Tank Update: Mongkut's Palace

Click for Bigness!

After tinkering with a few favours, swapping out broken parts with working parts from machines with other broken parts, and spending a very small amount, I've finally managed to put a canopy on Mongkut's tank.

For the first time, I have a proper appreciation for just how quiet a HOB filter can be, since, with the cover secure, I can actually have the water level up high enough that the filter runs silent.

The new hood allows me to use a dedicated light for the tank, so I've added a 14W Life-Glo 2 bulb (surprise, a hagen product) which has the right colour temperature and power levels for live plants. From left to right, the plants are something labelled as "L. Major" that I can't quite identify, the Amazon Sword, and Hygrophilia Polysperma. This combination of plants, I am hoping, will suit mongkut nicely. All are relatively tall plants that will fill out and give him lots of hiding room.

I haven't really considered dosing ferts as I am hoping that Mongkut's been in the tank long enough that the plants are fairly well-based, but I do have a bottle of Nutrafin Plant Gro floating around if it starts to look necessary. I've also been giving him tropical extracts. I think they're bringing out his colour.