60/45/30 optiwhite

[anttthony]

hi guys after a bit of decorating in the house i decided to get a new tank. i wanted somthing abit smaller than my 200 litre roma easier to change water ect. i choose a tmc signature 60/45/30 which i will be scaping over the next few weeks
i was thinking of somthing pretty simple using just vallis or pogostemem stellatta in the far left corner with a light sand or gravel path moving towards the right. And a carpet of hairgrass and hc with little or no hardscape. going to pick up the substrate tomorrow, i did want to use ada amazonia but i can get a 9 litre bag of africana real cheap as its discontinued in my local shop
i will be using pressurised c02 probably via a ceramic diffuser i have been using a aquamedic 1000 reactor but i think this might be overkill on a smaller tank
i have a choice of 3 filters from my old tank i think i will go for a fluval 405. i have just ordered a set of lilly pipes from c02art they should arrive tomorrow they were pretty cheap but hopefully there a decent quality
i will be using a tmc grobeam 500 which i have suspended from the ceiling ive got someone fabricating me a cover/diffuser to stop the light spill
my livestock will be cardinal tetras and undecided on what shrimp yet
hopefully this will go smother than my recent efforts i have learnt alot from many mistakes!

 

[Ryan Thang To]

Sound good. Cant wait for pictures.

 

[justin85]

Looking forward to seeing some picutres.

 

[anttthony]

illy pipe and thermometer arrived today from c02art never used this company before but the quality an service is good for what I paid

Also picked up a bag of africana and started having a play needs abit of a tidy up with a brush but this is the sort of shape iam after. Iam going to get a bag of ada forest sand for the pathway tomorrow
Any suggestions more than welcome

 

[Ryan Thang To]

Hi
I got my lily pipe from that same company and its been working fine. What size did you get?

 

[anttthony]

Hey I got the 17mm the inlet is abit to long for the tank though ive had to raise it up and put it In the shallower substrate in the front left corner

ant

 

[Ryan Thang To]

That great. Tank look good so far

 

[anttthony]

Cheers better picture got shut ot a few of the humps anyone got any tips for adding sand without making a massive mess not sure about using a permanent divider or to just mist the substrate before adding it
ant

 

[Martin in Holland]

You're not going o use any stones or wood?....You could place stones between the sand path and the substrate also have some moss covert stones in between if you don't like to see stones...maybe not every where but some tricky spots.
Good luck...can't wait to see some plants in it

 

[anttthony]

Was just going to get some realy small pieces of stone if I can n get any to match the colour of the gravel just to help divide the path at the back as it abit tricky. Going the green machine later though so could all change!

ant

 

[anttthony]

Took a trip to the green machine today. New scape looks like its going to be a belter
I picked up a bag of ada mekong sand fine and large and 4 pots of 1-2 grow hc undecided on other plants thinking hair grass and Staurogyne repens
Did try a few small stones but couldn't get it how I wanted it so ive just used some substrate supports
hopefully going to flood at the weekend and plant the following week

Any suggestions welcome



ant

 

[tim]

Looks good, you may struggle to keep that pathway clen and free from aqua soil maybe a line of riccia or moss covered stones would do the job and blend into your planting. Looking forward to seeing this develop.

 

[anttthony]

Looks good, you may struggle to keep that pathway clen and free from aqua soil maybe a line of riccia or moss covered stones would do the job and blend into your planting. Looking forward to seeing this develop.

Thanks think iam going to use some moss covered stones or try and find something a similar colour to the gravel to save the mess and stop the plants spreading into it

ant

 

[Martin in Holland]

seems that your substrate isn't high enough to plant at the foreground. Are you going to add more substrate to it?

 

[anttthony]

seems that your substrate isn't high enough to plant at the foreground. Are you going to add more substrate to it?

Hi Martin yer got a small bag on order still going to try and keep shallow at about 15mm do you think it will be deep enough for hc?

ant

 

[anttthony]

Picked up a another bag of aquasoil today and had a play with some rocks given up on the no Hardscape plan and ran a line off rocks along the path. going to pick up a few more and run them up the bank

Fitted the filter now using a aquamanta ex 400. Flooded the tank and planted 4 pots of hc and some vallis I had in another tank. still need to pick up some more vallis hairgrass and maybe some Staurogyne repens

Ive never grown hc before I was going to try starting on 3 hours light and hammer the c02 for a month gradually building up before I add any livestock, does this sound ok?
Should I start dosing ei straight away?
Does ammonia have an effect on the plants or should I be doing daily water changes
Also I haven't fitted a heater yet will this have an effect on the plants?
Cheers


ant

 

[Ryan Thang To]

Hello ant
I too just started growing hc. I set my lights to come for 6 hours and co2 2 hours be for. I'm sure plants don't like ammonia so a 50% water change every day for 2week and twice a week until you get a full carpet. Ei straight away as plants need it once under water. I too haven't fitted a heater but my thermometer is showing 26 degrees.
one thing I should mention is to put a wave maker like the hydor koralia as it creates more flow. I'm still new to this as you are. Lol
Cheers

 

[anttthony]

Thanks mate going to keep an eye out for a circ pump and might put an extra hour on the lighting

ant

 

[anttthony]

Hi guys just a quick update
Received me diffuser from tankscape had a few before with dodgy discs but this one e looks good quality and produces a very fine mist. Also picked up a circ pump from another member and fitted it in the furthest corner pointing at the filter inlet and I seem to be getting a nice mist around the tank.
Iam doing full water changes every other day until the africana has cycled and adding ei ferts every day
still leaving the lights on for 4 hours with the gas coming on 2 hours before and off one hour before lights out
Only been a week but hc still looking bright and showing some signs of spreading still need to pick up some hair grass for in between the rocks and decide what iam going to plant the rear with thinking more vallis and maybe some tall Staurogyne repens on the right any suggestions on plants or the position of the circ pump more than welcome

ant

 

[Ryan Thang To]

Hi ant
tank looking good so far. S repens would be great for a background but one thing I would change Is to replace rocks for bigger one, some big and small size. What you think? As for vallis is a pain to keep tidy as it will send runners like crazy but if you need more i got loads to fin out.

Cheers