Tanks, Glass boxes and Waterbowls

[MattW]

As of posting, I currently have three tanks on the go, all of which are suited to the nano side of the hobby, with the biggest being 90L (23 USgal) and the smallest being 12L (3 USgal). This thread will contain all the progress updates for these tanks, plus upcoming projects. Rather than continuing to post in individual threads, which makes it easier for me . Enjoy reading about stuff I mess up or make work with blind luck!!

For the old tank threads, I'll post links here:
90L Dirtied Planted Tank
60L Daisy's Ricefish Tank
Glass box (12L)

 

[MattW]

90L​

This tank has been doing really well in every aspect apart from the fish that inhabit it. For those who don't know, I lost 3 fish within a 1-2 month period. One was found at the bottom one day, another floating, and the last with a huge chunk of flesh missing, even while it was alive! Treatment was useless as the wound would've easily become infected, which probably delivered the final blow. I mentioned in the original thread that I had another male with an extremely large stomach. That is still the case, sadly. It does eat and isn't struggling to swim, but it's definitely not comfortable. It has slowly lost the orange colour in its face, which is probably a sign that it won't be around much longer. I also think this fish is beyond medicating, as I'm suspecting this one may be a tumour rather than the possible parasite that I believed killed some of my fish previously. I am watching local stores for Sawbwa just in case, along with any small-sized loaches that come from the same region as the Sawbwa, preferably Rosy Loaches.

60L​

This tank hasn't changed much either, apart from the plants growing! Which I've had to deal with every other week now. I did remove one of the Crypt nurii 'Rosen Maiden' from the front, so there is now some form of an open area for feeding algae wafers. Changing the filter was definitely the right call. I've seen an improvement in the reduction of mulm buildup, and algae hasn't been as bad as it once was. That may also be down to increased WC's, though. I did clean it the other week and found both the course and fine sponge to have turned a complete brown colour, which shows it's working at least! The fish and shrimp are doing fine as well. I'm starting to spot smaller shrimp popping up every other day, along with finding fish eggs amongst the plants, too. I did spot that the eldest DRF male has an injury to its left eye. It did go cloudy, but within the last few days, the cloudiness has reduced, so hopefully it's healing enough so I won't have to medicate.

12L​

So adding more plants to this one was a bad call on my part. Cleaning and vacuuming the bottom became a nightmare as the hose got clogged with Süsswassertang constantly, and I even managed to suck up a DRF fry. Luckily, it didn't get injured and was quickly released back into the tank. I've kept in all the epiphytes and moved them onto the substrate bag, so I have a large section of the tank bare bottom, which is easily cleaned. I decided to tie the Süsswassertang onto a knitting mesh wall that is suction-cupped to the back. The fry and shrimp love to hide in it, so I'm happy as it keeps it off the tank floor. I'm still doing WC's every other day around 2L max. This seems to be working well as I'm spotting new moults often and not much leftover food. I may be switching some of the male shrimp out for some more females, as the ratio is currently 7/2, which probably isn't the best odds for any future breeding. As for the fry, they are doing really well. I have started to feed crushed shrimp pellets so they have access to more food. There is one DRF egg on a water lettuce plant that is close to hatching, so the total will become 3 DRF and 3 Sawbwa.

 

[gwand]

Great tanks. The 12 L looks like a work of post modern art.

 

[MattW]

Great tanks. The 12 L looks like a work of post modern art.

That's a good way to put it . I see that tank as a workhorse for its efficient design, while the other two are prized horses.

 

[jaylach]

To me, the 90L looks overgrown but that is perfect for many species of fish. LOL! Mine tend to end up overgrown due to the pain of trimming. Still a nice looking tank.

 

[MattW]

To me, the 90L looks overgrown but that is perfect for many species of fish. LOL! Mine tend to end up overgrown due to the pain of trimming. Still a nice looking tank.

I will admit I like the overgrown look. For the species in this tank, it's definitely too overgrown. I just can't bring myself to trim it all and leave it looking like a hacksaw job
I also hate wasting good-quality cuttings. Luckily, I managed to trade some away today in return for some Taiwan moss that I've put in the 12L. I do have another project in the works that can make use of more hardy and fast-growing plants.

 

[jaylach]

When it comes to plants I've often thought about getting something as 'ground cover' on the substrate but worry about the roots eventually interfering with my under gravel filtration. Filter interference can also happen with swords and crypts but not over the entire substrate.

 

[jaylach]

Oh, on the last photo, 12L, will the 'mesh' on the back end up totally covered?

 

[MattW]

It is a tough one to find a ground plant that won't interfere with a UGF. The only thing I can think of at the moment is some form of broad-leaf anubias attached to pebbles, then you can trim the roots when they reach the gravel. But that means more maintenance

Oh, on the last photo, 12L, will the 'mesh' on the back end up totally covered?

With time, yes. I've just added the Taiwan moss to another two meshes, one of which is on the right wall, similar to the Süsswassertang mesh.

 

[jaylach]

I think I'll likely just leave the substrate empty except for some Java Ferns and Anubias attached to rocks that I already have. Another thing that makes me hesitate on ground cover is that I REALLY want scuds and ground cover would probably mean that I'd never see them.

Since you are or seem to be heavily into plants could a mesh like you are using, with flotation, work as a container for floating plants? I'm thinking this for the Ember Tetras I intend to have. Of course, eventually, there would be too much root development for my taste but I figure I could just take scissors and trim off the excess which I would allow to stay in the tank as free food for the scuds. Does that make any sense?

Anyway, nice tanks!

 

[MattW]

I reckon that is doable. The mesh I use is just some plastic mesh from a craft store, which was quite cheap and works great with zip ties. I assume the container would have a plant like frogbit? With a mesh bottom or an exposed bottom, trimming would be an easy job, especially with curved scissors. Some styrofoam on the sides of the container could be a good idea as well. Another option is an airline hose ring

 

[MattW]

90L​

Still having issues with fish health.. The male I mentioned previously has somewhat returned to his old self, with even the swelling reducing in his stomach and eyes. This is the odd one out of all the fish that had these symptoms, as the others died rather than improved. I do now have another female with the same issues. I'm looking into medication of any kind, as this may still be a parasite or bacterial. I'll probably start setting up my old 10L cylinder tank soon and attempt to medicate the fish if I find a medication I'm comfortable dosing. You can see in the video the difference between the affected fish and a healthy fish.

60L​

Not much to update on this tank. I've done a big cut on the faster-growing stems so the L.repens and L.hippuridoides have access to more light. The next job will be thinning the Vallisanria and cleaning the filter again, as the sponge has turned brown from detritus. The current mini heatwave has impacted this tank more than I thought it would. I noticed the other day a large group of shrimp at the top of the tank. I immediately remembered from a shrimp breeder video I watched that there wasn't enough Oxygen in the water for them. I checked the thermometer and saw it was just above 30 °C, around 4°C higher than I prefer this tank to be. So I did a WC and brought it down to 28°C. Today the tank is back at 30°C, so I've removed the lid + lowered the light intensity to 10% from 35%. I also caught this handsome chap flaring his colours before. This is one of the younger males I bred this year.

12L​

This tank has been a weird one to deal with over the last week. I found out that some of my shrimp have Scutariella Japonica, which I have been attempting to treat with salt dips. This has been working, but every other day, I spot another one attached to a shrimp's head. I also did a head count the other day and counted 5 shrimp.. Of course, there are plenty of hiding spots, but I do know of at least one death, so I added in a few more females from the 60L. This tank is still in its infancy, so shrimp deaths are expected, but I thought that with the mature media I added in from other tanks, that wouldn't have been an issue. I will see over the next few weeks how well they get on. The fry are all doing fine; the DRF egg did not hatch in the end. I did try a new shrimp food the other day, spinach snowflake food. I haven't seen shrimp go this mad in a long time and clean up food so quickly!

New Project! - Waterbowl​

A part of the garden border, which once was home to a wildflower patch, became free real estate recently. We wondered about a water feature being put there for a few months, but we could never find anything that would fit well. We hadn't considered a pond of any sort until we saw a show on what sort of wildlife they attract, whether it be a fish pond or a specific wildlife pond. So the plan was set in motion for a bowl pond, not too big and not too small. We found this one bowl that held around 40L, which was perfect. Luckily, a well-placed Amazon Prime deal day allowed me to buy a semi-decent solar-powered pump to go with it! Firstly, the ground was not even, so a stone slab and a mixture of aggregate were used to make a level platform for the pond to sit on. After that, a simple scape of cobbles and smaller pebbles was placed on top of a lava rock base (for biological filtration). We needed a way for anything that fell into it to get out, so a slope towards the rim was made using the cobbles. After that, it was just a case of filling up, adding some oxygenators and trying the pump. I left it a day before adding some ramshorns from my tanks. These will be the only introduced inhabitants by me, as we have a resident frog who pops up now and then, which loves to eat any passing slugs or snails.

Here is the pond today. The first algae bloom is starting to take hold now, which is a good sign. The next job is looking for any potential marginal plants or lilies and then planting around the waterbowl.

For those wondering why the surrounding area is covered in broken terracotta and sticks, it's because of the panthers that show up and leave us walnut whips in the garden.

 

[MattW]

Waterbowl​

Just wanted to post a quick update on this. Added in some marginal plants that I got from a local Maidenhead Aq. A miniature reed mace (Typha minima) + Arum lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica). I also took a cutting from a corkscrew rush, as I heard they can work in ponds, so I will see how well that does. We've had a fair amount of wildlife using the pond so far. A group of goldfinches with their young are making use of a drink and bath at the same time. A baby woodpigeon has also caught onto the drinking water. No frogs yet, sadly . That may be down to the panthers using it as a drink bowl as well.. The next issue is the mozzies. I am considering the mosquito rings that were suggested in another thread, as they have been getting out of control. Even with me fishing them out.

 

[MattW]

90L​

Overall, the tank and fish are doing much better than last month. Thankfully no more new cases of the swollen stomach and bulging eyes among the Sawbwa. My oldest Amano is constantly holding eggs, which in the 4 years I've had her, she had never done before. Plants overall are doing great, but I have noticed a slight decrease in new growth in some stems and crypts. I do wonder if the substrate system has started to lose its nutritious elements. I do have a plan for a new scape. The current scape is 19 months old.

60L​

This tank has taken off in the past month! The Vallisaria, even after a cutback not too long ago, has exploded with runners and new growth. I kind of like the overgrown look in this tank now. I'm happy that my Trident Java Fern has made a comeback as well. It used to be a very healthy plant. It died back suddenly a while ago, but now it always has baby plants on the ends of its leaves. The shrimp and fish are thriving, too. DRF eggs are often seen attached to most plants. Baby shrimp always seem to get caught in my WC bucket and have to be taken out by a large pippete! As they go through the holes in the net (must buy a shrimp net). I've also found Ludwigia does really well compared to Hygrophila. I always had issues with Hygrophila, constantly having holes in the leaves, and tall stems having no growth at the base. While Ludwigia seems to hold on very well, keeping old growth healthy and new growth that flourishes.

12L​

This one has been doing very well too. The fry are being fed twice a day with a crushed pellet mixture, which they seem to love, even the shrimp love mopping up the remnants. I reckon the Sawbwa will be big enough to be moved into the 90L within 2 months and the DRF around 3 months. The current shrimp population is 9. Sadly, no breeding yet. Every now and then, I treat affected shrimp with salt baths for Scutariella. J. I still do 2L WC every day along with vacuuming the bottom, including moults. I had hoped me removing moults and vacuuming the bottom would have eliminated the parasite population. I could treat the tank with medication, but I don't want the fry to be affected. I reckon that within time, the problem should go away.

Waterbowl​

With the seasons changing, temperatures slowly starting to drop, and unexpected weather occurring. I'm thinking of removing the pump before winter to avoid any damage done by the weather. The pond recently hit a cloudy water phase which I have no idea what caused it. Heavy rain from last week? There is new growth on the marginals, which has been a good sign, along with wildlife making use of the pond. We've had Goldfinches, Woodpigeons, Blackbirds, Magpies, Jackdaws and Doves making use of the water for drink and even to bathe in. The Panthers still come to the pond and disturb everyone else. The mozzies have gone down in numbers, thankfully. I suppose there is one benefit of them, as they become food for smaller birds once matured. I will have to do some thinking on prevention measures for next year. I still am in favour of water beetles.

 

[MattW]

90L​

After 1 year, 8 months, and 2 weeks. The tank and its aquascape were torn down to make way for a new home for my Sawbwa barb and amanos. The old scape, while great, started to lose its charm in recent months. Mainly due to my neglect, but also with plants melting at their bases and some stunted growth becoming prevalent amongst the stem plants. It became clear to me that even with fish and food waste, the nutrient levels in the substrate were not at self-sufficient levels to feed the vast number of plants, unlike when the tank was new. Of course, I could have just thrown in some root tabs and increased liquid fertiliser doses to fix this. However, I think the time for change was needed. My decreasing group of Sawbwa could very rarely be seen, and I could tell they were struggling with swimming room issues, especially when feeding.
I have already set up a new scape and have already added the fish & shrimp. I will make a post on that later.

60L​

Not much change in this tank again. Plant growth is still overwhelming me, mainly the endless amount of Vallisneria. I did do a big clean-up of mainly runners and stunted plants the other week, so the tank isn't as overgrown as I normally have it. With this tank, all you have to do is just give it a couple of weeks, and it will be back to its overgrown look in no time

12L​

The 12L has changed a bit since the last update. The stocking is now just the fish, as the shrimp were removed after failed attempts at breeding. I think I was overestimating how well Neocardina shrimp could do in such a small tank. The original sponge filter has been swapped with the one from my 90L. It does take up a fair amount of room, but the fry seem to enjoy grazing on it and making use of its hiding spaces. Plant-wise, the majority of the subwassertang has been removed. Including the wall, which has been replaced with Taiwan moss. The guppy grass, Egeria Najas and the roots of Hemigraphis repanda provide room for microfauna while also being used as hunting grounds for the fry. I'm still doing 2L wc's, but now every couple of days, as the stocking levels have dropped, and a much larger filter now runs on this tank.

Waterbowl​

I haven't done much with this pond since the last update. With the temperature dropping, the marginal plants are dying back, and the oxygenators are pretty much non-existent, including the water lettuce. I have noticed a few dead snails and even empty shells lying on the rocks, which is a shame, but perhaps the temperatures have gotten too cold even for them. As for wildlife using the pond, we've had a frequent visitor making use of the pond. A squirrel! I'm still running the solar pump currently, but will probably remove it in the coming weeks.