# el gordo 6 gallon fluval edge journal



## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

I also have the 6 Gallon Fluval Edge and thought I'd start my own thread to document my edge progress.

Here's my setup:


Substrate: -full bag of eco-complete









Lights: 
- upgraded to LEDs, replacing the Halogen Bulbs.








- took apart an ikea floor lamp and used the socket and cord to zip tie a 10w Coralife mini compact. 









I zip-tied the bulb to the provided canopy like many others have done. I used electrical tape to secure some aluminum foil to the lighting arm where the bulb touches in order to add some heat protection. 

Reflector:
- I took apart a Mylar balloon and turned the hood that came with the aquarium into a giant Mylar reflector. A cheap alternative to maximizing light. I left a little space in the canopy for heat to escape. The mylar shields the plastic from getting too hot where the bulb touches. The reflector really helps with the compact fluorescent bulb. The angle isn't ideal but there's only so much you can cram under the fluval canopy. 



















CO2
- right now I've got a DIY Yeast setup. 
- I am currently using an undergravel filter for diffusing the CO2 and it works amazingly well.

I used quick fix wetsuit repair to create a seal with the tubing and the plastic cap I drilled for the DIY co2 setup. Absolutely zero leaks.

here's the stuff:










And a little duck tape on the cap and tube just for good measure.










I have a 5lb pressurized canister that I'm going to hookup once the yeast where's out. For those of you that live in New York or in the Queens area, I had my CO2 tank refilled at Awisco in Maspeth for $24.59. They are located at: 

55-15 43rd Street
Maspeth, NY 11378
(718) 786-7788

I purchased an glass nano diffuser that I'm gonna use once it arrives

Heater
- I've jammed the hydor heater for 5 gallons into the provided HOB filter. Its keeping the water temp at around 73. I'm looking into getting the "heatstik" instead. Anybody use one of these?

Current inhabitants:
-6 neon tetras
-1 amano shrimp

I have some plastic mesh screening that I purchased from Home Depot years ago and cut it out and stitched some Java Moss to it using green thread and some plant weights that I clipped to the edge of the screening to hold it down. 

At first I just made a mound of the substrate with the moss as a focus. 

Then I found a rock that was unearthed near my apartment building during an excavation. Gave it a bleach bath using a little bleach and water then boiled it. I liked the rock so much I went searching around for the same type of rock. This is not very easy to do when you live in New York City. So I went on a walk through my neighborhood and found two similar type of rocks near a cemetery.


























now for the standard lights..
















rocks
























shrimp time


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## Firestarter (Dec 28, 2009)

Looks great. I have always really loved moss. Can't wait to see this progress.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

*DIY Fluval Mylar Reflector*

Here's what I did to my fluval canopy with a balloon....and so can you!!


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## dkbmxr18 (Oct 25, 2009)

Dumb questions, I should know this by now........what kinds of mesh are you using for the Java Moss and how are you connecting it to the mesh?


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

I'm using some pretty standard home depot stuff that I got a roll of. Not sure what the specifics are of it though. I originally purchased it awhile back to cover some old vents in my apartment. I hand sewed a couple squares with plain old needle and thread. That took awhile. So I measured out the area I wanted to keep it and put some moss on the mesh and ran it through a sewing machine.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

starting to get a little hair algae on the back glass...time for a water change


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

picked up the fluval edge filter sponge. The way I have my rocks setup, I don't think it will be too visible. 










I may give the sponge a haircut just to make it sleeker. Probably not necessary, but why not? got it for a $1.

still waiting on the nano diffuser. gonna give my current diffuser a trim too.

this is what I have been using:










and it really puts out a fine fine mist of bubbles. dirt cheap too


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Here are some pictures of my lighting setup with the replacement LEDs and the 10w power compact. 









In the filter picture below, you can see how I zip tied the electrical cord to the lighting arm. You can also see that I've crammed a thermometer in one of the HOB filters as well as my Hydor heater. I am thinking about putting my CO2 line in a hole that is near the impeller as suggested on this forum. The less equipment inside this tank, the better.









Below is a profile picture of the lighting unit. The cord that I run the power compact has an on off switch...kind of helpful. You can see it towards the bottom left of the small photo,


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

I also made some changes to the filter intake. I purchased the fluval filter sponge that you attach to the filter intake to keep the moss from getting sucked up and harming the impeller. The foam itself is quite large and bulky, so I gave the foam sponge a haircut and zip-tied it with a undergravel filter airbubbler. It now keeps the moss from jamming my impeller or any other object getting sucked into the filter.

















I also made a DIY aquascaping tool that allows me to clean any diatoms or hair algae from the glass as well as slope the substrate with a baking spatula and a aquarium safe scouring pad which I folded and zip tied to the end. With an aquarium with such a small opening at the top, every little bit helps.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

more tank photos








I like how it looks from the side too..


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

testing my water, I've noticed that my pH has gone up a little and that there is a higher GH in my tank...the culprit has not been found yet, but I believe I may have put some limestone in under the substrate to balance the large gneiss rock in the scape. Not looking forward to digging them out, but...why not?


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Here's a great site to help you identify what rocks you have.

http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/rockkey/index.html


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

the larger rock was the culprit. not limestone, but had some deposits on the side that needed to be scrubbed off. they were bubbling under the vinegar test, but once I removed the deposits, everything seemed to be stable. The rock is gneiss and slate I believe. more on the gneiss side. But I was able to dig a little clay out of it when cleaning. anyway, a huge pain to reaquascape


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

gonna do another water change tomorrow and hopefully get the gh down after I had scrubbed and cleaned up the big rock that was dirtier than I thought. Just got the nano diffuser in from Singapore. Gonna hook up the pressurized in the morning. Gonna post some pics tomorrow.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Got my nano diffuser from www.aqmagic.com and hooked up my 5lb tank today. Here's some photos:

diffuser came from singapore

















packaged very well
















unwrapped








hookin up the tank








you can see the distance from the tank to the aquarium in this photo. It's in the bottom right corner. out of the way and out of sight.








diffuser...diffusing









Got my levels back on track today after scrubbing some of the deposits off the big rock. Did a big water change.
ph7
gh5
kh4
hopefully I can keep these levels stable.


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## Nskylinerb-25 (Dec 23, 2009)

WOW that was great packaging Tank looks awesome by the way


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## mumushummus (Sep 16, 2009)

u will be the Fluval edge guru soon man!


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Nice start! Any idea what shrimp and/or fish you plan on adding? Sorry if this is mentioned somewhere, I just didn't see it.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Digsy said:


> Nice start! Any idea what shrimp and/or fish you plan on adding? Sorry if this is mentioned somewhere, I just didn't see it.


right now I've got 6 neons and 1 amano shrimp. gonna keep it like that for a while. Any more and I think it may look too crowded. 

trying hard to balance my water params right now...really liking the glass diffusor


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Just after one day of pressurized and getting my levels stable, I've already started to see a lot of great new growth on my moss....this could get interesting....


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

not even a week since pressurized and the moss is starting to take off. I've got my glass nano diffuser to roughly 1 bubble every 12 seconds and am getting some comfortable co2 levels. I let a little bit of water get into the diffuser before I hooked up the co2 line and it now acts like a bubble counter as well. I bet others here have done this on this forum, but I've never used a glass diffuser before. I'm pleasantly surprised. I'll post a photo when I get the chance.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Awsome tank. I love these but would not want to have to deal with it. Very nice, simple scape. i really like this one.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

talontsiawd said:


> Awsome tank. I love these but would not want to have to deal with it. Very nice, simple scape. i really like this one.


thank you!!


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

I'm beginning to think I have two different mosses. I picked up the first bunch from petco in Union Square and was having trouble growing it without co2. Then I got another clump from Union Square later (but this I snagged from a bag that had been floating in their planted tank). Usually they sell their moss in plastic containers. The second purchase, from the bag, is definitely java moss. But there is a difference in the way the two mosses are growing. I'm beginning to think I could possibly have Christmas moss. They are both doing extremely well, especially with the pressurized co2. When they fill in more, I'll snap some closeups.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

noticed that my moss is absorbing all the nitrate in the tank. Dosed .3ml seachem nitrogen today to see if that will improve growth and get some nitrates back into the tank. Will test nitrate levels tomorrow before next dose. Just added two more amano shrimp for algae patrol. Now there are three. It's funny, I'm just growing moss, but I want to do it well. We'll see what happens. scissors and moonlight on the way as well as check valve for co2. yee haw


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## tuonor (Nov 26, 2009)

Any new pics?


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

tuonor said:


> Any new pics?


soon. Waiting to get a couple things in the mail....and will post some new ones when they come in....the moss is slow growing, but wonderful. and the now that I have three amano shrimp, after just a day and a half, the moss looks wonderful from such a cleaning crew. Dosing seachem nitrogen now which is really making a difference. My nitrate levels are still above zero and looks like I'll be dosing .3ml every three days. go moss go!!


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

just got the moonlight today. gonna try to snap some photos of it tomorrow. Fits perfectly on the housing unit. very stoked.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Here's the moonlight I added:










I just have one, but it fits perfectly between the two LEDs. I zipped tied it and have it on a timer. Really exciting. Especially watching the shrimp clean the moss after hours.

Now for the setup:

































moonlight on (note this is just a daylight photo with the light running...I didn't get to snap any in full darkness with just the light. that's when I run it. Maybe tonight if I remember.








and a shrimp for good measure









did a water change and am gonna see how my tank runs with dosing nitrogen .3ml once a week after each water change. trying to figure out a routine.


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## TeaQue (Jan 26, 2010)

My Java Moss seems like its lost some color, could it be too much light? I turn the lights on when I get up (6:30am) and off before bed (10-11pm)

Yours looks much greener unless its just the pictures. Tanks looking good!


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

TeaQue said:


> My Java Moss seems like its lost some color, could it be too much light? I turn the lights on when I get up (6:30am) and off before bed (10-11pm)
> 
> Yours looks much greener unless its just the pictures. Tanks looking good!


Hey TeaQue,

It seems like you have a pretty long period with your lights on. That may be part of the problem.

I started having some discoloration with my moss a few weeks back. I was just running co2 and lights with hope that this and the bioload of the tank would be enough to sustain the moss growth. But when I started checking my nitrate levels, I noticed that they were near zero. My moss really didn't start to establish itself until after I hooked up my pressurized co2 system, and once it did, it began depleting the tank of all the nutrients...High Lights, high co2=higher demand for nutrients.

So I picked up two more Japanese Shrimp and some SEACHEM nitrogen and added .3ml of nitrogen to the tank. Within 24 hours there was a serious difference. My nitrate levels went up 15ppm and the shrimp had really really cleaned the tank. Later on in the week, I also grabbed some SEACHEM comprehensive for micros and dosed .5ml of that and things are looking even better. I've done dry ferts before, but I was impatient and wanted to go right down the block and pick up the already mixed stuff.

If I were you, I'd check your nitrate levels and examine a dosing regime. Maybe even cut down your photoperiod significantly. 

My Photoperiod:

Moonlight> 8:00a - 2:00p 
10W bulb> 2:00p - 1:30a (nice low light)
LEDs > 4:00p - 1:00a
Moonlight> 1:30a - 2:45a

total darkness> 2:45a - 8:00a
maximum light> 9 hours

I really only have maximum lights on over the tank from 4pm to 1am, with a max photo period of 9 hours. That may be a little excessive. All the other light tinkering I've done just for aesthetic reasons.

I'll post some new pics when I get the chance. I'm super happy with how the moss growth is panning out for me. Now I'm trying to dial in it all...slowly but surely.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Here's an update of the tank progress with some photos of the new moonlight in action (at night) and the moss growth.

Lunar1









Lunar2









Star-crossed lovers









My view









What's really wonderful about these aquariums is how they look as a whole...inside and out. It's tempting to add additional lighting on the top of the glass, but that would really defeat the purpose of why one buys this aquarium in the first place. I like the design and the way that it conceals components. And I'm diggin the moss....


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## TeaQue (Jan 26, 2010)

Sounds like I need to buy a timer of some sort.

I checked the nitrate levels in my tank and they were low but I thought they were supposed to be near zero for fish? I even bought some seachem stuff that was supposed to eliminate it, I guess that was a mistake!

We've added 6 neons, 6 Rosie tetras (?), and 2 medium sized ghost shrimp that have been doing a great job at cleaning the tank.

I'm using Seachem Flourish, Seachem Stability, some plant tabs, and I guess I should look for Seachem Nitrogen?


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## TRENT (Nov 25, 2009)

Tank looks good.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

TeaQue said:


> Sounds like I need to buy a timer of some sort.
> 
> I checked the nitrate levels in my tank and they were low but I thought they were supposed to be near zero for fish? I even bought some seachem stuff that was supposed to eliminate it, I guess that was a mistake!
> 
> ...


I'd definitely invest in some cheap timers. Picked up mine from home depot for like $3 each. I'm using the Nitrogen to increase the nitrates for the plants and the comprehensive for the micro nutrients. There are other ways to fertilize, but it was the most convenient for me here in Queens. I've never used the stability product but that's probably good for a new tank in the beginning. I don't think you've made a mistake buying the stability stuff though. I think it's good for establishing a biofilter. I don't think that you will need to use it after your biofilter has been established though. What kind of plants do you have in your tank that you're using the root tabs for? 

Nitrates are good for plants...you just need to keep them in check. If you notice that your plants are showing signs of nutrient deficiency, then it's time to get the test kits out and you may need to examine your dosing regime. I often feel the same way with algae.


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## TeaQue (Jan 26, 2010)

That moon light looks great!

I just planted some Mondo grass and have a few more plants on the way that will need them as well.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

TeaQue said:


> That moon light looks great!
> 
> I just planted some Mondo grass and have a few more plants on the way that will need them as well.


thanks!! And best of luck with those new plants. I'm sure your tank will look great!!


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## tuonor (Nov 26, 2009)

Moss is filling in pretty nicely, looks great. Will be interesting to see how far it creeps toward the edges of the tank.

Also, what bubble rate are you running on your CO2 setup? I currently have mine piped into the impeller chamber of the filter but I have the same glass diffusers lying around and wonder if the diffusion rate would be better or worse.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

tuonor said:


> Moss is filling in pretty nicely, looks great. Will be interesting to see how far it creeps toward the edges of the tank.
> 
> Also, what bubble rate are you running on your CO2 setup? I currently have mine piped into the impeller chamber of the filter but I have the same glass diffusers lying around and wonder if the diffusion rate would be better or worse.


the moss is a lot of fun towards the middle. the way it's setup the outflow of the filter shoots down between the rocks and pushes the moss towards the foreground. So I have what looks like moss runners, but they're actually created by the current. I'm gonna do a clipping in a couple weeks and maybe resew that moss to some new mesh...measure it and fill the rest of the tank in. No rush though. 

I currently have my CO2 running around one bubble every 10-12 seconds into the diffuser. I added a little bit of h2o in the glass diffuser which has been working like a bubble counter. I've got the 5lb tank setup and according to my gauge...my c02 may run out sometime in the next year...or two.

It's nice to have a consistent amount...helps when trying to balance everything else in the tank...namely the nutrients now


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## leemacnyc (Dec 28, 2005)

looking nice fat guy! 

also the tank looks much more dramatic after moving the other things off the dresser...keep u the good work!


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## tuonor (Nov 26, 2009)

Fat Guy said:


> the moss is a lot of fun towards the middle. the way it's setup the outflow of the filter shoots down between the rocks and pushes the moss towards the foreground. So I have what looks like moss runners, but they're actually created by the current. I'm gonna do a clipping in a couple weeks and maybe resew that moss to some new mesh...measure it and fill the rest of the tank in. No rush though.
> 
> I currently have my CO2 running around one bubble every 10-12 seconds into the diffuser. I added a little bit of h2o in the glass diffuser which has been working like a bubble counter. I've got the 5lb tank setup and according to my gauge...my c02 may run out sometime in the next year...or two.
> 
> It's nice to have a consistent amount...helps when trying to balance everything else in the tank...namely the nutrients now


Interesting. I am running a much higher bubble rate (2-3bps), so may have to experiment with the diffuser. Then again, my bubble counter seems to make really small bubbles.

If you're running a drop checker, does that bubble rate get you to a green indicator solution? Thanks again...


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

leemacnyc said:


> looking nice fat guy!
> 
> also the tank looks much more dramatic after moving the other things off the dresser...keep u the good work!


thank you sir. and that dresser cleans up nice for photos too.

tuonor, I don't have a drop checker yet. I've been playing with bubble rates and watching the pH in the tank (which isn't very accurate because the rocks are boosting the GH). The next thing I order is gonna be a drop checker. But the diffuser is making a big difference where before I was running it through a filter cartridge and made a run at feeding it into the impeller. At one point I had a faster bubble rate like one every 5 seconds, but toward the end of the day I noticed that my fish seemed drugged and were more or less motionless and lethargic in the water. So I decreased the amount a bit and everything went back to normal. I want to get the drop checker, but I'm also happy where the plants in the tank are at right now. They look healthy and their growth is fuller. I may play with increasing the co2 amount a little bit, but will most likely wait until I get that drop checker to do so.


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## Becky22 (Feb 20, 2010)

Hi I love your fluval edge with the moss. I have a fluval edge. I am not an expert by any means but found that the filter that came with it was not keeping up at all with cleaning the tank. I ended up going getting a cheap $15 filter called cascade 80. I could not find anything else that would fit in the allotted space. This is one of the ones that has a filter cartridge and it really gets the water much cleaner. 

I love your moss. I would love to do something like that. 

I am curious why you added all the extra lighting. The bulbs that came with mine seem bright enough. Is there something wrong with the lighting that came with it or do you just like it extra bright?

the blue lights are really cool looking. 

what do you think a snail would do to your moss? I love apple snails

keep posting pictures...thanks


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## Becky22 (Feb 20, 2010)

wanted to subscribe but could not find the link without making another post


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Becky22 said:


> Hi I love your fluval edge with the moss. I have a fluval edge. I am not an expert by any means but found that the filter that came with it was not keeping up at all with cleaning the tank. I ended up going getting a cheap $15 filter called cascade 80. I could not find anything else that would fit in the allotted space. This is one of the ones that has a filter cartridge and it really gets the water much cleaner.
> 
> I love your moss. I would love to do something like that.
> 
> ...


Hey Becky22. Thanks for the comments. That's cool that you are trying a different filter. I added the extra lighting to get more light on the tank with the LEDs. I like the color a lot more that they emit, and they don't get as hot as the halogens that came with the tank. I also added the 10W just to get more light on the moss as well. The Moss is very forgiving and looks great if you can get it to establish itself and feed it well. It loves nutrients.

I like apple snails too, but I don't think that they are good to have in a planted tank. I think Malaysian Trumpet Snails would be a better choice. But I think the apple snails would find the moss very tasty. 

Thanks again for the comments. I'll post some more pics maybe after I do a trimming.

Best,

-el gordo


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Did a WC and cleaned some algae off the big rock. moved the second rock a little farther away from the larger one. These rocks are nice, but I'd love to pick up some ryuoh stone, mostly because the large rock's boostin the GH and mainly because I'm never satisfied with my aquascape. Gonna trim the moss real short once the scissors get in and see what that does to the shape.

Here are some pics. Dosing nitrogen and micros two to three times a week.


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## problemman (Aug 19, 2005)

this is going to be the next craz instead the rimless....watch out takashi amano!


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

spent a long time today walking around soho looking for bonsai rocks but to no avail. Picked up some more java moss and rearranged the rocks (for hours) sewed some moss and put down a full carpet in the tank. The shrimp are in heaven. looking forward to the moss settling in. But I'm liking the full carpet in the tank. Looks great and more forgiving. Was getting a lot of great growth on the older moss, in fact, my moss was just as healthy if not more than the extras I picked up today...must be doing something right...or close to it at least. 

this photo is day one of full moss carpet. 










I also noticed some pearling on my moss just a few hours after I repositioned the rocks. That was exciting..most likely because I stirred up some nutrients for my nutrient soup of a tank during the rock shifting.

Currently dosing:

.5ml Micro
.3-.4ml Nitrogen
every two or three days

so far so good...


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## tuonor (Nov 26, 2009)

Looking good. I like how this turned out with the moss filled out to the edges.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

tuonor said:


> Looking good. I like how this turned out with the moss filled out to the edges.


thanks. I'm digging it too. It's amazing how much time passes just messing with the layout of the rocks. But They really pop out nicely now with the moss covering the whole floor of the tank. waiting for my trimming scissors to come so that I can give it a haircut and shape the layout more.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

...well, after staring and studying the tank and not being happy with the rock layout I got my arms wet again and started messing with the layout. I decided to flip the big rock and move the other two together to make them more of a unit. I used the moss cutouts to fill in spaces between the rocks where they support each other. pissed the shrimp off a little and re-graded the substrate with my baking spatula. I'm very very happy with the outcome. Now I just have to chill out and let the moss and algae grow. not to mention remember to feed the neons. but I'm stoked with the rocks. It's wild how the slightest thing in your tank layout can get under your skin if you think it is off...till next time...


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

problemman said:


> this is going to be the next craz instead the rimless....watch out takashi amano!


haha yes mr takashi is hiding under a rock right about now.



Fat Guy said:


> ...well, after staring and studying the tank and not being happy with the rock layout I got my arms wet again and started messing with the layout. I decided to flip the big rock and move the other two together to make them more of a unit. I used the moss cutouts to fill in spaces between the rocks where they support each other. pissed the shrimp off a little and re-graded the substrate with my baking spatula. I'm very very happy with the outcome. Now I just have to chill out and let the moss and algae grow. not to mention remember to feed the neons. but I'm stoked with the rocks. It's wild how the slightest thing in your tank layout can get under your skin if you think it is off...till next time...


don't feel bad you just got the "not good enough look" syndrome just like 90% of the rest of us.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

!shadow! said:


> don't feel bad you just got the "not good enough look" syndrome just like 90% of the rest of us.


most definitely


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## dkbmxr18 (Oct 25, 2009)

Look good, lookin real good! I think I'm going to get some more moss for my low-tech tank now


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

March 1

I removed the fluval sponge that I had thinned and added to the intake of the filter. I liked the idea of this initially because it would protect the impeller from any moss that would get sucked up and into it. However, I began to notice that towards the end of the week the outflow of the filter would diminish causing less water circulation. I realized that the sponge itself was the cause. So I removed it and used the plastic mesh screening that I have been using for the moss to cover the intake. Pretty easy setup, just cut out a small piece and wrapped it around and secured it with a 6" zip tie. Now the outflow is at a maximum and the intake tube is not getting blocked/clogged. 

Finally received a pair of scissors from aqmagic that I'm using to trim the moss carpet. They are the 10" ones and work rather well. They are just sharp enough and the curved tip makes for easy trimming and scaping. They sent me the wrong check valve however. I ordered a brass one and received a plastic one. They did not respond to my emails regarding the shipping mishap. After four days of emailing daily and without hearing from them, I mentioned in my final email to aqmagic that I would contact aquabid and paypal in order to find a channel to resolve the mishap. I immediately received an email in response from aqmagic containing an apology and a resolution. They are sending me product that I paid for. Which is great. But it was strange that they didn't respond initially. In the past, they had always returned my emails regarding shipping and purchasing. However when it came to this situation, albeit a small one monetarily, I felt like I was being ignored. I'm happy they are replacing the part, and would like to continue doing business with them.

the packaging









the scissors and plastic check valve









a cat under an umbrella


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## problemman (Aug 19, 2005)

so is it hard to trim the plants with that tiny hole in the top?


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

It's not too hard because the scissors reach every corner of the tank and fit perfectly. I kind of enjoy how delicate you have to be. It can be frustrating, especially if you are like me and have rocks for hands, but it is very rewarding once you start to get it right and take your time with it. Right now this is my only tank, mainly because I don't have any room here in NYC to put anything else. One day I'd like to get a rimless setup, but that's when I have my own fishroom to work in. You really can't beat the design of this tank and the way that it conceals the "behind the scenes" mechanics of the aquarium. It's always challenging to maintain the integrity of the design. But if you don't, then I don't understand why you would purchase a tank like this in the beginning. I'm glad I did. It gave me a nice chance to get back into the hobby after being away for some time.

-el g


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Just messing around with a background. It reflects a lot more light to parts of the tank that aren't as well covered, as well as give me an idea on some parts of the glass to clean. 



















The tank is exactly the same height as a standard letter sized piece of copy paper....yahtzee


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## jdaddie (Aug 12, 2009)

I really love this tank. The java moss and rock placement remind me of a grass field.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

jdaddie said:


> I really love this tank. The java moss and rock placement remind me of a grass field.


thanks jdaddie, much appreciated.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

this may be a little pic heavy, but I was bored today and wanted to build my own DIY drop checker. So I used an old scented oil container, mixed up a batch of 4dKH and went to town. Here's some photos. My only concern is that the modified plastic tube is too small and will take a long time for the gas to change the color of the ph reagent. I'll wait till tomorrow to see what becomes of it. But since I've put it in, I haven't been noticing any real significant change in color. Could it be that even with the pressurized setup, I'm not pushing that much CO2 into the water? Will I have to kick it up a notch? stay tuned.....

Here's what I did:










took the plastic wrapping off, boiled it and scrubbed all the oil off of it.









removed the oil distributor, my idea being that I could use the small pin hole channel for the gas to travel up and into the basin.

















took some sun cure resin that I use to repair the dings on my surfboards and filled in a hole on the distributor. (this one comes with two channels. One that is positioned in the middle of the plastic, and another one that is positioned deeper and travels the length of the plastic shaft. If you happen to see one of these containers, twist off the top and look at the holes and you'll see what I mean. 
Here's what I used to seal the one hole so that I could create a basin.








Here's the section I filled in:








used a suction cup setup that you can get at your LFS that will fit around a 1"heater. Fit like a glove. Then stuck it to my window in my dining room...just for good measure.








You can see the plastic channel better here. 
got some distilled water








mixed in some baking soda and tested and tested and tested until I got roughly 4dKH-4.5dKH. Added .2ml 4dKH water with a baby dosing syringe and 4 drops of pH reagent.
Then carefully put it in my aquarium.
























finishing touches...









Now, the issue that I'm having is that the drop checker solution is still blue and does not look like it has changed. It's been roughly 3 hours. I'm about to hit the hay here and will revisit the project in the morning. I have another option that I can use, but I like the way that this looks compared to some other diy setups that I have seen. I may run the second one I made next to this one to see if the gas really is making its way up the chamber. I used .2ml 4.5dKH and 4 drops pH reagent for the solution. I moved the drop checker to the far left corner under the glass and cranked the filter up to move the bubbles around. so far so good. just wait...after running the pressurized for this long, I'm gonna be kicking myself a little if I find out that I need to add more....at least the fix is an easy one. Just open up the needle valve a little and see where that takes me. After all...it's only moss were dealing with here.

Thanks for looking, 

-el g


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Overnight Success!!


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## fastfreddie (Sep 10, 2008)

Cool tank Fat Guy! Nice work on the drop checker too! It's not intrusive to the tank at all!


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

fastfreddie said:


> Cool tank Fat Guy! Nice work on the drop checker too! It's not intrusive to the tank at all!


thanks. I dig the drop checker too and how it doesn't pull too much focus.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Here's a little tank update. Received my brass check valve in the mail the other day. They finally sent me the correct one, after about a month after the order. No complaints when the price is so cheap and the shipping is free...it's rewarding for a hobby that rewards patience. 
Here she is-








Also, I decided to go with clear airline tubing instead of the black tubing I had before. Mainly because I'm using a white background now which has added, what I think, a nicer appeal. I think it compliments the glass drop checker and diffuser well-








The moss seems to be growing much better with the new background. I think the white background and its reflective qualities may shed some light on the corners of the tank which is so often dimly lit because of the aquarium design. Scrubbed some algae off the back glass and went to town cleaning the filter intake tube. Shined it up real nice, and now the tank looks as good as new. Happy that I have the check valve on the setup now and even happier with the clear tubing and background. Did a little trimming of some moss around the rock which was very simple especially with the 10" curved scissors. Just let the clippings get trapped on the screening I "zip-tied" to the intake, then removed it by hand.
Here's a night shot with the clean intake tube-








The tank photographs better during the day. However, that's when I am rarely home.
Here's a shot with some of the guts pulled out (except for the drop checker)









My current dosing schedule is Nitrogen and micros once after a 35% water change each week. Moss is healthy. May cut down the photo period by an hour or so to hopefully control a little green algae on the wall. But right now, the tank feels peaceful and I'm really enjoying the equilibrium. 

-el gordo

parting shot


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## TeaQue (Jan 26, 2010)

Wow your moss has really taken off! Lookin good


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

TeaQue said:


> Wow your moss has really taken off! Lookin good


Thanks TeaQue. Off to walk around and look for some more similar type rocks to maybe add today.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

I moved the tank to my living room. Easier than I thought it would be. I purchased an IKEA shelving unit for like $40 that matches more or less the color of the Fluval tank that I have. I think it works well with the design. Plus that tank is now on a lower plane. Before, it was higher up on top of a dresser, at eye level, but you couldn't see all of the dimensions that this tank offers. The moss is growing great, but I think that I need to do some trimming in the bottom right area of the tank. I wish I had a pair of waterproof tank clippers...the one's that you use for hair. I could just put on the Number 1 attachment and snip away. Also still on the hunt for some rocks. Maybe some bigger rocks that will shoot out of the moss with more height. I'm contemplating getting some LEDs with more natural color lighting. I'd like to match the color of the lighting with the 10W coralife bulb. The LEDs that I'm setup with are a little too green for my liking. 


















check out my moss

























-el gordo


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## fastfreddie (Sep 10, 2008)

Haha. I have that same IKEA shelf under my wall mounted TV with my DVD player and cable box on top. Too bad those baskets that go in the shelf are $16 a piece! They're great for holding tank supplies (or remote controls in my case.)

That moss looks very healthy!


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Just purchased some new stone from "Boink" on this forum. Very excited about it. Looking forward to a new scape with the rocks and the moss carpet.


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## funkyfish (Mar 16, 2009)

Great looking tank  And love the DIY drop checker


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

funkyfish said:


> Great looking tank  And love the DIY drop checker


thanks!! my drop checker is in the yellow today. time to turn down the co2.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

just got some ryuoh stone from "boink" today. I'm gonna have my hands full rescaping a new layout. The best part is that I can just pick up the moss carpet (put it in a bucket) regrade the substrate, and put the new stone in. Big thanks to Boink for the shipment. The rocks look absolutely amazing and were received within two days from when I ordered them. They were sent from LA to NYC and got here priority mail so fast (and on my bday nonetheless). I have six lovely pieces totaling 10 pounds of very interesting stone of different shapes and sizes. The possibilities seem endless. I will post some new pics soon. I may tinker more with the drop checker today. The liquid in the chamber is still in the yellow. I think the chamber may be too big so I may have to add more solution (or more reagent) Maybe I'll start with more reagent first.

Will definitely post some new pics soon. very excited over here in queens with the stone arrival.

best,

-el g


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

awesome moss tank!


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## ClPat (Apr 30, 2009)

This is a really nice tank and you are really good at DIY! The drop checker idea was genious, I wouldn't have though of that! Also I think the scape is cool, minimalistic yet full of details.
I think neons will outgrow the tank and ruin the scale though, so you might want to look into some smaller microrasbora, boraras or amandaes...


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

ClPat said:


> This is a really nice tank and you are really good at DIY! The drop checker idea was genious, I wouldn't have though of that! Also I think the scape is cool, minimalistic yet full of details.
> I think neons will outgrow the tank and ruin the scale though, so you might want to look into some smaller microrasbora, boraras or amandaes...


thanks clpat. I really dig the drop checker too. I'm gonna mess with the scape today with the new rocks. Looking forward to it. Great suggestion about the fish. The six neons that are in there now are just enough. Anymore and there would be too many and throw off the balance. But I love amandaes. If the neons go...that fish may be next. 

Best, el g

ps here's a picture of the rocks that "boink" sent me...very stoked


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## TLE041 (Jan 16, 2010)

Those stones look great!

If you're looking for other nano fishes, check out green neons, or my personal favorites - celestial pearl danios.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Alright, here goes.

So I tore it all down, scrubbed like a mofo and rescaped with some new rocks. I've been shifting and tweaking and turning and sloping and you name it all day....hand in the tank, up to my elbows, trying to unlock a satisfying scape. I must say, I really like these rocks. They are so interesting and much more dynamic. But getting a good scape is not easy. Luckily, my moss carpet lays itself down like sod, so reshaping the aquarium scape is not that difficult. Had to throw away two mats of moss. There was just too much. I also tweaked my drop checker by adding a little airline tubing to the passageway which had allowed me to add 4ml 4.5dKH with 8 drops reagent. so far...so good. I've got iwagumi scaping and moss on the brain. 

Now for some photos:

go my ryuoh stone shipped from "boink" lightning fast.








and well packed








6 lovely rocks all different shapes and sizes totaling just about 10pounds. Much larger than I thought they would be. Very pleasantly surprised.








First thing's first...time to strip out all the moss and remove the fish. It's gonna get messy.
before:








and after:








looks pretty odd without the moss.
fish, moss and shrimp to the bucket for safe keeping:








It's amazing how dirty this tank got. Looks pretty beat up with everything evicted:









But before I moved on to scaping...I had to tinker with the drop checker. If everything is coming out to be cleaned, I may as well make some adjustments. Added some airline tubing:








gives me a little more room for the mixture:








works like a charm...no leaks on the test run. good to go:









chose three of what I thought were the most dynamic/interesting rock pieces. And took a stab at a rough scape. I think it turned out ok:

















absolutely no idea where the shrimp have gone once I put them back in my tank. Did a 100%water change give or take a few percentages cause of all the mulm I kicked up while scaping. I like the look of this layout. But I'm not satisfied. I'm having fun, but I'm getting a little neurotic. But I'm so happy about the rocks. go moss go.


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## funkyfish (Mar 16, 2009)

I like it! The rocks are awesome. 
Which moss is in the tank?


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

thanks funkyfish. it's currently java moss, although I've noticed a strain of a different type of moss in there. I need to go to bed and try again with arranging the rocks in the am. I've put way too much thought into them cause I dig them so much.


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## boink (Nov 27, 2006)

Looking good! Glad everything arrived in good shape.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

boink said:


> Looking good! Glad everything arrived in good shape.


thanks boink.


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## jomari (Mar 29, 2010)

ive been reading your thread since last night, and have been inspired to purchase a tank of my own. ive been thinking about going with a 36gal tank, and have been an avid tank owner since my waning years, owning the variety from kois to arowanas (had one about 24inches long, not much, but raised her well back at home), but never went into the world of planted aquariums.

so this is going to be a first. a daunting first. 

for what its worth, your thread is amazing, informative, and very inspiring to switch from a full size tank into a 'nano plant' one.

your tank is also now what i consider the benchmark for freshwater tanks. 

keep on posting those pictures, and hopefully, will learn more about planted aquariums.

time to read up on the stickies!


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Those new rocks really make the tank look "dynamic". I liked this from the start but now it just "pops" a bit more


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

first off:

thanks Jomari for such wonderful words. 

I decided to reconfigure the rocks (again). I liked how they were, but there was something about them that was just nagging me. So I rolled up my sleeves and started messing around with the layout. I've had aquascaping on the brain. 

So what I did was take the large rock (which was my focus) and reverse it and flip it upside down. When I first studied this rock, I immediately was drawn to a particular side. But after much...much much deliberation, I went with the opposite side. I layed that rock down first and then built off of it with another rock that I haven't used before. I spent a bunch reading more on Iwagumi layouts, and the most worthwhile bit of info I found was about designing from within. So I did my best. I pulled the moss carpet out and reconfigured the rocks. I made an incredible slope out of the substrate....enough to make my filter react and holler from a cloud of mulm. But I made a huge slope off of the big rock (after I had placed the other two rocks) and I sloped sloped sloped. I love the moss, but what's hard is that when you use it as a carpet, it raises up a little off the substrate...so a lot of rock detail near the base of the stone gets swallowed up by the moss. Regardless...it is my plant of choice, and I dig it. And I'm digging the new layout:

pulled the moss and did some serious grading:









faraway shot:









the white background got wet so I pulled it off. I think it looks pretty cool without:

























...and a cool parting shot with the white background back in place...









thanks for looking and thanks again for the responses!!

-el g


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## funkyfish (Mar 16, 2009)

Fat Guy said:


> thanks funkyfish. it's currently java moss, although I've noticed a strain of a different type of moss in there. I need to go to bed and try again with arranging the rocks in the am. I've put way too much thought into them cause I dig them so much.


Thats nice looking java moss, mine never looks like that. 
Really really nice :thumbsup::thumbsup: :icon_mrgr


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

thanks funkyfish. I've been very happy with it's growth. I slowed my dosing regime down to once a week (after a water change). I'm dosing Nitrogen and micros. I was thinking about Postassium, but I don't think it's necessary for just moss. My shrimp love it, to say the least. It's nice that I have a moonlight LED on the tank at night. The shrimp definitely come out then. I'm still tinkering with the drop checker. I'm trying to speed up the response time. Regardless, the moss seems to be growing very well even though I'm still on a quest for ideal conditions. 

best, el g


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

If you can tell by as of recently, I've had a lot of free time the past couple of days. And with the rain in NYC, I've been spending a lot of time working on the aquarium. I wasn't happy with the drop checker chamber so I decided to make it bigger, without making it over complicated. It was taking way too long to get readings with the drop checker and I felt like it was because the gas wasn't traveling very rapidly into the chamber with the reagent. So I removed the cap, and took half inch airline tubing, cut it to size, and fit it through the opening in the glass vial, filled the container with approximately 3ml dKH4/4.5 H2O, added 6 drops pH reagent, tested the seal, and placed it in the aquarium. It went a little something like this. 








,







,







,







,







,


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Success in just under 3 hours!!

The new modification works like a charm:








,















,


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## tuonor (Nov 26, 2009)

Nice looking rocks! The rescape turned out great, El G.


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## halcyon (Mar 26, 2010)

I think it looks good on that shelf in relation to the room. =)


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

tuonor said:


> Nice looking rocks! The rescape turned out great, El G.


thanks tuonor. I'm really diggin it. how's your tank coming along? Did you get your light under the canopy yet?

best, el g


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## evrk (Feb 27, 2010)

great looking tank!
where did you end up getting your brass check-valve from? I'm setting up CO2 for my (diy) rimiless 20g long  i'll be posting some pics once everything's going more or less.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

evrk said:


> great looking tank!
> where did you end up getting your brass check-valve from? I'm setting up CO2 for my (diy) rimiless 20g long  i'll be posting some pics once everything's going more or less.


thanks evrk. I got my brass check valve from aqmagic.com I ordered after the Chinese New Year and they sent me the wrong one. It took a while for them to get back to me, but they did replace it. thanks again and best with your 20g.

-el g


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Did a moss trim today. Put the clippings in a plastic deli jar and put it by the window. The moss started to pearl like crazy in the sunlight. Got a nice little razor blade algae scraper on a wand. It's also helped as a moss comb. The hardest but most rewarding part with this tank now is working inside of the tank without messing everything up. It takes a world of patience. Here are some photos. One of my cats likes the tank as much as I do. Another plus to having the closed top.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

...green algae bloom the other day...nitrates were just right for algae....scrubbed the rocks with a toothbrush which was the best tool....thinking about tweaking the scape...for no reason other than boredom and impatience.


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## tuonor (Nov 26, 2009)

The moss just looks better and better, particularly among the new rocks. Didn't you just rescape? 

I guess cat resistant is something we need to add to the Edge's pros...


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## ClPat (Apr 30, 2009)

unbelievable tank! and that DIY drop checker is awesome! (and cool-looking against all odds!)


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

ClPat said:


> unbelievable tank! and that DIY drop checker is awesome! (and cool-looking against all odds!)


hey ClPat, thanks so much. I'm in the middle of rescaping the tank right now. In fact, I've been rescaping it for a couple weeks now and just have not been satisfied. I'm growing crazy neurotic while I do it. I'd love to grow some HC in there, but I'm afraid that the lighting setup will not suffice. That's a large problem with the tank itself. That, and the limited opening in the top. I really enjoy this tank and it's design. It's been a love, hate relationship. However, if this tank didn't exist, I don't think I would've gotten back into the hobby so soon given some circumstances....stay tuned for updates

-el gordo

the drop checker is working like a dream by the way. Thanks for drop checker love.


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## benon (Feb 18, 2010)

Really love the whole design and look of this planted tank.

Cool cat... Good thing you have a lid on yours tank (really like the fluval edge). I have a cat who is able to open the lid on my 12 gallon nanocube.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

benon said:


> Really love the whole design and look of this planted tank.
> 
> Cool cat... Good thing you have a lid on yours tank (really like the fluval edge). I have a cat who is able to open the lid on my 12 gallon nanocube.


thanks benon!!

thank goodness for the glass top right? my cats would be in there in a heartbeat otherwise. 

parting shot of the old scape:










once the moss settles in, I'll snap a photo of the new scape...that's if I can keep my hands out of the tank till then.

best,

-el g


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

I haven't looked at this one in awhile but have to say it looks great! I'm enjoying reading up on all of your DIY ideas too. Cool journal!


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## xmas_one (Feb 5, 2010)

Cool tank man, this is the nicest one I've seen so far. Thumbs up on the mods too!


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

So I changed the scape, and this is the one that I've grown most happy with. I've messed with the rocks in this aquarium for weeks to months on end. Not feeling at peace with a configuration, and just wanting to experiment with different layouts. I've tried really dramatic scapes, bedrock scapes, island scapes etc. The hard part with this tank is the top entry and the lighting setup. You may be able to come up with a cool scape, but when you try to transfer it to your tank, you realize that the rock configuration you've created is just too difficult to maneuver through the small opening. And if the rocks are too high or at the wrong angle, they will cast huge shadows over the foreground, which can look cool, but bad for plant growth. 

Another thing that I did that I think helped with moving the rocks around and rescaping was I removed about 1/4 to 1/5th of the ecocomplete substrate to free up some more space, and created a nice slope to work with. Things got a little dirty and the tank went through a minicycle and had a nitrate boost from all of my mayhem, but now things have settled down a bit. Had a little problem with the filter impeller making some noise, probably from the mulm I kicked up. But that seems to have subsided. The drop checker still works like a charm and my co2 tank is still at 800psi...awesome.

I've probably gone through 10 scapes since I've last posted. And a huge limiting factor to the rock configuration is the moss. Once I settle on an "Edge-friendly" scape, when I lay the carpet down, the moss swallows up a good half inch to an inch of the rock structure at the base. So knowing this and knowing the I'm just using moss, I've decided on a three rock structure (which is incredibly hard to configure), using the three largest and most interesting rocks in my collection. I wanted to stretch the scape in the tank and make it look like a grassy filed or mountain tops floating above cloud cover. Something to that nature. The picture doesn't do it justice, but I'm very happy with it. 

best,

-el gordo


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## MrJG (Feb 21, 2007)

Dude it looks awesome. It did already but even more so now. Any chance we can get some closer in shots?


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

MrJG said:


> Dude it looks awesome. It did already but even more so now. Any chance we can get some closer in shots?


thanks mrjg. will totally try to get some closer shots.


el g


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## MlDukes (Nov 24, 2009)

Ive seen your post before but took some time to read through it today. Great thread and great tank! I love iwagami style. Never tried one myself but might with my edge in the near future. Right now i just stocked it with some stuff i already had and Im pleased with the look (for now) 


How do you think plants will do under my LED mod???


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

MlDukes said:


> Ive seen your post before but took some time to read through it today. Great thread and great tank! I love iwagami style! Never tried one myself but most likely will with my edge in the near future. Right now i just stocked it with some stuff i already had and Im pleased with the look (for now)
> 
> 
> How do you think plants will do under my LED mod???


Hey MlDukes,

Thanks for the kind words. I love Iwagumi style too. Really digging it. I think your plants should do well with that mod. Not sure what PAR those lights are emitting, but they seem to really cover the tank well and seem to be a step in the right direction to getting sufficient lighting over your tank. Looking forward to seeing how your plants and tank grow.

-el g


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## MlDukes (Nov 24, 2009)

Fat Guy said:


> Hey MlDukes,
> 
> Thanks for the kind words. I love Iwagumi style too. Really digging it. I think your plants should do well with that mod. Not sure what PAR those lights are emitting, but they seem to really cover the tank well and seem to be a step in the right direction to getting sufficient lighting over your tank. Looking forward to seeing how your plants and tank grow.
> 
> -el g


Thanks for the response! I just gotta give mine some time and see what will do well and what wont. Id really like to do a riccia carpet. Believe it or not ive had really good luck with Riccia under low light w/ no Co2. Right now i have about a 6"x9" patch of it floating in my 46g.... I need to put it to good use!

The new rocks look GREAT!! Also I love the slope your tank has since you removed some of the substrate! Looking forward to seeing what it evolves into next!!!


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

*el gordo 6G fluval iwagumi updates*

So, any who are interested: I go back and forth with the rock placement in my tank all the time...like all the time, to the point where I become jaded and don't really know what I like. I keep the configuration up for a couple of weeks and then switch to something else, and rescape and regrade, and wreak havoc on my biological filter. 

I eventually want to put the moss on the back burner and try some hc or glosso, or maybe some hc and some dhg in the tank. But, I'm not sure if the lighting setup I have is going to support those choices. 

I like the scape I have now, but here's a picture of the scape before...










and the current one:









any thoughts?


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## MlDukes (Nov 24, 2009)

The new placement ROCKS! :hihi: Really though, looks great! The slope is perfect with the nice little valley out front, very cool! Shoot me a PM if you decide to put any of that moss on swap n shop.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

*ott lite addition*

Switched out the coralife bulb for a 15W ott lite bulb that I picked up at Michael's craft store. The bulb makes an amazing difference and really throws more light onto the tank. Just looks much clearer and cleaner. Used some tinfoil and taped it onto my diy reflector and it works very well. Very happy with the update. The light cost $10. 

Before, here's an old photo from an older scape.










I liked this scape, it was just hard to get my hand around it.

Here's the new addition to the tank:









fits like a glove
















a scape shot with just the ott lite and no leds on.









It really works well, especially with my DIY reflector.

-el gordo

in the process of growing the moss separately and switching to HC and DHG.


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## ryndisher (Jun 1, 2010)

Looks great i was wanting to get one of those tanks hows it working out?


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

*baby tears*

Ok,

Day 1 with some baby tears. I picked some up today on Delancey Street. I only needed to get two, not three. Didn't use all of it. Put the moss carpet in some tupperware and sealed it in case the HC doesn't grow in. Also picked up some microsword just to try it out. I don't think I'm gonna keep it in the tank because it seems to pull focus, but then again, it'd look cool if it'd shoot runners on the back wall, I just think it may take over the tank. 

So spent a good amount of time separating the HC and planting individually with tweezers. no fun in this tank. Also think I'm gonna get some MTS from the lfs. Saw a baby crawling on the inside of the glass. I don't mind them so much though, until there are 1000 of them.

Here's some photos. Get ready for some serious melting. But as of now, it looks alright and with the new ott lite addition, I've seen some pearling on the microsword and the broken tears floating on the top.

microsword








baby tears in a bag








June 1, 2010 shot









-el gordo


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

well, I've decided to go back to just keeping moss in this tank. The baby tears after full planting just started growing in the back, mainly where the lighting is setup. They pearl great, but I need better lighting in order to encompass the rest of the tank. Makes complete sense. I love this tank, but lighting it fully and trying to keep the integrity of the design is a nightmare. So, I'm back to the moss. Maybe I'll try a different scape that sits higher to give a different illusion with the moss. The scape looks terrific from 5 feet away or further, but up close, you lose the detail of the rocks and the substrate because the moss strands tend to float up high...we'll see. I'd love to get an ADA tank and give the baby tears a better run for their money.


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## soup_nazi (Jul 15, 2009)

You could use some idea lack lights [http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60124272] on the sides to light up the tank some more.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

soup_nazi said:


> You could use some idea lack lights [http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60124272] on the sides to light up the tank some more.


good idea. i thought about those. But I think they would compromise the look of the tank as a whole. But they would help nonetheless. Just wish the canopy came out further. Maybe I can build something.


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## jeffvmd (Apr 16, 2010)

I tried growing dwarf baby tears to cover the front of my edge tank but it seems to lack the light it needs to really grow. I had my first batch just melt out.
It's really hard to make a light mod which can fit the canopy to maintain the original design and reach the outer edges of the tank. The cover is what blocks most of the light from reaching the outer borders of the tank.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

I feel ya. That plant is just not meant for this tank.


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## beedee (Jul 1, 2010)

amazing tank and write up! i just read it from start to finish.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Thanks beedee!! much love, -el g


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

wow, that light is BRIGHT


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

...time to regrow some moss. The factory lighting unit stopped working (lost the baby tears) so I'm just running off the ott lite bulb. Have to send the lighting unit back to Hagen and they are going to replace it. So below is a current picture with the old moss put back in. I had stored it in a deli container for two months and it survived, somewhat. I will soon buy some more and get back to the sewing machine and sew some new moss in. "Sew like the wind!!!"










Lost a couple shrimp after having some problems with the filtration. I had to pull the impeller off and clean the unit. Messy. My mt snails have helped a great deal with the algae and detritus. I know that in a couple of months, I'm gonna be picking them out of the tank. much love to those interested in this thread. 

-el g


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Since I just checked in for the first time in awhile, any updates in the last month?


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Digsy said:


> Since I just checked in for the first time in awhile, any updates in the last month?


Well, some updates. scrapped growing any baby tears in the tank. also removed the ott lite and went back to square one with the coral life light and the leds. put the moss back in. just got some fissidens in the mail from a member on this site. looks alright cost aside. gonna grow some fissidens in the front and the java in the back behind the rocks. strictly shrimp now. cherry shrimp and mt snails. one neon left after my filter got unplugged and my tank turned almost to soda pop with the co2. I'll have a pic some time soon. am dosing nitrogen every day (after tests) now that I have just invertebrates in the tank. the moss is becoming a nutrient sponge. had it in a deli cup on my window sill while I was experimenting with different plants. lost some green during the process, but now it is back and coming in strong. thinking about getting an assasin snail...just one though...or breeding cherry shrimps...tasty.

best,
el g


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Just got 10 Cherry Shrimps and some fissidens moss. Gonna start breeding the little buggers. And I have a clithion corona snail en route. Went back to the original lighting and changed out a bulb. Dosing nitrogen every day. Moss is thriving and things are back on track. Am content with growing plants that I know will thrive in such a setup with such limited lighting . things are looking extremely good.

best,
el g


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

snapped some photos:

shrimp on a new fissidens mat:


















looking down. A little mts in action









the new mat









shrimp on the big rock









drop checker working like a charm









moss starting to grow back in after months in a jar. I may move the second large rock closer to the first, but I'm not sure if I like it how it is.









Things are looking better in there. Excited for the clithion corona who is en route as I type...

Best,

el g


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## RayT (Aug 27, 2010)

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this from start to end, tank looks great and enjoyed the diy tips!


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## teah (Jul 25, 2010)

Hi, I just wonder why you have the cover on top of your tank? To prevent the shrimps jump out? 

Also, with it covered and the bulb near the water, the tank receives more heat?


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

RayT said:


> Thoroughly enjoyed reading this from start to end, tank looks great and enjoyed the diy tips!


thank you!!


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## Shinosuke (May 20, 2004)

Long time lurker, here... any updates?


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

I'll post some soon. just plain old moss and rocks right now. Got three shrimp that are about to have some offspring and added two lovely assassin snails. Messing with the rock configuration is tricky with the moss carpet. I'm never satisfied, but don't want to jostle the substrate too much with the baby shrimps on the way.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

*new single rock*

gone straight to shrimp farming with two assassin snails and some mts. I'm on the hunt to purchase an ADA tank and try some different more detailed rock arrangements. Thinking a mini m or a cube. any thoughts?

The moss here is great for the shrimp. They dig it and it's a lovely breeding ground. Love the tank closeup and even better afar.

-el gordo










thanks to those that have been following this thread.
please disregard that hikari algae flakes and prime in the background. forgot to take that out before taking the pictures.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

rcs had babies. spotted them today


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

I've pulled out all the rocks and the carpet. I'm using the ryuoh stone for an upcoming ada mini m project that I'm working on. I removed the moss from the mats and tied all of it to pieces of driftwood that I've been soaking in the tank. My 8 cherry shrimps have now multiplied to a rough estimate of 40 thriving little moss happy offspring. In one of the below pictures you can see an tank adjacent to the edge. I used a glass display vase that I was keeping orchids in to setup a rough rock scape. I'm running a whisper 30 HOB on the tank as well as an eheim 2211 (which I had been running on my edge). I'm getting the eheim ready for my ada project, getting some more bacteria in the filter. I've also been adding some nutrafin cycle (which came in the box for my edge) that I've been adding in small dosages daily. In the tank are a small school of white cloud mountain minnows which will eventually go into the mini m. I'm still waiting on a shipment of powersand and my solar mini light before I can setup my mini. I'm going to post a journal for that project soon. So yup. For those interested in what I've been up to with this tank, here are some photos. Looking forward to having the moss take off on the wood. This tank seems perfect for mosses and shrimp. Hopefully I'll have some nice moss and shrimp to trade. Happy Holidays to those who are reading this.

Best, 

-el g









white cloud mountain minnow rock nano with crazy filtration. You can see it at the right side of the photo








grainy rockscape 








some baby scrimps in der eh


















parting shot of things to come...


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## lasutaku (Jun 15, 2007)

Looking forward to seeing the Mini M build!


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I loved this tank, can't wait to see the next


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## celine (Nov 19, 2010)

that is such a cool tank!!! is the poor lone neon still in there?


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

hey celine. Sadly, yes, the poor lone neon is still in there. 

the driftwood in the last picture looks nothing like it does now. It was a good jumping off point for me to getting an idea of the moss wrapped around the wood. However, since the last photo, the wood has finally become water logged and I have rescaped. My 8 cherry shrimp have multiplied and are nearly 30 plus and my white cloud makeshift mountain minnow tank is harboring an eheim 2211 with lovely bacteria colonies for the mini m. 

In other news:
I finally get the solar mini light for the mini m tomorrow as well as some power sand for my new tank. I won't get the baby tears for the new tank until Thursday or Friday (depending on the new york shipments to the lfs). I can't wait to set up my new tank. I don't think I've ever been as patient before with this hobby. Looking forward to a new horizon. 

best, el g


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## sugarbyte (Apr 3, 2011)

I've had my Fluval Edge for about 3 weeks now and I've rescaped it twice already... I'm thinking of redoing everything again.. I'm don't feel so insane after having joined this forum and seeing how common this behavior is with other aquarists  lol! 

I love what you did with the tank and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing its progress and modifications


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## JamesHockey (Nov 10, 2010)

update man?


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Right now this tank has some really lovely layers of moss and a ton of cherry shrimp. There are also two neons to add to the dynamic. It has evolved into a very low light and low maintenance tank. I've stopped running the LEDs and run the coralife mini pc instead. The moss really looks beautiful. More beautiful then I would have expected, and it's because I haven't touched the moss in over three months so its growth looks very natural and unforced. It's not tied to any netting anymore and has completely engulfed the driftwood. I totally dig it. It is the most painless maintenance free tank I've kept. The only work it requires now is done when I have to remove the nerite snail eggs that scatter the glass like graffiti. It is a very serene tank and the cherries really give it a nice balance within the dark green from the plants and bright reds from their shells.


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## raven_wilde (Jul 12, 2006)

Moss + Shrimp and leaving things be is my favorite kind of tank to maintain 

Can we see some pics pleaze? It sounds beautiful and I'd like some more inspiration for my soon to be purchased (probably Edge) nano.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

rock garden


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## sunyang730 (Jan 30, 2012)

Any update on this?


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

look up


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

cardinals, rocks, and java fern.


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

Nice so simple


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

daytime shot. introduced a 15w ott light that I'm going to run for four hours during the 7 hour light cycle with the leds in hopes to give the java fern a little bump. I also like the color from the light. 

low maintenance.


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## PinkRasbora (Jan 22, 2005)

Wow that is so simple its stunning. Those Javas are impressively green too.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

nice and simple setup looks great


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