GLA 6g Rimless 36-L - My First Iwagumi Inspired Scape Journal

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Brian_Nano12g

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
6,147
Location
Arizona
Well after a good few years back in the hobby, I decided to start yet another nano aquarium, this time a rimless Iwagumi inspired scape (my first attempt so be kind). I poured through quite a few options and compared ADA, Do!Aqua, Mr. Aqua, Schuber Wright, and FINALLY decided on a GLA. Why? Well in terms of Low Iron high visibility glass on a rimless, the only competition in terms of 'value' that I can find are the Schuber Wright aquariums (which the beveled glass threw me off) and the Mr. Aqua 7.5g cube (which I didn't want another cube). I decided to spend a little extra on myself, but not ADA extra, since I'm still a starving student. Yes ADA is the cream of the crop (based on quality and established reputation), but I wanted to break away from the norm and save on some cash in the process, while still following 'some' of the principles associated with Iwagumi planted scapes. I finally decided on the GLA Low Iron Green Leaf Rimless Aquarium 36-L because it fell on the sweet spot of value, quality, and the right size I was looking for. Plus, I was impressed with how fast the GLA's customer service was in responding to my inquiries. That sealed the deal and the order was placed! (y)

All I have now is the tank, lighting, and substrate. I'll be ordering things online and taking some trips to the LFS's. But here's the list so far, feel free to critique it or comment.


The Skinny (Already Acquired and In-Progress / Planning):

Hardware:
Tank - GLA 36-L (Dimensions approx. 15" x 9" x 11", 6g, 5mm glass thickness)
Light - Finnex 16" Ray 2 (9 Watts: 88 HO LEDs, 7000k daylight)
Filter - Fluval 106
Heater - Hydor 25w Theo
CO2 - Aquatek paintball regulator w/ solenoid


Substrate: Fluval Stratum, Floramax, and Pool Filter Sand
Hardscape (Undecided): Ryuo Stone or Yamaya Stone, Twigs or Malaysian DW

Planned Flora:
HC (dwarf baby tears)
Rotala sp. green and/or rotala colorata
Ludwigia sp. red
Flame moss

Planned Fauna:
Yellow (Neocaridina heteropoda var. Yellow), Tangerine Tiger (Caridina serrata) or Fire Red Shrimp (Neocaridina heteropoda var. Fire Red)
Galaxy or Chili Rasboras

Dosing:
Seachem Flourish, Excel, and API Leaf Zone until the liquids run out. Will be mixing up dry ferts after, just got my order from GLA with my tank. Undecided with the whole EI or PPS-Pro dosing, still need to read up on it.

And some pictures:
Hmm, look was the kind UPS lady brought me!
7935958212_fcfe9b7440.jpg


Excellent packing on the part of GLA! The tank was packed in a thick box within a box with plenty of styrofoam to protect the glass.
7935958090_61132933ae.jpg


NO... it's not ADA, so what! LOL
7935958328_93d008da4a.jpg


The Finnex Ray 2 16" fixture:
7936180716_42098fae85_z.jpg


The tank and the fixture (I'll most likely suspend the fixture, more on that later).
7935957968_e81f1479ed_c.jpg


The pic doesn't do it justice, but WOW :eek: this Finnex Ray 2 is BRIGHT!
7935957876_d61e9c8460_c.jpg
 
Following for sure!

Rimless aquariums make planted tanks almost instantly turn into pieces of art.
 
Def following too, even looks awesome so far. Don't you love it when those nice delivery people bring you brand new shiney things in boxes!!!
 
I think you'll like the Finnex,I use a 10" Finnex on my 10g&the plants grow wildly..
 
Thanks for commenting everyone.. I'm excited to embark in a new project.. I'll either nail it or crash and burn, either way it's gonna be a fun learning experience.

tiger terror said:
I think you'll like the Finnex,I use a 10" Finnex on my 10g&the plants grow wildly..

I believe the Finnex fixtures under the 16" size are the FugeRay models. I've read good things on them too. They'd be good for low to moderate light plants. I'm glad to hear that you and your plants like it. The Ray 2 has like double the HO LED's and higher PAR ratings, I'm hoping the HC will like it and not so much algae.
 
Its generally used for a fuge but at 7000k it does the job quite well..in hindsight I should've gotten the 12" model though..
 
Coming along slowly but surely.. Just got my filter and co2 equipment. I'll be headed to the LFS for some rocks and maybe some driftwood.. Looking for a small piece of Manzanita branch.

img_2114963_0_98e6560c60082a9c3f959d34c3b0ee71.jpg
 
Another update...

Just got some yamaya stone from the LFS. Got 3lbs (@ $6 per lbs.) for $18 bucks... ouch! The money pit just keeps on getting me. I ask myself, why did I start yet another project? Had to promise the wifey this is my last one for a while...LOL

Also, I couldn't find some gnarly ADA-style DW at a responsible price. Something like this, but smaller and a little less busy:
Branch%20wood_sml.jpg


The only LFS that sells it (which happens to also be the only local ADA retailer in town) has it priced around $20+ for even the small pieces.. I've been considering ordering some manzanita branch dw (which looks similar) on ebay but I only need the smallest piece and I found a decent branch for $3 but the $8 shipping was a deal breaker... So for now, I think I'm just going to roll with this malaysian dw I picked up for a good price at a different LFS. I kinda feel like not using DW at all, and stick with the simple rock scape, but I have some flame moss that I want to tie on the dw for my future shrimp. Sometimes you just have to cave in and settle.. :facepalm:

Now for some pics...

I installed the Fluval 106. Had to measure everything and cut the tubing. Looks okay... better than an HOB IMO.
img_2118677_1_5fe3e75a9dbca5685ea7429dd1e7115b.jpg


Here are the goodies I picked up:
img_2118677_2_067197abcc4f049bda430cb932ede179.jpg


Added the first layer of Floramax with some decent sloping action:
img_2118677_3_6921105cecbbe156a95e69755e28f80f.jpg


Here's with the dw and yamaya stones:
img_2118677_4_e354b4dc7716c633e597862c4bf52539.jpg


And lastly, I added in the Fluval Stratum, sand, and removed the dw for now. I'm still on the fence about the dw I have, feels overpowering...LOL What do you guys think?
img_2118677_5_2ec33d4226de462915f8c523507614ab.jpg


On a side note... although the Fluval 106 intake/outflow pipes are okay for now, the way they're looking is making me want to cough up some more dough for some glass lily pipes. Unfortunately, those will have to wait..

I'll probably be working on suspending the light fixture tomorrow.
 
I'd grab some more rock and return the wood for sure
Looking good!
 
emerald76 said:
I'd grab some more rock and return the wood for sure
Looking good!

+1 to that. You could even take that large piece in the middle and stand it up right. This would give you something to let some tall background plants grow against.
 
I really love that tank. I might do something like that with my ten! I'm going to follow because I want to see more updates lol! (y)
 
Thanks for the suggestions. If not for the dw, any ideas on how i can implement the flame moss? Ive been looking for this stuff for a long time and i think it would be nice for the shrimp. Maybe some delicate branches instead?

Yeah i think I'll try to make that middle stone go a little more vertical.
 
Following. :) Looking good so far! I have been considering the Ray II for my ADA Mini M, but I wasn't sure if it would be enough light to grow HC and other more demanding plants. Considering the 36-L is basically the same as a Mini M, you will have the same results that I would with a Ray II. I suggest getting some lily pipes because they are close to invisible (when not covered in algae). I can't wait to see it planted!
 
@max.. Yeah the mini m is basically the equivalent to my gla. I've been actually looking at a bunch of mini m scapes online for examples and inspiration in my scape. Yes, i do want glass lily pipes but i don't want to spend another $100+ at the moment (pipes + tubing).

I think the Ray 2 fixture is pretty bright. For the price, i think its a good deal. We'll see if my HC will thrive on it or not. Since i want to suspend it over the tank, im trying to determine the max distance from substrate that would still give me sufficient PAR to get the HC to carpet..

Read this article, pretty useful info:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=160396
 
Brian_Nano12g said:
@max.. Yeah the mini m is basically the equivalent to my gla. I've been actually looking at a bunch of mini m scapes online for examples and inspiration in my scape. Yes, i do want glass lily pipes but i don't want to spend another $100+ at the moment (pipes + tubing).

I think the Ray 2 fixture is pretty bright. For the price, i think its a good deal. We'll see if my HC will thrive on it or not. Since i want to suspend it over the tank, im trying to determine the max distance from substrate that would still give me sufficient PAR to get the HC to carpet..

Read this article, pretty useful info:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=160396

I've read it before but I want than just one source that says it will work. You can get lily pipes for good prices on ebay, although some are not as well designed as the more expensive ones. Also, if you get lily pipes yo may want to get different tubing. I'd get half inch diameter clear tubing, which should fit your filter input and output. I don't think the ribbed hose that the Fluval canisters use would fit lily pipes very well. IMO your scape looks better without the driftwood. If you're wanting to achieve and iwagumi type scape, negative space is good.
 
You can get lily pipes for good prices on ebay, although some are not as well designed as the more expensive ones. Also, if you get lily pipes yo may want to get different tubing. I'd get half inch diameter clear tubing, which should fit your filter input and output. I don't think the ribbed hose that the Fluval canisters use would fit lily pipes very well.

Max... do you have experience with the Fluval canister filters (05 or 06 series)? I do plan to upgrade the tubing and get the lily pipes, but I just don't know what size to get, inside diameter and outside diameter (ID/OD) tubing? And what lily pipe size to fit the tubing that would fit the canister, I think it would be 13mm?

I did message Hagen and they replied saying the rubber adapters (aka: AquaStop) "has a 12 mm or 5/8" inside diameter"... any recommendations? Have you purchased from those overseas Hong Kong lily pipe sellers?
 
Brian_Nano12g said:
Max... do you have experience with the Fluval canister filters (05 or 06 series)? I do plan to upgrade the tubing and get the lily pipes, but I just don't know what size to get, inside diameter and outside diameter (ID/OD) tubing? And what lily pipe size to fit the tubing that would fit the canister, I think it would be 13mm?

I did message Hagen and they replied saying the rubber adapters (aka: AquaStop) "has a 12 mm or 5/8" inside diameter"... any recommendations? Have you purchased from those overseas Hong Kong lily pipe sellers?

I do have a 206 myself. I haven't tried different hosing or lily pipes on mine though. I bought lily pipes from hong Kong off ebay and should have them this week. I got 13mm ones. I will test the aquastop with my .5" tubing and let you know how it fits. 13mm pipes fit .5" tubing usually.
 
Back
Top Bottom