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I might be able to lead you to place in Chicago that might have what you are looking for. Made out of Resin (won't hurt the tank or water); http://www.designtoscano.com

Gary

Dafishman--thanks, LOL, but I don't have a local chinatown I'd be surprised if there were more than 6 asians in this whole county.

A friend brought me some Fu dogs from NY, but I'm not sure if they are aquarium safe -- so they are guarding me at work on each side of my computer screen.

Gary is the Zen master of the planted tank.

To the sunflower girl.
Fu dogs (I know them as Temple Dogs, they guard buddist temples) are made of many materials. Try jade, or quartz. You can find tons of this stuff in your local chinatown.

Looking forward to seeing your next tank Gary !


The Amazon Nut...

Thanks, I have been slowly altering the tank (plants mainly) to make room for the "new look". Photos and annoucement to come shortly.

Gary

I've just seen you tank crazygar and I have to say I love your tank too! I really like bogwood/driftwood and yours is absolutely beautiful! Nice work!

LC: My lighting is 1.5WPG. My MAIN helper is the flourite layer in the tank (in combination of the gravel to help anchor roots and plants from "bobbing up" to provide a nutrient layer for the plants.

The CO2 has little effect except for those plants on the left side of the tank which require it for better growth. Though now that they have taken off, I might move my CO2 unit to my main PLANT TANK to help them grow along.

Gary

How is your lighting?

~*~ Caviar? no thanks! ~*~

I posted photos in the Photobooth! Not great but they're there.

Techincally I did. The Plant GRO system (1) has capacity for a 10GAL Tank. I have not changed the CO2 in there in about 3 months now as like yourself, wanting to see if I can do without it.

If I can, I will be placing it into my "PLANT TANK" (I grow plants for LFS's) and give me that extra boost. I think the trick is the Flourite and lighting.

Gary

Bummer, I was hoping you had success even without C02. I'm a little scared of C02. I'm using Flourish Excel for my carbon at this time.

I managed to take some pictures of my tanks although I'm not sure if they turned out. I will have to find out later today (if my boss comes in to work). I borrowed the office digital camera. My 55 is a mess, but I took pictures anyway. I hope they are good enough to post.

At the far left I use 1 Hagen Plant GRO system. My Foxtail, Rotala macrenda, Hygrophila corymborsa "Siamesis 56b" all require it. Also in back (hidden for now) is a Amazon Sword "Rubin".

Quite a diverse setup of plants in just one Corner.

Gary

I don't remember C-Gar -- do you use C02 or not?

[img]http://www.fishprofiles.net/files/~crazygar/sunken zen dec2_03.jpg[/img]
[/font]

I will place the "big one" here. Its huge but is the clearest pic of it yet (can see most of the fish in detail).

Thanks for the compliments. Always trying to improve, shortly, Sunset Hygrophila will be a part of the tank.

LC: The tangle of plants (Left to Right) are as follows;

Hygrophila corymborsa "Siamesis 56b", Amazon Sword "Rubin" and "Ovalis", Foxtail, Rotala macrenda, Giant Hygrophila, Water Wisteria and Cardamine Lyrta (right behind the first piece of driftwood).

The plants in the front are (Left to right); Some pieces of lily (Bright red underneath, green on top), Cryptocoryne Wendtii "Red", "Green" C.wendtii, C.undulata.

Gary
BTW:Next post is the pic!

What kinds of plants are those in that big tangle of growth in the middle of the tank in the last pic? They look nice.

Also, I love the wood.

~*~ Caviar? no thanks! ~*~

..Cool, love the tank!!.. dont know how I missed the thread....and for the Buddha its fantastic! we all want to add something different,unfamiliar to our tanks. i was going to place a horse shoe in mine but never got around to it....I love horses so why not!..oh an idea just came to me..have you ever seen those half boat shelves! they sell in the stores,that would be cool for a tank like a ship wreck, with the bow sticking up..

nice pics..

Going to start covering the foreground with Crypts. I have planted a Red Wendtti amongst the Lilies (in front of the planter on the left). The resolution kinda is lame (had to bring it down so I could upload the beast).

Having a layer of Crypts will look nice.. but I try and keep a monthly pic up so show progress.

Gary

Hot off the presses; Zen 12/01/03
Gary

Crazygar attached this image:
[img]http://www.fishprofiles.net/attachments/234586.jpg"]

Thanks, a couple of days from now, I will have some "NEW" pics of the tank. Doing some final work on the website and soon to have it up for March 2004. Loads of work being put into it.

Tons of fish pictures as well as a step by step progression of the tank. Also in the new year, another Tank will be started with a theme and look that will definately top this one. I can not wait.

Thanks for the compliments and keep checking!
Gary

sand...never tackled it...hope to in the future...I love the Wardley comment! HAH

Great Tank!

wow im gonna blow that pic up and print it and tape it up in front of my tank :-D . i need to do a lot of changes to mine like get rid of the floating reen algea that makes the tank look like radioactive green pea soup.

Thanks for the compliment. And yeah, I have entered the Sept/03 tank into the Aquascaping contest. My Amazon Ovalis is doing great as well as my Rotala macrenda! In fact, all my plants are doing fine. Unfortunately where the tank is located I cannot fire off a good pic without some moving around, some of my Val is right to the water line and beyond, one side of the tank is total different shades and heights of val!

Always working on improving.. though I have definately hit my fish limit. Now I just add plants... I have another tank idea and tank on the way, should be ready for the new year!

Gary

that is gorgeous....wanna come aquascape my tank wow i like it a lot, enter that into the aquascapng contest man its a beauty.

[span class="edited"][Edited by Patient_Wizard 2003-10-27 19:37][/span]

Here is the updated pic of the tank (Oct 26/03)
Gary

Crazygar attached this image:
[img]http://www.fishprofiles.net/attachments/211590.jpg"]

SunflwrgrlS = My wife finds all these "treasures". Even a concrete one will do (as this is what this Buddha is, with crackling paint job). I let the statue sit emersed in the tank for one month (doing regular water changes) and then after 1 month starting adding stuff.

Sometimes tacky is good. Plants like to grow on tacky.

Gary

i see.

Cool P_Wiz. Charlotte is much more forward thinking than my local town, as is Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and even Durham. I'm in the twilight zone.

Sunflwrgrls we studied buddhism at school last year. though its a historical study of him and his teachings not on the actual teachings of budha.

Bjk -- you learned about Buddha in school? I think that is pretty cool. What type of a class was it? Where in the United States? I currently live in the South (North Carolina) and what I see being taught to children has nothing to do with diversity.

Gary -- I've had trouble finding Buddhas and particularly Fu Dogs/Lions that are safe for aquariums. What is the secret? There is a tacky aquarium decoration with 2 Fu dogs that I might have to resort to, but as I said, it is pretty tacky....

Maybe some day I will have an aquarium with St. Francis, Buddha, Kuan-yin, and maybe a few others all hanging out. Maybe I should put a mini coffee cup in the middle Actually, that might be good for my desk at work

[span class="edited"][Edited by SunflwrgrlS 2003-10-26 00:34][/span]

Thanks! And no, though we do not worship ANY religon, Buddha and his teachings do serve some purpose in our lives. My wife collects anything (almost anything, real tacky stuff out there) Buddha.

And yeah, from a distance it would look like a mondo huge snail! Will be posting some updated pictures very shortly.

Gary

I looked at the post and was like...what buddha head? then i was like oh right there! i thought it was a gold shell

Jarred; thanks for the compliment and no, I have no idea what kind of fish. I am throwing around the idea of a couple of Boesmani Rainbowfish or some Neon Blue Rainbowfish. Looking for schooling fish. I might end up buy more White Clouds and some Harelquin Rasboras.

Definately small fish with 5 Rainbow fish tossed in. So many choices and so much time (ehehe).

I do not want to overstock the tank with fish, as in the end I wish for a nice heavily planted tank.

Any suggestions are welcomed.

Gary

hmmm...if that's a 55gal like it looks like, you could go with about 5 neon blue rainbows (I like that fish), and a similar # of lepard danios. They stay pretty small (about 2.4", and like to school.

That would also help to fill the mid to upper portions of the tank. The neon blues would give great contrast to the tank coloration and give you a focal point, while the lepards would help to ballance and emphasize the contrast of the blues.
Call me weird. I have an interesting way of balancing things that end up looking good (MO).

Crazygar-
ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS TANK! I especially love the Buddha head- where did you find it? Is it resin (plastic?), metal, what? Can you come be my aquarium decorator???

That is one of the coolest pieces of driftwood I have ever seen! Where did you get it?

Very nice tank!

*BLUSHING*

Thanks for the compliments. By no means am I "professional" but I do have an artistic flair runs in the family.

Jarred; Yeah, I kinda like the idea of the Dwarf Neon Blues myself (yes it is a 55GAL). Danios would be good, nice and active like my White Clouds.

Wonder Woman;

ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS TANK! I especially love the Buddha head- where did you find it? Is it resin (plastic?), metal, what? Can you come be my aquarium decorator???

The Buddha Head my wife picked up at Home Sense in London Ont., I brought it to work, cut the stand off and cut the lower portion off on a 35 degree angle. Its concrete painted with a Golden/Bronze crackling paint job. I will fire up a close up, the paint work is starting to crackle nicely in the tank. Actually I am currently setting up a 45GAL for a friend at work who obviously likes my ideas as well. If you live in Windsor Ontario then sure!

Zack;

That is one of the coolest pieces of driftwood I have ever seen! Where did you get it?

Actually its four pieces arranged to look like an upside down stuff. Yeah, it does look neat. Actually my wife's idea, as I had all 4 pieces spread throughout the tank before I moved them closer (created a neat path in between the 2 huge pieces) and filled up with water.

I picked the 2 big ones for $31 CAN a piece and the little ones were $6 a piece. I drive out to a place called "Living Things" in Chatham Ontario (about 45min drive to the middle of nowhere) to get it.

Thanks for the compliments.
Gary

Here is a pic of the Buddha head from a while ago (1 month ago) Check out how "empty" the corner looks.

Gary
[img]http://www.fishprofiles.net/files/~crazygar/Buddha Head.jpg[/img][/font]

4 Corkscrew Vallisneria (already growing quick)
2 Crypts (1 Wendt's and 1 Undulata)
2 Hygrophila polyesperma
1 pot of Mondo grass
1 Water Lily
1 Water Onion (dying I think)
1 Java Fern with at least 7 Daughter nodes forming
2 Dwarf Anubias (On driftwood)
7 Strands of Rotala macrenda (at last count soon to be 9)
1 Baby Amazon Sword
1 Mystery Plant (In Middle Terrace LEFT SIDE OF TANK)
2 Bunches of Aluminium Plant (Behind Buddhas Head)
1 Cardmine Plant (behind Driftwood) which is growing quick. Failed to mention this initially. Grows quick!

6 White Cloud Minnows
5 Oto Cats (have some great pics of these guys)
2 Fancy Guppies (have no idea what species)
9 Ghost Shrimp (have some great pics of these guys)


[span class="edited"][Edited by Crazygar 2003-09-06 22:49][/span]

Nice tank! I was actually thinking of a zen -like tank myself. I want a whole buddha though, not just a head! Or, maybe Fu dogs instead. Might not the paint be dangerous for fish?

lovely tank - looks a bit empty though. are you planning to add more plants later?
nice plants too; do you have CO2 injection?