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My 2 NPT tanks

1K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  Wyvern 
#1 ·
I know I have been quiet of late - life is just getting in the way. I thought I would do a quick update on my sorority and my boy's NPT.

The 40L Tank with 5 girls and 8 male guppies:
I have been playing around with this tank non stop (last nite was the last time for the next month until I put in the new substrate.) Ive been trimming plants left right and center and finally also got to trim some of the moss.




Currently I dont have pics of the girls cos they wont pose for the camera.
Plants in the tank consist of - Ludwiga Repens, Rotala nanjishan, Rotala colorata, Indian Fern, Chrismas moss and the ferns are a bulbitus something or another :p Oh and the anubias nana.
Substrate at that point is just a quartz like gravel with 2 Seachem Root tabs. I also dose 1ml Flourish Comprehensive 2 times a week and 1ml Seachem Excel 2 times a week.
Water changes are every 2 weeks at 20% and all my test readings are stable with a ph of 7.4

Then my boy's tank has been rescaped many times, but for the next few months I wont be fiddling with it since it has been entered in a NPT low tech setup compitition (A first for us here in South Africa).(The tank is 30L)

Ozzy very peeved at being bagged before I let him into his new tank.


My baby Ancistrus

New look tank with Seachem flourite black as a substrate.

Ozzy exploring his new home (he loves the plant on the far right - sleeps in it and has built a huge bubble nest above it).

Unfortunately I had found out after I set the tank up that the anubias nana has to be removed since it is a Black list plant here so I am not allowed to use it in the tank. I am considering getting some HM - Heminathus micranthemoides to use as a small foreground plant. I think it will give a nice texture. I am also considering getting 5 neon tetra's for the tank.
 
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#4 ·
Thanks guys - I should show you what they looked like when I started ;P Its rather scary!

Pew3 - that is the round leaf one? Its the Ludwiga Repens - it grows like weed in my tanks and I have to weekly now take trimmings and replant it. It creates side shoots if its happy and then I just trim it and replant. I started with 2 stems - now I have almost half a tank full!

@Banicks - Thanks :D its actually funny since I cant keep plants alive in the garden (not even cacti and I had 100's of them) But a planted tank is easy :p

What do you guys think of the smaller tank's layout - would you change anything? Remember this tank has to win (or at least come second or third - I WANT MY ADA Soil! The ADA aquasoil is VERY expensive and new in this country).
 
#6 ·
Hahahahah Pew :p Its my second fav plant I have to admit the Rotala Nanjishan is my all time fav.

I did a small change and trimmed my moss last nite. Also removed the Indian Fern, got tired of the constant maintenance it was taking - aka weekly trimming.


And then a blurry pic of each girl so you can see the lovely colours.




 
#7 ·
It depends what your up against and the judging criteria I think.

From what I've seen of aquascape it will need to be organised, segmented and tidy. With that whole 'art deco' look.

I personally wouldn't change a thing in your tanks, because it is how it would look in nature. Have a look at some of the top aquascape artists, and take segments of what they have done and perhaps copy that across.

But if the judges want originality - they will spot the copy. I say go with what you have, the only different thing I would do is dark substrate as opposed to white. Dark base makes colours of Betta and plants 'pop' more. But if you're trying to replicate a natural scene that involves a light substrate, change nothing :)
 
#8 ·
Thanks Banicks - the tank I am entering is the smaller one with the darker substrate. I will be adding some more Ludwiga Repens to the tank to create a more bushier look. But otherwise I think I will leave it all alone now and let everything grow in. The Rotala's both have grown about 2cm since I added them to the tank so I am happy and my boy loves it :D The girl's tank will get a redo later this year with a darker substrate - I agree it shows off the plants and the fish off so much nicer. Currently I am busy helping my brother setup a 150L planted community tank that he wants to fill with shoals of fish. I must say I wont ever go back to fake plants. Love my wild looks to much in the tanks :D
 
#9 ·
Small minor update:
Took out the ambulia - it had melted and became mushy. Moved some of my rotala to the front for the girls to play in untill I get something else.

I also upgraded the one light in the girls tank to a T5 8W gro-lux light - can already see a slow difference in the plants in once week!








Then for my boy's home I have added 5 white clouds and slightly rearranged the plants a bit. Also upgraded the light in there and the difference it is making is HUGE! (this is also the competition tank I am running)


 
#10 ·
Very beautiful tanks, your girls and boy look so happy :D
 
#11 ·
My plants love their T5 lights. By now, my milfoil is plotting total aquarium domination.

My ambulia tends to melt if the bottom isn't getting enough light. It's a shame as I like the look of it when it does grow right.

Looks like everyone is happy and healthy in your tank, which is the most important thing.
 
#12 ·
Yep there is no drama with the girls - I havent even seen one nipped fin. The blue girl is the smallest but she loves to chase the others around. My boy is now loving his new look tank, hiding and sleeping in the rotala mainly :D

For now everything in his tank just needs to grow in some more and become a bit more bushy then I can present the tank for the competition end of nov.
 
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