Evolution of a planted 180 gallon-EDIT 3/15 New Photo

[fishman76092]

This tank has been set up close to 5 months to the day and has gone through a few ups and downs (wrong plant choices, an outbreak of velvet, etc).  The addition of a UV sterilizer has helped immensely-although it added an ugly tube on the right that has now been covered by the Ammania.   Here is a few photos from the 5 months:

October 8, 2006


November 11, 2006


December 29, 2006


February 8, 2007


March 5, 2007



March 15, 2007

[jbicb3]

Re: Evolution of a planted 180 gallon

That is really looking good Roy. Looks like you put a lot of work into it.

[fishman76092]

Re: Evolution of a planted 180 gallon

That is really looking good Roy. Looks like you put a lot of work into it.

Thanks-not sure who Roy is though.

[Bogdan]

Re: Evolution of a planted 180 gallon

Very nice job, I am really impressed. Could you write a little bit details? Ph, hardness, CO2 concentration, what kind of fertilizers you use et cetera?
Correct me if I am wrong, in the left corner I can see some hygrophila corymbosa which doubled its size in a one month time (comparing the first to the second picture). In my tank this plants just sit for a month and didn't change a lot.
Thanks

[fishman76092]

Re: Evolution of a planted 180 gallon

Very nice job, I am really impressed. Could you write a little bit details? Ph, hardness, CO2 concentration, what kind of fertilizers you use et cetera?
Correct me if I am wrong, in the left corner I can see some hygrophila corymbosa which doubled its size in a one month time (comparing the first to the second picture). In my tank this plants just sit for a month and didn't change a lot.
Thanks

That is a Giant Hygro as you said.  Its the fastest growing plant in my tank currently.  I pulled the entire plant out after the Feb 8 photos and replanted the tips to start it over.  It gets very overgrown and shades the red temple-which happens to be the slowest grower.  The pH varies from 7.2 in the AM to 6.5 at 10PM when the CO2 shuts off.  I do 3 bubbles per second for CO2 and I use liquid ferts 2X weekly (Flourish, Potassium, Iron, Nitrogen)-I'm a bit intimidated by the dry fert thing.  I don't know what the hardness is but I'm sure its fairly hard given that I can't grow R. wallachi and the fact that I have a concrete background.  Here are other details:

Eco-complete gravel
706 Watts of PC lighting (5500K&10000K/460nM)
2 x 250W heaters with substrate heater
Pressurized CO2 system with pH controller
Turbotwist 12X UV Sterilizer
2 x Magnum HOT (soon to be upgraded)

Plants:
Onion Plants
Giant Hygro
Apon. ulvaceous
Apon. crispus
Baby Tears
Rotala macrandra
Green Tiger Lotus
Red Tiger Lotus
Crypt. wendtii 'green'
Crypt. wendtii 'red'
Crypt. petchii
Crypt. lutea
Ammania senegalensis
Rotala indica
Java fern
Red Temple

Fish:
45 Cardinals
3 Roselines
2 New Guinea Rainbows
3 Glass Bloodfins
8 Espei Rasboras
12 Rummy Nose Tetras
15 Asst Corydoras
15 Otocinclus affinis
1 Glypto. joselemani pleco
5 Red Tail Hemiodus
1 Wild Scalare Angel
1pr M. altispinosa

[Bogdan]

Re: Evolution of a planted 180 gallon

Thanks for the details.

[HoustonFishFanatic]

Re: Evolution of a planted 180 gallon

Wow thats a beautiful tank. Gr8 dude.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Evolution of a planted 180 gallon

Great looking planted tank!

Is the rotala indica small leafed or is it like rotundifolia?

[Mzungu]

Re: Evolution of a planted 180 gallon

Although I am extremely jealous, it's really neat to see the changes through the months! Thanks for sharing those!  

[naps]

Re: Evolution of a planted 180 gallon

WOW!!! Really nice work!! 8)

[fishman76092]

Re: Evolution of a planted 180 gallon

Great looking planted tank!

Is the rotala indica small leafed or is it like rotundifolia?

It is small leafed and grows like a weed!

[thomas]

Re: Evolution of a planted 180 gallon-EDIT 3/15 New Photo

Just look at your tank, i can tell that your effort was already paid off. Good job, man!

[Tiapan]

Re: Evolution of a planted 180 gallon-EDIT 3/15 New Photo

It is a great lookin tank, what brand lighting ficture are you using and with the uv sterilizer are you noticing any temp issues?

[finfan]

Re: Evolution of a planted 180 gallon-EDIT 3/15 New Photo

that is a very nice tank, i love the timeline pictures, please update again in a few month, one day, i want to have a tank like that, don't know when that one day will be, but anticipation is half the fun anyway  :wink: