# Insularium - My Take on that



## Gill (24 Mar 2016)

Tank: Ciano Tartarium 40 = 40*25.6*16.9cm
Filter: APS 300 HOB With Prefilter Sponge.
Heating: Interpet 15w Slim Card Heater
Lighting: Waterhome 9W and JBD 9W LED

Substrate: Wet for something contrasting - so a Orange/Red Sand
Hardscape: Seiryu Stone covered in Various Moss and Stems.
Wood Used: Redmoor Root Burl

Planted Area: Hydrocotyle = Nova Zealandiae, Sibthoripiodes Variegata, Vulgaris and Trip

And here you Go.
This is what I cam up with in a very quick time. George is right they are really easy to scape and low maintenance.


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## Greenfinger2 (24 Mar 2016)

HI Gill, You don't hang about  Looking really good nice plant selection   Not to keen on the substrate colour though


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## Greenfinger2 (24 Mar 2016)

Hi Gill,The store where you got the tank do they deliver  Think the Grandson has another project coming up. Well that's what I will tell the Wife


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## Gill (24 Mar 2016)

Greenfinger2 said:


> Hi Gill,The store where you got the tank do they deliver  Think the Grandson has another project coming up. Well that's what I will tell the Wife



Any excuse to get another tank going is always good. As the wifey is away till end of April visiting Family in Canada i have free reign on setting up tanks at the moment. And enjoying the freedom of being able to visit LFS I don't normally get time to. And thinking of going to fish paradise @ Pier

Sorry they dont, as it is still new and he is finding his feet. I think he is one of the only people to stock this brand as not seen anyone else stock it yet. 
The camera phone make it look very red, though it is more of a dark clay color.


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## Gill (1 Apr 2016)

Added some inhabitants to this now.
A group of pygmy cories and some shrimp. Mixed groups of Golden Bee Shrimp, Red Taiwan Bee (wine red), Blue Bolt.
Plants are doing really well and like how the Hydrocoytle is growing.


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## Mark Livermore (1 Apr 2016)

Roy,

Shirley Aquatics do the Ciano 80 and they deliver, it is £46.99, not sure re delivery costs:

http://www.shirleyaquatics.co.uk/aquarium-supplies/ciano-tartarium-80-white/jkaa168


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## Greenfinger2 (1 Apr 2016)

Mark Livermore said:


> Roy,
> 
> Shirley Aquatics do the Ciano 80 and they deliver, it is £46.99, not sure re delivery costs:
> 
> http://www.shirleyaquatics.co.uk/aquarium-supplies/ciano-tartarium-80-white/jkaa168




Thank You Mark


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## Mark Livermore (1 Apr 2016)

Roy,

Actually Ebay has the Ciano 40 also for around the £30 delivered mark...


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## REDSTEVEO (1 Apr 2016)

Plus 1 on the substrate colour

It sort of looked okay when it was dry, how come it went all sort of clumpy when it got wet?

I like the mosses and ferny looking plants!
Steve


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## Gill (1 Apr 2016)

REDSTEVEO said:


> Plus 1 on the substrate colour
> 
> It sort of looked okay when it was dry, how come it went all sort of clumpy when it got wet?
> 
> ...



It is a Hermit crab substrate, once wet trapped alot of air in it.  Looks a whole lot better now. Def more of a clay color now.


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## REDSTEVEO (1 Apr 2016)

I like clay, looks very natural.

Looking forward to see how it develops!


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## Gill (9 Apr 2016)

Added more plants to this today.
In the Marginal area added a few pots of Rotala Macranda
And 1 substrate Planted:
x2 pots of Alternanthera Reineckii "mini" 
And some Rosanverg


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## Greenfinger2 (9 Apr 2016)

Hi Gill, Looking forward to the photos


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## Gill (9 Apr 2016)

Greenfinger2 said:


> Hi Gill, Looking forward to the photos


Thanks, though no pix as broke my phone. and temp phone takes rubbish pix on it.


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## Greenfinger2 (9 Apr 2016)

Hi Gill, Ho no  Hope you get a new phone soon


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## RonaC (10 Apr 2016)

Nice one Gill, I ended up with the 60 size tank, now trying not to make a pig's ear of it!


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## Gill (10 Apr 2016)

RonaC said:


> Nice one Gill, I ended up with the 60 size tank, now trying not to make a pig's ear of it!



I saw it had gone, and wondered if you had purchased it.

If you are not in a Rush, Hold off. There are plans afoot for an Insularium scaping event locally soon. And all the Plants from the range George Used will be available, as well as the tanks, gravels, planting racks/Baskets etc. Only just found out about it. Gonna be a good day out.


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## Gill (10 Apr 2016)

Spent a bit watching this again this evening and playing about with the lighting. 
Changed the filter to a resun maxijet internal, and adjusted the outlet to create a fountain effect. and it looks and sounds nice. The shimmer is great. 
Tied some of the Fissidens to the emersed parts of the redmoor that stays wet, and will see how it fairs. 

Spotted alot of cyclops on the glass, so that is a good sign. and think i saw a few shrimplets darting about. 
Changed the fish around. Took out the gouramies, killifish and the cories. And added a pair of HM Pink Dragonscale fighters, female is in an holding bell for now until they are fattened up. male has been attempting to make a nest, but not quite got the grasp yet as they are quite a young pair. 
Added some more Black Thai Bees and some more Wine Reds. Not going to add any sulawesi to this one for the time being, as waiting to see what the new color morphs are going to be priced at for the uk market. Love the look of the Blue Cardinals, and they Red Orchids. 
Some of the Whites are going a lovely peach color and they look stunning, as the colors are deeper against the redness of the sand. 
Snail wise, so glad I chose to go with the Galaxy Pink ramshorns. They way they develop tiny little diamonds pattern all over the flesh  is so cool. and they look so different to the standard browns and reds. 
The shrimp are now venturing into the emersed part of the scape and forage amongst the exposed soil. 
not seen the paradoxus for a while, so hope they are ok. 
The Macranda was in a bad way when purchased, but can already see new shoots making their way up out of the water. 
Tempted to put some creeping Jenny in aswell, but dunno.


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## Lindy (11 Apr 2016)

How are you managing to keep Taiwan bees and sulawesi in the same tank considering sulawesi need much harder water? Or are these soft water variety of sulawesi? If the bettas breed what will you do with all the fry as I got over 100 fry surviving to grow out stage from my last spawn. 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk


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## Gill (11 Apr 2016)

ldcgroomer said:


> How are you managing to keep Taiwan bees and sulawesi in the same tank considering sulawesi need much harder water? Or are these soft water variety of sulawesi? If the bettas breed what will you do with all the fry as I got over 100 fry surviving to grow out stage from my last spawn.
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk




I buy from UK bred Stock Sulawesi Shrimp, still add a little bit of Mineral dust to the water though. And they are fine. 

Don't worry, still have all my old betta breeding supplies in the garage. And have An LFS that will take anything I breed.


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## Lindy (11 Apr 2016)

I'd love to know your water gh and tds as I'm sure there are many folk who would like to try sulawesi but don't as they are still considered so different to the bee shrimp lot. 
Good luck with the spawn. I can't breed anymore as don't have my wee fish room in the new house.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk


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## Greenfinger2 (11 Apr 2016)

Hi Gill,The Fiss on the wood will not do well its growth slows to a snails pace and not that good to look at  I try it in a Wabi-Kusa after 6 months I gave up on it. Looks super cool under water shame its not the same above.

This one looks good 
https://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/tr...7.html?zenid=8207a2776e19e9924445390e20a3474c


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## Gill (11 Apr 2016)

Greenfinger2 said:


> Hi Gill,The Fiss on the wood will not do well its growth slows to a snails pace and not that good to look at  I try it in a Wabi-Kusa after 6 months I gave up on it. Looks super cool under water shame its not the same above.
> 
> This one looks good
> https://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/tr...7.html?zenid=8207a2776e19e9924445390e20a3474c



Does not bother me if it does not grow as don't pay for it, as get as much as I want for free. 




ldcgroomer said:


> I'd love to know your water gh and tds as I'm sure there are many folk who would like to try sulawesi but don't as they are still considered so different to the bee shrimp lot.
> Good luck with the spawn. I can't breed anymore as don't have my wee fish room in the new house.
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk



I have never tested this, So would be Interesting to know. will have alook. I have been following the uk Sulawesi breeders for a few years now. and waitied till they have stable populations of them. The White Orchids did alot better than the Cardinals.


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## RonaC (11 Apr 2016)

A scaping event sounds cool, do keep us posted with any news 

I have already made a start, but am happy to scrap the marsh plants I bought in exchange for the specific ones.

My goal, once it is settled is to have a half moon betta (never had one before as I have been either community, plec only, shrimp only or marine).


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## Gill (11 Apr 2016)

RonaC said:


> A scaping event sounds cool, do keep us posted with any news
> 
> I have already made a start, but am happy to scrap the marsh plants I bought in exchange for the specific ones.
> 
> My goal, once it is settled is to have a half moon betta (never had one before as I have been either community, plec only, shrimp only or marine).



No Worries, will keep people posted. 
And Even better, they have some of the best quality Bettas I have seen in years, And I have been Buying/Importing my own for over 10 years now. 
The paid i just bought are so nice. and for the size the colors and finnage are stunning quality.


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## Tim Harrison (11 Apr 2016)

Gill said:


> It is a Hermit crab substrate, once wet trapped alot of air in it.  Looks a whole lot better now. Def more of a clay color now.


Thank goodness for that...I'm not sure pink substrate is allowed on UKaps


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## Gill (11 Apr 2016)

Troi said:


> Thank goodness for that...I'm not sure pink substrate is allowed on UKaps



Oi the Cheek of it. I have used pink gravels and sands with great effect in the past. Just not on UKAPS. they were for customer tanks. who wanted the color scheme to match furniture. If it is done tastefully pink can look good.


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## Gill (13 Apr 2016)

Rona C, saw you stalking just now


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## RonaC (13 Apr 2016)

He he he, yep spotted you on FB


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## Gill (17 Apr 2016)

Some of the Hydrocotyle has flowered yesterday, looks very nice.


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## Gill (17 Apr 2016)

Greenfinger2 said:


> Hi Gill,The Fiss on the wood will not do well its growth slows to a snails pace and not that good to look at  I try it in a Wabi-Kusa after 6 months I gave up on it. Looks super cool under water shame its not the same above.
> 
> This one looks good
> https://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/tr...7.html?zenid=8207a2776e19e9924445390e20a3474c



Fissidens is doing well so far.


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## Gill (29 Jul 2016)

not updated this in a age. 
Alot has changed. The soil began to smell, So tore down the tank and started again. 
Switched to Unipac river sand and replanted 
Did go to visit james, and bought a load of plants and he gave me a very very good price on the tropica plug and plant blister packs. 
And purchased some lovely neon bottom sword guppies. and transferred most of the current fry outside to one of the daphnia and mozzie tanks. 
Planted this up and very happy. Hydrocoytle needs to grow again, as it did take a battering when trying to remove it from the wood, as it was wrapped around it densley. 
will get some pix over the next few days, as going plant shopping in the morning


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## Greenfinger2 (19 Oct 2016)

Hi Gill ,Any update on this one


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## Gill (19 Oct 2016)

Sorry tore this down at the weekend, was bored of it and wanted to use a different tank. 
So have rehomed most of the fish and scaped up one of my azoo desktop tanks for SB HMPK male betta and some Heterandria Formosa trios.


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## Gill (19 Oct 2016)

I did start another pico over the summer which is doing really well. 
Setup up a Brine shrimp cube 1Gallon. With some dragon stone and used one of the biorb led units for it. and left it running 24/7 for a few weeks to get the rocks covered in algae. 
The brine shrimp are now a couple of generations in now and son loves watching them grow from the eggs released by the females. 
I feed Spirulina once a week and that is it.


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## Manisha (22 Oct 2016)

Really nice project, including the original substrate choice - it's a shame you didn't get photos of the reworked version. Funnily enough I had associated George farmer's insularium with the colour red so watched the video again & realised it was the red colander he'd used for adding water  Looking forward to any updates on your new tanks!


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## Gill (24 Oct 2016)

Going to move the SB HMPK White Platinum Male to his own tank. As want to try doing a color themed tank to match the fish. Nothing fancy just a TMC microhabitat or similar. And some very dark scaping to contrast with how bright the male is. 
had to tear myself away from all the dumbo females he has had come in. 


As James has some stunning Czech bread Rams and the females are nice an stocky.


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