# 55g Build Log



## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

since i know you all like pictures.




















ill explain a couple things in the picture i guess.

the filter on the front of the tank:

i filled the aquarium with water and then realized i didnt leave it far enough from the wall to put the filer behind on that side so im waiting till i do a partial water change or something and putting it the back. but im also debating on just leaving it off. 

i think with the penguin 350 plus all the plants ill have i wont need 2 filters

i placed a largish order from sweet aquatics today.

2 ea. Echinodorus Bleheri (Amazon Sword) MED 
1 ea. Echinodorus Angustifolia 'Vesuvius' Pot 
1 ea. Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium Laevigatum) 
1 ea. Ceratopteris Thalictroides ( Water Sprite ) 
1 ea. Echinodorus Cordifolius (Radican) SM 
2 ea. Echinodorus Osiris 'Melon' MED 
2 ea. Vallisneria Asiatica Var. Biwaensis (Corkscrew Val) 
1 ea. Java Fern (Microsorium Pteropus) 
1 ea. Java Moss (Vesicularia Dubyana) 
2 ea. Echinodorus Tenellus (Narrow Leaf Chain Sword) 
1 ea. Anubias Barteri Var. Nana Narrowleaf Pot 
1 ea. Vallisneria Americana var. Biwanesis (contortion val) 
2 ea. Vallisneria Gigantea Marmor ( Red Jungle Val) 
1 ea. Vallisneria Spiralis 'Leopard' (Italian Leopard Val)


Stocking im thinking

Rainbow fish, Rosaline Sharks, Cories, a schooling fish, maybe a group of angels (but im hesitant bc i murdered 3 in another tank though ignorance ) some otos, and another cool catish

i ordered a pretty cool piece of drift wood from ebay and im going rock hunting saturday. (black background is also coming soon, that is just what i had)


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## bigehugedome (Aug 2, 2010)

Looks good, can't wait to see it planted. I'm horrible at aquascaping so I love looking at others for inspiration.


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

watch out for the water sprite they get messy lol thanks for giving me my pic fix today =)


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

kitten_penang said:


> watch out for the water sprite they get messy lol thanks for giving me my pic fix today =)


Messy?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

i and a few others find they don't really do well in certain tanks mostly low tech natural type ... the wither and melt and the dead leaves get all over the tank.making constant netting a must


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

i got this wood today, i like the pieces but i have never done this type of thing and with it full of water its a pain and with fish i think i did this backwards 



















i do have a question about these cheap plants i bought. 

they dont have "roots" just looks like someone cut them off and they have little well roots i guess but do i just stick those down into the sand like i did? lol


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## BarbH (May 23, 2011)

Looking good. What are the names of the plants that you got? If they are stem plants than you can stick them on in the substrate like you did. Also was thinking have you tried angling the wood in the center a little bit?


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

BarbH said:


> Looking good. What are the names of the plants that you got? If they are stem plants than you can stick them on in the substrate like you did. Also was thinking have you tried angling the wood in the center a little bit?


 
i have a ton of plants from sweetaquatics coming so i just put the wood in there bc i could and left the plants where they are, i am not planning on it staying that way. 

the one in the corner is kinda cool, its shaped like a V almost so its kinda like a little cave


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

kitten_penang said:


> i and a few others find they don't really do well in certain tanks mostly low tech natural type ... the wither and melt and the dead leaves get all over the tank.making constant netting a must


i was planning on it just floating to help with nitrates/nitrites w/e


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

The floating Water Sprite species in the profile will be best left floating, it does not grow as well if planted in the substrate. The other sometimes-seen species mentioned in the profile will be better planted. As a floating plant, Water Sprite is ideal. It prefers soft water, but once acclimated to medium hard is OK. Doesn't like to be moved to different conditions much, it may take a bit longer to "settle" in another tank.


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

did a little rearranging also went rock hunting and got a couple (hundred pounds) that i liked. 

im acutally a little scared that all the plants i bought from sweet aquatics wont fit in here now haha


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

next thing im doing is getting rid of the back ground haha, i hattteee it, but its the only one i had.


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

looking good :-D


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Plain black construction paper that you can get at hobby/art supply type stores works fine. Inexpensive and very effective at making the rear wall disappear (more depth) plus plants and fish stand out.

One suggestion if I may, with the wood log in the front right corner, I would just turn it so it is coming out from the back corner rather than the front corner. It will also add a perception of more depth (front to back). Leave the rock and that end of the wood, just swing it to the back corner. I think you'll find it makes a vast difference.

Byron.


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

i did what you suggested, it was only 1 or 2 inches. but did make a difference.

i am concerened that the swords and larger plants i bought that i want to go in the back how much room do they need?

the piece of drift wood we are talking about is rather wide, and takes up probably 3/4 or more of the width on that side!

Thanks!

Pat


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

> i am concerened that the swords and larger plants i bought that i want to go in the back how much room do they need?


Depends upon the species.


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

2 ea. Echinodorus Bleheri (Amazon Sword) MED 
1 ea. Echinodorus Angustifolia 'Vesuvius' Pot 
1 ea. Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) 
1 ea. Ceratopteris Thalictroides ( Water Sprite ) 
1 ea. Echinodorus cordifolius (Radican) SM 
2 ea. Echinodorus osiris 'Melon' MED 
2 ea. Vallisneria Asiatica Var. Biwaensis (Corkscrew Val) 
1 ea. Java Fern (Microsorium Pteropus) 
1 ea. Java Moss (Vesicularia Dubyana) 
2 ea. Echinodorus Tenellus (Narrow Leaf Chain Sword) 
1 ea. Anubias barteri Var. Nana Narrowleaf Pot 
1 ea. Vallisneria Americana var. Biwanesis (contortion val) 
2 ea. Vallisneria Gigantea Marmor ( Red Jungle Val) 
1 ea. Vallisneria Spiralis 'Leopard' (Italian Leopard Val)
Read more: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-aquarium/55g-build-log-77814/#ixzz1VGKM1ICx
​


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

That will work in a 55g. Better to have more than few at the beginniing; as they settle and grow you can always remove some.

The pygmy chain sword will eventually require regular thinning; once settled (which can take a couple months sometimes) it will rapidly send out runners. I have this plant in all my tanks, and all from one plant I bought 3 years ago; it is superb as a small plant, grows rapidly, looks nice. I toss out clumps regularly.

The larger Vallisneria (last two) may do the same, and as they get very large, will need to be controlled. But I always think it is nicer to have to pull plants out rather than having them struggle and fail.


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

thanks byron, quick question. 

when i get all these plants in the tank, im thinking it would be ok to remove one of the marineland penguin 350s (i have two on it) 

would that be correct?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

patadams66 said:


> thanks byron, quick question.
> 
> when i get all these plants in the tank, im thinking it would be ok to remove one of the marineland penguin 350s (i have two on it)
> 
> would that be correct?


Yes, you want minimal filtration and flow.


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## Strand (Jul 20, 2011)

Tank look good so far. 



You want a Venezuelan Pike Cichlid? There's a guy in Columbus giving one away. 12"


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

all full on the pike cichlids.

although i think my next tank will be a cichlid tank.

i also saw a guy selling a big moray eel for 50$ yesterday on CL haha


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

my plants finally shipped from sweet aquatics today! (after 11 days) so hopefully they get here by wednesday.

in case they do not.

im going out of town immediately after work on thursday and will not return until monday, 

what instructions should i leave my roommate if the plants get here while i am gone?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

patadams66 said:


> my plants finally shipped from sweet aquatics today! (after 11 days) so hopefully they get here by wednesday.
> 
> in case they do not.
> 
> ...


Open the packages and lay (float on the surface) the plants in the tank.


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

ok my plants came today!

i realized i have no clue what im doing haha

some of the swords had roots over a foot long! so i stuck them in the sand and hopefully everything works out.

i did get two "potted" plants? do i bury the pots? take them out of the pots? i dont know haha 

i seem to remember someone saying something about "dont bury the rhizome" but A) i dont know what a rhizome is. and B) i dont remember what plant type that was for 

im not really happy with where i felt i "had" to place the plants either. 

i left the two large pieces of driftwood where they were and planted around them. with the swords and the larger vals in the back and then it seems like i have 20 smaller plants all bunched up in the middle.

smaller vals the bunch plants and things like that all kinda got stuck in the middle. :/ when i get back from vacation i will post some pictures and i might have to re-arrange.


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

also i noticed on a couple of the swords:

coming up with the leaves there were some stems with what looks like roots growing out of them towards the ends.

i THINK i can trim these and plant them and they will grow into new plants?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Take plants out of the pots, remove as much of the "wool" stuff as you can, and plant the roots in the substrate (or attach to wood, rock if it is one of those types). The latter, plants like Anubias and Java Fern, gtrow attached to objects and the rhizome should not be buried or it may rot. The rhizome is the thick "root" from which the leaves and smaller hair roots grow. Swords and crypts also develop a rhizome in time, but that can be planted in the substrate. It is only the Anubias and JF that should not.

Sword plants will "divide" by the rhizome/root, and sometimes nurseries put 2 or 3 small plants in one pot. If they spearate easily, OK. A photo of the plant root you are talking about would help.


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

Byron said:


> Take plants out of the pots, remove as much of the "wool" stuff as you can, and plant the roots in the substrate (or attach to wood, rock if it is one of those types). The latter, plants like Anubias and Java Fern, gtrow attached to objects and the rhizome should not be buried or it may rot. The rhizome is the thick "root" from which the leaves and smaller hair roots grow. Swords and crypts also develop a rhizome in time, but that can be planted in the substrate. It is only the Anubias and JF that should not.
> 
> Sword plants will "divide" by the rhizome/root, and sometimes nurseries put 2 or 3 small plants in one pot. If they spearate easily, OK. A photo of the plant root you are talking about would help.


 
sadly this will have to wait till i return from vacation on monday or tuesday.

i kind of half burried the potted plants. will that be ok until monday night? (i burried the pots a little so they woudlnt bounce around or turn over)

what is the purpose of potting the plants? just curious.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

patadams66 said:


> sadly this will have to wait till i return from vacation on monday or tuesday.
> 
> i kind of half burried the potted plants. will that be ok until monday night? (i burried the pots a little so they woudlnt bounce around or turn over)
> 
> what is the purpose of potting the plants? just curious.


They will be fine in the tank until next week.

Some plants are potted so they grow stronger faster and will usually fetch a higher price.


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

fetch a higher price for sure!


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

here are some pics i took after planting the plants on wednesday and then going away till tonight.

i was very amazed at some of the growth i saw in just 5 days!

i was short on floating plants so i let some bunch plants i bought float, plus the frog bit plus some water sprite.

an interesting thing about the water sprite...it was floating and there were 3 vertical shoots going out of the water up to my lights...should i leave them be?

also some vals and a mini chain sword i planted came uprooted while i was gone but i stuck them back in...hopefully they didnt die.

here are some pics. feel free to offer any advice on changes or something i could do better as i have never planted an aquarium before. (i have some tannins in the water which is why it looks a bit brown, plus my crappy iphone camera haha)











byron, the one below this is the sword that has what looks like a new root system growing way above the substrate i talked about earlier.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

> an interesting thing about the Water Sprite...it was floating and there were 3 vertical shoots going out of the water up to my lights...should i leave them be?


Yes, that is normal. But if the fronds grow under the light and touch the glass, they will usually "burn" onto the glass, so I would remove them, just pinch the stem off at the base.


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

byron i also took a picture of what looks like "new" roots growing up high on my sword plant if you wanna comment on that for me


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

patadams66 said:


> byron i also took a picture of what looks like "new" roots growing up high on my sword plant if you wanna comment on that for me


Missed that earlier, sorry. That looks like an inflorescence or flower spike; this is a sturdy "stem" growing from the crown like the leaves but it will usually reach the surface and may grow above it out of the water. Flowers are rare when the plants are grown permanently submersed [read more in the profile of any of the Echinodorus species, example Echinodorus bleherae] but adventitious plants will develop. You can leave these or remove them when they are larger. If you remove them, wait until there are several leaves and some more white roots, then plant them as a little plant.


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

so i guess that i didnt soak my drift wood long enough and its turning my water brown. 

if i recall other than looking bad there isnt really anything wrong with it.

i have been doing my weekly water changes a bit heavier than normal to try and get these tannins out but it really doesnt seem to be helping much.

i dont want to do more frequent water changes because the prime takes out the liquid ferts right?

any other suggestions? or just have to ride it out?


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## Strand (Jul 20, 2011)

Ride it out.


Or pull it and run it through the dishwasher 5+ times. 


I did that on some larger pieces I couldn't boil and had 0 problems with brown water. 


I forgot on the damn mopani wood and already tied a bunch of java fern to it. So I'm in your boat on one tank.


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## patadams66 (Apr 16, 2011)

i dont want to pull it. 

its getting pretty brown. 

also what kind of schedule do you guys use for dosing liquid fert twice a week? i think i remember prime being active for up to 48 hrs? so example:

change on monday
Fert on wed and friday?


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## Strand (Jul 20, 2011)

I didn't know Prime messed with the fertilizer. I was putting it in _with _the new water! Doh!


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

A water conditioner that detoxifies heavy metals (most, but not all, do) will obviously detoxify the mineral nutrients in a fertilizer that are heavy metals. Iron, zinc, nickel, manganese are heavy metals and important plant nutrients. If your water conditioner detoxifies metals, it would be best to dose the plant fertilizer the day following a water change. I had the folks at Seachem tell me this with respect to Prime and Flourish. Now, I can't say it would make a great difference, but if there is a chance that the conditioner will negate the nutrients, I'd prefer to wait a day rather than risk wasting the fertilizer.

On the wood tannins, yes, there is no health risk to fish. Unsightliness is the only drawback. Some fish (those from blackwater habitats) will find tannic water ideal, and might even spawn. But none will be harmed. Part of the haze in your photos may be normal in new tanks, and likely bacterial in origin. I have new setups that sometimes take weeks to fully clear from this, others do so in a couple days. Not a problem, unless the fish show signs of trouble.

Byron.


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