64 replies to this topic

[Krystal]

Someone should do a snail recognition article with description as to what they are good (or not good) for and what they eat etc.

Anyone got spare time?

I did half....does that count??

Tank looks awesome!!!! Even better in person i must say.....gives you a real indication of the sheer size of some of those Aponogetons. The Aponogeton ulvaeceus x rigidifolius is massive and the bullosus is beautiful, 12months is counting down till I get my plants that size

[elliott]

Hey oliver, great tank mate looks stunning.. What is that plant in the top right hand corner that looks like java fern but different shaped leaves?

El

[Mr_docfish]

What is that plant in the top right hand corner that looks like java fern but different shaped leaves?

Not sure which one you are looking at, but if it is the light green plant on the far right of the tank, it is a spatterdock (Nuphar japonica)

I have several different types of java ferns in the tank
Java
Narrow
Crested (Windalov)
Philippine
Tropica

[Krystal]

This allows me to pass up cables and airlines etc through the pipe work without anything dangling outside the tank, this is the CO2 Probe and Hose from inside the cabinet, other cables can be sent down the pipe later if I need it.

Must be this one maybe???....Windelov aka. Crested Java Fern

[Mr_docfish]

I changed the fert routine.... I wanted to automate it just a bit... so I got a peristaltic pump from Aquamedic and ran it off a timer (2 minutes every day) to dose 60ml of Sera Florena..... The phosphates are coming from the fish food dosed by an Eheim auto feeder and the nitrates are coming from another Eheim auto feeder dosing Ammonium Nitrate.... I have been tweaking it as best I can, and now the levels are well balanced according to water tests and by the plant growth (using 2.5g of ammonium nitrate daily, and the levels are hovering around 10ppm nitrate)

I picked up an in-line CO2 reactor, and added that to the outlet of my filter.... got it working perfectly now..... so now it is time to sit back and enjoy the tank a bit....

Here are some pics of the new additions.....

Fert bottle with suction hose inserted:


Peristaltic Pump:


Fert injected directly into the outlet in the tank:


16mm UP Aqua in-line Reactor on Eheim 2180 outlet hose:


fine mist of CO2 (I increased the CO2 flow to show the bubble size):

[Krystal]

Nice! Ingenious use of the Peristaltic/Dosing Pump.....I think i have found the perfect flange for that fertiliser bottle

Tanks looking great!!!

[Mr_docfish]

I had to make an alarm system for when I forget that I am filling up the tank......
So I made one of these:









Basically, get a smoke alarm (PHOTOELECTRIC CELL - NOT RADIOACTIVE ONE!!!)
Try to open it (good luck) and where the test switch is, remove the switch and solder two solid core copper wires in its place.
Close it up, add the battery and bend the wires until they are at the water level that you want..... turn tap on to fill the tank.... grab a couple of beers, sit down and watch the footy and wait for an almighty scream..... (When the water level hits the two wires, it simulates pressing the test button.)
Now this is not my idea... I got it from a customer of mine... and I made my own.... worth every $25 and half and hour of it.

[AfricaFan]

I had to make an alarm system for when I forget that I am filling up the tank......
So I made one of these:

Awsome idea!!

Cheers,
Brenton

[ZOLTAN]

Man that's MacGyver styles.

[Anka]

update?

[Mr_docfish]

Just pruned it heavily before I came online (needed more plants to sell at work).... bugger - ill take pics next week after I water change it... it is a bit cloudy again from all the up-rooting....

I have changed the water change pipework, makes it easier still - got water direct to the tank... better than pulling a hose out outside to drain and refill..... now I can water change in winter without leaving the couch.

Ill take picks of what I have done to re-design it on my next day off....

Ill be back...

[Anka]

Update yet?

How much harder/easier is Riccia to grow than glosso?

[Craig]

Update yet?

How much harder/easier is Riccia to grow than glosso?

1.53462 times easier

[Anka]

and how did you arrive at that figure lol

[booze]

i would pay you to make me that alarm!

[Mr_docfish]

Ill look into making a few of them - Ill post them up when I do.... some brands are easier to open up than others, and I dont go near the radioactive ones (ionization) just the photoelectric ones.

[Anka]

Updates please :3

[Mr_docfish]

Well.... after a long battle to get the tank back into shape - off and on... I am finally winning the battle... It is up and down (depends on when I have time to look at it) and with regular pruning to sell a number of plants on a regular basis, it is a bit cloudy still at this point - but these are pics from tonight.


One of the more regular ones I have to prune - Hygrophilia pinnatifida - always forms a mat first, then shoots up one at a time


One of my favourites due to its different foliage - Eichornia azurea


Tri-clour lotus (with bubs)


Inflorescence of Aponogeton ulvaceus and elongatus?... could be crispus hybrid... Ill have to check again..


And Im forever trying to remove these red x green crispus hybrids whose seeds land in the moss/ferns on the wood.... they grow well here, but are easy to remove since there is no gravel... just have to find them before they get too big....

[sajica]

I just got "Welcome to the Jungle- Guns and Roses"in my head when I saw your tank

[Anka]

Looking awesome Ollie, but I think Tom Barr prefers a neater looking tank