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10g getting back in the hobby

1K views 9 replies 3 participants last post by  xaqdaddy 
#1 · (Edited)
Rocks first. How do they look?

Details later.
 

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#4 ·
Plan for rest of layout.

I want to do a smallish crypt carpet, maybe nevilli. Then attach some needle leaf java fern to the larger rocks at either end. Substrate will be gravel with an enriched/worm casting underlayer.

I don't know if I should try to slope the gravel up in the corners and continue the carpet up there or maybe find something for an accent plant or a taller leaning over type plant in the back and leave the rocks bare?

I will not be running CO2. Filter will be a hob, some kind of hardware store light for a low light tank.

For fauna, I will probably do something that doesnt mind room temps 68-70F. I am thinking of bloodfin tetras, WCMM, maybe neons, plus a small herd of RCS?
 
#6 ·
Got some time to get really indecisive on plants.

Other than crypts, what else could I do in here that would be low growing/low light for the foreground? I do have the substrate in and the rocks kinda dissapeared. Lesson learned I guess. I would like to at least keep a little bit of a view of the rocks.

TIA...
 
#7 ·
A couple of Updates

I added substrate in two, well three, parts.
The first shot is sand mixed with clay, for iron, peat moss, and worm castings.

Next, I capped with sand. I then added CaribSea Floramax gravel.

The final two shots are with water added. I just have some red root floaters in there for now.

Like to hear about the hardscape and also what low light plants I should use. I'm thinking about a smaller crypt for the sides and back, but I would like a lighter carpeting type plant in the center channel. I'm also not sure if I should put some moss on the rocks, add more rocks, etc>
 

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#8 ·
Updates - planted

Switched out the noisy HOB with a Fluval 104. Added a 15W T8 light (one of the purple-y colored) and a double incandescent with one screw in CF daylight bulb. Kind of nervous about adding the other one in with no CO2 going.

I got about 5 gallons of java moss that I temporarily stored in the tank, effectively destroying my RRFs. (kind of sad about that) That's all been moved or given away and I've planted with C wendtii "Mi Oya", C parva, C spiralis, dwarf sag, Subwassertang, and some additional DHG and java fern purchased from French Fry here on the forum.

I'm not super happy with Floramax. It's pretty light and didnt hold the slope well in the back left corner. My planting tongs are kind of big, bulky and rounded though, so it's probably as much at fault as the gravel.

The plants all arrived very healthy and I'm sure I've done them a disservice by aquascaping with my jungle method. The crypts have gone into a minor melt, not bad for crypts really. I've started dosing with Seachem Excel and Flourish. I see a few O2 bubbles on the Sub, so hopefully everything will recover nicely and take off.

Plant Organism Pet supply Terrestrial plant Wood


Wood Pet supply Plant Organism Fish supply


Plant Terrestrial plant Grass Wood Aquatic plant


Plant Plant community Terrestrial plant Houseplant Grass
 
#9 ·
No inhabitants yet

Other than a snail that hitchiked in on the java moss I added. Water parameters are showing no nitrite and 20-40 ppm nitrate. It's been up for 21 days. I've added some cycle bacteria, and gotten bacteria from the other plants that were in the tank. i may add a single shrimp just to be a canary in the coal mine.
 
#10 ·
Updates - planted and shrimped

About a week after planting. Getting some nice hair algae, however, the crypts and hairgrass are re-establishing themselves and greening up. I've added about 15 red cherries in as well.

Dosing a little Excel daily and regular Flourish.
 

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