# NPT Journal: Three Cubes



## Sparrowhawk (Nov 19, 2012)

A little while back, I decided that as much as I love polished, deliberate-looking things normally, the look of NPTs did something awesome for me visually despite it going totally against the norm for my usual tastes, and I should probably attempt one. Or three. And today I finished them.

Yesterday my partner and I went on some epic missions to procure everything we needed that we didn't already have: 3 x 30cm cube tanks (7 gallon capacity), 36" Hagen T5HO light (6700k), Miracle Gro Organic Choice Potting Mix, sand - we ended up with really tiny diameter gravel, and more plants.

Including the full day of fetching, running around all parts of the city, and the entire day's work today, it's been a very, very long 36 hours. But I'm super-happy. Anyway, I'll just list the plants and get on with posting the photos, hahaha.



Frogbit
Water Sprite
Bacopa Caroliniana
Hygrophila difformis
Hygrophila polysperma
Lilaeopsis macloviana (I think)
Pink rotala
Susswassertang
Anubias nana petite
Anubias nana
Abubias barteri (I think, one of the larger-leafed ones anyway, haha)
Willow moss
And a couple of others I can't ID that my boyfriend brought home after being sent on a mission for more stems while I organised substrate, haha. I'd sent him with a list, but they didn't have any more wisteria, so I just used what I had already, and marveled at these lovely red plants he'd brought me. Can anyone tell me what they are? Apparently the dude at the shop said they'd do well under the lighting we bought, but I'd like to be sure.


The totally unexciting in-progress shots, the two I got before deciding I needed to stop fluffing about and just work solidly:


















And these are from a few minutes ago, when I finally recovered enough from all the work enough to snap a few dodgy photos:


































The plant I'm having a lot of trouble ID-ing:










I'll post updates when stuff happens, haha. Hopefully all goes well and I'll be able to update regularly. I'm more than a little excited. >.< Perhaps it's a little foolhardy of me to attempt this without much experience, and only a bunch of reading under my belt, but yahh...



Many thanks to everyone who's given me advice about plants up until now, it's been very much appreciated.

EDIT: Ooh ooh, forgot to add, I put some of that frosted "privacy film" behind and between the tanks, so that when the middle tank is inhabited they hopefully won't see each other. They'll see movement, but it's very difficult to make anything out clearly, and hopefully the placement of the stems in the outer two tanks will help as well. ^.^


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## VJM (Feb 7, 2013)

This is so beautiful! You did an amazing job. I love the privacy film! 

Super gorgeous fish too.


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## Sparrowhawk (Nov 19, 2012)

Thank you muchly! ^.^


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## happypappy (Apr 5, 2012)

*love your tanks*

Love love your tanks......the natural settings are so much more appealing. Also I am now trying the sponge filterz and much prefer them....


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## Nothingness (Oct 11, 2012)

They look awesome...Great work and I can't wait to see them grow in


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## Fishybitty (Dec 29, 2012)

Looks stunning!


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## Crowntails (Feb 12, 2013)

Stunning!


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

lovely tank^_^

the red plant....look up rotala macrandra and compare.


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## allan47 (Dec 3, 2011)

Nice set up. I have three 40 litre cubes at the moment for my guys and just about to add a 4th one on a new stand with hopefully a 80 litre sorority tank underneath.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

That looks gorgeous!

I agree with Aokashi - looks like macranda, which needs high light. 

Allan47, your tanks are super lovely too!


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## Gogee (Mar 2, 2013)

Sparrowhawk, they look just spectacular..well done!! I'm so tempted now to try the same (but with just one tank :-D) as I love the NPT look. Hope you don't mind some questions, as I'm trying to learn?

What tanks did you get, and where from (as I'm in Vic too)?
What filter would you recommend in there?
What lighting would you recommend for just one of those tanks?
I'm trying to get some Susswassertang, Lilaeopsis and Frogbit too...was there a particular store you got them from?

Thanks so much :-D


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## Sparrowhawk (Nov 19, 2012)

Thanks everyone!! :-D

Cheers for the info about the plant guys, looks like I may have to find a replacement. Perhaps I should see how it goes first? Or would that risk fouling the water if it doesn't do well?



Gogee said:


> Sparrowhawk, they look just spectacular..well done!! I'm so tempted now to try the same (but with just one tank :-D) as I love the NPT look. Hope you don't mind some questions, as I'm trying to learn?
> 
> What tanks did you get, and where from (as I'm in Vic too)?
> What filter would you recommend in there?
> ...


I got the tanks from Coburg Aquarium, they're very reasonably priced for what they are.
I got the susswassertang and frogbit off eBay (if you do the same, make sure it's from an Australian seller as plants can't be imported) and most of the rest from two places: Subscape in Richmond, and Coburg Aquarium where I got the tanks. Some bits and bobs were purchased from LiveFish.com.au ages ago when I first ventured into planted tanks when I had really low light.
I honestly don't know too much about filters, but I've got a sponge filter in each of my tanks over 8L, and they seem to be doing well. Got those off eBay.
Hope that helped a little! ^.^


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## Gogee (Mar 2, 2013)

Beautiful, thanks so much for that Sparrowhawk!


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Bllaaagghhh SOO pretty! I wonder if you both independently bought the 3 cube and set them up or did one inspire the other? I think the 3 cubes are wonderful and of great appeal set up like that! Congrats!


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## Sparrowhawk (Nov 19, 2012)

Gogee said:


> Beautiful, thanks so much for that Sparrowhawk!


No problem! There are others around here who know sooooo much more than I do in Vic though, LittleBettaFish has helped me heaps with sourcing stuff in Melbourne in particular.




Laki said:


> Bllaaagghhh SOO pretty! I wonder if you both independently bought the 3 cube and set them up or did one inspire the other? I think the 3 cubes are wonderful and of great appeal set up like that! Congrats!


Thankie!

Forgot to say earlier in the thread (oopsie) your cubes are lovely too, Allan47. 


I'm so impatient, I want everything to grow in right now and become a happy little system so I can add RCS! This is going to be a great lesson in patience for me!


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## shushcat (Feb 16, 2013)

These are so beautiful!


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Wow, amazing!

There must be something special about Australians, because all the Aussie members on here have STUNNING tanks!


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

They look really good Sparrowhawk. The glass on those tanks also allows for excellent clarity when taking photos. 

@ Olympia, that's because us Australians are smart enough to only show off our tanks when they actually look good haha.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I count myself right out of that - I still end up showing mine off when it's a tangled ball of plant-snot. 

Sparrow, if you ever head up to the ACT, be prepared to be kidnapped and forced to scape my tanks.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I uh... show off tannin filled jars XD

Because of you sneaky people showing off all these purty tanks I just dropped $50 on a high clarity glass rimless 25cm^3 aquarium.
Won't get around to scaping it till I'm done with college. >.>


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## Sparrowhawk (Nov 19, 2012)

Thanks for the compliments everyone! :-D



LittleBettaFish said:


> They look really good Sparrowhawk. The glass on those tanks also allows for excellent clarity when taking photos.


The YiDing tanks are bloody fantastic aren't they? So glad you (it was you, wasn't it? Heh) mentioned them, and that I saw them mentioned on another site for being awesome. Is it, uh, really weird to stand back looking at your setup and think, "That's one sexy tank..."? Because I just did, looking at them. And it weirded me out a little, hahahaha.



Bombalurina said:


> Sparrow, if you ever head up to the ACT, be prepared to be kidnapped and forced to scape my tanks.


I am so down for that if I find myself up that way for any reason.


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## Sparrowhawk (Nov 19, 2012)

The first trimming happened a couple of days ago, and I forgot to take photos! Blast! It was only the pink rotala that needed trimming though, and in the last couple of days the hygro has just taken off, so I'm sure another will be in order soon. I'll actually remember to get the camera out next time. >.<


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## Sparrowhawk (Nov 19, 2012)

Some quick progress shots:


























I thought about throwing the first photos in this post for comparison, but nahh...

Everything's lush, and awesome, and it's so very exciting. XD
Thinking I'm going to need to get rid of some frogbit soon, as it's really taking over the surface and probably blocking light from the other plants... Any Aussies in need of some frogbit?


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## Gogee (Mar 2, 2013)

Looking amazing Sparrowhawk!! So lush!
Hmm frogbit sounds tempting  I did get some off eBay but it arrived half mangled and only 2 or 3 bits survived. If they don't spread, I might put my hand up and get some from you. Will let you know


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

What state are you in Gogee? I believe Amazon frogbit is noxious in QLD and maybe NT. Just a heads-up as I think you can't keep it if you live in those states. 

Tanks are looking awesome though Sparrowhawk. Your fish must be in betta heaven.


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## Sparrowhawk (Nov 19, 2012)

Thanks guys.
:-D

Yeah, I forgot about the restrictions in those states. And come to think of it, I think you can't ship plants to WA or Tasmania either. So I should've narrowed it down to: Anyone in VIC, NSW or ACT want some? Heheh.

From memory you're in VIC aren't you Gogee?


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## Gogee (Mar 2, 2013)

Sparrowhawk said:


> Thanks guys.
> :-D
> 
> Yeah, I forgot about the restrictions in those states. And come to think of it, I think you can't ship plants to WA or Tasmania either. So I should've narrowed it down to: Anyone in VIC, NSW or ACT want some? Heheh.
> ...


Yes, I'm in VIC.


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## Sparrowhawk (Nov 19, 2012)

Added some DHG belem today. I originally wanted it as my carpet, but couldn't find any. Now I managed to get some, I moved the microsword into a sort of hedge thingie, so I've got a soft border between the lawn and the stems. I likey! ^.^ Everything's growing in nicely, did another trim today and stupidly forgot to take photos of anything but the middle tank.

Before the trim:









After the trim:

















































Now that everything is _exactly_ where I want it, and I don't have any more available floor space, I'm looking forward to just watching everything grow and become an awesome jungle. Wheeeeee!!


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## mermaid77 (Feb 24, 2013)

Those are just.........STUNNING!!!! Agreed, very sexy tanks! haha


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## Sparrowhawk (Nov 19, 2012)

mermaid77 said:


> Those are just.........STUNNING!!!! Agreed, very sexy tanks! haha


Hehe, thankie! 

I keep talking to my HM, Falkor (yep, I'm weird like that) telling him that if he didn't bite his beautiful fins when he's in a bigger tank with decor, he could be in one of the planted ones by now. As it is, he's a weirdo with the misfortune of having fins that are just too long and heavy to deal with that stuff, and prefers a 2 gal with no decor, so I'll just get him a smaller cube with that capacity so he can at least have the same quality tank. 

Also looking forward to getting some RCS for the planted tanks. We're getting some next week, so by the time they're out of QT, the NPTs will be over a month old, so water quality should be reasonably stable in comparison to the initial few weeks. Then once they're in, Saruman can finally be transferred to the tank that was set up for him! Hooray!


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