Progression of my 55 Gallon (Beware lots of pictures!)

Cinbos · 12-30-2012, 04:34 AM

Here I will be explaining the progression of my planted tank. I will talk about everything from hardware to inhabitants (Plants and fish) and how they have changed.

Simple eh? I knew I wanted to start a planted tank and keep it really low tech, so here is where I started. Everything you see here I bought for $100, stand, tank and all!

Here i added some real driftwood. Some more plants and river rocks. Also may have rushed adding the fish, but I was a little naive thinking that the plants would remove the whole cycling process...WRONG!

Here I added a few more plants. Still hated the look, and I also hated the play sand as the substrate, way too messy and foggy, so I changed to pool filter sand!

Now things are starting to look better, not great but better. I learned some simple things about basic aquascaping and tried my best to incorporate those tips, like off centering the drift wood and what not. I also changed the lighting, went from half watt led lights by marineland and changed to a 48" dual shop light with 2 GE 6,500k bulbs.

Throughout these pics, I changed things up quite a bit. Added more plants (I assume most of you know the plants in there) and some better floating plants like frogbit (wasnt pleased with the wisteria). I also added more fish, especially 2 cool super red bn plecos!

I also started dosing some ferts and minerals like equilibrium and flourish, added some root tabs, and also removed the small vals I had in there, my water was quite soft for them.

Here I added a larger sword to help fill in the aquascaping. Beginning to look better, but there still seemed to be something missing. One of those things was swapping out the bulky driftwood piece with manzanita branches.

Now! This is where I am at now. Still dosing with Seachem Flourish, Seachem equilibrium, and Seachem root tabs. I had a problem several pictures ago with my swords looking like they had mineral deficiency, so I was directed to equilibrium and root tabs, and everything seems to be improving. The 2 larger swords were recently purchased so I hope all is well. I finally got ahold of the larger manzanita branch, and WOW! am I stoked! Also added 2 german blue rams, and some chain swords. So this is where its all at now, I am definitely pleased with it.

The only other thing I would like to do is change to a shop light that holds 4 48" fluorescent bulbs, instead of the one I have now that holds 2 bulbs.

Here are my current plants:
4 Anubias Barteri (Middle)
1 Anubias Nana (Middle)
4 Anubia Petite Nana (Right/Middle)
2 large Amazon swords (Left)
2 smaller Amazon Swords (Middle and Right)
Frogbit (Floating)
20 nodes Hydrocytle Sp. Japan (Front/Middle)
Scattered Java Moss
Ball of Pellia (Front/Right Corner)
Chain swords (Front/Left)
Lutea (Front/Left)

Inhabitants:
4 Angels
3 Oto Catfish
2 Super Red Bristlenose Plecos
2 German Blue Rams

I am still very new to planted aquariums, but I wanted to show my progress from the very beginning.

Any thoughts, advice, ideas and critics please bring them on and post! I want you to. I will accept any and all advice, everything from lighting, fish, plants and substrates.

MiniFishRoom · 12-30-2012, 04:42 AM

Nice!

Cinbos · 12-30-2012, 04:45 AM

Forgot a couple things.

To the inhabitants, I also have 5 black neon tetras. Thinking of swapping these out with a different schooling fish...any ideas?

Also meant to add a hardware and fertilizer section for the setup.

Hardware:
Standard 55 gallon aquarium
Emperor 400, have an Eheim 2215, but currently working in a leak issue with it.
1 300w Aqueon Heater
1 dual 48" shop light with 6,500k bulbs

Ferts:
Seachem Flourish
Seachem Root Tabs
Seachem Equilibrium (to help with my really soft water)

P.s. Please forgive me if I don't know all the scientific names for the plants

GMYukonon24s · 12-30-2012, 07:27 PM

Nice progression on this tank!

zoragen · 12-30-2012, 10:43 PM

Very nice.

Love the dw!

Cinbos · 12-30-2012, 11:19 PM

Any ideas, suggestions or advice? Open to all!

**mitchfish9** · 12-31-2012, 01:58 AM

I really like the evolution of this tank! It has the potential to be an amazing tank once it fills in some more! The new dw is awesome as well, your manzinita scape is kind of what i hope to use on my next tank. I also like your stocking. Black neons are nice, and you could add to them and then compliment them with rummynose or cardinal tetra! I am going to use the rummynose/black neon combo in my tank.

Cinbos · 12-31-2012, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mitchfish9

I really like the evolution of this tank! It has the potential to be an amazing tank once it fills in some more! The new dw is awesome as well, your manzinita scape is kind of what i hope to use on my next tank. I also like your stocking. Black neons are nice, and you could add to them and then compliment them with rummynose or cardinal tetra! I am going to use the rummynose/black neon combo in my tank.

Funny you mention that. I have a nice lady that is going to be bring over 25 cardinals for free. Will add them after a week of qt!

Cinbos · 12-31-2012, 02:04 AM

Also what is it with rummy nose? I war everyone talking about them. Good fish?

**mitchfish9** · 12-31-2012, 03:23 AM

Rummynose tetra have a checkerboard tail with a bright red nose. Arguably the best schooling tetra, but a little bit more sensitive than most tetras. Great fish. But you have the cardinals coming, so you can do 25 cardinals and maybe even 10 black neons. Not sure about if that is too stocked though. Generally it looks better to have higher numbers of less species

Cinbos · 12-31-2012, 03:38 AM

I will be moving the black neons, and just keep the cards as the schooling fish. I may have to look into rummys though, especially if they are the best schooling tetra. I also saw that they are pretty precise with their water parameters.

Cinbos · 12-31-2012, 04:10 AM

Are there any shrimp that will be safe in my set up? Looking to get a cleaning crew in there to help with uneaten food and what not.

**mitchfish9** · 01-01-2013, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinbos

Are there any shrimp that will be safe in my set up? Looking to get a cleaning crew in there to help with uneaten food and what not.

Even though amanos get pretty big, no shrimp is safe with angels lol

Cinbos · 01-04-2013, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mitchfish9

Even though amanos get pretty big, no shrimp is safe with angels lol

I think I will be staying away from shrimp.

Cinbos · 12-31-2012, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiniFishRoom

Nice!

Thank you!

12-30-2012, 04:34 AM	#1
Cinbos Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 290	Progression of my 55 Gallon (Beware lots of pictures!) Here I will be explaining the progression of my planted tank. I will talk about everything from hardware to inhabitants (Plants and fish) and how they have changed. Simple eh? I knew I wanted to start a planted tank and keep it really low tech, so here is where I started. Everything you see here I bought for $100, stand, tank and all! Here i added some real driftwood. Some more plants and river rocks. Also may have rushed adding the fish, but I was a little naive thinking that the plants would remove the whole cycling process...WRONG! Here I added a few more plants. Still hated the look, and I also hated the play sand as the substrate, way too messy and foggy, so I changed to pool filter sand! Now things are starting to look better, not great but better. I learned some simple things about basic aquascaping and tried my best to incorporate those tips, like off centering the drift wood and what not. I also changed the lighting, went from half watt led lights by marineland and changed to a 48" dual shop light with 2 GE 6,500k bulbs. Throughout these pics, I changed things up quite a bit. Added more plants (I assume most of you know the plants in there) and some better floating plants like frogbit (wasnt pleased with the wisteria). I also added more fish, especially 2 cool super red bn plecos! I also started dosing some ferts and minerals like equilibrium and flourish, added some root tabs, and also removed the small vals I had in there, my water was quite soft for them. Here I added a larger sword to help fill in the aquascaping. Beginning to look better, but there still seemed to be something missing. One of those things was swapping out the bulky driftwood piece with manzanita branches. Now! This is where I am at now. Still dosing with Seachem Flourish, Seachem equilibrium, and Seachem root tabs. I had a problem several pictures ago with my swords looking like they had mineral deficiency, so I was directed to equilibrium and root tabs, and everything seems to be improving. The 2 larger swords were recently purchased so I hope all is well. I finally got ahold of the larger manzanita branch, and WOW! am I stoked! Also added 2 german blue rams, and some chain swords. So this is where its all at now, I am definitely pleased with it. The only other thing I would like to do is change to a shop light that holds 4 48" fluorescent bulbs, instead of the one I have now that holds 2 bulbs. Here are my current plants: 4 Anubias Barteri (Middle) 1 Anubias Nana (Middle) 4 Anubia Petite Nana (Right/Middle) 2 large Amazon swords (Left) 2 smaller Amazon Swords (Middle and Right) Frogbit (Floating) 20 nodes Hydrocytle Sp. Japan (Front/Middle) Scattered Java Moss Ball of Pellia (Front/Right Corner) Chain swords (Front/Left) Lutea (Front/Left) Inhabitants: 4 Angels 3 Oto Catfish 2 Super Red Bristlenose Plecos 2 German Blue Rams I am still very new to planted aquariums, but I wanted to show my progress from the very beginning. Any thoughts, advice, ideas and critics please bring them on and post! I want you to. I will accept any and all advice, everything from lighting, fish, plants and substrates. Last edited by Cinbos; 12-30-2012 at 06:40 PM..

12-30-2012, 04:42 AM	#2
MiniFishRoom Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (15/100%) Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: MSP Posts: 235	Nice! __________________ "Semper Fi"

12-30-2012, 07:27 PM	#4
GMYukonon24s Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: May 2009 Location: MICHIGAN Posts: 2,797	Nice progression on this tank! __________________ 110g Tropical Community & Sakura Shrimp 55g BN Breeding Grounds, Peacock Gudgeons, Panda, Pygmies, & Smudge Spot Cories, Rili Shrimp 10g RCS and show guppies MIAPG - Come join us - Plantedtank - MI - Greatlakesaquaria

12-30-2012, 10:43 PM	#5
zoragen Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: N. VA Posts: 282	Very nice. Love the dw! __________________ Eheim Pimp Club #490 Ecco 2232

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12-30-2012, 04:45 AM	#3
Cinbos Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 290	Forgot a couple things. To the inhabitants, I also have 5 black neon tetras. Thinking of swapping these out with a different schooling fish...any ideas? Also meant to add a hardware and fertilizer section for the setup. Hardware: Standard 55 gallon aquarium Emperor 400, have an Eheim 2215, but currently working in a leak issue with it. 1 300w Aqueon Heater 1 dual 48" shop light with 6,500k bulbs Ferts: Seachem Flourish Seachem Root Tabs Seachem Equilibrium (to help with my really soft water) P.s. Please forgive me if I don't know all the scientific names for the plants

12-30-2012, 11:19 PM	#6
Cinbos Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 290	Any ideas, suggestions or advice? Open to all!

12-31-2012, 01:58 AM	#7
mitchfish9 Planted Tank Nation (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Oak Park, IL Posts: 874	I really like the evolution of this tank! It has the potential to be an amazing tank once it fills in some more! The new dw is awesome as well, your manzinita scape is kind of what i hope to use on my next tank. I also like your stocking. Black neons are nice, and you could add to them and then compliment them with rummynose or cardinal tetra! I am going to use the rummynose/black neon combo in my tank.

12-31-2012, 02:04 AM	#9
Cinbos Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 290	Also what is it with rummy nose? I war everyone talking about them. Good fish?

12-31-2012, 03:23 AM	#10
mitchfish9 Planted Tank Nation (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Oak Park, IL Posts: 874	Rummynose tetra have a checkerboard tail with a bright red nose. Arguably the best schooling tetra, but a little bit more sensitive than most tetras. Great fish. But you have the cardinals coming, so you can do 25 cardinals and maybe even 10 black neons. Not sure about if that is too stocked though. Generally it looks better to have higher numbers of less species

12-31-2012, 03:38 AM	#11
Cinbos Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 290	I will be moving the black neons, and just keep the cards as the schooling fish. I may have to look into rummys though, especially if they are the best schooling tetra. I also saw that they are pretty precise with their water parameters.

12-31-2012, 04:10 AM	#12
Cinbos Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 290	Are there any shrimp that will be safe in my set up? Looking to get a cleaning crew in there to help with uneaten food and what not.