# Digsy's Mini-L (Yet another rescape 9/24/10)



## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Sweeeeet.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks sewingalot! Can anyone tell me if I should start dosing ferts now?


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## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

Dont add fish till your AMAZONIA cycle is overrrrrrrr! give it two to three weeks at least. maybe less if youre using an established filter. also, im a believer in the less chemicals, the better. sometimes just water and dechlor will do the trick, no need for fancy additives (besides ferts) speaking of which, let your plants settle and the initial AMAZONIA dose of ferts before you start dosing dry. and 12 brigittae will attribute almost nothing to the bioload. probably as much as 2 tetras would. i dont see why adding a party of hasbrous or something wouldnt work


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Chase, I added the large plant mass in order to avoid a traditional cycle. I would assume that the ammonia produced by the aquasoil probably won't overwhelm the tank too much as long as frequent water changes are maintained and the bioload isn't excessive but, maybe I'm wrong? I was going to add half of the dozen Boraras this week and wait another week to add the other 6, just in case.

How long did you wait before dry dosing your 45-P? Thanks again!


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Ok, I did a little more research after my ammonia tested sky high and think I'll go ahead and wait another week or two before adding my fish, as was suggested. I'm also going to throw in a filter sponge from another tank to sit for a week or so to see if that speeds things up any. Thanks for the heads up!:thumbsup:


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

With that many plants, your ammonia spike shouldn't last too long. 
That sunset is a great nutrient sponge!
Awesome stand


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## ex225 (Oct 26, 2008)

Wow nice tank. I hope to go high-tech ADA someday. It just look so cleannnnnn.

What floaters are those on the right side? I've only had experience with duckweed and salvinia and the hanging roots on yours don't look like either.

I'm trying to find some floaters like that for my open top 20 to replace the pesky duckweed.


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## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

i think i waited about a month. then as my plant mass got larger i started to dose.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

ex225 said:


> What floaters are those on the right side? I've only had experience with duckweed and salvinia and the hanging roots on yours don't look like either.


it looks like frogbit to me


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

clwatkins10 said:


> With that many plants, your ammonia spike shouldn't last too long.
> That sunset is a great nutrient sponge!
> Awesome stand


Thanks, that stand cost a small fortune but I guess that's the price of finding something that matched the furniture in the house! I'm also glad to hear that my plant mass should make for a shorter cycle, that was my hope when cramming all of those stems in there!



ex225 said:


> Wow nice tank. I hope to go high-tech ADA someday. It just look so cleannnnnn.
> 
> What floaters are those on the right side? I've only had experience with duckweed and salvinia and the hanging roots on yours don't look like either.
> 
> I'm trying to find some floaters like that for my open top 20 to replace the pesky duckweed.


Thanks ex225, ADA does make some NICE looking tanks. The floating plant is mini water lettuce and I really like it. Anything beats duckweed!


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## pandapr (Nov 10, 2008)

Found this thread because I want to buy an ADA tank like this one. Not sure between the Mini L, 45-P, 60-P or 30-C.
The real issue in my case is the S&H. The Mini L S&H is $48.25 and the 60-P runs around $85 plus the tank. Started $aving.

What are your toughs on the 45-P ??
Thanks


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Ouch! $50+ shipping? That would make the decision tough. I went with the 45-P because I wanted to replace a similarly sized tank. I don't have room for anything bigger so, that made my decision. If space wasn't an issue, I'd probably get the largest one I could afford because these are beautiful tanks!


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## el_santo (Oct 26, 2006)

another 45-P for me to lurk and compare mine too and ultimately be envious of and slightly jealous. :drool:

just kidding. :hihi:


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

el_santo said:


> another 45-P for me to lurk and compare mine too and ultimately be envious of and slightly jealous. :drool:
> 
> just kidding. :hihi:


I was very disappointed to see that you didn't have a journal for me to drool over! Care to share yours?



No other updates at this point. Ammonia is still over 2.0ppm after a 50% water change yesterday. The stems have already grown quite a bit though and I'm hopeful I should be seeing a drop in the ammonia soon so that I can move on and add fish. I'm really glad, after reading others threads, that I didn't have ANY cloudiness issues with my Aquasoil.


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## Coltonorr (Mar 12, 2008)

Nice start Digsy!
I was wondering...what plants do you intend to keep after the cycle?
Other than the E. tennelus 'micro'...


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

I'm not exactly sure what I want to do yet, Coltonorr but I will probably replace most of the stems. I've always wanted a dutch style scape but have never been able to maintain it for very long so, I suppose that may be leaning that way but I'm still scouring other journals for ideas.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

A couple of picture updates, nothing too exciting. I'm thinking of ditching the E. tennellus 'micro' in favor of the japanese hairgrass I have coming. It's too much like regular E. tennellus and isn't as small as I was hoping. I also have a patch of L. brasiliensis in there so, I'll put them side by side and see which one I like better. I'm planning on moving the fast growers out a little at a time, so as not to cause another ammonia spike with a complete rescape. 

Here's what the tank looked like before a major trim and a minor rescape:









My 15 rasboras acclimating after being removed from my 12 gallon (which I've decided, rather than taking it down, will now be a dedicated shrimp tank):









The tank after a huge trim and a little rearranging of plants:









I also rehomed 3 plantlets from my larger E. cinereum that weren't exactly flourishing in my 58 gallon and I can already see some growth and improvement! Gotta love Aquasoil.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

beautiful rasboras! What is their full name?


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks clwatkins, they're Boraras brigittae.


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## ryan_p (Mar 18, 2009)

nice tank i like those boraras brigatte, those fish are stunning to look at very tiny yet really colorful perfect for small tanks. i just got a 45-P as well and really dont know what to do with it yet, i might get some tips from you. Keep us updated :icon_smil.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks Ryan_P. My tank is already setup and I still don't exactly know what to do with it!  This is the first time I've had a setup that had no real limits as far as plants go so, it's a little overwhelming. Be sure to start a journal when you set yours up, I'd like to see what ideas you have!


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## ryan_p (Mar 18, 2009)

sure i will, ill let you know :red_mouth. For now i focused on my current 20g tank while im gathering the ideal equipment for this new tank. i want some CPD's and shrimps for the next one.


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## CAM6467 (Feb 11, 2009)

Absolutely beautiful aquarium. I'm glad that I'm getting some rotala rotundifolia from this tank. Keep up the good work!

Regards,

Charlie Mims


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

CAM6467 said:


> Absolutely beautiful aquarium. I'm glad that I'm getting some rotala rotundifolia from this tank. Keep up the good work!
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Charlie Mims


Thanks Charlie, I hope that Rotala does well for you! I'm loving the "plants on steroids" affect of the AS.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

I have an updated picture after a large trim/rescape. Once again, any thoughts, comments or criticisms are welcome. My Rotala indica will be moved from the foreground in coming weeks but after moving and replanting several plants, I started to get some cloudiness and didn't want to tempt fate by continuing. I figure if I do it in stages, it should prevent any major cloudiness. 

Also, I'm thinking of removing the driftwood as I just feel like my arrangement might be too big for this tank. Anyone have any opinion on that? I can't decide whether or not it's taking up too much room.











I'm a little concerned about my hairgrass as I let it sit for a day longer than I probably should have before planting it. My fingers are crossed that it will bounce back from my neglect.


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## legomaniac89 (Mar 16, 2008)

Briggitae's are some of my favorite fish. They're so bright red it almost hurts your eyes .

As for the driftwood, I think it is a bit too overpowering for what you have going. Maybe a small, branchy piece of Manzy would look pretty nice with the plants growing out around it. Forgive my ADA ignorance, but about how many gallons is a 45-P?


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks lego, I'm thinking the driftwood is just too much also. Now to figure out what to replace it with...a branchy piece of manzanita might be a good option although I'm tempted, as always, to just leave it full of plants and remove hardscape. I am trying to force myself to develop a decent hardscape because for some reason, I always want to ditch it and just fill the space with plants because it seems easier. As far as the size, it's about 10 gallons.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

hey this looks really nice. those new little fish are great--i have never seen such bright red _brigittae_ before.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks Hydrophyte, these guys have really colored up over the last few months...they must be happy! 

Does anyone know when I should start dosing my dry ferts? The tank has been set up for about 5 weeks now and I'm wondering when I need to start supplementing the AS nutrients. I'd hate to wait until I see a deficiency to start.


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## malaybiswas (Nov 2, 2008)

I normally start dosing much earlier, but every week I change the dosage based on the existing concentration of N or P. If you have kits to measure them you can start dosage accordingly as well. You can probably start dosing K for sure.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Picture update. Nothing too exciting. I removed one of the pieces of driftwood but haven't found the right nano driftwood to replace it yet so, the other piece is still in there. I also relocated my R. indica to the back corner. I'm not sure if I love the placement since it's one of my favorite plants and I can't really see it now. 

I also started dosing dry ferts in the last few days. I upped my Co2 a little because I'm seeing little bits of BBA and also GSA.  I knew it would come eventually but it's always disappointing when it arrives! I also ordered a Cal-Aqua nano drop checker today from GLA so that I'll have a better idea of how much Co2 I really have.

Some of my hairgrass is finally looking ok but a lot of it has melted away. 










My erios are growing like weeds!










FTS: (The java fern is currently without a home thanks to removing the driftwood)


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

This tank is my inspiration for my rescape


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

I also got two Erio. australia in the mail today but unfortunately, we've had unusually hot temps (low 100s in Seattle?? Ridiculous!), they don't look so hot. Does anyone have any ideas for bringing them back from the dead or are they too far gone?


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> This tank is my inspiration for my rescape


Thanks Zoo, coming from a master aquascaper like yourself, I'll take that as a big compliment!


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## FSM (Jan 13, 2009)

I'd leave them alone, they may produce new growth.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Digsy said:


> Thanks Zoo, coming from a master aquascaper like yourself, I'll take that as a big compliment!


Me? A master aquascaper? I'm barely past a novice


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> Me? A master aquascaper? I'm barely past a novice


When compared with my complete lack of skills, I call you a master! It's all relative.


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## Tex Gal (Mar 28, 2008)

Looks like your tank is settling in and taking off.

I'm not loving the wad of plants floating in the right top! Hehehe! Just had to tease about that!


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Tex Gal said:


> Looks like your tank is settling in and taking off.
> 
> I'm not loving the wad of plants floating in the right top! Hehehe! Just had to tease about that!


I'm crushed that you don't love my floating java fern.:hihi: I'll figure out what to do with it soon..it's probably going in another tank altogether. I'm really looking forward to getting your stems to add to this scape!


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

I moved a few plants around and removed the last piece of driftwood. Apparently I stirred everything up too much because the water is pretty cloudy now. I also added a GLA 1000 diffuser to replace the ADA pollen mini as it was way too short for the depth of my tank.

I also found one of my Boraras brigittae stuck against the intake of my glass pipes. I tried putting pantyhose over it and found that it really lowered my flow so, now I'm just hoping they don't go near it again. 

Anyone have any ideas for additions? I'm actually getting a little bored with my small school. 


Yesterday, just after the rescape/water change (with the pantyhose over the intake):










A lot of cloudiness today:










Just as a comparison, here are my Erios when I added them 6 weeks ago:










How they look now:


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Anecdotally, I had a discussion with my husband about this tank the other night as I received most of this setup as a Christmas gift. I was explaining why I needed to get a new diffuser and he told me that he bought the diffuser because it was perfect for the aquarium I had wanted. I looked at the description on the diffuser and it said it was perfect for the Mini-L. Sure enough, we looked up his order history and it turns out I have a Mini-L, even though I thought I had linked to the 45-P when sending him the suggestion. :icon_redf So, the title is changed to reflect this. I guess I never noticed because there isn't too much difference in the size.


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## vtkid (Jan 5, 2009)

it is filling in very nicely those bororas are such a brilliant red. i was planning on getting some for my ten gallon.


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

Just a tiny bit of info the difference in size of the Mini L and 45P is negligible. 

Mini L: Dimensions: 45cm X 24cm X 30cm (18in X 9.45in X12 in)

45P: 45cm X 27cm X 30cm (18in X 10.5in X 12in)

only about an inch front to back. 

PS if I had the funds I would get your mini pollen glass.

Craig


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

vtkid said:


> it is filling in very nicely those bororas are such a brilliant red. i was planning on getting some for my ten gallon.


Thanks. I would recommend getting more than I currently have for a 10 gallon or getting a few other fish. This number doesn't really school and they kind of get lost in the tank.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Craigthor said:


> Just a tiny bit of info the difference in size of the Mini L and 45P is negligible.
> 
> Mini L: Dimensions: 45cm X 24cm X 30cm (18in X 9.45in X12 in)
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info Craig. You're right, that 1" isn't worth crying about! I actually thought of you when I listed the pollen glass because I remembered you were looking for one awhile back but I know how it goes. I'm going to be in deep myself once I start up my 105 gallon.


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## lljdma06 (Oct 16, 2006)

Tank looks very nice. I like those little Erio Enzio plants. Cute, kind of like P. helferi but straight leaves. They almost look like teenie Japanese rush. I like the look of it and I hate you for having B. brigittae. But I'll forgive you as soon as I get mine. So you are thinking Dutch with this? Hmmmmm. Could work very well. It is almost the same dimensions as mine, but mines a little less long. 

llj


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks lljdma06 for the compliments. 

I'm very bored with the lack of scape here but want to maintain the plant mass to go Dutch. Unfortunately, I'm preoccupied with trying to start up my 105 gallon so, this tank is being ignored for the most part. 

I switched out my ADA Pollen Glass mini with a diffuser from Orlando and I'm hoping having the diffuser lower will help me get rid of some of the algae I'm starting to get on the leaves of the plants. I also added a few RCS from my shrimp tank because I needed a cleanup crew to remove a fish head (seriously). One of my B. brigittae got stuck in the slit of my filter pipes and I decapitated it while to remove it. I console myself by saying that I believe it was already dead. 


Here are the latest shots:

New GLA diffuser replacing my ADA pollen:










The hideous algae now plaguing me...GDA??










My foreground has filled in a little bit:










FTS (blah!):


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks great!

What's the red plant in the right? Ludwigia guinea?


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks Zoo, it's a mix of Ludwigia guinea and inclinata.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Awesome fish! Do the school at all, or just spread out throughout the tank?


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## lljdma06 (Oct 16, 2006)

clwatkins10 said:


> Awesome fish! Do the school at all, or just spread out throughout the tank?


Not as much and not in the same way that that rummy-nose or harlequins do. They do school, but only if they are threatened, and they have to be in large numbers. Obviously, they don't feel threatened in Digsy's tank. :icon_smil



Digsy said:


> Thanks lljdma06 for the compliments.
> 
> I'm very bored with the lack of scape here but want to maintain the plant mass to go Dutch. Unfortunately, I'm preoccupied with trying to start up my 105 gallon so, this tank is being ignored for the most part.
> 
> I switched out my ADA Pollen Glass mini with a diffuser from Orlando and I'm hoping having the diffuser lower will help me get rid of some of the algae I'm starting to get on the leaves of the plants. I also added a few RCS from my shrimp tank because I needed a cleanup crew to remove a fish head (seriously). One of my B. brigittae got stuck in the slit of my filter pipes and I decapitated it while to remove it. I console myself by saying that I believe it was already dead.


I have a rhinox 1000 which looks exactly the same as you GLA. They are not as fancy, but I find it does spot on work in my 8g. Not disappointed and you can slap it wherever you feel like it. Mine is toward the back, where the bubbles are then captured by the filter intake current and then shot by the outake all over the tank. 

Part of the reason I gave up on brigittae, they would get stuck everywhere. Granted, it was a 20g tank, but I was constantly rescuing micro rasboras from the filter. They'd get sucked up the intake and then be in the basket. Sometimes, I'd get lucky, and if I caught it early enough, they'd be fine and I'd put them back in the tank. I used to put netting around the intake tubes. It got to a point though where I gave up and had to find them a new home. 

llj


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

clwatkins10 said:


> Awesome fish! Do the school at all, or just spread out throughout the tank?


I've read that they need a pretty large group before they exhibit any kind of schooling behavior. Mine occasionally end up in a group here and there but mostly they do their own thing. I didn't realize they were so shy because, other than shrimp, they've always had the tank to themselves so, they act so comfortable.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

lljdma06 said:


> Not as much and not in the same way that that rummy-nose or harlequins do. They do school, but only if they are threatened, and they have to be in large numbers. Obviously, they don't feel threatened in Digsy's tank. :icon_smil
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I finally added filter sponge over all of the slits intake pipe because I have lost two of them since adding them to this tank. The slits are narrow enough that they just get stuck there and don't end up in the filter. I never hadt his problem in my Nano Cube because they had no problem staying away from the intake screen in that tank. They're a real pain when it comes to using my Python siphon for water changes because they won't leave it alone and I'm always worried I'm going to lose them in the tubing.


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## JennaH (Sep 28, 2009)

is that bacopa in the middle? it looks so nice. they are so green and full looking! great tank, i'm considering Boraras myself now  keep up the good work!


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## vtkid (Jan 5, 2009)

Whats the word on this old gal. any updates?


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

I have neglected the thread because I have seriously neglected this tank. I got wrapped up in my 105 gallon and things went downhill fast with this one. So, I'm in the process of getting rid of a huge BBA infestation and should have a new scape to show in the next week or two.


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## vtkid (Jan 5, 2009)

ooh bummer. i know how that feels.


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## paulrw (Apr 14, 2009)

Digsy said:


> I have neglected the thread because I have seriously neglected this tank. I got wrapped up in my 105 gallon and things went downhill fast with this one. So, I'm in the process of getting rid of a huge BBA infestation and should have a new scape to show in the next week or two.


 
haha it's been a week or two lets see it!


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Well, I thought I'd show you all just how bad it's looking. I'm really struggling to get rid of this BBA and have been fighting it for awhile. So, this is what I have at the moment. I'm hoping to try and make some changes after the holidays.


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## paulrw (Apr 14, 2009)

hey you got a lot of work to do but look at it this way sometimes when you neglect your tank for awhile you might see a new direction to take it either way you still got some pretty plants nice rocks and a great tank i say start over with refreshed vigor!


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## vtkid (Jan 5, 2009)

if you throw a few stems in there and let it bulk out it will look just as good as before, refresh my mind what is that carpet plant youve got there? its really not looking horrible though. just could use a clean up.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

paulrw said:


> hey you got a lot of work to do but look at it this way sometimes when you neglect your tank for awhile you might see a new direction to take it either way you still got some pretty plants nice rocks and a great tank i say start over with refreshed vigor!


Thanks! Hopefully I can come up with some new ideas because I definitely am not thrilled with what I have now. The rocks are full of possibilities, I just need to figure out what they are.  This is the tank I'm hoping to eventually move all of my shrimp to, although it's so much easier to have a low tech shrimp tank than a high tech one!



vtkid said:


> if you throw a few stems in there and let it bulk out it will look just as good as before, refresh my mind what is that carpet plant youve got there? its really not looking horrible though. just could use a clean up.


Thanks VT! The foreground is Eleocharis sp. 'japan'. The biggest problem I'm having is with my CO2. My Boraras brigittae seem to be extremely sensitive to CO2 and when I bring it down to a level they seem to tolerate, my CO2 levels are way too low.


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## smoq (Feb 19, 2008)

Neat tank Digsy. I'm thinking of a smaller setup myself and you gave me a lot of inspiration


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

hey digsy where do you get replacement bulbs for that fixture because i'm thinking about getting me the same one?


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

I haven't replaced mine yet but I would imagine it's only available through Aqua Forest since I think they sell the fixture exclusively.


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## EdTheEdge (Jan 25, 2007)

Sweet! Love the transformation of this tank! roud:


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## AlexXx (Dec 1, 2009)

wow i love the new scape!


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks for the compliments guys! The scape has already changed quite a bit since those last pictures. I am attempting a Erio carpet so, it's taking a long time to split them. I will eventually post some photos when it's looking a little better. Also, I'm thinking of adding some CPDs to the mix so, I'll have picture updates soon!


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

I finally got tired of ignoring my boring scape and have started on a rescape. It's incomplete at the moment because I'm waiting for a piece of driftwood from DS Drifter, which will be here early next week. I'll be adding more photos over the next week. I've also changed the name to reflect my vision for this scape. Here's the progress of my rescape thus far:

Just after pulling out the rocks:










Eriocaulon cinereum needed a little cleanup. I've had these Erios since I started this hobby 4 years ago and I don't think I'll ever be able to part with them. These plants sent up stalks constantly and they always ended up with tons of BBA. The plants themselves were fine and those that weren't will be going into my emersed tank. I had at one time hoped to fill the entire tank with E. cinereum but it's been a year since I started and it would take another 5 before I was able to split them enough to fill the tank. I've 











A boatload of UG. I'm actually pretty nervous about being able to keep this alive as I've seen so many experienced hobbyists have difficulty with it.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

This is the piece of driftwood I'm waiting for. I'm going for the tree stump in a grassy field look.











The UG is now planted, though I'm really concerned that I didn't break up the bunches enough. Hopefully it will still spread. 











Added the Erios and Ludwigia arcuata, which was sent as a freebie with my UG. I'm not sure if I will keep it in the scape.











Mini riccia, a really cool RAOK from JSmith. This will obviously be moved once the driftwood arrives. I imagine a lot of things may need to be rearranged at that point.











An overall shot of what I have so far.


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## rountreesj (Jun 12, 2007)

i'll take hat acurata if you don't want it...


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

rountreesj said:


> i'll take hat acurata if you don't want it...


I'll let you know if I don't end up keeping it roundtreesj.



I'm planning on getting rid of my B. brigittae and instead getting 5-6 Pseudomugil gertrudae, if I can ever find them. Also on my shopping list, a black background. I'm a little tired of looking at the electrical outlet behind the tank.


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## mattrt09 (Jun 12, 2010)

Digsy said:


> I'll let you know if I don't end up keeping it roundtreesj.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm planning on getting rid of my B. brigittae and instead getting 5-6 Pseudomugil gertrudae, if I can ever find them. Also on my shopping list, a black background. I'm a little tired of looking at the electrical outlet behind the tank.


 
i agree with you! outlets are not the prettiest thing to look at :flick:


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## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

I like where this is going, but don't ditch the Brigittae, those fish rule!  You seem to be getting really good colors out of them


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks Chase127. I hope that UG does okay because my whole scape is depending on it! Mostly I've had it with the B. brigittae because they can't handle the current in my tank, which forces me to put the ugly sponge over my glass intake and that's also cutting down on the flow in my tank. I really like them as well but wish they were stronger swimmers.


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## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

Hide the sponge behind some plants  WCMM's are always nice current swimmers, and theyre red too  But I've got a thing for red fish...


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## globali (May 29, 2010)

Beautiful Journey.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

chase127 said:


> Hide the sponge behind some plants  WCMM's are always nice current swimmers, and theyre red too  But I've got a thing for red fish...


I think they're gonna have to go but I'm having a hard time finding the P. gertrudae so, they may be in the tank for awhile. The WCMM's are cool looking but they look like a recipe for an open-top tank disaster, especially in such a small tank. 



globali said:


> Beautiful Journey.


Thanks!


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Quick update. It's actually already grown a lot since this picture but I don't want to end up too behind on my photo updates. There was a mix-up with the driftwood and I ended up with something far too large for my tank so, I'm waiting to get something smaller. I also added a black background which looks so much better.

The limestone diffuser was temporary while I cleaned my glass diffuser.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

That's alot of UG

What are the stems in the back? I see Ludwigia Guinea and...Ludwigia Arcuata?


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> That's alot of UG
> 
> What are the stems in the back? I see Ludwigia Guinea and...Ludwigia Arcuata?


Ha! Yeah, it was a lot more than I needed, that's for sure! The plants in the back are L guinea and arcuata. I still don't know that those are staying for sure but I really have to see what it looks like when I get the driftwood I'm looking for.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Digsy said:


> Ha! Yeah, it was a lot more than I needed, that's for sure! The plants in the back are L guinea and arcuata. I still don't know that those are staying for sure but I really have to see what it looks like when I get the driftwood I'm looking for.


If you don't need them I can take them off of your hands


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## Cardinal Tetra (Feb 26, 2006)

Nice tank. Boraras brigittae are one of my favorite fish but I can't find them here  I have to resort to larger rasboras and glassfish. Your UG will spread better if you pick those clumps apart. Try to plant clumps of just a few leaves. I know it's a pain but in the end you grow a nice even carpet much faster. Btw UG isn't that difficult; I grow it with DIY CO2 and neglect haha.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Current photos:


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> If you don't need them I can take them off of your hands


If I get rid of anything, it will probably be the L. arcuata. I just RAOK'd my trimmings about 2 hours ago though.



Cardinal Tetra said:


> Nice tank. Boraras brigittae are one of my favorite fish but I can't find them here  I have to resort to larger rasboras and glassfish. Your UG will spread better if you pick those clumps apart. Try to plant clumps of just a few leaves. I know it's a pain but in the end you grow a nice even carpet much faster. Btw UG isn't that difficult; I grow it with DIY CO2 and neglect haha.


Thanks! They are a pretty fish but for whatever reason, I'm bored with them and am ready to try something else, though I don't know what. I've been thinking about CPDs for awhile after finding out that P. gertrudae are jumpers. 

I'm sure you're right about the UG but it was such a pain to plant, I'm not sure I can make myself divide it again. It finally stopped leaving huge clumps of leaves all over the surface!


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Still no driftwood. I'm losing hope. Here are the latest shots:


Bought some Fissidens mounted to a ceramic square from the LFS today. I don't know what to do with it yet but when I saw it for $6, I couldn't resist!


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Quick picture update. I'm hoping to have driftwood in the next two weeks.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Well, I finally got tired of the UG and removed all of it. I gave up on ever getting any driftwood and bought some stone from an LFS. I have only used two pieces and would like to add a third but don't know exactly where to put the third one. Also, I have HC coming in the next week, hopefully to get a carpet around my giant Erios. 










Giant Erio!


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

I'd like to hear some opinions on what people think I should do with the other plants in this tank. Ludwigia senegalensis is one of my absolute favorite plants and I won't get rid of it but need some way to better incorporate it into this scape. Also, I have the square of Fissidens and don't quite know what to do with it either. Any thoughts?


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## jman (Sep 7, 2009)

Those Erios look awesome. Maybe have the Ludwigia growing along the entire length of the back?


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

jman said:


> Those Erios look awesome. Maybe have the Ludwigia growing along the entire length of the back?


Thanks, the Erios were all crammed together (as seen in my previous scape) and I had no idea how large each individual plant was! Hmm, interesting idea for the Ludwigias. I'm going to need to try a few ideas this week and see what works. It definitely doesn't look good on one side or the other.


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## defiant (Dec 1, 2009)

Yes i would have to agree your erios are beautiful. I opted to go with erios in my m also, i plan on using erios jap sp., australian blood red sp. and salewasesis sp. you sould try some varieties of erios too. 

good luck with that thrid rock

subscribed!!


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks defiant!

I moved things around a little bit and added some HC. While I'm not happy with the rocks, I didn't want to continue moving my Erios so soon after the last re-scape. So, maybe eventually I'll move the rocks around a little but this is where they are staying for awhile.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Do you have any updates on this tank, Digsy? I really love erios.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Wow, it's been ages since I've updated. I meant to reply to you earlier sewingalot but time just got away from me. 

This is how the tank currently looks. I'm battling a wicked case of GDA (as seen all over the glass). I know my rocks need a good scrubbing too! One of these days I'll get around to adding more fish...


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## plantedpufferfreak (Feb 2, 2010)

NICE erios!


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Thanks! I sold several and with the extra room, the ones I had really spread out.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

The tank is beautiful even with the GDA and rock algae! I love the erios. So pretty.


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