# Planted Community Tank adventure



## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I am going to keep the first post up to date.

*5/1/15*









Tank:
30G Tall (24"x12"x24")

Lighting:
23w CFL 10" shop light x2

Filter:
SunSun 302 Canister w/ Seachem Matrix and Foam

Equipment:
150w Heater
160 GPH Power Head

Substrate:
Black Diamond Blasting Sand

Plants:
Anubias Nana
Crypt Wendtii Green
Crypt Wendtii Bronze
Hair Grass 
Anchor Moss
Java moss
Frogbit
Amazon Sword

Hard scape:
Manzanita Driftwood
Petrified Wood

Ferts:
Root Tabs
Micro/Macro (_KNO3, K2SO4, MgSO4_)

Livestock:
9x Neon Tetra
6x Cherry Barb
6x Emerald Cory
6x Oto
40x Red Cherry Shrimp
1x Mystery Snail
2x Assassin Snail


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## Dropped (Oct 14, 2014)

i see wet couches in your future haha.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

This will be a pretty simple, low tech, planted tank. The tank is a 30 gallon, 24"x12"x24, tall tank. The plan is to house an army of Red Cherry Shrimp, 3-5 Otos, and a decent sized school of (green) Neon Tetras. As for the plants, I'm starting with water sprite, java ferns, assorted crypts, frogbits, and hopefully some mosses. I've also chosen some drift wood for the tank and a couple pieces of cholla wood for the shrimp. The cholla wood may look out of place, but I'm hoping to cover it in plants eventually.

As for equipment, it is all budget friendly. I picked up a SAT+, a HOB filter rated for a larger tank, submergible heater, thermostat, and various routine items. I went with soil topped in sand for the substrate, I followed a write up on mineralizing the soil.
(Everything sitting in the garage on the futon)


*January 1st-January 13th, 2015*

Starting from the beginning, I had previously made this table for drinks and chargers in the corner. I never planned on putting a tank on it, so the construction reflected that.


I drew up a quick idea on how to reinforce the table. Basically, it is a 2"x4" fish stand with the original table top. The old legs were not used. The top is larger than the stand, but the tank is right over the supports. The rest of the table is still useable for drinks, phones, chargers, etc. 


I made my cuts out of #2 lumber


Assembled (the center beams aren't attached, I had to get L brackets).


And later that night, in the house! Just to brag, I made the table too.


I filled the tank up with relative ease. The plate definitely helped! It still ended up cloudy, but not too bad. 


Then here is a shot from the morning after


The cloudiness has definitely gone way down. It actually looks pretty good. I know now I am definitely going to wrap it with some matte black vinyl to hide the wires while viewing it. I'll probably tape the wires to the back of the vinyl so you can't see them as much from the side. 

For now, I am quite happy with the set up and how it is going. If anyone sees this and has some trimmings they want to give away, shoot me a PM! :hihi: I have ordered quite a bit of plants, but I don't think I could turn down more!

I plan on posting daily photos when the plants are in. That way I can do a time lapse. I'll have to take better photos too.



Dropped said:


> i see wet couches in your future haha.


:hihi: They slide easily! I have some of those magic sliders. I hope you were referring to planting/water changes and not a misfunction.


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## Sub1117 (Sep 21, 2014)

I never thought I'd see a tank taller than mine! Haha

Goodluck with the tank!  Looking forward to some updates


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Sub1117 said:


> I never thought I'd see a tank taller than mine! Haha
> 
> Goodluck with the tank!  Looking forward to some updates


Thanks! Yeah, it is pretty tall. Taller than most for sure. But it is pretty nice for viewing from the front. It isn't the best for planted tanks due to the distance from the substrate, but I can't complain since it was free!

On to the update

*January 14th, 2015*

I received a handful of plants yesterday. It is a few floaters (~20) and 7 crypts. I'm just floating them until the weekend/Monday when I should have everything else. I'll drain most of the tank to do all of my planting at once.





I also installed the heater and a thermostat. 



I used the test kit I bought too, just to read through the instructions and figure out the PH of my tap water. 



PH: 7.6 - Am I reading that correctly? Should be pretty close.

I should be receiving a few more plants, water sprite specifically, today. And I should have some sponge media for my filter coming in too. I'm not going to use the carbon filter that it came with.


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## Sub1117 (Sep 21, 2014)

I'm pretty sure you can make it work if you use long pieces of driftwood with some moss slapped on it. Shrimps will love the moss


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## TurtleShark (Feb 19, 2013)

I don't think it is, but you should try testing with the high range pH and make sure it's not above 7.6. Not that it really matters, but it would be helpful. It looks to me like the color on your pH test is darker than the 7.6 color. And the tank looks nice!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Sub1117 said:


> I'm pretty sure you can make it work if you use long pieces of driftwood with some moss slapped on it. Shrimps will love the moss


That's exactly my plan. I have 2 large pieces of driftwood coming in and a couple cholla logs. I am trying my best to get some moss, but it is hard to find people selling mosses (at least the cheap stuff!).



TurtleShark said:


> I don't think it is, but you should try testing with the high range pH and make sure it's not above 7.6. Not that it really matters, but it would be helpful. It looks to me like the color on your pH test is darker than the 7.6 color. And the tank looks nice!


A good point, I will try that today. I had not thought about it. I did notice it was a little darker than the test color. 

*January 15, 2015*

I received more plants and a chunk of foam for my filter. Is 30 PPI appropriate? How thick should I make the foam? I have 1/2" sheets of it.

Again, I'm just floating the water sprite with the rest of my plants until I get everything and my tweezers to plant it this weekend or next week.


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

i think that depth will not be an issue at all if you stick with good plant choices. so far your on the right track. You will be on low light which means no need for excel or co2. but a bit of excel can't really hurt unless you get some vals. for that tall of a tank I would love to see some nana vals in there. anubias would work great too.

good luck.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I am not sure if I closed the deal on Anubias or not. But I am hoping the water sprite and my drift wood choices fills out the tank a bit. I am working out a deal on moss now. 

As for the Excel, that is probably what I would use if I go that route in the near future. I'm not ready for heavy dry ferts or CO2, nor is my light appropriate. While the growth would be beautiful, my goal for this tank is relatively low maintenance.


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

I fully get that. I don't run co2 or excel either. Only dose a little micros and some potassium each week.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I'm still completely oblivious to all the other possibilities. I'll get this up and running well before I go down any other road. I'm sure I'll end up there, but not before I get enjoyment out of this.

EDIT: Got quite a bit of anchor moss. Hopefully it will take to my wood and other bits! Here is a pic from the seller.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

*January 16th, 2015*

I stopped by the local fish store and picked up a few plants and noticed they carry Otos regularly! That's nice. I'll see if I can make a stop by there regularly to check on the liveliness of them, since I hear they have issues in transport. 

Anyway, I picked up a few Nanas and a couple Micro swords.





*January 19th, 2015*

I did get my new filter media in (30 PPI) and my Versa glass top. Fit pretty good side to side and OK back to front. I cut the opening for the entirety of the filter, oops.



I was hoping to get my driftwood and moss over the weekend, but the Holiday cut that out of the picture. I should have it today and I'll be working on it tomorrow. I have a few more Crypts on their way and that should be enough to get the whole tank nicely situated.

I did pick up some pure Ammonia and I'm going for the fishless cycle after I get it planted. 

*Question:*

I have some pond snails in my tank now, not sure where I got them but I guess my rinsing was subpar. Regardless, best method of dealing with them at this stage of my tank? Will not feeding kill them off? Will the cycle kill them off? I have no fish, so that isn't really an issue for me. I was thinking of picking up a couple Assassin snails and they would keep the _pest snails _in check. But I hear they do eat shrimp on occasions and I do want to house some shrimp (nothing fancy).


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Freemananana said:


> *Question:*
> 
> I have some pond snails in my tank now, not sure where I got them but I guess my rinsing was subpar. Regardless, best method of dealing with them at this stage of my tank? Will not feeding kill them off? Will the cycle kill them off? I have no fish, so that isn't really an issue for me. I was thinking of picking up a couple Assassin snails and they would keep the _pest snails _in check. But I hear they do eat shrimp on occasions and I do want to house some shrimp (nothing fancy).


Pond and bladder snails commonly come in on live plants or driftwood taken from display tanks. Sometimes as adults/juvies, but also as translucent egg sacks attached to plants. They live off dead plant matter, bio film (oil slick look on surface of water in tans without water agitation), uneaten food, and algae. They won't die if you don't feed them but their population will not grow large if there is not an abundant food source (one or more of the above listed things- btw they also eat that mold/fungus that grows on newly submerged driftwood). They are indistructable and can tolerate very lethal ammonai, nitrite, or nitrate levels (know from experince of doing pure ammonia cycles or unfiltered un cycled tanks with them, they're unaffected by it. Pond and bladder snails are harmless and a natural part of a planted enviroment, there is no real need to kill them off or get an assassin snail to deal with them (never get multiple assassin snails- they WILL mass reproduce and cannibalize their own so the #s keep growing).


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

AquaAurora said:


> Pond and bladder snails commonly come in on live plants or driftwood taken from display tanks. Sometimes as adults/juvies, but also as translucent egg sacks attached to plants. They live off dead plant matter, bio film (oil slick look on surface of water in tans without water agitation), uneaten food, and algae. They won't die if you don't feed them but their population will not grow large if there is not an abundant food source (one or more of the above listed things- btw they also eat that mold/fungus that grows on newly submerged driftwood). They are indistructable and can tolerate very lethal ammonai, nitrite, or nitrate levels (know from experince of doing pure ammonia cycles or unfiltered un cycled tanks with them, they're unaffected by it. Pond and bladder snails are harmless and a natural part of a planted enviroment, there is no real need to kill them off or get an assassin snail to deal with them (never get multiple assassin snails- they WILL mass reproduce and cannibalize their own so the #s keep growing).


Alright, not a worry. I'll just deal with them in more practical means like removing them manually when the population is large. I was worried about them mass producing and over doing my bio load. 

I believe I removed a Trumpet Snail (?) from my tank too. But it appeared to be dead. I dug up a photo of it. The quality is poor because my wife took it, zoomed in, and sent it to me. 



*January 20th, 2015*

This is by far the most I've worked on this tank in a single day. I actually stayed up quite late. It didn't turn out exactly how I wanted, due to some unforeseen issues, but I think it is a good start.

I drained the tank to remove some of the snails, but mostly so I could plant in shallower water. I accidently dropped the gravel vac and it went through my sand cap and got dirt all over the place. So I completely removed the water and scooped out the dirt and recapped that part. 

So this is my 'hard' scape. It is a couple piece of spider driftwood. 



Here is my collection of plants and moss!



I tied the moss to the spider wood with fishing line. I bought the thinnest stuff I could find, 5 lb (?) test strength. I also tied a cholla log to the small piece of spiderwood and covered it in anchor moss too.



Fast forward. I wrapped the back in flat black vinyl and planted the rest of my plants. There are several types of crypts, abunias nanas, micro sword, water sprite, java fern, and a couple more cholla logs.



I'm really happy with the filter and heater now that the cords aren't as hideous while viewing the tank.



You can see I had some floating issues. I tied some rocks to the ends of the wood and sunk them into the substrate as anchors. Even if they float a little, I hope they will water log over the next few weeks and sink completely. I did carefully fill the tank and replant anything that came up.



When the tank was full, I put in my red floaters and frogbit. I am also floating some Java fern (small bits) that I have no idea what to do with. I will probably tie them to rocks and submerge part of the rock so that the fern grows properly.



Despite my best efforts, some of the ties came off my bigger piece. I am using little glass mason jars to hold it down on one side. This is also the morning after. The water has cleared a little bit already. It was only about 6 hours later.



I am hoping the water sprite grows up and fills some of the vertical space. I also hope the java ferns I planted on the taller piece of driftwood take shape. I'll begin cycling shortly. I think the fish will enjoy the tank when it is ready for them. :hihi:

*If you see anything obviously wrong, LET ME KNOW! You can critique and point out my flaws, that's fine.*


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

*January 22nd, 2015*

Another decent day. I actually took several lava rocks from my failed lava rock cave and tied some java fern and moss to them. I had some left over just floating in the tank. Now the only thing floating is the floaters! :hihi:

This one only has a couple ferns, it is back by the micro sword.


This one has much more and is between my driftwood legs.


This one just has a little piece of moss and is in a shaded portion of the tank under the driftwood.


I have a few pieces of water sprite planted so that they grow up and through the driftwood.


This is just another shot of the small piece of driftwood and a cholla log, wrapped in anchor moss.


And here is sits!


FTS



I am pretty pleased with the timer and the SAT+ so far. I haven't had any major issues with the tank. I am going to start my cycle today. Everything is planted and in place. Hoping to have some fish in here in the next month or so!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Alright, so I have a couple ideas and questions.

Idea #1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN2mI6lZhug

I want to do something similar! That would definitely fill the upper space. However, I don't want to run into flow issues, any experience with this? I think a lava rock cave would definitely be cool since I have plenty of it and the lava rocks I have in the tank don't stick out to me.

#2- I was thinking of a centerpiece fish for the tank and nothing came to mind. So I thought about a couple different schools instead of all one type of school. Opinions? Favorable schools for this size? I think more small fish would be more fun than a few large fish. I had previously just planned a large school of neon tetra.

Question though:

Do I need to remove the fishing line when the plants take root to the wood and such? 

I've heard I need to poke holes in my substrate since I have soil under it, how often do I need to do this and how long to be safe?


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

*January 23rd, 2015*

Nothing major, just started to dose my tank with ammonia to cycle it.

I'm using this stuff from Ace. 


I decided to go by the volume instead of 'drops' per say. I have a couple of these in various sizes.



3.5ml of the Ace ammonia put me in the 4.0~ ppm 



*I do have a concern. How do I get my floaters to actually float? They are getting hung up on my plants when the filter flow pushes them down.*







*I have thought about using a canister filter (a cheaper one, such as SunSun) to reduce the filter splash. Opinions? Worth the money? *


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I've got some concerns, but I'm thinking it may just be normal. First is a couple of my java ferns have developed holes in the leafs.



Then there is my moss, some of it is turning brown.



Same with some of my water sprite



Lastly, a few of my crypts are browning too



Is that all normal? I'm still cycling my tank and my ammonia levels haven't dropped yet. I will check the nitrite soon, but it has only been a couple days.


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## PoPoBTC (Aug 11, 2014)

If I were you I would get a school of pygme corys, they would love your sand substrate. Maybe some dwarf gourami. Neons are pretty, but boring.

Try a DIY flow reducer, piece of foam or a water bottle cut in half would work to reduce your flow and your floater plant problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX5gFVV4vB0 
Perhaps use the foam covering your intake, Do you have shrimp or anything that your worried will get sucked up your in take? I'm asking because the big selling point of a HOB mechanical filter is to filter large debris which you are preventing with the sponge on the intake.

Initial plant die off is normal. I've moved plants from one aquarium into another and they completely die off sometimes, before coming back.


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

Patients, you are going to need a ton of it.

Don't worry about plants for the first while, just make sure your dosing ferts (macro and micros), run your lights for 6-7 hours a day, WC once a week, trim ALL dying leaves asap, remove all dead plant matter that float asap. 

Your plants need time to adjust, your crypts will melt almost 100% of the time when water conditions change. This even includes a temp change of a 4-5 degrees can cause some leaves to melt. Java fern is hard to keep looking pristine, so don't stress it right now.

In about a month or 2 once your tank is fully cycled and parameters are becoming stable then talk to us. Until then if you follow my advice you will provide optimal conditions and you will surely have decent growth. 

Keep in mind high spikes of ammonia is not ideal for plants.

As far as fish go, cardinals and neons are pretty boring to watch. I saw a nice sized school of cherry barbs in a LFS and wow did they look great. I wish I looked into these fish before. In person their color was just awesome. I love how the females contrast with the male coloration.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

PoPoBTC said:


> If I were you I would get a school of pygme corys, they would love your sand substrate. Maybe some dwarf gourami. Neons are pretty, but boring.
> 
> Try a DIY flow reducer, piece of foam or a water bottle cut in half would work to reduce your flow and your floater plant problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX5gFVV4vB0
> Perhaps use the foam covering your intake, Do you have shrimp or anything that your worried will get sucked up your in take? I'm asking because the big selling point of a HOB mechanical filter is to filter large debris which you are preventing with the sponge on the intake.
> ...


I am not completely set on any fish yet, I just had my eye on neon tetras because of the size. I will look into more options!

I'll come up with something a little bit prettier than that, but thanks for the link. Seems like that would definitely help. The reason for the foam filter is to keep shrimp out of the filter. I do plan on housing shrimp in here. 

Thanks for the heads up on the plant die off. I thought it was normal. I just didn't want to let them go completely without questioning it. I don't want to neglect my plants. 



philipraposo1982 said:


> Patients, you are going to need a ton of it.
> 
> Don't worry about plants for the first while, just make sure your dosing ferts (macro and micros), run your lights for 6-7 hours a day, WC once a week, trim ALL dying leaves asap, remove all dead plant matter that float asap.
> 
> ...


I've got patience, I just don't want to write anything off and ignore a potential issue. I'll trim the dead or dying plants then. That's good enough for me! 

Do I do water changes during the fishless cycle? I thought I did not. I'll have to read into that more. It hasn't been a week since my last change, so I'm still fine if I need to change the water.

I will keep it updated. I just don't want to neglect the plants. I will trim and keep on with the fishless cycle and keep my parameters in check. 

Cherry barbs sound interesting. I'll put them on my list of fish to check out. I do plan on housing a bunch of shrimp in here, so I didn't want anything that would eat too many of them. 

Thanks guys. I'll get the scissor and tweezers out and start cutting back the dead and dying plants.


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## Zoidborg (Jan 29, 2014)

Looking good so far, can't wait to see this tanks progress!

Once the tank has matures a nice large school of celestial Pearl danios (CPD)! male fancy guppies (males are tiny compared to females, I have a tank of males with my cherrries) or micro Rasboras would be sweet. No need to worry about shrimps as those fish have tiny mouths.


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

Most fish will set shrimp, so do the research.

The only reason I could see why not to do a water change during the cycle is because you don't want to remove ammonia. But its very easy to dose whatever you remove right after.

Its my opinion that your tank will benefit from water changes in several ways. First thing is that it will keep your tanks pH stable, this important for the growth of bb. It will also remove built up organics, this may not seem like a big deal but in this stage you have no fish but after a month of cycling you won't need to fully drain you tank to get levels in check before adding fish.

Another reason which is important for your plants is that WC will provide minerals and fresh co2.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

On it. I'll do a water change this weekend and check my parameters. 

Question for people who can't use a python water changer (no sink in my house is compatible) or a hose, what is the best way to fill the tank? I have a gravel vac/siphon/whatever. Should I just use it reverse? I was thinking of mixing a couple 5G buckets up with water and dechlorinater and adding that. But the temperature thing worries me. I could probably get it close out of the tap.


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## Dead2fall (Jun 4, 2014)

Freemananana said:


> On it. I'll do a water change this weekend and check my parameters.
> 
> Question for people who can't use a python water changer (no sink in my house is compatible) or a hose, what is the best way to fill the tank? I have a gravel vac/siphon/whatever. Should I just use it reverse? I was thinking of mixing a couple 5G buckets up with water and dechlorinater and adding that. But the temperature thing worries me. I could probably get it close out of the tap.


I used to hold the bucket with one arm, and a plate/bucket lid with the other. Pour the water onto the bucket lid using it to diffuse the flow.

I just finished cycling a new tank myself. First time I've ever done water changes while cycling. Didn't hurt a thing.


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

3 x 5g buckets. Add 1ml for each bucket. Use thermometer and set the tap to the tank temp and done.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Dead2fall said:


> I used to hold the bucket with one arm, and a plate/bucket lid with the other. Pour the water onto the bucket lid using it to diffuse the flow.


With a 5G bucket? I have been using 2 pitchers (1G ea) to fill it. I get the sink to the right temp in the kitchen and just walk back and forth using the plate method. Then when I'm done emptying one, I grab the other which is now filled. It is OK but I have to dose the whole tank after adding the water with my Prime. I'm not sure how good that is in the long run since chlorine will be in the system for 10~15m while I fill.

Also, I found this chart while searching community tanks and the fish suggested.










Cherry barbs, dwarf gouramis, otos, and neon tera are all houseable together. Obviously shrimp will always be on the menu :hihi: I'll keep an eye out though.



philipraposo1982 said:


> 3 x 5g buckets. Add 1ml for each bucket. Use thermometer and set the tap to the tank temp and done.


Just pour it into the tank? Or use the siphon? Maybe I've been imagining dumping a 5G bucket to be more difficult than it is.


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

I did it in my 75g for a while before I made my diy Python. Just pour kinda slow. In a smaller tank you might want to put something in to break the flow.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

philipraposo1982 said:


> I did it in my 75g for a while *before I made my diy Python*. Just pour kinda slow. In a smaller tank you might want to put something in to break the flow.


You can't drop a sentence like that and not elaborate! Is it in your journal? I'd be interested to see it.

EDIT:

I'm sure I'll find a method that really jives with me.


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

I simply bought the green tap adapter and added my own hose, on off valve that also splits. I use a large diameter hose after the split to allow pressure to drop.

Its a lot cheaper than buying their hose and such. I do 50% on my 75g in about 15 min.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Dang, that wasn't the custom part I was hoping for. My issue is the tap adapter. I do not have a regular tap in the kitchen or my bathrooms.

EDIT:

I've been reading on the cherry barbs and they seem like they may not mesh with neons, but they are more active. So I am thinking a school of them might be cool instead. They are much prettier. Also, the dwarf gouramis is something I've been looking at. Just 1 of them is practical, right? Along with 3-4 otos and shrimp, I want to keep them in the tank. With this in mind, would some thing else help fill out the tank? I'm thinking the surface may be empty. I think guppies are more likely to swim in the upper part of the tank.


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## Dead2fall (Jun 4, 2014)

Freemananana said:


> With a 5G bucket? I have been using 2 pitchers (1G ea) to fill it. I get the sink to the right temp in the kitchen and just walk back and forth using the plate method. Then when I'm done emptying one, I grab the other which is now filled. It is OK but I have to dose the whole tank after adding the water with my Prime. I'm not sure how good that is in the long run since chlorine will be in the system for 10~15m while I fill.
> 
> Also, I found this chart while searching community tanks and the fish suggested.
> 
> ...


Yeah with a 5g bucket lol.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Dead2fall said:


> Yeah with a 5g bucket lol.


Alright, I'll have to give that a go then. I just imagined a huge mess with a 5G bucket. 

I went to the local fish store and they had Cherry barbs, Dwarf Gouramis, oto cats, and a variety of corys. I don't think any of them were pygmes though. I believe another store around here sells ghost shrimp, so I may pick up some of those. 

I also tested my water



That is the 'high PH' test. I'm not sure if it is on the scale? I'm not color blind, but I will say colors have never been easy for me. As for the ammonia and nitrites, it is still on its' way.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Just a small update while I am still cycling the tank. My ammonia bacteria are in full swing! The fishless cycle worried me a little but, but I my ammonia drops quickly now and nitrAtes have started to show up.



I also made a snail bucket for catching some snails on the side glass and transferring them into my puffer tank. It is just a medicine cap (not used) and a suction cup from some other aquarium decoration. Hopefully I can attach the snails and rehome them.



I also got my food from Ken in! This stuff doesn't look bad at all and it was CHEAP. I think the wafers and the fish food totaled less than $10. I also bought some long scissors and tweezers. It won't keep me dry when the tank is full, but doing a 30-50% water change and suddenly I won't get anything other than my hands wet.



And my most up to date full tank shot.



I do plan on rescaping. I have been looking for rocks and experimenting with some things. Hopefully I can build my plateau that I wanted.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

So I am planning a major rescape within the next two weeks along with some alterations. My first lava rock cave failed. I have been experimenting and trying to find a better way to do what I was doing. I found someone who used pond foam, fiberglass resin, and rocks/crushed rocks to make a cave/background. It looked like a neat idea and I think I'll give it a couple shots until I can get it to work. With that in mind, here is what my proposed hardscape would look like. 

EDIT: Here is a link to another good idea! It isn't the one I was referencing before though.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-fake-rock-cavebasking-spot-for-a-reptile-c/



I also decided I'd go with a SunSun canister for various reasons. I have been debating an inline heater, but the cheaper ones seem to fail so I will probably just place my heater I have close to the intake.

As for the actual plant scaping, I've changed it up since the 'mix different plants together' looks rough. I don't care for it. So I'm doing some segregation. 

The water sprite will stay in the back corner/back wall. There is micro sword in front of that and smaller crypt parva out in front of that. Hopefully giving it a layered look towards the back and hide some of the equipment. I wanted to move my anchor moss onto the lava rock cave and the driftwood on top. Then there are a couple anubias nanas attached to the drift wood. There is also crypt wendii green and bronze in front and around the cave. I'll keep the frogbit and red root floaters on top, but they will probably be pushed to the corner by the current.



Lastly is the live stocking. I'm pretty sure this is overstocked, but I'm wondering if it would be accomplishable with the planting level and the filtering. 

1x Dwarf Gourami
6x Cherry Barb
8x Harlequin
4x Oto
20+ Red Cherry Shrimp



I was thinking the harlequins would swim near the surface and the cherry barbs and dwarf gourami would fill the middle out. The otos would be in various places and the cherry shrimp would be on the bottom. I know there are a couple types of corys that would enjoy the sand and fill the bottom out. But I'm not sure how stocking would work for that.

Any advice and critiques are welcome.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Posting from my phone, so I apologize in advance. I rescaped it, still doing my foam cave experimenting. However, I think it looks much better for now. It is an improvement for me. I am using black diamond blasting sand. It is AMAZING! It sinks so fast, makes planting a breeze and it looks much better. 

It is still cycling along. I did a water change with my knockoff python and it was amazing! So much easier. 

Hopefully this post works out.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Installed the sun sun 302. It definitely has more flow throughout the tank than the HOB filter. I can see the plants swaying. The skimmer actually works for me too. I'm in love with the quiet filtration too. Install was a breeze, overall. But the suction cups are sub par.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

So my first lava rock cave didn't have the structural rigidity to be moved. It was able to support it's own weight, but the silicone flexed far too much to be moved. So here is my lava rock cave, version 2.

I started with some Great Stuff spray foam and went with a general shape and size.



Cutting bits out with a dremel.





Painted it black, mostly so the inside doesn't look weird compared to my substrate



I started to silicone/glue the smallest lava rocks I had to the exterior of it. I haven't finished, but this is where it is at so far. It is holding up pretty well. I think a couple days of gluing small bits will cover it completely. 







The plan is to attach a bunch of java moss to it and pretty much cover the whole thing up. I just went with lava rock because I had it and it is fairly porous.

This is still the goal:










I think the stocking won't include the Harlequin. My LFS stopped carrying them  Maybe Panda corys? Or green corys? Just a small school. I'm not sure.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Small update, I finished the rock feature. But it floats...



Any tips? I am going to make a thread in aquascaping or something about this haha. It makes a really pretty island, but it is suppose to be a cave.

If anyone is wondering, that is my no tech bucket of java moss. The stuff has been outside, in indirect sunlight, for awhile now. I just took some out and tied it to the rock structure. I tied some to my wood too. Java moss is pretty amazing stuff.

Lastly, I think my cycling is finishing up! My nitrItes have started to lighten up. I think they are going to be readable on my kit soon, which means they should be 0 before too long.


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## Mitashade (Jan 8, 2015)

Attach it to a flat piece of slate and place it before pouring in substrate? Would weigh it down well, but you wouldn't be able to remove it (unless you somehow made it detachable).


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Mitashade said:


> Attach it to a flat piece of slate and place it before pouring in substrate? Would weigh it down well, but you wouldn't be able to remove it (unless you somehow made it detachable).


That is pretty much the advice I have gotten from everyone. I may find a different use for the java moss.

EDIT:

I took some photos the other day, might as well include them. Still cycling, but the purple isn't as deep as it use to be. Also, the nitrAtes are higher than they have been. I tested for PH and ammonia just for kicks, PH is still the same and the 4ppm of ammonia cycles through every day. 


(pretty blurry actually, sorry)

I added some more moss to the drift wood. Not sure how I feel about the drift wood now though. I may just go with plants only and look into jungle vals for the height. Just plant them deep and make a forest look out of them.



I still want to keep the moss since I want to have a bunch of shrimp.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

So I thought I could see my nitrites coming down since they weren't as deep of a purple, and then BAM! The cycle is done!



My nitrates are low though. I expected much more. Is this a good thing?

I went to the LFS and scoped out the stock. I really like the little green cory cats they have. They are adorable.



They called these rasbora espei, which is close to a harlequin. Enough to be called a false harlequin from what I read.



My wife is still in love with neon tetras, and so am I frankly



And then there are the cherry barbs.



I forgot about the silver hatchet fish, which my wife was fond of. She said they were so goofy she could sit there and watch just them.



Basically, I'm not sure what to house. I know I can't get a school of everything, so I obviously need to choose. My wife wanted corys, neons, and the hatchet fish. I think that may be a good choice. Squeeze a few otos in there too. I do have a lid for the hatchet fish too, I'll just have to be careful while doing water changes.


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## JHughes (Feb 19, 2015)

I have 3 Longfin Danios that are a nicer color with stripes if that helps!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

JHughes said:


> I have 3 Longfin Danios that are a nicer color with stripes if that helps!


I think most other little schooling fish, such as the tetras and barbs, would nip at the fins of something as fancy as that.

Took me from January 23rd until February 18th to cycle my tank. I did a ton of rescaping and even a filter change. So I highly recommend the fishless cycle. 3 1/2 weeks is definitely manageable. I'm going to hold off on fish until I get my scaping done. I may be adding a new driftwood arrangement.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I got a package in from a great guy on the forum. I was looking for frogbit and he sent me A TON. It all survived the weather from what I can see!

FTS 2/20/15










Definitely doing better than the red root floaters I had. 



I'm not sure what these are, but I definitely like them. 





I've got some manzanita drift wood on the way and jungle Vals pending. Hopefully my RCS will be on the way early next week too.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

So I picked up some fish today! I'm sold on Cory's. They are the CUTEST fish ever. They are super active and they are hands down the best fish I've ever seen. They swim up and down the sides of the tank, play in the sand, and dart across the whole tank. 

I picked up a school of neon tetras because they are simply colorful and my wife loves them. 

I also got a handful of otos and they are actually pretty active. They are hanging around on leaves, swimming around and actually swimming with the other fish. 











I'll have to get a video of them shooting around.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

The tank has come such a long way, and there is more to come. I'm still not great at aquascaping, but I'm going to keep trying. But the addition of fish was amazing!

Full tank shot 2/23/15


The otos are the only ones I can get photos of


But I did take a video of the tank. Ignore lion king in the background, my daughter loves it.


Sorry it is only phone quality photos and video. It's all I have. 

Jungle Vals should be here today, RCS this week, and manzanita soon after.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Planted the jungle vals and I'm giving away the water sprite. RCS on the way too.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I've been nervously checking my parameters. So far, so good. I haven't seen ammonia or nitrites show up. Even my nitrates seem to be low. Any ideas? Does it mean anything at all? 



I still keep my test kit out along with my liquid ferts and prime. I can probably put it all away now and just leave the food out. Just a shot of the tank. I'm so glad all the fish swim together. The corys are adventurous and even the otos swim with them and the neons some times. 





I'm probably going to replace the spider wood with manzanita and spread the moss out much more. I went a little heavy and you can't even see the wood. Aside from that, I will probably plant some swords over there to cover the bottom of the manzanita and move the anubias in front of it and the crypts over by the vals.



And the tank as it sits in the living room. It is a great source of entertainment and definitely an eye catcher when you come into the house. Not the fanciest tank by any means, but I sure like it.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

The Corys love veggie wafers. 



Here's a video of them.


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## Dead2fall (Jun 4, 2014)

Awesome! Looks great! The lime green ones in the front are staurogyne porto velho.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Thanks! I'll do some research on them soon. I worry about the lighting way down there.


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## ovenmit331 (Mar 27, 2007)

Love the tank man. Seems like a pretty easy to maintain setup that also looks great and is fun to watch. Well done.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

ovenmit331 said:


> Love the tank man. Seems like a pretty easy to maintain setup that also looks great and is fun to watch. Well done.


Thanks! I'm working on it. RCS will be here Saturday. Hopefully Friday I will have the new driftwood ready and maybe plant a few swords in here. I'm going a different route with the wood. Hopefully it looks half decent. 

I'll have a ton of java moss and even some anchor moss to get rid of here before too long. I haven't had much luck finding buyers, so I'll probably RAOK the java moss.


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## BulletToothBoris (Jan 17, 2013)

Nice!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

BulletToothBoris said:


> Nice!


Thanks! I got my manzanita too! It is awesome. I ordered 3 pieces, but here is a shot of one.



I picked up some petrified wood to help the manzanita sink. I was rinsing it to clean it up.



I picked up a couple of large swords (Brazilian)



I did the rescape and here are some close up shots of everything moved around











Full tank shots!






Red Cherry Shrimp on the way, they will be here today! I'll probably post about them when I get them acclimated and in the tank.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

If anyone wants a 'cheaper' python water changer, I suggest the aqueon water changer. It's amazing for frequent water changes. 



I got my RCS in the mail today! I don't believe I had any DOAs! 





I couldn't get a good shot of these little guys. Here's a half decent blurry shot



A FTS, doubt you can see the shrimp. But they swim around just like the neons actually. They are bold!


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## chinaboy1021 (May 30, 2003)

Dude...that "Brazilian sword" - are you sure that's an aquatic plant? I have that exact same plant but it's in a dry pot with soil....


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

chinaboy1021 said:


> Dude...that "Brazilian sword" - are you sure that's an aquatic plant? I have that exact same plant but it's in a dry pot with soil....


I heard there were two different Brazilian swords, so I am unsure to be honest. The LFS claimed it was fully aquatic. So if it does just die and rot away over time, I'll go back to the store and see where it goes. But if it makes it, then it does. I've been keeping an eye on it. I am a bit worried myself. I had originally wanted an Amazon sword, but they have these in stock regularly. 

EDIT: 

Could I grow it emergent out of the back of the tank? I could make a very low tech lighting option for it myself. But I was thinking I could grow it with the roots in the tank, plants popping through the ~2" gap in my versa lid. 

A minor update. I lost 2 fish; Sadly, there was an oto being picked away when I came home and a neon tetra stuck to the filter intake. I'm not sure if it has to do with how I do my water changes. I use a 'python' water changer. So when I add water back to the tank, I make sure it is close to tank temp (75-78), add my 3ml Seachem (30G), and fill. Is there something I'm doing wrong?

Anyway, I noticed my RCS hang out everywhere but the floor!

The like the manzanita wood


And they really like the frogbit




So I put some logs back in with some moss tied to them. They are stuffed in a really low light area, so I don't expect much growth. I just hope it is enough to keep the moss healthy.



And a FTS to finish the day off


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## chinaboy1021 (May 30, 2003)

Your sword looks exactly what I have at home.

_*Looking forward to additional scape*_


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

chinaboy1021 said:


> Your sword looks exactly what I have at home.
> 
> _*Looking forward to additional scape*_


Yeah. I'm putting together a riparium style planter for the rear. There should be enough indirect sunlight to keep it alive and I have started an extra light. 

A shame though. Maybe they will have actual amazon swords this time. :/


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## alinam973 (Apr 8, 2014)

I might be too late to answer this one but I was told to put a feeding ring where the water flows and it should stop the plants from going in front of the flow and being forced down into the water


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

alinam973 said:


> I might be too late to answer this one but I was told to put a feeding ring where the water flows and it should stop the plants from going in front of the flow and being forced down into the water


Yeah, probably a little :hihi: I got rid of the HOB filter awhile back. The canister spray bar doesn't drop the water the same way, so the plants just bounce off the flow and keep spinning instead of being sucked under.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I've got a few questions if any one has time. First, anywhere under 40ppm Nitrates is the goal, right? I think this is somewhere around 20ppm, the photo doesn't really look the same as it does in person.



Does this Oto look too fat? I've been increasing my photo period by a hour a week to try and find some algae, then dial it back. But I haven't been able to find any. 



Is this a dead shrimp or just the molting?



Do I need to increase the surface agitation or is a small ripple like this enough? I haven't seen anyone gasping at the surface aside from one cory that swims up and down the side walls sometimes.



Thanks!


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## ovenmit331 (Mar 27, 2007)

Freemananana said:


> Is this a dead shrimp or just the molting?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks like just the molting. If it's translucent it should just be the molt, if it's opaque and white then it's a dead skrimp.

If the fish aren't gasping, you should be fine.

Question for you: Can you post a list of ALL the fish and shrimp that are in this tank? Seems like you've added a bit of this and that over time and not sure what's left/survived. 

(Asking because you seem to be going almost the exact same route I'm planning for my 30g in respect to fish.)


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Thanks! I suspected it was a molting. I've seen a couple hanging around the tank. It is pretty cool!

No problem, here's the list!

9 Neon Tetra (I had a death)
3 Oto (I had a death)
6 Green Cory
40~ RCS

After removing the swords, I see a lot of the RCS. I assume they were hiding in the dense swords previously. I am going to add some plants back in that area soon. I see the otos on and off. They like the back glass. The Neons I can usually see. Some of them explore, but they mostly huddle together in the middle. The Corys fly around constantly. Getting a count on them is difficult sometimes! I'd say I am close to the stocking level. If I plant a little heavier, which I am planning on doing soon, I could probably fit in a couple more fish or another small school. But I want to stick to neons or vegetarian fish to avoid my RCS from being depleted too quickly.

My plan for stocking has changed over time, but I am really happy with what I have lined up right now. The Neons are pretty, the corys are active, the otos are adorable and the RCS are a blast when you see them. If you want to keep shrimp, I would stick with small fish and otos. 

Small update, my LFS is ordering either swords or vals for me this week. Depending on their price and what I want. I'm not sure which to go with.


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## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

i would like to suggest waiting 2-3 weeks before bumping up to the next hour. It generally takes longer than a week to notice changes in an aquarium. 

in my 75, when i make changes I normally do 3 weeks before changing something else. gives you plenty of time to observe plants and fish and algae.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

philipraposo1982 said:


> i would like to suggest waiting 2-3 weeks before bumping up to the next hour. It generally takes longer than a week to notice changes in an aquarium.
> 
> in my 75, when i make changes I normally do 3 weeks before changing something else. gives you plenty of time to observe plants and fish and algae.


I've bumped it up 2 hours (if I am remembering right) over the course of the 2 months, but it has been the past couple weeks. I'll leave it at 12 (or maybe 10, I do not know what it is set at right now) hours for awhile and see if there is a change. It is only a SAT+ so the par value is pretty low. If I can maintain a 10-12 hour window, I'd be really happy. 8am-6/8pm is great for me on the weekend and during the week. It really meshes with my schedule well. Regardless, thanks for the advice. I will wait longer for any further changes.

I was thinking of picking up another couple otos. Would a school of 6 be too much for my tank size? I know they like schools, so I would like to have plenty of friends for them.


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## ovenmit331 (Mar 27, 2007)

Freemananana said:


> Thanks! I suspected it was a molting. I've seen a couple hanging around the tank. It is pretty cool!
> 
> No problem, here's the list!
> 
> ...


I think I'm planning on the following:

15ish neon tetras
4 Oto
3-5 Amano shrimp
20ish RCS
and a Nerite snail

pretty similar!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

You'll have more than enough space! The green Cory's grow much larger than the neon tetra do. Plus the shrimp and snail have a low bio load. You'll be fine. I'd highly suggest shrimp first so they can find hiding places.


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## ovenmit331 (Mar 27, 2007)

Freemananana said:


> You'll have more than enough space! The green Cory's grow much larger than the neon tetra do. Plus the shrimp and snail have a low bio load. You'll be fine. I'd highly suggest shrimp first so they can find hiding places.


That's the plan. Although, my layout isn't very conducive to hiding places at all. Oh well. We'll see how it goes.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

The tall tanks aren't as good since you can't have thick low plants. But you can use things like jungle val or swords in the back ground that are really good hiding places. Most of mine were hiding in my sword plant.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I regularly test my nitrates, just to try and get a feel for when they are getting high. It is hard to distinguish shades of orange, but this is definitely orange in person. 



So it was water change time. I have a 30PPI foam prefilter held on by zip ties. It is the same foam as my filter pads.



I also got another liter of seachem matrix to replace the filter floss in my canister.



Then I started a project! I ordered a $5 clear fridge tray. 4"x6"x14" if I recall correctly.



I trimmed it down to about 4"x3" instead. 



Then with a heat gun and a block of wood, I formed the back piece.



Drilled a bunch of holes in it



Hung it on the outside of the tank for a 'proof of concept' test run. It hangs!



The black gravel I planned on using didn't work out, so I used some spare lava rock until I figure out something better. It holds the plants and lets water flow, so I can't complain.



Here's the tank as it sits now with the Brazilian Swords (peace lily) set up as a bog plant instead of aquatic.



Here they are. They are getting some light from the overflow of the SAT+, but I'll work something out for them if the indirect window light from the kitchen isn't enough. I've read that peace lilies are great house plants, so they may be fine.



Small update on my shrimp (ignore my struggling moss). They are molting just fine it would seem. I have found a few of these recently!



They are even getting bold and taking park in feeding time!



Veggie wafers are popular!



Here are a few RCS scavenging the left overs of the wafer. I feed 1/4-1/2 a wafer a day.



The tank seems to be doing fine. I have an amazon sword on the way, I'm going to put the rest of my moss in the tank, and I am contemplating picking up the new Finnex Planted+ 24/7. It is about 45-60 par at the highest part of the day. I saw 60 PAR at 20" in a video, but that was it's brightest setting. Most of the day is less than that, plus my surface is nearly full of floaters.

*Question*: For more flow, should I get a small power head ($25) or another cheap canister ($42)? The main reason I was debating another canister is in case I do find a good deal on a 60+ gallon tank and I'll need the flow.

Thanks TPT. I really have come a long way and the tank is about to go another couple steps forward! It is a constant adventure and I feel like I've progressed a good deal. Obviously I still have a long way to go. But this is an exciting, indoor, hobby.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I did a full test today. 



PH: 7.4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: <40
GH: 10
KH: 8

I am not sure about the GH and KH. I just counted the drops and that's it? 

I got a couple medium amazon swords in trade. I like the look of these, so I'll probably pick up more crypts and trade off the rest of my anubias. Here is the full tank shot with riparium hanger and all!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I made an animated gif adventure from the very beginning to present. It is most of the changes from January 13th to March 10th. Sure seems like more than two months!


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## BulletToothBoris (Jan 17, 2013)

Great tank!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Thanks! I need to do a bit of replanting and pruning I think. I've been contemplating a slighter more powerful light (Planted+). I've heard the SAT+ may be in the mid range of low light and I'd be interested in possibly the higher end of low light or the bottom rim of medium light.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Picked up a couple thongs at the LFS today. 

First off is an amazon sword. It makes the other amazon swords I got look more like ferns of some sort. 



I picked up a snail. Not really sure what it is but it was cool. I don't mind snails, but I'm keeping the pond snail population down just by scooping them out and putting them in my soon to be puffer tank.



My RCS love the frogbit roots! They are getting long!



A full tank shot. Thinking of selling the val and just going with a bunch of swords. Not sure. I'll let it mature for now.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

The riparium hanger had to come out. The plants still were not enjoying the bog setting. So into a pot they went. This also gave me more room for my frogbit colony to continue to spread. I've given away 4 portions of this already (12"x12"). This stuff GROWS!



The tank is doing well. I usually do x2 30% water changes a week. I probably could get away with less but I don't really mind so I'll keep it going. I'm thinking of adding a few more neons to the tank. Possibly a small school of 6~ fish if anyone has suggestions.


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## C-Cat (Mar 9, 2015)

> I made an animated gif adventure from the very beginning to present.


Awesome - I was just thinking about doing this.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

C-Cat said:


> Awesome - I was just thinking about doing this.


It is pretty easy to do also! I don't remember what site I used, but there are plenty that will do all the coding for you.

http://gifmaker.me/ seems pretty good also!


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## C-Cat (Mar 9, 2015)

Thanks - nice looking tank, too. I'm doing a 30G low-tech cube with similar stock (espei rasboras, otos, least killifish, a few shrimp & snails). I'm finding the FL-native stuff really interesting (least killifish, dwarf sunfish, etc) so I may take it more that direction over time.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Thanks. It is coming along. I'm pretty happy with where it is right now. I saw your tank in your signature, you should start a Journal and post more photos. I'd be interested in checking it out. I'm always interested in similar sized tanks. I would really like to have a 60G cube, but those aren't very common and are pricey because of that.


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## C-Cat (Mar 9, 2015)

That's a good idea -- I've got a bunch of pictures and notes around, and I kept a lot of detail about my fishless cycle too. A 60G cube would be pretty sweet!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

24" all around! It would be the perfect dimensions for my corner. That is really the reason I want it. It is just the right dimensions for the space I have allocated. Double the tank and takes up the same amount of space.

Definitely make a journal! It is fun.

I also made some space in my tank yesterday, someone claimed my frogbit finally!

Before:



After:



I'm very pleased with how huge the leaves are getting too! I sent him nearly half a gallon of frogbit. It should be more than enough.


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## C-Cat (Mar 9, 2015)

Nice - that frogbit looks super healthy. Should be a great start for someone, and I'll bet the rest of your plants will enjoy the additional light.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

C-Cat said:


> Nice - that frogbit looks super healthy. Should be a great start for someone, and I'll bet the rest of your plants will enjoy the additional light.


That's something I've been thinking about recently. I don't know if I am supplying enough light post floaters. The tank is much brighter now that I removed those plants. I didn't realize how dim the light was with all the plants blocking it out.


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## C-Cat (Mar 9, 2015)

The lower level did seem a bit dark to me in those recent pictures, but sometimes forum pics don't tell the whole story. If the plants & critters are happy, great!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

They definitely were darker! I am going to think about upgrading. I have started getting into arduino and I would love to program the SAT+. Maybe I can find an additional 24" light. I had also thought about the finnex 24/7. I really don't want more PAR, just more viewing light with the same-ish PAR. I like being around 20-30 PAR.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I picked up a couple more Otos after seeing some strange behavior. I know I am on the heavier side of them now, but I do supplement the algae diet with algae wafers and veggies. I also picked up some Cherry/Gold barbs (told the color difference reflects gender). I know I am at the stocking capacity for my tank and I am keeping up with regular water changes and water tests. I still do 30% water changes twice a week. 



I haven't really been dosing any ferts lately. I am looking to trade/sell the jungle val and move some swords over there or possibly some more crypts in that space.

FTS:





I have noticed the moss in the bottom of the tank isn't doing as well as the moss I have attached to the top of the wood. I think the moss likes the slightly higher light. So I am going to remove it from the logs and move it higher in the tank.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

My frogbit is exploding. I have about 1/2 a gallon every week of this stuff to give away. :hihi:

Here is the frogbit literally a week after I cleaned it out:



Here it is after I cleaned it out this weekend:



And here is the gallon zip-lock that I'm giving away.



I did some rearranging of my swords since they grew up and out a bit. Plus they were probably too tightly planted to begin with. Some of the lower/middle leaves struggled and died.



I also decided to move some of the struggling moss up higher since the moss up top was flourishing. I guess it needed more light (anchor moss) than it was getting at the substrate. Possibly more water movement too.

Here is the full tank shots post weekly maintenance:







Plans for the tank include more anubias nana on the right and filling in the rest of the left/center with crypts. Hopefully more swords on the left and removing the jungle val. I just need a home for the jungle val since it really hasn't thrived in my tank. It is just sustaining, no new runners.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

My Amazon Swords are doing quite well. They are definitely my favorite plant so far. I added a generic power head under my spray bar (perpendicular in flow) to get the swords to sway more. It worked out great for me.



Here is a review in the equipment subforum:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?p=7750889#post7750889

I'd say it is pretty good as long as the longevity of the unit isn't horrid.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I sold the jungle vals, so that area will be empty for awhile. I'm in the middle of upgrading my set up so I'm not too worried. I did an extra water change this week since it makes aquascaping so much easier on a 2' tall tank.

I did a test of my nitrates prior to the water change. They are definitely under 40 ppm, but other than that I can't really tell. So after a 50% water change I'm hoping they are below 20 ppm. 





Here's a shot of the tank while I'm relaxing on the couch. Really not the best, but it is quite enjoyable in person.



I also took some photos during feeding time. As usual my cories were on top of the veggie wafer bit I dropped in. 



The other bit I dropped in was being picked at by everyone! You can see some otos along with my neons and barbs.



A close up of my elusive otos.



To round it out, here are some videos of the action. The first one is the cories eating a veggie wafer and the second is everyone else in the corner eating one. I think you just need to click them to be directed to photobucket. They are about 30 seconds a piece.





This tank will be coming to an end soon. I'm keeping all the plants and fish though! So no worries :hihi: They are just getting a bigger, nicer, home soon.

Also, I think this may be a cardinal tetra? He is larger than the rest and his red stripe goes the length of his body unlike the neons. May just be a nice coloring!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

In preparation of taking this tank down, I sold off my current SAT+ 

So here is my tank with a couple of the lights I plan on using on my new tank when it is set up. They are just 10" aluminum dome shop lights with 23w CFLs. 



The par is probably a bit higher than before, so I turned the photoperiod down a few hours.



I also added some hair grass that I got as a RAOK from a fellow member. Not sure how it will do, but I'll give it a shot just to see. I sold the Vals that were here.



And a quick FTS. 



I do like the way the 5000k lights look. They aren't as *WHITE* as my Sat+ was, but I actually like the almost golden hue to them.

This tank will become my quarantine/sick tank after I set up my new tank.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

the tank looks good! I dunno I think that "neon" is probably a cardinal.. maybe someone with more expertise will chime in but a neon shouldnt have a red stripe longer than half the body


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

andrewss said:


> the tank looks good! I dunno I think that "neon" is probably a cardinal.. maybe someone with more expertise will chime in but a neon shouldnt have a red stripe longer than half the body


Thanks! I think it is a cardinal, but it really doesn't matter too much. :hihi:

A few shots of the tank. The new lights are much stronger than my old set up.





Here's a shot of my daughter. She's mesmerized by the little fish swimming around. She stares at the tank regularly.


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## TINNGG (Mar 9, 2005)

It is a cardinal. I had better luck with Cardinals than I did with neons, though to be fair, the neons were babies and sold 3 for a buck at the time. 

I always thought aquariums made great babysitters. I used to set the baby swing in front of my 20L with...whatever it was I had in it. The baby would be entranced.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

It definitely keeps her occupied for minutes at a time. I like the neons to an extent. I'll probably get some cardinals if the LFS has them. I like the blue they add to the tank.


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## Mikeygmzmg (Mar 19, 2015)

Very sharp. It reminds me of the bottom of the Amazon. White sand is on point.


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

Love the pic of your little one watching the tank. Raise them right!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Phil Edwards said:


> Love the pic of your little one watching the tank. Raise them right!


I can't wait to see her reaction to my new tank when it is up and running. It is going to be much more eye catching than this tank ever was. She does love watching the fish and she constantly tries to poke them when I'm not watching.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

Ah I just realized you are taking this tank down. But yeah the 75 you have with the custom stand is really really lookin good interested to see where that one goes


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I'm going to use it as a QT/sick tank. But I'm definitely taking it down for the other tank! Thanks. I hope it all turns out well.


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