Moodys Aqua Cube Journal.

[qwikimpss]

AH. The good old divine proportion. It's very odd how that it pops up in nature EVERYWHERE (for example the ratio of your upper arm to your fore arm is 1:1.618). I will say that your nano-cube looks AMAZING! I wouldn't change a thing personally.

 

[craynerd]

George, trying not to labour this point to much but its nice to see everyones ideas, why do you think Day 2 is better? Due to the change of the rock positions?

Do you think this was logical before seeing the golden ratio grid?

Chris

 

[Bloo]

Any updates Graeme ?
Look forward to see how this evolves.

 

[George Farmer]

George, trying not to labour this point to much but its nice to see everyones ideas, why do you think Day 2 is better? Due to the change of the rock positions?

Do you think this was logical before seeing the golden ratio grid?

Chris

Yes, the rock positions look more balanced in Day 2. The Day 1 left foreground rock was too vertical and pale, too much contrast.

I didn't look at the grids. The Golden Ratio is great as a guide but beautiful 'scapes are created that go against the "rules" too. For instance - http/showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2005...y=0&vol=2&id=64

 

[craynerd]

Nice post !

The wood in that tank is bloody amazing..........!

Thank you.

Chris

 

[Graeme Edwards]

From the right hand side.



And this is how i took the shots, for the frontal vue, the lamp was low down behind the tank.



So I'm on day 7 with this tank.
After the set-up i set the lights on a timer for 4.5 hours, NO fertilization until day 3 and that was 5 drops of Nutrafin PlantGrow.
After day 3 I upped the light to 5 hours 15min.
Co2 has been constant at 1 bubble every seven seconds.
Every other day Ive been adding 5 drops of Stress Zyme to bed the filter in.

At the moment all plants have grown to a noticeable value, the riccia is pearling after only 2.5 hours of light and as we speak the whole tank is fizzing from photosynthesis.
The moss is setting about new growth.

I did the first water change yesterday.
As it stands my routine is working well, but I'm keeping a very close eye on it.

 

[George Farmer]

Lovely progress Moody. This little tank has big potential.

You see, how nice without the hardware?

Good choice on the Nutrafin fert, NPK as well as trace.

I would certainly consider entering this into the 2006 AGA contest if things progress as they are.

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh great looking tank Moody

 

[Graeme Edwards]

DAY 10,

I would love to enter my cube into the AGA contest this year, we'll see how it develops.

Its day 10 and there is a noticeable amount of algae forming within the HC moss,on the glass and rocks, its the very fine silky strand ( hair ) algae.
Al the plants are growing well.
The Co2 is on 24-7, I did a test yesterday lights out and got a PH of 7 and a KH of 110 which gave me 19ppm Co2, i didn't get chance to test with lights on so that figure may have changed.
As for ferts i was adding 10 drops of Nutrafin plant grow but since the algae its down to 5 drops every other day, something tells me i need to keep it up at 10 drops every other day.

So Ive got an algae problem, what do I do?
More Co2? More Ferts? More light ( I'm on 5.5 hours)
I was considering getting some amano shrimp but I'm wary of doing this as i had MTS and amano's and all perished and i haven't the foggiest why.
The filter is mature all tests read good results so they should be ok, shouldn't they?

Thoughts any body?

Graeme.

 

[George Farmer]

Crank up the CO2, if there's no animals then aim for 40ppm+.

Ferts and photoperiod is a tough call, I'd leave them as they are for the moment. IME it's always best to change one parameter at a time to avoid confusion. CO2 issues are the most common algae trigger so concentrate on this for now.

Why is your photoperiod 5.5 hours out of interest?

Another cause of algae is poor water circulation, especially at the bottom of the tank where the water movement is generally lower (and where your HC etc. is). But its such a small tank I doubt this is a major influence.

Odd that your animals died. You could buy just one shrimp, acclimatise it very slowly until the shop's water matches yours. I use an egg cup to empty water from the bag and put tank water in every 5 or 10 mins. until the pH matches. The bigger the pH difference the longer it will take obviously. I've taken up to 5 hours before now.

 

[france]

Its day 10 and there is a noticeable amount of algae forming within the HC moss,on the glass and rocks, its the very fine silky strand ( hair ) algae.

I read somewhere that this algae can be caused by too much iron in the water. I've been having some trouble with it myself. I cut down on my ferts and light and that seems to have stuttered it. Now if I can just get my hands on an SAE I could prob. get rid of it completly.

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Thanks for the advice George ( hope you don't mind me using your proper name ).
not sue about the iron france, i carnt say im in any way an expert on ferts

In the first attempt i was running on 5 hours on 2 hours off and 5 hours on, but i was swamped with algae, BUT i think that was down to me and not the lights being on for that time.

Also i guess that with the light being 20W it gave me 9.5WPG, thats allot of light, but then again its only a halogen lamp with no real light spectrum, amano says that halogen spot bulbs have the equivalent to moon light so i guess its all ab-it of guess work from me.

The riccia is a mass of oxygen bubbles near the end of the light period which suggests that its ok as it is

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Well day 21 already,

The tank has had a problem with thread algae, i have managed to control it a little but its still present, the Co2 is on 30ppm ( just turned it up a notch to night ) and im dosing Nutrafin Plantgrow every other day at 10 drops.
Im doing a water change every 3 days , it would probably benefit ever day or every other but thats to much bother for me.

The riccia has gone mad and i fell i will have to re-tie in very soon, it pearls like a good'un too.
The moss is also doing well but holds some thread algae.
The Eusteralis stellata (Pogostemon stellata) is doing that well the new'st leaves are pale green rather than a reddish color.
The hair grass again is fine, its growing slowly, but that to has thread algae on it.
The Rotala sp. ''Nanjenshan'' (''Mayaca sellowiana'') is growing OK but its shape isn't what i like so i may buy some more and re-plant when i have some cash.
I would like to possibly change the stem plants that are in there to say Micranthemum umbrosum or/and Micranthemum Macranthamoids, or something els but they don't look great as they are.

I may up the lighting soon once im happy with the Co2 level.

Im hoping i will be able to add some shrimp once i know what it was in the past was killing them, you may have read that i think it may well be copper poisoning, Richard of AE suggested iodine may be needed, thats a job i need to get onto, blood copper test kits are expensive.

Well heres an up date pic.

 

[Themuleous]

If you mean the stem plants at the back left, I think they look good (possible the best bit of the tank IMHO) as they help break up the ridged outline of the rocks. Other than that, I think you're right about the riccia, its very tall (and thats saying something, never thought you could tall riccia tall! ) Its blocking alot of the other plants too, maybe not the right plant for the tank? Dont know

Sam

 

[Graeme Edwards]

An up date for you all.

Ive been dosing NutrafinPLANTGROW at 10 drops every other day, water changes every 3 days and Ive cranked up the Co2 to 1 bubble a second 24-7, don't ask what that is in ppm because i haven't checked for a while.

Its been doing really well, no algae to speak of but i think thats down to the high Co2 level.

The hang on filter ( AquaVital10) is brilliant and my glass fishvet diffuser is doing a great job.

Comments would be great, I hope you all like what Ive done.

I am so please with the success of this cube and i think I can safely say i have mastered the NANO/PICO planted tank.









Airial vue.