Fluval Roma 200, Jungle Scape

[Livewire88]

Stocking wise,

I realy want 2 Electric Blue Rams, and would like a shoal of around 10-15 of the same fish but undecided on what yet? Would also like some Cory's to help keep the substrate clean, and maybe a bristlenose? I also have 5 Guppys in my 10G which I would like to put in this tank once ready, I could then buy a Betta for the 10G

It would be great to get some advice on the stocking really? even tho I have a while to wait yet before they can be added to the tank.

Thanks

 

[Tizer]

put your spray bar on the left hand wall of the tank so it sprays left to right, then get a small powerhead ont he right hand side to push it back along the bottom, that should see your tank fine for water circulation. the x10 turn over isnt all about circulation via the filter but more of water movement / throughput per hour.

Rams require very soft water, best to do your research on them too.

 

[L_Plates]

Yesterday i made a diagram of the flow set up in my 240 Juwel rio so this may be of use to you Livewire. My filter is a Tetratec ex1200 so apart from that and the tank size near enough the same.

Cheers
LP

 

[Livewire88]

Well it has been a while since I last updated this thread and a lot has happend since,

My fishless cycle finished about a week ago, I managed to get some mature media from a LFS who have been very helpfull and this helped the cycle along nicely. I am not going to lie I did cheat a bit by skipping the 12 hour qualifying week, but my filter was converting 7ppm of Ammonia into NitrIte then NitrAte in 12 hours, so I went ahead and added fish. I know I should have waited longer but all seems fine and I have been checking levels every day with no issues. Here is how the tank stands at the moment.

As I want the tank planted I took a punt and spent £6 on some plants from ebay, pictures below

I thought they are a bit rubbish so bought £10 worth of plants from the LFS, I have added a few of the ebay plants but I dont think they will last long A second powerhead is on its way to me so I will add this to the other end of the tank to help the circulation, I will be doseing Ferts and Co2 daily, TPN+ and Excel so hopefully this will help the plants grow, I am not looking for fast growth and as long as the plants dont die I will be happy.

I am always open to help and advice as I am still a novice so understand I will get most things wrong the first time round.

The big cave is awaiting the arrival of a pair of Electric Blue rams, and also have my eye on a Golden Nugett Pleco but I guess I should wait till the tank matures more before I add the Pleco so it has stuff to feed on.

 

[L_Plates]

Tanks is looking good, those rams will look fab when you get them. Beautiful fish.

Dosing TPN+ and Excel might become a little expensive for you as you have a decent size tank.

You might be better off looking into the EI method and possibly pressurized co2. I suppose it all depends on how heavyly planted you are going to go with the tank though.

LP

 

[Livewire88]

A few more angles of the tank, I now have the second powerhead in.

Fingers crossed the plants will take and start to grow

 

[Livewire88]

Update, (please understand I do not know the names of any of my plants (except Amazon Swords), but please feel free to educate me )

Plants seem to be growing well since last update, A few leaves on one of my Amazon Swords needed removing as they had snapped, (ones at the back left) Plants to the far right, middle, and little stem plant at the front are growing well, one of my Electric Blue Rams seems to attack plant at the back far right from time to time (saves me trimming I guess) The Amazon Sword behind the Bog Wood is a bit duller than the ones to the left but its still alive.

I have added a few more random stem plants which seem ok at the moment, and 2 more moss balls, some Round Pellia attached to a stone (strange stuff) got some Java and Christmass Moss on the way in the post, (where to put it, I am yet to decide)

I am dosing 9mm of TPN+ & 4mm of Excell daily and have been doing a 50% water change every Sunday, waiting for some Seachem Flourish Tabs to arrive to put in substrate near the Sword roots. Added 4 ghost shrimp but 1 died, the rest seem to hide and arnt interested in the moss balls! have lost 6 Cardinal tetra in the last 2 weeks, the ones I lost all seemed to be very inactive from the start of adding them to the tank, the ones I have left are all active and seem healthy.

 

[Livewire88]

New photo shows I have added a few more plants/mosses, its all been put in random places

I am going to leave it all alone now and let everything mature, once it has I will hopefully have an ideal where to move everything to make it look more natural.

 

[Livewire88]

Further update, I have added a second filer to the tank today TetraTec EX1200

Picture of tank, moss was added 2 weeks ago and all plants other than Amazon Swords seen to be growing well, I am having an issue with my Electric Blue Rams atacking the Indian Fern to the right of the tank, but even so it has still neary reached the top of the tank.

ANd comments or advice always welcome

 

[shi24137]

looks very nice!!!! I'm going to be taking my fake plants out soon and put in some real ones, the fish seem to like the real ones better

 

[Livewire88]

looks very nice!!!! I'm going to be taking my fake plants out soon and put in some real ones, the fish seem to like the real ones better

Thank you, the fish sure do like plants so its nice to know they are happy. Also the water in my tank has cleared up nicely only a day after adding the EX1200, so I think the EX700 was not doing a good enough job.

Also I have turned off both the powerheads as the current seems strong enough to circulate the water round, with the power heads turned on the plants were almost bent over! debating weather to remove the powerheads alltogether?

 

[minnnt]

Only just noticed this matey! It's definately growing, thats for sure!! Liking the indian fern mate... very nice. The Barteri will look great in there. I would try and source some Cryptocorynes, probably brown ones for the foreground. A nice big clump off to one side would look great!

 

[Livewire88]

Only just noticed this matey! It's definately growing, thats for sure!! Liking the indian fern mate... very nice. The Barteri will look great in there. I would try and source some Cryptocorynes, probably brown ones for the foreground. A nice big clump off to one side would look great!

Thanks, The Indian Fern is the only plant that my EBR attack, I find pieces of it every morning stuck to the powerheads! (god knows how long it will last till its all gone!)

I dont know where to put the Barteri!! and you have me started now, I am going straight on ebay now to buy some Cryptocorynes!!

And I forgot to say I have cut the stem plants in half and re planted them, (ones at the right front) they were swaying around far to much with the current.

 

[minnnt]

I have some Amicorum, but they're green rather than brown Crypts. I did have some Wendtii Browns for sale but you were a little too late

 

[Livewire88]

Update,

I have decided to remove 3 of the 4 amazon swords I had in the tank, they wernt dieing but the new leaves that were coming through were dark and the big one behind the bog wood was never that nice from the begining, Also I had to remove the Indian Fern as one of my Electric Blue Rams was taking bits of it each day and was rather thinned out so it had to go.

I have put some twisted vallis in place of the Indian Fern and also a Cryptocoryne Wendtii, a second piece of slate with Round Pellia on it as the fist lot is growing well at the front, in place of the amazon swords I have put 2 Echinodorus 'Rose', I have also put all the Amazon Frogbit on top of the spraybars to keep it all in one place, last but not least I have put a new (lovley) plant which I bought from Minnnt (not sure of the name) in the middle front. Awaiting some stem plants to arrive in the post next week to fill some more gaps, I seem to have good luck with stem plants.

Some more photos; as always comments and/or advice welcome