Renovated Dragon Rock Tank

[Sirkavu]

Hello Friends of UKAPS,

I have done a few threats before, but my tank has changed since. I have just done a re-scape of my tanks so I believe it would be better to document from fresh, I hope that is fine.

I did like how the rocks were on the scape, but I did not take good care and during weeks away for work, the back towel fell and direct sunlight got into the tank which sparked an algae outbreak. So I decided I had to clean the whole tank and this would give me the opportunity to re-scape the tank and make it more simple plant-wise.
After a few days with the rocks in a bucket with water and H2O2, I took the rocks out and started brushing them, took me a few hours hehe, then it was time to play around with the rocks and find something I would like.

Yesterday was then the day to escape. I tried to save as many plants as possible, but many had to be thrown away, unfortunately. I am happy with the result. I do think the left-hand side should be a little higher to create a much nicer depth, but maybe I will get that by putting some plants there.

There are a few things on my mind
-Left-hand side - Feels a little too empty. I am not sure what to do here but I thought of putting some Lobelia Cordinalis 'Mini' in front of my Limnophila sessiliflora.
-Right-hand side - Add some Echinodorus parviflorus on the back. I think this might look really nice. Maybe also some Anubias hastifolia.
-I would really love to add some RCS BUT with the Discus, even though Juvenil, I am afraid they will not live for too long. Maybe I get the blue or yellow ones? I believe the color red equals food for the Discus. Would be great to have some feedback on this.
I would also love to add more Cardinals, Danios, or maybe some Corys. I feel something is missing fish-wise.

Quick one, on the last tank, I realised once I got my water warmer (mainly due to adding the Discus) and start adding the Premium Nutrition, by plants started to bloom much better and gaining some more vibrant color - never forget them nutrition hehe

Tank Specifics
Juwel RIO 180L
MultiLux LED
Eheim Classic 600 External Filter 1000L/h
6h Light
No CO2 (I use Easy-Life EasyCarbo) - 5ml a day
Tropica Premium Nutrition - 10 pumps after WC

11- Plant Specifics
Limnophila sessiliflora
Sagittaria subulata*
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis
Hygrophila Siamensis 53B Tropica
Tropica 1-2-Grow Helanthium 'Quadricostatus'
Tropica Microsorum pteropus
Tropica 1-2-Grow Myriophyllum Guyana
Tropica Hygrophila polysperma Rosanervig
Microsorum pteropus Tropica Java Fern
AQUADIP Alternanthera sessilis*
Tropica Staurogyne repens 1-2-GROW*
Tropica Anubias barteri Coin Leaf*

*I have very little. These are what is left from the previous scape due to algae issues.

Plants I am thinking of adding
Lobelia Cordinalis 'Mini'
Echinodorus parviflorus
Anubias hastifolia

Hardscape
Tropica Aquarium Soil
Dragon Stone

Fishes
x5 Amano shrimps
x2 Zebra Danio
x7 Cardinal Tetra
x1 Siamese Algae Eaters (getting 3 more next Friday)
x2 Discus

Tank before Re-scape

After I took all rocks out

Now

If anyone could also help identify this snail? I had 1 2 months ago, and when doing the cleaning of the tank, and found around 5 of them.


Thank you, everyone and I hope I can finally have a pretty tank 🙂

 

[Sirkavu]

An update:
The tank is doing fine so far. I did a WC on Monday and the next WCone will be this Sunday. I see already some algae on the glass and if it stays minor, I will wait for Sunday and clean it during the WC.

I have the following plants ordered and should arrive Friday or latest Monday:
Anubias barteri nana
Dennerle Alternanthera reineckii 'mini'
Ludwigia glandulosa
Echinodorus Harbich
Staurogyne repens

This Friday I am also going to get some fish:
x2 or 4 Corydoras (not sure which one yet)
x4 Amano
x10 Cherry Shrimp (I might get a different colour like yellow, as I am afraid the colour red will have the Discus chasing it for lunch)

The fishes look well and happy. The colours are bright and they run to eat when I feed them. My Discus are also finally more alive-looking. And, speaking of them, what food would you say is best for Discus? They do love the frozen bloodworms but not much the Prima. They don't run for it even though they end up eating it after a few hours.

I have attached pictures of how the tank looks now as the food I use to feed my fishes.

 

[Sirkavu]

Just a small and quick update: Today I have added 2 Corys, 4 Amano and 10 Cherry Shrimp.

I have also updated the food for the fish currently with TetraMin Flakes and Prima Granules and moving to
Monday frozen bloodworms / Tuesday & Saturdays Live Daphnia / Thursday Blackworm cubed
Everyday - Bugbites Tropical Flakes & I have stick-on glass spirulina for my Otto

 

[Sirkavu]

Update:
Did a 15% WC yesterday. Clean some plants with my own hands, the glass and cut/replant some of my Limnophila sessiliflora. I was supposed to add some more plants but it went to my work address instead...🫠 haha So tomorrow I will add the new plants to it.

My fish look good. A part from one of the Danios which seems to be blind from one eye? Discus looks healthy, even though today one was too shy and spent some time hiding. And I have some worms in the tank, not sure from where, and I can see the Discus sometimes trying to catch it😀

A behavior I see sometimes is that my gourami sometimes swims very fast up to the surface and then down, Does anyone know why?

There is some hair algae, I believe? I hope this will go out with time, as the tank matures more. It also seems some plants like Helanthium 'Quadricostatus' and Bacopa Monnieri are not as happy as they were before 🙁

On the other hand, my Hygrophila polysperma Rosanervig is thriving 🙂

 

[Sirkavu]

Photo of the Danio. It is just one eye.

 

[megwattscreative]

Your gourami is most likely darting up to take a breath of air. They're labyrinth fish, so I'm pretty sure it's a normal behaviour. My pygmy Corys do it too.

I like your layout! The algae will mostly likely go with time. The best way to speed up the process is add some more plants! I think all the livestock would also benefit from some floating plants. They're useful to keep track of nutrient issues (see the duckweed index in articles) and provide nice cover that all your fish should enjoy. Same goes for botanicals if you like the tannin-y look.

I'm not entirely sure on the danio, could be a physical wound (from a rock or other fish) or a sign of infection. Worth keeping an eye on it and asking others for advice.

Edit: Ps. I recommend bug bites and live food like grindal worms/micro worms if you want to see some real hunting behaviour! It's real fun to watch.

 

[Sirkavu]

Your gourami is most likely darting up to take a breath of air. They're labyrinth fish, so I'm pretty sure it's a normal behaviour. My pygmy Corys do it too.

I like your layout! The algae will mostly likely go with time. The best way to speed up the process is add some more plants! I think all the livestock would also benefit from some floating plants. They're useful to keep track of nutrient issues (see the duckweed index in articles) and provide nice cover that all your fish should enjoy. Same goes for botanicals if you like the tannin-y look.

I'm not entirely sure on the danio, could be a physical wound (from a rock or other fish) or a sign of infection. Worth keeping an eye on it and asking others for advice.

Edit: Ps. I recommend bug bites and live food like grindal worms/micro worms if you want to see some real hunting behaviour! It's real fun to watch.

Hi Meg,
Thank you very much for your message 🙂 I am actually happy with the tank at the moment and for the first time feel that I 'built' a nice tank. Maintaining it is now the challenge.
I believe the eye from the Danio is due to an injury. I spent a few hours looking a the tank today and both of the zebra Danio do chase each other like crazy sometimes.

I will see what is at my local AFS tomorrow regarding floating plants. Will get a few and see how it goes. My plants are doing well, some of the new ones are losing some leaves but I think it is normal at the beginning. I have just put in the Anubia coin leaf nano and the Alternanthera Reineckii and looks nice.

I do see some black algae - I think - growing in 2 of my rocks 🙁

 

[Sirkavu]

Small update for today:
I performed a 30% WC yesterday. There was some 'fluff' algae around the soil mainly and on some plants so Ied I out as much as I could.

The fish look nice, healthy, and happy to go around.

I realized that for a day and a half, the fish were all on the right-hand side, in one small area, and just before I went to perform the WC I realized that the sponge I was using on the end of the filter sucker (not sure the right name now) was clogged which means it wasn't sucking or bringing as much water, so maybe there wasn't much O2? Don't know but I changed it and today I see the fish all over the tank again, like normal.

I just got home now from a late meeting, and everything looks good apart from the hairy algae again, which makes me worry a little, not gonna lie. Is there something I should be doing or was this because of the sponge being clogged? Pictures attached below

Thank you again to those who help 🙂 🙂 🙂

 

[Sirkavu]

Update:
So, apart from a Little problem with the pump, it seems the algae issue is not getting better, but at least I think the hair algae is 'normal' and should go away soon. But I am sharing pictures after the 50% WC today, so you see why I am panicking a little, hah

Any advice is very much appreciated. I am going away for Easter for 4 days, and I am worried about it. Should I do a blackout?