# 80 gallon planted..



## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

Here is my 80 gallon planted tank with dirt capped with blasting sand. Also some of the fish. 
*Tank*








*Rams*
















































*Everyone else*


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

Wow very nice! How did you get the moss to grow around like that. I have tried before but with no success.


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

some is attached to wood and the rest just happened


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

very nice


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

Ok, were did you get your moss from?


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## CAM (Jan 27, 2013)

Very natural appearing tank... well done !


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

I got the moss local to me from craigslist, subwassertang from another forum. Its a little brown right now I expect it to brighten up in a couple weeks due to the move into this tank.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

Ok, I'll just keep my eyes open for locals who have some. Maybe I'll take a chance on something from online somewhere.


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

I found the person on craigslist for the java moss, it was$10 for 2 big handfuls. real generous softball size.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Looks nice!


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## Ramsay (Apr 24, 2013)

Nice! Hopefully someday my tank will look like this!


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

Just some recent pics of the tank. This will be home to my new B. pugnax as soon as I move some stock around.


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## jamnigh (Apr 24, 2013)

Very very nice. Love the natural look. Hopefully I can get my tank somewhere along these lines someday!! Are the swamp darters the ones that are on the bottom of the tank, dark with the bright blue on the bottom of them?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

They are going to adore that! It looks perfect for them


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

here is a darter with a betta....


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## jamnigh (Apr 24, 2013)

Fist set of pictures...second picture up from the bottom, there is a German Blue...what is the other fish with him? The one thats almost all black with the bright blue spots?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Believe that is an E. Okeefanokee. Its a type of pygmy sunfish.


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## jamnigh (Apr 24, 2013)

sorry for the thread hijack here...but are they compatible with guppies by chance? Cause they are truly gorgeous fish!


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I keep E. Gilberti. They are essentially a cold water fish. I think they are pretty tiny, and mine are shy. Not sure on these, they may be bolder. I keep mine in a ten gallon, theres six in there. No other fish.


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## jamnigh (Apr 24, 2013)

Got ya. Thats pretty much what I have been reading. Guess I shall have to wait till I get room to buy a new tank  Anyway....BEAUTIFUL tank dirtydutch...love it


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

I keep my Okefenokee in there with the rams, gambusia, E. gloriosus(blue spotted sunfish), Peacock Gudgeons, darters, golden topminnows, oto cats, wild caught grass shrimp. They are shy and not at all bold by any means, they will hide from even smaller fish. They only threaten each other and the other fish seem to ignore them completely. I have around 15 in there mixed male and female. I have kept them with betta, dwarf puffers, barbs, juvenile bluegill and many other types and have not lost one due to aggression in the tanks, but again this is my experience and would not say that what is working for me will stand as a rule of compatibility for everyone, I assume I have been lucky.


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## jamnigh (Apr 24, 2013)

I'm guessing you have a cold water tank?


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

temp stays between 72 and 78 without a heater. but thats going to change when the betta are ready to move in.


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## TroyVSC (Aug 29, 2012)

Very nice planted tank. How deep are your layers of substarte. Love the GBRs and the moss growth is amazing.


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

it ranges in different spots from .5 inch of dirt capped with 1 inch of sand to 1.5 iches of dirt capped with 2 inches of sand


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

I like it! Keep the pics coming!


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## TetraTank (May 25, 2013)

Hi, nice tank!
A question from a newbie, in the first set of pictures, the last picture to the right, that super fluffy green plant, is that moss?
If so what kind of moss, is it growing on something? If not what is it?

Thank you.


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

Subwassertang(pelia), I tied a small golf ball size piece to a stick around 2 years ago and it has not stopped growing since. Provides a great cover for shrimp and fry.


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## TetraTank (May 25, 2013)

Cool! Thank you, just got my tank started 3 days ago, going to pick up some moss and sticks tomorrow.
I really like the moss and finer leaf plants, but taking it slow.


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

TetraTank said:


> Cool! Thank you, just got my tank started 3 days ago, going to pick up some moss and sticks tomorrow.
> I really like the moss and finer leaf plants, but taking it slow.


PM sent.

I have kept this stuff in some tanks that rarely get any light other than daylight and it has grown, sure much slower but still has grown.


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

So I added 6 E. okefenokee, around 8-12 quarter inch E. gloriosus, another dozen H. formosa and like 6 bluefin killi's along with a madtom and a swamp darter over the weekend.


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

A few pics of the young E. gloriosus. they are dime size and smaller.


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

here is a recent pic of the 80, have been extremely busy and will probably end of redoing it soon. The Vals have taken over the tank and the B. pugnax are settled in nicely, hoping for fry. I still have stock to move around because I want to dedicate this strictly to the betta's. Currently home to 3 pugnax, around 7 blue spotted sunfish, 5 swamp darters, 15-20 H. formosa, around 16 or so blue fin killifish, 3 tadpole madtoms, around 6 flag-fish, a few gambusia, 4-8 golden top minnows and 1 male ram. Its a mess right now but Ill be taking some time off of work soon and then Ill redo the tank.



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Just for fun here is the 20


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## TroyVSC (Aug 29, 2012)

Its a jungle out there. At least you know the plants love your setup and are doing well. I bet the fish love it to.


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## snowghost45 (May 13, 2013)

Wow! Awesome tank! What is your secret? Would I be able to do that on a smaller scale? What is the round, vine like plant? It's floating on top as well with roots.


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## kicksilver (Aug 9, 2012)

The plant growing across the surface seems to set the overall theme of your tank. Is that cardamine Lyrata? I tried growing it before in a lower light setting, and the leaves stayed pea sized and the stems became needle thin. I never got it to grow over the surface like that. Maybe I'll try again in my new tank.
Is it easy to care for?


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## reddevillover (Sep 17, 2013)

really great thriving aquarium set up


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

the plant taking over the surface came out of the 80 because it blocked all of the light, it grew really thick, is Brazilian pennywort. truth is that I know my lighting on the 80 is inadequate but the plants seem to thrive, I use no chems or ferts and occasionally when not lazy will run a DIY CO2 but not often. Very low maintenance on this tank, no filter, just air for light water movement. I set this up mid March and, sorry dont bash me, have only done 2 partial water changes so far. Substrate is dirt capped with black beauty basting sand. Thank you for the kind words.


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

in the last pic of the 80(6th) the plant on the bottom right is one I am really happy with, do not know what it is so if you know that would be great. It has grown on drift wood to the point that the roots wrap around the wood and drive into the substrate.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Java fern.Prefers to have rhizome exposed and does great on wood!
Great looking tanks,no bashing if it works it works!


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

here is a few shots above the water line on the 20. Left, right then from the side, tank is using led lighting.


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## Chang Cindy (Sep 17, 2013)

Very nice


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