Planted 240L Juwel Rio

[MWS]

I’ve been messing with this tank for a few months now, it was originally set up as an Iwagumi style with 20Kg dragon stone and just 3 plant species (HC, S.. Repens and Dwarf Hair Grass) it looked good but too sparse given the size and the fish never looked comfortable.

Although theres still a couple of gaping holes it’s beginning to look like a “planted tank” - a few more appropriate plants along with the removal of the inappropriate ones and it will be about there.

Apologies for the poor quality phone pics - the point and click camera I have is hopeless, anyway here goes….

Tank:

Juwel Rio 240L on Fluval Roma Cabinet

Filtration:

JBL CristalProfi e701 (Heater & UV Inline)

Fluval FX6

Heating:

Hydor 300w external inline heater though an STC1000 controller

Lighting:

Stock Juwel lighting - 2x 54 watt T5 Daylight with reflectors, 7 hour period

2x Arcadia Stretch Freshwater 23 watt LED bars (Only used on twilight setting 30mins before and after main light)

Co2:

Co2 Art double stage regulator on 2Kg FE

Fluval 88G Diffuser, 4/5 BPS Rate

Substrate:

JBL Manado over JBL Volcano Proscape

Other:

15 watt UV

Eheim Surface Skimmer

Fertilisation:

EI Dosing @ 25% extra over standard dose

Seachem Flourish Excel @ 8ml daily

Weekly 80% water change

No idea on water parameters as I don’t test other than PH which drops 0.9 between Co2 on and lights on using a bog standard eBay PH Pen.

Any pointers/criticism gratefully welcomed.

 

[Nelson]

Stunning tank .

 

[John S]

Looks great.

 

[Greenfinger2]

Hi MWS, Wonderful And fab plant health

 

[Tim Harrison]

That is simply stunning.

 

[spyder]

Looks very clean, fresh and vibrant. Ludwigia looks awesome wish mine looked that good.

 

[MWS]

Wow! - Thank you all for the comments

I’m hoping I’ll finally get this how I want it over the coming weeks, there are a few issues to overcome yet - the rear right hand corner is very dark, both filter outlets are side by side here and cast a really dark shadow. This is made worse by the fact the lighting falls short of the width by about 100mm each side

I’m not confident the Pogostemon Stellata is going to be successful although it has doubled in size in a week since planting, perhaps thats just my scepticism, everywhere I read says its a very difficult plant?

I’ve planted Myriophyllum mattogrosense in the open space at the back today, I’m not sure how that will sit between the rigid P. Erectus and the Stellata which needs a lot of room - time will tell.

The “bush” of Limnophila sessiflora and Cabomba I like but growth rate is ridiculous, it needs trimming almost daily, I don’t like to just lop it down as it spoils the appearance and tugging 20/30 stems out and replanting every time is a PITA.

I’ll post a full plant list and more details later - thanks again.

 

[MWS]

Flora and Fauna List......

Flora:

Pogostemon Erectus
Pogostemon Helferi
Pogostemon Stellata
Rotala Rotundifolia
Rotala Colorata
Limnophila Sessiflora
Cabomba Caroliniana
Micranthemum Monte Carlo
Bacopa Caroliniana
Staurogyne Repens
Myriophyllum Tubercalatum
Myriophyllum Mattogrossense
Hottonia Palustris
Ludwigia Glandulosa
Ludwigia Palustris
Alternanthera Reineckii
Alternanthera Reineckii Mini
Ranunculus Inundatus
Lilaeopsis Brasiliensi
Lobelia Cardinalis
Microsorum Pteropus
Anubias Barteri
Echinodorus Bleheri
Cryptocoryne Willisii
Hygrophila Difformis
Fissidens Fontanus
Elodea (Not sure which - horrible plant)

Adding this week:

Hydrocotyle Tripartita
Murdannia Keisak - if I can find some

Fauna:

10x Amano Shrimp
2x Wood Shrimp
20+ Red Cherry Shrimp
Neon Tetra
Gold Neon Tetra
Green Neon Tetra
Pristella Tetra
Ember Tetra
Cardinals
Danio Margaritatus
Siamese Algae Eaters

 

[Greenfinger2]

Hi MWS, Wow what a plant list

 

[Eduard18]

You're doing a great job ; you've got a great tank
Could you tell me please how long did it take for the fissidens to grow like that
And if I can make a suggestion or two I think that red plant in the middle ( is it Ludwigia Glandulosa ? ) would look better if it were more bushy, you know , Dutch style; and maybe planting with stem plants the left side, in the back; or moving the Myriophyllum and giving more room for Ludwigia to grow more bushy

 

[MWS]

Hi MWS, Wow what a plant list

Thanks Roy, they are packed in! I'm going to have to start picking and choosing soon as some of the newer ones take off.

 

[MWS]

You're doing a great job ; you've got a great tank
Could you tell me please how long did it take for the fissidens to grow like that
And if I can make a suggestion or two I think that red plant in the middle ( is it Ludwigia Glandulosa ? ) would look better if it were more bushy, you know , Dutch style; and maybe planting with stem plants the left side, in the back; or moving the Myriophyllum and giving more room for Ludwigia to grow more bushy

Thanks for the comments Eduard, the Ludwigia is a very recent addition and you are spot on, I need to give it some room now its settled in. I'll probably make room by getting rid of some of the sessiflora on the right - I can almost see it growing it's way too fast and needs reducing every other day.

The fissidens takes a little while, the 3 "balls" are 4cm x 4cm meshes which took 6-7 weeks to grow out to about the size of a tennis ball, the latest one in the image below is a 6cm x 4cm mesh and has taken about 2-3 weeks to grow out to what you see now...2-3 more and I would expect it to be about the same size as the others. It seems to sit there for a week then takes off.

 

[MWS]

A few more warts and all shots......

Growth of the pogostemom stellata and ludwigia is amazing! The first two images show the growth between Saturday night and tonight...(some plants have been trimmed)

Saturday....

Tonight.....

A few more...

 

[Greenfinger2]

Hi MWS, Nice photos . Exquisite plants

 

[MWS]

What/who is likely to be causing this damage/disintegration on my Alternantherea?

This has happened all of a sudden over the last 48 hours - although this plant wasn't in the best condition when I put it in it wasn't so much that it wouldn't have recovered.

 

[Greenfinger2]

Hi MWS, Trim off the dead leaves it allows more light to the lower leaves the stem will send our runner roots and new leavesThen trim the tops to keep it bushy Replant the tops with a space for room to grow.

 

[MWS]

Thanks Roy - the worst affected leaves are at the top in the light (my very poor camera skills) It looks like something is scoffing away at it, the whole plant is affected.

 

[Greenfinger2]

Has the plant got a good root system. if yes trim down to the lower leaves and let it regrow if not Trim off the top fresh growth and side buds, Take out the old and replant the new .

 

[MWS]

I'll lop it down and see if it recovers mate - it was in a sorry state when I bought it. Although it was a Tropica pot I picked it up from Pets at Home - the condition their plants are in/kept in is dire, that'll teach me to go the few extra miles!

 

[Kosko]

What/who is likely to be causing this damage/disintegration on my Alternantherea?

This has happened all of a sudden over the last 48 hours - although this plant wasn't in the best condition when I put it in it wasn't so much that it wouldn't have recovered.

I had a same problem In my tank.It was big female amano shrimp i spotted them myself but maybe im wrong..