# New Jungle Nano...



## jack-rythm (22 Aug 2012)

Ok, 

A few weeks ago I managed to get hold of a 2ft tank and decided to go even smaller.. I managed to swap the 2ft tank for a small 25x25x20cm nano tank with the full set up including a few guppies.. not my fav fish in the world but took the deal as I only paid a 5er for that 2ft tank off a mate a while ago!

So I started out trying to work out my substrate. I have a 3ft iwagumi already so know the expense of full works ADA substrate.. I was curious to find and create my own substrate and had spoken to some friends and I decided on akadama. First of all I had a single layer of irish peat moss (sprinkled on so glass is still visible) I then placed about an inch of john innes No.3 compost and finished it off with a double layer of akadama 2-3mm...

There are pro's and con's to this that now I would know to do differently. For one its very messy and had to re-scape it 3 times to get it right. The compost mixes up with the akadama which is annoying because it causes the substrate to become VERY dirty... I have all my plants in there and by the time the water had settled all my plants were covered in sh*t! So out it all came again.. this time I re-did the substrate following the same routine as before, peat moss, compost and akadama... only this time I shaped the substrate to how I needed it to be and left the water to settle.. the next day I took my red-moor wood and gently and slowly pushed it into the soil to start my scape. this worked very well and to be honest it is now extremely clear and im happy with it. Its only about 4 days old and there are still large future plans involved but the aim is to keep it as diana walstad 'esque' as I can. Once I have the correct plants and amount of balances in place I will begin to take out my filter components. I currently have a walstad bow on the widow sill for experimental purposes and have not touched it for 3 weeks. water quality is perfect fish are bright and healthy and snails are still rummaging.. 

Here are the photos so far.. from dirt to cleanliness...





































So thats it so far.. Im planning on the current corner being busy and bright whilst getting less busier as it leads towards the front. I aim to carpet the right hand side corner with either pelia or riccia, keeping that low maintenance feel going. As I go towards the front left i will eventually have a nice creamy white beach area where my (future) crystal shrimp will chillax right out 

I do have two issues that you could help me with though.. I went to pick up some beautiful plants but was unable to find the names.. Here they are.. hopefully someone can help me identify these plants..
















Thanks people!

I will be keeping this up to date as I proceed with my nano. Hopefully not to long. Im open to criticism and advice too!


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## wazuck (22 Aug 2012)

Looking good mate. One I would say is a hygro plant. Not sure on the other. I've got some lava rock if you want some?


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## jack-rythm (22 Aug 2012)

what u mean by hygro?? well up for the lava rock when i next see you! i just managed to get a small amount of weeping moss for the corner... its so bright.. hopefully it will bush as i trim and try and work it accrose my tank.. will let you know.


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## wazuck (22 Aug 2012)

It's a plant that I've seen in the tropica book in sure of it. I'll take a look when I get home from work. Well your more than welcome to some when your up. That moss looks nice.


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## tim (22 Aug 2012)

First one looks like hygrophilia polysperma rosanervig second one looks like an alternanthera species nice setup mate


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## jack-rythm (22 Aug 2012)

brilliant, thanks tim  and sure isaac, I really do hope the weeping moss takes off.. I used to start with java moss as every beginner does but its just not bright enough against the pale of reds..


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## wazuck (22 Aug 2012)

Yeah and it's also not as pretty. Worst looking moss that java!!! Want to add some staurogyne repens to the mix of plants you got there?


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## jack-rythm (22 Aug 2012)

not to sure... I am really likeing the hygrophillia polysperma... thinking about running that along the back, just love the red tinge.. how does your repens look?


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## jack-rythm (23 Aug 2012)

Hi everyone! got some new plants in and got my shrimp safe today so a couple more weeks of checking ph & kh levels and getting the atmosphere ready in order for my new crystal red shrimp 

loving the red scene at the minute. Managed to get Some more hygrophillia to bulk up the back ground. Have also managed to get hold of some beautifully healthy anubias nana to feather out the fore ground. once thats all grown up a bit Im planning on getting some nice pale cream and white gravel.. was thinking about coral sand... does anyone have any issues or criticisms about using this in a nano?

Jack


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## jack-rythm (23 Aug 2012)




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## wazuck (23 Aug 2012)

I've got some pale sand, some fine natural gravel and Ada gravel if you want to use some of it?


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## Kristoph91 (23 Aug 2012)

Coral sand will send your pH sky high. 

Just use some play sand or something rougher.


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## jack-rythm (24 Aug 2012)

I had play sand in my earlier 3ft tank and it caused me a lot of trouble after a while, building pockets of poison as I would like to say! so play sand for me didn't work.. im also after something lighting that play sand as I dont want it being thrown around everywhere... Isaac I would be up for some ada gravel or fine natural gravel?? 


Jack


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## Lindy (25 Aug 2012)

Have you got a tds meter? I got CRS and thought they'd be fine as we have acidic soft water up here(southwest scotland) The shrimp started dying so eventually got tds meter and salty shrimp and found out our tds was 45 out the tap. I keep it at a steady 120ish now and no more have died. Tds meters on ebay...

Good luck


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## jack-rythm (10 Oct 2012)

Just thought i would summarise where about I am to date.. switched and changed a few things got myself a healthy riccia fluitans flooring using netting and stone pushed into my akadama... Had major issues with some cherry shrimp I got for experimental reasons before going onto crystals.. didnt last long. 3 weeks max.. I started A huge post on UKAPS and found it down to the john innes No.3 compost in-between the akadama and irish peat moss.. So had to cut the shrimp out of my project till everything settles. could be a few weeks could be a couple of months.. So for now Im just going to let it run wild and see what happens, Im still water changing nd doing the usual care routine.. Moss has taken off really well.. to the point where I was thinking about taking it out of the tank because it had been brown for about 4 weeks.. now its spurting bright green arms in all directions  Anubias nana petite looks strong and loving life, as does the polysperma which I was originally worried about. I have taken out my heater and today is the first day I start my nano with no filtration either.. I will be more frequent with posts now I have opted for no filtration as Im sure people will be interested to see how it goes.. 

Here is is to date...






Cheers peeps


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## jack-rythm (23 Oct 2012)

Ok just another update, I went 2-3 weeks with out filtration or heating to experiment for my 2 nano triptych project and work very well indeed. I also bought some more hygrophila polysperma and put that in as well as more crpyts and a lovely bit of staurogyne repens. The repens is a beautiful colour an really thriving. I happy with my doasge pattern too. I have started adding 6ml of carbonated water every morning about 15 mins before lights on. All doing very well indeed. I love my little low tech. it shows you can have true affect with little work apart from your daily cleans and w/c's etc.


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## jack-rythm (23 Oct 2012)




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## Lindy (23 Oct 2012)

That is just crying out for a dwarf puffer! Course you'd need a good filter for the messy wee gits...


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## Lindy (23 Oct 2012)

Oh, and a heater to keep it a balmy 26-28 degrees...


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## jack-rythm (23 Oct 2012)

Ha ! I was actually contemplating that.. I know someone in the area that is selling them. She was offering 5 for 10 pound  I have a heater.. i think its the feeding that I would get annoyed with. I would have to buy snails all the time and am worried it would eat into my pocket !


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## Lindy (23 Oct 2012)

You don't need to feed snails as these guys don't have a beak to keep down. I feed frozen bloodworm with snails as an occassional treat. I don't know about the numbers though, I got two which turned out to be a male and female. The courtship is pretty violent so recently I bought another two from kesgrave tropicals asking for 2 females. Of course they sent 2 males which my male set about trying to kill and the female wasn't much better. So got lucky and found a brilliant home for them but I don't know how larger mixed group would work. If you could sex them and get one male to 4 female or just 5 females. The males can be identified often by their irridescent eye wrinkles even when they are small but I guess it depends on how wee these guys are. There is a dwarf puffer web site and forum with pictures and info. They recon one puffer per 30cm sq but there is a guy in japan breeding them in tanks the size mine are in and my pair act the same as they did in the bigger tank ie beg for food all the time and feed from hand. The male is just as randy as ever...
I know what you mean about youtube though but I think these people can keep large numbers in barren tanks because the fish never establish a territory(maybe?) and you don't know how long they live/health etc..Be interesting to see how the seller keeps hers. I thought about trying to find eggs and raise them etc but the last thing I need is more puffers! I relied on my amanos and strong filter to take care of eggs...


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## jack-rythm (23 Oct 2012)

Yeah.. definitely sounds interesting.. I think its a project to bare in mind. As for now I only have nano cubes so would need to re size and rescape.. my nano on the journal is 25 later so bit small.. bit great reply mate. Blood worms would make it more realistic definitely. I'll be sure to check it out this week and get back to u. I would love a couple of females in my nano if able to.. 

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2


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## Lindy (23 Oct 2012)

My pair are in a 16 litre and none the worse...


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## jack-rythm (23 Oct 2012)

Wow so your saying I could have 3-4 females?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2


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## tim (23 Oct 2012)

ldcgroomer said:
			
		

> My pair are in a 16 litre and none the worse...


 i'd agree from my experience mate i have kept 5 in a heavily planted 45ltr 40cmx40cm footprint they squabble but nothing to serious think i have 2 males 3 females my tank is overfiltered and i change 40% water twice a week they are messy very cool little fish and well worth the effort


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## jack-rythm (23 Oct 2012)

You boys are pushing me on lol   I'll keep you posted.. I wrote my girlfriend's car off the other day so have to fork out for another motor this week so thinks have stalled... 

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2


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## Ziabis (16 Nov 2012)

You all have so much darn creativity and knowledge... 
Man I wish I had an ounce of that.

And LOOK OUT FOR THE KILLER FISH CAT!!!!! LOL


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## jack-rythm (16 Nov 2012)

ha! glad you like it!


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## nayr88 (16 Nov 2012)

Looks really nice, such a huge difference from the 1st pics.
What crypt is that front left?


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## jack-rythm (16 Nov 2012)

Nevilli and lucens I think.

 I have two types mixed, have about 3-4 crypts, I really do like crypts, very easy to look after in my tank. I must say it is the first tank I have had with no problems, to start with there were issues with my water levels due to the Irish pet moss but as of now, nothing, no algae no poor quality plants no gasping fish. Very very happy with its ecolological being. No filter or heater now for about a month. Ignore the photos, the filter was in there as I was planting and made a mess  

Sent from my Nexus 7


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## jack-rythm (17 Nov 2012)

Had a play with my friends DSLR the other day.. here is a cracking photo (if you dont mind me saying so myself)

 


IMG_5792edit by Jack Dicker, on Flickr


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## basil (17 Nov 2012)

jack-rythm said:
			
		

> Had a play with my friends DSLR the other day.. here is a cracking photo (if you dont mind me saying so myself)
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Respect - nice picture!


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## jack-rythm (17 Nov 2012)

Cheers mike


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## jack-rythm (1 Jan 2015)

Hello everyone,

I thought I would just drop in and say hi to all that have contributed to my threads. I'm sad to see all my pics are gone so I apologies if now these threads are not much use for people to see! I cannot seem to find any pics that I can even update these with so that is a shame, i think I had removed my flickr account without thinking in advance..

I have had a fair few months out of the planted tank world as you may know, but can finally say I am looking to set up my next tank soon! which I am very excited to say! 

Thanks guys, look forward to speaking soon


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## Cutler237 (4 Jan 2015)

Hi mate nice to see you still at it was wondering how long it would be before you started a new project


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