Red's 55gal Planted tank

[RedIrocZ-28]

Here is my planted tank. After a long long time out of the hobby I finally got back into it. This is what it looked like just 33 days ago when I brought it home.

Here is how it looked a week later.

And here it is now, after a month.

My favorite fish, my Banjo Catfish.

And the Girldfriends Planted 5Gal Eclipse tank - Sunset and Regular Hygro, crypts, and some Java moss. Residents: 13 or 14 Endlers Livebearers. Never can count them.

 

[dorris]

So those little plants in the foreground with the brown under-leaves are a type of crypt are they? I think I like them I have been thinking of getting some for a while. Your tank is growing well. Do you have co2 and/or any fert? I liked the big flat rock you had in there originally. Why did u get rid of it? Did u get paranoid about it leaning on the glass? Should have had it upright I reckon, would have looked cool. Could put it upright in the space you have on the rightish side of the tank. Perfect spot for it. How many gallons is it btw? And how many watts of lightage do u have?

Btw, I think your g/f has the same phone as my g/f. Wierd. Her tank looks nice though. My g/f's tank needs a major re-scape atm. I bet you do all the work for her tank too though and she just feeds them when you're not there?

 

[infidsg35]

Hey What Kind of Sand is that? Where can you get it? Is it a real pain to work with? Thanx

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

That rock is actually just a large piece of driftwood I picked up in Little Bay De Noc under some limestone cliffs probably 10 years ago when I was a kid. I just didn't like it in there, took up too much space and was leaving the Anubius in a shadow. And yes the Brown leaves are a crypt plant.

The tank has I believe 90watts of lighting, and it is a 55 gallon aquarium. One Aqua-Glo bulb, 1 Tropical Sun bulb, and 1 Flora Sun bulb. I do not use CO2 injection at all, I just use a weekly dose of liquid fertilizer. The sand is regular beach sand washed of impurities and random stuff that was in it. I think it came from Lake Michigan. Very easy to work with. Not too fine and not too course.

The girlfriends tank, yes I do all the work heh. I thought that she would get a little more into it but she seems to just want me to do all the work. She's not very hobby oriented.

 

[kcooley]

where did you get all of those crypt wendtii from?? that is a grip, i would have to go to every pet store in MN to get that many

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

I got it all at a single store thats local to me. It was 3 bundles of probably 10-15 stems each. They were separated and planted individually for the most part, some were clumped for a fuller looking group. And the best part was they only cost me $12. The most expensive stuff I have yet purchased are the Aquatic Onion plants. They were $6 each. They seem to be thriving so far contrary to what I was told. Maybe I'll post up a more top view of the tank floor so you can see how much I have for plants.

 

[dorris]

It's lookin good. The banjo looks cool too. And the crypts. I realy think you should do something though with that gap you have in the scape. n/o, still looks cool.

What other fish are in there? Do u have a list somewhere?

My girlfriend is exactly the same. I don't think any females are very hobby minded. It's a wierd phenomenom.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

Ahh yes, the gap in the aquascape. I have a piece a piece of driftwood out in the garage thats getting ready to be placed in the tank. I really really hate to see a what otherwise looks to be beautiful tank only to see the heater element, and the filter tubes sticking everywhere. If I wanted to see poorly done aquascaping I'd look at a Saltwater tank with 4 powerheads dangling into the water. I am going to hide that Filter tube with a perfectly formed piece of driftwood and I haven't wanted to put anything in that spot in preparation for the final piece to complete the tank.

As for the fish:
9 Neon Tetras
6 WhiteClouds
1 Zebra Danio (leftover from cycling the tank... he didn't want to be netted apparently)
1 Banjo Catfish

 

[Aussie_hippie_2]

What area do you live in? Just curious because it sounds like you have a great LFS nearby.

 

[jennfier]

I don't think any females are very hobby minded. It's a wierd phenomenom.

Oi! Are you looking for people to jump down your throat with that comment ?! You need to switch out 'any female' with 'the 2 females I've ever met' (your gf & your mom). :mad2: FYI, there are a LOT of females on this board.

EDIT: Red, nice tank. Are those cryptocoryne wendtii brown ? The LFS around here stinks re plants. I got mine off of a member here and they're great. What's your LFS's name ? Do you have a different layer under that lake Michigan sand ?