Cable's Not-A-Farm-Tank Farm Tank. 56k warning!!! New pics 2/27

[cableguy69846]

I am a little bit behind on starting this. It started in my master thread that is in my sig, but I figured this would be a bit easier to find info.

10-18-2011

Got a bunch of plants for some of my other tanks. All stems and they were the clippings of someones tanks. Didn't think there were that man. Well I was wrong. It stuffed my 2 10 gallon tanks, and my 2 gallon to capacity. I had been planning on setting this tank up in another couple of weeks, but that all changed. I originally tried doing an NPT setup in a 5 gallon bucket until this tank was up and running. I decided to nix that idea and did this instead.



All the plants are in pots for the time being. I don't have the lights I want or a glass top yet, so this is temporary. Not to mention, I need to build a stand so I can move my 10 gallon tank to put this one in it's place.

The tank is a 20 gallon high with a 15watt 6500K spiral CFL bulb in a desk lamp that is balanced precariously on the screen top and shelf. The screen is strictly to keep fuzzy paws out of the tank. The planters have an inch or so of gravel on the bottom with 3 to 4 inches of MGOPS and a gravel cap. I am going to up the lights to 3 15 or 20 watt 6500K spiral CFL bulbs in dome fixtures in a couple of weeks. There is no CO2 or ferts yet on this tank. For now I am hoping the plants will survive and maybe even grow some in this setup until I can turn this into an actual tank. Once it gets setup, it will be MGOPM capped with black sand. A lot of the plants will carry over, but I will also be looking for some more moss and crypts to add to the tank. The filter is a AquaClear 30 for now, and I may use 2 of those or get an Eheim when I set it up. Will have to wait and see what money will allow. It will also get DIY CO2 in the future. That is it for now, but I figured I would start this sooner rather than later.

More pics.




Almost forgot a plants list, here it is.

Back left is the Ludwigia repens x arcuata.
Back right is Hygrophila polysperma.
Front left is Hydrocotyle sipthorpioides and some Hygrophila polysperma 'sunset'.
Front middle is all Hygrophila polysperma 'sunset'.
Front right is Bacopa caroliniana and the cabomba.

This will be an actual NPT really soon.

10-19-2011

Added some cabomba to grow out, and the driftwood from the 10 gallon. Not much else. The plants are looking a little better, and I really need a heater for the tank.

Pics



10-26-2011

Got an update a few days in the making. Here it is.

Tons of growth. Going to need to trim and replant soon. I am getting new lights and a glass top on Thursday, so everything will really take off. Have been adding ferts to this tank as well, and everything is responding really well. I also need to get a heater as the temp swings is causing some shedding. It is not really bad though. I may trim this tank up tomorrow as well. Did a 25% water change on it, and I may have to do it again because of all the tannins.

FTS


Cabomba shot just for Bob.


The plants Malay gave me. New growth on all of them.


Myiro is growing like crazy too.


Tons of other growth and lots of plants coloring up.
















10-29-2011

Wow, I missed some stuff. Got the lights and glass top on Thursday, and I love them.



Also got a bunch of Alternanthera reineckii 'Cardinalis' and a piece of drift wood.

Did a 50% water change to get some of the tannins out. I also tied all of the Java Fern from my emersed setup to a piece of drift wood I got the other day and stuck it in this tank. Had to wedge it in as it wanted to float up.

FTS


The drift wood with Java Fern 'Windelov', regular, 'Narrow Leaf', and 'Tropica'.
















That's it for now. More as events unfold.

[cableguy69846]

Just added a Rio 110 HOB filter for more circulation. Probably going to do a yeast CO2 reactor on this tank next week as well.

[driftwoodhunter]

It's all looking fantastic! You came a long way in a short time : )

[cableguy69846]

Originally Posted by driftwoodhunter

It's all looking fantastic! You came a long way in a short time : )

Thanks.

[mach_six]

Nice setup, I was thinking if this would work and here's proof.

It would be for an existing not grow out though.

Just wondering does those pots have a hole in the bottom?

[cableguy69846]

Originally Posted by mach_six

Nice setup, I was thinking if this would work and here's proof.

It would be for an existing not grow out though.

Just wondering does those pots have a hole in the bottom?

They do. I took a piece of crafters mesh and cut a square big enough to cover it and put a thin layer of gravel in the bottom to contain all the dirt.

[Daximus]

It's like a little greenhouse! Love it.

[cableguy69846]

Originally Posted by Daximus

It's like a little greenhouse! Love it.

Thanks. It will be a real tank soon. I am going to set up a farm tank rack with 2 28gallon tanks and a 55 gallon. But not until the spring.

[tonytrout2001@hotmail.com]

I want another tank I got some plants floating in my tank right now that I would LOVE to get out! This tank looks great, and has definitely came a long way from where you started. I am amazed at the growth you are getting in such a short period of time. I must be doing something wrong because mine will not grow that fast. This should be really great, even as a "farm tank."

[cableguy69846]

Originally Posted by tonytrout2001@hotmail.com

I want another tank I got some plants floating in my tank right now that I would LOVE to get out! This tank looks great, and has definitely came a long way from where you started. I am amazed at the growth you are getting in such a short period of time. I must be doing something wrong because mine will not grow that fast. This should be really great, even as a "farm tank."

The secret is dirt. No kidding. The pots have a thin layer of gravel on the bottom, with a bunch of Miracle Gro Organic Choice Garden Soil in the middle, about 5 inches, then capped with black gravel, or, in the case of the smaller ones, black sand. I dose ferts every other day, and my light is pretty high. Gonna add CO2 tomorrow and really watch things take off. You should try your hand at a small dirt tank. Do you still have the 10 gallon that was under your old one? If so, give it a whirl. You will want to stick dirt in everything after that. Lol. And thanks man. One day this will be a scaped tank and all that. I am planning on expanding this farm tank idea into a 3 tank rack system this spring.

[tonytrout2001@hotmail.com]

Originally Posted by cableguy69846

The secret is dirt. No kidding. The pots have a thin layer of gravel on the bottom, with a bunch of Miracle Gro Organic Choice Garden Soil in the middle, about 5 inches, then capped with black gravel, or, in the case of the smaller ones, black sand. I dose ferts every other day, and my light is pretty high. Gonna add CO2 tomorrow and really watch things take off. You should try your hand at a small dirt tank. Do you still have the 10 gallon that was under your old one? If so, give it a whirl. You will want to stick dirt in everything after that. Lol. And thanks man. One day this will be a scaped tank and all that. I am planning on expanding this farm tank idea into a 3 tank rack system this spring.

I have had self-made compost in all 3 of my tanks I have wrote journals on in here. I also supplemented the dirt with the Miracle Grow Mix'n Feed before putting it into the tank. I was getting pretty good growth out of the 55, but think I'm just being impatient with the 105 I want the pretty mature scape I had in the 55, but only have the ratty and unruly scape I am left with in the new tank. I am seeing some new growth, but you know how that goes. You are always wanting better growth than what you are getting, LOL.

I would love to have about a nine tank rack. No way I could fill them right now, but am relatively sure I would eventually be able to. The way my Apples are at it, I could fill all 9 with snails, including the 3 species of Ramshorns and Pond snails.

[cableguy69846]

Originally Posted by tonytrout2001@hotmail.com

I have had self-made compost in all 3 of my tanks I have wrote journals on in here. I also supplemented the dirt with the Miracle Grow Mix'n Feed before putting it into the tank. I was getting pretty good growth out of the 55, but think I'm just being impatient with the 105 I want the pretty mature scape I had in the 55, but only have the ratty and unruly scape I am left with in the new tank. I am seeing some new growth, but you know how that goes. You are always wanting better growth than what you are getting, LOL.

I would love to have about a nine tank rack. No way I could fill them right now, but am relatively sure I would eventually be able to. The way my Apples are at it, I could fill all 9 with snails, including the 3 species of Ramshorns and Pond snails.

How much dirt did you put in the 105? I have at least an inch in the dirt tanks and about 4 to 5 inches in the pots. The smaller green pots are only about 2 or 3 inches. And I never tried the Mi'n Feed. Does it mess with your water at all? And we always want better growth. All the growth I have in here, and I still want more. Lol. It is the nature of the plant beast.

And why not start the rack? You could always fill them as you go along. Nothing wrong with taking it slow. Part of the joy of this hobby is seeing it all grow and multiply.

And I feel you on the snails. I need to invest in some assassin snails for my shrimp tank. The snails outnumber the shrimp at least 3 to 1. It is nuts.

[cableguy69846]

Did a 50% water change on this tank. I need another light and some CO2. Hopefully Thurs. for the CO2 at least. All the plants are growing well. Just need the tannins to stop.

FTS


Left side


Middle


Left side


H. polysperma 'sunset'

[tonytrout2001@hotmail.com]

Originally Posted by cableguy69846

How much dirt did you put in the 105? I have at least an inch in the dirt tanks and about 4 to 5 inches in the pots. The smaller green pots are only about 2 or 3 inches. And I never tried the Mi'n Feed. Does it mess with your water at all? And we always want better growth. All the growth I have in here, and I still want more. Lol. It is the nature of the plant beast.

I put in 3/4 to 1" of dirt topped with around an inch of gravel. I did not put dirt under the sand in hopes that my plants will stay away from the area and keep growing good in the areas with dirt. Whether or not it will work is yet to be determined, but I can hope.

I had originally mixed the MG M-n-F into my compost, so I do not know what it does dosed to the tank. I have kept shrimp and Angels, along with all my other fish, successfully with it in my substrate.

Originally Posted by cableguy69846

And why not start the rack? You could always fill them as you go along. Nothing wrong with taking it slow. Part of the joy of this hobby is seeing it all grow and multiply.

I do have a shed that is attached to my house that I could use. I would need to do LOTS of work on it though, as far as running electrical/water, replacing the door, and weatherproofing the building to do it though. It is something I can do, and have been thinking really hard on starting it. If only that Holiday wasn't coming up that causes people to become broke, thus having to make sacrifices on the things I would normally do in the hobby.

Originally Posted by cableguy69846

And I feel you on the snails. I need to invest in some assassin snails for my shrimp tank. The snails outnumber the shrimp at least 3 to 1. It is nuts.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love my snails and even take steps to insure they survive and even multiply. Now they probably outnumber my fish 10to1 I have been thinking about selling some on S-n-S to people with Assassin's as food. Maybe that could be an option you can look into as well, as an alternative to getting new snails to replace ones you don't want. LOTS of people on here share this misconception, thinking they are going to buy Assassins to get rid of their "nuisance" snail overpopulation. They don't realize that just 1 Assassin's not really going to take care of their problem unless they only have a few snails. But then a few snails isn't "usually" a problem. Then there are the people that get more than 1 Assassin, have them eliminate their "problem", all while breeding and producing more Assassins. Now, they find themselves with as many Assassins as the "nuisance" snails they sent the Assassins after.

If you would rather have the Assassins than the snails you have, go for it. If you like the snails you have, but just have too many, S-n-S them and keep the others without getting the Assassins.

BTW: your plants are looking great, and the Hygro is looking really nice. I love it when mine is that light green with the pink veins.

[cableguy69846]

Originally Posted by tonytrout2001@hotmail.com

I put in 3/4 to 1" of dirt topped with around an inch of gravel. I did not put dirt under the sand in hopes that my plants will stay away from the area and keep growing good in the areas with dirt. Whether or not it will work is yet to be determined, but I can hope.

I had originally mixed the MG M-n-F into my compost, so I do not know what it does dosed to the tank. I have kept shrimp and Angels, along with all my other fish, successfully with it in my substrate.


I do have a shed that is attached to my house that I could use. I would need to do LOTS of work on it though, as far as running electrical/water, replacing the door, and weatherproofing the building to do it though. It is something I can do, and have been thinking really hard on starting it. If only that Holiday wasn't coming up that causes people to become broke, thus having to make sacrifices on the things I would normally do in the hobby.


Now, don't get me wrong, I love my snails and even take steps to insure they survive and even multiply. Now they probably outnumber my fish 10to1 I have been thinking about selling some on S-n-S to people with Assassin's as food. Maybe that could be an option you can look into as well, as an alternative to getting new snails to replace ones you don't want. LOTS of people on here share this misconception, thinking they are going to buy Assassins to get rid of their "nuisance" snail overpopulation. They don't realize that just 1 Assassin's not really going to take care of their problem unless they only have a few snails. But then a few snails isn't "usually" a problem. Then there are the people that get more than 1 Assassin, have them eliminate their "problem", all while breeding and producing more Assassins. Now, they find themselves with as many Assassins as the "nuisance" snails they sent the Assassins after.

If you would rather have the Assassins than the snails you have, go for it. If you like the snails you have, but just have too many, S-n-S them and keep the others without getting the Assassins.

BTW: your plants are looking great, and the Hygro is looking really nice. I love it when mine is that light green with the pink veins.

I don't think it will stay out of your sand, but it may slow it down to the point of being able to keep up with it trimming it away from the sand.

That Holiday is why all the things I want to do now need to wait till the spring. Got the holidays, then the baby should be here in Feb. Not going to have much time for anything until after all that. You can start the small things on the shed right now though. Maybe get some sort of game plan together. Nothing wrong with a little planning.

I don't want to eliminate the snails completely, I just want to thin their ranks a little bit. I may just start taking a bunch out during water changes and squashing them. They are a nuisance to me. I like some of the ones I have. And they are pretty good at cleaning up the dead plant matter, but I don't need a million of them.

And thanks on the Hygro. Now I just wish it would get taller so I could propagate it more.