# Chuppy's 15Gal. Low Light set-up.



## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Hey all here's another one of my set-up.. Since I was bored.. and i never tried a true low-light plants set-up.

Some specs:
Tank: 60cmL x 30cmD x 34cmH approx 15gal.
Substrate: 2 bags of Flourite Black Sand.
C02: Pressurized currently at 1bps
Light: Currently- 11wx2=22w gonna upgrade into 36wx2=72w .. 
Filter: A plain HOB filter.
Fertilizer: Unplanned yet.. Suggestions? Preferably the ADA range as i have them at hand.

Some might say that there isn't a need to upgrade the lights, but. the WPG rule doesnt apply from 20gal downwards.

Pics:

I couldn't get a proper FTS as the old tank(with fauna) is blocking my way..









Current Entire Set-up









Close-up on the Focal Point









Some Crypt.Parva









Slight idea of my set-up with the Iwagumi tank...









Just SHaring.. A view of the modified Bathroom into a fish/shrimp room LOL!
the rack to the left is my shrimp rack..









Here's a better view of it.. the top tank is getting infested with algae..









A slight idea how each tank looks like...Okay getting out of topic here 









Anyways, all comments and critics are most welcome for the tank(s) lol.
Please do suggest more plants to add into the 15.gal. as I am brain dead on what to do witht he empty right side of the tank..Leave it empty? LOL

Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Anyone??

Drew


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## MARIMOBALL (Jun 20, 2007)

The rocks underneath the branches look out of place to me. what will the livestock be?


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Hmm I'll try to play around with it tomorrow .. Maybe make a MINI-wagumi ahaha


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I like it. If the emptiness of the right begins to get to you why not carry the bolbitis all the way across the back.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

I'll reconsider that.. But for now I am sticking to my triangular scape frame.. means Tall left low right.. Most probably I'll end up builidng a moss carpet there...

Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

I'm going to get more smaller sized rocks and another brancy driftwood soon.. ANything else I should know off before I go "shopping"?

Drew


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## chris127 (Jun 28, 2008)

hmm i think a group of red would look good with some green mixed in. rotala macandra and rotala rotun. ? 

edit: thats for when you get the higher lights though


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Wella s for now I am trying to limit myself to low light dark green-ish plants... goes well with the flourite LOL!

Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

After a long and careful thinking session.. decided to rescape it...

Tell me what you think...









Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

nevermind.. burried main rock deeper.. found the alst scape too stuffy

Drew


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## kamel_007 (Jan 7, 2006)

hello nice tanks but why you put them in the bathroom???????

they should be in the saloon or sitting room


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

kamel_007 said:


> hello nice tanks but why you put them in the bathroom???????
> 
> they should be in the saloon or sitting room


An answer to that is that.. I just ran out of space for all my tanks.. I had to modify this bathroom into my .. erm.. 'thinking' room...LOL ..

Drew


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

very nice! I think it's gonna be awesome as it grows in. It great right now!


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Tex Gal said:


> very nice! I think it's gonna be awesome as it grows in. It great right now!


I'm guessing it is a definite improvement from my 1st attempt

I will gradually add plants soon.. I have orders of several crypts on the way..

Also, what will you all recommend for foreground??
I'm thinking Either Moss carpet.. MArsilea carpet.. Or Jap. HG carpet..
Any other suggestions or ideas??
Lights will be upgraded to 72watts soon.

Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

bump.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Tied the driftwood with more Spiky Moss.. Hope it will turn out good..









Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Added hairgrass to the foreground area... Hope it turns out well(the HG was grown emersed..)

Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

BUMP
Some Q's

Will the haigrass do well with 72watts of light? (It's hanged about 15cm from the surface..)

Drew


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## ericpop27 (May 13, 2008)

Chuppy said:


>


What brand of light fixture is that? Also what Kelvin are the lights in it? I just love the way it looks.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Well I don't think you can find such a brand over in the states.

So that you know.. It is Ocean Free. I DIY-ed it to hold 2x36w PL-L lights.

The lights are ADA PC NA-LAMP 

Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

UPDATE!!!









Added::
5 ottocincullus
3 amano shrimp

Upgraded::
Lights to 72watts..

Comments and Suggestions are warmly and most welcomed..

TIA
Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

BUMP!

Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

a quick note..

Any fish suggestions for this tank??

Drew


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

I don't know how I missed your tank before, it looks great. The rocks and wood are arranged well and the plantings accent them well. The red stems seem a bit thin but I know the tank is still filling in. 

Have you considered small rainbowfish? Like threadfins or Pseudomugil gertrudae. They are small enough to fit the tank and are quite showy when you have a few males and several females so the males display for each other and the females.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

cs_gardener said:


> I don't know how I missed your tank before, it looks great. The rocks and wood are arranged well and the plantings accent them well. The red stems seem a bit thin but I know the tank is still filling in.
> 
> Have you considered small rainbowfish? Like threadfins or Pseudomugil gertrudae. They are small enough to fit the tank and are quite showy when you have a few males and several females so the males display for each other and the females.


Thanks for your kind comments =)

Well, I'll go poking around the LFSes for this threadfin rainbow you speak off.. As I don't really remember seeing any of these fishes widely available at my parts..(its usually tera tetra tetra  )

Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Any more suggestions and comments??

Drew


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

Your tank looks great! I to think threadfin rainbows would look nice. I also think that any kind of small red tetra or barb would also look good.


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## redstrat (Apr 3, 2006)

the wood in your tank creates great drama for the scape be carefull not distract to much from it. Other than that I really can't wait to see it once that eleocharis foreground fills in, I think its really going to accent the mossy wood.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Kakoii: Yeah i thought something red is going to suit this scape well... Ruby tetra perhaps?

Redstrat: define distracting too much from it?? Don't really get that part lol..

Drew


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## redstrat (Apr 3, 2006)

by distraction I mean don't take the focus to far away from the driftwood. Its really an interesting part of your tank and I think it would be easy for the plants to take away from the effect of the driftwood. do you see what I'm saying now?


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## Garuf (Mar 23, 2008)

I really like the scape, the only thing is that vertical twig, as soon as I noticed it I couldn't stop looking at it, I think it'd be best to just snap that big out. 
Well done, I'll look forward to see it filled in.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Redstrat : yeah now i DO.. LOL thanks for the suggestion.

Garuf : I'll take that thought into consideration.. Thanks for the inputs guys.

Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

::UPDATE::









Beginning to see some algae.. namely BBA coming around.. going to increase c02 level output soon..

Some pics of the inhabitants.

Orange Shrimp








- Don't mind me...~~ You cant see me behind this thicket of hairgrass!!

Ruby Tetra..








O.O

Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Bump!


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

I'll do it again.. Sorry mods.. BUMP!

Drew


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

It's filling in nicely. I hope you can get the algae under control quickly.

I like the hint of red in the background, it adds interest without being distracting. The shrimp and fish look great, they stand out even in the full tank shot.


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## neeko (Aug 3, 2008)

wow! I LOVE your tank! you are a true aquascaping artist.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

neeko said:


> noooo, i LOVED the first one! i'm surprised no one else has been as amazed as i am because that tank is amazing! You must be a true aquascaping artist as i can see from all of your other aquariums that they are awesome too. But you should have stuck with the first setup but the second one is still spectacular.


Hey Neeko, I'm not an artist.. just like any other hobbyist doing their best!


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## Revernance (Aug 20, 2007)

Awesome colors of livestock against the green plants! What moss is this on the driftwoods?


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Its Spiky Moss and Taiwan Moss..(might also be known as Christmas Moss.)

Drew


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

UPDATE!!!

I must apologize for the bad pic.. too lazy to get the DSLR out...

Everythings going well.. no algae growth whatsoever, the cherries are growing and an increased pace and the moss.. Don't get me started! hha

Drew


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## Zenzi (Sep 25, 2008)

It's beautiful!!

Sorry if I missed it but do you do co2? If so, what method?


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Hey Zensi,

the tank is now in a mess.. gonan do something about it soon enough!

Yes I used Pressurized c02.. 1bubble per sec

Drew


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

Beautiful shrimp and fish. The tank is not too bad either


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