5 Gallon Fluval *High-tech* Chi

[ug.mac]

This is the first time for me posting my tank here.

Tank is 5 gallon Fluval Chi, was a gift from my lovely wife three month ago. I was growing Aniubas Nana under those LEDs with great success. No algae, very little dosing of Flourish and Excel, low maintenance, I really enjoyed it. For someone who interested in previous scape, follow this link to my youtube video:
YouTube - Fluval Chi

I rescaped it a month ago, after spending so much time at different aquascaping forums and blogs. I like the layout of rocks in an Iwagumi but I also want to have variety of plants in this tank. First started as low-light non-co2 (Excel only), but very soon I turned it into high-tech but medium light setup.

Here is tank spec:

Filter: PetCentra Mini Canister with Ehiem/Fluval Biomedia. Lily Pipes.
Light: IKEA clamp desk lamp with Philips Daylight CFL Bulb @ 6500K. 7.5 hr/day from 1:30pm to 9:00pm.
Substrate: Fluval Shrimp Substrate
Decoration: Local rocky mountain rocks I collected from Whistler
CO2: 5 LB tank to Milwaukee CO2 Regulator w/solenoid valve, from 12:45pm to 8:30pm. ADA Pollen glass type 3. 2 bubbles/second.

Flora:
Vallisneria nana
Rotala sp. ''green''
Rotala macrandra 'green''
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides
Hemianthus callitrichoides ''Cuba''
Cryptocoryne wendtii ''brown''
Eleocharis acicularis
Marsilea hirsuta

Fauna:
1 Paracheirodon innesi
1 Pristella maxillaris
1 Gold Pristella maxillaris
4 Caridina sp.
1 Caridina multidentata
≈15 Neocaridina heteropoda

I dose EI dosing, also adding extra iron from Seachem Iron 0.5ml every another day. Weekly 60% water change every Monday.

Here come the picture:



I will keep posting pictures as plants to filling in.

ug.

[Morainy]

Gorgeous!

The tank in the video looks completely different than the one in the pics. You rescaped it completely, it seems. I look forward to seeing more pics as the plants grow in.

[O.C.D Fishies]

Wow your tank looks great I love your hard scapeing. Look forward to seeing pic when it starts to fill in

[CRS Fan]

Very nice looking indeed ! Please update from time to time, please.

Best regards,

Stuart

[martialid10t]

X2 on the hard-scaping. Nice to have a little piece of the mountains in your tank!

Must say, this has got to be the most teched-out fluval chi I think I will ever see.

Where did you pick up the Phillips CFL just out of curiosity? I have 2 ikea desk lamps that I want to put to good use too

[ug.mac]

@Morainy
Sorry for the confusion, I'm glad you like it.

@O.C.D Fishies
I will keep you guys posted.

@CRS Fan
Those Eleocharis acicularis are the ones I got from you last year.

@martialid10t
Philips 6500K CFL I got from London Drugs. $7.99 for two. CRI (color rendering index) only 82 but they look much better than 10W CREE LED lamp I have which rated at 96 CRI.

[ug.mac]

Update:

1. Got new filter! Eheim Ecco 2232! Limiting about 10~15% intake flow and it's perfect for 5 gallon. I can't believe I was using the same filter on 29 gallon.

2. Combating with GDA on glass. They may or may not go away since I'm keeping wiping them off with kitchen paper towel. Tom Barr suggested to let GDA complete its cycle as cure but I don't want to live with a green box for a month.........

3. New light bulb is coming! Custom ordered PAR38 6700K 60° lens, 12 x 1W Epileds Chip, 960 lux. Will post pictures when I get it. So looking forward to it!

ug.

[ug.mac]

24 Days

[Morainy]

It's beautiful. Are you enjoying it as much as we are?

[giraffee]

Your latest video of the Chi is beautiful. Though I was very fond of the first one as well. Where did the cories go?