Ian086's 29g Planted Tank Build

[shellyx]

Nice stand Ian looks really good

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Sk3lly]

Will you be starting the build as soon as your substrate arrives?

 

[Ian086]

Nice stand Ian looks really good

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Thanks Lesley. He done a great job on it. A million times better than I could have myself!!!. It really is solid. I bet it could hold my 55g easily....

 

[Ian086]

Right so in typical fashion, I get a call at 8pm tonight from my friend. She tells me my Eco has arrived today at her sister-in-laws house in Northern Ireland(sent there for postage cost reasons). I ordered this on the 7th of March, on a 48hr delivery. I know.....only 3wks late!!!. I sent the seller a strongly worded email at 6pm. I reminded them that I have fish friends who I recommend their website to(white lie) and that I will reconsider this in the future. Don't worry Mods, no names/forums were mentioned!!. I have a wish list set-up with them, maybe they will send something from it, as a goodwill gesture. I won't hold my breath though.....

 

[Ian086]

I semi-sealed the exposed parts on the chipboard today. The colour I used for the worktop, is not a perfect match and I may use black. The picture makes the paint look a lot brighter than it actually is. It won't really be seen anyway. Hopefully people will be looking at the tank and not the sides of the stand...lol.
I could NOT get the edging anywhere. I will completely seal and waterproof it with a few layer of varnish.....

 

[Ian086]

Ok. Slight update. I finished painting and varnishing the stand. 3 layers of paint and 3 layers of varnish. I guess it should be watertight now...lol. I reckon I could hose it down and it would be fine.....joking!!.
I have the 4 bags of Eco Complete. Driftwood I may use from my 55g and 12g. I plan on using it in the right side of the tank and planting around it. I picked these guys up yesterday.
Staurogyne sp. x2
Ludwigia sp Super Red x2
Pogostemon helferi x2.
I plan on getting some Marimo Balls, cutting them up into small pieces and using that on the wall, like Brian_Nano suggested(#154). Another member on this forum very kindly offered me some AR mini. They can reveal themselves if they wish, I am extremely grateful for the offer.....
I know it been slow and boring, trust me, not as slow as it has been for me. I have to wait for the wardrobes to get started in our bedroom, then all the links in the chain will connect and I can start. I need one of my dressers to use for the 15g. The 29g is going to were the 15g currently sits. It's a compromise I made with my GF(aka The Boss). She thinks I'm getting rid of the 15g....haha. I said "moving" not "binning" the 15g. She'll be fine when it's all done. The room, in fairness, is a mess at the moment, so when I get all the stands in place I will have ample room to store all my fish gear away from sight. All that will be seen is the tanks......

 

[Old Scales]

Plants look good and healthy Ian! Good that you found some locally. Oh Jeeees! I bet the waiting really hurts. Don't worry,, we'll still be here watching and offering up our "remarks" LOL. OS.

 

[Ian086]

Plants look good and healthy Ian! Good that you found some locally. Oh Jeeees! I bet the waiting really hurts. Don't worry,, we'll still be here watching and offering up our "remarks" LOL. OS.

Thanks guys. I think all this waiting is going to drive me to drink...haha. It's Sk3lly who kindly offered me the AR mini. It looks lush and very healthy in his tank, hopefully it will be the same in mine. Yeah OS, those plants I got look nice and healthy.

 

[Ian086]

Right so I spent most of yesterday and last night browsing for plants and looking at scapes. I am going Dutch style. I have a good idea in my head what I want and the layout but again, this could change...haha.
This the list I have put together. I picked these plants purely on looks. I know that's not the best way of picking plants but hey, that's why we have AA...lol. I PM'd Rivercats about the list, so the Queen of Plants is on the case...lol. I probably won't use the whole list. It depends on availability and whether they will suit my set-up. This tank will NOT have Co2, so that could have a big impact on the choices. Anyone got opinions advice on the list, anything at all, good or bad. I can take it.....
1..Pogostemon Helferi-
2..Alternanthera 'Rosanervig'
3..Hottonia Palustris-
4..Hemianthus Micranthemoides
5..Staurogyne Sp(US
version=Hygrophila sp. 'Roraima')
6..Ludwigia sp 'Super Red'
7..Bacopa Australis
8..Ammania sp. 'Bonsai'
9..Hydrocotyle tripartita-
10..Monosolenium tenerum(Moss)
11..Penthorum sedoides(behind wall)
12..Limnophila hippuridoides

 

[Old Scales]

Nice list Ian. Can't wait to see it come together, which I'm sure you are also. I hope your man gets your wardrobes built early so you can start. I'm especially looking forward to seeing how the Alternanthera 'Rosanervig' and the Hygrophila sp. 'Roraima' look. OS.

 

[Sk3lly]

Wish you'd get your build going Ian. I know Old Scales swears by his Build My Led, but i want to see if you think it was worth shipping across the pond after you see your plant growth. Im waiting before i hit the buy button lol

 

[Ian086]

Wish you'd get your build going Ian. I know Old Scales swears by his Build My Led, but i want to see if you think it was worth shipping across the pond after you see your plant growth. Im waiting before i hit the buy button lol

Trust me Sk3lly, nobody wants this build started more than me. It's so frustrating walking into my room and seeing a brand new 29g and all the equipment sitting there, just waiting to get to work...lol. Old Scales doesn't have a BML, he's not in that club yet...haha.
Regarding the BML, go for it. Rivercats has one and I heard she is very impressed by it. That should be enough for anyone in doubt. Go for the XB series. A bit extra but has the power to grow pretty much anything. Just hold off for a bit though, they are currently working on a digital timer/dimmer for them. The beta versions went out for testing in the last few months. They were supposed to be released a few weeks back. From what I have read and seen myself, they are very meticulous about their quality, so the delay could be a good sign!!!

 

[Sk3lly]

Yea ive just been on their website. 24" xb dutch planted fixture in black (high output), mounting brackets in black. Then a manual dimming switch. Is that the one you mentioned or they got a new one in the works?

 

[Ian086]

Yea ive just been on their website. 24" xb dutch planted fixture in black (high output), mounting brackets in black. Then a manual dimming switch. Is that the one you mentioned or they got a new one in the works?

Yeah they have a new dimmer in the works. It's a digital version with dimmer, ramping and day/night features. Similar to the Current Sat+ controller without the cloud/lightning effects. I just checked their site and still no word. No price either but if you go for the manual dimmer and factor in the shipping, it probably will not work out too much more for the digital version..
I got the manual timer but may look into the digital version, if the price is reasonable....

 

[Sk3lly]

Yea id be well up for the digital timer. I like the feature of the sunrise/sunset on the sat plus. But i think the cloud cover and lightning is a bit gimmicky. Im not sure a) the benefits of it are and b) if it stresses fish out

 

[Ian086]

But i think the cloud cover and lightning is a bit gimmicky. Im not sure a) the benefits of it are and b) if it stresses fish out

Careful!!!. Someone on this thread is an owner and big fan of this light. I nearly pulled the trigger on one of these lights myself. The only thing that stopped me was not being able to get one!!. A major factor, I guess, when you want to buy something...lol

 

[Brookster123]

Gimmicks make the world go round... I just ordered a finnex planted plus Ian.. It's like bml's little kid brother...

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Hey hey... gimmicks are cool. It's like when smartphones first came out, most naysayers dismissed them as "bells & whistles" and called them gadgets and doodads... those same hypocritical people own the very phones they hated on. Now everyone has a smartphone. It's the future... things evolve, people innovate. Just look at high tech LED reef lighting if you want a glimpse into the future. They have the most doodads. FW planted lights are a few steps behind and usually are conceived due the the economic driving forces behind the R & D that goes into reef (the biggest money market for aquariums).

Moral of the story, don't knock it until you try it. The proof is in the pudding and I'm able to grow any plant I want with them. And yes, my fish get romantic with each other when the lightning and clouds roll in.

 

[Brookster123]

Hey hey... gimmicks are cool. It's like when smartphones first came out, most naysayers dismissed them as "bells & whistles" and called them gadgets and doodads... those same hypocritical people own the very phones they hated on. Now everyone has a smartphone. It's the future... things evolve, people innovate. Just look at high tech LED reef lighting if you want a glimpse into the future. They have the most doodads. FW planted lights are a few steps behind and usually are conceived due the the economic driving forces behind the R & D that goes into reef (the biggest money market for aquariums). Moral of the story, to knock it until you try it. The proof is in the pudding and I'm able to grow any plant I want with them. And yes, my fish get romantic with each other when the lightning and clouds roll in.

i like it!! I knew you wouldn't let us led nerds down dr. Nano!! I remember my first iPhone

 

[Ian086]

Gimmicks make the world go round... I just ordered a finnex planted plus Ian.. It's like bml's little kid brother...

Nice. I tried to get one of those too. The BML was my third choice...lol