geoffr
Seedling
I've decided that I want to get a planted tank up and running but a background first. I have owned a Rena Panorama 100 for about the last 6 years, which has an assortment of different community fish, but due to a stupid lapse in concentration involving an algae magnet and a grain of sand about a year ago I am now looking to buy a new tank which will be planted. Magnet cleaner is now in the bin, I no longer have sand and also now want a traditional shape rectangular tank. I have tried in the past with some reasonable success to grow plants but am currently using some plastic ones to provide some aesthetics to the tank.
At the moment I haven't bought anything for this set-up as I am getting a list together and would appreciate peoples opinions on the kit...I'd rather take the time now rather than rushing into anything and messing it up. My budget is around £800 for everything apart from hard scape and plants.
TANK
I would ideally like an oak cabinet with tank but only a few manufacturers make these and most of them are out of my budget. Fluval make one but both myself and my wife don't like the cabinet design. I did think about buying a separate cabinet and then going for a rimless tank but our 2 cats have been known to jump up onto the top of the tank itself which might end in a disaster. At the moment I am looking at a Ferplast Dubai 120 (240l) in Beech which appear to be popular in Europe but are relatively unknown in the UK...not sure if that is a good or bad thing? A few things I like on this tank over the equivalent Juwel Rio 240 are:
Standard size T5 tubes (2 x 39W) with built-in reflectors
Additional light bars can be added to the tank easily
Timer built-in to light unit
Filter is not silconed to the tank
I am open to suggestions though but would ideally like a tank that is between 100-120cms in length.
FILTRATION & HEATING
Until yesterday I was going to get a JBL CristalProfi e1501 but Zooplus sent me an email last night giving 15% off of Eheim filters which makes the Pro3 2075 the same price. I could also get the Eheim from Zooplus.de for around £130 which makes it a bit of a bargain! My gut instinct is saying get the Eheim even though the turnover isn't quite as high but what do others think?
I will be using the spray bar to point down the length of the tank and may potentially use a Hydor Koralia Evo 2800 at the other end to increase the flow round the tank if needed. A Hydor ETH300 will be heating the water.
CO2
I am going to use a FE setup (I already have 2 x 2kg bottles at home) with a Easy Aqua twin gauge regulator and solenoid as these appear to get good write ups unless anyone can recommend a better one?
I have decided that I am going to use an in tank diffuser under the spray bar in order to diffuse the CO2 around as I prefer this look to using an UP atomiser directly into the outflow pipe. I might consider a reactor sometime in the future if I add another filter.
SUBSTRATE
I intend to use Fine Grain Moler Clay (Kaizen Bonsai-Bonsai Mart, Bonsai Trees-Bonsai Tools-Bonsai Pots-Bonsai Gifts-order bonsai supplies online) and under this use a layer of sphagnum moss peat along with osmocote.
DOSING
This is one area I am not to sure about as I see there being 3 different routes to go down...EI, PMDD+PO4 or All In One. I would prefer to dose once a week so that points towards the All In One using recipe 3 by James but I would rather use the best solution rather than the easiest.
HARD SCAPE & PLANTS
Currently in progress but I really like the look of the Tropica Layout 54 (Tropica Aquarium Plants) although I would like to add some areas where my Plecs can hide and maybe some wood instead of the rocks.
Once I have decided then I will get a journal up to show how this progresses.
Many thanks for any advice,
Geoff
At the moment I haven't bought anything for this set-up as I am getting a list together and would appreciate peoples opinions on the kit...I'd rather take the time now rather than rushing into anything and messing it up. My budget is around £800 for everything apart from hard scape and plants.
TANK
I would ideally like an oak cabinet with tank but only a few manufacturers make these and most of them are out of my budget. Fluval make one but both myself and my wife don't like the cabinet design. I did think about buying a separate cabinet and then going for a rimless tank but our 2 cats have been known to jump up onto the top of the tank itself which might end in a disaster. At the moment I am looking at a Ferplast Dubai 120 (240l) in Beech which appear to be popular in Europe but are relatively unknown in the UK...not sure if that is a good or bad thing? A few things I like on this tank over the equivalent Juwel Rio 240 are:
Standard size T5 tubes (2 x 39W) with built-in reflectors
Additional light bars can be added to the tank easily
Timer built-in to light unit
Filter is not silconed to the tank
I am open to suggestions though but would ideally like a tank that is between 100-120cms in length.
FILTRATION & HEATING
Until yesterday I was going to get a JBL CristalProfi e1501 but Zooplus sent me an email last night giving 15% off of Eheim filters which makes the Pro3 2075 the same price. I could also get the Eheim from Zooplus.de for around £130 which makes it a bit of a bargain! My gut instinct is saying get the Eheim even though the turnover isn't quite as high but what do others think?
I will be using the spray bar to point down the length of the tank and may potentially use a Hydor Koralia Evo 2800 at the other end to increase the flow round the tank if needed. A Hydor ETH300 will be heating the water.
CO2
I am going to use a FE setup (I already have 2 x 2kg bottles at home) with a Easy Aqua twin gauge regulator and solenoid as these appear to get good write ups unless anyone can recommend a better one?
I have decided that I am going to use an in tank diffuser under the spray bar in order to diffuse the CO2 around as I prefer this look to using an UP atomiser directly into the outflow pipe. I might consider a reactor sometime in the future if I add another filter.
SUBSTRATE
I intend to use Fine Grain Moler Clay (Kaizen Bonsai-Bonsai Mart, Bonsai Trees-Bonsai Tools-Bonsai Pots-Bonsai Gifts-order bonsai supplies online) and under this use a layer of sphagnum moss peat along with osmocote.
DOSING
This is one area I am not to sure about as I see there being 3 different routes to go down...EI, PMDD+PO4 or All In One. I would prefer to dose once a week so that points towards the All In One using recipe 3 by James but I would rather use the best solution rather than the easiest.
HARD SCAPE & PLANTS
Currently in progress but I really like the look of the Tropica Layout 54 (Tropica Aquarium Plants) although I would like to add some areas where my Plecs can hide and maybe some wood instead of the rocks.
Once I have decided then I will get a journal up to show how this progresses.
Many thanks for any advice,
Geoff
