Ghazanfar Ghori

I figured I'd post a picture up of my crypt setup. I'll try to describe as much as I can, though its
fairly simple. This picture is from about 3 weeks ago.



I've got 4 aquariums. The two on the left are blackwater setups and the two on the right
are freshwater setups. As you can see - I'm running out of space in the freshwater setup.
Top row is 30G breeder style tanks. Bottom row is 40G breeder style tanks.
All tanks have glass lids on them covering up 100%. Some have just a tiny gap for air cirulation.
2"-2.5" of water in the setup, circulated by a small powerhead placed in the middle of the tank.
Lighting is via a 2 x T5 striplight. Initially I thought it may be too much light but I think its ok.
Temperature is around 74-76F - the heat generated from the lights is enough.
I fertilize using Miracle Grow for Acid loving plants and ADA Iron Bottom fertilizer sticks.
No real science in fertililzing - kinda just add some every few weeks - roughly 3 week - 4 week
intervals for the Miracle Grow and once every 3-4 months with 1/3rd of a fert stick.

Besides these tanks, I also have a few plastic tray w/ dome setups - the kind used for starting seeds.
Those are mainly used for plants that I have excess of and want to keep for sharing / trades.
I need to share/trade more - I'm running out of space.

Yoong

Ghanzafar,
Impressive collection and set up you have there. There is no way I will have enough space for that setup in my apartment. The rate I am going, I think I need to set up something like yours in my parents house.

Hopefully one day I will have good collection and can trade with you.

Current collection:
-C. Minima "Kota Damansara"
-C. Minima "Tanjong Malim"
-C. Affinis "Selangor"
-C. Griffithi "Pekan"
-C. Bullosa "Kijang"
-C. Elliptica
-C. Wendi Green
-C. Wendi Tropica
-C. Wendi Brown
-C. Wendi Mi Oya
-C. Cordata
-C. Lingua
-C. Lucen
-C. Parva
-C. Balansea

and a couple of unnamed crypts

Xema

I love your set up... really nice... I want something like that for me

So, do you move water in your black water set up??? ... I had problem with that.

I am planing start to enlarge my set up. I am planing some DIY vivariums no so high and more wide, to use whole area of the shelf. My shelfs have 100x50 cm, and I am planing lighting with T5 840 39w per shelf. But I am not clear about how to do the glass-dome, I am thinking to do it front-opening as Piet set up. Needing think about...

Ghazanfar Ghori

Yes I do have a powerhead in the blackwater setup too. The only problem I have is from time to time it gets clogged up and I have to go in there and clean it out.

Xema - hopfully Jim reads this thread - I think his new setup is similar to what you're thinking about setting up.

DelawareJim

Xema;

My set up is two shelves, approximately 127 cm wide x 60 cm deep x 127 cm high. It has polycarbonate panels for greenhouse construction for the sides and front doors. I use 2 122 cm (48 inch) 2 bulb shop lights for each shelf. This growing chamber does not maintain a high enough humidty, even with water standing in the nursery flats I use to hold the pots. I think it is too big to elevate the humidity enough and I've had to buy seed starting humidity domes for the nursery flats.

I need to build a new shelf system for my expanding collection, and I'm planning to build something exactly like Ghazanfar's setup above; 2 simple shelves to house 2 30-gallon breeder tanks approximatly 91 cm wide x 46 cm deep x 30 cm high. This will also allow me to use aquarum heaters in the water which I currently do not do. Since my basement and current setup is about 15-18'C, I need to raise the temp for my plants.

Ghazanfar - What height did you set your shelves?

Cheers.
Jim

Ghazanfar Ghori

Jim - did you try sticking an airstone/bar into the standing water? That should help elevate the humidity fairly quickly.

DelawareJim

Xema;

Here are a couple of pictures of my Crypt. growing chamber that I currently use. The doors were removed so you can see inside better.

http://flickr.com/photos/15234374@N0...n/photostream/
http://flickr.com/photos/15234374@N0...n/photostream/
http://flickr.com/photos/15234374@N0...n/photostream/

Cheers.
Jim

Ghazanfar Ghori

Tiny plants! I cannot even see them. Comon man - post up some recent pics!

ts168

Hi Jim, That a very neat setup.

ts168

Hi Ghazanfar very nice setup.