Some of you followed my other thread on this tank here- http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals/154135-20-long-rock-pile-update-5-a.html#post1587111
I decided to start a new thread because my original goal of this tank was scraping together to make a pretty low tech tank. You can see the specs but it was basically some old lighting, some HOB's and a $20 20 long. Even the substrate was recycled from old tanks. This tank was hidden away in my bedroom and really nobody ever saw it. I also am a super light sleeper and the filters often kept me up at night so I was constantly turning them off.
At the same time, I had a 29 gallon with all the nice stuff. It was also in my recording studio which gets quite a bit of visitors. I had a really nice scape at one point but ever since that crashed, I could never get it to look nice. I had a variety of issues with each progression, some I could figure out, some still leave me clueless. My soil went anaerobic and I decided to combine the two. I took the equipment from my 29 and moved in my 20 long.
I had put my filter and CO2 on this tank in my room at the end of my journal but I really didn't have the space for it. Hence the V2.
If you followed my last journal, you know that whatever belem type grass I have is growing really slowly, even under CO2. It has barely quadrupled in size in over 6 months. I did realize a few days ago that my bulbs were probably well over their useful life but I did put some DHG in and that grew more than the entire growth of my belem in about a week if not less. I don't know if it will continue to be an issue. If it is, I now am committed to switching now that the tank is on display. I will give it some time but I will use some HC most likely if it doesn't work out. It's frustrating because the only thing I have yet to have trouble with is carpet plants, even with no CO2.
Moving on...
Specs:
Tank-AGA 20 Long, Top Derimmed
Substrate-Fluorite Black and Fluorite Black Sand mixed together
Lighting-Aquaticlife T5HO 4x24watt, 13 inch over tank for now, final position to be determined.
Filter-Eheim 2215 with 2217 impeller
CO2-20lb CO2 tank, generic beverage regulator, fabco needle valve, JBL style bubble counter, GLA Atomic inline diffusor, Cal Aqua Labs Drop Checker
Ferts-Fountain pump autodosing system using EI method
Heater-Aquaclear 100 watt (likely to be replaced with inline or made into DIY inline)
Other-Have a 9 watt UV that isn't plumbed. I may plumb it in or buy extra quick disconnects so I can plumb it in as needed on this tank and another with same tubing size.
I also will likely get some Lily Pipes. I am thinking going cheap but AFA isn't too far away so I can see what I am getting. My outflow is pretty sketchy right now lol.
Hardscape:
Rocks I bought at a rock yard that I found in a rock pile that I bought and arranged into a smaller rock pile
Fauna:
RCS. I may add fish. I am thinking about adding guppies or rummy nose tetras after shrimp are established. If I go with fish, it's going to be personality/behavior over "curb appeal" most likely. I like guppies for their "goofy" behavior. I have never owned rummy nose tetras but love the way they school. I don't know if they will school well in a tank this size though. Cardinals are a possibility too as they are one of my favorites. I have bought plenty of fish because I liked how they looked only to be bored. I may fall in love with something else though.
Flora:
Some sort of belem that grows hell of slow.
Some sort of red plant that grows low and slow that is common but i don't know the name.
As said, I may go a different route if the grass doesn't start growing. I am not willing to be patient any more. HC is likely but I may keep the belem and even add other plants to the foreground as long as they look attractive when trimmed.
Here are some pics, nothing new to those who followed my last journal, some things shifted around slightly but it doesn't bug me. One thing that is cool is my foam core background was back lit before. I was planning on doing it again but it looks back lit from the raised light but with a cool gradient. It picks up the blue from my 10k bulb in the morning, pinkish red from my rosette bulb at night, and a cool combination of both when they overlap for my noon burst.
This is what I see from my chair height:
This is how it looks standing up:
I decided to start a new thread because my original goal of this tank was scraping together to make a pretty low tech tank. You can see the specs but it was basically some old lighting, some HOB's and a $20 20 long. Even the substrate was recycled from old tanks. This tank was hidden away in my bedroom and really nobody ever saw it. I also am a super light sleeper and the filters often kept me up at night so I was constantly turning them off.
At the same time, I had a 29 gallon with all the nice stuff. It was also in my recording studio which gets quite a bit of visitors. I had a really nice scape at one point but ever since that crashed, I could never get it to look nice. I had a variety of issues with each progression, some I could figure out, some still leave me clueless. My soil went anaerobic and I decided to combine the two. I took the equipment from my 29 and moved in my 20 long.
I had put my filter and CO2 on this tank in my room at the end of my journal but I really didn't have the space for it. Hence the V2.
If you followed my last journal, you know that whatever belem type grass I have is growing really slowly, even under CO2. It has barely quadrupled in size in over 6 months. I did realize a few days ago that my bulbs were probably well over their useful life but I did put some DHG in and that grew more than the entire growth of my belem in about a week if not less. I don't know if it will continue to be an issue. If it is, I now am committed to switching now that the tank is on display. I will give it some time but I will use some HC most likely if it doesn't work out. It's frustrating because the only thing I have yet to have trouble with is carpet plants, even with no CO2.
Moving on...
Specs:
Tank-AGA 20 Long, Top Derimmed
Substrate-Fluorite Black and Fluorite Black Sand mixed together
Lighting-Aquaticlife T5HO 4x24watt, 13 inch over tank for now, final position to be determined.
Filter-Eheim 2215 with 2217 impeller
CO2-20lb CO2 tank, generic beverage regulator, fabco needle valve, JBL style bubble counter, GLA Atomic inline diffusor, Cal Aqua Labs Drop Checker
Ferts-Fountain pump autodosing system using EI method
Heater-Aquaclear 100 watt (likely to be replaced with inline or made into DIY inline)
Other-Have a 9 watt UV that isn't plumbed. I may plumb it in or buy extra quick disconnects so I can plumb it in as needed on this tank and another with same tubing size.
I also will likely get some Lily Pipes. I am thinking going cheap but AFA isn't too far away so I can see what I am getting. My outflow is pretty sketchy right now lol.
Hardscape:
Rocks I bought at a rock yard that I found in a rock pile that I bought and arranged into a smaller rock pile
Fauna:
RCS. I may add fish. I am thinking about adding guppies or rummy nose tetras after shrimp are established. If I go with fish, it's going to be personality/behavior over "curb appeal" most likely. I like guppies for their "goofy" behavior. I have never owned rummy nose tetras but love the way they school. I don't know if they will school well in a tank this size though. Cardinals are a possibility too as they are one of my favorites. I have bought plenty of fish because I liked how they looked only to be bored. I may fall in love with something else though.
Flora:
Some sort of belem that grows hell of slow.
Some sort of red plant that grows low and slow that is common but i don't know the name.
As said, I may go a different route if the grass doesn't start growing. I am not willing to be patient any more. HC is likely but I may keep the belem and even add other plants to the foreground as long as they look attractive when trimmed.
Here are some pics, nothing new to those who followed my last journal, some things shifted around slightly but it doesn't bug me. One thing that is cool is my foam core background was back lit before. I was planning on doing it again but it looks back lit from the raised light but with a cool gradient. It picks up the blue from my 10k bulb in the morning, pinkish red from my rosette bulb at night, and a cool combination of both when they overlap for my noon burst.
This is what I see from my chair height:
This is how it looks standing up: