ADA Mini M (Low Tech) Betta luck this time...

[Rob P]

Nice start rob, looks good with the red wall behind, what colour betta will you be going for ?

Thanks Tim, NOT red now i guess! have to talk the missus into a white one or similar, plenty of time to look

 

[tim]

Lol a red one would probably try and fight the wall

 

[aliclarke86]

Ooooh has to be blue and white surly??

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[Rob P]

Well I had a crack at this last night and not all that happy, but at least I made a start...



Some comments...

1. I'm crap at tying plants to stones (so the Bolbitis is just wedged in gaps in the wood for now lol). Will have to try sort these out.

2. I really want to love the Trop 1-2 grow pots but find them hard work, tiny roots, plants twisted together/deformed, just all a bit of a mess really!! I know most people swear by them but i've struggled with them tbh.

3. Thought the florabase was great for planting when damp, easy to 'plug' stuff into, but once properly wet it seemed quite light/floaty and I easily knocked some plants out, and it's quite muddy (1st go with an aquasoil so will get easier i'm sure).

4. Small tanks are interesting to work with!

I'll let it settle a while and then move stuff around and add some extra stuff.

Plants in for now:
Microsorum mini
Weeping moss
Bolbitis heudelotii
Juncus repens
Ammania bonsai
Echi tennellus
Crypt. nevillii
Salvinia natans

Will be doing daily water changes for a week, every other day week 2 etc. Just going to put a small amount of my hi tech EI mix in here and there. 5hrs light to start with (one tube).

Cheers,
Rob

 

[aliclarke86]

I like it mate I'm sitting in waiting for my do!aqua mini m today, can't wait

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[James D]

Like it Rob, once it starts growing it'll look great.

I bet you had 1,2 grow Ammania Bonsai, I had a nightmare with that stuff trying to plant it in an already water-filled tank. They were just too small to plant to any decent depth so they kept floating out, in the end only about 20% rooted themselves in so I ended up buying a batch of cuttings from ebay.

 

[Rob P]

The tennellus and Ammania were 1-2 grow. Tiny roots and a tangled mess in both pots tbh! Planted most of the tennellus and quite a bit of the Ammania (then knocked a few out later which were a sod to replant in floaty substrate lol). I've also had eleo sp mini and marsilea hirsuta 1-2 grow and the only one i've ever found decent and easy was the eleo So yet to be convinced... lol

Edit - James i'm glad i'm not the only one lol

 

[Lee Sweeting]

It's looking great mate. I like it


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[aliclarke86]

How are you finding the flow with your 501?

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[tim]

Looking good rob, the bolbitus will attach itself once the roots get going as long as it doesn't float of it'll be fine.

 

[Rob P]

How are you finding the flow with your 501?

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I'd be concerned if it were a hi tech tank lol. It's steady, but if I decide to go with the betta then it needs to be I'd imagine with the little spray bar or a small lily on it would be fine even hi tech

 

[Rob P]

Looking good rob, the bolbitus will attach itself once the roots get going as long as it doesn't float of it'll be fine.

Thanks Tim, it's stayed put upto now, I just didn't want it obscuring the wood as much. I can always pull it and glue or lash to some small stones, then place at the rear, there's enough room

 

[Rob P]

Quick update a week on. I have completed a week of approx 50% water changes, SO easy on this tank lol. I have been adding about 0.5ml of my EI macro after each change, probably too much but can't hurt 'I don't think'?

The Ammania bonsai has pretty much melted away but there are a few stems left so will see what they do before I contemplate replacing them. The other plants seem to be doing good, the weeping moss is growing noticeably and so is the tennellus, quite amazed how much growth that has put out The crypt hasn't melted and actually has some new leaves. I've not tethered the bolbitis to anything yet, just stuffed inbetween and down the back of the wood, I still intend to whip it out and tie to small stones but it looks fine as is for now.

This was a front on shot immediately after planting last Tuesday...



And here's one I took this morning...



Getting more used to the aquasoil now, lights (1 x 8w tube) are on for 5 hours 10am - 3pm and there's a decent covering of salvinia on top helping keep the light reasonable.

Thanks for looking

Rob

 

[aliclarke86]

Looks great mate loads clearer. Any chance of a little vid of the flow from your filter when you next do a water change? I'm considering getting one as its rated higher that than the boyu at 300lh rather than 150 I just want to know I'm not going to throw my money away

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[Rob P]

Any chance of a little vid of the flow from your filter when you next do a water change?

No problem Ali, will do that for you

 

[Lindy]

Are you going to move the filter outlet to the back? The betta will go up and down the front glass and won't like the outlet blowing across the glass.

 

[Rob P]

Very possibly Lindy, Tim has kindly offered to make some acrylic pipes so when I have these i will be having a play around

 

[Rob P]

Bit of an update now this has been running a month

Generally pleased with how it's going, very low maintenance - just water changes and glass cleaning really, which takes 10 minutes or so, so I likey Squirt of a couple of ml EI macro twice a week for ferts.

The tenellus has grown amazingly well and getting a nice spread on this The Ammania bonsai all but melted away, although a couple of stems seem to have survived and look healthy! (up to now lol). Salvinia natans spreads like fury on the surface, I keep taking chunks out but it soon appears grown back. I've added a few small stems of some Ludwigia and Didiplis from the hi tech and it seems to be doing fine in here, surviving anyway!

After 3 weeks I changed the light from 5 to 6 hours a day, also put a spraybar on to combat surface scum which hasn't eradicated it but it's 10 times better

Added 5 Red Cherry shrimp in the 2nd week. I lost one but the other 4 all seem good, one is berried so fingers crossed for a few more soon

Overall i'm quite happy with it for now.

Couple of phone pics...





Cheers,
Rob

 

[aliclarke86]

This is growing really fast! And looks great well done Rob

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[Edvet]

Looks nice and jungly,any fish planned?