[Ctenopoma acutirostre]

Day 0

Custom built by me acrylic 6.5 gallon measuring 18"x10"x10".
Ledstar aq s45 for 8 hours
Sunsun 603 canister
No name in line Co2 diffuser (same as Co2art)
Inkbird plus regulator on a 5lb bottle

Substrate is a 60/40 mix of Stratum and eco-complete planted
Thrive root caps
No water column ferts yet for this tank

Hemianthus callitrichoides Cuba TC
Pogostemon helferi Downoi TC
Alternanthera reineckii TC
Rotala (ammania) Bonsai TC
Ludwigia natans super red emersed grown (to be added)

 

[Ctenopoma acutirostre]

Day 1

Pic for continuity.

No changes or additions to water parameters.

Will update again after 1 week.

 

[Ctenopoma acutirostre]

1 week

Did a water change and added some Ludwigia natans super red. HC Cuba is filling in, AR is getting some growth, a few of the rotala bonsai have melted and the Pogostemon helferi Downoi is starting to show some new growth. Have not dosed any liquid ferts yet, still only has thrive root caps.

 

[Ctenopoma acutirostre]

Week 2

Ludwigia is getting nice and red, growing well. AR mini has started growing like crazy, I may thin it out a bit. Rotala bonsai and Pogostemon helferi Downoi are slowly coming around.

 

[Ctenopoma acutirostre]

Week 3

First trim on HC Cuba and topped the ludigia as they had started to lay over at the surface a bunch. Did a 50% wx and first cleaning of the canister. Added in some cycled ceramic bio media as well. Pleased with how its coming along!

 

[Ctenopoma acutirostre]

Week 4

No major changes. Still no liquid ferts. Things are looking good. I have ordered a surface skimmer intake to help with the protein film.

May do a little more trimming mid week.

 

[ElvishDuck]

Nice looking tank! I especially like that little nook at the base of the rock in front with the AR mini. Is this going to be a flora only tank or will you be adding any fauna?

 

[Ctenopoma acutirostre]

Thanks! It will get stocked. Neocaridina shrimp, potentially a bamboo shrimp and maybe a few endlers, but I'm unsure about what fish.

 

[Ctenopoma acutirostre]

Week 5

Trimmed the ludwigia again, may need to thin it out a bit as well. HC Cuba is growing like crazy and looking fantastic. Pogostemon helferi Downoi is finally starting to stand out in size against the HC Cuba, the Rotala is doing its thing, slowly but surely. Might not use TC cups of that in the future, starting with 1/2" tall stubs was annoying, to say the least. Had some melt with the AR Mini, but whats there is looking good and holding on.

Still no liquid ferts, will be checking that out in the coming weeks to see how stuff is going. Have a couple options available to me with differing nitrogen levels, so I can experiment a bit.

Really enjoying this tank though!

 

[Ctenopoma acutirostre]

Week 6

HC Cuba needed trimming, trimmed and thinned a bit of the ludwigia and a water change. Carpet is growing in nice and thick now, not pulling up nearly as easy. I can tell I'm going to have to scalp it down pretty far soon as its getting thick. I'll keep an eye on the under growth of it to watch for dying off.