A Lazy Journal

[superjalami30]

Heres the evolution of my 86 Gallon I got about 4 months ago.
I've always wanted to do a journal, I'm just not that good at it. LOL
Initial set up

Seeding with established filters

Purchased a 20 pound C02 tank and milwaukee Regulator, solaniod and bubble counter/needle valve.

Several weeks after adding C02 and upgraded lighting.

Acouple of shots with only one light unit on, just before lights out. My evening sunset period.

Not the most detailed journal, more of an update I guess.
But thats it, hope you like.

 

[Dave Spencer]

I love the look of your tank, one of the best "new" tanks to appear on here for a while. I have a thousand questions for you though, but I`ll only ask a few that I am sure most plantheads will ask:

Your Watts per Gallon?
CO2 levels?
Fertiliser regime?
Type of substrate?
Water parameters?

I`m no expert, but you look to have started out with quite a high percentage of slow growing plants. Was algae a problem? Which plants were a success and which struggled? I seem to struggle with mini Ammania. Currently I am trying to knock together a journal for my New EI set up, but am having a lot of camera problems. Hope to get ot on here soon.

Yep, I am well impressed!

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Looks good! What fish do you got? I could make out an angelfish, what are the rest?

 

[superjalami30]

Thanks Dave Spencer.
I've had planted tanks for over 5 years, posted some pics on and off over the last 3 years I guess.
I'm no expert either, but I've had some success.
I went with a low/mid lighting set up with this tank simply because of the cost.
As a few months went by I upgraded the lighting and added pressurized C02.

The lighting consists of 2 56 watt coralife T5 fixtures and one 40 watt T8 light strip....low tech set up still.
C02 concentration has been difficult to test, to many issues with buffers to get an accurate reading.
No, algae really hasn't been an issue with this tank or any others I have atm, except for the odd bout with BBA and your regular green spot.
I use the Ei method for fert.
Seachem's Comp, iron and Calcium added as required.
KN03, K2S04 and phospahte added every second day, keeping KN03 levels at 20ppm.
The substrate is a simple profile, alot like flourite without the cost. (really would of loved to use 100% eco complete however).
Water param's are as follows:
Ph 6.8 (again hard to really be accurate)
Ammonia-0.
Nitrite-0.
Nitrate-20ppm.
temp 78 F
I dont really test anything else unless required at the time to be honest.
My photoperiod runs from 6 Am to 12 Pm, with a two hour siesta, on again at 2 Pm till 7Pm when the 3 light units turn off 1 hour apart from eachother giving a "sunset" type effect.

As for the low light plants, java fern can be grown in low to high light set ups, as well as the dwarf sag, crypts, tiger lotus and polysperma that I currently have in there.
The anubius is located in shady areas and is spreading quite nicely, yet slowly.

I'm still learning so much, but what I've found over the last 5 years is that every system is different from the next.
I believe the guidelines that have been formed for planted tanks over the last.....many many years are just that....guidelines.
What works for one person may or may not work for another, there's just too many variables that change the way plants grow...or die.

Speaking of guidelines.....I need to do my weekly, or is it....bi weekly water change?
Either way, I'll change 30%...or wait...25% of the water today sometime.

 

[superjalami30]

Looks good! What fish do you got? I could make out an angelfish, what are the rest?

Thanks DiscusLova, I have:

3 angels (1 black vail and two wild caught stripey's)
4 congo tetra's (females)
1 pair of breeding pelvicachromis kribensis
1 pair of breeding agazzi apisto's
4 pepper corydora's
4 bronze cory's
5 white tip cory's
4 leapord cory's
15-20 otto cats
3 clown plecs
1 gold nugget plec
2 bolivian rams
1 dwarf blue gourami
Oh...LOL...and one guppy that somehow got in there...I have no idea where it came from.

Sadly 1 dwarf pike cichlid that passed away awhile back.

 

[Themuleous]

Looks great nice to see a tank that's 'fully' planted

Sam

 

[wei0204]

I quite like the tank, lots of plants & fishes. Wish to see more update pics soon.

Good job.

 

[K-Hulk]

i really luv your tank ~~~

 

[superjalami30]

Looks great nice to see a tank that's 'fully' planted

Sam

Thanks K-Hulk, wei0204, and Themuleous.

A few weeks ago I had to thin out quite a bit of the java fern on the left side due to "java fern rot"?
Anyhow, it'll fill out soon enough, plently of plantlets in there atm atm.
I will post some update pics soon, possibly with upgraded lighting, again as long as I'm not laid off for too much longer.

 

[Shaun]

Nice tank

 

[Castellop123]

p[

 

[Kevstir]

Nice tank m8

Whats the purple plant on the right??

Kev