Just awesome

:spop:

:thup:

Gear Changes:

CF500 - Was going to be temporary as the mature filter but I think I'll keep it in.

Fluval 200W heater and took out 1X100W - The 2X100W setup did cope so well over the cold weekend. This thing keeps it within .5C

Plants Added:

Big Amazon

Marble queen

Leopard

Tropica

A bunch of micro sword

Heaps of stargrass, maybe 40 - 50 stems?

Everything plant wise seems to be doing fine. Stargrass is going nuts, have chopped down the first lot already. This is all I plan on planting. Will see how it goes, might swap some things around but I'm pretty happy with it. Got two small reflectors I had lying around and chucked them on the front bulb, back one has a good ol' tinfoil reflector. Makes a huge difference.

Got a couple of ideas for 'mood lighting' and a couple of spraybars. Likely one of those will consume my weekend

Learnt a few things trying to shoot it, the bow front makes things a bit tricky.

2 Bolivian Rams went in at the weekend. The have settled very well and are currently deciding who should be the big cheese. They have picked out a spot at the back right in the middle so they get to look down over the front of the tank.

I have taken all the fine media out of the CF500 to increase the flow. This will drive my spray bar idea once I get all the components together. It's now only running noodles, bio balls and coarse sponge. All the plants now have a nice gentle wavyness about them.

I'm thinking of replacing the rear bulb as I'm not so keen on the yellowy light it gives off. Does anyone have a suggestion on where to source T5s in Chch? Have seen some crazy prices on them. Also have very little experience with T5s so am up for any suggestions/opinions on brands and prices.

Looking great!!!

!drool:

Thanks Sophia

Something else I need some advice on. Keeping stargrass nice and dense and not letting it get to 'lanky'. I read something somewhere but now I can't find it :dunno:

As always, tips appreciated!

Keep trimming it, when it starts getting too lanky trim it and throw the bottom half away. Works with most types of stem plants to bush them up a bit

Shot man :thup:

Don't you have an EMG you should be shredding? \m/

yes sir! back to it

Since the diatom bloom has died back over the last couple of weeks the plants are pearling for most of the day. Not a huge amount but it's looking real good.

From what I can see and have been reading, this thing would explode if I got CO2 into it.

Dosing 2.5ml Flourish comp every 3 -4 days.

pH reged with Seachem buffers @ 6.4 - .6

Big fat heater in the view is just for Winter. Maybe one day I'll get around to hiding it. Have used expanding foam on the back and polystyrene on the sides and top. Having in a cold garage is proving a little expensive. Insulation has made a huge difference in temp stability. Almost got something planned for covering the front. So wish it wasn't bow front :facepalm:

people do make a fuss about equipment in tank shots but I think it's part of fishy life. I barely notice them.

Tank looks really pretty.

so greeeeen. Good stuff

That heater is sooo ugly!

Hide it in the corner.. won't make a difference in performance or temp.

Tank looks good! :thup:

awesome tank !drool: !drool:

fish pics??????????

Yeah isn't it. I found it quite lacking in the corner.

Need to get the spray bar thing going that I have planned to get a bit more even flow going on. That should fix it.

Cheers, might try and get some when the next lot go in. Only 4 fish in there atm.

Looks great :thup:

Awesome tank

The big rocks look like they would be heavy. How do you know when adding rocks, especially big ones, that they aren't too heavy for the tank???

Thanks,

Caper

Thanks all.

I guess there's a limit to what the glass can support as far as weight. There is plenty of substrate between them and the base so it would be fairly spread I would think. No problems yet!

There are a few tricks with growing Heteranthera zoesterafolia (stargrass). It applies to some other plants such as Rotala rotundifolia as well:

Stargrass needs a lot of light to stay nice and green and the tips usually only get enough so the rest below that will often turn black or grow rank. Trim the tip and replant as suggested.

Or, Trim the tip and replant then trim the remainder and compost but leave the stem and roots as it will reshoot.

Or, bend the whole pland over and cover it with the media (apart from the tip) and it will throw a heap of vertical shoots.

Or, Pull the whole plant and trim and replant the tip. Set up a plant pot with potting mix and place all the old roots and discarded stalks on top then cover lightly with potting mix and keep warm and moist. You will soon have that many plants to trim off and plant and sell on trademe you wont know what to do with them.