Help with Arowana planted tank?

[Vican]

I'm thinking of setting up an arowana planted tank, probably at 5' with a built in overflow sump.

I know the CO2 loss will be quite great for the wet/dry, but I'm prepared to put the CO2 tank on high and also use plants that do not need so much CO2 injection but grow readily.

Am also thinking of using java moss sandwiched between plasting mesh for the background


I'm also thinking of not using base fertiliser, but putting jobe sticks as and when necessary.

Any suggestions for plants?

All comments both positive or negative welcomed.

Thanx
Just wondering if this will support tenellus or hair grass.

[vinz]

[] Hehehe. When are you starting your project?

This weekend, I'll be buying plants and planting my 6 foot aro tank. I'm sticking to vals, sagittaria, echinodorus, crypts, anubias, javafern and lotus. For stemmed plants, it'll just be H. Polysperma for now to suck up nutrients in the water column.

I'm still undecided of CO2, but looks like it might be necessary.

For base fert, I'm using J Arthur Bowles aquatic compost. If it works like D Walstad's theories, I shouldn't need boosters.

For the filter it'll be a 2250 supplemented with a spare 2231.

[lsz]

i dont know much abt plants

but i am concerned abt the high oxygenation of the water...even if your CO2 put to high?

your overflow is built in?
one way i can think of is to use a less powerful pump for the wet-dry. But you will convert the wet-dry to a fully submersed filter...your filter media will be always wet. the pump will not be strong enough to pump water fast enough to create the dry/trickle area.

much less oxygenation but meaning less bio capacity too.

but for a single aro it may just be enough.

[Vican]

Vinz
My tank not so soon leh. I'm still clearing my 3' to be posted for sale soon. Then I'll go place the order for the tank and it takes 2 wks for delivery. Then some more DIY lights and cycling of tank etc, will take 1 mth I think.

I'm aiding the cycling process by using my current 2235 that is running my 3' as an additional filter in the 5'

I'm keeping off nanas and javaferns as they don't grow fast enough and are likely to be algae traps.

Plants-wise, thought of using tenellus, watersprite, lotus, amazon swords etc. Thanks for the info.

BTW, what arowana are you getting? any lobang?

Where are you getting your tank made?

I'll be making my tank from this simei tank maker shop. Got the quote a few weeks ago, 5' cabinet, 12mm glass tank with internal overflow, costs $1400

How about you?


LSZ, I only have enough money after the tank to keep 1 aro...hahahah....and only RTG...

[Vican]

but i am concerned abt the high oxygenation of the water...even if your CO2 put to high?
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Isn't high oxygenation of the water good for the aro? suppose to lessen chance for gill curl right?

[vinz]

Vican,

Got my tank plus cabinet, 2x6' lights and Ehiem 2250 for under $1K secondhand. Previous owner upgrading to a 10 foot aro community tank.

I've been planning this tank for months too. Only have my weekends to work on it. Still got to DIY convert my lights from fl to pl, also this weekend.

Nanas and JF should be ok combined with fast growers. Actually, JF is a fast grower given the right conditions. Its roots which is above the substrate should be nutrient suckers.

Same here for the aro. Going for a juvenile RTG. Lobang, I don't have, but hopefully LSZ will bring me around LFS/fishfarms to check out some arowanas. []

Will you be putting in the usual algae crew?

[kelstorm]

based on the plants from pet safari which LSZ and i had seen, seems that aro planted seems to use low lights plants.. like java moss, java fern and nana.. u might want to consider this..

[lsz]

depends on speices

some look better under lower light conditions too

if too bright fish like RTG cannot pull it off

[Vican]

Vinz,
Even though I don't have a tank to house the aro yet, but I've been looking around.

The best looking RTGs are from Panda and DFI. Just let you know the market price for the RTGs before discounts

Panda Golds (RTG x Crossback hybrid) -$498 at C328 and Panda farm. But found that ProPet (Tampines blk 201)also has Panda Golds @$380 (only 2 pcs left)

DFI RTGs: so far, only know Tampines Blk 801 @$380.

DFI RTGs are high backs, meaning the gold might hit the 5th level, even 6. But because Panda Golds are hybridised with x-back, there is a chance that down the road, the adult might be a cross back (gold hitting 6th level)

I'll be putting in some SAEs, maybe a puffer. If not, some clown loaches to get rid of the snails. The 4 yamatoes in my 3' tank will also go into the new tank. Looks like they will be aro food sooner or later though.

[Vican]

One worry is that without a chiller, how to bring down the temperature of a hooded tank!?? Not too sure if Fans will be good enough

[loupgarou]

low light cos strong light will cause arowana to get drop eye. (cos it averts eyes from the high lighting.

[vinz]

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On 7/19/2002 9:47:54 PM

One worry is that without a chiller, how to bring down the temperature of a hooded tank!?? Not too sure if Fans will be good enough
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Keep the hood open. I also understand that aros do not need the water to be so cool.

Remember though to put glass covers between your lights and the tank. You don't want your arowana to touch the lights if they jump.

[vinz]

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On 7/19/2002 9:19:32 PM

based on the plants from pet safari which LSZ and i had seen, seems that aro planted seems to use low lights plants.. like java moss, java fern and nana.. u might want to consider this..
----------------

I'm aware of that, so I sticking to low to medium light plants.

[Vican]

1) How to keep your top open? the aro will jump out right?
2) will glass filter out any light from the light source?

[vtec]

Hi Vic,

To reduce the CO2 loss, u can put a thick layer
of floss in the wet-dry.

Rgds

[vinz]

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On 7/20/2002 1:13:15 AM

1) How to keep your top open? the aro will jump out right?
2) will glass filter out any light from the light source?
----------------

Errmmm... is your lights the nice ones with glass/plastic under it or is it exposed? If its covered, then the aro won't get electrocuted. Then you'll have to keep your aquarium cover closed.

Keep the glass clean. Light loss should be minimal.

[Vican]

I'm thinking of DIY for the lights, 6x FL tubes onto the hood. I'm just worried about the heat problem. Vinz, how are you going to solve the heat problem? I think I don't have budget to get a chiller. If I do have, I'll get a red instead of an RTG...hahahha


So, have you got your plants today?

[vinz]

If u diy the lights, then you better make sure the arowana can't jump into them.

As for my tank, I do not have a hood. I have glass covers over the tank and the lights are suspended above the tank. This should keep the tank cool enough.

Yep, got me plants today. Haven't finished planting yet though.

[Vican]

Vinz, doesn't the glass cover trap heat as well? I have a wall mounted MH light for my 3'. If I can reuse that for the 5', it'll reduce a lot of my cost.

I'm also worried for my 3mth old son because I worry that some day he might try swimming with the aro in the tank if it doesn't have a hood[]

Can you take a picture of your 6' tank and glass cover and email it to me at

[email protected]

?

Thanks a million...have fun planting

[vinz]

Hmmm.... yes glass does trap heat and so would your hood cover. With the hood, the lights, which also generate heat, are confined in the same enclosed space. With the lights outside the covers, the lights are outside the enclosed space and does not contribute directly to the heat.

I also find that with glass covers, the natural evaporation-condensation cycle and the extra moisture under the covers keeps temperature down. However, condensation on the glass covers can mess with the light penetration. Yet to see the effect on my tank as I only filled up the tank and started the filters last night.

As for your 3 mth old son going swimmming with the aro... be it hood or glass, your tank is still covered, right? Where is your tank, is it that accessible to a toddler? (I assume you're more worried about the time he is able to walk/run/climb?) Anyway, I have a 6 mth old son and I hope I can get it into his head (when he can understand 'no') that if he messes with daddy's fish tanks, he's gonna be a very sorry young man.

Will take the pics tonite.