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Wingsdlc,

Yeah - shipping is the worst part, in particular in the winter time when a package could freeze before I find it at the door step ]:|

I usually prefer over-night over the 2-day option. There is a premium to pay, but at least the plants are not out of the water for that long.

I ordered my Glosso from [link=Here]http://www.freshwateraquariumplants.com" style="COLOR: #ff6633[/link] but I read that theirs is currently regrowing, so none will be available for 2 to 3 weeks to come.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

LF,

Thanks for the site I will have to check back in a few weeks. Maybe I will have some Christmas money to play with!

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

Well I have been getting quite a few snails in my tank lately so I picked up a couple of Skunk Loaches from work tonight. Maybe they will help me cut back on the snails. It was like magic one day I had tons of them!

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

Finally I have some pictures for you all!!

A little recape:

First go at it
#2
#3 I was going for the rubber band look...
#4 Redone and removed rubber bands Sorry about the reflections.

The NEW Stuff:

Whole Tank
Thing
Sword
Left Side
Right Side
Skunks!
Oto

Right now I am not liking my sword. It is growing really well but I don't like how it lays out flat to the gravel. I would rather have something a little taller and bushier there.

On the right hand side I am thinking about thinning out some of the giant hygro. I think things seem to bunched up.

What do you guys all think? All coments(good and bad) are more than welcome!

Last edited by Wingsdlc at 08-Dec-2005 12:08

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

Wingsdlc,

You know what - I love it

Seriously, even the thing looks good now , I like that there is more space in the fron of it.

I would not thin out anything at this point, I am sure the solid green on the left is the part that levels out the mass of the thing.

WHat would I do next? Hm, is that Cabomba in the middle back? That plant seems a little off compared to the rest of the tank. I will think about what might look better there.

And, we will have to do something about the foreground cover. What was our issue with the Glosso again?

Ingo

Keep it going

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

LF,

Thanks so much!!!

As for the plant in the middle back (coming out from behind the "Thing". I think it is Cabomba but I am not super sure.

Glosso......issue.......you haven't sent me any yet!! Just messing around. I am not relly sure what I want for a foreground plant. I am still thinking glosso but that might change. Other than that I am whats called a poor college kid with Christmas presents to by people!

Sugestions for the "camomba"? Also anything for foreground plants that anyone would think looks good I am open to hear from you!



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

Wings,

Nice layout. I might want a little color and height directly behind your driftwood. Nothing solid, but c. balansae or spiralis may add some interest and a bronze tint.

Has your sword generated any new growth? If it hasn't, it may be due to root adhesion in your substrate and substrate nutrient levels. If you like, I can give you some Pond Care root tabs to try. They have sparked growth in a new e. bleheri and e. rangeri.

Last edited by bob wesolowski at 08-Dec-2005 12:56

__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

That's carolina cabomba. It's a nice plant with a different texture and usually very dark green, but it's definitely a pain to maintain and many times grows with alot of space between nodes. I think you also have to uproot everytime the stem reaches the surface. You probably don't even need it. Is that hydro sunset on the left. It kinda looks consumed in that area.

Also instead of isolating the wisteria in that corner, you could keep it alittle taller there and then gradually slope it down toward where that sword is and let it stay low toward the other side midground in front of the "thing". Is way it blends with the other side.

Just making suggestions, it's your "thing" but overall I think it looks really good.

Last edited by tetratech at 08-Dec-2005 12:59

My Scapes

Bob,

The sword has been putting out a new leaf or 2 or 3 every week or so. For my sub. I am running with Seachem Florite. It has only been running for about 3 months.

tetratech,

Yes that is Sunset Hygro on the right side. What I was kind of thinking was to thin out some giant hygro and spread out the Sunset a bit. I am only thinking takinging out one stem or so. Right now there are 5 of them crammed in there.

With the wisteria I have been slowly working on that. I just started doing some trimming of the stuff. Rigth now I have a pretty sweet slope going from low in the front to high in the back. With my trimmings I am working them farther left.


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

Wingsdlc,

Who is the guy with the Rainbow Trout?

Ingo

Sorry if I crash in here with an off topic question

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I was also thinking of the HOB filter thing but with that would it drive me nuts with the noise? My stuipid whisper is always whispering any ways! Tonight I will check prices and I will go from there! Thanks everyone!

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

Ok here goes nothing!!

First go at it

#2

#3 I was going for the rubber band look...

#4 Redone and removed rubber bands Sorry about the reflections.

Left Side

Right Side


I did a bit of moving stuff around. Added a black background. I am still running the DIY Co2. I changed out the diffuser to a brown bottle that is easier to hide and I am thinking about making a new system but I need to find some time and really think about things befoer I get too carried away.

Also in the thought prosses.....I am thinking of getting rid my the hornwort. The stuff grows way too fast and when it sheds its needles it makes one heck of a mess. I don't remember exactly what the plants we got in at work are but they look pretty cool. I think they are a type of hygro something or other. With the new plants I think I would mix up the Giant Hygrophila. We also just got some (I think)Mayaca sellowiniana in too. Maybe I will try some of that too. I don't really want to put a lot of cash into this game right now but we will see how things go.

I also just started using some Flurish Excel.

Any comments are welcome. Thanks!

Edit: Had to fix some code!

Last edited by Wingsdlc at 18-Nov-2005 12:53

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

Oh yeah I forgot about my short forground plant plans. I am really big mess when it comes to that right now. hahaha I was kind of thinking hair grass or micro swords? I really want something that is going to stay quite short (say a couple inches). I was also looking into dwarf sag. but I have seen pictures of that stuff a foot tall. The biggest thing is I don't want to shrink my tank any more that it is right now being its only 14" of view able area.

So more java fern on my (THING!)?
I actualy have some pretty good sized babys that I can probably pull from the mother plant and slap on there. The only thing is with this is that there isn't a lot of space from the front of my thing to the front of the glass.

Thanks for your help so far LF

Wings

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

Wingsdlc,

Tenellus does not get all that tall, in particular if you remove the runners and new plantlings once in a while. I would say it would stay in height somewhere between 1 and 3 inches, depending on how flat to the ground the leaves stay. Have you seen mine in [link=This Thread]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Aquascaping/61406.html" style="COLOR: #ff6633[/link]? The very first (and ugliest) of all the pictures shows you how the plant looks when it doesn’t crowd each other. The last picture set shows you how high it gets when crowded.

Not enough space to the front, hm? Try to convince me why the big piece of wood should stay in the tank.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

That wisteria wrapped around the wood, that looks really familiar (scratches head) but I just can't put my finger on it. Oh well I know it will come to me sooner or later.

The tank looks nice. I look the focal and then the support.

Last edited by tetratech at 18-Nov-2005 14:30

My Scapes

Sorry to be so late, was off purchasing a camera...

Anyway...

W, you're tank looks very very nice! It's also nice to see the progression of it over time. You've clearly got a knack for aquascaping, just takes a little effort to bring it out. I agree with the horwort. My main complaint was that it grew so fast it took up so much real estate. When i had it floating it became an algae magnet from ebing so close to the light. But if I may be so bold as to make a suggestion:

- Remove it from the tank if you'd like, but keep it on hand. Get a little plastic tank, one of those 1 gallon deals, let it float in there and feed it with some KNO3 every once in a while. Put it in a spot where it gets some indirect sunlight. You won't get algae, trust me. I've got some in an unlit betta tank right now. It grows slowly, but is very healthy looking. I've found it to be a fantastic plant to use when green water strikes. As I said, just a suggestion, particularly if you have a betta.

tetra, I think you started a trend with the wisteria. Highly intelligent breeds of the stuff are apparently popping up all over, learning very quickly how to crawl along the substrate.

Again, well done on the tank

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Back in the saddle!

Thanks everyone! I will reply back more sometime after work tonight....Until then have a good one!

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

LF,

I should keep my "Thing" because I like my thing and I paid 20 or 30 bucks for it down in Chicago. Not to mention I would have a great big hole to fill it if I took it out and a great big bottle to hide again some how. I actually could move it so there would be more room to the front but right now for some reason I havent. Maybe there isn't enough room behind it right now...

As for a forground plant......what about.....dang it my web site just went down. I will have to get back to you on this one. Ok never mind all that.... it is back now.

Fuzzy four leaf clover (Marsilea drumondii)
Glosso (Glossostigma elatinoides)
Moss balls? (maybe spread over a rock?)

tetratech,

For the record I have been playing with the wisteria for over a year now. I just finaly got the stuff to look good. Oh and I used wood not rocks. You tank looks nice though and I look up to your design.

NowherMan6,

I actually have a good chunk of the stuff floating around in my 20 gallon with my convict fry. Now worries about not having it around.


One of the new plants that we have at work is....this I would mix up the giant hygro and this other hygro. We also have some other plants that has leaves that look like spades (it is a stem plant). I thought that might be neat looking too.

Thanks everyone!



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

Wingsdlc,

Just because you paid $30 for something is a weak argument of why you should keep on using it . The hole can be filled by more plants . Hiding the bottle is a bigger problem – You know, I have no clue about DIY diffusers but somehow I thought that a small entity should be sufficient. I would suggest that you create a new thread in Technical Tinkering to find out more (if you haven’t done so already).

To the plants for the foreground. You got over 3wpg, you should be able to grow a lot of them.

Four leaf clover – can’t tell as I don’t have it, but I don’t think it really forms a carpet.
Glosso – sounds good to me, I have it in the 125G and it is very nice.
Moss balls – not my favorite, attract all the dirt and have to be turned so the bottom doesn’t rot.

The Sunset Hygro sure does require a lot of light, but you could try it. Don’t get too many and plant them in full light. I would say they look good when arranged as a street.

Hope this helps,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

The Sunset Hygro sure does require a lot of light, but you could try it. Don’t get too many and plant them in full light. I would say they look good when arranged as a street.

What do you mean by arranged as a street? Strait line?

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

I like the tank!I am definitely getting some of that wisteria. I also think some fern or moss will soften up the "thing", which I like, it has character. So don't get rid of it. What fish are in there? They are really colorful.

"If you're afraid you'll make a mistake, you won't make anything."
-Family Circus

What about this for a forground plant?

Click me!

luvmykrib,

Thanks for liking my thing! We need to start a war vs. LF about my thing. Just kidding LF. I know it is not the best thing....hehe......in the world but I kind of like it and would like to work with it. Worse comes to worse I could drop it in one of my 55 Gallon tanks.

As for fish.....

5 Oto's
1 Clown pleco
3 male guppies (two are bright red so you see them the other is a very pretty yellow green lepard print that you can't even give him praise in a green tank.)

2 female guppies
A hand full of guppy fry.....either they are getting better at hiding or they are getting picked off.

2 sliver mollies.

Not exactly the fish I really want in there but I needed a home for my breeder/feeder fish

What I would really like to put in this tank are some dwarf blue neon rainbows (maybe my two male Boesemani Rainbows) and yoyo and/or zebra loaches.


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

HC is a very pretty plant, not easy to “seed” though. based on Tropica’s website it grows in low to high light. I know that a few people here have (had) used it and love(d) it.

You could sure get this plant, but don’t rip out your hair while planting, it is tiny stuff .

A war – no way, I am very peaceful, at least as long as I don’t know who would align himself/herself with me .

Ingo

EDIT: Forgot all about the Street Question. Streets are never straight (big no no). It is a plant type infusion to separate other groups, usually arranged in an angle starting in the back taller and getting shorter in the front. Look at some Dutch Style tanks for samples, actually even Amano makes use of streets.

Last edited by LITTLE_FISH at 20-Nov-2005 06:51

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

LF,

"I am a lover not a fighter" ~ some little kids movie from the early 90's that was brought back from an old TV show.

You could sure get this plant, but don’t rip out your hair while planting, it is tiny stuff .

Yeah........that would be a bad thing. I am only 23 and it is getting thin on top. (all my Grandpa's fault!)


Ok so here is what I am thinking. (look out everyone!)

Taking out the hornwort and spreading the Giant Hygro from the left to the right to meet up with the wisteria keeping slope from high in the left to lower in the right. Then adding in the Sunset in with it here and there.

What do you think?
I kind of want to keep my tank to just a few different types of plants.

Last edited by Wingsdlc at 20-Nov-2005 17:14

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

Don't drag me into a war! I was thinking that some X-mas moss tucked into the front of the 'thing', not centered in any way may cut down on some of it's massiveness and add some depth. I have no idea how you guys draw on each others pictures so I won't even try. I've had the computer longer than fish and I'm still so new with it too. Otherwise I do really like the tank. And there are more fish than I thought, in the pictures I could only really see the bright orange streaks and had rightly assumed they were fish. I was worried they weren't fish at all and that I was losing my mind!

"If you're afraid you'll make a mistake, you won't make anything."
-Family Circus

Nowher
tetra, I think you started a trend with the wisteria. Highly intelligent breeds of the stuff are apparently popping up all over, learning very quickly how to crawl along the substrate.


Wingsdlc
For the record I have been playing with the wisteria for over a year now. I just finaly got the stuff to look good. Oh and I used wood not rocks. You tank looks nice though and I look up to your design.
Little_Fish get's me going on the Wisteria. So I kinda bust on everyone with low wisteria. As I said tank looks good I look forward to seeing updates.


My Scapes

Well I just came home from work......(I should have never sold this lady a fish let alone 3.....GRRR......lets just say if she killes them and wants to get more then she isn't going to get them or store credit)

Any who......I have a couple of issues.......

1st......My giant Ghost shrimped kicked the bucket. Kind of sad.... here is a link to my thread with some pictures of it.

2nd This morning I noticed I have some crazy hairy red algae growing on my wisteria. I used to have stuff that looks just like it groing on it but it was green so that didn't freak me out. I just cut the stuff off. Now the stuff is red and that is kind of wierd. We are talking blood red.

3rd My Hornwort is throwing needles like crazy. I have the floating on in the top edges of my tank.


Here is what I have done. The other night (Friday) I had a bit of an accident right before I went to bed and tipped my mix of Co3 a bit and I guess some got in the tube and in the morning my tank was kind of cloudy. All my fish seemed to be doing just fine so I didn't mess with it that morning but I also had to run to work. Last night I did a water change... say about 17% change. My water has cleared up now but I am wondering if that might have something to do with it. I also cleaned out my filters on friday too. They were gettting kind of bad.

If people can help me out that would be great. I am going to start scooping out the hornwort and then net all the needles I can. I also might trim off some of the wisteria that has the freaky algae on it. It is grown in a couple of different spots.

Oh something else I am doing now that I wasn't is useing Excel. I have never had any problems with it before but I have never used it with these plants.

Thanks everyone!!

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

Is this article on the right track?

Algae

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

I'd give the tank some time to clear itself up. But if you're really worried run some carbon or that Purigen stuff in the filter. That would get rid of anything really bad for the tank. Then go back to your normal routine. I took the carbon out of my tank just last week, I have never run it without before but it was probably taking some of the iron and other nutrients out of my tank. Now I am always watching for any changes in the clarity of the water. Do you notice if the water looks hazy after adding iron or fertilizer? Mine turned slightly hazy after adding iron to it today. I'll be getting that Flourish Excell and some of the others on the dosing list. I don't use CO2 but my plants are definitely not getting enough nutrients, because they have hardly grown. I'll be reading this thread to see if the excell causes cloudiness.

"If you're afraid you'll make a mistake, you won't make anything."
-Family Circus

Do a massive water change if your mix got into the tank. It may or may not be related to your beard algae, but regardless you are making alcohol in your DIY canister. You can prevent back siphon by securing the canister, building a gas separator bottle, and/or check valves.

Often brush algae is directly attributable to fluctuating CO2. Consider staggered bottles and better diffusion if you have not addressed it already. DIY CO2 is unstable by nature but you can make it more stable.

Good luck. Nice layout.

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http://justanothertank.com

I did some looking around and I think I am going to make myself a better diffuser. This is what I am thinking....

http://www.plantedtank.net/co2reactor.html

I guess the only thing is I want what ever I make to be some what hidden. Or am I fooling myself to try and do this?

Would this be way better than my system I am using right now.....20 oz bottle as a bell diffueser?

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

Yes, a powered diffusor is better than your bell type. It is only a little harder to hide than a heater or filter piping.

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http://justanothertank.com

Wingsdlc,

I don't have a lot of time this morning, but I will elaborate later from work...

Don't get started on the diffuser there just yet, it doesn't seem worth the 30 to 40 dollars.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Chances are it will cost less than that. I am pretty sure I have an old syphen laying around back home.......hey I am heading there tomorrow! The only thing I would need to realy buy is the pump. Right now I am working at a place that sells them and I get a discound so I will have to do some shopping. Other than that I look forward to what you have to say. Until then I have to run off to my teaching internship.........up up and away!

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

Wingsdlc,

I will have to cut it rather short, for some reason I have work to do at work .

The diffuser they show in your picture looks a lot like the one I have. Mine is purchased from [link=Plant Guild]http://www.plantguild.com/index.html" style="COLOR: #ff6633[/link] for $ 50.

The one thing that I found odd is that your link speaks about a Rio 600 while I have a Rio 50. Yours seems to have way too much power. That is in particular the point where I would like you to do some research first. It would be a shame if you end up with a pump that blows the foam filter out of the socket as soon as you turn it on.

Also, take a look at [link=Their Smaller Version]http://www.plantguild.com/html/power_vortex_reactor.html" style="COLOR: #ff6633[/link] for tanks up to 30G. The big one I have is for tanks up to 200G. The smaller the better for you (hiding reasons).

Ingo

---

Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Forgot the image of mine...

Here it is

LITTLE_FISH attached this image:

---

Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Actually, RIO 600 is near perfect especially if you want to add some bioballs or some such in there to help break up the bubbles. Shotgun wadding or any inert object is a good replacement. A couple more good links for you:

Chuck Gadds layout (uses RIO 600)
John LeVasseurs contruction area of his DIY CO2 primer


I agree that $30-40 cost estimate from The Planted Tank link is high. If you have an old powerhead laying around you could use that instead of a new pump.

Suggest you avoid that small powered reactor for your volume. In this type of design length of the tube will do a lot for you. here is a diagram of my old layout integrated to Martin Thoenes river tank concept. That diffusor gave me >40ppm with the same mix that gave me 15-20ppm CO2 with a Hagen ladder and DIY bell (used together). I get the same numbers by injecting immediately after my sump return pump now. Assuming you are DIY inclined do not be afraid to adapt a powered reactor to your liking. If you are not DIY inclined, traditional powered reactor is an easy project that will take you a few minutes tops, and you are not fooling yourself into thinking you can make one. Good luck. Post numbers if you can.

*links

Last edited by czcz at 21-Nov-2005 13:43

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http://justanothertank.com

When I go into work tomorrow I will have to check out what types of pumps we have. I am pretty sure that I have an old syphin back home so that wont cost me. The biggest thing will be the pump and the tubing. Do I want to go with the sump style or a powerhead?


Here is a quick update on my tank too. I took out all the nasty hornwort and got out most of the needles. I also cut off a great deal of the wisteria leaves that had the crazy red stuff growing on them. Now my tank looks kind of funny and I am going to have to do some trimming of the wisteria to make it look right. I am also going to have to do some moving around of my "thing" (closer to the back of the tank, I think I have some more room there.) This would give me some more space for my java fern to grow on it. I am also thinking of replanting most of my Giant Hygro but that will probably wait awhile being I am going away for a few days and I want to see how things work out and also what I can find for plants being that my store doesn't really have a lot.

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

Diffusion method is up to you. You do not need a sump to inject CO2 as I prefer to: if you have a canister filter, injecting CO2 directly into the tubing or through an in-line reactor can be very effective. HOB filter can be a decent but noisy reactor, and powerhead reactor generally measures better. Powerhead reactor is a good project regardless. Once you get building man, you will find it wont take much time to try all these methods yourself.

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http://justanothertank.com

I hope everyone had a super Thanksgiving! Mine was nice but a little too crazy with running around.


Here is just a quick little update on my tank. I bought some tropical sunset hygro and some Mayaca. I kind of have my hole filled in with these from the plants that I removed. I am either going to get some more plants or just wait for things to grow in.


As for my diffuser issue. I am either going to be making my own power diffuser that will cost me 20-40 dollers that will probably be hard to hid or I could buy the bubble ladder part of this . If I do end up buying this thing It would be much easier to hide and might end up costing less. Has anyone used this? How does it work? I will probably start a new thread about it too.

Thanks everyone!

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