I found this very interesting
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323353204578129260597491712.html
Good find, Josh....he's one of a kind. great article too
Thanks a good read in deed.
That is a good article. Thanks Josh.
That is a good find.
While I certainly enjoy Mr. Amano's work, I've even got some of his books, what he creates is an artificial environment that requires hi-tech equipment to sustain. If you want to 'Create nature', as the article states, you need to read Dianne Walstad, http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/rr00388.htm (http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/rr00388.htm).
Dennis
Quote from: BallAquatics on December 11, 2012, 07:44:13 PM
While I certainly enjoy Mr. Amano's work, I've even got some of his books, what he creates is an artificial environment that requires hi-tech equipment to sustain. If you want to 'Create nature', as the article states, you need to read Dianne Walstad, http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/rr00388.htm (http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/rr00388.htm).
Dennis
They both have their niche....Mr Amano seems to be the better photographer, while M's Walstad has the edge on natural bio setups...
Quote from: BallAquatics on December 11, 2012, 07:44:13 PM
While I certainly enjoy Mr. Amano's work, I've even got some of his books, what he creates is an artificial environment that requires hi-tech equipment to sustain. If you want to 'Create nature', as the article states, you need to read Dianne Walstad, http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/rr00388.htm (http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/rr00388.htm).
Dennis
I have read this before. Do you have any set up like this? So tempting to try.
Quote from: Jo on December 12, 2012, 10:38:23 AM
Quote from: BallAquatics on December 11, 2012, 07:44:13 PM
While I certainly enjoy Mr. Amano's work, I've even got some of his books, what he creates is an artificial environment that requires hi-tech equipment to sustain. If you want to 'Create nature', as the article states, you need to read Dianne Walstad, http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/rr00388.htm (http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/rr00388.htm).
Dennis
I have read this before. Do you have any set up like this? So tempting to try.
Da book.............ahem.....free download...
http://www.2shared.com/document/JqjJjxaY/Ecology_of_the_Planted_Aquariu.html
Quote from: Jo on December 12, 2012, 10:38:23 AM
I have read this before. Do you have any set up like this? So tempting to try.
Not currently. When I have a spare tank, which here lately hasn't been happening often, I like to dabble with low-tech planted set-ups.
I have plants in almost all my tanks, but they are not what I call planted tanks. The plants are all purposely easy to remove. In pots, attached to wood / rocks, or just free floating. You can easily experiment with some of Dianne's methods using pots with soil or potting mixture without committing to a complete set-up.
To me, much of the beauty of Dianne's work is in the simplicity of it all. Mr. Amano on the other hand has a company devoted to selling you the things you'll need to recreate his unnatural set-ups.
Dennis
Thanks Jon, got it saved to my removable disk. I want to try this on very small scale!
Quote from: BallAquatics on December 12, 2012, 10:56:54 AM
Quote from: Jo on December 12, 2012, 10:38:23 AM
I have read this before. Do you have any set up like this? So tempting to try.
Not currently. When I have a spare tank, which here lately hasn't been happening often, I like to dabble with low-tech planted set-ups.
I have plants in almost all my tanks, but they are not what I call planted tanks. The plants are all purposely easy to remove. In pots, attached to wood / rocks, or just free floating. You can easily experiment with some of Dianne's methods using pots with soil or potting mixture without committing to a complete set-up.
To me, much of the beauty of Dianne's work is in the simplicity of it all. Mr. Amano on the other hand has a company devoted to selling you the things you'll need to recreate his unnatural set-ups.
Dennis
That is what I want too, low tech. I watched a video once not sure if it was her or just someone doing what she instructs. It was a acryllic octagon small tank. They just put a betta in it. As it progressed it was really nice.
Quote from: Jo on December 12, 2012, 02:25:33 PM
That is what I want too, low tech.
I think I have the most fun playing around with small tanks, I'm partial to the glass 5.5 gallon rectangle shaped tanks. For next to nothing you can pick-up a 5.5 gallon tank and get started playing with all kinds of substrate. You can use a halogen desk lamp or make your own single bulb CFL fixture on the cheap too!
If you want to try some harder to grow plants, it's easy enough to DIY a simple CO2 system for a small tank. A 1 liter bottle a bit of yeast and some sugar, a short piece of silicon air line and a fine bubble air stone or CO2 diffuser and away we go!!!!!
And if it all goes south... it takes about 10 minutes to clean out a 5 gallon tank and start a new project. Go for it Jo! You'll have a ball.
Dennis
We have some plants in every tank...little of this and that..mostly Amazon Swords, Anubias(various varieties/sizes) Water Sprite, Java fern, guppy grass, duckweed,etc...I set up a 10 gal BN fry tank and threw in a small Water Spite shoot....it grew like crazy( Frenzy fertilizer???)..anyway, I have since moved three full grown plants out of there, each time adding another Water Sprite shoot.....I don't know what it is about that tank...the algae that I let go, or what..but I'm not arguing with success....LOL
Look at this tank I found on TN & KY forum. This is some super duper aquascaping.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_MSGnyGjDqc/UMosRVHYsiI/AAAAAAAAObo/SFpI59Ow_No/s640/LeftOblique.jpg)
Nice!!!...Manny and Cecil would be right into that set up....LOL...
Hey this guy has cats too. One of the photos shows a little pot of the cat grass or pet grass. It really is an amazing set up. There is a whole thread from where they bought a new home and he took it down from rental house and moved to new house and started over. I constantly sat with my mouth open and drooling looking at pics!
Quote from: BallAquatics on December 12, 2012, 04:32:36 PM
Quote from: Jo on December 12, 2012, 02:25:33 PM
That is what I want too, low tech.
I think I have the most fun playing around with small tanks, I'm partial to the glass 5.5 gallon rectangle shaped tanks. For next to nothing you can pick-up a 5.5 gallon tank and get started playing with all kinds of substrate. You can use a halogen desk lamp or make your own single bulb CFL fixture on the cheap too!
If you want to try some harder to grow plants, it's easy enough to DIY a simple CO2 system for a small tank. A 1 liter bottle a bit of yeast and some sugar, a short piece of silicon air line and a fine bubble air stone or CO2 diffuser and away we go!!!!!
and if it all goes south... it takes about 10 minutes to clean out a 5 gallon tank and start a new project. Go for it Jo! You'll have a ball.
Dennis
Dennis I totally missed this post in my excitement over big tank. You are so right though I never really thought of it like that. I am kinda doing that in a little way with a 10 gallon. I just have a sponge filter, heater, regular gravel, I have 2 sword plants, duck weed, moss and a couple of plants I don't know the name of. I also have 5 harlequin rasbora's in there. It is one of my favs. I also have heard of people using plain kitty litter, have you heard of this? This tank I posted a pic of. The guy put a layer of kitty litter in there.
I had 4 gallon low tech planted tanks and enjoyed little fish that would fit in them.
Here are inhabitants of one of the tanks:
Microdevario kubotai
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc306/paulinemi/LittleFishJuly2011020.jpg)
Axelrodia riesei
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc306/paulinemi/LittleFishJuly2011022.jpg)
In the other tank I had these little pseudomugil furcatus
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc306/paulinemi/LittleFishJuly2011016.jpg)
I like little fish too. I sometimes wish that we'd set up more tanks for them..or even a different section of the fishroom....HHMmmmm..
Quote from: Jo on December 13, 2012, 06:09:37 PM
I also have heard of people using plain kitty litter, have you heard of this?
Yes I have, but I've never tried it my self. I've also read a lot about a product called "SoilMaster Select". It's made for baseball fields but has quite a following among planted tank enthusiasts. It's inexpensive and comes in several colors, just Google "SoilMaster Select"...
Here's a pretty good piece on substrates..... http://www.guitarfish.org/2009/02/04/substrate (http://www.guitarfish.org/2009/02/04/substrate)
Dennis
Quote from: PaulineMi on December 13, 2012, 07:23:56 PM
I had 4 gallon low tech planted tanks and enjoyed little fish that would fit in them.
Here are inhabitants of one of the tanks:
Microdevario kubotai
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc306/paulinemi/LittleFishJuly2011020.jpg)
Axelrodia riesei
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc306/paulinemi/LittleFishJuly2011022.jpg)
In the other tank I had these little pseudomugil furcatus
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc306/paulinemi/LittleFishJuly2011016.jpg)
These fish are beautiful! I especially like the green one!
Quote from: BallAquatics on December 13, 2012, 08:47:04 PM
Quote from: Jo on December 13, 2012, 06:09:37 PM
I also have heard of people using plain kitty litter, have you heard of this?
Yes I have, but I've never tried it my self. I've also read a lot about a product called "SoilMaster Select". It's made for baseball fields but has quite a following among planted tank enthusiasts. It's inexpensive and comes in several colors, just Google "SoilMaster Select"...
Here's a pretty good piece on substrates..... http://www.guitarfish.org/2009/02/04/substrate (http://www.guitarfish.org/2009/02/04/substrate)
Dennis
Nice video. I will check that out.
Microdevario kubotai. Cute fish, looks nice Jo.
I have often considered getting some of those.
How are they doing for you?
Hey Bill,
Not mine they are Pauline's. I'd be interested to know where they came from also. I've never seen them before Pauline's pics.
They are all 3 really beautiful!
From what I've been able to find soil master select has been discontinued and is no longer available:-[
Oh bummer! Just when you learn about something new you wanna try!
The planted tank says Turface is replacement for Soil master
Thesy say to check with these people for it.
Lesco/John Deere Landscaping dealer for Turface products