luckyjim
Member
- Joined
- 26 Jan 2015
- Messages
- 156
Hi everyone.,
I am going to post a journal and post some photos here in the hope that if anyone spots obvious blunders, I can get some pre-warning! Any advice or opinions on any aspect of this project will be appreciated.
I have very basic experience in aquarium keeping. Back when I was about 14, I kept a large very low tech "pond style" tank with the aim of breeding sticklebacks. I was successful in so much as my sticklebacks bred...then a rival male ate the eggs. Fascinating mating behaviour though, and I would recommend to anyone with a coldwater tank. More recently, about a year ago I tried a c.50 gallon high with pretty ropey equipment. I maybe all the newbie mistakes and it crashed after a couple of weeks.
A few weeks ago I bought myself a fluval chi 6 gallon when browsing amazon through boredom. This is now cycling as a low tech "jungle" tank which I aim to put a siamese fighter in. With that intention in mind, I wondered down to Charterhouse Aquatics last weekend (only a few minutes walk from me).
They had a 35l aqustyle on display which, I found after chatting with the staff, they were getting rid of. So I bought at a knock down price with the stand. Also picked up a piece of redmoor root for a fiver and a bag of eco complete substrate (if I'd done some research and bought ADA aquasoil).
Having browsed around for ideas, I came across James Marshall's amazing "forest edge" scape here (http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/...a-retrospective-journal-iaplc-2013-158.28745/), which I decided to use on as a guide for planting. Bought some in vitro grown stock as I decided my best chance at a carpet was through a dry start.
Last night I took the plunge and put in the hardscape and plants for the dry start. Here is the tank spec and photos:
Tank: Eheim aquastyle 35 litre nano ( Charterhouse Aquatics ) 35cm high, 31cm depth, 31cm width.
Lighting: For now, stock Eheim powerLED (7w unit, 3100 lux, 6.500 Kelvin). However, after a bit of research, and a brief tussle with my conscience over IP issues, I've ordered a Chinese knock-off of the ADA Aquasky, which I have read has a very similar performance to the original ( ebay ).
Filter: Stock Eheim internal corner filter ( link ). 200 litres an hour turnover.
Heater: Interpet Aquatic Heater - 100W Deltatherm Heater.
Substrate: Eco complete ( link ).
Hardscape: Redmoor root, which I put through the dishwasher 4 times (no detergent) but is not soaked.
CO2: Bought the basic kit from CO2 Art and a 2kg fire extinguisher.
Plants: Hemianthus callitrichoides, Eleocharis parvula, Staurogyne repens, Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, Christmas moss, monte carlo, and a random rotala species (pearl) and a red looking species that the vendor included ( keenshrimp, ebay )
Stocking: Dry start and I'm not totally decided, but I love the look of Galaxy Pearl Danios and I would like to get some small shrimp, maybe red cherry shrimp although it might be nice to get some unusual if I can.
Ferts: I added a couple of squirts of Tropica specialised fertiliser, I also mixed in a few opened up osmocote root tabs and crushed up fired clay peat balls with the eco complete for the dry start, as it has no macros.
Hardscape only:
Planted:
Staurogyne repens is largely in background, a few plans around base of wood. Lilaeopsis brasiliensis around base of wood. Dwarf hairgrass is mid left, HC is bottom left and centre. Monte carlo is front right. Random rotala pearl (?) is mid right. Christmas moss on the wood.
I "sprinkled" the HC on the substrate. I found the dwarf hairgrass challenging the plant. Monte carlo is in largish clumps lightly pushed onto substrate. The stauro I tried to bury roots in substrate, same with the Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, although I found it difficult as roots seemed small and delicate.
Side view:
The water is at the top of the substrate at the front (i.e. lowest point). I have put the heater in a plastic bottle full of water set to around 25 degrees, as its freezing outside and pretty cold in the flat even with the heating on. Makes it a bit tricky to seal the top with clingfilm though.
I plan to have the light on from around 7:30am to 10:30pm each day. I will open up the clingfilm for air circulation and to mist in the morning and evening.
As I say, would be grateful for any pointers, warnings, or suggestions. Hopefully its not too late to make any adjustments.
Thanks!
I am going to post a journal and post some photos here in the hope that if anyone spots obvious blunders, I can get some pre-warning! Any advice or opinions on any aspect of this project will be appreciated.
I have very basic experience in aquarium keeping. Back when I was about 14, I kept a large very low tech "pond style" tank with the aim of breeding sticklebacks. I was successful in so much as my sticklebacks bred...then a rival male ate the eggs. Fascinating mating behaviour though, and I would recommend to anyone with a coldwater tank. More recently, about a year ago I tried a c.50 gallon high with pretty ropey equipment. I maybe all the newbie mistakes and it crashed after a couple of weeks.
A few weeks ago I bought myself a fluval chi 6 gallon when browsing amazon through boredom. This is now cycling as a low tech "jungle" tank which I aim to put a siamese fighter in. With that intention in mind, I wondered down to Charterhouse Aquatics last weekend (only a few minutes walk from me).
They had a 35l aqustyle on display which, I found after chatting with the staff, they were getting rid of. So I bought at a knock down price with the stand. Also picked up a piece of redmoor root for a fiver and a bag of eco complete substrate (if I'd done some research and bought ADA aquasoil).
Having browsed around for ideas, I came across James Marshall's amazing "forest edge" scape here (http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/...a-retrospective-journal-iaplc-2013-158.28745/), which I decided to use on as a guide for planting. Bought some in vitro grown stock as I decided my best chance at a carpet was through a dry start.
Last night I took the plunge and put in the hardscape and plants for the dry start. Here is the tank spec and photos:
Tank: Eheim aquastyle 35 litre nano ( Charterhouse Aquatics ) 35cm high, 31cm depth, 31cm width.
Lighting: For now, stock Eheim powerLED (7w unit, 3100 lux, 6.500 Kelvin). However, after a bit of research, and a brief tussle with my conscience over IP issues, I've ordered a Chinese knock-off of the ADA Aquasky, which I have read has a very similar performance to the original ( ebay ).
Filter: Stock Eheim internal corner filter ( link ). 200 litres an hour turnover.
Heater: Interpet Aquatic Heater - 100W Deltatherm Heater.
Substrate: Eco complete ( link ).
Hardscape: Redmoor root, which I put through the dishwasher 4 times (no detergent) but is not soaked.
CO2: Bought the basic kit from CO2 Art and a 2kg fire extinguisher.
Plants: Hemianthus callitrichoides, Eleocharis parvula, Staurogyne repens, Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, Christmas moss, monte carlo, and a random rotala species (pearl) and a red looking species that the vendor included ( keenshrimp, ebay )
Stocking: Dry start and I'm not totally decided, but I love the look of Galaxy Pearl Danios and I would like to get some small shrimp, maybe red cherry shrimp although it might be nice to get some unusual if I can.
Ferts: I added a couple of squirts of Tropica specialised fertiliser, I also mixed in a few opened up osmocote root tabs and crushed up fired clay peat balls with the eco complete for the dry start, as it has no macros.
Hardscape only:
Planted:
Staurogyne repens is largely in background, a few plans around base of wood. Lilaeopsis brasiliensis around base of wood. Dwarf hairgrass is mid left, HC is bottom left and centre. Monte carlo is front right. Random rotala pearl (?) is mid right. Christmas moss on the wood.
I "sprinkled" the HC on the substrate. I found the dwarf hairgrass challenging the plant. Monte carlo is in largish clumps lightly pushed onto substrate. The stauro I tried to bury roots in substrate, same with the Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, although I found it difficult as roots seemed small and delicate.
Side view:
The water is at the top of the substrate at the front (i.e. lowest point). I have put the heater in a plastic bottle full of water set to around 25 degrees, as its freezing outside and pretty cold in the flat even with the heating on. Makes it a bit tricky to seal the top with clingfilm though.
I plan to have the light on from around 7:30am to 10:30pm each day. I will open up the clingfilm for air circulation and to mist in the morning and evening.
As I say, would be grateful for any pointers, warnings, or suggestions. Hopefully its not too late to make any adjustments.
Thanks!