New Build/Journal: 2G-Iwagumi

[Slavo]

So I thought I'd show of my new tank (which I am super excited about) to kindred spirits in the hobby.

It is now set-up and has been running for almost 3 weeks with only 1 inhabitant (1 Oto) so far, as I'm still deciding on what fish and/or shrimp to go with.
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Specs

Tank & Equipment:
Aquatop High Clarity Low Iron Glass Cube 2.11 Gallons (7.5" Cube)
Azoo Palm Filer (w/Pre-filer Sponge)
ADA 5mm Thermometer
Archaea LED Clip 17cm (may swap for Finnex Epoch clip-on)
Aquatop Nano Heater 15W
ADA Aquasoil - Amazonia

Hardscape:
ADA Manten Stone

Plants:
Blyxa Japonica
Dwarf Hairgrass (Eleocharis acicularis)

Ferts/co2:
Flourish
Flourish Excel
Fourish Iron
No co2

Fuana:
1 Otocinclus Catfish (Otocinclus sp.)
Considering: CPD's (Celestichthys margaritatus), Amanda Tetras (H. amandae), Amano Shrimp (Caridina japonica)
(But I'm open to suggestions)


So there you have it.

Please feel free to comment and critique. Thanks!

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Pic 1 - Da' tank
Pic 2 - Substrate
Pic 3 - Layout Plan

 

[Slavo]

More Pics - Before Flooding

Pic 1 - Side View (left)
Pic 2 - Front View
Pic 3 - Top View

 

[Slavo]

More Pics

Pic 1 - Planting: Blyxa Japonica & Dwarf Hairgrass (Eleocharis acicularis)
Pic 2 - Finished planting
Pic 3 - Waiting for water to clear up

 

[Slavo]

More Pics - Finished & Growth Progress

Pic 1 - Finished
Pic 2 - Day 1 (9/27)
Pic 3 - Day 20 (10/16)

 

[TankMan7]

That is a beautiful tank and a nice arrangement of the stones and substrate, but why obscure the beautiful view with such tall plants around the perimeter?

 

[TankMan7]

Maybe I am missing the actual scale - is that the hair grass?

 

[Billbug68]

Looks great! I'd trim that hairgrass down a bit once it's acclimated. It should encourage it to spread.

Also, that finnex epoch clip light might look enormous on this little tank. I'm using it on a 5g cube and it bothers me...

Here's an idea of the size, my tank is 10x10x12

 

[Slavo]

Thanks Tankman7!

Yes, this is DHG. My original idea was to plant it then trim to a height of about 1-1.5" and keep it maintained at that height, but now I'm thinking of changing plants, to something like UG or Dwarf Baby Tears, or keep the DHG and remove the Blyxa Jap. I'm still undecided.

I'm not fond of the obscured harscape either, but I hope that with trimming, over time, I could make it more visible.

 

[Slavo]

Looks great! I'd trim that hairgrass down a bit once it's acclimated. It should encourage it to spread.

Also, that finnex epoch clip light might look enormous on this little tank. I'm using it on a 5g cube and it bothers me...

Here's an idea of the size, my tank is 10x10x12

Thanks Billbug!

I def plan on trimming it. How long should I wait to do so?

That's what I'm affraid of, regarding the finnex light, that it will look too big, but I'm not sure what else to go with that will be able offer high light output. I might have to compromise looks for functionality.

Do you know of any other LED or flourescent light system, that would suite my needs? I was also looking into the Wave Point 6" HO led lighting system. I saw it on TPT, I think, but the guy was growing mosses not DHG or Blyxa Jap.

 

[Billbug68]

Is the tank on an office desk? It's hard to tell from the pics. If so, I'd just spend a little bit of money on a cool luxo style desk lamp and use that with a daylight CFL. I've always wanted one of those lamps...

 

[Jkeating8]

You could use a clip stoplight with a 10w 6500k CFL. It would be highlight. You can just hang it with one of those zoo med stands that are like 15$.

It would look cool since it would hang a few inches above the water.

 

[Slavo]

Is the tank on an office desk? It's hard to tell from the pics. If so, I'd just spend a little bit of money on a cool luxo style desk lamp and use that with a daylight CFL. I've always wanted one of those lamps...

I've actually seen that a few times while I was looking at hardscape layouts on google images.

Now, would something like that give off enough light for DHG and Blyxa Jap?

 

[Slavo]

And yes, it sits on my desk at work.

 

[Jkeating8]

I've actually seen that a few times while I was looking at hardscape layouts on google images. Now, would something like that give off enough light for DHG and Blyxa Jap?

it would give off more than enough. I used a 10 watt on a 5 gallon at one point and carpeted HC.

 

[Slavo]

You could use a clip stoplight with a 10w 6500k CFL. It would be highlight. You can just hang it with one of those zoo med stands that are like 15$.

It would look cool since it would hang a few inches above the water.

I saw that as well, but with one of those reptile heating bulbs over the tank. I like the look.

CFL..?

 

[Jkeating8]

I saw that as well, but with one of those reptile heating bulbs over the tank. I like the look. CFL..?

CFL as in the spiraly energy saving bulbs.

 

[Slavo]

CFL as in the spiraly energy saving bulbs.

Ah ok. I'll look into this.

 

[Slavo]

Update - Rescaped!

So this update is long overdue ...and a lot has changed since my last post.

After some thought I decided to replant and rescape the tank, as the light I'm currently using is not sufficient for DHG and I'm not using co2. So I decided to switch to plants that would be more suited to the light and as a result I decided to rescape the tank as well.

So I pulled some Cryptocoryne Wendtii Green & Bronze, as well as some Nymphaea Stellara from my 50g, and planted it in the tank. For the hardscape, I stole a rock from my parents garden...

As for stocking the tank, I think I want to wait till the plants fill in a bit, which may be a while due to the crypts notorious slow growing ways, but that will give me some time to decide. So far I'm thinking Sparkling Gouramis and Badis Badis, and maybe some Caradina Japonica.

Anyway - Here are a couple pics from the day I replanted and rescaped the tank. (don't mind the quality of the iphone pics)

 

[Slavo]

Replanted & Rescaped 12/20/14

 

[Scottyhorse]

I think it'll look good