Bert's 60g Planted Tank

[Bert2oo1]

Well due to a general expenses of life I’m unable to afford to buy new substrate etc for the tank at this stage. I’ve sold a heap of plants out of the current scape and thrown in a heap from the Ada tank so it was looking extremely messy.

I had a big morning pulling everything out and getting rid of all the decaying leafs and crappy looking plants that I’ve neglected. Trimmed off all the bad bits and I’ve made a new Dutch scape to grow out till the new year untill I can afford to do the nature scape I want to do.

I’ve put the rule of thirds into Practice so I’ve designed 3 focal points off center (ar mini, ar large, ludwigia glandulosa). I think the design I’ve put down is solid and should look really nice if I’m able to use the correct trimming techniques that have let me down in the past.

My scapes have always looked abit messy due to my lack of skills with trimming and possibly a lack of light aswell as the plants tend to bend abit rather than grow directly up.

I hope to better my skills with this one and hopefully pull off a scape that is more pleasing to the eye with neater, tighter bunch’s of plants.

Please ignore the anubias in the middle as it’s just there because I have no where to store it currently haha [emoji23]

https://i.loli.net/2017/11/16/5a0cf4eda88e0.jpg

 

[TMaier]

Looks really nice! Ask Santa for new substrate.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Looks really nice! Ask Santa for new substrate.

Haha Santa already has something else sorted for me apparently [emoji37] it will happen soon enough [emoji16] just need to get Christmas over and done with and I should be able to splash out haha going to cost me $212 just for substrate! God big tanks are expensive!

 

[Delapool]

Sadly too true on big tanks

 

[Bert2oo1]

Sadly too true on big tanks

If I had some extra $$ I’d sell this tank and get 2 nanos to replace it but I don’t have the space either I think one day I’ll get rid of the 60 and the 55 and have 3 nanos and a 6x2x2 for the Oscar. Set up a home aquascaping studio/office.

Oh it’s great to dream [emoji56]

 

[Bert2oo1]

Really nothing exciting to report for this tank. Growth is steady as usual and the layout is a mess due to me just hoarding plants. I’ve got a ton of anubias nana in there aswell as some small buce variety’s growing out. Christmas moss in the nursery on the left and fissiden on the right. Trimmed yesterday as it was a complete mess.

In 2 minds with this tank. Considering selling the tank and getting 2 smaller ones (Ada 60p and 12g long) as larger tanks like this require some serious $$ for plants and substrate etc etc. I’d be looking at $400+ for a scape of this tank where as if I sold the tank and get 2 smaller tanks I’d be able to scape them for about $150.

Not sure what I’ll do yet but see what happens
https://i.loli.net/2018/01/01/5a49865c3b0ff.jpg

 

[Delapool]

Ah, I know what you mean on plants - got a heap I should just check out. Might get some money selling but hardly worthwhile.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Ah, I know what you mean on plants - got a heap I should just check out. Might get some money selling but hardly worthwhile.

Yep I’m throwing away big piles every 2 weeks due to lack of demand down here. No one has planted tanks so it makes it hard [emoji20]

 

[Delapool]

Yes, thinking I’d get more at an auction here - at least for the crypts. Not sure if I have any bags though for bagging them though.

Saw a deep 4ft tank same size as mine with ok stand selling for $200. Entire buckets of plants selling for $20.

 

[Fresh2o]

Bert - That’s too bad you don’t have an outlet for those trimmings. You could easily fund your habit and share your excess.
I had to order fish bags because ziplock bags don’t cut it at auctions.

 

[Delapool]

Yes, I’m going to have a look now and see if I kept any fish bags as we are the same - must be fish bags. Since I’ve been helping man the auction table, I’ve learnt to hate leaky bags. Our next auction is February I think. But yeah, seems like a small market.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Bert - That’s too bad you don’t have an outlet for those trimmings. You could easily fund your habit and share your excess.
I had to order fish bags because ziplock bags don’t cut it at auctions.

Yea I was told by my LFS they can’t buy or give me store credit for my plants [emoji37] they get all there plants from Pisces so I’m guessing they have some sort of a “locked in” contract or something.

I’ve sold a few on the local buy and sell but I think I’m one of the only people in Tasmania who has high light and co2 and I refuse to sell people plants they can’t grow.

Most of my plants are pretty low tech these days but even still, the demand just isn’t there. To be honest I’ve never even seen a ADA tank here and I’ve only ever seen 1 other person selling aquarium plants.

Dam Tasmania and it’s 600,000 population [emoji23][emoji23]


Edit: I’ve got a few different variety’s of buce now dela, I’d be happy to send you some once I get some excess in maybe a year or 2 when it grows out [emoji23][emoji23] the growth rate is painful.

 

[Delapool]

Hey, that sounds great. Yeah - buce is so slow.

Probably take a year to get tank here sorted out.

Pretty depressing really - the local shops here don’t stock much planted stuff. People do it but it’s mainly cichlids or saltwater or natives.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Hey, that sounds great. Yeah - buce is so slow.

Probably take a year to get tank here sorted out.

Pretty depressing really - the local shops here don’t stock much planted stuff. People do it but it’s mainly cichlids or saltwater or natives.

Most people who have tanks here are bogans so they just want large fish like oscars etc. I recon I’ve seen 20-30 for sale adds on gumtree for “4 foot tank comes with Oscar pair” over the past 12 months and that’s standard 4 foot tanks (1200x300x350). The poor buggers wouldn’t even be able to turn around without doing a backflip

 

[Delapool]

Yes, seen a few here on Facebook. I’ve got a book out at moment from PCS library on Oscars and great read, but not for me. Different skill set I guess. But do get some offers of fish which are just way too big for my tank.

Say what substrate did you go for in your tank?

I’m thinking of seachem fluorite red again. Something that java fern can attach onto. The planted tank pellets were good there but cost a bomb. I noticed the Anubias managed to attach itself to the plane ornament so guessing anything non-messy and not gravel would work.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Yes, seen a few here on Facebook. I’ve got a book out at moment from PCS library on Oscars and great read, but not for me. Different skill set I guess. But do get some offers of fish which are just way too big for my tank.

Say what substrate did you go for in your tank?

I’m thinking of seachem fluorite red again. Something that java fern can attach onto. The planted tank pellets were good there but cost a bomb. I noticed the Anubias managed to attach itself to the plane ornament so guessing anything non-messy and not gravel would work.

To be honest I’ve tried stratum, Eco, soil and sand and ADA and Ada is by far the best. After using this stuff I wouldn’t use anything else.

However

Ammonia spike is hard to deal with with fish. (God look at that English) also I’ve had big issues with BGA on start up. BGA is preventable using the 3 substrate additives they sell apparently but all this comes at a price. Once it settles in though the growth and plant health is amazing.

If your someone who likes to move plants it may be abit of an issue as it clouds really bad with deep rooted plants. I’ve currently got a created Java shooting roots into it and seems to be holding in nicely with a stainless steel mesh base.

Sand is horrible don’t use sand. Haha [emoji23]

Aquarium gallery perth is the cheapest I’ve found in Australia for tanks, rocks, wood, substrate.

Edit: oscars are great! Mines got the biggest personality. I’m not a big fan of fish to be honest. I’d be happy to have plant only tanks lol but the other half likes her fish.

My Oscar is the only fish I’ve really connected with and considered a “pet”

 

[Delapool]

Is that the ADA sand? I have someone here seeing if I'm interested in the sand. Never been a fan of sand though (behind the times).

 

[Bert2oo1]

Is that the ADA sand? I have someone here seeing if I'm interested in the sand. Never been a fan of sand though (behind the times).

Nah I’m talking about the Amazonia soil or Malaysian soil. Just the regular size and not the powder. I’ve heard powder is for the pro’s.

Ada also has the power sand but I’m the same as you and wouldn’t use it for a substrate and only for path’s etc

 

[Delapool]

Ok, thanks - I’ll check it out but sounds like I won’t get it. I was happy with the seachem flourite but it was a little hard to dig in sometimes (although not going to be doing that - no stem plants or root tabs in the future).

 

[Bert2oo1]

So I’ve decided I’m going to sell this tank and rehome a few fish that won’t suit my new tanks. I’m going to replace this tank with a 90x30x30cm or a Ada 60p and a 30cm Ada cube.

I’ve decided this due to me liking to change things and try new scapes a lot. The 60g is extremely expensive to scape due to its size. $200 for new substrate alone and I’d be looking at 400+ for rocks and DW. I also find smaller tanks easier to work with.

Both new tanks will be scaped with easy growers, mainly moss,carpet plants, buce and anubias. Both tanks will be high tech with preasurised co2 and I will be using my current lights to run both tanks.

I also can’t stand looking at this tank anymore after having the Ada 60h. Rimless/low iron just looks so much better and the 60 really scratched from where I picked up some tiny rocks on the sponge when I first got it.

Hopefully purchase the new post tanks in the next few weeks so I’ll be starting a new thread for all my tanks (3 tanks 1 thread) to log my adventures.

RIP 60g [emoji106]