# First Planted Tank and I guess my Introduction Post



## 1101cody (Apr 20, 2011)

Hey Everyone,

This is my first tank i have set up and it does need some trimming so I will hopefully post some better pics after the long weekend when i clean the tank up.

This is the first planted tank I tried my hand at and have learned much of what i know through trail and error. I have some Algae right now and its because my lighting is intense for the tank.

I have just included a pic i took right now and a pic of some some inverts chilling in the tank.

Feedback would be great although I am not huge on how this tank turned out I'm glad to have the first one under my belt so I can try something new with my next attempt.

From St. Catharines with love,

Cody


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## tranceaddict (Apr 3, 2011)

looks good. especially after a trim of those plants on the right


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## jimmyjam (Nov 6, 2007)

looks good so far. I think your up for a trimming. Get the L.repens a bit shorter in the mid ground, on the right, perhaps hide the filter on the right behind the repens, theres also some central repens thats covering up your watersprite, perhaps move those guys to the right or keep low in front of the watersprite, and your good to go. 

jim


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## 1101cody (Apr 20, 2011)

Thanks Trance and Jim,

Is the watersprite the Didiplis diandra in the back left of the tank you are referring too? I have done a trim the other day and its looking better but still need to do some more. I appreciate your help as I am still rather new with the trimming and maintenance of the plants. I will post some more pictures tonight after I trim the C.Repens down to allow some more light but the lighting in that tank is already excessive. 

Hopefully you can have another gander after the trim and provide some more feedback.

Thanks again your help its greatly appreciated.


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## 1101cody (Apr 20, 2011)

Here are some updated pictures guys was going to get them up earlier today but that windstorm hit my town hard and have been with out internet and power all day.

Thanks!


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## Otaku (Feb 27, 2010)

hey i love the green/ red contrast that the ludwigias provide, and the rock in the front actually adds so much to the scape, its all really nice!!

how many gallons/ wpg?

keep it up


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## 1101cody (Apr 20, 2011)

Hey Otaku thanks for the kind words... your tank is beautiful as well! Wish I could come and steal some of that grass out of their looks perfect!

The tank is 10 Gallons and the WPG is way too much at about 5.5 WPG.

Dosing Micro and Macro every other day and excel in addition to the DIY CO2.


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## Otaku (Feb 27, 2010)

thanks for the tank compliment 1101cody!!

welllll, i wish i could steal some of your dwarf baby tears... but then i have absolutely no room for it so maybe i wont 

hey with all that light, I still can't really make out much algae, and your plants are pearling too so they are nice and healthy

Do you get a lot of micro bubbles out of the glass diffuser? I recently bought a cheap and small power head to diffuse/ blast micro bubbles through my tank and the algae declined drastically while my plant growth exploded

IMO I'd say its one of the most efficient ways to diffuse DIY CO2 (because even when my DIY mixture is dying down, i still get huge amounts of micro bubbles)


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## 1101cody (Apr 20, 2011)

Otaku said:


> hey with all that light, I still can't really make out much algae, and your plants are pearling too so they are nice and healthy
> 
> Do you get a lot of micro bubbles out of the glass diffuser? I recently bought a cheap and small power head to diffuse/ blast micro bubbles through my tank and the algae declined drastically while my plant growth exploded
> 
> IMO I'd say its one of the most efficient ways to diffuse DIY CO2 (because even when my DIY mixture is dying down, i still get huge amounts of micro bubbles)


The light does cause some Algae problems for me unfortunately but thats part of the fun I guess. The glass diffuser is ok... I was thinking about running the line right into my outflow line for the Eheim canister filter to help it out... I would be curious to see exactly how you use the power head to diffuse the CO2 as most of the set-ups I feel in love with on the green leaf aquarium websites all needed pressurized CO2 and I am not at this point yet.


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## Otaku (Feb 27, 2010)

I've read that its hard to get DIY CO2 to build up enough pressure to diffuse through the ceramic disc of the glass diffuser, or that you need to replace the mixture weekly to maintain enough pressure... do you find that the case?

To diffuse through a power head, just set the tube where the CO2 comes out into the tank, under the inflow tube of the power head. The power head sucks up the bubbles and the impeller mashes up the bubbles into 1000's of micro bubbles and shoots them around the tank along with the outflow 

I get very high CO2 dissolving in my tank and very happy plants


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## Otaku (Feb 27, 2010)

any updates?


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## 1101cody (Apr 20, 2011)

Hey Sorry for not giving you an update.... been working on getting a new tank and doing a custom build stand so I am likely going to be picking this one to fill the new one as this tank is in pretty rough shape... Any input would be great!


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## FishHobby (Jul 20, 2011)

Very Nice tank! Post pixs of the new tank as well


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## 1101cody (Apr 20, 2011)

Will do forsure... I am waiting to order the tank right now because the OFS is out of stock on the 18" cube tank I was hoping to get. New stock should be in next month but the wait is killing me.


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

i dont understand what you mean by "rough shape".....your tank is so nice!!! :O


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## 1101cody (Apr 20, 2011)

iBetta said:


> i dont understand what you mean by "rough shape".....your tank is so nice!!! :O


Thank you very much I do really like the scape right now and now that the HC cuba has covered so nicely I dont really want to get rid of the tank but I have had a lot of trouble with the plants in Niagara Big Als Burlington is the closest deecent store and they seem to be fighting some type of algae every time I am their so I would rather try and use my own.

The scape itself with that being said I do really enjoy. I dont think I will every be the type of person that does 4 scapes a year but the physical aquarium that it is in has seen better days. Scratches on the front and cut away plastic at the tope leaves a lot to be desired from me now that I dont have to complain about plants .

Your tank is also very nice I think I will be going a nice Iwagami style next I am very excited once it starts. I will do my best to do a journal of the tank to show my journey.

Best Regards,

Cody


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

oh i see!  will definitely subscribe when you do! 
you hc carpet is something to be desired? what parameters, dosing, c02 where you using?

ahaha thanks for the compliment, i also ripped up my tank XD.....but then i missed the HC carpet and now im trying to grow another one lol...so ironic


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## 1101cody (Apr 20, 2011)

Hey as far as the tank is concerned its 10 Gal nothign special think i found it in the basement of my old appartment and adopted it.

I am just using DIY CO2 which I had a bit of an issue with last night... Made too high of an output and came home to see my fish gasping for air. I went and pulled out the CO2 for today and thankfully the fish seem to be fine. But I will have to be more careful when going over my CO2... seems like whenever you feel confident in your scape life throws you a curveball to see if you can adapt.

I am dosing micro and macro (Potassium, Phosphorus, nitrogen and Plant Gro) about twice a week I have to be careful with my dosing though as I am puming in a very high powered power compact bulb that if I am not careful will make my tank grow out of control (algae included) I usually does a cap of Excel at water change and do weekly 20-30% changes. 

Stock: CRS, Cherries and Ammano's
Fish: Rasmosa (3) just a couple I moved over need to get a couple more to see if they will school proper for me.

Substrait is ecosource completed if I remeber correctly going to try the ADA on my new tank and compare to see if I notice a difference.

Filter Ehiem 2113 canister - best investment I made on the tank so far.

I have some lava rocks were the red comes from but I have been recently reading they pull the nitrates out of the water so I will likely look for new hardscape material for the new tank.

Outflow and Inflow tubes I got off Ebay for a steal as well.

Hope that gives you an idea on the tank and thanks again for the kind remarks I study forums like this for a long time before getting up the courage to start this tank. I have been pretty loyal to this scape just trying to get my planted tank keeping skills at a level where i felt I could justify doing a new setup.


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## jimmyjam (Nov 6, 2007)

good growth bud.. looking good


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