# Axelrod's planted vases



## Axelrod12 (Jun 28, 2013)

After seeing a bunch of these no-tech planted vases and bowls, I started to get an itch to set one up. A very persistent, nagging itch. So one day I conveniently happened to find myself very close to a Michaels. I wandered inside with the intent of browsing the selection and possibly leaving with a vase or bowl of some type. About 10-15 minutes later I left....with two vases and a small bag of dark river pebbles that I'm debating using, and every intent of returning for more. 

So, I will use this thread to post pictures and updates of my various vases that I'm sure will continue to pop up all over my house. I will be filling them almost entirely with trimmings and excess plants. 

Vase #1:
This is a cylinder with a height and diameter around 5". After the substrate it holds around .25 gallons. Substrate is a layer of MGOCPS topped with play sand, the likely substrate for most of these vases. Plants are Hemianthus Glomeratus, Bacopa Monnieri, a single small water lettuce, and another that I haven't IDed. Possibly a rotala of some type. Lighting is sunlight through the window behind it. The view through the glass is kind of distorted due to the degree of the curve. It's not bad though.








Vase #2:
This one is a 7" cube. After the substrate it holds slightly less than a gallon of water. Lighting is a desk lamp, and possibly some indirect sunlight from a window. So far there is a piece of malaysian driftwood, some Bacopa Monnieri, Ludwigia Repens, Blyxa Japonica, and a couple small frogbit that have been added since the picture. There is space left to fill in once I find something good to go there. I have a small crypt that may work, not sure of the sp. I'm also debating a couple RCS in this one eventually.


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## juumou (Sep 4, 2013)

I love your cube and bacopa  Your RCS will look great in it!


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

You have some nice vases!


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

Ha, welcome to the madness  I am setting up a second of mine. Good looking cube. Maybe some moss on driftwood/ front left? A single S. repens would look good also. Or Mayaca or Rotala Bangladesh to eventually circle the surface.

Like emergent stems in the first one - just don't get it confused with a drinking glass.

v3


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## BriDroid (Oct 7, 2012)

Looks great. I really like that idea!


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## Koi Kameon (Apr 25, 2010)

*Warning: planted bowls are very, very addicting*

:red_mouth Be prepared to be fiddling around with these things for a looong time. And "not bad," they're both great. Did the one plant just start to emerge naturally? If you wind up needing snails, I recommend the tiny horned nerites. The bumblebee ones (black and yellow). Horned nerites love algae and they will not reproduce in fresh water.


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## JEFF9922 (May 8, 2013)

I love the look of these small plant jars I would love to do one but I think my wife is at her limit haveing 2 tanks already


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## Chonda89 (Sep 25, 2010)

Ahhhh, you make me want to make one too.


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## TankYouVeryMuch (Jul 5, 2013)

Looking good! I habe the same cube


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## Axelrod12 (Jun 28, 2013)

OVT said:


> Ha, welcome to the madness  I am setting up a second of mine. Good looking cube. Maybe some moss on driftwood/ front left? A single S. repens would look good also. Or Mayaca or Rotala Bangladesh to eventually circle the surface.
> 
> Like emergent stems in the first one - just don't get it confused with a drinking glass.
> 
> v3


Thanks OVT, I was definitely considering the moss on the DW. I'm trying to restrain myself from hunting down specific plants for these. I want to use mostly trimmings and extras I have. That being said, I'm sure it's going to happen anyways so thanks for the suggestions 



Koi Kameon said:


> :red_mouth Be prepared to be fiddling around with these things for a looong time. And "not bad," they're both great. Did the one plant just start to emerge naturally? If you wind up needing snails, I recommend the tiny horned nerites. The bumblebee ones (black and yellow). Horned nerites love algae and they will not reproduce in fresh water.


The Bacopa was planted with the tops poking just a little above the surface. It has grown around an inch of emergent growth since. I'm not sure if I'm going to put any stock in the smaller one yet. I may keep it just plants. The bigger one is likely to get a couple RCS at some point though.


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## Axelrod12 (Jun 28, 2013)

Anyone deal with surface scum on these planted vases? My cube tends to accumulate a good deal of it.


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## TankYouVeryMuch (Jul 5, 2013)

You mean film? Or scum?

My top gets oilly looking and has bulit up bubbles somehow but they both go away with water changes...

If anyone knows about the bubbling effect, speak up!


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## Axelrod12 (Jun 28, 2013)

Its an oily film, it can get pretty thick sometimes if I let it go with no agitation/water change for a few days. I also am starting to see some bubbles recently. I assumed they were directly related to the crud that builds up on the top.


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## Seedreemer (Sep 28, 2008)

I especially like the cylinder with the plants emerging.


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

Sounds like protein film. Any chance your substrate is leaching organics? Snails eat it.

v3


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## Axelrod12 (Jun 28, 2013)

OVT said:


> Sounds like protein film. Any chance your substrate is leaching organics? Snails eat it.
> 
> v3


I suppose the dirt could be. I just added a couple ramshorns so maybe they'll help out.


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## TankYouVeryMuch (Jul 5, 2013)

I get the same thing, no snails... But i do water changes every 3rd day


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## John Simpson (Mar 14, 2013)

do you ever see the snails crawling upside down on the surface of the water, I've seen it in this sort of set up when the film gets real thick


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## Axelrod12 (Jun 28, 2013)

John Simpson said:


> do you ever see the snails crawling upside down on the surface of the water, I've seen it in this sort of set up when the film gets real thick


Haha too funny. I read this then looked over at the vase, which is conveniently located next to my monitor, and one of the ramshorns was doing exactly that.


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## Axelrod12 (Jun 28, 2013)




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## Axelrod12 (Jun 28, 2013)

I've added another vase to the collection. It's progress can be seen here:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=464561










I've also added some S. Repens to the cube, that empty space was starting to really nag at me:


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## Em-T (Dec 15, 2013)

Any update? That cube looks good with the repens


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