[desafio] Less is more

[Kire Hajba]

New year , new ideas!
This year for first time in this hoby I am creating a scape with no wood! 
Normally i go heavy on wood but that makes my life hard with all of the organics and all of the problems coming with it!

I decided to make as simple an aquarium as possible so that I will go with only 3 plants HC Cuba, Moss (Christmass moss) and Rotala sp Red. 

The accent I put on the rock work and the overal impression. 

Lets see how it will develop 🙂

Tank Dimensions 45cm
Light Twinstar 

Soil APT Soil

[Fernando Freire]

Hey kire , nice tank and pics from you as per usual 😊 👍 
Is the moss transition to immersed state good? Does it hold well?

[Kire Hajba]

Thank you @Fernando Freire The moss is developing good - it was yellow when I put it, now its nice and green - I think its still early for it to attach, I have to wait for few weeks before I test if its attached

 

[JoseCarlosMarques]

Afinal é possível fazer um dry-start no Desafio! 

Excelente trabalho de pedras. Muito semelhante ao que eu poderia ter feito. É um tanque ao meu estilo. Vou ficar à espera para ver como se desenvolve essa Cuba e como vais lidar com aquela mistura de areia e de substrato na frente. Desejo-te a melhor das sortes. É um dos meus preferidos!

[Kire Hajba]

Obrigado @JoseCarlosMarques, é a 3ª semana que o aquário está em dry start – e devo dizer que as plantas estão a crescer perfeitamente!

O aquário apanha sol de manhã – e pensei que iria queimar a Cuba, no entanto, parece que as plantas adoram a luz do sol e estão a ficar prontas para a primeira poda! Amanhã envio algumas fotos

[Kire Hajba]

Quick update... teh HC has covered up completely the tank! no melting and great progress.. 
Today I have to do the first trimming and mostlikly I will fill the tank with water next week

[JoseCarlosMarques]

Tens Cuba para vender, já 🙂 . Ainda não percebi o porquê da utilização da areia. Continuação de bom trabalho!

[ismael_figueira]

Kire, 

 

The tank is doing great! Did you already filled it or still going on dry start? The method, normally works pretty fine but when the flooding time comes, brings also the adaptation problem of the plants. Probably you already know, but just give them higher levels of co2 and should be enough for the transition. 

 

Keep it up mate!

[José Pedro]

On 31/10/2025 at 11:16, Kire Hajba disse:

Quick update... teh HC has covered up completely the tank! no melting and great progress.. 
Today I have to do the first trimming and mostlikly I will fill the tank with water next week

I am strugling to get my HC to grow and yours is already like this?

Man, you hava a green thumb for sure.

I am a big fan of your aquariums, so this one is a no exception.

Following

[JoseCarlosMarques]

1 hour ago, José Pedro said:

I am strugling to get my HC to grow and yours is already like this?

Man, you hava a green thumb for sure.

I am a big fan of your aquariums, so this one is a no exception.

Following

O segredo é o Dry-Start, José 🙂 .

[José Pedro]

Estou a ver que sim José carlos, estou a ver que sim.

 

[Fernando Freire]

How gorgeous!
Have you flooded it by now?


Enviado do meu iPhone usando o Tapatalk

[Tozé Nunes]

Kire, isto já levou água? Queremos saber tudo!

[Kire Hajba]

Hey guys! Sorry for the late reply. 
I have been super busy lately so the tank is not flooded, the part under the water is getting a bit rotten, which is OK - because I will remove that section and replace it with sand. 
The rest is doing great! I will flood after the holiday because I will travel for 2 weeks 🙂
Honestly, this is the easisest aquarium I have set so far - I had good luck! 

The moss is growing really good and taking over the rocks. I did trim the Cuba 2 times already 🙂

After I flood it - I will trim better and make a good shapes, and add the red plants in the background

 

On 31/10/2025 at 12:05, JoseCarlosMarques disse:

Tens Cuba para vender, já 🙂 . Ainda não percebi o porquê da utilização da areia. Continuação de bom trabalho!

I am using the sand to open up the front a but, I feel If I use only cuba it will be too green 😄

On 15/11/2025 at 09:57, José Pedro disse:

I am strugling to get my HC to grow and yours is already like this?

Man, you hava a green thumb for sure.

I am a big fan of your aquariums, so this one is a no exception.

Following

@José Pedro I think the dry start did the trick! I hope it wont melt when I flood it 😄

On 15/11/2025 at 15:18, José Pedro disse:

Estou a ver que sim José carlos, estou a ver que sim.

 

On 09/11/2025 at 00:33, ismael_figueira disse:

Kire, 

 

The tank is doing great! Did you already filled it or still going on dry start? The method, normally works pretty fine but when the flooding time comes, brings also the adaptation problem of the plants. Probably you already know, but just give them higher levels of co2 and should be enough for the transition. 

 

Keep it up mate!

Exactly! I hope for the best when its flooded 🙂 It will be either success or complete disaster 😄

[JoseCarlosMarques]

Tendo em conta a tua disponibilidade, acho que optaste por uma estratégia muito boa. O aquário está lindíssimo. Continuação de bom trabalho. Vou estar a torcer por ti!

[Kire Hajba]

39 minutes ago, JoseCarlosMarques said:

Considering your availability, I think you chose a very good strategy. The aquarium is beautiful. Keep up the good work. I'll be rooting for you!

Thank you  JoseCarlos. Last year this was the main fail for me: I had a good idea and soid start, but i abandoned the aquarium until January, and then I had only 1 month to fix the mess (algae, melted plants, etc..)