Evolving Jungle - 157L Planted Tank

[pm]

I have really enjoyed reading through tank build threads here and on other forums and thought it was time to post my own work.  Unfortunately I did not document the early stages well, so I will have to start by showing the tank as it is today.  As the title suggests, the tank is very dynamic, with additions, removals, and changes occurring more often then they probably should.  Many thanks to OVAS members (Charlie in particular... guess how many of the plants came from you) and forum users for allowing access to the majority of plants used.

UPDATED: May 2012
Tank: 157 litre Kotobuki Leglass R-900, 90cmx45cmx45cm (curved front edges)
Substrate: Black gravel mixed with Fluorite black and a laterite base
Light: 2x39W T5HO Hagen Glo fixture plus 1x39W T5HO Sunblaster strip light
Filtration: Marineland Magnum 350 with DIY spraybar 2X Rena XP1s
CO2: Pressurised, fed into filter intake
Heater: Jager 150 watt glass heater
Water change: 50% weekly
Fertilization: EI dosing using a combo of dry and wet ferts
Hardscape: Just a big old piece of cottage country driftwood... but super funky Redmoore wood
Livestock: Neon Tetras, Cardinal Tetras, BN Plecos, Pygmy Cories, Amano shrimp, Cherry shrimp, Otto, SAE, Assassin snails

Plants:  Always changing

The tank, or at least the scape, as it was in a 33 gal up until October/November, has evolved quite a bit.  It has gone from DIY lights (CFL bulbs) DIY CO2 and inert gravel to what is posted above.

Potential future changes include replacing the Staurogyne repens with more Dwarf hair grass, or more likely letting the hair grass envelop the Staurogyne, thinning out the red plants  (ludwigia repens 'rubin' and alternanthera reineckii), and providing more shade to the low light plants.  Now that the tank is full and growing well, I think I will need to add a small powerhead to increase circulation (no dead spots).

Comments encouraged.

[Peekay]

You have some very interesting plants in there.  what is the goldish one on the very far right?  It has a great leaf shape.

Looking great!

[pm]

Proserpinaca palustris 'Cuba'

just got that one this week!

[charlie]

Great job, love it, but then again it`s planted  . thanks for sharing .

[jshchrtn]

Awesome tank love the curved edges! Good job duder!

[touchofsky]

Gorgeous tank!  I am glad that you posted it 

[fischkopp]

Thank you for sharing this tank with us. The aquascaping works really well. I especially like how the C. wendtii offsets the wood behind it. In my opinion, keep the Staurogyne on the left, it will grow into a nice low bush, is much easier to control than hairgrass and provides more variety in the foreground.

[pm]

In my opinion, keep the Staurogyne on the left, it will grow into a nice low bush, is much easier to control than hairgrass and provides more variety in the foreground.

i see your point wrt the hairgrass!  I have to trim it all the time now  and it is taking over.  I just trimmed the HM and found hairgrass growing throughout it.  A plus for it, however, is that it seems to root well in my mixed substrate.

All comments welcome, keep them coming. 

[pm]

Update.

Saw a nice piece of Manzanita at Big Al's so I swapped out my Ontario driftwood (which was too big anyway) for the imported kind.  

Taking a cue from dutch style tanks I have also moved some plants around to try to have a bit more contrast (separated the red plants, tried to place different leaf shapes together, etc.)

A couple of plants need a trimming, I know.

[Thunda]

The tank is looking great!!!!

[touchofsky]

Beautiful!  I like the changes 

[charlie]

Fantastic job Peter, love it.
Thanks for sharing

[daworldisblack]

Looking great Peter!

[Peekay]

Lovely.  Everything is so vibrant and happy to be there!

[pm]

Thanks for all the comments, I appreciate the feedback.   

I learned to adjust the white balance and exposure on my camera.  Pics are more realistic now, and not so yellow-green.

[touchofsky]

I am still working on getting good pictures.  Yours look great 

[bettabreeder]

very good looking tank! gotta start on my own now...

[DaWolfe]

Very Nice, good job.  Any recent pics to share??

[pm]

Thanks for the comment.  The tank is in a bit of transition right now.    I did some major trimmings, removed some plants, added others, moved things around, etc.

I will post more pics as soon as the tank is back in a reasonable state. 

[charlie]

Thanks for the comment.  The tank is in a bit of transition right now.    I did some major trimmings, removed some plants, added others, moved things around, etc.

I will post more pics as soon as the tank is back in a reasonable state. 

Transistion  , you are starting to sound like me , i move things around often