Update of 1 week old 1ft tank

[bluetbk]

Hi guys, i would like to update my 1week old tank.

tank size: 30 x 30 x 30 (Custom Made By Weeyang)
substrate: GEX ( Dark Green package)
fert regime: EI dosage. (Seachem Iron, Wonder Gro Macro+ and Micro+)
lighting: Illummax - Compact 1ft (PL) / on 8hrs per day
water temperature: 26 - 28oC, using fan.
CO2: Nil, only does Seacheam Excel
filter: Eheim 2211
founa: 2 oto, 3 SEA and 1 tetra
flora: Micranthemum micranthemoides, Blyxa japonica , US Fissidens , Spiky moss, Taiwan moss, Anubias barteri var 'nana', Hairgrass, Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba' (HC) and latest member Rotala (unknown which species)


The above Photo is taken on 06/10/2008. Then the tank is only 2day old.




This is the current tank of up today( 15/10/200.


First View.


Second View.


Angle View.


The hairgrass had started to creep. Melting of leaves (Micranthemum micranthemoides, Blyxa japonica) had stopped.

Now am waiting for the HC to start creeping.

Welcome all comments for my current tank. Seeking to improve from all advise from everyone here.

BTW, should i wait for another week for the tank to cycle before i shift my pair of Apistogramma trifasciata to their new home?

[argonmt]

may be you need more hardscape to make the tank feel more complete? for example your second view is better than your first view because I can imagine your rotala will form a better background when it matyred.

[Morgan01]

could that be the loneliest cardinal?

[bluetbk]

argonmt>>> i do agree with you. everyday i had been looking and observation the tank. i do feel something is missing at the moment. At first, i thought that i am lacking of focus point. this is because the tank is too green :P. But after you had mention it, i do feel that i need to do something to the hardscape. Currently, in the middle of the tank, there is a piece of rock with is use as a base support for the woods above it. Need to scout around for some better shape of drift wood to replace it. Thanks for the advise.

Morgan01 >>> that is my Commando cardinal. i do have 4-5 of his brothers in another tank. shifting over in about a week time. Once i done the "transportation" of all the fishes, i goin to start doing some scaping on the smaller tank. Maybe i goin to do a shrimp tank using hairgrass

[Morgan01]

i need more commando cardinals really...my all weakenings!

[weeyang19]

Hi bro nice tank set up there can wait to see the fully grown set up

[torque6]

Hi bro, No co2 for these ? Micranthemum micranthemoides, Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba' (HC) ? will be hard. Blyxa could be difficult as well, but some bros here having success in their semi low tech. Excel = 1/3 strength of co2 and its isnt dissolved co2 gas.

Ive observed HC melting already in the foreground if im not wrong.

[bluetbk]

Thanks Weeyang. Am still learning. Wonderful tank from you that enable me to do scaping without any worries.

torque, yup. the HC are melting. But so far after a week, Melting had reduced and i spotted new roots growing. I think the HC had not settle down yet. However, MM is growing after a week of melt down. I still observing the "Rooting system". Hairgrass is creeping nicely, Blyxa japonica is rooting itself too. I going give the plants another 2 weeks before adding to anymore founa. Patience is the KEY to success.

Maybe i going to replace the centre scape, which is currently is a Rock as a base and 3 wood with moss and nana. I still have no idea on what hardscape should i make changes to the centre scape.


Btw, torque6, thanks for the information that Excel = 1/3 strength of CO2. I had this thinking that it is the same. Reason of not getting a CO2 now is that i am on tight budget. That why i am putting CO2 system on hold while still going to enjoying Aquascaping on low budget.

[argonmt]

Thanks Weeyang. Am still learning. Wonderful tank from you that enable me to do scaping without any worries.

torque, yup. the HC are melting. But so far after a week, Melting had reduced and i spotted new roots growing. I think the HC had not settle down yet. However, MM is growing after a week of melt down. I still observing the "Rooting system". Hairgrass is creeping nicely, Blyxa japonica is rooting itself too. I going give the plants another 2 weeks before adding to anymore founa. Patience is the KEY to success.

Maybe i going to replace the centre scape, which is currently is a Rock as a base and 3 wood with moss and nana. I still have no idea on what hardscape should i make changes to the centre scape.


Btw, torque6, thanks for the information that Excel = 1/3 strength of CO2. I had this thinking that it is the same. Reason of not getting a CO2 now is that i am on tight budget. That why i am putting CO2 system on hold while still going to enjoying Aquascaping on low budget.

May be you can consider to use the DIY CO2 method for short term till if you're tight badget.

In my previous setup which I'm using DIY CO2 with fan blowing, the hair glass and blyxa survived althought i am using plain sand. Just that full of staghorn

[bluetbk]

I'm very poor at DIY but i still have some remaining of CO2 in the non-controlable Tetra CO2 Depot. After torque6 mention my mistake, i quickly took it out and installed it. Hope that will do the trick but going to brace myself for algae attack.

BTW, how do i do a DIY CO2? Just incase, the Depot run empty. Thanks in advance.

[bluetbk]

Attached is the Updated of the tank. Due to "emergency" to "save" the HC, Tetra Co2 Depot was installed. Beside that, Rotala had also shifted "home" to the far corner of the tank.

Oh, i made a terrible mistake when planting Rotala first time. I never really checked if the stem was really in the soil after i planted it. During the shifting of home for them today, i discovered that only 1 stalk is really in the soil while the rest is floating. This is really a terrible mistake i made.

There is a high "wall" of US Fissidens as well and new mesh of Spiky moss at the far corner. Still thinking of how to cover the Inlet pipe.

[argonmt]

I'm very poor at DIY but i still have some remaining of CO2 in the non-controlable Tetra CO2 Depot. After torque6 mention my mistake, i quickly took it out and installed it. Hope that will do the trick but going to brace myself for algae attack.

BTW, how do i do a DIY CO2? Just incase, the Depot run empty. Thanks in advance.

i think is sugar + baking soda + yeast. You can get the recipe from google search ..

[pohrichard]

Nice land scape. Need your advice if I plan to start a new plant tank.

[bluetbk]

Thanks richard. i am still learning at the moment. This is my first scape that i had tried out so we can learn from each other. It is fun to learn thru error and also thru this forum whereby i gain a lot of advise and information. All the seniors here are so helpful to give pointers.

[weeyang19]

Thanks Weeyang. Am still learning. Wonderful tank from you that enable me to do scaping without any worries.

torque, yup. the HC are melting. But so far after a week, Melting had reduced and i spotted new roots growing. I think the HC had not settle down yet. However, MM is growing after a week of melt down. I still observing the "Rooting system". Hairgrass is creeping nicely, Blyxa japonica is rooting itself too. I going give the plants another 2 weeks before adding to anymore founa. Patience is the KEY to success.

Maybe i going to replace the centre scape, which is currently is a Rock as a base and 3 wood with moss and nana. I still have no idea on what hardscape should i make changes to the centre scape.


Btw, torque6, thanks for the information that Excel = 1/3 strength of CO2. I had this thinking that it is the same. Reason of not getting a CO2 now is that i am on tight budget. That why i am putting CO2 system on hold while still going to enjoying Aquascaping on low budget.

Not a problem bro,... I also learning too

[Aquaria One]

You need to get a flipper for Diy co2. It's not strong enough to go through an ceramic diffuser. Alternatively get a co2 reactor.

[keithtoh]

hi bro, new to this forum. not too bad the landscape. but seems a bit overcrowded. esp when yr plants start to grow. i face this problem too.. hahaha