# My return to planted tanks



## afroturf (8 Mar 2008)

I have decided to return to planted tanks after concentrating on my apisto tank for the past 6+ months.

I visited a old friend a couple of weeks back and whilst there noticed in his beautiful 4ft planted tank a group or Dario dario (Scarlet Badis) and immediate fell back in love with this fish, which I had previously kept over a year ago. I had a small tank around 45L, which I thought would be ideal for setting up a little breeding tank for them. But since decided against this and go for a planted scape, with the Dario and some other gentle fish.

The tank measures 45cm x 30 x 35, I will be using pressurised co2, lighting will be via one possibly two 36w compact T5 6500k units, the substrate used is from dupla topped with 3-6mm gravel. I shall also be fertilising via EI but will be very wary in dosing KNO3 as the Darios are very susceptible to high nitrate levels, I lost half my original group of Darios with my first not too successful attempt at EI a year a so back. 

So here is the initial hardscaping I think this is as good as it could get with the rocks i have.



I have no current planting sceme at the moment, all i do know is it isn't going to be a Iwagumi. I'm currently thinking of HC or glosso between the rocks and sand with some stems, Rotalas etc behind. 

The fish used other than the Darios are likely to be either microrasbora (nice and original) or some pencilfish.

Any opinions will be happily taken on board.


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## Arana (8 Mar 2008)

Welcome Back   Looks like a good start, when wil th plants be going in?


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## Garuf (8 Mar 2008)

An exceptional return! And brilliant tank dimensions! 
Are you planning on adding any wood or anything similar to this setup?


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## TDI-line (9 Mar 2008)

Looks great, and welcome back.


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## afroturf (10 Mar 2008)

Cheers for the reply guys, it good to be back.



			
				Arana said:
			
		

> Welcome Back   Looks like a good start, when wil th plants be going in?



Hopefully i will get the plants in within the a week or two, when i eventually decide on my final plan is?

This is the my current short list of plants - 
Hemicanthus callitrichoides and micranthemoides
Rotala sp. green, rotundifoila, sp. nanjenshan
Ludwigia arcuata
Isoetes sp
Hydrocotyle verticillata
Cryptocoryne affinis



			
				Garuf said:
			
		

> Are you planning on adding any wood or anything similar to this setup?



I'm not sure if i will use any wood. Once i have done the initial planting I may add some wood from another tank that has some Bolbitis growing on it.


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## George Farmer (10 Mar 2008)

Welcome back, Steven.  Nice to see an old famiiliar face... 

Hardscape looks good.  I'm not normally a fan of mixing rocks types but you've pulled it off.

Plant list looks good too.  I look forward to seeing some Isoetes, not something we see too often.


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## Themuleous (11 Mar 2008)

Looks good for a plan 

Weclome back to the green side.

Sam


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## afroturf (11 Mar 2008)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> Hardscape looks good.  I'm not normally a fan of mixing rocks types but you've pulled it off.



I'm only using one type they are some Dragon stones from a old tank, got them from AE a while back. The two only left are alot less 'holey' than the large one.



			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> I look forward to seeing some Isoetes, not something we see too often.



I'm intrigued to see what it looks like up close it looks really interesting for a grass like plant, I've always wanted to use it since seeing it in a NA book ages ago.

My friend who partially inspired me to create this tank is sending me a plant he brought back from Germany after spending time there during uni. The plants Rotala macrandra 'green', really excited about this as i've never see it for sale in the UK.

Anyhow the plant list has changed slightly but this is the final list - 

Rotala sp 'green'
Rotala macrandra 'green'
Ludwigia arcuata
Hemianthus callitrichoides
Hemianthus micranthemum
Pogostemon helferi
Isoetes sp.
Crassula sp.
Blxya japonica

I'll order them in the next few days so should have the tank planted early next week


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