Show off your Freshwater!

[Clown79]

On 08/09/2017 at 7:32 PM, Noinoi24 said:

-discus tank

 

-planted tank

I love your discuss. I always wanted a discuss tank!

[Clown79]

7 hours ago, Pjanssen said:

Did you ever do the blue background on this?

@Pjanssen

 

Yes. I like it better than the open, makes the plants more noticeable.

[Pjanssen]

5 hours ago, Clown79 said:

@Pjanssen

 

Yes. I like it better than the open, makes the plants more noticeable.

Love it! Did you paint it or is it a decal or fabric?

[Pjanssen]

I'm real close to adding substrate, but conflicted as to what to use. I had planned on using organic fertilized potting soil and topping it off with back sand but just read something about it causing ammonia spikes. Then I decided to use EcoComplete but the kid at the Petco said it raised his pH too much. I see a lot of tanks on here with just sand. I have all three options here so can go with any of them. Suggestions? Opinions?

[fishfreak0114]

I use Seachem fluorite dark in one of my tanks.  There was a lot of sediment/silt (guess I didn't rinse well enough), and I suspect it was the cause of whiteslimyness growing all over for a couple months (I read about other people having the same problem).  Overall, I like it as a substrate.  I prefer fluorite black sand (which I have in another tank).  No freaky white sliminess, and it's incredibly easy to plant in sand.  I do find that after the tank clears after a water change I have to gently baste black dust off the plant leaves.  I'd go with black sand if it were me.

[Clown79]

5 hours ago, Pjanssen said:

Love it! Did you paint it or is it a decal or fabric?

It's just one of those cheap backgrounds from the lfs. I didn't want to empty the tank again to paint it.

5 hours ago, Pjanssen said:

I'm real close to adding substrate, but conflicted as to what to use. I had planned on using organic fertilized potting soil and topping it off with back sand but just read something about it causing ammonia spikes. Then I decided to use EcoComplete but the kid at the Petco said it raised his pH too much. I see a lot of tanks on here with just sand. I have all three options here so can go with any of them. Suggestions? Opinions?

I used the plane national geographic sand. Nothing special. I put fert tabs in it.

[Fishy snowman]

My planted 10 gallon tank 

[Mariaface]

My freshwater tank is finally starting to stabilize, and the shrimp are letting me know by getting brave  

This one decided to hang out at the surface, just in front of the filter: 

 

 

[SavaS]

This is my 90 gallon planted, it needs a trim. The background id a diy foam/concrete creation. Mostly java ferns but some crypts, anubias nana, two different ludwigia and java moss as well as a Bucephalandra. Has a dirt substrate capped with black sandblasting media. Tiger barbs and some SAE's and about 312 Malaysian trumpet snails which keep it pretty clean. I occasionally add flourish excel (when I remember) and top off with new water. I don't do water changes just change the filter every now and then. I use a above ground pool pump for the main filtering and a canister filter filled with different media in each tray like carbon and phosban or whatever else I stuck in there. this was originally a saltwater tank so it is pre-drilled with a spillover in the back, so I just stuffed it with about 300 bioballs. It pretty much takes care of itself, I just stand back and watch.

 

my 2.7 gal pico reef journal

 

[SavaS]

Just for comparison, here is a pic from a while back before I tore out the plants and changed to the black sand and re-scaped.

 

My 2.7 gal pico reef journal

[JoeR]

9 minutes ago, SavaS said:

Just for comparison, here is a pic from a while back before I tore out the plants and changed to the black sand and re-scaped.

 

My 2.7 gal pico reef journal

What's your opinion on the buce plants? I've not been impressed with the buce species personally, curious if you think otherwise. Mine grow mainfully slow and are just covered in algae most of the time..

On 9/18/2017 at 2:28 PM, Clown79 said:

@Pjanssen

 

Yes. I like it better than the open, makes the plants more noticeable.

Stunning beta! Where'd you get it?

[Clown79]

14 minutes ago, JoeR said:

What's your opinion on the buce plants? I've not been impressed with the buce species personally, curious if you think otherwise. Mine grow mainfully slow and are just covered in algae most of the time..

Stunning beta! Where'd you get it?

I got it at big als. 

 

[SavaS]

JoeR, I feel the same way, it bloomed and hasn't done much else, looks almost the same as day one, it's been in the tank for a few months now. Even the anubias Nana which is a slow grower makes this plant look like it's plastic. I couldn't imagine a tank full of them. 

[JoeR]

41 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I got it at big als. 

 

Hmm never heard of them. I'll have to look it up, a cool beta would be awesome. Haven't had one for years

 

26 minutes ago, SavaS said:

JoeR, I feel the same way, it bloomed and hasn't done much else, looks almost the same as day one, it's been in the tank for a few months now. Even the anubias Nana which is a slow grower makes this plant look like it's plastic. I couldn't imagine a tank full of them. 

I couldn't either. I'm guessing you got yours from BucePlant.com? If so, which cultivar did you choose? I'm wondering if the cultivar makes a big difference.

 

oddly, I had mine in my medium-high light tank that I dose excel daily in and had literally no growth in weeks. I took it out and threw it in a neglected, low light, non-excel tank that I only top off occasionally and they've really taken off (comparatively). I don't understand these plants..

[SavaS]

Mine is a Bucephalandra Green Wavy , I got it from eBay, buy 2 get one free, cost about 35$ for the three, I may move it to a more shaded area one day when I rearrange things again. 

[Teebo]

I have 4 planted tanks. Starting with the smallest I have a 0.5 gallon pico with 2 red cherry shrimp. 

 

 

I have a 5 gallon I planted for my grandmother, I maintain it for her...it has red cherry shrimp, horned Nerite snails, and Celestial Pearl Danios. 

 

 

I have a 5 gallon tall tank as well, with red cherry shrimp, horned Nerite snails, and a Betta. Tons of mods to this tank, all my tank journals are on TPT though. 

 

 

Lastly I have my newest addition which is more of a work in progress, a 16 gallon (15.8) cornerless bowfront Iwagumi. I had 18 Ember Tetra in here but downsized to 7 in preparation to switch over to Espei. Rasbora or Hengeli Rasbora. 

[WV Reefer]

4 minutes ago, Teebo said:

I have 4 planted tanks. Starting with the smallest I have a 0.5 gallon pico with 2 red cherry shrimp. 

 

 

I have a 5 gallon I planted for my grandmother, I maintain it for her...it has red cherry shrimp, horned Nerite snails, and Celestial Pearl Danios. 

 

 

I have a 5 gallon tall tank as well, with red cherry shrimp, horned Nerite snails, and a Betta. Tons of mods to this tank, all my tank journals are on TPT though. 

 

 

Lastly I have my newest addition which is more of a work in progress, a 16 gallon (15.8) cornerless bowfront Iwagumi. I had 18 Ember Tetra in here but downsized to 7 in preparation to switch over to Espei. Rasbora or Hengeli Rasbora. 

Very nice! That teeny tiny one is awesome.   

 

i LOVE Red Cherry Shrimp. I used to sell a shit ton of them on Amazon. 

[Teebo]

28 minutes ago, WV Reefer said:

Very nice! That teeny tiny one is awesome.   

 

i LOVE Red Cherry Shrimp. I used to sell a shit ton of them on Amazon. 

Thank you, I have raised thousands of RCS but I give them away because nobody locally is interested in buying them. I do not feel comfortable shipping them or else I would sell them on eBay since I am a regular powerseller. I made a custom air driven filter for that tiny tank as well. 

 

[Clown79]

4 hours ago, Teebo said:

I have 4 planted tanks. Starting with the smallest I have a 0.5 gallon pico with 2 red cherry shrimp. 

 

 

I have a 5 gallon I planted for my grandmother, I maintain it for her...it has red cherry shrimp, horned Nerite snails, and Celestial Pearl Danios. 

 

 

I have a 5 gallon tall tank as well, with red cherry shrimp, horned Nerite snails, and a Betta. Tons of mods to this tank, all my tank journals are on TPT though. 

 

 

Lastly I have my newest addition which is more of a work in progress, a 16 gallon (15.8) cornerless bowfront Iwagumi. I had 18 Ember Tetra in here but downsized to 7 in preparation to switch over to Espei. Rasbora or Hengeli Rasbora. 

What light are you using on your tank?

 

They look great

[Lula_Mae]

On 9/20/2017 at 9:47 PM, JoeR said:

Hmm never heard of them. I'll have to look it up, a cool beta would be awesome. Haven't had one for years

 

I couldn't either. I'm guessing you got yours from BucePlant.com? If so, which cultivar did you choose? I'm wondering if the cultivar makes a big difference.

 

oddly, I had mine in my medium-high light tank that I dose excel daily in and had literally no growth in weeks. I took it out and threw it in a neglected, low light, non-excel tank that I only top off occasionally and they've really taken off (comparatively). I don't understand these plants..

I don't think BigAl's has stores in the U.S. though you can buy pet supplies online from them, I have ordered from them in the past.  Believe it or not, Petco carries some really gorgeous specimens!  I had a dragon scale with a turquoise body and orange-gold fins, he was a stunner!

[Pjanssen]

Things are happening!

[Teebo]

8 hours ago, Clown79 said:

What light are you using on your tank?

 

They look great

 

I use various different LED PAR20 and PAR30 bulbs, constantly changing. They are all bought off eBay from China...however they have never failed me. I have a box of assorted LED bulbs now lol. 

[JoeR]

20 hours ago, Teebo said:

Thank you, I have raised thousands of RCS but I give them away because nobody locally is interested in buying them. I do not feel comfortable shipping them or else I would sell them on eBay since I am a regular powerseller. I made a custom air driven filter for that tiny tank as well. 

 

Can you explain this filter? Super cool pico 

[Teebo]

5 hours ago, JoeR said:

Can you explain this filter? Super cool pico 

 

Sure, its a 2 oz. finger spray bottle I gutted...this is one next to one of my 3 oz. fert dosing bottles. I had a Whisper 3i laying around, so I removed the bottom air lift tube which has a nicer design than just an airstone in a tube (diy version). I cut the spray bottle down, made a hole for the air tube then drilled out the spray head base to snugly fit the lift tube. I made a sponge to fit with enough sticking out of the bottom for shrimp to graze on.

 

 

Here is the back of the tank, I am using an idler valve to control the flow rate then above that I have a check valve. I am using a bent glass tube to wrap over the top lip of the tank, it also keeps the filter where I want it...no need for a suction cup! I made later revisions to the cap where the output of this filter is I can post if you want but I do not want to hijack this thread. I could post a link to this filters build on another forum site but that may not be allowed here. 

[Tmr8188]

Fully stocked my sword tank.  Might add so amanos.  I have a ton of ramhorn snails.  Pretty tempted to start a pea puffer nano.