After 19 months, I've decided to close down The Transparent Tank, my first ever aquascape attempt. Thanks so much to everyone here who helped me go from total novice to roughly knowing what I'm doing, and taught me a lot of biology, chemistry and aesthetics along the way.
But all is not lost. It's being replaced by a new ADA Mini-M that can move house with me later this year. And hopefully I'll be able to actually get in the top without serious hassle!
So let's get on with it. If you prefer following on flickr, the link to the set is here: Matchstick Brink - a set on Flickr
Hardscape: mini landscape rock (from the old tank, soaked in bleach for 48 hours and then dechlorinated)
And 1-3mm fine grain molar clay (again from the old tank, but originally ordered here).
Filter: Eheim pro3 2075, 600lph, giving 30* flow. Am going to try using relatively low movement but huge turnover in this tank to start with, as it's so small.
CO2: inline injection direct to filter.
Plants: Heminathus Cuba, Eleocharis Parvula, Elatine Hydropiper, all from my 280l big tank.
Ferts: Osmocote under inert molar clay substrate. Lean dosing (possibly!) with standard EI mix, depending on how much the substrate takes up nutrients from the Osmocote. The odd bit of home made Excel using gluteraldehyde when needed.
Lighting: Starting out with one Grobeam 500 (currently sent back to TMC as one of the five LEDs has broken after about a year). Might supplement this with a couple of T5s I have lying around, or even get a mini TMC tile.
Set-up: dry start method, sprayed with water from the big tank. Have never tried this before, and can take my time with this so am hopeful. Had a glass cover that exactly fits the top made at a local glaziers for about £5, along with a standard ADA-style cover glass which cost £3. Just pop it on the top and away you go!
And 'matchstick brink' because it's going to be a tiny mountain, with a big cliff...
But all is not lost. It's being replaced by a new ADA Mini-M that can move house with me later this year. And hopefully I'll be able to actually get in the top without serious hassle!
So let's get on with it. If you prefer following on flickr, the link to the set is here: Matchstick Brink - a set on Flickr
Hardscape: mini landscape rock (from the old tank, soaked in bleach for 48 hours and then dechlorinated)
And 1-3mm fine grain molar clay (again from the old tank, but originally ordered here).
Filter: Eheim pro3 2075, 600lph, giving 30* flow. Am going to try using relatively low movement but huge turnover in this tank to start with, as it's so small.
CO2: inline injection direct to filter.
Plants: Heminathus Cuba, Eleocharis Parvula, Elatine Hydropiper, all from my 280l big tank.
Ferts: Osmocote under inert molar clay substrate. Lean dosing (possibly!) with standard EI mix, depending on how much the substrate takes up nutrients from the Osmocote. The odd bit of home made Excel using gluteraldehyde when needed.
Lighting: Starting out with one Grobeam 500 (currently sent back to TMC as one of the five LEDs has broken after about a year). Might supplement this with a couple of T5s I have lying around, or even get a mini TMC tile.
Set-up: dry start method, sprayed with water from the big tank. Have never tried this before, and can take my time with this so am hopeful. Had a glass cover that exactly fits the top made at a local glaziers for about £5, along with a standard ADA-style cover glass which cost £3. Just pop it on the top and away you go!
And 'matchstick brink' because it's going to be a tiny mountain, with a big cliff...