Nature Aquarium Photos

[CaysE]

Thanks, everyone!

Absolutely stunning! Do you have pics of the equipment used?

Sure.

View attachment 50234

That looks all-business, mate! Would you mind going into some detail on how the equipment works, for a newb like me? I would love to invest in a setup like this.

 

[DevUK]

That looks all-business, mate! Would you mind going into some detail on how the equipment works, for a newb like me? I would love to invest in a setup like this.

I'll have a go, having re-setup my tank and CO2 last night...

So, on the left you've got the CO2 cylinder, with a CO2 regulator (2 gauges at the top) which reduces the pressure from the cylinder from something like 200bar down to a useable 1 - 10 bar of pressure.

The thin black tubing, which is CO2 resistant (CO2 can't escape from it) takes the CO2 to the plastic bubble counter (clear thing with water in it on the cylinder). The bubble counter lets you get an idea for how much CO2 you're injecting. Co2 bubbles from a tube under the water line, slowly. Its purely so you can actually see the bubbles and count them to measure. Most seem to have a rate of about 30 bubbles per minute but this is purely down to personal setup.

After that the CO2 tubing goes off to a diffuser mounted inside the tank, which is a bit like a bubble stone, only it produces a much finer mist of bubbles of CO2. The smaller the bubbles the better, because we want the CO2 to be absorbed into the water, and not float to the surface.

Next to that is obviously the external filter which has got an inline (external) heater on the return pipe (the black thing with blue ends). This just means theres no heater in the actual tank, so gets some of the clutter out of the tank which is what you want when creating fantastic aquascapes, as George does!

Hope thats not too over described, and makes sense

Edit: Just to give you some idea of cost. The External heater would cost about £35 - £45, the CO2 cylinder would probably be about £40 or more (though you can do this cheaper using CO2 fire extinguisher, like I do - £25), the regulator would cost about £50 and then theres all the little bits like CO2 tubing, diffuser, bubble counter etc. Not to mention plant ferts, plant substrates, upgraded lights, plants even...

Its a big investment but if you're trying to create something like this its worth it I think

 

[CFC]

All that for a tank that would be over stocked with one decent fish, you lot must be bonkers

 

[bigdave2009]

how does one achieve such a beautiful planted setup? I am new to planting, and I would love to have a tank that looks like yours.

 

[Nix]

All that for a tank that would be over stocked with one decent fish, you lot must be bonkers

 

[CFC]

i think the tanks look nice, but i could not imagine spending a few hundred quid on gadgets to run a tank less than 50 gallons in volume, i could set up a 6x2x2 for the same sort of money as is being speant on little 20 gallon tanks.

 

[RadaR]

Well, some people don't want to do that. They'd rather spend money on the gorgeous planted tank than a large tank,which may hold large fish.
People are different. End of.

 

[CaysE]

Quality over quantity, mate. The art of small tank scaping is a beautiful and accessible one. Not everyone can have a 50 gallon tank in their apartment.

Are ferts added directly to the tank or elsewhere?

 

[DevUK]

All that for a tank that would be over stocked with one decent fish, you lot must be bonkers

Well, some people don't want to do that. They'd rather spend money on the gorgeous planted tank than a large tank,which may hold large fish.
People are different. End of.

Lets play nice ppl CFC is just having fun, don't take the comments to heart We all have our prefered tank and fish styles. Personally I couldn't comprehend looking after monsters like CFC does! Fair play to him

I like the idea of a planted tank, though I am yet to achieve much. I have most of the equipment, but it takes more than this. It takes a lot of skill (as does monster keeping!). Skill to get tank conditions right for plants to thrive and algae not to have a chance. Its a big balancing act and requires a lot of discipline (something I don't have right now).

 

[invader]

If you are serious, PM me.

Would you consider flying over to the states?

 

[Genesis]

Beautiful tank!

 

[CaysE]

...Are ferts added directly to the tank or elsewhere?

Bump.

 

[DevUK]

Going by the bottle of tropica plant nutrition+ sitting in the under tank cupoard, I'd assume directly added to the tank. Dosing with Estimative Index is done more or less directly. Some people make up solutions from the dry powders, and then add the right ammount directly to the tank whilst others mix the dry powders directly and mix them with some tank water and then add it directly.

 

[CaysE]

Thanks, mate... I'm always cautious when adding liquid ferts to my tank. I'm afraid of harming the fish if they swim through it before it dissipates.

 

[DevUK]

Thanks, mate... I'm always cautious when adding liquid ferts to my tank. I'm afraid of harming the fish if they swim through it before it dissipates.

I tend to dose into the outflow of my filter, so it gets blasted around the tank