Anna's 26g Planted Re-scape Project Journal

[Oohitsae]

This tank has been up and running for about 8 months now, but I just got into plants about 4 months ago, so I am still learning.

I started this tank as a community tank for dalmation mollies, rosy barbs, and peppered cories, but it has turned into a betta sorority tank since then.

Specs:
26 gallon Bowfront
24" aqueon t-8 full spectrum 15w 6500k
Aquaclear 50

Current inhabitants are::
6 Female Bettas, 5 Cories (3 peppered, 2 albino, the albino are being re-homed), and 7 Tiger Endlers who are in there temporarily.

I have a ton of different types of plants, the list is::
Nana Vallisneria, sunset bacopa, bacopa carolinia, pygmy chain sword, vallisneria gigantea (tape), crypt balansae, crypt parva, crypt petchii, crypt wendtii, mayaca fluviatilis, a random species of rotala, najas, wisteria, pennywort, moneywort, regular and lace java fern, amazon sword, java moss, anarchis, frogbit, giant duckweed, aquatic banana, and a few unknown plants.

Current Hardscape::
1 Piece malaysian driftwood & unknown type of rock-cave

Things I have on the way::
Tons of dwarf saggitaria, some apongenton plants, lava rock, zebra rock, and a couple more medium sized peices of driftwood.

Now, what I'm sure you have all been waiting for, pictures of my progress!

First real attempt

When I started thinking of how I'd like to change things up, and before I got more plants, this is what I came up with

This is what the tank looks like now

Goals:
1. change out the clown puke substrate!!
Going to go with soil with a sand cap. Still undecided whether I'll go with pool filter or blasting sand...
2. Make a "hill" in the back, probably in a corner, out of the rocks and stuff I'm going to be recieving soon, tying moss and java ferns on it...possibly planting some of the dwarf sagg or something along it as well
3. Adding more light. Either another t-8 fixture or switching the entire fixture out for a dual t5HO
4. Add a background, probably just a plain black one, maybe blue?


Wish me luck!

Any advice/suggestions/constructive criticism is appreciated!!

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

That's good you decided to switch out the "clown puke" haha... Great humor! It will look worlds better. How about a solid background? I think if you get a dual T5"HO" you'll need co2 or a good amount of liquid carbon like Excel or Glut to keep algae at bay. Otherwise, with the plant stock you have, you can go for something better than the T8's but not as intense as T5HO... Something like T5"NO" instead.

 

[Oohitsae]

Thanks for the advice!
I was planning on doing paintball co2 in April which is also when the lights will be upgraded. I just forgot to add that into this originally.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Well in that case, you should be good with the T5HO. I've been hearing that Geisemann bulbs are the best. And that's good you'll be using some fast growing stems like Rotala.

I have an Aquatek mini regulator on my 26g bow front. Does the job. Just have to adjust the needle valve occasionally.

What about ferts? That's your plan of attack after the new lighting and co2 is installed?

 

[GodFan]

Looks good already but Im excited to see where it goes!

 

[Oohitsae]

I'm using flourish comp. at the moment, figure I'll continue that. Also I'm doing soil with a sand cap so that should cover it unless I'm missing something?

 

[Oohitsae]

How do you guys rinse your sand?


Also, should I just drain everything out 100%, put the fish in a bucket, and then change everything over when I do this? Or, should I leave some water and my fish in when I do this?

I've never dealt with sand before so sorry if my questions are stupid.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Flourish comp will get costly overtime. I suggest when the flourish runs out to order dry ferts from GLA. It will save you money and be more comprehensive.
greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/pps-pro-fertilizer-package.html

As for the substrate change, you should go with your first option and remove the fish. Put them in a bucket with an airstone and heater. I'd wait 24 hours until your tank clears up some before you return the fish.

 

[Oohitsae]

Thanks for all the advice!

Will my cycle be broken after the substrate change? I have been told both yes and no. I plan to keep my filter running, probably inside of another bucket with old water from that AQ while I change everything out. I am also going to be using the same everything other than original substrate, so that should have a decent amount on it already right?

I'm hoping that they worst will be a mini cycle and the best will be no re-cycling at all.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

What filter are you using? If your filter has a large sponge and a good amount of ceramic media, you should be fine as a substantial amount of BB lives there. There's a good amount of BB living in the substrate (gravel) as well, but at worst, you'll just go through a mini cycle where some close succession PWCs should remedy the problem. Plus I can imagine you'll get some cloudy water for up to 48 hours or so from sand. If it gets cloudy, you can use a water clarifying solution and filter floss to catch the finer particulates coupled with more PWCs... get ready for some fun!

 

[Oohitsae]

I have an aquaclear 50 so I think there's plenty of room in there for the BB.

Is there any certain clarifier that's better than the other?
I've been hearing a lot about purigen lately, that worth getting?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Purigen is great stuff. It's a better replacement for activated carbon IMO. But the biomagnet clarifier is different. If you experience really cloudy water despite rinsing the sand well, you can add a clarifying solution that basically acts to facilitate finer particulates floating in the water causing the cloudiness to clump together so they will be large enough for you filter to effectively catch.

Something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-06014-...1362574396&sr=8-1&keywords=aquarium+clarifier

 

[Oohitsae]

Ooh! I've actually got some of that on hand right now, just never needed to use it.
Great!

 

[Oohitsae]

Been a while since I updated!

Still haven't got to the substrate, but have my "spring break" (can't call it spring break if there's snow on the ground!) this coming week so I'm hoping to get a lot done during this time. I, luckily, also don't have to work today so I'll be grabbing supplies then. (Also why I am still up!)

I'm still kind of iffy on which sand I'd like to go with. I'm leaning towards the black diamond, but I'm worried it'll be too rough...
I guess it'll come down to what I see at menard's and the prices.

I also ordered a box of rocks and driftwood a couple weeks ago and have had all that boiled and ready to go in the tanks! There's some pretty nice pieces of lava and zebra rock along with 2 pretty decent pieces of driftwood. Still working out how I'll arrange it all...

As for plants, got some more in, hygro sp., amazon frogbit, crypt. Lutea and myriophyliym mattogrossense, along with a few others. They were a prize for a contest I won, so I don't know a whole lot about them, but they look pretty so I'll incorporate them some way or other. Still have to figure that all out.

Anyways, wish me luck!!
Tomorrow/Today is the day it all begins!

 

[Scottyhorse]

Pictures??

 

[Oohitsae]

Ill update pictures when I change things in the tank... All still looks the same as I've posted

 

[Oohitsae]

Well, went to the store today and picked up the soil and sand!

I got black diamond 30/60 grit, which is considered "fine" they had both fine and medium, but was worried that the medium might be too coarse?

Also got some organic potting mix and potting soil and plan to mix it so I have 25% top soil the rest mix.
Anyone have any idea on how I should prepare this to go in the tank? I have been told to just pick the chunks out, pick chunks out and dampen it, or to rinse it like sand.

I don't think that the rinsing option is a very good idea, it'd turn into a muddy slop if I did it that way, but not sure which of the other 2 routes I should go.

Probably going to go with 2" of soil and a 1.5" sand cap, sound about right?

 

[Oohitsae]

Finally for it done, well mostly...have to do some w/c's to get the water cleared up tomorrow, my back is killing me from carrying all those buckets, plus the sand and soil up 2 flights of stairs. I had a little mishap with my first pour (too hard) and the sand cap got messed up and let soil through.
During the change-out I had all the fish in buckets and had 2 jumpers. Luckily I caught the motion of them flailing around in the corner of my eye and got them back in before it was too late.

Such a long project. If I ever had to do it again, I'd use Eco complete or something instead. That'd be so much simpler with a lot less work involved.

In total, this entire re-do took me 4 hours from starting the rinsing of the sand to having it filled and planted. I imagine it'll take atleast another hour to fix the cloudy water problem.

Here's some progress shots.
1st: of the tank finally mostly cleaned out
2nd:: soil w/o the cap, how I originally wanted it to look
3rd: of the tank after the first pour
4th: what it looks like currently. I know I should have waited to add the fish back, but I felt horrible leaving them in the bucket. They can deal with the cloudy water till the morning.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Well it got done, that's the important part. All EC wouldn't be that bad of an idea IMO. And as for the hauling buckets of water, ever consider getting an Aqueon Water Changer or Python? It makes water changes a breeze!

 

[Sillyfishies]

Well it got done, that's the important part. All EC wouldn't be that bad of an idea IMO. And as for the hauling buckets of water, ever consider getting an Aqueon Water Changer or Python? It makes water changes a breeze!

Or siphoning it out the window. That how my mom used to water her garden.