[Reaper Keeper]

Hello all.
This is my first post here so let me give you a little info about myself. I have been an aquarium lover for a lot of years, I have only done fresh water, I have mostly done community tanks, I have only just recently don a planted tank, a 60 gal and it’s doing great thanks to all the information I have learned from here.
I got a killer deal on a 125 with stand and filters and want to make a really nice set up, but I am on a budget too. I am just about ready to add water to the tank, I just need to make the canopy and put the light’s in it, I should have that done in a week or two.

I am going to have Discus, Rummy Nose Tetras and Galaxy Rasbora.
I am using CaribSea ECO complete black sand mixed with some small black aquarium gravel for my substrate.
I am going to do ODNO driven at 4X on two T8 bulbs and two T12 grow bulbs, all will be 48 inch and they will be staggered inside a custom built hood/canopy 8 inches tall. Total distance to the bottom of the tank will be right at 26 inches, so if I have done my research correctly I will have 304 Watts @ 26” depth I will only be able to support Low to Moderate light plants.
I will have a CO2 system
The three wood pieces will be in the positions shown in the picture.
I am asking all of you for your inputs as to which plants to use and where in the tank to put them. I have been reading a lot and have some ideas, but would like some of yours also.
Thanks in advance for you time and inputs, all will be considered and I will post pictures as I progress.

Cheers :thumbsup:
Bob.

 

[Church]

I think you are correct in that with those lights, this will only be a low-medium light tank. And that's perfectly fine! I especially like that you are still going to be using CO2, because many people choose not to do that when they are going to be using lower lighting.

The most common low-light plants that people incorporate into beautiful scapes are the anubias spp., the cryptocoryne spp., and the aquatic mosses and ferns. And on a tank that big you could totally use dwarf sagitarria to carpet with, and it would still maintain scale for you. You could also grow some pretty stem plants like Rotala rotundifolia, various Hygros, and more.

Good luck to you!

 

[yikesjason]

You might have a hard time keeping the galaxy rasboras alive with those discus.

 

[Reaper Keeper]

Due to there size?......you might be right, I just noted how small they are ..... fish food for Discus...LOL....ok the Galaxy Rasbora are out.....maybe some Harlequin's then!

 

[DvanK]

Since you are on the budget i would look in to mineralized soil for substrate.

 

[Reaper Keeper]

Progress

Ok.
Its been a busy week, but I managed to get the tank up and running with some "borrowed plants from my 60 show. I have some plants comming from several memebers (Thanks to thoses who are helping out!!!) I SURE DO APPRECIATE THE HELP

 

[JennaH]

looks like a great start! i would recommend some more dramatic sloping, up towards the back, and maybe on one side. it's looking a little flat right now. but i love the wood pieces, they look nice and sturdy!

 

[Phil Edwards]

What sort of material is that on the back of the tank? Can you push pins or staples into it?

 

[Reaper Keeper]

Its a foil, black with silver....ummm.....streekes running through it. No push pins or such......sorry Phil.

 

[Reaper Keeper]

Im getting lots of tannins from that dark piece of wood on the right, its such a cool piece though, its a hollow log/stump. It has so many cool hiding places for my chery shrimp. Yea Jenna, these pieces of are HUGE, each one weighed in at over 20 lbs! Due to all the tannins in the water right now I cant get a good shot from the side of the tank :-( but I will consider your input for a more dramatic slope.

 

[Church]

Some activated charcoal in your filter will take care of those tannins.

 

[Reaper Keeper]

Church, you are correct. It is only affecting the qality of my pictures though, and I am actually digging the look, so fro now.....no charcoal.

 

[Church]

No arguments there... I've always dug the "blackwater" look.

 

[Reaper Keeper]

OK.
I spent alot of time today re-doing the tank. I added 20 Lbs of rock to the left end of the tank, pulled about another 30 lbs from around the tank to the left side, so there is now an 8 inch rise on the left rear corner tapering down to the center of the tank and a 4 inch rise on the right end of the tank about half as big as the left end. It may not look like much of a change in the pictures, but to me it is a dramatic change. Thanks to JennaH for the suggestion.
Here it is

 

[JennaH]

i can definitely see the sloping when you compare the two pictures- gives it a bit of depth, great job

 

[Reaper Keeper]

update

Its been a while since I showed any pictures of my progress with this project. So without further delays.........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oodtfXV4Ab0

 

[PC1]

Took a quick peek, Looks very very nice! I hope my 150 looks good like that. Fantastic job!

 

[RipariumGuy]

That looks great! The only thing I would change/get rid of, is the airstones and those rocks. They seem sorta out a of place in my opinion.
Jake

 

[Reaper Keeper]

A new picture

Here it is as of today!