Holland tank

[fischkopp]

Thanks for your kind words. It has taken me a while to learn how to keep red plants alive; once you get a hang of it its very rewarding. There are quite a few plants that I still have difficulties with, but what matters in the end is what you do with what you keep in your tank. Possibilities are endless.

[fischkopp]

Went camping this summer and came back to find my tank in this shape. It basically stayed like that for two three month. And when I went for another trip, the tank cleared up again. Guess one break in the summer wasn't enough ...

[Peekay]

 

Even your algae has a bright, healthy glow! 
Glad it finally cleared up. 

[exv152]

Hey Robert, Goes to show you tanks sometimes have a way of rectifying themselves. Any idea what may have caused a spike in ammonia?

[fischkopp]

I would say the cause was lack of maintenance/fertilizing, creating an imbalance. Presumable one of the macros bottomed out I assume. Water changes and general fertilizing routine didn't clear it up. Only once I doubled phosphates, in combination with light reduction, it went back to normal.

[fischkopp]

Wow. This tank has been running for more than four years. It had it downs, mainly during the summer months, but for the most time it has been a great journey. But sometime you know when its time to do the final pruning and move on to some new projects.

This tank will stay where it is, but it's being turned into a fish only tank. Awesome fish. More on that later.

Nature has gone wild.

And there is no holding back.

Ludwigia inclinata var cuba grows quite well above the surface.

That green patch in the corner is Hemianthus micranthemoides (Pearl Weed). It used to be a MaxiJet 400.

Would you have guessed this is Proserpinaca palustris var Cuba? It's emerged form it rather un-spectecular.

Pruned. Drain the water. Catch the fish. Done.

[Dan]

I was looking at your originally posted specs and noticed that you said your started your Co2 injection 1.5 hours before turning on the lights. I am getting ready to try this it out (cant beat proof and your tank speaks for itself) but was wondering why you are doing this?

[pm]

I was looking at your originally posted specs and noticed that you said your started your Co2 injection 1.5 hours before turning on the lights. I am getting ready to try this it out (cant beat proof and your tank speaks for itself) but was wondering why you are doing this?

can't speak for fischkopp, but I have mine do the same (but only 45 min in advance of lights ) to get the co2 levels up so that once the lights kick in there is co2 available for the plants.  I don't know if it actually makes a difference, but plants do start to pearl earlier using this method. (or at least for me)

[fischkopp]

Yupp, pm nailed it. Once the light come on you want to make sure that the plants have everything they need to grow. Skimp on important CO2 and algae will happy to chime in to get rid of all those other nutrients.

[blueknight0303]

awesome tank!.. hope you can bring it back to its original state!

[fischkopp]

Thanks! This tank is no planted tank no more. Just a lot of wood, and a few fish.