My 2 Planted Tanks

[nh5]

Finally putting up some pics of my tanks.

My 10 Gallon Planted:

Dwarf Sagittaria, Water Sprite, Micro Sword, Lutea Pieces, Cardinal Plant Piece, Octopus Plant, Purple Cambomba piece, Dwarf Hairgrass, Java Moss

5 Cardinal Tetras
1 Gold Ram
3 Glass Catfish
1 Albino Cory
1 Oto

Equipment: Penguin Mini Power Filter, 50 Watt(old whisper heater or something), DIY Co2 system(working pretty good), Nutri-Grow(i think 15 watt flourescent) Made my own led light setups with a bunch of ultra bright 10mm blue leds

Pics:

At http://g3fx.net/fish/10gal/

36 Bow Front Planted

Sagittaria Pieces, Giant Hairgrass, Amazon Sword(a bit messed up wondering if i should trim some leaves off??), microsword, Brazilian Hornwort, Java Fern, Cambomba.

4 Silver Dollars - They don't eat my plants :)
1 Red Hook Silver Dollar - He doesn't eat my plants either
2 Gold Severums - They occasionally tear at my plants but theres too many now I think so they gave up
2 Geophagus Jurapari - 1 is New!
1 Clown Loach(im getting another)
1 either 5 or 6in Snakeskin Gourami(looks like a blimp to me). - New!

Equipment: Coralife Plant Grow Fxiture 65watt CFL & Glass Canopy, EHEIM Proffesional II 2622(something like that), 200w Stealth Heater, Red Sea Turbo Co2 Bio System. Made my own led light setups with a bunch of ultra bright 10mm blue leds

Pics:

At http://g3fx.net/fish/36gal/

Any Ideas on what may do good and what will do bad or suggestions. Thanks.

[gupman]

I dont really have any suggestions but nice tanks...

[nh5]

any one have ideas for more light in the 10? what is everyone else using for like 2 to 3 watts per gallon in a 10?

[Rbishop]

I would go with at least two watt/gallon....but I would also adjust the stocking qty/mix.

Regardless of the plants, that load is somewhat limiting on free space.

[midiamin]

Yeah, trim the big leaves from the amazon - one at a time, each time a new leaf comes in.

[nh5]

should i take the whole stem off on it or the leaf?

i am seeing some new growth at the base

[gatotsu77]

There are a few suggestions I'd like to make regarding the stocking of the tanks, but I'm going to stay away from that one for now. I assume you understand the basics, and that if you needed assistance deciding what should stay and what should go, you'd ask.

As far as the pictures go, I think you caught on later on in each photo session that you needed a much faster shutter speed to capture the fish without having horrible motion blurs. What kind of camera were you using? (or is that a camera phone?)

The tanks look really nice to what I can tell. The plants seem to be doing well, and my first comment aside, the fish look healthy.

[ChunkyMonkey]

Plants look healthy, and I agree on the camera blur. If you're still having issues with blurring, place the camera on a steady base(either a tripod or a shelf). Otherwise, isn't a 36 going to be too small for a second clown loach, or even the 1st one?

I wish I could plant mine, but my stock lights suck

[gatotsu77]

Plants look healthy, and I agree on the camera blur. If you're still having issues with blurring, place the camera on a steady base(either a tripod or a shelf). Otherwise, isn't a 36 going to be too small for a second clown loach, or even the 1st one?

I wish I could plant mine, but my stock lights suck

Why not change out the lights for something that would promote plant growth? I got rid of the 2 24" 15w fluorescents that came with my 55g, and got a 2x55w 48" light fixture. (its actually using 2x40 watt bulbs, as that is the only wattage available to me in 48" fluorescent tubes, but I'm running a 130% overdriven ballast, which to my understanding is like running 55 watts into the 40 watt tubes... its effing weird, but based on what I've talked with others about it, its effectively 110w of light on 55g of water.)

[ChunkyMonkey]

Either you're speaking french, or you're talking dirty to me, lol...I'm looking at those conversion kits for the stock housings already. I was just waiting until I finished getting settled into the new place. You have a link to where you bought your fixture from?

[Reefscape]

Nice looking tanks you ahve there...

Niko

[nh5]

i got a plant growth bulb for the 10 but some plants just arent making it. These plants are mostly new they just came a few days ago so I'm trying to see what will happen I got Co2 in both tanks. I'm using a canon digital camera. I don't even think this thing has settings for shutter speed. Most of these fish are around 4 years old now in the 36 and are very healthy. gattotsu77 what are your stocking suggestions? I know the 10 is a little crowded.

Also I think i'm gonna stick with one clown loach I didnt find out until reciently how big clown loaches get.

[gatotsu77]

You have a link to where you bought your fixture from?

Sorry bud, I actually bought mine in-store. I've tried to find one online, but thus far, have had no luck. :-\

I'm using a canon digital camera. I don't even think this thing has settings for shutter speed.

I'd be surprised if a Canon didn't have the ability to modify the shutter speed in full manual mode. I use a Canon 300D (digital slr) so I'm used to adjusting everything myself. Try playing around with the camera in manual mode and see how things turn out. You just might surprise yourself. :) A few quick pointers about going to manual mode. The faster the shutter speed, the less motion blur, but the more light you need. The slower the shutter speed, the less light needed, but the more blur you get with motion of any kind. The higher ISO speed, the less light needed, but the image will appear more grainy. (vice versa for lower ISO) Lower F-Stops give you a more shallow depth of field, and allow you to take faster images in the same amount of light. (or images in darker situations) Higher F-Stops gives you greater depth of field, but requires much more light. Give this a try and let me know how it turns out. ISO 800, F3.5, (if you can, if not, 4.0) and somewhere between 1/30 or 1/40 of a second. I have no idea just how bright your tank lights are, so that mixture may or may not work.

Also I think i'm gonna stick with one clown loach I didnt find out until reciently how big clown loaches get.

They do get quite large... I have 3 in my 55g tank, but I've already decided that once they get to be roughly 5-6" each, I'll be giving them to someone with a much bigger tank and either getting more babies, or getting a smaller species of loach. (perhaps some angelicus or zebra loaches) With only one, you likely won't see him too much until he starts to feel more comfortable in the tank, and even then, he may be very stressed out, lack vibrance, not eat well, and perhaps even develop Ich. (these are all just possibilities... there's also the possibility that he'll do just fine on his own, be very vibrant and active, and be very playful... its tough to say definitively)

gattotsu77 what are your stocking suggestions? I know the 10 is a little crowded.

I worry a little bit about the 3 glass cats in the 10. I'm no expert, so I should consult planetcatfish.com, but don't they get to be roughly 4" each? At that size, they might start munching cardinals.

My bigger concern is with the stocking of the 36, and please, take everything I say with a grain of salt. Its all just opinions. Only you can decide what is right for your fish. I'm just here to offer my opinions. :-) I'm going to say that the 5 silver dollars might get a bit bigger than you're expecting, roughly 6" each. Most gourami species get relatively large too, frequently in the 3-4" range. The severums will grow to be 8" each roughly, and if I'm not mistaken, they can be quite territorial. The Jurupai will grow to 9-12" each, and are also supposedly territorial. I suppose what I'm saying is that though those fish might look great together now, and all be of sizes that are compatible with your tank, in a matter of months, they will probably have grown to sizes which will be causing you quite a bit of trouble. I need to leave for work for now, but I'll get back to you about this again later. :-)

[Dwarf Puffers]

I agree with Gat, just want to add that sevs can even get 10", clowns grow to at least 12", some a huge 16" (few and far between, though), and need groups of 4. The jurupai, I think, can get agressive, besides their large size. A 6" gourami seems a bit much in a 36g too.

What I would do is have the 10g stock in the empty 36, 4 glass cats (4" average), 6 albino cories, 3 gold rams (1 male/2 female), 3 otos, and 8 cardinals.

Everything else besides the gourami, IMHO, need a 75g+, bigger for the jurupai and the clowns.

[gatotsu77]

Argh... my computer crapped out while I was typing this last time... hopefully this one posts. I'm gonna agree with Dwarf Puffer on the new stocking of the 36, though I have an idea of what I personally would enjoy for you too. (just my opinion, feel free to take my advice or totally ignore it :-P) I'd go with 4-5 albino cories, 1 gold ram, 1 dwarf flame gourami, 3-4 otos, 5-6 cardinals, and 4-5 harlequin rasboras. I think it would produce a nice mix of "schooling fish," "centerpiece fish," and still have a playful and active group on the bottom. I'm not sure about the gouramis you presently have, as I believe they get fairly large, but if you are set on getting gouramis, there are a few species that stay small. Dwarf flame, honey sunset, pearl, and a few others whose names aren't coming to mind at the moment. With gouramis, keep in mind that males will harrass females housed in the same tank, especially if its a single male and single female. (I had to learn the hard way)

[gatotsu77]

I just realized I neglected to say anything about the 10g tank. I'd go with something like 4-5 rummynose tetras and a half dozen amano shrimp. :-) (curse these crummy work computers!! argh! this is the 3rd time I've had to type this one)

[gatotsu77]

One last thing I figured I should mention, I wasn't intending to imply that clown loaches only get to be 6". :-P They frequently grow to 12-14", and hold the potential to get to be 16" each. That's why once mine get to be 5-6" each, I'll be looking for a new home for them, as I don't want to harm them by not providing them with an adequate home. (I'd love to upgrade and keep them, but I simply can't with my current living predicament)