# My Planted 80 gallon



## noved (Jul 14, 2009)

I posted a video of my tank today on youtube. It needs some grooming and the glass needs to be cleaned but I like how its coming along. Its only been up for about a month or 2 and I'm happy with my plant growth. I'll post a follow up video after my trimming in the next couple of days.






EDIT:

Pics November 8 2011
http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showpost.php?p=218928&postcount=9


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

That looks fantastic,,, I'm not into the plant world yet,, only some anubias in my cichlid tanks.... What is the plant with all the holes in it.. Looks like mesh leaves.....Very awesome......

Cheers


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

That's madagascar lace plant. Very cool. Looks extremely healthy in your tank noved.


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## Canadianbettas (Oct 18, 2009)

Very nice tank...  looks fantastic


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## Otaku (Feb 27, 2010)

that's an awesome tank man!

i see hygro balsamica in there! 

i wanted to try it out but the only plants i have found have been grown immersed, and everywhere i look online states that it's toxic and even fatal to fish in it's immersed form


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## noved (Jul 14, 2009)

Thanks for all the kind words.



Otaku said:


> that's an awesome tank man!
> 
> i see hygro balsamica in there!
> 
> i wanted to try it out but the only plants i have found have been grown immersed, and everywhere i look online states that it's toxic and even fatal to fish in it's immersed form


Wow. I had no idea that it was toxic in its immersed form. I got it from a member here on this forum as part of a plant package actually. I just did a bit of research on this plant and I'm glad to know that it is actually quite safe in its submersed form so no worries. Nonetheless, I'll have to be sure not to let it break the surface of the tank or just toss the clipping from it on to the surface of my other tanks.



fish_luva said:


> That looks fantastic,,, I'm not into the plant world yet,, only some anubias in my cichlid tanks.... What is the plant with all the holes in it.. Looks like mesh leaves.....Very awesome......
> 
> Cheers


Like Will said, its Madagascar Lace.... the broad leaf variety I believe. I really like it as well.


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## tranceaddict (Apr 3, 2011)

everything looks really healthy. nice job


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## Canadianbettas (Oct 18, 2009)

You should get a full shot of the tank from the front.. I'm interesting to see it from far..!

What kinda lights are you using btw? T5HO how many?


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## noved (Jul 14, 2009)

I use a 4x54 T5HO catalina light fixture with 6400 k bulbs by sunblaster. I run 2 bulbs for 4 hours, all four for abour 2.5 hours and then 2 for another 4 hours.

Here are a few pics I just took. Its really needing a trim and is quite a mess at the moment so please forgive.


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## ThaChingster (Feb 25, 2011)

I'm really digging the tank!
There is a nice variety of green tones, but I believe a bit of red in there would be beneficial. Just have to follow the aquascaping fundamentals 
By the way, in the front.. is that glosso or marsilea ? looks like a great carpet.. 
(if it's marsilea want to spare me a few nodes?  )


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## Canadianbettas (Oct 18, 2009)

noved said:


> I use a 4x54 T5HO catalina light fixture with 6400 k bulbs by sunblaster. I run 2 bulbs for 4 hours, all four for abour 2.5 hours and then 2 for another 4 hours.
> 
> Here are a few pics I just took. Its really needing a trim and is quite a mess at the moment so please forgive.


really love this tank.. i keep looking these pics! Now i really want a 80g.. lol I am upgrading in the summer.. this might be my next tank inspired by you ! 

Btw.. love the location.. and the couch/sofa chair.. where I have my tank.. I have to sit on a uncomfortable regular chair for viewing! lol


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## noved (Jul 14, 2009)

Canadianbettas said:


> really love this tank.. i keep looking these pics! Now i really want a 80g.. lol I am upgrading in the summer.. this might be my next tank inspired by you !
> 
> Btw.. love the location.. and the couch/sofa chair.. where I have my tank.. I have to sit on a uncomfortable regular chair for viewing! lol


Thanks for the compliments. You might also want to look into getting a 90 or even a 120 gallon. Same length and height but a little wider to fit more plants.



ThaChingster said:


> I'm really digging the tank!
> There is a nice variety of green tones, but I believe a bit of red in there would be beneficial. Just have to follow the aquascaping fundamentals
> By the way, in the front.. is that glosso or marsilea ? looks like a great carpet..
> (if it's marsilea want to spare me a few nodes?  )


When I originally started this tank back in September I wanted to use some red rock I found. I'm not sure why I changed it. Looking back I think it would have looked better. I'm always change things up when I do my trimming for no good reason other then curiosity and for the sake of learning. And yes that is Marsilea. I'll be happy to send you some but it will have to wait until my carpet is fully grown in. I originally had hairgrass and only recently decided to change to marsilea and it is far from fully grown. Here are some pics from when I first set it up in Sept. You can see some of the changes.


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## Canadianbettas (Oct 18, 2009)

Do you use any root tabs at all?


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## noved (Jul 14, 2009)

No I don't. My substrate is a mix of rock, sand and kilned clay. Nothing more.


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## nixx (Nov 10, 2010)

U have same fish as my planted lol. Guppies, tetra n pleco


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

wow so nice! no dosing?


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## ThaChingster (Feb 25, 2011)

iBetta said:


> wow so nice! no dosing?


The clay in his substrates adds a lot of nutrients such as iron, which is why people put clay in their walstad tanks


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## noved (Jul 14, 2009)

I do use ferts, the ei method. Its in the description on youtube under the video. 

" Up and running for about a month. Dimensions are 48x16x24. T5 HO lighting, Pressurized co2, and fertilize daily. Weekly 50% water change "


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## noved (Jul 14, 2009)

I'm also in the build process of another tank system that I'll be journaling here.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/t...ds-150-gallon-tall-75-gallon.html#post1591228


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

I can already tell thats going to be a very nice system.  Bring on the pics!


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

noved said:


> I do use ferts, the ei method. Its in the description on youtube under the video.
> 
> " Up and running for about a month. Dimensions are 48x16x24. T5 HO lighting, Pressurized co2, and fertilize daily. Weekly 50% water change "


oh i see i see!  thanks! and man, what a nice big garage o.o. i love the pieces of driftwood too! you can assemble them together and make something really nice out of them


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

and to changster: you mean just natural clay pots that you break into pieces ? i heard those are like "fixed' due to the heating process when they were made and wont release iron or something, is that true?


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## noved (Jul 14, 2009)

I use the clay substrate like in turface, soilmaster select or aquariumplants.com, but up here in northern Ontario I have to use what I can find locally. I just used oil dri from Canadian Tire. Just have to rinse it good first. Its supposed to have a high cec (cation exchange capacity) which means that it has a high soaking ability. ( Its used to clean up spills and such). The idea is that it will soak up any excess nutrients from the water column therefore giving the roots something extra to draw from... however little it be. It is best to pre-soak the oil dri in a good mixture of ferts to give it a full charge so to speak.


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

ohhhhhhhhhh well that's interesting . maybe ill use some for my next project .

thanks for the advice!


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## Canadianbettas (Oct 18, 2009)

noved said:


> I use the clay substrate like in turface, soilmaster select or aquariumplants.com, but up here in northern Ontario I have to use what I can find locally. I just used oil dri from Canadian Tire. Just have to rinse it good first. Its supposed to have a high cec (cation exchange capacity) which means that it has a high soaking ability. ( Its used to clean up spills and such). The idea is that it will soak up any excess nutrients from the water column therefore giving the roots something extra to draw from... however little it be. It is best to pre-soak the oil dri in a good mixture of ferts to give it a full charge so to speak.


wow thanks for the tips..

definitely gonna try this out for my next rescape


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