6 Month Progress of my 110 gallon
- Thread starter 30searay
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
HiJaC
Aquarium Advice Freak
wow, that is some scary tap water you have got there.
sorry for your loss.
I have actually taken to putting a hose directly from the tap into the tank to save time filling. Adding a few squirts of water conditioner as i go. Works for me as the tap water here is straight off the scottish hills. Only bad side is the temp difference, especially during winter. The other week i came back through from the kitchen after turning the tap off and all my fish (all 50 of them) were falling asleep on the bottom of the tank.
Very scary moment.
I fill a bit slower now with additional heaters used.
Jac
yellowtangs
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
This is a very nice looking tank. Very healthy. Great Job!
pitt420dude
Aquarium Advice Addict
Cool lights, I wish you the best of luck with them!
30searay
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Some Updates
Well, I have spent this evening cutting back and throwing away a lot of really nice plants. The anubias were so large I had to throw most of them away. I am up and running with my new T5 set-up and now run 416w of total light in three spectrums. Note how well lit the tank is - the debris is from the water change just completed. I am having good luck so far with any algae outbreaks even with the new lights.
I have come to the determination that I have little artistic ability in designing a really appealing and well laid out land scape. The pic below shows the crypts immediately after a hard cut back. I am attempting to get the HM to spread, and have planted several batches along the front and really hacked down the big patch. I am finding it quite difficult to get it to spread due to the tank depth. It only wants to grow upwards. I really struggle with just the immense size the plants grow into. Everything just gets so big. The big red crypt and the sword to the right of it have almost grown from the front of the tank to the back (18" !!) - I really have to rip a lot out.
The large java fern continues to do very well.
Some of the baches of HM I am attempting to spread.
The spiralis in the front corner is likely going to have to go. I don't like how it spreads everywhere and completely shields the plants in the back of the tank (I have a have a nice rotala back there). I will try some of the anubias here along the base of the drift wood. I have also ordered Limnophila ‘hippuroides’, some Ludwigia Peruensis, and some Rotalla Wallichii from Aquarium Plants.com to try some red stems again with the new lights. Reds previously rotted out with 3wpg lighting.
Well, I have spent this evening cutting back and throwing away a lot of really nice plants. The anubias were so large I had to throw most of them away. I am up and running with my new T5 set-up and now run 416w of total light in three spectrums. Note how well lit the tank is - the debris is from the water change just completed. I am having good luck so far with any algae outbreaks even with the new lights.
I have come to the determination that I have little artistic ability in designing a really appealing and well laid out land scape. The pic below shows the crypts immediately after a hard cut back. I am attempting to get the HM to spread, and have planted several batches along the front and really hacked down the big patch. I am finding it quite difficult to get it to spread due to the tank depth. It only wants to grow upwards. I really struggle with just the immense size the plants grow into. Everything just gets so big. The big red crypt and the sword to the right of it have almost grown from the front of the tank to the back (18" !!) - I really have to rip a lot out.
The large java fern continues to do very well.
Some of the baches of HM I am attempting to spread.
The spiralis in the front corner is likely going to have to go. I don't like how it spreads everywhere and completely shields the plants in the back of the tank (I have a have a nice rotala back there). I will try some of the anubias here along the base of the drift wood. I have also ordered Limnophila ‘hippuroides’, some Ludwigia Peruensis, and some Rotalla Wallichii from Aquarium Plants.com to try some red stems again with the new lights. Reds previously rotted out with 3wpg lighting.
Looks like you've got Crypt Wendtii 'Red'. That particular variety gets huge as you've described. You could look at some of the other Crypt Wendtii varients, since they don't get nearly as large. Perhaps Crypt Wendtii 'Bronze' would be more to your liking.
HM really is much easier to use as a foreground bush than it is as a carpet. You might want to try looking at HC or Glosso instead. These tend to do a much better job of forming a carpet with less encouragement.
The plants look extremely healthy, so I'd say that you are getting the hang of growing plants. The next step is to select plants appropriate to your aquarium and desired scape so that they work with you instead of fighting them to get them to do what you want.
HM really is much easier to use as a foreground bush than it is as a carpet. You might want to try looking at HC or Glosso instead. These tend to do a much better job of forming a carpet with less encouragement.
The plants look extremely healthy, so I'd say that you are getting the hang of growing plants. The next step is to select plants appropriate to your aquarium and desired scape so that they work with you instead of fighting them to get them to do what you want.
30searay
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Thanks Joy. Seems like all the stuff I have put in the tank has become quite large. I have actually ordered some glosso (again) to see if i have better luck this go round. The last time I got some it took off quite nicely - then suddenly rotted out.
I can't wait to get the spiralis out of the front of the tank as the one I started in the back has taken pretty well as of late. Interestingly, the one in the back has browner leaves and the one in the front has greener leaves.
I can't wait to get the spiralis out of the front of the tank as the one I started in the back has taken pretty well as of late. Interestingly, the one in the back has browner leaves and the one in the front has greener leaves.
neilanh
Sliced Bread
Don't be surprised if your crypt melts. New lighting, or any new conditions really, can trigger them to do so. It will come back if it does melt.
pitt420dude
Aquarium Advice Addict
Huh, I didn't know that about carpet plants Purrbox. Very interesting. I just "trimmed" the HM growing through my plastic netting and was thinking to myslef "duh" if you want a "lawn" you have to cut it that way, even grass (like real grass, as in your front yard) wouldn't look like it does if we didn't cut it to look that way so it was sort of a common sense point that I just re-realized.
My crypt did exactly what Neil said would happen when I moved it. All the leaves fell off and now some nice new algae free ones are appearing. I think this is a cool feature of this plant. The ability to stay healthy without leaves for a time. It's a very resiliant species.
My crypt did exactly what Neil said would happen when I moved it. All the leaves fell off and now some nice new algae free ones are appearing. I think this is a cool feature of this plant. The ability to stay healthy without leaves for a time. It's a very resiliant species.
kimo
Aquarium Advice Freak
"Some Updates:
Well, I have spent this evening cutting back and throwing away a lot of really nice plants. The anubias were so large I had to throw most of them away."
Will happily pay shipping for some of your "throw-aways"....
Kimo - with a 150g in desperate need of some new plants...
Well, I have spent this evening cutting back and throwing away a lot of really nice plants. The anubias were so large I had to throw most of them away."
Will happily pay shipping for some of your "throw-aways"....
Kimo - with a 150g in desperate need of some new plants...
rracechase
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- May 26, 2008
- Messages
- 17
thats like the Taj Mahal of fish tanks. pretty impressive!!
ill take some of your throw aways as well! that is if you have any left.
ill take some of your throw aways as well! that is if you have any left.
30searay
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Updates may 28, 2008
Well, I have begun to make some changes to my 110 that I have been talking about. The spiralis is gone and has really opened up the front left of the tank. What a job that was ripping that one out. I have gotten some reds that look like they will do OK with the new T5 lights. Its only been a couple weeks but I am already seeing some nice growth on the ludwigia peruensis.
You can also see the Limnophila ‘hippuroides’ and Rotalla Wallichii to the left. We'll see how the new reds do. I like what I see so far. I have also tried glosso again. Interestingly, someone in the tank has really taken a liking to it and eaten it down to the roots, not sure who the culprit is. So I am not sure if I will be able to grow a good foreground plant if they are well liked by someone in the tank. The HM is not spreading well (so far) and grows too tall for my liking but for now it will have to do.
If anyone knows how to catch this guy in a tank two and a half feet deep, and fully planted let me know. He is not a friendly guy but is a beautiful red tail shark.
Some other recent tank shots.
Will continue to see which additional plants do well as we progress along.
Don
Well, I have begun to make some changes to my 110 that I have been talking about. The spiralis is gone and has really opened up the front left of the tank. What a job that was ripping that one out. I have gotten some reds that look like they will do OK with the new T5 lights. Its only been a couple weeks but I am already seeing some nice growth on the ludwigia peruensis.
You can also see the Limnophila ‘hippuroides’ and Rotalla Wallichii to the left. We'll see how the new reds do. I like what I see so far. I have also tried glosso again. Interestingly, someone in the tank has really taken a liking to it and eaten it down to the roots, not sure who the culprit is. So I am not sure if I will be able to grow a good foreground plant if they are well liked by someone in the tank. The HM is not spreading well (so far) and grows too tall for my liking but for now it will have to do.
If anyone knows how to catch this guy in a tank two and a half feet deep, and fully planted let me know. He is not a friendly guy but is a beautiful red tail shark.
Some other recent tank shots.
Will continue to see which additional plants do well as we progress along.
Don
Zagz
Aquarium Advice Addict
Tank is looking great! After having just captured several kuhli loaches in a fully planted 75 gal I can tell you, set up to catch the shark in the morning immediately after lights on. They are more sluggish and easier to catch first thing in the day. Otherwise you will end up having to tear out all the plants to catch him.
black hills tj
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'm really digging the new scape. Moving those c. spiralis to the opposite corner was a great idea. Really opens up the tank. Sorry the HM isn't working out for you. Since I trimmed mine back and sent it your way, the stuff in my tank isn't doing so hot. That is probably due to me being too busy to remix co2 and dose my ferts though.
30searay
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
The good and the bad
Well, my biggest nightmare of owning a large tank has been realized this past Sunday. I have looked throughout the posts on the site and cannot find another soul to share this with but my tank sprung a leak along the base of the seal in the left hand corner. It wasn't good. Leaking fast. Required urgent attention - especially with the wife getting upset with the water pooling on the kitchen floor....it is with great disappointment that I have had to shut the tank down temporarily (completely) while I determine the cause and nature of the leak to understand if something that can be fixed. All the fish (50+) got shipped over to my sisters house, who thankfully, continues to maintain my old 55 and 29 gallon tanks in her home.
The good part is - if the tank can be fixed - I get to completely rescape and completely change the set up....we will see what AquaticTech has to say this weekend about the tank. Keep your fingers crossed.
Well, my biggest nightmare of owning a large tank has been realized this past Sunday. I have looked throughout the posts on the site and cannot find another soul to share this with but my tank sprung a leak along the base of the seal in the left hand corner. It wasn't good. Leaking fast. Required urgent attention - especially with the wife getting upset with the water pooling on the kitchen floor....it is with great disappointment that I have had to shut the tank down temporarily (completely) while I determine the cause and nature of the leak to understand if something that can be fixed. All the fish (50+) got shipped over to my sisters house, who thankfully, continues to maintain my old 55 and 29 gallon tanks in her home.
The good part is - if the tank can be fixed - I get to completely rescape and completely change the set up....we will see what AquaticTech has to say this weekend about the tank. Keep your fingers crossed.
SpeedEuphoria
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sorry to hear about the nightmare leak. Your tank looked very nice. I'm sure if/when its fixed it will be even better than before. Good Luck!
new2betas
Aquarium Advice Addict
I second that! Good luck! It was a beautiful tank!
HiJaC
Aquarium Advice Freak
Nightmare.
I had a similar worry on my 46G as there was a constant dribble of water running down one of the sides a couple of months back but it turned out to be a design fault in the tank with condensation leaking from the hood out of the side that was slightly lower. Thankfull solved by some silicon sealant.
Hope you get it all going soon enough. Time to get researching some funky new plants
Best Regards,
John
I had a similar worry on my 46G as there was a constant dribble of water running down one of the sides a couple of months back but it turned out to be a design fault in the tank with condensation leaking from the hood out of the side that was slightly lower. Thankfull solved by some silicon sealant.
Hope you get it all going soon enough. Time to get researching some funky new plants
Best Regards,
John
30searay
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
New Tank in Today!
OK - finally some good news...my new 110H came in today. I have decided that I am changing from an All-Glass aquarium with built in over flow with sump system to a Perfecto tank with no over flow. No more faith in All Glass after that huge leak. I have also decided that I will run the new tank with the Eheim Pro III or Eheim Pro 3E. I like the Pro III as it has the built in 500 watt heater. I really want to get away from the substrate heaters I used in the old tank as the plants grew under and around them and I pulled them up when I moved plants around. Cost is a bit steep for the Eheim Pro III ($450) but it says it moves up to 450 gallons per hour and has 6 levels of media filtration. I am very unfamiliar with the canister filters but this appears to be the way to go with the new set up. So once I get the tank in place on the stand in the next couple days I will work on ordering the canister filter along with all new eco-complete and gravel and I should be ready to go!
I am curious how I will get sufficient water flow across the bottom of the tank (30 inches deep) to keep any dead spots from forming and getting algae outbreaks with this type of filter. Is anyone familiar with what the return nozels look like and can I point them towards the bottom?
OK - finally some good news...my new 110H came in today. I have decided that I am changing from an All-Glass aquarium with built in over flow with sump system to a Perfecto tank with no over flow. No more faith in All Glass after that huge leak. I have also decided that I will run the new tank with the Eheim Pro III or Eheim Pro 3E. I like the Pro III as it has the built in 500 watt heater. I really want to get away from the substrate heaters I used in the old tank as the plants grew under and around them and I pulled them up when I moved plants around. Cost is a bit steep for the Eheim Pro III ($450) but it says it moves up to 450 gallons per hour and has 6 levels of media filtration. I am very unfamiliar with the canister filters but this appears to be the way to go with the new set up. So once I get the tank in place on the stand in the next couple days I will work on ordering the canister filter along with all new eco-complete and gravel and I should be ready to go!
I am curious how I will get sufficient water flow across the bottom of the tank (30 inches deep) to keep any dead spots from forming and getting algae outbreaks with this type of filter. Is anyone familiar with what the return nozels look like and can I point them towards the bottom?
Similar threads
Latest posts
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Nitrates up, pH and total alkalinity down
- Latest: Airborne 82nd
-