400l Planted Tank

Wait no more...

The tank...


Left: Plants are L. Aromatica and Stellata.


Middle:


Right:


My Carpet Plants: Downoi, Glosso and E. Quadricostatus. There is also some Crypt Parva and some Wallichi behind that.

 

I should be getting a 3 way timer and a nice new Co2 Diffuser today or tomorrow, so now I can run my lighting and Co2 properly!! Man, this tank is starting to come right. It's been about 8 months of turmoil getting it to this point.

 

Tank look great, well done!

 

What's this 3 way timer you speak of? Would solve a lot of headaches I currently have

 

It's a timer, with 3 plug points on it that you can set individually. So I can have my 2 MH lights come on at a certain time, then the Co2 can start at another time. I'm hoping it will work. Got the unit from Liaquat.

 

Let me know when you get it, is it a manual or electronic one? I have to control 2 sets of lights, Co2 and airstone ie 4 individual timers, so electrics get a bit a on the cramped side and this should do exactly what i'm looking for

 

It is a digital timer as far as I know. It's coming tomorrow, I'll put the details online when I get it in my hands...

 

That tank looks great, the height really gives you a lot of space to work with the plants!
But I'm assuming it's a nightmare to try and reach the substrate?

Please do add some pics of the 1.5m setup too, that's pretty much the size tank I'm going to get next

 

Ya, dude, the height is actually also a limiting factor. The taller plants cast shadows on the shorter, slower growing plants which inhibits them. But I like it. I am hoping that new plants become available soon, so We'll see what happens.

I'll post pics of the 1.5 when I set it up. It's in the fish room at the moment and I'll start setting it up after next weekend.

 

Slagter... where do you buy your plants?

 

Various places... Hillfox, Quality Aquariums and forum members.

 

Well, after a slight rescape and a severe plant meltdown! (I was away for 10 days!!) This is what the new scape looks like...

FTS:


Left:


Center:


Right:


What do you think? As you can see, the distracting driftwood has been removed from the middle of the tank and it has been replace by the most awesome P. Stellata! (Thanks Gus)

Unfortunately, the piece of Downoi that I got from Raymond never survived the meltdown. I'm a bit cheesed off by that. I think the rummies ate what was left of it... Little bastids.

Anyhoos, what do you guys think?

There is still a long way to go, but I think this is a pretty damn good start...

 

still looks stunning, though it looks a little underlit? is it just the camera perhaps, or my screen to dark?

Anyways, P. stellata has a great centre spot, nicely done

 

Definitely not underlit, probably my crappy camera skills... It has 2x 150watt metal halides... It's bright dude, very bright!!

Thanks for the kind words.

 

looking great, awsome

 

Slagter... your scaping skills are awesome. I love the balance you have created... yet not a "feng-shui" type balance. You know what I mean... it has a balanced feel to it... yet still looks very natural.

I like it a lot. Now if only those plants were READILY available from LFS instead of the cr@ppy stuff they sell!

Well done Slagter

 

I'm telling you now dude, it's much better to befriend fellow aquarists and trade plants, than to pay rediculous amounts for importation...

I'm not a master scaper yet, but give it time!! There are still a few plants I want for this tank, hopefully soon.

Thanks guys...

 

Looking very good Slagter! Very very nice indeed. What is that plant called that is growing off the drift wood? In the first pic there is about 5 "shrubs" to the left on the driftwood on the right, they look very nice.

 

It's E stellata.

I see Slayer,befriend the fellows aquarists who are silly enough to pay for the imports.
LOL

 

Something like that Gus!! It certainly helps.

@ Peekay - as Algae Wizard says, its E. stellata. It's growing behind the wood though. It's not growing on the wood.