First steps to a new tank...

I've decided that I want to set up a filterless planted tank, with only a few wee fish and enough plants to support them naturally - meaning I don't need a filter...
When I'm finished it'll look something like this:

Unfortunately I can't get another tank, so it means I need to sell of my frontosa and use that one. I've got the fish up on Trade Me, and I've started getting things sorted out for the new tank.

These include deciding how I'm going to maintain water circulation (even without a filter, it's important that the water can move around the tank) and getting what will the the centre piece of the tank - a nice bit of bog wood!

To collect some wood I drove up to a peat bog I know about on the coast, and took the dogs with me for a trip. Unfortunately I forgot that Jake (my flatties dog) is unable to resist the call of water, and as soon as he saw water today he jumped into it... The water he jumped into was a farm ditch, and as soon as he broke the surface, the smell erupted and I knew it was going to be bad! To make things worse he couldn't get out himself as it has steep sides, so I had to pull him out :S Needless to say he's had a bath now!

So here is the wood!

I've just washed it out and it's now soaking in lime for a bit to leach out the worst of the tannins (otherwise it'll make the water in my tank look like tea). I think you'll agree its a pretty flash piece!

I got a few extra bits too which I can sell on Trade Me to pay for the petrol (and a bit extra) woop woop!