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[_Andy]

IBTM and or L...

[beaslbob]

...

Wow... do you have any pics? Also, do you use ro/di, conditioned tap or straight tap?

Straight unconditioned tap. And I have used that method in several cities in the US as I was moved aroudn in the Air Force. So it is not some super duper tap water where I am currently located.

The plants condition the water and maintain the tank. The week with no fish allows the chlorine/chlorimine to dissapate.

I do need to clean up my tanks..... some time. But I will take pictures of them when I get home.

Bob

[Lawdawg]

After having done this last nano reef, I think the next one I attempt will be an amano style planted tank.

[Len]

Moving soon :p

I've always wanted a nice planted tank, but I couldn't keep up with the maintenance. These things make reefkeeping seem totally hands-off in comparsion. If I was rich, I'd pay someone to maintain a big planted tank for me ... preferably amano

[beaslbob]

Moving soon :p

I've always wanted a nice planted tank, but I couldn't keep up with the maintenance. These things make reefkeeping seem totally hands-off in comparsion. If I was rich, I'd pay someone to maintain a big planted tank for me ... preferably amano

for a mere $50,000 in small bills I could be hired.

I think you will find the maintenance of a planted tank is extremely easy compared to a reef setup.

Oh yea. Tried to take pictures of my tanks but they are so over grown with plants they all came out dark with my cheapie camera. So will look for older pictures with a better camera.

Or perhaps it is time I did something more the add water and food. Which is all I have done for 2-3 years on one of the tanks.

my .02

[beaslbob]

found out I do really need to clean up the tanks. The plants are to thick I could not get a picture that wasn't extremely dark.

Anyrate here is a graph of my startup parameters for a 20g long. Note the x axes in not evenly "ticked" and the last tick in several days long.

The tank was started with straight untreated tap water, has an aquarium gravel substrate, no filter, no circulation, no water changes.

The graph was started on the first day I added a fish.

The pH listed here is with the api pH kit not the high range kit. the high range kit tests at 8.4-8.8. this lower reading kit is just maxed out.

This reflects what I call the normal planted cycle. Little to no ammonia, nitrIte spikes with an immediate nitrate spike that lasted about 3 weeks.



Not the most orgainzed or prettiest tank but here is an overall shot a year or so later:









platties are from the original cycle trio.

silver hachetfish which are supposed to require a pH of 6-7. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Don't tell them. They seem just fine.