tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67298211304687761472024-03-18T11:04:28.620+08:00Urban AquariaNatural Planted Aquariums For The Urban DwellerUrban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-17829398021339201382018-04-01T14:00:00.000+08:002018-04-02T11:24:39.124+08:00Aquarium Floating Island Planter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Yeah, its been a while since i last posted on this blog... i figured it would be a good time to update it with a project that i tried out a year ago. I only got around to writing up a guide for it recently. :)</div>
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The majority of plants that we use in our aquariums can be grown both emersed and submersed, hence there are many online guides on paludarium and riparium setups, using containers, sponges or foam walls attached to the sides of aquarium tanks.</div>
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That got me thinking... maybe i could create a sort of floating platform for those plants to grow emersed too? This would allow the floating plants to be easily shifted around and transferred from tank to tank. </div>
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As i researched further, i discovered that there are already lots of ready-made floating island planters available online for ponds and hydroponics setups. Just google "floating island planters" to see all the various interesting designs.</div>
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But so far i haven't seen small scale versions done for aquariums yet, so i decided to just DIY a few to try out. Here were the steps i took to make my own aquarium floating island planters...</div>
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I use 5mm thick foam mats that are typically used as under tank foam bases, and then cut out 5-6cm diameter foam discs with a compass circle cutter. </div>
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Then i drilled a few evenly spaced holes into the foam discs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAV6krZeeyqoPy3-7_eXuyL3tOwFvqgxzloY0kxj3Bn7vDZ8zVQEcpahYBK30WUBXqRYS0rovOOpy2cTdHPN1-X7Ivqb_Kf20zKiJl9poZJvHBtsVaj3mO1y61gXoP5n8aOpmyc3Lvrjw/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+Aquarium+Floating+Island+Planter+-+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAV6krZeeyqoPy3-7_eXuyL3tOwFvqgxzloY0kxj3Bn7vDZ8zVQEcpahYBK30WUBXqRYS0rovOOpy2cTdHPN1-X7Ivqb_Kf20zKiJl9poZJvHBtsVaj3mO1y61gXoP5n8aOpmyc3Lvrjw/s640/Urban+Aquaria+-+Aquarium+Floating+Island+Planter+-+02.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next, i prepared the plants by separating them into individual short stalks and removing the bottom leaves, so that they can be inserted into the drilled holes. <br />
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In this example, the plant i'm using is <i>Staurogyne repens</i>... a popular aquarium plant that grows well both submersed and emersed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbUzIcLd_i7R5Vl2iEWnedOfhEfdXAFEqxlND4i-qoOhSgZp5QELXZ8sXGIxeOEfXllggyOVfIU_2hd54LpDyESGM5Ipb8NAXd-E6ksfGgUbGjlkw6w06R-aR6a6OWBZh2LUROBJfYII/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+Aquarium+Floating+Island+Planter+-+04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbUzIcLd_i7R5Vl2iEWnedOfhEfdXAFEqxlND4i-qoOhSgZp5QELXZ8sXGIxeOEfXllggyOVfIU_2hd54LpDyESGM5Ipb8NAXd-E6ksfGgUbGjlkw6w06R-aR6a6OWBZh2LUROBJfYII/s640/Urban+Aquaria+-+Aquarium+Floating+Island+Planter+-+04.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Stick all the stalks into the foam disc, make sure the bottom sections of the stems protrude from the foam disc.<br />
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Put into a container of water and test to make sure it floats.<br />
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Now repeat with all sorts of other plants... here i use nice plants like <i><span class="st">Rotala indica</span></i><span class="st"> and <i>Hygrophila pinnatifida</i>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJarOMk6VDkR0h6B-Xbscxx91AxUJkBO70Jmcdg3Yj3G031YOYoJDeGYMePBdn8RjVp1POXgMbkmHlzVsyl_rcB8cKBrB3jph-_f3DK5g1VUY-YowmK1CZv6PNIIw1705sjQDIya0mQDY/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+Aquarium+Floating+Island+Planter+-+07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJarOMk6VDkR0h6B-Xbscxx91AxUJkBO70Jmcdg3Yj3G031YOYoJDeGYMePBdn8RjVp1POXgMbkmHlzVsyl_rcB8cKBrB3jph-_f3DK5g1VUY-YowmK1CZv6PNIIw1705sjQDIya0mQDY/s640/Urban+Aquaria+-+Aquarium+Floating+Island+Planter+-+07.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once done, just place them on the water surface of your aquarium. Provide ample sunlight and nutrients.<span class="st"> You now have a variety of floating plants!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7XOyBExWdydsIrQrTiEEO-cT80CBd1O9KIVcXfj_af7SNbYNv-95ya_Fdwnj3t-AUdM-sAhPpysstYdRmQkSXIk6Tn79vSHvRCyobB1zz2OVcD7oIp3BUv2vB69RWX_9Mgng6FaH2-Q/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+Aquarium+Floating+Island+Planter+-+08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7XOyBExWdydsIrQrTiEEO-cT80CBd1O9KIVcXfj_af7SNbYNv-95ya_Fdwnj3t-AUdM-sAhPpysstYdRmQkSXIk6Tn79vSHvRCyobB1zz2OVcD7oIp3BUv2vB69RWX_9Mgng6FaH2-Q/s640/Urban+Aquaria+-+Aquarium+Floating+Island+Planter+-+08.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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As these plants grow, their extensive water roots will also grow out too. You can easily move them around or shift them from tank to tank. <br />
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Emersed plants tend to grow faster and healthier, without requiring additional Co2 injection and without all the pesky algae issues.<br />
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These plants will help to soak up excess nutrients and provide an additional layer of lush aquascape on top of the tank.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-86616726516095866482016-04-18T19:00:00.000+08:002016-04-22T22:54:52.704+08:0032 Litre "Bucephalandra Garden" TankThis started as a side project to consolidate some of the bucephalandra variants that i've been collecting. It gradually evolved into an opportunity to try my hand at aquascaping a simple layout based on these types of plants. <br />
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I noticed that many of the bucephalandra tank photos online tend to be rather dark and shadowy (perhaps its the type of lighting or camera effects used?), so i figured it might be a nice change to showcase a bucephalandra tank that has a brighter tone instead.<br />
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Initially i wanted to leave the sand area in front open with plans to keep a group of dwarf corydoras fishes... but i'll probably end up just filling up the space with more plants as i collect them. <br />
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Currently there are around 15+ varieties of bucephalandra in this tank. All their individual rhizomes are tied to small pebbles which are then partially buried under the sand and hidden, so it looks as if the plants are just sitting on top of the sand. This method also allows for easy shifting and relocation too.<br />
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I guess the top-down view could be reminiscent of what the plants may look like submersed along the edges of a jungle stream... <br />
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Its a low-tech setup, based on a 2ft low-profile crystal glass tank (L60cm x D30cm x H18cm) illuminated with just an old generation Up Aqua Z-Series
Pro LED light set and filtered by an Eheim Ecco Pro
130 unit. I dose Tropica Specialized fertilizer weekly to maintain
a steady nutrient supply.<br />
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Cherry shrimps, horned nerite snails and zebra otocinclus help to keep algae in check. <br />
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One of my favorite variants, Bucephalandra sp. "Elegant Blue".<br />
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Another interesting addition, Bucephalandra sp. "Mini Skeleton King".<br />
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Looking forward to collecting and adding more plants soon! :)<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-41636746180451838162016-03-27T17:00:00.000+08:002016-03-27T18:13:11.982+08:0064 Litre "Hidden Paths" Tank - Week 60 UpdateIts been almost a year since the last update of my <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2015/05/64-litre-hidden-paths-tank-week-16.html" target="_blank">64 Litre "Hidden Paths" Tank</a>, here is what it looks like now...<br />
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The overall layout is still more or less the same. As time went by, i gradually separated and transferred out the various <i>Bucephalandra sp.</i> plants to another tank. In their place, i added in more<i> Anubias sp. "Petite"</i> to fill in the foreground areas, along with other variants like <i>Anubias sp. Coffeefolia</i> as mid-ground cover. Most of the grey volcanic rocks were also removed because the plants ended up covering them anyways.<br />
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<i>Paracheirodon axelrodi </i>(aka Cardinal tetras) were swapped in a while back to add some dashes of red and blue colors to the tank. <br />
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A closer look.<br />
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View from the substrate level. <br />
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<br />
So far this tank has stayed relatively low maintenance. The usual routine involves just feeding the fishes every 2-3 days, weekly 20% water changes (sometimes bi-weekly if i'm busy) and some occasional pruning of old leaves every month or so.<br />
<br />
Algae is kept under control by the resident population of cherry shrimps and
horned nerite snails. The snails really make a big difference by
constantly eating algae on the tank glass and plant leaves, this ensures that everything is kept sparkling clean. I keep
around 12+ horned nerite snails in this tank and haven't needed to use
an algae scraper for more than a year. <br />
<br />
One thing to note is that while anubias are naturally slow growing and thus
assumed to be low demand in terms of nutrient requirement... its usually when the tank has only a few of them. In a tank with higher density of anubias, especially the larger leaved variants, their combined nutrient uptake can actually be surprisingly high.<br />
<br />
In the case of my setup, i found that i had to start dosing additional fertilizers once the plants density started to fill up more than 70% of my tank's base area. Just simply feeding the livestock was no longer sufficient. Without additional fertilizer supplements, the anubias leaves tend to progressively turn yellowish and develop holes. Once that happens, it means their nutrient reserves have run out, hence the need to dose both macro and micro fertilizers to support further growth.<br />
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Overall, this concept of a low maintenance modular planted tank went according to plan and worked quite well over a long term period. My next project will probably involve setting up a much larger tank layout. Most likely it will incorporate the ideas and plants from this tank too.<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-19917344903002569372015-09-23T19:00:00.000+08:002016-04-24T22:35:07.690+08:00Aquarium Plant Treatment & QuarantineTime and time again, i've read aquarists posting on forums about finding algae, parasites, pest snails, worms and other critters invading their tanks shortly after startup... and when asked if they treated or quarantined their plants beforehand, often the answer is no.<br />
<br />
When i started out in the hobby, i also encountered numerous algae and pest outbreaks in my tanks too, and had my share of fighting uphill battles trying to solve multiple tank problems. This eventually prompted me to practice treatment and quarantine procedures for all new plants that i buy.<br />
<br />
I have been receiving a number of queries on this topic, so for information sharing and reference purposes, here is an example of my current on-going aquarium plant treatment and quarantine setup...<br />
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My procedure is split into 3 stages:<br />
<br />
<u><b>Stage 1 (Plastic container on the left) </b></u><br />
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After the new plants are rinsed and washed thoroughly under running tap water, they are put into this container. The container is dosed with anti-snail chemical treatment (to ensure that pest snails/critters and their eggs are all eliminated, i usually overdose up to 10x the recommended dosage). Currently i use ISTA snail remover (any other anti-snail treatment can be used too, just have to try various dosages and see what works). The plants sit submerged in this container for up to 24 hours.<br />
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After this time, the plants are inspected closely. If any pests are still observed to be alive, i dose more chemical treatment and let the plants soak for another 24 hours. This is repeated until no more pests are observed.<br />
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Once the treatment is complete, i rinse the plants thoroughly in running tap water.<br />
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<u><b>Stage 2 (Plastic tank in the middle)</b></u><br />
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Next, the plants are put into this tank which has a small hang-on filter running on it. I dose anti-algae and anti-parasite treatment to weaken and inhibit any algae and parasites that may be hitchhiking on the plants. Currently i use Easy Life AlgExit and Seachem Paraguard. As there are no livestock in this tank, i also overdose the treatments up to 2-3x the recommended dosage.<br />
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The plants will usually stay in this tank for up to 7 days and receive a regular light schedule and fertilizer dosing. If any traces of algae are still observed on the plants, i will extend the treatment period and dosages accordingly.<br />
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Once the treatment is complete, i rinse the plants thoroughly in running tap water again.<br />
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<u><b>Stage 3 (Plastic tank on the right)</b></u><br />
<br />
This is the holding quarantine tank. All new plants that have completed the anti-snail/critter, anti-algae and anti-parasite treatments will be put into this tank. This tank also has a small hang-on filter running on it, along with activated carbon to help adsorb the residual traces of previous chemical treatments.<br />
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The treated plants will usually stay in this tank for up to 7 days (sometimes longer if they are not required for use yet). Regular water changes are done in this tank as well as receiving a regular light schedule and fertilizer dosing. Algae eating shrimps (ie. cherry shrimps and yamato shrimps) are also present in this tank to help clean up any leftover algae that may still be on the plants.<br />
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Once the full process is complete, the new plants will be added to my main tanks.<br />
<br />
--<br />
<br />
Yes... it does seem like a very long and tedious process (and it definitely is!), but over the years of trying various methods, this procedure has kept my main tanks mostly algae and pest free so far... it might not be 100% (certain algae or pests do still slip though in some tanks when i'm not careful or diligent enough), but at least the chances of any outbreaks are heavily reduced.<br />
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Alternatively, for those who have the budget but no time (or patience) to treat and quarantine plants, it might be better to just spend more and purchase good quality tissue-cultured plants (ie. from brands like Tropica or Dennerle) which are guaranteed algae and pest free from the start. :)<br />
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<br />
<u><b>Update</b></u><b>:</b><br />
<br />
Recently had a chance to take a snapshot of how i do anti-pest and
anti-algae chemical treatments on multiple plants at the same time. In
this case, a batch of bucephalandra variants which i wanted to keep
separated and labelled, so that they don't get mixed up...<br />
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I basically utilize small plastic containers commonly used to store
sweets and tidbits (usually sold at houseware stores or sundry shops) to
hold each group of plants. The transparent containers allow me to
monitor their treatment progress and observe the condition of the
individual plants more closely. This helps to make the overall process
alot more manageable and organized.
<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-59015687945560314542015-08-30T22:00:00.000+08:002015-08-31T00:03:51.449+08:00Phone Camera + Macro Lens - Neocaridina Davidi (Fire Red Grade)Close-up photo of a Neocaridina Davidi (Fire Red Grade), taken with the <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2014/07/phone-camera-macro-lens-neocaridina.html" target="_blank">clip-on macro lens</a>...<br />
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<br />
Love the red armor plates. :)<br />
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Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-27630054605608301372015-07-20T12:00:00.000+08:002015-07-31T23:52:50.587+08:00Limnopilos Naiyanetri (Thai Micro Crab) - UpdateI've been keeping a small group of <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2015/05/limnopilos-naiyanetri-thai-micro-crab.html" target="_blank">thai micro crabs</a> in one of my planted tanks for the past 2+ months, and during that period i only saw them appear a handful of times.<br />
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So i decided to transfer them to another tank with a more suitable layout that allows them to be observed easily, yet still replicating a dense plant environment for them to hide and feel safe.<br />
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This is their new "home"...<br />
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I converted the <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2014/09/64-litre-forest-edge-tank-look-inside.html" target="_blank">10 Liter nano tank</a> situated inside my tank cabinet into a thai micro crab habitat. Clumps of java moss were added to create a latticework of plant strands for the micro crabs to climb around on and forage for food. They share the tank with a few <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2014/04/64-litre-forest-edge-tank-week-36-update.html" target="_blank">golden clams</a> and some cherry shrimps.<br />
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<br />
This setup seems to be working well as i noticed the micro crabs are much more active in this tank, and yet i can still view them quite easily.<br />
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I even managed to get some nice close-up macro photos and a video of them too:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fgxIw0sgvnU?rel=0;vq=hd720" width="640"></iframe>
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<br />
These thai micro crabs are really unique creatures when you can see them in such close-up detail... but due to their incredibly tiny sizes, unless they are viewed through a macro lens or magnifying glass, most aquarists would probably never get to observe and appreciate them to this extent.<br />
<br />
Hopefully the macro photos and video here can provide a nice detailed glimpse of these interesting creatures. :)
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<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-46859895324475812072015-07-19T14:00:00.000+08:002015-07-20T01:55:12.818+08:00Live Foods - Microfex / Dero Worms CultureBack in May 2015, i managed to obtain a starter culture of microfex (aka dero worms) from <a href="http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum/member.php/32701-J-adore" target="_blank">J'adore</a> at the Aquatic Quotient forum.<br />
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Microfex are similar to tubifex but they are much smaller in size, hence easier for smaller fishes and fish fry to eat. In addition, they are hardy and can consume all sorts of food, so their care and maintenance is relatively simple.<br />
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I set about experimenting with different methods to culture the microfex as live food for my fishes. The starter culture i got was perhaps 20-30 worms, a small ball of them measured around the size of a pin head.<br />
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Here is the initial starter culture ball of microfex worms (it is sitting on a Hikari sinking wafer of less than 1cm diameter for scale comparison): <br />
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This is the size of the culture after approximately 1 month of growth:<br />
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You can compare the difference in density and size of the worm culture based on the same sinking wafers in the container.<br />
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For reference, here is a close up macro photo and video of a small ball of microfex worms:<br />
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<u>How To Culture</u>:<br />
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During the early stages of my microfex culture experiments, i divided the starter culture into a few separate containers to test different water parameters and feeding techniques, eventually i settled on a setup which worked for my space and feed requirements.<br />
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Part of my methods are based on accumulated info from other keepers and research documents online. Here is the link to a detailed research document on laboratory mass culture of dero worms: <a href="http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/55534/PDF" target="_blank">http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/55534/PDF</a><br />
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My latest culture setup is based on a 1.5 liter plastic jug (bought from Daiso), i choose it because the volume is sufficient for maintaining a good sized culture, doesn't require much space to keep and is still easy to carry around to do water changes with its narrowed flow lip and handle: <br />
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No filter or air stone installed (based on the research document findings) and no substrate added (to make maintaining the container and harvesting the worms easier).<br />
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Feeding the culture is just a matter of periodically adding fish or shrimp food into the container, the microfex will automatically crawl towards the food and start feeding on it. Each time i feed a combination of algae or sinking wafers/pellets equivalent to the mass of the worms. The worms usually finish eating that amount of food within a day.<br />
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Maintenance and water changes is simply pouring out the container water (usually when it gets stinky) and then replacing it with clean dechlorinated tap water. I usually change 90% of the water every 2-3 days (pouring out the old water through a fine brine shrimp net to catch any free swimming microfex, which i then return back into the container). The majority of microfex will clump up at the bottom of the container anyways, so its quite easy to manage.<br />
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During the water change process, i usually take the opportunity to also pick out some microfex to feed my fishes. I use a pair of small tweezers to pick up a ball of microfex...<br />
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... and then swish it around in the tank. The microfex will scatter and start swimming in the water column. Its time for the fishes to start hunting! <br />
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<u>Final Thoughts + Tips</u>:<br />
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Based on my experience culturing microfex so far, i've found that the speed of their population growth depends greatly on the amount of food they consume. They reproduce by fission method, a young worm grows from one end of an adult worm and they eventually detach to form 2 worms... so more food = more growth = the faster they multiply.<br />
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Therefore if you want to grow the population fast, just supply them with more food. But therein lies the issue of water quality, more food = more waste. Although microfex seem to be highly tolerant to poor water conditions (even when i left my microfex cultures for almost a week without food and the water turned super stinky, they still survived), their reproduction rate will stall significantly.<br />
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So there will be a limit to how many worms and food (aka bio-load) a container can handle based on its water volume. If you are looking at just feeding your fishes live microfex every few days as a treat, then my 1.5 liter container culture example as mentioned above is a simple, space saving way to do it.<br />
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But if you want to culture more microfex to feed more fishes on a daily basis, then you'll need to increase the container size and water volume accordingly, so that it can support a much larger population of worms and the increased amount of food required to sustain them.<br />
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Co-culturing daphnia or moina with microfex is also a good technique, i add a small amount of moina into my microfex cultures and they filter feed on the suspended bacteria created by waste production from the worms. This enables the culturing of two varieties of live food in one container (do note that with moina in the container, the overall bio-load can overload very quickly due to the speed at which they can multiply, so you'll need to keep a closer eye on the water conditions to avoid a crash).<br />
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If you do get the opportunity to obtain some microfex to start a culture, do give it a try. Your fishes will love snacking on these wiggly critters! :)<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-89611782972417315232015-05-08T19:30:00.001+08:002015-05-08T19:36:27.741+08:0064 Litre "Hidden Paths" Tank (Week 16) - Video Update <div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-91185137595752664652015-05-08T19:00:00.000+08:002015-05-09T18:41:58.038+08:0064 Litre "Hidden Paths" Tank - Week 16 UpdateIts been around 16 weeks since the <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2015/01/64-litre-hidden-paths-tank.html" target="_blank">64 Litre "Hidden Paths" Tank</a> was started... so i guess its due for a much needed update. :)<br />
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So far its been running well with very little maintenance required, as per my original plan.<br />
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Over time, i've gradually stopped dosing fertilizers and excel as i found that the plants already get sufficient nutrients from the tank's ecosystem and their carbon requirements aren't very high anyways. The fact that all of the plants are rhizome based also helps as they can store lots of resources for future usage, so the plants have their own inbuilt buffers against fluctuating nutrient levels. <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2015/02/platinum-rummy-nose-tetra.html" target="_blank">Platinum rummy nose tetras</a> were added just after the tank was setup, they form the main group of fishes for the tank now. Their exceptional schooling ability really ties everything together perfectly.<br />
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Despite their slower growth rates, the plants sprouted out quite a good amount of new leaves... the various anubias and bucephalandra clumps have developed into denser bunches and slowly filled out the aquascape.<br />
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I was initially planning to swap out plants, but after seeing everything settle in nicely, i figured its probably better if i just leave it be and simply let the plants grow out. :)<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-17677359279382631402015-05-03T23:00:00.000+08:002015-05-22T23:53:03.217+08:00Limnopilos Naiyanetri (Thai Micro Crab)Finally got the opportunity to get my hands on a group of <i>Limnopilos Naiyanetri</i>... aka Thai Micro Crabs!<br />
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These are some of the more unique crabs available that are fully aquatic. Add to the fact that they stay very tiny in size (only around 1 cm in length, excluding their legs), these micro crabs make for very interesting inhabitants in smaller tank setups.<br />
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Just for scale comparison... here is one resting on my palm. <br />
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They seem to be quite capable of traversing across dry "land", i guess in nature they can crawl around to different water sources in search of food and shelter.<br />
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While i was in the midst of transferring them to my main tank, one hopped off the net and started to scuttle around my hand.</div>
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When newly introduced into a tank (after a suitable period of drip acclimation), they tend to exhibit a pale transparent coloration.<br />
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Once they adapt to the tank environment, their original brownish colors gradually return, though i noticed that they will still switch between colors depending on mood and also to match their surroundings.<br />
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So far, i've only caught brief glimpses of them in my tank. Once they disappeared into the plant growth, i've not been able to get a good photo of them yet... thats one of the considerations when keeping micro crabs, they are tough to observe in planted tanks!<br />
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Can you spot the micro crab hiding inside this clump of <i>Anubias sp. "Petite"</i>?<br />
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They spend most of their time moving between dense plant growth while scavenging for food, i've seen them actively picking along the surfaces of plant roots and leaves, they also graze on algae wafers and blanched zuchinni too. It seems they are quite similar to cherry shrimps in terms of diet and care.<br />
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Overall, they are interesting additions to an aquarium... though if you have a layout with lots of hardscape and plants, chances are they will tend to be hidden most of the time. :)
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<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-70611768580667307112015-02-11T21:30:00.000+08:002015-05-09T18:40:55.181+08:00 Platinum Rummy Nose Tetra Just to share a "new" variant of rummy nose tetra that seems to
be appearing at various LFS recently, i bought a few batches of them
from different LFS over the past few weeks to gradually stock up my
tanks.<br />
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Here is a photo of them (best i could get with my smartphone camera, they swim way too fast to photograph properly):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXYq8mwfCYSZwAw0lSPgIWr11SsTRONI3hE2jxnabofHPcPS_9uTcj3AVhjlEN0IVKim4KLOFh6YXXiV3AAIpX7m0_mzxoVIa4_6Aj5lrBrrKx1Ci0jkAuD1vSOC9sFEwe4nZTJyEM1A/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+Platinum+Rummy+Nose+Tetra+-+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXYq8mwfCYSZwAw0lSPgIWr11SsTRONI3hE2jxnabofHPcPS_9uTcj3AVhjlEN0IVKim4KLOFh6YXXiV3AAIpX7m0_mzxoVIa4_6Aj5lrBrrKx1Ci0jkAuD1vSOC9sFEwe4nZTJyEM1A/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+Platinum+Rummy+Nose+Tetra+-+01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
The photo above doesn't really show the full extent of their colors... but as
you can see, their bodies have a much more intense silverish/blue shine
to the scales. At some of the LFS that i bought them from, there were
"normal" rummy nose tetras for sale in nearby tanks and i could see the
big difference in their body colors. The normal rummy nose tetras have
their usual whitish/silver body color, but way less shiny than the
platinum ones. The difference could be seen even from just a few meters
away.<br />
<br />
They were labeled as "Platinum rummy nose tetra" or "Rummy nose sp
platinum", and cost double that of normal rummy nose tetras.<br />
<br />
I've been searching the internet trying to find more information on this
particular variant and it seems no one has posted anything about them
yet. This is the first time i've seen these particular fishes appear at
any LFS.<br />
<br />
One of the reasons why i was never too keen on rummy nose tetras is
because while they have bright red noses and excellent schooling
ability, the rest of their body tends to look abit bland and dull... but
these platinum variants look <i>absolutely amazing</i>.<br />
<br />
I do hope this variant is a regular import as they are quickly
becoming my most favorite fishes... bright red nose + shiny platinum body +
perfect schooling ability = best combination! <img alt="" border="0" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum/images/smilies/animated/thumbsup.gif" title="Well done" />
<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-40486065440107080702015-01-15T10:30:00.000+08:002015-01-18T01:50:27.084+08:0064 Litre "Hidden Paths" TankI recently decided to re-scape my <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2014/11/64-litre-forest-edge-tank-week-68.html" target="_blank">64 litre tank</a> into an ultra-low maintenance aquascape.<br />
<br />
It is based on just sand substrate, rock and wood hardscape, and hardy plants tied to objects. This setup will still retain the use of Co2 injection to support the plant growth.<br />
<br />
The main objective of this aquascape is quick setup and easy adjustment of the layout without mess or hassle. The selected slower growing plants require alot less maintenance too. In addition, the tank will also be used to grow out various plants for transfer to larger tanks in the near future.<br />
<br />
Here is a short walk-through of the tank's setup process...<br />
<br />
I started by filling the tank with a small mound of sand in the back and middle, keeping the layers thin at the front.<br />
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<br />
The benefit of using sand substrate is the ability to aquascape with the tank filled with water, and it stays clear throughout without the usual mess and cloudiness associated with soil substrates.<br />
<br />
Next i placed piles of small volcanic rocks across the sand substrate with paths between them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIBzXkOD3QV8d2eoM9eIDEmZsRpjcyRCxqXACUq7wcukYJLyXPIppiKOL9Wnv3shhWkaIXsTUWf8etFi5eyZejkT3-OEeShUVr9rFcpUZWJQ4p-zrC320qIHdGmausIOVZLUf4_fqQ0g/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+64+Litre+Tank+-+Hidden+Paths+-+Week+1+-+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIBzXkOD3QV8d2eoM9eIDEmZsRpjcyRCxqXACUq7wcukYJLyXPIppiKOL9Wnv3shhWkaIXsTUWf8etFi5eyZejkT3-OEeShUVr9rFcpUZWJQ4p-zrC320qIHdGmausIOVZLUf4_fqQ0g/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+64+Litre+Tank+-+Hidden+Paths+-+Week+1+-+02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
This is followed up by the addition of branchy driftwood to simulate some random root-like structures around the rocks, along with <i>Anubias sp. Angustifolia</i> as the initial background plants.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KHtQT6RoLkh1OfmoRjp0QDHJlfgO0vDldE_hP2emABZZeDNHa2jKnn49X7q2YEKfHN3reSpgsJoidjYUD06q5JioaF_ZYTA1tVyBtWqFfodtodyG8G0VGRZY18WT9wSYu0pJtgvoymE/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+64+Litre+Tank+-+Hidden+Paths+-+Week+1+-+03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KHtQT6RoLkh1OfmoRjp0QDHJlfgO0vDldE_hP2emABZZeDNHa2jKnn49X7q2YEKfHN3reSpgsJoidjYUD06q5JioaF_ZYTA1tVyBtWqFfodtodyG8G0VGRZY18WT9wSYu0pJtgvoymE/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+64+Litre+Tank+-+Hidden+Paths+-+Week+1+-+03.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Bunches of smaller <i>Anubias sp. "Petite"</i> and various<i> Bucephalandra sp. </i>are added to help fill in the gaps and create accents around the hardscape.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6FMRzSZT2XD9flEyFm13MV_iJK5ckeJ8ediuvyzHBokvxFW2q_MVoTTwUenFW_FKzETlVrn1fmW2sl23xYOj64dls_BTAmfXYLGblAkoNEe2gaDzBZ84Xp2TWVPKqNzQcldc9Cp3QGs/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+64+Litre+Tank+-+Hidden+Paths+-+Week+1+-+04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6FMRzSZT2XD9flEyFm13MV_iJK5ckeJ8ediuvyzHBokvxFW2q_MVoTTwUenFW_FKzETlVrn1fmW2sl23xYOj64dls_BTAmfXYLGblAkoNEe2gaDzBZ84Xp2TWVPKqNzQcldc9Cp3QGs/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+64+Litre+Tank+-+Hidden+Paths+-+Week+1+-+04.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
And its done... the entire layout was completed in less than 30 minutes. Quick and simple.<br />
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<br />
The tank's canister filter was allowed to run for a few hours, then livestock from the previous setup were acclimatized and added back into the tank (no issues with ammonia spikes or tank re-cycle due to the use of inert sand substrate).<br />
<br />
I'll be swapping out plants and adding in new ones regularly (one of the objectives of this tank is to make that process easier), so the aquascape will change over time... and it'll help satiate my aquarist "itchy fingers" syndrome too. :)<br />
<br />
<i>--</i><br />
<br />
Here are the tank stats:<i><br />
<br />
<b>Tank Size:</b> <i>60cm x 30cm x 36cm </i><i>(High Clarity / Low Iron Glass)</i><br />
<b>Substrate:</b> <i>Sudo Reef Sand</i><br />
<br />
<b>Filter System: </b><i>Eheim Ecco Pro 300 + 13mm gUSH glass intake / VIV glass lily pipe output<br />
</i><b>Filter Media:</b><i><b> </b>Seachem Matrix</i>
<br />
<b>Temperature:</b> <i>28-29</i><i><span class="st"><i><span class="st">°C</span></i> (Day) </span></i><i><span class="st"><i><span class="st">/ 27-28°C (Night)</span></i></span></i><br />
<br />
<b>Lighting:</b> <i>Up Aqua Z-Series Pro LED Z-20 (60cm) 1st Generation Version</i><br />
<b>Light Duration:</b> <i>8 hours (10am-6pm)</i><br />
<br />
<b>Pressurized Co2: </b><i>ANS Co2 System + ISTA Inline Reactor / 0.25bps / 30ppm</i><br />
<b>Co2 Duration: </b><i>7 hours (10am-5pm) </i><br />
<b>Carbon Supplement:</b> <i>Seachem Excel / 1ml daily</i><br />
<b>Fertilizer:</b> <i>Tropica Plant Growth Premium Fertilizer / 1ml daily<br />
</i><b>Fan/Chiller: </b><i>None</i><br />
<br />
<b>Water Change Regimen: </b><i>20% Weekly</i><br />
<br />
<b>Water Parameters (Cycled)</b><b>:</b><br />
<i>Tested using API Freshwater Master Test Kit</i><br />
<i>pH = 7.0</i><br />
<i>Ammonia = 0 ppm</i><br />
<i>Nitrite = 0 ppm</i><br />
<i>Nitrate = 5-10 ppm</i></i><br />
<br />
<b>Fauna: </b><i> </i><br />
<i>Otocinclus Cocama</i> <br />
<i>Boraras Brigittae</i><br />
<i><i>Indostomus Paradoxus </i></i><br />
<i>Neocaridina Davidi</i><i> </i><br />
<i>Clithon Corona</i><br />
<i><br /></i>Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-76467010220035383582014-12-04T14:00:00.000+08:002014-12-09T03:38:34.411+08:0027 Litre "Anubias Garden" Outdoor TankYet another re-scape of the <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2014/09/27-litre-moss-garden-outdoor-tank.html" target="_blank">outdoor tank</a> again...<br />
<br />
The previous batch of moss-on-rocks matured and were transferred out, so i had to fill this tank with other plants. Decided to do a very simple low maintenance layout and just tie anubias plants to branchy wood pieces. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhek5n232NGkPsi-tz1SuilnSoNwTe_eW5Sata068iMQEcyqHb34qVIuY_Tz9wp1W9zl80ZaVuM7IPIXQ0myn-LJzG5j1dj-OzZXMf6CFyXgoKy_n3vZDYd0zLLjvyWWhGRKQLqDuCk5Ag/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+27+Litre+Outdoor+Tank+-+Anubias+Garden+-+Week+8+-+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhek5n232NGkPsi-tz1SuilnSoNwTe_eW5Sata068iMQEcyqHb34qVIuY_Tz9wp1W9zl80ZaVuM7IPIXQ0myn-LJzG5j1dj-OzZXMf6CFyXgoKy_n3vZDYd0zLLjvyWWhGRKQLqDuCk5Ag/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+27+Litre+Outdoor+Tank+-+Anubias+Garden+-+Week+8+-+01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Its been running for almost 2 months now and the anubias plants seem to be doing okay. The bunches sprout visible new leaves every few days so it's slowly growing in density.<br />
<br />
Current tank residents comprise of 40+ cherry shrimps, 2 horned nerite snails, 2 otocinclus and 5 chili endlers, along with dozens of tiny endler fry. <br />
<br />
Still no additional fertilizer dosing, just the usual 30% water change every week and feeding the tank inhabitants some micro pellets and mini algae wafers regularly.<br />
<br />
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<br />
I'm guessing the tank isn't getting as much indirect sunlight nowadays (its currently been raining during most afternoons) which probably explains the relatively algae-free tank glass and plant leaves at the moment.<br />
<br />
Maybe the floating plants are also soaking up most of the excess nutrients too, so that may be helping to keep nutrient levels under control (i usually have to remove handfuls of them every week during water change).<br />
<br />
Anyways, i have very limited control over the light levels in such outdoor tank setups and local weather conditions can change quickly... so my trusty algae scraper is perpetually on standby. :)<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-49081670301874655032014-11-27T15:00:00.000+08:002014-11-27T16:07:45.106+08:0064 Litre "Forest Edge" Tank - Week 68 Update (Final)This will be the final update for the tank... its been 68 weeks since <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2013/09/64-litre-forest-edge-tank.html" target="_blank">startup</a> back in August 2013. I plan to re-scape it very soon.<br />
<br />
I didn't have time to do any plant pruning or maintenance since the previous <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2014/09/64-litre-forest-edge-tank-week-56-update.html" target="_blank">update</a> (truthfully, i was just being lazy again), so the plants had absolute freedom to grow and take over the tank.<br />
<br />
Here is its latest look...<br />
<br />
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<br />
<i>Cyperus Helferi</i> grew crazy as expected, quickly covering the water surface and arching over to the other side of the tank... i measured the longest leaves and they were more than 110+ cm in length!<br />
<br />
<i>Blyxa Japonica</i> also went nuts and ballooned into huge bushes, the cluster on the right has grown tall enough to almost the reach the water surface by a few cm.<br />
<br />
<i>Eleocharis sp. 'Mini'</i> continued growing even more densely but still retained its compact and short growth height, interestingly even the areas under shade grew well too. I've still not had to trim it ever since tank startup (which was more than a year ago). Its indeed one of the lowest maintenance carpet plants i've ever kept so far.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yvJfrXdmDT98ogbWt8mEDFF9UpI-WA8gAmVbWo4nWEymno76c0SXtWZpV0BAwwZokcxMBwmeWL7tPUrwGZdrxjCruKgvrDPJSPck_1xpZc8YDmYGmVWUK2wX0yepf-acAnfbiKurmM4/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+64+Litre+Tank+-+Forest+Edge+-+Week+68+-+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yvJfrXdmDT98ogbWt8mEDFF9UpI-WA8gAmVbWo4nWEymno76c0SXtWZpV0BAwwZokcxMBwmeWL7tPUrwGZdrxjCruKgvrDPJSPck_1xpZc8YDmYGmVWUK2wX0yepf-acAnfbiKurmM4/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+64+Litre+Tank+-+Forest+Edge+-+Week+68+-+02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
It was enjoyable keeping and maintaining this tank for the past year... but i'm expecting less free time due to my increased workload in the near future, so the tank will be re-scaped to a much lower maintenance setup. It'll still be running the same equipment setup (ie. Co2 injection), but instead with slower growing plants and a simpler layout. :)<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-81269434465061989102014-10-13T23:45:00.001+08:002014-10-14T00:18:22.863+08:00Glass Lily Pipe Cleaning - By Cherry Shrimps + OtocinclusNo matter how algae free we keep our tanks... over time the pristine glass lily pipes will eventually be covered in algae. Algae eaters like shrimps, otocinclus and snails aren't able to access and clean it properly as the filter is constantly in operation.<br />
<br />
I gradually discovered that whenever i switch off my canister filters for a few minutes while feeding the fishes, the cherry shrimps and otocinclus always try to rush into the glass lily outflow pipe and munch on the algae accumulated there.<br />
<br />
So i ended up practicing a maintenance routine which involves simply switching off the canister filter for a longer duration of 15-20 minutes once a week (not too long to avoid starving the filter's beneficial bacteria). This allows the cherry shrimps and otocinclus time to have a nice "bonus" algae meal and at the same time help clean the glass lily pipe too. :)<br />
<br />
Here is a video i managed to capture of the cherry shrimps and otocinclus doing some algae clearing work...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/nxZvV-KKzDg?rel=0&vq=hd720" width="640"></iframe></div>
<br />
The video was originally around 7 minutes long, but i sped it up by 5x to give an accelerated view of how the glass lily pipe is cleaned. Observe how the shrimp at the top of the glass lily pipe consumes the green algae.<br />
<br />
On an important "safety" note, if you are practicing this routine, do keep an eye on the shrimps and otocinclus while they are doing the algae cleaning work, there are times when they may get too enthusiastic and start to swim into the pipe to try to get at more algae, like this curious otocinclus at the right side of the photo...<br />
<br />
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<br />
There was once i stepped out of the room for a while and when i returned a few minutes later, one of the otocinclus actually made it past the top bend of the glass lily pipe, and it was busy eating algae all the way down the hose into the canister filter! I had to eventually disconnect the outflow hose just to rescue it.<br />
<br />
So if you do spot any of them doing such reckless acts in pursuit of more algae, just switch on the filter momentarily for a split second to create abit of flow and nudge them back out, its much easier than having to rescue them later on. :)
<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-64894890836525166542014-09-09T20:00:00.000+08:002014-09-10T16:39:59.686+08:0027 Litre "Moss Garden" Outdoor TankI decided to change my <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2014/07/27-litre-grassy-dune-outdoor-tank.html" target="_blank">outdoor tank setup</a>... again.<br />
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This time round i'm preparing plant decor in advance for an upcoming aquascape project, so the tank was converted into a simple moss grow-out tank.<br />
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Thin layers of christmas moss were tied onto lava rocks and just placed into the tank, then left on their own to grow (i forgot to take the initial setup photos, but it was just mostly bare lava rocks with bits of moss).<br />
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This tank still gets indirect sunlight, but since the moss are not fast growers, i added various floating plants to help soak up any excess nutrients that will invariably build up in the tank. No additional fertilizers dosed, just regular weekly 30% water changes and a mini algae wafer every alternate day for the resident group of hardworking cherry shrimps. :)<br />
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Current moss growth (around a month after setup)...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHYuQN0VU2rEGjpcJV1SKUXIrbR_s_ciAgZlIOyK6t96NG_UEo2Ys8yxlGgffVUAiahE5u80gYvpfYNyB5FfBk81TEJjX0o9UHyyjMB8IUpC4UgFjzAoyIRIwmw0JXOBEtGbyhtYCx6M/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+27+Litre+Outdoor+Tank+-+Moss+Garden+-+Week+5+-+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHYuQN0VU2rEGjpcJV1SKUXIrbR_s_ciAgZlIOyK6t96NG_UEo2Ys8yxlGgffVUAiahE5u80gYvpfYNyB5FfBk81TEJjX0o9UHyyjMB8IUpC4UgFjzAoyIRIwmw0JXOBEtGbyhtYCx6M/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+27+Litre+Outdoor+Tank+-+Moss+Garden+-+Week+5+-+01.jpg" /></a></div>
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There are still some patches of moss yet to fill in, but the growth rate so far has been quite encouraging. The ones on the right side of the tank get more light and flow than the left side, so they are growing noticeably faster... i'll have to start swapping their positions periodically to balance out their growth rates.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3H7Uy5EA5xdzSF9H1-_1iFo1PTW5XUUWsFxWXDJrMd6yiOhcc1meZgfbYDN_PGdVBKZVx7wm-bCDRrvGIeYkcYqRpInUUQfTZiDX-QKgi1vvTEildIPT5lrMUPO9akzm7B2A4DUyJsw/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+27+Litre+Outdoor+Tank+-+Moss+Garden+-+Week+5+-+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3H7Uy5EA5xdzSF9H1-_1iFo1PTW5XUUWsFxWXDJrMd6yiOhcc1meZgfbYDN_PGdVBKZVx7wm-bCDRrvGIeYkcYqRpInUUQfTZiDX-QKgi1vvTEildIPT5lrMUPO9akzm7B2A4DUyJsw/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+27+Litre+Outdoor+Tank+-+Moss+Garden+-+Week+5+-+02.jpg" /></a></div>
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Hopefully the tank can maintain this way until the moss fully grow out. :)<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-37117572466239267382014-09-05T22:00:00.000+08:002014-09-07T17:54:27.660+08:00A Look Inside The CabinetMost of the time its mainly the planted tanks that get highlighted in journals and write-ups... but the humble tank cabinet rarely gets much attention, especially on ideas and ways to maximize space usage. Perhaps its time to have a look inside them too.<br />
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Just to share, here is my display 2ft tank cabinet and its current layout... <br />
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Most of the equipment i have are quite standard in most cabinet setups... ie. canister filter, Co2 tank system, in-line reactor, water top-up flask, maintenance tools, power strip, timers etc.<br />
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Along the way, i managed to allocate enough space to place a small 10 Liter nano tank (L20cm x W20cm x H25cm) with its own hang-on filter and clip-on LED lights in the cabinet. It's a narrow fit, but with abit of arrangement, there is still sufficient clearance to allow easy access to the other equipment.<br />
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Due to the limited floor space in the cabinet, i had to look into vertical storage methods to keep the rest of the items. A simple solution was found by just using a combination of mesh grate and mesh baskets from Daiso. The whole vertical structure on the left side is modular and held up by heavy duty 3M command hooks.<br />
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Hopefully this layout inspires some useful ideas on maximizing space in your tank cabinets too. :) <br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-7940772998097962242014-09-04T23:30:00.000+08:002014-09-06T22:58:29.605+08:0064 Litre "Forest Edge" Tank - Week 56 Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This tank has crossed its 1 year mark and still chugging along.<br />
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I got really lazy after <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2014/04/64-litre-forest-edge-tank-week-37-update.html" target="_blank">the last tank update</a> and started to neglect plant trimming, which resulted in the fast growing background stem plants constantly looking wild and unruly. It became a real chore to keep up with pruning and maintenance every week... so 2 months ago, i pulled out all the stem plants and replace them with a few bunches of <i>Cyperus Helferi</i>.<br />
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So far so good, this background plant's growth rate is slower and much easier to maintain. The original few bunches have since grown into a nice thicket of tall leaf blades that are starting to curve at the water surface... the tank has officially become a "grass" scape. :)<br />
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Yeah, the whole tank looks very green now... luckily there is still a resident colony of cherry shrimps to help add a little bit of red accent to the tank. :)
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<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-58987026067798962872014-08-30T14:00:00.000+08:002014-09-05T19:58:58.906+08:00Phone Camera + Macro Lens - Indostomus ParadoxusClose-up photo of an Indostomus Paradoxus, taken with the <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2014/07/phone-camera-macro-lens-neocaridina.html" target="_blank">clip-on macro lens</a>...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCI_pk8TKzhxaiD7ljOiZJazrM1gMfc3Pc9O9dfL67Ox0emoBSRH6iPxTgucI7P3KL70ieOICPX76tJlcaEB-riUj4Ecroz8BlGJm9FXN3j5JCATCzJzezp7OQ5X2AqwLA5YNGC81RVRA/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+Indostomus+Paradoxus+-+Macro+Lens+-+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCI_pk8TKzhxaiD7ljOiZJazrM1gMfc3Pc9O9dfL67Ox0emoBSRH6iPxTgucI7P3KL70ieOICPX76tJlcaEB-riUj4Ecroz8BlGJm9FXN3j5JCATCzJzezp7OQ5X2AqwLA5YNGC81RVRA/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+Indostomus+Paradoxus+-+Macro+Lens+-+01.jpg" /></a></div>
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These tiny fishes have been living in my tank for months and i only catch a glimpse of them occasionally... really rare to be able to actually snap a good photo of one! :)
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<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-21891293918784553132014-08-16T19:00:00.000+08:002014-09-05T23:22:29.039+08:00High-Clarity Low-Iron Glass Tank vs Normal Glass TankI've often received questions about the differences between high-clarity low-iron glass tanks and normal glass tanks, so for those who are new to the hobby... here is a visual comparison for reference.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghS_-Y7wY7jTN1Q7d-XpEKXOezsRy121NoSaxBz2DA7x9GroOeiYxEf__NSnEk-MND61UX3sIkk1N6IpDzGWBa1jtp-MXXzH02XZQ8hpsSzr79tQF_YaTLr8B8YvprCXwQbALumgF5mGg/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+High-Clarity+Low-Iron+Glass+Tanks+vs+Normal+Glass+Tank+-+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghS_-Y7wY7jTN1Q7d-XpEKXOezsRy121NoSaxBz2DA7x9GroOeiYxEf__NSnEk-MND61UX3sIkk1N6IpDzGWBa1jtp-MXXzH02XZQ8hpsSzr79tQF_YaTLr8B8YvprCXwQbALumgF5mGg/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+High-Clarity+Low-Iron+Glass+Tanks+vs+Normal+Glass+Tank+-+01.jpg" /></a></div>
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The tank on the left is made from normal "float" glass, it has a noticeable greenish tint. The tank on the right is made from high-clarity low-iron glass and looks almost clear.<br />
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High-clarity low-iron glass tanks are sometimes also labelled as "crystal" or "optical" glass. The light transmission for this type of glass is much higher, which results in brighter light perception and more accurate color rendition when viewing the tank.<br />
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Here is a close-up look at both tanks side-by-side...<br />
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So the next time you go shopping for aquarium tanks, do keep a look out for such tanks... their price difference may not be as wide as you think, and it may be worth just going for the high-clarity ones. :)<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-14267904788446357152014-07-11T23:00:00.000+08:002014-07-11T23:19:55.343+08:00Phone Camera + Macro Lens - Neocaridina Davidi (Sakura Grade)The stock camera in my current phone (Samsung Note 3) is good for taking normal photos, but it's not as good at taking proper close-up macro photos. So i recently ordered a cheap clip-on macro lens from eBay to see if it can help the phone camera capture more detailed photos of inhabitants in my tanks. <br />
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Here are some close-up photos of a male Neocaridina Davidi (Sakura Grade) taken with the clip-on macro lens...<br />
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Granted that the photo quality is still not as high as if it was taken with professional DSLR cameras and more expensive specialized lenses... but considering that i'm not an expert photographer and its just a cheap
macro lens clipped onto a phone camera, i think the results are quite good. :)<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-3706008985941233642014-07-09T13:00:00.000+08:002014-11-21T11:40:31.350+08:0027 Litre "Grassy Dune" Outdoor TankI decided to upgrade my previous <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2014/04/18-litre-glass-planter-outdoor-tank.html" target="_blank">18 Litre "Glass Planter" Outdoor Tank</a> which has been running for the past 2+ months. Surprisingly with slow growing plants and lot of indirect sunlight throughout the day, not much algae appeared (other than some green algae on the glass which was easily cleaned off), i guess the low-bio load and minimal nutrients probably helped to ward of algae issues.<br />
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So i got a longer tank custom made to utilize the shelf space more efficiently, yet still keep to the low-profile style. The new tank dimensions are L60cm x D25cm x H18cm, quite similar to the ADA 60F tank design in terms of dimensions (though with slightly less depth). <br />
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As i wasn't planning to create an elaborate scape (and i prefer it to be easily setup and taken down if required), i chose to stick with sand substrate and use the same types of small volcanic rocks.<br />
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This time round i was inspired by the <a href="https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=grassy+dune&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=2dK8U6CNFM7n8AXa5oEI&ved=0CBoQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=945#q=grassy+sand+dune&tbm=isch" target="_blank">grassy sand dunes</a> at beaches which just feature a simple combination of beach grass and rocks.<br />
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The sand was piled up higher in the middle of the tank and the rocks were scattered down the slope.<br />
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I choose to use <i>Blyxa Japonica</i> to recreate the beach grass look (it coincided with a plant trimming harvest from my other tanks). What i like about <i>Blyxa Japonica</i> is that its an adaptive plant that can grow well as a water column feeder and its easy to get an instant nice grassy hedge with just bunches of them. <br />
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The tank is filtered by an Eheim Ecco Pro 130, which is in turn connected to <a href="http://www.urbanaquaria.com/2014/06/product-review-acrylic-lily-pipe-set.html" target="_blank">Acrylic Lily Pipes</a>. I adjusted the flow rate to around 70%-80% to regulate the current, to the point that there is good overall circulation and all the plant leaves are swaying gently in the current, but not too much that they get uprooted.<br />
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I'd have to say that this tank is one of the fastest i've ever setup, from empty tank to hooking up equipment to hardscaping and planting to completion, all in it only took less than 30 minutes. <br />
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A group of 20+ cherry shrimps (aka maintenance crew) were introduced a few hours after tank setup, the filter already contains a portion of cycled bio-media and the sand substrate is inert, so the parameters stay relatively stable for the fauna.<br />
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I'll probably add more smaller and shorter plants in between the rocks as accents, perhaps some <i>Eleocharis sp. 'Mini' </i>or maybe some <i>Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo'</i> could be nice. Will see what i can harvest from my other tanks. :)
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<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-86187106006006265562014-06-06T19:00:00.000+08:002014-06-06T19:45:10.276+08:00Product Review - Acrylic Lily Pipe SetAsk anyone who uses glass lily pipes and one of their main gripes would be how easy it is to break those delicate items... its only through enough practice (and a few broken pipes) that one will eventually master the fine art of handling glass pipes. :)<br />
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There have been alternative pipes which are made from acrylic over the years, but they have been mostly DIY or custom made projects, and the ones what were available commercially tend to end up falling abit short on design or durability (ie. odd outflow angles or made of 2 separate pieces of cast acrylic and then glued together).<br />
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Hence when i spotted a new acrylic lily pipe set available on eBay recently, i decided to take a chance and order it, and surprise... its actually made properly!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2p4LKyr8CjGkFXDUJVnSETAvDVbk9KBfxoQ93srG_AA60QZXR75lc2e79JPgYZ59EN3ds4vfYxdmfWBaGRxiYKQSfWslCVnGuqWG5Yd-vK2JYINvqYKAq-0ytLEgkdIbL2dV43QU26Q/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+Acrylic+Lily+Pipe+Set+-+Review+-+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2p4LKyr8CjGkFXDUJVnSETAvDVbk9KBfxoQ93srG_AA60QZXR75lc2e79JPgYZ59EN3ds4vfYxdmfWBaGRxiYKQSfWslCVnGuqWG5Yd-vK2JYINvqYKAq-0ytLEgkdIbL2dV43QU26Q/s1600/Urban+Aquaria+-+Acrylic+Lily+Pipe+Set+-+Review+-+01.jpg" /></a></div>
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Note that as these are from eBay sellers (there is no "brand" associated with them), i can't
know for sure how consistent the workmanship are. If you are keen on them, just do a search
on eBay for "acrylic lily pipe" and the available listings should pop up. The listings will also include the detailed pipe measurements too.<br />
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Here is the search link for easier reference: <a href="http://www.ebay.com.sg/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313&_nkw=acrylic+lily+pipe&_sacat=0&_from=R40" target="_blank">http://www.ebay.com.sg/sch/i.html?_t...at=0&_from=R40</a><br />
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Each pipe is made from a single acrylic tube, and the measurements follow common lily pipe dimensions that fit braceless aquarium tanks. This is the version that fits 12/16mm hoses. It comes packaged with suction cups and plastic clips to secure the pipes to the side of the aquarium tank. <br />
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The outflow lily pipe mouth is shaped properly and tilted to the correct angle. I did notice the acrylic surface on the mouth section was slightly less clear though, which i guess is probably from the heat forming process.<br />
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The intake pipe cut slots had some leftover bits of acrylic shavings, but i was able to just trim them off with a hobby knife. The bottom of the intake pipe has a plastic stopper which can be removed to facilitate easier access for pipe cleaning brushes.<br />
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Here is the comparison of mouth shape and angle between a VIV glass lily pipe (background) vs the acrylic lily pipe (foreground):<br />
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The acrylic lily pipe mouth is around 3cm width and 3.5cm height, so its slightly smaller in comparison to the VIV glass lily pipe:<br />
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Finally there is an acrylic lily pipe set which is made properly and works correctly, so its a good option for those wanting to use lily pipes but have butter fingers and had been afraid to use them... or for those of us who currently use glass lily pipes and would welcome a less fragile alternative. :)<br />
<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-58961163253413055422014-05-29T20:00:00.000+08:002014-06-02T15:49:23.742+08:00Product Review - Ocean Free Surf ClearWhile shopping for aquarium supplies recently, i chanced upon this new surface skimmer from Ocean Free called the Surf Clear. It seems to be a new model so i figured it'll be interesting to try it out and do a review on it.<br />
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I have used the Eheim 350 surface skimmer before, so my review will include some comparisons with that model. <br />
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The Surf Clear product box and its contents...<br />
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It operates on the popular design of a floating skimmer head and motorized pump at the bottom. <br />
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The overall build quality is quite good and all the parts fit together well. Its design does somewhat resemble the Eheim 350, and in some ways it also matches the design and color scheme of the Ocean Free Hydra internal filters too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYRG9R100nvgcDuDObGTCB6zrl9dZJfZh-RLSetG-308o8j84pYsKNNcs5PQsYo0YKb3dCu4k1CXWG9T6mJIFqWV7MPKiKERGbV00AWfkegIqqyOrPqi0GcAqrqXL8r2waGONhSbjjDs/s1600/Ocean+Free+Surf+Clear+-+Review+-+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYRG9R100nvgcDuDObGTCB6zrl9dZJfZh-RLSetG-308o8j84pYsKNNcs5PQsYo0YKb3dCu4k1CXWG9T6mJIFqWV7MPKiKERGbV00AWfkegIqqyOrPqi0GcAqrqXL8r2waGONhSbjjDs/s1600/Ocean+Free+Surf+Clear+-+Review+-+02.jpg" /></a></div>
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The inflow speed can be controlled by turning the blue skimmer container's collar left or right. The skimmer head also has grill guards which help to prevent small fishes or shrimps from being pulled into the skimmer (but tiny fry or shrimplets may still get pulled in so do check it regularly).<br />
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It comes with an innovative feature which allows users to
simply lift the skimmer head and container straight out of the main casing to
clean it, without removing the whole unit from the tank. The sponge filter media is housed in the blue skimmer container (not in the main unit). I like this particular feature as it helps to reduce the chances of drips and spills during regular maintenance.<br />
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The motorized pump can be easily removed for cleaning whenever necessary. The power
consumption and flow rate of the Surf Clear is 3W and 200 l/ph (compared to
the Eheim 350 which is 5W and 300 l/ph).<br />
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Instead of a conventional single nozzle outflow design, the Surf Clear has a grate style outflow design instead, this disperses the flow to a wider area and directs a more gentle current towards its surroundings.<br />
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Here is the Surf Clear operating in one of my tanks...<br />
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I've used it in a few tanks and it worked effectively to clear up the surface oil layers.<br />
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Overall, my experience with the Surf Clear has been positive so far. I think its worth a look at if you are also in the market for a surface skimmer too. :)
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<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6729821130468776147.post-69467150308434028632014-04-23T11:00:00.000+08:002016-11-07T17:49:43.396+08:0018 Litre "Glass Planter" Outdoor TankI recently got an outdoor shelving system from IKEA to put some potted plants... as usual i ended up filling the extra shelves with aquarium-related items too. :)<br />
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My original plan was to just use a normal planter box for terrestrial plants, but then i remembered that i had a spare low-profile glass tank (L40cm x D25cm x H18cm) that was able to fit nicely on the shelf, so i cleaned it and filled the bottom with a simple sand base, then planted it with <i>Anubias Barteri var. Angustifolia </i>(glued to individual small rocks) and further surrounded with more rocks.<br />
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Filtration and oxygenation is supplied by a small sponge filter (its sitting just behind the plants).<br />
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Some of the anubias plant leaves currently poke out of the water surface but parts of it are still underwater so the leaves are kept hydrated. Hopefully by the time the leaves start to grow taller out of the water they should have adapted back to emersed form.<br />
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No fauna at the moment... though i'll probably add in a few small hardy fishes soon to prevent mosquito breeding.<br />
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The tank is positioned in a shaded area and blocked by other plants but it still gets indirect sunlight for most of the day.<br />
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With slow growing plants in a full glass tank outdoors, i guess it'll probably be a count down to algae fest in 3... 2... 1... *fingers crossed*. :)
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<br />Urban Aquariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01989859781350081546noreply@blogger.com5