FishProfiles.com Message Forums

This is my tank I have had set up for about 8 months. It has taken a while to get to where it is now, with trials such as huge algae outbreaks, and a chilodonella outbreak with the fish. But I like how it is looking so far. I think it may need a little work. What suggestions/comments do you all have?

Fish/
Bolivian Ram pair
Female German ram
Blue Gourami pair
Panda herd (7)
8 Panda fry in nursery
7 ottos
7 Ember tetras
2 Kuhlis

Plants/
Rotala Indica
Red Temple Plant
Moneywort
Pennywort
Anubias Nana(2)
Anubias Barteri (3)
Bronze Crypt
Water Sprite
Wisteria
Red Leaf Ludwiga
Lots of Java Ferns
Bolbitis fern
Ancharis
Onion Plant??? I would like to replace with vals!
Java moss

Here are the pics:::

Attached Image:

Full Tank Shot

Middle of tank, here we have mostly java fern, pennywort, wisteria, and water sprite.

Attached Image:

Here is the right side which has: ancharis, onion plants , bolbitis, java ferns.

Attached Image:

Ok so the left side of the tank picture wont come up.(Hence the deleted posts) . Anyway I will keep trying.

Here is a link to the left side pic, Sorry!!
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t278/Platy_Punk/leftside.jpg

looking great and your plants are looing very good.
so how are the new ember tetras doing for you.

-Vincent

I really want to know how you got your bolbitis to take off like that. I cant get mine to grow at all mate.

Shane

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

Bud,

I lost one after the first day, it was teeny tiny and wouldnt school. I kind of expected it. But now the remaining seven are doing amazingly.

Monster,

It takes a loooooong time. Mine is just starting to take off and I have had it for a few months. A very slow grower in the beginning, but now it is going at a good rate.

i think the tank looks very nice mate- especially the left side plants and the right sides driftwood. i would be tempted to chuck a couple of rocks in the middle fore ground and i think that will look great when the wisteria fills out a bit.

the plants look beautiful mate- what lighting set up do you run?/:'

I think the tank looks great. All you need to do is let the plants grown and fill in andit should look really good pal. Thanks for the info on the bolbitis.

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

Ryan , great shots mate , did you get a new camera?
So suggestions for your scape :
One thing I think is lacking is a focal point. The eye just kind of
wanders back and forward nothing grabs the eye so you have a few
choices.
If it were me I would go for one of the following :
1. Fill in the 2 gaps with Val or a similar tall plant and use some Red
plants for focus
2. Leave 1 gap for focus and maybe add a rock formation in the gap.
I got a lot of my ideas from some of these sites . Have a look they might help
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_2/cav2i6/planted_aquascaping/planted_aquascaping.htm
http://folk.ntnu.no/foksen/Aquascaping.htm
http://www.adana-usa.com/index.php?main_page=afa_portfolio
http://www.aquariumdesigngroup.com/

Hope this helps .
Remember I'm looking at the photo's so you have a better view than me , so these are just ideas not criticism .
The tank looks great already so it shoudn't take much to make it look even better .

Good luck .
Garry

Fandan,

I have a Coralife 130 watt. So about 2.4 wpg

Monster,

Thanks for the compliments.

Garry,

Thanks for the compliments. I do have a few red plants, the red temple plant I just added so it has not really settled in yet. I also have 2 bunches of red leaf ludwiga (behindd the left side of the large DW peice) it just recently got mowed down so it should come back up soon. As for the gaps, Im waiting for the water sprite and wisteria and red temple to fill in and then go from there. I have had rocks in my tank from the time I started, I just couldnt get them how I wanted. I do have one if you see in the left side pic!

Thanks for the suggestions I will take them to heart.
Oh and no new camera yet, still using old crappy Its ok with tank pics, but not really closeups.

Your plants have really grown Punk! I still like your cave too. You used to have a rock canyon also. I guess you took it out. I would like to see it back again. It could form more of a contrast or focal point like Country mentioned. But still, congrats on a well established tank! I hope it keeps up for you.

Ryan:

First of all congrats on your nice and clean looking tank! I'd like to give you my opinion re Vals: they develop VERY long leaves which eventually block the light access for other plants - I am having constant trouble with mine and there is a difference in growth rate on the side of the tank that is partially blocked by Vals (although I do not have this many now) and the side without. There are differences in leave length between the Val sp. but it is hard to know which one you get unless you order from a reputable source. LFS usually just sell "Vals". If you really like the look I would go for plants with a similar appearance but leaves that will not grow to such monstrous length. An alternative with a quite similar appearnce is Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae - the leaves will reach a max length of 2 feetonly. Most Vals will easily top at much more than 3 feet...

Ryan , so whats happening to the tank , any changes , ideas ,new fish , plants etc .

Love to see some more shots

Garry