New Fluval Roma 125

[Gaina]

I set up my new aquarium this week (Fluval Roma LED 125) and placed a few plants from my old aquarium in there along with some hardscape just to get a sense of perspective whilst I decide what I'm going to do with it.

My aim is to create a loose Southeast Asian biotope in a 'jungle' style. I already have some Hengel's Rasbora, Amano Shrimp and Nerite snails, which my fish shop are kindly looking after while my aquarium cycles. I really like Rasbora so I'm thinking about a group of 10 Hengel's and 10 Green Neon (microdivario Kubatil). I'm also considering Kuhli loach for some interest lower down.

My choice of plants for this scape is as folllws:
Java Fern
Cryptocoryne wendtii (I already have a small amount)
Vallisneria (as above - I currently have 'Natans' but I'd like to add some 'Tiger')
Java Moss
Staurogyne repens for carpeting.

The dimensions of this aquarium are W80 x D35 x H50cm

I'll be using a 50/50 tap/RO mix which is currently giving me a pH of 6.6 and a Gh of 5. The temperature is 25.5C. I won't be using CO2.

My substrate is currently 4cm at the back and 2cm at the front, but I have an extra 5 litre bag should I wish to make it deeper. What are everyone's thoughts on substrate depth?

I would like to have the Java moss and Fern on a nice piece of driftwood (I'd probably go for a pre-prepared piece).

I may also change the Seiryu stone for some pebbles or a small boulder to keep the overall look soft. I do think the stone that's in there is too small and doesn't exploit the height I have in this aquarium

Any and all suggestions about what to plant, where to plant the it and how much I'll need gratefully received!

 

[Gaina]

I bit the bullet and bought a 'Jungle Style' collection for my size of tank, which should be here by Friday or Saturday. 😎

 

[alto]

Perhaps include a link to your plant purchase - I can't imagine what's included 😳

I'd add the additional substrate, swords & Cryptocoryne do like a nice deep substrate, even S repens likes to form substantial roots (you might read Tropica's article on this plant)

I agree on the rock, something more substantial, perhaps some wood as well ...

Congrats on the new tank 🙂

 

[Gaina]

Perhaps include a link to your plant purchase - I can't imagine what's included 😳

I'd add the additional substrate, swords & Cryptocoryne do like a nice deep substrate, even S repens likes to form substantial roots (you might read Tropica's article on this plant)

I agree on the rock, something more substantial, perhaps some wood as well ...

Congrats on the new tank 🙂

Thanks for your feedback, I'll do that. 😉

The plants are from Aquarium Gardens. Fortunately I have some nice wood and a bigger rock in my wardrobe (because that's where everyone keeps their hardscape, right? LOL) that I can play with.

 

[Chubbs]

Thanks for your feedback, I'll do that. 😉

The plants are from Aquarium Gardens. Fortunately I have some nice wood and a bigger rock in my wardrobe (because that's where everyone keeps their hardscape, right? LOL) that I can play with.

Bought the same pack! With the exception of what looked and felt like a common garden weed (had to throw it away, was just ugly and spikey) everything else is pretty decent. Quality on my recent purchases from there haven’t been good though, I now buy else where.

 

[StevenA]

Hi there, I would definitely add the extra substrate, the tank looks quite deep so you need to try and get some height in there with rocks, wood or plants in my opinion.

 

[Gaina]

Hi there, I would definitely add the extra substrate, the tank looks quite deep so you need to try and get some height in there with rocks, wood or plants in my opinion.

Thank you, I'll do that tomorrow

 

[Gaina]

Phew! That was a marathon.

I'm glad I took your advice and added the extra substrate as it made planting much easier (although I still maintain Vallisneria should be named 'helium grass' for its propensity to pop up once you've planted it!).

I know the java fern prefers shade so I've put it under the echinodorus which I know will very quickly provide shade, and I can slide the light back and forth as needed.

I think I'd like to add more sagittaria, bit I'll sit with the tank for a few days and see what else I notice that needs' tweaking'.

 

[BubblingUnder]

You might want to move the Crypts further left to hide the left filter. Move the Vallisneria a little right to hide the other filter when viewed from the front.
Change the angle of the tubes slightly & face the open end more towards the front glass to open up the Kuhli/Shrimp tubes insides for viewing.
Its just my preference there's nothing wrong with your setup, if it doesn't bother leave it.

 

[Gaina]

You might want to move the Crypts further left to hide the left filter. Move the Vallisneria a little right to hide the other filter when viewed from the front.
Change the angle of the tubes slightly & face the open end more towards the front glass to open up the Kuhli/Shrimp tubes insides for viewing.
Its just my preference there's nothing wrong with your setup, if it doesn't bother leave it.

Thank you, you've just confirmed what I was thinking!

I think I could actually do with a few more vals and crypts, as hiding the filters is exactly what I intended.

I'm not sure if I've got the bacopa too close to the heater as well.

 

[Gaina]

My vallisneria is turning a lovely metallic red and it's gorgeous. I knew the type of val would be 'seller's choice' but this is a nice surprise.

 

[Gaina]

Have you ever had one of those days where one simple task turned into several messy ones?

My fish were not loving the combination of the U2 and U3 filter in my aquarium, so after doing some research, I felt confident that I had let enough time pass for the beneficial bacteria transfer to the new filter so I removed the U2 and rearranged the U3, at which point ALL of my Vallesnaria started pooping up so a minor rescape ensued.

I'm basically happy with the placement of the plants now, but it's shown gaping holes that need to be filled out, so I've just finished a spot of shopping. 😉

 

[Gaina]

This week I added more bacopa, Crypt petchii and Echinodorus bleheri at the back. Now I can have decent filter flow without trashing the Frogbit and traumatising my fish.

 

[Gaina]

A quick update on my tank:

8 months in, it's becoming increasingly obvious which plants are doing well in this tank and what's not (i.e. which ones the snails eat and what they tend to leave alone!).

I'm still going to wait the full 12 months before I change anything but I'm starting to have some ideas to work with. Algae is still appearing on the glass but my water parameters are stable so I can live with periodically scraping the glass (I am allowing some patches on the back panel in the hopes the snails will go for that first and leave my plants alone for a bit! haha).

My java ferns are growing really well, and I keep finding plantlets that have popped off the mother plant, so I'm letting them do their own merry little thing, bobbing around the tank until they get big enough to attach to something. 😀

Sadly I lost a few shrimp during the heatwave, and I have delayed plans to get more fish until the weather has become well and truly Autumnal and temperatures have stabilised.

 

[Gaina]

Hello All!

Well, my aquarium is nearly a year old and everything is thriving - in fact some things are growing a bit too well! I particularly love my Cryptocoryne Wendtii and the java ferns - it's popping off baby plants like crazy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq7Y-aohF7h/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=tyutkrrae689

I still need more plants and I may get rid of some of the Echinodorus as I'm a bit bored with it now and would like to replace it with something a bit more elegant. I'm thinking of hygrophila.

 

[Ady34]

I'm glad I took your advice and added the extra substrate as it made planting much easier (although I still maintain Vallisneria should be named 'helium grass' for its propensity to pop up once you've planted it!).

Made me laugh, try planting it in on an angle, tends to offer more resistance and the plant will then straighten.
Seems the tank evolved nicely over the year and looks really lush in the last image
Cheerio

 

[Gaina]

Made me laugh, try planting it in on an angle, tends to offer more resistance and the plant will then straighten.
Seems the tank evolved nicely over the year and looks really lush in the last image
Cheerio

Thanks, for the tip. 😀 I now use gravel leveller and tongs when planting so things are a bit easier to anchor in place.