Hello from the Netherlands.. :)

[zozo]

Hello everybody,

I'm new at this forum, not totaly new at the hobby, but starting again after a break of more than 25 years. As a teenager is was a fanatic aquarium hobbyist and lost it some where along the way. I guess girls and motorcycles where more exciting. Back in the days everything was very different, we only had libraries and books, no internet. At the internet i rediscovered and was surprised about the new developments in aquaristics and wealth in information nowadays. So i caught the fever again and still had a small cheap 54 liter tank in the garage and started to experiment. So far these are the results inspired by the nature aquariums and jungle styles i saw on youtube and the little swampy woodland behind my house where i take my daily walk.

It's not all finished yet but its taking shape and still a bit cloudy. Im still brainstorming about what background plants i should put in there. But since this tank is only 3 days old i think, i first let it grow in like this for a few months. Some plants are still in baby shape. I want to see where and how it goes and see from there where to go next. Still waiting on the co2 stuff to put in there. I hope to have it all next week.

So that's why i'm lurking the internet 🙂 to get inspiration and so i found UKAPS. Great forum btw..
Thanks for having me..

front


right side (only side in direct view


🙂

 

[Edvet]

Welkom!

 

[Martin in Holland]

Meer Nederlanders hier hoor...Welkom.
More Dutch here....Welcome.

 

[dougstar]

Hello hello🙂

 

[Greenfinger2]

Hi Zozo, Welcome to UKAPS 🙂

 

[banthaman.jm]

Welcome to UKaps Zozo, looking forward to seeing more pictures.
Jim

 

[zozo]

Thanks for the heads up. 🙂 Finished earlier as planned, but i'm fine with it for now. I'm waiting for the water to clear up, still i tiny bit cloudy.. Need the tank to establish, so i can start cleaning up, it's darn dirty now worked weeks on it every day cleaning and making all dirty again. I realy have to give it (and myself) rest and let grow now. More pooking around only will disturb to much.

When it's clear and established i'll post some more pics in better detail.. Maybe a vid as well.



This is what's in and on there To much stones, some are there to keep things together till the roots do.. Quite a bunch for such a small tank.. Will be a lot of work to keep it all in perspective and bonsai shapes



Forground: (background Midground)
Eleocharis acicularis 'Mini'
Hemianthus callitrichoides Cuba
Pogostemon helferi
Anubias Nana Petit
Riccardia chamedryfolia- Mini Pelia
Vesicularia dubyana Santa Claus
Fissidens fontanus
Utricularia graminifolia
Bolbitis heteroclita difformis
Bolbitis sp. 'Buea' (Didymoglossum erosum)

Midground:
Rotala Mexicana Goias
Bucephalandra
Bolbitis heudelotii
Rotala mini type 2 🙁 not good..
Pygmea Nymphea Rosennymphe Bonsai

Background
Rotala Indica 'Bonsai'
Elodea (Want some clippings?)
Lilaepsis Brasiliensis
echinodorus dschungelstar nr 2 kleiner bär

Above water
Myosotis scorpioides (Myosotis palustris)
Asplenium ruta muraria
Unknown (for now) terrestrial moss





I need a name for him.. Lol.. Any ideas? (not the snail, but the monster in the back)




I start with breeding some Cladocera's for a few weeks. And then fish, they will think they are dreaming when i put theme in there. Abducted by an alien and then this.

Desired fish: (3 species only) we shall see no hurries no worries..
Corydoras habrosus? (maybe to big for effectively 45 liter)
Corydoras pygmeas?
Corydoras hastatus?

Otocinclus Affinis (absolutely yes)

Axelrodia riesei?
Tucanoichthys tucano?
Hyphessobrycon roseus?
Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi?
Hyphessobrycon amandae?


The best i keep for last in another forum section. 🙂 all around the tank is'n ready yet.. It's all DIY.. Got LED lights, still working on the stand or hang.. There is a inline heating comming. And also the filter + regulated pump and Co2 is part DIY. All runs on a converted ATX power supply on 12 volts. Not sure when, also have some other obligantions. But it will be soon.. For now there will be rest. So i can dive in the Think Tank..

BTW: Never use a cheap tank 🙁 got pain in my eyes.. Wobbly sob..

So goodnight. For now

 

[riky404]

Hello ! nice to meet you , feel free to ask something if you want !

 

[zozo]

Thanks Riky 🙂 I'll keep that in mind..

A good thing i (semi) dry started the tank (and filter) for a 5 weeks. It was more like a swampy start than a dry one. The soil is allready cycled and now 13 days later after the first total fill up it's clear and established. No peaks and no stuff in there which doesn't belong. It's healthy and thriving and stable. Co2 level is perfect, Ph 6.6 Kh 3-4 Gh 4

The hairgrass is bubbling happily and shooting roots.


Cuba also feels very much at home and very dense.


mosses, bolbitis's and the rotala mexicana goias also like to grow.


Those 3 kind of Bolbitis o got where imported from Camaron and had some hair algea.. Added some amano shrimps and have to say. They are darn good cleaners, after 3 days i have a hard time to find some hair algea back. You realy see them shred it to pieces.. Wonderfull lovely creachers..

I had some draw back on some rotala's like the indica

I do not know why this particular place it's melting a bit. At the other side of the tank there also a bush of the same doing very well. Maybe it's the shade of the tree causing it. But it seems it setlled now. Still got to hang the lights, a stand wont work with the tree sticking out so far. Got to fix that this week..

Almost all rotala marcandra mini melted away.. But if i'm lucky and i think i am. There still are some tiny shoots left wich look healthy and stable. Hopefully they hold on.


Nymphea realy is shining on her stage and reaching for the spotlights.. She's wonderfull and colorfull, from redish pink lightgreen and yellow, wondering when and how she's going to flower.. If she goes on in this grow rate it will be in a few weeks..


Also above water it is willing to grow as you can see.


Sudenly i found a small piece of anubias floating around. Don't know where it came from but now it has its place on the tree as well


Remembered some old trick grandma taught me.. To use some strings of real wool they just hang a few milimeters in the water soaking water to the top and feeding all above the water level. Works like a charme.. And looks quite natural, it also is a holdon for the Fisidens fontanis to grow up to and keep moist enouch.

Over all im a very happy camper.. And im not the only one.
Look at hoover snail, doing his balancing trick..


Hahaha and this is my most important water tester 🙂

As long he prefers this above tap water i'm good..

 

[DoubleDutch]

Ziet er goed uit zeg. Looks great !!! What brand is your watertester ??? Hahahaha
Regards Aad

 

[zozo]

Ziet er goed uit zeg. Looks great !!! What brand is your watertester ??? Hahahaha
Regards Aad

Dankjewel 🙂 thanks.. That's my Cyper Red Amonia Sniffer. Have to stick a thermometer in and if temperature rises i need a water change.

 

[Ryan Thang To]

Welcome to ukaps. Lovely tank. I love the emersed grow

Cheers
Ryan

 

[zozo]

I think im done adding plants now 🙂.. And this is 11 days after the last full shot from above its growing happily.

Added some Lilaepsis Brasiliensis and Hippuris in the left midground and some Potamogeton gayi in the right background.

Now it's time to finish the technical issues around the tank.. Kinda building a tank around a scape. 🙂
I want that uggly heater gone..

 

[Marc Chandler]

Looking great zozo, ha ha my cat is always drinking from the aquariums to I guess the water is pretty good having been cleaned by the filter and then the plants 🙂

 

[zozo]

Thanks Marc. 🙂 Nice compliment comming from someone artistic as you are.. These photo's are already bit outdated.. Soem things have changed after the algae battle and all the trimming.. Replaced some plants that didn''t realy work out or didn't survive the start up. And added some other stuff as well. I'll update soon.. Maybe make a journal, still got pictures from the build in the begining. 🙂 But still waiting for some eye catchers and new plants to establish a bit more..

I got 2 cats they both drink only from the tank or the pond.. Tap water is to dirty for them it seems.. Or rather no taste..

 

[Marc Chandler]

I would love to get my hands on Bolbitis heteroclita difformis you guys are lucky to have access to it over there. We sadly don't have this plant or it is extremely rare I have never seen it. We do have our on native mini Bolbitis but it is very temperamental in my opinion.

 

[Marc Chandler]

A journal sounds good 🙂 looking forward to it.

 

[zozo]

If i wasnt such a bad journal writer it would already be done.. But i need some time to prepare.. 🙂
Here's a teaser, this is from a minute ago. Last week replaced some HC with Monte Carlo added some staurygene repens and some more Utricularia which almost all melted away. Since the rotala's got so big did cut the Myriophyllum brasiliensis out.

 

[Marc Chandler]

Oh wow very nice that Nymphea has skyrocketed for the surface hasn't it.

 

[zozo]

Yup 🙂 and keeps comming.. has 8 floaters and did cut the same amount away, number 9 is comming. She grows about 2 a week. That leaf you see sticking up will float tomorow. Crazy how fast they grow.. But i'm afraid i have to much water movemnet to make her flower. I while back i tought she would but i was wrong.