[snowy]

Do you think this is small enough to be nano?

Click on thumbnails to enlarge.​

I set up this little bowl a few weeks ago. I took it home from work so it wouldn't be sold to someone as a betta bowl.

The plant is one of those so-called 'dwarf swords' which is a tissue cultured green horemani, E. uryguayensis - one of the biggest swords around. The substrate is fine gravel with a root tab ground up in the bottom, quarter tabs will be added over time.

The water volume is about half a litre, this is replaced weekly with water from one of my other tanks after it has had a change and ferts added. The bowl sits on the back of the bridge of my 300l 4' tank where it benefits from a 150w metal halide. I wonder how many Watts per gallon that would be?

The occupants are a pair of glass shrimp, Paratya australiensis and a couple of black worms. It is tempting to add a juvenile Dwarf Flat-head Gudgeon, but it the daily temp fluctuation would not be the best for it. The shrimp are more manageable for a something this size, and I won't be too upset if they jump out and end up as butterfly fish food

 

[mrbman7]

:thumbsup: Thats really nice looking! Your photo technique is great as well; the background really fits in well. The simple sphere of the bowl really draws in the eye.

One thought i had while looking at it was how nice some cherries would look in there to give it a little red pop. But it looks really good as is. Great job.

 

[FelixAvery]

cool,maybe put some more plants in there, maybe riccia to carpet?\
also i agfree with the cherries

 

[lwooters]

that is so stunning! make it a kit and you could sell the heck outta that!

 

[SOLOMON]

looks great Andrew, your sword looks really healthy and lush did you put a male and female Paratya australiensis in? looking forward to seeing some growth, especially possibly a flower spike.

One thought i had while looking at it was how nice some cherries would look in there to give it a little red pop

unfortunately we dont have cherry shrimp in australia as yet.

 

[jebarj90]

I want something like that soooo bad. That is the best "nano" that I have ever seen. I love it!

 

[sandiegoryu]

Very very cool and very original. I think its perfect the way it is. red might throw it off kind of.

 

[Color Me Blue]

Very very cool and very original. I think its perfect the way it is. red might throw it off kind of.

I agree.

That's a sweet looking nano! LOVE IT!

 

[snowy]

Thank you all for the kind words, I am happy to share it with you

I'm not sure how long it will last until the plant outgrows the bowl. These swords don't usually send out emersed leaves or flower spikes, at least not to my knowledge, and being grown from tissue culture I am unsure what its growth will be like. So far it seems happy enough to let its leaves curl around the bowl, and as long as it does that I will keep it going. Eventually the crown will get too close to the surface.

 

[RESGuy]

Really love the nano, it is amazing lol 150W over half a liter XD :angryfire

 

[geofied]

Phenomenal. I don't know if I'm more impressed by the simple elegance of the "floating" nano, or your photography. Both are inspirational. Thanks for sharing.