Tank Specs!

I had promised myself, I would post the specs and gadgets installed in my planted tank.

Here goes:

The tank is 30 inches long, 27 inches tall, and 26 inches wide. All 12 mm, high polished.

Lighting is a total 220 Watts, thats supplied by four 55 Watt PL Lamps @ 6500 Kelvin, driven by 2 Electronic ballasts that can drive upto 110 Watts each. These are all enclosed in a cieling mountable fixture, and placed inside the tank. The lighting goes in 3 inches to the tank, and rests on the support strips placed along the length of the tank.

Filtration is handled by an Eheim 2213. I do know I could have installed something more powerful, but this is doing its job, and I have no complaints, so let it be!

CO2 is supplemented from a pressurized CO2 cylinder, thats controlled by a Dymax Regulator, and needle valve, and it has a solenoid built in too. This is connected to a CO2 reactor thats powered by the output of my Eheim. Works like a charm. Yes, I said CHARM.

Substrate is layered, with laterite in the base, and unwashed river sand, alongwith washed river sand to compact it. On top of this, I used the standard 2 to 3 mm gravel, that I normally use. I did use a few commercial substrate enrichers, but I dont particularly attribute the growth to them, so am omitting their names here. I seriously believe laterite for plants is like viagra. Havent really seen the former in action, but guess I conveyed the message.

Water is from the tap.

The lights and CO2 are on timer. The Co2 comes on 1 hour before the lights come on, and switches off one hour before the lights go off.

Dosing is done on a daily basis. Micronutrients, and Iron supplements are added daily. Potassium nitrate and Potassium sulphate are added to new water during my weekly water change. And of course a generous dose of Sodium bicarb too.

Plants are Eriocaulon cinereum, Micranthemum umbsosum, Blyxa japonica, Glossostigma elatinoides, Anubias nana, Java moss, Willow moss, Bilbitis heudolitii, Nymphaea sp. I do have one more plant thats growing on briftwaood, that I dont know the name of!

Fish, currently I have marbled hatchets, Cardinal tetras, Rummy nose tetras, and ottocinclus.

Thats thats for now!

Discus

At last, here I am. Finally managed to sit down and post again.

Life has been pretty hectic, and have been kinda busy, and lazy to post too.

Have you ever met these people whom you would kill, if you got a chance? Anyways, I have seen many! But theres one person, whom I would love to kill! Thats that, and I dont wanna dwell more on that, as the more I think the worse it gets!!!

As usual, I have been carrying out water changes, and the usual maintenance routine! Two of my discus decided to pair up, and have started laying frequently! I mean, laying eggs!!! Lets see, what happens. Time has to answer that one.

In discus, its pretty irritating. Sometimes, two femals pair up, and one lays and the other bitch acts like the male. If you are wondering why I said bitch, what else can I call her? And the owner is very happy, to see eggs, and waits for them to hatch.

k, gtg!