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H4N Mr. Aqua 18" Cube 25g


h4n

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Hello,

I just setup this tank a week ago.

I actually got it for free!!

I drove over an hour from a Craig list ad.

Saying... $45 for a 18" cube. The ad said he blobbed some silicone on the bottom because the silicone looked thin.
He had it for holding Ro water...

He had a 150g salt tank.

Anyways as I was picking it up I noticed a crack. He thought it was silicone but it was indeed a crack.

Then he didn't want to sell it to me in case it exploded under full water as he only had it half filled when I arrived.

Then he said you know what you can have it for free!!

I took it and did some research.

I could of just add more silicone and hope it didn't explode one day.

Remove the cracked panel but could chance breaking others.

Lastly, I could get a panel cut slightly smaller and put it on the inside and silicone the edges.

That's what I did and it worked out great! Leaked checked for a week.

 

And NOW!!!

Details:

-Mr. Aqua 18" cube 25g

-4x bulb t5ho hydroponic light fixture (buls 6.5k and 10k, I plan on testing out some others)

-Renastar XP3 filter (Ista large co2 reactor)

-ADA Amazonia Aquasoil
-Borneo wild planted tank substrate additives
-Seriyu stones with mini pellia jammed into the cracks

 

Plants:

 

Ludiwiga red

Hygrophila Pinnatifida

Hygrophila sp. 'Araguaia'

Echinodorus parviflorus 'tropica'

Echinodorus Tenellus

Rotala Mexican 'green'

Utricularia livida

Mini pellia

 


Now the pictures!!!

20140302_144332_zpsp3lvofof.jpg

20140302_145328_zpslxf0hhwv.jpg

20140302_150907_zpsjquzvbaf.jpg

20140303_205900_zpsv0ldsdgj.jpg

20140304_173847_zps2hrs9vvm.jpg

20140304_200553_zpsg68afpub.jpg

20140304_200637_zpsammi4xkh.jpg

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You are an artist, looks great!
thanks! Haha the very few times I tried to scape. I'm sure the plants will be changed around.
Was the crack on the bottom?
Nope nope the bottom panel but back panel bottom coming up about 3" long.post-7-139432128909_thumb.jpgEither way it costed me $13.15 for the glass panel.
Very nice!
Thanks!
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Also I forgot to mention on the way up. I traded plants for a 9L bag of aquasoil and more plants for the light fixture :)

Total win!!

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What flora do you have going on in there? And what kind of fauna will inhabit this tank? Looks great, nice and simple. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Plants so far are:

Ludiwiga red

Hygrophila Pinnatifida

Hygrophila sp. 'Araguaia'

Echinodorus parviflorus 'tropica'

Echinodorus Tenellus

Mini pellia

 

I got some utricularia livida coming for foreground :)

 

Fish:Not sure yet but I think some pgymy croaking gouramis

 

Nice silicone job you did, Han.

Thanks! You can't even see it really as its on the bottom mostly.

 

Yea totally worth it, as long as you keep and eye on it your fine

Yup yup should be fine as the new glass holds the pressure and it still held water what the crack before.

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that red stem plant you have in the back of that is really sweet looking.  I need to get some red plants from you sometime to add some color to my tank.

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Being that the crack is on the bottom, I think with the new glass pane and silicone you'll be fine

 

Great deal for a nice set up.

Me to. It should be fine. :)

Even though I traded for the light fixture for this tank I swapped it around with my other tank.

I'll post an updated photo in a bit

 

that red stem plant you have in the back of that is really sweet looking.  I need to get some red plants from you sometime to add some color to my tank.

Thats Ludiwiga Red, one of the easiest red plants available

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What a sweet deal!

Love when everything falls into place.

I particularly like that tree trunk looking wood.

-Stef*

Yup yup!

Ya I've that tree trunk price I've had since 2006 lol

Nice tank keep us updated on what's next................

thanks! Will do!
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Here's a small update:

 

Swapped around light fixtures and bulbs a couple days ago. As you can tell plants are coloring up much better.

dyru9u4u.jpgehe5emet.jpg Also

 

 

added some new rare plants:

Rotala Mexican 'green'

Utricularia livida

 

Don't mind the random few plants in there. Testing them out see if they will grow in there. Lol Also thinking about moving the stones a bit? Any suggestions?

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I'm not an artist...oh wait. I am!

I think your set up is great.

I don't know all the "rules and regulations" to aqua-scaping and I don't want to know. Nature follows no rules. I go at it like I'm painting a picture and hope for the best.

(May look entirely different when the plants grow in anyway.)

 

Going by that view point: The sweet tree trunk bears to the left and forces the eye up and left-ward and the rocks are jutting to the right and forcing the eye to the right, so they are not complimenting, but fighting each other. 

You can bring it more balance by placing the middle rocks straighter, or so that they jut at a different angle than the others (not following the same line), or position one horizontal to "break it up."

 

Even the most perfectly created hardscape that "goes by the book" can look crappy if the plants are unhealthy.

You have quality "paints" for your canvas :)

 

- Stef*

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Hey Han, do you mind listing off the plants you have in there, I know the red is ludiwiga, but not sure about the other stuff
 Done! I edited the OP with the plant list. 
I'm not an artist...oh wait. I am!I think your set up is great.I don't know all the "rules and regulations" to aqua-scaping and I don't want to know. Nature follows no rules. I go at it like I'm painting a picture and hope for the best.(May look entirely different when the plants grow in anyway.) Going by that view point: The sweet tree trunk bears to the left and forces the eye up and left-ward and the rocks are jutting to the right and forcing the eye to the right, so they are not complimenting, but fighting each other. You can bring it more balance by placing the middle rocks straighter, or so that they jut at a different angle than the others (not following the same line), or position one horizontal to "break it up." Even the most perfectly created hardscape that "goes by the book" can look crappy if the plants are unhealthy.You have quality "paints" for your canvas :) - Stef*
 hrm... i'm going try that later tonight and post a picture :) thanks!
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