The Planted Tank Forum banner

55 g. low tech

13K views 59 replies 9 participants last post by  brion0 
#1 · (Edited)
This is a 55 g. that has been running for about seven months. It housed an oscar up until a few days ago, so it was a bare tank for the most part.
He was a gift, an the first fish that I had ever kept. Due to my ignorance in having such a large fish, he developed a terminal case of HITH, an passed away. My family will miss him, as he was a very good pet. So Id like to dedicate this thread to the memory of Captin Jack.

Here is the hard scape, its made up of lava rocks I collected an a couple of pieces of drift wood.





This is the first hard scape Ive ever tried. If you see anything that you might change, let me know. Im going to look at it for a couple days, then maby make a change or two. One of the new firemouths has two spots that im pretty sure are ick, bumped the temp up into the mid 80s an put about 6 TBS of salt in. If hes not better in a few days Ill add more salt. Im holding off adding plants til this clears up. Its a bit cloudy, should clear up by morning.

Heres a few specs,
substrate is TMS, with egg crate below,
eqip. Penguin Bio wheel 200, an 350. in tank heater.
Lighting is a stock 32 watt lamp.
Plants to be:
Im going to use anubias b. an nana, also some Java fern, maby java moss, for now. I may add other plant, the fish in the tank are a limiting factor, as far as plants that can be used.
Livestock currently in tank,1 chochlate pleco, 1 red hook, 2 firemouth cichlids, 4 sisortail rosabora, 4 peppered corys, 5 glowlight tetras, an 6 blacklight tetras.

I plan to retro fit the hood with a 54w T5 lamp, using a Workhorse ballist, so I can add lamps latter if I want. An if I realy get bored, Ill make a canister filter. Also get rid of the backround.

Ive kept both the red hook, an pleco in my planted tank at one time or another. They both love swords, The red hook did a little nibbling here an their but never realy chewed up a whole plant. The firemouths are ony about 2" now, but may reach 6", an from what I read will do some digging. I may be asking for a headach trying to keep plants in this tank, hoping that things go well tough.

If anyone has any sugestions please share them. I only have about 6 months experience keeping plants so Im learning more all the time. An I value the help that everyone here gives so freely.

Can anyone make a sugestion on attaching plants to large rocks. Im thinking of trying epoxy, I can mix it, stick to the plant an to the rock. An it will harden under water. Has anyone done this?

Thanks for checking this out, hope you enjoy this thread.
 
See less See more
2
#2 ·
Sorry to hear about your oscar, I can sympathise as I love my pair of oscars shortly before I got into planted tanks; it was what gave me the push to start a community aquarium, like I used to keep before I got into breeding fish and keeping monsters!

The hardscape looks good to me, except that it's a little bit empty on the left. If it was me, I'd have a smaller pile of rocks or wood on that side to balance it; not too much so as to take focus away from what you already have but just enough so that it doesn't look so empty.

Good luck! I look forward to seeing what you come up with and I hope you're enjoying it as much as I have been since I started a few weeks ago!
 
#3 ·
GHudston I never would have gotten a planted tank if it wasnt for him. Someday Id like to get another oscar when I can have a 100g+ tank to keep him in.

Ill get another peice of wood an add a couple more rocks on the left.

Yes, planted tanks are fun, welcome to the hobby.
 
#4 ·
Hey Brion, I would probebly use some fiber twine for tying up plants in the garden. I got some at lowes or wally world for a buck. And still have tons left. I used it to old my anubias in place on the driftwood untill the roots could really take hold. After a month or so the twine roted in two and by that time the roots had taken hold. My concern with epoxy would be that it could damage the plant. But I have no experience trying it that way.

Tim
 
#5 ·
Hi Tim, I have some twine, like using it better than thread cause its easy to tie. A coulpe of the rocks are big, an would take a buch of string. An when I get them where I want them , dont wanna move them. Started a thread on it, people said to use super gel, it will bond under water.
______________________

Orderd the ballast an ends, picked up a 54w 6700k T5, so Im waiting for the Ballast to show up. Orderd it from Natural Lights.com. Also got a 48"x9.5" sheet of Miro 4 for my 29g. Hope they get here sometime next week.

The Ick spots on the Firemouth are fading, did bump the salt up to 2 Tablespoons per 5 gallons, temp is at 84. This much salt pry wouldent be good in a panted tank. The catfish dont seem to be bothered by it. My experince, this is the cheapest shurefire way to beat Ick. I started the treatment as soon as I saw the spots on one fish, five days ago. It hasnt spread to any other fish. Ill do a large water change on the 8th or 9th day, to bring the salt down, an drop the temp down to 79. Then I can add plants!

The pleco is arranging the sand where he wants it, exposing the eggcrate, think Ill add another bag. Thinking about a bag of black epoxy gravel, Maby that will make it harder for him to move.

Heres pic of a couple fish.
Firemouth has alot of color, common but I like him so far.



Redhook, wont see these guys in planted tanks much.



Peppered cory, one of 6.

 
#7 ·
Hello trallen, Tried super glue under water, seems like water makes it harden instantly. Ill get some gel in the morning. The ick is gone, but the male Firemouth got wounded some how. At first I thought it was a infection or something, so netted him an it looks more like a flesh wound. I cant figure how it happend, it should heal fast I hope.
______________

I realy hoped my ballast would show up today, but it didnt. Stopped by the lfs, asked them if they wanted the pleco, said they did. So the problem fish will be getting a new home. Ill take red hooh with him. Thought about it an decided that I didnt want to worry about the two of them destroying the time an money Im putting in this. Id rather put it together an enjoy it, than wonder if the red hook is eat the anubias when Im sleeping.

Worked over the hard scape, made it taller, think its looking better. Put a few rocks on the other end of the tank, need a piece of wood to go with them. Ill get this an a couple plants to go with the ones I have an dress it up a little in the next couple days.

Here's the new scape, wow, figured out how to crop a pic!

 
#8 ·
Hey Brion,

It is looking good. I just realised that it is your pleco in the background. He is huge! I don't blame you for getting them a new home. When you work hard on something you want it to stay nice. I hope your male heals up soon. I am going to attemt to start a thread in the low tech tonight for my 55. I am sure yours will be done long before mine. Keep up the great work and let us know how the gel works.

Tim
 
#9 ·
The male was near dead today, I took him back an got another one. He looks okay, does have a blemish on his dorsal fin, I asume is ick. So I cant change the water, that sucks. I got plants, glue, wood, an more sand. Owell, maby the ballast will get here an Ill be able to do the whole deal in one day. Took the pleco to the lfs, they were happy to have him. Didnt offer me anything for him, but they did take him off my hands. Im sure they will sell him for $25-$30, the place is a bit of a dive, most likely needs the money. Was able to move my brislenose in so Im happy.
 
#13 ·
Sorry to hear about the male. Glad you got another one. Hopefully your ballest will get in soon.
Trallen44, The worst part is I have to leave the salt in a couple more days, strange the female is doing great. Putting the run on the new male. Ive ordered things before from other places, always seemed to show up promtly. Maby cause I cant wait to have it, seems its taking for ever get here.
 
#14 ·
He was a nice fish, gettig close to 10", got him 9 months ago at around 3".

I didn't realize plecos could get that size. Wow. Like the formation on the right side. How is that put together?
They can get very big, Ive seen them over a foot long in 55 gallon tanks. Can grow bigger in a large tank. I replaced him with this guy, max size, 6". The formation is two large rocks, 3 smaller ones, an two large peices of drift wood. I wanted to make more caves, but couldent stop myself from fitting it all together like a puzzle. Its placed together tight an the wood is the only thing that is stacked off the ground. Didnt want any rocks to fall an hit the glass.

Young bristlenose now 3", letting the corys know he dont like to share.

 
#16 ·
Finished the hardscape, heres a pic, the water is cloudy. Thought about taking another pic but the sun is making to much glare. Sorry about the background, Ill change it before this is done.



The new driftwood is a different color, it may darken in time or with a coat of algae.
 
#21 · (Edited)
I just now saw the little skull and crossbones. That is pretty cool looking in there. Not too big, to be over powering but it is in there. I like it.
Its a hobby, so you have to keep things fun. The skull is fun, treasure island!
______________
Couldnt stand not having plants in it any longer. I dont know if the firemouths are gonna take. Hope they dont take the other fish with them.

I did end up taking things out to get the glue to work well. Stuff was wet, but things set up on the wood in about 30 seconds, rocks in about 15. Added a black background, it sets things off well.

Heres a pic of how it looks, still waiting on the Vals, Dwarf Sagittaria, an couple more anubias. Id like to get some moss for a couple places also.
Right,

Left,

FTS,



 
#24 ·
Thanks BENOLUX.

Trallen44, I talked to a member here in Idaho about some moss, if it dosnt pan out Ill let you know. Called the place I orderd my ballast, they said it was sent on the 2nd, an that it should have been here by now.So its lost in the mail.:(
 
#26 ·
The ballast an ends showed up this weekend. Its a Workhorse 5, it can run 1 or 2 54w HO T5s $24.99. The ends are plain T5 ends $5.00+ shipping $15.00. The light is a LifeGlow 6700k bulb $28.00 from Petsmart.It took about an hour to install into the stock hood on the 55. The hood had an aluminum reflector. Looked at how to wire the ballast on the web, a quick search brought it up, an was very simple.

Im happy with how it turned out, for under $100, I have enough light to grow about any plant I want. If I want more light, another lamp can be added. Though I think 1 lamp will be plenty of light for what im doing. Also like it cause I didnt have to change the stock hood to get another fixture over the tank.

Thought about taking more pics, but it was realy easy. Only had to drill a few holes, every thing went together well.

Here it is completed,

 
#28 ·
Thanks Trallen, Glad your out of the hospital, hope your felling better. Got a pile of moss over the weekend. My wife already burst my bubble, by telling me UPS pry didnt ship anything monday. So Wed. I guess.
 
#30 ·
Did get plants today. Added Corkscrew Val, Dwarf Sag, Chain Sword, Java Moss, Coffee Leaf Anubias, an Anubias Minima. Heres how it looks. Hope you like it. Judging by the pic Id say the new light makes it briter than before.

 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top