I thought I would do a journal about my first planted tank.
I already have an Aquaone 320 as pictured below; I picked this up second hand for $70. It is a 27 litre tank with an 11w light built into the hood, the light is fully functional although I may replace the bulb as I am not sure how old it is. The hood is broken on the hinges so has to be lifted off but that’s no real issue.
The idea
I saw this video on you tube LINKY which inspired me to do this type of tank, I am going to try and go for the island effect with my own twist. The thing that slightly worries me is that at the start of the video it is mentioned that an island tank is one of the hardest planted tanks to do, but I am hoping that he is referring to an island tank that is going to be viewed from 360 degrees, as mine will not.
I will be doing an island idea with a twist but is slightly hard to explain (I have re-written this part 4 times already) but for the moment the substrate will come to a peak in the middle with 2 D Caves at the front and a piece of driftwood coming up the slope from the back. I will be having some sort of carpeting plant around the base and going up the slope( hairy grass, maybe moss) I will be tying moss to most of the driftwood on the backside (java moss), at the base of the driftwood at the back I be tying some type of fern (crested java fern). Once that is all in place it should mean that a large chunk of the driftwood (bare no plants) is higher and pointing over the crest of the substrate pile facing the front of the tank (hoping the occupants will chew the wood here). That’s what I have in my mind.
Substrate
I am going to use dinodung (Auotix $13.95 a bag) covered in black gravel and then white sand round the front and side edges, I will also use some river stones I have. I will use the river stones as substrate holders and at the back I will have air coming up between a small stone wall.
Plants
Fern (Java Crested) tied to driftwood (Autoix $6.95 a pot)
Moss tied to driftwood
Carpeting plant not sure what maybe hairy grass or a moss, I want something going up the mound of substrate in the middle.
Driftwood
Mopani Driftwood, I got 6 nice pieces off ebay a few months back and I will be using one of the medium sized ones, its 30cm long and 19cm wide in an L shape, with light wood on the outside and dark on the underside.
Heat
Aqua Care 50w
Filter
Aqua Care AC500F 500lph
Air Pump
Aquaone 2500 160lph 1 meter air line and 6inch air curtain.
Occupants
To start with 4 very young BN and maybe 10 neon tetras. Once the tank is established to my liking I will add a couple of nice L numbers instead of the BN’s.
So far to start this project other than loads of reading on the net, and thanks to all those that have replied to any of my enquire posts recently.
I have:
Cleaned out the tank
Put the filter in main tank for cycling
Tested the heater is working
Contacted Aquotix for dinodung and plants
Soaking driftwood in hot water to take out tannins
Found and test air pump lying around with air curtain and tube
Unfortunately now I have to wait til the weekend till I can head down to aquotix and start setting up the tank. I will add some equipment pics over the next couple of days and then update after the weekend.
If anyone has any advice I am more than happy to read it, this is my first planted tank.
Cheers
Duncan
Edited by DinPerth, 21 August 2012 - 12:23 PM.
