# Fluval Studio 600 Knockoff. :)



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Well, the tank is the real thing but not the rest of the components. I picked up the tank from m_class last Friday. Got a pretty good deal as the front bottom trim is a bit scratched up. I'm currently still in the process of gathering all the pieces.










The plan is to use the tank back side front so the scratched up side is hidden in the back. In order to do that, I wont be able to use the bulkheads, which will need to be removed n holes plugged.

Setting this guy up is going to take some time and work, more work than anything I have set up so far (Yes, the 120g reef was bought used so it's plug n play). It's going to be a fun journey! Hope to get lot of feedback n advice from you guys. Stay tuned!

Hardwares:
Tank (m_class2g) - Fluval Studio 600 "plugged" (24"x18"x21.5")
Stand (deepRED) - Custom built black wooden
Glass tops (Coquitlam Glass) - 3 mm
Light (niku) - 24" Aquanova Quad T5HO (6700k, 10000k, Aquaflora (pink), Actinic
Filter (coworker) - XP3
CO2 (niku) - 10 lbs pressurized
Heater (binnz)- 100w submersible

Aquascape:
Style: Coastline scene
Substrate (jrock) - ADA normal
Rocks (sponsored by Meadows Landscape) - Basalt - 'Hunters stone'
Woods - (ISO) branches with moss attached
Plants - Dwarf Hairgrass & TBD

Inhabitants:
Fish - Cardinals, Ottos, German Blue Ram? Open to suggestion....
Invertebrates - Ramhorn snails, Amano Shrimps


----------



## spit.fire (Jan 3, 2011)

Why not just cut the bottom trim off and spin it 180?


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

spit.fire said:


> Why not just cut the bottom trim off and spin it 180?


The trims were siliconed onto both side and bottom of the tank. I had tried taking them off but failed. Taking both front n back trims off would be a pain. Besides, I still have to find pipes n fittings for both intake and outlet.

It took me a while to remove the bulkheads but I'm glad that it's done. I have ordered a rectangular piece at Coquitlam Glass to plug up the holes, as well as 2 more thinner pieces for top cover. Hopefully they will be ready tomorrow.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

As for the stand, it was purchased from deepRed. The dimensions of the top is really close to the foot print of the tank. Length is 1 inch short and width is 1/2 inch too long. However, due to the design of the tank and trim, I had to replace the top in order to make it fits. I had a 3/4" thick piece cut at Rona for $8. Not bad I guess.









Old top is off









My little helper... getting the stand ready for the new top.









New top is on. Also added a corner trim to the left side of the stand.









Fitting test









2 curious guys thought that this is their new toy. 









Stand is painted n ready to go!


----------



## jhj0112 (Jul 30, 2013)

nice tank!!! so you are not going back to saltwater?  If you want to keep any shrimps, I would not get GBR or any dwarf cichlids.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

jhj0112 said:


> nice tank!!! so you are not going back to saltwater?  If you want to keep any shrimps, I would not get GBR or any dwarf cichlids.


Probably not for the next while. I was actually thinking about quitting the hobby n downsized to only an 8g cube. But now im about to set up the third tank. Damn MTS kicked in. Lol.

At this point, I just want to keep things simple, low maintenance (biweekly plant trimming n light fertilizing are fine) and SMALL. This is most likely going to be my biggest tank. 

I totally forgot that they are born hunters. Thanks for reminding me. I really like the color and characteristics of rams though. But then I wish to have another tank with shrimps in it. They make the tank more interesting to look at. Gotta choose one I guess...


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

I was going to go with ADA rocks initally. Got bored yesterday and swang by the landscaping store 5 mins away and picked up 24 lbs of rocks (2 different types). The ones on the right side are labelled as Hunters stone!??? I couldnt find any info on the internet. They are darker in color compare to the ones on the left. They are layered and have unique shapes. They reminded me of some of the rocks I saw back in Maui. I really like them. However, when I was washing them, I noticed that there are lot of orangish markings on some of the pieces. Kind of like rusty marks. I'm not sure if they are safe to use.

After I had finished cleaning them, i soaked the 2 groups in separate buckets. Will test the pH and do some vinegar tests in several days. Hopefully they are fine. If not, I might go back to my original plan.








i


----------



## Bien Lim (Apr 21, 2010)

The one on the left is basalt rock and it's safe for aquarium use. The one on the right I'm not sure of. But hopefully it's ok coz they look good


----------



## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

If you are going to use about couple inches of sand, you could take a couple of threaded elbow and plumb the overflow and return to the back.


----------



## m_class2g (Apr 21, 2010)

Looking good!!! Enjoy the tank! 

DIY is always fun. Glad everything is working out nicely!


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Bien Lim said:


> The one on the left is basalt rock and it's safe for aquarium use. The one on the right I'm not sure of. But hopefully it's ok coz they look good


Bien, glad to hear that. Now I know at least I can use those basalt rocks. I'm going to let them soak for a few more days before I test them. I'm in no rush as the tank won't be ready until next weekend.

gklaw, that's actually a pretty good idea. I have never thought of that. That tells you how good a plumber I'm. Haha! I wouldn't trust my plumbing work anyway so I will stick with my original plan since I have already invested $10 on a piece of 6 mm thick glass. Don't want to waste it. 

m_class, I really have to thank you for the deal. I hope this will turn out to be a pretty decent looking setup. I still haven't decided on what to keep yet but for sure this is gonna be planted.


----------



## m_class2g (Apr 21, 2010)

A planted tank will look nice! Lots of room for plants to grow. Tank is nice and tall!


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Just picked up the glass pieces from Coquitlam Glass today. Look good... hopefully fit good too. Lol Will find out soon! Picked up the light fixture as well. It's a BNIB Aquanova Quad 4x24w T5HO fixture. Got it for a good deal. However, it is for saltwater setup so I'm going to swap out the actinic bulbs to 6500k and Flora. Any suggestion for better combination?


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

These guys have done a great job. All pieces are cut to perfect dimensions!

Glass piece has been siliconed on. I will let it cured till Wednesday before leak testing the tank.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

m_class2g said:


> A planted tank will look nice! Lots of room for plants to grow. Tank is nice and tall!


I will probably go with shorter plants though so it might look funny in a tall tank like this.  Im thinking of adding some branches to the scape to make good use of the height.....

I still haven't decided on what fish to keep. A dozen of cardinal tetras for sure as my mom is currently looking after them in her 75g. They were originally bought for my 8g cube 2 months ago. I like GBR but then I won't be able to keep shrimps. I wonder if bigger Amano can survive!??? Male congo tetra, pink zebra are my other favourites. The ones with long fins are nice... I don't think I have seen them at any LFS.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Just did pH, GH and KH tests for tap water and the water which the 2 different types of rocks are submerged in since last Thursday.

Tap water: pH - 6.6 GH - 1 KH - 1
Rock 1: pH - 6.6 GH - 1 KH - 1
Rock 2: pH - 6.4 GH - 1 KH - 1

Rock 2 is the darker ones that have more details. I would love to use them but I'm concern about the orangish marks on them. PH in this bucket is actually a bit lower than tap water. Is it even possible? I was expecting a higher pH and gh if anything. ...


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Without seeing the rocks in person I can't be 100% certain, but I believe Bien is correct and it's basalt...all of it. I think the ones on the right are layered basalts. Should be all safe to use. I don't know what the TDS of the Coquitlam water is, but here in South Burnaby it's around 20 ppm. So a few drops of any impurity can swing the pH pretty radically. Hence the reason I always use a bit of rock which has low carbonates (Mexican bowl rock is a good one - from Northwest Landscaping) to buffer the water a bit. Depending the on the basalt, some of them will have carbonates in vugs which will also buffer the water a bit slowly.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> Without seeing the rocks in person I can't be 100% certain, but I believe Bien is correct and it's basalt...all of it. I think the ones on the right are layered basalts. Should be all safe to use. I don't know what the TDS of the Coquitlam water is, but here in South Burnaby it's around 20 ppm. So a few drops of any impurity can swing the pH pretty radically. Hence the reason I always use a bit of rock which has low carbonates (Mexican bowl rock is a good one - from Northwest Landscaping) to buffer the water a bit. Depending the on the basalt, some of them will have carbonates in vugs which will also buffer the water a bit slowly.


Thanks guys! Will definitely give them a shot. I love those rocks. I had spent over an hour picking them out from the lot. Those guys thought that im crazy and the lady at the cashier told me to just take them. She didnt want to waste her time over a few bucks. Lol

As for progress, I will be filling up the tank for leak test today. Just waiting for my kid to come home n give me a hand. Can't wait....


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Haha..I do the same thing at Northwest Landscaping. They think I'm nuts.

Oh and I forgot to answer your query about the orange/red staining. That's just bound iron in the rocks themselves. It won't come off and is harmless. It has to do with the oxidation state of iron when the basalt solidified. The green stuff has iron too, but not in an oxidized state.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> Haha..I do the same thing at Northwest Landscaping. They think I'm nuts.
> 
> Oh and I forgot to answer your query about the orange/red staining. That's just bound iron in the rocks themselves. It won't come off and is harmless. It has to do with the oxidation state of iron when the basalt solidified. The green stuff has iron too, but not in an oxidized state.


Great to know! Thanks for your professional advice. Btw, how do u know so much about these rocks? Are u a geologist!?


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

JTang said:


> Are u a geologist!?


Yes. I thought most of the members who have been around for a while knew.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> Yes. I thought most of the members who have been around for a while knew.


Sounds like an interesting job. Well anything is more fun than mine. Lol


----------



## m_class2g (Apr 21, 2010)

Hurry up and fill it with water lol. JK. 

Should be a very nice tank once stocked.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

m_class2g said:


> Hurry up and fill it with water lol. JK.
> 
> Should be a very nice tank once stocked.


Yeah I know. I'm losing my patience too. Haaha. I filled it 3/4 full yesterday. I will top it up today and let it sit in the front porch till Friday. If everything's ok, it should be up n running by this weekend.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

So far so good... I just topped it up an hour ago.

Rocks and ADA soil are ready to go. Meanwhile I'm working on an used XP3 filter. I'm going to replace all the O-rings and leak test it. I can also go with an Eheim 2213 but I'm a bit worried that it is too small for this tank.

I'm also working on the background. I used black background for majority of my previous setups but this time I have decided to go with sky blue. I bought a piece of poster board (22"x28") from the dollar store. Now I just have to trim it down and maybe add a little extra detail to it...


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

The XP3 will be ok once you replace on the seals. I just replaced all mine after 8 years of use because it was leaking like a sieve. No more problems. Good call on the 2213. I use mine in a 20 gallon that has plants and Florabase and loads of breeding plecos and that thing has to be cleaned every 3 weeks or there's no flow. If you go with a Classic I would go at least 2215, maybe even a 2217.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> The XP3 will be ok once you replace on the seals. I just replaced all mine after 8 years of use because it was leaking like a sieve. No more problems. Good call on the 2213. I use mine in a 20 gallon that has plants and Florabase and loads of breeding plecos and that thing has to be cleaned every 3 weeks or there's no flow. If you go with a Classic I would go at least 2215, maybe even a 2217.


Thanks for your advice. I also recall using the same classic on my 20g long 5 yrs ago. It's an awesome filter for sure. Problem free! I'm only considering it as I can get an used one for pretty good deal. Where did you buy the O-rings for your XP? JL?


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

JTang said:


> Thanks for your advice. I also recall using the same classic on my 20g long 5 yrs ago. It's an awesome filter for sure. Problem free! I'm only considering it as I can get an used one for pretty good deal. Where did you buy the O-rings for your XP? JL?


Yes, just picked it up at J&L.


----------



## m_class2g (Apr 21, 2010)

Looking good!


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

m_class2g said:


> Looking good!


Really? With the tarp over the stand!??? Haaha

2wheelsx2: which o-rings does it come with n how much? Thx!


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

This is the kit: Filstar XP Filter Gasket Kit

The description tells all the parts it comes with.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> This is the kit: Filstar XP Filter Gasket Kit
> 
> The description tells all the parts it comes with.


Thanks for the link. I was hoping that it comes with the 2 inside the shutoff assembly. I will replace these ones n use some Vaseline on those 2. Fingers crossed. ..


----------



## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

JTang said:


> Thanks for the link. I was hoping that it comes with the 2 inside the shutoff assembly. I will replace these ones n use some Vaseline on those 2. Fingers crossed. ..


You should probably stay away from petroleum jelly as it will degrade the seals. You can get silicone based stuff that works great and won't destroy rubber seals.


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

JTang said:


> Thanks for the link. I was hoping that it comes with the 2 inside the shutoff assembly. I will replace these ones n use some Vaseline on those 2. Fingers crossed. ..


It does. That's where mine was leaking. And I'm with Tony. Don't use Vaseline or you risk premature gasket failure.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

I'm glad that I had read you guys' posts before I started working on it. Seems like the leak was from inside the shut off assembly, which was closed off and disconnected from the head. I took the 4 screws off n swapped out the O-rings inside with the ones from my other part XP. Leak testing it and will see if that fixes the problem....


Also picked up couple of T5HO bulbs at JL. Coralife 6700k and Giesemann Aquaflora. 


These will be replacing the 2 actinic bulbs. Just for comparison, I left one of the actinic bulb in there. I wonder how this combination will look in a planted tank!???


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Only little progress over the weekend. At least the tank is now in the room. 





I have started playing with the rocks n soil. No matter how I arranged them, it doesn't seem right. Flat rocks n tall tank don't go together well. I have also decided to go with dwarf hair grass for carpet. It is going to be the main plant in this tank. I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible. I will add 1 or 2 types of mid height, slow growing plants around the rocks. Any suggestions?


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Updates:

I was unable to find replacement for the pair of fat O-rings for the XP3. Lucky enough my co-worker was leaving hobby and sold me a XP3 for a Super SWEET deal! 

Tank has been filled up yesterday. XP3 is working hard cleaning the messy water caused by the used ADA soil. I will be doing a big 80% water change tomorrow. I have left the bio rings out on purpose. I will put them in tomorrow, along with some 'seed' from my bio-cube, after rinsing out the sponges and floss.

Light has been mounted as well. The original brackets that come with the light doesn't quite fit on these aluminum trims. Somehow I'm able to make it work without interference with the glass tops. Can't be happier!


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

I couldn't wait and changed out most of the water last night. Filter floss and sponges rinsed out and seeded. Added Equilibrium to raise the GH. Tank is now officially cycling!  I will be adding 2 lucky Endlers from my Bio-cube later today. 

Hopefully I can find some DHG today so I can start planting. Still haven't decided on the middle height plant(s).... Also need to gather some branches.

Big thanks to those of you who have helped me putting this one together.  Great advices from 2wheelsx2 and Bien Lim. 

Here's the list of suppliers from both BCA and my local communities. 

Hardwares:
Tank (m_class2g) - Fluval Studio 600 "plugged" (24"x18"x21.5")
Stand (deepRED) - Custom built black wooden
Glass tops (Coquitlam Glass) - 3 mm
Light (niku) - 24" Aquanova Quad T5HO (6700k, 10000k, Aquaflora (pink), Actinic)
Filter (coworker) - XP3
CO2 (niku) - 10 lbs pressurized
Heater (binnz)- 100w submersible

Aquascape:
Style: Coastline scene
Substrate (jrock) - ADA normal
Rocks (sponsored by Meadows Landscape) - Basalt - 'Hunters stone'


----------



## mysticalnet (Apr 22, 2010)

Looks great! What's that "reservoir" looking space in the middle back of the tank? Are you trying to make a sand waterfall?


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

mysticalnet said:


> Looks great! What's that "reservoir" looking space in the middle back of the tank? Are you trying to make a sand waterfall?


Thanks! I really have no idea if this will work. The little tile pieces were only lightly siliconed down so they can be removed if needed.
That space is for sand. I'm hoping to duplicate a scene from Maui. Rocks, beach, trees and blue sky....  I already realized how tough it is to separate sand n soil in the same tank. I might just glue/silicone the sand on something. Lol Has anyone done that?


----------



## m_class2g (Apr 21, 2010)

Looking really good! Add some fish!


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

m_class2g said:


> Looking really good! Add some fish!


Thanks, Mike. I think it's about time for some fish too. It's has been 3 weeks since I picked up the tank from you! A lucky Endler couple will be chosen in just a few minutes..... 

I just finished decorating the tank. Added a background with the help from my daughter. Also picked out a few more rocks at the landscaping place today.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

I couldn't wait n picked up some from dwarf hair grass (Eleocharis Acicularis 'Mini') from J&L today. 


Also picked up a cheap plastic diffuser. Working good so far. Now let's see how long it will last...


Planting these things took much longer than I thought. Damn I better catch some sleep before my graveyard shift starts. LOL


----------



## bbqwing (Mar 18, 2015)

Looks really good after u planted. Can't wait to see the moss tree later.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

bbqwing said:


> Looks really good after u planted. Can't wait to see the moss tree later.


Thanks, man! For stocking, I might pass on Cardinals and get a dozen of Threadfin Rainbow instead... or get both!??? Haaha


----------



## kim86 (Sep 5, 2012)

Looks great!!!


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Try green neons. I got a bunch from April recently in my little ADA cube and they are amazing.


----------



## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

Great job. Love the lagoon look. It is indeed reminiscent of the many lagoons and coves in Hawaii.


----------



## m_class2g (Apr 21, 2010)

Really nice! Great job so far.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks for the kind words boys n gals! I'm not too happy with the right side as those rocks look different from the ones on the left. I will switch them out if I can find some that match in the future. 

Im choosing threadfin rainbows because of their uniquely long fins, like wings of the birds!  Nothing is firm though. I will check out what April has in stock while I'm there next week.

I have never grown DHG before. Hopefully I can grow a nice carpet... CO2 has been tuned to a steady flow of 1 bps between the 2 tanks. Light on 8 hrs a day with light liquid fertilizer dosing. Will see how it goes.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

tony1928 said:


> Great job. Love the lagoon look. It is indeed reminiscent of the many lagoons and coves in Hawaii.


Yeah that's my attempt. Someone actually suggested adding a lighthouse. Lol


----------



## barvinok (Nov 20, 2011)

Looking good. 
Pseudomugil gertrudae might be nice with threadfin rainbow in this layout. Got couple from April a while ago and love them


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

barvinok said:


> Looking good.
> Pseudomugil gertrudae might be nice with threadfin rainbow in this layout. Got couple from April a while ago and love them


Those are some beautiful fish, especially the males! I have never seen them in any LFS. Do they eat dry? I read that it's best to feed them live food. I'm too lazy to do so. What do u feed yours?

So I have scored some nice stuff today...

Weeping moss from Patrick


And a nice looking piece of wood from King Ed.

I want my tree done badly so I wont be waterlogging it. I will mount it on a piece of slate or tile to prevent it from floating. Moss will be attached to the tip of the branches. This is going to be one nice little craft project!


----------



## barvinok (Nov 20, 2011)

JTang said:


> Those are some beautiful fish, especially the males! I have never seen them in any LFS. Do they eat dry? I read that it's best to feed them live food. I'm too lazy to do so. What do u feed yours?


They are not picky-will eat flakes or other slow sinking food but will happily hunt daphnia and grindal worms
Nice wood you got there


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

barvinok said:


> They are not picky-will eat flakes or other slow sinking food but will happily hunt daphnia and grindal worms
> Nice wood you got there


Oh nice to know that they aren't picky eaters. One salt water fish that I had would only eat live food. It rather starved to death and wouldn't touch any frozen or dried food. Very dumb! Haaha. I will contact April n see if she has any left.

Thanks, I'm extremely happy with the wood. It took me almost an hour going through every single piece. I picked out 4 nicer pieces n finally decided to go with this one.

Last night i was attempting to drill through a 3/4" thick rock with an pneumatic hand drill and common wood bits. I didn't have the electric drill since it's at my dad's place.
After spending almost an hour n breaking 2 bits, I quitted. I ended up attaching the wood to a piece of wooden trim that was bought for the stand. The wood is now held down by the 2 pieces of rocks beside it. Several strands of DHG was taken out n replanted at different spots in order to fit the wood in.

Weeping moss is attached to the wood. They are mostly smaller pieces. Some are less than 1 cm. Hopefully they will grow fine and weep soon....

I have also topped up the 'beach' with more sand (from my X-reef tank). It consists of small pieces of shells and corals that I didn't bother taking out. More natural look! Haaha. Well, that's all I have to report. Thanks for looking! Oh n Happy Victoria Day everyone!


----------



## Mykiss (Apr 22, 2010)

Looks good!


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Mykiss said:


> Looks good!


Thank you, Patrick. Thanks for your weeping moss n other goodies!


----------



## mysticalnet (Apr 22, 2010)

Very nice!


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

That tree is going to look awesome. Just don't let that moss grow out of hand. I did that with mine and just ended up pulling all of it off when trimming.

Man I should go and check out King Ed for wood as that piece is very nice. I was hoping April would get some but she hasn't been able to.


----------



## geealexg (Jan 16, 2015)

If you are looking for Gertrude rainbowfish, there is a variety of rare color variations being sold at Aquariums West currently. They include Southern Blue Eye Rainbow CB (Pseudomugil signifer), Blue Eye Gertrude's Aru lV CB (Pseudomugil gertrudae Aru lV), Ivantsoff's Blue Eye CB (Pseudomungil ivantsoffi), Blue Eye Gertrude's Dekai CB (Pseudomungil gertrudae "Dekai"). I also know April's Aquarium has Gertrude's once in a while. 

Love the hardscape in the tank so far and I'm glad you were able to make great use of that standalone fluval studio tank!


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> That tree is going to look awesome. Just don't let that moss grow out of hand. I did that with mine and just ended up pulling all of it off when trimming.
> 
> Man I should go and check out King Ed for wood as that piece is very nice. I was hoping April would get some but she hasn't been able to.


Yeah you should go and check it out. There were still several nice pieces similar to this one available (bottom shelf, near back door). This piece actually consists of more than 1 piece. I have glued 3 loose branches to it. The joints are hidden away from viewing angles.  I will try n keep up with trimmings. Thanks for your advice! I have just bought a pair of spring loaded scissors from Patrick plus ordered a pair of 'wave' scissors from eBay. Hope this one actually shows up...


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

geealexg said:


> If you are looking for Gertrude rainbowfish, there is a variety of rare color variations being sold at Aquariums West currently. They include Southern Blue Eye Rainbow CB (Pseudomugil signifer), Blue Eye Gertrude's Aru lV CB (Pseudomugil gertrudae Aru lV), Ivantsoff's Blue Eye CB (Pseudomungil ivantsoffi), Blue Eye Gertrude's Dekai CB (Pseudomungil gertrudae "Dekai"). I also know April's Aquarium has Gertrude's once in a while.
> 
> Love the hardscape in the tank so far and I'm glad you were able to make great use of that standalone fluval studio tank!


Thanks! I've already contacted April several days ago. She said there will be some arriving in a week or 2. Not sure which type since I didn't even realize there are so many color variations! Wish A.W. is closer. Love that place!


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

JTang said:


> Yeah you should go and check it out. There were still several nice pieces similar to this one available (bottom shelf, near back door). This piece actually consists of more than 1 piece. I have glued 3 loose branches to it. The joints are hidden away from viewing angles.  I will try n keep up with trimmings. Thanks for your advice! I have just bought a pair of spring loaded scissors from Patrick plus ordered a pair of 'wave' scissors from eBay. Hope this one actually shows up...


Thanks for the tip. I was wondering if that was only 1 piece.

I have the spring loaded scissors but I got too small a pair. I use my wave scissors from Patrick almost exclusively and love them. I have 3 sets of tools and I only use the wave scissors...so sad. I should probably post up and sell the rest.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> Thanks for the tip. I was wondering if that was only 1 piece.
> 
> I have the spring loaded scissors but I got too small a pair. I use my wave scissors from Patrick almost exclusively and love them. I have 3 sets of tools and I only use the wave scissors...so sad. I should probably post up and sell the rest.


You probably bought the same 4" pair like mine. It's more for precise cutting in tight places. Yes, the cutting edge is quite short so there's a big chance it will end up as a collector item like yours. Lol


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

It has been almost a week since I planted the DHG and moss. I see a little bit of new growth on the moss, as well as some browning on the smaller pieces. DHG looks about the same, probably going through the transition period. 1 out of 4 bulbs has gone out so I left the actinic bulb out. Really miss that bluish glow. Hopefully I can figure out what's wrong soon. 




I stopped by Rogers Aquatics yesterday n saw a full tank of pink zebra danio (I know these aren't natural danios but genetically altered). I wasn't planning on getting any but I saw that couple of them have beautiful long fins. The girl there was very friendly n helpful. She helped me picked out the only 3 long finned ones out of the whole batch. They really stand out against the blue background. Meanwhile I'm still waiting for April's threadfin rainbows...


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Added several Eriocaulon Parkeri yesterday. I have never kept these guys before and read that they are quite challenging. Hopefully I can keep them alive... 


Finally got a chance to play with my Nikon D5200.


----------



## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

Erio Parkeri actually seems pretty easy to keep, you're gonna like that plant


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

I'm with Reckon. The E. parkeri are very easy to grow and even propagate. At one point, I actually had too many of them. With CO2 it'll be a piece of cake for you.


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

I hope so too... I wasn't planning on keeping all of them but maybe I should now since they are such nice looking little plants!


----------



## Spit1A (Apr 7, 2014)

Looking good!

I'm looking forward to seeing the moss on the tree start to fill out! I've always wanted to try a moss tree. The moss I do have always seems to get clogged with algae...


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Spit1A said:


> Looking good!
> 
> I'm looking forward to seeing the moss on the tree start to fill out! I've always wanted to try a moss tree. The moss I do have always seems to get clogged with algae...


Thanks, man! The moss tree is doing well but the DHG hasn't grown much. My wave scissors has finally arrived yesterday so I gave the DHG a trim and replaced the actinic bulb with a pink bulb to assist growth (One of the 4 slots isn't working so I'm down to 3 bulbs now).





The last batch of 5 threadfin rainbows I bought from Aquariums West didn't last long. All dead within a week. They could have been shocked as I didn't take my time acclimating them.  
GBR isn't eating pellets or flakes. The only thing he is interested is blood worm and decapsulated brine shrimps. Amano Shrimps are doing well. They steal and eat whatever I throw into the tank. The beach is shrinking thanks to these little hungry buggers!


----------



## m_class2g (Apr 21, 2010)

Looking good!


----------



## turttle (Jul 10, 2015)

Hmmmmm interesting


----------

