micr0's 12 Gallon Long

[micr0]

Hi all - Inspired by some of the amazing tanks on display in this forum, I have finally started my first high-tech rimless aquarium. I love my Fluval Edge, but it has many limitations...my new tank has allowed me to pursue the type of scape I have always admired from afar.

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Video 10/17/12:

High Light/CO2 Planted 12 Gallon Long UPDATE 10/17/12 - YouTube

High Light/CO2 Planted 12 Gallon Long UPDATE 10/17/12 - YouTube

Specs:
Mr. Aqua 12 gallon long rimless aquarium
30 lbs 50/50 Black Flourite, Black Flourite Sand
Eheim 2215 canister filter
Koralia nano powerhead x2
2x Archea 36 watt compact fluorescent clamp on lights
GLA Primo 10lb CO2 system with 55mm atomic diffuser.
Dry dosing EI daily plus a little excel

Current Flora:
Cryptocoryne nurii
Cryptocoryne affinis
Cryptocoryne hudoroi
Pogostemon helferi
Fissidens fontanus
Hyptis Lorentziana
Persicaria "Sao Paulo"
Staurogyne repens
Ludwigia sp.

Current Fauna:
Otocinclus
Ember tetras
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Original Post:

Specs:
Mr. Aqua 12 gallon long rimless aquarium
30 lbs 50/50 Black Flourite, Black Flourite Sand
Locally collected stone, wood
Zoo Med 501 canister filter
Koralia nano powerhead
2x Archea 36 watt compact fluorescent clamp on lights
Fluval Edge 25 watt heater
Fluval 88g CO2 system- To be replaced in a week or so with a GLA Primo 10lb system with 55mm atomic diffuser.
$10 Drop checker- To be replaced with a Cal Aqua Clip-n
Currently dosing Pfertz every other day- will DIY with these bottles once I run out.

Flora:
Hemianthus callitrichoides
Fissidens fontanus
Hydrocotyle sp
Staurogyne repens

Fauna:
2x Amano shrimp
Still considering my options

And now for the pics:

11-1-11


11-2-11


11-6-11
swapped out bulky heater.


11-11-11


11-15-11
Decided to nix the red ludwigia. Also my fluval diffuser busted so here you can see my chopstick + powerhead temporary solution.


11-18-11


11-29-11
removed the rest of the taller stems. I wasn't necessarily going for a textbook Iwagumi, but I do want to keep things low for now.






As always I appreciate any comments or questions. Thanks for looking!

[mscichlid]

Beautiful and serene! Loving this tank. I've had hopes of getting one of these tanks. You've done a splendid job.

A mass of Chili rasboras would be a nice finishing touch.

[plecostomouse]

looks sweet!
i like hydrotoctyle on the hill.
i think that the wood you are using as a tree could be thicker.

[talontsiawd]

That looks really "serene", I don't know how to say it, just very peaceful.

I agree that the tree could be thicker but I love the way it "flows". You don't even need to replace what you have, just add a "trunk" and when the moss fills in, it shouldn't really matter that you added a piece.

I think it would be cool if you added some stems with fine leaves and trimmed a few "bushes". You could add some color then without messing up the scale. I really like the colors in the earlier pictures but your layout feels more "real" now.


I do think it would look nicer if you leveled the substrate on the front glass. Other than that, I really like this tank. It's a different take on a few different styles.

[sc91006]

Man your HC is really taking off. Mines can't compare to yours. Can you tell me how you are fertilizing, how much CO2 and what is your lighting period?

Just curious, isn't it a bit too close to the window? The 1st pic shows direct sunlight into the tank.

I also agree with the others, it is really ZEN like. Keep up the excellent work.

[freph]

Ditto to the HC comment. I wish mine would spread that fast.

[micr0]

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions.

I totally agree about the wood, especially for structural reasons...the fissidens is getting heavier haha. The stauro is placed at the base so that the roots grow around and secure the branches. Finding the perfect piece of manzanita or something similar is definitely "on the list".

As for additional plants, I plan on it...just not sure what yet. I saw an incredible competition tank online a while back that had the look of an overgrown meadow - in a good way. I was going to aim for this direction but I'm open to some mid ground plants. I had 2 crowns of downoi early on that didn't make it...but this might be due to them arriving earlier than expected and being stuck in the low light edge for almost a week.

Bahugo hooked me up with the HC which was emersed grown. I didn't have the patience for a dry start so I just went for it and it transitioned to submersed life without issue. A little algae here and there but the growth outpaces any damage.

Fert/light cycle: Pfertz npk + m (4 bottles) dosed per directions (1 pump of each every other day, 2 pumps after weekly WC). Oh, and I also have some pfertz root tabs in there.

Light cycle is usually around 9-10 hours per day. I start CO2 30 min before the lights come on and run it at 1.5-2 bps. I turn it off at night.

The window faces SW and only gets an hour or so of direct light in the afternoon that is dappled through the trees out my window. It doesn't seem to effect the tank. I had my Edge in the same spot for months without problems...in fact plants would pearl like crazy during that hour.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

[driftwoods]

Tank looks great filling in real nice for you.

[freph]

Hmm. Must be some magic going on in this tank....I never see my HC pearl anymore. Ah well.

[fusiongt]

Looks great! I'll definitely be following this. I actually preferred the 11-6-11 because it looked like a pretty Japanese garden. It's pretty now with it all grown out but I think some red looks really nice in there like you had it. I have one of those archea lights and it actually looks really awesome side by side like you have it... something I'll definitely consider if I get a long tank like that!

[micr0]

Originally Posted by fusiongt

Looks great! I'll definitely be following this. I actually preferred the 11-6-11 because it looked like a pretty Japanese garden. It's pretty now with it all grown out but I think some red looks really nice in there like you had it. I have one of those archea lights and it actually looks really awesome side by side like you have it... something I'll definitely consider if I get a long tank like that!

Thanks. I liked the color, but I ended up feeling like the ludwigia was competing with the tree...and the aerial roots it kept growing were driving me crazy!

[aXio]

Very nice

[fusiongt]

Have you thought about what kind of fish you'll be adding? I mentioned how I thought the red looked good - maybe some kind of small red fish? =)

[micr0]

I think one of my advantages with this aquarium is that I work from home (I'm an artist), so the tank gets a lot of attention. It's right next to my painting table and I can address any problems very quickly.

Originally Posted by fusiongt

Have you thought about what kind of fish you'll be adding? I mentioned how I thought the red looked good - maybe some kind of small red fish? =)

I do love Chili rasboras as suggested...but I already have a school of 11 in my other tank. They are just stunning in person.

Right now I'm still deciding whether to make this a shrimp only tank or not. Either way I plan on including OEBT or nice CRS/CBS.

If I do add fish, I'm thinking of either celestial pearls, gertrudae rainbows (not sure if this is enough space for them), or maybe even gardeneri killifish. I also love hastatus cories. Can never go wrong with cardinals either. Opinions?

[GitMoe]

3 weeks from a bare tank to an almost full carpet. Very impressive. I've never been able to get HC to grow that fast. Gorgeous tank. Very well executed.