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Nature's river **New journal**

Joined
4 Feb 2012
Messages
456
Location
nottingham
Before reading this journal, if you wish to see the most updated scape and recent updates come to this journal: http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=22645

This journal in particular will no longer be updated!


Hi all, time for my first journal of a tank! This tank looks identical to a Mini M however it is 3cm less tall than it. I bought this tank at my local fish store who have a section of plain glass tanks, i had a quick look and with this one looking idential to an ADA mini M i couldnt refuse! Plus i only paid a mere £8.99 for it! When i brought this home i decided to place it in my bedroom where i will see it the most and can keep a close eye on things. I am going to be making this tank into a little planted nano housing some wonderful cherry shrimp! For the aquascape i will be trying to use wood and rock to make a river/jungle effect and i will use only 4 perfectly selected plants, these being:

- Cryptocoryne Wendtii Green
- Java Ferns
- Staurogyne Repens
- Pogostemon Helferi


I am hoping these plants along with the hardscape will produce such an aquascape as Stu's mini M which you can see here: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15952

Equipment list: (Not bought any yet)
- Superfish Aqua Qube 11w clip on 8500k
- Eheim external filter
- Pincettes+Scissors
- Timer for light

Other items:
- Dont know what substrate? Either ADA amazonia, Flora-base, fluval plant stratum or eco complete? Thoughts?
- Wood for hardscape.
- Rocks for hardscape.
- Liquid ferts and liquid carbon, Anythoughts on what to use?

I have some pics below of the tank in its position. (the wood in there will not be used and also the stand it is on will be replaced for something nicer. Also the light seen here is just to brighten up the tank for pics, it will not be used as a light when the tank is complete.)

7081358795_7d85d42607_b.jpg
fts by Harry.R, on Flickr

FTS --Sorry For the bad quality pics, got no batteries for camera!

7081364759_8ae9828e41_b.jpg
top shot by Harry.R, on Flickr

TOP SHOT

7081364953_dd1e1b0716_b.jpg
side shot by Harry.R, on Flickr

SIDE SHOT

7081365177_b72a61663a_b.jpg
in room by Harry.R, on Flickr

Where it is located in my room, i have recently moved it closer to the left of the pic.

Any advice would be much apreciated :)
 
Re: Harry's ADA Mini M-ish

Sorry for the rather pointless and off topic reply, but in that first pic the right of the wood appears to have a neck and half a face, developing into some kind of horror movie growth to the left.... it freaked me out!
Looks like a nice little set up, even though you say your not using it i kind of like that light, but unsure of its ability to sustain plant growth.
Cheerio,
Ady.
 
Harry's ADA Mini M-ish

Looks great in your office space, nice piece of wood too. Nice computer display too, what is it if you don't mind me asking? (sorry again off topic). Keep up the good work
 
Harry's ADA Mini M-ish

Boil the hell out the wood, if needs be keep refilling the saucepan! Then leave it soaking in a bucket. All the substrates you suggested would be good, I've used both Florabase and ADA in the past. All are clay based and do the same job.
 
Re: Harry's ADA Mini M-ish

Good tank for the price! Bargain :D
Clean up the silicone inside the tank though mate, its a bit messy in places and that will annoy you when its all planted etc.
I like the wood though, don't know why! But it does look like a face, like a weird Hagrid from Harry Potter :lol:
NeilW's right! Boil the wood to the MAX! Then boil it again, make it sink with rocks :D
If you wanted a cheaper alternative to the substrate, use the tesco cat litter. There's a thread on here somewhere about it.
I used it recently on a tank, and although it takes ages to wash - its dirt cheap (excuse the pun), looks great and again clay based.

Kris
 
Re: Harry's ADA Mini M-ish

I dont want to mess with the silicon, im worried i may break the seal somewhere... Ill try that with the wood now, and ill post some results later! Decided on using fluval plant stratum, seeming as it is a good shrmp AND plant sbstrate :)
 
Re: Harry's ADA Mini M-ish

I can understand your trepidation regarding the silicon but I think you should be fine. You aren't touching the stuff holding it together. Just get a fresh razor blade and run it down the side using the glass a guide. If you use the new bit inside a stanley knife it is usually lightly oiled. This will help it glide through the silicon easily.

Then you can use either the same blade to clean up from the other side, almost as if using it to lift the excess. Alternatively for the second stage you could use an algae scraper/razor to lift off the excess you have cut.

I really think it's worth doing. It will transform a nice tank into a really lovely one.

As for the wood boiling I have no idea, sorry. Not something I've done or know about.

Looking forward to seeing what you do with your scape. I'm a big fan of little landscapes in a tank.
 
Re: Harry's ADA Mini M-ish

LOTS OF PICS ON THIS POST! (I found my camera :D)

Right so heres what i did, i used my algae scraper blade to remove almost all of the excess silicon on the outside of the aquarium! Looks pretty nice too. I see what you mean by i giving a cleaner look. I have started to fill the tank so it can house the wood for soaking and i have also fitted a little cheap powerhead to keep the water from being static. The wood has been boiling for 2 hours now and its going well, i will stop around 3 hours becuase that seems about the right time for any nasties to be permantly gone. The tannins of the wood leeched out very fast, the water was almost like the colour of tea! Here are some pics below from empty tank to full tank with boiled wood :)

7084360185_6a8b0acfee_b.jpg
IMG_0009 by Harry.R, on Flickr

This is the new look of the corners of the tank, much neater and less cheap looking :)

6938285088_cc2cb91167_b.jpg
IMG_0010 by Harry.R, on Flickr

Filling, upp. (bear in mind this light will not be used when plants are introduced)

7084363751_b2e97b03ce_b.jpg
IMG_0013 by Harry.R, on Flickr

A shot of the wood being boiled :) I boiled it for 2 1/4 hours.

6938470712_59f291db93_b.jpg
IMG_0014 by Harry.R, on Flickr

The wood placed in the tank with stones attatched to keep it sunk until it has soaked.

6938469380_d76b4096c2_b.jpg
IMG_0019 by Harry.R, on Flickr

from the bottom left.

6938471938_53f499230a_b.jpg
IMG_0015 by Harry.R, on Flickr

Close up of how the stones are attatched to the wood.

7084549985_9ae7118b85_b.jpg
IMG_0016 by Harry.R, on Flickr

The crappy little powerhead, does the job!

6938474526_f3a0893540_b.jpg
IMG_0017 by Harry.R, on Flickr

A reason why im not using the lamp. It gives a nice effect but is not worthy of plant growing, also it gets hot.

7084552263_e2dc358831_b.jpg
IMG_0018 by Harry.R, on Flickr

A view of it in my room.

I will leave this soaking until i have collected everything for my tank which will be around 6 weeks due to revising for gcse's and other amendments.

- Remember i am not going to be adding anything live to this tank apart from maybe some java moss if any of you happen to have some spare :) I hate to see a lovely piece of wood soaking with no plant life attatched to it.
 
Re: Harry's ADA Mini M-ish (Picture intensive)

Looks good mate, good job on the silicone :D
Fluval Stratum is OK... Quite expensive though, I have it in my 30L at home, it can be a bit messy after a while when it becomes slightly mushy though. I would recommend Akadama or Cat litter, much cheaper and the same thing.
Try some floating plants, they will grow fine under that light if you're only using it temporarily.
Get some filter sponge in there and even attach it to the powerheads intake with a rubber band. This will get your tank cycling when you add the substrate.
Try weighing the wood down in the pan with rocks and boiling it again, the more boiling the better. It will sink faster this way.

Kris

Kris
 
Re: Harry's ADA Mini M-ish (Picture intensive)

Turns out my room temp is sat at 22.7 degreesC, perrrfect :) After a day of soaking the water is now finnaly started going yellow, when should i change the water that the wood is in? (Im a novice when it comes to prepping wood for an aquarium.)
 
Re: Harry's ADA Mini M-ish (Picture intensive)

Yeah, unless you'd like to go Blackwater of course :)
Keep changing the water.

Kris
 
Re: Harry's ADA Mini M-ish (Picture intensive)

Oh can i ask, Can anybody recommend a dosing schedule for flourish excel? My tank is 36lx20wx21h cm. Also what is the difference betweeen flourish and flourish excel? Should i need to dose any other ferts along with this?
 
Re: Harry's ADA Mini M-ish (Picture intensive)

Decide on your substrate, lighting, fish, plants etc then someone will advise you on this.
Kris
 
Re: Harry's ADA Mini M-ish (Picture intensive)

What ferts and additives shall i does on my tank with these specs?
Tank: 36lx20wx21h cm
Aqua soil amazonia
Superfish Qube clip-on 11w or 18w, What is best for my tank?
Cherry Shrimp

- Cryptocoryne wendtii green
- Staurogyne repens
- Microsorium mini
- Pogostemon helferi
 
Re: Harry's ADA Mini M-ish (Picture intensive)

HarryRobinson said:
Oh can i ask, Can anybody recommend a dosing schedule for flourish excel? My tank is 36lx20wx21h cm. Also what is the difference betweeen flourish and flourish excel? Should i need to dose any other ferts along with this?

flourish is a micro only fert and flourish excel is liquid carbon.

I would suggest an all in one fert like TNC (aquarium plant food- sponsor) or TPN+ and dose as per bottle with excel.
All your plant list will do fine without excel but stauro and pogo will probably grow tall looking for available co2. If you swop them out for a less demanding plant like a hydrocotyle sp. then no need for excel, + £££ ;) I also found RCS breeding rate was higher without excel, but thats just me and guess it could be attributed to any number of things...

I find the 11w bulb works wonders on my low tech 40lt, 18w could mean more possibility of issues. Less light = less problems. Saying that you tank is a bit longer and the 11w are a bit stumpy, not sure if the 18w are longer..??
 
Re: Harry's ADA Mini M-ish (Picture intensive)

Im not sure on that Hydrocotyle, looks too stringy for me :( I like compact growth if im honest, any other suggestions?

Can you give me some links to these ferts? would be much appricated.
 
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