Dutch Tank

Hi Guys,

I've been running a rio 180 planted tank for some time now , and i was wondering is anyone here familiar with a dutch tank set up, i eventually want to try and have the set up, but would be looking towards the later half of the year before i have the money to invest in one. I'm looking towards a 4ft tank and was wondering could anyone guide me in the right direction , i'm investing in a good co2 system, undergravel heating and arcadia luminar for this project can anyone guide me anywhere further?

Thanks

There will be one of these displayed at the fish show this Sunday.
I'm sure the owner (zig) would be more than willing to talk you through it.

unfortunately i wont be able to make the show have other commitments for sunday but should be going to next meeting in harolds cross they look like a lot of work though but im up for the challenge. cheers

The tank Peter (Zig) displayed at the show was amazing. He truly has green fingers!

in fairness to him it was amazing. Does it take a lot to get a tank looking like that?

HairyMolly dutch style tanks usually don't have any hardscape in them, rocks wood etc, they usually just have groupings of individual plant species built into a foreground, midground and background planting. Each plant should be chosen to fit your size tank when it grows out, so you would choose the plants to go in each area bearing in mind the final size of the plant. so no point in putting for instance sword plants in a midground area because they will eventually get to big.

The other most important thing in dutch style tanks is colour, there should be a good mix of red, green and brown plants layed out in a pleasing fashion. Pruning of the plants is also an important consideration in this type of layout, these type of layouts are usually meant to last some time, even years in some cases.

Good dutch style tanks are rare enough these days though, not a lot of people do them anymore although in Holland they still have a yearly competition of this style tank (I will try and find a link to last years winners) these days people are more orientated towards nature style layouts, where the plants will not be grouped together so much in order to emulate what you would see in real life nature, a more wild natural look.

You won't need a substrate cable, they offer no benefit in a planted tank.

If you want to follow the other threads I am going to start this should give you some ideas, one of my own tanks is 160l so not to far off your own 180l, you will have lots of maintainence to do in a CO2 injected 4ft planted tank to keep it in good order, so just bear that in mind especially if you go with highlight.

Best of luck with it.