# Planted Tanks > Aquascaping >  My First Planted Tank : 4'x2'x2.5' (LxWxH)

## ethan2008

After 5 months of having my tank sat empty in my living room, I have finally started my first planted tank 5 days ago. 

Why planted tank? Actually I was running a marine tank in the past, but man the electricity bills and time spent in maintenance really kills me. Running 250W MH with chiller 24/7 is already no joke, so for this new tank I will not be running any chiller, and will make do with plants that don't need chiller.

Well, I have no specific theme in mind for this tank, just wanna have a planted tank that would ultimately be a planted discus tank. And for sure I will be learning along the way, and god knows how many rescapes I would do before ariving at the final scape (hopefully not too many, really back breaking planting the glosso).

All comments are welcome, as I am really looking forward to learn from many gurus in this forum.  :Smile: 

Tank
Formerly a marine tank, bought second hand
4'x2'x2.5' (LxWxH) 12mm glass with overflow and sump

--Substrates--
Lapis Sand 
JBL Base Fert

--Filtration--
Sump with Eheim 1262 return pump

--CO2--
5L CO2 Tank with JBJ Solenoid Regulator
Internal Reactor located in sump
JBL CO2 Drop Checker

--Lighting--
2x150W MH (10,000K), 2x55W T5 (10,000K), 2x36W T5 (8000K)

--Cooling--
6 DIY DC Fans with Auto Top Up (left over item from my previous marine set-up)

Here's the tank

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## ethan2008

Filling up with lapis and JBL base Fert



Hard Scape - Bog wood with nana and moss



Filling up with some water to start planting glosso

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## k3nlim

Think you might need more plant mass...those fast growing plants or floating plants to soak up the excess nutrients

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## ethan2008

Progressing



Top view of the scape

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## ethan2008

Filling up water while planting stem plants



Finally filled up the tank, bog wood on the left hand side still float that's why the ugly "sand-bags" to keep it submerge. Tank water was relatively clear, was worried initialy that the water might be cloudy as I didn't wash the Lapis Sand (apparently it's been pre-wash).

 

Another view

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## ethan2008

Day 1:



Day 3:



Day 4:



Day 5:

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## benny

Very impressive start! Do keep us posted of the development of this aquascape.

Cheers,

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## yeoyl87

sweet. Day 5 only and it already started to look good. Good job. Keep us posted

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## Verminator

Lovely little tank. I look forward to seeing the growth step by step (if possible). From the initial set-up it looks like this will be a very promising tank.

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## craftsman

Very nice bro! I can imagine how it will look in a couple of weeks. Nice and Natural!

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## ethan2008

Thanks all bros for the encouragement. 

Here's the update:

Day 6 - Decided to remove the Riccia from the center of the tank and may tie them to smaller rocks and re-introduce them later. Like the cleaner look w/o riccia...



Moon Light  :Kiss:  popular in marine tank, not sure if it's relevant in Planted tank though





Lastly, auto-top up recycled from my previous marine set-up. Evaporation rate is about 17L in 3 days, I am glad I have this guy to help me keep my sump water level in-check.

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## ethan2008

Right now I am puzzle about how should I go about dosing fert, dare not any how dose cause affraid of creating algae problem  :d'oh!: 

Below is what I have got from NA last week:

LUSH Gro-AQUA
LUSH Gro MICRO
LUSH Gro KH2PO4
Iron-EDTA (13% Fe)
Seachem Equilibrium

Am I missing anything? Or any of the above is not needed? 

I am hoping to come out with the proper weekly dosage (EI Method?), mixed them well into my top up tank, and let the auto-top up slowly add the fert into my tank while replenishing the evaporated tank water, what do you guys think about this idea? All inputs are greatly appreciated

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## craftsman

Bro, how much did you pay for your tubby?  :Very Happy:

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## ethan2008

> Bro, how much did you pay for your tubby?


Bought it second hand long time back, I think it's around $80 at that time. Now there're few models from other manufacturers available in the market (no longer use float switch, uses something like proximity sensor or similar that's more superior, no more moving part).

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## craftsman

Wah... Looking for something like that in the future once I have a proper study and piping facilities.  :Very Happy:

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## rayade76

> Day 1:
> 
> 
> 
> Day 3:
> 
> 
> 
> Day 4:
> ...


Wow setup , keep it up bro.

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## StanChung

It's looking good, I just thought you'd be interested in keeping a white sand space for your future discus to 'graze' especially since discus are messy eaters.
Some cories are also good tank mates with discus plus they help to clean the white sand.
The only downside is some holland sand bits like to mess up the white sand.

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## ethan2008

> It's looking good, I just thought you'd be interested in keeping a white sand space for your future discus to 'graze' especially since discus are messy eaters.
> Some cories are also good tank mates with discus plus they help to clean the white sand.
> The only downside is some holland sand bits like to mess up the white sand.


Thanks for your advise bro. Was having this thought earlier but not sure as some discus tanks seems to not have any white sand space too. I kinda like the idea of having a full grown foreground but then again not sure if the glosso wld actually cover the foreground fully or not. If it doen't cover the full foreground I will leave the uncover area as "white sand" area lor  :Grin:

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## Viper007

Well bro your pix had cos me to decide getting lapis sand instead of GEX. Thanks

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## StanChung

Yes, it ok this way too. Just have to be very careful with the excess food that may get trapped between the leaves. If not removed, will foul up the water.

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## ethan2008

Day 9 Updates:
Added a school of fishes into the tank... can you see them?  :Grin: 



Here's the closer look, so far feeding well with blood worms, hopefully these babies would adapt well to a planted environment...

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## ethan2008

Algae!! Arghhhhh....  :Crying: 
Any bro can help ID them? Quite thin and long, have removed them using tooth-brush. Now my ottos are working on the remains

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## rayade76

> Day 9 Updates:
> Added a school of fishes into the tank... can you see them? 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the closer look, so far feeding well with blood worms, hopefully these babies would adapt well to a planted environment...


Bro, well done  :Well done:  :Well done:  :Well done:  juv living well good PH and env. 

do post more to update . like to see the juv bigger in your tank

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## ZANE

Looks like hair algea. Juvenile Siamese algea eaters do a good job controlling them. I would have also recommended 50 malaysian shrimp - but considering your discus, they would have been eaten as quickly by the discus (if not more so) while they eat the algea. LOL.

ZANE.




> Algae!! Arghhhhh.... 
> Any bro can help ID them? Quite thin and long, have removed them using tooth-brush. Now my ottos are working on the remains

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## ethan2008

> Looks like hair algea. Juvenile Siamese algea eaters do a good job controlling them. I would have also recommended 50 malaysian shrimp - but considering your discus, they would have been eaten as quickly by the discus (if not more so) while they eat the algea. LOL.
> 
> ZANE.


Thanks bro, but SAE when grown up quite aggressive right? That's what I read from AQ, hence I have only ottos and nothing else. Malayan shrimp looks like a good idea but then again my discus will be even happier  :Grin:  To keep them from over-weight I'd better not to that. Will observe the situation and see if ottos can do the job.

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## StanChung

Congratulations on you new additions Ethan.

Small farm bred discus like that would not eat your yamato/malayan shrimps. SAE's would eat stringy stuff more than otos but having a few otos is ok although they like to attack larger discus for their slime.

What's the temperature like? Discus, especially juveniles need warm 28-30C to have good appetite or else they will fall sick easily.

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## ethan2008

> Congratulations on you new additions Ethan.
> What's the temperature like? Discus, especially juveniles need warm 28-30C to have good appetite or else they will fall sick easily.


Thanks bro StanChung. After so many years finally I have discus in my tank again  :Grin:  (used to keep ~30 discus in my schooling days)

Tank temp hovering ard 28-29.5C (using fan only), expect to be slightly higher during middle of the year, year end typically is not that hot and hence the slightly lower temp. With this temperature range I am a bit worry about algae control though...  :Sad:

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## ethan2008

Bought 50 Malayan shrimps and 3 SAE, hopefully they will keep the algae at bay (at least the hair algae). Also have some staghorn algae and BBA, this is gonna be a long struggle...  :Mad:

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## ethan2008

Wondering what should be CO2 bps like for my tank size, been running like 5bps but my JBL CO2 drop checker still in light blue color (using 4dKH solution). Any bro has any idea?

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## Loopy

Sweet looking tank duder! I like the low lying plants around the center. 

And woah! you electricals are super sexay! My next project is to pimp da kabinet just like you. I am interested in the Tubby. Very interesting. Because my PH is 8.5~8.6 I'd rather "prepare" my water ahead of time.

I sometimes wonder what it is like to have a plant-sump-tank.

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## subxero

> Sweet looking tank duder! I like the low lying plants around the center. 
> 
> And woah! you electricals are super sexay! My next project is to pimp da kabinet just like you. I am interested in the Tubby. Very interesting. Because my PH is 8.5~8.6 I'd rather "prepare" my water ahead of time.
> 
> I sometimes wonder what it is like to have a plant-sump-tank.


Your pH is rather high. Even higher than a marine tank...  :Kiss:

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## Loopy

Sorry I assumed that my other thread was read about my home tap PH.

My PH is 6.80. What I meant to say is that the PH from my Tap is 8 + + and requires me to bring it down before adding it. Every water change brings my PH up. So I have to mess with the water before adding it. It is very problematic.

For the Algae I dose 3 drops of the Azoo anti algae solution every other day. It is heaps lower than the dosage prescribed.

Or what I sometimes do is load up a syringe with 5ML and mix it with another 55ML of water. And shoot directly at the algae. Does the trick every time.




> Your pH is rather high. Even higher than a marine tank...

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## ethan2008

Did some rescape last Saturday, removed the fast growing plant on the front left corner (me not good at plant names  :Embarassed: )

This is how my tank look after the rescape (day 14)



Still battling algae, seems like I made a mistake in adding KH3PO4 in the last one week and overdosed a lot!! Did a 50&#37; water change after the rescape and bumps up my CO2 (now close to 5-6 bps). Now I am having all sort of algae and my oto and SAE are all fat fat  :Opps: 

Hopefully the situation will improves slowly. Have total of 6 SAEs and will likely add more Malayan shrimp to help keep the hair algae in check.

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## ethan2008

> Sweet looking tank duder! I like the low lying plants around the center. 
> 
> And woah! you electricals are super sexay! My next project is to pimp da kabinet just like you. I am interested in the Tubby. Very interesting. Because my PH is 8.5~8.6 I'd rather "prepare" my water ahead of time.
> 
> I sometimes wonder what it is like to have a plant-sump-tank.


Thanks bro. Actually the two MHs are only turned on 5 hrs/day at the moment (coz my set-up has no chiller). The reason why I have MH is due to the height of my tank (2.5 ft) yet wanted to have a glosso lawn so to play safe I'd rather start with MH instead of T5 then later need to upgrade. 

Having a sump tank make the main tank look "clean" without all the equipment (only the return pipe is visible), but the downside is the lost of CO2 due to overflow agitation. Well there's always trade off huh?

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## ethan2008

Day 17
Seeing some significant growth from the newly added plant in the back ground. One of the stem grew more than 1 ft in 3 days!!  :Shocked: 

Before (Day 14)


After (Day 17)

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## ethan2008

Update: Day 26  :Smile: 
Still battling algae, have hair algae, staghon, spot algae on glass  :Crying: 



Photo of the juv LSS (as requested by the bro who sold them to me)  :Roll Eyes: 
Two of them developed some white spot on their dorsal fins, added salt (40 tsp for 500L of water), off the fan (hence temperature raised to ~30C), feed BW soaked in Seachem Garlic Guard. White spots cleared within 2 days, not too bad huh? Will feed them with soaked BW from now on to enhance their immunity, hopefully can minimize holes in the head in future ... finger cross



Closer view, start to develop color on the fins aready

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## StanChung

Put in a few more SAE to eat the hairy algae. You'd have to take them out once they keep it under control. I'd put some Seachem Excel to soften up the algae.

Spot algae you can scrape.

29-30c for long periods will not be good for the plants. Aim for ~27.5C as compromise.

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## JadeIceGreen

A discus tank with such cute discus! This is like my dream come true.. Nice work bro! Looking forward to more updates.

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## ethan2008

> Put in a few more SAE to eat the hairy algae. You'd have to take them out once they keep it under control. I'd put some Seachem Excel to soften up the algae.


3 more SAEs added.. now have 6 of them in the tank. Thanks bro.  :Smile: 




> I'd put some Seachem Excel to soften up the algae.


That's a good idea. Should i direct the excel to the infected area?

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## Loopy

Dang! We cannot let the algae have the upper hand on this beautiful tank! Holy cow dude, 2.5FT in Height, that takes balls man.

I had the same problem as you when it came to algae. My mind was stuck in Riccia-mode cause I have a (in my mind) successful pearling Riccia tank at work. Massive lighting, pearling and all those cool things we like.

Enter big tank. I tried to recreate it with X6 54W 10K Tubes. I think I had every known algae to worry about  :Sad: 

Here is what I did:

1.) 6 SAE's
2.) 2 GAE's (Golden) (These thing grow big, but wow do they work like crazy)
3.) 11 OTTO's
4.) 1 PLECO (It's White, that's all I know)
5.) SYRINGE BLASTING!
5A.) AZOO ANTI ALGAE
5B.) EXCEL
6.) Brought down the photoperiod, you are doing 5 hours. I would not even know if 3 hours is advisable - What does everyone think?
7.) Oh and I chucked in plants like crazy

I hope you win man. A tank so beautiful, we cannot lose!

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## StanChung

Dosing Excel directly works to soften it up but I think just regular slight OD is ok.
FYI my friend bought 20 SAE's, 30 otos and don't know how many yamato to clean up his 3ft hair algae tank. No feeding for a week and clear. Of course mosses also bald...

Gambate! Anyway, I think more plants always work. I just feel the discus are too small to be put in planted tank. oops starting to sound like broken record.

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## ethan2008

> Dang! We cannot let the algae have the upper hand on this beautiful tank! Holy cow dude, 2.5FT in Height, that takes balls man.


Thanks for the encouragement bro, 2.5ft is a little too high. Can still manage once I took the hood away and... my mum give me a long hand too  :Grin: 




> Here is what I did:
> 
> 1.) 6 SAE's
> 2.) 2 GAE's (Golden) (These thing grow big, but wow do they work like crazy)
> 3.) 11 OTTO's
> 4.) 1 PLECO (It's White, that's all I know)
> 5.) SYRINGE BLASTING!
> 5A.) AZOO ANTI ALGAE
> 5B.) EXCEL
> ...


Thanks for sharing of the above, will likely to avoid GAE as it may creat problem once the discus grown up. 

Think I will just cut down the left hand side MH to 3 hrs and off the right hand MH (directly above the bog wood infested with hair algae) for a week and observed. What do you think?

A bit worry to meddle things around now coz I will be away for a whole week (actually 9 days) starting tomorrow, too many changes and if things go wrong I will not be there to rectify it... Sigh...

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## ethan2008

> FYI my friend bought 20 SAE's, 30 otos and don't know how many yamato to clean up his 3ft hair algae tank. No feeding for a week and clear. Of course mosses also bald...


20 SAEs and 30 Otos.. OMG  :Shocked: 




> Gambate! Anyway, I think more plants always work. I just feel the discus are too small to be put in planted tank. oops starting to sound like broken record.


Thanks bro. Will keep it up. As for the discus, I am not too sure either if I can succeed in raising them in a planted tank set up, just trying out and may be if I made it then some of us may try raising a batch of discus fries in a planted tank next time  :Grin:

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## ethan2008

Bro torque6 is sharing his success in battling hair algae using endlers, sound interesting and I may just give it a try .. Seaview here I come  :Grin:  

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=51992

So far the SAEs, though munching on the hair algae but not to the extend of gaining control over its growth... some more my SAEs fest on Blood Worm too, is this normal??

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## bossteck

Yes, soon they will just wait for you to feed them and ignore the algae all together. That's the problem with SAEs.

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## StanChung

Yes, it's a love hate relationship with SAE.  :Grin:  Once they're older[~3"] you have to let them go or keep them in a 'retirement tank'.

I have one that doubles up as my fern/anubias/bolbitis holding tank where I feed them sparingly. If I get any hair algae infested plant I put it in there to be 'cleaned'.  :Laughing:

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## ethan2008

Update on Day 37: 
Added 10 SAEs (total 16 SAEs in the tank), did a 50&#37; water change, off both MH to reduce light intensity, injected about 40ml of Excel directly onto hair algae and then off I go for my CNY break (away for 9 days), here's how the tank looks upon returning home



No casualties, touch wood.  :Smug: 

And amazingly, almost all Hair Algae had disappeared. No idea if it's due to the SAEs or Excel or reduced light intensity since I off both MHs (could be a combination of the three) but I am delighted to have some good outcome in my battle with this stubborn algea (I know I am far from declaring a victory in this battle)... Anyway the moss doesn't looks healthy now and there's some brown out area.. hopefully it will recover slowly.

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## vwsj84

Don't worry... moss recover fast  :Grin:

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## ethan2008

> Don't worry... moss recover fast


I do hope so... Start seeing some hair algae again on the moss... dosing excel (10ml) on alternate day and hopefully it would work out well.. finger cross

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## vonduos

Hi Ethan,

I am running a 5th with Sump tank.
24 hrs - 6 bps - 7.3 PH

When light is on, additional 3 bps from another CO2 tank.
7.3 PH with lights on.
7.1 PH without lights on with the addition 3 bps.

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## noved

I am thinking about a 150 gallon high my self and was wondering how this one turned out. How was your experience with planting a 2.5 foot tank. What ever happened to this set up. I am very interested to find out.

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## coolblue121

Very nice setup!

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## jyn1989

your driftwood very nice! may i know where u got it from?

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## Mystikboy

its a five year old thread fyi

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