New Build 2019 - 11G Cube

[daworldisblack]

So New year, new build! I've shut down my larger tanks and recently stuck to my smaller cubes - I have a 1.5G at work, and 4G thats in the works and the 11G that just got set up. Shutting down my ADA 60P (http://ovas.ca/forum/index.php?topic=60999.0)  as I'm finding less and less time for it - some of you know I started something non-fish related and that keeps me busy aside from my 9-5.

So on to the 11G - I was thinking of something easy to maintain and small enough foot print. I also wanted a cheaper scape with little work required. I ended up with the 'beach'/'sand' triangular layout where I plant mostly just one corner and the rest of the tank is hardscape and sand. I must say, the layout took a bit to configure, to prevent spillage of the substrate into the sand but I think I am happy with it. I said 'easy to maintain' but the annoying part will be siphoning out the poop off the sand bed as well as any stray substrate that makes it way there as well. I experimented on this in my work 1.5G and I think its easy enough to do. I wouldn't recommend it on a footprint so small as the 1.5G however - it was hard to get into the corners when the hardscape was in the way - finding it easy enough for my 11G though.

As for Cheap, boy was it cheap - with half the footprint being covered up by sand and rocks, I relied on a little leftover Tropica Substrate that I had from before. I had some of the plants from before as well but I did see some 1-2 Grow plants over Boxing Week at BA's which I have also incorporated to the plant list. Here are the pics of the build:

The Hardscape





I was still playing around with the wood placement. I didn't want it to be too busy but also wanted some of the rule-of-third design element.

Sand goes in



Sand went in - notice hardscape change a little. I wanted the rocky out-crop to be more irregular so I played around with it more. Also settled on the wood placement. Its the best I could do to keep it minimal with what I had at hand.







Planted it as well - refer below for plant list. After monitoring a few days, I also added my livestock that were in a bucket waiting for their new home. Its always a battle between Collector-itis and sticking to the plan so I am really trying to stick to the latter and not going over the top with planting such a small area. Waiting for the grow-in before making changes, if at all, later.


Hardware:
Fire 11G Cube [From Aquasense]
Chichiro Light
Eheim 2213 [Soon]
Glass Inflow and Outflow [soon]
Hydor Inline-heater [soon]
CO2 - Atomic V3 with 10Lb Tank
Twinstart Yotta [Trying it out]
SS Diffuser for CO2

Hardscape:
Tropica Soil [Recycled + Leftovers]
Spider Wood
Ryuoh/Seiryu Stone?[Not entirely sure its that]

Plants:
Monte Carlo
Rotala Vietnam H'ra
Some Bucephalandra Species
Blyxia Japonica
Mystery dwarf sword [Quad.. something.. something]
Downoi
Vesuvius Dwarf Sword

Livestock
Amano Shrimp
Cherry Shrimp
1 Lonely Pygmy Cory [Need to get my hands on more - my fav kind!]
6 Ember Tetra
Red Ramshorn Snails
Horned Nerite Snail

[daworldisblack]

Preview of the 4G build project. Hoping to make this the epitome of Minimalist:

[Black_Rose]

Nice looking setup.

Re pygmy cories: my pygmies decided that since I wanted to tear down the tank they are in, it would be a great time to breed.
I have a lot of young ones at the moment if you're interested.

[sniggir]

super nice start to your build

[daworldisblack]

Re pygmy cories: my pygmies decided that since I wanted to tear down the tank they are in, it would be a great time to breed.
I have a lot of young ones at the moment if you're interested.

Awesome! I'd be interested - PM incoming!

[charlie]

Looking good, keep us updated😉