# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Tank update



## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Well I thought I would let ya'll see what I am up to since the AB contest. I have taken down my 55gal entry tank (entry 14) for a cleaning and redo. Here is a full tank pic.








I plan on changing the foreground plants and adding some more java moss but all in all I think I will let it grow in a bit before I make any major changes.

here is the Left side









this is the Right side









I did a redo on my 15gal entry too. I'm experimenting with CO2 reactors in that tank along with a 20gal tall. Mostly I am growing java ferns on rocks and driftwood. Babe Tears too. I make the most trade credits at my LFS with those. I'll get some pics of them posted soon. I'll be setting up a 75gal this fall. I've got every thing but my lights. I got side tracked this summer with a small pond with major landscaping. I don't know if any of you have messed with a pond but there fun and I think easier then aquariums so far any way. I might change my mind after I start work on a large pond late fall and winter to be ready for water by next spring. Any way I will update pics when they grow in more.

Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®

[This message was edited by Hawkeye on Wed July 30 2003 at 06:53 PM.]


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Well I thought I would let ya'll see what I am up to since the AB contest. I have taken down my 55gal entry tank (entry 14) for a cleaning and redo. Here is a full tank pic.








I plan on changing the foreground plants and adding some more java moss but all in all I think I will let it grow in a bit before I make any major changes.

here is the Left side









this is the Right side









I did a redo on my 15gal entry too. I'm experimenting with CO2 reactors in that tank along with a 20gal tall. Mostly I am growing java ferns on rocks and driftwood. Babe Tears too. I make the most trade credits at my LFS with those. I'll get some pics of them posted soon. I'll be setting up a 75gal this fall. I've got every thing but my lights. I got side tracked this summer with a small pond with major landscaping. I don't know if any of you have messed with a pond but there fun and I think easier then aquariums so far any way. I might change my mind after I start work on a large pond late fall and winter to be ready for water by next spring. Any way I will update pics when they grow in more.

Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®

[This message was edited by Hawkeye on Wed July 30 2003 at 06:53 PM.]


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Here is my 55gal tank after a summer of tweaking. This picture was taken 11-14-03 . This redo did not turned out quit like I had in mind to look like. I find it really hard to get any foreground plants to grow. By the time the mid-back ground plant mature, they shade the foreground out. I think the next step will be removing the Java Fern on the left side. Its on a piece of horizontal driftwood. That should make some room for some foreground plants. I think I will replace both sword plants (left and right side) they are to big for this 55gal tank now. I might try them in 75gal., if not they should make some great trade ins at my LFS.










Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®

[This message was edited by Hawkeye on Fri November 21 2003 at 04:20 PM.]


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

OK, here's what I am thinking about doing to this tank in a few weeks. After closer look the Echinodorus 'Oriental' on the left has become two large plants, so I will split them up leaving one. This Sword grows very nice there. On the right side I found a Echinodorus 'Rubin' narrow-leaf to replace the very large Echinodorus x barthii. I'll put both of the large swords I replace in my 75gal, It is a newly set up tank that has more room. I most likely will trade or sell them both. I still am not sure if I should take out the Java Fern at the left to open up a spot for foreground plants. I think it would give the tank more depth. What so you think? If I did remove the Java Fern, what kind of foreground plants would you use? 

Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Here is an update, as you can see this tank is in need of a major trim and rework. The Echinodorus 'Oriental' that I thought was two plant turned out to be four plants. I left the largest of the four in he left corner. As you can see the one Echinodorus 'Oriental' Sword has grown bigger as one plant. Its starting to crowd out some smaller swords.

On the right side the Echinodorus x barthii was replaced with a Echinodorus 'Rubin' narrow-leaf. Now its grown all most as large Echinodorus x barthii it replaced but the narrow leaf Rubin doesn't take up as much room.










I am still not happy with this tank. The next full day I have to spend on this tank I will do some major changing. Some of the smaller plant have to go, there's just not much room for them. The biggest change I plan is remove all the plants in this area. I will replace with tall Vals in the back and shorter dwarf sag.










This tank shows the most common problem with 55gal tanks. Their to narrow to show depth with large plants. By replacing this area I hope to give a little depth and contrast to all the larger plants in the tank. I think one of the biggest problems with this tank is all of the java ferns are out of control and to large. I all ready did a major hack job on the java moss.Any ideas? anyone!

Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®


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## tsunami06 (Feb 6, 2003)

I would really avoid such large plants in a 55g. I think the swords are really not helping
you to create a greater sense of depth.

I'm currently working on a 55g as well. Let me know how it turns out.

Carlos

-------------------------
"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." -- Van Gogh


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

I am beginning to think so too. If I plant a med. size sword in this tank, in three or four months their growing out of the tank. Stem plants are worse. With five tanks, having to trim twice a week gets to be a pain. Its not to bad when I can sell the cutting to my LFS but it seems like I grow them faster then they can sell them. I will have to think about what to do with this tank. IT looks like it well be some time in Feb. before I can get a whole day to redo this tank.

Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®


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## tsunami06 (Feb 6, 2003)

I have been using small or fine leaved stem plants in my 55g aquascape, along with considerable
amounts of anubias nana, moss, bolbitis, and narrow leaf java fern. I really don't have a 
foreground... or not a very short one. But the main focal point is the path of white sand
stretching from the front and narrowing toward the sky blue background in the back. I have
narrow branches covered in moss stretching out over the path. It's a concave layout. It's
still growing out.









Not as much pruning to do, simply because there aren't as many of them! Also the 2.55 w/g slows
them down a bit but not enough to hinder good coloration out of the Ammania gracilis.

Carlos

-------------------------
"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." -- Van Gogh


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Once I started changing things I made some big changes. The Rubin Sword had to go. It was way to big. The leaves where over 24" long. It was so big I had to use a garbage bag to take it LFS to sell. I replaced it with two "Kleiner Bär". I will separate them as they grow to just one. I am hoping they will not get over 12' - 14' tall. We will see how the Dwarf Sag. fills in. I have had trouble growing it in this tank before. If I do I will replace it with Baby Tears. I am hoping I can get the growth I need by the time the AB contest ends.
2-16-04








Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

I like the new look Hawk. You have more open space in the front, and it does not look as crowded. I like the Anubias in the middle to break up the foreground. You may eventually want to replace the Oriental sword as well, but I like how it looks now.

What may be more to your liking is slow growing stem plants, like Lysimachia

Robert
King admin
www.aquabotanic.com


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Well! this tank is history!!







I am sad to say last night about 7.30 the bottom busted. In less then 2min. all the water was on the livingroom floor. I saved most of the fish and my new "Kleiner Bär" swords along with all my anubias, but the rest when to plant haven. I have know idea what happen, the tank has been setup over 3 years. The glass just blew out.


















I don't think I will put another tank in the house. Its a real mess to clean up. I will stick to my aquarium room where all I have to do is sweep the water out the door.

OH! I was going to use this tank for one of my entries this year. Bummer!!









Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®


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## Shane A smith (Jun 15, 2003)

OOOOOOOOOOOOO man what a nightmare. I am sorry that had to happen. Look at it this way though, now you can expirement with different tank deminsions.

50gal 161watts PC 6500k/8800k Clay Substrate.


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

Wow! That looks like a shattered windshield. It *was* a beautiful tank.

It sure would be good to know what made that happen so it could be avoided another time.

Roger Miller

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_"The indispensible first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want" -- Ben Stein_


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

I would like to know too! The tank had UGF plates under the gravel So I am sure that none of the rocks or driftwood would have been touching the bottom glass for that matter nothing was touching it. That's what makes it so strange. The stand has a solid bottom so I know that nothing could have hit the bottom from underneath. OH well six tanks was getting to be a full time job. This tank took the longest maintenance time because of its location. Now I should have a little more time to work on my other tanks.

Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®


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## Ben fishin (Feb 5, 2004)

You might want to contact the manufacturer of the tank and see what they say about it. It really is too bad that such a nice tank got ruined.


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## imported_SueNH (Feb 14, 2004)

That's a total bummer!

I had something similar happen to a tank once. Had a 55 full of african cichlids. The tank in the kitchen. I had just woke up and poured a cup of coffee. Went over to the tank and gave the fish a snack, went and sat down at the counter to watch. Heard a loud snap and a big egg shaped piece of glass came flying out of the front glass! 
Fish and water everywhere. I had fish in bowls, pots, buckets. Was frantically trying to scoop fish off the floor and could feel a tingly sensation on my bare feet. Wondered if it was some of the pumps leaking a little electricity into the puddle, pulled all the plugs. 

Nothing touching that front glass and the tank wasn't all that old. No idea why.
If I had been 30 seconds slower sitting down I may have been very hurt. That glass came flying out like it was propeled.


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## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

From what I can deduct from the photo this was a heat pretreated glass that would shatter if it was broken this type of glass is in a constant tension cause of the method it is treated this kind of glass virtually explodes when any pressure even a small one is applied to it. What logic made someone to put this glass on the bottom of a tank?


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## Izac (Nov 16, 2003)

I hate to read about shatterd tanks.. It scaries me a lot. I don't want to even think about what would happen if my tank started to leak like that!

One of my tanks started to leak a little 'couse of bad silicon, but that was no problem.

I feel really sorry for you and your tank Hawkeye..


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## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

Sorry to see this Hawkeye. It was a beautiful tank and I know you had a lot of time invested in it.

When researching my tank I came a cross a few stories like this. The general consensus ws to use a solid frame bottom and put 1/2" construction foam under the tank to support the bottom. There's no way to know if it has prevented any issues but its an ideas I pass on to people putting in new tanks.

*James Hoftiezer
Hoftiezer.Net - Journals and Libraries
Rate My Tank!!

Tank Journal - Aquascape ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))
Tank Journal - Parts and Construction ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))*


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