6ft low tech , planted

I really think your tank. Is going to end up a winner @GregM

 

You are too kind. I am very keen to see how it goes with the experimental substrate and lighting (one I have all the LED tubes in)

 

LED lights are much brighter than normal tubes so you should get decent growth although the plants you have. In your tank at the moment don't. Really need a lot of light to thrive @GregM

 

you are 100% right, there are a lot more lumens in an LED bulb than a standard T8, my water is still so full of tannins from the wood that I cant get a good idea of how the lighting actually looks.. couple more weeks and im sure ill have a much better idea.

cheers

 

Lol I have the same tannin problem in my 300lt tank and its been running 2 months now I used to do a 20 percent water change a week with not much difference this week I started with 50 percent water change and there is a change will conntinue with that until it cleans up completely @GaryM

 

Sorry for the dumb question, are those shrimp safe for aquarium use?

 

@Roxy Rooster yes they are @ broder you also get a bigger species up to 15cm Macrobrachium, i use to catch them in the olifants wen i was younger, nowadys none such luck, @GregM i love how that driftwood looks like it was made for your tank

 

@woestynbaber, apparently the Macrobrachium is very predatory though? Are there less of them now, or are you just too old to catch them?

 

lol no, if id guess id say theyre non existing, upstream is burgersfort and steelpoort with the platinum mines, we use to foul hook them while fishing, but havent seen them around since 2004

 

Very nice tank here bud...

 

Get some purigen bud , it will sort out the tannin...

 

I have heard of it before will give it a try to see if it helps thanks @neltf

 

@woestynbaber and @neltf

thank you very much. The wood was a good bit of luck. Our beaches in Durban don't have any driftwood and the beaches to the north and south are picked clean. Also seeing as it wasn't driftwood I don't have to worry about salt etc, just LOADS of tannins :S

 

Good looking tank man really prefer planted tanks like these. well done

Yes on the purigen know of few people that went that root..

 

thanks for the info, will definitely check it out.

 

Well done that looks awesome. All your time and effort is paying off.

 

Thank you so much bud. genuinely appreciated.

 

Nicely done , cant wait to see when the plants are grown in , really love that driftwood.

 

looks great @GregM

 

much appreciated, checked out your planted tank and its amazing. ill send pics as we go