# [Wet Thumb Forum]-My mini 4g tank



## Johncjy (Mar 13, 2004)

Hello,

My first planted tank and I am trying out this mini tank with pretty much DIY stuff..like the Co2 yeast and the down light. Had problems with protein/oil on the surface but the change in the filter position clean it out. I keep 4 types of fishes (all cleaners) mainly panda cat(X1), Otto(X1), CAE(X1) and leopard cat(X1). Maybe I'd add one more yamato to clean out the moss which is still covered with some algae. I am tying to make it self sustainable with only a 50% water change once a week and some ferts tables once a month. I haven't fed them any food and its been 2 weeks now. The fishes seem all well fed and with a tummy







Will get some test kits to detemine the water parameters.

Would appreciate some comments and suggestions.

This is the link, hope it works!

http://community.webshots.com/s/image11/8/72/23/125487223dZDZXO_ph.jpg


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## Johncjy (Mar 13, 2004)

Hello,

My first planted tank and I am trying out this mini tank with pretty much DIY stuff..like the Co2 yeast and the down light. Had problems with protein/oil on the surface but the change in the filter position clean it out. I keep 4 types of fishes (all cleaners) mainly panda cat(X1), Otto(X1), CAE(X1) and leopard cat(X1). Maybe I'd add one more yamato to clean out the moss which is still covered with some algae. I am tying to make it self sustainable with only a 50% water change once a week and some ferts tables once a month. I haven't fed them any food and its been 2 weeks now. The fishes seem all well fed and with a tummy







Will get some test kits to detemine the water parameters.

Would appreciate some comments and suggestions.

This is the link, hope it works!

http://community.webshots.com/s/image11/8/72/23/125487223dZDZXO_ph.jpg


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## Johncjy (Mar 13, 2004)

Oops .. try this one instead

http://community.webshots.com/photo/125485245/125487223dZDZXO


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Looks nice. However, it would be cool if you could provide us with the tank specs: plants, substrates, equipments, etc....Thanks










Paul


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## Johncjy (Mar 13, 2004)

Hi Paul,

My plants consists of Java Moss and Anubias barteri v. nana attached to the wood, Cryptocoryne parva, Micranthemum umbrosum and Glossostigma elatinoides as foreground plants, one Nuphar japonica (will be taking over the whole tank!)







and one miserable amazon sword. (trying to revive it from the dead)

The rest I have no clue maybe someone out there can help?

http://community.webshots.com/photo/125485245/125575172fEHTFC - mistery plant 1

http://community.webshots.com/photo/125485245/125581011sbpWCM - mistery plant 2

http://community.webshots.com/photo/125485245/125583547qTibHi - mistery plant 3

As for substrates, its call "Bali Stones" and I got it at the LFS here in Jakarta. It has some crushed shells in it (







I know ) but its the only choice I have over here. The plants don't seem to mind too much and the roots seem to be growing well (into the 5 week now)

As for equipment, the tank measures 30cm(W)X45cm(H)X15cm(D) and for lights I simply went to a lightling shop and got meself a standard downlight and a 18W daylight energry saving bulb. It's colour temp is 6500K. I think the downlight works well as it kinda like a huge torchlight







I put a timer on it for about 13hrs a day. It has one tiny internal filter which doubles as surface skimmer.

The other thing maybe worth mentioning is I am experimenting with jelo yeast DIY and it seems great with very good Co2 output. A typical 300ml bottle will last me 3 week or more.

I do not have my water parameters ( thanks to leopardess for teaching me ) at the moment as I have no means of testing. I will post it later with further updates.

Lastly, here is a snapshot of the big picture

http://community.webshots.com/photo/125485245/125572533zeAyqh - The big picture

regards,

John


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Hey, thanks so much for the details! #1 looks like a Hygro 'green temple' as it kindda resemble mine. #2 looks like Brazilian sword; not so sure, though. #3 is strange but cool looking!

I am in the midst of setting up a small aqua-bowl. Already added some potting soil, using Walstad method. Topped with gravel. Still waiting for majority of my plants and a 13W Retrofit light. I did go out today and bought some Ludwigia plus some other red plant in loose clumps; store gave them to me for free since they were very few. My idea is to have a tall, emersed plants of varying colors in the center, surrounded by hairgrass all over. Hope it'll work; we'll see







Thanks for the posts, again!

Paul


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## Magnus (Feb 4, 2004)

The third plant is Lobelia cardinalis dwarf form.


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Much appreciated, Magnus! Now I have yet one more plant I love









Paul


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## Tenor1 (Mar 3, 2003)

Hi Johncjy,

That's a great little tank and thanks for sharing it with us. Some of those plants will quickly out grow the space. What are your plans for that?

Regards,
Carlos

==============================
I try to keep the tank plain and simple but it never stays that way!


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## Johncjy (Mar 13, 2004)

Hi,

thanks everyone for their inputs, the Hydro plant I noticed has Shriveled leaves at the top and is looking sickly with undeveloped leaves. The other plants are doing fine. Anyone knows why this is so? Does this plant have a special need...?

The Lobelia cardinalis dwarf I also like a lot, tried to get my hands on more but out of stock. They'll make great fore-mid plants cos they grow slowly.

As for the plants outgrowing the tank.. my immediate concern is the japonica. Its already overshadowing the others.. I initially wanted this tank as a staging tank for plants I bought over here to bring back home...but one thing led to another..







I'll probably take it back to the LFS to trade for another species. I was thinking of Aponogeton longiplumulosus or something similar as it has long and slender leaves and would be easier to prune... what u all think?

regards,


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Hm...I am not so certain about getting any aponogeton species for a tank this small. One thing for sure is they all put out long slender, if not wide leaves in most species, and you could end up with the same problem of overshadowing. I'd rather keep the Nuphar and just prune its leaves once every 2 weeks; should be enough. You have alot of light for a tank of this size so if anything, I would get some more bunched plants to take in the abundant light; that algae competition thing







You could always discard those plants later when your tank becomes stable. Also, the reason I'd rather keep the Nuphar is its simplistic leaf growths; it sends out slender leaves that is only wide in its leaf part but ultra thin leaf stem. It would make trimming so much easier than the Aponogetan. Just my opinion









Paul


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## Johncjy (Mar 13, 2004)

Hi Paul,

I have seen aponogeton species which a really slender almost stick-like leaves and are targeting these though I haven't come across any of them for sale (only in show tanks).

Having said that, I really prefer the japonica cos they produce the most beautiful leaves and when they bubble..WOW. Thats the problem paul, I can't bear to cutoff them beautiful leaves! 
Incidentally, would you know how much one would cost over there? I get them here for about USD50sen

I do hope however, that plants would be like fish in that they grow according to the tanks size given to them.. or at least slow down so I can enjoy them longer..









regards,


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Holy..........!!! You really meant $50USD??? I would never pay anything that high for anything. And here I am complaining things are too expensive in USA Man, I didn't know... Still, being in Malaysia you must have easier access to Cryptocorynes, right? Do you know if the government there have any laws in collecting wild plants? I was gonna tell my buddy to bring me back some this past January because he was there with his girlfriend to meet her parents, haha

Sorry to have sidetracked>< ! So which plant were you asking for? For either Nuphar or Aponogeton species, we have them all here at much lower cost. You could find some nice ones at our forum administrator, Robert's store. I don't know if he does oversea shippings, though. If that doesn't work then perhaps some people here will be more than willing to work out a deal with you regarding pricing and shipping.

But yeah, I totally agree with what you meant. I'd rather keep Nuphar leaves as they are really something to look at. See, I told you I also rather keep them than Aponogeton







I think, all in all, Aponogeton spp. would do and look so much better in a larger tank where they could spread out their leaves in all directions. Nuphar, on the other hand, is more suitable for a tank like yours as they will send out leaves nice and long upward. I think they look better that way, too, instead of Aponogeton's spread-out manner. In fact, I just replanted one of my Aponogeton madagascariensis and its spread-out leaves simply looked stunning!

Paul


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## Johncjy (Mar 13, 2004)

No Paul I mean 50SENS USD no kidding... Not in Malaysia but in Jakarta. They pratically throw these away. I bought a bucket full to take back and Sell/exchange in the LFS in KL!









Not sure about the laws in M'sia.. though I think even if there are such laws they are probably not enforce strictly. Your friend should be able to buy you cheap plants from the store (exchange rate and all...) though I am not sure he'll get pass your strict imigration..


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

John, now you can post your pictures here direct from you desktop, have your gallery here instead of on those annoying WEBshot pages! No more pop up ads or slow loading pages. Do you want to create your personal gallery here?


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## Johncjy (Mar 13, 2004)

Hi Robert, I see theres a new attachment icon so here goes; testing.. 

see my carpet upclose

hmm..


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## Johncjy (Mar 13, 2004)

hey it works! .. 

ok robert, I know how to attach pic now in a message, but I also tried something by clicking on the "NEW" --> "PHOTO ALBUM" and proceeded to create a personal album. I also upload some pic there. The problem is, how do I get back to that album to view and edit? I suppose I could also hyperlink to those pic there right?

thanks in advance

regards,


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