20 gallon long build

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Fish_Bone

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Jun 14, 2012
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Samual
I use to have a planted 10 gallon tank in my bed room and I shut it down when my plants grew out enough to put them in my 30 gallon breeder tank, I also wanted the 10 gallon for a Aquaponics project. Well since the tank has been down I have found myself missing it. I decided that it was time that I get a 20 long and set it up for a fish that I have wanted for a while, mikrogeophagus ramirezi. While I wanted to do a biotope, but for a variety of reason, choose to only sort of follow their natural habitat.

I am using the following to set this tank up:
20 long tank
Tahitian moon sand
Eco-complete
Malaysian driftwood
Granite cobble stones

Flora:
Marsliea hirsuta -water clover
Anubias Barteri var. Nana 'petite' or Anubias Nana Golden
Microsorum Pteropus 'narrow leaf' -java fern
Limnobium laevigatum -Amazon Frogbit

Fauna:
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi -Blue German Ram x2 (breeding pair if possible)
Melanoides tuberculata -Malaysian Trumpet snails x6
Nannostomus eques- Brown or diptail pencil fish x 10

As for lighting, I haven't completely decided which I should use. The lights from my current setup (13w Micro CFL 6500k clamp lights) or a AHsupply replacement strip light setup.
Maybe I will just upgrade the bulb and use the same reflector...
Once I have decided the lighting I can decide on whether to use DIY Co2 or buy fluval's 88 kit.

I have already plasti-dip sprayed the back and sides of the tank. I am going to get plastic risers for the rocks to sit on as well.
I plan to start this tank emersed. I want to give the clover time to gain good roots and spread before adding the others and filling the tank. I plan to "mow" the clovers down, after they have spread and are ready, to encourage new growth immersed.


Well it is 2a.m. here...If I forgot anything i will fill it in when I post some pics tomorrow.
 

Fish_Bone

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Jun 14, 2012
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I finally have taken a few steps in the right direction to get this tank going. I have a victor 2 stage regulator coming, along with a stem and nut for Co2. I found a killer deal on it.
I recently setup my hardscape. I just ordered 5 anubias petite and should have them by the end of the week. I have one java fern narrow...I need 2 more. I have yet to order the clover or the crypt undulata's.

But here are a few pictures to show the progress so far.
Photo03092004_1.jpg
Photo03092043.jpg
I have a bigger piece of DW I was thinking about trading the small piece for. I also will be ordering a branch like DW for the open area sometime soon. I may smooth out the sand and push the excess towards the Big DW to make my Hill bigger or more full looking...the small rocks are just setting where ever they go for now.

Photo03092004_1.jpg Photo03092043.jpg
 

Fish_Bone

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Jun 14, 2012
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Well I have to change what I said about ordering more drift wood soon...I just did via Manzman. I cant wait to get it!!!

IMG_3463_zpsa6d97e05.jpg

IMG_3463_zpsa6d97e05.jpg
 

ktrom13

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Feb 4, 2013
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Kyle
Sweet pickup. Cant wait to see this build come along!

Sent from my SGH-T989 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

JAY973

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Dec 24, 2005
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I'm definitely a fan of rams and the diptails are one of my favorite pencils. Are you doing long fin or short fin GBRs? Long fin GBRs kind of get lost in a community tank and you'd worry about fin nippers but in a dedicated 20L like this I think it will give it an extra pow... =)

but I'm not picky looking forward to this come together...
 

Fish_Bone

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Jay I plan to get short fins. Today is a big day for this tank.

I am going to plant the petite anubias and add water to the bottom. I will test fit the new branch when it gets here today.

I have almost a full week wait for the clover still...stupid website ordering rules. "Must order before Sunday to get them shipped Wednesday, if it is after Sunday they will ship not this Wednesday but next." what a crock, LOL. They better be in AWESOME condition is all I can say.

I will post pics If my new phone comes today too. I dropped mine and broke it, so I have a moto X on the way.
 

ktrom13

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Feb 4, 2013
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Jay I plan to get short fins. Today is a big day for this tank.

I am going to plant the petite anubias and add water to the bottom. I will test fit the new branch when it gets here today.

I have almost a full week wait for the clover still...stupid website ordering rules. "Must order before Sunday to get them shipped Wednesday, if it is after Sunday they will ship not this Wednesday but next." what a crock, LOL. They better be in AWESOME condition is all I can say.

I will post pics If my new phone comes today too. I dropped mine and broke it, so I have a moto X on the way.
I noticed you ordered a nice piece of manzanita. Hopefully it fits in well with everything else.

I never heard of longfin/ short fin GBRs but it sounds like the long fin would add a bit more to this dedicated tank. Btw, have you found where your going to buy your pencils yet?

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Fish_Bone

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Jun 14, 2012
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IMG_4883.JPG

Well here is the new DW in place as I had imagined. I have to say I was worried about buy DW over the interwebs. You know see one pic get some random piece...But Manzman is great to deal with. It was packed well, it arrived completely intact. I have to give credit to manzman for helping me decide on this piece based on the tank size, he assured me it would fit and boy was he right. I could not be happier. I just need to figure out my rock situation now...



Kyle, I was planning on using http://www.wetspottropicalfish.com/index.php/fish. Do you have a better source?

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