# Mini-M College Scape. (Update 8/28)



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

Here is the mini-m that has recently replaced my 2.5g. I can't use many stem plants since this tank has to be moved 5 more times for another year until I graduate. 

I tried to make it so everything is easily removable. The only plant that is actually in the soil is the Blyxa japonica. All of the plants were just moved from my 2.5g high light tank and seem to be doing fine so far. The only plant I am worried about is my riccia. It used to pearl a lot in my other tank but now only has a few small bubbles on it. I will probably cut it back and try to look for new growth.

I am not very happy with the wood so I might put rocks there later but who knows.

This tank has a 13w cfl over it with paintball co2. 
There is also a journal here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals/168906-radiomans-mini-m-journal.html


----------



## freph (Apr 4, 2011)

I agree on the wood...it's rather odd shaped. Needs more twig-ness. Other than that, nice little tank you have here. All these Mini M tanks floating around makes me want to get my own.


----------



## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

I agree with you both about the wood. What if you flip the wood and maybe that would help and don't put it directly in the center.


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

Thanks for the input. I really don't like it either. I will have to look into some rocks or something. Maybe a rock pile with java fern.


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

GMYukonon24s said:


> I agree with you both about the wood. What if you flip the wood and maybe that would help and don't put it directly in the center.


The problem is the other side has roots that prevent me from putting it farther to the side. All in all it is just a bad piece for the tank and I plan on putting something else there in the future.


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

So I am keeping the wood for now . and am just trying to dress it up to not make it so blatantly awkward. I attached some fissidens (thanks to h2oaggie) to it and put some around the base of the wood.

The Blyxa was starting to struggle with my current fertilizer regime. It might just be adjusting to the lower light and less ferts but I decided to place some root tabs under it just to give it some help since I like my current fert regime and everything else seems to be fine for now. 

Here is a pic of how the tank currently looks.


----------



## freph (Apr 4, 2011)

Here's to hoping the fissidens helps out a bit. Tank looks pretty good.  Nice big fluffy riccia mat too. What're you running for your paintball setup?


----------



## Couesfanatic (Sep 28, 2009)

Looks good. I love those nano tanks.


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

freph said:


> Here's to hoping the fissidens helps out a bit. Tank looks pretty good.  Nice big fluffy riccia mat too. What're you running for your paintball setup?


I am running a 20oz tank with a ASA on/off valve with 1.5 bubbles every 2 seconds. It isn't that much but it keeps the drop checker green.
I kind of want to cut the bigger java fern leaves and let the smaller ones grow in.


----------



## freph (Apr 4, 2011)

Which java fern? The one on the left or the central one? The left one looks unhealthy almost.  Also, shunnnnnnnnn for using just an ASA on/off.


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

Haha I have never had problems with it. People always hate on the ASAon/off ones. I only have it because it was on my 2.5g tank and I wasn't going to buy a 5lb tank for an aquarium that small.

All the big leaves on the ferns had spots on them when I bought them and definitely were not that healthy and the bigger leaves don't look like they will recover. I have seen new growth from the rhizome though so I'm going to cut the leaves on the left one and then attach it to the driftwood since it is currently not attached to anything. The more central one has some spots but is not as bad as the one on the left so I'm going to leave it alone for now.


----------



## Couesfanatic (Sep 28, 2009)

You should throw something up front for a carpet. What moss do you have on the wood?


----------



## freph (Apr 4, 2011)

Never said you had to have a larger CO2 tank to go for a reg.  My paintball setup is with a single stage and an adapter even though they're just 20oz tanks. I've had my fair share of bad experiences enough to warrant doing so. Good call on cutting the older, less healthy growth.


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

Couesfanatic said:


> You should throw something up front for a carpet. What moss do you have on the wood?


I want to do dwarf hairgrass this summer when I'm home from college. Those are fissidens on the wood.


----------



## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

The riccia has great growth and nice tank.


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

GMYukonon24s said:


> The riccia has great growth and nice tank.


Thanks it started growing in my high light tank and I moved it over to this tank but it seems to still be growing at a reasonable rate if you compare it to the first picture. I was worried it might not like the conditions in this tank but then again it is pretty much a weed.


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

x post from my journal
A quick update. The growth on the blyxa seems to be slow. I just don't think it likes the lighting conditions in the tank. On the left side of the tank there is a piece of Blyxa that natural sunlight hits and it seems to be growing faster than the others which leads me to believe it is the lighting. I was not sure if this plant would cut it in this tank. There is some growth so we will see what it is like in the coming weeks.

The sunlight on the left side of the tank leads to my second problem. I am getting staghorn on the sides of plant that face the left side of my tank which is where the sunlight hits it from the window. I try to keep the blinds closed but I am not the only person living in this apt. For now I have put a black covering on that side to keep the light out which should solve my problem.

All in all I am happy with this tanks and the growth I am getting in my lower light plants. Here are some pics of it and the algae. You can see how it is all growing on the left side of things.

Also I reattached the riccia since it grew so large it detached itself. I need to clean up all the stragglers of riccia too.
Also if you want a way to cover up you filter intake just let riccia grow through the foam (picture of it below).





































Here is the riccia lol. You can also see the Blyxa. I am comparing its growth and color to my high light tank so I don't know if I will ever be happy with the growth or color of it in this tank. The picture makes the tips look yellow and they are slightly in person. What deficiency is this if it isn't the amount of lighting?


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

This tank will be torn down in two weeks so I can move home and then will be put back together. I really don't want to rip up the blyxa since it just started growing really good but oh well. I'm probably going to make that piece of wood into more of a stump with fissidens on top and then make a riccia carpet. Still brainstorming.


----------



## CatB (Jan 29, 2012)

what you said about the spots on the java fern: i don't know if this stands true for everybody, but i noticed my java fern getting some brown spots a while back. then, pretty soon after (maybe a month?) they grew little baby ferns. right behind where the brown spots were! when i pulled the babies, the brown spots on the front went away. food for thought...


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

New scape after moving home. The camera phone picture doesn't do it justice. I will have to take a better one soon. The riccia will hopefully grow better now that it is getting more light and look at that anubias nana!!


----------



## FisheriesOmen (Jan 14, 2012)

ooooooo, This tank is sweet. I bet you're the ritzy baller in your dormroom/ apartment/house/whatever...point is you're now the big boy on the street roud:
btw how did you attach the riccia to the rocks? Did you Glue them or use mesh?


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

It is attached using netting from a loofa type bath scrub
http://www.thestranger.com/binary/7a36/1268420869-thingy.jpg
It grows out looking really good as you can see in the earlier pics.
I'm also hoping to put some dwarf hairgrass in or do a bunch of riccia on slate and make a carpet that way.


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

New updated pics taken with a better camera. I also added a product that I saw at my lfs that looks like it would be good to grow riccia out of.

All in all I like this scape better than the previous one with the wood.


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

New pics. I got a GLA regulator and atomic diffuser too. Ignore the white towel. It is there temporarily while I am home.


----------



## Ganyon (Jun 11, 2012)

The tank looks great. Can't wait til mine fills out like that.


----------



## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

i like the nerite, and love the atomizer. im gonna have to pic one of those up for my next scape. every time i see its mist, i want it more.


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

Pic for the nano section. More info can be found in the journal for this tank.


----------



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

Here is an updated picture. I have been battling some staghorn and a deficiency in my java fern. The staghorn always occurs when I am here at college. I love how the Blyxa looks like it is exploding out.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Nice! You should get some glosso for the foreground.


----------

