Angel Delight :)

[jojouk]

Ok, so here goes...

This is how the tank stand started its life with me,

It didnt look quite strong enough...

So I added lots of support!

And gave it a bit of a paint

Finished article.

Cat litter substrate, capped by Argos play sand.

First bit of hardscape and a few plants put in, but no lighting

Lights!

Second piece of hardscape in place

And some more plants.

And finally, how it looks today. Adding pressurised CO2 after crimbo Just need everything to start growing!!! Dosing EI ferts and liquid CO2 at the moment.

 

[jack-rythm]

Lovely lay out !

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[Gary Nelson]

A fantastic start, I really like how you have revived the unit too what lights are you running?

 

[nduli]

Yep, really like this. Done well to add hard scape whilst tank and inhabitants are still in there, I always find it a mare. Did you take the wood out to do the moss attachment? Had mine out last night much to the better halves disappointment.....

 

[foxfish]

This might interest you Vallis and Easy Carbo | UK Aquatic Plant Society

 

[jojouk]

A fantastic start, I really like how you have revived the unit too what lights are you running?

Im running a twin t5 unit, 4 ft bulbs, 54w. I'm not so keen on the colour temp tbh, but they were cheap bulbs the colour is a bitter murky as the wood is still tanning quite a bit. I normally use purigen, but I haven't got the nerve to put it back in after its re-charging with bleach!!! I worry too much....

Yep, really like this. Done well to add haird scape whilst tank and inhabitants are still in there, I always find it a mare. Did you take the wood out to do the moss attachment? Had mine out last night much to the better halves disappointment.....

Yeah, I take it out to do the moss, did a few of the higher up ones while in situ, but easier to take it out hate putting it back in tho!!!

This might interest you Vallis and Easy Carbo | UK Aquatic Plant Society

yep, thanks for the info, but I'm aware of this. I am getting some melt, but I have to dose liquid co2 until my pressurised setup is all good to go. I just snip off the bad bits there is plenty in there to last!

thanks for the lovely comments guys

 

[Alastair]

I really really like this tank.
As for the bulbs have a look at these GE 6500k tubes. They give really nice colour and have good par readings too.

F54WT5/865 1149MM 6500K


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[Deano3]

wow looks great lovely cabinet was it origionally a aquarium stand ? hard scape looks great

Dean

 

[Mark Evans]

Nice layout mate.

However, I do feel that's an awful lot of light with no co2. Even with CO2, I'd cut back on the amount of light you've got there.

Would I be right in saying your seeing a bit of algae on that nice white sand?.....cut back that light!

 

[jojouk]

Nice layout mate.

However, I do feel that's an awful lot of light with no co2. Even with CO2, I'd cut back on the amount of light you've got there.

Would I be right in saying your seeing a bit of algae on that nice white sand?.....cut back that light!

I have a 5 hr photoperiod, can't really cut back more than that unless I change the unit, which I can't really do

Using liquid co2, going pressurised in a couple of weeks?

the sand is brownish anyway, the patches of darker areas are where the cat litter has accumulated, no algae have a teenie bit of hair algae, but that's on it's way out, leftovers from when I wasn't using he liquid co2 with a 3 hr photoperiod

 

[jojouk]

wow looks great lovely cabinet was it origionally a aquarium stand ? hard scape looks great

Dean

yeah, it was an aquarium stand, don't know how it held the tank tho, it was fairly flimsy!

 

[foxfish]

Its not so much the photo period but the amount of light, try two bulbs for 6 hours.. prevention is better than cure!

 

[jojouk]

I only have two bulbs...it's a twin light unit? Have I confused someone?

 

[sdlra]

Love it......bet the Angels love it too

 

[foxfish]

Im running a twin t5 unit, 4 ft bulbs, 54w. I'm not so keen on the colour temp tbh, but they were cheap bulbs the colour is a bitter murky as the wood is still tanning quite a bit. I normally use purigen,

OK I (we) must of miss read your post to say " Im running a twin t5 unit, 4 bulbs "

 

[jojouk]

Ahhhh, I thought it was strange that 2 x 4ft bulbs would be very high light Thanks for the input however!

 

[Mark Evans]

So how many bulbs have you got?.... 2 x or 4 x 54wt5?

If there's any way of running them independently, then do so.

Remove reflectors, or do what I've done in the past, place masking tape over the clear plastic which protects the tubes from moisture.

Lighting, in any aquarium is key. Gain control over this, and you'll be the master of your own tank.

 

[jojouk]

Lol, 2x54w T5's and no, no way of running them independently

I think I have mastered the lighting, as I did have algae, now dosing liquid co2, and now no algae...

 

[LancsRick]

Lovely looking setup. I've got a question and a suggestion.

Question: I thought Angels were pretty much guaranteed to eat everything in sight in a planted tank? Have I been dismissing them all this time unnecessarily?

Suggestion: That stand looks infinitely better in white, but have you considered emphasising the details in the front? You could paint the indentations in pure black, which would set off the rest of the stand nicely and make it more than a functional block for the tank to sit on?

 

[jojouk]

Question answer - Nope, mine don't nibble I have heard that some do, if they have a poor diet, and are lacking isomething nutrient, or are bored, but I have a large group, and they are fed well, so fora so good

suggestion response - my other half suggested that too...but I am a little bit of a perfectionist, and any outcome painted by my own hands would feel amateur to me!!! If you catch my drift..