55 Us Gal Low Tech

[mtv8dmarine]

I finally realized how nice of an area this is to track the progress of your tank. So, I'll start a journal. =)

Specs for my tank.

Filtration: Top Fin 50 powerfilter, Marineland C-220 Canister

Lighting: Single 54 W Life-Glo T5 High Output with reflector in hood

Powerhead: Aquaclear 30

Heater: Fluval E200.

Substrate: Standard pea gravel

Nutrient additives: Flourish Excel, API Leaf Zone, AquariumPlants.com "Total" Fert. Pellets

Fish: 6 Peppered Corydoras, a few Otocincluses, 4 Angelfish (1 black Zebra, 1 white Zebra, 1 White, 1 Koi), various platies (sunburst, red wag, mickey mouse, and 2 three month old fry)

I've played around with the setup numerous times. It's remained mostly the same since I added the driftwood. I have chain swords, vallis, crypto wendtii, melon swords, anubias nana, red tiger lotus, barteri round leaf, anubias congensis.

 

[mtv8dmarine]

Since I planted the tank a couple months ago I've lost about every one of the original leaves from the chain sword plants. They are growing back so everything seen in the pics is fresh new growth. Most of the original vallis leaves died off and like the chain swords, it's pretty much all new growth.

I have noticed that the plants reproduce with daughter plants far faster than they mature themselves.

 

[GAB99]

by any chance is the anubais in one of the pics planted underneath the substrate??

 

[mtv8dmarine]

The anubias are all tied down to petrified wood and the wood is under the substrate but all rhizomes are above the gravel.

 

[Biulu]

Plants look very healthy and fresh. Well done. Can you give us a full tank shot?

 

[mtv8dmarine]

I did notice today some green fuzzy algae growing on my crypto plants and the anubias barteri round leaf. I know a little of it isn't a bad thing but I'm not sure I want to wait and find out it's something I could have handled early. The fact that I'm low light makes me hesitant about the algae growth to begin with.

 

[Biulu]

It looks very good. What about attaching some anubias to that great piece of wood you have? It would bring some 3D into your tank.

Your tank is not yet fully established. How long did you say you have your lights on? You start off with about 6 hrs, especially as your tank is fairly lightly planted. Another cause of algae can be the nutrients. Maybe you are dosing too much with respect to the CO2 available in the water? Some water changes might help reduce the problem.

 

[mtv8dmarine]

It looks very good. What about attaching some anubias to that great piece of wood you have? It would bring some 3D into your tank.

Your tank is not yet fully established. How long did you say you have your lights on? You start off with about 6 hrs, especially as your tank is fairly lightly planted. Another cause of algae can be the nutrients. Maybe you are dosing too much with respect to the CO2 available in the water? Some water changes might help reduce the problem.

Thank you. Yeah I dose 1 capful of Flourish Excel every other day and 4 on the day I clean the tank since it ends up being that I remove upwards of 50-60% of the water. I dose Leaf Zone only on the day that I do my water change. I change the water/siphon the gravel once a week on the same day.

I will eventually bring the anubias onto the wood. I'm waiting for the one nana plant I have to get big enough to where I can cut the rhizome and replant. Tying it down on the wood however is a different story as I'm not sure how I will fasten it the best ya know?

I am going to change my lighting regimen today. Usually I leave the light on from 6 am to 3 pm. This also means I don't ever get to watch my tank while it's lit. So instead I'm going to change the photo period to 3 pm to 9 pm. Therefore reducing the photo period to a better number.

Since the tank is low tech, I'm of course waiting for the vallis to grow vertically instead of always sprouting new plants which is why the back looks a little off.

 

[mtv8dmarine]

Last night I made the move to sand as my substrate. I have to say, even though the water is still cloudy the tank looks much better with the sand. The corys seem to enjoy it and on occasion seem to like being able to flick the sand around with their tails. Although I could just be over-thinking it. lol I'm glad I bought two bags of the stuff because it took 100 lbs. to fill a few inches of tank bottom. I made sure to slope it upwards towards the back. The front of the aquarium probably has 2.5 inches and the back closer to 3.5 but not more than 4. I did notice the plants stay in the sand so much better. Planting the tank, even after rinsing the sand was ridiculous because I was doing it completely blind. I must say though that it didn't turn out half bad!

I was pleased to find that one of my crypto wendtii plants was ready to split. So I did that and planted a new addition. I moved my anubias nana from the bottom right corner and up into the bogwood as suggested by another forum member. I think it looks nice there and will have to think about how to further accent the gigantic piece of wood. I may move the new crypto wendtii plant to the bottom right corner beneath the beast to fill the void. There will likely be some minor rearranging of plants along the way. For now I'm just waiting for the water to clear up.

Pardon the plants I've left floating. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do with them yet. I'll either use them or discard them.

I also started dosing a potassium phosphate and potassium nitrate mixture today which I will dose three times a week during the photo-period when I dose my Excel.

Now I'm thinking about adding some cherry shrimps, a few rasboras, and maybe an african dwarf frog. Maybe even some Celestial Pearl Danio/Galaxy Rasboras after seeing some photos. There are certainly enough spots for the dwarf frog to lounge.

 

[SuperColey1]

your corys will love you for putting sand in there

Looks good after the rescape. Plants certinaly looking very lush

AC

 

[SuperColey1]

I think you need to go back to basics here. It is a low light tank. Not too many plants in it. I'm not sure why you've been advised to use Excel as you shouldn't need it and Ferts should be borderline need too.

You also have some pretty heft filtration and circulation in there.

So a couple of questions.

Are the filter in/outs positioned where they are because that is where the canopy allows?

Where is the output for the Marineland. I think it is the Topfin I see on the right rear.

Take the powerhead out. The 2 filters are more than enough.

Do a water change and then stop dosing the Ferts and Excel for 2 weeks to begin and see what happens.

Don't do a water change during these 2 weeks unless you can see a need r.e. fish signs.

If it is possible I think the filters need moving a little to sort out the circulation. There may well be a conflict there but can't tell until I know where the Marineland output is.

AC

 

[mtv8dmarine]

I think you need to go back to basics here. It is a low light tank. Not too many plants in it. I'm not sure why you've been advised to use Excel as you shouldn't need it and Ferts should be borderline need too.

You also have some pretty heft filtration and circulation in there.

So a couple of questions.

Are the filter in/outs positioned where they are because that is where the canopy allows?

Where is the output for the Marineland. I think it is the Topfin I see on the right rear.

Take the powerhead out. The 2 filters are more than enough.

Do a water change and then stop dosing the Ferts and Excel for 2 weeks to begin and see what happens.

Don't do a water change during these 2 weeks unless you can see a need r.e. fish signs.

If it is possible I think the filters need moving a little to sort out the circulation. There may well be a conflict there but can't tell until I know where the Marineland output is.

AC

The Top Fin filter is on the left. You can see the pickup tube middle left and the thermometer to the left of it. The Marineland is on the right. The long extension of it is the intake and the output is short and up towards the top. I only have the powerhead in there to ripple the water surface as I don't like hearing the water run straight off into the tank from the Top Fin (so I fill the tank a little higher instead).

Yes, the filters are positioned where they are because of the hood. Eventually I'll get a nicer glass top hood but for now I'm making due. I'll take closer pics of the filter arrangements and post this evening.

Normal water change schedule is tonight so I'll follow your recommendations on dosing.

 

[SuperColey1]

Didn't the marineland come with a spraybar attachment?

AC

 

[mtv8dmarine]

No that's one thing it never seemed to be designed for. If it had, I could have had the water disturbance I wanted without the necessity for accessory items. I may have to look at fabricating something.


EDIT:

Note to self for later... http/www.plantedtank.net/forums/equipment/66472-marineland-spray-bar-mission-accomplished.html

 

[SuperColey1]

Thats a good link

The European version of Marineland (Tetratec) only do spraybars with their externals. If you were UK I would sen you it with some hose but being US it would cost more than for you to buy it over there. lol

However the outlet you have is pretty much the same principle as a Lily pipe in that it is just a jet return so shouln't be a problem. Just rais the sucker onthe back up (If there are suckers.)

AC