My parents have volunteered in and run their church library for 25+ years. Two years ago, they asked me to build them an aquarium as a part of the library remodel/relocation. Never before had my parents voluntarily participated in any of my aquarium endeavors. For all of my childhood, in fact, the sound of running water made them wince! 
This 20 gallon tank is a collaboration between my mom and the church, who funded the project, myself, who advised and set up the aquarium for its first few months, and my dad, who keeps up with the weekly maintenance.
Major props to Dad, who for the 1 & 1/2 years this tank has been on display has taken meticulous care of it. After we moved the aquarium from Houston, where I lived at the time, to its home in Fort Worth, he would email me pictures and ask questions. He followed instructions to the letter. This qualifies as his first aquarium, and I think he's done a remarkable job taking care of it.
SPECS:
Capacity: 20 gallon
Stand/Canopy: Custom Oak Cabinet designed by Dad and made by a local carpenter to match the bookshelves.
Lighting: 2 x 65 PCs (6700K); the lights are both on for about 6 hrs in the middle of the day with only one at a time on in the morning and at night (about a 10 hr. photo-period total). Coralife fixtures
CO2: Pressurized through inline reactor. About 1 bps.
Substrate: Aquasoil Amazonia for background; Caribsea something or other for foreground.
Special Materials: ADA Old Black Wood
Fish: Rummynose, Cardinal Tetras, Harlequin Rasboras, Kribensis, Ottos, AE Shrimp, and one lowly male guppy that was a holdover from another tank (mostly left in as a joke). And yes, it's a lot of fish. Keep in mind that the tank is in the children's section of a library and they like variety.
Plants: Java moss, Ludwigia repens, hygro., crypt sp., bacopa, and I don't know what else.
Filtration: Eheim 2217; ceramics, Purigen
Ferts: My dad fertilizes pretty lightly. Mostly Seachem products (K, Comprehensive, Fe, and Excel).
Comments: This tank was meant to be a community tank for children, not an aquascaping contest entry. Dad's done a good job taking care of it, but the hardscape, rock choice, plant placement, fish selection (all my choices), etc. etc. are not contest worthy. Lastly, the tank will be taken down this Christmas. It will be redone and replaced, hopefully, by the end of January.
The pictures show a full frontal view, and two views in the setting. They were taken at different times, so the scape looks different.
Hope y'all like it!
This 20 gallon tank is a collaboration between my mom and the church, who funded the project, myself, who advised and set up the aquarium for its first few months, and my dad, who keeps up with the weekly maintenance.
Major props to Dad, who for the 1 & 1/2 years this tank has been on display has taken meticulous care of it. After we moved the aquarium from Houston, where I lived at the time, to its home in Fort Worth, he would email me pictures and ask questions. He followed instructions to the letter. This qualifies as his first aquarium, and I think he's done a remarkable job taking care of it.
SPECS:
Capacity: 20 gallon
Stand/Canopy: Custom Oak Cabinet designed by Dad and made by a local carpenter to match the bookshelves.
Lighting: 2 x 65 PCs (6700K); the lights are both on for about 6 hrs in the middle of the day with only one at a time on in the morning and at night (about a 10 hr. photo-period total). Coralife fixtures
CO2: Pressurized through inline reactor. About 1 bps.
Substrate: Aquasoil Amazonia for background; Caribsea something or other for foreground.
Special Materials: ADA Old Black Wood
Fish: Rummynose, Cardinal Tetras, Harlequin Rasboras, Kribensis, Ottos, AE Shrimp, and one lowly male guppy that was a holdover from another tank (mostly left in as a joke). And yes, it's a lot of fish. Keep in mind that the tank is in the children's section of a library and they like variety.
Plants: Java moss, Ludwigia repens, hygro., crypt sp., bacopa, and I don't know what else.
Filtration: Eheim 2217; ceramics, Purigen
Ferts: My dad fertilizes pretty lightly. Mostly Seachem products (K, Comprehensive, Fe, and Excel).
Comments: This tank was meant to be a community tank for children, not an aquascaping contest entry. Dad's done a good job taking care of it, but the hardscape, rock choice, plant placement, fish selection (all my choices), etc. etc. are not contest worthy. Lastly, the tank will be taken down this Christmas. It will be redone and replaced, hopefully, by the end of January.
The pictures show a full frontal view, and two views in the setting. They were taken at different times, so the scape looks different.
Hope y'all like it!
