46 Gallon Bowfront Non Discus Planted Tank - TOTAL REDO

[jmf3460]

This weekend was a big weekend for me. It was rainy and drizzly so I stayed indoors and did a total rehaul of my 46 gallon bowfront planted tank. This is a community tank that sits opposite my discus show tank. For many years it has been a typical jungle style planted tank with weekly water changes injected co2. About 6 months ago I switched it to low tech and stopped the co2 as well as switched to a low/medium lighting fixture, which in turn made my cryptocorynes grow really well and my other high tech plants stop growing. I had saw a picture on the internet that really inspired me to put a piece of pottery in the tank, plant it and leave the bottom sand so here is what happened. I had the bowl custom made to my dimensions, it is a 2' bowl and the tank is 3 feet long. It is now a crypt tank only with the exception of the microsorum on the wood and the few jungle vals on either side of the bowl. Taking all the substrate out was the complicated part, but no fish died and over all I kind of like the new look. It is different that is for sure

before pictures of the tank over the years
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during the rehaul this weekend
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new scape
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[DomiDiscus]

I'm a big fan of the "jungle" look, but new scape is interesting and pleasing to the eye!

[jmf3460]

I'm a big fan of the "jungle" look, but new scape is interesting and pleasing to the eye!

Thanks Dominic. I was going for "different" I have 2 other jungle style planted tanks, my preference also so I needed something totally different and interesting. Once the bowl fills in and the plants lush up, I feel it will be even better. I may scatter some manzanita branches along the sand, some really small ones along with some almond leaves perhaps.

[Phillydubs]

I really like it and since it is different for you I bet you will end up loving the new look!!

What inhabitants are in there, I think I see some hatchets, but can't make out much else, just little silver blurs!

[jmf3460]

I really like it and since it is different for you I bet you will end up loving the new look!! What inhabitants are in there, I think I see some hatchets, but can't make out much else, just little silver blurs!

Thanks Phil. every now and then we need a change. If I don't love it, I can take the bowl out and put it as a centerpiece on the coffee table lol. Inhabitants are:

11 hatchets, silver and marbled
6 chocolate gouramis
7 corydoras concolor
school of glowlight tetra that will not die
pair of nannacara anomala (probably close to aging out within the year)
1 ancistrus

ill be adding another 6-8 corydoras now that the bottom is sand and they are visible more, and possibly another pair or trio of a dwarf SA cichlid

[dprais1]

Really nice, I love the unique look.

[Phillydubs]

Any better pics of those chocolate gouramis?

[jmf3460]

Any better pics of those chocolate gouramis?

here is a short video I did for instagram back in September, you can see two of the chocolates front left of the tank, this was when the tank was still jungle style. Female nannacara was in breeding colors in this video, they no longer spawn with their old age. this is also when I had a much higher lighting and co2. THe chocolates are from wetspot, I really feel they would be good with discus, the chocolates are more of a dwarf gourami and are very docile and slow moving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp8mL3umxoo

[Akili]

Looks beautiful Nice Job

[jmf3460]

Looks beautiful Nice Job

thanks Akili. the bowl is growing on me.

[Kyla]

if u had just described the idea to me i would not have thought i'd like it, but the bowl is such a unique piece and with its small base i just love how intentional it looks.

[jmf3460]

if u had just described the idea to me i would not have though i'd like it, but the bowl is such a unique piece and with its small base i just love how intentional it looks.

thanks so much kyla, I designed the bowl with such a small base to create kind of a cave on the base of the bowl. I just knew my ancistrus would hang upside down on it all day and I was right he loves it. plus less room for things to get trapped.

[nofearengineer]

Great minds think alike. Here is my 46 bowfront a couple of years ago when I first discovered high tech. It's freaky how much it looked like yours did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf1AjVuKjuY

[Second Hand Pat]

Jacklyn, I love this result. It looks so delicate. :D
Pat

[jmf3460]

Jacklyn, I love this result. It looks so delicate. :D
Pat

thanks a lot Pat, the bowl is quite delicate actually but it is made quite thick so hopefully it wont break down.

[jmf3460]

here is a quick video one week into the new scape. I added some rooibos to play with the tinting and see what I like. pardon the shakiness of the video at the beginning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oti4yT4AdSg

[Pedroski]

Really nice tank. Now you have inspired me!

[jmf3460]

Really nice tank. Now you have inspired me!

thanks Pedro! This tank is really settling in nicely.