Canada Day Weekend Build! : Clay Background Method

[Grimm]

Next time just mix the clay with the peat in softball size batches...This way its easier to mix evenly, and you can add a little bit of something if you need it. I didnt measure my clay mixture at all. I just did it by feel.

[Oblivion]

Did you get a softball size of peat, mixed with a softball size of peat? I may just use a Styrofoam cup and get a cupful of peat with a cupful of clay and mix them together in another bucket.

Thanks

[Grimm]

I did about 2 handfulls of clay, then 1 of peat, 0.5 of eco earth substrate, and 0.5 of mulched sphagnum....I think lol

[Oblivion]

haha, I struggled using handfuls as a measurement. I suppose I'll just copy you, but just use cups, lol. Although I don't have any Eco earth, it shouldn't matter, should it?

[Grimm]

No it didnt even make a difference...Id stick with peat since it has smaller particles and doesnt take as much of it to fully change the colour of the mixture. I just added sphag and ecoearth to give a little variety.

[Grimm]

Picture Heavy Update!
Here is my tank as of tonight. I added some moss, 2 miniature orchids, some bacopa vine, 3 earth stars and probably a few other plants, but I can’t remember which one since my last update. I’ll do my best naming each plant before the separate pictures.







The moss is mostly java, however I received a bag full of various different types today, so I spread them around to help give some inconsistency.






Haraella Retrocalla Orchid


Plah. Luis Rainbow “Orchis”


Anubias Nana “Petite”


Polka Dot, getting some good colour now.


Button Fern, new growth


Aquatic Bacopa flower (not sure what species). These vines are growing out of the water feature.


Pup throwing down some new roots, very quickly. To the left is some Round Leaf Pellia.


New pup growth


And I didn’t plant this little guy Hopefully the first of many random plants that come from the background!


I’m very happy with my tank so far, and I can’t wait to let the background fill in. I like to think my selection of plants makes this viv look a lot larger than 20 gallons. It came at a steep price for me up here in Canada, but I think it was worth it!

[beckdg]

the 2 most common bacopa species i'm familiar with are monnieri and caroliniana. you might want to look over at tropica and apc (in their emmersed growth section) and see if you can identify that by the flower.

looking real sharp, grimm.

[Grimm]

Thanks beck!

And I'll do a comparison next time I get a fresh flower from the bacopa. The plant list is really just for my own bookeeping incase I get some really good growth, and sell some clippings off. Its definately not rare, or sought after, but it works perfectly for that area of my tank!

[junglarium]

Wow,all the work did pay off.

[Grimm]

Thanks for the compliment!

Here are some pics of 2 of the 3 babies I will be putting in this tank. Sorry for the crappy shots. Im still figuring out how to take macro shots, in low lighting, without a tripod, and without setup time These were all taken at the place where I will be getting them near the end of august, or early september.

Oldest, just climbed out of the water 1 day ago. Still has some tail but you cant see it.


Here is the 2nd, very close to comming out of the water.


And the proud mommy!