46 bowfront stocking

[stevenht]

I've heard stories that's why I ask.

Got an update: going to get substrate tonight. Either pool filter sand or red eco complete.

Still have zero idea on how I'm going to do my tank

 

[nirbhao]

I've read that eco complete is hard on bottom dwellers.

 

[stevenht]

I have too nirbhao. My Corey cats do ok in it so do my loaches. My other delimna is the Dragon goby digging up my root tabs if I do sand

 

[stevenht]

I really want to do sand. I have it in my 5 gallon with a dwarf puffer and a couple pygmy coreys and it's just so easy to siphon up the food, BUT I really want a natural looking river bottom as well. I would like red looking river rocks or something if you think eco-complete might be too harmful for my goby. If anybody can steer me in the right direction on where to find natural looking ones that could be for planted aquariums, that would be great. I just heard eco-complete was the best and ADA Aquasoil (I'm too poor) too.

 

[nirbhao]

One thing I've seen that looks really cool is divided substrate.

You would need something rigid to separate the two. You could use edging, rocks, a custom built wall, or other dividers.

 

[stevenht]

I just might end up doing that. Probably make a slightly elevated cave for my goby with a crack under it so I can get double use of the rock and have a goby cave on top and my Kuhli loach cave on bottom.

This question is purely cosmetic, but how would you think that red eco-complete and sand look together? I have the black eco-complete now and just like a black car, it shows dirty spots very well. I was hoping the red will reduce the look of that but I think the black and tan will contrast better.

 

[stevenht]

That 3rd photo you posted didn't load until now and I can see the red with the sand. I actually like that look a lot. Well, I guess I'm getting a 20lb bag of eco-complete and 50lb bag of quikrete PFS today! I'll post pictures this evening after I get the sand and gravel in there!

 

[stevenht]

Got an update.

I got my two bags of flora max red. Unfortunately no pool filter sand and I wasn't paying another $20 on a 20lb bad of sand at petsmart. I guess that's gonna have to be ordered so everything is on hold until I get my sand. More time for more ideas though.

That's my tank on the 2nd one. Fluval aquaclear 70 with a Fluval 150w I believe heater.

 

[stevenht]

PFS is being picked up today 5 and the process will start tonight! Can't wait to post pics guys and gals. My plan so far is to have the planted areas with the floramax and have it rocked off by the sand area. Also, thought about putting 3 or 4 spots in the sand and rock them off and have some big mature crypto wendii's that are in my 20H tank. That way it's a little more than fencing off a couple patches of sand to plant my plants.

 

[stevenht]

There it is guys. Nothing special but I like it planning for heavy plants like Swords and bushy plants like hygrophilia corymbosa to add a very jungle look along the back.

Any ideas are welcome. I'll be working on my rocks and waiting for driftwood to come in. I just couldn't wait so I went ahead and set it up

 

[nirbhao]

Very cool!

 

[stevenht]

Water cleared up overnight. Looks crystal clear in there. Ordering plants today and this weekend it's going to be planted and decorated.

 

[stevenht]

Can I put in water from my 20H tank into my 46 to help get the bacteria going? Even if it is like a gallon or two, will it help? Removing the filter right now isn't an option. I just replaced it in my tank before I knew I was getting a new tank, so the other one got tossed out.

 

[Barliman]

View attachment 291426View attachment 291427

There it is guys. Nothing special but I like it

Looks like a great start.

 

[Barliman]

Can I put in water from my 20H tank into my 46 to help get the bacteria going? Even if it is like a gallon or two, will it help? Removing the filter right now isn't an option. I just replaced it in my tank before I knew I was getting a new tank, so the other one got tossed out.

I don't think moving water from one tank to another will help all that much: the bacteria lives on the surface of plants, gravel, the glass, filter media, &c. Since you don't have old media. Maybe your LFS will give you some used media from their tanks. You might also want to consider biological additives such as Seachem Stability or Dr. Tim's "One and Only." I don't trust the "instant cycle" claims, but they do speed up the cycling considerably, at least in my experience.

 

[stevenht]

I just went and bought my seachem prime and stability

 

[stevenht]

What about decorations? That should help right? I've also moved over some anacharis, anubias, and a couple Swords

 

[stevenht]

Thinking about making a sand waterfall just off center to the right. I know making them aren't hard, but how hard is it to create a mountain looking structure around it, to hide the PVC piping? Not only that, I would want to put some Java Ferns or some sort of anubias or something going up the mountain to give it a realistic look. Not just a bunch of rocks with sand coming out.

Would slate rocks would best for making the slope? I can get them for $1 a pound so I can get quite a few pieces for a good price.

 

[nirbhao]

Get some hydraulic cement. Cheap, and you can make it right on the PVC.

 

[stevenht]

Would Lowe's or home depot carry it?