山のサバンナ (Mountain Savannah)

[SuperColey1]

山のサバンナ is my first aquascape of 2011. I will be doing another new scape on my 125ltr in a month or so but here goes with this one.

This will be the cheapest setup you have ever seen. From no tank to fully scaped for a grand toal of £0.40p!!!!

Firstly a review of the little tank I am using. The link below is the manufacturers site:
http/www.tmc-ltd.co.uk/planted-tank/microhabitats.asp


This is a TMC Aquagrow Micro Habitat 8. It is an 8 litre cube 'in essence'. By 'in essence' I mean that the actual usable tank dimension is 16cm width x 16cm depth by 20cm height.

The tank's depth is actually more than that but it has a built in hidden filtration system behind a black piece of acrylic.

It comes complete with filter media, micro thermometer and a lighting unit which comprises of 16 LG Ultrabright TopLEDs.

I actually ended up getting this for free as it was sent to me by mistake. Then it got broken (big crack down the side near the corner of the filtration section.) The company who sent it in error told me to keep it. Therefore with the crack being out of view as it is on the side where the filtration part is I have siliconed inside and out and put the little tank into use.

The first impression is that the whole unit does look very cool and modern. The lighting looks great and because you can just put this size of tank anywhere it is pretty much a coffee table or sideboard 'decoration'.

The light output is good but pretty central and therefore while it does higlight the hole substrate any tall hardscape items can mean very dark areas within the tank. Maybe a slightly larger area lighting unit spreading the LEDs out a bit more would have been better.

The thermometer is pretty useless. It looks OK but it isn't as well made as my cheap (china copy) ADA style ones. It also reads 2 degrees celcius lower than it should!!! All my other thermometers gauge my main tank at 26degrees and my previous unheated nano at just over 21 degrees. So thats 3 thermometers all different makes and all reading very close together.

The one supplied with this aquarium reads 24 and just below 20!!!! This has gone into storage and been replaced by one of my little ADA copies. Same size, better printing, the blue liquid looks better than the red, the sucker is much much smaller (the sucker that comes with the supplied one is huge) and the printed numbers are much better and clearer than the one supplied.

This being an unheated aquarium the temperature is pretty important for me to know. Ambient tends to move a little where the temp on my heated tanks stay the same (barring crazy hot summers) because the heater is on less in the warmer weather and more in the colder weather.

My biggest gripe is it being acrylic. I have young children plus I am very lazy and careless. I clean my main aquarium (glass) with stanley blades and scourers etc (when and if I need to.) I can't do that with acrylic so advice on that would be cool. Also my kids (don't know which one) have already managed to put a 'pinprick' in the front glass!!!

Is it worth £50 (which is the cheapest from a quick google I can see it being sold for at the moment. The highest I found was £61.49)

I guess that boils down to what you are after really. If it bang for buck then definitely not. You may as well just get a £15 13/14 litre starter tank for £15. If its for the looks and you do want this size of tank then yes it pretty good.

I wish these companies that are releasing LED systems would start to look at the practical rather than the aesthetic when designing their lights.

Review over and you can now view the tank in pictures to cast your opinion

The Tech Specs:

Tank - 8 litre
Filter - Rear Filter Compartment - lph Probably around 50-100lph but moves the water well.
Heating - None
CO2 - Easycarbo Liquid Carbon 0.1ml daily
Dosing - Full EI - 0.25ml Macros, 0.1ml micros, 50% water change weekly.
Hardscape - Some stones Ianho brought round to my house. Look like granite of some sort.
Substrate - Mulm, Leonardite, Tesco value kitty litter, Wilko goldfish gravel.

Inhabitants - Currently 3 shrimp. I'll put more in once I see they are safe

Plants - Vallisneria, Microsorum Pteropus sp 'needle', Cryptocryne Parva, Bolbitis heudelotii, Anubias Barteri v Nana 'petite', Lileopsis Brasiliensis.

How has all this only cost 40p?

Here is the substrate:

The black on the bottom is Leonardite and mulm which I already had from ages ago.
The next 'chalky' layer is the Tesco kitty litter which has been lying around the house since a cat owner left it here whilst visiting.
The top layer is Wilko's cheapo goldfish gravel. Cost £1.60 and I used about a quarter so there's the 40p

Here you can see the rocks. There are 5. One is half behind the largest to support it. The 'supporting' rocks may look too large and powerful at the moment but I am hoping the Lileopsis Brasiliensis when it grows will hide all but the upper third of these.

At the back in both corners plus one just in front of the main rock are Cryptocoryne Parva. Taken from my main tank and as per all of my Crypts they have defied the size guides These are circa 15cm in some points.

The Needle Ferns are attached to the rock supporting the largest rock. These are taken from the main tank.

The Vallisineria is hidden right at the back. You are thinking I am mad putting Vals in such a small tank. These have been in my main tank for over 2 years yet they have not grown at all. They are healthy and no defficiencies but just not growing. If they get too big for this tank then I will consider that a positive

The Bolbitis heudelotii has come from my emersed nursery where it had suffered a bit of neglect for a couple of years. These are 2 very tiny pieces that have survived from what was once the width of this tank. The Lileopsis is a similar story. Hopefully these 2 will be 'resurrected'.

The Anubias petite is also from my emersed nursery but I have had it in my main tank for the previous 2 months preparing it for a scape. It was to be in the main tank however plans have slightly changed there so I have put them in this one.

A few more pictures just for the sake of it (I am no Saintly with the camera. lol)

Hope you like my 40p outlay

p.s. The little kid's toothbrush next to the tank is what I have been using to clean the inside glass at the moment. Was a bit dusty from adding the substrate.

Regards
AC

 

[JoshuaA]

I enjoyed reading this, currently I have the exact same tank for RCS. I however use the Aquasoil or Nutrasoil whatever it's called by TMC.

I know what you mean about the thermometer it doesn't seem to be set right and the sucker is insane, however I do think the price is also a bit high but I do enjoy it and I think to get an equivalent tank at the same price would be pretty hard with the same sort of looks. The filter is pretty powerful for what it is as well but the LED lights are actually fantastic for brightness, you can light the entire downstairs of my house with it heh.

The fact it being acrylic had already paid off, when mine was delivered I was out and a neighbour took collection. The neighbour heard and then saw the delivery guy drop the tank with the box labelled "fragile" and then when they asked on my behalf to see if they could check it before accepting delivery the man refused and insisted they had to sign. Fortunately there was no damage and if there was I would of been £50 out of pocket just like that. Acrylic + 1 Glass 0.

 

[SuperColey1]

If I was buying (and not got it for free) there's no way I'd pay for acrylic. too much hassle!!! And mine did break when it was dropped (in the box )

It is a nice looking tank but not sure that equates to the difference between a 13 litre starter setup at £15.

However it is worth what people will pay

The light is good. Its just my usual complaint about light manufacturers squeezing all the light together instead of spreading it out. They could use the same amount of LEDs but make the actual unit twice the size and spread them out. Would be much better then.

Delivery companies have no answer if they do not deliver to the addressee. Even if your neighbour took something in perfect condition and then broke it. The delivery company did not deliver to the address specified Contract is with you not with your neighbour. So if it were glass you'ld still be fine apart from a ballsache amount of hassle trying to get them to sort it out. lol

AC

 

[JoshuaA]

Haha the ballache, well I contacted the company who I bought it off and they said just fill it up and make sure it doesn't leak. If it does "we can take it further" was the phrased used. I've never had much luck with returning goods from which I've ordered online/received delivery of.

Yeh for the price and the looks it probably isn't worth the money but there is nothing in-between a crappy looking 13l starter and the MH8, after all the fluval edge is like £80 and that's a pretty small tank with only looks going for it.

The LEDs are brilliant but yeh like you said if they could actually spread them round, unfortunately the way I have my tank the entire centrepiece is a rock so most the light is "wasted" so to speak though I like the effect it gives.

Then again this is purely the same tank as the Betta Nano and many other brands, the only difference is the filter pump and the lighting that comes with the tank. I believe the Microhabitat 8 is the only one to have the LG LEDs, the others seem to be a bit cheaper and less effective. The only one with dual settings which is think is a brilliant addition. Downside is I can't put it on a timer properly.

Could you possibly tell me where abouts/what you searched for to find the nano thermometer + sucker?

 

[SuperColey1]

I know what you mean r.e. the price. If you want the tank to look nice and not like the starter ones then this is about the cheapest option. Definately wouldn't be a choice if it were just a small tank you wanted but then you buy what you require. If its aesthetics then its a reasonable price.

I have the same problem as you. The light is blocked to the rear centre by the large stone. Aaargh. I've been saying for a couple of years now about all the 'sleek' units not being very good in practical terms.

Thermometer - I think this is the one I have. same size as the one with the microhabitat. doesn't give the size on the listing so maybe message them for that info. Very pretty thermometers as you can see below:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Japan-GEX-Aqu...0?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item3a52425414

AC

 

[SuperColey1]

oops double post

 

[JoshuaA]

I noticed this issue with the light before I even bought the tank though, I remember seeing a video of someone who was setting up a microhabitat 8 as a guide, with his little piece of bogwood sticking out the top of the tank to add some dimension to the tank. The odd thing about it was that wood must be blocking the majority of the light output by the unit, I imagine if that tank was viewed today it wouldn't be too great. At the end of the day I think the aesthetics would go out the window if we did have the sort of light we are after though, perhaps one day though there will be one.

The growth in mine has picked up a bit though and that was ever since the introduction of EasyCarbo, I had moved the tank from my house to the flat I live in for Uni and the soil had all dislodged and most the plants were up turned. I decided to let it settle a bit and then started dosing TPN+ and then eventually TPN+ along with Easycarbo and everything has picked up, however my gloss has grown awfully since I moved the tank, much of it got dislodged in such a way it has piled ontop of itself however in some areas of the tank it is spreading like wildfire and looking great. I really need a good nano scaping kit, some delicate tweezers and scissors, going in with my hand is awful half the tank spills out!

I really really hate the dosing though with these small tanks, such a small measurement and so little room to go wrong! Not practical like you say but if done right I think it can be a beautiful addition to a room. It's one of those tanks though I've had many friends come in my room and be amazed by it, go up to it and sit there for 5-10 minutes starring at the shrimp and plants watching the ecosystem go round and round. I actually prefer having pest snails in that tank along with other micro organisms, I think it all adds to the "Micro habitat" part.

 

[ian]

Love the title Andy! I was just about to delete it as i thought is was spam!lol

Looks nice AC, I'll be up to see it soon mate. BTW the rock isn't granite, it's actually from the meteor that created the ice age

 

[SuperColey1]

Did that meteor come from the same planet as you?

As for dosing I do it with a 3ml syring but first I draw 2ml of water from the tank into it. makes it easy then to see the marking as I draw it up another 0.1ml or so with the easycarb and ferts etc.

We'll see how it goes. lol

AC

 

[Joshwainwright]

Great read, you must have been extremely lucky to have it sent to you by mistake!

 

[lljdma06]

Don't you love insta tanks, Andy? I've set up a few systems with just leftovers. My new one is like that to some extent, but it didn't cost me 40 pence!

Looking forard to seeing this one develop, though honestly at 8lt, not sure I'd put much livestock in.

I suspect, though, that the bolbitis will eventually get too big for the tank.

 

[SuperColey1]

at 8lt, not sure I'd put much livestock in.

I suspect, though, that the bolbitis will eventually get too big for the tank.

This will only have shrimp in it

As for plant sizes, I would expect the Vals and Needles to grow too big as well

AC

 

[JoshuaA]

I ordered one of those fancy blue nano thermometers but it's going to take a while to arrive! However my heater seems to be boosting to around 24/25 C in my tank so that's all good using the thermometer from my main tank. I never actually questioned it's accuracy until you mentioned it, I always thought it was reading low because it was sitting next to a drafty window in my flat.

 

[JoshuaA]

Beginning to absolutely hate it when people link ebay links now, went and "treated" myself to a bunch of aquascaping tools just so I don't have to move them from house to flat every weekend.

 

[JoshuaA]

Beginning to absolutely hate it when people link ebay links now, went and "treated" myself to a bunch of aquascaping tools just so I don't have to move them from house to flat every weekend.