125 gallon build log

[JustOneMore20]

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Looking good so far! I can't wait to see how you aquascape the tank. The step by step for hanging the lights should really come in handy for me and probably alot of other people in the future. Thanks for documenting that so well.

I noticed in your first post that you plan on keeping Rainbowfish with your Discus. I don't think that would be a good idea, as I don't think they would appreciate the constant high temps that you need for Discus. This site: Temperature (excellent Rainbowfish info, by the way) says that a temp up to 24C (~75F) is best for aquarium kept Rainbows. For breeding you can raise that to about 28C (~82), but that wouldn't be a temp you'd want to keep them at constantly. Also, Rainbows are pretty active and would probably stress the Discus out.

I'm no Rainbow or Discus expert, but that is just my thoughts on mixing the 2. Maybe others have done it successfully without any problems with Rainbows at high temps, but I personally wouldn't mix them. There aren't too many fish that appreciate the high temps needed for Discus. Cardinal tetras and Rummynose tetras seem to be 2 that are mixed with Discus most often.

 

[neilanh]

Thanks for the info, Kristin. I've been toying with the discus idea, and the more I think about it the more I think I don't want that level of care to deal with right now.

However, I was under the impression 'bows and discus would be fine together. So that was news to me, thank you!

 

[neilanh]

It's a start

Spent last night playing around with some rock hardscapes. I got tired of it tonight, couldn't get everything just right, so I just started filling the tank. I had bought a few things at the GWAPA auction last saturday, they needed somewhere to go.

Not much to look at right now, but it's a start.

 

[neilanh]

24 hours later, water is clearing up pretty well. I left a heater and a 300gph water pump running over night. The pump, as you can see, is creating some nice rolling hills in the substrate for me, as I must not have secured it very well and it's slid down some on the left wall of the tank.

 

[marchmaxima]

Looks great! Personally I think the rocks look great where they are.

 

[neilanh]

Thanks. Really like the right side, not sure yet on the left.

 

[ccCapt]

Looks very nice. I really like it. Substrate looks great. Almost makes me want to go back to the dark side...lol

 

[JustOneMore20]

Looking good! I also like the rock placement....especially the right side. I like the hills too!

 

[Purrbox]

I agree. I really like the right side, but the left isn't quite there yet. Perhaps another large rock would pull that side together.

 

[FishEggs]

Makes me wish i had the room, time, and money to have one that big.

 

[GlitcH]

Very nice neilanh.......I love the rigging for the lights too. I'm betting this is gonna be fun to watch come together.

 

[neilanh]

Quick Update

Did a water change to get rid of most of the leftover cloudiness from the substrate. Added some more plants. Unfortunately, I did it in that order, so there's some cloudiness back again. Sigh. One day I'll learn.

Setup the XP4 and got most of the air bubbles off the front glass.

Thoughts? As much as this is a log or whatever, I am looking for suggestions, improvements, ideas. I'm up for whatever.

There's quite a few plants hiding low to the substrate (planted em deep) that you can't see. It'll be a surprise for later if they grow.

 

[FishEggs]

In my opinion you should totally start over. Break it all down and move it to the right location. My house lol. looks great! you're adding some driftwood right? and then some fish. that's all i see missing. besides my reflection in the glass.

 

[neilanh]

Thanks for all the compliments.

Definately driftwood, when I find something that strikes my fancy. Fish eventually. First major task is more plants, it's a little bare in my opinion.

 

[Zagz]

I agree more plants would be a bonus. It looks really great so far!

 

[David14259]

Get some CO2 on there soon or your tank'll be looking like mine soon!

 

[neilanh]

Yeah, I hear ya on the CO2. For the time being, I'm not dosing either, but I'm only running half the lights for now 9 hours a day. That's just barely over 1WPG, so hopefully that will keep everything clean until I get it all going.

 

[pitt420dude]

WOw Neilanh, quite the tank there. I've never seen what you did with the lights and really like it. It gives it more of a laboratory feel; to me it sort of makes it feel like it's a project you're working on actively instead of a static fish tank.

I'd be careful how much you let your plants get overgrown, as I'e always enjoyed seeing a well manicured planted tank than an overgrown jungle. How about a nice carpet? Do you have anything like that in the works (it appears you do to the left of the three big rocks on the right)?

 

[neilanh]

As for carpet, the few little plantlets you see are from a cardinal plant that was battered up (I was gone out of the country for 6 weeks prior to starting this project) that I had to split up. I just placed them in there to see how they do.

I have on order e. parvula which I intend on making an attempt at a carpet with. That will come in and get planted next week, which I hope will spread the entire length of the tank.

 

[pitt420dude]

My favorite carpet forming plants are glosso and (recently found out about it) riccia. I read that Steve hampton uses plastic crochette nets to sort of sandwhich the plant in between. Looked like it made it very managable and it really took off (though it probably had a perfect growing environment.