# Greetings! (New fishtank pic enclosed)



## Tamakun

Hi there everyone! I just wanted to introduce myself to the forum, as I've just come across it and found it to be local and more personal than typical aquarium forums.

Anyhow, my name is Jason, and just recently I've gone on an information spree in replacing my old fishtank. I've had a freshwater fishtank for probably about 20 years (I'm not even 30 yet ) and it recently developed a small pinhole leak, so I decided that it was about time for me to upgrade.

So, I've gone and upgraded to a 47-gallon "column" tank, and decided to go all-out and set up the tank to make a wonderful focal point for my place. I read up on Nature Aquariums and Takashi Amano, and it was all the inspiration I needed to prepare an incredible-looking tank.

I took the fish from my old tank (a small collection of gold barbs, red-tail rasboras, cardinal tetras, a pair of pineapple platies and zebra danios, ghost shrimp, and a zebra nerite snail, and a few others!) and transferred them into the new tank, being careful about it all. I got a number of plants to add to ths tank as my old tank was harboring a very hardy anubias (I believe) and transferred that over, as well. I've just recently finished with all the smaller details (such as legs to hold the light above the tank), and added a number of new fish (making the groups of fish into schools as I typically had 3-4 fish of each, not a true "school"), and well, here's my result. 










I've been working on this tank for the better part of a month. Since it's located right beside my doorway to the kitchen, I see it a lot more than my old tank due to its height (the tank top is now eye-level with me) and I really appreciate it a lot more. I'm tempted to tinker with it but I know these things take time 

I look forward to chatting with you all and hopefully I can glean some info from the locals!


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## Pablo

great setup


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## Ciddian

That tank is just lovely! You did a wonderful job on it...


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## Chris S

Looks really good Jason, most of your plants are nice, but undemanding too, which means they will work great with that setup.


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## Tabatha

Cool tank Jason, I love the height! Welcome to the group, I look forward to seeing your tank develop.

Cheers,

Tabatha


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## Shattered

That's a great looking tank. I've only rarely seen a "column" tank.


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## Tabatha

Any updated photos?


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## Tamakun

I'll get some new pictures once I get a decent shot at night. Daylight really causes a bad reflection 

Plus, I've been adding more plants as some of the smaller moneywort plants have not been growing (but that one anubias from my old tank is still sprouting new leaves, definitely a good sign). The Java plant's affixed itself to the driftwood and the ...hm, can't remember it's name right now, I had to move it to try again to get it to attach to the rock.

Only thing is that the taller plants are either not surviving or being eaten slowly... good thing is that any dying leaves quickly disappear, so something's enjoying the detriment XD


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## Riceburner

nice set up. Add a few more to make the class size up to school size...


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## KhuliLoachFan

That's beautiful. Nicely done.

W


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## Erika

*Tall tank*

Hi there.
I like your tank and I am glad that you are happy with your new tank's dimensions. I like the plants in your aquarium and I am curious what type of camera is needed to take photo's through glass?
I was under the impression that the amount of space relative to the depth of tank allows for more fish. How many fish are you allowed in your new tank?
Ta.
Erika


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## Tamakun

Erika said:


> Hi there.
> I like your tank and I am glad that you are happy with your new tank's dimensions. I like the plants in your aquarium and I am curious what type of camera is needed to take photo's through glass?
> I was under the impression that the amount of space relative to the depth of tank allows for more fish. How many fish are you allowed in your new tank?
> Ta.
> Erika


Well, I have to admit that I have a very old digital camera - one of the ones that looks like it's a regular, film-holding camera.  What I did is simply took a picture without a flash and the tanklight on at late-night. Any other time of day or a flash and I would've got glare.

My camera is also not very good at low-light, so if you're looking to take pictures in darkness like I did, you either need to hold the camera very steady or put in on a tripod. You might be able to see fish swimming in that picture, but they probably look like small lines of colour due to the low-level light and extended apeture.

As for the quantity of fish, I've also been told that you're allowed "one inch of fish" per gallon. Seeing that the tank is 47 gallons and I have about 36 "inches" of fish (all varying in from my Galaxy/Celestial Pearl Danio's .75 inch to my 1.5-inch Platy and Danios) I really don't want to overload it. I could technically add another 10 inches of fish through a school of CPD's or Gold barbs, but I'm waiting right now. Plus, the moneywort that I recently purchased needs to settle. I can't seem to keep it secured in the sediment!


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## duffgrot

Gorgeous tank! Your plants look so vibrant and healthy!


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## Tamakun

Thanks! Sadly those big plants are not surviving very well. I have to wonder what I've done wrong, but I have a feeling that the plants may be too big for the tank or too sensitive to the light - I seem to be losing one "leaf" a week. In any case, if it entirely disappears, I'll replace it with a hardier plant, maybe something with a thicker leaf.

The moneywort seems to continue to seperate itself from the sediment!  All the other plants seem to be doing quite well - the Java Fern is well-anchored to the driftwood and the inhabitants seem to be happy.


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## ameekplec.

I've had troubles with getting moneywort to anchor as well. It seems to like to eject itself from the substrate.

The Ulvaceus may not be getting enough light. Also, how long since you got it? It may be adjusting to it's new place and will eventually come to a happy balance. If not, I say the culprit is not enough light.


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## Tamakun

Yeah, that Moneywort *laughs* Is there anything I can do to get it to stay, short of burying it deep and hope it doesn't come loose?

I set this tank up back in March, and I purchased a T5 light for the tank due to its tall design. Considering that the anubias at the very bottom of the tank is growing well, I have reason to believe that there's plenty of light, but the ulvaceus is just disappearing, almost dissolving into the water. Maybe it has to do with the Amano shrimp or the Otocat?


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## ameekplec.

The anubias will grow without much light. They're very low light. The ulvaceus is more a moderate light plant also. Do you fertilize? That may be one of the problems too. 

As for the money wort, a favourite method of mine is to let it float (works for many other plants species) for a week or two. It starts to put out roots, at which point, burying them in the substrate works much better as they now have an anchor.


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## Tamakun

Thanks for your help! No, I don't fertilize... my old tank only had the Anubias and I figured the tank was self-sufficient in what it needed, but if what you're saying is true, I think I might be too late to get the Ulvaceus back. Though, do you have a recommendation for helping the Ulvaceus? I can try something this week.

(Speaking of which, all the other plants are healthy and growing, but I'm sure a simple fertilizer would suffice and help them root and grow... I'd love to have a growing planted tank  (I was thinking of adding some crawling plant to attach to the driftwood... I figure java moss would be a good plant for that?)

And I'll try that with any moneywort that frees itself from hereon in! I never thought about that, but yeah, there's no roots, kinda makes it difficult to hold on


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## ameekplec.

Try a simple root tab with the ulvaceus. It can be something like that, but it can also be a lighting issue, with your deeper tank, but I cannot say for sure. Does any new growth have holes? Does it appear lighter in color? or is new growht healthy and it's just the old growth that is dying rather rapidly?

The moneywort grows so slowly though, it will take a while for it to sprout roots. But it'll do it.

I like the look of your tank right now, but more plants can be nice too. I have plenty...


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## Tamakun

Well, regarding the ulvaceus, I'm not seeing new growth.  Remember that the picture is from a few months ago, after I first set up the tank... sadly it's not that lush as it was, and I'm not seeing new leaves.  (All the other plants are growing alright. I'll leave some of the moneywort for a while if it floats up.

I just found your trade/selling post; I might be tempted to pick up a few items, but I should get a root tab first for the ulvaceus before I _replace_ it, I think. Thanks!


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## ameekplec.

If you're seeing no new growth, then chances are that the plant is getting insufficient light. It prefers medium/high light IME, and so that may be the problem, but getting root tabs won't hurt your other plants either.

As for new additions into the tank, I guess because of the height of the tank, near the bottom, I'm guessing the light penetration isn't the best, so things tat are considered low light plants would be best for you. That includes the ferns, cryptocorynes and anubias species among others. Also, there are a bunch of low light stem plant species you could do too.


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## Sunstar

there is something out about that sort of Ulvaceus plant... I've been doing a lotof reading. Some plants of that sort die down for a couple months rest period. They say put it in a pot of wet sand or something for about 2 months then replant it. I can't recall where I read that though. It probably wants a hibernation period.


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