125L Manzy Root Scape

[jamie_99]

Hi all, was meaning to set up tihs journal earlier, but better late than never!

I've had a high tech tank before, a Rio 180, although this turned out to be a complete disaster! In the end I had an outbreak of cyanobacteria (BGA) that just refused to shift, so in a moment of frustration ripped out the CO2 and made it low tech. However my desire for a high tech planted tank has returned and here we are...

Specs:
Tank: 80cm x 35cm x 45cm, Juwel Rio 125
Filter: Eheim 2075
Heater: Hydor 300w inline (filter outlet)
Lighting: 2x T5 28w + reflectors
CO2: 5kg FE, Up inline atomiser (filter outlet)
Substrate: JBL Aquabasis topped off with 15L Colombo Florabase
Hardscape: Manzanita wood and mini landscape rock
Fertiliser: EI method

Lights on for 6h a day, CO2 coming on 2h before lights and finishing 2h before lights off.

Plant list;
Heminthus callitrichoides (HC)
Eleocharis sp. 'mini' (1-2 Grow)
Eleocharis acicularis
Blyxa Japonica
Hydrocytle sp.
Narrow leaf java fern
Anubias nana bonsai
Vesicularia ferriei, Weeping moss (1-2 Grow)

The 'look' that i'm going for is of upturned roots protruding both into the water column and the substrate, surrounded by a lawn of HC and Eleocharis. Whether it will turn out like that, who knows :?:


Just a quick thanks to the following;

Hogan53 for the Manzy wood
Antipofish for the Narrow leaf java fern
Radik for the Blyxa japonica
AAB for the Hydrocytle

Will post up some pics soon as, just uploading them now.

 

[jamie_99]

Pics as promised...

Initial Hardscape.

Wood in aswell.

Almost there....

Day 1 (After about 7 hours of planting, not good when you have to be at work for 6am the next morning!)

Glass intake pipe will be installed shortly, eheim prefilter is on just to calm the flow down abit)

Transferred some sponges across from my old tank, so the filter is cycled, added 3 cherry shrimp, about another 30+ to transfer when I get a chance to catch them!

Happy shrimp.

A few little problems along the way. Colombo Florabase is INCREDIBLY light, 10x worse than akadama I had used before, just pouring water in with 6mm airline, caused the granules to disintegrate. My CO2 drop checker liquid has gone off, need to order some more, as I have no idea what level CO2 is at.

Blyxa Japonica has uprooted a few times now, thinking about replacing with something else, not sure what. Problem is that it's in the most akward place surrounded by branches, so trimming/replanting is a pita. Anything similar that is less maintance, easier to root??

 

[Nathaniel Whiteside]

Nice looking tank mate, doesn't Columbia florabase leech ammonia? If so your going to need to do some large Regular WC's till that bacteria gets hold.

Can you not hold off stocking for a week or 2?

 

[jamie_99]

Thaks Whitey, Wasnt aware it leached ammonia, but will do another WC, its already had a 50% WC, will do another this evening. Apart from the shrimp that are in, im in no rush for livestock. Have a test kit just to make sure aswell, although I know how unreliable they are meant to be!