New To Planted Tanks

[TCB]

Hello,
I have been looking around the forum for a while now and have finally decided on a planted tank

 

[NAL]

Hi,

Nice idea. A couple of suggestions, although I've never done anything in-built before. You might want to look out for a forthcoming book by a guy called Jeff Senske, of Aquarium Design Group in Houston, Texas. He runs an aquarium installation business and is the main importer of Aqua Design Amano goods into the US and a major proponent of the Amano style. The book he has written is supposed to cover a variety of aspects, including practical aspects of incorporating aquaria as interior design features, and you can see from their portfolio that they have a lot of experience (these guys are way ahead of any such company in the UK). The book apparently contains hints and tricks that these guys use when desiging and installing top-end tanks in the homes of the rich folk of Houston. I believe you can find it already listed on Amazon in the US, and I understand Richard at aquaessentials.co.uk will be stocking it-drop him a line I'm sure he can advise you.

In so far as not wanting to do too many water changes, if you use EI, and a lot of us do use it in some form, you can't really avoid it. An alternative would be to look up the PPS or Perpetual Preservation System. This is an alternative method of fertilizing the planted tank and is a little more involved chemically, so to speak, than EI. Personally I think a weekly water change is very benefical, and it always adds that extra sparkle to the tank-I think Amano himself will change water on a weekly basis. Also, having kept Discus in a planted high tech tank, I can say you spend a lot of time clearing up after them. Of course, they also demand excellent water quality. Back to PPS though, if you check the US based aquaticplantcentral forum and look in the fertilizing section you can read more about it.

Hope this gives you some help.

Nick

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I have a couple of inwall tanks and I also do a co2 added tank.

First, if you have not done a planted tank beforem then trying for an Amano style one first go round is kind like putting a new driver behind the wheel at the Indy 500. Like anything else getting proficient at planted tanks is a learning process and it helps to start at the easier end and work your way up.

For inwall the primary consideration in how you set it up has to be access for maint etc. There is nothing more frustrating than trying do do water changes, net fish, replant at the back rear etc etc if you have no room in which to work.

This is my inwall setup after the 75 gal was in place but not the 30 breeder below:

Here are the doors and drawers all open:

The key to maintaining an amano style tank is twice weekly 50% water changes after which you rebalance the nutrients. Moreover, a high light, co2 added tank grows rapidly, you will need to be pruning a lot to maintain the look.
The setup went into the wall where a long closet used to be. I wish I had more working space.

 

[craynerd]

I think Amano himself will change water on a weekly basis.

Yea i have amano Book 1 natural world books and he says he water changes weekly at 50%. In the whole book of nearly a hundred tanks there a real few which he water changes every other week.

If your after a planted tank and your gonna be using CO2 then you`ll have to fert heavily to stop algea growth...therefore water changes will be necessary i would have thought! You could set up a pump system so its easy to water change!!

Chris

 

[TCB]

Hi,

Nice idea. A couple of suggestions, although I've never done anything in-built before. You might want to look out for a forthcoming book by a guy called Jeff Senske, of Aquarium Design Group in Houston, Texas. He runs an aquarium installation business and is the main importer of Aqua Design Amano goods into the US and a major proponent of the Amano style.

In so far as not wanting to do too many water changes, if you use EI, and a lot of us do use it in some form, you can't really avoid it. An alternative would be to look up the PPS or Perpetual Preservation System. Hope this gives you some help.

Nick

Thanks for the reply Nick, i will keep an eye out for the book and i will also read up on the PPS, i may have to rethink the Amano style a bit.

cheers,

TCB.

I have a couple of inwall tanks and I also do a co2 added tank.

First, if you have not done a planted tank beforem then trying for an Amano style one first go round is kind like putting a new driver behind the wheel at the Indy 500. Like anything else getting proficient at planted tanks is a learning process and it helps to start at the easier end and work your way up.

The key to maintaining an amano style tank is twice weekly 50% water changes after which you rebalance the nutrients. Moreover, a high light, co2 added tank grows rapidly, you will need to be pruning a lot to maintain the look. quote]

Thanks for the advice TTA, like i said in the other post i may have to have a rethink,

cheers,

TCB.

 

[TCB]

I think Amano himself will change water on a weekly basis.

Yea i have amano Book 1 natural world books and he says he water changes weekly at 50%. In the whole book of nearly a hundred tanks there a real few which he water changes every other week.

If your after a planted tank and your gonna be using CO2 then you`ll have to fert heavily to stop algea growth...therefore water changes will be necessary i would have thought! You could set up a pump system so its easy to water change!!

Chris

Cheers Chris.

O.k. so i guess that i can't have an Amano style tank without EI and weekly 50% water changes, but would it not be feasible to have a tank with moderate lighting/ CO2 and no EI and just three or four species of plant that would survive without resulting in an algae bloom?
I guess that i am going to have to do a lot more research!

any help or advice would be appreciated,

TCB