Shigure's 40g "Almost" Cube

[Skoomakilla]

I've had this tank sitting around for a while and finally decided to set it up.

40g - 24" x 24" x 18"

What the tank looked like when I finally put substrate in it.

1st day after planting the tank.

1.Dwarf Sagittarius
2.HC (Hemianthus callitrichoides)
3.Staurogyne repens
4.Some Crypt - I need to get a picture for ID
5.Fissdens Phoenix
6.Fissidens Fontanus

I wasn't sure if the fissdens would grow on the branch so I'm sort of testing it out.

Its been a week since planting. Upgraded my lights to an Odyssea 24" 4x 24W T5 HO Light with 4 6500k bulbs.

Two Months Since Planting
Starting to get an itch to fill up the tank. I've been gathering Co2 supplies and almost have all my parts.

I pulled all the dwarf sag because it just didn't seem tall enough.
I'm planning to use Blyxa on the top tier in the back but I'm trying to find a plant for the left corner on the top tier right in front of where all the driftwood. Any suggestions?

Three Months Since Planting

 

[College fishman]

wow looks good!

 

[Younglin]

Looks pretty sweet. What are you putting in there?

 

[Skoomakilla]

Been another month and another month closer to filling the tank up.
The HC is allmost completely filled in now. I'm gonna guess maybe another month or so till i fill it up . I'm still debating what plant to use at the base of the driftwood. Well here are some pics

 

[GhostShrimpMan]

Very nice! That is tough to do.

 

[JamesF]

Pretty cool progress pics.
I would have left the dwarf sag. Once it gets under water it would probably grow taller.

 

[DrownedFishonFire]

what the heck? no water and then fill it out? didn't even think about that

 

[Skoomakilla]

what the heck? no water and then fill it out? didn't even think about that

haha yup its called an emersed set up and lets the plants grow faster without algae.

Pretty cool progress pics.
I would have left the dwarf sag. Once it gets under water it would probably grow taller.

thanks, i ended up using all the dwarf sag i pulled in another tank as a carpet
i'm gonna be using some stems and blyxa up on the tier

 

[FLESHY]

Cool to do the hc with the tank empty like that...wish I could have gone that way with mine, wouldnt have had to have dealt with the corys ripping it up all the time.

Looks good. You going iwagumi? Or are you going to put some taller plants in the back?

 

[DrownedFishonFire]

? about doing this method, is Co2 a must or will it keep this way? Really awesome cant wait to see the results.