[HeathBar]

This is a tank that I've been wanting to do for a long time. I really love the dimentions of the 12 gallon longs. I would have loved to do a high tech set up, but I decided to go low tech instead. I've tried high tech before but ended up slacking on dosing ferts and monitoring CO2, the result was a tank filled with algae.

Tank: Green Leaf Rimless Aquarium 91-B, 12 gallon
Lighting: ZooMed 36" T5HO, 54W one bulb
Filtration: Ehiem 2213 w/lilly pipes
Substrate: Black Flourite
Ferts: pfertz K, P, N and traces once a month and root tabs.
CO2: None
Water Changes: Top off's only

Plants:
M. Minuta
Dwarf Sag.
Rotala Indica
Anubias Nana
Dwarf Hair Grass
Limnophila aromatica

I've been able to grow all these plants before with a low tech setup with the exception of the Limnophila aromatica. I don't expect it to last long but it was so pretty at the store that I had to try it. The DHG has been hit or miss for me in the past so I won't be surprised if it doesn't last long either.

Tank fresh outta the box!

Hardscape:

After planting and some trimming:

The stem plants are mostly to help keep algae to a minimum while the m. minuta and dwarf sag fill in a bit. I haven't decided if I'll be keeping the stems or not, I guess I'll wait to see what it looks like in a month or two.

Enjoy! :biggrin:

 

[Bree]

Awesome hardscape choice, look amazing, and the plants looks awesome, i will be following this!

 

[[email protected]]

Wow, that looks great!! It's going to be really awesome once all that carpet grows in. Great job!

 

[indigo]

wow i love the dimensions of this tank. and the way you have set it up looks really good

 

[londonloco]

Very nice, subscribed, keep up the updates!

 

[Danno79]

Wow really nice! What's the name of the plant in the fifth picture that has the purple growth?

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using Tapatalk

 

[HeathBar]

Update:

The Limnophila aromatica is surprisingly doing great and still looks just as healthy as the day I got it. Some of it is growing out of the top of the tank which is causing the leaves to get a lil crispy.

The M. minuta is doing okay. I'm seeing some new growth but the new leaves are in the emersed four leaf clover form Hopefully it'll change it's mind and start growing in the submersed form soon.

Almost all the leaves on my Rotala melted but there is some new growth at the top so hopefully it'll bounce back.

My DHG is looking pretty ugly right now but there is a little bit of new growth too. I'm tempted to take it out but I'm gonna give it some more time in case it makes a come back.

 

[shrimpnmoss]

You'll be disappointed with your DHG growth without CO2...I've been trying to grow some with low light and no c02 for a while and it's still looking pretty sparse..

 

[HeathBar]

Update with some pix! Sorry the quality isn't the best, I'm still trying to figure out the best way to take pictures of my tank without weird reflections and stuff.


Current FTS

M. minuta is starting to fill in slowly. It still hasn't decided it it wants to have 1 leaf or 3! Some of the leaves are turning a little yellow though

some of my 3 leaf MM runners.

Some of my DHG is hanging in there... barely.

Rotala from another forum member, so far it's doing great but it's getting some algae on it.

My Limnophila aromatica is still going strong, I had to trim some of the stems and replant. The new growth doesn't have the nice purple color unfortunately. TBH I'm just happy it's still alive :hihi:

 

[HeathBar]

I also added some more fish as well.

Current residents are:
8 Glowlight Danio
5 Pygmy Gourami
3 Otto's
2 red eye tetra (left overs from my previous tank, I've had them for a few years. The rest of them died from jumping a long time ago)
Nerite snails

I really wanted to put some shimp in here so I tried a few Malawa's from my invert tank (I have TONS of these guys). Unfortunately my tetra's considered even the adult sized shrimp as food/toys.

One of my gourami's doing a "duck face" for the camera. LOL!!!

Danio's

Fish room, AKA my kitchen

 

[150EH]

The tank looks nice, I was wondering who made this panoramic type tank, I'd seen it in another thread. Just a thought that maybe you could raise the light a little to keep emersed growth from getting crispy, you might get some cool flowers or something unexpected.

My DHG was growing but not like I see in other tanks, some have it with seed growing on top, but my Kribensis would pull at it every night and I would net out 4 or 5 nice little rooted plantlets every morning. The DHG lost after 2 or 3 months. I replaced it with Staurogyne sp. 'Porto Velho' and it's doing ok but it's a slow grower.

You should try just double dosing Excel, a 500 ml botlle is $13 and would last you a while, long enough to get your plants growing good. So far it looks good with no CO2 and I really like the rocks and your doing it right with just top off's this is where most run into trouble on a low tech tank with weekly water changes and algae.

With a small tank you can drain your water into a couple of buckets and do a rescape if you don't like it. I use flourite as well with Osmocote gel cap on a high tech tank but I would like to try a MTS tank capped with flourite, I think the plants would do better and we could omit the root tabs, good luck.

Give the shrimp some hiding places with floating plants, etc. but try again with RCS or Amanos.

 

[HeathBar]

Thanks for the compliments. There are 2 companies that make these types of tanks, GLA has their own (which is where I got mine) and Marie Depot carries the Mr. Aqua version.

I'm actually considering adding CO2 to the tank and an extra T5HO bulb, at least until the plants fill in how I want them. I have a paintball CO2 system and ferts collecting dust right now.

 

[Sparky007]

Looks great! I also love the footprint of this tank, so much presence without being overwhelming. Looks great in your kitchen! I"ll keep checking to see who things turn out.

 

[mcqueenesq]

I would love to have your tank in my kitchen. Great job! How is the top-off only water change routine working, and do you think the 2213's flow is about right for this tank (i.e., any noticeable dead zones)?

 

[Penny]

Oh wow, I really like that tank! Nice and long - it would be perfect for a betta Those are some great looking rocks, too. Good luck with the DHG, I am trying some out for myself also in a small, low tech tank. Thinking about picking up some Excel, even though it will probably melt my anacharis...

 

[HeathBar]

I would love to have your tank in my kitchen. Great job! How is the top-off only water change routine working, and do you think the 2213's flow is about right for this tank (i.e., any noticeable dead zones)?

The top off's only routine is going well so far. The water evaporates pretty quick so I end up adding more water at least once a week.

The 2213 seems to be just right for this tank. Initially I had the intake and output on the same side but it was creating some dead zones on the opposite end of the tank. I've since moved the input to the other side and now the flow is much better.

I also put one Amano in the tank a few days ago and so far he seems to be happy, all the fish seem to ignore him since he's about the same size as them. Hopefully I'll be able to add some more in the future :smile:

 

[HeathBar]

Updated Pics:

Added some chain sword which has really taken off.

Otto eggs I think?

 

[MsNemoShrimp]

Beautiful looking tank. Keep up the good work!

 

[xenxes]

That's a beautiful tank, wish I had space for a long one

 

[sockfish]

I just bought this tank and am checking out everyone elso who's setting it up! Thanks for the info!

sox