CRUD TANK PARTIALLY UPDATED, QUESTIONS AND A FEW PICS

[Rays of Sunshine]

Thanks Louie. Adding leaves would make it more natural. The judges will probably say I need to add leaves. I have had leaves in other tanks before, the food pellets would get stuck and cause mold. According to the rules for the competition, I can only have plants that are native to the area. I am choosing the moss/crud that I have seen have growing around the lake. Here are pics of the tank after the sand was added and covered everything killing the moss, then I found some more moss and just dumped it in, when the catfish came(tail is healed now), when the catfish rearranged the wood and you already have seen the tank as it is now.

 

[cichlid fiend]

Very nice!!!

 

[Louie]

Very nice!!!

Yes it looks like a lake,swamp shore line . To me as far as natural goes looks better than initial set up .

 

[fatherof5]

Not to bad a set-up! Goog job.

 

[Rays of Sunshine]

Still working on the tank and it has made some progress. You can tell in the third and fourth pic that I just dumped in the moss and some branches. The green moss does make a difference though.

 

[knifegill]

It is impressive. What fish is that down there?

 

[Rays of Sunshine]

4 blue-gills, 1 green sunfish and 1 brown bullhead catfish.

 

[Kaosu]

love this tank..^_^

 

[Louie]

Still working on the tank and it has made some progress. You can tell in the third and fourth pic that I just dumped in the moss and some branches. The green moss does make a difference though.

Could a tank like that be run long term like years without siphoning the bottom only 20% weekly water changes?

I want to do same you did but add lots java fern to the wood and about 1/4 inch sand substrate .

The sand would have worms and I would add daphnia,scuds other harmless inverts and local small native fish.

Do you think it would turn into big mess after time without siphoning mulm off bottom?

Filter are 2 - Marineland Emperor 400's.

Have you ever run a "crud" tank long term?

 

[Louie]

Still working on the tank and it has made some progress. You can tell in the third and fourth pic that I just dumped in the moss and some branches. The green moss does make a difference though.

The moss is java moss and do you need to attach to wood with string?