My 1st planted, the process...

[nicklimzhiwe]

Yo people.. I'm here to share with you guys my 1st planted tank.. This is the costumed tank from Wee Yang.. Sweet right.. Haha.. Pardon me for the lousy camera phone image.. Trying to get my bro's camera to take some photo..

Here is the tank, filled to the top and with my driftwood anchored down for sinking.. Water is a bit cloudy, likely due to the ceramic rings I have in my canister filter..

I will try to update this thread every step of the way.. Stay tuned..

[Shadow]

...... no substrate?

[nicklimzhiwe]

Haha.. Of course there will be.. For now, I'm trying to sink the wood.. Gex soil (Dark Green) and river sand going in soon..

[Biotopeshop]

Do you have a centre brace for your tank? Do avoid putting stem plants below, they will grow sideways to catch the light. Do add lots of beneficial bacteria to clear the water faster.

Best regards

Thio

[Shadow]

Haha.. Of course there will be.. For now, I'm trying to sink the wood.. Gex soil (Dark Green) and river sand going in soon..

it may take a month before it sink . My suggestion is to tie rock under it and buried it under the substrate

[Biotopeshop]

it may take a month before it sink . My suggestion is to tie rock under it and buried it under the substrate

Sometimes, we stick it on a flat slate using aquarium silicone, then place it under the substrate.

[Shaihulud]

Sweet looking tank, hope to see it planted.

[Mr.Oink]

Why is it on the ground? Will be tough to admire right?

[himyick]

I hope there is a layer of cushion between the tank and floor, can't really tell from the pic though.

[nicklimzhiwe]

Yes there is.. Black rubber mat.. Not the regular foam sheet.. I think it will work better than the foam..

Sinking the wood, I would prefer to do it the old fashion way.. Like it to sink naturally..

And admiring the thing is easy.. Haha.. I just lay a mattress down on the floor, then sleep beside it.. Before closing my eyes I see my tank, and the first thing I see in the morning is also my tank.. Wouldn't that be sweet? Haha.. At least, that is what I would like, can't said that its for everyone.. And not to mention that maintenance, setting up and the eventual scaping and re-scaping of the scapes will be also a whole lot easier..

Oh yes.. BB.. Shall get some toman meat to throw inside to rot tomorrow..

And Thio, the display haven't set-up?

[WiNd08]

Yes there is.. Black rubber mat.. Not the regular foam sheet.. I think it will work better than the foam..

Sinking the wood, I would prefer to do it the old fashion way.. Like it to sink naturally..

And admiring the thing is easy.. Haha.. I just lay a mattress down on the floor, then sleep beside it.. Before closing my eyes I see my tank, and the first thing I see in the morning is also my tank.. Wouldn't that be sweet? Haha.. At least, that is what I would like, can't said that its for everyone.. And not to mention that maintenance, setting up and the eventual scaping and re-scaping of the scapes will be also a whole lot easier..

Oh yes.. BB.. Shall get some toman meat to throw inside to rot tomorrow..

And Thio, the display haven't set-up?

i like this idea

hope to see it get planted soon

[An2timun]

I just lay a mattress down on the floor, then sleep beside it.. Before closing my eyes I see my tank, and the first thing I see in the morning is also my tank.. Wouldn't that be sweet?

getting intimate with your tank huh? ..with passion will go a long way.. so get your fingers wet...err I mean start PLANTING..hehe

[Biotopeshop]

Yes there is.. Black rubber mat.. Not the regular foam sheet.. I think it will work better than the foam..

Sinking the wood, I would prefer to do it the old fashion way.. Like it to sink naturally..

And admiring the thing is easy.. Haha.. I just lay a mattress down on the floor, then sleep beside it.. Before closing my eyes I see my tank, and the first thing I see in the morning is also my tank.. Wouldn't that be sweet? Haha.. At least, that is what I would like, can't said that its for everyone.. And not to mention that maintenance, setting up and the eventual scaping and re-scaping of the scapes will be also a whole lot easier..

Oh yes.. BB.. Shall get some toman meat to throw inside to rot tomorrow..

And Thio, the display haven't set-up?

Our tank ah? Aiyah, coming soon, no ideas lah

[nicklimzhiwe]

Our tank ah? Aiyah, coming soon, no ideas lah

Hehe.. Waiting only me.. Waiting to "acquire" some "inspiration".. Haha.. But I have some plants in mine already.. And today, I'm going to disclose one.. The plant would be Blyxa Japonica.. I'm going to grow a bush of them.. To me, they are nice..

Another thing to update.. I'm quite pleased with my 2 fans.. They are doing a great job at cooling my tank.. 26.9 degrees.. Awesome I think for the workings of two fans..

Last thing is that I notice a good amount of dust particle are all those small little flies on the water surface and in it.. Sigh.. What can I do? This kind of things regardless on floor or elevated also will have.. Guess my house air too dirty already..

[AquaZinYaw]

External canister filters are gravity feed. It'll shorten life if you put it in the same level as the tank. BTW, why center brace so big huh? I'm not a fan of those brace and rim.. hee hee..

I'm also 1st timer and just setup the tank. Just wanna share with you. It took me around 20 days to fully cycle the tank (ammonia=0, nitrite=0) even with the help of bacteria culture. I put oto and amano shrimp too soon before nitrite become zero and 2 shrimps and 2 oto went to heaven. So don't put any creature before nitrite become zero.

[nicklimzhiwe]

External canister filters are gravity feed. It'll shorten life if you put it in the same level as the tank. BTW, why center brace so big huh? I'm not a fan of those brace and rim.. hee hee..

I'm also 1st timer and just setup the tank. Just wanna share with you. It took me around 20 days to fully cycle the tank (ammonia=0, nitrite=0) even with the help of bacteria culture. I put oto and amano shrimp too soon before nitrite become zero and 2 shrimps and 2 oto went to heaven. So don't put any creature before nitrite become zero.

Haha.. Cycling wise.. No problems for me.. I'm going to take my own sweet time.. And its true that gravity some how plays a part.. I mean, after priming, the filter with the tank on the floor would have a tougher time sucking in water, as there is less gravity to aid it.. But I guess the same could be said for the one with the tank elevated.. It would have a harder time pumping water into the tank due to the same gravity, not to mention the extra tubing needed.. My guess, either way the filter will die on you eventually, what more important is whether one would have the "know-how" to handle such cases when it happens, and whether then passion is there to push you on, cause its going to cost money and time and effort..

[nicklimzhiwe]

I just realised I forgotten to put up the specs of my set-up..

So here it goes..

- Tank [120cm(L)x60cm(W)X50cm(H), Wee Yang custom tank]

- Filter [Atman CF-1200 (1550L/hour flow rate)]

- Lighting [Hagen Glo Light T5HO, 54Wx2 Life-Glo 6700K]

- Filter Medium, from bottom up, tray 3 being the bottom most tray, 2 then 1 respectively [tray 3: Black coarse sponge & ceramic rings, tray 2: Bio-Home (white,1Kg), tray 1: fine white sponge & ceramic rings] (Do advice on lay-out of medium in relation to how the CF-1200 function if possible, or do all canisters flow the same way, sorry quite new to canisters..)

- CO2 [Pressurized 2L or 3L tank with diffuser or reactor, have not decided yet, but going to let lose at around 3-4bpm most likely for diffuser and 2-3bpm for reactor]

- Cooling method [ANS 12cm Cooling Fans x2, maintaining a constant temperature of 26.8 to 27.4 degrees now through-out the whole day]

- Substrate [Dark Green pack GEX soil 8Kg x4 & Fine river sand 5Kg x3]

- Hardscape [Consist of Red moor driftwood, slate stones and lave rocks] (I personally think I have too much lava rocks already.. But I do like the looks for things.. I like my scape rocky..)

Yup..! So that is my set-up.. Plants I have a list in mind already, and I have disclosed one already, Blyxa Japonica..

This post going to disclose another plant, this time a moss.. (Drums~~~) And the plant for this post is none other than Weeping Moss!

Haha!!! What a way to keep the thread going right? And keeping the readers guessing..

Of course, I do welcome recommendations.. Going to put Yellow Shrimps in this tank along with some Bumble Bee Snails.. Any plants that go well with the striking yellow (For the shrimps, striking after some selective breeding) of this 2 fauna? Keep the posts coming in man!

Cheers!

[WiNd08]

bro, do remember for now it's rainy season that's why your temp can hover around 26-27degrees.. once the hot season comes, water should be around 29degrees, sometimes may even hit up to 31!!

[nicklimzhiwe]

bro, do remember for now it's rainy season that's why your temp can hover around 26-27degrees.. once the hot season comes, water should be around 29degrees, sometimes may even hit up to 31!!

Yup.. Will keep it in mind.. But the weather nowadays crazy one yar? This rainy season sometimes rain like crazy, sometimes hot like crazy.. And I don't believe I'm saying this, but my heck of a stuffy apartment is actually good for something, which is to keep the temperature constant.. No worries for me bro, I've thought of this long before hand and got a few thermometers and place them around the area near my tank for testing over this past year.. I wouldn't know if its a good thing, but my tank area the temperature has maintained at around the high 29 to low 32 degrees through-out the year.. Kind of hot for a living/dinning room yar? I've even have a log book once to note down the temperature.. But now that the tank is here.. No need for that anymore..

But who knows.. Maybe somehow, the temperature will really rise during the hot season despite my tank area the atmospheric temperature always being more or less constant.. Very annoying indeed.. Got to come my house feel it to believe it.. Can sweat just sitting there..

But oh well, time will tell.. No use worrying about it right? Most important is to take action if something really do go wrong.. Which I'm preparing for now.. Saving up for a chiller.. I mean its always good to have one of this babies.. Then can explore more exotic flora and fauna.. Definitely a must get on my list..

For now I'm more focused on showing all the wonders of tank-on-the-floor cooling method.. Cause I do believe it does help..

[nicklimzhiwe]

Haha.. Finally.. Added the first form of life-form into the tank!

5 Bumble-Bee Snails..