before and afters

[rwel4809]

I thought I'd show some progress shots of some of the discus I have had for a while...

[rwel4809]

Here is my runt turk's progress

[rwel4809]

Here is my snakeskin - not so much progress lately

[Merrilyn]

They've made great progress.

Congratulations on a job well done :P

[rwel4809]

The most miraculous is the amazing growth on my rose red/san merah I only got him about 4 months ago and he has doubled in size from about 7.5 cms to 15 cms

[rwel4809]

Here are some new comers, a GLSS and a blue diamond

[rwel4809]

Thanks Merrylin :D

[rwel4809]

Now for the planted tank progress from begining though 3 replantings to now.

I began with lots of fast growers, then had to cut back when it got crazy

I am slowly building a good collection of swords..

[rwel4809]

OK I can't help myself :oops:

Here are a couple more random recent shots

[waitaki]

oh - most coolest planted tank!! That first photo of the tank with the discus in the bottom corner put it's size into persceptive 8-) 8-)
Love all your fish - your San Mareh is huge :D

[rwel4809]

Thanks for the nice comments waitaki... I had a bit of a photo session last night and couldn't resist sharing :)

[iro11a]

Amazing fish mate they grown up nicely wish mine could grow that quick all good fish!

The planted tank looks great,good work.

Jono

[aquafrogstuff]

I don't know where to start.

It's all awesome!!

When you say you started with lots of fast growing plants. Can you elaborate, what types of plants did you use. Do you have any photos to show how many (if different to the 'first tank design.jpg'). Are you using CO2? What bubble rate have you set.

[rwel4809]

Thanks for the nice comments guys..



When you say you started with lots of fast growing plants. Can you elaborate, what types of plants did you use. Do you have any photos to show how many (if different to the 'first tank design.jpg'). Are you using CO2? What bubble rate have you set.

the first tank design has the fast growers, wisteria, rotala walchari, ambulia, bacopa, p.stelata, as well as a few lotus, some swords and loads of e. tellenus (narrow leaf chain swords). This planting was good for initial setup as the fast growers soaked up the excess nutrients and prevented a major algae break out... But it was really annoying, both to me and the fish, to have to trim the plants twice a week! Also I found the that the r. walchari and ambulia in particular, but for that matter anything that grows too densely, is a real dirt trap... So I have slowly moved over to more swords, which don't need to be trimmed as much and have less dense foliage so the fish can swim through them too..

I have the CO2 on about 2 bps.. I have just turned it up from 1 bps due to an algae breakout... the fish seem happy enough and I am getting pearling now... I find that CO2, fertz etc is trial and error and changes with the different plants you have, for example I had the CO2 lower when the fastgrowers were in as they went crazy if I turned it up... But the swords seem to benefit from more CO2 and don't go as crazy..


R

[TW]

Enjoyed your before & after shots, both fish & tank. Everyone & everything looks so nice & healthy. Plants are so lush. What ferts do you use and how did you work out the amounts to dose?

[Hollowman]

I agree, the plants look lush :)

[rwel4809]

Thanks TW and Hollowman..

TW - I just work out fertz by trial and error.. when I had the fastgrowers I added about I tsp dried chelated iron, 1/2 tsp of potassium sulphate and 1/2 capful of flourish complete twice a week (the tank is 300 litres)

Now that I have mainly swords I have flourish root tabs a layer of laterite under the gravel (well actually I've had that from the start) and I have put some of Jothy's jobe sticks under the swords too. I add the same dry fertz and flourish complete every ten days or so... I also add a pinch of magnesium sulphate once in a blue moon (or if the swords look spotty or yellow)

I did but an iron test to get the levels right but I hardly ever use it, I just look at how the macranda is growing, if starts to look a little less red I know its time to add iron...

I don't stress t0o much with fertz... and I do a 25-30% waterchange every other day (which some plant geeks tell you is a no no..) Still my plants seem to do alright...

Also I'm not afraid to move the swords if they look like they are a little cramped or in the shadow of others... I think it's trial and error - you know when you've got it right when the plants look healthy!!

:)

R

[rwel4809]

Oh and I should add I have about 3.5 wpg of T5's... the tank is 2' deep...