Planted Tank Story *Updated 10/04/06* 56k beware

[AussieStar]

Well,
i have swapped rooms with my brother so i have decided on changing my plans to down size my aquarium. My new plans are to make my 6ft into a bare bottom planted tank and slowing have gravel and more plants into a fully planted tank. With all my plants that i have i dont use i will be putting them into a 18 inch cube tank for my rams.

I have two 150 watt MH's and 2 130 watt PCs, a fully persurized co2 system and uvc unit all connect inline with 2 404's. So for the mean time i am going to move my co2 system to the 18 inch tank and one of the PCs to make it a mini planted for my rams,

But with my current setup i have alot of algae growing in my driftwood that i plan to use in the BB. So is srcubing it and leaving it in the sun for a couple of weeks the only option to kill it?

I would love to try to attach plants to all of them, like java ferns and anubias. So do i just attach them with string, think it would be the best way. Any other ideas?

EDIT: Have decided to keep this as a journal for my new plant tank, well its an old setup just starting again

[duck]

Only today i just poured bleach over my wood left it for a couple of minute's, then srubbed a little with scourer(spelling) then a good rinsing then straight back into the tank.
To attach fern's ect use fine fishing line.
It would look good especialy with the nice wood you have.

[AussieStar]

would some cories be ok in a bare bottom planted tank?

[mcloughlin2]

Yeah cories can go in a bare bottom tank....but they do like to have gravel to search for food in so im not to sure they would be happy.......... :(

[kalebjarrod]

i use bleach as well, on all my rock's

the problem is if you have a single algee spore hit the water, its all back again

you should (if you want to get rid of it forever-ish) clean with bleach and then add uv

allthough this is another expense :?

..................... using bleach will get rid of the problem now :wink:

[dreamer]

your cories will be fine in bb tank. i keep mine all in bb tank

[AussieStar]

well i actually already hava uv unit a pondmaster 36 watt. Yea ill get a couple and see how they go

[AussieStar]

K dont some reading and i know that BB tanks are easier to keep clean and all the rest but if i want to make it a fully planted tank later on, wouldnt i better to have the gravel in there from the first place? so when i do go to added the more plants adding gravel wont stree them out as much?, or they should be ok

[kalebjarrod]

BB/s are heaps easier to keep clean, some keep it BB til you want to go planted

when you go planted you will need some time to get all the aspects of planting and aquascaping right

you may need a temporary home for your fish in this time

[Woll]

We have a BB tank, but we got some little glazed ceramic pots from the reject shop and just filled them up with gravel and put them in the tank along with some wood with plabts on.

[AussieStar]

yea i have got some pots. im thinking of delaying gettiing the discus untill i get the planted tank up and going. its not going to be a major planted tank ,just enough lol. hopefully starting it tomorrow.
I already have alot of driftwood and the plan is two attach java ferns to its and plant heaps of crypts, anubias and swords and stuff around the tank, and maybe get some hair glasss for a carpet if the glosso i have dosent work.
I wanna make my 18inch cube for my rams when just glosso and anubias with some drfitwood, but have to get it pass my mum lol

[AussieStar]

well i have started the new life for my planted tank. I was using a 72x25x25 with centre weir before but i have moved that to my dads and swap him for his standard 180 gallon no holes, bare tank.

For subtrate i am using tiny gravel, it its like between 1-2mm brown gravel. i was using jbl aqua basic but it isnt the best for moving stuff around. But i have kept some to put into pots afor plants like lotus and stuff and hide them in the gravel or may just add the ball things.

I already have some nice bits of wood that im going to attach ferns and anubias to. At first not going for much just want to get the levels right and slowing add fish plants to it. For ferts i havin yet decide on what to do, i have some bags of greg wastons ferts that i was going to use on the tank before but have to do some more research on them first.

The plan for fish is maybe discus with hopefully some altums aswell as apistos with heaps of bristles and other plecs. i already have four 5cm peppermints aswell as some commons and some rams.

For co2 i have a fully presureized system with milwakee sms122 ph controller and also have a uvc unit and they run inline with my two 404s.

For lighting i have 2 150watt mhs and 2 130watt Pc compacts wwith some cooling fans

But before all of this gets going i already have problems

The tank has a small leak so have to fix that and i have all my plants already in casue the LFS order them in 2 weeks early and they are in my 18inch cube with some of my fish, hope everything survives lol. well update with pictures when i can

[AussieStar]

k tank is now sealed and full of water and has two heaters on it. i have 90% of my plants that i already have in there. I am trying to get another filter so i will hook the whole system up when i get one, maybe end of week. dont worry there is only plants in the tank, no fish. Wiill post as pic 2morrow

[AussieStar]

Sry i dont have a good resizing programs this is best way to view them.

Before water and trying to arrange the wood
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/DSC01727.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/DSC01729.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/DSC01730.jpg

Just my driftwood with some anubias and java ferns on it, well tied down
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/DSC01823.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/DSC01828.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/DSC01824.jpg

hopefully have discus in there early next year when tank settles down and evens out.

Tim

[Merrilyn]

Aussie, I added the pic for you. The tank looks wonderful.

[AussieStar]

thanx lady red should improve with time, still have to hooks so some up ei filters co2 and uv unit just wanting for some parts to come in and have to finish the wiring for the lights

[DR.V]

4 metal halide ?? But how come the tank doesnt look that bright ?

Is it just the picture ?

[AussieStar]

nar its 2 150watt mhs and 2 130watt power compacts.well if the hood had its doors and lid on looks 100% alot brighter

[AussieStar]

Update
I how have the tank running at 100%, The filters, lights, co2 and uv are all running. Well i was running all my lights giving me 3wpg but now have cut back to running only 2 130 watt PCs due to a brown aglae atttack. I do believe the aglae attack is dude to levels are all over the place, but i dont any any test strips left so im going to sydney on friday to get some aswell as some other stuff.

I have added some moe java ferns and some anubias, which will have to be attached to wood, but with the aglae attack im just holding off from doing that yet. I added 3 peppermints 5 ottos and 1 normal bristle nose, the cats are only small about 5-6 cm, but tomorrrow im getting to pairs of commonbrstles about 10cm to breed and help out with the algae, alot there for them. If i find some ottos on my trip on friday ill get some more, love these guys.

So hopefully on the weekend i will be starting to add my ferts, bit hard without any testing gear lol.
I am using plantex which is a dry powder fert by greg watson really good and alot cheaper.

So here are some pics,
This is only with the two PCs running and its dirty cause i was trying to remove some algae
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/DSC01837.jpg
bit of the algae
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/DSC01839.jpg

[Merrilyn]

That's looking gorgeous. Love the bent branches.

[duck]

Looking good Aussie.
Put some more plants, fast grower's to out compete the algea.

[AussieStar]

yea going shopping on friday for some good fast grower's, added the pair of bristles today, female is nice and fat and he thinks she is about to lay, cant wait.

[AussieStar]

well im back,
i have added another piece of driftwood that i got in sydney. Have added a trio of bristlenose about 9cm. But at the moment tank levels are a bit unstable and im waiting on some more test strips to come, then i will start adding ferts, so atm i have a bit of algae and they bristles and ottos are munchin out some it isnt that bad.

Here are some pics
MY smaller bristle
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_2832a.jpg

My stud male about 11cm
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_2778a.jpg

And again
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_2838a.jpg

One of the Ottos
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_2784a.jpg

One fat female
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_2834a.jpg

tank shot from about 3 weeks ago, havent have a chance to take another since but will get onto it
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_2751.jpg

[merman]

Looks awesome great photos! When that tanks gets older....... :)

[AussieStar]

new plants and new fish, After visiting mattzilla to pick up my new Salousi colony i went over to SLS to have a loo at some fish and decided to get some fish why i was there.

I got:
2 blue diamonds
2 Blue Turqs
2 San merahs
There are only small about 6-7cm in dia.
And from my LFS got a few diffferent plants and fish

Full tank shot
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_3357.jpg

cory 1 of 4
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_3326.jpg

Loach
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_3307.jpg

4 out of 6 group shot
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_3369.jpg

Group shot with the bristle, he loves the camera
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_3358.jpg

Blue diamond
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_3315.jpg

San Merah
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_3364.jpg

Poor guy, with a deformed eye, didnt know until i was watching them today
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_3311.jpg

Blue Turq
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_3298.jpg

Thats it for now

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[Mulisha]

Very awersome fish there mate and nice tank!!

[Merrilyn]

Now that's a beautiful tank :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

[Mulisha]

One other thing with your M/H lights did you DIY yourself or did you buy them from a shop ... if DIY could you let me know how much was each light and what was the end cost for that M/H set up.... looking spectaular though...... :P

[AussieStar]

well i got mine from the LFS, but if you go to an electrical store and ask for them, as i found out 2 weeks later for about $130 each

[Mulisha]

Cheers mate might have to get myself some M/H LOL :shock:

[Jeroen]

Hi Aussiestar, maybe a little late (seen the new photo's, very nice)
But a quicker way to get rid of the algue is to stick the pieces of wood (if it's fit) in the oven
I did it also, and after that it was clean....very clean

Heat up the oven to a 200 a 225 degrees celsius, take the wet wood (straight out of aquarium) and stick it in the oven.
Stay with it and wait untill the wood gets dry (will take some minutes) then maybe 30 (max 60) seconds more and take it out.
Rinse with cold water and clean with hard brush....

It did work great for me

Ps. I have turbo oven (such one with ventilator)

Jeroen

[AussieStar]

well it has been a while, but the tank has really changed that much. Im planing on down sizing it to a 4x2 to get some more space in my room, but i thinking off changing at few things with it first, maybe a bare bottom with heaps of driftwood and plants.
Well this wa before xmas i think
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/IMG_3357.jpg

but sad;y i had a major parasite attack which i loss 3 discus my pair of rams and some ottos, i think it was on some new plants i added. I dont know how casue i was them and kept them in a spare tank for a week before adding like i do to all off my new stock, so im not sure.
But atm it looks like this
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/100_0734.jpg

i currently have a bit of a black hair attack whick is on about 50% of my plants so when they go into the new tank they wll be a bit of a chop.

[duck]

That is stunning Aussie,That sword is huge.

[nicholas76]

For all those plant gurus.... just wondering whats a realistic time frame before the fishing line is covered by plant growth?

is there another plant you can suggest that will grow like a weed and give us the effect we are after.?

[AussieStar]

well took me about 3 weeks, i grow java ferns anubias and have grown some moss on there and it all works

Yer thanks duck i had 3 is there but broke 2 up and trade for some fish food with the LFS

[OscarManAlpha]

Awesome tank :D

Great layout and plant selection IMO.

Cheers,

Mark

[AussieStar]

Well today i started the jorney of downsizing my tank and building it into my wardorbe. I only have 2 shirts that i normally hang in there and all my other crap, which pretty much got put in the rubbish bin.
Ready to start to build
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/100_0737.jpg

Frame finished, it is bolted into the studs through the pasterboard stuff and has leg supports aswell. All timber is 90x45 Rad. pine. plus a sheet of MDF
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/100_0738.jpg

Using the MDF to shit on top on the frame, doors with finish flush underneath it and kinda same on top but different lol.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/100_0740.jpg

Tank sitting on top, just needs the doors, Electrical work and finishing touches done, hopfully next weekend
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/AussieStar/100_0741.jpg