[Steven_Chong]

Edit: I decided to turn this into my official journal. Since there is another thread, reference here:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/photo-album/41454-custom-tank-start.html

It's kind of soon to do an update on either of my tank but I wanted to do SOMETHING for my 1000th post! I finally have a title that matches me (emphasis on the "wannabe" part) so I figured I could show this:

The 5gal is coming along quite to my liking! The effect made by rotala--> Cabomba furcata, plus the DEEP dimensions really pull my perspective ideas how I envisioned them! Can't wait to get the plants reddened up and into better trained shapes. roud:

The shrimp also seem to be doing very well in here!

I finally rigged my pressurized CO2 to both set ups, so I've got that air stone in there in case of emergencies until I find the sweet spot where I get the max CO2 without bothering the shrimp.

Hope you guys enjoy! Oh, and for those who saw the Chinese Kung Fu movie "Hero," a little fan service:

Some day :hihi:

 

[eklikewhoa]

That is an amazing set-up!!!

 

[fresh_lynny]

Looking good, SC..I knew it would turn out nicely...after some growth and pruning it will be all set.

 

[sandiegoryu]

Once again you have shown us beauty :-D. Is that a custom made tank? Dimensions seem not normal. Also is that wild cherries you were talking about in another thread?

 

[Steven_Chong]

Thanks guys

Tank is still very immature-- barely over a week old! Lots of work to do. I'm not that experienced when it comes to high-level trimming (no dutch tank experience under my belt) but it wouldn't be fun if it weren't a challenge. Still playing with idea too, like using sticks to represent dead logs or not. Sand, where should it be big or small? Stuff like that. Not to mention looking forward to any future fights against algae. :hihi:

Sandiegoryu--
-Yeah, it's a custom rimless tank. Dimensions are: 1'x1'x8", so its shape is kind of pond-like. My LFs has a connection with a glass supplier so its convenient.

The quality was NOTHING like ADA, but on the other hand . . . ADA doesn't cost only $24.
-The Shrimp are my wild form neocaridinas. I finally finished moving them in to the two tanks. They spent a long time in a non-cycled tank with water in it, so I lost a lot but I now have 20 or so in the 60cm and about 40 in this tank. Well, I guess that's ok . . . I didn't need 100, but I bought knowing I'd have casualties . . . they're numbers should rebound quick enough . . . I hope. The survivors seem lively though.


What surprises me is that no one has chided me for the total exclusion of ANY green plants (aside from the moss and glosso eeking out a tiny existance in the crooks and cranies of the hardscape). A lot of people piped out about the exclusion of red highlights from my last 60cm set up so I decided I'd turn around and do a lay out with red plants . . . all red plants that is . . . but then, it fits the motif.

 

[Steven_Chong]

I wonder if someone is stalking any thread I start in Photo Album and rating it a 1. Hah, really immature.

Edit--> If you're going to rate, especially a bad rating for a good effort, at least have the decency to let me hear the opinion that you had about the tank. I'd appreciate the feedback in some words that'd at least tell me what you're thinking.

 

[<Frawg>]

Hi Steven,

You're surely making me think of doing another tank completely on my own. I love how the bare tank looks.

I'm thinking I might try 12" square with 12" height as well. That would be a hair under 7.5 gallons (yours is a hair under 5 gallons).

Three questions for you: 1) What is the thickness on the glass? It appears to be 3/32" (standard replacement window glass) 2) Is it any specific type of glass (I have heard occasionally about "saphire" glass)? 3) What is the light here? It kind of looks like the Coralife Mini?

I'd have to silicone my own tank, which wouldn't be a big deal. I've made vivs from scratch before. I'd much rather purchase the finished product like you have though.

Thanks very much,

Scott
Sanford, Maine

 

[Steven_Chong]

This is the standard window replacer (I believe). The higher grade typical in custom aquariums is called "starfire"-- and it's fairly pricey. For this tank, I was quoted 60-70 dollars if I had done starfire. However, I think for a tank this size it's a viable option. I can't imagine that for 12"x12"x12" it'd be much more expensive at starfire so maybe under $100, maybe cheaper if you do it yourself.

I'm using a fixture by Jalli-- I bought it years ago at an LFs in Hawaii so I'm not sure where you could get one. It cost me $60 bucks back then, for 2x 13w PC. Of course you could make your own for much cheaper. Good luck. I've worked with 12"x12"x12" and can say it's a tank that has a lot of options.

 

[Steven_Chong]

That's why I said, if you're going to post a 1 you could at least throw me a word or two-- negative feedback about the aquascape is useful so you ought not to just rate-and-run.

 

[Betowess]

Ah Steven, you know the ratings are a bunch of foofoo. But I give ya a 5 for the painting and for the talent to scape such a small tank! - BUT, where are the green plants, dude?

Seriously, I really do like the hardscape with the slight terracing and the stones' shapes too. But I'll pass on the red filter gel or how ever you did that. Its cool looking though, for sure. But honestly, just went back to the other thread, and I liked that one better, with a mixture of green and the colors. It looked a little more natural, especially from a little distance. In fact, that little tank shot is stunning from a distance. You know the picture... Why do you have two threads. Is this a different tank? No, must be just different plants... .

PS, welcome to guruness.

 

[Steven_Chong]

Thanks for the welcome Betowess

This is just a quickie-update to celebrate y 1000th post. I don' plan to update to frequently (not ever week like this at least) :hihi:, and this is not a journal thread. Hmm, I don't even think I'll maintain this or the starter as a journal thread since I didn't find my last real journal much fun. When I have updates, I think I'll just post in a new thread.

 

[General Tso]

I rated the thread five stars. I hardly ever comment on your tanks, but find them beautiful and inspiring. I always look at your photos and admire the amount of talent you have and the time you obviously spend on your tanks. I find it disgusting that someone is rating your threads a 1 out of spite or immaturity.

 

[Steven_Chong]

Thanks Tso

Anyway, I really shouldn't update so regularly because maybe you guys will think nothing's changed :hihi: but I'm just relaly enjoying how this is growing

in so far! Mostly because I see these over-heads everyday:

Though so far it looks more like late-summer than fall . . . :icon_roll

And it looks as if I WAS using R. rotundifolia "green" :icon_evil

 

[epicfish]

Which LFS did you get this from? I'm around in the area and would love a custom tank like this.

 

[A Hill]

Excellent job! When you moved the rocks around it made it even better!

So ugh yeah I like it 5 stars!

-Andrew

 

[SCMurphy]

Tank looks great Steven, those dimensions are really intriguing. With that depth can you drive the stones back further into the tank? I've seen you talk about diminishing leaf size plants to add depth, have you considered that trick for the rocks?

Hero is one of my favorite movies, I can't watch it with the English dubbing, it looses all it's heart.

 

[Gill]

What an AMazing Scape Steven.

 

[Steven_Chong]

Epic-- PM'd you, but to others in SoCal, you can try Total Tropical Fish-- I know they're not exactly the most popular LFs but there's virtue. Of course, to those who don't know, All About Fish sells ADA stuff . . .

Andrew-- Thanks dude. The Taiwan moss is starting to take off pretty quick-- who says moss doesn't like high light? :hihi: I read Loh mention that Aquaplast uses high light for their moss. Anyway, the guys at Aquaspot World told me that to get bushy growth, I should trim the moss as soon as it starts showing a lot of new growth (ie now), but what do you think?

Sean-- Hero!!! The dub really sucks.

I'm glad you mentioned pushing the rocks back, since that's something I thought about too but was not really sure what to do. I think compared to a normal 5gal, the hardscape is right now, pushed back a lot more than you could ever hope for. I could push it back even more I know, but I'm worried about giving the Cabomba enough space to grow in. :Icon_conf

I'm also kind of hoping to get the right side rotala to creep over it so that I can hid the back end of the rocks, like they "disappear in to the forest" . . .

Well, I actually have a few more smaller rocks too. I could also try just adding or too after the end of the ones that are in there

Thanks Gill

 

[Nightshop]

I have yet to see Hero, but Fearless was awesome!

 

[A Hill]

Andrew-- Thanks dude. The Taiwan moss is starting to take off pretty quick-- who says moss doesn't like high light? :hihi: I read Loh mention that Aquaplast uses high light for their moss. Anyway, the guys at Aquaspot World told me that to get bushy growth, I should trim the moss as soon as it starts showing a lot of new growth (ie now), but what do you think?

Moss loves high light, and it needs next to no ferts! Thats one of my tricks to growing it... But in my experience moss tends to be more bushy in low light setups. I wouldn't trim it right away because that would be pretty pointless in my opinion... I would say let it grow for a little while but not take over the tank. Once it gets to a nice "bush" trim it like you would a hedge or bonsi If you understand what I mean. Once you have more to work with if something goes wrong (Example I'm worried about is that the moss near the base gets nasty looking and dies off or just turns brown which is still alive but just not very nice looking) So if something goes wrong you have the moss there to fix it more or less.

More or less it's a personal opinion. I would try to keep it off the stems so if it starts going up and invading them trim it since it could get messy. But let it get a bit overgrown in it's spot then once you get a good clump shape away .

Trimming all new growth shouldn't HURT the moss, but generally new growth is better than the old growth and the old growth gets leggy. You post this on Killies.com? If not I would to see their opinions since I'm just a moss's slave and won't trim because i like it too much and haven't started scaping yet...(Sooner I will be I hope)

Either way the tank looks really nice!
-Andrew