Help Please - New Aquarium (after not being in the hobby for 3 years)

[Adam Chambers]

Created a breakdown of costs of what I have spent and will be spending on this aquarium just so people have a reference if they take on a 400 litre high tech planted tank. People may have realised I have swung back and forth between low and high tech and most the plants I have selected with help of David at Aquarium Gardens are on the easier side of things, however I hope that mixed in with the carpet plants will give nice strong growth in the aquarium.

Will update with pictures of the aquarium tonight as filter finally running. Have to say considering the wood being old and I didn't clean the rock off prior to placing it, it's running pretty clear. The Ammonia should be doing it's thing with cycling the filter as it leaches. Plants will be in on the 21st of January at moment as I need to make payment before 9th January.

Quantity and fish types are approx and just ideas going through ones head at moment. The rainbow fish are certainly wanted but type etc will depend tbh and won't likely be in till mid February as got so much to do in terms of the Co2, wood and plants.

 

[Adam Chambers]

Updated to add a few things I had forgot about in my haste putting this together. The background and stainless inflow/outflow pipes were missing.

And just adjusted the view distance so should be a little easier to read.

 

[Adam Chambers]

Massive shout out to Dave at Aquarium Gardens. Will be ordering tomorrow (pay day) and he has agreed the following with me and honoured the 10% winter discount even though the sale is over. Can not ask fairer than that. Is awesome news and means got a great stocking list. That with the other plants from Aqua Essentials which is just some more Amazon Sword (5No.) and some Cryptocoryne Petchii (7No.), (little brother brought a gift card for aqua essentials for xmas). Should be all good

 

[Adam Chambers]

Managed to get order sorted, will be here Friday or Saturday. Just going to keep doing a few water changes till then to get things ready for planting.

The Co2 kit is on way but won't be here till week after so hopefully won't have too many issues between then.

 

[Adam Chambers]

Just had confirmation of plant dispatch today with delivery tomorrow via Interlink Express. Dave at Aquarium Gardens has been excellent. I have now got supplier of CO2 bottle local and just awaiting Co2 to confirm delivery of their Professional Aquarium Kit.

 

[ben3588]

Just had confirmation of plant dispatch today with delivery tomorrow via Interlink Express. Dave at Aquarium Gardens has been excellent. I have now got supplier of CO2 bottle local and just awaiting Co2 to confirm delivery of their Professional Aquarium Kit.

Adam can you post pictures et. When you get your tank up and running.


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[Adam Chambers]

Adam can you post pictures et. When you get your tank up and running.


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Why of course 🙂

As an update generally.

Finally have all my plants from Dave at Aquarium Gardens.
Opened the big box and now trying to work out how best to proceed. My though it, drain the water off. Scrub the wood down and start to plant up following my layout plans.

First of, this is the premise of what I am aiming for:


This is the layout key. I have added a few quick changes accordingly after speaking with Dave.


However with my current layout of two islands I am looking to make the scape twice with the Echinodorus wrapping around the corners so where B above is shown it would wrap all the way around to the right and then imagine it mirrored for the other side.

Current temp layout which will be finalised as I plant. The small rocks in middle are all to be placed as planting happening so I can try and balance it all.



Here are some images of the plants that have arrived.




Awaiting delivery of plants from Aqua Essentials still with the other Echinodorus and Cryptocoryne.


Tank is drained, plants are currently placed in a bath full of water so I can leave them in there over next two days as I work through planting the aquarium up and making sure I get it semi close to what I want it to look like. I am going to start background to foreground I think.

I need to work out which plants need planting in the groups as they come and which are meant to be split into smaller portions. I have left the carpet plants and moss in the tubs for now.

My superglue I ordered to attach the Anubias and Moss has not arrived. So thinking I need to go buy some black cotton thread to tie such things now. Will likely be tomorrow on that front.

 

[ben3588]

Why of course 🙂

As an update generally.

Finally have all my plants from Dave at Aquarium Gardens.
Opened the big box and now trying to work out how best to proceed. My though it, drain the water off. Scrub the wood down and start to plant up following my layout plans.

First of, this is the premise of what I am aiming for:


This is the layout key. I have added a few quick changes accordingly after speaking with Dave.


However with my current layout of two islands I am looking to make the scape twice with the Echinodorus wrapping around the corners so where B above is shown it would wrap all the way around to the right and then imagine it mirrored for the other side.

Current temp layout which will be finalised as I plant. The small rocks in middle are all to be placed as planting happening so I can try and balance it all.



Here are some images of the plants that have arrived.




Awaiting delivery of plants from Aqua Essentials still with the other Echinodorus and Cryptocoryne.


Tank is drained, plants are currently placed in a bath full of water so I can leave them in there over next two days as I work through planting the aquarium up and making sure I get it semi close to what I want it to look like. I am going to start background to foreground I think.

I need to work out which plants need planting in the groups as they come and which are meant to be split into smaller portions. I have left the carpet plants and moss in the tubs for now.

My superglue I ordered to attach the Anubias and Moss has not arrived. So thinking I need to go buy some black cotton thread to tie such things now. Will likely be tomorrow on that front.

Adam, that's a huge amount of plants. Looks fantastic I think Aquarium Gardens are great also get my plants from there, packaging is always superb and plants are immaculate.

What type of tank is it? Are you getting injected CO2.

I am very jealous... Would love this in my place.


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[Adam Chambers]

Adam, that's a huge amount of plants. Looks fantastic I think Aquarium Gardens are great also get my plants from there, packaging is always superb and plants are immaculate.

What type of tank is it? Are you getting injected CO2.

I am very jealous... Would love this in my place.


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Yes I was also really impressed with the packaging that they have used and how well organised it is. It made things much easier to check through to get ready to start planting up.

The tank is an Evolution Aqua 1500+ in Matt Anthracite Grey.

Yep CO2 is being sorted, I have ordered the CO2 premium kit from CO2Arts and awaiting the arrival of a 15kg CO2 tank as well so that should last me a year without having to worry about a refill then 🙂

 

[ben3588]

Yes I was also really impressed with the packaging that they have used and how well organised it is. It made things much easier to check through to get ready to start planting up.

The tank is an Evolution Aqua 1500+ in Matt Anthracite Grey.

Yep CO2 is being sorted, I have ordered the CO2 premium kit from CO2Arts and awaiting the arrival of a 15kg CO2 tank as well so that should last me a year without having to worry about a refill then 🙂

Wow 15kg you got a picture of it? Where you get that from. I started with 600G disposable but then went through one a week. So have moved to 2KG fire extinguisher which is much better. I would never be able to fit a 15kg under my 240 litre tank.

I am very impressed with all your kit it's going to be amazing once done. Good luck planting. That will take you some time.


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[ben3588]

How big is the tank?


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[Adam Chambers]

I have been planting since about 12pm so far and about 2/3rds done now.

The 15kg will fit in the corner to the left of the tank as there is space there where it wont be visible. The inside dimension of the cabinet is 850mm so the largest internal of the cabinet would be a 3.15kg CO2 pub tank or 5kg Fire Extinguisher.

The tank dimensions overall are 1500x600x550mm (Length x Width x Height) which equals around 450 litres without hardscape etc.

Thank you Ben, do hope it will end up doing well. First time at a fully planted tank, CO2 and Ferts etc. So will see how it goes, no doubt there will be some issues along the way but all apart of the setup and learning.

 

[Adam Chambers]

Thread here to see how the planting is going

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/my-intial-setup-for-my-aquascape.48519/