My new 1.2m journal

I just started up a 1.2m planted tank with a custom background, those of u that have seen my other threads will know that i like these, the reason being that they create a huge bio filter and hide all the heaters filters etc.
It is a standard 1.2m tank with 4x 36w t8 tubes, 2 blue tubes and 2 grow lux tubes, wana replace the 2 blue tubes when i can get some more $$$.

The Substrate is Tetra plant complete substrate, sand and clay form a river and black sand to cap it all.

Plants i have in there are

Hygrophila Polysperma
Cabomba Piauhyensis
Hygrophila Corymbosa
Rotala Macranda
Rotala Wallichii
Najas Guadalupensis
Riccia Fluitans
Eichhornia Diversifolia
Limnophila Heterophylla
Taxiphyllum sp (spiky moss)
Cabomba Aquatica
Hair Grass
And some other plants which i havent ID'd yet

Fish in there at the moment are
12 White Clouds
6 Neon Tetras
3 Rams
3 Khuli Loaches
1 Scisor tail Rasbora

I want to put in some more white clouds, neons, khulis and rasboras as well as some glass cats and a few more female rams. That will happen soon, i got to wait till the filter can catch up, it has the filter media from my old tank as well as new stuff.

The fist few pics are when i first set it up and i only had blue t8's in there.

 

how does the polystyrene background work as a bio filter im considering one aswell and what type of fitration have u got on there that u hide behind it?.

looks good though and love the cats, they look more like grey cats rather than glass cats )

 

Once the cement background has cured and the lime has leached out (this should be done before any fish etc are put in) the background will have a masssive surface area, which will be colonised by beneficial bacteria which get rid of amonia. The huge surface area means that more bacteria can grow than compared to if it were to only grow on your gravel, glass etc.
At the moment i'm waiting for it to be colonised by BB, my amonia levels are a bit high but dropping every week.

 

The tank really looks good sailing derrick. It has a duel purpose I see - Kitty TV

 

Nice stuff mate!

You also have Ceratopteris Silliquosa in there.
Check in pic 2, directly under the flash,...I think that's normal mondo grass. If so, throw it out...belongs in your garden

Pinkish plants at back-left looks like alternanthera reineckii

Maybe add a log or two in the tank to add further depth/perspective?
I would suggest that you take all the hairgrass and bundle them in the front right corner of the tank so that you free up the main portion of your tank for the logs and some foreground plants ie cryptocoryne parvas, sagittaria subulata, glosso, H.C?
Also maybe try and put a type of log across from one background to the a side of the tank on an angle and use that to anchor some moss onto?...a nice moss growing from wall to wall would just look stunning IMO.
Maybe add some CO2 to the tank + some T5 lighting?
Sorry, my mind is just working a bit overtime here, so I'm just stating as I think it

Background is really really awesome! Really can't wait to see the growth on 'em plants you got there.

Job well done so far dude :congrats:

Cheers 4 now
Dale

 

So here is the latest update, I got some neew plants and decided it was time for a remodel. I also got 2 big pieces of Mopani root and some more black sand. These are taken just after it was redone, will take more pics tomorrow when it all clears up.

 

After youve watched BORAT?..........LOL

 

ha ha, didnt think anyone would see that, its the add for his new movie whuch by the way is even more over the top than borat LOL

Oh, thought i might add that that i got 2 more lights in there, bringing the total up to 6 x36w = 216W = 3.3w per gallon and i got CO2 at about 34ppm.

 

How did you make that background??

 

Almost the same as in this one i did for my 30l http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/showthread.php?t=559

 

Hi derrick..where did you get your c02 system if i may ask

 

i got it at panarama, was there yesterday and they didn't have any more, its the tetra co2 optimat by the way. I saw them at that lfs in kennilworth, dont recall the name rite now.

 

How much is it if i may ask n how often will i need to refill it?i assume it's not a proper pressurized c02 system?i'm looking for a proper proper c02 system.anyways..dont want to hijack this thread..your tank looking very good i must say

 

Yip its one of those ones that u press down the button on the can and it fills up the diffusion chamber which seems to keep my CO2 levels around 30 - 35 ppm. I was in Joberg last week and saw a SERA one for around R3000.00 .

 

New update

Another update...
So i got bored of the old scape so decided to change it and free up some space by removing one of the mopani roots.
My fish and plants list has also changed quite a bit, i now have

Fauna:
2 Rams
5 Kribensis
2 A. cacatuoides
9 Glass Cats
8 Scisor tail rasboras
10 White Clouds
10 Neon tetras
4 Rummy nose tetras
3 unidentified alge eaters

Flora:
Rotala Wallichii
Rotala Macranda
Anubias nana
Anubias giletti
Cryptocoryne retrospiralis
Riccia
Hygrophylia polysperma
Lots of unidentifieds


Here are some pics

 

B-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!!!!!

 

Tank looks AWESOME....love the fish

 

That looks awesome man!

What Rams are those?

 

Stunning tank...the background really does give it a natural look.

 

black gravel is what I need but I must say it looks great