Low Tech Nano Planted Bowl

This is my most recent project. I've been getting more into low-tech nano setups lately, and this is my first serious kick at the can. The bowl/vase is about 2.5 gallons or so.




I used fluval stratum for the substrate. The light is a full spectrum LED, the Lominie Pixie 30 freshwater. No filter, no heater. The wood and rocks were all scavenged locally. The plants I used were java fern, ludwigia repens, cryptocoryne wendtii, hygrophila corymbosa, moneywort, lilaeopsis brasiliensis, and water spangles (salvinia minima).

I like how it looks now, but we'll see how it fares over the next few months. I've done nano jars before, but never quite like this. I've never used aquasoil before, and I've never used this light before. Also the hygrophila corymbosa and lilaeopsis brasiliensis are new to me, so I really don't know how this will all pan out.

Once it settles in, I'll be adding some cherry shrimp.

 

Looks really nice

 

This is my most recent project. I've been getting more into low-tech nano setups lately, and this is my first serious kick at the can. The bowl/vase is about 2.5 gallons or so.

I used fluval stratum for the substrate. The light is a full spectrum LED, the Lominie Pixie 30 freshwater. No filter, no heater. The wood and rocks were all scavenged locally. The plants I used were java fern, ludwigia repens, cryptocoryne wendtii, hygrophila corymbosa, moneywort, lilaeopsis brasiliensis, and water spangles (salvinia minima).

I like how it looks now, but we'll see how it fares over the next few months. I've done nano jars before, but never quite like this. I've never used aquasoil before, and I've never used this light before. Also the hygrophila corymbosa and lilaeopsis brasiliensis are new to me, so I really don't know how this will all pan out.

Once it settles in, I'll be adding some cherry shrimp.

Yes looks really good!

 

Watching with interest. It looks great!

 

We're about a month in. So far things are growing well, including the lilaeopsis brasiliensis, which I had concerns about. I'm seeing new growth on everything, including the crypt which had been stagnant for months in a different tank before I moved it.

Added the cherry shrimp yesterday. They're active and seem to be settling in well. Love the movement and colour they add.

 

Seeing a bit of hair algae though. So the light was dimmed to 80%.

 

That's amazing looking. I always wanted to either try terrariums or small setups like that and you made that look really good. Great job!

 

Here's an update.The crypt and java fern have grown a lot. And the lilaeopsis brasiliensis has spread throughout the front. Most of the hygrophila corymbosa has been taken out since it was struggling. The ludwigia is doing well and was recently trimmed back. Most of the moneywort was taken out because it kept growing out of the top, and I found it just wasn't fitting in.

The shrimp are doing well, but no breeding yet. I've been feeding more lately to try and get them to reproduce.