75 gallon Planted Office Tank Journal

Dang, those barbs are so pretty! Wish I could fit a couple in my 10g.

Your mystery fish looks familiar but I can't think what it is... Sneakerfish!
 
I am sending off a list of fish I want quotes for from a local marine-only store that *might* order me from fancy FW fish along with her next order. I think this is the list I am going to send, let me know if any of these would be a BAD idea, due to fact that I will have heavily planted tank with co2, aggression, etc, etc. Of if you think any of these would be a GREAT idea...

rainbows:

Melanotaenia lacustris, "Turquiose Rainbow"
Melanotaenia trifasciata,"Trifasciata Rainbow"
Chilatherina bleheri, "Blehers Rainbow"
Apistogramma agassizi
Laetacara curviceps, "Flag Acara"
Apistogramma nijsseni "Nijsseni's Dwarf Cichlid"
Germans Blue Rams
Gold Rams
Wild Rams

I am liking most all Apistos and Rainbows, just dont know which ones will like me (and my tank). Any thoughts?
 
I think I am going to get the "External Reactor 5000 (EXT5000)" co2 reactor from www.aquariumplants.com, I just dont really want to get involved with a DIY project at this moment. I think this looks like a step up from the Aqua-Medic Co2 Reactor 1000, which is the other similar product I was considering.

Picture of this unit here: EXT5000

I have a eheim 2217, and on the return line to the spray bar, I believe it has a 1/2" inside diameter. If you think otherwise, let me know (I am not at the office today).

I also plan on giving the crappy red sea reactor 500 a chance when the plants arrive, but I just dont think it is stable enough to have it on a timer and expect that it will turn on an hour or two before I arrive. I have experienced with my own unit, and have read reports from other people, that this unit sometime will not create the tornado without being shaken, or disturbed, or fickled with. I say this is true 50% of the time when plugging it in.

I have some stuff coming in on Monday (tomorrow), so expect from new pics. I am also going to try and use my kids camera to take a tank shot, which the macro lens on my D70 just cant do in focus.

I also found this product on www.aquariumplants.com, has anyone used them to hold down stem plants, or hold stem plants togeather?

Professional Plant Anchors

I dont know alot about planting, so I will be doing some reading about this tonight.
 
plantbrain said:
Well, EC has nothing to offer really, ADA As or the worm castings, or DIY soil methods do. For many, it's too late once they are at this stage.
Regards,
Tom Barr
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I am re-reading some of the posts you made here in my tank log. I meant to get around to commenting about this quote above. Since I have purchased 160 lbs of EC, I have read this comment and at least one other refering to EC not being that great. I trust your experience in this mater completely, BUT, what I find interesting about it is that after lurking on these forums and reading a ton in the previous 14 months prior to buying anything, I universally read GOOD things about eco-complete, and people also backed this up with money, because I have read through a ton on tank logs here, and other places, that very often use EC.

I have read alot about MTS (mineralized top soil), but if you dont want to do DIY soil at this stage in the game (my first planted tan), and you dont want to pay a huge premium for Amanos stuff, are there better options for people than EC? I am asking this for the benefit of other people reading this thread, because as you aptly point out, there is zero chance I am pulling the substrate at this point in the game.

I can't attest to the mineral content of EC other than pointing at the bag label, but I can say I like the "look" of this substrate for one, and I also like the "feel", various size, etc. It sounds like what you are saying is that there is nothing wrong with EC (in the sense that it would be BAD for plants or fish), but that it doesnt have major benefits either. I wonder why if EC is not much better than just a simple blue colored stone substrate (like my kids tank :D), I wonder why so many people seem to think it is a must-have for a planted tank?

p.s. Is Amanos stuff really the cats-meow?
 
My ordinary pool filter sand mixed with Flourite grows plants pretty darn well.
 
geekpryde said:
I am re-reading some of the posts you made here in my tank log. I meant to get around to commenting about this quote above. Since I have purchased 160 lbs of EC, I have read this comment and at least one other refering to EC not being that great. I trust your experience in this mater completely, BUT, what I find interesting about it is that after lurking on these forums and reading a ton in the previous 14 months prior to buying anything, I universally read GOOD things about eco-complete, and people also backed this up with money, because I have read through a ton on tank logs here, and other places, that very often use EC.

I have read alot about MTS (mineralized top soil), but if you dont want to do DIY soil at this stage in the game (my first planted tan), and you dont want to pay a huge premium for Amanos stuff, are there better options for people than EC? I am asking this for the benefit of other people reading this thread, because as you aptly point out, there is zero chance I am pulling the substrate at this point in the game.

I can't attest to the mineral content of EC other than pointing at the bag label, but I can say I like the "look" of this substrate for one, and I also like the "feel", various size, etc. It sounds like what you are saying is that there is nothing wrong with EC (in the sense that it would be BAD for plants or fish), but that it doesnt have major benefits either. I wonder why if EC is not much better than just a simple blue colored stone substrate (like my kids tank :D), I wonder why so many people seem to think it is a must-have for a planted tank?

p.s. Is Amanos stuff really the cats-meow?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure Tom is referring to the amount of nutrients available in the soil for plants to use. Those he listed are high in nutrients so there would be less need for water column dosing of ferts.
 
I shelled out some money for a small bag of Aqua Soil:Amazonia for my 5 gallon. I seeded my filter with some media and the ammonia leeched from the AS:A did the rest. The tank cycled in 2 weeks. My plants loved it - dwarf sag never looked better, and my rotala macranda (which I've heard is difficult to grow) is super happy!

I don't think I'd ever use AS:A for anything but a nano tank... way too pricey. And if your tank is already set up, there is the problem of the leeched ammonia. There were workarounds to this (soaking in a bucket for a couple weeks), but really just a PITA unless you're starting from new.

I am curious about Fluorite Black Sand, as I have TMS in my 10g, and have been debating mixing in Fluorite or using root tabs.
 
moi-eater said:
I'm pretty sure Tom is referring to the amount of nutrients available in the soil for plants to use. Those he listed are high in nutrients so there would be less need for water column dosing of ferts.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that was what I was trying to get at. I think alot of people (including smart people here), assume or think that EC is high in "nutrients available in the soil for plants to use". Tom is saying otherwise (I think).

Tom, if you are still lurking in my little thread here, would adding a product like Flourish Root tabs help me out in this department, as a compliment to my liquid (soon to be dry) dosing?

If you use tabs, but prefer another product to Flourish, please let me know which tabs are worth spending money on.
 
fishycat said:
I shelled out some money for a small bag of Aqua Soil:Amazonia for my 5 gallon. I seeded my filter with some media and the ammonia leeched from the AS:A did the rest. The tank cycled in 2 weeks. My plants loved it - dwarf sag never looked better, and my rotala macranda (which I've heard is difficult to grow) is super happy!

I don't think I'd ever use AS:A for anything but a nano tank... way too pricey. And if your tank is already set up, there is the problem of the leeched ammonia. There were workarounds to this (soaking in a bucket for a couple weeks), but really just a PITA unless you're starting from new.
Click to expand...

Yeah, big $$$ and leeching issues, and hard(er) to get (fewer vendors), and expensive shipping, as I doubt ADA vendors let you ship 160 lbs for 8.00, like Dr. Fosters did. Still, I think I will try something else next time other than Eco complete just to see.
 
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