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Do!aqua Mini-M: riverrun

63K views 267 replies 93 participants last post by  benon 
#1 · (Edited)
This tank exists because I found kick-butt rocks for eight dollars at a bonsai store in Japantown. I also wanted to do another 'scape with UG.

I've used UG in the past to varying degrees of success, but I never created a hardscape that did the plant justice as I feel that a carpet of UG looks best on slopes.

So, with my eight dollars worth of rocks and a bag and a quarter of Amazonia Powder, I created my hardscape and slope.


Initially, I filled the whole tank to help me remove some Duckweed that snuck in during planting,
and to fully saturate the substrate.





Here's what it looks like now, drained.




There's too much water in the front, I know, but I'm leaving it there initially until I gauge how quickly the top portions dry out.

This tank will dry-start for the first two months. After that, I may or may not fill it. (I probably will.)

If the UG takes to the dry-start, I will probably not add CO2. This means I'll use a HOB filter and about twenty-eight watts of CF from a fixture that is dim-able -- I got it years ago from Sharper Image -- and turn the light down to the equivalent of twenty-two watts. A reasonable light level for a tank this size without CO2, I'm thinking.

Speaking of HOBs, anyone have a recommendation for a Mini-M? I like the idea of a HOB as they allow for more oxygen exchange than a canister, resulting in, presumably, a more robust bio-filter. (I'm currently on a bio-filter-kick as I feel they are the unsung heros of a fish tank.) However, I've fallen in love with the Eheim 2211s and may get one of those if you guys think the benefit of a HOB is minimal.

Also, any tips you have for keeping the upper portion of a slope saturated is much appreciated. I've got a spray bottle, but if you got better ideas, I'm all ears.

Anyway, welcome to my fifth journal in less than a year.
 
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#208 ·
Thanks, leaf!
I never polished my previous bike. People would tease me and say, "Don't you like your bike--? Why don't you clean it?"
I'd respond, "I love riding my bike, not cleaning it."
The beauty of the CBR 600RR, however, changed me. Made me cleaning machine.
I'm dreading my first chain clean and lube. I don't have a rear-wheel stand yet so I'll have to clean it with the bike on the kickstand. Sucks.
The ZX-6R is winning all the bike of the year awards, isn't it? The only thing is I can't stand is the front headlights. I loved the 2007 look of the bike. Not so fond of the following years, though. It looks like a slow-witted fish from the front.
The differences in performance between all the top bikes, ZX-6R CBR, GSX-R, and the Z6, are subtle nuances that I probably would not be able to appreciate as I've only been riding for about three years and have yet to drag a knee or even pop a wheelie.
Although I do handstands on my bike.
But that's with it parked.
If there were a sport for doing "tricks" on parked bikes, I'd be the champion.
Or the loser.
Depends on your point-of-view.

Thanks, Outlaw. Gimme a couple of days to fix her up and we'll see how she fared.

BTW, I left the lights off for about a week on this thing. UG fared fine.

P.S. Borderlands, Dragoon Age, and Assassin's Creed 2 are off the hook! Get them!
 
#209 ·
The differences in performance between all the top bikes, ZX-6R CBR, GSX-R, and the Z6, are subtle nuances that I probably would not be able to appreciate as I've only been riding for about three years and have yet to drag a knee or even pop a wheelie.
Wait, what? You've never popped a wheelie in 3 years of riding?

You must have some great self control. I think I popped my wheelie cherry the first week by accident.
 
#214 ·
Nope. Not a single wheelie, Moody. I'm a pretty conservative rider, I guess. I get the adrenaline rush occasionally and do stupid stuff as happens to most of us from time to time, but for the most part, I keep it pretty safe on my bikes.

Thanks, punk!

I didn't know you rode, Orlando. Makes you cool on a whole now level as you were already cool sans bike.

Hey, fish! Thanks.

Thanks, X. I'm digging the HC in the center. All told, there are six species of plants in this tank. UG, HC, Riccia, Java Moss, Mini Christmas Moss, and Potias.

I just got back from the gym so my arms are pumped full of blood and of the ten photos I snapped, the below is the only one that did not come out blurry on account of my shaking arms.


I haven't gotten around to the detail manicuring I planned to do, but the tank seems to be bouncing back on it's own regardless.

As it's getting colder, I'll have to drop a heater in here soon.

For the record, I have stopped dosing this tank completely and growth has not suffered as a result.
 
#216 ·
Actually I don't use dechlorinator myself in my tanks either and actually I've never been skeptical about it and why it's a huge deal. I wouldn't say it protects anything as I still get algea and such (mostly diatoms) but then again we or from different parts, maybe UG can shed some light why he hasn't dechlorinated his water.
 
#217 ·
Hey Reg. I tend to overdo much of what I love to do, and weights are no exception. (Thank God I don't have a drug problem. I've got a personality tuned perfectly for one of those!)
As for the dechlor, once upon a time I didn't dechlorinate my water and noticed no adverse effects. For the past few months, however, I have been dechlorinating. There was no reason why I didn't dechlorinate and there was no reason why I started. I simply wanted to see if it would affect the overall health of the tank.
It didn't.

Once again, the tank has fallen pray to my inattention. I forgot to turn on the lights for a week, yet it has grown unruly yet again. (What's with that--? There is no light or CO2 but the thing grows like nuts!)

I want to talk to you guys about this forum. If your experiences are anything like mine, your friends think you are a super-nerd for frequenting something so -- to their eyes -- boring.
How fun, they remark, can growing plants in water be? Really?
And, sure, maybe they have a point, but my point is not to talk about how to convince them that it's not boring, but to let you know that virtually every forum dedicated to something specific is -- to the uninitiated -- rather nerdish.
Dig deep enough and all topics become esoteric.
Case in point, since getting the new bike, I've been frequenting various CBR forums. You'd think that forums frequented by hip, cool, sportbike riders would be a fun and dangerous place to write and read.
Nope.
Filled wall to wall with nerds. (More so than here, if you want my opinion.)
Where we worry and fret about the concentration of dissolved CO2, they worry over the increase in bhp afforded by a piece of metal sticking out of an engine's headers.
Where we worry about light intensity, they worry -- much worse, it seems to me -- about the exact amount of rear break to apply during a panic stop.
My point is, fellas (and the four girls in the world who are into this hobby), that everyone is a nerd.
You just have to dig deep enough to see it.

Speaking of which, my 360 red ringed last week. Sucks. Right in the middle of starting Modern Warfare 2, too. Lame. I'll be sending it back to MS soonish.

So now here I am, 360-less in weather too cold and wet to ride, and pumped full of RedBulls.

What's a nerd to do?
 
#222 ·
Haha, some great points UG...So true. Maybe we ought to petition a new connotation to be associated with "nerdy" -- something a bit less negative, perhaps.

Well, back to wrenching on teh bike. I've found that by stiffening the sag on the rear suspension by 2 clicks I am able to get a 6 degree increase in lean angle therefore decreasing my lap time by 1.2 seconds.

Haha, just kidding, but now that you mention it I can see what you mean. I guess it just all depends on how devoted you become to certain "hobbies."
 
#218 ·
http://www.americannerdbook.com/index.html

Excellent read. My neighbor and good friend designed the cover. And speaking of "nerdiness", she actually modeled the D&D style rpg figurines on the cover by hand instead of buying them. There's also a calculator whose display spells out the classic grade school "55378008".

Back on topic - really interesting that an unlit, unfertilized tank can continue to grow to the point of unruliness. Any ambient window light?








PS3 :hihi:
 
#219 ·
Lol UG this is kind of freaky but my Xbox (why to I always spell it Ebox???) just got the 3 red rings about 20 minutes and will be sending it out this week as I certainly want it here for vacation time! Thats too bad though about the MoD2 as I can still play on the Bro's PS3. In the end were all nuts I believe no matter what we are into!
 
#225 ·
This really is inspiring man, really. I just started my first planted tank, emeresed HC. I, for some reason, am pumped up to see how well my tank and your tank will get in the next few weeks/months.

My Xbox also crapped out on me but only because I had that useless "Intercooler", it shorted out something. I got the Elite now ... " Deathbringer NY " for any CoD2 players out there lol.
 
#226 ·
I hope everyone's been doing well.

I'm good. Spent time with the family for Christmas. My family drives me nuts sometimes, but I love em, so whatchagonnado--? You gotta take them as they are or not at all.

A few weeks ago, we were asked by people who make decisions at work to voluntarily take a week of vacation. This means that I'm in the midst of a twelve day impromptu vacation.

This is a good and bad thing. Good because I'm able to get some rest and do what I want for twelve days in a row.
Bad because:
The girl's at Disneyland with her family.
The Xbox's still en route to Microsoft; so not gaming and no DVDs.
It's been on and off rain here in SF; riding's been sporadic at best.
Meaning, besides my daily workouts, I've got zero places in which to release my ya-yas...
...Actually, that's not entirely true. Two days ago, I spent the entire day getting caught up on Lost on iTunes. Jeez, that show got good after that one season that sucked -- the one where the Oceanic Six get all emo after leaving the island. Now it's back to how it was in seasons one through three.

Anyway, now that I've caught up on Lost and have only the gym to let off my ya-yas, I'll let you guys see what happened to riverrun after I ignored it for longer than I care to calculate.




I know. I'm sorry

Several posts back, I said I'd bring the tank back. Obviously, I was full of it. I kept meaning to stay on top of the tank, but things kept getting in the way. When I say "things kept getting in the way" I mean, "I got lazy."
But now that I have all these days off and not many places in which to get off my ya-yas, maybe -- just maybe -- I can resurrect this tank.

P.S. You do not want to see Riven Tanglewood. That tank looks even worse! And don't get me started on Elements: really bad. Source looks okay. Minikui Tensai looks pretty much exactly as it did when I last photographed it. Quasi-Wabi would break your heart.
 
#229 ·
Thanks, rrrrramos. Believe me, I have a ton of UG floating around after a trim. For weeks afterwards.

Thanks, Outlaw! I appreciate that.

I want to show you guys what it this tank looks like immediately after a trim and before the detail work is undertaken.


The brown cloudiness of the water is Microbe-Lift Gravel and Substrate Cleaner; it should clear by tomorrow morning. I use this stuff because...actually, I don't know why I use this stuff as I've never notice it do anything it advertises.

I cut a good inch of the UG but it's still too thick. A deeper mowing will have to wait until tomorrow. I didn't want to do too much to the tank today lest I throw off it's balance.

Tomorrow, I'll do the detail work and I'll post a photo after I've completed that step.
 
#231 ·
As I rolled up my proverbial sleeves ("proverbial" as I'm wearing a t-shirt and were I to roll up my actual, non-proverbial sleeves, I'd look a bit like John Travolta in Grease; not a look I'm going for) and began in earnest riverrun's recovery, this song played in my mind. On repeat. For what felt like hours. It's exactly what a carpet of UG requires: patience.

Here's riverrun about two trimmings away from being back on it's feet.


A deeper cutting is required as I feel the current thickness of the UG blunts the impact of the rock layout. This was not possible today, however, as the UG at the desired depth is light-starved (i.e. almost dead). So I'll let the lower leaves get the light they need to come back to life and then trim down about another half inch.
That said, I am happy with this tank, more or less.





I have a RCS who absolutely loves living in the filter. Every now and then I fish the guy out of the filter -- a considerable effort and pain in the ass, I should add -- only to find the guy right back in there within a day. It's like he waits for me to turn my back and -- slurp -- he's back in there eating away at whatever he likes so much in there.
It's gotten to the point that I've given up trying to "rescue" him.
You can't force a person to change; they have to want to change.
Hit rock bottom, as it were.

My next job is to bring Source back to life. That tank did okay while neglected, but I'm probably going to remove the "swoop" driftwood as I have an idea for a new direction I want to go with the tank while still keeping the kick-butt Mini Microsword carpet in tact.

Riven Tanlglewood and Quasi-Wabi are unfixable. They will have to be rebuilt from the substrate up.
 
#232 ·
She's a beauty that tank, Have you thought about checkerboarding the ug? It's a technique that first appeared for hc and glosso but it might work.
Basically you just cut down to the substrate in a chess board pattern, wait for it to spread then cut out the heavier part, that way you minimise the biodenisty and keep things a little more manageable.

This is my personal favourite tank of yours, you should get some high quality shots and enter it into ADA, my opinion says you'd be top 20.
 
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