New tank diary

[Mordinbar]

Wouldnt coconut shells decay over time and add nitrates to your tank?
But your tank looks sweet either way. Great Job.

 

[benzonar]

Wouldnt coconut shells decay over time and add nitrates to your tank?
But your tank looks sweet either way. Great Job.

[snapback]872836[/snapback]​

Not sure about the coconuts, just felt they were more natural caves then terracotta plant pots.

Also a lot easier to add the riccia to as the hairnet sticks to it very easily. I expect the coconut will soften the water in the same way that bogwwod will. We will see.

(was a pain in the arse cleaning out the coconuts, cutting them in half was easy. Although I am now an expert so pm me for tips.)

 

[Nospherith]

Latest pic

[snapback]872701[/snapback]​

spectacular, nice work with the layout. although I think the coconuts being placed symetrically on the sides of the tank focuses the eye towards the direct center instead of the the true focal point, which is the somewhat-off-center java fern,besides that it's really great.

 

[benzonar]

Ok a week further on.

The cycling process is nearly over. My nitrites have dropped considerably in the last two days, down to 0.3ppm now. Coverting 4ppm ammonia in 18 hours.

The plants are going well (a little too well maybe)

I have an abundance of snails, lots of planaria, hydra, cyclops and a bit of algae in the tank.

PH is 6.5, DH 5.4.

Am aiming to get some fish on Thursday. A new lfs is opening just down the road in Leyland with over 140 tropical tanks. May be worth a visit.

Latest pics

pic of my riccia covered cocnut

this was the same coconut a week ago

 

[nodding_dino]

great work benzonar...looking really nice!

 

[benzonar]

Thanks Dino.

My fave plant isn't really visible yet. I have a nice Tiger Lotus bulb just behind the left hand coconut shell. Its shot out lots of leaves but they are just beginning to get above the height of the coconut.

Will perform another water change tonight and carry out a bit of pruning.

 

[Angry_Platy]

I love the riccia covered coconut. And the tank is awesome

I look forward to updates

 

[nodding_dino]

My fave plant isn't really visible yet. I have a nice Tiger Lotus bulb just behind the left hand coconut shell. Its shot out lots of leaves but they are just beginning to get above the height of the coconut.

I know just what you mean

 

[glolite]

Fabulous set up The coconut idea is interesting with plants growing on it. Mmm ? haven't had coconuts for ages (toddles off to supermarket), not that I'd copy anyone of course!!

 

[benzonar]

Fabulous set up The coconut idea is interesting with plants growing on it. Mmm ? haven't had coconuts for ages (toddles off to supermarket), not that I'd copy anyone of course!!

[snapback]884114[/snapback]​

The beauty with the cocunut is that if you leave some of the fiber on the outside, the hairnet sticks to it very easily.

Firstly use a nail and hammer to open up holes in the top of the coconut on the three dark patches. Drain the milk out.
To split it in half take a heavy knife and hit it blunt side around the equator of the coconut. Chip an entrance, be careful not to split it though.

Once opened score the flesh with a knife so it is gridlike inside. Then chip away the flesh. Can take ages and be a real pain. Once all of the flesh is it you need to either boil it a few times or whack it in the oven for 40 minutes on 180C.

Once done, place riccia over the cocnut and pull the hairnet tight on top. Hook the coconut under the edge, the hairnet will catch on the fibres. Then use scissors to snip off the excess hairnet.

 

[benzonar]

Well after a panic on Tuesday night I came home and all my levels were back to zero. Dosed it with 4ppm of ammonia again and everything was clear again when I tested at 11am this morning.

So I went out today to get some fish.

Here are the pics

Firstly I managed to get a pair of Ancistrus Tamboensis

The female

The male

One of my four Zebra loaches

The female Pelvicachromis Taeniatus "Bipindi", male is a bit shy at the moment and won't come out to play for long.

and finally some of the Colombian Tetras I got as dither fish. As you can no doubt tell I abandoned the West African biotope idea.

 

[ChrisP]

What lighting are you running over your rio and what ferts are you dosing? B)

 

[benzonar]

What lighting are you running over your rio and what ferts are you dosing? B)

[snapback]886052[/snapback]​

I was going to use metal halide but instead added an additional two tubes, so am running 4 x 30w with reflectors. Second set of tubes only come on between 11am and 3pm.


The fert is pro-aqua plant bag from Greenline.

 

[ChrisP]

I see, I have the exact same tank as you and find it struggles with the standard lighting. I was goign to do exactly what you have done as its the chepest way I can think of.

I presume you just bought a double lighting unit and not another Juwel ballast? If you went the double lighting unit method how did you suspend the extra bulbs?

 

[benzonar]

I see, I have the exact same tank as you and find it struggles with the standard lighting. I was goign to do exactly what you have done as its the chepest way I can think of.

I presume you just bought a double lighting unit and not another Juwel ballast? If you went the double lighting unit method how did you suspend the extra bulbs?

[snapback]886068[/snapback]​

I went for two sets of single connectors and affixed them to the removable panels, ran the wire for the front one up and over to make it easier to remove the panel.