Nano New Year Build!

Put the decorative sand in today. At first glance after pouring it in, I was pretty disappointed with the outcome. It didn't look anything like I thought it would.

It just didn't fit with the scape at all.

 

At this stage I was seriously contemplating pulling it out and trying something else. Didn't have any other substrate on hand though.

But my impatience got the best of me and I threw on some of the scatter gravel I had. I tried to focus it just off the main rockscape, as an intermediate between the stone and the fine decorative layer in the front.

Was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked! It tones down the transition between rock and substrate and ties the whole scape together.

I still don't love the foreground but I can live with it now

 

Tomorrow I'll tear down the old tank and start transferring across some of the plants I'm keeping from that set up

 

That looks very good

 

Looking awfully dry in there, fremd. Git crackin!

 

Haha, thanks for the reminder. Not as dry as it seems

 

Spent most of Saturday breaking down the old tank. Catching hundreds of tiny shrimp and harvesting some of the epiphytes and crypts for the new scape.

I set up the shrimp and pygmy Cory's from the old tank in a bucket so I wouldn't have to rush the planting process.

Pictured below:

Anubias Nana Petite
Anubias Bonsai
And what used to be a varigated Anubias Barteri ? If memory serves me right.
Bucephelandria Alamanda
Cryptocoryne Affinis Red

 

That all got planted and was left to settle overnight. On Sunday, I picked up some new additions to fill the rest of the space up.

My goal for this tank, much like the last, is easy plants that are going to do well without being in a hightec system. Im wanting to create the hightec look but without the cost and maintenance requirements, blasphemy I know
This should be achievable with all the different colour tones and textures I'm trying to incorporate into this setup.

Sundays planting included:

Foreground:
Montecarlo - arguably the most challenging plant I've got in here but I reckon it'll do well.

Midground:
Cryptocoryne Leucens - I really enjoy the easy of crypt care.
Hydrocotyle tripartita - new addition for me, looking forward to seeing how it progresses
Alternanthera reineckii mini- cant beat the colour and growth form.
Eleocharis parvula - adds a completely different texture and fills in nicely.

Background:
Hygrophila polysperma - dead easy and grows quickly to help balance out the new system.

I also added some Micranthemum umbrosa and a Rotala sp ( both thrived in the old tank ) to the background.

 

After all the planting, let the tank settle over night again and then did a 100% WC before adding in the shrimp and Cory's on Monday morning.

There's a ton of "dust" making the water super hazy. Quite irritating that it was still hanging about after the WC. I think it's from the aquasoil, I washed down the wood, rock and gavel before adding it to the tank.

Anyways, we'll let it settle and hopefully this time next week we're looking good !

Here's the first picture of it planted, forgive the murkiness

 

All the new plants were grown emersed. Im hopeful theyll settle and adjust quickly to their new aquatic living conditions

 

That's lovely!

 

Thank you !

 

Are you doing CO2?

 

I'd like to, it's just the initial investment that's out of my price range at the moment unfortunately.

I'm looking out for any good second hand deals, but most probably going to be waiting awhile before something comes up that's in budget.

My plant selection should allow the tank to look great and run well without CO2.

 

How long would it take to carpet your tank with Monte Carlo without CO2? I was looking at MC for my tank.

 

Not going for a full carpet here, just wanting it to fill in that middle section where it is.

A full MC carpet without CO2 is definitely doable though. If your heart is set on that, do a dry start to establish the carpet. Plant it quite densely in the area you plan on carpeting (good quality substrate is a must) and wet the substrate. Cover the tank in cling flim, run the light on full and give it a mist every now and then. It'll carpet quickly with access to atmospheric CO2. Once you're happy with the carpet density, you can plant the rest of the tank and fill it up. Should carry on growing nicely

 

.

 

That ship has sailed for now, will try next time when I redo my tank.