OT: My new rimless planted 75G tank

[Tomoko Schum]

Hi y'all,

I just replaced my old Oceanic 75 gallon tank with a new rimless one made by OCEA.

The new tank looks great. The new OCEA did a great job. Their workmanship is great (thanks, Joey!) and so was their price (better than Glasscages). They even delivered it to my house and help me set it up just right

Here's what it looked like before planting:

Here's my hardscape with driftwood:

After the initial planting (Front view):

In an angle:

Sorry about the reflections on the glass. I need to remember to take the photos at night.

The tank is planted to have a triangular arrangement, but it is hard to see right now as the stem plants on the left are cut short. Once the stem plants grow and fill in, it should accentuate the open space above the short grass on the right.

 

[dubaygv]

Wow! That looks really nice!!

 

[RUGDOG]

Beautiful Tomoko....I have always admired the art in aquascaping the fresh planted tanks.
Terry

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Thank you guys! I will post an update later. The tank should look much better in a few months.

 

[scapes]

looks great!!! u still have the 180?

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Yes, I do. 180 is doing well. I need to replace MH bulbs to Phoenix, though. I find the color of XM great, but the par is way too low....

 

[wpecoul]

Really nice, Tomoko!

 

[NicoleC]

I always love planted tanks. I'm thinking of pulling out my last two corals and adding some more SW plants to my tank. The fish I have won't mind.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Thank you, Will.

Nicole - I think SW plants/macroalgae are great for a SW tank. I know a few people who have macroalgae and turtle grass in their reef tanks. Halophila would be nice, too, but I don't know a source for them. I have some Gracilaria hayi (I think that's what it is since my tangs and turbo snails are not interested at all in it) if you are interested.

 

[NicoleC]

I may take you up on that offer, Tomoko, whenever I put the QT tank back up this winter.

I never had luck with seagrasses; they are a whole different kind of challenge. I have plants on and off here and there. Right not I only have some kind of red seaweed (Botryocladia leptopoda, I think) I've had forever. Lovely stuff. I sometimes see it for sale as "Red grape caulerpa" which it most certainly it NOT. I can share some of that if anyone wants it; it's about time for it to be pruned anyway.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

How about trading my Gracilaria with your Botryocladia sp. ? I need to grow some red seaweed that my herbivores would eat in my fuge instead of the one that they ignore.

 

[NicoleC]

I don't think they will eat the Botryocladia, but you are welcome to try some. If you are around this weekend I will be happy to meet you with a clump. I'll hit you up for the Gracilaria next time I am in a position to take it.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Okie dokie. I think I will be around on Sunday. I will PM you later.

 

[yoda]

Looks great Tomoko!

 

[Bryzoan]

Tomoko,

Awesome job! Could you give us the breakdown/specs. of the system (filtration, gravel type, lighting, plant selections, etc.) for those of us looking to foray into planted aquariums....

Thanks!

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Thank you, yoda and Bryzoan!

Here's the spec of my system:

Tank: 75 gallon rimless by Ocea (48 x 18 x 21 inches)
Lighting: Coralife (4 x 65W power compact bulbs: 6500K)
Substrate: ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia and Power Sand Special M
CO2: CO2 injected at the rate of approx. 3 bubbles per second
CO2 reactor: Hagen Elite mini aquarium filter used as a diffuser
Filtration: Eheim Pro II canister filter 2026
Driftwood: Manzanita branches

I just replaced my Seachem Fluorite substrate, which I had for the past 10 years, with ADA's Aqua Soil Amazonia. I got curious since a lot of planted tank people swear by the soil.

I am going to upgrade my light to a suspended light like Sunlight Supply Tek light fixture (4 x 54W T5HO). The current light is bright enough to grow anything, but I would like to suspend it. The shape of Coralife is not condusive to suspending from the ceiling. I wonder if anyone has a T5 fixture like the Tek light that they would like to get rid of...

As for plants, I have a lot, as listed below. I need to reduce the number of plant types to keep the tank from looking like a flower garden of hodge-podge assortment of plants.

Plants that I have are: (Siophytic) Anubias nana, Mycrosorum sp. (narrow leaf), Cryptocoryne parva, Cryptocoryne wendtii, (Heliophytic) Althernathera reinekii, Echinodorus compacta, Eleocharis acicularis, Didiplis diadra, Hemianthus micromanthemum, Heteranthera zosterifolia, Lilaeopsis mauritiana, Ludwigia repens, Ludwigia bravipes, Ludwigia arcuata, Ludwigia inclinata var. varticillata 'Cuba', Lymnophilla aromatica, Lysimachia nummularia Aurea, Marsillea sp., Myriophyllum mattogrossense, Nymphaea sp., Rotala rotundifolia, Rotala rotundifolia green, Rotala nanjenshan.
There may be more in there, but I cannot remember at the moment.

 

[kng]

Very nice!