40 gallon long "dutch style"

[shacker66]

it has been quite awhile since i posted about this tank. a few things have changed so here is an update for everyone. this tank still isn't where i want it and this is largely due to my habitat of costantly trimming and selling plants. so i had issues with the diy co2 system i had setup. i would fill it and in a day or 2 it seemed to stop producing. because of this i just stopped using it for a month or more. some plants did well but others slowly began to suffer. i have now got it back working and things are looking much better. the one that suffered most was my pogo helferi. it died off completely. seems like there were some dwarf hairgrass in with it since that is what is now growing there. i don't intend to leave it. my pogo erectus also did not take well to this tank. it has just now started to settle in and grow how it should. the ludwigia pantanal also did not do well so i removed it and replaced it with ludwigia arcuata. this has done much better. the ammania gracilis also kind of was doing strangely but has now started to really do better. i did recently trim it all out and replace the nice stems so this is why it looks so small now but it is growing much better then it was. the lobelia cardinalis also did not do well. it didn't die off but it just did not grow any. i have removed it and replaced it with some lobelia cardinalis mini i recently got so lets see if i can get it to do anything. i also added some cabomba that seems to be doing very well. the neons were removed and rainbowfish and pearl gouramis were added. i also added a fluval 407 canister filter. oh yea. got a new phone today so better pictures now! yay!

Wow I think it is beautiful

 

[Dagon]

Wow I think it is beautiful

Great looking tanks and fantastic looking plants.

Can I ask, does using potting soil have any practical issues for maintenance, water chemistry etc.?

I wonder if it prompts algae issues if tank not sufficiently planted?

Also, can you confirm what you mean by ‘soil’? I’m from uk and we’d normally refer to ‘potting compost’ - basically, stuff sold in bags, mixed nutrients, to bring on young plants. A normal, generalist commercial mix that you’d use in a plant pot. Is this what you are referring to?

D

 

[goatnad]

Great looking tanks and fantastic looking plants.

Can I ask, does using potting soil have any practical issues for maintenance, water chemistry etc.?

I wonder if it prompts algae issues if tank not sufficiently planted?

Also, can you confirm what you mean by ‘soil’? I’m from uk and we’d normally refer to ‘potting compost’ - basically, stuff sold in bags, mixed nutrients, to bring on young plants. A normal, generalist commercial mix that you’d use in a plant pot. Is this what you are referring to?

D

sorry for the very late response. didn't get a notification you had posted. yes potting soil does have its issues. it will drop your ph due to the decomposing material and it puts off a good bit of toxic gasses like ammonia. if managed right its not an issue. dirted tanks can also be messy and affect your tank when you go to uproot plants or remove them. you are right in your understanding of 'dirt' being potting compost. just make sure its all organic potting compost and no additives.

 

[Dagon]

sorry for the very late response. didn't get a notification you had posted. yes potting soil does have its issues. it will drop your ph due to the decomposing material and it puts off a good bit of toxic gasses like ammonia. if managed right its not an issue. dirted tanks can also be messy and affect your tank when you go to uproot plants or remove them. you are right in your understanding of 'dirt' being potting compost. just make sure its all organic potting compost and no additives.

No worries on the timing of your reply! Answers my questions perfectly.

Thanks.

D

 

[shacker66]

Thanks Dagon you answered some of my questions also!