Pest Controls First Planted Journal (Updated 2/3/2011)

[Ben M]

hi, well i thought that i'd start a journal for my tank. i have been trying to make it look good for a while on a very limited budget, and i would like some help and guidance please.

Tank size: 120cm x 40cm x 40cm
(Length) x (width) x (Height)

volume: 216l = 57 us gal.

Lighting: 2 x 30w t8's. on for 9.5 hours (7.30 am - 5.00 pm)

Ferts/c02: 5ml TPN+ daily. soon changing to EI. no c02.

Filter: Rena Filstar XP2. Possibly soon getting another external of similar size.

Substrate: left 1/3: 3mm rounded gravel mixed with silver sand.
right 2/3: silver sand.
No substrate fertilization.

Fish/inverts: currently have: 4 kribs, 5 SAEs, 20 copper harlequins, 5 harlequins, 3 serpae tetras, 3 cardinal
tetras, 4 rummynose tetras and 3 ottos.

Final intended stocking: 5SAEs, 20 copper harlequins, 13 ottos, 10+ Corydoras trilineatus or aeneus and lots of cherry shrimp and possibly others (amano's etc.). and possibly another 20+ small shoaling fish.



A few pics:

Full tank shot.

left side of tank.

Middle of tank.

Right side of tank.

From side.

A Siamese algae eater.


any ideas as to what i could do to make it look better, and which plants i should add next? i was thinking maybe some Hygrophila polysperma in place of some of the vallis, and to the right of the java fern, where i am trying to grow the needle java fern on a piece of slate? and i think i should get some more crypts to fill out in front of the java fern. is that a good idea?

constructive criticism very welcome.

cheers

Edit: spelling

 

[ian]

i think that looks really good mate. If i could recommend one plant to you it would be Aponogeton ulvaceus, it would look ace on the right side of your tank. Also have you tried any Lily's? They would also suit your tank.

 

[Ben M]

thanks, i like the lilies, i might get one. am i right in thinking that it will grow more compact if i cut off the leaves that grow towards the surface? and i've just looked at the Aponogeton ulvaceus in the plants alive catalogue, and it's £7 for 1 plant! can i get it cheaper anywhere else?

thanks for the ideas

cheers

 

[ian]

are you in England?, if so have a word at your local maidenhead and they'll order you 1 in for £3. I'd only get 2 max though as they do get big.

 

[Ben M]

yes, i'm in england. when you order them, how big are they, or are they just the bulb? i'm not really sure that it would really work though, because they look a bit like the amazon swords, so it might just look like i've got 3 amazon swords. i think i'll get a lilly though. will my local mh order those as well?

cheers

 

[ian]

they don't look like swords when they get going, the leaves twist, looking at mine now, they look like floating plants. I'll get an update in my thread in a couple of days and you can see how they are doing. They have been in for 3 week and i have already chopped 6 leaves back. They come as a small plant with a bulb on the bottom, the bulb has to stay half way above the substrate. Just try 1 and see how you get on, you won't regret it. Yeah MH will order any plant.

 

[Ben M]

thanks, i suppose i might as well get one. i'll ask them to get another few plants in as well. when i go they never seem to have many in.

cheers

 

[Ben M]

hi, i'm getting 1 Echinodorus ozelot red + 1 Echinodorus red rubin soon, so will put some more pics up when i get them. i have just got some moss balls, but i daren't put them in my tank incase my Siamese algae eaters eat them. will they?

cheers

 

[lljdma06]

hi, i'm getting 1 Echinodorus ozelot red + 1 Echinodorus red rubin soon, so will put some more pics up when i get them. i have just got some moss balls, but i daren't put them in my tank incase my Siamese algae eaters eat them. will they?

cheers

While they might nibble, from what I've heard, it doesn't do damage to the moss balls.

You ended up with more swords. Ozelots are lovely as are red rubins.

 

[Ben M]

thanks, i'll put them in then. i think i'll remove one of the amazon swords i have now, and give it to my brother, as they are getting quite big, so i think 1 will be enough. i'm moving a few things around today. i'm superglueing the java fern onto the bogwood to stop it from looking too big, and i'm moving the bogwood back. i'm also going to get some Hygrophila polysperma to plant in a couple of bunches, but i can't find any, so if anyone has any spare then could you let me know and i could buy some. i'll add some more pics after i've rearranged everything.

cheers

 

[Ben M]

well, i've glued on the java fern and a couple of little pieces of anubias i found. i'll add some pics tomorrow. it looks a bit rubbish ATM, but i'm hoping that the java fern will bush out quite a bit.

cheers

 

[Ben M]

hi, i've got some more pics:

what do you think? is it looking better than the first pics? as you can see, i've superglued the java fern to the bogwood. should i cut back some of the older leaves to encourage new growth, or will it be fine as it is. i've noticed on a few of the bigger leaves there are baby java ferns, so i don't want to cut those leaves off until the babies are big enough to move. i have got some Hygrophila polysperma now, so it will be interesting to see whether or not it will grow. i've also got 3 moss balls, although only 2 are visible ATM, as one has floated behind the bogwood. i have altered the left hand side of the tank. the gravel section is smaller now, and infront of the gravel section i'm going to put some dwarf hairgrass. when the H. polysperma spreads, i'm going to put some of it on the right hand side of the tank, infront of the heater and filter inlet.

any thoughts?

cheers

 

[Ben M]

is it that bad?

cheers

 

[Ben M]

hi, i was a bit bored, so i took a few pics of my fish. the lights had been off for a few hours, and when i glanced at the Hygrophila, the leaves were all pointing up.

does this mean that the plants are growing and have settled in? i can't really tell, as i look at the tank every day, but i think they are taller.

a couple of pics of my new corys!

any thoughts on my last post?

cheers

 

[lljdma06]

Sometimes plants do that when the lights go out. Kind of like flowers closing in the evening. There is a scientific explanation, I'm sure, but I'm not going to go into it. Normal behavior, though, so don't worry much about it.

Corydoras look great! Nice photos.

Your tank is coming along, pest control. Right now, just grow plants. Scaping comes later, though I can already see a nice scape developing if you just leave things be and let them grow out.

llj