Xiaoxiy's Planted Tank (56K Warning)

[xiaoxiy]

Hey guys,

I've started my first planted tank and will be documenting its development over the course of the following year.

Tank Summary:
Equipment

• 30 Gallon Tank w/ Oak Stand and Canopy
• Aquatic Life Dual HO T5 39W Light Fixture
• Marineland C160 Canister Filter
• Koralia 240 Nano Powerhead
• Jaeger Heater
• CO2 System:
• Custom Single Stage CO2 Regulator (Built by Bettatail)
• GLA Atomizer CO2 Diffuser
• In Line Bubble Counter
• Up Aqua Drop Checker

Substrate

• 4 Bags of Fluorite

Fertilizer

• EI Dry Dosing

Plants

• Star Grass
• Dwarf Sag
• Rotala Rotundifolia
• Rotala Unknown (Looks like pine leaves)
• Java Fern
• Needle Leaf Java Fern
• Anubias Nana 'Petite'
• Dwarf Sag
• Java Moss

Fauna

• 15-20 X-Ray Tetra
• 5-6 Otos
• Nerite or Ramhorn Snails
• 5 Glofish Tetra (I got them before I started the planted tank hobby)

Photoperiod

• 2x 5 Hour Intervals with 2 Hour Break in between (doing this so I can view tank from 8AM to 8PM)

[xiaoxiy]

Photos of tank so far:

I set the tank up last week. Right now, this is what it looks like:

Closer shot:

Zoomed in shot of Rotala R, unknown Rotala, Star Grass and Anubias

Java Fern and such close up:


I have not yet aquascaped my setup and am allowing my plants to adapt to my aquarium as they were shipped in the cold without heat packs (lol Iowa winters). Other than bruising because of shipping and the cold on older leaves, they were in pretty good shape when they came in. The plants seem to be adapting, as they are growing new leaves and taller, but the root systems of the stemmed plant trimmings have yet to develop.

I plan on aquascaping my aquarium tomorrow. Here is the Manzanita Driftwood I've DIY'd up. The premise of the aquascape is an wooden archway dividing a well groomed dutch garden-like section and a wilder jungle-like section. In the dutch garden section, I plan on placing trimming the rotala unknown, Rotala R, and stargrass so they look like hedges. Dwarf hairgrass will carpet the entire tank. On the jungle side, the driftwood will be completely covered in java moss, and anubias will be planted at the places where the driftwood branches. The archways will be accented with java fern (front archway) and needle leaf java fern (back archway). I also plan on doing a slight slope (1-2 inches) to increase the depth of my tank.

The driftwood pictures:

Zip ties are in place to clamp the driftwood together as the gorilla glue dries. I also plan on putting screws through the archway to hold the two large pieces of driftwood together. The branch on the left side will be sanded down to make a seamless transition between it and the large driftwood piece.

Top shot (oh look, toes!)


Finally, misc cabinet photos:

Aquascaping tools (Bought from Nilcog and amazon)


Wire mess w/ Canister filter and Co2 cylinder/regulator:

[xiaoxiy]

I've been running my tank without a bubble counter for the past week (I managed to snap the glass in half) and my new bubble counter came in. Of course, as I'm installing it, I manage to snap it in half too. By this point, I said screw it and did a quick bubble test with mineral oil in a cup. I found out that I had the needle valve maxed out at an insane CO2 rate and lowered it to ~2bps. My GLA atomizer should come in next week, and my bubble counters should come in by next thursday. Man oh man...

[xiaoxiy]

Jeeze. Bad luck weekend. I apparently have/had a leak in my CO2 rig, because I ran out of 5lbs of Co2 in 1 week.

[acitydweller]

Nice variety of plants. Do you still think people use dialup these days?

[xiaoxiy]

Originally Posted by acitydweller

Nice variety of plants. Do you still think people use dialup these days?

Thank god no, but the rules said to stick a 56k warning in if you have more than 1 picture per post =/

[PeterN1986]

Nice driftwood! Sorry to hear about your CO2.

[xiaoxiy]

I've ziptied the hardscape down and reorganized the plants! In addition, I have 5 GloFish Tetra (Black fin Tetras) in to cycle the tank. Seeding with old UG-filter gravel.

In all it's glory right now:

Another POV:

Eventual Garden Side, will scape after plants start growing back in:

View from my desk:

Desk-side shot:

Other-side shot:

Blue-LED Moon Light (Much more subtle in real life)

Moonlight in the dark, has a more purple sheen that the picture and a lot more clear. In real life it illuminates the archway and also shimmers!:

[xiaoxiy]

Also, I'm gonna get a better camera (using Ipod camera right now). Hopefully it'll bring out the colors better. At the very least, it'll be a much better picture!

In addition, the DHG and Helanthium tenellum should be coming in on Tuesday! This means that my tank won't look so barren. In addition, my tank still has Java fern, it's just that I trimmed the older leaves off (they were turning black and dying) as suggested by Amano. Hopefully they'll grow back in in 1-2 months and fill up my tank.

[xiaoxiy]

YES! I got my Co2 system up and running again today. Fingers crossed!

[izabella87]

Okay ... this is a nice tank. healthy looking plants, great that u even got a CO2 system..
But wtf is that thing in the middle? Prolly the ugliest piece of wood ever known to aquascaping .. Hahahaha.. sorry .. had to b rude, just had to... seriously dow, all in ur best interest.

[PeterN1986]

Damn Izzie you are harsh, but I have to agree...that wood doesn't look natural, especially since it looks blatantly like two totally different pieces. But when the moss grows all over it, I guess it won't matter then.

[izabella87]

Originally Posted by PeterN1986

Damn Izzie you are harsh, but I have to agree...that wood doesn't look natural, especially since it looks blatantly like two totally different pieces. But when the moss grows all over it, I guess it won't matter then.

Lol...
Yes... when the moss grows..<= We shall sit n pray...

[xiaoxiy]

Took your advice and pulled out the driftwood/modified it. Now it's a single arch. I'll post pictures once everything grows in a bit more.

[izabella87]

Originally Posted by xiaoxiy

Took your advice and pulled out the driftwood/modified it. Now it's a single arch. I'll post pictures once everything grows in a bit more.

I appreciate your open mind for advice