# 50 Gallon Planted Tank



## Evans11 (Aug 7, 2009)

Here is a pic of my new 50 gallon setup.

Just waiting now for everything to grow out so I can trim it and make it look much better. The plants will grow very quickly though as I have C02 & high light. My moss looks a little brown but is slowly turning green and the HC Cuba is spreading and filling out fast.

Oh ya, I have to add fish too. Thinking a school of neons/cardinals and a couple of Discus. I seem to like plants better than fish but they kind of go hand in hand having an aquarium. 

I'll keep this updated.










Brian


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## arinsi (Mar 14, 2010)

sweet hc carpet
green and dense


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## Evans11 (Aug 7, 2009)

Tank Specs:
50 gallon
Pressurized C02 with Ceramic Diffuser
Aquatic Life Fixture 4x54 watts (usually only have 2 on though. With all 4 the tank water looks like its carbonated from all the pearling)
Rena XP3 and XP1
EI dosing
Eco Complete Substrate

A few more pics.










The moss is still quite brown but is slowly turning back to green. Any suggestions to get it green? Due to the lights, the temp of the tank water is usually around 80 degree's without a heater. I'm thinking this is contributing to the issue or it could just be acclimating to the water as the moss has only been in the tank for 2 weeks or so now.










The HC is growing extemely fast. I'll have to trim it soon so i'll have some up for trade eventually.










Here's another full tank shot. I have a glass intake to install but it isn't the right size for the Rena tubing. I just need to buy an adapter.

The tank has annoying brown diatom algae but it should go away in a few weeks. I'm going to be adding quite a few Amano shrimp which should also help.

Thanks for looking.


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## df001 (Nov 13, 2007)

that is fantastic!!

This would be me, green with envy


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## tankies (Feb 1, 2012)

awesome!!!


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## joe (Jan 3, 2012)

if you ever have to much hc let me know lol


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

That tank is really quite amazing. Getting the stem plants a bit bushier will put it over the top. How old is this scape now? Very nice HC.

Pygmy corydoras would be awesome in there. Unlike other corries they like to swim off the bottom in mid-low height in the tank.

Rena, why is your filter tube so obnoxiously coloured... am I right?!?


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## joe (Jan 3, 2012)

whats that thing in the top right corner?


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

joe said:


> whats that thing in the top right corner?


Hydor Koralia Powerhead. My favourite circulation device.


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## joe (Jan 3, 2012)

btw what kinda substrate is that and how deep is itt? looks like 3 4 inches easy


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## joe (Jan 3, 2012)

can you adjust it? how powerful ore those little powerheads


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

joe said:


> can you adjust it? how powerful ore those little powerheads


Theres around 9 different sizes of them if you include the slightly older models which are still being sold at retail. There are nano sized (Koralia nano), to monster tank sized (Koralia 8). the previous models went; nano, 1,2,3, through to 8. I think theres 2 or 4 in the new models, and those ones are named to reflect their flowrate instead. There are "controllable" version models that work on Wavemakers so you can pulse them or adjust flow. Most models are not adjustable but with that many choices of models, it's not needed.

The best part about them is the provide gentle but efficient flow, not a hard stream of concentrated water.


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

i second on that HC. i go to UTSC so i can buy your HC anytime! XD


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## Evans11 (Aug 7, 2009)

Will said:


> That tank is really quite amazing. Getting the stem plants a bit bushier will put it over the top. How old is this scape now? Very nice HC.


Thanks Will. The HC was grown with the dry start method for a month or so to get it rooted. I've had the water in the tank for only a few weeks now. I'm going to keep trimming the plants and replanting them so they become bushy.



Will said:


> Rena, why is your filter tube so obnoxiously coloured... am I right?!?


Oh ya, I hate Rena filter tubes. They use the worst colour by far. I'm going to be swapping it out for a glass intake or i would have painted it black.


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## joe (Jan 3, 2012)

by the dry start method do you mean
humidity dome and rockwool?


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Nah Dry start is when you have only enough water in the tank to come level with the substrate. hinders algae growth and allows the plants to use co2 from the air.


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## joe (Jan 3, 2012)

damn i wish i did that with my other 75

how fast do they grow? or do they just grow nicer roots, my 75 isnt cycled completly you think its worth emptying and planting it?


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## Evans11 (Aug 7, 2009)

joe said:


> damn i wish i did that with my other 75
> 
> how fast do they grow? or do they just grow nicer roots, my 75 isnt cycled completly you think its worth emptying and planting it?


Mine grew very fast as I had all 4 lights on (4x54W) and kept the humitity high. I did this so the HC would root itself, otherwise it is a total pain in the ass to try and plant in water. The HC will just float up to the surface.

If you want a nice HC carpet, then the only way to go is the Dry Start Method. (In my Opinion)

Joe here is a link to my old thread showing how to grow HC with the dry start mehtod. (also known as emersed)

http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10786


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## joe (Jan 3, 2012)

looks great im going to start a small dry tank! thanks for the info

and for your first carpet its amazing!


and for the moss i stongly reccomend the erect moss! its my favorite looks great and its a great green to go with the hc nice and bright.

the flame would look good to its a bit darker give you more of a tree affect

pelia might look good to


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## Evans11 (Aug 7, 2009)

New Fish:














































Brian


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## Canadianbettas (Oct 18, 2009)

Nice 50.. Love how you can get a carpet of cuba :/ I can't seem to grow it in my 55, that or my cories unroot it before they settle in... ack!

but nice tank again.. everything looks healthy your fish are stunning


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## Evans11 (Aug 7, 2009)

My moss is finally green again and growing fast.










I noticed this plant growing on the rock. Anybody know what it is?










Thanks for any input.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

riccia fluitans!
thats a lot of moss, looks good . have a recent FTS? fulltankshot?


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## Evans11 (Aug 7, 2009)

Will said:


> riccia fluitans!
> thats a lot of moss, looks good . have a recent FTS? fulltankshot?


Oh cool. Not sure where I got it as I've never grown it before. Got the moss from Pilot03. Maybe I scored a riccia fluitans hitchhiker! BONUS. 

Sorry about dark crappy pics. They don't do the tank any justice.

I'll try and post a FTS tommorrow.

Thanks Will!


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## Evans11 (Aug 7, 2009)

Will said:


> riccia fluitans!
> thats a lot of moss, looks good . have a recent FTS? fulltankshot?












Another closer shot.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Now thaaaats what I was looking for!


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## df001 (Nov 13, 2007)

that is beautiful. i'm speechless.


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## popeye (Jan 24, 2012)

Nice work, this is the exact same tank I want.


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## Evans11 (Aug 7, 2009)

Thanks for all the compliments. 
As this is my first attempt at a larger planted tank, I quickly realized that I should have got a 75 gallon to give me more width. The 50 gallon is only 12 inches wide which is definately not enough for what I had in mind. I'm running out of room fast!


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## Evans11 (Aug 7, 2009)

Plants are growing insanely fast. I just trimmed the background plants so here's a few pics.



















And this plant is getting to big. I'm going to have to give it a new home soon.










Brian


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Love that pennywort! You've tamed it well and it fits in with the upright stems. Also that little bit of low growing hydrocotyl is cool.


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## jimmyjam (Nov 6, 2007)

looking sharp... Im loving those discuss.


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