My journey into the nano world

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Dan92

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Hi all.

New face to the forum but a long time fish keeper with a big interest in tropical set ups. I usually keep larger tanks, but recently have had a sudden fascination with smaller nano set ups and the beauty of some of the fish that people have been keeping in them.

Fast forward to now, and I am about to start out on my own nano build (I say nano, it is for me, but some may consider it a bit big..).

Tank
Dennerle Nano Cube (60l or 15g)
38 x 38 x 43cm

Lighting
Dennerle 8w LED L

Filter
Dennerle Corner Filter XL - though may replace with a spare Cristal Profi external filter that I have.

Substrate
Black Sulawesi Sand

Plants
Anubis Bonsai, Cryptocoryne Bullosa, Cryptocoryne Parva, Cryptocoryne Petchii, Cryptocoryne Undulatus Red, Staurogyne Repens and Hygrophila Corymbosa.

Décor
4 mixed pieces of bogwood and some dragon rock stone

The idea is to create a heavily planted tank to house my 4 Hera Jerdoni as well as find a few other new tank mates that will share this with them. Likely Dario Dario or Celestial Pearl Danios but I have plenty of time to consider stocking.

I will update this as I go (and with pictures too). Feel free to add suggestions for stocking as its always interesting to see what others would do and hopefully I can share this first venture with you all.

Dan
 
And so it begins.

The tank is now planted and running. Pictures below! If you look at the front view, clockwise from front left:

Crpytocoryne Undulatus Red
Anubias Nana Bonsai
Hygrophila Corymbosa
Cryptocoryne Bullosa
Staurogyne Repens
Cryptocoryne Parva

I'm thinking of some much smaller rock to go in the front right, and some floating plants to sit in the top right corner and spread around the edges a little. Will be ferting daily with Seachem Flourish and seeing how much the plants bulk out over the coming weeks. I'm hoping for a big bushy background with clumps of green flowing through the wood and rock. Will be sure to update with more pictures as it develops.

Please, any thoughts or opinions on how to improve would be much appreciate as this is my first attempt at trying to scape something small whilst also ensuring that its a suitable home for my Hara Jerdoni.
 

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What about Ambulia or narrow Vallis for one side and Water Sprite as floating and big bushy plant in a corner?

If you tip prune the H. corymbosa, it will become bushier :)
 
I'm hoping that the Hygrophila and c. Bullosa will fill the back corners, with c. Undulatus in the front left.

Will I be able to replant hygrophila trimmings to start new plants? I've grown rather fond of it!
 
Yes, most aquatic plants can be grown from cuttings that are 4-6 inches long. Some of the soft flexible plants like Ambulia, Hygrophila polysperma and Ludwigia can be laid down on the gravel and held down with small weights, and they will grow roots into the substrate and new stems will grow up along the part on the ground. It's a quick way of making a wall of plant.
 
Yes, most aquatic plants can be grown from cuttings that are 4-6 inches long. Some of the soft flexible plants like Ambulia, Hygrophila polysperma and Ludwigia can be laid down on the gravel and held down with small weights, and they will grow roots into the substrate and new stems will grow up along the part on the ground. It's a quick way of making a wall of plant.

Well, I trimmed down some of the h. Corymbosa stems and replanted along the back. It grows so fast! It's now blending with the c. Bullosa and creeping up to cover the filter. Talking of filter I fitted a Dennerle bio filter extension and filled it with media to help collect. I've also added some hemianthus callitrichoides Cuba in the front right with the aim if carpeting up to the s. Reopens. Maybe fix some miss into the wood too.

Infectious these nano aquariums. So many ideas and thoughts I want to try. Though filling a 15g tall is much harder than a 60g long as there isn't the footprint tomworl with and you need to find height.
 
You could try Rotala rotundifolia
 
Im trying it as a carpet.
xUjuVmC.jpg
 
Im trying it as a carpet.
xUjuVmC.jpg

Interesting idea. Does it require much maintenance in order to keep low and carpeting? I had a rearrange of the tank to give some more height to the wood at the back and bring the s. repens to the front left, with the h. Cuba front right down the side. I've found s. repens needs a bit of maintaining to keep as a lower carpet.
 
Not really just a trim now and then, and you can plant the bits you cut off.
 

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