# George's Nano



## George Farmer (18 Apr 2009)

It's been too long since my last journal!  Better late than never, I guess...    

Here's my current nano, an Orca MT30.  It's a mish-mash of plants that have been donated or left over from other 'scapes.  I've just let it grow really.  No real design.  I quite like the wild look and it's a change from my usual 'clean' style. 


















It's gone through a few minor changes since it's creation for a PFK feature.  See here - viewtopic.php?f=49&t=5632

I'll be re-doing it from scratch fairly soon, when I can find the time!  I have some exciting plans for the new layout too.

I look forward to sharing the journey with you all!    

*Spec -* 

*Tank* - Orca MT30, 25 litre with bow front and curved edges.
*Filter* - Built-in internal covering entire rear of aquarium.  Sponge and bio-ball media. 300lph.
*Lighting -* 18w PC T5 6500K, 8 hours
*Substrate* - Unipac black, Tropica Plant Substrate and Capsules
*Fertilisers* - 1ml TPN+ and 1ml Easycarbo per day
*Maintenance* - 50% water change per week
*Hardscape/decor* - Sumatra wood, Mini landscape rock
*Fish* - Flame tetra
*Plants* - Glosso, Crypt parva, C. wendtii 'Green', Blyxa japonica, Juncus repens, Hygro stricta(!), Rotala 'Green'


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## vauxhallmark (18 Apr 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal*

The plants look nice - especially the Cryptocoryne leaves lit from above in the first shot (the ones you can see the leaf veins in). 

Did you take a lot of substrate out, or did it flatten down, or is it just an illusion?

In the 'on my desk' pic in the linked topic the substrate rises up behind (and higher than) the main rock, but it doesn't seem to do that any more.

Cheers,

Mark


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## George Farmer (18 Apr 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal*

Thanks, Mark.

Over time the substrate has leveled naturally.  

I'll be using ADA Aqua Soil in the next layout, which tends to keep its shape better, especially with buried rocks...


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## George Farmer (18 Apr 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal*

Some more photos after my weekly maintenance routine.

Some stems pruned, including thinning out the glosso.  I've removed the Hygro 'stricta' and added a new rock to the right.

Thanks for looking.


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## LondonDragon (18 Apr 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal*

Its a bit of a misture of plants for sure George but it all blends in well together, I like this tank very much.

Hows the filter and lighting fair in these tanks?? I will after one of these on ebay for a while, just wasn't sure on the filtration, enough flow for the tank??? cheers


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## nry (18 Apr 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal*

You all have a lot to answer for given I eyed up my PFK aquacube tonight and thought hmm, I wonder what I could do with that...


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## George Farmer (18 Apr 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal*



			
				LondonDragon said:
			
		

> Its a bit of a misture of plants for sure George but it all blends in well together, I like this tank very much.
> 
> Hows the filter and lighting fair in these tanks?? I will after one of these on ebay for a while, just wasn't sure on the filtration, enough flow for the tank??? cheers



Thanks mate.  The current aquascape title is 'Little Jungle'!

I really like the filter.  It's a true 300lph too, so more than 10x turnover.

These tanks are designed for marines, so the supplied lighting is 50:50 actinic blue/white.  I swapped it for a cheap 6500K from Lampspecs.  Cost around Â£5.  As you can see, the 18w PC is plenty for glosso, and with no CO2 injection either.

I also disconnected the cooling fans as they are pretty noisy.  It's been running for about 4 months now without issue.  The heat of the summer (hopefully!) will be the tester...

Nice little tanks IMHO.  I like the all-in-one nature to it i.e. no pipes, visible cables etc.  And because it's not open-top, evaporation or escaping livestock isn't an issue.



			
				nry said:
			
		

> You all have a lot to answer for given I eyed up my PFK aquacube tonight and thought hmm, I wonder what I could do with that...


Good stuff mate.   I look forward to seeing what you create next.  Nice to see you back on the ball!


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## nry (18 Apr 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

Lol, I somehow doubt I'll do anything with the PFK cube, life is too full at the moment and I doubt my wife would approve!


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## George Farmer (18 Apr 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*



			
				nry said:
			
		

> Lol, I somehow doubt I'll do anything with the PFK cube, life is too full at the moment and I doubt my wife would approve!


Yeah, I know that feeling!   

I've just the two tanks running now - this and my 60cm opti-white that's going to be used for the PFK biotope series.  I can't believe I had five tanks running at one point!


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## Steve Smith (19 Apr 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*



			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> ...I can't believe I had five tanks running at one point!



*looks around the room*

Oh geez...   

Currently 6 tanks running, though only 3 "scapes"


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## aaronnorth (19 Apr 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

another nice layout


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## TDI-line (19 Apr 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

Brilliant George, i do love the jungle look in nano's personally.

But what happened to the guppies? Or need i ask.


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## George Farmer (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

I've just re-scaped this little bezzler.  

Swapped the substrate from Unipac black/Tropica to ADA Aqua Soil topped with Seachem Flourite Black Sand.

More wood, new rocks, less plants, new fish...

But you're not really interested until you see a photo, so bear with me and I'll get one up later...  

Here's one of the fish.  Anyone know what it is?  No prizes, just for fun!


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## rawr (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

Oooh sounds interesting!  Some type of Gourami maybe?


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## Joecoral (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

I'd guess at some sort of pencilfish?


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## samc (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

looks like some sort of cichlid


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## Steve Smith (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

Am I allowed to guess? 

It's a gourami, but I won't say what sort


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## Fred Dulley (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

Lovely picture of a Trichopsis vittata.....?


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## George Farmer (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*



			
				Fred Dulley said:
			
		

> Lovely picture of a Trichopsis vittata.....?


Nope.

It's a gourami though...


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## samc (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

is it a croaking one?


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## Superman (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

What ever fish it is, it's a beauty.


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## Fred Dulley (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*



			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> Fred Dulley said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Oh, oh, Parosphromenus sumatranus?


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## rawr (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

Liqourice Gourami?


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## George Farmer (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

Fred nearly got it.  Thomas gets the correct common name...

_Parosphromenus deissneri_


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## rawr (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

Woop!  I've always fancied them, nice fish are they?


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## George Farmer (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*

Great little fish, Thomas.  Quite delicate apparently.


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## nry (29 May 2009)

*Re: George's Nano Journal - Little Jungle*



			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> Great little fish, Thomas.  Quite delicate apparently.



Probably best served with some plain pilau rice with a sprinkling of lemon juice then.


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## George Farmer (29 May 2009)

I managed to get a few shots off this afternoon.  I'm quite happy with this so far; I think there's far more potential than the previous layout.  

This is my only planted tank running right now, so I'm trying to balance something that's attractive with something that's low maintenance.

I'm considering some moss to dress the wood.  TGM have some rarer species so we'll see.  Other than let I'm just letting it grow-in nice and slowly.

Just a reminder, this is 25 litres, non-CO2, 8hr photoperiod, 1.5ml TPN+ and 1.5ml of Easycarbo daily, 50% water change every 2 weeks.  The filter is built into the rear wall and has a 300lph powerhead.

Substrate is ADA Aqua Soil topped with Seachem Flourite Black Sand.

Hardscape is Unipac Sumatra wood and Petrified Wood with Caribsea Live Sand and pea gravel.

Plants (all Tropica) -

_L. arcuata
C. wendtii 'Green'
C. parva
E. parvula_

Fish -

_Trichopsis pumila
Parosphromenus deissneri_

I got these fish mail-order from Wildwoods.  All arrived in superb condition, triple bagged with oxygen and heat packs.  I was pleasantly surprised how quickly they settled too.  Highly recommended!


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## Superman (29 May 2009)

George,

I always think you seem to have a unique style of photographing fish or tanks and I love it.

The way in which everything you don't want as the focus of the photo, it seems nice and dark.

Is there anything you do and what F's and ISOs ?

I get the best photos with the rest of the room dark as possible but fancy getting more "photographic" with my photos.

Any tips would be appreciated.

Maybe it could be a feature for PFK as I'm sure loads love taking photos of their fish and tanks?!

Cheers,
Clark


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## samc (29 May 2009)

great shots george   

your nanos all seem to have your own little touch   

id like to see some of them rare mosses used in a scape


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## George Farmer (29 May 2009)

Superman said:
			
		

> George,
> 
> I always think you seem to have a unique style of photographing fish or tanks and I love it.
> 
> ...


Thanks, Clark!  Comments like that mean a lot, as I'm my own worst critic sometimes.

There are no special tricks or effects with my photos.  Just lots of practice!  A DSLR is a nice tool too.

Generally I will use a larger aperture (low F/stop i.e. f/1.8 to f/4) for fish or plant close-ups.  This limits the depth-of-field so the intended subject remains sharp with stuff in front and behind becoming blurred (this is known as 'bokeh'.)

My top tip for photographing fish is to focus on the eyes.  I literally become transfixed on the eyes and ignore everything else except composition.  I use manual focus and ensure the composition is framed with more open space in the direction of swimming.  The rule of thirds is a great tool here.

I will set the ISO as low as possible to maintain high quality, noiseless images, but with no flash and relying on aquarium lighting, this has to go as high as 1600 sometimes to maintain a shutter speed of 1/100 sec.  I find 1/100 sec. about right to capture swimming fish at most focal lengths.  Some fish need faster i.e. 1/320 sec. especially if you're closer.

For full-tank shots I will try to use of larger depth-of-field to ensure the entire aquascape is in focus.  This means a smaller aperture (higher f/stop i.e. f/8+).  You will need a longer shutter speed so capturing the fish can be an issue.  This is why the 'pros' use overtank flash etc, so loads of light means low ISO and high f/stop.

I hope all that makes sense and helps you.

Thanks, again.



			
				samc said:
			
		

> great shots george
> 
> your nanos all seem to have your own little touch
> 
> id like to see some of them rare mosses used in a scape


Thanks!  I really need to do a 'scape with moss...


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## Superman (29 May 2009)

Thanks George.
I think my preview on my bridge camera doesn't show the same as when I take it.
I'll try those techniques next photo time.


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## Superman (29 May 2009)

Superman said:
			
		

> Thanks George.
> I think my preview on my bridge camera doesn't show the same as when I take it.
> I'll try those techniques next photo time.



Couldn't resist a quick photo session and thanks for the tips!
My preview is a bit out but get the jist of it all now.


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## aquaticmaniac (29 May 2009)

Looking great  It goes without saying, but the photos are stunning as well. Nice little fish too.


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## rawr (30 May 2009)

Nice photos, stocking and I like the aquascape.  I would love to see an article on photography in PFK as Clark said, personally it's something I struggle with and even though my aquascapes aren't up to a high standard, it still lets them down. Thanks for the tips anyway!


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## George Farmer (30 May 2009)

Superman said:
			
		

> Superman said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good stuff mate.  Practice, then practice some more.  There's no excuse with digital...!  I took around 20 frames to get these four.  



			
				aquaticmaniac said:
			
		

> Looking great  It goes without saying, but the photos are stunning as well. Nice little fish too.


Thanks!  They are lovely little fish and make a refreshing change to the stereotypical small tetras and rasboras often used.  The smaller swimming space suits these fish better too.



			
				rawr said:
			
		

> Nice photos, stocking and I like the aquascape.  I would love to see an article on photography in PFK as Clark said, personally it's something I struggle with and even though my aquascapes aren't up to a high standard, it still lets them down. Thanks for the tips anyway!


Thanks, Thomas.  I'm glad you approve! 

I'm not sure if I'm good enough to contribute photography articles to a magazine just yet...  Thanks, anyway.

Top tips for a compact camera would be to use a tripod (or makeshift version), self-timer and photograph in dark with tank lights on.  Most compact have poor ISO handling so if sticking to 200 or so you'll have a slower shutter speed, hence the need for tripod.  The self-timer eliminates camera shake further.

Play with exposure compensation (Ev) and white balance to get best results.

Good luck!


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## TDI-line (30 May 2009)

Brilliant George, simple and very effective.


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## George Farmer (30 May 2009)

TDI-line said:
			
		

> Brilliant George, simple and very effective.


Thanks mate.  If you need ever to palm off any of your new moss... I've got a spare FE...


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## GreenNeedle (30 May 2009)

Looks great George.  I like the fishy pictures there.  I really struggle with fish and need to play with my compact's settings a little more.  I also need more patience 

For anyone wanting a great guide on the 'techy' aspects and only has a compact camera then there is a superb article on ASW by Jason Baliban:

http://www.aquascapingworld.com/magazin ... caper.html

The same article can be found on Jason's site here:
http://www.projectaquarium.com/plantedA ... Shoot.aspx

AC


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## George Farmer (30 May 2009)

Thanks, Andy.

Jason is a legend, and a really nice guy too.


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## nry (30 May 2009)

How does your c.parva stay so small?  Mine is silly sized, the leaves are 15cm+ in length on some plants!


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## George Farmer (30 May 2009)

nry said:
			
		

> How does your c.parva stay so small?  Mine is silly sized, the leaves are 15cm+ in length on some plants!


Not sure mate.  I've kept it in several layouts now, with varying growing conditions and it's always stayed small.

I wonder if you have a variety of _C. willisii_ that is very similar leaf shape, colour and texture, but grows taller?


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## nry (30 May 2009)

I hope not - it came from Tropica via AE 

I'll be trimming off some of these leaves next water change, some are ones that were on the plant when new, so perhaps the new leaves will be smaller, it's taking a while to grow many new leaves.


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## George Farmer (30 May 2009)

lol.  I've never heard of Tropica mislabeling so I'd be surprised.

_C. parva_ is an incredibly slow grower and will take an age to adapt unless it's in super-growing conditions.


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## Dave Spencer (30 May 2009)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> nry said:
> 
> 
> 
> > I wonder if you have a variety of _C. willisii_ that is very similar leaf shape, colour and texture, but grows taller?



I have C. parva growing next to C. willisii in my 120cm. Both plants look virtually the same, except the willisii grows to about 15cm and looks down on the parva. It sounds as if you are describing C. willisii nry.

Dave.


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## nry (30 May 2009)

Pictures:

Parva is in front of some wendtii:







Parva is supposedly the crypt to the right:





Sorry for the thread hijack!


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## George Farmer (30 May 2009)

It does look bigger than any parva I've seen.


			
				nry said:
			
		

> Sorry for the thread hijack!


No worries!

My motivation behind this thread was to create dialogue like this.  I've really missed my journals to be honest and am glad to be able to create one again.

Photo techniques, fish, plant species discussions etc. etc. that's what I like about journals.


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## GreenNeedle (30 May 2009)

The leaves look eithe too short or too wide for willisii or Parvar to me.  I wouldn't expect the tallest Parva (my tallest is about 10cm) to be taller than Blyxia   Both Willisii and Parva have long slender leaves whereas the plant you have in the second picture has rounder leaves.

Quite easy to mislabel things when its just a plastic ID card wedged into pot.  I think P@H used to pull them out and use them as substrate in their cascades

AC


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## nry (30 May 2009)

I'll give the original leaves a trim back on Monday night - the newer leaves seem to be staying lower and shorter, I think it might be the original leaves that have grown in length - I had no melt at all when I put these in (same for the wendtii green which I put in at the same time).


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## aaronnorth (31 May 2009)

> and ensure the composition is framed with more open space in the direction of swimming.



that is an interesting technique which actually works very well as i have noticed



> I will set the ISO as low as possible to maintain high quality, noiseless images, but with no flash and relying on aquarium lighting, this has to go as high as 1600 sometimes



that made me laugh, just thinking how most of us are stuck to ISO400 lol.


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## George Farmer (29 Jul 2009)

It's been a couple of months since the last update.

Nothing much to report.  I'm just letting it grow, pruning as required.  I rarely touch this tank to be honest - which suits me.  fine. 

I've added some moss and Bolbitis (not that you can see it yet!), so that might work nicely once it hopefully establishes.

I've switched dosing from TPN+ and Easycarbo to Profito and Easycarbo (1ml each per day).  No CO2 injection. I figured there's plenty of NP in the fish food to cope with the slow growth.

The pygmy gouramis have recently started croaking on an evening which is very cool!

Photography isn't up to the recent standards set by the studio lighting boys!    





Here it is a few months ago...


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## TDI-line (29 Jul 2009)

Simply lovely George.


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## LondonDragon (29 Jul 2009)

Looking great George  Can't wait to setup my nano!!


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## Tony Swinney (29 Jul 2009)

Looking lovely George - very colourful.  I might just have to rescape my nano now     

Tony


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## George Farmer (29 Jul 2009)

Thanks, guys!

I love this little tank - it almost thrives on neglect.  

The 'scape is getting better as it matures and I hope the moss and Bolbitis will add some nice textures in the coming months.


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## John Starkey (29 Jul 2009)

Hi George,
its looking realy nice mate,
regards john.


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## Mark Evans (29 Jul 2009)

thats looking pucker mate   

your the only one i've seen get amazing images without flash! so i wouldnt be too concerned.  

 I'm struggling with!


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## George Farmer (29 Jul 2009)

Thanks, John and Mark!

Mark - I have to confess to using some off-camera flash bounced off the ceiling to illuminate the tank exterior, but it's nothing like as good as the stuff you guys are doing these days.  

I'm too skint to afford studio lighting right now and am (so far) resisting the temptation to get out the credit card!


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## Mark Evans (29 Jul 2009)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> I'm too skint to afford studio lighting right now and am (so far) resisting the temptation to get out the credit card!



booo..hiss   ....do it! do it! 

it scares me to think what you'd be capable of doing, but i think we all know it'd be the dogs


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## JamesM (29 Jul 2009)

I'm not a huge fan of these tanks, but what you've done with it George, I find almost 'cosy'. Very inviting.


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## lljdma06 (31 Jul 2009)

This is maturing nicely, George and it is very pretty to look at.  Sometimes simple is best for some scapes when you have multiple tanks.   The crypts will be the place for some gourami love, as the croaking indicates courting behavior.  They will breed readily under broad-leaved plants.  Look for very tiny, grey wrigglers.  Your daughter will get a kick out of it as the breeding behavior is fascinating to watch.  But your filtration may be too much for many to survive, though they get moist, warm air from the sealed tank.  Crucial for the development of the labarynth organ.  You never know.  

Good luck.


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## George Farmer (31 Jul 2009)

Thanks, llj!

It's funny, my tank is literally two feet away from my desk and I listening to their croaking as I type...

Breeding them would be very cool.  

I have to confess I'm getting more into the fish these days, what with my biotope tanks and marine set up.  It's what attracted me to the hobby originally before these pesky plants began to almost rule my life!!


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## Gill (31 Jul 2009)

Awwwww Thats A Cute little Scape. I like It.


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## skinz180189 (31 Jul 2009)

Really like the look of this, mine's almost similar (yet nowhere near in all honesty!)


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## lljdma06 (1 Aug 2009)

> Breeding them would be very cool.



The breeding itself isn't difficult to accomplish.  It's the fry raising. The fry are extremely tiny and they need to be fed very small foods and great care must be taken to maintain proper humidity levels and air temperature when the labarynth organ is developing.  By comparison, the cherry barb fry I raised were massive, even as wrigglers and were munching on BBS from day 1.    



> I have to confess I'm getting more into the fish these days, what with my biotope tanks and marine set up.  It's what attracted me to the hobby originally before these pesky plants began to almost rule my life!!



You're talking to someone who's been very into fish for over 20 years!  I'm also very much into plants!  

When there is marriage between the two, it is extremely satisfying and my favorite scapes are usually ones where there is fish breeding.  The 8g was a bonified Platy factory.     When you can create a semi-accurate biotope (Sorry, no one's going to win any competition with the "muddy ditch" or "muddy river" scape, and you have to be realistic that no biotope is entirely accurate), or really put some thought regarding the habits of the fish you're keeping, I find that the scapes become very interesting.  Because the _fish_ then also form an integral part of the scape.  So often now, they are an after thought and sometimes I wonder if the fish are comfortable in some of those very exposed scapes, especially if the fish species chosen is typically more reclusive, or prefer a less open environment.  Gosh, for me, the fish are right up there with the plants!  And I mull over fish choice for a long time or I won't go forward with a scape idea until I know that the fish in that scape will be comfortable.  When planted tanks are schemed around the behavior of the fish being kept, the fish begin to exhibit more natural behavior and then there is usually some sort of fish porn.     And then the babies come, and then there's brine shrimp hatching and extra water changes.  Finally, you are setting up another tank to accomodate the growing children and the cycle repeats itself.  What a wonderful reason to buy a new tank!

It is so elemental really.  

Happy plants = Happy fish = usually more fish.    

Good luck, I hope the gouramis breed for you.  It is fascinating to watch.  

llj


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## George Farmer (26 Oct 2009)

Quick update.

This is still going strong.  I suffered from major crypt melt, after a big maintenace session ready for the FoF.  

The crypts are recovering nicely and I'm even seeing some nice moss and Bolbitis growth; plants I've never really had success with before.  

The whole layout is now far more naturalistic, textured and complex, quite different from my usual style.

I've also added a Siamese fighter, rescued from the Hagen show, that is a hit with the family.  I'm not a major fan but I don't see the tank, except at weekends.

I'll post up some photos when I get access to my usual computer later this week.


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## George Farmer (8 Nov 2009)

Better late than never...

Non-CO2, no liquid carbon, minimal water changes.  Dosing is 1ml of Easylife Profito per day.  Growth is incredibly slow, which is ideal as I'm away from this tank for 5 days a week.


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## Gill (8 Nov 2009)

This has MAtured Very Well, Looks Very Lush


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## Krishs Bettas (8 Nov 2009)

looks really nice now and really nice looking Betta.


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## George Farmer (5 Jan 2010)

It's been a while...

I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year!

Here's some recent shots from my nano.  Some minor changes, nothing major.

I only get to see the tank at weekends, as I work away during the week.


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## James Marshall (5 Jan 2010)

Happy new year George.
The tank looks absolutely stunning now, those Crypts are super healthy.
I think the scape is actually too good for a tank with a silver plastic lid  

Cheers,
James


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## George Farmer (5 Jan 2010)

Thanks mate!  Happy New Year to you and your good lady.


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## andyh (5 Jan 2010)

Thats one fat Otto! 

Happy new year to you and your family


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## George Farmer (5 Jan 2010)

andyh said:
			
		

> Thats one fat Otto!
> 
> Happy new year to you and your family



Thanks, Andy!  Must be all the algae I get in there!!   

Happy New Year to you and yours also!


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## Dan Crawford (5 Jan 2010)

Looking good George, the Hydrocotyle is a nice touch


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## George Farmer (5 Jan 2010)

Thanks, Dan.


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## flygja (6 Jan 2010)

That is beautiful. Considering its low maintenance, it makes it even better.


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## George Farmer (17 Aug 2010)

Well, it's been almost 8 months since the last update, so here we are...  

Almost 2 years since I first set this up.  It's now my longest ever running aquascape, and one of the most trouble-free.  

I maintain it once a month.  2ml TPN+ and 2ml Liquid Carbon per day.  50% water change and filter clean once a month, with glass cleaning.

The crypt roots are actually forcing the Sumatra wood upwards so I can hardly close the tank lid!


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## wearsbunnyslippers (17 Aug 2010)

great photo!

everything works so well in this tank, nice composition!


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## George Farmer (17 Aug 2010)

wearsbunnyslippers said:
			
		

> great photo!
> 
> everything works so well in this tank, nice composition!


Thanks!


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## flygja (18 Aug 2010)

Once a month maintenance... I'd like that! It looks really great in my opinion.


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## GHNelson (18 Aug 2010)

Hi George
Great little set-up.
Can you tell me what sand your using in the foreground.
It looks very golden..... I'm looking for similar colour and size.
Regards
hoggie


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## George Farmer (18 Feb 2011)

hogan53 said:
			
		

> Hi George
> Great little set-up.
> Can you tell me what sand your using in the foreground.
> It looks very golden..... I'm looking for similar colour and size.
> ...


Hey Hoggie,

Sorry about the 6 month delay in reply!  The sand is Unipac silica sand.


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## George Farmer (18 Feb 2011)

About time I updated this, six months on since the last time!    

It's had a re-scape but I've kept the Sumatra wood that's now nicely covered in Java moss - the original and best moss IMHO (only because it's the only moss I've grown!)

The tank houses 10 adult cherry shrimp.  No sign of breeding oddly enough.   They appear healthy and are very active.

I've recently added CO2 via the new Fluval 88g system.  The diffuser is the best ceramic disc I've ever used.  The mist is amazing.  I've retrofitted a solenoid too to save on CO2.  88g isn't the largest cylinder in the world!

I've just moved the tank on to my desk, which is very distracting when I'm trying to work!

The 'scape is very simple - not for contests and the like.  Some nice new plant species in there that are growing very slowly, but growing.

*Spec -*

*Tank -* Orca MT30, 25 litres
*Filter *- Built-in behind background. 300lph.
*Light -* 18w PC T5, 8 hrs.  Tube is around 3yrs old!
*CO2 -* Fluval pressurised CO2 88g with Aqua Medic solenoid
*Substrate -* TMC nutraSoil
*Ferts -* TPN+ 2ml per day
*Decor -* Sumatra wood
*Plants* - _Taxiphyllum barberieri, Anubias nana, Hygrophila pinnatifida, Hydrocotyle sp. 'Japan', Eleocharis acicularis, Crytocoryne wendtii 'brown' and 'green', Microsorum pteropus 'needle'_
*Livestock -* Cherry shrimp

Here's an in-situ shot.  I will try to get some closer images this weekend...


----------



## Tom (18 Feb 2011)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> It's had a re-scape but I've kept the Sumatra wood that's now nicely covered in Java moss - the original and best moss IMHO (only because it's the only moss I've grown!)



I'll agree with that! Keep it trimmed and it's nice and compact


----------



## Mark Evans (18 Feb 2011)

*Re: George's Nano - 6 month update!*

I saw this last week, and looks frickin awesome. The moss was so deep green


----------



## Antoni (18 Feb 2011)

*Re: George's Nano - 6 month update!*

Looks very nice, George! I like it! Cant wait for closer shot


----------



## Piece-of-fish (18 Feb 2011)

*Re: George's Nano - 6 month update!*

Cant believe that is Java moss. Looks so great


----------



## George Farmer (20 Feb 2011)

*Re: George's Nano - 6 month update!*

Hi all,

As promised, here's some closer shots.  I had a spare hour or so this morning so took the opportunity of using a studio flash.  It's only a cheap 150w Interfit jobby, but it's ample for this little tank.  

Here you can make out the flash head over the top of the open tank.




A close-up of the mish-mash of plants, including _Hydrocotyle sp. 'Japan_' courtesy of Tobi's visit to the ADA NA Gallery in Japan.




One of the 'lesser' grade cherries on a _C.wendtii "brown"_ leaf




Taken from the top of the open tank, rather than through glass.  _Hygrophila pinnatifida_ attached to the wood and moss.  This plant is very slow growing, despite being so near the light.  Maybe it prefers a nutrient-rich substrate?




The CO2 diffuser that comes with the Fluval 88g pressurised kit.  I'm really impressed, as the mist is fine and bubbles are emitted from 100% of the surface.




That's all for now.  Hopefully I'll update again before another six months have passed!


----------



## Tom (20 Feb 2011)

*Re: George's Nano - now with studio lighting shots!*

I really like this new Hydrocotyle you and Mark have!! The Crypts are looking very nice too

Tom


----------



## George Farmer (20 Feb 2011)

*Re: George's Nano - now with studio lighting shots!*



			
				Tom said:
			
		

> I really like this new Hydrocotyle you and Mark have!! The Crypts are looking very nice too
> 
> Tom


Thanks, Tom!   

I think Mark will have some spare Hydrocotyle before me!  It's growing very slowly in here.  I've tested the PAR at the substrate and it's barely 10 umol.  I'm surprised the hairgrass is growing at all to be honest.  Maybe I should invest in a new bulb - it's three years-old now!

Crypts are my all-time favourite plant.  Have been for a few years now.  I love wendtii 'brown' for some reason.  My wife think I'm mental - most of my favourite fish are brown too!


----------



## George Farmer (20 Feb 2011)

*Re: George's Nano - now with studio lighting shots!*

This is the view from where I'm sitting right now if I turn my head 30 degrees to the right!


----------



## Mark Evans (20 Feb 2011)

*Re: George's Nano - now with studio lighting shots!*

wasn't this in your front room last week George? ...or do you have 2?


----------



## George Farmer (20 Feb 2011)

*Re: George's Nano - now with studio lighting shots!*



			
				Mark Evans said:
			
		

> wasn't this in your front room last week George? ...or do you have 2?


Yes mate.  I moved it from the fire place on to the desk, next to the fire place!  Still in the front room... 

Here's the original location, where you saw it -


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## Mark Evans (20 Feb 2011)

ahhh...i didnt see the PC in the front room


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## George Farmer (20 Feb 2011)

Mark Evans said:
			
		

> ahhh...i didnt see the PC in the front room


PC?  None of them here mate!


----------



## Mark Evans (20 Feb 2011)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> PC? None of them here mate!



I wrote that deliberately!   ...MAC boy!


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## Antoni (20 Feb 2011)

I really like how it has turned from the beggining! Particularly like the "wild side" of it with all this plants mixed, growing everywhere! Very natural look. And the moss... its a dream


----------



## John Starkey (20 Feb 2011)

Hi George,seeing the difference proper lighting makes to indoor shots i may have splash some cash   ,
nano is still plodding on nicely albeit slowly   ,

regards,
john.


----------



## Garuf (20 Feb 2011)

10umol is next to nothing! 
Where did you get your Par metre from? How do you find using them? Influencing your lighting choices at all?


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## nayr88 (20 Feb 2011)

lovely tank george, macs not to sad either haha. might be a good idea to get hold of a new bulb aye? then again if its working and things are growing, why upset the balance 

is that java on the wood?  i love the stringy look of it, very underestimated with all the new fancy mosses knocking about>

cheers


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## whatok (21 Feb 2011)

You probably already considered this, George, and maybe i'm being slightly picky, but couldn't you run that Co2 line straight down?

Beautiful tank though. 

Are you buying air rifle cartridges for the fluval? The OEM ones appear to be a rip-off!


----------



## andyh (21 Feb 2011)

whatok said:
			
		

> You probably already considered this, George, and maybe i'm being slightly picky, but couldn't you run that Co2 line straight down?



now that is just being picky!


----------



## whatok (21 Feb 2011)

I'm sure George is just as critical of himself, otherwise he wouldn't have such nice tanks!


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## George Farmer (21 Feb 2011)

Thanks, all.   





			
				Garuf said:
			
		

> 10umol is next to nothing!
> Where did you get your Par metre from? How do you find using them? Influencing your lighting choices at all?


I borrowed it from the PFK office.  It's an Apogee model.  Very simple to use.

My lighting choice is still based more on aesthetics than PAR, although it has been very useful when testing my LED units on the 60cm.  Incidentally I'm now running them at 100% giving me around 100umol at the plants.  No sign of algae and awesome growth, even though the L.arcuata is still very slow!  I digress...



			
				whatok said:
			
		

> You probably already considered this, George, and maybe i'm being slightly picky, but couldn't you run that Co2 line straight down?
> 
> Beautiful tank though.
> 
> Are you buying air rifle cartridges for the fluval? The OEM ones appear to be a rip-off!


I like the attention to detail in your observation!  Yes, I will eventually drill a hole in the hood to allow me to run the CO2 line vertically.

I will look into air rifle carts - thanks!


----------



## whatok (21 Feb 2011)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> ..
> 
> 
> 
> ...



NP! You can get them for about a fiver each, especially if you buy ten at a time. I think the Fluval ones run at least a tenner..


----------



## Garuf (21 Feb 2011)

> I borrowed it from the PFK office.  It's an Apogee model.  Very simple to use.
> 
> My lighting choice is still based more on aesthetics than PAR, although it has been very useful when testing my LED units on the 60cm.  Incidentally I'm now running them at 100% giving me around 100umol at the plants.  No sign of algae and awesome growth, even though the L.arcuata is still very slow!  I digress...



Yeah I've heard nothing but good things about Apongee, I'd love to get my hands on one myself. 100umol strikes me as high but I know it's nothing compared to what some people on asw were running a couple of years ago when I was researching. Strange you say about ludwigia being slow, I remember it being invasive in my first nano, in two months I trimmed it once in my nano... I'm not sure it's light, that would be too simple a conclusion to draw. 

George, if you said you had algae I don't think I'd believe you anyway! 

Did you see the rough "par" chart over on Planted tank by the way? May be useful.


----------



## StevenA (21 Feb 2011)

Hi George, my other hobby is air rifle shooting, and I use a company called JS Ramsbottoms for various bits. For Co2 88g cartridges you might like to try this link 
http://www.jsramsbottom.com/products/88gram2-umarex-88gram-co2-single-bottle-[2-pack].html

They sell them in 10's too, which brings the price per unit down even more  



With postage it comes to £14-98 for 2 cartridges, how does that compare?


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## George Farmer (22 Feb 2011)

Garuf said:
			
		

> Did you see the rough "par" chart over on Planted tank by the way? May be useful.


Not seen that - do you have a link, please?



			
				Tourney said:
			
		

> With postage it comes to £14-98 for 2 cartridges, how does that compare?


Much less expensive, thanks!


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## Garuf (22 Feb 2011)

I do, here you go.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/light ... 12-pc.html
&
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/light ... lbs-2.html
The second link is more about cheap household links but it does however very clearly demonstrate what people are doing when they lift lights up or down.


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## ghostsword (22 Feb 2011)

Thanks mate, this is a great link.

It actually makes us think about what our perception of too much light really is, or what a low light tank would be.

I got 4 t5's of 39W each 30cm above my tank, and was thinking that it would be too little. I got no algae, and the plants grow, but still thougth that it was too little light. 

After looking at the graph, I stand corrected. 





Taken from http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/light ... 12-pc.html

Could something like this be made a sticky on the forum? It would help many people to know about this.

Thanks again for sharing it.


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## Tom (22 Feb 2011)

That chart classes my Mini M lighting as low. Serious? I thought 18w PC over 20-ish liters was quite a lot. I know Amano uses double that though in the NA World books.

Assuming a PC is one of these: http://www.aquamarin-shop.de/images/pow ... t2024W.jpg


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## Garuf (22 Feb 2011)

Yeah, pc means power-compact. 
I suppose you can't really argue with the par readings, we've always known about minimum threshold for lighting over nano's so this could be just the evidence that proves that theory correct?


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## George Farmer (6 Mar 2011)

Quick update!

I've removed the hairgrass and replanted some Hydrocotyle sp. 'Japan' that I've split into seperate plantlets.  The aim is the get a full carpet along the front.

I've also given the moss a good trim back.  The Hygrophila pinnatifida is growing nice and steadily and is starting to colour up nicely too.

I'm really happy with this little tank.  Nice and easy to maintain and a pleasant distraction on my desk.


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## Tom (6 Mar 2011)

I like the way the Crypts are spreading out quite low down  The green and brown variation is nice too


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## JohnC (6 Mar 2011)

Tourney said:
			
		

> Hi George, my other hobby is air rifle shooting, and I use a company called JS Ramsbottoms for various bits. For Co2 88g cartridges you might like to try this link
> http://www.jsramsbottom.com/products/88gram2-umarex-88gram-co2-single-bottle-[2-pack].html
> 
> They sell them in 10's too, which brings the price per unit down even more
> ...



skim reading in a rush here so i might be a little off topic.... apologies in advance.

i tried using 88g air rifle cannisters in my dennerle nano CO2, the thread was identical but there was an extra 2-3mm extension on the top of the air rifle one which meant i could not get a proper screwing in seal. In turn i wasted two cannisters and broke the dennerle CO2 kit permanently.     

A bit of plumbing tape might have helped, but it was too late for me to try.


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## George Farmer (6 Mar 2011)

Tom said:
			
		

> I like the way the Crypts are spreading out quite low down  The green and brown variation is nice too


Cheers, Tom.  Gotta love crypts. 



			
				hijac said:
			
		

> i tried using 88g air rifle cannisters in my dennerle nano CO2, the thread was identical but there was an extra 2-3mm extension on the top of the air rifle one which meant i could not get a proper screwing in seal. In turn i wasted two cannisters and broke the dennerle CO2 kit permanently.
> 
> A bit of plumbing tape might have helped, but it was too late for me to try.


Thanks for the heads-up.   There's been an interested discussion on PTFE tape on UKAPS lately. 

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=14844


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## whatok (6 Mar 2011)

i changed my mind, it's better with the arched co2 line..

 
Looks good, interested in this new carpet you're attempting. That plant really is luminous!


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## LondonDragon (6 Mar 2011)

nano is looking great, some of that Hydrocotyle would look ace in my new scape


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## GreenNeedle (7 Mar 2011)

Tom said:
			
		

> That chart classes my Mini M lighting as low. Serious? I thought 18w PC over 20-ish liters was quite a lot. I know Amano uses double that though in the NA World books.
> 
> Assuming a PC is one of these: http://www.aquamarin-shop.de/images/pow ... t2024W.jpg



Sorry to continue the off topic on this thread.  maybe better to start another to discuss that chart.

I'm quite familiar with that chart and have discussed it with the 'creator' several times.  Banter if you like. Its subjective really though.  What I call medium the author calls low, what I call high the author calls medium etc.


Take it as a guide and its a great tool to have to compare the difference height and different lighting makes.  However to use it as a definitive guide is quite hard due to all our different opinions on what is what regarding lighting.

PC/CF loses a lot of light. Even the best reflectors can't compare to a linear which is why 1 x PC is pretty much equal to 2 x T8 on the chart.  Pretty much same wattages.  I would go further to say the 2 x T8 would actually give more downward due to this.

Can we start a new thread to save George's Journal?  We can move all these threads into there.

AC


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## JohnC (7 Mar 2011)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> viewtopic.php?f=37&t=14844



Wow. Excellent pointer. Cheers, this kinda info is why UKAPS rocks.


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## George Farmer (23 Apr 2011)

With all the super journals being created and updated, I thought I better update one of mine.






I removed the CO2 to slow things down.  Dosing 2ml Excel and 2ml TPN+ daily.

My youngest daughter got her way, hence the two male guppies!

The Hydrocotyle sp. 'Japan' has formed a full carpet.  I should have spare cuttings for those I've promised when I next maintain the tank (in a month or so).

I've attached several portions of Hygrophila pinnatifida to the wood.  It attaches itself really easily.

Not much else to report.  Easy little tank that provides a pleasant distraction.


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## Tom (23 Apr 2011)

The Hydrocotyle looks great as a carpet. I'd like to see it grown on top of a Glosso carpet, I reckon it would mix well. The TMC soil serving you well then?

I like Guppies on occasion too. Amano uses them well in the early tanks I think. 

Tom


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## Mark Evans (23 Apr 2011)

The hydrocotyle is weed like dont you find George?

 I've got some in an old Chinese takeaway canister, with flora base, moistened and it's growing rapidly in their. It's also growing good in a plant pot outdoors.


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## B7fec (23 Apr 2011)

Mark Evans said:
			
		

> The hydrocotyle is weed like dont you find George?


 Defo!

I do like it and it grows well, should have some spare myself in a few weeks, lovely tank George, the plant health looks absolutely great! How are you attaching the Hygrophila pinnatifida to wood? and what sort of cutting are you using, the top a shoot or the bottom of the plant? I had some attach to some Dragon Stone, but it died off very quickly once it was overshadowed. But attaching it the the wood directly adds a little something different.......


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## Steve Smith (23 Apr 2011)

Lovely nano George   Loving the crypts!


----------



## John Starkey (23 Apr 2011)

Blimey George,thats some rescape love the hydro carpet,i didn,t know pinafetida could be attached to wood,

looks very nice mate,
john.


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## George Farmer (24 Apr 2011)

Tom said:
			
		

> The Hydrocotyle looks great as a carpet. I'd like to see it grown on top of a Glosso carpet, I reckon it would mix well. The TMC soil serving you well then?
> 
> I like Guppies on occasion too. Amano uses them well in the early tanks I think.
> 
> Tom


Thanks, Tom.

I think the Hydrocotyle has lots of potential in various combinations in 'scapes.  One of the more exciting plants around at the moment.  Perhaps it's main disadvantage is that is so quick, so not really sustainable for any length of time if mixed with other plants.  If you don't mind lots of maintenance then it's fine.  It's not bad in here, because of my low light (3yr old 18w PC T5).

The TMC NutraSoil is excellent.  No doubt performs the same as other similar products on the market.  I'm also using it my 240 litre jungle (featured in next month's PFK) and growth is superb in there also.

The guppies add a nice splash of colour and movement.  A real crowd pleaser.



			
				Mark Evans said:
			
		

> The hydrocotyle is weed like dont you find George?
> 
> I've got some in an old Chinese takeaway canister, with flora base, moistened and it's growing rapidly in their. It's also growing good in a plant pot outdoors.


It's not too bad in here mate, as it's a low-energy set-up.  I dread to think how to control it in a high-light, good CO2, EI set-up!

Sounds like you're the man to approach for more of it!



			
				B7fec said:
			
		

> .. lovely tank George, the plant health looks absolutely great! How are you attaching the Hygrophila pinnatifida to wood? and what sort of cutting are you using, the top a shoot or the bottom of the plant? I had some attach to some Dragon Stone, but it died off very quickly once it was overshadowed. But attaching it the the wood directly adds a little something different.......


Thanks, Ben.

Plant health is pretty good.  A bit of algae since I added the guppies.  I reckon the shrimp have gotten used to eating their leftover food instead of algae!  The photography may be a bit misleading as my 6500K lamp is so green.  I'm using tank lighting only on these recent shots.

I'm attaching the H. pinnatifida by simply 'sliding' the roots of top cuttings under the moss on the wood.  I think the low lighting and nutrients helps to keep it compact too.  Very slow growing in here, which I like. 



			
				SteveUK said:
			
		

> Lovely nano George   Loving the crypts!


Thanks, Steve.  Gotta love brown crypts!



			
				john starkey said:
			
		

> Blimey George,thats some rescape love the hydro carpet,i didn,t know pinafetida could be attached to wood,
> 
> looks very nice mate,
> john.


Thanks, John.

Yes, H. pinnatifida attaches itself more easily than any other plant I've used.  The roots soon take hold.  Lovely textured and coloured plant too.


----------



## Gill (24 Apr 2011)

I like how effortless it looks. Very Very nice.


----------



## George Farmer (29 Apr 2011)

A couple more shots.  

You can see better how the H. pinnatifida works attached to the wood.


----------



## Tom (29 Apr 2011)

You attach it just like a fern?


----------



## George Farmer (30 Apr 2011)

Tom said:
			
		

> You attach it just like a fern?


Yes.  Or in this case, just slipped the stem under some moss and the roots attached themselves in a week or so.


----------



## B7fec (30 Apr 2011)

Thats cracking! I love the use of the H pinn... is very nice attached to the wood, great texture and colour differences, this is an idea I have just have to use somewhere myself.....great stuff! Whats the current fert regime in this tank George?


----------



## George Farmer (30 Apr 2011)

Thanks, Ben. 

2ml Excel, 2ml TPN+ daily.  50% water change per week.  Nice and easy mate.


----------



## B7fec (30 Apr 2011)

Cheers George..... am setting up a small nano which is going to be more of a experimental thing than scaped setup, just want to see how certain plants grow and look etc, going to take alot of inspiration from your little beaut!


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## George Farmer (30 Apr 2011)

Good stuff mate.  It's often the experimental tanks that evolve into the real gems... 

FYI I got the H. pinnatifida idea last year when I saw it at the Interzoo.  Dan Crawford also did the same in our Hannover contest tank, attaching a load to Manzi wood.  It's the future!


----------



## B7fec (30 Apr 2011)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> Good stuff mate.  It's often the experimental tanks that evolve into the real gems...



I hope so......  

Keep up the great work!


----------



## George Farmer (30 May 2011)

1 month of almost complete neglect...


nano overgrown by George Farmer, on Flickr

Re-scape coming soon...


----------



## nayr88 (30 May 2011)

Just see this on twitter
A little overgrown aye! 
Looks great though and I bet the shrimp love it.


----------



## Ian Holdich (30 May 2011)

the moss looks great George!


----------



## George Farmer (1 Jun 2011)

Thanks, guys.

Re-scaping it today.  I will post pics later.


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## andyh (1 Jun 2011)

Hey George if u have any of that Hydrocotyle sp. 'Japan going spare give me shout I would love some for my nano. I will pay/contribute to ukaps


----------



## Bobtastic (1 Jun 2011)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> Tom said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I really like this plant, I saw it at TGM on Saturday (or at least one that looks like it). Can it not be planted into the substrate?


----------



## George Farmer (1 Jun 2011)

Hi Bob

Hygrophila pinnatifida can indeed be planted into the substrate.

Check it out  - 


community by George Farmer, on Flickr


5 ukaps tank 3 by George Farmer, on Flickr


----------



## George Farmer (4 Jun 2011)

Before...


nano overgrown by George Farmer, on Flickr

After...


nano re-scape by George Farmer, on Flickr


----------



## Stu Worrall (4 Jun 2011)

ooh, nice re-scape george   Quite minimal plants this time compared to the last one.  Are those crypts in the back?


----------



## ghostsword (6 Jun 2011)

I know that you absolutely know what you are doing, but that is a very drastic re-scape.  

I see moss, pinatifida, some crypts and a new plant, I cannot identify it. What plant is that? In between the rocks?


----------



## nayr88 (6 Jun 2011)

looks really fresh and clean George, i like the sand what is it?

how did the shrimp cope with the big change?? lost all there cover haha. also the Hygrophila pinnatifida is really interesting, i google imaged it and found some that had a red tinge to it...is this normal or maybe a slightly different variety of Hygropilla?

cheers


----------



## ghostsword (6 Jun 2011)

nayr88 said:
			
		

> looks really fresh and clean George, i like the sand what is it?
> 
> how did the shrimp cope with the big change?? lost all there cover haha. also the Hygrophila pinnatifida is really interesting, i google imaged it and found some that had a red tinge to it...is this normal or maybe a slightly different variety of Hygropilla?
> 
> cheers



Pinnatifida is a lovely plant and does get red tinges, give it enough light, co2 and ferts, and the plant becomes a fantastic centerpiece.


DSC_2291 by GHOSTSWORD, on Flickr

I may have some cuttings soon, with roots, let me know if you would like to try it and I will send you some.

I have it growing on rocks and wood.

Ta,


----------



## nayr88 (6 Jun 2011)

Quality shot there luis, doing what you do best aye  growing very beautiful healthy plants 

Very nice offer luis, ill take you up on that when your ready.I don't have much to offer back, but I could should have some of this Hydrocyte(spelling) spjapan to trim in a few weeks if you want to swap? Thanks mate

Cheers


----------



## ghostsword (6 Jun 2011)

nayr88 said:
			
		

> Quality shot there luis, doing what you do best aye  growing very beautiful healthy plants
> 
> Very nice offer luis, ill take you up on that when your ready.I don't have much to offer back, but I could should have some of this Hydrocyte(spelling) spjapan to trim in a few weeks if you want to swap? Thanks mate
> 
> Cheers



 It's ok mate, send me your address and I will send you some.  
I got enough of the hydrocotyle sp japan, got about 5 pots worth.  but thanks nonetheless.

I am thinning down my tank, not as much as George did his nano  , so got to cut down my jungle. 

Pop in, or send me your address.


----------



## George Farmer (6 Jun 2011)

Thanks, guys.

It's very different to the previous 'scape, for sure.  This said, the main hardscape is the same; the Sumatra wood (now covered in moss) has been in there for about 3 years!

Plants are Java moss, _C. wendtii 'brown'_, _H. pinnatifida_, and _Ranunculus inundatus_.

The substrate is a blend of Unipac Maui and Fiji Sand.  These are inert quartz sands that look stunning in the flesh.

There's no livestock currently, as I moved the cherry shrimp and guppies into my 60cm.

Cheers,
George


----------



## Curvball (25 Aug 2013)

Hi George,

Sorry to drag up an old thread - but I have gone through the whole thing and couldn't find an answer to my question.

How exactly did you setup the AquaMedic solenoid with the Fluval 88g kit? I'm interested in going this route (getting 88g kit) and want to run a solenoid to really get the most out of the CO2 canisters.


Thanks, and great nano by the way!


----------

