Sam's Nano Journal

[Themuleous]

More pics, better quality this time I hope.

My fish

My Aunbias 'Petite' hopefully it'll get enough shade under there and be a bit of a focal point.

Better pic of the complete set up. I think it'll look loads better once the wisteria and elodea have been taken out, but they serve a very useful purpose at the mo, algae control!

Let me know what you think, if you want to that is!

Sam

 

[barbiedoll]

Hi Sam - I think it is a really lovely setup. It looks striking, minimalist - the tank being rimless and the hood and supports. going to be stunning when it's done - until you change it....

Don't think the heater will be conspicuous once the veg is established and you have been able to evict the stand-in plants.

I have a little clown plec called Suckface. I love him to bits although 3rd born sez he's boring. Teenagers....

Twillie and Twinkle would love it! Black cats - the 4 legged furry variety. I had Fish - my wopping great fantail in a bucket the other day and Twills reached in a paw to pat him gently - he watches him all the time. Thing is - paw encountered cold water - exit one shocked cat - all these years of watching the fish and he NEVER knew they lived in water! Boy cat - has gene for stupidity.

Good luck with this tank and I look forward to more pics.
Bx

 

[Themuleous]

Sorry to harp on, but woohoo and woohoo again! My first 'pearl'! yeah

S

 

[lljdma06]

Love the tank! It looks great, it just needs to fill out a bit.

I'm am also rather fond of your mosquito rasboras. I have three and wish I had more, but I have had little success trying to find them at LFS or online. They are a great fish.

 

[Discomafia]

I think the tank looks great, but needs more wisteria and elodea IMO to outcompete for algae at the beginning. Also, have you thought about using anther piece of wood to balance the one on the left? I'd go for pieces that have long, jutting branches, and it'd be nice if some of them jutted out of the water, but pieces like that are hard to find (in my area at least...) Also, I think it'd be more eye catching if you could position the supports for the light on the sides of the tank, as opposed now when its on the longer (lenghtwise) side. One more thing, are you going to use a background for the tank? Thought about trying to hide the Nutrafin CO2 canister? Good luck with the tank, and be sure to keep posting updates.

 

[Themuleous]

I think the tank looks great, but needs more wisteria and elodea IMO to outcompete for algae at the beginning. Also, have you thought about using anther piece of wood to balance the one on the left? I'd go for pieces that have long, jutting branches, and it'd be nice if some of them jutted out of the water, but pieces like that are hard to find (in my area at least...) Also, I think it'd be more eye catching if you could position the supports for the light on the sides of the tank, as opposed now when its on the longer (lenghtwise) side. One more thing, are you going to use a background for the tank? Thought about trying to hide the Nutrafin CO2 canister? Good luck with the tank, and be sure to keep posting updates.

Hi,

Yeh it does need to fill out, but all in good time, once the HC has taken hold it'll look much better.

Do you really think I need more elodea in there? Can easily add some, but wouldn't having to much shade the HC and HM out? Or will they be fine? In which case Ill stuff it with wisteria and elodea! Dont want algae!

I know what you mean about the light supports but its the best I can do really, would have to make new ones if I wanted to change it and if I put them at the end the light tubes would get in the way because they are actually a few cm longer then than the tank, with the starter attached anyway.

And yeh the right side will need something, but was thinking, once its all establised, I might add a clump of drawf chain swords, the stright edges of the leaves I think would also help even up the patterning of the whole thing. But once again, all in good time.

Thanks for your comments, will keep you posted.

Sam

 

[steve711]

Great idea, and looks cool, I might have to have a go at one of these 'nano' tanks.

Better not put it on my desk though, I'll never get any work done...

 

[scott67892002]

looks great can't wait to get mine up and running!!!

 

[kenneth_kpe]

Nice ! I cant wait for the HC to carpet.

 

[zig]

Sam im sorry for not replying to this thread earlier, i post here everyday and i missed this thread, i feel dumb anyway the tank looks fab, looks really cool it will look excellent when it grows in.

How much HC did you origionally buy, it looks like a lot in the pics. When i planted mine i planted it deeper into the substrate, just to stop it uprooting, and when new bits started growing upwards i would replant those as well to keep the carpet low, but your lighting will do that for you as well, but no harm in giving it a helping hand. You seem to be starting off with a lot so i dont think it will take long to fill in. I only bought one pot, so i made it really stretch.

In good light it will do really well, in lower light areas or areas in slight shadow it grows much more slowly, but i dont think you have to worry on that score, i find it very easy to grow, in about a month it should be practically carpeted in your tank, when it starts growing really well just give it a trim like a haircut to stop it getting to thick as it will grow over itself in the same way as glosso, when it fills in its a beautiful colour.

Anyway good luck with it, i will definatly be checking this thread again.......real soon.

EDIT: just a quick edit, because this is a new tank you will probably have to go through the brown diatom stage which will really make the tank a mess, i set up a small tank on the 26 January with the new 2211 filter etc and the tank was a mess for at least a month its only in the last couple of weeks that the diatoms have cleared and now im having trouble with hair algae, this is all got to do with new tank syndrome and basically you should expect this as well, just dont be disheartened if the lovely HC gets covered in gunk, just do your best to keep removing the diatoms daily (which wont be easy without uprooting the HC) keep dosing the ferts and especially watch the CO2. This will pass after about a month, but when you are in the middle of it, it seems like it never will.

 

[Themuleous]

How about sticking bunched stem plants on the glass using an airline holder? That way you won't have to uproot anything, and it won't shade your 'permanent' plants too much

Thats a genious idea, might give that a go, as you say, save uprooting it in a months time! And elodea grows just floating around the tank!

Sam im sorry for not replying to this thread earlier, i post here everyday and i missed this thread, i feel dumb anyway the tank looks fab, looks really cool it will look excellent when it grows in.

How much HC did you origionally buy, it looks like a lot in the pics. When i planted mine i planted it deeper into the substrate, just to stop it uprooting, and when new bits started growing upwards i would replant those as well to keep the carpet low, but your lighting will do that for you as well, but no harm in giving it a helping hand. You seem to be starting off with a lot so i dont think it will take long to fill in. I only bought one pot, so i made it really stretch.

No probs glad to have your advice now thou

I only got two pots of HC, and to be honest towards the end I got fairly picky with it, cos I had laods really, 1 pot would porb have been enough, but as you say it should carpet quicker with this much. The tank is only 8x24inches so its not got a huge area to cover anyway.

EDIT: just a quick edit, because this is a new tank you will probably have to go through the brown diatom stage which will really make the tank a mess, i set up a small tank on the 26 January with the new 2211 filter etc and the tank was a mess for at least a month its only in the last couple of weeks that the diatoms have cleared and now im having trouble with hair algae, this is all got to do with new tank syndrome and basically you should expect this as well, just dont be disheartened if the lovely HC gets covered in gunk, just do your best to keep removing the diatoms daily (which wont be easy without uprooting the HC) keep dosing the ferts and especially watch the CO2. This will pass after about a month, but when you are in the middle of it, it seems like it never will.

Thanks Im sure I'll get home and find it covered! so bracing myself for that one What do you think about adding more fast growers? Or do I have enough?

Im just getting the hang of the CO2 levels so they'll prob be on the high side for the first month or so, but guess thats better than it being to low. My biggest hassel is that the tank seems to be evaporating about 0.5cm of water per day! and that affects how long the CO2 bubble stays in the diffuser, bit of a pain but thats that just the way of things, could always cut it in half so it's full submergered i suggess, will see.

Im fairly sure >6WPG should keep the HC flat! That much light may even physically force it into submission!

Thanks all for the kind words, will keep you posted, prob in a few weeks once its filled out. Hope the java moss fills out too.

Sam

 

[Themuleous]

Hi all,

Just a quick question; I'm down to just 9 dwarf rasboras in this tank now, due to 6 having a death wish. Think I'm going to try something different.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what fish might look good in here? Was thinking rummy nose tetras as I've always thought they look nice but not sure if they'll be a bit big and may make the tank look out of perspective? or dawn tetras as they stay quite small too?

Not really a plant question, hope you don’t mind.

Sam

EDIT - gonna add a pressuried CO2 kit this week hopefully (sorry all who bid for it on Ebay! ). Should help stabilise the CO2 level, which is a bit all over the place at the mo. Will let you know what happens

 

[Themuleous]

Well the dreaded hair algae has hit seems to be affecting my java moss the most. Could this be because its in a dead spot with little water movement?

I guess this is probably just beacuse its a new tank but any help/advice would be great?

Tank currently

KH - 8
GH - 10
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 10 (after doseing as per nomal)
Ammonia - 0
Phosphate - 1 (again aftering doseing)
pH - 6.8 at lights on, 7 at lights off

I make that about 35ish CO2, its been at that level for the week, but has probably gone up and down a bit. Changed to pressurised so should be stable from now on. Fish dont seem to be affected by the high CO2 level.

Heres a update pic of the tank just so you can see it, everything seems to be filling out nicely, the HM is growing upwards well and the java moss is doing great. There are a few dead leaves in places but generally think its going ok. The wisteria certainly seems to like it!

Sam

 

[George Farmer]

Looking very nice indeed Sam.

Sorry to see your algae, I wouldn't get too disheartened though, it's very common in new set ups.

Is there decent flow around the diffuser? Plants like decent water circulation (note this is different to surface agitation) so the nutrients, esp. CO2, are readily available.

I note you're considering a glass ceramic diffuser, this placed in the direct flow of the filter flow will ensure the micro-bubbles spread well ensuring decent growth and no "dead spots". Your pressurized CO2 will also be great so you can wack up the bubble rate if need be as the micro bubble technique tends to be less efficient.

Keep at it mate, the tank is looking good but has the potential to look great. Good work.

PS I'm not sure on your current fish situation but I'd personally avoid Rummynoses, they grow too large for a tank your size IMHO.

 

[Themuleous]

Cheers George,

I thought it was just a case of 'sit things out' will keep up with the ferts etc. The flow isn't great, I did add the spray bar but my dwarf rasboras got a death wish with it in there so had to take it out, will see what I can sort as the diffuser is at the opposite end of the tank to the filter outlet so probably a bit slow.

Cheers for the encouragement, much appreciated.

As for the fish, I have just added three dawn tetras (Aphyocharax paraguayensis), which should stay quite small, think'll be great, may get a few more if they settle ok.

Thanks again

Sam