Since someone dragged me out of my lurker-hole, i might as well reveal my current project. Got the family an aquarium last january and created the setup below: Unfortunately the lighting was very low (14w screwbulb, approx. 750 lm) and i didn't do any research prior to getting the plants. So the plants slowly got worse and the internodes increased rapidly. To top thing of my wife got in 3 apple snails, which (when fed properly) leave the plants alone. They made 1 nest and i found out 80 snails are hard to keep well fed. So they started eating a lot of plants. I decided it was time to start over, but this time with some more lighting. So i created a new top with 2x 13w t5 tl's (approx. 1900 lm). I know my woodworking skills ... ehrm ... are none existent, so maybe i'll make a non-crooked version someday: I know the tank doesn't look like much right now, but i'm taking my time for this one. I have some Sera CO2 tabs which i will use for now, but i plan to make the diy CO2 setup i found in this forum. Most of the snails are now back to the LFS and i am currently researching possible plants and suitable layout. The thing is: the tank is in the living room and my wife and kids have a say in the flora and fauna in the tank. It needs to have about the same feeling as the first pic. Oh, and the fish in the tank are: - 2x Colisa Chuna - 5x Corydoras Schwartzii - 6x Otocinclus - 8x Rasbora Heteromorpha - 5x Poecilia Reticulata (got some from my neighbour and my daughter insisted we keep them) - some apple snails (don't know the latin name, but they will leave the tank soon) I will keep you updated. Comments and suggestions are welcome of course.
glad you got out from your lurker-hole. I too sometimes only reed the topics but do not reply due to a lack of time and laziness, but if somebody gets out of his lurker-hole this is a must to comment Family tanks are difficult and I know how difficult it can be to convince them to make little changes, but there is an easy trick. Let this tank be the family tank and get one for your own. It can be a small one, the size doesn't matter. What counts is that you can do what ever you want with this tank and your family will see that whatever you are doing it improves your personal tank and that changes are good. After this experience you should easily do whatever you want in the family tank but don't tell them you are going to manipulate them
seriously the scape doesn't look bad at all..not for the apple snail infestation we could have seen something real good by now! best of luck with the rescape and all.. @Juri: my my! what an idea man! you should make a T-shirt with a quote "evil me..no way.. "
Unfortunately this tank is already an upgrade from another, smaller tank. Which also is a family tank with plenty of fish in it
Ok, so i'm currently selecting plants for the tank and want to salvage as many plants as possible from the current layout. I believe i have the following (not sure about the names, so plz correct me if i am wrong): Egeria Densa I don't really like em, to much trimming, but the wife insists. So for now i will keep them Ludwigia (Senegalensis?) Cryptocoryne Limnophila I’m guessing this is some sort of Limnophila, but as you can see there’s not very much plant to guess at. Nymphaea lotus Didn't find this one in the plantpedia. I think it has potential Do you guys think they are worth salvaging and will they do well with the new lighting?
if given the proper conditions all of those plants should recover well. Often times you don't need much of stem to get it going once the right conditions are provided. The DIY CO2 and the upgraded lighting should do them a world of good. The screw in bulb if incandescent would have been nearly useless to your plants. Your plan sounds good, best of luck.
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