My Nano 15L refurb and DIY light

@Jenn...

You will have a love hate relationship with the pfp. Or should I rather say, you will hate the fact that you love it so much! The crypts, vallis and sword plants LOVE the pfp. When I tore my 1.2m tank down, I think I had more roots in the PFP than actual PFP!! And when I had a final count on the crypts, I had over 200 individual plants. This doesn't take into account the number of crypts I have literally uprooted and given away over the previous 2 years! Vallis is a funny plant... mine did exceptionally well, and suddenly it stopped. But it's roots were also very very strong.
And the Sword.... I had members complain that they could never get their amazons looking that big.

The reason I say you have a love-hate relationship.... just give your tank a few months to fill in nicely... and suddenly you will see and endless amount of rescape idea's that you want to try.... NOW... try pull a sword without disturbing too much. Or even worse... a crypt that has it's roots entangled in another 5 plants on the other side of the tank....

But you are absolutely correct... the PFP method is most definitely the route to take if you are wanting a nutrient rich substrate, without the cost of buying commercial ones. (Or even other DIY ones- that by the way... give no guaranteed analysis...)

But we digree... (i.e derail)

 

@Zoom the nano was one that @Vis made. The previous owner @Whipme donated it to me and told me that Vis was the one who made it. But if it is the same one that you owned im not sure. Just a quick question to you on it... because it had that huge heavy wooden canopy with a couple of holes in the back, how did you manage to stop all the condensation in there and what lighting did you use?

 

Go read my nano thread

Zoom's 38l Nano


Skip through the first year or so... and go to post 230


I know @Vis made a few of these tanks... but there's the one I used.

 

@Zoom yea that is the same tank that you have/had but it is not "your" personal one. i thought you were asking me if it was the exact same nano that you had (ie the one that you owned) . mine comes from Whipme and i see he made some comments on your thread about his (same) nano which is the one i have set up now. so i am guessing that Vis made multiple nanos like this one. the difference between his and yours is that he drilled 2 larger holes 2cm under the 3 inline inlet holes therefor solving that flow problem that you had. btw what has happened to your one? if you have it running still it would be great to see what it is looking like what type of lighting and watts did you use in it? anyways that is what i think is the history of this system.

 

No.... I gave mine away too. The condensation problem was something I didn't have the time and inclination to fiddle with. I can't recall who I gave it too, I think it was Hein, or Vez. Not too sure. The end of that thread is what is now my Nano. I would love to have more than one Nano... but maintenance with a baby is a nightmare with regards to time. I'd much rather spend time with him!

 

Yep, it's one of Vis's nanos.
I drilled more holes on the intake side of mine, and a few more on the back of the hood.
It worked well with LED strips, but the condensation eventually got to the wood.
I think I might have been running the water too warm.

I had no issues with growth in that nano using only crushed stone that I found at Gariep Dam. Water column ferts should be sufficient, or some good soil like ADA or seachem or cheap crushed jasper for iron.

 

I think that it is time for an update on what it looks like. scaped 1 week ago.
i have put some japan blue hybrids in.
as for my flora i have some fire moss, anubias, thin java fern, bacopa, and hairgrass and HM. the rest is a mystery to me, there is supposed to be java fern but it is growing like christmas moss???
the plants are growing like crazy already. i have diy co2 going and seachem comp dose 2 times a week at 0.4ml each dose.

 

Looking good!

 

Java Moss is the straight one, Flame moss is the curly one.
The plant on the right that looks like lily pads is Brazilian Pennywort (Hydrocotyle Leucocephala).

Looking at the pennywort, you could do with some Iron I think. Mine went darker green when I added Seachem Flourish Iron.

 

This is a brilliant looking tank!

Where did you get the plants?

 

thanks!!

i got the plants out of my other tanks and originally got the plants from various LFS in the sandton area and generous members of this community.

Im waiting for my female hybrid japan blue to pop she is BIG. then in a few months i will have a grown out nano teeming with japan blues

 

aaa did you also get some Endler x Japan Blue? mine popt 2 weeks ago. have 6 little babies.

If you have some clippings for me that will be great, or just a direction of the LFS that stocks them.

Setting up a 100l tank, hoping to be finished by next weekend.

 

@bylaag i do not have many clippings for you at the moment as i have recently planted myself. I do have a clipping of brazilian pennywort for you, some mayaca and some java moss to start you off if you want. None in large quantities though. The LFS I purchased some of my plants from is not a sponsor and i will have to pm you, they are in fourways. So if you are willing to come my way then you are welcome to stop by.

 

Thanks @cheekychops, I will PM you in two weeks time, just have to finish my tank.

 

An update after 2 months of growth.

 

@cheekychops - This is looking really good and a real change from the norm around here. Nice one!

 

Wow thats looking good man.

 

That's a great Nano tank

 

Looking great!
Have you been trimming the moss to get it that dense?

 

Great Job!