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View Full Version : I'm working on a showtank... finally



RyanH
04-26-2005, 10:18 PM
I've been working on putting up a showtank over the last couple of weeks from ideas that I've been gathering over the last several months. The tank is a 150 gallon long (72x18x27). I'm planning on putting about a dozen wild Discus in it along with a school of Cardinals, 10 Blue Rams, 4 bristlenose plecos, and some wild-caught Corydoras. All of which came from Al (except the corys), are in quarantine right now and are doing great. BTW, if anyone has any idea what the species name is of these corys please let me know. See the pics below.

I've finished building the stand finally. It turned out to be quite the herculean task considering that I have virtually no carpentry skills to speak of :o . I'm having the filter custom built by a friend of mine (Lou, you are the man! Thanks for all your help! :D ). The design is a product of a "melding of the minds and philosophies" of two fishkeepers with very different styles (his and mine). I'm really excited about it. This filter is going to be fantastically efficient and versatile. Since I helped design it, I was able to have it made with interchangeable parts so I can customize it later if my needs or technology changes.

The filter is going into a 40 long that I'm using as the sump; as are the heaters. I've already drilled the tank for the overflow tubes. I'm leaving for a quick vacation this weekend and I'll hopefully start to get things put together after I get back. I'll have an extra foot of space in the sump after the filter is installed so I plan to drop in a few seeded hydro V's to get the tank going. I'm going to use biozyme or a similar product to get the filter going faster.

I thought I'd throw some pics up of the fish that I'm going to put in the tank. I'll post some pics of the tank, stand, and filter as I get everything put together. :)

Here's a pic of some baby Rams from Al and some Corys. :)

RyanH
04-26-2005, 10:19 PM
Wilds from Al. :D

RyanH
04-26-2005, 10:20 PM
:)

RyanH
04-26-2005, 10:21 PM
Here's an updated pic of the browns Al sold me in November. Some are pushing 5 1/2-6 inches already and I think they still have some growing to do. :)

RyanH
04-26-2005, 10:22 PM
:D

RyanH
04-26-2005, 10:23 PM
:p

RyanH
04-26-2005, 10:25 PM
This guy is going to be a monster. He's already 6 inches. :)

Sorry about the water spots. :(

RyanH
04-26-2005, 10:38 PM
Thanks for looking guys! I haven't done a showtank in a couple of years so I will most certainly be hitting you up for ideas and insight. Thanks in advance for your feedback. :)

Speaking of which, does anyone have any recommendations for a background color? I use a very light shade of blue for my BB tanks but I'm not so sure if that is the best compliment for this setup. I'm going to be using a very thin layer of quartz sand, a large piece of driftwood, and a few live plants. What do you guys think?

thanks again! :)

-Ryan

Greg Richardson
04-26-2005, 11:31 PM
Beautiful Discus! I have light blue background on mine also. You might try buying colored construction paper and experment by masking it on and trying each color for a day or so.

Derock
04-27-2005, 12:12 AM
How about using a styrofoam background for a 3D effect. Great for hinding any hardware like heaters or intakes. Many great examples on the web. Amazing how it adds to the natural flavor. Just my two cents.

Spices
04-27-2005, 12:18 AM
Neat idea! :D Those wilds hold potential. Cheers! ;D

*Angie*

1MACK1
04-27-2005, 01:44 AM
Good luck !

Don_Lee
04-27-2005, 01:51 AM
Great news Ryan, I am sure you will enjoy your tank. You certainly have planned it well, it sounds like it will be a beautiful tank.
I think the corys are sterabai (spelling is probably wrong.) The fish all look great, which is no surprise as they came from Al.
Backgrounds are not my specialty, I cannot say much about that. Here in the UK Juwel and some others make some backgrounds that are made of plastic, and appear like rocks etc.... I would like to try them sometime, as I think they would look nice. I believe there are some similiar things available in the states.
As far as the substrates go, I tend to always recommend at least mixing some gravel/sand with an enriched substrate like Seachem Flourite or Onyx. It depends on the look you like, but I think that it is important to have some minerals in the substrate to help the root feeders like swords. Might want to think about lighting a bit too....depending on how much emphasis is on the plants.
Looking forward to seeing how your tank progresses!

Don

RyanH
04-27-2005, 09:41 AM
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm looking into several things right now including foam.

Don, I've been agonizing about the substrate for some time now. I'm going against my grain as it is by putting in any substrate at all. I need to give it some very careful consideration before I make any decisions. The health and well-being of my fish is the first and foremost priority. I intend to attach plants to a large piece of driftwood that I'll be using as my center piece but I don't know what I'm going to do about the other side of the tank. I may end up going with pots. :(

Anyway, here is a pic of the tank on the newly completed stand. My wife will be very happy when I get our bedroom put back together again. Sorry about the mess. :embarasse

RyanH
04-27-2005, 09:42 AM
Here's the sump. I'll be adding the filter in a couple of weeks. :)

RyanH
04-27-2005, 09:48 AM
Last one.

I am pretty pleased with how the stand turned out considering the skill level of it's builder. :(

I still find it incredible that it started out as a pile of two by fours and a can of stain. It's amazing what a little stubborness can accomplish when you have no woodworking skills. I also couldn't have done it without my friend and mentor Lou Driy. Thanks so much for your help and guidance Lou!

There's lot's of work to do yet I'll keep you guys posted... :p

BTW, I'm still going to be looking into substrate and background ideas over the next couple of weeks. If anyone has any great ideas, I'd love to hear them. I'm leaning toward a thin layer of quartz sand for my substrate but I'm open to other ideas.

thanks!

-Ryan

tpl*co
04-27-2005, 09:51 AM
I'm trying those pots that look like rocks that I got from Big Al's (I think they are also at Petsolutions too). They don't have much planting space, but they look better than plain pots and I can put my substrate in them! They look pretty good with drift wood too. I've got to take some out though to give my fish some more open space to reach the floor of the tank though (though my loaches love the tunnels :))

Condor
04-27-2005, 09:53 PM
Looks great Ryan. Good job! :thumbsup: I like the sand idea. That would look great with the wilds. I like to suction cup driftwood to the wall for my background (just screw the suction cups in with a non-rusting screw) I can then tie plants (like java fern) to the wood. Behind that I have construction paper. I do like that styrofoam idea, though.

frenchdiscus
04-27-2005, 10:28 PM
Hi Ryan,
I know they are expensive but if I had the money I would for sure get one of those background! I saw one at Big Al's the other day... very nice!!!

www.aquarium-background.com

But it's just me

RyanH
04-27-2005, 11:06 PM
Hey Olivier,

Very interesting website. Thanks for sharing.

Most of the backgrounds look really nice. I'd put any of the amazonas backgrounds in my tank. You're right though, it's pretty cost-prohibitive, unfortunately. :(

RyanH
04-27-2005, 11:17 PM
A little update:

I was plugging in heaters and lights tonight on the 150 and I found to my sorrow that I kept tripping the circuit breaker. :( Not good.

Apparently, my office/fishroom and my bedroom are on the same circuit... and I'm maxing it out already. I'm living in an apartment right now until we are done with school so my options are pretty limited right now. I'm going to have to sleep on this to figure out what I'm going to do. :undecided

Spices
04-28-2005, 07:16 AM
Looking great, Ryan. Concerning your circuitry situation, if you have the circuit box there in your apartment, you can find a certified electrician to re-route your connections and/or add more amps to your bedroom connection. It shouldn't be too heavy in the bill, also. Check around. That tank is sure too pretty to be left empty. Also, I don't have a TV in my bedroom. I have my fish tank to look at with music. So I'm with you on getting that tank up and running. Good luck! Get to it!!! ;)
*A*

Tiptoptank
04-28-2005, 08:19 AM
IMO, I would say do alot of plants with 1-3in of a good substrat like florabase, and alittle gravel in the back.

I would not worry about the wilds getting sick to often in a fully planted tank, since the nitrate ammonia and phoshates stay at 0 if you don't add ferts.( You gunna need to fertilize, or you plants will do poorly causeing nitrate and ammonia spikes. I have had my filter turn off for a week do to my cat and I didn't know because the nitrates kept going down everytime I checked) The wilds came form the wild too, they really are tough fish. I keep mine in my 55 gallon tank as well as some domestics and they haven't had anything wronge with them besides ich.

I don't think putting just a little plants is worth it. What I mean is, if you do just put acouple plants in there. They will grow and require more nutrients and then you will get ferts, and co2 ,and then more plants ,and more plants ,then algea, and then finnaly enough plants to get a balence.


All I am saying is you might as well go fully planted with the tank, if you really want to drop the money for substrate, and driftwood, ferts and co2.(Co2 is definatly needed in any planted tank. I have tried low light planted with just ferts, and it is a constent battle against algea. If you add 1 ppm to much of some thing the algea takes hold. )

Just my 2 cents

Don_Lee
04-28-2005, 11:28 AM
I have a different view than Tip, I think one can definitely do without CO2 and high fertilization. IMO, put a decent substrate and lighting setup in, focus on easy to grow plants, and maybe add a bit of general fertilizer now and then. I am seeing decent growth from easy plants like hygro, swords, alternatha, and anubias in my tank.

Don

1MACK1
04-28-2005, 12:26 PM
Nice cat ;)

shalu
04-28-2005, 01:03 PM
I have a different view than Tip, I think one can definitely do without CO2 and high fertilization. IMO, put a decent substrate and lighting setup in, focus on easy to grow plants, and maybe add a bit of general fertilizer now and then. I am seeing decent growth from easy plants like hygro, swords, alternatha, and anubias in my tank.

Don


Yes, definately possible. But be aware that the tank then can handle less bioload/feeding and needs more water changes to maintain the same water quality, relative to a super charged planted tank. I have a 55 gallon low tech (http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=16780) which mainly houses a gold severum. It has low light with easy plants, no CO2. I dose a little K, PO4 and trace weekly. Haven't done a water change over the last month. I only feed a little color bits daily, not much. Nitrate has been creeping up a little. So you can do things in different ways, it is all about a balance of bioload/feeding/waste reduction by plant growth/water change. If you push the envelope on some of those factors, you need to compensate by adjusting the others. For example, I pushed it in my 55gallon in my last two factors(slow plant growth/no wc), I have to have fewer fish/less feeding. It is still not quite enough, so I might need to do a monthly water change, instead of no water change at all. In my 100gallon discus tank, I really pushed the first two factors(many fish/insane feeding), but I have super plant growth and do large water changes twice a week currently. I used to do wc on it every other day, but is a bit too much work for me and weekly is definately not enough.

The two healthiest discus in my tank are the two that never spent a day in a bare bottom tank. One is an adult wild green discus (http://img85.echo.cx/my.php?image=wild2.jpg). The other is a goldensunrise that I raised from 4", it is a little obese because it eats too much.

KIWI13
04-28-2005, 03:29 PM
Man everytime I see discus from al, it drives me nuts. If only shipment to europe was simple. Hey Al maybe I can just come over there and you can treat me to a couple of good ol fashioned home brews and i'll pick my fish up personally. LOL.
You honestly have the nicest wilds I have ever laid eyes on.

RyanH
04-28-2005, 10:23 PM
Hey Guys,

Thanks for the feedback. I intend to use as many "dummy proof" species of plant in the tank as I can. I want my emphasis to be on the fish.

My water change regiment will start out as probably around 50% 2 or 3 times per week. I'll then adjust more or less according to the responses of the fish and plants.

Large, frequent water changes have always done well for me. I don't see why they wouldn't in a showtank as well. IMO,This is still a closed system, even with plants and filtration and should be treated as such. It's like a person being forced to live in a port-O-jon. Unless somebody comes along and removes the waste once in awhile, you are going to have major health problems.

I would rather come home to a dead plant than a dead Discus.

BTW, I have some pics of a piece of drftwood that I recently acquired. I'm thrilled with how it's going to look in this tank! :)

RyanH
04-28-2005, 10:24 PM
It needs to stay wet so I just threw it in the tank after I was done cleaning and boiling it. :)

RyanH
04-28-2005, 10:26 PM
The pics didn't turn out so hot. :embarasse I'll post another pic after I get the versa-tops and lights on the tank.

RAWesolowski
05-09-2005, 10:25 PM
Ryan,

I highly recommend EcoComplete for your substrate. No rinsing prior to use. Great substrate for plants. Relatively neutral for pH. Product is biologically active to shorten cycle time. In my case, the cycle time was zero as I added two seeded filters to the tank to complement the 11 adult discus. No measurable ammonia or nitrites in this tank from day 1. If you like, I will send you up-todate pix of my planted 125. Send me an e-mail.

shalu
05-10-2005, 02:42 AM
The manufacturer of ecocomplete had an unfortunate problem lately:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=17212&page=1&pp=15

Also, many people have reported initial problem of eco raising kh/gh.

gators111
05-11-2005, 10:37 AM
To answer one of your original ?s, that is a sterbae cory. They do great with discus, unfortunately the cheapest I have ever seen them was for $8.99.

RyanH
05-11-2005, 11:08 AM
To answer one of your original ?s, that is a sterbae cory. They do great with discus, unfortunately the cheapest I have ever seen them was for $8.99.

Thanks! I did well then. A friend of mine gave them to me for basically free! :D They have been alot of fun so far. I still have them in a QT tank but they should do well in the 150.

suisoman2
05-16-2005, 03:28 PM
You asked for any advice , just from my experience, YMMV
I think it is important to know what your showtank can stand regarding fishload in order to avoid algae and health problems. The tank seems large enough to me , especially with a sump. But it is necessary to "grow" in the planted tank first for a few months! Then when all is established you start loading the tank with the real pigs, discus. ( for such size tank, count 4 to 6 months before there is basic stabilisation of what's biologically going on in the tank, it gets even better after 1 year). See how much food you can thow in without algae problems etc... Make sure all plants are growing, then add the discus.
I honestly had a quite easy time keeping overall tank happy , as long as the plants where grown in bacically.
If you go for non-planted or few plants this doesn't count too much.
Strange enough, focus on the plants and fish will be happy. ( you still need to feed them of course, but tanks with long term healthy plants without too much algae, always have great fish don't they! ) So my advice, grow the tank to puberty wih ditter fish or anyhing you like, Then one monh without fish, and add discus. don't even worry about cycling then.
suisoman,

RyanH
05-16-2005, 04:35 PM
Thanks for the feedback suisoman. :)

Your advice just reinforces what I think I had in mind since the beginning. I want to get the tank going first and foremost and then start thinking about adding Discus. I intend to start things with a few fish: Cardinals, Rams, and Corys. Once I feel comfortable that the tank is ready, I'll slowly start to add Discus.

I'm in no hurry and honestly, I'm going to miss having my wilds in my fishroom. I'm not in a huge rush to put them in the showtank. :undecided If I decide to wait several months before adding them, I don't think I'll have any regrets.

thanks again.

-Ryan

Spices
05-16-2005, 11:39 PM
Hi Dudes,

:wave:

I just wanted to buzz on in here to show my "rushed" job of planted tank. So far all fish are doing well and growing at a steady pace. So are the plants, especially the cabombas.

Hope you like!

Angie la FrangiPani
:sun:

RyanH
05-19-2005, 12:23 PM
The filter is finished and we plumbed it in yesterday afternoon. Here are a couple of pics. :)


If I haven't mentioned it before, this filter is being installed in a 40 long.

RyanH
05-19-2005, 12:26 PM
This is the prefilter. Water will come in and hit the splash guards to keep the sponges from getting blasted with water. The sponges are just A/C sponges that we drilled and fitted over pvc.

RyanH
05-19-2005, 12:26 PM
Another pic. :)

RyanH
05-19-2005, 12:28 PM
The pvc in the prefilter is notched. The water will flow down the two pieces of pvc into the baseplate chamber.

RyanH
05-19-2005, 12:31 PM
The water will flow up the three media tubes and through ceramic noodles and finally through the filter floss that wraps the each media tube. The tubes have been notched to allow the free-flow of water. The tubes will sit 3-4 inches out of the water but the filter floss will be competely submerged.

This is a look inside of the media tube. :)

RyanH
05-19-2005, 12:34 PM
The prefilter sits on the ledge of the sump and awaits being plumped to the overflows. :D

RyanH
05-19-2005, 12:36 PM
Here we finally have almost everything plumbed. I need a 3/4" attachment to hook up the water pump. It'll have to wait until tomorrow as I have to work in a couple of hours.

RyanH
05-19-2005, 12:37 PM
Another. :p

RyanH
05-19-2005, 12:39 PM
Here's one of the overflows. I'm making a screened cover for it to keep curious Cardinals from getting pulled into the prefilter. :)

RyanH
05-19-2005, 12:47 PM
I will keep at least four seeded hydro V's in the sump for the time being until the filter is fully cycled. The heaters will also be housed in the sump along with at least one of their probes. I may keep one probe in the tank unless I really have a hard time hiding it. I still need to drill the tube from the water pump so I'll snap a couple more pics when I get it finished.

The plants are coming tomorrow or Monday. I'm sure that I'll play around with the plantscape for a few days before I get things the way that I want them. I'm going to be working with about 10-15 species of hardy plants.

I also broke down and bought a CO2 injector. It should be here early next week. I'm sure I'll thank myself later.

There won't be any Discus going into the tank for at least a couple of weeks.

Thanks for looking guys, and as always... feedback and questions are greatly appreciated. :)

-Ryan

RyanH
05-19-2005, 12:58 PM
Oh yeah, one last thing.

Here is a pic of a prototype ozonizer. This may eventually be installed in my fishroom when I get the money and the time.

These are custom-built by a friend of mine and I've seen them in action. They are, to say the least, most impressive. If anyone is interested in getting some more information on ozone filtration feel free to drop me an IM.

I'll post more pics and updates when I get mine up and running. :)

peteypob
05-19-2005, 11:57 PM
wow, its like a sump for a freshwater tank. Looks great. How is the noise going to be when it gets running? Cant wait to see the end product!

Spices
05-20-2005, 11:13 AM
Hey Ryan,

Wow. This planted tank will be something to see. *angie*

RyanH
05-21-2005, 11:51 AM
Just a quick update.

I have the filter running. It's working great. Almost exactly as planned... just a couple of kinks to work out but nothing catastrophic so far:

The prefilter is not filling as high as we anticipated. I think this is the fault of the water pump not being powerful enough.

Also, the overflows in the tank are a bit noisy. Again, I believe that this is due to inadequate water flow and not getting the water level high enough. We made them somewhat adjustable so I can lower them a bit until I get a higher capacity water pump that will be able to raise the water level a bit higher. Once they are lower in the water, they should be almost silent.

I think you can see in the pic how low the water level is in the prefilter. We may need to replace the pvc with ones that have smaller notches. It's just draining too fast.

RyanH
05-21-2005, 11:57 AM
Here's a pic of the other side of the sump. I have three hydro's running along with an A/C 110 until the new filter is cycled. :)

The heaters are also now in the sump. This is a great place to stash equipment. The tank will look so much nicer without wires and airlines running into it. I love being able to hide all of that underneath. :)

RyanH
05-21-2005, 12:07 PM
Do you plant experts out there think that the surface agitation from the hydro's will hinder my efforts to inject CO2? Do you guys think this is a source of concern?

thanks
-Ryan

RyanH
05-21-2005, 12:18 PM
The plants just arrived. Unfortunately, I have to work tonight so I won't be able to do anything with them today at all. I put them in buckets of dechlorinated water.

Tiptoptank
05-21-2005, 01:53 PM
You should inject into the main tank if you can but, either way you will be going through Co2 really fast.


Big lobowski is the best

RyanH
05-22-2005, 10:52 PM
I got most of the plants in the tank although many are still in bunches and not in their permanent locations yet. I ran out of plant anchors so I have to wait to get more before I can finish my plantscaping. I haven't put the other piece of driftwood in yet or any other decorations. The tank looks to have a ton of grasses in it so I'm ordering some more leafy plants like Javaferns and swords to give it some additional variety. The Red Tiger lotus plants will also help with that but they are still just bulbs.

Lots of work to do yet... bare with me. :o

RyanH
05-22-2005, 10:53 PM
:)

shalu
05-23-2005, 12:21 AM
Do you plant experts out there think that the surface agitation from the hydro's will hinder my efforts to inject CO2? Do you guys think this is a source of concern?

thanks
-Ryan
Yes, it will drive out CO2. You will use a LOT more CO2.

timb000
06-14-2005, 09:47 AM
looks good dude. Hopefully I can build my show tank one of these days....=)

markl323
06-14-2005, 01:35 PM
Ryan,

Let me guess your friend is LOU :D :D :D

Nice tank. Thanks for sharing with us.

From my experience, growing plants is harder than growing Discus. The hardest part is supplying the right amounts of nutrients. Too much and you'll get dead plants/algae, too little and you'll get stunted plants.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Bainbridge Mike
06-14-2005, 02:39 PM
Hey Ryan:

Great looking tank! I'm in the process of finishing my basement this summer. My wife is going to let me work in a 150 show tank. I'm growing our some LSS, tangerines and super red melons from Cary right now to add to the tank when it is ready. Hopefully you can give me some pointers on the set up when you come out in August.
Take care,
Mike

RyanH
06-14-2005, 04:12 PM
Sure thing Mike. You'll be happy to know that I'm an affordable consultant. My only fee is a few cold brews. :D

Bainbridge Mike
06-14-2005, 04:31 PM
Cool! I don't know whether you are into wine or not, but we have a winery on Bainbridge Island and it is less than a mile from our house. They even grow their own grapes on site.
Mike

RyanH
06-14-2005, 04:33 PM
Absolutely! :D

Tad
06-15-2005, 09:38 PM
Ryan,
Tank is going to be great IMO!....interesting filtration system your working on...cant wait to see it all completed and stocked with some fine discus....

Wine??????????????????...Black and Tans bud :D ,

Tad

RyanH
06-15-2005, 10:29 PM
Wine??????????????????...Black and Tans bud :D ,

Tad

I think I created a monster. ;) We need to get together and have a few more of those real soon my friend. :)

I've been playing around with the tank for a couple of weeks now. I threw a retired breeding pair in just to see how they would respond to the set up. They're doing fine but I just haven't been able to keep the bottom as clean as I'd like. Honestly, I'm getting cold feet about keeping a substrate of any kind. I may end up potting up those plants and going BB. :embarasse

In addition, some of the plants just aren't doing all that great. I'm not willing to spend hundreds of dollars on lighting and I'm not crazy about doing co2. This was to be a Discus tank first and foremost.

I would just be so bummed if anything happened to them... and I'm honestly really excited about filling that tank with wilds. I'd keep the driftwood and many of the plants. The Tiger Lotus' are unbelievable!! They are sending up leaves that are floating on the surface and they have bright red/purple leaves.

Here's a pic:

RyanH
06-15-2005, 10:30 PM
Here's one of those floating leaves. The plant literally sent up this leave in less than two days. The tank is two feet deep! I was just about able to watch it grow with the naked eye. :D

RyanH
06-15-2005, 10:33 PM
The pennyworts have been really struggling. I think they need more light but they are also rotting at the base where they're being held by the plant anchors. If anybody has any suggestions as to how to get these established I'd love to hear them.

thanks :)

RyanH
06-15-2005, 10:38 PM
Another of that leaf and an old red turq pair. This time with flash. :)

Tad
06-15-2005, 11:40 PM
I think I created a monster. ;) We need to get together and have a few more of those real soon my friend. :)



Not meaning to highjack your thread but "Yes" lets get together again, On "Cannery Row" for some brews :) ...Plus can you post any websites where I can purchase some aquatic plants...

Thanks Tad

RyanH
06-16-2005, 06:47 AM
Geez Tad, you had to post that pic??!! :(

Judging by the empty beer glasses, I think this was about the point where Judi had to carry you out of that bar, wasnt' it? :p

Spices
06-16-2005, 07:46 AM
Hi Ryan, I like those red tiger lotus plants! Your tank is coming along swell, Ryan. In re: to how to get those leggy stems growing, my trick is to keep space (distance) between them and not to have anything (like my sword) cover them from getting light. It may be the same for you as you have those floating tiger lotus plants (their leaves appears to be broad).

:thumbsup:
:sun:
*Angie*

Spices
06-16-2005, 08:12 AM
Also, you can add some freshwater shrimps and clams to do the cleaning (of algae and left over foods) for you. ;)

:thumbsup:
:sun:
*Angie*

ed8t
06-16-2005, 11:40 AM
Looking good Ryan!

I may have missed this, but what kind of substrate did you end up using. Looks like silica sand, anything underneath?

RyanH
06-24-2005, 12:43 PM
Hi All,

I was digging around in my tank and moving plants around and I admit that I got cold feet about keeping a substrate. I ended up removing the sand and potting my plants. :( I would just be absolutely devastated if I created an environment that was anything less than ideal for my fish.

Someday maybe I'll try doing substrate again but for now I can live with how things are turning out.

Here's a couple of pics that I snapped this afternoon. Let me know what you guys think. Be gentle. :embarasse

RyanH
06-24-2005, 12:44 PM
:)

RyanH
06-24-2005, 12:45 PM
;)

frenchdiscus
06-24-2005, 12:45 PM
Yet, still look fantastique!
I love Rams by the way. Once I bought a pair of German Blue Rams and a few days after they breed... I should try again later

RyanH
06-24-2005, 12:48 PM
I really like watching them swim through the twisted branches of this piece of driftwood. :)

RyanH
06-24-2005, 12:52 PM
Yet, still look fantastique!
I love Rams by the way. Once I bought a pair of German Blue Rams and a few days after they breed... I should try again later

Wow. You're quick with the response. :D

I really like the rams too. Once they are colored up, they should really be a beautiful addition to the tank.

frenchdiscus
06-24-2005, 12:59 PM
Try to get them by pair, because they feel lonely just males or females alone, and become agressif if same gender. I love the way they rest at the bottom.

Scott S.
06-25-2005, 04:24 AM
I really like watching them swim through the twisted branches of this piece of driftwood. :)

Yeah it's a very nice piece. Where'd you track that down? I'd like to get my hands on a few nice pieces and redo my 125g.

RyanH
06-25-2005, 09:54 AM
Hey Scott,

All of the browns are from Al Sabetta (Brewmaster15). He's the owner of this site and a helluva nice guy. Drop him an IM when you get a chance as I believe he's running some sales on his wilds right now.

Here's a link:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//showthread.php?p=243289#post243289

hth
-Ryan

Scott S.
06-25-2005, 03:52 PM
Actually I was referring to the piece of driftwood. hehe :)

RyanH
06-25-2005, 11:53 PM
:embarasse whoops. Here's a link for the site that I bought it from:

http://www.aquariumdriftwood.com/index.htm

These people were fantastic. I talked to them on the phone and told them what I was looking for. They then went out and found it for me, washed it thoroughly, and shipped it in a couple of days.

The service was absolutely fantastic... and they were CHEAP! I would highly recommend them.

Spices
06-26-2005, 05:15 AM
JUST SIMPLY STUNNING!! :thumbsup:

Nice work done there Ryan. Al surely hooked you up with some sweeet looking wilds. :thumbsup:

Ang

Howie_W
06-26-2005, 08:12 AM
Hey Ryan! :wave:


Looking good friend! :) I am sorry to hear you got "cold feet" regarding the substrate. However, the bottom line is that whatever you feel most comfortable with is what works best.

I've been a gardener ever since I was a child, and for me keeping planted tanks is a natural extension of gardening. There are always different methods of approach, i.e. some prefer to go the potted route, while others like full substrate instead. Even if you keep a bare bottom only tank, I find it hard to resist placing a potted plant or two inside. :)

My first preference is going the full substrate route...a rich substrate usually equals happy plants.

Another suggestion is to set-up a couple smaller size tanks to experiment with various plant species...this allows you to play around with different temperatures. The pennywort for example usually does best in the lower temps.

I love seeing all the pics...please keep us posted!


Howie

RyanH
06-28-2005, 12:02 AM
Thanks for the words of encouragement Angie and Howie. :)

I actually came to this decision when I was rearranging plants the other day and a rotting smell hit my nose as I was digging around in the sand... :(

I just don't feel that I have enough experience with planted tanks to maintain the high water quality that I want to have for my wilds if I had a substrate. I'd prefer to err on the side of caution until I feel more comfortable with my current setup. Once I get to where I feel more confident I'll likely try a substrate again. I'm taking baby steps here. :D

Spices
06-28-2005, 09:14 AM
Hi ya Ryan,

That smell of "rotten eggs" is the same smell you will smell with the pots in your tank -- bacterial build up from fish waste, foods and the eco. I did that a year ago with my old arrangement (tank) which was why I decided to use natural stones and some eco only under the plants that are hungry for it (Amazon Sword). I do water changes every other day just to prevent the algae build up (green) but what I hear it is safe and that I should not worry so much about it.

:sun:
Angie

Condor
06-28-2005, 02:15 PM
Hey Ryan,

Nice job, looks like it's coming along great. Keep up the good work.

Adrian

mango4jade
06-29-2005, 10:25 PM
Mate,

The corydoras are call Sterba's Cory (Corydoras sterbai) they grow larger than normal corys (max size in aquarium: 3inchs...according to liveaquaria.com). They are the best looking corys IMO.

Goodluck with them
Mango :angel:

RyanH
07-07-2005, 12:44 AM
Thanks Mango.

I agree with you. They are really nice looking.

Hopefully these will reach 3 inches. :)

KIWI13
07-07-2005, 03:18 AM
Ryan,

Those fish are stunning and that driftwood is simply awesome, seein them swimming around it, is a real sight for sore eyes. Speaking of which do you reckon you can do one of those lil videos on the digital cameras ??? I would love to see one of this tank...

Please....


Jas

Spices
07-07-2005, 09:39 AM
Hey Ryan,

Did you do your pot cleaning as yet? Did you smell the funky rotten egg smell like I said in a previous post? :D It's there.

I hope you're having a ball with the planted tank like I am. :wave:
*A*

RyanH
07-08-2005, 11:58 PM
Ryan,

Those fish are stunning and that driftwood is simply awesome, seein them swimming around it, is a real sight for sore eyes. Speaking of which do you reckon you can do one of those lil videos on the digital cameras ??? I would love to see one of this tank...

Please....


Jas

I'll see what I can do Jas. :)

RyanH
11-29-2005, 06:46 PM
Hey All,

I haven't updated this thread in quite a long time as I worked out exactly what direction I wanted to go with my showtank.

Since I don't really want to invest the time and money that it would take to have a full blown planted tank, I think I've finally found a compromise that looks fairly nice, is reasonably easy to care for, and most importantly: is best for the well-being of my fish.

I really love the driftwood and so do the fish. The number of plants has been reduced quite a bit because I've moving them around to different tanks in my house. I now have potted plants in nearly every tank I own. One of these days I'll get some more ordered and fill this tank back up again. I've been using three different Seachem plant supplements and so far they've done ok for me. I ended up adding a sponge to the tank because I've been disappointed with the flow rates I'm getting from my sump. This is because my water pump is not up to the task. One of these days I'll replace it with a more powerful one.

Anyway, here a few updated pics that I took tonight.

RyanH
11-29-2005, 06:47 PM
A wild brown female. :)

RyanH
11-29-2005, 06:49 PM
This is a brown male. He's currently being courted by a couple of females in the tank and seems to be settling on the one in the previous pic. I'm excited about the prospect of breeding him someday. :)

RyanH
11-29-2005, 06:51 PM
Cardinals. I'd wish I had about 50 more. :p

One of these days I'll get around to actively searching for some more.

RyanH
11-29-2005, 06:53 PM
A wild Ram from Al. These guys have done great in this tank but no breeding activity yet. I may need to soften my water some more. I have a group of German Blue Rams in QT (http://forum.simplydiscus.com//showthread.php?p=265444#post265444) right now and I'll probably throw a few in and see if I can't get them to pair with my wilds.

RyanH
11-29-2005, 06:54 PM
More Rams and wild Corys.:)

RyanH
11-29-2005, 06:55 PM
:D

ronrca
11-29-2005, 06:56 PM
Awesome job Ryan! I would be really proud of that tank.
The pics are great as well!
:thumbsup:

RyanH
11-29-2005, 06:57 PM
I have a few domestics thrown in with my browns right now due to lack of space elsewhere.

RyanH
11-29-2005, 06:58 PM
Thanks Ron!

Last one for now. :)

candyl70
11-29-2005, 07:11 PM
Awesome looking tank and fish Ryan!! I love the driftwood too, where did you find it??


Candy

RyanH
11-29-2005, 07:25 PM
Hey Candy,

I bought the driftwood here (http://www.aquariumdriftwood.com/index.htm).

They did very well for me and the price was more than reasonable.

hth
-Ryan

Tad
11-29-2005, 07:33 PM
Ryno,
The showtank is looking awesome....the wilds have sure matured to be top notch IMO,

best of luck,
Tad

RyanH
11-29-2005, 08:37 PM
Thanks Tad. They've been alot of fun. I'm going to be unloading the majority of my domestics in the next few months to make room for more wilds. What can I say? I'm hooked.

BTW, did you ever buy any plants?

RyanH
11-29-2005, 08:40 PM
I've been debating about putting these Heckels in the big tank.

Tad
11-29-2005, 08:42 PM
Ryan,
Contemplating a few things to do with my discus...got some outstanding BDs that are growing out...considering doing a Dave Webber approach and putting them with my Heckles...might consider some plants at that time....also considering moving all of my Altums into the acrylic and doing something similar to what you have done...some driftwood or at least a natural wood feature...some plants etc...

BTW the cardinals look great in your tank...you need a school of about 150 IMO :)

Tad

wolfbane
11-29-2005, 08:43 PM
Ryan, that is a wonderful setup. The fish look happy and healthy!

RyanH
11-29-2005, 08:46 PM
BTW the cardinals look great in your tank...you need a school of about 150 IMO :)

Tad

I couldn't agree more! ;)

Kindredspirit
11-30-2005, 05:45 PM
Gosh, Ryan.... you must be so proud! And what will the gentleman do to top this? Do you sit in front of it for hours? lol!! Your discus are huge!!! How big do you think they are??



I am jealous, Sir~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_2_54.gif


Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_11_19.gif

RyanH
12-01-2005, 12:47 AM
Hey Marie,

Thanks for the kind words. :)

Most of the browns are 5.5-6 inches but two or three of them are pushing 7. I expect to get a little more size out of them in the next 6 months. I'm trying to not encourage any breeding until I have them grown a little larger. I may not have much choice though.:(

And yes, I spend large amounts of time in front of this tank. Especially since it's at the foot of my bed. :D

Kindredspirit
12-01-2005, 11:23 AM
Yes, it is at the foot of your bed, I remember the pic! Tell me, how does one know when your discus has stopped growing? You have one 7''? Mine are...actually I havent a clue...lol..but, they are 6 months, and 2" , when i got them, at 3 months....


Your set up is to be commended, Ryan.....http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_16_5.gif





Marie~

discus2010
12-03-2005, 10:23 PM
WOW this tank is AMAZING you have donea tremoudes amount of owrk on it and i envy you for it. I'm really enviuse of it. You are even making me consider to make my 55 tank which i am going to get soon into a planted tank, which i was strictly was thinking of being bb since they say there SOOO much easier but WOW when the tank had a substrate and all the plants it was MAGNIFICANT. GOOD JOB

RyanH
12-04-2005, 03:02 PM
Yes, it is at the foot of your bed, I remember the pic! Tell me, how does one know when your discus has stopped growing? You have one 7''? Mine are...actually I havent a clue...lol..but, they are 6 months, and 2" , when i got them, at 3 months....


Your set up is to be commended, Ryan.....http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_16_5.gif





Marie~

How do you know when they are done growing? I have no idea! LOL :) I just do my best to help them reach their potential. IME, Discus are pretty much as big as they are ever going to get at around 18 months.

RyanH
12-04-2005, 03:07 PM
WOW this tank is AMAZING you have donea tremoudes amount of owrk on it and i envy you for it. I'm really enviuse of it. You are even making me consider to make my 55 tank which i am going to get soon into a planted tank, which i was strictly was thinking of being bb since they say there SOOO much easier but WOW when the tank had a substrate and all the plants it was MAGNIFICANT. GOOD JOB


Thank you for the kind words. :)

This tank has been a huge source of enjoyment for myself and my wife. We spend alot of time just staring at it. I'm always looking for ways to make things better for my fish and easier on myself. My hope is that this tank will continue to evolve as I gain knowledge and experience with wild Discus.

I'm not sure if it will ever be a full-blown planted tank but I'm fine with that. It's the Discus that I care about and want to enjoy anyway.

RyanH
03-15-2006, 02:08 AM
I've been tinkering with the filter setup recently as it's entirely too loud for my bedroom. I'll post some pics soon for feedback.

spyder329
06-19-2010, 08:02 PM
absolutely stunning...

ChloroPhil
06-26-2010, 12:08 PM
Hey Ryan,

That's a great design for your sump, I may end up stealing some of your ideas when I replumb mine. :)

Regarding the substrate, the reason you were getting the rotten egg smell was because the grains were too small and were compacting. Without enough room for oxygenated water to move around the substrate it goes anaerobic very quickly. If you'd like to talk substrate sometime I'll be happy to meet up with you. Where in the metroplex do you live?

Cheers,
Phil