# iBetta's 2nd Journal-Title: In love with HC



## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

I just couldn't leave the HC alone, maybe I have a thing for them since i think they make awesome carpets . So I decided to pull out whatever I had remaining in my 15g

(http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29183)

and decided to open up a nano for it . I missed my old 15g Iwagumi scape (below on my signature) so I took some of the rocks I've used and mimicked a similar scape . Hope they will grow well!

tank: 12x12x12" nano, 7g (thanks anna!)
substrate: fluval stratum "flora"
C02: DIY
lights: 13" custom LEDs "daylight white" (3 rows of cells)
fauna/livestock: undecided, have 3 amanos for now, thinking of some otos and axelrod rasboras 

looking for some Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan' to put it near my middle 'mountain-like' rock, surrounding it to complete the scape that i want 

Thanks for looking guys!


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

Simple yet gorgeous scape! Wish I knew how to scape like that and have the equipments!


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

brapbrapboom said:


> Simple yet gorgeous scape! Wish I knew how to scape like that and have the equipments!


lol man, u're gonna make me blush :*). i used leftover rocks from a cichlid tank +rocks from backyard . but thank you very much for the compliment! my FH is growing a kok!  well its still very small. i need to take a pic of him! (i always forget ) but he swims way too fast -_-


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

Hey bro, I was wondering how long does your DIY co2 last for? Also do you dose any fertz?


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

brapbrapboom said:


> Hey bro, I was wondering how long does your DIY co2 last for? Also do you dose any fertz?


hey man! it usually lasts about 2-3 weeks, though my last bottle lasted over 2 months!O: i dont know what happened lol

i also do EI dosing


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## alexxa (Jun 27, 2010)

how is your tank? any update?


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

i just rescaped it . i call it "life on mars" ahahha! u'll see why i mean that when i take a pic


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## alexxa (Jun 27, 2010)

good i will wait for your photos


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

alexxa said:


> good i will wait for your photos


as will I too.


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## Fergus (Jul 11, 2011)

I'm expecting ferric oxide substrate with corbonaceous chondrites strewn about.


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

*Update #1*

Here's the new scape 

I have some green axelrods in there but my camera can't capture it (sorry its a phone camera)

Alexxa, I've also tried to take a pic of my diffuser but you can't see the bubbles .

HC didnt grow a lot because I've rescaped this tank 3-4 times, so i fidgeted with them a lot. but at least they are green, algae-free and sprouting new leaves . i DO get some green/green spot algae on the leaves and on the glass, but considering my setup, those can be easily ignored as its not too much of a problem lol XD

I am planning to get some better lights thought, so PC or CFL (which is better?) since my LEDs aren't doing the job


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## alexxa (Jun 27, 2010)

i think i see some brown HC... is that?
i am using a 23W CFL on my cube and it seems ok


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

yep, there is a little, those are the ones that were floating for a couple of days before i planted them so i expected them to brown. i always get a little of brown HC


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## alexxa (Jun 27, 2010)

iBetta said:


> yep, there is a little, those are the ones that were floating for a couple of days before i planted them so i expected them to brown. i always get a little of brown HC


until now i am getting half of my HC brown lol
i was able to grow them nice for a month before, but now i think they are just too weak so they turn brown easily


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

for me they turned brown after a month without EI dosing/excel lol. so pretty hard to grow if you don't have all the right equipment like us


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## alexxa (Jun 27, 2010)

iBetta said:


> for me they turned brown after a month without EI dosing/excel lol. so pretty hard to grow if you don't have all the right equipment like us


i am not using EI dosing method but i do dose twice per week with flourish comprehensive and flourish nitrogen, and some KH2PO4
the funny thing is that everytime i dose KH2PO4, the next day i see brown HC-.-''


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

well then might that be cause? for me its only when i dose enough, or not c02, light, pretty everything ahahha! i fail XD


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## alexxa (Jun 27, 2010)

iBetta said:


> well then might that be cause? for me its only when i dose enough, or not c02, light, pretty everything ahahha! i fail XD


i actually wanna redo the tank, remove all algae, throw all my HC away and get some new HC, but no one is selling HC now


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## Otaku (Feb 27, 2010)

Those rocks remind me of mushrooms...


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## CallMeKenny (Aug 26, 2010)

Nice tank, I wish I bought a rimless! The rocks actually remind me of skulls for some reason


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

ahah to otaku and CallMeKenny:

those rocks actually come from tobermory !


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