Low Tech 29 Gallon of Amazing Unamazement

[LetThereBeFish]

Hi everyone, this is my first journal attempt on my 29 gallon. I had this tank for around 5 years, but I am starting fresh. Being a 17 year old and having a minimum wage job, money is a little tight for me, so no high tech for me.

*Update* 3/6/12
Equipment: Coralife Aqualight Power Compact, Hydor Theo Heater, Aqueon 20 Power Filter(sometimes used), Eheim 2213, and Hydor Koralia Nano
Substrate: Eco-Complete
Fertilizer: Flourish, Flourish K, Flourish Root Tabs, and DIY CO2
Inhabitants: 10x Harlequin Rasporas, 2x Gold Barbs, 2x Black Skirt Tetras, 2x Common Hatchet Fish, 2x Bolivian Ram, 1x Albino Bristlenose Pleco, 4x Amano Shrimp,2x Nerites, and a WHOLE LOT OF MTS
Plants: Crypt Wendtii, Crypt Spiralis, Crypt Blassii, Nesaea, Rotala Indica, Ludwigia Repens, Mayaca, Hygrophila Compact, Dwarf Sag, Wisteria, Ozelot Swords, Bocopa Caroliniana, Tiger Lotus, Italian Val.

Most recent pic (3/27/12)


Please ignore the crappy quality of these pics

Front View


Angular View


Another Angular View

I'm just going to let the plants grow and fill in and see what to do next. May go down to ThatPetPlace and see what plants they have.

Comments and criticism appreciated

[LetThereBeFish]

Nothing? No suggestions on re-scaping or anything? Either my tank is perfect beyond belief or its just that horrendous.

[Lutra]

Welcome, LetThereBeFish! I think the knowledgeable folks may be asleep right now. They'll show up soon, don't worry -- the title of your tank journal will get somebody's attention. (It got mine, but I'm such a newbie that doesn't help you much.)

The tank looks nice. You said it's been running for five years. Can you give some info on how long the different components have been in?

Edit: No, wait. You said you had the tank. Does that mean all the plants, fish, etc. went in recently? How recently?

[LetThereBeFish]

Hi Lutra, you can call me steve. Its saves on the typing . I guess people are still asleep haha. Didn't think of that.

I guess I should explain the situation more clearly.

06-08
Equipment: Everything that came with one of those cheap walmart aquarium kits except for the Aqueon 20 powerfilter.
Substrate Plain Gravel
Inhabitants: 3xBlackskirt Tetras, 3xGold Barbs 2xAustralian Rainbowfish, 1x Opaline Gourami
Plants: Moneywort, Java Fern, and Fakes


Then I decided to get a little more "natural". I ditched the lava rocks and replaced them with river rock and driftwood. The moneywort and java fern, which perished from my noob knowledge on plants, were taken out and replaced with some type of anubias. Then BBA took over and made the tank a mess.

08-09
Equipment: Aqueon powerfilter, Hydor Theo heater, lighting that came with the kit.
Substrate Plain Gravel
Inhabitants: 3xBlackskirt Tetras, 2xGold Barbs 2xAustralian Rainbowfish, 1x Opaline Gourami, 1x Bolivian Ram(which didn't last long)
Plants: Anubias and Fakes


There is a huge gap of progress during this time. But 2 years ago I got a Coralife Aqualight power compact for my birthday, and then a Eheim 2213 last year. I also bought some eco-complete and mixed it with the gravel. This was the first real attempt to grow plants. Sadly one of my rainbowfish and opaline gourami died during this time from some strange ulcers.

09-10
Equipment: Aqueon powerfilter, Eheim 2213, Hydor Theo heater, Coralife Aqualight power compact, Hydor Koralia Nano
Substrate Plain Gravel and Eco-Complete
Inhabitants: 6x Harlequin Rasporas, 2xBlackskirt Tetras, 2xGold Barbs 1xAustralian Rainbowfish, 1x Dwarf Gourami, 4x Cherry Barbs, 2x Amano Shrimp, 2x Nerites Plants: Rotala Indica, Ludwigia Repens, Hygro Compact, Crypt Wendtii, Wisteria, Bocopa, Dwarf Sag, Tiger Lotus


And here it is during 10-11


And now that how I ended up here. I recently just replaced the gravel mix with just eco-complete, so thats why some of the plants are melting and such. I thinking of adding some cories and a showcase fish (not sure what though). May take fish out and put some in, not sure right now.


Enjoy

[Lutra]

Ah. Now I have a better idea of the tank, thanks. Steve. My only contribution is aesthetic -- I like the foreground rocks better off to one side or the other. If it were me doing it, I'd probably put the rocks on the side where the plants were lower-growing, to balance the "weight" of the composition. Your plants look like they've been growing very well for you; I'm envious!

[Lutra]

Having said that, bear in mind that just because I happen to like arrangements of that style doesn't mean they're better, or "right," or anything like that. You should arrange everything in the way that you like best, since you're the one looking at it all the time! It's a beautiful tank no matter what, something you can be proud of.

[LetThereBeFish]

MINI UPDATE! It's not much, but I did a little rearranging here and there. More suggestions and ideas are welcomed.



Pic of my bristlenose pleco ....and nerite eggs

[frenchymasters]

i would suggest getting the rainbows out of the tank if you already havent. they need atleast a 48 in tank to swim in....if you wanted to stk with rainbows i would go with some of the blue eyed rainbows which are smaller. nice tank thought

[LetThereBeFish]

Originally Posted by frenchymasters

i would suggest getting the rainbows out of the tank if you already havent. they need atleast a 48 in tank to swim in....if you wanted to stk with rainbows i would go with some of the blue eyed rainbows which are smaller. nice tank thought

Oh don't worry. The rainbows have been gone for a while.

[matty26]

I really like your 9-10 scape!

[Lutra]

Hi again, Steve. That's a cute little pleco, I like him/her. I see you've played with the rocks -- I feel guilty! (Power corrupts....) It looks good, though. I rearrange things all the time myself, I get bored otherwise. Plus there's that overwhelming urge to get it just a little better.

There's a plant in the back, 3/4 of the way to the right that I keep wondering about: straight up growth, strong alternate leaf pattern. What is that? I really like it.

BTW: Have you seen there's a really good DIY section here, with some ingenious ideas on how to do a lot with very little money? Money's a problem for a lot of us these days, if you're interested in going higher tech you might want to check it out.

[LetThereBeFish]

*UPDATE*
The scape wasn't looking so good in my view, so I rearranged most of the plants. Now I have more room in the left side for the future. All the specs are the same, except I now have some fissidens fontanus growing on the driftwood. Enjoy!











Im also planning on buying some driftwood and maybe some rocks soon from www.driftwoodstore.com.

This is what I had in mind.

[LetThereBeFish]

Originally Posted by Lutra

There's a plant in the back, 3/4 of the way to the right that I keep wondering about: straight up growth, strong alternate leaf pattern. What is that? I really like it.

Thats Bacopa. Really easy plant to grow in my opinion.

[Lutra]

I like the rocks and driftwood you're thinking about. It will be interesting to see how you work them into your aquascape.

[thefisherman]

hey steve i'm totally impressed by your setup. keep me posted dude!





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