Saph and Shake's 4ft Retail Shop Planted Display Tank

[sapherion]

Hi All,

Recently Mr. Ravi, took over the aquarium shop @ Maidstone, Victoria. Its called Aquatic Escape and located @ 80 Hampstead Rd, Maidstone 3012.
Since the renovations, I've been given the task of setting up a room full of different planted display tanks (Insert drool here).. I couldn't say no so today was the first setup.

The setup is a 4 foot Jebo braceless tank - 270 Litres
2x 150w Metal Halides
Fluval 400L Canister Filter
Pressurized Co2
200w Heater
Plain gravel with Red Sea Flora Base
Lots of plants ish~

Since there was quite a bit to do in a few hours, I asked for some help from our very our Mr. Shake!

Here are some pics of today's progress..

Hardscape done.. I just love the driftwood!
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00327.jpg

Plants laid out prepping ready to plant
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00333.jpg

Ghetto Shake!
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00343.jpg

Retail Display room, notice the $20,000 fully automated marine setup on the back wall. Yep, its a beauty! Oh yeah.. and my other helper, the misses :)
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00346.jpg

Java fern, Bolbitis & Windelov tied using plant twists onto driftwood and rocks
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00340.jpg

Me and Shake wasting no time, it was getting hot under the metal halides!
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00348.jpg

Only half way there, need more plants!
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00350.jpg

Must keep plants moist says Mr. Shake!
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00358.jpg

Blyxa Japonica
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00359.jpg

Bolbitis Heudelotti
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00353.jpg

Close up
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00352.jpg

Crypt Wendtii
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00360.jpg

Hours later.. Still planting..
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00356.jpg

Shake power-planting glosso with his cyborg arm
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00364.jpg

Lots and lots of glosso!
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00367.jpg
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00370.jpg

Filled up water and added Stellata,
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00400.jpg

Finished filling, added the rest of the equipment and it was time to rest
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/Sapherion/DSC00383.jpg

We noticed the driftwood wasn't pre soaked so it floated. To remedy this, we had to place some stones on the top to help hold it down until a few weeks later when it eventually sinks.
Hope you enjoyed the pictures, we sure had alot of fun planting. We sat on the pimp couch eating pizza and enjoying the reflections the halides had on water. It was a good day says Mr. Shake.

Comments, critisism welcome and please drop by and have a look if you are in the area!

[Scotty Bils]

That is an awesome looking tank.

Look forward to seeing photos of the others you are going to complete plus what they look like after a month or so!!

Thank you very much for sharing :D

Are you not going to use heating cables in the substrate for this set up?

Cheers
Scott

[starreys]

i saw the empty tank last sunday and admired the driftwood , its hard to get pieces like that, you both did a fantastic job, i will have to come and have a look,how did u attach the java fern to the driftwood , i use cotton but find it awkward to use,

[Robdog]

Good journal and should be a nice tank in a few weeks time.
Just wondering why you used the 2 different substrates?? And what is the one on the right??

[Xtreme]

Good journal and should be a nice tank in a few weeks time.
Just wondering why you used the 2 different substrates?? And what is the one on the right??

Plain gravel with Red Sea Flora Base

There you go mate :wink:

[Robdog]

But why the two different?? unless that's the affect they are after.

[sapherion]

Thanks for your comments guys. To answer some of the questions, no heating cables necessary. its quite warm in the whole shop but we added a 200w heater till summer comes. The ferns are attached to the wood via ADA twist ties. The substrate was just what we had lying around in the shop. Unfortunately we didnt have enough flora base at the time to cover the whole lot :(
Since this is the first tank, it was more of a quick setup. The next few tanks will see proper ADA soil.

[Robdog]

It sort of gives the appearance of a big logjam on the shore line of a river. I admit I didn't like it at first but now it's growing on me. Nice job guys.

What's the fish stocking list?

[Roy]

Hmm went past the other day but didnt pop in, will have to make the effort now.
Your right about the shop being warm, its a nice setup in there.

Roy