Stan's freshwater 240 gallon extravaganza. Trials and tribulations of a sunlit aquarium

[Stan510]

No prize but can anybody spot the Dianema urostriatum?..hint,roots.

 

[Stan510]

Wish I could talk the wife into having a big tank like yours. Love the plants, looks very nice. What types of fish do you have?

Check out Craigslist Viking. You might find one used for $500 on average. If somebody is moving they might really go low..give it away. Never know.

 

[Stan510]

One thing about Rainbows is that the M.boesemani get very hefty as they get full size. Almost cichlid like as you can see in the photo from above. They are also least picky eaters of all the Rainbow species I've had over the decades. They like their room to roam also..lovers of big tanks. Even my tank seems a little narrow once they are large and chasing each other .

 

[Stan510]

I decided to move the mounted Bolbitius farther away from the window into more shade. It's really weak in resistance to algae covering the leaves. So,its reputation as liking less light than other aquarium plants holds up ...in a non Co2 system.
Nothing more natural than sunlight so in aquariums lit by artificial light I'm sure it can go right in the middle of the aquariums as in most photos. I have to really be on my game using so much sun..and getting longer days,stronger sun. 65- 72f the last week or so in the SF bay area.
The hair algae gone all winter? trying to creep back. My handy dandy Toothbrush taped to a palm petiole is doing the job so far removing it mostly from some kind of Ludwigia..I think its the plain L. repens. Not the super red.

 

[Stan510]

You've only seen the backside of the Syngonium. IT is huge. Look close to see the top of the 240 and then look at how tall the top of the growth is and how far it cascades..that's all nitrate eating plant right there. It thrives on liquid iron. So much I'm thinking of ordering the powder version of I.G. and use it on all the potted

plants and palms and ferns outdoors.
You can see by the other plants outside..I'm in sunny California..

 

[Stan510]

The Super Red Ludwigia is looking good,but in what sometimes is very high light levels the unrooted cuttings I planted are managing some very micro red leaves. The great part is they ARE RED. But!..not much real growth so far. I have it where it can grow and fill out a good area one day. Its the battle with high summer sunshine and algae that's the worry. If it was a small typical plant aquarium? Sure,change water 2 maybe 3 times a week. Not 240 gallons. Water is not dirt cheap in California..why I also have not added fish and when I do ( some small fish I have are aged out already at 2 years),they will be half the size or less of the Rainbows and mated pair of Angels.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Yes, check on Craigslist. You can find really good deals there. I just bought a G-Shock watch for only $25 on Craigslist.

You have a very beautiful tank there @Stan510 . I love tanks that are just “tanks”. Ya know? I love tanks that have a ton of color and plants, but not over kill. I see a future TOTM contest winner right here!

 

[Stan510]

Thanks King!..yeah,it's not really set up for a solid wall to wall of plants...mostly the center 5' and really if I didn't buy another plant..what I have is enough. It's now wait and see how they grow.

 

[Retired Viking]

I only have some small plants growing out of the back of my 30 gallon shrimp tank. I do look at Craigslist but my wife is already unhappy about my 4 tanks. I do not think she would appreciate another large tank moving into the house. So for now all I can do is dream. I had a chance to buy a 250 gallon long with filter and stand from a friend many years ago for only 100 dollars and it was only 3 years old but did not It would have ended up in the basement but we had a play room down there for the kids at the time.

 

[Retired Viking]

Here is 2 pictures of my modest plants, the white roots in picture 2 belong to them.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Nice Anacharis. My favorite plant. I have both broad (my favorite) and narrow leaved Anacharis. I also keep lacy Java fern, duckweed, Salvinia, frogbit, Anubias, etc.

All easy to grow plants, but I love them!

 

[Retired Viking]

Nice Anacharis. My favorite plant. I have both broad (my favorite) and narrow leaved Anacharis. I also keep lacy Java fern, duckweed, Salvinia, frogbit, Anubias, etc.

All easy to grow plants, but I love them!

Thanks, it has been growing nicely, I took some out two or three weeks ago and put it into my 55 gallon tetra tank to make a small forest at one end of the tank. As soon as these grow big I plan on moving more. When I start on my new tank it will have some too. Just a really nice plant. My Java ferns are all in my LOTR 55 gallon tetra tank. This summer I am thinking of changing it to a sunken forest with several tree stumps.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

That sounds cool. IMO, it’s the best background plant you can get. It grows fast and looks super good.

 

[Stan510]

What I did Vike,because my wife also wanted no giant aquarium ( even though it was empty for years she wanted me to put it outside) So I showed her the youtube Amano vids. And asked isn't that nice? lol...slowly she came around. Helped too that her brother had some small aquariums and a pond. Now,she goes in to The Fishroom on a cool but sunny day and its 77f in there,fish and plants are moving AND I put in an old compact Sears all in one stereo I bought in 1982 and she can listen to her inspirational music too. After all,it was her who wanted the shelves of knick knacks!

 

[Retired Viking]

One of my wife's bothers does have 3 tanks, I will have 3 tanks in the living room when I am done with the new tank and a 55 gallon in the family room. With all my other hobbies I do take over the house.