The Planted tank is finally the way I want it!

9 posts

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


dizzcat
 
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am

The Planted tank is finally the way I want it!

by dizzcat

I have been tweaking my planted tank since I started it 2 years ago. After many many changes I finally have it the way I want it. All plants have grown up enough to remove any fake ones. Everything in it is now real, nothing fake. :-)

If you hit reply on this post you can see photos of my final setup.

In the second photo: that is the right corner and my Bolivian Rams were spawning. These were all taken last night.
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yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

look awesome dizzcat...I like your centerpiece plant, and lighting is especially cool for this set up.

very nice pal


JB20High9473
 
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 5:21 am

by JB20High9473

WoW! Just WoW! The tank looks amazing man. When I get my next tank I am gonna be bugging the crap out of you for advice. <- Fair Warning!

Congrats on a job well done!

JB


dizzcat
 
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am

by dizzcat

OK, I have been warned. :-) When you go to Seascapes, tell them Cathy sent you. They really helped me with all my questions at first! I got most of my fish and plants, rocks, even my driftwood from them. If you don't see anything you want, ask and they will let you know when the next shipment will be in and if maybe what you want will be in it.

If you hit reply you will see my other show tank. This one is my 55 African Mbuna tank. Its fun to watch!
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JB20High9473
 
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 5:21 am

by JB20High9473

Envy.... Green With ENVY! LOL. Those are some beautiful tanks. Me and the wife will be running by Seascape today after she gets done with a few things. I just want to see what I can spend all our money on if I get that 55 gal I am looking at! LOL.

I want to do a fishless cycle if I do pick up a bigger tank. Do you have experience with this? I have read many of the tutorials online and they are pretty thurough but I still have questions. Some say plants some don't. Some say use already started substrate samples and filter samples, and god knows I am not going to be putting any of that multicolored nonsense in my tank from the one I have started!. Also reading alot about Bio-Spira. The thing is some people claim the "real" bio-spira was discontinued and no longer available. Is the "replacement" still a valid option?

Blah! I am clogging your thread with my questions. BEAUTIFUL tanks!

JB


dizzcat
 
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am

by dizzcat

I have no experience with a fish-less cycle. There are many here who can walk you thru that. I stared with a 20 gallon my son gave me. When I got a 10 I used filter media from the 20, then when I got the 30 I did that again, plus some decorations. Same as when I started the 55, but with that I just moved everything from the 30 to the 55.

Play sand is what I use as substrate. I buy it at Lowes for $2.98 a 50 pound bag. Just rinse it VERY good! It is called Quikrete Premium Play Sand. The woman at Seascape can recommend a product to help speed up the bio in the new tank. I used it in my new 10 and it worked pretty good. I cannot remember what it was tho.

Sand is real good for Cory's and cichlids, since they like to sift thru the substrate. I think it looks natural, since rivers and lakes have sandy bottoms.

To make you feel better I will put a pic of my first tank, when I first set it up 2 years ago. This is the 20 my son gave me. It is now the 30 planted in the first post. After about a week of looking at it I shuddered and thought "what was I thinking??" LOL I had always wanted a natural one after my kids had the colorful, fake ones when they were kids. I went to the store and got plain gravel and green plants. Dumped the colored gravel and most of the fake plants and went with a river type gravel and driftwood and rocks. Hit reply and be prepared to shudder LMAO!
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give_it_all_
 
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:11 pm

by give_it_all_

Wow your style in tanks has changed! lol The ones you have set up now look excellent though! I have a lot to learn :D


dizzcat
 
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am

by dizzcat

Thanks for the complements everyone. The set-ups I have now are what I had always envisioned. I finally got it that way after much reading and researching, asking many questions, looking a a million pics of other peoples set-ups.

When I first set up the 20 gallon, I went to the store and just bought what I knew from when my kids were little. The bagged gravel, the fake plants, the fake decor. We all start somewhere. Usually with what we know. :-)


JB20High9473
 
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 5:21 am

by JB20High9473

Wow Dizz that did the trick! hehe

At least my wife and kid didn't want the pink stuff! On the up-side I hope in two years time I am where you are with your tanks!

The Planted tank is finally the way I want it!

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