# 1 Feet Cube With Black Sand



## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Wow, that is beautiful! The weird marking on the shrimp are eggs developing in its ovaries (its also called its saddle)


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## nasfish (Jan 31, 2006)

Thank you clwatkins10. I thought a female red cherry supposed to be redder and the white marking is on its back not on its belly. One thing for sure, I don't know much about shrimp :hihi:.

Regards


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## kelvin2go (Apr 6, 2008)

WOW very nice tank! its not only a tank, its like an art  
thanks for sharing~


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## volatile (Feb 13, 2007)

That looks really nice nasfish! I wish the ottos we had here in the US were as small as yours =(


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## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

Hm, I fail to see



> Lighting : 2 X 18W Philips 865 PL-L
> Filter : Eheim Ecco 2232 + ADA Lily-pipe P2
> CO2 : CO2 Tank + external diffuser


...in your picture. Did you take the equipment out before taking the pictures? I think they are part of the tank, and it's always interesting to see the components.

Other than that, very cool tank. I wanted to do something similar (no tall plants) with my 5.5g shrimp tank, but I don't think HC would grow in my setup (27W Home Depot light, Hydro 2 sponge filter, no CO2). Have you worked with carpet plants that are lower maintenance?


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## MedRed (May 20, 2008)

Aquarist_Fist said:


> Hm, I fail to see
> 
> ...in your picture. Did you take the equipment out before taking the pictures? I think they are part of the tank, and it's always interesting to see the components.
> 
> Other than that, very cool tank. I wanted to do something similar (no tall plants) with my 5.5g shrimp tank, but I don't think HC would grow in my setup (27W Home Depot light, Hydro 2 sponge filter, no CO2). Have you worked with carpet plants that are lower maintenance?


It's common and desirable to take your equipment out of the tank for professional pics... looking through the AGA pictures you see the occasional person who doesn't do it getting chastized. 


nasfish... this is a BEAUTIFUL tank. I hope my iwagumi looks as nice.


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## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

Yeah well, I think it's stupid. A real aquarium needs heaters, filters etc. What do those professionals do if a fish poops? Call the cops?  

Obviously, this is just my personal taste. Don't mean to impose anything on anyone.


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## metageologist (Jan 10, 2008)

spectacular tank 



volatile said:


> I wish the ottos we had here in the US were as small as yours =(


how big are your ottos mine are only about 1.25" and they have been in my tank for about 8 months


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## phatpanduh (Feb 17, 2008)

Aquarist_Fist said:


> Yeah well, I think it's stupid. A real aquarium needs heaters, filters etc. What do those professionals do if a fish poops? Call the cops?
> 
> Obviously, this is just my personal taste. Don't mean to impose anything on anyone.



really didn't get the poop reference. Obviously the tank is going to need all those things but it definitely looks a lot cleaner from an artistic POV which is the point of the tank. The equipment is only their to maintain the aesthetics. If you want to drool over photos of equipment go open a catalogue:icon_roll

anyways something would have to creating the small ripples on the top water. Maybe you could explain how you went about taking this great picture.


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## Jack Gilvey (Jun 16, 2008)

Beautiful tank, very tranquil.


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## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

phatpanduh said:


> really didn't get the poop reference. Obviously the tank is going to need all those things but it definitely looks a lot cleaner from an artistic POV which is the point of the tank. The equipment is only their to maintain the aesthetics. If you want to drool over photos of equipment go open a catalogue:icon_roll


Hey, I do this all the time!  Seriously, I just think everything that belongs to a fish tank should be in the picture for the sake of authenticity. If one takes out integral parts of the aquarium before taking pictures, they are no more realistic than a Calvin Klein ad.

But hey, I don't want to make this sound like I'm criticizing nasfish. The tank IS beautiful, no matter what.


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## nasfish (Jan 31, 2006)

Thank you all, for looking and kind words.

kelvin2go, thank you, those are super nice CRS.



Aquarist_Fist said:


> Did you take the equipment out before taking the pictures?


Yes I did. Frankly, I too don't like to remove the equipments, just thought, as everybody else tank, can see the aquascape better. Don't worry, will show the equipments later.



Aquarist_Fist said:


> Have you worked with carpet plants that are lower maintenance?


Actually, used Marsilea sp. in my first nano tank, the journal about it somewhere in this forum 



metageologist said:


> how big are your ottos mine are only about 1.25" and they have been in my tank for about 8 months


I am not sure. Perhaps a picture will explain it better.











phatpanduh said:


> anyways something would have to creating the small ripples on the top water. Maybe you could explain how you went about taking this great picture.


Yeah, I used a DIY computer DC fan to create the ripples and using it to lower the temperature a bit. The weather here is quite hot, between 30°C to 33°C. Using the fan, I am able to lower the temperature a bit. I also used extra lightings to capture the tank picture. So that I can set my camera with faster shutter speed. I am only an amateur :hihi:

Coming up soon, the setup process . Anymore comments, critiques?

Regards


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## nasfish (Jan 31, 2006)

*The setup process*

Without washing the Flourite Black Sand first, as recommended by Seachem, made a slope in the tank using a bag of Black Sand, 7 kg and arranged the rocks.










The slope.









The rocks arrangement from top.









After sprinkled the Black Sand with water, filled the tank slowly.









At first, using a cheap HOB, to clear the water further.









Later, decided to use a canister filter, Eheim Ecco 2232, after made a few adjustments to the rocks arrangement.









_..continued_


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## nasfish (Jan 31, 2006)

Still not satisfied with the slope in this tank, added another 2 kg of Black Sand, got it from a friend. But before that, decided to wash it, along with existing Black Sand in the tank, sucked most of it without disturbing the rocks arrangement :icon_roll.




























Stirred and stirred :hihi:









Finally, after 5 or 6 times washed it.









_...to be continued_


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## kelvin2go (Apr 6, 2008)

Its very nice explanation~!


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## nasfish (Jan 31, 2006)

Thank you Kelvin, my english is not good, but I am trying my best 

Anyway, continuing...

Wet Black Sand is kind of sticky :hihi:, so decided to fill the tank with water, and poured the washed Black Sand into the tank. Of course, I turned off the filter first.

At the back.









In front.


















Finally (wet hands took this picture)









Level the Black Sand.









Here too.









Blew some Black sand from the rocks using a dispenser (found it inside Seachem Phosphorus 250ml bottle, old stock perhaps :hihi.









After two days, the tank was without any plants in it (no HC at that moment), removed over half of the tank water, started to plant it. And filled it up again.









The spiky moss was temporarily, to add more green. That was on 25th June 2008, about one and half month ago 

Regards


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## Nismo (Apr 21, 2008)

:icon_eek: wow very very nice. I like it alot.
And dont worry your english is fine.


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## tremendotron (May 21, 2008)

I'm completely impressed.

What camera & lens are you using? Do you have an extra flash above the tank?


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

That was nice of you to go through the steps with us  That moss is awesome


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## nasfish (Jan 31, 2006)

Thank you guys for looking and kind words.



tremendotron said:


> What camera & lens are you using? Do you have an extra flash above the tank?


I am using Canon EOS400D, with kit lens, and no flash, I don't have any:icon_cry: 

Regards


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## nasfish (Jan 31, 2006)

Anyway, after a month...










HM was not doing well initially, had to remove it and temporarily planted Rotala sp. 'green'. Not long after that, removed the Rotala (too big) and replanted the HM back 

Decided to replace the Eheim outlet pipe with ADA lilypipe P2, the only ADA product in this tank, :hihi: to slow down a bit thee water flow.










Not sure how many bps, but as long as I can see a lot of CO2 tiny bubbles, then I guess it is okay.

A quick picture of the tank after one month without the equipments, before replanted the HM, and no ripples 









Regards


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## phatpanduh (Feb 17, 2008)

Awesome, you are being quite generous referring yourself as an amateur your far from it. What kind of camera are you using to take these?


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## volatile (Feb 13, 2007)

I really like your rocks and rock placement! Maybe I'll try to take a picture next time with ripples on the surface


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## volatile (Feb 13, 2007)

metageologist said:


> spectacular tank
> 
> 
> 
> how big are your ottos mine are only about 1.25" and they have been in my tank for about 8 months


The ottos I can get here in TX get as big as 2 inches from end to end and make my Mini M tank look even smaller than it already is. Your 1.25" and the one that nasfish have are definitely smaller than that. I know there are many different breeds of otto cats. I just wish they would get the smaller ones here.


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## mizu-chan (May 13, 2008)

Great cube! Loving the rocks. :thumbsup:
And great photography.


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## plantoon (Jun 24, 2008)

even theres no plant, the tank still looking great!!!

the rock = ROCK!!!


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## fish_fasinated (Mar 30, 2006)

agree, im not usually one for rocks in a tnak, prefer driftwood, but the rocks are awsome!


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## c_sking (Aug 4, 2008)

nasfish said:


> Thank you Kelvin, my english is not good, but I am trying my best


Don't apologize, your doing great and EVERYONE has issues.


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## thief (Jan 12, 2008)

WOW Nasfish,

This is now my favorite Iwagami scape. It is amazing how you used your rocks. I like your begining photos. The Seiryu stone looks like it is all apart of eachother but when you see the over head shot it all different pieces wisly put to getter. So inspirational that it made me scape a new hard scape yesterday in my Mini M. Will post pictures later on as the water is still clearing. Keep it up and if possible more pics of sides of tank and such would great as I would love to see more on how you put it all together.

Great job man.


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