New 4' Low Tech Planted Tank

[calderfisher]

Hi All,
Eventually got some pictures of my xmas present. Its a 48x18x21 tank and cabinet. Had to fit the lighting to the hood and ended up with a 38w T8 Arcadia Freshwater and a 54w T5 with a 14,000k tube. (don't ask)

Filter is a Tetratec 1200 with a mature Fluval 2 internal running at the moment.

Few pieces of bogwood and some river pebbles

First attempts at planting, substrate is a 1cm layer of Tropica Plant Substrate then a 3-5cm layer of B&Q playsand (2 bags)

Tank has been running now for nearly three weeks with fish in for about 2 weeks. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and about 5ppm of Nitrate.
The T8 light is on for 11hrs per day and the T5 one for about 6 hrs. I'll take some more pics later as I got a few plants from greenline a few days ago. I'm having a few algae problems at the moment but hopefully this will clear up as the plants get more established.

The fish are having a great time since getting moved out of the 2' tank and my peppered cories have spawned a couple of times.

Managed to save a few eggs from the second lot and have them in a floating net, so fingers crossed.

Let me know what you think.

CraigM

 

[paul_219]

Thats a nice setup u got. Wonderful looking.

 

[fry_lover]

excellent piccys

love that big bit of wood

 

[PRW1988]

Very nice tank what's the stock in it other than the corys?

 

[calderfisher]

At the moment its everything from my 2' tank.
4 black shadow tetras
10 neons
3 platy's
3 peppered cories
2 zebra danios

I've got 6 small green tiger barbs and 4 algae eaters in quarantine at the moment.

Hoping to get some zebra loaches if I can find them as well and some more cories.

CraigM

 

[Straydum]

you have room for more fishes

 

[Inchworm]

Hi calderfisher

That's a very lovely tank! No wonder your corys are spawning. Since you have the room, it would be an excellent idea to get more corys too. They love to be in larger schools.

 

[RadaR]

Gorgeous tank, before and after filling it.

 

[calderfisher]

Thanks a lot for all the lovely comments, its my biggest tank to date and the help from this forum has been great.


Took a couple of quick pics tonight to show changes.

Right Side

Left Side

Algae issues.

I'm getting this all over the tank and some on the sand. Nitrates are still really low so don't know if that is helping.

Cory eggs have started to hatch!!!

Hopefully manage to raise a few!!!!!!!!

CraigM

 

[Liam]

Your tank looks excellent, hope you manage to raise some lil corys. The algae looks like blue green algae, have a look at the sticky on the planted forum of the site a blackout for three days usually kills it off.

 

[caboose_122]

your tank is top notch! the wood really stands out i like it

i think some moss on the wood would look great

good job!

 

[George Farmer]

Consider splitting up the bunches of foreground plants into individual plantlets. You'll carpet much much quicker.

 

[calderfisher]

Hi,
Thought I'd post a couple of pics of how te tank looks now.

Plants seem to be doing quite well, Having to prune every week and keep the runners in check. Cories have stopped laying or I'm just not seeing them quickly enough. Don't know if is the Tiger Barbs or not but it was around the same time they were introduced.
Hope you like

CraigM

 

[RadaR]

Looking really good.
Just a personal opinion, but the clean cut on the bottom of the redmoor wood looks too unatural and I would cover it up with moss or fissidens.

 

[invader]

WOW! The growth is amazing! Great job.