Planted fish tank

[tom e]

I thought that it was time for another expensive hobby lol.

What do you guys think? I've got lots of stuff in there

Plants:

Sunset hygro (or rotala indica? I've had the hardest time identifying that one) EDIT, it's a rotala which one, I'm not sure..
Mexican Oak Leaf
Java Moss
Riccia Moss
Apon Crispus
Apon Ulvaceus (just a sprouting bulb right now)
Apon Longi (bulb)
Sagitarius Subulata
Dwarf Sag
Water Wistera
Red Tiger Lotus (bulb)
Anubia nana
'babytears'
Bacopa
Peace Lily (pulled it, it wasn't doing well)
Dwarf Chain Sword
2 baby swords from someone else's plant (not sure which)
Guppy grass (mostly pulled since it was planted- I'm not a huge fan lol)
Cabomba
and three other 'frilly' species that will have to grow some before I can identify them..

Critters:
7 otocinclus cats
7 guppies
3 chinese algae eaters (who will be going back to the store for trade once I can figure out how to catch them..:roflmao
20 red cherry shrimp

Plants are growing at an amazing rate (bacopa is about a half inch per day) and this tank has been up for about 2 weeks..

Anybody else keep planted tanks?

 

[sarcare]

Very nice! I have to find homes for my fish before I move across the country--but I may bring some plants--they travel better!

 

[tom e]

Very nice! I have to find homes for my fish before I move across the country--but I may bring some plants--they travel better!

Thanks! If you need any cuttings let me know- I'll be trimming soon..

 

[LBoz]

Excellent, Tom!! I love it!

I agree with the CAEs...they're nasty things when they get older. And contrary to their name, they don't eat algae.

Love your choice of plants...the peace lilly might not grow well for you as I don't *think* they're actually aquatic, but terrarium plants.

Guppy grass...do you mean najas? I love that stuff for fry to hide in, but it really can get out of control. I like it because it grows in ambient light.

Your baby tears are looking great...what kind of light are you using?

 

[tom e]

I'm using 2 T5HO bulbs.. I have a cheapy CO2 thingy from Petco, I'll need to get compressed soon I think, but it's working for now.

You're right about the peace lily, it's not doing great. But it was just a shoot off our potted one. I've seen some sticking out of some people's tanks so I thought I'd give it a shot, would be cool to have that flower sticking out of the tank. I've read though they need to be taken out from time to time. Really though I think I have too many plants once they all grow in, so it will probably return to the pot!

Yeah I REALLY didn't do my homework on the CAE's.. I think I read about the SAEs and thought I was buying them.
They have alot of character, but they just won't fit in..

 

[Cflaguy]

Outstanding....

Tom. I would lose the Chinese Algea Eaters. At some point they'll take down your other fish.

 

[tom e]

Tom. I would lose the Chinese Algea Eaters. At some point they'll take down your other fish.

Yep. Just how the heck do I get them OUT lol.. They make me feel like Wile E Coyote whenever I try to net them.
I think I'm going to have to build a little fish trap. Someone on another forum suggested the inverted top 2 liter bottle thingy that we use for snakes, baited with an algae pellet. But I'll bet I catch all my shrimp first.. Besides that, I've seen everything else in the tank eat algae pellet BUT the CAE..

 

[LBoz]

I just love it...and those rocks look awesome...is it slate?

I wish you lived closer. I have some really nice driftwood I'd give you, but it would be a pita to ship.

Really beautiful setup, Tom!!

 

[mike17l]

Anybody else keep planted tanks?

No, but sure would like to after seeing that one. Cool tank man.

 

[LBoz]

Tom, the CAEs are more carnivores, so maybe try your trap but put in a chunk of bloodworms or mysis or something. If you can trap them, then dump them in a bucket. The shrimp will be easy to net back out if you happen to get them as well.

 

[tom e]

No, but sure would like to after seeing that one. Cool tank man.

Thanks Mike! I've got a chair in front of it, and I'm watching it like it's a TV. Jen thinks I'm crazy, but at least she didn't make me put it in the snake room..

 

[LBoz]

Would you like a few thousand Malaysian trumpet snails?

 

[tom e]

I just love it...and those rocks look awesome...is it slate?

I wish you lived closer. I have some really nice driftwood I'd give you, but it would be a pita to ship.

Really beautiful setup, Tom!!

They are the manten stone from ADA. I think I've learned a lot setting this up. One thing is that the rocks got lost in this big 55 G. I'll probably end up using them again in the 10G I'm going to do for the office.. They need to be a centerpiece somewhere, and I need a shrimp tank where little ones won't have to worry about guppies..

EDIT: OH! you mean the other rock, lol. Yep there is also lots of slate here that I picked up off the Pacific Coast Highway..

Tom, the CAEs are more carnivores, so maybe try your trap but put in a chunk of bloodworms or mysis or something. If you can trap them, then dump them in a bucket. The shrimp will be easy to net back out if you happen to get them as well.

I'll try that, thanks! Right now they are little, about as big as my largest oto, they even school together sometimes. They are also very busy with the algae for the time being, but from what I've read that just doesn't last.
I'll get them out though, even if I have to take the whole thing apart.

 

[tom e]

Would you like a few thousand Malaysian trumpet snails?

Hmm.. Maybe! I think I saw one in the tank though, so I'm guessing they already hitchhiked.. Along with the pond snails and the ram's horns and the planeria (little white wiggly swimming things..)

I've also learned I need to wash my plants thoroughly before adding them..

 

[Chip]

Anybody else keep planted tanks?

Yep. It's a passion of mine. I'll post some pics in another thread. Your tank is looking great! Pressurized CO2 is the way to go. I can point you in the direction of some good sources for equipment, if interested. CAE's are a truly worthless fish IMO, I've never had one in my store. Ottos are fantastic, and I love the shrimp! Foam prefilters on your intakes will ensure that they will multiply in your tank. These will need to be rinsed almost daily, but it's worth it. Your photography skills are excellent! I wish I could take a half-arsed picture of an aquarium!

 

[Cflaguy]

The only way....

I've ever known to get rid of CAEs; folks would buy bigger fish to eat them.

 

[tom e]

Yeah put them up Chip, I'd love to see them.
I'm trying to source equipment for the CO2, but it's kind of a mystery. And pricey, but I know I'll have to do it eventually. I'm fertilizing with the pfertz system currently, but not too heavily as the tank is still cycling..

 

[Cronus]

I had a semi planted tank when i was younger i had plastic plants and some bulbs from wal-mart that grew really well also i had a lot of algae lol. I loved Pleco but they kept dieing on me so i got a CAE instead i always assumed that he had gotten a brain tumor and that's why he started attacking all my other fish. i ended up giving my fish away because i hate cleaning the tank. One day i would love to have a planted tank with Corydoras, my second favorite fish, and a guy to take care of it lol

 

[Cflaguy]

Here is a fwe quick pics....

I have some others somewhere I'm looking for. These aren't that great, one is a Bosmani Rainbow, the next is a small lokk at my plant take with Neon Dwarf and Madacasgar Rainbows....

 

[tom e]

I have some others somewhere I'm looking for. These aren't that great, one is a Bosmani Rainbow, the next is a small lokk at my plant take with Neon Dwarf and Madacasgar Rainbows....

:bowdown: Very nice! What are the plants?