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What have you been doing in the 12G? Weren't you doing water from the 72G at one time?

I think I was for a while, but now I'm adding fresh water for WC and adding pinch of Flourish for some micros. I fiqured the fish and some food will give off enough macros since it's lowlight and pretty heavily stock for a 12G.

The new nano has (I think) alot of light and no fishload so I feel like I should add water from the 72g.



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The new nano has (I think) alot of light and no fishload so I feel like I should add water from the 72g.

If I was you thats what I would do.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Right now my big concern with the tank is flow - there is none. I'm not sure plants need this to survive or if it's a species thing.

I have my first fauna in the tank. Two CRS and a small I think pond snail. How's that for flow?

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tetratech,

No flow would worry me as well, but I would not know of any other way to create flow than to add some kind of pump to the tank. What kind of pump this would be though is another problem in itself.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

No flow would worry me as well

. I guess I'll wait a few more days and see how the plants look. I know this sounds silly, but the two little CRS that are now in the tank at least move the water around a bit.



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IMO there's no reason for flow in such a small volume of water. The reason for flow is either to bring dirty water to a filter, mix up the water so there's basically similar water params everywhere(dead spots, stale water), or to try to keep detritus and food and whatsit from settling. Basically you should be doing water changes frequently enough to take care of the "filtration" and stale water plus such a small volume of water MUST have the same qualities everywhere, and there won't be any detritus or food of significant quantity without fish.

Of course some flow won't hurt anything, so if you figure a way to do it inconspicuously that suits your needs (again)I say go for it.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

What about a sump made from a gallon jug or something using a very very small pump? Something that has a hose the size of an airline hose.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well hopefully you guys are right about the flow not being an issue. I guess we'll see. The sump from a gallon jug is an interesting idea anyway so I guess I wait alittle longer and see. In the meantime, meet the new nano inhabitants:



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Nice find, tetra I've rarely seen bee shrimp for sale in an LFS

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Back in the saddle!

Nice find, tetra I've rarely seen bee shrimp for sale in an LFS

Thanks Nowher, I prefer the term "Ninja"

Unfortunately they match my rocks

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Very nice. Are you thinking CRS too or just this guy?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Thanks Wings, actually there's already two of the bee/ninja shrimps and two CRS. I guess I'm overstocked

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So,

What is the story here? Are they now Ninja or Bee shrimp? Or is it the same and tetratech selects Ninja because it souns more stealth?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Very Cute shrimp

Cheers
TW

Or is it the same and tetratech selects Ninja because it souns more stealth

Absolutely! From what I understand they are one in the same, actually they are hybrid CRS.

Thanks Robyn

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I guess I'm overstocked

Yeah just maybe!

actually they are hybrid CRS

Interesting. I have always liked thoughs guys!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Been a while since I updated this log, unfortunately I had a big mishap in my small little tank.

When your dealing with 0.5 gallons it's very easy to overdose and I'm pretty sure I did this with Excel. The tank only requires a drop or two which I believe are called units, but I probably put a couple of millilitres in. That evening the tank was getting cloudy and by morning the tank was very cloudy and all my shrimp were dead, even my Ninjas. I also think the overdose killed my riccia. The hairgrass is actually doing well and I could see new runners forming and roots against the side of the cube, but the riccia looks like it was nuked. My only other thought is that thre riccia doesn't grow in completely still water. Any thoughts?

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An over dose of Excel can melt plants in a blink of an eye. I have done it to Crypts before. I am not sure the effects on your riccia though. Chances are it is what took out your shrimp too but maybe it was too much of a bio load for too small of a tank too. Just my thoughts on the matter.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Sorry bout the losses Tetratech. I wish I could comment on the excel, but I've actually never used the stuff. I've never tried growing riccia in .5G tank either. I'm entirely useless here, but I do have to say I'm going to be VERY careful for awhile. Everybody has been having problems in this forum.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Sorry to hear of your losses. Are you planning to replace the shrimp?

Cheers
TW

Thanks for the comments. I've since read of other issues what an overdose can do to inverts as well as some plants like riccia.

Robyn, since the store still had some of these shrimp I did purchase two more and am keeping them in a breeder trap in the 72G until I make sure the 0.5G is safe.



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Well as you know by know I nuked my Ninjas and my riccia with an excel overdose. With 0.5 gallons to work with it's pretty easy to get carried away. Anyway I removed the toasted riccia and replaced with a valley of the stuff through the rocks. The hairgrass is doing great, I see fresh clean runners and nice white roots:



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*** Warning ***
Wings look away this could get ugly



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Looks like a good recovery from what I can tell. Are you changing from having the riccia on rocks to using it in the substrate?

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

I know this is a girlie thing to say but I think your latest tank is so cute!!!

I want!

but then I 'd want mini fish to go in it too!

so maybe not!

GFGxx

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

Looks like a good recovery from what I can tell. Are you changing from having the riccia on rocks to using it in the substrate?

Good catch Matty, I forgot I did that actually. I started playing with the rocks alittle and it kinda reminded me of a valley. So I started thinking riccia valley but I needed the riccia to be really low. I actually have a plastic grid buried in the substrate. I cut it to fit pretty much around the rocks.

I think things are going alright. If you look closely at this pic you could see the riccia pearling. Also I added alittle java moss to the front rocks to add some color.

I know this is a girlie thing to say but I think your latest tank is so cute!!!
Thanks Goldfishgeek

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I started playing with the rocks alittle and it kinda reminded me of a valley.

I thought so too, looks great. I was tempted to say I liked it better that way, but I wasn't sure if you had just tossed it in there that way or not. I think as soon as it starts to grow up onto the rocks just a little bit it will look very natural.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Thanks Matty, I agree

Anyway fun thing about these little tanks you get just move them around to get pics and "whatnot" oops starting to talk like LF

Here's a lower side shot showing hairgrass runners. You could also see how varied the eco grain size really is.



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Somebody has got the shifty-eye-itis. Not pointing any fingers.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

You could also see how varied the eco grain size really is

Not only that but you can see how rough this stuff is and can using it for your bacteria arguments.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

oops starting to talk like LF

At least there is something that I have contributed to this forum

Anyway, sorry about the downer with the overdose, and glad to see that you are already back up and running. I think it will be interesting to see how the Riccia will do on the substrate, as (as usual) I have my doubts that it would work well. Why? Because it will collect gunk (decaying matter, for example) underneath and die off its own anchor (which I guess is not removable that easily, given that it is buried) and start to float.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Somebody has got the shifty-eye-itis. Not pointing any fingers.

Who me?

Not only that but you can see how rough this stuff is and can using it for your bacteria arguments

Good point Wings.

Anyway, sorry about the downer with the overdose, and glad to see that you are already back up and running. I think it will be interesting to see how the Riccia will do on the substrate, as (as usual) I have my doubts that it would work well. Why? Because it will collect gunk (decaying matter, for example) underneath and die off its own anchor (which I guess is not removable that easily, given that it is buried) and start to float.

Uh, welcome back, I think

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Hi,
That is a terrific series of pictures. And, it has me
curious...What is that to the right of the tank, in the
full tank shot? It looks like a tank that takes up a
wall, and the plants look like they are in pots inside
the tank.
What are we looking at?

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

What are we looking at?

The tank to the right is my 72g. No pots probably just the lighting from the pic or something.

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Since planted aquaria is kinda slow these days without LF's (10+ post per day average) I thought I'd liven up the place. You know the expression "As exciting as watching grass grow" will here ya go. These two pics shows my hairgass over a 3 day span. Note the root especially against the glass has already produced one runner and now is continuing to the back of the tank and producing another. You could also see the first runner is already a full blade of grass. See it is fun to watch grass grow

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[chant]grow.....grow....grow...grow..grow.growGROW!!![/chant]

Go for the gold little runner buddy/:'

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Since planted aquaria is kinda slow these days without LF's (10+ post per day average) I thought I'd liven up the place.

I know, we all have tanks now with no major algae problems and have learned to just dose and not worry about it. No wonder bensaf is never around anymore, he taught us too well.

Nice series of pics, the harigrass is growing pretty well considering the light loss.

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Back in the saddle!

I see I didn't miss too much, watching the grass grow is all you guys did in the mean time.

Anyway, I am back now.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Update:

It's been about 2.5 weeks since I setup this little guy. So far plant wise the hairgrass is doing great. It's growing clean fast, with only 0.5 gallons to work with it I can easily fill the cube with just the grass, but there is a foreground currently of riccia. My initial planting of riccia I'm pretty sure was fryed by an excel OD. I replanted the riccia I guess about a week or so ago and it seems to be spreading, but slowly. I am now dosing 2 drops of excel daily, which I think is about .10 ml. The tank is getting semi-weekly water changes from the 72g.

Here's a current "full tank" pic:



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Here's a corner shot showing more of the hairgrass:



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Closer shot from the side showing one current resident in the tank (actually two if you count a small pond snail.



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I have to tell ya, I'm having a ball making this little tank work. It really is fun. As I said eveything purchased for the tank was local. Funny the light was from Staples and when I pulled out the bulb to see the "k" and it said 6400k I knew I had the light for my nano.

Anyway, extreme closeup of the bubblebee/ninja shrimp. This guy as you could see is more red than the others I had. They are hybrids of CRS so you'll see different shades, etc. Also in this closeup you could easily see the edge of the plastic mesh that is holding down the ricca.


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Very nice tetratech

And interesting as well, in particular the last shot. There, I can see the plastic matting you use to hold down the Riccia. Without a doubt, the hair grass will spread into that area as well and at the latest then it would be very hard for you to remove it in order to trim the Riccia. What is your plan of action there?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

And interesting as well, in particular the last shot. There, I can see the plastic matting you use to hold down the Riccia. Without a doubt, the hair grass will spread into that area as well and at the latest then it would be very hard for you to remove it in order to trim the Riccia. What is your plan of action there?

I did make mention of the plastic mesh in the last picture post (I guess your not reading and only looking at the pics
Hairgrass pulls out pretty easily. All the runners are in like a chain fashion so just pull up a few leaves snip and tuck back in. But yes there will be trimming of course, etc. I actually picked up some Glosso at my LFS the other day and I was considering taking out the riccia and replacing it with the glosso, becuase the riccia wasn't looking to good, but know the riccia seems to be spreading so I have this glosso in it's little container and I don't know what to do what it. I might put a few pieces into the nano if I could find the room.

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Tetra,

Where did you get the plastic mesh from? Does it come in other colors? I am thinking of using it for my Java moss forground. It should help the triming process quite a bit.

Your tank is looking really nice. Small tanks can be a lot of fun to play with as you can do a lot with it with little time. Maybe I could talk my boss into a small show tank....

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Where did you get the plastic mesh from?

The mesh is off the shelf from Michaels Crafts stores. I'm not sure it comes in different colors, maybe. The mesh is actually called Plastic Canvas from a company called Uniek. It came in a pack of 10 4" squares for like $2.00.

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Very cool! Thanks tetra! I might have to make a stop there later this week.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I guess your not reading and only looking at the pics

Well, I did see that, but having the visual helped me to understand the details, like how thick of a layer of substrate is above it and what not.

I believe you that the Hair Grass is easily pulled out, and I also believe that with the right lifestyle you will have no problems. But, just for that sake of the argument, if you were to let the grass grow for a while you would have runners forming above and below the mesh and then you may have a hard time figuring out how to remove the whole thing for maintenance.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I can start to see how attractive this little tank, or large soup cup(in terms of size only) if you will, is going to be when the grass fills out the back.

*resists urge to set up nano*

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

resists urge to set up nano

"Resistance is futile"

Thanks

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Very pretty little thing... You wouldn't want to send a little of your magic over across the Atlantic, would you?

You wouldn't want to send a little of your magic over across the Atlantic, would you?

I think the shipping would be a deal breaker.

Thanks for the comments. I find these little tanks to be stress relievers because their fun to tinker with and if you don't like it you could dump the whole think and start over without a lot of hassile.

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...and if you don't like it you could dump the whole think and start over...

You know, that is how I feel about my 20G QT, the smallest of my tanks (I know, way off from Nano). This tank is seeing a makeover whenever there is only the permanent stock in it and if I feel like being in the mood to mess with things.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

A couple of new pics: Your notice from this side shot the hairgrass runners are "running" straight to the front along the side (what LF was alluding to) So it's time to trim already You'll also notice a new plant has been added to the "massive foreground"



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Closeup shot of my shrimp. So far so good he's been in there for three days. Matty this shot was taken with the S2 in supermacro mode.



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You'll also notice a new plant has been added to the "massive foreground"

Glosso, right?

Your shrimp picture reminds me of you suggesting to me getting some Amanos for the 29G. I am seriously thinking about that option ever since. Do you know of any issues with Platies and these shrimp?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I don't think you'll have any problems mixing the platys with the Amanos. In my 72g I have about 10 amanos and you know what's in there.

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That is a very nice macro shot there tetratech. It's definitely not that I think the s2/3 is no good. I'd love the camera. The size doesn't really bother me at all, as I could use my nikon as a pocket camera or whatever. The features I think are better than the a630, but the problem is the cost. Right now with classes the hundred dollar difference is like month's worth of penny pinching . I'm in survival mode with ramen noodles and PB and J. Ok, so maybe not that bad...but you get the idea. I only have enough time to work 1 day a week.

It's amazing how fast that stuff is growing in there, very nice, and nice little candycane shrimp(definitely not a ninja in those colors...more like santa).

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

O.K. I'll start small with my updates, this way if there's any nitpicking it will be nano sized. Not sure how much nitpicking you could do with 0.5 gallons

First try at a nano has been rewarding. The hardest part was realizing how easy it is to overdose because of the size. Again I'm dealing with 0.5 gallons and I overdosed excel initially and it toasted the ricca, then I reduced dosing and had to reduce again to finally get to a good place. Right now the tank is about 8 weeks old, I changed some of the rocks from the initial setup and added a few sprigs of rotala. Everything is growing on a slow, but steady pace. I'm currently doing the following:

2 water changes with 72g twice a week.
1 drop excel daily
13watt light

Plants are:
rotala
riccia
dwarf hairgrass
glosso

Animals are:
one adolescent CRS (got put in the bag with other CRS when it was almost invisible in size has grown nicely in the nano.
Pond snails

Issues:
Slight green dusting on the rocks and some of the hairgrass tips are turning black. Ninja shrimps did not survive in the nano or in my 12g.


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