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5g CRS planted. (56k DIE!!!) picture intensive.(UPDATE Oct 25)

3931 Views 19 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  Ryzilla, 
R
15
I decided it was time to venture into the nano relm. I chose a 5g AGA. Here are the specs. I thought this would give me a chance to really focus on scaping since the smaller the aquarium the more difficult it seems. Hope you enjoy the pics.

Specs

Hardware
Tank - 5g
Filter - rena filstar xp1 with bored out holes in the spray bar.
Lighing - 2x13w AHsupply Ultra bright kit.
Co2 - DIY
Substrate - flourite
Heater - 50w stealth heater @ 74f

Water Chem
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 20ppm
CO2 - 34ppm
Ferts - EI method daily recommended
Excel - 5 drops a day (1/4ml)

Flora
Downio - Pogostemon helferi
HC - Hemianthus callitrichoides
Pearlweed - Hemianthus micranthemoides
Rotala rotundifolia
Dwarf Pellia(on the way) - Riccardia chamedryfolia
X-mass moss(little peice floating)-Vesicularia montagnei

Fauna
Crystal Red Shrimp
Olive Nerite

PICS!!!!

Here is the tank with nothing in it and a blue back. I quickly changed to black. This was on 9-26


With the mound of flourite 9-26


This is what a horrible scape looks like. Notice there is no depth, none at all, zilch. 9-27


Now I think I got the hang of it a little better. Though this left little room for planting. This may have been ideal if I wanted to go all moss or dwarf hairgrass but thats not what I wanted. 9-28


I settled somewhere in the middle to start. I set up my powerhead that doubled as a filter/co2 diffuser.9-30


I latter added a few rocks and moved a little around but since my plugs of HM were so small, any time I even touched the gravel the HM would dislodge and I would get VERY frustrated. So I left the rocks just sitting there. 9-30


I removed a few rocks and added in a large rock that I burried into the flourite to make a hill on the right for the rotala. Im still not getting the look I want, but it will do for now. I also added HC which took a long time. 10-3


The angle shot that is always welcomed:thumbsup: 10-3


here is a pic of one of the six nerites I have in the tank to help bust the initial algae. These are smaller fellas, twice the size of a pencil eraser. No eggs this way:) . These guys rock
10-4

Here is a shot on 10-6. Nothing special here just a shot to compare with.


Very excited on this day because I added the Downio and I LOVE this plant. By far my favorite.10-9


Closer shot of the downio, and the HM is starting to grow. Im getting happier with this tank as each day roles by 10-9


Now this is a happy happy joy joy day (YEAH STIMPY). I finally got some CRS. I was so excited when these guys came in the mail. I drip acclimated them for a little over an hour.


Here is a full tank shot on. The HM is growing verticle, and it is starting to look nice. Once I give it its first trim it will get bushier. Im liking my tank. 10-15


Now you can really see the HM growing straight up. After about another week I will give it its first trim, then I will remove the rotala and replace it with the trimmings. I think under this medium light controling the HM will be alot easier. The HC might be struggling a little bit with this light, but if I had a better reflector it would be enough. I can see some growth on the HC after 2 weeks but I know it will take a while to really settle in. We shall see. 10-17
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J
Beautiful... just beautiful. great scape, nice plant placement, good growth. Very good start indeed.

I too love downio - unique little plant, isn't it? Actually, as much as I love that plant, and, as I said, your plant placement is good overall, it seems you planted them straight in a row. I'm not so sure that works as it seems a little too linear. But, hey, it's up to you.

Keep us posted!

-Jared
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pet-teez
I've been seeing downio on here quite a bit lately and it looks like such an awesome plant! Maybe I'll try some sometime :)
I agree that it's in a bit of a row, I would probably stagger them a bit but it's your tank aaaaannnndddd I think it looks pretty cool :)

(jmlizard, is that a leaftail gecko? I just now noticed that you had a gecko as an image)

Ryzilla, I love your rocks, what are they?
I'm going to keep an eye on this tank, it looks pretty snazzy so far
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Kayen
wow great scape.. you really aimed to create a scape that will look large huh..
hopefully once it filled in and you get it how you want thigngs will look better =D
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kangshiang
Great tank....still suggest you add a sponge filter run with air pump......
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Haeun
Beautiful rocks. I too want to know what they are, and where you got them.

Too bad the substrate is flourite instead of aquasoil! I've used both, and I'm not a fan of flourite's big grain. And with a 5 gallon tank, it probably would've been the same to get a 3L bag (or two?) of aquasoil.

What happened to this scape? This hardscape was AMAZING. Why the change? The current one looks okay but not as great as the one here.
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Haeun said:
Beautiful rocks. I too want to know what they are, and where you got them.

Too bad the substrate is flourite instead of aquasoil! I've used both, and I'm not a fan of flourite's big grain. And with a 5 gallon tank, it probably would've been the same to get a 3L bag (or two?) of aquasoil.

What happened to this scape? This hardscape was AMAZING. Why the change? The current one looks okay but not as great as the one here.
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I felt limited to what I could plant. I new I wanted a big bush of HM and I couldnt picture where, I also had to have some downio but where should I put it. I loved the rock formation I had there but I wanted more planting room. I had the floutie laying around here so I didnt purchase the aquasoil. I also didnt want to wait for the ammonia to go away and the hard work it could take to get it to go away fast with the aquasoil. The flourite was washed and ready to go, not much easier then that. I planted and 2 weeks later added CRS when I could tell the HM had a hold. I got the rocks at a LFS here in chicago. The large rock I am using in the current layout has some awsome design to it. To bad not all the rocks the LFS has looks like this one. Thanks you for the coments.
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kangshiang said:
Great tank....still suggest you add a sponge filter run with air pump......
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I have two elite spnge filters here but they are just way to bug for this set up. I am thinking of getting a 1 1/2" limewood airstone and running it for several hours after the lights shut off. That is the thing with this 5g, so much to do in it with not much room. One fantastic suggestion was adding that xp1. 40x turnover of water is no joke.
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pet-teez
Coulda'

Done something like (attached) with the old scape ;)
The new one is cool too (I like the one rock to the right that pretends to be a containment wall for the Rotala) but I think the older one is more, uh, something... my allergies are making my mind muddled but yeah. lol

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bsmith
i cant believe there is a xp1 on there, how is that possible? does drilling out the holes on the spray bar cut down the flow pressure that much?
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eyebeatbadgers
I also am a big fan of Downoi (note spelling :) ). The HC isn't looking as green as it was at first :( I would recommend moving the downoi row to follow along the rocks a bit more, giving them a little interest.

I'd have gone for a darker substrate too, but to each his own. If all our tanks looked the same, we'd call ourselves Amano.
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R
Is that the 13" 24w Oddysea? How well does it fit on the 5.5 AGA?
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Reeferton said:
Is that the 13" 24w Oddysea? How well does it fit on the 5.5 AGA?
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It just fits. I am not thrilled with how much light is being reflected back into the tank. I am upgrading to an AHS 2x13w ultra bright kit. This should put alot more light into the tank.
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R
4
Well Its time to update.

I have had some amazing growth occur in the past month. I had two crs deaths; one on 17th and one on the 18th of oct. I cut my ferts to every other other day, and upped my water changes to 30% twice a week. No deaths since the 18th from which I can tell. Well here are some more pics.

Here is a corner shot from the 10-22.


In this shot you can see the great growth I have in the Downio and the HM. I am real happy with the Downio it is starting to look less and less linear as it fills out. I am starting to get some staghorn but I am sure once I get the ferts all sorted back out it will take a hit. Oh yeah, I also upgraded my lighting from the POS 24w odyssea pc to the AHsupply 2x13w ultra bright kit. It feels like I am getting 1.5x as much light and it gives me amaxing coverage, I love it. 10-25


Here is a shot from a top angle. this shot really shows off the growth. The HC is still taking a while to settle in but I think my light upgrade is going to put it into overdrive. 10-25


Angle shot on 10-25
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ikuzo
I like the rocks and the way you put the HM there. Can't take my eyes from that corner. err.. how do you give that thumbs up sign?
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screename
Like this... :thumbsup:
Im liking this little tank. Nice scape!
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Church
I'm in the process of designing my own 5g bowfront, so this has become a huge inspiration for me... great job!!!

:)
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Church said:
I'm in the process of designing my own 5g bowfront, so this has become a huge inspiration for me... great job!!!

:)
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Wow, what a great compliment. Thank you so much. there is such a thing as complexity in simplicity, and this is what I am going for. I have 4 plants in this tank and I am about to up it to 7 plants. I think this is where I cap myself off because I could easily fall into collectoritis.
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dekstr
Nice set-up! I like the rock arrangment, though the original one with rocks looks cooler.

Quick question: Did you have to wash the fluorite before putting it in the tank? I'm getting fluorite next week for my 2.5G.

Thanks,
Dexter
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dekstr said:
Nice set-up! I like the rock arrangment, though the original one with rocks looks cooler.

Quick question: Did you have to wash the fluorite before putting it in the tank? I'm getting fluorite next week for my 2.5G.

Thanks,
Dexter
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Yes I wash it very well until all of the fine particles are gone. You will never be able to wash it clear. The more fines you wash out the faster the flourite will settle.
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