# Aquascape in progress



## Jdinh04 (Mar 15, 2004)

Wow not bad of a scape, it looks fantastic!


----------



## aquaphish (Dec 20, 2002)

Looks nice!!! I am always amazed to see small tanks with a neat aquascape. I will be doing two 5 gals. for some bettas very soon. Will use your tank for inspiration!!!


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Thanks! This was a fun tank to set up. I never really worked with rocks to this extent before, but I just studied other folks tanks as well as some from Nature Aquarium World book 1 and the went for it. The hardest thing for me when doing this scape was restraining myself from putting more types of plants and fish, but now that I look at it I am really happy with the results.

Here is an updated picture with the foreground planted with some Glosso that I picked up from the plant swap today. Hopefully there is enough light for them, but not too much that it becomes invasive.


----------



## Marc (Oct 13, 2004)

sweet! nice layout Jeff. Cant wait till the co2 system is set up.


----------



## mrbelvedere (Nov 15, 2005)

Are you putting in any background plants? Looks great thus far but I would use a few vals or something like that for the back.


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Thanks Marc. I'm gonna post some pics of the co2 system when I get it set up. Can't wait to start playing around with it.

mrbelvedere138: On this tank there will not be any background plants. I wanted to simulate an open field, although the thought of using Cyperus helferi (val like plant) in the back corners did cross my mind. I tried it out, but decided it threw off the scale of the tank. It seemed to make the tank feel smaller than it was and I wanted it to look bigger than it was so I decided to utilize more open space to accomplish this.


----------



## Craiger (Dec 17, 2005)

Excellent layout! I've got an extra 10G and a 5G just sitting with nothing in them. Perhaps it's time to get them going with something like this.


----------



## Wiggawam (Apr 5, 2005)

I really like that mix of the two substrates!


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Just got a new toy from a brown truck today. I pieced together a "nano Co2" system for the tank. It is a pressurized system that uses disposable Cartridges. It is almost identical to the system ADA sells, but less expensive. Here's a pic










And a link to the thread that got me interresting in this (thanks Marc)

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showthread.php?p=80684#post80684


----------



## bpm2000 (Feb 16, 2005)

Thats awesome! How long would something like that last?


----------



## Marc (Oct 13, 2004)

SWEET! Jeff, nice job. what bubble rate were you able to set the valve to?


----------



## medicineman (Sep 28, 2005)

Gack.. teeny weenie bottle for nano tanks.... how cute. I never know such thing exsisted and that regulator to fits. I hope it can last 1 month or otherwise back to DIY or the bigger fella.


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

We'll see how long it lasts. I'm hoping a couple of months at least. Note that I did loose a little Co2 when setting up. Due to a leaky solenoid vavle, but I don't think that it's enough to make much of a difference.

Marc: The lowest I've tried is 2 bubbles a minute, but I am now up to 4 bubbles a minute. 

I've never used a diffuser before, but for some reason I thought that it would put out a finer mist. Most of the bubbles come out of only one spot on the disk and float right to the top. I would have thought they would float around the tank more. It's brand new so I don't think it could be clogged yet. Anyways going to fine tune the bubble rate over the next few days to dial it in.


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

I did get the Co2 situation stable for now. I was having problems with the solenoid leaking so I removed it a few days after initial setup so I'm injecting C02 24/7 for now at a bubble rate of 1 per second. I also removed the diffuser because it wasn't working well. I've always had good luck with powered reactors so I decided to try one of those Venturi Reactors that Tom Barr designed. The whole setup has been running "dialed in" and untouched for the last 10 days. Co2 pressure still holding steady.

Here's a pic of the one I built:










It's working extremely well. It distributes minutely small C02 "mini bubbles" throughout the tank that flow in the current of the tank and settle on the leaves of the plants. These are smaller than any diffuser that I've seen in action and the nice thing is that it needs virtually no maintenance in comparison to a diffuser.

It's powered with this http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=6475&N=2006+22768
It is the one on top of the page. It is smaller than any power head measures approximately 1-3/4" x 1-3/4" x 1-3/4" and has an adjustable flow rate of up to 60 gal/hr. A nice feature is that it has suction cups to attach it to the glass and it can also run for 30 days dry before failure.


----------



## organic sideburns (Dec 22, 2005)

Why wasnt the diffuser working well and how come the solenoid thingy was leaking.. Just curious!..


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Hey there!

Well the solenoid was actually defective when I bought it, but I couldn't return it because the place I bought it from went out of business! I took it apart and found that the rubber O ring inside was not seated properly and was damaged when it was assembled. I tried to replace the O' ring, but the ones I could get are a little to thick. Tried to use it anyways but still leaks. Beside that the housing get cracked in storage so it's pretty much a loss.

The diffuser was a $20 glass one from aqua-forest aquarium. What I didn't like about it was that it only made bubbles from one side of the diffuser and they were mostly quite large, going straight to the surface. This seemed like a waste of Co2 to me.


----------



## organic sideburns (Dec 22, 2005)

Was it this diffuser??

http://www.aquabuys.com/miva/mercha...co2_diffuser&Category_Code=i3&Product_Count=1


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

No this looks like a better one because it has a built in bubble counter. I was considering trying that one. You'll have to let me know how it works out if you get it.


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

I've been really busy, but wanted to post some quick pics I snapped. The glosso is doing great. Switched from the TB style venturi reator to a diffuser with a pump that shot the bubbles around the tank, but I got an outbreak of hair algea so back to the venturi reactor. Added a few amanos as well to eat it up. Riccia growth is explosive. I swear I can see it growing by the second. Grows very fast with Co2.


----------



## jimmydrsv (Apr 8, 2005)

I am interested in setting up the TB venturi as well. I am just using a diffuser into a powerhead right now. Maybe you can give me some tips as to where to find all the parts.


----------



## Troy McClure (Feb 22, 2004)

Yet another great tank! It's nice that you went with a style that is completely different from your discus tank, kinda like what I've done with my 10gal that's just moss hardscaping and glosso. Where did you get that mini regulator? I would like to get a small paintball co2 setup to put inside the canopy of my 10gal...with all the shrimp in my tank they just can't get rid of the hair algae. I also just got a few of the white ceramic block diffusors that TB recommended and they should work really well in a 10gal.

What filter are you running on this tank and what is the model of that water pump? My biggest concern for my tank is having the baby shrimp chopped up by the impellors...and wrapping the intakes with foam might help but I wonder if that would compromise performance.


----------



## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

I think I have the same diffuser, the red sea 200 or something? Mine had crappy microbubbles for the first day, then once the ceramic disc settled down they are nice fine bubbles coming from the entire surface. From what I read they just take a little while to settle down! 

Tank is looking really good!


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

jimmydrsv said:


> I am interested in setting up the TB venturi as well. I am just using a diffuser into a powerhead right now. Maybe you can give me some tips as to where to find all the parts.


From my post in The Barr Report:

Hey folks. Just wanted to share with you all a nice pump I've found for powering co2 reactors. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=6475&N=2006+22768

It is the one on top of the page. It is smaller than any power head measures approximately 1-3/4" x 1-3/4" x 1-3/4" and has an adjustable flow rate of up to 60 gal/hr. I am currently using it for a small venturi reactor on my 10 gallon tank and it works great. Definitely something to check out.

Pic of it integrated with the rest of the reactor










Jimmy: Pet club in Daly City has it in stock. The tube is a "Viewtainer" from OSH. A viewtainer is a clear tube that was invented to hold small parts, but obviously there is other uses for it too!


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Thanks troy. Yeah I wanted to do something different looking than my Discus tank.

The details of the mini regulator are here:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showthread.php?t=2180&page=7

but it is still a work in progress....

Gonna be installing this mini solenoid on it









and building a hanger to hold the whole assembly next to the tank.

esarkipato: no it's not Red Sea. It's from Hong Kong or something. It has a screw off top that allows you to remove the disk and clean it. It's not bad, but I'm just not a fan of diffusers, never was. Gave it a chance though, didn't like the results and am back now to a powered reactor.


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Here is a thread I created just for the nano CO2 project that I completed for this tank.

Got a few other pics that I would like to share, but they are on the other computer right now.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/27883-nano-co2-ada-style-regulator.html?posted=1#post239680


----------



## ShortFin (Dec 27, 2005)

magicmagni said:


>


Nice tank. I have a Co2 indicator thing like you have on the left side. How accurate do you think it is?


----------



## bastalker (Dec 8, 2004)

Awsome look magic..roud: 

If the fish wern't in it, I would think that is alot bigger!! Thats gonna be all kind of green when it grows in for sure!!


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

I'm not a big fan of these indicators. I never really look it. I tend just to look at the plants. If they are pearling and I have no algea problems then I know I'm good. The only reason I have it is because it was given to me and I wanted to try it out. Now everytime I think to take it out I don't want to get my hands wet so it stays, then when I'm working in the tank I forget to remove it  One of these days it will make it out of there!

bastalker: Thanks!

Up and comming I have created something that I don't think anyone else has tried yet. I am going to try and post some pics in the comming week or two. It involves Riccia, but that's all I'm saying for now ;-)


----------



## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

Awwwww, c'mon magicmagni! yur killin me here . . . .

I agree about the tank looking far bigger than it is, no thanks to the rasboras. Ever consider swapping them for the really, really small rasboras (forget the name . . .)?


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

HA HA, can't handle the suspense 

Yeah I know about the rasboras and it just so happens that my local dealer carries Rasbora Espei among others that I've had my eye on. I just need to find a good home for these guys. I've had them for years so there is some sentimental value there.


----------



## notropis (Sep 16, 2005)

Wow, I am completely blown away by the riccia growth! At first I thought you added something new. But I've never grown it myself and have heard so many discuss the fast growth, and now I know what they're are talking about!

Nice looking tank. I have a 10 gallon I may set up this summer and you have definitely been inspirational.


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Actually Riccia is very easy to grow- Just add water LOL. I've grown it with no Co2, low light, high light and everything in between. I like it's growth in low light no Co2, but it takes time.


----------



## TheOtherGeoff (Feb 11, 2003)

i know this is off subject but how are your discus and their babies doing?? i love that tank of yours.


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

They were doing great until they were eaten!! 

Well now that are at it again. Female paired up with another of the males this time.

For those that don't know what we are talking about look at the 120gallon tank in my signature

Update: Sorry still no pictures, but not much to take shots of right now. I decided to take out all of the glosso and start again. It was really taking over the whole tank and choking out everything else. Started out by trying to remove the glosso and leave everything else, but ended up having to rip everything up and start again.

BTW I have a good sized 5" X 4" or so "rug" of mostly Glosso with a little hairgrass and tenellus mixed in that I don't know what to do with. Maybe time to put on aquabid? Hmm... anyone need some before I do that? I also have a zip lock bag full of pure glosso.

I ended up replacing the glosso with HC I got from SFBAAPS. The glosso was mostly an experiment for me to see if I could grow it in such low light. Now I'm hoping that HC does just the same- maybe grow just a little slower.

So there is HC in the foreground and a mix of mostly tenellus and a little hairgrass everyplace else. It just needs to grow in again. Hardscape was unchanged.


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Heres an updated picture of the tank. Excuse the poor shot. I mostly wanted to show what I have been working on with the Riccia. I call it a "Riccia tree". It's of a piece of manzanita wood and hairnet. I take the hair net and attach it to the wood then I place the wood by jamming the end into the substrate- which seems enough to hold it down. Then I take the Riccia and let it go under the hairnet. It tends to float up to the hairnet. Eventually it starts to grow through it and become what it is. I trim it back like a bonsai tree. The only thing to watch out for is not to let the Riccia grow too thick. I got busy and didn't trim it for a while and it almost all floated to the surface with the wood still attached to it.

The background midground is coming along, but the foreground is not really doing much. I'm having trouble with the HC. Most of it came out and got stuck in my filter intake. I keep replanting it, but it grows so slow that I think it gets upset by the Corie's before it has a chance to root to the substrate. There is one spot though where is has attached and it is slowly creeping along.


----------



## PeteyPob (Apr 26, 2004)

that "tree" is awsome. Very original.


----------



## mecgeorgeneo (Aug 12, 2005)

i like the tree. i want to do a smaller tank with glosso now. haha.


----------



## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

Man, that looks great. There's got to be something you can do about the hardware clutter, though!


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

GulfCoastAquarian said:


> Man, that looks great. There's got to be something you can do about the hardware clutter, though!



Any suggestions?

I need the heater/ Co2 regualtor/ and filter inlet. Someday I'd like to do something like this in a JBJ nano cube because it has that sump in the back for all the junk to go.


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Heres a long overdue update. I got inspired to rescape this tank a few months ago. Last time I posted pics I had glosso growing and boy was that fun! It took over the tank in about a month. I can't believe how fast it grow with the limited lighting I have so I tore it all apart and now I'm growing HC in it's place.

It was very hard to get started, the first time was unsuccessful- most of it floated to the top or got sucked into the filter, but the second time it finally took and after a very lengthy acclimation process it took hold and is growing nice now. Here are some pics of the setup currently. I am really pleased with how well everything grows.

I also have some new livestock. I picked up some cool little killifishes at the LFS and a bunch of green neon tetras as well. I ended up removing the Harliquin Rasboras though, because they were kinda too big for the tank- or the look I was going for really.


----------



## TheOtherGeoff (Feb 11, 2003)

looks great man. the little red guy kinda looks like a badis badis or whatever that thing is called.


----------



## xcooperx (Jun 21, 2006)

did you already change the light setup of your 10gal. im having a problem growing riccia in a 2 screw in bulb that i bought in walmart 6500k each bulb


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Yeah I'm not sure if it's that or not. The info I see on Badis badis says they get to 2" but the ones I have are much smaller and I was assured that they were full grown when I got them. Hmm...

Lighting... same as before. I'm really quite blown away with the performance of these little bulbs. I did spray paint the underside of the hood white. That may have made a little bit of a difference.


----------



## Y0uH0 (Dec 19, 2005)

That is really a very beautiful tank. All your aquascapes are always so breathtaking. Love the choice of fish,especially the killifishes.


----------



## Steven_Chong (Sep 14, 2004)

Not s killi, and not badis badis. That's the "Scarlet Badis" which are less than 1" at adult size. Not sure on the scientific name, but some really nice fish.


----------



## sNApple (Nov 6, 2005)

that red guy is a killifishes ?


----------



## xcooperx (Jun 21, 2006)

really your light is still the screw in type, im also using that light on my 10 gallon, but all my plants are just dying even the riccia

10 Gallon
2x 20watts Screw in Bulb 6500k
100% Flourite
No co2
No Ferts Dosing

The tank has just setup for like 2 weeks, do you think the problem is co2 and ferts, plants on the tank is riccia and blyxa


----------



## the_noobinator (Jun 10, 2006)

as my general rule, i just don't trust incandescent fixtures as a primary lighting source.


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

You called it GreenMiddleFinger that fish is definately a scarlet Badis, thanks

The name killifish is derived from the Dutch word "kilde", meaning small creek, puddle which applies to this fish so yeah it is a type of killifish, but I am starting to realise that there are so many- like Dwarf Chichlids for example.

You'll be surprised what Co2 can do for you, xcooperx even just the DIY yeast type that you change out every few weeks.

the_noobinator: Why not?? For me my general rule is that if it works it works ;-) Really these bulbs are probably over a year old and were used so I don't know how old they really are, but so far so good. The color is a little off, but really not too bad. They put out decent light for the amount of wattage and they don't generate as much heat as simularily sized incandescent bulbs so wear and tear on the fixture is minimal.


----------



## crshadow (Sep 4, 2003)

Just saw this thread. The new scape looks great, very well balanced! :thumbsup: I also liked the "tree" you did prior to the rescape. I tried doing a "tree" with a piece of driftwood a while back, but didn't look nearly as convincing as yours. I tied moss to the branches, but it just didn't look right. I may have to steal your hairnet idea for the tree and try again. 


-Jeremiah


----------



## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Thanks!!!

GO for it. 

Yeah I liked that tree too. It was just something I thought up one day and I don't think anyone else has done this yet so I wanted to give a go... and it worked!! It was too much work though. The riccia just grow soo fast (even faster because it was closer to the light) and I didn't have time anymore to trim it every week. I got rid of 99% of that stuff (you never really ride yourself of riccia), but now I have a new kind of riccia that hitch hiked on the HC that I bought from the LFS. This riccia is not as bad though. It is much smaller than the other stuff I was working with and it is "softer" looking as well. What I really appreciate is that it naturally sinks and it grows slower. Now if I had that riccia before I thnk I may have kept that little tree...


----------



## the_noobinator (Jun 10, 2006)

i guess it's not that big of a deal. i had regular incandescents on my 30, and i would replace a bulb a week or every other. it got annoying. then on my new 10gal, i got the coralife power compacts that screw in to an incandescent fixture. they look purple! i was so annoyed. they say they're for freshwater tanks. i should have seen the word colormax and left them in the store.


----------

