La Montagne - AquaObsession

[AquaObsession]

Hi all

Today I decided to offer my gf a tank. And thereafter, hopefully she will be taking care of it well

Details of setup:

#days old : 1 day
Size : 18W*21H*28L cm
Light : 13W 6400K
Inert Substrate, Pebbles with Java Moss, Granite Rock
No fert yet
No CO2

Here is a picture...Will update as tank matures...



Btw, La montagne is the french word for The Mountain

Will introduce a few CRS (if budget allows) later, and maybe some micro rasboras.


Christophe

[brianclaw]

My suggestion is to get more rocks(bigger ones) tied with moss and place them along the back to create an illusion of a slope.

[Justikanz]

That rock (The mountain) looks like it can harden the water and raise the pH... Did you do a vinegar test on it?... Find the fauna to suit the water condition if so...

[AquaObsession]

Hmm I did not do a vinegar test....Bought from NA...I assume it was for planted....Will do a vinegar test today... With vinegar test, reactions (through bubbding?) mean the rock is likely to raise PH and harden water is it?

Can Java moss still do well with hard water and a relatively high PH (assume it raises it to ?

If not, most likely i am going to change landscape...

THanks for reminding me to do test before putting fauna...

[AquaObsession]

Did a PH test and found it to be at 7.25-7.27 at of 1000am today...However, my calibration dates 1+month ago. (pinpoin ph monitor)..will do vinegar and update (have to go shop and buy)

7.20 @ 1045

[lEddyl]

can i ask, what's Inert Substrate? is it difficult to maintain?

[bclee]

in·ert (n-ûrt)
adj.

1. Sluggish in action or motion; lethargic.
2. Not readily reactive with other chemical elements; forming few or no chemical compounds.
3. Having no pharmacologic or therapeutic action.

Source: The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

See definition #2.

BC

[AquaObsession]

This is inert substrate - i trust the words of NA

Difficult to maintain, I am not sure what you intend to say... I guess you refer to cleanliness... Well for now my tank has no fauna, so I am not feeding...I guess it will get less dirty... I have yet to find my small filter to put inside to keep water cleaner...

In case it gets dirty, then you just have to siphoon the dust away using small hose...

[AquaObsession]

pH at 7.40 @ 15.25 .. This will not affect the growth of my moss right??? I 've read Java moss does well in ph from 5-9. Is that true?

Then only thing is whether to change that "mountain" to a piece of wood, or thinking of new types of inhabitant.. Any suggestion on what I can put inside?

CRS can?

[Justikanz]

If the pH is rising, then I would not put shrimps... You can still use rocks... Get those 'holey' ones... Those are inert... I like the concept of The Mountain...

[AquaObsession]

Hmm, I think my pH readings not so stable...dunno if it is my ph pinpoint meter, or fluctuation because of the rocks..now i am getting a reading of 7.03..Any case, I guess I will have to do the vinegar test soon.

Thomas, I think the holey ones are nice, but for a slightly bigger tank. If I can find a small suitable piece, I will buy. I guess they are more difficult to accent though.

Anyway, fauna will only be introduced once the tank stabilizes, maybe in a few weeks time after the Java moss grows and reading for trimming...

Ps the picture on top is not very good...because i think camera is position too low... So will update with a better picture in a few days, or when moss growth pick up

[yanki]

this piece of rock is very nice. what do u call it? where u got it from and how much

[Plantbrain]

Stick with your original idea, let the moss grow out.

I liked the slope idea suggested.
the rock is nice, keep it, if you use wood, it will produce more mulm which will make the tank's white sand look yucky, rocks do not do that. Water changes will solve any rock water issues.

Looks like sandstone to me, inert.

You can use CO2 or Excel, Shrimps will be good and there will be plenty of hiding places once the mosses grows out.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[AquaObsession]

Yeps, letting the moss grow.... I introduce Co2 yesterday. As I was experiencing pH fluctuations yesterday and the day before, and attributed that to the rocks, I think it is more due to the low kH. WIth Co2, my pH drops to 6.5 My Co2 is only intended to be temporary, maybe first few weeks.

I have yet to find some time to test all the parameters (pH, kH, Rocks) and buy some more java moss for the slope.

Will do in one week time.

[AquaObsession]

Hi

here is an update of the tank. I took photo after i shifted to my new room.


(sorry for picture taken with glare)
Changes from first layout: Changed the rock to one which is more neutral. Added a few e.tenellus in the background.

Free to comment

Cheers
Christophe

[ranmasatome]

to me.. the first rock looks better..

[AquaObsession]

Ya, but it kind of raise the ph to 8.5 this is the reason i remove it.

[|squee|]

Perhaps hairgrass will have more impact instead of E.tennellus.

Nice rocks though. The picture doesn't do it justice?

[AquaObsession]

will post another pic after i am done with some academic work... Yeps, good suggestions, will try to see if i can get some hairgrass.

[AquaObsession]

Hi

Update: 13/08/2006




(my 20L Low tech next to it - Trial ground for no fert-no W.C - Garden soil))


Replace the E.tenellus with Hairgrass as suggested. They are not picking up slowly.
Trim my Java moss today also.

Tank now running on Eden501.

I am waiting for the moss to get greener and for the hairgrass to finally establish.

Regards,
Christophe