2 feet tank rejuvenation

**whatthefish** · 14th Jan 2015, 14:47

Dear friends

Sharing my rejuvenated tank.
Refusing to give in to the first attempt due to BBA, partly caused by my frequent rescape attempts, leading to ammonia spikes. Not having a chiller then did not help either.

Now, I have gotten a chiller and many testkits to ensure I am on the right path and not relying on my instinct (think positive but wrong usually).

Here goes:

Tank: 2 x 1 x 1.5 feet
Substrate: ADA Amazonia / La Plata
Rocks: Volcanic and grey river rocks

Photoperiod: about 4hours (initial stage of cycling)
Chiller set at: 25c
CO2: 1bps

Plants: Mini Fissiden, US Fissiden, Mini Pellia, Wassertang, Mini Bolbitis, Anchor Moss, Anubia Nana / Petite, Java Ferns?
Lifestock: Yamato (6), Oto (2), L183 Starlite (1), Wine Red (4). Maybe some Galaxy Rasboras.

Planning to have the plants/mosses secured on rocks, so will minimise the chance of ammonia spikes if I need to rescape (hopefully not).
Having a great time tying the loose mosses to the rocks, with ugly threads (wonder why my wife's sewing kit does not have black thread??)
Trying the different way of tying the US Fissiden : securing the base and let the rest of the body sway in the water current.

Feel free to comment.

1st week: (cycling and 50% water change by my hardworking wife, as I was travelling, a capful of the STABILITY after WC)
I know it may be a tad over-planted but I had purchased too many anubias / mosses so might as well just leave them inside and absorb whatever extra nutrients the ADA soil has to expend.

20150104-WA002711.jpg

2nd week: (water change stops, to force ammonia spike!)

According to the Tropica 90days new tank guide, I was supposed to add Yamato's to help with the algae bloom which may occur.
Alvin at AC kindly advised to remove the grey river rocks, if I am going to add shrimps.
So 1 more week of holding back adding any livestock...

20150104_1910361111.jpg

3rd week: going to start weekly 20% WC hereafter, no major algae issues - credits to the cleaning crew

Multiple tests have shown good water parameters:
PH: 6-6.5
TDS: 80 (a bit low)
Ammonia: almost zero (surprising, despite no WC for 1 week, maybe the STABILITY really works)
Nitrite / Nitrate: almost zero

Gonna take my chance and add livestock.
In goes the Yamato's, Oto, L183...

2 days passed, no casualty. Feeling a little adventurous... in goes the 4 Wine Reds.
So far so good for 3 days. But checked that Nitrate is reaching about 10.

Maybe be good for a 20% WC... and hope the shrimps start to molt..
The mosses are doing well, but Mini Bolbitis (partial) seems to melting.

20150111-WA00131111.jpg

Till the next update..

Thanks for reading..

**sbladerz** · 14th Jan 2015, 15:56

Nice tank! I don't feel that it's over planted at all. Will look forward to more updates!

**jiajuen900** · 14th Jan 2015, 15:58

Very nice! Can't wait to see how it turns out once the tank matures and all the moss grows in.
Personally I would move the moss rock in the front right. I find it quite distracting.

**whatthefish** · 14th Jan 2015, 18:55

Thanks sbladerz and jiajuen900.

Good point JJ. Initially I wanted to see how the Fissiden will behave with the odd tying method. But I guess it's time to move them into the forest for turning out well.