FishMagnet

Retired the other threads. This will now act as my log as the 75 is more or less in its finishing stages. The initial set up was done, the stocking is done, the "makeover" is done. All that remains is filling it out with live plants and the day to day observation, maintenance and enjoyment. The fish will be changing little. As I said before a few of the angels will be moving when they pair off and produce a batch or two of fry. I think I'll be moving the 4 albino Corys with them. The danios I never meant to keep in this tank permanently but it has become their home so I guess I'll let them stay.

Current stocking is a bit high.
8 Angles. (4 Black Veil. 1 Silver. 1 Silver Veil. 1 Koi. 1 Gold Pearlscale.)
12 Neon Tetras
7 Glowlight Tetras
6 Otocinclus Catfish
6 Peppered Cory Catfish
4 Albino Cory Catfish
4 Zebra Danios

Only future fish will be one of the smaller Plecostomus.

Tony G.

wow! do you have any pics of the whole tank?

FishMagnet

Just a few. Its always going to be a work in progress, but the...foundation is complete.

Feel free to make any suggestions.

The plants aren't in their final locations yet, except for the java sitting on the wood on the right of the tank. As they grow I'll be placing them in better spots. I think I'll be leaving a sword in the center between the two pieces of driftwood.

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FishMagnet

Temp 78
pH 6.8ish
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 20 - up quite a bit.
water change in the am. Planning at least 20gal, but I need to leave enough in the reservoir to do changes on the 49 and 29.

Added a few stalks of baby's tears and a bananna plant. So much for sticking with the South American theme. Oh well. I can always move them out and into the 49 as the other plants grow in.

mommybaby295

OMG this is gorgeous!

Amanda

You have a beautiful tank!

FishMagnet

Thank you Mommybaby295 and Amanda!

I think I'm a bit hard on myself though. Its never...good enough. I'm always trying to produce one of those beautiful tanks you see pictures of, and I feel like I'm always falling short.

Thank you very much for the compliments.

FishMagnet

Changed 20gal.
Cleaned up some plants, removed some lettuce that the Ottos haven't eaten.

The Anacharis isn't doing so well. Unsure of the Java Fern. Anubias is doing well. Swords...so so.

It has been years since I've kept a freshwater tank so its hard to judge the plant health. Theres not alot I can do about it regardless.

I worry that the 2 single bulb flourescent strips aren't enough light, but am sure that the 2 96watt compact flourescents are too much. I'd really like to get a new light but can't afford it atm.

I think the substrate is sufficient for all the plants. CO2 would no doubt help, but I believe with the current stocking level theres likely enough CO2.
Last I kept FW plants, and fish for that matter, I don't think CO2 was in use...probably was, but I had never heard of it. Wish we had had the internet back then.
As I recall, the library wasn't a whole lot of help in fishkeeping. Mostly trial and error.
I'm rambling...so successful maintenance completed for the day.

Oh! Called around to the local fish stores looking for some hair grass and java ferns...no luck. Those are the close ones, within an hour drive. Not sure of the others, but over the last week I've stopped into a few around town during/after work and noone has much in the way of plants.

FishMagnet

Noticed a neon with a white patch between the eyes and down onto his upper jaw. Not quite sure what it is. I'd remove him to quarantine but I'll never be able to catch him. He was staying by himself, eating, chasing off others.

Also, have only counted 5 ottos. But thats not new. Just wanted to document it as originally there were 6.

peacemaker92

Don't be ever so hard on yourself. Just know that great things always starts from small. So give it sometime and you'll get better as you progress The more you try, the better you become. Hope to see more of those beautiful tank photos. Well done!

FishMagnet

Put the large lights back on. The two 96watt fixtures supply approximatly 2.56 watts per gallon. Too much in general for most of the plants. Except that it sits an additional ... (without physically measuring it) 8 inches off the top of the tank. So, the height off the tank, going through the glass, and with floating plants I'll strategically place throughout, and one of the bulbs is dual daylight/actinic that should bring it down into the 2 watts per gallon level. I'm just guessing of course. I know the actinic will really only feed algae but its what I'm going with for now.

I felt the two flourescent strips weren't enough. At only 30 watts combined they fall well short and with a few of the plants looking thin and ragged I felt a change was necessary.

If I keep to the higher lighting I'll have to go with CO2 again...if I can get it to work anyhow.

FishMagnet

Found one of the Ottos dead, stuck inside the hard spine part of a piece of Romaine lettuce. He must have suckered his way down into it and gotten stuck.

I seem to be down to 3 now. Females only. Could just be the remaining male is hiding, but I can't find him.

aquarist48

Your tank is beautiful FishMagnet.
Ken

FishMagnet

Thank you aquariust48

FishMagnet

Added -
Ceratophyllum submersum - Tropical Hornwort. Need something that will grow a little out of control. This may be it.
Ceratopteris thalictroides - Water Sprite
Cryptocoryne Lucens
Cryptocoryne aponogetifolia

And had the guy from the LFS throw in some babies which we didn't know what exactly it is.
(Thanks to Butterfly I believe it is Ceratopteris cornuta)

Maybe I'll post some pics.

Ahhh and I found 4 Ottos. Not 3 like I thought. So, I have 3 females and a male.

FishMagnet

Current. I'm impatient for the plants to grow. The future of the aquascape depends on that growth. I'll pull the plastic out of the back as the live grow and can tank the place of them.
Back left is the Anacharis, Ceratophyllum submersum , Ceratopteris thalictroides, and Cryptocoryne aponogetifolia. I think the Anacharis and the Ceratophyllum submersum can take care of the background if it would start to take off.
The other Crypts and Swords can take the place of the large driftwood on the right side of the tank as I'm thinking of standing it upright in the 49 and moving the smaller piece from it to this tank.

Note the fake plants floating at the top center right. Helping to give the small Java Fern and Anubias some shade from the higher lighting.

I'm going to redo my DIY CO2. This time putting it down below the tank with a short tube from the 2litre directly into the intake tube of the Filstar XP. Not sure how I'm going to make this modification yet.

I STILL need to find a way to cool off the light. This model has an integrated fan but will only run if using the HQI lights. I've thought about cutting the leads to the fan and splicing in a transformer so as to plug the fan directly into the timer for the lights but dont want to permanently modify that light as I'd still like to sell or trade it for a less intense light.

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FishMagnet

A few pics of the Angels. Its awfully hard to get pics of the blacks...

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Butterfly

Angel in the second pic down looks to be a pearlscale. Beatiful! Good job with the tank.
carol