[Donald C]

Hello, I am Don and I have been lurking around the forum for a while, but do not post much. My 16 year old son and I have put together a 75 gallon High tech tank about 1 month ago. My son did most of the aquascaping, so please do not hold this against me...I just let him go. The substrate is comprised of aquatic potting soil, cow manure, laterite, blood meal, bone meal, lime, epsom salt, and capped with pool filter sand. I run CO2 (about 25ppm), dose with PPS-Pro fertilization method, and use LED lighting. I have mostly tetras in the tank, but I do have a photogenic Angelfish. I made a video and hope you enjoy it.

 

[MudLily]

Personally, I think your son did a great job with the aquascaping!

A lot of the tanks you see online are based around giving each species its own "spot". Maybe it's a remnant of influences from dutch tanks and traditional gardens/landscaping, but ADA broke away from that with their wabi-kusa and there's a lot of really great plant combinations that complement each other and create something nether part accomplishes on its own, and which can't be substituted.

Encourage him to experiment more with his style! Maybe consider using something like driftwood with moss mixed between smaller anubias and bucephalandra to help soften the contrast in the transition space between the "mixed" look and the "lawn" look.

Or even intersperse some of the existing plants into the lawn, but thin out the density of planting and keep them trimmed to keep a "transtion".

 

[mistergreen]

The tank looks great. My only concern is the excess of nutrients in the soil with the manure, and blood, bone meal. Hopefully it’s mature and past the ‘raw’ volatile stage.

 

[Donald C]

Personally, I think your son did a great job with the aquascaping!

A lot of the tanks you see online are based around giving each species its own "spot". Maybe it's a remnant of influences from dutch tanks and traditional gardens/landscaping, but ADA broke away from that with their wabi-kusa and there's a lot of really great plant combinations that complement each other and create something nether part accomplishes on its own, and which can't be substituted.

Encourage him to experiment more with his style! Maybe consider using something like driftwood with moss mixed between smaller anubias and bucephalandra to help soften the contrast in the transition space between the "mixed" look and the "lawn" look.

Or even intersperse some of the existing plants into the lawn, but thin out the density of planting and keep them trimmed to keep a "transtion".

Thanks, I’ll tell him. He seems to like the half and half tank that he created and well,…..it’s kind of growing on me. The Tetras seem to enjoy the empty space which is good to see. As for trimming, the Silver Dollars are really going to town munching on the plants and if you watch the tank long enough you can catch them stealing a treat! They have almost destroyed all of the Cabomba that was planted.

The tank looks great. My only concern is the excess of nutrients in the soil with the manure, and blood, bone meal. Hopefully it’s mature and past the ‘raw’ volatile stage.

I usually do ok as long as I keep about 3 inches of pool filter sand on top. I try not to disturb the sand and expose the dirt.

 

[early bird]

Seems like everything is going good with the setup he has there
as long as you don't get a big ammonia spike with the substrate.

 

[Donald C]

Seems like everything is going good with the setup he has there
as long as you don't get a big ammonia spike with the substrate.

So far...So good. Using an API test kit: No ammonia. No Nitrites. No Phosphates. Nitrates are about 20-30ppm. Not sure if there is anything else that I need to check.

I will keep an eye on it fer sure.

 

[early bird]

So far...So good. Using an API test kit: No ammonia. No Nitrites. No Phosphates. Nitrates are about 20-30ppm. Not sure if there is anything else that I need to check.

I will keep an eye on it for sure.

That's the only thing to do, but using cow fertilizer ?
that's a new 1 I haven't heard, just don't get anything that digs
cause that's where all that hard work goes down the drain.

 

[Donald C]

True statement. I do have about 3-4 inches of sand on top.

 

[early bird]

True statement. I do have about 3-4 inches of sand on top.

That should be enough in a 75 gal aquarium.

I'm just getting into aquatic plant's & started in a 30 gal long
6 months ago & they grew out of it so I got a 75 gal aquarium
but instead of putting them in laid out substrate, I did something
different. I saved a bunch of 2 liter soda bottles & cut the curve
tops off & put 3 layers of gravel in them 1st layer is lava rocks
2nd layer is river rock & 3rd layer is pea gravel & I have a
660gph pump at 1 end (no filter or fish) & it pushes all the
debris around to all the plants & I use easy green as well.

I have java fern, amazon swords, water Wisteria, & jungle Val
the jungle Val I have in a 3ft long flower pot so it can spread
out other plantlets, so far everything is growing like weeds
the java fern I have them stuck between the bottles 4-now
& its doing good as well till I am ready to change the tank.

My plan is to let the plants grow a little more being they aren't
that big & have them produce more plant's & once that starts
I'm going to take the new started plant's plant them in the tank
& the OLDER 1's replant them in a 110 gal stock tank for guppies.

The 1 new plant's I start in the aquarium will be the 1's I sell from
the 1's in the stock tank will be my extra plant's to replace the 1's
I sell out so I never run out & always have extra's on hand.

 

[early bird]

That should be enough in a 75 gal aquarium.

I'm just getting into aquatic plant's & started in a 30 gal long
6 months ago & they grew out of it so I got a 75 gal aquarium
but instead of putting them in laid out substrate, I did something
different. I saved a bunch of 2 liter soda bottles & cut the curve
tops off & put 3 layers of gravel in them 1st layer is lava rocks
2nd layer is river rock & 3rd layer is pea gravel & I have a
660gph pump at 1 end (no filter or fish) & it pushes all the
debris around to all the plants & I use easy green as well.

I have java fern, amazon swords, water Wisteria, & jungle Val
the jungle Val I have in a 3ft long flower pot so it can spread
out other plantlets, so far everything is growing like weeds
the java fern I have them stuck between the bottles 4-now
& its doing good as well till I am ready to change the tank.

My plan is to let the plants grow a little more being they aren't
that big & have them produce more plant's & once that starts
I'm going to take the new started plant's plant them in the tank
& the OLDER 1's replant them in a 110 gal stock tank for guppies.

The 1 new plant's I start in the aquarium will be the 1's I sell from
the 1's in the stock tank will be my extra plant's to replace the 1's
I sell out so I never run out & always have extra's on hand.

P.S I use my goldfish waste water to feed the plants once a month

 

[Donald C]

early bird, I would love to see pictures of that!

 

[early bird]

early bird, I would love to see pictures of that!

How is it said ? ask & you shall receive?
I'll do even better I send you a video (a short 1)
give me about a hr ? here is my you tube channel
to see everything I have done up to now while U
are waiting for the NEW 1 coming up in a short

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvMqFT_JTzGxi97BqLzuHpg/videos

You can comment on any video & here is my Email add
[email protected] to chat about the aquatic life.

 

[early bird]

How is it said ? ask & you shall receive?
I'll do even better I send you a video (a short 1)
give me about a hr ? here is my you tube channel
to see everything I have done up to now while U
are waiting for the NEW 1 coming up in a short

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvMqFT_JTzGxi97BqLzuHpg/videos

You can comment on any video & here is my Email add
[email protected] to chat about the aquatic life.

 

[early bird]

early bird, I would love to see pictures of that!

I'm loading it now should be ready in a short.

 

[early bird]

I'm loading it now should be ready in a short.

early bird, I would love to see pictures of that!