Nano Scape with Low (or totally no) Maintenance Plants

**cube** · 3rd Mar 2015, 04:28

Hello Guys, its my first time sharing my aquascape online. Go easy on me, I am only one year into this hobby.
Hands were itchy recently and decided to start a nanoscape after spotting an empty corner in my house. I haven't kept anything smaller than 2ft before.
Been looking online at various nano tank scapes for inspiration , but i don't see much nano scapes around centered entirely on low maintenance plants such as cryptocoryne, anubias and especially bucephalandra.
Plants are currently at the 6th week from the initial set up. Tank Size : 36 x 22 x 26cm

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**cube** · 3rd Mar 2015, 04:30

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**mUAr_cHEe** · 3rd Mar 2015, 07:32

I actually like the way the soil and sand is layered. It might be accidental but heck, it looks damn cool.

What would be funnier if you actually put a dinosaur fossil in between of those layers.

**Phillipians** · 3rd Mar 2015, 08:27

I think the transition between soil and sand is pretty nice. However, be prepared, they will mix together and you get a heap of sand/soil mixture in probably a few weeks. Also, with co2 injection, you would hardly call it a low or no maintenance tank. Low and no maintenance tanks do not have co2 injection and also are mostly low light.

The way you hang your light set is also pretty darn cool. Anyway, keep it up!

**mUAr_cHEe** · 3rd Mar 2015, 08:34

I think by no maintenance, the thread-starter probably meant there will be less trimming and pruning. After all, there is nothing to maintain about a CO2 system. SEt it up right the first time and you do not need to handle it anymore.

Philippians, what you were describing I think means more of a low-tech tank.

**rakurime** · 3rd Mar 2015, 09:10

i quite like the way you pour in the soil till it nearly filled 3/4 of the length of the tank and add in the sand, really blends well. But i would not call this low maintenance (due to CO2) and it is not Nano tank, usually people refer Nano tank as small "cube" tank (pardon me if i got it wrong here, as this is what i have actually seen in this forum)

Love your tank's dimension, 36x22x26cm, by any chance is it from gUSH or ANS Opticlear?

**ZIr** · 3rd Mar 2015, 10:31

Hi Mr Cube, nice tank there and the way you hang your light is innovative!

I just scaped a new tank just this past weekend somewhat similar to yours with sand taking up a quarter of my 2ft tank. Can I ask did you have algae growth on the sand and if so, how did you handle it.

**cube** · 3rd Mar 2015, 14:39

Yup. The tank is from ANS opticlear series.

**cube** · 3rd Mar 2015, 14:50

Originally Posted by HBK16

Hi Mr Cube, nice tank there and the way you hang your light is innovative!

I just scaped a new tank just this past weekend somewhat similar to yours with sand taking up a quarter of my 2ft tank. Can I ask did you have algae growth on the sand and if so, how did you handle it.

So far i haven't had any major algae proliferation in this tank..yet.. hahah. I hope it will remain this way. Well there's some green spot algae on a couple of the anubias leaves here and there, i guess its pretty normal for the leaves of slow growing plants to have a wee bit of algae here and there. My substrate and ferts are entirely ADA, i am not the sort to mess with test kits, EI dosing etc and stuff, i just prefer to follow ' cook book recipes'. http://www.adaaust.com.au/support/su...intainance.htm
This guide have served me well since the day 1 of my planted tank adventure.

**cube** · 3rd Mar 2015, 15:16

Even while following this guide, I've still struggled with all sorts of algae growth on sand or gravel before on previous set ups, even cutting light hours and intensity still do not work (although its slows some of the algae growth temporarily, it still returns with a vengeance).
I've learn that in such cases, assuming you don't have excessive bio load from too much livestock, its usually down to insufficient flow rate and filtration. I 'over filter ' all my tanks now, i tend to select filters with capacity and flow rate more than it's supposed tank volumes.
In the case of this scape, I am running a Fluval C2 hang on back filter, kind of a little overkill for a mere 20L tank as i can see my rasboras are constantly swimming against a whirlpool

. But still, its a worthy trade off to keep algae at bay.

**Urban Aquaria** · 3rd Mar 2015, 17:29

Nice setup!

This is definitely what i'd also call a "high-tech but low-maintenance" tank. Nowadays i'm also running my tanks this way too, still like using all the nice gadgets, but no time (or patience) to keep trimming plants.

I guess many would assume that using Co2 injection means the tank must have lots of fast growing stem plants, but a high-tech tank can also be run with slower growing plants too (like in your tank setup), and thats where the "low maintenance" factor comes in. The plants grow healthier and abit faster with access to ample carbon, yet not so fast that they need trimming every week... instead maybe only need trimming every few months.

**Phillipians** · 3rd Mar 2015, 19:20

Ar, I see. I remember there was a thread on that. If you mean that, any tanks just with buceps, ferns, nanas, crypts will be considered low maintenance tanks? Can be confusing but yea I get the drift.

**boonware** · 4th Mar 2015, 07:32

Very nice

**Ingen** · 4th Mar 2015, 16:07

Originally Posted by Urban Aquaria

Nice setup!

This is definitely what i'd also call a "high-tech but low-maintenance" tank. Nowadays i'm also running my tanks this way too, still like using all the nice gadgets, but no time (or patience) to keep trimming plants.

I guess many would assume that using Co2 injection means the tank must have lots of fast growing stem plants, but a high-tech tank can also be run with slower growing plants too (like in your tank setup), and thats where the "low maintenance" factor comes in. The plants grow healthier and abit faster with access to ample carbon, yet not so fast that they need trimming every week... instead maybe only need trimming every few months.

Same same, converted two tanks to such setup, stuff it with all the slow growing plants and still provide co2 and fertilizers.

**cube** · 2nd May 2015, 14:12

Hello guys. Updates on currently how my little sanctuary is doing.
Tank is currently in the 4th month since setup. Crypts are growing huge now.. While for the anubias nana petite, probably just a couple more new leaves have grown. Indeed are slow grower.