My 3ft Planted Tank

[kohanson]

Hello all, I started this tank on 1st Dec 2012 and decided to post some specs and photos here to share with everyone.



Tank Specifications
3 x 1.5 x 1.5
Eheim 2217
Aquazonic T5HO 2x39W
Photoperiod 7 hours, 4pm - 11pm daily.
CO2 with OceanFree Dual Gauge Regulator. 1bps running with same timing as photoperiod.
Water changes every 2 weeks and top up of 1 pail every alternate week.
ADA Amazonia Soil
Dosing of Seachem Flourish once every week
Never used any test kit since the day i started this tank.

Fauna
18 Cardinal tetra
6 Rummy Nose Tetra
1 Norman Lampeye Killiefish
6 Ottocinclus
1 Halfmoon Betta
3 Horn Nerite Snails

Plants
Java Fern
Java Fern Narrow Leaf
Java Fern Winderlov
Java Moss
Glosso
HC
Anubias nana
Anubias Bartegi
Rotala Green
Bucephalandra Alamanda Dark
Bucephalandra Biblis Pink
Bucephalandra Velvet 4
Bucephalandra Sekadau
Bucephalandra Solid Blue
Bucephalandra Velvet 3
Bucephalandra Lamandau Purple
Bucephalandra Black carpet
Bucephalandra Biblis Blue
Bucephalandra Blue Centipede

[Laversiner]

That's nice! Can I ask whether can your betta gets along well with your cardinal tetra?

[blackhorse]

Very nice tank !

[kohanson]

That's nice! Can I ask whether can your betta gets along well with your cardinal tetra?

Thanks! They do chase each other once in a while like once or twice a week. The cardinal tetra loves to nip at the beta's tail and the betta will attack back. The betta also loves to disturb the ottos. So far no casualties.

[flick]

Beautiful aquascape!

I started mine on the same date as yours too! But it's not so beautiful like yours:/

What's the temperature of your water? I can't seem to grow moss at 29 degrees.

[Atham]

Nice tank. Thanks for sharing.

[David]

@kohnson...that is a beautifully scaped tank. I love to see it again once the foreground plants have covered the substrate. Incidentally do you have a layer of protein film on the surface? I noticed you are not using a surface skimmer.

[kohanson]

@Flick: Thanks! My temp is between 28 and 29 degrees. I am running with a ANS cooling fan with a ikea timer. The fan is on for 30 minutes and off 1 hour when my lightings are off and is on for 30 minutes and off 30 minutes when the lights are on. I do this as the fan runs a little hot after 30 minutes and evaporation rate is high if i on it for 24/7.

@Atham: Thanks.

@David: Yes, there is a layer of protein film and I just planted the Rotala yesterday afternoon. Therefore some of the leaves are floating around. I do not have any surface skimmer. You got any make or model to recommend or how to prevent it?

[bluebubbles]

Look like Amazon forest floor. If you add shrimps, the betta has to be out.

[David]

Problem with surface skimmers is that the bottom inlet is somewhat in the middle is the tank which makes it inefficient to pull in minute debris. Second all that I see in the market looks like crap! The only one that I see that has some standard is a prototype in GC ...but not clear glass....

[flick]

@Flick: Thanks! My temp is between 28 and 29 degrees. I am running with a ANS cooling fan with a ikea timer. The fan is on for 30 minutes and off 1 hour when my lightings are off and is on for 30 minutes and off 30 minutes when the lights are on. I do this as the fan runs a little hot after 30 minutes and evaporation rate is high if i on it for 24/7.

I see. Thanks for your temp info. Your moss looks great, they've been there since day 1?

Maybe I'll put my fan on timer too. Now I leave it on 24/7, I have to top up 12-15L every 4 days.

I'm following your thread. Please post more pictures soon. I would like to see your HC carpet. I tried twice, but they don't thrive in my gravel base:/

[kohanson]

@bluebubbles: yeah I think so. I tried amano shrimps and once awhile, the betta will try to nip at the shrimps and they keep hiding.

@david: yah, seems like there are no glass skimmers at this moment. Guess I will have to scoop up the leaves once a week.

@Flick: Yes, the moss were there since probably first month as I slowly buy the moss in loose form and some were tied to the driftwood while some Were tied to mini driftwoods which I bought at seaview. Some were tied to lava rock when I bought. The carpet grass are mostly glosso and only a small part of them are HC on the left. I have tried growing HC 2 months ago for 3 times and all failed as I did not pump CO2 previously. The HC also floated as I could not find ADA Amazonia powder and they were too expensive. The glosso managed to pull through but were growing extermely slow and up. I just started CO2 1-2 bps about 2 weeks back and can see the glosso growing at about 3-4 days per 2 leafs plus roots! I will try to post weekly photo updates.

[flick]

@Flick: Yes, the moss were there since probably first month as I slowly buy the moss in loose form and some were tied to the driftwood while some Were tied to mini driftwoods which I bought at seaview. Some were tied to lava rock when I bought. The carpet grass are mostly glosso and only a small part of them are HC on the left. I have tried growing HC 2 months ago for 3 times and all failed as I did not pump CO2 previously. The HC also floated as I could not find ADA Amazonia powder and they were too expensive. The glosso managed to pull through but were growing extermely slow and up. I just started CO2 1-2 bps about 2 weeks back and can see the glosso growing at about 3-4 days per 2 leafs plus roots! I will try to post weekly photo updates.

Thanks for your info! Your tank is so inspiring... makes me want to go tie some moss.

I look forward to your photo update. Please put some close ups if you can especially your lovely buce collection.

[milk_vanilla]

Problem with surface skimmers is that the bottom inlet is somewhat in the middle is the tank which makes it inefficient to pull in minute debris. Second all that I see in the market looks like crap! The only one that I see that has some standard is a prototype in GC ...but not clear glass....

Raised your outlet lily pipe till water surface, let them splash the water the whole night (non photo period). It will benefit your aerobic bacteria with rich o2 and remove the surface protein. It might troublesome for some reason, i didn't do it every day. Just when it necessary.

Sent from Tapatalk 4

[benjidog]

Nice scape.

You can try to install a skimmer or add some surface plants to absorb the protein film.
Run the cooling fan 24/7. The Java fern should do better if temperature below 28C.

[AQMS]

@bluebubbles: yeah I think so. I tried amano shrimps and once awhile, the betta will try to nip at the shrimps and they keep hiding.

@david: yah, seems like there are no glass skimmers at this moment. Guess I will have to scoop up the leaves once a week.

@Flick: Yes, the moss were there since probably first month as I slowly buy the moss in loose form and some were tied to the driftwood while some Were tied to mini driftwoods which I bought at seaview. Some were tied to lava rock when I bought. The carpet grass are mostly glosso and only a small part of them are HC on the left. I have tried growing HC 2 months ago for 3 times and all failed as I did not pump CO2 previously. The HC also floated as I could not find ADA Amazonia powder and they were too expensive. The glosso managed to pull through but were growing extermely slow and up. I just started CO2 1-2 bps about 2 weeks back and can see the glosso growing at about 3-4 days per 2 leafs plus roots! I will try to post weekly photo updates.

@ kohanson - there is actually a very nice glass overflow from japan .Brand name Mame design.
Here are the youtube link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8v342-GKE3s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaYnAK3Rz-4
Expensive stuff....
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/chanet/item/60952/

[David]

And obviously have to order online....and wait for it to come. Good info...

[kohanson]

@flick: ok!

@milk_vanilla: ok, going to try raising my lily pipe tonight.

@benjidog: Thanks! I tried running 24/7 and the evaporation rate was quite high. Therefore I decided to on the fan every 30mins, off 30 mins and so on.

@zerofighterx101: Thats a nice overflow system and it is expensive! But I think my canister filter will not like it unless I install a sump.

[AQMS]

yes, it is very expensive so far the only way to get it is online.
But super nice to look at....

[anu182]

Very nice. Once carpet grows, will look great!!