Gary's 180l Corner Tank

[Gary Nelson]

I thought it was about time to put up a few photos of my corner tank that I have been working on for the last few months.
I started in the hobby just over a year ago with a 60l Biorb! and soon realising its limitations and not being able to grow plants that well in it. I then opted for a corner aquarium, mainly as it was best suited to fit into our lounge – having said that it has been quite a task in getting flow right etc... But I think at long last I have just about got it right.
I would not necessarily go for a corner tank again, as it too has some limitations, so my next move maybe a nice simple black rio 180l... perhaps next year.

Over all I am quite pleased with what I have achieved and in quite a short space of time, I seem to have some very happy healthy fish and plants – it is in no way as good as some of the others on here which are fantastic and the designs and layouts are brilliant, which I find very inspirational.

Tank spec:
180l Aqua One Windsor 66
Black eco complete
TMC V2 Therm 300w
Eheim 2075 with purigen
Koralia 1600 & 900
Co2 - 2kg FE with inline diffuser
2 x 24w - on 7hrs per day
TPN+ - 8ml per day
Flourish Excel – 6ml per day
Redmoor wood

Plants:
Echinodorus tenellus
Microsorum pteropus 'Narrow'
Vesicularia ferriei 'Weeping'
Anubias barteri var. nana

Fish:
Boesemani Rainbow
Praecox Rainbow
Corydora Sterbae
True Rummy Nose Tetra
Cardinal Tetra
Neon Tetra
Otocinclus
Lampeye Panchax
Red Blonde Guppies
Neon Blue Guppies

Invertebrates:
Amano Shrimp
Assassin Snails

Anyway a few pic's...

The Ph controller is only here as an extra safety precaution for the fish – I have it set to only cut the Co2 off should the ph drop lower than Ph6. I am running at around 2-3bps and by the time the Co2 goes off (2hrs before lights out) Ph is normally around the 6.3 mark.

 

[JamesD]

It's looking great Gary. Your set up is very nice indeed.

It will be awesome when the carpet is really dense. Just keep hacking away at it!

 

[Ian Holdich]

very nice!

good to see another corner tank scape done well!

how are you finding the koralia in the place you have it? It didn't worked very well in my tank in the place you have it, it took some fiddling about to get the flow right/good. I find either side of the front left or right and corner, on the same side as the intake the best place for flow and distribution around a corner tank.

 

[faizal]

Nice tank Gary !!! Congratulations on the nice work.

 

[Gary Nelson]

Thanks for the comments I have 2 koralias at the back at the moment and that seems to have been the best so far. I did try one in each corner at the front slightly pointing down but started to get a bit of algae. Now having thought about it I’m beginning to think if just one (the more powerful 1600) in just the top left corner?

These corner tanks can be a bit tricky!

 

[Gary Nelson]

Time for a small update...

 

[Gary Nelson]

Well, I thought I would add a couple of update photos to this now having gained a little more knowledge. I decided to get rid of the moss on my redmoor wood and go for Microsorum pteropus, Microsorum pteropus 'Narrow, Bolbitis and some Windelov with a Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae planted at the back.

I have also added a couple more Blue Rainbow fish which are showing some amazing colors having settled in very nicely!

Wood out, moss removed and new plants attached...

How it's looking now after a few weeks of the new plants going in...

 

[Ian Holdich]

that looks lovely, really healthy as well. The Echinodorus tenellus really makes this scape IMO.

 

[Gary Nelson]

that looks lovely, really healthy as well. The Echinodorus tenellus really makes this scape IMO.

Cheers for that Ian, as you know corner tanks are very testing and I know this maybe not to everyone's cup of tea, but I'm really proud of it after only 18months in the hobby... Thanks again mate

 

[Morgan Freeman]

I think it looks lovely, so green and full.

 

[Ady34]

Hi Gary,
excellent set up you have, looks very neat, and very healthy looking plants. I really like the addition of the ferns to the wood, they give the scape more depth and bring together the lush green of the carpet with the rest of the tank.
Balansae will be great creeping up behind and among the wood and ferns.
Mini Schnauzer looks very content too! ... i have an all black one, lovely dogs.

 

[Gary Nelson]

I think it looks lovely, so green and full.

Cheers mate, thanks for your kind words.

Hi Gary,
excellent set up you have, looks very neat, and very healthy looking plants. I really like the addition of the ferns to the wood, they give the scape more depth and bring together the lush green of the carpet with the rest of the tank.
Balansae will be great creeping up behind and among the wood and ferns.
Mini Schnauzer looks very content too! ... i have an all black one, lovely dogs.

Thanks Ady, yes it's looking better now the plants are filling out more... All black Schnauzer, very nice and quite rare! They are fantastic dogs, full of character too.

 

[Gary Nelson]

I forgot to add that I have changed my plant dosing from TPN+ & flourish excel to the Aqua Nourish set from 'Aqua Essentials'... great value and I am really impressed with the results too.