Aweeby's 5.5g iwagumi

[aweeby]

better fts 7.11.12


fts 7.7.12



working shot-ish 6.23.12



fts 6.11.12


fts 6.6.12


Reflooded 6.3.12 with PB co2, added treated stems in back for algae control. 50mg Erythromycin dosed for cyano issues.

Unflooded 6-1-12 due to co2 issues...

BEHOLD THE MIGHTY WATERS.
fts 5.31.12


FTS as of 5. 26.12


FTS as of 5-12-12


FTS as of 4-21-12


FTS as of 4-6-12



FTS as of 3-20-12


FTS as of 2-27-12

[aweeby]

Specs:
Volume: 5.5g standard
Filter: Zoomed 501
CO2: pressurized via pb with aquatek regulator
Lighting: 13w CFL 6500K
Ferts: Estimative Index with added Iron

Plants:
Foreground: HC
Mid ground: Staurogyne Repens
Upper Midground: hydrocotyle sp. Japan, Hydrocotyle Sibthorpiodes
Rocks: Fissidens
Background: Blyxa and lilaeopsis brasiliensis

Hardscape:
Seiryu
Akadama with peat

----Original Post----

Now that I seem to have figured out how to not kill plants, I have decided to try my first actual scape. My 55g is pretty much a jungle now and has turned into a plant dump of sorts. So... enter the high-ish tech nano tank.

I wanted to see how little money I could spend on this. So far, the budget is set squarely at 60$.
Not bad for high-ish tech, huh?

This summer I found a 5.5g tank on the curbside near the university. No severe hard water stains, not too many scratches, good enough for a first attempt. If I can get it to work it'd be a nice replacement for my current desk tank.

I plan to set this up next weekend, hopefully, as soon as I can get the plants from someone around here. I think I have everything else. Any suggests?

Specs:
HARDWARE
5.5g tank, clear silicone, plenty of rim.
Standard CFL fixture, 26w 6500k
co2 via pb
Hagen Elite 5 or whisper 10
Ferts... pmdd+micros

Attachment 42310
HARSCAPE:
akadama+ power soil, plus peat.
Seiryu!

FLORA
foreground
HC

midground
Hydrocotyle sibthorpiodes
Hydrocotyle sp. Japan
Stauro repens
fissidens

Background:
Blyxa or potomageton gayi
Ludwigia hybrid red
microsword

FAUNA lmk if this is overkill
dwarf rasboras (Any suggestions?)
2 Otos
10-15 Red Rili

Anyway, I think I'll do a dry start to get at least the foreground and midgrounds rocking.

Hardscape

Substrate is IN!


I'm thinking about using these lava rocks I found. I'd have to find a bigger one though to use as a center piece. Kind of dark.

dry



wet

[aweeby]

planted the HC and a bit of hydrocotyle in DSM. The good thing about this is that these sorts of tanks are a dime a dozen... so I have plenty of posts to read if I get scared.
I still haven't decided what i'm going to do hardscape wise. When I can go hunt down a bonsai store, I'll see.


I'm going to try to rewire the fan so the battery is external. I wonder how that'll go...

[aweeby]

5.5 day 5 by aweeby, on Flickr

Planted!

Got some microsword today from a trade with scream-aim-fire! There's some hydrocotyle and a pot of HC chugging along through the akadama. I couldn't wait to go buy rocks, so Im hoping that part will come together a little later

[aweeby]

now to sit back and wait. I'm waiting on some stauro repens to come in the mail so i can replace my hydrocotyle.

[xenxes]

That light cost you most? I don't know if I can offer any high-tech-ish advise. All my tanks are just dirt + sand/rocks, and the cheapest light I could find :/

If you haven't gotten a filter yet I'd still do a HOB, perhaps AC20/30/50. They're only a few dollars apart. I don't think 50 on low flow would create a tornado in a 5g, if so you could always stuff it some more. But I like to overfilter.

Fauna I would stay away from schooling fish, they really need a 10g to have adequate swimming space. But you could get away with a couple CPDs, or a betta. I have 11 pygmaeus corydoras in mine but thinking of relocating them soon. I'd also say 3 platies but they would probably turn into 30 in a month.

[moosenart]

get some RCS!

[aweeby]

Whoa AC50? I mean, if I was doing some sort of tidal crash zone tank...but.... whoa. haha, I get the picture though. Need better flow. I'm using a lot of old stuff. I'll see what I have in the garage. At the lfs, the AC50s are like 65$... so that's a no go, even if I wanted a hurricane.

I got the light from an aquarium society auction, 10$. I'm anticipating that the pb tank, at 20$, is going to be the most expensive thing. Then you factor in the akadama+shipping it across an ocean... and well...

I used to have a ton of RCS outside in an old oil drum. I never fed them or changed the filter media and they still bred like rabbits. so... I might try something a little harder this time around. Maybe PFRs? Low grade CBS/CRS? I'm still on the fence.

Agh i'm so over livebearers. I have a fleet of oxblood mollies sitting in a tank outside... nice colors but they're so... idk. boring.

[Chyrol]

I'm interested to see where this goes! Looks like a good start, keep us posted

Amazon usually has pretty good deals on ac filters, I think the aquaclear 50 is $26 right now? http://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-50-P...0306594&sr=8-1

[aweeby]

Got some staurogyne repens today. (thanks, Newman!) He sent tons so some of it went into this tank. Hopefully it'll transition well. HC is still chugging along steadily. I've had no melting so far. Fingers crossed. Pictures tomorrow, maybe. Now, to finish all this paperwork. aha.

[aweeby]

need to get the hardscape in before everything grows too big...

[Chyrol]

Looking good! What's your plan for the hardscape? Still gonna use those lava rocks?

[aweeby]

Thanks! But I'm probably not going to use the lava rocks. They're a little too dark for my taste. I was going to try and find a bonsai shop but i don't have any free weekends to bus down to the other side of the island, so I might just order seiryu from that that guy on the sns. Hopefully 5lb will be enough.

Most of the plants have just begun to settle in and spread out, so I have to hurry. ack

[Chyrol]

Haha yeah you better get on that! Don't want to have it fully carpeted before you get your hardscape in haha

[aweeby]

I decided it would be worth it to pick out the centerpiece stone myself, so I visited Manini's shop on Monday. I ended up walking away with a good chunk of seiryu, some great plants, a book of glossy ada eyecandy, and a lot of helpful advice as well. He's a great guy, and his shop is amazing.

So after a good scrub, the centerpiece is in. I had to replant a few inches of plant material, but hopefully it won't make too much of a difference. Things are chugging along nicely. I wanted to be minimally invasive in placement, but i'm open to suggestions.

Going to order a few support stones soon. 2-3 sounds like it should do it.



some plans

*subs rotala for ludwigia red hybrid (SERIOUSLY, THAT'S GOT TO BE MY NEW FAVORITE PLANT)