The most ugliest aquascape of AquaZinYaw

[AquaZinYaw]

Hi frens,

I'm from Myanmar and currently working in Singapore. This is my first and ever trying on planted aquarium. Even though I purchase my tank six month ago, I slowly stocked up hardware for my aquarium and only now then I got chance (and a bit of guts not to afraid of algae) to set up my first planted tank. Here is the spec of tank...

Scaping!


Tank - 90cmx45cmx45cm (12mm thickness) braceless & rimless tank.
Lighting - T5H0 illumax-pro lighting set (2x39w and 2x21w T5 daylight tubes) Total - 120 Watts
Filter - Eheim pro II 2026 external filter
Water Circulation - Hydor Koralia 1 wavemaker
Substrate - ADA Amazonia 3x9L bags
CO2 fertilization - 5L pressurized CO2 tank with JBJ solenoid (using external CO2 reactor)
Liquid Fertilizer - Wonder-Gro Set (Macro+,Micro+ and Root+)

Just Set-up!


The tank was set up one week ago and currently still in circling state. Even though Ammonia is going down from >8ppm to almost zero, Nitrite is still very high. Below is the current tank water parameters of mine,

pH-6.8, Ammonia-0, Nitrite-1, Nitrate-5, kH-2, GH-11, Phosphate-0.5, Avg Temp-28 deg C.

After 1 week!


I set up my tank on 21 Oct and so many unexpected mistakes happened. my wood floats and leech tannin. CO2 external reactor connection loosen and nearly flood the kitchen.

So far i'm not so satisfied with my plants. Only HC seem growing but I've spotted some hair algae or diatoms at every base of HC plants. For other plants, almost all downoi and Blyxa japonica melted. Since I'm using Liquid fertilizer, I'm not sure how much should I dose for my tank within starting period. Currently I'm changing 2 buckets of water every days and dosing 5 pumps of Wonder-Gro Macro+ every water changed.

Sorry for CO2 bubbly photos and all Comments are welcome!

[boxedfish]

some moss on the bogwood will make it look better. May i know why you use a wave maker?

[AquaZinYaw]

some moss on the bogwood will make it look better. May i know why you use a wave maker?

Yeah bro, I planned to tie moss on the bogwood but it's now float and weight down by stone. Now moss on the stones and will transfer moss when the bogwood is sinked. I'm not sure what moss is that but Seaview staff told me it's exotic one.. I paid one for S$10.

I used wavemaker to compensate the flow rate of my under-rated external filter. George Farmer from Practical Fish Keeping Magazine recommend me to use x10 time turn-over flow rate for high tech planted tank.

[felix_fx2]

Bro, for a 1st timer good job done.

If you intend to have moss on bogwood it will be nicer, just don't leave it bare. if not remove the bogwood, it will look like those iwagumi layout.

Why wave maker? personally if i wanted higher flowrate i'll add another canister just for the Co2. BTW how much water you change daily?

Buy from hardware shop "elephant screw" or clips in the below picture.

CO2 external reactor connection loosen and nearly flood the kitchen.

[AquaZinYaw]

Thx felix,

Thank for the Ring Clamps pictures. I'll go and buy those ring clamps for safety concern. Currently I'm using cable ties.

I'll put moss as soon as the wood is sinked. I'll try different types of moss on each branch of wood.

Why wavemaker? Since I can't afford bigger type of ex-filter and I need more flow and moreover I'm not keen to put 2 external filter also because I don't like so many pipes running in and out of the tank. Consider glassware? it's no-no for me coz I don't have much patience and it will sure broken on me.

Wavemakers are used by some of the Pros here too (for example - blue33) They just take it out before they're taking photo. Noob like me must follow Pros advises. I used wavemaker as a circulation purpose and it's not actually making waves.. hee hee..!

Regards,
Zin Yaw

[An2timun]

Zin Yaw,..it is not ugly at all..nice layout ..do post weekly pic..

[AquaZinYaw]

Ok. 2 weeks passed and here is some updates...

Actually my tank still in circling state. (no more ammonia but nitrite still present). But I can't resist the appearance of hair algae on the DW and HC anymore and last night I went to buy algae eaters. I bought 5 Otos and 5 Yamato Shrimps. Too bad one smallest yamato shrimp can't pass the transition state, even though I float the bag in my tank and very slowly add tank water over one and half hour using syringe.

Morning when I woke up and check and found the patches of hair algae are completely gone. Now I'm completely fall in love with them.. Here is some pic:

Otocinclus (Can anyone tell me what species is that?)


Caridina multidentata (Yamato or Amano Shrimp)


Update on Blyxa japonica (all melted and only 3 plantlets survived. )


Thanks for watching.

[AquaZinYaw]

Just wanna share how I transformed my tank's wood stand into cabinet looks alike..

This is my tank with stand before mod...


I used the plastic card boards those found at popular or times book stores.. (cut them to size with knife)


I used this glue to paste the card board on the stand. Bought from the book store as well.


Here 3 sides pasted using glue. (2 sides and back)


For front panel, I don't want to be permanently closed with glue. So I bought this one. 3M re-attachable lock tapes. (Warning: Those are not so cheap!)


Here.... da taaarrrr....


Hee Hee... My cheapo cabinet....!

[agitato]

u can make hinges and add handles
use latches to hold the doors closed

[AquaZinYaw]

I'm thinking of hinges but handles are No-No for me. I've a 2 years old nephew who like to open all the cabinet door which have handles... without handles is a trick for him so far.. :P

[fishking]

nice setup bro....I like the DIY cabinet...hehehe...maybe I will do it for my ugly metal stand.

[AquaZinYaw]

nice setup bro....I like the DIY cabinet...hehehe...maybe I will do it for my ugly metal stand.

Haha.. Do it, bro! Bare stand with equipments and wires inside is very unsightly. I saw one bro transform his metal stand into cabinet with ply wood before. But my method is very light weight and no need to paint or polish. hee hee...

[AquaZinYaw]

Here some update. Exactly one month after set up.

Even after 4 weeks, seem like nothing changed much. only Blyxa japonica become double size. HC also can't form carpet (every morning had to pick up the floating HC due to yamato shrimps.) During this time struggling with CO2 external reactor water leak. During fixing, accidentally broken my ehiem filter hose connector and $40+ fly away.


Can help me ID this stem plant?


And ID of this moss on the stone?


Comments, suggestions & criticisms all welcome..

Cheers!

[Xianghao]

the moss on the stone is us fissidens..

[J tavares]

Well Done ! I like your ideas keep up the good work

[popon]

nice bogwood you have there.
anyway for the ottocinclus the species is afinis.

[AquaZinYaw]

Thank for the encouragement and IDs, guys. My plants are not so fast growing but luckily not dying and don't have a lot of algae too. Now i'm having headache with how to prepare for my 2 weeks oversea holiday on 22nd Dec. I'm planning like this. Will it work? Please help me give some suggestions...!

> Water change and clean filter 2 days before going
> Reduce lighting period to 4hrs a day.
> Off all fans to reduce evaporation.

Problem is nobody around to top up the water. Hopefully can request my cousin to come down to my house and top up water for me. Don't dare to ask to dose fertilizer also coz they are not familiar with aquariums. Going for holiday but can't fully enjoy to leave my baby behind.

[AquaZinYaw]

Here some update after 6 weeks,

I think this red stem plant ID is Alternanthera reineckii. Am I right?


Here is full tank shot. Plants are slow growing but luckily not dying and have not much algae. I always have dream about dying plants and algae bloom. Now i'm in holiday mood and don't know how it will turn out after I came back from oversea.


Cheers!

[popon]

wow the japonica grows very nice

[AquaZinYaw]

wow the japonica grows very nice

Hee Hee.. Only japonica growing.. other plants jia let..