My 160L Planted Tank

[chris_mcr]

I'm starting this as much to keep an eye on what I've done as anything... but need major advice along the way. My tank is 3ft wide with a volume of 160L and an internal filter rated at 1000L/h and 2x40w bulbs.

My current stock is mostly made from cherry shrimp, algie shrimp, "mts", assassin snails. I also have some sharks which are going within the next months.

I plan to have a shoal of 10+ of something small. And something else somewhere I guesse! I have a pH of 7

I have tall plants at the back which i don't know the name of (pics to follow with pc access),a lump of wood and play sand.
I hope to add moss and/or a particular type of carpeting plant I have spotted online but can't recall the name of (sounding like a broken record here....). And some red and some purple plants tommorrow, for mid and background.

 

[MegaZerino]

I'm starting this as much to keep an eye on what I've done as anything... but need major advice along the way. My tank is 3ft wide with a volume of 160L and an internal filter rated at 1000L/h and 2x40w bulbs.

My current stock is mostly made from cherry shrimp, algie shrimp, "mts", assassin snails. I also have some sharks which are going within the next months.

I plan to have a shoal of 10+ of something small. And something else somewhere I guesse! I have a pH of 7

I have tall plants at the back which i don't know the name of (pics to follow with pc access),a lump of wood and play sand.
I hope to add moss and/or a particular type of carpeting plant I have spotted online but can't recall the name of (sounding like a broken record here....). And some red and some purple plants tommorrow, for mid and background.

purple?? what are those plants called???

 

[Ruskull]

I'm starting this as much to keep an eye on what I've done as anything... but need major advice along the way. My tank is 3ft wide with a volume of 160L and an internal filter rated at 1000L/h and 2x40w bulbs.

My current stock is mostly made from cherry shrimp, algie shrimp, "mts", assassin snails. I also have some sharks which are going within the next months.

I plan to have a shoal of 10+ of something small. And something else somewhere I guesse! I have a pH of 7

I have tall plants at the back which i don't know the name of (pics to follow with pc access),a lump of wood and play sand.
I hope to add moss and/or a particular type of carpeting plant I have spotted online but can't recall the name of (sounding like a broken record here....). And some red and some purple plants tommorrow, for mid and background.

purple?? what are those plants called???

Probably a Echinodorus Red Rubin, I have one of those and the new leaves are red & the old leaves are purplish, like a wine color.

 

[chris_mcr]

I should be visiting the shop tommorrow. It's quite well regarded on here from what Ive read. they where a very dark purple colour from what I remember. Medium size, long and possibly wavey leaves.

The colour may have been mostly on the underside now I'm thinking back.... I hope to find out.

My friend back home has a co2 cylinders which I plan to use once funds allow for the extras required.

 

[chris_mcr]

Some rushed pictures!

The horrible pink thing is very temporary.....

 

[Aqua Tom]

The horrible pink thing is very temporary.....

What is it?

 

[chris_mcr]

It's a 50p basket which I thought may give the little shrimp some extra cover. Apparently I was wrong and It will be out tonight

 

[Aqua Tom]

Your tall plants at the back are Cambomba, a great plant, fast growing & easy to look after.

For your school in the future how about cardinal tetras or maybe rummy nosed tetras?


Tom

 

[chris_mcr]

Thanks for the plant I.d. it seems ok, I don't like the look of them that much but they grow fast . I trimmed them all about halfway down and planted the tops... I presume this won't be effective? maybe ill take it back to one bunch as I add more variety.

No plants today unfortunatly, things with the kids took over!

I quite fancy cardinal tetras, I used to have about five neon tetras and always wanted more.... they seem to get pricey when you consider buying 20

 

[Aqua Tom]

Thanks for the plant I.d. it seems ok, I don't like the look of them that much but they grow fast . I trimmed them all about halfway down and planted the tops... I presume this won't be effective? maybe ill take it back to one bunch as I add more variety.

Yes it will, the cloning of Cambomba is really easy. Also it wil start to send out its own runners soon & little baby plants will appear.

Tom

 

[chris_mcr]

That's good, before I added the balls of fertilizer to the roots and trimmed. them some had what looked like roots draping off them along the stems

I have just noticed a rapid growth of algie, so plan to get some liquid carbon which I think will help as my plants will soak up the nutrients which the algie needs?

Will also take a few days off from feeding the fish

 

[chris_mcr]

Its been a while since an update. Changes inc:

Cuttings of stem plants recieved as a donation

Yeast co2 system boughy using two containers and two ladders

Lost my gourami today

Bought tnc complete ferts which came this morning. had maybe 4 weeks without any ferts
So hope this shows some good results

Bought 10 cardinal tetras today, maybe getting another 10 tommorrow, lovely little things .

Pics:


Struggling with the rest on phone /