2008 Planted Tank Project

[Fishnut]

I bought a 72 gallon bowfront tank on boxing day and I am gradually getting it put together.  I'm going back to get another light fixture though.  One isn't enough!

I added the gravel and one bag of flourite initially, then filled it up.  I was having a heck of a hard time rinsing the flourite in the second bag, so I left it alone until I figured it out.  According to the bag, it's pre-rinsed, but the water in my rinsing bucket was nothing but mud after the 6th rinse!  After consulting with some people here and reading a few websites, I just dumped the rest of the bag in the already filled tank.  3 days later and 3 filter fluff changes later, the tank is clear.

Today I did a water change on my existing planted tank and decided to vaccume the gravel and add whatever poopy water etc to the new tank.  The I figured a few plants and some fish wouldn't hurt to get things going biologically.  I decided that out of all the fish I have, I was less attached to the lamp eye rasboras, so they were elected to be the first introduced to the new tank, along with some of the valesneria and the A. boivinianus.  Unfortunately when I plant the plants, a tiny cloud of flourite puffs up from the bottom.  At least it's only a small one and not causing a lot of cloudiness.


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[kennyman]

Those red fines are part of what you are paying a premium for. Laterite is an iron rich clay and I think most of what you are washing out 

[dan2x38]

Hey Fishnut nice piece of driftwood where did you get it? Very nice centre piece! Moss tied to that would be awesome...

[Fishnut]

Dan, I have been storing that piece of driftwood around for 5 years waiting for a tank to put it in!  I got it when I worked for SP in Burlington while I was in college.  I had it in my planted 35 gallon and it barely fit.  That tank is now housing the baby koi and goldfish, so there wouldn't be much room for them to swim 

I agree on the moss...infact, that was the plan all along!! I've already been scouting some really nice stuff, but it's not a good time of year to get it shipped.  The driftwood had a beautiful clumps of hair algae growing on it before I tore the tank down.  LOL...it was the only time I cared for algae!  Here's a pic of it's last home:




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[dan2x38]

It is a great centre piece for sure!  LOL