Emmanuel's 100g Tank
- Thread starter emmanuelchavez
- Start date
Thanks, I'm glad other people like my tank. I think it may have gotten my dad interested in planted tanks a bit. He saw my 15g still in my room empty, and he asked me what I was going to do with it. I told him I was going to put it into storage, unless he wanted me to set it up for him in the living room. He kinda liked the idea of it in the living room, we'll see what happens.I like that bare spot too, I think it's the sand. I'm removing at least 50% of it though, within the next week, or at least I'm hoping to. I'm going to do a substrate change, but I have to wait for the angel eggs to... "disappear." So far, it looks like only a few eggs were eaten. The angels are doing a very good job of keeping everyone away from the eggs, no one is allowed on that 1/3 of the tank in which the eggs are. I think the GBR's may have spawned again too, b/c they chase anyone that tries to go near the polysperma 'jungle' and were nipping at my fingers when I was trimming some of the polysperma for my 20g.
I got 3 bags of of pea gravel from home depot, I thought it was too coarse, and was considering getting some decomposed granite, which was finer... but I could tell there was pyrite in there, a definite no-no. Since I'm hoping to have a big "mound" in the center so that it keeps the DW in place, 3 bags is definitely not enough. Luckily, I didn't throw away my Eco/sand/gravel/laterite mix from my 20 gallon. I'll be adding that too, along with some more laterite. I'm definitely going to add some slopes toward the back in order to bring out the Hemianthus Mircranthemoides, and Bacopa Australis and Micranthemum Umbrosum. If that isn't enough substrate to make it 'slopey', I'll use some sand to make it "slopey" enough, then add a layer of ADA Amazonia. $26 a bag, I couldn't pass it up, I got 4
, granted, on the ADG website they're $28 each, but then add shipping... I wanted to keep a 'consistent' looking substrate, but I'm kinda excited about having layered substrates, it's stratigraphy!!! My fish will have to live in buckets and other containers for a couple of days though, since the amazonia releases ammonia, i'm going to have a mini-cycle. I'm confident that the 2 filters, and all the plants (mostly the hygro) will make it go quickly though.
I started the substrate switch today.
I've got the gravel/laterite mix in. The water is extra cloudy at the moment. I couldn't see myself washing 150 lbs of pea gravel. I'm letting the water filter for a couple of hours while I watch the x-files movie. If that doesn't clear the water very effectively by the time this movie is over, I'm going to drain it out and refill. Once I've got some clear water, I'll add the amazonia.
My fish are going to be living in buckets for a couple of days. : /
Anywho... back to my movie. I'll hopefully post pictures by the end of the weekend.
I've got the gravel/laterite mix in. The water is extra cloudy at the moment. I couldn't see myself washing 150 lbs of pea gravel. I'm letting the water filter for a couple of hours while I watch the x-files movie. If that doesn't clear the water very effectively by the time this movie is over, I'm going to drain it out and refill. Once I've got some clear water, I'll add the amazonia.
My fish are going to be living in buckets for a couple of days. : /
Anywho... back to my movie. I'll hopefully post pictures by the end of the weekend.
The water is still cloudy from the amazonia. I'm not entirely done with it. I've gotta go buy some more greens for it tomorrow.
Here we are, with the pea gravel/laterite mix on the bottom, and amazonia layer on top... I only used 3 of the 4 bags of amazonia. I'm saving that other bag for the 15g, my dad is actually pretty interested in me setting it up for him. All in due time though.
I placed that dw in a excel bath and scrubbed all (or most) of the algae off.
I then planted the Hygro 'Augustifolia' in the center, and back corners.
Then I planted Ludwigia repens in front of the hygro on the corners, and Ludwigia Glandulosa in the center. It's quite the magnificent plant!
Then came the Hygro Polysperma Rosanervig. I noticed in my previous set up that the sunset hygro nearer the center were greener, while the sunset toward the edges, where there's 'less' light were more pink. There's also some Hemianthus Micranthemoides in the back two corners... they're hard to see atm, but once they grow more and get bushier, as well as the water clearing up, they should be easier to see.
Then I added 150 stems of blyxa japonica. I had 210 stems, not including what I have in my 20g!!! I'm selling 50 of the 60 I didn't plant, so that I could buy some dwarf hairgrass for the remaining empty space in the front, and I'm holding on to 10 for someone, they know who they are.
Hopefully now that I added all my plants (with the exception of the regular hygro polysperma) the ammonia levels will start to decrease significantly. I want to add the fish back ASAP. They don't look too happy in their buckets (each breeding pair has their own bucket) or their rubbermaid container. My dad saw some gold rams today when I went to buy some more L. Glandulosa, and he really liked them, so if that particular LFS still has some in a couple of weeks, I'll get a pair for the tank.
I'll hopefully have another picture (with clear water and the dwarf hairgrass) within a month, once things settle down for me. This coming week I'm going to be busy trying to get ready for my trip, which I leave for next Sunday... Then I'm out of town a week, then I get back for a week and try to catch up with work and life, then classes start the week after that...
But anywho, comments?
Here we are, with the pea gravel/laterite mix on the bottom, and amazonia layer on top... I only used 3 of the 4 bags of amazonia. I'm saving that other bag for the 15g, my dad is actually pretty interested in me setting it up for him. All in due time though.
I placed that dw in a excel bath and scrubbed all (or most) of the algae off.
I then planted the Hygro 'Augustifolia' in the center, and back corners.
Then I planted Ludwigia repens in front of the hygro on the corners, and Ludwigia Glandulosa in the center. It's quite the magnificent plant!
Then came the Hygro Polysperma Rosanervig. I noticed in my previous set up that the sunset hygro nearer the center were greener, while the sunset toward the edges, where there's 'less' light were more pink. There's also some Hemianthus Micranthemoides in the back two corners... they're hard to see atm, but once they grow more and get bushier, as well as the water clearing up, they should be easier to see.
Then I added 150 stems of blyxa japonica. I had 210 stems, not including what I have in my 20g!!! I'm selling 50 of the 60 I didn't plant, so that I could buy some dwarf hairgrass for the remaining empty space in the front, and I'm holding on to 10 for someone,
they know who they are.
Hopefully now that I added all my plants (with the exception of the regular hygro polysperma) the ammonia levels will start to decrease significantly. I want to add the fish back ASAP. They don't look too happy in their buckets (each breeding pair has their own bucket) or their rubbermaid container. My dad saw some gold rams today when I went to buy some more L. Glandulosa, and he really liked them, so if that particular LFS still has some in a couple of weeks, I'll get a pair for the tank.
I'll hopefully have another picture (with clear water and the dwarf hairgrass) within a month, once things settle down for me. This coming week I'm going to be busy trying to get ready for my trip, which I leave for next Sunday... Then I'm out of town a week, then I get back for a week and try to catch up with work and life, then classes start the week after that...
But anywho, comments?
It just comes to me. Plus, I've spent countless hours looking at many tanks trying to get ideas and inspirations.
Thanks. I'm excited as this will be the first time I actually will be camping (Which is surprising for any geologist - the professors have insisted on staying at hotels as of the past few years), and I'll be in the snow! *BOUNCINGS I'm afraid I'll have a bit of a panic attack at one of our stops though. We'll be visiting the Carlsbad Caverns... and well, I'm claustrophobic. Spending a few hours down there should help me deal with it though, right? lol.
Thanks! I'd like to think it's an art. To be truthful, I have an art ability from my mother's side of the family. I used to draw a lot, but I stopped when my family kept ignoring my drawing and made my brother sound like he was Da Vinci, or any other major artist. I transferred that art ability into tanks. It's taken lots of practice though.
Plus, I've spent countless hours looking at many tanks trying to get ideas and inspirations. Thanks. I'm excited as this will be the first time I actually will be camping (Which is surprising for any geologist - the professors have insisted on staying at hotels as of the past few years), and I'll be in the snow! *BOUNCINGS I'm afraid I'll have a bit of a panic attack at one of our stops though. We'll be visiting the Carlsbad Caverns... and well, I'm claustrophobic. Spending a few hours down there should help me deal with it though, right? lol.
Thanks! I'd like to think it's an art. To be truthful, I have an art ability from my mother's side of the family. I used to draw a lot, but I stopped when my family kept ignoring my drawing and made my brother sound like he was Da Vinci, or any other major artist. I transferred that art ability into tanks. It's taken lots of practice though.
All is good! I've got a 1 year warranty, so I'm getting the tank replaced for free. I won't be able to exchange it until Friday though... so I'll only be able to work on fixing it back up Friday night and Saturday before leaving on Sunday.
I took my fish to an LFS and the guy is taking care of my fish for me for a few weeks, till I come back from my trip on the 11th of Jan. I kept my gbr's in the 29g. I asked the guy if I could get store credit for most of the fish... I'm going to change things up a bit. I'll for sure be keeping the bolivian rams and bnp's. I think I'm going to give discus a try. I won't be getting them until after the summer though.
Anywho, I've got to keep cleaning.
I took my fish to an LFS and the guy is taking care of my fish for me for a few weeks, till I come back from my trip on the 11th of Jan. I kept my gbr's in the 29g. I asked the guy if I could get store credit for most of the fish... I'm going to change things up a bit. I'll for sure be keeping the bolivian rams and bnp's. I think I'm going to give discus a try. I won't be getting them until after the summer though.
Anywho, I've got to keep cleaning.
This is what I had prior to the crack.
2 Bolivian Rams
2 German Blue Rams (breeding pair...)
5 Koi Angelfish (1 breeding pair)
24 Lemon Tetra
10 Oto (Yeah, I thought there were only 3 survivors.... turns out they're just stealthy ninjas)
3 BN Plecos.
I have the GBR pair in my 29g with my green neon tetra. The few cherry shrimp I have in there have now gone into hiding though... eh, w/e. it's all gravy. I'm going to keep them in there... They seem to like their new environment. The gnt form a tighter school now.
I'm taking this as an opportunity to change my stock now...
I was originally considering: 2 Bolivian Rams, 3 BN Plecos, small school of rummynose, and some discus... I'm reconsidering the discus though, until I've read everything there is to know about them... and I know I won't be traveling so much b/c of school... so... 3.5 more years before I can dedicate myself to discus.
The new stocking plan I'm considering now:
2 Bolivian Rams
3 BN Plecos
6 German Gold Rams (or 4 gold, 2 blue?)
50-60 Green Neon Tetra (They're really cool fish!)
I see some possible aggression between that many rams... hopefully, by the time I get the gold and/or blue, the tank will be 'lush' enough to provide enough space for territories. I'm afraid that by the time I get the germans, the bolivians would have set up territories, and it would be all out war (haha, sounds like gang wars).
Thoughts?
2 Bolivian Rams
2 German Blue Rams (breeding pair...)
5 Koi Angelfish (1 breeding pair)
24 Lemon Tetra
10 Oto (Yeah, I thought there were only 3 survivors.... turns out they're just stealthy ninjas)
3 BN Plecos.
I have the GBR pair in my 29g with my green neon tetra. The few cherry shrimp I have in there have now gone into hiding though... eh, w/e. it's all gravy. I'm going to keep them in there... They seem to like their new environment. The gnt form a tighter school now.
I'm taking this as an opportunity to change my stock now...
I was originally considering: 2 Bolivian Rams, 3 BN Plecos, small school of rummynose, and some discus... I'm reconsidering the discus though, until I've read everything there is to know about them... and I know I won't be traveling so much b/c of school... so... 3.5 more years before I can dedicate myself to discus.
The new stocking plan I'm considering now:
2 Bolivian Rams
3 BN Plecos
6 German Gold Rams (or 4 gold, 2 blue?)
50-60 Green Neon Tetra (They're really cool fish!)
I see some possible aggression between that many rams... hopefully, by the time I get the gold and/or blue, the tank will be 'lush' enough to provide enough space for territories. I'm afraid that by the time I get the germans, the bolivians would have set up territories, and it would be all out war (haha, sounds like gang wars).
Thoughts?