# My 55 gallon low tech



## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

okay, this tank used to house huge catfish... until they got too huge... so I redid it as I had been wanting to for a long time. I got $9 worth of plain gravel at home depot and 4 daylight compact florescent screw- in bulbs, three of which are 14 watt and the other is 17 watts. Light fixture is home- made out of poplar, I am planning on upping the wattage later.
Flora: 
-Water sprite
-Crypt. Wendtii Red
-Crypt. Wendtii Green
-Tiger Lotus Red
-Java Fern
-Giant Hairgass
-Broad- leaf sag.
-Dwarf lily red

Fauna:
-9 neon tetras
-5 glass cats
-5 ember tetras (or fire tetras?)
-3 rummy nose tetras
-2 angels
-2 debauwi cats
-1 bristle nose pleco
-1 sparkling gourami
-1 banjo cat (may move if finally starts to grow, I have had him for 3 years now, still small)
-1 golden white cloud
-1 emerald eye tetra
-1 cory (i forgot what kind)
fts:








with flash:


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

oh, i left out the rummy nose tetras and the sparkling gourami, he is one of my favorite fish. what should i add for a foreground, i dont want java moss because it gets everywhere and i dont have fertile substrate, just plain gravel (was done on a budget)


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

dang, just realized, they are fire rasboras, not ember tetras...
no comments?


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

lol, thanks for the comment.....


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

so how is the tank coming foo? anynew growth or pics?


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

no pics right now, i will prob. take some next week, not too much change


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## Afyounie (Aug 10, 2007)

Nice work. It should look real nice when it all grows in. One thing though, it looks like you are using flagstone for your rocks. I used these in one of my tanks, but had to take it out. I drives the KH through the roof. Just keep an eye on it. It took ~4-5 months before it started to have an effect on the tank.


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

i have had it in my tanks for upwards of three years, i will keep an eye on it though


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

well, a lot of my plants got eaten by snails, but that has been taken care of. Upon receiving some free plants, I was inspired to get this tank a chuggin', I will take some pictures soon.


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

Added some floaters to prevent algae


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Looking good! I like the terrace on the right and the overall mix of colors. 

That pic of the underside of the floaters really threw me initially. Kind of an abstract/impressionistic work. 

I hope you have the snail problem under control, I'd like to see this grow out.


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

cs_gardener said:


> Looking good! I like the terrace on the right and the overall mix of colors.
> 
> That pic of the underside of the floaters really threw me initially. Kind of an abstract/impressionistic work.
> 
> I hope you have the snail problem under control, I'd like to see this grow out.


Yeah, the snails are pretty much gone now. (even if there are still a few, they cant eat the anubias or java fern. The only plants other than jave fern or anubias are in the middle.


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

Added more anubias after these pics. were taken, trying to fill the left slope up like the right


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)




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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)




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## tfmcder (Feb 22, 2006)

I like. I think it looks better now than it did at first.
Is that bolbitis on the left?...how did you plant it/get it to stay? Whenever I try to stick mine just above the substrate it never works out.


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

tfmcder said:


> I like. I think it looks better now than it did at first.
> Is that bolbitis on the left?...how did you plant it/get it to stay? Whenever I try to stick mine just above the substrate it never works out.


Yes, It is a mix of bolbitis and needle leaf fern  I just stuck it in there and it kinda got caught under the mosses


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## tfmcder (Feb 22, 2006)

foofooree said:


> Yes, It is a mix of bolbitis and needle leaf fern  I just stuck it in there and it kinda got caught under the mosses


Thanks...I think I'll try it. Do you plan on leaving the moss as is or do you want it to "carpet" the area? I must admit I like the open gravel.


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

tfmcder said:


> Thanks...I think I'll try it. Do you plan on leaving the moss as is or do you want it to "carpet" the area? I must admit I like the open gravel.


I'm going for a full carpet


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## Manthalynn (Oct 27, 2008)

foofooree said:


> I'm going for a full carpet


Newbie here, sorry if these are well-duh questions. So you want the open gravel to be carpeted by the moss. Is that so that there's free swimming space above it in the areas without tall plants?

And is there a technical reason for the slopes of gravel or is it just for aesthetics? (I have no sense of design...that's what I'm trying to learn from this forum...)

Thanks!


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

Added some "diy" oak driftwood to see how it would look and propagated the christmas moss


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)




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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

Foo its been some time since i last saw your tanks and i must say im assounded on what you have come too. your tanks are impressive and simple to the eye. love your creations and you really have come to grow to a master of design. good job bud and keep it up


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## matt1045 (Oct 11, 2008)

lookin good


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## 954baby (Feb 8, 2008)

wow I love your tank!


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

Still a little cloudy.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

whats with this tank foo?


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## foofooree (Mar 11, 2007)

Well, I sold half of the plants, and I may be downsizing it to a 20 gallon. Who knows really


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