55g planted...updated finally 7/17/07

[JustOneMore20]

Quick info:
55g tank
2x65w compact fluorescent bulbs (=130w or ~2.4wpg)
Rena XP3 cannister

Fish:
8 head and tailights
7 flame tetras
7 rummynose tetras
2 bolivian rams
1 angel
7 corydoras sodalis
4 corydoras trilineatus
2 c. schwartzi
4 ottos
1 bristlenose
4 yoyo loaches

(a full house!)

Plants:
crypt wendtii red
crypt wendtii green
crypt retrospiralis
dwarf sag
echinodorous tennellus
bacopa caroliniana
crypt lutea
rotala rotundifolia
hygro polysperma
hygro angustifolia
alternanthera reineckii
java fern
anubias nana...a huge one

(lots of variety)

I changed the substrate from 2/3 regular gravel and 1/3 flourite to 100% Eco-Complete. I love the look of it. I took the opportunity to rearrange some plants. I will be replacing some also, as I have way too many background plants...some I am tired of though (mainly myrio and rotala). I want to get more crypts to make a midground and maybe some hemianthus micranthemoides too), so its not a finished thing yet. I may even hook up some DIY CO2....maybe. I don't have the money for pressurized, or I'd go for that.

Here is the tank a couple weeks ago:

very overgrown and algae infested

Here is the tank before, right before I took everything out:


This is what you get when you have flourite in/as substrate:

i didn't get a picture when the tank had more water in it...it was very cloudy

I put the fish in my empty 55g tank...they were not happy:


The finished product:

I can't wait until the plants grow and cover up that blue sponge! I was advised to put that over the intake of my XP3 so that plants dont get sucked up and rot in the cannister. Its not very pretty though...

Another view:

the plants need to grow in some so I can see if they will stay where they are

My bolivian:

Can anyone tell if its a he or a she?

Comments, criticism (constructive ), and any suggestions welcome. I hope to use this thread to see how it grows and evolves. Sorry its so long!

edit 3/17/07: updated stocking list and plant list

[rich311k]

Looks great. It is going to grow in nicely. That sponge will be gone in weeks.

[JustOneMore20]

I sure hope so...its very noticeable now.

[maxwell1295]

According to the Fin Test, that Bolivian is a 'he'.

Other than the Spawn Test, I don't trust the fin test or any other test when it comes to sexing Bolivians.

[azn_fishy55]

Nice jungle-ish look to it,that driftwood that looks like an arm look cool,but its sorta bright compared to the plants.

[crazyred]

I think it looks great.....I'm so jealous of your E. tennelus.....most of mine died, even with the high light. Don't know what happened. If your light is powerful enough, that sunset hygro will turn an awesome shade of red at the top and add just the right color punch to your tank. It looks great. Send me some E. tennelus if you ever need to trim it!!!!

[plecoperson]

That is already really nice, and will be gorgeous when grown out a bit. Betcher fish will be happy in there too-I like your species choices.

WHY do they make the sponges blue? WHY?

[JustOneMore20]

Thanks everyone.

maxwell: For awhile I called my bolivian a she...but after she/he colored up a bit and I saw that her/his fins were a little elongated, I thought it was a he. I hope to get a pair of bolivians soon, so I'll have 3. I just hope if mine is a he that it will get along with another male. I may try to get a trio (1m/2f) to try to prevent problems. Thanks for trying to sex it...I haven't been sure what to call it (he or she).

azn_fishy: Yes the DW is bright. I had some Taiwon moss on it that made it blend in a little more but the moss got all tangled and looked like crap so I tossed it. I am going to try to get more java ferns to put on it and maybe some Christmas moss for the arm part, so it won't be so noticeable. Do you think that would help?

crazyred: I have a mix of E. tennellus and dwarf sag in the front. I tried to separate them when I put them back in the tank so I could put the dwarf sag in the more shady areas...but I had a hard time telling some of the plants apart. The E. tennellus does great most of the time, but when it grows in a huge mass after awhile...it has alot of dead leaves. I'll let it grow out some and then I'll send you some. It will need a trim in a few weeks probably. I just gotta keep my loaches and cories from uprooting it....there are about 5 plants floating right now.

plecoperson: I hate the blue sponge, but its all I had. I actually got that one for my Aquaclear 20. Its a Big Al's brand sponge. I started buying all my sponges for my Aquaclears from Big Al's (cheaper than the Hagen brand), but they are very blue. I may try to find a black one...but if the plants grow fast enough to cover it up, then I won't worry about it.

Thanks for all the comments. I'll try to update pictures as it grows into a jungle!

[mr funktastic]

i have seen green sponges near me as well as the blue. but i love the look of the tank but i also agree that the driftwood sticks out a little. may i suggest u try some kind of moss? that is my only constructive criticism. i think some christmas moss and java moss mixed in there would be nice.

[JustOneMore20]

I'm going to wait on the moss right now. I planted the Hygro "Ceylon" right under the arm, hoping that it will grow behind and in front of it and hide it a little. I will eventually put some moss on the big part of the wood though, after I get more java ferns. I want a big bunch of java ferns on there. I'm thinking Christmass moss this time. I just have to make sure it doesn't get shaded. That's what happened to the Taiwon moss that was on there before...it got shaded and some parts died and it looked really bad. You can see that in the first picture of the post. It also collected alot of nasties.