Planted tank 6x2.5 getting ready for discus!

[nornicle]

Still considering types of discus, going in to talk to George at Slippery Little Suckers, he knows his Discus, and he can get some pretty cool fish, i'm really considering some WILD discus (heckel, alenquers, tefe greens)

I really like brown discus, but it's at odds with my parents (WE WANT COLOURFUL FISH!)

I don't mind the alenquers as they have a bit of everything, the super red alenquers are really nice, and tefe greens are perenially beautiful...

I prefer more subtle fish, and may start with some red turquiose to make sure I *can* take care of discus!

I will be continually updating pics of this tank, so stay tuned guys!!

n.b this plant was planted only 2 days ago, so i will post updates as it grows in and as i add fish, currently there are 7 congos and a peppermint bristlenose in there

oh and if anyone wants i can post pictures of the 'in the making' pics :P lol

(edit)

Details

Plants (from front right to back left, crypts first)

Cryptocoryne walkeri
Cryptocoryne becketii
Cryptocoryne balansae
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'mi oya'
Cryptocoryne lucens (sold as this but is actually C. willisii X 'lucens' a naturally occuring 'hybrid' plant according to Tropica, although I doubt that the plant I have is the true C. willisi X 'lucens'...)
Echinodorus sp. 'chain sword'
Vallisneria americana 'gigantae'
Vallisneria americana 'natans'
Ceratopteris thalictroides
Hygrophila polysperma
Bolbitis heudelotii
Jungle fern (not sure if its Microsorium or not)
Microsorium pteroptus 'windelov'
Echinodorus'rose' (E. horemanii ''rot'' X E. horizontalis according to Tropica)
Echinodorus 'red rubin' (E. horemanii ''rot'' X Echinodorus barthii according to Tropica)
Microsorium pteroptus
Vesicularia dubyana (although who knows what it REALLY is..)

Fish:

6 x Apistogramma agassizi 'red' tail although god knows where they are now.. I can only ever spot 2 or 3 at a time.
1 X Ancistrus hoplogenys Peppermint bristlenose (I was going to remove him for fear of chomping on my plants.. but for now he can stay - truly a fantastic looking fish)
7 X Congo tetras (I killed 5.... don't ask... :unsure: )
1 X guppy (again.. don't ask )

Technical

Filter : Eheim 2217 (will be packed full of filter wool + carbon to draw tannins out of water) + 2215 (packed with filter wool and coral sand, will act as a reactor for co2)
Tank Size : 6x2.5x2.5
Lighting : 4 x Arcadia Marine White, 4 X Arcadia Tropical (2 of each in 4ft and 2ft)
Fertilisation : Tetra Hilena Initial Tabs, 'Crypto' Tabs, JBL 'The 7 Balls,' Aquamedic Terralit base, Seachem Flourish and Iron.

The Future:

Plants:

I want Crinum natans growing up and in the left side ( hiding the equipment and providing some shade). I want C. willisi mixed into the fore ground... and possibly grow some more wendtii.. but I will have to watch the evolution of the tank, esp the swords... (note that even in a tank this big, i've only planted TWO swords!!!)

If I had all the plants in the world, I would replace the jungle fern (in my opinion it is of only so so aesthetic value) and replace it with narrow leaf java fern. I would replace all java moss with 'micro' moss and grow christmas moss on the same log as the jungle fern.

Fish:

DISCUS

Technical:

Never fear, DIY pressurised Co2 is on the way. I want to add fans to cool the lights, and maybe use power compacts, overdriven normal output lights or metal halides. Another future upgrade is adding another eheim 2217... or selling them all and upgrading to a Eheim 2260 (the cost is the prohibitive part! at least $700 just for the filter ALONE i.e no media)

Stay tuned for more developments!

If you would like more details on how I got everything together from empty tank to planted, I have a journal of the tank on plantedtank.net, you will however have to be a member to view this journal link (it costs the webmaster bandwidth and is image intensive so broadband only) - My Tank Journal

[Essayons89]

Great looking tank.

Bryan

[Proteus]

Awesum layout...

Can you provide some specs as to filtration, heating, lighting etc...

(I love the piece of wood... looks similar to my chunk of swamp wood which I have just placed in my 6ft community tank to allow some plant growth on it before it goes in my 6 x 2.5)

[kevkoi]

Well, taking a quick ride into the near future... Nornicle's tank is going to look like... THIS.

[nornicle]

yes *cough* that is EXACTLY what it will *ahem* look like!

@ amano

[Proteus]

Kev!!!

Could ya stop sneaking the camera lens through my windows...

*sighs*

"I wish"

[DiscusMan]

Nornicle,

I was at SLS yesterday and seen your fish. Some very nice leopard spotted snakeskins that i can just see swimming around in there. Oh what a thought.

Mind you I wish i could justify to myself but more to my wife that spending that sort of money on fish is worthwhile.

SLS does indeed stock some very attractive fish that i would recommend to anyone looking for fish.

[kevkoi]

Now now, don't go confusing our dear friend Richard.... He's convinced that "Natural" is the way to go... so 6 Red Alenquer browns, 50 rummy nose tetras and 20 sterbai corydoras is the main theme now.

Confuse him further and he's going to think about getting those 2 leopard spotted snakeskin... then next thing is he's going to get what I call "Noah's syndrome" and buy 2 of every type of fish (pairs)....

Hmm, wonder if anyone has noticed that b4? "Noah Syndrome" tanks..... 2 of each species.


kev

[nornicle]

5-4-2004 update

Going to go pick up some discus tomorrow, the excitement is building..

[Proteus]

Looking good...