My 75Gal tank - Comments welcome!

Post by **krisw** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:13 pm

Hello,

I've had this tank up and running for about a year and a half now. About 3 weeks ago, I uprooted/rearranged everything, added more plants/rocks/driftwood, and added a Dupla C02 system. It needs to grow in a little bit, (especially in front of the heater), but I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out. I love to hear everyone elses' comments, good or bad!

<strong>Tank Specs:</strong>
Ph: 6.8~7.0
Kh: 5
Light: 150Watts (Wouldn't mind replacing the one standard 40watt strip with a 2x55 sometime in the future)
Substrate: Gravel with Laterite base.
Dosing: Seachem Flourish Iron/Comprehensive as needed.

<img src="uploads/krisw/2CB_75gal-01-29-2004.jpg" border="0">

<img src="uploads/krisw/25B_2-siamese-4-congos.jpg" border="0">

Ghazanfar Ghori · Post by **Ghazanfar Ghori** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:23 pm

Pretty good! It's not easy to aquascape with swords,
but you seemed to have pulled it off quite well!
The only thing I'd change are the small rocks. I think
the contrast between the rocks and substrate is too
much. I'd use darker rocks.

Love the congos!

Post by **krisw** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:37 pm

Good comments! I'll have to keep an eye out for some more rocks. As far as aquascaping with swords, I didn't really have much of a choice. Previously, I had some larger fish in this tank, and the swords were the only thing I could keep in there that wouldn't be <em>entirely</em> chewed up. It was either throw out all these swords, or work with them. I was actually surprised that I managed to use them all.

JLudwig · Post by **JLudwig** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:42 pm

Very nice setup... those swords will quickly become a forrest with
the added CO2!

I'll second Ghazanfar's rock opinion, bright colored rocks tend to
overpower a little IME. Maybe to break up the rosette texture and
green color a little some pinnate stems 1/3 from left of tank in back
would look good, Ludwigia arcuata/brevipes, Limnophila aromatica,
Eustralis stellata, Rotala wallichii or something similar?

Jeff

Post by **krisw** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 3:01 pm

Thanks Jeff! I like your idea of adding some more pinnate stems. Infact, exactly where you mention, there is a combination of Heteranthera zosteraefolia and Hygrophila polysperma. Unfortunately, they're not really visible in the picture. (These are the plants I'm waiting to grow up over the heater). I really do like your idea of adding Eustralis stellata in there... I've never grown this particular plant, but I like the pictures I've seen online...

SCMurphy · Post by **SCMurphy** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 3:24 pm

I'm jealous, I want a school of pretty congo tetras to look at too! <img border="0" src="smileys/smiley4.gif" border="0">

I like your tank a lot, it looks cared for. It's really too bad your substrate is black though, if it were lighter in color then those little stones wouldn't be so jarring to Ghazanfar. He's quite sensitive you know. <img border="0" src="smileys/smiley2.gif" border="0">

Post by **krisw** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 4:06 pm

Lol! <img border="0" src="smileys/smiley4.gif" border="0"> And to think that I just replaced all of my white substrate in another tank with Onyx Sand. Otherwise, I'd move my rock over there.

You know, the Congo's almost didn't make it in there. For a little while I had the purest idea that everything in this tank would be South American based. (Hence the quantity of sword plants as well). Then, I saw these Congos at House Of Tropicals for $5.00 a piece (almost half price for some reason), and I couldn't resist! Of course, the SAEs were added shortly thereafter!

Ghazanfar Ghori · Post by **Ghazanfar Ghori** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 4:21 pm

$5 a peice! Nice deal! No wonder you weren't able
to resist.

Marsha Finley · Post by **Marsha Finley** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 1:14 am

The Congos are the best! Grace, flash & fins...

And how about some microsword for a patch of foregreound plant? Grows really quickly once established.. or maybe very small patches at the edges of the foreground swords?

Love the swords! Bouquets of swords!

Post by **krisw** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 7:56 am

Marsha, I do really want to put some microsword in there. If you look in the bottom front, slightly right of center, there's some in the picture. Unfortunately, since this picture was taken (about 2 weeks), that microsword has been looking pretty weak. I actually pulled it out to put it in another tank with a sand substrate and higher light ratio.

I'm not sure if it was shaded too much, or if the gravel was too course for it to root itself. Do you have any recommedations to get this plant going for me? I've tried it before, and while it never completely dies, it doesn't ever seen to take off either. I imagine I'll need more light, huh?

My 75Gal tank - Comments welcome!

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