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Beginner second aquarium (Low-tech Jungle)

FrozenShivers

Member
Joined
1 Apr 2022
Messages
336
Location
Dunfermline
Aquarium - 60x35x35 (75l) OA Aquaria custom build.
Lighting - Twinstar 60B.
Filter - Fluval 207.
Plants - Jungle 30" Collection ordered from Aquarium Gardens.
Hardscape - Riverwood & Grey Mountain Stone.
Heater - D-D 100w Titanium Heater on order.
Controller - Not picked/ordered yet.

Recently got my first ever tank, a small 25l Shrimp/snail setup and fell in love with the hobby. I decided I wanted an aquarium in my small mancave/office at the end of my desk so had one built by OA Aquaria. Decided I'd make a journal to see my progress as well as get helpful input from all of you :) The plan is to make kind of jungle-ish tank, it won't be scaped and trimmed to perfection but fingers crossed I can have it looking decent enough. I've just started putting in the hardscape to try and get it looking similar to the mock up that Steven from Aquarium Gardens sent me (thanks for your help). No idea how I'm going to stock it yet, so many fish I've taken a note of that I like but unsure what would work with what etc.

IMG_5993.jpg IMG_6145.jpg IMG_6146.jpg IMG_6149.jpg
 
Just got an e-mail saying my plants are arriving tomorrow. I've also added some clear tubing to the Fluval, this is my first canister, I done a quick test in with a bucket of water and it worked fine, should I purchase some sort of hose clamps or will it be fine as is?
 

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Nice scape. I h
Just got an e-mail saying my plants are arriving tomorrow. I've also added some clear tubing to the Fluval, this is my first canister, I done a quick test in with a bucket of water and it worked fine, should I purchase some sort of hose clamps or will it be fine as is?
Since you have added your own pipe work I would get some clamps for peace of mind.

Looking forward to this. I would change the water two or three times a week for the first two weeks.
 
That's a hefty hunk of wood you've got there! It will be interesting to see how the jungle develops round it as a centrepiece.
It is indeed haha, hopefully it works out :)
Nice scape. I h

Since you have added your own pipe work I would get some clamps for peace of mind.

Looking forward to this. I would change the water two or three times a week for the first two weeks.
Thank you, I think I'm going to grab some for piece of mind, they aren't exactly expensive. Just trying to figure out what clamps I need for 16/22 tubing...
It should be completely fine, provided you’ve screwed the red things up against it.
I have tightened it but I think I'll grab clamps also just in case as I'm a little paranoid :)
 
Heater has arrived, I have removed the label from it and with a bit of work also removed all the residue from the sticker to give it a cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing finish whilst it's in the tank. I've also made up some labels to attach to my plugs and using 3M adhesive, attached the plug sockets to the inside wall of the cabinet.
 

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Plants arrived yesterday so I started planting, sadly after I was filling with water one of my key bits of wood started to float so I clearly hadn't soaked it enough, it's now out of the tank in a bucket so it will look better once the wood is back in! I need to get a heating controller ASAP. I also now need a proper water change method due to the bigger tank, should I just buy the Python kit?
 

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I think that Lilaeopsis (do I see it correctly?) is an unfortunate choice for the front. It'll grow too dense and tall.
 
Not to throw a spanner in the works but I think the wood looks better without the extra piece! It has far more presence & depending on how jungly planted you go the smaller arm will most likely disappear under the plants anyway. Water flow round the tank is less likely to be an issue too.
 
I think that Lilaeopsis (do I see it correctly?) is an unfortunate choice for the front. It'll grow too dense and tall.
I just checked it's Lilaeopsis Mauritiana, should I put it at the back or in the middle somewhere? Didn't know that so thanks for info!

Not to throw a spanner in the works but I think the wood looks better without the extra piece! It has far more presence & depending on how jungly planted you go the smaller arm will most likely disappear under the plants anyway. Water flow round the tank is less likely to be an issue too.

That's alright I guess it's all subjective really :) I 'think' I prefer it with the extra wood but once it's water logged I'll try with and without and go from there.
 
Lilaeopsis Mauritiana, should I put it at the back or in the middle somewhere?
It's too tall to serve well as a carpet plant. Your rocks will get hidden among it. To me, it seems lees than optimal, given the volume of your tank.
However, it's not as tall as you could successfully employ it in the background.
 
It's too tall to serve well as a carpet plant. Your rocks will get hidden among it. To me, it seems lees than optimal, given the volume of your tank.
However, it's not as tall as you could successfully employ it in the background.

I'll do that when I get some time then, thank you!
 
Small update, got a little Nicrew temperature controller, so far so good. Ozelot Red and the tip of some of the Vallisnerias Spiralis are brown/melting, my understanding is that's them adjusting to their new parameters, should I just leave them or should I cut the brown parts off?
 

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Few pictures attached, first is the tank overall which I’m very happy with so far, next is some algae….is this hair algae? And last is melt one a plant, should I just chop it off?
 

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Tank looks great, algae looks loke brown diatoms and as for the melt cut the affected leaf or leaves off as plant will be using lot of energy trying to repair it, cutting it will force new fresh grown.
 
Hi all,
Few pictures attached, first is the tank overall which I’m very happy with so far, next is some algae….is this hair algae? And last is melt one a plant, should I just chop it off?
Tank looks great, algae looks loke brown diatoms and as for the melt cut the affected leaf or leaves off as plant will be using lot of energy trying to repair it, cutting it will force new fresh grown.
Agreed that looks good and the algae looks like <"filamentous diatoms">.

The Echinodorus leaf looks like it was an old leaf (at the outside of the leaf rosette?) and yes, chop it off.

cheers Darrel
 
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Tank looks great. Shame about the floating wood. I like the arrangement with the extra piece myself as it adds balance. You could try weighing it down in the tank with a rock until it sinks.
 
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