First ever journal- takes a turn Updated 3/20/13(20G L)

[somewhatshocked]

I mentioned the stand issue on your hardscape thread and figure it's a good idea to move that concern to your journal.

Rather than buying a new stand, you should be able to easily beef that one up with some 2x4s. If you paint them, they'll be barely visible.

Looking forward to see how this tank evolves.

[dubs83]

Update: 11/28

I've since reinforced the book shelf with 2x4 and am currently working on a door. It'll be a simple 1/2" plywood with a fabric cover. Just looking for a "classy" pattern Most of the equipment showed up early last week (including lily pipes from Sethjohnson30, thanks bud!) and so I went ahead and planted it.

Before that, I modified my lighting a bit to allow for an extra bulb. 2x 20watt 5500k LED and 1x 23 watt 6500 CFL This is temporary as Finnex is supposed to release a 30" version of their RAY2. Anyway, purchased a 4' track along with live end feed so I can plug it right into the wall. Bought 3 basic track light fixtures for about $8 each and used the base to connect pendant cables to the track light.


Rinsed the tank, made sure the plumbing was leak free again. Found a small leak right at the return to tank fitting so I had to replace that. Anyway, a quick trip to Lowes, $10 and 45 minutes later, all was good with the world.
(Before the track lighting, but clean tank ready for scape)


Power Sand


Light layer of Amazonia w/driftwood


Final hard scape. The right side of the tank is quite sloped as i'd like to load that up with crypts and anubias in the shady areas and moss on the driftwood along with some anubia petite.







The stem plants already need some trimming. I'll be making that corner pretty bushy so back in they go! The last few photos were taken with my cell phone but I'll take a few higher quality photos once my camera battery is charged up.

Any feed back as to what I can/should move around or add? Thanks

I will be working on a home made co2 situation while I wait to find an affordable pressurized solution. Any good recipes out there?

-Paul

[GMYukonon24s]

This looks good so far. Do you plan to putting anything in the middle front?

[marioman72]

this is looking like a nice start, love the crypts in the corner. have u thought about do something in the foreground?

[dubs83]

I have but don't know what. I'd like to layer the back with green (cabomba type) and some red (perhaps some ludwigia) Any suggestions on the foreground? I'd like glosso but not sure my current lighting can sustain it.

[marioman72]

glosso would probly look best seeing as it stays so short, and u should def get some red into that left corner, rotalla corlatta maybe? could be a nice texture dif between the cabomba u want.

[dubs83]

The rotalla would be a great mix, I think. I was originally thinking this (Ludwigia peruensis) but I feel like the leaves would be a little to broad.

[dubs83]

Few more

[marioman72]

looks like u could use a trim haha, but yea the rotala would be easier to get a nice formed bush out of, could try some something that mounds around the base of the wood? could look nice like some thing along the line of blyxa j. or something.

[dubs83]

Haha! yea, i just trimmed. Realized halfway through I don't have a net to clean up some of the clippings!

[dubs83]

Ever finish something and 2 weeks later you figure out a better, SMARTER, way it could have been done? That's my current issue. My plumbing wasn't done in the smartest way and so tomorrow I will be redoing/reconfiguring some things. I think may have jumped into it a little quickly and didn't quite grasp the transition from low tech to somewhat moderately higher tech. Good news is the light or filtration will not be disturbed and it will give me the chance to change my fluvals impeller. Regardless, I will post details tomorrow.

Since my last post, I have trimmed the cabomba quite a bit and replanted the trimmings. Needless to say, they will need a trim again within the next 3 days. Crypts have been melting for the last few days but that is expected. The good news is they are starting to sprout some new leaves. Hydro kompact is melting a small bit but NOTHING like the crypt. It's actually released 4 or 5 news red leaves that are now turning a bright green. I have also added glosso which is beading up nicely and letting out stems withing 24 hours of planting.

I ordered a third bulb (5500k 24watt par38 led) to replace the CFL in the middle. This third one was slightly more then I wanted to spend but it has Cree LEDs and I'm already impressed with what these two 20watt free versions have done.

One quick question. Could someone explain these tests to me? I did 50% WC every day for the first 5 days and haven't done one since the 27th. I was going to do one today but Nitrate number kinda freaked me out. Could it be the plants are quickly consuming this stuff giving me the false sense that the aquarium is almost cycled?

11/25
PH:6.4 (this one i get)
Ammonia: 6.0 (still understand)
Nitrite: 5.0 (i assume its the aquasoil amazonia)
Nitrate: 80 (see above)

11/27
PH: 6.4
Ammonia: 2.0
Nitrite: 2.0
Nitrate: 5.0 (first day of no water change. do these make sense?)

12/01
PH: 6.2
Ammonia: 2.0
Nitrite: .5 (does this sound right?)
Nitrate: 5.0

12/02
PH: 6.0
Ammonia 1.0
Nitrite: .25
Nitrate: 0

Thanks for the help!

-Paul

[somewhatshocked]

This is looking great so far!

I really like tanks that have shadowy areas like this one. Can't wait to see where things go over the next several months.

[CAM6467]

The fact that your ammonia and nitrite levels have steadily fallen shows that your nitrifying bacteria colony is thriving. I've got no answer for your nitrate question honestly. Seeing that these results are over the course of about a week are promising. I would be inclined to say that your tank is cycling quite well.

On another note, I love the way your tank is coming along so far! Your plumbing job looks very well thought out. The hardscape is nice, too! I had a high-tech 20L, and I know how hard it is to work with such a long and short tank.

I'm looking forward to watching this tank develop with age. Best of luck!

[marioman72]

thos tests are about the same thing that im getting in my 10g that i started up recently, looks to me the tank is cycling as it should.

[dubs83]

Just figured a quick update. Lots of pearling! Love it!