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Another Dutch-ish tank journal ;)

7K views 58 replies 14 participants last post by  tithra 
#1 ·
This tank is somewhat a reincarnation of my previous tank http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=412770&highlight=
which unfortunately I tore down because I found a crack in one of the lower corners and wasn't willing to risk it:



Then, I recently moved and in the process lost all my plants except some mayaca fluviatilis and swords. So, I have been in the process of buying back the plants I lost over the last few months and getting this tank up and running.

Current tank is a standard DPG sale 40 breeder.
- ADA aquasoil
- 4x 39 watt aquaticlife fixture
- pressurized co2
- EI dosing

Current Flora:
- cyperus helfiri
- rotala sp. green
- A. Reineckii mini
- S. repens
- ludwigia sp. red
- ludwigia pantanal
- star grass
- rotala colorata
- syngonanthus belem
- rotala wallichii
- Hemianthus micranthemoides
- lobelia cardinalis 'small form'
- A. Reineckii 'variegated'

Current Fauna:
1 betta and 1 sad neon tetra who lost his friends during the move (he is actually getting rehomed this weekend)

My lobelia cardinalis is doing awful. It was doing really well and then just started melting away out of nowhere. This is the second time I've had this plant, and I have no luck with it.

I have been trying to problem solve why my reds, especially my pantanal and colorata are more green than red. I ordered new bulbs for the tank and just started dosing iron at the suggestion of some helpful people here. Reineckii mini was emersed form when it arrived and still seems to be adjusting.

Plant groupings etc. are not even close to where I want them at this point, but I figured I'd let everything settle in and grow a bit before I continue messing with the arrangement of things, but suggestions on arrangement etc. and critique are always welcome. I'm still a newbie at all this ;)





Pantanal


colorata
 
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#2 ·
This is going to look nice once everything colors up.

Are you sure the colorata is colorata though and not some greener variety? I swear that plant has too many variations :S.

What else you going to keep in here plant and fish wise?

I'll be watching this one progress.
 
#3 ·
Thanks!

I'm pretty certain it's colorata, I bought it here from bartohog who I think sells here often, so I trust that it is. Several stems were very pink when it arrived, but it went green in my tank for whatever reason.

I'm not sure what else I want just yet. May try to pick up some limnophila aquatica, I like that plant. I'd love something that's a darker green in there. I'm not sure I'm going to keep the helferi. I do have some tonina fluviatilis coming this weekend.

As far as fish, I'm not sure . Id like to get the plants settled first. I don't want to add any fish for awhile. I'd actually love some dwarf puffers, but that would mean moving my betta and I'm not sure I have room to set up another tank.


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#5 ·
#6 ·
I think keep the Repens and the mini where they are, mini looks nicer when it's taller and Repens isn't as nice looking when it's like 6 inches.

I say add another really awesome species maybe, but just one, so that you can still spread out your groupings. But that's comming from my collectoritis side.
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the input!

Any suggestions on another plant addition? I would love something dark green, but I'm not sure what would fit that.

I'm still fighting collectoritis, although it's getting better. I no longer feel the need to buy every interesting plant package I see :p
 
#10 · (Edited)
I don't know the name of this fern but it is very dark green.

I bought it at PetsMart in one of those plastic tubes. It was just labeled Fern or Aquatic Fern.

I love the way you redid the scape.
 
#26 ·
Nice start!



Anubias is on the darker side green than your other plants. It also has a different leaf shape than your current plants, so depending on how you integrated it, you could get some interesting contrast.

That's a great idea, I actually hadn't thought about using anubias!
 
#28 ·
109 par at the substrate, can't remember what it is at the top of the tank off hand.

Pantanal continues to look better though.

I was on vacation for 4 days, the tank got co2 and light but no ferts. Came back to overgrown plants, a little BBA, and some sad and melty s. Repens. Here's a before/after trim shot:



Still haven't done anything with the right side of the tank. I have some ammania bonsai coming this week that I think will go in here, I'm also still considering how to possibly work in some anubias
 
#35 ·
Straight pieces are common but there's lots out there in other shapes as well.



Google Image Search results



I have a nice bent piece that Ive been trying to figure out how to incorporate into my 75 with anubias or java ferns, seems like it would clash with my current piece of mopani though, which is nothing special in it's own right, but I digress...

Good to know!

I can't even see my piece of Mopani in my other tank anymore, it just looks like a giant clump of java fern lol
 
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