# [Wet Thumb Forum]-36gal Bow new pics



## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Here is my newest project. Its a 36gal All Glass Bow tank. I put 110w CF 9325K. I have become a really big fan of Eco-Complete substrate, so here I have 4 bags. I use a Fluval 304 for my filter. No big reason I started out using them and have had no problems even though a 304 might me over kill in a 36gal. I wanted to make sure that I had plenty of flow because I am putting a CO2 reactor at the end of there turn.

This is right after adding water! Eco-Complete not only grows plants it makes cycling easy. I have noticed a raise in PO4 in all my tanks so when I tested this tank I all so tested my tap water. I found that my tap water was where the PO4 was coming from. Doing this I all so notice that with Eco-Complete there was a low NO3. The last tank (75gal) I setup with Eco-complete I never did see any NO2 or ammonia. The tank just started growing plants, SO this tank I started from day one with plants, fish. light, CO2 and fert. dosing.










Here you can see how I rigged the CO2 reactor at the end of the return from the filter. There is a valve between the spray bar and the reactor that lets me adjust the flow between the two. I am just checking this out to see if it will work. I am sold on the reactor 1000. As soon as I know if this will work or not, I will change to the 1000. IMO They are the best!










As soon as I get more time I will post a pic of the tank with plants and fish.

Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Here is my newest project. Its a 36gal All Glass Bow tank. I put 110w CF 9325K. I have become a really big fan of Eco-Complete substrate, so here I have 4 bags. I use a Fluval 304 for my filter. No big reason I started out using them and have had no problems even though a 304 might me over kill in a 36gal. I wanted to make sure that I had plenty of flow because I am putting a CO2 reactor at the end of there turn.

This is right after adding water! Eco-Complete not only grows plants it makes cycling easy. I have noticed a raise in PO4 in all my tanks so when I tested this tank I all so tested my tap water. I found that my tap water was where the PO4 was coming from. Doing this I all so notice that with Eco-Complete there was a low NO3. The last tank (75gal) I setup with Eco-complete I never did see any NO2 or ammonia. The tank just started growing plants, SO this tank I started from day one with plants, fish. light, CO2 and fert. dosing.










Here you can see how I rigged the CO2 reactor at the end of the return from the filter. There is a valve between the spray bar and the reactor that lets me adjust the flow between the two. I am just checking this out to see if it will work. I am sold on the reactor 1000. As soon as I know if this will work or not, I will change to the 1000. IMO They are the best!










As soon as I get more time I will post a pic of the tank with plants and fish.

Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®


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## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

Nice start.

Rumor mill has me getting a basement of my own soon. If so I'll be starting several new tanks. I'm planning on eco-complete on all of them.

*James Hoftiezer
Hoftiezer.Net - Journals and Libraries
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Tank Journal - Aquascape ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))
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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

I made the change over to the reactor 1000. The system I tried out at first set up, was OK. But I had to adjust most of the return flow to the reactor to get it to mix CO2. That intern cut back on the filter flow. You just can't beat an external reactor 1000. I hope this tank will have the growth needed to enter in the AB contest but I have my doubts. I am sure I can get stem plants to grow in but the dwarf hair grass might take a little longer.

I am still showing a small amount of NO2. I never did show any ammonia. This is my second tank that I have set up with Eco-Complete and I have to agree with their clam about helping with tank cycling. This tank started off with low levels of NO3 and PO4. I think the PO4 came from my tap water but the NO3 had to come from Eco-Complete.

I started from day one with 110w CF 9325K 10 hour/day. PH-6.8 I started dosing frets every three days as needed. SO far so good. I find that in a new setup algae will start to show up by the fourth week. This is only the second week.










Hey Robert, see how fast the "Klenier bar" Swords are growing. I had to add more fish then I first had planed on but after the 55gal bust I had to make room for fish and plants in my other tanks. My first plan for this tank was one sword, Java Fern on driftwood. The rest of the tank was going to be Dwarf Hair Grass. OH well most of my tank plans have been put on hold until I get another 55gal. For now I have a 30gal just about ready to set up. That should help add some space soon. Has anyone ever setup a breeding tank out side in the spring thru fall? I am thinking about it. I am so lucky to have a LFS that will buy or trade on all the fish and plants I can raise. I bought this tank buy selling plants. I hope to buy a new 55gal by sell plants and fish too.

James, I hope you get your aquarium room. Just make sure you build it big enough. I built a 8x10 room in my garage. 4x8 of it is for my computers and related stuff the rest is full of aquariums, 27" TV with surround sound that is connected to my PCs. With five aquariums (75, 36, 30, 15, and 10 gal I wish I had made it bigger. Oh and make sure you set a drain and water supply close by. I can do water changes on all my tanks in just over one hour.

Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®


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## Johncjy (Mar 13, 2004)

Simply amazing.. I can only dream. Never though such growth possible in that short a time. You make all your projects look so easy!


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Things are coming along just fine. The hairgrass is filling in nicely. I just might have a tank to enter this year after all. I need to start getting my stem plants trimmed up and shaped but all in all I think this is my best startup on a tank. I have just a small amount of algae trying to start on the java fern but I think its getting under control.










I tried to grow dwarf hairgrass before but have never had any luck at it until I started using Eco-Complete. This tank is just 4 weeks old.










Hawk


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## Troy McClure (Aug 3, 2005)

hawk - is that lobelia cardinalis in the front left corner? i've been having a hard time finding a supplier of the dwarf variety...


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Yes it is. I bought one pot a while back when I was looking for a red plant. This plant grown out of the water turns red. I week or so after I planted it in my tank it turned green. It grows slow with a very long tap root. It gets small shoots from the roots that will grow into new plants. 

Hawk


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

The Keiner bar sword is looking nice Hawk


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Just thought I would give an update on this tank. The dwarf hair grass is come in nicely. The Keiner bar swords are looking good. The one on the left side is getting crowed so I will be moving it to another tank soon. The nana is getting to big under the Keiner bar sword in the middle so I will replace is too. Other then that I ma pleased with this tank. I have some hair algae but its going away now. I had a bad PO4 test kit that messed me up on my dosing.










We will see how long I can keep this tank set up as is. I really like my layout it just as I planed it.

Hawk


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## drewz (May 4, 2004)

Wow hawkeye that tank looks fantastic!!! I have a 36g bow also, but I cannot seem to get the foreground plants to grow?! I'm using 110watts also ... are you using DIY Co2 or presssurized Co2? Again great looking tank!!


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

drewz , I use pressure CO2. I all so am running it thru a external 1000 reactor that Robert sells. I put my 110w cf light all up front so that the foreground gets direct light. The bulbs I use are 9325K .You really need to keep your CO2 at a constant rate. Its very hard to with DIY CO2. 

Hawk


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

This tank has been my best every. I have had hardly any trouble with algae at all. (knock on wood) But its time to make some changes. I am not sure what I should do. The left side is getting over crowded. I am thinking about removing the driftwood with the Java Fern on it to give the Keiner bar more room. All the Keiner bar swords are so crowded that the new leaves can not open up with out getting bent.


















Another thing I need to do is trim or thin out the dwarf hair grass. I need some tips on this one guys. I have never had dwarf hair grass grow in like this before.

1) How to I trim or thin it out?

I am thinking about removing every thing except the K-bar and hair grass. I might keep the cardinalis with a very few stem plants in the back. Then let the hair grass grow all around them.

2) What do you thing about doing this.

HEY! Robert your K-bar swords are all grown up!! I really like this sword. I thought it would be a darker red like the melon swords but their not. I do like their size. Most swords out grow there tanks.

Hawk


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## nino (Oct 2, 2004)

Hawkeye,
First of all, nice job and I would say you're a real good aquascaper unlike me







.

You can just trim the top of the hairgrass. As long as they are around 1-1.5" height, they're fine. They tend to grow tall under 3 wpg. If you want to make them stay low, add more light. If you see my tank in the gallery, I haven't trim the grass over 6 weeks and they just stay low like that (2"). Did you use some clear plastic strips or some sort of divider to prevent them spreading all over the place ?


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

No, I didn't use any dividers. I wish I had. The hair grass is spreading all over the place. The only spots that are hair free are the shaded areas.

ninob, your 10gal tank is nice too. You are a good aquascaper. Its now everyone that can grow foreground plant. I find them to be the hardest to grow.

Hawk


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## Astrid (Sep 20, 2003)

You have a beautiful tank. I just love the hairgrass. It looks wonderful.
I also like the swords. Its not ussual to see them in planted tanks nowadays.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

They should get darker red, I think. Play around with different ferts. I like all the plants you have in there!


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Its been a while since I have posted pics on this tank. Its gone through some changes. The Kbar swords have out grown this tank. I was hoping that being a smaller sword plant they would be OK but not so. (bummer)










I finally have been able to get Rotala macrandra to grow. I started out with just 5 small stems around 5 months ago. This plant really adds color to a tank.










I have a Red Mellon sword in the back that has been around in just about all my tanks at one time or another. Is on a come back from algae and a melt down. At one time this sword reached the top of my 75gal. It has some new growth, we will just have to see if it takes off. As you see this tank is not balanced as far as plant growth goes. Most of the plants are mature plants but the small sword makes the tank look out of balance to the eye. Its going to be hard to keep the rest of the tank trimmed up while the Mellon swords catches up. I am thinking about replanting the hairgrass. It really need its plus I need some to plant in my 75gal.

Hawk


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## cheesehazard (Mar 2, 2004)

Your hairgrass looks great. I cant seem to get mine to grow that well. I have no problem growing swords and stem plants but I just cant get the hairgrass to grow that well. I think next time I take my 55 gallon down and redo it, I am going to get the same substrate you are using. Your tank looks great.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Niiiiice!


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Andrew, I use to have the same problem growing not just hairgrass but all type of foreground plants. What really turned things around for me was then I changed out some lighting with AH fixtures. I think it has to do with light penetration for the excellent reflectors that come with their lights. To test this I replaced the reflectors in a All Glass 110w cf I have on my 75gal with reflectors from AH. That made all the difference in the world in the growth I get from the foreground plants now. I think that the reflectors used in larger tanks are more or just as important as the w/gal.

Hawk


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## cheesehazard (Mar 2, 2004)

I was thinking about redoing the inside of my hood. I was going to spray paint all of it white or maybe chrome. I was thinking of even getting some type of mirrors and putting them all over inside the hood. I really dont want to buy any new light fixtures for my hood. I have a bunch of extra fixtures that are for homes, like two metal halide flood lights. I was going to put them in my hood somehow. Do you think If I repainted all of the inside of my hood white or used mirrors inside instead of just the bare wood it would give more light in my tank?


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## Margolis (Sep 22, 2004)

painting the whole inside area flat white will help a bit. It is not going to perform miracles, but it will help reflect more light down into the tank.


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

I don't think that will help out much. What about getting reflectors from AH 17.5"L x 7"W x 2"H . You could get two to try out on you front fixture. Their very thin and bend very easy. I added two in a All Glass 2x55 cf. I just place them on top of the old reflectors with very short sheet metal screws.
You would see a big difference.

Hawk


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## cheesehazard (Mar 2, 2004)

I wonder if I should even worry about this. I have over 200 watts of light for a 55 gallon tank. I might just do it one day just for the hell of it. I just need to find the time to do so. How much are they Hawk and where can I get one?


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

http://ahsupply.com/mcart/index.cgi?code=3&cat=6
Part 36217 - MIRO 4 Reflector 17.5"L x 7"W x 2"H
This eight facet reflector can be used with two 36w compact bulbs. 
Price: $24.99

It would be an investment. you would need 4 to do all of your lighting. but you would be able to grow any foreground plants you want. I think I would just replace the T12s with CF Their cheaper in the long run and do a better job.

Hawk


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## imported_BSS (Apr 14, 2004)

Hawk - I do love the color of the macrandra. Clearly it likes the conditions of your tank. I had some in my first "assortment" plant pack and really liked the looks of it. Needless to say, but as I was just starting off, I just watched the stems melt away over the first several weeks. I'll be trying that plant again in the future, I'm sure. Nice look!

Brian.


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## cheesehazard (Mar 2, 2004)

Hawk do you have any pictures of the reflectors in your setup? Today at work I had to patch an air condition vent using this aluminum tape. If that stuff wasnt so exspesive I would line my entire hood in that stuff. If I end up swapping out fixtures I think I am going to go with metal halide instead of CF. This weekend im going to take out the two smaller fixtures i have in my tank out and i was thinking about putting two metal halide flood lights on the back. I have a few extra flood lights and I need something to tinker with for a bit this weekend.


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

I'll try and take some pics Thursday. Tonight is water change night and tomorrow I think I will drop off a large plant order to my LFS. If I get back in time I could take some when I get back, but I usually end doing seminars on setting up plant tanks and growing plants. I need to take some pics of my DIY bubble counter and my DIY CO2 reactor that I added a bleed off valve for vapor locks. Time is hard to find but I will get some pic posted soon.

Hawk


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## cheesehazard (Mar 2, 2004)

Thanks, I look forward to seeing your pictures.


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