Jason Blake
Member
- Joined
- 1 Sep 2014
- Messages
- 58
Hi,
Well I have read a few journals and have enjoyed doing so, so I thought I should perhaps write my own.
I have kept aquariums before but never to the level I am aspiring to achieve with this tank. I want to use this tank as a warm up to a much larger aquarium (pending a house move sometime in the future! Near or distant future is anyone's guess) and as a huge leaning experience. This tank was given to me for free hence the hexagonal tank.
I have spent weeks reading through tons of threads on this forum as well as various other internet resources. I think its now time to put what I have learnt into practice and find out what else I need to learn.
The setup is:
60 Litre Aquael Tank with hood.
Boyu DGN-460 External filter (Flow rate from 300 l/hr to 1610 l/hr) built in 100w heater and 4w UV (which will not be used.) I have also got a spare heater should the one in the filter fail. But as space is a premium in this tank I wanted to keep as much equipment as possible, out of the tank.
Pressurised CO2 system using the fire extinguisher method and an UP inline CO2 diffuser. Boy was that hard work getting that to form a good seal on the filter pipework! I have blisters that I am sure can be seen from space!
1 x PL 11w light with a Superfish Tropical light bulb. In the future I have at my disposal an Aquael LEDDY 6w Sunny light, should I need it.
Substrate will be 3cm J Arthur Bowes Aquatic Compost (this was left in the house when I moved in!) topped with 3cm Pettex Aquarium Black sand (donated by a friend). Greenhouse shading will be used as a substrate retainer.
I will be doing EI dosing as well. Macro 3 x week, Micro 3 x week 1 day of rest and then 50% water change. I am going to be using the Stock Solution method as I find that far more intuitive, its a personal preference.
That's the setup for now. I have tried to do this as economically as possible whilst not cutting any corners.
Flora:
Here is a diagram for my planting ideas:
On the Manzanita Root I intend to grow Flame & Weeping Moss, Riccia Slender and Anubias Nana Bonsai Mini.
Fawna:
Yet to be decided! I thought I would wait and see how this works (if it does!) and then see how it looks and what would suit it.
So Far:
Well they are all my plans and what I intend to do. Now to put it into practice.
I have made a start, the living room looks like Pets At Home has moved in. Aquarium bits everywhere and I am sure they are multiplying! Maybe it's the water? Maybe it's gremlins!
I have put the Aquatic Soil in the tank and placed the retainer on top. I think I actually got more soil on the floor than I did in the tank and I found that a credit card makes an excellent muck spreader! "For everything else theres Mastercard!"
I have got my pipework setup for my filter and thats as far as I can go today. I will need to wait until tomorrow for the rest of my bits to arrive, inculding the sand.
It is my hope to plant either Tuesday or Wednesday. Just depends when the HC Cuba turns up and how long it will take me to deconstruct it stem by stem! I like to think I am a gluton for punishment! But I think the results will be well worth it.
I know my plans will mean a very high maintainence aquarium but that is absolutely fine I have an awful lot of spare time available to spend on this aquarium. I tend to find pruning and such things to be theraputic. I think my biggest challenge is going to be ensuring the right amount and direction of flow mixed with the right level of CO2. I will of course be looking out for the "waving gently in the breeze plants" and if that happens, trust me I will be waving back at them! This is one of the main reasons I went for the variable flow filter, plus it was an absolute bargain.
Well that's all for now I will keep this updated. Comments are welcome especially constructive comments!
Well I have read a few journals and have enjoyed doing so, so I thought I should perhaps write my own.
I have kept aquariums before but never to the level I am aspiring to achieve with this tank. I want to use this tank as a warm up to a much larger aquarium (pending a house move sometime in the future! Near or distant future is anyone's guess) and as a huge leaning experience. This tank was given to me for free hence the hexagonal tank.
I have spent weeks reading through tons of threads on this forum as well as various other internet resources. I think its now time to put what I have learnt into practice and find out what else I need to learn.
The setup is:
60 Litre Aquael Tank with hood.
Boyu DGN-460 External filter (Flow rate from 300 l/hr to 1610 l/hr) built in 100w heater and 4w UV (which will not be used.) I have also got a spare heater should the one in the filter fail. But as space is a premium in this tank I wanted to keep as much equipment as possible, out of the tank.
Pressurised CO2 system using the fire extinguisher method and an UP inline CO2 diffuser. Boy was that hard work getting that to form a good seal on the filter pipework! I have blisters that I am sure can be seen from space!
1 x PL 11w light with a Superfish Tropical light bulb. In the future I have at my disposal an Aquael LEDDY 6w Sunny light, should I need it.
Substrate will be 3cm J Arthur Bowes Aquatic Compost (this was left in the house when I moved in!) topped with 3cm Pettex Aquarium Black sand (donated by a friend). Greenhouse shading will be used as a substrate retainer.
I will be doing EI dosing as well. Macro 3 x week, Micro 3 x week 1 day of rest and then 50% water change. I am going to be using the Stock Solution method as I find that far more intuitive, its a personal preference.
That's the setup for now. I have tried to do this as economically as possible whilst not cutting any corners.
Flora:
Here is a diagram for my planting ideas:
On the Manzanita Root I intend to grow Flame & Weeping Moss, Riccia Slender and Anubias Nana Bonsai Mini.
Fawna:
Yet to be decided! I thought I would wait and see how this works (if it does!) and then see how it looks and what would suit it.
So Far:
Well they are all my plans and what I intend to do. Now to put it into practice.
I have made a start, the living room looks like Pets At Home has moved in. Aquarium bits everywhere and I am sure they are multiplying! Maybe it's the water? Maybe it's gremlins!
I have put the Aquatic Soil in the tank and placed the retainer on top. I think I actually got more soil on the floor than I did in the tank and I found that a credit card makes an excellent muck spreader! "For everything else theres Mastercard!"
I have got my pipework setup for my filter and thats as far as I can go today. I will need to wait until tomorrow for the rest of my bits to arrive, inculding the sand.
It is my hope to plant either Tuesday or Wednesday. Just depends when the HC Cuba turns up and how long it will take me to deconstruct it stem by stem! I like to think I am a gluton for punishment! But I think the results will be well worth it.
I know my plans will mean a very high maintainence aquarium but that is absolutely fine I have an awful lot of spare time available to spend on this aquarium. I tend to find pruning and such things to be theraputic. I think my biggest challenge is going to be ensuring the right amount and direction of flow mixed with the right level of CO2. I will of course be looking out for the "waving gently in the breeze plants" and if that happens, trust me I will be waving back at them! This is one of the main reasons I went for the variable flow filter, plus it was an absolute bargain.
Well that's all for now I will keep this updated. Comments are welcome especially constructive comments!