Duzzy's 130ltr Planted Tank Journal (update)

[Duzzy]

G'day,

this is my first attempt at a full on planted tank. For a bit of history: my wife and I started like I am guessing everyone else did the standard kit with as many different types of fish as we could safely cram in, an ornament and some plants plonked here and there, we made some errors along the way too like putting in a half dozen angels and not knowing why they started dying off (overloading the biological filter) watching neons slowly disappear not realizing they were bite sized snacks for the angels the survived and grew. As time went on we gradually got some smarts and decided that angels were the fish for us and thats what we aim to keep in this tank, that and some rummy nose tetras and something in the clean up crew like sucker cats or a bristle nose pleco. During our learning curve we found a plant that for whatever reason we could not kill and had it thriving in our tank, Anubias planted with the rhizome deep in the gravel and they thrived they are a plant we love to look at and also being so tough they too will be in this tank .

Our tank is an aquaone 620T :600mm wide x 380cm deep x 600mm tall holding around 130litres (32 US Gallons)

Substrate: Aqua clay ground mixed with small amount of gravel mainly for depth and bulk

Solid Decoration's: Mopani drift wood Stones

Lighting: this week or next will be replacing the 40 watts of flouros with a T5 3x24w High output light that gives me .55 watts per liter or 2.25 watts per gallon

here is the light
[URL="http/cgi.ebay.com.au/T5-AQUARIUM-OVERHEA...1QQcmdZViewItem"]http/cgi.ebay.com.au/T5-AQUARIUM-OVERHEA...1QQcmdZViewItem[/URL]

Fertalising: The only part of this I have thought about is the DIY CO2 will be added

Plants wish list:

Glossostigma elatinoides
Eleocharis parvula Hair Grass
Echinodorus tenellus Pygmy chain sword
Weeping moss
Christmas moss

Hydrocotyle verticillata Whorled/Marsh Pennywort
Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov' Java Fern (Crested Jave Fern)
Anubias afzelii
Anubias Nano
Didiplis diandra Blood star grass

Microsorum pteropus Java Fern
Anubias barteri Giant Anubias
Anubias barteri 'coffeefolia' Coffee Leaf Anubias
Lobelia cardinalis

Crinson sails amazon sword
Blyxa echinosperma Bamboo Plant
Myriophyllum aquaticum Brazilian Millfoil
Myriophyllum matogrossensis Red Stem Millfoil
Myriophyllum hippuroides Western Millfoil

Any way will keep adding post and pics as I go......

Regards Darren

 

[Duzzy]

G'day all,

tank was filled today, and now for the fun bit plants and fish. I decided to use thin black elastic to attach plants, went and looked and my drawing as to where I may want things and put the black elastic in place now so all I have to do is lift it and put the plants in place. Used 100% tank/rain water to fill. I hope to order the lights this week and will get some val and start my co2 going just a small bottle of DIY then will start adding plants as they arrive. But I have to cut my plant list down even though light shouldnt be an issue. I was going amazon but I just like to many other plants lol oh well here are some pics of the filled tank and finished hardscape. The second picture just showing one of the 20 spots I have elastic just in case I want to stick a plant there you have to look to spot it (other than the bit on the rock) and if I dont need them I can cut them off. Will also attach the black lami panel this week to the back of the tank....

Regards Darren

 

[crimsontsavo]

I adore your Bogwood.

 

[Duzzy]

Thanks Crimson,

was worried it looked to short in a tall tank but I think with plants it should be fine. I have the third piece earmarked for my other tank

Regards Darren

 

[Duzzy]

G'day all,

decided to get my first plants today and build and install my co2 system, there is also a shot of how I planted out out and what I used to wiegh plants down. Comments welcome

Darren

Co2 Reactor

Co2 manufacturing plant

Weighing down plants

Updated tank pic, unsure of plants position yet but will decide over the next few days

 

[aaronnorth]

Is there any need to weigh down plants, it can restrict growth. I wuldn't run the co2 yet because you don't have enough plants to use it all up which means algae will feed on the leftovers.

 

[Duzzy]

Hi aaron, every time I tried to plant them they just floated strait to the top, and the diy co2 will only run for half the photo period thanss to a switch i created using a little tap and a condom

 

[aaronnorth]

Hi aaron, every time I tried to plant them they just floated strait to the top, and the diy co2 will only run for half the photo period thanss to a switch i created using a little tap and a condom

Fair enough! I didn't thimk you could stop a yeast based co2 as the yeast keeps producing co2 which will eventually burst the container because of too much pressure? I am sure there was an answer to this abiut one of my topic a few week back on a solenoid on pressurized but someone asked about yeast.

Could you post a pic of that tap, sounds interesting, how did you think of it?

 

[Duzzy]

Hi aaron,

will post a pic, the tap is just a normal aquarium tap it goes like this yeast factory valve t with condom tap you turn the tap off and overnight the condom blows up in when you turn the lights on turn and the co2 on over the course of the day the condom slowly goes down I tried a balloon but the rubber was to tough i stretched the condom a few times and worked, still tweaking it as soon as i get it finalized will post on the subject. As for thinking of it I was watching my little niece trying to blow a balloon up she would get so far and when she took a breath it went down and bing the light bulb went off and ooh

Regards Darren

 

[aaronnorth]

Hi aaron,

will post a pic, the tap is just a normal aquarium tap it goes like this yeast factory valve t with condom tap you turn the tap off and overnight the condom blows up in when you turn the lights on turn and the co2 on over the course of the day the condom slowly goes down I tried a balloon but the rubber was to tough i stretched the condom a few times and worked, still tweaking it as soon as i get it finalized will post on the subject. As for thinking of it I was watching my little niece trying to blow a balloon up she would get so far and when she took a breath it went down and bing the light bulb went off and ooh

Regards Darren

Clever!

 

[aaronnorth]

Any updates???

 

[aaronnorth]

Hello?