# 100g Dutch inspired



## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

100g (48"L x 24"W x 20"H) made by Miracles Aquariums

*Equipment*
Hydrofarm Designer T5HO 4 bulbs (2x Giesemann Midday, 2x TrueLumen Flora)
Fluval FX5
Hydor ETH 200w inline heaters (x2)
20# Pressurized co2, Atomic inline diffuser

Here is a picture from October 2012 just before I took out all the Echinodorus species.










My wife called this the "hodge podge" stage of me buying different stem plants and randomly placing them in the tank to see what grew the best.










As of today (December 31st, 2012)


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

Flora in the tank right now:

Bacopa caroliniana
Cabomba pulcherrima
Didiplis diandra
Hemianthus callichtroides
Hygrophila corymbosa 'Angustifolia'
Hygrophila sp. brown
Hygrophila pinnitifada
Limnophila indica
Limnophila aromatica 'hippuroides'
Ludwigia repens
Ludwigia sp. red
Ludwigia sp. 'rubin'
Nymphaea zenkeri
Lobelia cardinalis
Rotala indica
Rotala macrandra
Rotala macrandra green
Rotala rotundifolia


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## manzpants92 (Dec 6, 2012)

very nice!


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## crazydaz (Mar 18, 2007)

Ooh! Very clean and tidy looking Cap! Any plans on adding additional species?


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## Gooberfish (Mar 27, 2012)

I like it! Can't wait to see it fill in.


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## Bluek24a4 (Mar 16, 2010)

Very nice setup.


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## marioman72 (Jan 22, 2010)

looks great, going to look very nice once the plants fill in.


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## AdamF (Jul 30, 2012)

Like the first and third shot! ....yes the interim stage is evident. Will be following this puppy for progress!

Beautiful tank mate


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

crazydaz said:


> Ooh! Very clean and tidy looking Cap! Any plans on adding additional species?


I tried almost everything I liked and of course some things didn't do well. I might replace the Cabomba pulcherrima with something else later on.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

manzpants92 said:


> very nice!





Gooberfish said:


> I like it! Can't wait to see it fill in.





Bluek24a4 said:


> Very nice setup.





marioman72 said:


> looks great, going to look very nice once the plants fill in.





AdamF said:


> Like the first and third shot! ....yes the interim stage is evident. Will be following this puppy for progress!
> 
> Beautiful tank mate


Thanks!


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## oscarsx (Mar 15, 2011)

Zoomed in to the bottom of the stand and got freaked out by that cat face picture LOL

- oz


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

oscarsx said:


> Zoomed in to the bottom of the stand and got freaked out by that cat face picture LOL
> 
> - oz


Ah yes, the 2013 cat calendar. No need to be freaked out, cats are the best!


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## niko (Mar 8, 2006)

I like the rimless tank and the October picture. Why did you change the light fixture?

Now I'd like to see "streets" of plants and very, very dense planting of all these stems. I'm kind of sick of the "Nature Style".

Then we can say that this is the first Dutch tank we've seen in a very long time!

Do it!


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

niko said:


> I like the rimless tank and the October picture. Why did you change the light fixture?
> 
> Now I'd like to see "streets" of plants and very, very dense planting of all these stems. I'm kind of sick of the "Nature Style".
> 
> ...


To start growing stem plants I needed more light. The FishNeedIt was only 2 bulbs and the new one is 4 bulbs and better reflectors. 

Right now the streets are too big for NBAT standards and basically all other rules are being broken, but I agree that there are a lack of Dutch scapes.


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

I like all three of your scapes. Nice Job!


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

I moved the Ludwigia repens over to the back left and put the Rotala macrandra more into the rule of thirds spot. Next post will be a layout drawing of the plant locations.

As of 1-6-2013


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## bluestems (Feb 7, 2012)

oscarsx said:


> Zoomed in to the bottom of the stand and got freaked out by that cat face picture LOL
> 
> - oz













:wink:


Nice tank too!


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

Top-down layout for those who are curious.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

Nice! I can't wait to see this grow in!


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

I will take a picture tomorrow before and after trimming when I do a waterchange.

I traded in 6 Angels and all the Congo tetras for 9 Corydoras schwartzi at a LFS. My wife was mad that I got rid of the double black angels, but they just didn't seem right in this tank.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

1-13-13

*Before trim*










*After trim*


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## switch26 (Jan 25, 2012)

What kind of ferts are you dosing?


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

switch26 said:


> What kind of ferts are you dosing?


Dry powder KNO3, KH2PO4, CSM+B. I run the phosphates low to the point of almost having green dust algae (aka running off of the Redfield Ratio). I also keep the Nitrates around 10 - 15ppm.


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## switch26 (Jan 25, 2012)

Cool.. im getting dry ferts tomorrow to start EI dosing.. Ive had troubles with Rotala Mac so far, and my deficiencies are def from my liquid dosing right now that is for sure.. 

Looking forward to seeing some of the plants I currently have explode with growth once i start the EI


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

You might try Ludwigia red instead of L repens, that would give some nice added different coloration in the back corner. 

Black floutite sand might be a better long term less messy sediment than ADa AS or Flourite.

Off to a good start:thumbsup:

Let the macrandra top out on the surface for about 1 week, then trim. 
This will yield nice branching and thicker better coloration etc.


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## LyzzaRyzz (Nov 6, 2012)

Wow! Love Dutch tanks! I'm kind of in the hodgepodge stage myself. I'll be waiting for updates! =]


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

That looks fantastic! Nice job growing those plants. That is a cool enclosure, too.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

plantbrain said:


> You might try Ludwigia red instead of L repens, that would give some nice added different coloration in the back corner.
> 
> Black floutite sand might be a better long term less messy sediment than ADa AS or Flourite.
> 
> ...


I currently have just under 2 bags of ADA AS under the 8 bags of Flourite Dark and from time to time I do notice some being pulled up when I move plants. I thought about going to straight sand like the NBAT standards require.

I will have to try that with the R. macrandra, thanks!



LyzzaRyzz said:


> Wow! Love Dutch tanks! I'm kind of in the hodgepodge stage myself. I'll be waiting for updates! =]


 The messy stage doesn't last very long with stem plants. :biggrin:



hydrophyte said:


> That looks fantastic! Nice job growing those plants. That is a cool enclosure, too.


 Thanks! I got the tank custom made to be similar to Barr's 180g. Filter input/output on the bottom pane of glass via bulkheads. I want to build a new stand with doors and at the same time switch all the green Eheim tubing over to PVC and add a Cerge's reactor.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Capsaicin_MFK said:


> I currently have just under 2 bags of ADA AS under the 8 bags of Flourite Dark and from time to time I do notice some being pulled up when I move plants. I thought about going to straight sand like the NBAT standards require.


There are many specifics that the NBAT require, but do not look good also nor grow plants well. Some things can be corrected right before the judges come over that day, eg low nutrients. Sediment, not so much, get what looks good to you.

Sand is natural yes, but so is clay rice paddy soil which is what ADA AS is.
You will find more plants there, than in plain sand in natural systems.


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## edicied (Jan 18, 2013)

Tank is coming along nicely!

What's the thickness of the glass?


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## shiloh (Jun 10, 2011)

Looks sweet!


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

edicied said:


> Tank is coming along nicely!
> 
> What's the thickness of the glass?


1/2" I copied this guy for the dimensions --> http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?82273-The-WILD-side!-100gal-build-thread-(56k-Warning)



shiloh said:


> Looks sweet!


Thanks!


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

My Cory cats decided HC didn't need to exist in this tank, so I took the rest of it out and will be starting a DSM using potting soil in a 10g. I also moved the tiger lily back a little bit to give it room to grow.


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## Adamson (Mar 2, 2012)

I saw this a couple days ago in person and I must say it is AMAZING.
Nice kill to death ratio btw.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Starougyne will survive the cories. Gloss might if you buried it deeper.
It would also look nice contrasted in this tank, not a troublesome weed like HC. 
2 others: H. tennellus red and then the dwarf true sag. Hygro araguaia also.
All nice easy to care for and well behaved.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

plantbrain said:


> Starougyne will survive the cories. Gloss might if you buried it deeper.
> It would also look nice contrasted in this tank, not a troublesome weed like HC.
> 2 others: H. tennellus red and then the dwarf true sag. Hygro araguaia also.
> All nice easy to care for and well behaved.


I have been taking the small runners off the Hygro pinnatifida and replanting them in the foreground. I know it won't be popping in color like the stuff you suggested, but I think it might be worth the shot to see how it looks.

I tore out all the Cabomba pulcherrima and the Rotala macrandra. I just couldn't get either of them to look very nice. I would agree with whoever stated R. macrandra should never be truly planted, but only trimmed, remove the bottom, and replant the tops. The Cabomba was a disappointment from the beginning. It was messy, too leggy even under high light, and reacted weird to being trimmed.

I am trying Heteranthera zosterifolia, Myriophyllum mattogrossense, and Rotala sp. Vietnam. I also got some Blyxa japonica, but I already know that will grow well.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

Most recent picture before the major trim.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

Moved some stuff around










Filling in nicely...










and it's overgrown.


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## Yankee (Jan 12, 2013)

Job well done! I really like the recent overgrown picture. Can't wait to see the carpet all grown in!


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## Frank Abagnale (Jan 31, 2013)

Looking great


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## Saxtonhill (Dec 28, 2012)

Lovely!


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## crazydaz (Mar 18, 2007)

Lovely, MFK! I really enjoy your system, though that type of set up ended up killing the hobby for me. You would get it almost "perfect," you could enjoy it for a few days, and then you had to hack it. The worst was trying to time all of the growth rates perfectly, as often, I would be able to get anywhere between 75-90% plants pruned so they would all look great, and then have two or three groups of other plants that would be either "too tall" or "too short." I was only able to get the tank looking "prime" a handful of times.

That's a beautiful aquarium.


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## Hyzer (Mar 9, 2010)

Really liking the size and thick growth. Any updates?


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

The Hygro pinn looks good.


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

plantbrain said:


> The Hygro pinn looks good.


I can't agree with this more, I'm jealous. Also gotta say, I love how nice and controlled your red tiger lotus is. Mine just eventually became a massive mess and I hated it. I've since switched to N. micaranthra as I find its growth a little less chaotic.

H. araguyia would look nice with the pinnatifida though, or at least balance it out on the right side (imho). It grows pretty well too.


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## kylehca (Oct 15, 2011)

Beautiful!


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## samee (Oct 14, 2011)

crazydaz said:


> Lovely, MFK! I really enjoy your system, though that type of set up ended up killing the hobby for me. You would get it almost "perfect," you could enjoy it for a few days, and then you had to hack it. The worst was trying to time all of the growth rates perfectly, as often, I would be able to get anywhere between 75-90% plants pruned so they would all look great, and then have two or three groups of other plants that would be either "too tall" or "too short." I was only able to get the tank looking "prime" a handful of times.
> 
> That's a beautiful aquarium.



SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!!! Finally someone said it. Maybe I made the mistake of starting out with the hardest scape style.

Your tank looks amazing, you have the depth and space. once the front fills in it will be complete.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

Thank you all who posted kind words about my aquarium. I haven't posted on this forum in about a year and in that time a lot happened. The TL;DR version is that the 100g was completely empty for about 11 months, but I just set everything back up this week.

I took out the Fluorite substrate, which I know for a fact can grow plants. I am trying dirt with sand cap this time and hopefully I can grow a nice scape using mainly Crypts.

Picture updates soon.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

I installed a Cerge's Reactor and this time I am trying Miracle Grow Organic Potting Soil with playsand. The main theme of the tank this time will be Cryptocoryne species.

Pictures for those interested.



























Mind the dust...


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## Hyzer (Mar 9, 2010)

Your last scape was great and I'm a big fan of crypt tanks. How's this tank doing?


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

I started a new thread.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=714042&highlight=


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