Journal Waterbox 20g AIO Planted Tank

[CincyScaper]

Maybe it is a melting issue, but the other possibility for your AR mini is that the Amanos got to them. I had to remove Amanos from my tank since they kept shredding the AR mini. Love your H.Compacta so vibrant, seems like the perfect midground plant to contrast with AR mini.

 

[NC AL]

Maybe it is a melting issue, but the other possibility for your AR mini is that the Amanos got to them. I had to remove Amanos from my tank since they kept shredding the AR mini. Love your H.Compacta so vibrant, seems like the perfect midground plant to contrast with AR mini.

That was my thought and had the AR mini in line with it. I like what the Amani’s do so I will have to find plants that are more compatible with them and/or my tank.

 

[NC AL]

Trimmed and rearranged some plants today.

Removed all the wallichii. I liked it in pictures more than I did in my tank.
Moved the Tiger lotus lily to the back.
Trimmed the Ludwigia Natans and replanted the cuttings.
Consolidated all of the anubias petite onto a piece of wood for easy viewing.

Side shot before



Side shot after



Extra pics

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco]

Some of the nicest Hygro corymbosa compact I've ever seen!

 

[NC AL]

Some of the nicest Hygro corymbosa compact I've ever seen!

Ha, perhaps the only I grow well!

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Ha, perhaps the only I grow well!

I agree they look awesome, from the beginning. It was a staple plant for me in the beginning when I got serious about plants but for some reason, the last few times I’ve tried it, I cannot get them to thrive. I like the rearrangement, and your struggles with carpet plants like the hair grass are likely because of the gravel, hard for those tiny roots to push through it is my best guess. And kudos on getting Natans to grow, it’s always died for me. I know it’s a harder version of the “mini red” palustris.

 

[NC AL]

Everything seems to be clicking at the moment. Even the hair grass is starting to spread.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

That lotus exploded, and it looks magnificent behind the hygro kompakt. Whatever you are doing, please continue i’d maybe even chop the Ludwigia in half and top the longer stems so it bushes out even more.

 

[MrJG]

Looking good! Is that the Lagenandra in front of the ludwigia? Neat looking plant, lots of different shades going on there.

 

[NC AL]

That lotus exploded, and it looks magnificent behind the hygro kompakt. Whatever you are doing, please continue i’d maybe even chop the Ludwigia in half and top the longer stems so it bushes out even more.

I bought a second one. My thought was I can get more spread and still keep it pruned lower.

I trimmed the Ludwigia in half about two weeks ago. I gave it a little trim after this pic was taken, but want to wait one or two more weeks to cut it in half again. It looks bushier in person. I can’t seem to take a picture of it that does it justice.

 

[NC AL]

Looking good! Is that the Lagenandra in front of the ludwigia? Neat looking plant, lots of different shades going on there.

Yes, this one took the longest to get acclimated to under water, my tank, whatever. All the leaves on it now are new growth. I have al ost forgotten it is there. Hopefully it will grow fuller in time.

 

[Count Krunk]

Very nice looking tank.

 

[NC AL]

3 Month Update​

I trimmed the water wisteria and the red Tiger lotus (which might not be). The Ludwigia Natans was pulled up, cut and replanted. It felt weird doing so, but I trust the knowledge I have received in the last six months. The Hygrophila compact, anubias petite white, and lagandra meboldii, I just cut off old leaves weekly. I am not sure what else I should be doing to these.

The tank is relatively algae free other ten a few spots on some leaves the clean up crew eat. I am doing weekly 25% water changes using my tap water (I am on a well system). I pick out fish that prefer harder water for this reason. All fish are doing great. I have lost one or two Ottos though. I think my tank might be too clean? Shrimp are out and about but not really multiplying. Perhaps @Koan can give me some advice. I have 2 nerite snails which I have had since January and one mystery snail.

Update pics:

View attachment IMG_1428.mov









Meanwhile on the saltwater side of my living room…

 

[JayP]

Plants look great!

 

[Art]

How is the back filter working for you?

I have the 35.2 version with dual skimmers. The back works well for me but sometimes wonder if the external canister filter would be better.

 

[NC AL]

Plants look great!

Thank you

How is the back filter working for you?

I have the 35.2 version with dual skimmers. The back works well for me but sometimes wonder if the external canister filter would be better.

Ever since I jumped back into the reef keeping hobby 5 years ago, I have had AIOs. I have a Waterbox 65.4 AIO for my main reef tank, and a 8g Coralland AIO for my tank at school. I love both of these tanks. So when deciding to dabble in the freshwater side, I went with what was familiar to me. I know how to do anything I would need to do in the back chambers. I love the simplistic design and know that (anything short of the tank falling apart) I wont have to ever come home to a flooding issue. In theory I can put on my auto fish feeder and leave town for a few weeks without risk of any disaster. Its also incredibly quiet when set up right.

From an aesthetics point of view, I love how I can put everything going into the tank into the back chambers and out of view when looking at the tank. This would be hard to impossible to do with a canister system.

Hidden in the rear chambers:

• Air pump
• CO2 injection
• Heater
• Auto Top Off sensor and output
• Output for dosing pump #1- fertilizer
• Output for dosing pump #2 - fertilizer
• UV Light

Many of these things would be hard to conceal with a canister set up. Seeing all of that equipment in the tank detracts from the "a piece of the wild" illusion.

To me the ONLY disadvantage is you are limited to the black background. Having a clear, light color, or even lit up background is very appealing to me. (However you would still have to hide all of the plumbing and wires somehow.) I have just decided for me the benefits out weighs this for me.

 

[NC AL]

I have the 35.2 version with dual skimmers.

On a separate note, I am trying to decide if I want to switch my WB 65.4 from saltwater to freshwater. The closer I get to wanting to make it into a planted tank system, the more I struggle with leaving the reef tank behind. I have been recently considering selling my current tanks and setting up two Waterbox AIO 35s with one being salt and the other fresh. I would love to see pictures of your planted tank WB 35.

 

[Art]

Please see it in my Journal by clicking the banner below my avatar. At the moment, due to a remodel at home, it is down.

To me the ONLY disadvantage is you are limited to the black background. Having a clear, light color, or even lit up background is very appealing to me.

Me too. So I am going to try installing a thing piece of acrylic to the back wall when I set it back up. I found a nice sky blue one that is opaque.

I will cut it to fit nicely along the back wall and see if I get the best of both worlds.

BTW, two 35.2s, one fresh and one salt, would look amazing.

 

[NC AL]

Pretty cool! My shrimp might not be breeding but my fish are! I saw a few babies in the Hygrophila leaves. I have three platys, but they are all female (suppose to be at least.) So it is either my CPDs or my emerald dwarf rasboras. The EDRs are older. Apparently the two are close enough to breed. We will see.

 

[MrJG]

Nice! It thinks that Hygro is lovely too.

I just got a little Emerald Rasbora crew and they seem to be constantly on the hunt. I got them over CPDs thinking they’d be less likely to snack on baby shrimp. Not feeling like that is the case now!