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Webmaster comment: I can only say WOW !!!
Aquarium Size:
75 Gallon, 48" x 18" x 18",
tempered glass
Lights:
Two 150 Watt halogen shop lights
CO2 system:
5 lb CO2 cylinder, regulator, solenoid,
Buske-Aqualine CO2 reactor, silicone tubing
Filtration:
Eheim Professional Cannister filter, type 2228
Substrate:
2-3 mm gravel diameter with Substrate Gold
(approx 117 onces) added under 2 3/4 inches gravel.
Average General Hardness:
6
Average Carbonate Hardness:
10
Average PH:
7.0
Water Changes:
25% weekly
Fertilization:
3 caps of MiraVit after water change
Original Setup:
January 1999
I started a dedicated plant tank in January 1999,
and now I am now totally addicted to live plants in an aquarium. After having
success keeping plants alive in my 75 Gallon, I converted my 29 Gallon to a
planted
tank as well.
I can not imagine keeping an aquarium anymore, without live plants.
Healthy, live plants add so much to the ecosystem in an aquarium and I have
never seen my fish so happy.
I have always loved gardening and this was a natural combination of my two
hobbies.
I do not think that a person needs a green thumb though, in order to have
healthy, beautiful aquatic plants.
The key to aquatic gardening is understanding the biological needs of plants.
Light, CO2, water,
and macro/micro nutrients are necessary for a plant to photosynthesis and grow.
Most common aquarium setups do not have enough light leading to slowly
declining plants,
as the plants starve to death. The addition of CO2 is also necessary at high
light levels, as the
plants quickly consume the amount of CO2 available in the aquarium.
The faster the growth rate, the more work required of the aquatic gardener, as
the
plants can actually use up the macro or micro nutrients available in the
aquarium.
I would view the addition of higher lighting and supplemental CO2 fertilization
as
the key to my success with aquatic plants. With higher light levels there is a
greater c
hoice of plants which will thrive in the aquarium and the addition of CO2
increases the growth rate of the plants.
My tap water is also very alkaline, with a PH of around 7.4.
The CO2 allows me to control my PH, which I usually keep around 7.0.
The plants in my 75 Gallon tank are:
Ruffled Swords (E. major, E. martii, or E. maior
depending on who you read)
Aponogeton ulvaceus bulb
Lilaeopsis
Marsilea crenata
Didiplis diandra
Cryptocoryne willisii
Echinodorus parviflorus 'Tropica'
Bacopa Cardamine
Rotala macrandra
Frill
Fine leaved
Water sprite (some variety of Ceratopteris)
Gymnocoronis spilanthoides
Dwarf Onion
Sagittaria subulata
Vallisneria contortion
Vallisneria spiralis (corkscrew)
Mayaca
Hygrophila polysperma
Hygrophila rosanervis (sunset hygrophila or H.
polysperma 'Rosanervig')
Java Fern - Tropica or Wiindeløv variety,
I'm not sure which
Fish population:
4 Forktail Rainbows (3 male, 1 female)
6 Harlequin Rasboras
1 Gold Nugget Pleco
1 Red Honey Gourami
1 Coral Blue Gourami
1 Blue Ram (male)
1 Beta (red male)
Many delta red-tailed guppies
15 Malaysian Trumpet Snails originally, unknown
number now
4 Crossocheilus siamensis (Siamese Algae Eaters)
2 Kuhlii Loaches
2 Clown Loaches
1 Borneo Sucker Loach
10 Otocinclus
1 Dwarf African Frog.
For more information on my aquariums, you can visit my web page at
http://www.fortunecity.com/rivendell/sword/3/Aquarium/
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