So my have recently started my first planted tank. Mixed up some bomb @ss mineralized topsoil and got a 20gallon tall goin. So now that I finally have a tank full of beautiful plants, I can't help but notice the ugly HOB even more...
I have been working on converting and old Aquaclear 200(50) into a planted HOB. Lots of guys on the forum have done this and it usually looks awesome.
I swapped the pump impeller form a AQ20 HOB to decrease the flow through rate. Then I superglued some Malaysian driftwood I cut up to the front. Slows the flow more, looks cool, and will alow moss to grow on it.
Using a corse sponge from a marineland canister filter cut to fit on the top of filter media stack
Use the corse/more porous sponge as it allows more flow around roots, and I can root the plants right into it. All the mechanical filtration seems to be handled by the fluval edge prefilter sponge on the current filter, so I will fill the filter with bio max media only( with the sponge on top of course)
Got a small desk lamp from Walmart, using a 26w 6400k cfl spiral plant bulb. I will probably swap it with a smaller 5000k Cree LED bulb to save more power
Next step is adding stainless steel mesh to the waterfall to alow moss to cling to the slide part of the filter, then put some plants in it. Gunna try some of my bacopa when I trim it maybe, or I saw some dwarf four leaf clover at the LFS that could work nice. Probably get some weeping moss as it should give nice effect on the hanging wood.
The tank is in my basment where I work out, should really liven up the room! What do you think?? I'll get more pics up when I'm done planting it
I have been working on converting and old Aquaclear 200(50) into a planted HOB. Lots of guys on the forum have done this and it usually looks awesome.
I swapped the pump impeller form a AQ20 HOB to decrease the flow through rate. Then I superglued some Malaysian driftwood I cut up to the front. Slows the flow more, looks cool, and will alow moss to grow on it.
Using a corse sponge from a marineland canister filter cut to fit on the top of filter media stack
Use the corse/more porous sponge as it allows more flow around roots, and I can root the plants right into it. All the mechanical filtration seems to be handled by the fluval edge prefilter sponge on the current filter, so I will fill the filter with bio max media only( with the sponge on top of course)
Got a small desk lamp from Walmart, using a 26w 6400k cfl spiral plant bulb. I will probably swap it with a smaller 5000k Cree LED bulb to save more power
Next step is adding stainless steel mesh to the waterfall to alow moss to cling to the slide part of the filter, then put some plants in it. Gunna try some of my bacopa when I trim it maybe, or I saw some dwarf four leaf clover at the LFS that could work nice. Probably get some weeping moss as it should give nice effect on the hanging wood.
The tank is in my basment where I work out, should really liven up the room! What do you think?? I'll get more pics up when I'm done planting it