Minicrazy's other FW Builds/Tank things

[minicrazy592]

Well since the 55g build keeps getting bumped with stuff from my 2.5g, I figured I would start a thread about my 2.5g and my other soon to begin tanks/things/experiments.

I have another 2.5g tank I received in the mail today on a warranty claim, so I plan on getting some stuff for it soon. One of my experiments is an aquascaped vase I'm working on for one of my friends. I also have 2 10gs sitting around and a 20g I will be starting up once the funds are available. So yeah, this thread will be all over the place.

 

[SiNiStEr NaTiOn]

you go mini!!!!

 

[minicrazy592]

This is the little experiment. It's a 4ish gallon vase. The base substrate is Flourite with pool sand on top. There are little planted strands of Dwarf Hairgrass in between the rocks. The center of the tank will eventually be a few pieces of bamboo. I'm still looking around for the right ones. There will be 2 guppies and 3 ghost shrimp calling it home. As for equipment, the lighting is just a simple clamp light with a PC for a bulb. The filtration, if I find it's necessary, will be the same Hagen in tank filter I have in the 2.5g.

Substrate:

Filling it up

Almost done

This is the new 2.5g I got on the warranty claim. Well they sent the wrong one, no matter, a tank is a tank!

I'm think of something along the lines of this, but a little different since the tank is a bow.

2.5G Tank Log-- Guitarfish

The trouble down here is finding the rocks and plants. My LFS is dry in that section. I also still have to track down a light as well. If you can help in that department see here: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...oralife-mini-aqualight-deluxe.html#post762001

Last, but not least random 2.5g pics:

 

[minicrazy592]

Bought the light today and well it is bright! I mean really bright! It's 75 watts of 6500k. If something won't grow in here with this light, nothing will.

Since I couldn't find any rocks, I ended up doing a last ditch effort to find some and headed to a landscape rock place. I bough two rocks of what look like flint for $2. A few drops on cement here and being thrown off a 3 story balcony there makes this:

Here's the new tank that some of those new rocks call home.

I'm going to be using the same light set up till someone can answer my ad for the fixture I want.

As for stocking the tank, I'm still figuring out what to plant. I'm thinking some Riccia for the carpet mixed either with will baby tears or hair grass. As for background plants, Lilaeopsis novae zelandiae or some Brasilian Water Ivy. For now though I'm going to use the spare plants from the other tank. I'm also going to get some kind of floating plants for the top of the water column.

Tank inhabitants are going to be 2 long fin blue danios with 4 Black Forest shrimp if I can find them.

Can someone tell me the name of this plant in the background?

 

[DaveK]

It's a little tough to tell, but I think the background plant in use is hairgrass. See this link (offsite) - Hair Grass, Genus Eleocharis

 

[minicrazy592]

Hmm looks like. So I need to order plants, where does everyone get their's from?

 

[DaveK]

I get most of my plants from LFSs, but I'm lucky and have several that actually do carry real live aquatic plants, and not house plants sold as aquarium plants.

 

[Eric]

Is that a walmart vase? Looks like one I have picked up several time wondering what I could do with it

I have Ricca and spike moss growing in a quart canning jar and java fern growing in a 1 gallon wine jug "I have no idea why" just some left overs I found and decided to see if it would grow. So far so good.

The tanks look great, keep up the good work!

Oh I got 90% of my plants as clippings from other hobbyists, most of the time for the cost of shipping.

Aqua botanics was recommended to me but I never ordered from them, I still get the news letters weekly.

 

[minicrazy592]

I get most of my plants from LFSs, but I'm lucky and have several that actually do carry real live aquatic plants, and not house plants sold as aquarium plants.

My LFS is mainly SW, given that's awesome, but I'm focusing more on my FW now because it's cheaper than my SW, so it kinda sucks for me right now. They are abundant in FW fish though.

I'm the type that likes to see things in person before I buy something. IDK why, but I do. My closest LFS that carries all of my stuff is in Houston and the only time I go there is when I'm visiting my parents during my breaks from school.

Is that a walmart vase? Looks like one I have picked up several time wondering what I could do with it

I have Ricca and spike moss growing in a quart canning jar and java fern growing in a 1 gallon wine jug "I have no idea why" just some left overs I found and decided to see if it would grow. So far so good.

The tanks look great, keep up the good work!

Oh I got 90% of my plants as clippings from other hobbyists, most of the time for the cost of shipping.

Aqua botanics was recommended to me but I never ordered from them, I still get the news letters weekly.

Thanks. The vase is actually from Micheal's. I got the idea after seeing a Beta vase and wondered why couldn't I do the same, but bigger with different fish. The biggest challenge for me was figuring out how to grow the plants. That's where the generic CF light bulbs came to mind. If people use them below their tanks to grow chaeto, why not freshwater plants?

As for the clippings, I wish I could find someone.

 

[SiNiStEr NaTiOn]

Nice builds you got going there Mini. I had a Micheal's open up down the road from me, haven't been there yet. I know it's a craft store, but who knows I might find something useful for my slow build tanks. The only reason I haven't been there yet because of all the freakin snow we been having and they are saying more to come this weekend and about mid week next week.

 

[minicrazy592]

Snow sounds fun. Let me step outside on my balcony into the 70 degree weather.

I decided to trim the tank today. Looks better I think instead of an over grown mess. The fish like it too, they can actually swim again.

Before:

What was removed:

The result:

 

[SiNiStEr NaTiOn]

Look nice Mini, I'm gonna subscribe to this thread.

 

[minicrazy592]

Look nice Mini, I'm gonna subscribe to this thread.

Nice to know people are following.

Last night I rearranged some stuff and added some more Flourite to create a more of a sloping area towards the larger rock on the right. Today I bought some Java moss while running errands. I basically started with this:

And finished with this:

Also when I was at my LFS, I was telling them about trying to find plants. Well they said if I give them a list of what I need, they will order them on their next order. The only issue with that is the Riccia. I can't find it anywhere locally or online. If I can't find it, I have a feeling they won't be able to either. Has it fallen off the map or something?!

 

[minicrazy592]

I just noticed something I have never seen before. I never look behind the back of the main 2.5g tank. Well I just saw while peeking around there the dwarf hair grass has little shoots all back there! I had no clue.

 

[minicrazy592]

Haven't updated in a while, but here's a teaser till later.

 

[minicrazy592]

I've been busy busy!

Lots of stuff have happened since the 18th. My new plants came in, I had my first batch of my new and improved blue strand guppies, I have a new plant growing tank, etc. I guess I'll go down the list.

Babies!-
They were a little unexpected as the mothers weren't due for another 2 weeks or at least I thought. The first batch came on the 18th. I didn't see them till I came home after working on cars with my friends. I saw little figures in the back of my tank and I thought surely not and yup it was. 4 little ones hiding in the corner. Little buggers are hard to catch in a planted tank. So I put them and both moms in a fish keeper till the others popped. That came the following Wednesday. This time with 6. Once they are bigger I'll plop them in the plant growing tank to mature.

Danios-
I also have other new fish and shrimp. I bought 2 blue long fin Danios, 2 long fin Leopard Danios, and 3 Cherry Shrimp. I've had the Danios for about 3 weeks now. I got the shrimp the day of the teaser pic, so I haven't had them long. FYI Danios are my new favorite fish.

Plants-
Well the new plants consist of Hair grass, Dwarf Baby Tears, Java Moss, and Riccia. The background is hair grass of course, the baby tears flank the right side slope, the java moss fills in the mid ground, and the Riccia is the carpet for the front.

Right after planting:

All nice and clear:

Although I only ordered one plant per type, minus the baby tears, I had a lot left over. I didn't have any room in any of my tanks for them so I was in a little situation with those and clippings from the other tank. That's when I came up with a perfect use for the old nasty 20g I have sitting around. A plant growing/fry raising tank! It has Fluorite as a base and sand on top for easy growing and plant propagation. The lighting is the same generic CF as on the new 2.5g. The tank is sealed off will press and seal to keep the humidity high so I don't have to have the tank filled all the way up in the event I need to move it. Also the sides are covered in foil to reflect light back into the tank. It's ugly and nasty, but it gets the job done. Current inhabitants are one of the mean Leopard Danios (he was picking on all of the other tank mates) and the "a face only a mother could love, not to mention giant" ghost shrimp for clean up.

There's most likely more, but I spent the whole day swapping an engine and have yet to sleep, I'm tired night folks. x.x

 

[minicrazy592]

I've run into a slight issue that's good to have I guess. My plants are making so many bubbles that they are floating to the top even with rocks tied to them.

 

[Eric]

My moss does the same thing, odd

 

[minicrazy592]

Updates coming later tonight, a big one.

 

[Eric]

Thanks for the warning lol