# El Funko's Ubiquitous 12G Long



## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

It looks like your off to a really good start. I like the driftwood stump. I really like the footprint to this tank and plan on moving my CRS into this same tank sometime soon. I like seeing others using this tank too, so I have some ideas for design since it is such a shallow tank.


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## MrJG (Feb 21, 2007)

Great start. That small stump is quite awesome and is sized perfectly for the tank. 

Good idea on dropping the photoperiod but some algae starting up a new tank is almost expected (especially hair/diatoms). Crank the CO2 and let it ride.


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## Matty (Dec 4, 2009)

Love the 12g long, never seen one. Also, where did you find that killer stump like driftwood?


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## El Funko (Aug 31, 2010)

Matty said:


> Also, where did you find that killer stump like driftwood?


 Bought at manzanita.com. They were awesome. I called them up and told them what I was looking for. The guy I talked with went out into the warehouse and picked through the ones that he thought would fit, and gave me the stock number to look at on the site. For a few extra $ he threw in a few extra "sticks" that I could use to complement the stump.


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## gotcheaprice (Aug 29, 2007)

Wow, very nice tank! I might have to get a 12g long myself some time.


El Funko said:


> Bought at manzanita.com. They were awesome. I called them up and told them what I was looking for. The guy I talked with went out into the warehouse and picked through the ones that he thought would fit, and gave me the stock number to look at on the site. For a few extra $ he threw in a few extra "sticks" that I could use to complement the stump.


Ah, I had a slightly different experience from them =/ Emailed and called them and they told me that they'd update their site with the stumps. When they did, they were all too big so I tried getting in contact with them again (voice mail and email) but they didn't respond. So I ended up doing a rock scape (which I'm satisfied with, but your stump makes me jealous:icon_mad. Maybe I'll try again when I set up my nano.


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## El Funko (Aug 31, 2010)

OK, finally got some pictures of the most recent plantings. I'm still dealing with algae, and as posted above have reduced the photoperiod and increased the rate of CO2. No inhabitants yet, so I guess I can crank it right up...

Tonight I manually removed as much of the hair algae as I could with a brush. These pictures were taken after the cleaning. 

FTS:









Left Side:









Right side:









Closeup of some of the algae on the fissidens rocks:









and on the rocks:









After doing a lot of research on the algae, and how best to handle it, I'm really trying to practice the most important rule: patience...

I'm also unhappy with the frogbit. I believe that the roots have grown so long because of a lack of nitrates. I'm still cycling, and have 0 nitrite and nitrate. The ammonia just started dropping from 4 ppm two days ago, to 2 ppm today. That's the first change in the cycle that started on 10/21 with seeded filter media. After the cycle is competed, I'm hoping that the roots will stay shorted. Oh, and you may have noticed that the crypts on the left side have all started melting. I've been expecting that. At least there are new leaves coming on most of the plants. The HM behind the rock on the right side has almost doubled in height, so it seems happy. 

Patience, patience, patience... I'd love to be able to throw some ottos or shrimp in here to start cleaning up the algae. Patience, patience, patience.


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## Matty (Dec 4, 2009)

How are you best combating the hair algae? I've got some growing and it just wont go away.


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## El Funko (Aug 31, 2010)

Well, last night I performed a thorough cleaning, while siphoning off the pieces during a water change. The tank looked much better afterward.

I had to get up early for work this morning, and came into my living room about 15 minutes before the lights were scheduled to come on... and they were already on! I looked at the timer, and there was an additional cycle start timed for Midnight. Since my CO2 solenoid is plugged into a different timer to get started before the lights come on, I've been adding another 7 hours of light with no CO2 for the last few weeks. I'm guessing that explains my outbreak. While I thought the lights had been reduced to 8 hours, they were really only reduced to 15 hours (7 with no CO2). Sounds like a recipe for algae!

But really, since I'm still cycling this tank, I'm just trying to hold it at bay until the cycle ends, and I stock with algae eaters and start a dosing regime (I'll actually start dosing once the dry ferts arrive from Rex Grigg). As I said above, my only real tactic at this point is patience. 

Ammonia still at 2ppm... 0 nitrites/0 nitrates.


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

I love the "stump" peice on the left of the tank. great find on that one.


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## El Funko (Aug 31, 2010)

Today I performed a thorough cleaning of the tank, trying to get as much algae off as I could during the draining of the tank. I was also sick of the hugely long roots on the frogbit, so I enlisted my 6 year old daughter to help me trim them all. 

Still cycling, ammonia's down to .5 ppm, 0 nitrites/nitrates. 

FTS:










Left Side, with stump - showing the shortened frogbit roots:









Right side:









Still lots of algae as you can see... I'm just biding my time until I can get cycled and add ferts. Some algae eaters won't hurt either...

That's all for today. Hopefully next pics will include FISH!


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## MrJG (Feb 21, 2007)

Hang in there with the hair algae. It seems to be the one I get during almost every "new" tank setup. Once things settle in it should subside... granted having the light on for an extra 8 hours didn't help! :hihi:


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## El Funko (Aug 31, 2010)

I'm not real crazy about the narrow leaf java fern that's behind the stump. It's just too tall for this short tank. There are some melted crypt wendtii on the left side, and in the back corner that will come back (and may be too big when they do). If I remove the java fern, what could go in its place? I'm thinking tenellus... Opinions?


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## tlef316 (May 10, 2008)

Great tank. It looks WAY larger than a 12 gallon. Love it.


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## VadimShevchuk (Sep 19, 2009)

Beautiful tank so far. Did you use up all of the amazonia or did you have leftovers? I really love that tree and i hope i can find something like that for my tank. Off to a great start and nice to see a local too.


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## mattycakesclark (Jun 11, 2010)

That tank size is amazing!! How much did the tank and light run you, I might have to copy you when funds exist!


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## El Funko (Aug 31, 2010)

VadimShevchuk said:


> Beautiful tank so far. Did you use up all of the amazonia or did you have leftovers? I really love that tree and i hope i can find something like that for my tank. Off to a great start and nice to see a local too.


I didn't use the whole 9 liters of Amazonia, but almost. Maybe 2 cups or so left. 
I spent a long time looking for the right hardscape. Got lucky with that stump. 



mattycakesclark said:


> That tank size is amazing!! How much did the tank and light run you, I might have to copy you when funds exist!


 Tank is around $65 from MarineDepot plus shipping. Light from Catalina was $100 shipped. It would have been cheaper, but I added the moonlights. 



tlef316 said:


> Great tank. It looks WAY larger than a 12 gallon. Love it.


Thanks. I've tried to only put smaller scaled plants in. That's why I'm not so crazy about the needle leaf java. It just seems too big.


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## VadimShevchuk (Sep 19, 2009)

Maybe you should take out the needle fern and put in blyxa japonica. I have a lot of stems of it so if i go to Syracuse sometime, i can meet up and give you some stems...


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## Cynth (Sep 11, 2010)

I really like the size and look of this tank. As others have said and I will say again the stump is perfect in this tank. Hope your algae clears up soon!


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## Solid (Jul 19, 2009)

This tank is sweet! Love the hard scape. Hope you can deal with the algae. It should go away once everything balances and ages.


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

very nice layout! I really love the manzanita and the sand in the middle!


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## VadimShevchuk (Sep 19, 2009)

Did El Funk disappear ?


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## El Funko (Aug 31, 2010)

fish-n-pups said:


> very nice layout! I really love the manzanita and the sand in the middle!


 Thanks. I need to get some current pictures up here. I guess I've been lacking...:icon_redf



VadimShevchuk said:


> Did El Funk disappear ?


Nope, just been enjoying my tank. 

I was mostly successful with the algae wars. I ended up dosing Excel to get rid of the thread algae, and there's just ever so little BBA starting to show up on the rocks. But I've been dosing with RootMedic for quite a while, and the growth has been just staggering. Maybe too much growth at times! 

Until I get some full tank shots on the computer, here's a couple of the right side I took to try to sell some peacock moss. No bites yet...


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## SkyGrl (Jan 7, 2010)

sweet looking moss! i love seeing tips new green..  

Amy


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## Bobba (Dec 24, 2010)

El Funko
Beautiful tank! I am about to order the same tank and also would like to place it on a sofa table. Iwould really appreciate it if you could include a few photos of your setup from a distance. Would also like to know which lilly pipes from ebay you're using as I recently posted about this in the Equipment section.
Thanks


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