First Attempt - Planted Nano Tank

RobMc · 10-18-2012, 10:05 PM

Thanks AVN - It's just the stock Fluval Flora backdrop - Painted foam

Silmarwen · 10-18-2012, 10:14 PM

You've got a beautiful little tank there!

lauralou · 10-19-2012, 01:36 AM

What an awesome betta tank! I love it.

RobMc · 10-19-2012, 02:42 PM

Some water Stats:
Oct 19th
Ammonia 0.75 ppm
Nitrite 0.3 ppm
Nitrate <10 ppm
Hardness 75 ppm
Chlorine 0
Alkalinity Low (will have to read into this)
PH 7.0

Adding Tetra Bio-Spiro to accelerate cycling

RobMc · 10-31-2012, 02:33 PM

So the cycle kicked on and I've been reading a steady 20 ppm Nitrate 0 ppm amonia/nitrite. Whew.

Plants are growing nicely. The wisteria started reaching out of the tank so I topped them to fill out the back a bit more. May trim all of their broad "emerged" leaves off. The new growth was so much nicer to look at, and I'd like it to be more uniform. Anyone else for this?

The only plant I'm not happy with is the anubias, once the plants grow in I think the little nubi won't really fit. Looking for ideas on something bushy / red/purple.

Planted tank 2 weeks old:

Currently stocked with 1x Nerite 1x Apple 1x Betta and a hand full of cherry shrimp:

Unfortunately, the shrimp aren't feeling the camera this morning.

I should probably just make this a journal, huh?

RobMc · 11-28-2012, 03:44 AM

Shot of the growth to date before I ripped out the Wisteria... It grows too wildly and I wanted a spot of red.

I had thought all of the male RCS ended up in my Betta's belly, and was a bit disappointed when the females started to saddle.

Caught this sight tonight

And a shot of my happy betta, Angelo

Barnacles · 11-28-2012, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobMc

Shot of the growth to date before I ripped out the Wisteria... It grows too wildly and I wanted a spot of red.

I had thought all of the male RCS ended up in my Betta's belly, and was a bit disappointed when the females started to saddle.

Caught this sight tonight

And a shot of my happy betta, Angelo

That is such a nice tank.. I was going to get a Flora but didn't.. this makes me want one again.

RobMc · 11-28-2012, 12:33 PM

Thanks

The main complaints of the Flora is that it's packaged as an all included plant tank, but most of the stock equipment is no good. The filter is ugly, the CO2 system works but is not a long term solution (little paintball canisters) and the light is only 13W. That being said, the tank itself is beautiful - but I don't think you could grow more than low/low-mid light plants with it stock.

Green_Flash · 11-28-2012, 09:09 PM

excellent photography and the tank looks great.

STS_1OO · 11-29-2012, 01:57 AM

What are you using to get these spectacular shots?

Camera + settings would be a ton of help. Great tank and thanks!

RobMc · 11-30-2012, 08:22 PM

Hey, I use a Canon SD-790IS - standard auto WB / macro setting

Most of the magic happens in post - I use Adobe Lightroom to rebalance lighting / sharpen the image and when necessary remove noise.

That being said, canon's point and shoot line has excellent macro capabilities.

STS_1OO · 11-30-2012, 09:15 PM

Thanks for the information!

RobMc · 12-06-2012, 02:23 PM

Working on a slow re-scape - wasn't digging how quickly the wisteria overgrew the tank. The large leaves caused too many shading issues for a tank of this size. I've moved to ludwigias and they have started to grow in.

Attached is a shot just before the first trim:

Soon I'll remove all of the wisteria - right now it's just there to stave off the algae hordes

.

Neatfish · 12-06-2012, 03:21 PM

pretty cool.

STS_1OO · 12-08-2012, 12:10 AM

I concur. I had wisteria and it grew like a weed (just like a aquatic weed should grow). Unfortunately, in my low light setup, the Wisteria quickly grew cumbersome with roots sprouting from all levels of the stem and literally creating a mat of roots and completely shadowing all the growth below it.

It's my conclusion that Wisteria isn't appropriate for small tanks (I'd say even for 20G tall tanks). Granted, it looks great when compact and fresh (bright green with lush growth), it quickly becomes unsavory.

I prefer plants that keep their growth stable (ferms) and more manageable - especially in small tanks. I hate to continuously tear down scapes. I would suggest placing a healthy amount of Needle-leaf Java Fern where the Wisteria is now.

I do recommend getting a fair, established amount rather than a few nodes to grow out since it's a relatively slow grower.

10-18-2012, 10:14 PM	#47
Silmarwen Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ypsilanti, Michigan Posts: 423	You've got a beautiful little tank there! __________________ "Aquariums are like science, art, and hypno-therapy, all rolled into one," I insisted. "You're not putting a hundred gallon tank in the living room," my roommate replied. 10g "Community" of nothing but Danios - 2g (barely) planted Betta - 2.5g Betta - 1g Pond Snail Repository My aquascape style tends towards 'tall in the back, short in the front, lots and lots of green and stuff. And maybe a rock somewhere...'

10-31-2012, 02:33 PM	#50
RobMc Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 168	10-31 2 week update So the cycle kicked on and I've been reading a steady 20 ppm Nitrate 0 ppm amonia/nitrite. Whew. Plants are growing nicely. The wisteria started reaching out of the tank so I topped them to fill out the back a bit more. May trim all of their broad "emerged" leaves off. The new growth was so much nicer to look at, and I'd like it to be more uniform. Anyone else for this? The only plant I'm not happy with is the anubias, once the plants grow in I think the little nubi won't really fit. Looking for ideas on something bushy / red/purple. Planted tank 2 weeks old: Currently stocked with 1x Nerite 1x Apple 1x Betta and a hand full of cherry shrimp: Unfortunately, the shrimp aren't feeling the camera this morning. I should probably just make this a journal, huh?

12-06-2012, 03:21 PM	#59
Neatfish Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: TX Posts: 879	pretty cool. __________________ myfirstplanted29g Picotope3g

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10-18-2012, 10:05 PM	#46
RobMc Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 168	Thanks AVN - It's just the stock Fluval Flora backdrop - Painted foam

10-19-2012, 01:36 AM	#48
lauralou Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: May 2012 Location: Central VA Posts: 36	What an awesome betta tank! I love it.

10-19-2012, 02:42 PM	#49
RobMc Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 168	Some water Stats: Oct 19th Ammonia 0.75 ppm Nitrite 0.3 ppm Nitrate <10 ppm Hardness 75 ppm Chlorine 0 Alkalinity Low (will have to read into this) PH 7.0 Adding Tetra Bio-Spiro to accelerate cycling

11-28-2012, 03:44 AM	#51
RobMc Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 168	Shot of the growth to date before I ripped out the Wisteria... It grows too wildly and I wanted a spot of red. I had thought all of the male RCS ended up in my Betta's belly, and was a bit disappointed when the females started to saddle. Caught this sight tonight And a shot of my happy betta, Angelo

11-28-2012, 12:33 PM	#53
RobMc Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 168	Thanks The main complaints of the Flora is that it's packaged as an all included plant tank, but most of the stock equipment is no good. The filter is ugly, the CO2 system works but is not a long term solution (little paintball canisters) and the light is only 13W. That being said, the tank itself is beautiful - but I don't think you could grow more than low/low-mid light plants with it stock.

11-28-2012, 09:09 PM	#54
Green_Flash Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: United States Posts: 1,457	excellent photography and the tank looks great.

11-29-2012, 01:57 AM	#55
STS_1OO Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 170	What are you using to get these spectacular shots? Camera + settings would be a ton of help. Great tank and thanks!

11-30-2012, 08:22 PM	#56
RobMc Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 168	Hey, I use a Canon SD-790IS - standard auto WB / macro setting Most of the magic happens in post - I use Adobe Lightroom to rebalance lighting / sharpen the image and when necessary remove noise. That being said, canon's point and shoot line has excellent macro capabilities.

11-30-2012, 09:15 PM	#57
STS_1OO Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 170	Thanks for the information!

12-06-2012, 02:23 PM	#58
RobMc Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 168	Working on a slow re-scape - wasn't digging how quickly the wisteria overgrew the tank. The large leaves caused too many shading issues for a tank of this size. I've moved to ludwigias and they have started to grow in. Attached is a shot just before the first trim: Soon I'll remove all of the wisteria - right now it's just there to stave off the algae hordes .

12-08-2012, 12:10 AM	#60
STS_1OO Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 170	I concur. I had wisteria and it grew like a weed (just like a aquatic weed should grow). Unfortunately, in my low light setup, the Wisteria quickly grew cumbersome with roots sprouting from all levels of the stem and literally creating a mat of roots and completely shadowing all the growth below it. It's my conclusion that Wisteria isn't appropriate for small tanks (I'd say even for 20G tall tanks). Granted, it looks great when compact and fresh (bright green with lush growth), it quickly becomes unsavory. I prefer plants that keep their growth stable (ferms) and more manageable - especially in small tanks. I hate to continuously tear down scapes. I would suggest placing a healthy amount of Needle-leaf Java Fern where the Wisteria is now. I do recommend getting a fair, established amount rather than a few nodes to grow out since it's a relatively slow grower.