# leemar 18" cube garden tank



## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

Here is another plant tank in my collection of three. This fish tank is in my bedroom and I am thrilled that I was able to grow a full carpet of U.G. this has been one of the biggest challenges of all my aquatic plant keeping. Please let me know what you think of this scape.


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## wet (Nov 24, 2008)

I like the scape and have a similar idea with the pair of rocks for my 18" Mr. Aqua cube -- I was going to call it "Topless", heh -- but think I gotta change it up now, though 

The foreground is very pretty and you're doing a great job with keeping the Ranunculus sp in the center under control. I think the edges -- right side where it's pushed to the glass, back where the stems are crowded but still short -- are the places to work on and shape to make the tank great. I like the slope shape (it'll look _great_ with those whorled plants too if you can time it right!) and the focal point with red behind the left rock especially.

Just two cents and ideas. If you kept only a couple stem species it may be more cohesive and bring more attention to that difficult foreground?


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

Thanks for your comments on the tank.... I am really using this tank to house some of the stem plants I don't want in my big show tank right now so that is why I have so many different stem plant species in this tank. If I had more room and money for more tanks I would have them all setup to showcase my favorite plants some day some day


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## doubleott05 (Jul 20, 2005)

lets get some stats on that tank man

lights
ferts
substrate
filter?

very nice carpet of UG 
good job


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

LOL OK here are some specs on this tank.

-Lighting is a coralife pendant 3x36 watt PC's on for 10 hours a day using 3 of the ADA 8,000K bulbs
-Filtration is a Eheim pro 3E day time runs low speed night time runs on high speed using ADA P-2 for return 
-CO2 system 5lbs cyc. @3 bubbles per second 
-Substrate: Penac P, Penac w, clear super, Torumaline F, Power sand, amazonia type 1 normal, and amazonia type 1 powder for top layer.
- water changes done every week 3/4ths of the tank using Pure R.O. 
-fertilization Pfertz P,K,N,and M 3 pumps of each, each day.

I hope this helps you guys out with how this tank is running and setup.

Every time I see BBA start forming on the U.G. or the rocks I treat it with Phyton Git in this tank other wise I would just use hydrogen peroxide but the U.G. is to sensitive to the H2o2.



doubleott05 said:


> lets get some stats on that tank man
> 
> lights
> ferts
> ...


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

That looks really good, although to me the foreground would benefit from a 3rd rock, but that means less UG, LOL. I'm also going to be starting up a cube since I've never done one before. I'm deciding on lighting choices, what made you choice the Coralife 3x36?


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

You should do a cube tank they are really cool because you can view them from more than one angle and create more depth in your scape. I chose the 3X36 watt PC's because other than HQI lighting my eye prefers the color of power compacts over the other types of lighting. T-5 just does not have the right color that I like yet so that in a nut shell is why I chose this light. Plus the ADA bulbs just seem to do a really good job growing the plants well so I don't want to mess that up until I find a lighting system that works better and puts off less heat than my HQI.



houseofcards said:


> That looks really good, although to me the foreground would benefit from a 3rd rock, but that means less UG, LOL. I'm also going to be starting up a cube since I've never done one before. I'm deciding on lighting choices, what made you choice the Coralife 3x36?


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Love your tank. What is python-git? Your UG is fantastic!


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## tmds3 (Jan 20, 2010)

Tex Gal said:


> Love your tank. What is python-git? Your UG is fantastic!


WOW an answer you don't know WOW


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

Phyton Git is a special type of algae killer/plant immunity build up liquid that ADA sells. It is the perfect safe way to kill BBA off of your sensitive plants like U.G. and riccia. It is a little bottle and kind of expensive but worth every penny if you really want to win against BBA on U.G. which seems to be a somewhat constant battle.


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## boink (Nov 29, 2006)

Very nice job on the UG carpet.


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

Here are some shots of the tanks light and filter also so you can see more of how this tank is setup. The Co2 system is inside the stand.


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## enzo (Aug 19, 2006)

this tank is awesome. i'm working on a iwagumi with UG


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## doubleott05 (Jul 20, 2005)

Is hydrogen peroxide good just for BBA or for all types of algae?

how much per ten gallons?

Is it safe for shrimps and fish?

oh and is lee mar a person or a company?


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

you do need to be careful with hydrogen peroxide. I use the little cups like the one that comes with cough syrup. and a little sponge brush. I drain the tank down so the plants or hard scape with the algae on it are exposed to the air and I apply it directly. Then I let it sit for like 5 minutes and fill the tank back up and with in 3 days the algae is gone!!!


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## doubleott05 (Jul 20, 2005)

oh ok sweet


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## chris127 (Jun 28, 2008)

Beautiful tank, that UG is luscious! You pulled off the cube scape very well


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

chris127 said:


> Beautiful tank, that UG is luscious! You pulled off the cube scape very well


Thank you very much I am planning on removing more of the stem plants from the background in hopes to plant more of the U.G. through out the tank. I really like this plant I wish I could get it to grow in the rest of my planted tanks


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## jeremy1 (May 6, 2007)

That is strange how you can get the UG to grow in the cube, but not in your other tanks. I wonder if it has something to do with the lighting? As usual, your scapes look super healthy and well balanced. Great job.

Cheers,
Jeremy


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

jeremy1 said:


> That is strange how you can get the UG to grow in the cube, but not in your other tanks. I wonder if it has something to do with the lighting? As usual, your scapes look super healthy and well balanced. Great job.
> 
> Cheers,
> Jeremy


yah and I cannot grow ranuculus in any of my other tanks either and they both thrive in this tank


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## shark1505 (Jan 24, 2010)

Just IMO, petco sells these little tube cleaners for canister filters. They are 2.99 and will clean the tubes of algae. I think it will give your tank a better look.


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

shark1505 said:


> Just IMO, petco sells these little tube cleaners for canister filters. They are 2.99 and will clean the tubes of algae. I think it will give your tank a better look.


Lol I have a bunch of pipe cleaners I was just lazy cleaning the ones on this tank for the pictures :flock: but I keep the ones on my 90P really clean I even bleach them to keep them clean.


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## tetrasforest (Jan 31, 2008)

Very nice. Love the scape.


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## fank (May 31, 2010)

I think it looks great. 
I am just wondering, why is the co2 diffuser half way up?
I tend to keep mine at the bottom of the glass, assuming it would have a greater affect.


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

fank said:


> I think it looks great.
> I am just wondering, why is the co2 diffuser half way up?
> I tend to keep mine at the bottom of the glass, assuming it would have a greater affect.


Supposedly Co2 is fully dissolved into the water at this depth according to ADA so I am just going on it.


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## Garuf (Mar 23, 2008)

There was much argument on why the co2 diffuser was put half way down, after loads of argument and too and fro-ing someone asked amano himself and he said it was simply that it looked best there.


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

Garuf said:


> There was much argument on why the co2 diffuser was put half way down, after loads of argument and too and fro-ing someone asked amano himself and he said it was simply that it looked best there.


LoL I would like to think it is more of a reason than that because every other product he makes is so specific on its purpose and function.


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## Garuf (Mar 23, 2008)

Nope, pretty much certain that was the reason, even the Barr stepped in on it. I've been trying to find the thread but I think it's one that will be haunting the way back machine. 

If you think about it if you can see the mist floating about in the tank (which is the most desirable thing as misting is the best method of plants getting the co2) then the co2 isn't totally dissolved, also to get maximum dissolution then you want/need maximum time for the bubbles to interact with the water before reaching the surface, ie as far down the tank as possible and ideally in a high flow area where they are blown through the tank for the longest possible ammount of time. Just plonking the diffuser on the opposite side of the lily isn't always going to give you the best results in terms of co2 dissolution experimentation will be needed to find the best place as every scape is different as as a result water will behave differently within the tank meaning using arbitrary guides such as half way down, though sometimes effective largely less than optimal.


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

here is one of the latest updates on this tank. I have recently done a major grooming to the tank so there are hardly any stem plants in the back of the tank right now and i removed a bunch of the U.G. also. plus I cleaned the glassware and removed as much of the BBA as I could.


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

Nice tank! I love how it looks and wish I could have a carpet like that.

-Gordon


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## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

I wish I could just keep fish in this tank every time I put fish in this tank they just jump out. I think I am going to try cardinals this time around. I had 10 scarlet badtis in here and they all jumped out in a matter of a week


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