My Plant Journal

tessalion · 08-04-2006, 10:44 PM

looks like your frog really wanted to be in the spotlight! Tank looks really good

Breene · 08-04-2006, 11:13 PM

I noticed that I realy like smaller tanks... like 10-20 gallons. Instead of having a huge tank filled with so much stuff you cant focus on it all a smaller tank lets you realy look at the details and you can still do just about everything you could in a larger one.

But that doesnt meen I would turn down a 50+ gal aquarium for a 10 gal lol.

Smalltank3 · 08-05-2006, 07:58 PM

Thanks for the comments guys

Ramirezi · 08-06-2006, 01:22 PM

The tank is looking good. Have you thought about putting in a background? A solid blue or solid black adds a nice look to the tank.

With your love of plants for your tank......when are you going to upgrade your light for more WPG?

Smalltank3 · 08-06-2006, 05:49 PM

Well, I took of my old background a while ago that had plants on it and I didn't like it. I will put a solid black background on when I get the chance to.
As for the upgrade for lighting, I will do that soon too. Right now I have 1.5wpg. What wpg should I upgrade to?(I only have one bulb placement that can fit an 18" bulb)

Shady Milkman · 08-07-2006, 12:03 AM

I was going to buy a black background too but today I just took a trashbag and cut the right sized square and taped it to the back. It looks pretty damn good. I just increased the lighting in my 10 gallon too. I got a coralife 1x28 watt and kept my old lighting fixture too for a total of 4.3 W/G. I took off the aquarium top, got a stand for the coralife and the old fixture is attached to the back of the coralife stand and the top of my filter. I'm pretty satisfied with the results. Increasing the lighting means your gonna have to start adding ferts and CO2 to avoid algae I believe. I have diy CO2 and ordered some Greg Watson's ferts and theres has been no algae thus far.

Ramirezi · 08-07-2006, 09:04 AM

I bet that black bag does look good milkman. I work at a print shop that has a huge laminator, I just laminated a big peice of black paper and taped that to the back of my tank. It gives it a false depth so you really dont see the back of the tank or the equipment hanging down. The more plants you have the better the dark backgrouns work

The WPG rule of thumb kinda falls apart with small tanks (10 gallon and under) and large or very deep tanks (over say 100 gallons or 24" deep). If you were up around 3 or 4 watts per Gallon (WPG) you will not have the die off of the bottom leaves of your stemed plants. Go garage sale-ing and find a old set up and just add one more florensent light to your tank. That will put you up to 3 wpg.

shadypat · 08-15-2006, 05:06 PM

I also really love smaller tanks....my favorite size is 20 Long....those are perfect for planted tanks because the are long enough for landscaping and also short, so the light can penetrate to the bottom easliy....I have 2...one has a carpet of glosso and dwarf hairgrass that are fighting for growing space....and a moss covered rock cave in the back where my cockatoo cichlid lives. The other day I saw a 33 long...i didnt know those existed...now THAT would be the perfect size!

the best way to cheaply light a ten gallon is get the fixture that come with is (incandescent), and replace the bulbs with screw in 20 W compact flourescent bulbs...that will give you 40 watts...4wpg. works for me quite well.

Lonewolfblue · 08-15-2006, 09:20 PM

I just painted 2 of my 10G tanks with the spray paint that looks like black hammered metal. It looks great on the outside, but doesn't look like hammered metal through the glass, lol. But it is nice. It's about the color of black gun metal. Looks cool actually. Those are for my planted tanks. Then my 2 breeder tanks I painted with a solid spray paint color called Espresso. Looks awsome.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadypat

the best way to cheaply light a ten gallon is get the fixture that come with is (incandescent), and replace the bulbs with screw in 20 W compact flourescent bulbs...that will give you 40 watts...4wpg. works for me quite well.

Exactly. I have 2 tanks that way, and they are great for growing plants. And if you want to try for a little better lighting, go DIY and try to make a little better reflector, because the stock reflectors aren't really that good. Also, it's not a true 4w/g though. Can't go by that on 10G tanks, as you have the limitations on the particular type of bulbs, the poor reflector design, and the tank parameters. But it does rather well.

shadypat · 08-16-2006, 07:34 PM

Lonewolf your tanks sound awesome...I am trying to make my 29 gallon into a semi aggressive tank and was wondering what fish you have in yours? also how is the landscaping? right now i just have some large rocks, and im planting a carpet of dwarf sags, and I have a school of brilliant rasboras to cycle with. I want to add my Brichardi, a school of tiger barbs for sure, and some other medium sized cichlids.

08-04-2006, 10:44 PM	#101
tessalion Medium Fish Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: PA Posts: 421	looks like your frog really wanted to be in the spotlight! Tank looks really good __________________ 55 gal:community 2.5 gal: betta tank sufferer of MTS...oh what i could do if it werent for that silly paying for college thing...

08-04-2006, 11:13 PM	#102
Breene Little Fish Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 297	I noticed that I realy like smaller tanks... like 10-20 gallons. Instead of having a huge tank filled with so much stuff you cant focus on it all a smaller tank lets you realy look at the details and you can still do just about everything you could in a larger one. But that doesnt meen I would turn down a 50+ gal aquarium for a 10 gal lol. __________________ 55 gallon journal.

08-05-2006, 07:58 PM	#103
Smalltank3 Large Fish Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 958	Thanks for the comments guys __________________ 10g Planted Community Tank Fish:3 Threadfin Rainbows, 1 Male Endler, 1 Female Guppy, 1 Male Cherry Barb, 3 Schwartz's Cories, and 1 Oto Plants:Amazon Sword, Apongeton, Java Fern, Moneywort, Rotala Indica, Taiwan Moss, and Watersprite 5g Hex Planted DP Tank Fish: Coming Soon 2 Dwarf Puffers and an Oto Plants:Aponogeton, Moneywort, Rotala Indica, and Taiwan Moss 1g Planted Betta Tank Fish:Male CT Betta and 1 Oto Plants:Moneywort, Rotala Indica, and Taiwan Moss

08-06-2006, 01:22 PM	#104
Ramirezi Little Fish Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Traverse City, MI USA Posts: 256	The tank is looking good. Have you thought about putting in a background? A solid blue or solid black adds a nice look to the tank. With your love of plants for your tank......when are you going to upgrade your light for more WPG? __________________ 60 gallon planted tank

08-06-2006, 05:49 PM	#105
Smalltank3 Large Fish Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 958	Well, I took of my old background a while ago that had plants on it and I didn't like it. I will put a solid black background on when I get the chance to. As for the upgrade for lighting, I will do that soon too. Right now I have 1.5wpg. What wpg should I upgrade to?(I only have one bulb placement that can fit an 18" bulb) __________________ 10g Planted Community Tank Fish:3 Threadfin Rainbows, 1 Male Endler, 1 Female Guppy, 1 Male Cherry Barb, 3 Schwartz's Cories, and 1 Oto Plants:Amazon Sword, Apongeton, Java Fern, Moneywort, Rotala Indica, Taiwan Moss, and Watersprite 5g Hex Planted DP Tank Fish: Coming Soon 2 Dwarf Puffers and an Oto Plants:Aponogeton, Moneywort, Rotala Indica, and Taiwan Moss 1g Planted Betta Tank Fish:Male CT Betta and 1 Oto Plants:Moneywort, Rotala Indica, and Taiwan Moss

08-07-2006, 12:03 AM	#106
Shady Milkman Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 53	I was going to buy a black background too but today I just took a trashbag and cut the right sized square and taped it to the back. It looks pretty damn good. I just increased the lighting in my 10 gallon too. I got a coralife 1x28 watt and kept my old lighting fixture too for a total of 4.3 W/G. I took off the aquarium top, got a stand for the coralife and the old fixture is attached to the back of the coralife stand and the top of my filter. I'm pretty satisfied with the results. Increasing the lighting means your gonna have to start adding ferts and CO2 to avoid algae I believe. I have diy CO2 and ordered some Greg Watson's ferts and theres has been no algae thus far.

08-07-2006, 09:04 AM	#107
Ramirezi Little Fish Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Traverse City, MI USA Posts: 256	I bet that black bag does look good milkman. I work at a print shop that has a huge laminator, I just laminated a big peice of black paper and taped that to the back of my tank. It gives it a false depth so you really dont see the back of the tank or the equipment hanging down. The more plants you have the better the dark backgrouns work The WPG rule of thumb kinda falls apart with small tanks (10 gallon and under) and large or very deep tanks (over say 100 gallons or 24" deep). If you were up around 3 or 4 watts per Gallon (WPG) you will not have the die off of the bottom leaves of your stemed plants. Go garage sale-ing and find a old set up and just add one more florensent light to your tank. That will put you up to 3 wpg. __________________ 60 gallon planted tank

08-15-2006, 05:06 PM	#108
shadypat Medium Fish Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 485	I also really love smaller tanks....my favorite size is 20 Long....those are perfect for planted tanks because the are long enough for landscaping and also short, so the light can penetrate to the bottom easliy....I have 2...one has a carpet of glosso and dwarf hairgrass that are fighting for growing space....and a moss covered rock cave in the back where my cockatoo cichlid lives. The other day I saw a 33 long...i didnt know those existed...now THAT would be the perfect size! the best way to cheaply light a ten gallon is get the fixture that come with is (incandescent), and replace the bulbs with screw in 20 W compact flourescent bulbs...that will give you 40 watts...4wpg. works for me quite well. __________________ "college apt. tanks"- one planted 20 long at school w/ a baby blue acara, half band harlequins, white cheeked goby, albino cories, gold CAE, ghost shrimp Back at home- 29 planted w/ blue acara, angelfish, pearl gourami, redtail rasboras, pleco. 10 w/ guppies/fry 10 w/ pair of swords, pair of pencils, 1 bloodfin, 2 cories(my random fish tank) 20 long planted with a couple rainbows, lemon tetras, serpaes, SAE, black neons and some assorted random fish.

08-16-2006, 07:34 PM	#110
shadypat Medium Fish Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 485	Lonewolf your tanks sound awesome...I am trying to make my 29 gallon into a semi aggressive tank and was wondering what fish you have in yours? also how is the landscaping? right now i just have some large rocks, and im planting a carpet of dwarf sags, and I have a school of brilliant rasboras to cycle with. I want to add my Brichardi, a school of tiger barbs for sure, and some other medium sized cichlids. __________________ "college apt. tanks"- one planted 20 long at school w/ a baby blue acara, half band harlequins, white cheeked goby, albino cories, gold CAE, ghost shrimp Back at home- 29 planted w/ blue acara, angelfish, pearl gourami, redtail rasboras, pleco. 10 w/ guppies/fry 10 w/ pair of swords, pair of pencils, 1 bloodfin, 2 cories(my random fish tank) 20 long planted with a couple rainbows, lemon tetras, serpaes, SAE, black neons and some assorted random fish. Last edited by shadypat; 08-16-2006 at 07:39 PM..