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thats the problem the pictures are way to big - i'll stick to the old way.

anyway my new 5600K bulb has just arrived - put it on its almost pink in colour.

heres what whole tank looks like now with 3 new bulbs on.



this is the tank with the four 14000K bulbs on.


www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

this is a picture of the reflection of bulbs on the glass can just see the pink colour of the new bulb.



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managed a photo of blacky the RTS today - usually he is never still or hiding real well.



www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

shekoi,

Looking very nice

Yeah a temperature around 5,500K gives of a pinkish hue, that is normal. It balances out the greenish hue you get from the 6,700K lights and provides more of the red spectrum for the plants (good thing, 6,700K are more on the blue than the red).

Looks like all is in the clear now and you can start to focus on details, for example how to make the driftwood blend in better with its surroundings.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

LF

any suggestions of how to do that?

i've got some plants for the foreground and couple for the back coming tommorow, see earlier in thread for list of plants i've ordered.

i've been looking for moss to cover the bogwood, only found it on ebay - don't know if it would be any good.

Karl

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Karl,

Aponongeton crispus (bulb&plants) single - Background, will grow tall
Crytocoryne nevilli 5 - Foreground, as a group might look best
Bacopa rotundifolia single - Background, will grow tall
Cryptocoryne balansae single - pretty tall, most likely background, maybe midground
Cardamine lyrata (bitter cress) single - looks tall, don't know too much about it. Might look good wrapping around the wood.
Hygrophilia polysperma (mush plant) 5 - Tall, can create nice terrace effect mid to background
Eleocharis vivipara (hair grass) 5 - forground

That is Java Fern on the front left, right? Maybe some of it would look nice attached to the wood in a few spots (without hiding the whole wood).

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

cheers LF

i've got some spare java fern floating around my 40g, cause didn't know what to do with it.

where abouts on the wood would you attach it?, somethimes i think it looks odd when attached to high up the wood with nothing under it.

Aponongeton crispus (bulb&plants) single - Background, will grow tall was thinking of putting it back lefthand side behind java fern next to wisteria
Crytocoryne nevilli 5 - Foreground, as a group might look best going foreground middle
Bacopa rotundifolia single - Background, will grow tall righthand side just behind bogwood
Cryptocoryne balansae single - pretty tall, most likely background, maybe midground middle midground
Cardamine lyrata (bitter cress) single - looks tall, don't know too much about it. Might look good wrapping around the wood. good idea - i plant near stem plant leftside big bogwood
Hygrophilia polysperma (mush plant) 5 - Tall, can create nice terrace effect mid to background -back middle i think
Eleocharis vivipara (hair grass) 5 - forground front right infront wood and broad leaf cryto

Cheers Karl

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Karl,

First off: Wow that is quite some color that you use to add your comments in the post above. I am blinded now .

Hm, the fern might look good further down on the wood, but you know what - wait anyway until you really get all plants in place, this will change everything anyway. Just try to position the driftwood so it can be removed and placed back in afterwards. If that is not possible (like there is no way in hell for me to remove my driftwood) then you would have to make a decision right there when you replant.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

First off: Wow that is quite some color that you use to add your comments in the post above. I am blinded now .

trying new things - i had to change my background colour so that it could be read, i'm learning next time i'll use bright red.

i'll probably remove bogwood and attach jave fern before replanting as i want to plant in close to the wood to help blend it in.

LF - would you say then put the java fern about third way up then it wouldn't get in the way of the small grasses i'm planting in front of the wood.

What think of my ideas for placing my new plants? - (bright green writing for people who can't focus on it)

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

SheKoi,

I have to pass on giving you any advice on where to put what. For me, this phase is the hardest in the whole process as it is almost impossible to imagine how it would look (not to mention my inability to predict long term changes - just look at my jungle before I redid the tank this weekend).

For example, the Apon: How big is it when you get it? Mine was tiny and got lost in the scape, it actually looked as if I had forgotten to plant a tank section. But within 3 to 4 weeks it grew to over 20 inches in height.

Sorry again,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

no idea what size it will be, it's mail order from internet site, still hoping they come

i'll plant them where i think should go then post pics and we can all have good chat about it

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

plants haven't arrived. told they should have been hear today - hope not lostr in post or something will not be in good condition if i ever do get them

right thats my rant over with.

i've removed my large bog root thing and put on some bits of java fern along the bottom and a bit of anubias at the top, so hopefully they should fill out and cover the bogwood.

i've also moved my crypto broad leaves more into the front right corner, didn't look natural in a line, this also leaves bit more space for the larger new plants - if they come.

any idea how long java fern takes to hold on to the wood - the only cotton thread i could find was white so shows up against the wood.

i'll post pics later as not at home at the momment.

i've also so noticed that my glowlights are chasing each other a lot more then i've seen before, and they are rolling around each other. are they attempting to breed or just finding out who is boss?

now i've changed the bulbs i've noticed bubbles streaming off some of the plants - good sign so far

Karl

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

plants have come this morning!

not impressed, i know they were cheap but, i got just bits of plants, no roots and most where dried up and looked dead.

cryto balance, had one leaf and 1 root, so hopefully it will live.

the grasses i got meant for foreground where 12inches long, i've cut them down to make it easier to plant, put them front right and middle right of the tank.

the nevilli where ok but very small, so it will take ages to fill the front.

i'll see how they do, post pictures tomorrow as tank bit cloudy now cause of the planting.

Karl

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

I've seen the c. balanse come in from a store like that. It'll grow, don't worry. It may melt first, but it'll come in in time.

What were the grasses again? It may be that they were grown emersed, thus they look quite different than submerged growth. Look at page 2 or 3 of my log, you'll see my tenellus looks NOTHING like submerged tenellus, it shrinks in size considerably.

Post some pics, and give it some time

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Back in the saddle!

lets hope so


this is the crypto nevilli

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

the dwarf hair grass, been cut down


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not great photo. but its' the one leaf of the balance.


www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

The nevilli look good

I have never seen such a tall hairgrass, even when grown emersed

Is that rather broad leaf supposed to be the balansae? I thought they are much narrower?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I have never seen such a tall hairgrass, even when grown emersed

I don't know if it's the pic, but that doesn't look like Dwarf Hairgrass. How much did you cut off the top?

My Scapes

i cut off about 6 inches, thats what makes me think they have either sent wrong stuff, or just named it wrong.

ha, see what it does, if grows tall again, i'll move it to back,

going to pinch your idea tetra for mid foreground now with the cut off wisteria.

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

SheKoi,

It will be interesting to see what the hair grass will turn into when "grown up" and acclimated to submersed growth.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Hmm, I'm a little worried about the hairgrass. For most grass plants - or hell, most plants in general - when you cut the leaf in half the leaf usually dies. Think of vals and tenellus, sags - if you want to remove a leaf you pull it out from the base, you don't cut it in half because the leaf will die and rot. I'm wondering if this will happen to every blade of your hairgrass since you just snipped them all in half, like a barber cutting hair. I hope not, but keep an eye out

As for the balansae, it does look quite broad but the leaf texture looks right. Give it time

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Back in the saddle!

I actually thought (and still do) that you trim hairgrass by cutting it shorter, just like a lawn. Grass in the yard doesn't die when you cut it, does it?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I actually thought (and still do) that you trim hairgrass by cutting it shorter, just like a lawn. Grass in the yard doesn't die when you cut it, does it?

I stand completely corrected then. I didn't know it was like lawn grass, just cut the blade and it grows back. I was thinking of how awful vals tenellus and sags look when you just chop a leaf in half, didn't want shekoi to deal with all that

Thanks for the info, LF - that's good to know

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Back in the saddle!

Hey, I don't know that for fact NowherMan6.

I am just thinking that this would be the case.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Yes you do trim hairgrass like a lawn. That pic above looks more like giant hairgrass cut down than dwarf.



My Scapes

most true grasses grow from the the base/root of the plant no the tip, so they can be trimmed like lawn grass - heres hoping anyway.



i've cut of the tips of my wisteria and planted them infront of the bogwood - which has been moved further back to help blend it in.



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day 1


day 15



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SheKoi,

Looking nice

The driftwood further back with plants in front and around it looks much better, IMHO, than before. I also notice nice growth in the tank. Overall, I find that the driftwood creates a nice balance to the large plant on the left and I seem to identify the area just to the right of that plant as a focus point (at least it could be one).

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I've cut of the tips of my wisteria and planted them infront of the bogwood

If I've influenced these young hobbyists in the use of wisteria as a carpet plant my life finally has some meaning. I think I'm going to cry

My Scapes

wisteria is doing great,

the 'Dwarf' hair grass is growing like mad, its doubled in size in some places - so it's a good guess thats it's not dwarf, so it will have to be moved further back.

leaves more room for tetras beloved wisteria



www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

SheKoi,

That's good news

Keep the dwarf hair grass if you can as I would like to see what it will become

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Shekoi,
I'd like to see a pic asap. Glad the wisteria is growing well.


My Scapes

i'm going to keep the grass i've moved it to the right hand side of the tank.

on the picture which isn't very good you can see the top of the grass near the otto, it's grown about 3-4 inches.



all the other plants growing well to, this is a picture of the criptus (spelling) it had to leaves and was about 1.5 inches in height when delieved last week now reaches near the surface, leaves opened out today for firs time.





www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

trimming plants.

some of my plants have grown huge - mainly the vals, how do i trim my plants, but still leave them looking natural.




www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

SheKoi,

Trimming Vals is a similar problem than trimming Crypt Retrospiralis, my super tall plant. The solution is to trim the whole leaf way at the bottom. Or, take out the entire plant, separate any young plantlet that might be attached to it, replant that one, and dispose of the main plant. What Vals are this again?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Cheers LF

i've got many different Vals.

why can't it be cut like grass, just take the tops of them?

different question now- as i havbe 4 tubes over the tank, is there a problem with having only two on most of the day and having all four on for say 3-4hours a day?

Karl

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Karl,

Reminde me again, how strong are these tubes?

I have 4 over my big tank as well, and I only turn on the second half for about 3 hours midday. Half the light gives me 1.5wpg, but remember - the smaller the tank the higher the wpg should be to achieve the same effect.

If you cut the vals like grass then:

a) the lower half of the leaf that is still attached will die, from the cut downwards
b) it looks really ugly

Bob and I discussed this a few pages back in my log when I asked about trimming Crypt Retrospiralis.

Hope this helps,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

LF the bulbs are 39W each, giving total just over 2WPG.

i'll see what i can do with the vals then, might have to remove them, they are starting to shade all the other plants.

got any idea for a plant that grows tall about 15 inches plus, doesn't need much or any substrate and can grow in about 1.5wpg?

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Right then update.

i've been very busy in last few weeks, with my final year project, which is know complete!

so it's time to catch up on the tank, because apart from water changes i've done nothing.

all the plants have grown crazy, i've just removed about 100cm leaves off my vals. i've also removed the java fern from the lefthand side, this has now been broken up and added to my 40g low light tank.

i've removed the RTS and exchanged him at LFS becasue he become to aggressive, stressing all the fish. i loved that little guy, wll be sadly missed.

this does leave room for 2 male rainbows and maybe couple more females, i also want 5 more ottos as i've got a real problem with hair algae, it covers every leave in the tank. my ottos are trying their best all are very fat.

i also removed my clown pleco he is now living it up in my 40g. several reasons for removal
1) never saw him
2) created lots waste which help nothing but the algae
3) removed most of the bogwood which he eats into 40G so he went with it.

i've spread out some of the plants because they were crowding each other, i now have areas that are a bit bare. any suggestions for some nice plants, maybe red colours?

2.2wpg, plants no bigger the 15inches tall for middle of tank.

i'll post pictures later, as friend has my camera at the momment.

Karl

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Update 30/3/06

algae still going mad - going to get some excel will this help?

brought 2 male neon dwarfs, just been added to the main tank - been in a total of 10 minutes and they are already chasing the females who are twice their size. the colours have really come out, can just being added to mature females do this?

still can't get hold of anymore ottos? how many in total can i have? the more i fit in the better the algae should be managed? might even add some shrimp?

stock at moment
1 angel
3 ottos
6 neon rainbows
6 glowlights
5 cories
12 H. Rasbora

also brought some small grases today (max 2.5 inches tall) - look like dwarf sag but can't be sure, brought three bunches, got about 23 smalls plants out of it, so now the front of tank is nice and full.

i'll post pictures soon as, camera still out on loan, project work or something!

vals still growing like mad, must be growing 1-2 inches a day?

Karl.

ps - the dwarf hair grasses i order that were delievered at about 8 inches long have gone brown and dying off - most not have liked being cut down.

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Hi shekoi,

without pics it's ahrd to tell, but instinct tells me that with that amount of light without CO2 is the problem...

also, are you doing any fert dosing besides the regular fert mix? I.E. are you adding any Excel, nitrate etc?

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Back in the saddle!

adding nothing but the fert mix, i've started a diy co2 reactor to get some co2 into the tank, i've also ordered some excel, which i'll use along side the diy kit for now!

should this help?

i'll post pics as soon as i can.

cheers shekoi

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

The Excel will help with plant growth, not necessarily the algae. To start getting rid of it, remove affected leaves and wipe it off any hard object you can.

As for ferts, a dosing regimen should be taken up, but maybe scaled back to reflect the lack of C. 1/4 teaspoon KNO3 3 times per week sound sreasonable to me, unless those with more EI experience think otherwise.

As for your spot algae, dosing P should take care of that. maybe 1-2 mls per week?

It's hard to say without the constant supply of CO2

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Back in the saddle!

diy co2 working a treat, the plants are bubbling away like mad.

i've added 5 more ottos, taking stock up to 8, they look slightly different from the first three i had. could be due to just being transfered, and not eaten well in LFS

i've also added some excel to both my tanks, and even the java ferns in my 40G are bubbling away under 1.5wpg?

a new LFS near me had a large bunch of java moss for sale so i've added some to both tanks - it finishes the bogwood of really well.

i've cut away most of the affected leaves, tank looks much cleaner, hope algae doesn't come back now adding some co2 and the new ottos.

Cheers Karl.

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Added a second Diy co2 bottle today, the addition of co2 and excel has caused massive growth lately. algae is still around, can't tell if getting any new out breaks.


This is the tank today.


this is how it was in early Feb


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Nice Karl

It's getting pretty full by now .

About that one fine leaved plant that you have in 3 positions in the back there - What did you say it is? I would think either Ambulia or Cabomba, right? What happened to the large Java Fern on the left?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

i can't remember off hand what it is, it grows like mad, the middle one is the one i brought the rest are cuttings.

if you have a look in the photo booth i've just posted picture of my new look 40G it will answer your question about the java fern.

cheers Karl

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

i've just moved the bristlenose from my 40g into the 70g.

hopefully he will eat all the alage i have and not damage the plants.



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Karl,

Yeah, now I know what you did with the fern. Were all these ferns in the 40 derived of that one in this tank?

About the BN, yeah, he may eat some algae, but he also will poop a lot . More work for you to keep the tank clean

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

i don't mind doing the cleaning more - have to do it in 40G so makes no different, just want the algae gone.

will the bristlenose affect the ottos?

most of the ferns are from the same plant, i broke it up and reattached it in the 40G, i also got a bit out of my 20G. i'm hoping it spreads out and fills the tank with java fern.

would adding co2 to a low light tank help much? the 40G is only 1.5wpg, java fern looks ok, just wondering if co2 would help it grow more,

at the moment i'm adding excel!

shekoi

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

I believe your BN will be just fine with the Otos. If I remember that right then tetratech had an albino BN in his tank with the Otos, no issues were ever reported. Well, except for the digging of the BN and the produced waste.

About adding CO2: That is never for nothing, well ok, if you have no light then it would be for nothing. The question here is if going with a DIY, or even a pressurized system, is worth the trouble. You may see some small improvement, but you also introduce the inconsistency of DIY or the cost of pressurized. Neither nor would, IMHO, create a major change in growth. Excel every other day (or even 3 days apart) seems to be the easiest solution to me.

Hope this helps,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

cheers LF

i'll just continue adding excel then.

i've now connected my co2 outlet into the back off an odd internal filter and fitted it into the tank

the co2 dissolves better and then is puched around the tank

i've read that some water movement is better for the plants, it aids uptake co2 and nutients and stops any dead spots in the tank.

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/blog.php?blogid=17

haven't seen any massive difference yet, but i did only fitted it Tuesday.

i've ordered 20 amano shrimp, should be here a week on Friday.
Think 20 is over kill?

should i remove my cories? might be hard to feed them, when i had shrimp before they always pinched the pellets.

i'll take out the bristlenose before adding the shrimp, he's only in to try remove some of the algae that has built up.

cheers Karl

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Up date 8/5/2006

since i was last on i have added a siamese alage eater to the stock, he loves the algae, the diy co2 is working great, i'm still adding excel - algae problem is nothing towards what it was.

i've removed two clumps of what i think is Cabomba caroliniana, i've also added some new plants, including a large sword.









as i think alot of my problems with algae have been the amount of fish, i'm getting a 4ft tank to replace my 40g and i'll swap over some fish from the 72G, the bristlenose, and glowlights for now.

Karl

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Karl,



It looks very nice, all plants seem to be doing well.

as i think alot of my problems with algae have been the amount of fish

Yeah, tell me all about it. That is pretty much what we have identified in my 125G as a reason for algae (besides a few others, maybe). I guess 100 ++ fish are maybe too much .

The one thing I think you could change is the bvack part on the left side. It looks like some taller plants are nissing there, maybe something to balance out the right side (or maybe that is just me).

Overall, you did a better job than I did. It seems like in no time you got that tank up and running and looking natural.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

know about the left hand side, there is three differnt types of tall plants along with the grasses and wisteria there, just need time to let them grow.

there is two cryto balance (spelling?) plus two stem plants like in the middle and 2 plants which i'm not to sure about names, i reomved plants to allow more light in that area to help them grow.

cheers for the comments LF

Karl

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk