# New Tank @ Aquainspiration



## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

During my latest visit to Aquainspiration (March 20th), I had the pleasure of helping the guys out with their latest project.

It's a Starfire 120cm x 50cm x 50cm show tank, dedicated to displaying their new substrate - Netlea Soil. 
In the middle, they used a bag of ADA Orinoco Forest Sand to create a "creek".

The scape is quite simple:
Driftwood leaning towards the riverbed and a bold rockscape (petrified wood) surrounding the foreground.

*Plant list:*
*Echinodorus Tenellus
Fissisens Fontanus
Blyxa Japonica
Glossostigm Elantinoides
Anubias Barteri "nana"
Vesicularia sp. - weeping moss
Myriophyllum pinnatum
Hemianthus Micranthemoides
Microcarpaea minima
Rotala rotundafolia sp. "pink"
Rotala rotundafolia sp. "red"
Rotala rotundafolia sp. "green"
Bolbitis heudelotii
Microsorum Pteropus "Philippine"
Various Crypts
*
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*Spraying down the NETLEA









Filled up halfway









Side shot









6" of Netlea in the back. Very dense and compact stuff. Great for plant roots



























Heating up...filled it up with ice-cold tap water!









A huge bunch of Bolbitis and Philippine Java Fern









Dressing up the driftwood


















Finally...let the planting begin!!









Rotala sp. "pink"


















Right side done!









Rotala sp. Rotundafolia, Rotala sp. Rotundafolia "green"









Full Tank Shot - half-filled


















Philippine Java Fern, Myriophyllum, Rotala sp. "pink", Microcarpaea minima









A shot of the foreground with Glossostigma, Anubias, Fissidens, and Weeping Moss








*
Estimated growth time is 2 months​


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## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

love the plant list

btw what is so special about this Netlea soil? Trying to decide on a new substrate for a 75 gallon im starting


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

Byronicle said:


> love the plant list
> 
> btw what is so special about this Netlea soil? Trying to decide on a new substrate for a 75 gallon im starting


Well, it's not so much the brand, but the fact that it's "soil", not sand or gravel. Lucky's used to carry Nisso, but had stopped recently.

Call it an affordable replacement for ADA, GEX, Aquasystem Project Soil, or any other planting soil. 
After 2 days my TDS in my shrimp soil tank is down to 140 with merely 3/4" of the substrate. Toronto water has a TDS of 160-170.
It makes your water softer, which is ideal for 90% of the plants available on the market. It also should lower pH to around 6.5, we'll see about that 
Planting soil also has abundant organic matter in them for optimum growth.
If you ever used soil, you'll know the difference  
That eco-complete/flourite works, but it's because we don't have an alternative...


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## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

Beijing08 said:


> Well, it's an affordable replacement for ADA, GEX, Aquasystem Project Soil, or any other Japanese planting soil.
> After 2 days my TDS in my shrimp soil tank is down to 140 with merely 3/4" of the substrate. Toronto water has a TDS of 160-170.
> It makes your water softer, which is ideal for 90% of the plants available on the market. It also should lower pH to around 6.5, we'll see about that
> Planting soil also has abundant organic matter in them for optimum growth.
> ...


that is good enough to convince me lol would like to see the results later on.

i guess this stuff is what shrimp breeders like to use as well?


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

Byronicle said:


> i guess this stuff is what shrimp breeders like to use as well?


Bingo. But some brands have specific products (soil) for shrimp because they contain more minerals etc. It's a huge market


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## Kerohime (Jan 10, 2011)

Oh wow, I was there in the afternoon that day Leon, I even mentioned your name to Freeman while I was looking at products. 

Thats pretty awesome, I cant remember if I saw this tank empty when I was there, there were so many nice tanks to look at. 

It looks like an amazing start, cant wait to see what it looks like in 2 months. =D


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

Kerohime said:


> Oh wow, I was there in the afternoon that day Leon, I even mentioned your name to Freeman while I was looking at products.
> 
> Thats pretty awesome, I cant remember if I saw this tank empty when I was there, there were so many nice tanks to look at.
> 
> It looks like an amazing start, cant wait to see what it looks like in 2 months. =D


My mistake, it was the Sunday, March 20th.
It was most likely empty when you were there lol.
Well, this is the largest tank of them all...should turn out pretty nicely. I'm eager to see da results too


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

*It's time for an update, don't you think?*

*My latest visit...April 1st

now that the tank's cleared up, it's displaying a luxurious growth. Everything is pearling like there is no tomorrow...
I can just picture that this tank is going to turn out amazing.




























Pearling Hydrocotyle!



















can't wait till the stem plants fill in










Side shot








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## dr3167 (Feb 18, 2011)

Sweet jeebus, that's a fantastic tank!


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

PelicanFarts said:


> Sweet jeebus, that's a fantastic tank!


o ya, it will become quite something once everything fills in!


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Very nice Leon. Looks like a great start and I like the arrangement too. Really want to see what it looks like when it matures.

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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

Zebrapl3co said:


> Very nice Leon. Looks like a great start and I like the arrangement too. Really want to see what it looks like when it matures.


Yea, we're all eager to see it grow out.
rumour has it that it could be submitted for competition.


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

rumour has it that it could be submitted for competition.[/QUOTE]

what competition?


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## TLe041 (Feb 9, 2010)

Looks good so far. Hopefully they can maintain it looking that way long-term.



camboy012406 said:


> what competition?


Maybe the AGA aquascaping competition?


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

TLe041 said:


> Looks good so far. Hopefully they can maintain it looking that way long-term.


Ya...hopefully. They've had a green water problem at two weeks in; probably due to 6x54w T5HO. BAM! came the UV light..lol
I just can't wait till it fills out...


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Finally got out to the store and saw this tank in person today - I can't wait to see it fully grown out.

I was all giddy seeing a store with real planted tanks - reminded me of Japan. Great guys here at this shop, and if you haven't been here already, it's definitely worth the trek up here


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## jimmyjam (Nov 6, 2007)

Great tank! I finally saw it today. The pics does not even do the tank justice when it comes to the central trail they have made. They did a great job on the depth perception of the trail. Leon, take a solo of the trail next time your their with ur dslr.


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

jimmyjam said:


> Leon, take a solo of the trail next time your their with ur dslr.


LOL I've been using just my iPhone...why not bring YOUR DSLR next time


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

Final update before the big move...




























Rare Rummynose Rasbora


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## ThaChingster (Feb 25, 2011)

A move? Where is the tank going?


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

ThaChingster said:


> A move? Where is the tank going?


the store is moving to a new location


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

I went to AI this Sunday and took a pic of the tank. The growth is pretty fast!


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

solarz said:


> I went to AI this Sunday and took a pic of the tank. The growth is pretty fast!


that's cuz mine was taken a month ago, hahaha. Also it was taken right after a huge trim.


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