Finally re-starting my 72g bowfront!

[myswtsins]

So everyone was tired of watching the Mbunas chase and torture each other after a few years, which means I get to setup a new tank without having to actually get a new tank! Parents wanted peaceful, I wanted planted, perfect!

If you are interested in orgins of the this $65 steal of a tank (and the work I put into it including DIY canopy, re-seal and re-finishing the stand), check out THIS thread.

What it used to look like.....

3 months of mental prepping and we are ready to start! Tonight I got the substrate in and a rough draft hardscape.

Substrate - Osmocote Plus sprinkled on bottom, ~2" oil-dri (wet from recent rinsing), topped with old SMS/eco-complete (85%/15%). I was determined to get enough dark colored plant substrate without spending a lot! You'll notice a trend of cheapness through out this journal.

Hardscape - Still needs tweaking, comments welcomed! Manzanita wood and moss rocks

In this blank spot will go my needle java fern when the tank is officially setup.

Looking a little rough from neglect but it's the best java fern I have ever had! (lol just noticed this shot has every species in my 40 breeder, even a RCS which I only have 2 of!)

And what makes working in this tank a pleasure instead of painful!!

I also filled the tank to keep the wood soaking (already boiled, soaked and ran it through the dishwasher and the whole right side still floated up!), installed a Rena XP3 with DIY inline reactor/heater.

Plans....
~Overall - Low light-high tech. Why? Slow but healthy growth and reduced maintenance plus I already have the pressurized CO2 so why not use it!?
~Install lights - 2 55 watt ahsupply lights about 23" from substrate with automated red sunrise and blue moonlights.
~Maybe plumb the reactor with PVC or change the barbs at least, pictures tomorrow to explain.
~Hookup CO2
~Finish building my automatic fert dosers and set them up.
and whatever else there is to do!

Next update may not be for another week or so when I get my plants. Until then please send me some feedback and feel free to ask questions.

 

[green_valley]

AMAZING set up. :drool: I can't wait for more pictures.

 

[aXio]

Looking very good far. Can't wait to see how this progresses.

 

[unseenone00]

looks great!, only thing I see as a problem is how you layered the substrate. You should remove both layers up againt the front glass and add just the top layer substrate there. It'll look like a solid substrate for the whole tank. Just a quick double penny for you

 

[myswtsins]

Thanks for the comments. The substrate will be mixed together at some point anyway so I am not too concerned about it...although as soon as I stepped back to check the sloping I said "Darn it, I should have added an aesthetic border." I only separated it because it is two different things and I soaked the lower level in a stronger fertilizer solution than the top.

Non-pictured update!
Decided on plants and I think fish too. I was having trouble with my filter but I think I got it worked out. Still working on the auto fert system.

This is going to be mostly crypts, anubias and java ferns. 99.5% of the plants will be from Mgamer aka Bobs Tropical Plants (or the Water Spot King!) and Msjinkzd aka Invertabrates by Msjinkzd (or the Mohawk Queen!). Some of the plants, shrimp and fish I got from Msjinkzd YEARS ago, which is cool!

Livestock will again be mostly from Bob and Rachel.
12 Rummynose tetras (have 6)
50 Ember tetras (have 8)
12 Habrosus cories (have 0)
24 Amano shrimp (have 15)
20 RCS (have 2!)
2 BN plecos (have 2)
1 SAE (have 1 although it is only 2.75"???)

I have not had the best luck with embers in the past but I am giving them one more shot now that I think I have everything worked out. It may seem a little bottom heavy but the shrimp and SAE are always in the plants and the cories supposedly swim all over the place.

My first shipment of plants should arrive on Mon or Tues and then I plan to buy tons of stuff during MG's black Friday sale, woohoo!

 

[myswtsins]

Plants should be here tomorrow so I got everything prepped today.

~Got a semi final wood arrangement
~Installed 3ft 6 outlet power strip (I have 6 timers under this tank!) plus a power strip with just the filters and heater so I can turn them off at WCs with a simply push of a button
~Installed 2-55 watt AHsupply lights with sunrise and moonlights
~Re-plumbed my reactor with 90 degree barbs
~Installed CO2 tank
~completed 90% of the fert system
~Took the XP3 apart, cleaned and lubed every piece I could and replaced the saran wrap under the prime cap and I THINK I stopped the air being pulled in finally!


Let me start by reminding everyone how pretty the stand and DIY canopy look.

Canopy opened

Under the tank. Still need to mount the reactor, tuck a few wires up and make a better base for the filter than the "Are you smarter than a 5th Grader" box.

Progress on automatic ferts. The box attached to the canopy will hold one container and you can see the other one below. I am using what small pumps I had on hand to cut costs so it is a little awkward of a setup right now.

Wood! I think it needs more on the left side though and maybe some rocks in the base. Excuse the tannin water and dirty glass.

ANY comments on the stocklist or wood arrangement? C'mon I gave ya pictures this time!

 

[fishorama]

I like the wood! Stock sounds good except for 2 SAE. When I kept 2 in a 75g the bigger 1 bullied the smaller so I'd say 1 or 3+ (I know everyone says they're peaceful). But I did have 2 different ones live ok together for quite a while, they were almost identcal in size so maybe that helped.

 

[myswtsins]

Thanks. I am only stocking 1 SAE, sorry if that was confusing. I have also heard the same though, 1 or a group.

 

[myswtsins]

UPDATE

11/16 Planted. Pictures didn't come out though.

11/23 Received some GREAT wisteria from Jmrmotorhead! Re-arranged some plants, added some rocks

Happy stem plant (no water column ferts used yet)

Temp location huddle

C. Blassi throwing out new nice leaves

"The arch"

Bad news - I destroyed 3 yrs of anubias nana & petite! Forgot about them in the hydro peroxide and nuked em, couple leaves holding on for dear life but I lost over 100 leaves of petite alone. :sad:

Good news - Co2 seems to be working well, all the other plants are adjusting well, minimal melting, lots of new leaves everywhere etc.

I have a few more plants and a good size fish/shrimp order on their way. More fish then I should really add at once but I have a fully cycled XP3 to throw on there and with the extra plant mass I should be fine, will pick up a bottle of safestart just in case and have plenty of water ready for WCs.

 

[Rbishop]

Looks great!