Beard Algae Outbreak!

The tank had an outbreak of beard algae. Wasn't quite sure from where, but it did happen. Did try to take it all out, but didn't quite work. So, I got floating plants (duckweed) which brought the beard algae down to nothing. Haven't gotten a huge outbreak since. As long as the tank has floating plants covering most of the light the tank doesn't get algae blooms. The Alternanthera Reineckii 'Mini' has been moved behind the Echinodorus Quadricostatus.

(Zebra Danio has since passed away).

Hairgrass withered away completely

The hairgrass I had planted as a carpet with the Current USA Satellite Freshwater LED+ all finally withered away. The 'Electric Blue Ram' passed away due to a high amount of CO2. Which was my fault. The pleco was removed and as you can see the algae was building up again.

Plants withering away

So, the plants did start withering away in about a months time. The 'Emperor Blue Tetras' I had in the picture are now gone. Two had gone tank jumping and the other four I had given away. The aquascape was getting ruined because of the 'Bristlenose Pleco' I had in the tank at the time.

8 Hour Aquascape

This was my first aquascape and it took me 8 hours. Which was split in 2 days the first day I spent 5  hours on it and the second day I spent 3 hours.

Plants and Failure!

The plants were on sale so I picked up the ones I wanted. I wish someone would have told me what plants to get for the light I had (Current USA Satellite Freshwater LED+). Live and learn I guess. Well after the withering of these plants I have since then changed the light to Fluval Aqualife and Plant LEDs. Which has been a better choice then what I previously had.

Rough Draft 2014

Getting into aquascaping was spontaneous. This was a rough draft I had designed at work on the metro or 24 newspaper. I had seen some iwagumi aquascapes and pieced this together. Although I did not use the actual layout like the rough draft. It still turned out just as good.

(I am not advertising Starbucks).

What is used in this setup

I created this aquascape on January 5, 2014 and finished planting it all on January 6, 2014. The aquascape was planned and drawn out on a rough sheet of newspaper. Only a few weeks prior to the accomplished aquascape. I used a few aqauscapes as a idea for what I wanted my aquascape to look like.

Reference:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6RZD4DQs57agNQ-0JnA6C5GgYWM3mBqsu6-rOZAiHM3rq3PIlXV4CisEeJ9aYGnoA7J_AtsrC88IaYwFUF0o_3JUnGCCLWP8qQukUghbCL4p0EfV6IT89RcowzvpXKZpftZmwV3AQ-nh/s1600-h/435.jpg


The equipment I used was:
- Aqueon 20 Gallon Long Aquarium
- Current USA Freshwater Satellite LED+ (Changed to Fluval Aqualife and Plant LED)
- Eheim Jagger Submersible Heater
- API Filstar XP-M Canister Filter (X2)
- AA Aquarium Green-Killing Machine Internal UV Sterilizer (barely used)
- Fluval Pressurized Co2 88 Kit (not  in use anymore)

Substrate:
- Eco - Complete X2 - 20lbs bags
- White Sand

Rocks (hardscape):
- Ohko Rocks

Driftwood:
- Malaysian Driftwood

Plants used in the first planting:
- Hair grass (withered away)
- Ludwiga Repens (withered away)
- Stuarogyne repens (sold)

Plants I currently use submerged:
- Ludwiga Repens 'Rubin'
- Polysperma
- Echinodorus Quadricostatus
- Cryptocoryne Wendtii
- Cabomba Caroliniana
- Bacopa Caroliniana
- Vallisneria Spiralis 'Tiger'
- Sagittara subulata
- Micranthemum Umbrosum
- Alternanthera Reineckii 'Mini'
- Java Moss (been removing and growing at top corner of tank by filter heads)
- Wisteria (slowly growing back)

Floating Plants:
- Water Lettuce (pond plant)
- Duckweed

Fish:
- Peppered Corys X5 (getting 1 more)
- Sterbai Corys X1 (getting 1 more)
- Kuhlis X1 (getting 3 more)
- Otos X1
- Galaxy Rasboras X1 (getting 5 more)
- Endler X2 (females)
- Fry (not sure what species)