Icepac's 216 monster Litre tank

One big thing, you need to get the plants out of the pots. The roots will eventually rot out. I lost a whole bunch of Downoi by doing that.

 

a few questions to help with the plants,

first-->wpg of lighting you have and how many hours it's on

next-->plants that you currently have in there (Is that bamboo stalks?)

third-->now this is just me, I'd switch the items around...ship over to the sand side coming at an angle from the back corner seam of the tank --> kinda like this /
then you could get a maybe one of those skeleton pirate guys and place him in the front right corner of the tank.

(IF your looking to create 2 seperate areas/effect you could do half planted and half decorated...or 1/2 decorated with a few planted mixed in and 1/2 open)

Now if you have about 2.5 watts of light you could have quite a few options.

Background-->I'd suggest a fast grower so that you can use the clippings/prunings to quickly fill in the entire background in at least 1 row (ie. Hornwort, Hygrophila, Cabomba).

Center-->Get a key centerpiece such as a tall piece of driftwood or possibly a nice sword plant (be aware many of them will grow quite large and branch out fast).

Front--> You can do something like sublata if you like grass effect and if your NOT dosing with excel you could even do some crypts.

If I were you and wanted to my plants to do really well I'd use a few flourish tabs beneath the substrate (especially near any rooted plants) and start with a minimum of Flourish 1x a week.

Don't forget if you get red/colored plants that you'll need high lighting,co2, and possibly dose with iron (co2=system or excel and with excel some plants are sensitive to it)

 

I LOVE that stand!

 

the stand looks like mine (cabinets on end and shelves in middle).
<--jealous of the canopy

 

nice set up, don't use lead weights, just plant in the substrate, lead is not good for the fish

 

It's definately a sweet looking setup!

NO, leave the substrate be...you can get flourish plant tabs and insert them under the EXISTING substrate (great for the rooted plants). As for any potted plant it is definately better to remove the pot as it will restrict growth/spreading. If it won't stay "down" then you can use plastic plant holders (I have a few packs I bought from aquariumplants.com) that I'm not using. http://www.aquariumplants.com/Professional_Plant_Anchors_on_sale_reg_2_29_p/pr1325.htm If you need some I think I have 2-3 packages that aren't open. Pm me and I'll sell them to you at the actual cost and actual shipping costs (I get an online ship discount also).

Depends on what ya plant in there. If your going moderatley heavy or higher than 2.5wpg then your going to want it.
You can ALWAYS try it without the co2 and see how things go, but at a minimum I'd something such as Seachems Flourish 1x a week.

Sleep Well my friend.

No need to thank me, I'm always glad to help in any way that I can. I have tank rearrange syndrome and am forever changing something in mine. Lol!

 

1 package contains 4 plant plugs and costs $1.89 (I have 3 individual packages which contain 4 plant plugs per package), shipping using usps looks like First-Class Mail® International Package* Varies $7.00 ...I'll know the exact rate once you tell me how many packages you want. Pm me.

You can leave the internal one in if you like (just make sure not to put plants up against it as they will be drawn into the intake). Sorry, I don't use the plant tabs and I used the entire pack of the Hagen Nutrafin spikes or I'd gladly send ya some.

Not if you put the driftwood about 2-3" from the back glass. Again, depends on the size of the piece and how you place it (whether it's a chunky centerpiece or a long branch like piece that stays low)

Slap a cheap solid shower curtain on the back (waterproof and mildew resistant if you do get spillage, I have doubled two $1.00 plastic "party" Banquet table covers on mine and taped them in place with packaging tape.

I have no room for co2 system, so I use Seachem Flourish Excel (soo easy to measure using the cap)...but can get pricey fast. Never used the tablets? So can't comment on them.

the wpg stands for total Watts Per Gallon. You configure it by taking the total watts of your light bulbs and divide that number by the number of gallons your tank is.
1-2 wpg is low light, 2-3 wpg is moderate, 3+ wpg is high light.

Low won't require co2, 2.5+ should have co2, and beyond that should definately have it.

Also know the lower end of the realm will require less maintenace and the higher up you go the more maintenance (pruning, chemicals/ferts) will be needed.

I can't refer you to an outside link, but I will link you to some helpful topics geared towards lighting and plants on here:

Recommended Lighting in Planted Tanks

Questions about CO2 in Planted Tanks

The small planted tank setup guide

This may be helpful also (despite the fact that you have a larger tank, but will serve as a checklist).

Mine's just starting to get to the payoff point. Looking nice and pretty close to having the maint & additive part down pat.
Plants are growing faster than I could imagine! and everyone in the family loves sitting on the couch next to it and "watching" the tank.

I did the plastic plants before too, I found them to get algae on them very quickly

.......

ice

Learning is careing....[/quote]

 

why keeping half dark half light?
Never tried it but don't see any benefits to it?

I like the ship in the left corner! Looks like it's beached

Planting on the gravel side is good too.

not a fan of the elodea (weed) and crispus (never had luck with that 1)
vals will be excel sensitive.

You'll want a full spectrum bulb/bulbs (6700K)

Hard to make recommendations without knowing whether your low, moderate, or high light.

I'd recommend moderate 2.5wpg and suggest any of these if so (mind you I will only suggest ones I've had experience with and found them to be hardy):
1)Cabomba Furcata (C.Piauhyensis) Red Cabomba for your background. You could do green or yellow also...whatever your preference is.
purple variation can be seen in my background:
http://www.theexoticfish.com/viewtopic.php? f=10&t=466&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=75
2)Crinium Calamistratum is a cool long wispy plant.
(I have one in the front center of my tank)
3)Crinium Thaianum or Onion bulb plant
4)just about any crypt and most vals and anubias minding they get tall (IF you're not dosing with excel as most will melt from it)
5)Ludwigia Mullertii (L. Repens) or Red Ludwigia
6)Ludwigia Natans Creeping Ludwigia
7)Marsilea Quadrifolia or Four Leaf Clover
8)Sagittaria Natans
9)Sagittaria Pusilus
10)Sagittaria Subulata I have them in the front of my tank
11)Sagittaria Pusilus (Micro Sagittaria) on net
12)Vesicularis Dubyana (Java Moss) on net/in cup/on rock/on terra cotta stick/on coconut shell
13)Armoricia aquatica on coconut shell

 

holy cow is that a bala shark i see in that last picture posted? That sucker is HUGE!

 

Yep, it is a bala shark Aironia. Nice tank, huh? (endless possibilities)

 

Actually Travis, it's just a touch over 57gallons. (math is also pretty bad, CalculateMe.com)

 

DAWN! How dare you use other sites? We have a beautiful calculator on the forum >: (

 

I'm too lazy to hunt it. Plus I had the tab open converting measures for the kids math. Lmdao! CONVENIENCE guido..that's how I dare. Haha!

 

The calculator on our site Dawn in up in the top navigation between "PROFILE" and "CHAT". There is no hunting??? It is the "CALC" link.....

Icepac - I LOVE that hood!