Spring Passage - 40cm Cube *Updated Pics!*

[Joe Turner]

Hey Folks! Time to update my journal as I rescaped from this when I moved house over Christmas:





Tank Specs:

Tank: 40x40x40cm Cube (Converted Marine AquaNano 40)
Cabinet: Homemade with old pallet wood
Filter: JBL e901, plus internal powerhead
Heater: 150w Hydor
Lighting: TMC Mini LED 400 (Grobeam 600 when mature)
Co2: 2kg Fire Extinguisher, glass diffuser in tank, 2 bubbles per second
Substrate: JBL Plant Soil, JBL Volcano Mineral, JBL Sansibar River
Ferts: JBL Liquid NPK and Fe, dosed daily.

Hardscape: Seiryu Stone

Flora:

Eleocharis sp. 'Mini'
Monte Carlo
Crypt. balansae
Pogostemon helferi
Hydrocotyle verticillata
Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan'
Lileaopsis novea-zelandiae
Bucephelandra 'Green Velvet'
Blyxa japonica

Hardscape in place:





Detail:



Note: The passage of River Sansibar is separated using strips of milk bottle. Worked perfectly and will soon be covered by plants I hope!

Planting:



The hardscape stayed in place after filling, which was definitely the sketchiest part. Flow around the tank seems to be perfect, with micro Co2 bubbles reaching all levels of the scape, and the leaves of all plants 'swaying.'

I held off on dosing ferts for the first 3 days, with a water change every other day (Filter was mature from last scape and only used about 3 litres of new Plant Soil). Ferts are now dosed daily, 1 and a half pumps of each (NPK and Fe).

I've noticed some very minor melting of the lower leaves on Pogostemon, but have since seen healthy new crinkled growth. Monte carlo hasn't melted and is sending out tiny new shoots!

I will update the journal with an FTS one week in, with images of new growth when I get the chance.

For now, what do you think of the hardscape? Ambitious height considering nothing is glued, just very precisely placed with substrate supports.

Thanks for stopping by, CC and tips very welcome!

Joe

 

[jarcher1390]

Hey Joe

Its good to hear this one has had a smooth beginning.

Now that I can see it in more detail on my laptop, I feel the layout could do with some more hardscape especially in the foreground. Also some smaller rocks right at the back on top the "cliff face" will break up any foliage that you put up there and will more effectively use the top half of your tank. Thats my personal opinion anyways.

Will watch thread in anticipation.

Regards, Jonny

 

[Boxerbrad]

I presume the first images were of the tank before the re-scape? If so, it looked wonderfully wild yet tamed.

The new scape looks promising, very clean and fresh - it makes me thing of the many forested crags I've climbed

 

[5678]

Looks good!

Quite apt too, I am in the process of breaking down my 45cm cube that had a similar layout to yours and going for something rock based as you have done!
It's not easy with a cube imo but I like that. I'm going to see what I can do with the blue stone I have before buying anything else though.

Are you worried about the substrate slipping down at all?

 

[Joe Turner]

Hey Joe

Its good to hear this one has had a smooth beginning.

Now that I can see it in more detail on my laptop, I feel the layout could do with some more hardscape especially in the foreground. Also some smaller rocks right at the back on top the "cliff face" will break up any foliage that you put up there and will more effectively use the top half of your tank. Thats my personal opinion anyways.

Will watch thread in anticipation.

Regards, Jonny

Hey Jonny, thanks for your 2 cents! I will for sure be getting a couple of smaller pieces to highlight the cliff, hold me some nice bits at work!! Cheers!

I presume the first images were of the tank before the re-scape? If so, it looked wonderfully wild yet tamed.

The new scape looks promising, very clean and fresh - it makes me thing of the many forested crags I've climbed

Yes that's the original tank I scaped in my previous house, jungly themed I very much enjoyed it. I too am an avid climber and boulderer, and was drawn to the steep slab that appeared when placing hardscape. Hopefully the final layout will amplify this!!

Cheers

Looks good!

Quite apt too, I am in the process of breaking down my 45cm cube that had a similar layout to yours and going for something rock based as you have done!
It's not easy with a cube imo but I like that. I'm going to see what I can do with the blue stone I have before buying anything else though.

Are you worried about the substrate slipping down at all?

It's a brilliant sized tank to play with, so many possibilities! Look forward to seeing what you come up with! Yes, I was originally worried, however no slumping took place when filling, and everything is still in place with rooted plants. I suppose I placed the substrate supports just right? Hopefully!

I'll post a pic later of the tank from behind, the substrate on either side of the passage looks amazing!

Cheers!

 

[Joe Turner]

Day 5 Update

Please excuse the hardware, proper FTS's inbound!



Heavily chopped Blyxa and crinkly new Pogostemon growth,,,





More updates to come, just catching up.

Thanks for looking!

 

[MrHidley]

Love the original tank, looks incredibly natural. Excited to see this one once it grows out.

 

[Joe Turner]

Love the original tank, looks incredibly natural. Excited to see this one once it grows out.

Thanks! Original journal can be found under Forest Scree if you're interested! I enjoyed that scape a lot, although I'm hoping for a more controlled layout this time

Cheers

 

[Joe Turner]

Day 13 Update

Plants are settling in and taking root, and I haven't seen any algae growth which is promising.

My drop checker indicates over 20ppm of Co2 by lights on and flow is reaching all plants. To fine tune this I have ordered a pH pen, £12 hydroponics tool from fleabay.

A crystal red and crystal black shrimp made their way into this tank from the old scape, and I have since seen a few crystal black larvae! I'm hoping they're finding enough to eat at the moment, time will tell!





Eleocharis 'mini' and Pogostemon helferi showing signs of growth.





Much darker Crypt. balansae leaves emerging than in the previous scape, I'm hoping all the new leaves take on this colour. Again, I'm hoping this is due to better circulation. Hydrocotyle is sending out runners every other day..







Shrimp on the march up the cliff, with new Bucephelandra growth.



My DIY cabinet made out of old pallets, free wood looks great after a good sanding!



The passage from behind, steep cliffs!



I have ordered some plants to arrive next week, that should hopefully fill out the empty spaces in the tank as well as hide the substrate supports that can be seen behind the left rock.



Also, I forgot that what I thought was Blyxa japonica is actually Juncus repens.

I'm replacing it with Micranthemum micranthemoides and Limnophila Vietnam 'Mini'. Anubias nana petite will be added to the left side of the cliff, and Rotala sp. 'Green' to the top right, just left of Crypt. balansae.

I haven't witnessed much pearling at the moment. After a water change obviously everything fizzes, but during normal photoperiod hours it only seems to be Hydrocotyle that pearls. Could be because most of my plants are slow growing?

I'm hoping Monte Carlo will start faster growth once roots have established more.

Hence the pH pen purchase, in a hope to find out more.

Thanks for looking!

 

[Greenfinger2]

Hi Joe, Fantastic rustic cupboard Great little Scape

 

[Joe Turner]

Hi Joe, Fantastic rustic cupboard Great little Scape

Thanks Greenfinger! I'm hoping it will fill out with some stems coming next week.

Also, I changed the light today to the TMC GroBeam 600. I've done some reading today, especially in other forums on here and think it may be a good move.

Until the pH pen arrives I can only assume I've got enough C02 (drop checker green/lime during photoperiod((and I don't yet know my KH, although I reckon its pretty low), and I think I'm dosing sufficient nutrients... but haven't yet seen much pearling. Up the lights I reckon, we'll see..

Cheers!

 

[chris-w-89]

Looking good Joe!
I like that layout if all goes well I can see that turn into a neat looking tank


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Joe Turner]

Stems added, looks much better I think. I also narrowed the passage to emphasise the scale of the cliffs a bit more, I think it's worked. Also, the new stems have given the tank that slight jungle look that I crave..

Photos to follow once water has cleared as I added more JBL plant soil.

Thanks for looking, stay tuned

Cheers, Joe

 

[alto]

Photos to follow once water has cleared as I added more JBL plant soil.

cant hardly wait

 

[BexHaystack]

Photos to follow once water has cleared as I added more JBL plant soil.

How's the tank going?

 

[Dantrasy]

Great job holding the soil back. Your scape is coming along really nicely.

 

[Joe Turner]

Time for an update, long overdue!

Lighting is now a TMC Grobeam 600, without the controller.

Ferts are now EI, never tried it before but I'm really liking the results!

New plants:

Rotala Green,
Rotala rotundifolia,
Crypt. petchii

Fish!

Cardinals
Featherfin Rainbows
Apistogramma baenschi 'Inka 50' pair









Thanks for looking, what do you think?!

 

[Mark-jan]

Can't see the pictures unfortunally

 

[alto]

Tank is looking good (good flow is a challenge with the large rocks) but not sure on the fishes for that size of tank ... somewhat concerned over possible mayhem if the Apisto pair spawns (she likely won't want him in her territory) so maybe have a contingency tank or plans

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

somewhat concerned over possible mayhem if the Apisto pair spawns (she likely won't want him in her territory)

<"Lovely fish">, but the tank is a bit small.

I think the male may be all right, because nijsseni group Apistogramma are pair forming, but she is likely to kill the Neon Tetras (which will try and predate) any fry.

Threadfin Rainbows are fry safe, but again she may kill them.

cheers Darrel