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100g Dutch inspired

14K views 50 replies 26 participants last post by  Capsaicin_MFK 
#1 · (Edited)
100g (48"L x 24"W x 20"H) made by Miracles Aquariums

Equipment
Hydrofarm Designer T5HO 4 bulbs (2x Giesemann Midday, 2x TrueLumen Flora)
Fluval FX5
Hydor ETH 200w inline heaters (x2)
20# Pressurized co2, Atomic inline diffuser

Here is a picture from October 2012 just before I took out all the Echinodorus species.



My wife called this the "hodge podge" stage of me buying different stem plants and randomly placing them in the tank to see what grew the best.



As of today (December 31st, 2012)

 
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#2 ·
Flora in the tank right now:

Bacopa caroliniana
Cabomba pulcherrima
Didiplis diandra
Hemianthus callichtroides
Hygrophila corymbosa 'Angustifolia'
Hygrophila sp. brown
Hygrophila pinnitifada
Limnophila indica
Limnophila aromatica 'hippuroides'
Ludwigia repens
Ludwigia sp. red
Ludwigia sp. 'rubin'
Nymphaea zenkeri
Lobelia cardinalis
Rotala indica
Rotala macrandra
Rotala macrandra green
Rotala rotundifolia
 
#10 ·
#13 ·
I like the rimless tank and the October picture. Why did you change the light fixture?

Now I'd like to see "streets" of plants and very, very dense planting of all these stems. I'm kind of sick of the "Nature Style".

Then we can say that this is the first Dutch tank we've seen in a very long time!

Do it!
 
#14 ·
To start growing stem plants I needed more light. The FishNeedIt was only 2 bulbs and the new one is 4 bulbs and better reflectors.

Right now the streets are too big for NBAT standards and basically all other rules are being broken, but I agree that there are a lack of Dutch scapes.
 
#20 ·
I will take a picture tomorrow before and after trimming when I do a waterchange.

I traded in 6 Angels and all the Congo tetras for 9 Corydoras schwartzi at a LFS. My wife was mad that I got rid of the double black angels, but they just didn't seem right in this tank.



 
#24 ·
Cool.. im getting dry ferts tomorrow to start EI dosing.. Ive had troubles with Rotala Mac so far, and my deficiencies are def from my liquid dosing right now that is for sure..

Looking forward to seeing some of the plants I currently have explode with growth once i start the EI
 
#25 ·
You might try Ludwigia red instead of L repens, that would give some nice added different coloration in the back corner.

Black floutite sand might be a better long term less messy sediment than ADa AS or Flourite.

Off to a good start:thumbsup:

Let the macrandra top out on the surface for about 1 week, then trim.
This will yield nice branching and thicker better coloration etc.
 
#28 ·
You might try Ludwigia red instead of L repens, that would give some nice added different coloration in the back corner.

Black floutite sand might be a better long term less messy sediment than ADa AS or Flourite.

Off to a good start:thumbsup:

Let the macrandra top out on the surface for about 1 week, then trim.
This will yield nice branching and thicker better coloration etc.
I currently have just under 2 bags of ADA AS under the 8 bags of Flourite Dark and from time to time I do notice some being pulled up when I move plants. I thought about going to straight sand like the NBAT standards require.

I will have to try that with the R. macrandra, thanks!

Wow! Love Dutch tanks! I'm kind of in the hodgepodge stage myself. I'll be waiting for updates! =]
The messy stage doesn't last very long with stem plants. :biggrin:

That looks fantastic! Nice job growing those plants. That is a cool enclosure, too.
Thanks! I got the tank custom made to be similar to Barr's 180g. Filter input/output on the bottom pane of glass via bulkheads. I want to build a new stand with doors and at the same time switch all the green Eheim tubing over to PVC and add a Cerge's reactor.
 
#35 ·
Starougyne will survive the cories. Gloss might if you buried it deeper.
It would also look nice contrasted in this tank, not a troublesome weed like HC.
2 others: H. tennellus red and then the dwarf true sag. Hygro araguaia also.
All nice easy to care for and well behaved.
 
#36 ·
I have been taking the small runners off the Hygro pinnatifida and replanting them in the foreground. I know it won't be popping in color like the stuff you suggested, but I think it might be worth the shot to see how it looks.

I tore out all the Cabomba pulcherrima and the Rotala macrandra. I just couldn't get either of them to look very nice. I would agree with whoever stated R. macrandra should never be truly planted, but only trimmed, remove the bottom, and replant the tops. The Cabomba was a disappointment from the beginning. It was messy, too leggy even under high light, and reacted weird to being trimmed.

I am trying Heteranthera zosterifolia, Myriophyllum mattogrossense, and Rotala sp. Vietnam. I also got some Blyxa japonica, but I already know that will grow well.
 
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