Insularium/tartatium opinions

[Aqua360]

Hi all,

I recently got the chance to get my hands on a ciano tartatium 40, pretty low height aquarium that I've seen put to great effect in a thread by George Farmer.

I just wondered if anyone could recommend some terrestrial plants they might try, as I'd like to explore that side of the hobby, from the great wabi kusas I've seen.

Plan on getting a cheap clip on light from eBay, but really just testing the waters at this point 🙂

Incidentally, these tanks are super cheap online, this one cost £20 + £2 delivery; I'll get pics up when it gets delivered on Thursday!

 

[Aqua360]

P.s I realise George's insularium was a different brand aquarium entirely, I just meant concept wise 🙂

 

[Nelson]

Have a look in journals for Green fingers 60cm shallow wabi kusa 😉.

 

[Aqua360]

Hi all, just thought I'd deliver an update on this, as seen from the pics below

 

[Aqua360]

and on a bit

 

[Aqua360]

still struggling for ideas on this tank, the volume is roughly 10 litres i believe; but with good surface area. I removed the bit of wood to allow me easier access, it's also functioning as a betta hospital tank just now. Very tempted to stick some co2 in, and perhaps go for a shallow iwagumi; lighting is 9w, may opt for two lights, and do a monte carlo carpet, or stick with the gravel and sand; and maybe try my hand at crystal red shrimp 😀

suggestions welcome!

 

[alto]

Did you remove the white corner edging? (looked at Ciano terrariums on website ) - or are they just optional "legs"?

It's a nice shape.

FWIW I grew M 'Monte Carlo' & M crenata carpet without CO2, had the water level at ~10cm, filtered sunlight (East window), no filter (not intentional, jut got busy), Tropica GS & Powder Soil
Filled the tank when carpet was mostly grown in (~3 weeks later), added Sicce Micron filter & heater ... everything has just kept on growing etc - I thought I'd need to add CO2 etc

I've also not added any fertilzers & rarely water change ... keep promising but then suddenly another week has slipped by ...

Shrimp added when tank was filled - they tidied up the soft green algae that was on rocks & some in carpet - plant leafs seemed clean, the algae seemed to be supporting itself (would eventually block light to Monte Carlo etc I suspect), it did syphon but I left it for shrimps & nerite snail

Once filled, tank grew nice algae walls that shrimp ignored, after a couple weeks (& now 4 green walls) I added young oto's - they seem happy & well fed & glass is kept clean

I haven't figured out how to take a picture that isn't completely altered by reflections - the downside of sunlight as your tank light 😉

This tank has been a great surprise - stem plants are slow growing & much smaller than in the CO2 etc tanks, but look healthy
1-2-Grow R macrandra is ~12cm tall now (tank is ADA 30cm cube), more green & stained pink rather than red
1-2-Grow Pogostemon erectus ~4-5 cm (shaded by rock & on the "room side")
1-2-Grow H siamensis 53B - I trimmed it back to substrate so it's low & bushy BUT need to start feeding the Otos as just realized they've been working a bit too much on this plant 😳

 

[Aqua360]

Did you remove the white corner edging? (looked at Ciano terrariums on website ) - or are they just optional "legs"?

It's a nice shape.

FWIW I grew M 'Monte Carlo' & M crenata carpet without CO2, had the water level at ~10cm, filtered sunlight (East window), no filter (not intentional, jut got busy), Tropica GS & Powder Soil
Filled the tank when carpet was mostly grown in (~3 weeks later), added Sicce Micron filter & heater ... everything has just kept on growing etc - I thought I'd need to add CO2 etc

I've also not added any fertilzers & rarely water change ... keep promising but then suddenly another week has slipped by ...

Shrimp added when tank was filled - they tidied up the soft green algae that was on rocks & some in carpet - plant leafs seemed clean, the algae seemed to be supporting itself (would eventually block light to Monte Carlo etc I suspect), it did syphon but I left it for shrimps & nerite snail

Once filled, tank grew nice algae walls that shrimp ignored, after a couple weeks (& now 4 green walls) I added young oto's - they seem happy & well fed & glass is kept clean

I haven't figured out how to take a picture that isn't completely altered by reflections - the downside of sunlight as your tank light 😉

This tank has been a great surprise - stem plants are slow growing & much smaller than in the CO2 etc tanks, but look healthy
1-2-Grow R macrandra is ~12cm tall now (tank is ADA 30cm cube), more green & stained pink rather than red
1-2-Grow Pogostemon erectus ~4-5 cm (shaded by rock & on the "room side")
1-2-Grow H siamensis 53B - I trimmed it back to substrate so it's low & bushy BUT need to start feeding the Otos as just realized they've been working a bit too much on this plant 😳

Thankfully the white bits are optional! 😀

I've had the same experience with Monte Carlo in my Betta tank, no co2...don't know why I didn't think of that before lol