My 20g Tank Reno: Before

[PineSong]

Finally, my new wood sank and I can redo this tank.

Right now it has every random thing in it--plastic fry hiders from before the real plants grew, random extra bulbs tossed in that exploded in growth, a nice helping of green hair algae and twice that much staghorn algae.

This tank sits directly in a window, which is why the anubias has chosen to face the back of the tank. I was originally planning to run it without lights, but after months of being set up,  I gave up trying to grow enough algae to feed the otocinclus and put a light on it last week.  

There are new fry in the tank so I'm going to wait until at least Saturday before I put my hands in the tank and move plants around, but I'm posting the "before" pic to celebrate the wood sinking 🙂

The tenants are: white clouds, male platies, female guppies, guppy juveniles and fry, 2 otocinclus, accidental snails.

Edited December 7, 2021 by PineSong
Typo!

[Zenzo]

Looking good

[PineSong]

After an hour or so moving things around, removing and replanting, it's definitelysomewhere between "blah" and "meh". I'm missing the overgrown look and the tannins. I hope the plants will fill out more now that there is a light; and I have ordered a few more plants to help with that.

I don't like the substrate in this tank so I removed several cups of it and have ordered more Peace River to replace that and more. 

On the up side, it was my first time using super glue and I'm sold on it now, so much easier than thread!

[PineSong]

Today I removed duckweed and a few of the lily pads as I felt they were blocking too much light. I contemplated what other plants I may want to bring into this tank. I just got some Potamogeton Gayi and 2 needle leaf java ferns but haven't decided where I'll use them. This tank started out as my "leftovers" tank for female guppies but it's turned into a favorite tank. Between the tannins, the old school driftwood and the motley assortment of fish, it reminds me of childhood 1970's tanks.

The full tank shot is a bit blurry because it's a still from a video, but it does show the plant growth:

[Levi_Aquatics]

That aquarium looks great! That is a great piece of driftwood!

[PineSong]

I had ordered some 18" long cylindrical brushes that are designed for cleaning out straws, and they arrived today so this tank got a tune-up. I used the brushes to twirl up long hair algae from the base of plants, and took out about a shoebox full of guppy grass.

This tank sits on a low table and from my chair beside it I have a top view, which I like almost as much as the front view, so that's the second pic. The blinds are only down for photography. The tank sits in direct window light all day every day and has a Finnex Stingray on for 4+ hours per evening. I'm trying to grow algae for my 6 otos.

I'm happy with my plant growth in the back of the tank and plan to cut the hygophila in half when it reaches the top of the tank; I will plant the tops to camouflage the filter.

Other plans: anubias nana petite on the stump end and lower right side of the driftwood, removing the heater, and adding as many of my platy and guppy juveniles as the tank will tolerate, as my fry from other tanks mature and are sexed.