Aqua One 300L/85Gal

[Fraoch]

ok so since i have just set up my new tank, my first planted tank,i have another tank with plants but they are such low maintenance and so little i wouldnt count it, i thought i would have a go at one of these journals.

I got it just under 2 1/2 weeks ago and only just got the external filter in yesterday.There are 2 bits of redmoor root, amazon swords, java fern, vallis(which has melted a bit), moss balls, salvinia natans(think im going to take most of it out), Pogostemon Helferi and Aponogeton Ulvaceus which i hope will grow in and cover the sponge filter a bit I have arcadia and anubias T8 bulbs and i am going to buy some fertilisers to help the plants a bit i think.

Cycling is going well i think tested today, 0.5ppm ammonia, 5.0ppm nitrite, 20ppm nitrate, pH 6.8. Going to get a quarantine tank soon and the first inhabitants will hopefully be 2 black neon tetras and 3 harlequin rasboras and when i can get to the lfs up to 6 black neons and 10 harlequins.

I will upload some photos tonight, dont have a camera atm and just to warn yous this might be a slow jounal as i can only get to the lfs about once every 2 months

 

[Fraoch]

ok well here she is

sorry about that bit of reflection

Pogostemon Helferi

Aponogeton Ulvaceus-love this plant and it grows so quickly!

Vallis and swords, vallis melted but is starting to grow back in again now
Not the best photos but you get the idea
any ideas/suggestions/criticisms welcome, i kinda want to add more plants but with no co2 i dont know?

 

[ian]

nice Aponogeton, that will get massive! It may even flower as well.

 

[Fraoch]

thanks ianho, maybe ill move it towards the back as it gets bigger?
i have a question about the cycling, i tested it today and the readins were, ammonia 0, nitrite 0.25, nitrate 5.0, so once the nitrites go down to 0 will that be the tank cycled and safe for fish? never done a fishless cycle before

 

[Fraoch]

well here are my plans for the stocking, as the juvi angels get bigger im hoping 2 will pair off and i'll sell the rest
pair of german blue rams
15 cardinal tetras
8 harlequin rasboras
2 black neon tetras(to be moved into another tank with others later on)
6 adolfoi corys
7 marbled hatchets
6 juvi angels
5 discus

i was thinking about adding some sort of invert but clams ive heaard do nothing, snails im scared will eat the plants and shrimp i think the fish will eat
and the vallis is still melting, i dont know if that is normal but any help on how to get it to start growing would be great

 

[Fraoch]

Small update, I have added another bag of playsand and put some cat litter under is at the right hand side and put on a plain black background. The vallis has started to make a recovery now and new shoots are coming through Got some DIY done and have suspended the wood so it looks like its growing downwards and have got more plants ordered and on the way;
2xgiant vallis
1xcrinum thaianum
5xcyperus helferi
5xdwarf hairgrass
5xpygmy chain sword
5xgiant torta vallis
5xaponogeton natans bulbs
1xCeratopteris Siliquosa
1xwatersprite
1xLobelia cardinalis
1xanubias nana golden
1xanubias coffeefolia
I took out the sponge filter for now to put in my QT and am hoping to get another external in soon to replace it.
Aponogeton is getting big now;

Full view, bit cloudy;

Am still not happy with it, so plan is to move the wood on the left further to the left and attach some more jave fern and moss to it. I think the giant vallis, c.thaianum, c.helferi will go behind the aponogeton u. and chain sword on the right, Ceratopteris Siliquosa and watersprite can go in front of it. The giant torta vallis, aponogeton natans, hairgrass and Lobelia cardinalis can go on the left. And the anubias can go on the piece of wood on the right.

 

[minnnt]

Nice tank. I liked the wood before, but the floating version makes for a very interesting dimension!! Look forward to seeing it stocked fully.

 

[Fraoch]

Plants arrived last week and ive let them grow in a bit and the tanks looking a bit less scarce now Sadly the giant vallis and anubias coffeefolia didnt arrive from the suppliers and the "Lobelia cardinalis" i think might have been non-aquatic since the snail infestation took a liking to it and within 3 days had devoured the 4 plants i had
Also have a little problem with bugs, there are millions of tiny snails, white worms and little water flea things(maybe copepods?) in the tank which i think have pooed all over the sand cause its disgusting Im hoping that when i can get fish they'll eat them all.
Cycles going ok, it's getting there slowly im down to about 4ppm in 24 hrs.
I'll get photos up tonight

 

[Fraoch]

Forgot to say that the planned stocking has changed again. I scrapped the discus aftyer figuring there wasnt going to be anough room so its now;
Pair of angelfish
Pair GBR
1 gold dwarf ram
1 electric blue ram
30 cardinals
15 harlequins
6 adolfoi corys
6 hatchets
And i have a weather/dojo loach in my goldfish tank but hes getting too big for it, is there a possibility he could be put in this tank? He would also help deal with my snail problem
After that am i prety much fully stocked or is there room for a few more? thanks

 

[Fraoch]

heres the updated pictures
FTS

RHS, aponogeton has stretched right up and is actually getting too tall and stemmy at the bottom

LHS, ferns are going a bit brown im hoping thats just them acclimatising

The disgusting sand ...

one of the little water fleas that might be a copepod? when you see them they are mostly green and have black lacing through them with little antennae, they're kinda hard to describe and get a picture of

and one of the white worms, there are these thin ones, some other that are fatter and shorter and move slower and some bigger ones, maybe half an inch that wiggle around really quickly and then drift in the current

Might have to buy more plants to fill it our a bit? any ideas

 

[Fraoch]

Im thinking about buying some more bigger bits of driftwood to lie on the bottom and place the plants in a more messy fashion around them to make it look more natural, what do you think?

EDIT:Well ive got a few pieces of driftwood from the shore to boil and see what they look like if i put them in. Also ordered a new external(sunsun HW-302) and a bargain surplas plant package from Plants Alive, 50 plants, so it'll be interesting to see what comes

 

[Million]

Yeah, you've got a massive tank with a lot of room - I'd get some more wood in there. One massive centrepiece would be great. I love the little slate cave you made!

 

[Fraoch]

Thank you the bits i have are actually smaller than the bits already in there but ill have a look for bigger bits. The cave wasnt actually made by me, it was made by someone who sells them on eBay

 

[minnnt]

Don't put the new wood in the middle as it will take your attention away from the rest of the tank. Have it to one side. You need loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooads more plant mass too.

 

[Fraoch]

plants should arrive wednesday/thursday next week along with the filter so ill soak the small bits of driftwood till then and then just stick em all in and see what happens
Alot of the plants are only babys so im hoping they will the fill the tank better as they get older