320L Planted Tank (A Right Sticky Mess!)

[biohazard156]

Well it's about time I got this up and running. It's been planned for a few weeks after spotting an amazing tank on an aquascaping website. Most of the plants are reused from my old tank and the wood is redmoor root which gives great shapes.

I'm hoping to use the height to give angelfish a good home here as it's 2ft tall.

Anyway, some pics and stats. (This all got done in 8 hours, so not a terribly long journal an the pics are all from my phone so I apologise!)

Tank is a Fluval Osaka 320, 4ft (l) x 2ft (h) x 1.5ft (w). 320l roughly
Lights are 2 x HO T5 39w tubes
Filters are Eheim 2217 and an APS 1400EF
Heater 300w APS
Substrate: playsand
Decor: lava rock and redmoor root

Plants:
Java fern and java fern trident
Anubias (various)
Bolbitus
Various crypts
Nymphea Lilly bulb
Aponogeton bulb

Background was frosted window film and is uplighted by some LEDs from IKEA which are hidden at the back of the tank (outside!)

I'm hoping to have an amazon theme, but will be keeping my odds and sods of fish that i have which do include some Asian species (khuli x 4, 1 x danio rerio, 2 x Garra flavatra)

Most others are South American (2 bristlenose, 2 bumblebee cats, 3 whiptails and some cardinals and rummynose)

Will upload pics soon as this doesn't seem to like me doing it from my phone!

 

[daizeUK]

Looking forward to this!  Your last tank was a great inspiration to me.
 
I'd love to see some pictures of what the LED backlighters look like.  I use frosted film as background as well and I've been looking for backlighting ideas.

 

[biohazard156]

So, the pics as promised!  I have to apologise for the fuzzy quality, they are from my iphone!
 
Here is some of the wood which was used in the tank
 

 

 
Tank just after emptying - with black background
 

 
Tank with new background on it :
 

 
Some of the construction mess:
 

 

 
Half way through - plants attached and positioning in tank!
 

 

 
Filled with water and a bit cloudy!
 

 
This morning - all Clear!
 

 

[biohazard156]

Also, for Daize, here is a video with the LED's, they can be one colour solidly (7 choices) or flash between them, or merge into them (as shown).   Some colours look better than others though!
 
http/smg.photobucket.com/user/biohazard156/media/Tank%20rescape%202014/IMG_0116_zps2215eb90.mp4.html

 

[daizeUK]

Beautiful!  I love your style of taking plants and hardscape right to the top of the tank and going for a natural jungle look.   I would never have thought of using wood in that arrangement but it looks amazing.  Make sure you update this as it grows in!

 

[biohazard156]

Thought I would update a week into it, with a better FTS from my decent camera  Hope you like!
 

 

[daizeUK]

The lighting is gorgeous - that light blue colour gives it a really tropical look!  Very vibrant colours.

 

[biohazard156]

Not grown in too much, but thought I would update with a FTS and a few pics of my angels which I got a couple of weeks ago!  Also a couple of other residents! Fish photography still leaves much to be desired!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

[daizeUK]

I love the way the moss is creating a natural canopy, very rainforest-esque!  Lovely fish too.
 
Do the branches ever get in your way during maintenance?  Mine definitely do!

 

[brittgs]

What a beautiful tank! Your fish must love it.

 

[biohazard156]

The branches are a bloody nightmare to get past!!! The worst are the far left one and the far right which sticks out the water a bit! Causes no end of annoyance!

Moss seem to be doing well, which is unusual for me as I seem to kill moss!! Fingers crossed it doesn't die!

Thanks guys

 

[cocoa007]

Your tank is so beautiful. An inspiration to all.

 

[LilyRose Tank]

Lovely tank, the fish look well happy, beautiful scape

 

[biohazard156]

Quick update on the tank now it's grown in for a while!  No more moss sadly as the Angelfish decided it was good to pull apart for some reason!!