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120Gal Planted Tank Attempt


AcademyElite
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I have been out of the hobby for about 5 years now. Thats the reason I call it an attempt. One day while picking up some feeders for my Ball Python, from Pisces I was invited to a planted tank seminar. I went and re-fell in love. I immediately dusted off my old 120 gal aquarium and started on this wonderful(but Expen$ive) journey. I started this tank on Aug. 17, 2013. the tank is a 120 gal.

For lights I have a 48" dual GLO and a 48" Aqueon 3 lamp LED and a 32" moon glow LED It also gets a few hours a day of direct sun..

For my substrate I used ADA Power sand as a base layer (1cm) and the Five elements mixture then i used ADA Aqua soil and powder for the top layer (3"-6").Oh and a few flourish tabs.

I use a 20lb. bottle of CO2 to a bubble counter to a DO!AQUA Music glass diffuser.

As for filtration I have an Eheim Professional wet/dry with mostly natural bio media. Water Ph. 7.5.


Ok So it kinda gets embarrassing here. I don't know any of the names of the plants I have in here. If you do please let me know. I'm just waiting to find some nice carpet plants to fill in the foreground/midground.

No fish yet other than a whiptail.


The "brain rocks" are from the James river just up by Bearberry


I'm looking to get some nice "carpet plants to fill in the empty areas. I am super new to the hole planted tank. I have many years experience with community tanks and breeding tanks but again nothing with planted.

I am new to this. So any advice is appreciated. I'm wondering how to set my CO2 how often i should water test/change and %.

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It's a great side to aquariums that some just don't explore. So kudo's in getting back into the fold.

A few points...

Avoid direct sunlight as it can just cause more problems than it's worth. ie algae

It would have been best for a cycled tank to be used as plants should be treated as fish during this cycling process. So watch the plants carefully as it is possible some may die.

For that ADA substrate I wouldn't recommend just due to the overly expensive price tag as there are better and cheaper alternatives imo. However since you've already got it going have fun with it.

it's nice that you've got that co2 system as your see great results with your tank.

I would suggest to add more flow to your tank by the way of a water pump-wavemaker...pick your name. A Hydor 600 or 850 for circulation. A good setup would have your diffuser underneath the pump so that the bubble can be carried throughout the tank. Not necessarily to cut up the bubble even more but just to move it to the other end of the tank. Plants like flow.

For those brain rocks, gathering material from nature can be safe but also dangerous. For the rock if it was in water when you collected it I strongly suggest to treat it first. Another thing is to see if it will pass the 'acid test'. This is a quick test which some acid such as vinegar is used to see if the rock reacts to carbonates which might be present. If you get a bubbling/foaming action remove it and get something else.

You had said you've got experience with breeding, i've got experience in planted tanks so I'd be happy to help, give advice, tips.

If you were in need of plants, rock or needed advice give me a shout.

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Ok no direct sun. What about diffused sun? say through a diffusion mask.

I did use water from a cycled tank but i still think i'll get some spikes.

I agree that ADA is expensive but I really couldn't find anything else quite like it. What would you have suggested?

I have an old fx5 and an eheim pro and a fluval 204 if i hooked up one of these do you think I'll get good flow? Should I use filtration media or just leave it empty simply for flow?

I have relocated the diffuser to just below the spray bar asd I was noticing that the bubbles were just floating to the top and popping. since I moved it my CO2 detector has turned green and has stayed green for two days.It was brown before the move. Oh brown is low and green is good and yellow is high.

I did get the rocks from the river about three years ago. Prior to using them in my tank I boiled the ever living crap out of them.About two hours at full boil. Is that good enough? Or is there another "treatment" you think i should do? I will do the acid test tonight thank you for that.

I am looking for a good carpet plant for my open areas.

ANY CHANCE ANYONE CAN HELP ME IDENTIFY WHAT PLANTS I HAVE IN HERE?

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You have some sword plants as well (back right) - tho, they have their emersed leaves. When you fill it, the new leaves will grow in looking more like a sword than a shovel (there's a proverb in there somewhere, isn't there?). I can't tell if the plants in front of the holey rock are swords, too (if they are, they'll need to be split up b/c they'll get quite large) or if it's something like Hygrophila corymbosa or compacta. Those stem plants right infront of the rock shelf on the right look like another speceis of Hygrophila, but I don't know my stem plants as well as I used to.

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So i got a hydor 1150 powerhead to increase flow of the tank I added a few new plants and a small school (8) of dwarf neon rainbows and 3 angels. I will be transferring the angels to a new community tank as soon i sell my dempsy.


There are some leaves turning red on this cluster of plants. Is this a sign of the leaf dying or the plant turning red from iron.

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Moss is doing good

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This plant has a bunch of leafs that are dieing and only one new leaf. Should I trim the bad ones off and let the new one do all the work? If so where along the plant do i cut to get best results?

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Same here

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I think this plant is flowering. It has little blueish white buds forming.

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Next 4 are what it looks like.

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Edited by AcademyElite
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You have some sword plants as well (back right) - tho, they have their emersed leaves. When you fill it, the new leaves will grow in looking more like a sword than a shovel (there's a proverb in there somewhere, isn't there?). I can't tell if the plants in front of the holey rock are swords, too (if they are, they'll need to be split up b/c they'll get quite large) or if it's something like Hygrophila corymbosa or compacta. Those stem plants right infront of the rock shelf on the right look like another species of Hygrophila, but I don't know my stem plants as well as I used to.

Proverb

If you need a shovel grow it on ground if you need a sword grow it under water

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