75G Deep Freeze

[BaltimoreGuy]

I have been keeping fish for at least 12 years now and I started getting into planted aquariums around the beginning of 2010. Since then I have dabbled with some common plants, nothing too fancy, and had good success with them. Like most people I started with DIY CO2 and a big desire to get my plants pearling! The anubias I started with back then (I never trimmed them) are now HUGE with some rhizomes around 8" long and other rhizomes branching off around 6". I had 2 german blue rams, 2 swordtail mollies, ~30 cardinal tetras, 4 Serpae Tetras. Fast forward to New Years 2013, the wife and I go to Canada for vacation! Its so much fun! We get to visit family, go skiing, snowball fight with my nephews. Unfortunately during our preparations I turn down the heat to 62deg, turn off the water main, and turn off some of the breakers. BIG MISTAKE. One of the breakers thats supposed to stay on, was switched off! GUESS WHICH ONE? HEAT PUMP. It was FREEZING in the house. That week it was in the 30's even during the day. First thing I think of is the fish. I go check and sure enough its mass casualty I feel horrible! The only 2 fish that survived were 2 of my Serpae Tetras. Well its time for a rescape and a fresh start. Enter my new aquascape I will call "Deep Freeze"

My equipment list:
75G Tank
Catalina Aquarium 3x54watts T5HO w/ moonlights
5# CO2
Rena XP3
Koralia 750
Hydor 300watt in-line heater
Black Diamond 20/40 grit for substrate

Which side of the wood do you guys like? BTW, It's 2 pc's of wood you're seeing there so I can move them around independently




I think the light shines nicer when the wood is on the right side, but I didn't notice it until I moved the pics to the computer and compared side-by-side. My wife says to keep it on the left though!

Ive added some rocks:





Im worried ive left too much open space on the right side and I'm not sure of what to fill in there.
Sooo... The tank is still empty.. Any thoughts on moving stuff around? Plant ideas? Add or remove hardscape?

[danakin]

The way it looks is good. The open space on the right lets you have plenty of options, whether it's a carpet plant, a bunch of crypts, a forest of taller plants, etc. Good start!

[drewsuf82]

This tank is going to be awesome I can FEEL it!!! Subbed!

[BaltimoreGuy]

I used my MSPaint skills to draw up a layout of what I have in mind.
Thoughts?

[izabella87]

Great start !!

[BaltimoreGuy]

I couldn't help myself, I had to fill up the aquarium. I made a trip up to "Thatfishplace" today and got 5 bristle-nose plecos. Need to get some zucchini since there isn't a spec of algae in there... YET
I also threw in a couple random stems, just temporary since they will probably be moved to my other tank. I know they look pretty horrific but I just received them as a RAOK so lets see if they live.

[secuono]

That's terrible!
The other day, our power went out for 12hrs. Temps went from 83F to 61F, but no fish died nor noticed it. House was 55F.
Good luck w/the new fishes!
What temp did the tank get to?

[GMYukonon24s]

Nice hardscape!

[BaltimoreGuy]

Originally Posted by secuono

That's terrible!
The other day, our power went out for 12hrs. Temps went from 83F to 61F, but no fish died nor noticed it. House was 55F.
Good luck w/the new fishes!
What temp did the tank get to?

It was so cold I couldn't keep my arm in there long, it felt like it was ice cold.
The house was 43F and the tank was at 48F if I remember correctly... Yep, if you want some hearty fish go with Serpae Tetras.
The 2 that survived the freeze are fully recovered

[driftwoodhunter]

I hate that such a horrible thing happened, but the silver lining is this new set up - it's going to look fantastic! It's already pretty exciting. I recently posted a question/thread that led me to decide to try Black Diamond when I set up my next tank - so it's even more exciting for me to see how nice your looks. (and the driftwood is awesome)

[SouthernCichlids]

Love that hardscape and the planting plans! Keep us updated!

[raulfd4]

I really like the hardscape so far. The driftwood on the far left looks like something out of a Tim Burton movie.

[BaltimoreGuy]

These are the plants I have shipping on Saturday:
eleocharis belem
Blyxa Japonica
Fissidens
Hygrophila corymbosa lookalike (true identity unknown atm)
Rotala rotundifolia
Rotala sp. green
Elatine Triandra
limnophila repens mini

In the meantime I have been working on a automatic water change setup using the overflow and icemaker kit method.

Installed Icemaker Kit:


Your skill in tinkering has increased! 75


And dialing in my CO2:



Bought some acrylic paint for the background. Had to go with black!


One of the new tank inhabitants:

[BaltimoreGuy]

New plants are planted but its kinda thin. Hopefully it fills in quickly! Im debating what should I should put in the front right corner. Any thoughts?
Also check out the newly painted background (black and blue mixed acrylic paint ), DIY overflow painted with Krylon Fusion Gloss Black.
Im not sure Ill be keeping the overflow though, not having a clear tube to monitor for air bubbles makes me leery to use it for an auto-water change system. I should have use bigger tubing, but then it would be an eye sore. For any DIY'ers reading this interested in the overflow I took it a step further and added the coupling you see at the bottom and didnt glue it (doesnt leak) so I could remove that portion and use it as a 50% water change drain.



Thanks to Bartohog for the plants!

I stuck to my original plant list with a couple exceptions:


Can anyone ID this?

[Adamson]

What a cool idea; and WOW, what beautiful driftwood!