Triton Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Hopefully I'm not the only guy with a dirted tank... if so, lets change that!!! Here is my 75g tank First picture in January 4th (freshly planted) and second photo is Feb 12th Louie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4n Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Man I love to background! What's lighting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 I really like the background look, too. Is that great stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted February 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 I took some old 24" long fluorescent lights, gutted them, and wired in 4 standard light bulb sockets in each (8 total) and using cfl bulbs totaling about 108W The bulbs are 5500K and 7000K daylights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted February 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 I really like the background look, too. Is that great stuff? Yep, great stuff, lava rock and then coated with drylok. Few things I would have changed if I could go back, but I like it Louie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Hey, cool! I did the same thing with a florescent over my 20g red cherry tank. I took some old 24" long fluorescent lights, gutted them, and wired in 4 standard light bulb sockets in each (8 total) and using cfl bulbs totaling about 108W The bulbs are 5500K and 7000K daylights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OblongShrimp Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Do those rocks leech at all or attach excess algae? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted February 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 the drylok prevents any leaching, but haven't had any issues since the tank got settled (a few up front). I am getting some bba, but I think thats more from being a newly set up dirted tank. I had to disturb the soil planter because I made a rookie mistake and ended up with a cory stuck behind the background (RIP) and needed to get it out. I think disturbing the soil gave me some excess nutrients that I've been slowly fighting back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OblongShrimp Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 What did you cap the soil with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted March 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 I have it capped with black diamond blasting sand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liberty1776 Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 Awesome tank!!! Big fan of the wall like the rest . Are you using ferts yet? How deep is ur dirt and gravel? You got some great growth in that short time, I experienced the same fast growth in the first few months of my 20tall planted. Loved it, but made some plants grow too fast. For example, had some anacharis growing in it with almost an inch section between the leaves. Are you gonna put any shrimp in? Heres a pic of my 20tall first dirted tank. Its about 7 months old right now. The pic was taken about 3 months in. I used to dose with dry ferts using the EI method until I turned it into a buce tank. With only T8 bulbs x2 for the light, I am restricted to what I can plant in this one. Low to Med plants do well in it. Its not aquascaped much, more organized than anything as I tried to keep species together and this is the first dirted and planted tank I have done. I learned a lot from it, and moved up to a 29gal Marineland that I got from a barter trading some skateboard trucks and 200 rds of some 22lr ammo I dont use anymore. Will have to take sime pics of that one, its still clouding up on me but is looking good. I think the substrate isnt heavy enough on the dirt, not sure but pretty sure. I got flora max in the 29 and Topfin petsmart gravel in the other and didnt have that problem. Anyhow, I got 2 dirted tanks and as soon as I can afford some led's Ill be back on the 29 to start scaping. Once again good looking dirted tank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted March 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 The dirt is about 1" and sand is close to 1", no ferts needed yet. Yea I've experienced very fast growth, but things are staying lush Lol, tried shrimp... Sadly it was an expensive experiment as the ones that didn't end up in the filter became lunch for the rainbows You gotta post some pictures up... Not just tease Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louie Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 That came out very nice .Looks like underwater cave rock. I would have never thought that 'greatstuff' even coated would work under water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted March 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 Yea I got the idea from a bunch of videos on saltwater tanks. So far I've had a few minor issues, but all have just been in overall design rather than implementation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juancho Posted March 14, 2014 Report Share Posted March 14, 2014 Very nice tank, Do you use any CO2? I bet shrimps would love those rocks....Maybe if you put some moss they could stand a chance ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted March 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2014 I dose metricide 14 current, there is actually a small group of RCS that some how haven't been spotted by the rainbows... Right now I'm watching the tank like a hawk... been slowly losing cardinals (finding them stuck to the filter intake) and last night found a dead cory... Water params all checked out good... but all the research I did says the background should be fine, and the dirt shouldn't be an issue... hoping it was just bad luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liberty1776 Posted March 15, 2014 Report Share Posted March 15, 2014 The dirt is about 1" and sand is close to 1", no ferts needed yet. Yea I've experienced very fast growth, but things are staying lush Lol, tried shrimp... Sadly it was an expensive experiment as the ones that didn't end up in the filter became lunch for the rainbows You gotta post some pictures up... Not just tease Finally figured out how to post pics after compressing em. I have a diy co2 using a powerhead and spongefilter. Has two 2liter bottles, 16oz filter and a diy bubble counter. Hob filter is for 30gal, and the lights are two t8s aqueon plant bulbs. They are barely doing the job. Am also using a co2 drop checker. Have had different plants in here and turned into a growout tank for a bit until i started filling it with buce plants. Heres some pics, btw the dirt and gravel are both an inch deep. Dosing dry ferts EI method, and the weekly water changes are necessary using this method, but it isnt so bad as the tank is right above the kitchen sink on the bar countertop. The little "tree" looking plant in the middle is a java fern leaf with 6 growing java babies still attached to it, have since took them off and put in the new cycling 10gal for carbon rili line i will be working on. Louie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wicca32 Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 my next tank i do will be mgo and pool filter sand once i get it and plant it i will post it here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@tt Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 This is non mineralized top soil. Louie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wicca32 Posted May 9, 2014 Report Share Posted May 9, 2014 ok i should have done a journal but i didnt. its nothing fancy and still getting stuff added bit by bit. a 29 gal, mgo with pool filter sand cap. i have a couple crypts, some downoi, a reinikii red, some kind of apong, and a couple types of java fern Louie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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