# Beginners Journal - 10g



## Kawi (Aug 5, 2009)

Without further ado, my first attempt at a planted tank. Much thanks to this site for all of the helpful threads. I'm not hoping for failure, but expect it to come eventually being my first run. :hihi: Enough talk, pictures!

Tank before:









During cleanup:









Temporary fish motel:









4 hours after setup, old media and tank water reused, still watching for any ammonia spikes:









Day 2:









Valisneria, micro sword, some type of ludwigia I got for free.


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## april_tanks (Jul 21, 2009)

Looks awesome. What type of hood is that?


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

Tank looks nice, good luck!

Also watch out for algae coming especially since your old tank water was used. 

-Andrew


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## Kawi (Aug 5, 2009)

The hood was made from some leftover lumber scraps.

First lesson, safe co2 tank storage temperature. We don't have AC in our house, the tank was at 950psi this morning when it was 70F. It's climbed to near 90 and the tank is at ~1030psi. Should I turn off the solenoid since it is getting so hot? (clippard). A fan is now blowing on the tank and it is not in direct sunlight. 

Not sure if I should be worried as I have read threads on here about tanks showing 1300psi without issues.


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## Kawi (Aug 5, 2009)

*Day 9* - water change day, getting a little low









I think I read somewhere on this board that stemmed plants start to send down runners if they grow too high. Guess I didn't trim soon enough. Can I snip the runners off or will they just grow back?

The hood for april_tanks:


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## FrostyNYC (Nov 5, 2007)

You read that stemmed plants send down runners if they grow too high? Do you mean roots off the stems? 

I would take the heater out of the tank if the water is already 90 degrees (too hot!). You probably won't need the heater for another couple months anyways.

I havent had very much luck with microsword. I think chain sword is a LOT easier if you want a lawn-look. I've gone through chain sword, microsword, several types of vals, and now I just have tons of blyxa.  Im looking forward to seeing this grow in. You might consider moving the vals at the front further to the back, because they do grow tall and spread like crazy. Maybe taller vals in the back and then a sword or dwarf sag lawn in the front? 

You never mentioned, btw, what is your lighting?


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## Kawi (Aug 5, 2009)

Thanks for the info FrostyNYC I'm letting everything grow out before re-arranging. I wish I would have read up more on the micro sword, it doesn't seem to be melting but has not grown much at all.


FrostyNYC said:


> Do you mean roots off the stems?


Yep, it sent roots down where every new growth attaches to the main stem. Once the plant hit water level it started horizontally. :icon_arro


FrostyNYC said:


> I would take the heater out of the tank if the water is already 90 degrees (too hot!)


The room temperature hit 90F and the CO2 tank pressure climbed. None of the fish tanks topped ~82F. The heaters are set for 75F so they haven't turned on in a while.

Hood has 2 X F20T12, one labeled plant and the other pure white. Guessing the plant bulb is in the 3-4k range, white is 6500k.

Holding off on pictures for a while (mid September), keeping a log for the next post. Some flame moss has been added to the top of the center rock and I'm hoping for some coverage, like a mossy hill. To be continued..


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## Kawi (Aug 5, 2009)

I think the micro sword is finally getting accustomed to the tank and spreading. So slow...


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

Sweet tank man!


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## april_tanks (Jul 21, 2009)

Thanks for the pic of the hood. And I think this is one of my favorite tanks on this form! Because since I'm no good at planted tanks, I like simple ones like yours. I'm not saying yours isn't good, it is, but the layout is simple which I like


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## crimsonbull57 (Jan 7, 2009)

Nice tank!
What type of substrate and filter are you using?


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

Very good start, though I would put the vals as a backround plant.


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## Kawi (Aug 5, 2009)

Thanks for the feedback Chrisinator, april_tanks, crimsonbull57 and JakeJ. Simple is best for my schedule, wish I had more time to devote to this tank.

Substrate: 1 bag Fluorite black sand, no root tabs
Filter: eheim 2213

Extra vals will be transplanted to another tank when I have time to uproot them all. Micro Swords have been replanted and hopefully will grow out. They haven't died yet which is a plus! roud:

*Post trimming, Day 30*


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## Kawi (Aug 5, 2009)

*Day 41* - A recent plague of hair algae and new inhabitants. Will try using a toothbrush to round-up most of the algae.


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

I like the grassy, rocky look you have going.


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## justin182 (Aug 19, 2009)

i'll say replace the grass, that is either on the right or on the left, to some other stems --> more variety.

keep it up. looking good so far.


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## april_tanks (Jul 21, 2009)

I was just curious, what inhabitants are you keeping in this tank?


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## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

Tank looks very cool! Maybe try dosing the tank with a bit of flourish excel to help with the algae, it's a pretty effective algaecide, and it's good nourishment for the plants! If you currently ARE dosing with excel, trying hitting the tank with a slight overdose, i've found this method quite effective. How many amano shrimp do you have in there? any other inhabitants?


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## Kawi (Aug 5, 2009)

Rhizoclonium algae is becoming a pain, the moss seems to be a perfect bed for this stringy slime and it breaks loose and clings to everything. I'm seriously considering moving the moss to a lower light tank to see if it helps, but I'll give the excel dose a try Karackle. Decreased light cycle from 10 to 8 hours and set CO2 to turn on before the lights. The drop checker had been deep blue when the lights turn on, but is deep green at the end of day.

Inhabitants right now are 2 ottos, 2 panda cory, and 4 amano shrimp april_tanks.

Thanks for the feedback JakeJ and justin182, I've moved the Vals from this tank to the other tank because they were choking out the stemmed plants. Vals grow like weeds and I'm at the point where I toss out new runners. No place for them to go.


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## Kawi (Aug 5, 2009)

After many trimmings and a tank re-arrange, everything is settling down and nearly algae free. Only 1 shrimp loss from my own stupid mistake. Bumped into the needle valve while cleaning and gassed the poor guys.

The panda cory were moved to the other tank along with the guppy. Now a shrimp only affair. Don't mind the algae wafer bits, I'm about to do a snail raid.



















**not worthy of a new post, just a current set of pictures so I can reflect back on this once I change it up in the coming weeks...


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## Kawi (Aug 5, 2009)

About time for an update, a few little things have changed. Just got some plants in the mail, thanks out to jinsei888 and lopez_316us. 

I'm seriously considering a light upgrade to Coralife 2x24w T5HO. I've lowered the 2x20w T12's as close to the surface as I'm comfortable and I'm not sure it will be enough to keep the red plants red with proper co2 and dosing. They are about 12" from the substrate. It will be a waiting game 

added blyxa japonica and ludwigia glandulosa 

before cleanup & trim









after


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## Kawi (Aug 5, 2009)

Update:

3/07/10 - new T5 light, still dosing EI with ferts, and CO2









3/17/10 - grown in. rocksm, glass and anubias have major GSA









3/20/10 - grow in, re-scape after removing rocks. had some bba on the heater, but nowhere else in tank.









Blyxa seems to love our well water. I just picked up some gravel to redo the 30 gallon that has been neglected.


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## Kawi (Aug 5, 2009)

Having some explosive growth. Drop checker had some film growing in it, had to replace with new fluid. I need to figure out a way to raise the new light higher above the tank, too much GSA too fast.

_*3/22/10:*_









_*3/28/10:*_


















_*4/3/10:*_









_*4/9/10:*_


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