# Jharrison's Planted 75



## jharrison

Ok, thought I would start a thread to follow my planted tank adventure.

1/24/09 Just after I first planted...








1/27/09 Rescape...
This first pic is kind of screwed up, but you can get an idea of the layout.















2/19/09 Plant growth after CO2 for about 2 weeks!
Full tank shots















One of my cryps is sending up this thing? What the hell is it?








I have no clue on plant i.d.'s.... Thought this plant was moneywort, but doesn't look like any pics I have googled. Anyway, it has grown like mad since I started the CO2.








This little monster has taken care of my snail problems!








Anyway, I am gonna trim and maybe rescape a bit tonight, so stay tuned for another update.


----------



## Murphy18

Looks great!

That plant looks like the one i have, think its ''Elodea Densa''. But the leaes look to much spread out.
Do you have any fish in there?


----------



## jharrison

Yeah, that's what it is. The original plants are much more dense, but as soon as I started the CO2, it shot those shoots, and they are kinda sparse. Maybe lack of light? But I have 1.5wpg of t5.... so should be ok. 
Only a few fish as of now. 10 guppies, 2 corys, that loach, and a pair of bristlenose plecos. I was gonna start a shoal of rbp's in here, but the peaceful planted tank is growing on me..... maybe a bucng of tetras instead? not sure at this point.


----------



## Malawi-

looks great, nice post.


----------



## superbee

Very nice....I wonder if that loach would live with my 8" rhom?...


----------



## jharrison

He is a pretty lazy loach.... I fear he wouldn't last long!


----------



## JustJoshinYa

Id be careful with that CO2 tank laying on its side, in the canister its a liquid but it is the gas that you want when full and on its side you may have isues with it messing up your selenoid but i dont know for sure anyone else have any thoughts on this?
-Josh


----------



## DiPpY eGgS

I wouldn't lay a CO2 cylander on it's side. I just wouldn't feel comfortable doing that.

The thing is a torpedo ready to launch as it is.. lol


----------



## jharrison

hmm... unfortunately, it is about 2 inches to tall to stand up. I will ask the guys at the welding shop and see if there is any danger in that. I have seen those things knocked around pretty good without any harm.

Did a quick google search and found multiple sites saying do not lay them on their side.... Guess my g/f won't be happy to see it sitting outside the cabinet!

Thanks for the heads up! Did a WC tonight and trimmed back the anachris, may post new pics tomorrow.


----------



## JustJoshinYa

post a pic of how you have the regulator gauges and solenoid mounted to the canister, you may be able to install a 90degree elbow and save a few inches that way you know what im saying?? may make your bubble counter useless but may save you the inconvenience of having it outside your stand.
-Josh


----------



## jharrison

Nah, the tank won't fit. I just moved it outside of the stand. Just told my fiance that it may explode, so she said it could stay!


----------



## ryanimpreza

DiPpY eGgS said:


> I wouldn't lay a CO2 cylander on it's side. I just wouldn't feel comfortable doing that.
> 
> The thing is a torpedo ready to launch as it is.. lol


if its on its side it runs a chance pushing the liquid threw the system. Kind of like holding canned air upside down, really fun freezing things though.


----------



## roccov12345

Did you plant the glosso? New pics!!!


----------



## dr7leaf

nice setup... i have never had luck with live plants... my reds used to eat them up like a fresh garden salad!!


----------



## roccov12345

dr7leaf said:


> nice setup... i have never had luck with live plants... my reds used to eat them up like a fresh garden salad!!


Really? I don't think I've ever seen my reds touch the plants.


----------



## CLUSTER ONE

nice tank, but stand the co2 up. Take it outside the cabinit. If you dont want to see it, put a chait at the corner iof your tank or somethign to block it from view. Safty first. Im sure yourgf would be more pissed if a co2 tank exploded or something.


----------



## jharrison

I have the day off tomorrow, and will be planting the HC and glosso, as well as adding my driftwood piece. Pics to follow.
I also moved the CO2 a month ago, see my post from 2/23 for details.


----------



## jharrison

Just over 5 hours of planting with tweezers! Kinda rushed it at the end, because i had to get to work.

Full Tank








Left Glosso








Right Glosso








Middle. I am still not happy here. I need to spread out the HC a bit more. The driftwood is still floating a bit. I am going to get a few more background plants and work on this section Tuesday hopefully.








Here's a bad pic of my guppies that are in there now.
















And while I am at it.... a few pics of my frontosa tank.


----------



## RedneckR0nin

Looks really well done and the time you put in shows big time, You have any plans for more plants to go in, and how big does HC get will it fluff up in time or grow straight up???


----------



## jharrison

Yeah I am going Tuesday to my LFS. He has got some vals that I wanna put along the back behind the driftwood, as well as some crypts.Gonna get that driftwood to sink a little better too. That HC stays real close to the ground. This is my second time trying to grow it. It was growing nice before I removed it from the pots so we will see.


----------



## RedneckR0nin

I have vals as well and they are growing out more of them I have about five more small ones forming around the edges!!!


----------



## jharrison

i had a bunch growing nicely, but I wiped themout with a large dose of excell. Leason learned


----------



## RedneckR0nin

always one of them on the way I figure


----------



## jharrison

My driftwood needs a little help staying down. i am thinking about drilling some holes in it and inserting some lead weight and caulking it up. Any thoughts?


----------



## Murphy18

When i had my driftwood in, i used stainless steel screws and attatched pieces of slate to it. You could use whatever, as long as its water resistant and doesn't corrode or anything.


----------



## jharrison

Yeah, but it is only slightly boyant. Only the peice at the top is causing it to float. I also don't want to replant stuff if I want to take it out


----------



## Murphy18

I'm not familiar with the type of lead weights you are talking about. Are they long and skinny?

If you can get those that would be your best bet, and then caulk the hole up afterwards. If its only the top bit which is floating then it shouldn;t take that much weight to keep it down. let us know how you make out.


----------



## jharrison

I was just going to use big fishing weights. Drill a 1/2 inch hole, drop them in, fill with silicone. Might just tie them on to test how much it will take before drilling. I figure since lead weights are used to weigh down plants, it wouldn't be an issue.


----------



## Murphy18

I cant see why that wouldn't work, go for it


----------



## roccov12345

I agree, that would work, and the weights are nice and small if you want to pull it back out. I say go for it, I know they make fishing weights all the way up into the 16 oz mark


----------



## jharrison

Well, I stopped and picked up weights and a drill bit. When I got home, the S.O.B. sinks like a rock! Added some plants, and tucked some floaters back into place. Already some good root growth on the glosso. Will try to take some pics if i can find some batteries...


----------



## jharrison

So, I just found out that my bristlenose pleco thinks HC is a delicacy! That Motha F........


----------



## lo4life

Your tank looks good.. That driftwood looks like a walking stick (the bug). I would leave everything where it is at under the driftwood. Once they get settled in they will spread out. Got anymore pics of that front tank?? They are some very nice fish!!


----------



## jharrison

Thanks. They were sold to me as "fulwe rock" fronts. I will get some more pics taken soon. I had some luck breeding some Burundi fronts last year, I have been growing these guys out for about 2 years now. some are close to breeding size.


----------



## His Majesty

you tank looks awesome man. nice work


----------



## jharrison

I have had another little mini crash. Guy at my LFS wanted to me to let him check my water.







So I let him. Turns out my phosphates were crazy high. Guess the EI dosages I have been using were a little high. I am doing a water change and am gonna try just dosing nitrates and micros for a bit. Hopefully it will take off again. It looks like sh*t right now.


----------



## roccov12345

jharrison said:


> I have had another little mini crash. Guy at my LFS wanted to me to let him check my water.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So I let him. Turns out my phosphates were crazy high. Guess the EI dosages I have been using were a little high. I am doing a water change and am gonna try just dosing nitrates and micros for a bit. Hopefully it will take off again. It looks like sh*t right now.


Sorry to hear that, what was the effect on the tank from the high phosphates? Algae?


----------



## jharrison

No, no algae. Plants are just melting. He also said the melting could be from low ph, but the ph is only 6.4. It will come back.... and when it does I will have my camera ready! Although the glosso looks fine, everything else is just falling apart.


----------



## roccov12345

jharrison said:


> No, no algae. Plants are just melting. He also said the melting could be from low ph, but the ph is only 6.4. It will come back.... and when it does I will have my camera ready! Although the glosso looks fine, everything else is just falling apart.


Are you positive that its due to the phosphates? I always thought high phosphates in conjunction with nitrates lead to algae outbreaks because the plants could not consume or store any more? Maybe someone with a larger resource of information could chime in....

Are you dry or dilution dosing?


----------



## jharrison

That is kinda what I thought too. I am drt dosing using the same schedule you are, Rocco. The phosphates were off the chart though. I do know that my plants were growing better before I went on this schedule, so it can't hurt to cut back. I am gona check all my levels tomorrow night and see where I am at


----------



## Murphy18

roccov12345 said:


> No, no algae. Plants are just melting. He also said the melting could be from low ph, but the ph is only 6.4. It will come back.... and when it does I will have my camera ready! Although the glosso looks fine, everything else is just falling apart.


Are you positive that its due to the phosphates? I always thought high phosphates in conjunction with nitrates lead to algae outbreaks because the plants could not consume or store any more? Maybe someone with a larger resource of information could chime in....

Are you dry or dilution dosing?
[/quote]

I had an algae outbreak due to lack of phosphates, i added seachem phosguard, and its now cleared up. But i have diatoms starting to re-appear as i rushed the blackout process


----------



## jharrison

Laid off the Fertz for a few days. Water has cleared up and plants seem to be doing better....


----------



## upgradepc

i like the setups


----------



## jharrison

Thanks man!


----------



## roccov12345

J did you by chance take any pics of the problem you were having? I'd like to see if our issues are related........


----------



## jharrison

No, sorry. I was too embarrassed at how sh*tty it looked. Basically just looked like they were melting, brownish transparent leaves, turning into mush and breaking and falling apart.


----------



## roccov12345

jharrison said:


> No, sorry. I was too embarrassed at how sh*tty it looked. Basically just looked like they were melting, brownish transparent leaves, turning into mush and breaking and falling apart.


I hear ya... How long have you been off the dosing regiment? Did you start back up again?


----------



## jharrison

I have just been doing a full dose of csm-b followed by a dose of nitrates and some iron the next day. My phospahates were crazy high, and I have some in my tap already, so I decided to drop em.


----------



## roccov12345

jharrison said:


> I have just been doing a full dose of csm-b followed by a dose of nitrates and some iron the next day. My phospahates were crazy high, and I have some in my tap already, so I decided to drop em.


Where's the update pics?


----------



## jharrison

It is starting to look better. I may have time to snap some picture tomorrow... I will try!


----------



## roccov12345

jharrison said:


> It is starting to look better. I may have time to snap some picture tomorrow... I will try!


uhhhhh, tomorrow was like over a week ago!


----------



## jharrison

Sh*t man! here ya go! The swords, anubias, and vals are doing well. The HC died/got eaten. What is left of the glosso seems to be doing ok, although most of it got uprooted.

Full tank














Middle


----------



## jharrison

Heading to a fish Auction this weekend to sell off some baby frontosas. Hopefully i may come back with a few new fish and plants...


----------



## roccov12345

jharrison said:


> Heading to a fish Auction this weekend to sell off some baby frontosas. Hopefully i may come back with a few new fish and plants...


J do you have any piranhas?


----------



## jharrison

roccov12345 said:


> Heading to a fish Auction this weekend to sell off some baby frontosas. Hopefully i may come back with a few new fish and plants...


J do you have any piranhas?
[/quote]

Nope, this planted tank is supposed to be a RBP tank eventually. Got caught up with finishing college this semester and I got married this past weekend, so it got pushed back a bit. Soon though.....


----------



## roccov12345

jharrison said:


> Heading to a fish Auction this weekend to sell off some baby frontosas. Hopefully i may come back with a few new fish and plants...


J do you have any piranhas?
[/quote]

Nope, this planted tank is supposed to be a RBP tank eventually. Got caught up with finishing college this semester and I got married this past weekend, so it got pushed back a bit. Soon though.....
[/quote]

Nice, congratulations on the wedding!!

RBP !! RBP !! RBP!! *chants*


----------



## jharrison

I leave for Jamaica in a week for our honeymoon. Then after that I am gonna get about a dozen wild caught rbp.


----------



## roccov12345

jharrison said:


> I leave for Jamaica in a week for our honeymoon. Then after that I am gonna get about a dozen wild caught rbp.


Intense!!!


----------



## jharrison

Gonna get scuba certified while I am there! Can't wait!


----------



## His Majesty

congrats man on your wedding

definelty get scuba certified. i got it about 3 years ago.
so much fun and great to see all those big fish and corals in aquariums out in the open ocean in their natural enviorment. magical experience

anywho back on topic
hope you get your tank back on track.
the tanks gonna looks good when all the planst have grown.
the rbp should also make it sweet looking when its all done.

keep us updated.


----------



## jharrison

Yup, tank is back on track, I will try and get an update before I leave for Jamaica.


----------



## jharrison

Back from Jamaica.... All but one of my frontosas died while I was gone


----------



## JustJoshinYa

ouch thats no good no one sitting the tank for you??


----------



## His Majesty

oh man that sucks. sorry for your misfortune.


----------



## jharrison

I cleaned the filter a few days before I left. Guessing I had an ammonia spike. There was no obvious signs of fungus or parasites. My father-in-law was feeding them, but he wouldn't have know to do a water change. Now I have one front left. Guess I will find him a new home. I am thinking that tank would be perfect for a nice rhom....


----------



## roccov12345

Where's the updates homey?


----------

