How’s my new tank looking?

[Hoobfoob]

Had to take over a year off from the hobby due to a cross-country move, but now I’m back at it again! [emoji16]



I learned a LOT from my old setup. Here’s what it looks like now. I need some help on organizing this mess.

It’s a 36 gallon bow front. It’s pretty tall so my lighting actually isn’t that great and is causing my plants to melt like crazy and lose their color on new leaves and have stretchy stems. I’d like to graduate from easy plants (java fern, etc) to more intermediate plants. I currently only dose Excel (daily) and root tabs, but I have some macro/micro ferts on standby and am working on buying an easy CO2 setup.

I’m also not thrilled about the heater’s placement. How is everyone able to hide their heaters so well? Is it possible to position them horizontally?

The only inhabitants are 9 peacock gudgeons (and of course pest snails).

 

[libertybelle]

If you’re having stretchy stems then sounds like you need a stronger light for the plants you currently have. (And CO2 may not be necessary or helpful until/unless you have a stronger light.)

Heaters can definitely go horizontally. You could also do two smaller heaters. Easier to hide plus if one breaks or gets stuck on it won’t swing temp so much or so fast. I use tall or floating plants in the corner where my filter intake and heater are. At the moment a huge clump of hornwort is obscuring most the equipment. I also use water lettuce in a airline tube ‘corral’ and the roots help block that area.