200 lt display tank

[rtraher]

Hi,

This is the 1st pic I've posted here and my first planted discus tank. It's been running now for 5 months and has had pressurised CO2 for the last month. I did the DIY reactor and have split the output to 2 tanks, the second 90lt tank is for cuttings. There are 6 cobalt blue (I think they are cobalts) and 3 Siamese algae eaters. The tank is 60cm square and sits in a comer in-between 2 couches, so it is viewed from 2 sides. I'm waiting patiently for a used 5/6'X2'X2.5' to come up for sale in Melbourne so I can set up a bigger planted tank..... Then I can buy a small group alenqure red discus :) .

Cheers
Russel

[Kaza]

That would have to be the best looking tank I have seen for a long time. The blue of the discus against the green with that defused pinky purple light behind it looks stunning. How did you do it??? I am seriously impressed

[Dave76]

Hi Russel

Looks good. What sort of lighting are you runing ?

Regards

Dave

[ml29]

Great looking tank.

[kalebjarrod]

that is very nice

i am impressed with the level of growth you get from your hair grass

what was the difference between co2 and no co2?

lovley tank, more pics?

[sunshinediscus]

Very immpressive Russel, is that a 2 foot cube tank?

Rod

[Merrilyn]

Beautiful job Russel. Gorgeous tank and happy, healthy fish.

[leanne31]

Thats a great looking tank love all the plants but this might seem like a stupid question but how do you siphon your gravel etc with all those plants the grass looks great :lol:

Leanne

[rtraher]

Thanks for the compliments.

The lighting is with 4 X 2 foot 18 watt Nec triphosophers (~ 2.7 watts per litre) and it's on 8 hours a day.

Yes Kaleb, I noticed a huge difference when I added the CO2. Although I also increased my KH from ~ 18ppm to 72ppm and my GH from ~18 to 90ppm at the same time, that probably helped the plants as well. My swords did nothing for 4 months and now they have been putting out new large leaves continually ever since. My hairgrass was growing before, but growth has accelerated and it's much thicker. The val now gets a red tinge to it and it's much thicker and more robust (and grows over a foot a week). I've got some riccia growing on the surface almost ready to replace the java moss on some of the drift wood... My pH is around 6.7 and CO2 concentration around 24ppm. I fertilise once a week after a 50% water change, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are always zero and I don't use a fertiliser with nitrate in it. I have had the algae thing totally balanced for the last months, zero algae (knock on wood).

It is a 2 foot cube Rod, when I get my big tank I'll be contacting you for a school of discus like the 2 in your logo!! :)

I can't wait to do a big tank up with a forest of mature swords... I'm in the process of renovating the house and I've moved the battery charger for the digital camera somewhere :?: I'll put some more pictures up when it surfaces....

Cheers
Russel

[duck]

Good looking tank
Have you check your phosphate levels?

[rtraher]

Hi Leanne,

The entire surface of the substrate is plants (mainly hair grass) and there isn't any exposed gravel. I rely on the high plant growth conditions and some rapid growth species (like the val) to utilise the fish fertiliser (poo and uneaten food) out of the substrate... so I don't vacuum. Water conditions, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate are zero. Most aquarium plant people recommend having a nitrate level of 10 ppm for the plants, but I err on the cautious side for discus. They spend allot of time foraging through the hairgrass for food it kind of gives them something to do other than play king of the mountain(tank) (and just like in school it's the same bully that always wins :wink: ). I feed them twice a day and just enough until their bellies are round.

Russel

[rtraher]

No duck I haven't check phosphate, I don't have a test kit for it. It would be interesting to know what it is though.

Russel

[leanne31]

Thanks for that Russel I've always wanted a tank with plenty of plants just like yours but always been a bit on the cautious side, but seeing that it obvious works well for you without the gravel siphoning, with your discus healthy etc has made me go into dream mode again :lol:

leanne

[duck]

Why i ask about the phosphate.
If your plants are using all the nitrate and you still have phosphate hanging around you might get BBA.

[rtraher]

Thanks for the tip. I've since done some reading on the subject ( http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_algae.htm ) something new to learn everyday. I'll get a test kit and see what it is, although at this stage I guess it's low because there isn't any BBA.

Russel

[sleeper]

very good-looking tank!!!