Planted Again

After moving the Endlers and Shrimp into the established tank in the lounge it was now a case of getting this tank ready again for a new project.

I wish I had known that some substrates are a real pain in the arse to deal with and learning from my previous experience I was not going to use Fluval Statum this time around, yes it is a great substrate but boy is it messy and when it comes to maintenance the dissolved substrate soon creates a nasty cloud in your aquarium that can take days to clear.

I was going back to a planted tank as this reduced the number of water changes and once established with enough plants it took care of itself and made for no longer a nice planted aquarium but more of an ecosystem that used dying or melting plants as s source of food for its inhabitants. Snails and shrimp would have something to eat that was in keeping with their natural food source and it meant I could concentrate on feeding my fish what they needed with minimal waste, any waste would be consumed by the snails and shrimp as a bonus treat.

I created a few inches of gravel and arranged some Scottish pebbles in an appealing look but also, as best possible, a natural look as if it had just happened.

I have been very lucky to be able to afford some great bits of kit for my aquariums and the Sicce Shark Pro filter has been by far the most impressive of its kind, it is so adaptable at being the filter you want it to be.  This time I opted for its built in spray bar feature and it has not only created a lovely tranquil sound to my room but also airated the water far more effectively than that of anykind of airstone had ever, the flow rate can still be adjusted and I guess when I get some fish in there I'll either increase it or decrease it, depending on the fishes needs. 

I've added a few trusted plants that I have used in my other aquariums and this time around I am experimenting with some converted house plants that have learned to grow submerged. 

As any experienced fish keeper will know maintaining red-coloured plants can be a tough job especially if you are not using CO2 in your tank but if you are patient enough in converting regular house plants you can get some great-coloured plants with little to no effort.

I've added some Red Veined Nerve plants to my tank, knowing full well that they may not last as long as my other aquatic plants, but in the meantime, they are showing off some fabulous colouration amongst the other plants.

I am also going to add a few Red Tiger Lotus Bulbs as they do well in any tank and also do a great job of diffusing the light in the tank, which also helps with the reduction of algae growth.