How Has This Forum Hellped Your Tank

[iroc]

I got my 1st tank in late July - early Aug 06. I wasn't a member of this forum and knew basicly nothing about fish. I got the tank, filter, heater and a stock light for free. I then went to a LFS and got what would be the "orginal set-up"

20 gal 24x12x16
15 watt light
plastic plants
Ocean background / Rofl at not knowing the difference between freshwater and saltwater images
3 Platies and 6 blue neons
note the blue gravel

So then I joined this forum. I scaped the background, changed the gravel, got some plants, and a single piece of driftwood
20 gal 24x12x16
15 watt light
2 x Hygrophila difformis (water wistera)
1 x Echinodorus uruguayensis
2 x Crinum thaianum
1 x Echinodorus amazonicus
driftwood
black background
2 neons and 1 platy (the rest of the orginal fish had died and not been replaced when this was taken)
switched to a more natural gravel

So as I learned more I realized that I needed to let the tank finish cycling before trying to finsih stocking. However I couldn't stop trying to make it look better. So I added some more wood

20 gal 24x12x16
15 watt light
2 x Hygrophila difformis (water wistera)
1 x Echinodorus uruguayensis
2 x Crinum thaianum
1 x Echinodorus amazonicus
2 pices of driftwood
black background
2 neons and 1 platy
natural gravel

Ok now all of that happened in the 1st month and a half. Now I went and bought a new light, new plants, and center piece of driftwood.
20 gal 24x12x16
110 watt light
3 x Hygrophila difformis (water wistera)
3 x Myriophyllum matogrossensis
1 x Echinodorus uruguayensis
2 x Crinum thaianum
5 x Ludwigia repens
1 bunch of Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae
3 pices of driftwood
black background
5 neons, 1 golden Gourami and 1 platy
natural gravel

Then I began to move things around, changing almost 1 time every 2 weeks as I learned. I got a 55 gal tank which came with a lot of anabus and java fern/java moss. I began to work on making a nice scape including lots of colors. some plants died and were then replaced.
20 gal 24x12x16
110 watt light
3 x Hygrophila difformis (water wistera)
3 x Myriophyllum matogrossensis
1 x Echinodorus uruguayensis
1 bunch of Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae
1 x Anubias barteri v. ‘Nana’
5 x Alternanthera reineckii
3 x Ammannia gracilis
3 x Microsorium pteroptus (java fern)
lots of Vesicularia dubyana attached (badly) to driftwood
3 pices of driftwood
black background
5 neons, 6 black neons , 6 black skrit tetras and 1 platy
natural gravel

This is when life changed. I added CO2 and the plants took off. The scaping went through so many stage (due to rapid plant growth) that i don't even have most of the tank shot anymore. But this will serve as 1 of them

20 gal 24x12x16
110 watt light
5 x Hygrophila difformis (water wistera)
10 x Myriophyllum matogrossensis
1 x Echinodorus uruguayensis
1 x Anubias barteri v. ‘Nana’
5 x Alternanthera reineckii
5 x Ammannia gracilis
6 x Microsorium pteroptus (java fern)
lots of Vesicularia dubyana attached (badly) to slate and driftwood
2 x Cryptocoryne wendtii
2 pices of driftwood
black background
5 neons, 6 black neons , 6 black skrit tetras and 1 platy

So now I have been running the current set up for awhile, and the only thing I really wanted to do was switch to sand, so I decided it was as good a time as any to do a rescape, the scape was refined becuase after I shot this pic I had some issues and the plants took a little beating, but they are on the fast road to recovery and will look full again soon
20 gal 24x12x16
110 watt light
DIY CO2
5 x Hygrophila difformis (water wistera)
10 x Myriophyllum matogrossensis
1 x Echinodorus uruguayensis
1 x Anubias barteri v. ‘Nana’
5 x Alternanthera reineckii
5 x Ammannia gracilis
6 x Microsorium pteroptus (java fern)
lots of Vesicularia dubyana attached (badly) to slate and driftwood
2 x Cryptocoryne wendtii
2 pices of driftwood
black background
5 neons, 6 black neons , 2 platies, 2 rubbernose plecos, 6 ammino shrimp

So that is my journey of the last 6 months, and I can say that a lot of my tanks progess comes from these forums and the lessions we can all learn from each other. Sure I amde some mistakes and had to return and get new plants but it was all worth it

So lets see some other before and after pics

 

[cleekdaFish]

omg u probably spent so much dough! I did that too from a 10 gallaon tank and plastic plants to a 30 gallon tank w/ co2, lights and live plants..Ya I also got alot of my info from here....trial and errors for sure, if I knew wat i was doing I could ofsaved like half of a 1,000,000 but it was worth it...luv aquascaping and hoping to do some more in the future


Ur tank is fantastic tho

 

[SuperColey1]

I used to have this beautifully simple easy to maintain tank as you can see below (This is pre January)

And now I have this monstrosity (This week after pruning)

Damn you TFF for forcing me to spend all my money on turning my tank into something that hopefully I can be proud of and that the fish can feel more at home in

 

[Dave Spencer]

Your bank balance must have taken a good kicking, but the difference (and improvement) in tanks is dramatic. Real interesting thread.

I was fortunate in that when I first decided to buy a tank, I found this forum straight away. When I first starting reading I thought the hobby was all psychedelic gravel and sunken galleons, then I found the planted section of this forum and instantly knew I wanted a high tech planted tank.

By the way, I think George is after a skull for his up and coming six footer. Perhaps you could donate it to him.

 

[iroc]

I still have that skull too.....rofl

I actualy didn't have to spend as much as one would think. When i got my 55 gal it came stocked with fish, basicly none of which I wanted ( except the slivervail tail angelfish) so with trade ins on those fish most of the substrate and plants were free........

The light was giving to me so no cost there

the driftwood which would have been expensive ( theres tons in my 55 gal) ended up being free as the good LFS around here was having a new wall put in and I told them I could built, and drywall the wall in about 3 hours if they would give me my pick of wood and a fish ( clown plecos) and they agreed