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Dirt convert

5K views 37 replies 11 participants last post by  mcarroll 
#1 · (Edited)
Pic problems scroll down
 
#3 ·
This my journal for my 46 gallon bowfront. It's been dirted for a while now, but I never posted a journal on it so there are big gaps between some steps and many changes to flora and fauna.

Fish:
15 Harlequin rasbora
4 Cory Cats trilineatus
3 Oto Cats
2 German Blue Rams
2 Apistogramma Cacatuoides
1 Siamese Algae Eater
Malaysian Trumpet Snails
Pond Snails

Plants:
Jungle Val
Ludwigia repens
Hygrophila difformis
brown Cryp
Ozelot sword
Temple
Dwarf sag
Riccia fluitans
Java fern
Java moss

Here is the before with just sand and gravel. I could never get any carpet plants to grow and did not get much growth out of what I did have.
 

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#9 ·
Not happy with the way things are so decided to do a total rescape. First time doing actual aquascaping rather than just sticking things in open areas. Divided the tank in a 1:1.618 ratio and put the focal point, which is the triangular piece of bogwood at that mark and moving to the right.
 

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#16 ·
Decided to tear down the tank and re dirt it. What the heck right? Got rid of the sand/gravel mix. Just went with gravel on top same as the first dirting.


Species are now:
20 Harlequins
Pair of Apistos
1 GBR (Female committed suicide)
2 Otos
1 Albino Bristlenose
3 Amanos

Ludwigia repens
Ludwigia glandulosa
HM
Crinum Calimastratum
Jungle Val
Rotala sp. "Nanjenshan"
Crypt wendtii brown
Crypt beckettii
Mermaid Weed
Java Fern
 
#17 · (Edited)
Hey! Did you just tear down your tank today? How were you able to fill it up and introduce livestock again so quickly? When I add flourite into my tanks the water is cloudy as all hell for a good 3 to 4 days. Not sure if that's bad but I don't add anything in during that time.

Also, the DW looks a bit bare. What would you think of strapping some moss or something onto it?
 
#18 ·
I did it on Friday 11/25/11. Only took 1 full day and a water change to have the water clear again. That pic was after the WC. I'm also running Purigen so I'm sure that helps to clear things up.

I saved about 50-60% of the tank water in rubbermaid bins and put it back in after the dirting. So it was just like doing a 50% water change. Livestock go right back in after everything is all put back together. No ill effects and no NH3 spike.

There's a little java moss on there. I've had that covered with java moss and riccia, They grow so out of control though. Give it a month it'll be filled with moss...and all the crap that gets caught in the moss.
 
#23 ·
Thanks man. Its not a tough build. I have a video if you want.

I had a sand and gravel mix for a cap & didn't like the look anymore. If I was gonna change the cap might as well redirt and start fresh. The slope wasn't a problem per se but it did kind of level out eventually.
 
#24 ·
ah I see.. im going to check out your vids...

Im building a terrace for the back with foam to try and keep the slope for my mini-m that I just got. thats cool you started over. I still want to re-do my 10 but i have to go get the black beauty and I honestly am not looking forward to doing it...lol. getting the fish out last time was a pain. but its got to be done.
 
#25 ·
Picked up a 5# co2 tank. Sick of having to fill paintball. It was lasting a couple of months, but the only place near me to fill the cylinder was Dick's Sporting Goods and they were just too unreliable. I've got a few industrial gas places close by to fill this puppy up.


Only problem was...

This is my regulator. Booooo. It could only get 20-25 psi working pressure so it couldn't push through the GLA bubble counter I got. So I went to work on it with a blowtorch and a pair of pliers.


Ripped all the plastic off of it. Doesn't look as cheap anymore. The real reason was to take the plastic knob off the top. That is what was restricting the flow to under 30 psi. I just have to use a small wrench to open and close it, but it is working correctly now. I might even replace the gauges to make it look a little better.



Picked up an inline bubble counter from GLA. Also built a Rex Grigg Reactor. Within a week of having it running I got the first real pearling I've ever had in my tank. :proud:

 
#26 ·

All the valisneria is gone. Did some rearranging and got another Ludwigia species. I think its brevipes, but could be a few others. I now have that, L. repens, L. inclinata and L. glandulosa. Gotta get Ludwigia somewhere in the name of the tank. Ludwigia von Planthoven?
 
#27 ·
Been quite a while since I added to this. The school of Harlequins died from some disease that I think was either Neon Tetra Disease or False Neon Tetra Disease. Only one survived.

I took out the dirt substrate. It was just too messy with all the stem plants that I have. I tried kitty litter, but that was an utter disaster. So I used Turface which I am very happy with.

I replaced the school of rasboras with a school of albino glowlight tetras and a school of black neons.

 
#32 ·
How are you liking the Turface? Did it cloud the water at all when you first set it up? Your setup looks great.

Been quite a while since I added to this. The school of Harlequins died from some disease that I think was either Neon Tetra Disease or False Neon Tetra Disease. Only one survived.

I took out the dirt substrate. It was just too messy with all the stem plants that I have. I tried kitty litter, but that was an utter disaster. So I used Turface which I am very happy with.

I replaced the school of rasboras with a school of albino glowlight tetras and a school of black neons.

 
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