Toria's New 240L Planted Tank

[lljdma06]

I am struggling on to where to plant more plants as don't want to plant it to densely as I still will need plenty of room for the fish.
Also how close should i plant the plants together as im scared that some will shadow some others or will over take the smaller plants or would they be ok? Sorry if its a stupid question its just this is my first planted tank.

Hey Toria, why don't you give this a read?

Basics in Aquascaping

Since you're just getting started, I'd pay more attention to the general basics. Don't worry about the golden ratio and from what I see, you've got a triangle scape going if you use your wood to advantage. Also, look at the final height of plants to decide placement. That vallis may look small, but maybe it grows to 2' later.

If you have any questions about what a plant will look like when it's grown some, let me know.

L

 

[Million]

South Wales Massive! Hi Toria, welcome to the planted side of things. I'm also very envious of that log - did you find it in South Wales or further afield? I'd say with that wood, as lljdma said, you're heading for a triangle with the highest point being the left rear of the tank, so I'd put your tallest plants like the vallis there. I'd suggest getting loads of lovely anubias varieties and java fern to put on the wood, and maybe some mosses if you like them. Then maybe a carpeting plant for the front/right of the tank

 

[Ps3Steveo]

I'm with million there, that would look epic

 

[toria899]

South Wales Massive! Hi Toria, welcome to the planted side of things. I'm also very envious of that log - did you find it in South Wales or further afield? I'd say with that wood, as lljdma said, you're heading for a triangle with the highest point being the left rear of the tank, so I'd put your tallest plants like the vallis there. I'd suggest getting loads of lovely anubias varieties and java fern to put on the wood, and maybe some mosses if you like them. Then maybe a carpeting plant for the front/right of the tank

Yes I got the wood from south wales I could pm you where I got if you would like they had some bigger than mine slightly smaller and some small pieces.

I think the im getting you about the aquascaping so there would be nothing on the right and the plant in between the bogwood at the end would be the point of the triangle?

 

[toria899]

Just an update was going to move around some plants today but found a baby molly, didn't realise my adult molly was due as she wasn't that big but one of the babies was hiding in between the one of the main plants which i was going to move.
I have only found one baby so far but hopefully there are more hiding in other places so not going to disturb the tank for a while as my other female is pregnant too nervous now on when to move her to the breeding trap as she is getting to the size of the other female.

 

[toria899]

Bad news lost a couple of fish over this last week, I lost 2 gourami's, a guppy and 2 cardinal tetras.
I thought it was down to my water quality as my neon dwarf rainbows were gasping at top of tank and I think due to stress of that have caused them to get mouth fungus which I have just started treating them with Esha 2000. I did 3 water changes and cleaned the filters this week due to fish struggling but don't have a clue what is causing it.

The water is also coming out brown every-time but I think that is the tanning from bog wood but that can't harm the fish can it?

So thinking it was down to water quality tested with an API kit and my readings were...

Ammonia - 0 ppm shocked thought this would have gone up due to dead fish
PH - is between 7.2 -7.6
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 5.0ppm

Didn't believe it so did another test with a nutrafin test kit and it came up all the same readings as API so really confused to why fish are struggling and dying.

Was wondering if I was over stocked for this tank even with 2 filters as i have

7 boesemani rainbows
2 silver sharks
1 common plec
3 dwarf gourami's
4 cardinal tetra
3 thread fin rainbows
3 neon dwarf rainbows
4 corys
1 guppy
7 danios
3 lyre-tail mollys

Any feedback appreciated.