# SeattleFishGuy's First Planted Tank:14g Biocube!



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Your mystery snail is a Malaysian Trumpet Snail. 

You may not see it very often from here on out, as they stay beneath the substrate during daylight hours.


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

somewhatshocked said:


> Your mystery snail is a Malaysian Trumpet Snail.
> 
> You may not see it very often from here on out, as they stay beneath the substrate during daylight hours.


Thanks, no reason to get rid of the Trumpet Snail right? Also what type of snail would you say those eggs are from? Someone thought the eggs were from a ramshorn...but maybe since they came together on the same plant...hummmm


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

How long do you run your lights? Currently I'm running my BC14 at 12 hours and only one bulb since I was burning my floaters pretty badly when I was running both bulbs.


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

Basil said:


> How long do you run your lights? Currently I'm running my BC14 at 12 hours and only one bulb since I was burning my floaters pretty badly when I was running both bulbs.


I'm running the first bulb at 8:00am - 9:00pm and the second bulb from 9:30am - 7:30pm. I did have the second one going a little longer but after the last few days with green hair algae I knocked it back a little. I haven't burned any plants yet but lets see what happens to that duckweed on top...although I didn't really want it anyway but I'm leaving it for now anyway. I really need to add a bunch more Anubias soon to up the plant load and that will help my algae. I'm also considering getting flame moss for my rocks but that will be last.


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

Not sure how often the first few weeks I should be testing my water but up until yesterday I wasn't too concerned as I just had a few plants in.

Here were my water tests as of 2 days ago:
PH: 7.6
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 2ppm-5ppm (hard to read this one)
Nitrate:0 ppm

Also i'm going to slow down (every other day instead of every day) with the Excel as now that I have Cherry Shrimp I don't want to kill them.

Will have my drop checker tomorrow so I can see where i'm at with CO2 in the tank. I'm going to give my Nutrafin Natural CO2 a chance before I break down and go the CO2 tank route.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Look like Ramshorn eggs to me. BUT - Pond/Bladder snails have been known to lay round clutches on occasion.



SeattleFishGuy said:


> Thanks, no reason to get rid of the Trumpet Snail right? Also what type of snail would you say those eggs are from? Someone thought the eggs were from a ramshorn...but maybe since they came together on the same plant...hummmm


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

somewhatshocked said:


> Look like Ramshorn eggs to me. BUT - Pond/Bladder snails have been known to lay round clutches on occasion.


Thanks...now that they have hatched I am looking at them with a magnifying glass and they look like ramshorn but time will tell.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Ramshorns make a terrific cleanup crew. If you don't overfeed and don't let their population get out of control, I think you'll really enjoy them.

Some of us - including myself - keep massive amounts of them because they're so great at cleaning things up and eating leftover food.


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

*Update:*

I added my drop checker in my tank and like I thought i'm doing ok on my CO2 amount but not enough, my drop checker is an aqua color I would say. Not straight blue but certainly not straight green either. So I decided to take out my Haggen Nutrafin "ladder" system and instead put the CO2 airline tube right under the impeller of my return pump. That works great as the CO2 gets defused nicely and right into my tank. :thumbsup:

That being said there are two downsides to this as I see it. One, you hear the "wusshhhh" sound every 9 seconds (that's my bubble count I guess) when the CO2 hit the impeller and two, there are a ton of micro bubbles now in the tank which doesn't look good. :frown:

Tomorrow after it has run a while I'll see if my drop checker looks any greener than it did with the Haggen ladder. If not then the ladder goes back in until I can get a pressurized CO2 system.

Here is a pic tonight with the drop checker in...only one light on for this pic so it's a little bit dark and also the microbubbles make the pic look cloudy, look at the layer of bubbles at the top of the tank:


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

You have a good start on this tank. I like the rock formation.


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

GMYukonon24s said:


> You have a good start on this tank. I like the rock formation.


Thanks! 

I think it will look better once I stock it with more Anubias (many more soon) and the HG and baby tears grow in. Speaking of that I feel like I'm really starting to dial in my system, hair algae is almost gone over just a few days and that is good news. Also my plants have really perked up and I can see the growth starting finally. 

Here is a FTS pic just now:









Also I have to say adding 3 Olive Nerite Snails were the best money i've ever spent! They can do a number on algae in a hurry...much more than my RCS. However the shrimp are much more fun to watch. Here they are tag teaming the glass and baby tears:


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## NanoPlanted101 (Feb 8, 2011)

GMYukonon24s said:


> You have a good start on this tank


1+ I bet it will look stunning once the plants mature and grow! What fish are you thinking? Great start of a great tankroud:


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

NanoPlanted101 said:


> 1+ I bet it will look stunning once the plants mature and grow! What fish are you thinking? Great start of a great tankroud:


I have another thread about fish as i'm still undecided...or should I say can't whittle it down!

I like the following in no order:

Cardinal Tetras
Chili Rasboras
Pygmy Corys
CPD/Celestial Pearl Danios 
Dario Dario/Scarlet Badis
Rainbows...either Pseudomugil Furcata or Gertrudae

I will most likely pick the sturdiest ones above to start. The ones that are the hardest to keep or feed (i.e. live foods) I will most likely not go with.


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## ghotifish (Feb 16, 2009)

*Good start!*

Nice start to your tank. I also started a planted tank after not having one since I was a kid. You've got some nice growth, like the hard scape too. 

If you can put your hands on them, a small school of longfin white clouds might look very nice in a tank your size. Although I have to admit we've been looking for more of them for some time now. 

Carl


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

ghotifish said:


> Nice start to your tank. I also started a planted tank after not having one since I was a kid. You've got some nice growth, like the hard scape too.
> 
> If you can put your hands on them, a small school of longfin white clouds might look very nice in a tank your size. Although I have to admit we've been looking for more of them for some time now.
> 
> Carl


Thanks, its fun and way better then all those years ago. Trying to fill the tank with more Anubias plants now. I wnt to cover most of the stump. They are at my LFS but the price is steep ($14). 

Have you tried "The Wet Spot" in Portland? If anyone would have the white clouds they might. 

Also the GSAS (Greater Seattle Aquarium Society) is having there big auction up here in a few weeks, there will be all kinds of fish, plants and hardware to buy. Check it out!


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

Do you have any updated pics?


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

GMYukonon24s said:


> Do you have any updated pics?


I will update it tomorrow...with pics! It's slow growth but getting there! Also ordered two more Anubias Nana Petite last night on eBay, we'll see how that goes.


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

*Update:*

Bought my first fish today. Just a few though as my LFS was out of some of the fish I wanted.

I bought 4 Green Neon Tetra's....thought about getting 5 or 6 but just kept it at 4 and I can get more later. Almost as colorful as the Neon Tetra's and Cardinals but much smaller and a better fit for my nano tank as they only get to 1'' max.


My 4 Green Neon Tetra's...notice the one on the bottom is missing an eye! :eek5:









So next one my list will be:

6 - Chili/Mosquito Rasbora
4 - CPD (bottom of tank)
4 - Gertrudae Rainbow/Spotted Blue Eye (top of tank) 
*Maybe more or less of each one:icon_ques

Tank pic's soon...


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

*Update:*

This weekend a fellow GSAS (Greater Seattle Aquarium Society) member was able to sell me some Gertrudae Pseudomugil/Rainbows. I now have 5 of them...It looks like at least 3 are male and 2 are female however after closer examination it might be 4 males to one female... Either way it's all good!

He also threw in a few plants/clippings for me which I may or may not use but I did throw them in the tank after washing them just so the new fish would get acclimated better since one of the plants was Frogbit (floating plant) and the Rainbows hang out at the top of the tank.

Here is my list of plants added yesterday and pics to follow:
1) Cryptocoryne Parva 
2) Frogbit 
3) Hydrocotyle Tripartita 
4) Rotala macreandra green

FTS (Gertrudae's schooling top right):









Plant (Cryptocoryne Parva):









Plant (Rotala macreandra green):










Plant (Frogbit & Gertrudae's):










Plant (Hydrocotyle Tripartita):
Didn't get a pic of this yet...not in tank.

I'm also researching tissue cultured plants which AquaFlora is doing out of Canada. Some LFS are selling them and I may pick up some Anubias Nana Petite that way....which will give me more than I can use.


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

Any new developments?


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

Basil said:


> Any new developments?


Just a few... ;-)



Here is my tank last month (with spawning mop in back):









THis is today (no spawning mop):










Pearling nicely:


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## Chyrol (Jan 18, 2012)

That looks amazing! Haha quite a big update, it filled in really well.


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

Chyrol said:


> That looks amazing! Haha quite a big update, it filled in really well.


Thanks!

Here is my hospital tank (small bookshelf 2 gallon Fluval Pico), it's small but I think it looks good, with a nice layout. Only thing in here right now is some snails. Thinking of adding some shrimp at some point.


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## Jubs (Apr 5, 2006)

Looks amazing! Great job! Did you go pressurized Co2?


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

Jubs said:


> Looks amazing! Great job! Did you go pressurized Co2?


Its funny...I was about to switch over to pressurized CO2 after lackluster results from my nutrafin system but I read somewhere that if you make your own CO2 mix (sugar, yeast, baking soda, water) that it works much better. Well that is an understatement! 


The only downside is I replace the "mix" in the canister about every 10 days. So basically I'm burning through the mix quicker but with much better results.


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

This looks great!


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## toofazt (Jun 18, 2005)

Man, that really filled in. Looks algae free and great! Do you get algae on the glass at all?


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

toofazt said:


> Man, that really filled in. Looks algae free and great! Do you get algae on the glass at all?


I have a glass scraper I use maybe once a week or less...no algae except in the beginning. Also some BBA and hair algae tried to start up through some plants I got but I picked it all out and continued with my water changes and no problems.

My weekly regiment is as follows:

- 50% water change every week (sometimes every 10 days) I use tap water treated with Tetra AquaSafe.
- feeding once or twice a day (flakes daily and bloodworms sometimes)
- Daily Flourish Excel dosing (when I feed)
- Weekly Plant Supplement (Flourish)
- Weekly or biweekly CO2 replacement as noted in my above post.

It's really low maintenance and easy to keep up. Also for the hospital tank there is no dosing feeding or CO2 just water changes. The snails seem to love it! :smile:


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## Jubs (Apr 5, 2006)

Nice, and yeah DIY recipe is definitely more cost effective than buying their pre-made packets they sell. 

Is your tap that high in pH? In Renton I am having to add Aquavitro Mineralize to get my kH up as my tank was sitting at 6.0pH and 1* kH. I hear this area ranges a lot.


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

Jubs said:


> Nice, and yeah DIY recipe is definitely more cost effective than buying their pre-made packets they sell.
> 
> Is your tap that high in pH? In Renton I am having to add Aquavitro Mineralize to get my kH up as my tank was sitting at 6.0pH and 1* kH. I hear this area ranges a lot.


Yeah i'd say it costs me pennies a week to run it. I'm sold on it!


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## Jubs (Apr 5, 2006)

You a part of GSAS?


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

Yup!


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## Jubs (Apr 5, 2006)

Nice! you making it to the picnic?


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

When is it? I believe Im out of town that day if my memory serves me
right.


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## Jubs (Apr 5, 2006)

August 11th


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## tylergvolk (Jun 17, 2012)

How long did it take for your HC to really take off?


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

The HC started growing fast once I started making my own CO2 mix!


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

My Rainbows flashing for the camera!


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## fishboy199413 (Jan 20, 2010)

Very cool tank. What were you trying to spawn the psuedomugils or cpds?


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

fishboy199413 said:


> Very cool tank. What were you trying to spawn the psuedomugils or cpds?


I did spawn the psuedomugils often over many weeks but all the eggs never produced in my separate 2 gallon tank I had set up. There were several reasons I think behind that but I stopped after one of the females died from over "active" males in the tank.

My favorite fish in the tank though is the CPD's and I would love to try and spawn them!


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## NQuaday (Jul 14, 2011)

It shouldnt be hard to breed the CPDs provided you have males and females. I had six in my last tank and couldnt get them to stop..lol. The fry will have plenty of places to hide in your tank as well. Love the setup, plants look incredible!


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

NQuaday said:


> It shouldnt be hard to breed the CPDs provided you have males and females. I had six in my last tank and couldnt get them to stop..lol. The fry will have plenty of places to hide in your tank as well. Love the setup, plants look incredible!


I currently have 4 CPD's and I'm fairly certain that at least one is female do to there different sizes and the "chasing" that goes around in the tank. Either way did you have something for them to spawn on or is that not necessary for CPD's. 

Thanks about the plants, they are very healthy and have to be cut back weekly to keep up with the growth.

Unfortuatley when i started buying Anubias Petite Nana only 2 out of the 7 I bought (from 3 different sellers) were really Petite...so many people trying to pass of smalller versions of Anubias as Petite Nana and there not. Oh well I still like the look I just wanted to have the smallest plant possible for the look.


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## andrewluciano (Aug 28, 2012)

Looking nice!


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

andrewluciano said:


> Looking nice!


Thanks Man, welcome aboard!


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## second (Jan 31, 2005)

How are you keeping the shrimp out of the back compartments?


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

second said:


> How are you keeping the shrimp out of the back compartments?


Easy fix, buy a cheap small net at Petco, get the one with bigger netting not the tight netting, bend the net at a 90 degree angle and it will fit in the intake of chamber one and two. The nets handle rests on top of chamber 2. I know some people just clip of the net handle at the base but its not nessarsary. Also keep in mind I've removed the tab inbetween chamber one and two to help flow. 

It's too late to take a picture tonight so if you want I can post a pic tomorrow?

Also a side benifit the net stops plant trimmings and other stuff from going into chamber two.


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## second (Jan 31, 2005)

A pic would be great
Thnx


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## tylergvolk (Jun 17, 2012)

Yeah, I'd like to see what you have been up to as well. Thanks.


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

tylergvolk said:


> Yeah, I'd like to see what you have been up to as well. Thanks.


Here you go, even left some plant clippings in so you could see how it works:


Top of the tank view...









Side of the tank view...


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

Ok it's been a while since I've updated this project so it's been just over a year since I've started this tank and now I have a Fluval Spec 2g also and now just starting another build my 28g Metaframe tank.

I've added java moss that has exploded in the tank and removed plants that got to big like the Trident Java Fern that was in the front left. Now I have some crypts there. Also you can see the Anubias has really filled in the tree stump too.


Here is a close up of my Sakura Cherry Shrimp (taken a month or so ago):









Rainbows showing off (taken last fall):









FTS (Taken this winter after a major trimming):









Other than adding an Amano Shrimp recently and a little bid of a thread algae outbreak all is well and this tank is thriving.


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## Crimson_Toast (Mar 25, 2013)

Wow! Great looking tank!


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

Crimson_Toast said:


> Wow! Great looking tank!


Thanks, I love it!


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## Basil (Jul 11, 2011)

I am going to have to go through your thread again and re-do my Biocube. You're tank is awesome.


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

Basil said:


> I am going to have to go through your thread again and re-do my Biocube. You're tank is awesome.


Hey thanks man, I didn't do anything too special, just went with what I liked and a style/form I was trying to capture. I wanted to do all this with stock equipment to show it could be done. The only thing added is a few ferts and the natural Co2.

On a sad note I lost my fish two days ago to a Purigen accident. :icon_sad: 

Long story short I most not have removed all of the chlorine from the Purigen. I have done this before and it worked fine but what I found out is use a dechlorinate like Prime, I used what I had which was Tetra Aqua-Safe and that my friends is a deleted dechlorinator (which I found out too late). Anyway the shrimp in the tank and snails are fine so for now it's my shrimp sanctuary. 

I'm toying with the idea of adding a Panda Loach to this tank and a amazing pair of Killifish...just not sure which ones yet. The American Killifish Association 2013 Convention is in Portland next month. :smile:


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## AguaTropical (Apr 3, 2013)

Are you still using the Nutrafin CO2 setup (with your own homemade mixture)??


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## SeattleFishGuy (Feb 16, 2012)

The Nutrafin Mix was terrible, mine is much better and cheaper.

Here is what I do...

1. fill to the first line with sugar.
2. Then add 1/2 tsp dry active yeast.
3. Then 1/16 tsp baking soda. (I went to the store and bought a 1/16 measuring spoon, easier than guessing)
4. Add water to top line and stir, simple! 

This mix will last strongly for a week or two.


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