1st Journal Rio 125 - High Tech.

[spyder]

So I snatched up a new Rio 125 a while back, new all boxed for a bargain price of £150. I was going to reluctantly use the internal filter to save on setup costs but it seems Juwel packed the wrong powerhead to fit into the filter box so it got ripped out. The extra space in the aquarium is very much appreciated.

I'll be aiming at a "Dutch'ish" style of planting setup. Eventually, I don't want to see any of the back glass. This tank will also be a tester for many plants which will be moved, replaced as needed.

Ok onto the specs.

Tank - Rio 125 - 125l
Substrate - 20 litres Eco Complete.
Hardscape - Driftwood.
LIghting - Stock Juwel, 2x 28W T5's fitted with reflectors.
Filteration - Fluval 305 External. Around 1,000 LPH as I read it so pretty close to my 10x turnover mark.
Co2 - Pressurised. TMC Reg + Solonoid valve, 2-5kg cylinder that will fit in cabinet. Glassware will be the cheaper Ebay counterparts.
Ferts - EI.

Flora.
So many to list. I'm at that stage where I keep adding plants to the list when I need to be eliminating some species. I will update when list is finalised.

Fauna.
5/6 young Angels (platinum blue or golden pearlscales would be nice)
1 pair Pearl Gourami's
3-4 Cory's (Panda, Sterbai)

The girlfriend wants Angels. A larger tank would be better, I know, but we have a 240l or 300l planned for the future so rehousing later on should be no problem.

Ok onto the pics. I find myself struggling to see past the hardscape right now and I never seem to feel satisfied with hardscapes. I've been playing around with the wood for about a week now and scraping substrate around and this is what I have so far.

Thats all for now. Filter and co2 equipment to be sourced and purchased over the next 2-3 weeks, then it's time to finalise plant list and get them planted.

Comments, feedback and flaming appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[spyder]

Corki As I've been looking at the images more I agree I have space to spare in the foreground. Maybe a slide forward is in order. I have 2-3 weeks before planting time and flooding to get it "fixed".

The 2 long branchy parts will be mossed and I plan on a few varities of anubias for the wood, would be a shame for them to be smothered to much.

I'm still on the lookout for wood and maybe even rocks. Not 100% sure on the left piece although it has a fair amount of potential it seems a little awkward to me.

 

[bigmatt]

I'd agree with Corki - bring the high points of the wood forward so they don't get swamped by the planting. I'd also bring them closer together and try moving them in different orientations so that their shapes complement each other. At the minute they are both beautiful pieces of wood, but seem like two separate entities rather than part of an overall 'scape to me
Usual disclaimer applies - this is all personal opinion and you should feel free to disregard it completely! It's your tank!
Matt

 

[spyder]

Cheers Matt, I do agree. I'll slide them forward when I get to the tank, it's not at home.

The piece on the right is 2 pieces that seem to lock together nicely, the left piece was bought on a seperate occasion. It seemed close to what I was looking for but in the tank I've been uncomfortable with it since putting it into the tank.

As I have a weekend off coming up, I'll spend it trawling for materials. It wont be planted for 2-3 weeks so plenty of time to nail it.