2F Tank Journal

[mike455555]

ok tomorrow im getting a 2f tank (filters allready cycled)

the tank(at my friends house) has currently about 40 guppies(varying ages)some of them are going to the LFS along with a 12" plec

(im also obtaining another 2f tank from the same person ( one's going to be a holding tank while i get the scape sorted)

i dont know what lights it's got and i might have to get some other's

im useing a DIY substrate with a sand cap (first time DIYing substrate so lets see how it go's)

im thinking its going to be a low tech tank to start (no CO2 no ferts)




day 1
washed the sand ready for the tank

bought cat litter and JI no.3

john innes no.3

cat litter

its fullers earth (heres what it looks like wet(left)/dry (right))

heres its mixed in with the JI no.3

finishing building the stand and getting tank tomorrow i cant wait. im not sure what plants / scape to do yet though. any ideas?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

If your going low tech then, Crypts, Anubias, Ferns, Swords, I'd do a triangular scape, seen some real nice ones with low tech set ups.

 

[mike455555]

i was thinking maybe something abit like this

id have to get the wood for it though i have a large rock. im unsure yet >.> i'll have a play around when the tanks here

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Cant really see it dude lol I'm on an iPhone but I'll check it out later on laptop.

 

[mike455555]

ohh sorry =D it was only done quickly on paint =D ... i was thinking of having a small cliff face, with a branch bridging it. im not sure yet. open to ideas untill about 4 today (when im starting the scape)

 

[ian]

just remember to scape from the front, not the top, looking in. Keep having a step back and looking. If it doesn't look right, it probably isn't.

have a read of this as well

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/328059-basics-in-aquascaping/

 

[mike455555]

thanks ian. will do =D

im thinking triangular scape as well...i'll play around for abit =D

 

[Ps3Steveo]

it took me about 6 hours to scape Cuban Delight so don't start to late, tired eyes scaping will mean tomorrow you might not be as happy with it.

 

[mike455555]

im going to scape it with what iv got then go to sleep and see it in the morning... i might not even get around to scape it today. still need a cabinate to put it on (it needs to be finished off)

 

[mike455555]

what type of carpet could you have in a low tech? moss?... iv got hairgrass struggling in another low tech one

 

[mike455555]

day 2

ok today has been a busy day...

i finished off the stand for it (well my dad did) here it is in my room

went over to get the tanks
ran over to the pet store to drop off the 12" plec which was in the 2F tank poor guy
anyway heres the tank 1 back at mine

its got god knows how many guppies in it and a clown loach, the filters cycled (or it should be) i used decholo tap water to fill it up and chucked afew rocks in to make it more friendly to the fish

heres tank 2 its sitting on a table outside doing a leak check (this is the tank i'll be using) its really nice, no starches and it looks brand new

tomorrow the scaping starts *hopefully*

lighting... im thinking im going to replace the lighting... but with what? at the moment the tank doesn't have a decent light... but i do have a small t8 tube with unit... i was thinking of doing a open top tank. any advice here would be appreciated =]

 

[ian]

Are you willing to spend money on a light unit? If so there's some quite cheap Lumin's hanging around

you will need to use some Carbon addition with these
http/www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/aquarium-1/aquarium-lighting/aquarium-t5-lighting/silver-t5-fish-tank-lights-two-bulbs.html

or
this will probably suite better
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ARCADIA-Classica-Overtank-Tropical-Luminaire-OTL-600mm-2-x-15W-T8-/130584312505?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item1e676e7ab9

also, if you're going open top, take the black seals from the top of the tank. You should be able to do it with a blade.

 

[mike455555]

i dont mind going high teck with the tank ...
buy £60 is to much for me to spend on a light unit. was thinking more along the lines of 20/30

i quite like the seal's... if i were to put a condensation tray on top it would cover it nicely and keep the damp from going in my room...

you cant see it from that angle but its got 2 glass "shelfs"

i can allways take them off later =D thanks for the advice

any idea how i could find cheaper lighting?

 

[ian]

light units are always expensive...even if you were to buy a couple of arcpods you'd still be looking at £40. If it was mine, i'd probably end up spending that extra £20 and getting what you actually want.

 

[mike455555]

true... i'll see if i can get them second hand from somewhere sure they'v got some on ebay =]