I've been running this tank in my dining room for a few years now, but
it had always been a kind of catch-all. Last week I decided that enough
was enough! Time to get serious and have this tank be "something".
I have increasingly become a fan of lots of wood in the tanks. Not just a few giant pieces, or a few small pieces, but lots of branches in a twisty tangled kind of way inspired by looking at some of the videos that can be found on youtube, especially the "fishfromvenezuala" channel. For example, this one about the Diamond Tetra (you cans see the look that I like about 1:30 in) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n00Hgzi1Js&playnext=1&list=PLA57F93B4145ADAFD&feature=results_video
Over the summer I had bee collecting interesting branches from around the yard and left them to soak in a large plywood tank that I use as a kind of outdoor pond/tank. I also had a surplus of Giant Vallesneria and decide to use it as the only plant species for the tank.
Last Saturday I emptied the tank and reset it as a "Natural Planted Tank". I am a fan of this low-tech approach and I am having the best success with it compared to any other approach that I have ever used and I've been at this for decades. So, everything out, then in. I kept the water as I emptied it, so everything went right back in, including the fish, and I was done withing a few hours. No new tank syndrome to speak of as the plants and driftwood were thoroughly colonized with bacteria already, and 75% of the water was the old tank water.
Fish in here are 4 Blue Acaras, 3 Pristilla Tetras (which I've had for 2-3 years now), and one Festivum. I would like to add a school of Diamond Tetras as they are often found along with the Blue Acaras, and a school of Corydoras.
One simple HOB filter for particulates and water movement, and a 2 bulb 48" shop light are all that are driving this tank. I may add a bit more lighting, but will wait to see how the plants do over the next couple of months. These Vals are pretty tough.
I'm really liking the look!
I have increasingly become a fan of lots of wood in the tanks. Not just a few giant pieces, or a few small pieces, but lots of branches in a twisty tangled kind of way inspired by looking at some of the videos that can be found on youtube, especially the "fishfromvenezuala" channel. For example, this one about the Diamond Tetra (you cans see the look that I like about 1:30 in) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n00Hgzi1Js&playnext=1&list=PLA57F93B4145ADAFD&feature=results_video
Over the summer I had bee collecting interesting branches from around the yard and left them to soak in a large plywood tank that I use as a kind of outdoor pond/tank. I also had a surplus of Giant Vallesneria and decide to use it as the only plant species for the tank.
Last Saturday I emptied the tank and reset it as a "Natural Planted Tank". I am a fan of this low-tech approach and I am having the best success with it compared to any other approach that I have ever used and I've been at this for decades. So, everything out, then in. I kept the water as I emptied it, so everything went right back in, including the fish, and I was done withing a few hours. No new tank syndrome to speak of as the plants and driftwood were thoroughly colonized with bacteria already, and 75% of the water was the old tank water.
Fish in here are 4 Blue Acaras, 3 Pristilla Tetras (which I've had for 2-3 years now), and one Festivum. I would like to add a school of Diamond Tetras as they are often found along with the Blue Acaras, and a school of Corydoras.
One simple HOB filter for particulates and water movement, and a 2 bulb 48" shop light are all that are driving this tank. I may add a bit more lighting, but will wait to see how the plants do over the next couple of months. These Vals are pretty tough.
I'm really liking the look!
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