# 7.5 gallon cube



## AlexW (Aug 3, 2008)

Thought I'd show everyone my favorite of my planted tanks as my first real post here...

*-specs-*
AquaPro 12" cube
co2 system from Aquarium Plus
Amazonia II
TopFin 15 filter (til I get the 501)
Manzanita branches
Ohko stone
Fish: 1 Parosphromenus ornaticauda and 1 kubotai rasbora
Inverts: 1 yellow shrimp and 4 Bumblebee nerites










It's not done yet and I'll keep posting updates, like I think I'm gonna get rid of the downoi cuz it just seems out of place. 

Any thoughts or suggestions? Fish, inverts? Plant placement? New plants? Hardscape?


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

l don't think the downoi is out of place but l do feel the tank's arrangement feels like it was an after thought. l think with some structure this tank could improve. What helps me is l visualize what i'd like in my head and maybe draw it out on paper or sometimes l just go on google and look up some tanks and then go from there. Some tips l would suggest is maybe trying to move around the blyxia so that it doesn't cover the manzanita as much. Another thing is the hairgrass or belem(whichever it is l can't tell since it's hard) in the front to be spread out a bit more evenly so that your carpet grows out a bit more faster. you can always use the stones to hold the branches together if you want them to stand more upright in the tank. Hopefully that helps and sorry if l came out harsh, wasn't my intention l just try to help/voice out my opinion. Good luck with the tank in whatever you decide to do.


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## AlexW (Aug 3, 2008)

!shadow! said:


> l don't think the downoi is out of place but l do feel the tank's arrangement feels like it was an after thought. l think with some structure this tank could improve. What helps me is l visualize what i'd like in my head and maybe draw it out on paper or sometimes l just go on google and look up some tanks and then go from there. Some tips l would suggest is maybe trying to move around the blyxia so that it doesn't cover the manzanita as much. Another thing is the hairgrass or belem(whichever it is l can't tell since it's hard) in the front to be spread out a bit more evenly so that your carpet grows out a bit more faster. you can always use the stones to hold the branches together if you want them to stand more upright in the tank. Hopefully that helps and sorry if l came out harsh, wasn't my intention l just try to help/voice out my opinion. Good luck with the tank in whatever you decide to do.


Thanks, that's exactly what I need to know lol, I've never been very good with wood scapes, rock scapes I can do but i think that's cuz they just listen to what I want better.
Yeah, the belem needs a bit of TLC, it was a thick lush carpet but I sold most of it and left what was left sitting in a cup for 2 weeks... now that's all that's left


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

l had something similar like that before happen to me. l had 3 clumps of java moss dried out and so l threw them back into my 40g and they came back to life and now l have like a 5g size of nothing but java moss at my disposal. amaising how much neglection the moss can withstand


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## AlexW (Aug 3, 2008)

Lol, moss is crazy hardy, used to have a 5 gallon bucket full of the stuff that I was using to breed RCS, no light, no ferts no nothing and eventually it was solid java moss. I feel a little more guilty about my specimen container full of fisssidens that I haven't found a use for yet but it's crazy hardy too :hihi:

I took your advice, moved the blyxa and split up the belem, also adjusted the manz a bit... still need some sort of stem plant in the back left corner but I think maybe rotala butterfly would be good... stays smaller and is super bright. I'll post pics once it's cleared up a bit. :icon_wink


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

the back right plant looks good in that spot it was just the mid to foreground that needed some adjusting so that you can see your entire tank is a better view.


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## AlexW (Aug 3, 2008)

Alright, so the most recent shot... 










Think I'm gonna move all the plants on the left out and get some staurogyne for up nearer the wood and let the belem fill in, maybe remove the one stone right up front, it's just holding down a new peice of wood atm


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## AlexW (Aug 3, 2008)

Really haven't been happy with this tank for a while, still haven't gotten it right...

Gave it another rescape the other day, tell me what you all think!!









it's alot more simplistic, still need to add back in some fissidens and mp but not sure where or how (do I want it on the sticks or maybe attached to some rocks here and there?)


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## Da Plant Man (Apr 7, 2010)

It is getting better! I hope you post this over on AoA, that forum is dying and needs some more pictures. You gonna go to the January meeting (no clue who is speaking) or what about the February plant auction for GSAS? 

This tank is awesome.

-Caton


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## AlexW (Aug 3, 2008)

Thanks Caton!

Got my shrimp this morning, 30 CRS/CBS


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

nice crs/cbs did you get em on the s&s?


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## AlexW (Aug 3, 2008)

The ASII is driving me nuts, it's just clouding up my water and leaving dust on my plants... so I'm going to switch the tank over to a sulawesi tank with sand substrate 

I have a 10 gallon I set up for these crystals so they'll be moving over there later today and then I'll start the rehaul on my cube.

Here's the most recent of shots I've taken, the pennywort has about doubled in size since this photo i took last week :icon_roll












> nice crs/cbs did you get em on the s&s?


Not really, I did get them from a member here though.


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