• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Iwagumi to Natural Tank + Video (First Journal)

owenprescott

Member
Joined
3 Aug 2012
Messages
48
Location
Essex
Hey all, originally I was planning on getting a 90litre optiwhite tank though I ended up moving into a bigger room downstairs and spent lots redecorating and getting new stuff. Instead I took the small tank out of the living room which my family had set up with 3 Cloud Minnows, multicolour gravel and 3 horrible plastic plants lol. I figured they deserve a better home and I can work on a budget until my next pay when I will go for my high tech plan.

I am currently in the process of uploading some videos showing the set up process etc so I will put those up when uploaded. Unfortunately my DSLR broke a few days ago after falling of a shelf so the second stage of the journal will be using my rubbish phone camera, not the journal quality I was hoping plus I wot be able to do any quality videos either until I get a new DSLR which is a shame :( .

Enough with the story, lets get down to some tank specs :D .

Stage 01
Tank Brand: Unknown
Dimensions: 19"L x 10"D x 11"H
Capacity: 23 litres - 5 gallon
Lighting: x1 SUN-GLO 15"/38cm 14w T8
Filter & Pump: Stingray (The ugly grey thing in the tank)
No Co2 or heater
Substrate: Hydroton Clay Pebbles & Akadama Japanese Bonsai Soil
Hardscape: Blue Slate Chippings (Massive bag with lots of small pieces)
Fish: Cloud Minnows x1 Male & x2 Female (Already in tank)


Stage 02
Plants (First to last planted) and Snails:
- 20 Live Tropical Fish Tank Plants from last-trading-post on Ebay. [Planted 28th September]
- Micranthemum Umbrosum [Planted 02nd October]
- 5 Deep "Black Trumpet Snails" [Added 03rd October]
- 55+ Hemianthus Callitrichoides (HC Cuba) [Planted 04th October]
- Riccia Fluitans [Planted 05th October]

I bought some Neutro Co2 and it arrived [3rd October] so I will be dosing with liquid carbon from this point on.

Video:
(Covers Stage 01 hardscape setup)

original_layout_by_architekogp-d5gxncu.jpg
[Screenshot from uploading video]
This is how the layout originally looked before the pump kicked up areas of substrate, I made small attempts to re layout the substrate while submerged during planting.

Pictures:
untitled_by_architekogp-d5gvznw.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5gvzpv.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5gvzt9.jpg

[04th October]
wp_000150_by_architekogp-d5gvzub.jpg

wp_000153_by_architekogp-d5gvzwa.jpg

wp_000156_by_architekogp-d5gvzz0.jpg

wp_000157_by_architekogp-d5gvzzp.jpg

wp_000159_by_architekogp-d5gw01f.jpg

wp_000162_by_architekogp-d5gw054.jpg

wp_000167_by_architekogp-d5gw09f.jpg

wp_000168_by_architekogp-d5gw0ae.jpg

wp_000175_by_architekogp-d5gw0fi.jpg

wp_000172_by_architekogp-d5gw0db.jpg

wp_000169_by_architekogp-d5gw0ax.jpg


Hopefully I will have a new camera or have my broken DSLR repaired soon so I can do some quality pics and vids though I probably will be using my phone camera the next couple of months. Hope you enjoy the journal. :)

More images including smaller experiments in my St.ash... http://sta.sh/22dssiuswjuf?edit=1
 
My journal has floated down the bottom without a comment but here is another update lol. :lol:

* [08th October Update] *
"Sorry about pic quality, as mentioned my DSLR is broke"

As you can see it has transformed quite a bit already, at the moment my plan is to make the tank as natural looking as possible. I have also added x6 'Sakura' shrimp, those were the only selection the LFS had lol. Anyway the pics...

(I bought the wood from Ghostsword :p)

2012_10_08_21_40_27_928_by_architekogp-d5hbd5x.jpg

2012_10_08_21_37_10_039_by_architekogp-d5hbd83.jpg

2012_10_08_21_34_02_957_by_architekogp-d5hbdbs.jpg

2012_10_08_21_31_11_137_by_architekogp-d5hbdfu.jpg

2012_10_08_21_29_02_403_by_architekogp-d5hbdjn.jpg
 
* [19th October Update] *
Thanks everyone for the comments, my tank is certainly starting to take shape :D. I have been struggling with the carpet plants however, the HC Cuba and Riccia Fluitans have not been growing well, this might be because I have only been using liquid carbon for about a week or I have simply been moving around the substrate to much.

I have however just planted some hairgrass in the tank, we will see how it goes. I have also added some Glowlight Tetra's, I plan on taking the last two Cloud Minnow to a LFS soon and the tetras look great schooling.

As I remembered I have an old Sony compact camera I will now be using is from now on untill I but a new DSLR, some of the photos look slightly different as I was messing around with the presets on the camera to find a good setting.

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0jv.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0l6.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0kj.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0lp.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0m4.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0o5.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0og.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0or.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0p7.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0q0.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0qw.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0rm.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0ry.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0sx.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0tk.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5id0tv.jpg


Videos to come...
 
Looks very natural Owen :thumbup: The glowlight tetras are a nice subtle addition too.
I suspect the fish your describing as the white clouds are actually pearl danios, just a heads up if your planning in taking them to lfs :)
Cheerio,
Ady
 
After doing a search on Google it appears so. I only thought they were Cloud Minnows as brother who first got the fish told men they were, I am sure the LFS will take them anyway. :p
 
Update 04th November [1 Month Old Tank]

Thanks mark and I am back again :p, I thought I would do another update as is now 1 month today since I started the tank and this journal. This will probably be the last for a couple of months as I have been updating a fair bit so I will let it grow out and come back with a new update when the tank is more mature.

The tank seems to be growing well and the fish, shrimp and snails seem to be happy. :D

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1rrn.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1rq5.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1rsu.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1rus.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1rx8.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1rxq.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1ryl.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1rz5.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1rzt.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1s0x.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1s1n.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1s2k.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1s3k.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1s5w.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1s6q.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1s8v.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1s9l.jpg

untitled_by_architekogp-d5k1sbe.jpg
 
That's really growing in, isn't it?

The difference between the photos of the initial planting and the tank in it's current form make a very nice contrast.

I'm a fan of the natural look to a planted tank.

I bet the livestock love it, too.
 
Clifford said:
That's really growing in, isn't it?

The difference between the photos of the initial planting and the tank in it's current form make a very nice contrast.

I'm a fan of the natural look to a planted tank.

I bet the livestock love it, too.

Yeah I am really happy with the mid and background plants, I am hoping the forground plants will start to carpet a little althogh those plants have have not been in the tank aslong.

Quick question, will trimming the hairgrass and other foreground plants encourage faster growth or should I let just let it all grow?
 
I honestly couldn't say if it improves growth rates. I'm sure someone who knows more than I will answer that one for you. I'd guess it wouldn't hurt, though.

I do know that trimming hair grass in the tank does create a lot of mess - I was chasing 1/2 inch long bits of grass around the tank for ages. In the end I switched all the circulation off for 5 minutes and collected it all with my net.
 
From a purely aesthetic viewpoint I'd be cautious of producing a neatly manicured lawn in front of that rather splendid "chaos" in the background.

Perhaps you could trim it in a suitably natural manner?
 
Hi Owen,
Growing in really nicely :thumbup:
Trimming hair grass does encourage runners and fills in the carpet faster.
If you want to keep a more natural look you can snip down into the grass randomly rather than horizontally cutting. Also as Clifford has suggested, turning of filtration and/or circulation during trimming allows for the cuttings to float to the surface for easier removal.....although it is a PITA regardless :lol:
Cheerio
Ady
 
Back
Top