CryptKeeper54's Mr. Aqua 12 gallon long

[mosspearl]

Beautiful layout.

[bluestems]

Originally Posted by chou

looks good. damn makes me want to get a 12g long

me too! Looks nice

[CryptKeeper54]

Originally Posted by CryptKeeper54

Turns out it was spirogyra algae judging by the results of using quick remedy API Algaefix.



Tank looks much better.

[CryptKeeper54]

Update: Got new branchwood today (current branchwood in tank wil be going into one of my eheim aquastyles , which will be displayed at my work place. The branchwood is just not working in this scape). Will let these soak and tie moss to them within the week. I think my scape is missing more repition to tie both left and right sides. The moss on branches should help me achieve a better scape (at least that's what I hope).



Bought some fishes. Decided to go with a German Blue Ram (bottom right coner in pic below) and added more ember tetras.the ember tetras color contrast with the gren plants is awesome. They school a little better with the black background gone. Also, I was hoping the Ram would get them to school better as well.

Current stocklist: 27 ember tetras, 1 R.Maculata, 3 phantom tetras, 5 otocinclus, 1 German blue ram, 1 SAE, and 1 Betta.



The embers. In the background, I made a smaller version of the Hofer gurgle buster using 3/4 ths PVC pipe instead. Could be tuned to silent but I like a little water noise coming from my tanks overflow system.

[assasin6547]

Wow that's a lot of fish for a 12 gallon, but I guess there are a lot of plants.
The HC carpet is looking really fabulous, so nicely filled in.

[Green_Flash]

Well, he does run a sump and that adds a few more gallons to the total system, I am guessing 10-20g depending on model.

Looking good, hopefully you can get rid of that algae.

[CryptKeeper54]

Originally Posted by assasin6547

Wow that's a lot of fish for a 12 gallon, but I guess there are a lot of plants.
The HC carpet is looking really fabulous, so nicely filled in.

I'm thinking with the wet/dry sump (about 8 gals extra water) and plants, I can have a huge bioload. The funny part is that the tank doesn't look close to being overcrowded. Another reason I love this 12 gal long tank.

HC is an awesome plant, but high maintenance. I like tweaking my tank often so its all good. Gotta trim it soon, growing fast in this setup.

This german blue ram is now my favorite fish. Great character and colors. Can't wait for him/her to get older and display its full colors. Might even try to pair this fish later on.

[CryptKeeper54]

Rescaped with new branchwood. Should turn the same dark color in time as the left side. I think this scape "jives" better then my last layout and hopefully will look better when scape filled out and branch wood "ages" a bit submersed. I tried to add a little bit more repitition added with moss tied to branches on right side.

Before:



After:



Moved erio from front to back, s. repens also in back. Moved D. Diandra to far right corner. Putting my buces front and center of branchwood for unobstructed viewing.

Before:



After:



Still tweaking scape as most people do with their tanks. Adding pebbles here and there, playing with plant placement, and watching growth pattern of plants. The big thing I can't seem to incorporate is depth. Been researching this topic lately. Maybe my substrate slope is too small, I need a black background, and/or a few other things. Of course, this is a tricky tank to create depth. Just can't leave my tank alone....lol.

And finally, a favorite viewing angle of mine. Looking at the left side of tank. Now that's depth.

[Green_Flash]

I like that new piece of wood. Buce look great on it.

Is that ricca in the side view?

[CryptKeeper54]

Originally Posted by Green_Flash

I like that new piece of wood. Buce look great on it.

Is that ricca in the side view?

It is ricca, intertwined on e.belem to make it stay on the ground.

[plecostomouse]

Looks great

I think it lacks a bit of Flow from left to right, After the wood on the left it just sorta cuts off. Maybe a plant grouping sloping down would improve this.

I think H. Pinnitifida is deffinately an option!

[Green_Flash]

You use the glass Jet pipe as the return pipe from the sump? I was thinking of doing something like that, a P-6 though for a larger tank. What size eheim is that? Did you use soft tubing to connect the pipe and what size? 13mm / 1/2 inch ID?

[JEden8]

Stunning!

[CryptKeeper54]

Originally Posted by plecostomouse

Looks great

I think it lacks a bit of Flow from left to right, After the wood on the left it just sorta cuts off. Maybe a plant grouping sloping down would improve this.

I think H. Pinnitifida is deffinately an option!

Originally Posted by JEden8

Stunning!

I hear you. I was trying to create that flow with the pile of river rocks instead of plants. Still trying to do that but I think I need to pile the rocks a little higher.



On a negative note, my mini pelia is apparently melting. It didn't like something in my water. It was just starting to look lush too after starting small and growing for the past 6 months on that branch. Also starting to get what I think is BBA and currently contemplating spot treatment with h.peroxide.

[CryptKeeper54]

Originally Posted by Green_Flash

You use the glass Jet pipe as the return pipe from the sump? I was thinking of doing something like that, a P-6 though for a larger tank. What size eheim is that? Did you use soft tubing to connect the pipe and what size? 13mm / 1/2 inch ID?

Yes. P-2. Very snug fit on what is supposedly 5 mm glass. Tubing size 13m/ or 1/2 ID is correct. Connected to my eheim pump 1048.

I haven't had the time to make my detailed equipment list in this journal but I eventually will.