# Evolution Planted Tank - 54 G - 35x20x18



## galettojm

Aquarium description:

Volume: 54 Gallons
Months since established: little less than 6 months
Dimension: 35X20X18 inches

Video 6-Month Evolution:





Foreground:
Blyxa japonica 
Fissidens
Hemianthus calichitroides
Liliaopsis mauritania
Ranalisma rostrata
Staurogyne sp
Utricularia graminifolia

Midground:
Pogostemon helferi
Blyxa japonica
Cryptocorine Nurii Pahang
Microsorum pteropus
Hottania palustris

Background:
Poaceae sp. "Purple Bamboo"
Alternanthera reineckii
Rotala macrandra
Rotala indica
Rotala wallichii
Tonina sp "Belem"

Light: 2 PLL 840 55W and 2 T5 HO 6700K 39W
Light Time: 10 hours per day - 10 horas por día.

Fish: 
Crossocheilus siamensis
Paracheirodon axelrodi 
Boraras Brigittae
Otocinclus sp.

Shrimp:
Taiwan red fire (Neocaridina Heteropoda)
CRS (Caridina cantonensis)
Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata)

Substrate: ADA "new amazonia" - Powersand.
Weekly Fertilization (ppm) : NO3 26 - K 17 - PO4 2 - Fe 0.57
CO2: Milwauke Co2 Regulator MA957 -- 4 bubble per second with light on.
Water Change: Once per week, 30 to 40% of the tank volume.

Thanks:
http://sfbaaps.org/home.html
http://www.croa.com.ar/ipb2/


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## greenman

Really like what you've done here. Like the POP of color. layout keeps my eye moving around. Wouldn't mind a bit more weight/life on the right side, but coming along great. you must be stoked! 
Plants look happy as well.

Plants look really great, but i would typically think this was a bit too much light. Could you elaborate on "2 PLL 840 55W and 2 T5 HO 6700K 39W" What's your lighting specifically?


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## galettojm

greenman said:


> Really like what you've done here. Like the POP of color. layout keeps my eye moving around. Wouldn't mind a bit more weight/life on the right side, but coming along great. you must be stoked!
> Plants look happy as well.
> 
> Plants look really great, but i would typically think this was a bit too much light. Could you elaborate on "2 PLL 840 55W and 2 T5 HO 6700K 39W" What's your lighting specifically?


Hi,

Thanks for you suggestions. The tank has two 55-watt 840 PLL (Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs) and two 39-watt T5HO 6700K (T5 High Output Fluorescent Lighting). I think is the amount of light necessary to make light-demanding plants grow, such as HC, in a 20 inch deep tank. At least that's my experience. I have 188 watts in total, or 13000 lumens.

I think you are right. Maybe I should put something more int he right side.

Thanks,

Juan


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## II Knucklez II

amazing i love the tank


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## Travis.808

Those are some beautiful reds! Love the collection of textures also. Great work, I'd love to see some more pictures.


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## galettojm

II Knucklez II said:


> amazing i love the tank


Thank you


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## galettojm

Travis.808 said:


> Those are some beautiful reds! Love the collection of textures also. Great work, I'd love to see some more pictures.


Thanks Travis. I will upload some photos in the following weeks.


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## greenman

Travis.808 said:


> Those are some beautiful reds! Love the collection of textures also. Great work, I'd love to see some more pictures.


Agree, brilliant reds, whats your secret?


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## galettojm

greenman said:


> Agree, brilliant reds, whats your secret?


Thanks.

Maybe my type of lighting makes the red plants look better. I'm not sure.
Light: 2 PLL 840 55W and 2 T5 HO 6700K 39W

I think all the rest is pretty standard:

Substrate: ADA "new amazonia" - Powersand.
Weekly Fertilization (ppm) : NO3 26 - K 17 - PO4 2 - Fe 0.57


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## galettojm

New photo after trim:


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## papones

Hola Galetto, genio!!! I love the tank! great work.


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## galettojm

papones said:


> Hola Galetto, genio!!! I love the tank! great work.


Thanks!


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## valeritasur

The reds are beautifull!!!
Vale


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## Funmei

The long plants at the back of the tank...they didn't grow straight? or is just the picture?


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## galettojm

valeritasur said:


> The reds are beautifull!!!
> Vale


Thanks sister


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## galettojm

Funmei said:


> The long plants at the back of the tank...they didn't grow straight? or is just the picture?


It is just the effect of the water flow coming from the external canister filter.


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## phan10ms

What is your co2 diffusion method?


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## galettojm

phan10ms said:


> What is your co2 diffusion method?


DIY external co2 reactor.

This is how I made it (the post is in Spanish, but the video that I used to copy the design is in English):
http://www.croa.com.ar/ipb2/index.php?showtopic=40657


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## Travis.808

You made the APC home page! Congrats!


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## galettojm

Travis.808 said:


> You made the APC home page! Congrats!


 Thanks!


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## galettojm

New picture:


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## galettojm

Making some changes in the tank:


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## ChadRamsey

job well done sir. that is an amazingly beautiful tank. Simple . Clean. I love it:clap2:


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## galettojm

ChadRamsey said:


> job well done sir. that is an amazingly beautiful tank. Simple . Clean. I love it:clap2:


Thanks!

New picture after moving some of the foreground plants:


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## B76

Wht is that amazing red plant! And your tank is absolutely stunning.


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## iamivan90

Very nice work, hope to have something like this within a few months!


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## galettojm

B76 said:


> Wht is that amazing red plant! And your tank is absolutely stunning.


Thanks


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## galettojm

iamivan90 said:


> Very nice work, hope to have something like this within a few months!


Thanks!


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## galettojm

Some pictures of my emerged plants:

Utricularia graminifolia with Christmas moss:









Ranalisma rostrata:









Hemianthus calichitroides:









Flower Rotala rotundifolia:









Flower Rotala macrandra:

















Flower Alternanthera reineckii:

















Christmas moss:









Trimmings growing emerged:









Shrimp with eggs:

















Tank after trim:


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## galettojm

New flower pictures.

Rotala rotundifolia:









Rotala macrandra:









Juan


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## galettojm

New pictures

Flower Utricularia graminifolia:


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## sandeepraghuvanshi

It is a beautiful tank, the red are amazing


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## galettojm

sandeepraghuvanshi said:


> It is a beautiful tank, the red are amazing


Thanks!


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## galettojm

New tank picture:









I using 3 times the recommended Flourish excel dose to eliminate some Riccia that I have in the tank. I have been using only for 3 day, but so far is working perfectly. Almost all Riccia is melting !


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## richardesc

Really amazing tank. Congratulations. Love the flowering plants so much.


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## galettojm

richardesc said:


> Really amazing tank. Congratulations. Love the flowering plants so much.


Thanks!

I have some new pictures of the emerged plants.

Utricularia graminifolia









Rotala macrandra









Hemianthus calichitroides









Liliaopsis mauritania

















Riccia









Poaceae sp. "Purple Bamboo"


















Trimming growing naturally growing emerged


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## Travis.808

Put em in some nice glass vessels. Bam!! Wabikusa.  Good work!


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## galettojm

Travis.808 said:


> Put em in some nice glass vessels. Bam!! Wabikusa.  Good work!


 Thanks!


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## simwiz

Great plants! Now, as suggested, they need nice vessels!!!!


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## galettojm

simwiz said:


> Great plants! Now, as suggested, they need nice vessels!!!!


 You are right!

However, so far I have only been using the emerged setup as a cheap way to store and reproduce plants. I was also really interested in seeing the plants flower.

But maybe I will put them in nicer vessles!


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## galettojm

Tank trimmings:


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## TheFishman13

Reds look great! That isnt too much light at all. 
Approx 190 watts on a 54 is less then 4 watts per gallon. This is whats needed to get reds like that and a nice compact carpet, and to grow toninas. With pressurized co2 and ample ferts, this is ana verage amount of light for a hi tech tank. Looks very nice so far, plants look great. Id maybe let the backround plants of the left side grow a little taller and fill in a bit but regardless, lookin sweet.


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## galettojm

TheFishman13 said:


> Reds look great! That isnt too much light at all.
> Approx 190 watts on a 54 is less then 4 watts per gallon. This is whats needed to get reds like that and a nice compact carpet, and to grow toninas. With pressurized co2 and ample ferts, this is ana verage amount of light for a hi tech tank. Looks very nice so far, plants look great. Id maybe let the backround plants of the left side grow a little taller and fill in a bit but regardless, lookin sweet.


Thanks! And thanks for the design tip.

Yes, I agree: I think I have the correct amount of light to achieve the plant growth I'm looking for.


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## m4gichat

AMAZING tank... just wondering how did you get your downoi (helferi) so BIG???


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## galettojm

m4gichat said:


> AMAZING tank... just wondering how did you get your downoi (helferi) so BIG???


Thanks! I didn't do anything special. I'm fertilizing with the Estimative Index. Other parameters:

Light: 2 PLL 840 55W and 2 T5 HO 6700K 39W
Light Time: 10 horas por día.
Substrate: ADA "new amazonia" - Powersand.
Weekly Fertilization (ppm) : NO3 26 - K 17 - PO4 2 - Fe 0.57
CO2: Milwauke Co2 Regulator MA957 -- 4 bubble per second with light on.
Water Change: Once per week, 30 to 40% of the tank volume.

Maybe my hard tap water is helping.

Some update on my emersed setup:

































Best,

Juan


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## galettojm

Update after some changes:









Staurogyne sp:









Utricularia graminifolia:









Red fire:


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## jasonmemo

do you sell your trimmings?


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## Tex Gal

Your plants are great! Your UG is looking so good. I love that as a foreground plant.


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## galettojm

jasonmemo said:


> do you sell your trimmings?


I normally give the trimmings away in the sfbaaps.org club.


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## galettojm

Tex Gal said:


> Your plants are great! Your UG is looking so good. I love that as a foreground plant.


Thanks!


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## galettojm

New pictures

















Utricularia graminifolia









Alternanthera reineckii


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## galettojm

New pictures

Tank









Emersed Plants

























Staurogyne









Pogostemon helferi (I'm really surprise how the leave changed form):









Ranalisma rostrata (I think, not sure):









Best,

Juan


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## totziens

Nice plants.....I wish I have more space to keep large containers of plants like yours.


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## agutt

Is that emersed setup just kept right like that outside?


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## galettojm

totziens said:


> Nice plants.....I wish I have more space to keep large containers of plants like yours.


Thanks! Yes, I really like having the emersed plants. It is a cheap way of keeping plants that you don't want in the tank, and I also really enjoy seeing how the plants change and flower.


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## galettojm

agutt said:


> Is that emersed setup just kept right like that outside?


Yes, I just keep the plants outside. I used the water from the tank water change.

I've had this setup for over a year outside. Most of the plants didn't grow during the winter, but they didn't die either.


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## totziens

I agree with you that it is a cheap way of keeping plants that you don't want in the tank and nice to see the plants grow differently in emersed form. Another thing I like is the plants I do not want in the tanks do not have to go into the bin anymore and one day if I change my mind to use them back, they're still available. In the past I regret for throwing certain species of plants that I wanted back one or two years later. It's just too bad that I only have small containers of emersed plants due to limited space in apartment.


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## galettojm

totziens said:


> I agree with you that it is a cheap way of keeping plants that you don't want in the tank and nice to see the plants grow differently in emersed form. Another thing I like is the plants I do not want in the tanks do not have to go into the bin anymore and one day if I change my mind to use them back, they're still available. In the past I regret for throwing certain species of plants that I wanted back one or two years later. It's just too bad that I only have small containers of emersed plants due to limited space in apartment.


Totally agree. Hope you get a bigger place! 

Some changes in the tank. I took out the Staurogyne:

















Best,

Juan


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## galettojm

Tank after taking out most of the Staurogyne:


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## galettojm

Tank update:


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## wet

Love it. I almost wish you removed the visible hardscape entirely and replaced them with plants, making it a negative space/open Dutch style tank. I wonder if judges would rate such a tank higher, too, since then it becomes an atypical Dutch style tank. Just random thoughts after AGA results got posted


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## wha2222

very nice tank, do u know where i can get some downoi?


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## galettojm

wet said:


> Love it. I almost wish you removed the visible hardscape entirely and replaced them with plants, making it a negative space/open Dutch style tank. I wonder if judges would rate such a tank higher, too, since then it becomes an atypical Dutch style tank. Just random thoughts after AGA results got posted


Thanks you!

Yes, you are probably right. My tank is kind of a hybrid. The problem is that I like the rocks! 

Thanks for the comments


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## galettojm

wha2222 said:


> very nice tank, do u know where i can get some downoi?


Thanks

I got my downoi from Aqua Forest aquarium in San Francisco. I think I bought 2 stems for $ 7.

I few months ago I had a bunch of downei trimmings, but I gave them all away in the sfbaaps.org.

Best,

Juan


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## galettojm

I was in Argentina for the last couple of week. The tank was a jungle when I came back:









I decided to do some changes:









Hemianthus micranthemoides:









I've not finished the changes. I will probable take out the java fern:


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## galettojm

I did do much to the tank, and I stopped fertilizing. Update after 1 month from the big trimming:


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## galettojm

My emersed setup was almost abandon. I think the last time I watered the plants was last November. However, the plants seem to be ok. They didn't grow much during the winter, but they didn't die either. Only the Pogostemon helferi and Bacopa indica died.

Some pictures:

















Rotala rotundifolia









Hemianthus callitrichoides









Ranalisma rostrata (?)









Staurogyne repens









Alternanthera reineckii


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## Travis.808

I think I like the "jungle" look!


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## galettojm

Travis.808 said:


> I think I like the "jungle" look!


Thanks

New picture tank:


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## HisXlency

lovely tank. Love the plants and layout


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## DogFish2.0

Nice Aquascape!


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## Tex Gal

It's fun to watch the changes over time. I love the reds. I like having many different colors playing off one another so that neither looks too stark or drab. I've enjoyed your many scapes. I have also enjoyed seeing your emersed plants.


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## Aplomado

Very pretty.


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## wakewalking

Amazing.


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## viral

Very good arrangement of colors. Your tank looks awsome.:supz:


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## Lusher

Anyone experience how to waterproof your decorative object with non toxic coating/paint? anyway you have a nice setup


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