56k warning page 3 and after.
Current full shot of the tank in progress: (7/1/2014)
(warning #1: links to images contain large images stored on imgur. I'm not linking to them directly so you don't have to load them immediately. Just fair warning if you choose to click)
(warning #2: I am prone to long posts...I will try to include a TLDR when I can)
A little intro since this is my first post on this forum:
I have been in the aquarium hobby for a good chunk of my life. I got started with my dad and his tanks. They were always freshwater, and always used plastic plants. His tanks ranged from a little 10 gallon early on with mollies and guppies...to a 110 gallon with Discus and Veiled fin Angels. Most of this was while I was in High School. When I went to college, my interest in the hobby died off, and really, so did his. 10 years passed (my 20's). I didn't resume it until recently. Over the course of the past few months I've been getting caught up on the hobby. I learned undergravel filters aren't nearly as popular anymore. I learned live plants are huge these days. I learned about aquascaping.
A coworker of mine got a tank for his desk...a little 6 Gallon rimless for a betta named Beta (we're software Devs, ya, a bit corny). My boss (who is actually leaving the company tomorrow) is also into aquariums and, most importantly, live plants. He is going to be assisting me with getting my live plants going. Everything around that little tank sparked my interest in getting going in the hobby again. I picked up a single tank, a 20 gallon high.
TLDR: Grew up helping my dad with his tanks but stopped with aquariums when I went to college and through my 20's. Recently got interested again due to an aquarium at work that a coworker established. My boss is heavily into live plants and is mentoring me a bit on it.
I setup the 20 gallon, learning the cycling process which I never really learned with my dad. Yeah I've lost fish in that learning process. After getting it setup just about how I wanted it, I became dissatisfied. I learned my dad still had his old 55 gallon aquarium with stand (wood, but not sure what kind), some gravel, glass top, and fluorescent light. He said I could have it all for $75, so I jumped at the chance.
I set that tank up as well. I had some big plans for it, but my interest has been waning...I've been dissatisfied with the state of my tanks. I want something more.
I want to do live plants. I also want to do saltwater at some point...but that's for later and another forum.
So this thread is dedicated to my transition to live plants. This is the state of my current tanks:
The 20 Gallon High
http://imgur.com/o7duiDK
The 55 Gallon
http://imgur.com/8RzNLPF
The 20 gallon will be the home of my first live plants. I'm using it as a testbed to figure things out, maybe even try some aquascaping. My ultimate plan is to get a tank to replace the 20 gallon where it is currently at (it will be moving once I take it down to do the plants. I'm looking at a GLA 48.2G tank (http://greenleafaquariums.com/products/gla-high-clarity-aquarium-90cm-90-x-45-x-45cm-48-2gal.html) for when I get the bugs worked out with my 20 gallon setup.
The 20 gallon will be a quarantine/hospital tank for my bigger tanks. So it's getting moved into my office (mostly unused office) once the fish get moved to the 55 gallon. I'm going to strip it down completely and start over from scratch. I will be starting to move the fish tonight.
I was going to go straight for the 48 gallon first, but I reconsidered as I was sitting here at lunch. Since this is entirely new to me...I know there are bound to be problems I run into even if I do all the research in the world. I want the 48 gallon to be my showpiece, so I want to do it right on that tank first.
TLDR: I have a 20 gallon high and a 55 gallon. The 20 gallon will house my first live plants and become a quarantine/hospital tank and a testbed for live plants and aquascaping. I have bigger plans for a 48 gallon tank that will eventually be my showpiece.
Latest Pics always available in my Full Album: http://imgur.com/a/KfreY
Current full shot of the tank in progress: (7/1/2014)

(warning #1: links to images contain large images stored on imgur. I'm not linking to them directly so you don't have to load them immediately. Just fair warning if you choose to click)
(warning #2: I am prone to long posts...I will try to include a TLDR when I can)
A little intro since this is my first post on this forum:
I have been in the aquarium hobby for a good chunk of my life. I got started with my dad and his tanks. They were always freshwater, and always used plastic plants. His tanks ranged from a little 10 gallon early on with mollies and guppies...to a 110 gallon with Discus and Veiled fin Angels. Most of this was while I was in High School. When I went to college, my interest in the hobby died off, and really, so did his. 10 years passed (my 20's). I didn't resume it until recently. Over the course of the past few months I've been getting caught up on the hobby. I learned undergravel filters aren't nearly as popular anymore. I learned live plants are huge these days. I learned about aquascaping.
A coworker of mine got a tank for his desk...a little 6 Gallon rimless for a betta named Beta (we're software Devs, ya, a bit corny). My boss (who is actually leaving the company tomorrow) is also into aquariums and, most importantly, live plants. He is going to be assisting me with getting my live plants going. Everything around that little tank sparked my interest in getting going in the hobby again. I picked up a single tank, a 20 gallon high.
TLDR: Grew up helping my dad with his tanks but stopped with aquariums when I went to college and through my 20's. Recently got interested again due to an aquarium at work that a coworker established. My boss is heavily into live plants and is mentoring me a bit on it.
I setup the 20 gallon, learning the cycling process which I never really learned with my dad. Yeah I've lost fish in that learning process. After getting it setup just about how I wanted it, I became dissatisfied. I learned my dad still had his old 55 gallon aquarium with stand (wood, but not sure what kind), some gravel, glass top, and fluorescent light. He said I could have it all for $75, so I jumped at the chance.
I set that tank up as well. I had some big plans for it, but my interest has been waning...I've been dissatisfied with the state of my tanks. I want something more.
I want to do live plants. I also want to do saltwater at some point...but that's for later and another forum.
So this thread is dedicated to my transition to live plants. This is the state of my current tanks:
The 20 Gallon High
http://imgur.com/o7duiDK
The 55 Gallon
http://imgur.com/8RzNLPF
The 20 gallon will be the home of my first live plants. I'm using it as a testbed to figure things out, maybe even try some aquascaping. My ultimate plan is to get a tank to replace the 20 gallon where it is currently at (it will be moving once I take it down to do the plants. I'm looking at a GLA 48.2G tank (http://greenleafaquariums.com/products/gla-high-clarity-aquarium-90cm-90-x-45-x-45cm-48-2gal.html) for when I get the bugs worked out with my 20 gallon setup.
The 20 gallon will be a quarantine/hospital tank for my bigger tanks. So it's getting moved into my office (mostly unused office) once the fish get moved to the 55 gallon. I'm going to strip it down completely and start over from scratch. I will be starting to move the fish tonight.
I was going to go straight for the 48 gallon first, but I reconsidered as I was sitting here at lunch. Since this is entirely new to me...I know there are bound to be problems I run into even if I do all the research in the world. I want the 48 gallon to be my showpiece, so I want to do it right on that tank first.
TLDR: I have a 20 gallon high and a 55 gallon. The 20 gallon will house my first live plants and become a quarantine/hospital tank and a testbed for live plants and aquascaping. I have bigger plans for a 48 gallon tank that will eventually be my showpiece.
Latest Pics always available in my Full Album: http://imgur.com/a/KfreY