First Tank.

[Ben555]

Hi all,

Happy New Year.

I would like to share with the folks in this forum the planted tank that I have setup 3 months ago. A bit reluctant after seeing all the nice tanks from you guys, but what the ……, just do it.

A BIG thank you to a number of guys here that have given me advice (you know who you are)

For first timer, I have experienced lots of fun and frustration (even till today) and I can anticipate a lot more coming

Have put in a number of fishes because my kids can’t wait…….. and now they want MORE !!!!! (I think this is a continues process)

The tank has brought in lots of fun for my friends & family. Hope you like it too….

Here is the picture.



Here is what I have got for the tank:

Tank: 120 x 50 x 50 N30 tank
Light: ATI (2 hours 4 tubes, 4 hours 6 tubes, 3 hours 4 tubes)
Keeping it clean: Eheim Pro 3e 2076, Eheim Pro 3 2075
Keeping it cold: Teco TR20
CO2: Quite a lot of bps with NA external reactor
Water Chemistry: Did not test, so don’t know. But fishes are happy.
Substrate: ADA Amazonia I, Special Powder
Fertilizer: Seachem (thinking of changing but don’t know what)
Plants: Let me see if I can remember: Bolbitis heudelotii, Japanese Hairgrass, Echinodorus tenellus, Cryptocoryne wendtii, Spiky moss, Layer moss, and a bunch of others (will update once I can recall them)
Fish: Cardinal, Sunset Tetra, Black Phantom, Blue Emperor, Red Phantom, Slver Tip, Otos, SAE, Snails, Yamato.

Current Frustration:
Algae is under control but not clear (don’t know if I can ever do that)
Water is not Crystal clear (wife is complaining after seeing tanks from shops & farm)

I will try to post more pictures if I have more development.

Regards
Ben

[o2bubble]

Nice and using 2 pro3e filters with very good circulation. Btw, it takes time for BB to build up in the water and filters for water to be crystal clear, just be patient!

[zonkkie]

Ya, very nice! I will dream to have a nice big and flourishing tank like yours. I don't think your wife has any cause for complaining! Maybe you should bring her to the shops with "uglier" scapes to lower her expectations.

[Ben555]

Thanks O2bubble and zonkkie.

O2bubble: Actually it is 1 Pro 3e and 1 Pro 3 , I will try to tell my wife to be patient to get crystal clear water. .
zonkkie: Thanks for your advice . But because I have the tank in the living room and used nice examples to convince her for me to have a tank in the middle of the living room. She is expecting the same result as what she was shown by ME. Guess it is my own doing

[Fuzzy]

Wow your tank looks great!

You sure this is your first try? hehehehe.

[yongquan86]

hi.. nice tank you have there.. do you mind if i ask how much your bought the pro 3e for?

[Ben555]

Thanks Fuzzy. Yap it is my first tank. As I am engineering trained, I am suppose to be square and process orientated So I spend a few months checking wth folks in the forum, readup and did a draft of what I want to do with my tank.Finally ordered the tank, start getting the equipment and got the ball rolling.

Yongquan88. I would prefer you send me a private message and I will reply you there. Do not want to talk about $ in this thread.

[blue33]

Well done Ben.

[reveru]

Hi! Very nicely done tank! I think the arrangement of the driftwood is quite natural Do you happen to have pictures of your setup? It would be great if you can post them up to share with others too.

[shrimppaste]

hi Ben,

very very very nice tank. Would the plant making up the background be cyperus helferi? Thanks!

[k3nlim]

may be some Bioearth might clear up the water abit?

[Ben555]

Thanks all,

Adrian, thanks a lot for your advice and help

Reveru, so sorry, not that pro, I just put everything into the tank, arrange the driftwood, plant and then fill it up with water. Have a lot of issues as it is the first time during the setup. The last thing that cross my mind is to take pictures. I will try to do it for my next tank

Shrimppaste, I don't think it is cyperus helferi, it should be Vallisneria spiralis.

k3nlim, thanks, how does Bioearth work to clear the water?

[Ben555]

Hay Mike,

You have filled in the blank perfectly Dare not put it in as I have only 2 green leafs, not like 5 red leafs of yours . Write wrongly will get ejected by the moderator

Thank you for your compliment.

[blue33]

The plant you have is not so demanding plant unlike stem plant which need lots of light. Your lighting can cut down to below,

Light: ATI (2 hours 4 tubes, 4 hours 6 tubes, 2 hours 4 tubes)

You should be able to see algae slowly gone.

To get fast crystal clear water, you can use carbon media for 1-2 week(after that stop using it) and change the white wool, i believe from your initial setup until now your white wool is not replace yet. Dont worry on your carbon media taking away the nutrient, is just a temporary media, your soil should be able to provide enough nutrient at this time, the plant roots will absorb the nutrient from the soil, at this time the rooting will take place first.

Note: As plant grow massive, nutirents supply has to increase.

[Blue Whale]

It's not blue. It's black. The electronic thermometer can shift to the side, nearer to the wall which will not obstruct the view. Anyway, that black thingy can throw away. You need to -0.5C from the readings most of the time. Not accurate, I just threw that off few days back but I harvest the LR44 cell battery. I got another one that is more accurate.

[Ben555]

Thanks a lot for all the advice.

Adrian: I will reduce the light timing to see if I can get the algae to go away. As for the carbon media, will experiment it on 1 filter to see if will get the water to clear. Can I say that the carbon media will accelerate the clearing process, even if I leave it as it is, it will get clear eventually?

Mike: By adding the dark corky backdrop, will it make it more complicated? I am thinking of planting some other plants to hopefully make it less bare. By the way, will I need to clear all the stuff in the tank to add the corky backdrop? I think I will try not to do anything major at this moment.
As for the green pipe, it comes with the filter. I thought green is better as it is the same colour as most of the plants. Will see if black is better. Thanks

Blue Whale: Will either shift it or remove it. Thanks.

[blue33]

It will clear over time, depending on how you manage it. Carbon will react very fast, that might make your wife very happy. 3 months should have make the clear water already.

[Ben555]

That is also my concern.

3 months seems to be quite a long time

Not sure if I have sone anything wrong that prevent the water from getting clear.

[Blue Whale]

oh don't worry.

1. Bring wife go walk market more. As fog coming soon so will your wife's vision be blur. Meantime don't bring her to farm ^^Y Yeah.
2. If green pipes eye sore, DIY using clear pipes which LFS will sell. You need to get joints and White plumbing tape a bit. Don't stick them as later on you can replace them part by part piece by piece if the algae is unbearable. Hey...it will still become green with algae, only slower.
3. Thermometer line can follow the reactor or behind the reactor for taking cover.
4. I want to suggest control the lightings but Adrian (Blue33) already covers it.

[beetroot]

that's a lovely tank, Ben! another motivation for me to do better... hee! thanks for sharing.