Wanted to post my newest set up. 29 gallon Dirted. No CO2, No Ferts, 40 watts of Plant Aquarium Light, Eheim Ecco 2232. Set it all up mid September. Since these pictures I've uncovered the rhizome of the Anubias.
Dirted Tank 29g
- Thread starter samplexample
- Start date
Thanks!
The Dirt I used was organic top soil. I set up the tank initially with Miracle Grow but it had some fertilizers in it that were killing my fish so I did a total rebuild with organic topsoil and new gravel. My lights are (2) run of the mill 24" Florescent tubes about 18/20 watts each in the generic hood ballasts. Since my first post I have built a DIY CO2 system. At first this was a low tech project, and since I made the CO2 I suppose it still is, I just wanted to see a little more growth, as well as get my Dwarf Hair Grass to spread. I currently have 1 bottle for yeast and 1 bonglike contraption to prevent liquid from going up the CO2 line. I am going to make an additional 1 of each, so i will have 2 mix bottles and 2 separators running into two diffusers I ordered on fleabay.
Here is the current stock list:
1 - Bristlenose Pleco 3.25"
1 - Germain Blue Ram 2.25"
12 - Neon Tetras 1" or smaller
5 - Black Skirt Tetras (1 long fin)
5 - Black Phantom Tetras
5 - Serpae Tetras (2 long fin)
3 - Black Neon Tetras
15 - Ghost Shrimp
Plants:
Cabomba, Anacharis, Red Ludwiga, Moneywort, Java Ferns, Anubias Nana, and Dwarf Hairgrass. Looking for one more broad-leafed plant.
Link to Diffuser http://www.ebay.com/itm/Co2-Diffuser-Glass-Nano-for-Aquarium-live-plants-DIY-Co2-YouTube-available-/280881711292?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4165dac8bc
Ill get some pics up when I can!
The Dirt I used was organic top soil. I set up the tank initially with Miracle Grow but it had some fertilizers in it that were killing my fish so I did a total rebuild with organic topsoil and new gravel. My lights are (2) run of the mill 24" Florescent tubes about 18/20 watts each in the generic hood ballasts. Since my first post I have built a DIY CO2 system. At first this was a low tech project, and since I made the CO2 I suppose it still is, I just wanted to see a little more growth, as well as get my Dwarf Hair Grass to spread. I currently have 1 bottle for yeast and 1 bonglike contraption to prevent liquid from going up the CO2 line. I am going to make an additional 1 of each, so i will have 2 mix bottles and 2 separators running into two diffusers I ordered on fleabay.
Here is the current stock list:
1 - Bristlenose Pleco 3.25"
1 - Germain Blue Ram 2.25"
12 - Neon Tetras 1" or smaller
5 - Black Skirt Tetras (1 long fin)
5 - Black Phantom Tetras
5 - Serpae Tetras (2 long fin)
3 - Black Neon Tetras
15 - Ghost Shrimp
Plants:
Cabomba, Anacharis, Red Ludwiga, Moneywort, Java Ferns, Anubias Nana, and Dwarf Hairgrass. Looking for one more broad-leafed plant.
Link to Diffuser http://www.ebay.com/itm/Co2-Diffuser-Glass-Nano-for-Aquarium-live-plants-DIY-Co2-YouTube-available-/280881711292?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4165dac8bc
Ill get some pics up when I can!
Pics are taking forever to load on my phone, but the few i do see seems to show your tank really filling in nicely...
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Beginning the design phase for a tank upgrade. I have a few options here, but I want to have everything lined up and ready so my transfer and set up can happen quickly and smoothly. I currently have my 29g overflowing with plants, about 30 fish, and a million snails. I have a 55g with a Texas cichlid at 10". An empty 45.. and a 90g with a breeding pair of BG Jacks (3-4 years old) an Oscar (2.5 years) and a 4 year old pleco at 12"+.
That being said.. Ideally I want to plant the 90 and the 45 and run them off the same sump so they can share the CO2 system. The Jacks are absolutely beautiful, I'd hate to see them go, but I think they would trade easily. Keeping the 90 as-is and planting the 55 is out of the question because the Texas is a true killer and cannot be housed with others. I want the 90 to be planted so I can house more than tetras. Thinking a stock of 6 clown loaches, a botia modesta loach, 10+ sterbai corys, close to 10 Harlequin Rasboras red-tail black shark, pair Red Irian Rainbow, pair of Boesemani Rainbows, pair of Praecox rainbows... I'm on the fence with tiger barbs, Ive had them in the past and although they are baller looking when the colors darken, they are very nippy. One might say that is too much, however with very dense planting there shouldn't be a problem. I'd fill my 45 with plants clipped form the 90 after establishment, and stock a species specific tank. I don't really like angel fish or discus, but i'd be willing to try them out, or maybe even do an apisto tank.
Thoughts?
Freeing up the 29 with the rock background I will be able to do a sweet paludarium as well.
The 90 is drilled with a built in overflow. Im going to modify the overflow into a durso to minimize CO2 off-gassing. 45 will be linked in via CPR overflow slightly modified to reduce off-gassing as well. Ill run my CO2 setup/reactor in the sump. Id like to avoid a trickle sump so I may do a simple filter sock to submerged ceramics. I know between 2 tanks full of plants that they will be able to handle a decent amount of bio-load, however having the ceramic rings will save me from creeps or spikes later down the road. Another decision to be made is the substrate. I have had good results with my dirted set up, but my pebble size really inhibits growth of carpeting plants. ADA would be ideal and expensive, although I don't know how long the nutrients are present in ADA. I'm open to ferts/clay/iron before set up but I don't want to be dosing daily/weekly etc. which is another reason the stock is so high.
Thoughts and flaming welcome!
That being said.. Ideally I want to plant the 90 and the 45 and run them off the same sump so they can share the CO2 system. The Jacks are absolutely beautiful, I'd hate to see them go, but I think they would trade easily. Keeping the 90 as-is and planting the 55 is out of the question because the Texas is a true killer and cannot be housed with others. I want the 90 to be planted so I can house more than tetras. Thinking a stock of 6 clown loaches, a botia modesta loach, 10+ sterbai corys, close to 10 Harlequin Rasboras red-tail black shark, pair Red Irian Rainbow, pair of Boesemani Rainbows, pair of Praecox rainbows... I'm on the fence with tiger barbs, Ive had them in the past and although they are baller looking when the colors darken, they are very nippy. One might say that is too much, however with very dense planting there shouldn't be a problem. I'd fill my 45 with plants clipped form the 90 after establishment, and stock a species specific tank. I don't really like angel fish or discus, but i'd be willing to try them out, or maybe even do an apisto tank.
Thoughts?
Freeing up the 29 with the rock background I will be able to do a sweet paludarium as well.
The 90 is drilled with a built in overflow. Im going to modify the overflow into a durso to minimize CO2 off-gassing. 45 will be linked in via CPR overflow slightly modified to reduce off-gassing as well. Ill run my CO2 setup/reactor in the sump. Id like to avoid a trickle sump so I may do a simple filter sock to submerged ceramics. I know between 2 tanks full of plants that they will be able to handle a decent amount of bio-load, however having the ceramic rings will save me from creeps or spikes later down the road. Another decision to be made is the substrate. I have had good results with my dirted set up, but my pebble size really inhibits growth of carpeting plants. ADA would be ideal and expensive, although I don't know how long the nutrients are present in ADA. I'm open to ferts/clay/iron before set up but I don't want to be dosing daily/weekly etc. which is another reason the stock is so high.
Thoughts and flaming welcome!
Very nice, love the rockwork background, beautiful! As for substrates, check out a product called aquadurt, needs hella rinsing, but it's comparable to ADA. $71 for a 5 gallon bucket shipped. That amount is enough to fill a 55 to a 3" depth. I'm using it in my (still unfinished) paludarium. Can't say enough good things about this substrate, I've used it in the past for FW shrimp tanks with great success. Currently have amazon & micro swords planted in it. The amazons are thriving & show mad growth. The micro swords are planted in rockwool/plastic baskets so the roots aren't actually in the substrate as yet...they look alright, but don't seem to be showing near the growth of the amazons. And this, where the micros are overflowing the baskets & actually touching the gravel, they show better root growth & seem to be really taking hold.