29 gal. journal...

[brion0]

This is first pic I took of my tank on 10/16/08
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This is from 12/30/08.

Started this tank with some fish an plastic plants around 6 months ago. To bad I didnt take some pics then. Here are some specs on it.

Lighting: 2' shop light made to hold 3 t8 bulbs. In diy fixture, 2 wpg. 2 zoo medic 5200 k, 1 life glow 6700 k. Sits on glass hood.

Eqiupment: Hob 30-60 Aqua Tec. In tank heater. Made a baffle to reduce surface disturbance.

CO2: Diy 2 32 OZ. juice bottles,put into filter intake with a ceramic air stone.

Substrate: flourite and gravel.

Ferts: Excel 2.5 ml every day, flourish 2.5 ml , flourish nitogen 2 ml every 3rd day.

Plants: Plants are, Java fern, Hygrophila difformis, Hygrophila Corymbosa var Compact , Hygrophyla corymbosa var. salicifolia, Ludwigia repens, Rotala rotundifolia, Bacopa Caroliniana, Bacopa monnieri, Hemianthus micranthemoides, Echinodorus tenellus, Vallisneria americana gigantea?, Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica', Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia, Nymphaea pubescens, Anubias barteri 'Nana'.

Fish: 8 von rio flame tetras, 4 leapord corys, 5 ottos, 1 bolivian ram,1.

The biggest problem it has now is brown algae, I think its from disturbing the substate, maby over stocked.

In the next few months I want to suspend the light with a new fixture. Enclose the stand. Add a diy canister filter, its built but needs a new pump, the one it has is loud. A co2 set up is in the plan also. Will be ordering ferts from Rex G. to start E.I. dosing.

I want to take the glowlights out, they look to much like the von rios, and live on the same level in the tank. Would 2 glass cats be okay in this tank? Does anyone have a idea on other top deweling fish that may work for me? The silver dollar will be going to a bigger tank sometime.

Also thinking of replacing the fern with a stem, something like ludwigia brevipes, any sugestions?I have a nymphaea lotus to add to the tank soon.

Any feedback would be great, I've been reading alot, all the info here has helped me out. If you have a question id be happy to try to answer any.

Brion

[fishboy87]

Certainly looks like it's great!!! Let it grow in a bit more and it'll look even better. . .seems like you've learned alot as you've previously described. Great job!

[brion0]

Originally Posted by fishboy87

Certainly looks like it's great!!! Let it grow in a bit more and it'll look even better. . .seems like you've learned alot as you've previously described. Great job!

Thanks fishboy87, yes, waiting for it to grow in. Some of the plants seem to take their sweet time, then the wisteria needs trimmed every couple weeks.

[brion0]

Here is a better pic, the lights had been off for an hour or so in the last.

[brion0]

I put a little bistlenose pleco in 3 weeks ago, took him out a couple days ago. Little bugger was so cute, but he skinned every leaf on my chain sword over 2". My water was getting a little clowdy, so I trimmed of all the dead leaves. I had put an onion bulb in the back of the tank, looked like it was going to grow. But in the last couple days it went south, smelt bad when I took it out. Did a water change, hope it clears up.

Have plans for a stand an light fixture turning in my head. Want to start bulding them next week.

[brion0]

I hooked up my diy canisyer today!!! The diy co2 is injected before the pump, you can see the mist in the tank. Check it out in the diy fourm.

Moved a few plants around to. Took the silver dollar out.

I think its looking a little better.

Got some water on the back ground, tried to wipe it up but couldent get to it.

[Outsane]

I have a 29gal too.. are you still using the Excel or just the DIY co2?

[brion0]

Originally Posted by Outsane

I have a 29gal too.. are you still using the Excel or just the DIY co2?

2.5 ml every 3 days, dont know if I realy need to though. Think it keeps algae at bay a little.

[brion0]

Heres a pic of my tank from today. Since I started misting diy self co2,Ive had some problems. The first night I left the co2 hooked up, checked on it around 3:00 am, an the fish were at the top of the tank. Closed the valve on the co2 line an took the cap of the bottle, didnt help much.Tried unhooking co2 hour before lights out, still not enough o2. Finaly I have the valve adjusted so when its unhooked air will enter the tank this seems to be working. A couple good thing, only running one 64 oz juice bottle to get more co2 in the tank than two did before. The plants are doing good. An even though the fish were stressed for a couple nights, didnt lose any.

Realised that hygropilia compacta is a midground plant. So Ill switch places with the rotalla when it gets going good. Going to let the plants grow out till they really need timmed back. Im not to happy with the arangment of some of the plants. I feel some need replaced, others moved. Id like to hear any sugestions you may have. I want to keep my paws out of it for awhile, but in a month or so Id like to change things around, an hopefully get it to where im a little more happy with the look of the tank.

Thanks for checking this out,

[brion0]

Moved the tank to a new stand today. heres some pics.



The wisteria was getting out of hand. Got a new Hygro of some sort, its floating top left.



Moved the plants around, wacked up the wisteria, an now the tank looks pretty bad. Im happeir with this arangment, when things grow in, it sould be better than it was.

[Neoman]

I really like that new stand/canopy!

[brion0]

New pic, things may fill in someday.

[danakin]

That's a great stand and hood!

I like the scape from 1-15 personally. I think a good piece of driftwood from the left arcing over the tank might add a lot to it.

[brion0]

Thanks danakin, I made the stand, heres a link to it in the diy thread. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/di...-hood-got.html

Yes, the scape did look better before I destroyed it. What you see in the last pic is a result of me being fairly new to this hobby. As my plants started to grow I realised that they werent conforming to the vision in my head. I didnt know what they were, or how they grow. Now that I know more about them, I can move them to positions in the tank they are more suited for. Also the pic shows how im trimming some of the plants back, to get them to branch, an fillin thicker

As far as adding some driftwood, it doesnt fit in my vision right now. But thank you for the suggestion. Im inspired by dutch style scapes. Though this tank could never be considerd true dutch. I still like how they are full of texture, color, an well manicured plants. A true dutch has a long list of set rules. The one that one that puts this tank out of the running is they are 65gal +, an I dont like the street up the center look. But thats not going to stop me from copying the style.

I will be adding to it though. Made an order of plants. Blyxia japonica, for the front left. Heteranthera Stargrass, to replace the java fern. Didiplis diandra, for the back right corner. Removed the anubius nana, an bannana plant, added a realy cool crypt. Its got kind of a pinkish colored leaf, an should fill the hole in the center.

Sorry I missed your post,
_______________

Other things that have changed on this tank are, added a power head to give it more surface movement. So Im going to try to hook up the other 64oz bottle to the Co2 system, see if I can run two again. Orderd dry ferts, an Im going to set up the poor mans dosing. From Wasserpests sticky inthe fert section.

[brion0]

Originally Posted by Neoman

I really like that new stand/canopy!

Thanks Neoman, My wife likes it also, an thats what realy matters.