[Ben!]

Decided to finally make a journal for my tank. It's been running for almost a year but I have never had fish in it just shrimp. Hopefully the shrimp will be moving out soon as I have 15 ember tetras in quarantine right now.
Specs:
Aquaclear 50
Hagen elite mini for flow
Hydor theo 150 watt heater
Zoomed 30 inch dual t5
Substrate is mineralized topsoil capped with eco complete
Plants include narrow leaf java fern, trident java fern, rotala, star grass, ludwigia repens x arcuata, various crypts, Anubis nana petite and hydro sib
Ferts are flourish micros and excel once a week
My stocking plans for this tank are a school of ember tetras, some dwarf Cory's and a pair of German blue rams.
Thanks for looking!
Sorry about the cell phone pics and dirty glass

 

[burr740]

Lush, I like it

 

[H2Ogal]

I like how peaceful it looks. Funny ... I looked at the pictures before I read your stocking plan and thought that ember tetras would look great in there. Great minds think alike.

 

[lauraleellbp]

Looks fantastic!

 

[Ben!]

I just removed all if the hydro sib from the left corner. It was taking over that corner and choking out the crypts behind it. I think it looks better now with that corner open but I think I want to get another crypt nurii for that spot

 

[Ben!]

Also I'm thinking about ripping out all the dwarf sag because it's getting to talk and just looks messy. I want to have a more open foreground with a few low growing crypts like parva to fill in the foreground instead.

 

[Ben!]

Did a trim today and added another price if wood to desperate the dwarf sag from the rest of the foreground. The ember tetras are done with quarantine so I plan on adding them in a few days. Surprisingly all survived quarantine but I think I am going to get more to add to the school or add another school of green neons. What do you guys think?

 

[Ben!]

I added the tetras and 4 Pygmy Corys about a week ago. Everybody looks healthy and has great color. I think I need about 10 more ember tetras and a school of Pygmy Corys before I add some GBRs. Other than that I did a trim about a week ago and plan on doing another tomorrow.

 

[AquaAurora]

Very lush tank, love the color of the tetra against all the green. I would definitely get at least 3 more pygmy cories if not a few more. What type of crypt is that driftwood?

 

[AGUILAR3]

Like aurora mentioned, Ember tetras look good against all that green. Cardinals would be a nice addition of color to your tank. Do you plan on letting the back left plants grow out enough to hide your heater?

 

[Ben!]

Very lush tank, love the color of the tetra against all the green. I would definitely get at least 3 more pygmy cories if not a few more. What type of crypt is that driftwood?

The crypt at the base of the driftwood is a crypt nurri. It's doing surprisingly well in this low tech tank but it hasn't produced any runners yet.

 

[Ben!]

Like aurora mentioned, Ember tetras look good against all that green. Cardinals would be a nice addition of color to your tank. Do you plan on letting the back left plants grow out enough to hide your heater?

Eventually I think the java fern will grow a little higher on the driftwood to cover it and I have a couple of what I think are corkscrew Val's back there that should grow taller.

 

[Ben!]

Been awhile since I have updated this thread. Tank is doing great and has very little maintenance. All fish are still doing well and plants are growing slowly. Still need to add a few more tetras and get my pair of rams but for now the tank looks great. Finally got a DSLR so enjoy some nicer pics!

 

[fishboy199413]

Love the tank! Like you said before Green Neons would be a great addition. You wont't regret it. Mine school tightly and imo are better looking than regular neons. Keep posting pictures!

 

[Ben!]

Added some of the hydrocotole that was in the tank to the Hob filter when I ripped it out of the tank a while back. It has adapted quickly to being emmersed and is starting to take off. Sooty for the iphone pics but this is a quick update and I didn't have time to break out the dslr.

 

[cowmilkcandy]

how do you get your intake tube to be so long? did you just connect both of the tubes together?

 

[Ben!]

how do you get your intake tube to be so long? did you just connect both of the tubes together?

Yep, just add the extension and you're good

 

[cowmilkcandy]

Yep, just add the extension and you're good

thank you. beautiful tank. i love low tech tanks like yours. low maintenace yet very lush.

 

[Sajeev]

what drift wood is that?

 

[Ben!]

what drift wood is that?

Manzanita