• 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

Uwagumi 60L

Joined
8 Sep 2017
Messages
25
Location
Newport, Shropshire
Just found this forum - looks great!

I have a Home 60 - today I decided to take all the plastic bits off, and go for a more minimalist look whilst I wait for some glass ware. I have an aqua ray LED strip anyway, so I don't mind getting rid of the stock lights.

It looked like this when I bought it:

IMG_20170901_011831.jpg IMG_20170901_011838.jpg IMG_20170901_012636.jpg

PLEASE SEE POST FURTHER DOWN PAGE 1 FOR BUILD START....
 
Last edited:
Ok guys,

I've decided to do a full rebuild; I really wasn't happy with the first one. I think I rushed it in my excitement to get an aquarium again...

To start with I drained the tank water and siphoned the gravel (not the plant substrate) into a large bucket to keep the bacteria alive until I can fill the tank again. Then I moved the plant substrate to one side of the tank and let it drain of water, before removing that water and scooping up the mud ready for it's next use. There was a little bit of gravel in the mud, but I don't mind.

Going with a "Make the best from what you have" mentality, I decided to go a bit further with removing the plastic from the tank. I chopped and sawed away until the plastic was just under the side glass of the aquarium, which will be further hidden when I add a black band to the bottom of the tank using electrical tape. Turns out the whole plastic base is held on with double sided tape at each end! That being the case, I applied some silicone better binding the base to the aquarium. I have no idea if it's aquarium safe, but none of this silicone is going inside the tank, and will have cured for days before I get to add water again.

I also took this opportunity to spray the back of the tank black with a none-toxic acrylic paint (Games Workshop to be precise) and again left that to cure for a few hours, as well as adding the black band electrical tape to the bottom.

IMG_20170909_214133.jpg

At my LFS I found the following rocks. One of them looks like a cliff / plateau I though'd look good.

IMG_20170909_103641.jpg

To bed these in with gravel to provide some height, but not use the plant mud. Hopefully it will slightly avoid going anaerobic too. This was the best layout I could come up with. Pretty much every stone I got has a "show" side and a "no" side. I decided to add gaps between the stones for planting. BTW this gravel was some spare dry gravel I had from the original aquascape, and thus not seeded with bacteria yet.

IMG_20170909_234336.jpg IMG_20170909_234330.jpg

Next I added the mud back in an even layer on top of that gravel, and as the base layer where there is glass. The mud follows the contours of the gravel and glass underneath.

The black background looks great, perfectly even. To protect it, I've added the original vinyl backing back on top to prevent it scratching when I add the filter and accessories. You can't see it, so I'm happy.

IMG_20170910_000612.jpg

It's still a little wet, but I don't mind. The gravel that will go over this mud layer is still with the filter in the bucket, and for the next few days I'll add one or two drops of food to keep the bacteria going.

I've ordered an Eden external filter / heater combo (one less thing in the tank!) and some TMC rail and stand kit for my AquaRay light. I've also ordered:

Micranthemum MonteCarlo http://www.pro-shrimp.co.uk/in-vitr...in-vitro-dennerle-plant-it-4001615300383.html
Alternanthera Reineckii Mini http://www.pro-shrimp.co.uk/in-vitr...kii-mini-dennerle-plant-it-4001615300550.html

I haven't used these type of plant kits yet, as last time I was asquascaping they didn't exist! I got three pots of the MonteCarlo and 2 of the Reineckii, with mind to spit the MonteCarlo into as many pieces I can to start up the carpet.

Next update will be after planting, re-gravelling and external filter setup!
 
Last edited:
Plants are coming tomorrow along with the external filter, so for now here's the final layer of gravel. I've left about 50% of it with the filter in a bucket still running.

IMG_20170911_184440.jpg IMG_20170911_184453.jpg
 
Last edited:
So after the filter and plants arrived, I have put everything together, planted and filled once more.

I'm setting my lights for 3 hours on, 2 hours off, 3 hours on again from 10am.

C02 currently at 2 bubbles / second.

Planning to do 25% water changes every day for 3 weeks, as I'm already using mature filter media.

Should I start fertilisation now? Or should I leave it and use the WC's to replenish micro nutrients? I have Colombo weekly fert and Ferropol 24.

IMG_20170912_145307.jpg IMG_20170912_171244.jpg
 
Last edited:
Some shots a few days in:

IMG_20170915_023237.jpg IMG_20170915_023257.jpg IMG_20170915_023314.jpg IMG_20170915_023338.jpg

The MonteCarlo is melting a bit - I'm guessing this is normal whilst the plants transition from un-submersed to submersed? I believe this is causing a bit of an ammonia spike.

I've left C02 on 24/7, at 2 bubbles / sec and am doing 33% WC's daily. What's the reccomended period before going to WC's every two days? 2 weeks? a Month?
 
Last edited:
Ok, feeling a bit better about the melt now - even since last friday, I can see tiny new growth in all bits of MonteCarlo. Also done some building on the lights. 10 points for who can tell me what the plastic shade on the light is....

Also moved the c02 system to on the back of the tank so I can adjust / change easily.

IMG_20170918_201103.jpg IMG_20170918_201137.jpg IMG_20170918_201235.jpg
 
Day 14 in the Big Brother House....

Melt is in full swing, with nice bright new growth cear and I can see roots shooting outward from the Monte Carlo. The Alternanthera hasn't really changed much, however I do know they are slower to grow.

I'm keeping a steady 1/2 bubble / sec (i.e. 1 every 2 secs) as this seems to keep the C02 indicator still within the green, and leaving it on full time.

Lighting still 3 hours on, 2 off, 3 on again every day.

No algea *yet* though I expect it shall make itself known at some point....

I'm alternating between RO water changes and tap water to bring Nitrates and softness down.

IMG_20170925_004520.jpg IMG_20170925_004531.jpg IMG_20170925_004537.jpg IMG_20170925_004546.jpg
 
Hi
If I was you I would try to see if you can position the co2 diffuser in or under the direct flow from that spacer bar and also if possible try to extend the spacer bar so it runs the full length of the tank.
Doing both of these will help co2/flow and distribution

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
 
Hi
If I was you I would try to see if you can position the co2 diffuser in or under the direct flow from that spacer bar and also if possible try to extend the spacer bar so it runs the full length of the tank.
Doing both of these will help co2/flow and distribution
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Hi Sam,

I have a fairly large filter driving the spray bar at the moment, and it does a good job of "sucking" the bubbles to circulate them around the tank.

With the low bubble rate, the bubbles emerging from the diffuser are also nearly completely gone by the time they reach the surface.
 
Hi Sam,

I have a fairly large filter driving the spray bar at the moment, and it does a good job of "sucking" the bubbles to circulate them around the tank.

With the low bubble rate, the bubbles emerging from the diffuser are also nearly completely gone by the time they reach the surface.
Ahhh ok cool .... sorry I can't really tell from the pic
Hope all is going well with the tank
Cheers

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
 
Day 19 in our lords Jezzy Crimbles tank time line...

Ammonia is testing at 0, but Nitrites and Nitrates still high. I can see lots of melting leaves (amongst the huge amount of new growth) so I'm not surprised... I'm pretty much going to leave them to decay and really get a solid bacteria culture going.

First C02 cannister depleted, another one going on tonight.

I can see lots of root shoots coming out from the MonteCarlo which is really spreading nicely. I'd had reservations on how thinly I originally spread it (cutting the bunch down to individual shoots as is seen on the first lot of photos) but that turns out to have been ok.

Lots of "bits" in the water, no matter how many water changes, so I need to wait for them to be captured into the filter then I'll wash out the filter wool.

IMG_20170928_185158.jpg IMG_20170928_185210.jpg IMG_20170928_185219.jpg IMG_20170928_185225.jpg
 
Day 30 of the tank "Melt Over"

All levels testing at pretty much 0 now. Monte Carlo spreading well, though I've not been able to get anything pearling yet.

I wonder, will it have much to do with the roots having to travel down to get to the plant substrate?

Filter and heater going well.

IMG_20171008_174500.jpg IMG_20171008_174515.jpg IMG_20171008_174524.jpg
 
Day 62, after adding some Ember Tetra, bringing the total fish up to:

4 Otto's (Found 2 crispy out of the tank having left the cover off overnight).
2 Cherry Shrimp (1 big really red one, 1 smaller clearer one)
6 Ember Tetra

Over the next few weeks I want to build up to:

4 cherry shrimp
12 Ember Tetra
4 Otto's.

I was wondering about some pygmy Cory's, however my substrate is 1-2mm gravel, not sand. Would that be ok for them? Obviously I hope that over time the whole of the substrate will be covered in the Monte Carlo.

Also, QUESTION:

The Monte Carlo is "Browning" (My best guess is algea, as there is no leaf melt) around the leaf edges and stems. My water params are:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: 0
PH 7-7.2

I use a weekly fert and a daily fert (Ferropol 24), changing at least 50% water weekly now. Since the Otto's and Shrimp have been in the brown has subsided.

Any suggestions?

IMG_20171109_170642.jpg IMG_20171109_170648.jpg IMG_20171109_170654.jpg IMG_20171109_170702.jpg
 
Please see some video of the Big Cherry shrimp. The other day it went mad, zooming around the tank for hours and I can see a yellow "saddle". Getting ready to breed? I hope so....



 
Back
Top