yemyams

UNS 45L low-tech iwagumi, no CO2. Planted with monte carlo and a "moss ball" torn up to decorate the seiryu stone. It was dry-started in January 2025, and has grown in a little bit but not as quickly as I'd like it. Stocked with 7 medaka rice fish, a massive amount of ramshorns, and 5 orange neocaridinas (which are showing cherries now). I have done only 1 water change on it since leaving the dry start, and weirdly has zero algae and is the least demanding tank I have.

The vastly oversized filter you see doesn't have filter media, but instead houses several terrestrial plants including some pothos (marble queen), some ficus variety, and a variegated syngonium. I picked a giant filter (made for 15 gallon setups) in order to create a "sump" to increase the water volume in the overall ecosystem to ensure everything stays stable.

I put an Imagitarium all-in-one inside of an Ikea Rudsta and used silicone to attach cork to make the background.

I no longer remember all the plants I mounted or planted, but I have 5 ruby tetras, 4 sparkling gourami, 1 oto, and some ramshorn snails and cherry shrimp. There is a filter in the front right that pumps water up to a drip feature to keep things watered and filtered so that the only thing I need to do is water top offs and very occasional water changes to keep the tannins under control.

UNS 60L, with monte carlo carpet, red crypts, hydrocotyle, weeping moss, and salvinia minima. Terrestrial plants are some kind of scindapsus, syngonium, pothos, dragon's tongue, and a heartleaf philodendron, some of which is growing in a HOB with filter media removed. No CO2. I haven't done a water change in maybe 4 months now.

Stocked with crystal red shrimp, some orange neocaridina, pygmy cories, and ramshorn snails.