# Planted Tanks > Aquascaping >  New here - 30cm Cube Garden

## Mayhem

Hey all,

Was dabbling with a pico planted with a few CRS but recently changed to a 30cm cube, so I figured I would join and start a journal for my new tank. This is my first hi-tech tank, so looking forward to learning a lot.

Specs:
*Tank:* ANS Opticlear 30cm cube
*Filter:* Eheim 2213 (640L/hr)
*Lighting:* VG CY301 LED 15W, additional VG clip on 10W LED
*Chiller:* AL30 Microchiller with temp maintained at 25c
*CO2:* Pressurized CO2 with soleniod at 1 bubble per 3 secs
*Ferts:* ADA Brighty K, ADA Step 1, Seachem Excel
*Substrate:* ADA Amazonia II

*Flora:*
Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo'
hydrocotyle tripartita
Variegated Acorus
Anubias Barteri (nana)
Ludwigia Peruensis
Christmas moss

Can't remember the names for some plants.. mainly stocked from C328

*Fauna:*
10 x Hemigrammus rodwayi (Golden tetra)
2 x Rasboras from previous take to help with initial cycle
1 x Red cherry shrimp
1 x "Bumble bee" snail

I was inspired by a one-pot iwagumi DSM set up on another forum so decided to give it a shot, scaping and planting on day 1:


20160113_205648.jpg 20160113_205654.jpg 20160114_131812.jpg 20160114_131820.jpg

Kept it wrapped in for 5 days:

20160115_113049.jpg

Opened the clear wrap after a weekend away and the leaves on the Monte Carlo and moss were showing signs of drying up (brown). Not really sure what caused it as the substrate was still moist, probably caused by me being away and not being able to spray water on the leaves. So I decided to flood the tank.. and add in more plants in some areas and on the spiderwood.

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## Mayhem

1.5 weeks after flooding:

HAR_4168 copy.jpg

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## Mayhem

Can anyone let me know how do I tag image URLs to posts? Each post is limited to 5 attachments and the size limits are impossible, I'm already resizing the files to thumbnail sizes (both resolution and mb).

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## fireblade

looks good!
the pink plant is not water plant.. if it is not dead, please remove it

for adding of pictures, I used http://s15.photobucket.com

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## Mayhem

Flora and Fauna

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## Mayhem

Serious? I got it from C328 tho..

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## Mayhem

Ammonia tested 0 to 0.25 this morning, it could actually mean that the ATM colony is working and tank is cycled. Nitrate levels were off the charts so I'll be doing a 50% pwc later this evening.

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## fireblade

pink one infront of your wood...
looks like not there anymore..

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## Mayhem

Oh yes, they melted very quickly and I removed them.

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## Urban Aquaria

> Oh yes, they melted very quickly and I removed them.


Yeah, thats a fittonia plant... its meant to be used in paludariums or terrariums. Not all plants sold at LFS are for aquariums.  :Smile:

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## AquaHausSG

Fittonias are meant for plau or terrariums..not in aquariums  :Smile:

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## Donut the Donkey

Very nice scape! Don't worry, I made the same mistake of putting Fittonia's in my layout when I first started out too. Heh. 

In my opinion, you can create an account and use photobucket instead and just link the images here. It's a bit of a hassle but the pictures turn out fine.

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## Gilbert Fox

Awesome ! wish i had that talent  :Shocked:

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## khongming

Loving it. I am bookmarking this thread.  :Wink:

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## Mayhem

Hi peeps

Some updates to the 30cm cube garden:

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## Mayhem

Recently had a hair algae attack:







Quite depressing to see all these hair algae actually..  :Sad: 

I removed the additional 10W clip on light, so now the tank is only having 15W of LED on a 6 hour photo period daily. Added a Dymax PH200 powerhead for surface agitation as the oil film gets really thick everytime I come back after the weekend. Stopped fert dosing for the moment and adding Flourish Excel on a daily basis, also added a black molly hoping that it will eradicate the hair algae entirely.

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## WingCher

From my personal experience, hair algae is due to inconsistent CO2 level during photosynthesis period.

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## Mayhem

Getting the CO2 levels right is still a learning process for me. Tanks is running at 1 bubble per 2 secs, and the dc is always lime green.. If the hair algae still persists I'll slowly increase CO2.

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## Mayhem

A quick update for today:
The black molly really picked and ate most of the hair algae during the weekend.. this fella's amazing!
Added a few rhizomes of Bucephalandra sp. midnight blue to the drift wood. First time dealing with this species of plants and I'm pretty excited to see how this turns out, after all the articles I've read online.
The golden tetras also seem to have developed a blue-ish tip to their fins, not sure if this is normal. Anyone with experience with golden tetras having similar coloration?

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## Halfbeak

Very nice and lush cube tank you have

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## Mayhem

Thanks Halfbeak!

More pictures today since I have my camera with me. Might need to get an CO2 inline diffuser as the CO2 bubbles are all over the tank..







Really loving the colours and details on the bucep







My hero (or heroine) for for clearing most of the hair algae



And amazing colouring on the golden tetras

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## fireblade

nice updates!!  :Smile: 
your Molly is a he...

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## jackychun

Very nice Black Molly. Where did you get him?  :Very Happy:

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## Mayhem

Got him from Polyart Aquarium, Clementi  :Very Happy:

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## jackychun

> Got him from Polyart Aquarium, Clementi


Thanks bro.  :Smile: 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## Mayhem

Some other inhabitants of the cube garden..





The CRS are always hiding in the thick undergrowth, only managed to get a few shots this time round before they disappear. I think I have 5 of these guys..

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## Mayhem

Clean shot without CO2 bubbles for today












I also suspect that there was a PRL with my last purchase of CRS.. Can someone help me ID if this fella is PRL? Only had about 20 secs with this guy in the open before he disappeared into the plants.

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## Mayhem

Added some new fauna today

Corydoras habrosus
Corydoras Pandas
Corydoras Sterbai
veiltail cherry barbs
Rosy tetras

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## jackychun

Hi Mayhem, may I know your tank pH? I am planning to have a Black Molly but I understand that it prefers hard water. My tank is a bit acidic (pH about 6-6.5). I don't know if it can thrive. 


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## fed949

I agreed, very nice. Keep it up.

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## Mayhem

https://youtu.be/u-VBRzIrZBU

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## fed949

very nice... keep it up

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## kakachi

bro your black molly got makan your shrimp?

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## Mayhem

> bro your black molly got makan your shrimp?


Nope! Yours did?

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