Don Boyer's Square 200 Gallon-Part Deaux - Journals

DonaldmBoyer · 12-17-2011, 02:50 PM

A new journal entry for me. For the first time since 2009 or something like that. My bad back and hectic travel schedule have kept me out of the hobby for a while. I have to admit that when I had to take my "MLOA" from my tank, the newest plant to hit the scene was Crypt 'Green Gecko' and Giesemann bulbs were all the rage amongst The Kids. I get back and all of the sudden I see Buccaphelandra species being sold for $60-100 a pop and LED's are the "in" thing. I must have missed some things.....

Anyhow, the back is back, I've learned to handle my new job and travel schedule, and the wife is willing to do an occasional water change on my behalf. I've been able to successfully brainwash her into believing that it is worth her time to help me with this, somehow. With the new job came a new relocation; we've moved from St. Louis to Nashville, and all of this added up gave me reason to re-start the thing that I call a "tank." The glass is still great, but I will need the pendant and stand to be re-finished....you can tell they've been through the ringer.

The inagural pics now.....more to follow over the next day or two.

Right Side:

Left Side:

Front Shot:

Right Oblique (only one set of lights are on in this picture):

I decided to try a light substrate this time; I've never used light substrate with a white sand cap before, and was initially encouraged by the clean look. Water is still tannin-stained, as you can tell. At the time, I think that I had planted MM and had some java moss in there. The tank was cycled using Orange Flame Tetras, which are pretty cool. Lighting: 6 Giesemann Mid-day and 6 AquaFlora, somewhat staggered for "dawn" and "dusk" effects.

More to come a little later.....

DonaldmBoyer · 12-18-2011, 02:40 PM

This small set of pics is after I received a wonderful anubias package and placed them in there, along with some Rotala Macranda and Vietnam. I also received some Fissidens and Staurogyne species.

Right Side

Front:

Tried a close up of an Orange Flame Tetra....

....maybe Santa will get me a macro lens??

bigstick120 · 12-18-2011, 04:28 PM

You are off to a good start! Cool looking tank, Ive never seen a 200 gal sq tank. Do you have a photo that you can see the entire tank, like within the room?

DonaldmBoyer · 12-18-2011, 05:16 PM

Hi Jeff!

I do have some, but the exterior of the tank is so warped and damaged from water over the years that I have cropped it out. I'll take a picture of it in a room so you can get an idea; I am already talking to my next door neighbor, who is wood-worker in his off time, to re-do the exterior.

In the meantime, here's some mini pelia....which is no longer in the tank now.

The idea for a square tank was inspired by some of the coral/reef tanks I used to see. I thought that it would be pretty cool to see a planted tank viewable by three sides instead of one, and keep it relatively shallow to have a top viewing angle as well (if can get the lights hung for such a thing). This would allow for easy maintenance as well as all sides are equally reachable.

Bert H · 12-19-2011, 08:55 AM

Nice start, Don. As I remember, this was quite a tank in the past.

DonaldmBoyer · 12-19-2011, 04:53 PM

Thanks Bert! It used to look great, but right before I finished the scape, my UG melted and then my back went out. It's downfall was exponential.

After the pictures above, I went through an absolutely horrendous algae cycle. First, I went through the brown algae stage, followed by green water. I few blackout days did clear it up, but it lead to clado formation. Luckily, by then I had a lot of plants mass, ottos, snails, and dosed it with a Ich medicine which (oddly enough) seem to take care of a lot of my remaining algae issues. I do have hair algae which I am dosing with peroxide via syringe; I am slowly winning. Of course, now I am going out of town for a week, so I worry what the tank will look like when I get back. So much work to get it to this point.

So, the tank is probably "mature" at this point. You see in photos below that there are a lot of plant species in there, including some rare anubias and crypts which I am espeically proud of. And probably $300 worth of Hydrocotyle 'Japan' that IS GOING NUTS!! I thinking about just letting it spread and be the carpet plant. I mean, I am not strong enough to combat it, so if I can keep it away from some of my crypts, it can go any where it wants to. The point: I just have to let a few things either grow and split into more groups, or fill in. It is still very much a work in progress.

On that note, too, my next door neighbor is going to help redo the pedestal and the pendant. Originally, my buddy who made both the pedestal and pendant used pressboard where he could. After a few years of Don Abuse and water changes that didn't go so well, the outside pressboard has bubbled, torn, been gouged, and just looks beat up. The guts that support this monster are still in excellent condition....just the outside aethetics.

Anyhow, here are the next set of pics (taken on 12/15/11)

Front:

Right Oblique:

Right Side "close up" or something....:

Right Front Looking Down:

Left Side looking towards the front Side:

Left Side "close up":

I'll get back with some species and fish shots after dinner in an hour or so.

DonaldmBoyer · 12-19-2011, 05:57 PM

More Pics! First two and the last photo are in "high def"; make sure you click to enlarge, if you want to!

Orange Flame Tetra School:

Another shot:

Hydrocotyle 'Japan' Field:

A shot of it from above. This was from a few pieces I received....it grows quickly!!

Rotala Vietnam. This stuff grows very quickly as well! You can see a Blue Kerri Tetra, but they are impossible to get a good photo of:

DonaldmBoyer · 01-10-2012, 04:22 PM

Here is the tank status as of today, 1/10/12. Have started a heavier and more frequent fertilization schedule, and it is starting to pay off. Some algae (GDA) issues, but should disappear as the plant mass grows and out-competes the algae for nutrients. Should be long now, and I should be able to get some excellent growth on my plants where I can top, re-plant, and finally scape the tank I want to. Any thoughts or questions?

Tex Gal · 01-10-2012, 05:56 PM

Looking good. Have you thought of trimming those stems so they will branch out and thicken up? Love the R. ha ra

DonaldmBoyer · 01-10-2012, 06:08 PM

Thanks TexGal!

Yeah....they'll get trimmed as soon as my hygros take off.....I need all the plant mass I can get right now, and anything that gets trimmed may get over-run right now. In a couple weeks, I should be able to trim excessively. Right now, all I can do is "top" a group and replant....

It's "coming along," though at a much slower pace than I had anticipated. Patience is a virtue, so I am told!