# Office nano



## hotweldfire (16 Feb 2012)

Got this 30x20x20 off Ryan some time ago (don't know where he got it, maybe he can tell us). Was meant to go on my office desk. My health and safety were asked if it was OK (mistake to ask them) and they said no. Firstly, water, electricity, no no. Secondly, we have a strict no pets policy they said.

Well, I'm still in the same job but only 1 day a week. The other 4 days a week is at a new place and they have the most sane health and safety officer I've ever met. The kind of bloke who says, yeah, you can shift your own desk across the room, no worries. Isn't going to say no because he's scared I'll do my back in then sue the company.

Obviously I'm planning to keep shrimp in there. Might stick some chili rasboras in too, don't know yet. Is a really tiny tank though, only 12 litres. Have had a mini bag of siporax sat in the eheim on my main tank for a month now. It's gone into an aqua 100 hob. Got a 40 light led that used to have on my other nano, that'll be the light for this tank. Also got a tiny heater from a far east ebay seller.

Set it up tonight in an hour. Keeping it very simple. Just lava rock, hairgrass, a bit of H. triparita and mini xmas moss. Wanted to use acicularis but couldn't find any so parvula instead. Apologies as ever for the crap photos. Phone camera but with my skills the DSLR probably wouldn't have been any better. Inspired by a couple of Wen's scapes. Following some of Dincho's advice on shrimp tank setup.

This is the basic scape. Layers of lava rock to create a little cliff with a couple of tongues running off it:


Office setup 2 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

First layer - mosura old sea mud powder (shrimp voodoo juice #1)


Mud powder in by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Dividers (cut from document wallet)


Dividers in by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Substrate in. ADA AS Amazonia (new kind) at the back, mix of unipac gravel and play sand at the front and sides


1st layer substrate in by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Mosura BT-9 in (shrimp voodoo juice #2)


BT-9 in by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Rest of substrate - capping the amazonia with sand


Rest of substrate in by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Lava rock


Hardscape in by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Hairgrass


Parvula in by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Moss and hydrocotyle


Mini xmas moss and triparita in by hotweldfire, on Flickr

And running


Done 1 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Also some frogbit in there. Going to lift that front tongue of rock tomorrow to stop it disappearing into the sand. Am also going to have to adjust the position of the filter because there's no flow right now - just churning around in the back right corner. Going to blast it with gas and ferts initially then ease back and go low tech eventually.

Naturally it looks better in the flesh. Could I get advice on how soon I should hack back the hairgrass to encourage growth?


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## Ady34 (16 Feb 2012)

Hi Hotweldfire,
Looks like a great little set up, simple but effective.
With regards the hairgrass, its parvula you said, so as with both types (parvula and acicularis), best to cut back hard immediately. Also worth noting from my experience with parvula, the level at which you cut it back is the level its new growth will maintain, ie unlike acicularis which just grows and grows and forever needs pruning, its new growth will stay true to the original cut height, so taper it if you want higher levels at some points in the scape.
Shrimps will look cool in there, i really like the lava rock sand combo and the moss will work well on the rough surface!
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## darthpaul (17 Feb 2012)

Love the tank!! How did you attach the moss? did you just ram it in or tie it on?


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## sussex_cichlids (17 Feb 2012)

Hi darth

I tend to tie mine but if you got individual rock you could use hair nets get these in most colours i just got some granny gray ones to match my rocks just place the moss on the rock then place your hair net over it the moss will grow throw the net nicely and disappear


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## Ian Holdich (17 Feb 2012)

love the rock mate, keep us updated!


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## hotweldfire (17 Feb 2012)

Thanks all. Will hack back shortly. Moss was attached in cavalier fashion with superglue. Not that superglue is cavalier, I always use it, but I usually cut the moss up smaller. Had to do this in an hour so went it in in huge great clumps. 

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk


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## Eboeagles (17 Feb 2012)

Very nice! I'm loving your rock work. 

Thats about the 3rd scape I've seen recently using lava rock - initially I wasnt a fan but its winning me over with scapes like this, especially as you can just rub the moss on it and just let it grow.


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## Westyggx (17 Feb 2012)

Looks great that mate, i have a simular setup at work also  Could do with some of that Lava Rock though it looks nice  any spare?


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## hotweldfire (17 Feb 2012)

Mate, got loads. Send me a PM. 

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk


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## hotweldfire (25 Feb 2012)

Trimmed the hairgrass on Monday. Thursday already new green shoots coming up (lighter longer ones you can see most clearly at the back). Impressed by how fast it grows back. Will have to trim again in a week or so:


Office grass 23/2 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

H. triparita looks happy too


Office hydro 23/2 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Less chuffed with this nano reg. 


Arghh by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Used it to set up my first nano and found that over a 24 hour period the co2 level would drop off dramatically. Realised that the hose was getting caught in the back of my P@H light fitting so assumed it was down to me being an idiot.

Doing the same thing on this tank and there is definitely no obstruction. Have to keep turning it up every day to maintain the bubble rate. You get what you pay for I guess. Happily won't be running co2 on this tiny tank for very long, just for start up.


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## hotweldfire (5 Mar 2012)

ADA amazonia (new type) leaches ammonia for about 6 weeks, is that right?


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## hotweldfire (6 Mar 2012)

Really? No one?

Well the reason I ask is that I tested parameters on Friday and there was no detectable ammonia or nitrite. That means cycle in 2 weeks.

Two caveats, the amazonia only constitutes about a third of the substrate and it's capped with sand/gravel. Secondly, the filter media (small bag of siporax mini) was sat in the eheim running off my main filter for two months.

Even so, that seems very fast to me. One other thing and probably the explanation. I put a small bag of purigen in the filter too, so that it gets the flow after the siporax. My thinking was that it would pick up the excess organic waste and therefore reduce any algae blooms. I haven't had any algae in this tank so far apart from a wee bit of hair. This is surprising given that the mini xmas moss came from my main tank and had quite a bit of hair algae on it there.

But, I worry I haven't provided the filter bacteria with enough waste. Here's a pic of the purigen. Hopefully you'll be able to see from it that it's pretty brown after only a couple of weeks.


Dirty purigen by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Don't want to start chucking livestock in there prematurely. Did that with my last nano with pretty disastrous consequences. So any advice on how I know whether it's ready? Maybe remove the purigen and see if I get a spike?


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## Ady34 (6 Mar 2012)

if it aint there, it aint there!
Maybe do one more test just to make sure.
Have you been water changing regularly also?
if all is well with a retest.... happy days, keep the purigen in there and get some shrimp in!
Ady.


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## hotweldfire (6 Mar 2012)

Yeah, changing about 40% twice a week.

Will probably wait a week or two in order to gradually reduce the CO2. Am pumping loads in at the moment so shrimp may not be too chuffed with that.


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## Iain Sutherland (17 Mar 2012)

any update on this saj?


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## O'Neil (17 Mar 2012)

Really like this!! looking forward to seeing it develop.


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## hotweldfire (18 Mar 2012)

Thanks mate. Apologies for the photos, hard to get decent shots because the room gets a lot of light so lots of reflections.


2012-2-18_17.17.17 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

From the side:

2012-2-18_17.29.15 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Hairgrass got trimmed back hard again a couple of weeks ago and this time is struggling to come back, especially at the front. 


2012-2-18_17.18.53 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Assume this is because I'm reducing the co2 and the flow too which would explain better growth nearest the diffuser (ignore the DC, just changed it so more co2 than that in the tank). Wanted to get some fauna in here soon but am now thinking I might hold off for a bit and crank the co2 back up to get that hairgrass grown in a bit. Dunno, am flip flopping on that.


2012-2-18_17.19.21 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

2012-2-18_17.21.34 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Hydro on the other hand is doing well, as is the mini xmas moss.


2012-2-18_17.21.25 by hotweldfire, on Flickr


2012-2-18_17.22.20 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Have moved the frogbit on top of the moss as was getting a wee bit of hair algae so wanted to limit light to it. Am getting slightly worried about the light. Tank is only on a 5 and a half hour photoperiod but it gets a lot of ambient (although no direct) light during the day. Am concerned what will happen when I cut out the co2.

Anyway on the right of that pic growing emersed on top of the rock is Plagiomnium, I think trichomanes (thanks George   ). I've not glued or tied it down, just plopped it on top of the rock. Some of it got a bit crispy but the rest is growing back nicely. Have tried to grow this stuff submerged before but always melts on me.

Also have some weirdness going on in with the hardness in this tank. Will post on that another time though.

BTW I also attempting and failing to get a wabi going in the office.


Eurghhh by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Killed effectively so far are

Ludwigia palustris red
Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis 053B' (is what it said on the 1-2-grow pack  )
Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig'
Hygrophila pinnatifida
HC (although that appears to be making a comeback)

The hydro (sib) is the only thing flourishing but that has been growing emersed on a windowsill for months (and would grow in a bloody desert I reckon). The other thing growing is some Plagiomnium.

The palustris went in first, melted badly then started to recover. I then added the hygros and got massive mould which totally destroyed the palustris (and then the hygros and most of the HC). I am now paying attention to Andras' advice and have put down a layer of java moss to inhibit the mould. 

http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f= ... 8&start=10

Problem is I'm not here at weekend (not when I can help it anyway   ) so can't spray then. Both times I've come back in on a Monday and found melt or mould (depending on whether I left the bowl open or covered).

If anyone's got some cuttings from established emersed stems I'd be very appreciative. If you can part with cuttings from three different stems (including at least one Ludwigia) I'd be up for swapping for one of the little (2x2cm) mini xmas moss meshes I've got growing in the tank. 

I have some Bacopa australis growing in a jar at home so might try that in here.


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (12 Apr 2012)

Loving the utilization of space!
If only I could have one in the workshop, Without a layer of dust forming that is! 

Would you not dose easycarbo rather than remove Co2 altogether?

Regards


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## hotweldfire (12 Apr 2012)

Am wary of easycarbo and the like. I do use it occasionally as an algaecide in my main tank but don't like handling the stuff. Too many burns.


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## Iain Sutherland (12 Apr 2012)

hotweldfire said:
			
		

> Am wary of easycarbo and the like. I do use it occasionally as an algaecide in my main tank but don't like handling the stuff. Too many burns.



really?  i know its not nice stuff but ive never experience any side effects and im not careful with it at all


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## Aqua sobriquet (12 Apr 2012)

Looking good. What don't you like about the reg?


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## hotweldfire (12 Apr 2012)

easerthegeezer said:
			
		

> hotweldfire said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yep, once didn't put the cap on properly and put bottle away. Picked it up next day, had leaked all over the bottle and got all over my hands. Had chemical burns for a week. I think I've heard LD describe a similar experience. I think there was a rather heated debate on here some time ago about the issue.



			
				Aqua sobriquet said:
			
		

> Looking good. What don't you like about the reg?



I've sort of changed my mind about the reg. I still don't like it but I think the problem it has is common to most of these nano regs. This is because I have a TMC one and it does exactly the same thing.

Namely, if you try to run it below a certain pressure level it can't maintain the level for very long. So it runs fine if you want lime green or even mid green in a tank the size of this. If you want co2 but at a lower level it stutters. 

I've turned it down bit by bit and it's been fine. Then suddenly at a certain level I've turned it down a bit more then come in the next morning to find the bubble count has dropped off to almost nothing. I've turned it up a bit and it works fine, maintains the same level. Turn it down past that critical point again and it seizes up over the next few hours.

It did this in my first nano and I found it was doing that in this one. So I bought the TMC and it does exactly the same thing. I think with these nano regs they have to run at a certain level to be reliable. Fine if you want a high tech nano. Not if you want lower tech, i.e. just a little bit of co2.


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## Iain Sutherland (12 Apr 2012)

funny, i got a little fluval co2 nano system free with PFK subscription, thought why not put it on now i have it.  I wanted just a trickle but sure enough 20 minutes later no co2 coming out.  Its back in the shed now!! didnt really want to add co2 anyway, but seeing as i had it.... 
Should come with a BBA warning


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## hotweldfire (12 Apr 2012)

Interesting. So that's ISTA, TMC and Fluval nano regs all doing the same thing. Guess I was right. As I said though I think they're fine if you want higher levels going into the tank. When I wanted my DC lime green the reg got it lime green. Now that's last season's colour the reg ain't happy with me.


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## Radik (12 Apr 2012)

You guys get welding disposable reg for 15 then 600g bottle for 12 and needle valve for 6 from ebay. Issues sorted. I am using 3 of them. Cheers


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## hotweldfire (12 Apr 2012)

Good tip Radik, thanks. Too late for me as I'm weaning the tank off co2 now as I want it low tech long term but helpful for others.


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## Radik (13 Apr 2012)

I can't live without co2.. life is too short, my beard would get grey sooner than plants would grow.


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## hotweldfire (5 May 2012)

As I've been dragged kicking and screaming into work on a Saturday I've decided to spend my time updating this thread rather than doing the work I'm being forced to do   


2012-4-5_12.6.44 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

2012-4-5_12.4.47 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

2012-4-5_12.2.16 by hotweldfire, on Flickr


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## hotweldfire (5 May 2012)

Whoops, trigger happy submit button.


2012-4-5_12.4.23 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Hairgrass is getting there although the tall stuff at the back is mainly emersed acicularis courtesy of rolexbene. Was going to hack it back to the substrate but it immediately started putting out new submerged growth which, within a few days, is as tall as the emersed. Still need parvula at front and the lot to grow in. Would like a forest of it.

Plagiomnium still doing well


2012-4-5_12.6.57 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

and hydro doing very well and starting to grow emersed


2012-4-5_12.4.35 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

2012-4-5_12.7.11 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Moss has got a bit problematic. 


2012-4-5_12.28.54 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

I let it grow too long and let the frogbit floating above multiply too much. As a result it was starved of light and now the moss closest to the lava rock has gone brown. I need to hack it right back to the rock to limit the amount of brown in there.

Inhabitants


2012-4-5_12.2.33 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

There are a few MTS in there but this boy gets through them remarkably quick. Shame assassins don't do the job in my main tank which is overrun with pond snails.


2012-4-5_12.5.6 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

2012-4-5_12.25.29 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

2012-4-5_12.25.36 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

Still not certain what these are. Got them from ADC London who I bought very similar (but somewhat higher grade) shrimp from last year. I identified those as Caridina breviata - bumble bee - but much stronger colouration than I've seen on a bumble bee before. These are very similar. Note the extra stripe and the black rather than white head (white head you'd get on CBS). Am wondering if they aren't some form of selectively bred hummel shrimp. Very nice (and not cheap) whatever they are.


2012-4-5_12.2.5 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

2012-4-5_12.7.20 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

2012-4-5_13.28.41 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

A pair of Trichopsis pumila. What a beautiful elegant little fish this is. Went in yesterday and they seem right at home. Still shy but starting to get their striking blue colouration back. Spending their time swimming in and out of the gaps between the lava rock.

I had 6 chili and 2 phoenix rasbora in here a couple of weeks ago to limit the crazy copepod explosion I had going on. However after a week I pulled them out because they looked seriously unhappy. Yesterday I noticed the glass was covered in microorganisms again so picked these up. They've already dealt with the majority. Will no doubt enjoy feasting on shrimplets but in a tank this size perhaps that's not a bad thing. A 12 litre could get overpopulated with shrimp very quickly.

Overall I'm pretty happy with how this tank is going. There's some surface film but I suspect that's down to the emersed hairgrass dying off and should pass. I was going to wean the tank off the co2 but am now thinking I'll leave it running on this low level (mid to dark green dropchecker, about 1 bubble every 5 seconds).


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## hotweldfire (5 May 2012)

Whoa. Just heard a croak from the gouramis. Mental.


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## Piece-of-fish (5 May 2012)

They are either caridina meridionalis or princess bee would need closer photo from side to tell. But most likely 1st one. They are nice indeed and hard to find they are often sold under breviata which is not correct i think. How much they been ad ADC?  They sometimes come with import of serrata group as new bee (tumida, venusta, meridionalis). 

probably best looking wild bee shrimp together with princess bee.


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## hotweldfire (5 May 2012)

Good ID. Also known as Larry shrimp, yes? I think you're right mate, except the colouration is stronger than any pics of caridina meridionalis I can find online. Which is what makes me think they're selectively bred. However, Greg says not and said the same thing about the similar shrimp he had last year that came from a different supplier. He said they were the kind of supplier that would never bother selectively breeding. Those were £12 each, these £10. Not princess bee, btw, I've owned them and these are different.

I should point out these are rather sensitive shrimp. I lost all the ones I bought last year. This lot I bought in two batches and each time it looked like I'd lost more than half after 5 hours drip acclimatisation. Lying on their sides/backs and twitching. I perversely decided the best thing was to get them into the tank quick. After a couple of hours they'd recovered. I haven't found any dead ones so not sure I've lost any but it was a close thing. Exactly the same thing happened with the second batch of 10.


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## Piece-of-fish (5 May 2012)

Ye will post you photo of one of ours it is same strong. They may lose some color when parameters are off scale from previous water but offspring will get nice solid. They are not sensitive they are bad import then they die off but no worries here we breed them 4 berried now they do great so far no single dead. So you know where to get tank bred next . On back and twitching is poisoning sign good you put them fast to good water.

Oh here I hijacked Ed's account by accident. 
Radik out


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## hotweldfire (16 Dec 2012)

My tanks have been badly neglected the last few months due to new job being a complete nightmare. This one has had the worst of it. Totally overgrown and overrun with algae. A couple of shots of it today. I will attempt to tidy up and post again tomorrow.


2012-11-16_12.20.21 by hotweldfire, on Flickr

2012-11-16_12.20.34 by hotweldfire, on Flickr


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## Palm Tree (16 Dec 2012)

Those last shots looks great, any full tank shots as it is now ?


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## nayr88 (16 Dec 2012)

I really like it!!! Leave it as it is out some Leave litter in and a HMPK Betta in there!!!  PLEEEASE


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## foxfish (16 Dec 2012)

looks great, more pictures....


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (16 Dec 2012)

foxfish said:
			
		

> looks great, more pictures....



+1


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## hotweldfire (16 Dec 2012)

Seriously, it is a mess in there. So much hair algae that the fish keep getting stuck in it and BGA as well, which I've never had before. Here's a quick FTS taken with my phone though as requested:


2012-11-16_19.42.11 by hotweldfire, on Flickr


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## Palm Tree (16 Dec 2012)

If you dont like it i'll have it


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## stu_ (16 Dec 2012)

Fair play to you for posting a FTS of a tank that you're not happy with.
I like my journals to be warts & all.
Having said all that, i still like it


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## nayr88 (16 Dec 2012)

Yeh still like it  is buy it back anyday


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## hotweldfire (4 Aug 2013)

You still want to buy it back Ryan?

I'm afraid I've shut this one down. Some of the older members may have noticed my silence over the last year or so. I'm afraid work has got too hectic and as a result no time to post on the forum. Also no time to be maintaining three tanks so this one had to go.

The lesson I've learnt from this one is that tiny high-tech tanks are seriously high maintenance. When I had this sat on my office desk, it got daily maintenance and did well. When I moved it home, it only got a quick water change once a week and went to crap. I particular I started losing shrimp on a regular basis and that I can't be dealing with.

I think that is due to having such a high octane system running in such a small body of water. Even tiny changes in parameters can be dangerous in 14 litres. When you're pumping in co2 and EI along with nuclear lighting, things will inevitably go wrong if you're not on it all the time.

Perhaps in the future I'll have another job where I can keep a tank in the office. If so, then I'll dig this one out of the attic and set it up again.

Probably my biggest regret with this is that I stupidly failed to take a photo of it when it was at its peak. When the hairgrass was growing from the back and overshadowing the tank and the coral pellia was fully grown in, it did look beautiful. Especially from the side view. Said coral pellia will be on sale soon. Hairgrass is all gone.


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## tim (6 Aug 2013)

Shame you don't have a photo of this before it came down, was very inspirational in my ongoing addiction to nanos  ill be more than happy to take the coral pellia off your hands


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