Sam's Journal Of The Tanks At The Gold Fish Bowl

[Themuleous]

Well All

The time finally came for me to scape my first tank at the gold fish bowl so thought I would start a journal to document its progress. So here goes!!!

I wont bore you all with the build up other than to say all I’ve had to do is chose the plants and Barry has done the rest. They cleaned out the tank and laid the substrate, put the filter on and set up the CO2 ready for my arrival on Thursday. So after work down I went to set too and plant the tank. Pretty much the ideal way of doing it, all the fun of having a planted tank but none if the water changes! I also had the pick of all the plants in the shop, which is several hundered to make up for the ones Dennerle didn't send, like a kid in a sweet shop I can tell you!

Quick tank specs

Tank – Rena aqualife 120x50x70 (LxWxH) approx 350lt / 75UKg (90 USg)
Lighting – 2x30w 2x38w all Arcadia freshwater (you know me a the freshwater tube!)
Filter – Rena xp3 1350lph
Co2 – pressurised via ladder, but I think I might change to a pair if ceramic diffusers as it’s a big tank for a ladder. We’ll see.
Ferts – not sure as yet, that’s really up to Barry, but I think it’ll need a decent trace fert, perhaps 2 or 3 times a week. Seachem flourish or similar. Water changes will be 50/50 Ro and tap probably once a week.
Substrate – mix of Dennerle DeponitMix and tetraplant, capped with lime free, black gravel. The gravel is perfect size.

Plants

Some of the plants were out of stock at Dennerle and they sent a few incorrect things, but that wasn’t the end of the world. Here’s what I used

Alternanthera reineckii ‘red’
Bolbitis heudelotii
Crytocoryne balansae
Crytocoryne parva
Echinadorus parv. ‘Tropica’
Hygrophila polysperma ‘sunset’
Cryptocoryne wendtii ’MiOya’
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Bacopa caroliniana
Hydrocotyle verticillata
Rotala wallichii

Also used but not from Dennerle were
Cabomba furcata
Vesicularia dubyana
Nymphaea lotus var. rubra

I have to say I was particularly impressed with the quality of the Bolbitis, balansae, parva, Echinadorus parv. ‘Tropica’ and the H.poly ‘sunset’ all of which were in superb health and with excellent root growth. On a par with tropica if not better in some cases. I will definitely be using the Bolbitis in my own tanks.

Right, well that’s pretty much it, apart from to say that it took the best past of 4 half hours to sort and separate the plants and to plant them all! Here are the pics, it’s a tricky tank to photograph due to the tanks next to it, but hopefully you can see it OK.

Empty tank

Full from the left

Full from the right

Left

Centre left

Centre right

Right

Close of some of the plants

Any comments good or bad are always welcome.

Sam

PS – I need ideas for the second rena tank, if anyone finds any photos of interesting scapes for lower light tanks please post them

I’m thinking of a centre piece of redmoor wood, with lots of Bolbitis and anubias, then a lawn of ET. Or maybe redmoor wood either end, same plants but a path of silver sand or similar down the middle.

 

[shelaghfishface]

first off i have apologise as i actually only had a look as i thought it was a "goldfish bowl" you were scaping!!-- thought this must be some funny monkey!!!
secondley ( is that how you spell that?? huh who cares!) that is THE most beautiful tank i have seen on here so far, by far!-and im so nosey as i look at all the pics!
you have to be congratulated on a fantastic job-i wont bother with suggestions, you would have to lower your standards to add some of the efforts im proud of lol, but im learning!
it a credit to you xxx

 

[Esfa]

wow, looks stunning!

Any chance of a full frontal shot?

 

[Themuleous]

first off i have apologise as i actually only had a look as i thought it was a "goldfish bowl" you were scaping!!-- thought this must be some funny monkey!!!
secondley ( is that how you spell that?? huh who cares!) that is THE most beautiful tank i have seen on here so far, by far!-and im so nosey as i look at all the pics!
you have to be congratulated on a fantastic job-i wont bother with suggestions, you would have to lower your standards to add some of the efforts im proud of lol, but im learning!
it a credit to you xxx

Blimey! That's a very kind thank you. I will be sure to keep you updated on how it turns out

wow, looks stunning!

Any chance of a full frontal shot?

Thanks. Sorry no full frontal, due to the awkward position of the tank, which is a bit annoying, I'll see what I can do next time I pop in.

Sam

 

[BINKSY]

Looking good sam, the black gravel looks very nice too. Are there going to be any fish in there as well?.

I will be popping in some time soon to take a look.


Keep up the good work mate.


Cheers Gordon

 

[Themuleous]

Thanks Gordon fish will be going in soon Im sure. Not sure what yet, a large 30-40 shoal of something. Ottos, shrimp and nerites will probably be the next things.

Mention to Barry that you saw the journal He'll be please Im sure. I have to give them credit for embracing the planted side of the hobby, lets hope others follow.

Sam

 

[GobyMaster]

That looks really good!
Do you have any full tank shots?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

looks really good Sam. like any set up like this it looks quite 'new' and needs the plants to grow in, but i'm sure it'll look stunning when they have

 

[ICEEGRL]

That tank looks great. I wish I could afford to set one up like that... It is going to be awesome once it starts really growing.

The low light... you mentioned maybe a path with silver sand... I would love to see that. I tried a path in mine, but it didn't work out. I just couldn't get it right.
What is silver sand? It sounds pretty.

Amanda

 

[Themuleous]

Thanks all it will improve no end and it fills in. Fortunately I'm not having to pay for this tank!

Amanda - silver sand I think is just white/sandy coloured sand, don't think its anything special.

Sam

 

[Themuleous]

Just to say I popped into the GFB during lunch with camera firmly in hand only to find the battery is dead! Doh!

I chatted to Barry and 20 ottos and 30 amano shrimp will be going in soon, with some nerites in a week or so. There is some thread algae growing which these critters should deal with. The plants are generally doing well, the Hygrophila polysperma 'Sunset' is going mental, I can see even in a low/mid light tank I'm going to have to keep on top of the pruning. Some of the crypts have melted quite badly but thats to be expected from crypts.

I'll probably go in again later in the week to do a prune and general maintenance check when I'll try and get some more photos, if I remember to charge the camera!

Sam

 

[ICEEGRL]

Anything new yet? How is it doing so far?

 

[BINKSY]

Well Sam, popped in this morning to have a nose, (ended up spending as usual) looks very nice mate. Am also very impressed with the black gravel looks very nice. I noticed you have some ottos and shrimp in there too. Cant wait for things to start filling out.


On a side note, where do you get your nerite snails from Sam?


Cheers Gordon

 

[Themuleous]

Hi Gordon

Glad you popped in, I go in quite often especially now, and its tough not buying something each time! Tank should start filling out now.

Yeh ottos and shrimp are fist in to help with the algae. Nerites should be going in this week once the shipment arrives. I find most shops tend to stock nerties these days, and TBH I dont think there is a better algae eater. They seem to eat everything but BBA and staghorn, but these are easily dealt with using excel. I never have to clean the glass of GSA with nerties in the tank.

Sam

 

[ICEEGRL]

It has been a while... how is it going?
Anything on the second tank yet?
I can't wait to see...