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Flexi Mini attempt

pepedopolous

Member
Joined
22 May 2011
Messages
678
Location
Prague, Czech Republic
Background
I bought an Azoo Flexi-Mini Scape Set from one of the UKAPS sponsors (Aquasabi) back in September. I wanted to get back into using CO2 as I had all the equipment going unused because my 125 litre aquarium is now low tech with oxygen-loving gobies and loaches.

With such a tiny aquarium, it's cheap and easy to run (and to start over again if it goes wrong). Unfortunately, I ended up starting over 3 times due to diatoms/new tank syndrome. :( To solve the diatom problem I tried lowering the light intensity, loads of water changes, and upgrading to an external filter.

For the current (3rd) attempt, I thought there was nothing to lose in trying the Dry Start Method. I also washed the soil out until the water ran clear and even boiled the Seiryu rocks. Both of these things are not recommended but I felt it necessary because there was lots of debris (grey powder) in the soil which seemed to come from the rocks. For the DSM I placed pieces of 'Monte Carlo' and Glossostigma on the soil. I planted some pieces of Eleocharis acicularis using tweezers. I used cling film over the aquarium and sprayed water about once a day. I put the whole aquarium in the bottom part of a heated propagator which kept the temperature a degree or two above ambient. I kept the light on for 12 hours a day during the DSM.

After 4 weeks I flooded the aquarium and after 5 weeks added some stem plants and 4 Topaz shrimp. Finally, I am enjoying this aquarium!

Picture from today
40946613902_7ff02a0674_k.jpg
P3240166 by pepedopolous, on Flickr

Equipment list
Azoo 16 litre clear glass aquarium (32 x 21 x 24 cm)
Flex-Mini LED light
Tropica Aquarium Soil Powder (3 litres)
Oase Filtosmart 60 external filter (300 lph)
Seiryu rocks
All in one Czech-brand fertiliser (1 drop a day)

Schedule
CO2: 12:00 to 18:00 (6 hours)
Light: 14:00 to 20:00 (6 hours)

Plant list (all Czech tissue culture)
Micranthemum sp. 'Monte Carlo'
Glossostigma elatinoides
Eleocharis acicularis
Microsorum pteropus
(a couple plants of dwarf variety I have had for years)
Pogostemon erectus
Staurogyne repens

Now the aquarium is flooded I have a custom analogue dimming solution! First I have some floating plants (Salvia natans). Second, I have two layers of baking paper cable tied to the Flexi-Mini LED. I tested the PAR using a Biotek (Apogee) PAR meter and without the baking paper it's about 100 at the substrate. With the baking paper it's about 30-40. The paper looks ugly but I what else can I do? I wouldn't buy this light again but it was good for the fast DSM stage.

Dimming in action!
40279150264_6002851d9c_z.jpg
P3240214 by pepedopolous, on Flickr']
40279150264_6002851d9c_z.jpg
P3240214 by pepedopolous, on Flickr[/URL]

DSM after 1 week
40946498502_f747710a56_z.jpg
IMG_20180219_164228 by pepedopolous, on Flickr']
40946498502_f747710a56_z.jpg
IMG_20180219_164228 by pepedopolous, on Flickr[/URL]

DSM after 2 weeks
26117475317_cd7b998754_z.jpg
IMG_20180227_212905 by pepedopolous, on Flickr']
26117475317_cd7b998754_z.jpg
IMG_20180227_212905 by pepedopolous, on Flickr[/URL]

DSM after 3 weeks

40946501382_800c456241_z.jpg
IMG_20180306_205643 by pepedopolous, on Flickr']
40946501382_800c456241_z.jpg
IMG_20180306_205643 by pepedopolous, on Flickr[/URL]

4 weeks, about to flood
26117460267_6a73fc3d47_z.jpg
P3100105 by pepedopolous, on Flickr']
26117460267_6a73fc3d47_z.jpg
P3100105 by pepedopolous, on Flickr[/URL]

Day of flooding
40278980764_8a0c75b2c5_z.jpg
P3100124 by pepedopolous, on Flickr']
40278980764_8a0c75b2c5_z.jpg
P3100124 by pepedopolous, on Flickr[/URL]

Today, before a trim of the glosso
40095157695_5e9b61e289_z.jpg
P3240173 by pepedopolous, on Flickr']
40095157695_5e9b61e289_z.jpg
P3240173 by pepedopolous, on Flickr[/URL]

40095170735_1d97f64918_z.jpg
P3240178 by pepedopolous, on Flickr']
40095170735_1d97f64918_z.jpg
P3240178 by pepedopolous, on Flickr[/URL]

40988352501_2d25fde634_z.jpg
P3240187 by pepedopolous, on Flickr']
40988352501_2d25fde634_z.jpg
P3240187 by pepedopolous, on Flickr[/URL]
 
Looking good! I was interested to see this, because I'm about to overhaul my small tank (similar dimensions), and I've also just bought the same filter. I couldn't see a heater on your list of equipment, though; have you added one to your filter?
 
Looking good! I was interested to see this, because I'm about to overhaul my small tank (similar dimensions), and I've also just bought the same filter. I couldn't see a heater on your list of equipment, though; have you added one to your filter?
Thanks very much. The filter is the smallest model (Filtosmart 60) with no room for a heater. You can add a heater if you have a bigger model (Filtosmart 100...). I don't use a heater as my flat is always warm. When doing water changes I check the water temp using my pH meter. I don't think a difference of degree or two (or even three) matters. With such a small water volume, the temp soon equalises to the ambient room temp (about 22 degrees C).
 
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