# 5ft Planted Tank



## hendy8888

I thought I would finally post a couple pictures of my 5ft planted tank at different stages of its life.

Current setup
Tank: 120 gal 60x18x26
Light: 8x54w Sfiligoi T5HO
Filtration: 2 x Ehiem 2217
UV Sterilizer
Temp: 300w Hydor in line heater
Substrate: Netlea brown / white silica sand
CO2: 20lb tank, Victor dual stage reg, Fabco nv, Burkert solenoid, ISTA Max mix CO2 reactor - large

My first attempt 


















Rainbow fish









Second try









Discus









Most recent scape


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## balutpenoy2oy

NIce greeny...


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## LTPGuy

First and second tries were awesome looking! Is there anyway to post larger photo?

What substrate are you using in both instances?

Thanks very much.


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## Jiinx

hendy, stunning! I love your third scape. It must be really hard to reach into your tank and scape!  the wood is beautiful...

More photos, please!


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## Fishfur

Very, very nice indeed. I can't wait until the wood I harvested last year is seasoned enough to use.. it's got some long branches similar to some of yours, and I love the way they look, especially if they grow some mosses.


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## Ciddian

Wow....... Whats the height on that tank? What lights did you choose for it? I like the colour of it a lot!


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## hendy8888

LTPGuy said:


> First and second tries were awesome looking! Is there anyway to post larger photo?
> 
> What substrate are you using in both instances?
> 
> Thanks very much.


Thanks, I may have to get a photo bucket account for larger pics. The first picture has black shot blasting media for substrate. It is a nickel slag which gives the black sand look but compacted too much over time. When I swapped it out there were spots that were rock hard it seemed.

The second was white silica sand I bought at Home Depot for decorative landscaping. I have not seen this product since I bought it but it is made by Stone Mason.

The third is Netlea plant soil for the planted section and the white silica sand for the forground.


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## hendy8888

Jiinx said:


> hendy, stunning! I love your third scape. It must be really hard to reach into your tank and scape!  the wood is beautiful...
> 
> More photos, please!


Yes it is! The rim of the tank is probably 5ft tall, I need a step ladder to do maintenance on it. I wanted it higher up so it was easily viewed while standing. It is 26" deep so to reach the bottom I'm up to my armpit.


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## hendy8888

I want to put phoenix moss on the wood but it didn't grow at all... I think my SAE's and bristle nose pleco are eating it. I have never had luck with moss in this tank, I think because it's at 84f.


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## hendy8888

Ciddian said:


> Wow....... Whats the height on that tank? What lights did you choose for it? I like the colour of it a lot!


26" tall on the tank itself and around 5ft to the top of the rim when it's on the stand.

First pic, I used 6 x 4ft over driven t8 bulbs. The other two are what I'm currently using 2x 150w fishneedit mh. I use the watergrass 8000k bulbs in them which are very nice and not too expensive compared to other bulbs. Love the mh but the heat is a real problem in the summer. They should not be in a canopy.


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## hendy8888

I have been battling GDA on this tank for years, it has been torn down and redone twice due to moving. It doesn't get affected by other algae much but always has GDA. I usually clean the glass with each water change and it keeps it manageable. I finally let it run its course and did not touch it for 6 weeks. I have to say it got worse then got better like others have stated. After each 50% water change the portion that was exposed to air was noticeably affected. After 6 weeks the bottom and top half's looked the same and able to see through the tank well.

This was the result after the GDA ran its course









I then trimmed and cleaned the glass as usual followed by a water change













































Unfortunately I do expect that the GDA will come back.... It just likes this tank too much.


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## aru666

Beautiful tank, I wish I have the space for a tank like this,
keep up the good work.


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## hendy8888

Trimmed the stems and added some more stones.


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## 10G

Damn, your first two pics, #lush...


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## hendy8888

Not much changes with this tank anymore but here is a FTS:


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## FishHobby

Setup is looking great!! Very nice!



hendy8888 said:


> Not much changes with this tank anymore but here is a FTS:


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## Ciddian

Did you not have too much luck with the lotus or was that plant just not a good fit?

Really like the look of this tank


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## hendy8888

Thanks, I can't control the lotus, it pops up everywhere from sending out runners and bulbs. In a months time it can go from a bulb all the way to the surface with 10+ leaves. I sell any adult plant off and always keep a couple bulbs. They really block out the light but I can't get rid of them all. 

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## pyrrolin

Very nice scape


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## Sameer

That is an amazing tank.


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## Ciddian

Ha! That is very interesting, I have always wanted to keep that plant.


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## jimmyjam

Looks SO far , nice discus

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## hendy8888

The MH ballast died again and I am tired of replacing them yearly it seems. So I was lucky enough to get a Sfiligoi Stealth 8x54w T5HO from the buy/sell here. The fixture is way overkill but plan to run the 8 bulbs for only 3 hrs/ day and just 4 bulbs for the remainder. The fixture is built like a tank and is very heavy since it uses a glass splash shield. I already like the even lighting and reduced heat in my canopy. The plants responded very well after 4 days without light. 
It came with saltwater bulbs but I used just the 4 ATI Aquablue Special bulbs temporarily. They grew plants just fine and make the greens pop like no other. The tank is way too blue but in person I got used to it.


Finally got some new bulbs.
This is 1 Zoo Med Flora Sun, 1 Coralife colormax, 1 wavepoint sunwave, 1 wavepoint red wave. 


All bulbs on: the above plus (3 Aquablue special, 1 more flora sun)
It doesn't look this washed out or blue in person.




Cell Phone got the colour a bit better..


I still can try many different colour combos but have not had the time and like where its at now.


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## TorontoPlantMan

Thats a beautiful tank, I really like your scape and how the plants filled in. Great job


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## greg

Beautiful tank. I really like the flow of the hardscape and plants from left to right, ending in sand. If I ever redo my 145g yours would definitely be one of the tanks I turned to for inspiration.

I have a lot of T5HOs as well and the combination I use after much surfing/reseaching on the BarrReport and PlantedTank etc., is 3 middays, 1 Giesemann aqua flora, 1 ATI blue special and 1 ATI purple plus.


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## hendy8888

Thanks for the comments. Greg I really like the color your getting with your bulbs. I'm thinking of trying a very Red bulb like the UVL red sun as many others are on the BarrReport. I can't find them in Canada though and also have trouble finding the sunblaster Red neon which looks a similar colour but might be able to get online. One caution about the sand is to build up a wall well. There is always Aqua soil spilling over from the settling. 

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## hendy8888

An updated picture, some of the stems are not grown in yet from an aggressive trim. I also got a few new plants from Jiinx so I will be doing a major re arrange in plants when i get a chance.


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## Byronicle

Gorgeous aquarium


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## pyrrolin

very nice range of colours in there, filled in nicely


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## hendy8888

I did a fairly extensive uproot and trim, this is what I ended up with. This should fill in very nicely after a couple trims. The L. Arcuata will need farmed a lot to fill its section.



Does anybody know what plant ID these are? Jinxx the first 2 came from you.

Acmella Americana 


Rotala Florida? 


Ludwigia repens hybrid of some kind?


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## Sameer

Beautiful tank/layout and nice plants. Jinx always has the rarities. I have something similar but much different at the same time. Id be interested to know as well. The 2nd plant kinda looks like rotala sunset.


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## hendy8888

Sameer said:


> Beautiful tank/layout and nice plants. Jinx always has the rarities. I have something similar but much different at the same time. Id be interested to know as well. The 2nd plant kinda looks like rotala sunset.


Thanks, you have some great looking plants yourself. I will have to PM Jinxx. Rotala sunset would be great if it is.


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## hendy8888

I think the second plant might be Rotala Florida as Jiinx pointed out. 

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## jimmyjam

first pic is a type of hyptis


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## hendy8888

jimmyjam said:


> first pic is a type of hyptis


When I was searching about Hyptis I came across Acmella Americana (Acmella repens on the plant finder) looks pretty close to me.


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## hendy8888

Did a few minor changes, added a UV Sterilizer and changed the diy co2 reactor to a ISTA Max Mix reactor. Added 8 ottos. I can say that my GDA is reduced, no longer needs removed weekly and the brown algae is gone due to the ottos. I am now having fun with minor GSA instead, probably due to changing the co2 reactor and I have to dial it in again.

Here are some pics:





Alternanthera Rineckii Variegated


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## Sameer

Amazing spots of colour bursts! Love the slope. I just wish you had the curly manzy rather than whatever dw you have now, does not look that great to me. Besides that, its beautiful.


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## hendy8888

Sameer said:


> Amazing spots of colour bursts! Love the slope. I just wish you had the curly manzy rather than whatever dw you have now, does not look that great to me. Besides that, its beautiful.


I agree, the wood is just collected from around the lake shore. I wish I had manzy. I just can't pay the high price for it in this tank. I don't think branches of wood should cost double the price of the tank. If you know a good source for some, let me know. Once I get a rimless I will fork over the $$$$ for the hardscape.... Maybe.


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## Sameer

hendy8888 said:


> I agree, the wood is just collected from around the lake shore. I wish I had manzy. I just can't pay the high price for it in this tank. I don't think branches of wood should cost double the price of the tank. If you know a good source for some, let me know. Once I get a rimless I will fork over the $$$$ for the hardscape.... Maybe.


The best places to buy manzy are from US bridal websites. I bought mine from Brides and blooms (http://www.bloomsandbranches.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1852). Amazing prices.


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## hendy8888

Thanks for the link. There a bit too branchy for me but I guess they could be thinned out easy enough. I really like the thicker stuff. Unfortunately the sticks that are in there are not removable as is and this tank will be torn down before it gets re-scaped. I'll have to decide between rocks or wood for my next one.


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## Sameer

Either way thats an insane tank.

Do you trim the plants from the bottom and replant? Or do you snip from the top to make everything level? How quick/slow do the bottom stems turn black?


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## hendy8888

The stargrass, Rotala, d. Diandra, s. Repens and sometimes the juncas repens I trim the tops off. The ludwigia I have to trim and replant the tops. I have just started Trimming them aggressively and they respond well. It's easier maintenance too as I can go 3 weeks between trims. In the past when there overgrown I need to replace the tops every 2 months? I am trying to keep to the aggressive trimming so I think I won't need to replace with tops for a while.

The taller the plants grow the harder it is to keep the bottoms healthy enough to produce nice new growth. My next trim should be one where I shape it more, from then on I will always trim them back to the same height. 

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## Sameer

Ok so you are cutting the bottoms and replanting right? That takes me a long time in my 45, wonder how long it takes you.


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## hendy8888

Only the ludwigia and macandra. The rest of the fast growing stems are mowed down like grass.


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## Sameer

hendy8888 said:


> Only the ludwigia and macandra. The rest of the fast growing stems are mowed down like grass.


wow really? That sounds so easy, I guess when you keep them at only a few inches height all the time you dont need to worry about the bottom. The problem I have is that I want to grow plants, in dense bushes, to the water surface. So I have to clip from bottom but its a constant circle.


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## hendy8888

It is much easier, if they grow too tall it doesn't work well. I have a ton of light now and the bottom leaves seem to be okay. 

I think I have seen a video of the Dutch style trimming where you up root 1 stem at a time from the taller rear stems and plant them in the front deeper in the substrate so now there shorter. I'll try to find it again. It wasn't a in depth video but least you can see it. 

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## hendy8888

It's not as good as I remembered but here is the link.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHwBMXHgOU0

I think it's more constant trimming that is the trick with the Dutch style.

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## Sameer

hendy8888 said:


> It's not as good as I remembered but here is the link.
> www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHwBMXHgOU0
> 
> I think it's more constant trimming that is the trick with the Dutch style.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


Thanks, Ive seen it before but it didnt help me much. Ill keep trying and learning for the time being, Ill get there.


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## hendy8888

Just a photo update:


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## hendy8888

Thought I would show a before and after of a trim I did. Water is cloudy from co2 and reflections.

Before:


After:




Also a shot of the moonlight which was added to the Sfiligoi fixture. Its a strip of RGB LEDS.


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## solarz

Amazing tank!


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## hendy8888

Did a pretty big trim, parts of the colorata may not be happy about this...we will see.

Results


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## Cichlidrookie

Hendy

Tanks like these are my inspiration for my small planted tank. Amazing tank. I love the sand (I think) on top. Do you have a different substrate? 

Do you find it hard to trim and plant, plants with the sand?

Does it get all mixed up with your substrate?


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## hendy8888

Thanks, I've always wanted to do a nice small tank but have never gotten around to it. I have silica sand around the outside only, and Netlea Brown where it's planted. I have had all silica sand before and it's easier to plant in. It's the loaches and large SAE's that up root everything until the roots grow in. Since its sloped, the Netlea does make its way to the sand in front and sits on top. It's annoying but it is part of having the decorative sand. 

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## hendy8888

Added a couple plants. My Ludwigia sp. Red continues to be the pickiest plant in the tank. If I look at it wrong it stunts... I mixed it in with the Macandra so they can stunt together. Hopefully the UG takes hold but its a battle with the loaches and SAE's. I only have one stem of the Arcuata left (my own fault, I got aggressive farming it too short). Rotala 'Florida' will take its place. Here are some bad pictures with daytime reflections...


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## Sameer

wow, now that you provided a side shot it changes things  I always thought you had an island going from left to right in the image.


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## hendy8888

Sameer said:


> wow, now that you provided a side shot it changes things  I always thought you had an island going from left to right in the image.


Nope, just the standard 18" depth. It's probably the reflection off the shiny black background that gave the illusion.


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## hendy8888

Sameer said:


> Either way thats an insane tank.
> 
> Do you trim the plants from the bottom and replant? Or do you snip from the top to make everything level? How quick/slow do the bottom stems turn black?


It took 14 weeks for me to have to replant the tops. The bottoms barely had any leaves but you cant see it at all since the plant in front hides them.


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## xriddler

I wish i can have something like that one day  its top notch!


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## tranceaddict

So Purdy


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## Sameer

hendy8888 said:


> It took 14 weeks for me to have to replant the tops. The bottoms barely had any leaves but you cant see it at all since the plant in front hides them.


Yea thats the reasonable way to do it, I cant imagine uprooting and snipping all the plants and planting them back. I guess only to adjust height. I just love your tank. Great colour and its crazy how you maintain the height profile.


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## Reckon

Sameer said:


> Yea thats the reasonable way to do it, I cant imagine uprooting and snipping all the plants and planting them back. I guess only to adjust height. I just love your tank. Great colour and its crazy how you maintain the height profile.


That's the double edged sword of a dutch layout buddy  Every 2 weeks or so I uproot, and replant 70% of the plants in my 3ft.

I concur that tank is stunning. Hendy, the work you have to do: dosing, maintaining hardness, waterchanges, trimming, planting, scooping up the loose bits, etc for such a deep and large high tech planted tank speaks volumes to your commitment. Hats off!

I've also been enjoying seeing the progress in your scape.


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## hendy8888

Reckon said:


> That's the double edged sword of a dutch layout buddy  Every 2 weeks or so I uproot, and replant 70% of the plants in my 3ft.
> 
> I concur that tank is stunning. Hendy, the work you have to do: dosing, maintaining hardness, waterchanges, trimming, planting, scooping up the loose bits, etc for such a deep and large high tech planted tank speaks volumes to your commitment. Hats off!
> 
> I've also been enjoying seeing the progress in your scape.


Thanks Reckon, It sounds like you know from experience! I dread doing big trims but once i start i enjoy them. It takes time out of my day though. Its hard to imagine how many leaves i scoop out each day and how much evaporation happens. I try to top it up everyday with about 4L.

Things i want to try on my next setup are a sump, autodoser, and ro water. My water is very hard and would like to see what softer water will do for the plants.


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## Sameer

Yea, Ive spent hours (up to 3 is the most Ive spent in one standing) trimming and replanting my 45 gal. So I couldnt imagine you doing yours. Not to mention if you have seen Tom Barr's tank. The thing is, Ive always wanted to have a dutch where all my plant canopies touch the water surface. But after trimming they reset and I get frustrated. So the only way to have a dutch like those pics where the plants are hitting the surface is hide all the decaying stems behind other plants. Unless you have lights on the sides of the tank aimed at the bottom stems. Ive also recently theorized that plants around and behind that are hitting the water surface might be plants alot higher than plants on the front.


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## hendy8888

To do a major trim and water change it takes around 3 hrs. I have the biweekly or weekly water change and scrub down to about an hour. A larger diameter hose would cut that down a bit. 

Tom Barr's tank is one of my favorites, i really like what he did with mini pellia on the driftwood the most. It makes me want stumps instead of branches on my next tank. 

I think pure dutch aquascapes have a level substrate. I'm not positive but i think its all growth rates and constant pruning to get different heights in groups. Dutch scapes are absolutely stunning and always enjoy them.


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## hendy8888

For reference the Java Fern is easily the size of a basketball.


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## hendy8888

It's still growing out from a trim a few days ago so the plants are a little ratty. I hacked back the Anubias and sold off a ton of Java Fern, doesn't look like it though.





Not in focus but the whole destruction crew was out begging for food. The UG didn't stand a chance...



Another night shot with a different colour.


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## Reckon

Really coming along. I like how the S. Repens is creeping into the sand. What is the straight tall green plant behind the blyxa?


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## hendy8888

Thanks, it's Acmella repens or Americana. Not sure the proper name. It grows quickly and needs the bottom half trimmed again. I didn't think i would like it but it makes a nice contrast with the black rock behind it that i like. It doesn't branch at all unless you trim it and leave the base. It will grow 2 new shoots exactly at the node you cut.


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## hendy8888

This will be the final shot for my 120 gal. I'm moving it next week and then putting it up for sale. All the potted plants will go into a 50 gallon grow out tank.


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