Journey of a beginners first planted 50gal

[JaM3z]

I will get a better picture when its not mid afternoon

Firstly would like to say I’m new here and would like to give a big thanks to all those whom have had the time and patience to answer all of my (sometimes stupid) questions over in IRC, so i give a big thanks to everyone in IRC for putting up with me.

I've made just about every school boy error with this tank since i started it to tell the truth so without further ado here is my journal.

02/02/09

Bought a 50gal tank + eheim pro II from eBay for the tidy sum of £55



Tank is a seabray dolphin series 50gal / 200L, it was then sanded down given a new coat of pain and all the algae that was all over the lid and sides of the tank cleaned.

04/02/09

First mistake, I bought grape vine which was very kindly pointed out to me by epicfish this was then scraped and Mopani wood added instead also substrate of plain black gravel was added (another mistake) and sand.

Grape Vine



Mopani wood



05/02/09

Java moss was added to one of the large pieces of slate that was in the tank (you'll have to ignore the plastic plants at this point it just looked to bare to look at)



The tank was cycled at this point via taking 50% water from my non-planted 55gal, 50% of the filter media and also adding zeolite to a spare filter compartment.

06/02/09

Another mistake here, bought a plant that was non-aquatic this promptly died but before was pointed out to me as being non-aquatic by the guys over in IRC once again.



However this was just the start of adding plants.

07/02/09

Another MISTAKE today, more plants where added however it’s what I added with them, I bought a bristlenose pleco oh how I regret this decision, also added a large piece of driftwood.



11/02/09

Dwarf Gourami decided to make a bubble nest and start breeding, tank was not disturbed whilst they had their fun bubble nest which had the eggs in was then moved to a 10gal tank and after letting the water of the planted tank go green (for the fry) they were removed and left to develop in piece.



18/02/09

Fast forward just over a week and what can I say I had a very very hungry bristlenose pleco



To cut a long story short he destroyed all my stem plants but 1 but chewing them from the bottom up, also started chewing at the twisted vallis. He now lives in my none planted 55gal.

19/02/09

Rescape day today, I decided I didn’t like the slate so removed it I moved the moss off the slate and bound it to a piece of Mopani wood, then I ran out of idea's after being rather annoyed at just how many of my plants the pleco had destroyed I put all the plants into rather tempory places so I could come back to re-doing the tank later after sending the pleco to the seaside



28/03/09

New plants bought and another piece of drift wood, complete rescape done but have not yet had the time to plant the new plants that I bought , also added a UV filter to get rid of my green water problem and a major 50% water change.



30/03/09

Plants planted although not properly, the roots where so far grown into the foam that the plants came in I didn’t want to risk damaging them by pulling them out so some tops of the foam is showing Any suggestions on how to safely remove them from this foam would be nice


Now just to wait for it to fill in.

Lighting

1x 6500k 42" 38W T8
2x 10,000k 42" 38W T8
1x 18,000k 42" 38W T8

All 4 lights have individual reflectors.

Ferts

Will be dosing dry ferts + sechem flourish excel (until I can afford pressurised CO2) using the method from www.theplantedtank.co.uk but will not be dosing any ferts at all until this green water has completely cleared.


Dosing
Daily
5ml Seachem Florish Excel
3 times a week:
20ml of Macro solution
10ml of Trace solution

Filtration

1x Eheim professional II

Has zeolite (this has probably all been used by now), purigen, bio rings, sponge and that fine cotton looking stuff I can’t remember the name of, half the media (sponge and bio rings) came from my already cycled 55gal.

1x 9W UV Filter (until this nasty green water is gone)

Fish

1x Male Dwarf Gourami
2x Female Dwarf Gourami (breeding)
2x Marble Angle's (soon to be 3)
4x Pepper Cory
6x Bronze Cory
1x Kulli Loach (soon to be 5)
3x Bumblebee Goby's (yes the TRUE freshwater kind)
15x Harlequins (not added yet)
5-10x CRS (after i have enough to spare from breeding them in my 10gal)

I'll be updating this journal regularly

If I’ve done something wrong (which is most probable) please point it out in the comments I am a complete novice at planted tanks so any advice and constructive criticism would be appreciated.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

[Crystalview]

Big improvement (IMO). I like the wood with wood much better. I would add some other textures to the plants. Most of yours leaves are straight up. There are several ROAK plants in trading section. I do like you tank now, and you can roll over and look at it when you want.

[JaM3z]

Yeah i know it still needs some work doing to it, and unfortunatly there isnt much in the way of trading section from people in the UK and i dont have the nessasry paper work to be able to import plants

Yeah kind of a weird place to put a fish tank right next to your bed but i decided to put it into the room i spend the most time in which just happens to be my office/bedroom Thanks for the comment

[CLASSIC]

Looks good! The few as you say mistakes you have made are minimal, most people including myself make TONS of mistakes along the way. I am new at this myself and constantly make mistakes, haha. Just part of the learning curve i guess, no matter how much research i do it seems there is always a post or paper i somehow missed. Labor of love.

That is a very nice set up you purchased BTW, and IMO having a tank close to 'any spot' one can lay down while observing is a great idea. Mine is across from a bed, and often i wish it was closer for a better view while i relax.

Subscribed to this thread, cant wait to see this come along.

[Crystalview]

Here are a few local forums and clubs. They should have plant swaps in your area.

http://ukaps.org/forum/

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/forum/index.php

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo....php?p=1631608

http://www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/clubs.php

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/phpBB/

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/phpBB/

[JaM3z]

Originally Posted by Crystalview

Here are a few local forums and clubs. They should have plant swaps in your area.

http://ukaps.org/forum/

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/forum/index.php

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo....php?p=1631608

http://www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/clubs.php

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/phpBB/

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/phpBB/

wow thanks

[JaM3z]

Well 4 months on into the tank and it now looks like this:





Now running presurized CO2, 120W of lighting and doesing liquid ferts every other day, only problem i seem to have now is not being able to take a decent picture.

Oh and the plants in the pots at the front are cuttings i made for my parents as i userally bring them some plants or 2 when i go to visit them

Hope you enjoy the pics.

[sewingalot]

Great improvement over a short time period. What is your favorite plant so far? I love the sword on the right, what species is it? I can't tell. You're parents must have a nice tank as well.

[finfan]

love your scape (minus the plant pots in the front middle), very nicely done
and that fat/happy dwarf gourami does not look too dwarf to me

congrats on a nice tank

[Lis]

Never relocate fish to local waters....give away as gifts or sell
Overall a lush looking tank...well done

[tex627]

It looks so full and jungle-like. Definitely need to show us your parents' tank as well!