# New 3.5 gal planted tank



## jon021 (May 19, 2009)

Here's my new tank i set up just this week. I was inspired by Darkblade48's amazing tank and i knew i wanted to try a different layout than the random planted tanks i usually do, so i went ahead and tore down my old tank and redid it with some seiryu seki stone, blyxa japonica and hc cuba. 

I tried to follow some Iwagumi guidelines that i found online but i kinda drifted away from it as i set the tank up. Substrate is a mix of some leftover black gravel and eco complete. I'm running diy co2 with a nano diffuser, and a 13 watt compact flourescent light. 

The only inhabitants of the tank are some cherry shrimp that i'm trying to selectively breed. I'll probably add some nice nerites when i make a trip to menageries next week.

Hope you like it


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## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

It looks really nice!


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

Did you just straightly planted those HC cuba in the substrate?

btw, this tank is superb! nice job man!


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## jon021 (May 19, 2009)

brapbrapboom said:


> Did you just straightly planted those HC cuba in the substrate?
> 
> btw, this tank is superb! nice job man!


hey thanks, yea i seperated the hc into individual strands and then planted them into ths substrated. I planted them very deep to keep them from uprooting since the eco-complete is really light - took me a good hour to plant the hc.


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

Im assuming these guys will still spread right and thats the purpose of the spaces on them?


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## jon021 (May 19, 2009)

brapbrapboom said:


> Im assuming these guys will still spread right and thats the purpose of the spaces on them?


yep thats the plan


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

looks good btw what kind of substrate you have?where did u bought it and how much??


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## jon021 (May 19, 2009)

camboy012406 said:


> looks good btw what kind of substrate you have?where did u bought it and how much??


Thanks, the substrate is eco-complete. I bought it at big als, it was a 20 lb bag for $40 after taxes.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Just some comments:

Seriyuseki already has the world "stone" in it, so saying Seiryuuseki stone is redundant 

I thought for a moment that those plants were the _B. japonica_ and HC that I sold this weekend too 

I think the HC is planted a bit too high, but that is just me.

I like the RCS, very red!

I'm looking forward to a photo with all the equipment taken out.


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

jon021 said:


> Thanks, the substrate is eco-complete. I bought it at big als, it was a 20 lb bag for $40 after taxes.


why is so expensive?? whats the difference between the other substrates like seachem, ada...etc


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

camboy012406 said:


> why is so expensive?? whats the difference between the other substrates like seachem, ada...etc


I think that is the normal going price for Eco Complete.

Various substrates are made by different companies, and they will all tout their own product (naturally). Really, there is no difference between Seachem (Flourite line) and Eco Complete. However, there are significant differences between these products and the ADA Aqua Soil products...


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## Russgro (Apr 14, 2010)

Eco and flourite can be just as effective as ADA soils if you get some quality root tabs.



Darkblade48 said:


> I think that is the normal going price for Eco Complete.
> 
> Various substrates are made by different companies, and they will all tout their own product (naturally). Really, there is no difference between Seachem (Flourite line) and Eco Complete. However, there are significant differences between these products and the ADA Aqua Soil products...


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Of course, if you supplement non-nutritive substrates, they can be comparable to ADA. 

Tom Barr did a study where he compared (dry) plant biomass after growth in various substrates. It was concluded that ADA Aqua Soil indeed promoted better plant growth.


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