Time to do something different to the 120 Gallon and the 60 Cube

[Tom Barr]

I've messed around a few different scapes with this tank, but I think it is time to try something fresher and not the same old clones of the past.

I'll be going non CO2 and emergent growth mostly.
Undecided on the plants just yet.

Mostly going for a high current pleco tank effect.
Lots of wood, since I have a natural abundance of that.

Also, this tank is about to come to an end:

I think I'll keep the catfish(syno's) but add the elephant nose to another tank and remove the Congos permanently. Will go more a Tropheus theme, but with rocks building up, not wood. No CO2, about 1/2 the light. Different filter(wet/dry).

Should be a bit of a challenge, this one.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Wet]

Man, that's some $$$ in just the Downoi and Pettite right there, too.

I'm especially interested in what you do with wet/dry and no CO2! I've got this guess that such a tank maintaining atmospheric CO2 will be very beautiful and very easy and grow all sorts of junk. But I've not had a chance to try wet/dry as a CO2 source yet.

Is your choice for no CO2 strictly the challenge?

I've some Pogostemon yatabeanus for you at AGA if you want it. One of those plants that are too big and unwieldy submerged but nice shape and shade of green-yellow emergent.

 

[Tom Barr]

Thanks,

Many of the aquatic plants, most in fact, have very different emergent forms , most of which few aquarist have ever seen, including downoi in general.
I might go with slaked slate skree with caves for the Tropheus moorii display. Onyx sand is similar in coloration. But, a lighter colored rock might high light the coloration of the fish.
Darker colors sometimes look bad on some fish species. We have plenty of different flat stone to chose from. I can delete a few spots to make caves for fish etc.

I do not want to use foam or artificial materials.
Against my rules

I've looked at it, seen it, and done it to a high level. But I do not like it in my own tanks.

Drilled stainless steel rod with pre drilled rock(using ceramic drill bits) is another idea for taller columns(Rock forest of stacked slate, flagstones etc).
This is sort of like China's rock forest or the Capital Reef, Monument Valley, Zion, Bryce canyon type of landscape.
These can be adjusted around the center hole to give various looks without permanent gluing etc. Sort of like stacks of cogs on a bike's rear cog set but in a vertical position.

I've seen some really nice rock displays in nature, but getting them out and back home.........it would require a fork life to places that I could not get a fork life to.
Not sure yet.

The 120 will be a bit easier since it's with wood that I have plenty of already and know how to get it like I want.

One of the nicest tanks I've seen ever was a Tropheus rock Anubias display.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Gerryd]

Tom,

I'll take the anubias petite and the bolbitus from the 60 if you want to sell it..

I'll take it all.....Name a price

What will you do with the congos and the other fish in the 120?

I like your ideas and can;t wait to see the results...

 

[randy0319]

that is a very pretty tank and scape ya got there. I am 'algae green with envy'.

 

[dutchy]

What's the PAR on the 120?

Maybe a nice topic for the "Gallery" forum? One for the 60 and one for the 120?

regards,
dutchy.

 

[Tom Barr]

There's going to be a build up of each and some how too.
I want about 12-15 Tropheus moorii and know a local source with some nice 1.5-2" for reasonable $$.
I have plenty of Syno Multis and petricolas, maybe later, a granulosus
Rich mans catfish.
Some eels also perhaps.

Ah, mostly Tropheus, some multis, and perhaps some Julis/few others similar.
I will/might have vals and some plants growing out near the top edge, not as much as the other tanks though.
I have plenty of light to grow many species of algae also for them.

Regards,
Tom Barr