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Another P@H Cube. "3 rocks and a chunk of wood"

S

spyder

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Joined
7 Mar 2011
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1,019
I've decided to have a play with a P@H cube. My recent tanks have been a learning curve and now I feel the time is right to put this one out there so all can see it it flourish, (with staghorn) :D

So, learning what I have around here I avoided small stones and tried to give the hardscape a little bit of oomph in the chunky department without going overboard. I've seen a few cubes scaped this way like a corner island and so after spending the last week rotating and twisting rocks and wood, I'm ready for planting. Thanks to all at Ukaps especially those that provided the inspiration for this tank.

Tank. P@H 30cm Cube. 26/27l.
Light. 11w cfl. Came with tank.
Filter. Ditched bundled filter and using Ebay hob rated at 500lph. Yeah we'll see lol. Stuffed with ceramic ring bio media.
Heater. 50w ebay from same seller as filter.
Substrate. Oliver Knott. (I had half a bag kicking around.)
Co2. Easycarbo on standby but would prefer to go without if I start losing shrimp.
Ferts. Ei. Reduced dose of my 60l soloution.
Hardscape 3 pieces of rock at 25p per kilo, local garden centre. Wood from LFS

Fauna. Red Cherry Shrimps. :D


Plants were unlabelled pots so to the best of my knowledge we have.

Microsorum pterpus
Crypt balansae
Staurogyne.
Lilaeopsis (saw this on delivery note, wasn't Brasiliensis)
Some sort of hairgrass and 1 unidentified sword. (small size)

I won't be mossing rocks, as I don't want to be moving them around much but may put some Fissidens and Xmas I have on the wood.

Right time to go shopping then I can start prepping plants and firing them in.

ehr3k.jpg


Comments, critisism, feedback appreciated. :thumbup:
 
Got this planted up last night so here come planted pics. I swapped out the huge heater with a 25w from my nano which is on the right of the cube. These tanks are out in the garage.

Here's what I had to work with.

atsrwl.jpg


And planted.

2mxewix.jpg


The fern got tied at a weird angle but should straighten up soon. The Crypt Balansae should fill around the wood and contrast well with the fern. I know the Hairgrass and Lileopsis maybe a bit regimental and organised but should blend in when it starts throwing runners around. I've saved a spot behind the crypts and fern for a sprig of Alternanthera reineckii 'Pink' when I can grab a pot.
 
Another P@H Cube. "3 rocks and a chunk of wood"

It's looking great. I like the look of these tanks and would live one for shrimp, but they don't seem to have any in my local store.
 
Re: Another P@H Cube.

Fragehair said:
It's looking great. I like the look of these tanks and would live one for shrimp, but they don't seem to have any in my local store.
Click to expand...

They have recalled them at the moment. This could either be for an issue with the standard filters or as Mr Farmer has suggested more recently due to the lighting unit not clipping on securely enough to meet h&s regulations.
 
How much are these tanks from P&H ?

I really fancy giving one of them a test run with my dodgy scaping skills.

LP
 
The 30cm cubes were £39. I was told capacity was wrong hence repackaging. Would be interesting to see if any changes are made to the light fitting and filter when they become available.

Ok. Day 8.

1077vwz.jpg


I've noticed some growth on the hairgrass during the week but not the Staurogyne which seems to be on the move comparing the photos. Everything seems to be getting on with it. Had a few yellowing leaves on the Lilaeopsis but can see some new shoots coming so no big deal. I have added more frogbit so that 1 piece hasn't turned into 7 in 1 week. :shh:

Introduced 15 RCS on day 6, some signs of molting so all is well although they do tend to swim around more than they did in the other tank but that had a bigger plant mass.

Have been dosing Macro's Mon+Fri with Trace on Wed. Thinking about this I'm changing to the usual Mon-Wed-Fri and Tues-Thurs dosing schedule as I'm using EC now. I was going to avoid EC hence the lower dosage. Lights get switched on around half 4 and off around 11:30 - 12:00ish (7-8 hrs).

There has been some white fungus type of stuff on the wood which If I remember is harmless and munched by shrimp. If it persists I'll remove it and rub it off!

Thanks for looking.
 
Cheers Spyder i will keep these in mind as i dont like the internal that came with the tank. I may go for the 400lph hob.

LP
 
Re: Another P@H Cube. "Attack of the Diatoms!"

Day 18?

Tried to snap this today, apologies for naff photo. The tank is by a window and reflections we're driving me mad.

w9vf5d.jpg


We have an attack of diatoms so I will introduce a couple of Oto's from another tank over the weekend. They'll soon clear it up. The cherries are doing great with the Easy Carbo so far. Plenty of molting and 1 berried. :thumbup:

DHG is slowly on the move along with Lileaopsis both throwing new leaves up. The Staurogyne had a little trim back to a pair of leaves or 2 as some had shot up a good inch+. New leaves on the Balansae and plenty of tiny new shoots on the fern. The frogbit is shading the fern and crypt nicely. The xmas moss has started putting out fresh growth.

All in all, ticking along nice and slow. I just need to sort out my filter intake strainer now. :D

Cheers.
 
Day 33?

Ok things are going slowly. DHG seems to have stopped, may need a trim to liven it up a little. I've been trimming the Staurogyne here and there and replanting. Lileaopsis still melting on old growth, I guess I should of trimmed it hard back before planting like the DHG. The fern has started throwing a few new leaves out so all is good. i've removed a fair chunk of Frogbit too as it was getting wild. I'm beginning to wonder if i've got a bit too much shade? I might remove it for a couple of weeks and see how it gets on.

Just a little green dust algae showing up on glass and rocks so all good there. Had to upgrade 25w heater to a chunky 50w as it was struggling to maintain temp in unheated garage.

Apologies again, bad pic. :woot:

11udq1s.jpg


Shrimps are all doing well, plenty of molting and seen 3 berried over the last week or so. Need to get that sponge sorted on the filter intake asap. :lol:

Now, would you trim this DHG at just over 4 weeks or should I leave it to get a little more established?

fdxbae.jpg


Cheers. :D
 
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