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Thread: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

  1. #1
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    Smile 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

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    Its been a few weeks after my 32 litre Hemianthus Callitrichoides DSM tank was flooded and the plants are growing well.

    The tank was cycled within a week as i used mature filter media from another established tank and the ADA aqua soil substrate had already released a majority of its ammonia and nutrients over the initial 6 week DSM period.

    Limnobium Laevigatum (aka Amazon Frogbit) were added in from the start to help soak up the excess nitrates and nutrients.

    I've also added in a nice tree-like twisty branch bogwood piece with Fissidens Fontanus attached (will have to wait for the moss to grow over the next few months). Hopefully it will eventually grow into a nice and lush fissidens moss tree.

    Otocinclus Affinis and Neocaridina Heteropoda were added after the tank was fully cycled to help reduce algae and detritus. More fauna will be introduced progressively in stages.

    This is a photo of the tank at 2 weeks post-flooding...



    Here are the tank stats:

    Tank Size: 45cm x 30cm x 24cm (High Clarity / Low Iron Glass)

    Substrate: ADA Aqua Soil New Amazonia (Powder Type)

    Filter System: Eheim 2224 + 13mm gUSH Lily Pipe Set

    Filter Media: Seachem Matrix + Bio Sponges

    Temperature: 27-28 °C

    Lighting: Up Aqua Z-Series Pro LED Z-15 (45cm)

    Light Duration: 6-8 hours

    Co2: None

    Fertilizer: None

    Fan/Chiller: None

    Water Change Regime: 20% Weekly

    Water Parameters:
    Tested using API Freshwater Master Test Kit
    pH = 6.6
    Ammonia = 0 ppm
    Nitrite = 0 ppm
    Nitrate = 0-5 ppm

    Flora:
    Hemianthus Callitrichoides
    Fissidens Fontanus
    Bogwood
    Slate Rocks

    Fauna:
    Otocinclus Affinis
    Neocaridina Heteropoda

    Feed:
    Hikari Shrimp Cuisine
    Blanched Zucchini & Green Peas
    :: Urban Aquaria ::
    www.urbanaquaria.com

  2. #2
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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Tank looks bigger than actual size, nice one.

    Keep us updated

    Sent using Tapatalk 2

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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    wow you manage to grow HC without Co2 and very nice work you've done.

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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Really amazing that HC can be kept with no CO2 and fertilizer dosing and doing well after a few weeks. This is the first time I've heard of this. Please keep everyone updated on how the plants thrive. I'm sure everyone is as keen as me to learn of HC can be kept in a low- tech environment. Cheers.

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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Nice work! Any frontal shots of the tank?
    ... always look at the bright side of life

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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Nice one brudder.....
    any more pics? Front side?

  7. #7
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    Smile Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Thanks for all the nice comments!

    More photos of the tank...



    Top view.



    Front view.



    The tank looks abit bare at the moment, but it should fill out once i add more fauna and the flora have grown further.

    Will update soon.
    :: Urban Aquaria ::
    www.urbanaquaria.com

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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Nice work! Looking forward to your progress

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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Any review on the lights? Care to share the water temp?

  10. #10
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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Quote Originally Posted by Urban Aquaria View Post
    Its been a few weeks after my 32 litre Hemianthus Callitrichoides DSM tank was flooded and the plants are growing well.

    The tank was cycled within a week as i used mature filter media from another established tank and the ADA aqua soil substrate had already released a majority of its ammonia and nutrients over the initial 6 week DSM period.

    Limnobium Laevigatum (aka Amazon Frogbit) were added in from the start to help soak up the excess nitrates and nutrients.

    I've also added in a nice tree-like twisty branch bogwood piece with Fissidens Fontanus attached (will have to wait for the moss to grow over the next few months). Hopefully it will eventually grow into a nice and lush fissidens moss tree.

    Otocinclus Affinis and Neocaridina Heteropoda were added after the tank was fully cycled to help reduce algae and detritus. More fauna will be introduced progressively in stages.

    This is a photo of the tank at 2 weeks post-flooding...



    Here are the tank stats:

    Tank Size: 45cm x 30cm x 24cm (High Clarity / Low Iron Glass)

    Substrate: ADA Aqua Soil New Amazonia (Powder Type)

    Filter System: Eheim 2224 + 13mm gUSH Lily Pipe Set

    Filter Media: Seachem Matrix + Bio Sponges

    Temperature: 27-28 °C

    Lighting: Up Aqua Z-Series Pro LED Z-15 (45cm)

    Light Duration: 6-8 hours

    Co2: None

    Fertilizer: None

    Fan/Chiller: None

    Water Change Regime: 20% Weekly

    Water Parameters:
    Tested using API Freshwater Master Test Kit
    pH = 6.6
    Ammonia = 0 ppm
    Nitrite = 0 ppm
    Nitrate = 0-5 ppm

    Flora:
    Hemianthus Callitrichoides
    Fissidens Fontanus
    Bogwood
    Slate Rocks

    Fauna:
    Otocinclus Affinis
    Neocaridina Heteropoda

    Feed:
    Hikari Shrimp Cuisine
    Blanched Zucchini & Green Peas
    Nice looking tank. But think the tank size u given is wrong. The smaller one on the right looks like the measument u give

  11. #11
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    Smile Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Quote Originally Posted by limz_777 View Post
    Any review on the lights? Care to share the water temp?
    Well, so far i've used the lights to grow plants like HC, Riccia, Fissidens etc in tanks up to 30cm depth for a few months now and they have all shown positive growth... so i guess that could be a benchmark reference for planted tank suitability.

    The average water temperature in this tank is around 27-28°C (its in a room that isn't facing the sun directly so its relatively cool).

    Quote Originally Posted by markvtec2 View Post
    Nice looking tank. But think the tank size u given is wrong. The smaller one on the right looks like the measument u give
    The tank dimensions are correct, it is 45cm x 30cm x 24cm... the tank you see on the far right is even smaller at 30cm x 24cm x 18cm, you can check out my overview on it in this link:

    http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2013/01/...nano-tank.html

    Btw, i've shifted my tanks around since... and adding more tanks.

    I guess the relative scale of the carpet plants (HC are very tiny plants) and bogwood (its actually only 25cm in width) probably makes the tank look larger than it really is.
    Last edited by Urban Aquaria; 18th Feb 2013 at 02:53.
    :: Urban Aquaria ::
    www.urbanaquaria.com

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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    I have always enjoyed looking at your master piece. I like the minimalistic or clean look you achieve. Everyone is interested in knowing your secret! Did you put excel? How much excel did you put and its relative frequency. If not how do you achieve no CO2?
    Inspired by Amano Limited by Yusof Ishak

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    Smile Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Quote Originally Posted by bennyc View Post
    I have always enjoyed looking at your master piece. I like the minimalistic or clean look you achieve. Everyone is interested in knowing your secret! Did you put excel? How much excel did you put and its relative frequency. If not how do you achieve no CO2?
    Thanks!

    So far for this particular tank, i've not added any Excel into it yet... i've been trying out Diana Walstad's natural planted tank basic principles and techniques, and it seems to be working.

    Most if the techniques i'm using are referenced from her book article: http://www.bookmasters.com/marktplc/00388Shrimp.pdf

    Without any injected Co2 or Excel, i'm just working on the Co2 that is already naturally present in the tank environment itself, which regenerates at night or when the there is no light (plants convert oxygen to Co2 when its dark)... so i simply adjust the lighting duration to match the Co2 naturally available.

    In the beginning after the tank was flooded post-DSM, i started with a shorter 6 hour lighting duration (this helped to prevent algae taking hold during the initial cycling period), then once the tank was cycled and all the parameters were stable, i split the lighting duration into 2 x 4 hours shifts with a 4 hour break in between for Co2 in the water to naturally replenish on its own before each shift.

    In addition, i also focus on only using specific plants in the tank so that the HC gets enough Co2 and nutrients without being out-competed by other more demanding plants (ie. frogbits don't compete on Co2 as they take it directly from the air and can be added or removed easily to help regulate nutrient levels, while fissidens only require minimal Co2 and nutrients to grow).

    This method basically makes more efficient use of natural resources which are always limited, just like in nature.

    All these practices are not necessary for high tech tanks with Co2 injection, because the plants are being artificially force-fed with lots of Co2 so that resource is no longer limited, which allows plants to be pumped with much more lighting and fertilizers to grow at accelerated rates.

    With the low tech method of no Co2 injection, the lighting and nutrient demands are naturally reduced, although plant growth is slower, the benefit is that everything is self-sustaining and very low maintenance... which is one of my objectives, as i travel overseas for work quite often and therefore prefer not to have tanks which require constant maintenance all the time.
    Last edited by Urban Aquaria; 18th Feb 2013 at 04:19.
    :: Urban Aquaria ::
    www.urbanaquaria.com

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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Thanks for introducing the good read. I should have know you earlier, since i started my tank quite close to yours, and i would have avoid buying my expensive CO2 set. Haha. Very in depth knowledge of aquatic plants and fish keeping.
    Inspired by Amano Limited by Yusof Ishak

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    Smile Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Quote Originally Posted by bennyc View Post
    Thanks for introducing the good read. I should have know you earlier, since i started my tank quite close to yours, and i would have avoid buying my expensive CO2 set. Haha. Very in depth knowledge of aquatic plants and fish keeping.
    Yeah, using Co2 injection is definitely the much faster method, with the right lighting and ferts you'll get way quicker plant growth. Nowadays if budget is not an issue, its much easier to use technology to "turbo-boost" aquascapes.

    The main issue with low-tech setups is slower plant growth, therefore just need to wait longer to see results (have to be very patient though).

    I actually only started in planted tanks only a few months ago, initially also inspired by Amano's aquascapes and bought all the high tech equipment and gizmos to try out (my storeroom shelves are still full of equipment and bottles of fertilizers)... until i found Diana Walstad's book "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium" and then got interested in the natural planted aquarium principles and methods, so i ended up going in that direction instead.
    Last edited by Urban Aquaria; 18th Feb 2013 at 15:58.
    :: Urban Aquaria ::
    www.urbanaquaria.com

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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Nice! I'm envious that you could grow HC without co2 injection

    Anyway, I've tried growing HC using ADA Amazonia. However my HC tends to "melt". I note that there are debates about whether HC is emersed/submersed, but mine doesn't seem to grow. Care to share any tips regarding this?

    Thanks! :thumbup:

    Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Xtra boost your co2 during the transition, till the new growth leaves steady.

    Sent using Tapatalk 2

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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Quote Originally Posted by milk_vanilla View Post
    Xtra boost your co2 during the transition, till the new growth leaves steady.

    Sent using Tapatalk 2
    Thank you milk_vanilla! What's the bps I should achieve?

    Hmm, how about without co2 injection then?

    Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

  19. #19
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    32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Quote Originally Posted by apek19 View Post
    Thank you milk_vanilla! What's the bps I should achieve?

    Hmm, how about without co2 injection then?

    Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
    Co2 injection is the general term for putting co2 into your tank.
    It can be through various means like:
    - pressurised co2
    - DIY co2
    - Excel
    How you diffuse the co2 into your tank:
    - external reactor
    - internal reactor
    - diffuser/ atomizer

    If you are able to adjust the bps, I assume that you are using pressurised co2.
    Different methods of diffusion co2 will mean different efficiencies of co2 dissolvation into the water.

    BPS is just a rough estimation as method of diffusing the co2 into the water plays a part in the concentration of CO2 as well. Perhaps you can provide more details about your CO2 setup so that the other bros here are able to help you out.



    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

  20. #20
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    Re: 32 litre "Tree Scape" Tank!

    Quote Originally Posted by qngwn View Post
    Co2 injection is the general term for putting co2 into your tank.
    It can be through various means like:
    - pressurised co2
    - DIY co2
    - Excel
    How you diffuse the co2 into your tank:
    - external reactor
    - internal reactor
    - diffuser/ atomizer

    If you are able to adjust the bps, I assume that you are using pressurised co2.
    Different methods of diffusion co2 will mean different efficiencies of co2 dissolvation into the water.

    BPS is just a rough estimation as method of diffusing the co2 into the water plays a part in the concentration of CO2 as well. Perhaps you can provide more details about your CO2 setup so that the other bros here are able to help you out.



    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
    I'm using a pressurised co2 with an external reactor. Using a cheap Taiwan made AC selonoid fixed to my timer.

    Thanks qngwn for helping out.

    Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

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