# Betta Lifespace 700



## Wolfenrook (2 Feb 2012)

I mentioned this in my 'intro' so figured I should post some info.

It's a 62 gallon tank with a big sump for filtration.







That pump is a 3000lph one, I think I finally joined the 10x club.     The first chamber of that filter is filled with my old biomedia, the second I used to house my rather large number of marimo balls and a 300 watt Interpet heater.

Lighting is taken care of by 2 Arcadia EcoAqua 30 watt spotlights, 1 the white model the other the freshwater model, making for rather a lot of light, so I'll be installing my CO2 system once again.  To this end the sump is covered and set up with no splashing in it.  I am also in the process of modifying the return with a home made 'spray bar' made out of some 25mm UPVC pipe assembled to allow it to be mounted vertically.  Once the weld on this has fully cured I will be drilling the length of this with fairly large holes, important that they are large as small holes will force the water out under too high pressure, turning the tank into a whirlpool, rather than keeping the current vary nice circulation I have with the plants swaying gently.

Regarding the CO2, this isn't set up yet as a) too much splashing from the return until I modify it and b) had to order a new diffuser that can cope with this size of tank.  I'll be popping the diffuser under the 'spray bar' much like I used to in my old 180.

Substrate I've gone back to basics, as in putting more focus upon water column dosing than 'fancy substrates'.  To this end I have a thin layer of OLD eco-complete (basically put in there as it was full of my old mahogany trumpet snails, which are hard to find these days, and the tank it was in was retired), a layer of flourite dark there purely to act as a nutrient buffer (it was cheaper than flourite. lol) and then a final topping of good old black silica gravel.

Hardscape is made up of Sumatra driftwood and my wife's bast statue.

Plants, most are from my old 180, including cryptocoryne affinis, anubias barteri and anubias barteri nana.  To these I have added 2 narrow leaved Java ferns, 4 micro Java ferns and 5 pots of pogostemon helferi to form a carpet.  I have some mini lava rocks that the ferns will be getting tied to and poked back in the same positions they are in now as I find this more convenient than having to disturb the wood to tie them to this.

Anyway, a couple of tank shots, first one was taking before I planted the pogostemon:-











I don't plan to use liquid carbon this time, as I've had problems with this in the past.  Trace will be my usual ProFito and I will probably use the Nitro and Phospho from the same range again and probably potash to top up the potassium levels as I tend to always end up with a shortage of this.  I know it's not popular, but I'm going to stick with buddy ratio methodology for dosing once again, this worked well for me before.

Ade


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## Wolfenrook (3 Feb 2012)

Job done, home made spray bar drilled and fitted, CO2 system setup.  :dance: 

The 'spray bar' is working a treat, creating a nice gentle current around all levels of the tank, and pulling the bubbles from the CO2 diffuser with it.  Doesn't stick out like a sore thumb particularly either:-
















A good result I reckon.

Still on the to do list, get my wife to tie the Java ferns onto the mini lava rocks as I can't tie stuff on for toffee thanks to my tremor.

Ade


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## Wolfenrook (12 Feb 2012)

I've done a bit more work on this today, removing some crypts, cutting back some overly large anubias on the left side and planting some pots of pogostemon erectus and rotala rotundifolia.  In my opinion at least it now looks a LOT better:-











Shocking news though, I've been dosing using EI so far, figured I'd give it a go and see what happens.  Oh and just to note, these were taken right after I'd been working on it, so still a bit cloudy.

Ade


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## Callum (12 Feb 2012)

I have to say the tank is looking a lot nicer after the plant removal


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## Wolfenrook (13 Feb 2012)

Agreed, I was really really not liking it before.  It looked like what it was, a bunch of old plants chucked into a new tank, which just isn't how I do things normally.  Plus the simple truth is, I love my stems!  A tank without stems to me just doesn't feel complete. 

I do however reckon it needs a couple of more pots of the pogostemon erectus on each side, anybody any thoughts on this?

I am also seeing some unplanted, thinly branched, wood on the left in front of the weir cover.  A bit like the piece on the right, but with fewer branches sort of thing.  OR, alternatively, some nice red stems planted thinly so that they give a similar effect behind that wood.  Actually, I am really liking the stems idea, I've been wanted to put some taller red stems in there, seems a good spot.  Again thoughts and suggestions are welcome.

Ade


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## Wolfenrook (13 Feb 2012)

I think I have found the perfect plant!  Aponogeton crispus 'Red'.  That's the EXACT look I want for there, and with the good lighting I have it should go/stay a nice deep red.   

Plus we have a soft spot for aponogeton crispus.  Once even managed to grow a load from seeds my older plants produced.   

Ade


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## Wolfenrook (18 Feb 2012)

Six days later, and I am VERY happy with how this tank is turning out:-






You can't see on that, but I moved the CO2 diffuser into the sump, right by the return pump, and turned it up a bit.  I did this as I pruned the echindorous rose in the back right, which meant the bubbles from the diffuser filled the entire tank.

I am especially happy with the growth of the p. helferi.

Ade


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## Christie_ZXR (18 Feb 2012)

I really do like that. Makes me think of a hidden corner of a country garden


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## Wolfenrook (19 Feb 2012)

Christie_ZXR said:
			
		

> I really do like that. Makes me think of a hidden corner of a country garden



I love that description, thank you.   

Ade


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## gex23 (21 Feb 2012)

You need a shoal of at least 8 gold tetras in that tank Ade


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## Wolfenrook (22 Feb 2012)

gex23 said:
			
		

> You need a shoal of at least 8 gold tetras in that tank Ade



lol Alwyas the joker Ant.     Meanie, you know the silly bint in the shop would only sell me 6 (gold neons)....  She didn't give a hoot that I had removed 25 or so adult Endlers that morning, most females.....

Oh well, went and bought 20 harlequin rasboras today.   

Ade


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## Wolfenrook (10 Mar 2012)

After much thought, we decided to do a radical rescape on this, going back to the stems I love:-






It's not finished yet though, need quite a lot more stems, including some nice rotala macranda I reckon.  You can see part of the reason for the rescape on the wood, I got hit big time with BBA and staghorn algae.  This despite having a 3000lph return pump and a Koralia 1 flow pump, lime green in my drop checkers, estimative index fert dosing and 40% a week water changes.  So I figured it was a simple case of not enough fast growing stems.

I added (all Tropica) 3 pots of myriophyllum mattogrossense, 3 pots of limnophila sessiflora, 2 pots of hygrophila corymbosa 'augustifolia' and a pot of bacopa caroliniana, and I still have huge spaces.   

I've also added 6 more caridina multidentata and a Siamese algae eater who is quite pleased to be in there. lol

Ade


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## Wolfenrook (11 Mar 2012)

Just a quick pic showing the gaps I have to fill, such a shame that eh. 






Ade


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## Christie_ZXR (12 Mar 2012)

Personally, I'd bring Bastet sort of forward so she can have something growing behind her. Would bring back that country garden look. Or maybe forward and left next to the wood. Might be worth having a fiddle to see if it looks good or not? It might look good in my head and awful in the tank!! lol.

Other than my nit picking, looks really nice so far


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## Christie_ZXR (12 Mar 2012)

By the way, where did you get her? I may have impulse-bought a P@H nano the other day...which is sitting on my windowsil waiting for me to decide what to do with it, and something involving a statue might be nice, if you don't mind me pinching your idea!


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## Wolfenrook (12 Mar 2012)

That's an idea for the Bastet statue, I'll have a play in a minute, gotta go in there anyway as bought a load more stems to go in (3 more pots of pogostemon erectus, 3 bunches of bacopa caroliniana and 3 bunches of alternanthera rosefolia).  I left her there as I was going to try to create the valley effect by pruning the plants down towards her, but she definitely stands out a little too much there.  I am thinking thou of trying to the right of the daonoi, as this may give more balance with the larger piece of wood on the left and the red aponogeton crispus.  I'll try both though see how it looks, plenty of space in there until I pop these new plants in.   

I bought her from Fish and Fins online, but I just checked and she's not on there any more.  The closest thing they have is a Rameses statue type thing and a sphinx.  Could be they are just out of stock though.

Ade


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## Wolfenrook (12 Mar 2012)

Tis done.  I put the Bastet statue in various places, and let my wife chose it's final position.  I have to let her have some input as this is, although mostly mine, OUR tank, so I try to let her have a fair bit of input in the decision making process.  Given how much has been spent on it, it's only fair really.   

Anyway, new stems all planted, Bastet moved, and we have a final scape that looks like this:-






The bacopa I am certain is all caroliniana, guessing the difference in colour is because the greener stuff was potted, the more bronzed was bunched stems.  The alternanthera could just as easily be lilacina as rosefolia if I am honest as again it was in unlabled bundles in Peta At Home.  Oddly our local one is quite good for plants really, the manager of the fish section has just started developing a real interest in planted tanks.  One day they may even start feeding and maybe providing some carbon source for the cascade tank, you never know.  At least they have it lit with an Arcadia Classic metal halide and not just a couple of T8s like some places I've been to.   

Apart from the Bastet statue, which I'd prefer to be further back and partially hidden by plants   , I like it.  It's a real relief to be back growing stems.   

Ade

[edit]Checked on the Tropica site, it's alternanthera reineckii roseafolia as I first thought, they don't do lilacina in bunches apparently.


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## Wolfenrook (19 Mar 2012)

Growing nicely:-






Ade


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## Wolfenrook (22 Mar 2012)

Growth spurt:-






I noticed that some growth was a little leggy however, especially on the daonoi, so I have increased the duration of the lighting period the white spotlight is on for.

Ade


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## Wolfenrook (24 Mar 2012)

Had a play with my camera, setting it myself rather than using auto, this was about the best pic out of the ones I took:-






I moved the flow pump once again, basically because I didn't like how it flattened a part of the background planting.

Ade


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## Wolfenrook (27 Mar 2012)

Another tweak on the way, in the form of 2 pots of ludwigia repens 'rubin' ordered from TGM yesterday.  These will be going in the red painted area in this image, the purpose been to cut through the green a bit (the pink of the alternanthera isn't strong enough to do this), and also to take the end of the 'triangle' created by the daonoi leading up to the bacopa in the back.







Ade


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## Wolfenrook (28 Mar 2012)

The 2 pots of ludwigia repens 'rubin' arrived today, so planted this now:-






Should look good once it gains more colour.

Ade


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## Wolfenrook (5 May 2012)

Due to moving house, time to wrap this journal up.

The tank was torn down, leaving only the substrate in.  The plan was to get it all back up and running pretty quickly, but the best laid plans and all that...

Plants are quite dead and dried up as thanks to rushing no water got put in the bag with them.  The fish, well I am hoping some survive, but it seems unlikely.

This tank will be showing up again in the not too distant future though, but looking quite different I reckon.  For one I have no plans of putting the cat in there again.

I also learned a lesson, don't trust Amano shrimp with alternanthera reineckii and daonoi!  The destroyed both quite utterly.

Ade


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## Callum (6 May 2012)

Shame about the plants mate, it was a great looking tank


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## Wolfenrook (12 May 2012)

Thanks bud.  With any luck I can get it looking even better this time.

Ade


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## Callum (13 May 2012)

Wolfenrook said:
			
		

> Thanks bud.  With any luck I can get it looking even better this time.
> 
> Ade


That's the spirit  best of luck and keep us updated!


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## Wolfenrook (20 May 2012)

Well, I have some better news.  All but 1 fish actually somehow survived 3 weeks in a bag (I should mention it was a koi bag, inside a fish box... lol).  They're back in their tank now looking much happier.

Started rescaping as well.  No new plants as yet, but my wife built a hill of gravel when emptying the last of the water out, which I have taken advantage off and put some nice branchy wood into the top of it.  I'll post pics once there are plants in there once again.

To do:-

Buy 5kg CO2 FE (2k ones last a month tops....)
Buy a decent CO2 reactor and pump to run it to try to add CO2 more efficiently
Buy, and plant, plants.

Ade


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## Wolfenrook (28 Oct 2012)

I just wanted to update this as finally done something with this tank.

First off, I've gone lower light on this to remove the need for CO2.  Took off the white LED.  The plants in there now will all tolerate the lower lighting.  I also bought a massive bit of redmoor from Aquaessentials, lovely bit of wood.






Nothing special, but I'm happy with it.

Ade


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## jack-rythm (29 Oct 2012)

I love the wood arrangement! Makes it different to see a scape higher than wider.. Why is there a random cat in there? Not to sure about that though!  

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


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## Wolfenrook (29 Oct 2012)

It's my wife's Bast statue, and I'm not allowed to remove it sadly. lol

Ade


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## Lindy (29 Oct 2012)

That's a bit mean making you keep the cat in there. It might look better in the background as if it was part of the scape instead of just plonked in front. Why don't you get her a tank to do herself?
Cheers


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## Wolfenrook (30 Oct 2012)

No room, the 20 odd vivs are filling it all... lol

Agreed she's been mean not letting me hide it more.  She's seriously insisting on it been right out at the front though.  I only stuck it there whilst I was adding the wood and new plants too.. 

Ade


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## Lindy (30 Oct 2012)

I think you must have done something to upset her. Or even worse, you are still doing something that annoys her! 

Cheers,
Lindy


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## Wolfenrook (30 Oct 2012)

No such luck Lindy, it's a religion/faith thing, so I stand no chance of changing her mind. lol

Ade


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## Ben22 (1 Nov 2012)

this tanks weird ha ha. I think the quality of the photos let it down but i like it, and i like the cat! maybe slightly to the right a little more but looks great, you mentioned no liquid co2, what are you currently using? Would be good to see some more photos 2!


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## Wolfenrook (1 Nov 2012)

Nothing at all, but need to restart the ProFito again (Easylife).

Photos aren't going to come out any better sadly, as the lighting stinks for photograph.  It's an Arcadia EcoAqua 30watt spotlight, the tropical one, which has red and blue LEDs in addition to the white ones, giving quite a pink light.  Rubbish for photographs but the fish look much better under this than they did under the white one (which I put on a dart frog viv. lol).

Agreed it's unusual though, working with large cubes is very different to working with the normal rectangular tanks.  To be honest, it's not a patch on what I've done in the past.  I really miss these old glory days:-











Ade


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## Ben22 (1 Nov 2012)

Hmm I know how you feel about taking photos of tanks it does my stew in when the lighting messes with the aperture and you get a blue or tinted image. Are you using a phone to take the pictures?n I know a few poeple that don't like dense growth in tanks but I have always favoured the look and feel it gives to tanks, especially larger tanks. Keep the work going I will be following the progress!


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## Wolfenrook (2 Nov 2012)

Nope, Fujifilm bridge camera.  The light though leaves images looking grainy, or grainy and too bright.  This is the next best photo I took, not that great either:-






It's not helping that the glass needs cleaning. lol  Between my kids and the dogs nose, it gets a bit smeared very quickly. lol

Planting wise, it should look better once all the Ozelot grow in, and the nymphae stellata grows a bit, different reds to work with the red of the wood, contrasting against the green of the anubias barteri nana and Java ferns.

Ade


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## Bhu (16 Aug 2014)

Its a shame all the images for this post are gone...


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