# Mr. Aqua 11.4G Riparium - Take 2



## hydrophyte (7 Dec 2012)

*Mr. Aqua 11.4G Riparium - Take 2*

I have had this tank sitting empty for almost a year, but I want to set it up again.

A couple of years ago I had a nice planting in here that featured baby panda bamboo (_Pogonatherum crinitum_). This plant proved to be an excellent choice as nano riparium background foliage, if a bit challenging to grow. It is one of the few riparium plants that I have tried that I would characterize as "high light". You really do have to shine pretty bright light on it or it will grow thin and spindly. 

I might use baby panda bamboo for this new planting, or I might opt for something new. I have been testing out a few other new riparium selections and I have some good possibilities.

Here is an old shot showing the tank when I first set it up two years ago. I am going to work on putting it back together today. I also intend to paint the wall a dark purple as a better background color. Plants do not look very good against that dull tan.


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## jack-rythm (7 Dec 2012)

sounds interesting, waiting for new pic


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## hydrophyte (7 Dec 2012)

Thanks mate!   

I need to ponder plant choice for this little setup some more. I might opt for the baby panda bamboo again, or I might opt for this other interesting grass, _Pleioblastus fortunei_.





Baby panda bamboo (_P. crinitum_) is a grass, but it is not a true bamboo. _P. fortunei_ is a true bamboo, and a grass as well of course.


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## jack-rythm (7 Dec 2012)

cool, im new to this sort of tank so would be fascinating to see progression. good luck.

Jack


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## hydrophyte (7 Dec 2012)

Here's the foliage on the baby panda bamboo. I actually have both the all-green species _P. crinitum_ and the white-variegated "variegatum".


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## jack-rythm (7 Dec 2012)

nice photos too mate


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## hydrophyte (8 Dec 2012)

jack-rythm said:
			
		

> nice photos too mate



Thanks again!

Here's another shot to give you an idea of the foliage texture for the _Pleioblastus fortunei_.





Most true bamboos are upland forest plants and cannot tolerate having their roots permanently wet in the mud, but _P. fortunei_ is known to do well in semi-aquatic conditions. It is sometimes sold as a pond plant here.


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## hydrophyte (8 Dec 2012)

Here's an old picture of that planting from a couple of years ago. The riparium foliage is dominated by _Pilea grandifolia_, the _Pogonatherum crinitum_ and a single _Laguncularia racemosa_ white mangrove tree.


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## hydrophyte (10 Dec 2012)

Here's the tank in place...





This plant, _Lysimachia congestiflora_ 'Outback Sunset', is one that I only tested out recently as a riparium plant. I like it a lot and I intend to use it in here.


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## jack-rythm (10 Dec 2012)

Really nice photos, starting to come together now


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## hydrophyte (10 Dec 2012)

Here it is with water. I am filling this tank to only about 2 1/2" from the top. This improves the proportions for the whole riparium layout--making the water portion a bit more broad and shallow--and it also might help to keep fish inside this rimless tank.


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## jack-rythm (10 Dec 2012)

can you explain what it is your aiming to do mate? its interesting to see


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## hydrophyte (10 Dec 2012)

jack-rythm said:
			
		

> can you explain what it is your aiming to do mate? its interesting to see



Yes I'm doing a riparium planting something like the one that I had in this same tank a couple of years ago (picture below), except that I intend to use different kinds of plants.


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## jack-rythm (10 Dec 2012)

Looks sweet

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


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## hydrophyte (10 Dec 2012)

Here it is with the new planting. I am trying to get as much color as I can from this layout. The plants look a bit disheveled, but they will perk up with a week or two to start growing in.


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## stu_ (10 Dec 2012)

Interesting.
I'm curious to see how the _Lysimachia_ gets on.
I used to grow several different types terrestrially,in very wet clay soil & also as a marginal.
It was vigorous, to say the least


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## hydrophyte (10 Dec 2012)

stu_ said:
			
		

> Interesting.
> I'm curious to see how the _Lysimachia_ gets on.
> I used to grow several different types terrestrially,in very wet clay soil & also as a marginal.
> It was vigorous, to say the least



_Lysimachia_ spp. are generally very easy to grow like this.

I really like the coral/peach color of the 'Outback Sunset'.

This setup will look like more when I start adding the substrate, hardscape, underwater plants and fish.


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## hydrophyte (11 Dec 2012)

Here's this planting again with plants ID'd.

Again, the planting looks pretty crummy right now, but it will perk up as the plants start to grow in. 







A._ Ruellia brittoniana_ 'Katie'
B. _Musa acuminata_ 'Super Dwarf Cavendish'
C. _Oplismenus hirtellus_ 'Variegatus'
D. _Pilea_ 'Moon Valley
E. _Lysimachia congestiflora_ 'Outback Sunset'
F. _Pilea grandifolia_
G. _Pleioblastus fortunei_ "Dwarf Whitestripe"
H. _Alternanthera dentata_ 'Little Ruby'
I. _Marsilea quadrifolia_


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## hydrophyte (13 Dec 2012)

I added a dark grey gravel substrate last night and it looks good. 

I'm going shopping this afternoon and I might purchase some fish if I can find something suitable for this new setup.


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## jack-rythm (13 Dec 2012)

what fish you thinking of going for?


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## hydrophyte (14 Dec 2012)

jack-rythm said:
			
		

> what fish you thinking of going for?



It's going to be something simple and hardy like a small group of fancy platies or maybe some white cloud mountain minnows.


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## jojouk (16 Dec 2012)

Thoses rocks look great against the black


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## hydrophyte (17 Dec 2012)

jojouk said:
			
		

> Thoses rocks look great against the black



Yes I like those rocks a lot and I decided to use them again for this new setup.

Here's the tank with the new fish. The gold white cloud mountain minnows look really nice with the other colors.


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## nayr88 (17 Dec 2012)

Good shout on the minnows, they suit the whole tank well.

This is one of those 'one day' tanks for me so ill be following closely for when I eventually have the balls to do it myself!

Looking good so far mate  keep it up.


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## hydrophyte (22 Dec 2012)

nayr88 said:


> Good shout on the minnows, they suit the whole tank well.
> 
> This is one of those 'one day' tanks for me so ill be following closely for when I eventually have the balls to do it myself!
> 
> Looking good so far mate  keep it up.


 
Thanks again mate!

The riparium plants are starting to perk up some more and grow.





I added a few _Cryptocoryne wendtii_ 'Green' to the udnerwater area.


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## Mark Evans (23 Dec 2012)

You've got such a distinct style hydrophyte.
I can always tell it's your tank just by the plant choice.
The colours of these plants are very attractive and make me want to attempt a tank in a similar vein.


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## LondonDragon (23 Dec 2012)

Mark Evans said:


> The colours of these plants are very attractive and make me want to attempt a tank in a similar vein


Agreed, shame I can never find any of the plants listed for sale anywhere!


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## hydrophyte (25 Dec 2012)

Mark Evans said:


> You've got such a distinct style hydrophyte.
> 
> I can always tell it's your tank just by the plant choice.
> 
> The colours of these plants are very attractive and make me want to attempt a tank in a similar vein.


 

Thanks so much Mark! I was trying to put together plants with bright colors for this layout.



LondonDragon said:


> Agreed, shame I can never find any of the plants listed for sale anywhere!


 
You should be able to find some good riparium plants there in the UK. There are a number of aquarium plants that work well  in their emersed form. Several of the plants in this little tank are sold as pond plants and you might also find some of them for sale like that, especially in the springtime.


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## hydrophyte (27 Dec 2012)

I think that I figured out a pretty good lighting solution for this setup. It is difficult to find a fixture to light up the 18" width of this tank.

This is a pair of trouble lamp reflectors that I put together with a dual-socket ceiling fixture. It attached real secure to the metal shelf bracket with the threaded knob at the top of the socket assembly.

I will install two 16w 6500K daylight CFL bulbs and this should provide a real nice light for growing these plants. I also intend to cut the hooks at the top of each reflector off because they will just catch on my shirt sleeve. I just need to go to the hardware store to get a couple more items and then I can put this together and hang it up.


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## hydrophyte (4 Jan 2013)

Here it is with the new light fixture. The riparium planting will look good if those bamboo plants can reach up another 5" or so.


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## sarahtermite (4 Jan 2013)

Wow, that is some light - excellent! I think the crypts are a nice touch, too; pulls the whole look together nicely.


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## hydrophyte (5 Jan 2013)

sarahtermite said:


> Wow, that is some light - excellent! I think the crypts are a nice touch, too; pulls the whole look together nicely.


 
Thanks so much!

Here are a few more shots from the other night.  I hope that the _Pleioblastus_ bamboo will start growing up taller. I might have to think about replacing it with something else if it doesn't. The fish are still looking happy enough. One of the platies is dropping fry.


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## hydrophyte (14 Jan 2013)

Since the _Pleioblastus_ bamboo isn't getting any taller I decided to try out some other plants as grassy background. Here I added a couple of planters with _Cyperus_ umbrella sedge. The tops of the _Cyperus_ are obscured by the lighting here, but you can get the general idea. The layout might look pretty good with this plant if I can get it to grow in more full and if I raise the lights up a bit higher.


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## hydrophyte (4 Feb 2013)

I switched up the planting a good deal! Here's a quick picture from last night.


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## hydrophyte (6 Feb 2013)

This is just a quick snapshot to show the whole deal with the new plant arrangement.

The green lanterns have been having babies. There are four new little fry in there.


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## hydrophyte (22 Feb 2013)

I got a quick picture tonight. I shuffled the plants around a bit more and I think I like it like this.


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## hydrophyte (22 Feb 2013)

Thanks for the likes!

Here's another quick shot.


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## hydrophyte (1 Mar 2013)

I made a quick movie tonight. The colors are a bit washed out, but I think that I can increase saturation in iMovie.



I have more clips and I want to make a longer version with some editing and music.


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## hydrophyte (5 Mar 2013)

Here are a few new quick update pictures.


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## hydrophyte (19 Mar 2013)

Another quick photo update from last night.


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## hydrophyte (21 Mar 2013)

Here's another quick shot to show the riparium foliage...


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## hydrophyte (24 Mar 2013)

Thanks for the likes you guys!


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