I joined UKAPS a little over a year ago with my main tank a 200l hi-tech natural style setup. I am now experimenting with a low tech planted nano cube to house shrimp and a small group of Rasboras. Tank spec is as follows:
Start-up:
Fertilisation plan: Put some API root tabs at the back for the stems. Will use lean approach and just an occasional dose of all-in-one liquid fert - play it by ear.
- Superfish Qube 25 (30x30x30)
- Superfish HOB 50 (nominally up to 350 L/hr) - i trimmed down some of the filter foam and put 1.5 cm of matrix at the bottom instead)
- Qube LED 25 (1800 lum, 7800k)
- Tropical aquasoil with Tropica aquasoil powder above
- Small front corner 'beach' using Hugo Kamishi natural quartz sand
Start-up:
- For 2-3 weeks I soaked the wood and cleaned the stone
- Over the next three weeks I ran a dark start. Interestingly I had quite a bit of furry slime come out of the wood during this period. I guess it leaches out more readily at the heated temp of 23C versus the ambient temp in my garage in UK winter! (lesson #1)
- Anubias mini coin
- Buce (caterina, Lamandau, Kedagang)
- Narrow leaf Java fern 'centrepiece'
- Crypt parva for middle/front
- Rear stems (Rotala R, Limnophila heterophylla, Hybrophila Polysperma)
- Weeping moss
- Frogbit floating plants
Fertilisation plan: Put some API root tabs at the back for the stems. Will use lean approach and just an occasional dose of all-in-one liquid fert - play it by ear.