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Moderator
 
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This is sort of an "interim" report on the test 20 gallon high where I am using the Red Sea CO2 system, and their substrate. I set the tank up in early February, following the Red Sea instructions, and starting out with as many fast-growing plants as I thought would fit in the tank. I used ½ water from an existing tank, some driftwood and rocks that had been in other tanks, and a small Hi-Q Eco Filter with two cartridges from an existing tank, so I had “instant cycling”, and the tank has never had any ammonia or nitrite after the first two or three days.  I added a fair number of fish, as I am a great believer that the best plant fertilizer in an aquarium comes from the fish – besides, I like a fish tank with plants, not a planted tank with a few cardinal tetras, otocinclus, and algae eating shrimp. The Amano planted tanks are gorgeous, but just not my cup of tea. Over the next six weeks as the plants grew I trimmed them, and added a few new ones.
The plants in the tank are: · Amazon swordplant – sent out a runner and flowers after two weeks · The new hygro that has thin brown leaves, and grows like a weed · Red ludwigia · Rotal indica · Crypt. Balansae and wendtii Micranthemum umbrosum · Foxtail · Christmas Tree Moss on driftwood · Two types of Java Fern – regular and thin-leafed The fish in the tank are (I know this is crowding the tank, but I do know what I’m doing, and I like to have a lot of fish in a tank: · 8 large neons · 5 sunburst wag platies · 8 bleeding heart tetras · 3 Siamese algae eaters · 4 corydoras schwartzi · 4 (2 pairs) of Apistogramma cacatuoides · 2 bamboo shrimp The only problem that I had with the tank was that the water turned green after two weeks or so. I raised the Hagen lighting fixture all the way up on the nice little mounting legs that they give you for just that purpose, and I ran a 7 watt UV unit on the tank for three or four days until the water cleared. After that I have not had any problems with the tank. This photo is of the tank today. 
I'm really pleased with how it is doing. What do you think?
*************************** Be warned -- everyone at college has a weird roommate. If you don't have a weird roomate -- then you're the weird roommate.
Conan O'Brien, Stuyvesant High School.
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Fishkeeping GURU
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It is unbelievable how fast those plant grew! They sure filled in the tank, and it looks like you're going to have to prune everything a lot to keep it from overwhelming the tank (but that's a good problem to have if you ask me  ). Looks nice though.
BTW, for some odd reason the writing in your post is running right off the page so I can't read some of it. I've never seen that happen before...very odd.
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Senior Member
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It's amazing how fast those plants grew. especially considering that some of those plants are considered to be slow growing.
__________________________________________ 46 Gallon Tank Planted-1 Female German Ram-5 Gymnogeophagus Sp. Norte-6 Class N Endlers Black Bars (Pure Strain)-4 Otto Cats 25 Gallon Planted (High tech)- Two Bolivian Rams- 10 endlers/guppy cross 10 Gallon Tank Planted. (At the office)-6 Class N Endlers Black Bars (Pure Strain)
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Yes -- I was also pretty amazed. I think it is simply the right balance of good light, substrate and CO2 -- plus a lot of fish in the tank. The fish are doing great also, and I think the cauatoides are going to spawn shortly, which should really be interesting. I'll keep you guys posted.
***************************Be warned -- everyone at college has a weird roommate. If you don't have a weird roomate -- then you're the weird roommate.
Conan O'Brien, Stuyvesant High School.
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Moderator
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The enclosed pic is of the tank two weeks later. Also, Monday I took off the filter, and I'm just going to run it without any kind of filtration -- also removed the CO2 -- back to nature. I'm doing a water change every other day or so -- and the cacatuoides have paired up and I wouldn't be surprised if they spawn in the next couple of weeks or so.
***************************Be warned -- everyone at college has a weird roommate. If you don't have a weird roomate -- then you're the weird roommate.
Conan O'Brien, Stuyvesant High School.
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Average Member
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WOW! That tank is looking amazing! I can't wait to hear how your experiment with no mechanical filtration works out. Keep us updated! (And good luck with the possible spawner's...)
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10g Heavily Planted - Betta, Cory's, Oto's
20L - Paradise Gourami, Kuhli Loaches, Banjo Cat
125g Planted - South American Biotope
20H - Breeding Angelfish and Fry!
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Moderator
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| Well, the tank has been running without any filtration for going on 2 weeks now. In addition to all of the fish that were in it before, 9 neons, 5 bleeding hearts, 5 huge sunburst wag platies, 4 cory schwartzi, 3 Siamese Algae Eaters, etc., I also added a 3" long Yo Yo Botia, primarily for snail control. I'm doing a 20% water change every other day, and a couple of days ago I started up the HOB filter, just for some water circulation, no filtration. I feed every other day, and things are chugging along just fine. The Amazon Sword has plantlets on the runner, and they are pulling down to the gravel. All the rest of the plants are doing well. Photo enclosed 
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Be warned -- everyone at college has a weird roommate. If you don't have a weird roomate -- then you're the weird roommate.
Conan O'Brien, Stuyvesant High School.
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