65L Build

[Mumma.of.two]

This is my first build thread. All the photos are from my iPhone so I'm sorry for the quality.

2 weeks ago I bought a Aquaone tropical starter kit.
It incuded:
-65L tank (about 17g)
-1x 18w T8 daylight bulb and fixture
-200w heater
-stand
-HOB filter - aquaone clearview 280 300L/h
I also added:
-aquaone internal filter 450L/h which I had running in my 6.5g for over a month to seed
-clip on desk lamp with 20w 6500k CF

My plan was to try and create a low light riverbed kind of scape with java moss, windelov fern and val. Not sure what fish yet but my guppy fry will live in it until I can take them to my LFS. I'm thinking neon rainbow fish.

Here is what I've done so far.
My tank looked like this for a week or so because I needed a home for my guppy fry.

I soaked the wood I found at the local creek for a week then washed it in the dishwasher 3 times and scrubbed it with steel wool to get the bark off.

This is the formation I came up with for the wood.

Mostly empty tank.

Attaching the java moss and windelov fern.

The finished product (so far)

Waters still couldy. I will post some clearer pics soon.

What does everyone think so far? I think I need something under the wood on the left.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

It looks neat, I like it. Maybe an anubias in the left front corner? I like the more bare on right and more full on the left, it will keep the rainbows in a nice bunch.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

It looks neat, I like it. Maybe an anubias in the left front corner? I like the more bare on right and more full on the left, it will keep the rainbows in a nice bunch.

Yeah that's what I was thinking. All greenery on the left and really bare for the other 2/3. Anubia nana is the small kind right?

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

It's the smaller one (not sure if it is technically the smallest) and grows very slow. I think one would fit nicely in there.

So, are you set on the neon rainbows? Thredfin rainbows are very pretty too.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

It's the smaller one (not sure if it is technically the smallest) and grows very slow. I think one would fit nicely in there.

So, are you set on the neon rainbows? Thredfin rainbows are very pretty too.

I've never seen threadfin rainbows before but I know one of my LFS always stocks neons. Was going to get some tomorrow I'm thinking.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Ok just looked them up. They are quite pretty!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Ok so I went to my LFS and they had 3 neon rainbows. So I bought them. I was hoping for 5 maybe 6 but they said they will have some more soon. I'm going to ring around town in the next few days to try track down some more. Here they are.

 

[redsea]

Nice tank! Cool new fish!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I think they are all female. If anyone could confirm this that would be great!

Here's a full tank shot after it cleared.




Here are my guppy fry. I had about 20 now I'm down to about 10. The rainbows thought they were very tasty!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Nice tank! Cool new fish!

Thanks! I've always liked rainbows.

 

[redsea]

I think the aquascaping looks great!

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Very cute fish. What else are you planning to throw in?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Very cute fish. What else are you planning to throw in?

I'm seriously considering just having the rainbows. The guppies are going to my LFS as soon as they get color. Maybe some ottos or just snails down the track. I've got a tank of native Australian glass shrimp. I was going to put some in but I don't want to see the little guys get eaten considering what happened to the guppies lol.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

True on the shrimp. I have heard of having tons of hiding places and dense plants allows for a colony of shrimp with rainbows, but I wouldn't know. Snails are always great to have in a planted tank.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Some updated pics. I changed to rocks to slate pieces and added a black background. There is still a fair bit of cloudiness from the sand and tannins but some more PWC should clear that up.

 

[bigbanker]

I love it! And your comment about the rainbows thinking the guppies were tasty made me giggle!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I love it! And your comment about the rainbows thinking the guppies were tasty made me giggle!

Thanks!

I managed to track down some more rainbows. I got 4 more. 3 male and one female. I think. I also think one of my others is a male too. So that puts it at 4 males and 3 females.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Bad pics sorry. And that piece of slate isn't staying in the tank either. I'm just too lazy to take it out.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Just thought I'd give an update. Disaster struck my tank. The new rainbows brought ich into my tank. my own silly fault. I'm down to 3 rainbows again and ones not looking too good.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Thought it was time I did an update. The ich played havoc but u managed to rid the tank of it. my remaining two rainbows are both living in my 70g now and are doing quite well. 8 guppy fry managed to survive and I just recently traded them in to my LFS. I moved my powder blue dwarf gourami and my female betta into the 17 and bought 10 neon tetras. It also has one longfined albino and one albino bristlenose each about 1 inch long. They are going to live in it until they are about 2 inches then they will go into my 70.