[Aerodynamic]

Alright hi everyone and thanks for taking a look at my post ! Ill start off with the list of everything I've purchased so far for this tank on my journey to finally have a successful planted tank not overrun by algae @[email protected]!
TruAqua - Aqua Top 7gl rimless cude - 52$
Aqua Vibrant -Finnex Planted + - 50$
LFS (CityPets) - Rio Escuro XF - 42$
LFS (ADG) plants and rock (smashed it into a bunch of little pieces) - 28$
LFS (Fish Gallery) heater - 12$ / excel - 10$
ebay -zoomed canister filter - 28$
ebay - drop checker kit - 15$
lily pipes - 20$
TruAqua does not play, there was like atleast 4 layers of bubble wrap. They could have landed this tank on mars unharmed with how well it was packaged...

so much box for my little tank <3

I am spraying (excel + seachem comprehensive supplements) these little guys everyday twice a day and I am going to play around with how long I should leave the lights :O still winging this a bit xD I'll have an update in a week to show yall how its going !! thank you~

 

[greaser84]

Very cool. I like the rocks! Keep us updated, I want to see it flooded.

 

[iano7000]

Welcome to the 30c club. I'm excited to see how your tank turns out. Promising start!

 

[prighello]

Looks like a great start. Welcome to the Aquatop 7G club Can't wait to see how your scape develops. Good Luck roud:

 

[Aerodynamic]

1 week update :
Well the HC was being grown submerged when I bought it so I was expecting some die off and I got that in a few places as well as some yellowing leaves but I am starting to notice some little leaves popping up that are a darker healthier looking green so I hope that means its starting to bounce back a bit >.< !
I have been leaving the light on for 10 hours or so, misting a little everytime I let the tank air out a bit (trying not to mist too much, just touching up when I see the substrate getting too dry) As far as stuff I have available to me, I had mixed excel , seachem comprehensive in a 1 gallon jug, but if i should fresh mix the water everyday please let me know D: I am still very noob to all of this. I also have a bottle of nitrogen but I am not sure if i should mix that in with the excel and comprehensive >.<

 

[prighello]

Any updates? How goes the growth?

 

[tizzite]

I have failed every dry start, and i think it's because i didn't air out enough. the tank need not be sealed, i read, just covered enough to maintain some condensation.

good luck and great scape!

 

[AquaAurora]

Nice setup, look forward to seeing it grow in more. Will you add more plant varieties later on, or keep it minimal? What do you plan (if any) for fauna (fish/shrimp)?
I also have a 7g aquatop cube (and got it the day you started this journal... cool coincidence).
I don't have a light yet so I've been cycling mine under a curtain on my desk to prevent algae.. waiting on nitrite noming bacteria to build up now. Hoping my handy man hubby will help me make the heater into a diy inline with pvc, and make a diy light fixture with a cfl bulb and socket + ... something to frame it and some aluminum for a reflector. Then I get to figure out plants and fuana.

 

[Chris_Produces]

That looks awesome. Can't wait to see it feel in!

 

[sma]

Don't spray with excel unless you see algae on the substrate - the HC does not need it

 

[Aerodynamic]

update long overdue

so 3 months after planting my tears they finally did fill in
before:

after: i found that after i stopped stressing about if they were growing or not they out of nowhere just started to spread on me and i didnt even notice it

so super happy they are finally growing like weeds (have to trim once a week to keep them from over growing over my rocks)

all in all im super happy with the growth and am super happy i decide to spend the extra money on the light and substrate ^_^!!(also the paintball co2 is so cost efficient i have no idea how people actually manage to survive with the fluval cartridges) also the little canister filter works beautifully and my betta loves to dart through the outake stream coming from the lilys

 

[exv152]

Love the 30cm 7g cubes, I've got one myself but it's a shrimp only tank. I really like the look of your HC carpet. When did you notice most of the fastest growth with the HC, emersed or submerged?

 

[Overfloater]

Great first tank! Good work.

 

[Brian_Cali77]

Yeah great work! Love the AquaTop cubes.. scape and HC carpet looks gooood!

 

[AquaAurora]

Wanna trade tanks? I've not been happy with mine. Surprised your betta hasn't managed to shred its fins on those rocks yet.
Love carpet/plants/layout.

 

[Aerodynamic]

Love the 30cm 7g cubes, I've got one myself but it's a shrimp only tank. I really like the look of your HC carpet. When did you notice most of the fastest growth with the HC, emersed or submerged?

submersed to be honest I go frustrated with how little growth i was getting with the dry start so once i saw there was actual roots growing deep into the substrate i filled the tank and i just stopped stressing about the growth and before i knew it BAM carpet o3o no ferts no nothin just co2 and weekly water changes

 

[Aerodynamic]

Wanna trade tanks? I've not been happy with mine. Surprised your betta hasn't managed to shred its fins on those rocks yet.
Love carpet/plants/layout.

they look super pointy but the rock was actually one big one and i sledge hammered it into piece then cleaned out the pores and sanded down all the sharp sides : ) my snails have since picked them clean of algae (netrite snails 4 life!)