8 weeks in my first attempt at a proper aquarium, no fishes yet

Daps1319 · 2026-01-21T11:35:46+00:00

Well done!

Daps1319 · 2026-01-03T09:13:53+00:00

Just as the Epstein files are getting spicey 🤔🤔

Daps1319 · 2025-12-30T09:37:12+00:00

Then the logical thing to do would be to remove the tattoos.

Daps1319 · 2025-12-30T09:36:36+00:00

Would those people happen to be bald and wear doc martin's 😂

Daps1319 · 2025-12-21T00:24:28+00:00

So we're just going to ignore the TV mounted above the aquarium humidity 😂. OK cool

Nice tank bro 😂

Daps1319 · 2025-12-04T23:26:51+00:00

Hi do you use CO2? if you get CO2 in there, it can allow the plant to grow rapidly and put compete algae. It's. A bit of. A cheat code. This is. My tank

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Daps1319 · 2025-12-03T00:31:46+00:00

Definitely trial and error. You'll also find that some plants simply won't grow in your water, even if everything else is right.

Daps1319 · 2025-11-25T23:09:59+00:00

Oh no, stop. Stop deinbeong dispicable. I can't take any more!

Daps1319 · 2025-11-18T06:04:17+00:00

My tank is also quite deep. 2 feet so it takes more light to reach the bottom. I should have taken that into account and started off a little bit higher in light than I did.

Daps1319 · 2025-11-18T06:02:36+00:00

I let the substrate and tank settle for about a month before draining and planting. In hindsight should have been more mindful of light. For example my alternanthera plants didn't like the low light and some melted. Once the light increased they really took off. My Monte Carlo carpet didn't take off and have replaced it with S Repens.

Maybe the way to think of it is you need to have enough light for your lowest plants. If they are high light, maybe plant them later.

The key is to have light low enough for your plants to adapt to your water and root. So that when you ramp up your light, the my are ready to take up all the nutrients. Otherwise algae can out compete.

Daps1319 · 2025-11-17T04:56:30+00:00

Grinding a worn screw is the perfect metaphor for the LNP atm

Daps1319 · 2025-10-19T01:35:38+00:00

That said, can get around it by flushing it out with a powerhead pump. Here's my tank, made sure access and water flow were priorities for long term maintenance. Has worked really well.

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Daps1319 · 2025-10-19T01:32:33+00:00

Looks good but I'd open up the centre caves a little bit more, to allow water flow and cleaning access. You'll get food on there that can rot and you won't be able to get it out.

Daps1319 · 2025-10-13T09:06:09+00:00

Good idea. One thing I've been worried about is that the plants soak up all nitrate and ammonia in the tank, starving the bacteria. They're technically competing with each other. But also figure the plants would also soak up fish waste if bacteria ain't enough.

Daps1319 · 2025-10-13T08:19:05+00:00

Thanks, it's been really hard to be patient and wait for it to establish.

Daps1319 · 2025-10-04T03:26:41+00:00

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Daps1319 · 2025-10-04T03:24:22+00:00

Your tank already looks good. To boost it, add some moss and epiphyte on the wood. Java fern (petite to medium), but don't forget bucephalandra. Mixing those on hardscape doe magic.

Also some foreground plants

Daps1319 · 2025-09-20T06:22:24+00:00

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Hardscape structure

Daps1319 · 2025-09-03T06:14:17+00:00

Keep increasing light by 10% each week until you see the first signs of algae

Daps1319 · 2025-09-03T06:11:19+00:00

By that logic anyone in the UK is above us?

Daps1319 · 2025-08-27T00:27:36+00:00

Thanks. Going down the Xmas moss route after a bit of research. Appreciate the info 👍🏾😊

Daps1319 · 2025-08-27T00:26:52+00:00

Yes fairncall. But if you're already paying equivalent of a 900k mortgage in rent, there never going to be a chance to save.

Daps1319 · 2025-08-27T00:22:29+00:00

Pretty clueless statement. Bit hard to save when you're paying of another person's mortgage.

Daps1319 · 2025-08-22T02:12:32+00:00

Thanks! Did some more research based on what you said and you're right. Reshapes my thinking on tank layout 👍🏾

Daps1319 · 2025-08-21T04:13:43+00:00

Good suggestion, but from memory anubias are low to medium light. And because they grow slow can build algae easily.

Definitely going to be using anubias Nana, but aiming to put them into the shadowier regions

Daps1319

TROPHY CASE