Bert's 60g Planted Tank

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nirbhao said:
What kind of sand? My pool filter sand had huge anaerobic issues that the moon sand never did. Eco Complete may not hold things in the first place, but it's awesome for rooting once it gets going, don't you think?
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I've got iron sand, it's from New Zealand. Apparently it's magnetic too so if it gets into the impellers of your filter it destroys them really quickly. Overall a horrible product lol should have done more research.

I've got the Eco I took out of the tank still so I'll just rinse it and reuse it when I get the chance. To be honest I got better growth with the Eco aswell.

Looking back on it I should have just stuck it out with the Eco but it's good to experiment with what works and what doesn't ;) I've got a bag of Ada Amazonia left over from the Ada setup so I might mix that in aswell for abit of extra ferts :)
 
Smokes - I always thought gravel was hopeless (still is I guess) but the perils of other substrates! I'm finding the seachem fluorite is fine but is hard to dig in.

The side with more of the volcanic baked pellets is great for digging in and plants attach to the pellets but that was so expensive.

I think I have half gravel, a quarter fluorite and the rest API laterite clay and pellets.

Would love to try something else but ....
 
Delapool said:
Smokes - I always thought gravel was hopeless (still is I guess) but the perils of other substrates! I'm finding the seachem fluorite is fine but is hard to dig in.

The side with more of the volcanic baked pellets is great for digging in and plants attach to the pellets but that was so expensive.

I think I have half gravel, a quarter fluorite and the rest API laterite clay and pellets.

Would love to try something else but ....
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Yea if I was to use sand again I'd go a bigger grain. The iron sand is tiny tiny. I've used fluval stratum but I found it didn't grip carpet plants very well. Was great for stems etc. I guess anything is good aslong as u have good depth to jam it right down into :)
 
True, true - the extra depth is great now and I think the plants are better established. Java fern and Bolbitus seem to going fine in it (fingers crossed on the bolbitis!).
 
Really starting to thicken up now! Getting some really good growth and everything's looking really good!
Ran out of co2 the other day so I had to get a refill, I let the pressure drop too far and the co2 output was minimal, I've got got a few small tufts of BBA on the spray bar holes but it hasn't popped up anywhere else. This tells me the plants are really healthy.

The japonica and the hydrocotyle Japan is for the Ada build as well as the Monte Carlo in the pots but I actually really like the jap and the hydro so I think I'll keep some in the tank [emoji106]

I've moved the AR from the right side to make a "street" on the left side. I trimmed them right back and replanted them.

Left side looks bare but I actually have a heap of stems in behind the hygro compacta that just need to grow out (new additions). Can't remember the name of them lol one is hygrophila Guinea but not sure on the rest.

I'm back to 2 lights instead of 3 at 60% intensity and to be honest growth as been just as good if not better since removing the 3rd strip.
Not sure on par but if I was to guess I'd say around 40-50 at substrate.

Here's some pics, http://pho.to/Aidk8
 
Thanks fresh and fish :) hygro needs a good chop as its getting abit evasive but I'll use some in the Ada build so I'm letting it grow right out to get enough length to steal some lol looking forward to having a "dutch" and a "nature" tank :) best of both worlds!
 
Caliban07 said:
Looking good Bert. Nice growth. Any plans for more reds/pinks?
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Yea the stems I have over behind the hygro are a nice bronze to red colour and the ones behind the ar next to the hygro sunset are also a dark red. Should be nice once it all grows in ;)

Still have a few issues here and there but in slowly working it out
 
Get some of those loaches that dig.. Maybe they will turn it?
 
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dpeco33 said:
Get some of those loaches that dig.. Maybe they will turn it?
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I've since ran my tweezers through the sand all around the tank and released most of the pockets and the sand seems looser. I've only had 1 stem rot through since then. Fingers crossed [emoji106]
 
KingKoopa512 said:
Very nice Bert looks bright green and healthy plants
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Thanks KK and dela :)

The hippuroides finally took off KK :) should be hitting the surface in a few weeks :) just waiting for my other stems to adjust now [emoji106]
 
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