# The Spawning Pool-- 75g shallow square



## vincenz

Hello TPT, here’s to documenting the life of my bog+pond.





























*Equipment*
36x36x14 rimless tank, 1/2" Starphire glass, open top

Filtration/circulation-- Fluval 406, Koralia 425, Koralia 240
Heating-- Marineland 300W
Lighting-- Natural sunlight supplemented by a Kessil spotlight

No dosing
No CO2

*Hardscape*
125 lbs Eco-Complete, 36 root tabs
_Die kraken_ driftwood (courtesy T. Barr)
Locally-collected rocks

*Kingdom Plantae*
Aquatics- _Cryptocoryne sp., Microsorum sp., Nymphaea zenkeri, Sagittaria subulata_
Floaters-- _Limnobium sp._
Marginals & emergents-- _Saururus cernuus, Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon', Pontederia cordata, Colocasia esculent 'Black Magic', Ruellia brittoniana, Canna 'Pink Sunburst', Echinodorus cordifolius, E. palaefolius_

*Kingdom Animalia*
Vertebrates-- _Ctenopoma acutirostre, Melanotaenia boesemani, Poecilia wingei, Otocinclus sp._
Invertebrates-- Ramshorns, pond snails, trumpet snails, bladder snails, feeder shrimp












The bog+pond replaces my extremely overgrown 20g High and 5.5g shrimp tank. 

The tank builder was Coast to Coast Custom Aquariums in NJ. Unbelievable customer service, a real class-act. Craftsmanship and attention to details are incredible also. The underside is lined with poplar and all edges are beveled and machine-polished. Fit and finish are superb. I planned on buying that "one tank" and this is it. 












The stand I constructed is made of 2x4s with panels stained a dark walnut. The panels are attached magnetically and the space underneath is for supplies and misc.












The tank is situated in a corner of a room directly under four windows. The room faces east so the tank itself receives direct sunlight a few hours a day in the morning only. The rest of the day, the tank receives indirect light slightly diffused by the window screens. The supplemental Kessil Amazon Sun runs two 5-hour photoperiods with a 4-hour siesta in the middle of the day. 

The Fluval runs with sponges, bio-balls, and Purigen. With the large surface area and the concern about stagnant water, I went with two smaller powerheads. The Koralias along with the Fluval give me about 10x turnover per hour after accounting for some organic buildup. 

There is no testing, no dosing, no CO2, and no water changes unless absolutely necessary. Just top-offs as I see fit with dechlorinated water. I lose anywhere from 1-2 gallons or more per day depending on conditions. In warmer weather, I combat the slight humidity in the room with a dehumidifier going nearby.

I wanted a low-maintenance tank that I could come home to at the end of the day and sit down and enjoy (much like the 20g I broke down). My submerged plant selection reflects that goal so there will be no monkeying at all on the bottom and in the water column. I went with all heavy root feeders and a couple variety of java fern (regular and Philippine). The half dozen crypt species, dwarf sag, and single red tiger lotus all get their nutrients from the root tabs, which I will replace every 2-3 months, more or less, so I expect the Eco-Complete to get better with time. 

I went mainly with hardy bog and pond plants for the riparium section, all transplants (harhar) from the previous tank. The lizard's tail and chameleon plant are slowly taking over. The _cordifolius_ sword is shooting new leaves out the water every few days.












In the pond, the Leopard bush fish hunts shrimp, unwary Endler fry/juvies, and innocent skinny-dippers. Once it gets large enough to swallow otos (which won’t be for a couple years at least), I will replace them with bristlenose plecos. Even with the predator, the livebearers population should be sustainable for the foreseeable future. There is approximately a 1:5 adult male to adult female ratio with roughly half a dozen males, and with a gestation time of just 23 days, the spawning pool sees some action. The males are constantly chasing the females in the harem.  Right now, there are roughly 75 fry of all sizes out and about. And finally, the rainbows and otos swim freely and mind their business.











The juvenile delinquents











The settlers




















The stranger next door...











The creepy crawlers rule their underworld






















That's it for now. Thanks for reading, any questions at all, just ask!


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## Noahma

GREAT tank, do you only have the Bosmani's in the tank?


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## vincenz

Hey thanks, nope, everyone's in there. Boesemanis, otos, Endlers, the bush fish, inverts, etc.


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## Noahma

vincenz said:


> Hey thanks, nope, everyone's in there. Boesemanis, otos, Endlers, the bush fish, inverts, etc.


I should have added in terms of Rainbows lol. I really like the dimensions of the tank, is the tank up against the wall? or is it "walk around"?


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## AW0L

Awsome wish my wife would let ne dedicate some house space for somthing this awsome


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## albirdy

wow, very unique dimensions. you did a great job with it!


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## VeeSe

Awesome tank dude!


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## Shimagoma

Oh gosh its so beautiful! Tanks like that make me want to build a nature room in my home! Curse you carpet! im tired of cleaning snake bedding out of carpet who knows what water could do to it

beautiful job!


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## ChadRamsey

great job. i love the footprint of that tank. Went done


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## 2in10

Awesome looking tank


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## vincenz

Thanks a lot all 



Noahma said:


> I should have added in terms of Rainbows lol. I really like the dimensions of the tank, is the tank up against the wall? or is it "walk around"?


Oh yeh, those are the only types of rainbows in there. 

Nope, the tank isn't against the walls. There's a little less than a foot of clearing on both sides. I was questioning whether to push it against the wall to start with, but I'm glad I didn't. It's convenient to be able to walk around it to troubleshoot


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## crazydaz

Looks really nice, vincenz!......and, "familiar." Why did you take away a viewable side, bro?? I mean, I understand that you are relying on the sun for lighting.....but it kinda stinks that you had to take away one of the positive aspects of having a tank like this.

I'm a little surprised that you lose so much water per day, too!! How frequently do you have to top off?

Great natural looking set up, regardless! You're going to have to watch that lotus and be careful that it doesn't shade out the plants in the immediate vicinity too much! Which can be a shame....they send up the nicest flowers, but you have to let them keep their floating leaves. Thought of adding anything else that will produce flowers above water?


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## vincenz

crazydaz said:


> Looks really nice, vincenz!......and, "familiar." Why did you take away a viewable side, bro?? I mean, I understand that you are relying on the sun for lighting.....but it kinda stinks that you had to take away one of the positive aspects of having a tank like this.
> 
> I'm a little surprised that you lose so much water per day, too!! How frequently do you have to top off?
> 
> Great natural looking set up, regardless! You're going to have to watch that lotus and be careful that it doesn't shade out the plants in the immediate vicinity too much! Which can be a shame....they send up the nicest flowers, but you have to let them keep their floating leaves. Thought of adding anything else that will produce flowers above water?


Heya crazy, thanks. Oh yeh a square tank has always been a bit of a dream for me and seeing your 48x48 and some others pushed me over the edge. :icon_mrgr Plus I was going to renovate the floors, so I got that done around the same time.

I have to ask how you managed to move that monster though. I had enough trouble getting this thing up a flight of stairs and through doors. 150 lbs isn't so heavy with 2 people, but the bulk multiplies the difficulty by a lot! I can only imagine how it was like for a 4'x4'.

Trust me, if I had it my way, I would make it viewable from 4 sides, but it's mainly a space thing plus it was just convenient that the width of the 4 windows lined up perfectly, so it's not so bad. 

I top off every couple days or so, but it really depends on my mood, hah.

Yeh I hear you about the lotus. When I first got it, it was actually really bushy, but after a while it started shooting up. Going to have to trim. A lot of the pond plants I have are supposed to flower during summer, so I will look out for that. The sword should flower, the canna, and the pickerel rush too, but we'll see.


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## Algae Beater

wonderful display!!


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## crazydaz

Yeah, I hear ya.....making any tank viewable from four sides without being a plumbing and electrical guru is next to impossible. You can do three easily. But, the situation in your case is different, and it looks great where it is!

I was able to heft it up a two flights of stairs with two other guys. Believe me, it wasn't easy. Luckily, we were all pretty dumb and big, and we managed OK. 

I would love to see this thing when things start blooming, bro! It'll look way sweet! Keep on posting!


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## raven_wilde

Beautiful! This is pretty much the dream setup I have in mind once I have the windows for it!

Keep up the excellent work and keep posting updates


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## FlyingGiraffes

Looks awesome. Have you tried mixing in some other colors?


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## Calmia22

All I can say is Wow. What a beautiful tank! I love it!


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## rballi

what awesome dimension! i love the quasi tank/pond look in the window. It kind of reminds me of that 700 gallon indoon sunken garden project that was on here for a bit, just a lot smaller and not 700 gallons...do you have any better pictures of the finished stand and your pluming?


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## raven_wilde

I didn't know that you could grow Canna Lilies (which I love) as a riparium plant... what do you have it planted in and how is it doing?


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## kwheeler91

This is awesome! great idea with the endler-leaf fish combo, leaf fish are so cool. And the best part is your growing some really nice plants without breaking the bank on a light fixture.


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## vincenz

Thanks again all :fish:




FlyingGiraffes said:


> Looks awesome. Have you tried mixing in some other colors?


I have the red tiger lotus in there, that's about it for color. Up top I have the pink canna. My choice was limited by light and my dislike for stem plants, but then again, I'm more a fan of the monochrome look too.




rballi said:


> what awesome dimension! i love the quasi tank/pond look in the window. It kind of reminds me of that 700 gallon indoon sunken garden project that was on here for a bit, just a lot smaller and not 700 gallons...do you have any better pictures of the finished stand and your pluming?


Sure, hope these help. I have to cut down the input/output tubes some more on the canister filter when I'm less busy one of these days.






















raven_wilde said:


> I didn't know that you could grow Canna Lilies (which I love) as a riparium plant... what do you have it planted in and how is it doing?


I have most of the riparium plants in small pond baskets with Eco-Complete. I just attached them to the side of the tank with a little gardening wire and tape. A couple of the smaller plants I'm trying to grow out I used hydrophyte's planter set. 

I had the canna in a different corner of the room when it was in my 20g and it never got much light for a couple months. It did fine, but it started to lose its red color. It's in the corner of this tank now and it probably gets the most light out of all the marginal plants. It's gotten back the colors and the leaves are pink/red/orange depending on the angle and lighting. Here's a pic of it today:













kwheeler91 said:


> This is awesome! great idea with the endler-leaf fish combo, leaf fish are so cool. And the best part is your growing some really nice plants without breaking the bank on a light fixture.


Yup, the Endlers provide a constant food source for it :icon_evil


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## jbrady33

That is absolutely amazing!


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## zoo minsi

i absolutely love you tank, simply beautiful. this is something i would love to try and mimic someday.


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## zonamav

Great tank thanks for sharing.

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk


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## Soujirou

I really like how the tank is sort of self-sustaining when it comes to food. Do you have to add anything at all? It's a great looking tank.


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## vincenz

Thanks guys.

The tank isn't self-sustaining in the strictest sense, no. I can get away with not feeding the ctenopoma because it'll hunt the fry and shrimp. Same goes for the Boesemanis if they're hungry enough. But the endlers I still have to feed because they won't eat their fry and the shrimp are too big for them. Technically, all I have to feed are the food source themselves. If I could breed the ghost shrimp, I could guess I could call it self-sustaining, but we all know how breeding those go :icon_evil

If you're interested, I usually feed the tank twice a day with a pretty wide variety of food. Community flakes, spirulina flakes, blanched zucchini, frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, baby brine, daphnia, beef heart, and mysis shrimp (I think I got them all). It's one big mix that I do randomly day to day, so there's no set schedule. Some days I don't feed at all and I think the tank could last weeks without it, but I don't do that because I want my fish to grow, esp the rainbows, which grow so slow though they're pigs.

I might post a minor update later when I get back because things like the cordifolius sword surprised me with its growth the past couple weeks.


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## farrenator

Spectacular tank! Job well done. How long have you had it set up?


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## JackFu

vincenz said:


> If I could breed the ghost shrimp, I could guess I could call it self-sustaining, but we all know how breeding those go :icon_evil


I've heard they won't breed in the presence of a predator, but otherwise, they'd probably breed in there if there was a little algae and detritus.

I've got them breeding fine in a 20H. I just leave the algae on the sides and back glass, run sponge filters, and overfeed a little. Current plants are java moss and hornwort.

Amazing tank you've got there.


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## Chaos_Being

What a wonderful and unique tank. I'd imagine it's quite the conversation starter with visitors.


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## vincenz

Well, a little update. Been pretty surprised about growth. The riparium plants have really started to take off the last couple weeks. The sword has shot up a foot and a half out of the water already and the taro plant leaves are bigger than my head! 

Underwater, seems like all the root feeders are getting situated at last. I have runners everywhere from the dwarf sag and crypt spiralis. The spiralis is also out of control, starting to get long enough to form a canopy under surface. All the other crypts have gotten noticeably bushier. 

The natural sunlight has been better than I imagined, really. No major algae outbreaks as I had hoped. I do a trim every week to get rid of the few leaves that do get a little bit of it to prevent it from spreading and at the same time this helps to keep the plants from getting leggy and they are responding by growing more horizontally instead. 

Everyone is doing well, otos, rainbows, bush fish, endlers, snails. Shrimp are almost nowhere to be seen, mostly hunted down it seems, so I will have to refill within the next few weeks. I had the water level a little too high a couple weeks ago and lost about 5 male endlers from jumping, but the juvies are starting to show their sex already. Last count was around 10 males now, with many more females, so I still have more than I started with. It's crazy how fast these things reproduce.

Some pics included. Have a great rest of the weekend everyone.





















































farrenator said:


> Spectacular tank! Job well done. How long have you had it set up?


It's been set up about a month now. 



JackFu said:


> I've heard they won't breed in the presence of a predator, but otherwise, they'd probably breed in there if there was a little algae and detritus.
> 
> I've got them breeding fine in a 20H. I just leave the algae on the sides and back glass, run sponge filters, and overfeed a little. Current plants are java moss and hornwort.
> 
> Amazing tank you've got there.


I might have to try that some day, thanks. Last thing everyone needs is another tank right? :icon_cool



Chaos_Being said:


> What a wonderful and unique tank. I'd imagine it's quite the conversation starter with visitors.


Thanks, it is. Mainly I get, "Wow, that's a lot of plants."


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## HybridHerp

there are pumps in this tank? and filters? WHERE!?!?!? lol
really love this tank and the sustainable idea behind it. Especially with endless, as they are just pretty and I feel like they are hardier than guppies as well. Really digging the emergent thing too, this tank is like everything I would want to do if it wasn't for the fact that I have too many large jumpers and am not ballsy enough to do this


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## nycfish

this is some monster of a project man hehe. looks awesome. really nice job on the DIY stand too.


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## vincenz

Thanks guys. It works out pretty well because the wires and tubes are hidden within the emergent section (other than one of the powerheads). 

And yeh speaking of being a monster, moving it up a flight of stairs and through a doorway was quite the task... It was much more difficult moving it than setting up the flora/fauna/equipment. Just a word of warning for anyone thinking about a square tank-- best prepare extra well because moving it is an entire project in itself. You'll need to be able to flip it vertically and horizontally in transit as needed and you definitely don't want to set it down and then pick it back up. And invest in a pair of gloves with grip because it's very easy to lose it considering how bulky it is! It's not really the weight that gets you (though it certainly doesn't help), but having to deal with maneuvering it because of the shape.


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## bitFUUL

This tank is absolutely stunning! I've got a ton of lil tanks going, but would trade them all in for something like this.
Simply amazing, I love it. Keep us posted.


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## ChadRamsey

very nicely done. could you post an updated full front shot?

thx


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## driftwoodhunter

What an incredible tank! Subscribed!


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## fplata

subscribed. wow


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## xenxes

Wow, amazing! Same tank as Tom's bucket of mud.

Where did you get the tank btw? Been hunting for a similar dimension.


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## vincenz

Thanks again all, appreciate it. 

The tank was custom made. I'm pretty sure if you want a square tank, you'll have to go the custom route. As far as I know, I don't know of any retail companies that make them.

Here's an update because I actually got my hands on some new fish this weekend, six _Bedotia geayi_ (Madagascar Rainbowfish). Saw them at the LFS and just had to get them! I've watched them for a couple hours and they keep changing colors, so that's a pleasant surprise. Silver, iridescent blue, light orange, it's great.

Fish and plants are all doing well. The bushfish has gotten enormous since getting him. Now I know why I don't see anymore feeder shrimp these days... I am looking to heavily trim back the crypt spiralis one of these days again because they're getting out of control. Dwarf sag is carpeting well and everything else is growing slowly but steadily. No algae problems, very happy. I'm totally loving the just-add-water habits for this tank.

OK, so more pics and less words.






































































Hunter in stalking mode










I threw a banana plant into a corner a while ago and it shot up a pretty wicked lily pad.






























*Wheeee!*


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## bacon5

Wow beautiful tank and beautiful fish! Love it


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## xenxes

vincenz said:


> *Wheeee!*


Lol awesome!


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## Silky

^ haha awesome pic there. Yeah this tank is really a showpiece. I really like the fish you stocked it with as well. Really great job with everything.


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## Capsaicin_MFK

How are the emergent plants anchored into the water section? Did you make any sort of raft or are they just sitting there?


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## vincenz

The emergent plants are in pond planters that I attached to the sides of the tank with a little garden wire and tape. I also have some in hydrophyte's riparium planters that he offers for sale through this site. 

Here's a shot from the other day for a 2-month update. I lost the canna and the lizard's tail over the summer. Replaced them with an arrowhead house plant. Everything else is going ok. They both just died off mysteriously towards the end of summer, not sure why. I am guessing they need outdoor light and they don't really do well after the growing season. Other than that, this tank never changes, and I like it for that.


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## orchidman

now that is awesome! where did you get that tank?


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## Obakemono

How much cord did your Kessil light come with?


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## dewalltheway

A very awesome tank! It fits so perfect in that corner like it has always been there. You gotta love a tank that you can spend more time enjoying than working on it.

Subscribed my friend!


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## ophiophagus

I love this tank you did a really great job in it


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## IggyEGuana

what plant is the "grass" in the front area? sorry but i dont know too many scientific names yet and google showed stuff that doesnt look like that

and what does it mean when you write "sp" after a genus name? i think thats what threw google off

thx


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## vincenz

Thank you everyone!



orchidman said:


> now that is awesome! where did you get that tank?


I had it custom made from a shop out in New Jersey, Coast to Coast Custom Aquariums. Great people. If you want more details, feel free to shoot me a pm.



Obakemono said:


> How much cord did your Kessil light come with?


I want to say about 15 feet? I'll have to get home and measure though if you want an exact length, just let me know. It's a little tricky because in the middle of the cord is the power brick (or whatever it's called). Not sure why they had to put it there and not towards the end, not a good design choice if you ask me. So if you're considering hanging the light too, you might have to find a solution to mount that box on the ceiling or wall like I did (I put it on top of the window molding). Otherwise it will be hanging in the air on the way down.



IggyEGuana said:


> what plant is the "grass" in the front area? sorry but i dont know too many scientific names yet and google showed stuff that doesnt look like that
> 
> and what does it mean when you write "sp" after a genus name? i think thats what threw google off
> 
> thx


That's dwarf sag (sagittaria subulata). http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/myPlants.php?do=view&p=113&n=Dwarf_Sagittaria_Sagittaria_subulata

Pretty common plant and grows like a weed. In my case, it's choking out all the little smaller species of crypts I have around it.

The "sp." just means species. For example, you'd use it if you know what the Genus is, but are unsure of the species. Hope that helps


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## driftwoodhunter

I have a question, because I'd like to do something similar with my 40B...when you put the plants in the pond containers, are they in a planting medium or bare root? I ask because one other member has his sitting bare root in his tank, and I'm not sure which way to place plants in the tank.
Thanks!


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## vincenz

driftwoodhunter said:


> I have a question, because I'd like to do something similar with my 40B...when you put the plants in the pond containers, are they in a planting medium or bare root? I ask because one other member has his sitting bare root in his tank, and I'm not sure which way to place plants in the tank.
> Thanks!


I throw some ecocomplete in the planters too, but very little, maybe an inch? It's mostly bare roots just hanging there and they seem to do OK. I never really gave it much thought to be honest, it seems to work on its own.

I have some of hydrophyte's planters too with the gravel he included for them. For comparison, I find that the plants in there only grow to a certain size and then stop because there's just no more room for the roots to go after a while. With the pond planters, you have a lot more space and I find them more flexible in the end because you can move plants around without disturbing the substrate you have in them. That's when it helps to have a little bit of it or none at all!


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## IggyEGuana

thx very much


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## SpecGrrl

Love these big square indoor bogs and ponds!

You, crazydaz and tomsbucketofmud are profoundly inspiring!


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## vincenz

2 month update, just did a huge trim recently. I think the fish are happier they have more room to swim.


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## hydrophyte

Man the light from that Kessil is awesome. I gotta get one of those.


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## Byakuya

So beautiful.. i am going to have a tank like this when I am an adult with my own house 

Sent from my ADR6325 using Tapatalk 2


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## vincenz

Well, after 7 months, I'm going to tear this baby down. Moving into a new place and it will call for a new set-up. I have plans to sell off most, if not all, of the dwarf sag that has overgrown the front section of the tank. Also most likely some crypt spiralis and lutea.

If you are interested in a plant package, just send me a PM to call dibs and we can work something out. Right now, the plans are to move this thing during the second week of January, but we will see.

Probably last few pics before teardown.


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## rodcuda

Sorry to hear you are going to have to tear it down. Hope you have a good place for it where you are moving.


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## Betta Maniac

Can't wait to see what you do with it next!


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## vincenz

So after much muscle strain and a sleepless night, here is ver. 2.0. Excuse the iPhone quality!

Got rid of most of the dwarf sag and a lot of java fern. Much more swimming space for the fish. The kids are growing up. :wink: I will be making a listing for a big lot of both dwarf sag and java fern sometime tonight, so whoever is interested, just keep an eye out!


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## hydrophyte

Hey that's cool.

Are those Madagascar rainbows?

I have been thinking about doing a similar kind of setup on a smaller scale.


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## vincenz

hydrophyte said:


> Hey that's cool.
> 
> Are those Madagascar rainbows?
> 
> I have been thinking about doing a similar kind of setup on a smaller scale.


Heya hydro, I do indeed have some Madagascar rainbows in there!


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## blink

This may have been answered already, but what are these fellows?


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## pweifan

I'm pretty sure they are Madagascar rainbows


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## blink

Thank you, that looks to be the one. A very pretty fish, I may have to look into those for my next tank.


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## hydrophyte

Those rainbows really are attractive.


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## LyzzaRyzz

Wow! Very impressive! Can't wait for updates!
Just love the bush fish. So charming!


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## vincenz

Video update of tank: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTskmnFK538

Added a few more tenants this weekend, some rummy-nose tetras and kribensis.


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## driftwoodhunter

Love the video! Watching your Rummynose school makes me realize I can't hem & haw anymore - I have to set up a tank for some - lol 

Very, very beautiful tank.


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## MiniFishRoom

Awesome tank!


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## Duck5003

Stunning tank and photos! Love the livestock


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## Conrad283

Awesome tank. Both versions


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## vincenz

Thanks all!

Was at an LFS yesterday and saw some _Melanotaenia fluviatilis_ and couldn't help myself and got a school of them. The town is slowly growing. Maybe some more pictures one of these days if I ever find the time.


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## vincenz

Small updates-- I took out all the rummy nose tetras and gave them to my fiance. No more small fish left in this tank other than the otos. Also pulled out all the dwarf sag and split up all the c. parva and willisii/nevilli so they could slowly (if ever) carpet. 

Also took a vid during feeding time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NY78CPf330

And last but not least, an FTS:


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## Wicket_lfe

this is so amazing, im just...amazed. lol


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## karce87

One day...One day I will have a tank like this!


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## scapegoat

vincenz said:


>


sick! i'm getting one for my 125. how do you like him? how's the hunting behavior? does he really bother the other fish? finally, what do you feed him?


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## vincenz

scapegoat said:


> sick! i'm getting one for my 125. how do you like him? how's the hunting behavior? does he really bother the other fish? finally, what do you feed him?


Love him! My favorite fish in the tank for sure. He leaves everyone alone, doesn't bother anyone at all. I can't put any other fish under 2" in there though, otherwise it's snacktime. I feed him frozen beefheart and bloodworms mainly. Very rarely will he eat flakes and only if he's starving. I used to feed him ghost shrimp, but not much more these days. He does stalk small fish-- named him Hunter for a reason. :fish:

I got him 8-9 months ago when he was about 1 3/4". He's now over 4" easily. :icon_eek: It's a unique fish for sure, and definitely a centerpiece.


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## marko d

scapegoat said:


> sick! i'm getting one for my 125. how do you like him? how's the hunting behavior? does he really bother the other fish? finally, what do you feed him?


My friend had one and he was a very fun fish to watch! Left all the others alone for the most part. I do remember he had a molly in there for a while, but it was in bad shape. Watching him hunt the molly was really interesting! He'd go all inverted and swim backwards, watching it like a hawk.


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## jamntoast

this tank is aboslutely beautiful, i love how it has such a dense feel but it seems like there is still a lot of swimming space etc. and that bush fish is awesome. very nce


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## Betta132

Love the bushfish! He'd turn my tank into a buffet, but he's a beauty... You ought to get some cheap guppies, put them in a small tank, let them breed 'till you have a bunch, then put 'em in. I bet it would be really fun to watch! And he'd have fun too....
I may get yelled at, but personally if they aren't horribly crowded, I have nothing against breeding small fish as fish food.


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## hisxlency

gorgeous tank! Love your layout and fauna. Unique for sure


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## Wolf19

*Filtration/circulation-- Fluval 406, Koralia 425, Koralia 240
*
How do you find the Koralina 425, 240? I'm considering purchasing these as they seem to be very cost efficent compared to other options.

Great tank!


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## vincenz

Thanks everyone!

Wolf19-- the Koralias are great. I would recommend them in a heartbeat to anyone. If I were to do it again, I definitely wouldn't go for anything else. Price, looks, functionality, quality, durability, they're all there for these powerheads. :thumbsup:


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## vincenz

Quick pic update. Chugging along...


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## allknighter

This really is impressive considering your performance to maintenance. How long do you think the soil / root tab combo will keep going? Indefinitely? I think my eco-complete has played out after a year, but I'm dosing EI to keep my weeds growing.


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## vincenz

Thanks, I really don't have to do any maintenance at all. I do 75% water changes every 2-3 weeks and scrub down the glass of minimal algae. I top off with tap water every 3-4 days. That's about it! No ferts, no dosing, just 14 hours of light from the Kessil Amazon daily. 

I think the root tabs are good enough indefinitely, to be honest. I put new ones in every 4-6 months and have not seen any ill effect. All my plants still grow like mad to this day (relatively speaking for this kind of setup).


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## FisheriesOmen

please tell me the title is a Sc2 reference.... amazing tank btw


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## sketch804

This tank is absolutely stunning! I love how clean everything looks! nice leaf fish, how old is it? and how do you deal with having one of them and small fish in the same tank? I have one myself that's five years old and I can only have large tetras and stuff that cannot fit in his mouth it seems.


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## dewalltheway

Great tank! Love it! Fish are awesome as well.


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## vincenz

Danke! 



sketch804 said:


> This tank is absolutely stunning! I love how clean everything looks! nice leaf fish, how old is it? and how do you deal with having one of them and small fish in the same tank? I have one myself that's five years old and I can only have large tetras and stuff that cannot fit in his mouth it seems.


The bushfish is a year old or so. I don't really have small fish left in the tank-- the smallest I have are oto cats, but he doesn't bother them. I originally had a breeding colony of endlers in there as a food source for him, but he eventually wiped them out. Anything small like a tetra or fry become meals too, so I don't keep anything like that in there. My other fish like the rainbows and kribs and recently added sterbai cories he doesn't bother because they're all too big for him. According to my experience and that of other people, you can definitely get away with keeping bushfish in a community tank-- you just have to be choosy with the tankmates!


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## vincenz

Lazy Sunday calls for a tank haircut!


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## Shawn123

This tank s awesome! I really like the rummynose tetras!


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## OVT

I keep coming back to this tank, over and over again. I just love the size, the footprint, the layout and the execution. 6 months after I first saw this thread I finally got my hands on a 24 x 24 x 12 tank. It is sitting on a dinning room table at the moment and every time I look at it I see yours. I am dragging my feet to set it up as I do have a fear: it will not even come close to your creation.

Now I feel better: it is all your fault!


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## Indychus

Best. Tank. Dimensions. Ever.

Your tank has inspired me and I hope to build one with a similar footprint in the future.


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## MikeS

BEAUTIFUL tank!!!!!!! 

As far as the bush fish, rummy nose are probably out of the question, right? I had mine with datnoids, so most fish were out of the question. lol


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## hydrophyte

This tank is looking great!

Low and broad tanks like this are perfect for a few riparium plants. Even with riparium plants there is still plenty of light and space in the middle for a full underwater planting.


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## Sakuras

Spectecular. I want those sexy dimensions.


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## vincenz

Long weekend overhaul. Moved back the driftwood and gave the riparium section a makeover. Will be breaking down this tank again in about 1-2 months for another move, this time to stay put for a while. No easy task moving this thing, that's for sure...


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## briscoe

AWESOME tank dude. As others have said, I would love to have a tank like this.


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## melanotaenia

awesome. The execution on the shallow depth is well done. Do you live in the city?


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## skystrife

This is such a beautiful tank!

What's your experience like with the Kessil? It looks like it provides a reasonable spread for the tank, but curious what your thoughts are since you can see it in person.


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## Ershaddy

Awesome Tank. Mine also looks like that, was ordered from diamondaquatics is cheap in price and customer services are also satisfactorily.


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## vincenz

melanotaenia said:


> awesome. The execution on the shallow depth is well done. Do you live in the city?


Thanks! No, I'm from Queens/Long Island. I can't imagine one could even turn around in a room out in the city after installing a tank with this footprint out there. 



skystrife said:


> This is such a beautiful tank!
> 
> What's your experience like with the Kessil? It looks like it provides a reasonable spread for the tank, but curious what your thoughts are since you can see it in person.


I like the Kessil a lot. Haven't had any problems with it. The only thing is you might think it's loud in the beginning, but after a few days, you don't hear it anymore. I've had computers over the years that have had more fans and louder than this. I have it about 13" off from the top of the tank and the circle of light covers the 36"x36" area below it perfectly. The light is more concentrated towards the middle, but it's not noticeable that the plants at the edges don't grow or anything-- it's about the same. I do have an extremely low-maintenance setup with low-light plants though, so you'll have to take that into consideration. I think the Kessil fits the aesthetic of the setup perfectly.


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## vincenz

This tank has been sold to a local forum member. After some consideration, I decided not to take it with me before moving (getting a dog and a cat also "helped" with the decision). It was good while it lasted and I'll miss it, but hopefully we will see it again here under its new owner.

Thanks all for tuning in. Final update on the remaining tank inhabitant, running bare-bones for a week more before the final move.


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## Bowles42

Love the leopard ctenopoma. Kept a pair awhile back, great fish. Good luck with the move.


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## lamiskool

man sad to see this tank decommissioned...also love that leopard ctenopoma. Goodluck with your move and hopefully someday you come back to the hobby!


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## MPdesign

What an awesome tank !
That remenber me an old reef tank find on the internet with the same configuration, just awesome !
Can you tell me more about the rainbow fish ?


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