FresH2O's 20g planted rescape

[Fresh2o]

I did not realize how much ambient light was available to the tank during the day.

Despite this, algae is not a problem. This is a rare daytime shot of the tank.


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[pittbully13]

Keeps looking better and better.


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[fish wrangler]

Tank looks great fresh!

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[tiger terror]

Wow, how cheap would it be to achieve those results with natural light....we'd still push the envelope &toe the line!

Getcha feet wet fish tank people!

 

[fish wrangler]

I think the ambient light is Fresh's secret for growing amazing plants! He just won't admit it. lol

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[Fresh2o]

I had different shades on before and they were kept closed all the time. The newer ones are the type where you can pull down the top to let light but keep prying eyes out. The plant that used to lean over the most was the lemon Bacopa and now it is next to the glass. So less leaning (plus I just hacked it all down).
I think proper CO2 is the key to keeping this system together. I cleaned the diffuser in bleach yesterday because it was green and releasing larger bubbles. I temporarily switched to the Fluval and it had a mix of fine and coarse bubbles. So I hooked up the clean diffuser and bubbles are fine again.
I no longer am directing the bubbles into the HOB intake. I am setting it mid level, closer to the bottom and under the path of the HOB output. Visually, it's messy if you don't like bubbles but the DCs indicate decent CO2 levels in there. It will be like this until I get the new stand built, canister, DYI reactor going, etc.


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[Thumper828]

What style reactor are you leaning towards?

 

[Fresh2o]

What style reactor are you leaning towards?

Not sure yet. If I had a bigger tank then I might consider and internal reactor and small pump or power head. No leaks to worry about. With a 20g long space is tight.
Most likely a DIY rig. Not sure what the difference is between Rex-grigg,
cerges, and hybrid reactors. I need to read up. There are a few reactor threads I've been following here with some good info.
Whatever I decide on, I was thinking about putting a vent on top to release extra trapped air. But I want to limit the number of connections and entry points (reduce leak potential). I think if I provide enough slack on the input and exit hoses, I should be able to simply invert the reactor to release any trapped gases upon startup. I should only need to do this after cleaning the canister (or other action that would introduce air into the system).



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[Thumper828]

Not sure yet. If I had a bigger tank then I might consider and internal reactor and small pump or power head. No leaks to worry about. With a 20g long space is tight.
Most likely a DIY rig. Not sure what the difference is between Rex-grigg,
cerges, and hybrid reactors. I need to read up. There are a few reactor threads I've been following here with some good info.
Whatever I decide on, I was thinking about putting a vent on top to release extra trapped air. But I want to limit the number of connections and entry points (reduce leak potential). I think if I provide enough slack on the input and exit hoses, I should be able to simply invert the reactor to release any trapped gases upon startup. I should only need to do this after cleaning the canister (or other action that would introduce air into the system).



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I have mine set up where I can invert it to purge the air. Very handy at times. I went with the cerges style,but like you said,..there are many different ways to go about it. I have also read a lot of love/hate reviews on inline diffusers...

 

[Fresh2o]

Update: Trimmed the Ludwigia red. Hoping to make this "bushy" at some point. The lemon Bacopa have grown new sprouts.

The Bylxa is flourishing (L) while the Erio next to it is barely hanging in there. To the right is some broadleaf chain sword I pulled from the pond before it got too cold. It is already sending out runners:

BrianNano - If you are reading this, I found a dime size patch of UG tucked under the star repens. Yahoo! Moved it an open area:

FTS. Just noticed the Pogo looks like a Christmas tree:

Bonus: Pulled the water lettuce from the tank and the holding tank. This is in a 5 gallon bucket. I can easily fill a quart jar with this. Might take it to the LFS where they will given me a 20% off live stock coupon for it:

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[Thumper828]

Tank really looks neat and clean..great work!!

 

[RightTurnClyde]

Looking great, man! Now use that livestock coupon to get some more fish in there.


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[Brian_Nano12g]

Oh man oh man.. blyxa is looking lush. That dime sized piece of UG looks healthy. I'm rooting for it to survive and start shooting out runners. Looks like it has a fighting chance. If not, I'll send you more after winter.

 

[Brookster123]

Go ug go!!!! Looks killer fresh! Having a flawless tank must be getting old huh?? Time for a curveball. . New fish new fishhh!!!

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[fish wrangler]

What more can I say, the tank looks great!

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[fishenthusiast]

Go ug go!!!! Looks killer fresh! Having a flawless tank must be getting old huh?? Time for a curveball. . New fish new fishhh!!!

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I agree! A nice group of Threadfin Rainbowfish would look fantastic in that tank.



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[Fresh2o]

I agree! A nice group of Threadfin Rainbowfish would look fantastic in that tank.
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I remember how nice they looked in your tank and wondered how they would do in mine. Would be a departure from the Tasmanian Devil pace of danios.

What more can I say, the tank looks great!

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Thanks. Now go check out Brian_Nano's tank...exquisite.

Go ug go!!!! Looks killer fresh! Having a flawless tank must be getting old huh?? Time for a curveball. . New fish new fishhh!!!

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Tell me about it! Jk, of course. I plan on stopping by the LFS today. Going to see what they can order. They usually stock amanos. Will ask about kuhlis and threadfins. Not sure if I want to venture down the dwarf cichlid route (yet).

Oh man oh man.. blyxa is looking lush. That dime sized piece of UG looks healthy. I'm rooting for it to survive and start shooting out runners. Looks like it has a fighting chance. If not, I'll send you more after winter.

Thanks! Maybe a wall of Blyxa like in Brookster's tank can be used to segregate the AR. I can now see how the UG spreads via those thread like runners. I still have it's ugly cousin (bladderwort) lurking in the tank. I am going to baby this patch.

Looking great, man! Now use that livestock coupon to get some more fish in there.

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They gave me a 20% off live stock coupon for two sandwich bags of water lettuce. Going to see if I can get another coupon with the load I have in the 5g bucket. This stuff is a weed; going to see if there is a sustained need for this long term for them.

Tank really looks neat and clean..great work!!

The beauty of only keeping one tank that requires maintenance is that I can focus on it. Thanks for the kind words.


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[RightTurnClyde]

I've never used floating plants like that in my tank because I figure I need all the light I can get. Do they serve any real purpose besides providing a little shade? I've heard they suck up extra nutrients but I don't think that's much of a problem for me.


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[Fresh2o]

I've never used floating plants like that in my tank because I figure I need all the light I can get. Do they serve any real purpose besides providing a little shade? I've heard they suck up extra nutrients but I don't think that's much of a problem for me.


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Aside from shading, water lettuce can provide hiding spaces for fry and consume nutrients in the water. Since the upper part is above the surface, these plants can utilize atmospheric CO2, giving them another advantage over the plants below.
I noticed that when these covered the tank that the DC would be yellow indicating excess CO2. The plants below were being shaded and photosynthesis was reduced, thus the normal amount of CO2 was not being used.
I keep water lettuce in a small water feature outside in the summer and once a week I am removing a half dozen 5-6" plants. These consume the nutrients that the algae would and also provide shade.


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[pittbully13]

Always enjoy looking at your tank. Looks awesome! Wish I could get mine as clean looking as yours.

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