Eclectic Mini Tank!

[GHNelson]

Hi Folks
Set-up a little grow on tank with bits and pieces of equipment I had lying around the house.

Inception: 10th March 2023
Tank Size: 30cm x 20cm x 17cm.
Tank volume: 10 Litres.
Substrate: DOOA Tropical River Soil.
Water: RO/Tapwater.....90%/10%.
Hardscape: Lignite 5 Small pieces sourced from member Roland.
Filtration: Small Internal 150 lph filter & Ocean Free Skimmer.
Lighting:
Amazon product
Heater: No.
Temperature 23°.
Co2: One litre Co2 Stainless Steel Generator, Citric Acid/Bicarbonate Soda Mix 100grams each, 150 ml of water.
Water removal...2 litres every few days.
Fertilizers: Solufeed High K 1ml per week, Profitio 1ml per week.
Root Tablets Various.
Plants: Ludwigia repens, Ludwigia Super Mini Red emersed, Rotala Macrandra Mini Pink emersed, Rotala Rotundifolia, Java Fern Mini, Sagittaria Subulata. Blyxa Japonica, Vallisneria Nana Tiger, Crypt Flamingo, Crypt Nurii, Ranunculus inundatus....probably missed a few sp's!
Bucephalandra Dark Theia, Brownie Brown and various others.
Mixed Floating Plants: Red Root Floaters, Salvinia, Pistia stratiotes.
Bontanicals: Alder Cones, Mini Catappa leaves.

Will eventually plant all the floating stems after the breaking in period is over, hopefully there will not be any algae to deal with 🤞
The soil is a touch bland therefore will probably cap it.

hoggie

 

[Tim Harrison]

Great little project Graham. As always, looks awesome 👍

 

[GHNelson]

Cheers Tim
Little bit of melt on the small Flamingo nothing too serious!
I do love the look of emersed Ludwigia Mini Red, shame it goes completely red when transition is completed.
Will remove the skimmer eventually when everything has bedded in and slightly more mature.
TDS @ 120....

 

[LadyDay]

Lovely little pond!

 

[GHNelson]

# 21 Day Update!
No diatoms or algae which I'm pleased about.
This substrate is a tad dusty so I try not to disturb it too much.
A few small Crypt Flamingo suffered some melt...which I removed the affected leaves, quick style.
Rotala Macrandra Pink emersed going nicely into the submerged stage.
Added some bunches of Mixed Rotala sp...to help cycle the substrate.
Chopped the 3 stems of Ludwigia Mini Super Red....those went to a member who purchased other plants.
Added 5 Stems of Rotala Wallichii.
Removed the Luwigia repens...which was getting too large.
Removed the Mini Java fern.
Add a few small stems of Luwigia inclinata red....
TDS 100 approximately.

hoggie

 

[Tankless]

Do you remove just the leaves for the crypts or the bit below it as well?

 

[GHNelson]

I remove most of the stalk as well.

 

[GHNelson]

# 28 day update.
Lighting duration 16 hours.
Ocean Free skimmer removed....and replaced with a cheap SunSun 150 Litre Hour Hob filter!
Ditched the filter media and replaced with filter foam.
No algae or diatoms to report
Rotala's coming along nicely....had a few bits of melt on some Bucephalandra, which could be down to the tank not mature enough or the temperature difference " no heater in this tank"....removed the affected leaves and returned those Buce back to the main aquarium.
Wrapped some Mini Christmas Moss around a small piece of Lignite.
Added 5 stems of Rotala Wallichi and removed the temporary Ludwigia inclinata red.
Blyxa floating on the surface turning a lovely burgundy colour.
TDS 80

hoggie

 

[si walker]

As I am currently setting up my first CO2 system (and reading horror stories of it not being distributed around the aquarium), how on earth do you distribute CO2 around all of those wonderful plants? I know its only 10 litres but still theres a lot of plant life in the way. Amazing!

 

[GHNelson]

Hi
I run the Co2 24/7 there is also a Mini Filter with a spray bar near the centre of the aquarium.
The surface area is nearly covered with plants which helps to keep the Co2 level constant.

 

[GHNelson]

As I am currently setting up my first CO2 system (and reading horror stories of it not being distributed around the aquarium), how on earth do you distribute CO2 around all of those wonderful plants? I know its only 10 litres but still theres a lot of plant life in the way. Amazing!

Have a look at the below Tutorial if more Scapers would implement this they would have less headaches and problems!

Using stem plants as a filtering aid at Start Up!

The subject of using fast-growing stem plants as part of a filtering aid has cropped up a few times recently. This idea has been around for a long time so not new, it has benefits especially for a new set - up. I try and cover at least 50% of the water surface minimum. 1. Improves water...

www.ukaps.org

Cheers hoggie