# 125G dirt tank: the forest of anubias nana petite



## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Hi,

I posted a video of the tank on youtube and in the “aquascaping” forum. Since then, several members have asked for specifics. When first set up, the size of this tank made me a bit nervous since I have not set up any tank larger than 50G. The largest one was a 46G bowfront. I never expect it would turn out this well. So I am writing this up to share with all the details as well as more photos beside the video. The tank is very pleasing to view, especially during sunset hours. Anyway, here are the details. Tank was set up in late June 2013.

Tank: 60x24x20

Filtration: Eshopps W/D sump (WD-300CS)

Light: BML light x2 (90o custom spectrum and 75o planted tank spectrum). Light schedule is 8am-8pm with first 100 min ramp-up (0-70% sunrise) and last 100min ramp-down (70-0% sunset). Currently, I am setting it to 90% intensity to give the carpet plants more light since it is very thick.

CO2: 10lbs tank regulated by an Aquatek regulator. The 10 lbs tank lasts around 2.5 mos.

Apex: control CO2 injection and BML lights and others (heater and UV sterilizer)

Substrate: MGOCPM/Organic Compost/Shultz Aquatic Plant Soil (~75/~15/~15). I soaked this mixture for two weeks, changing water 3 to 4 times during the soaking time. Then into the tank was: ~1 inch of MGOCPM, then ~2 inches of the soaked mixture, then 1 inch of sand to cap.

Fertilizer: typical solid NPK with plantex CSM-B at random, no fix schedule, and light. I also toss in the sump 2-3 sticks of Jobe’s indoor fertilizer every ~1-2 mos.

DW: from Tom

Fish: rummy nose tetra (40), SAE (4), Ottos (15)

Plants: 
- HC, Dwarf four leaf clover, C. parva (for ground cover)
- Anubias nana petitie: on DW (providing frame)
- C. wendtii, Blyxa Japonica, Rotala Macrandra, Rotala indica, Rotala colorata (??), Ludwigia red, AK

Below are pictures to show the tank’s progress.

One week:




One month:






Six month: replacing L. aromatic with Rotala macrandra on left side


Current:

Video: 3min on youtube:

http://youtu.be/7CM927yt1Sc

Photos:









What is the name of this rotala species (colorata???)







Hope you like it. Some of the names of plants I could have called incorrectly. I am not good at plants names.

Thanh


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## baishui (Jan 7, 2014)

Wow....just couldn't find any other words.


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## baishui (Jan 7, 2014)

Did you add sand after you planted, or before?


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

baishui said:


> Did you add sand after you planted, or before?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Sand was added before planting. It serves as a cap to keep the dirt stay down below.


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## lamiskool (Jul 1, 2011)

Amazing just completely amazing tank!


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

The unknown stem plant, idk, I think it may be a ludwigia but I'm unsure.

Loving, loving, LOVING, that petite man...I'm hoping to get a bit of a similar effect in some of my tank but what you have is just really, really awesome.


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## zetvi (Jun 12, 2013)

A pleasure to see your journal, very well done!


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## vanz (Dec 16, 2013)

Awesome tank, will bookmark for inspiration!


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## horsedude (Nov 10, 2012)

Looks awesome, must take you awhile to clean and trim that size tank, it takes me ages just for my 20g!


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## cah925 (May 18, 2007)

Gorgeous tank. I'm amazed at how clean your anubias is with such a long light cycle. I've never been able to find a good balance to keep anubias algae free.


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## crazymittens (Jun 4, 2012)

That's beautiful...wow. Great work.

cah925, tried a dual photoperiod? i.e. split an 8hr photoperiod into two 4hr's separated by a few hours...I've read that as a successful way to deal with algae.


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## harilp (Feb 23, 2013)

How much bps you keep your co2 running??

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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

harilp said:


> How much bps you keep your co2 running??
> 
> Sent from my Blackberry Playbook using Tapatalk2


Too many to count. I would guess >10 bps.


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## Fiftymeatballs (Mar 30, 2011)

Really nice contrast throughout the scape, awesome.


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

That's a really nice tank! I love your choice of species and the balance between colors and leaf shapes. Nicely, nicely done. Is it possible to let the stems on the right side, especially the rear corner, grow up to the top or does the spray bar bend them over?


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## samee (Oct 14, 2011)

Yea seriously, nice tank!!! Algae free leaves as well. You have the perfect balance. What are you using to mix the co2?


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

L. brevipes I think is the plant.
the initial planting looked nothing like what you changed and did at the end, most unexpected. 

Nice root growth on the anubias, always a good sign of how to grow. 

Some more crypts and maybe Hygro arag under the shaded sections, Starougyne perhaps if you want a smaller plant.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Phil Edwards said:


> That's a really nice tank! I love your choice of species and the balance between colors and leaf shapes. Nicely, nicely done. Is it possible to let the stems on the right side, especially the rear corner, grow up to the top or does the spray bar bend them over?


You have sharp eyes. It is exactly the right side where I need to work on. The overflow box in the way and the force of the output water make it challenging.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

samee said:


> Yea seriously, nice tank!!! Algae free leaves as well. You have the perfect balance. What are you using to mix the co2?


Rex Griggs reactor


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## johnson18 (Apr 29, 2011)

Very nice tank! I like the mix that you've used for the carpet! Awesome root growth on the Anubias. I've always thought the super long roots are one of the most enjoyable parts of using them.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

plantbrain said:


> L. brevipes I think is the plant.
> the initial planting looked nothing like what you changed and did at the end, most unexpected.
> 
> Nice root growth on the anubias, always a good sign of how to grow.
> ...


I thought it is some kind of rotala. I got a few stems from X-mas one and he did not know the name of the plant.

The nice pieces of DW from you gave me enough room to create the frame for the anubias forest. 

I forgot to list the bacopa plant on the left. I like this plant a lot but some how not many hobbyists use it.


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## Asu1776 (Mar 5, 2013)

Wow. Spectacular tank! I love the progression from the beginning to the end.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thank you for all the nice comments.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

crazymittens said:


> That's beautiful...wow. Great work.
> 
> cah925, tried a dual photoperiod? i.e. split an 8hr photoperiod into two 4hr's separated by a few hours...I've read that as a successful way to deal with algae.


And/or try increasing CO2 a lot and reducing fertilizer a lot to experiment. My 46G BF is also full of nana petite. It was fuller with nana before I took out a good chunk to seed the 125G. It has a ray 2 and a dual T5, so very high light, but some how I got lucky that algae don't attack the plant. There are BBA on the hardware and visible GDA on glass, but plants are algae free. I guess healthy plants are able to take care of themselves.


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## baishui (Jan 7, 2014)

MB2 said:


> Sand was added before planting. It serves as a cap to keep the dirt stay down below.


When I tried to do that, I always dig the substrate up and then get mixed with the gravel, and it looked so ugly. How did you keep the sand on top while planting?


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

baishui said:


> When I tried to do that, I always dig the substrate up and then get mixed with the gravel, and it looked so ugly. How did you keep the sand on top while planting?


Your cap layer might be too thin. Also, use tweezers.


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## tattooedfool83 (Mar 15, 2013)

This tank is amazing.


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

at first i was like meh, now i'm amazed

beautiful anubias
though i think it's nana because it's pretty big for petites

mixing marsilea with hc is a great idea as i never get a full carpet with marsilea alone. those hc kinda fills the gap in between. i should try this combination sometimes


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## JoraaÑ (Jun 29, 2009)

:thumbsup:


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## Nikk (Oct 17, 2013)

SO beautiful. Oh my


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## Whjdm069 (Dec 14, 2013)

I like how your tank flows. This gives me some inspiration for the 40b I am setting.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

ikuzo said:


> at first i was like meh, now i'm amazed
> 
> beautiful anubias
> though i think it's nana because it's pretty big for petites
> ...


In intense lighting areas, such as toward the top, the petite leaves are larger, lighter in green, with touch of golden tint. In less light areas, it's leaves are darker green and petite. Different plants respond differently to different growing environment.


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## jfynyson (Apr 15, 2013)

Did you ever have any tannin's leaching or did the 2 wk soak and frequent water changes of that soak take care of it ?


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## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

Thanks for finally posting this so everyone could see the progression. It's quite the beautiful tank and it flows really well. I'm really liking the L. brevipes. If you would ever like to get rid of some when you trim let me know. 

Really well done again and I'm glad more people will get the chance to see what a beauty it has become in a matter of months.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thanks everyone for the comments. I am glad the tank serves as an inspiration for some of you.
Ua hua: L. brevipes was trimmed down this past wkend. I will connect with you when it regrows if you are still interested.

Here are a couple pics:

Overgrown, before trimming:







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After trimming: the HC mass is so thick so the bottom turns brown. Also the mass lifted up the tiny roots so I pulled out two large sections. I am thinking of taking out all HC...


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## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

I will definitely be interested when it regrows and your ready to trim again, so keep me in mind. 

What are you other plants you have in the foreground? I thought it looked like marsilea minuta in with the hc. I don't mind the maintenance of trimming a tank but always having to keep up on trimming a foreground can become tedious. One reason I never used hc and the reason I got rid of my Elatine triandra foreground. I still am amazed at the size of your anubias. There is not one thing I don't like about your tank except that its not mine.


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## NYCaqua (Dec 26, 2013)

Beautiful tank. Really loving the lush anubias!


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

jfynyson said:


> Did you ever have any tannin's leaching or did the 2 wk soak and frequent water changes of that soak take care of it ?


Yes, and it made the water brown for the first few weeks. The two weeks soak I mentioned on the first page was for prepping the soil.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

ua hua said:


> I will definitely be interested when it regrows and your ready to trim again, so keep me in mind.
> 
> What are you other plants you have in the foreground? I thought it looked like marsilea minuta in with the hc. I don't mind the maintenance of trimming a tank but always having to keep up on trimming a foreground can become tedious. One reason I never used hc and the reason I got rid of my Elatine triandra foreground. I still am amazed at the size of your anubias. There is not one thing I don't like about your tank except that its not mine.


Thanks ua hua. I will save the plant for you next time.

Foreground plants are a mix of hc, marsilea minuta, and C parva. I have hc on a smaller tank and it is a very nice carpet plant. But I see your point, trimming hc on a large tank is a lot of work.


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

This is one of the best generic (not Nature Aquarium or Dutch style) planted tanks I've seen in years. You've done a lot with just a few species and have placed them well so the colors compliment and contrast with each other just enough. 

If you ever decide to trim back that Anubias let me know, I'll be in the market for a bunch in the nearish future.


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## h4n (Jan 4, 2006)

Very nice!
Love the petite forest!


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## The Trigger (May 9, 2012)

The way those anubias roots cascade off of the wood looks incredible. Very well done. Amazing scape!


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## hobo717 (Apr 11, 2013)

Just, wow.


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## lamiskool (Jul 1, 2011)

Stunning, cant get enough of this tank, one of my new favorites on here!


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Phil Edwards said:


> This is one of the best generic (not Nature Aquarium or Dutch style) planted tanks I've seen in years. You've done a lot with just a few species and have placed them well so the colors compliment and contrast with each other just enough.
> 
> If you ever decide to trim back that Anubias let me know, I'll be in the market for a bunch in the nearish future.


Thank you, Phil.

As for the Anubias, just shoot me an PM when you are ready.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

*Blyxa japonica flower!*

Really excited to find three stalks of flower on Blyxa japonica in my tank. 

I only have a lone bush of the plant below the Anubias:







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Close-up, three stalks, one on each plant, I guess:




I thought they only flower near the surface or in shallow water.


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

Congratulations on the flower. The Blyxa look super happy.


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## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

Beautiful tank! Thanks for sharing!


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## Hyzer (Mar 9, 2010)

MB2 said:


>


The placement and growth on the Crypts is spectacular. 

I've always been hesitant to add Anubias to my high light tank because they are slow growers and potential algae enablers. Yours looks incredibly healthy. Did you run in to any issues at first?


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Hyzer,
Luckily, the tank has progressed smoothly from the start. High light is not always the issue, but usually CO2 deficiency and excess of ferts.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thank you everyone for checking/posting in this thread. Here are more pictures I just took today. The rotala plants on the right hand side have regrown nicely and densely after a heavy trim. The ludwigia brevipes on the left side was still below the anubias:













Hope you enjoy as I do. Thank you for looking.
Thanh


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## Mark Allred (May 3, 2013)

Outstanding!


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## austin.b (Feb 9, 2012)

Amazing! Everthing blends with eachother so well, outstanding job!


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

Gorgeous! I'm in love with this tank.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thank you Mark Allred and Austin.b.

Thank you, Phil. I have no doubt you will soon change your heart once your behemoth Dutch tank all filled in.

Thanh


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## Miso44 (Jan 24, 2014)

Nice tank! Hopefully my tank will eventually fill in like yours! :icon_eek:


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## angelsword (May 16, 2009)

Your tank is what we all hope to achieve. Absolutely stunning! My vocabulary is inadequate to pay you a sufficient compliment


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thank you Miso44. 

Thank you so much for the compliment, angelsword. With knowledge and persistence, we all get to where we wanted to.


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## pianofish (Jan 31, 2010)

This tank clearly debunks the whole LED's washing out reds thing. Your plants look gorgeous my friend. It amazes me that you are getting this kind of growth with bare minimum fertilization in the water column. I guess co2 and adequate lighting play that big of a role. 
Kudos to you mate,
Joshua


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## dewalltheway (Jan 19, 2005)

The colors of your plants are breathtaking and everything looks so healthy. Love the tank. Great job!


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## JEFF9922 (May 8, 2013)

that tanks is so awsome I love the crypt I want one just like it


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thank you Jeff9922 and dewalltheway for the kind words.

Thank you, Joshua and I couldn't agree with you more about the light, ferts, CO2 you said. I dose only once or twice a week using the 1/8 tsp. size for this tank. I do insert Jobe's houseplants sticks in the substrate every 3-4 months.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

*Pictures update: HC carpet is gone*

Spent time past few weekends removing all HC. It is a beautiful carpet plant, but takes too much time to maintain to stay nice for a large tank. The ground cover plants are now just marselia minuta and c. parva:

Gone are HC:











More tank pics. Most plants have been trimmed and regrown a few times since last update, except Anubias petite has not been trimmed since setup:














Surface reflection:





Enjoy. Thanks.


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## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

I think you will like it a lot better without the hc. Some foreground plants are way too much work for large tanks.

I really like this tank the more I see pics of it.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

I love that one clump of anubias up high with the hanging roots. The clear throughway leading up to it creates a really dynamic effect. Fantastic tank.


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## pewpewkittah (Jan 14, 2014)

This is one of the most beautiful and unique tanks I've seen. I love the depth and color. 

Simply amazing job.


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## JellyJam (Mar 28, 2014)

So beautiful


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

ua hua said:


> I think you will like it a lot better without the hc. Some foreground plants are way too much work for large tanks.
> 
> I really like this tank the more I see pics of it.


Thanks ua hua. Agree with you, HC is gone. L. brevipes is ready for a trim this wkend. 



burr740 said:


> I love that one clump of anubias up high with the hanging roots. The clear throughway leading up to it creates a really dynamic effect. Fantastic tank.


Me too! And it is behind the larger anubias clump in front of it. A direct FTS won't show it. That throughway is also the darkest part, combining with roots hanging down, creates a sense of being deep in the forest. Thanks.



pewpewkittah said:


> This is one of the most beautiful and unique tanks I've seen. I love the depth and color.
> 
> Simply amazing job.


Thank you so much



JellyJam said:


> So beautiful


Thanks.


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## lamiskool (Jul 1, 2011)

This tank still takes my breath away...


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thank you, lamiskool.


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## cape (Oct 26, 2013)

Amazing tank! So your anubias petite grew in that much in a few months without any trimming and replanting?!


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## jmf3460 (Aug 21, 2013)

what is your dosing regime if I may ask, also your bps??


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## Hjgpoole (Feb 6, 2014)

Awesome beautiful tank. I appreciate seeing the progressive pictures and reading the breakdown and updates as it has filled in. 

Absolutely beautiful.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

cape said:


> Amazing tank! So your anubias petite grew in that much in a few months without any trimming and replanting?!


Yeah, it has not been trimmed yet. I set up the tank with many large clumps of anubias to begin with. 



jmf3460 said:


> what is your dosing regime if I may ask, also your bps??


I dose dry ferts NPK and plantex CSM/B for micro nutrients but very light. However, I use Jobe's household sticks and insert them into the substrate every 3-4mos. I also toss a few sticks into the sump every month or so. In general, my NO3 is 10-20ppm; PO4 is 5-10ppm. I only measure these two.

BPS is too many to count. I would guess around 10-15 bps via Rex Griggs reactor. A 10lbs CO2 tank lasts 2-2.5 mos.



Hjgpoole said:


> Awesome beautiful tank. I appreciate seeing the progressive pictures and reading the breakdown and updates as it has filled in.
> 
> Absolutely beautiful.


Thank you. I am glad to hear.


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

Wonderful tank!

I am going to be doing a similar setup in my new 75 gal soon (dirt / high light / CO2) and am wondering exactly how you rigged up your reactor and sump? I have 2 x eheim 2217 canisters already but got the sump with the new tank and am now leaning towards using the sump and rigging up a reactor to it...

Any advice would be much appreciated - if my tank looks even close to that good I will be incredibly pleased.


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## sepehr (Oct 6, 2010)

Algae free anubia leaves in a high lighted tank? That's unheard of!

Congratulations, amazing tank!


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

klibs said:


> Wonderful tank!
> 
> I am going to be doing a similar setup in my new 75 gal soon (dirt / high light / CO2) and am wondering exactly how you rigged up your reactor and sump? I have 2 x eheim 2217 canisters already but got the sump with the new tank and am now leaning towards using the sump and rigging up a reactor to it...
> 
> Any advice would be much appreciated - if my tank looks even close to that good I will be incredibly pleased.


Klibs, thanks for the kind words. And sorry if this reply is too late. I use the Rex Griggs reactor to dissolve the CO2. The return line from the submerged pump in the sump is hooked to the inlet of the CO2 reactor. See pics below:


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

sepehr said:


> Algae free anubia leaves in a high lighted tank? That's unheard of!
> 
> Congratulations, amazing tank!


Thank you, sepehr! I received this comments more than once. Not very sure how it happens, but I believe relatively high PO4 is one of the important factor to keep anubias healthy and happy. My tank has PO4 around ~5-10ppm.


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## Aplomado (Feb 20, 2013)

Amazing!


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## kwheeler91 (May 26, 2009)

Bro this tank is epic! Love the huge roots hanging down. It really gives it a natural feeling.


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## jfynyson (Apr 15, 2013)

Any FTS updated pics ?


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thank you Aplomado and kwheeler for the comments. 

jfynyson, Scape-wise, not much changes since last set of pictures. The tank has been running a year now. It has transitioned into a mature state. I don’t intend to do any major changes to the scape but keep it as is with anubias dominated the scenery. Water change is now every 3-4 weeks. Dosing the water column continues to be light and no schedule. However, I am beginning to see signs of potassium deficiency. I started dosing K2SO4 and this apparently caused the C. balansae to melt promptly. Here are some pictures taken a few days ago:

FTS:


Left side: last week mowed down bacopa; pulled R. macrandra and replanted tops; C. parva are forming bushes among MM carpet.



Left side: mowed down R. rotundifolia behind anubias



Right side: MM has filled in the space of HC. There used to be a bush of C. balansae but it melted and did not come back. I also remove Ludwigia red in the back corner and just have A. reineckii on the right side. Last week, thinned out A. reineckii. I don’t like the look of AR much, so will likely replace it with some other stems in the future:



Right side, back corner: C. balansae is gone. L. brevipes continue to do very well:



Middle: there used to be a bush of blyxa below, but I took it out because it grew too bushy and uplifted themselves. The C. parva fills in its place nicely though.


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## Little Soprano (Mar 13, 2014)

This tank is absolutely gorgeous. I only have Anubias Nana Petite that I picked up as a sorrow plant, which has now grown to be huge. And has lifted itself up about 5 inches above the substrate, taking the small piece of a driftwood I used to keep the rhyzome out of the substrate with it! 

Beautiful Anubias (and so envious of the lack of algae you have!)


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## Primed88 (Mar 12, 2011)

I'm sorry to intrude here but this is a stunning plant. May I ask which crypt species this is (purple looking plant just in case I have the species wrong) and how long it took to reach that color and growth?


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## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

Your tank is looking gorgeous! I can't believe how much anubias you have.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

L Soprano and AnotherHobb, thanks so much for the kind words.

Primed88, thanks for looking. There are two species of crypt in the tank. C. wendtii, and C. undulata. The purple looking one is C. undulata. In my tank, it takes about 4 mos to get to that state.


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## ChemGuyEthan (Apr 13, 2014)

Wow man! That anubias...awesome!

Hope mine will look even half that some day, haha.

Fantastic tank, really!


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## Emplanted (May 3, 2014)

Anubias envy right now! Stunning tank. 
Can I ask how long it took to get it to this state?
Also the anubias was it superglued, tied?


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thank you, ChemGuyEthan.

Emplanted, thanks for the comments. Anubias was tied to DW using normal sewing thread. Since setup, I have not done any real trimming of the anubias. So, I would say it takes about a year to get to this state.


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## mistuhmarc (Oct 1, 2013)

MB2 said:


> Thank you, ChemGuyEthan.
> 
> Emplanted, thanks for the comments. Anubias was tied to DW using normal sewing thread. Since setup, I have not done any real trimming of the anubias. So, I would say it takes about a year to get to this state.


A year and tons and tons of anubias hahaha. It would be devastating to end up with a disease to the anubias and see all of it crash D: I would probably just stop completely at that point...


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

amazing stuff anubias with marsilea carpet
great work here with crypt parva also

i stop using K2SO4 a while ago and used KCl instead for the more K source. results seems better after the change


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## tithra (Dec 1, 2012)

Wow! This is absolutely stunning!!!


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thanks misthumarc and tithra.

ikuzo,
Thanks for the comments. I am glad you mentioned KCl. I used to use KCl for potassium dosing too until I ran out. Guess I will have to get my hand on KCl again in place of K2SO4. 

C. parva is bushing up nicely. However, it seems to be the slowest growing plant species in my tank. Even anubias grow a lot faster than C. parva.

Thanks again for mentioning KCl.


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## zetvi (Jun 12, 2013)

I still look at your tank every now and then. Very inspiring. I'm very curious, what is KCI and where to get it?


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

zetvi,

Thanks for the comments.

It is KCl, or Potassium Chloride. It is available at many gardening stores, may be sold under the name muriate of potash. I got mine from a lab I used to work with.

Both ferts give you the added K. Some prefer K2SO4. Some prefer KCl.


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## newbieplanter (Jan 13, 2013)

Saweeeeeeeeet looken tank!


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## dewalltheway (Jan 19, 2005)

So jealous of how great your anubius nana petite looks. What is your secret for keeping it algae free??

Great looking tank also. Plants all look really healthy.


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## AGUILAR3 (Jun 22, 2013)

The c. wendtii is simply amazing.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thanks everyone for checking commenting on the tank.

Dewalltheway,
I wish I know the secret. Somehow, anubias grow well in my tank. I am not entirely sure, but I think a combination of high P level, high O2 level, and high CO2 level help anubias grow healthily and healthy plants defend themselves.

Bump: Picture Update:
Some of pictures newly taken yesterday. HC is completely gone, replaced by Marsilea minuta and C. parva as carpet plants.



Anubias continues to do very well. The back anubias has reached near the top, blocking the rotala behind.







Right side, marsilea minuta and AR:





Darker:


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## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

Wow! Just stunning! Great pictures too.


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## Raekwon (Aug 26, 2014)

Wow.. How do you get your anubias like that? :drool:


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## rustbucket (Oct 15, 2011)

Absolutely Beautiful


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thanks Hobby and rustbucket.

Raekwon, I tied them here and there to DW and they grow like that over time.


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

I just LOVE this tank! Fantastic work.

You made mention a number of times throughout this thread about your high level of CO2, do you have a way of quantifying how high? Like KH/PH numbers,.. I know its imperfect but it's something.

Whiskey


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

Whiskey said:


> I just LOVE this tank! Fantastic work.
> 
> You made mention a number of times throughout this thread about your high level of CO2, do you have a way of quantifying how high? Like KH/PH numbers,.. I know its imperfect but it's something.
> 
> Whiskey


Thanks, Whiskey.

The tank KH is ~11. When the light just turns on, the pH is ~7.1 and get down to pH 6.8 an hour or two later and stays at 6.8 until the CO2 is off. I program the Apex to shut off CO2 if the pH goes down to 6.6 because from my observation, at pH 6.6, fish start showing signs of CO2 distress. The pH goes up to 7.9-8.0 before the CO2 is turned on the next day. So if I base off the KH/pH chart, then my CO2 concentration is around 50-60ppm the majority of the time.


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## GrossGraphix (Mar 20, 2014)

wow


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## DBridges (Sep 22, 2009)

Wow! Wonderful set-up. Love how the roots of the Anubias hang down in certain places; really give the feel of a jungle, or maybe Spanish Moss hanging from oak trees.

Also love the Rummynose Tetras you chose to put in there. Beautiful fish on their own, but they really pop in this set-up and stand out so well against the dark green background.

David


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

MB2 said:


> Thanks, Whiskey.
> 
> The tank KH is ~11. When the light just turns on, the pH is ~7.1 and get down to pH 6.8 an hour or two later and stays at 6.8 until the CO2 is off. I program the Apex to shut off CO2 if the pH goes down to 6.6 because from my observation, at pH 6.6, fish start showing signs of CO2 distress. The pH goes up to 7.9-8.0 before the CO2 is turned on the next day. So if I base off the KH/pH chart, then my CO2 concentration is around 50-60ppm the majority of the time.


That is interesting,.. I'm finding a similar balance,.. My PH is 7.2-7.3 ish overnight, and toward the end of the day I'm now pushing it to about 6.1-6.00 and I'm very close to finding that perfect sweet spot. About a 1.2 drop. I have the aquacontroller programed to shut off CO2 at 6.0.

My KH is lower so my numbers are lower but about the same change.

Thank you for posting the numbers!

Whiskey


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## aclaar877 (Feb 19, 2014)

Do you get any bubble in the reactor from that much CO2? I am running about 10-12 bps, split into two reactors driven by two Rena XP3. Its not a precise 50/50 split - I just wanted to get some in both of them to distribute better to a 155 gal tank. One gets a noisy XO2 pocket in it about 5-6 hours into the CO2 period and mist is shooting out, as XP3 has a listed 350 gph flow rate. The CO2 gets distributed overnight. I have been backing off the CO2 off time as that reactor appears to be getting more than it can handle. I'll also mention there are no bioballs in the reactor, which is 2" diameter and about 20 inches long. Based on pH/KH chart I'm also in the 50 ppm ballpark, though I do have some driftwood probably contributing to that.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

DBridges said:


> Wow! Wonderful set-up. Love how the roots of the Anubias hang down in certain places; really give the feel of a jungle, or maybe Spanish Moss hanging from oak trees.
> 
> Also love the Rummynose Tetras you chose to put in there. Beautiful fish on their own, but they really pop in this set-up and stand out so well against the dark green background.
> 
> David


Thanks DBridges for the nice comments.



Whiskey said:


> That is interesting,.. I'm finding a similar balance,.. My PH is 7.2-7.3 ish overnight, and toward the end of the day I'm now pushing it to about 6.1-6.00 and I'm very close to finding that perfect sweet spot. About a 1.2 drop. I have the aquacontroller programed to shut off CO2 at 6.0.
> 
> My KH is lower so my numbers are lower but about the same change.
> 
> ...


You're welcome.



aclaar877 said:


> Do you get any bubble in the reactor from that much CO2? I am running about 10-12 bps, split into two reactors driven by two Rena XP3. Its not a precise 50/50 split - I just wanted to get some in both of them to distribute better to a 155 gal tank. One gets a noisy XO2 pocket in it about 5-6 hours into the CO2 period and mist is shooting out, as XP3 has a listed 350 gph flow rate. The CO2 gets distributed overnight. I have been backing off the CO2 off time as that reactor appears to be getting more than it can handle. I'll also mention there are no bioballs in the reactor, which is 2" diameter and about 20 inches long. Based on pH/KH chart I'm also in the 50 ppm ballpark, though I do have some driftwood probably contributing to that.


Yes, tiny bubble do shoot out from the outlet, since the reactor does not dissolve CO2 100%. My reactor is also 2" in diameter and I made it as tall as the cabinet could handle to maximize CO2 dissolving inside the reactor, but apparently it could not handle all that much injected CO2. I don't put anything inside the reactor either.


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

dude, this tank is amazing

I'm afraid to know how much anubias you have in there though lol


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## BHolmes (Aug 23, 2012)

MB2 said:


>


This is one of the top 5 coolest tanks I've seen. Really awesome man! How do you get anything done without staring at it all day?


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## derik999 (Jul 24, 2014)

Beautiful tank!


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## jmf3460 (Aug 21, 2013)

BHolmes said:


> This is one of the top 5 coolest tanks I've seen. Really awesome man! How do you get anything done without staring at it all day?


 I agree, probably the top coolest tank ive ever seen on here. OP tell me how do you keep you anubias so algae free? What is your secret?


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

HybridHerp said:


> dude, this tank is amazing
> 
> I'm afraid to know how much anubias you have in there though lol


dude, thanks for the compliments.



BHolmes said:


> This is one of the top 5 coolest tanks I've seen. Really awesome man! How do you get anything done without staring at it all day?


:icon_smil, a cup of tea and a glass of wine, alternating every evening, viewing the sunset :icon_smil.



derik999 said:


> Beautiful tank!


thanks,



jmf3460 said:


> I agree, probably the top coolest tank ive ever seen on here. OP tell me how do you keep you anubias so algae free? What is your secret?


I am humble to the many compliments. I really appreciate it. After all, the tank only has easy/beginner plants, except R. macradra.

To answer your question: The short answer: I don't know. :icon_sad: I wish I do. Somehow, it turns out that way. The long answer: I think gas exchange is underrate. Aside from the obvious fish and plants, there are so many microorganisms that exist in the tank. They are unseen but exist. And so gas exchange brings in fresh air: oxygen that keeps them alive and active, working optimally doing their magic: recycle unwanted polluted organic materials into precious food that nourish plants. A lot of these microorganisms live on and in the substrate. As such, the substrate is the soul of the tank for me. Keeping the substrate active, alive, full of happy living creature will help create and maintain stability. After all, the tank is an ecosystem. There are so many parts in it, known and unknown, biotic and abiotic, that are interconnected and interdependent, and therefore, keeping these parts in balance is the key. And the part infrequently talks about is gas exchange; we talk more about light, ferts, water chemistry, flow rate etc…but infrequently discuss gas exchange and more importantly, understand how these parts work, interact and depended on one another. Well, anyway, the more I talk, the more I think I don't know and I :icon_sad:already answer I don’t know.


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## brooksie321 (Jul 19, 2014)

Truly inspirational! Excellent work!


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

MB2 said:


> Thanks, Whiskey.
> 
> The tank KH is ~11. When the light just turns on, the pH is ~7.1 and get down to pH 6.8 an hour or two later and stays at 6.8 until the CO2 is off. I program the Apex to shut off CO2 if the pH goes down to 6.6 because from my observation, at pH 6.6, fish start showing signs of CO2 distress. The pH goes up to 7.9-8.0 before the CO2 is turned on the next day. So if I base off the KH/pH chart, then my CO2 concentration is around 50-60ppm the majority of the time.


Moderate light, easy plants, high biomass, good CO2, looks like a surface skimmer overflow , so a sump/wet/dry............I do the same for the most part myself on my 70 Gallon Buce tank. I think many assume that Anubias do not like higher light and get algae etc, sure, with poor care and poor CO2......... 

When you rescape this sometime, try several fan shaped branches with rows of the Petites hanging down, might take 4-6 months for nice root development, but the roots hanging down make it look very nice.


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## pikachux3 (Feb 1, 2013)

plantbrain said:


> Moderate light, easy plants, high biomass, good CO2, looks like a surface skimmer overflow , so a sump/wet/dry............I do the same for the most part myself on my 70 Gallon Buce tank. I think many assume that Anubias do not like higher light and get algae etc, sure, with poor care and poor CO2.........
> 
> When you rescape this sometime, try several fan shaped branches with rows of the Petites hanging down, might take 4-6 months for nice root development, but the roots hanging down make it look very nice.


Can you clarify what you mean by "petites hanging down?" Do you mean attaching the anubias to the branch upside down?


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## StrangeDejavu (Jun 23, 2014)

This is, without a doubt, the nicest planted tank i've ever seen.


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## MB2 (Feb 6, 2007)

brooksie321 said:


> Truly inspirational! Excellent work!


Thanks brooksie.



plantbrain said:


> Moderate light, easy plants, high biomass, good CO2, looks like a surface skimmer overflow , so a sump/wet/dry............I do the same for the most part myself on my 70 Gallon Buce tank. I think many assume that Anubias do not like higher light and get algae etc, sure, with poor care and poor CO2.........
> 
> When you rescape this sometime, try several fan shaped branches with rows of the Petites hanging down, might take 4-6 months for nice root development, but the roots hanging down make it look very nice.


Yeah, anubias is labeled as low light, but they do love, love high light.

Thank you Tom for the suggestion. The roots hanging down from branches vs. clumps as I have now would sure make the visual effect of a forest for real. I do hope to keep the current scape running another year or two.

Bump:


pikachux3 said:


> Can you clarify what you mean by "petites hanging down?" Do you mean attaching the anubias to the branch upside down?


pikachux3: he meant the petites' roots hanging down from the branches after 4-6 mos of being attached to the wood branch.



StrangeDejavu said:


> This is, without a doubt, the nicest planted tank i've ever seen.


Bump:


pikachux3 said:


> Can you clarify what you mean by "petites hanging down?" Do you mean attaching the anubias to the branch upside down?





StrangeDejavu said:


> This is, without a doubt, the nicest planted tank i've ever seen.


Thanks so much Dejavu



MB2 said:


> Thanks brooksie.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

Any recent update photos? I'm redoing a 125g and love what you've done, your tank's a great inspiration for larger planted tank folks.


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## newbieplanter (Jan 13, 2013)

MB2 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I posted a video of the tank on youtube and in the “aquascaping” forum. Since then, several members have asked for specifics. When first set up, the size of this tank made me a bit nervous since I have not set up any tank larger than 50G. The largest one was a 46G bowfront. I never expect it would turn out this well. So I am writing this up to share with all the details as well as more photos beside the video. The tank is very pleasing to view, especially during sunset hours. Anyway, here are the details. Tank was set up in late June 2013.
> 
> ...



What type of sand was used as a cap?


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

wow this thread got bumped... yeah an update would be cool! what an excellent tank this is!


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