Odds and end.

[chrismiller12341]

Ok soooooo here we go I was going to wait until everything was done. Then just post progress but I'm to impatient for all that . So this what I have it is a 8ish x4.5ish inch betta aquarium I had laying around. I was using it to grow a sheet of java moss to tie to some driftwood.

Then it struck me. My wife would love more than anything for me to start a new project.

So this is my new plan for this tank. I'm going to do a mini vivarium townhouse style (you'll see what I mean). I have some wood (I always smile when I say that). Two main pieces that I plan to use. I'm going to ask you to use your imagination a little because I'm not quite ready to disturb the moss. Here are the two pieces that I am going to use.

I tried to draw how the base piece would be positioned. The twisted piece is going to be a second level.

Like this. It will be secured to the base by a dowel I will drill holes for after I cut it to correct height that works the best. It will be positioned so it is in the corner. One side will be on the back glass. The other will stretch to the left side glass. Like a wedge to give the largest footprint. That will become the second "level" (that's were the townhouse style comes in).

As for plants. I will take the jave moss and place the base wood under covering it in a carpet of java I might trim to leave some of the wood nubs exposed. On the second level I will place a small dish that will hold a small amount of water. That dish will be filled with Java and allowed to grow down the branch connecting the second level to the base. The aquarium has a glass cover and the humidity stays nice and high.

So in the end hopefully it will have a small angled body of water about an inch to an inch and a half deep. The base wood slopes from the point so if say a vampire crab was in the water it could easily climb out. The base would take up about 3/4 of the foot print. Then the second layer does two things add more square inchage (haha new word). Allows for heat regulation being able to be closer if necessary to the light source. And second provides the opposite as well if on the base under the overhang of the second floor will provide shelter from light and shade if necessary. Expecially if I grew some small draping stem plants that cascaded over the edge of the second floor.

Ok i hope I gave you guys and girls at least an idea of what I'm going for I just couldn't wait until I was done. But things are growing fast so I will be able to update often. Thanks for taking the time to check out my new project.

 

[Greenfinger2]

Hi Chrismiller, Great little project Looking forward to seeing the end result

 

[chrismiller12341]

OK so who didn't see this happening. I got impatient. Lol. So I cut the base wood and this is what I have so far. I want to see how the java moss acts in the humidity this tank has. The cuts turned out better than I thought I had to eyeball them. I moved the java moss more into the water since the picture to alow them to wick the water better. so it's not just humidity keeping them moist. Let's give it a few weeks and see what happens.

Oh ignore the crap in the backround I need to clean off the dresser. Lol

 

[Greenfinger2]

View attachment 84617

View attachment 84618

OK so who didn't see this happening. I got impatient. Lol. So I cut the base wood and this is what I have so far. I want to see how the java moss acts in the humidity this tank has. The cuts turned out better than I thought I had to eyeball them. I moved the java moss more into the water since the picture to alow them to wick the water better. so it's not just humidity keeping them moist. Let's give it a few weeks and see what happens.

Oh ignore the crap in the backround I need to clean off the dresser. Lol

Hi Chrismiller, It will look stunning in a few weeks

 

[chrismiller12341]

Thanks.

 

[chrismiller12341]

Ok so not such a good update. so my little project hit a snag. One I should have seen coming. Here it is.

White stuff on my wood. Lol (God I'm immature.) Back to business. So I was worried about my java so I placed some plastic wrap on the lid. And once a day I opened to allow an exchange of air.

This was my thinking. With my "mini mountain" project. I started with all my java submerged and allowed it to grow up the stone. Thus Letting it acclimate itself to open air at its own pace. And from past research on wabi's I remember people using plastic wrap to bring humidity to near 100%. And over weeks slowly drop the humidity until no top was needed. Afectivly acclimating the plants. With out much more to go on but that. I made the mistake of assuming "it's just that easy" and didn't take into account my personal experience with vivariums. Since I have no substrate. I can not seed with isopods or springtales which naturally feed on this. Also the inch of standing water that was a major part of the look I was going for is working against me.

How do others avoid this. I have read that it cant grow in acidic water. Can anyone confirm this. I have since removed the plastic wrap and I'm going to lower the java back into the water and repeat what I did for my previous project. As of now the mold is only growing on the cut ends the side in the picture and along the back. Not on the top or front side.

I can easily clean it off and put everything back. In the end I know it will just be back. What did I do wrong. I'm just playing around with this. This whole setup is more for me to learn with. And it looks like it is tossing lesson one at me pretty early in the game. Have any of you been thru this. And how did you fix it.
Thanx

Ps in the bottom left of the picture they are tiny bubbles. From the java moss.

 

[Greenfinger2]

Hi Chrismiller, This often happens I had mushrooms pop up once.Paint the mould with Carbo or Excel this will kill it off And leave an air gap this helps prevent the mould.

 

[chrismiller12341]

"Excel"lent thanks.

 

[chrismiller12341]

Here we go again. So with the mold issue I was having.( Which I did start to get a hold of). It had to go the tank is in my daughters/my room. Who is handicapped with lung disease. I sleep in her room on the floor so I am close if her alarms go off. I decided it was best to just not test things. Sooo new plan! .

I took the wood that was in there cleaned it up and stood it up on end and it looked great. I had a ton of java moss so with no water in the tank I spread it out and placed plastic canvas over it to create a carpet of java. And the wood was going to be the center piece. And who guessed it yep. The damn thing floats. So while I have that soaking. And by soaking I mean sitting and waiting for me to drill out the back and fill it with rocks becuase I am to impatient to wait for it water log . I had a neat rock I have in its place to hold down the plastic canvas. Here is a shot of what's going on now.

I know it's in need of cleaning my water is so hard I chew my coffee. And I don't have it full because I don't want the light to fight to reach the java.

Now what is interesting. Is the plant I have in there. I have pictures of what I'm talking about. After some research I found out that it is a wild violet.

It has a ryzome like anubius and It was in the soggy shaded part of my yard. So I said what the hell I tossed it in after I cleaned off all the dirt just to see what would happen. That was a few days ago there are no signs of melting it grew one new leaf. By judging it's speed it will be unfolded and open tomorrow. With more on the way. On top of that it has crazy root growth. Will it last I don't know but as of right now it is promising. If it does work out I just saved a lot on all the anubius I was planning on getting. I do like the look of the plant. One other thing I'm curious about is flowering. I know some plants don't flower submerged but will emeresed. If i get it to grow up and out on a piece of wood. I might be able to have the best of both worlds and get some flowers too. Here are some shots of the root growth.

All of the thick root was original. All of the hair like with bulbous white tip is new growth. As of three days ago after I placed in the water. I think that's a good amount of growth taking into account acclimating from being ripped out of the ground.

Let me know what you think. Side note after seeing the algae video I almost replaced the java with a sheet of algae I have access to. Lol