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65g/245L SA Planted Tank

raharlow

New Member
Joined
11 Nov 2022
Messages
24
Location
Lebanon, ME 04027
Thought I'd start a journal, mostly to bounce ideas off of the group as well as get some valued input. Quick background, been doing aquariums for a while but took last 10yrs or so off. Last tank was a reef, and a FW planted before that. Have learned a lot but techniques and technology keep changing.

For this tank, I'm going with a 65g. White Frosted film on back. I only have 36" or so to work with and 40 breeder not big enough. Using a 20g long for a sump. Once you go sump (marine) you never go back!! Intent is fish endemic to South America, apisto, angel, pencil, etc. Will use shrimp, maybe snails and tank will be planted, but not too heavily.

As for equipment, using a Modular Marine 800g overflow, hoping to get 8-10x turnover of water, will have a gyre pump circulating across top, down side. bottom, up side, not front to back. I have CO2 if needed, most likely will use with an Aquamedic 1000 on separate loop feeding into return. Lighting most likely will be Chihiros WRGB II 90 (65g tank is deep!!).

Will break up the topics as I go along to make it easier to ask questions and to keep track of answers.

I am currently at the planning stage, no tank, only left-over equipment from previous tanks. Hoping to get a tank within next several weeks and then building the cabinet to fit. Here's a sketchup of my thoughts so far. Front panel of cabinet will be removable and have a french cleat at bottom with magnets across top. Haven't decided how I want to handle side panels yet. Anyways, we'll leave it here and then hit some of the other topics later, like my sump and substrate thoughts.

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First breakout topic, sump design. Thoughts behind design below. Overflow at tank will skim surface and thus remove film. Gyre pump is below surface so little to no surface agitation. Thought being to reduce losing CO2. Drain into sump is into an aeration chamber to oxygenate the water for the filtration. Looking for thoughts on this. From here, it flows over an algae scrubber (small led light is above this section) and initial 10ppi filter. From here, space for various ideas, probably Indian olive leaves (Catappa), other "additives", and possibly grow out. Then thru the sequence of poret sponge filters. 3" thick with exception of last polishing one at 2". Then to return pump which will dump at opposite side from gyre pump to force "clean CO2 enriched" water down and across bottom. Open to thoughts ideas!!
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Next, substrate. Planning on going with Safe-T-Sorb (STS) for the base, capped with Black Diamond Blasting Sand (BDBS) medium grain. Thinking of putting the STS in media bags, kind of like what MD Fish Tanks does. Media bag mesh would be only large enough to contain the STS. This should allow plenty of space for roots to penetrate. I will be rinsing the STS thoroughly as well as prescreening it through 1/8" hardware cloth to screen out the fines. I do have a question about "pre-charging" the STS. I have raw chemicals but am actually leaning towards just using root tabs. Thought was to place thin layer of peat on bottom, then root tabs (leaning towards APT Jazz) spaced every 2" or so, then lay down the media bags of STS, and finally cap with BDBS (rinsed as well).

Thoughts?? Ideas??
 
Here are my local water parameters per a Lab. I am well water so these could change over time.
pH7.64 SU
Temp
Alkalinity52mg CaCO3/L2.91dKH
Fluoride0.61mg/L, ppm
Lead<0.001mg/L, ppm
Copper<0.010mg/L, ppm
Chloride12mg/L, ppm
Iron0.12mg/L, ppm
Manganese0.044mg/L, ppm
Conductance /TDS190umhos/cm
Sodium8.7mg/L, ppm
Total Hardness51mg/L, ppmsoft2.87dGH
 
Thought I'd share some progress! Been busy building, researching, going down forum rabbit holes, etc. Learning a lot. Biggest issue is everyone is out of stock on the tank I need, 65g standard. I need one I can drill and so that limits my choices (can't drill tempered glass). So here are some pics:

Stand built, essentially 2x4 construction, with Advantech plywood. Front is a false front held on with a french cleat on bottom and magnets across the top and sides.

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This is the back of the front panel:
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And the "presentable Cabinet. Playing with some hardscape on top while I wait for tank.
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I got my Poret foam in for the sump, and the pumps and Temp controller:
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@ pumps, one for the Return and another for the Aquamedic CO2 reactor. Home built bubble counter (we'll see how it works in real life). Out put of reactor will go into the suction side of the return pump. Will probably put a big airstone in the "dump" side of the sump before the foam to provide O2 at night.

Oh, and I got my Chihirios WRGB2 Lights in.

Now all we need is a TANK!!!!
 

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Been heavily looking at plants. Since this is a South American tank (or at least trying to as much as I can), most of the plants are endemic to SA. There are some others that I couldn’t resist. Will not be doing any major carpeting, as I’d like the substrate to be open in areas. Water parameters will be soft. Using well water for source, pH 7.6, KH and GH about 2.9deg. Temp will be about 27C. My guess is that when running, KH and pH will be lower and GH will go up some based on dosing. Will be injecting CO2 (aiming for a 1 point drop) and semi high lighting (WRGB2). Tank is about 60cm tall, and while substrate and hardscape will raise some, this tank does have some height for taller plants. Will be dosing home brew, macro and micro daily. Here are the plants I’ve been narrowing down to, but open to ideas/suggestions.

Shorts

Micranthemum tweediei 'Monte Carlo'
Cryptocoryne wendtii var.'Flamingo'
Helanthium bolivianum 'Quadricostatus'
Ludwigia sp. "Mini Super Red"
Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
Staurogyne repens

Medium/Tall
Echinodorus 'Rose' A sword is a must have but which one is the question. Probably only 1 sword)
Echinodorus 'Reni'
Pogostemon erectus/deccanensis
Syngonanthus macrocaulon or lago grande
Rotala rotundifolia
Rotala Narrow Leaf Sp. Red
Rotala mexicana "Goias"

Tall
Hygrophila polyserma 'Roservig' 'Sunset'
Hygrophila difformis - Water Wisteria – floating for startup then maybe keep or toss
Ludwigia palustris 'Super Red"
Ceratophyllum demersum - Hornwort floating for startup then maybe keep or toss
Heteranthrera zostefolia – floating for startup then maybe keep or toss
Myriophyllum Elatinoides Mini
Myriophyllum 'Guyana'
Eichhornia diversifolia
Mayaca Fluviatilis

Other/on Hardscape/shade
Vesicularia sp. "Mini Christmas Moss"
Anubias barteri 'Nana Petite'
Anubias Nana Bonsai
Bucephalandra Brownie Ghost
Bucephalandra Red Mini

Thoughts? Conflicts? Also, thoughts on submersed vs culture. Leaning towards submersed for as much as I can for the good bacteria and the initial startup. Will wash/rinse and inspect, maybe even dip. Thank all!!
 
Tank finally was in stock!! Started the slow process of setting up. Drilling 2 holes was nerve racking but we got it done, overflow installed. Using Rabbitgoo frosted for background and one side (up against a wall). Looks better than it was. Had to redo it this morning. We'll see how it turns out overnight, but I do like the look. Had to trim the standard trim a little to fit the Chihirios WRGB2 light. Next up is plumbing!!

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Tank in place, plumbing all done, leak tested, so now the fun begins. Substrate and hardscape, then we'll see how it looks. May need some ideas on plants once the hardscape is done.

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So here's my first stab at hardscape. What do you think. Please critique, only way I'll learn. Since perspective is always hard, tank size is 90x45x65tall (36"x18"x25").

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Well I've got some plants. This is about a week old, as last set of plants finally arrived. First set that was planted are already starting to show growth, with the exception of a buce Helena that totally melted. Other buces planted at same time are all doing ok (I think), Excited to see how this grows. Plants are:
Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
Staurogyne repens
Myriophyllum 'Guyana' mini
Pogostemon erectus
Syngonanthus manaus
Alternanthera reineckii 'Rosanervig'
Echinodorus Red Rubin
Hygrophila polyserma 'Sunset'
Rotala rotundifoli 'Blood Red'
Eichhornia diversifolia
Rotala Rotundifolia 'Orange Juice'
Mayaca Fluviatilis
Anubias barteri 'Nana Petite'
Bucephalandra mix
Buce Helena
Bucephalandra Godzilla Kedagang Red
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Been a while so I thought I'd post some pics. Starting to take shape. Most of the livestock is in now.
13 Green neons
6 Otos
5 Cory habrosus
2 Ancistrus sp. “Wabenmuster/Honeycomb”
2 Marbled Angelfish
2 Apisto Macmasteri
1 Amano
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Open to advice and maybe some suggestions.

Have an area behind the Blood Red Rotala that is currently Syngonanthus manaus. Not doing well. Have 6 plants back there. Thinking my water isn't soft enough but I'm still new to this stuff, so open for thoughts. But also looking for something to maybe place back there. Preferably S. American, but not a deal breaker.

Also looking for something to replace the small triangular bunch of Staurogyne repens between wood and rock.

Anyways, thanks for your thoughts/comments.

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