The Planted Tank: A Pictorial Saga

[1fish2fish]

I'm finally planting my tank!!! I'll be updating this thread with pictures as it progresses.

Sealing the divider. This is setting my plans back 2 days as I wait for the sealant to dry but the sturdy divider is worth the wait.



Waiting for it to dry. Fish and Blue Jeans are not happy with the current situation. They are both in my 1 gallon hospital tanks. For the next 2 days the poor boys won't get any heat or have their usual 5 gallons to swim in. (The post-it is just to remind me what time I glued the divider so I know when I can re-fill the tank).


Meanwhile. The two snails, filter, heater, gravel, and my two apons are in a sterilite tub with the tank water. I'm trying to keep my cycle as stable as possible so I can clone the tank once I put the eco-complete in.



Monday afternoon I will be putting everyone back in the tank once I put the eco-complete in. Again to try to keep the cycle stable I will be putting almost all of the old tank water back in. For the next week I will be testing twice daily to make sure my prams stay normal. Tune back in on monday for updated pics

[BettaxFishxCrazy]

I can't wait to see the updated pics, it looks great so far. :)

[vaygirl]

Thanks for posting this! Taking notes. :D

[KappaFish]

Thats cool. Do you have any new plans or decor for your tank?

[Tinthalas Tigris]

I was considering a couple means of replanting my aquarium in the future and/or when I decide to expand, and I wondered if something like sterilte would be good for temporary housing.

Where do you rest your heater? Just on the gravel? do you have to worrry about it cooking the sterilite?

[1fish2fish]

BFC thanks! Vaygirl.. always glad to share my experiences.

Kappafish.. I'm will be planting the tank with low light plants. Java Moss, Java Fern, Anubias, and Crypts to start out with. I will also be adding driftwood that I collected and treated myself to give the tank a more natural look. I won't be using any more resin decorations as the fish will prefer to hide and sleep in the plants. Once the tank is planted I will be adding a few broken terra cotta pots to make caves for the 10 ghost shrimp I will be getting.

TT... The sterilite is great. The heater hasn't affected it at all. The only problem is the suction cups don't stay on very well. My heater is just sitting in the water at a diagonal so its not even touching it right now. Many people even use these as full time tanks.. so the heater has no efffect on them. When I get my breeding operation running I'll probably use them for grow out tanks. I also will use them to grow plants in.

[FireKidomaru]

Very cool

[Jupiter]

Can't wait to see it set up!

[1fish2fish]

Today I put the eco-complete in. Both plants, filter, heater, and decorations are back in the tank. Once it gets a little less cloudy I'll be reintroducing the fish and snails. Now for some pics.

Putting it all back into order. I forgot to get a pic with just the e/c in there. This has a little tank water and both plants.

Gravel Bag. I filled it up a little too much

Half old tank water. Again to try to keep my cycled gravel stable I filled the tank halfway with old tank water.

Filled all the way. You can see how murky the water is.

Waiting for it to clear. I put the filter and heater back in to run while I waited for the murkiness to die down a little.


Finally Clear. I tested the water before trying to put the fish back in. All readings within normal limits.

Decorations. I'm putting the decorations back in until I can get home to collect and treat some driftwood. My parents live on a lake so I have a good supply

Waiting. Blue Jeans and Fish waiting to be released. It was a long weekend for them.

Checking things out.



I will probably take the ugly rock bags out by the end of the week so I will put up finished pics then. I am going to a GBBA meeting in march and I will be getting more plants then. Once I get those planted I will put up more pics on this thread.

A few extras: (Click the pic to go to the full size)
The Snails:
Spike

Gary


My new (used) 4 gallon tank. This is Ember's new home. Ember is one of Vikkis fish and I can't wait to get him home :D The hood is glued on with no getting it off unfortunately.. but I can get in/ out through the clear part where I assume the light went.

[nochoramet]

It looks great! Good job! I'm also getting one of Vikki's fish, Fishy and I can't WAIT to get him :D