• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

2' high flow blackwater

lurch1000

lurch1000

Member
Joined
21 Feb 2013
Messages
122
Location
Yorkshire
Evening all. Planning a 2' South American themed tank with very fast flow and humid water, so thought I'd journal it.

Tank is 2'x1'x1', so 54l. Decor will be a bit of redmoor root, the odd rock, few pebbles and a thin gravel and sand mix as the substrate.

I intend winding some Hydrocotyle leucophala round the redmoor and wedging a few plants by the roots and others where I will make the substrate a bit deeper on the lee side of the rock. I have an E.parviflorus, E.cordifolius and some S.subulata and S.repebs spare, as well as M.mattongrossene and aquaticum. Not going to shove it all in, but that's the ready options out of the 4'.

Work starts proper on Thursday. Looking forward to this!
 
I was going to upload an image from my mobile, don't think it's going to work!

I'll shuttle some images to the PC later on this week when I've hopefully filled it. This image wasn't so exciting anyway.

The cabinet that tank is on needs a bit of batten just to strengthen the top, then it's good to go.

Filtration will either be an APS 600lph internal or an Eheim 2010. I'd go external but I can't find one cheap enough just now. Can always upgrade. Also going to have a powerhead in there. Got a 650lph Hydor, got an Evolution as well, but it will probably be too much, even with a dispersed flow as it is.
 
Aha, someone who knows what im doing with the tank!! ;)

I'll keep a closer eye out Darrel. Not seen many trees with leaves on round here, can't think where I've seen oak locally (be a lot fewer leaves after this wind!), but wasn't overly looking before.

I may just PM you depending what I find.

As ever, thank you good sir, you're a star with all your help!
 
Thanks. I've been directed to somewhere that sells leaves if I can't find a tree locally. Saves depleting personal stashes.

Intriguingly, they sell it by a numbered quantity - not sure I'd be bothered counting, I'd sell be weight or by the handful!
 
how do you get humid water? oO

Instead of oak leaves you can always order some indian almond/capata leaves off ebay even with plecs in they last quite a while in a tank.
 
Humic waters (assume you are on iOS as it tried making me say humid) are typically black waters where degraded organic matter in the water. Humic being due to humic acid being released. I'd imagine Darrel will be able to explain fr better than my communication skills will permit :)
 
As for almond leaves, I'd assumed they'd be dearer than oak. I have a few left overs here somewhere.
 
I just bought May's PFK, the "Communitope" tank in there appears to be what I'm creating more or less, other than I'll be having some plants.

I've had a word with Nathan about that, told him he's stolen my idea, and that it's actually a "Continentalitope", which I coined months ago. I did get a humorous reply, and turns out we have some similar plans running completely independently of each other. Very freaky coincidence.
 
I ended up finishing the substrate off with sand out the 4', and filling it with change water from there to. Updated PB, but as it was from a mobile app (well two, too lazy to get up and grab the PC) so the ordering may be out.
 
Well cloudy today! Wonder what was in the gravel?! The sand is out the 4' with a little new sand of the same type mixed in, gravel was given to me by a friend. Filter not here yet, so circulation and some media methinks!
 
The cloudiness sorted itself out. Ain't procrastination great...

Ditched the big powerhead, it was just ridiculous really, I had high hopes, and it didn't cost much, and I've managed to swap it with a salty for a sensible one. I've lobbed some plants in and had a rough re-arrange of stuff in to some sort of "scape". Very roughed in though, water isn't black yet, nor is any leaf litter in the tank, but it's a concept. Lighting is currently a 24W T5, as I had it lying about, Got a lower powered T8 somewhere if I put a plug on it, but will decide once I get the water right over the weekend. Looking at the lid and the harmonics from the pump, I'm going to keep an eye out for an overhead clip on job I think. The Boyu unit appeals, but a single central rear clip would be more to my preference.

Anyway, stuff via the wonders of Photobuckets new "Story" feature.... 2' Blackwater tank progress by lurch1000 | Photobucket
 
Hi all,
Coming on. I'm not sure about the rock (is it just to hold the wood down?), I'd definitely get a water rounded cobble. Other than that just more plants. I've got plenty of moss and ferns that you could have, although none of them are S. American.

cheers Darrel
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top