My loach tank

[Colin clown loach]

Being new to your forum I thought I would put up some pics of my tank to see what you think.

Here is the tank
60"x24"x30" approx 700l
1no Tetratec 1200ex with uv steralizer connected in line
2 no 1900l/hr powerheads connected to river system style set up.
1No external gravity outlet pond filter. pond capacity 2000l driven by yamitsu submerged fountain pump delivering approx 1800l/hr.
Rena 300w heater
Jager 300w heater
2No 40w aqua glow lighting tubes

The tank has a 50mm drain hole in the bottom, hence I installed under gravel filter plates and 25mm of course gravel and 50mm of fine. I use this for water changes. I thought this would keep the gravel clean instead of using a gravel vac but it dosnt seem to work very well.

Internal decor includes sandstone stepping stones from diy merchant and various rocks and pieces of bog wood

Java furn and anubias for planting, I cant get anything else to grow and the loaches dont seem to like having the 2 tubes on all day so I generally just use the one tube.

Sorry about the photo quality, its just a camera phone but you get the general just of the layout.

[Graeme Robson]

Very nice indeed!!

[Emma Turner]

Very nice, Colin. You'll have to expand the caves as the loaches expand though! What's in the other tank we can see in the first pic?

Emma

[Colin clown loach]

Thanks for the complements guys, no one really see's my tanks, its nice to get feedback.

@ Emma my other tank is a 5 footer with a tiger oscar. He is about 6" now and I have had it maybe 5months, very entertaining and responsive, never shy, I love him/her.

caves, expand, yup no problem, I opened one up a little bit on saturday and they dont like it now, they all cram in the smaller one, ho well. Maybe the disturbance freaked them a little, thay will chill out soon enough.

[chefkeith]

Nice loaches.

[valkyrie]

Nice tank. I noticed you had plants in the substrate between the rocks. Do your Clowns dig them up?

Cheers
Debbie

[Colin clown loach]

Nice tank. I noticed you had plants in the substrate between the rocks. Do your Clowns dig them up?

Cheers
Debbie

ty,
I have problems with plants, they just keep dying on me, maybe not enough light, my clowns dont seem to like strong light so I leave the second tube off most of the time

The plants between the rocks are an anubius type plant and no the clowns dont seem to be able to shift the rocks, some of the plants I put in have either died or become dislodged from the root but those still in place have been in for maybe a month or so, they should be taking root by now. Some of the plants I have were sold in large pots so I bury the pot and surround in rock, they seem to be doing fine-except previous tank occupiers ate nost of them, the remaining ones look a little scabby but I am hoping the root is still good and will grow more leaves, cant harm leaving them in except they look a bit of a mess.