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Beautiful tank. Can't help with the ferts but i'd cut out 2 of the tubes altogether...it'll help a lot whether it's algae or a nutrient deficiency that's causing the problem Nice one! Matt

Re: Now Lo-Tech nano - now up and running with photos Nematodes sound like planaria - bit of a pest. AE do a treatment for them which i'm going to try in y 60cm as they're a royal pain! Be a bit wary of cleaning out your filter too much - this in itself can cause algal bloom if you're too...

Nope, nothing new - still gorgeous!!!! :D M

The Aqua-El lights are uber bright aren't they! I had to drop the reflector out of mine as it was TOO bright without CO2 running - algae ahoy! It was this light that made me realise what a fallacy the watts per gallon rule is - 11w is not always 11w! Looking nice though - very nice indeed! M

Re: Stu's ADA Mini M nano - Step by step on page 5 now that is a very, very nice tank. and i've just taken delivery of some bonsai wire - endebted to you sir! Matt

Good work! I'm thinking of something similar with my P@H cube. Agree about the low tech/high tech thing - love the grwoth rates, not so keen on the constant maintenance! M

The green wall certainly has "impact" :D - Maybe a frosted backing just to soften it a bit? Or looking at Mark Evans' latest creation the black looks great. As far as planting goes i'd think about Marsilea Hirsuta - different leaf shape would complement the hairgrass nicely. Maybe planted...

Re: Mike's see-through tank challenge They're suprisingoly good at hiding! it'd take a lot of fish to handle a full sized amano! Looking good - especially like the "see through" shots though i'm sire they're a nightmare to take! Matt

Loooks great with the hairgrass trimmed down hard. Great idea using LCD background - hi tech baby! Did you use lcd in final shot or a backlight? M

i like the first one - very reminiscent of Peter Kirwan's scape on the UKAPS front page! The wood doesn't seem quite right to me on number 2 ... M

also if you're thinking about changing filter you can get very effective hob filters for 9 quid from All Pond Solutions on ebay - from UK with postage included. I've got one and i'm really impressed, especially at this price! M

before you get your shrimp - as they don't like liquid carbon - dose a 50% lc solution directly onto the algae using a sprayer or syringe in the middle of a water change. Leave 10 mins and then refill tank. Hair algae is normally due to co2 fluctuations so ensure your dosing and distribution are...

try using 6mm airline for your water changes. It's slow but nothing gets disturbed. I agree with Ryan - shrimp it real good! M

Re: Stu's ADA Mini M nano Aside from the name...mmm....Takeshi....i reckon the light unit holds the magic. I can buy a million and one BEAUTIFUL tanks, but they all look like dog eggs without beautiful lighting....mmm....Takeshi...sorry, got distracted... M

Re: 60 cm opti-white - Choosing plants mmmmmmmm...tasty.... That's gonna look fantastic! M

Re: Mike's see-through tank challenge I'd drop the bogwood down a little if i was really picky inline with the golden ratio BUT it's all realtive to where you actually view the tank from! A "square on" pic is very nice, but does not necessarily equate with what you see day-to-day! I'd whack...

dosing should do it. Also try moving your internal filter round to work with the hob instead of across it. Gas distribution is still essential even in nano tanks! I couldn't believe the change in colour that i got when i sorted my ferts! M

sorry - was going to post on this earlier but got called away! The rocks are gorgeous, but they might disappear a bit when the grasses grow in as they lay a bit low. This isn't such a problem as you can always change the plants. The other thing i've learnt is that a steeply sloping substrate...

bugger.

That's a very pretty lump of wood! M

hi Seb, people are talking about larger tanks for breeding as small water volumes are notoriously difficult to keep stable for sensitive shrimp like CRS. If the aim is breeding then the largest affordable tank (within reason) becomes the best investment. If you want something pretty to look at...

Re: Mike's see-through tank challenge why are you losing the angels again? Pretty, pretty fish! Glad you're having good results with the ferts - i couldn't believe the difference just that made! M

plant splitting is quite easy - gentle pressure and they should come apart. I really like that lump of wood! As far as the deficiencies go have a look at the relevant pages on James's planted Tank site and that should help! Cheers, Matt

flood it and move to full EI dosing mate ... but then i've never used DSM so my advice may not be the best! M

my choice would be either bogwood or manzi, but BIG lumps that give you height as well as horizontal focus. As you've found out hardscape always seems to shrink when you plant up, so think BIG! M

your choices seem like very good ones! Good low light plants that look very healthy. My only 'scaping input would be to suggest sticking one or two BIG lumps of wood in there to add a little more variation and interest - but feel free to ignore me! I'll give my stock advice to new posters - we...

always happy to be wrong! I'd opt for weeping moss along the front of it cave edge precisely because it will weep down. But i'd also ignore me and take a1matt's advice on moss! You'll be amazed at how much easier things are with proper tools - as the actress said to the bishop ...

day 35 and still no planting ... I'm far too impatient for this cycling business! I'd have had it built and stripped down twice by now! :D Matt

well that's pretty much perfect. I hate you :D On a serious note i hear conflicting things about RO - do you think it makes a difference? Matt

i'll be honest - i thought your cave might look a bit of a mess, but all your attention to detail has REALLY paid off! When you get some moss established to obscure the straight edges it's going to look fantastic! What are your plans for taller plants? It's crying out for some MONSTER swords ...

this. Is. Amazing. Legend.

Re: Mike's see-through tank challenge cool! Fish waste is an unpredictable thing! You're using good light and pressurised co2 (good choice by the way!) so your plants should, in theory at least, go mental! Therefore consistently supplying them with loads of nutrients becomes a requirement for...

Re: Mike's see-through tank challenge nice tank and very clever solutions to problems! The only flaw i can see is you're going to need some more comprehensive fert dosing as TPN doesn't contain everything you need. Ei is the cheapest way to do this or APFUK (site sponsors) do their own...

ah! I thought it was just Macros - thanks for the education! Matt

loving the 1 2 grow - it's belting stuff and so much easier to work with not having to pick frickin' rock wool off before you start! I didn't think TPN contained micros? M

Can't see the pics as on rubbish work computer, but the first thing that strikes me is that you are putting a lot of light and not a lot of carbon into this tank, which is a rapid route to algae issues. As you'll probably know from reading the forum light is a powerful accelerator of growth...

you should be very proud of it! I really like the look of it!

So...still no decent pics! Camera still on the blink! Quick update - BBA pretty rampant as i've still not stabilised my CO2 injection. Got another UP Atomizer on the way for that, and seeing how it goes with a lily pipe rather than spraybar as it's only a small tank. To be honest the BBA...

Are the lighting stands TMC as well?

if you've not used it before i've found that the secret with planting hairgrass is to separate it out really well - i got good coverage in my 60cm from 1 pot! M

I think that rockwork is really strong - gives it a real edge! Carpet of hairgrass will look great, and your fish will look fantastic swimming over it! As has been pointed out the main thing is that you like it, but i think it's great! Matt

you can pick up similar filters on ebay from All Pond Solutions for 9 quid posted - obviously a generic chinese build but very good for the price! M

nice lighting rig! Did you build it yourself or is it a commercial one?

Re: Tom's Mini M - full shot 26/04 it's not glued, but you're pretty much right! The bar is very slightly bigger than the internal diameter of the tube. So i heat the tube, insert the bar and when it cools it's held in place without glue. In this way making spraybars is very much like making...

to grow glosso you're going to need carbon - either liquid or pressurised! I like dwarf hairgrass and echinodorus tennelus carpets and both can be grown without carbon. Hope this helps, Matt

Was thinking more about plantedtanks than TGM! Was making a general statement based on my local experience! Maybe i'm just unlucky with the plants my LFSs stock, but they're usually pricey and kept badly, so unless you get there s the delivery arrives plants are abit manky and not in thebest of...

If you're waiting to plant it's worth ordering online from a specialist supplier. TGM and AE have a very good reputation and i personally use www.plantedtanks.co.uk - live near him so can pick up and his plants are of the very highest quality. Also keep an eye out on here when you get more...

We'll see...biggest problem is to do that i need to have a day by myself without an inquisitive 3 year old, a crying 3 month old and a wife annoyed at me making a mess!!! :D It could do wiht it though - can't believe i didn't think about doing it whilst i was building the bloody thing! M

Bolbitis - it's the future! Looks great on wood! How about a carpet of something? Like Harlequins - always a good choice - shoal brilliantly adn look stunning! Cheers! Matt

That's a really good idea - do they shift at all? They seem like a great way of saving on substrate and rocky hardscape! Very cunning! 8) Matt

Those step-by-step pics are great - what are the sandbag things you've used under the rocks? I've never seen them before? The layout is gorgeous - very much my kinda thing! And you can clearly grow some lovely plants! I'll be watching with interst! Matt

what are the plans then? Don't keep us waiting ...

problem is the wedge at the front is mostly filler foam due to how i've built the woodland! M

I was thinking about it...just need to get some more gravel and a bit of time to make a mess! :D I know i should trim the moss pretty hard - do i need to let it establish first or i can i get in with the scissors staright off? Cheers! Matt

Hope so! The only things i'm not REALLY happy are that i didn't slope the substrate up to the back - forgot what emphasis this can bring to a nano - and the placement of the wood gives a gap almost excatly halfway across the tank, which is a mite distracting! Still - very good learning curve...

Love that intake! As far as the cave goes could you plant the hairgrass into the moss? Ive seen it done with Wabis so it might work in the tank! M

If it's a320 then it's a PL light, volume approx 20l. Goes to show what good ferts can do and why you don't need to spend a fortune on substrate! Ilike the buddha - reminds me of one of my favourite tanks by Oliver Knott http://www.pbase.com/plantella/nanobudhha Lovely, healthy growth! Have you...

Re: Mossy shrimpy AE Nano Tank is now in its new home next to two other nanos. Dressed the wood with moss (combination of taiwan and java) which i hope will grow in and bring the whole thing together. Cheap CO2 reactor leaked, so i'm just feeding the gas into the filter intake at the mo, but...

that's really nice - the dragon stone is really emphasised by not using traditional stems. Is that foam over the HOB intake? Matt

Re: Tom's Do!aqua20 - Re-scape Like this Tom - reminds me of those South American plateau mountains (they have a name that i can't remember!) which i;ve thougth for a while would make a great 'scape. Just got some 1-2-Grow Staurogyne and i can't believe how much you get! For a fiver it might...

You're right! I think of substrate dosing as a "buffer" - it also helps give you more leeway with your dosing. EI would be instead of the Flourish. Proprietary ferts are very good, but as you're essentially buying diluted EI chemicals in a fancy bottle you're mainly paying for water! EI...

Re: Mossy shrimpy AE Nano now with PIC! see! I told you they'd be disappointing! Water is a bit murky as i'd just changed it and had to rush as i realised a "quick ten minutes doing fish stuff in the garage" as described to my wife have developed into an hour without me really noticing! As...

Hi there Alan and welcome! I think blocking off one of the lights sounds like a great idea! Light helps fast growth (when teamed with sufficient nutrients inc. carbon) but also makes your tank more unstable, meaning algae issues are more likely. It's also important to note that if you're...

Re: Mossy shrimpy AE Nano I'm reasonably confident they won't! :oops: Started the build last night. Massive substrate depth but the wood is solid as a rock. Used Marimo round the wood to create a mossy floor feeling, interspersed with other moss stones (java, taiwan, willow and fissi) to...

Would some vallis work? Or the other long leaved one whose name escapes me?!?!?!?! If you poisitioned your filter so the leaves moved in the same direction as the wood it'd really bring an extra dimension to it! Staurogyne sp. round the base and needle leaf java on the wood would look...

Re: Mossy shrimpy AE Nano Started the build last night :clap: ! One of the problems i found with getting a forest feel was gettign the wood to stay upright (fnar fnar), esp. in high flow. I've nicked an idea from the viv keepers and made a base out of filler foam, which i've then weighted...

Where abouts are you mate? I could probably sort you some out but it'll hellishly expensive to post! Cheers Matt

I've noticed a few threads recently where people have REDUCED their water changes and had success - i've also noticed how much happier one of my tnaks is when i leave it to get on with things. I guess it just undrlines the point that plants needs stability as much as anything else! Glad your...

It wasn't the Congo - really annoyed i can't remember the name. However i also got a BIG bag of very simialr looking stuff at my LFS (Ferrybridge Aquatics) - it looks identical to the pic you posted - for £13. I'll big it out wheni get home and let you know Cheers Matt

that hardscape looks great - like a wind swept tree on a mountain! Are you dressing the wood with anything? Matt

if you don't want to pay ada prices unipac do an inert fine gravel in the same colour! I just can't remember the name! Matt

THe Cat litter looks great - a really nice colour! Matt

Re: Triptych - A journal of three tanks I'm replacing the 320 with an opti nano for shrimp only! Journal is here! http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15517 The 320 wil then move into the garage as a nursery tank. It's a great little tank, but i find the lid and silver plastic around...

Re: Mossy shrimpy AE Nano PIcs will follow soon - i'm presently using the tank as a nursery tank for all the plants i've acquired, and i'm just sorting out another tank to take over nursery duty. I'm rethinking (again....) around a timber and moss scape - thinking piles of wood (with wood...

Re: Triptych - A journal of three tanks As this journal is such a hit i thought i'd better update it! :D Took up the hairgrass at the front as it was growing well but not really doing a great deal for me. As i have gas running i thought i'd give glosso a pop (not brave enough to try HC yet!)...

It's been a beauty. Properly great work! Rest now...gird your loins for the next one...:D Matt

It's really interesting to see some different hardscape - much more "arty" if yoiu know what i mean? What is it and where did you source it? Some Cherries or CRS would bring a nice red accent as well MAtt

Love this Mike - and the red really makes it for me! brilliant pic skills as well! matt

Re: Steve's 60cm "The Science of Autumn" - photos & video 14 That Dragon stone looks amazing in close up. Goes to show that full tank shots only convey so much Lovely, lovely, lovely things... Matt

Ah! could you post some pics esp. of silicon work? His tanks are really cheap and i like that you can have them built to your specs (like yours) to cut costs. Cheers, Matt

but seriously, that sounds like a very good haul of gear! Where did you get the tank from? Always interested to hear about tank suppliers and if they're any good! Cheers, Matt

kitchen sink?

Re: Mossy shrimpy AE Nano Just been to MA and got a couple of nice pieces of Lava rock and a stunning piece of landscape rock, plus a few more plants - another Hydrocotyle, a Rotala sp. and a bit of xmas moss. Just need to build the thing now! Cheers! Matt

Re: Steve's 60cm low light scape. They really complement each other. "And i will call this tank...Mini me....":-) Matt

Re: Mossy shrimpy AE Nano I also really liked the idea of a lava rock wall as described on the crustahunter website. It's interesting how thinking about the livestock affects the design of the tank - red shrimp scooting about over dark rocks and moss is much more interesting than fish swimming...

Here goes another one then... If you've read my other stuff you'll know i'm RUBBISH at journals :oops: ! But i solemnly promise to keep this one up to date and relevant... This tank is being built around one of the AE optiwhite nanos i acquired from Garuf (thanks again) - with a bit of elbow...

I'd agree with Corki - bring the high points of the wood forward so they don't get swamped by the planting. I'd also bring them closer together and try moving them in different orientations so that their shapes complement each other. At the minute they are both beautiful pieces of wood, but...

Yeah that one! It'd be a life saver for me - lost count of the number of times a hose has slipped out of the tanks whilst water changing! Does anyone know of anything similar in the UK? Matt

Re: Steve's "getting back on the horse" nano - Now with plan I was amazed at the price of a 400lph HOB filter off ebay - £9 delivered from UK! I've found it a bit underpowered but i'm still running it with the provided sponge filter pads so i suspect that knocks the flow out. I know others...

That wood is freakin' sweet :clap: ! Why don;t we get that in the UK :evil: :sick: Did you say you're using a pre-filter for your intake - could you explain that in a bit more info as it's a new thing for me but sound a good way to avoid shrimp-mashing! Cheers, Matt

that looks really, really nice! Fantastic sense of scale and great work with those dimensions. Where did you get the hose clamp thingy in the planting pics? Cheers, Matt

Mine's going great guns! found a few sizeable pieces of moss with plants already growing in them, and transferred them to vases with old tank water in the bottom. I'll upload pics when i get a chance. Just as an aside (and a slight thread hijack - sorry Antoni!) is there a good single source...

Re: Steve's "getting back on the horse" nano - Now with plan loving that! What a little belter! matt

my new favourite thing on the forum! I too will be cycling and looking for plants! Love it! :D

I found this with a blackout! ceg4048 told me that stems grow as they are trying (basically - his explanation was a lot longer and more comprehensive!) to strive upwards to find light - can't find the thread unfortunately! Cheers, and lovely little tank BTW - love how it evolves a little every...

Really, really nice. I really liked the (very) early pics where the tank was bare - thought it gave a great modern, minimalist vibe to the whole thing. It's still lovely though! Cheers Matt

Re: [post vivarium] Double AquaQube "Divided by zero" There's a few splitters for sale on eBay, or i guess with tanks of indentical size and similar planting you could just run a Y splitter. Keep tubing and diffuser the same on both branches and you should get equal flow! Lovin' your work! Matt

That wood looks stunning! Matt

ooohhhh... bet the fish look amazing in those numbers - pics please!!!! :-) Thought that might be why the floaters were added! Loving it - and i'm normally a bit indifferent to Iwagumi! Completely inspirational! Matt

Amazing - but i must also question why you add the floaters? They detract a bit from the still images for me (though i appreciate they might add something to the "live" tank!) What livestock did you add? Matt