My other tank (s)
- Thread starter Adrienne
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Wow, looks really really nice!!
~Sandra
~Sandra
TEA
Active Member
Very nice tanks!!!! I myself have a 55 gl FW tank that has been up and running for about 5 years now. I've since gotten rid of the Bala Sharks. They were just getting too big for the tank and they were constantly uprooting the plants. And I've made some changes to the plants in the tank now that the Bala Sharks are gone. FW was how I got started in the fish keeping hobby.
TEA
Active Member
Hmm, not sure how that would work. The filtration of a FW is not that much different I suppose. You need media for bacterial growth as with SW. SW uses rock and FW uses media in canisters or HOB filter systems. I think I did see online that some people use sumps for FW tank filtration.
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Adrienne
Well-Known Member
Thanks for your comments and likes.
The discus tank used to be a marine tank before I got it and the left hand side of the stand unscrews to allow a sump to be slid in. If I go bigger for marine this is probably what I would use as the tank. I ran my discus tank with a sump for the first two years and the discus absolutely thrived and were much easier to care for with it. Tank was always pristine. Only went to cannisters as I was new and ignorant about sumps and the trickling and a persistant drip -small leak - in the piping finally got to me too much.
The discus tank used to be a marine tank before I got it and the left hand side of the stand unscrews to allow a sump to be slid in. If I go bigger for marine this is probably what I would use as the tank. I ran my discus tank with a sump for the first two years and the discus absolutely thrived and were much easier to care for with it. Tank was always pristine. Only went to cannisters as I was new and ignorant about sumps and the trickling and a persistant drip -small leak - in the piping finally got to me too much.
If you want your typical "first aquarium" type of FW setup, you can just visit one of the major chains, get one of the "complete" setups a few decorations and plastic plants, and your good to go.
However, if you want a more advanced FW system, your going to fing yourself shopping around for a lot of advanced equipment. Advanced FW planted tanks can be about as complex as a reef system, and while not as expensive, they are not cheep either.
You will also find that while the goal of keeping a FW system going is the same as a SW system, how your get there is quite a bit different. Here are a few of the differences.
FW planted systems love canister filters. That they become a "nitrate factory" is not an issue. The plants consider the food. You can use a sump, but it's not ideal because it lets CO2 gas off. Plants like CO2.
High light FW planted systems use far less light than SW reef systems. A 2 or 4 bulb T5 fixture is more than enough for even the largest tanks.
High light FW systems typically use CO2 injection to get best growth out of the plants and keep down algae. This is where you spend the money you saved on lighting (grin).
One of the hardest mindsets to over come between SW reef systems and FW planted systems is that in a SW reef system you try and export nitrates and phosphates. In a FW planted system you usually need to add them.
There are several excellent books on planted aquariums. Make no mistake about it. In many respects, planted tanks can be very advanced systems, close to the level of a reef system.
Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants by Peter Hiscock. This is the best all around introduction to planted tanks and contains a wealth of information. If your getting only one book get this.
Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by Diana Walstad. This is about the best book on what happens in a planted tank. Not much in the way pf pictures, but a wealth of information.
Aquarium Plants by Christel Kasselmann. This is usually considered to be the definitive catalog on aquarium plants with information on just about every plant commonly kept. It's a great book, but not a beginners book.
Nature Aquarium World - Book One by Takashi Amano. This book is pure inspiration on planted aquarium design with fantastic photos of tanks from a few gallons to several hundred gallons. Some information on aquascape design.
Shop round for the best price for these books. Sometimes you can find excellent prices in the used area book areas.
TEA
Active Member
Pat, I think Dave has given you more advice than I ever could. [emoji3]. I typically choose my plants based on what is available in my LFS and I try to pick what I think will look nice. I have a lot of ferns and Anubis. I've also tried swords on occasion but never have much luck with those.
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Swords are a bit different. Most FW plants draw most of their nutrients from the water. Swords draw most of their nutrients from the substrata. When you buy them look for a good root system.
Also, you must fertilize them. You use a product like this - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Y7X2OWS/?tag=reefsanc-20
Rooted plants anywhere are helped by them, but it's just about critical for swords. Only use them in places where you have plants.
Swords also don't like undergravel filters. You might try putting them in a traditional terracotta flower pot.
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Pat24601
Well-Known Member
Well, your tank looks awesome! DaveK's advice is always top notch, of course. I can't believe the breadth of his knowledge and his willingness to share it.
The advice on thinking about phosphates and nitrates differently is particularly useful. I haven't done freshwater in so long, it's definitely the case I'll have to unlearn saltwater to do fresh.
This thread has been immensely helpful. I'm half wondering if we should have a freshwater forum here.
You've made me really want to start up my freshwater again. My wife thinks I'm nuts because my saltwater already takes up too much time in her mind. (In reality it's not that bad except when I have to deal with an outbreak of some kind.)
TEA
Active Member
Thanks for the compliment. Like Dave's post mentions, I too use a canister filter. I have for years. Gives the tank a cleaner look than having the HOB filters but it is about preference tempered with cost. I still enjoy my FW tank. When I'm working in my home office I find myself looking at it more than I do getting work done!!! [emoji23] I'm trying to get it back to the heavily planted state it was in before I added Bala Sharks a few years ago. Now that the sharks are gone I'll slowly add more plants.
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TEA
Active Member
I'll have to check into that. I've no UG filter so I'm good there. I like the terra cotta pot idea.
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