# 165 Impulse Build (56k) --- New FTS post #208



## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Scratch doing a 125. I got an eurobraced 165 gallon from a local guy for $450. It has a drilled overflow and includes the metal stand and return pump/plumbing and I need help assembling this beast. Much better dimensions... pretty much my dream tank at 72"x24"x22". I've always wanted the 2' of width and 2' of height is a touch too much for my liking, so I'm glad it's 22". I ended up tearing it down and had some changes made. I found the original builder and had him CNC the end panel to add a weir and external overflow. I also had two 3/4" returns added on each side of the OF and also a few holed in the bottom for a closed loop.

I have over a year invested into the setup of this beast and I'm hoping to have it filled in a few weeks.

Current Equipment List:
Eheim 1262 Return pump
Eheim Universal 1260 for closed loop (635 GPH)
DIY LED Fixture (Build thread)
Aquajunior Contoller with DC8, ph and temp probes
Linde Redline Regulator, Fabco NV, Brass bubble counter, Berkert Solenoid, 2x 10# CO2 tank
Bubble Magnus Triple Pump Doser
54 Breeder open sump
2x Ebo Jager 200 watt

Hardscape
9 x 9L ADA Amazonia NEW 
Gnarled Manzanita (Plantbrain)
Seiryu Stone (PC1)

Fauna
Puntius denisonii
Caridina multidentata

I'll take any thoughts and suggestions. I hope everyone digs this build.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

justincgdick said:


> I need help assembling this beast. Dimensions 72"x24"x22".
> I could DIY a led fixture that can do sunrise/sunset and all the fancy stuff. I don't know how much this would cost though.


Check out ah supply, catalina, Big Als.
Also Hoppy has a thread on diy led fixture. 
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Hilde said:


> Check out ah supply, catalina, Big Als.
> Also Hoppy has a thread on diy led fixture.
> http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/


Thanks, I've check them out and I'm thinking if I'm going to be spending 4-500 on a t5ho fixture I might as well diy a led fixture. I really want the sunrise/sunset. 

I've started a thread in the diy section to get some advice and document the build.


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## tharsis (Oct 9, 2009)

very cool! Looking forward to watching this one progress.

Lets see some pics of the tank


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## spunjin (Apr 7, 2009)

Subscribed. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I will post some pics tonight after I pick it up. I'm super excited for this build. Thinking about stocking already. 40 praecox would be sweet. 

I need to figure out my sump.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Check out Hoppy's Low tech tank with DIY Led fixture


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Thanks, I have a lot of reading to do. Overall, it does seem pretty simple. The hard part is deciding what you want to do. I'm an electrician by trade, so the wiring and fabrication should be too bad. I've done a rough budget, and I'm already at _$524.53 plus _$201.00, 48 XML leds/optics plus controller and four drivers. I will still need to buy the parts to assemble the fixture.:eek5:

I picked up the tank tonight and my god is it heavy. Only me and my buddy to carry it up a set of stair and through a house to the truck, and then my landlord helped unload it as well around a house, down a concrete stairwell and into my tiny apartment. It was interesting...


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I've been doing some major researching and have ordered parts for my LED build. See thread here and a Arduino based controller how-to thread here.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I think I should reseal my tank. It's very new, but, the tank was used for salt water perviously and the silicone is very dirty and lifted in quite a few spots. I think the previous owner was using a razor blade to scrape the coraline off. All in all, the inner seals look terrible and I would like to re-do them. 

Rebuilding the whole tank isn't going to happen. I don't have the space, tools, or knowledge to reassemble the tank but I think I should at least scrape the inside seams and reseal.

At the moment the tank has a peninsula style over flow. It is internal, runs top to bottom and is centered at one end of the tank. If I am resealing I can remove the overflow and relocate it outside the tank. I'm just not sure the best way to cut out a slot for the overflow. I really need some guidance here.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I received all my wood for Mr. Tom Barr. A little hiccup along the way, but he pulled through and I got exactly what I wanted.

I threw together my first attempt at the hardscape. You can really see the look I'm going for, although I will have to tweak it a bit. Just for reference, the board and styrofoam are both the tank's footprint - 72"x24". The green string is the approximate water line, about 21".




























The tank will be in a corner so only the front and left side will be visible.


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## TeamTeal (Mar 31, 2010)

wow thats nice work with the scape.


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Very nice wood, looks pretty good as placed


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

TeamTeal said:


> wow thats nice work with the scape.


Thanks, I tried. 



2in10 said:


> Very nice wood, looks pretty good as placed


It's beautiful wood. It looks so small in the pics, but the structure is pretty huge.

I feel like the horizontal pieces on the left are too thick. Like the scape is front heavy. They are really sweet branches though, so I'm hoping I can cover them a bit while planting and pull them into scale with the right side.


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Maybe rotate the structure on the right side toward the front a bit.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

subscribed! lets see the tank!


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I'm working on it. It's sitting on end in my living room at the moment. I need to get a new piece of foam and some 3/4" ply before I can set it up.


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## jkan0228 (Feb 6, 2011)

orchidman said:


> subscribed! lets see the tank!


Same


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## shrimpNewbie (May 6, 2011)

use both pumps as return, you could even goi get a couple other pumps instead, like two little giants or iwakis love the lights
beautiful piece of wood by the way


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

shrimpNewbie said:


> use both pumps as return, you could even goi get a couple other pumps instead, like two little giants or iwakis love the lights
> beautiful piece of wood by the way


I'm actually thinking I'll use one for the return and one for a closed loop, and run the co2 through it. I need to see if I can mod the eheim for a needle wheel or something. I heard there is one that will fit from another pump, a Sedra or something, but I'm not sure which.

It's actually 15 or so pieces!


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## fishykid1 (Apr 5, 2010)

I don't see why you need 48 XML's unless your doing a high-light setup...I have 12 XP-G's running at 700mA on my 55 and they are just as bright as 4X24W setup and they're 8" above the tank with no optics. They are over a 22" heat sink, and cover 3/4 of the tank with plenty of light.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

fishykid1 said:


> I don't see why you need 48 XML's unless your doing a high-light setup...I have 12 XP-G's running at 700mA on my 55 and they are just as bright as 4X24W setup and they're 8" above the tank with no optics. They are over a 22" heat sink, and cover 3/4 of the tank with plenty of light.


I'm using 28 XML for main lighting and 24 xpg for supplementation. The XML max out at 1500 mA and the xpg at 1A. 

The XML are cool white with 40 degree optics. 12 royal blue xpg and 12 neutral white xpg with 60 degree optics. This way I can adjust the colour temp from very yellow to very blue. The pendants will be as close to the ceiling as possible.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Inspiration


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I was helping my landlord put up a new fence today and after we dug the holes out I realized I should steal some of the clay for a MTS substrate. I was going to use ADA AS but it is much too expensive locally, but I have lots of black flourite. Probably enough to use only flourite. I will pick up some topsoil and start mineralizing it, maybe tomorrow. The clay is on a tarp all broken up to dry it out and I will crush it to powder.

I will also be picking up some 5/8" or 3/4" birch ply so I can skin my stand and cut a piece for under the tank. Right now the plywood is only 1/4" so it wouldn't add any support to the bottom.


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## jkan0228 (Feb 6, 2011)

Update?


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## SlammedDC2 (Jun 4, 2011)

In for progress


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Not much progress yet. I'm picking up silicone Monday so I can reseal the tank. The MTS failed hard because the weather went cold when I was half way done.

Things are moving slowly.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Broke down the tank today to rebuild and make some changes to the overflow. Ended up chipping the bottom pane (I think it was a chip hidden in silicone) and chipped the back panel really bad. It most definitely needs to be replaced. I'm at my wits end with this darn setup. The only thing really holding me back at this point is the tank. I'm at the point where I might just fork out $1200 for a new one.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I also made some progress on the stand. I'm working on skinning it. I need to find a good way to paint the panels and protect them from water.























































For anyone who hasn't checked my LED build thread:


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Lined up a builder to build my tank. He will be doing it for $500 and it will be built on site. Having it changed so it has a peninsula style weir with an external overflow box. Two 3/4" returns, one on each side of the box. He's also replacing the chipped panel.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Got the panels all routered, sanded and prepped for magnets. I'm a few short and I need to paint before I install them. I rounded the edges along the top and ends and added grips to help remove the panels. The magnets are pretty strong. The end panel barely stays up but it only wants to slide down, not pull off. The other four have twice the magnets should they should float well. I meant for them to sit on the floor so either way it doesn't matter.

I have to spray them with sealer and then I have gloss white paint to finish it. Hopefully I will get a mirror like finish that is like glass when I'm done. I'm using oil based paint so everything should be waterproof.


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## mot (Sep 17, 2011)

This is awesome. I love these large scale diy projects and cant wait to see how this turns out. Have you considered adding more power outlets!!!


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Well I deleted a bunch because I also have an Aqua Junior
Controller with a dc8 and another controller with a dc4. 

This gives me two outlets on a switch, six on another, 12 always on, two gfci protected always on and up to 12 controlled outlets. I think I'll have enough times three.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)




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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)




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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Does this pile of rock look natural? Just practising with 40 pounds. Have another 100 in the mail.








\


Also have 130 pounds of Ohko to play with. It's difficult for me to use though. I'm looking for rocks I can pile and Ohko is hard to stack naturally. It's better for Iwagumi layouts, IMO.


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

That looks awesome!


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

great rocks
lots of options there to play around
keep the update please!


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Oh, my, what do we have here?




















Drum roll please!










Ta-da!


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## Eben (Mar 12, 2012)

Tank looks great and so do the rocks!


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## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

Wow, my dream tank. Coast to coast overflow, Beananimal drains, eurobraced, size - just perfect. Love both sets of rock too.

That is a lot of holes. What are the ones in the side and bottom of the tank used for?


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Kathyy said:


> Wow, my dream tank. Coast to coast overflow, Beananimal drains, eurobraced, size - just perfect. Love both sets of rock too.
> 
> That is a lot of holes. What are the ones in the side and bottom of the tank used for?


You and I share the same dream then! I only went with the peninsula style overflow because the tank was used and I didn't want to change it too much. If you look back in the thread you can see the original, huge internal overflow. 

Eventually I want a nice big tank with a full coast to coast. I'm actually having a ~45 gallon tank built with the pane I chipped that will have a coast to coast, but it will still have an inch or so on each end with an external box. I'm just going to bring the return through the box on that one. 

Whenever I build a new big tank I will bump up the height to 24" again, but even at 6'3" my tank at 22" tall and eurobrace is hard to reach into when it's on the stand. I'll keep the euro as a splash guard but I'll build the tank an extra 4" in depth and install a false back that is cut shorter to form the coast to coast. You just have to plan for that style so you can fabricate a proper stand and such. For my simple setups I prefer to just do a 95% length coast to coast. They are easier to make work because you just pull the stand out from the wall a bit.

About all the holes everywhere, as you could tell, Kathy, the overflow has three 1" for drains, Beananimal style. The builder was pushing 1.5" holes but the box would have to be pretty big for that, even being cnc'd. I figure at full syphon the 1" can easily handle 1500 gph or more so even if I switched to salt (fat chance) I would have enough drain to handle the flow. Since I will only have 800 gph max I should be fine. I'm more worried about the size of the notch but I'll have to test it to see how everything works.

The three holes on the bottom in front of the overflow are the old drains. The two 1.5" are being capped with bulkheads as a glass patch is almost impossible to remove later. The old 1" return is my closed loop drain and the two 3/4" holes scattered are the CL returns. If the 1" CL drain sucks too hard I'll split it to two screeners or use one of the 1.5" holes instead. The 1.5" screeners are just gigantic.

I tried to place the 3/4" CL returns in places that are good for many layouts but who knows. While I was thinking about it I ran through a bunch of layout patterns and eventually just picked two spots. I tried to keep in mind that the tank is designed to stick out from a wall, viewable from three sides. Even though I'm placing it in the corner I have made all the cabinetry so I can make it a peninsula later.

About the rocks, the Ohko are just too textured for my layout skills so I ordered another 100 pounds of Seiryu from PC1. I figure 140 pounds total is enough to do what I am trying to accomplish. 

Now I just have to wait two weeks for the silicone to fully cure.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

you can send me some Ohko! roud:


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I thought about selling it off in packages but the shipping from Canada to the US sucks. It would probably be $40 to ship 20 pounds in a flat rate box.


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## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

Thanks for the explanation. CO2 on a closed loop sounds like a great idea.

I like the idea of the peninsula overflow, actually moved my HOB oveflow to the right hand side of the 100 gallon tank after I took my black background off. Then no equipment showed on the face of the tank save for the small skimmer box which your external overflow doesn't even have!!! 

My daughter was wondering how you are keeping critters out of the sump.

Hope your rocks come soon so you can plan something amazing to put in the tank to go with that terrific wood.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Haha, I wasn't going to put much effort into keeping the critters out. In fact, there is only going to be simple screeners over the drains. If the primary ends up sucking air I will add a cap of some sort to prevent a vortex forming. 

The co2 will actually feed into the return pump. It's just easier to do it that way rather than add a connection in the high pressure closed loop. 

I like the overflow on the end cause lookin through 6' of water it's hard to see anyway, and from the long ends you can't see through the end pane anyway when water is in te tank.

I picked up some gorilla glue today as apparently it will glue the wood well. I want to make some branches longer and add some here and there to a larger piece. If that doesn't work out I'll try some PC-11 epoxy as per Tom's recommendation.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Teaser shots of my LED fixture. It's getting there.


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## shrimpNewbie (May 6, 2011)

That fixture is amazing


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

this whole set-up is amazing! you must really be itching to get it going! sub'd


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## aXio (May 29, 2011)

This is going to be beastly. The rock stack you did with the 40 pounds was great btw.


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## Shank (Apr 3, 2012)

Consider yourself subscribed, I'm in for the ride.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Got my DIY LED fixture over the tank and half running.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

shrimpNewbie said:


> That fixture is amazing





salmon said:


> this whole set-up is amazing! you must really be itching to get it going! sub'd


Thanks guys. I'm getting so anxious it's incredible. Even the tank builder said he was surprised I'm actually waiting the minimum two weeks cure time for the tank. He said this Wednesday is good but I'm still waiting on a shipment of bulkheads from J&L and a box o' rock from PC1 so I'm pretty much stuck.



aXio said:


> This is going to be beastly. The rock stack you did with the 40 pounds was great btw.


Thanks, I was having a tough time getting it to look realistic. I think once I have some bigger rocks it will look better. Rather than a pile of rubble. Just wait till I have 140 pounds!



Shank said:


> Consider yourself subscribed, I'm in for the ride.


Awesome!


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

What a beautifully built tank. This build has a promising start!


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

CL said:


> What a beautifully built tank. This build has a promising start!


Thanks man. If I can do half as well as you I'll be happy.

Pretty much ran out of things that I can do for now so I pulled out my wood and threw together an idea of what I'm gunning for. I'll have to move it around some as I add the rocks but the idea is there. 

Let me know what you think...

FTS









From my entryway









From my corner of the couch


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## jeremyTR (Mar 21, 2012)

wow that wood piece looks absolutely f***ing amazing. 

first time ive said anything close to this about anyones tank on here. damn im jealous i dont have an amazing piece of wood like that.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Well, I got all of my plumbing in. Just have to run some errands and then I'm gonna fill her up. She's running with the closed loop but I haven't tried the overflow yet.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

jeremyTR said:


> wow that wood piece looks absolutely f***ing amazing.
> 
> first time ive said anything close to this about anyones tank on here. damn im jealous i dont have an amazing piece of wood like that.


Thanks dude, that means a lot. But keep in mind that it is a bunch of pieces but together. About 5 or 6 centerpieces and then a bunch of branches added here and there.


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## DvanK (Feb 27, 2009)

jcgd said:


> Let me know what you think...
> 
> FTS


This is freaking awesome. I like how everything looks nice and clean.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Sloppy pics, but I had the tank running tonight.

Somehow I managed to overflow the sump, but I don't know how... I franticly vacuumed and towelled up the water and started up the system again and the incident didn't repeat. At first I thought I had too much total volume and the sump overfilled with the back flow, but when I stopped the system again the water level was a good four inches below the top of the sump. It's weird...

I'm thinking that a media back blocked the flow through of the first chamber but I'm not sure. I'm going to move the (possible) problem bag and try to recreate the mess, and if I can't I'll leave well enough alone.

My only other issue is the check valve on the returns is making a loud noise, almost like the ball is caught between open and closed, vibrating up and down. I got it to stop once but it started again when I reset the system.

Pics -


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## averittexpress (Apr 12, 2012)

Subscribed. And jealous!


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

Looking good.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

First attempt at a hardscape. I'm not sure I like it... I had to make due with a lot of smaller rocks that would have been ideal so I'm not sure how natural the rocks look. I also think the wood is a bit mumble jumbled but I'm going to let it sit for a few days before I decide. It takes me about 5 hours to drain, scape and refill so I need to set aside some time to do it. 

I also added some chunks of pvc under the soil to act as caves for the plecos. 3/5 are hidden well and you can sorta see one of them clearly.

Sorry bout the haze and the low water level. I was letting some glue dry so it's just the CL running for now.

FTS









Left









Right









Video
http://s1180.photobucket.com/albums/x409/justincgdick/?action=view&current=IMG_0574.mp4


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

I think it looks good, only thing I would do would be to straighten out the substrate along the front of the tank, just along the front edge, the hills elsewhere are nice.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Haha, yeah... I added the substrate to the lower level once I had a few inches of water in the tank. I was doing it blind and quickly spread it out by feel. So I'll be straightening it out.

It looks okay, but I don't get excited when I see it. I might pull it and redo.


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

jcgd said:


> Haha, yeah... I added the substrate to the lower level once I had a few inches of water in the tank. I was doing it blind and quickly spread it out by feel. So I'll be straightening it out.
> 
> It looks okay, but I don't get excited when I see it. I might pull it and redo.


yea, I think it looks great, get some greenery in the nooks and crannies near the rock and wood and you have a show stopper.


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

Wow, this is looking good and you can tell it's not your first rodeo, I want to come back and do some more reading about the light, filtration, etc. but it looks as if your off to a great start.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

150EH said:


> Wow, this is looking good and you can tell it's not your first rodeo, I want to come back and do some more reading about the light, filtration, etc. but it looks as if your off to a great start.


Thanks, I've done a few decent tanks. Nothing I'm proud of yet, save for a 1st place I got in a planted nano aquascaping competition at my club. There wasn't a heck of a lot of competition though.

Didn't change anything drastic yet, but after a few days of thinking on it I move the two branches that were reaching into the forground. I found them a little overbearing. Also notice the difference look to the lighting with the main XML off. Just the neutral and royal blue running, but I can mess with them too. Both are running at about the same current. Reminds me of Pugman's LED colour.

Old look:









New look:









I think it looks much more open now, before the branches in the front were overwhelming. I think I also created a better arch over the pathway. It's hard to see the path as it sorta runs back and to the right. The tank is scaped toward my seat on the couch. 

I'm going to try to use the plant bushes to break up the vertical-ness of the wood. I find the right section has too many "trunks" but the upper portion looks pretty close to the way I want it.

The only thing I want to work on now is a few spots here and there of the rock work where it looks man-made/less natural, and also where the rock piles up at the right end of the tank. The intakes for the closed loop are hidden, but it throws the balance off. So I might change the rocks even if the strainers will be exposed. The rocks are much more obvious anyway, so I need to have them looking good.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Also I've been throwing around a plant list. Some of the stems are to play with as I've never seen them. I will get a bunch of whatever will be my initial planting groups. Taking a note from Tom's 120 and I'll be changing things as I go and I see how the tank develops.

Staurogyne repens
Dwarf Hairgrass (Elocharis acicularis) "belem"
Bolbitis
Java fern (Microsorium pteropus) (various)
Cryptocoryne, Wendtii Red 'Mi Oya' "Giant Mother Plant"	
Cryptocoryne Wendtii bronze, green, red
Pogostemon stellatus 'Broad Leaf'	
Telanthera Rosefolia (Alternanthera reineckii)	
Rotala Indica (Rotala roundifolia)	
Limnophila hippuroides (Limnophila aromatica 'hippuroides')	
Nesaea pedicellata 'Golden'	
Ammannia Senegalensis (may be green in color until under high light)	
Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'Cuba'
Ludwigia Peruensis (Ludwigia peruensis aka Ludwigia glandulosa)
Nesaea Crassicaulis
POGOSTEMON ERECTUS (potted)nice root system	
Pogostemon stellata	
Rotala Magenta (Rotala macrandra v. 'narrow leaf')
Vesicularia montagnei 'Christmas moss'
Fissidens fontanis


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Love the look, good looking plant list


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## Zefrik (Oct 23, 2011)

Lol... 

I don't know if it is just me but an impulse build seems to be more like a ten gallon tank. You don't typically hear people say, "Oh I just decided I would get a 165 gallon tank and scape it." 

Ha ha, Just kidding, it is looking awesome.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Well yes, that would be normal.:hihi: But the decision for this tank really was an impulse. I was at Big Al's and they had a big sale going on. I was at the checkout buying a 125 when I found an ad on a forum for my tank. Couldn't pass up so I reversed the transaction I had just finished and got the 165 instead. 

Technically the build took a year, but the decision to do it really was on a whim.


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## Zefrik (Oct 23, 2011)

jcgd said:


> Well yes, that would be normal. But the decision for this tank really was an impulse. I was at Big Al's and they had a big sale.mas I was at the checkout buying a 125 I found an ad on a forum for my tank. Couldn't pass up so I reversed the transaction I had just finished and got the 165 instead.
> 
> Technically the build took a year, but the decision to do it really was on a whim.


Yeah I know, I was just poking fun at the title of your thread.:red_mouth


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

A little vid of the plumbing and the rest of the setup. I'm mumbling along the whole way (just got up), but at least there's a little commentary and info/thoughts about the setup. I still need to adjust the plumbing, lengthening of the drain and adding a filter sock, etc.

http://youtu.be/FqbU8796ovk


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## bitFUUL (May 14, 2010)

Nice tank, I'm diggin' the look. The aggressive branches coming out of the tank = win


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Thanks, I'm a huge fan of wood reaching out the tank. Especially now with LED light where it is much easier to have the intensity you need... with the light up nice and high. My fixture is 36-40" off the substrate. Par measurements will be coming soon when I get my GEP meter from Mistergreen. I really have no clue what to expect, but I think I'll be good. At minimum I'm hoping for the ability to have 80 par at 40". Not sure if I'll hit it or not. If I have to I can snap one branch and lower the fixture another foot or so.

Had to change the plant list because I need to go through a few different suppliers. Found a source of Cryptocoryne nurii which I'm pumped about. So far the list is:


2 x Ludwigia peruensis 
1 x Rotala macrandra 
1 x Bacopa amplexicaulis 
2 x Alternanthera rosefolia 
1 x Althenanthera cardinalis
2 x Ammania gracilis 
5 x Cryptocoryne nurii

I'm also inquiring about tissue cultures of:
1 x Ludwigia arcuata
1 x Ludwigia glandulosa
1 x Ludwigia repens
1 x Ludwigia repens 'Rubin'
5 x Microsorum pteropus 'Narrow'
2 x Nesaea crassicaulis
1 x Pogostemon helferi
2 x Pogostemon stellata (Eusteralis)
1 x Rotala macrandra
2 x Rotala sp. ''Nanjenshan'' (Mayaca)
2 x Rotala ssp. 'Colourata'
1 x Rotala wallichii
1 x Tonina ssp. 'Belem'

I figure, get one of everything and extra of ones I really want. If I don't like it I'll sell it.


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

hardscape is looking awesome! very interested what you get for PAR readings.

plant list looks good, my 75 P has pics of a couple of those plants on your tissue list if your interested. out of curiousity, where'd you source the nurii?


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Aquarium Central in Edmonton. They are shipping me the order. Give em a call soon and you should be able to snag some. They have some hard to find plants every once in a while so keep an eye on the updates on the site. The site looks sketchy but the store and staff are top notch.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

Canadian Aquatics in Richmond also ships a lot of plants from cell cultured and greenhouse pots from Aquaflora Nurseries. They have C. Nurii on the list, aamongst many others.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I'm my other order is Aqua Flora cell cultured, but I didn't see nurii on there. Maybe they are out of stock at the moment.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

jcgd said:


> I'm my other order is Aqua Flora cell cultured, but I didn't see nurii on there. Maybe they are out of stock at the moment.


Could be. Or maybe you just have to ask them. If you're getting from Patrick, he takes requests. That's how I got my Downoi.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Messed around the scape again today. I've just been poking and prodding... trying to see what looks best and see if I can fix the little things that bother me before I get planting.

--- A few comparison shots ---

Oldest:









In between:









Newest:


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

Looking good now you jsut need a SS CO2 setup to bling out the underside. Like the setup I think the right hand group needs another larger rock where the rock u's down on the far right of the tank.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

So you think I should add another to the two that are down the right end towards the front? Not up on the pile right?

That grouping does look odd. I keep moving it but I can't get it to look right. I'll mess with it tomorrow.


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## jart (Jan 17, 2003)

Not sure if you had already mentioned it but what type of flexible plumbing are you using?


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Flex PVC 

Everyone says it's not as flexible as you'd think. I thought it was pretty flexible, but it does want to hold the shape of the coil. A heat gun helps it to keep a new bend. Just make sure you get the proper glue. You shouldn't use normal PVC glue, you want a medium body clear that is made for flex pvc.


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

Circled the area that needs somethin IMO.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Ahh... I see what you mean. You can't see in the pics but that area looks interesting in person. The wood sits in that gap so there's not much of a place to put a rock. I was gonna jam a big anubias in there to fill the void.


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## Gotcha38 (Apr 13, 2010)

What happened to the original woodscape you were playing with? Why did you scrap it?


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Well it didn't really work with the layout if the rocks, and untried to recreate it, but it wasnt working out. It's like a jig saw puzzle with no reference. I tried to use the pictures I had but they are small and lack details. Over a 6 foot tank it's hard to figure out what piece was what. I still have some large pieces that aren't in the recent pics so it's a lot of wood to sort. 

Don't like the new layout?


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

I think that scape looks much better than the original. Love it as is! Wouldn't change a thing :thumbsup:


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## Em85 (Apr 16, 2009)

I love the new layout!


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

CL said:


> I think that scape looks much better than the original. Love it as is! Wouldn't change a thing :thumbsup:





Em85 said:


> I love the new layout!


Thanks guys. My original wood scape would have been more natural looking when I was done, I believe... but this is more my vision from the get go. I've done some more rearranging of the wood and opened it up a bit, plus framed out the pathway a bit. I think it draws the eye better now and creates a slight effect of gazing off in the distance. I think the frosted background really helps. It kinda looks like you are just looking off into water, rather than seeing a background. 

I'll post a pick when the dust settles, I had to add some more AS to compensate for settling/ moving stuff around. 

Also, plants in the mail!


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## FISTER_ (Apr 8, 2012)

W0W! Awesome Thread...Sub.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Final hardscape... Anything that sticks out and need to be changed?


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## DvanK (Feb 27, 2009)

Looks great the way it is but;

I would build up far left and right corners a little unless you are planning to hide them with vals or tall plants. Also the smaller rocks upfront could be offset so that they don't appear like they are in a straight line.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

The back right corner will probably be built up with plants, the left I want to leave open as its actually a viewing side too. So there is about 8" of foreground and then the tall plants will be only on the mound, kinda shaped round like Amano does with the rotala a lot. 

You're right about the stones in front. They are actually offset, but look straight I the pics. I'll try to change them around to convey some depth.


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## HiepSTA (Aug 23, 2011)

your driftwood sticks out


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

jcgd said:


> Final hardscape... Anything that sticks out and need to be changed?


could just be me, but the one branch that sticks out that does the 90 d bend kinda draws my eye directly to that. like i said though, could just be me. probably not as noticeable in person...

its an awesome hardscape regardless! well done


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Yeah it does draw your attention. I'm not sure if its the shape, or the fact isn't hit by the lights to lighten the colour like the wood behind it. Should I snap it off at the 90?

I want to add one branch on the left coming out of the. I'll glue it to the most vertical stub you can see in the back there. I feel like I need one more branch reaching out on that side to balance the scape above water.


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

could always leave it for now and decide later on if you dont like it? imo id start at the 90 and work down

i think its the shape, the straight line it creates. once its planted it probably wont stand out so much though. looking forward to seeing you plant this bad boy. i bet your getting excited to have it all finally come together!


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

5pm till 4 am...


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

Like.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)




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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)




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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Good enough par meter measurements vid... WILL BLOW YOUR MIND!!! I dedicate the following video to Hoppy, Mistergreen, O2 surplus and all the other fantastic members who made this fixture possible. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYymPTLxZ0I&feature=youtube_gdata_player


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

wow crazy readings!

tank looks amazing now planted, nicely done. you end up getting any nurii? got any pics of it by chance?


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I know, right? Beyond my wildest hopes. I was gunning for 60 par at the substrate with the fixture on the roof. And I pulled triple that! Hopefully this meter is truly "good enough". I took two more reading of other lights.

Salvania 18 watt par 38 @ ~24" was 225 par
Generic 50 watt halogen GU10 @ ~24" was 31 par


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Just ended up getting one nurii, they sold out quick. It's melting quite nicely now... 
Is it really a nurii? I've never seen one before.


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## pandacory (Apr 18, 2011)

This tank is awesome.

This may have been covered, but why eurobrace and not rimless?


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Well, the tank wasn't build to be rimless, and I bought it used. The builder said I could go rimless with 1/2" glass, but it was pushing for longevity of the seams. Plus having the rim is awesome. Somewhere to put tools, feeders, etc., and best of all, you don't splash over the edge. There's only 3/4" between the surface and the rim so it's easy to spill. 

My new tank is being built, 120 x 45x 45cm and it's rimless with 1/2" glass, but now that I have the Eurobrace, I'm not sure rimless is wise. It's sure looks sexy though.


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## Lil' Swimz$ (Jul 24, 2010)

YOur tank's going to be sooo cool when it's grown in!


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

jcgd said:


> Just ended up getting one nurii, they sold out quick. It's melting quite nicely now...
> Is it really a nurii? I've never seen one before.


looks like nurii, but i wouldn't really know for sure, only got my first ones awhile back. put them in dsm and i will say yours looks 10x better and has prob as much leave mass as my 30+ plantlets :icon_neut

btw where'd you pick up the PAR meter? is it DIY?


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Beautiful scaping, and I agree this will look awesome grown in.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

salmon said:


> looks like nurii, but i wouldn't really know for sure, only got my first ones awhile back. put them in dsm and i will say yours looks 10x better and has prob as much leave mass as my 30+ plantlets :icon_neut
> 
> btw where'd you pick up the PAR meter? is it DIY?



Haha, well, I bought mine this way, and they are melting... so yours will have mine beat pretty soon.

Mistergreen made the meter: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/120109-diy-par-meter-yeah-you-heard.html


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Lil' Swimz$ said:


> YOur tank's going to be sooo cool when it's grown in!





2in10 said:


> Beautiful scaping, and I agree this will look awesome grown in.


Thanks guys. Everything seems to be growing good, especially some of the plants I was worried about like the Rotala macrandra. The crypts are melting hard, the hairgrass and S. repens are just sitting there, but the stems all look good. Typical melting on the immersed stuff, but the new growth looks good. I have a bit of algae, but mostly on some transfers from other tanks. No green spot or dust or anything.

Did a 80% water change today. My first so far, and I'll probably do 50% every second day now. They just take forever and it's hard on the ferns being in super dry air for 40 minutes or so.

So far so good, fingers crossed.


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## crazydaz (Mar 18, 2007)

NICE TANK, man!!! And, it ought to be with such nice lighting and the fact that you spent 11 hours planting it!!!! HOLY COW!! 

That's going to turn into a stunner....it already looks really great! Did you stick to the plant list on p.6 of this thread, or not?


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Thanks, hopefully I can grow my plants like you do! The plant list is accurate, and I added a few things from my other tanks. I'm also trying to find Fissidens fontanus, but finding plants in Canada is tough. My plants list so far is simply what I like the looks of from the suppliers I used. AquaFlora supplied most, and they were all tissue cultures. Got some other stuff, including the nurii from Aquatic Central in Edmonton (shipped) and also some local stuff, plus the S. repens in Vancouver, BC, likely from Tom originally. I wanted to use Tropica only, but the only supplier is four hours away and doesn't ship. I'll grow out what I have and see what lasts (I have pretty hard water) and then start making any changes. I actually have a few too many species right now and I'll need to cut some out to get any new types.

Ludwigia peruensis 
Rotala macrandra 
Bacopa amplexicaulis 
Alternanthera rosefolia 
Althenanthera cardinalis
Ammania gracilis 
Bolbitis heudelotii
Cryptocoryne nurii
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'green'
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'red'
Cryptocoryne balansae
Ludwigia arcuata
Ludwigia glandulosa
Ludwigia repens
Ludwigia repens 'Rubin'
Microsorum pteropus 'Narrow'
Nesaea crassicaulis
Pogostemon helferi
Pogostemon stellata (Eusteralis)
Rotala macrandra
Rotala rotundifolia
Rotala sp. ''Nanjenshan'' (Mayaca)
Rotala ssp. 'Colourata'
Rotala wallichii
Tonina ssp. 'Belem'


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## Gotcha38 (Apr 13, 2010)

jcgd said:


> Well it didn't really work with the layout if the rocks, and untried to recreate it, but it wasnt working out. It's like a jig saw puzzle with no reference. I tried to use the pictures I had but they are small and lack details. Over a 6 foot tank it's hard to figure out what piece was what. I still have some large pieces that aren't in the recent pics so it's a lot of wood to sort.
> 
> Don't like the new layout?


I do really enjoy the new layout. It's a fantastic tank. Congratulations.


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## trenton (Apr 27, 2012)

Subscribed, great start so far. Gotta support my fellow Calgarian!


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Gotcha38 said:


> I do really enjoy the new layout. It's a fantastic tank. Congratulations.


Oh good. Thanks man. Drastic difference, but I really like this look. Much less busy. The other layout would have completely different plants and everything. 



trenton said:


> Subscribed, great start so far. Gotta support my fellow Calgarian!


Aha, yeah man. There aren't many of us on here. I hope the Canadian membership keeps growing.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

jcgd said:


> Aha, yeah man. There aren't many of us on here. I hope the Canadian membership keeps growing.


There are quite a few from the west coast, but until you guys came along, very few outside of BC and Ontario.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Yeah, BC has a pretty good scene. The border crossing helps. When I joined in 2004 I lived in Nova Scotia and it was really hard to find anything. The only plus was soft water from the tap.

I really need to upgrade my membership. I think I'm one of the older active members on the forum and haven't given a dime. Maybe it's time for a fund raiser. I've always wanted to do a fundraiser where for every other member that donates $5, I donate $1, up to
$200. Just have to see if Kyle would be okay with it.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

jcgd said:


> Yeah, BC has a pretty good scene. The border crossing helps. When I joined in 2004 I lived in Nova Scotia and it was really hard to find anything. The only plus was soft water from the tap.


If you come out this way, let us know and we can point you to the good places to get stuff. I'm headed out to do a full tour of Alberta this summer (Calgary, Red Deer, Drumheller). I sometimes miss living in the prairies because of all the sunshine you guys get (I lived in Saskatoon in the late 80's for 3 years). I don't miss the snow much though.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I'll be out Canada day weekend actually. I need to see April's and stop by j&l of course. Where else is good? There's a few members I usually visit, fenster and bein lim on BC aquaria. I brought out a bunch of manzy last summer. This year I'm bringing ohko (dragon) stone.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

jcgd said:


> I'll be out Canada day weekend actually. I need to see April's and stop by j&l of course. Where else is good? There's a few members I usually visit, fenster and bein lim on BC aquaria. I brought out a bunch of manzy last summer. This year I'm bringing ohko (dragon) stone.


Ohko stone....nice. You can get them locally? For Manzy, many members here got shipments from Tom Barr, including myself. There were some real whoppers a friend of mine got. So are you on BCAquaria also?

You can always arrange to visit with Patrick (of Canadian Aquatics in Richmond). Probably King Ed Pet's in Burnaby. And the whole Vancouver Aquarium has been renovated, but it'll probably be nuts on a long weekend.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Yeah, I've got about 120 pounds... I'll put an ad on BC aquaria soon. I'm the same user across most forums. 

My wood is from Tom too. I just had a batch from pc1 I decided against so I flipped it. Didn't really make any money, but it sure sold fast.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

So, I got around to hooking up the controller today. These are my current settings and I'll let it run for a bit to see how things work out.

PAR LEVELS:
Surface = 230 umol
Substrate = 100 umol
Mounds = ~130 umol

LED STRING CURRENT (@80%):
XML = 800-950 mA
XPG = 350-450mA

DIMMING / CONTROL
Max = 80% all colours
Neutral White = 12:00pm to 11:00pm, Two hour ramp
Royal Blue = 12:30pm to 10:30pm, Two hour ramp
"East" Neutral White = 1:00pm to 9:30pm
"West" Neutral White = 1:30pm to 10:00pm

Sortakinda trying to get a bit of a sunrise/ sunset effect where the neutral white do the glow of the sun and everything slowly ramps up and the colours build on each other. I've parked my butt on the couch to watch the sunset and see how it looks.

Double drop checkers each showing lime green. One was dark blue when I got home and upon inspecting it, there was a little water droplet trapped in the stem that formed two separate air gaps on either side of it; one between the indicator and the water droplet and another between the droplet and the tank. After I fixed this it changed to lime green within 45 minutes. Looks like circulation is good.

Here's where it gets odd... I've been testing the ammonia and nitrite, and getting nothing. Tested yesterday BEFORE a water change, and today again. I'm using three new bags of AS Ammazonia NEW and about five bags of AS NEW from a buddies tank that was fully cycled and running. The dirt was damp in a rubbermaid for about two weeks while I set up. Maybe that allowed the tank to have a running start, or maybe the soil just isn't leeching... or my test kits are bad. Interesting...


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)




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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

Man, this tank is just looking better all the time. I'm really liking it.


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## outcast (Jul 4, 2007)

there's lots of canadians lurking  i usually dont even try to stay current with the active topics now, its hopeless compared to when i joined


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

2wheelsx2 said:


> Man, this tank is just looking better all the time. I'm really liking it.


Thanks, for the most part it's filling in nicely. I didn't realize how much growth there was until I compared photos. Not bad for a week.



outcast said:


> there's lots of canadians lurking  i usually dont even try to stay current with the active topics now, its hopeless compared to when i joined


Do you mean because it's now so busy? I don't follow most threads, just the ones I've become familiar with or get popular. There's a few threads from way back where I wish the OPs stuck around. So many great tanks that just drop off.


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## green_valley (Sep 14, 2011)

Nice scape. Awesome............


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## theblondskeleton (Aug 28, 2009)

Very nice, I can't wait to see this grow in. Great colors and nice layout.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

green_valley said:


> Nice scape. Awesome............





theblondskeleton said:


> Very nice, I can't wait to see this grow in. Great colors and nice layout.


Thanks guys.

I've had a few things happen, so far growth is pretty solid. My R. macrandra is showing some elongation, but seems to be tightening up a little. I've been running light levels from 170umol down to a current 120 umol at it's level (10-12" off the substrate). It's been growing up as I bump the light down, and I'm still running very high light so I don't think it's the light. I am thinking it is some sleight stunting from lack of nutrients, co2, or both. I have been slowly upping my co2 and started full EI dosing, after running out of nitrates. That also allowed a BGA infestation but I've dosed it to bring my current levels ~5-10ppm. I'm dutifully fighting the BGA while still tweaking everything else. I let things run for a day to see daily BGA growth and do a hefty syphon the next day to get rid of as much as possible. Tom has recommended I do a good syphon, sit tight for two days and then a 3 day blackout. This is next on the agenda, depending on the BGA growth the next three days (one syphon, two observing). 

The tank appears cycled. Picked up a new test kit and checked ammonia and nitrates. Ammonia matched my old kit at 0. Nitrates was a new reading at 10ppm. I've dosed lots of kno3 the last few days to pick it up.

I have around 18 amano shrimp in the tank to work on little bits of algae turning up, just a little green/ brown dust here and there. Nothing scary yet. I also added 8 young roselines that have been in quarantine. I'm doing 50% water changes every second day and also moved a well seeded sponge filter to my sump, just in case there's an ammonia bump.

I'm starting to get a feel for some of the plants, and I see where I need to move a few around. The Ammania gracilis and Nasaea crassicaulis are too similar and too close together. Same with the Rotala rotundifolia, and I have to consolidate two bunches of Ludwigia peruensis. It's odd, one bunch looks normal. The other is taking its sweet old time to transition from emmersed to immerse growth.

The Ludwigia arcuata melted away. I have about 10% left with a few green sprouts, but it's more dead than not... not sure what happened there. Everything else seems to be doing well.

I also have Alternanthera rosaefolia and A. cardinalis too close together. I think I will take out the cardinalis. There's something about the rosaefolia that I like more.

As far as the rest of my stocking, I've decided on the Roselines, maybe four more, about 20 Corydoras sterbai and either Harelquin tetras (I have 20 in quarantine) or blue tetras (boehikea fredcochui). I have always loved harlequins, and I think they would match the roselines well, but I kinda want something that will suite the tank a bit more. I find the tank very whimsical and I think the fredcochui might be neat. I've never seem them in stores or in another tank, so I am going to pop by the supplier's place to view them. Any votes?

Three days to FTS. I love the shots as I can compare growth easily, week by week.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Did a good cleaning today in preperation for my weekly picture update tomorrow. I had some dust algae on the glass that I scraped off. First time I scraped it since I filled the tank and it was only towards the bottom. I noticed it because the Roselines were pecking at it.

Did another good syphon of the BGA, everything I could see, and then drained the tank half way. I added some Fissidens I finally tracked down and spot dosed some peroxide on some troublesome BGA spots, and spots I missed. It's awesome watching it die when you dose it out of water. It's just like when you put peroxide on a cut.

I also bought a 1'x1' mat of hairgrass when I got the moss, but I totally spaced when I bought it. As I was planting it I realized it was the standard hairgrass and I have the dwarf belem. I don't want a foreground 4" tall so I pulled what I had planted and I'll try to re-sell it. I also noticed while poking around that the bolbitis has started putting out some leaves. I had a bunch of needle leaf and bolbitis in a bucket for a year (no lie) so when I put it back in the tank it was obviously pretty hurting. I trimmed all the leaves and crossed my fingers. I'm happy that the rhizome is still okay and growing.

I also picked up a tripod for my camera today. Hopefully it's easier to get a few photos without relying on a stack of books, storage boxes, manuals and a speaker stand for a tripod, like I was before.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)




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## izabella87 (Apr 21, 2012)

The moss if really taking off  NIce nice !!


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

izabella87 said:


> The moss if really taking off  NIce nice !!


Hehe, I only added moss (fissidens) the night before the picture. I believe what you are referring to is the narrow leaf java fern. It's tissue cultured and rather small, and just starting to put out new leaves.

Keep in mind the tank is six feet long.


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## ChadRamsey (Nov 3, 2011)

this a simply an amazing tank/scape. quite the inspiration


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## monkeyruler90 (Apr 13, 2008)

Wow,everything looks awesome. Just saw your video on the PAR readings. Gotta love XMLs!!

btw, Calgary is beautiful, i stopped there on my way to Kelowna to visit my sister but she's living in Edmonton right now. Thinking about moving out there when I graduate!


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## styxx (Jul 2, 2003)

theblondskeleton said:


> Very nice, I can't wait to see this grow in. Great colors and nice layout.


In 6 weeks to 2 months, this tanks will be absolutely EPIC. I love the new layout and I would literally, lose my mind, watching this tank progress. OMG. :eek5:


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Your scape is fantastic and I can't wait to see where you go with the "leaves" on the trees.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

monkeyruler90 said:


> Wow,everything looks awesome. Just saw your video on the PAR readings. Gotta love XMLs!!
> 
> btw, Calgary is beautiful, i stopped there on my way to Kelowna to visit my sister but she's living in Edmonton right now. Thinking about moving out there when I graduate!


Well, Calgary certainly is good in some ways. The mountains are fantastic of course. I'm from Nova Scotia though, and it's very different. I miss the lakes, and the ocean. So bad it makes me feel sick sometimes. And the weather is odd. -40C one day and 5 degrees the next. It makes getting sick very easy. My favourite thing is the sky. It looks like it was painted on, and the sky gets incredibly clear. 

The money is great too.



styxx said:


> In 6 weeks to 2 months, this tanks will be absolutely EPIC. I love the new layout and I would literally, lose my mind, watching this tank progress. OMG. :eek5:


Thanks, I really hope so. I still need to work out the kinks. I really need to get my regulator built so I can perfect the co2 levels. I have it cranked, but I know I have a lot of room to go still. My current clippard NV isn't very great so I can't do fine adjustments. I'm going to leave it for a few weeks while I figure something out. Here's my Reg. Just need a post body for it. I only have brass so I'm trying to figure if I should spring for SS. I'm pretty broke right now though.











2in10 said:


> Your scape is fantastic and I can't wait to see where you go with the "leaves" on the trees.


Thanks. For the time being I'm just letting things grow out. I need to move some plants around, and I think the back will have plants that don't mind less light. The middle with be the ferns creeping on the wood and the middle will have all the light hungry plants. The middle has the most light (the front section of the mounds) due to the cone angles of the LEDs. It's pretty even, but the fixture does favour the center of the tank.

I think I will use Downoi to soften the rock scape. It looks kinda nice in all the cracks and I think that once it grows out it'll make the rock pile look more natural and seamless, but the Downoi is still very textured and dramatic. Plus the neon green is awesome.

The foreground will be mostly hairgrass 'belem' which is a nice darker neon green and contrasts well with the Downoi. I'll try to have some pockets of crypts here and there. Small, natural looking colonies. I really want to have the S. repens in the tank, but I can't figure out where I want it. I don't think I have enough room for the hairgrass, crypts and repens in the foreground, but I may add a few pockets here and there the transition to the rocks from the grass. We will see, I don't have a lot of repens (gave most of it away over the last year, trying to spread it around) and what I have isn't transitioning all that well from emmersed to submersed growth.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Boehlkea fredcochui (Blue Tetra)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkaNT-dXLw4&feature=youtu.be

Handheld with FTS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9ZC1ZmJ-_s&feature=youtu.be


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

wow! those blue tetras are amazing.....

scape looks awesome in those vids too


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

The Blue tetras clearly don't like the co2, so I dropped the light intensity, did a water change and dialed back the co2 a bit after the picture.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Got 20 Corydora sterbai today along with a group of tiger shrimp and a group of painted fire reds that are going in quarantine. Terrible timing as I leave for a five day trip tomoorrow but hopefully everything will settle in well. Long story, it is what it is. This will also be my first time leaving this tank while I'm away. Fingers crossed that everything is okay. I think my co2 is set but I've been messing with it and haven't has time to perfect it. I dialed it back a smidge just in case.


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## Calmia22 (Aug 20, 2011)

Subscribed! I can't get enough of this tank!


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## daworldisblack (Jan 12, 2012)

Been following a little while now and its pretty awesome how its coming along! And canada represent!  I'm in Ottawa myself and good to read about a local system with goods acquired locally. Its always a downer when you see something cool and find they're in the states so then the idea of 'sharing' via shipping kinda is out of the question. 

What background do you have on there? Is it vinyl? If so what colour? White or some sorta blue? Keep on rocking it!

P.S: How is your Hairgrass 'Belem' doing? Slow grower?


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Oh I hear ya. It's so hard getting plants up here. There is plenty of the standard varieties, but literally, anything rare has been smuggled over the border. Usually new stuff shows up in Vancouver cause the border is so close. Almost every part of my system was shipped in. Most of the hardscape is from the USA. Tom Barr for the wood, PC1 for the stone. Luckily we have ADA in Canada, but unless you are lucky enough to have a store that sells it local it's $50/bag plus shipping. 

Of all the livestock in my tanks, only the Amano shrimp are from a LFS. Most of the fish are from a local guy who imports from south America and overseas. The rest is shipped from Vancouver once again. 

Most of the S. repens in Calgary is grown out from a bit I got from a buddy in Vancouver. His was originally from Tom and made its way up. We do have Tropica, but as usual, there's nothing brought in that isn't standard and available though Aquaflora. Maybe a few extra species or two. 

The real kicker is that 90% of people with decent plants in Canada refuse to ship. They make it seem like rocket science. I was able to talk a friend into shipping me my fissidens. It was the only supply I could find that wasn't aquatic magic... Illegally shipped in. I paid an arm and a leg with shipping, but I finally got it. Took me three years to source fissidens. That's just sad. 

I'm driving to Vancouver right now. Hopefully I can find a few cool plants while I'm there. I'm debating hopping down to Seattle but I don't know how I feel about being a smuggler.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

Dang, I didn't know it was so difficult in Calgary. It would have been nothing for me to throw some fissidens in a baggy with damp newspaper in an envelope. But yeah, the S. repens is almost all orginally from Tom. I attended his talk when he was here 2 years ago, but left before he handed the plants out. I had to buy mine from a guy who grew them out from one of those batches.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I've never met Tom. I'd certainly like to pick his brain and hear him lecture though. 

Sometimes it's just a matter if finding out who has plants and hounding them. The problem is figuring out who has what. I've posted a few wtb threads on BCAquaria. It didn't get any hits. 

I'm gonna poke around those stores you mentioned. Maybe Saturday I'll do the rounds and check out a few shops.


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

jcgd said:


> I'm driving to Vancouver right now. Hopefully I can find a few cool plants while I'm there. I'm debating hopping down to Seattle but I don't know how I feel about being a smuggler.


haha thats awesome, aquatic plant smuggling lol. bring some buce to us canadians!

how are the blue tetras working out? i noticed you mentioned they seemed a little sensitive to the CO2? you source those locally? Aq central?


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I got the blues from a guy named Harold. He goes by Fairdeal on BCAquaria and Alberta Aquatica. He's a hobbyist who does a lot of importing of unusual species. Rare plecos and such are his specialty but he has a lot of differen stuff. More tanks in his operation than in the average shop. His nickname is quite fitting as I don't think he makes any money. The stuff is around wholesale pricing. I thought the roselines would be a little sensitive if the O2 was low, but the blues show much earlier. I believe the co2 was pretty high, not sure about the O2. I backed off very little and they acted normal once again. 

Beside that I'm really digging' them. They aren't super colorful, but they do have a very nice blue in their back half and it seems as though about half of them have red patch centered at their tail. They look very purple with the royal blue LEDs during the sunrise/ sunset and get more blue when the main cool whites are running. I'm very happy I chose them over the harlequins. 

The behavior is interesting too. They are very aggressive, especially the males. They fixate on one member and chase then around the tank and don't usually jump to another individual to chase until they are done. It's a good thing I have 50 of them. I haven't seen any cross species aggression but a few of the blues are missing tail fins. Not much schooling unless they are scared, but they generally stick to large shoaling groups. More like a ball that swims round and round rather than back and forth. Apparently they don't like bright lighting but they seem to be okay with my light.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Picked up a few plants at aquarium west in Vancouver. Two were on my wish list!
Hygrophila pinnatifida
Hygrophila sp. araguaia


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

So far on my Vancouver trip...

Bacopa caroliniana
Blyxa japonica
Hygrophila sp. 'Araguaia'
Juncus repens ?????
Limnophila aromatica
Ludwigia brevipes
Ludwigia inclinata
Ludwigia repens x L. arcuata ??????
Ranunculus inundatus
Staurogyne stolonifera ???????
Hygrophila pinnatifida
Eriocaulon sp. 'Goias'
PROSERPINACA PALUSTRIS
Pogostemon erectus
Ludwigia inclinata var verticillata

The question marks are next to plants I need to positive ID. I'm just guessing.


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## theblondskeleton (Aug 28, 2009)

Hmm... Hygro pinnatifida is one I'd like to try out sometime. Good finds!


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## styxx (Jul 2, 2003)

*Mystery Plant Oasis?*



theblondskeleton said:


> Hmm... Hygro pinnatifida is one I'd like to try out sometime. Good finds!


I wonder is there some magical store in West Vancouver that has all these rare plants that JCGD is talking about, and if so can you get there TBS?


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

jcgd said:


> So far on my Vancouver trip...
> 
> Bacopa caroliniana
> Blyxa japonica
> ...


that is an awesome list of plants to score! looking forward to seeing these in your tank!


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

styxx said:


> I wonder is there some magical store in West Vancouver that has all these rare plants that JCGD is talking about, and if so can you get there TBS?


I don't think it was in West Vancouver, and it definitely isn't magic as we all go there. I believe he went to Aquariums West, which carries Tropica stuff.

http://www.aquariumswest.com/


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

theblondskeleton said:


> Hmm... Hygro pinnatifida is one I'd like to try out sometime. Good finds!


It was on my list of fav plants. Took two off that list this trip. The H. pinnatifida and the H. araguaia. Apparently it likes to spread horizontally and I want to use it as an accent piece, but we will see.



styxx said:


> I wonder is there some magical store in West Vancouver that has all these rare plants that JCGD is talking about, and if so can you get there TBS?


All these plants were bought in VanC. No magic or smuggling needed! Most of the stuff was from Aquariums West. A few out of the display tank Joseph (Miyabi-Aqua) has there. I also got stuff from Bien and Stuart who I met on BC Aquaria.



salmon said:


> that is an awesome list of plants to score! looking forward to seeing these in your tank!


Thanks. Not bad for a single trip eh? I want to get a bit of a farm tank going so I can supply Canadians with some cool plants from this board. The Canadian SnS is dry, so I'm hoping to change that. None of these plants are exactly rare. I suppose uncommon in Canada, but in the USA these are all standards as far as I can tell.

Everything is just chucked into the tank wherever at the moment. I need to grow some things out to see how they look and react in my water. Vancouver water is like So.Cal water. Pretty much RO from the tap. My gh is off the charts so some plants don't like it too much. My kh is around 4.5 degrees which isn't terrible though, so I've been having pretty good luck. 



2wheelsx2 said:


> I don't think it was in West Vancouver, and it definitely isn't magic as we all go there. I believe he went to Aquariums West, which carries Tropica stuff.
> 
> http://www.aquariumswest.com/


Yep, and you just have to hassle the right people too. I found a Buce on my trip (didn't get any) and scored a Erio. I've never seen either before so that makes me happy. I know a fellow who has about 5 species of buce and about 17 erios who will be selling in Canada. It's ironic that we will have a solid source for those and many rare and exotic shrimp, yet many common stem plants are nowhere to be found.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I found a source for the follow list of plants.  Got all excited and then found out the source isn't in Canada and shipping is a bit sketchy and not guaranteed. Not sure what I'm going to do. :thumbsdow

Ludwigia INCLINATA VAR. VERTICILLATA 'PANTANAL' 
ERIOCAULON SETACEUM
LIMNOPHILA SP. 'SULAWESI'
Tonina lotus blossom
HYGROPHILA SP. 'BOLD'
PERSICARIA SP. 'KAWAGOEANUM'
POACEAE SP. 'PURPLE BAMBOO'
LUDWIGIA SP. 'RUBIN' 
MURDANNIA SP. 'RED'
Ludwigia pilosa
Staurogyne bihar
PERSICARIA SP. 'KAWAGOEANUM'
Hyptis lorentziana
Aciotis acuminifolia
Rotala sp. 'sunset'


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

*Co2 Reactor*

Feeding my co2 directly into my tank wasn't cutting it for me. I picked up a used Two Little Fishies Phosban reactor for $50. Cheaper than any whole house water filter I could find locally.

I drilled a small hole in the front of my Eheim 1250 submersible pump and fed the co2 line in there.










Then I cut two pieces of 5/8" tubing off an old python and ran it from the eheim (pushed it over the threads because the barb was too small) to the reactor so that it flows down the pipe in the reactor and up through the open area. The output then feeds to the 1262 return pump.

I flow rate is pretty slow overall, you can see micro bubbles slowly rising through the reactor. A few bubbles do burp from the bottom of the reactor (foam in the bottom too) but they get chopped by the return pump. There is also foam above the bioballs I added where the micro bubbles gather. If they ever get big enough to burp to the top they once again get sucked through the return pump. I think the flow rate is about right that Purigen would work well in the reactor, but I wont add anything until after I confirm the reactor can supply the tank with co2 as is.

This is design attempt one with parts I had lying around. All I bought was the reactor so we will see if it can keep up.


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## daworldisblack (Jan 12, 2012)

jcgd said:


> I found a source for the follow list of plants.  Got all excited and then found out the source isn't in Canada and shipping is a bit sketchy and not guaranteed. Not sure what I'm going to do. :thumbsdow
> 
> Ludwigia INCLINATA VAR. VERTICILLATA 'PANTANAL'
> ERIOCAULON SETACEUM
> ...


Sketch! I think I know some places where you can get a few of these:

Ludwigia INCLINATA VAR. VERTICILLATA 'PANTANAL' : A guy in Ottawa has the VAR. Verticillata but not sure if its 'Pantanal'

ERIOCAULON SETACEUM: I know a guy in Ottawa who has this and may ship it. He also has Tonina Belem.

Tonina lotus blossom: I've seen this in the Toronot Aquarium circles.. GTA Aquariua forum should have some for sale. AKA Tonina fluviatilis.

LUDWIGIA SP. 'RUBIN': I know a guy in Ottawa who has this as well. Not sure if he ships but the Ottawa planted community is pretty tight. Maybe if the other guy ships, this could be included there too.

Local is the way to do for plants. Hard to get 'em in across the border in general. Can't wait to see trimmings on your end and maybe I could get my hands on some of the good stuff you have!


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

jcgd said:


> Thanks. Not bad for a single trip eh? I want to get a bit of a farm tank going so I can supply Canadians with some cool plants from this board. The Canadian SnS is dry, so I'm hoping to change that. None of these plants are exactly rare. I suppose uncommon in Canada, but in the USA these are all standards as far as I can tell.
> 
> Everything is just chucked into the tank wherever at the moment. I need to grow some things out to see how they look and react in my water. Vancouver water is like So.Cal water. Pretty much RO from the tap. My gh is off the charts so some plants don't like it too much. My kh is around 4.5 degrees which isn't terrible though, so I've been having pretty good luck.


roud: good on ya....agreed, our canadian sns could def use some action from all us up north....eh?

ive heard the alberta/calgary water is fairly hard, but im sure you will make the new plants thrive. i should take a pic of my current water source. theyre telling people not to even swim in it right now :icon_conf

hows the c. nurii you have btw? looking forward to your next fts....cheers


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

daworldisblack said:


> Sketch! I think I know some places where you can get a few of these:
> 
> Ludwigia INCLINATA VAR. VERTICILLATA 'PANTANAL' : A guy in Ottawa has the VAR. Verticillata but not sure if its 'Pantanal'
> 
> ...


Oh sweet. If you could give me some names I'll shoot them pm's. I'm not much for sitting and hoping to find a for sale thread. I prefer to look more actively. I'm on GTAAquaria as well... Same username. 



salmon said:


> roud: good on ya....agreed, our canadian sns could def use some action from all us up north....eh?
> 
> ive heard the alberta/calgary water is fairly hard, but im sure you will make the new plants thrive. i should take a pic of my current water source. theyre telling people not to even swim in it right now :icon_conf
> 
> hows the c. nurii you have btw? looking forward to your next fts....cheers



Yeah, the Gh is way up there so no Gh booster for me. The nurii is doing okay. Melted away completely but it has about two new leaves coming out. My next FTS will be on Sunday. I was away last week so this will be a two week update. It'll give the new plants a chance to straighten up. 

I also ordered 100 doses of erythromycin do get rid of this BGA. It's growth is pretty slow and it's only appearing near the surface and on a few fine plants so I think I've fixed the root problem. It was only $40 shipped so no biggie. 

I also added a 300 micron filter sock, but it's too fine and clogs with the aquasoil dust. Gonna swap it for a 100 or 200. I'm more using it for plant matter than dirt. Also got some plastic foam filter media to act as mech and baffles and a bunch of proper bio media to swap for the bulk and buoyant bio balls.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Just ordered 12 XML warm whites to swap in for some of the cool whites. Also got 12 xpg blue to swap for some of the neutral whites if it becomes too yellow. My plants aren't showing many reds and I think it's because the fixture is so blue dominant. Looking at the spectral graphs I'm pretty much missing the spike in the red.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

So the Phosban Reactor was maxing out before I could get the co2 at a level I wanted. I discovered today that my ph probe is shot so my measurements were all off. I should have calibrated and double checked it, but haven't had time yet.

Anyway, it looks like I previously had a ph drop of around 1.3 feed directly to my return pump, and the Phosban Reactor got me a drop of about 1.0. So technically it might suffice, but I want more.

I then took the 1250 pump that was feeding the reactor and cut slits in the impeller to make it more like a needle wheel. Learned this trick from Tom Barr.










Now that I have double check my ph it would appear I'm able to get the ph down about 1.2 no problem with the modded impeller. Same deal as when I went straight to the return pump, but with less wasted co2. I'd guess the bubble rate is down about 30% from before, just by the looks of it.

I order a 20 clear whole house filter housing from Evilbay so I will have 3/4" in/out instead of the 3/8" I had with the other reactor. I'll likely use that to get rid of the micro bubbles. I much prefer the clear look.

I'm also going to get a new ph probe and see if I can get a better estimate of my co2. I appears I may be getting much closer than 50 or 60ppm than I previously thought.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Good Morning...














































Feeding Frenzy Video


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## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

Your tank is looking very good. I have to ask though, what are you trying to accomplish by running the co2 through the phosban reactor? Is it to try to keep the micro bubbles from entering your tank? I posted a thread asking about running a needle wheel pump through a reactor and was wondering if it would keep the micro bubbles out of the tank or not. I'm curious to see how this works for you as it is the same line of thinking I was going for with the needle wheel feeding through a reactor. I want to keep the micro bubbles out of the tank as I prefer my tank to look like water and not seltzer water. Keep posting your experience with this as it will be useful to others. I have yet to order a new pump for my wet/dry that I'm going to put back on my tank and really want to try the needle wheel method but not if it means my tank will always have bubbles floating around. I have pretty good diffusion right now using the reactor but it gets annoying having to remove the false gas off everyday. I have tried several different pumps rated at different flow rates and no matter which pump I use I get this gas at the top of the reactor. I don't know if this false gas is a combination of O2 buildup along with other impurities in your CO2 tank that build up in your reactor or what. I read an old thread on here some time back that was talking about the solubility of CO2 that was a very good read. Keep up the good work and keep posting up those nice pics.


Edit: Here is the link to that thread. 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=21776


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I red most of that thread, skipped some bantering and such. But I think that while even though the original experiment was too uncontrolled, I agree with the idea that the bubble may not be co2. I hadn't considered this and was always under the impression that co2 becomes harder to dissolve. It makes perfect sense that it would get harder, but if the saturation point is >1000ppm I can't see the difference between 3ppm and 30 ppm to be that drastic. If we were nearing the saturation point than sure, but we aren't touching it. 

You've gotten me thinking that my reactor setup was just fine, if I can prove that the gas in the reactor isn't co2. I think I'll try two little experiments. 

First, start the reactor up on my tank in the morning when it's ph is highest. I get good circulation and air mixing so it should be a good reference for 2-3ppm. Fill co2 reactor with, say 30 bubbles of co2. Start reactor and time when the bubble dissolves. Then I'll wait till my ph in my tank has dropped 1.0 with a second diffusion method, and repeat the experiement with the same number of bubbles, reactor, etc. If it takes longer I can assume (for my purposes) that the diffusion was more difficult.

I can also take two water samples, one of 3ppm co2 water, and one of 30 (or so) ppm tank water and submerge a test tube in each. Invert the tubs and let one bubble of co2 into each tube. I would use the same reg setup, needle valve, etc. for each bubble hoping for consistency. Then I would cap the vials under water, taking a set amount of time to cap the vial and begin to shake it. Time how long the bubble takes to dissolve in each.


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## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

That thread was definitely an interesting read while I agree about the intial experiment not being too controlled the part that interests me is the talk about the false gas building up in reactors. The false gas in mine has to be bled off every afternoon after the lights have been on for awhile. My plants are growing good and by late afternoon the tank is pearling like crazy so that leads me to believe that since all that O2 is being put off by the plants that this O2 is being picked up by the pumps/filters thus creating the gas pocket in the top off the reactor. This is just a hunch as to what the false gas actually is in the reactor. Many have told me to use a stronger pump but as I have said I have used several different pumps even some that I had to throttle back to keep the water flow from just blowing through the reactor and it still had the gas pocket.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I think I beat the BGA. The erythromycin is sill en route, but I might not need them. I notices most of the large sheets of BGA were gone yesterday. Still a bit here and there, but nothing bad enough to remove manually.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

It kinda makes sense. I would like to just get the gas tested, but I don't know how you'd get that done.

If it's just 02 build, or anything else, I would just use another solenoid to purge it for me. I have a bunch around, and I could just rig it up to the bleed valve so I don't have to do it. I'm trying to keep this tank mostly automated (it is so far) so I don't want to have to bleed the reactor. I only want it to prevent the micro bubbles, not other reason.


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## Lurch98 (Oct 7, 2011)

Are you that worried about the gas in the reactor? I use a 20 home filter, and I get a little gas build up during the day. I agree with the poster in your referenced thread, probably some inert component like nitrogen. O2 would disolve in roughly the same manner as CO2 in water.

My thought being, the gas never builds up enough to do more than make a trickling noise in my reactor, and is gone by the morning, so outside of intellectual curiosity, it's a non factor to me.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Lurch98 said:


> Are you that worried about the gas in the reactor? I use a 20 home filter, and I get a little gas build up during the day. I agree with the poster in your referenced thread, probably some inert component like nitrogen. O2 would disolve in roughly the same manner as CO2 in water.
> 
> My thought being, the gas never builds up enough to do more than make a trickling noise in my reactor, and is gone by the morning, so outside of intellectual curiosity, it's a non factor to me.


If it is gone by morning, I will not worry about it. But O2 does not dissolve and nearly the same rate an ease as co2. I don't know how long it does take, but it's not quick. Overnight may be enough time to dissipate whatever it is so if that works it may not be an issue.

See, I was understanding it was co2, so I assumed if it was building up I had reacted capacity for that reactor, but if it's not co2 (which I'm not sure of yet, but it seems to make sense) then I'm good to go.


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## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

jcgd said:


> If it is gone by morning, I will not worry about it. But O2 does not dissolve and nearly the same rate an ease as co2. I don't know how long it does take, but it's not quick. Overnight may be enough time to dissipate whatever it is so if that works it may not be an issue.
> 
> See, I was understanding it was co2, so I assumed if it was building up I had reacted capacity for that reactor, but if it's not co2 (which I'm not sure of yet, but it seems to make sense) then I'm good to go.


Do you run your CO2 24hrs? I have mine on 24hrs. and by morning there is less of a gas pocket but it's still there. I bled mine off in the morining and by 4 or 5 o'clock it's back again. I really like your idea of using a solenoid to automatically bleed off this gas and I may have to try this out as it's almost clockwork as to when the gas pocket needs to be bled out.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

No, I was running the reactor 24 hours but the co2 runs with my lights. So that bubble will dissolve if you kill the co2? Or do you have to bleed it regardless?


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## Lurch98 (Oct 7, 2011)

I run my CO2 with the lights, and the excess gas is gone by morning for me. YMMV


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## daworldisblack (Jan 12, 2012)

jcgd said:


> Oh sweet. If you could give me some names I'll shoot them pm's. I'm not much for sitting and hoping to find a for sale thread. I prefer to look more actively. I'm on GTAAquaria as well... Same username.


On GTA the guy with the Erio. S. and Tonina Belems is Charlie1. The rest of the guys are on OVAS(Ottawa Valley Aquarium Society) which i am not sure if you're part but I don't think they are on the GTAquaria forum.


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

I just found this while searching for experiences with blue tetras - what a fantastic tank! Seeing your vids on YouTube made me happy I picked blue tetras - but I now know I need a lot more than nine - lol. I loved how you used "Wipeout" as the music for the feeding frenzy LOL


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

daworldisblack said:


> On GTA the guy with the Erio. S. and Tonina Belems is Charlie1. The rest of the guys are on OVAS(Ottawa Valley Aquarium Society) which i am not sure if you're part but I don't think they are on the GTAquaria forum.


Thank you. I'll try to get in touch with them. 



driftwoodhunter said:


> I just found this while searching for experiences with blue tetras - what a fantastic tank! Seeing your vids on YouTube made me happy I picked blue tetras - but I now know I need a lot more than nine - lol. I loved how you used "Wipeout" as the music for the feeding frenzy LOL


Yes, you'll want lots of them. A few were missing tail fins when I got them, but that were a few hundred packed in a 60 gallon or so. They are very feisty fish. Roseline barbs are know to be aggressive eaters and the blues show them how it's done. The tetras go at my hand when I put it in the tank, they are prett bold.

Very pretty, especially under dim lighting. They look purple under blue light.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

30 more Boehlkea fredcochui - These guys are tiny, considering they are from the same batch as my first 50 added a few weeks ago. My first batch looks FAT.
30 Otocinclus affinis - Lost two before I opened the bag, another 1 or two since. They guys aren't too strong. They don't have full bellies like they shoot. I'll have to fatten them up.



















Just need to wait for my Corydoras sterbai to get out of quarantine.


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

On one hand I can't wait for the Blue tetra's quarantine period to be over, on the other I worry that they will disrupt my tank - and wonder if I should save them for a tank of their own... decisions, decisions!


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

You have 9 was it? How big is the tank and what's in there? They like a lot of room and will get nasty when they feel cramped. The roselines are big and tough so they can't really be bothered, but the blues are aggressive eaters and I can see them fin nipping if in a small school or tank.


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## CmLaracy (Jan 7, 2007)

jcgd said:


>


Very cool, I love it. Originally I thought the hardscape in this tank was too much and too dramatic... I was wrong, the plants are really helping in softening the overall effect as they fill in, and they'll continue to do so until it's completely balanced. I'll certainly be following this one more closely :thumbsup:


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

jcgd said:


> You have 9 was it? How big is the tank and what's in there? They like a lot of room and will get nasty when they feel cramped. The roselines are big and tough so they can't really be bothered, but the blues are aggressive eaters and I can see them fin nipping if in a small school or tank.


Thanks for asking and helping! I didn't want to hijack your thread and I appreciate you sharing your experiences with the Blue tetras...

The tank I originally bought them for is a standard 125g, 6 feet long. I have 12 adult Columbian tetras plus 10 or so fry up to 3/4" in size, plus 10 Buenos Aires tetras (the most aggressive things in the tank - maybe assertive is a better word, though one female is a bit of a bully), also 4 Harlequin Rasboras and 5 Black tetras, refugees from a 40b tank I changed over to a grow-out tank for the rest of the Columbian fry. That's all I have in the 125, so 31 adult fish and 10-ish fry that will grow up to be 2" fish. I worry about over stocking, and I'm hoping it's a bit light on stock so I can consider adding the Blue tetras (a bigger group than the nine would be ideal). Right now I use a 19"x22" Poret foam Hamburg Mattenfilter plus a Marineland Emperor 400 HOB for filtration. Low lights (I like a dim tank) and no added Co2. Lots of driftwood, and what I would call moderately planted.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Hmm. I would feel okay putting them in that tank. At least the Columbians and Bluenos Aires are pretty tough fish. Plus there are enough to act as dithers. If you really like the blues, I would say go for it. Six feet is nice and long, and if you have issues you likely have room to get a bigger school going.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I hacked the left side back, the P. stellata and A. gracillis are growing very fast. They fill in the left side fast and the right lags behind. there's a bunch of L. arcuata in the foreground, just to see if I can keep this batch alive. So far so good, but it's very green... just like everything else in the tank.


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

I like how you created a clean diagonal line from the top left edge to the center. Between that and the curve of the two areas of driftwood, you have such a nice circular composition going on - this is one of my favorite tanks!

Yep, the other tetras are tough nuts, so I hope they won't be bothered by the Blues. I really like their color and activity level - I never knew they were so active until I saw your videos. I want a subtle splash of color in the tank - not the brightness of neons, for example. (I also don't want something as common as neons) 

Thanks for your thoughts!


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

Wow, epic!


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## Jeromeit (Sep 30, 2011)

.... i am officially jealous of your scape...


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## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

[/QUOTE]

This shot of your tank looks great. I have never seen anyone do a huge school of blue tetras before and I think that is the key to curbing their aggression as these are some nasty little tetras. I had a school of about 24 years ago and it helped a little with their aggression so having the big school you have I think is best for them. They are a beautiful fish and look great if you have a blue/purple light to show their colors best. How is the CO2 reactor situation working out so far?


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

CmLaracy said:


> Very cool, I love it. Originally I thought the hardscape in this tank was too much and too dramatic... I was wrong, the plants are really helping in softening the overall effect as they fill in, and they'll continue to do so until it's completely balanced. I'll certainly be following this one more closely :thumbsup:


Thanks, glad you are liking it. At first I had too much wood, and I removed some and moved a bunch around. I was very worried about the rock, I was hoping to receive all large rocks, but I only ended up with around three decently large ones. It's was like trying to build a retaining wall out of rubble. What I have would be perfect for a small tank, scale wise. The rocks are very harsh, but I'm hoping to soften them with little bushes of plants. I like the look I have now, and the way the center is framed. I'll have to get a pic, but I kinda designed it to be viewed from the couch. The straight on FTS that I post look a little different then what I stare at all day.



driftwoodhunter said:


> I like how you created a clean diagonal line from the top left edge to the center. Between that and the curve of the two areas of driftwood, you have such a nice circular composition going on - this is one of my favorite tanks!
> 
> Yep, the other tetras are tough nuts, so I hope they won't be bothered by the Blues. I really like their color and activity level - I never knew they were so active until I saw your videos. I want a subtle splash of color in the tank - not the brightness of neons, for example. (I also don't want something as common as neons)
> 
> Thanks for your thoughts!


Thanks man. I'm not sure how that left side is going to shape up. As the plants on the front right of the left mound grow in, it'll be harder to maintain that line. I guess time will tell.

The blues are the most aggressive tetras I've seen so far, just go for a big group of them. I've got around 75 now.



xenxes said:


> Wow, epic!


Thanks man.



Jeromeit said:


> .... i am officially jealous of your scape...


Haha, and I'm jealous of yours!



ua hua said:


> This shot of your tank looks great. I have never seen anyone do a huge school of blue tetras before and I think that is the key to curbing their aggression as these are some nasty little tetras. I had a school of about 24 years ago and it helped a little with their aggression so having the big school you have I think is best for them. They are a beautiful fish and look great if you have a blue/purple light to show their colors best. How is the CO2 reactor situation working out so far?


The shot is a little over exposed, but whatev. I'm trying to get better at pics but I'm still a newb at taking pics. I've need to get some external flashes and try shooting at night when there isn't all that glare from the windows.

Still playing with the co2. I got a 20" filter housing in the mail, but I haven't decided if I'll use it or not. Right now I'm running it through a DIY needle wheel on a Eheim 1250 and shooting it in the general area of the return pump in the sump. Less micro bubbles in the display this way. It doesn't seem to be wasting too much more co2 than when I was pointing it straight into the return intake.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

A short vid of my view from the couch.

My warm white leds came in the mail today, but some plants are starting to slow some colour. I've left the co2 alone for a while now, only adjusting it after trims. The two changes I have made were a bump in the light intensity and I added more csm+b. I bumped the dose from 35ml per day to 45ml because one of my pumps is lagging the other. . The Rotala macrandra is looking much better. It was clearly stunted now that I have new and old growth to compare to but I can't say if it was the co2, lighting, or ferts. The Ludwigia's still aren't looking like they should. I'm going to slowly bump the lights to around 80%, I'm at 75% and was a 60%.

The L15s are coming out. They are driving me crazy. The rip out just enough plants that I can't leave it and have go in the tank to replant. Every day when I get home there's a nice terrace of plants at the overflow...

I also think I might pull the hairgrass. It's getting dense in some places and I don't like the way it looks. It sorta looks dirty against the rest the tank. I really like the S. repens and the way it is carpeting so I may go with it exclusively instead. The green has a nice pop to it too. And I like the way the crypts grow in little plots throughout the foreground, so I'm going to try to collect a few more species. I just have wendettii brown and green, C. parva and C. nurii at the moment. I was going to pull the crypts, but I think I might switch to isolated colonies of a few varieties rather than the large area cover I have now. I like the way the bushes of H. arguaia and L. brevipes look in front of the rocks, and the way they soften and taper the whole layout from bottom to top. 

I have some new plants coming hopefully tomorrow, or Monday. Fingers crossed though. I also want to find a nice Buce for an open spot that looks odd on the the right side of the tank under the wood. There's a little niche that needs to be filled there.


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

awesome vid jcgd! digging the tune haha.

really though tank is looking good. curious to see the results if you add the warm white xml's. as i also run a mix of neutral to cools, i similarly have noticed a lack of reds since i raised my fixture. granted mine dont run anywhere near as strong as yours, but similar spectrum none the less. 

good luck on the buce hunt, let me know if you find a source


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## larcat (Jul 27, 2011)

Holy crap that is beautiful.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

salmon said:


> awesome vid jcgd! digging the tune haha.
> 
> really though tank is looking good. curious to see the results if you add the warm white xml's. as i also run a mix of neutral to cools, i similarly have noticed a lack of reds since i raised my fixture. granted mine dont run anywhere near as strong as yours, but similar spectrum none the less.
> 
> good luck on the buce hunt, let me know if you find a source


I have a source, just waiting on him to start shipping! Lots of Erios too. I think he has five species of Buces and 17 or so species of Erios. I'm hoping he releases things soon, but I'm sure the prices will be astronomical. 



larcat said:


> Holy crap that is beautiful.


Well thank you very much. It's slowly getting to where I want it. Still lots of issues to iron out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I got some new plants today!

Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'pantanal'
Ludwigia pilosa
Limnophila sp. 'Sulawesi'
Hygrophila sp. 'Bold'
Persicaria sp. 'Kawagoeanum
Poaceae sp. ‘Purple Bamboo’


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Well, not a bad friday. Plants AND eggs, from the sterbais I assume.


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## Termato (Apr 12, 2012)

Beautiful! Great job!

You take some really great pictures. The ones where you get ALL the fish in focus...what! Don't know how you do that. Amazing scaping job too. I love the touches of different colors here and there. Great use of negative space too.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Termato said:


> Beautiful! Great job!
> 
> You take some really great pictures. The ones where you get ALL the fish in focus...what! Don't know how you do that. Amazing scaping job too. I love the touches of different colors here and there. Great use of negative space too.


Thanks. I don't know how to shoot yet, I'm just playing with the settings and seeing what does what. I get some neat shots here and there, but they could be way better.

The tanks coming along.

So, a few new issues. I added fleet enema to my NPK mix to bump up the phosphates. The same day I bumped the light intensity, and a few days after that I have some stunting in the tips of some plants. Growth _was_ looking really good, but it came to a screeching halt. That was a few days ago and today I noticed some BBA. :icon_eek:

I'm seeing stunted tips in the Ammania gracillis, R. macrandra, other Rotalas... everything else looks pretty good. Looks like Co2.

Co2, co2, always co2. Upon reading many threads I think two things happened. The light increase increased co2 demand and I didn't up it. And/or the phosphates were limiting, and I removed that limitation and the co2 demand popped. I think it's likely a bit of both, but I think the added phosphates were the main contributor. I checked my nitrates, I typically run around 10ppm, today was around 7ppm and I did a water change Sunday. I think I could increase my NO3 dosing, but I don't think I _need _to. It probably wouldn't hurt.

Regardless, I dropped the light back down, to the lowest level I've used previously and increased the ramp period by two hours, effectively giving me a shorter photo period. I have the suspicion that the par meters are giving me low numbers because my fixture is very concentrated in the blue spectrum, and my leds have little green spectrum. I could be undershooting by a huge amount and if this happens to be the case I need to lower the light intesnity and get my co2 in check. I'm having trouble keeping the co2 level high enough, even with the extra oxygen from the overflow and sump. I have have no interest in having to work this much harder just to keep things balance, so the light level is dropping.

I will start bumping co2 again slowly and watch the fish and after a few weeks if I haven't seen any changes I'll lower the light again. 

The BBA sucks. The tank was spotless four days ago. This is what happens when you have too much light and too little co2...


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Things I've learned that I think are likely - 

PO4 limitation will decrease co2 demand. GSA is more likely with low PO4. 
NO3 limitation can cause "colouring up" due to stress and can make BGA show up. Limiting is a tough act to follow. Sometimes it is caused inadvertently when someone has a good balance going and bumps the lights. Suddenly the NO3 isn't quite enough, yet plants look good, grow good. 
Low co2/ fluctuating co2 = BBA, stunted plants, or tips. Common in Ammania, rotalas, Proserpinaca palustris, and others. Some plants may to okay, others not so well. The issue can be a simple as being next to a species that is good at competing for co2.


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## Termato (Apr 12, 2012)

jcgd said:


> Things I've learned that I think are likely -
> 
> PO4 limitation will decrease co2 demand. GSA is more likely with low PO4.
> NO3 limitation can cause "colouring up" due to stress and can make BGA show up. Limiting is a tough act to follow. Sometimes it is caused inadvertently when someone has a good balance going and bumps the lights. Suddenly the NO3 isn't quite enough, yet plants look good, grow good.
> Low co2/ fluctuating co2 = BBA, stunted plants, or tips. Common in Ammania, rotalas, Proserpinaca palustris, and others. Some plants may to okay, others not so well. The issue can be a simple as being next to a species that is good at competing for co2.


Very interesting. Balance is always key. I just started with C02 so I just got into this whole game of trying to get the balance right.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Yeah. Co2 is a b$&@! If you have lots of light. This is all learning for me. I'm making it hard on purpose. I can do a tank with average, easy to keep species. I'm using this tank to see how to use co2, how to keep many species, and how to trim. It also has issues due to the LEDs; not growth issues, but colour and growth patterns are unique. I'm not digging the lack of reds. They look okay when I add plants to the tank, the reds even look decent. But the new growth is lacking red coloration. I recon the spectrum isn't allowing, or requiring the plants to develop red or yellow colouration. 

Today I did a big hack of the front right side. I trimmed the bushes down and topped the plants and left the bottoms intact to see how each plant reacts to the trimming. I took the macrandra way down low to see if it bounces back. 

For co2 distribution I trimmed those bushes lower, and it will also allow the bolbitis to fill in the wood between the front and rear bushes. I removed the rear loc line completely as all the co2 rich water was completely bypassing the plants in the back. I then swapped the front 3/4" loc line for split 1/2" line. I pointed one along the front to replace the 3/4" I removed and pointed the other down towards the closed loop intake. Hopefully this helps.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)




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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I thought people might like to see the sump layout. I emptied it out today and vacuumed out all the crud. Wet/drys are perfect for cleaning sumps.

I have been slowly transitioning from bags of bio balls to small bags of matrix. I took one bag out today but left the other in there. That's why you see it in the pics.

The setup is pretty simple. The left side is where the drain dumps. I had a wet/dry tower before this open sump so I need to do a bit of plumbing. I wanted to add a filter sock but they clog really fast so I may leave it dumping. I will just extend the 90 and support the pipe rather than laying it there. Also in the left section are my ph/temp probes and the doser lines. I have them strapped up higher but I'm going to make an acrylic holder for them.

The water flows through two baffles of plastic filter media. It's similar to foam but sturdy enough to use as baffles. I think it may be matten filter but I'm not sure.

Next is the matrix, all in small bags so I can rotate it and clean a small portion at a time. I have 7 or 8 small bags that pack perfectly to fill the space. On top is bio balls but they will be replaced with another row of matrix in the future. 

Next there is another plastic baffle.

Last section houses two heaters, my Eheim 1262 return pump with a downturned elbow and an Eheim 1250. I modded the 1250 to have a DIY needle wheel. the co2 line feeds into the intake cover plate and it spits out the tubing just outside the return pump intake. 

Pretty simple stuff. I don't need to seal anything to prevent co2 loss and there is lots of dwell time for the water in the media. It's also a dirt cheap sump. The tank was free and the baffle media was $30 for the whole sheet (I cut it into thirds).

Tom is sending me two of those expensive blue foams that I will add before the first baffle as a pre filter. I got two so I can swap them out easily.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)




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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

stunning! really growing in nicely. is that c. becktii in the back or wendtii?


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Just wendtii. I have some nurii in there, but it melted pretty hard. I have about one leaf left.


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## Termato (Apr 12, 2012)

beautiful! I love the little red sprinkles in the fish and plants. My favorite part is how you did the rocks on the front right.


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

jcgd said:


> Just wendtii. I have some nurii in there, but it melted pretty hard. I have about one leaf left.


ya i remember that nurii you had, interesting it melted on ya. mine melted emmersed but came back strong since flooding. once they grow out a bit more (got about 20 or so solid plants, some still small) ill need to thin them out so if ur interested, could send some ur way, or plant swap or whatever. 

you ever track down any buce?


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

```
S
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Termato said:


> beautiful! I love the little red sprinkles in the fish and plants. My favorite part is how you did the rocks on the front right.


Thanks! The reds have been coming out a bit lately, not as much as I'd like. U better than nothing. I've been slowly decreasing the light and upping the co2 and ferts. Kinda goes against the grain but it seems to be working. 



salmon said:


> ya i remember that nurii you had, interesting it melted on ya. mine melted emmersed but came back strong since flooding. once they grow out a bit more (got about 20 or so solid plants, some still small) ill need to thin them out so if ur interested, could send some ur way, or plant swap or whatever.
> 
> you ever track down any buce?


Well, the issue is mostly my fault. It melted when I put it in the tank, but came back quickly. Then I planted some brevipes almost on top of it, hoping they would layer. And... Well... I just about killed the nurii. 

I'd totally take some off you. It's nice finding people to trade with. Just shoot me a pm when you have some to spare. 

No dice on the buces. As you can see in my fts, I caved and went with Anubis. I'd still like to find some more Erios and some buces. I'm not counting on I though.


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

I swapped out 12 of the cool whites for warm whites and made a little LED shield for each side. I'm going to paint the shield and recess it another 3-4mm to hide the edge. I can finally look at the tank from the couch. I had paper hanging off the fixture for the last few months because the leds are exposed with the fixture so high. I just need to add a new fan to replace the huge loud fan in the picture.










It looks much more yellow. The colour is still okay in person, just not as crisp white as before.









New Vid


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## wetbizquit (Jul 9, 2006)

wow..... just wow.... teach me? so much DIY its like a brain over dose!!!


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

wetbizquit said:


> wow..... just wow.... teach me? so much DIY its like a brain over dose!!!


Thanks, I think I'm pretty good at the DIY. Growing plants is a whole other ballgame. I'm having lots of issues. I suppose the pics look good, but the tank is so big you lose a lot of the detail. Plant growth is far from ideal when you are up close.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I swapped the 1250 for a 1260 because the 20" reactor was almost full of gas by the end of the day. The ph also dropped pretty slowly compared to the misting method so I figure the flow rate isn't fast enough to dissolve the co2. The gas was gone by morning, but if it was co2 buildup then co2 was being dissolved well into the night. 

Hopefully the higher flow works a little better.


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

how goes the tank? the light looks great! :thumbsup:

have you noticed any difference colorwise in the red plants since the swap?


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## theblondskeleton (Aug 28, 2009)

Your colors look excellent, Jcgd! Hang in there. I've been exchanging one alga for another the last few weeks, myself. I've a feeling things will balance out soon enough though. I'm sure you'll figure it out!


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Hehe, I'm not going anywhere. This is my passion.

Just got back from a ten day vacation. Somebody in that tank decided they like fine leaved plants and mowed the arcuata, brevipes, Tonina 'belem', 'cuba' and maybe a few others. Oh well. Room for more plants.

No new algae and most plants have grown out from a little BBA attack. It was minor anyway, the co2 dropped for a few days a while back. 

The warm whites brought out a few reds and the colour has improved a bit. Nothing crazy though. At least there are some reds now:


















There doesn't really seem to be more reds being produced, except on the Ludwigias. But they are showing better throughout.

I'm going to sell all the downoi. It's too big and doesn't look right anymore. The rocks look better covered at the bases with bushes, blxya, etc. than from the top. Instead I'm going to add anubias around the tops where they grow well in the shade. The downio grows well but looks weird and as it grows thick the big plants push the ones around them out.

I need to do a big hack and clean up the tank. It's time to top a lot of the stems. I'm going to move some stuff around and try to get the last few species growing well. The gracilis still looks like crap.

I'm really liking the Persicaria sp. 'Kawagoeanum'. Hopefully it does well when I move it outta the foreground and into a permanent spot. The Ludwigia pilosa is coming back and looking good. Green, but healthy. What else is new?


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## NWA-Planted (Aug 27, 2011)

Just read your thread beginning to end... You can't see it but my jaw is on the floor and my hat is off! this tank is stunning!

You have also confirmed my decision to redo my tank!

One question, the eurobracing, would it be as effective if you did it around the inside lip? vs on top of the glass?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Why thank you. It's been a long build but it's getting there.

I would think structurally it would be fine to eurobrace inside the rim, but I would ask a builder to confirm.

I see what you are getting at, but looking at the end seems on my tank, vs the eurobrace, I'm not sure it would look better set inside the rim. I suppose it's in the eye of the beholder though. I have the polished bevelled edge and it looks pretty decent.

You also don't really need the short side braces. It's mainly the length that needs the bracing. I got my guy to add the short pieces just to make it all uniform, but there is no silicone between the side and front/ back sections.


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## NWA-Planted (Aug 27, 2011)

Yea I can see that. tank still looks amazing, I am in the pre planning stages for a 90 gallon tank. the more I look at probably going to do some corner bracing. in some form at least

What silicone did the builder use?


Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

GE SCS1200 series. IMO you use that or an equivalent. Nothing else.


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## NWA-Planted (Aug 27, 2011)

Thats what I have heard for anything over about 40 gallons. I may be picking your brain later!

Oh, that was my other question, what's a coast to coast to overflow mean?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Mine's not technically coast to coast. It's a peninsula style (as my builder informed me). I say whatever, haha. 

Coast to coast is literally that... the overflow runs the entire length of the tank (hence why mine isn't one). Traditionally an overflow only skims from a small area, maybe 14" of surface skimming so coast to coast does a way better job.

About the SCS1200 on over 40 gallons, I just use it exclusively. It's readily available and it an adhesive, not a sealant and costs around $8 per tube. GE2 is a sealant. It's not designed to hold things together, is designed to make stuff stay out of whatever it's sealing, plain and simple. 

Look at the data sheets and the tensile strengths. It's like comparing the adhesion strength of bubble gum to a screw.


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## NWA-Planted (Aug 27, 2011)

jcgd said:


> Mine's not technically coast to coast. It's a peninsula style (as my builder informed me). I say whatever, haha.
> 
> Coast to coast is literally that... the overflow runs the entire length of the tank (hence why mine isn't one). Traditionally an overflow only skims from a small area, maybe 14" of surface skimming so coast to coast does a way better job.
> 
> ...


ok that makes sense on the overflow!

Shoot for that price Yea why not use it on everything! I still have lots of planning and saving before my project is underway but can't wait!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

So the tank was hurting after my vacation. Put off working on if for another week and finally went at it yesterday. I pulled most of the plants that weren't doing well as I have clippings in my other tank that I can use in the future. I hacked back and changed around the left side and pulled the P. helferi. I added some anubias on the rocks to soften them a bit. Overall I think it will look better. The right side is up next but I'm still considering what I want to do. The bolbitis and narrow leaf java is coming in nicely now.

Found some BBA on some branches and plants. I think it's due to the tank being so overgrown that the co2 levels were decreased quite a bit. I'll note the growth over the next few days (it should stop with co2 returned to normal) and spot dose some peroxide.

I've also had good results with the premixed ferts; no mold or anything after four weeks (The stock mix is about 7% excel) so I doubled up this time and made eight weeks worth.


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## O2surplus (Jan 31, 2010)

Hey Justin- I've gotta admit I'm jealous. Your tank still looks gorgeous even if it's been neglected!


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Thanks Aaron. That's funny because I'm leaning towards a new scape similar to yours.

Here's an updated shot of the tank. Sorry, just an iPhone pic.










Nothing much has changed and I've neglected the tank pretty badly for quite a while. It's in running mode, though my co2 has been spotty so I have some BBA. I keep letting the co2 tank run out and don't notice for a few days (negligence) or I forget to adjust the co2 rate (negligence) because I forgo trimming for weeks on end (negligence). Overall though, the aquarium does a good job of running itself. For a few months I've been doing maintenance once a week with the water changes. I pull out the floating leaf litter and clean the drain spouts, etc. Most of the plants are just tops because I wait so long between trimming that tops are all that's left to work with. Whoops.

I'm at the point where I'm over the stems for a bit as my life is changing somewhat and I want to move my focus elsewhere. I'm going to slowly change out most of the plants for more bolbitis and needle leaf java fern. I really do like the look of the tank even though it's not where I want it, but I'm not at a point where I feel like putting in the work to get it there. Instead I will move to a more jungle like look and clear out the oddball plants in the foreground. I might go with just the repens and hairgrass and add some more anubias above the rocks, but below the ferns. This setup should give me lots of time between trimming and there will be far less plant debris in the filters and such. 

I would like to do a full rescape at some point to a central mound layout, an island of sorts with the ferns and a purely sand foreground. I'll likely remove the soil for that scape so there is no possibility of mixing. I like to have some Crypt. balansae in the background so I may add a pot of soil hidden in the mound. I would do this to my current layout but the soil will sneak from the mounds back into the foreground as only the rock wall is containing it now. And the wall is a bit leaky in spots. This is a ways off and I'm pretty much laying the foundation for my next scape.


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## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

How goes er? You end up ditching the stems? 

Did you ever get any results from the led swap? Looks great in your last few pics.

Cheers


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Yeah, most of the stems are long gone. I've been neglecting the tank for a few months (or more). It's pretty low maintenance so even though I've only been doing water changes things are going relatively well. I've had a BBA problem forever now but I need to do more upkeep to solve it.

Mostly fern and crypts now. I need to do something for the foreground. It's pretty hurting right now, especially with the shade from the ferns. I'll post a pic soon, after the next water change. The tank looks completely different now.

The LEDs are looking okay. I never did get the reds to look great, but the greens look fine. I'm still loving the sunrise/ sunset feature.

I keep coming back to this jungle like style aquascape. It seems to be my thing. I have fun with the stem plants for a few months but I tire quickly of the pruning.

Here's the maintenance of this baby, and I won't exaggerate:

Every couple days:
- Feed some random food/ wafers
- Remove curious fish from the overflow. (I really need to add a guard)

Once per week:
- Remove plants that have floated up (mostly hairgrass) and dead leaves.
- 50% water change

Once per month:
- Refill autofeeder

Once every two months
- Refill liquid fert bottles

Once every three months:
- Refill/ swap co2 canister
- Vacuum out sump and rinse media
- Trim
- Sometimes I clean the glass if BBA is on it.


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## Bserve (Nov 4, 2012)

Update?


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Water is cloudy. Just tore out about 1/3 of the plants and cleaned the sump. CO2 has been empty for months, everything grew out at the top of the tank and choked out the foreground. Looks a little better now with everything cut back. I also moved the bolbitis from the top to under the java fern. 

I need something easy for the foreground. Maybe some parva but it grows painfully slowly.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

S. repens is pretty easy and fairly slow growing (but nothing like the slowness of C. parva).


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

Yeah I tried repens before and it didn't really seem to take. We'll... And I also gave it away constantly because you couldn't find it locally. I'll have to see if I can find some again.


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