Gsdsar 55g planted tank build

[Gsdsar]

Ok. Never done this before, but figured I would do a thread on my new 55g. It is going to be Rainbow centric and moderately planted.

55g, aqua clear 110 filter. My T5 HO will arrive tomorrow. So for now its running the basic T8 bulbs.

Doing a small fish in cycle. Filter media has been running in a friends 110g gallon for two weeks, do hopefully that will help. Added 4 of the final inhabitants tonight to help it cycle. The test will be added once that is complete. So far they are loving it.

I had been basing this tank off a plan in Aquaria, but got some cool clippings from a friend. So it will be a bit free form.

Some if the clippings, she did not know what they were, but they are pretty and we will see how they do.

Gravel is EcoComplete black, back if tank is painted black as well.

Before and after

 

[Tieberion]

Me likes! It's going to be sharp with that centerpiece and the black substrate!

 

[kardash]

I like the way it looks! It will look great once the plants fill in

 

[Gsdsar]

Thanks!!! It just took me an hour to put my new T5HO light together, but DANG, it is do much better!!!

The plants will fill in, I have a few that I still need to get. That will make it look at bit less bare. But then it's a waiting game!!!

 

[jetajockey]

It's a good start for sure.

 

[bettaowner]

The hardscape looks great

 

[Dallascowboys16]

Will be following for sure!

 

[Gsdsar]

So, I got some odd readings today on my water test.

Ammonia .5
Nitrites .25
NitrAtes 5

I plan on adding some plants today and doing a 25% WC.

The filter media had been in a friends very well established tank for 2 weeks.

I am fish in cycling with 4 Rainbow fish.

Is 25% WC enough? Fish seem fine, plants seem fine. Water is clear.

Oh yeah, it's only been running 5 days. Aqua clear 110, 55g( just to remind everyone)

Thanks!

 

[Gsdsar]

I had the day off today so I did some scaping. My T5HO fixture came in. I am still waiting for the 6700k bulbs to arrive. So now it is running a 6000k and some kind of pink plant bulb, that came with the fixture.

I removed the Anacharis and Moneywart my friend had given me. They were just not going to fit in with scape once its all done.

I bought a few bunches of Ludwigia Repens, Alt. reickii, and Bacopa moneirii.

And I could not pass up some gorgeous young Goyder River Rainbows. Gonna make me really be careful with my cycling now. Daily water tests!!!

All in all, I am really liking how its coming together. I still have a few more plants to get and some ground cover plants as well. But it's finally looking like what I saw in my head.

 

[dragonfisher33]

looks good but your alt. reikii is going to lose the redness if you don't dose it with co2 under medium to high light

 

[Gsdsar]

What's considered med/high light? I am running a dual T5HO with (by next week) 6700k bulbs. I was thinking it would at least be medium with that?

I don't plan on doing a Co2 system, but dose with liquid carbon.

 

[dragonfisher33]

What's considered med/high light? I am running a dual T5HO with (by next week) 6700k bulbs. I was thinking it would at least be medium with that?

I don't plan on doing a Co2 system, but dose with liquid carbon.

what brand of fixture did you get? depending on the manufacturer the light reflector might not give you the PAR you needed. assuming it's a quality brand, your T5HO should be a medium light

 

[Gsdsar]

It's an Aquatic Life fixture. It was what was in my budget.

 

[dragonfisher33]

It's an Aquatic Life fixture. It was what was in my budget.

it's a solid fixture, i wouldn't worry about the lighting you have then

 

[Gsdsar]

So, figured I would update. Did some rescaping, and bought so new mid ground Bronze crypts.

You may also notice the plethora of fish. I started cycling with just a few fish from my established tank. It was going to be there new home any way. Anyway, about 5 days later, the established tank crashed. Ammonia spikes, fish on fish aggression, dead Oto cats. A mess. So in hopes to save my fish I moved them to their new digs early. So far so good. Everyone us bright and colorful, eating well and active. I am having to do loads of PWC, but the cycle is moving forward nicely.

Any way. I got some Bronze Crypts for midground plants. Still looking for some easy going foreground, low lying plants.

You may notice a bald spot in front of my DW. I have a red lotus planted there, that also just grew a new leaf. I am hoping it will eventually fill in that space. And I don't want it competing

Few questions:

Pic 1: what is it? A friend gave it to me as a cutting. It is growing new shoots and I assume its some kind of sword. I have moved it to back, assuming it will get tall.

Pic 2: my Red Ludwigia is not so red anymore. Anything I need to add to my plan to make the red more, well red?

Thanks!!!

 

[bud29]

The tank looks good! The cutting looks more like a crypt to me, but you can see.

As for the ludwigia color, the intensity will probably increase as it grows closer to the light. However, outside of adding more lighting, there's not much you can do. What is your current fertilizing regimen?

 

[dragonfisher33]

you would need plenty co2 for the ludwigia to be red and probably a higher light, but definitely more carbon

 

[Gsdsar]

I have EcoComplete substrate, seachem flourish tabs, and dose liquid ferts 2x a week.

 

[bud29]

Are you doing anything for carbon? On my 55 with the same lighting as you have, and I dose liquid carbon. You can get flourish excel, or you can get a gallon of metricide 14 on ebay for quite a bit lower of a price. I think the plants would appreciate it.

 

[Gsdsar]

Yes. I dose liquid carbon daily. I was looking at my Ludwigia repens today, and it seems to be reddening up a bit.

I also now have green algae growing in the glass. I don't have any algae eaters in yet. I don't want to add any until I get the mouth fungus issue under control. Melafix/Pimafix treatment is in. Day 4 right now and going well.

Is there something I can do to decrease the algae. Aside from scraping it? Which I will do as soon as I buy a scraper or one of those magnet things. I run my lights for 8 hours a day. 2 in the AM and 6 in the PM. Can I decrease the photoperiod? And by how much?