BubbleWizard
New Member
Hello Everyone, nice to meet you all, my name Chris, and although i am a very experienced fish keeper/aquarist i am still pretty new to the aquascaping/planted tank scene.
This is my first aquarium for a long time, and first ever attempt at a proper aquascape.
I set the hard scape up today (03/06/23), the same day the tank was delivered, as well as most of the equipment, but the tank is not ready to be filled for another 2 weeks, so i am likely to make changes/tweaks.
the tank is a 5'x2'x2' aquariums4life tank, with opti front and sides, and a black back, set on a charred cedar cabinet and with matching pelmet.
the equipment is as follows.
Oase Biomaster thermo 850 (i have altered it to have more, larger holes in the stem inside the pre-filter, and replaced 2 trays of sponges with JBL micromec), i also upgraded to USCAPE stainless intake and outtake pipes (which i sprayed black, to try to make them vanish against the background)
Oase 11w UV
Oase surface skimmer
Twinstar Yotta plus Algae inhibitor which i sprayed black (being careful to mask off the mesh portion of course)
AI nero 5 powerhead
2x Ecotech Radion XR30w gen 5 lights (from an old reef tank belonging to a friend, hence the unconventional choice)
The CO2 set up hasnt arrived yet, but will be a 5kg aluminium fire extinguisher with a CO2 art pro elite regulator.
the hardscape and substrate is as follows
base layer of black egg-crate to distribute weight of large rocks
10 litres of JBL aquabasis plus
30kg of river sand from maidenhead aquatics
6 large caledonian river rocks from my local landscaping place
a total of 8 pieces of various sizes of talawa wood from riverwood aquatics
a bag of smaller beach pebbles of various sizes and colours
some loose gravel and sand mix collected from my local riverbank and washed
black expanding foam and zip ties to lock things together
my intention in terms of plants is to be aiming for easy to keep, leafy, robust plants and i am particularly fond of crypts so i plan to have many, as well as anubias, microsorium, echinodorus, and possibly vallis.
my current future fish list includes barilius ardens, and spotted hillstream loaches, and then the maybe list is notropsis chrosomus, apistogramma borellii, giant danio, Laukbuka dadjiburjori, danio choprae. however i know what i am like, and these plans could be completely derailed if i see something that takes my fancy!
i am including some pictures from day 1, and i appreciate any and all input and suggestions. thanks for reading
This is my first aquarium for a long time, and first ever attempt at a proper aquascape.
I set the hard scape up today (03/06/23), the same day the tank was delivered, as well as most of the equipment, but the tank is not ready to be filled for another 2 weeks, so i am likely to make changes/tweaks.
the tank is a 5'x2'x2' aquariums4life tank, with opti front and sides, and a black back, set on a charred cedar cabinet and with matching pelmet.
the equipment is as follows.
Oase Biomaster thermo 850 (i have altered it to have more, larger holes in the stem inside the pre-filter, and replaced 2 trays of sponges with JBL micromec), i also upgraded to USCAPE stainless intake and outtake pipes (which i sprayed black, to try to make them vanish against the background)
Oase 11w UV
Oase surface skimmer
Twinstar Yotta plus Algae inhibitor which i sprayed black (being careful to mask off the mesh portion of course)
AI nero 5 powerhead
2x Ecotech Radion XR30w gen 5 lights (from an old reef tank belonging to a friend, hence the unconventional choice)
The CO2 set up hasnt arrived yet, but will be a 5kg aluminium fire extinguisher with a CO2 art pro elite regulator.
the hardscape and substrate is as follows
base layer of black egg-crate to distribute weight of large rocks
10 litres of JBL aquabasis plus
30kg of river sand from maidenhead aquatics
6 large caledonian river rocks from my local landscaping place
a total of 8 pieces of various sizes of talawa wood from riverwood aquatics
a bag of smaller beach pebbles of various sizes and colours
some loose gravel and sand mix collected from my local riverbank and washed
black expanding foam and zip ties to lock things together
my intention in terms of plants is to be aiming for easy to keep, leafy, robust plants and i am particularly fond of crypts so i plan to have many, as well as anubias, microsorium, echinodorus, and possibly vallis.
my current future fish list includes barilius ardens, and spotted hillstream loaches, and then the maybe list is notropsis chrosomus, apistogramma borellii, giant danio, Laukbuka dadjiburjori, danio choprae. however i know what i am like, and these plans could be completely derailed if i see something that takes my fancy!
i am including some pictures from day 1, and i appreciate any and all input and suggestions. thanks for reading
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