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Patience, young grasshoppers

Was it Ben that used to say that?

Accent plants are already in my mind, but mostly to be used inn the openings between the rocks in the individual rock groups, not on the "plain".

Good thinking there. It will give the scape a little bit more height.

The HC will at some point, rather sooner than later, require a replant as constant hair cuts are not really the best one can do. So I busy myself now with thinking up how I would approach this, like:

I would vote half and half as it probably wont kill you by doing the whole thing at once and it will also keep some plant mass in the tank.

I am guessing that this will need to take place soon as the HC looks like it's getting rather thick.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

lol i figured the rock groups would be the future homes for some plants... and i wast thinking maybe some anubias or some jave fern for said places.

good luck it the replant of the HC, that will be a booger.

and wings mr. miagi from the karate kid used patience young grasshopper(s).

when you say ben i assume you mean obi-wan kenobi from starwars...
unless there is a member named ben i haven't met that used to say that

\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

Wings ...I think you are right . brandeeno ..you need to read back in Ingos logs .

Ingo ... Has anyone heard from Ben.. I always enjoyed his entries in yours and Tetras logs


Garry

It has been a really long time since I have heard or seen anything from him or tetra.

As with anything time changes thing... Now we have some new members to pick on and the old ones do something else.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Thanks guys,

Here are some comments:

resle: I don't think a fish that requires mostly live or frozen food, that appreciates a ph above 7 (mine may be around 6.2, not tested though), and is timid is the right species for this tank. But it is a pretty one

Wings: I will talk to the guys in the club that have done it before. Obviously I will wait until after the next NJAGC meeting anyway. And the height of the HC is currently way over 2 inches meaning way too tall (full).
And yes, that's him, the Grand Master.

brandeeno: A Fern would be way too massive, leaf by leaf. The key is small leaved plants to keep the tank larger than life. As such, the only Anubias that would be an option would be petite, but it does not generate any height. As such, a no go.

Garry: You get an A+ for doing your homework

Wings again: Last time I "spoke" with Bensaf was about 6 months ago, and with tetratech maybe 6 weeks ago.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Really nice!

To trim the HC I would remove small patches a few weeks apart. You then replant stems in the small patch areas and they will start to regrow and then you start removing other small patches. This way you won't ruin the entire look. It will take a steady and patient hand, but if your midi-chlorians are as high as I think Skywalker, you shouldn't have a problem.

My Scapes

Speaking of tetra! He drops in. Maybe I will have to mention him in my thread... = )

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Ingo

Im liking the changes mate. Looking good. I know I have to wait on the inhabitants but im impatiant....

Shane

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

Weekly Tank Updates - Weeks 89 and 90

Thank you so much for your input, in particular tetratech's participation is appreciated

Removing small patches of HC and then waiting a few weeks before doing the next one is probably not going to work. If I were to divide the tank into 8 segments (and they would be rather large patches) and wait 3 weeks between removals, I would spent about half a year on one go-around. Yet, within 3 months, the tank is out of control easily.

Anyway, last weekend did not see any changes at all, just your standard EI maintenance and letting the grass (figuratively speaking) grow.

Here is the tank last week:

Attached Image:

Week 89

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

And this weekend has seem some trimming again, the last one I can afford before the replanting has to start. I probably should have replanted already but I don't want to ruin the scape before the next NJAGC meeting in two weeks.

I also added some, hm, goodies to the tank, I am just not yet settled on the location.

Here is the tank this week:

Attached Image:

Week 90

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Placing then new diffuser is a hassle as I try to get all dispersion from the flow in the water only, not needing the power head anymore. I currently don't see a good spot for it anywhere, but I will find something

Here is a shot showing the "utilities" side of the tank, giving you a better idea of what I am talking about. New are the Cal Aqua intake and the Pollen Glass diffuser.

That's it for now,

Have fun,

Ingo

Attached Image:

Goodies

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Ingo ...seems such a shame to uproot the plant when you have got it looking so fantastic . Is there no other way ????


Garry

Ingo I do love this tank.

Its got style but it seems bare to me.... I love your scapes mate, you always seem to impress. Keep it up. Im not understanding what you are talking about with the diffuser tho



Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

Oh, I had forgotten. Exact words Ingo. When I meant small sections you took my words very literally. I meant you can pull out small sections and replant, small sections replant. I mean sure some of the areas might get too tall but at least when you pull them out your not at ground zero, since the other sections would have started to grow already and your closer to having a lawn again. BTW I still can't get over people's obssession with flow and powerheads. I think it's BS. I have a 3 foot tank with a little Eheim 2213 I can clearly see the bubbles from my diffusor that are positioned right under my lily pipe making it all the way to the other side before surfacing. I can also see the hairgrass swaying in the current. Why would I need more flow than that.

My Scapes

Looking great Ingo

I'm with Garry - is there no other way, other than to replant the HC. I know trimming in the tank is messy & you have to net it out, but if that way is doable, a lazy bones like me would prefer it.

So, other than the mess, is there a problem with trimming in the tank?

I ask because I'll be using HC in my new tank. You might remember I have it growing in the waterless tank atm.

Cheers
TW

Weekly Tank Updates - Weeks 91 and 92

Gang, not much time here, so just to answer the questions quickly:

Garry - Nah, over time there is no other way
Shane - The diffuser needs to be in a place where the water can swush the CO2 bubbles around the tank, and not where it lets it get to the surface right away, and as such wasted
Tetratech - Nah, when placing it under the pipe outlet it sits in the tank, like in the picture below. I will continue to play with it. HC replanting will start within a week or two
Robyn - HC needs to be replanted from time to time, no other way. And it sure makes a huge mess, keep the filters turned off even during trimming so as much as possible floats right up rather than gunk up all the other plants.

Here is the tank last weekend

Attached Image:

Week 91

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

And no changes have been made for this weekend either, just some cleaning to have it shiny for yesterday's NJAGC meeting at my place.

That's it for now,

Have fun,

Ingo

Attached Image:

Week 92

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Weekly Tank Update - Week 93

Well, this week saw the beginning of the replant of the HC. I took out maybe somewhere between a fourth to a fifth of the overall plant mass, cleaned the tank, replanted the tops, and did another water change. 3 HOURS LATER, I was done. That is painful

Here is the normal shot of the tank after all was done:

Attached Image:

Week 93

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

And here is an angled look to show the changed section a little better. BTW, the rocks that you see in the newly planted section have not been there before, and neither was the edge to the sand river that dominant. I am using this chance to play a little with the hardscape as well.

Have fun,

Ingo

Attached Image:

Angled

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I like the more defined edged between sand & island now. IMO looks a lot better. Thanks for the HC information. Seems now it may not be plant for me, after all. I have a whole heap of it cultivating in my waterless tank, ready for the 7ft tank, but I thought I had picked a low growing, easy maintenance plant. I will use it first up anyway, but when time comes for replanting, I may not have the energy for a replant.

Cheers
TW

I am really quite amazed with the growth you have with your HC. Really thick stuff!

I like the new rocks added in on the replant though I think you will have to keep at the trimming to keep them visible.

Overall you have done a really great job with this tank. It has been a ton of fun to watch.

Do you have any plans to add other plants around the rocks? Maybe some downi?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Thanks for the comments, Robyn and Wings!

Yeah, all plants need trimming, no matter how slow they grow Except the ones that die of course, LOL.

No manifested plans for a second plant species yet, Wings.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I think the new rocks add more interest. I have to say this is your best yet. Many times less is more....

And kudos for the replant. Whenever I've replanted HC I've always done it pretty much stem by stem, it's difficult to replant larger groups, but it looks like you've done it and the tank doesn't look recently redone.



My Scapes

Yeah, all plants need trimming, no matter how slow they grow

Thanks Ingo, it's not the trimming I object to, it's the fiddly replanting of a plant such as HC. It just doesn't sound like something I have time for, or want to have time for. I will probably use it first up (as I have it anyway) but will decide whether to ditch it when the time comes for replanting.

Have to admit, it looks great in your setup. Congratulations on the patience & perseverance to have replanted it all.

Cheers
TW

Ingo ... You amaze me with your patience ...and I agree with Tetra ...It dosen't look replanted . Well done .

I like the new rocks in the body of the plants ...but I must disagree with the others on the river border ...I always though that the no border look was one of the special things about this scape ...and you have reinforced that view for me .

Still a stunning scape of course ... and it might just benefit from one other plant behind some of the rocks .

Garry