150g planted tank build

[Mr.Pleco]

Yeah that sounds very cool they would look awesome mate you can buy them big already in an submerged form

If I can find them bigger for a good price. MarineWarehouse has large ones for $11 so I could do that.

 

[richpowell1989]

If I can find them bigger for a good price. MarineWarehouse has large ones for $11 so I could do that.

How big are they? I can get them about 18inches tall with about 15 leaves

 

[Mr.Pleco]

Ah I'd say they are about 18 tall. How many leaves, I'm not sure. I'll look when I go next.
How much did you pay for yours?

 

[richpowell1989]

Ah I'd say they are about 18 tall. How many leaves, I'm not sure. I'll look when I go next.
How much did you pay for yours?

I have 3 big ones but I grew 2 from about 8 inches but I bought one from them and its now HUGE I live in the uk but I paid 3pound which is about 5 dollars

 

[Mr.Pleco]

I have 3 big ones but I grew 2 from about 8 inches but I bought one from them and its now HUGE I live in the uk but I paid 3pound which is about 5 dollars

The background plants I'd like to buy bigger. I guess $11 isn't too bad for a larger sword.

 

[richpowell1989]

The background plants I'd like to buy bigger. I guess $11 isn't too bad for a larger sword.

Sorry I was meant to say I did buy one about 18inches off them and trust me when a big sword is added to your tank it makes a world of difference its a beautiful plant I would get one 100% if I was you and no 11 dollars is fine

 

[Mr.Pleco]

#1 was in reference to:


On a related note, Floramax doesn't have squat for nutrients. Maybe some iron and micros, but not enough to warrant bypassing ferts

#2 in reference to:


https://www.aquariumadvice.com/atta...670651_0_94f9956240823cbeee96b6c2139a2980.jpg
IMO, whenever dealing with T5HO, you might have to use CO2. In a tank that size (but what height?), it's probably not going to be an issue, but it's still a lot of light:

Courtesy of Hoppy of PlantedTank.net

Rearding #3, those were your words, not mine.

#1 - I will look into ferts

#2 - It's a normal 6 long 24 high tank. Right now the lights are on top of the glass since I've been working on it. I have a canopy so I'd be at 4in above.
The 2 fixtures I have now don't have a brand name on them or anything. The guy sold them to me with the tank. The external ballasts are rated for one 30w or one 40w bulb (4 ballasts). The bulbs are 2 t8 6,700k 30w bulbs and 2 t12 Coralife 10k. Looking to replace the bulbs for t5's

#3 - You just misunderstood. I meant I didn't want to go buy one of the dinky Coralife fixtures and won't grow anything even though it says t5. The fishneedit fixtures look nice.

 

[Mr.Pleco]

Sorry I was meant to say I did buy one about 18inches off them and trust me when a big sword is added to your tank it makes a world of difference its a beautiful plant I would get one 100% if I was you and no 11 dollars is fine

Oh I've wanted swords from the start, I love the look. I'm going to be buying christmas moss here in the next day or two off ebay so I'll check to see if there are any good deals for swords for the **** of it.

 

[richpowell1989]

Oh I've wanted swords from the start, I love the look. I'm going to be buying christmas moss here in the next day or two off ebay so I'll check to see if there are any good deals for swords for the **** of it.

Yh they look great, also the Christmas moss will look great are you putting it on the rocks? Were did you get them from?

 

[Mr.Pleco]

Yh they look great, also the Christmas moss will look great are you putting it on the rocks? Were did you get them from?

Yeah, Christmas moss for the slab. I've gone on vacation to TN for a few summers a few years back and going to the rivers was always my favorite part. I collected smaller rocks. This past summer we went to Georgia and stayed in a cabin on a river and I literally never left the water. I got the big slab in this tank thats 32 pounds and probably 100 pounds of rocks that are in my 50g cichlid tank. Just scrub them good and they are good to go.

I'm lucky to go on vacation to places like that for rocks and then my grandparents own a place on Crystal River in Florida, about 45 min from where I live, which goes out to the Gulf of Mexico. So I just go out on the boat and hunt driftwood down. Going in a few weeks to get some for my friend.

 

[richpowell1989]

I have been all over the world only problem is bringing it back in my suitcase I live near a place called dartmoor that is full off forest and lakes so should pick some up there

 

[Mr.Pleco]

I looked into co2...I know there are 20lb tanks on Craigslist for $50-60.
20 pound co2 tank

I looked into regulators and solenoids and aren't Miluakee's pretty good or at least decent? I thought I read that, but just making sure.
Amazon.com: Milwaukee Instruments Solenoid Valve, CO2 Regulator with Bubble Counter: Pet Supplies

Rich...I was lucky, we drive our van and have a topper so on the way back from Georgia there were more rocks in the topper than luggage ha.

 

[richpowell1989]

I looked into co2...I know there are 20lb tanks on Craigslist for $50-60.
20 pound co2 tank

I looked into regulators and solenoids and aren't Miluakee's pretty good or at least decent? I thought I read that, but just making sure.
Amazon.com: Milwaukee Instruments Solenoid Valve, CO2 Regulator with Bubble Counter: Pet Supplies

Rich...I was lucky, we drive our van and have a topper so on the way back from Georgia there were more rocks in the topper than luggage ha.

That is lucky then I have got a lot of wood but only 2 peices I like my gf gets annoyed I'm always getting more then not liking it lol what wood is it your using?

 

[Mr.Pleco]

That is lucky then I have got a lot of wood but only 2 peices I like my gf gets annoyed I'm always getting more then not liking it lol what wood is it your using?

I found 3 pieces the only time I went out. The one I'm using is the nice one. The other two are skinnier and not as pretty but I wasn't sure if I wanted to cut them up or not

This is the one that is in the tank. The back has cool crevices as well as the one in the center of the upright part.

 

[richpowell1989]

I found 3 pieces the only time I went out. The one I'm using is the nice one. The other two are skinnier and not as pretty but I wasn't sure if I wanted to cut them up or not

This is the one that is in the tank. The back has cool crevices as well as the one in the center of the upright part.

I think it looks great do you no what type of wood it is? What did you do to it before you put it in?

 

[Mr.Pleco]

I think it looks great do you no what type of wood it is? What did you do to it before you put it in?

Pretty sure it's cedar?
I just scrubbed it really good with a brush and then soaked it in the bathtub for like a month with the big slab on top to hold it down. I let it dry out once and put it back in the tub.

 

[richpowell1989]

Pretty sure it's cedar?
I just scrubbed it really good with a brush and then soaked it in the bathtub for like a month with the big slab on top to hold it down. I let it dry out once and put it back in the tub.

Cool I like the colour and the way it looks I am going to try get some

 

[Mr.Pleco]

Cool I like the colour and the way it looks I am going to try get some

I got lucky. While I was searching the small island with a saw I was starting to give up and looked down at my feet by the boat and found it just floating there.

If my friend and I find some nicer pieces in a few weeks we'll keep what we want and maybe try to sell it cheap. It makes me mad going on websites and seeing people try to sell driftwood for sometimes a couple hundred for a 3ft piece. I understand if it's an amazing piece that's 6ft or something with a nice pattern but most of the time they aren't too special.

 

[richpowell1989]

I got lucky. While I was searching the small island with a saw I was starting to give up and looked down at my feet by the boat and found it just floating there.

If my friend and I find some nicer pieces in a few weeks we'll keep what we want and maybe try to sell it cheap. It makes me mad going on websites and seeing people try to sell driftwood for sometimes a couple hundred for a 3ft piece. I understand if it's an amazing piece that's 6ft or something with a nice pattern but most of the time they aren't too special.

The price ain't a problem its just finding a nice peice the wood is cheap around my lfs but they hardly get any big bits in and when then do they are just stumps basically I want I big bit like yours with a bit of character, I wish in the us I would buy some off you but I no it would be a bomb to send it the uk lol

 

[Mr.Pleco]

The price ain't a problem its just finding a nice peice the wood is cheap around my lfs but they hardly get any big bits in and when then do they are just stumps basically I want I big bit like yours with a bit of character, I wish in the us I would buy some off you but I no it would be a bomb to send it the uk lol

I know. I finally got around to all the lfs in Tampa and the driftwood at all the places were small and expensive.

AquaBid.com - Driftwood Auctions

I've never bought anything off aquabid but I like to look around for stuff. The driftwood is poor. There isn't anything good on there now but before there were some higher priced pieces that weren't special. Most of the manzanita is more but it's all skinny.

I like to have a more flat part that is think and then go from there.