lee1224's Low-Tech 1-foot cube setup [Image-Intensive]

[oblivion]

Finally setup my new 1-foot cube scape after gathering up most of the things I wanted for this setup.

The concept for this scape was to try to emulate an open, sandy beachline.
The aim was to create a easy-on-the-eye and an open, minimalist look.

Here's to share it with everyone and get some comments.

Tank: 30cmx30cmx30cm 5mm cube tank (ordered in thin, clear silicon from Biotope)
Lighting: 13W Dymax PL (on 5 hours daily, 7pm-12 midnight)
Filtration: Eden 501 with BioHome Plus & Sera filter wool
Co2: NIL
Cooling: Cyber Aqua Mr Cool-200 cooling fan (on 24 hours)
Substrate: GeX soil (light green packaging for water plants)
Decoration: GeX Decoration Sand, dark coloured rocks (from Biotope)
Fertilisation: Ferka Balance K & Aquatilizer (1 pump each weekly)
Water Change: 30% weekly
Flora: Vesicularia montagnei (Christmas Moss), Echinodorus Tenellus (Pygmy Chain Sword)
Fauna: NIL (for now)

Its not fully completed yet. Thinking to get some tall grassy plants to fill in at the back to create a "curtain" look.
Yet to decide between Cyperus Helferi, Eleocharis Vivipara and Vallisneria Nana.
But I'm leaning towards E. Vivipara for the ease of maintenance ==> I can cut it just like cutting hair.
Also deciding if I should add in a background paper. Black or white?
And still hoping to find suitable replica glass lily pipes to achieve an even more minimalist look.

Don't mind the lousy handphone pics as my camera has been borrowed by my sis and its not coming back anytime soon.

1) The empty tank sitting on the white Ikea table.
Attachment 6515

2) Scaping materials at the ready!
Attachment 6516

3) Partitioning the tank.
Attachment 6517

4) Basic layout of soil, decoration sand and main rocks completed!
Attachment 6518

5) Close-up of the basic layout.
Attachment 6519

[oblivion]

6) Planting done! Check out the crystal clear water!
Attachment 6520

7) Filled up with water.
Attachment 6521

The (almost) completed look.
Attachment 6522

9) All equipments in place.
Attachment 6523

Thanks for viewing and all comments be it in relation to my questions or any others are all welcome.

Edit: Apologies to Altum_lover76 as I can't manage a clear enough pic of the mini GeX thermometer with my handphone to post a pic for him.
But trust me, it looks good.

Best regards,
Weijie

[yeoyl87]

wa!! so this is the tank from biotope. Nice leh. GeX substrate seems easier to handle as compare to Amazonia. Your water looks so clear with no yellowing and cloudiness. When you pour in the water, do you need to use plastic cover/bowl/bit by bit/...etc method needed for amazonia?

Nice setup! keep us update after your "curtain" is up

[Shadow]

Don't use Cyperus Helferi and Vallisneria Nana for 1ft tank, they can grow very-very long. My Cyperus Helferi grow longer than 60cm do not believe Tropica website (20-35cm), maybe the emerse form is 20-35cm.

I never see small size replica glass lily pipes yet.

[oblivion]

wa!! so this is the tank from biotope. Nice leh. GeX substrate seems easier to handle as compare to Amazonia. Your water looks so clear with no yellowing and cloudiness. When you pour in the water, do you need to use plastic cover/bowl/bit by bit/...etc method needed for amazonia?

Nice setup! keep us update after your "curtain" is up

Yes, the tank from Biotope is really very nice.
Good workmanship and very fine silicon work.
I like it alot and am very pleased that I ordered it from Thio.
Machiam ADA tank but much much cheaper!

I filled with water in my usual manner ==> I put a pail of water at a higher spot than the tank and stuck a 12mm tube inside. Then I sucked on it like a straw to create the suction and then direct the water flow onto the main rock. The water is crystal clear as you can see for yourself.

I fill water the same way for my other tanks using Amazonia.
It still works well but the water will definitely not be as clear and I will get some yellowing after a few days.

[oblivion]

Don't use Cyperus Helferi and Vallisneria Nana for 1ft tank, they can grow very-very long. My Cyperus Helferi grow longer than 60cm do not believe Tropica website (20-35cm), maybe the emerse form is 20-35cm.

I never see small size replica glass lily pipes yet.

Then vivipara it is then!
You check out with your lfs 1st.
Then we decide I lompang you order or you lompang me order

[valice]

Middle rock abit too dead in the centre. Would be better if you have offset it to the left a tad more and let the rocks sit in between the border of the sand and soil.

[daveteogh]

You place small rocks in line between the soil and sand... hmmm you tied mosses on the rock?

Your picture too small can't tell what's that

[oni_XL]

Love the very clean and simple layout! I personally like sand as a foreground alot! Thanks for sharing. That Dymax light looks cool, don't see much of that here in US, it would be perfect for the nano I got.

[johannes]

bro nice layout...

johannes

[whq]

Bro, can share where you get the rock from? very nice.... Trying to find 1 for my nano tank too...

[Shadow]

Cooling: Cyber Aqua Mr Cool-200 cooling fan (on 24 hours)
Substrate: GeX soil (light green packaging for water plants)
Decoration: GeX Decoration Sand, dark coloured rocks (from Biotope)
Fertilisation: Ferka Balance K & Aquatilizer (1 pump each weekly)

The rock is from Biotope as stated above

[oblivion]

wa lee,i like ur scape simple but nice.especially the placing of ur rock,anyway were u by the rock from

Bro, can share where you get the rock from? very nice.... Trying to find 1 for my nano tank too...

The rock is from Biotope as stated above

Haha, yes I assumed some would be asking where I got the rocks from, so I stated it in my tank specs.

They are bought from Biotope. I had about 8 pieces which were bought over a period of time from Biotope and I picked 3 eventually for this setup.

[oblivion]

Middle rock abit too dead in the centre. Would be better if you have offset it to the left a tad more and let the rocks sit in between the border of the sand and soil.

Yeah you are right. Now that you mentioned it, I have noticed that it seems dead centre.
It was supposed to be a bit off centre to the left in the design.
I may have shifted it when doing adjustments and planting.
I will correct that!

You place small rocks in line between the soil and sand... hmmm you tied mosses on the rock?
Your picture too small can't tell what's that

Yupz, those are small rocks and pebbles tied with Christmas moss.
You can click on the pics for an enlarged version.

Love the very clean and simple layout! I personally like sand as a foreground alot! Thanks for sharing. That Dymax light looks cool, don't see much of that here in US, it would be perfect for the nano I got.

That Dymax light is pretty common here in Singapore.
13W just suitable for a low tech nano tank.
Cheap too! It costs on average perhaps 12-14 USD only.

bro nice layout... johannes

Thanks. Its not really completed yet.
I still hope to do some adjustments and improvements to it.

[bryan]

I believe you are using the IKEA Lack table. Try to add some bracing at the legs if you have the chance. It doesn't seem very stable with screw on legs.

[oblivion]

I believe you are using the IKEA Lack table. Try to add some bracing at the legs if you have the chance. It doesn't seem very stable with screw on legs.

I tested it out before the setup.
Seems stable enough.

But you got a point there. I might add some L-plates to the inside corners of the 4 legs for extra stability.

[tcy81]

I tested it out before the setup.
Seems stable enough.

But you got a point there. I might add some L-plates to the inside corners of the 4 legs for extra stability.

better play it safe.
nice & neat setup

[oblivion]

Its been 3 months and my "Venturing Apistogramma" is now finally amended to "Ventured" status.

Busy work schedules have left me with close to no time to work on the tank.

Minor changes made to the scape during this 3 month period:
Had the original moss rocks replaced by ADA moss balls.
They are smaller and good for more detailed work.

The E. tenellus still has not completed 100% conversion to submersed leaves.
Still have some emersed leaves left and continuing to brown/melt in the conversion process.
I could speed it up by trimming it but 1) I'm lazy, 2) I like it the way it is, just let the tank do its work on its own, slow and easy.
Those plants that have completed conversion are on a rampage though, having runners all over.

Added 10 green neons and a pair of wild Apistogramma Agassizii 'Super Red' from Biotope swimming around in the tank to accompany the pioneer Otocinclus affinis.
Met valice there while apisto shopping and he recommended me to try the wild Agassizzi pair out since I'm just starting out on apistos.
To my amateur eye, pretty good specimens for the price.
Today is day 2 since introduction.
Hope to show some pictures soon of my 1st apisto pair!

The fishies all look fine and happy so far.

But the agassizii male is kind of wimpy though.
He got outfought by the green neons for food during dinnertime today.
The big fellow had his dinner floating right in front of him and his mouth was wide open ready to eat.
Then 2 green neons just zipped past and snatched the food away, right in his face!

And his reaction? ==> Was to slink back into his corner under the main rock and sulk.

Needless to say, I was less than impressed by his lack of machismo.
And I bought him with the intention of him being the big boss of the tank!

Heh. Hopefully he'll show his true macho self when he gets used to his territory.

[illumnae]

he's still getting used to his new surroundings =) i find apistos do appear cowardly up to 1 week in their new tank before they start bossing the other fish around =)

just curious about your setup, does the sand start to mix with the Gex after awhile, or did you permanently partition them?

[oblivion]

He better be!
As of currently he's the wimpiest fish in my tank.
The green neons are adventurous (probably 'cause of numbers), otos are well... otos, and even the female shows no fear.

Theres a little mixing on the surface but nothing a quick weekly suction with a small tube (during weekly water change) won't solve.

I didn't permanently partition the 2.
Only used ada moss balls (2 rows deep) tied with christmas moss to shore up the boundary.
The moss balls seem to do a pretty good job of it.
From my observation the grown out fronds of the moss help "block" off the higher up GeX (due to slope) from tumbling down.

I suppose unless a permanent partition is done, theres no real way the 2 can be 100% prevented from mixing.
Slight mixing is unavoidable but I can live with it.
Well... helps make the transition look more natural lol.