First attempt with my 125

3769 Views 29 Replies 15 Participants Last post by sadchevy, Oct 19, 2013

shadetreeme

Discussion Starter · Jan 16, 2011 (Edited)

I got a 125 gal from craigslist cheap!!!! It was an algea mess. I was able to clean some of the rocks, but most of the stuff I had to pitch.......

I set it up with what I had left....

I was not happy with the way it was starting. I let the tank run like this untill it was cycled, then started making changes. First I changed the gravel, even though I tried real hard to get it clean..... it still had some green on it.
I let it go for a while again, then started with decorations and plants.
I spent the day on it today and this is where I am now:

I am going to leave it alone for a while, and .... you know .... reflect.

Thanks for looking. Any and all comments and or suggestions are welcome I still pretty new at this and welcome the input!!!

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FDNY911

· #2 · Jan 16, 2011

WOW! What a huge difference. It's looking good. Are you going to remove the background once it fills in with real plants? lol Jk. What sort of filtration are you using?

shadetreeme

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 16, 2011

Thanks !!! I am planning on getting a plain black background.... I like the way they look.
I have a couple of things goin in in the filtration dept.... LOL. I have an Eheim pro II 2028 Canister as well as an aquaclear 70 hob, plust I never took out the UGF.... just reversed it. I hope that I can get my plants going and ditch the HOB, but right now... with me messing in there all the time plus the fact that my Stump my not be done leaching tannin, I like the extra filtration to get the water clear fast.
I am looking into the world of CO2. I have LOTS of light and I think with a nice CO2 system the plants will do well. I am a little nervouse about setting up CO2 in a tank this big. I guess I should introduce it in 2 places since the tank is sooo long.

shadetreeme

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 21, 2011

Craigslist strikes again !!!!!! I just picked up a 20# co2 tank for $25!!!! I am a happy camper, now I can use the halides in that light fixture (also from Craigslist).
Sooooo tonight I setup the co2 and added more shells to the tank, as well as a media bag of shells in the canister to try to buffer the Ph with the addition of the co2.
I am not sure how much co2 to add, but this evening I was running at about 4 bps and the little co2 gauge thingy is still blue.... I am not sure how long it takes to get enough co2 in the water to change the color. I did shut it down for the night since I am a little paranoid that I will wake to dead fish.
I will keep playin with it and see how it goes, and will try to figure out how much light to give it. Right now I have the T5 on dawn till dusk and the Halides on 10 -4. I guess time will tell.

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shadetreeme

Discussion Starter · #5 · Feb 1, 2011

Ok I have been messin with the setup a little.
I have everything setup on x-10 controllers.
Flouresents and co2 come on dawn till dusk.
Halides are on 11am to 3pm.
My blue LEDs and air pump are on dusk till dawn.
Oh and I like playin with the remote

Sooo this is where I am now....

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WeedCali

· #6 · Feb 1, 2011

whoa nice transformation!

Aquahollics

· #7 · Feb 2, 2011

WeedCali said:
whoa nice transformation!

My thoughts exactly... I always enjoy a nice project tank, nice work!

shadetreeme

Discussion Starter · #8 · Feb 2, 2011

I am Finally going to change the background. My other tank is black... but the plain blue might be OK...... What do you think???

gBOYsc2

· #9 · Feb 2, 2011

The tank has come a long way. It's lookin pretty nice now. If you could get another piece of wood for the left side and piled some rocks around the base I think it would go a long ways.

night9eyes

· #10 · Feb 2, 2011

Looking amazing! I think you have some really nice balance going on here. LOVE the pile of rocks. . might have to do something similar when I set up my 55. Very peaceful and tranquil looking. Honestly, I don't think I'd mess with it too much from here, just let it do it's thing and grow

shadetreeme

Discussion Starter · #11 · Feb 2, 2011

Thanks all... I do have a couple of small pieces of driftwood that I am waterloging for my 55..... maybe one of those could find its way to the bottom of the rock pile

shadetreeme

Discussion Starter · #12 · Feb 11, 2011

Ok .... I know this is suppose to be about aquascaping, and I am just throwin stuff at my tank to see what sticks, but I thought I would update this anyway. I got an AWSOME package from Plamski today.
I have put everything in the tank tonight and took a few pics. Now I need to wait and see what does well and what doesn't.

I will try to place things better after I know what is staying. :icon_wink

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Hadouken441

· #13 · Feb 11, 2011

That stump is awesome. Everything looks great

JimmyYahoo

· #14 · Feb 11, 2011

Sweet. Tank like that CRIES for a big school of something er other. Just me 2 pence.

Blue cab needs to go. Austere white walls and grey carpet with that blue piece of bulk looks rather silly. Flat or eggshell black or dark gray, that furniture would look nice.

takadi

· #15 · Feb 11, 2011

I am jealous of your stump....

And yes, only a comment like that would appear on this forum

shadetreeme

Discussion Starter · #16 · Feb 11, 2011

Jimmy
I have a 55 gal full of fish that are going to move in soon. This tank is in what is soon to be my office. I have been trying to wait untill I am ready to move my stuff in to fill it, because that will leave the 55 beside my desk pretty empty.

I agree on the blue.... notice that in all the new pics I post you don't see it. :icon_wink I am thinking black.

Takadi
:hihi: LOL That stump was the deal of the century.... I had been looking for a large piece of wood for that side of the tank. I was at my LFS and saw this in the reptile section. I was nervous about getting it for my tank so I called the company A&E Java Wood. Turns out the stump is a coffee tree and they put them in a pond with carp to strip the bark, then they dry them. They told me to soak it and change the water to release the tannins and to watch my ph, because it can lower it a bit.
Anyway..... the best part..... I went to pay for it, and it was $12.99!!!!
After I paid.... the cashier said something to the manager. It seems that was a new line for them and they had priced it wrong.

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tlawrenson

· #17 · Feb 11, 2011

What a transformation from the first photo! Amazing job Shadetree!

plamski

· #18 · Feb 11, 2011

Great transformation, pleasure to watch the tank. I'm thinking for new 120Gal too.:hihi:

takadi

· #19 · Feb 11, 2011

12.99???? I'm surprised they didn't arrest you for that steal. I've seen some pieces that size going for 200 bucks. I am relatively poor (college student), so most of my "driftwood" was scavenged from my local creek. Now I am super jealous.

Also, excellent job on the transformation. Reminds me of those "makeover" shows

shadetreeme

Discussion Starter · #20 · Feb 11, 2011

I can relate to the cash flow thing.... that is why I am such a Craigslist fan. The funny thing about that stump is, when I first got it in the tank I didn't realy like it because the left side had a big root that just stuck out and stopped. I took a "branch" from another tank and put that in, and I think that made all the difference. Here is what it looked like before:

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