# Mr Brownthumb's 60 Gallon Journey (56K warning)



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

Hey gang, 
I'm done w/the advice seeking (for now)









Let's start with Tech Specs:

I Have:

Custom tank w/stand 36" x 20" x 20" (it actually comes out to 62.43 gallons so i rounded off) 
Catalina 3 x 39w T5HO Fixture
Medium Grade Natural Sand
Green Start Substrate Fertilizer
Eheim Classic 2217
Milwaukee MA957 w/solenoid and bubble counter
10lb Steel CO2 Cylinder
Driftwood
Nano tree
Seiryu Stone
Cal Aqua Labs Double Check Drop Checker
Aqualight Power Center
Hydor Koralia Evolution 750gph 
Reactor
Aqueon AC 950gph 
I need:
Aquascaping tools







What the hell are you doing in there kid? Get out of my tank!


----------



## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

Nice tank! The dimensions of that aquarium will be awesome to work with. You may want to consider getting a second eheim 2217- I had one running on my old 68 gallon, and it wasn't enough. I bet two would work well.

Definitely try it with just one first though, because you may not need a second after all. My 68g had very odd dimensions, so there were plenty of spots with minimal flow (hence the need for a second filter).

Looking forward to seeing your tank all filled and planted! What is your plan for fish?


----------



## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Ditto on the tank dimensions. That is an awesome custom. Who made the tank? The silicone is pristine.


----------



## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

LOL i just noticed your avatar Mr BrownThumb. That's adorable! :flick:


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

sewingalot said:


> Ditto on the tank dimensions. That is an awesome custom. Who made the tank? The silicone is pristine.


You like that, huh? The guy at my LFS hooked me up. I like the fact that there's no goopy silicone shadow on the corners roud:


----------



## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Haha, cute fish you've got in the tank!  Seriously, that guy has some serious talent. I only wish my tanks looked that good. Every one of them is slopy with the seams. Do you have any visions for the tank yet? Are you wanting a simplistic look or chaos like mine? Do you have any plants in mind?


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

sewingalot said:


> Haha, cute fish you've got in the tank!  Seriously, that guy has some serious talent. I only wish my tanks looked that good. Every one of them is slopy with the seams. Do you have any visions for the tank yet? Are you wanting a simplistic look or chaos like mine? Do you have any plants in mind?


 Posting 2nd chapter now


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*Chapter 2*

So I'm using the dry start method and with many thanks to xmas_one, I have a bunch of E. Tennelus and a little bit of Staurogyne Repens on one side, and some HC on the other side. Add ferts, substrate, water, plants, and cover. Lights for about 10 hrs a day, mist tops daily, and WAIT, because for the next 4 to 6 weeks i have a terrarium! 




Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

Cool! I was going to do the DSM with e. tenellus, but i wasn't sure how it would grow emersed. Some people have great success with it, and other's say it melts away. So i'm definitely interested in seeing how it grows in your tank!

Very nice planting job with that HC also.


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

I have a few ideas in mind. Well you can see where i want the path to be. I'm thinking of having a steep slope on the side with the HC. I'm waiting for one of the guys from our local club (SCAPE) to get back from vacation, he's got some Seiryu stone for sale


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*WTH is this?*

I posted in the DSM thread about this. Maybe tom will straighten it out. Maybe there's gnats or something breeding in the stagnant water.


----------



## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Unless the gnats start bugging you, I wouldn't worry too much about them. If they are the tiny fungus gnats, they'll drown once you flood the tank and don't really harm much unless there is rotting conditions. Annoying more than anything.


----------



## timwag2001 (Jul 3, 2009)

its possible that you have insects but i vote for snails


----------



## timwag2001 (Jul 3, 2009)

i asked you what the temp of the tank was because i didnt realize that it was empty. if it was full and you had condensation on the outside of your tank then your water temp would be way too cold.

i didnt realize that you were doing the dry start method and that it was just humidity on the inside of your tank


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

AzFishKid said:


> Looking forward to seeing your tank all filled and planted! What is your plan for fish?


Schools of Rummy Noses, Harlequin (or some other) Rasboras, Jumbo Cardinals. I have a few transplants from the old tank that are going too. Indian dwarf puffer, some SAEs, Oto, a head/tail light tetra. I was in a LFS and i saw the coolest looking Apistogramma Cacatuoides. Its black and orange fins 'pop' when contrasted by all those different shades of green! The owner said they're probably the most peaceful of the cichlid family (unless they're breeding).

Check it out


Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

timwag2001 said:


> i asked you what the temp of the tank was because i didnt realize that it was empty. if it was full and you had condensation on the outside of your tank then your water temp would be way too cold.
> 
> i didnt realize that you were doing the dry start method and that it was just humidity on the inside of your tank


So no worries then gang? no need to try and siphon out the little pools?


----------



## timwag2001 (Jul 3, 2009)

nope


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*I guess this would be chapter 3*

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/aquascaping/111690-i-want-trees-my-tank.html

I have these nano trees and one other piece i'm going to use as a tree from thedriftwoodstore.com. I'm going to place the big piece on the left side with the other piece. The nano trees are going to go on the other side to form an 'arch' over the path. I'll attach anubias nana petite and perhaps some java fern to either side of the path. I'm going for a leafy canopy type effect. Bolbitis might work as well, we'll see. I'm waiting on some rocks too. The majority of them will go on the right side to maintain the steep slope.


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*Chapter 4: Plant list*

Ok on to the the plants:

As always, any input or suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

Here's my list: 

This hobby is like crack...
(deep breath)
*Bolbitis Heudelotii*
*Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'*
*Microsorum pteropus "Phillipine"**Blyxa Japonica*
*Echinodorus tenellus
HC*
*Vallisneria nana*
*Vallisneria americana gigante*
*Crinum natans*
*Cryptocoryne spiralis
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Green'*
*Staurogyne repens
Fissidens Fontanus
Fissidens Gepii
Hygrophila (I think it's polysperma)
Hygrophila difformis
Downoi
Hygrophila Corymbosa 'Compact'
*


Whew!
Is that not enough/overkill/not enough variety?


----------



## timwag2001 (Jul 3, 2009)

it is definately a lot of plants. but you can never have enough crack... i mean plants


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*What is this plant?*

I bought a used copy of Nature Aquarium World by Takashi Amano. And on pg 52 there is a layout with a bright red plant that he describes as a Crimson Sword plant. Any idea what this plant could be? Here's a pic of a pic (Sorry crappy cell phone quality). From what i can tell i think it may be a crypt. What do you guys think? I need a dash or two of red in the tank.


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*Chapter 5: Rocks*

Ok gang, 
I got my Seiryu stone and picked up some dry ferts too. Here's what I've done so far:

1) Built my path

2) Shored up my slope on the right side with rocks

-Had to uproot a few HC plantlets to do it. From what i can see the root structure is forming. I've been wondering what's going on down there. When i pulled them up, it took a fair amount of substrate with it. roud:

Driftwood/nano trees expected to arrive tomorrow. Don't know how much progress I can make on the layout. I gotta work tomorrow night. 
Oh well, gotta work to feed my family/addiction... 
You know what I mean. 

Any comments or observations would be appreciated thanks. 

-Rey-


----------



## timwag2001 (Jul 3, 2009)

sweet


----------



## VincentK (Dec 16, 2009)

Looking good, I like the rock placement.


----------



## timwag2001 (Jul 3, 2009)

i like the hardscape too. not too sure i'm crazy about where you tree is though.

i read this a while ago and saved it. maybe it'll help you http://freshaquarium.about.com/library/weekly/aa122203a.htm


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*golden ratio*

good eye tim. i actually marked 2 golden ratio lines on my tank. when i looked at it straight on, the 'arch' is more toward the center. i moved it to the right a bit. when the nano trees come in i'll have a better grasp of the layout. sometimes it helps to have another set of eyes. thanks


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*Rescape*

I had placed an 8" x "8 styrofoam square in the back right corner of the tank to help cushion the rocks from the bottom of the tank. Then I read a thread on here warning against it. I did not glue the styrofoam to the bottom inviting it to pop up when I flood the tank. So I had to dig that out. :angryfire I added one nano tree, and there's one other branchy driftwood piece that I'm currently trying to weigh down and soak in my 20 gal. That's about it for now. If you look in the upper right hand corner you'll see my target fill date scrawled on the glass.


----------



## fishbreath (Feb 18, 2007)

Very nice hardscape!!


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*Powerhead choice?*



AzFishKid said:


> You may want to consider getting a second eheim 2217- I had one running on my old 68 gallon, and it wasn't enough. I bet two would work well.
> Definitely try it with just one first though, because you may not need a second after all. My 68g had very odd dimensions, so there were plenty of spots with minimal flow (hence the need for a second filter).


Hey all,
I was considering placing a powerhead in the new tank to minimize the dead spots. How does a Hydor Koralia sound? I was doing research on the forum and maybe a 2 or 3 seems like the way to go... I plan on keeping Bolbitis and they thrive under a lot of flow.


----------



## thrak76 (Aug 3, 2009)

I am using a Koralia evolution (smallest one) in my 75g to increase flow. They work great. It's almost too much flow!


----------



## jargonchipmunk (Dec 8, 2008)

you need much larger rocks for that tank. even without the plants, they almost blend right in with the substrate, they'll all but disappear once plants grow in


----------



## timwag2001 (Jul 3, 2009)

that's a 29g right? if so i would definately go with the smallest koralia they sell.


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

timwag2001 said:


> that's a 29g right? if so i would definately go with the smallest koralia they sell.


no tim it's a 60g. 36" x 20" x 20"


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*I'm melting!*

So my pgymy chain swords appear to be melting away. There are a few new leaflets poking up out of the middle but the bulk of the plant is turning brown/black at the edges and appears to be rotting. Any thoughts? Should I just stick to the plan and let the plants adapt? Any experience growing E. Tennellus emersed would be appreciated. Tia...


----------



## VadimShevchuk (Sep 19, 2009)

I have the same lines or Gnats in my DSM tank. Tanks sure has nice demensions to it and good quality. I tried growing DHG using DSM and it didnt grow much. Maybe you should replace it iwth HC?


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

Picked up a Koralia 1 today. I'm using it to diffuse my DIY CO2. I attached some Anubias Nana Petite to one of the branchy driftwood pieces, but the leaves are thinning. What causes this?







Too much light? I'm dosing EI.


----------



## xmas_one (Feb 5, 2010)

Dosing EI with DIY co2? I thought you had a co2 setup....

DIY co2 with the amount of light you have is going to be a major algae problem before you can blink....


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

xmas_one said:


> Dosing EI with DIY co2? I thought you had a co2 setup....
> 
> DIY co2 with the amount of light you have is going to be a major algae problem before you can blink....


I do have a co2 setup. I'm waiting on my Rex Grigg reactor to arrive in the mail. The DIY CO2 is on my 20g. I have a 55w PC on that. Guess I should run some silicone tubing into the K1 then until the reactor arrives?


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*Have a laugh on me!*

So very early Wednesday morning I decide I’m going to flood the tank. I’m doing the bucket thing, and it only holds 4 gallons, so I’m like, “How can I speed up this process?” Since I’m in the foyer the garden hose out front should reach it ok. So I plop a vase in the tank and stick the hose in there and turn it on. Sweet! 

So the water is filling the tank up at a pretty good clip, some slimy algae is coming off the plantlets/substrate, and floating around but no big deal. I’m sweeping it out with the net, however… I want to fill it just a little bit faster. I’ll run outside and just turn it up a bit…

After I turn it up, inside the house I hear a big THUD, so I dash inside the house and it’s Hurricane Katrina in the foyer/living room! So I scoop up the hose, hop up on the step-stool and shove it back in the tank. Now the tank is filling FAST. I look down, there’s a power strip in the fringes of the massive pool. Yikes! So I tapped the power cut-off switch with my toe. 

So the tank is almost full, no way to shut off the flow (the end was chopped off). I had to double-kink the hose to get it outside. I could feel the pressure building up as I hustled out the door. I release the kinks and get a face/noseful of water. I’m sopping wet about 6 or so in the morning, and it’s pretty cold out. 

So I go back in to survey the damage. In addition to the tiny lake in the foyer and part of the living room, there’s water soaked into the hallway carpet, water all over the walls and part of the ceiling and soaked in the ottoman. Nice. At least my wife already left for work and the boys are still asleep so I can clean in peace. 

After I got the water all cleaned up, tied up the driftwood and stuck it in the tank, then I planted a few Vals and got the nano/Anubias trees placed. Enjoy the pics. 

:iamwithst 










Tested this evening:
Nitrites 5 ppm
Ammonia 8 ppm

Gonna add a few more plants in the next two weeks.

Next chapter: Rey buys a python...


----------



## msnikkistar (Mar 23, 2010)

AHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAH! Sorry to laugh but AHAHAHAHAHAA


----------



## timwag2001 (Jul 3, 2009)

oh man. that sucks. what a horrible morning. make sure you keep fans blowing directly on the carpet (actually across the carpet but coming in contact with it), it can feel dry to the touch but the pad can still retain moisture for a week or more.

good luck with the next chapter!


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*do I need another filter?*

Hi all, it's been a couple of days. the nitrites/ammonia are still sky-high. Added a couple of pots of hc, and wrapped some xmas moss on the driftwood. ditched the anubias tree though. That will go in my son's lil 10g when I set that up. Quick question, do you guys think I need another filter? I have an Eheim 2217 on there. I have a lot of crud coating my plants and the water's still pretty cloudy. Hmmm what do you guys think? 

In case you guys forgot here are my dimensions: 36" x 20" x 20"


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*Die Algae Die!*

Now on to the next roadblock... What type of algae is this and how do i get rid of it? i'm talking about dark slimy/stringy stuff choking out my HC... Since we're on that subject, what about the light green algae frosting on my rocks? Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellp!


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*Success rate = 50%*

Hi all, 
I haven't updated this thread in a while, but I wanted to run something by you guys. Some of my plants are thriving but others not so much. Bolbitis, Blyxa and Anacharis are doing well. Some others (Crypts, HC, Crinum Natans) seem to be either rotting or are stunted. The HC is what I'm really bummed about. I have bought about 12+ pots or plugs of it. The latest ones were grown on lava rock, and instead of taking it off and planting it, I just stuck the rock in the substrate. I cannot grow this plant for the life of me: Some tech specs:

Tap H2O - about 8.0 pH goes down to 6.8-7.0 w/CO2 (kH about 16) 
3 x 39w T5HO - comes out to about 1.9 wpg 30" from substrate
Pressurized CO2 - Rex Grigg-style Reactor. Drop checker is nice and green
Medium Grade Natural Sand seeded w/Green Start and Rootmedic Tabs 
Dose EI 
50% WC weekly
Eheim 2217
2 powerheads 750/950 gph at opposite ends of the tank
Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
pH = 6.8-7.0 

*PLEASE HELP!* I'm tired of living up to my username


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*Pics Update*

I did a 50% wc, and replaced the water with RO to knock the KH down a bit, I was having computer issues so I have not been able to update the pix, so here goes:
Full Tank shot:

Other angles:


The Bolbitis is growing in nicely, (thanx to FordTrannyMan from SCAPE!)Even though I really didn't want to, I had to add a heater because the temp was drifting down to about 68-70F. Also I raised the lights because I was having a GINORMOUS algae breakout. I apologize for the reflection from the cheesy iPhone pix. Any comments or input is appreciated thanks.


----------



## Mr BrownThumb (Aug 1, 2009)

*Changed My Substrate*

I deduced that the substrate I had in there was not conducive to plant growth. Specifically, the sand was packed in too dense so it was not allowing the roots to breathe. Normally fast-growing/adapting plants like watersprite, jungle vals, and hygrophila were rotting at the substrate line. Sooooo I yanked out about 60 lbs of sand, and capped it off with Eco-complete. Trimmed and pulled out the browning/rotting plants and replanted. Oh yeah, I replaced the HC patch with Glosso since it grows in faster. So more or less I have regressed to square 1.


*Full Tank Shot* 




*Glosso Patch* 




*Staurogyne patch/Driftwood Shrimp lounge/Blyxa Japonica/Crinum Natans* 




*Left Side View* 




*Amano Shrimp and SAE hangin' out*


----------

