# Dan's Mini M: Woodiness



## jmhart (Mar 14, 2008)

Very nice. That's a cool little setup for a betta to enjoy. Is that glosso or marsila minuata?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

jmhart said:


> Very nice. That's a cool little setup for a betta to enjoy. Is that glosso or marsila minuata?


Thanks. It is Marsilea minuta.


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## chris.rivera3 (Apr 15, 2008)

nice tank!!! but your betta will probably eat all your shrimp in a couple weeks


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

chris.rivera3 said:


> nice tank!!! but your betta will probably eat all your shrimp in a couple weeks


They give him some exercise.  I don't think he managed to get one yet, but if he does, I have a 10g full of them. 

Strangely, he seems more interested partaking in a stare contest versus my blyxa than chasing shrimp.


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

I like the rock work! I have to agree chris.rivera3, the shrimp will be dinner! Good Job!


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Thanks JakeJ. ddtran is the one responsible for the stonescape. I pretty much only planted the plants and attached the lily pipes. 

Did a cleaning for the filter and lily pipes yesterday. I think I am already seeing some new MM leaves popping up. This update is mainly to document the current status of the plants so I can compare it easily in the following weeks.

12-3-09 & 12-4-09:









































Fissiden Nugget (came as an unexpected freebie in my MM bundle):









Blyxa (perking up):









MM:


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## mumushummus (Sep 16, 2009)

nice work, keep us posted...


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## kcirtappatrick (Mar 16, 2009)

looks good! can't wait till that MM carpets up.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Thanks.  

How tall does MM become? I'm hoping what I currently have is its max size as I don't want my rocks to get overshadowed by the carpet.

12-9-09:
Things done:
-Split the Blyxa up into two plants. Undecided on where to put them so if anyone has any suggestions of placement then please chime in.
-Added some more RCS. Will be adding a horned Nerite soon (or it might go into my 10 gallon). Will hopefully be adding some red ramshorns soon.
-Moved lily pipes and removed the black elbow pipe.

Pictures (sorry, again, for all the water spots, smudges, reflections, etc):


















































Blyxa:

























Java fern:









MM:


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

You're off to a great start Where did you get those lilly pipes?


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

That's cool. I really like the unconventional fish choice.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> You're off to a great start Where did you get those lilly pipes?


Came with the bundle, but they are (or were) sold on ebay. PM-M (PowerMen) is the brand. Last I saw, they were around $35 shipped for the two.



hydrophyte said:


> That's cool. I really like the unconventional fish choice.


Thanks.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

12-12-09:
Received some new inhabitants today:
Red Ramshorns
One Horned Nerite

Things done:
I put my betta into my 2.5g tank as I don't want him eating my ramshorns.
Moved Blyxa to one side of the tank.

Pictures:


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

12-15-09:


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

12-18-09:
Lots of new growth coming in.
Added some Subwassertang I got from a RAOK. Normally I'm not a fan of this type of plant (very messy), but I'll see how it grows.










MM:

























Subwassertang:









Grow my little Fissidens nugget, grow!









Blyxa:

















Ramshorns (and they've been busy laying eggs, woohoo!):


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Finally received my anubias petite (USPS Priority took nine days). Once my ramshorn babies hatch, the java fern will leave the tank.

12-23-09:
















































MM Bud (next to the limpet):


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

looking good, love the hardscape and the MM is starting to fill in nicely


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## Emerica88 (Oct 16, 2009)

What kind of rock are those


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

bigboij said:


> looking good, love the hardscape and the MM is starting to fill in nicely


Thanks. The MM is indeed coming in quickly now that it has adapted. Excellent plant to grow since it stays low and is not demanding like some other carpet plants. Just need to watch out for algae.



Emerica88 said:


> What kind of rock are those


Not a clue. 

Quick text update:
Decided to remove the java fern shortly after taking those pictures since the ramshorns have laid eggs on the MM (and everywhere else). Also moved the top petite into the crevice towards the left. I might move it to the bottom crevice soon, depending how it looks.


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## ddtran46 (Jul 8, 2008)

dj2005 said:


> ddtran is the one responsible for the stonescape. I pretty much only planted the plants and attached the lily pipes.


Thanks. haha


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

ddtran46 said:


> Thanks. haha


:icon_bigg

12-24-09:
Java fern moved to 2.5g tank. Small petite moved leftwards.









































MM Bud (Day 2):








This one reminds me of the movie _Jaws _(FYI: I have way too much time on my hands...):


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

12-25-09:








Sub:








Fissidens:








MM Bud (Day 3):









12-28-09:








































Sub:








Blyxa:








Fissidens:








Petite:








MM Bud (Day 6 - fully grown):


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## Aqua'd (Dec 20, 2009)

I love the amount of pictures you take (and especially the labelling!).
They make me want to put MM and Ramshorns in my tank!!
Keep it up


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Aqua'd said:


> I love the amount of pictures you take (and especially the labelling!).
> They make me want to put MM and Ramshorns in my tank!!
> Keep it up


Glad someone enjoys it (my tanks don't receive too many comments for some reason).  Red Ramshorns are very pretty, IMO. They do procreate a lot, but only when they are well fed so their population can be controlled fairly well.

Forgot to change my shutterspeed so a few of these pictures are a tad dark. Previous images will return on the ninth of this month.
1-2-10:









1-4-10:

















1-6-10:


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

1-9-10:
Moved Sub to 2.5g and put the Fissidens ball in its place.


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## timme278 (Jan 1, 2009)

i love the amount of pictures...

i think, you should try find a background plant for behind the rocks to try fill it a bit more if you get me.

keep up the good work mate


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

timme278 said:


> i love the amount of pictures...
> 
> i think, you should try find a background plant for behind the rocks to try fill it a bit more if you get me.
> 
> keep up the good work mate


Woohoo, another comment! :icon_bigg

I understand what you are stating. Maybe moving my Blyxa bushes to that position would do the job. I don't have any other plants that would work besides those, so it is either them or the way it currently is. It also appears more barren than it truly is due to the left back side being nearly void of plant life. One the Fissidens ball fills out, then that should provide much more balance and a fuller picture.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

1-12-10:


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

1-15-10:
Trimmed a few MM leaves that became infected with algae. Both of the two Anubias petites are each producing a leaf. Some new growth on the Fissidens nuggets.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

1-22-10:
Cleaned lily pipes.









Rainbows:
















Blyxa:








Blyxa shooting out bubbles:








Fissidens Nugget:








Fissidens Rock:








One of the Anubias with new leaf coming in:


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## marioman72 (Jan 22, 2010)

looks great everything is growing very well.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

marioman72 said:


> looks great everything is growing very well.


Thanks. Yes, things are growing at a decent pace. Some of the plants, such as the Blyxa, have grown long enough roots to reach the bottom of the tank where some untapped powersand exists. The MM has some impressively long roots as well for such a small plant.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

1-26-10:
My large Anubias petite is shooting out another three new leaves.


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## jmhart (Mar 14, 2008)

I'd say "pic heavy" would be an understatement for this thread.


AWESOME!


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

jmhart said:


> I'd say "pic heavy" would be an understatement for this thread.
> 
> 
> AWESOME!


Thanks. I enjoy this tank so I'm a bit picture happy with it.

1-30-10:

























The sky is falling!









Blyxa:









Nugget:









Anubias:


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## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

The plants are in perfect health. This tank's full of slow-growers, but your beautiful photos make visible the the details and I'm enticed enough to notice what would otherwise be unobserved growth with lesser quality shots. Good job.
This Mini-M...was it Craig's before?


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## JennaH (Sep 28, 2009)

i love all the pictures  your mm is filling in nicely. your cherries have some good color too roud:


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Ugly Genius said:


> The plants are in perfect health. This tank's full of slow-growers, but your beautiful photos make visible the the details and I'm enticed enough to notice what would otherwise be unobserved growth with lesser quality shots. Good job.
> This Mini-M...was it Craig's before?


Thanks for the kind words. I purchased the setup/tank from ddtran.



JennaH said:


> i love all the pictures  your mm is filling in nicely. your cherries have some good color too roud:


Thanks Jenna. Lost is starting up soon.


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## JennaH (Sep 28, 2009)

> Thanks Jenna. Lost is starting up soon


haha oh believe me im counting down..


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

2-7-10:
I'm very pleased with how the MM carpet looks. Said it before, and I'll say it again - it's a great plant.


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## Taysius (Dec 23, 2009)

I've enjoyed all of the photos in this thread! Great job! It's nice to know that I'm not the only one that likes a red ramshorn in my tank.


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## paludarium freak (Jan 26, 2010)

I agree... If I where you I would the plants on the far right (Blyxa I think, newbie)
behind your rocks and buy more to replace the old ones (do you understand?).


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Taysius said:


> I've enjoyed all of the photos in this thread! Great job! It's nice to know that I'm not the only one that likes a red ramshorn in my tank.


Thanks. I have red ramshorns in all of my tanks now. :hihi:



paludarium freak said:


> I agree... If I where you I would the plants on the far right (Blyxa I think, newbie)
> behind your rocks and buy more to replace the old ones (do you understand?).


That would look good. I might do something like that when summer hits and I'm less busy.


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## paludarium freak (Jan 26, 2010)

dj2005 said:


> Thanks. I have red ramshorns in all of my tanks now. :hihi:
> 
> 
> 
> That would look good. I might do something like that when summer hits and I'm less busy.


 
Ok looking forward to seeing it


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## Bonefish (Mar 14, 2009)

Aha, so that's where my Subwassertang ended up! Couldn't be in a nicer scape. Your tank is so green and healthy, a real pleasure to look at. The red ramshorns contrast nicely with the plants.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

TsuRyuu said:


> Aha, so that's where my Subwassertang ended up! Couldn't be in a nicer scape. Your tank is so green and healthy, a real pleasure to look at. The red ramshorns contrast nicely with the plants.


It actually broke free of its bindings and began to float, so I moved it into my 2.5g. I think it is close to three times its original size now.  Thanks again for the Sub and compliment.


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## Bonefish (Mar 14, 2009)

Wow, sounds like it's happy as could be in your water. Glad it's going nuts for you! And you're welcome.


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## shane3fan (Nov 2, 2009)

I dont know what to suggest as for a particular plant, but I think it needs something tall in the background. I like the Blyxa back there--but Im partial to tall grass like plants-something along the lines of Crypt spiralis? 

That said, I do like the tank as is and it is your tank--so dont put a plant in there just because someone suggested it.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

shane3fan said:


> I dont know what to suggest as for a particular plant, but I think it needs something tall in the background. I like the Blyxa back there--but Im partial to tall grass like plants-something along the lines of Crypt spiralis?
> 
> That said, I do like the tank as is and it is your tank--so dont put a plant in there just because someone suggested it.


It seems to be a frequent suggestion. :icon_smil I do not possess many plant types so I am limited on what can be used. In fact, I don't have anything besides Blyxa that would be suitable. I'm on a budget that I limit myself to and am trying to make do with what I currently have.

2-20-10:
I recently added two Blyxa bushes to this tank's back. They came from my 10g so they aren't in the best shape (no idea why I couldn't get them to grow well in that tank). The BN Pleco knocked them loose in the 10g so I moved them to this tank. In a couple months they should be of decent size.


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

looks good, really loving the carpet. keep it up!


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

I've really enjoyed looking at all these pictures. Looks like a lot of fun!! great job


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Thanks for the comments.

3-5-10:
New Blyxa plants are much healthier looking.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

3-15-10:


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## tuffgong (Apr 13, 2010)

The MM and the Blyxa look great. I love this tank. Never really wanted a shrimp tank before. Can we get some more pics?

Thanks!!!!


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

tuffgong said:


> The MM and the Blyxa look great. I love this tank. Never really wanted a shrimp tank before. Can we get some more pics?
> 
> Thanks!!!!


Thanks.

Not much has changed besides everything growing.


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## Luichenwai (May 16, 2006)

What kind of rocks are those? They look like lace rocks...


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Luichenwai said:


> What kind of rocks are those? They look like lace rocks...


Yes, they should be lace rocks.


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## VincentK (Dec 16, 2009)

I'm liking your rocks man, they look like they just belong there, I also like that plant in the left back, it's nice and dark green, what plant is it? The snails are cool too, never seen red ones before


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

VincentK said:


> I'm liking your rocks man, they look like they just belong there, I also like that plant in the left back, it's nice and dark green, what plant is it? The snails are cool too, never seen red ones before


That was Fissidens fontanus in the left back.

The snails are red Ramshorns. Some people dislike Ramshorns, but I think the red and blue variations are pretty. :icon_bigg

I'll probably get new pictures up next weekend if time permits.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

5-9-10:

I added some mini Riccia yesterday and I'm curious to see how it fills in. Besides that, not much has changed besides thinning out the MM.





































And video of the tank:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLR1gtebbFk


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

wow. that snail is great


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

5-12-10:
Added some stems of various plants.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

I like the rock scape! What kind(s) of rock is it, and where did you get it?


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

l agree with the rocks they are great, that has got to be one of the greenest blyxa's i've ever seen. Really goes well with the rocks. This scape would look awesome with just a blyxa carpet surrounding those rocks. l'm really interested in getting an idea of how that would look like. lf only l knew how to use photoshop better


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

The rocks are just lace rocks. You should be able to find them cheaply (possibly even for free) nearby.

The Blyxa would engulf the actual scape so a carpet would be difficult to maintain. The RCS probably won't complain though as they enjoy holding parties within the bushes.


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## Luichenwai (May 16, 2006)

nice! whats ur ph? I thought lace rock raises ph... unless ur co2 and substrate buffers it down...


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

I only use Excel for CO2 and that does not affect the pH. The pH is about 8.0 since my tap water is 8.0.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

5-14-10:


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## Damian (Jun 17, 2009)

What if any are you dosing for ferts?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Dream2MkBlve said:


> What if any are you dosing for ferts?


I follow the EI dosing guide and add Excel (2x recommended dosage).


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## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

And I thought I was the only one that had pH that high! 

Did you pull some of the MM out or did it go away on it's own? 

It's going to be interesting to see how the Lindernia handles the Excel only w/ 18W. Hopefully it will hang in there since it gives a nice effect. The Blyxa sure seems to like it!!!

BTW, do you need to tie down the mini Riccia or is that actually in the substrate somehow? I'm guessing the former.

Love those orange snails! 

Nice job!

.


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## Luichenwai (May 16, 2006)

wow.. 8.0ph.. no problems with the RCS? are they breeding?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

tom855 said:


> And I thought I was the only one that had pH that high!
> 
> Did you pull some of the MM out or did it go away on it's own?
> 
> ...


I sold much of my MM since the MM had no more room to grow.

The stems are doing very well, actually. Strangely, plants do much better in this tank than my 10g even though the conditions are similar.

The Riccia is tied down to a stone. It's an experiment to see if it'll grow into a puff ball or spread.



Luichenwai said:


> wow.. 8.0ph.. no problems with the RCS? are they breeding?


Yes, it sucks having such a high pH (how I envy those with ~6.8). RCS do fine and I can't recall the last time one died besides jumping out of the tank, which is rare. I'm likely going to try adding CRS and hope for the best, even though they probably will not make it. I just can't resist the lure of CRS any longer.


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## Stevearc (May 8, 2010)

Very cool tank doood, I like the fact you not using CO2, Makes me a little closer to something similar. I will bookmark you so I can keep track of you Very Sweet tank 0-0,


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

I just saw three RCS cleaning the inside of my inflow lily pipe...  I guess they got sucked into the filter when very young, then when they grew older they ventured out into the inflow to do some cleaning since the lily pipe has lots of diatoms lining it.


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## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

When my RCS crop was quite a bit bigger I used to always look forward to cleaning out my filter. I'd always find a dozen or so little guys in the filter having a good ole time. I guess there is always tons to eat and apparently the lack of light didn't hurt them. Seems like they would be a bit grumpy growing up in the bottom of the filter.  Somehow they got through (or around) my sponge that I have around my filter intake, no matter how careful I am with it.

Tom 


.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

tom855 said:


> When my RCS crop was quite a bit bigger I used to always look forward to cleaning out my filter. I'd always find a dozen or so little guys in the filter having a good ole time. I guess there is always tons to eat and apparently the lack of light didn't hurt them. Seems like they would be a bit grumpy growing up in the bottom of the filter.  Somehow they got through (or around) my sponge that I have around my filter intake, no matter how careful I am with it.
> 
> Tom
> 
> ...


Yes, RCS are masters of getting sucked into filters. Natural selection at work? 

An update on my lily pipe cleaners:
I now have a medium sized Ramshorn cleaning the inside of my outflow lily pipe. I guess he got the idea from the RCS.

On that note, my inflow lily pipe is almost spotless! The RCS are even cleaning the tubing that connects to the lily pipe.

I think all of this means I need to clean the gunk out of my zoomed 501 considering that it has close to no flow. Then again, the tank is crystal clear and absolutely no algae so I'll just leave it alone.

The Cleaning Crew:


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## SearunSimpson (Jun 5, 2007)

What is your lighting on that thing? The blyxa looks awesome and your tank looks fairly dim.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Haha that's funny They stay in the lilly pipe and don't get sucked into the actual filter?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

SearunSimpson said:


> What is your lighting on that thing? The blyxa looks awesome and your tank looks fairly dim.


18w PC lighting. It's not as dim as many of the photos show, it is just that my camera sucks for photographing aquariums. How I yearn for a dSLR.



ZooTycoonMaster said:


> Haha that's funny They stay in the lilly pipe and don't get sucked into the actual filter?


Nope, they don't get sucked in. I'm not sure why my filter has nearly no flow as I cleaned it like a month or two ago. :icon_conf


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

7-14-10:
Well, the time to rescape this tank has arrived. For the past month, or two months, this tank has been acting as a plant holding facility. Yes, quite a waste for a Mini M. I've been wanting to rescape it for a while now.

So, I purchased this nice looking DW from Rod (D.S. Drifter):









Plans:
Blyxa japonica lining the back wall, "Weeping" moss (not sure if it is actually Weeping or not) on the DW along with the two petites currently in the tank, MM as the foreground with likely a couple mini micro sword plantlets. Probably a small amount of Fissidens somewhere.

I should be starting the scape at the end of next week.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

I was very tempted to buy that exact piece for my mini m 
Very nice!


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## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

Your plan sounds pretty cool. And unlike some folks, when you say you are going to get scaping you aren't kidding.  Or at least you don't get distracted with other things. 

Best of luck with it! Can't wait to see it!

Tom 

.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

CL said:


> I was very tempted to buy that exact piece for my mini m
> Very nice!





tom855 said:


> Your plan sounds pretty cool. And unlike some folks, when you say you are going to get scaping you aren't kidding. Or at least you don't get distracted with other things.
> 
> Best of luck with it! Can't wait to see it!
> 
> ...


Thanks guys. 

7-27-10:
The day has come and it has went. On 7-26-10 I received my DW from Rod. UPS took a bit longer than I originally had hoped, but what is a few extra days? A lot in Dan’s world.

When the package arrived, I was so excited. Is it wrong to be more excited about opening a brown box containing DW than opening presents on Christmas? Nope. 

This time, no UPS gorilla used my package as a play toy and the box was in very good shape. Still, I doubt much damage could get through all the packing peanuts Rod used. 

Rod told me he would include an extra piece of DW for free with my purchase. I expected it to be a tiny twig or some such, but it was much more. In fact, I like the extra piece as much as the one I purchased! It's like Rod knew exactly what piece I needed to complete my scape. I, for one, bow down to my new omniscient overload named Rod.

Anyways, so where was I? Ah, yes, the wood was in perfect condition so I instantly went to work on my rescape. 

First, to empty the tank! This is the most strenuous task in rescaping, IMO, as one has to remove all the plants, remove all the fauna, remove all the water, remove all the substrate, and finally, remove any unsightly algae/calcium marks. Just typing about this makes me tired. 

Emptying the tank went according to plan and amazingly smoothly. Usually everything goes well and then 'BAM!' I get careless and I have to essentially start over. Of course, that usually happens when I finish the scape causing that much more frustration.

The second task is to begin positioning the DW while the tank is empty to find suitable scapes. I did this and created quite a few different arrangements, but I was not truly happy with any of them. I then played with my wood some more (double entendre intended) and finally found something I liked. Overwhelmed with glee, I immediately sprung into tank-filling action: In goes some of the substrate, then the wood, then the rest of the substrate. Jam my Anubias nana petites into their places, create a couple holes for my Blyxa and plop them in, then spend an hour painstakingly planting three-node batches of MM. Oh, what fun!

With the wood positioned, substrate sloped, plants planted, it's time for super happy fun filling-tank-with-water-time! I grabbed some tiny ID hosing, cut the length I needed, and began having the water very slowly drain in. A minute goes by, the tank looks the same. Thirty minutes go by, 1/6 of the tank is filled. Three hours go by, and it's filled! That was quick…

One last thing remains: Adding the (un)lucky inhabitants. I began throwing my Ramshorns in (hey, it's a lot of fun throwing them in from the other side of the room). Then I coax a few dozen RCS in, as well as my Olive Nerite. What's nice about snails and RCS is that they remove those pesky "new tank bubbles" and eat the dry AS dirt that clings to the side of my tank's walls whenever I use the stuff.

Fauna:
Betta
RCS
Red Ramshorns

Flora:
Anubias nana petite
Blyxa japonica
HM
Marsilea minuta
Weeping moss

Well, I suppose that sums it up. Feels like I am forgetting something... Oh yes, pictures!

Before the scaping process:









Testing DW positions, tank not yet cleaned:

























































Selected layout with half the substrate:

















Completed:

































Added rock and moss sleeve (moss sleeve isn't how I want it so I may improve it later on):


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## LedxZep (Sep 25, 2009)

New scape looks good roud:


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Can't wait to see it filled in


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## plantedpufferfreak (Feb 2, 2010)

looks good!


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

LedxZep said:


> New scape looks good roud:





ZooTycoonMaster said:


> Can't wait to see it filled in





plantedpufferfreak said:


> looks good!


Thanks. :smile:

7-29-10:
I think everything is finalized for now and I will let the plants grow in.

Changes since last update:
-Added more AS. Slope is as follows: 5" for the hill/right back, 2.5" for the front, 1.5-2" for the center/left back. I still have 1/5 of a sandwich bag of AS left from the previous scape.
-Swapped outflow and inflow positions.
-Cut large Anubias petite into three smaller pieces and have arranged them on the right DW.
-Added ~35 more nodes of MM. I still have more to add if I feel like it and if there is enough room for them.
-Added bits of MP to both DW pieces, mainly the tree.
-Added a small amount of HC on the little piece of DW that sticks out of the tank. Copied from TsuRyuu's 1.5G tank: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/planted-nano-tanks/97524-1-5-gal-shrimphaus-journal-new.html.
-Added three baby Nerites: two Olives and one Green Horned.
-Added Fissidens clump to right DW.
-Performed a WC. Will do one or two tomorrow, which should completely clear the tank up.
-Still undecided about the moss sleeve. May just tie the moss directly to the branch, or I may just see how the moss fills in.


----------



## VincentK (Dec 16, 2009)

Hey, I like the new scape, I especially like the spiky driftwood, but the one on the left works really well with that slope.

I've always admired those red ramshorn snails, where did you get them, if you don't mind me asking?


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## Tigerfish (Jun 24, 2010)

looks nice!


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

VincentK said:


> Hey, I like the new scape, I especially like the spiky driftwood, but the one on the left works really well with that slope.
> 
> I've always admired those red ramshorn snails, where did you get them, if you don't mind me asking?


From mgamer20o0. S/he gave me about ten Ramshorns for the cost of shipping, but I ordered some Nerites so they were completely free. I then kept two that were red, the rest were brownish/brown. Selectively bred those two and now have pure red Ramshorns. I then later received some more red Ramshorns from a buddy of mine. 

Nice avatar, Tigerfish! :hihi:


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## Tigerfish (Jun 24, 2010)

> Nice avatar, Tigerfish!


Thanks! I finally figured out how to put one up haha....

I was also wondering about the red Ramshorns, never seen them before. I always thought ramshorns looked cool but stayed away from them because I was told they eat plants. Doesn't seem like you have much of a problem with that!


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Tigerfish said:


> Thanks! I finally figured out how to put one up haha....
> 
> I was also wondering about the red Ramshorns, never seen them before. I always thought ramshorns looked cool but stayed away from them because I was told they eat plants. Doesn't seem like you have much of a problem with that!


They eat dead and dying leaves, but leave everything else alone. Maybe the Giant Ramshorns eat plants but the normal ones do not AFAIK.

7-30-10:
Performed two 50% WC and that has just about cleared the tank up.

I planted all my remaining MM (I hate having plants go to waste). With the amount of MM used, the tank should have a carpet quickly compared to my previous scape.

Images may go down since my Photobucket bandwidth is nearing its maximum. They'll be back on the ninth.
































































And my very tiny amount of sickly HC growing emersed :


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

8-5-10:
-Added 12 Ember Tetras today so they are pale.
-Removed moss sleeve and instead just tied it down. I didn't do this initially since my RCS often cut cotton thread and using fishing line is too difficult.
-Gave some plants a trimming.
-Ignore the tiny piece of floating wood. I am waiting for it to become hydrated to create a false root for the tree.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww75Fk2Uk4k


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

This looks nice, has the glosso spread anymore since your last update?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Digsy said:


> This looks nice, has the glosso spread anymore since your last update?


It's Marsilea minuta and yes it has :smile::
*Horrible picture alert*


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Oops! I now see that it definitely looks like Marsilea. :icon_redf You're having better luck than I've ever had with that plant. Mine is always algae infested within a few weeks. Keep up the good work, I love that stuff when it fills in as a carpet.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Digsy said:


> Oops! I now see that it definitely looks like Marsilea. :icon_redf You're having better luck than I've ever had with that plant. Mine is always algae infested within a few weeks. Keep up the good work, I love that stuff when it fills in as a carpet.


Back when I started keeping MM I did get some staghorn on about a dozen leaves. I clipped those leaves off and that was the end of the algae on my MM. And yes, I also like how a carpet of MM looks. It's so nice that it doesn't need to be trimmed.


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## ddtran46 (Jul 8, 2008)

Any updates? Wow, the dry ferts are really helping the MM.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

ddtran46 said:


> Any updates? Wow, the dry ferts are really helping the MM.


I've been actually too lazy to dose ferts besides a little bit. I've recently started dosing EI again (adjusted to Excel's level).

I just about killed the Weeping moss on my tree. I think I'll just keep the tree free of plants.

The floating mass of mini micro swords will be going in my 7.5G. 

The detached Anubias needs to be glued down in place.

I guess I never updated this thread about me adding mini micro sword to this tank. Did that a week or two ago.


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## ddtran46 (Jul 8, 2008)

Wow..It has grown alot since the last time you have updated.:thumbsup:.. I wish mines can grow as fast..:frown:


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

I want some Ramshorn right now.


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## OhNo123 (Jan 8, 2008)

has your nerite snail ever attempted to leave your tank? 

i remember I had a 10g with a glass lid on, but a 2x2 in hole for my intake and outtake pipes. Mine was able to leave via that gap and commit suicide. I also have a rimless now, but im weary about getting another one.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Chrisinator said:


> I want some Ramshorn right now.


I love Ramshorns. :smile:



OhNo123 said:


> has your nerite snail ever attempted to leave your tank?
> 
> i remember I had a 10g with a glass lid on, but a 2x2 in hole for my intake and outtake pipes. Mine was able to leave via that gap and commit suicide. I also have a rimless now, but im weary about getting another one.


I have three in this tank (two Olives and one Green Horned). They do not leave the tank. I heard Tigers tend to leave the tank but most other Nerites tend not to.

I have had my female Olive crawl out of this tank (when she was in it) a couple times. Then she stopped doing it. Maybe my water parameters were unfavorable at the time.

Sometimes my Nerites go clean the inside of my HOB filter in my 10G. I consider that a bonus though. 



ddtran46 said:


> Wow..It has grown alot since the last time you have updated.:thumbsup:.. I wish mines can grow as fast..:frown:


I planted a ton of batches of MM so I think that is why. If each batch that I planted creates one new leaf per week, then that adds up.


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## Tigerfish (Jun 24, 2010)

> I have three in this tank (two Olives and one Green Horned). They do not leave the tank. I heard Tigers tend to leave the tank but most other Nerites tend not to.
> 
> I have had my female Olive crawl out of this tank (when she was in it) a couple times. Then she stopped doing it. Maybe my water parameters were unfavorable at the time.
> 
> Sometimes my Nerites go clean the inside of my HOB filter in my 10G. I consider that a bonus though.


Mine used to go inside my HOB filter as well when I used one (I have an internal filter now). I've found one of my olive nerits climbing along the outside rim of my tank already too...gave me a bit of a surprise!


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Tigerfish said:


> I've found one of my olive nerits climbing along the outside rim of my tank already too...gave me a bit of a surprise!


In this tank, the Nerites sometimes cruise around the top of the rim when I fill the tank all the way up.


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## snausage (Mar 8, 2010)

What type of rocks did you have in there before you added all the DW? They look pretty awesome.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

snausage said:


> What type of rocks did you have in there before you added all the DW? They look pretty awesome.


I originally thought they were lace rocks but now I don't as the previous owner recently told me they cost $4/lb at JoJos. Plus, now that I have removed the rocks and have had a good look at them, they don't look anything like lace rocks.

They are now being used in my 7.5G cube if you want to see them in another scape. I also still have one in this scape to create a ledge for the hill.


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## fish-n-pups (Feb 20, 2010)

Nice tank. I loved the MM carpet when it was all filled in, the contrast with the rocks and substrate were great.

Love the wood in the new scape. Great job on the slope too!


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## thatgmc (Jul 4, 2010)

good stuff. Love your army of snails and cherries


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Thanks for the comments.

9-29-10:
MM is pretty full now. I added some E. tenellus a couple days ago. I hope for it to create a backdrop.


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## ddtran46 (Jul 8, 2008)

Wow..I love your carpet:icon_bigg


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

ddtran46 said:


> Wow..I love your carpet:icon_bigg


The MM grows quickly in this tank for some odd reason. Like, _really _quickly.

10-1-10:
I think I achieved the wetland look I was going for. Now I just need to wait for the tenellus to fill in. And yes, the tank stays algae-free without any maintenance done by me. There is a very small amount of GSA on the front pane that is dying off. I always get GSA when I do a rescape since things need to settle down, then it disappears on its own.


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## WeedCali (Jun 21, 2010)

Scape looks very nice


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

WeedCali said:


> Scape looks very nice


Thanks. :smile:

10-8-10:
Added some Anubias petite behind the DW. Might add more or wait for it to grow in.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

10-16-10:
I really need to clean the exterior of the tank and the lily pipes.


----------



## guppygolucky (Nov 9, 2009)

Very NICE! I really like the MM as a carpet. I wonder if it will work in my tank. Been scared to try, since I don't think I have enough good light. Red rams and RCS very pretty!
I like both scapes, I like the first one a LOT...it reminds me of the nature pictures you see with the mountain, sky, lake, and green forests.
Where did you get the ferts for EI? been tempted to try


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Just got done cleaning the the glass and decided to switch out the zoomed 501 for my spare AC 20 filter. I'm one of those people who prefer HOB filters to canisters. :smile: I hope to switch out the AC 20 for a Red Sea Nano filter in the future since the tank doesn't need all that much filtering, which makes the prospect of having this tank filterless tempting.



guppygolucky said:


> Very NICE! I really like the MM as a carpet. I wonder if it will work in my tank. Been scared to try, since I don't think I have enough good light. Red rams and RCS very pretty!
> I like both scapes, I like the first one a LOT...it reminds me of the nature pictures you see with the mountain, sky, lake, and green forests.
> Where did you get the ferts for EI? been tempted to try


Thanks.

IME, MM doesn't need much light to grow without it becoming too leggy. It likes a good substrate, though.

I got the ferts from http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/. Good customer service and quick shipping. Dry ferts last a long time, especially for small tanks such as this one. I don't follow EI strictly but use EI more as a guide.


10-16-10:
Cleaned glass, added AC 20, added more petite, and trimmed the HM a little.


----------



## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

10-18-10:
Added even more petite.


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## ddtran46 (Jul 8, 2008)

Looking good:icon_smil


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

ddtran46 said:


> Looking good:icon_smil


I'm still waiting for an update on your Mini S. :icon_frow


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## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

Looks fantastic! 

I'm interested to see how things work w/ your Red Sea Nano. I was going to setup my Mini-M w/ my Eheim canister, but it would be nice to get rid of the hoses and pipes if it will provide enough filtering.

Any ETA for when you are going to make the transition?

Tom 


.


----------



## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

tom855 said:


> Looks fantastic!
> 
> I'm interested to see how things work w/ your Red Sea Nano. I was going to setup my Mini-M w/ my Eheim canister, but it would be nice to get rid of the hoses and pipes if it will provide enough filtering.
> 
> ...


I use only a Hagen Mini Elite on my 7.5 gallon cube without any issues, so I would think the Red Sea would have more than enough filtration. I need to buy another Elite (to replace the Red Sea on my 2.5 gallon) before I can test it out and that is likely not going to be for a long while.


----------



## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

Dan,

I have to say how fascinating it is see how much you can accomplish with simpler setups. I know you've used a canister and lily pipes in the past on your Mini-M, but it's neat to see you have just as much success with a simple Hagen Mini Elite or a Red Sea Nano at a fraction of the cost. Yes, they aren't as "invisible", or perhaps as glamorous, but they are easy to maintain, quiet, and much less expensive. It's amazing to me how many people can have success with such a variety of setups.

As always, thanks for the photos. It's always cool to see how your tanks are progressing.

Tom 

.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

tom855 said:


> Dan,
> 
> I have to say how fascinating it is see how much you can accomplish with simpler setups. I know you've used a canister and lily pipes in the past on your Mini-M, but it's neat to see you have just as much success with a simple Hagen Mini Elite or a Red Sea Nano at a fraction of the cost. Yes, they aren't as "invisible", or perhaps as glamorous, but they are easy to maintain, quiet, and much less expensive. It's amazing to me how many people can have success with such a variety of setups.
> 
> ...


I still don't see a journal for your Mini M yet! :tongue:

11-8-10:


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## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

Well, let me see if I can describe my journal for you since I don't have pictures......

Mini-M wrapped in cardboard on the floor in one corner.
Bag-o-aquasoil on the floor in another corner
Ott-Lights unboxed and about to take PAR readings on them just for grins.
Box of rocks in another corner.
Table saw from Craigslist in the garage just waitin to build a custom stand

Now do you know why there is no journal??? LOL

Actually I've been taking my aquatic frustrations out on my 58G that I'm struggling with. Working on selecting and hanging a light over it. 

The Mini-M is coming.... really!!!!

:biggrin:


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

Not sure how i missed this thread. So awesome! i love the use of nana petite in this setup.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

tom855 said:


> Well, let me see if I can describe my journal for you since I don't have pictures......
> 
> Mini-M wrapped in cardboard on the floor in one corner.
> Bag-o-aquasoil on the floor in another corner
> ...


I've seen journals with much less. :tongue: What type of rocks did you go with?



EntoCraig said:


> Not sure how i missed this thread. So awesome! i love the use of nana petite in this setup.


Thanks. 

11-25-10:
I switched out the AC20 for my Zoo Med 501 filter as the Zoo Med seems the best for the job, plus it's free.


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## sapphoqueen (Feb 9, 2010)

only to me seeams to many snails in there?

I love them too but .........


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

sapphoqueen said:


> only to me seeams to many snails in there?
> 
> I love them too but .........


There are _only _about forty snails in this tank and that includes the babies. The pictures make them much more apparent than they really are.

Now if you want to see an example of too many snails then take a look at my 7.5G cube. :tongue:


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Hehehehe! If you ever want to share some of those snails, send me a pm. I love them.


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## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

dj2005 said:


> I've seen journals with much less. :tongue: What type of rocks did you go with?
> 
> Good point about the journals.
> 
> ...


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

12-4-10:
Swapped out the stock outflow for my outflow lily pipe. I'm keeping the stock inflow as my snails don't get their foot stuck in it like they do with the inflow lily pipe. It's also much easier to clean.


----------



## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

Are you happy with your choice of the Red Sea HOB for your other tank? It sure seems like lower maintenance than the canister with hoses and inflow/outflow. 

I have an Eheim 2213 that I had planned to use with my 5.5, but it sure seems like an easier alternative to just use the HOB.

I know you use both. What are your experiences with them?

Thanks!

tom


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

cool scape, the gravel slope is wicked dude.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

tom855 said:


> Are you happy with your choice of the Red Sea HOB for your other tank? It sure seems like lower maintenance than the canister with hoses and inflow/outflow.
> 
> I have an Eheim 2213 that I had planned to use with my 5.5, but it sure seems like an easier alternative to just use the HOB.
> 
> ...


Hi Tom,

The Red Sea Nano is an amazing filter for $10. A 5.5G tank is pushing it beyond its limits in terms of flow (IMO), but if the tank is well planted, possibly mature, and not heavily stocked, then I think it will be fine. Of course, it is still a good idea to keep an eye on the water parameters. I am waiting to purchase another Hagen Elite Mini before I can try the Red Sea Nano on this tank.

With the Zoomed 501, I clean it out every 4-6 months. My only problem with it before was with my snails getting sucked into the inflow lily pipe. With the stock inflow, as I mentioned previously, this does not happen. The filter, as a whole, is easy to clean due to its small size and the hoses don't get in the way of anything.

What will you do with the Eheim if you simply use a Red Sea Nano?



F22 said:


> cool scape, the gravel slope is wicked dude.


Thanks F22.


----------



## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

12-7-10:

































Little E. tenellus sprout that made it all the way to the other side of the tank, even passing under the DW:


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

12-27-10:
A lot of glare in this picture, but oh well.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Dang you've got a lot of snails. All the plants are looking great though- nice and green.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

CL said:


> Dang you've got a lot of snails. All the plants are looking great though- nice and green.


I like my snails - I rarely need to feed them (if ever), they are cute, they provide plenty of contrast, and I can easily photograph them since they move so slowly. 

Update:
The plants grew a lot.

Since I have this weekend off, it is time for a rescape. I think I'm going back to rocks this time, but I'll likely need to go buy some from the S&S as my collection is lacking. Sure would be nice if koop decided to sell rocks again...


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

3-27-11:
New scape. Thanks goes to ddtran for the Yellow Shrimp in this tank.

The tape and straw are holding the wood down until it is waterlogged. Even with a slab of stone screwed to it, it wants to float.

When I was filling the tank, some AS mulm landed on my play sand. I'll siphon that off and/or buy some more play sand.

I think it'll look nice once the plants perk up and fill in.

Water is still a little hazy and the glass is dirty, both things the camera likes to pick up.


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## ddtran46 (Jul 8, 2008)

That is an awesome piece of wood you got there.

It is going to look sweet once the blyxa and marsilea grows in.


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## boon (Mar 29, 2006)

Wowzer!!! That is alot of anubia. It looks very nice on that driftwood.


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## .Mko. (Sep 23, 2010)

love the anubias =)


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

ddtran46 said:


> That is an awesome piece of wood you got there.
> 
> It is going to look sweet once the blyxa and marsilea grows in.





boon said:


> Wowzer!!! That is alot of anubia. It looks very nice on that driftwood.





.Mko. said:


> love the anubias =)


Thanks. If the Blyxa in the back right doesn't live, then I think I'll be adding a large bush of Anubias petite back there or maybe some Fissidens. I have plenty of both to spare. 

3-28-11:
Water is clear, I added some new play sand, I trimmed the tape a bit, and I also cleaned the glass the best I could with the tape in my way. I'll be back with an update in about two weeks.

Here is a list of what is currently in the tank:
Flora:
Marsilea minuta
Anubias petite
Blyxa japonica

Fauna:
Yellow Shrimp (Why do these shrimp not get a cool name like Red Cherry Shrimp? How about Yellow Lemon Shrimp?)
Green Horned Nerite
Albino Red Ramshorns










Dusty Nerite:


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

3-31-11:
Yeah, I know I posted that the next update was two weeks away, but I got my first tripod today and wanted to test it out.  Money well spent.

I am expecting some Corydoras habrosus tomorrow for this tank. I'll likely be back with pictures of them if time permits.

It is quite fascinating (at least to me) how much the Anubias' leaves have moved towards the light source since the last update.


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## Chaos_Being (May 18, 2010)

I like the new scape- that is seriously one good looking nano tank :icon_smil


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Chaos_Being said:


> I like the new scape- that is seriously one good looking nano tank :icon_smil


Thanks! :smile: I also am liking the new scape.

4-1-11:
Received my Corydoras habrosus today and they are in the tank. Here is a group photo:


----------



## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

4-13-11:
All is well.


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## night9eyes (Jan 12, 2011)

I love the look of the stump with all the anubias! Very nicely done.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

night9eyes said:


> I love the look of the stump with all the anubias! Very nicely done.


Thanks!

There is some Anubias growing emersed too, but it is hard to see due to the tape:


----------



## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

4-16-11:
Found my first female Lemon as she just developed her eggs a couple days ago. The males have been going wild trying to find her.









































One of the many male shimps:


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Yesterday I found out I had a RCS hitchhiker in this tank. Luckily it was still young and I was able to siphon it out of the tank. Note to self: wash plants from other tanks before using them in this tank. 

I'm tempted to begin removing the tape holding the DW down. From my past experience with it, it took around 3-4 months before it was safe to do so, but that was when the DW was fully submerged.


----------



## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

4-29-11:


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Lookin' good! Update?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Geniusdudekiran said:


> Lookin' good! Update?


Wow, a comment! :eek5:

Here ya go:
I removed all the tape holding down the DW except for one piece. Now the Blyxa on the left should be receiving enough light.


----------



## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

Amazing anubias tree, seriously awesome. I like the white sand in the front, dont let the MM cover it up too much


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## ddtran46 (Jul 8, 2008)

The tank will look awesome when the MM fills up. It compliments the Anubias really well.

Did you get any female yellows? When was the last time you top off your tank?


----------



## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

ddtran46 said:


> The tank will look awesome when the MM fills up. It compliments the Anubias really well.
> 
> Did you get any female yellows? When was the last time you top off your tank?


I had one female but I am quite sure I accidentally siphoned her up during a WC as I saw a glimpse of something when dumping the water out. What are left look to be males only.

I had to keep the water level low when I had the straw holding the wood down. I removed that today so I can finally fill the tank up more to my liking.


----------



## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

5-21-11:
One of my cories died yesterday. Not sure why.


----------



## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Seems my Blyxa will not survive. Not positive why they refuse to grow as I had success with the plant in the previous scapes. The good news is that the MM has spread to the left-back side of the tank.

I'll try to get new pictures this week.


----------



## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

This is really a cool little setup. I like that way you used that 'Petite'.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

hydrophyte said:


> This is really a cool little setup. I like that way you used that 'Petite'.


Thanks.

6-15-11:


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

7-3-11:
I removed most of the snails. I'll probably have a FTS later this week.


----------



## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Very pretty Mini-m. Reminds me of my M when I had it high tech and was letting my Anubis and Marselia go nuts. Let it thicken up and have fun trimming when its time. 

Are you using any substrate ferts? I had ADA AS in mine and the Marselia would develop a ridiculously thick carpet over a couple of months if I let it be.


----------



## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

I love the petite growing out of the water like that. I always loved that plant. :thumbsup:


----------



## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

bsmith said:


> Very pretty Mini-m. Reminds me of my M when I had it high tech and was letting my Anubis and Marselia go nuts. Let it thicken up and have fun trimming when its time.
> 
> Are you using any substrate ferts? I had ADA AS in mine and the Marselia would develop a ridiculously thick carpet over a couple of months if I let it be.


Thanks bsmith. I used osmocote in the sand.



CL said:


> I love the petite growing out of the water like that. I always loved that plant. :thumbsup:


Thanks CL.

7-11-11:
I am tempted to remove the MM from the sand and just have that section bare. Opinions on that would be appreciated.

I'm also thinking of some larger Anubias for the back of the scape. I need some kind of (very) low-light plant back there.


----------



## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

Always a pleasure to see your tanks Dan. 

Looking great as usual.

Thanks for the updates!

Tom


----------



## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

tom855 said:


> Always a pleasure to see your tanks Dan.
> 
> Looking great as usual.
> 
> ...


Thanks Tom. How is your Mini M doing?

7-14-11:
I have some Java Fern Trident coming in tomorrow (or so I hope). Going to see how that looks behind the DW.


----------



## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

7-15-11:
Received my plants today and they work well with the scape. Once the left fills in more I'll transfer some fern to the right. Still not sure if I want the MM in the front.


----------



## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

I'm enjoying watching my defective AS disintegrate and turn the tank brown. Actually they've been really good about it. They've replaced and now I need to do a total tank swapout. 

My tree is growing nicely. I like the look but not sure I'll keep it for the next go round. We'll see. I haven't really spent much time on the scape since I knew I'd be tearing it down soon.

UG carpet did fantastic, and then I finally sold it off. Dwarf Belem isn't exactly taking off, but not dying off either. 

I think I'll probably have a combo of rocks and wood in my next version. I really am enjoying the Excel only tanks. 

Now to find a day or two to completely gut this and the 58G and put in the new AS.... ugghhh..


----------



## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

My E. belem is a very slow grower too. Probably needs pressurized CO2 to grow quickly (and/or grown emersed). Let me know if you want some MM if you want to switch out the belem.

Hope your new bag of AS works better. Are they sending you the new AS formula?


----------



## sampster5000 (Oct 30, 2010)

Wow very nice scape! Lots of anubias. I love it. Everything is working for me here. Keep up the good scapes


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

sampster5000 said:


> Wow very nice scape! Lots of anubias. I love it. Everything is working for me here. Keep up the good scapes


Thanks. 

7-16-11:
I decided to remove the MM from the sand. Creates a bit more contrast and makes it easier to feed the inhabitants. Plus, I needed some MM for my second 2.5G tank which turned out pretty well. I'll try to get a new FTS soon.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

7-18-11:
I may line the bottom of the DW with Anubias.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

I say leave it be. With Anubis all over it the woods identity would be lost.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

bsmith said:


> I say leave it be. With Anubis all over it the woods identity would be lost.


That is my concern too. Still, I'll test it out and see how it looks since I have plenty of Anubias on hand.


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## TLE041 (Jan 16, 2010)

I agree. You have just the perfect amount of Anubias right now. Any more and it'll seem too plethoric visually. 

I like how you used petite on the driftwood and transitioned to the regular variety on the substrate.


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## Couesfanatic (Sep 28, 2009)

Who replaced your Aquasoil? ADG?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Couesfanatic said:


> Who replaced your Aquasoil? ADG?


I'm using the same AS that I began with in 2009.


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## Couesfanatic (Sep 28, 2009)

tom855 said:


> I'm enjoying watching my defective AS disintegrate and turn the tank brown. Actually they've been really good about it. They've replaced and now I need to do a total tank swapout.


I was referring to this. Sorry for the confusion.


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## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

Oh, I'm sure there was no confusion. Dan's tanks always look awesome. Mine, not so much.

Yes, ADG was good enough to replace it. I'm not eager to do the work, but I am eager to see the results.

Tom


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

7-25-11:
Here's how it looks with the added Anubias. I like how it looks so the Anubias will be staying.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

8-2-11:
Just some information:
Maintenance consists of a 33% WC every one or two weeks, daily feeding for the inverts and fish, and filter cleaning every 6-8 months. I do not dose ferts or Excel in this tank since I don't want to chance it with the CRS.


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## ADAtank (Jul 26, 2011)

this tank looks really nice. I like the plants


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## boon (Mar 29, 2006)

If you ever what to thin out those anubia I'll love them.


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## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

Howdy Dan!

I should really go back and re-read this entire thread, but are you using CO2 in here? I didn't see any diffuser. The "no Excel, no ferts" comments surprised me. 

Great looking tank!!!!!

Tom


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

ADAtank said:


> this tank looks really nice. I like the plants


Thanks. 



boon said:


> If you ever what to thin out those anubia I'll love them.


Hi boon. I'll let you know if I ever clear some of them out.



tom855 said:


> Howdy Dan!
> 
> I should really go back and re-read this entire thread, but are you using CO2 in here? I didn't see any diffuser. The "no Excel, no ferts" comments surprised me.
> 
> ...


Thanks Tom. Since the beginning of June I stopped dosing ferts and Excel so I don't kill any of my CRS. I am already pushing them with my hard water and high water temperature. And no, I'm not using actual CO2 either.


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## kat (Feb 2, 2011)

i really love your tank. you should send me some of your anubias if you have too much


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## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

Wow! That's pretty cool that you can have that kind of growth with no CO2 or ferts. 

I dose 2x excel daily and do have some shrimps running around, but not a lot of them, and certainly no expensive ones. But, they seem to hang in there ok.

Thanks for keeping the updates coming!

Tom


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## PinoyBoy (Mar 14, 2008)

I've found the thread after searching for it for a few days =P

Great tank, love the transformation. Sorry I barely read any posts, it's just too much pictures to do so!! Truly a 56k killer. Any more of the FTS that's like upclose? Also, is this willow moss? The one on the bottom left of your tank.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

kat said:


> i really love your tank. you should send me some of your anubias if you have too much


There is no such thing as one having too much Anubias. :tongue:



tom855 said:


> Wow! That's pretty cool that you can have that kind of growth with no CO2 or ferts.
> 
> I dose 2x excel daily and do have some shrimps running around, but not a lot of them, and certainly no expensive ones. But, they seem to hang in there ok.
> 
> ...


My RCS/Yellow shrimp didn't mind 2x dosing but CRS are just too costly for me to take the chance. Plus, Java Fern hates the stuff so that is another reason why I stopped dosing.



PinoyBoy said:


> I've found the thread after searching for it for a few days =P
> 
> Great tank, love the transformation. Sorry I barely read any posts, it's just too much pictures to do so!! Truly a 56k killer. Any more of the FTS that's like upclose? Also, is this willow moss? The one on the bottom left of your tank.


I keep all my tank journal links in my signature for easy access. 

Thanks for the compliment and I hope you enjoyed the pictures. I'll try to get an close FTS for the next update. And yes, that is Willow moss. It actually lived on the DW for several months out of the water. Same goes for the Fissidens (towards the top of the DW).


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

8-6-11:


















Weeping:









Fissidens:









Anubias + Pennywort growing emersed:









Group shot:


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

dj2005 said:


> 8-6-11:
> Group shot:


The CRS in the front of this shot is now berried. :icon_bigg


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

I looovvveee this tank, oh man. That stump is perfect.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Dollface said:


> I looovvveee this tank, oh man. That stump is perfect.


Thanks Dollface.

8-13-11:
Woke up, washed up, and then found my Pennywort on the floor with half the leaves chewed off. Here is the suspect:


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## ddtran46 (Jul 8, 2008)

Congrats on the berried shrimps!!


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## thebettashop (Sep 24, 2011)

Im sure this is very a newbe question and probably already discussed but what kind of filtration are you using?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

thebettashop said:


> Im sure this is very a newbe question and probably already discussed but what kind of filtration are you using?


A Zoo Med 501.


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## shrimpnmoss (Apr 8, 2011)

guilty face!


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

Lynx point Siamese? You won't be able to say no to those baby blues.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Capsaicin_MFK said:


> Lynx point Siamese? You won't be able to say no to those baby blues.


Yup, Lynx point. Not the most attractive Siamese but they usually have a great personality.

10-28-11:
Most of the Trident died off but the rhizomes seem to be healthy. I've been getting some new leaves from them so maybe the plant will bounce back. If not, I'll move to Narrow/Needle Leaf.


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## rountreesj (Jun 12, 2007)

you could always do some vals in the back...


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

rountreesj said:


> you could always do some vals in the back...


I prefer the fuller appearance that Java Fern provides, as well as not having to deal with runners. A friend of mine will be supplying me with some Needle Leaf so that should do nicely.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

11-3-11:


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## tom855 (Jan 31, 2006)

The Narrow Leaf looks good in there. I does a nice job blending the high wood with the lower level. 

Very nice!

Tom


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## jerilovesfrogs (Oct 22, 2010)

wow yeah, that is really pretty! great job


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

tom855 said:


> The Narrow Leaf looks good in there. I does a nice job blending the high wood with the lower level.
> 
> Very nice!
> 
> Tom





jerilovesfrogs said:


> wow yeah, that is really pretty! great job


Thanks guys. This is my favorite tank that I currently have set up.

Little text update:
I lost quite a few CRS in summer due to the heat but they seem to be doing well now that it is cooler. A couple are berried so I hope the population increases in the next couple months.

The Weeping moss has really taken off (lower left corner). It survived being out of water for several months attached to the DW, slowly started growing when I made this scape, and now that the temperature stays between 60-70F, it is growing a lot. That seems to be true for all of my plants - they definitely do not enjoy 80F+ temperatures.


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## Ptjameso (Jan 1, 2012)

Any updates? This tank is beautiful!


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Ptjameso said:


> Any updates? This tank is beautiful!


 Thanks. 

As for an update: 
2-14-12: 
CRS have not fared well and I only have about a dozen left. 
Weeping moss is about 6x its size in the last picture. 
Petite and Nana have grown a little bit. 

All in all, it looks quite similar to the last picture I posted.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

More pics of the cat!

Here's my 4 year old Lynx point --> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/pHosting/f/7891_DSCF3229b.jpg

Are you feeding the shrimp at all?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Capsaicin_MFK said:


> More pics of the cat!
> 
> Here's my 4 year old Lynx point --> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/pHosting/f/7891_DSCF3229b.jpg
> 
> Are you feeding the shrimp at all?


Cute kitty. The red nose feature is pretty rare.

Here are pictures from 2009 of another baby Lynx point with its mother, who is also a Lynx point: 
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o22/98LS1TA/IMG_7466sec.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o22/98LS1TA/IMG_9378se.jpg

Yes, the shrimp are well fed but I have neglected cleaning the tank for months. Sometimes I do a 33% WC but even that is only every 2 or 3 months. Probably a very high TDS right now.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

4-2-12:
The tank has been on auto-run for quite a while. I give the shrimp some kibble each day and top the tank off when needed, otherwise I let it do its thing. That little piece of Weeping moss sure grew a lot...

And sorry for the low quality pictures.


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

PRL?


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## ophiophagus (Mar 5, 2012)

I like this a lot nice job.Is that Brazilian pennywart growing out of the top?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Geniusdudekiran said:


> PRL?


I have no idea what PRL stands for. :redface:



ophiophagus said:


> I like this a lot nice job.Is that Brazilian pennywart growing out of the top?


Thanks and you are correct. Once it starts growing emersed, it goes crazy. It even made some sort of flower stalk.


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Wow those ramshorn are so pink!


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

xenxes said:


> Wow those ramshorn are so pink!


Yeah, it is interesting to see what colors Ramshorns produce. So far, I've had pink, red, orange, and yellow bodies from red Ramshorn stock. And shell colors of clear, white, and gold/orange.


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

dj2005 said:


> I have no idea what PRL stands for. :redface:


Haha guess not then. Pure Red Line. lol


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Geniusdudekiran said:


> Haha guess not then. Pure Red Line. lol


AFAIK, they are just S CRS.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

4-26-12:

















Pennywort:

















Willow moss seedlings:


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

I think the tank looks great in it's own way. You can tell it's been going strong and stable for a while now based on the anubias growth. Great job :thumbsup:


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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Is the tank still up?


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Geniusdudekiran said:


> Is the tank still up?


Yup. It looks the same as before but more grown in.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

I like it a lot. I think the anubias looks great!!


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

even MORE grown in!? haha tank looks amazing I really your arrangement of the plants  the pennywort sticking out is really nice


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Fat Guy said:


> I like it a lot. I think the anubias looks great!!





andrewss said:


> even MORE grown in!? haha tank looks amazing I really your arrangement of the plants  the pennywort sticking out is really nice


Thanks guys.

And, yup, everything has grown even more, especially the Java Fern. I kind of feel bad for the two Anubias nana as they are now slammed right up against the front of the tank. :icon_eek:


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## toksyn (Aug 15, 2011)

I am really digging this scape, especially the ridiculous column of Anubias. Good work!


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

toksyn said:


> I am really digging this scape, especially the ridiculous column of Anubias. Good work!


Thanks.  If this tank had ~5 inches more in depth then I'd make an Anubias petite foreground. Still, maybe I'll move the two nana towards the middle/back and add petite in their place.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

The tank is still going (and growing) strong. I'm quite proud of the little ecosystem that has formed within the tank as all I do is a 50% water change every ~6 months (probably closer to 8-10 months) and that sums up the maintenance besides water top offs and daily feedings. No algae concerns, plants grow fine, and everything looks healthy.

I will hopefully have some nice pictures posted in about a week.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Awesome. I'd love to see more pictures after another year's worth of growth!


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

CL said:


> Awesome. I'd love to see more pictures after another year's worth of growth!


Hi CL. 

The Anubias has pretty much assimilated the driftwood (We are Anubias. Resistance is futile?). A year from now, the tank will be one giant Anubias plant.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

2-5-13:
Still waiting on the DLSR. In the meantime, here are a couple shots of a snail and his RCS buddy (the RCS is definitely not happy about the Ramshorn hogging the food):

















I love my Ramshorns. Their body color really pops and it is hard to capture, but the first shot is fairly close. It is like they are luminescent.


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

Those are good shots!


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Green_Flash said:


> Those are good shots!


Thanks. 

*2-11-13*:

Sorry for the dark picture. 

I think I need to go sell some of these Anubias nana petites but I've grown so attached to them that I'm not sure that I can do it. I suppose I have to though, since they have kind of taken over the whole scape.


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

Awesome tank!!! I have a 10G that is quickly going the same way, with anubius dominating everything 

You mentioned at one point in this journal that you dose excel, is that still true?

Whiskey


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Whiskey said:


> Awesome tank!!! I have a 10G that is quickly going the same way, with anubius dominating everything
> 
> You mentioned at one point in this journal that you dose excel, is that still true?
> 
> Whiskey


Thanks Whiskey.

I stopped dosing Excel in 2011 or 2012.


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