# Meow's 12G Long — "Triple Summit" — Updated 06/12/2014



## nnarth212 (May 10, 2012)

Hiya!

First post here. Returning to fresh water after an exclusive decade or two with terrestrial species. Your tank piques my interest because I am starting with a 11.4 Mr. Aqua cube, IN SF!

Tank: Mr. Aqua 12G Cube
Stand: cabinet with doors
Filter: Zoo Med ...500 I think, not purchased
Lighting: DIY par30 ~50 watt 6000k single LED pedant
Heater: small?
Substrate: Black Diamond
Hardscape: NO IDEA
Flora: NO IDEA
Fauna: Tap water: CHECK

I don't plan to use an under gravel filter...

I plan to use a plastic spray bar that'll span the entire length of the tank top side.

GOAL-- a good deal of plants. A few tetras.

PROFIT!


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

Forget the SunSun. One of mine broke down after about a year and a half. Just replaced it with a Fluval 206. 

I've been researching mini canisters for my 13g and the options look like a Zoo Med 501 and a TOM mini canister. Both have mixed reviews. So I'm undecided. 

-Lisa


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Hardscape teaser.


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## Kai808 (Jul 19, 2011)

meowschwitz said:


> Hardscape teaser.


Wow Cool! I have a similar scape currently in dry start! The only thing I was worried about was having the rocks too close to the glass for cleaning purposes. It took me almost a year to find my stones. How long did it take you? But I'm definitely subscribed to this.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Didn't take too long. AFA here in SF has plenty of seiryu stone, as well as some bonsai shops. I've used these same rocks in several other scapes, so I've had them for a while. 

I'm going to have to tear down this scape soon in order to setup the UGF; I was just bored last night and decided to mess around with the hardscape. Took plenty of pics to make sure I get it the same or as similar as possible the next time around.


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## Kai808 (Jul 19, 2011)

I can't believe you set up this beautiful hardscape knowing you'll have to tear it down to install the UGF! You must have been really bored.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Hey, I didn't know it'd turn out so nice. :flick: Of course, now I regret it... c'est la vie.


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## fishykid1 (Apr 5, 2010)

meowschwitz said:


> Hey, I didn't know it'd turn out so nice. :flick: Of course, now I regret it... c'est la vie.


Why would you put a UGF on a tank like this? Just curious...


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

I plan to keep shrimp. Extending filtration to the substrate will certainly provide a nicer environment for them.


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## etane (May 14, 2012)

Nice scape. The different color rocks enhances the contour's depth.

I had the same tank (for two days) and couldn't figure out how to enhance depth since the tank is so narrow.


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## mythin (Jun 26, 2009)

Sweet looking hardscape man! did you figure out what kind of flora you plan on doing yet?


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Video update. Changed the hardscape up a bit. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBP7JCzI6x0&feature=youtu.be

If you can guess the TV show playing in the background, you are awesome.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Nice scape! That is a lot of rocks, I'm pretty sure it will raise heavy TDS... So I don't know about shrimp. I only has 2-piece (15lb worth) of seiryu stones in hoping it will not raise the TDS too much. As for the light I have the same, you might want to raise it atleast 5" above the tank. I have my fixture 7" above the tank right now. I will raise it again probably 10" above the tank so I can extend my lighting period at night. For the filter I used to run Eheim 2213 on my tank but find that a little lack of flow (because I place intake and out put on the same side I the tank). I use Eheim 2217 now and yes... It's a bit too much flow with 200+ gph. What I'm going to do is to load my 2217 with more cocoa puffs to slow the flow a bit.

Overall your tank is looking great! Can't wait till what kind of stand you are going to put on. 
*just saw the vid. Hamster lol!


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

I only have 8 lbs of seiryu in there. They're all relatively small pieces. I plan to keep orange neos and possible OEBT, so higher TDS shouldn't be a problem, considering my tap has pH = ~7.0, KH = 0-1, GH = 0-1, TDS = ~30. I hung up the light fixture after making the vid; it's now about 10 inches about the top of the tank.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Under gravel filter set up with lava rock. Liam's (mordalphus) Top Secret Sauce placed beneath substrate.










Light mounted about 10 inches from the top of the tank. Using only one bulb, so about 39 watts.





































Day 1 of dry start.

Flora: mini pellia, mini fissidens, mini christmas moss, mini rose moss, rose moss, weeping moss, notocyphus lutescens


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## HappyToLearn (May 6, 2012)

Nice work!
I like the moss tank you have pictured to the right of your Sexy 12G. Do you have any other pics of that tank posted?


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

nice! did you chopped up the mosses? What is your foreground going to be? btw I never knew you can just light up 1 bulb on the fixture!


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

HappyToLearn said:


> Nice work!
> I like the moss tank you have pictured to the right of your Sexy 12G. Do you have any other pics of that tank posted?


That tank is kind of messy at the moment, with an unsightly breeder net hanging right in the front of it. So no pics yet, but I'll be fixing it up real soon and will definitely take pics then.



sayurasem said:


> nice! did you chopped up the mosses? What is your foreground going to be? btw I never knew you can just light up 1 bulb on the fixture!


Chopped it up as much as possible with an X-Acto knife. Foreground will be mini pellia. And yeah, I just unhooked one of the bulbs in the fixture.


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## dxiong5 (Sep 28, 2008)

Nice set up! I like how the wood and rocks blend together; they complement one another very well. Awesome video as well - looks very homey for the little guy in there 

Did you secure your plants to the wood/rocks/substrate? Or are you DSM'ing and letting them attach?

//

edit: saw that you posted "Day 1 of dry start." I gotta read the posts instead of just looking at the pics. Still awesome tank, looking forward to when it grows in.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

dxiong5 said:


> Nice set up! I like how the wood and rocks blend together; they complement one another very well. Awesome video as well - looks very homey for the little guy in there
> 
> Did you secure your plants to the wood/rocks/substrate? Or are you DSM'ing and letting them attach?
> 
> ...


I'm dry starting so the moss can attach naturally. We'll see how that goes. This'll be my first dry start, so I'm not sure how humid the tank will get. Hopefully it'll stay wet enough so the moss doesn't dry out, but not too wet where mold starts growing.

I've read that the moss can attach in as little as 3-4 days. I think I'll do 1-2 weeks just in case.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Took some shots through all the condensation on the glass. Only editing I did was to make the images black and white and sharpen it a teensy bit.


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## trit0n2003 (Nov 19, 2010)

Im contemplating this tank for my next shrimp tank  I saw it on amazon.com lol


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

You should totally get it! The dimensions are amazing. I wish they would make more long tanks of different volumes.


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## trit0n2003 (Nov 19, 2010)

I want it so bad but my cat gets into my tanks if they aren't covered 

He killed my angelfish mother that was self raising her fry at the time, she charged him to scare him off and he yanked her out as a toy. 

Ill have to figure out a way, maybe a glass top but then it'll look like a fluvial edge lol


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## CalmSeasQuest (May 26, 2012)

Beautiful Scaping - Tagging along


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Day 6 of dry start.

Not much to say, really. Obviously no noticeable growth, but don't really care for any as long as the moss attaches at some point.



















Got these little white spots on some of the wood. Must be mold or something. It's not overtaking the moss, so hopefully nothing to worry about yet. The flood will probably kill it anyway.










I spray once in the morning before work at about 0600, once when I get home at 1800, and one last time before the tank lights go out at 2200. I was worried that during the day, twelve hours without a spritz would leave everything completely dried out, especially with the current heat wave in the Bay Area, but it actually stayed pretty moist. I don't think I wrap up the tank too tight, but maybe I did, hence the mold and whatnot. I'll flood soon, don't know when exactly. Maybe when work stops killing me with its endless crap.


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## CmLaracy (Jan 7, 2007)

Big fan of the hardscape, very well done. Excited to see it fill out, it's well planted as well. I like the hardscape so much I'd go as far as to say that you should try and keep everything nicely trimmed so it doesn't eat up the precise detail present in the hardscape :thumbsup:


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

CmLaracy said:


> Big fan of the hardscape, very well done. Excited to see it fill out, it's well planted as well. I like the hardscape so much I'd go as far as to say that you should try and keep everything nicely trimmed so it doesn't eat up the precise detail present in the hardscape :thumbsup:


Oh yeah, I'm not going to let anything cover up the hardscape. You don't have to worry about that. :wink:


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Day 12 of dry start.

So those little white spots on the wood are almost completely gone. Some of the moss is browning just a little, but I do think I see growth in most parts. I saw some stringy looking mold or fungus a week ago, but that seems to have disappeared as well. Not much else to report. SF temperature has fluctuated over the past two weeks, with my house getting as cold as 55F and as hot as 85F. I wonder what kind of effect this may have on the progression of the dry start. Hopefully nothing bad. I'm not completely convinced that the moss has attached to the hardscape yet, so I will probably hold off flooding after another week or two or three. Once I flood, I'll pump CO2 to the max for a week and slowly wean it off. I've got my orange neos waiting in another tank, eagerly waiting for their new home.


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## s thomas (May 16, 2012)

Very cool startup. I'm interested to see your DSM and how the moss takes, as I'm considering the same. 

Beautiful scape, subscribed and looking forward to developments!


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

s thomas said:


> Very cool startup. I'm interested to see your DSM and how the moss takes, as I'm considering the same.
> 
> Beautiful scape, subscribed and looking forward to developments!


Thanks! I can't wait to see how everything progresses too. Really tests my patience.


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## Bananariot (Feb 28, 2012)

*IMPATIENT*

*RELEASE THE RIVER*


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## mythin (Jun 26, 2009)

wow looking great, i cant wait to see all that moss attach and look so natural, nice hardscaping too


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## s thomas (May 16, 2012)

meowschwitz said:


> Thanks! I can't wait to see how everything progresses too. Really tests my patience.


Haha. I hear that. Immediategratificationdemandedrighthissecond!!


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## deleted_user_17 (Jun 14, 2012)

Subscribing  I love these tanks. Looking forward to seeing it's progression.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Day 20 of dry start.

Most of the moss is starting to perk up. Lots of small, but healthy bright green new growth.










The mini christmas moss I have laid out in the back doesn't seem to be doing too well, however. There is a bit of browing, and that stringy mold may be taking over the moss, making some patches look cloudy. I poked a bit of the mini christmas moss and found that it had not at all attached to the substrate beneath it, so there has been little to no growth, possibly due to the mold. I misted with a diluted Excel solution, and while I know moss is sensitive to Excel, I'm hoping the solution is potent enough to battle the mold yet weak enough spare the moss. 










My other tanks:

This is my Finnex 4G tank that I'm using to store extra plants that I have as well as the orange neos that are waiting for the 12G long. 










Here is a Mr. Aqua 11.4G that I've recently rescaped. 15 white cloud minnows and a red spotted nerite.










And my first aquarium, a standard 20G, that I first began in 2008. It was completely redone at the start of this year to be a low tech, low maintenance tank. No water changes, only top-offs with tap (well, I do that with all my tanks, actually). Several dozen red platys, 1 SAE, 2 red spotted nerites, and cherry shrimp.










Bonus pic:

Lulu wants potsticker.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Quick tank update: Even after only two days of misting the mini christmas moss with diluted Excel, the stringy white moss appears to be receding. I do worry though that the moss will not attach to the substrate. I have read claims that some mosses do not attach but I've also seen others dispute that theory. Does anyone really know?

Quick life update (if anyone cares): So summer's been going well. No summer school for me this time, so I'm working a bit more. I've been working at the Medical Examiner's Office for over a year now, and though I love it there, things can get a little crazy, even overwhelming at times.

I went a little nuts yesterday and watched five movies: The Piano Teacher (2001), Stir Crazy (1980), Monsieur Hire (1989), Love and Death (1975) and Make Way for Tomorrow (1937). 

Also, 21st birthday coming up!


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## aweeby (Oct 1, 2011)

since i'm kind of just jumping in on this journal, i just want to say, sweet startup and neat ideas here. your other tanks look pretty awesome as well, and sound even better when i hear that you only have to do topoffs to keep them looking that good. your patience with the moss is commendable. I can't believe your getting it to grow on rocks so well. Mine burned to a crisp when i tried that...


Your dog has amazingly luscious fur and I, too, want a potsticker! 
happy almost 21st birthday, anyway.


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## CatB (Jan 29, 2012)

i LOVE this tank! it's an amazing scape, looks much larger than a 12L. 

your mr. aqua 11.4 is also gorgeous, the driftwood reminds me of shed antlers and i love it ;u;

also happy early birthday!


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

nice nice nice. hopefully it wont be pain in the butt when the moss grown out lol.
gotta keep it low light


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

So the mini christmas moss is not attaching to the substrate. It's browning and, overall, doesn't look so great. I may have to remove it and either replace it with a new batch of mini christmas moss or more mini pellia. Or maybe some other rare moss like fissidens geppi or queen moss if I can get my hands on them. People, hit me up if you've got some interesting moss I can use to replace the mini christmas moss.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Got a sampler of fissidens geppi from jimko with my order of his amazing fire reds. Took out a small rock from the tank, scrubbed it clean, chopped up my new moss, and spread it on the surface. Hope it grows out all right emergent.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

The rock looks dry... Might want to mist the rock area more often. My rocks soaked up a lot of water on my DSM.


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

I like your hardscape with this tank. Also them are some beautiful tanks you have and of course can't forget the best pic you have which is of Lulu.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

sayurasem said:


> The rock looks dry... Might want to mist the rock area more often. My rocks soaked up a lot of water on my DSM.


It's not dry. If anything, the wood dries up much quicker than the rocks. Everything on the rocks seems to be growing fine. I hope the fissidens geppi does too.



GMYukonon24s said:


> I like your hardscape with this tank. Also them are some beautiful tanks you have and of course can't forget the best pic you have which is of Lulu.


Thanks!


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## CmLaracy (Jan 7, 2007)

This is one of my all time favorite hard scapes, and in a unique dimensioned tank that I feel would not be easy to scape in. The planting is also very creative, and will no doubt greatly compliment the incredible hardscape. Can't wait to see this thing grown in, IMO it will easily be contest worthy, I hope you have a good camera


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

CmLaracy said:


> This is one of my all time favorite hard scapes, and in a unique dimensioned tank that I feel would not be easy to scape in. The planting is also very creative, and will no doubt greatly compliment the incredible hardscape. Can't wait to see this thing grown in, IMO it will easily be contest worthy, I hope you have a good camera


Thank you! At first, I had thought to make it a standard iwagumi scape with the seiryu stone I had, but once I got some of the Malaysian driftwood, I knew I had to create something that utilized both the stone and wood. I ended up using every piece I had except for one chunk of wood that was too large in the tank. When I got my plants, I just lathered it across every surface in the tank. Once it fills in, it'll be a mossy mess. But I want it to look natural, which is why I let the moss attach by itself. No ugly superglue marks or string appearing every which way.

The dry start is taking longer than initially intended, and with the mini christmas moss needing to be replaced by mini pellia since it's not doing so well, I'll have to wait even longer for that to fill in. I also need to see how well the geppi does. I was also contemplating on getting some queen moss. With all these additions, this tank will be in dry start_ forever_.

And I definitely need a better camera, but DSLRs are just too expensive. One day maybe, but not today.


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## larcat (Jul 27, 2011)

Breath taking hardscape.

I will also be doing the chop and spread with my Fissidens Fontanus with a dry start.

In someways, very similar tanks!

I just hope mine turns out as well as yours! Great job!


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

larcat said:


> Breath taking hardscape.
> 
> I will also be doing the chop and spread with my Fissidens Fontanus with a dry start.
> 
> ...


Thanks!

I plan on heading over to AFA after work today to pick up some more mini pellia/mini christmas moss. The moss I got from them last time (rose, mini rose, notocyphus) was covered in planaria, so I had to bomb my tanks with fenbendazole. I'll likely have to do the same this time around, but at least I won't be surprised when I find planaria crawling up my fingers.


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## larcat (Jul 27, 2011)

Don't be shy with the Fenben!

We had CPD fry in a tank that got a hydra bloom. Proper fry -- still sticking to the glass.

Saw some Hydra eating fry, and nuked it several times with OD of Fenben. Fry were fine! Hydra weren't 

Can you get mini fissidens at AFA?





meowschwitz said:


> Thanks!
> 
> I plan on heading over to AFA after work today to pick up some more mini pellia/mini christmas moss. The moss I got from them last time (rose, mini rose, notocyphus) was covered in planaria, so I had to bomb my tanks with fenbendazole. I'll likely have to do the same this time around, but at least I won't be surprised when I find planaria crawling up my fingers.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

larcat said:


> Don't be shy with the Fenben!
> 
> We had CPD fry in a tank that got a hydra bloom. Proper fry -- still sticking to the glass.
> 
> ...


I don't want to get _too_ carried about with the meds. I don't want to kill off all my snails, though I'm sure plenty would still survive. 

I think AFA is out of mini fissidens, but I'll check when I'm there.


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## larcat (Jul 27, 2011)

meowschwitz said:


> I don't want to get _too_ carried about with the meds. I don't want to kill off all my snails, though I'm sure plenty would still survive.
> 
> I think AFA is out of mini fissidens, but I'll check when I'm there.


Thanks for the follow up!

There were no snails in the tank we nuked, so yeah, that might be a concern


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

If you're interested, you can get fissidens nobilis (which I believe is mini fiss or at least one kind of it) at their website: http://www.adana-usa.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=72_13&products_id=399.

Anyhow, I got some stuff from TAP Plastics to start making a custom spray bar. Also got a cut-to-size piece of acrylic that I might use as a lid in the future. I might try my luck at making lily pipes and what not if I have the time and patience. :icon_wink


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Shrimp triptych.









What a Naughty Nelly.


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## jnizzle (Jan 7, 2012)

sub'd!


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Spraybar teaser.


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## Kai808 (Jul 19, 2011)

meowschwitz said:


> Spraybar teaser.


Looking good! This is one of the reasons why I didn't flood my tank yet. I still need to order my tubes. How long is the spray bar?


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Kai808 said:


> Looking good! This is one of the reasons why I didn't flood my tank yet. I still need to order my tubes. How long is the spray bar?


Spans the whole 36 inches of the tank.


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## if_fishes_were_wishes (Jul 29, 2007)

Nice spray bar...love the hooky-thing. Very elegant and suits the tank perfectly


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Day 47 of dry start.










Replaced the old mini christmas moss with more mini pellia and some new mini christmas moss from AFA. Added a bit of fissidens geppii to random areas on the wood.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

I can see green already!


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

sayurasem said:


> I can see green already!


Yup! It's much more green in person. The mini fissidens is really taking off on the wood. The tiny fronds are adorable.


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## mythin (Jun 26, 2009)

What exactly did you order for your spraybar? Im interested in doing that to mine too!


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## mayphly (Jul 20, 2010)

I like the hooks for your spraybar. Where did you get them from? 

I'll be making mine out of this (just need to find the right end caps)

http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_...01&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=30-62339643-2


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

mythin said:


> What exactly did you order for your spraybar? Im interested in doing that to mine too!


Spraybar tubing: (1/2 in) http://www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/plastic_rods_tubes_shapes/clear_acrylic_tubes/141

The SunSun/Aquatop filter uses 5/8" tubing, so I got a bit of that (~3 inches of it), stuck it into the filter tubing, then put the 1/2" tubing of the spraybar into that and sealed it with acrylic cement and extra silicone.

Total length of the spraybar is about 42 inches, ~36 inches of the actual bar, then about an extra 6 inches for the bend and filter tube connect.
Acrylic cement: http://www.tapplastics.com/product/repair_products/plastic_adhesives/tap_acrylic_cement/130

Spraybar end plug: (3/8 in) http://www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/plastic_rods_tubes_shapes/acrylic_rods/147

Cut a tiny 1/4 inch chunk out of the rod, plugged it into the spraybar, and sealed it with acrylic cement.



mayphly said:


> I like the hooks for your spraybar. Where did you get them from?
> 
> I'll be making mine out of this (just need to find the right end caps)
> 
> http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_...01&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=30-62339643-2


I made them out of a small piece of sheet acrylic. Just used a heat gun to made the bends fit the glass and spraybar.


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## CmLaracy (Jan 7, 2007)

looking good, slow but steady


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## Lichard (Jan 24, 2012)

Very cool hardscape meow. When do you plan to flood her?


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Lichard said:


> Very cool hardscape meow. When do you plan to flood her?


Depends on how long it takes for the new mini pellia/christmas moss to fully take hold. Maybe a few weeks from now if I'm not too busy with school and work.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

The spraybar is complete.


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## Bananariot (Feb 28, 2012)

JC but why are the holes pointing up?

Everytime I see updates I'm like oh snap he filled it up. You sir have patience.....then you also have to cycle....I could never do what you do haha.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Bananariot said:


> JC but why are the holes pointing up?
> 
> Everytime I see updates I'm like oh snap he filled it up. You sir have patience.....then you also have to cycle....I could never do what you do haha.


Just slightly upward, so I can keep nice surface agitation and not blow down around my substrate. The pics make it look more up than they are.

Yeah, this is taking forever. When I first read moss could attach in just a few days, I though that was how long my dry start would be. But things come up and whatnot, and soon I'll be approaching the 2 month mark.

By the way, I'm not a sir. :icon_wink


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## Bananariot (Feb 28, 2012)

meowschwitz said:


> Just slightly upward, so I can keep nice surface agitation and not blow down around my substrate. The pics make it look more up than they are.
> 
> Yeah, this is taking forever. When I first read moss could attach in just a few days, I though that was how long my dry start would be. But things come up and whatnot, and soon I'll be approaching the 2 month mark.
> 
> By the way, I'm not a sir. :icon_wink


Rofl sorry, for some reason I just assume that every person I talk to online is a dude.....must be habit from World of Warcraft hahaha. 

Also that explains how you can wait so long, guys don't have patience like this hahahahahaha.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Bananariot said:


> Rofl sorry, for some reason I just assume that every person I talk to online is a dude.....must be habit from World of Warcraft hahaha.
> 
> Also that explains how you can wait so long, guys don't have patience like this hahahahahaha.


No worries, lol. 

I do think I'm a patient person, though. I spent two hours in criminal court today for a preliminary hearing, listening to testimonies. Wooden benches are _wonderful_ on the tush, especially when you can't move since the damn chair creaks so much. Good times. And I'll be there again tomorrow. :thumbsup:


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## larcat (Jul 27, 2011)

Are you still waiting for moss to attach, or is it other stuff?

I'm *hoping* my Fissidens is attached enough to fill on Friday. 2.5 weeks on the vast majority of it, will be one week on some of it. I'm somewhat terrified that I will fill and half of it will float.

Think I am good to go?

Such a beautiful hardscape btw


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

larcat said:


> Are you still waiting for moss to attach, or is it other stuff?
> 
> I'm *hoping* my Fissidens is attached enough to fill on Friday. 2.5 weeks on the vast majority of it, will be one week on some of it. I'm somewhat terrified that I will fill and half of it will float.
> 
> ...


I added some new moss to certain areas, so I'm waiting for that to settle in.

Two and a half weeks _should_ be long enough for fissidens to attach, but don't quote me on that. Only thing to do now is try it, and then you'll find out. :flick:


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## rocksmom (Mar 6, 2012)

Your hooks and bar are both very nice. I was really hoping you had bought those hooks somewhere because I was going to buy some too. I'm using suction cups on my bar but it keeps falling.


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## Kai808 (Jul 19, 2011)

Hi,

Your tank is still looking Great! I had a question that popped into my head while I was cleaning out my eheim cannister. How do you prime your filter with the UGF attached to it? I was just wondering if the sunsun has a prime pump. 

Thanks!

Kai


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

rocksmom said:


> Your hooks and bar are both very nice. I was really hoping you had bought those hooks somewhere because I was going to buy some too. I'm using suction cups on my bar but it keeps falling.


I hate those suction cups, so that's why I opted to make my own thingies. If you've got any little bit of spare acrylic, you can probably fashion something similar.



Kai808 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Your tank is still looking Great! I had a question that popped into my head while I was cleaning out my eheim cannister. How do you prime your filter with the UGF attached to it? I was just wondering if the sunsun has a prime pump.
> 
> ...


Yup, it's got a nice big prime pump.


----------



## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

Looking good so far! My mosses won't be ready until the weather cools a bit. By then there should be plenty for you.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

chad320 said:


> Looking good so far! My mosses won't be ready until the weather cools a bit. By then there should be plenty for you.


Sweet! Can't wait!


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Day 61 of dry start:

Overall, the tank looks pretty much the same, but here are a few shots looking at growth. You can really see the mini fissidens taking off. Most of the moss is actually pretty mixed, which I had not initially intended, but I think it looks more natural this way. 

At first, I wanted to stock the tank with orange neos. Now, I've been thinking about a nice group of small schooling fish like corydoras pygmaeus or microrasboras kubotai. I don't know. Any ideas? 

Testing the water that has collected about the substrate from misting, I've got these parameters:

pH = 7.8
KH = 4
GH = 9
TDS = 245

Is my tank cycled or will I have to do that after filling? I seeded the tank when I first set this up with filter gunk. I see lots of little critters floating around the cracks between the substrate, as well as quite a few snails. I tested ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, and all came out 0.

School starts next Wednesday. The issue with that is I will be gone from home all day, Mondays through Thursdays. I start work at 7 AM and then have class from 3 to 10 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Mondays and Wednesdays, I have class all day from 9 AM to 10 PM. No time to spritz my tank during the day or evening, which means I will have to flood it soon. :bounce:


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## wetbizquit (Jul 9, 2006)

damnnnnn...... this is one of the sexiest 12L i've ever seen!! love the "fuzzy mountain" appeal plants are taking off should be able to flood soon!!! cant wait


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

wetbizquit said:


> damnnnnn...... this is one of the sexiest 12L i've ever seen!! love the "fuzzy mountain" appeal plants are taking off should be able to flood soon!!! cant wait


Thanks! It's only going to get even fuzzier!

Some comparisons between day 1 and day 61.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Man they grow so slowww


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## Williak (Jun 26, 2012)

Looking nice! Can't wait to see the flood! :biggrin:


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

sayurasem said:


> Man they grow so slowww


Tell me about it...



Williak said:


> Looking nice! Can't wait to see the flood! :biggrin:


We're gettin' there. 

There are a few more mosses I'm looking to get for this setup: queen moss, fissidens zippelianus, fissidens Thailand. They will probably be added after the flood, but I don't know how I'll go about doing that. Maybe emerse grow them on a small piece of driftwood or stone, let it attach, and then place it somewhere in the scape. I'll figure something out.


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

Lovin' the moss! I have a question: How do I keep the moss on driftwood, rocks, etc. without it drying out in an emersed setup? Thanks!

Shrimp > Fish anyday


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Overgrowth said:


> Lovin' the moss! I have a question: How do I keep the moss on driftwood, rocks, etc. without it drying out in an emersed setup? Thanks!
> 
> Shrimp > Fish anyday


Keep the humidity high by closing off the top. I, like most others, use saran wrap to cover the top. You can keep a few small areas open to allow for ventilation, since too much humidity can lead to mold. I try to mist the entire setup 2-3 times a day. So far, I haven't had too much of a problem with mold, so my method works with my setup. Your experiences may differ regarding how to keep the humidity at a reasonable level.


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

meowschwitz said:


> Keep the humidity high by closing off the top. I, like most others, use saran wrap to cover the top. You can keep a few small areas open to allow for ventilation, since too much humidity can lead to mold. I try to mist the entire setup 2-3 times a day. So far, I haven't had too much of a problem with mold, so my method works with my setup. Your experiences may differ regarding how to keep the humidity at a reasonable level.


I only have one tiny opening in my cover, and I always have condensation on the glass, but my wood looks pretty dry. Would this be a problem for me? When I reach my hand into the tank it feels pretty moist.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Overgrowth said:


> I only have one tiny opening in my cover, and I always have condensation on the glass, but my wood looks pretty dry. Would this be a problem for me? When I reach my hand into the tank it feels pretty moist.


If there's lots of condensation on the glass, it's probably plenty humid. Has the wood been soaked before? If it hasn't or was let to dry out before being placed into the tank, then it may seem dry because it's soaking up all the water too easily. If you let the wood become saturated with water before placing it into the tank, then it may be better at retaining the moisture on the surface of the wood as it continues to remain saturated.


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## mythin (Jun 26, 2009)

My tank has been in dsm longer and its taking a lot longer than yours to grow on to my rocks. I think its because wood seems to hold water much better than the seiryu, I definitely have some mini fiss popping up all over, and all my mini pellia died, im gonna have to re seed that a week before i decide to flood. Looking good though, what moss is that on the stones the light green one, rose moss?


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

mythin said:


> My tank has been in dsm longer and its taking a lot longer than yours to grow on to my rocks. I think its because wood seems to hold water much better than the seiryu, I definitely have some mini fiss popping up all over, and all my mini pellia died, im gonna have to re seed that a week before i decide to flood. Looking good though, what moss is that on the stones the light green one, rose moss?


Growth of moss during dsm seems to vary a lot for people. My mini fissidens is definitely growing out faster than the mini pellia. And I believe the moss you are referring to is notocyphus lutescens.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Going to flood soon...


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## mythin (Jun 26, 2009)

meowschwitz said:


> Going to flood soon...


me too! its been a long road, but its almost time. I just purchased my regulator, filter, and diffuser, i wasnt anxious until I bought everything else I needed, dsm would be a lot harder if I already had everything from the start. I cant wait to see what yours looks like flooded.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

I was going to pump up the CO2 once I flood, but I think I've decided against it. I don't want to be reliant on CO2 and it's just another thing I have to worry and fuss about. Hopefully my mosses won't mind, even during the transition from emersed to submersed.

So now what to do with my two unused paintball CO2 setups? :red_mouth


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Flood teaser.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

that looks great! you have so much patience waiting this long! cant wait to see it filled!


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

orchidman said:


> that looks great! you have so much patience waiting this long! cant wait to see it filled!


Thanks! Waiting through the entire summer was excruciating. 

The tank is so cloudy right now, but it actually looks kind of cool that way. I'll have pics in a bit.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Spray bar looks sleek.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

After 82 days of dry start, the tank is now officially flooded.












sayurasem said:


> Spray bar looks sleek.


Thank you. It works like a charm, so I'm pretty happy about it.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

Very cool tank.


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## Kai808 (Jul 19, 2011)

Congrats!!! Looking good.


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## Bananariot (Feb 28, 2012)

What are you planning to stock it with again?


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## deleted_user_17 (Jun 14, 2012)

Very nice scape and setup


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## mythin (Jun 26, 2009)

And another DSM bites the dust, looking good! I cant wait to see some more detailed shots. Im about 2 weeks away from flooding too, I know exactly what you went through up to this point lol.


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## SpecGrrl (Jul 26, 2012)

Your hard scape looks like the backdrop mountains in the Lotr movies!

Epic saga of shrimp and snail to ensue!


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Thanks, everyone.

I had a hell of a time getting this filled for several reasons. The canister filter is to the left of the tank, and the tubing is so damned stiff, that when I was messing with the height and positioning of the canister, it pulled the intake out from the undergravel PVC thing. Apparently, the silicone I used didn't hold and came right off. I had to tear up the whole left side of the scape, dig out the substrate, and remove all the pieces that fell into the pipes. Of course, this all happened _after_ I filled the tank, so I had to unfill it, perform emergency recovery, and then refill it afterward. Filling it slowly without disturbing the substrate or plants took, I don't know, 20-30 minutes. I spent the whole afternoon/evening messing around. I got the canister primed as best as I could, but still had a huge air bubble on the intake. Freaked me out for a bit, but everything seemed pretty steady. I woke up this morning to, thankfully, find it gone. I dumped in some Tetra Safe Start, so we'll see how that speeds up the cycle. The water is still super cloudy and the plants all super bubbly. 

I will not be using CO2 in this tank. I had initially planned to pump CO2 for the first few weeks after filling to ease the transition from being emersed to submersed for the moss, but I personally dislike dealing with CO2, so I scratched that idea. I do hope that the plants will be okay though without it.

As for fauna, I will have to wait a week or so to test the water parameters first. Having malaysian driftwood _and_ seiryu stone in the tank, I have no idea what the pH, KH, GH, and TDS will come out to be. I had orange neos ready for this tank, but now I don't want to move them from the "temporary" tank. Too much hassle, and I think they like it in there. So if I go for shrimp, I'd want something hardy since I plan for this tank to me extremely low maintenance, i.e., little to no water changes, etc. Maybe another type of neo, like snowballs. Or if I got for fish, I'd want a schooling type that is tiny, so I can get as many in the tank as possible for the best schooling effect. Microrasboras kubotai or something. Or maybe both shrimp and fish.

Here are just a few shoddy pics from during the filling process. I will take more detailed shots when the tank is clear and photogenic.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

it looks great! has a mysterious misty feeling to it whne its cloudy! sucks about the filter! they can be a pain to get primed, but after that, they are awesome


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Here are some wonderfully shoddy pictures complete with cloudy water, dirty/bubbly plants, weird lighting and obtrusive reflections.










Crappy location for the canister, but I had to make do with the lack of space (damn thing's too big to fit in one of the stand's cubby holes).



















I love spraybars.














































At a nice, steady 22C.



























































































Snippet of my next little project.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

thats an awesome spraybar! did you make it? do you make other pipes?

oohh that looks intriguing ! i love the shape! do something like this! http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5134/5513833993_84cf689860.jpg


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Looking great! All that moss looks like it's going to grow in really well.

The tiny little project appears to be acrylic?


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

orchidman said:


> thats an awesome spraybar! did you make it? do you make other pipes?
> 
> oohh that looks intriguing ! i love the shape! do something like this! http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5134/5513833993_84cf689860.jpg


Yup, made it myself. I broke the first one I made, but honestly this one is better. As for other pipes, I haven't tried making other stuff yet.



somewhatshocked said:


> Looking great! All that moss looks like it's going to grow in really well.
> 
> The tiny little project appears to be acrylic?


It's acrylic alright. I would love to do something like what orchidman linked to, but I don't know yet. I guess I'd be open to suggestions.


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

Amazing rock scape! Very well done. Moss on the lower rocks looks great


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## moosenart (Feb 18, 2012)

For the next project, make it look like Borneo's mountains! (Because I'm cranking through Planet Earth/life).


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

What are the dimensions?



meowschwitz said:


> It's acrylic alright. I would love to do something like what orchidman linked to, but I don't know yet. I guess I'd be open to suggestions.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

somewhatshocked said:


> What are the dimensions?


8"W x 6"L x 4"H. I think I might use it to grow moss on small pieces of rock/wood in an emersed setup. Maybe.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

meowschwitz said:


> Yup, made it myself. I broke the first one I made, but honestly this one is better. As for other pipes, I haven't tried making other stuff yet.
> 
> It's acrylic alright. I would love to do something like what orchidman linked to, but I don't know yet. I guess I'd be open to suggestions.


you should try it and then sell me one! i had a guy make me some but they got lost in the mail. so he sent another.. that one got lost in the mail too im guessing, or he never sent it. but he wont answer back and its been a month. :/


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

orchidman said:


> you should try it and then sell me one! i had a guy make me some but they got lost in the mail. so he sent another.. that one got lost in the mail too im guessing, or he never sent it. but he wont answer back and its been a month. :/


If I ever get the time, sure. You'll be the first to know. :icon_cool


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

meowschwitz said:


> If I ever get the time, sure. You'll be the first to know. :icon_cool


 the ones i want are the kind made for nanos that dont have the bell. so they are probably easier to make. http://www.eppaquastore.com/media/c...d6e5fb8d27136e95/l/i/lily_pipe_outflow_p1.jpg


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Or you could make a killer Opae ula display! Some pool filter sand, black lava rock...



meowschwitz said:


> 8"W x 6"L x 4"H. I think I might use it to grow moss on small pieces of rock/wood in an emersed setup. Maybe.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

somewhatshocked said:


> Or you could make a killer Opae ula display! Some pool filter sand, black lava rock...


Hmmm, that would be cool. Do those little guys need filtration and heating? My house gets pretty cold at night, down to ~50F.


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## caykuu (Jul 30, 2011)

Honestly, you have one of my favorite scapes on the site.  I'm in love with it. Keep coming back to creep on this thread every couple days. 
Can't wait for updates- water clearing, moss and plants filling in and all that! Gorgeous job.

And a little photoshopping for you:


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

caykuu said:


> Honestly, you have one of my favorite scapes on the site.  I'm in love with it. Keep coming back to creep on this thread every couple days.
> Can't wait for updates- water clearing, moss and plants filling in and all that! Gorgeous job.
> 
> And a little photoshopping for you:


Thanks! I can give you water clearing, but the filling in of plants will take forever, considering I'm not using CO2. Cool photoshopping, by the way. 























































Bonus pic: 
Celebrated my 21st with some co-workers at a bar a block away from work. My first time in a bar, my first legal sips of alcohol (tequila and scotch, I think). 'Twas super fun and hilarious.


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## dxiong5 (Sep 28, 2008)

Tank looks great! I really like the way the hardscape complements one another. Happy birthday


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

dxiong5 said:


> Tank looks great! I really like the way the hardscape complements one another. Happy birthday


Thank you! 

So it's been a week since I've flooded the tank and there has been no sign of algae *knock on wood*. I raised the light, so now it's a foot above the top of the tank, placed parchment paper on the acrylic screen, and shortened the photoperiod from ten hours to seven. Hopefully this is considered low light, so with no ferts and CO2, there will be no algae problems.


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## mythin (Jun 26, 2009)

meowschwitz said:


> Thank you!
> 
> So it's been a week since I've flooded the tank and there has been no sign of algae *knock on wood*. I raised the light, so now it's a foot above the top of the tank, placed parchment paper on the acrylic screen, and shortened the photoperiod from ten hours to seven. Hopefully this is considered low light, so with no ferts and CO2, there will be no algae problems.


Wow I totally missed the updated pictures after the flood, looking really nice! Did you get any melt after flooding, I really like how all the hardscape is growing in so natural looking. I am just waiting for my regulator to flood, everything else is set. I may add a second layer of parchment after I flood, and Ill probably running 7 hours of light + co2.

I think an army of some kind of shrimp will keep you algae free! I have a lot of light over one of my moss tanks and a lot of CRS in there, and I have yet to see algae. Either way, very nice!


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

mythin said:


> Wow I totally missed the updated pictures after the flood, looking really nice! Did you get any melt after flooding, I really like how all the hardscape is growing in so natural looking. I am just waiting for my regulator to flood, everything else is set. I may add a second layer of parchment after I flood, and Ill probably running 7 hours of light + co2.
> 
> I think an army of some kind of shrimp will keep you algae free! I have a lot of light over one of my moss tanks and a lot of CRS in there, and I have yet to see algae. Either way, very nice!


I don't think I've seen any signs of melting yet, but it's only been a week. I'm pretty paranoid about algae, so I will probably do more to decrease lighting. I was also thinking of getting some amanos to deal with any possible algae issues, but have heard some instances of them consuming moss, so I don't know. As for the main shrimp population, I'm thinking of tiger shrimp. I want to keep the scape looking as natural as possible, so I've decided against super colorful varieties like orange neos. I think tigers have a nice wild look to them and some good variety in coloration. Plus, they're relatively hardy.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

A snail crawled into the spraybar, grew a bit, and is now stuck in one of the holes. Stupid snail.


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

meowschwitz said:


> A snail crawled into the spraybar, grew a bit, and is now stuck in one of the holes. Stupid snail.


Lol, pics! My spraybar is always filthy... :icon_idea :hihi:


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Geniusdudekiran said:


> Lol, pics! My spraybar is always filthy... :icon_idea :hihi:


Yeah, the spraybar is already getting a little dirty. I don't think it's algae, just debris for now.


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

meowschwitz said:


> Yeah, the spraybar is already getting a little dirty. I don't think it's algae, just debris for now.


haha, I really have to do this! :icon_eek:


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Geniusdudekiran said:


> haha, I really have to do this! :icon_eek:


Do what? Jam a few snails into your spraybar, so they can clog up all the holes? Lol.


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## markstr (Jul 5, 2003)

Could you possibly elaborate a bit more on the Fis. attachment to Rocks.. After grinding up,
did you actually just place them on the Rocks or did you "Smear" or grind them into the Rocks? Is it the "Spores" that actually get into the Rocks themselves or ?? I've heard about just taking them and Rubbing them all over the Rock surface areas ..
Would appreciate your take on this ! Very inspirational overall !!


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

markstr said:


> Could you possibly elaborate a bit more on the Fis. attachment to Rocks.. After grinding up,
> did you actually just place them on the Rocks or did you "Smear" or grind them into the Rocks? Is it the "Spores" that actually get into the Rocks themselves or ?? I've heard about just taking them and Rubbing them all over the Rock surface areas ..
> Would appreciate your take on this ! Very inspirational overall !!


After chopping it up, I used my fingers to smear it onto the wood/rocks. What I assume happens is that the areas of the moss that touch a surface will eventually attach, after the allotted period of transition from a submerged to emersed state and after a bit of healthy growth. So it's crucial to get as much of the moss to touch the surface as possible if you want the best attachment. Each little chopped up piece will be a growing point, and once it starts growing after transition, it'll begin to attach to a surface if it can. This process has nothing to do with spores as far as I know. I hope this helps.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

This thread needs more updates on the itty bitty tank!


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

somewhatshocked said:


> This thread needs more updates on the itty bitty tank!


Maybe next week, when school and work ease up on consuming my life. I think I'll have some new fauna coming in next week, too, so keep an eye out for that.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Oh, riccia. Bane of my existence. You've shown your face again.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Take it out!


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## Kai808 (Jul 19, 2011)

I'd take riccia any day over BGA.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

It's actually popping up in several places, so yeah, I'll be ripping it all out. But better than algae, I agree.


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## ChadRamsey (Nov 3, 2011)

@ Meow

what kind of gravel did you use around your harscape?


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

ChadRamsey said:


> @ Meow
> 
> what kind of gravel did you use around your harscape?


Small grain lava rock, though they're not really small grained at all. Offers good bacterial storage, though, and whatnot. Enough surface area for good moss attachment, too.


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## ChadRamsey (Nov 3, 2011)

meowschwitz said:


> Small grain lava rock, though they're not really small grained at all. Offers good bacterial storage, though, and whatnot. Enough surface area for good moss attachment, too.


very nice. great idea

i am looking for something similar to fill in the small gaps between the rocks where the AS meets my sandy beach.


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## Vermino (Jun 14, 2012)

I got to know what you used to create that spraybar and also how you suppose your gonna clean it? It's simply beautiful but have to make sure it aint a pain to clean


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

ChadRamsey said:


> very nice. great idea
> 
> i am looking for something similar to fill in the small gaps between the rocks where the AS meets my sandy beach.


Lava rock might work, depending on what look you're trying to achieve. 




Vermino said:


> I got to know what you used to create that spraybar and also how you suppose your gonna clean it? It's simply beautiful but have to make sure it aint a pain to clean


From post #66:


> Spraybar tubing: (1/2 in) http://www.tapplastics.com/product/p...ylic_tubes/141
> 
> The SunSun/Aquatop filter uses 5/8" tubing, so I got a bit of that (~3 inches of it), stuck it into the filter tubing, then put the 1/2" tubing of the spraybar into that and sealed it with acrylic cement and extra silicone.
> 
> ...


As far as cleaning it, I have no clue. I could stick an extremely long pipe cleaner though the intake side. I could saw off the far end, clean it from there, and seal it up again. I could place the spraybar in a tub for a few days while running a solution of diluted hydrogen peroxide through it with a pump. I could unleash a few nerites inside. I could make a new one if the old one gets too funked and I'm too lazy to attempt to clean it. :flick:


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)




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## fishboy199413 (Jan 20, 2010)

Wow those all look great. You should start journals for the oter two tank especially the one on the right.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Growth has been slow but steady. As you can see, the spraybar is already getting dirty. Not much algae from what I can see. I hope I can keep it that way. Light has been moved up to 12 inches above the top of the tank and I've placed 4 layers of parchment paper to filter the light. This should be considered low light, right?

Water parameters:
pH: 7.8
GH: 5
KH: 4
TDS: 195
Ammonia/Nitrites/Nitrates: 0



















Riccia is popping up everywhere. It ain't so bad.



























I've added a few tiger shrimp. They're quite colorful and active. It's a shame they aren't more popular.


















I shoved a few sprigs of anubias nana micro in crevices around the tank. They're tiny and cute.









Fissidens geppii is a super slow grower, but it's growing. On the rock there.









Small shrimp ball. I already love these little guys.









I'm looking for more tiger shrimp to expand the gene pool, so if you've got any tigers or super tigers for a reasonable price, hit me up.


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## CPD (Feb 7, 2012)

Tanks like this make me want to get a 12g long sooooo badly! That is an amazing aquascape


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## nerdariostomp (Aug 23, 2012)

Yeah, this one as well as a few others have made me take the plunge. I love the anubias petite and the growth looks awesome. Those tigers look pretty fun too. I just picked up a group of 10 CRS for one of my work tanks and they're the most fun to watch.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

CPD said:


> Tanks like this make me want to get a 12g long sooooo badly! That is an amazing aquascape
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks!



nerdariostomp said:


> Yeah, this one as well as a few others have made me take the plunge. I love the anubias petite and the growth looks awesome. Those tigers look pretty fun too. I just picked up a group of 10 CRS for one of my work tanks and they're the most fun to watch.


I'll definitely be keeping an eye on your tank. I love your driftwood.


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## nerdariostomp (Aug 23, 2012)

Thanks! It was just a matter of very good luck and my persistence at this LFS.


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## chrislewistx (Jun 19, 2012)

Your tanks are beautiful. I stumbled across this journal the other day, but just now had time to read it. The 12 gallon long really turned out great. You should be very proud. Those DIY acrylic hangers, and the spray bar are excellent. 

Also, I love those Tigers, good decision on your part. Have you had a chance to do anything with your little homemade tank you showed in post 110?

I guess I will continue to avoid work, and see if you have any other tank journals to read.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

chrislewistx said:


> Your tanks are beautiful. I stumbled across this journal the other day, but just now had time to read it. The 12 gallon long really turned out great. You should be very proud. Those DIY acrylic hangers, and the spray bar are excellent.
> 
> Also, I love those Tigers, good decision on your part. Have you had a chance to do anything with your little homemade tank you showed in post 110?
> 
> I guess I will continue to avoid work, and see if you have any other tank journals to read.


Thank you! I don't have any other journals at the moment, but I may start a few when I begin working on my other tanks. My 11.4G is almost done with a rescape and planting. The Finnex 4G will be turned into a small breeding/ fry rearing tank with an actual scape (we'll see how that actually turns out). There have been minor changes to the 20G. And the mini tank on the shelf under the 12G is currently in the planning stage as I've yet to figure out what to make of it.
As more worthwhile developments occur, I'll be sure to post pics in this thread.:smile:


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## mythin (Jun 26, 2009)

Wow looking good!, 4 layers of parchment? haha, I had to actually remove the one layer I had to get my HC to stop stretching. I am officially high light, high co2, high ferts. But your tank is really coming a long, cant wait to see it grow in greeeeeeen.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

mythin said:


> Wow looking good!, 4 layers of parchment? haha, I had to actually remove the one layer I had to get my HC to stop stretching. I am officially high light, high co2, high ferts. But your tank is really coming a long, cant wait to see it grow in greeeeeeen.


4 layers indeed. Although, it honestly looks no different than with only 1 or 2 layers.

So I had a few shrimp parachuters. One made its way 3 feet from the tank onto my carpet. I almost stepped on it when I saw the little striped speck. Poked it and it wiggled, so I quickly threw it back in the tank. Little guy seemed alright. Now I put on a lid. It's rather ugly. Pics to come.


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## nerdariostomp (Aug 23, 2012)

I've wanted to come up w a good top for this tank, especially w shrimp in the mix. I thought I saw where someone used an out of the box 36" glass top to make something that worked well for this tank


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## Neatfish (Jun 22, 2012)

Nice tanks.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Looks like there's a bit of clado springing up. What to do... Excel? What's the risk of killing all my moss with that? And the spraybar's getting pretty skanky. And the plants are growing oh so _slow_. No pics, sorry. Too lazy... :flick:


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Cell phone pics.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

looks great - I feel like the tank looks huge in those pictures for some reason, I guess the scape gives off the feel the tank is much bigger than it is


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## _FC (Apr 28, 2012)

Awesome scape!


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

Nice scape! The tank looks larger than a 12g.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Reminds me of Sumida Aquarium!


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## Kai808 (Jul 19, 2011)

andrewss said:


> looks great - I feel like the tank looks huge in those pictures for some reason, I guess the scape gives off the feel the tank is much bigger than it is





GMYukonon24s said:


> Nice scape! The tank looks larger than a 12g.


Yeah, I have to agree it does look bigger than a 12g. I always have to look twice and think "do I really have that tank?" Great job again! It looks like everything is filling in.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

So it's been a while since the last update. Not much has changed really. Some more growth, from both the moss/liverworts as well as the clado algae. Fortunately, the clado doesn't seem to be too overwhelming and it doesn't look too ugly yet. The spraybar's pretty nasty by now. All but 3 shrimp are gone. Seems like the smallest guys were the hardiest. There have been no water changes, only topoffs. No fish yet or new shrimp. Still deciding on what fauna to add next. Water parameters have been pretty stable. I've been adding glutaraldehyde semi-daily.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Anyone have any suggestions on a nice, small schooling fish that can tolerate pH = 7.8, KH = 4, GH = 5, TDS = 195?


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

Celestial Pearl Danios?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

None that won't eat shrimp babies, unfortunately.

Some Rasboras stick together pretty well. Thought about those?


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## nerdariostomp (Aug 23, 2012)

I've heard the nano Cory cats are shrimp safe and they sort of school that's the plan for 1 of the two species for my 12 long but mine probably won't have shrimp


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

I doubt I'll be putting any more shrimp in there. 

Rasboras are a possibility, but I quite like Corydoras hastatus. Maybe both...


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Brevibora dorsiocellata (Eyespot Rasbora) are my favorite little schooling fish at the moment. With the right lighting, they really pop. Especially with plants.

They may not be as colorful as the Boraras brigittae but they stick together pretty tightly, are shiny and have hints of blue and green. 

My neighbor has a bunch of them in a 33long and they're terrific. Perfect for long tanks.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

I'm getting in Microraboras kubotai and Hyphessobrycon amandae soon. I think they'll look nice in this tank.


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## ChadRamsey (Nov 3, 2011)

this is a beautiful tank meow. one of my most favorite hardscape on the site. the mix of DW and rocks is pure genius.

i think that a large school of cardinals would stand out in this tank. Add some color. BUT i am kinda partial to them seeing that that is what i have in my big tank. They just school so well.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

ChadRamsey said:


> this is a beautiful tank meow. one of my most favorite hardscape on the site. the mix of DW and rocks is pure genius.
> 
> i think that a large school of cardinals would stand out in this tank. Add some color. BUT i am kinda partial to them seeing that that is what i have in my big tank. They just school so well.


I'd like cardinals, but I think they'd be too large for this tank. Maybe neons.


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## BoxxerBoyDrew (Oct 16, 2005)

REALLY AWESOME TANK!!!!!

The hard scape and types of moss you have done are FREAKIN' AWESOME!!! Like others have said I have to keep reminding myself this is only a 12g tank! From the pics it could at least be a 72" 125g!

SORRY about the shrimp and the DAM CLADO!!! I have the clado in my 55g, and it is the shiznets! I would rather have BBA anyday!!! 

So did you loose the Tiger Shrimp too? 

Also did you bend the acrylic tube your self, and if so HOW??? I have seen it done with a fine wire spring that is a tiny bit bigger than the pipe, slid over the pipe to the place you want to bend it, then they used a heat gun to heat the pipe, and the spring kept the pipe from flattening while bending. BUT I don't see any "spring marks" in your bends!

Anyway I HOPE you find a cure to the clado, and I can't wait to see the fish in the tank too!

Again AWESOME JOB!!!
Drew


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

BoxxerBoyDrew said:


> REALLY AWESOME TANK!!!!!
> 
> The hard scape and types of moss you have done are FREAKIN' AWESOME!!! Like others have said I have to keep reminding myself this is only a 12g tank! From the pics it could at least be a 72" 125g!
> 
> ...


Thank you, Drew!

I did lose the tiger shrimps. Don't exactly know why as the water params were pretty perfect for them. The few cherry shrimp that I put in the tank though are thriving.

As for the acrylic pipes, I bent them by filling the tubes with salt prior to heating the tube over a bend. The salt keeps the shape of the bend pretty well, although when the pipe is dry you can see the little indentations made by all the little specks of salt. However, when the pipe is wet and in use, you can't see this at all.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Tore it down. Rescaping it. Restocking it. Round two.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Need. More. Manzanita!


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Need. More. Preparation. Photos!


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)




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## MadRiverPat (May 3, 2013)

I'm liking where you're going with this.


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## Ecas32 (Dec 14, 2011)

Very interested to see where this goes.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)




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## Kai808 (Jul 19, 2011)

Welcome back! Very nice low maintenance scape. Are you still running the ugf? What kind of sand is that? I have some pool filter sand but it looks grey.


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## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

That is a really cool aquascape! It reminds me of the piles of wood along river bends that I see when I go canoeing on small rivers.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Kai808 said:


> Welcome back! Very nice low maintenance scape. Are you still running the ugf? What kind of sand is that? I have some pool filter sand but it looks grey.


Thanks! After I tore down the last scape, I got busy with school and work, and the tank's been empty since. Finally decided to get things back up since an empty tank is a bit of an eyesore. I'm still running the ugf connected to the SunSun (a new one), but I've removed the custom acrylic spraybar which, while nice initially, got pretty backed up with algae with no way to remove it. Now I've got ADA stainless steel pipes.

The sand is CaribSea Instand Aquarium, Crystal River, which is a medium grade sand. I've got a pretty large layer of crushed lava rock underneath to facilitate the ugf, and a mesh layer in between the lava rock and sand, so the sand doesn't sink and clog the ugf.




AnotherHobby said:


> That is a really cool aquascape! It reminds me of the piles of wood along river bends that I see when I go canoeing on small rivers.


Thanks! I know most people go for the minimalistic look when it comes to setting up a hardscape, but I'm intentionally cluttering it. I haven't filled the tank yet, so I'll more than likely move a few branches around.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

That last scape didn't last too long. I've had this tank sitting empty for a while, and then it was used to grow out some bromeliads. Now it's a bit of a riparium that's been setup for about a month. Emersed portion has some Eleocharis parvula 'mini' and the aquatic section has a growing collection of Bucephalandra and other rarer Araceae spp. Here's the current list:

Giant Centipede
Lamandau Mini Dark Magenta
Lamandau Mini Red ‘Valerie’
Theia Blue
Quovadis "Icy Blue"
Pink Lady
Dark Godzilla
Sintang
Brownie Metallica
Brownie Royal Blue
Brownie Phoenix
Brownie Jade
Brownie Fire Bird
Mini Velvet
Hades
Blue Hades
Cobalt Blue
Deep Purple
Peacock
Red Sekadau Velvet
Sweet Maharani
Dark Red Eliptica
Brownie 2011
Gunung Lawit
Chili Pepper
Narcissus III
Rainbow Frost
Nanga Pinoh 'Baileys'
Brownie Cake
Sabulan
Theia V3
Theia V9
Aridarum sp. 'Narrow'

Manzanita driftwood also used in this scape has the following mosses attached and slowly growing:

Amblystegiaceae manaus (Queen moss)
Callicostella prabiaktana
Distichphyllum maibarae
Fissidens geppi
Fissidens nobilis
Fissidens pauperculus
Fissidens splachnobryoides
Fontinalis antypiretica var. Gigantea
Notocyphus lutescens
Blepharostoma trichophyllum (Mini Rose moss)/Heteroscyphus zollingeri ([Mini] Pearl moss)
Jungermannia pseudocyclop (Rose moss)
Plagiochilaceae sp. Cameroon Moss
Riccardia chamedryfolia (Mini pellia)
Loxogramme sp. Wave Moss
Calliciocostella sp. Pancuraji


No pictures yet, but soon. Waiting for things to grow in. And I may just start another thread for this new setup.


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## meowschwitz (Sep 6, 2011)

Some Bucephalandra closeups.


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## Chibils (Nov 18, 2007)

Every scape you've shown us here is incredible. Love the look(s) of this tank and would like to see a pic of the new riparium setup.


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

New hardscape is wild! I dig it


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