Another one! Oh dear, this could become a habbit!

So... There I was, just finished piecing together a shattered guitar neck and the phone rings.....
"Hi?"
"Hey B, Moolis has just got some new and rare plants in..."
"Really?"
"I'm there now!"
"Ok..."

Hehe, I didn't know my little Tazz could move quite so fast! R300 worth of plants, a 2 foot tank, a slightly surprised wife and
this is the result:

Tank sise: L60cm D30cm H35cm
Volume: 63L – 16.6 US Gallons
Background: None
Lighting: 2 x 24w T5
Filtration:Boyu external canister filter, EFU-05 (Flow - 200Liters per hour)
Heater: 75w
Substrate: Garden top soil and kitty liter. (See explanation below) Capped with pool filter sand.
Hardscape: none
Plants: Am still in the process of identifying them, I forgot to write down everything I took.
Fish: None as yet

I used my own substrate mix, consisting of sieved garden top soil. mixed with laterite... (Unscented, untreated kitty litter.) The mix is a 40/60 mix. (40% Kitty litter to 60% top soil.)
The kitty litter or Laterite, was mixed into a creamy paste with water and then mixed into the top soil. I then spread this onto the tank floor to a depth of about 1 cm using a small plastering trowel. I capped this mix with about 3 cm of washed pool filter sand, (course grade.) Then placed a sheet of plastic on top of everything, half filled the tank, removed the plastic sheet, (VERY SLOWLY, as I didn't want to disturb the cap,) and planted. After planting, I filled the rest of the tank, set up a small external canister filter, lighting, heater, dosed the water with Microbe-lift bio carbon and Microbe-lift Bloom and Grow and left it to do it's thing!
Here are a few pix taken during and just after setting up. I kept the substrate as level as possible throughout the tank as it is not going to be scaped at all.

 

As with most of my tanks, I can't help doing a bit of experimental DIY... Hence the home-made substrate...
WARNING! The Laterite gets pretty warm when adding water and mixing... Gloves and a strong stick are advised. Wait until the mix cools down before adding to the top soil. The entire substrate mix should be a stiff mix, not runny, but easy to spread with a trowel. Almost like a plastering cement consistency.

 

Ok Joda what is our mere mortals suppose to do ?
What whiskey can I bribe you with for some mix for my on 1 foot planted ?

 

Thank you Reedfish, I honestly just threw this tank together without much planning, as I didn't quite know where I wanted all the plants... The priority was to get them into something ASAP!

I like to plan my planting to try look as naturally chaotic as one would find in nature, but there were so many to choose from, GAAH!
(An observation that I've made is, one doesn't usually find 6 or 7 different plant species in nature, crammed into a 120cm by 45cm rectangular space... You're lucky if you find 2 or three in that space. So if you want more, the compromise in your scaping has to be carefully thought out!)

Hehe... Corne no need for bribery,
PM me your house number again and I'll make you some with pleasure...
The tank's been running since last Friday, no leaching or any issues. I added more plants on Sunday, (mainly cuttings and trimmings from my discus tank.) and everything seems to be ok.

This is supposed to be an experimental plant holding tank--- HA, HA, HA --- and then Moolis decided to get Red coral pencil fish and Fork-tail rainbow fish in stock... D.A.M.N.

 

See! See! I told you they were tricksies, those fishies dangling in front of my face like that!

Will take pix once I've finished dripping them and they're settled in...
There are 6 Badis- badis (Dario dario?), 6 Coral pencil fish and 6 fork tail rainbow fish.

Haha... So much for a "plants only holding tank!"

 

<----- Knew you wouldnt be able to resist... he,he

 

Awesome little tank! I Like!!!

Wish I had my own place so I could just spontaneously do something like this!

 

These pictures look better than the phone pics

What can I do next without getting into trouble with the surprised wife?

 

Hehe, azurekoi this is what happens to those of us who suffer from icthyomania.......

It's not your fault Moolis. They just fell into those packets as I was walking past the tanks to get some RO water and you weren't even there... I think someone said you were in Cape Town for the day!

Well, I've also added a few more plants and all the fish seem happy. I really dig these li'l fellas:

 

Well, ten days into this tank and I have flowers on my Aponogeton. If I'm not mistaken, it's an Aponogeton crispus. Everything seems to be growing madly in here, I already have to do a minor trimming of a few plants tomorrow.
Here's a few photo's of the flower and plant:


This was extremely good stock that Moolis brought in, not one plant has melted or died, or anything and the growth is amazing to see, definitely a wise buy.

 

Hehehehehehehehe and Trish was not even angry

We really enjoyed The evening THANKS.

 

Heehee... Moolis (I do have a very understanding and patient wife...) It's always a pleasure having the family around and very little beats good company and a good braai!

Small update:
I really can't resist the little Badis Badis, and now have:
18 Scarlet badis,
6 Coral pencil fish
6 fork tail rainbow fish.

I'm genuinely surprised at the growth rate of this tank and the stability of everything so far, plus, all the fish are fine and thriving. Considering that the substrate is "home-made." There has been no leaching through the PFS cap either.
I had a few extra plants from the trimmings of the discus tank and also had two "almost dead" cuttings off the dwarf pond lilies. The lily rhizomes were also put into the tank, in the hope that they might recover. I had them in one of the 1foot nano tanks, (no plant substrate, just black sand.) (Lesson: Do not ever forget that plants need food! Silly twit!!!) I had to remove all rotten and dead roots and leaves, also lightly scrubbed the rhizomes, as they had a very slippery scum covering them. Anyway, this is the result after 10 days.

From bare rhizomes to this:

The rhizome in the first pic, is a piece, as big as the tip of my thumb, that broke off when I originally divided the pond lily, and the second pic is a different lily, that my comets, in the barrel pond almost destroyed! I managed to save a 5cm piece of the original rhizome. I am very surprised that they have recovered so quickly and will see if I can get these to flower under the tanks lighting!

 

VERY COOL!!!

when you trim can you please sell me the fluffy plant in the left corner? i have been wanting that plant for EVER!
or we could trade? send me a pm..:nuts:

 

dude.. i am amazed... really impressed with that substrate mix too..

+1

 

Here's a quick shot of the tank tonight.
Guess I'm going to have to do a bit of a trim tomorrow...
Lloydster I haven't forgotten your request, I'm going to let that plant grow a bit taller before it's first trim.
I will let you know as soon as I have a few decent cuttings from it.




I haven't taken the grass or the fern out of their pots yet, as I don't want the grass planted in here. The fern is going to be used as an immersed plant, just have to construct a "hang on" basket for it!

I must say that this tank has turned out to be one of the most pleasant surprises; For a completely unplanned, slapped together substrate and planting, it's working way beyond my expectations!

 

@Barry.M, very impressive looking tank. The flowering plant in the back corner looks more like a crypt than an aponogeton, I'm just not too sure which one. The little red guys that you have are the Dario Dario, they are much smaller than the Badis Badis and have a lot more colour too. I just love them to bits, mine come to the surface when I'm feeding them now, especially when it's bloodworm... Keep the pics coming, I'm very interested to see more of this tank in the future...

 

This is on its way to a jungle

 

@Barry.M thanks for leaving 5 Badis Badis at Pet Stop. Can't refuse the fish when you walk in there. I whent there today to order a 3 ft sump and walked out with 5 Peppered Cory's, waited to speak to Shawn, bought 5 Badis and a net, paid my deposit on sump and left before I do more damage to my budged. Luckely I'm already working towards a 4 ft tank although I migh reconsider and go bigger. I am defenately going to use your DIY sumstrate, looks like a winner.

 

Some nice plants man! @Lloyd is that Eriocaulon setaceum! Rare plant @Barry.M. Some say very demanding.