A Nano Garden

[Ps3Steveo]

Lol I have some of the HM in mine too so I'll send ya some cutting of that too if ya like, really pretty plant for dutch, you'll have 4 of my 6 species in my ditch scape lol

 

[tanksalot]

^^^

Yes please!...all contributions gratefully received I'm gonna end up a right copycat, aren't I?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

No lol it's only same species I have hardscape in mine which is odd for Dutch

 

[tanksalot]

Okay, did a LOT of reading and looking at pics over the last few days and have decided that other than putting the short stuff at the front, just about everything is wrong with this scape

So there WILL be changes, but for now I've ripped out some of the Alternanthera from the back and replaced it with Rotala macrandra (betcha I don't have enough light for that, but hey! nothing ventured, eh?), moved the stone with the Xmas moss on it over to the right hand side and put some E. tenellus in its place. There will be more changes when I get my hands on some more plants, but I'll take a photo tonight when it's gone properly dark to show where I'm at now.

Oh, and I'm thinking the Glosso wasn't my brightest ever idea - it really does not like staying planted in the Florabase I've resorted to getting some tiny bits of gravel from my garden and glueing bits of the Glosso roots to them to weight them down (may work, may not...got two chances!) I'm also beginning to suspect that it's going to grow upwards rather than sideways, but the jury's out at the moment.

Anyway, pics later

 

[Ps3Steveo]

I thought it had real potential, looking forward to some pics tho.

 

[tanksalot]

Well, here's a pic:

Nothing if not colourful

The colour is actually more intense in the R. macrandra, but I find it very difficult to get it accurate with my camera. I've cycled through all the white balance options but nothing looks quite as it is in real life

Wondering if I ought to give it a black background? Might make the plant colours pop more?

Still need something small on the left hand side - the Alternanthera and the Hygrophila aren't doing it for me a) be cause their leaves are too big, and b) because their leaves are a similar size and shape.

Still thinking...

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Could replace it with Rotala when I give it a trim

I think a frosted white background would look good, but I'm biased as I don't like black backgrounds.

I know what you mean with the colour not showing up so well I have it with all my pics, just uploaded a vid of my Embers and they look well washed out, doesn't show their Orange at all really.

 

[tanksalot]

I'm quite fond of black backgrounds myself but I think black would make that silver heater and the green filter even more obvious than they already are so probably not the best idea. I have some spare stuff kicking around, so I might try it just to see. Can always take it off if I hate it.

Latest update is that nothing much is happening, lol. I have to say that with CO2, a nutrient substrate, EI dosing and now 1ml per day of AquaCarbon, I thought I'd be trimming every five minutes, but it seems not for now. Perhaps it all needs a while to settle. At least nothing is dying (yet! lol).

I do have some algae - a small dusting of diatoms - which surprises me in view of the short photoperiod and 50% daily water changes. Maybe I should try to work some Purigen into my filter somehow

 

[Ps3Steveo]

1ml of aqua carbon? That's double dose straight away lol, I thought your filter was mature? Was just wondering as you won't need 50% changes everyday if it is mature.

With your filter you could always put it in a large plastic lockable container and make up an external from your internal if you hate the look of it, there's a link in my sig to a pico one but you could make it on a larger scale, mines still going strong.

 

[tanksalot]

1ml of aqua carbon? That's double dose straight away lol, I thought your filter was mature? Was just wondering as you won't need 50% changes everyday if it is mature.

It was mature, but I forgot the dechlor when I refilled the tank so I imagine the bacteria bought it. I could pinch media from my main tank external filter, but I decided after that to run the tank without livestock initially so I didn't bother and went with the water changes. The filter is just providing circulation for now. The Aquacarbon is there more for algicidal purposes than anything because I run yeast CO2. 1ml is probably overkill, but I'm just finding my way with this set up at the moment.

With your filter you could always put it in a large plastic lockable container and make up an external from your internal if you hate the look of it, there's a link in my sig to a pico one but you could make it on a larger scale, mines still going strong.

I've been thinking about doing that very thing. I did look around for small externals, but came across too many comments of them being rattly for my liking - not to mention pricey, and I spend too much on this hobby as it is . I know that the Aquaball is nice and quiet, so maybe a bit of DIY is called for . I'll go have a look at the one for your pico

 

[tanksalot]

Not too much happening as yet. I've increased the photoperiod to 7 hours per day and reduced the water changes to alternate days. I've also backed off on the liquid carbon (0.6ml instead of 1ml)...should really save it for when I need it!

A few warts-and-all pics to update this.

The glosso is still confusing me: some shoots are going sideways and some are going straight up The growth looks a bit straggly to me so I really don't know whether this is a goer or not, but I'll persist for now. The P. helferi can't seem to decide whether it's going to do anything or not, but I live in hope!

The R. macrandra is not quite as magnificently gaudy as it was when I acquired it, but it's not dying, and that'll do for the moment, lol. The E.tenellus in front of it is melting a bit but I think it will be okay:

And here's how it all looks together:

Still working on dealing with the ugly filter - need a few bits and pieces first - but I'll get there. I'm also seeing how small I can keep the front clump of A. reineckii, by means of pinching out and replanting, until it gets replaced with something more appropriate.

Not too sure how to handle the P. stellata, though. I have been uprooting and trimming from the base to keep it in check, but maybe that should be pinched out too?

 

[ian]

that Glosso looks OK...do you have a cuc in there yet? I'd be inclined to stick a few amanos in there, they will clean up your Glosso. Just make sure you have enough flow around it.

You can pinch the stellata, but if you do, make sure you do it right near the substrate, maybe 2 or 4 inches, as it will bush better like that.

 

[tanksalot]

Thanks for stopping by Ian...I've read that you're a busy, busy man!

that Glosso looks OK...do you have a cuc in there yet? I'd be inclined to stick a few amanos in there, they will clean up your Glosso. Just make sure you have enough flow around it.

Okay...I've racked my brains but I can't think what a cuc is? (I know I'll kick myself when you tell me ). I've never seen any Amanos locally, but I'll see what I can find. I'm in two minds as to whether the Glosso is getting enough flow - I've put the dropchecker right over it this morning to assess what the CO2 level is down there (it's fine everywhere else).

You can pinch the stellata, but if you do, make sure you do it right near the substrate, maybe 2 or 4 inches, as it will bush better like that.

Cool...that's what I was hoping! I'll pinch out the front ones and see what happens to them - would be nice to get them to bush out.

Thanks!

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Update please curious to how this is coming along?

 

[coldcazzie]

Cuc = clean up crew

I like this very much