5ft planted community

[Alasse]

Still a work in progress

Dimensions: 5'x20"x18"

Substrate: Black gravel mixed with Richgro, topped with a reddish brown plain gravel

Lighting: 1 double 4ft T8 Dalbarb reflector (1x 40W & 1x 36W tube) + 2x 2ft T5 (25W tubes i think).

Ferts: None as yet.

Filtration: Aqua One 103F Internal (on it absolute lowest setting).

Plants: Java Fern, Java Moss, Crypts, Chain Swords, Wisteria, Elodea, Val, Anubias & Large swords.

Driftwood: 4 pieces, 1x large (124cm) & 3 smaller, 1 of the smaller pieces store bought, the rest found

Occupents: Gold gourami, Platys, Bristlenose Cats, Cory Cats, Yoyo Loaches, Neons & some Shrimp

Wishlist
The 4ft T8's will be replaced by T5's.
The Aqua One filter will be replaced by a Fluval 404 cannister (working on this one first off)
Definately more plants to be added
Seachem Excel addtion
More livestock: Some 'rarer' platys, 2 clown loaches, More neons, and the cories may be removed to another tank.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/5ft%20fish%20tank/PhotoComp.jpg

[Woodsy]

Lovely tank Alasse, just be careful with the excel and your crypts, they tend to melt at the slightest hint of an overdose ;)
Can't wait to see it again in a couple of months!

[Alasse]

Thanx for the warning on the excel :) I'm in no hurry to get it, the plants appear healthy so far without ferts and additives

[wombat1100]

Great looking tank you have there , looks like you have a bit of a current flow problem by the angle of the plants! try putting a spray bar on the outlet and raise it to the waters surface, this will aerate the water and distribute the flow better for you. surface aggitation is a tanks best friend!
dazz

[Alasse]

I don't have a spray bar for it, and i prefer the water surface not to be agitated also. Water agitation is good for fish only tanks, but for planted tanks is not so good, it allows the build up of CO2, that the plants require through the day, to be released.

The excess flow (and it is on its absolute lowest setting) is the reason i am looking at a cannister filter for the tank. But no hurry, the AOne is doing the job only for the water movement issue

[wombat1100]

I didn't realise you were aiming for a mainly planted tank, are you running co2 injection then? seeing as you are concerned for the loss of co2 though agitation??

[Woodsy]

Indeed, many of the pro's will run CO2 during the day and then an air pump during the night. If you keep the water saturated with oxygen, you're one step closer to getting constant pearling.

[Alasse]

This tank will eventually be heavily planted, and my intention is to keep it as a low tech tank, so, no i do not inject CO2, the plants only produce CO2 in the darkness times, hence the reason i need to be careful of surface agitation, i try to keep what can be kept in there for the plants to use during the lit times. Flourish Excel which i will be adding eventually, once the tank is more heavily planted, will lessen the need for CO2 injection also.


The plants seem to be doing well with this was of running it, well except for the large swords, but i think the BN are grazing them.

[Wicked]

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/5ft%20fish%20tank/PhotoComp.jpg
looks great and thats a nice shot of the Yo-Yo too:D

[Alasse]

Update: I now have a Fluval 405 cannister running on this tank...much better!

A new pic, taken yesterday
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/5ft%20fish%20tank/5ft12thJuly08c.jpg

[Alasse]

Updated

Dimensions: 5'x18"x20"

Substrate: Black gravel mixed with Richgro, topped with a reddish brown plain gravel

Lighting: 1 double 4ft T8 Dalbarb reflector (1x 40W & 1x 36W tube) + 2x 2ft T5 (25W tubes).

Ferts: None as yet.

Filtration: Fluval 405 cannister filter

Plants: Java Fern, Java Moss, Crypts, Chain Swords, Wisteria, Elodea, Val, Anubias, Hairgrass, Large swords & an unidentified plant

Driftwood: 4 pieces, 1x large (124cm) & 3 smaller, 1 of the smaller pieces store bought, the rest found

Occupents: Gold gourami, Platys, Bristlenose Cats, Cory Cats, Yoyo Loaches, Clown loaches, Angels, Neons & some Shrimp

Wishlist
The 4ft T8's will be replaced by T5's.
Definately more plants to be added
Seachem Excel addtion
Livestock: 1 clown loach, maybe more angels, cories may be removed to another tank, Gold gourami maybe traded.

[joz]

Update: I now have a Fluval 405 cannister running on this tank...much better!

A new pic, taken yesterday
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/5ft%20fish%20tank/5ft12thJuly08c.jpg


Looks great,it looks like your plants aren't blowing over now..

Keep it up..:)

[Alasse]

No they aren't...The internal has been taken out, improves the look definately, not to mention the fish get a bit of a breather from the current

The wisteria has gone beserk, i pull out floating young plants nearly daily, but it is doing the job (algae control) it was put in there for so that good.

[FishyFriends]

Hi Alasse, that is a very nice setup you have there, looks great

[Alasse]

Thanx hayls roxs

I took some more pics today, i cant help myself *L*

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/5ft%20fish%20tank/5ft13thJuly08a.jpg

My favourite part of the tank to photgraph, the fish come to here when i go near the tank, tis the feed corner *L*

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/5ft%20fish%20tank/5ft13thJuly08d.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/5ft%20fish%20tank/5ft13thJuly08e.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/5ft%20fish%20tank/5ft13thJuly08f.jpg

[Wicked]

looks great...how many Yo-yo's do you have in there?

[Alasse]

There are 5 yoyo :)

[Wicked]

thanks alasse, im looking at getting them in my new tank...they are very cute

[Alasse]

Get at least 3, they can be aggressive towards other fish otherwise. With 3 they tend to squabble amongst themselves. They are beautiful and always on the go *L*

[Wicked]

Get at least 3, they can be aggressive towards other fish otherwise. With 3 they tend to squabble amongst themselves. They are beautiful and always on the go *L*
Thankyou Allasse, i was planning on at least 4 and some clowns as well...
What is that in the pic that your bristle is 'sucking' on?

[Alasse]

The BN is chewing some zucchini....the noses absolutely love it and the other fish will try it out also.

[Wicked]

The BN is chewing some zucchini....the noses absolutely love it and the other fish will try it out also.
ah very good yes they love it i believe :)

[Alasse]

Newest pic

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/5ft%20fish%20tank/5ft27thJuly08a.jpg

Stock has changed since the above pic (taken 27th July), platys, neons & gold gourami have been replaced by 2 larger angels

[joz]

Looking really nice there Alasse,the plants seem to be doing very well also..

[wombat1100]

Tanks looking great there mate, and gr8 pics too. I cant seem to take clear shots of my tanks like that!
keep up the good work and keep them pics coming!
Dazz

[aquariumleasing]

Just as an aside, EDAS (Eastern Distrcts Aquarium Society) Plant Study Group report some success on controlling red algae (the black brush algae that grows in tough tufts) by overdosing Seachem Excell. Have not tried it yet myself.

Last weekend EDAS held its inaugral "car boot" sale for aquarium stuff. I took a van load (and brought home most of it!). Included was a used Fluval 404 which needed a new o'ring and "aquastop" - for $20! They say they will do it again so I will keep TheFishTank community advised.

[dearis]

Hey there Alasse,

great tank, especially love the wood and seeing the growth over time. Really great tank

Regards Darren

[Alasse]

Updated pic of the 5ft, taken tonight

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/5ft%20fish%20tank/5ft15thAug08a.jpg

Stocked with:
6 Angels (2 are breeding pair), 5 Pakistani loaches, 2 Clown loaches, 3 Cories, 2 Bristlenose & some Riffle shrimp

[wombat1100]

Looking fantastic mate, what are the plants on the very left front called?
I also have them, they are growing so fast, just cant recall the name
Dazz

[Alasse]

Left looking at pic? The green plant there is Wisteria, and man its a weed in this tank *LOL*

[wombat1100]

yeah thats the one, well it is a weed isnt it? lol
but yes its growing rate is unreal.

[native_ drew]

nice tank

[Alasse]

Newest full tank shot, not real clear at present, cleaned the cannister filter (added new foam media), water change and moved quite a few plants around, so stirred it up a bit. But anyway, this will give you an idea of how its going :)

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/5ft%20fish%20tank/5ft22ndNov08b.jpg

[joz]

Hey bit reminds me of my tank,but yours looks better :(:rolleyes:

[Alasse]

Thanx joz :D

Do you have pics of your tank here? I'm sure it looks excellent!

[Mick John]

Beautifully presented! Will only get better and better as time goes on I'm sure. It's not hard to see why Aquarist's become totally addicted to this hobby. The Angels really set it off. Great effort. http://www.thefishtank.com.au/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif

[Alasse]

Thank you Mick :)

Latest FTS

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/5ft%20fish%20tank/5ft26thNov08.jpg

[wombat1100]

Lookin great, are the ground cover plants getting enough light with all that growth above them? Mine died from lack of light is all.
QWhat happened to the Angles? relocated to another tank? or the big tank in the sky? lol

[Alasse]

The ground cover has no growth above them :) The higher plants are at the back of the tank. The pygmy chain sword has finally taken off and is now sending out runners

The Angels are all still in there. Some you can see in the pic, just they are front on *L*

[joz]

Thanx joz :D

Do you have pics of your tank here? I'm sure it looks excellent!

umm, no it doesn't,oh and my pics are crappier too!:rolleyes:

Here you go an old pic,quite over grown..

http://www.thefishtank.com.au/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10&d=1177731200 (http://www.thefishtank.com.au/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10&d=1177731200)

With crappy pic...

http://www.thefishtank.com.au/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=7&d=1177730352 (http://www.thefishtank.com.au/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=7&d=1177730352)

[joz]

OOps sorry, I just loaded really big pics..

[Woodsy]

Those Echinodirus are absolutely amazining, Joz! Any idea what species/cultivar they are? If they ever flower mate, I'd really be interested in buying some of the pups off you :)

[joz]

Those Echinodirus are absolutely amazining, Joz! Any idea what species/cultivar they are? If they ever flower mate, I'd really be interested in buying some of the pups off you :)

No probs!

errr? which ones are they ? :p

actually if you want I can just give you some as I'm akways cutting everything back and rather than toss the stuff I think it could just go to better use..


Oh and I still need to catch some clowns for a member here,easier said than done in that tank..

[wombat1100]

Hmmmm who might that be Joz?????

[Woodsy]

lol, the Echinodorus are the sword plants mate, unless my eyes are bad and they are actually native lilies... :P