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75g and 46g rescape.

11K views 63 replies 10 participants last post by  Immortal1 
#1 · (Edited)
So I started out with these as dirted tanks and they thrived, but eventually the dirt began to smell. This was them with dirt


Then I redid the 75g, but it never amounted to much. This was it before I did the rescape.

So Sunday when we got back from TN with 2 very nice pieces of Driftwood I collected I decided to give them some attention. The pieces both float so they are weighted down with rocks which will eventually be removed.

The 75g
Plants
Anubias Barteri
Anubias Nana petit
Ludwigia
Crypt Wendti
Some Monte Carlo
Lots of Java Fern

Fish
3 Bosemani
3 Turqoiuse Rainbow
3 Praecox Rainbow
3 Australian Rainbows
1 Synodontis cat
1 Clown Pleco
1 Pictus Cat
1 Upside Down Cat
7 Serpae
5 Black skirt Tetra
4 Von Rio tetra
2 Bolivian Rams
 
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4
#2 ·
Both tanks get Glut and DIY CO2. I just added root tabs and started dosing the water column. This is the 46g. It really needs to grow in, but it's in desperate need of a new light fixture that I hope to buy next week.

Plants
Anubias Barteri
HC Japan
Val's
Java Fern
Bolbitis
Dwarf Sag

Fish
1 Dantum Angel
6 Rosy Barb
5 Oto's
5 Cory cats
1 Lyretail Molly
1 albino BN pleco
3 Amano shrimp
 
#3 ·
I've got a couple spots where I'd like to add some Crypt Parva and some Blyxa.
I'd like the Parva in the front of both tanks. I'd like some Blyxa on the left side of the 75g as well as in the center in front of the big driftwood log.
I'd also like it along the left front of the 46g. Anyone have any suggestions?
 
#6 ·
I started up my 20g today. Spent the day making a CFL fixture for it. It turned out pretty well. It's not going to win any beauty contests, but for less than $20 it's putting out 59w of CFL lighting.
I'm looking for some Blyxa to add to all of the tanks.
 
#7 ·
Not a ton to report. The 20g is running. I trimmed the rotala and Ludwigia in the 75g and moved it to the center. Added a Sword in its place. Also added some. Downoi to the 46g and the 20g. It's emmer see growth so it will have to transition. I've got a bunch of plants coming and more root tabs.
I've got
Blyxa Japonica
Red Rubin Swords
Echinodorus
Some Aponogetons
And a couple others. I figure about a month to see some nice changes. In the meantime, this is the 20g as it stands
 
#8 ·
I removed the rotala and ludwigia from the right side of the 75 gallon and trimmed the stems and then replanted them in the middle. The right side I added an Amazon Sword that will fill in the area nicely I hope.

I also added some Rotala and Ludwigia to the right rear of the 46 gallon. I also added an Amazon Compacta in the center and some Downoi in the front.

Both still need a good amount of time to grow in
 
#10 ·
The 75 gallon is doing well. I've got a Powerhead coming to help disperse Co2 which should make a huge difference. The Monte Carlo is popping up regularly and the stem are growing quickly. The Amazon sword in the right rear is slow, but getting bushy. I'd like some bushy for the front center in front if the Anubia Barteri plants. Maybe Alt Reineckii??


Bump: The 46g is also progressing well. Stem growth is good and the Val's are shooting out runners everywhere. I've got some Downoi doing will in the left front and I'm trying to get a loose ground cover of Hydro Japan around the base of the Anubias Barteri. I also added the Amazon Compactus in the center.
Comments questions and criticisms are always welcome.
 
#11 ·
This iPhone doesn't take very good pics. They always turn out yellow or washed out. Regardless the tanks have been progressing nicely. Added some star grass to the center of the 75 gallon in front of the Anubias as a foreground. It looks nice. The Amazon Sword in the rear right corner (that you can't see) is growing well and once it fills in should totally change the look of the tank. The Monte Carlo is starting to sprout up too. I'm hooking up an AC50 Powerhead to disperse the CO2 today so that will make a big difference.

The 46 gallon is doing well also. I'm not sure what else I want to add in there to fill it up, but the Downoi in front is really taking off. The fish are also loving it as the Cory's and Rosy Barbs are breeding like crazy.

Lastly the 20 gallon is also doing well and the Downoi is doing well in there.
 
#13 ·
So I added a Aqua Clear 50 Powerhead to the 75 gallon and have 3 two liter bottles of DIY CO2 pumping through it.
I also ordered a Ray 2 for my 46 gallon as well as another AC70 filter.
I removed the Anubias on the left side of the 75g and planted Stargrass. I'm going to pick up some Alt Reineckii when I get some time. Also the Downoi in the 46 gallon is doing very well.
Lastly I'm thinking Emperor Tetras and Dwarf Cories for the 20g. Pics to follow.
 
#16 ·
...to the 75 gallon and have 3 two liter bottles of DIY CO2 pumping through it.
You changing out one a week or what? I had three 2Ls for a while on my 75, staggered a week apart. Recently switched to running four 3Ls, paired up, changing two every week. It's made a big difference with very little added work. Always curious how other people are are doing it.
 
#14 · (Edited)

Recent Pic of the 20 gallon. It's thriving. I've got 12 Glowlight Tetras. 5 Neons (only lost 1), 3 False Julii Cory's, and one Salt and Pepper Cory. I've got maybe 20 Red Cherry Shrimp in there.
Plants
Stargrass
Anubias Bartari
Alternanthera Reineckii
Anubias Azfelli
Amazon Compacta
Hydrocotyle Japan carpet
Crypt Wendtii
Rotala
Java Fern
Also running 2 Penguin 200's.
 
#15 · (Edited)

The 46 gallon is also doing well. I've got the Dantum Angel, Lyretail Molly
4 Bronze Cory's and one albino Cory. Also 5 oto's, 4 huge Amano Shrimp, albino BN Pleco, 5 Rosy Barbs and maybe 100 Red Cherry Shrimp
Plants are
Vals
Downoi on the left
Java Fern
Bolbitus
Amazon Compacta
Anubias Barteri
Hydrocotyle Japan carpet on right side
Rotala
 
#18 ·
Gotcha. You should get pretty good production and consistent rate with that routine.

Are you diffusing exclusively through a powerhead? Reason I ask because there is a mod you can do to greatly increase the chop. I did it on mine and the size of the mist bubbles went down by half and drop checker turned a couple shades lighter.
 
#19 ·
Ya all of it is through a single AC 50. The water looks like seltzer water. I'm thinking of adding a second Powerhead and doing two 2 liter bottles per. What is the mod? I just have the tubes with just a chopstick in each going into the powerhead
 
#20 ·
Yeah mine is through a Maxi-jet 1200. Ive been meaning to try a chopstick, just need to get around to finding one. I take a piece of regular cotton ball, wad it up into a little ball, and pack it tightly in the end of the line. It makes for some pretty fine bubbles before the p-head has to do it's thing.

The mod is to the propeller. Take it out, and use a pair of fingernail clippers to cut each blade, longways, right down the middle. Then spread them out, away from each other. So that looking down from the top it'll now look like a V shape.

There's a youtube vid somewhere that shows it being done. I think Hoppy posted it, but I cant seem to find it atm.

Here's a rough illustration (paint is not my forte, lol)




The idea is it greatly increases the chopping capability. You end up with twice as many, smaller blades. Like I said earlier it really made a big difference when I did mine. Before, sprite water effect could be seen from 6-8 feet away, now you have to get right up close to notice it. Also made my drop checker go lighter so I know it improved diffusion. There is no noticeable effect on the flow rate either, although I suspect it had to drop a little.
 
#21 ·
Tanks are doing really well. Still waiting on the Amazon Sword to fill in the right corner, but I'm pretty happy with the 75 gallon

The downoi in the 46 gallon is doing exceptionally well. I replanted some on the right in front of the Crypts.

And the 20 gallon


Bump: I completely rescaped the 11 gallon and removed all the Monte Carlo. I need something new. I need to get some Blyxa to get the 11 gallon to where I want it as well as the 46 gallon
 
#22 ·

most of my tanks are gone. Currently just the 75g is set up. I'm setting up the 11g this weekend as a fry tank, then once I get the Cory and Ram population I want it'll become a shrimp tank.
I'm removing the Anubias Nana from the top of the wood beach tonight and placing it lower in the scape where it belongs. It really grew like crazy right there getting 15ml of Metricide daily. Id.like.to cover half of the branches near the bottom with anubias Nana so it will be a while.
I'm going to be placing my trimming from here into an outside grow out tank in preparation for the 180 gallon later this year
Current Fauna
4 Bolivian Rams
1 German Blue Ram
6 Panda / Melini Corys
7 Congo Tetras
10 Or so guppies (going to remove)
20 RCS
50 Ramshorn snails
1 Assassin snail

I'm looking to add
6 Amano Shrimp
20 MTS
1 Male German Blue Ram
possibly a pair of EBR if I remove two Bolivian Rams
10- 12 melini / panda cory's
 
#23 ·
Changed up the scape a little and added a large chunk.of driftwood with a cave that is just perfect for a dwarf cichlid. It was immediately occupied by the largest Bolivian. I'm thinking of adding some Blyxa for the transition in the center as well as replacing the jungle Val with the corkscrew val. I also want some of the windolev (sp?) Java fern to add some contrast. Thoughts?
I'm also thinking about replacing my Catalina fixture with a Ray 2. I'm loving the LED look. In this pic.I have a 36" fugeray and a 24" fugeray on.
 
#24 ·

I'm not loving the new scape, but It opens up.more space for the Corys and there are more caves and line of sight breaks for the Rams. Once the Alt. Reinecki grow in I think It will be alot easier On the eyes. The Rams seem to be loving it.
 
#25 ·
Man, I hate to hear you don't have the 46 or 11 gal setup as planted tanks any more! They were GREAT!!!! I REALLY REALLY liked the previous scapes in all 3 tanks!!!! In the 46g I thought the Jungle Vals were just too heavy, for my tastes, and again in the 75g I still think they are a bit overpowering. So I think I would go with the Corkscrew Vals like you mentioned! Blyxa and the Windolev are both good ideas too. I really like the randomness of the driftwood as well! I is very natural looking! I am a hard core fishreman and I have seen many rivers and lakes when the water has been very low, so you get a good look at what the drift wood, stumps, and plants combine to look like along the banks. You have made your 75g look exactly like what I have seen many, many times! BRAVO!!!

Keep up the great work, and have fun raising you fry!
Drew
 
#26 ·
Wow thanks man. I really appreciate the push to the corkscrew vals. I've never had them, but I thought there size would be more in line with the rest of the tank. The fish seem to like the placement of the wood which is the most important thing to me. I spend 3 times as much time watching the tank as I do watching my new 60" Smart TV.
Again I really appreciate the recommendation on the plants
 
#27 ·
Also I will be setting up the 11 gallon again in the next couple of months. I have a somewhat local fish store that has tons of driftwood and a very nice selection of fish. I'm thinking of mixing in some needle leaf Java fern on the 75 to give some more interest to the scape.
I've got a good idea of what I want for the 11 gallon in terms of driftwood. It will be mostly Needle leaf java fern, little Blyxa, anubias Nana petit, and Anubias azfelli. There will be some moss on the branches of the wood.
 
#30 ·

moved some stuff around and I'm pretty pleased. There is some nice contrast and depth despite it really needing some time to fill in. What do you guys think? I'm still going to replace the Vals with corkscrew vals
 
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