# nano no more.......



## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

15g/60l
ehiem 2213
4ft T5HO x2 54W (the light goes over my other 15g)
diy CO2

Originally this tank was just ment for my juvinile murray cods, a tank i could keep them in until they were ready to join the big tank. it started out quite ugly. over time i collected plants and got heaps of info from websites like this. ive been selling off the murray cod gradually and now im trying to lift the last one. i want to put endlers and cherry shrimp in this tank after the last cod is sold, but first i need some help.
im unhappy with the scape i have now. the driftwood was just dumped in there and i just put the plants where ever. any ideas would be great

heres some pics of the tank


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Nice tank! And that's one cool fish!


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## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

If you just dumped plants in there, you've got really good instincts because you "dumped" pretty good. There's a nice flow from front to back and left to right.
If you added a rock on the right-hand side, about five inches right of the center, you'd give the 'scape a focal point and you'd have a pretty solid tank right there.


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)




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## Strick (Apr 6, 2009)

Nice. 4th pic threw me for a loop - looks like you've got a couple of Nemos in a freshwater tank!


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## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

Ugly Genius said:


> If you just dumped plants in there, you've got really good instincts because you "dumped" pretty good. There's a nice flow from front to back and left to right.


I definitely agree and it's what I was going to say, I actually think it looks great! Perhaps a bit more hardscape as Ugly suggested, but otherwise, I think it really looks beautiful! 



Strick said:


> Nice. 4th pic threw me for a loop - looks like you've got a couple of Nemos in a freshwater tank!


HAHAHA ME TOO! 

Very cool freshwater / saltwater set up you have there! 

And that murray cod is really neat! and pretty to boot!


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## mgdmirage (Mar 30, 2009)

cool setup, i bet you'll have a freshwater clown someday..


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## crimsonbull57 (Jan 7, 2009)

ever gotten your water mixed up when doing water changes? :hihi:


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

went to the creek today with a net and got some shrimp to help with algae. accidently caught 2 mosquito fish as well which i put in my cycling iwagumi.

shrimp
















snail orgy








mosquito fish


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## mgdmirage (Mar 30, 2009)

must be nice to be able to catch your own tropical fish hehe.


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## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

mgdmirage said:


> must be nice to be able to catch your own tropical fish hehe.


I was thinking the same thing! Very cool!


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

thanks everyone. i recently got some endlers, 2 males and 3 females. on the day i introduced them into the tank one of the females gave birth. that was suprising, im not to sure what to feed them any advice would be great. i also got some HC wich is very hard to get in australia it took me months to find it. im hoping to replace all the glosso with HC eventually. as soon as i put the HC in the tank it started pearling so i guess thats a good sign.


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

ive got a couple of questions about my lighting. on this tank ive got 2 54 watt t5s 1 acintic and 1 10000k globe. ive been reading some threads about lighting and they all say acintic make algae grow faster. every 1 or 2 weeks or so i need to wipe off a layer of algae from the glass it gets old. im only got the acintic because i have a reef tank next to this one and some corals need the blue light. is it worth it to get seperate lights for both tanks? and if so is 10000k beter or 6700k?


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## Vladdy (May 6, 2008)

That tank looks amazing! How did you get the dwarf hairgrass to grow like that? Is that DIY CO2 or pressurized?


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

thanks, not sure about the hairgrass i thought thats how it normaly grows... im just using diy co2


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## Kayen (Oct 14, 2007)

Hmm that looks reall nice.
That patch of white sand just bothers me for some reason.


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## c_sking (Aug 4, 2008)

Nice to have to rimless tanks nuts to butts. What you need are two more so you can have them paired off.  Just messing with you tanks look great enjoy!


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

thanks, i no what you mean about the patch of sand, im trying to get hc to grow their it just didnt come out in the picture coz my camera is pretty crap.


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## Jordan58 (Aug 9, 2009)

thats a really nice setup.

any updates


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

its been a while since ive updated, the endlers have bred like crazy and i have about a 100 of them now. Theyre hard to photograph they move so fast. need to sell some. trimming is a PITA especially the hair grass. neting it out is a biznitch, i get about 10 endlers every time i scoop. anyone know how to trim java fern? mine are getting to big for the tank.

FTS








A lot of endlers








































Dirty Pipes








Whirlpool of Death








Another FTS


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## Outlawboss (Dec 30, 2008)

What a fantastic forest! Really really nice tank. I may have seen it before, but I never seem to think of hairgrass short like you have yours. The lawn is really cool.


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

August










October


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## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

sick setup


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## Mustang Boy (Aug 11, 2009)

i really like your setup i seem to like the more grown in jungle look over the neatly pruned look cause it looks more natural to me and i like the natural look


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## OhNo123 (Jan 8, 2008)

I am horribly jealous.

your tank looks so good.


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

to prune the java fern, it's best to remove it from whatever it's attched to, and trim off portions of the rhizome into individual plants, you can reattach some of the smaller portions and then sell the rest. 

Your tank looks fantastic, it must be fun to watch all those endlers.


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

Dollface - Thanks for the info i'll definatly put it to use!

Quick update
A friend of mine wanted to set up a planted tank after seeing mine and since i was getting sick of haveing 4 types of carpeting plants, i gave him all my glosso from this tank. i also gave him some java moss, java fern and stems.
if all goes as planned, the hair grass will spread where the glosso was and carpet nicely. ill post some pics later..

P.S. im not sure how many australians are on this site but if theres anyone in melbourne that wants to buy some endlers just let me know.


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## hyphination (Sep 25, 2008)

nice growth man. loving the jungle feel to it.


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

heres some pics after i took out the plants for my friends tank, i planted some more hair grass from my other tank to fill the space the glosso was. the HC is temporary, ment for another tank i will be starting soon. 
































i tried to take pics of the endlers again, but there just too fast especially when people come up to the glass. so instead i tryed to take a video hoping it would turn out beter than the pictures, it didnt really work but here it is:


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

Oh man, I love videos so much, somehow you can never capture the full essence of a tank in just a photo. Your swarm of endlers is amazing, it must been fun to watch them.

It's gonna look great when the hair grass fills in, can't wait.


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## sticonnun (Oct 28, 2009)

Jordan58 said:


> thats a really nice setup.
> 
> any updates


Great idea!!!:bounce:


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

update time!!!! not much to update really......... hairgrass has grown a bit. some of the shrimp are starting to get orange spots although its barely noticable and my awesome camera skils dont help. anyone know the species? caught them in southern australia if that helps.........

shrimp when i first caught them:









crappy shrimp photos from today (notice the orange/gold spots):

































random shot of java fern









FTS


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## EdTheEdge (Jan 25, 2007)

SWEET!!!!! Lovin' the vid!


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## mgdmirage (Mar 30, 2009)

Gorgeous jungle!


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

Iwagumi pictures go!


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## Pencil2Print (Nov 20, 2009)

Just wanted to say that i love the idea of having salt water tank and fresh water tank side by side, sharing one light figure. Great idea and space saver!


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## vtkid (Jan 5, 2009)

what do you have for a light, i though saltwater needed a different spectrum of lighting.
and these arent your first tanks right?
they are incredible


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

Francis Xavier - Heres the iwagumi tank from the video on page 2 http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals-photo-album/89771-icepotatos-20g-iwagumi.html

vtkid - Ive got 1 10000k bulb and 1 acintic blue bulb. ive been told the acintic is useless for the planted tank, its more for the marine tank. and youre right this isnt my first tank, but it is my first atempt at a planted tank. before this i had mostly large predatory fish and they can mess plants up.


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

gotta love clean pipes, this one's trying to do a nemo on me....








fts


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## Lindo (Apr 12, 2009)

Go NEMO GO!!

Love how the java fern is growing.

Great shrimpies. Maybe email Dave @ aquagreen? He might be able to id or know someone to refer to.


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## python (Mar 21, 2007)

Crikey! Nice tank, mate.


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

Big update time,
I've taken down the reef tank beside this tank. it was too high mantainance and was costing me too much money. i've decided to turn the other 15 gallon into another planted tank.








this ones going to be an iwagumi with Hemianthus callitrichoides foreground and Lilaeopsis brasiliensis inbetween and behind the stones. i already have the plants growing in the adjacent 15 gallon, but im still undeicided on what stones to use. Living in Australia, i cant get a hold of those beautiful textured stones you see in almost everyones iwagumi. instead i just keep a lookout where ever i go for nice stones. if anyone is in melbourne australia and knows where to find good rocks, please let me know. all i can do now is play the waiting game..................this game sucks.


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## JennaH (Sep 28, 2009)

i immediately thought ghost shrimp, but after some google searching came across these guys paratya australiensis.

i love the side by side tank setup with one light strip, very clever, can't wait to see them both setup!


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

thanks JennaH, i did some googleing of my own and paratya australiensis are found in saltwater as well. google for the win.


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

i found these things growing on the java moss, not really sure what they are. anyone know what they are?


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/shrimp-other-invertebrates/40061-whats-bug-how-recognize-them.html

It appears to be Bryzoa.


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

thanks, i took out the java moss with the bryzoa coz i have lots of fry in the tank. also i was finally able to get some not blurry pictures of the endlers with my ass of a camera.


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## WibblyPig (May 10, 2007)

How do you introduce the CO2 to your tank? I saw a glass diffuser in one pic but couldn't tell after that.


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## MARIMOBALL (Mar 18, 2007)

Nice journal great to see your tank evolve. very nice tank. Looks like you left the dark side AKA salt water tanks and joined us here, great roud: Now you can eliminate the actinic bulb. My color combo os 10k bulb and a pink bulb. just don't introduce endlers into your iwagumi maybe some nano schooling fish like a micro rasbora or better yet a school of blue axelodi if you can locate any.


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

thanks MARIMOBALL i was thinking micro rasboras but there hard to find in australia if i cant find em ill probably go cardinals


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

i finally got around to setting up the other 15g tank. here it is (its not really this blue in person):








not sure how well the dry start will go coz the substrate is just fine gravel from my old tank. heres the other 15g 








it needs a trim coz ive been in thailand/malaysia for the past 2 weeks and left the tank at a friends house.....FTS


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## AlexXx (Dec 1, 2009)

love both the tanks, i really like the rocks youve chose.


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

thanks, i liberated the rocks from my neighbors garden


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Bird flippin' and potty language. tisk, tisk :hihi:
I always loved that tank on the left.
Stupid souther hemisphere. At least we've been getting snowdays, and my school doesn't have to make those days up.
Though, it's gonna suck next week when it's just cold, and no snow.
Enjoy your summer 
The new tank looks fresh.


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

Thanks CL, that means a lot coming from you. 
i swaped a couple endlers for about 25 red cherry shrimp. i heart them.
























plants releasing oxygen








random shots


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## chadly (May 17, 2005)

those tanks are pretty cool! nice job!


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## AlexXx (Dec 1, 2009)

That is just Dwarf Hair Grass in the front right? Im really in love with that pant, and your lawn looks so amazing. I need to find some!


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

what do you mean by pant


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## AlexXx (Dec 1, 2009)

Plants sorry haha.


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

2 nights ago while i was out, my 5 year old cousin decided it would be nice to try catch the endlers in my tank with her hands. so yesterday i replanted the uprooted plants and threw out some moss that was on the ground. i also trimmed the hairgrass, its such a pain to net out with the endlers everywhere. she ate all my oreos too......

















































FTS








view from my bed


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

close up of co2 distribution








red cherry shrimp


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

heres a kind of clear photo of some of my endlers:









berried shrimp!:

















my redest one


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

there are sooo many endlers, i cant sell them fast enough.
heres a video


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

last week i got given 2 30g tanks from a guy i sold endlers to, thier dimensions are 24x18x18. i replaced the 2 15g tanks with these new ones and moved the endlers into my 4ft tank. the 30g tank on the right is for breeding RCS and my new CRS. so i guess this thread doesnt really belong here in the nano section anymore....
the new tanks:


























































the endlers new home


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## mrparker (Oct 23, 2009)

love your tanks, you do get really good growth. What fertilizers do you use? and you just do diy co2? 

so i recently developed this desire and fixation with moss walls. you could do one in either of those tanks, it would be sweet. And you seem to have a lot of java moss.


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## AlexXx (Dec 1, 2009)

beautiful new tank! wow!


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## TeamTeal (Mar 31, 2010)

simple and clean, very nice


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

Beautiful tanks, so simple and good looking.

-Andrew


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## Steve180 (Apr 12, 2010)

Wow! You're really talented. I'll be looking to your tanks for inspiration as I set up my first one


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## icepotato89 (Apr 3, 2009)

wow, thanks for the ego boost guys


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