Brian's(Old Scales)Rescape Journal "Yikes!"

[Old Scales]

WHY? Why does an aquarist with a beautifully growing planted tank want to tear it all down and start over?? Four words.....I hate red gravel! Also with now having high light, high tech w/CO2 I'm ready to take it to the next level with some advanced plants and aquascaping. (It's called crazy)
Here's a pic of the tank before the tear down.
Situation:
29g standard tank w/ Aquaticlife Quad T5HO. 3 Geiesman 6000k and 1 5000K bulbs.
Fluval 206 canister and Aquaclear 50 HOB. Coralife 9v UV on canister outflow.
Fluval 100w heater.
Black Petco gravel under red Flora Max substrate.
GLA pressurized CO2 system, 5# tank & 55mm Atomic diffusor.
Flora:
Water wisteria, Ludwigia inclinata, Ludwigia ovalis, Ammania bonsai, Ludwigia 'Cuba, and lots of Alternanthera reineki 'mini'.
Dosing PPS Pro and 20ml of Glut daily also.
Started tear down at 8 am today..

 

[Old Scales]

As of 10 am...

I put the fish in the 20g tub with heater and air stone running. See pic.
I swear I saw one of my Serpaes peeking over the edge giving me a dirty look for messing with his home.
Got filters off and put the Bio media trays in the tub with the fish to keep the BB alive.

 

[Old Scales]

As of 10:30....

Finished draining tank and now ready to scoop out old gravel. MAN! Amazing how much GUNK the gravel can hold in a year. Even with gravel vacking. All the old plants are in a bucket with old tank water. Tip... Put a plate over the plants in the bucket to sink down the leaves and keep them under water.
Also a pic of my able bodied assistant/supervisor. Her name's Daisy. lol

 

[misterc007]

Following, So what kind of Substrate are you switching too?

 

[Old Scales]

Hi mister007 how are you doing?
Well, I debated about 3 or 5 ways to go on the substrate. Thought seriously about doing dirt with Eco cap but chickened out. I've got fish holding in the tub and want to get them back in the tank ASAP. So I'm going the cleanest way I can. I'm using 1" of black Flora max as a base with 2" of Eco Complete Black Fine grade on top. I'm going to rinse the Flora Max once just to get the worst dirty out and I won't rinse the Eco at all. I'll let it settle a couple of hours after planting, first fill then change out again using half the old water in the fish tub. LOL At least that's my plan A. I just got the bare tank cleaned out and ready to start on the new gravel. Just finished cleaning the two filters good also. Taking a short break and let my back rest. OS.

 

[Old Scales]

Layout I desire

Hey folks, If you want to look, the layout I'm going to try and match fairly closely is on the Tropica.com website. Click on layouts. It is layout #75. My DW is not quite the same but pretty close. I had to order it online and it's hard to find just the perfect shape that way. Here's a picture of the DW on the counter arranged the best way I could figure. A neat idea is in the hollow spot in the center of the big piece I'm gonna put in some Eco and plant a couple of small Crypt parva plants.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Yay! The rescape thread! I feel like I did the opposite and went from black substrate to reddish brown... well more on the brownish. I guess you kinda get tired of seeing it a certain way and want to try whatever's different.

BTW, which GLA regulator to you buy? I've always thought highly of them... good choice my friend. And wow, you're going BML LED lighting, too?!?! Man, you're all high tech on us now! I like

 

[Old Scales]

Hey Brian! I was hoping you'd show up soon. It was the best GLA CO2 set up that still used the timer instead of pH controller. Hey I got lucky on the DW. Hardly any tannins came out and it sank immediately. I have some Susswasserstang moss to go onto the DW. One bunch at the top spire and the other more to the right somewhere. Only thing is I read later that it doesn't like Glut. Well, back to work. lol.

 

[Ian086]

I'll be of NO help but I'm subscribing anyway...lol

 

[DragonFish71]

"WHY? Why does an aquarist with a beautifully growing planted tank want to tear it all down and start over??"


Because we are never satisfied. No matter how many compliments we get, we always feel we can do better

 

[Billbug68]

Happy to see this finally happening! I will be following along with great anticipation. I've got high expectations for this setup, Brian. Just so you know... Haha

 

[Alan79]

Subscribing.

The old tank looked so nice that it's sad to see it pulled down. Shame you didn't try the dirt. I use a very cheap supermarket brand potting mix with small black gravel and my plants have thrived. I've been too cheap to try one of the more expensive substrates.

Nice driftwood and layout 75 looks good. Just a bit more driftwood and you could go for 76 or 77. I'm very partial to moss overhangs though. I'm excited to see what you do with your scape

 

[Billbug68]

Brian, I think if you try to stand up the DW on the V shape that is facing forward in the pic and have the longer branch facing up and towards the right, it would be a little closer to the inspiration layout. Not sure if it's possible, it's hard to really be sure from the picture, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

 

[Old Scales]

LOL SO true Dragon, so true!
Hey Ian! Welcome mo Cara. Hand me another Giunessilizer. I'm getting nervous.
Got the UV tore apart and cleaned. Also all the goofy ribbed Fluval hoses. Washing the Flora Max now. Now I'll start seeing the black color start to show in the tank. I'll post another pic when all the gravel is in. Thanks for the support my friends. Woo Hoo!

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Did you already order the glosso?

Edit: wait a minute... don't see glosso on the flora list. But I recall you mentioning it in my thread. :jConfused::

 

[misterc007]

This is going to be a good one can't wait to see how it turns out. I wouldn't have the guts to try and pull something like this off.

By the way where did you get the black flora max? I've been trying to find some for that rimless tank I'm doing and I can't find anything black anywhere. I have the brown/red in my other tank and I too wanted to do the black for a change.

 

[GreenLily]

Looking forward to see it all in place! You're pretty creative!

 

[Old Scales]

Black gravel Yea!

Just got the Flora Max washed and in. Nasty stuff. Since it's on bottom I didn't rinse but two times. Here's a pic of the BAD BOYS fixing to go in on top.
I got it online from Dr. Foster & Smith. They had a good deal on it then. $18.99 for a 20# bag.
Brian the plants going in are"
Ludwigia sp 'Cuba - 2 stems
Ammania Bonsai - 2 small groups
AR 'mini - one accent group in front of DW(about 5 plants)
Red Nausea - main center grouping(Messed up here) Will use R. Macranhdra after it fissels out.
Echinodorus Vesuvius - lone plant on right end
Glosso E. - all around as a carpet)front & sides
Crypt Parva - scattered here and there to break monotony of carpet
Susswaserstang & Fissedens fontannis moss on DW.

Gong to have a ton of AR mini left, L. Ovalis, L. Inclinata, Amm Bonsai, water wisteria.

 

[Old Scales]

Right Lily,
I'm an "arteeest" I can paint.....the walls, the ceiling, the barn. No natural talent in this boy. lol

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Cool... can't wait to hear your thoughts on the "fine grade" EC. Was it what you imagined? Fall short or exceed expectations?