This little tank is right next to you most of the time when you are working as well

Right in the middle of 5 screens, even. Really breaks up the malarky I have to wade through every day.

Honestly, all but one of my tiny tanks (H. rubra) are right beside my desk. Figure I should look at them a lot if I'm going to have them in my home. Makes having them more enjoyable and I feel more invested in their success.

I'm strangely more excited about the Spec III, now that I have it by my desk, than I am about the rest of my tanks. Probably because it's so simple. And because I'm anticipating huge Crypts within the next 6-8 months.

Spec III Update: Added some ceramic media from one of my canister filters a couple days ago and the tank already shows nitrite at about 2PPM. Yay? Doesn't change anything because I'll be allowing this tank to grow in and mature for a month or two. But nice to know there won't be an issue getting it to process waste. It's eating 1.5PPM ammonium per day.

Great to have a reminder that things can be easier with inert substrate.

Using tap water to "cycle" this tank but will switch to remineralized RO/DI. It's currently sitting at kH 2-3 and gH 7-8 and that's close to what I'll aim for when mixing my own water.

Wouldn't normally have too much of an issue using tap but the water system here adds a ton of chloramine. That means there's ammonia/ammonium once it's hit with Prime. On top of the 1-2PPM ammonia that already exists in the water supply on a regular basis. So it's not exactly ideal in a shrimp tank.

Finally sorted through all of the giant pieces of Manzanita I've got and was able to come up with a bunch of scraps that will be perfect for tiny tanks.

Check it:




Most of it had broken off through the years into the bottom of the containers the wood was in. Cut off a few select branchy pieces. I should have looked through that stuff years ago. Would have been able to come up with something way nicer for the Spec III.

Speaking of the III: Processes 2PPM Ammonia per day, no Nitrite remains. Gonna be a fun waiting game until I can add shrimp.

The new piece of wood I added has some fun gunk growing on it:




It'll be gone by the time shrimp are added but they would love it.

Spec V is chugging along but the Ramshorns have ruined my C. parva bed:



*insert rage*

Not even gonna replant it. Just gonna remove the rest, I think.

Unrelated to these tanks but... I got a new toy.



Any guesses?

Finally used up all the store credit I had after trading in 1,000+ Endlers this spring. The store estimated it was closer 2,000 but who really knows? They were a nightmare. All I know is I snagged a new toy.

I am guessing that is a filter guard for baby shrimp? Kinda odd shape though. IDK what it is.

They're parts that go to this:



Was going to go with a standard 5.5gal or 10gal but decided to use something that looks nicer and is all-in-one.

Guess it's time to start yet another journal. Will probably wait until I have hardscape figured out and have the new substrate I want in-hand.

I love the look of these tanks. I would love to get the 32 gallon! Looks great on that countertop. Warm toned soil/substrate would look amazing.

While I'm not a fan of having another cube, the interior dimensions have grown on me over the past day. Not a big fan of the height but like the length and width.

Need to spend a couple hours coming up with hardscape. Thinking something with black lava rock and manzanita to create some height.

What's the purpose of the black stuff that looks like screening that they have at the top of these tanks? I think the SPEC 16g has the same thing. My wife didn't like that on a few of the tank models we looked at, so I'm curious if there is a reason for the design choice.

It's to disguise visible waterline, buildup and dampen light spillover.

Some interesting mold growth on the new piece of wood in my Spec III:



Protein film on the surface of the water adds an interesting dynamic to the shot.

Great photo! Very sci fi.

Spec III:

Cryptocoryne have finally stopped melting and new growth has begun:




Still need to make a trip to Petco to see if I can get my hands on more C. undulata/undulatus to fill out the back of the tank. It's surprisingly tough to find at my usual haunts.


Spec V:

Time to trim the moss?



Check out all the bits of stuff growing around the myriad Bucephalandra in the tank:



Unrelated but tons of my Tillandsia are throwing pups in the sunroom:



Gonna have to start moving them inside over the next week because the room isn't insulated. My place is going to be overflowing with houseplants.

Excellent pictures-- hope you take more of the houseplants as well.

I really like the tillandsia. It is a very unique looking plant. The tank looks great! I can't wait to see it grown in!