My 'Iwagumi' Wannabe Desktop tank

[xjiahua]

As at 31st March 2011




As at 6th May 2011



Tank: Gex SLIM 600 20Litres
Substrate: 6months old ADA Amazonia II & ADA PowerSand
Lighting: Dymax REX-FL T8 18W
Filtration: Eheim 2211
Plants: Hemianthus Callitrichoides (HC)

[Shadow]

good start, you might want to add few more smaller rocks and try reduce the water until you unable to see the water. To much water will make the HC melt.

[xjiahua]

Planning to have a few Harlequin Rasbora as fauna.

Want to seek some advice on whether should i remove the oyama paper ? or add more rocks towards the left side of the tank ?

since the flora has started to spread can i kick start the tank ? the wait is killing.

[hellomyfriend]

WOAH nice HC over there

[neverwalkalone]

Planning to have a few Harlequin Rasbora as fauna.

Want to seek some advice on whether should i remove the oyama paper ? or add more rocks towards the left side of the tank ?

since the flora has started to spread can i kick start the tank ? the wait is killing.

Nice setup. Looks like the shallow tanks are getting popular. :-)
Regarding the removing of Omaya paper, it's very personal. What's behind the tank is very important, as a light background/wall gives different effects when viewed from the front (if you like the shading effects n possibly changing background shades to depict different times of the day.

As for flooding the tank; I personally think you should wait a while more. DSM is easier for startup and since you say the HC is already spreading, you may want a nice carpet before you flood it. Patience is key. I've learnt the hard way when I flooded too quickly, with the water movements uprooting those that have not anchored deep enough. Also, you'll want to blast the CO2 during initial stages to help the plants cope with conversion to submersed state.
Algae and other issues like dosing are necessary, so IMO, it's best to flood only when the desired growth has taken place.

Finally on the scape, as Robert suggested; you may want to place some smaller rocks on the left-centre since you have a rather large space there, which is ascentuated by the shallow tank and little/no slope.

Keep up the good work! Look forward to seeing it mature soon. :-)

[shyta]

actually im kinda interested in a side project using dsm, not sure how it works but what is the plastic wrap over the tank supposed to do?

[eviltrain]

actually im kinda interested in a side project using dsm, not sure how it works but what is the plastic wrap over the tank supposed to do?

this is to keep the humitity in so that the hc will not dry up.

TS, you can place a bottle of ice in to keep the temperature inside the tank low.

[xjiahua]

good start, you might want to add few more smaller rocks and try reduce the water until you unable to see the water. To much water will make the HC melt.

thanks! no doubt the ones that strive and spread are those with wet substrate and those with puddle of it only see the formation of small leaves. had already taken out film wrap and let evaporation takes place. thanks again!

Nice setup. Looks like the shallow tanks are getting popular. :-)
Regarding the removing of Omaya paper, it's very personal. What's behind the tank is very important, as a light background/wall gives different effects when viewed from the front (if you like the shading effects n possibly changing background shades to depict different times of the day.

As for flooding the tank; I personally think you should wait a while more. DSM is easier for startup and since you say the HC is already spreading, you may want a nice carpet before you flood it. Patience is key. I've learnt the hard way when I flooded too quickly, with the water movements uprooting those that have not anchored deep enough. Also, you'll want to blast the CO2 during initial stages to help the plants cope with conversion to submersed state.
Algae and other issues like dosing are necessary, so IMO, it's best to flood only when the desired growth has taken place.

Finally on the scape, as Robert suggested; you may want to place some smaller rocks on the left-centre since you have a rather large space there, which is ascentuated by the shallow tank and little/no slope.

Keep up the good work! Look forward to seeing it mature soon. :-)

thanks for the advice! exactly the wait is killing badly wants to see everything come into place haha. guess its normal among the hobbyist. as advised i would probably look for smaller pieces and create a middle walkway kind of look.

this is to keep the humitity in so that the hc will not dry up.

TS, you can place a bottle of ice in to keep the temperature inside the tank low.

thanks pal but the tank is already in a air-conditioned room most of the time. give the best for it and myself and hope for the best !

[shyta]

I see I see.. thanks bro!

[Stormz]

Hope to see your start up grow in time to come, got time go coffee sometimes.

[xjiahua]

Hope to see your start up grow in time to come, got time go coffee sometimes.

hey Cedric ! thanks! sure thing man. sorry was a little rushy yesterday. just went there to check out some stuff and had to run.