# [NANO] Fluval Flora 30l



## LondonDragon (13 May 2012)

Hi everyone,

Just completed setting up the Fluval Flora that I acquired at Aquatics Live back in November, the tank is just the complete kit, the only thing that I am not using is the CO2 unit that came with it, decide to leave the background in place also. This nano aquarium is 30 litres and measures 30cm wide, 30cm back to front and 35cm high.

I used Manzi wood and dragon stone for the hardscape, the plants are a variety of different species of Anubias, ferns and bolbitis, there is a moss in there also and will add a couple more mosses soon. Just want to keep it nice and simple and very low tech. The tank had no dosing yet.

At this moment it just houses one fish (Forktail Rainbow) and some ramshorn snails.


















That's all for now, thanks for looking


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## Kristoph91 (13 May 2012)

Beautiful Paulo 
I like the way the narrow leaf Java comes out in the midground.


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## LondonDragon (13 May 2012)

KrisHumphreys1991 said:
			
		

> Beautiful Paulo
> I like the way the narrow leaf Java comes out in the midground.


Thanks Kris  just simple  tank, might be home to some shrimp in the future


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## Kristoph91 (13 May 2012)

How are those blue sulawesi's coming along in the Fissidens carpet tank ? 
It's very well done for a simple tank!


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## Ady34 (13 May 2012)

Very nice Paulo, it already looks like its been running since november    very mature from the off, great work.
Is that bolbitis swiped from your shrimp colony tank, or another one?
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## LondonDragon (13 May 2012)

KrisHumphreys1991 said:
			
		

> How are those blue sulawesi's coming along in the Fissidens carpet tank ?
> It's very well done for a simple tank!


There are some nice blues but mostly just pale shades of purple, think it will require a lot of selective breeding to get the best out of them. But they are different and look ok, nothing special really, so not sure what to do with them, might start to offer them cheaply at the price of cherries to get rid of them.



			
				Ady34 said:
			
		

> Very nice Paulo, it already looks like its been running since november    very mature from the off, great work.
> Is that bolbitis swiped from your shrimp colony tank, or another one?
> Cheerio,
> Ady.


Thanks Ady, the tank has been running for a while but not planted, then I got some plants when we visited Living Waters a few weeks back but they had just been in their pots until the bank holiday weekend when I decided to plant it, I think its more to do with the number of plants that I used from the start, makes it look more mature, the anubias flowers this week which was nice too


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## Kristoph91 (13 May 2012)

Well when you are selling them, and you're feeling adventurous  you could try posting them to Ireland 
I'll be there for the next few months. Are you culling the miscoloured ones ?


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## Ady34 (13 May 2012)

Can i just ask in reference to the ferns, moss and anubias, in a small area (difficult to work in) did you attach them to the actual hardscape or add them to small rocks and then place them without the fidgeting around with  cotton/fishing line/superglue or woodtight..... or did you remove the hardscape, attach and re hardscape? Sorry for all that, but im going to be planting up a nano soon and could do with some tips.
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## LondonDragon (13 May 2012)

KrisHumphreys1991 said:
			
		

> Well when you are selling them, and you're feeling adventurous  you could try posting them to Ireland
> I'll be there for the next few months. Are you culling the miscoloured ones ?


Not sure about sending them to Ireland, don't next day delivery works in the same way! and I am not culling them, just letting nature take its course, and these guys are super fast, hard time catching them one by one   so I gave up!



			
				Ady34 said:
			
		

> Can i just ask in reference to the ferns, moss and anubias, in a small area (difficult to work in) did you attach them to the actual hardscape or add them to small rocks and then place them without the fidgeting around with  cotton/fishing line/superglue or woodtight..... or did you remove the hardscape, attach and re hardscape? Sorry for all that, but im going to be planting up a nano soon and could do with some tips.
> Cheerio,
> Ady.


Hi Ady, fire the questions at will  only the little anubias stardust at the front is attached to a little rock using cotton thread, the others I used PVC coated green garden wire around the rihzones to weight the plants down, then place them after I added the hardscape, just slotted them into place, once their roots become attached to rocks and wood then they will never move again. The moss is superglued to some metal mesh.


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## Kristoph91 (13 May 2012)

Haha aww I hate Irelands postal system. It's so slow you know! A bit of excercise then eh!


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## Ady34 (13 May 2012)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> Hi Ady, fire the questions at will  only the little anubias stardust at the front is attached to a little rock using cotton thread, the others I used PVC coated green garden wire around the rihzones to weight the plants down, then place them after I added the hardscape, just slotted them into place, once their roots become attached to rocks and wood then they will never move again. The moss is superglued to some metal mesh.


Cheers for that. 
I have some metal aquarium plant weight on a roll that you just cut off where needed, but unsure of its shrimp compatability???


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## awtong (14 May 2012)

Those Anubias look fantastically healthy and lush.

What a lovely little tank.

Andy


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## Antipofish (14 May 2012)

Paulo, that looks cracking mate.  Yet another example of why full planting from the start can be so stunning.  Its a decent looking tank too.  One of the ones I considered.    Subscribed


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## LondonDragon (15 May 2012)

Ady34 said:
			
		

> I have some metal aquarium plant weight on a roll that you just cut off where needed, but unsure of its shrimp compatability???


As long it doesn't rust shouldn't be a problem to the plants, not sure about how they fair with shrimp, haven't used them in the past.



			
				awtong said:
			
		

> Those Anubias look fantastically healthy and lush.
> What a lovely little tank.
> Andy


Many thanks Andy



			
				Antipofish said:
			
		

> Paulo, that looks cracking mate.  Yet another example of why full planting from the start can be so stunning.  Its a decent looking tank too.  One of the ones I considered.    Subscribed


Thanks Chris, this is the first tank I own with the curved edges and I am in two ways about it, it will grow on me! lol


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## frothhelmet (15 May 2012)

whats the background?


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## LondonDragon (15 May 2012)

frothhelmet said:
			
		

> whats the background?


Hey Gerard, it came with the tank, just cut a hole in it for the filter and left it, looks ok and the bobiltis roots have attached to it nicely.


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## Iain Sutherland (15 May 2012)

Nice looking nano paulo, low tech nanos are so satisfying!! 
Do your hamshorns float about the tank and at the surface??  Mine do in all my tanks...


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## a1Matt (15 May 2012)

Ady34 said:
			
		

> I have some metal aquarium plant weight on a roll that you just cut off where needed, but unsure of its shrimp compatability???



it's fine.  I've been using it with shrimp for years (CRS, blue pearls, amanos, snowballs, greens, etc).


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## Ady34 (15 May 2012)

a1Matt said:
			
		

> Ady34 said:
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Cheers. That'll come in handy then!
Ady.


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## LondonDragon (15 May 2012)

easerthegeezer said:
			
		

> Nice looking nano paulo, low tech nanos are so satisfying!!
> Do your hamshorns float about the tank and at the surface??  Mine do in all my tanks...


Thanks Iain, yes they do that in all my tanks too, the craziest thing ever lol


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## Iain Sutherland (15 May 2012)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> easerthegeezer said:
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thanks, i was beginning to think it was just mine that are a bit 'special'


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## LondonDragon (22 May 2012)

Another quick video 



Thanks for looking


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## sr20det (23 May 2012)

Any plans for fish, or a dedicated yellow shrimp tank?


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## LondonDragon (23 May 2012)

sr20det said:
			
		

> Any plans for fish, or a dedicated yellow shrimp tank?


I have tested the tank with 3 types of fish and they all keep jumping out the tank and because of the wood there is not way to place the cover, so it will remain just as a shrimp tank for now.


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## Aqua sobriquet (23 May 2012)

I thought Shrimp climb out as well if you don't have a lid on?


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## LondonDragon (23 May 2012)

Aqua sobriquet said:
			
		

> I thought Shrimp climb out as well if you don't have a lid on?


If you leave a 2cm gap at the top then they are ok. just don't fill it to the brim!


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## Ady34 (23 May 2012)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> Aqua sobriquet said:
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Thats good info to know, when im cycled an ready i could have ended up with shrimp lemmings!


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## Aqua sobriquet (23 May 2012)

Yes indeed, that is worth knowing!


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## sr20det (23 May 2012)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> sr20det said:
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Cool, could add some flexi netting, on a frame that would stretch over the wood?  But if it is to be a dedicated shrimp then yeah, why not.  Those yellow shrimp are lovely.

I think i need to get some more red ramshorn snails, got a few (well 3 I think) but I think I need more, dont think mine are breeding yet.


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## LondonDragon (12 Jun 2012)

quick update, disaster struck! Found a dragon fly in my study last week and last night noticed another larvae in the tank, so to get it out had to strip the tank down  now have to replant it all again, maybe tomorrow!  :?  :? 

So here is how it looks at the moment lol







 :?  :?


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## sr20det (12 Jun 2012)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> quick update, disaster struck! Found a dragon fly in my study last week and last night noticed another larvae in the tank, so to get it out had to strip the tank down  now have to replant it all again, maybe tomorrow!  :?  :?
> 
> So here is how it looks at the moment lol
> 
> ...



Damn, sad news, good thing mind, heard they have a taste for shrimp.


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## AAB (13 Jun 2012)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> quick update, disaster struck! Found a dragon fly in my study last week and last night noticed another larvae in the tank, so to get it out had to strip the tank down  now have to replant it all again, maybe tomorrow!  :?  :?
> 
> So here is how it looks at the moment lol
> 
> :?  :?



Apologies for my ignorance, but what is so bad about a dragon fly that it warrants stripping the whole tank down?


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## Antipofish (13 Jun 2012)

They eat shrimp apparently !


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## AAB (13 Jun 2012)

Antipofish said:
			
		

> They eat shrimp apparently !



Can they go deep down under water?


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## sr20det (13 Jun 2012)

Antipofish said:
			
		

> They eat shrimp apparently !


They eat fish too, tetras make an easy meal for the bigger larvae. Watch vids on you tube of them pouncing. Eat anything it can catch I believe.


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## sr20det (13 Jun 2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD5wsoyc ... ata_player

Edit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W557aSVd ... ata_player


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## Emyr (14 Jun 2012)

That is brutal!!


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## LondonDragon (14 Jun 2012)

Yep it was one exactly like that  and a few shrimp disappeared in the process so had to get it out!  expensive meal!


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## AAB (14 Jun 2012)

Wow, that is gross. I don't think I am ever going to open my windows again.


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## Westyggx (14 Jun 2012)

wow that is crazy!


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## sarahtermite (14 Jun 2012)

That video is both amazing and repulsive. They're incredibly effective predators, and I can't help but admire them, but the thought of having one of those in my tank makes me shudder!


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## sr20det (14 Jun 2012)

AAB said:
			
		

> Wow, that is gross. I don't think I am ever going to open my windows again.



Evaporation lids are useful here, not only limit evaporation, but the added benefit of stopping dust and bugs amongst others getting in, well 85% of the time


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## Antipofish (14 Jun 2012)

I reckon that answers the question "why did it warrant breaking the tank down" lol.  YUKKIE


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## awtong (14 Jun 2012)

Such ferocity in the strike, amazing.

Andy


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## LondonDragon (14 Jun 2012)

AAB said:
			
		

> Wow, that is gross. I don't think I am ever going to open my windows again.


Nothing to do with open windows, most likely came has an egg on plants purchased.


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## sr20det (15 Jun 2012)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> AAB said:
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Scary thinking about it.  Times like that you want a big fish to make a meal of the dragonfly.


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## sr20det (22 Jun 2012)

Any update on this?

Your Opti nanos didnt get any larvae did they?


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## LondonDragon (25 Jun 2012)

Managed to kill the larvae, two of them in the end, now planted the tank again and added some new shrimp to the tank  Decided to give these guys another try, these are aquarium bred and not wild caught so hopefully will have better results with them, couple videos:





Thanks for looking!


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## Eboeagles (25 Jun 2012)

I love those little guys would love to keep some. Where did you get them and how long have you had them? Are you using RO water etc? Questions questions... Specs please Paulo


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## Antipofish (25 Jun 2012)

Paulo those shrimp are simply stunning !!!  Where do you live and what time of day are you out ? LOL


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## Westyggx (25 Jun 2012)

Great vids, what plants have you got in there Paulo


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## LondonDragon (25 Jun 2012)

Eboeagles said:
			
		

> I love those little guys would love to keep some. Where did you get them and how long have you had them? Are you using RO water etc? Questions questions... Specs please Paulo


I have had these for about 3 weeks now, was looking for them that's when I spotted the dragonfly larvae which might have eaten 5-6 of them, could not find them all when I emptied the tank  expensive snacks! The rest are doing well now, I am keeping them on normal tap water at the moment since they are tank bred on tap water, but I might need in future to really breed them to result to RO and minerals. Will see.



			
				Antipofish said:
			
		

> Paulo those shrimp are simply stunning !!!  Where do you live and what time of day are you out ? LOL


Thanks and there was me thinking of inviting you over at the next meeting! lol



			
				Westyggx said:
			
		

> Great vids, what plants have you got in there Paulo


Thanks, various species of anubias, would name them if I remembered them all lol some ferns and also bolbits, there are some mosses going in later, decided to make the rocks more visible now as the Sulawesi love the rocks and that way I can see them more often, they have been very shy and hide a lot, but over the last week they have been venturing out more and more which is nice to see.


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## Ady34 (25 Jun 2012)

Hi Paulo,
lovely looking shrimp.
Are you intending dosing this tank with ferts or liquid carbon at all or keeping it really low tech?
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## LondonDragon (25 Jun 2012)

Ady34 said:
			
		

> Hi Paulo,
> lovely looking shrimp.
> Are you intending dosing this tank with ferts or liquid carbon at all or keeping it really low tech?
> Cheerio,
> Ady.


Hi Ady,
Like my other two nanos, this is low tech and not ferts or CO2 are planned, I might add some TPN+ occasionally but no plans for the time being, hence the choice of plants. Cheers


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## Eboeagles (26 Jun 2012)

So how about water changes? Would they work in a nano high tech set up? 

I'm going to be watching you and your cardinals closely as they have been my favourites for a long time and I would love to have some!

Did  you ship them from Germany ? Or have you got a secret supplier in the UK?

We need to have another ADC meet or something soon so I can quizz you all night long!


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## LondonDragon (26 Jun 2012)

Eboeagles said:
			
		

> So how about water changes? Would they work in a nano high tech set up?
> I'm going to be watching you and your cardinals closely as they have been my favourites for a long time and I would love to have some!
> Did  you ship them from Germany ? Or have you got a secret supplier in the UK?
> We need to have another ADC meet or something soon so I can quizz you all night long!


Water changes are done 10% per week at the moment, Sulawesi shrimp don't like big changes in parameters so they must be kept to a minimum, they tend to like high PH 7.5 or above, an high tech tank due to CO2, fertile soil, etc.. tends to lower the PH so I would not recommend these. I have plain gravel in this tank and dragon stone.
Another UKAPS member ordered them not me, not sure if they are from Germany or France lol was just happy to have them lol
Once tanks settle I don't visit stores much until I rescape, but if there is a meet I am happy to come along


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## Eboeagles (26 Jun 2012)

Ok Paulo thanks for the info. Typically as I've gone hi tech on both my tanks now they are out of the question. One day they will be mine. 

Totally understand the avoiding shops thing, this is an addictive hobby and there is always something else to try and buy!


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## Antipofish (26 Jun 2012)

Eboeagles said:
			
		

> Ok Paulo thanks for the info. Typically as I've gone hi tech on both my tanks now they are out of the question. One day they will be mine.
> 
> Totally understand the avoiding shops thing, this is an addictive hobby and there is always something else to try and buy!



Go without your wallet, then you can look without risk, hehe.  

(Sorry for the off topic comment Paulo, hehe)


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## sr20det (13 Sep 2012)

Been a while for this also, blimey.  Time flies.


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## LondonDragon (13 Sep 2012)

sr20det said:
			
		

> Been a while for this also, blimey.  Time flies.


Will try to get an update in here, the Cardinals have now bred twice so there are some little shrimplets around, they yellows are breeding slowly but they are increasing in numbers too. The background came loose from the back and due to being polyester just few up in the air and scared the crap out of me lol so that is now gone also due to installing it back means a tear down and not prepared for that again after the dragonfly larvae. Will see if I can get some photos.


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## D1gg3r (13 Sep 2012)

Great looking tank and shrimp! Never come across dragonfly larvae being a problem before in aquariums  . Always thought more of an issue for ponds. Vicious and effective predators though. Apparently H R Geiger used them as part of his inspiration for the xenomorph out of the alien films. Very inspirational nano though, I definately want a shrimp nano now after my next tank.


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## goodiehard (29 Oct 2012)

thanks for the journal Paulo! aquarium looks great. 
will be starting a dennerle 30 in a couple of weeks and this is definitely my main inspiration.


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## LondonDragon (29 Oct 2012)

Many thanks 

Here how the tank looks at the moment, haven't done much with it other than bring the rocks forward as the Sulawesi like them and means I can see them more often.






Spot the two Sulawesi species.




Thanks for looking


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## LondonDragon (30 Oct 2012)

Quick video:


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## Ian Holdich (30 Oct 2012)

nice scape and those shrimp are great! I'd love some of those.


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## Lindy (31 Oct 2012)

I love their white legs, it looks like they have long gloves/stockings on.


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## LondonDragon (5 Nov 2012)

Thanks guys, one more, this once came out a little dark though!


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## logi-cat (11 Nov 2012)

do you dose any ferts in this tank? if so how often?


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## LondonDragon (11 Nov 2012)

logi-cat said:
			
		

> do you dose any ferts in this tank? if so how often?


No ferts on this one, just a 10-20% water change weekly or every two weeks.


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## LondonDragon (27 Jan 2013)

This one is still going also, thought I had updated it already! unless I posted somewhere else! lol
Sulawesi are now gone, they do not like tap water, if you thinking about it, you will need RO with minerals.

Here how it looks at the moment.













Thanks for looking


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## nayr88 (27 Jan 2013)

Looks amazing mate! To be completely honest...it's this tank that inspired mine


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## LondonDragon (28 Jan 2013)

nayr88 said:


> Looks amazing mate! To be completely honest...it's this tank that inspired mine


Thanks, just noticed the last two photos were the same too! lol have updated it.


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## LondonDragon (27 Feb 2013)

Some shots of the shrimp, these are now starting to build up in numbers and the colour still looking great:







Thanks for looking


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## LondonDragon (9 Sep 2013)

This one is still going also, I still have not trimmed it once since planting!! Some of the anubias are now getting too big!





This is very low tech and very slow growing! lol





How it looks in the home office, if you haven't seen the other thread!! 

Thanks for looking


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## sa80mark (9 Sep 2013)

Cant believe ive not come across this one with my searches,  looks fantastic, unbelievable that its low tech and never trimmed in over a year

Superb Paulo


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## Ady34 (10 Sep 2013)

The emersed growth on the double optiwhites looks immense!
Gotta love the shrimp nano's


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## DanMac (10 Sep 2013)

I was going to comment on your red shrimp with the white legs, but that office is perfection lol, i love the desk, flooring and the contrast from those nano tanks. Such a classy/comfy looking room. love it


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## LondonDragon (10 Sep 2013)

Thanks guys  I do tend to spend a fair bit of time in this room so I do enjoy my little nanos, even though I do change much on them lol also the ambient light it creates is great while I am in there.


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## Pinkmummy79 (13 Sep 2013)

I have been looking at your nano tanks for some time now and am fascinated, I currently have a 30 litre nano empty atm and was going to start mineralising some dirt for a low tech tank, can I please ask as you only have gravel as substrate and don't dose ferts how do your plants do so well?  I'm looking for a suitable filter too, any suggestions?
cracking study, if I win the lottery this weekend I'll buy the lot and transplant it here to sunny Weston super Mud


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## LondonDragon (13 Sep 2013)

Many thanks, I only chose very easy slow growing plants, mainly anubias, there are 4-5 varies in there, needle fern, bolbitis, also I only keep shrimp in the tank, mind you shrimp are messy guys I think their waste is enough to keep the plants going, I only feed them 1-2 a week. Light is only 11w and I only keep them on for 5 hours per day. In terms of filters I use what came with the tank, very small internal which has a small spraybar, works well for this tank.

The key is always to fill the tank up with plants from the start, rather than building it up as you go along, I spent about £40-50 on plants for this tank at the start and now just enjoy it. I have tried some mosses and they don't seem to do well in this tank but everything else is fine.

I did try to dose some micro at one stage but got an outbreak of algae so stopped and went back to no dosing at all.


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## Pinkmummy79 (14 Sep 2013)

Thanks for sharing this, it looks fantastic.  It seems just what we need as an addition to our 260 litre higher tech planted tank, less maintanace and no dirt! I have gravel and may just need to look for a slightly better filter that came with the tank but this has given me the kick I needed to start up the 30 litre quicker than I would have done.

I look forward to this now and can go searching for some nice stone and wood again!  yeh
cheers Paulo


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## LondonDragon (22 Sep 2014)

Haven't taken any photos in a while, here some quick snaps of my yellow shrimp, I got these a couple of years ago from FWS and they are still going and breeding and maintaining their nice colour  (need to visit to get some fresh blood in there)




 

 

 

 



Photos handheld, just some quick snaps, resize and a touch of USM.

Thanks for looking


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## Alastair (23 Sep 2014)

Stunning shrimp paulo


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## Greenfinger2 (21 Jan 2015)

Hi LondonDragon, Very nice


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## Luís Cardoso (21 Jan 2015)

Great photos...


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## LondonDragon (22 Jan 2015)

Many thanks guys  need to update this journal at some stage, tank is still going although a little neglected as always! lol


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## LondonDragon (2 Feb 2015)

Quick snap, bit of a jungle with very little maintenance, only thing I did since October was a water change this weekend, mosses need a trim and the cube needs its buces planted properly!



 



 

Need to find sometime to tidy up these tanks, that's all folks


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## Mark-jan (2 Feb 2015)

Lovely nano's you have there! Don't think i would be working a lot with 3 of these on my desk..


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## Rob Dahl (9 Feb 2015)

Gee, the plants  are so mature. I guess if Irish mails are undependable, it will be useless for me to request some sent to Tucson, in the Sonoran Desert, unless I develop a taste for dried specimens. That could start a new craze for us desert dwellers, dried aquarium scapes.


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## LondonDragon (21 Jun 2015)

This one still going also and the yellow shrimp still breeding nicely, population is growing but slowly, see a few berried females so its a good sign.







 



 



 

Another slow grower with very little maintenance, for now these are good for me as little time for tanks


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## alvarenga (24 Aug 2015)

I'm jealous of your desk. Very nice working place.


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## LondonDragon (3 Sep 2015)

alvarenga said:


> I'm jealous of your desk. Very nice working place.


Been working from home this week and I could get used to this!  

One side the 3 tanks and on the other these two which are a lot of help! lol



 

Back to the office next week


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## Bacms (8 Sep 2015)

Amazing tanks Paulo if I can get mine to look half as nice as yours I will be happy


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## Alexander Belchenko (8 Sep 2015)

LondonDragon said:


> View attachment 724



Is it anubias coffefolia at the background?


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## LondonDragon (8 Sep 2015)

Alexander Belchenko said:


> Is it anubias coffefolia at the background?


It is indeed.


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## Alexander Belchenko (8 Sep 2015)

Looks great!


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