# bazz's 300 liter aqua one, and some other bits and bobs!



## bazz (22 May 2009)

i picked this up last saturday, the day before a trip to tgm to see george farmers aquascape demonstration. i've been working on setting up a 180 liter corner aquarium, but i never was particularly happy with hideous georgian (not farmer) style cabinet and trim, plus i wanted a few extra liters. it cost he same as the trigon 350 and fluval venezia 350 which i know are better quality, but i just fell for the minimalism of this discontinued tank.
i've kept planted tanks for 20 years now (apart from a few brief periods when it has been impossible due to circumstances), but have always been a dennerle devotee, but please don't hold that against me.
i have also fairly recently reset-up a tropica aquacube and a set up a new 30 liter dennerle nano cube, during which, while studying the internet, i came across this forum that has now changed my outlook, and caused me to re-write my history books!









as you can see the aquacube has developed bga over the last week or so, but i'm ready to re-fit this weekend with a different substrate other than plain sand. in the nano cube,  the hc and p helferi are recovering from what i'm (and people on this forum) pretty certain was no3 deficiency.
as you will probably also have noticed, i'm not an aquascaper (the only artistic streak i have in me is of the liquid refreshment variety), so there really isn't much point in telling me "left a bit, 66% etc...."  i just love aquatic plants and underwater gardening!

right back to the task in hand......

tgm 17.05.09





and back home another 230 quid lighter!





just testing as to whether i bought enough substate or not!








santa's been!








the first modification (butchery) to the hood, get rid of that crappy built in wet and dry filter!





loading the ammo!








second mod to the hood, get rid of the equally as crappy t8's!





next installment after the weekend!!!


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## rawr (23 May 2009)

This looks to be a nice journal. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do in terms of aquascaping with a corner tank so keep us posted!


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## bazz (27 May 2009)

this was the last larger tank i had up and running, i just got it to fill a niche and utilise the equipment that i had accumulated from an aborted 42"x24"x30"h project (i moved into a small 1 bed flat 2 days before i was going to fill and plant it, 500 liters of ro water was ready in vats).

just after a bit of a trim!




ready for the next pruning session!




the one that got away!








i can hear you all laughing  




and on we go.....

the tetratec plumbing goes in, this will only be temporary to sort out flow issues etc.., and an external reactor is on the horizon. although i've done lots of research, i'm still unsure which one to get and will be asking for advice/experience in the very near future!




1 twin and 2 single t5 contollers + external heater!




2 legacies from dennerle, i still think they make fantastic tubes, and those co-proof suckers sure know how to suck + jbl reflectors!




complete removal of the old lighting!




and retrofit the t5's!




a view from below, and addition of the regulation black conford paper!












i will be planting either this coming weekend or if not definitely the weekend after, although to begin with it will just be fast growing stems which will be slowly replaced over time with favourites and specimens.
cya later!


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## Steve Smith (27 May 2009)

Ace Bazz!  Looks like you'll be busy this weekend   I'd get the redmoor soaking ASAP   Are you going to use any more wood?


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## baron von bubba (28 May 2009)

very nice dude, looking forward to the continuing journal.

he's right about the soaking of the wood! ;0)
mine had a substrate filled, cut off stocking holding it in situ for a good few weeks!   

are you using the duo mat heating controller and ph sensor in this set up too?


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## bazz (5 Jun 2009)

SteveUK said:
			
		

> Ace Bazz!  Looks like you'll be busy this weekend   I'd get the redmoor soaking ASAP   Are you going to use any more wood?



hi steve, the piece on the left has been siliconed to the bottom of the tank, i was sure it wouldn't have been very sturdy even when soaked and the bit on the right is in soak. with regards to adding more, i don't know if i do right or wrong but nothing hardly stays the same over time, will pick more bits of wood and stone etc when i see something i like!


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## bazz (5 Jun 2009)

baron von bubba said:
			
		

> are you using the duo mat heating controller and ph sensor in this set up too?



alright baron! no i won't be using any heating cables or a ph controller, i want to steer well clear of dennerle and do things completely different this time around, use the technology, that i've learnt from all you lads and lasses here on this forum.
having said that it would be more than plain stupid not to use the cylinder, pressure reducer and magnetic solenoid that i already have of theirs, later!


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## bazz (5 Jun 2009)

all gassed up!




got the chemicals!




elastic banded a tiny bit of "windelov" that a friend gave from his tank, to a stone in my nano and the japonica's wouldn't leave it alone for a couple hours




 well, i fitted the last piece of the jigsaw this morning (a piece of tube connecting the external heater to the filter outlet), so that left just a couple more things to do. start the ro unit, i'm going to use 2/3 ro and 1/3 tap. i tested my tap water last week   gh19/kh11 and figured, roughly 1/3 of these values would be good, as i do like amazonian fish and plants (but i also love pogostamon stellata, helferi and microsorum "windelov).
i've always been the same, i read, read and read and then go and do something totally irrational. as much as i have read how good ada as amazonia is, i end up trying to be different and buy africana just to try something different. i've since read on the net, a lot of the big wigs don't rate this very highly, on top of that i also purchased a bag of the powder, which i have since learnt, does not want to be more than 25mm thick, oh well its in now!
lunchtime, i set off touring the lfs's of lincoln to buy fast growing stem plants and couldn't find any, discouraged i even ate some humble pie and went into pets at home  , and the aquarium section was closed down for refurb. next stop bridgeford ma, picked up a couple of stems but not what i was really after. ma at crowland, a few more stems that i wasn't after, but a couple that i was. scoured three counties, i might move to wrexham  !
anyway, i'm off to bed, i'll be up very early in the morning planting, and the tank should be full by tomorrow night, permeate allowing!

ready for the off




you don't get much for 40 quid these days!




just got to set the timers up!




night night!


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## aaronnorth (6 Jun 2009)

excellent journal, Bazz.
You might not be able to aquascape but the most important aspect of planted tanks is learning to grow them, pruning techniques, ferts etc and get no algae. After you have mastered that which it looks like you have you can then move onto the aquascaping part.
Good luck with this one, and nice Aquacube too 

Thanks


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## paul.in.kendal (6 Jun 2009)

Great journal so far - do keep it picture-heavy, so we can see what you're up to.  Good to see the deck and all that vinyl, too!  Do I spy some ten inch singles in there?  Mmmm, nice!


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## TDI-line (6 Jun 2009)

Excellent journal Bazz, and loving the indepth pics too.

Dennerle, just think of it as Marmite, but i've been there also.....


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## Stu Worrall (6 Jun 2009)

impressive setup baz, very good engineering in the hood to fit all those new lights.  Dont think i could live with curved tank though as they make my eyes go really boggy when you change angle looking at them.  It fits really well in that corners though


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## John Starkey (6 Jun 2009)

Hi baz,loving the journal,I'm impressed with the diy,good luck with the planting tomorrow don't foreget the pics,regards john.


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## bazz (6 Jun 2009)

the plate's pearling!




i'm amazed how clear it is, some of the powder floated then dumped on the sand at the front, never mind, i'm off to put the next hundred liters in!


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## Mark Evans (6 Jun 2009)

using newspaper is the best way of filling IMO  8) spotless water from the off and you can fill quite quickly


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## sari (7 Jun 2009)

Bazz,loving the journal! I love these corner tanks myself and one day will have one. Might have to ask you to come and engineer the lights though....


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## Tony Swinney (7 Jun 2009)

Looking good Bazz - I look forward to seeing it filled right up   
Tony


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## bazz (22 Jun 2009)

ok, sorry for the delayed update, i did one the other night and my pc froze midway through, (i need a new one, and camera!)
but anyway here was later that sunday evening (7th) after the next 100 liters of ro water had been put in!




i'd bought two stems of blyxa, which i had temporarily planted in the nano to bring them on less than a month previously. after i pulled them up i had 4 plants for this aquarium and 4 left over to put back in the nano, my this stuff is rampant. when i pulled them i was taken aback at the length of the roots, after such a short time and in so little substrate!




this was taken on the tuesday (9th) after everything was booted up and had settled down a little. the cabomba, millfoil and four stems of stellata (submersed form from nano) were already starting to grow, whilst all the other plants had stood up!




this was taken on thursday (11th) (sorry about the lighting, just 2 plant lamps on),and it was at this point that...
a- i wished i hadn't put the sand in = will be taken out soon
b- i wished i hadn't put the africana powder in = probably taken out soon
c- i wished i had just used amazonia soil = tempted to uproot everything and change the substrate
d- there was a dark triangle at the upper rear of the tank = purchase an arcpod and fit into the old filter box
e- although the flow as better than i had expected (1 spraybar angled slight up for surface agitation and 1 angle slightly down) it appeared to be coming down the front of the glass, but the same water just constantly swirling around = purchase a koralia 1!




last tuesday (16th). i've already started to get rid of a few of the stems and replace them with what i ultimately want. koralia and arcpod in place now. after well over a week there is still absolutely no sign of the ammonia rising, i think the plants must utilising all the available ammonia (thoughts on this anyone?), i hope it doesn't come back to haunt me in the near future as i've now added 6 otocinclus!




these last 3 were just taken tonight on my phone camera!








and finally for tonight 1 with just the arcpod on, btw, i had to change the tube in it to very warm white, the purple one that came with it hardly lit anything up at all!




today i ordered 4 different echinodous species and 1 cryptocorne wendtii 'mi oya', so hopefully towards the end of the week, the rear half and the centre will be denuded of a lot more stems, i'm also in the market for another piece of wood for the back.
incidently, i don't know how people are working out w.p.g. with t5's, would one of you mathematicians be so nice as to enlighten me please? 3 x 39w +1 x 24w = 141w above 300 liters, cheers and thanx!
later, bazz!


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## Nick16 (22 Jun 2009)

looks really good. 
one thing, like my tank your foreground is missing   
have you thought about some small crypts (parva?) or p.helferi or maybe even staurogyne? It will hopefully make the transition easier.


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## dsandson (22 Jun 2009)

Hey Bazz

Looking well! I really like the arcpod's twilight look. Are you going to use that with timers?

What do you not like about the sand? Personally I like it, think you just need some more foreground plants. I understand that might be dear, as proportionally, you have lot of foreground for the size of tank.

I'd highly recomend staurogyne and crypt parva. Both are fairly easy to grow and they really complement each other.

Dave


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## Cro (22 Jun 2009)

300 litres = 79 US Gallons

So 141 / 79 = 1.8wpg

Roughly.....I think.


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## bazz (23 Jun 2009)

Nick16 said:
			
		

> looks really good.
> one thing, like my tank your foreground is missing
> have you thought about some small crypts (parva?) or p.helferi or maybe even staurogyne? It will hopefully make the transition easier.



hi nick,
well. in the foreground are 2 pots of p helferi, 1 pot of e parvula, 1 pot of e tenellus and 1 pot of didiplis diandra. c parva and staurogyne, have now been put on the shortlist if any of these fail. cheers and thanx for your input, much obliged,
bazz!


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## bazz (23 Jun 2009)

dsandson said:
			
		

> Hey Bazz
> 
> Looking well! I really like the arcpod's twilight look. Are you going to use that with timers?
> 
> ...



hi dave, big thanks for the xmas moss, the world really is getting smaller.
not keen on the sand because i'm not a scaper (just got wet green fingers), the oto's gleefully cover it over with the powder whilst grummaging about eating peas, courgette, cucumber and algae discs etc ... 
all the lights (and solenoid) are on separate timers, clicking on, arcpod, 2 plant tubes, daylight and colour tube in half hour intervals, and then off again in reverse order!
i'll post some (bad) photos in the very near future of the fore ground, i know the plants are hard to see but they are there. however as per previous post c parva and staurogyne are noted!
thanx once again,
bazz!


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## bazz (23 Jun 2009)

Cro said:
			
		

> 300 litres = 79 US Gallons
> 
> So 141 / 79 = 1.8wpg
> 
> Roughly.....I think.



hi cro,
not trying to sound condescending, but i had got to that result, i just thought i had read somewhere on here that when you use t5's the equation was slightly altered, and when i want to post in the future about problems i will probably encounter, i could quote thus!
big cheers and thanx,
bazz!


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## bazz (9 Oct 2009)

quick update; 29th june!





6th july after planting the swordplants!




tonight 09/10/09, you can see one of the original leaves of the red special starting to turn brown behind the rummy's nose at centre bottom of the pic, this aquarium is 75cm's front to back and the leaves now touch both, aswell as the surface which is 55cm's deep in the centre after substate, not bad for 3 months growth, but alas big trim and a bit of replanting tomorrow!




later,bazz!


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## neelhound (10 Oct 2009)

thats looking really nice!
Its a dutch aquascape style, right? Im not too clued up on the names of the styles besides iwagumi lol


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## Nick16 (10 Oct 2009)

could you shed some ight on the plants you have used...

whats the red stem in the first pic? is it a type of rotala? 
and what is the other lot of stems to the right of the red stuff? looks very very nice.


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## bazz (10 Oct 2009)

hi neelhound, i wouldn't really call it an aquascape of any kind as i can't aquascape to save my life, i just love aquatic plants and underwater gardening, its more of an experiment at the moment, i did plant with intention of layering upwards towards the rear and as such learnt a lot about the plant selection ive used, plus also the weird characteristics of this shape tank (flow etc). i will pull this down soon, probably at chrimbo and replace the ada africaan substate with either amazonia or ns and use this bit of bogwood;



at the back with a couple of big swords growing from out the bottom, stems up either side and low growing plants all around the center hopefully creating some kind of arena.
sorry for harping on, you know how it is with aquatic plants!
cheers!


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## bazz (10 Oct 2009)

hi nick,
i think the red plant you must be talking about is 'myriophyllum mattogrossense' or 'red myriophyllum'' and next to that is the mighty 'pogostamon stellata'




the myrio was only ever temporary (fast growing stems etc) but stellata is one of my favourite plants, but had to go when the whorls reached around 150mm each, grew up the back and across the top of tank blocking out the light to the rest of the aquarium. i now have a few stems of 'limnophila aromatica' buried in there somewhere maturing ready for a rescape, to use instead, apparently it is not quite so rampant!
cheers and thanx,
bazz!


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## Themuleous (10 Oct 2009)

Very nice, loving the red stems 

Sam


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## bazz (12 Oct 2009)

there's nothing a decent new camera, a tripod and a good few lessons in photography wouldn't improve, but i thought i would post this pic of my royal whiptail (love that fish), an otto and inquisitive angel!



cheers!


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