The Grotto (Formerly Ghetto Badis)

[Henry]

Hello all, I've decided to start another tank, since my last nano went completely belly up (CO2 ran out, no money to replace. Big mess). This time, I've decided to use a long, shallow tank in an attempt to create a better sense of scale. Unfortunately, I'm a student on a very tight budget, so things are a wee bit ghetto, as you'll see...



The lights are 2x18w T8's I've had since I started keeping fish, housed inside a very DIY reflector made from guttering, foil tape, and a wire coat hanger! These are then suspended from an Argos £9 clothes rail. Told you it was ghetto!

CO2 is a little more high tech, injected from an FE into a Fluval 88g. Ferts are EI dosed in salt form.

Plants will consist of a Glosso foreground, with some low stem to fill out the mid and background.

Heres my preliminary hardscape idea


It's a little symmetical, admittedly, but I've given myself plenty of time to jig things around 'til everything is just right. I am, however, after some 'Mini Landscape Rock' small enough to compliment the wood, is the stuff from AquaEssentials small enough?

Anyways, more to come!

 

[MirandaB]

Great idea with the Argos clothes rail Henry might have to try that myself!
You could email Richard at AE and see if they can find you small bits of mini landscape rock if you specify the size

 

[Deano3]

Hi henry I got that rock from AE and as Miranda says I emailed and said exactly what I was looking for and it was great got exactly what I asked for so just do that, will be watching for updates and great idea with the clothes rail lol love it

Dean

 

[Wallace]

Rockin' the clothes rail!

I'm a fan of the ghetto look, and have been using the exact same thing to suspend my light from for months. Works perfectly, and height adjustable too!


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[Henry]

Not a lot done today, since I've got Uni work to do, but a few notable things have gone on. I ordered an Eheim 2213 in the wee hours of last night, pretty much seconds after my student loan went in; nice cheap bean curry for tea from now on
I couldn't decide between the Rena XP1 and the Eheim, but settled on the latter due to the reputation they have among various other factors (basically just always wanted to see what the fuss was about). I was also concerned by the high output of the Rena disturbing my future occupants; Dario Dario/Scarlet Badis.

I got round to potting up my salvaged cuttings from the previous tank, having previous just left them floating around. This way, they will get back to good health and grow in the right direction.

Not too exciting, but pictures are fun.




Also, my lovely "eBay special" tweezers and curved scissors turned up. Well chuffed, considering they were only a fiver. I can see why people use them now, they make everything so much easier!

More irrelevant crap tomorrow.

 

[Claire]

I'm a student too so loving a bit of ghetto madness!

 

[Henry]

I should mention that I bought the Eheim due to my Fluval 105 being retired after 8 years of service. The taps leak slightly when moved, so I figured the £75 quid I spend on a new filter will save me losing my bond when I ruin the laminate flooring at my hoose!

Just thought I'd say, since it's not quite in keeping with the ghetto spirit.

Thanks for likes and comments.

 

[Claire]

Haha, you rebel you! I got my 2213 second hand off fleabay

 

[James O]

Cool start. Saw your thread title and this came instantly to mind

 

[Henry]

Went to Dobbies garden centre today and bought myself some Coniston slate, which was then bashed to pieces to create some new hardscape ideas. The pictures aren't great since the camera on my phone seems to be incapable of focusing properly, but you get the idea.

What do you think?







Also, I've cranked the light and CO2 on my 'plant nursery', and I've got lots of new growth Can't wait to get this tank set up!

 

[tim]

Really like number 3.

 

[James D]

I agree with Tim, that third one looks great.

 

[Henry]

I'm inclined to agree with both of you, I'm just a little concerned that I'll struggle with getting the CO2 around the tank effectively with so much hardscape. The white line at the front indicates where the edge of the tank is, width and depth. Buuuuut......

....my Eheim arrived today!!!! Well chuffed with it. Everything about it feels much higher quality than any filter I've had before, and the media looks excellent. I can't wait to get it set up and see how it compares to the aging 105. I should also be in receipt of some nice Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis 53B' tomorrow, which should be a nice bushy background for the hardscape.

There might be a lull in updates for a while, since I can't set the tank up properly until I move back to my uni accomodation. If anything interesting occurs, I'll put it up here.

 

[aliclarke86]

Is that a grinder on your bed?

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[Henry]

Is that a grinder on your bed?

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Haha! No! It's a pot of hair gunk. Those days are behind me...kind of....

 

[Mark Green]

Really like number 2, could be a nice island scape. The dw pointing up on the right-hand side just looks unnatural at the end. If you can change that it may give the scape more flow(im no expert,just an opinion). Plus with an island shape you will not have any problems with flow around your tank.

Have fun playing with the dw, try lots of ideas because when you flood its a bit messy if you decide to change.

 

[Henry]

Right, setup day looms, so I've come up with what I think is my final hardscape idea. I bought some mini landscape rock and some more bits of wood in hope of creating something a little more dramatic. I've always loved the "cove" type 'scapes that have huge, dramatic changes in substrate height etc, so here's me having a go at one myself.

I'm fully prepared for "unbalanced 'scape" comments; I have a plan



Yes the glass is dirty, yes the substrate is uneven and there's not enough of it, but imagine a dense carpet spreading all the way around the hardscape, with some bushy plants to highlight, nice bit of H. tripartita cascading down beside the wood, and a bush of H. siamensis 53B across the top growing up out of the water.

I've had a couple of lemonades and I'm getting overexcited

 

[GabrossIV]

I like it very much!
Iam waiting to see this full of nice plants!

 

[Lindy]

I like it too!

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[Henry]

Well, here it is. Kinda think this tank isn't big enough to pull it off. This scape has a limited lifespan anyway, since I'll be moving in September, so I'll just let it run and see how it goes...