Jay's Planted 180g Tank.

[JAY973]

Well here are some still pics.

FTS (peek behind the curtain my retro fit 80w T5HO the lights are on a timer for 6 hrs.)

Left -I've been to lazy to put the bundle of plants on craigslist so it's just floating at the moment, but you can see the area of nana petite I 4x8 inch area I melted when I left it in a bucket overnight with excel. It looks like a plant weight display at the moment but there is signs of new growth.

Left Center

Right Center

Right

The video didn't do the Discus justice so here are a few there's only two in the tank.

 

[ROYWS3]

Great photos Jay

 

[stephybabe88]

I just started my venture into a fully planted tank. This is some serious motivation for me! This might be repeat qurstion, but I skipped a few pages in the middle. What is your stock list? For my own knowledge, what is your maintenance routine, ferts, co2, etc? (broad question I know. Just wanna pick your brain a bit, if you don't mind sharing your secrets )

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[JAY973]

Great photos Jay

Thanks, I should've clean both sides of the glass 1st =)

I just started my venture into a fully planted tank. This is some serious motivation for me! This might be repeat qurstion, but I skipped a few pages in the middle. What is your stock list? For my own knowledge, what is your maintenance routine, ferts, co2, etc? (broad question I know. Just wanna pick your brain a bit, if you don't mind sharing your secrets )

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Welcome to the ride... since this is all about sharing I'd be happy to share. I'm sure there a better more efficient ways of accomplishing what you want so don't put to much stock into the info. Water chemistry out of the tap could easily mean a totally different set of rules for you.

Fauna - (Tetra) Rummy nose, cardinals, fire, black (Cleanup crew) Bushynose pleco, ottos, RCS, Japonica, (Main Attraction) Discus =)

Hardware - Retro fit kit's 4 80w T5HO staggered to cover the 6 ft with 5 ft bulbs on for 6hrs. Pressurized Co2 with controller and mazzie injector. Overflow/wetdry (easier to clean than my canisters dispite the degassing draw back is minimal in my case)

Schedule/Ferts - Mineralized soil capped with soil master select, 50% water changes 1-2 weeks, Kno3 1tsp, Po4 1/4tsp, CSM+B 1/3tsp 3 times a week

 

[JAY973]

Well sadly I had to break down the tank for my move and I new there would be some risk but losing my Discus was painful. I also lost many of the higher demanding plants because my Co2 tank ran out before the move. So now I'm just slowly nursing it back while I try to figure out how to balance the tank with my new water source which is harder out of the tap. I was closer to a neutral PH now I'm almost an 7.8 - 8. I was able to salvage some of the easy growers but it has still been a royal pain battling bba, gsa and hair algae. It took me a few weeks just to get the c. parva cleared up I've only started working on this again since 12/20 still has a long way to go.

FTS as of earlier this week.

It wasn't a total loss this is what I started with 12/20 what was saved.

 

[ROYWS3]

It might be in one of the twelve pages of this thread, but it's easier just to ask - what's the grassy background plant?

 

[JAY973]

It might be in one of the twelve pages of this thread, but it's easier just to ask - what's the grassy background plant?

No worries, the plant is Vallisneria americana and it's a love hate relationship as is the case for me with most plants that propagate with runners. It's been a plant I commonly use as a background especially sent I don't paint or put anything on the back of my tanks. I have a little bit more luck packing them in close together at least initially from sending runners then in a couple of weeks your battle begins. The wall of V. americana besides being my background provide shelter for shrimp and fry sense they can move more easily in the dense grass.

I've tried Cryptocoryne balansae but that's to think a leaf for what I've wanted and I am just now experiementing with Cryptocoryne spiralis and this one has more potential see how it goes. All of these get tall they'll lay across the surface if I let them and that's over 22". (24 Cyperus helferi is another if a background plant is your interest.

 

[Zardra77]

Sorry about the discus loss, but as always your tank looks great. I am sure it will fill back in nicely!

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[THE V]

A yes the joys of moving. I lost a whole tank years ago when I moved from Oregon to Minnesota. It will take some time but you'll recover. Your tank will probably recover before you do after losing the fish. With the higher pH you may have to change your stocking and plant selection.

I did find a way to control vals however. You just have to put a big sword in front of them to shade out any of the runners. Wide rocks also help to fence them in. Anybody know what to do with a couple of amazon sword that have 24" leaves? The fish are starting to have a tough time navigating in my tank.

 

[JAY973]

Sorry about the discus loss, but as always your tank looks great. I am sure it will fill back in nicely!

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Thanks.

A yes the joys of moving. I lost a whole tank years ago when I moved from Oregon to Minnesota. It will take some time but you'll recover. Your tank will probably recover before you do after losing the fish. With the higher pH you may have to change your stocking and plant selection.

I did find a way to control vals however. You just have to put a big sword in front of them to shade out any of the runners. Wide rocks also help to fence them in. Anybody know what to do with a couple of amazon sword that have 24" leaves? The fish are starting to have a tough time navigating in my tank.

I'm definitely living with the sadness everytime I look at the tank and yes I'm not one to fight water chemistry I did the R/O thing for a few years. I'm not stocking with pricey fish either. Platys, Columbian Tetra, GBR, Sterbia, ottos, bn pleco, shrimp and a pair of apistos is my current stock list.

Swords are great if you have the room I had a queen marble sword 24" x 30" root ball the size of a small soccer ball. When I sold it I had to put it in a garbage bag it was huge... good luck rehoming yours.