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So what should my nitrates be right before the water change? Yes I know the CO2 is a bit high...and I don't have a phosphate kit yet. Maybe I will pick one up.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

based on EI, your Nitrates should be around 20ppm just before the water change.

Your Phosphates would be interesting to measure, in particular because I am curious about its proportion with regards to Nitrates (should be about 1/10 of Nitrates).

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

(should be about 1/10 of Nitrates).

How does tetra feel about this?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

How does tetra feel about this?

Well I usually dose 10 to 1 (no3 to po4) not sure what it ends up because I simply don't test anymore.



My Scapes

Right now I am dosing:

1/2 tsp of N: 11.37 ppm
1/8 tsp + just a little extra of P: 2.96 ppm
1/8 tsp of K: 2.17 ppm

Left over nitrate then being low would be because P causes more up take? Not that I am overly worried about things in my tank but just looking at what is going on.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well on the 4th of July it was like Xmas because my friend with the camera came over before we went and watched some of the worst fire works I have ever seen.

I took a few pictures of the tank but I don't have my hands on them yet. I hope they are good. I only took a few. So lets keep our fingers crossed that I can prove that my tank isn't a big algae war zone.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

oooh, pictures, that will be good. Looking forward to them /:'

Cheers
TW

I took a few pictures of the tank but I don't have my hands on them yet.

Did you tease your wife like this on your wedding night

We're waiting.......

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Yeah, waiting here as well. Was that a regular camera where you have to fill the film first?

Wings - I guess we have to start a fund-raiser for you so that you finally can get you hands on them.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Well you see I haven't been in contact with my friend since the 4th. I want to get my hands on them really bad but I will have to wait as will you. They are coming though! No really!

Did you tease your wife like this on your wedding night

I was just trying to find the place to stay! Lets just say the map was wrong! Thanks Google!

Wings - I guess we have to start a fund-raiser for you so that you finally can get you hands on them.

Fund-raiser for me? That would be sweet! I am not about to turn down cash!

LF,
The camera was a cheapy digital. Same one that 99% of my pictures have been posted from.

Sorry to not have them up yet. I though I would hear from him sooner....

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!

Last pictures

Whole Tank shot as of July 4

left side

Sorry for the wait everyone! Dont have much time today cause I need to do my water changes super fast!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Hey, really nice wings It's got everything a planted tank could hope for, pokey driftwood, splashes of color, and a wisteria carpet.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Nice going Wings Tank is looking good and the plants seem happy.

One thing that I don't think works is the wisteria foreground. I like it wrapping the sides, but the shape of the wisteria leaves takes away from all those other nice plants behind it. I would go for a darker lower foreground. Moss covered rocks would probably work really well in your setup because of the darker tighter color.


My Scapes

Pictures Your tank is looking nice, good job.

Cheers
TW

Thanks for all the comments everyone!

As for the wisteria forground: I kind of needed something to feel the gap until I could get my hands on another plant. I used to have dwar sag. up front but when I was getting leaves that werer 9 inches tall it had to go. I like the moss and rock idea from tetra. I have been wanting to get my hands on some pella moss for some time now but I really don't want to order it online if I don't have to. Though I haven't seen it on any of the list at work either. Java moss may have to do for now. I have tons of it so its not a big deal.

During the water change today I pulled up all the large giant hygro in the tank and took it into work. For a replacement I am thinking of adding 2 or 3 Aponogeton crispus. My thoughts with this is that I will have a simmilar leave shape but it will not be as bushy so I can layer in different stem plants. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks for getting back to me once again. Sorry the pictures arn't all that great. I think they go kind of nasty when I saved for the web. Might have to get you a better one tomorrow.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Different shot and save method
This picture might be a little better. I think half the problem is using photobucket instead of just uploading to the site. Some day when the wife and I get a camera I will have to get a premium membership too!



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Siesta Lighting

This morning I was reading in my plant book (Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants by Peter Hiscock). In there it talks about giving the lights a siesta to cut down on algea. See more on the thread linked above.

Today I am going to start this method to see how it works.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Here is a little update:

I had some cash burning a hole in my pocket so I picked up some fish, shrimp and plants from work. The fish went into the 40 along with the plants. Shrimp are now working like slaves in my 2G hex.


As for the fish. They are Pelvicachromis pulcher's (aka kribs). My store got them in sometime last week and I really became hooked on them. There colors are much nicer than I have seen on them before. Therefor I bought a male and a female. They seem to be doing really well as of last night. When I first put them in it looked like they came down with ick but it was only air bubbles due to the large water change. A few hours later they looked perfectly normal weaving in and out of the plants.

Hope to be able to steal a camera sometime soon to show you guys! They seem like they are not going to be shy.

Plants:
Picked up a bunch of narrow leaf ludwigea and apon. crisp. I am not overly happy with the scape at ths point but for the time being not too much will change. My boss said he would order me some plants so I might be trying some new things. Will keep you updated!

Edit: I noticed last night that one of my rainbows has one cloudy eye. I have a feeling I will have to put it down.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,

Sorry about the Rainbow, a clowdy eye is not good. Doesn't that usually come from bad water quality and goes away when conditions improve?

Nice that you picked up some Kribs, coincidentally - I read today in TFH's September issue that they are best bought as juvenile fish in a group of 6 in order to assure that there will be a pair forming (if you like babies).

Apons - didn't I have them in my 125G and they grew out of the water and had flowers ?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I have one in the tank right now and it just put out its 4th flower. I was very impressed.

In terms of bad water... Should I test such things. I have been keeping my feedings light, doing my 50%'s, and adding in ferts as if it was religon.

Buy six kribs to get a pair.... that would be a total of about 30 bucks that I don't have. Though I am not really looking to have a bunch of babies. If I want to see then I go look into my convict tank. Right now I have a second mature female which makes the tank kind of interesting. The younger female shows off to the older female and kind of gangs together to push the male around. They have kept my attention most of the past few days.



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Kribs

Man those are nasty fish, especially if you have a pair. I had two for a while and they terrorized every fish in the tank even my gigantic Angels I used to have. I don't know how many Bensaf has but based on that hodge-podge he only has one. Don't even think about putting any rams in there.

My Scapes

Tetra,
So far mine have been pretty mellow. Just swimming aroundb exploring their new jungle home. If anything they seem a little shy twords the other fish. That could be though because they are young and also the new fish in the tank. Right now they are only about an inch and a half to two inches.

Where they breeding in your tank when they were mean or just mean to be mean?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I think to remember that I have read/heard about these fish being rather mean and that would be a reason why they can be even with larger fish in a community tank. And I think to have read/heard that they are rather bad when breeding.

Keep us posted Wings,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Thanks for the warnings. I will keep you all posted!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Where they breeding in your tank when they were mean or just mean to be mean?

Just plain mean They weren't breeding, but would beat up on every fish in the tank. I eventually scoped them out and put them in my than empty 12g with a rock. And then they had just each other (and a rock) to be mean to. They are African Cichlids.

My Scapes

Wait to see how they settle in, you may have gotten a mellow pair. Now is the honeymoon period where they're getting used to everything, just keep an eye on them. Like all cichlids, though, they WILL be defensive and maybe even downright nasty if they breed.

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Back in the saddle!

I am still hoping that I got a mellow pair. Although the fish I have in there are not quite whimps. Rasboras, rainbows, loaches and such.

Having convicts for most of my life I know first hand how nasty cichlids get when its breeding time. I do have extra tanks I can put them in if worse comes to worse.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I forgot to add one thing earlier today. The rainbow I mentioned with the cloudy eye seems to be doing better. I will keep a close eye on them though just to make sure things are ok.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

How come he is better now? Did you do a major water change? Has anything else changed? It would be interesting to know what bettered the condition...

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

LF,
I am very very sorry but I lied about the rainbow. His eye is still cloudy. I must have just messed it up when looking at them. I haven't done a major water change since Monday and sticking to EI I wont again until next Monday. As tetra says: you can't be all thing to fish and plants.

Until then I will still keep the close eye. Maybe mine is cloudy too thats why I missed it!


55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Here is a quick little update while I am slacking off not doing my homework....

I pulled out one of my crypts. It was getting much too large for my tank. In the process of pulling up I also trimed the Sunset Hygro and planted it in the empy space left from the crypt.

I am still keeping my fingers crossed to be able to do a work plant order sometime soon. Thus I needed to make homes for new plants. On the list of plants I would like is: Gayi, baby teardrop, and needle leaf Ludwigia. Maybe some more nana. Thinking of adding in more hard scape.

Shrimp: I have not gotten a good count on shrimp in quite some time. The last one I seen has grown a lot and is now deep red. Very nice looking shrimp if I ever get to see them. (The cat fish I thought might be eatting them is now in another tank.)

My rainbow count is now at 2. One male and one female. The male is the one with the cloudy eye. I am going to do a large water change tomorrow morning. I found a good amount of junk in the tank when I was pulling and replanting. Just out of interest I will probably do a water test tonight just to find out what it has to say.

That is all for now. I have no idea when I will get pictures up again. Maybe when we get Loan money we will get a camera... but probably not.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Sorry about the fish Wings

As for the P Gayi - it's a weed in the truest sense of the word. Nice as as accent, but left alone it's too thin to be effective, just looks kind of ragged. Beautiful deep green/ brown color to it, but it's not really a stand alone plant. It will take a few weeks to settle in, then when it does, runners shoot out everywhere.

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Back in the saddle!

As for the P Gayi - it's a weed in the truest sense of the word. Nice as as accent, but left alone it's too thin to be effective, just looks kind of ragged.

I saw this plant in a LFS. It looked just like Blyxa.

My Scapes

Must've been a short stem - it's much taller and not nearly as full as blyxa. Just a tall, thin, reedy plant.

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Back in the saddle!

P Gayii is not my favorite plant either. At some point way in the past, I purchased a couple of bunches, placed them in the tank until the weekend (came mid-week) to do a real planting, and threw them out right then. It somehow doesn't look right, too much space between leaves, somewhat ragged appearance, just didn't cut it.

Sorry about your Rainbow loss, if I read that right then you lost one that looked healthy before (not the eye one). I am curious of the outcome of the water test.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

It somehow doesn't look right, too much space between leaves, somewhat ragged appearance, just didn't cut it.

I knew it was too good to be true. The P.Gayi I saw looked very dense and compact like Blyxa. Looked like it could be used in the same way.

My Scapes

tetra and wings, look at the "before" picture in my 4G nano log and you'll see P Gayi on the left side. I think that's what you can expect from it. I've read about it being used as a short stem foreground plant, so I guess you could use it that way, tetra, but it is rather thin.

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Back in the saddle!

I guess the reason this plant (gayi) caught my eye was the darker shade of green. Right now my tank is 98% hygro and very bright breen. I kind of want to mix it up a bit. Any ideas? If I were to use the gayi... I am thinking of putting it in front of the sunset and keeping it a mid hight.

Rainbows: Saturday morning I pulled a male that was dead in a plant. Sometime later that day the wife picked up a female on the floor. Right now I have one male and one female. The male is the cloudy eye. I did a NitrAte test and it showed about 15ppm. Not all that high.

I did a large water change of about 50-70% this morning and dosed as normal. See what happens with Mr. Cloudy eye. If he is not better by the end of the week then its to the freezer.




55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

As most of you know it has been hotter than.....well really hot in the northern US. We do not have AC in our house so the tank temp = the room temp. My plants seemed to like this a lot. I had to trim them 2 last week because they just started to over take the tank.

Any thoughts on this?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Yesterday we got some new plants in at work. So I just had to bring some home to try in the tank. The plants are Rotala Magenta and P. gayi. Right now I just kind of stuck them in the tank but I am sure they will be moving in the time to come. My scape is still kind of at a loss. I don't know where I want to go with it. I would rather not copy one of your tanks or anyone elses for that matter. I need to come up with something of my own creation.



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Any thoughts on this?

At work the air conditioning is broken and I guess there isn't the funding right now to fix it. Last couple of weeks while it was really hot I noticed my display tank was at 92 degrees. Fish and plants looked normal. There are even some rainbows in the tank and they made it through just fine. Plants may grow faster due to the increased temp - I'm not sure if their metabolism is related to temperature for sure though, it would make sense that it was though.

---

Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Forgot to add something. LF you will much happy to know that the "thing" is on its way out to door to one of my co-workers today. You will never see it in one of my tanks again!

when I pulled it out I realized that the Anubias nana had at least tripled in size since I got it. In a bigger tank than mine I think this would be a pretty nice chunk of wood. Moss covered, big nana on it and a nice java fern growing on its side. Maybe I should sell it....

Have a good day guys!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I guess my question was related to plant growth with higher temps. It seemed as the temp went up the plant growth did too.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

A little sad news on the frontline today. Last night I found one of my cherry shrimp dryed up on the carpet. That for sure moves my count down to 5 but I am guessing there is way less than that in the tank.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,

Sad to hear that the Thing is gone for good, what do I have now to complain about

Truely sad though is the fact that a shrimp jumped ship. How is that possible? He climbed up the glass or what?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

little sad news on the frontline today. Last night I found one of my cherry shrimp dryed up on the carpet

Sorry to hear that. I lost a CRS when I moved my 12g from upstairs to downstairs, while transferring the fish. I think he jumped out of the net while transferring.


My Scapes

Sorry to hear the shrimp jumped out. Didn't your wife also find a rainbow on the floor. Is your tank an open top?

Anyway, sorry for the losses.

Cheers
TW

I am not sure exactly what happened. I have found the the glass shrimp are pretty good jumpers and I think that cherries are probably the same way.

My tank is an open top. I have not found any water any where on my light so I am not overly worried. I like having an open top so I can look down in there, the lighting is much more even and I don't have to clean it because of the liquid rock for water we have here. I found that with the glass lids they were dirty after only a couple of days and my light was very less than what I get from an open top.

The wife did find a rainbow on the floor too a week or so ago. I think it must have been spooked when she was vacuming or something of the sort.

I am hoping to find a few shrimp in the tank the nexy couple of days when I am around. Some reason I dont think I have many left. Maybe one out of six. Stupid me for having a catfish in there.


55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Hope the shrimps turn up

Cheers
TW

Look what I got my hands on...

Pictures of the big tank will be coming in the next day or two. Just a little swamped with homework right now!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Nice Wings,
That could be fun to scape. I see a nice mound configuration.

My Scapes

Thanks tetra!

Right now I want to add a larger rock to replace the grey one. Maybe I can get them both in there...

I also wouldl like to add some taller wood to it.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well I am being a bad student.... Here are some pictures!

Close ups first:
Guppy
Female Krib
Flowers
Middle of the tank

Full shots:
From the Right
From the Left

Another from the Hex


I think LF had the same thing going on in his tank with the flowers. They go crazy! I have lost count now with how many I have had. It is kind of crazy.

Things are starting to shape up a little bit from my jungle of wild plants. The Sunset gives me the most problems because it grows like a weed. Maybe it is a weed!

I pulled out a lot of the wisteria forground and I now have Java Moss on rocks. I would really like to try some other types of moss though.

Any comments, complants or if you are in the mood...complements are more than welcome as always.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,
I really like the flower shot on top of the water, very nice.

Here's my view on your tank overall for what it's worth.

The sunset (is that all sunset I can't see the pink in the pic) anyway the poly is just way to big. It doesn't grow in a neat shape like rotala where it can be a hugh mound without looking messy. Poly sorta grows like a vine in different directions and looks better if used as an accent or a smaller group, it's even more effective if used from back to mid like a street sorta the way Dr. Bonke used it in his dutch-style setup.

I like the left side, but with all that poly it almost looks like it's waiting to be consumed by the poly-monster.

My Scapes

Hey Wings, looking good. I like the middle shot detail. You have a nice variety of different colours & textures.

Did you score the hex all set up, or just no pics until you'd scaped it.

Your flowers are nice. I hope one day I see some too.

Do you have a camera now, or did you borrow for these pics.

Anyway, looks pretty good & your female krib is pretty. Any chance of seeing the male?

Cheers
TW

Sunset color: I figure if I wouldn't trim the tops off on a weekly basis, and trimmed the bottems I would have much more pink color.

Any ideas for a plant I could use in a larger grouping?

The left side of the tank has only really two plants. A crypt and westeria.

Hex: I have had it for a while now. Just havent had much time to play with it.
Old Hex picture

Cammera: Sorry but I haven't gotten my own yet. This one was from one of my classmates. She couldn't get the pictures on a disk for me (not very good with tech.) so she just gave me the cammera to take the pictures from. While I had it I couldn't resist taking some tank shots.

Thanks for all your comments! I like your input.



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Nothing too new with the tank as of yet.

Next week I am going to hook up with a guy to buy about 15 CRS for a buck each. Most will go in the 40G but a couple will get added to the hex.

I still don't have any new thoughts to what plants I wan to try. I might pick up some more red ratala this week if someone doesn't buy it up before I get to it.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Tonight I picked up 3 Amano Shrimp for 2 bucks each. For the time being I am keeping them in the 2G Hex.

On other fish tanks news:
The neibor guy has a 29G with two 10" oscars in it. Amazingly they are not beating each other up. I agreed to take them off his hands as he needs to find them a better home.

For the time being they are going in my planted tank. Thus why the shrimp went in the 2G Hex. I have a feeling that they are going to destroy my plants but I was told today that I suck at plants so why bother.

Ok so here is the real deal. There really are a couple of oscars and I am going to take them in for a short time(I hope!). They are not by all means going in the planted tank. I have put way too much into at this point even though some may think that I suck. They are going to go in my 55G that is below the 40G. Hope no one makes the jump down there!

So yeah thats about it.....



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I think your tank looks nice, and your plants look healthy. Who says you suck your green thumb?

And are there really oscars in your planted tank? They should move asap. I don't care how much I like someone, I wouldn't take oscars into my planted tank. I'd help them take their oscars to the lfs, but that's about it. Anyways, I hope you were joking, and the oscars are in another tank

I don't remember you adding all that stuff about the 55G....I think you tricked me then edited it *shakes fish at wings*

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

I have a feeling that they (oscars)are going to destroy my plants but I was told today that I suck at plants so why bother.

I'm usually a silent reader of your logs, with only occasional little comments made by me. In all my reading, I don't recall anyone saying "you suck at plants" I think you made that up

Your tanks are nice. Don't let an oscar destroy it.

Cheers
TW

but I was told today that I suck at plants so why bother

What is going on? Can't I even go on vacation without you guys having a nervous break-down ?

I reserve the rights to whine about tanks to myself these days, so please refrain from any attempt to top me in that department.

Wings - I believe the others are right and that the Oscars may mess up your planted tank quite a bit. I completely understand the urge to help these fishies, but at what cost? I don't know what makes you believe that you suck at plants, but it cannot be so bad that you would like to risk an established tank.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Sorry to cause a bunch of issues. I was a little ticked off at one of the bosses yesterday. It dealt with plant stuff and he trys to make you feel like crap just about everyday. It's pretty cool...or maybe not so much.

Oscars are coming to my house but not in my planted tank. I have put way too much into it. I am pretty sure I said that they are going into the 55G below the 40G (planted tank).

I am going to keep them until I can find a better home for them. Right now they are in a 29G. Each fish is about 10 inches. I figure my 55G is better for them for a while. I talk to enough people that I am sure I can find a home for them. Sometime soon. Beside that I am making the wife happy because she likes them.


I guess you guys got a little worked up and missed this!

Ok so here is the real deal. There really are a couple of oscars and I am going to take them in for a short time(I hope!). They are not by all means going in the planted tank. I have put way too much into at this point even though some may think that I suck. They are going to go in my 55G that is below the 40G. Hope no one makes the jump down there!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

But the Oscars will eat your plants ...



I got it now, that is what happens when you go away and then, after return, only read the last few entries and think that you know what is going on. I blame the others for misleading me in my answer

I thought that classmate of yours is going to take them back when he has the bigger tank ready, or was that wrong too? As you now mentioned that you are looking for a better home for them.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Not a classmate of mine but the landlord next door. They were left by his last tendents and he didn't know what to do with them.

He gave me the fish. Tank and all the goodies. I will be looking for a home for the fish. Right now they are very happy in my 55G that is below the planted tank.



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings, I'm glad that they're not going in the planted tank, but LF, do not blame the others. How were we to think otherwise

For the time being they are going in my planted tank. Thus why the shrimp went in the 2G Hex. I have a feeling that they are going to destroy my plants but I was told today that I suck at plants so why bother.

PS Wings, don't let your boss get you down. Your tank speaks for itself.

Cheers
TW

Yeah, most management tries to exert control over people by making them feel dumb....fight the power*shakes fish at power*

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Maybe I should start putting all the dead fish in his truck!

Yeah, most management tries to exert control over people by making them feel dumb

And as I know from all my Education classes. That doesn't work. People get angery. When people are angry they don't work as they could or should.



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Just a little tank update:

Last night I pulled out my skunk loaches and put them in one of the 55Gs. I did this because I have read the loaches will make a sack out of shrimp.

In the prosses of removing the loaches I pulled up all the sunset hygro and only replaced about 10-15% of it. My goal is to start trimming the bottems to see if I can get the tops to turn bright pink. It would be imposible to do this with the mass I had of it. All the extra is going to take a nice little trip into the store today.

Earlier this morning I bought a nice little handful of CRS for $1 each. The plan was to buy 15 but he gave me at least 20 of them. Most of them were babies so they went intot the 2G hex while the larger ones will go into the planted 40G. There are about 9 or 10 that are about 3/4 of an inch long.





55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well the lonly shrimp I have found in the 40G are ones the krips are eatting. (Not a happy Wings!) So far, I have seen both the female and male each get one. Who knows how many they have really ate!

I guess if I am going to do shrimp in this tank I am going to have to try larger ones. I added one Amano yesterday too but I haven't seem him come out of hiding yet either.

Game plan is to either try and grow up the little guys in the 2G hex and then add them in at full size or try bigger shrimp. Something like Bambo or Amanos.



On another note. Any good ideas for plant to try in my tank? I seem to have a lot of room being I cut the hygro moster down to size.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well the lonly shrimp I have found in the 40G are ones the krips are eatting. (Not a happy Wings!) So far, I have seen both the female and male each get one. Who knows how many they have really ate!

If my Apistos ate my CRS than those Krips will suck them in like spagetti. I don't even think the Amano is safe.
I was thinking of getting a Bamboo. I don't think they'll do much for algae, but they'll interesting.

As for plants, what can you get your hands? If it's the sunset hygro than you probably need something with a rich green to constrast. I know alot of people don't like them, but if you could grow a dark green cabomba really well it would probably constrast nicely. From your pic everything looks on the lighter shade of green.



My Scapes

Tetra,
I think we are on the same track. The thing that bothers me the most about my tank is the lack of contrast in colors. It is almost all bright green.

Here is a painted picture

This is kind of what I have going on right now after the major plant pull up.

Red: Rotala Magenta
Green: Gayi
Pink: Sunset

I am not so sure the Rotala is going to make it. I think it was grown is some extremely high light when it came into the store(very small leaves).


It is most definatly subject to change as I am not really happy with it. I would like to try some new plants. The thing is I am probably going to have to order them being I can't really get much localy unless I do a road trip or wait for a club auction.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Here are some plants I am tempted to try:

Egeria Najas
Didiplis Diandra
Babytears
Bacopa caroliniana

I know there are not a lot of color differences in these plants but I like the idea of differnt leaf shapes and such. Chances are I would have to make an online order or do some extreme sweet talking to my boss to get my hands on them.

I am also temped to try making a moss wall but I have a feeling that could be quite messy.



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Here are some plants I am tempted to try:
Egeria Najas
Didiplis Diandra
Babytears
Bacopa caroliniana

I've had didiplis diandra. Very delicate, even more so than stargrass. It will be red in highlight, good fert environment, but if not it will be light green. I eventually gave up on it.

Babytears is nice, but it get's all over the tank.
The Bacopa is a firm plant and will be easy to maintain. It's got some color to it.






My Scapes

The Bacopa is a firm plant and will be easy to maintain. It's got some color to it.

It also has a lovely smell to it and adds a nice seasoning to your favorite seafood dish.

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Back in the saddle!

It also has a lovely smell to it and adds a nice seasoning to your favorite seafood dish.

Nowher you making fun of me . You've become quite cocky since your Nano Success. I believe Bensaf once stated it quite nicely "Checky Young Pup"

My Scapes

I've had didiplis diandra. Very delicate, even more so than stargrass. It will be red in highlight, good fert environment, but if not it will be light green. I eventually gave up on it.

Babytears is nice, but it get's all over the tank.
The Bacopa is a firm plant and will be easy to maintain. It's got some color to it.

Thanks for the advice Tetra. Didiplis diandra might be a little more than I want to take on right now. Egeria Najas seems like a pretty easy plant though from their discription. Might have to make an order for it someday.

The Bacopa we have at work right now so I think I am going to use the Sunset I brought in as a trade for it.

As for placement of the Bacopa I am thinking on the back side of the Sunset. What do you think?

It also has a lovely smell to it and adds a nice seasoning to your favorite seafood dish.

Nowher,
I know I have heard you talk about such things before. Have you actualy tryed it? I have read in a book somewheres about it too. I think tetra is feeling threatend by your giant looking mini tank. His panties must be in a bunch....



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

His panties must be in a bunch....

Now I'm getting scared



My Scapes

Well you weren't playing very nice with Nowher so something must be wrong!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Bacopa actually does smell very nice and minty. I bet it is edible. I almost tried a little nibble when I had it in my tank.

Oh, didiplis was the plant I forgot about in my thread. I'm hoping that stuff will do well for me. I will need some small red plants for contrast I think, and it will probably be a good indicator of good/bad ferts.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Nowher you making fun of me . You've become quite cocky since your Nano Success. I believe Bensaf once stated it quite nicely "Checky Young Pup"

I hope I haven't been coming off as cocky I'm just excited about planted tanks again after having some success with the nano. It feels good to know doing something a certain way works, then actually doing it and having it work. Tetra, with your tanks you must certainly know how it feels. I feel like I'm getting my aquascaping vision going, I'm better able to imagine layouts and picture how something might grow, see it in my mind's eye - it's a good feeling My apologies if it came off wrong!

As for the bacopa thing, I was not making fun, I'm serious about the smell, it smells great and I know it - along with other plants, Pennywort being one - is used to season food in some places. I've tried it before, it has an interesting taste. It not going to make you throw out the fresh basil you're growing in your garden, though. Take a bite, it won't kill you. (This advice coming from the guy who once accidentally rubbed cyanobacteria in his eyes and had conjunctavitis for two weeks

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Back in the saddle!

Nowher,
No I actually thought you were making fun of the way I described the Bacopa, I honestly didn't know about the culinary benefits. No need to apologize either way.

Your not cocky just checky

My Scapes

Darn,

Another day that I am tied up at work and you guys get all feisty

Bacopa - Schmapopa

All I can say is that mine didn't smell and I cannot state its flavor as I have never tried it.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Schmapopa???? I tryed to google it and nothing even came up!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well last night there was a random power outage on our block. If you looked a couple of blocks down there was power.

Everything seemed to be just fine in the morning. The power came back on in the middle of the night and all the filters restarted except the one on the Hex.

Right now I am having a bit of a problem with my timmers. They are getting stuck and it is starting to bug me! I might have to go out and get some new ones....

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

The timer problem is fixed. Lets just say that I am not always the brightest cookie in the jar. What i had going on was a timer running a power strip and another timer on the power strip. If the Power goes out to the strip the timer on the strip doesn't keep time any more..... Somedays I don't know what to do with myself.


As for the tank itself. Things seem to be growing pretty well. I think my style is starting to lean more towards a Dutch set up. I wish I had a cammera to show you some pictures but I don't have one right now. My brother is moving into town and I will be able to steal his in the future.

One of my goals with the tank when I did the major thinning of Sunset was to get the Sunset to color up better. I am coming to a couple of ideas. One, Sunset needs lower N levels to color up like a lot of red plants. Two it grows too fast to change colores.

I was talking to a costomer at work about his Sunset that I sold him and he said that his is turning bright pink. The only thing I know for sure about his tank is he has way less light on a slightly larger tank than me. 55G with 30W. This is what has lead me to my two ideas.

Yesterday when I did my water change I trimmed it down pretty short to see if as it grows it will color up. If it doesn't then I will start lowering my N levels to see if that helps.

Any thoughts on this?



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,

Sorry, I have no idea on how to turn the Sunset to pink, not my realm of expertise (what is my realm anyway?). But I am interested on finding out what you were doing with a timer hooked up to a timer? Doesn't that always throw off the second in line. Believe me, when I thought about wiring up the 125 I came to similar constructs, but of course they didn't hold merit.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Doesn't that always throw off the second in line.

Thus the problem I was having. I didn't quite think things through. Good thing I didn't go out and buy a new timmer!

My new hook up is: Plug to strip, On the strip is two timers. One runs the CO2 and a non planted tank. The second runs the 40G with the lighting break.



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well I am going a little expermental with my lighing. No I am not starting strait out with the 10WPG. That would be a bit nuts! I did add the second ficture to my tank though. I cut the lighting back to about 10 hours a day with the second light on for an hour in the after noon.

Goal is to try and get the Magenta Rotalla to take off and more pink in the hygro. I will keep you up dated. First signs of things going really bad I am going to pull the plug.



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Wings,

It is worth a try. And I think with 1 hour only and reducing overall lighting period not much damage should be done.

On the other hand, because the change is not too much, bad things may happen so slow that it will take a while to recognize a noticable difference, so keep you keen eyes open.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

keep you keen eyes open.

I look at my tank more than anything else except my wife. Though I do tend to look at my tank first when I come home........I mean its right there when I walk in the door...

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I look at my tank more than anything else except my wife

Glad your wife gets more looks, than the tank. Even though your tank is very nice to look at.

Cheers
TW

Thanks TW! She is a great woman.

I have found a problem with having two fixtures on my tank. I can't do anything in it without taking one of the lights off! The second fixture is a 4x 65W but I would have to get the square pin to strait pin conectors for it so I could change out some of the bulbs. Will have to check into that today at work.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I ran out of CO2 tonight. I started running it around college spring break which is in March. That put me at 6 months of run time on a 5Lb tank. If I can fill it up for around 10 bucks then I will be a happy guy. Tomorrows quest is to find a place in Kzoo to fill me up.

So far running the second light hasn't showed much change for the good or the bad. Hopefuly this week I will get the strait pin to square pin addapters so I can run only one light and actualy get into my tank without messing with a light.

Other news on the Homefront:
Oscars are at their new home which leaves me with an empty 29G because I moved the Green Sunfish back to his 55G below the 40G. The game plan is to have the wife take over the 29G for fish while I use it as a plant grow out tank. I plan on using a Life-glo 2 on it.

Has anyone used this bulb?

Today marked my first day of my last semester of classes. It was a great day until my instructors told me my class load is going to be "extremely intense". If this is going to be the case then I will see you fokes in December. Just a warning.

Doug

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Hey Wings

Have I learned a new thing tonight? I don't remember seeing your name before. Hi Doug

Cheers
TW

Now we learn more and more about Wings,

First we learned that he likes to wear a handkerchief on his head, and now we get his name

Wings, or Doug, I have never used that light, sorry I can't help you with that. But for the tank with temporary no CO2 I would reduce the light as well until you have a new bottle hooked up.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

No worries about the lighting my friends. It ran out late last night in the last bit of the light cycle and I have a new one hooked up before the lights are on this morning.

Bottle cost: $12 and some change. Not too bad for 6 months of use.

Below is a link to the Glo light bulbs if anyone is interested. I will either try a Life or a Flora in the 29G.
Glo lights

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well the cost of the CO2 bottle just went from 12 bucks to very expencive. Here is the very stupid and sad scoop:

I hooked up the bottle and opened the needle valve. Somewhere I read that it was good to start a new bottle with it open. Needless to say I was planning on running up stairs for a minute to only forget that the valve was open when the timer kicked on. It ran full speed ahead for about 30 minutes. My first step was to turn the thing off. Once I did that I found my fish half floating and spinning circles. Next came a huge water change. I don't know for sure how much because I was pulling water out and filling at the same time. About half way through this I remembered I had an empty tank set up. I pulled out everyone I could find. All have been a counted for except one of the rasboras. Lost my SAE and 2 of 6 Rasboras. The kribs are still kicking but don't look great.

After the water change I found one Oto still in the tank swimming around so I figured anyone who looked good in the 29G was going to go back to the 40G because the 29G doesn't have a heater hooked up right now. Everything got a large dose of prime in the process of things.

While I was in the process I found 2 or 3 CRS still alive swimming around in the tank. Which is the only good news I have to share with you about the events that played out because I was an idiot.

Right now there is 1 rasbora and 2 kribs in the 29G. Each tank has an air stone running it it.

Now that I have told the story I am going to go beat my head aganst something hard for a while....

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Man really sorry to hear that. I hope most of them pull through. If you in this hobby long enough things like that are gonna happen, especially with a busy schedule.

I had a mishap recently, but it didn't affect my fish. I opened the cylinder and I didn't have the regulator knob opened and I thing I busted the low pressure gauge cause it always sits all the way to the right.


My Scapes