Hello from the SF Bay, California

527 Views 4 Replies 4 Participants Last post by latte hiatus, Oct 29, 2008

latte hiatus

Discussion Starter · Oct 28, 2008

Greetings, APC, from suburban Pleasanton.

My cousin went abroad over the summer, and asked me to take care of his 10g tank. I had dabbled in planted freshwater tanks almost ten years ago before moving towards reefkeeping and subsequently taking a hiatus from aquaria for a few years. The cousin's 10g tank was in poor shape, housing some guppies, ghost shrimp, and an algae-ridden Crypt. After cleaning and maintaining his tank for a few months, I nostalgicly dug out the old 70g tank and began planning my own aquascaping.

The intent is to strike a balance between low-tech and highly-planted. I dug up some old books and re-read Diane Walstad. The 70g tank measures 36 x 18 x 24", and the substrate is a mixture of Flourite Black and Onyx Sand that measures 2" in the front and 4.5" towards the back. Running an Eheim Ecco 2236 and Nova Extreme 2x39W with Giesemann Midday bulbs. The tank has finished cycling. I'm still not too certain what kind of plants/fish to go with, so I've been looking around for inspiration in books and on APC.

It's great to find such a supportive community - I've already spent too many hours lurking, and I hope to contribute what I am able to give back.

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supersmirky

· #2 · Oct 28, 2008

Welcome back to aquaria!! LOL..

Glad you got back in it, it's so relaxing to sit back and watch your masterpiece.

Are you planning on keeping fish in the tank? Also, be sure to recheck the seams on your tank given it has been sitting empty for so long

Look forward to seeing how you progress with your project.

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JanS

· #3 · Oct 28, 2008

Welcome to APC! It's funny how taking care of a little 10 gallon tank for a while can bring that urge back to dig into it full force again, isn't it?

I'm glad you introduced yourself after a bit of lurking.

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trenac

· #4 · Oct 28, 2008

Glad you joined us here at APC... Welcome aboard :bounce:

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latte hiatus

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 29, 2008

Thanks for the warm welcome and the advice!

Supersmirky: In terms of fish, I'll probably go with a combination of SAEs, hillstream loaches, and various shrimps/snails to take care of algae, and a school of tetras. Appreciate the advice to check the silicone seams!

JanS: You've got it right on the nose. While I was taking care of the 10g tank, I couldn't stop thinking how it had so much more potential, and upon each trip to the LFS to purchase something for the fishies, I found myself missing a tank of my own. Resisting the urge to dive back into reefkeeping was pretty hard, too.

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