ADA Mini-L: Elements

[ZooTycoonMaster]

I see you have the Red Sea Drop Checker...where'd you get it? And where'd you get the 4dkh solution?

[@marko@]

which hairgrass is that?
if you are growing e. acicularis (dwarf hairgrass), you may want to try e. belem. it tends to grow slower, and the leaves are thinner, so it looks nice in nanos.

4kh solution is easy to make. take a bottle of distilled water bought at a store, get out you test kit and slowly add baking soda bit by bit. you end up with a gallon of 4kh water (that little bit of baking soda does nothing to taste and such, so you can still drink it).

[Ugly Genius]

Thanks, Outlaw! I'm starting to see that while this tank is proving to be a monumental pain in the ass, it is also giving me a sense of accomplishment in that I am getting the upper hand on quite a few types of algae. This tank has/had them all. The only one it doesn't have is green water. (The only one I don't want to eradicate is BBA. I love how it looks on the driftwood.)
I'm very happy with this hardscape and that is helping me to not tear it down and start over. (Although I really wish I had used Mini Microsword instead of Japanese Hairgrass. I knew at the time that Mini Microsword was the way to go, but I was jacked to use JHG.)

Hey, Zoo. I got the drop checker at Aquatic Central here in the City. The solution came with it. The pain in the butt thing about drop checkers is that if you're not watching your tank twenty-four/seven, all they reveal to you is you need a pH monitor attached to your setup to regulate CO2.

Hey, @marko@. Japanese Hairgrass which, I think, is belem. It grows about an inch and a half high and curls downward.
I'm not too fond of it though. My carpet of choice is Mini Microsword. It's the perfect carpet plant for me right now. Slow growing, pretty, and easily trimmable.

[Craigthor]

UG your algae looks like Spirogyira. A 3-4 day black otu will kill most of it off.

[Karackle]

This tank is unbelievably cool to look at. It's so dark and haunting but lush and green at the same time. Even some of the algae looks like moss on trees in a dark forest that is supposed to be there. I dig it.

[Ugly Genius]

Thanks, Craig. I may try that some day.

Thanks, Karackle!

Despite the carpet that I hate, this tank is coming along.

I don't think I'll ever use another Hairgrass carpet.

I've still got BBA, but I kind of like it, so I'm not actively trying to fight it.
One thing I noticed is that plants grow faster in larger tanks. In here, virtually every plant grows twice as fast as it would in a Mini-S and Mini-M. I attribute this to larger light source and better CO2 saturation.

[ddtran46]

Woah!! This tank looks so mysterious and creepy. I like it

[Ugly Genius]

Thanks, ddtran!

A cool shot I took today.

[Ugly Genius]

Just set this little guy up.

Simple. A lawn of Christmas Moss and a Special Fern. Lighted by thirteen watts and fed by AS and Excel.

I probably have close to ten jars/containers/bowls/cups filled with plants all throughout the house.

Thank God I'm not a cat person.

[Craigthor]

Nice Jar UG. I've been thinging of doing that with a jar some AS and a bit of christmas moss I have laying around and just set it in the window sill.

craig

[Ugly Genius]

Thanks, Craig.
I've got another jar with AS and Flame Moss that I keep on a window sill.

Thinking of adding an Oscar once the cycle's completed.

[Craigthor]

Originally Posted by Ugly Genius

Thanks, Craig.
I've got another jar with AS and Flame Moss that I keep on a window sill.

Thinking of adding an Oscar once the cycle's completed.

I think a Pacu would fit better.

[legomaniac89]

Originally Posted by Ugly Genius

Thanks, Craig.
I've got another jar with AS and Flame Moss that I keep on a window sill.

Thinking of adding an Oscar once the cycle's completed.

Do it. I dare you

[Karackle]

Don't you think that tank is a bit BIG for an oscar? Overkill IMHO, you could definitely go smaller.

[Reginald2]

Maybe a petite oscar? Oscarious madeupious