# First real planting:



## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

Of the 80g tall I have. Finally got a real amount of plants today. My favorite LFS had just a massive and awesome section of plants. If I was not leaving to go fishing tomorrow - Tuesday, I would have gotten 10 times the amount I did ( figuratively, of course ). I had Genus Species list, with about 30+ different plants on it, figuring they would not have most, and I would have to choose. They had EVERY SINGLE SPECIES I listed, which not only shocked me, but then made picking out plants very hard haha. In all the commotion, my tank got a little cloudy, it'll be clear tomorrow, and that is when I should have taken the pics but I won't have time. It will be nice to be gone for 2 days, so I don't have to sit around and sing to the plants to make them grow faster! I will dose nutrients again tomorrow, do a water change, and give my sister ( who is taking care of my animals while I am away) firm instruction on how to care for this while I am away for 40 hours. These babies need to GROW GROW GROW! And I know in 2 months or so I am going to be wishing they weren't over growing! That's how it always is...

So here are a few pics, there are 16 different species of plant in here, see if you can spot them all. 

Flat tire on the way down, that was fun to change on black pavement while it was 90 outside, but I was determined... I don't think I have ever changed a tire so fast in my life haha... 




































Look at the roots on this Banana plant!!! 

















This tank will look good when the plants fill in. For now, it is just normal to me haha... N.P.K. / Trace Nutrients ( Carbon, Calcium, Copper, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Cobalt, Zinc, Nickel, Sulfur, ect.. ) / Iron / CO2 and water changes are my best friend right now. I didn't think I would ever see this, but one Nutrient I make up now costs me $5 more because of the Copper content in it. Copper is good for plants to help them not have a Redox - reaction ( negitive change in their oxidation state ), but the amount of copper in my solution is only .00003% .. I think that is kind of a rip off, but hey, I can't complain over $5.

This Catfish is my bane. I LOVE this catfish, he is hands down the coolest cat in town. He sits at the fish store, taunting me. No one buys him, everyone knows I am in love with him. But with a price tag of $350, I don't love him that much! When my tank is DONE cycling ( as in my water is perfect and established and safe... That is *at least *5 weeks from now ), and IF he is still for sale, there is a strong possibility I will buy him. I will raise him. Then build him his own 400g + fortress. Actually, there is a 1,000g tank down there ( 2" thick acrylic on that bad boy ) that I am considering. If they cut the price and give me a good deal on it, that will be my next tank, AFTER this one is complete. The only problem I have is it will not fit through any of my doors to get in the house... Anyone have any ideas on how to get that in here? The only thing I can think of is to take out a really big window in my dining room.. Anyways, here is the fish that is causing all this madness:


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Holy crap, I don't think iv seen a banana plant that nice looking straight from the store! Mine looked pitiful compared to that when I got it. Then a week later it was dead lol


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Also that cat is good looking but I could buy so much other stuff for $350 that's just crazy and I'm thinking it will be there for years unless someone is just waiting to burn money


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

Cory1990 said:


> Holy crap, I don't think iv seen a banana plant that nice looking straight from the store! Mine looked pitiful compared to that when I got it. Then a week later it was dead lol


Well, that's why all your banana plants died! I told the guy just pick me one that has the largest roots ( the man was a plant expert ), and he pulled that thing out and I was said holy crap! (*edited version of what I said * ). 



Cory1990 said:


> Also that cat is good looking but I could buy so much other stuff for $350 that's just crazy and I'm thinking it will be there for years unless someone is just waiting to burn money


That's what I was thinking. It has already been there a while... I am sure they would offer it up for a much less price. I just need to stop staring at him when I go in there, and stop asking if I can go ahead and grab him some food and feed him lol. In real life, he is a seriously dope fish.

... Actually, If I end up getting the 1,000g, I am hoping I can make a deposit on it, and they will throw that fish in for free.


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

Cory1990 said:


> Also that cat is good looking but I could buy so much other stuff for $350 that's just crazy and I'm thinking it will be there for years unless someone is just waiting to burn money


Also... If I would be willing to drop $10k on a tank... I think 300 for a fish is not a real stretch. The only problem is, the only way I can do that is to breed fish and add that to the reptiles I breed, so the tank and equipment could be used as a tax write off, for NEXT year, and I would have to get it after January 1st. The business account would have to pay for it, and that could end up really hurting me come breeding season when I need the funds. Is the epicness worth the risk? My heart says hell ya. My brain says don't even think about it.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

That banana plant really is sexy if I may say so. It is astonishing that the leaves are still on it since most brake of during transport. I also bough mine in a pitiful state and had them in my tank upside down for a month but now they are growing after I flipped them right side up.


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

Nice looking tank, good job! My lfs gets in some pretty nice plant. and the banana plants i saw last week were a bit shorter than that.

Anyway good job!


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Holy crap! 10,000 is way to much for a tank. If you want one that big here's what you do. 100$ on plywood 50$ on 2x4 thick acrilic no idea how much that costs. 5-10 30 packs and a week we could build you a 1000g for much much much cheaper. Even if you drop 1000$ and have two nice big front viewing windows it will be much better then that price.

A recent episode of tanked showed the build of Tracy Morgan's fiberglass tank that was like 1000g or more if I'm not mistaken. If your handy and you have a little know how a plywood tank is not hard at all. I had two but took them down and my sister in law took one of them for a outdoor goldfish tank. I'd estimate it to be maybe 180-200g I just built it not even 2 months ago but recent changes opened my eyes and told me I can't take care of all my fish. Now I'm down to two tanks  well 3 because I didn't drain one yet but the fish are gone.


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

ZebraDanio12 said:


> Nice looking tank, good job! My lfs gets in some pretty nice plant. and the banana plants i saw last week were a bit shorter than that.
> 
> Anyway good job!


Thank you. 
I have never seen a banana plant with roots like that in my entire life. Most of them are about 1/2 - 1/4 that size.



Cory1990 said:


> Holy crap! 10,000 is way to much for a tank. If you want one that big here's what you do. 100$ on plywood 50$ on 2x4 thick acrilic no idea how much that costs. 5-10 30 packs and a week we could build you a 1000g for much much much cheaper. Even if you drop 1000$ and have two nice big front viewing windows it will be much better then that price.
> 
> A recent episode of tanked showed the build of Tracy Morgan's fiberglass tank that was like 1000g or more if I'm not mistaken. If your handy and you have a little know how a plywood tank is not hard at all. I had two but took them down and my sister in law took one of them for a outdoor goldfish tank. I'd estimate it to be maybe 180-200g I just built it not even 2 months ago but recent changes opened my eyes and told me I can't take care of all my fish. Now I'm down to two tanks  well 3 because I didn't drain one yet but the fish are gone.


I am handy, I have 2 sheds of tools, and a wood shop:
http://www.fishforums.com/forum/misc-photos/36513-my-tegu-cage-start-finish.html

There is a giant warehouse that sells only acrylic. That is where I get all my pieces of acrylic. But the stuff is not cheap. If I would need it 2in thick, that could break the bank. I have never made an acrylic aquarium, but I have made acrylic terriariums before. When I get back this week, I will give my place a call and see what the material cost is.

This would sit in the middle of the living room, I would not want back/sides obscured. Then I could piping very easy from the kitchen, up the wall, across the ceiling, then down to the tank for water changes. Need a new high volume RO system too... And jeez, my plants and lights and CO2 system would be more then the tank. I may have to go with something more along the lines of 400-500g, just want to be able to house the large cats.


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

To bad your not close to me iv got a full wood work shop and I'd love to tackle something like that. I know it wouldn't be cheap but the pay off would be amazing! I love watching stuff like that come to life


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

Starting to look a lot better now, after I get my CO2 system ( and maybe new light ) in place everything should start to grow real fast.


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

Wow, nice!


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## grogan (Jan 23, 2011)

Of course your reds are coming in.. (mumbled fowl language)


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