::aquariums::
120
gallon Amazonian tank:
fish:
Mostly tetras - cardinals, rummy noses, black phantons,
head and tail lights, hatchets, pencilfish. Also two paired angels
and many corydoras.
plants:
large amazon swords, tenellus swords, stargrass, penywort,
mayaca, babys tears, creeping charlie, cabomba, alternanthera,
frogbit (and still some rotala indica and hygro used as startup
plants).
substrate: flourite (back), white sand with laterite (front).
Extra
portions of clay subsoil from my garden where laid out around swords
roots.
driftwood: several Malaysian driftwwod pieces plus an extra
large
piece from aquariumdriftwood.com.
heater: Azoo 200 Watt 120 V undergravel cable cycled by a
timer.
Ground probe,GFCI and manual switch protect against shock and cable
insulation failure.
lights: 4 X 55 Watt PCs under efficient reflectors and on
two
staggered timers (another 2 X 55 Watt PCs are installed but not
being
used now; when on, a ventilation fan is used for cooling).
filter: Eheim 2028 with standard media and below the surface
return
spout + DIY hang-on-tank prefilter box and DIY surface skimmer.
A Tetra Mini 5 UV unit was used during the first 6 months.
CO2: 5 lb bottle + regulator + needle valve delivers 2 bubbles/sec
directly into filter intake.
water change: 7% daily straight from cold tap, with automatic,
hands
off system.
fertilizer: DIY mix with K2SO4, KNO3, MgSO4, H2PO4, Plantex
CSM trace
mix, baking soda. Jobes sticks occasionaly under the large swords.
fish food: Tetra flakes and pellets once a day, frozen food
occasionaly.
water parameters: temp = 79 - 81, pH = 6.5 - 6.7, kH = 2.5
- 3.0, gH =
6 - 7, NO3 = 5 - 10, PO4 = 0.05 - 0.2. Do not test for K, but input
water
is enriched with 25 ppm K.
46 gallon bow front Asian tank:
fish:
rainbow varieties, rasbora varieties, clown loaches, pearl and blue
dwarf gouramis.
plants: cript varieties, Java fern, dwarf lily, eusteralis
stelata,
rotala indica, hygro, hygro sunset, glossostigma, hairgrass, marsilea,
corkscrew valisneria, floating riccia, salvinia.
substrate: right side (for crypts): 2 in. deep mix of fine
sand,
crushed vermiculite and laterite under coarse gravel. Left side:
shallower, white natural sand with laterite and peat sprinkled underneath.
background: black painted eggcrate panel covered with Java
fern.
heater: 150 Watt submersible, hidden in prefilter box.
lights: 2 X 55 Watt PCs + 1 X 30 Watt T12 with two staggered
timers.
filter: Eheim 2213 with standard media and below the water
spray bar +
DIY hang-on-wall prefilter box.
CO2: 5 lb bottle + regulator (shared with 120 gal tank) +
needle valve
delivers 40 bubbles/min directly into filter intake.
water change: 7% daily straight from cold tap, with automatic,
hands
off system (shared with 120 gal tank).
fertilizer: DIY mix with K2SO4, KNO3, MgSO4, H2PO4, Plantex
CSM trace
mix.
fish food: Tetra flakes and pellets once a day, frozen food
occasionaly.
water parameters: temp = 76 - 78, pH = 6.6 - 6.8, kH = 3.5
- 4.0, gH =
6 - 7, NO3 = 5 - 10, PO4 = 0.05 - 0.2. Do not test for K, but input
water is
enriched with 25 ppm K.
Copyright (C) 2001-2005, Greater Washington Aquatic Plants Association. All rights reserverd.