Unirdna's 46g Bowfront - Terminated - 03/2004 - 03/2007

[Tonyd]

LOL, looks great! I really like your vals, hopefully mine will look as nice soon. Hmm, the only thing I think you are missing is a little Red Temple. :lol:

Tony

[rumples riot]

Looking very nice, you should be proud of this one.

BTW, it must be the Eheim that you have on your tank that is giving that superb water quality. Come join the Eheim pimp thread.

Paul

[Somarg]

How is tha inline heater working out for you? I've been considering it.

[unirdna]

Raul-7,
Yep it's H. micranthemoides (aka baby tears). The more I look at that stuff, the more I like it. It beams under my CF lights, and does not allow hair algae to grow on it like my hairgrass. It has filled in its own section and is expanding towards my hairgrass section. I think I'm just going to let it go and fill in my entire foreground. Whenever it shoots a stem towards the sky, I just gently push it into the thicket.

Somarg,
I've been happier with this inline heater than any other I've ever used. It keeps temps right on. I've tested the temp with a digital thermometer and it has only varied by .1 deg F. Also, you gotta appreciate removing a big chunk of glass/titanium from the tank. Only caveat is that it only accepts a 5/8" hose. Since I have an Eheim ECCO (1/2"), I had to make the adjustment.

To all readers,
I've recently gotten a PM re: the contraption I was using to fill the tank (first series of photos). I thought I would share my response, in case anyone else was interested.

"Hey _____,

I got the idea from Rex Grigg's webpage http://rexgrigg.com/aa.htm#hw. In the hardware section, you'll find this sentence, "Here is a picture of a little project I built...".

I pieced mine together at home depot (PVC dept). I used my little dremmel tool to do the cutting, but almost any saw would probably work just as well (if not better). I have a ball valve ($2) at the end of mine, to prevent the water from siponing back out while I run to the basement to get more RO water. There is a 1/2" hose barb just below the ball-valve allowing me to run tubing from the pvc thingy to a pump. I use a maxijet powerhead 1000 to pump the water, from the bucket, back into the tank. Without this little contraption, I would uproot and blow my plants all over. Additionally, I have designed the thing to accept multiple intake/output heads to fit all of my tanks. I just drill the holes to the level of water I want to remove. I then attach a 20 foot, 1/2" piece of vinyl tubing to the hose barb, and run the hose out the nearest window. My lawn loves it, and it cuts my 'bucket running' in 1/2."

Total cost was around $10.

Regards,
Ted"

Finally, thanks for the compliments. I've heard many a horror story about 'first tanks', and I feel fortunate that mine hasn't had that chapter. Of course, without online resources like this one, I most certainly would have had such problems (and would never have been invited to join the 'Eheim Pimp Club" ).

[Fat Guy]

I like your tank very much. Letting the Hemianthus Mircanthemoides grow in big on the front right adds a very nice dimensinon to your tank.

BTW. H. Micranthemoides is NOT baby tears. It is Pearl Grass. Just thought you'd like to know. In any case, I don't think that you should let it overtake the foreground where the hairgrass is. I like the transition that there is between the two.

Looks so much better now that it looks more mulitdimensional. Great work. Very clean looking and refreshing. The nice part about those bow front tanks is that you have more room to manipulate in the foreground. You can put more into it with all the space.

[unirdna]

Thanks for the correction, FatGuy. I've just been repeating what my LFS called it ops:. Since when has a LFS ever been wrong ?

I'll consider your words re: not letting the pearlgrass take over the tank. I just wish my hairgrass would get on the horse :twisted: .

[///ACS330Ci]

Looks really, really good! Progressing nicely

[geodiscus]

great setup...How do you like your eccho? I was thinking about getting that one.

[corigan]

Flotsam & Jetsam, I love it! Nice Amano's they look really healthy, I wish I could find some that size, I wouldn't have to worry about them getting eaten like my last few. If you don't mind me asking did you get those locally or somewhere online?

Matt

[unirdna]

A few exciting improvements I'd like to share.

1. My hairgrass is shaking off the remaining cells of the staghorn algae minion that attacked my tank two weeks ago. New growth is sprouting, and I like it!

2. My javafern, which has been draggin its heals since I set up the tank, has finally decided to join the party. New leaves are uncurling, and the rhizome is traveling south.

3. Hardware improvement. I was frustrated with the air that would accumulate in my CO2 reactor, so I installed a gas-release valve from some of the parts in my 'black hole' aquarium box. What makes this DIY unique is that I install it 'on the fly'. Very exciting :twisted: .

[unirdna]

Also,

It's now been 4 weeks since plants hit the water. I've attached a couple photos to put things in perspective. Never expected this level of success. Very rewarding, indeed. I'm now setting my attention on renovating my other two tanks (30g; 15g).

What an addiction!

[R2thaSAR]

what substrate are u using?

[unirdna]

Matt,

I get em locally. I'm lucky enough to have an LFS that actually specializes in planted tanks (and the usual inhabitants of such tanks). Amanos are always healthy and big (over 1 in). I usually pick out the two biggest in the tank, each time I visit.

R2,
Using 100% eco-complete. My LFS only had 3 bags, so I bought him out. I wanted 4 bags, but was too impatient to wait another 2-4 weeks for it to arrive though his shop. Three bags equals around 2.5 inches. Since I only have a couple rooting plants, I think I'll be o.k. for now.

[ninoboy]

Very-very nice and the plants look very healthy too. And no hair algae like mine :? .

[Sedghammer]

Verrry nice. What do you fertilize with and how much/often?