180 Gal update
- Thread starter Tom Barr
- Start date
I like this tank, especially the contract between the green of the starou and the wood. Great scape!
Is this a low maintenance tank?
Is this a low maintenance tank?
Yes, it's lower maintenance.
I do have to trim the Starou down to the bone once every few weeks, but folks like to buy it, so it's not much work since I'm well paid to trim and ship it.
This tank certainly pays for my time and the electric cost etc.
Of course only a small % of the tanks in my last 35 years have done that:gw
So it's not the norm for most aquarist.
Regards,
Tom Barr
I do have to trim the Starou down to the bone once every few weeks, but folks like to buy it, so it's not much work since I'm well paid to trim and ship it.
This tank certainly pays for my time and the electric cost etc.
Of course only a small % of the tanks in my last 35 years have done that:gw
So it's not the norm for most aquarist.
Regards,
Tom Barr
How low?
Hey Tom,
Beautiful tank. Could you give us more info on the tank? What makes it lower on maintenance? (I’m new so mist it probably)
Arnie
Hey Tom,
Beautiful tank. Could you give us more info on the tank? What makes it lower on maintenance? (I’m new so mist it probably)
Arnie
I assume Tom means that it is a low light tank, with around 40 micromol of PAR at the substrate. The low light makes it low maintainance.
regards,
dutchy
regards,
dutchy
Manzanita....picked by Tom in CA...
I think the actual location is in the original thread....somewhere I THINK in the first few pages...
http://www.barrreport.com/showthrea...arfire-wood-scape-thus-far?highlight=starfire
I think the actual location is in the original thread....somewhere I THINK in the first few pages...
http://www.barrreport.com/showthrea...arfire-wood-scape-thus-far?highlight=starfire
Just a few questions.
What are you using for lighting and what size bulkhead fittings did you use? Any information on the plumbing would be helpful.
What are you using for lighting and what size bulkhead fittings did you use? Any information on the plumbing would be helpful.
The simplicity of this scape is perfect. Very nice textures with the wood and the Staurogyne. This wood layout is still my favorite. Perfect fish selection to compliment the tank.
It's still got some issues with the design, the rear left is done, but the mideel and the right have not filled in yet. I had a ballast burn out and was without light for about 1 month till I could find the correct one.
So one bulb was off. Plants suffered. I added some Erios back there and likely will remove the Hydrothrix, it's too weedy and so is the pantanal. I also have been using the area back there as a hold over nursery for some plants that I have planned for another tank that are not common here. the Erios take some time to get growing, but once they do, it should be closer to complete.
This above pic was from Yesterday. I looked at a closer up pic and there was algae on the glass in the pic, I did not even notice, guess I need to wipe the glass.
I left for a week and the tank was not dosed, so that's likely why.
The fish look much better in person.
This tank also taught me along with large water changes the perfect tank for maximizing the school behavior and an optical illusion, depth of field trick.
Shallow tanks that are deep front to back, make schooling species look much better and form tighter appearing schools.
The taller the tank is, the more diffused the schooling is. Some of my clients have tanks up to 1.25 meters deep and I've seen this often.
The electric blue rams are really quite nice. Likely 20-30$ in LFS's, but I like them. They have eaten very well.
I added about 20 very large Amano shrimp and they have eaten most of the sinking spirulina sticks and I've had to over feed to keep the plecos from starving.
They compete with the RCS which had become a massive population. the Checkerboard and the Rams have beaten the population WAY down now which is good.
RCS are fine for feeding on left overs and do not geedily steal the sticks like the larger amano's. I will likely remove the amanos and allow the fish and the RCS to rebound some.
This will provide some occasional live food for the Checkerboards and the Rams. They act like Farm birds following the plow when I prune the Starougyne.
I should get water in it and the 120 Gal planted this weekend.
So one bulb was off. Plants suffered. I added some Erios back there and likely will remove the Hydrothrix, it's too weedy and so is the pantanal. I also have been using the area back there as a hold over nursery for some plants that I have planned for another tank that are not common here. the Erios take some time to get growing, but once they do, it should be closer to complete.
This above pic was from Yesterday. I looked at a closer up pic and there was algae on the glass in the pic, I did not even notice, guess I need to wipe the glass.
I left for a week and the tank was not dosed, so that's likely why.
The fish look much better in person.
This tank also taught me along with large water changes the perfect tank for maximizing the school behavior and an optical illusion, depth of field trick.
Shallow tanks that are deep front to back, make schooling species look much better and form tighter appearing schools.
The taller the tank is, the more diffused the schooling is. Some of my clients have tanks up to 1.25 meters deep and I've seen this often.
The electric blue rams are really quite nice. Likely 20-30$ in LFS's, but I like them. They have eaten very well.
I added about 20 very large Amano shrimp and they have eaten most of the sinking spirulina sticks and I've had to over feed to keep the plecos from starving.
They compete with the RCS which had become a massive population. the Checkerboard and the Rams have beaten the population WAY down now which is good.
RCS are fine for feeding on left overs and do not geedily steal the sticks like the larger amano's. I will likely remove the amanos and allow the fish and the RCS to rebound some.
This will provide some occasional live food for the Checkerboards and the Rams. They act like Farm birds following the plow when I prune the Starougyne.
I should get water in it and the 120 Gal planted this weekend.
very nice looking EBR's, Tom. I love the assortment of fish in that last shot. I bet it is a neat tank to watch. The driftwood is spectacular. (I first typed "that wood is spectacular" but watched "The Office" the other day and saw a "thats what she said" comment coming.)
I really like EBR's as well, although have struggled with them. Switched to using RO hoping that will fix it. Do you use RO in this tank? What are the water parameters? What do you shoot for when keeping cardinals and Rams?
I really like EBR's as well, although have struggled with them. Switched to using RO hoping that will fix it. Do you use RO in this tank? What are the water parameters? What do you shoot for when keeping cardinals and Rams?
those cardinals are huge then! The amanos are monsters as well. Very nice tank and fish....as usual 