# McQueen's Mini M



## Miles (Sep 9, 2011)

Do you have a fauna plan for this tank?


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## iRun (Apr 12, 2011)

Well done!


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

I gotta say, I hate rock piles with a passion but this is extremely well executed, I really like it.


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## roybot73 (Dec 15, 2007)

It is a nice layout. I fear that the E tennellus micro will grow to be several inches tall and will more than likely end up obscuring and overrunning everything. 
Why the choice to put the low growing Belem in the background?


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

Miles said:


> Do you have a fauna plan for this tank?


Not really. I'd like to see how the plants transition first. I'm concerned that balancing the plants' CO2 requirements will be difficult enough in such a small tank. I've seen so many other members with far greater experience than I struggle, so my plan is to just take it one step at a time. 



iRun said:


> Well done!


Thanks!



Dollface said:


> I gotta say, I hate rock piles with a passion but this is extremely well executed, I really like it.


Thanks, Dollface. I'm working toward a concept I stumbled across during my Edge experience. I saw the effects of instant erosion after starting the filter for the first time. The sand blew away, exposing the larger gravel underneath, which in turn looked like it had eroded from the larger central rocks. The result was pretty cool, and I guess I've been more interested in the smaller rocks and shards since. My goal is to attempt layouts with greater and greater percentages of the smaller fragments. We'll see how that turns out. I'm counting on you to let me know when I finally cross the "rock pile" line, as I may have lost all perspective at this point. 



roybot73 said:


> It is a nice layout. I fear that the E tennellus micro will grow to be several inches tall and will more than likely end up obscuring and overrunning everything.
> Why the choice to put the low growing Belem in the background?


I had planned on using UG (and then HC) instead of the E tennellus micro, but that was just a mess. As I said above, I had been growing the micro emersed for a long time. The new growth has been very slow and truly "micro." My plan is to try to recreate similar growing conditions underwater, but it's definitely going to involve a lot of trial and error. 

I don't have much hope that the belem will survive the transition. It's in pretty rough shape as it is and far from enjoying its emersed experience. But it was about two inches tall when I received it. I think I'd be happy with that along the back. Undoubtedly, it will be a difficult task given my plan for the micro, but at least the belem is closer to the light source.


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Some scapes make me feel... enlightened. This is definitely one of them. There's only about 6 or 7 of them. Nicely done. Very, very nicely done.


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

mcqueenesq said:


> Thanks, Dollface. I'm working toward a concept I stumbled across during my Edge experience. I saw the effects of instant erosion after starting the filter for the first time. The sand blew away, exposing the larger gravel underneath, which in turn looked like it had eroded from the larger central rocks. The result was pretty cool, and I guess I've been more interested in the smaller rocks and shards since. My goal is to attempt layouts with greater and greater percentages of the smaller fragments. We'll see how that turns out. I'm counting on you to let me know when I finally cross the "rock pile" line, as I may have lost all perspective at this point.


The key is the variation in size and placement, which makes it look like a natural rubble pile vs. a lot of rock piles where all the stones are basically the same size, and arranged neatly the exact same distance apart. The Yamaya stone was also a great choice, since it's kind of boring on it's own, but makes great rubble. 

All in all :thumbsup:


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

Very well executed layout my friend! I would definitely recommend flooding as quick ad you can.


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

Geniusdudekiran said:


> Some scapes make me feel... enlightened. This is definitely one of them. There's only about 6 or 7 of them. Nicely done. Very, very nicely done.


Kiran, your Mini S journal has definitely been an inspiration to me. Thank you for the kind words. 



Dollface said:


> All in all :thumbsup:


I may add "Dollface Approved" to my signature. I wish I could have done more with your UG, but I had to leave it in my 83-year-old grandmother's care during our last move. You would be proud to know that it did carpet the Mini M while growing emersed, but it eventually turned white and started vomiting black sludge. 



Francis Xavier said:


> Very well executed layout my friend! I would definitely recommend flooding as quick ad you can.


Thanks for the feedback and for finding those small rocks for me. I'm definitely down with the FX Method, but your journal has me scared to death to fill this tank.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

Hah! Why scared to death?


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## frrok (May 22, 2011)

How are those LEDs working out so far? I'm looking to upgrade my mini-m as well. But I'm looking for a fixture of some sort. Looking at the aquaray mini400 or the 8w skkye led. 

I like your setup so far. I kind of like the rubble effect personally.


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

Francis Xavier said:


> Hah! Why scared to death?


Easy for you to say. You don't even need a drop checker anymore!




frrok said:


> How are those LEDs working out so far? I'm looking to upgrade my mini-m as well. But I'm looking for a fixture of some sort. Looking at the aquaray mini400 or the 8w skkye led.
> 
> I like your setup so far. I kind of like the rubble effect personally.


Thanks! I'm digging your progress too. I'd be happy with either of those lights above my Mini M.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

I've got faith you can do it. Follow along or ask me if you have any difficulty.


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

Nice, I like these small but clear tanks and so far you are doing a good job at tricking the eye and without any reference you can't tell what size the tank is, so keep up the good work. Didn't you have another nice little tank journal, I didn't see it in your signature.


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

150EH said:


> Nice, I like these small but clear tanks and so far you are doing a good job at tricking the eye and without any reference you can't tell what size the tank is, so keep up the good work. Didn't you have another nice little tank journal, I didn't see it in your signature.


Thank you. I have a 60-P in progress, but I can't imagine how you handle that 150. The only other tank posting I made was for an EDGE last year, but that tank is currently at my grandmother's house and will need to be restarted.


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## bitFUUL (May 14, 2010)

ya.. filly McTanky! (and pics, or it didn't happen)


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## aXio (May 29, 2011)

I like your tank a lot. Very nice rock work. You were asking me about what plants I was going to use and I think I like your idea of pygmy sword. Although for that I would probably need a deeper substrate bed.


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## jeremyTR (Mar 21, 2012)

150EH said:


> Nice, I like these small but clear tanks and so far you are doing a good job at tricking the eye and without any reference you can't tell what size the tank is, so keep up the good work. Didn't you have another nice little tank journal, I didn't see it in your signature.


didn't see the light switches, did ya?


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

bitFUUL said:


> ya.. filly McTanky! (and pics, or it didn't happen)


Filling in a few days. I'm waiting on some lily pipes and have to find a local source for a CO2 tank. 



aXio said:


> I like your tank a lot. Very nice rock work. You were asking me about what plants I was going to use and I think I like your idea of pygmy sword. Although for that I would probably need a deeper substrate bed.


Thanks and right back at you. I'm using the micro leaf variety of E. tenellus and haven't seen any roots longer than an inch or so. How deep is your Aquasoil?


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

The tank has been filled for a few weeks now. Surprisingly, there has been very little algae. There has been very little growth too, but the belem has started to spread and E. tenellus "micro" is showing signs of new growth. I'm sure the addition of pressurized CO2 in the near future will help.


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

Status: Slow growth and little to no algae. More fertilizers arrive this week. Let's see if some potassium can brighten things up a bit. 

Note: Rocks are easily dislodged. Consider applying silicone at base of jutting rocks next time. I also think Frank's right about the Aquasoil powder type being the right scale for these smaller tanks.


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## FlyingGiraffes (Jan 30, 2011)

Looks good so far, when's the co2 coming? You're gonna get awesome growth.


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

Well, I had a paintball setup ready for this tank but never could figure out how to make it work. And I have a custom-built dual stage regulator and all the accessories that I was saving for the 60-P, but I don't have the CO2 tank. I found a local source for that but haven't found the time to pick it up. Right now this tank is purgatory. Pray that it reaches the CO2 promised land.


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## beedee (Jul 1, 2010)

Thanks for the updates. Once that CO2 shows up, I'm sure you'll start seeing some nice growth.


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## aweeby (Oct 1, 2011)

Nice hardscape. Any updates? 

so you're ditching paintball completely? heh, when i was trying to figure mine out I think I even screamed a little due to a few "fire extinguisher moments". But it's working now just fine... where did you run into trouble on yours?


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

You'll need CSI skills to discern the changes, but the E. tenellus "micro" is growing up and out. It would definitely show up more in the photos if I could keep from uprooting half of it every time I do a water change. And there are a lot of dead/dying dry-start leaves, but again I can't seem to trim without disturbing something else. I'm just going to leave it for now. 

Most of the E. belem clumps have runners, but they've stayed very short. I also threw a small amount of Tom's Elatine hydropiper in there a while back. Most of it melted, but one patch appears to have new growth. And there are several areas where the tank's previous inhabitant, UG, is sprouting. Those roots have to be so deep that there's zero chance of it pulling away from the substrate (if it survives). 

I started adding phosphorous and potassium for the first time last week and promptly had my first green thread algae bloom. I managed to remove it without having to replant _every_ plant and have since cut way back on the phosphorous. 

As for the paintball CO2, I'm sure it was user error. I don't think I had the main valve all the way open (or closed?) when I attached it to the tank. Whatever I did, I managed to empty the tank without getting any Co2 in the water. These plants deserve better, and I'm tired of seeing them struggle. I'll get it refilled tomorrow and try again. I just hope I didn't break the valve.


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## green_valley (Sep 14, 2011)

Good scape, but I hope your plants will come back up.


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

CO2 is up and running. I adjusted the flow down significantly from where it was in this picture. Is OK to just leave it on all the time? There is no fauna.


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

I left mine on with fauna but kept the DC in the darker green range.


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

*Algae?* Check. But at least it's the cheerful sort. 

*Growth?* Meh. It's happening despite some work-induced neglect and without the benefit of CO2. It'll do. 

*CO2?* Not a fan. I ordered a larger paintball tank (24 oz), but the tubing kept popping off the diffuser. Actually, "popping off" is an understatement—it kept "exploding" off the diffuser. 

After cleaning the water off the walls and checking for damage to all that expensive glass (why aren't we using acrylic?), I was disheartened to learn from online sources that my check valve was seriously underrated. So I ordered an adapter and resigned myself to using my fancy dual stage regulator, which just looks ridiculous on a paintball tank (seriously, it's almost as big as the tank). 

The adapter arrived this week, and I decided to wing the setup. The result was that I almost knocked myself out while trying to hook it up. Somehow I managed to release most of the tank's contents into our bedroom within seconds. I couldn't tighten the darned thing fast enough, and then everything started to freeze. Anxious moments ensued as, having a woefully inadequate science background, I tried to recall whether I read any cases in law school about a man blowing himself up with CO2. Satisfied that I had not read any such case, I decided to risk the frostbite. Long story short—I got it off and for the rest of the evening only had to endure a nasty headache, mild dizziness, and an unamused wife. 

*Flourish Excel?* Check.


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

It looks like you made a little progress and the plants have beter color, in previous photos they look almost brown. I hope it works out better in the future with the CO2.


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

Thanks. I'll do it right next time.


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Can't wait to see it fill in!


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Personaliy, however, I think it'd look better with HC as the carpet plant, and then Blyxa japonica in the back.

Some times scapes jump out at me, but not often. One example is my current ADA tank, the Treeless Mountain, for which I bought the stones from the previous owner. I had thought that tank was amazing, so after he took it down, I asked him if he'd sell me the hardscape materials, and thus, my tank is born. 

Point being, great scape. And if you ever take it down, let me know because it deserves to be displayed as well as it is now! roud:


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

Thanks, Kiran. I originally planned to use HC because of how great your tank looked. And you're right about the blyxa being a better choice in back. I honestly thought the belem would have grown taller (or just have grown period). At the rate the UG keeps sprouting up, it's going to be the de facto carpet before long.


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Thanks! Why not just switch it out now? You'd probably get faster results from HC at that rate anyway :icon_lol:


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

I would probably do it if I had the CO2 working. I don't think it'd last long without it. But if the CO2 were working I'd have better results from the plants that are already in there.


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

I see... How's it going and growing?


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

One month later.... :bounce:


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

The tank was a total loss due to Hurricane Isaac. Thanks for checking.


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## frrok (May 22, 2011)

mcqueenesq said:


> The tank was a total loss due to Hurricane Isaac. Thanks for checking.


Sorry to hear... Will you start it over?


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