Check this out

[krislewis3]

I just ordered this piece of manzanita! What do you think? Kris

91096

[Braydon00]

That looks awesome!!! Love the dark to light color! Youll have to post a picture when its in the tank

[jmf3460]

beauty, you going to lay it horizontal?

[Filip]

Are those two separate pieces bounded together ?
They will look cool horizontaly laid.

[Lilly]

Nice choice...going to rock the tank!

[DJW]

Time to put on your interior decorator hat. What will you do with the cut ends? I would be tempted to lay it on the floor and re-cut them so they disappear into the tank floor or water surface... not sure.

[Jack L]

nice, looks like you will options with it. like laying in on bottom or suspending from top

[wild4discus]

That manzanita branch is nice. Really like the contrasting colors.

[Eddie]

It's nice

[krislewis3]

Thank you all for your thoughts. I'm at a complete loss as to how to place it in my tank though! You can see in the photo the dimensions of the wood, although a couple of inches had to be trimmed off both ends, so it would fit in the shipping box! It is one piece, with beautiful dual coloring! My tank is 48"long x24" tall x18"wide. If you guys would lend me your expertise at aquascaping, and show me how to use this wood in my tank, I would be most grateful! Kris

[Eddie]

Diagonally from top to bottom. Base of the branch at the top towards the back and reaching towards the lower opposite side front. If that makes sense. Lol

[krislewis3]

Eddie, do you mean that the main stem should be at the top, or the bottom??

[Eddie]

Main stem at top, branching down.

[Second Hand Pat]

Nice piece Kris, I would place it with the truck end towards the top like this. Play with the positioning to see which way you like. Since the width is 24 inches you may need to trim a bit for fit.

91155

[Jack L]

i like eddies idea, but what does you tank look like now? empty?

[krislewis3]

Thank you Eddie, Jack, Pat and all who have responded! To answer questions, the tank is empty, because I'm so bad at aquascaping. I can't tell you how many hours I spend trying/obsessing....only to remove the decor, because it just doesn't look right! I'm hoping that this piece will do it for me, which is why I'm asking for assistance. I will take your suggestions, and then post a photo for your final opinion! Kris

[Eddie]

Do you have young fish or adults? Is your tank bare bottom or sand?

[Jack L]

Thank you Eddie, Jack, Pat and all who have responded! To answer questions, the tank is empty, because I'm so bad at aquascaping. I can't tell you how many hours I spend trying/obsessing....only to remove the decor, because it just doesn't look right! I'm hoping that this piece will do it for me, which is why I'm asking for assistance. I will take your suggestions, and then post a photo for your final opinion! Kris

What else are you planning to aquascape with?

One thing you can do is if you have the branches and down is to position it in the tank to find the line where the water would be then cut it to match the angle so you don't see the stump end and it would look like it's descending from above

I had done that before where I screwed the wood to the aquarium brace and it came out pretty nice

[DonMD]

Kris, can I ask you where you found this piece?

[krislewis3]

Kris, can I ask you where you found this piece?


Go to: Manzanita Burlworks, and click on 'aquarium wood'. You can view the actual pieces that are for sale! Hope you find something that you like!

[krislewis3]

Do you have young fish or adults? Is your tank bare bottom or sand?

Bare bottom, 90gl. with 7 discus (4 adults, and 3 juvies) all healthy right now!

[krislewis3]

What else are you planning to aquascape with?

One thing you can do is if you have the branches and down is to position it in the tank to find the line wherte the water would be then cut it to match the angle so you don't see the stump end and it would look like it's descending from above

I had done that before where I screwed the wood to the aquarium brace and it came out pretty nice

Nice idea....when the wood arrives, I'll see how it fits in the tank, and then decide! If it has to be trimmed, I'll need you guys to suggest how, and where to trim it. The last thing I want to do is ruin the charecter of this beautiful piece of wood! ��

[pastry]

Thank you Eddie, Jack, Pat and all who have responded! To answer questions, the tank is empty, because I'm so bad at aquascaping. I can't tell you how many hours I spend trying/obsessing....only to remove the decor, because it just doesn't look right! I'm hoping that this piece will do it for me, which is why I'm asking for assistance. I will take your suggestions, and then post a photo for your final opinion! Kris

I've been rethinking my layout lately as well. I know what you mean! What I've lately began noticing is that I tend to like certain balances when browsing other tanks. either a big center piece with nothing on the sides, or smaller center piece with large pieces of wood on the sides. Just my own idea on balance. I love biotopes with lots of wood but sometimes not all the way across the tank vertically. Also have been making an effort to use large pieces that don't necessarily touch too much of the substrate ... In order to lessen trapped crap. My large sword's roots also trap a ton of crap... Soon I may part with it. It's getting there but sheesh... Still not happy!

[Boyd Luth]

9120691207

Older pictures of driftwood suspended downward from my canopy. I trimmed the top to fit. I have since added sand to the bottom. I have moved the sponge filters, to my refugium and some of the decorations in the middle to allow more room for Discus to move in the forefront of the tank.

[krislewis3]

Nice plants Boyd, I can't even imagine being successful with discus and plants in the same tank......one day I'd like to try!! Kris

[Jack L]

9120691207

Older pictures of driftwood suspended downward from my canopy. I trimmed the top to fit. I have since added sand to the bottom. I have moved the sponge filters, to my refugium and some of the decorations in the middle to allow more room for Discus to move in the forefront of the tank.

cool, do you have any closeups of the refugium?

[krislewis3]

Uu

I've been rethinking my layout lately as well. I know what you mean! What I've lately began noticing is that I tend to like certain balances when browsing other tanks. either a big center piece with nothing on the sides, or smaller center piece with large pieces of wood on the sides. Just my own idea on balance. I love biotopes with lots of wood but sometimes not all the way across the tank vertically. Also have been making an effort to use large pieces that don't necessarily touch too much of the substrate ... In order to lessen trapped crap. My large sword's roots also trap a ton of crap... Soon I may part with it. It's getting there but sheesh... Still not happy!

Can you post a photo?

[DISCUS STU]

I love this stuff and it looks great but I'm always concerned that the Discus freak outs will have one of them running headlong into one of the branches incurring injury or worse.

Probably works better in larger more spacious tanks where the fish aren't so crowded. Hope it works out well for you.

[pastry]

Uu


Can you post a photo?

I'll try to get a new one up later and post here

[krislewis3]

P
I love this stuff and it looks great but I'm always concerned that the Discus freak outs will have one of them running headlong into one of the branches incurring injury or worse.

Probably works better in larger more spacious tanks where the fish aren't so crowded. Hope it works out well for you.

Hummmmmm....I sure hope not. I intend to file down any sharp edges on the branches!

[pastry]

It happens but very rarely

[krislewis3]

I received my manzanita branch, and it's even prettier in person, than it is in the photo. I'm going to rinse it, and put it in the tank, since any leeching it will do, should not be harmful to the fish!! I'd like to remove my large sponge filter, for asthetic reasons, however, I'm concerned about disrupting the balance of BB in the tank. I use a 2217 Eheim canister, and keep the sponge filter in the tank, just in case I emergently need a seeded filter for another tank. What is your advice? Kris

[pastry]

Kris, here's a pic as promised (taken really quick... sorry for glare!)

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz81/eldog380/20151022_150423.jpg (http://s816.photobucket.com/user/eldog380/media/20151022_150423.jpg.html)

[Jack L]

Elliot nice tank is that a 125?

[Jack L]

I received my manzanita branch, and it's even prettier in person, than it is in the photo. I'm going to rinse it, and put it in the tank, since any leeching it will do, should not be harmful to the fish!! I'd like to remove my large sponge filter, for asthetic reasons, however, I'm concerned about disrupting the balance of BB in the tank. I use a 2217 Eheim canister, and keep the sponge filter in the tank, just in case I emergently need a seeded filter for another tank. What is your advice? Kris

when i want to get a qtank going, i just take some filter media from main tank filter, e.g. one of the floss pads. that is enough to get the new tank going. i don't maintain a "spare" filter.

[krislewis3]

My concern is for my exsisting tank! Since my sponge filter holds a lot of BB, Will I create a problem if if I removed it? Kris

[krislewis3]

Elliott......you have a great talent for aquascaping...WOW! Where did you get your wood, and what kind of sand is that, and what are the easiest plants to grow and keep? (I plan to someday do a planted discus tank) Kris

[pastry]

Elliot nice tank is that a 125?

Jack, thanks... 150 gallon

Kris, a local lake for wood (while watching out for gators) and sand from the beach nearby. Swords, crypts, Anubis, lilies, floating lettuce, java ferns, and more. Still re- scraping. Not quite satisfied yet.

[krislewis3]

Aaaaaaa...sand from the beach...no wonder it looks so 'natural'! Some of the sand that's for sale is too white, which draws the eye away from the main subject...which should be the fish! Do I see some moss growing in the tank? What kind is it? Kris

[pastry]

Yep, but I heard a rumor that it's illegal here to take sand from the beach (whoops). Won't do that again. Nope, not moss (I wish!), just a little green algae on the wood for the amano shrimp in there. The tank used to have even more driftwood and plants (look at my old thread in the planted section) but I've been trying to figure out a better way to have the amount of wood I used to have in there without having so much touch the sand (to avoid as much trapped crud as possible). Moving towards plants that only grow on the wood or float too... but having a hard time parting with my last sword, tiger lilies, and crypts. I've been able to make pits in some wood in order to put some crypts on the wood but the lilies and sword and just too big (especially the sword which really collects a lot of crap).

[pastry]

By the way, what part of VA? I'm originally from Hampton roads area

[krislewis3]

I'm currently in Richmond! I would have trouble parting with those plants as well...are you thinking of suspending the wood from the top? How hard is that wood? ....I'm wondering how soon it starts to rot? Is it random wood, or do you know what kind of wood it is? Kris

[pastry]

Nice! My folks are in Williamsburg and Newport News. The wood in the middles is a cypress knee and is taking awhile to get water logged ( that's typical of cypress). Others are random but from the same lake where it was natural driftwood on the shoreline. Some of those pieces have been in there for 5 years now and still good. Scares some on here to use local wood but I the risk. I feel like such a nerd when I go to that lake and see thousands of different pieces of dw... Feels like a Marine just home from a deployment who walks in a porn store... Very overwhelming

[krislewis3]

Here is the manzanita in my tank. I had to trim it, to fit it in the tank, and I accidentally trimmed 4" off the wrong branch! Sooo...I glued that one back together, and cut the right one. The wood is still floating, so I had to wedge it in place....later, when it's water logged, I can move it around to get a better look! Any suggestions for placement of the wood, or other decor to enhance it would be appreciated! Kris



91373

[pastry]

For now I think perfect since the web of smaller branches is in the middle. That way it tends to keep discus in the middle and flanking it rather than all predominantly hugging one side of tank. Try a small clipping of smaller java fern if you want to experiment with plants on wood. They reproduce at a good pace (not too slow and not too fast)

[DJW]

I like this arrangement, its just right. Are you still wanting to pull the sponge filter?

[krislewis3]

I like this arrangement, its just right. Are you still wanting to pull the sponge filter?s


Yes...I would live to pull it, if it won't throw off the bb balance!

[DJW]

I would say that if the main filter cycled the tank and you added the sponge later then it would be OK to remove it because the sponge would only contain a seeding of BB while the main filter carries almost the entire load.

If on the other hand the sponge was there from the start or if you added several fish after adding the sponge, then it would contain a greater portion of the BB and you would need to up the wc's and feed lightly for a few days while the main filter catches up.

[Jack L]

Here is the manzanita in my tank. I had to trim it, to fit it in the tank, and I accidentally trimmed 4" off the wrong branch! Sooo...I glued that one back together, and cut the right one. The wood is still floating, so I had to wedge it in place....later, when it's water logged, I can move it around to get a better look! Any suggestions for placement of the wood, or other decor to enhance it would be appreciated! Kris



91373

i think that looks good

i like green, but many on this board would disagree, but if you like green you could put some moss on it, i saw somebody selling clumps on this board.

[Jack L]

My concern is for my exsisting tank! Since my sponge filter holds a lot of BB, Will I create a problem if if I removed it? Kris

one way to tell, pull it and measure the levels.

[Eddie]

Nice

[krislewis3]

If you look at the end of the branch on your left, you can see where I glued the branch back together after accidentally chopping it off. I used super glue, and let it sit outside for a couple of days....do you think that will harm the fish? As far as the suggestion for Java fern.....how do you attach it to the wood, and where do you think it would look best? Kris

[Boyd Luth]

I love this stuff and it looks great but I'm always concerned that the Discus freak outs will have one of them running headlong into one of the branches incurring injury or worse.

Probably works better in larger more spacious tanks where the fish aren't so crowded. Hope it works out well for you.

I have the same concern.....I speak to everyone that enters the Home to please, please, please, approach the tank slowly, and no/zero sudden moves....has worked so far :-)

[Boyd Luth]

Nice plants Boyd, I can't even imagine being successful with discus and plants in the same tank......one day I'd like to try!! Kris

Really not much to work at. I am Blessed that I use Marineland LED, no CO2, and simple Fert. standard weekly water changes 80-90 %.....check out www.aquariumplants.com, for Discus specific plants :-)

[Boyd Luth]

cool, do you have any closeups of the refugium?
Check out my profile, and click on the 160 gallon pix, thanx :-)

[rickztahone]

If you look at the end of the branch on your left, you can see where I glued the branch back together after accidentally chopping it off. I used super glue, and let it sit outside for a couple of days....do you think that will harm the fish? As far as the suggestion for Java fern.....how do you attach it to the wood, and where do you think it would look best? Kris

The super glue you used will be fine. Additionally, the super glue gel is what you want to attach the fern to the tree. It doesn't need to cure, and I have seen people use it under water even.

[rickztahone]

I have the same concern.....I speak to everyone that enters the Home to please, please, please, approach the tank slowly, and no/zero sudden moves....has worked so far :-)

I will have to say that I do the exact opposite of this. I hate having skittish discus, and early on I learned that if you treat discus with a heavy hand, they will become accustomed to it. One of the reasons I took this approach was because I saw how many fish farmers in Thailand treated their discus. They simply moved them around in the tank out of the way if they were doing a water change, accidentally bang on this or that thing and they wouldn't react! I figured out that it was that the treat them like this so regularly that they get used to it. I have verified this in my own exprience since then. As I start my water change, I tend to lightly bang the hose against a side of a tank, or lightly tap tank with something. They used to freak out, but now it has become something very common to them.

Additionally, I have asked people to not walk slowly towards the tank. Simply approach how you would normally approach anything else. My discus tank is next to a bathroom door and we come in and out of that door all the time and they rarely get spooked. When they do, I simply go right back in to the bathroom and come out again. They tend to not freak out that second time. Dark clothing is usually a trigger for them.

This is based on my exprience, and I will say that it works best when you have the discus from a much younger stage. Mine started with me at roughly 1-1.5".

[krislewis3]

Since the wood has been in the tank, there has been a MAJOR shift in the communities pecking order. The tank bully and the little guy that he bullies the most, have both ganged up on my cobalt (the largest fish in the tank). They are chasing him and harrasing him non-stop. His (the cobalts) stress bars are more pronounced than ive ever seen them. Can someone explain this behaviour, or offer any advice? Kris

[rickztahone]

Since the wood has been in the tank, there has been a MAJOR shift in the communities pecking order. The tank bully and the little guy that he bullies the most, have both ganged up on my cobalt (the largest fish in the tank). They are chasing him and harrasing him non-stop. His (the cobalts) stress bars are more pronounced than ive ever seen them. Can someone explain this behaviour, or offer any advice? Kris

I will channel my inner John and tell you that you have to remember that these are cichlids and in turn they will be aggressive towards one another from time to time. If you give them a large enough group to disperse the aggression, then they will settle down in their ranks. You run in to problems when the pecking order is being established and a discus who's immunities aren't that great to begin with gets picked on. These are more susceptible to illness.

[krislewis3]

I will channel my inner John and tell you that you have to remember that these are cichlids and in turn they will be aggressive towards one another from time to time. If you give them a large enough group to disperse the aggression, then they will settle down in their ranks. You run in to problems when the pecking order is being established and a discus who's immunities aren't that great to begin with gets picked on. These are more susceptible to illness.


I understand the pecking order......I'm wondering why the established pecking order in my tank, completely changed when I added the manzanita wood!

[rickztahone]

I understand the pecking order......I'm wondering why the established pecking order in my tank, completely changed when I added the manzanita wood!

change anything in a tank and this happens. It is a known tactic to employ when someone is being picked on heavily. Typically moving something around in the tank causes this to happen. They are re-establishing the pecking order. Which means, whatever it was before, more than likely, it will not be the same this time around.

[Filip]

I understand the pecking order......I'm wondering why the established pecking order in my tank, completely changed when I added the manzanita wood!

Different landscape, different positions and teritories to protect and establish.
It happened to me in the past whenever I changed the landscape in my planted tank. fighting always started when I move things around.

This is why IMO in empty bare tank fish are at least aggressive and skittish.They got nothing to fight and protect for and nothing to hide against.

[Jack L]

Check out my profile, and click on the 160 gallon pix, thanx :-)

thanks, found them

[krislewis3]

Do you guys think that they will settle down, or should I remove the wood, since I have 3 discus that are still growing? Kris

[Filip]

Do you guys think that they will settle down, or should I remove the wood, since I have 3 discus that are still growing? Kris

IMO safest bet for maximising growth would be to take them out.
But if you like this look and your happy with it, give it a try few more days, then if aggression proceed, you can take them out.

[rickztahone]

Do you guys think that they will settle down, or should I remove the wood, since I have 3 discus that are still growing? Kris

If you like the look of it, leave it in. They will settle down with their pecking order soon. The way you have the wood arranged it doesn't allow much crud to accumulate under it so you shouldn't have a big problem.

[krislewis3]

Thanks Rick...I was hoping for that response! Because the wood is both beautiful, and expensive, I would hate to get rid of it. Kris