Tank size 75 gallon Aqueon
300 watt heater
Lights= 4×54 watt T5HO 10 hrs on
Filtration= Cascade 1000 setup as spray bar across the back I believe 295 GPH
2 powerheads for water movement 1 Koralia and another is a brand i cant read
Inert sandblasting sand w/root tabs
Pressurized Co2 @ 2.8 BPS per sec through a glass diffuser under a powerhead intake
50% waterchange weekly on sunday with 80% RO and 20% tap for micro minerals
Ph=6.5-6.8
Temp=78-80F
No3= 25-35 ppm
Co2 is about 30 ppm as I understand. The drop checker is light green so I would presume its close to good

Feed= spirulina and tubiflex worms
Flora=
Cryptocoryne undulata
Taxiphyllum barbieri
Lemna minor
Nesaea sp. ‘Red Leaved’
Hygrophila corymbosa ‘angustifolia’
Hygrophilia Kompacta
and a few others I cant find the names to

Fauna=
2 Tiretrack eels
3 Clown Loaches
3 neon tetra
7 cardinal tetra saved from a friends failing tank
10 rummynose tetra
2 bushey nose plecos
5 albino cats
1 Freshwater Flounder about the size of a dollar bill
and a few misc fish small like hastatas cats and otos
Fert schedule= was PPS pro – CSM but it’s currently in the process of shifting over to EI dosing schedule starting 5/2/11
micro nutes= flourish comp

Tank has been running for about 1.5 yrs maybe a little longer

Introduction and Background
I have been in the ornamental fish hobby for more than 20 Years now (since I was 18 ) and have gone through Cichlids, Discus, saltwater (marine + reef) and more. My introduction to planted tanks goes back 15 years ago with my first low-tech, low-light, yeast CO2 system. Since then, a lot of water and fertilizers has flown. I find this hobby and particularly aquascaping as part of me and my day-to-day life and I totally enjoy attending to my aquariums (and paludariums) for at least two hours every day. I am glad to introduce everyone to one of my tanks which was established in the end of December 2007. This tank is installed in my home office and is my largest planted tank.

About the Layout
The picture I had in mind was a combination of Dutch and nature style tank packed with green and red plants. I have chosen quartz rocks (you can barely see them today) as decoration and arranged them as high mountains with the golden ratio in mind.

Specifications:
Tank: Rena 1.5 meter – 450 liter (330 liter net)
Lighting: light 1.25 WPL (6 X 54W T5 + 5 X 18W Osram Mini Twist at the sides)
Chiller: Teco TR-15 Chiller
Carbon: CO2 + PH controller + 2 outside reactors
Filtration: 2 X Eheim pro 3 2028
Ultraviolet Sterilization: 36W UV
Substrate Heating: Under substrate Heating cable – Rena 15m 100W
Substrate: 1st layer Pumice 2cm, 2nd layer Pumice+peat+humus 3cm, 3rd layer JBL Aquabasis 2cm, 4th layer crushed quartz 5cm.
Water Parameters: pH-5.9, KH-1Gdh, GH-3Gdh, CO2-40ppm, NO3-15ppm, PO4-1.5ppm, 275ms, Temp.-25.5c.

Discus, Neon Tetra, Cherry and Amano Shrimp, Otocinclus, Ancistrus, Florida flag, other tetras, and few more…

Tank maintenance:
Besides aquascaping, the tank is fully automated, including:
Automatic water change (100% RO), 100% a week.
Automatic DIY fertilization with peristaltic pumps – KNO3, KH2PO4, KCL, MgSO4, CaCl2, Iron gluconate, Iron EDTA, CSM+B, Flourish Excel.

Technique:
The aquarium is trimmed at least twice a week. Parts of the plants are trimmed from their upper part and part from their lower, all the time trying to maintain a nice flow of colors and density.

Final Thoughts:
The tank is constantly changing in plants species and arrangement and I will try to continue and update it on the forum.

DIY stuff! My own design fishing leads line for hanging the lights and fan, each line can hold around 22kg, cause is make of metal line.

Here’s the final product,

And here’s the final layout, for lights and fan also,

Here’s the tank testing for any leaking, 60cm X 40cm x 40cm (8mm) opti-white tank.

Tools for scaping the sand, bought it from DIY shop(Singapore), cost around $1.35(SGD), it also can use for scraping algae on the glass. Make of tough plastic.

Wood structure being soak for awhile already, ready for arranging.

The white styrofoam is the separator for the white lapis sand and aqua soil. Timing to fill in the soil. Change a thinner styrofoam separator. Stones use is to stable the separator and the soil moving around. Some of the equipment also in place to see how it look like.

The lapis sand bought initially was too brown, went back to the LFS again to change to a more whiter one, didnt know they have different colour of lapis sand though all the same.  Aqua soil looks like chocolate chips to me, feel craving for chocolate each time i look at it.

Used a ruler to measure both sides of the soil(i know the photograph is showing one cm and the other is inches, but they are same reading/distance).

Time to remove the separator.

Perfect straight line! Loves it!  Will shift some of the soil to make it more natural after placing the rocks in.  More rocks coming soon…

I mean mist the soil and not flood.

Is time to flood 1/3 of the tank with water, for planting convenience. You can see the water is crystal clear during flooding.  I use the plastic cover for introducing water to the tank to prevent any rushing of water causing cloudy.

Next step is to prepare the plants for planting, remove any death plants or roots. I use Toyogo box cover for my plant arranging.

Plant surgery! As usual trimming off and cutting. Plastic cover is good for holding plants during planting than hand.

Filled 1/3 tank with water and start to do planting, really backache after doing this. Lots of elbow work.

Filling up the tank with water, fix the filter inlet with sponge to collect dirts and use net at outlet to collect debris. Got a fishing lead weight to weight down the wood to prevent from floating as i’ve taken out the wood for quite sometime .

Added hornworts to suck the nutrients. Water is still pretty clear at this time. Added Petite Nana between the wood also. Will tie the wood with moss later part cause the wood still in semi floating stage.

Current Plant lists:
Cryptocoryne spec. legroi
Hemianthus Micranthemoides
Ludwigia Arcuata
Ludwigia Brevipes
Pogostemon Stellatus
Riccia sp. ‘Dwarf’
Rotala Rotundifolia
Rotala sp. ‘Nanjenshan’
Echinodorus Tenellus
Eleocharis sp. (Japan Hairgrass)
Cryptocoryne parva
Anubias barteri var nana ‘Petite’
Microsorum pteropus “needle leaves” (Narrow Leaf Java Fern)
Blyxa Japonica
Myriophyllum Aquaticum (Parrot Feather)
Mini Chrismas Moss
Peacock/Spiky Moss
US Fissiden

That’s alot, right!

Peacock/Spiky Moss tie on the wood! Pebbles are added on the beach to enhance the natural look.

My COMMANDO fish, platy! to cycle the tank!

Added the mini riccia tie on the pebbles. Remove the big mini riccia rocks infront. Time to replace the inlet and sponge with surface skimmer.

Sakura Shrimp

Amano Shrimp

My first and only 15 minutes “Vivarium” during water changing.

Here’s the full tank shot! Currently most of the plant is so short.