Ct 5ft planted tank

[ct13]

Dear all,

I had decide to go for wood & rock scape instead of previous plan rock scape, as not easy to find big nice rock so far.

Manage to drain out the water and do some cleaning, add in the Lapis sand mix with aqua clay & ADA II soil.

After filling up the water, adding 2 rocks & Japonica. Still find the 2 side are quite empty, will get some Japanese hair grass to fill up the left side of the tank with one medium size rock.

All comments are welcome to improve my scape.

Regards,
Ct

Tank Dimensions (LxWxH, specify units): 5ft(L) x 21/2ft(W) x 21/2ft(H)

Lighting Intensity(No of Watts) : 4 x 80W 10k Kelvin
Number and type of Lighting (FL/PL/MH) : T5
Age of light bulbs : 1 years
No. of hours your lights are on : 8hrs

CO2 Injection Rate (bps) : Nil for the moment
Type of CO2 (DIY/Cylinder) : NA
Method of Injection (e.g. Diffusor/Reactor) : NA

Liquid fertilisers Used: ADA Brighty K, Seachem Equilibrium
Fertilization regime: 10 ml per week (K), Equilibrium (When change water)

Other fertilisers (Product name. E.g. Root Monster) : Nil

Other additives (Product name. E.g. Seachem Prime) : Nil

Type of Filter: 41/2ft Under sump, Pump (Atman 107)
When was the filter last washed : Just washed 2 days ago
Filter media used : Bio home, bio home plus, bio stick type, Mr Aqua CR, Japanese matt, wool.
When was the media last changed : 2 years ago, wool changed 1 months ago.
What was changed : Nil

Age of setup (i.e. since initial setup or last major re-do ) : 2 days

Water change frequency : Plan Once a month, but top up water daily.
Amount changed : 10 – 20%

Water surface movement (None/gentle/turbulent) : Turbulent (Due to fan)
Circulation (None/gentle/turbulent) : Gentle

Tank Temperature : 28’C with 2 fan on 24/7.

Chemical Properties (Fill what you can)
-------------------------------------
KH (dKH): 3
GH (dGH): No idea, face problem seeing the colour change.
pH : Currently 7.8pH, plan to bring down to 6.8pH
NH4 (ppm): Never test
NO2 (ppm): Never test
NO3 (ppm): Never test
PO4 (ppm): Never test
Fe (ppm): Never test

Bioload (Number and type of fish and plants)
Fish: Start with 20 Sakura, 5 oto, 50 small fishes.

Plant: Japonica, crypt wendtii green, crypt wendtii topica, crypt balansae, crypt balansae brown, Weeping moss, Errect moss.

Future plant: Crypt bullosa, Crypt Keei. Japanese hair grass.


Tank Cleaning


Scaping


water filled


Add Rock


Add Japonica


Please help to improve it.

Thanks in advance
Ct

[Panut]

i suggest putting some stones between the white sand and the Soil so that less soil will "polute"/"stain" the white sand.

otherwise, great job

cheers,

[bryan]

Gasp! Such a big tank and no echis in there? Blasphemy!

[zenscape]

There is great potential in the layout. Perhaps bigger bogwoods and rocks would bring in more balance in the scape.

[leeruisheng]

Yeah I felt that the driftwoods are a little too small for such a huge tank.

[jasonc]

Wow! What a big tank, still plenty of space to decorate. Get some bigger sizes drift wood, and some fast growing plants to cover the background.

[Verminator]

Great potential for some larger plants at the back, plants that would otherwise drown out a 3ft or maybe 4ft tank!

Maybe some small and larger pebbles around the open space with HG growing between them? Would look quite like a river bed.

[ct13]

Dear all,

After seeing all comments, I also feel the DW is a bit too small. Or maybe the background plant not grown to cover up the back space yet.

Anyway, I did a rescape just now. Back ache now...

One problem face now, water very cloudy. Hope the filter start to kick in fast.

Will post the rescape soon

[Verminator]

Pogostemon Gayi would look simply beautiful in a tank of this size mate, certainly a great background plant if you get itchy feet

[ct13]

Pogostemon Gayi would look simply beautiful in a tank of this size mate, certainly a great background plant if you get itchy feet

Will look out for it, thanks!!

[ct13]

Just rescape last night. Bad back ache now...

Comments & advise please!!

Sorry for the poor quality picture.

[Mizu World]

For an aquarium of this size, it's too sparsely planted.

If you are planning on planting heavily, the growth will minimize the effect of your hardscape even further.

You should really consider getting more appropriate sized driftwood and cover up the large open space with more plants or hardscape. Currently, the open field is a potential algae magnet.

[ct13]

For an aquarium of this size, it's too sparsely planted.

If you are planning on planting heavily, the growth will minimize the effect of your hardscape even further.

You should really consider getting more appropriate sized driftwood and cover up the large open space with more plants or hardscape. Currently, the open field is a potential algae magnet.

Thanks Ben for your advise, will source for bigger DW & backdrop plant.

Ben, your office is in the Woodland?

[Jervis]

This tank has the potential of becoming a really great tank... as suggested by others... your tank needs wood of appropriate size to fill up nicely. Since your tank is already running... try to get those dark wood (aka ADA wood) as they will create far lesser havoc to your tank right now. If you are afraid of algae attack (which will come anytime soon)... get a large amount of floating plants

All the best and I'm sure your tank will be inside ADA 2009

[ct13]

This tank has the potential of becoming a really great tank... as suggested by others... your tank needs wood of appropriate size to fill up nicely. Since your tank is already running... try to get those dark wood (aka ADA wood) as they will create far lesser havoc to your tank right now. If you are afraid of algae attack (which will come anytime soon)... get a large amount of floating plants

All the best and I'm sure your tank will be inside ADA 2009

Thanks for your pointer bro Jervis, I will let the plants & water to settle down first. As most of the plants are very weak as water condition are bad.

Meantime, I will source for bigger Black wood.

For the back drop plants, should I go for Balansae, Rotala rotondifla or Pogostemon Gayi

Thanks,
Ct

[Panut]

Mizuworld has large quantities of ADA wood, you can check them out.
Ben's service is very good.

cheers,

[rbt]

Thanks Ben for your advise, will source for bigger DW & backdrop plant.

Ben, your office is in the Woodland?

Hi ct if you click on Ben's web link it should have his address.

[ct13]

Already contacting ben, thanks all for the lead.

[Verminator]

Just thought i'd elaborate on some plants to add, thought of a few more.

1) Pogostemon Gayi
2) Pogotstemon Stellatus
3) Didiplis Diandra
4) Cyperus Helferi
5) Cryptocoryne Balansae
6) Echinordorus Urruguayensis
7) Gymnocoronis Spilanthoides
Hygrophilia Corymbosa
9) Ludwigia Glandulosa


I envy the space you have within this tank. You can create something truely magnificant within this space. Those plants i've just named are certainly what i would have in there, probably in bigger quantities - having them grouped to grow into an amazing foray of big, beautiful plants.

[ct13]

Just thought i'd elaborate on some plants to add, thought of a few more.

1) Pogostemon Gayi
2) Pogotstemon Stellatus
3) Didiplis Diandra
4) Cyperus Helferi
5) Cryptocoryne Balansae
6) Echinordorus Urruguayensis
7) Gymnocoronis Spilanthoides
Hygrophilia Corymbosa
9) Ludwigia Glandulosa


I envy the space you have within this tank. You can create something truely magnificant within this space. Those plants i've just named are certainly what i would have in there, probably in bigger quantities - having them grouped to grow into an amazing foray of big, beautiful plants.

Thank you so much again for your help, had take down all your input and will start looking at the plant.

Had spoken to Ben a while ago, very helpful & friendly person!!