# Dirted 29 gallon Planted tank



## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

Hello everyone,

I finally got time to setup my dirted 29 gallon tank. I used the Miraclegro organic potting mix and gravel at the top. I couldn't get the red clay so some point i will have to supplement iron.

Plants I have:
Vals - corkscrew (i think)
dwarf hair grass
amazon sword
crypt - I don't know what kind
Crypt wendtii brown
java moss
red tiger lotus

Current fish
4-5 platies
5 cory cats - Bronze cory and Julli cory
4 amano shrimp

future plan
Angels
Pair German blue ram
red cherry shrimp

Lighting
2X 23watt CFL 5500K

and DIY CO2

Any suggestions are welcome


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## Lyfeenz (Jan 1, 2013)

Don't Rams eat RCS ? The Amanos should be ok as they're bigger, but I know people who have had bad experiences keeping rams and even angels with shrimp. 

This is very similar to the tank I have planned with my 45, your's look quite nice  Can't wait to see how those plants do. With all that light, CO2 and that nice substrate, I'll bet they take off. 

Post some more pics when things settle down I'd like to see how this progresses.


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

I hope rams don't eat shrimp. I've seen tank photos showing rams and red cherry shrimp. I hope they don't eat my shrimps.

I saw new leaves from tiger lotus as the old leaves are dying off. My Hygrophila polysperma are showing lot of red/brown color. I'll take few more pics in a week.


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## df001 (Nov 13, 2007)

Rams will absolutely chow down on any shrimp they can catch/fit in their mouth... If your adult population is big enough, and your tank has enough hiding space, you should be ok.


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

this sucks but i will try though.


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## greg (Apr 29, 2012)

Nice setup. Wood has good proportions for your tank.

I was having problems with my red tiger lotus with the leaves dying off until I upped the iron significantly. Now it seems to be taking off.

Looking forward to some more pics as the tank matures.

Good luck!

Greg


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

Leaves melted but im getting new leaves. I think im seeing one new leaf per week. However, I can't seem to find my 2nd lotus so im not sure whats going on. 

I'll add new pics at the end of the month for comparison. I've added two bolivian rams but they don't look as nice the ones i see on google images.


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

third week update of the tank. I've added two bolivian rams and one BN pleco.


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

here is my 5th week update. Plants are growing well. I had to trim my rotala indica and throw away due to top part getting lot of hair algae. Everything else seems to be growing well. My bolivian rams are spawning too!!! i've added the pics of the egg as well.


















Ram eggs


















whole album


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

This is my 7th week update. The tank really needs some trimming and I think i need to add something like ludwiga repens or some other red/pink plant.

please let me know if anyone wants to trade vals (its not jungle or corkscrew val) and Hygrophila polysperma 'Ceylon' for few stems of ludwiga repens or some sort of moss (not java moss)


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## Sameer (Sep 30, 2007)

umm, Id like to see larger pics, cant see much detail...


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

looking nice


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## NuclearTech (Mar 23, 2008)

I think that something red/pink would look nice, but so would something with smaller leaves if you aren't able to get it. What happened with the ram eggs? (sorry if I missed that)

Stuff is growing nicely!


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

Sameer said:


> umm, Id like to see larger pics, cant see much detail...


here you go larger image of the last pic


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

NuclearTech said:


> I think that something red/pink would look nice, but so would something with smaller leaves if you aren't able to get it. What happened with the ram eggs? (sorry if I missed that)
> 
> Stuff is growing nicely!


the parents ate them i think. They were defending them for two days and i don' see any eggs.


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## balutpenoy2oy (Feb 17, 2011)

GAT said:


> This is my 7th week update. The tank really needs some trimming and I think i need to add something like ludwiga repens or some other red/pink plant.
> 
> please let me know if anyone wants to trade vals (its not jungle or corkscrew val) and Hygrophila polysperma 'Ceylon' for few stems of ludwiga repens or some sort of moss (not java moss)


I have here hygrophila plysperma "ceylon" for your ludwigia repens and some moss (picture will help us identify).


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

after water change and some trimmings.

Removed lot of Hygrophila polysperma and some vals. Also removed partially dying amazon sword leaves.










large imagae


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

Here is the 9th/10th week update. The plants are growing well but I hate this tank. I am married to that hard scape but i think i need to add variety of plants. Hygro ceylon is growing well but its becoming weed so i am planning to reduce that plant to few stems. I need to add a midground plant bring out a bush type structure and add more reddish plants.

midground - staurogyne repens
red plants - ludwigia repens and Alternanthera reineckii 'lilacina' or other red variants

what do you guys think?


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