Any Aquarists Here? - Takashi Amano Questions

Just starting to convert a old Saltwater tank into a Freshwater one. Its cycling ATM... Its a 12g Nano Cube (used to be a Reef Tank). Im thinking about going all sorts of Takashi Amano on it. Would love some insight if someone has set up a Takashi Amano tank before (the zen garden of fish tanks). These tanks are -- Insanely beautiful...

I hope someone knows what I am talking about.

If not here are some pics...

I have about a 1000 gallons of tanks in the basement teeming with discus and angels and I have done a planted tank at work, but nothing on the level of Amano. I am sure you have found the various forums devoted to aquatic plants. The key to a planted tank for me was to control the algae from the start--basically ensure that you never get a bloom because you will never fully get rid of it. The balance between CO2, light (lumens and time it is on), nutrients and plants is very delicate. I belong to a fish club and when the plant fanatics get to talking about the dosage of this or that my head spins. Anyway, good luck. Check out the various online planted tank 'shows' for further inspiration.

For quite a few years, I had a successful Discus tank with live plants, but nothing on the level that you are wanting to do. But yes, elalan said basically the most important part. You will need to ensure to balance all three of the needs between CO2, light, and nutrition.

You need to make sure you select plants that need the same requirements as each other, and must keep in mind any fish that you might put in the tank. Make sure that they are not prone to eating plants or they will burn holes in them, especially any broadleafs.

The internet really is one of your best resources, and if you live in a nice city, you can normally find a good fish club or the like with nice resources as well.

I have read a little about them. Obviously I dont intend on going as insane as the images above. I have seen 2 in person a year or so ago (no where near the depth as the ones above). I find them really relaxing to look at.

I had fun with the reef tank, but i started traveling more for work a few years back. That caused the ecosystem to go bananas. So I shut it down. I have heard, but unsure if its true... That once these have been running successfully for a bit they are much easier to maintain. But I am worried that in a small 12g Nano. I might be setting myself up for failure.

I stumbled into the hobby about 12 years ago when some friends begged me to take a tank from them when they were moving. I kept a 2G Nano Reef for quite a few years. I loved that tiny thing so much, it was so cool. It ran great all by itself, only problem with it was NEVER missing a day to top it off.

Mr. Amano makes some incredible scapes. I've always been in awe of his stuff. My only remaining tank right now is so pedestrian! Good luck with it, hope you make it work. Post pics!

The smaller volume tanks are more delicate as far as water parameters. The ph, hardness and whatever else can vary widely and wildly in that small a tank--that is one of the reasons the amano tanks are very lightly stocked. Also, the level of maintenance and grooming that type of set-up takes is intensive. The plants in those pictures are manicured with tweezers and scalpels on a leaf by leaf basis so you can't have too many of them and a job. The pics are incredible, but the tanks are really very very small. I had a 40 long tank with a good, but not insanely expensive, light on top and it looked great with a bunch of amazon swords and anubias. No CO2. I used Eco-Complete gravel but otherwise just treated it like any other tank. One general rule of thumb is to cover 75% of the tank's footprint with plants. With that many plants they take up all the available nutrients and out-compete any algae.

It seems the more I read the more I worry. I may wait on this a bit. My wife thinks I am crazy for wanting to even go this route. I think you are right about the small tank. I had the same type of issues when I set the nano up as a reef tank - difficult to maintain proper levels. Evaporation was my biggest problem. If you evaporate a gallon of water every day or two in a 100g tank no biggie, but in a 12g tank - that becomes more of an issue. Sadly, I think I will toss a couple fish in there now and buy some time for more thought / research on properly setting up an Amano.

I love fishtanks but I would not have the level of time to dedicate to those types of tanks. Maybe when I retire one day - it would be awesome!