice history vis! sorry that glosso experiment didn work out!

what did u eventually do with that glosso?

[Vis]

Hi shihr

The 56k was the old speed at which dialup internet worked. Before broad band took over and so slow you got older waiting for it to finish.

The glosso is now in the 2ft and some in a tub waiting for a place.

[Zoom]

Vis.... Nice history you have there.

If I interpret correctly, it looks like you haven't been in the hobby for long?? I recognize all those tanks and scapes. I still (personally) think your pinnacle fields was one of your nicest scapes... and the (flopped) one where you wanted all the different moss on the square looking rocks.

[Vis]

Thanks Zoom

About two years now, so not to long.

Yeah really wanted to complete that little moss rock one but never could get all the moss.
Only realized when I did this how many times I changed tanks, never really let one go for some time to mature.

[Linga]

some really nice evolutions that your tanks had gone through. must agree with Ashley, the 3 foot pinnacle fileds was a awesome setup. well we only expect greater and better tanks from here on

[Skaapietjie]

is flame moss easy to come by , and is it expensive? Is there any chance you guys have a link that shows you how to plant flame moss , or is it all just experience??

[Vis]

Skaapietjie, the mosses are some of the easiest plants you can grow and can look very awesome.
They just need a place to stick to and a little light.

All you do is tie them to a rock or piece of wood and it will grow. Most except Java need temps at 25C or lower. They do not do very well in high tempratures.

You will not find Flame moss in a petshop so do not even ask, the idiots might even tell you its blacklisted. There are a few people around growing it and it has become more availible.

[swordtail]

hi vis
got any flame moss to spare or sell..

[WaRn00b]

Great thread buddy!! I've got a nanoish tank I wanna experiment with now. Will have my main Malawi tank and my nano plant & tetra tank in my spare room/ study. :)

Very inspiring!!

[Gerrit]

Hi Gerhard, i must say you got a tallent. All the ideas look great keep it up!!!!

[Rens]

That's an awesome set-up. I like what you have done with the moss. I'm starting to miss the days of my little neons and friends. Glad to see you did not try the marine set-up...

[ryanj252]

Nice tanks Vis ! I love your creative use of moss. Keep up the good work.

[Vis]

Thanks all.

The challenge was using easy grow plants to create something nice. No or very little ferts with no CO2. The kind of thing everybody could do without trouble.

Small update on 2 of the tanks

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/S7302120.jpg


http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/GerhardDup/S7302127.jpg


Gerhard

[ryanj252]

I prefer sticking to that method aswell! There's always a way.

[mydummyname]

@Vis (http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/member.php?530-Vis) you know.. you have a real natural knack for landscaping.. ok maybe that should be water scaping lol, but you have real talent for it... you should market that..

sorry for bold lettering.. i can never turn it off once its on.

[Vez]

Vis, if i may, what type of lights are you using? still the CFL's? an if so, what type, as im using the Phillips Genie?

[Zoom]

Phillips Genie 6,500k is perfect for small tanks. The Phillips Tornado range is also just as good.

[Vez]

what is the diff then Zoom? as i want to add 2 CFL's to my 3ft?

[Zoom]

They actually the same.... Except that if you buy a genie and a tornado that are the same size, (in length and breadth) you will find the tornado has a higher wattage output.

[shihr]

Zoom, i also heard that the way the tornado's are designed, provides better lighting intensity to the tank as the "tubes" arent so close together as in normal CFL's

[Vis]

Phillips Genie 6,500k is perfect for small tanks


Its the ones I use. Have only got 2x14W in my 2ft. Even grow a little glosso in it. Slow because I do not use CO2 but it seems to come along just fine.

I quite like th CFL's, they will not get you what you need in a high tech setup but for my easy to grow setups they work just fine.


you know.. you have a real natural knack for landscaping..
Thanks that is really a compliment. Never really went way out in scaping trying to get something awe inspiring but just something that look nice to look at.

Originally started my aquarium expidition with the focus on fish. Moved to plants a little because they look nice and the fish wasnt that big challenge anynmore.

The focus will be back on the fish for the near future, will try and keep discus and see how it goes.

[Zoom]

Zoom, i also heard that the way the tornado's are designed, provides better lighting intensity to the tank as the "tubes" arent so close together as in normal CFL's

I've heard this too.

[mark d]

How did you make a moss wall?What materials and what moss?

[Vis]

How did you make a moss wall?What materials and what moss?


It is a plastic mesh you can buy here in S.A at most fabric shops. You get all kinds of colours and hole sizes.

I used Java moss but would rather recommend Spiky, taiwan or christmass moss.

[i8aNooB]

Amazing aquascaping there Vis, awesome :D.

So impressed

[ASHMAN]

Vis . your an inspiration!! great stuff and really do appreciate your scapes! they are natural and just stunning

[windfire]

great thread dude and great tanks, we going to have a cracker of a competition with your tank in.

[Vis]

Thanks guys! Just finished my comp tank but can't post pics so all will reveilled in time.There are some pretty skilled guys entered so hope it goes well.The 250L has also been rescaped but still need a few plants then I will post pics.

[Lizid]

Dude nice thread, just a question about yo moss...

Looks to me like mainly spiky and flame what else have you using you your tanks?

[Vis]

What I had at one stage, flame,spiky,taiwan,java,christmas,fissidens and erect moss.Only kept spiky,flame and fissidens. Now looking to get some other mini mosses.

[Lizid]

Hmmm erect now that's one I dont have, what sort of mini you looking for?...