My Rena 350l tank

[mlgt]

This is a quick journal of my new Rena Aqualife 350 tank. I recently bought it from ebay from a person who lived 2 miles away.
Initially I was after a Rio 400, but bad luck and locations of any good ones meant it wasnt worth searching for one in London.

More info to follow....

[mlgt]

So here goes the first few pics of the tank from start to finish...

Pic of Wifey helping me wash the tank down :P



Of course she just wiped it down. I went on to clean it properly, all surfaces are now nice and clean :P

This turned up last week, but since Ive been unwell during Xmas I wasnt able to seed it right away .

[mlgt]

During xmas day and there wasnt much to do. I thought might as well add the sand after rinsing and then add a few pieces of wood bought over from my friend Ronald.
Havent decided which to use, but when I went to pick them up in the morning I was in for a massive* shock.

Heres some pics for you to enjoy. Filter will be added sometime next week when I remember to bring mature filter media LOL.

*insert chuckle

Added 2 bags

I think I will need another 2 more bags.

The wood in question..

Temporary background :)

First piece goes in

Second piece

Actual scale of these pieces of wood...

Adding some water. Forgot my hose :(

View from above

Oh dear it does float :(

Cool floating islands though haha
Here I see the previous owner trie to cut the wood.

4 hours later and its still afloat :)


More sand to be added. Filter to be installed and heater will be plugged in later.

[frosties]

I am well jealous!!!!

[mlgt]

I then chuck in a handful of MTS to get the substrate aerated and ponder if I should keep the pieces of root.

I visited a friend who had a nice stock of Manzanite wood



But I knew in my heart I was going to use the Manzanite wood instead of the root.

So.....out goes the roots. A quick water change to rid of the tanins...

[mlgt]

I have been on the prowl for some Dragon stone ever since I set my eyes on it in a scape.
However in London its mighty hard to come across any!!

Til I walk into ADC for a gander...

Out I walk with..

Heres some pics of the dragonstone I have gotten.

[mlgt]

Some pics in between my actual scape. )

Filling up - Side View


Front view


Completed and functioning

[mlgt]

Current state of the tank a week before the scape -


With some fungal growth


Yuck


Tank with another bag of sand

[mlgt]

Some furious scrubbing and rinsing I put the pieces of wood back in and then fill up with water to allow the filter to run.

Scaping time with Lond Fishkeeping Club

Some Pics

James Starr Marshall doing this thing :)


Me doing my thing :)


Planting in a deep tank is not fun!




This is the end result - We settled on this after nearly 3 hours


Right, time for the water


Quick wipedown of the glass for shots.


Time to reflect


Finished article


Background goes in for now

[mlgt]

Plant list

Cryptocoryne Lucens
Cryptocoryne Retrospiralis
Cryptocoryne Balansae
Cryptocoryne Mi Oya
Cryptocoryne x Willisii
Microsorum Pteropus var 'needle'
Bolbitis heudelotii
Monoselenium tenerum (pelia)
Staurogyne

Fauna wise I currently have 2 juvenile blue turq, 25+ adult Cardinals, 12+ corydoras, 5+ Amano shrimp, 20+ cherry shrimp, 10+ assassin snails, and 1 Nerite Snail.

[nelson]

Me doing my thing :)

thats some good looking bloke holding the door frame up  .
a bit fat though  .

[mlgt]

That was the only way he could come in through the door. 

[nelson]

oh,i'm sorry   .

yeah,great looking tank   .

[frosties]

Fame at last Neil???

[mlgt]

Fame at last Neil???

Chinese saying.... Frame at last