# My only tank left...



## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

Just thought i would post pics of the low-maintenance tank..
I converted this from high maintenane to low-maintenance since i wouldn't be around to take care of it.. i wanted to make it real simple for my brother to do so.

Anyway.. here is 2.5 months of growth... now i'm just waiting for the moss to grow in the foreground..then its set...

Posted both pictures of the High maintenance phase (picture 1) and the low-maintenance pahse (Picture 2)...sorry they arent too clear as they were not shot with a lot of effort.... just for viewing is okay i guess... hope you guys like it..comments welcomed

Before : high maintenance









After : low maintenance


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## youjin (Apr 1, 2006)

sorry, i can't see any pic or is it just me ?


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## Cassie (May 27, 2006)

is it just me, or are the pictures not actually there?

edit: must not be just me!


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

Here are links. Please excuse this post, just wanted to see the photos.
before
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/gallery/files/3/1/9/7/2fttrial.jpg
after
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/gallery/files/3/1/9/7/2fttankshot002.jpg
ETA: nice tank.


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## yoink (Aug 31, 2005)

The page cannot be found


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

oops... sorry... i'll re-upload the pictures..good thing i checked back..

Okay... reuploaded them... sorry about that guys..

Its not stellar wow kinda tank but..let me know what you think..


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## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

Ranmastone! Haven't seen stuff from you in ages!  

Very cool little tank dude, though I think you know it'd have a hard time competing with some of your previous stuff like the "autumn" theme tank.


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

yup...been busy working in Japan... you still around this area??..
This tank is so much easier to take care of.. i know the leaf-age is a little too big for a 15 gal tank... and its not stellar...but the plants are growing great and the CRS shrimps are breeding and the fish are eating.. so no complaints there... its just an enjoyable tank all in all.. with little maintenance to boot..

I will do a better tank when i have time.. saving up right now for non-reflective glass tank... 3ftx2ftx2ft...and getting all my gear ready.. 
I already have sort of a title in mind..something in the lines of 'crossroads' or 'undecided paths'... something like that.. it'll probably be a 'under canopy scene' kinda scape... think i've been reading too many fantasy books..haha

i liked your other tank as well steven.. great job..


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## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

Thanks Ranma

Actually, I'm back in California already (karifonia ni modotta)-- though I'm getting ready to go back to Hawaii for winter break (kaeru). I hope Japan is treating you well. Sounds like this tank is very enjoyable! It's definitely pretty. 

I'll be waiting on the edge of my seat for the new tank too. Sounds like you got some cool ideas in store.


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## Mellonman (Nov 2, 2005)

When you say "low-maintenance", what does it mean in terms of water changes please ?


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

Japan is fun... since i work in the mountains..i have been finding lots of mosses in the lakesides and some submerged ones as well in a river not too far off from me. I'm setting up a tank soon so i can grow some of these mosses and maybe a vivarium while i'm at it..haha..

Anyway.. lets keep in topic...i'm going to post some specs for mellonman..

Tank Specs...
15 gallon, 36watts power compact (8000k), Ehiem Pro2 2028, Daeil 1/10hp Chiller, ADA Amazonia soil

Fish..
15-18pcs of Bell Finned Tetra (common name in Japan)... Still dont know what is the scientific name of the fish yet..but we are finding out..

Plants..
Spiky moss, Hygrophilia sp. 'Araguia', Anubias nanas 'Gold', Anubias nanas 'Petite', About 6-8 differnent types of Cryptocoryne...some still un-named.

Regime...
2-3x usual diluted fert dosage and topping up of water in a Month (Once every 10-15 days or so).
No water change
Feeding only once every alternate day..or two..haha

Nice and simple..


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## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

no water change? Not taking advantage of all that pristine water out of the tap there. 

God I wish Claremont's (where I am) tap was anything like Tokyo's. Then again, I have no idea what the tap water in your mountain area is but if it's anything like anywhere else I went in Japan it should be exceptional compared to . . . well compared to my tap water. XD


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## youjin (Apr 1, 2006)

I like the easiness of the Regime ! No water change ! and it is looking really nice !
2-3x usual diluted fert dosage and topping up of water in a Month (Once every 10-15 days or so).


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

Well.. this tank is in Singapore and the tap water here is actually even better than Tokyo for raising fish and plants. I only made it this low in maintenance because i can't be around here to work at it daily (Since i am there)...so it would be an easy job for my brother (which is doing me this favour) and isn't really planted inclined..haha..

The tanks in japan will have to wait... still trying to set up for them with all the different voltages between here and there..

Youjin - Yes... NO water change... My last low maintenance tank also underwent water-change-lessness for about 1.5 years...before i totally rescaped it to this...for these low maintenance tanks.. all i do is top up with more water when it evaporates. It gives me the freedom to still have tanks and not spend like 10 years changing water/pruning/worrying about water parameters on the weekends. The plants do grow slower...but so does algae.. and you get to see your intended scape for a lot longer. This one still needs a little growing out...


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## Mellonman (Nov 2, 2005)

Thanks for the info... 



ranmasatome said:


> No water change


Interesting, but I guess the balance which allows avoiding water changes is not that easy to find...
I mean balance of light, ferts dosing, plants growth, fish...


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

i dont think this tank is balanced... it does have algae but i have a lot of algae eating shrimp in there that eat it up faster than it can grow...
Precisely because in such a tank.. everything grows slow.. so the algae eaters always end up on top...and the algae, eaten.
i think just because everything grows so slowly.. you have a rather long and forgiving time frame for any nutrient shortfalls to be made up...or eliminated...
so its probably like a sine curve ... and not balanced all the time...but on the overall its okay.


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

So its been around 3 months and i decided to take more pictures of the tank...
I've decided to change somethings and re-grow some others...
Let me know what you guys think..

Just experimenting with different fish positions... which do you like best?




























The corner flashing spot is on purpose... i thought it rather looked like the morning sun... so i liked it..
Still i think i should work harder the next time i take photos... these are a little on the dark side for my taste..
I'm beginning to love this low-tech tank..kekeke

Sad thing is tomorrow i'm tearing it down and rebuilding it up again in the new ADA "60cm Clear" tank.


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## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

-I like how it's come out!
-I like #2
-I like tearing tanks down and setting new ones up-- with ADA equipment lol
-I like the dark corner idea
-I don't like seeing crinkles on the background (get it into photoshop and use the blur tool there, no problem :lol


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

Kinda like this Steven?? lol..










Oh well... its rebuilding time today.. will start a new thread on that one by itself....what shall i do?? after such a long hiatus from scaping.. hmmm...


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## gnob (Feb 8, 2007)

you have beatiful tank.. I like it 
the lighting is dramatic..
is that the normal lighting or for picture purposes?


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## mrbelvedere138 (Jan 18, 2006)

I'd like to see a "brighter" picture. Very nice tank.


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

Gnob - The lighting is only for photo taking purposes, i felt i wanted a dawn kinda feel to it so decided to use the flash where it is and made the pictures a little darker with less light.

mrbelvedere128 - yeah... i agree with you.. i need to brighten it up a bit.. its a little too dark...but thanks for the comments.


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## krisw (Jan 31, 2005)

The crypts really look good in this scape. You've done an excellent job incorporating "spikey" plants like java ferns and the crypts in here without them looking out of place. While sometimes overdone, the crypts draping over the surface on the right really add to the composition of the tank -- especially with your "sun" flash effect.


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## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

Yeah, like that lol


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