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Dear All

Seeing as my 10 gallon was a bust at planted, I decided to start a new log on my 20 gallon that i have upgraded it to. The specs are as follows :

24 " Wide
16 " High
12 " Deep

Substrate consists of 40lbs of Flourite Black. I have a 100 watt heater in there with my trusty AquaClear 30 on the back for filtration, The tank has been setup now for about 2 months, I have seeded the tank from the 10 gallon.

Current In habitants are as follows

3 Gold Barbs
1 Cherry Barb
8 Cherry Shrimp
6-8 Amano Shrimp
15 Nerite Snails

Plants are as follows
Jungle Vals
Anubias Nanas
Bolbitis Fern
Onion Plants
Wysteria
Ludwiga
Java Fern
Blood Stargrass
Dwarf Lily Plant
Ambulia
Sagittaria subulata

The design is as follows. Was a rough drawing i did last night but i think it worked out well.



Here is the Finished Tank Shot


Left Side


Right Side


And I even got a decent Night Lunar shot
Its not a clear shot but its my first at night shots.

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

you do realize that the lunar lights are not to be kept on all night correct? i just wanted to make sure... because some think it might be ok.

also i liek the looks of your tank, but maybe a bit of java moss or ricca in the substrate would fill in some gaps, also look at other threads of aquascaping so you get a better idea of what you want... i would say more hardsacpe like granite rocks sticking up a bit taller similar to the type you have... would look spectacular.

also the onios belong in the middle a bit more instead of in the front corner...

hope you like these suggestions.
and hope i wasnt too brutal!

GOOD LUCK!

\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

It still looks rather bare especially in the front center. Over all a very interesting tank I would like to see it in one years time. I would also consider a black painted back this will show of the plants a lot more especially if a wall of Vall develops.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Brandeeno

You act as if im new to this... The lighting schedule is as follows

8am - 10am 6700k light
10am - 12 midday 6700k & 10,000k burst
12 Midday - 4pm Siesta so just room light
4pm - 6pm 6700K light
6pm - 8pm 6700k & 10,000k Burst
8pm - 12 Midnight Lunar Lighting

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

Nice set up. I like it alot. one comment you might want to run the moonlights for about an hour prior to the morning 6700 comes on, like a wake up call. Its a nice touch and adds to the sunrise effect.

mts.gif" border="0"> I vote do you?
My Tanks at Photobucket

Shane .. Well done I like the planning you have put into the layout . You will find over time that the scape will develop and change ...but having the original layout documented will let you see where you have come from ...nice touch .

My only comment on the layout is that I like the shape ...but maybe a few less different types of plants and more of some types may make it look a bit more interesting and less messy . Overall a good start and should develop well over time .

Great stuff .


Garry

well shane i wasn't trying to put you down or anything.

also your lunar lighting should only be for when you are viewing the tank. tanks do best with 8-10 hours of TOTAL darkness. this allows the plants to go throught he krebs cycle (ie cell replicate, produce sugars and reproduce through the absorbtion of light and retaining of the radiation.)

i other word your plant might not be performing to their full potential and growing to their best, because they are not recieving natural darkeness when they should be. your lunar lighting is keeping the plants in absorbtion mode when they should be in processing mode. as you lunar lighting is bright lunar lighting unlike what is natural for natural lunar lighting (ie the different brightnesses due to rotaional, and revolution of the sun and moon).

IMO moon light is great for when your tank light should be off and you have company or you just want to view your tank, but for that long everyday it could be bad for the plants and fish as they all need a "resting period" in the complete darkness (some room lights can be tolerable).

you maynot be a beginner, and i am no expert, but these are thing is learned in 9th grade biology and things i have also read on various fish keeping and aquascaping sites.

sorry if you feel that i am bashing you or mistreating you, that is was/is not the intent of my replies.

\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

Well done, Shane!

is this didiplis diandra left to the vals in the right corner? This plant should do very well with your lighting schedule and soon form a nice bush. Your lay out needs just some time to grow in but it will look great! Also, is this a lotus in front (bulb sitting on the substrate?)


Brandeeno, I don't understand what you are referring to - Shane switches off the lunar lights at midnight to turn the lights on at 8:00 am again. According to my calculations that's 8 hours of darkness.

Claudia

you are correct, i do allow for 8 hours of total darkness and there are times when i am up till midnight so i like to see the tank. However I might change it slightly like Jim said. That might be a good idea. As far as the plant up front I was under the impression it was a dwarf lily, but im hoping its a tiget lotus and its doing well. Also Claudia on the right side I have onion plants up front, crypt walkeri in front of the rock, Blood stargrass right behind the rock, to the right of the stargrass i have the ambulia. and Wysteria infront of the crypts. Does that answer your questions???

Garry

yeah i totally understand what you are saying there, but i dont have enuff of any single plant apart from the vals to do that yet. Im hoping I might get some plantlets to spread and have a few of the same in some places.

Brandeeno, I understand what you are saying but I have allowed for that process, I Allow for 8 hrs of total darkness at night, they are all automatic lights. I have also read on this very forum about splitting up the light stops algae from absorbing the light. Also those four hours that have the lunar light allow me to watch the shrimp and ottos that like to come out at night. I think i have factored in all that you have said, but I welcome your suggestions on lighting periods.

Also guys, which plants do well attached to rocks apart from moss??

Another question I pose to you guys, i have both the 100k and 6700k bulbs on which is a total wattage of 130 Watts, which is 6.5 watts per gallon. Is that too much??? Lemmie know on that. I am running no ferts right now as i dont have all that i need, there are on order and i should have them soon.

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

Depending on the height you finally require as some plants are slow growers.

Anubias will grow on rocks but will take a longer time to attach than on drift wood. In that case I would tie it down with 15lb nylon fishing line.

Java fern can also be used and I am sure there are many others that will do the job for you I would do a little research first.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

i am very sorry shane i must have misread the fact that from 12PM to 8AM the lights are all off. so if you do allow for a sunrise i would cut into the actual lighted time (the 6700K time) rather than the unlighted part.

and some good plant will be anubias (you might want to go with petite), java fern, windelov fern ( a fancy lace leaf java fern) and many diferent mosses. if you are lookg for something apart from plain old java or christmas moss look at aquabid, ebay and some aquarium plant wholsalers online... star moss, pelia, and etc would be great (the pelia would allow for your shrimp to reproduce a bit better and hide from possible predatation.)



\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

Brandeeno

I already have some java fern in there for the tank on the top of the DW, I might move the Nana to the rock and attach it. That way i can allow more light for it. I was interested in the pelia for my foreground But I want to wait until i can get a CO2 system on there.

Shane

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

Didiplus diandra is the scientific name for blood star grass - I prefer the scientific nomenclature

Well, the dwarf lily that I have in my discus tank is awesome and much prettier than the tiger lotus which is pretty! After trimming the leaves touching the water surface for 3 weeks the plant 'learned' and the leaves stay within 5 - 6 inches of the substrate. A fully grown tiger lotus will considerably shadow a 20G tank. I was inquiring as the bulbs can be buried with just the tip sticking out.

Claudia

Claudia

I will move that into the substrate, so hopefully it will grow better. I cant wait to see the lily get that high it will be kewl. How do they propergate?? I currently have two plants growing off that bulb.

Shane

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

shane if i am correct, lily plants and aponogetons form small "bubllets" next to the mother bulb, exentually it will be large enough to be moved, that is if the plant si getting all the nutrients it need to propagate likt this...

if not be patient, taking a plant off of a bulb is like unplugging a lamp... it looses all its energy, power and etc...



\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

also your lunar lighting should only be for when you are viewing the tank. tanks do best with 8-10 hours of TOTAL darkness. this allows the plants to go throught he krebs cycle (ie cell replicate, produce sugars and reproduce through the absorbtion of light and retaining of the radiation.)

Whoops, perhaps you need to review your high school bio.

Krebs cycle is part of respiration, the breakdown of sugar. The Krebs cycle does occur at night, but it happens during the day as well; the plant is respirating at all times, like us.

The Calvin cycle is responsible for part of the building process of sugars.

Uh, perhaps small details for me to latch on to...

--------------------------------------------
The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

I started out with 2 bulbs and got 4 plants which 'merged' to 3 (the tiger lotus is not distinguishable into separate plants anymore). The 'dwarf' lilies are still separate but they do their best to look like one BIG plant ...

You know, one individual leaf of my tiger lotus that reaches the surface is 5 to 6 (!!!) inches long. Cool if I had a pond but not for a 72 G tank. But to each his or her own. They are spectacular plants and if I ever get the 150 G tank of my dreams I will have several of these plants in them. First, the color is amazing, second they look quite distinct and they are really not difficult to keep. You realize that the onion plant will also grow to some size? I got a crinum calamistratum a while ago, rather meager looking and size wise but the plant is propagating, there is a nicely growing little shot and a second one is on its way

Claudia

Im having problems keeping the onion plants in the gravel in my 20 gallon, I might pull them out and just plant them in my 35 gallon. This way i can plant them properly in the gravel. Does the bulb have to be visible or can it be completely enveloped in the gravel?

Shane

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

Hi,
The Onion plant is much like the banana plant, base of
the bulb can be in the gravel but if too much of it is
buried, the plant will die. I've mine so that only a
1/8 inch to a 1/4 inch of the base of the bulb is
below the surface of the gravel and they are going fine.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

i would say good start i know how the log thing goes i started one and then no one replied back so i gave up...ugh
i like it i would just increase the barb pop