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Long-Term Low Maintenance 120cmx60x60 Tank (new video on page 6)

Re: Low Maintenance 120cmx60x60 Tank (New pictures on page 7

Hi everybody,
Here comes my earlier promise to share with you some pictures of the tank after I came back from my trip. I was away for about a month and a half. This is more or less a full circle in my tank's plant maintenance.

First, picture taken before my trip, middle of July.
julbeforetrip_zps1cdf21d2.jpg


This one is right after my return at the end of August. As you can see the tank is in a good condition considering that there has been no fertilizing at all and no water changes. There is some bba on anubias but that's what I was expecting to see. The lights and CO2 are on timers and there was still some gas in the CO2 tank upon my arrival. Phew 😀
DSC_0007_zpsf7548fa5.jpg[/URL]

Two weeks after cutting off the affected anubia leaves, resuming with ferts and daily excel. 7th of September.
best070910_zpsbc1878ff.jpg

Picture taken after the trim, 10th of September. As you can see I trim both the crypts and tenellus right down, about 3 cm from the gravel.
aftertrim100910_zps2d3ca5f4.jpg

the cuttings
cuttings_zps8f949cf0.jpg

Growth after one month, 9th of October
firstgrowthaftertrim_zps717bf227.jpg

And finally, end of October
19oct2010optimum_zps3d7689b1.jpg
Thanks for looking,
fandango
 

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Re: Low Maintenance 120cmx60x60 Tank

Brilliant. So lush and healthy. Cant believe that in 1,5 months away you found it in such a good state.
 
Re: Low Maintenance 120cmx60x60 Tank

Luketendo said:
Absolutely fantastic, love all those crypts.
Click to expand...
Thank you Luketendo.

Piece-of-fish said:
Brilliant. So lush and healthy. Cant believe that in 1,5 months away you found it in such a good state.
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Thank you. I have been away for even for up to 3 months and, apart from the fact that fish have relatively little space to swim in, the tank's health always stays good. It is a very mature set-up and a very stable environment. I haven't disturbed the gravel for probably 4 years now. All the plants too have been there for years. The fish get their food from Eheim auto-feeder filled up with Tetra Prima. There are 3 largish filters, one filled with mechanical media and two mostly biological ones.

flygja said:
Can crypts grow that much in one month?! Fantastic!
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Thank you. I guess the crypts grow back strong and fast because there must be a fantastic root system there by now. The only other plants competing with crypts in the gravel are tenellus and their root system is very shallow.

Arana said:
Stunning :clap: one of the best LM setups that i have seen :thumbup:
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Thank you Mark

I forgot to mention that there are four generations of Sterbai Cories living in the tank now. I'll have to get some new ones to stop inbreeding.

Regards,
fandango
 
Re: Low Maintenance 120cmx60x60 Tank

Amazing tank and really nice growth after the trim 🙂 congrats
 
Re: Low Maintenance 120cmx60x60 Tank

Thank you Gill, TDI-line and LondonDragon 😀
 
Re: Low Maintenance 120cmx60x60 Tank

faizal said:
I hope I am not too late in asking this question ,...but what kind of substrate do you use?
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Hi faizal, sorry for the late reply. I have a simple inert aquarium gravel. The crypts like it, the tenellus has in fact mostly having their roots suspended in the moss layer, which is about 3cm thick and grows between gravel and tenellus.

I'm having cory sterbai infestation in my tank 😀 . I guess they have finally reached their full maturity and now they breed on a regular basis. There are lot's of babies in the tank. I'll have to start taking them to my LFS soon. Here is a video. Apologies for my shaky hand- I've no tripod and I'm no cameraman :? . I've cut out a little patch in the lawn at the front to create a feeding place for the baby cories which they have to share with a grumpy ancistrus. Please note that this is the evening lighting set up- three 20w halogen spotlights.

thanks,
fandango
 
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Re: Low Maintenance 120cmx60x60 Tank (new video on page 8)

Hi There,very nice looking tank,i like low maintenance setup's,it proves how healthy a planted tank keeps the water sweet with the sterbai breeding so well,

john.
 
Re: Low Maintenance 120cmx60x60 Tank (new video on page 8)

I'm having cory sterbai infestation in my tank . I guess they have finally reached their full maturity and now they breed on a regular basis. There are lot's of babies in the tank.
Click to expand...

That is brilliant, I am hoping my chain loaches will eventually do the same, but there have only been a few reports of successful breeding.
 
Re: Low Maintenance 120cmx60x60 Tank (new video on page 8)

Thank you John. Thank you sanj, hope you succeed with your loaches soon. Thank you Joecoral.
Gill said:
Amazing, really Like how you have Light and Dark Areas within the tank. And not Superbright.
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Thanks Gill. In fact in the video you see evening lighting set-up - 3 halogen 20W MR16 spotlights. They serve a decorative purpose only. During the day I have 2x54W T5's and 3x36W T8's + AquaRay GroBeam 500. The full light photos are at the top of this page.
regards,
fandango
 
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Re: Low Maintenance 120cmx60x60 Tank (new video on page 8)

Your tank is very cool! I like the evening lighting too, I do think tanks look more interesting with a few shadows to peer into. It's very helpful to see the before/after pruning too, it can be a bit daunting to cut back hard when you've final got everything to grow!

Can I ask what sort of moss is mixed in your carpet? I have a 'blob' of javamoss that my shrimps like but it's sort of sitting in the corner at the moment. Your carpet looks awesome!
 
Re: Low Maintenance 120cmx60x60 Tank (new video on page 8)

thank you tam,
tam said:
Can I ask what sort of moss is mixed in your carpet? I have a 'blob' of javamoss that my shrimps like but it's sort of sitting in the corner at the moment. Your carpet looks awesome!
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It is java moss. I didn't plan for it to end up where it is now; it kind of happened by itself- the moss first somehow found its way into my tank, and then ended up establishing itself just above the gravel. At first I was trying to pull it out but I soon lost the battle and gave up. I’m kind of glad I did loose that battle.The tenellus thrives growing in it.
 
Re: Low Maintenance 120cmx60x60 Tank (new video on page 8)

What a great set-up! And breeding sterbei too - kudos.

Congratulations.
 
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