# Nano Hardscape Help



## Scott_Thomson (21 Jan 2015)

Hi everyone, I'm new here, but been keeping an eye on tank journals and getting inspiration.  I recently bought an Aquaone Aqua Nano and want to have a go at making a nice simple aquascape.
I then got some Florabase and some small landscape rock and the time has come to put it together.
I was just hoping I could get some feedback on my possible layouts so far, and any advice or tips to keep me in the right direction.

Here is #1




 

Here is #2



 

And here is #3



 

Sorry for reflections and iphone pics 

Thanks,
Scott.


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## kirk (21 Jan 2015)

Hi and welcome, great tanks those I've just given one to my sister. As for your scape I would plan it around the outlet on that power head or make a spraybar to fit on the end that will give you a bit more flexibility.( if your going lowtech maybe not). As for your thread pics good effort I'm drawn towards the third, you could loose some depth of the substrate possibly too. Do you have a pic of that big rock on its own?


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## Scott_Thomson (21 Jan 2015)

Thanks, yeah I was planning on making a spray bar for it as I've heard the power head can disturb the substrate.
  Yeah I can get a pic of it...do you mean on it's own in the tank?  Or pics of it out of the tank?


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## kirk (21 Jan 2015)

Before you put them in sorry. Don't take them out though  just been looking at the first picture, have you worked on creating something like a pathway type scape? I can see a nice valley type scape there maybe.?


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## tam (21 Jan 2015)

I'd agree, I like the 3rd one best.


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## Scott_Thomson (21 Jan 2015)

Ahhh no I never took any pics before I put them in. I also like the 3rd one.
 And yes, in the first layout as soon as I placed the rocks in I could see the path way, I thought about putting a sand path in, but then decided that the rocks peak wasn't tall enough?

I do have some other rocks that I'm not too happy with the shape of as it's quite round and I can't do anything with, so I was going to maybe smash it on the ground and hope for the best.

I'm also wanting to add dwarf hairgrass, and maybe some fissidens in the cracks of the main rock?

Open to all ideas!
Thanks for your help so far.


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## Scott_Thomson (21 Jan 2015)

How does this look ?


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## Sk3lly (21 Jan 2015)

In my opinion the 4th is by far your best attempt. Seems to have a lot of natural flow to the left


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## Scott_Thomson (21 Jan 2015)

Thank you! 
I'm pleased with how it's looking so far I think.  Been staring at it all night, making small adjustments.  
What's your thoughts on the substrate?

Thanks,
Scott


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## alto (21 Jan 2015)

Just to confuse - I like the face of the rock presented in the first scape, it needs work, but I'd try some variations on that rock ...

You might drop the substrate level a bit more in the front, I suspect with time (current/gravity) it will drift that way anyway.
It's a small tank but you might add some asymmetry across the front & see how that looks.

If you've the patience, leave the tank in your favorite scape, look with fresh eyes in the morning & then over several days; adding water will also alter the perception.
Make sure that you have enough clearance between rock & walls, to work in the tank.


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## Jose (22 Jan 2015)

I would take some gravel/soil out. Its filling up your tank. Specially at the front.


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## ian_m (22 Jan 2015)

Ady34 made a wonderful shrimptastic tank using an AquaNano 40.
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/aquanano40-crshrimp-tank-journal-closed.21455/


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## vincentwangz (22 Jan 2015)

Wonderful tank! 4th attempt gives the eye a good flow of focus. Very natural looking! The substrate looks like the granules are quite big. Might give problems holding the plants down (my plants floated up right after I added water), but maybe with the dry start method things may work fine (wish I knew that before i started mine!) 


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## ian_m (22 Jan 2015)

vincentwangz said:


> (my plants floated up right after I added water


I used lead strips (10ft from Ebay) to hold my bigger stems down either wrapping around the roots or just looped over lower stems. After couple of weeks when plants were routed I removed them.


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## Scott_Thomson (10 Feb 2015)

Well, I went with layout 4.  Eleocharis sp. mini was ordered and then a regulator, solenoid, co2 airline tubing, nano drop checker with solution, bubble counter and nano bazooka diffuser was ordered and was with me the very next day!, very happy with the service I got from co2art, and very helpful!

Eleocharis was planted on the 23rd of January and water filled level with substrate.  Light comes on at 13:30 and back off at 00:30 with cling film over the lid and lid is off for 10 minutes at 17:00 and water misted onto plants.

Came home from work tonight and took lid off, looking into the tank and noticed some nice white roots! 
Although no runners yet, but it may be early days.

Any body got any helpful advice as to what I'm doing?  ie. lights on too long, or not long enough?

Also I've heard mixed reviews about misting a diluted mixture of ferts during dry start?, what's your views on this, or experience?

Thanks,
Scott


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## tim (10 Feb 2015)

Nice layout Scott, photoperiod of around 12 hours is good for dry start, I never add nutrients to my spray for misting it can burn the plant leaves plus the florabase will contain plenty of nutrients so should more than suffice, good luck with the setup look forward to flooded pics.


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## Scott_Thomson (10 Feb 2015)

That's great! Thanks tim 

Looking forward to getting it filled. Would you recommend I dose ferts as soon as the water is in ?  If so, what would you suggest? (Bearing in mind it's only 22l)

Thanks,
Scott


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## tim (10 Feb 2015)

Tropica specialised would do for that size tank or tnc complete or apfuk all in one all available from forum sponsors. I always dose ferts from day 1 of flooding keep up with water changes and you should be all good


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## Scott_Thomson (14 Feb 2015)

Brilliant, thanks tim! Better get something ordered.

Also recieved a piece of acrylic pipe today...




Drilled some holes in it...





And tried it out in the sink...





Then put it in the tank





Need to order a silicone blanking grommet or plug for the end of it.
Gave the hairgrass a trim today and starting to see the start of some runners! 

Anybody got any stocking suggestions?
Started off just planning on shrimp only...but starting to consider fish aswell...maybe some galaxy rasbora/celestial pearl danio ?

Thanks,
Scott.


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## Scott_Thomson (19 Feb 2015)

Noticed a very small green thingy growing on the main rock today....anybody else had a wee unknown appear?......to keep it....or scrub it off ? 



 

Scott


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## Another Phil (19 Feb 2015)

Hi Scott,
I'd keep it at least until it turns into a bigger nasty thing..
cheers phil


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## Scott_Thomson (20 Feb 2015)

Thanks Phil, yeah, I think I'll keep it and see what it grows into!, possibly just a small bit of moss maybe 

Scott


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## Dantrasy (20 Feb 2015)

I'd scratch it off.


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## Scott_Thomson (28 Feb 2015)

The tank has been flooded!
Really pleased with how it looks (pics will be up later)
Does my lighting periods sound ok for now?
I have...
Light - 6.00pm - 12.30am
Co2  - 5.30pm - 12.00am
And filter on for an hour at 10.00am and an hour at 2.00pm and then on from 5.30pm till 12.00am
Or should I just keep filter on full time?

Also will be dosing weekly with Tropica Specialised.

Thank you,
Scott


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## Another Phil (28 Feb 2015)

Hi Scott,



Scott_Thomson said:


> Or should I just keep filter on full time?


 The filter must be kept on 24/7 as the beneficial bacteria need a steady supply of oxygenated water to survive, it's ok to switch off for a while when doing water changes, but not longer.
cheers phil


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## Scott_Thomson (28 Feb 2015)

Ahhhh thanks Phil!  Yeah that makes sense.

Thanks,
Scott.


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## Dantrasy (28 Feb 2015)

That's good news. 

Looking forward to the pics....


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## Scott_Thomson (28 Feb 2015)

Here's the tank tonight with Co2 on.  I have the diffuser in the rear of the tank under the power head, and co2 bubbles seem to be distributed over the whole tank via the spray bar.






And the overall look of the tank just after filling.  Was filled with leftover airline tubing for minimum stir-up...took ages, but worked well.





Thanks,
Scott.


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## Crossocheilus (28 Feb 2015)

Is it just hair grass in there? Any plans for other plants? Maybe something tall behind the main rock, maybe pogostemon erectus, the fine leaves might go well with the hair grass.


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## Scott_Thomson (28 Feb 2015)

Yeah just hairgrass, been looking online for something for the background...can't decide what though. I thought maybe eleocharis vivipara. Open to all suggestions!

Thanks,
Scott


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## Scott_Thomson (9 Mar 2015)

What do you's think about some Blyxa Japonica behind the big rock over to the right?

Any other suggestions for something in the background?...just feel like it's lacking something.

Got 6 Galaxy Rasboras/Celestial Pearl Danio's and 6 red cherry shrimp at the weekend.  Lost 2 shrimp unfortunately, but all others have settled in fine. 

Thanks,
Scott.


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## Scott_Thomson (10 Mar 2015)

Just noticed another dead shrimp before the lights went out 
So decided to to a water test....the results are...



 

Parameters were all good on Saturday and previous tests were good aswell on the lead up till now.
 Starting to think ammonia is leeching from the Florabase seriously.

Done a 20% waterchange before bed and will continue to do so till parameters settle down to a more suitable level.

Gutted though as one of the shrimp had a nice saddle of eggs 

Thanks,
Scott.


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## Scott_Thomson (25 May 2015)

Just a recent picture of how the tank is coming on....



 

Having DHG problems unfortunately....can't figure out where it's going wrong. It was doing great for the first month or 2 after flooding, and then just started randomly dying off.  I ordered more DHG and planted, it was good for the first 2 weeks and now starting to see it slowly turning brown and transparent. Just wondering if root tabs would help. Really want a nice carpet of grass but just isn't happening. Can anyone help?
Florabase substrate, and dosing tropica specialised fertiliser.

Cheers,
Scott.


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## tim (25 May 2015)

Wouldn't of thought it is a nutrient issue florbase contains nutrients and your dosing the water column, melting/ browning Like this is almost always a lack of co2 reaching the plant at substrate level, could also be the emmersed growth dying off, are you seeing any new growth at all ?


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## Ryan Thang To (25 May 2015)

Scott_Thomson said:


> Just a recent picture of how the tank is coming on....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


the thing about dsm is when you flood it co2 should be very high at all time when lighta are on and then slowly turn down the co2 until it safe for fish or shrimp. I would of waited until after the co2 is turn down. saying that plants can still melt but should bounce back. Just cut the melting part off. 


Cheers
Ryan


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## Dantrasy (25 May 2015)

To be honest, I'd trim all the dhg right down to the soil, not just the melting part. Focus as much energy on new growth as possible.


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