457 replies to this topic

[Delapool]

Shifted the swords and a few other plants slightly further back as they were getting trampled at feeding time at front of tank. Fingers crossed. They looked ok at getting going, so if too damaged I think I will try some more. The rest of the new plants are staying planted which is always a bonus  

A bn catfish turned up that I hadn't seen for a few weeks. Was starting to think I might have lost it but must of been hiding away. No young ones turning up though either.

Still waiting on the rest of the CO2 gear to turn up but I'm thinking I'll have to prune the centre back of the tank next and thin it out a bit. I actually did some pruning on the weekend but I really need the ladder to reach the middle.

[Delapool]

The UK CO2 line splitter turned up from the UK. Exciting night.....

Check fits CO2 line - tick

Check fits onto existing fittings - tick

Turn on - gas leak

Re-check packet, find o-ring and better seal results - tick

Turn on properly - main valve now leaks

Fiddle around with o-ring and re-seat, try once more and all good

Now to setup the second CO2 reactor some time

 

(kids of course didn't get reminded to unpack dishwasher 50 zillion times in all of this so still sits there to be done..grrrrr.)

Edited by Delapool, 28 July 2016 - 09:29 PM.

[Delapool]

Plants in centre back behind plane are going - removing most of them tonight. Any ideas on replacements? Maybe large swords? I won't get all the val roots but chopping out what I can. Edit - space is about 20cm wide and say 50cm long to add something that gets about a foot or two high.

Edited by Delapool, 29 July 2016 - 10:41 PM.

[Bostave]

Aponogetons?

[malawiman85]

Great option. They look amazing.

[Delapool]

They look really tempting! Thanks! Changing some water and off to get more co2 line and plants in an hour or so.

Perhaps a stupid question but do they need removal for dormant periods or anything? Not sure I was reading that right or I was reading about some rare plant!

http://www.everythin...ceus-plant-care

[Bostave]

Some do. Especially madagascariensis needs a hibernation. But it is easy. I have been keeping and cultivating my aponogetons since 2012. I sold a few plants last year on PCS forum. I still have some. Boivinianus, henkelianus, madagascariensis, ulvaceous, capuroni and the common crispus. I lost interest in the aponogeton natans so got rid of those.

Edited by Bostave, 30 July 2016 - 11:55 AM.

[Delapool]

Well I kind of lucked out (or in) and picked some up of the common ones and the crypts. Tank is still pretty cloudy with all the changes and adding root tabs.

 

The second tunze reactor is working fine. All looks setup ok there and was pretty quick to get it all going.

 

There is an amazing amount of space in the tank now. It looks quite bare but at least next week I won't be pruning plants

 

Plant list now:-

 

Vallisneria (narrow and broad leaf).

Ambulia.

Hygrophila polysperma.

 

Alternanthera reineckii (red alt)

Java Ferns (narrow leaf).

Melon Sword.

 

(Giant Hygro).

Rubra (stem plants)

Echinodorus augustifolia - Vesuvius (Corkscrew Sword)

 

Aponogeton Crispus

Cryptocorine Balansae

[Delapool]

I came across this article suggesting calcium addition for crypts and wondered if anyone does that / is needed?

http://www.aquaticpl...tails.php?id=27

[Bostave]

I have some balansae in my shrimp tank that are growing well. I add calcium supplements for the shrimps and that may have prevented calcium deficiency in the balansae. You can always add agri-lime. It will increase the alkalinity and keep the pH stable. It won't affect the fish. This is carried out in aquaculture ponds.

[Delapool]

Thanks for the reply. I do have a bag of calcium carbonate, I might try dosing a little. Ordered it by accident and it has been sitting there ever since. Plants are still staying in the gravel so fingers crossed. The baby Java fern plantlets I tried must of been dug out by the loaches or just too small.

Edited by Delapool, 01 August 2016 - 07:42 PM.

[malawiman85]

Whats the go with your java fern plantlets? Are they yours or did you buy them?

[Delapool]

Whats the go with your java fern plantlets? Are they yours or did you buy them?

 

These were mine that had grown and I thought I would try. I didn't think they would work without toothpicking down or something but got a rush of blood and thought I would try them. I have a couple of older plants that had a few plantlets (found them when I cleaned out the ambulia and val). Mostly now I just prefer to buy longer plants that will already be closer to the light but might come back to these and try tying some to some drift wood.

 

The darn loaches though! Plants will be fine for weeks, skip feeding a few nights as late home and blip, half uprooted plant....

 

The rest of the tank is still clearing but geez, it is so nice just looking at a few leaves floating around - Friday night should be a quick tank clean.   

[malawiman85]

Have you tried super gluing the java fern to stuff?

[Delapool]

I did get some aquarium glue but wasn't sure if it could be used with fish in water? I've misplaced the packet somewhere but think it worked in water. This one I think http://www.seachem.c...ourish-glue.php

Edited by Delapool, 03 August 2016 - 10:21 AM.

[malawiman85]

Just pull out the object you want to attach the fern to dry it as best you can, maybe leave it a while to dry then grab your plantlet, pat it dry with some paper towel use a tiny bit of glue... will set in no time. Leave it a few minutes then gently rinse the glued area and let it soak in a bucket of tank water for a bit before you chuck the object with fern attached back in.

[Delapool]

Thanks, I'll try that (soon as I find the glue). I might buy a few little piece of wood to try out.

Rest of the tank plants all staying in gravel ok still (mostly).

Congo tetras are skittish again. Assume it is lack of plant cover. One was very keen on going through the glass.

[Westie]

I just used my last bit of the seachem flourish glue I had last night. I saw on Facebook today that Aquotix have some new plant glue just in, Ista brand. I'm planning to go check it out tomorrow, since I've used up all the seachem glue. Good thing about the seachem glue is you can use the glue even when the wood is in the tank. Just glue the rhizome outside of the water, then press it gently on the wood, and bob's your uncle!

[Delapool]

Water change went well, so much quicker. It's tempting on the glue. Kind of. Would be interested how it goes if you get any. Wish I could find the packet of seachem glue here. I did a large water change today and if I took out a few more buckets the wood could of been done today. So a trip to the Aquotix is tempting. But I'm trying to cut back on time on this tank so I can justify getting another tank (er, if that makes sense - I can get another tank but time spent overall had to stay the same). The other co2(?) line splitters also turned up. The co2 line fits very well (had to cut it off) but they look a little too cheap (were only a few bucks each) and not sure if would handle pressure. Put them in the drawer with all the other junk

Edited by Delapool, 06 August 2016 - 12:46 PM.

[Delapool]

Tried running the LED light with both banks on but got a PAR of 140 (1ft deep) so went back and tested with just the white light bank on (as I had been running). PAR there was 90 which was a little above the previous reading of 60 in early June...  Especially as I thought the t5ho's might have started to decay a little. I'm hoping this reflects al the plants being removed near-surface and not the par meter going. So just left lighting as is.

 

Sadly lost a male congo tetra. Looked fine so I wonder if ran into glass. Took readings anyway and got 0 ammonia and nitrite, ~20ppm nitrate, 2ppm phosphate and 6.8 ph (co2 running). Bit strange but hoping it doesn't repeat.

 

Next week I'll clean the internal filter and might replace the pads. Also plan to try lifting the CO2 bps rate a little now it is running well.