• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

My Aquascape journal

fishkeeper1

New Member
Joined
7 Sep 2010
Messages
14
Location
Grays, Essex
HI all,
I have kept planted tanks for meny years but this will be my first high energy open top aquascape project.
As it develops I will post pics and up dates in this Journal.

The kit so far:
  • 25 litre open top glass tank from MB Store
  • ONF Flat Nano Aquarium LED light from Aquarium Gardens
  • Hepo 25w aquarium heater from Finest Filters
  • 2x NICREW filters (150LPH each) from Amazon

In addition to this i will be going to Aquarium Gardens this coming Saturday to find out about Co2 kits and whats best to use on such a small tank. Also will be looking at some hardscape as well.
 
Update
I have now set up the stand for the tank and tested the LED lighting and happy to say all works. Tomorrow will be a day for testing for leaks and readying the equipment....... Also heading to Aquarium Gardens for a possible Co2 kit and maybe some hardscape.
P.S very excited :D:D:D:D
 

Attachments

  • Tank 2.jpg
    Tank 2.jpg
    150.6 KB · Views: 177
Another day Another dollar spent
this morning I didn't make it to Aquarium Gardens unfortunately. But I did make it to The Trop Shop in Brentwood where I picked up some beutiful hardscape. I also managed to get a bag of Pro Aqua Scape Flora Base Pro for the substrate.
I'm overall quite pleased with the result and how it is coming along and the look of it. I just hope I can re create it after ive taken the wood out to soak it before I get the plants and Co2.
 

Attachments

  • Aquascape Hardscape Fitted.jpg
    Aquascape Hardscape Fitted.jpg
    255.6 KB · Views: 123
Wet Wood
Great news from the weekend, i have now orderd a Tropica nano Co2 Kit and a selection of plants also, all from Aquarium Gardens.
This means its time to soak the wood ........ or try to any way. hopefully i will be planting Tuesday night.
 

Attachments

  • Soaking wood.jpg
    Soaking wood.jpg
    237.5 KB · Views: 124
Its Alive
Good news my collection of Aquarium Gardens plants arrived yesterday along with the Tropica Plant Growth Nano
Plants supplied are

The Tropica 1-2 Grow plants
  • Rotala Macrandra (Advanced)
  • Staurogyne Repens (easy)
  • Pogostemon Helferi (Medium)
  • Eleocharis Acicularis mini (Medium)
  • Hydrocotyle Tripartita (Medium)
  • Myriophyllum Mattogrossense (Medium)

Rock Wool Plant
  • Aunubias Nana Bonzai x2

Finaly:
  • Tiger Lotus Nymphaea Zenkeri Red

I have a few carpeting plants in this mix I'm going to possibly see which grows best and remove the outhers when established.
The tank is now all running apart from the Co2 which I will fire up tonight.
More up dates to follow soon.
 

Attachments

  • Plant Collection.jpg
    Plant Collection.jpg
    323 KB · Views: 121
  • Aquascape Running.jpg
    Aquascape Running.jpg
    266.2 KB · Views: 118
I wish you only the best but you should be prepared for possible difficulties. Quite possibly, not all plants will prosper ideally. Then you'll be trying to reveal the reason. One thing you should know is the mineral compostition of your tap water. I believe you water supplier will provide it if asked.
 
(1) in vitro versions of "advanced" plants are usually pretty 'fragile', so there is a risk they might not make it in a completely new tank. but there's only 1 advanced plant so hopefully the rest will be ok.
(2) your photo suggests you removed the entire clump of hairgrass from the Tropica pot and planted it directly into the substrate, rather than splitting it up into smaller plantlets?
 
(1) in vitro versions of "advanced" plants are usually pretty 'fragile', so there is a risk they might not make it in a completely new tank. but there's only 1 advanced plant so hopefully the rest will be ok.
(2) your photo suggests you removed the entire clump of hairgrass from the Tropica pot and planted it directly into the substrate, rather than splitting it up into smaller plantlets?
Hi Erwin123
thank you for your comments. I will be getting more plants soon and some floating ones as I don't think I have enough when I start the Co2, I regards to the hairgrass I made 4 sections out of it which I planted in the tank.
 
All the gear no idea
So I went to switch on my Co2 the outher day to see no bubbles, it turned out it has leaked :rolleyes: all gone. off to Aquarium Gardens (for real this time) and buy a new bottle. One of the reasons could be the canister was not at room temp when i set it up :facepalm:.
On another note I have also brought a solenoid for it and some metal adapters form C02 Supermarket, So I should also be able to regulate when its on and off *fingers crossed....
 

Attachments

  • New Solenoid.jpg
    New Solenoid.jpg
    160.2 KB · Views: 98
  • Empty Co2.jpg
    Empty Co2.jpg
    189.3 KB · Views: 120
One of the reasons could be the canister was not at room temp when i set it up :facepalm:.
Shouldn't really make a difference, as the bottle temp rises the pressure of the liquid inside the canister will rise, "tank pressure might go from 750 to 830 psi." The working pressure on the 2nd Valve should remain constant.
 
Shouldn't really make a difference, as the bottle temp rises the pressure of the liquid inside the canister will rise, "tank pressure might go from 750 to 830 psi." The working pressure on the 2nd Valve should remain constant.
Thanks John.
I will pick up another canister today and see if it happens again.
 
Deja vu
Off I went to Aquarium Gardens today to pick up a new canister for the Co2, unfortunately it happened again and I have had a new leak but this time I'm not sure if it came from the additional solenoid or the regulator. I think its time to throw in the towel with this system and purchase a proper Co2 kit. Aquarium Gardens were very helpful as always. They showed me a proper Co2 system for my nano tank, I think this is what I will go with and pick one up at the end of this month.
On the positive side the current nano Tropica system has allowed me to do some proper research in different systems and general rules of Co2. I have attached some pics of 3 of the beutiful tanks from Aquarium Gardens for people to look at and enjoy.
 

Attachments

  • Tank 1.jpg
    Tank 1.jpg
    365.4 KB · Views: 103
  • Tank .2.jpg
    Tank .2.jpg
    401.2 KB · Views: 114
  • Tank 3.jpg
    Tank 3.jpg
    423.8 KB · Views: 121
Back
Top