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Steve's Opti-white Nano - Ikita Kaseki

Steve Smith

Steve Smith

Member
Joined
19 Jul 2007
Messages
4,412
Location
Wellesbourne, UK.
After I moved house last month, I decided to re-do my very neglected opti-white nano. I went for a wood scape, using some redmoor and manzanite wood. Unfortunately, due to lack of certain hardware/CO2 it's already gone pearshaped :lol: Anyhow, I've decided to rip that down and do it again. I've just recieved a large portion of HC from the for sale section of the forums, so wanted to give this a proper go.

Specs:

TGM Optiwhite Nano on ADA style cabinet (brilliant quality tank and stand!)
TGM Fossilised wood
ADA Aquasoil Amazonia 1 (powder)
Azoo HOB filter (have issues with my Eheim external at the moment)
Pressurised CO2 via DO!Aqua music glass
18w Superfish PL light

Planting will be purely HC (and possibly some hairgrass of some sort, as it's mixed in with the HC!)

I'm thinking this will be a shrimp tank. I'd really like to breed some RCS, and I think this might be the perfect tank for it :) I'll probably start with cherries though! (Calling LondonDragon!!)

Heres a quick shot of the hardscape I've been playing with in a tray of gravel (appologies for the dark photo):

Layout1.jpg
 
Re: Steve's Opti-white Nano

Already sounds great :thumbup: . I would have loved to have got hold of one of those TGM nano cabinet/tank combos but sadly I'm from many many miles away from them. They were doing them for £99 at one stage too?!
 
Re: Steve's Opti-white Nano

Looking good Steve!

Would be perfect for shrimp!
 
Re: Steve's Opti-white Nano

Hah! Yes, it's a little similar to TGM's long tank but when I bought this opti-white setup, and fossilised wood, I initially set it up much more similar to that tank. This is the original hardscape from last year:

Opti_Nano_Hardscape.jpg


I wanted to go for more of an iwagumi look, but the pieces I have are quite specific to that previous scape. I've broken up one piece, but didn't have time last night to do more (a bit late in the eve to be hammering stuff to pieces :lol: )

I'm still working on the layout. Having looked at the photos I've taken (following Saintly's example), it looks a little too "organised". It's difficult when you have such a tiny space, and equally when the tank is quite tall for it's size.

A challenge I relish conquering :)
 
Re: Steve's Opti-white Nano

I think I've got a layout I like :) I sat playing about with the fossil wood this evening whilst cooking dinner and managed to get something I liked (after I'd smashed up a few bits :lol:) I then proceeded to fiddle a bit more and cocked up what I'd created. This is often for the better though, as what I have now is far better I feel!

Layout2.jpg


Slightly photochopped and heavily fiddled with due to poor light. Couldn't get a decent photo using a flash so had to go for some horrid exposure time - 1/15 Shutter, F/5.0, ISO 400 :wideyed:
 
Re: Steve's Opti-white Nano

Steve

Looks really natural now and not so linear, it just shows even thought you are only playing with a few rocks there are so many options.
 
Re: Steve's Opti-white Nano

Andy tries not to laugh as Steves joke......... :? :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Re: Steve's Opti-white Nano

Ok, I spent some time this evening sorting out the tank. I cleaned it out on Sunday, and tonight I rinsed the old Aqua Soil. Unfortunately I had a mix of normal and powder in the last scape, using some old normal sized to pad out the new powder I'd bought. This time though, I have capped the old AS with some new powder as I still had some left over :)

Final_Hardscape.jpg
 
Re: Steve's Opti-white Nano

Looking Good Steve!

what ya planting?
 
Re: Steve's Opti-white Nano

andyh said:
what ya planting?
Click to expand...

Thanks :)

HC. Nothing but HC :lol: Determined to grow it properly for once! It's a tried and tested look, I just want to tick that iwagumi/HC box :) I could mix things up and use some E. Parvula, but we'll see how it looks/if it grows!

The next problem I have is fitting all of the equipment into the cabinet. Struggling at the moment, although I've managed to cram an Eheim 2213 and a 2kg fire extinguisher into it so far. If only I could shoe-horn the external heater in, I'd be happy :crazy:
 
Re: Steve's Opti-white Nano

Does a hydor not fit in there?! I thought there'd be plenty of space, vertically at least.
 
Re: Steve's Opti-white Nano

Garuf said:
Does a hydor not fit in there?! I thought there'd be plenty of space, vertically at least.
Click to expand...

It might just, but it's the plumbing that's an issue. The cabinet is less than 20cm deep! Getting the filter tubing to contort to the right places might be difficult without it kinking. I'm up for the challenge though ;)

Thanks Jase :) It's great fun trying to smash this stuff up, without it dissintegrating into tiny bits! And without it taking your eye out (safety first people! :geek: ) It smells like flint when you hit it with a hammer, and sparks like it too!
 
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