First attempt at a planted aquarium

[OliveFish05]

Oh no! So glad the tank wasn't leaking and it was just an airstone!

 

[sarabarton76]

Oh no! So glad the tank wasn't leaking and it was just an airstone!

I know. I was in the grip for a good 10 minutes thinking I'd spent a lot of money and it may not be covered on a guarantee.... It was actually a real pleasure to realise I had been an idiot because I can fix that! And of course, I think I've saved most of the plants and hadn't stocked with fish so better to learn now than later.

The heaters dead, but amazon 1 day delivery have that covered.

I've had it filled all day and its not remotely leaking so probably gonna get the plants back in tonight and go for take 2. On the plus side, its made me take a plastic plant out of my other tank and replace with real and when this one is going and I swap I am going to have a really good go at sorting the other one out too.

 

[OliveFish05]

Oh wow, I can't imagine what I would do if I had a tank that size be leaking, and NOT have it covered by any guarantee! Must have been a real mess to clean up! Glad you didn't have any fish in there, and I hope the plants are alright

 

[sarabarton76]

me too!

Well version 2 is up and running - the picture is poor because I used my laptop (I have bribed the small one with my phone to let me get on with this!) so the picture not much use. But I think you can see the java fern on the top of the driftwood, and definitely can see the white cotton tying some moss down (which is basically just destroyed moss balls) plus a lovely Amazon Sword at the back to hopefully grow very quickly

Most of the plants right now look ok - lost a few to broken stems etc, but I've taken a chance and just stuck them in substrate in the hope they may root. I know I have traumatised them and some may melt so expect to have to be hypervigilant for waste etc now (though a bit of me thinks some waste will help the filter ha ha)

I'm so glad I found this forum just so I can say to someone "I got this wrong" and them be nice to me

 

[Robertadamplant]

well it will be once I fix everything ha ha!!

Only just read the above message; I feel for you.

 

[Fishmanic]

Our May Tank of the Month contest will feature tanks sized at 31 gallons and larger. HInt....Hint

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Great looking tank so far. ?

 

[Circus]

Check valves are our friends! I always buy one at the same time as my air pump.

 

[sarabarton76]

Check valves are our friends! I always buy one at the same time as my air pump.

I know - I even cursed myself when they arrived and I hadn't ordered. It was on my list. Absolutely no idea how I overlooked it - well I do. Overexcitement!! So a very valuable lesson about patience which I need now because you cant will plants to grow....

 

[cascades4vrbo]

Hi all. I only joined recently, having a first freshwater tank since Christmas. I've found (common to lots of people here I'm guessing) that I've rapidly gone down a wormhole. I've lurked, and I've read. I've researched and tinkered. So I have very rapidly realised my 65l tank isn't really big enough to meet my ambitions or those of my 5 year old & have got myself a 200l Juwel Lido in the only other bit of viable space there is in my lounge!

I've decided to plant it and hopefully can do a silent cycle - so definitely need your help!! I've befriended my local aquatics shop too so should have local advice if needed.

So here we go. I already know I've not got the background on properly - I'm not too bothered by this and will have another look at some point - I apologise to those who will find it irritating. I have a little sand on the surface as my 5 year old didn't like a black base - not sure I cleaned it fully so slightly cloudy but I'm not stressed.

Some of the planting is pretty skin of my teeth but its all stayed down so planning on disturbing nothing at all for as long as possible.

Substrate is Caribsea eco complete, then some aquarium sand
60cm Bogwood in the middle, then a surprise box and some of the quick growers recommended in here

I believe the deal is to post photos and then do weekly until someone with more expertise than I have agrees there is visible growth? Planning to put our mollies in first and then add a few more, before also adding some guppies

I retired the same sand do to in time having mold issues and algae and found the #1 substrate now is Fluval Stratum. You can’t mix it with other substrate though. ?

 

[sarabarton76]

I retired the same sand do to in time having mold issues and algae and found the #1 substrate now is Fluval Stratum. You can’t mix it with other substrate though. ?

I think it supports a slightly acidic pH though - our water tends to acidic so working hard to keep it at 7

 

[sarabarton76]

So 1 week one. Wow, its been quite the week ha ha!!
so after the flood, and our fry in the other tank I think things our settling down.

My ludwigia just in front of the java fern on the driftwood has grown quite a bit. Some of the plants pretty sad, I think the micranthenum in particular did not enjoy the being a bit dried out, moved to emergency tank and then being replanted within 24 hours and will probably die. I'm amazed the cryptocorynes haven't melted completely - so I may yet get away with it. Salvinia very happy but split across both tanks once fry appeared, so I added a couple of plants of frogbit on wednesday & the two are very cheerfully spreading. I'm enjoying this!

I have quite a bit of established filter media in the small spare thank that I'm just feeding daily to keep them going, so today plan to put all that into this filter and then feed the tank a little bit of ammonia (to 1ppm not 3 so I don't totally finish off the plants) - so sort of a hybrid fishless and silent cycle. Mainly because I want to be able to use all the lovely bacteria, didn't want to leave the filters wedged behind something in the 65l/ 17 gallon now fry are here and am not convinced I wont kill it all off in a small an empty tank!

 

[sarabarton76]

So sat next to my plant and realising I've actually had a lot of growth in one week.

In a silent cycle, I'm guessing visible growth is what it says on the tin ie 2 pics side by side and the plants are bigger?

is this enough visible growth?

 

[Essjay]

I'd wait another week to be on the safe side, then you can start adding fish a few at a time

 

[sarabarton76]

I'd wait another week to be on the safe side, then you can start adding fish a few at a time

Brill. Looking at the front I cant really see a difference so it was only when I swapped sofas I realised things are coming on!

I suppose I need to start working out the logistics of swapping my mollies over now. It will probably take me a week of planning ha ha!!