350 gallon EI example and fish health

[BlueRam]

Tom:

Thank you very much for taking the time to photograph this tank. It is beautiful and it sounds like everyone is happy.

Could you please post details as to the lighting if not covered elsewhere?

[Mako]

I think I almost like this tank as much as the behemouth! I'm with your client, I like the tank to look somewhat like a jungle and to be stocked with many different species.

Excellent tank

[tpl*co]

No, I like the behemoth better . I keep staring at it's picture and just ordered some wild angels to put in my tank . Wish I could go up to it's scale, but I'll try and recreate it's feeling in my 130 gallon .

First thought here was that all those little fish look like rush hour traffic! But on the plus side it could look like a coral reef .

Tina

[frozenbarb]

wow that is awesome, i scrolled down and saw a beautiful tank without seeing the poster, all those vals make a dense forest

, well seeing that its tom, you tank looks AWesome man

[unirdna]

My count adds to $3000-5000 in fish (and that is probably conservative). That alone would have me staring! Nice post, Tom. I actually prefer the look of the tank from 2 years back.

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by frozenbarb

wow that is awesome, i scrolled down and saw a beautiful tank without seeing the poster, all those vals make a dense forest

, well seeing that its tom, you tank looks AWesome man

Those are Crypts, not vals. I had originally wanted C balansae but the C spiralis took over. I may swap them out at some point.

Lighting is 10-12 hours(depends on the client, we have manual override for a timer sequence), 8x55w 8800K, 4x 150 6500K MH's. PFO hood, 6" from the surface.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by unirdna

My count adds to $3000-5000 in fish (and that is probably conservative). That alone would have me staring! Nice post, Tom. I actually prefer the look of the tank from 2 years back.

I sort of do as well, I had it nice for awhile like a Dutch style, but they wanted more a jungle look and it does evolve as time passes.
I seldom keep things the same for long. I'm not happy with the rock work on the left 1/2 of the tank nor the layout there from a scaping perspective.

The tank's current presents issues also, there is 2000gph running through here. So I blast the water into the C spiralis beds in the back. Looks neat.

Yes, on the retail dollar, the fish cost is very high indeed, most of the tanks I have are that way, I was a fish person first and soon after a plant and fish person.

I typically supply the fish to clients at wholesale cost + 10% so they get a really good deal even if I am expensive in other areas. I also replace fish that are lost due to any thing to do with me or my maintenance.

See how many folks do that
Sort of a guarantee and putting your $ where your mouth is.
Same deal for my Reef customers.
This tank uses refugium and KNO3/trace dosing.



Mistakes would cost me a lot of $ personally.
It's not so much about the $, it's about the stability of the system and having things run smoothly.

Clients will wait a little while for things to grow in, that's a fun process for them. They will not tolerate on going issues and massive deaths, algae blooms etc.

EI is very pro active and good cleaning and upkeep makes things very stable for both fish and plants.

I like rare fish and always will. That keeps folks looking. Cards and Rummys are not rare, but most of the other fish are and it is rare to see them in a planted tanks and at such high densities/numbers.

Having access to wholesalers who are good helps, you need to be able to feed the fish well also, that's the hardest challenge for such larger tanks with many species.

It is a bit like a freeway, or more like watching a town from a mountain hillside.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[vollphann]

Hi, Tom. Sorry, if I came off too obnoxious. I really didn't mean to. I really learned alot from your point by point on my orig. post(THANKS!) Like I said, the tank is gorgeous;both fish and plants. I do wish I could see it in person. Tanks loose so much in the pictures many times. I know my tank does. I have the problem of loving rainbows and they don't translate well in my smaller 42g setup. I have learned though about what you said about changing things slowly and allowing both fish and plants to adjust. My tank seems overgrown at times too, but when I have a pair of emerald rainbows spawning almost every night at 9:30P I must be doing something ok. The only time I had a fish die off was when I introduced press. CO2 4mo ago. I still can't pinpoint the reason other than possibly the constant fluctuations in pH or possibly the addition of too many ferts. The tank finally settled in over the past 2 mo now and everything is stable. I got lucky though. I did have the typical bout of BBA(i think) but when I moved my SAE from my 20L into the 42g, he had it cleaned in about 5days. He's a hog like others have said, but I think my rainbows aggressive feeding habits tend to keep him from getting his fill and he still eats the algae. Again, sorry if I came off too strong. I do love the tank. I just have a weird eye sometimes Hope someday to have a 120g or bigger to play with. Thanks and God Bless. Ben

[plantbrain]

You had constructive comments, no need to apologize for those ever.
I get crotchety when folks are not constructive and just stop using their common sense. You'll note I've never been a judge in any scaping contest.
My approach is one of debate, not critique. I ask the person what they think about things. How might they feel if "this" was changed or done? "Would that reflect your goals better? worse?"

Rather than this way: "I do not like that rock there, it looks bad and makes the tank look small, out of balance, you need to work on the photography, the layout is boring etc.........."

I take risk in layouts and I break rules.
I ask others to consider doing so as well.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[esarkipato]

wow nice tank. I won't comment on the "aquascape"...only that it would be an immense pleasure to see a tank like this in action. I can just imagine the swaying of the crypts/plants and the slow schooling/shoaling motion of the tetras & hatchets. Very peaceful.

Tom, major kudos if you can shoot a 30 second video next week before maintenance I think that would convince people of the appropriateness of the customer's choice of fish.

[plantbrain]

Yes a video shoot is a more appropriate method.

Maybe later.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[plantbrain]

I redid the tank:





I replanted and removed all the black flourite and switched to good old cheap dolomite. I reduced the light from about 50-60 micromols at the bottom , to 30.

Easier to see the fish, nice sediment, happier client.

Tank is about 2 weeks old after the redo and complete tear down.
Tank is far from done, but should grow in a bit, I'll make some plant changes. Moss should take over the tree in the slightly off center spot. Sort of a leaf effect on a bonsai. On the left wall, there will be 1-2 EcoTech wavemakers to provide a high current experience for the fish and to clean the tank nicely. This means 3000-6000 Gallon/hr pulsed floweds down to about 800 gph.

Right now there is about 1000gph through the wet/dry filter, and separate loop for a large Ehiem 2250. And a 1500-2000gph wave continuous flow(this will be removed for the Ecotechs).
Added new white moon lights on a reverse light switch, so when the lights go off, the moon lights come on.

I have a few other changes in the next few weeks.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Church]

Wow, this is an awesome thread! And great tank, as usual, Tom. Pardon my ignorance, but can you explain the reverse light switch to me? (I've never heard of that before).

[Phil Edwards]

Tom,

That's awesome in all senses of the word. I very much like how you've packed the tank with fish. It's good to see a successful planted aquarium instead of another plant tank with a few fish.


~Phil

[hydrophyte]

That must be an awesome display. It would be great to get video for a better sense of scale.