Planted 138G

[TankWatcher]

Just thought I'd share my tank

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l128/TankWatcher/138G_523L_Discus%20Tank/000_0793.jpg

[prolude006]

Wow very nice setup you have there. I really need a longer tank now.
7 discus? They look good.
Which brand light is that?


What is the stock you have for plants and fish? CO2?

[Darren's Discus]

Robyn,
your tank and fish look beautiful,thanks for sharing.



cheers

[vera]

Great looking tank!

[William Palumbo]

VERY nice Robyn...Love that "open" look...not cluttered at all...Bill

[jimmyjoe]

Like the look also, is that sand used as your substrate and what kind is it......Thanks Jim in Ohio

[captain morgan]

Beautiful looking tank you have Robyn, every time I see a planted tank with a sand foreground I think about changing mine. I love that beach look! Currently have 100% black flourite. The only thing that has stopped me from changing only the foreground to sand is wondering how much maitenance it is trying to keep the sand separate from the other substrate?

[TankWatcher]

Hi prolude006, Vera, Bill, Jim & captain morgan

Thanks for popping in & nice comments.

The light is programmable, with 4 x 96W compact pc, plus moonlight. It’s made by Aqualina. I think it’s only available in Australia, but you have lots more choices in the USA.

Tank is 7ft, but small for it’s length, regrettably holding only 138G.

At the moment there are 7 discus, a mix of wild & domestic. Ultimately, the domestics will move out of this tank & it will only house wilds (13). The ones currently in this tank are:- blue diamond, rose red, mixed albino, 2 wild semi royal blues, 2 wild browns. Non discus tank mates are cardinals, ottos, 1 krib, 1 female apisto cacatuoides, Cory sterbai & Cory caudimaculatus. The non discus tank mates will stay, even after the domestic discus move out.

For plants I have:

Cyperus helferi
Crypts (Tropica, Wendtii green, Petchii, Pava, Undulata, Lutea, Crispatula var. Balansae plus an unidentified crypt from display tank of a local LFS)
Blyxa japonica,
Annubia (nana, coffeefolia & some other types I don’t recall)


Tank has pressurised C02, but not currently happy with the distribution. I will be doing something about that soon.

Following EI fertilisation method.

Started off with lots of fast growers. I removed them all (gradually) & hope I’m not punished by algae attack. Looking for something easier this time.

Love that “open look…not cluttered at all Thanks, Bill. The discus look lighter & brighter over the sand. Even though there’s lots of places for them to hide amongst plants & driftwood, they seem to spend most time out in the open. They even sleep in the open, which surprises me.

jimmyjoe, silica pool filter sand for beach, with ADA Aquasoil Ammazonia in the planted areas.
..only thing that has stopped me from changing only the foreground to sand is wondering how much maintenance it is trying to keep the sand separate from the other substrate? I think for those who try to have the flat substrate transition (you know the ADA ones where both substrates meet with no divider & only riccia rocks sitting on top to cover the join) I think they would be a nightmare. I have rocks creating a border, going all the way down to the glass & siliconed in place. Naturally, there were still little gaps which would have allowed substrate mix, so sand coloured gravel was siliconed in all the gaps. At first it looked a little man made (some would say still does) but as my rocks age & develop a little algae, they look more natural. At first, there were still points where the AS could flow onto the sand. These have been blocked with more of the same matching rock.

At 1st, plan was to hide the rock border with riccia rocks. I found it was ok to trim a few riccia rocks in a 43G but another thing altogether to trim enough riccia rocks for a 7ft tank – so I gave that up as too much work. I tried moss, but it was a dirt trap. So, plain rocks it is. C.Morgan – the trick I think will be having a border that keeps them separated, and yet you can accept having in your tank. The borderless way can be done, but I was not prepared for the work it would take.

[GrillMaster]

Sweet lookin tank Robin!! :thumbsup:

You have done yer homework woman!! :D

[Eddie]

Awesome tank Robyn, can't wait to see the wild tank when it's up!


Eddie

[captain morgan]

Thanks for the reply Robyn, how about posting a few more pics for us, maybe a couple of close ups of your plants, beach, and fish? Pleeeease!

[TankWatcher]

Thanks Mark.

Eddie, sadly this is the wild tank. I know it's not bio type. This tank was in the planning for a very long time & when I started it I only had 3 wilds, with no prospect of finding more anytime soon. So, it was originally planned without wilds in mind. I now have enough wilds to justify their own tank. I have a 4ft, which I could make into a bio type for wilds. So the dilemma was - do the the wild get the 7ft, with what is clearly not a bio type, or do they get the 4ft where I could make it a bio type? I decided to give the wilds the 7ft & so they must take it as is. I'm not one of these who constantly plays with the scape. I haven't gotten around to sorting the discus out. At the moment each tank has a mix. Will do it soon, probably after Christmas.

Captain Morgan, I will take those close ups for you, but I think I may not have time until after Christmas. Thanks for asking.

[Eddie]

Sounds geat Robyn. When you get around to the change over I'd love to see the finished product.

Eddie

[Eyecandy]

Hi Robyn... Great looking tank..:thumbsup: congrats !!! I know you have been working on it for quite awhile. been following it in some of the other forums as well. Keep those pics coming. Especially with all the wilds. Take care Sue:D

[vincentliu89]

what filtration your using?

[Diskboy12]

Nice tank mate...mind givng it o me when I move to Australia? lol
Overall nice tank.

[TankWatcher]

You moving down under Diskboy12? You can have my tank if you do (but not my discus) if you buy me a bigger one to replace it with :D

[TankWatcher]

Hi Eyecandy & Vincent - sorry, didn't see your posts. Sue, are you by chance the one who gave me the advice about stiring up the sand with chopsticks when doing the gravel vac?

Vincent, it has 2 x eheim pro II 2028's.

[Yassmeena]

I love the tank and the plant arrangement! Someone's done a good job of following the "golden rule" of planting!!!!!! Nice work!

[Eyecandy]

Hi again Robyn... Yes that was me about stirring the sand and using chopsticks or whatever you have handy.. Even tho I sold my discus:(:( because I thought we would be moving sooner rather than later), I kept the tank up and still have the sand. Now a sev rotk , an adult koi angel and hopefully soon some geos are gonna be doing the sifting for me LOL.. Well you know I'm still gonna do some myself.....
You should really be proud of the tank it really turned out great. :thumbsup::thumbsup: Wouod love to see it as it progresses in the months ahead so keep the pics coming. Sue:D:D

[rickztahone]

hey Robyn, is the light you have right now? (in 7ft rather than 6 though)
http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/catalogue_products.php?prodID=3763&catID=88

[TankWatcher]

Thought it was you Sue, though you went by a different user name I think. I've thinned the sand out now anyway (lots more of the rock is showing in that middle back section). But I still always make sure I stir up the sand, as you said to, when I vac.

Yassmeena, thanks for such a nice comment :)

rickztahone, right site & light brand, but that one isn't mine. Your link is for a moon light only. For some reason, the one I have isn't listed, but this one is the closest http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/catalogue_products.php?prodID=3977&catID=86. Mine is available on request (but not at 7ft - that was a favour by the manufacturer). The differences in mine are that it is programmable & can be operated by a remote control, as well as manually by switches. The split timing sequences are programmed via the remote. So mine is the upgraded version of the one I linked. It's actually 2 upgrades, the 1st upgrade gives you twin power cords & the 2nd upgrade gives the programmable / remote functions of the one I have.

Good pick though.

[architect1]

vary nice tank love the set up/ scaping. hope to see more pics soon.

[katt-ja]

gorgeous

[TankWatcher]

Thanks architect1 & kat-ja

time for a few new pics. Sorry, they're blurry :o

Earlier in this thread, I said this was my wild tank. Well, that has changed. I now have enough wilds to warrant their own tank - well their own 2 tanks :) so the 7ft will now be for the domestics. I still have some wild browns & blue in this tank, but they'll be moving out soon.

Full Frontal
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l128/TankWatcher/138G_523L_Discus%20Tank/000_0983.jpg

Though there's plenty of room for the discus to swim behind the rear plants & driftwood, they're always out & about where I can see them.

It's been a while since my last post, but not a lot has changed. I prefer to keep things stable & not disturb the discus too much, so I don't tend to re-scape very much. I thinned out my Cyperus helferi, as it was blocking out most of the wood on the left hand side. I trimmed the top of the c.helferi (love this plant, as you don't need to pull it out & cut from the bottom. Just trim the tops when needed). After the trimming, it was still too thick. The plant had multiplied and I have about 5 spare I'll be trying to sell, when I get around to it.

Left Side
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l128/TankWatcher/138G_523L_Discus%20Tank/000_0984.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l128/TankWatcher/138G_523L_Discus%20Tank/000_0985.jpg

Middle
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l128/TankWatcher/138G_523L_Discus%20Tank/000_0987.jpg

Right Side
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l128/TankWatcher/138G_523L_Discus%20Tank/000_0988.jpg

On the right hand side, the Blyxa japonica is far too overgrown. But I'll deal with that after I sell the Cyperus helferi.

There's also a tall growing crypt in the foreground of the right hand side. Something else I have to deal with. It must have been a hitchhiker & when I stop being lazy, I'll replant it toward the back of the tank, 'cause I know it doesn't belong in the front.

Anyway, enough for now. Hope you like it :)

[Eddie]

Very very nice planted tank Robyn, and the fish look great! Great work!

Eddie

[Scribbles]

What a showpiece! The discus look great too. Now enjoy all of your hard work.

Chris

[Eyecandy]

Hi Robyn... Tanks still looks great.. Guess when I read your thread in Discus-forums I missed the part about another 2 tanks for the wilds... lucky you:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:.. So the new ones you were worried about transporting will not be going in this tank right?? Can't wait to see what their tank will look like.. bet it will be great too. Whoever gets to stay in this tank will be some very happy discus.. Keep up the good work.. Sue:D

[mehran]

love the fish. Love the plants. GREAT JOB
Mehran

[Yassmeena]

Hi Robyn,

Thanks for posting the update! Your tank is very nice!!!

Yasmin

[calihawker]

Wow robyn! That is a beautiful tank. Your aquascaping job is awesome:thumbsup: Discus look great. Suberb!!


Steve

[waters10]

It's been a while since my last post, but not a lot has changed. I prefer to keep things stable & not disturb the discus too much, so I don't tend to re-scape very much.
There's no reason to keep rescaping since it already looks great!

[TankWatcher]

Thanks all, for the nice comment. I've purposely kept things pretty simple in there. No stems I have to regularly pull out, trim from the bottom & replant. I was into all that BEFORE discus. Now I have 3 largish discus display tanks plus a few other discus BB's. Though I could never give up my plants (even my old African tank was planted) I just had to lighten the work load.
There's no reason to keep rescaping since it already looks great! I used to be on another forum & part of what we laughingly called the "Nerd's planted tank gang". Most of that group has now moved on to other forums (more specialist planted ones). Their goal was always a little different to my more lazy goal. Mine was "fiddle with the scape until I'm happy with it, then just maintain it". Theirs was "fiddle with the scape until you're happy with it, then get bored, then rip it all apart & do a completely new scape". I learnt a lot from those guys, but then my interest graduated more toward the discus.

Sue, the two wild tanks will be more bio type - but not strictly so. The W.Brown & Blue tank is already under way. The greens tank will have to stay BB until QT is finished.

[kats3kids]

Very nice!!!

[poconogal]

It look simply beautiful, Robyn.

[rbarn]

Hideous.

If you need me to fly down and get it out of your way and take it home I guess
I can see what I can do.

:p

[Roxanne]

...I'm closer, let me get rid of it for you...I'll take those ugly fish too......:D...

I look at your tank Robyn and I want to live in it too:)...that tank is just serene and you can tell they love living there...the way they sail around...

the greenery really contrasts beautifully with their colours....:)

[TankWatcher]

Thanks Kats, Connie, rbarn & Rox for such nice comments.
Hideous.

If you need me to fly down and get it out of your way and take it home I guess I can see what I can do.
...I'm closer, let me get rid of it for you...I'll take those ugly fish too.........Thanks for the offer guys, to lift this burden from my shoulder. I couldn't inflict this on either of you, so I will struggle on with having to look at these fish each day :D
I look at your tank Robyn and I want to live in it too...that tank is just serene and you can tell they love living there...the way they sail around...

the greenery really contrasts beautifully with their colours....Thanks Rox, means a lot coming from a friend & a non planted tank gal at that :)

[billyboy]

great job. i wish my new 150 gallon planted tank soon will be like yours. do use c20? what kind of light r u using. give me some tips plz

[Roxanne]

.. Thanks Rox, means a lot coming from a friend & a non planted tank gal at that :)

I could only aspire to planted greatness TankWatcher:)....but I love to look at them...

Rox

[AquatiCreations]

I love the rim-less look,..if only my consciousness could handle it. :p

[TankWatcher]

Thanks Mark.

Rox, I forgot to say. This tank will be the eventual home for my 2 Challenge Fish - but maybe you knew that already.

[Roxanne]

...they will LOVE that tank,....save room for meeeeeeee:D

[blue acara]

Looks great! Like the way you used rocks as a barrier. I may borrow the idea;)

[dean9922]

That is one beautiful tank.....very NICE!!!!!!!!

[lemondiscus]

I like your layout on the tank! You did well with the 1/3 "rule"!!!

It is interesting to how you created little "gardens" for the plants... you dont see that too often and the different substrates are nice...

I have a 6' tank and I know the long tanks are VERY hard to aquascape! Getting enough plants becomes either a long wait for them to propogate or quite costly if you buy all at once.... I went with choice A myself!

Nice though, btw, I would keep the long tank for the wilds! If you wanted to bio-tope it it would give you a a reason to re-aquascape the tank!

[TankWatcher]

...they will LOVE that tank,....save room for meeeeeeee:D There's always room for you, Rox


That is one beautiful tank.....very NICE!!!!!!!! Thanks Dean


I like your layout on the tank! You did well with the 1/3 "rule"!!! Thanks, I sketched the outline with texta on the glass bottom, so I had an idea of my propoortions.


It is interesting to how you created little "gardens" for the plants... you dont see that too often and the different substrates are nice...Thanks, but I can't take credit for the idea. I used to be on a plant orientated forum & quite a few members were trying this out - but usually without the border. Looks better without the border (at least it does on set up day) but I wasn't up for all the extra work without having a physical barrier to prevent substrates mixing.



I have a 6' tank and I know the long tanks are VERY hard to aquascape! Getting enough plants becomes either a long wait for them to propogate or quite costly if you buy all at once.... I went with choice A myself! I had some plants from another tank that closed down so that this one could be opened. Plus then I was planning this tank for months (and months) and during that time, I slowly acquired plants along the way.


Nice though, btw, I would keep the long tank for the wilds! If you wanted to bio-tope it it would give you a a reason to re-aquascape the tank!I'm sad I can't give the wilds the biggest tank, but there's 2 reasons. 1) I want their's to be bio type & I'm too lazy to rescape b) I want to have 2 separate wild tanks - 4ft for the browns/blues and 3ft for the greens. Using this 7ft tank for the wilds would mean combining them together

[GrillMaster]

Robyn...You did an excellent job with the tank and the discus are right at home!

Kudos to ya!! :thumbsup:

[TankWatcher]

Thanks Mark

Nothing much has changed in the past few monhts, but here are some pictures from today. I added some extra border rocks & they stand out a bit & look a bit odd. They should look better once they build up a little algae.

1st Picture was taken with flash
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l128/TankWatcher/138G_523L_Discus%20Tank/000_1164_web.jpg

Below pics without flash
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l128/TankWatcher/138G_523L_Discus%20Tank/000_1165_web.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l128/TankWatcher/138G_523L_Discus%20Tank/000_1166_web.jpg


http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l128/TankWatcher/138G_523L_Discus%20Tank/000_1167_web.jpg

[Disgirl]

Simply breathtaking Robyn! I love it :D How long did it take for the plants to grow that large? How old is your tank?
Barb

[TankWatcher]

Simply breathtaking Robyn! I love it :D How long did it take for the plants to grow that large? How old is your tank?Hi Barb

Thanks for such a nice compliment. It's a pretty easy to maintain setup.

Water first went in the tank July 2008 & the basic layout has remained the same since then (not much choice, as mostly the rocks are siliconed in place). Some of the plants were transferred across from another tank that closed down, but some (the Crypts and the Cyperus Helferi) were new. The crypts have struggled and are just hanging in there but the C.Helferi has taken off and I need to trim the tops down regularly. As well, baby C.Helferi plants need to be removed from time to time, to stop the tank looking too crowded. Likewise, I have to thin out the blyxia from time to time.

Thanks for looking :)