Aquascape Maintenance Tutorial Guide- The Green Machine
Howto 8 years ago 71,747 views
http://www.thegreenmachineonline.com/... Video Timings 00:00 Intro In this video you will see the TGM team carrying out essential maintenance work on the aquascape titled 'Pebbles - In the footsteps of a giant' which was planted by pro aquascaper and founder of The Green Machine - James Findley, who dedicated this scope to the late aquascaping master Mr Takashi Amano. This video covers the maintenance work which was done the day before the final grown-in footage was shot, in order to get the layout looking it's best. You can use the techniques covered in this video as a weekly maintenance regime or to prepare your aquascape for a special day, event or photo shoot. You can see the step by step creation of this aquascsape in another video. 00:48 Water Change 01:35 Gravel Cleaning 02:55 Dead Leaf Removal 03:23 Debris Removal 03:53 Aquarium Cleaning 05:00 Syphon 06:00 Gravel & Sand Adjustments 07:31 Sand Freshening If some discolouration of the top layer of lighter sands has occurred, you may wish to add a thin layer of fresh sand of the same variety. This will brighten the look of the sandy area. Here you can see it being poured using a jug which allows for fairly accurate placement of the fresh layer of sand. Again, this should be spread into place using a sand flattener. 08:31 Stone & Rock Cleaning If desired, stones and rocks can be brushed to remove green vegetative colouring caused by algae. Here a wire brush is used which is highly abrasive- and therefore very effective at removing algae buildup. Smaller stones may be removed from the aquarium to make this process easier and then replaced in their original locations. Larger stones may be too heavy or may damage the layout if removed, in this case they can be brushed while in position the aquarium. 09:35 Gravel Freshening Fresh gravel may be sprinkled on top of older layers in order to brighten it up. You can see that some older pieces of gravel have developed a green layer of algae which makes them darker, less striking and arguably less aesthetically pleasing. It is also an option to remove the top layer of gravel by hand, clean it and then replace it in the aquarium. This method would be easier in a smaller aquarium. 10:09 While carrying out maintenance you may spot things like stray pieces of plants which you can remove by hand. The aquarium is now topped back up with water. At The Green Machine, Reverse Osmosis (abbreviated to 'R.O.') filtered water is used. R.O. purification removes any potentially toxic molecules which may be present in tap water. 10:29 Maintenance Finished The maintenance is done the day before to allow time for the filter to clear any particles from the water, resulting in higher clarity. This is especially important for larger aquariums where a larger amount of water can result in a greater perceived cloudiness. Now you can see the finished aquarium, it is much more striking than before the maintenance was carried out. If you would like to see how this aquascape was created from scratch, we have a step by step video which has been available for some time. This video goes into detail about each stage of creating this huge supertank- including substrate, hardscape, plants and grown in shots. The fish used are Danio, Zebra Danio, Siamensis Crossocheilus, Sphaerichthys osphromenoides (Chocolate gourami). Some Amano Shrimp also inhabit this micro eco-system. Find many similar videos on our website at http://www.thegreenmachineonline.com We also have many articles and photos of aquascapes, and a nature aquarium online store where you can get everything you need to create beautiful aquascapes like this one. including live aquatic plants, aquariums, stands, tools and more.
It would also require minimal extra water supply.
10. comment for Aquascape Maintenance Tutorial Guide- The Green Machine
20. comment for Aquascape Maintenance Tutorial Guide- The Green Machine
30. comment for Aquascape Maintenance Tutorial Guide- The Green Machine
So a planted tank always grows algae on the glass? And requires serious maintenance to look perfect? If a tank is setup properly there would be nothing to vacuum, nothing to scrape, no pebbles to clean. There will be no need for a big water changes. The tank would be very hard to throw off balance even if you tried.
Can a tank be left by itself for a month? 2 months, 3 months? Only top off? Overfeed or not feed at all? Run or stop the CO2 whenever you feel like it? Remove the external filter altogether? Increase the light or lower it?
Yes.
There is a way to properly establish a planted tank. But it does not sell chemicals, cool stainless steel tools, and does not make anyone a professional. And no, it is not a low light tank with a few simple plants. It is as close to an ecosystem as a glass box full of water can get - complete with its own seasons. As close to a real Natural Aquarium as it can be. Unlike what the Japanese made the world think is right.
Good luck. What you show is what people love.
50. comment for Aquascape Maintenance Tutorial Guide- The Green Machine
TGM always give amazing education on aquascape!
Question though , the sands and gravels do you soak it overnight before use ?
What about the ADA Amazon soil ?
Do you soak the soil for a day ?