1.2m - Planted Biotope

this is the first time that im maybe considering a sump, im always very sceptic regarding sumps.

 

Looks awesome

 

That's looking great man, my only concern is whether you have any jumpers in your stock list. I've had Harlequins attempting suicide and some cories that get brave when the lid is off.

 

Can't wait to see the end product ^^,
Looks great so far Ferryman

 

Here's a quick update on the tank.
I decided to buy slagter's fluorite substrate, so i capped the PFP with fluorite red.. also found some MTS hitchhikers in the substrate so i guess the tilling over soil problem is taken care of...

I seem to have alot of dirty bubbles surfacing if i disturb the substrate, like dusty bubbles surfacing, although rinsed out the mix for almost an hour... so its not like its dirty. anyway, its an oddity, not a problem.

I got the tank filled up yesterday, and have found the equilibrium in relation to inlet depth and reverse suction when the power might trip, the reservoir chamber in the sump works great and catches about half its height in overflow.

I added some anubias barteri and nana to the driftwood because i like the look of it even though it doesn't belong to the biotope area. also added a bit of overpriced, not so lovely java fern bits, (it looks healthy in that rockwool crap, till you take it out, and find that the bunch is just tiny 2 leaf snippets added together, no healthy roots visible etc oh well.. still need some var. windelov as well.)

Then i also added some of the vallis i got from f-fish a while back, it seems the leaves planted near my glass door in the 3ft have developed red ends, maybe it'll get its red colouration back in the high light 4ft now.. thumbs held...) i also added three bits of amazon sword.

Still a ways off from anything pretty, but at least i'm getting somewhere...
Now it needs a heater and it needs to cycle!!)

Pics:






thanks to Irma for the spiky moss on the big piece of wood, and to slagter for some flame moss added to the batch, although i couldn't really distinguish between the two when i tied it on this morning

 

Always fun too see how it ends up in a few months but started of very interesting

 

thanks Vis. i wouldn't say its ended. its basically still empty for all intents and purposes, all that's been added is substrate and some greenery for the interim so i have something to look at, the real content is still on its way

the floating canopy is neat, i can lift it and work in the tank while still having light, and can adjust height accordingly, when done i just lower it on its chains.

My chambers are as follows, coarse filter mats (nylon type white mats in first chamber, flows under onto ceramic rings, then various sponges and some hydroton i never found a constructive use for, also added a stocking stuffed with peat, next overflows to lava rock which i've read good results of as a biofilter medium then under to empty chamber with return pump, 2500lph dolphin pump.

 

Looks very good there Ferry!!

Looking foreward to seeing the progress. Go and check out my thread (Zoom's new 4ft) in the members section and check out the effect 2 x 2litre DIY CO2 has had on my plant growth. You could look into that for now if you not going the full pressurized route.

 

thanks, i will go take a look, does your thread also mention your recipe for the 2lt content, i have two linked 2l bottles that i used previously on my 3ft, but with such low light i was just wasting my time, i could use those in the interim, but would like to know a better recipe than what i used before

 

Sent you PM.

The secret is not necessarily the recipe... cause all the recipes use yeast and sugar. The secret is how to get it INTO the water. and airstone in my opinion is a waste of good sugar.

The BEST way IMO is to actually attach the hose from the DIY CO2 to the venturi system of a small submersible pump. Have this pump DEDICATES ONLY for CO2 injection, and put it onto the timer with your lights. When the lights go out, the CO2 will still continue to bubble into your tank, but will not be half as effective as when it is dispersed by the pump. You also won't need to turn the bottles off at night. (Which goes KaBLEWY at night if closed!)

Edit: And make a new batch of CO2 every 2 weeks. Some people say it lasts 3-4 weeks... it doesn't. 2 weeks it's still bubbling ok, but not great!

 

I like, can't wait to see what it looks like in a few weeks

 

Tank is really starting to look great dude just need a few more plants and let them all grow out and you will have one Awesome tank in the end.

 

just need to order my plants, waiting on a reply from dolphin to hear what he has available or when hes bringing in the next batch. any plant gurus want to suggest some s.american/amazon basin origin plants for the tank?

 

The tank's looking awesome now that it's filled.
I particularly like the height you've got from the deadwood!

 

In the process I have added alot of old filtermedia to the sump media as i redid my 3ft,

I have now added 10 small silver tip tetra, and 10 rummynose and the 12 neons from my 3ft...
They're all happily schooling. looks very cool except for it not being very colourful, still need the cardinals, but I am thinking of downsizing the school of 40 cardinals to 20 or so and rather adding another tetra type to the mix...

Plantwise, i currently have vallis and "amazon swords" planted, still need ALOT of colour and variation in the leaves for this tank to look interesting, will post pics up later, too lazy to do it now

Anyone have suggestive input on fish or plant selection, please add?

BTW, the swords i got, there's two different types, one has a very broad, flat and abrasive/leathery feel to it, the other has a long-ish stem and an oval shaped leaf on its end, can someone ID the names of these two (echinodoris??)

 

I'm really liking java ferns at the moment, I've got one that just keeps getting bigger and the fish love it

 

Hard to take pics with my phone while the canopy is in the air... lots of light reflection from the surface...
here's a few pics

 

your tank is really comming along nicely Ferryman

 

It looks so nice in there. Is that algae on the wood? I must be honest, I love algae on wood. The snails always end up eating it though.

 

Looking good bud