# 10 Gallon CPD Haven



## Will

*10 Gallon Planted Tank
Filtration: *AC20, AC30
*Lighting: *Marineland 6W LED
*Faunastock: *Cherry Shrimp, Amano Shrimp, Assassin Snails, Corydoras pygmaeus, Otocinclus affinis, Danio margaritatus
*Florastock:* Sagittaria subulata, Eleocharis acicularis, riccia fluitans, Echinodorus osiris, Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae, microsorum pteropus, Cryptocoryne wendtii, Cryptocoryne x willisii, and plenty more forgeten, a few unidentified...
*Extras:* 1L DIY Co2, Fluorish; iron, potassium, excel, comprehensive plant supplement.

*DAY 1:*








*DAY60:*








*DAY90:*








*DAY120:*
http://comingsoon.com/staytuned.jpg

Please comment with thoughts, questions, or otherwise...

Thanks, Will Hayward
Burlingtonian


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## Rmwbrown

Nice results with the LED lights.


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## Will

Agreed. Despite having a mix of low light and light loving plants, the overall growth rate is very acceptable. The shimmer effect is as nice on freshwater planted tanks as it is on a reef tank, if not even more impressive. I think that come the winter holiday we will likely replace the 220 Watts of compact fluorescent that is over the ~40 Gallon tank, with some Weipro LEDs. Though it may require several fixtures to penetrate the 25" depth of that tank addequatly to grow the desired carpeting plants.

Shown here with only 110W running;









So far that tank is constantly undergoing changes and additions, and has recently recovered from a hair algae outbreak.


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## Rmwbrown

I'm in the process of upgrading my planted tank. Sitting on a co2 system, picking up canister filter and diffuser this week and then a new tank in the next week or two. For the time being i'm going to run two 65w PC for 25 gallons (slight over kill!), but before the new year i'm thinking that LED lighting might be the way to go. I'm hesitating about the mix of blue and white on the Weipro and how it would look outside a marine tank.


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## Will

Overkill is a general rule I personally use fairly often. The 38 Gallon has 6W per Gallon and a filter (FX5) turnover of approximately 30+ times per hour based on flowrate and water volume.

The Marineland 6W light shown above has three blue LEDs that stay on 24/7 (but can be off) making it actually a 9W light. The photos of the 10 Gallon tank above show the light with both blue and white LEDs on. Any blue glow is not noticable in person, and barely noticable in photos.

Also, the Weipro lights come in many models, with and without blue LEDs, and may have 1-3 rows of LEDs running the length of the fixture.


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## BettaBeats

your new scape has a great design. your old one was pretty random.
i'd suggest using plants to hide your equipment. and using clear tube isntead of black, etc.

also, bring stuff to the foreground. your design stops 3" from the actual tank wall.. i do it too, but i'm trying to fill the front of the tank it fully.


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## Will

Thanks very much for your comment!

The part about bringing stuff to the foreground- was this in relation to the 10 gallon or the 38Gallon?

Yes! The design is slowly becoming more cohesive and defined, but i have, and continue to, use this 10 gallon tank to growout plants that are moved into the 38 gallon, so at times there are plants that are cluttered or misplaced- that do not have a home in this tanks ultimate design. Such as a few various sword plant species, the Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae, and probably the riccia unless I grow it attached.


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## Beijing08

I like it! Looks amazing with that driftwood towards the left.
How many CPD's are in there?


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## Will

Beijing08 said:


> I like it! Looks amazing with that driftwood towards the left.
> How many CPD's are in there?


Thankyou, what do you think of the rock to the left? it is difficult to visualise it's shape from a front only photo, but the rock is dark and made up of many colours including black, green, and brown, with some metalic grains imbedded.

There are only 3 of the original 6 that were added. One became emaciated and died shortly after arriving, another was in a filter disaster when the strainer was off, and the last was the smallest and dissapeared altogether. I hope to add more soon and hope to eventually have at least a dozen before leaving them to hopefully breed.


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## Beijing08

Will Hayward said:


> Thankyou, what do you think of the rock to the left? it is difficult to visualise it's shape from a front only photo, but the rock is dark and made up of many colours including black, green, and brown, with some metalic grains imbedded.
> 
> There are only 3 of the original 6 that were added. One became emaciated and died shortly after arriving, another was in a filter disaster when the strainer was off, and the last was the smallest and dissapeared altogether. I hope to add more soon and hope to eventually have at least a dozen before leaving them to hopefully breed.


 From the six I bought, so far only one jumped out cuz the tank wasn't properly cycled yet, a little bit of ammonia and some stress caused its death 
The rock is in a good hidden position, therefore I can't really see what its like. But I think if you replaced it with another piece of wood, it'll put the focal point more or less into the centre-left, which is definitely more dynamic. Some vals in the background and crypts around the wood, perhaps a carpet of Glossostigma, you're off to a more visually pleasing CPD haven. just my opinions though


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## Ciddian

Beautiful Will


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## Will

Beijing08 said:


> From the six I bought, so far only one jumped out cuz the tank wasn't properly cycled yet, a little bit of ammonia and some stress caused its death
> The rock is in a good hidden position, therefore I can't really see what its like. But I think if you replaced it with another piece of wood, it'll put the focal point more or less into the centre-left, which is definitely more dynamic. Some vals in the background and crypts around the wood, perhaps a carpet of Glossostigma, you're off to a more visually pleasing CPD haven. just my opinions though


The rock was to be removed and used a space to make room for a stemplant if I found one that was really nice (or some p.helferi), but two months went by and it's not yet out as I havent acquired either. And I've been looking for someone to give me a few trimmings of glosso to start a carpet on the front right side. I'm confident I could grow it from just a few runners. Almost all the budget is being used on the 38 gallon. 
I havent used many Vals because there is plenty of Sag in there, the dwarf sag carpeting infront of the wood on the left and in the far left back corner almost hiding the left side filter intake and the wood air block from the Co2 is a taller sp. of sag, that looks similar to Val. there are some vals in the very front right corner amongst those green crypts that were put there just to grow out some more, but they might be Giant Vals based on the width of the leaf and could quickly outgrow the 10" height of this tank.
Thanks for your thoughts!


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## xr8dride

Hi Will, you had responded to my thread asking about the marineland lighting and asked me to refer to this thread. I see you are using it and having great success with it in your 10 gallon, it looks great. Now, what I wanted to know about this lighting system was it's abilty to penetrate to the bottom of the tank and how it compared to say flourescents..T8's or T5's. I'm going on a slightly grander scale than you have applied these lights too. I'm planing a 180 gallon cichlid community tank...72"x24"x24". Do you feel the LEDs will be bright enough if I say ran two of the 36-48" setups? I like the footprint of this lighting system as it will fit nicely under a hood and not cause a lot of heat...but do not want to purchase something I may find lacking in brightness.
Any info you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Rob


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## Will

Hello Rob, Thanks for the compliment on the tank. for this tank is has worked very well so far, though I do have some thoughts about having a stronger light- it is for only my desire to try more plants without any issues arrising. I would be happy with two of the same fixture that is currently on the tank, but they are a bit pricey and I may think about selling it and combining the profit with the cost of a second new unit, to buy a single more powerful unit. Possibly weipro brand if they have on of 20" length.

If you're application with the light is for a 180 cichlid tank with a few- or none at all- low light plants, I think this light will create a very very nice effect that will showoff african cichlids extremely well. Honestly, it may not be as bright to your eye as t5 fluorescents, which have great light coverage and descent depth penetration, but LEDs create the "glitter" effect from reflecting the surface waves onto the bottom. This means that the lights will be somewhat dimmer than a fluorescent, but have much brighter flashes of strong light bouncing around your tank (like a MH over a marine tank). This will create a very natural feel to the aquarium, as if you were diving in lake Malawi.

The colour from the LEDs are very white, without much yellow tinge, and the fixture has 1/3 of its bulbs in blue, which when combined with the white leds, cast a very very pleasing pure white.

This fixture causes NO heat whatsoever. 

The light has a switch with the controls; OFF, Blue ON, Blue AND White ON.

The blue moonlights are pretty weak, and won't likely be able to show much in your tank except in the most pitch black of rooms where a tank might be located. But I find this is the case for most moonlights anyways- most not all. If the fish swim up near the top of the tank, say the top 12" you should see their silhouette.

It illuminates green plants fairly well, makes yellows and blues pop, but not so much reds- or not to the point of enhancing the colour as greatly.

The light you will get for using only two 24W fixtures will be surprisingly bright for the wattage used. Lighter on the wallet come the end of the month, and possibly lighter again come the end of each year or two when you might need fluorescent tubes replaced. LEDs are known for their ability to penetrate, because just like MH, they have a single point of light, unlike fluorescents which have their light diffused in gas, in frosted bulbs.

Two or three of these fixtures over that tank would likely make you pretty satisfied. Once you have those light reflections dancing about your tank you will never want to go back to a fluorescent tube- and their stale, powdery, bland illumination. If you need a stronger lamp, take a look at weipro brand imported from asia (signapore?) which I have seen available at Aquatic Kingdom. They do have their own faults though in otherways, or so I've read in many many reviews, also returning or replacing them is probably not possible except maybe through the retailer.


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## AquaNeko

Any sneak peek shot of the tank before day 90?


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## Will

UPDATE:

I moved around the tall unknown blade-like plant that was placed right in the center of the tank infront of the red stemplant. It's now located in the right rear area underneath the right side aquaclear. Black hard algae had been growing on it, and if it were on Anubias or Javafern where it commonly grows, I would have plucked the leaves, but this plant is all leaf, so that's not possible. The shrimp, otocats, and pygmy corries like to nibble on it, but it doesn't reduce the amount.

I also moved the Osirus sword to the bigger tank, it's quadrupled in size in about 70 days. I won't be having any swordplants in here as they are much to large for tanks this size, let alone tanks 3X this size.

At the HDAS Auction I bought 9 more Celestial Pearl Danios (CPDs) and picked up some Blyxa Japonica for only $3! opened the bag at home to find three or four nice plants in it. The original 3 survivng CPDs are enjoying their 9 new friends and now come out and swimg in the open a bit before darting back into the plants and hidden areas.

I've forgotten which species is the stem plant in this tank. But it's not red much anymore, despite starting out green and orange and trunging nearly solid red after a month, so I've been adding liberal doses of Seachem Fluorish Iron in hopes it might redden up again. I also put some more API fertiliser tabs into their root system a few weeks ago when i trimmed and replanted the cutoffs.



AquaNeko said:


> Any sneak peek shot of the tank before day 90?


NO NEVER! Well okay- but how about a video?






*VIDEO*
This video is still being processed. Video quality will improve once processing is complete.


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## Will

Bump for Video? Yes, Bumped for video.


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## AquaNeko

Will,

How deep is your gravel bed for the plants? 1-2" all over or 1" all over with some parts mounded up to 1.5-2" of gravel for planting some things?


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## Will

A slope from 1" in the front left corner to a 2"+ slope in the back right corner. The log is secured to a thin granite slab so there is slightly less around it's base. Sand is a fine black sand, supplemented by several big blocky fert cones and with API root tabs broken up and selectively placed.


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## Will

Updated video with info and annotations, and a reupload of the video v2.0


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## camboy012406

here is my 10 gallon tank. I dont have diy co2 here and I put just a little bit ferts coz I have lots of shrimpies.

here is my tank.


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## Will

Hi Cam, it was I who posted on you other video. glad to see a new update, I will watch it now. Did you film this recently? Thanks for sharing. 

If you want to add your video as a video response to mine, and mine to yours we can both get more views. Just click to comment on my video and you'll see the "attach a video" option.


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## Will

Update:

I've added more pygmy cories, 6 to be exact. I will probably move 3 over to the bigger tank after they have gotten fat little pygy bellies and have regrown their fins (maybe ammonia burned at the store?). At the moment they look to be doing much better than friday evening, the day of arrival. they enjoy eating the frozen cyclopseze that I mostly feed this tank. Even without any colour or significant pattern, these are my favourite corydoras. Just ridiculously cute and funny to watch. Their habits include, winking, farting and sitting on stem plant leaves like a fat bird in a tree.

In addition to the addition of more corries... I've added two new species; (2) Zebra Nerite Snail and and (3) Dwarf Sparkling Gourami. Hopefully the assassin Snails keep busy with the pest snails and don't bother the Nerites who should have immunity as algae eaters IMO! I'd love some help IDing the species of Sparkling gourami I have. It might be Trichopsis pumila?It has bright blue eyes and bronze diamonds down the flanks. The fins are slightly reddish with blue-green pearls. I found them really tough - impossible to sex, however I've read females may have less obvious patterning on the flanks.

Future additions may include Scarlette Badis, mosquito rasbora, dwarf emerald rasbora... but until they are in the tank, that's always subject to change. Definately will be overstocked by most standards. But only with the smallest species of fish any family of fish have.


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## Will

Hey all, checkout VIDEO NUMBER 2!

VIDEO 2

Would love to hear anyones thoughts on one or both videos if they could take only 3 minutes to watch each video.


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## pat3612

Very nice love that second snail just moving along


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## Will

Haha, notice the music when it shows that snail. funny.


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## Ciddian

The video was lovely! The tank really looks well put together and the inhabitants look like they are doing well. I was trying to show my fiance just how small those cories were and then a shrimp went swimming by. lol


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## Will

Ciddian said:


> The video was lovely! The tank really looks well put together and the inhabitants look like they are doing well. I was trying to show my fiance just how small those cories were and then a shrimp went swimming by. lol


I love that part of the video. All the corries line up, then one moves to take a look at the camera, and then the shrimp comes rampaging and chases them all away!

I will be planting the narrowleaf pygmy sword (L.mauritanus (sp?) ) in the pot between those two vertical algae covered slate rocks, right behind the dwarf hairgrass.


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## Will

also, those corries are about 10-15mm


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## Will

Hmm found a dead CPD today. Cause unkown.


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## PanzerFodder

Hi Will and Others.

Firstly I would like to say that your 10G planted tanks look fabulous, and the videos were very good as well, I have just got a bigger tank 37 gal and it’s one of the high sided ones so about 23 tall from top to bottom and 30” long by 12 wide, in your opinion would one of the 24-36” Double Bright units be bright enough for a tank of that size? Also what would be my chances of growing some of the plants that do not require strong lighting with a set up like this?.

Also I read earlier today that these LED type lights show off better on the yellow side of the color spectrum (and not so much on the red side) so I wonder if they would make fish like the lemon tetra really pop with color under this type of lighting?.

Thanks for reading this….PanzerFodder…


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## Will

Sup.

Thanks! I'm having a lot of fun with the tank. (I want to move it to a place that is easier to view it sitting.) It's so much like a TV I even put it online to watch when. 

I think that your 23" tall tank would not be lit properly for growing any plants other than moss, flating plants, and crypts. I have another tank, that is 24 or 25" tall. I will take a photo of it this weekend with the light, but its only the 18x24", over a 36" tank so we'll just look at how far down the light goes and not the overal brightness of the tank. I ranted about them back ago a few posts. i had a lemon tetra under them at one point. It looked amazing (they look best over black substrate with lots of plants too though).

I havent tried them yet, but the new models that should be available in canada soon are much stronger. Probably better choice. they are called "Marineland reef capable."


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## PanzerFodder

Thanks Will, I'll look forward to seeing a deeper tank with LED lighting, it may help me to make my mind up one way or another  .

Cheer's...PanzerFodder...


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## Will

PanzerFodder said:


> Thanks Will, I'll look forward to seeing a deeper tank with LED lighting, it may help me to make my mind up one way or another  .
> 
> Cheer's...PanzerFodder...


I might have to try this again at night. the light from the )blind-less) window near the tank was disrupting the photos. But based on the look I'd say very low light plants only, or none at all. Or go with the new "reef Capable" version of this lamp or maybe look at weipro lights on tanks so deep.


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## Will

Well, it hasnt quite been 30 days since the previous photo for the log was taken, but things are going so well I figured I should post some pics anways.

New photos showcasing the addition of some plants including; _Lilaeopsis mauritiana, Hemianthus callitrichoides, _& _Blyxa japonica_. i used a safety pine to hold the HC and it's rockwool base into the top of the driftwood. The safety pine should be covered by the HC and hidden sooner than later, as is now it is barely visible. i got the idea of attaching HC to wood from a friend (Thanks Richard) who showed me his tank and allowed me to take some photos (shown at the bottom of post).

Front panel from left angle:









Macro of HC









Full Tank Shot:









Close up of roots and rockwool base.









Right Side View:









Left Side View:









The tank that inspired the HC to be placed atop the driftwood. Photo is mine but Tank is not. Thanks Richard.









Richard used to be a pure Reefer, when he moved to Canada he came to the store I was working at asking about planted tanks. I sent him home with a few trimmings of javamoss, stringy moss, and glosso that I was growing in a 1/2 gallon fishbowl on the desk at the store. This tank is the result of those first few plant i gave him. He now thinks planted tanks have as much merit as a reef!


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## PanzerFodder

WOW! your friend Richard does one Awesome planted tank, thanks for posting the photo I enjoyed looking at that one 

Cheer's...PanzerFodder...


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## Will

PanzerFodder said:


> WOW! your friend Richard does one Awesome planted tank, thanks for posting the photo I enjoyed looking at that one
> 
> Cheer's...PanzerFodder...


Enjoyed just that specific photo eh? Hmm 

 yeah his tank is awesome! Very full of both plants and fish. There's only about 3" if swimming space at the front side and then it's just a wall of plants and wood branches. Seemingly a hundred fish dart in and out of the plants or pace the front if you're close by to the tank.


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## PanzerFodder

Will Hayward said:


> Enjoyed just that specific photo eh? Hmm


Sorry, it was late and I forgot to say that your tank is cool as well  ,

Back On the topic of LED's again, I may well try a set, as I have been given a 20" long 10 Gal that has very poor lighting on it, so I may give them a try on that one.

I am now looking at the Current 30" freshwater lights to go with my tall 37 Gal, it's a double T5 system and I think that they push out 24 Watts each giving me just over one Watt per Gallon so should be able to grow some of the low light plands, BA is selling these lights at 129.99 for the 30" ATM so it looks like the best option for me to get.

Cheer's...PanzerFodder...


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## Will

I think the photos speak proof of the abilities of the light. The 0.6W three blue LEDs are left on 24/7 and the six 1W White LEDs are on about 15 hours. No timer is used. While the tank is slightly dimmer than using an appropriately sized single 18" 15W fluorescent tube, the light appears far more pure and crisp, and has a surface shimmer rebounding about the tanks contents such as Metal Halaid bulbs produce. Overall, I'm pleased with it's ability to grow both low and highlight plants well enough in my tank.

The bulbs are rated to last a minimum of 17,000 hours, and the fixture produces 450 Lumens. The wavelengths fall off in the green and red spectrums, but are high in blue and yellow, which gives a very warm light in a planted tank. The fixture runs silent, and cool with little to no heat generated. This particular sized fixture fits on tanks 18-24". I use it on an open topped tank but it can be used on glass lidded tanks or easily installed into a canopy.

Those looking for a much brighter more illuminated tank, would compare the newer higher output model, called the "Marineland Reef Capable LED" Fixture, which produces significantly more light through more bulbs and higher watts. Those that have transcended the "watt obsessive craze" will likely really enjoy these lights. I'm happy to say that all-included, the filters and lights combined the tank costs me less than $1 a month in electricity.


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## Will

This is Day 90.

Added some new plants and fish recently. Including, Blyxa, HC, and some badis badis.


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## pat3612

That tanks looking better and better.


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## igor.kanshyn

Looks great!


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## Will

Thank you both!

Hi, I have a new tank video, including the Badis in the fottage. Please watch and give Feedback.


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## jimmyjam

i love the camera work . 

Your hc is growing nicely. .but it kinda looks like a olympic torch =p it just neeed a bit more time to spread down. Everything else looks very nice.


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## camboy012406

I really like your tank. are u sing co2? what are your ferts?3


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## Will

jimmyjam said:


> i love the camera work .
> 
> Your hc is growing nicely. .but it kinda looks like a olympic torch =p it just neeed a bit more time to spread down. Everything else looks very nice.


It's growing slow but looks to be in great health. I hope it has a willow tree like effect when it grows in more. Most of the plants are grass like, this plant should have strong prescence in the tank.


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## Will

camboy012406 said:


> I really like your tank. are u sing co2? what are your ferts?3


A 1L DIY Co2

Some Fluorish products.

Terrapur root cones & API Root Tabs.


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## camboy012406

Will Hayward said:


> A 1L DIY Co2
> 
> Some Fluorish products.
> 
> Terrapur root cones & API Root Tabs.


What kind of flourish products? Can you be specific?


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## Will

Sometimes excel, but shrimp population is low so I've stopped. Mostly potassium and comprehensive plant supplement. I have been overdosing Iron, resulting in thread algae.


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## Will

New videos recorded in this tank:





Please Thumbs up, subscribe, comment! Please checkout my other videos. Thanks!


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## igor.kanshyn

It's good!


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## Sunstar

I really need to setup my planted tanks agian. I got a 1 gallon with a couple CPD in it. Growing like mad, has algae issue. really need to get my co2 connected again. Miss the store will.


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## JAM

*Affordable LED lighting*

96 White LEDs (2 strips - 48 LEDS each strip) for $5.89 *Free Shipping*

I bought it @ eBay and use it in my aquarium

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...093406&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_2129wt_905

There are also Blue and Red LEDs - very low power consumption just 12 Volts


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## igor.kanshyn

JAM said:


> 96 White LEDs (2 strips - 48 LEDS each strip) for $5.89 *Free Shipping*
> 
> I bought it @ eBay and use it in my aquarium
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...093406&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_2129wt_905
> 
> There are also Blue and Red LEDs - very low power consumption just 12 Volts


I have these stripes. I even built two fixtures with them. They are not so bright and become even less efficient with time (weeks), some bulbs are going out of order.
I feel sorry that I spent so much time building that fixtures 

I have several stripes (white and yellow) that I haven't used. I can give them to try them out.


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## Will

Just realised that I never posted what happened to the CPDs. I Dosed a full amount of excel after no water change was done. It made a big mess. and U lost all the CPD.

Almost everything else survived and most of it was moved to 45/75 gallon tanks, including the half of the plants. It's been used for a holding tank for new bought fish, and plant cuttings from the other tank. But maybe it has a new renewed focus soon? 7 Kyathit danios were added this weekend, they are confusing the hell out of a tailless black neon who resides there. his name is lieutenant Dan.

igor, what did you do with those strip lights?


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## Kooka

Those chinese led's are garbage, I wouldn't bother getting them. Better to invest in some quality ones. The marineland fixtures aren't too bad, if you can get them for a decent price.


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## Will

Not sure where the LED strip light discussion started from, but I'm not considering them.

The Marineland lights have done great on this tank. But the moonlights are damaged now after a few years of running the light, and there is some water damage inside the fixture I beleive. The power adapter plug is very finicky.

The plants do well under the light, but the fixture themselves could be improved upon IMO.


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## Norman

Nice tank! It made me think that perhaps it's time to add some plants to the 20G - I have the same Marineland lights on it as well ad on my planted 75G (along with a T8 light that came with the tank) and it does well for my plants, although I couldn't keep the tall hairgrass alive...


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## Will

Norman said:


> Nice tank! It made me think that perhaps it's time to add some plants to the 20G - I have the same Marineland lights on it as well ad on my planted 75G (along with a T8 light that came with the tank) and it does well for my plants, although I couldn't keep the tall hairgrass alive...


I got e.acicularius to grow, but the tall thin e.vivipara struggled to survive.


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## Rmwbrown

Nice work, everybody looks fat and happy!


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## Will

This is the recent focus: http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27731

But I also have a simple mangrove refugium with dsb going.


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