# CryptKeepers 75gal MTS/Clay Loam*Updated Pics *5/30/10* Last Page



## TheCryptKeeper




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## TheCryptKeeper




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## lauraleellbp

Wow that looks really good! Especially for your 2nd ever tank!!!

It looks like your Anubias over on the far right might have the rhizome (thick green piece all the roots grow off of) buried? If so, it really should be tied to a piece of driftwood or rock, it will die "planted" in the substrate.

Also, some of your swords might be buried too deep (or they might just be behind a "hill" in the substrate- can't tell for sure?) At any rate, the crown of a rosette plant like swordplants needs to be above the substrate. The crown is the spot where all the leaves meet.

The water looks awfully cloudy- did you cycle this tank before adding the fish? Have you checked your ammonia, nitrIte and nitrAte levels?


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## BiscuitSlayer

pwrmacG4 -

Thats a great looking start to the tank. Did you cycle it prior to adding fish? Looks like your bioload is pretty high too with all of the fish that are in it.

It is going to look amazing when it grows out.


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## TheCryptKeeper

I didn't cycle the tank first... I have about 20lbs of my old substrate from my 29gal in nylon bags hidden in the back behind plants. the canister filters have been running on my 29gal for about 2 months so that the bacteria would be growing inside on the filter media. I did check the water tonight and I had no nitrites, no ammonia and the nitrates were at 10 ppm. ph was at 7.2

those readings were 2 hrs or so after I fed the fish. the water is cloudy at the time of most of the pics.. but it has cleared up almost to nothing as of now. the rena xp3 filters are no joke.. and with 2 of them running wide open.. cleans up in a hurry! 

the anubias that is in my tank now has been growing in the substrate for years in my father in laws tank.. and I have been growing it in the substrate for almost 4 months now and it is growing like crazy! I just have to move some of the substrate from the rizome on it. the substrate moves around easily right now because it has alot of air still trapped under it. looks ok though?


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## lauraleellbp

Good- sounds like you've got your bases covered; the cloudiness must have just been disturbed substrate. I think it looks great! Really!


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## TheCryptKeeper

yep.. this tank was only up and running for a few hrs total when I took those pics.. this was brand new substrate so there was a little bit of cloudiness.. I will take more pics tomorrow and post them. I think it will be cleared up quite a bit more by then


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## TheCryptKeeper

here are some updated pics.. did some rearranging. what do you think? I am for suggestions


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## TheCryptKeeper

picked up more neon tetras, columbian tetras and bloodfin tetras today.. also got another 2 crypts..


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## Buck

Lookin great so far. Thats quite an assortment of plants you got going. What are you running for lights?


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## TheCryptKeeper

2 coralife 130w t5 lights.. 6700k bulbs so 260w total.. about 3.1 wpg. thanks! I have alot of plants.. yes.. I have a few more coming in this week! I am planting the entire front with dwarf hairgrass. I have dwarf anubias coming still, crypt balanese, and aponogeton crispus. I also ordered some of the baby tears.. will have that to the right side of the tank near the calamistratum on the right.


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## Green Leaf Aquariums

Well done! Pack that baby full of plants!


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## TheCryptKeeper

thanks orlando! I can't wait to see what it looks like once it is grown in! I am not going to prune anything for about 3 months.. at least that is what takashi amano notes say to do.


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## sfcallen

Looks good. I like the look of the driftwood with moss and Anubias growing on it. Maybe something to consider. How and what ferts are you dosing?


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## Green Leaf Aquariums

Yeah 3 months is great, you will have a nice thick jungle. You can then trim and prune to your desired look. Can t wait to see this gem all grown out.


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## TheCryptKeeper

I think so too! when I go to prune.. I should take the top clippings and plant them right? or should I just leave the rooted part there and let it grow the top back? I thought I read where you clip and plant the top nice looking part


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## BiscuitSlayer

If you want to fill in gaps quickly, you can do both. On some stems, you can also let them sit horizontally on the bottom of the tank and they will send out new shoots from the sides of the stems.


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## TheCryptKeeper

didn't know that! I might have to do that.. or at least try...

I am using seachem flourish once or twice a week.. I also have api leaf zone that I use from time to time. I also use flourish plant tabs in the substrate.. I put about 10 tabs throughout the substrate when I first planted the tank yesterday.. it has only been up for about 24hrs now.. so I will have to figure out alot as I go


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## BiscuitSlayer

OK, I thought that this might be the case. You are probably going to want to buy some dry ferts online which wind up being much cheaper than liquid ferts of the same kind. The Flourish (comprehensive?) is good for your micro nutrients, but you might also want to get some Iron as well (to be dosed on the same days).

You will also want to buy the dry ferts I was talking about. Since you are running a high tech tank with high light, you are going to need to dose NPK (nitrates, phosphates, and potassium) into the water column. Read the following thread as it has some very useful information about dosing regimes:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/water-parameters/21944-_dosing-regimes_.html

I dose macros 3 days a week, micros the opposite 3 days from macros, and one day of rest (no ferts) the day before I do a %50 water change. This whole process is centered around the Estimative Index (EI) method.

Here are the links to where you can buy the ferts:

http://aquariumfertilizer.com/Store.php
http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/ferts.html

Personally, I would buy:

2lbs of Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) for N
2lbs of Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4) for K
1lb of Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) for dosing P


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## TheCryptKeeper

BiscuitSlayer said:


> OK, I thought that this might be the case. You are probably going to want to buy some dry ferts online which wind up being much cheaper than liquid ferts of the same kind. The Flourish (comprehensive?) is good for your micro nutrients, but you might also want to get some Iron as well (to be dosed on the same days).
> 
> You will also want to buy the dry ferts I was talking about. Since you are running a high tech tank with high light, you are going to need to dose NPK (nitrates, phosphates, and potassium) into the water column. Read the following thread as it has some very useful information about dosing regimes:
> 
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/water-parameters/21944-_dosing-regimes_.html
> 
> I dose macros 3 days a week, micros the opposite 3 days from macros, and one day of rest (no ferts) the day before I do a %50 water change. This whole process is centered around the Estimative Index (EI) method.
> 
> Here are the links to where you can buy the ferts:
> 
> http://aquariumfertilizer.com/Store.php
> http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/ferts.html
> 
> Personally, I would buy:
> 
> 2lbs of Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) for N
> 2lbs of Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4) for K
> 1lb of Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) for dosing P


ok.. I ordered the ones that you recommended.. not to sound stupid.. ok too late! but which ones of those are micros and macros?:help:


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## BiscuitSlayer

pwrmacG4 said:


> ok.. I ordered the ones that you recommended.. not to sound stupid.. ok too late! but which ones of those are micros and macros?:help:


Micros are in the Flourish Comprehensive or Plantex CSM+B.

Macros are the NPK that I mentioned.


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## TheCryptKeeper

so the flourish liquid is the micros.. and the dry ferts that I bought are the macros.


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## BiscuitSlayer

pwrmacG4 said:


> so the flourish liquid is the micros.. and the dry ferts that I bought are the macros.


You got it! That sticky on the dosing regime is definately worth a read. Just remember that it is estimative, so you might have to adjust the amounts to fit YOUR needs.

I tend to dose equal amounts of potassium nitrate and potassium sulfate because my plants chew through them like there is no tomorrow. With the amount of light your running, I would imagine this might be the case for you. It will atleast give you a good starting point with regards to amounts though.

On another note, how long is your photo period? Reason I ask is because it looks like the sun is sitting about 3 inches from the waterline with that fixture you got ...


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## TheCryptKeeper

I have them set up for 9hrs as of right now.. I am thinking about have only one of them come on for the first few hrs.. then both running for the next 5 and then back to the one for the last 2.. try to duplicate sunrise and sunset? what do you think?


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## BiscuitSlayer

Not a bad idea. I was initially concerned that you might be running them for a longer period, but 9 hours is a good starting period. Running them as you stated might give you some different looks that would be cool. Worth a shot.

I am building a stand and canopy for a 75/90 that I will be getting soon. I was planing on getting 6 X 55W PC lights from http://ahsupply.com . My plan was to have a front row of either 6700K, a middle row of actinics (for dawn/dusk effects and fish colors) and a back row of 10000K. It never even occured to me to have the different rows cycle on or off to acheive different light levels. Good idea!


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## TheCryptKeeper

thanks! I think it is good to try to duplicate nature as much as possible. I set the lights that way today.. if you have all the lights just come on all of a sudden *boom* the duplication of midday sun. that isn't natural. I actually have my old light from my 29gal that I might use.. have it come on for an hr.. the the others the way I said before. the plants look like they are growing already.


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## Craigthor

Looks great my 75 is now unplanted thanks to my fish


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## TheCryptKeeper

what happened? they uproot everything?


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## TheCryptKeeper

here are a few update pics with the new black background installed.. how does it look now? the ulvaceous bulb has already grown some!


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## sfcallen

Looking good. Can't wait to see it after it grows in.


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## TheCryptKeeper

me too! I should be getting the rest of the plants tomorrow or wednesday!


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## TheCryptKeeper

I am starting to see a small cycle in this tank.. not to harsh though. I am going to do a water change tonight. 

when I do a water change.. do I have to add the ferts back immediately? or just wait until the next time I am going to dose?


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## BiscuitSlayer

I wouldn't worry too much about adding ferts right after the waterchange. Just stick to your schedule. The plants shouldn't suffer by not getting a full dose of ferts in one day.

Your tank really looks good. You really did things right from the start. You are going to have a jungle in no time.


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## TheCryptKeeper

hell.. the plants are already growing like crazy.. the ulvaceus bulb is already hitting the surface and it was a few inches from the top I planted it...

I got confirmation that the other plants have shipped 2nd day air and I should have them tomorrow or thursday. they are... 5 of the dwarf hairgrass, 3 petite anubias nana, 2 crypt balansae, 2 aponogeton crispus, 2 baby tears. that should be a good start! I am hoping to get the front of the tank planted with the dwarf hairgrass.. the other taller plants will go at the back of the sides of the tank. the petite anubias will be throughout the dwarf hairgrass.


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## BiscuitSlayer

I like the background. Draws emphasis to your awesome looking plants!


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## TheCryptKeeper

thanks for the comments! once I know more of what I am doing.. I will be able to give advice here too! maybe


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## herosipet

Thats awesome.
Thanks for sharing.


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## BiscuitSlayer

pwrmacG4 -

I was just curious. Did you do a lot of research before you started this tank or did you just kind of dive into it. The reason I ask is because it appears that you had several aspects of your setup pretty well planned out. There were a couple of things here and there that people have suggested, but so far you have executed this very well through what appears to be good research and planning.


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## TheCryptKeeper

yeah.. I had a 29gal up and running for about 4 months total.. I had decided about 2 months ago that I was going to get this tank.. so I started researching all I could. what was the best filters for my money.. heaters.. co2 ect.. I bought the takashi amano books 1 and 3 and the planted paradise book by amano. I still need the book 2.. but I will find it. I wanted to get the filters up and running on my existing tank so that way the nitrifying bacteria was growing when I set up my new tank. I wanted the substrate that would be good for the plants but not break my wallet.. I spent about 100.00 of the substrate total.. If I were to buy eco.. it would of cost me about 50.00 more that what I spent.. so yeah.. alot of research.. sorry.. rambling


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## TheCryptKeeper

I got my 2 torpedo barbs today.. I now have 3 of them.. they are nice! I got two more gbr's today.. medium sized and and nicely colored.. I will get pics posted soon!


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## TheCryptKeeper

I got my ferts today.. the ones that biscuit slayer said to get..

potassium phosphate, potassium sulfate, and potassium nitrate..

how much of each of those do I put into the tank? I know to do it every other day, micros one day.. macros the other days and one day off from all ferts.. 

just not sure how much to dose. when should I dose. at the beginning of the photo cycle? thanks for the help!


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## Raul-7

Great plant growth.

I noticed you have a Chinese Algae Eater (golden sucker-mouthed catfish), you might want to get rid of it now before it develops a taste for external fish mucous. The Rams are easy targets since they're slow-moving in comparison to the rest of your fish.


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## jelisoner

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/water-parameters/21944-_dosing-regimes_.html
here for dosing 

your story sounds just like mine i started out with 2 goldfish in a 10 gallon tank for my son then got a 30 it lasted about 3 months ...im still in the research stage but have my 75 gallon tank lighting and driftwood rock and other little odds and ends ...tanks looking great thanks for sharing


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## TheCryptKeeper

I have more pics that are uploading as I post this.. I got my new plants in today and it took forever to plant the dwarf hairgrass. it came in pots (5 total) and had to be seperated and the foam or cloth mesh that it comes in had to be removed. I used long tweezers to plant it.. so it took awhile! thanks for the replies.


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## TheCryptKeeper

Raul-7 said:


> Great plant growth.
> 
> I noticed you have a Chinese Algae Eater (golden sucker-mouthed catfish), you might want to get rid of it now before it develops a taste for external fish mucous. The Rams are easy targets since they're slow-moving in comparison to the rest of your fish.


not sure what you mean? a disease?


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## TheCryptKeeper




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## ColeMan

chinese algae eaters are notorious for feasting on the slime coats of larger, slower fish...


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## TheCryptKeeper

the red tiger lotus in the last pic is growing nicely too.. was only 2 leaves when I planted it saturday..

the first pic is with flash to see how many of the little dwarf hairgrasses I planted. 

I have two new gbr's and 2 new torpedo barbs.. nice show fish in the tank! love em


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## TheCryptKeeper

one more pic!


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## Raul-7

pwrmacG4 said:


> not sure what you mean? a disease?


Not quite, Chinese Algae Eaters are notorious for being parasites in aquarium communities with rather docile fish. When they're young they may eat some algae, but as they grow older they begin to develop a taste for fish mucous (it the slimy layer that acts as a protective membrane around almost all fish). As it feeds off the membrane this makes the host more susceptible to infections and hence it will slowly kill off your population of fish. Eventually you will notice it trying to latch onto the sides of your fish and in my case I never realized what it was trying to do until it was too late. 

The only community you can safely keep them in are with semi-aggressive fish like loaches, freshwater sharks and tiger barbs. 

My recommendation would be to return it and replace it with a couple of Oto's.


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## TheCryptKeeper

thanks for the help of the algae eater.. guess I will have to return him! I didn't know what you meant by fish mucus.. slime coat.. yes. I just never heard it called fish mucus. I have had a few fish die for no apparent reason... 2 angles. they could of died because I didn't acclimate them for long enough.. I know now.


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## TheCryptKeeper

the first pic with the flash is to try to light up the tank so you can see how many of the dwarf hairgrass I planted


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## BiscuitSlayer

pwrmacG4 - 

Man, I love those redline sharks. I wish I could set up a ginormous tank with a school of about 100 of them. The only thing is they get so big. Very nice fish though. Nice blue ram as well.


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## BiscuitSlayer

A couple of things pwrmacG4. You might not want to add any more fish for now. It looks like you have quite a few right now. If you do get some ottos, you probably want to get about 3 to 5 because they like to school together.

The other thing is that when your lights and CO2 are running, you probably want to cut the airstones off. You don't want that running at the same time as the CO2 because it will saturate the water column with O2 and make CO2 saturation much more difficult. The airstone would be a good thing to run at night though.


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## Digital

IMO, you're overstocked, stay checking that water cause it might be good now, but it might change then you'll loose your pretty fish and plants. Happened to me in my 90g planted. So watch out. Fair warning.


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## BiscuitSlayer

IC3D said:


> IMO, you're overstocked, stay checking that water cause it might be good now, but it might change then you'll loose your pretty fish and plants. Happened to me in my 90g planted. So watch out. Fair warning.


I think there is a difference between heavily stocked and overstocked and a lot of it has to do with filtration and plant mass. With good filtration, and plants sucking up excess nutrients it helps when the bioload is high.

I would be less inclined to add fish though. I'll be the first to admit that I like large schools of fish, especially at feeding time.


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## TheCryptKeeper

I do have quite a few fish.. I know that.. but I also am running 2 rena xp3's on this 75gal. I would say that is quite a bit of filtration for that size tank. I took the algae eater out and added 5 ottos.. I did get 2 replacement torpedo barbs.. they replaced the one last night and again today. they forgot about the one last night.. so I got 2.. so I now have 4 of them.. awesome fish.. I test my water daily and no ammonia, or nitrites. I also check about 2 hrs after I feed them too.

I learned the hard way with cycling a tank with fish on my 29gal tank.. most of the fish lived through but died after from the stress during. I do water changes weekly (20 gallons) I only feed them every other day. that helps too and they can handle it.


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## TheCryptKeeper

here are some more update pics.. I got the glosso planted today..


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## BiscuitSlayer

You might run into some problems with the glosso planted like that. It might tend to get kind of lengthy and not grow horizontal. Here is a decent site on how you would plant something like glosso:

http://www.ne-aquaticplants.com/node/115

You might just want to see how it does, but I have a feeling you might have to do it the hard way.

Your tank is looking spectacular for being as new as it is. You are going to have one nice looking show tank pretty soon when things fill in a little. I think it will happen when things settle in a little and start to explode. I give it 3 to 4 weeks.


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## BiscuitSlayer

Actually, this one is perfect for planting and care of glosso. Took a while to find it.

http://www.cliffclof.com/wiki/index.php?title=Glossostigma_elatinoides


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## TheCryptKeeper

thanks.. that is some good reading... I hope that I can grow it! and it not be too much of a pain in the rear. we'll see. thanks for the comments too!


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## BiscuitSlayer

pwrmacG4 said:


> I hope that I can grow it!


The problem won't be growing it. The problem will be growing it in a way that you like.  I have torn out my glosso and replanted it a couple of times. The one thing that you want to make sure is good is direct light. You don't want it shaded at all by other plants. If it is shaded, it WILL get leggy.

I hope your happy with it. It is a cool plant. Most people think it is really envasive. I didn't really have that problem. It is one plant that grows very slow in my tank for some reason. There is one parameter that is missing for optimal growth, and I haven't figured it out yet. I am thinking about ditching my glosso dreams and just going with HC for now.


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## TheCryptKeeper

I am going to try it and see what happens.. if not.. I have dwarf hairgrass growing now. it will have alot of direct light.. and I am only growing it in a small area.. I want it to stay low to the bottom of the tank.. I don't want it getting tall.


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## Mantishrimp

As you can see I am new to this forum and your thread has taught me a lot! based off of what you have done so far I am really considering trying to talk my wife into letting me set up something like what you have done. keep the updates on your tank coming even if all your questions have been answered because it's become like an open ended book, I cant wait to see it next and what problems and questions that I would never have come up with not being able to encounter them myself.


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## TheCryptKeeper

I had a hard time talking my wife into this tank.. especially when I already had a 29gal.. I had to tear it down to set this one up. but totally worth it.. I spent alot of money on this tank.. with pressurized co2, canister filters, lighting, heaters, substrate and of course plants and fish. I spent a small fortune.


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## BiscuitSlayer

Words to live by:

Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Remember it...
Know it...
Preach it...


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## BiscuitSlayer

I don't know if you covered it or not, but what are you doing for lights.

You should go back at the beginning and list your hardware, parameters, etc. It is good for people that have little experience. They see a tank that they like and then want to use it as a model for their own tanks.

Lights
CO2 and method of injection
filters
etc.


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## Mantishrimp

BiscuitSlayer said:


> Words to live by:
> 
> Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
> 
> Remember it...
> Know it...
> Preach it...



or is it "Easier to ask for forgiveness than permission."


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## Mantishrimp

BiscuitSlayer said:


> I don't know if you covered it or not, but what are you doing for lights.
> 
> You should go back at the beginning and list your hardware, parameters, etc. It is good for people that have little experience. They see a tank that they like and then want to use it as a model for their own tanks.
> 
> Lights
> CO2 and method of injection
> filters
> etc.



I started off with salt water reef tanks because back then I liked the idea of that more than a planted fresh water tank so I understand the small fortune thing! Not that I don't like my reef tank anymore but I feel like I have "mastered" that, if thats really possible. I have a basic idea of whats going on with this tank and am getting into it the more he talks about and shows it to us. And yes, if you could go over again everything you have as far as equipment that might be helpful to us newbes that are going to take your tank as a model for our own, hopefully :icon_wink. Also, pwrmacG4, do you have any regrets or mistakes as far as your approach or decisions on your equipment that you would be willing to share?


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## TheCryptKeeper

well.. to be perfectly honest... no regrets at all on equipment... would I like to have just one light fixture instead of two? yes. but it came down to money. mistakes....? is there a limit to how many words to one post!

well the first one was to not get the bigger aquarium to start with. I also didn't know much about cycling a tank or that they needed to be cycled.. so I bought fish and gravel and away I went.. I learned the hard way.. fish dying all the time and water changes like crazy once I did some research. that is why I researched here like crazy and across the board when I bought my equipment. Also I should of done more research on the fish species that I was going to have in my tank. I was getting what looked cool.. not what was compatible and natural to what I had or was going for in overall look.

I believe that I put my equipment in the first few posts here in this thread... but here goes again..

tank and stand... Marineland Perfecto Tank and Stand
lighting... 2 Coralife t5 light fixtures 130w each so 260w total..lunar light 
filtration.... 2 Rena XP3 Canister filters, awesome filters! highly recommend
co2.. 5lb pressurized co2 tank with a Milwaukee 957ma regular with electric solenoid, bubble counter and needle valve.
co2 reactor.. rex grigg style
heating... 2 Rena Smart Heaters 150w each.. attach to intake of the filters
Substrate.. aquariumplants.com planted tank substrate
Air pump.. wisper20

I dose 3x a week with dry ferts and 2x with liquid. all of the lights, co2 and air pump are on timers.

I feed the fish every other day with a mixture.. flake food, brine shrimp and blood worms.. 
Hope this helps!


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## TheCryptKeeper

ok.. got my co2 reactor installed properly finally.. it was hooked up wrong and making alot of noise.. but I finally got it up and running smoothly. I have the water going into the top of the reactor and it coming out the bottom and back up into the tank.. kinda like a giant loop. it had alot of air bubbles coming out at first but that stopped after a few hrs. working good


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## BiscuitSlayer

pwrmacG4 said:


> filtration.... 2 Rena XP3 Canister filters, awesome filters! highly recommend


Sorry if I asked for redundant data. If someone does something like that, feel free to refer them to an ealier post. I have read your whole thread, so I'm not sure why I missed it. :icon_redf 

With regards to the 2 x XP3s. Do you have them running with full flow? I have been considering them for a new tank I'll be setting up soon, but I wasn't sure if 2 XP3s would be too much or not. I like the XP line as well.

Thanks for posting the specs of the tank... again.


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## TheCryptKeeper

I just wanted you guys and gals to know I had my username changed to torpedobarb.. so you don't wonder who the heck it is.. thanks


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## TheCryptKeeper

oh yeah.. wide open.. but using a spray bar and having a sponge over the intakes.. it isn't too bad.. they are quiet as hell.. I love em! excellent filters for the $$


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## lauraleellbp

Torpedobarb said:


> I just wanted you guys and gals to know I had my username changed to torpedobarb.. so you don't wonder who the heck it is.. thanks


Hey how do you do that?? I want caps in my name...


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## TheCryptKeeper

here are some update pics.. alot of the plants are growing like crazy.. check it out and tell me what you think...


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## TheCryptKeeper

the aponogeton ulvaceus bulb has a long runner coming out of the top of it already.. this plant is huge. you can see how it is coming over the top of the driftwood and almost back to the bottom of the tank


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## TheCryptKeeper

here is an update pic without the ulvaceus. it was getting too big so I took it back and got some other plants.. spiralis towards the left rear.. and a pic of my new balloon rams.. only one would pose.. a female


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## TheCryptKeeper

Ok.. so I ditched the dwarf hairgrass idea.. tired of replanting it all the time.. I did get more chain sword or micro sword.. here are some pics.. I also got another crinum calamistratum.. the micro sword and crinum were free.. the employee was pissed at the owner.. lol..




































tell me what you think!


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## TheCryptKeeper

lots of update pics!


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## BiscuitSlayer

Torpedobarb -

That is some explosive growth you got there. Looks like weekly maintenance is going to be a must for you. 

I am looking forward to seeing her in a week or two. Once things settle in a little, the growth is going to take off even more on you.

Hope you're ready for it.


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## TheCryptKeeper

oh yeah... I'm up for it! it give me something to do.. it relaxes me! I hope that I can grow them good enough to pass some nice plants on to someone who needs them! not for profit


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## BiscuitSlayer

When you get some of that Limnophila aromatica, you can hook me up!  That is one of my favorite plants. Last time I wanted to try it, I didn't have pressurized CO2 or an aquarium large enough to grow it. (I still don't have a big enough aquarium, but someday soon, lol )


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## lauraleellbp

Looks awesome- I love the jungle, and I bet the fish are all as happy as... I was going to say clams but that doesn't sound right... as fish?
:fish: :fish1: :fish: :fish1: :fish:


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## TheCryptKeeper

you can say heck! lol.. I will hook you up with some of the limno.. I am looking to get more of it.. I only have a few stems now.. thanks for the comments!


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## crimsontsavo

Looking so nice and lush!


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## thejoie

WOW! That looks great! I love to see it change and grow.... I really like the variety too. 

Lookin' good!!


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## TheCryptKeeper

thank you.. I do have quite a large variation of plants.. I will be a regular plant store when I go to start trimming them down! keep an eye out in the next few months in the swap n shop! lol


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## monkeyruler90

whats ur pH? how do you control it?


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## Buck

Well done, the tank is looking beautiful and healthy ! roud:


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## TheCryptKeeper

monkeyruler90 said:


> whats ur pH? how do you control it?


I don't do anything to control it.. I don't use a buffer. My levels are as such..

prior to the photo cycle.. 6.8 to 7.0 and towards the end of the photo cycle after the co2 has been on for almost 7 hrs.. it is usually consistently 6.4


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks Buck! I am learning this as I go.. Like I said.. this is my first planted tank.. and only my second tank. I set up my 29gal tank back in Jan of this year.. I instantly wanted to get a 75gal. I personally feel that a 75gal tank is the perfect size tank. but I do like the way a 125gal looks! lmao


----------



## BiscuitSlayer

Torpedobarb said:


> thanks Buck! I am learning this as I go.. Like I said.. this is my first planted tank.. and only my second tank. I set up my 29gal tank back in Jan of this year.. I instantly wanted to get a 75gal. I personally feel that a 75gal tank is the perfect size tank. but I do like the way a 125gal looks! lmao



For this being your first planted tank, it has come out fantastic. You pretty much did everything right from the beginning with regards to setting up a high tech tank. Most people struggle to achieve balance with a high tech tank, but it appears that either you have a natural knack for this, you did your research extensively, or you know all the right people.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I would say.. a perfect combo of all of the above.. except for me having a knack for it.. luck


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I got 4 angles today.. 2 koi and 2 albino 

once I get them from being shy.. and I turn the lights back on.. I can't get pics. I acclimated them in a bucket for 3hrs and them netted them into the tank and turned the lights off. the seem to be doing fine as of right now.. knock on wood!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I got some new fish today.. I got 10 blue tetras.. 2 rainbow fish, 7 panda tetras, and 2 shrimp.. the shrimp are about 1.5" long.. bluish in color.. the rainbows are these..

http://www.solodvds.com/images/fish/celebes_rainbowfish.jpg


----------



## tom91970

Looking good!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks! I got some new fish too.. but I don't have pics yet.. I got some purple emperor tetras and some blue tetras.. and a few more torpedo barbs.. I took quite a few fish out and put them in my smaller tank.. it makes this tank look alot better!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I got all the plants that I am going to have.. in my tank now! sweet. I just have to wait for them to grow out into the forest of plants I want. it is looking so good.


----------



## carlos05

Awesome tank....i'm in the same position you are and am slowly establishing my 75g. I'm going to post pics later this week...hopefully it will look ok. I was thinking about getting some angels but how are they acting with the tetras? How many fish are you planting to stock?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

my 2 angles get along fine with my tetras.. they just hang out towards the front of the tank. I plan to have a few schools of tetras and a few show fish. and tons of plants.. obviously!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

here are some updated pics.. alot of the plants are growing out.. I did remove the microsword and I have some HC on the way.. I am thinking of changing up the aquascape.. getting rid of the driftwood on the right and making a small rock wall towards the front with the area behind the rocks up higher. anyways..

here are the pics.

































you can see some of the bba.. sorry it looks crappy with that!


----------



## Green Leaf Aquariums

Everything is looking good!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks! I am not having any trouble growing anything.. just need to get the bba under control!


----------



## lauraleellbp

How are the fish doing?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I had a few more die.. but that is all. I did notice that the blue tetras tail just before the fin would lose all color and turn white prior to them dying. but I haven't lost any in a few days.. so I am just going to keep doing what I am doing.. dosing the tank with the melafix.. it seems to be helping!

thanks for asking. it has been rough around here!


----------



## Ishar

hey man- I was wanting to set up pressurized CO2 and was wondering where you went to get your regukator and other equipment?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I bought my regulator on ebay for a great price.. 

I have an extra co2 reactor that I am not using.. it is a diy like the ones on rex's website, let me know if you want it.

Orlando and Rex here both sell great equipment.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

my co2 tank is a 5 lb tank that I bought locally at a beverage company.. it was 55.00 filled. check with liquor stores and welding suppliers too


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

well.. I did some aquascaping tonight.. trying to get the plants that I have to fill in some empty spaces. I also took a pic of my kribensis.. I could only get the female to cooperate! she is a beautiful fish though.. nice coloring. what do you think?









my 2 angels...


----------



## lauraleellbp

It all looks fantastic!!! :thumbsup: 

Where's the FTS? :biggrin:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

here is a fts before the changes tonight.. I am too tired to take any new pics tonight.. but hopefully this will do until tomorrow! lol

















I have 9 torpedo barbs now.. they school nicely! like in orlando's green leaf ad. I love em.. great fish!


----------



## ColeMan

Tank looks really nice...
I love Puntius denisonii - one of my absolute favorites...i'd like to have a big bunch of 'em swimming around...you get them locally?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

yep... my lfs usually has them in stock.. and one of the employees hates the owners because they are stuck up.. so he hooks me up with them for next to nothing! he actually just gave me 4 of them for nada a few days ago! lol

I know.. I suck!


----------



## ColeMan

you lucky, lucky man. I wish I knew a disgruntled LFS employee who could hook me up like that!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I bet if you just ask one of them.. they would tell you they can't stand the owners! I lucked out because my lfs has mostly the owners kids working there and they act like their doo doo doesn't stink and treats the other non family employees like crap. I get hooked up all the time. I walked out of there one day with 15 black neons, 10 rummy nose, 2 kribs, 2 hillstream loaches, 25 lbs of petrified wood rocks, and a piece of driftwood all for 23.00

lol.. again.. I suck.. I know! I should start getting the fish and selling them here for a great deal!


----------



## Buck

The tank is looking really great ! roud:


----------



## @[email protected]

i like it. its got a great green shade to it, like its almost glowing.


----------



## MikeS

Ken, your tank looks great. :thumbsup: 


You'll have to pm me the ferts you bought.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

the right side of the tank'









I like the right side of the tank.. but not the left side.. I have some more taller stem plants coming in to do up the left side of the tank.. I will post some pics after I receive them.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I have 11 rummynose, 11 black neons, and 11 blue tetras. I also have 2 kribs, 1 gbr, 10 torpedo barbs! sweet


----------



## MikeS

10 torpedo barbs???? :eek5: Now that is bank!!!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

yep! 10! they look awesome when swimming in a school! just like in this pic..
http://www.aquabotanic.com/contest2004/tank_58/resized/OliverKnott2004-01.jpg


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

ok.. I removed the driftwood on the left and added a smaller piece.. it is hard to see because of the stems.. but I like it that way.. 

how does the hardscape look? I think I got the rocks finally the way I like it. I have the Pogostemon stellatus on the right courtesy of (ingg) thanks! it will look better once it straightens out from being shipped. I have sunset hygro all along in front of the stems. it is the hygro that stays low and spread out that way.. I will keep it at the height. I have hc in the front as ground cover.. I hope it fills in nicely.. it took me forever and a day to plant it! mostly one stem at a time.. tell me what you guys think of it.

I have roseline sharks, black neons, blue tetra, and rummynose. I have 2 kribensis, 1 gbr, 2 white angels, 1 flame dwarf gourami (wifes fish), 10 otos, 6 sae's, 4 hillstream loaches, 2 dwarf bushy nose plecos, and some cherry shrimp. 

here are some pics.....

















































here is a better shot of the hardscape











I know it is alot of pics.. alot of the same shot.. hoping to get a little more in each pic..


----------



## lauraleellbp

I think it looks absolutely fantastic- LUSH is the word that comes to mind :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks! I can't wait for some of the other plants to grow in. I just have to learn.. ummm whats the word.. patience!


----------



## ingg

Nice looking tank!

You are doing something here I am pondering - how is the cherry shrimp colony doing with the GBR and Kribs around, is it surviving?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

yep.. they hide alot.. but they are all still there! how does that plant look that you sent me?


----------



## ingg

Looks good! - don't be surprised if it stunts, but that ends up being a good thing. Stellata has ahabit of stopping growth, then sending new shoots like it was trimmed when it hits new water parameters, the stellata version of a crypt melt.

I see the vesuvius doing well, too!


----------



## Buck

It looks great without the wood in that spot, it was kind of distracting. I do like wood in a tank though, did you try it in different postions or angles ? It might look cool laying down and mingling with the stone like pond bottom debris. It would be good to keep some wood in the tank for your plecos.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

there is still a piece of driftwood there about 13" high.. just can't see it through the stellata! lol there is also a piece on the left side of the tank with the java moss on it. it also goes back to the right with no moss on it for them.


ingg.... the vesuvius is doing great! it has already produced 2 more plants on runners!


so anyone out there looking to buy that plant.. get it from him!


----------



## Oreo

Looks great! I liked the larger piece of driftwood like you had it before though. It added variety / tension to the tank. It looks more monotonous now without anything to break it up a bit.


----------



## BiscuitSlayer

Torpedobarb-

Have you had any problems with plants that you can't keep yet?

Also, have you had a problem between the SAE's and the roseline sharks? Supposedly, SAEs don't get along well with other fish in the same family with the same body type.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

actually no.. no problems that I have noticed. the roselines just school in the middle to lower portion of the tank in the front and the sae's just go about their business! making sure I don't have algae! I have had problems with my kribensis eating my HC or at least it looks that way.. they are digging it up. they must not know it took me over 2hrs to plant it.. pudds. 

I actually haven't had any plants that I haven't been able to grow. I am not trying to be arrogant..but I just haven't.. now I have had plants that don't thrive, just grow. my rotala macranda is just growing not thriving. I have the red nesaea and it is bright red. I also have a dwarf tiger lilly that is growing really nicely. but I will find out sooner or later what will not continue to grow.

I will find a different piece of driftwood for the left side as well as another piece for the right to break it up a little bit. but I like it now the way it is coming along


----------



## BiscuitSlayer

Nothing arrogant about the plants growing well for you. I was just curious. Some people don't have any problems with anything and some people have some problems with specific plants.

As far as the SAE's and Roselines go, I would like to know if you ever do experience problems. Maybe the problems happen as the SAE's get older.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

if I do I will post it here. I hope that never happens! or it will be deep six time for some sae's! I used to have problems with some plants in my old tank.. but that was because of lighting. I think that I have this set up now nicely that I can grow most plants. I also have the micro and macro thing down now too... thanks to some breakfast sandwich! lol


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I picked up my last fish selections today.. 

I finally got some more of the purple emperor tetras. I am completely stocked back to the way I wanted it.. of course the emperors are in qt for the next 2 weeks.. that part is a bummer for someone like myself who has no patience! lol


----------



## lauraleellbp

:thumbsup: WTG with the QT


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thought you might like that lauralee! my fish that are still alive like it too!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

the emperors are still fairly small.. about 1" maybe.. but they look just like my avatar emperors do! I think that they are a great colorful fish!

I am not getting anymore tetras. I have 4 different kinds with small schools of each. I am set!


----------



## Complexity

Wow! What a wonderful inspiration for my 75g as I get it set up. I like many of the same fish as you do, most especially the dwarf cichlids and roseline sharks.

I just skimmed the posts in the thread (so mesmerized by your tank!), but I can see that I can use a lot of the info in here.

I'm curious about how you have your filters set up. I see the two spray bars in the back. So that's the output. Where are the intakes? I have my Eheim canister right now, but I was thinking of adding an XP4 to it. I also hope to have a high stock of fish so filtration is very important to me.

BTW, I also took note of your old ID. Seems we have even more in common as I've had several Macs since 1986! 

I hope you don't mind if I copy some of what you've done. My design may be different, but I will definitely learn from you!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

no problem at all! and yes.. macs rule! I have a power mac g4 that is a powerhouse! 

I have 2 rena xp3 filters running on it. the intakes are actually the heaters too... they are the rena smart heaters that replace the intake tube and strainer. you just take off the strainer and it goes in its place. the heater is hollow in the middle and is designed to just slip on. the bottom of the heater has a strainer. so your intake becomes your heater. one less thing in the tank. they actually work great. my thermometers and digital thermometer are right on the money with the heaters. they are kinda pricey.. but I love em!


----------



## MikeS

I hate patience 


:hihi:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

wtf is patience! isn't that something the axle rose used to say all the time! just a little patience!


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> no problem at all! and yes.. macs rule! I have a power mac g4 that is a powerhouse!


Quick OT: Retired is my 512Ke, Macintosh II (the original!), Performa, PowerMac G3 and PowerBook G4. Currently in use is my PowerMac G4, PowerMac G5 and MacBook Pro. I maxed out the memory and HD space in most of them.  I was using my discount as an IBM programmer to buy Macs way back when! :icon_lol: Okay, back on topic.



> I have 2 rena xp3 filters running on it. the intakes are actually the heaters too.


That sounds very nice! I had noticed your intakes appeared to be different, but I thought maybe something was blocking the view.

I don't have a problem with needing a heater; although, I did get the built-in heater version of the Eheim Pro II.

What I was wanting to know is the _placement_ of your intake tubes (with heaters and all, it doesn't matter). I can't tell for sure, but are they on both back corners?

I'm trying to figure out where I want to position the intake/output tubes for my 75. I want to be sure I get good filtration, but I don't want to blow all the plants over (which I tend to do as I am overly anal about filtration).

Also, do you have your XP3s output wide open or have you decreased the flow any?

I've thought about getting a modular setup, but they're rather pricey. I tried to ask for help in a thread a couple months back, but didn't get any real answers so I'm still trying to figure out a good placement for everything.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

yeah.. I have both intakes in both of the corners and the discharge spray bars on the ends pointing towards the middle.. 

I do have the flow wide open.. but I am also using a diy co2 reactor on one filter and the uv sterilizer on the other filter.. so I have them both running wide open. I also use a powerhead to create more flow


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I am looking for a powerbook g4.. you looking to get rid of it! or maybe make a deal? :hihi:


----------



## fshfanatic

lauraleellbp said:


> It looks like your Anubias over on the far right might have the rhizome (thick green piece all the roots grow off of) buried? If so, it really should be tied to a piece of driftwood or rock,* it will die "planted" in the substrate*.


No they wont. I have grown a lot of Anubias planted and it does great. Just dont bury it too deep.


The tank looks wonderful! Great job..


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks alot! 

I actually don't have any anubias left in my tank except the petite. I like the way it looks.. just taking up too much room for my stems! :hihi:


----------



## fshfanatic

What did you fill your two XP3 with? Inquiring minds want to know.


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> yeah.. I have both intakes in both of the corners and the discharge spray bars on the ends pointing towards the middle..
> 
> I do have the flow wide open.. but I am also using a diy co2 reactor on one filter and the uv sterilizer on the other filter.. so I have them both running wide open. I also use a powerhead to create more flow


Thanks for the description. I have my uv sterilizer on my Eheim. I received a simple (cheap) plastic diffuser with my setup which I need to replace. I'm not sure what I'll get.

I'll send you a PM on the PowerBook G4 a little later. Remind me if I forget.


----------



## Complexity

fshfanatic said:


>


Cute! I've had a pesky gnat buzzing around me and walking on my monitor all night long. Good thing I didn't use too much force when I tried to kill yours! :icon_lol:


----------



## fshfanatic

I made that for an avatar, but they don't allow animated images for avatars here.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Complexity said:


> Thanks for the description. I have my uv sterilizer on my Eheim. I received a simple (cheap) plastic diffuser with my setup which I need to replace. I'm not sure what I'll get.
> 
> I'll send you a PM on the PowerBook G4 a little later. Remind me if I forget.


I have an extra co2 reactor for sale.. it is 20.00 shipped. it is the rex style diy.. let me know


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

fshfanatic said:


> What did you fill your two XP3 with? Inquiring minds want to know.



my xp3's have the 4 sponges that come with it at the bottom.. 2 fine and 2 coarse. I have ceramic rings and bio chem stars in the second tray seperated by the divider. I have the purigen and carbon in the top tray and on the top with the divider the polishing sponge. both setup the same.. my water is always crystal clear. I also have sponge filter cartridges over the intakes to keep the larger crapola out!


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> I have an extra co2 reactor for sale.. it is 20.00 shipped. it is the rex style diy.. let me know


See PM.

This thread did spark me to get my 2nd canister for my 75. I bought an XP4 off of eBay for $150. Not too bad. As I'm working on some of the basics of my setup still, I figured I'd better go ahead and get my second canister now since I know I'll need one. The Eheim doesn't have a very strong flow so I figured the extra power of the XP4 would compensate. Plus, it gives me one extra basket to load up which I like.


----------



## lauraleellbp

fshfanatic said:


> No they wont. I have grown a lot of Anubias planted and it does great. Just dont bury it too deep.


*smacks fsh upside the head* Just b/c you needed it... did you look through the whole thread just to find something to pick on? ROFL :flick:


----------



## lauraleellbp

Torpedobarb said:


> my xp3's have the 4 sponges that come with it at the bottom.. 2 fine and 2 coarse. I have ceramic rings and bio chem stars in the second tray seperated by the divider. I have the purigen and carbon in the top tray and on the top with the divider the polishing sponge. both setup the same.. my water is always crystal clear. I also have sponge filter cartridges over the intakes to keep the larger crapola out!


Hey what sponges did you put over your intakes? I've been debating what to put over mine...


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I bought these and just slipped them over. I tell you what.. they work wonders with keeping the big stuff out! when I clean them.. I just take a ziplock bag and put it over the sponge and slip it off into the bag as to not get all of the debris in the tank.. rinse it out and put it back on! works great!

here is what I bought
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752618

they just slip on over the intake strainer!


----------



## lauraleellbp

AHA! See, someone else recommended those to me over in the shrimp forum, but then I couldn't find them online... that's exactly what I've been looking for, thanks! :smile:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

your welcome!


----------



## MikeS

I have been debating whether to do that or not. What would be the cons of the sponge? Less water flow?


----------



## Complexity

I have a sponge on my intake tubes of some of my tanks. The pros are many. It keeps small fish out of the filtration. It keeps large debris out, as well. And it's yet another place for bacteria to grow. I've also found that many of my fish and shrimp enjoy clinging onto it and eating off of it.

I think the only real con is that it does become cluttered with large debris which becomes unsightly if you don't clean it off. But as Torpedobarb suggested, just place a baggy (or very fine netting) over it, turn off the filter, and remove the sponge. You can then wash off the large debris in syphoned tank water.

The sponges I prefer to use are a bit more course than what Torpedobarb is using. I like that because it allows larger debris to pass through (such as uneaten food and waste) while still keeping fish, shrimp and truly large debris out of the canister. I've also found that my RCS absolutely LOVE to cling to the bottom of the sponge. Why, I don't know! But there's always a group of them in that spot all the time.

EDIT: I must correct something I stated in this post (and some other posts which I will also be editing). I suggested using a course sponge over the intake with RCS (Red Cherry Shrimp). I retract that suggestion! I ended up with some RCS babies getting through the sponge and into my filter! I have since removed my course sponge for one with a finer texture. DO NOT USE the course sponge I suggested. It is harmful to RCS.


----------



## MikeS

Complexity, what sponges do you have?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

actually the ones that I have are fairly coarse too.. those were just a suggestion.. but fairly close to what I have


----------



## Complexity

MikeS said:


> Complexity, what sponges do you have?


I had an old sponge from a powerhead that was large enough for me to cut in half. But any sponge will do. The coarseness of the sponge is just a personal preference.

My sponge looks similar to this one in texture. I don't see a hole in it to fit over the intake. It may be there, but I don't know. It may just be closed at the bottom which is a good idea.

If you do get a sponge that has a hole all the way through it and you're trying to protect small fish or shrimp, be sure to do something to plug the bottom hole. I stuff a small piece of filter floss in the bottom. You can't see it, it still allows for water to pass through, but keeps the fish and shrimp out.

EDIT: I must correct something I stated in this post (and some other posts which I will also be editing). I suggested using a course sponge over the intake with RCS (Red Cherry Shrimp). I retract that suggestion! I ended up with some RCS babies getting through the sponge and into my filter! I have since removed my course sponge for one with a finer texture. DO NOT USE the course sponge I suggested. It is harmful to RCS.


----------



## Complexity

Here's one just like mine.

http://www.petmountain.com/product/...w-powerhead-replacement-sponge-prefilter.html

I am NOT recommending buying any of these or from these sources. I'm just looking for something with a picture that shows what I'm using.

EDIT: I must correct something I stated in this post (and some other posts which I will also be editing). I suggested using a course sponge over the intake with RCS (Red Cherry Shrimp). I retract that suggestion! I ended up with some RCS babies getting through the sponge and into my filter! I have since removed my course sponge for one with a finer texture. DO NOT USE the course sponge I suggested. It is harmful to RCS.


----------



## Green Leaf Aquariums

Not to get sidetracked, but how are the fish coming along? Your tank looks cool!


----------



## MikeS

Thanks.


----------



## wind101

*Just blows my mind !!*

Your tank is absolutely beautiful !! I am just starting to get into aquascaping my 55 gal long tank. I have a bit of a GW bloom at the moment that I am fighting to get under control, but I have to tell you-looking at your tank gives me the drive to keep going !! I have a couple of nice pc's of wood- 1 I recently acquired along the river bank that has a huge hole through it that the fish love ! I was careful and boiled it for 3 hours, then I soaked it for a couple of days. Any ways I just wanted to tell you that your an inspiration.
Thanks.
My tank mates include: 3 Bloodred Parrots, 1 Plecco, 4 Neon tetras, 2 Molly's, 2 algae eaters, 2 huge gold snails,2 Long Finned Rosy Barbs, 1 Glowfish....and 1 gold fish that I decided to save from my Red Devil that is in his own 29 gal tank because he ate all his other tank mates !!!
I will be submitting some pics of my own very soon and would like any advice anyone can give me !!!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Orlando said:


> Not to get sidetracked, but how are the fish coming along? Your tank looks cool!


all my fish are doing great.. so far (knock on wood)

I haven't had any deaths since I euthanized all the remaining fish and started over. the fish that I kept from before and had in qt made it just fine. I kinda think that what happened... happened for a reason.. to get me to slow down and not be in such a hurry. thanks alot for asking!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

wind101 said:


> Your tank is absolutely beautiful !! I am just starting to get into aquascaping my 55 gal long tank. I have a bit of a GW bloom at the moment that I am fighting to get under control, but I have to tell you-looking at your tank gives me the drive to keep going !! I have a couple of nice pc's of wood- 1 I recently acquired along the river bank that has a huge hole through it that the fish love ! I was careful and boiled it for 3 hours, then I soaked it for a couple of days. Any ways I just wanted to tell you that your an inspiration.
> Thanks.
> My tank mates include: 3 Bloodred Parrots, 1 Plecco, 4 Neon tetras, 2 Molly's, 2 algae eaters, 2 huge gold snails,2 Long Finned Rosy Barbs, 1 Glowfish....and 1 gold fish that I decided to save from my Red Devil that is in his own 29 gal tank because he ate all his other tank mates !!!
> I will be submitting some pics of my own very soon and would like any advice anyone can give me !!!


thanks for the kind words! I appreciate that..

as for your green water issue.. you should get a uv sterilizer.. it would take care of it in a few days. I have one running 24/7. some say that you don't need to have it on all the time.. I keep it on for piece of mind. you should start a journal and post some pics!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

got my other pieces of driftwood today! also got a mag float to keep the inside of the tank clean! I will update pics tonight.


my red tiger lotus has a few leaves that are about 6" in diameter... huge!


----------



## MikeS

Is it tonight yet? :tongue:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

figures I could get you to bust my b lls


----------



## MikeS




----------



## TheCryptKeeper

go.. banana..go go.. banana!


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> go.. banana..go go.. banana!


:icon_lol: :icon_lol: :icon_lol: 

That's how to work under pressure! :icon_mrgr 

If only bananas did aquarium scaping!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Will be continuing this journal today.. I will be attempting to get this thing back up and running. at least for the plants and aquascaping. 

my father in law called me this morning and said that the few remaining fish died over night.. probably due to stress.

so restocking needs to be done. a complete.. again.. damn


----------



## Complexity

Wow, so sorry to hear you lost the remaining fish. That has to hurt! It's great to hear you're not letting this turn you away from such a wonderful hobby. I can't wait to see your new scape!


----------



## MikeS

:iamwithst (minus stupid) Could have said it better. 

And Ken, can you please take pics and have them ready when you post? :icon_mrgr


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

wow mike! I am uploading now as I speak!


----------



## MikeS

roud: Good job, Ken! :icon_mrgr


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

forgive the cloudy pics... and the plant debris floating everywhere...

I put the limno on the left... stellatus on the right. center rear is the limno sp mini. *still need more* to the right middle is the ludwigia inclinata cuba, left center is the rotala verticillaris. sunset hygro down in front. ludwigia glandulosa on the left front behind the rocks. vesuvious on the left, red tiger lotus on far right behind the blyxa, dwarf lotus under driftwood with java moss. crinum calamistratum on right side behind driftwood. ludwigia broadleaf repens on far back right of tank. it took me about 3 hrs to plant everything. this is a rough draft.. I will clean things up a little bit after I get some sleep. I have gotten about 5 hrs sleep in the last 2 days.. partly because of the tank.. and I have young kids. I am going to post this also in the disaster thread. tell me what you think?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

the plants will look 100 times better once they stand up again! they have been crammed in a 10 gallon tank now for almost 2 days. I will update with some more pictures in a few days.


----------



## monkeyruler90

man, ive been keeping up with tthis thread since you started the tank and its grown alot, you got past the whole fish dying and everything and then this happened, but its cool cause now you can use all that knowledge and do something thats alot better. good luck with everything and the new fish

also, when you had the old tank, did the rams and gbr leave the shrimp alone? i want some cichlids but i don't wana have to move my amanos.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

they didn't mess with the shrimp..I have (had) gbr's and no issues! I also have (had) kribensis with no issues.. now I will say that if they shrimp are too small.. they become lunch. but I had no problems.. I have heard of people having problems though..


----------



## Complexity

Looking really good, TB! You got that up really fast!



monkeyruler90 said:


> also, when you had the old tank, did the rams and gbr leave the shrimp alone? i want some cichlids but i don't wana have to move my amanos.


I just put German Blue Ram and a Apistogramma Cockatoo in my 75g tank with 9 amanos. I have another 30 amanos on the way. I also have 10 amanos in my 20Long tank which has a variety of fish, including 9 chain loaches and another Apistogramma Cockatoo.

Not a problem at all.

Amanos are as big as the fish so they don't even come close to messing with them.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks! I have more plants coming now.. and they will look much better after a few days. I will get more pics up after the new plants come in and they are doing better.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

ok.. tank cleared up and I have the general look to it

suggestions?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I am going to plant the limno sp mini in the center rear of tank.. and the sunset hygro from the front where it is towards the center of the tank in front of the limno. or

I think that I will keep the sunset lining the rocks towards the back like a large v shape and in the pocket of the v.. the limno sp mini.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

bumped for feedback


----------



## tom91970

Looking good!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks tom. how are your tanks coming along?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I think that I am going to pick up my school of high finned white clouds today

maybe a few koi angels too. my water params are fine now and back to normal. the plants are seeming to perk back up too.


----------



## ikuzo

update more when your stems have straighten up 
i think it will be beautiful with white clouds.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I do too... I will have to get some pictures up!


----------



## tom91970

Torpedobarb said:


> thanks tom. how are your tanks coming along?


They're all looking good. I thinned out the 14g the other day and used the trimmings to start up a 10g planted tank. The 55g is looking nice. I took some pictures the other day and should have those uploaded to my journal over on MFT.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

did you enter the contest there?


----------



## AtlantaMFR

The tank looks GREAT! nice rebound from the disaster!


----------



## saint27

Looks nice. I wish I could get my 75g balanced out. I am having the hardest time.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

it will work out eventually!


I picked up 21 high finned white clouds and 2 large angels today.. 

here are some pics of them.. I will take actual tank pics soon and post them.
http://www.adaniels.com.ar/enciclopedia/Dulce/TROPICAL/tanichthys_albonubes.jpg
http://www.aqua-fish.net/imgs/fish/angelfish-4-link.jpg

the angels look like that.. 

not just waiting for the purple emperors to come in.


----------



## saint27

Does that angle leave the white clouds alone? I have a pretty good sized pink gourami and I am afraid would go after the white clouds I have in my 5.5g.


----------



## wyeto

Tank looks great I am sorry to hear about what happened to your tank the recovery is going great so far it seems.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

ok... here are my new angels...

















combo.. some of the white clouds too

















white clouds
one of my few emperors that survived.. nice blue eyes


----------



## deleted_user_16

I thought you were getting wild?!?!?!? 

u actually have 3 choices for wild angels 

Leopoldi
Scalare
Altum


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

my lfs said that he is going to try to get some scalare angels for me.. I think that I am going to stick with regular ones.. I know that some of the wild caught ones can carry some parasites.. god knows I don't need another issue with this tank. I put what I have straight in the tank instead of qt because I had nothing in there to begin with except some kribs and sae's


----------



## deleted_user_16

dang it, well, discus are nice, but oh well, i think the ones in lfs are not pure strain wild tho, but idk


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

oh.. you were gonna use me as your test rat! :hihi:


----------



## deleted_user_16

lol, maybe, but no, some do, some dont, but if u have the time and energy, discus all the way !!!!!!


----------



## tom91970

Torpedobarb said:


> did you enter the contest there?


 
No. I was too lazy to take a good picture.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I love discus.. but I don't have the time or money for those! lol


----------



## vance71975

Beautiful tank!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks vance!...


I did happen to pick up my EMPERORS!!! I got a dozen of them... awesome coloring too!


and check me out fishman9809... I GOT 2 SCALARE ANGELS TOO! nice with red eyes too! I only picked up 2 of them so I have 4 angels now. I also picked up 3 bolivian rams.. I had them before in my 29gal community tank. nice fish. WOO HOO! I am excited.. now keeping them alive!


----------



## deleted_user_16

yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! keep us posted with pics!!!!!!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I will take and post pics tomorrow.. I go back to work tomorrow.. I have been off work since the tank broke.. figured it was a perfect time to take a vacation.. needed indeed!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I removed the few black neons and 2 blue tetra that lived through the ordeal.. I took them out because the blue tetras were nipping at the high fin white clouds. the purple emperors look awesome.. they are purple as can be. I am going back to the lfs and picking up a few more of the scarlare angels.. and maybe some rummynose. I will definately get pics up tonight.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

omg insane hook up today.. I got 6 torpedobarbs, 2 scalare and about 17 rummynose tetras.. for a whopping 50.00.. wow... the sweeter side of bitterness!


----------



## deleted_user_16

hurry with the pics!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

sorry.. I am wiped out tonight.. I couldn't fall asleep until 3 am yesterday and I had to be up at 5 am..

and climbing utility poles up to 70ft sometimes is dangerous enough without having to worry about doing it with no sleep.

so I have no updated pics tonight..

I do have now.. 4 scalare angels though! and 6 new torpedobarbs.... though they are still fairly small.


----------



## deleted_user_16

, maybe just a small pic?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

you crack me up! :hihi:


----------



## MikeS

Go figure. Another post of Ken with no pics.  Looks like this might be a while 






:hihi:


----------



## deleted_user_16

aw come on, i wanna see those scalares


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

hey mike... ummmm... where is your journal with updated pics??? :hihi:

I PROMISE I WILL TAKE PICS TONIGHT AFTER WORK AND POST THEM... lmao


----------



## MikeyP

Very nice tank, I gave you some Rep for that


----------



## MikeS

I took pics when I replanted. Waiting for some growth (and to be home when the lights are on - leaving early and working late). So...... :flick:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

MikeS said:


> I took pics when I replanted. Waiting for some growth (and to be home when the lights are on - leaving early and working late). So...... :flick:


uh huh.. excuses excuses.. I am not your wife! you don't have to do that! :hihi:


I am going to take pics here in a little while.. I just did a water change..


----------



## MikeS

Sweet, pics of the new water too? :hihi:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

angels

























emperors


































rummynose


----------



## deleted_user_16

are the angels wild? FTS please


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

bolivan rams
















look how purple the emperor is 
apisto borelli


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

plants from up top








glandulosa








sp cuba and torpedo barbs








stellatus








limnophila sp mini

full tank shot


----------



## MikeS

Nice layout. That FTS looks really good roud:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

fishman9809 said:


> are the angels wild? FTS please


yeah.. they are the wild strain. they are awesome fish.. I wish I could figure out what is happening to my emperors though.. see the fin damage thread in general


----------



## deleted_user_16

angels eat tetras in the wild BTW


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

but don't they only eat small tetras? the emperors are bigger than the angels. and the angels (not the scalare) have some tail fin damage.


----------



## deleted_user_16

hmmmmm, u have a big mystery 

Also, i believe the scalares and the other angels will reproduce?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I think after the research that I have been doing.. the emperor has a fungus.. I am going to take him out and try to treat him.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

the scalares will reproduce in the right conditions.. also they have to pair up first.. I guess that is the hard part.. we will see..


----------



## fishsandwitch

fishman9809 said:


> hmmmmm, u have a big mystery
> 
> Also, i believe the scalares and the other angels will reproduce?


all of them are the same species you know. Crossing wild blood to tank bred angels is really good though. IMO there is not much chance of the angels pairing up though. You only have 4?


----------



## fishsandwitch

Torpedobarb said:


> the scalares will reproduce in the right conditions.. also they have to pair up first.. I guess that is the hard part.. we will see..


and be opposite sexes...


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

yeah.. I know that they probably won't pair.. and that doesn't bother me.. I don't have them to breed. I can't wait for them to grow bigger..

how long does it usually take for them to get full grown?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

here are some updated pics... 

































night shots


----------



## tlef316

what kind of equipment are you using for the moonlighting? I'd love to do something like that. Any truth to the idea that certain color lights promote algae growth? Thanks


----------



## cah925

I love the moonglow pics! Most pics don't come out that good, but yours did! Good job!


----------



## kurtr12

So, how is your back after planting the HC?


----------



## lauraleellbp

Looks awesome Ken!

I definitely think you should keep the middle trimmed lower than the sides- and I love how the plants there seem a different shade of green than the others (dunno if it's the plants or the lighting), excellent job! :thumbsup:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

tlef316 said:


> what kind of equipment are you using for the moonlighting? I'd love to do something like that. Any truth to the idea that certain color lights promote algae growth? Thanks


I have been using them since I have gotten an aquarium.. and I haven't noticed any algae growth because of them.. here is what and where I got them..
http://cgi.ebay.com/48-24-LED-Moonl...ryZ46314QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem



cah925 said:


> I love the moonglow pics! Most pics don't come out that good, but yours did! Good job!


that is actually the best they have ever come out for me.. thank you.


kurtr12 said:


> So, how is your back after planting the HC?


hurts! I actually planted most of it in bigger clumps.. like 1x1 squares and put some substrate to hold it down.. alot of it has rooted already..




lauraleellbp said:


> Looks awesome Ken!
> 
> I definitely think you should keep the middle trimmed lower than the sides- and I love how the plants there seem a different shade of green than the others (dunno if it's the plants or the lighting), excellent job! :thumbsup:



I am going to keep the center trimmed lower.. the cuba that is taller in the back is putting out off shoots.. I don't want to really trim alot until it is established more.. but yes.. I do want it to be kinda like that.


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> I have been using them since I have gotten an aquarium.. and I haven't noticed any algae growth because of them.. here is what and where I got them..
> http://cgi.ebay.com/48-24-LED-Moonl...ryZ46314QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Ditto on those moonlights. I bought some from this guy for my 20Long tank, and I love them! So I went full out and bought two sets of the 48" ones with the dimmer control for my 75g. They're fabulous! I get a nice overall light instead of spotlights here and there. And if I want to see the fish a little more than normal, I can turn the lights up a notch or two. The guy makes a very nice quality item.

This is what I got. I actually got two of them so I could get good coverage in the front and back. These come with the dimmers already included or you can buy their regular ones and have the dimmers added. Same thing either way.

http://cgi.ebay.com/48-24-LED-Moonl...hZ025QQcategoryZ46314QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem


----------



## tlef316

the roseline sharks look amazing. I saw some huge ones at my LFS the other day. Unfortunately, they were going for $70 a piece (plus i think I'm at least fully stocked as it is)

The plants look terrific. You've done a great job getting it up and running again so soon. If i were you, I'd trim the middle a little shorter and add an eye catching piece of hardscape, but thats just me. As of now, i think it kinda lacks focal points. Either way, awesome job.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I am getting back the school of the I lost.. 

as for the plants.. I am going to trim the middle plants down and keep them low.. but I need to wait for them to become established and roots to set in...


I remember reading in the thread with amano's notes to not trim a tank for 3 months after setting it up.

as for a focal point.. I don't know what you mean.. I have alot of driftwood on the right with a bunch of petrified wood starting at the right middle with a large piece and working to the left with smaller ones..


----------



## tlef316

I'm not really sure. I just kinda think a majority of the tank just kinda blends together. My eyes just aren't drawn to any specific place. Again, that's just my untrained opinion and maybe that's what you're going for. 

I think a really cool tall piece of wood or something right in the middle would look great. Just a thought. I love what you're doing with the front though. I wish i had the set up to grow a nice carpet. 

Also, a 2D picture can never do a tank justice, obviously.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

true... pictures never do it either.. agreed.. I think that once the plants get going and start to show their colors again.. it will look alot better.. the limnophila A on the left will get to a nice purple and the stellatus on the right will color up nicely too!


I do have a nice piece of driftwood that I was going to have on the left side and it reaches out across the middle.. a branchy piece.. but I don't know if I want it there or not.. still debating


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

ok.. good news so far.. I have had no more fish deaths in almost a week.. I think I am out of the woods.. I am hoping that this is over with.. knock on wood. 

my fish are eating well.. normal behavior ect. we will have to wait and see what happens.


----------



## MikeS

Wish you luck.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks mike.. how is your tank coming along?


----------



## wyeto

I love this tank! Before the accident I dindnt like it as much but now I guess when one door closes another opens sorry if this is mean I guess that I am saying that you got a new opportunity and you took it now it looks better than ever!


----------



## Ishar

Ken... wow man! Your tank is doing amazing! And I don't see any algae in there do I? I wish I could say the same of mine . Congrats man- your tank is doign so well .


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Ishar said:


> Ken... wow man! Your tank is doing amazing! And I don't see any algae in there do I? I wish I could say the same of mine . Congrats man- your tank is doign so well .


nope.. no algae! but since we brought it up I will probably get some! 

what kind of algae do you have in your tank now?



wyeto said:


> I love this tank! Before the accident I dindnt like it as much but now I guess when one door closes another opens sorry if this is mean I guess that I am saying that you got a new opportunity and you took it now it looks better than ever!


I think it looks better too myself.. thank you.. you weren't being mean.. constructive criticism is always welcome


----------



## vance71975

Torpedobarb said:


> plants from up top
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> glandulosa
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sp cuba and torpedo barbs
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> stellatus
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> limnophila sp mini
> 
> full tank shot


What is that on the rock in the 3rd pic down from the top?


----------



## SeaSerpant

Looks like a deformed snail (one without it's shell) or a dead fish.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

it is an emperor tetra.. one that had a fungus of some sort.. all healed up now though.


----------



## ColeMan

tank's looking great! you've really turned lemons into lemonade. uh-oh...i'm starting to use the expressions of the elderly....not that there's anything wrong with that...:smile:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

its ok.. I walk 10 miles in 2 ft of snow uphill both ways to work! :hihi:


----------



## MikeS

I will update my journal this weekend. Thanks for asking though.


----------



## lauraleellbp

ColeMan said:


> tank's looking great! you've really turned lemons into lemonade. uh-oh...i'm starting to use the expressions of the elderly....not that there's anything wrong with that...:smile:


Just means you're getting OLD too! LOL JK

Looks absolutely spectacular Ken :fish:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks everyone for the comments.

I plan on just letting everything grow and get seasoned in the tank.. 

once everything starts growing again like crazy.. I will have alot of trimming to do!


----------



## Complexity

Impressive, Ken! You've managed to handle a complete disaster and setup a beautiful tank seemingly overnight! While I'm still sitting here with a mess. 

BTW, I got my torpedo barbs yesterday! 10 of them! They are more than beautiful in my tank!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

10.. nice! I am going to get a few more for my tank.. I am thinking about 14 total.. nice school! 

do you have pictures yet? how big are the ones you got?


----------



## Complexity

No time for pictures yet. I just spent about 3 hours getting a very fast and smart apisto out of the tank to put him in a H/T.

The ones I got are about 3" each, give or take a bit. I didn't want the biggest ones they had. I wanted the ones with the best color and no fin damage. I was working with the owner of the LFS, and he did a wonderful job! Still pricey, but I got them at $18 each which is the best price I've seen so far.

I also got three pairs of Pelvicachromis! Take a look at my sig line. I am SOOOOOOOO excited about them!

This particular LFS originally had a really nice selection of Pelvicachromis in stock, and I have spent all this time dreaming of getting them. But I wanted to get further along in my tank since they are semi-aggressive, require lots of caves, and generally breed well in captivity. Once they begin breeding, they turn from semi-aggressive to killers. So I didn't want to get them until I felt I had a reasonable environment for them.

So here I've been, waiting for close to a YEAR to get these guys, and so I go to that LFS a couple of weeks ago only to find that they had NO pelvicachromis at all!  They had just changed ownership, and the new owner didn't seem as keen on them. I told him of my disappointment, and that if he didn't carry the less common fish, then his store wouldn't be special anymore.

So I run by yesterday just to check things out. Maybe he has the loaches I want. Or maybe a plant. You know, just to look. And what do I find? About 10 species of Pelvicachromis in stock! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: I almost died! Not only did he have them in stock, but he had plenty of each kind. And they all looked very healthy. He said he had received them about 10 days ago. So I grabbed 3 pairs.

And then I saw his torpedo barbs. A nice, large tank full of them! They all looked fabulous! He said they had arrived about 3 weeks ago.

It was very important to me that I wasn't getting brand new arrivals since even though I Q/T everything, I couldn't Q/T that many fish at once. So I had to trust that I was getting healthy fish from a healthy tank. And knowing this owner, I felt it would be okay. So they're already in my main tank!

I still have some hardware and lots of decorating to work on so getting the Pelvicachromis was a bit premature, but how many times do you walk in to find such an excellent selection! So right now, my tank is even more of a mess because I grabbed everything I could find to stick in the tank to create caves. PVC pipe, anyone? I just got some of that black waterfall foam that I'd like to try to see if I can use it to help camouflage things like regular clay pots. That way, the inside would be smooth like the Pelvicachromis likes it, but black and bumpy with plants on top to make it appear more natural. I also hope to use the foam to close the openings somewhat since the pelvicachromis frequently likes small openings.

I've gone waaaaaay off track here! Sorry. But I'm just beside myself with excitement! I got my torpedo barbs AND 3 pairs of pelvicachromis all in one day! :biggrin:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

wow.. 3 pair.. I don't know if I am that brave. I actually took out my kribensis because they were really aggressive toward all the other fish. shame.. they are beautiful.


----------



## Complexity

I think our decor designs are different which may be partly why I (HOPE TO) get away with having 3 pairs in the same tank. From the very conception of this tank, I knew I wanted Kribs. So everything I've done is with that in mind. I have to create lots of caves. Lots of "rooms". Break the tank spaces up. A pair in this corner, another in that corner, maybe they'll take the cave back here or over there.

So far, it's like they're house shopping. They are all checking out all the caves in the tank (I have about 20+ in there of all kinds). So they're all swimming around very nicely with each other. This is the honeymoon phase.

All I know is that I will do whatever I have to do when the time comes to do it. If I need to, I have 3 empty tanks I can use for separation, and one pair can go in my 20Long when I switch it out for the 29g tank. A pair will be very happy in a tank of that size.

I also think having so many dither fish (and I consider even the torpedo barbs to be a dither fish of sorts) swimming all over the tank, it distracts the kribs, giving them more to focus on. 

Something else is that I think some of the species I got aren't the most successful breeders. If they don't produce a constant stream of fry, then that will help ease off their aggression.

Or, basically, after all that babbling... I'm going to play it by ear. :icon_lol:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

aaahhh... picked up 6 more torpedobarbs today.. total of 15... these were larger ones too.. so 6 large to medium and 9 smaller ones..

also picked up 3 gbr's 2 female and 1 male.. I love these too!


----------



## deleted_user_16

more pictures?


----------



## Chrisinator

Torpedo Barbs are just cool! They have about 6 in my lobby's aquarium!


----------



## tlef316

hate to be a bother, but could you please run down your current stocking for us? I'm interested to see just how heavy you are going on the bio-load. Thanks so much.

Man would i love to get a handful of torpedo barbs. i think they would look amazing mixed in with my bosemanis. Don't think i have the room though. (plus they are absurdly expensive by me)


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I currently have...

15 torpedo barbs (roseline sharks)
4 scalare angels
3 bolivian rams
3 german blue rams
1 yoyo loach (coming out when I can catch him)
2 dwarf bushy nose plecos
5 otos
10 emperor tetras
2 larger shrimp


I am running 2 xp3's filled with bio media.. I have no problems with anything in the tank as far as ammonia or nitrites. I do 50% water changes weekly


----------



## tlef316

thanks. Interesting stocking. How much do the torpedo barbs cost out by you? I was at my fish store a few weeks back and they had a bunch of them that were pretty much full grown (5-6 inches I'd guess) They were charging $70 a piece!! They were gorgeous though. They will definitely be a part of my next tank (or if i expand my current tank)


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

they are 29.99 or 3 for 75.00

I get hooked up with them at a better price though

they are definitely a beautiful fish!


----------



## MikeS

Gotta agree, beautiful and $$.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

how big are the ones you have Mike?


----------



## MikeS

I guess around 3-4 inches. Never really thought about it. Just got done playing in the tank too. hmmmm......will look tomorrow, the lights just went off.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

mine did too.. have the timers set so I get to enjoy it lit up!

I can't wait for them to grow bigger!


----------



## MikeS

I think almost everything is growing bigger in my tank, except the plecos, but I want them small. 

Just realized I have to clean the tops of the tank  That will be a chore for tomorrow.


----------



## Tex Gal

Can't imagine 3 pair of Kribs! I had a breeding pair in my 125g community tank. They were such good parents I was OVERRUN with Kribs!! They never hurt any of my fish. They did run the other fish away from their area. They dug their own caves around my rocks, under driftwood, etc. After 3 batches I had to give them away. There were just too many! I can't imagine 3 pair!!!!

I do have to say I enjoyed watching them raise the babies. They would escort them around the tank to feed. It really was amazing to watch.


----------



## Complexity

Tex Gal said:


> I do have to say I enjoyed watching them raise the babies. They would escort them around the tank to feed. It really was amazing to watch.


This is why I love Kribs so much! And I hear you about how they reproduce. But I won't be taking measures to try to save any fry. Some fry will make it, but most won't. If I end up with too many, I know I can sell them to a LFS with no problem.

Keep in mind that I didn't get the traditional Kribs. That would be _Pelvicachromis *pulcher*_. I have 3 different species of _Pelvicachromis *taeniatus*_. These are wild caught so breeding could be a hit or miss.

Back when I first fell in love with Kribs (1970s), I had a pair in a 20Long tank. They bred, their spawn bred, and then that spawn was breeding, but I had to give up my tanks since I was moving. They were quite happy even though that tank was pretty small. I also had more aggressive fish with them (not knowing better) such as a red tailed shark and a shoal of tiger barbs (yikes!).

Right now, I have 8 tanks which I'm downgrading to just 4. And, actually, I have a 9th tank when you consider that I have a 29g sitting on the floor to replace my 20Long. So I have enough spare tanks to separate any kribs, if needed. Most of the tanks are cycled, and I'm using them as Q/T tanks for fish and plants. And then I use a 10g tank as a H/T when needed.

So far my Kienkes are looking the most promising. The female is extremely colored up, and the male is always with her. No mating courtship yet as I think they're trying to figure out which cave to pick (and I keep messing with the tank), but they are definitely a compatible pair.

My Moliwes and Nigerian Reds are still a bit younger. I keep finding 5 of the 6 fish close to the front of the tank, making me wonder where the 6th fish is hiding out. I think it's picking a cave closer to the back of the tank, but I'm not positive yet. So I may not end up with 3 breeding pairs. Fortunately, Kienkes are my favorite of the bunch so if they're the only ones to breed, that would be fine by me.


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> aaahhh... picked up 6 more torpedobarbs today.. total of 15... these were larger ones too.. so 6 large to medium and 9 smaller ones..


Oh, how nice! I bet you're enjoying watching them together. Do they shoal together very much? I noticed that mine sometimes do, sometimes don't, depending on if I'm messing with the tank or not. But when they do shoal together, their size and shiny silver flashes with the light to give a definite sense of "several moving as one".

Beautiful, beautiful fish! Amazing that they can be so spectacular, yet remain small enough for average person (with larger tanks) and be so peaceful. It's one of the few real gems out there. The instant I saw one, I knew I wanted one. And when I found out they were peaceful barbs that didn't grow into monster sized fish, I almost fell over. I knew right then and there I was getting some.

It was only later that I almost died when I saw their price! Fortunately, the prices are coming down. Demand will probably keep them as one of the more expensive fish (no 3 for $2.99 specials), but competition between the LFS is driving the prices down to something much more reasonable. Thank goodness! As these fish need to be in shoals, but at extremely high prices, people were only getting one or two which is grossly unfair to the fish.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

yep.. mine shoal together too for the most part.. sometimes they don't.

they are extremely expensive.. but I feel that they are worth the money.


----------



## @[email protected]

do you know why they are that expensive?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

because most of them are still wild caught.. and they are still fairly new to the hobby.


----------



## Complexity

This post will seem to be out of the blue, but about halfway through this thread, I participated in a small discussion regarding using sponges as pre-filters for intake tubes to keep RCS out of the filter. I said that I used a course sponge for that purpose with great success. I am posting this now to completely retract my previous statements. I do not want anyone to have their RCS harmed due to my previous statements.

DO NOT USE the course sponge I previously suggested. It is harmful to RCS. I ended up with some RCS babies getting through the sponge and into my filter! I have since removed my course sponge for one with a finer texture.

I feel it is very important that I ensure that no one follows my previous suggestion of using a course sponge only to see their RCS babies get sucked into their filter. So I'm doing everything I can to retract my earlier suggestion.

Sorry for the mid-discussion interruption. Back to the topic of Torpedo Barb prices.


----------



## Tex Gal

Complexity how exciting about your duo paring up! Sounds like they may just do what they are intended to do! I don't know a thing about the wild ones. I did enjoy the ones I had. I did nothing to protect the fry. I had large congos, many tetras, a red tailed shark, yoyo loach, and many other large fish. The parents were just too good at protecting them!  Once they had another spawn and fry the others were big enough to hide and protect themselves.

I did end up having to trap/catch them and gave them to a pet store. It was just too much work. Sounds like you have a perfect "system" for all your fry! You even have an outlet at which to sell them. How wonderful! I know you will have a good time watching them. Even my guests would be amazed at the parents!


----------



## Complexity

Thanks, Tex Gal! You know exactly why I like the Pelvicachromis species so much — their method of parenting! They are amazing to watch.

BTW, the fish in my avatar is the actual male Krib that's paired up with the female. He is extremely beautiful! And his female is so incredibly colored that pictures I took of her just did not do her justice. The owner of the store was very good at getting me the best he had, and he outdid himself with these two.

I think they were already pairing up in the LFSs tank which is why he made sure I got these in particular. They instantly paired up in my tank.

My only problem right now is that the cave they're using is one I had not intended to keep in the tank, and especially not where it is now. I just added as many caves as I could since I really wasn't expecting to get my Kribs on that day so I had to improvise.

These two are also trying to take over most of the tank. This doesn't surprise me since, again, the tank isn't scaped as I intend. So I don't have it broken up into sections, via plants and other decor, as I want. I figured this was fine for now, as long as none of the fish became so aggressive that they put the others at risk, and so far, I think that's working. But these two have taken up more territory than I had hoped.

The plan was that I would change everyone's territory when I actually scaped the tank, but if these two are spawning NOW, that might make things more difficult.

The good thing is that I did get the torpedo barbs with the Kribs. They mix things up enough that these two never chase away any single fish to the point of causing any one fish a lot of stress.

I knew I'd be pushing the limits in my tank by having the fish I have in there, especially 3 pairs of Kribs all together. So none of this was unexpected except for this pair appearing to be ready to spawn so quickly. But what a problem to have! 

I'm going to have to start up my own journal on this tank. I don't think Ken (torpedobarb) has any Kribs so I just realized this is going too far away from his journal. Talking about torpedo barbs is definitely on topic with his journal, but the Kribs isn't. So I'll start my own journal soon so I can talk about the Kribs more without hijacking Ken's thread.

Okay, no more Krib talk in here. Back to torpedo barbs and other things related to KEN's tank, not mine.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I still have one Krib.. just in a smaller tank.. I might put him back in the main tank as soon as things level out and my fish grow some.. then I will add a female for him. no worries.. I at least got the free bump! :hihi:


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> I at least got the free bump! :hihi:


I'll match your bump and raise you one! :icon_lol:

I finally got my own journal going so now you'll have to come bump mine up every now and then. :hihi:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I can do that!


----------



## Tex Gal

Free bumb again. Torpedobarb!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I must be pathetic to have to have my journal bumped :hihi:

ps.. did you call me a bumb! lol


----------



## lauraleellbp

Bumb! :hihi: 





Actually, what's the latest and greatest? Got pics? :fish:


----------



## MikeS

Anyting new???? Want some red claw shrimp? Just found out that I have a whole ****load of them. :eek5: Guessing the 2 we have were male and female.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

heck yeah! I would take some shrimpys.. shoot me a pm and let me know the details..

I have been going through some home issues lately.. so I haven't been on as much..

the tank is doing fine.. no death with fish and the plants are doing ok at this point. I am dosing the EI method of Tom Barr. It seems to be working so far


----------



## @[email protected]

can we get some pics?
it has been a month now.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I will get some pics up soon... like I posted earlier.. having some problems here at home.. personal stuff.. so I don't have as much time as I did.. hope you guys understand. I will get some posted soon I promise


----------



## MikeS

Okie dokie.


----------



## hungtran10

Just wanted to say hello and congratulate you on such a beautiful tank. I've read through this whole thread as I am doing reasearch prior to setting up my 55 gallon tank. Hope you and your family are doing well. Can't wait to see some updates soon.

best regards,

- Hung

PS: Torpedo barbs rock! Hooo-ah!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

long awaited pic updates.. things have been going good.. the ludwigia cuba in the middle is growing nicely.. the pogostemon stellatus on the right awesome! red tiger lotus is huge and bright red.. the ludwigia glandulosa is huge and deep red. the low grow hygro has filled in quickly and looks great I think. hard to see that I have 25lbs of petrified wood in the tank.. I am thinking of moving some of it around.. I like my plant placement.. just not sure about the petrified wood.

I still have about 10 purple emperor tetras, 18 torpedobarbs, 4 scalare angels, 10 otos, 5 sae's, 3 bolivian rams, 2 german blue rams, 21 rasbora. I have some bamboo shrimp in there too. I have a few bushy nose plecos.. some regular and 2 albino.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

plant on far right in the front is stargrass that is staying low and spreading out.. I love it.. nice and green!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I will probably have some vesuvious for sale in a few weeks.. so watch for it in the swap n shop.. growing great here in my tank


----------



## kurtr12

What happened to the HC, did it melt?


----------



## lauraleellbp

Yayyyy pics! :thumbsup: 

Looks awesome, Ken!

I agree- your petrified wood hardscape is too good to be so lost in the "jungle" like it is ATM, I look forward to seeing what you figure out with it.

I'm so jealous you guys' E. 'vesuvius' keeps filling in... mine looks good but still hasn't put out a single runner that I can tell... it just must do better in high tech tanks.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

no.. I had a hell of a time getting it to take root and stay down.. I am growing some emersed like you are and am going to try it again once I have enough. I really like the look of the hc.. just a pain to get it going unless you start the tank dry and plant it and let it fill in first.

the low grow hygro is working out for now.. the hc will be back


----------



## lauraleellbp

Have you been topping your hygro, or is it staying that low all on its own?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I have been topping the hygro on the far back left.. I have sold over 50 stems in the last week or so. the front low stuff is the low grow hygro with some regular sunset. the sunset is staying low on its own too.. was weird to me.. but looks great I think. I looked at the tank one day and saw a 15" stem growing horizontal across the substrate.. the next day there were roots going down in.. a few days later vertical stems from it.. but stayed low.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

and as for the petrified wood.. I think that I am going to move the large one on the right side of the tank to the left side.. and just reverse all of the pt wood. so I will leave the driftwood on the right.. and the p wood on the left.. the p wood would look great if I could get the whole planting HC down.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

when it puts out a runner you will know it for sure.. it does it above the substrate and it is usually brown and stiff. it will start growing the leaves after a few days like that. Mine is just now starting to get taller.. it stayed around 3" for months.. now it is about 8" and filling in.


lauraleellbp said:


> Yayyyy pics! :thumbsup:
> 
> Looks awesome, Ken!
> 
> I agree- your petrified wood hardscape is too good to be so lost in the "jungle" like it is ATM, I look forward to seeing what you figure out with it.
> 
> I'm so jealous you guys' E. 'vesuvius' keeps filling in... mine looks good but still hasn't put out a single runner that I can tell... it just must do better in high tech tanks.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I changed up the hardscape in my tank this morning.. moved the large petrified wood to the left side of the tank.. and placed the stellatus broadleaf where it was.. also trimmed down some of the low growing hygro so the other nice pieces of petrified wood can be seen.. I am going to get some pics up in a little while.


----------



## @[email protected]

looking forward to em


----------



## TheCryptKeeper




----------



## Chrisinator

That looks awesome!


----------



## Ocean72

Realy nice tank. Do you loose any temperature due to the hood covers not being used?, that t-10 coral light must generate a good amount of conductive heat. Make sure to post updates on your set-up.
Good luck.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I actually don't see much of a temp increase.. it stays at a constant 78 deg. I do have alot more evaporation without the glass on top.. but I like it better without it.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Laura.. I am throughly disappointed in you.....


----------



## lauraleellbp

Torpedobarb said:


> Laura.. I am throughly disappointed in you.....


Say what? What did I miss? I've been sick as a dog (wanted to borrow someones shotgun yesterday...)

Your tank looks awesome! :thumbsup: The wood on the right looks like a cobra, though- IDK if that's what you were going for or not?  

I can't belive your foreground is staying low like that! :thumbsup:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lauraleellbp said:


> Say what? What did I miss? I've been sick as a dog (wanted to borrow someones shotgun yesterday...)
> 
> Your tank looks awesome! :thumbsup: The wood on the right looks like a cobra, though- IDK if that's what you were going for or not?
> 
> I can't belive your foreground is staying low like that! :thumbsup:


well.. I hope you feel better.. I was like WTF.. I posted new pics of what I did and no comments..

the driftwood on the left is actually 3 seperate pieces.. the front one is shaped like a Y.. just stays low.. you are seeing the left side sticking up. I changed the petrified wood around.. I took the big boulder from the right side of the tank and placed it on the left.. removed the p stellatus broadleaf and put it where the rock was and trimmed the hygro.

the front is alot of the low grow hygro.. but alot is also just sunset hygro staying low.. growing horizontal instead of verticle.. same with the star grass on the right side. I have a ton of the vesuvious now.. I think that there are about 6 runners going right now with about 3-4 plants on each about 2-3" each plant.. time to sell some!


----------



## lauraleellbp

Torpedobarb said:


> well.. I hope you feel better.. I was like WTF.. I posted new pics of what I did and no comments..


Geez, what am I, "on demand'? :hihi: 



> I have a ton of the vesuvious now.. I think that there are about 6 runners going right now with about 3-4 plants on each about 2-3" each plant.. time to sell some!


Showoff. You're just trying to make me jealous! :flick:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lauraleellbp said:


> Geez, what am I, "on demand'? :hihi:
> 
> 
> Showoff. You're just trying to make me jealous! :flick:


did it work? :hihi:


----------



## carlos05

Amazing tank...you and I started around the same time yet your tank is light years ahead of mine. I have so much to learn.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

keep at it.. I dove it head first and spent a ton!


----------



## Complexity

Ken, your tank looks beautiful! I like this design better than what you had before. You just keep getting better and better!

I like the petrified wood. How large are those pieces? Where did you get them?


----------



## tlef316

still awesome. I'm so tempted to take the torpedo barb plunge. I think they would look awesome in contrast with my rainbows.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

tlef316 said:


> still awesome. I'm so tempted to take the torpedo barb plunge. I think they would look awesome in contrast with my rainbows.


 Check out MikeS tank.. he has a few roselines with rainbows.. bosemani I think.. they go great!



Complexity said:


> Ken, your tank looks beautiful! I like this design better than what you had before. You just keep getting better and better!
> 
> I like the petrified wood. How large are those pieces? Where did you get them?



thanks for the compliments! I got them at my lfs.. they carry it always. the bigger piece is about 12lbs.. maybe 9"x 9"x9"


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

posted some plants for sale in the swap n shop.. vesuvius


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

as you probably know.. I did some major trimming today.. I posted a ton of plants in the swap n shop.. thanks to those who bought.. 

I did change out 2 of the pieces of driftwood on the right side and replaced it with one nice big piece.. branchy one. I will post pics probably tomorrow.. I have a busy day.. I am working 12 hrs and have a dr appt.. too.. so cut me some slack on posting the pics (you know who you are)

:hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

Where are the pics!?!

(Slack? What's that?) :flick:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lauraleellbp said:


> Where are the pics!?!
> 
> (Slack? What's that?) :flick:


wow.. just post in your journal with no pictures and they come out of the woodwork!


----------



## MikeS

It's tomorrow. No pics? :frown:


----------



## lauraleellbp

MikeS said:


> It's tomorrow. No pics? :frown:


Yeah, now it's even midday "tomorrow" and _*still*_ no pics... what gives?


----------



## Wö£fëñxXx

Isn't this suppose to be in the "Photo Album"?
It seems out of place.


----------



## Gatekeeper

Wö£fëñxXx said:


> Isn't this suppose to be in the "Photo Album"?
> It seems out of place.


*_Moved_*


----------



## MikeS

Wö£fëñxXx said:


> Isn't this suppose to be in the "Photo Album"?


If he actually posted pics :hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

LOL Ken's gonna be lost when he comes in and tries to find his Journal thread... gmc, can we keep moving it just to mess with him? :icon_evil


----------



## Wö£fëñxXx

Haha, put it in the lounge until he post some pictures...


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

yeah yeah yeah... I didn't get home from work until 9pm.. left for work at 6am.. good overtime though.. sorry.. lights out at 9pm on the tank.. I will get some taken.. I promise.. I was trapped at work with a broken hydraulic line on my truck making it totally useless.

and yes.. I was like.. where did my thread go! LOL


----------



## Complexity

Gee, I don't get this much attention on my journal. I think I'm getting jealous.



Mike, that picture makes me dizzy! :icon_eek:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I don't usually either.. they just like to rough me up from time to time!


----------



## lauraleellbp

Torpedobarb said:


> I don't usually either.. they just like to rough me up from time to time!


Ummm... aren't we still missing something...?

Promises, promises... what happened today, a flat tire?

:fish:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lauraleellbp said:


> Ummm... aren't we still missing something...?
> 
> Promises, promises... what happened today, a flat tire?
> 
> :fish:



that's cold!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

uploading photos now


----------



## lauraleellbp

Torpedobarb said:


> uploading photos now


...waiting... very not patiently... (where's Mike?)

:hihi:


----------



## MikeS

I'm here..... and this is total BS!!!!! It's been 2 days now 








:flick:


----------



## lauraleellbp

Plus another 10min since "now"...


----------



## Gatekeeper

Hmmm... natives are restless. Perhaps I should take that advise and move it to the lounge since this is more discussion than *PICTURES*....


j/k 






But you have five minutes or I close the thread....

Hows that for motivation Laura and MikeS?


----------



## Complexity

Ken, you'd better be uploading as fast as you can. I think the natives are getting very restless! :hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

gmccreedy said:


> Hmmm... natives are restless. Perhaps I should take that advise and move it to the lounge since this is more discussion than *PICTURES*....
> 
> 
> j/k
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But you have five minutes or I close the thread....
> 
> Hows that for motivation Laura and MikeS?


ROFL that's awesome!

Can you move it just as soon as he uploads them so then he can't find it again?


----------



## Gatekeeper

I could go one worse and change the title, move it into the Hawaii area under the local fish stores area and just send him a PM an hour with hints to where it is....

as an example of course...


----------



## lauraleellbp

ROFL send him on a scavenger hunt for his thread and only feed him crumbs for hints... I'm LOVING the way you think!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

WOW! damn... you guys and gals crack me up


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

aubertii look at the pink in the middle of it!








macranda








vesuvius








rotala V








broadleaf stellatus








stargrass and sunset








low growing hygro








2 of my emperors








new driftwood and stargrass moved and more low hygro


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

fts.. ignore the bags








higher up fts


how does it look?


----------



## Gatekeeper

Looks awesome. Worth the wait.


----------



## lauraleellbp

Torpedobarb said:


> WOW! damn... you guys and gals crack me up


I'm glad we can be of service! :fish: :fish1: :fish: :fish1: 

Looks absolutely fantastic, Ken. A Hygro foreground- who'd figure? Really works in your tank, and very unique. :thumbsup: 

I really like the DW hardscape now that it all shows up.

What's in the bags? Harlequins and Rainbows?


----------



## Complexity

Incredibly beautiful, Ken! Your plants are so healthy. I love the torpedo barbs swimming by in all of the pictures! How many do you have now?

What fish is that in the lower, left corner of this picture?



Torpedobarb said:


>


----------



## lauraleellbp

LOL Leave it to Vicki to spot a krib- good eye.


----------



## Complexity

Yeah, I was thinking it's a krib, but it has interesting markings. I'm curious to confirm that it is a krib and which variety it is. I don't see any spots, and the tail is trimmed in yellow. However, the face is very much like a krib.


----------



## lauraleellbp

Only other fish I can think of that it might be would be some sort of pike cichlid, but I bet it's a krib.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

ding ding ding.. tell laura what she's won!

not a damn thing! :hihi:

it is a krib..

and yes.. I got 4 blue or turquoise rainbows and 5 more raspboras

I had them in qt for 2 weeks now..

I am going to get a few bosemani rainbows too


----------



## lauraleellbp

What species krib?

:flick:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

the rear driftwood is only one piece.. it looks like three placed just right.. but nope.. one awesome piece I think.

I am thinking of getting rid of the blyxa aubertii... and letting the hygro fill in in front of the large piece of petrified wood.. that way it can be seen better.

the hygro is growing like mad in the front.. it is really weird.. it is staying extremely low to the ground. I know that the low grow hygro does.. it is green. but the sunset is growing really low too.. there is one runner over 20" long across the front of the tank.. and the crowns on the plants are only about 1.5" across.. not like the tall hygro that gets huge crowns.. they are nice and pink too. I like it alot.. much easier than the hc to plant.


----------



## Complexity

lauraleellbp said:


> What species krib?


What she said. :hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

What about moving the blyxa all the way over on the right? To balance out the E. 'vesuvius' on the left?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

it is a Pelvicachromis pulcher


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lauraleellbp said:


> What about moving the blyxa all the way over on the right? To balance out the E. 'vesuvius' on the left?


not sure.. I might move the e vesuvius in the place where the blyxa is and finish the left side with the hygro.. so that way it goes all the way across the front of the tank.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

do you guys think someone would buy them if I post them in the swap n shop?


----------



## lauraleellbp

Probably.


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> it is a Pelvicachromis pulcher


Nice! Must be a young one. Does it have a mate yet?



Torpedobarb said:


> do you guys think someone would buy them if I post them in the swap n shop?


I think so. Take really nice pics, and it should move pretty well. They ship very well even in the heat.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

it actually isn't a young one.. I have had it for quite awhile. it is almost 3" long too. I had a mate for it.. but it died a long time ago.. I just haven't gotten another one. can you tell from the pic.. male or female?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Vicki... on page 24.. the picture with the emperors.. that is your tiger lotus in the pic.. the lower leaves are the daughter plant. when I trim it.. I will take it off from the mother plant leaving the runner on your plant. if I have some other stems ready I will throw them in too.

Laura.. how are the corkscrew vals doing?


----------



## lauraleellbp

Eh, they're just "sitting" LOL I've got them potted in some old Flourite in my 46gal with substandard lighting. So they're just waiting for me to make a home for them once I upgrade lighting and substrate to convert my 29gal and 46gal to planted tanks.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

what do you have in them now.. the 29 and 46?


----------



## lauraleellbp

They're in the 46, along with a bunch of swords.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

no.. that isn't what I mean.. 

how do you have them set up? planted? decorations? inhabitants?


----------



## lauraleellbp

Oooh, no they're both in total disarray.

Only livestock in the 46gal since I moved my departed clown loaches and tiger barb over to the 90gal are 4 bloodfin tetras and my Synodontis cat. All my leftover Manzanita is just thrown in there with java fern running amuck, and the sword literally in big plastic pots (ones that I used to have houseplants in back before we adopted our houseplant-eating kitten LOL)

This _*was*_ my 46gal back before I set up the 90gal, with lovely El Plastico plants (see the pink roots? The Clowns loved digging them up all the time :icon_roll ) 










The 29gal is my QT tank that I recently set up just for stocking the 90gal. I had to break down my 10gal RCS colony to make room for it. The only thing in there is my Holy Terror Wild Apisto with some floating Najas grass and some other odds and ends (Pellia, suesswassertang, java ferns, some random stems, etc)


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

what did you end up doing with all of your rcs?


----------



## MikeS

Looks good Ken!!!! And to think I almost gave up checking back in :hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

Torpedobarb said:


> what did you end up doing with all of your rcs?


RCS Colony #1 went into the tummies of the Clown loaches. *sigh*

So after the Clowns died in that horrible water change incident back in May or whenever it was, I bought another batch of RCS.

RCS Colony #2 went into the tummies of my GBRs (though the Holy Terror Apisto did some serious damage too, when he was in the 90gal). I occasionally will see one in the tank, but the fish usually spot it shortly after I do and they are quite adept at tearing them apart. :icon_eek: 

I think Colony #3 will end up in my 29gal with nothing but microrasboras and an Asian theme. That's what's in my head to try, anyways. (This tank will be set up with ADA AS  )


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> Vicki... on page 24.. the picture with the emperors.. that is your tiger lotus in the pic.. the lower leaves are the daughter plant. when I trim it.. I will take it off from the mother plant leaving the runner on your plant. if I have some other stems ready I will throw them in too.


Sounds wonderful, thank you! I definitely could use some stems. I'm ready to grow beyond the first group of starter plants and try to get something with more variety and more color. Thanks for the preview of my lotus! :smile:


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> it actually isn't a young one.. I have had it for quite awhile. it is almost 3" long too. I had a mate for it.. but it died a long time ago.. I just haven't gotten another one. can you tell from the pic.. male or female?


Not really. It doesn't look like a pulcher to me, at least not by that pic. If you could get a better pic, I might be able to offer more info. The only thing that I might could use, assuming it is a pulcher in which the spots have been washed out in the picture, would be the rounded tail. Pulcher females have rounded tails unlike their males.

Have you ever seen any red or pink color in the belly or chin?


----------



## lauraleellbp

It wouldn't surprise me if being the only one in the tank its colors are just really faded. Another one would probably instantly spark color back into this one, male or female.


----------



## cah925

I haven't checked in on your tank in a while, it's looking great! Nice variety of plants.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

MikeS said:


> Looks good Ken!!!! And to think I almost gave up checking back in :hihi:


uh huh.. figures.. still have your bosemani rainbows? are you looking to get rid of them?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Complexity said:


> Not really. It doesn't look like a pulcher to me, at least not by that pic. If you could get a better pic, I might be able to offer more info. The only thing that I might could use, assuming it is a pulcher in which the spots have been washed out in the picture, would be the rounded tail. Pulcher females have rounded tails unlike their males.
> 
> Have you ever seen any red or pink color in the belly or chin?


it has a nice pink belly.. usually that means female


----------



## MikeS

Torpedobarb said:


> still have your bosemani rainbows? are you looking to get rid of them?


Yes, maybe, why?


----------



## deicide

Nice selection of plants and heavy plant mass but you are lacking on Co2. Too many curled tips and stunting here and there, if you address this then tank would look much nicer IMO.


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> it has a nice pink belly.. usually that means female


Yup, that's a female. May be why she's not showing a lot of spots. As she gets older, she should be getting black spots on her dorsal and tail fins. Here's a picture showing the spots: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Pelvicachromis_pulcher_(female).jpg


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

MikeS said:


> Yes, maybe, why?


I am looking to get some!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

deicide said:


> Nice selection of plants and heavy plant mass but you are lacking on Co2. Too many curled tips and stunting here and there, if you address this then tank would look much nicer IMO.


where is there stunted growth? curled tips? which picture are you looking at. my co2 is at 30ppm and the growth is great.


----------



## MikeS

How do you ship fish? Not saying yes, because those little B's are hard as hell to catch. I'd most likely just trade you for a couple plants, and give the red iranians too if you wanted. Again, the only problem is that I can't catch them either. Ok, another downside to a large tank :frown:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

MikeS said:


> How do you ship fish? Not saying yes, because those little B's are hard as hell to catch. I'd most likely just trade you for a couple plants, and give the red iranians too if you wanted. Again, the only problem is that I can't catch them either. Ok, another downside to a large tank :frown:



they have to be shipped in a foam lined box with plenty of air and water in the bag.. only a few fish per bag too. you need to fast them for days prior to shipping to cut down on waste during transit. they would need to be shipped probably express.. priority might work too.. depends on the temp outside. 

let me know.. I would take them off your hands.. you know I have tons of plants.. I can set you up!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I can also send you some rams horns.. blue


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

cah925 said:


> I haven't checked in on your tank in a while, it's looking great! Nice variety of plants.



thanks! I got quite a few of them from you:thumbsup:


----------



## deicide

Torpedobarb said:


> where is there stunted growth? curled tips? which picture are you looking at. my co2 is at 30ppm and the growth is great.



Don't take it the wrong way TB, just take it as honest criticism. If you think you have great growth or good Co2, well the plants don't look it. Maybe circulation throughout your plant mass is part of the problem and circulation needs to be re-evaluated. You also look like you could do with a little more Mg and K+ too. Then again what do I know ...just trying to be helpful. 

*Page 24 Post # 360

* In pic # 1 to the right of the Aubertii you have a skinny stem of what appears to be a Pantanal or Araguaia that is stunted and have major curling issues.
The Sunset Hygro that is on the bottom right also has new growth that is deformed and the Vietnam or Hippuris? on the left looks unhappy as well.

In pic #2 all your Cuba and Araguaia are showing signs of low Co2 with the curling on the edges.

In pic #4 you have what appears to be either EICHHORNIA or HETERANTHERA sp that is stunted 'behind the Verticillaris'. Cuba clearly shows curled tips as well.

In pic 65 you have Sunset Hygro showing upward curl on a few leaves.... Mg could help here even K+ too.

In pic #9 you get a very clear scope of the curling and stunting on most your stem plants leaves.

I'm not sure what you are seeing on your end but it's apparent to me that a little tweaking is needed.


----------



## mrkookm

This might help in knowing when Pantanals and Araguaia's are happy, this applies to the Cuba's as well. Note the leaves sticking straight out? Thats what you should aim for and not what I'm seeing in your pictures.

You're not far off but adjustment to your routine is needed.


----------



## CL

Wow, those are some nice pics mrkookm. They help a lot


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

mrkookm said:


> This might help in knowing when Pantanals and Araguaia's are happy, this applies to the Cuba's as well. Note the leaves sticking straight out? Thats what you should aim for and not what I'm seeing in your pictures.
> 
> You're not far off but adjustment to your routine is needed.


yes.. wow! what can I do to improve that?

I am dosing the ei method. I put in..

monday, wed. friday.. 3/4 potassium nitrates, 1/4 phosphates, 1/4 sulfates
tuesday, thurs. saturday 15ml seachem flourish comprehensive
sunday.. 50% water change
10ml of sechem's iron everyday

I also have seachem root tabs in the substrate.

so by the look of the plants.. what needs to change? my co2 drop checker is light green with a tint of yellow. no fish gasping. I change the solution every 2 weeks. I only feed the fish every other day. TIA for any help


----------



## Jeff5614

I'll toss in my 2 cents, if that's ok, based on my tank and what I've learned. You're using a lot of light which increases the plants need for all nutrients including CO2. If it were me I'd back down on the lighting some and just run all 4 of your lights for a 3 or 4 hours in the middle of your photoperiod and just use 2 bulbs the rest of the time. 

I'd also push the CO2 up a bit more as long as the fish aren't stressed and make sure you have good circulation ( you can see some movement in the plant leaves ). You might consider adding something like Equilibrium or GH Booster to add some calcium and magnesium.


----------



## MikeS

Ken, will talk to the wife this weekend, and I will see how easy it is to catch them. Then I will let you know. I do not think I am ready to tear the tank down again yet. You might have to wait, and I know your level of patience :hihi:


----------



## Complexity

Mike, I've had my best luck in getting fish from my tank by using very large nets. They're something like 10" x 6" (give or take a bit). What I do is put them in the tank and walk away. I come back a little bit later and very, very slowly begin to move the net towards the desired fish. I try to not disturb it any which is why the large nets are so helpful. The netting is also black which I think helps to not draw attention to it.

Then just keep slowly inching your way in. If the fish moves, let it go. It'll come back.

Once you finally get it within the mouth of the net, just pull it out, and you'll have your fish.

This is how I was able to get my torpedo barb that came down with dropsy out of my tank even though he was swimming all over and mixed in with the other 9 torpedo barbs. It takes patience, but in the long run, it's faster.

I also nabbed my sick cardinal tetra this way. He was one of 21, and I managed to get him on my first try without catching any other fish.

I think the large, black nets are the secret.


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> my co2 drop checker is light green with a tint of yellow. no fish gasping.


Ken, keep raising the CO2 very slowly until you get your first gasping fish. Then drop it down just a tad. Watch to see how things go at night. This will help you get the most CO2 you can dose that's still safe for the fish.

I've also found that some fish are more affected than others so don't wait for all of your fish to gasp. When you see fish at a level that's abnormal and they're not very active, that's your sign to drop it back a notch.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks for the help!


----------



## MikeS

Vicki - Thanks for the info. I will have to try that. I need to get another net too.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Mike.... just let me know.. thanks!


----------



## rich815

MikeS said:


> How do you ship fish? Not saying yes, because those little B's are hard as hell to catch. I'd most likely just trade you for a couple plants, and give the red iranians too if you wanted. Again, the only problem is that I can't catch them either. Ok, another downside to a large tank :frown:


Mike, this thing:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752410

Is AWESOME for hard to catch fish. Actually, since getting it I use it to catch all fish I need to. Much less stressful for them too vs. a net, plus MUCH less chance for damage to them as well.

You simply put that thing in the water, filled with water it's practically invisible to the fish, then sort of guide the fish you want to catch towards the opening with a net or your hand even. They swim right in. You then lift it up and you have them in water, instead of a rough net. Then transfer them to other tank or baggie, whatever.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

here is a rescape update.. I decided that I liked the center of the tank to stay low so you can get some depth of it.. I liked the way nemosreef did his.. so thank you for that 

here is the before and after pics.. kinda cloudy from movement.. but you get the idea.







before







after.. I will get a better picture after it has settled back down.

what do you think?


----------



## Complexity

Looking good, as always! I really like how your driftwood meanders in from the right side. As the plants grow in, it won't be too covered up to enjoy the twists and curves it has.

How many torpedo barbs do you have now? I want a close up of them when your tank settles from the rescape.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I have about 13 of the roselines..

I too like the driftwood that way also.. it has been that way now.. you just couldn't see alot of it. I put more of my low growing sunset hygro in the middle as a complete carpet all the way back in the center.


----------



## lauraleellbp

Hey!

What's the big idea??

You posted pics without even giving us a chance to gripe about not having any! Spoilsport!

That being said... I can't see crap in that pic! I'm sure it's completely amazing, and I can't even see it.  

(There, I found SOMETHING to gripe about...)


----------



## MikeS

lauraleellbp said:


> Hey!
> 
> What's the big idea??
> 
> You posted pics without even giving us a chance to gripe about not having any! Spoilsport!
> 
> That being said... I can't see crap in that pic! I'm sure it's completely amazing, and I can't even see it.
> 
> (There, I found SOMETHING to gripe about...)



I completely agree!!!!!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

well.. of course I can count on you to bust my chops! I took more pics.. will post them.. soon


----------



## lauraleellbp

Torpedobarb said:


> I took more pics.. will post them.. soon


Uh huh.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

smart ass!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

wow.. pictures posted and no Mike or Laura.. quitters :hihi:


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> wow.. pictures posted and no Mike or Laura.. quitters :hihi:


LOL!

I'm still here, and you didn't even post the pictures I requested.

Does that mean I have to start griping, too?


----------



## MikeS

Had to go out and get some food. And then I will be off to bed shortly. Long week.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I didn't get a chance to get the close ups of the torpedos.. I have been having a hard time taking pics.. have had the shakes lately with a new med I am on.. hard to hold the camera still especially without the flash on.

LOL.. I love griping... bring it on!
btw.. did you get your tiger lotus's yet?


----------



## MikeS

Torpedobarb said:


> hard to hold the camera still especially without the flash on.


Yeah, I read something about the flash stabilizing you when taking pictures. You can lean into it more, and flash pushes back. :flick:


----------



## lauraleellbp

MikeS said:


> Yeah, I read something about the flash stabilizing you when taking pictures. You can lean into it more, and flash pushes back. :flick:


  

Ok, much better. :thumbsup: 

I'm glad you kept the hygro carpet. I really hope it stays down low for you and doesn't randomly all of a sudden shoot up to the ceiling one day while you're at work...

And I see you swapped out the Blyxa and the E. vesuvius- I think I like that better. :thumbsup: 

I'm not liking the DW arrangement again, though? It's just "pointing" all wrong... IDK exactly how to explain it? Plus the one in front looks like a cobra again LOL


----------



## Complexity

Yes, I did get the lotus! Thank you so much. The hygro arrived in good shape, as well. I've just been lazy and haven't done the feedback thingy yet.

I understand completely about those shakes. When I was first put on Welbutrin XL, I shook so much, I couldn't sign my own name! :icon_lol: I always felt weird when signing things at stores for fear they'd think my shaking and inability to sign my own name meant I was a thief of something!

Alright, so go get yourself a tripod then. Or stack some book (LOTS of books!). No excuses for not showing off photos of your namesake fish!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Wow Vicki.. my wife was on welbutrin and had terrible shakes too. no worries on the feedback.. just no one has told me they received their plants yet is all. glad you got them.. were they ok?


----------



## lauraleellbp

I hope both Vicki and your wife let your doctors know ASAP? Some psychotropic meds carry side effects that if untreated over time can lead to an incurable condition similar to Parkinson's called Tardive dyskinesia, and shaking is one precursor. I'm totally drawing a blank on Wellbutrin XL, but the medical staff I worked for always trained me that shaking is something to make sure a doctor knows about ASAP.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

yep.. my wife is off of it now. she told her dr about it immediately and he took her off of it slowly. I am having them because this is a side effect until it is completely in my system. I am on lamictal for mood disorders. seems to be working.. I haven't choked anyone lately :hihi:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I am currently debating on whether or not to try the topsoil substrate that lookingforroselines is using. AaronT is using it also and they both do not have to dose anything into their tanks at all and have extremely awesome results. I have been reading this... 
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html

I am totally amazed and inspired


----------



## Complexity

lauraleellbp said:


> I hope both Vicki and your wife let your doctors know ASAP? Some psychotropic meds carry side effects that if untreated over time can lead to an incurable condition similar to Parkinson's called Tardive dyskinesia, and shaking is one precursor. I'm totally drawing a blank on Wellbutrin XL, but the medical staff I worked for always trained me that shaking is something to make sure a doctor knows about ASAP.


Yes, I told my doctor. When I started taking it, I was seeing him twice a week so he was able to track my meds very closely. I continued to take it, and the shaking eventually went away. I'm still on it and doing fine.

Ken, what substrate are you using now?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I have the SMS *soil master select* from aquariumplants.com 

I was a noob and didn't know any better that I could get it insanely cheap at some other places. I paid almost 120.00 for 2 buckets of it. big dummy!

I am going to start this switch over soon while the weather is still nice for drying it out. I am totally amazed on how this worked out for them.


----------



## lauraleellbp

Torpedobarb said:


> yep.. my wife is off of it now. she told her dr about it immediately and he took her off of it slowly. I am having them because this is a side effect until it is completely in my system. I am on lamictal for mood disorders. seems to be working.. I haven't choked anyone lately :hihi:


Lamictal is good stuff. Keep an eye out for rashes- if you get one make sure to report it ASAP.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

no rashes so far.. I am in my 5th week on it. I shouldn't get any.. but if I do.. I know to call asap


----------



## lauraleellbp

Ken- how's the tank doing? Is this the one you tore down to try out the mineralized soil method, or are you doing that with a different tank?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper




----------



## TheCryptKeeper




----------



## TheCryptKeeper

the 2 plecos that are in my hand are alot bigger than they look.. the blue one is about 6.5" and the L091 is about 5"


----------



## CL

Very nice torpedobarb. I just love those stones with the hygro


----------



## lauraleellbp

Tank looks awesome, and those plecos are fantastic! roud:


----------



## eyebeatbadgers

I think this is the first time I've noticed your tank, and I like it very much! 

How did you train the plecos to let you hold their nose like that? :icon_lol:


----------



## CKJ

OK I just read this whole thread and it only took several hours!

I'm new to planted tanks and so I really learned alot reading this post! It was both educational and quite entertaining!

Your pics were amazing! It was really neat to see the start of your tank and watch it grow and change! Georgous tank!!

What happen to that set of 2 angels do you still have them and the four others?

Oh and do you still have that one plant with the purple color? Beautiful plant!

Love the tank!!

lol

Cindy


----------



## CKJ

Oh and how did you get the pleco's to do that? So cool!

lol


----------



## mrwindupbird

lauraleellbp said:


> I hope both Vicki and your wife let your doctors know ASAP? Some psychotropic meds carry side effects that if untreated over time can lead to an incurable condition similar to Parkinson's called Tardive dyskinesia, and shaking is one precursor. I'm totally drawing a blank on Wellbutrin XL, but the medical staff I worked for always trained me that shaking is something to make sure a doctor knows about ASAP.


What kind of a dose was she on? I'm on 200mg/day and I have to say I have to feel much better than I did in my days of self medicating. Only side effect for me is difficulty sleeping.


----------



## mrwindupbird

Oh and nice tank. I like what you did with the rocks / red plants looks very natural.


----------



## Tex Gal

Love what you've done with the place! Great use of Sunset hygro. Really neat. I bet it takes a lot of work to keep it that short. 

Love your plecos! Their cousins in my tank say "hi!". 

Also love your craggy rocks!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

actually.. the plecos will let me hold them like that.. I get the going with cucumbers and then put my finger by them.. and they will latch on to the tip of my finger (feels weird) and I just hold them in place with my thumb!

as for the hygro.. it has pretty much been trained now to stay low. there is quite a bit of the low grow hygro mixed in. alot of the sunset hygro has a stiff rigid stem and roots.. so they stay low. also after trimming for quite a while.. it has trained itself to stay low.. it usually never gets higher than 3".. and when it does.. it gets clipped. if you look at the pic from up above.. you can see what has been trained to stay low. the crowns of those are much smaller than the ones still in training. when I do have to clip them down.. I can usually get about 200 stems out ranging in size from 1 to 2 inches.

I am trying to figure out what I am going to do in the way of a scape once I switch to mineralized topsoil.. here is an idea I have for now..


----------



## Black Hills Tj

That's a pretty neat scape. If it was my tank, I'd personally like to have a pair of Angels or a school of larger(bosemani or praecox) rainbows.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I actually have 4 turquoise and 4 bosemani rainbows in there with 4 wild scalare angels.

they do look great!


----------



## Black Hills Tj

I can see your bosemani's, but your angels seem to be eluding me.


----------



## waterfaller1

Great tank! I love the torpedo barbs..I've never seen them before.


----------



## Complexity

Simply beautiful, Ken! I especially love your rocks. Great color and shape. What kind of rocks are they?

I like what you've done with your Sunset Hygro. You've given me ideas. I have some, but have found it a bit unruly with its growth habit. I can see training it to grow more horizontal than vertical. I may try that with mine. I think it would look good mixed with my rocks. I'll let it get taller than you're doing, but still use yours as an inspiration.

I've been wondering when you weren't posting. I figured you must have been busy with helping with the line work after hurricane Ike. I had wondered if you were around where I live, helping to get us all reconnected with power. If so, thank you! If not, I'm sure you were busy helping with the lines somewhere.

I'm glad to see your tank is doing so well! I'm not as crazy about having it rescaped to match the picture you posted since I think your tank is prettier than the one in the picture, but I bet whatever you do, you'll put your touch on it to make it spectacular. :smile:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Thanks Vicki! the rocks aren't really rocks.. it is petrified wood and really expensive.. for some people! 

did you see my thread about my kribs breeding? I have a ton of fry going nuts in there!

as for the scape I am thinking about.. it is actually more like this.. just a general idea..


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

second pic was from the day I got them.. they are much bigger now.. and there are 4 of them.

yes.. they are eluding you!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

http://www.aquariumlife.net/profile-images/raphael-lg.jpg
http://www.petpig.com/fish/fish/Catfish-Spotted-Talking.jpg

I have one of each of these guys too!


----------



## Complexity

Pleco heaven! You sure have a nice selection of them.

I had to laugh when I saw that one on the petrified wood. What a cruel joke if he was hoping it was wood he could eat! :hihi:

You have Krib fry? I'm so jealous! I didn't see the thread. Post a link to it. I want to see them!

My 'Kienke' female is always wanting to breed, but no new fry yet. I've been doing too much to the tank for any fry to be successful; plus, there's not enough hiding places for the fry when they do hatch. So they are getting eaten really fast. I expect that to change once the plants grow in and things settle down. I'm actually kind of glad they don't have fry right now as I wasn't looking forward to trying to move them with fry in tow.

I'm still not crazy about your new design idea, but knowing you, you'll make it work. I can't see you being too minimalist.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/fish/74916-kribensis-fry.html

watch the video in there too! there are a ton of them.. I didn't know that they even bred. the last time we talked out them.. you thought I only had one! lol


----------



## Complexity

You have more than one now! :biggrin:

Great video. Love the fry! Thanks for the link. I wouldn't have wanted to miss that one!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lol.. we have the same post count!


----------



## Complexity

Not anymore! :hihi:

Geez, you joined a couple of months after me. And I thought _I_ was chatty!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lol.. I do have adult adhd! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!


----------



## deleted_user_16

haha, i cracked up at the randomness of that post, hahah


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> lol.. I do have adult adhd! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!


My husband has ADD. My older daughter has ADD. My younger daughter has ADHD. But me? Nope!

So what's my excuse? :icon_eek:

BTW, I think the saying goes, "I don't have A... hey, there's a butterfly!"

The two with ADD, my husband and older daughter, are not very chatty while my younger daughter with ADHD talks as much, if not more, than I do! Maybe it's the "H" part?

But then... what's my excuse for that, too? :icon_lol:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

ok.. late night rescape in progress.. not a planned one though. I came home from work and found that one of the climbing perch had choked to death on an otto. I wasn't going to let them do it again.. so out they come.. *I would have to say.. it was pretty wild to see a fish dead with another one half way out of its mouth* 

anyway.. I had to remove alot of the plants to get the last 2 of them out. (don't worry Vicki.. I got the momma and papa kribs and babies out with a nice swoop of the net and a ton of substrate.. they are in a bucket while I get the stuff back in.)

I get a practice run on the new scape before I do the new topsoil substrate. since it will be close to 2am.. there WILL BE NO PICS TONIGHT OR MORNING! and it is my Bday so .. nada! LOL


----------



## waterfaller1

Happy Birthday!!!




Complexity said:


> BTW, I think the saying goes, "I don't have A... hey, there's a butterfly!"


 That is too funny, that sounds like me!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

waterfaller1 said:


> Happy Birthday!!!
> 
> 
> That is too funny, that sounds like me!


thank you!

or more like Peter Griffin in family guy where he takes his anvil and sets a trap. he takes the anvil and hoists it up into a tree and holds the end of the rope.. he puts a dollar under the anvil and hides behind the tree.. he no more than gets behind the tree and " ooohhhh look a dollar.." lets go of the rope and KLANK.. elsmacko! lmao



BTW... the scape looks great!!!!!


----------



## Complexity

Okay, so no pics at night or in the morning so I guess we'll have pics at 12:01... the afternoon! :hihi:

And happy birthday! I hope you have a great day. :smile:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks.. I had an ok day.. I am dead tired! but the tank looks great!


----------



## lauraleellbp

Happy BDAY Ken!! :biggrin:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks! I just got home.. I was in the hospital from my Bday night til now.. I had to crawl out of the house with a kidney stone. they SUCK! I was doped up with morphine for the last few days.. they hurt like a sob.


----------



## Complexity

Wow! I'm so sorry about the kidney stone. Those things hurt! And to have that on your birthday? Not exactly the way I had hoped you'd spend that day.

I'm glad to hear you're back home and doing better. I wish you a very speedy recovery.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thank you.. I am feeling better.. but still sore and groggy. I did manage to get my co2 tank filled. cost me 7.49... not bad. I have had it on the tank since March 31st.. so I think that my 5lb tank went for quite awhile!


----------



## Complexity

Neither rain nor snow nor kidney stones can keep us away from our CO2! :hihi:

I'm beginning to worry that my gauge isn't working. I have a 10lb cylinder, and the gauge is still sitting at the very same spot it was when I first connected it (indicating a full cylinder). But it can't be full by now. If your 5lb ran out in a little over 6 months, then I should be showing about 1/2 full by now. The last thing I want is to have the cylinder run out of CO2 without me having any clue. I'm sure the BBA would just love that!

Which brand regulator are you using? Did the gauge show the CO2 dropping slowly? How did you know you had ran out of CO2?

Just what you needed. A hundred questions when you're still recovering! At least I'm not demanding pictures. :biggrin:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I am using the milwaukee regulator.. it showed full for quite awhile and only started to show a drop basically about a month before it ran out.. but I think it would have lasted alot longer. I found that my son had turned it up on me. I knew when the tank was empty when I found the bubbles going crazy and the gauge had dropped. I also had to turn it up to get the same saturation. I have since put a lock on the tank stand so that can't happen again... also is good because of the chemicals too.


----------



## lauraleellbp

OMG that sucks! I really hope you're feeling better. All gone now, or are you still at risk to pass some more?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

they are gone for now.. hopefully.. the ct scan didn't show anymore.. neither did the xrays and kub scan. I hope to never have one again. I basically had to crawl to the car tuesday night. extremely painful. thanks for the concern.


----------



## Hilde

How often do you have to prune the Hygro sunset to keep it so low?


----------



## MikeS

Ken!!! Tank looks awesome roud: I have been on vacation for a couple weeks, plus new route at work keeping me out later, so I haven't been on lately. 

How the heck did you catch the plecos and get to hold them like that?


----------



## cah925

Torpedobarb said:


> they are gone for now.. hopefully.. the ct scan didn't show anymore.. neither did the xrays and kub scan. I hope to never have one again. I basically had to crawl to the car tuesday night. extremely painful. thanks for the concern.


I feel your pain (there may be a pun there). I had 2 kidney stones back in 2002, 6 months apart almost to the day. The first time I went to the hospital they made me wait in the ER lobby for 4 1/2 hours while "the drunks slept it off" from the night before. I haven't had one since. :knock on wood:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

here are some updated pics.. I did get my new Catalina 216w t5 fixture today.. and our camera back from the inlaws where we forgot it. tell me what you guys and gals think. I like the setup.. but the only thing I don't like.. I can't have all of the types of plants I want with this scape. I still think it looks good though!









full tank shots.. this is a possibility of a scape I will do after the mineral top soil substrate is ready to go
















































momma Krib!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

yes.. there is some water spots on the tank.. but most of what you see floating in the tank is actually the plants pearling. This is the first time they have done that since my other light went out. SWEET!


----------



## lauraleellbp

Looks awesome, Ken!

I love that hygro foreground, it's really unique.

Why do you say you can't have all the plants you want? You afraid they won't grow, or are you just trying to "edit" yourself?

How do you like the new fixture? :thumbsup:


----------



## CL

I think that it looks really nice, and I can tell Gov. Corzine does too by the way he is admiring your AWESOME hygro foreground


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lol.. that was from the daily show with jon stewart.. we watch it religiously.. hilarious..

Laura.. as for the plants.. with this scape.. it is the type where it is taller on the right and goes down to the left.. I can extend the right side to about the middle of the tank I guess. I was just playing around with ideas. My wife doesn't like it.. so I will probably keep it that was just to be a tool... 

I am mineralizing more top soil as of now.. I didn't have enought to have about 1/2 to 1" on the bottom of the tank.. so I am doing more.


Mike... I put cucumbers in the tank. and put my fingers close to them eating and they just latched on.. I did have to put my finger on their noses to keep them there.. but with no real pressure to hold them.. actually felt pretty wild.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

didn't really answer your ? did I laura.. I can grow most anything.. I am talking about the scape and more plants not really going with the scape is all.


----------



## Complexity

I have to admit, I like it. It's not a style I usually go for, but you pulled it off well.

What hygro is that for the foreground? I like the way it looks.

The only thing I'm not crazy about is how the fish seem to be all out in the open. No territories. For schooling and dither fish, that's great. But for kribs... Well, you know I like to baby them.

Speaking of babies... how are the fry doing? Did they survive the rescaping?


----------



## Complexity

Also, what did you do with all the plants you took out?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

the fry made it through the rescape.. but only for a few days.. but she is about to lay more eggs or spawn.. whatever it is that they do! *get busy* LMAO

the hygro is plain old sunset hygro that I trained to stay low and spread out. when it started to grow taller.. i would simply clip it off to where it had no crown. I would strive for light so it would start to grow horizontal instead of verticle. It still does is a few spots try to grow taller.. I just keep it trimmed. I posted the pics from the top of the tank to show that it is actually a carpet of it. most of the other pics I have posted it is hard to see it or tell what it is. so.. when you look at the pic from above... look at the crowns of the hygro.. where you see much smaller crowns is where it is trained. I do like it alot!


----------



## Raul-7

Are those true Altums or Peruvian scalare?


----------



## Complexity

The leaves seem smaller than the leaves on my sunset so I was thinking maybe this was the low grow hydro I've heard about. It certainly looks nice! How often are you having to trim it?

Sorry about the fry, but you're right. As soon as one batch goes, another comes along. I'm not sure how much hiding space they have now, but the fry might do well under the hygro carpet.


----------



## @[email protected]

i like the tank, but i suggest you adjust the brightness on your camera, its a bit washed out. my tank usually looks the most normal when i put the camera on "spotlight".


----------



## wschalle

Just use the shutter speed priority mode on your camera if you have one and adjust the shutter speed faster until you get a nice balance of light and dark.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Complexity said:


> The leaves seem smaller than the leaves on my sunset so I was thinking maybe this was the low grow hydro I've heard about. It certainly looks nice! How often are you having to trim it?
> 
> Sorry about the fry, but you're right. As soon as one batch goes, another comes along. I'm not sure how much hiding space they have now, but the fry might do well under the hygro carpet.


the leaves are smaller.. that is what happens to them as I train them. I clip them down so that there is no crown.. when that happens it shoots out horizontal to make new crowns to collect the light.. when the new crown grows back from where I trimmed it.. it comes back smaller. I do have to trim it down about every 2 weeks.. but not so much..

as for the camera issue.. I am not a photographer.. I have a cannon powershot camera. if you can show me what the icon on the camera looks like on the top dial.. I will use it insead.. thanks alot!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

doing my mineralized top soil substrate as we speak! quite an undertaking!

now the biggest thing.. what to do with a rescape!


----------



## CL

Torpedobarb said:


> doing my mineralized top soil substrate as we speak! quite an undertaking!
> 
> now the biggest thing.. what to do with a rescape!


Sounds fun! I love rescaping! It's nice and refreshing


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

refreshing yes.. but a pain in the ass when I don't have all of the plants I need.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

here is what I kinda based the new scape after.. we will see how it fills in


----------



## Characins

You're tank looks great!

I can't wait to see the rescape, hope it works out as you planned!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

here it is after rescape.. I like the basic setup.. but I am in need of some other stems. I will get them in there though.. ludwigia pantanal, cuba, blyxa aubertii or japonica, aromatica, sao paulo


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

it will look much better after the tank has cleared up and it fills in


----------



## Complexity

Nice scape design! I'm looking forward to watching it all grow in. My favorite part so far is the driftwood on the left. I love how it twists and where it's placed!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I can't wait either.. I hope I don't have to go through the green water stage. I shouldn't have to though. I strained the soil mixture extremely well and used alot of my old substrate. also the filters have been running on a tank for almost a year.. so I am not really worried about a cycle.


----------



## Complexity

You enjoy the scaping process, don't you? It seems once it all grows in, you're ready for something new!

Oh, and btw, I WANT PICS! :hihi:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

LOL.. I do enjoy aquascaping very much.. I should go into business locally as a service! I would probably go broke though 

I did post pics... I need to get more taken.. the tank is cleared up now.


----------



## Complexity

But those pics are already a few hours old.

I wish you would come over here and scape my tank! I'm so exhausted and sore, I am not looking forward to doing it.


----------



## MikeS

You could always do it on the side, Ken.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Where are you living at now Vicki? I will gladly do it.. gas prices are at record lows.. right?



sure no problem lmao!


----------



## NATURE AQUARIUM

Looking Good!!!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

my kribs


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

updated pics without the tank being cloudy


----------



## MistyRiver

OMG! Beautiful tank! I love it...

Is that wood or rock!? It looks like a log, which is exactly what I want in my new tank.

Keep up the good stuff! roud:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

petrified wood! I love it..

the stuff can be expensive.. but if you can find it for 2.99lb it is a good buy. I actually have quite a bit left over.
thank you for the compliment!


----------



## MistyRiver

Torpedobarb said:


> petrified wood! I love it..
> 
> the stuff can be expensive.. but if you can find it for 2.99lb it is a good buy. I actually have quite a bit left over.
> thank you for the compliment!


Where do you buy it from? I gotta get me some... 2.99lb is not bad compared to the 7lb that I spent on my drift wood a couple years ago!

Thanks!


----------



## MikeS

Tank loos really good Ken :thumbsup:


----------



## CL

Nice tank! It looks beautiful!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

MikeS said:


> Tank loos really good Ken :thumbsup:


thanks! I need to get to your journal thread and check it out!



MistyRiver said:


> Where do you buy it from? I gotta get me some... 2.99lb is not bad compared to the 7lb that I spent on my drift wood a couple years ago!
> 
> Thanks!



I got mine from my lfs.. you can also check some local garden centers too.

if nothing comes available.. I can see what I can do for you.. if I don't end up using it.


----------



## helgymatt

Nice tank. Love the fish...what are the ones with the red, yellow, and black stripe?


----------



## dewalltheway

helgymatt said:


> Nice tank. Love the fish...what are the ones with the red, yellow, and black stripe?


Torpedobarbs or Roseline Sharks - beautiful fish

Great job on the tank! Looks really good!


----------



## helgymatt

dewalltheway said:


> Torpedobarbs or Roseline Sharks - beautiful fish
> 
> Great job on the tank! Looks really good!


Man! Why are the cool fish so expensive


*Redline Shark **YOUR COST ONLY 18.99 each limited time **THERE CAN BE A WAIT ON THESE FROM TIME TO TIME DUE TO THE HIGH DEMAND OF THIS FISH. FIRST COME FIRST SERVE!* 
_This is an excellent price! Compare at 34.99 to 59.99 each from leading online competitors, and 74.99 each at most pet stores! Please DO NOT ask us for quantity discounts. 1 or 100 is the same great deal. You cannot find these cheaper anywhere, if you do, buy them. _


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I have 15 of them.. they were 29.00 each. expensive fish.. but totally beautiful!

a friend of mine has some and they get bigger than what is said. his were about 6"

they are even more beautiful when they get that big.. the red stripe is vibrant and the body starts to show signs of green. awesome fish... (also where I got my username)


----------



## looking4roselines

Torpedobarb said:


> they are even more beautiful when they get that big.. the red stripe is vibrant and the body starts to show signs of green. awesome fish... (also where I got my username)


Good thing that you didnt use the word "roseline". Otherwise, there would be a high probability that folks will mistaken your identity as a female.

Great looking tank by the way. I would like to see its progress.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

looking4roselines said:


> Good thing that you didnt use the word "roseline". Otherwise, there would be a high probability that folks will mistaken your identity as a female.
> 
> Great looking tank by the way. I would like to see its progress.


HELL..everyone sends me pm's saying .. "thanks alot barbara" did you even read my signature that says KEN!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

progress would be better if some other member with the same type of fish I love had some plants that I need ready to go for me at a reasonably low price


----------



## lauraleellbp

Torpedobarb said:


> HELL..everyone sends me pm's saying .. "thanks alot barbara"!


You really think you should share things like that, Barbara? :angel:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lauraleellbp said:


> You really think you should share things like that, Barbara? :angel:


don't make me post the pic I saw and asked you about! :hihi:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Torpedobarb said:


> don't make me post the pic I saw and asked you about! :hihi:



dammit.. I seen it in the show yourself thread.. don't worry.. I will uncover some dirt!:thumbsup:


----------



## lauraleellbp

Torpedobarb said:


> dammit.. I seen it in the show yourself thread.. don't worry.. I will uncover some dirt!:thumbsup:


HA! I beat you to it!

There aren't any skeletons in my closets... just dust bunnies! LOL


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

everyone has photoshop skeletons... bwaaaaaaa!

you're done.. just put a fork in ya now and get it over with!


----------



## demosthenes

what is the plant that you are using in the foreground as sort of a tall carpet plant? it looks a like sunset hygros, but dont those get taller? whatever they are, they look amazing. great job with this tank, all the plants and fish are awesome, i like the torpedo barbs!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

demosthenes said:


> what is the plant that you are using in the foreground as sort of a tall carpet plant? it looks a like sunset hygros, but dont those get taller? whatever they are, they look amazing. great job with this tank, all the plants and fish are awesome, i like the torpedo barbs!


it is sunset hygro.. I have just trained it to stay low.. I clip the heads as soon as they get about 1.5-2" tall.. while trying to grow a new crown.. they start to shoot off horizontally. keeps them low..

thanks for the compliments.


----------



## looking4roselines

Did you get those broad leaf Estellas from me?
I think theyre sensing a bit of nostalgia for their former home... :hihi:


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> progress would be better if some other member with the same type of fish I love had some plants that I need ready to go for me at a reasonably low price


I wonder who could that be? :icon_lol:

Unfortunately, I lost most of my best plants in the move. So I'm on the hunt for replacements. And as my luck has been lately, I finally got everything ready to get new plants, only to come here last night about an hour after they closed the SNS forum. :icon_cry:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I don't have much to help you out with Vicki... but things are starting to grow out quickly.. so I will be able to help out soon.

Looking4roselines.. yes it is! it is starting to look good again.. almost 2 weeks with the topsoil and it is coming around. 
I got your plants today too! thanks... the pantanal I hope will come back good.. it doesn't actually doesn't look that bad. thanks for the E tennelus too!


----------



## Complexity

No worry on the plants, [STRIKE]Ken[/STRIKE], oops, I mean Barbara. I just replied to you in my journal thread. I think I have the plant issue covered. But thank you for the generous thoughts!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

FTS updated.. taken today.. on its way!


----------



## Complexity

Very nice! It definitely has a personality coming through. It reminds me of a cactus garden! I like it! The driftwood on the left is perfect.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Complexity said:


> Very nice! It definitely has a personality coming through. It reminds me of a cactus garden! I like it! The driftwood on the left is perfect.


I have 2 pieces of the manzaita driftwood that could make something like that if you are interested? LMK


----------



## Complexity

Thank you! I actually have an entire box of manzanita driftwood. I might copy you!

I have to figure out a scape for my 29g. I don't want to copy my 75g so it'll have to be something different; however, I still like the same plants. So the hardscape and plant placement will have to be what changes the character of the 29g from the 75g.


----------



## mizu-chan

That's an awesome piece of DW. Looking nice! :thumbsup:


----------



## monkeyruler90

man, i love all your fish
my tetras usually swim in the bottom so i never get the same effect as yours

great tank!!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

monkeyruler90 said:


> man, i love all your fish
> my tetras usually swim in the bottom so i never get the same effect as yours
> 
> great tank!!


Thanks!

that isn't really schooling at all.. they are just in chaos! it looks really cool when all 25 of the rasbora school together and the roseline's school too.. 

the roselines schooling is a great sight.. my favorite part about the tank.


----------



## monkeyruler90

yeah, they look great
was this right before a feeding or are they always like that?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

they get like that when I take pictures.. like they are all fighting for camera time!


----------



## Gatekeeper

Tank is coming along very nice!


----------



## EdTheEdge

Outstanding!!!!!!!


----------



## fastfreddie

I bet your morning cup of coffee in front of this tank is just a pleasure. What a nice way to start your day. This is so beautiful.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

gmccreedy said:


> Tank is coming along very nice!


Thanks.. I can't wait until about another month has gone by to see the full results of the soil substrate



EdTheEdge said:


> Outstanding!!!!!!!


Thanks for the compliment!



fastfreddie said:


> I bet your morning cup of coffee in front of this tank is just a pleasure. What a nice way to start your day. This is so beautiful.


I wish it happened that way! I am gone for work at 5am.. I do though get to enjoy the tank at night. I have the tank setup to come on at 1pm and go of at 9pm.. I get home from work between 2 and 3pm so I get all the time with it I want!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

the alternanthera is on the top next to the stellatus
the leaves on the stellatus are only curling because I just trimmed them and replanted them.. usually in 2 or 3 days they perk up again










limno A










p stellatus broadleaf









low growing hygro









crowns of the p stellatus.. compare them to the rotala colorata on the left.









alternanthera.. nice and red! guess that is why is it nicknamed scarlet temple


----------



## lauraleellbp

Hey I just saw this same post in another thread... isn't that cheating, or something? :hihi:

The tank looks fabulous, Ken. :thumbsup:

What are you going to replace the sunset hygro carpet with, though? (BTW that hygro you sent me has grown like crazy and I've shared some with at least a dozen people so far... AND I finally have my first E. 'vesuvius' runner!!! woohooo!)


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lauraleellbp said:


> Hey I just saw this same post in another thread... isn't that cheating, or something? :hihi:
> 
> The tank looks fabulous, Ken. :thumbsup:
> 
> What are you going to replace the sunset hygro carpet with, though? (BTW that hygro you sent me has grown like crazy and I've shared some with at least a dozen people so far... AND I finally have my first E. 'vesuvius' runner!!! woohooo!)


lmao

I will post a pic of the new foreground. I am surprised that you don't remember the e tennelus ?'s I asked you


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

neons and some of the tennelus..









I have been battling some algae issues.. but I think that it is looking good


----------



## monkeyruler90

man, that soil really makes a difference. those plants are growing like crazy!!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

the same results can be achieved with dosing regular ferts.. just this way you don't have to dose the tank.. makes it easy for you to go on vacations and not worry.


----------



## ColeMan

the tank's looking quite nice there, ken...I need to get my hands on some new plants and that p. stellatus is looking like it might end up in my tank as well.


----------



## Tex Gal

Tank is looking great. You'll love the E. Tennellus pink. It's so pretty and stays short. Love the pink color!  

... I might just have to try that soil!!!!


----------



## Phoenix-cry

Stunning! And you have Roselines! I am sooooo jealous! I want a school of them...but my tank is too small.

Looks so great!


----------



## lauraleellbp

ooooh yeah, now I remember. :fish: I think the E. tenellus 'micro' will look awesome once it's all filled in.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Thanks for the compliments.. all in all.. I don't think that I am doing too bad considering my first aquarium ever was a year ago this week. A 29 gallon tank with hideous large blue gravel. 

The roselines are a great fish to keep. They have a great personality believe it or not. Expensive though.. but worth it. I have around 12-14 of them I think.. I might actually sell a few of them coming up as they get bigger. 2 of them are at the 4" mark and can and might get up to 6". sweet.

The tennelus is growing in.. but at a slow rate. I don't think that I have even seen what it looks like when it is completely filled in like a lawn.

coleman... the p stellatus is probably my favorite to date. hell.. the stems diameter is now the size of my pinky finger. I can't just pinch it off when clipping it.. I have to take it out and use scissors so I don't crush it. here are some pics of what it was like in my EI dosed tank compared to the topsoil setup.

before...

















after...


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Here is my 29 gallon tank last year.. the only live plants were the anubias. 

no laughing! :hihi:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I pulled my rainbows out today.. they are in a qt tank.. so anyone who might be interested in them.. check the sns.


----------



## Hungry Wendigo

I really like the layout of this tank. What do you think the smallest tank a small school of your barbs (say 6) could be kept in happily is?


----------



## fishbguy1

Torpedobarb said:


> low growing hygro


Do you know what type of rock that is? I have the same rocks (types) in my 29 gallon.

Basically the same thing you have going...I have to rocks and my low grow hygro growing around them....lol

The vesuvius you sent me is doing great! The biggest one floated up to the top and was there for a day or two, and actually sent up a flower! it hasn't openes yet, but I planted it in the gravel so it doesn't melt...hopefully it'll open!


Tank looks awesome!


----------



## cah925

Don't you just love the mineralized soil? I am very pleased with the results I have had so far as well. The plants look great!


----------



## monkeyruler90

i really think you should have included that lighthouse from the 29g in your tank. it would have been awesome!! :hihi:


----------



## Tex Gal

Ken - so glad you got into planted tanks. You have DEFINITELY come a long way! The good thing I can say about your first tank is that you changed it! 


Just thought you might want to see what E. Tennellus sp pink looks like filled in. I love it.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Hungry Wendigo said:


> I really like the layout of this tank. What do you think the smallest tank a small school of your barbs (say 6) could be kept in happily is?


a 75 gallon.. those fish need room to open up.

thanks for the compliment!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

fishbguy1 said:


> Do you know what type of rock that is? I have the same rocks (types) in my 29 gallon.
> 
> Basically the same thing you have going...I have to rocks and my low grow hygro growing around them....lol
> 
> The vesuvius you sent me is doing great! The biggest one floated up to the top and was there for a day or two, and actually sent up a flower! it hasn't openes yet, but I planted it in the gravel so it doesn't melt...hopefully it'll open!
> 
> 
> Tank looks awesome!


it is petrified wood.. I have a ton of it in my tank.. it looks great. I told you that the vesuvius would come back.. it always does.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

cah925 said:


> Don't you just love the mineralized soil? I am very pleased with the results I have had so far as well. The plants look great!


 I love it too.. I am soo glad that I did it!



monkeyruler90 said:


> i really think you should have included that lighthouse from the 29g in your tank. it would have been awesome!! :hihi:


LOL.. my wife bought it for me and was disappointed that I didn't use it in the new tank. she understands now.



Tex Gal said:


> Ken - so glad you got into planted tanks. You have DEFINITELY come a long way! The good thing I can say about your first tank is that you changed it!
> I still have this tank.. I would like to set it up again.. but don't have the room.
> 
> 
> Just thought you might want to see what E. Tennellus sp pink looks like filled in. I love it.


I still have this tank.. I would like to set it up again.. but don't have the room.


damn.. I can't wait until it fills in. how long does it usually take?

PS do you have any ludwigia sp pantanal?


----------



## infinite07

Really great tank. I might try the soil also.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

infinite07 said:


> Really great tank. I might try the soil also.


Highly recommended. works great for high light and low light tanks.


----------



## infinite07

I would try it if I manage to get one. For now, I only have my own gravel mix.


----------



## Tex Gal

Torpedobarb said:


> damn.. I can't wait until it fills in. how long does it usually take?
> 
> PS do you have any ludwigia sp pantanal?



It will grow quickly if you have enough light. It'll get this beautiful pink color too. I'm overrun with it right now. I've sold some and kept some trying to wait it out for my husband's new tank (it's on order). It will keep growing over itself getting thicker and thicker.

I tried L. Pantanal SEVERAL times and just could not get it to grow. I have no idea why. I tried everything - CO2, extra light. I finally have given up. I have L cuba which is a little bigger, growing quite well. (I guess I can't have everything! :redface


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Tex Gal said:


> It will grow quickly if you have enough light. It'll get this beautiful pink color too. I'm overrun with it right now. I've sold some and kept some trying to wait it out for my husband's new tank (it's on order). It will keep growing over itself getting thicker and thicker.
> 
> I tried L. Pantanal SEVERAL times and just could not get it to grow. I have no idea why. I tried everything - CO2, extra light. I finally have given up. I have L cuba which is a little bigger, growing quite well. (I guess I can't have everything! :redface


I can't wait for it to fill in.. I guess it is hard to see how much it is actually growing until it fills in and starts to take over.

Thanks again for the pic!


----------



## Coltonorr

Wow! What a journal, your tank looks incredible


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Here are some update pictures... I had to cut down on the fish population due to waste and help from Tom Barr and the TFH magazine because of algae issues. I removed 20 neons and cardinals total, 12 orange von rio tetras, 2 plecos (one large and a dwarf)

I currently have 25 rasbora hets, 8 torpedobarbs roseline sharks, 9 congo tetras, 15 white clouds, and a cleanup crew of ottos and a few plecos.

Here are some updated pics.

Full Tank Shots
















Left Side








Right Side








E Tennelus Micro








Mid Tank








Limno A.








Congos


----------



## CL

Beautiful. Your plants have grown so lush!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

they have! I (believe it or not) was just told the trick to trimming plants. I was always under the assumption that you pulled the rooted part out and replanted the upper portion. Nope.. I was doing that and with the topsoil it took a long time for the roots to grow back and the stems looked like crap for 1.5 weeks until then. now I just clip them off and leave the rooted part.. some of the pics have plants that look bad and that is why.


----------



## Hungry Wendigo

It still seems large and spacious even with all the growth, which I think is a great effect. It looks awesome (especially those barbs!). Any advice on where to look for petrified wood? I'm not having any luck at the LFSs.

I'm sure this is a very beginner question, but what is the plant in the front on the far left? Some sort of val/sag? Are any of your plants suitable for a low tech setup?


----------



## cah925

Hungry Wendigo said:


> I'm sure this is a very beginner question, but what is the plant in the front on the far left? Some sort of val/sag?


I believe the plant in question is Echinodorus Angustifolia "Vesuvius" . It's a great plant and easy to grow in my opinion.


Tank looks great. Trimming and replanting the tops seems like a lot of work. Mine grow back fairly quickly so just lob off the top and sell it in the SNS. I keep telling myself I'm going to start a log of trim/regrowth time so I can keep a moderately lush looking tank all the time. btw, my L. arcuata is about ready for a trim. Are you planning on adding it to this tank?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

The petrified wood I have I got at my LFS. I just sold some in the SNS.

I am going to always do the clipping down lower and let the plant grow back bushy. 

I replied to the pm.


----------



## MikeS

Tank is looking great Ken. I just love the left side with the branchy wood.


----------



## Wingsdlc

Just thought you might want to see what E. Tennellus sp pink looks like filled in. I love it.

My E. Tennellus get a little bit of color to them but nothing like that! What is your set?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Hungry Wendigo said:


> It still seems large and spacious even with all the growth, which I think is a great effect. It looks awesome (especially those barbs!). Any advice on where to look for petrified wood? I'm not having any luck at the LFSs.
> 
> I'm sure this is a very beginner question, but what is the plant in the front on the far left? Some sort of val/sag? Are any of your plants suitable for a low tech setup?


believe it or not I am new to this hobby.. only got this tank at the very end of march last year.. I have learned the hard way on everything I have done with this tank.. one thing I do know is that the smaller the fish the larger the tank looks.

sending a pm on some of those plants.


----------



## jjp2

Torpedobarb said:


> one thing I do know is that the smaller the fish the larger the tank looks.


This why you removed the rainbows? Those congos will get large too. I had some that got to 3 - 3 1/2 inches. 

Might explain why my 60 seemed like a 20 and my 125 seems like a 55 with my rainbows.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I also removed the rainbows because they were trying to eat my neons at the time and the ottos.. they actually succeeded in killing a few.

so bye bye they went. I don't mind having some larger fish. but I cut back on the amount of schooling fish by 1/2


----------



## MikeS

My Red Iranian Rainbows went bye bye for eating otto's.


----------



## jjp2

I had gotten some small oto's, like 1/2 inch, and hadn't seen them for a while ... hmmmm...


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

jjp2 said:


> I had gotten some small oto's, like 1/2 inch, and hadn't seen them for a while ... hmmmm...


uh huh.. I wouldn't put anything past em. smaller ottos are harder to keep until the get bigger.. not only because of other fish nipping at them, but they aren't very healthy from what I have read.



damn Mike.. I have a rule kinda.. if one type of fish is causing fish deaths.. they gotta go. either I give them away or sell them.. or they get the almost frozen ice water treatment. :eek5::eek5::eek5:


----------



## ben314z

Torpedobarb said:


> ...or they get the almost frozen ice water treatment.


Please say you're joking. :icon_cry:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

ben314z said:


> Please say you're joking. :icon_cry:


why joking? I am totally serious. It is one of the most humane ways to euthanize a fish. They hit the ice cold water and their system shuts down almost immediate and they die within 10 seconds.

if you flush a fish down the toilet they live for hrs in torture, burning their gills in the waste.. 

I would prefer the ice treatment any day over that. Like I said.. I try to give them away or sell them. if no takers.. that is what happens. I am not going to keep fish that stress out the rest of the fish to death. sorry


----------



## Boryxs

isnt better boiling water?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

not that I know of.. the cold sends the body into shock and they die very quickly.


----------



## rich815

Torpedobarb said:


> not that I know of.. the cold sends the body into shock and they die very quickly.


This site:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/faustus/nicoldaquaria/euthanasia.htm

Agrees with you on the whole "Temperature Shock" method as they call it. And a lot of other discussion and talk about other wonderful fish euthanizing methods....

In regards to your issues with your rainbows. I have three bosemanii and 4 praecox that have been living peacefully for over a year in my 72 gal with 6+ ottos, 35 cardinal tetras and numerous other similar sized tetras (Golden, Espei, Red Phantom) and pencilfish. No problems at all. This may be because I bought all the rainbows pretty young and small but even in their bigger state now (and they are BIG, especially the bosemanni) they never chase nor bother any other fish. Mostly chase themselves.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

It is a very delicate issue to discuss to alot of fish keepers. I am a member of another board and it turned into a brutal discussion (argument) that ended with myself being called a ruthless murderer.. anyway.. it is and has been the way I have done it in the past. 

my rainbows were purchased at a larger size.. so that must have been why. I don't know


----------



## Characins

I prefer the old clove oil and vodka method. Clove oil is like anethesia, it puts them to sleep. The vodka ensures they don't wake up.

Sometimes your fish just will not live any longer and euthinasia is needed. Getting rid of a fish because you don't like it is crazy in my opinion though. I would only ever euthinize a fish if I knew it wasn't going to make it. NTD or Tuberculosis are usually the only things I will ever do it for. And I've only had to once.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Characins said:


> I prefer the old clove oil and vodka method. Clove oil is like anethesia, it puts them to sleep. The vodka ensures they don't wake up.
> 
> Sometimes your fish just will not live any longer and euthinasia is needed. Getting rid of a fish because you don't like it is crazy in my opinion though. I would only ever euthinize a fish if I knew it wasn't going to make it. NTD or Tuberculosis are usually the only things I will ever do it for. And I've only had to once.


it wasn't just because I didn't like them.. they were killing other fish and stressing the others out. I tried to give them away.. and no takers. lfs wouldn't take them. so I had to do what I had to do.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

angel

















tennelus filling in









congo tetra 









torpedobarbs  roseline sharks

















fts









the limno on the right doesn't look good.. but it is only because I trimmed it and replanted the tops.. I am working on getting a nice amount of it. I am still wanting to find some pantanal for this tank.. the first bunch didn't do well.. but that was my fault.

I am still battling the bga.. and it sucks. my nitrates are at 15ppm.. I have a ton of flow. I only feed the fish every other day to cut down on waste. I do a water change once a week. the only thing I don't have going is the air stone.


----------



## Trallen44

I really like this tank!!!!!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks.. I am still working on getting the right side of the tank looking good.. I just have to get more of the plants that I am looking for.. I really want some L pantanal


----------



## Chrisinator

Sweet like always!


----------



## MikeS

Ken......as normal, your tank looks GREAT!


----------



## rasetsu

Torpedobarb said:


> I also removed the rainbows because they were trying to eat my neons at the time and the ottos.. they actually succeeded in killing a few.
> 
> so bye bye they went. I don't mind having some larger fish. but I cut back on the amount of schooling fish by 1/2


Weird that I just happened to stumble into this thread. I added a harlequin rasbora to my tank a couple of nights and one of my bosemani rainbows tried to eat him but couldn't choke him down so he spit the rasbora out dead. The shock was probably enough to kill the poor little guy. It was traumatizing for my wife. 

I have three large male and two smaller female rainbows living amongst harlequins, rummies, cardinals, amanos and ottos for years. This was the first time I've seen any one of my bosemanis go after anything live other than RCS. The harlequinn was a little weak and smaller than the other harlequins already in there. Don't know what made the bosemani act this way. It must have sensed that it was weaker so it went after it. I spent some time observing my fish last night and the bosemanis did not exhibit any aggression.

I've already been contemplating selling the rainbows to the LFS as they have grown rather large and are making my 75 look crowded and I've grown to like small schooling fish more. If they show any more aggression, then out they go.

As for euthanizing, I would probably find at least one LFS to take them, but even if I didn't, I'd probably just relocate them to my 29g QT tank. I would not put them down. The only times I put down fish is if they are suffering from dropsy or have started to do the rolling motions. I use the clove oil and then into the freezer.


----------



## monkeyruler90

wow. looks great. thos plants are really filling in nicely! how long did it take for the e tennellus to fill in?


----------



## Complexity

Ken, the tank is looking great, as always! I'm sorry to hear about your rainbows. I saw them in the pics and was falling in love with them until I read what happened.

I just got some of the Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish (_Melanotaenia praecox_). I used to not like rainbows because of their body shape, but once I saw these in person, I couldn't pass them up! So far, so good. I hope they don't hurt my other fish like your rainbows did.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I do like the dwarf rainbows.. they are beautiful fish. I have to say that I like the personality of my Congos alot! I have to get some pictures of the tank up. I will be switching the sms out and putting 3m colorquartz sand in. I wanted it when I redid the tank with the topsoil.. but I couldn't find it without paying a ton for shipping. I am in the works of a deal to get some. can't wait!


----------



## malaybiswas

I have the same experience with rainbows. They chased my ottos like he'll on the first day, even nipped some fin but none died. The harassing has reduced over time and no casualties so far


----------



## Complexity

Good to know about the ottos. I don't have any in the tank with the rainbows, but I hope to get some later on.

How many neon rainbows did you have and in which tank?

Ken, I lose track of which thread is which. Did you say you were removing the congos? Or are you keeping them? What are they like and how do they get along with the other fish?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Complexity said:


> Ken, I lose track of which thread is which. Did you say you were removing the congos? Or are you keeping them? What are they like and how do they get along with the other fish?


the Congos are definitely here to stay! they get along great with all of the other fish except for the occasional chase which is normal. They do give each other a chase worthy of a high speed pursuit. they are beautiful when they do that too. they put all of their fins up and out.. especially their dorsal fin. I use some of the tetra color crisps a few times a week and it really makes them color up nicely.


how is you take doing?


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> how is you take doing?


LOL! Ken, you need to wake up before typing. :hihi:

I think you were asking how my tank is doing? It's doing well. It declined after the move because I just didn't keep it up, but I've been working on it, and it's beginning to take off. I have a lot of overgrown plants that I'd like to sell in the SnS when my order for the USPS boxes arrive. I thought it was time that I try to share my plants while also getting a little money so I can try out new plants for my own tank.

The 29g is a whole different story! But it'll get there.

I would love to add some congo tetras to my tank, but I'm so overstocked as it is, I don't know if there's enough water left to cram in any more fish. Maybe I could put them in my 29g? Or I could move the rainbows to the 29g and put the tetras in the 75g in their place?

So many fish. So many plant. So few gallons of tank space.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Updated Pics.. added some anubias, stargrass and changed the hardscape on the left a little bit.

































new apisto.. I have 2 vv

































not a ton of changes.. I did switch from a co2 reactor to a danner needle wheel with venturi for co2 injection. I wanted to boost the flow considerably so I didn't have to have powerheads.


----------



## Complexity

Really nice! I'm drooling over the Congos now. They're pretty large already!

One thing I'd like for you to do. Please mess up the straight row of petrified wood in the front. They're in a row and equally spaced apart. Move them forward, back, to the left, to the right, or take them out completely (and then ship them to me! :hihi. But that line needs to be broken up.

Looks great, Ken. I like how you've left lots of space in the front for the fish. How many congos do you have?


----------



## sewingalot

I need Congos! Very nice changes you have made.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I have 9 congos in the tank.. I am planning on breaking up the scape a little bit when I redo it, but not shipping them out.. unless the price is right! :hihi:


----------



## MikeS

Nice Congos Ken. Tank looks great.


----------



## Complexity

Torpedobarb said:


> ...unless the price is right! :hihi:


You wish!

Actually, I already got some petrified wood for my own tank! It's in my 29g. Not as nice or as big as yours, but it's still letting me be a copy-cat on a smaller scale. :hihi:

9 congos? How many torpedo barbs do you still have?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Complexity said:


> You wish!
> 
> Actually, I already got some petrified wood for my own tank! It's in my 29g. Not as nice or as big as yours, but it's still letting me be a copy-cat on a smaller scale. :hihi:
> 
> 9 congos? How many torpedo barbs do you still have?


I was going to say something perverted.. but I will refrain :hihi:

I have 6 currently.. I gave a few away locally to a friend of mine.. he is taking care of them nicely


----------



## Complexity

Pervert! :eek5:



Just 6 now? Why did you go down to just 6? And why wasn't *I* one of your friends who's caring for your others, hmmm? :tongue:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

LOL... I was cutting back on my bioload with the new topsoil setup. the plants take in their nutrients through the roots and the plant and fish waste doesn't get used as much and just sits there. I just reduced the amount of fish by quite a bit. I now only have 2 altum/scarlare angels, 6 roselines, 9 congo tetras, 20 rasboras, 10 white clouds (mountain minnows) 2 dwarf plecos, 1 L128 Blue Phantom Pleco, 2 apistogramma borelli, and some ottos.

I need to get rid of a few plecos too.. I have a clown pleco that needs to go

I had the tank way overstocked.. I removed about 20 neons, 10 cardinals, 2 larger plecos, 3 roselines, and 2 angels.


----------



## Complexity

Wow, you did cut back a lot! But if I know you, you'll be yanking everything out and changing it all up again soon. And who knows what you'll add then? :hihi:

I don't even want to think about talking about being overstocked. I think my fish are beginning to wonder if there's enough physical space in the tank for them to swim in!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

as a matter of fact I am redoing the tank.. I am changing over to black 3m sand and going with a much larger piece of driftwood. Thanks alot Jake!

here is a pic.. it is kinda dark.. taken prior to the noon burst.


----------



## rich815

Torpedobarb said:


> as a matter of fact I am redoing the tank.. I am changing over to black 3m sand and going with a much larger piece of driftwood. Thanks alot Jake!
> 
> here is a pic.. it is kinda dark.. taken prior to the noon burst.


Very nice. I still have such a case of collectoritis that my foregrounds rarely stay so moderately empty and clean for long!


----------



## Complexity

I knew it! I've finally figured out that some people enjoy the process of scaping and having it all grow in, but at that point, want to rescape it all over again. It's really fun to see what you come up with each time!

Me? I feel good to have the scape I've got. I'm still working on perfecting the placement of each plant. Once I get it "perfect", my goal will be to keep it healthy, trimmed, and always rejuvenated and fresh. But to change the scape all up? NEVER!

Okay, maybe not never, but I don't enjoy changing things around as much as you do.

Looking forward to the new driftwood and new scape! I'll be interested in hearing what you think of the sand. What substrates have you used so far? The sand will be #3, right?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

nope.. only the 2nd one.. I wanted to use the sand when I switched over to the topsoil but I couldn't get it locally for a reasonable price. I have a deal worked out with another member here to get it. I am also going to make the topsoil layer thicker with sand as a filler to make it a total of 2.5" deep as for the plants to reach the nutrients quicker. I will then cap it off with another 1.5" of sand.

here is a picture of the driftwood piece that I am getting.


----------



## Complexity

Oh, wow, I love that driftwood! You got lucky finding that one! :hihi:

I didn't realize you've been using mineralized soil this whole time. You were using it when your first tank broke? 2.5" for the roots will be good. Some plants really like to put out some deep roots.

I'll be watching how the sand top layer works. I think it's beautiful, but feared it would always be hard to maintain. Can't wait to see it in your tank!


----------



## Tex Gal

Looking good. Hard to see a foreground. Is there one in there?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I haven't been using the topsoil since the break.. I redid it back in october or november.. and wished I had the sand then. oh well.. there are some improvements that I needed to make anyway. I am going to use plexiglass to screw the driftwood to so it stays down. I currently have this one screwed down to a piece of slate.. but makes it difficult to plant next to it and have the roots dig in enough.


Tex.. the foreground is the E tennelus micro.. Didn't I get that from you? oohh.. nope.. looking4roselines sent those to me with some plants. you sent me a picture of what it looks like filled in. it is getting there.. I think once it is switched to the sand and has an easier time getting to the nutrient layer and staying planted it will do much better.

Ken


----------



## j66213b

when i do drift wood i just use a piece of plexi and drill some small holes in the wood and plexi and tie it w/ 20lb fishing string and then bury it in the substrate so its flush with the glass on bottom then i can plant right next to it.. just and idea only prob is you have that top soil and getting to the bottom of the tank might be a mess... i also just hate putting metal in my tank even though i know good stainless steel screw are fine....but tank looks good:thumbsup:


----------



## H82LOS3

Beautiful tank!
i wish my tank is bigger


----------



## rich815

H82LOS3 said:


> Beautiful tank!
> i wish my tank is bigger


He he! I have a 72 gal and I often wish mine was bigger! Especially after I just got Amano's third book with all those tanks just a bit longer than mine!


----------



## sunfire99

Torpedobarb, Love your tank!! I see you posted a picture of an Angel. Is it still in your tank, is it the only one, and how did it behave with your smaller fish? My wife really wants Angels, and I plan to get some well established large schools of tetras, corys, otos and plants before I add juvenile Angels last. From what I read, if introducsed while small, with smaller fish that could one day be food size for Angels, they do OK. I'm in New Castle by the way, and will be looking for local plant suppliers soon if you can recommend anyone, or place. Thanks!!

Steve


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

sunfire99 said:


> Torpedobarb, Love your tank!! I see you posted a picture of an Angel. Is it still in your tank, is it the only one, and how did it behave with your smaller fish? My wife really wants Angels, and I plan to get some well established large schools of tetras, corys, otos and plants before I add juvenile Angels last. From what I read, if introducsed while small, with smaller fish that could one day be food size for Angels, they do OK. I'm in New Castle by the way, and will be looking for local plant suppliers soon if you can recommend anyone, or place. Thanks!!
> 
> Steve


New Castle.. the High School Basketball Hall of Fame city! I spent a week there back in 01.. I was in a training course with SBC there.

I do have 2 Scalare Angels in there. I have some congos, het rasboras, and of course torpedobarbs


----------



## funkyfish

I Love your tank  Very nice


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thanks! I can't wait to redo the tank in a few weeks with new 3m sand


----------



## funkyfish

Can't wait for the pictures


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I picked up some new plants today.. rotala indica red. a few crypts for the new scape.

got a pair of Pelvicachromis subocellatus male and female. 15 whisker shrimp, 2 big bamboo shrimp, 10 ottos, 3 siamese algae eaters.

all of it for 60.00 because of aquarium adventure's 50% off fish and plants!

I am redoing the tank either sometime during the week or next weekend. I have to wash the colorquartz, finish the soil and clay loam, and woot! ready to go.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

ok.. already had one of the shrimp that were over 1" or so get eaten by my 4" torpedobarb. he couldn't even get it into his mouth. he was swimming around with half a shrimp in his mouth! butthole. I am seriously starting to wonder about having larger fish in my tank. I am thinking that I should just have a school of smaller fish.

How big do amano shrimp get? I know that they usually ship at 1/2" to 1" and that is too small because they will get eaten. does anyone know where you can get them larger than that?


----------



## CL

Amonos can be huge. I think ll had one that was 3 or 4 inches


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

good! I want some of those! I did get 2 bamboo shrimp.. male and female.. they are about 3". they are the cool ones with the little fans for picking up goodies!


----------



## hydrophyte

Torpedobarb said:


> Updated Pics.. added some anubias, stargrass and changed the hardscape on the left a little bit.


i like this tank a lot. 75's are nice and big and it must be a great display. do your fish always shoal as nicely as in this picture? this big group of roselines if fantastic--i have usually only ever seen a single one used as a centerpiece.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

they do shoal for the most part. the roselines or torpedobarbs shoal nicely too. I am contemplating getting rid of them. I love them.. but everytime I get shrimp they all end up dead because the get eaten. yesterday I added 15 whisker shrimp most of them were 1.5". I caught the larger roseline eating one.. had over half of it sticking out of it's mouth. I am suprised it didn't choke itself.

so anyone who might be interested in them.. let me know.. I am still thinking about it though. not for sure yet


----------



## hydrophyte

boy if i had a big tank i would call dibs on those torpedoes.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lol.. I am sure alot of people would!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

damn... I would have thought that quite a few people would have responded to this thread with the comment I made about the roseline sharks.


----------



## sewingalot

Torpedobarb said:


> they do shoal for the most part. the roselines or torpedobarbs shoal nicely too. I am contemplating getting rid of them. I love them.. but everytime I get shrimp they all end up dead because the get eaten. yesterday I added 15 whisker shrimp most of them were 1.5". I caught the larger roseline eating one.. had over half of it sticking out of it's mouth. I am suprised it didn't choke itself.
> 
> so anyone who might be interested in them.. let me know.. I am still thinking about it though. not for sure yet


WHAT?!?!? You - get rid of roselines??????? :angryfire


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Thought about it! lol


getting ready to update the thread.


----------



## sewingalot

You better not! If you do - send me them with your tank and I'll take good care of them. :hihi: I am looking forward to the updates. Any hints?


----------



## cah925

You got me ready with the new title, but no pics yet. I guess I'm too fast for you.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Ok... I redid the tank with 3m colorquartz sand this time. I used part mineralized soil and delta clay loam from Tom Barr. I mixed it all together with about a 50/50 mixture of soil-clay to sand. I added some osmocote, potash and dolomite to the bottom as well as a little sprinkle when I mixed it up well.

The 3M colorquartz took about 4 days of rinsing to be clear of oily residue. I split it up into 4 large tupperware containers with 50lbs each. rinsed it out about 10x per day. There was no oil left in the sand so I was good to go!

It took me just over 10hrs of so to complete this redo. I had to remove all of the existing plants and bag them up in groups. I setup my 29gal and 10gal for holding tanks for the fish and shrimp. no filters, just heaters. I used existing tank water and I fast the fish for a few days prior to stop any ammonia spikes. Once I had all of the fish out I removed all of the existing SMS with the soil mixed in (which if anyone is interested I will sell it to them for next to nothing) and cleaned the tank well. I used a bleach mix of 20 parts water to 1 part bleach and scrubbed the tank out to kill any bacteria or algae that might be lurking. I did have some BGA.

Plants:
Anubias Nana
Crypt Beckettii
Crypt Wendtii Bronze
Crypt Lutea Green
Rotala Indica
Rotala Macrandra (Thanks Drinda!)
Pogostemon Stellata Broadleaf
Blyxa Japonica/Aubertii
Red Tiger Lotus
Crinum Calamistratum
Ammania sp. 'Bonsai'
Echinodorus 'vesuvius'
Limnophila sp 'mini'
Rotala sp Macrandra 'green'
Lobelia Cardinalis (small form)
Lloydiella (Lysimachia nummularia)

Fish:
Roseline Sharks (puntis denisonii) 6
Congo Tetra 9
Het Rasboras 15
White Clouds (mountain minnows) 15
Ottos 10
Siamese Algae Eaters 3
Whisker Shrimp 14
Bamboo Shrimp 2
Albino/ Clown/Striped Dwarf Plecos 
Raphael Catfish 1
Scalare Angel 1

I had to figure out last hard scape ideas which took some time. Here are some pictures.

first is the picture of the 2.5" of muddy/clay sand.

















here is the hardscape with the mud capped off. (the larger rock on the left side middle under the branches was removed after this)









Glosso planted.. some anubias tied on and slowly filling for obvious reasons 









Filled up and planted... be nice now.









Side View before I removed most of the loc-line. it is now only a few knuckles out.


















Shrimpy!









Kribs ( Pelvicachromis Subocellatus) Female darkens up on her head and tail to almost black. stomach will stay nice and bright pink when this happens.

























left side of the tank









middle left








mid right









Right side









Full Tank Shot. this is the first night after I was finished. Everything has perked up and I have the Crinum Calamistratum.










I am open to comments and suggestions.. thanks for looking at all of the pictures!

Ken


----------



## Tex Gal

It looks good. Can't wait to see it grown out. I'm gonna love the red that you have in there!


----------



## cah925

Everything looks great! Are you planning on leaving the wood bare?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

cah925 said:


> Everything looks great! Are you planning on leaving the wood bare?


I am actually.. I like the look of bare without plants. I do like it with plants too. I just don't like moss being all over the tank.. spreads like the flu. any other suggestions for a cover?


----------



## Minsc

Nice!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Minsc said:


> Nice!


Thank you. I can't wait for the crypts to grow bigger and the glosso to fill in.


----------



## plantbrain

Torpedobarb said:


> Thank you. I can't wait for the crypts to grow bigger and the glosso to fill in.


Careful what you wish for
Hack hack hack, trim trim trim.........

I'd go Congos or Roselines, not both.
Roselines get kinda of bully like in a pack as they grow, they look all nice a cute, then when they are 5-6", they roam like a pack wolves. And they are as smart and hard to remove as a large SAE. 
Congos just never stop eating.

If you used the rock to make a nice hedge, or serpentine terrace, or grouped around the base of the tree(or added some more branches etc here and there, then used the rocks to shore the wood up), do you think it would look better?

As the plants grow, you will not see much of the rocks. Spread out it just takes up planting space and will get covered.

You can make raised regions or a long single wall, or a few spots that lead back into the rear of the tank etc.
Think about that, and see if that has more appeal to you.

You might also like the 1/2" 24 inch long loc line spray bars vs the larger single returns. I keep them short or go with the spray bar and try and hide them. They run 35$ though.......tain't cheap.



Regards, 
Tom Barr


----------



## fishsandwitch

Where did you get those kribs?


----------



## malaybiswas

nice


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

plantbrain said:


> Careful what you wish for
> Hack hack hack, trim trim trim.........
> 
> I'd go Congos or Roselines, not both.
> Roselines get kinda of bully like in a pack as they grow, they look all nice a cute, then when they are 5-6", they roam like a pack wolves. And they are as smart and hard to remove as a large SAE.
> Congos just never stop eating.
> 
> If you used the rock to make a nice hedge, or serpentine terrace, or grouped around the base of the tree(or added some more branches etc here and there, then used the rocks to shore the wood up), do you think it would look better?
> 
> As the plants grow, you will not see much of the rocks. Spread out it just takes up planting space and will get covered.
> 
> You can make raised regions or a long single wall, or a few spots that lead back into the rear of the tank etc.
> Think about that, and see if that has more appeal to you.
> 
> You might also like the 1/2" 24 inch long loc line spray bars vs the larger single returns. I keep them short or go with the spray bar and try and hide them. They run 35$ though.......tain't cheap.
> 
> 
> 
> Regards,
> Tom Barr


Do you maybe have a picture of what you are talking about scape wise? maybe a picture on the aga contest website etc? I did remove alot of the loc line. they are only about 2 knuckles out from the discharge tube coming in on both sides.

I think that I am going to need more colorquartz sand to do what you are talking about.



fishsandwitch said:


> Where did you get those kribs?


I picked them up at aquarium adventure in Bolingbrook IL.
http://aquariumadventure.com/


malaybiswas said:


> nice


Thank you!


I do have newer pictures.. I just need to update them. The stellatus is growing nicely already.. the crowns are pointing straight up and getting big.

Ken


----------



## jinx©

I'm liking the new scape. "proud" 

I believe Tom means just grouping the rocks a little tighter in formation to basically form a retaining wall of sorts to raise the center area where the wood is. That and/or raising other areas in the same manner.
Personally I think that could add a lot of character to the layout if pulled off right, but honestly it looks pretty good already.


----------



## Cbwmn

Torpedobarb said:


> well..
> 
> I dose 3x a week with dry ferts and 2x with liquid. all of the lights, co2 and air pump are on timers.!


I thought that you didn't have to dose fertilizer when you have a mineralized substrate system!
However I haven't read all the posts to the end.
Am I wrong?
Charles


----------



## hydrophyte

Torpedobarb said:


> I am actually.. I like the look of bare without plants. I do like it with plants too.


i agree. i like the looks of tanks just re-scaped or just set up, when the plant growth is still thin and everyrthing is very clean and the water is crystal clear.

but they look awful nice grown in too.



Torpedobarb said:


> Full Tank Shot. this is the first night after I was finished. Everything has perked up and I have the Crinum Calamistratum.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ken


looks really great boss. i am surprised i missed this post Sunday. nice work!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Cbwmn said:


> I thought that you didn't have to dose fertilizer when you have a mineralized substrate system!
> However I haven't read all the posts to the end.
> Am I wrong?
> Charles


You don't have to dose using the nutrient rich substrate.. but it will last longer and not run out as quickly if you still dose some water column ferts. I only add a little every few days or so. I didn't on my last setup of just topsoil and the plants looked good to me!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

hydrophyte said:


> looks really great boss. i am surprised i missed this post Sunday. nice work!



I like the look too.. I just like it better once all of the plants have perked up like in the pictures I am going to post here in a minute.

btw.. you soil is shipping in the morning.. I did more drying cycles on it to be safe for you. sorry for the delay.

Ken


----------



## smoq

Your tank is truly amazing. I love how the black substrate perfectly contrast with your plants. Keep on rockin!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

ok.. some updated pictures.. with plants perking up.. except the ones that I added today.. but you will get the idea.

stellatus.. pointing straight up!

















crinum calamistratum and others









my favorite FTS..


















I am really enjoying this scape!


----------



## cah925

Those last 2 shots are going to look incredible as the glosso fills in.


----------



## hydrophyte

fantastic! and good picture-taking too.

it really does make a big difference when the plants have had a few hours to reorient themselves. the whole aquascape quickly assumes a much more believable look after this happens.

thanks for the update on the soil--no big rush at all, but i am interested to see it.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

cah925 said:


> Those last 2 shots are going to look incredible as the glosso fills in.


I can't wait for it to fill in either. I am thinking about what Tom said about moving the rocks closer to the center near the tree. that piece of wood is tied down to a piece of plexi-glass at the bottom of the tank.



hydrophyte said:


> fantastic! and good picture-taking too.
> 
> it really does make a big difference when the plants have had a few hours to reorient themselves. the whole aquascape quickly assumes a much more believable look after this happens.
> 
> thanks for the update on the soil--no big rush at all, but i am interested to see it.


The soil is packaged up and label applied. being picked up tomorrow morning by the carrier.

the plants didn't look that good even the next day.. but by tuesday they were starting to look great!

the pictures were photoshopped. I just blacked out the top of the tank and the room walls. the rest is el-natural!

not to toot my own horn.. I think that I am doing well considering that I have only had this tank for just over a year. This is my second tank ever and I got my 29gal only a few months before this one. so basically a year and a half.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

oh.. and you can see in the pictures kinda that I removed the ton of loc-line. so it is nice and short for now. the pictures that look blurry or the tank dirty.. that is the co2 being injected from my needle wheel.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

changed it so that the grouping is closer to the wood.. let me know if this is what you are talking about guys.


----------



## oldpunk78

wow man! that's going to awesome when it grows in and the glosso forms a nice carpet. nice re-scape.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Thanks! 

I think that I need to move the rocks with the anubias to the right as a group.. they are off to the left too much. Or I just add more anubias to the right side.

I will plant more crypts on the left side near the center where it is bare.


----------



## cah925

I think it looks good. Having those few rocks on the left helps it look more natural (random) to me.


----------



## CL

eh-oh
It looks great man! Gotta love that dw!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

the rocks on the sides are still there. if you picture just the main group around the tree moved a few inches to the right. I would get up and take pictures but I just had a vasectomy yesterday and the boys still hurt! ewww I know.


the glosso is growing like crazy already. one of the nodes that I planted has already spread about 4" away on a runner. most have runners already. the stellatus has grown considerably and large. the rotala macrandra red has perked up and is deep red now. the crypts are growing nicely. the blyxa aubertii has gotten pink in the center etc. my new kribs have claimed their territory.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

here are some new pictures....

the glosso is filling in nicely.. the macrandra is nice and red. the stellatus is getting big crowns and color is nice. the crypts are looking nice. the limno sp green is definitely green! the limno sp mini looks great.


----------



## hydrophyte

nice! everything looks really happy. i like that you can still clearly see the creeping habit of the glosso. as it closes in it will be less apparent.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

May 9th










May 17th









May 9th glosso









May 17th glosso.. spreading nicely


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

glosso is spreading nicely and good to report no algae at all so far.. ***keeping fingers crossed***


----------



## chonhzilla

awesome progress!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Thank you!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

May 9th glosso









May 17th glosso.. spreading nicely









May 29th glosso.. almost there

























limno green top shot








stargrass
















tiger lotus








lots of crypts
















some fts's


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

kribs,shrimpy,roseline


----------



## FSM

It looks very nice. Are you using T grade colorquartz? I bought a bag of S grade yesterday, but I still need to get a light and some CO2 stuff for my 75.

A bit of moss at the ends of the branches would look really good I think. Right now the driftwood isn't very noticeable because of the dark color and black background.

You can paint the PVC black with Krylon Fusion so it doesn't stand out.


----------



## hydrophyte

looks fantastic. bravo!


----------



## blair

Wow, looks fantastic! Keep it up


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

FSM said:


> It looks very nice. Are you using T grade colorquartz? I bought a bag of S grade yesterday, but I still need to get a light and some CO2 stuff for my 75.
> 
> A bit of moss at the ends of the branches would look really good I think. Right now the driftwood isn't very noticeable because of the dark color and black background.
> 
> You can paint the PVC black with Krylon Fusion so it doesn't stand out.


I have a new set of pvc that I have painted with fusion and the intake blue tubes also. 

moss might make the ends of the wood stand out.. but I don't like the look of it on this piece.. I like the wood bare. once the tank fills in completely I think that the wood will stand out more than you think. moss to me is a pain in the ass because it gets everywhere and is almost impossible to remove. kinda like duckweed.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

the T grade is the one you want to use for aquarium use. the S grade from what I understand is too fine of a grade and will compact too much and cause problems.


----------



## sewingalot

Too awesome!


----------



## CL

Very nice! I'm lovin' the new scape!


----------



## bartak

great work, I really like it.


----------



## MikeS

Wow, Ken. Tank is looking Awesome. Really like the ground cover.


----------



## ICPjuggla

wow, good work looks really nice!!


----------



## Coltonorr

Ken, the tank looks great! It's filling in nicely!


----------



## kali

ken ..looking good ..i loving it
KALI


----------



## monkeyruler90

looking good ken!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

wow.. thanks everyone for the comments! since I took those pics it has almost completely filled in and has begun to grow on top of itself and getting thick. I have already had to pull some that was growing under the stems and replant them. looks like I am going to have to have a weekly glosso sale thread.. lol

I am thinking about getting rid of the torpedobarbs and keeping just one of them. I have 6 of them total. most of them are 2.5" or so. the one I am going to keep is 4.5" and it will be a show piece. I would like to get more congo tetras to maybe have a school of about 25 of them. if anyone is interested in them who might be in chicagoland let me know.. I have never shipped fish before so I don't know how it would fair.

Ken


----------



## Gatekeeper

Tank looks outstanding! The May 29th FTS is awesome. I was concerned for you collectoritis you had going, but man it filled in nicely.


----------



## spiralin

yes , WOW in the shots awile back, I thought that looks like my tank .. lol with the collectoritis , lol but OMG ~~ the outcome is GREAT !! I wish I could get my 75 up tis nice, looks way bigger than a 75 !! I LOVE your substrate !! right now I am using old- eco, and I just bought black gravel to fill it in, did not have enough left over from my 45 gal, so now in the 75 I am right now in the process of adding more black gravel, I will put root tabs, and maybye some laterite ice cubes later, but this is all I could afford for now  I know I cant grow any foreground except blxa jap, and I have grown stargrass into a nice foreground but it alwasy gets back ends, and eventually I have to pull it out . I know I couldent grow glosso, are you running pressurized co2 ? I cant afford that yet ethier  ,. but I am dosing dry ferts & some liquids, and I also do root tabs every other mth. Your tank looks AWESOME !!! GREAT JOB !! ~~ I cant wait to see the next pic .... I love that pc of wood, great find there. I have a few stump pc's that I am going to tie together & probally use a little silicone too . but nothing as tall & nice as that pc ! I agree abotu the moss, I dont like it in this kind of set up ethier, its great for breed out tanks, and some long tanks on a huge long pc of wood, TW moss looks good like that but you have to cut it down often , and keep filtration on it , also loads of shrimpys to keep it clean ...... YOu have done a great tank here !! nice work ! how much did the substrate cost in all ? just wondering incase I ever get the nerve' to do a glosso covered tank ... lol ~~ I will keep up on this thread for the newest pix !! wish I lived closer I would love to get those fish ... good luck and great job its very nice planted tank 

ps.. my only IMO ~ I would remove the myro from the middle back center, and put in a diff stem, *( like a flowing over the water green sag, helferi, somthing like that , or even aromatica. ) but this is just my taste, other than that I think everything is awesome ! 

PPS ~ what is your lighting , ?? I am sorry if you said, but I have read several of the pages now, and havent read it yet , please tell me as detailed as you can, like I said I have a 75 gallon, and I have a 4 light coralife over it, (needs new bulbs) and I dont have any co2, all my plants are growing well, but ofcorse they would boom if I coudl upgrade!) just wondering what you are using . thanxs


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

gmccreedy said:


> Tank looks outstanding! The May 29th FTS is awesome. I was concerned for you collectoritis you had going, but man it filled in nicely.


Thanks Glenn! I tried to not get out of control.. but when Drinda sends you plants.. I couldn't just throw them out! LOL



spiralin said:


> yes , WOW in the shots awile back, I thought that looks like my tank .. lol with the collectoritis , lol but OMG ~~ the outcome is GREAT !! I wish I could get my 75 up tis nice, looks way bigger than a 75 !! I LOVE your substrate !! right now I am using old- eco, and I just bought black gravel to fill it in, did not have enough left over from my 45 gal, so now in the 75 I am right now in the process of adding more black gravel, I will put root tabs, and maybye some laterite ice cubes later, but this is all I could afford for now  I know I cant grow any foreground except blxa jap, and I have grown stargrass into a nice foreground but it alwasy gets back ends, and eventually I have to pull it out . I know I couldent grow glosso, are you running pressurized co2 ? I cant afford that yet ethier  ,. but I am dosing dry ferts & some liquids, and I also do root tabs every other mth. Your tank looks AWESOME !!! GREAT JOB !! ~~ I cant wait to see the next pic .... I love that pc of wood, great find there. I have a few stump pc's that I am going to tie together & probally use a little silicone too . but nothing as tall & nice as that pc ! I agree abotu the moss, I dont like it in this kind of set up ethier, its great for breed out tanks, and some long tanks on a huge long pc of wood, TW moss looks good like that but you have to cut it down often , and keep filtration on it , also loads of shrimpys to keep it clean ...... YOu have done a great tank here !! nice work ! how much did the substrate cost in all ? just wondering incase I ever get the nerve' to do a glosso covered tank ... lol ~~ I will keep up on this thread for the newest pix !! wish I lived closer I would love to get those fish ... good luck and great job its very nice planted tank
> 
> ps.. my only IMO ~ I would remove the myro from the middle back center, and put in a diff stem, *( like a flowing over the water green sag, helferi, somthing like that , or even aromatica. ) but this is just my taste, other than that I think everything is awesome !
> 
> PPS ~ what is your lighting , ?? I am sorry if you said, but I have read several of the pages now, and havent read it yet , please tell me as detailed as you can, like I said I have a 75 gallon, and I have a 4 light coralife over it, (needs new bulbs) and I dont have any co2, all my plants are growing well, but ofcorse they would boom if I coudl upgrade!) just wondering what you are using . thanxs



I like aromatica but I have had bad luck with it.. like when you look at it wrong it dies! some of the plants in here are only to grow them out and see how they do in this setup. 

the substrate only cost me the topsoil and time it takes to do it. the clay loam I got from a member here. the clay loam is an additive I put it. The 3m Colorquartz was 19.00 per 50lb bag which I made a deal with a fellow member (thanks Jason!) for a soil kit. 

as for the setup. I am running a Catalina Solar 216W T5 fixture with a 10hr photoperiod. 6700K bulbs for the duration with a 5hr noon burst of 10k bulbs. I am running 2 rena xp3's with purigen as a water polisher. I have a UV sterilizer (coralife 9w turbotwist) that runs for a few hrs every few days. it is ran inline with one of the filters.

I do have pressurized co2 which is diffused by a Danner Mag Pump Needle Wheel with a venturi system. it is ran inline on the other filter. it is the 350gph model. flow is kickin!

I would have to say that so far I haven't had any trouble with growth. I would like to try blyxa jap. again. I would like to have some in front of the rocks. the crypts are growing like crazy and they will look nice behind the others.


thank you for the compliments. believe it or not this is only my second aquarium dating back to Jan of 08. so I have only been doing this for 1.5yrs. the 75gal I got last April. so just over a year with this one.

Ken


----------



## sewingalot

In just a 1.5 years and you have this amazing tank? Why o' why can't I have one just as nice? Looking good, Ken.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

sewingalot said:


> In just a 1.5 years and you have this amazing tank? Why o' why can't I have one just as nice? Looking good, Ken.


are you crazy... you tank looks awesome!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I put the roseline sharks up in the swap-n-shop 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/swap-n-shop/88557-fs-roseline-sharks-torpedo-barbs-puntius.html


----------



## sewingalot

Torpedobarb said:


> are you crazy... you tank looks awesome!


You don't know how well I hide my algae. :hihi: I still can't believe you are parting with your roselines. :eek5: Sometimes I feel like doing that with my platy fish but I am too much of a sucker for the little guys.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

it isn't that I don't like them.. I do.. really do. I just want to try something different is all. I am looking to get a nice size school of congos. I might get rid of my white clouds too.

lol.. algae is always hidden when updated pics are taken! at least mine are :hihi:


----------



## chase127

i actually said "damn, shawty" out loud :hihi: great tank man. makes my 75 look weeeeeeeeeeak  keep up the great scaping.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

chris127 said:


> i actually said "damn, shawty" out loud :hihi: great tank man. makes my 75 look weeeeeeeeeeak  keep up the great scaping.


you tank looks awesome Chris.. I like it alot. I tried something like that.. but I couldn't get it right. your driftwood placement is amazing. I like the lush green of it. the simplicity of the plants that you have make it look clean and natural. (simplicity isn't an insult) I mean that the tank only having a few species placed right makes it look more natural flowing to me. Kudos roud:


----------



## sewingalot

I completely understand that. I want to eventually get a huge school of emporer tetras (I am probably spelling this wrong) but I am still a little chicken to step out of the comfort zone of my current fish. A nice school of congos would look awesome. The ones you have already make me smile.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lol... you mean these emperor tetras... I have a few still.. they are delicate fish to get going.

these are all from my tank.


----------



## sewingalot

Okay, I am officially envious. Now that I have your address, I am going to sneak into your house one day and take those emperors! :hihi: Of course, it would be cheaper to order some more. I have two right now and would like at least four more.


----------



## legomaniac89

Wow, that is impressive. You have so much variation in colors and textures and shape it's almost not fair :hihi:. I don't think you could have a better selection of plants in there if you tried.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

LOL... don't tempt me!


----------



## Fish for Brains

Wow, your rescape is looking awesome. Hard to believe this is just a few weeks old.

I've run into some non-tank related delays in getting my scape going with your soil, but I'm slowly working my way through my setup checklist. Thanks again for the swap and all your advice.


----------



## plantbrain

Torpedobarb said:


> it isn't that I don't like them.. I do.. really do. I just want to try something different is all. I am looking to get a nice size school of congos. I might get rid of my white clouds too.
> 
> lol.. algae is always hidden when updated pics are taken! at least mine are :hihi:


Congos are really good fish for tanks.

Hard to beat.

Cardinals, Brass tetra, serpa tetras, Rummies etc, quite a few out there.
Roselines get big and bossy, even in larger tanks..........too much like SAE's after awhile I guess.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


----------



## hydrophyte

wow that's and amazing fish offer. if i had a big to put 'em in i would make the drive for the pick up.

here is a quote for the latest from this tank.



Torpedobarb said:


>


really nice.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

plantbrain said:


> Congos are really good fish for tanks.
> 
> Hard to beat.
> 
> Cardinals, Brass tetra, serpa tetras, Rummies etc, quite a few out there.
> Roselines get big and bossy, even in larger tanks..........too much like SAE's after awhile I guess.
> 
> Regards,
> Tom Barr


that is the main reason for getting rid of them! I would like a school of 20+ for my tank... I will probably remove the rasboras too. I would have the white clouds and the congos.


----------



## vtkid

wow, much different from your first set up. awesome


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

thank you! it does look to me


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

here some updated pictures.. nothing really spectacular 

















the glosso had filled in and then I trimmed it down!


----------



## hydrophyte

looks nice to me. i thought that you were going to sell those roselines(?).


----------



## Gatekeeper

LMAO! I love the needle wheel fog! I can totally see it in the picture.


----------



## Down_Shift

wow beautiful tank...


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

hydrophyte said:


> looks nice to me. i thought that you were going to sell those roselines(?).


I am still in the middle of a deal.. the details keep messing it up



gmccreedy said:


> LMAO! I love the needle wheel fog! I can totally see it in the picture.


 I know.. lol!



Down_Shift said:


> wow beautiful tank...


thank you!


----------



## blair

Looks really nice! Is that manzanita? It has really taken on a dark shade in that photo. I love it


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

blair said:


> Looks really nice! Is that manzanita? It has really taken on a dark shade in that photo. I love it


yep! got it from badcopnofishtank and it is really nice!

the darker spots of the wood are in the shade because of the size of the piece. it takes up almost the entire spacing from front to back if I turn it the right way. I have it in there twisted some to the side so I can get the stems planted behind it.

thank you!


----------



## sewingalot

This looks great, the glosso has really taken off, hasn't it. And you were asking originally if it would do well in mineralized soil. :hihi:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lol... I wasn't sure if it would or not.. but now I realize that it does better in a nutrient rich substrate! even since I trimmed it away from the glass it has already sent runners right back to it. the crypts are growing out of control! they are getting large and bushy like and the deep reddish color is coming out.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

here are a few new pictures.... my crypts have gone crazy! I added a few weeks ago some blyxa japonica.. growing nicely. look at how the p stellatus has grown in a week.

some really nice pictures of my congos too!

white clouds









congos

































BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYED EMPEROR TETRA!









crypts and blyxa









crypt lutea coming in.. center behind the driftwood










crypts again crazy! crinum calamistratus too









diversifolia (spelling is wrong) turned purple.. but healthy, 5 stems total.. only moved one to show the color against a green








a little blurry

















kribs
















full tank shots

















enjoy... at least I hope so!

Ken


----------



## CL

It looks great! Sorry if I missed it, but what are the LED strips for?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

those are the lunar lights. I bought that strip on ebay last year for about 25.00.. I used to have the glass top so I just had it laying on there. now with the fixture up high like it is and the open top I just used double faced tape and attached it pointing down towards the front of the tank.. 

do you think that my light fixture would get too hot for the led closure? it is made of plastic with rubber end caps. I can attach it with some really strong double faced tape.


----------



## CL

I'm not sure about the lights, but how do you like the flow accelerators?


----------



## fish-aholic

Looking good. I love your congos!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

fish-aholic said:


> Looking good. I love your congos!


LOL.. if I were a chick I would take that as a compliment! :icon_eek:

thanks for the feedback!

Ken


----------



## sewingalot

I spit out my drink laughing! I love your fish as well. You know, I am going to have to quit looking at your journal. You make me feel so inadequate when it comes to actually hardscaping and arranging a tank. Glad to hear the blyxa is doing so well!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

don't feel that way Sara.. there are many many many tanks out there that make mine look like a betta bow at walmart. You tank looks great! how long have you been in the hobby?


----------



## sewingalot

Aquariums in general 20 years. Planted tanks? Since October last year. That emperor tetra is so cute. I wonder if it thought it was hiding?


----------



## CL

I didn't even notice the blyxa. Pretty soon it's going to be taking over that tank, but it would look awesome


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

sewingalot said:


> Aquariums in general 20 years. Planted tanks? Since October last year. That emperor tetra is so cute. I wonder if it thought it was hiding?


he knew what he was doing... I was following him across the tank to get that shot.. sneaky little guy.

what type of tanks prior to planted?

I got into the hobby in Jan. 08 with a 29gal. in april of that year I got the 75gal. my first tank was sad!

20yrs of aquarium keeping and your first planted tank.... wow.


----------



## sewingalot

Glad to see my emperors aren't the only crazy fish. Ever since I put up the block legs, they love to hang under it. I think they like the shade it gives. 

I had mostly goldfish, a few community tanks and cichlids. I really love goldfish, but they are so messy and so are the South American Cichlids now that I think about it. I stopped raising them after I started college, I didn't have the time. After graduating, I had a huge school of black widow/skirt tetras until about a year ago. They were an awesome schooling fish. Long story short - quarantine! 

I got into planted tanks actually by stumbling on this site. I saw dewalltheway's 55 gallon and fell in love. I had to essentially buy all my plants online due to the lack of decent aquatic plants sold here. I buy all my plants through the S&S now. I guess that is why I give out so many plants for just shipping or trade. Okay, enough rambling...

I still can't believe you have only been in the hobby since January of last year. You have done a fantastic job. Especially with the fish selection. They are beautiful.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

it is true.. somewhere in this journal is a picture of my old tank.. a 29gal, larger blue gravel, sunken lighthouse, bad rock design, fake plants etc. I did jump into this fairly quickly.. head first into the shallow end of the pool. I will get better with time. alot more than people think with a planted tank.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I pulled all of the glosso and replanted it. I had to add some more of the colorquartz sand to add more of a slope.
I split my cardinalis apart into more plants. I trimmed anubias and spread it out. I need more but I will wait until it grows more.


verticillata








pennywort








purple plant that was supposed to be dying.. not... it is living








my crypts.. growing like mad!

















center with crypts and anubias
















right side shot









aerial full tank shot








































full tank shot


----------



## mountaindew

Very nice!
Well taken care of. 
My tanks always end up root bound over time. Its nice to see clean substrate.
MD


----------



## Tex Gal

Looking so good! Still no fertilizing?


----------



## speedie408

I like your tank a lot man. PROPS!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Tex Gal said:


> Looking so good! Still no fertilizing?


I do dose the water column.. just a minimal amount every few days. Thanks for the compliment!



speedie408 said:


> I like your tank a lot man. PROPS!


Thank you!


----------



## beginerplanted

you know for a second i didnt think anybody on here knew about aquariumplants.com(s) very own plant substrate exept me until i saw this journal.
your torpedos look awesome (i cant afford them)
and i wish i had some of you bogwood like yours i cant find any up here in south dakota unless its attached to an underwater tree that i happen to snag (wich seems to happen alot with me) while fishing for bass or walleye.


----------



## @[email protected]

your tank looks beast!
i LOVE your tank right now. and clearly, so do the bronze crypts.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

beginerplanted said:


> you know for a second i didnt think anybody on here knew about aquariumplants.com(s) very own plant substrate exept me until i saw this journal.
> your torpedos look awesome (i cant afford them)
> and i wish i had some of you bogwood like yours i cant find any up here in south dakota unless its attached to an underwater tree that i happen to snag (wich seems to happen alot with me) while fishing for bass or walleye.


the wood is manzanita. get ahold of badcopnofishtank, he sells it. that is where I got that piece from! 

the aquariumplants.com substrate is nothing more than SMS (soil master select) which is much cheaper!


----------



## beginerplanted

dam they lied to me
:angryfire


----------



## ganjero

what fixture are you using?


----------



## lauraleellbp

I think he's got a Solar T5HO on there?

I really like the black substrate, Ken... of course, I'm biased, but I really think it's making the plants and those torpedo barbs pop. :biggrin:


----------



## trigun808

GREAT Scape i love it! i use to have topredo barbs, they are so awesome!


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

lauraleellbp said:


> I think he's got a Solar T5HO on there?
> 
> I really like the black substrate, Ken... of course, I'm biased, but I really think it's making the plants and those torpedo barbs pop. :biggrin:



yes it is.. works great! I have a 10hr photo period with a 2.5hr noon burst. trying to keep the intensity down which has worked so far.

still have no one to take the barbs. I had a deal with a member here (forgot the member's name) and it kept getting put on hold with meet up issues. I had a problem with my account here and it deleted all of my pm's. I had no way to contact him again. I was trading 5 roselines for 10 male congos. oh well.


----------



## greekfish

what size bucket did you order from aquariumplants.com? and what color did you order?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I will be updating this thread soon... i picked up more congos and the roselines are gone now. I have picked up some nice stems lately and need to get some updated photos.
everything is going fine.. I do have some BGA but I am keeping it at bay.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I did pick up more congos so I have about 30 total and they look awesome!

I also picked up 5 yellow tailed congo tetras. one of the most beautiful fish I have ever seen.
general picture not mine. I will get some taken. the yellow tail is more vibrant than it is in the picture


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## TheCryptKeeper

yellow tailed congo

















regular congos 









fts

diversifolia has been trimmed down. this was right after I added golden nesaea and red. my crypts are growing amazingly still. I added some java fern it is just small still but it will be popping up amongst the crypts. the crypt lutea in the center is awesome! doesn't look like it but it is over 10" tall.

















I have about 30 congos with 7 of them females.. beautiful shoaling! 










there it is... long over due. I am still battling some bga and a little bit of bsa but nothing that I can't keep under control with normal maintenance. I change the water every few weeks mostly to suck out waste. when there is alot of lower ground cover there is alot of poo!


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## hydrophyte

Hey here's this tank. It's looking great. I love those Congo tetras.


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## TheCryptKeeper

hydrophyte said:


> Hey here's this tank. It's looking great. I love those Congo tetras.


thanks alot, I do love those congos too. they have a great personality, always chasing and playing around especially racing across the tank.

do you like the crypts? they are huge with the topsoil in there.


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## dewalltheway

Looking really good! :thumbsup: I love the congos! I want to get some so bad. I also really like the yellow tailed one as well. Is that P. Stellatus broad leaf in the back right?


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## TheCryptKeeper

dewalltheway said:


> Looking really good! :thumbsup: I love the congos! I want to get some so bad. I also really like the yellow tailed one as well. Is that P. Stellatus broad leaf in the back right?


yeah.. it is the broadleaf version. it is growing huge crowns in the topsoil. the stalk on some of the older stems are about 3/8" diameter. I have trimmed down the plants since these pictures. I can't wait for the green crypts that I just planted to take off.. same with the java fern.


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## Coltonorr

Sweet Congo's! 
Tank is looking great!


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## CL

The tank looks awesome, Ken!


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## CL

How's about an update?


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## TheCryptKeeper

clwatkins10 said:


> How's about an update?


here is an updated picture.. spread some of the stems out and sold some off so it isn't as cluttered. the glosso has filled back it... looks sparse but I just trimmed some out and just pulled some to sell. I am dealing with the tank temp problem. I did get my co2 setup finally fixed the right way and a new bubble counter. I was missing a fitting and had to use my old needle valve as a fitting.. ghetto I know but it worked.

my crypts are growing nicely like always. the stellatus broadleaf grows about .5-.75" per day so it needs trimmed once a week. the anubias are growing really nicely and filling in densely. the ludwigia sp guinea is looking nice finally after about 3 tries of it. here is a picture of it. co2 setup also









co2 with the new parker (built like a tank) metering valve and the new bubble counter. have the bubble counter fluid from gla also.


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## fish-aholic

Looks great! I really love the anubias and how it just 'completes' the midground... if that makes sense. haha


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## CL

Great job, Ken! The tank is so lush!


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## legomaniac89

Wow! Nice! Those crypts really go crazy in a soil substrate, don't they?


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## Ashok

Wonderfull tank


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## TheCryptKeeper

fish-aholic said:


> Looks great! I really love the anubias and how it just 'completes' the midground... if that makes sense. haha


" you had me at anubias " 

it does!


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## TheCryptKeeper

legomaniac89 said:


> Wow! Nice! Those crypts really go crazy in a soil substrate, don't they?


They really do grow great in the soil and clay loam. the one lutea in the center is huge, just hard to see it behind the wood and anubias. I have had thoughts about changing it to just a crapload of crypts


----------



## legomaniac89

Torpedobarb said:


> They really do grow great in the soil and clay loam. the one lutea in the center is huge, just hard to see it behind the wood and anubias. I have had thoughts about changing it to just a crapload of crypts


That would be my dream tank :icon_wink. I use soil in all of my tanks and it still blows me away how fast the crypts grow in the stuff. 

Makes me wonder even more why aquasoil is so hyped up, when real soil can grow plants just as well at a fraction of the cost.


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## Tex Gal

Loving your tank. Wish I could see it up close. I was trying to see all the plants a little better. Could you take left, middle and right pxs. so I can see the individual plants a little better?

BTW I have the yellow congos. My hubby has the blue. I'm looking for the red...... hmmm.....


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## Linga

this tank is stunning really awesome.


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## Coltonorr

Agree with everyone above...the tank is looking amazing.
do you get alot of algae growth on the anubias?


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## TheCryptKeeper

Coltonorr said:


> Agree with everyone above...the tank is looking amazing.
> do you get alot of algae growth on the anubias?


some.. but not tons.. it is weird like it comes and goes. 

Tex I will take some close up pics now and hopefully get them uploaded today.

I had surgery about a week ago to repair my brevis tendon in my ankle and I am laid up for about 5 weeks. makes it hard to keep the tank maintained. I have my father in law do a water change for me today.


----------



## sewingalot

That sucks about the tendon. You have an amazing father-in-law!


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## TheCryptKeeper

sewingalot said:


> That sucks about the tendon. You have an amazing father-in-law!


he is a great guy.. he is the one who got me into doing this. I just talked him into topsoil for his 55gal. we did it finally about a month ago and his plants are starting to put out some nice growth. took awhile but it is fine now.

Ken


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## Coltonorr

Ken, hope you feel better and your tendon heals quick!
And yes you have a nice father in law...mine wouldn't even put his hand into the water.


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## cah925

Hope all goes well with your recovery. I'm looking forward to seeing those new crypts in the tank.


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## TheCryptKeeper

Thanks guys.. I appreciate that. Sucks to not being able to do much


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## kali

hope you get better soon too ken.!!! and yep you DO got a nice father in law. compare to mine for sure


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## TheCryptKeeper

kali said:


> hope you get better soon too ken.!!! and yep you DO got a nice father in law. compare to mine for sure


uh-oh... that bad? typical in-laws? I will be fine in a few more weeks.. just resting alot. How are the plants doing?


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## funkyfish

Hope you feel better Ken. 
The tank looks amazing, just beautiful


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## jart

Tank looks awesome! Love the stellatus. Can you tell me the exact needle wheel model you used?


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## MikeS

Hope you are doing better Ken. Haven't been here in a while, but as normal, your tank looks great. roud:


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## TheCryptKeeper

haven't been on much lately due to work and kids. here is an update. I took most of the stems out today and replaced them with all crypts. spiralis, balansae, lutea, undulata etc. I just replanted all of the glosso after a nice sale. I picked up some cories today too. here is a few pic of it.


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## vtkid

beautiful tank. i like your scape a ton.


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## monkeyruler90

what kind of cories did you get?


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## TheCryptKeeper

monkeyruler90 said:


> what kind of cories did you get?


7 bandit corys and 3 hi-fin albino corys. 2 hi-fin green corys

http://www.aqua-fish.net/imgs/fish/bandit-corydoras-profile.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/142/356095175_89dcded5cb.jpg?v=0

I can't find any pics of the long finned green corys but I will get some pics up


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## lauraleellbp

I always like your tanks, Barbie.

I think this 'scape will be less work to maintain, for sure, though (my kind of tank LOL)

You all healed up now?


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## TheCryptKeeper

lauraleellbp said:


> I always like your tanks, Barbie.
> 
> I think this 'scape will be less work to maintain, for sure, though (my kind of tank LOL)
> 
> You all healed up now?


for the most part, still have a nasty scar that isn't going away at all. I know it doesn't but it usually looks better than this. It has been 3 months now since the surgery so I guess I am doing ok.

I think so too with the tank. I love the stems and the beautiful coloring but the maintenance gets to be too much with the amount of time I have. I can't wait for it to fill in


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## snoop-a-loop

Did you happen to get the cories at Aquarium Adventure's sale last weekend? I picked up some Panda Cories at AA because my wife wanted them. Very very nice aquarium and after reading 98% of it (I skimmed through about 1 page but then found myself going back to figure out what other people were talking about on that one page) I have the same image in my head for my scape, but it is still a work in progress that's for sure.


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## TheCryptKeeper

snoop-a-loop said:


> Did you happen to get the cories at Aquarium Adventure's sale last weekend? I picked up some Panda Cories at AA because my wife wanted them. Very very nice aquarium and after reading 98% of it (I skimmed through about 1 page but then found myself going back to figure out what other people were talking about on that one page) I have the same image in my head for my scape, but it is still a work in progress that's for sure.


yes I did, they had some really nice ones there and the sale was great. 40% and 25% additional if you are a member. Sweetroud:


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## fastfreddie

Tank still looks great! So clear it almost looks fake.


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## TheCryptKeeper

fastfreddie said:


> Tank still looks great! So clear it almost looks fake.




shhhhhhhh keep it down man... I don't want people to know that. We have to keep this a total secret. 


I am not good at secrets, what am I going to do now. 

(((((DAMN!))))) :help:













:wink:


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## TheCryptKeeper

some updated pics.. been awhile!


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## cah925

Tank looks great! Nice, lush growth.


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## oldpunk78

that's a nice fog you've got going there. oh, and the plants/scape looks great too!


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## TheCryptKeeper

cah925 said:


> Tank looks great! Nice, lush growth.


Thanks!



oldpunk78 said:


> that's a nice fog you've got going there. oh, and the plants/scape looks great too!


lol.. that is the co2 going nutso!

thanks! I need more crypts.


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## lauraleellbp

Looks awesome, Ken!

What's the curly plant in the back right corner?


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## jgb77

lauraleellbp said:


> Looks awesome, Ken!
> 
> What's the curly plant in the back right corner?


It looks like Crinum calamistratum to me.
The tank looks great and the plants seem very healthy. Great job.
John


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## TheCryptKeeper

lauraleellbp said:


> Looks awesome, Ken!
> 
> What's the curly plant in the back right corner?


back right corner is my e. vesuvius... growing great! never been that tall before.. I must be doing something right! I got your plants and hose... thank you! the filter says thank you too  how long does it take for the fissidens to attach?



jgb77 said:


> It looks like Crinum calamistratum to me.
> The tank looks great and the plants seem very healthy. Great job.
> John


thanks alot! the curly one on the left is the crinum calamistratum. a few of the leaves will stretch almost all the way across the tank. It flowered for me about a month ago which is insane if you have ever seen one.


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## sewingalot

Your tank is looking beautiful as always. Do you miss trimming all those stem plants?


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## TheCryptKeeper

sewingalot said:


> Your tank is looking beautiful as always. Do you miss trimming all those stem plants?


lol

hell no! I still have that red rotala and stellatus to trim. that rotala started out at 2 stems a few months back and is going great. if you look at the right side you can see some ludwigia sp. guinea. it is doing nicely too!


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## lauraleellbp

You're kidding! It IS E. 'vesuvius'? That's what I thought it looked like, but I've certainly never seen any that tall!! It's LOVING your tank, is more like it! lol

I've no idea how long for the Fissidens to latch on... mine is still floating in a little tub and still not tied to anything. It was all growing in this big floating mass in my 46gal before I finally sorted that tank out... lol

Why'd you switch out from mineralized soil to this substrate, BTW?


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## sewingalot

It is amazing. I love the crypts and the stems you chose to keep are outstanding. Wait....you changed your name. I guess you are officially hooked.


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## lauraleellbp

OMG you changed your name?

You can't hide- I'm STILL calling you Barbara!!!


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## chumblaka

Tank is amazing, that drift wood is nice I'm still debating on whether or not to moss my piece up.


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## TheCryptKeeper

lauraleellbp said:


> You're kidding! It IS E. 'vesuvius'? That's what I thought it looked like, but I've certainly never seen any that tall!! It's LOVING your tank, is more like it! lol
> 
> I've no idea how long for the Fissidens to latch on... mine is still floating in a little tub and still not tied to anything. It was all growing in this big floating mass in my 46gal before I finally sorted that tank out... lol
> 
> Why'd you switch out from mineralized soil to this substrate, BTW?


thanks! the vesuvius must love the tank.. it just started taking off a few weeks back, finally putting out runners since last year when I changed the scape. I still have topsoil.. i just have clay loam instead of the regular clay. I have the regular clay in there too, but just a small amount. I got the clay loam from Tom Barr.



sewingalot said:


> It is amazing. I love the crypts and the stems you chose to keep are outstanding. Wait....you changed your name. I guess you are officially hooked.


yes I am! there are alot of beautiful species out there! I need to get some of that florida sunset, but from what I read it doesn't stay that color submersed.


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## Ashok

That tank looks great!


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## NwIndiana

Tank looks awesome.:thumbsup: I have to get back into the hobby when work picks back up.


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## SearunSimpson

What is the main foreground carpet plant? I'm guessing its a Marsilea sp. because the lighting in the tank doesn't look too high. Am I right?


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## TheCryptKeeper

SearunSimpson said:


> What is the main foreground carpet plant? I'm guessing its a Marsilea sp. because the lighting in the tank doesn't look too high. Am I right?


not that you are going to read this but, it is glosso and I have 216w t5ho on my 75gal


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## TheCryptKeeper

picture of my tank as of this morning. glosso looks patchy because of recent trims.

tank has been doing great, with minimal dosing. I do a 50% water change once a month and that is about it! I lost some of my congo's a few months back but am waiting on rmc to get the cardinals in to pack this baby full!


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## Scotty

Is that pogostemon erectum on the left?? Looks good. Mine is starting to bush out like that. Tank is looking really good!


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## TheCryptKeeper

Sportdriver said:


> Is that pogostemon erectum on the left?? Looks good. Mine is starting to bush out like that. Tank is looking really good!


yes it is... I actually have trimmed it so many times that I planted it all along the sides and back with the other stems out in front of it. can't tell now until it grows out!

beautiful plant imo


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## Digsy

This tank is absolutely stunning! I saw it in the Swap n Shop and the sight of it nearly compelled me to purchase a ton of plants I don't have room for.


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## speedie408

:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## RipariumGuy

That is an A+++ tank if I ever saw one! So many amazing colours!


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## TheCryptKeeper

Thanks everyone. I wish I had more time to be on here and contribute more to the forum


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## sewingalot

Every time I see your tank, I want a 75 gallon more and more. Beautiful as always.


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## TheCryptKeeper

sewingalot said:


> Every time I see your tank, I want a 75 gallon more and more. Beautiful as always.


pick one up! :icon_mrgr I kinda wish I had room for a 125 galllon tank. I could collect more plants! :icon_cool


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## TheCryptKeeper

Surprised that Laura hasn't gotten on here and busted my chops!


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## chad320

Great work Ken. I have been lucky enough to get two different types of plants from you and I will have no excuses for not having one like yours if im not careful. Very beautiful tank.


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## jinx©

Love it...Great work.roud:


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## Chaos_Being

Beautiful tank...heck, it looked great right when you started it! It's hard to believe that this was your first real planted tank. I hope I can get mine looking as good as yours! roud:


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## lauraleellbp

TheCryptKeeper said:


> Surprised that Laura hasn't gotten on here and busted my chops!


I got around to it- just in a different thread, right?

Just call me slow! :fish:

I sort of miss all the petrified wood and sunset hygro carpet you had going in one of this tank's incarnations, but this 'scape is definitely gorgeous too!


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## aaronbrown

i want my new 75 to look like that one


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## TheCryptKeeper

lauraleellbp said:


> I got around to it- just in a different thread, right?
> 
> Just call me slow! :fish:
> 
> I sort of miss all the petrified wood and sunset hygro carpet you had going in one of this tank's incarnations, but this 'scape is definitely gorgeous too!


the petrified wood is still in there.. just buried in crypts!


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## funkyfish

Tank looks awesome!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## sewingalot

Any updates you can give? This is one of my favorite tanks and I miss seeing it. MTS rocks.


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## vai1296

Hi Ken, so i literally spent my entire day of work from 9am-4:34pm EST, reading this entire post! I have to tell you that you have some of the best tanks i have seen. This is actually perfect for me because i just took apart my 55gallon tank and was in need of major help. So here is what i have atm:

1. 55gallon tank
2. Fluval FX5
3. 2 inch of Eco Complete substrate 
4. DIY CO2
5. SolarMax 2x54 watt T5HO (10,000k and do not have another bulb)

I would like to get a CO2 system like yours (Tank and w/e else i need)
Do not know if i need to upgrade the lighting but will do so if needed.

I had a question about that mineral soil thing you did. First of all can you give me the link of the site you got it from? So after you do that soil mix, do you still need to add ferts?


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## lauraleellbp

Dude, has it really been almost a year since the last pictures?? :icon_eek:

Hope you're doing well, Barbara!!


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## vai1296

I feel like i know most of you on this forum only because i spent the entire day reading it. i think you should ridicule Ken to get him to post pics laura =)


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## gene4christ

OK, I am getting very close to getting my 75gal. low tech up and going , only hope I can come close to what you have done with your tank totally awesome for sure .


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## 150EH

I'm just trying to figure out how the longest thread in history got bumped when the last post was 4-4-11.

Anyway it was a nice looking tank, got pics????


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## Aquatect

I have finally decided to sey up my first dirted tank after reading this thread entirely. Learned so much and sad to see it come to an end. Hope all is well with Cyptkeeper:icon_frow


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## TheCryptKeeper

Boo!


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## TheCryptKeeper

I'm still around. My tank is doing fine. Getting ready to redo it with some new driftwood.


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## Fishies_in_Philly

regrettably, i just skimmed through this thread. and got to see this tank from day 1 and all it's incarnations, and i must say WOW!! this tank has really progressed! not to mention your skills and talent  very impressive to see, can't wait to see what you do next with the tank


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## 2in10

Gorgeous tank


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## TheCryptKeeper

It has been a long time since I have been posting. I need to get back here more often. I work 60-70hrs a week now so that is killing my time


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## monkeyruler90

looking good!


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## Gatekeeper

Looks good bro.


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## TheCryptKeeper

I just redid my tank last weekend. I had an algae and snail break out that I couldn't get under control. Ended up tearing the whole thing down and setting it back up. Had to throw away tons of plants 

Anyone who could help a brother out with some snail free plants would be appreciated

Glad I have tons of topsoil and supplies!


----------



## Calmia22

TheCryptKeeper said:


> I just redid my tank last weekend. I had an algae and snail break out that I couldn't get under control. Ended up tearing the whole thing down and setting it back up. Had to throw away tons of plants
> 
> Anyone who could help a brother out with some snail free plants would be appreciated
> 
> Glad I have tons of topsoil and supplies!



Get a nano tank with dwarf puffers and stick um in your main tank everytime your snail infestation gets to be too much. Snails will be gone within a few days.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

Won't the puffers eat my nerite snails too?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## 2in10

That is a bummer on the tear down and restart. 

I have too many snails to provide you with plants. But would if you didn't mind the snail when ever I do a trim.


----------



## 2in10

What about small loaches for snail control?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

2in10 said:


> What about small loaches for snail control?


I have 2 small loaches but they are killing my nerites.


----------



## Chaoslord

Awesome thread. Sorry about the tear down and restart. The dwarf puffers are great for snail control. I have to actually replenish my snails atleast once a month or they start fighting each other for food. They haven't went after my nerites that I have noticed. 
To bad I didn't know about a month ago you wanted plants I gave away a great plant package. 
Good luck on your restart.


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## TheCryptKeeper

Found my algae problem. Needed to replace my bulbs. Crap that was easy


----------



## somewhatshocked

It's scary how the simple things can be overlooked. Especially when it comes to spending money. (sometimes I go overboard only to discover it was a $10 fix)

Any new photos? This is such a great tank.



TheCryptKeeper said:


> Found my algae problem. Needed to replace my bulbs. Crap that was easy


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

somewhatshocked said:


> It's scary how the simple things can be overlooked. Especially when it comes to spending money. (sometimes I go overboard only to discover it was a $10 fix)
> 
> Any new photos? This is such a great tank.


Thanks. I don't have any new photos that I'm willing to share without being overly embarrassed. 

I bought new bulbs. Catalina has great fixtures and good prices on the bulbs


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I need to find me some sunset hygro. Need some fast growing stems to help combat this algae. I've gotten away from tons of stems and I think that is part of the problem. Higher lighting still with lower light plants. Need to get back in the game!


----------

