Unnamed Low Tech Nano

[Deer]

My first journal!
Also my first "proper" aquascape, after fiddling around with planted tanks for the past 3 years finally decided to make one that I'll want to keep maintaining. I'll be tearing up my old tank as its being donated to the parents goldfish so the fish and a lot of the plants are coming from there.

Equipment
Tank Dennerle 30l Nano
Filter generic hang on 260L/H FILTER
Aquael Heatzone heater
7w hang on light 6500K

substrate
Seachem Flourite Black Sand

Hardscape
redmoor root
dragon stone (arriving tomorrow so yet to decide on positions!)

Plants
anubias nana
java fern
micranthemum umbrosum
staurogyne repens
marsilea crenata
eleocharis sp mini
fissidens fontanus
unidentified moss in current tank

Fauna
cherry shrimp
my old (and greying!) betta fish
couple of ottos

Waiting on the substrate, stone and a couple of the new plants arriving this week so will have to restrain myself until they are here... I hate waiting!

Here's a quick photo of the tank with the wood in it for just now, wood is currently soaking in a bucket at the moment.

 

[Dominic]

Looking good mate, wood looks good too

 

[Deer]

Thanks! I have an idea in my head of what I want already, lots of the anubias and java mounted on the wood and stones and I'm totally ITCHING to get started!
Staurogyne repens arrived today and main delivery of substrate and rock is meant to arrive in 2 hours. I have 2 assignments due for this Monday coming but I think they might get put on the back burner due to this tank!

 

[Dominic]

Hahahahahahahaha tell me about it, the other week in the easter holidays I had like umpteen assignments and deadlines for the first day back, i think i spent too much time on my new tank... oh well! haha

 

[Deer]

Quick update. After a mix up yesterday finally had my substrate delivered today, but unfortunately a bit too late to get started as my work begins at 6pm.
Been fiddling about with positions for the hardscape,





Please excuse the crap phone quality.
Stuck between 1 and 2, I do like 2 a lot but it just seems too central. Any thoughts?

 

[Deer]

Planted up tank last night, pictures to come!

 

[1stgolf]

What layout did you end up going with?

 

[Deer]

I went with the 2nd layout, after much faffing about it was the only one that seemed to work well enough!

I think the carpet is looking terrible right now, maybe due to the height? Overall a really messy look. I should have trimmed the monte carlo before planting I think! I might give it a snip later on today and replant the trimmings.
It was the first time I've used superglue instead of tying moss, that's fissidens you can see with the white patches. After looking at a few tutorials it looks pretty scrappy for the first few months until it grows in but it does look really great once the glue starts to degrade and the moss has taken hold. Combination of java moss and an unknown species is the more bushy at the back, I think I want most of the top trunk covered in a thin bush of that with some emersed growth coming out the top. I might grab a fern or two from my gecko's vivarium to see how they fare with roots in water. The soil is so damp in there it might feel at home.
The space between the "roots" is looking a bit pathetically bare to my eyes as well but I'm expecting more anubias nana this week so hopefully that will fill it out a bit more.
I'm so glad I got a complete substrate rather than using soil with a cap as I can envisage future rescapes, and no matter how slight it always ended with a cloud of soil floating about!
Overall its still 100 times better than my previous scapes and I'm fairly pleased with the first result. What a difference a proper tank and hardscape makes!

 

[Deer]

Looking a teeny bit tidier now, trimmed the monte carlo and stuck in back in so all the carpet is roughly the same length now.

So happy with the staurogyne repens in between the branches, what a lovely plant.

I have a ton of moss on branches from my old tank that I think might be harbouring the majority of my shrimplets so going to reduce the water level and stick it around the top of the trunk. It can get a trim in a weeks time or so to make it neater once the babies have dispersed into the tank. Should also help them hide from my betta but to be honest I think he may be well past his shrimp catching prime. Here is my other helper for catching the shrimp...

Will try to get some clearer shots tonight with the other half's iphone, my phone is the worst.

 

[Dominic]

looking great mate, gonna look awesome with a few shrimp in there! cute cat btw haha

 

[Deer]

Added in some larger anubias. Waters a bit cloudy as I disturbed the dirt while planting.

 

[Deer]

So almost a month on and I have noticed some small growth and improvements, especially with the monte carlo - so much faster than any other carpet I've had!
Looking to swap out the tetras for some chilli raspbora as I think they'll suit the scale better, as soon as I find them a good home.

Any tips and tricks for moving tanks to a new flat? Upcoming move in a few weeks and I'd hate to have to tear this down![DOUBLEPOST=1402744459][/DOUBLEPOST]Also, big thanks to @justissaayman for the fissidens! Shrimp have been loving it.

 

[Alje]

Drain tank, seal with cling film, arrive at new property and refill. Done

 

[Deer]

Thanks! So much simpler than what I was imagining haha

 

[justissaayman]

Awesome

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Alje]

Don't make it any more complex than it needs to be, you will have enough on your plate with the move.
I would suggest that you do the driving and your other half can have the tank on her lap!
(I'm assuming it's not far between properties)

 

[Deer]

Thats a good idea, although I'm not sure I trust him with my precious tank! I'll probably be the one holding tight as I can onto it - with a lizard tank at my feet as well! We don't have much furniture at least so no big removal men to worry about smashing things.

Heres a quick video of the tank and inhabitants at the moment.

 

[Dominic]

This is looking awesome! Nice one! good luck with the move too.

 

[Deer]

Thanks! I think its pretty good for my first "proper" aquascape! It looks pretty great in real life sitting in the living room.

 

[X3NiTH]

..........you do the driving and your other half can have the tank on her lap!
(I'm assuming it's not far between properties)

Please don't forget to ensure the passenger is wearing a seatbelt and that the passenger side airbag is disabled. Chain-mail from head to foot would be another good safety precaution.