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Trying something new with the set up of this tank, for a variety of reasons.

The tank may have to relocate, so being set up to make the move as easy as possible. Therefore, tank bottom is bare & plants will be in potting containers with ADA aquasoil. My beach set / river set up will have to wait until things are more settled.

Also, trying the method described here in this link http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/general-planted-tank-discussion/52332-new-method-start-up-algae-free.html

Planting of HC is really easy with method - you just spread your clump out & place it on top of the soil. Behind the HC I have dwarf tenellus, & behind that blyxa japonica. In the R/H cnr of each square planter is some cryptocoryne walkeri (lutea).

The pots at the back contain mostly dwarf hairgrass and one pot of lilaeopsis.

With this start up method the stem plants go in when the water is added. Depending up available space I have alternanthera reineckii and aponogeton crispus in mind, as well as some amazon swords. Anubias will also be added (nanas & coffeefolia).

Not much to see in the pics, but here we go:-

Full Shot


Left Side



Right Side



The anxious future residents, waiting in their messy holding tank until their larger accommodation is finally ready to take them.



Cheers
TW

does this mean you are taking down the divided cihlid tank, or do u have 2 72g tanks?

Hmmm...Interesting method. I've got a 3rd tank I'd like to plant and this method may be just the thing. The author says the tank will cycle on it's own in around 3 or 4 weeks. I'll be watching this one closely to see how it works out for you

Good luck!

Jay

does this mean you are taking down the divided cichlid tank, or do u have 2 72g tanks?

This is in addition to the 72G divided cichlid tank. That one is still running, currently with some apisto fry

The author says the tank will cycle on it's own in around 3 or 4 weeks. I'll be watching this one closely to see how it works out for you

As an extra precaution in regards to the cycle, I already have the cannister filter running on another tank. I anticipate it will have run for approx 2 months by the time it moves across to this tank, once it's actually got water in it LOL


Cheers
TW

Robyn,
Yeah I've seen that talked about. It sounds like it's really good for someone that doesnt have the time to deal with the initial issues (lots of WC, etc) during startup, but maybe I missed something. Why do you have it in dishes. Arent' you going to have to now replant it all, instead of just adding water, stems and fish.

My Scapes

Hey Jeff, thanks for popping in.

good for someone that doesnt have the time to deal with the initial issues (lots of WC, etc) during startup

Not only the time factor, but also all the water that would waste, while Aust is still in drought makes me feel guilty.

Why do you have it in dishes. Arent' you going to have to now replant it all, instead of just adding water, stems and fish.

This tank may not remain in action very long. I am either very happy or very annoyed with hubby (not sure which yet). I've been planning 3 new tanks since before Christmas (this is one of them) & after begging & pleading, I begrudgingly got hubby's OK for the sizes, though he thought I'd gone overboard & had too many tanks & used too much water. So, we finally carry the new discus tank in & put it in place & he asks me "why didn't you go bigger - that's not that much bigger than the tank it's replacing. Why not get a 6ft tank instead & sell that one."

Grrr. NOW he gives the OK for a 6ft tank, AFTER I have the tank, filter, compact PC light & ADA substrate all to suit a 3ft tank. So, I'm considering my options. Wouldn't have planted or set up this tank at all, if I hadn't bought the HC already. Any other plant I would have ditched, but you really can't find HC around here & it was a lucky find. So by setting it up this way in the pots, I can grow my HC while I decide if I can scrape up the extra money I'd need for a 6ft tank. If I do upgrade, this tank will be easy to pull apart, since it's just a matter of pulling out the pots.

Cheers
TW

Hi Robyn
Susan did that to me once too, except this was over a
radio and not an aquarium. Together, we'd decided that
we needed a second transceiver as I was disconnecting it
and carrying it up to the house each weekend then bringing
it back down and reconnecting it here where we spend our
work week. Finally, one day, she said "I think you should
get another radio as one day you are going to break some
thing with all the back and forth stuff." The words were
hanging in the air as I was out the door headed for the
local store.

I made my choice and the next day Susan and I went up to
the store to pickup the transceiver.
As we got into the store I pointed over to the radios on
display and said it was "that one." She walked over to
the displays, sat down and started to use the one she
thought I'd pointed out.
She too is a Amateur Radio Operator, aka a Ham radio
operator. She fell in love with the it and said it was
a great choice. I told her no, it was the one beside
it that I'd chosen. She said "why didn't you pick this
one?" Then she noticed the "extra" thousand dollars more
for that model, and she said "Oh, I see).

Perhaps, you can say that you were thinking of the drought,
and the money involved, and just wanted to save some $$?

Frank



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

Robyn,

How exciting! Hope you can 'scratch it' and go bigger. You know, there is also the option t ogo for something in between, you do not have to double the size. This way you might get away with the smaller filter and a less expensive upgrade for the lighting.

Great story Frank LOL

Thing is, in this situation, I would LOVE a 6ft tank & always would have. Other thing is, hubby previously was the one saying NO BIGGER & NO MORE TANKS. I had to beg & make "deals" to be allowed to set up a new 3ft & it wasn't a spur of the moment thing. We talked & talked & talked & negotiated the "deal" since before Christmas 06.

So, he waits until I have bought the 3ft tank & everything to suit and, now, every day he says "wish you'd hurry up & order the 6ft tank". Grrrr.

Claudia, whether the upgrade is for a 6ft, 5ft or 4ft - the price isn't much difference no which of those options I take up. The major loss is the cost of the 3ft PC light. Regrettably, I bought a top of the line, fully programmable light. Can't return it & won't get what it's worth on ebay if I sell it. Hubby might buy it off me, as an extra light for his marine, so if he does, that will help.

I suspect I will do it, but I will just need to gather my pennies for bit longer. The alternative is hubby has come up with another "deal", where he will fund it (he always comes up with deals). Just not sure I want to take up the "deal" or not.

The downer in regard to size is that it won't be as tall. The current 3ft version is 24" high, but hubby wants the 6ft to only be 20", so that it matches the 4ft African tank. That makes sense, as the two tanks will (almost) meet in the corner of the room, separated only by the TV screen in between the two tanks & different heights would look odd.

How tall is your discus tank Claudia? I hope 20" isn't too short for discus? I'd be interested in your opinion.

Cheers
TW

Robyn:

I just took the measuring tape to the discus tank. It is 23" but it is an 'All Glass' and these tanks come with a 2" plastic border (hence the name all glass ...) and I do not fill water all the way to the top. Leaves 21" for the discus. All discus breeders and most keepers I know have their fish in tanks that are 16" to 20" tall. My biggest discus is right now 6" and there will be plenty of room even fully grown. Honestly, I think your discus will be more than fine in 20". Space for swimming is important and there will be so much more in a very long but slightly less tall tank. My discus like to dart from one end of the tank to the other. Up and down movements are only performed when they are begging for food (okay, they do that most of the time when I am close to the tank ). IMHO, angel fish, especially the long finned varieties, require very tall tanks much more than discus. My 2 cents ...

I will not comment or ask about the 'deals'

Claudia

Sorry for late post,

Just stumbled on your post. Your setups are great, very nice job





The Amazon Nut...

Hi Claudia

Thanks for the tank sizing advice. Seems 20" tall should be fine then.


Hi DaMossMan, thanks for popping in & for the setup compliment

Everything on hold until I get the energy to order the 6ft tank.

Cheers
TW

Sooo,

What is going on? Did you order and set up the big tank for your round beauties? I sincerely hope that you hav the energy to go ahead with your fish projects though I understand that the divider problem in the breeding tank, especially after you did such a nice job designing the scape was a big set back. Not to mention the loss of your beautiful breeding pairs. We (I am sure nobody objects if I dare speak for the FP community) are looking forward to learn about the status of your tanks.

Claudia

Here , here Claudia . Whats happening Robyn ? I think we all want to know . Hope things are going well for you

Garry

Hi Claudia & Garry

Sorry to be silent so long. Still deciding if I'll take up hubby's deal. I've set a timeline for 29 Jan to decide, just before we leave on vacation. In the meantime, I see no point in setting up the 72G, just to pull it down. So it remains in the same stage as as the picture in my first post. When something happens, I'll certainly let you all know.

I've also been sidetracked by my daughter's new lorikeet. She's named him Butch & he's been taking up far too much of my time (sooo cute). Since I have no tank pictures, here's a picture of the distraction, being his usual acrobatic self

& another just finishing his bath

Cheers
TW