The Planted Tank Forum banner

New Hi-Tech Rimless 20 Long - *Dutch-ish / Iwagumi* +20L Reef dual setup

38K views 152 replies 42 participants last post by  SomethingFishy16 
#1 · (Edited)
Tank as of May 11.












And so it begins again... starting a new tank is always the most exciting part I feel like.

I just recently tore down my 55g planted tank to make way for a new 20L tank. This will be my 4th planted tank (RIP all others now)along with my other 20L reef. Water changes in the 55 were becoming too much work along with my reef tank, and honestly, I was ready for something new.

The tank is a standard 20L from Petco de-rimmed (I've done this multiple times now, plenty sturdy.. but wouldn't go any bigger)

Lights - right now 4x39 FishNeedIt with a Geiss Midday, WavePoint Tropical, FNI 10k and Pink (sometimes replace the pink with another wavepoint)

Substrate - Ecocomplete, white sand

Filtration - Eheim 2217, Ista Surface Skimmer

CO2 - 5lb tank with Milwaukee regulator and Maxmix inline reactor

Hardscape - Seiryu Stone, Wood

Fertz - PPS Pro'ish with 1.5 liter mix of KH2PO4 KNO3 daily & dry CSM+B every other day
 
See less See more
3
#2 ·
FI was craving a new planted tank after my old 20L went from this --



To This --



I also had a 55g planted tank but the upkeep was just too much in the winter and I slacked on EI water changes and dosing, sold my discus and tore it down. Heres one of the last tank shots.. RIP

 
#3 ·
And so it begins...

As for inspiration... well, there really wasn't any tank in particular. I just knew that my old 55 had that convex canyon look and I wanted to go with a mountain peak type look and I really liked some tanks I had seen lately using white sand. I didn't really plan out my hardscape.. I already had the stuff I was going to use and I knew which side of the stones were the most visually interesting, but that's about it.

After struggling for 20 minutes or so to get the stones to sit up.. I realized that I had that wood from the old 20L and it might help brace the rocks... Which it did, they fit snug right between the limbs.

The combo ended up making the layout a bit more original... Still think Im going to bring the plants and substrate out a little further to the right rear side, but that might fill in better anyway once the plants start carpeting out towards the sand, we shall see.

 
#4 ·
I got in some Dwarf Baby Tears, Ludwigia Ruben, Ranunculus Inundatus and Marsilea Minuta and a bit of Riccia. This is right after planting.

I had saved some Ammania, Hyrdocotyle sp, Stargrass and Pearlweed from my 55 which you saw in the first pictures.



 
#7 ·
Thanks man. Yeah, still going strong. That picture was from just a week or two ago I think. I'm glad I made the plunge into SW... I've had tanks for about 10 years I'd say.. back since I was like 15. They were always pred tanks though. I only got into planted tanks about a year ago when I finished college and finally had some free time. I was on vacation in Mexico this past October and went snorkeling and seeing the reef in person again after getting back into tanks is what made me want to convert that tank to SW.
 
#8 ·
Yeah, Looks so much better. I think the one has been this way for probably 9 months now... Ive knocked it pretty hard quite a few times and theres a wavemaker in their constantly beating the sides a bit... never had a single problem or sign of weakness... However, I wouldnt go any bigger. A guy I know took the rim of his 29 though and hasnt had any issues.
 
#12 ·
Thanks a lot man! I'm pumped about this tank developing. Yeah, I usually end up liking the hardscapes for the most part... I dont ever sit down and draw them out like I should. I have a 4 year art degree in graphic design, so I think my understanding of the basic art foundations gives me a nice advantage going into it. I always see room for improvement in my scapes though, or look at another tank and think... "Wow, I wish my tank was that nice." Seems like some others I have seen in the art field (design, photography, etc) always have nice tanks. With aquascaping, If you have an eye for balance and focal points... you'll usually come up with a nice scape. I don't ever look at my own that way though, haha. We are all our own worst critics I guess.
 
#13 ·
Wow great tanks... The SW tank is amazing and hope to just into that side of the hobby soon. I love how one of your plants is periling. You must have your lights dialed in.

Here's my 20 gallon. It's a start, just taking it nice and easy. I would be pumped if it ended up anything like yours.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=574306

Thanks a lot! I actually was reading through your thread the other day. Looks like a great start! I would recommend painting the black, The contrast will make the fish pop and hide a lot of the stuff behind the tank. Its an easy thing to do that makes a big difference. Look forward to some full tank shots!

As far as the pealing goes, Its mainly because of co2. Im running pressurized co2 at about 4 bps, so its cranking in there. I do have a quad t5ho fixture but I only have all 4 bulbs running for 2-3 hours a day and the fixture is over 2 feet from the substrate.
 
#15 ·
Thanks man. Feels good to have another freshwater going.

Haha, yeah it stuck out like a sore thumb out there white against the black bg. Looks much better now.

Also... A little off topic. But I've noticed that the black high temperature grill paint is the darkest black looking spray paint I've found so far for backgrounds. Darker than fusion IMO.


Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 
#17 ·
Thanks man! Finally got some fish lined up... Got some Chili Rasboras lined up to get here in a few weeks but my LFS is getting some Galaxy Rasboras/ Celestial Pearl Danios tomorrow... trying to hold out on them and wait for these chili rasboras.

Anyone have any recommendations or experience with the 2.. I actually never kept CPDs. Kinda wanting the chili rasboras but I dont know much about them. I figure they are pretty easy to keep
 
#21 ·
Thanks a lot!

Right now Im using a slightly older Canon Rebel XTI with just the stock lens. I use a buddies Sony SLT A65 sometimes, waiting to get my hands on it again and do a nice video.

Heres a video of my old tank I shot with it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYZFpdoZ_Zc
 
#24 ·
Ordered some rotala indica true ammania sp bonsai, Limno aromatica, Rotala sp green, ludwigia tornado and some didiplis diandra.... should be here in the next few days.

Sp green is the only one I've kept, hoping the rest aren't too difficult. Especially the tornado seeing that it's somewhat rare and expensive.
 
#25 ·
Ember Tetras or Green Neon Tetras would be cool. I have had CPD's in the past and was disappointed with how shy they were. I currently have 12 Ember Tetras and 10 Sundadanio Axelrodi in my 12g Long, they are rad! The contrast between the two different fish is awesome, great coloring on both species.

I also have a degree in Graphic Design and have been working in advertising since '99.
 
#26 ·
Nice! Still freelancing until I decide where I want to move, or find a job somewhere I can't pass up. Who knows what will happen.

As for the fish, I was thinking green tetra... She had done of them in stock for 2 a piece but shipping is 25$. Starting to think it might be better to just buy cardinals locally and save some money... Trying to convince myself that If I'm going to pay that money ordering online i might as well just wait for the chili rasboras....

Ohh what to do, what to do....

In the meantime, I'm pumped for these new pants to get here. They're on their way.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 
#27 ·
Hello!

Plants came in today. Not exactly pumped though...

most all of the sp green is a collection of nutrient depleted stems that may or may not be able to be saved.. some of it may be due to shipping, but it doesnt look like it. Could be wrong.

The ammania sp bonsai I had to toss out 75% off because it had staghorn or bba on it.. Not sure which one but both of which I wasnt going to risk getting in my tank again (got staghorn like this in my 55 from bad plants)

The limno aromatica was in decent shape along with the tornado and a bunch of di diandra. The aromatica and the tornado had some bad lower leaf action but after trimming off bottom portions, they were not a complete loss.

He did threw in some Myrio for free, and of course, it was the best looking of all.. pretty much looked perfect (figures, the one I didnt want).

This is the second time I've bought plants from this source and I doubt I will again. I'm not one to complain with my hand out, so I havent said anything this time or last...

Oh well, shi* happens right? :)

I'll post pics once the plants turn their little faces up towards the light... happy tanking.
 
#28 ·
Sorry about the quality of the plants...what a disappointment. Good luck turning them around.

As for fish, I have glow light tetras and neon tetras in my 12g long. Both a nice looking, schooling fish, but I have to say, the neon tetras just really pop out, even from a distance. Given a do over, I would go with the neons...better yet the cardinal tetras if they were available locally.
 
#29 ·
It happens I guess :smile:

Yeah, Ive been thinking lately and I don't think I want to spend any more money on fish... theyre just going to dirty the tank up. If anything else, I'll probably just get some cardinals from lfs or petco even... might just stick with shrimp and the few fish that I have right now.

I have 3 panda corys, 2 neons, 1 cardinal and a gold face electric blue balloon ram atm... left over from my old 55
 
#36 ·
Haha, thanks man... Will look 100x better to me once the plants grow and I get stuff trimmed and where I want it.

The only way I got the rock to hang out like that was supporting it with the wood.


Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 
#40 ·
Need some opinions!

So, a few little changes.




First off, removed the second largest rock.. the one to the left of the big one, to make room for more stem plant development on the top of the "mountain."

Of the tiny bit of good rotala sp green stems I got in the shipment I cut them down and replanted two little patches. Hopefully this will grow out so I can get these nice green, well trimmed bushes that I can envision.

Two ideas... Thinking of adding the removed rock to the right side and putting some substrate behind it and putting another little rotala sp green bush over there to balance out the whole scape and give it more of a camyon look instead of the island look... This is still up in the air. I don't dislike it like it is. In this little phone sketch I dont have the rock but you get the idea.



Second idea... extend the substrate along the back wall out further into the sand and have the plants sloping towards the right wall... something like this.



As of now Im favoring the second idea in terms of less work, haha. But I tihnk both would look good, idk what I plan to do.

Thoughts? Opinions? Constructive criticism?

- James
 
#41 ·
Stand Idea

Also, need some thoughts on a stand idea I had... Im tired of having my tanks on separate walls but dont have a nice stand for the planted 20L, just my reef tank.

Also, Dont want light from each tank spilling into the other.. so I have come up with something like this.

Anybody have any links to any similar builds? Should be super easy to do and will look nice with FW and SW side by side imo.

 
#42 ·
Firstly, I like the second idea you posted the most.


As for the stand, I have not even made one but I like the design. It seems like it may be easier to have the middle section of the "C" piece to go down to the floor. I think if you used the "C" section for the sides of both stands, it would look the cleanest. However, you could make it modular so if you changed your mind, by making the "A" and "B" sections stand on their own, you could break them up into two stands in the future if you wanted to move the away again.
 
#43 ·
Yeah, I agree with the canopy part looking cleaner if it were built into the stands but I would like to be able to break it down in the future if need be as well.

Thinking though... I was pondering switching to a 36" quad t5ho fixture I have. This would require me to make the "C" canopy part at least 7-8" wider. I may do this and have the "C" part even wider sitting on the floor with about 7-8" if space on each side of A and B.

Basically, A & B resting inside and under this bigger C part with plenty of space separating C from the stands, They would stand alone from the canopy nicely If given enough space to do so I think. I would still need that middle brace coming down from C to stop light spill to each tank.

Hope you understand what I am saying, haha... hard to describe this kind of stuff via text like this.
 
#46 ·
So, got some stuff done today.

Started the stand. Gonna be all one long one that holds both tanks side by side. Here's a preview.



Also... Switched the rock around. It was just annoying me. This happens when you don't plan and sit with your hardscape for a while... But its much better this way... Love the overhangs and crevaces... So do the fish.

Sakura cherries will be here tomorrow



And lastly... I added another reactor. I took a nylon filter sock and cut a tiny hole for the inner tube of the maxmix. The nylon catches a lot of bubbles. My diffusion rates are much better now and flow wasnt depleted as much as I though it might be.



Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 
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