Hi guys and gals I'm a newby to fishkeeping. Had fish 15 years ago while in school, but forgot most. Recently started a comunity tank (220L) with fairly common species. I enjoy reading up on all the aspects around the hobby. 3 Months later and I already start wishing for a bigger setup. Is there something wrong with me? I enjoyed reading up on your setups and am quite surprised to see such an active South African online community - and from Cape Town too. Theo
Some pics... The plants in the tank is pretty much anything I liked that I could get my hands on. I'm still trying to establish what works for me and what not. And I have no idea what their names are. I know there is Java Fern in left front corner. The common drifting bunch in the middle has had to go though. It takes over and tangles with everything else. Gravel - small river/ocean pebbles. I got those with the second hand tank. I tried to get more at a few LFS, but it seems they were selected by hand. So I went down to a beach that I know has many rocks and took a 15L bucket back home. I had go through those and select each pebble by hand. After 4 hours I have managed to get about 1.5L worth of pebbles. I'm probably only a third through the 15L bucket. Hard work, but I realy like the effect it gives the tank. Fish... 12 Neons. 10 Rummy nose. 2 Longfin Zebra Danios. 2 Silvertip Tetras (I think). 1 Albino Black Widow. 2 Guppies. 5 Albino Corydoras. 1 Dwarf Guarami - (currently my biggest fish). 3 Bristlenose catfish. 2 Apple snails. Considering keeping Discus and then many of these will have to go... No idea why the castle is still there. It was to try and hide the filtration system, but it should have been demolished long ago cause it didn't work.
Yes. It is far from sand. Pebbles really. Avg size is in the region of 10mm. (5mm-15mm with the odd larger stone.) It is probably not ideal for plants and my plants are failrly slow growers. In my mind the most nutrition is coming from the water itself. Read last night that carbon in my filters will not help, so that will go. Furthermore I want to enhance the nutrition level of the water and see if that helps. (Would Prof's drops be something that can help?) To be honest I still need to figure out if this is going to work for a planted tank. There are definately better ways, but I really like the look and since my focus thus far has been fish I'll hang on to the idea a while longer. The cleaning of the substrate with my weekly 10% water change is very effective and easy with these pebbles. The flipside of course - plants like gravel that is not so clean...
Hey Theo - I really like the look of the substrate, something different - If it works don't break it.. If you have to go to a finer substrate, try making areas of riversand surrounded by areas of the pebbles and then put the plants in the riversand. Oh and by the way - watch out for MTS - I think this is a sickness you are well on the way to catching
Had to google it myself. I'm already negotiating with the FD (Financial Director). She has not bought into it yet.
Oh yes.... I've definately got MTS.... Started with the 40l, then got given the 160l.... wife says I can only have one set up... just you wait til we move out this dam 3rd floor flat!!!
Updated picture Hi Here is a updated pic of my tank. Quite a few changes... http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/album.php?albumid=43&pictureid=166 I have added some wood as an anchor. Also quite a bit of new plants over that last few weeks. In general the plants are doing fine. My substrate is not that plant friendly, but they do seem to grow OK. I run 2x T8's for approx 12 hours a day and recently started adding Flourish Excel to help the plants along - with satisfying results. Fish population is still fairly low - I'm starting to become impatient and thinking about adding my anchors (discus), but I'm still in two minds about the feeding maintenance and stability I can provide with my "green" knowledge. Fish - Dwarf Gourami, Spiney eels, Neons, Rummy noses, Bristlenoses, Albino Cories and some common species. The Gupies etc. and Gourami will have to go before the Discus are introduced... I started using a canister filter and feed the water back into the canopy's own filter. Also using a sponge filter in the tank so I hope my 220L is covered. The canister is only pupming 600L per hour though. Not sure if this is too low... (anybody who knows?)
WOW! The tank is really looking amazing Theo! Stunning stunning stunning! You should be really proud!
