# My dad's planted tank: Built-in 120 gallon



## goobafish (Jan 27, 2015)

My dad has been keeping fish almost all his life, and ever since I was born there has been at least a few tanks in my parent's house. I remember when I was around 12 we had over 15 tanks in the house, including his 220 gallon Cichlid tank, a 120 gallon planted tank, the Discus tank he helped me set up, and the breeding tanks for his African Cichlids. Watching my dad with his tanks and his love of the hobby is certainly the reason that I, long moved out, have an apartment with way too many aquariums .

When they renovated the house my parents agreed that they couldn't keep the fish tanks everywhere and still have the kind of house that they wanted, and that my dad is should be spending less time maintaining the tanks. So as part of the renovation, they took down all tanks but one, tore down the wall that separates the living room from the entrance-way and replaced it with a built-in cabinet for a 120 gallon aquarium. The same aquarium that my dad has kept for ~20 years now. It is now built into the wall, and view-able from 3 sides. It is the first thing you see when you walk in.

After years of success with a high-tech high-light c02 injected planted tank, problems with cyanobacteria has changed the way he keeps it. Low-tech, no c02, dosing, or additives. He also keeps very low light, only keeping 2-4 of his 8 bulbs on at a time usually, and all the light is diffused by the floating plants on top.

He has asked me to take some pictures of the tank, so I will try to take some shots when I visit. Unfortunately the reflection during this time of day made a full-tank shot quite difficult. I will take them next time I am there.


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

That tank looks awesome gooba, since it's a low tech, low light and so forth,, i would love to know what floating plants he is keeping and what the other plants are since I really don't know much about plants yet and i will be planning a planted tank later on.

Details on the plants would be awesome....
What is the substrate?


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## goobafish (Jan 27, 2015)

fish_luva said:


> That tank looks awesome gooba, since it's a low tech, low light and so forth,, i would love to know what floating plants he is keeping and what the other plants are since I really don't know much about plants yet and i will be planning a planted tank later on.
> 
> Details on the plants would be awesome....
> What is the substrate?


Thanks!

The angels are also breeding, their eggs are all over the Amazon Swords. I will ask him about the plants and the substrate, but I know that earlier this year he mixed in some black flourite with his old substrate.


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## goobafish (Jan 27, 2015)

Tank contents:

Fish:
Irian red rainbows
Boesemani rainbows
Axlerodi rainbows
Parkensoni rainbows
Turquoise rainbows
Angelfish
Clown loach
Chinese algae eater
Golden mollys
Roseline sharks

Plants:
Anubias barteria
Java fern
Cryptocoryne crispatula balansae
Enchindorus swords
Spike peat moss
Anubias hastifolia
Anubias lancelolata
Bolbitis broadleaf
Sagittaria platyphylla

and the floating plants are Brazilian Pennywort.


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

Very nice lo-tech planted tank setup. 

The floater is probably Hydrocotyle leucocephala or Brazilian Pennywort.


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## streeker02 (Apr 11, 2014)

I see some hygro in there as well i think


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