# 46 Bowfront - New tennant



## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

Just got a craigslist deal for this 46 bow-front

Starting off with my first canister filter 
Marineland C-220
Flourite Black substrate
























So i put in the substrate... filled it with water... and then my buddy told me that you should put a plate down and pour the water on the plate to avoid stirring up the substrate so much... TOO LATE









Thanks for looking... i'll be updating this as soon as it clears up and i get another pay check


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## target (Apr 21, 2010)

LOL, been there before. It'll clear before too long. I love the bowfront style.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Nice start. I wouldn't worry too much about. If it bothers you that much, just do a big water change and when you fill, make sure there is a plate there.  Nice start. I assume you're going to plant this thing? CO2 high light?


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

It will definately be planted, I don't have a CO2 system but i have a big jug of excel that i use on my 55 gal tank. Until i can invest in the injection i'm just going to stick with excel. It's doing a great job in the other tank

The light will eventually be a Hagen GLO T5 high output with probably a 10,000k and a colourmax bulb 

this will be next pay check


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## clintgv (May 6, 2010)

Hmm. Now I`m thinking of getting a bow front tank . Liking the style of it


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

That's a good plan. Excel is still doable in a 46 gallon and like you, I would have rather not go DIY CO2 either until you can go pressurized. The Hagen GLO should set that tank up well for planting.


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

Thanks 2wheelsx2, 

and clintgv, it looks so much better than my 55, it's deeper and wider than my other tank and the bow just adds a little more to the area. apparently it also magnifies everything inside, i guess i'll find out if that's just a myth or what pretty soon


More pics to come soon!


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

just a suggestion....next time you use Flourite, rinse it out before putting it in the tank, it hardly gets rinsed before it goes into the bag & as you found out the hard way it has alot of unnecessary residual dust in it, more so than the other substrates. Very nice start tho and look forward to seeing it as it comes along.


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## target (Apr 21, 2010)

monkE said:


> Thanks 2wheelsx2,
> 
> and clintgv, it looks so much better than my 55, it's deeper and wider than my other tank and the bow just adds a little more to the area. apparently it also magnifies everything inside, i guess i'll find out if that's just a myth or what pretty soon
> 
> More pics to come soon!


My tanks don't seem to magnify anything noticable. Maybe there is a small amount of magnification, but it is minor. It is a nice size tank to work with.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Not so much magnify as distort since the curve is only on one axis. If you look straight through, it's pretty normal, but at any oblique angle to the glass, you'll see some stretching.


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

ok well that makes sence, i'm getting excited to see it up and running


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

*46 Gal Bow-Front Update*

After my substrate decided to settle, i've gone to PJ's in richmond and picked up a couple pieces of Malaysia wood. I've trimmed a few of the plants in my 55 gal. and transfered them over to the new tank. 









































Then my buddy Neoh gave me some trimmings from his tank and...


































I also transfered my big Bala shark into the new tank to give him a bit more open water

These pictures were taken minutes after planting the tank so most of the plants looked bunched up or hunched over, they haven't got a chance to take root and begin growing again, i'm just getting excited to see my second tank take shape. More pictures to come!

What do you guys think so far?


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## target (Apr 21, 2010)

looking good.


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

Thanks Dan, hey how do i change the name of the thread to include: UPDATE?


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

go to your original post in the thread , click edit on the lower right, then click go advanced. You can change it from there. Make sure you save changes and your done.


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

So after a lengthy visit with the good guys at IPU in Richmond I've decided to go with Angels for this tank. I've also picked up a Hagen GLO high output fixture for the plants. I'm using a Coral Life Colourmax bulb and a GLO PowerGLO bulb. Anyone have experience with this combination? 
The Angels are looking great so far and I've also added a few Killifish who seem to be right at home in the tank already, though as it turns out, they are jumpers and i had to pick one of them off the carpet already  The Bala has been sold to IPU so if your in the market for a large one then go pick him up! 
Here's some pics so far
















































































Thanks for looking!


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## target (Apr 21, 2010)

very nice. I like how it has lots of open spaces.


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)




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## Luke78 (Apr 24, 2010)

Looking good so far.I also have the Hagen Glo T5 fixture and it hasnt dissapointed me at tall.Good results with it so far , and iam sure the same will be for you as well.Nice looking angels as well , growing them out should be interesting.If i may , a couple stones or rocks and another piece of driftwood could round out this setup.Just a thought.A dark background too will hide all the wires you're using.


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

Thanks Luke! I'm very happy with the GLO fixture as i've got a 48" on my 55 gallon tank and the plants are doing great in there. 
I've been trying to figure out what to do with the background. Originally i was just going to use a blank black sheet but I really want to do one of those 3D background panels. The problem is that the tank has to be empty to install one of those, so unless i can figure a way to get it into the tank while it's full (or at least half full during a water change) i don't know if it's going to happen


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Why does it have to be empty to put the background in? Don't you only need to remove everything thing hung from the back? Just remove the heaters/filters and insert the background.


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

The tank has a plastic support on the top frame that goes right down the middle of the tank, so you have to pull the top frame off the tank and i don't want to risk that while the tank has water in it. 

The only other option that i can think of is to cut the panel in half and just install it in two sections, as long as you cut the seam in the right place you probably wouldn't notice it.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

I'd do a giant water change (like 75%) pull the frame and insert the background. I do big water changes every week without problems (60%+).


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

ya? i don't know man, that frame worries me, especially with the bowfront. Maybe that's a topic for a new thread!


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Well, you can also just cut it in half if it will make you more comfortable and get some Tailored Aquatics glue to glue it right in-situ.


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

The journey continues on this tank as i've now bought another canister filter (i put the first one on my 55 gallon) and i've also added 8 tiger barbs and a banded leporinus. Another bunch of trimmings from NEOH and I might be done with the floura for now.

Pics taken this morning


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## target (Apr 21, 2010)

Watch the barbs as they get bigger. Your angel's fins could become tempting targets.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

That Leporinus is also going to get huge and aggressive, so I'd keep an eye on that too.


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## target (Apr 21, 2010)

^True, my brother had one. he dropped in an aquatic frog. Stupid combo as he quickly learned. He soon saw the leporinus with a frog leg sticking out of his mouth.


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> That Leporinus is also going to get huge and aggressive, so I'd keep an eye on that too.


I was warned about the leporinus, but as they are all growing together i think (hope) that they will tolerate eachother. It's not like the angels are placid...they are still Cichlids and can put up a fight of their own.

As for the barbs, it's my understanding that as long as you have a sizeable group of them they will pretty much keep to themselves and leave other species alone. It's when you only have one or two that they begin looking for things to nip at.

Regardless i will definately be keeping an eye on this tank. This is the first time i've had Killifish, Leporinus and more than one angel so i'll be learning as i go here.

What do you guys think of the plant life so far???


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

The colour varieties are good, but I think you need to group them and plan out the scape a bit more to get a better flow in it. It currently looks a bit like you just plunked them down in the first available spot. If you group them, once they start to grow out a bit, they'll look a lot neater.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

The plants are looking good! As 2 wheels said, once they grow in it'll look a lot neater. With the pinks i found they get a greater impact when you limit them to one or two larger groupings surrounded by green. Its the contrasts that make an impact and really showcase the beauty of some stems.

The placement of the wood is perfect, really makes it a breeze to develop plant zones of foreground, mid and background.


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> The colour varieties are good, but I think you need to group them and plan out the scape a bit more to get a better flow in it. It currently looks a bit like you just plunked them down in the first available spot. If you group them, once they start to grow out a bit, they'll look a lot neater.


Well you were right on with your assessment... i just planted everything in the first available space, but, most of the plants in the centre are all the same. We'll see how it goes when it all grows in.


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

Another addition to the tank, i've come across the last whip-tail catfish at IPU in Richmond. Awesome looking fish. I'm going to have to do some research about him because I've never kept one before. I don't think i've even heard of one before.


















and another tank shot... the growth is pretty good so far


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

how do i link a youtube video to this, and have it embedded on the post instead of a link that brings you to youtube??


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