Bud's 55g dirted tank journal thread!

[bud29]

Hi all! I've been thinking about starting a journal thread on some of my tanks, but never thought it was a good time to start one - so now, upon getting a 55g earlier this week, I have decided to start a journal from the very best place - the beginning I will most likely have questions along the way, and your posts are appreciated

Summary:
This will be a fairly budget-oriented tank. Most of the equipment has the prefix "cheap ebay." However, I am spending SOME money so I can get it how I like it I have never been a good aquascaper at all, so my goal is just to get a tank that I like to look at, even if it will never win TOTM.

Specs:

Equipment:
Aquatech 30-60 HOB soon to be Aquaclear 70
Cheap ebay dual bulb T5HO fixture (1 x 6500k bulb, 1 x pink roseate)
Cheap ebay heater

This tank I got from my local classifieds. It came with a heater, filter, and light. The lights were standard T8s (which I figured I was going to replace going into this), and it came with a filter and heater as well. The tank was obviously not well-kept by its previous owner, and let me tell you - it showed when I tried out the equipment. The filter WORKS, however it makes an awful grinding noise, which after several tries I cannot fix. (Took out and cleaned impeller, checking magnet for cracks, etc. etc.) Also, the heater, which was conspicuously neglected, failed to get the temp over 76F. I have ordered an Aquaclear 70 and a cheap adjustable ebay heater to replace these.

Fish:
My favorite part of the tank Some of the fish I am getting to pair up and then I will rehome some. By these species I do not have quantities. However by the ones I do know, I do have numbers for.

Apistogramma cacatuoides "triple red"
Angelfish (thinking black angels right now)
12 x Celestial Pearl Danios
10 x Furcata Rainbowfish (aka Forktail Rainbowfish)
10 x Panda Cory
Possibly other scavengers such as ottos, snails, or amano shrimp as well

The apistos I already have and they are currently in my 29g. (I found a great deal on aquabid for them) The others though I do not have so if you have any suggestions bring them up

Plants:
This part is kind of up in the air I placed my plant order at peabody's paradise, while he had his 5 plant bunch for $8 deal going. It's a great deal, since it was 20-30 stems for $8. I purchased three of these package deals The only catch is that the plants you get are random. The package should come tomorrow, though, so I will know soon I do know some of the plants that will be in there though, because I either separately ordered them or already have them in a separate tank (or tub).

The plants that I do know:

Crypt Wendtii "Red"
Crypt Wendtii "Bronze"
Crypt Undulata
Marsilea sp.
Micro sword
Flame Moss

For substrate I am using miracle-gro organic potting mix capped with black blasting sand (40/80 grain size)

FTS:
Here is just the hardscape as of about an hour ago, please excuse the awfully slanted picture:



My first question:

Save equipment malfunctions, everything had been going smoothly. However, something has to pop up These tiny little bubbles are popping up all over the tank - any ideas?






Any thoughts, ideas, and critiques are always appreciated throughout this thread Thanks!

 

[Scottyhorse]

Following!

 

[Rivercats]

Are you using any type of water conditioner that aids in slime coat production? Bubbles that hang on the surface are often caused by a protein layer catching bubbles coming from things like a HOB or bubbler.

The Celestial Pearl Danios I'm afraid isn't a good choice for that size tank and with that stock. They tend to be shy and do better IMO in a smaller heavily planted tank with other small, not rowdy fish.

 

[Billbug68]

Looks good so far, bud! I'll be following along for sure!

The bubbles could be from the dirt, or the sand. Did you wet the dirt and kind of compact it down before adding the cap? I've had black sand that Floated up in little bubbles until they decide to get saturated enough and sink. Most likely, it's air trapped in the soil, though.

 

[bud29]

Following!

Thanks!

Are you using any type of water conditioner that aids in slime coat production? Bubbles that hang on the surface are often caused by a protein layer catching bubbles coming from things like a HOB or bubbler.

The Celestial Pearl Danios I'm afraid isn't a good choice for that size tank and with that stock. They tend to be shy and do better IMO in a smaller heavily planted tank with other small, not rowdy fish.

Thanks! I'll look into some others Any suggestions? As for conditioner, I'm using seachem prime - I haven't had this happen before with prime. I used to use tetra aquasafe and I had bubbles with that, but never before with prime.

Looks good so far, bud! I'll be following along for sure!

The bubbles could be from the dirt, or the sand. Did you wet the dirt and kind of compact it down before adding the cap? I've had black sand that Floated up in little bubbles until they decide to get saturated enough and sink. Most likely, it's air trapped in the soil, though.

Thanks bill! I did at least TRY to compact the soil before capping it, however I bet there are still lots of bubbles in there. The bubbles at the surface though are just so numerous and so tiny it makes me afraid that soap somehow made its way into the tank...

 

[Rivercats]

Add some carbon to the filter which will help remove any pollutants that could have gotten into the tank.

Since the rainbow's will stay higher in the tank you need something mid level like rummynose, cardinal, or lemon tetras. Harliquen rasboras would work well but they at least in my tank tend to stay higher in the tank. That's why I like the rummies and cardinals as they tend to stay mid level.

 

[bud29]

Add some carbon to the filter which will help remove any pollutants that could have gotten into the tank.

Since the rainbow's will stay higher in the tank you need something mid level like rummynose, cardinal, or lemon tetras. Harliquen rasboras would work well but they at least in my tank tend to stay higher in the tank. That's why I like the rummies and cardinals as they tend to stay mid level.

I do like cardinal tetras I may go with them - thanks!

Also, I did put some carbon in the filter already, that takes a load off my mind if that will do the trick

 

[Rivercats]

That is the good thing about carbon... it takes a lot of bad stuff out of the water. Just be sure to change it in 2-3 weeks since that's about all it lasts before all the pores are clogged.

 

[sgr7781]

Looking Nice Bud!

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Are you not adding any DW?

 

[bud29]

Are you not adding any DW?

I'm thinking about it - I'll probably wait until after I get the plants in (which SHOULD be today) and I'll see where it would look good. I'm eyeing some manzanita, but I've found it's just like the seiryu stone - the actual product isn't too expensive, but shipping gets you

 

[bud29]

Hmm, I wonder what's in here





The haul:






FTS after scaping (better pic coming later)








My main complaint about the scape so far is that it's mangled. Unruly. Almost all (if not all) of the plants were grown emersed (which is completely understandable). The only bad thing about this is that the formation of the stems is pretty twisty as you can see. I plan on making some changes soon, but after spending 2 hours working on it, I'm DONE scaping for at least a few hours

Also, the empty spot that at the left of the tank is where the manzanita will be going I ordered some just a few hours ago. I will end up tying the flame moss to the DW once it gets here.

 

[bud29]

Here is a SLIGHTLY better picture. (I couldn't quite catch the empty left corner) I think the tank will look much better once the stems straighten out.





In other news, the bubbles that were at the surface have nearly all gone away Not sure what that was, I just hope it doesn't come back.

Any tips/ideas on the scape?

 

[redsea]

I really like the scape/plants! I can't wait to see everything else in the future for this tank!

 

[bud29]

I really like the scape/plants! I can't wait to see everything else in the future for this tank!

Thanks! I'm predicting major crypt melt, so things will most likely get worse before they get better, but I am excited to see what it'll look like with the stems straighten and things looking a bit cleaner

 

[Scottyhorse]

Yeah, I think things just need to settle in

 

[bud29]

Yeah, I think things just need to settle in

Yup The stems seem to be looking a bit straighter already today.

As for cycling, my seeded media is doing its job so I'll be able to add fish when the heater comes

On a slightly more irrelevant subject, the constant temp of 74 when in the basement is good though, if I want to do a CRS tank down there I was worried about temps being too hot if I wanted to keep them.

 

[bud29]

Aquaclear 70 came!!!



I'm already liking it. It's smaller in size, but media room seems larger, also without a crap impeller it it much more quiet


The wisteria is straightening up already, I swear it's grown a couple inches already since I got it




The manzanita seller did not provide a tracking number, so no idea when that's coming. I do have a tracking number on the heater though, it is supposed to come Wednesday the 12th. I can't wait to add some fish

 

[Rivercats]

When plants are happy they grow!

 

[bud29]

Well, the heater came, and so did the DW

New FTS (the stems are much straighter now ):



I am trying to work on making the DW lay flatter. With all its protrusions it looks like it's floating.


One of the apistos in its new home: