[Asu1776]

Sharing the completion of the latest project of mine. A bedside low-tech nano tank.

Specs:
3 Gallon Tetra Cube
Azoo Mignon Filter
Black sand substrate with oscomote+
Fluval 13W clip on light
Marina internal heater

Plants:
Crypt lucens
Anubias nana petite
Trident java fern
Moss

Fauna:
CRS

Fertilization:
None. Using aquasoil.

Anubias nana's were withering away in another tank. Think it was too much light, but moved them here. They are recovering. Wondering what do with the old dying leaves though.

Azoo mignon filter, customized. Flow rate is good. I see a good breeze in the tank. I took the sponges out and replaced it with some bioballs from a cycled tank which have REALLY speed up the cycle. Showing nitrites way high just 2 days into setting it up! Source of ammonia is from the osmocote+. The filter also comes with a prefilter sponge, which will be essential when I get shrimps in here.

The problem with the filter is that it gets noisy when you put the lid on it, but you can't really turn up the filter all the way without the lid, because the impeller pushes water up the back left of the filter, causing some of it to slightly spill out, and worse if the filter is clogged. But, no worries, I took some plastic packaging (you know the clear ones that hold tools, electronics, etc and are INCREDIBLY hard to open, even with scissors?), and cut out an appropriately fitting bank and cover over the filter to create a ceiling for the water. Now it runs perfectly.

Let me know what you guys think!

 

[ValMM]

Very cool. I like it.

 

[Asu1776]

Thanks!!

 

[Ebeth]

Very nice. I love your choice of plants & your aquascape design. Well done.

 

[Asu1776]

Thanks! It's been an improvement when I first set it up. This is an old pic before my tank got overrun with planaria and nasties.

 

[Asu1776]

By the way, did you guys know that soaking manzanita wood in water makes the bark fall off? I spent HOURS filing and carving off the bark on some manzanita branch I received. I soak it in water for the plants attached to it to grow and the bark falls off like butter...fml

 

[ValMM]

Well, at least we'll know for next time.

 

[Asu1776]

Did some changes to the tank. I replaced the sand with Aquasoil to prepare the tank for some CRS. First time keeping CRS and I'm super excited. Right now, I'm using DIY Co2 to expedite growth while the tank cycles.

 

[The Goonch]

I bet the shrimp will love it! Good job!

 

[chris.rivera3]

Be careful when adding the CRS....check those rocks first to make sure they aren't changing the water chemistry of your tank

 

[Agent69]

Man that new scape is looking awesome. Do you plan to add any forground plants? Its hard to believe its only 3 gallons! Looks like it could be an 8 gallon

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[Asu1776]

I bet the shrimp will love it! Good job!

Thanks!

Be careful when adding the CRS....check those rocks first to make sure they aren't changing the water chemistry of your tank

I did a test on the rocks before to make sure they weren't leeching any carbonates. They have been in the tank for over 2 weeks with no rise in KH or GH, so I think they are stable. I don't think they'll deteriorate either. Nothing metallic on them either. Am I missing anything else? Btw, you notice your luscious trident java fern? :red_mouth

Man that new scape is looking awesome. Do you plan to add any forground plants? Its hard to believe its only 3 gallons! Looks like it could be an 8 gallon

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Thanks! Not sure if I would do a foreground since I wanted some empty space to contrast the shrimp. Before I put in smaller plants, it feel like it was too small!

 

[Asu1776]

Sharing the room with the two tanks!

 

[Asu1776]

Update! Added some baby CRS!

I found a rock with a small spec of gold. I think it might be pyrite, hence the red color of the rocks. Not sure what to do. I think the rocks are relatively inert and CRS are fine, but now I'm worried if I should replace them and do a whole rescape. They were sold to me as field rocks by a LFS.

 

[jbig]

sweet set up. i like the way your moss is growing.

 

[Syris]

Very nice, I like it.
Been looking to setup a small CRS tank myself.

 

[Asu1776]

Thanks! So far everything has worked out quite well. I would totally suggest going for it.

 

[Asu1776]

Look who's getting more comfy in their surroundings.

 

[Asu1776]

Updated tank shot. I added 14 more CRS. Should have 24 exactly in the tank plus 1 golden bee that came along for the ride, although I haven't seen it lately. So, if it add it up all together, I got the shrimps for $94/25 shrimp = $3.76 per shrimp including shipping!

Shrimps always love to the graze on those sponges, which they poop all over. When I clean them out, all this nasty stuff gets squeezed out.

 

[Little Soprano]

Beautiful tank! I hope you don't mind me asking, but did you experience any die off when you removed the CO2? I'm doing something fairly similar, with willow moss, anubias nana petite, pennywort, and some fissidens.