My 75 gallon low light...Gerry D hook up tank

[jerrybforl]

Heres some pics although its not finished...will add the crypts and the BM.

Will post more pics once I have all of the crypts in and the BM...

Gerry D thank you so much for all the plants and fish! They look great and the tank is almost there. I'm excited about this one guys!!!

 

[jerrybforl]

So I just added the rest of the plants. I was looking in my 100 gallon that needs to be rescaped anyway and kinda used it as a junk yard lol. I found some nice C. ponderfolia in there and cut a nice piece of A. Barteri and added that to give a a size difference between the petite, nana, and now the barteri. I think it looks great and I really like the way it turned out! Let me know what you think...

Any input is more than welcome!!!

 

[jerrybforl]

The cryptos are bent over a little bit...sorry for that guys. I will take pics in a week when they are standing up again. Gerry D gave me these plants and fish a little over a month ago and I haven't had a chance to do anything until yesterday...school and what not. Anyway I think this is the best scape I did with the help of my friend Cassian. He doesn't know it yet, but he has a good eye I think! Anyway let me know what you think...

 

[jerrybforl]

Made a quick video of the tank to give you guys a better look at the tank....

[video=youtube;z-H-EW-tdEQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-H-EW-tdEQ[/video]

 

[Gerryd]

Hi JJ,

Looks good! I like the white sand portion nicely done....

I can only suggest using more stem plants in the back beginning with the left end of the heater going right towards the bacopa.

Doesn't matter if they stay in the scape long term they will look good until your other areas fill in.....Plus it will hide all the heater, filter tubes, etc. And be healthier.

The kribs will use ANY cave for breeding so ensure you have several. The festivums (for me) always laid eggs higher up on the wood.

Did you keep the juvie kribs or the adults I gave you? I remember there were 9-10 in all.

Fish look healthy. I miss the fish but they seem fine in their new home.

Remember that non c02 will grow slower, so the extra stems will be needed for a bit...

I suggest using the petite 'log' as part of your lava rock border. This way it will eventually cover the lava rock and form a very nice natural barrier....Just a thought...It will take awhile, but will be totally worth it, I think. The kribs will love you for it in any event...

Later.

P.S. Keep up the work on your narration skills You sounded a bit nervous

 

[jerrybforl]

Will do with the monnerri...I have a lot of stems growing emersed now. I have all the fish that you gave me except for the ones that didn't make the trip. The kribs have already started marking out territories. They seem a lot more happy now that I have scaped the tank and there is lots of open room for swimming. I didn't realize how much anubias there was until me and my friend started seperating. He said dude you got lots of it... The barbs really love the K4 as it has strong flow to it! They swim in and out of it. Festivums seem to be in the moving in stage lol.

P.S. Keep up the work on your narration skills You sounded a bit nervous

I wasn't nervous at all. Was just trying to speak what I was thinking lol...

Just need a few tips about ferting it. Also, do you think the light I have is enough? It is a little less than 1 wpg. I can always add more light maybe another shop light but one bulb only. Let me know what you think.

 

[jerrybforl]

Hey Gerry...What was the bulb that you recommended?

The tank is looking great guys. Crypts are all standing up and looking nice. I will be adding some corys I'm thinking 8-10. I will also add the smaller tiger barbs that I have from another tank. Then next week will add a skoal of 18 black skirt tetras. That should give me enough bio load for the plants. I have two filters on there so not really worried about filtration so much. There is a fluval 405 and Ehiem 2217 on it along with the Korali 4 in it. Its nice watching the barbs swim in it. I think the blk skirts will look nice. The over all diversity of fishes in the tank will be nice! I can't wait...

 

[Gerryd]

Verilux brand.....I have used their T8 and T12 with excellent results for non c02 growth. Also work well with c02.....

 

[jerrybforl]

Thanks Gerry! So I just pulled everything out of my 29 Gallon that I have neglected the last few months. Had the blue slim aglae in it so just deciced to pull all of it. I had 5 tiger barbs, 7 cherry barbs, and 3 black kuli loaches. I will add a few more of the loaches and hopefully some banded ones as well. I spoke to Henry about some corys. He said he had albinos and agassizi cories.
mp
[attachment=900:name] Think I will go with these guys. I like their look!

 

[jerrybforl]

Cherry Barbs not good in there!!!

Ok so I put all the fish in but the kribs and festivums are having a go at them. The smaller ones anyway. So now I have to take out the cherry barbs...

The 5 smaller Tiger Barbs fit in perfectly with the bigger guys I got from Gerry! They look really nice together... I'm happy! Thanks again Gerry. I will post pics later in the week and maybe another short vid.

 

[dutchy]

Since you asked me to give some input....
The focal point you made with the sand looks good and is in the right position. The left and the right side look very much the same though. What you could do is add another two branches to the left side, generally the same as the branch sticking forward. That way you create a " repeating line ", but use length and height variation of the different branches. Then create some difference between the two sides by using some stems and some different colours, you could use Rotala rotundifolia/indica in the background as a bunch plant. It's an easy and cheap plant that grows well, with nice colours.

Then try to get the hardware out of sight and use a background, in your case I'd go for something black.

Next time you post a pic, take one front dead center. That way it's easier to see how it looks as a scape.

 

[jerrybforl]

So when you say repeating, you mean one that comes out the back over the top of it to "repeat" the lines? I'm not quite following what you mean sorry. If you could explain a little better to me. Where in the back ground would the indica be a good spot? In the left corner/center? I also have some Cypress Helfari to use as well. I plan on packing the right back corner with Bacopa Monneri. I was thinking about adding more substrate towards the left side to give more of a slope and face the narrow leaf JF more towards the front. What do you think about this idea? All your advice is much appreciated. I will try and get a better pic of tomorrow.

Also added three more tiger barbs...Gives me 15 in total and a more balanced look with the group. I have small, medium, and very large lol. I love it. Next week I will add 18 black skirt tetras along with 8-10 cories. That should be plenty of fish for the tank. I'm sure the plants will love it as well.

 

[dutchy]

The concept of the repeating line is that when you visualize the wood as a line, more lines will point the same way. You can see an example here:
http://www.thegreenmachineonline.com/gallery/2565
This makes the wood look stronger and gives balance to the scape because the white sand is a very strong eyecatcher. The wood looks too small in relation to the white passage to the back. You could use the Rotala, or Bacopa in both corners, sloping down to the passage of white sand. The Cyperus is also a good candidate but one might not be enough.

Your idea of the fern is good, but something will have to fill up the gap it leaves behind, but this could be the rotala, bacopa or cyperus.

 

[jerrybforl]

Dutchy thanks for your insight. I looked at the link and I understand now what you mean. I will try to do something to this affect next week.

You could use the Rotala, or Bacopa in both corners, sloping down to the passage of white sand

Do you mean combine the two in both corners or have one or the other in either corner? I think I like the idea of mixing the two!

The Cyperus is also a good candidate but one might not be enough.

What do you mean one might not be enough? I have loads of it that I got from Gerry.

Your idea of the fern is good, but something will have to fill up the gap it leaves behind, but this could be the rotala, bacopa or cyperus.

When I said face it forward, I meant like tilt it forward from the spot its at. Like pivit it with the slope. I could place the cypress there behind it.

I think the layout is a little flat and I will add more substrate to give it more slope! I think this will add come character to it and more dimension. I also have lots and lots and lots of good ole regular java fern! I also have some large pieces in my 100gallon that could be used somewhere...what do you think??? Thanks for the advice Herman!

 

[dutchy]

You could use the same plant in both corners, or one type in each corner. The cyperus is also good if you have more, it all depends on your taste

ok, I didn't get the point about the fern earlier....

Sloping is always good. More slope is more perspective.

Try some things with the wood but don't stop until you're happy with the result.

 

[jerrybforl]

Herman I can't wait to get to work on this. I had a final on Thursday and one on Tuesday. So I'm thinking Tuesday after school I'll work on the tank some more.

I'm thinking I can put the CH or the Indicia behind the narrow leaf JF and let it wave over the top. Will try to figure out a way to do the lines with the exsisting wood I currently have. Might be best to place the CH in the left corner and left it drift over the top that way the Indicia won't be hidden behind the wood on the left. The right side I will pack full of moneywort. I also have a nice red flame sword but not sure how well it will do in low light...any thoughts on that?

I will post pics later in the week once I've added everything.

 

[dutchy]

Hi Jerry,

The disadvantage of a flame sword is that it is a big plant. This big plant will act as a focal point. But you already have a focal point in your tank, the passage to the back. The plant will distract too much attention away from the existing focal point and make it look unbalanced.

But if you really want to use it, who am I to say you can't?

 

[jerrybforl]

Herman you are a far better scaper than I and I will listen to your advice as it is part of the learning process. I've always been "coachable" lol. I was just giving you a list of things that I have in other tanks that aren't in use/ can be pulled. I also have some Aponogeton Crispus. Could I use that in the mix of the CH or between the Indicia somehow? I'm terrible at this lol.

This is my "real" first tank like this so there are so many new things to me. I started with low light but was getting bad advice from the LFS. I was mixing plants that didn't belong there. Then I got turned onto CO2 and high light. So I'm not really sure what plants I can keep in a low light no CO2 environment. So all of your advice is much needed and appreciated. Anyones is!

 

[dutchy]

Every single big plant will act as a focal point. Not advisable when you already have a hardscaped focal point. Bunch plants are a better option.

 

[jerrybforl]

What are some good stems that I can use apart from the moneywart and indicia?