# first 30 gallon



## Pseuro (Aug 23, 2004)

Hello guys, 
after bugging everyone for so long, my tank is finally planted!

I just wanna ask what plants do i have in the background? (i just ordered an algae buster pack and these were what i got)










I had to use a bottle as a bell diffusor for now since i broke my diffuser by accident 

please tell me what you think!


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## [ Benek ] (Oct 9, 2004)

Grate Tank! when plants gowe's up, it will be beutifulkl tank. congratulate


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

What size is this tank? Is that rock or wood? I like the effect either way though!


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

It's a bit hard to identify plants with such a general shot, but I can say that the plant on the far left is Ceratophyllum demersum. 

Nice 30g long (that's what it is, right?). However, I feel that the arrangement on either side of the tank is a bit too balanced both in plantings and in hardscaping. Try adding/taking away driftwood from one side or adding more plant density to one side --pull the line of tall plantings on one side further out to the side to cover more negative/background space.

Keep us updated,

Carlos


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## Pseuro (Aug 23, 2004)

Thanks for the replies =)

Sir_BlackhOle: it is a 48 x 12.5 x 13, acrylic tank ordered from glasscages.com. It contains Malaysian driftwood.

tsunami: thanks for trying to identify the plants for me, when my lights turn on i'll take some closer pictures, hopefully it'll be easier then.

Also since it took me so long to complete this aquascape (and it IS my first one) i kinda want to keep it like this for awhile first. Is it difficult to change the aquascape after the tank has been established?


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## pineapple (May 4, 2004)

The 'glasscage' is unusual in terms of its dimensions. You can work with the dimensions or you can fight them. Fight the dimensions by planting the tank with stem plants that need constant pruning (just about all stem plants). Or make artistic use of the dimensions by having a 'landscape' somewhat like a prairy or pampas. Punctuate it with rocks, or unusual wood topography, use smaller plants like Eleocharis sp., Blyxa japonica, small Cryptocorynes, Anubias sp., moss, Riccia, and you could have a wonderful aquascape with a lovely horizon line.

I can see you seem to have thoughts somewhat along this theme. The wood is interesting in its use, almost as if it was rock. I would remove the stem plants though. Place some floating plants in if you need to absorb some nutrients early on in the evolution.

Pardon me for dreaming it...

Andrew Cribb


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## Pseuro (Aug 23, 2004)

pineapple: to be honest, my original plan was to make a flat landscape view like what you described, but since i recieved the algae buster pack i just thought i might aswell plant them, i will almost definantly remove them after 2 weeks or so.

I just wanted to try planting some more since i had the chance.

I have a question though, there are some yellow grass leaves within the bunches i planted, are there any ways to remove them without pulling out the whole bunch?

Also before i planted the grass, i trimmed them to desired length. However, probably due to a poor cut the very tip of the grass is yellow. any ideas how i can fix this? (i'm assuming trim it again with sharper scissors?)

Since it's only the 3rd day from planting, there arent many changes to the tank. i'll post some pics when something more interesting happens


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## pineapple (May 4, 2004)

I think the grass (Eleocharis sp.?) should recover without too much intervention. I have a very fine pair of tweezers which I find useful for removing various debris and smaller leaves. All tweezers are not equal - some are better especially those which have a bend in them. I also noticed that adding a little PO4 encourages good growth in Eleocharis.

I'd like to see this aquarium in a month or two.

By the way, are you happy with the quality of the aquarium and service from glasscages?

Andrew Cribb


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## aquatic-store.com (Jun 23, 2004)

That tank has the beginings of something great. 
It is quite pleasing to the eye!!


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## Pseuro (Aug 23, 2004)

One week after planted, got my new diffuser now =)
Just another pic to share..

Hairgrass loosened up abit, new growth getting to surface and i removed some of the plants in the back

When do you guys think its safe to remove all of the plants?

I was plannign to just remove some weekly until they are all gone.

Lots of bubbles from the hairgrass... they produce trails of bubbles (white particles seen in photo) kinda getting annoying


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## pineapple (May 4, 2004)

It's looking good. But I'd keep an eye on the diffuser and make sure that enough CO2 is getting dissolved and dispersed. Keep up the plant matter until you have a dense covering of Eleocharis, at least.

Andrew Cribb


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## giddygid (Oct 24, 2004)

hi..how many feet long is this tank?

it's nice!


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## Pseuro (Aug 23, 2004)

it is a 48 x 12.5 x 13
4 ft long

Thanks! =)


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## Pseuro (Aug 23, 2004)

Woo! finally got a camera off a friend, i managed to remove all the background plants and my hairgrass has filled in pretty good now =)

Oh yeah.. and fish =)


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

Great job, Pseuro! The chunks of wood look like lonely mountains in a field of grass.

Carlos


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## pineapple (May 4, 2004)

That is an inspiring aquarium. Excellent job well executed.

I have been wondering what the best way of maintaining Eleocharis is? After a while, it gets pretty dense and tends to trap detritus. I usually vacuum it gently when doing a water change. But how does one 'thin it out'?

Andrew Cribb


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

whered up get those nice pieces of wood?


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## Pseuro (Aug 23, 2004)

Thanks tsunami, pineapple.

Thats a good question pineapple, as i was also thinking the same thing.
well a mechanical way that you can do it is buy a pair of those scissors that are used for that purpose.. thinning hair? it looks like a normal pair of scissors, just that its blades are as a comb. What do you guys think?

turtlehead - it is just malaysian driftwood, available in many LFS. 

I wanted to create a stone type landscape tank and i remembered someone suggesting a field-type tank with wood, so i took that idea and brought it to reality. (Plus it was alot cheaper =) )

Im prob gonna add about 15 more fish to it and take another picture, hopefully with a better camera (this was only a cheap 1 MP camera)


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## pineapple (May 4, 2004)

That might be a good idea. I have tried cutting off the top, lawn mower style, but was not greatly pleased with the effect. The cut ends tended to get a BGA condition as well, to complicate matters. When I tried to thin out the stems, it was like catching a wool scarf - it would run - the whole runner would come up and I ended up replanting areas of the "grass." That's what I do now anyway.

An Afro-style comb is useful to untangle stems that get into unruly shape during water changes. 

Andrew Cribb


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

haha nice idea with the afro comb.


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

Very, very nice looking tank here. I love it. 

I'm having a helluva time: 1) getting hairgrass to grow more than 2" (mine is acicularis, not parvula), and 2) keeping hair algae out of it. 

I'm in Southern CA also, so I guess I can't blame it on the water!


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## pineapple (May 4, 2004)

Ken,

What is the substrate you're using in this aquarium? I looks a bit like Eco-Complete. What type of lighting?

Andrew Cribb


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## david lim (Mar 30, 2004)

Very nice looking tank. I think something real neat is that if it wasn't for the cardinals you could've told me the tank was 150 gallons and I would've believed you. Very cool.


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## Rob G (Oct 19, 2004)

I really like what you've done with this aquarium. It gives me a very serene impression. Almost looks like the photograph could have been taken from a helicopter or plane flying through a mountain range (minus the cardinals).


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## Pseuro (Aug 23, 2004)

Thanks for the comments, im very happy that everyone enjoys it as much as i do!

Andrew, the substrate is eco-complete with shultz(spelling) soil mixed with it. 
I'm using a 2 x 65W Power Compact lighting by Coralife

John, if you have any questions about the hairgrass feel free to ask (though i dont have much experience mine has been growing fairly well so should be doing something right). My grass is also Eleocharis Acicularis and it grows below 2" too.


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## gsander (Dec 18, 2004)

*Congrats on a job well done!*

I really like your tank. Great start! I look foward to seeing future pics.


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## Pseuro (Aug 23, 2004)

How can i improve this tank? i dont know what else i can do to it?

Should i add more fish? (37 cardinals, 4 ottos, 26 amano + cherry shrimp)


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## dmartin72 (Oct 9, 2004)

Personally, I think your tank looked so much bigger without the fish. If you would have chosen a smaller more delicate fish, your scape would have retained the illusion of a vast grassy plain. I recall Mr. Amano stating his bewilderment with Americans choice of such large fish. I'm not saying that cardinals are large fish. I'm just saying that your tank looks more like a 30 gallon tank instead of a 125 gallon tank that it used to look like. Other than that, I really enjoy the composition.


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

Nice tank man, that is exactly how I want my tank to look like in the next few weeks or so. 

Check your PM box, I sent you something.


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

hey your blurred the back black huh with adobe huh?


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## skylsdale (Jun 2, 2004)

> I recall Mr. Amano stating his bewilderment with Americans choice of such large fish.


If we could regularly get all those miniscule Rasbora spp. they have access to over there...it might help.


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## Pseuro (Aug 23, 2004)

turtlehead said:


> hey your blurred the back black huh with adobe huh?


Infact the blackened effect you see here is because i've moved my lights foward to the front of the rim, thus creating this effect. (I did this only for the photo to create more depth and atmosphere in the picture)

However, i did use Adobe Photoshop to remove my equipment on the far right and crop the image.


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

nice effect, I'll remember that


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## pineapple (May 4, 2004)

Ken,

Nice scene. Sometimes there is a point of perfection. Possibly you have reached it? Possibly the addition of some more hardscape, namely wood limbs rather than upright pieces. The veil-like effect of the grass flowing around half-hidden limbs is quite poetic...

Lovely job.

Andrew Cribb


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