Planted 75l Jounal

[RyanV]

Hi everyone! I am in the process of making a 75L tank into a dirted, high-tech planted aquascape I will keep this updated as I prepare to set it up. This is my first dirted tank so please if you have any advice I would love to know.

Here is a TV stand I found at a thrift store for $6, I spray painted it black to match my other stands. You can also see my air pump in the background, I hope to get that inside the stand.

Here is the tank with a piece of wood that I bought yesterday, I want it to be the center piece and plan on growing moss on it. I love how it fits in there so far, I was worried it might be too big on my way home from the LFS

I have my miracle grow organic plant soil soaking now for 3 days, although I think I need more. I will be adding clay pieces into the dirt for red plants. Will be topping the dirt with a black sand that is also soaking. Not sure what I want to do with the background of the tank yet, any suggestions?

My light fixture is ordered, it is a Aqualife 24'' 1 24W 10k bulb and 1 24W colormax bulb. Hoping it gets here by Thursday or Friday.

 

[mike455555]

i cant wait to see this come on... if your wanting a black background use a bin bag. cheap and effective + i think it show's off the green of the plants more

 

[RyanV]

Thanks for that idea!I just didn't know if the black background would be too much with the black sand? I am very excited, pretty much just waiting on the light fixture to show up

 

[RyanV]

Just got my light fixture today! Tomorrow I am off work so I will try to get plants then.

 

[RyanV]

Also I really want to have a carpet in this aquarium, what plant do you guys recommend? Dwarf Baby Tear, Dwarf hair grass, any others I should consider?

 

[stu40]

Thanks for that idea!I just didn't know if the black background would be too much with the black sand? I am very excited, pretty much just waiting on the light fixture to show up

This'll give some idea of the difference with all black.
If you're going high tec (pressurised) then HC carpet for me.

D

 

[mike455555]

riccia? HC? hairgrass? glasso? Marsilea quadrifolia?

i have some HC and riccia for sale if your interested HC will need co2 injection though

 

[RyanV]

Thanks stu40, I will be putting up a black background now for sure! I have been working on the tank all day buying/ putting in plants. I will post picture's soon

 

[RyanV]

Here is day 1:

Back:

 

[RyanV]

Day 2, water clearing up already:

 

[RyanV]

Haven't posted for a while sorry! Everything is slowly clearing up, even though I soaked everything before hand I still think the wood is giving off tannins. In the process of now of cycling my tank and noticed a small amount of BA algae on one of the plants! Hopefully I can get this under control before it gets worse. I am also going to be getting a circulation pump, hoping that helps!

I will post more pictures shortly! Most of the plants seem to be doing good (seen some growth from sag in the background), although the HC just seems to be dying. I may need to replant that when I get my pressurized system in December.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

I like it but as you have the wood as a centre piece I'd move the stem plants behind it and grab some shorter plants for the foreground like some Sagittaria or Cryptocorynes.

 

[RyanV]

I couldn't agree more. I was a bit overwhelmed when I was looking at plants and the percon helping me didn't know to much I have even thought the wood might be a bit large but of well It's possible I might upgrade my 55 eventually and the wood could go in there and I would get a smaller piece for the 20g.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

I think it looks good in there, if you had sloping substrate high at the back it could look like a sort of trail up a mountain.

 

[mike455555]

i like the wood as well its coming on really nicely