Update Scape - 46-Gallon Bowfront Planted Tank

[kidslikefish]

Finished the wood flooring, so it's time to put the 46-gallon bowfront back up and I decided to make it a planted tank (timing worked out great with the GHAC Auction). Light is Odysea, 96wt, currently a 50/50 bulb (fixture purchased at the auction).

Tank and Stand, as a sofa-table / room divider:



Side View:



100 Lbs of Eco Complete (40 lbs purchsed at GHAC Auction):



Driftwood (purchased at GHAC auction) and holey rock added, the rock I had:



Plants tied to wood (all plants bought at the auction), and burried in substrate, water added ....... AUGH...... Who'd have thought that big, heavy piece of wood would float,.... guess I should have asked that question at the auction. No problem, piece of slate, 2 stainless steel screws and we're back in business:



Left the slate showing in the front, thought that looked good:



Finished product:



View from the other side, don't like the filter so much, but can't do much about it:



Don't know yet, what fish I want (some very colorful, schooling type I'm thinking). I added some wild-caught guppies ?? Yesterday. See my post in the Natives section if you can help identify what they are. They won't stay once I decide what I want in there, but my 8-year caught them and wanted to keep them. Now it need to grow out ! I may still add some tall plants (swords maybe) in the corners.

Any suggestions on improvements at this point ?

[fishboyt]

Nice! You could try some tetras.

[manifresh006]

I think it looks great, but if it was me just saying i wouldn't go with the holy rock in planted tank maybe move the drift wood to one side and add other piece of driftwood OR keep the holy rock and move both rocks together and driftwood to one side

As for fish well there is a lot of them a nice Red color like the Serpae Tetras would look nice AND someone just posted he was giving them away just dont now if he still has them here is a Link

[manifresh006]

LOL See i told you just saw fishboyt post

[MerrittA]

Wow! Not bad, but I would add more plants. Personally I like the miniature forest look. :-)

[wesleydnunder]

Nice set up. The plants look good. I really like the driftwood. You can clip the baby tears in half, stick the clipped off part in the substrate and it will root. The original part left planted will grow a new top. Over time with lots of clipping and replanting it'll make a nice carpet with the right amount of light, carbon supplement and fert.

Mark

[Tiapan]

i think it looks cool, great job i like the setup since it will be viewed from both sides traditional scaping doesnt always apply. maybe a canister filter look better for you, time to save up for it, since you spent so much at auction :)

[J-WS6]

Looks like a good start!

[Darbex]

Looks good but IMO I would loose the HOB for two reasons if you are going to leave it as a tank behind the couch it takes away from the view from the back and secondly since you are using CO2 it will cause you to waste CO2 since the HOB generally breaks the water surface allowing the CO2 to escape more rapidly the only way to slow this down would be to make sure that the water level is always high that the water falling down isnt as large.

[TaTeR ToT]

also, if that hob is an emperor 400, which it appears to be, they create even more oxygen to do the spraybar & bio-wheels, so thi9s is not a good thing, as brian stated, it will waste quite a bit of co2.
i would get an Eheim 2217 and glass lily pipes, for optimal viewing.
also, i would probably get the clear tagon tubing.
the green intake, return, and hoses will be an eyesore imo.
also, i like the holey rocks, they are beautiful pieces, but not for a planted scape.
i agree with manifresh, i would remove them, and add another piece of driftwood.
and maybe some valisneria in the corners, as i think swords will get to big and take away from the beauty of the setup.
you can usually pikup a used 2217 on here or on marshreef for under $100.
and people are always selling driftwood on here.
the clear tagon tubing can be bought at homedepot,
and the glass lily pipes can probably be found on NASH website.
but dont get me wrong, i do really like the scape, and you did make very good use of all the hardscape.
looks good, keep us updated with the progress.

[beaver24]

Replace the 50/50 bulb in your light fixture. 50/50 bulbs do nothing for planted tanks. Get a 6500k bulb or anything ranging from 6000k-8000k with a full spectrum.

I also agree to lose the HOB filter and replace with a canister filter. I have this exact 46gal bowfront planted aquarium and i'm running a rena xp2. Although I would go with a 2217.

[Darbex]

HAW has lily pipes for sale or he did last time I was in

[TaTeR ToT]

go see troung at extreme fish, he should have the oddysea 6200k plant bulbs you need, and i can almost promise he will be cheaper than anyone else.

[kwc1974]

+1 on changing to a canister
+1 on removing the holy rock
+1 on changing the light spectrum (I prefer 8000k but they are hard to get)

Also, consider removing the hagen CO2 ladder. A simple ceramic difusser will be much better at introducing CO2 into the water column. If you do go to a canister filter, consider an inline CO2 option. This will clean up tank space and give a better apperance.

Be careful on the oddysea bulbs, everone that I have talked to changed them out to due to inferior color.

Good start.

[Darbex]

+1 on the bulbs I have them and want to change them but to lazy at the moment