Weeds

[pcsb23]

For the first time in I don't know how long I am without fish of any kind. Feels rather strange.

I have a tank in my office at home which is around 90 - 100 US gallons which was sitting empty, so after much thought I have decided to do the weeds again

At the moment I'm not sure what livestock I will put in there other than some shrimp and otto's, could be altums, may be discus - won't be both (I think ).

The tank is CO2 injected, uses led lighting and has an enriched substrate. I will be using dry ferts too so I guess this is very much a high tech tank.

Threads like this are no good without pictures so here goes

The empty tank 48" x 20" x 26" high

planted_tank_D600-5830 by PabloRosso, on Flickr


The enriched part of the substrate

planted_tank_D600-5831 by PabloRosso, on Flickr


The tropica substrate is used as a base layer underneath pool filter sand in my case (tropica suggest gravel!!). I used 4 bags of the stuff and it gave me around a 1" layer.

planted_tank_D600-5832 by PabloRosso, on Flickr


This is then covered with a layer of sand. I had banked the tropica slightly toward the back left corner as I will be planting swords there.

planted_tank_D600-5834 by PabloRosso, on Flickr


And this is the basic substrate complete, for some reason the pool filter sand was different colours, not that it matters ...

planted_tank_D600-5836 by PabloRosso, on Flickr


And no self respecting planted tank would be complete without a bit of structure I decided to keep it simple and just use one centre piece so to speak (looks like I was at an odd angle when I took this pic ...)

planted_tank_D600-5838 by PabloRosso, on Flickr


When I plant up I like to plant in a few inches of water, it saves the armpits getting wet! I use a seed tray to pour water on, the drainage holes allow the water to seep away with disturbing the substrate.

planted_tank_D600-5842 by PabloRosso, on Flickr


And this is what it looks like on day 1 of planting, I'll be replacing the green uplift with a glass one in time, and also fitting a spray bar (when I find it! )

planted_tank_D600-5843 by PabloRosso, on Flickr


The Hemianthus is pearling already too!

planted_tank_D600-5847 by PabloRosso, on Flickr

The tank has the following plants in there (even though it looks empty!!), some were split (like the Hemianthus), some were not ...
5 x Cyperus helferi - the tall thin ones centre back behind the wood
10 x Pogostermon helferi - front left and back centre/right
10 x Hemianthus callitrichoides (dwarf baby tears)- front centre to right hand side - this will hopefully form a carpet no more than an inch high
5 x Eleocharis acicularis (dwarf hair grass) - centre, again this should become fairly dense
1 x e. bleheri - back left in front of uptake
1 x e. rosea - back left just behind the wood (honest!!)
1 x e. ozelot red - back left in front of e. bleheri
1 x e. rubra - front left at the back end of the wood

I've yet to fit the drop checker, I don't have a suction cup that fits! and I need to make some 4DKh water ...As said already I'll be changing the uplift for a glass one at some point and fitting a spray bar. I'll also most likely fit a koralia pump to aid distribution at some pint too.

So for now I'll let the p[lants take hold and settle in. It will be a case of adding ferts daily and doing a once weekly water change and until the plants start to take off that will be all that is needed.

I'll try and keep this updated. Enjoy

[John_Nicholson]

Very nice.

-john

[OC Discus]

How did u get without any fish? Just decide to start over


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[pcsb23]

Very nice.

-john

Thanks John.

How did u get without any fish? Just decide to start over ...

I'd been doing a project with altums and circumstances changed, so I moved the altums on and decided one tank would be enough for a while

[Nick Klimkowski]

Looks great Paul.

[trungnguyen]

looking good

[Tictok]

Thank you for that step by step process... I really enjoy these types of threads. Look forward to watching your tank grow out and seeing the direction you take it.

[SMB2]

When I read the title, wasn't sure what you were planting in that empty tank!

[OC Discus]

In Colorado it could have been marijuana


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[Second Hand Pat]

Paul, I flunk in the plant department but will be curious as to where you go with this tank.
Pat

[musicmarn1]

Ditto on , loving these kinds of threads and Paul I have so much respect for your posts id watch you grow weeds every day, keep posts coming! . Ps are they pearling already?

[yim11]

LOL when I saw the thread title I also thought something different - "my wife is watching that on Netflix"

The cool thing about threads like this is we get to see it from the very start and a few months from now we will get to see pics of the tank and will hardly recognize it.

[pcsb23]

Thanks for the replies folks. The other good thing about threads like these is it helps me remember what I've done

And yes Marnie, they are pearling already

[blueluv]

Nice! I'm positive the end result will be a well planted aquarium. Will you go with Altums?


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[brewmaster15]

Paul,
Looking Good my friend, I will be watching as you "grow" this project! I'm Jealous actually, my tank is months away from being started.

-al