Shazza Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 I've recently re joined the hobby. I had a break of several years because I woke up one day to a flooded house and a big crack in a 100 gallon tank and I almost think I suffered PTS so I swore to never have another tank ever again! . Well obviously I cant live without it .........I've healed and yet again I'm going full steam ahead because it is just so much fun. I've been watching far too many youtube videos of late in preparation for some new tanks, now that I have the space in my new house., Cory from Aquarium co-op fast became my go to guru on youtube after I watched his excellent video on cycling planted tanks. I've got an 8 week old 15 gallon tank with 5 lemon tetras and 4 albino corydoras. Everything is going so well apart from the diatoms but I'm fairly sure the brown is slowly getting better and once its all clear I'll add my blue rams and the tank will be complete.. I'm slowly accumulating all the equipment I need to set up my 6ft peaceful planted aquarium and I've had fun learning and researching. I'm sure I'll have some questions in the future so I'm banking on you all being a helpful bunch :) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Welcome to the school! Post pics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazza Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 It's not very exciting but the fish are super active and healthy so that's the main thing. 6 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GameCzar Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Welcome! Love the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Welcome to the forum nice tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac M Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Welcome @Shazza! Sorry to hear about that experience, that cannot be fun but we are sure glad to have you back in the hobby! Beautiful aquarium, I love the tall hygrophila. If you let it grow out of the top of the aquarium, it will usually produce these small pretty purple flowers. Great choice with the corys! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BETTA999 Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 welcome to the forum !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Welcome. I worry all the time about cracks and leaks. My fish room is second floor carpeted 🙄. I can only imagine how traumatized you were. I’m so glad you came back. Your tank is set up very pretty. A 6ft peaceful tank…I can’t wait to see it I will stare at yours forever envious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott the fishman Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 welcome! love your tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 welcome to the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levi_Aquatics Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Welcome! We’re glad to have you and that aquarium looks great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazza Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 On 1/10/2022 at 1:01 AM, Isaac M said: I love the tall hygrophila. If you let it grow out of the top of the aquarium, it will usually produce these small pretty purple flowers. Great choice with the corys! I love corydoras. I love watching them zip about together in random spurts, cant wait to get a big group for my 6ft. I've actually just trimmed the hygro and re potted some. I didn't plan the substrate in this tank so I've got the plants in little pots with soil and ferts. I am trying to figure out how to DIY a clamp/stand so I can hang a flood light above, I think the light I have might be too strong for the Anubias, maybe, its growing up and losing its deep green colour. I'll for sure let the hygro grow out when I've worked out how to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 On 1/9/2022 at 5:03 PM, Shazza said: I think the light I have might be too strong for the Anubias, maybe, its growing up and losing its deep green colour. Could it be that the anubias is stretching to get closer to the light? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac M Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 @Shazza I love corydoras too, I have a whole aquarium dedicated to them haha and I actually have a floodlight over that aquarium. What I did was make a stand out of pvc pipe but it could easily be made out of wood or even steel pipe. I used clear zip ties to tie the floodlight to the pvc pipe stand. Here is a picture of the stand: It is hardly even visible once the plants have grown in too. I would gladly help you with the design if you would like. About the anubias, they typically can only grow in one direction, the direction of their rhizome which is up in your case. Usually plants also grow more compact with a strong light. With anubias, it will usually grow green spot algae on its leaves if the light is too strong. I find it very rare that anubias gets too little light, especially when it is not being shaded like in your case. Here is a picture of some hygro I let grow out with the purple flower I mentioned: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazza Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 (edited) On 1/10/2022 at 11:39 AM, CalmedByFish said: Could it be that the anubias is stretching to get closer to the light? It could be, yeah. The reason I think too much is I have had Anubias survive so well and completely fine with an old T8 globe that didn't light the tank up like these new LEDS do. Maybe I just don't have the balance right or the light is not the right spectrum. The Hygrophila is out of control though.... Edited January 10, 2022 by Shazza 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazza Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 On 1/10/2022 at 11:44 AM, Isaac M said: @Isaac M That PVC pipe idea looks so good and I love all your plants. I don't have enough room under my stand to anchor the pipes which will be an issue, I'm also not confident with the tools so the easier the better haha. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac M Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Thank you and honestly, I do not even have the full base anymore, it is simply resting against the aquarium and wall as such: You can always simply tape the pipe to the aquarium or stand to provide side to side support along with the base. For front to back support, it will lean onto the aquarium at the top and push against the wall at the bottom. As for tools, all you need is ratcheting pvc cutters like these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazza Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 ahhh hahhh @Isaac M I've been busy today :) Only thing is, I was shocked to find how short the power chord was so it looks a little ugly but I did buy the cheapest light they had so I'll find a way to conceal it in the coming days. I painted the PVC black and its sitting just a little too high but that is an easy fix. The light makes the tank look so much more natural where the old light was very blue. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac M Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 @Shazza oh man that looks awesome! Haha you did great! You can always purchase a black extension cord to help conceal it a little better. If you grow some plants out the top of the tank, that will help hide it as well. I see what you mean about the color of the light, you can see it in the background color, it looks much more blue rather than black in the first photo when compared to the new photo. Spot lights rather than lights that are a full strip across the tank will usually produce a shimmer in the aquarium too if you have water flow on the water surface which makes it look even more natural. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atitagain Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Welcome to the forum, and back to the hobby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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