My most recent endeavor (lots of pics)

[ChloroPhil]

Hey,
Here it is folks, my masters dissertation on Biotope Aquascaping...

Ok, it's actually a bunch of pics of an Amazon tank I just finished at the local science museum. Sorry, no discus, I don't trust them that much...the angels are enough. :(

The tank is acutually much brighter than the pictures would indicate 2 MH pendants over a 6' tank. But, due to the spectrum and ambient lighting I had to mess with the exposure to get a decent pic. I actually like the darker tones more than the actual view.

Fish: 8 Pterophyllum scalare "Marble" and "Gold" Angels, 15 Spotted Raphael catfish.

Substrate: Eco-Grow (first time using it...not sure how it'll work. I personally think it's a bunch of hogwash, but we'll see how the test of time goes.) Various grains of Estes gravel

Plants: About 30 Echinodorus bleheri of various sizes.

NOTE: I'm a professional, do NOT attempt this at home. (I've always wanted to say that) Seriously though, this isn't something one would/should do under normal hobbiest circumstances. These plants are going to quickly _dominate_ this 72"x24"x30" tank. Jean-Michelle Cousteau premiered a movie at the museum and we had to shove this thing full of plants to make it look good for the reception. I hope to replace a large number of the smaller swords with E. bolivianus in the near future.

[ChloroPhil]

another

[ChloroPhil]

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[ChloroPhil]

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[Ralph]

Is that an actual tree coming out of the top of that tank?
Wow, Phil, that must be fun setting up tanks with someone else's money, or does it just become a job after awhile?
I love the lighting effect in that first picture, was it intentional? I've been kicking around ideas how to get an underwater lighting effect that would look more like underwater does in streams. I was thinking more in terms of the rippling that you see in swimming pools. I thought that it would give a better understanding of discus markings (striations) and how they tie in to camouflage. But that photo with the rays of light looks very believable. It's those extras that take even a well designed tank into another state of reality.
Keep us updated if you can.

[Ralph]

I've got another question already.
I was looking at larger single pieces of driftwood, though not as big as that tree, for my tank. Do you have to do anything to prevent overstressing the tank at one or two points? In other words, what is the weight of the stump resting on?

[ChloroPhil]

Ralph,

Yes, it's a whole stump minus just enough root to get it in the tank. The stump is about 4' across to give an idea of size.

The lighting is intentionally "sunny" with the halide pendant but the ripple effect comes from an Emperor filter we're using in the interim to have some sort of cycled material in the filter. It sure is fun using other people's money! The best part is I can practice things on other people's tanks and apply it to my own.

The tank has an eight inch 1/2 inch glass crossbar in the middle which we used to help hold the stump down. It's also tied to two pieces of slate to prevent it from tipping up on one end. However, even if it did start to float the thing's so large there's no way it's going to get even close to coming up above the substrate. The tank itself is sitting on a concrete slab, and I was able to lift the stump on my own pretty easily so weight isn't concern.

With the way tanks are built these days there's no real need to be concerned about stress points when using wood. You could stand on the glass of a large tank and it would support you no problem. The dangers come when using sharp rock and small grain gravels. If you get a heavy rock with a point resting on the glass it may crack over time. The same applies for a large rock with a grain of sand or small gravel underneath, all the pressure on one small point can cause the glass to break.

That's why you should always put your rocks down first and never let a rock larger than your fist sit on gravel. A thin sheet of plexiglass put down between the glass and gravel will help prevent problems. I always do that with African Cichlid tanks. It saves on scratches too...:)

[ronrca]

O my Phil! That is beautiful! Good job! ;)

Btw, do you need a partner, sidekick, minion, hunchman, grunt, gopher or helper? I think I need a change in career! I would love to setup or help setup tanks using other people's money! LOL!

[ChloroPhil]

Ronrca,

Right now I'm the grunt but given enough clients I'll be hiring an assistant. How would you feel about doing handling/order fullfillment for a budding plant distributor as well as aquarium design? Would you be willing to move to Charlotte? :)

[chirohorn]

Awesome looking tank! Good advice about putting down the plexi over the glass too...I never thought of that.

[ronrca]

Anytime Phil! Id be happy just watching you work! LOL!
Or cleaning up! Or washing windows on the tanks! Whatever! Relocating? Anywhere, preferably somewhere warm!

But just wait! I will have to ask my boss (my wife)! :'(

[Ekar_Ogrit]

beautiful 8)

[dm]

Very nice tank. It is especially interesting to me because I am in the process of getting a large Angel tank going myself. When I put the wood in the tank, it was so big that the tannins almost turned the water solid brown. It is going to take a while to clear up all the way. I hope mine ends up looking half as nice as yours does. Great job!

[amirnezhad]

WOW! :shocked:

This is very intresting :) Good job

[Simon2000]

Wow :o must have taken you ages. Very impressive set up though ;)

[ChloroPhil]

Dale,

This one turned pretty brown overnight too. I don't consider that to be a bad thing though, it's very accurate for the habitat. This was more of a clearwater setup rather than blackwater, but some leeching is still acceptable as long as it doesn't get to be too much.

Et al,

Thank you for your kind comments..:)

[Ardan]

Nice work!

I usually don't have time to read much in this section, but today I have been looking through this post and many of your previous ones, and found many interesting and beautiful setups of yours.

Also , thanks for all the info!!!

Someday when I have more time....and money ;D, I would like to play around with the planted tanks. For now I have enjoyed looking at yours and learning.

Thanks

[Jason60625]

Hey, Phil, for what kind of museum was this exhibit? I'm curious: why did you choose the marbles and gold for what seems to be an attempt at a natural bioscape? Why not silver scalare or altums? Was the exhibit meant to show what people can do with genetics these days?

Your setup is pretty inspiring. I can't imagine unhappy fish in a tank with so many hiding places and shadows. I wonder if a pair of angels could even raise a batch of babies to dime size in a tank like that--there seems to be plenty of space.

-Jay

[ChloroPhil]

Jason,

The fish weren't my choice. The lady who owns the company has a bijillion of those marble angels and wanted to use them. I was pretty irked that they weren't wild-type, but that's her choice. I just do the designs and she stocks them.