My Planted Tank - Round 4

[AndyTaylor]

Hi all,

I'm back. I think it's been a 8 months since i've logged on now! After a number of months of getting increasingly frustrated with trying to keep a hi-tech setup algae free, I gave up. I've been looking at a neglected mess for the last 2 months but decided to do something about it this weekend.
For the first time since I set up this tank more than a year ago I think I finally have an aquascape that I like.

Currently running as a low light set up with no CO2 and minimal fert regime. The plans is to build back up slowly to an EI set up but we'll see how this one goes. The fish are healthy and happy so I suppose that's a start.

BTW, Thanks to George for the PFK articles that inspired me to get back into this again....

Andy

pics here, comments more than welcome....

 

[Themuleous]

Hi Andy,

Nice to have you back

I know what you mean about EI, I've yet to get my nano to the 'algae free' stage

Thanks looking nice, will improve with age My only comment would be the background, not to my taste really, a plain black or blue would works well with planted tanks Just a thought.

Sam

 

[AndyTaylor]

My only comment would be the background, not to my taste really, a plain black or blue would works well with planted tanks Just a thought.

Sam

Thanks Sam, Nice to be back.
I think you may be right about the background (it's that Jewel black plastic textured stuff), the only problem is that removing it now would mean stripping the whole tank as it's firmly fixed to the back of the tank with silicone. I spent ages trying to get the same stuff out of my smaller tank and that one was empty at the time so I think it'll be staying.
On the plus side, it's very easy to get Java moss to grow on it so I might turn it into a moss wall!

Definitely have my planted tank head back on now so we'll see how it looks in a few weeks.......

Andy

 

[George Farmer]

Welcome back Andy. Good to see you again.

 

[AndyTaylor]

Thanks George. Nice to see that the place is a friendly as ever....

 

[Themuleous]

On the plus side, it's very easy to get Java moss to grow on it so I might turn it into a moss wall!

Sounds like a plan to me! Could look really nice too

Sam

 

[lljdma06]

It has been a while Andy, welcome back! I agree with Sam, I like the idea of a moss wall and it would suit your low-tech setup quite well. Christmas moss attaches quite well to most surfaces. I'm even getting mine to attach to gravel, though it's taking quite a while.

llj

 

[AndyTaylor]

Hi llj.... Yeah, I think i'll give the moss wall a go. I'll have to get some more moss though, i've used all I had to cover the bog wood. Or I could be patient and wait for what I have to grow.....

Just had a look at your bow front journal, looks really good.....

 

[JamieH]

Hi llj.... Yeah, I think i'll give the moss wall a go. I'll have to get some more moss though, i've used all I had to cover the bog wood. Or I could be patient and wait for what I have to grow.....

Just had a look at your bow front journal, looks really good.....

looking good... what the specs of the tank and equipment... it'll be interesting to see how our tanks grow alongside each other

 

[Jen]

It's easy to slip off the EI track, isnt it.

Glad to see you back!

 

[AndyTaylor]

looking good... what the specs of the tank and equipment... it'll be interesting to see how our tanks grow alongside each other

Thanks Jamie, it's an AquaEL 170L Bow Front, 4 x 36W Compact Florescent T5 lighting, pressurised CO2, 2 external filters (A Eheim 2213 an an AquaEl that I picked up cheap, but it's way over filtered, which is just as well because it's heavily stocked)
Substrate is TetraPlant Complete, play sand and pea gravel.

There's a thread somewhere in the archives from a year or so ago when I set it up but I can't seem to locate it.

I've pretty much decided to strip it all down and start again as the substrate needs to be replaced. I set up my old Rekord 75 last night with a substrate of Westlake Aquatic Compost mixed with some humic material from a cactus compost (experiment!!) topped off with pea gravel. I picked up a Fluval 105 yesterday but it got too late last night to set it up. I''ll start that tank cycling tonight as a clone of the 170L and see how it goes. If it seems to be stable from a water quality point of view I'm going to plant it and observe for a while. If it works and I have good growth etc. i'll be repeating the process with the 170L.

@Jen.... It's waaaay too easy to fall off the bandwagon but I just haven't got the time any more. I'm away too many weekends for it to be practical. I'm going to try the low maintenance, simple approach for a change and see what happens. The EI nearly drove me to quitting altogether! (sorry zig!) It's good to be back........ How are your tanks doing these days?

Andy

 

[JamieH]

Substrate is TetraPlant Complete, play sand and pea gravel.

There's a thread somewhere in the archives from a year or so ago when I set it up but I can't seem to locate it.

I've pretty much decided to strip it all down and start again as the substrate needs to be replaced.
Andy

So, what was wrong with the substrate? I'm considering sand.

 

[AndyTaylor]

Substrate is TetraPlant Complete, play sand and pea gravel.

There's a thread somewhere in the archives from a year or so ago when I set it up but I can't seem to locate it.

I've pretty much decided to strip it all down and start again as the substrate needs to be replaced.
Andy

So, what was wrong with the substrate? I'm considering sand.

Well, I used sand because I have a number of Corys but it very quickly (6 months) became anaerobic. Any time I replant i'm finding dead black roots and it needs to be agitated every two weeks to drive off the inevitable HS buildup.
Also, I think that the nutrients in the TetraPlant Complete are used up as nothing has grown properly for months.

In reality, i suspect that the way I used the sand in layers is probably the main reason for my problems but either way, it has to go. I'm hoping that the aquatic compost route will, at very least, give me a low maintenance susstrate because having to replace/refresh substrate every year or so would drive me mad...

 

[JamieH]

Substrate is TetraPlant Complete, play sand and pea gravel.

There's a thread somewhere in the archives from a year or so ago when I set it up but I can't seem to locate it.

I've pretty much decided to strip it all down and start again as the substrate needs to be replaced.
Andy

So, what was wrong with the substrate? I'm considering sand.

Well, I used sand because I have a number of Corys but it very quickly (6 months) became anaerobic. Any time I replant i'm finding dead black roots and it needs to be agitated every two weeks to drive off the inevitable HS buildup.
Also, I think that the nutrients in the TetraPlant Complete are used up as nothing has grown properly for months.

In reality, i suspect that the way I used the sand in layers is probably the main reason for my problems but either way, it has to go. I'm hoping that the aquatic compost route will, at very least, give me a low maintenance susstrate because having to replace/refresh substrate every year or so would drive me mad...

hmmm..... What about khuli loaches? I suspect that they might end up being a sand-substrate owners secret weapon against becoming anoxic.

 

[AndyTaylor]

Substrate is TetraPlant Complete, play sand and pea gravel.

There's a thread somewhere in the archives from a year or so ago when I set it up but I can't seem to locate it.

I've pretty much decided to strip it all down and start again as the substrate needs to be replaced.
Andy

So, what was wrong with the substrate? I'm considering sand.

Well, I used sand because I have a number of Corys but it very quickly (6 months) became anaerobic. Any time I replant i'm finding dead black roots and it needs to be agitated every two weeks to drive off the inevitable HS buildup.
Also, I think that the nutrients in the TetraPlant Complete are used up as nothing has grown properly for months.

In reality, i suspect that the way I used the sand in layers is probably the main reason for my problems but either way, it has to go. I'm hoping that the aquatic compost route will, at very least, give me a low maintenance susstrate because having to replace/refresh substrate every year or so would drive me mad...

hmmm..... What about khuli loaches? I suspect that they might end up being a sand-substrate owners secret weapon against becoming anoxic.

I have a pair. They're more interested in hanging out in my Anubias Nana than stirring sand up. Bear in mind that I have layers of sand and Tetra Complete with Gravel on top because all my top layer of sand has gradually sunk through the gravel!
I suppose burrowing snails would be another option but as I need to move my tank within the room I may as well do both together. Still dreading the prospect of taking it all apart!