Journal Art's tank(s)

Well, I'm tankless at the moment due to circumstances so will post a few of my last ones. Nothing near the masterpieces of others but I try.

Had a Dutch-inspired a few years ago when I was trying different techniques. This one had a sump and I ran carbon to minimize water changes.


Then I moved to an apartment so I changed it up with a more fitting UNS 90 with more traditional equipment. I first wanted to go traditional aquascape with stone.


Then I said, forget it. I like the stems too much! Ended up with a Dutch-inspired, wabi sabi combination.


Thinking about what's next for me.

 

[Art]

Whatever makes ya happy sir, I don’t think it’s a bad idea at all. Not every tank needs to be “scaped.”

 

[Jeff Miotke]

Maybe the new Tropica clip system would work for you? Unless the pots are your thing?
And your avatar just makes me chuckle uncontrollably...

 

[Pepere]

You look different Art. Did you get a new haircut?

 

[Art]

OK you got me. Was wondering if anyone was going to say something about the avatar. I was getting kind of worried about it. Do I really look like that?!

I uploaded a photo to an AI agent and asked for a Pixar version of me. This is what it came up with and I loved it. It's kind of resembles me. I just need to add 50 pounds or so.

 

[Pepere]

I uploaded a photo to an AI agent and asked for a Pixar version of me

Well, maybe you should post a current photo of you to compare.

Compared to your prior photo, it looks like it aged you a bit. Perhaps your old photo was well, older?

 

[Art]

Let’s just say the old avatar was taken a few years ago and I’m somewhere older than that but younger than the current avatar. I’m definitely not as heavy as the AI seems to think I am…

 

[Pepere]

and I’m somewhere older than that but younger than the current avatar.

So perhaps a premonition of what might be….

 

[*Ci*]

I’ve done potted tanks in the past that I thoroughly enjoyed, especially the ease of maintenance.
Back in the early 2000’s, a 125g goldfish tank:

More recently, after trying a high tech planted stem tank and longing for a simpler way (less than 1/2 of fine gravel substrate):



And of course my current discus tank:



I’ve always used thrift store glazed bowls/dishes or black glass vases and not worried about there being a drainage hole (you’re not going to get any water flow through the bottom anyway). These look better and do not seem to get algae coatings like terra cotta pots, plus you can have a colour scheme if you want and have different shape options - shallower or square for instance - to fit your tank better. Adding some wood and epiphytes helps make it look more like a scape than just potted plants in a row : )

 

[Art]

Love it! Yes, you are way ahead of me but that’s the direction I’m going to go.

Good thing I mentioned terracotta pots as I didn’t think about algae growing on them. May have to rethink that.

Thank you!

 

[Art]

Made some changes.

I am in my aquatic gardener phase so creating an aquascape is not interesting me at the moment. Phases happen with hobbies and certainly it's the case with our hobby. Sometimes you're all about the beauty and art of an aquascape. Other times, it's all about growing the plants.

My plan was to go 100% pots with one species per pot. However, the driftwood was covered with healthy java moss and Trident fern that I just couldn't toss away so I left it in there. You can also see the floating anubias mini that were attached to the rocks before.

I have a pump in the back right corner that turns on for 2 minutes every hour. It sweeps the bare bottom of all detritus and kicks it up into the water column. The hope is that my two overflows will capture it via the mechanical filter.

Anyway, very early stages as you can see with the beat up plants. Looking forward to seeing how they grow out.

 

[Phish Tank]

What did you do for the substrate in the pots?

 

[Art]

My old AquaSoil. I will replace some with the APT Feast when it comes in.

 

[Art]

The APT Feast came in and I went ahead and replaced the old Aqua Soil in all my pots with it.

I found it to be harder granules than Aqua Soil and slightly smaller than the regular Aqua Soil. It held on better to my new cuttings. Less dustiness when flooded.

As all of the plants in my tank now are recent arrivals and most are unrooted cuttings, I've restarted an old experiment. I had what I've cheekily call "Art's Jungle Juice" that is a concoction I pulled together years ago when importing ADA products into the USA. It's a combination of natural bio-stimulants hoping to bring hormone-like benefits. And, it makes my tank smell nature-like, at least to me.

Remember, I'm the guy that tested adding vodka to his freshwater tank so this is something I like to do. Not a scientist so, with apologies to our community scientists, my tests will be completely unscientific. Heck, the concoction may prove to be completely ineffective and what we would call snake oil. But, if I see any benefit, I'll share.

 

[techman81]

I found it to be harder granules than Aqua Soil and slightly smaller than the regular Aqua Soil. It held on better to my new cuttings. Less dustiness when flooded.

This is good to know. Dennis Wong mentioned they didn't want the grain size too small and that it held it's nutrients longer than smaller grain aquasoil, maybe due to the harder texture you mention. Also good to know that it's grabs plants well.

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

I found it to be harder granules than Aqua Soil and slightly smaller than the regular Aqua Soil. It held on better to my new cuttings. Less dustiness when flooded.

This is good to know. Dennis Wong mentioned they didn't want the grain size too small and that it held it's nutrients longer than smaller grain aquasoil, maybe due to the harder texture you mention. Also good to know that it's grabs plants well.

This is what I have found with the netlea soil as well. I love the hardness of the granules and its easy to plant into. You are also able to gravel vac it because of the granule hardness.

 

[Asher E.]

This is what I have found with the netlea soil as well. I love the hardness of the granules and its easy to plant into. You are also able to gravel vac it because of the granule hardness.

I have netlea and apt feast both. The netlea soil is much harder than the apt feast. But the apt feast probably has a lot more nutrients in it.
Also apt is still much harder than fluval stratum.

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

I have netlea and apt feast both. The netlea soil is much harder than the apt feast. But the apt feast probably has a lot more nutrients in it.
Also apt is still much harder than fluval stratum.

What about feat vs Ada? I found ada extremely soft.

 

[Asher E.]

What about feat vs Ada? I found ada extremely soft.

I haven’t tried Ada. Just fluval, netlea, and apt.

 

[Art]

Not an update but a memory of what it was about 4-5 years ago. A previous apartment and tank.

 

[Pepere]

Well! That was pretty bold of you…

Placing a tank up against floor to ceiling full expanse windows exposing it to either full morning, or late afternoon sun daily…

I suppose if that is sunset it would be less exposure than if that is sunrise given the angle……. But even all the indirect light would give me second thoughts, and the solar gain heating the tank…


Kudos to you if you were able to pull if off there…

Of course this rural Maine boy cant even wrap his head around living that far off the ground or in such a large apartment building for ever so many differing reasons…