new tank

[fish_r]

setup the new 4 footer monday night, this is it so far.
still gotta put some smaller plants in and maybe a hedge of didiplus diandra
only using 3 x 3 foot fluoro tubes @ the moment till i decide what lighting to go for and if going pressurised Co2 or DIY ?
feel free to critique :)

[scott bowler]

thats a very nice set up fish_r it all looks good the fish are lovely too mate

[fish_r]

thx Scott.
still got a bit of work to do on it, but it's getting there :)
very happy with the fish, 3 of em i got from a member here for a song :)

[Pauly]

nice work .I like how you have group things into islands .what substrate did you use?

[fish_r]

thx Pauly the one on the left is made up with 6 pieces of driftwood with a nice hollow in the middle for my loaches and bn's :)
and the right is 3 pieces of dw
the substrate is red sea flora base
http://www.aquariumsuppliesaustralia.com.au/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=1490

[OscarManAlpha]

Wicked layout you got.

Can't wait to see how it progresses...

Cheers,

Mark

[tlambert]

looks gr8 rob will have to pop in one day and catch up were did this tank go ????? in the family room :wink:

[luvmydiscus]

Very beautiful tank, so nicely balanced...... :wink:

[fish_r]

thx Oscar
dont have to ask me twice to put more piccies up :lol:
i think i'm as addicted to taking photo's of my tanks and fish as i am to discus hehe.


looks gr8 rob will have to pop in one day and catch up were did this tank go ????? in the family room
thx m8, just send me an email or PM when u want to catch up :)
this tank went accross from the 3 ft against the wall "under the jaws and croc head" :) in the back room.

thx luvmydiscus i took the layout idea from a pic in the style of ADA book :)

[Nathan]

lookn tops buddy!! :D

[fish_r]

thx Nathan :)
heres a cpl more pics....

[luvmydiscus]

I love the color of that gravel.... :D

How many gallons is that tank?

I just love the look of it, so nice a peaceful looking with the ever so beautiful Discus, nice job..... :wink:

[fish_r]

i have the same stuff in my 5 foot but i topped it with black gravel "wish i hadn't now" i think it's much better on it's own...
the tank is about 70g 48"x18x20
thx luvmydiscus :)
hopefully it wont turn into an algae farm, cause i cant afford the lights and co2 setup for a few weeks now :(

[AQUAMX]

Very nice tank mate.

I like the simplicity of it. Nothing to busy and it allows a great viewing area for your discus. Very clean well done.

[fish_r]

thx m8
thats the plan, not too busy so u see more of the discus, even thinking of taking the big sword out...

[AQUAMX]

Heres an idea for you.

Would you consider replacing the sword in the centre for a nice group of red stem plants? Maybe something you could trim down to continue the line.

Or alternately you could take out the sword and create 2 islands. I think that would look very nice also. Move the small cryp in the centre/front to the right/larger island ans remove the centre sword completely.

Just an idea.

Cheers mate.

[Noddy65]

I agree with Aquamx (who is this new guy/girl?).
Remove/move the large sword creating two islands, you might even be able to fill the 'passage' beteen the islands with chain sword or glosso or another low growing plant, it might help create a real sense of depth..

Mike

[fish_r]

thx for the suggestions guys, definatly going to pull the sword. it just doesn't look right there, i do ok growing macranda so might put some more in when i get my new lighting was also thinking of making a hedge of didiplus diandra as i have started one in my other tank and it looks pretty good, maybe a hedge of diandra with macranda spaced in between ?
will give the chain swords a miss, just got rid of about 40, got sick of continuosly pulling em out. i have been wanting to try glosso for a while but not sure if i want to go high lighting on this tank, cause i have high lighting on my 5 footer and it's a lot more work than a med light tank :(
also got a cpl of these plants the other day which i could make a hedge with...
forgot the name of em though ?

[ellwa]

Looks good, am looking forward to seeing the updates as they come to hand.

Goodluck

[pritch33]

I agree with Aquamx (who is this new guy/girl?).
Remove/move the large sword creating two islands, you might even be able to fill the 'passage' beteen the islands with chain sword or glosso or another low growing plant, it might help create a real sense of depth..

Mike

Aquamx aka Brad

just a little insight on Brad who has been very helpfull with his plant knowledge in the past
has been around a few forums but i think he may have just got into the discus recently cant beleive he thought tanks were for plants only :lol:
you should ask to see pics of some of his tanks he as done
also Brad where is the pic of those discus

Ray
ps cheers for the val the other week

[Noddy65]

Thanks Ray
He certainly sounds like he knows his stuff...
Would love to see some pics of his tanks.

Mike

[fish_r]

found out the name of the plant i was asking about if anyones interested
Hemianthus micranthemoides "Pearlweed"
http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_viewer.php?id=122
"looks very nice" :)

[fish_r]

just a cpl more pics :)
took the sword out and moved the crypt in the centre.
got some more pearlweed yesterday and some macranda and made a group as suggested also got some scarlet ludwigia.
got my new lighting yesterday, ended up just going for sandard T8 fittings 2 x 4' dbl reflectors.
using 1 x growlux 1x lifeglo 1 x triphosphor 1 x sera plant...
still to set up the DIY co2, but hopefully do that tonight...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v402/KharmaKazi/4footer27-12-06.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v402/KharmaKazi/4footer17-12-06.jpg

[jim from sydney]

great set up......i am interested in your sub strata that you have used, Can you give me some info please Thanks Cheers

[fish_r]

thx Jim
substrate is red sea flora base
http://www.aquariumsuppliesaustralia.com.au/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=1490

[paolo montuori]

good a lot pleases me. Excuse me but the riscaldatore you do not succeed to hide it or to put the one outside?

sorry but I did not succeed to read ALL of THE post

[fish_r]

sorry m8 having a hard time understanding your post ?
if your talking about hiding the heater ? that will eventually get covered by the macranda etc :)

[paolo montuori]

it excuses but I speak little the English.
If I understood well all verrà hidden from the plants, just?

[DiscusEden]

Well done, fish_r. Very impressive job.

Your chain swords have found a happy home in my 3ft tank, but i'm going to be after your advice for the 6ft by the looks!

Love the pearlweed. You've done a great job with the balance of the tank, without it being too symetrical. And it shows up your discus beautifully! Are they the same fish, or have you bought new ones?

Can't wait to see it once you get them grown up to cover the heater! Should take you a week (haha) - more pictures please?

DiscusEden

[fish_r]

it excuses but I speak little the English.
If I understood well all verrà hidden from the plants, just?
no problem
i noticed your from Italy :) i think we are talking about the same thing.
i will get a heater for the outside sooner or later, but the plants should hide it pretty quick for now...


Well done, fish_r. Very impressive job.
Your chain swords have found a happy home in my 3ft tank, but i'm going to be after your advice for the 6ft by the looks!
Love the pearlweed. You've done a great job with the balance of the tank, without it being too symetrical. And it shows up your discus beautifully! Are they the same fish, or have you bought new ones?
Can't wait to see it once you get them grown up to cover the heater! Should take you a week (haha) - more pictures please?
DiscusEden
thx DiscusEden
glad to hear the swords are still doing well :)
if i can help out, i'm happy too. let me know when ur up and running cause between the 2 tanks i'll have plenty of trimmings u can have etc...
3 of the discus in the new tank are from "otto" from this site, not sure if i had em when u visited ? they are looking great and there colours have really come out now also brought one on the way home from picking the ones from otto up :roll: "just couldnt resist" lol
every thing seems to be growing a lot better since i put the new lighting on
will post some more pics in a few days :)

[paolo montuori]

ok! :wink:

[fish_r]

got home this arvo to find i have another breeding pair
now in this tank :)
but as soon as the female lays the male comes along and eats all the eggs :(
it's laying the eggs on a piece of driftwood...

[fish_r]

here's a pic :)
she has gone very dark, i was starting to think she was sick, hmmm must be morning sickness :)

[tlambert]

congrats on the breeding pair rob tanks looking gr8 but i didn't expect any less from you :wink:

[fish_r]

thx Tyrone :) gotta get my 3 foot set up for breeding now, cause i have two pair breeding :) hmmm more money :(
this tanks looking better than my other one, the other is looking a bit sad @ the moment, my new design hasnt worked too well, too many slow growing plants for the lighting i have.

[tlambert]

oh well just think of the money you will make when you get them to breed well and start selling them :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:

[fish_r]

i really need to do some more reading on how to go about breeding/growing em etc... cause it's all a big learning curve to me :) been a bit slack setting up the breeding tank, it's still got the old substrate and some water in it...

[otto]

congrats on the new scape and the spawn mate. tank looks fantastic and so do the fish, who's the parents? it looks like your turk and the diamond.

[Bad Inferno]

Really like your setup...like the idea of a "centralised" garden running through the tank....and keeping the front free...

[fish_r]

thx otto and inferno :)
tanks coming along great other than a bit of a green film on the surface, but just fitted a surface skimmer so hope that helps, if not will fit uv
i thought it was the turk and blue diamond that had paired but it's the turk and the other fish i got off u "cant remember the type" maybe snakeskin ?
it laid eggs on a leaf too and both were in protection mode, not letting the blue diamond too close...
just had a trim and thought id'e put a cpl more pics up...

[otto]

looking good fish_r, is that lace fern or wisteria in the back right? i didn't think it would be the BD thats why i had to ask, a fish with an attitude that bad couldn't possibly hook up.

[fish_r]

it's lace fern, it goes crazy.
the BD was eating the eggs off the driftwood as soon as they were laid "there's that attitude again"
it has actually calmed down a bit now :)
and adding 2 more fish soon to spread the aggression even more.

[fish_r]

just snapped a cpl of pics b4 the next trim, everything is growing really well. fitted a fluval surface skimmer and it works great the top is crystal clear now.
getting a bit of brush algae on some of the slower growing plants, but my co2 is way down cause too buisy to do yeast sugar mixes and bottles too small for the tank. pressurissed is much easier on the other tank, just set and forget...

[scott bowler]

looks great fish_r very nice tank ,plants and fish .all the best for the new year

[Bad Inferno]

Looks great...What tank temp do you run ?

[fish_r]

thx guys
all the best to u too Scott...
run the tank around the 30c mark, but with the hot weather it fluctuates a bit, up as high as 34c

[DiscusEden]

That's looking really impressive fish_r. I love the red plant, especially now that it's grown up - the colour seems much brighter now.

Great job!

(Oh, and happy new year!)

[fish_r]

thx de :)
the red plant is rotala macranda, was getting worried if the colour would come out in this lighting but it has now :)
all the best for the new yr
Rob...

[fish_r]

tanks changed a bit so thought id'e show an update to c what u think ?
took the lace fern out and spread the pearl weed out a bit and it has gone crazy.
going to spread the pearl weed to the left and make a low hedge out of it.
"i love this plant :)"

[Roy]

Looking really nice !

Roy

[scott bowler]

it has come up nice fish_r what is the red plant at the back ? well done its nice

[samir]

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: thats the second awesome planted tank i've seen today.

[fish_r]

thx guys, going to have a major trim tonight and a bit of a re-arrange :)
one day i'll stop changing it and be happy with i hope :lol:

what is the red plant at the back ?

it's rotala macrandra and not going too bad considering i have just about non existant co2 :)

[scott bowler]

i like that fish_r it awesome looking plant thanks for the closer look mate

[DiscusEden]

I love the new layout fish_r, it's looking fantasitic. I hope you're going to put it in for the next photo comp!

[fish_r]

thinking about running the macrandra right across the back with pearl weed in front and keeping it low...

[fish_r]

well it's been about a mth and have made a fair few changes "again" doh
this is what it's looking like now, still not quite happy with it
made the mistake of putting the macrandra in front of the pearl weed and it grows quicker than the PW and when trimming the macrandra it looks crap for a week or two, probably going to get rid of most of the macrandra now and just have a few sprigs here and there, i went a bit overboard with it :roll:

[scott bowler]

wow that has come a long way well done fish_r , those plants are awesome , bugger im going to have to redo my tank now

[DiscusWidow]

Yeh re-do it and make it look like that... that is so cool!!

[fish_r]

thx guys :)
hmmm more money Scott "u'll be in trouble" lol
although by the above post looks like uv'e been given the go ahead to spend up big :)

[DiscusWidow]

Oops

[DiscusWidow]

oops

[scott bowler]

yes fish_r i have the ok to go ahead and spend haha lucky me , not that i get debs ok very often just have to sneak out and do it , then come home put it the tank and hope she didnt notest ,and when she does i just say thats been there for ages haha

[DiscusWidow]

You really think I am THAT stupid dont you???

[fish_r]

lol ur a funny cpl :lol: :lol: :lol:

[DiscusWidow]

Oops to the double oops messages

[djceri_g]

I wish I had the space for a bigger tank! Arrgh!!