# Suga Shack - 55 gallon - Where is my algae hiding? :( (56K)



## dewalltheway

You are on the right track! You remind me of myself at the beginning of this year starting my 55 gallon. If you read alot of threads on here and ask alot of questions, you will learn alot in a short period of time. the one suggestion I would make is to get some ferts to sart dosing with. Your plants will need the micros & macros or they will soon start to get holes in the leaves and look ratty. Look at the sticky I believe under water parameters about dosing. very helpful!

Nice start! Also, Welcome to PT


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## helgymatt

Looking good so far! One question....Is that a filter intake I see with no screen?


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## sewingalot

dewalltheway said:


> You are on the right track! You remind me of myself at the beginning of this year starting my 55 gallon. If you read alot of threads on here and ask alot of questions, you will learn alot in a short period of time. the one suggestion I would make is to get some ferts to sart dosing with. Your plants will need the micros & macros or they will soon start to get holes in the leaves and look ratty. Look at the sticky I believe under water parameters about dosing. very helpful!
> 
> Nice start! Also, Welcome to PT


Thank you for the nice words of encouragement. That explains the hole starting in the tip of one the amazon sword leaves. Thanks for the information on the fertilizers. I need to determine whether or not to use Flourish products or do the dry dosing. I am a little intimidated about overdosing, so I was thinking I should start out with the Flourish line. What do you suggest?


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## sewingalot

helgymatt said:


> Looking good so far! One question....Is that a filter intake I see with no screen?


:icon_redf Actually, I recently bought the Eheim Eco 2234 and it came without the intake pipe! I attached the filter screen to the hose and feed it through rigid tubing to keep it in the water until Eheim sends me the part. You caught me....


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## dewalltheway

As far as overdosing, if you do the EI (Estimative Index) method of dosing, you will not overdose. If you do a search for "EI" you will get tons of info on it. The basic concept is you dose the ferts listed in the chart per your tank size and every week you do a 50% water change and this will level or start fresh your tank for another week of dosing without the worry of overdosing or doing a bunch of testing. I do this and it works out great!

If you want to save money, go with the dry ferts. The flourish products are good but will burn a hole in your pocket compared to the amount of dry you can get and how far it will go. The only flourish product I am using is Flourish but I only dose 5ml of this 3X a week so it last me awhile. If I can be of any other help, let me know.


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## sewingalot

Thanks for the information on EI. I am looking on the forum now and there is tons of posts. I will give it a try. After all, I am now hooked.:fish:


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## sewingalot

I braved the inital expense and decided to buy nutrients. I tried the EI method the first week. However, after losing two otos to the massive water change, I decided to try the PPS method found on this board. I like this method and so far, the growth is amazing. In fact, my amazon sword sent out a runner and a tiny plant is growing! I am still trying to learn how to take better pictures so please be patient. 

The swap and shop is awesome! Daud sent me a bunch of new plants in excellent condition! I couldn't believe the quantity and quality compared to my LFS! What do you all think so far? Thanks for looking!:redface:


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## sewingalot

Update on my tank after using fertilizers. I am using the PPS-Pro method. I should have shut the lid...and cleaned the glass. :icon_neut










I have pearling! 













































My cories love to dig up the giant baby tears. I am starting to hate it!  I find pieces of it floating in all my plants. I also am not crazy about the amazon sword, but the ottos love it. Comments/criticism are welcome as always.


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## Saraja87

Lovely progress!


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## dewalltheway

Great progress Sara. The tank looks fantastic! The plants look very healthy and the sword looks wonderful. The one suggestion I would make is to try and hide some of your equipment if you can. This allows your eye to focus more on the plants then on the equipment.

Great beginning! :thumbsup:


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## sewingalot

Thanks for the comments! I looked at the main picture and you are right, the equipment is very distracting. I just received my inline heater in the mail yesterday and I plan to install it this weekend. I just cannot figure out where to install the powerhead since it is hooked up to my co2. We'll see how it goes.


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## cah925

Wow, that's a big difference from the first pic to the latest pic. The plants look great from the ferts and CO2. I think you are on the right track with everything.


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## sewingalot

I took dewalltheway's advice and hid some of the equipment.  I am still having trouble hiding the powerhead, but I am planning on doing a diy inline reactor soon, so I am just going to be patient. I also got in some downoi from the S&S...love this site! I moved the ludwigia repens to my betta's ten gallon and planted a few more stems of ludwigia arcuata. My moss wall is starting to finally grow in after I moved it behind the amazon sword. I am battling green spot algae. I think dosing fertilizers seems to help, since it is not as bad. Anyway, enough talking - the updated pictures (which are still over exposed with the flash off). 



















My cories keep digging up the downoi along with the marsilea minuta.  Well, at least their having fun. 









My amazon babies are growing, I am not sure how or when to remove them.









What do you all think of the changes? :icon_eek:


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## dewalltheway

Looks much better and once you get your DIY reactor made and take out the powerhead, it will really allow the eye to focus on your beautiful plants.

Good job!


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## solution7

Wow that is looking really good.. So you are using Flourite and DIY CO2 correct? I can only hope to have a sword that looks that strong WOW..


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## sewingalot

dewalltheway said:


> Looks much better and once you get your DIY reactor made and take out the powerhead, it will really allow the eye to focus on your beautiful plants.
> 
> Good job!


Thanks a lot for the tips, it really did help moving the equipment. I am actually using your post http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/613994-post112.html as inspiration. :eek5: After seeing how well you did with diy co2, I started to venture into more plants than just my Amazon sword and hornwort.



solution7 said:


> Wow that is looking really good.. So you are using Flourite and DIY CO2 correct? I can only hope to have a sword that looks that strong WOW..


Thanks solution7. Yes, I am using flourite and DIY Co2. I absolutely love flourite! My sword started out with just 0.72 watts per gallon and regular gravel with no fertilizers. The flourite is what really had the plant taking off, though. The additional lights were a bonus after that, at a little over 2.5 watts per gallon. I also just started dosing ferts using the PPS-Pro Solution, which resulted in the runner.


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## sewingalot

My last week's fiasco....I decided to restart my yeast concoction and used "quick rise" active yeast, since I was out of the regular kind. Bad idea. My co2 drop checker was yellow, half my fish were at the top and half where on the bottom just hanging out. I put in an airstone, did a 25% water change and after a day, most of the fish were back to normal. One of my male cories didn't make it, though. Now his mate is looking kinda sad. :icon_cry: I am such an idiot. Here is an updated picture. This time, I had the lid up on purpose as I was trying to let in as much air as possible. Still no excuse for the lousy pictures. I will be rearranging the tank tomorrow. I got rid of my foxtail and purchased some sort of rotala this afternoon.


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## sewingalot

Changes! My amazon sword outgrew the tank....literally. She had seven babies on the runner and the tips of the mother plant were beginning to grow out of the water and were turning crispy in the light. :icon_sad: So I gave it to a fellow hobbyist who has the room for her. :hihi:

So, I trimmed my rotala green sp. and moved some to the right of the tank. I also planted the new rotala round. in the back. I am now in the grow out phase.... What do you think? 

Oh, and my husband helped me out and used a tripod to take better pictures. Much better quality, no?










My new downoi has side shoots!









Is this java moss?









Found that rubber band that broke..... I love Marselia minuta! They came with BBA, but the excel is doing a good job of getting rid of it.









new rotala mini in far left, so tiny and so cute! Most is in my ten gallon, but I stuck a few stems in my 55 for accent. Thanks cardinal tetra for the great quality! :wink:









Blyxa is getting more and more side shoots. It is growing like a weed.


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## fastfreddie

This is awesome! Your plants are doing great. Keep up the good work! 

I agree....dewalltheway's 55 is pretty sweet!


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## sewingalot

fastfreddie said:


> This is awesome! Your plants are doing great. Keep up the good work!
> 
> I agree....dewalltheway's 55 is pretty sweet!


Thanks, fastfreddie! :redface: I hope to someday have a 55 as great as dewalltheway's.


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## Neoman

IM not sure if you mentioned it, but how many bottles are you using for the co2?


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## sewingalot

2 - 2 Liters. I have been pretty successful with 1 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon in each container. I only change one out every other week. The only algae I have trouble with is GSA, especially after moving the Amazon sword out of the tank. Haven't seen any other kind (so far). And since I am posting, here is a small update.

FTS









My bronze cory recovering after a recent scuffle with a checkered barb.









Anyone know what this red plant is? I like this picture, the reflection is pretty awesome IMHO.









Found the culprit who keeps uprooting the downoi. The albino cory was just swimming up to the downoi he flipped out of the substrate. Anyway, I like how his back is turned and the oto has his belly on the glass. Cute, huh?


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## sewingalot

For Christmas, my husband gave me a co2 regulator and tank. After nearly a week of fighting with the various parts, I am finally able to fine tune it to either 1 BPS or like 7 BPS, no in between.  It is aqua euro usa brand, and the needle valve is pathetic. But hey, I am able to get it to work on a timer and I do get 1 BPS consistently now. It has been up for two days with no problems. I hope to buy a splitter soon, so maybe I can use that to get 2 BPS?

Other than that, I have been reading more on aquascaping and moved a few plants around to better compliment each other along with a small trim.










I love this red plant, lately identified by a fellow TPT member as narrow leaf rotala macranda. It came to me as a freebie with my first plants almost dead. Just lately started taking off!










Cool thing I noticed recently about my blyxa on the left side. I thought it was going taller than the right, but what is happening is new shoots are growing which is causing the plants to actually lift out of the substrate. Cool thing is just a few longer roots are actually keeping it from floating, kinda like a balloon with a weight on it. :icon_lol: Here's a closeup:










And since he was being a ham, here's a picture of George for you all!:hihi:


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## sewingalot

*I have babies!*

:bounce: Yeah! I have babies! I was looking at the remnants of my GSA and wondering if it would ever go away and noticed I had fry. Oh happy day. I not only saw platty and guppy fry in various stages, but this little guy looks less than a day old! Oh Blyxa, "how do I love thee.....let me count the ways. . . " 

My really gravid female has lost her belly since last night, so I am assuming their hers! This little guy was loving the camera and came out to investigate. I think I see a future model, he's working the camera, no?


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## Phoenix-cry

I love fry! they are soooooo cute!!!


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## sewingalot

Phoenix, I am glad you think so. My husband just rolled his eyes at me when I decided to name my fry Waldo. He said I am too interested in this fry business and went back to watching football! As if this isn't more important. By the way, I love your avatar. I just surfed your art, you are wicked talented!


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## Wö£fëñxXx

Huge transformation between first tank shot and last.
Welcome to the greener side of life.
Knowledge is power!


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## sewingalot

Wö£fëñxXx said:


> Huge transformation between first tank shot and last.
> Welcome to the greener side of life.
> Knowledge is power!


Thanks a bunch! It's amazing how much you can learn on this site. I actually decided to start trying to grow plants because of you all. :redface: The information gathered here has been very helpful and adverted a couple disasters.


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## fastfreddie

Wow, this tank is looking sweet and that fry is definitely workin' it! Good luck with the regulator. Are you diffusing with that powerhead? I got a reg for Christmas too and I'm probably driving people crazy with questions. I can't wait to get stocked up like you!

What is your favorite plant so far? I'm guessing the blyxa judging from your Shakespeare quote.... or was that quote from Waldo to the blyxa? lol


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## sewingalot

fastfreddie said:


> Wow, this tank is looking sweet and that fry is definitely workin' it! Good luck with the regulator. Are you diffusing with that powerhead? I got a reg for Christmas too and I'm probably driving people crazy with questions. I can't wait to get stocked up like you!
> 
> What is your favorite plant so far? I'm guessing the blyxa judging from your Shakespeare quote.... or was that quote from Waldo to the blyxa? lol


Thanks Fastfreddie! The regulator was a PITA in the beginning, and I almost gave up trying to use it before it finally was adjusted to 1BPS. I have noticied a lot of growth and the GSA is going away in just a few short days of the addition! Hey, if you ask the questions, I can learn to, so BUG away.  You'll love the new regulator, congrats as well.

Yes, I am diffusing with the powerhead. I put a skewer stick in the tubing, drilled a hole in a piece of undergravel filter tubing I bought and cut down to three inches (and glue gunned around the intake). Oh and I stuffed half a sponge for an aquaclear in the bottom of the tubing. The bubbles are very fine and pearling has increased by more than double. An added bonus is the cories and danios like playing in the extra current. Although it is kind of ugly. :icon_redf (By the way, the quote was from Elizabeth Barrett Browning, I used to read poetry for hours when I was younger- my mom's a librarian- lol!)


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## sewingalot

Oh yeah, I didn't answer your question about my favorite plant. It's downoi. Although it was hard to plant, the leaves are very fragile. The plant takes off once established, IME. Blyxa is my second favorite. But it is sensitive to changes.


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## fastfreddie

sewingalot said:


> (By the way, the quote was from Elizabeth Barrett Browning, I used to read poetry for hours when I was younger- my mom's a librarian- lol!)


Haha. My Mom was a college literature teacher. I should have known better!


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## rekles75

I cant beleive this is my first time seeing your journal, I usually click every 55gal post I see. The progression is nice. You can really see the difference from no ferts to ferts to pressurized CO2. Platy babies, I remember when I used to get excited to see them, Now not a day goes by that I dont see a new one. The downoi looks great, I cant grow for at all, and it too is one of favorite plants. Cant wait to see what you do next.


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## sewingalot

rekles75 said:


> I cant beleive this is my first time seeing your journal, I usually click every 55gal post I see. The progression is nice. You can really see the difference from no ferts to ferts to pressurized CO2. Platy babies, I remember when I used to get excited to see them, Now not a day goes by that I dont see a new one. The downoi looks great, I cant grow for at all, and it too is one of favorite plants. Cant wait to see what you do next.


With all those platies you don't see like hundreds of babies daily? They must be hiding in that massive amount of moss you have in your tank. The downoi has really been a challenge for me especially with platties. If they get hungry enough, they will go after the downoi.  Maybe that was part of your struggle. Thanks for the complements! I really think ferts was the key, though. I couldn't have been this successful without them. I am looking forward to trying to find a place for the new plants I got from you. I am trying to decide how to scape with so much moss. :eek5:


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## monkeyruler90

wow great progression. i love the tank!!

and yeah my vals do that too. when they get runners they push themselves out of the substrate. kind of like a "look at me, im the tallest and with the most" kinda thing
darn these show off plants


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## sewingalot

Glad to see I'm not the only one up at almost four in the morning. I am glad you said your vals are doing the same. I was worried I was doing something wrong. I am hesitant to move out some of the blyxa, but I am running out of room. I don't know what grows faster for me the blyxa or GSA. Its a close race!


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## TonyP.

Wow, you came a long way from the plastic plants. You tank looks great...must be tough managing a big planted tank... I am still having problem with my ten gallons. Its good to see how something can improve over time with planted tanks, hopefully I can be one of them!


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## sewingalot

Tony, you can most definitely can improve over time with planted tanks. I still struggle with GSA everyday. However, I look for the small improvements and am happy overall. What kind of problems are you having? Be sure to ask for lots of help, that's what I do. Welcome to TPT!


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## CKJ

Love your tank!!!! I just read all of it! Not easy with a 7 year old boy driving ya nuts! 

No more plastic plants for me either!!

Take care!

Cindy


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## sewingalot

Lol! Moms are today's super heroes! I couldn't do it with children. I am not talented enough. Thanks for the encouraging words! Sara


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## monkeyruler90

wow id be awesome if you got rid of some of the blyxa and let all the downoi grow in. that'd look amazing. can you imagine a whole field of downoi?


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## sewingalot

monkeyruler90 said:


> wow id be awesome if you got rid of some of the blyxa and let all the downoi grow in. that'd look amazing. can you imagine a whole field of downoi?


Totally. That is my goal, actually.  The blyxa is going mad, I am being overrun by it, lol! If only my other plants (like the downoi) would grow so quickly.


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## sewingalot

So I don't ever think I am going to get good pictures with this cheapo $99 digital camera. Especially after I dropped it on the floor last week and the battery cover doesn't close. Well, something to save up for now. This waiting until plants grow out to start scaping is getting irritating. I cut back and it still grows in crazy. I hope to get rid of some blyxa soon, since it is doing so well. Maybe that will help with the scaping, no?









Here is my pretty male danio. :redface:


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## soundtweakers

holy cow!! now that's some bunches of blyxa!!


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## sewingalot

Want some? It's overgrowing my tank, lol!


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## soundtweakers

got them today, thanks so much Sarah...guess what I said when I opened the box....

"holy cow!! this is some bunches of blyxa"

got some pics after the trim?


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## jeepn4x4

What an amazing transformation. Your tank is something to be proud of. What is your photo period. Also what type of bulbs? Are you planing on selling some of your Blyxa? Been wanting to get some.


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## sewingalot

soundtweakers said:


> got them today, thanks so much Sarah...guess what I said when I opened the box....
> 
> "holy cow!! this is some bunches of blyxa"
> 
> got some pics after the trim?


How's the plants? Hope you like 'em. I'm trying to get a picture up, but I dropped my camera and the battery case won't close.  All the pictures are coming out blurry. I am looking for some good ole' duck tape! Lol. Get them up soon.



jeepn4x4 said:


> What an amazing transformation. Your tank is something to be proud of. What is your photo period. Also what type of bulbs? Are you planing on selling some of your Blyxa? Been wanting to get some.


I have coralife 130 compact fluorescent. There is one 6500K and one 10000K (the bulb broken in shipment and that's all they had) I had the photo period up to 12 hours with the amazon sword, but now I have cut down to eight. The GSA went away as a result!

I can get rid of some more Blyxa when it warms up. There was a snow/ice storm today. They let us go home from work and it took me forty five minutes to get home. Doesn't sound too bad until you realize I only live six blocks away! :icon_eek: My husband picked me up and we actually got stuck. Luckily, six guys from other cars came and pushed us. Things like that make me love working here. :redface:


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## monkeyruler90

sewingalot said:


> I have coralife 130 compact fluorescent. There is one 6500K and one 10000K (the bulb broken in shipment and that's all they had) I had the photo period up to 12 hours with the amazon sword, but now I have cut down to eight. The GSA went away as a result!


it might be because im color blind but, i could not tell the difference between 65000k and 10000k. i turn those lights from one to the other for about 15 minutes and i could not tell the difference. but either way the plants do like them, and they say that the 6500k brings out the reds and the 10000k brings out the blues so my neons should be looking pretty good under my lights.

and that sucks about work. i wanted to go to school in the north but i HATE the cold. i don't understand how you guys manage it.


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## sewingalot

I couldn't tell much difference between the two, either - you're not alone. So far the plants like them. It is usually nice here in the winter. We don't get too many snowstorms but when we do-lookout! I don't mind the snow, the ice is what's killer.


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## dewalltheway

Sara, your tank is coming along very nicely! Your Blyxa is beautiful! You sure are on the right track at growing plants. Great job!


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## sewingalot

dewalltheway said:


> Sara, your tank is coming along very nicely! Your Blyxa is beautiful! You sure are on the right track at growing plants. Great job!


Thanks for the compliment, I am excited to get one from you! Especially since I have studied your 55 at great detail, lol!


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## sewingalot

Tropical Goldfish. At least that is what my husband calls them. I am starting to believe it. Every time I look in the tank, there are babies everywhere. Between the guppies and the platties, the bioload is maxing out fast. Here is an update. My camera is on the fritz and will only take pictures with the flash on, so sorry about the glare. I pulled out over a dozen Blyxa and rearranged a bit. By the way, the plants on the top are hanging out until I can plant them in my 20 gallon. The light hasn't come in yet, and the other tanks are full.










Where's Waldo? :icon_eek:









Here's one of my tanks full of fry. I am running out of 10 gallons. No one wants platties anymore.  
Not even the LFS will take them. I am not sure what to do with them all. 
I would hate to feed them to something. I still think they're tops. :redface:


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## monkeyruler90

im sure if you put an ad on craiglist that someone will want them


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## Pinto

Thats seems like alot of Blyxa!
I had a pair of rope fish, that was in my tank with a pair of german rams. I had them in my 20g tank for a while but one day german rams disappear, always suspected my pair of rope fish, took it to the store cuz they were getting too big and i hated them.
You can always do that, add fish higher in the food chain that could lower your fish counts.
I don't think its cruel, its just like those fish for bait.


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## sewingalot

monkeyruler90 said:


> im sure if you put an ad on craiglist that someone will want them


That's a great idea. Thanks, monkeyruler90!



Pinto said:


> Thats seems like alot of Blyxa!
> I had a pair of rope fish, that was in my tank with a pair of german rams. I had them in my 20g tank for a while but one day german rams disappear, always suspected my pair of rope fish, took it to the store cuz they were getting too big and i hated them.
> You can always do that, add fish higher in the food chain that could lower your fish counts.
> I don't think its cruel, its just like those fish for bait.


I took out over a dozen stems, and there is still a ton of it. It's not that I don't believe in feeding fish other fish. I just like them too much to use as bait. Even if they are annoying.


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## rekles75

Had to stop by and check out your tank. Its looking pretty good. That was some amazing growth on the blyxa. Your Danios on the previous page look like they have flames on their tails. You know I feel your pain on the Platties and fry. I even tried to give them to the LFS for 5 cent credit each, no go. I may have to try craigslist also. My wife loves them and hates to see them go, but I have to do so many water changes and she doesn't help.


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## sewingalot

Thanks, Rekles75! Platties sure can breed can't they? I don't understand what is up with my fish, they won't quit breeding right now! The last two days, the cories and the danios are breeding. It is kind of funny/sad, but the other fish are hovering below and grabbing the eggs as they are laid. I guess that is why the danio is so pretty right now, he's looking for a girlfriend. 

I am wanting to put the platties on craigslist, but I am a little hesitant to give them over to a total stranger. Crazy how we get attached, isn't it? But you are correct on the water changes. I just cleaned the canister filter and it was disgusting after just two months of filtering! Who knew?


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## sewingalot

So I have been reading this article http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...lants-discussions/57960-pruning-timeline.html and decided to try out aquascaping. So I braved taking out the scissors and a large bowl and started hacking away. My husband said I killed the tank.  The amount of plants that came out of the tank was surreal. I will have to go to the store to pick up batteries to get pictures, though. Pictures soon!


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## sewingalot

So I took some pictures. I am a little scare this won't work out. The funny thing is I didn't realize I cut 
crooked until now. This is why I am no longer allowed to cut bangs. :icon_redf










Here is a picture of all the plants that came out of the tank. 
I need to get them planted and give some away, but it is cold here. 
I hope the trim won't stress out my fish too much. My downoi almost completely melted after reducing my 
photo period to eight hours.  Hopefully it will rebound. On the plus side, my GSA is completely gone! 
Between dropping the time period and increasing the Phosphates in the PPS Pro method to 1.5 times the 
recommended amount, I don't even see it in the corners now.


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## sewingalot

The more I looked at the crooked trim, the more irritated I got. So an hour later, the scissors came out again. Now I feel really nervous about this trim. :eek5: Funny thing is the fish are seeming to be more active. Either that, or I am just not used to seeing them out so much.


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## boltp777

now that was a lot of blyxa i was wondering if i could get some?


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## sewingalot

boltp777 said:


> now that was a lot of blyxa i was wondering if i could get some?


I am always willing to share. :redface: However, the cold weather will kill it in no time, I recently found out.


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## fastfreddie

I was wondering when some of that blyxa would make it to the S and S! Somebody will get a good deal!


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## soundtweakers

sewingalot said:


> The more I looked at the crooked trim, the more irritated I got. So an hour later, the scissors came out again. Now I feel really nervous about this trim. :eek5: Funny thing is the fish are seeming to be more active. Either that, or I am just not used to seeing them out so much.


wow, once this tank grows back it's going to be a forest.


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## sewingalot

Thanks, Soundtweakers. I am a little worried right now. When I look in the tank, it is so bare. The GSA is showing up in places already. I wonder if this is because there are no plants to shade the tank?


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## rekles75

You just couldn't let that crooked trim go huh. Minor OCD maybe. The tank is looking great. Blyxa really loves your tank, It was massive in there.


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## sewingalot

rekles75 said:


> You just couldn't let that crooked trim go huh. Minor OCD maybe. The tank is looking great. Blyxa really loves your tank, It was massive in there.


Lol! Yeah, OCD. I think it helps with the planted tanks though.  By the way, I love the najas romaria (or however you spell it) you sent me. The only weird thing is how fragile it is. I brush up against it and it breaks. But, hey it grows faster!

Sad news, this morning I looked over and saw only four little stubs where my downoi used to be. :icon_cry: I also found out the culprit. There were about seven baby platties picking on it.  Apparently, since they are out competed for food, they found the downoi quite tasty! Thirty dollars worth of snacking! I placed the remaining downoi in my 10 gallon with no fish right now and will hope for the best. Just when it started taking off. And here is all that remains.


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## monkeyruler90

OMGGGG no way!!!. i loved your downoi, it was growing so well. hopefully it'll make come back


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## sewingalot

Yeah, it totally sucks!  I was planning on doing a foreground with it. I am seriously debating moving the platties out of the tank.


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## sewingalot

All the downoi but one is gone now. :icon_cry: I am hoping it will come back, but it is looking pretty melty. Another irritation happened yesterday.  My eheim is leaking. I don't know what to do. Should I get a new one or just replace the parts which is going to cost over $40.


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## sewingalot

My GSA is back with a vendetta! I thought it was due to the massive trim until I was in the cabinet and noticed the timer had a few extra hours pushed in the middle of the night. Apparently, I must have done this when I cleaned the filter out two weeks ago. :icon_redf I need to get an idiot proof timer.

I have a few new plants I am trying out. They are Polygonum 'Sao Paulo' I purchased from Dr. Tran and Polygonum sp. 'Kawagoeanum' I got from APC.

Polygonum sp. 'Kawagoeanum' in front of my favorite species, GSA.









Polygonum 'Sao Paulo' and Erio Type II is finally looking good after months of acclimation! 









Here is my sad little downoi. I have to give this plant credit. Two new little stems are coming out of now stripped stem. Hope the little trooper makes it. I'll be watching him closely :icon_eek:


----------



## soundtweakers

I'm so sorry to hear about your misfortune, I do hope things turn around for you soon.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, soundtweakers. I guess it was bound to happen. It was quite a depressing blow, but I'll forge on. After all, tomorrow is another plant day!


----------



## sewingalot

Lesson one. Even if you trim straight across, it won't grow back straight. :hihi: I finally got the 
background off the back so I can clean the glass properly. But now how to figure out how to put 
on a background in less than three inches of space. I am debating on whether or not painting it 
would be better in the long run.


----------



## dewalltheway

Take a roller and some black paint and paint it! It will be worth it.


----------



## Tex Gal

You can mount black craft foam on clear acrylic and just scoot it back there. Then just tape the clear acrylic to the side of the tank where the seam is. You'll never see it. That way you can change colors later if you want to. You could also use black felt....


----------



## sewingalot

dewalltheway said:


> Take a roller and some black paint and paint it! It will be worth it.





Tex Gal said:


> You can mount black craft foam on clear acrylic and just scoot it back there. Then just tape the clear acrylic to the side of the tank where the seam is. You'll never see it. That way you can change colors later if you want to. You could also use black felt....


Both are great ideas. I am going to weigh my options with this one before I make a move. I like the idea of painting it and forgetting it, but the ability to change colors is appealing as well. Thanks you two! :biggrin:


----------



## BENOLUX

Sara, tank looks great have u thought about using garden plastic, i used weed matt on mine. it looks good, you can sticky tape it on with small pieces of tape and not worry about it its plastic water wont harm it and its removable. 
mines woven garden plastic so it also makes it look matt black and not glossy 

just another suggestion
looks great though :wink:


----------



## timleete

just trying to figerout

whats the grass plant called and the realy big leaved one.
also wonderiing what lights its under
do u have anything to contrloe the rate ur diy co2 comes out

thx


----------



## sewingalot

BENOLUX said:


> Sara, tank looks great have u thought about using garden plastic, i used weed matt on mine. it looks good, you can sticky tape it on with small pieces of tape and not worry about it its plastic water wont harm it and its removable.
> mines woven garden plastic so it also makes it look matt black and not glossy
> 
> just another suggestion
> looks great though :wink:


Thanks Benolux! I like this idea as well. I am adding it to my list of top 3. :smile:



timleete said:


> just trying to figerout
> 
> whats the grass plant called and the realy big leaved one.
> also wonderiing what lights its under
> do u have anything to contrloe the rate ur diy co2 comes out
> 
> thx


The grass plant is called Blyxa and is in need of a trim again. This is one of my favorite plants now! The other plant is Polygonum sp. 'Kawagoeanum.' The picture really does it no justice. It is a pretty pink and orange.

I have coralife 130 watts pc fixture. It is about 2.36 watts per gallon. I was using 2 - 2 liters of co2 for months and had great results. I used a 20 ounce co2 filled with water to guage the bubbles per second. After the bubbles slowed to 1/2 per second, I would switch out one bottle, usually once every 10-14 days. Hope this helps. :icon_smil

I recently switched to pressurized last month. I have to tell you, I really thought the diy did a great job and would still be using it if I didn't get the co2 regulator as a Christmas gift.


----------



## sewingalot

So I turned on the Barry White cd and weeks later - more fry! :eek5: 
Thought I would share more pictures of my babies. 
They may be irritating at times, but platty fry are sooooo cute. 
I am also figuring out how to use the macro setting, 
the one thing I am decent at so the pictures don't suck so much. :icon_roll

My 7 week old platty with camera hog guppy fry :icon_eek:









Platty and guppy fry









Momma cory with her eight month old baby









Just because I like the blyxa roots and the cory together. 









Daddy babysitting the kids









Spot playing follow the leader with guppy fry :iamwithst









Coloring showing up on month old platties


----------



## rekles75

sewingalot said:


> So I turned on the Barry White cd and weeks later - more fry! :eek5:


Very DEEEP voice "_MY DARLING I ... I CANT GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE BAAAAABY..."_ Sing along everybody.......


You got some things going on in your tank. You need to call your tank the "_SUGA SHACK"_


----------



## sewingalot

rekles75 said:


> Very DEEEP voice "_MY DARLING I ... I CANT GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE BAAAAABY..."_ Sing along everybody.......
> 
> 
> You got some things going on in your tank. You need to call your tank the "_SUGA SHACK"_


LOL! I am totally doing this, check it out!


----------



## brion0

The new name caught my attention. Your blyxa is growing like crazy, hope your downoi comes back good.


----------



## sewingalot

Thank rekles for the title, lol! It works, huh? Thanks. The downoi is hanging in there.


----------



## monkeyruler90

wow, what are you gonna do with all those fry?


----------



## sewingalot

monkeyruler90 said:


> wow, what are you gonna do with all those fry?


Give them away. What is funny is that I came home and the guppy apparently dropped again. :eek5: I have more fry than adults right now. I bought a second filter just to keep up with the extra load!


----------



## rekles75

Thats funny, You really changed the name. I need to stop drinking so much Icehouse on my days off.


----------



## sewingalot

rekles75 said:


> Thats funny, You really changed the name. I need to stop drinking so much Icehouse on my days off.


I thought it was too funny, I had to do it. Off course, it doesn't hurt my number of views, either! May change it later, but your icehouse phrase cracked me up!

Lesson two: 4 dkh is important for drop checkers. I was using my tank water like the bottle says too and had bright yellow. However, my growth was down and the dreaded BBA was showing up after switching to pressurized. Once I used the dkh 4 solution, my drop checker was actually blue! I turned up the co2 yesterday and today my plants are pearling again! And even better, the BBA is turning red! YEAH!


----------



## Riley

Wow! That is quite the journey with your tank! Beautiful tank! Not gonna lie I looked at this for the title....well done. 

rekles75: They still make Icehouse??


----------



## sewingalot

Riley said:


> Wow! That is quite the journey with your tank! Beautiful tank! Not gonna lie I looked at this for the title....well done.
> 
> rekles75: They still make Icehouse??


Thanks, Riley! You know what they say --- sells, lol! Gotta love rekles. Great plants, great guy and great puns.


----------



## rekles75

Riley said:


> rekles75: They still make Icehouse??


 
Oh thats just cruel, Its not like its Pabst Blue Ribbon or Old Milwuakee or something. LOL

Get your drink on!!!!!!!

Sorry........Threadjacking, I'm done know.


----------



## sewingalot

rekles75 said:


> Oh thats just cruel, Its not like its Pabst Blue Ribbon or Old Milwuakee or something. LOL
> 
> Get your drink on!!!!!!!
> 
> Sorry........Threadjacking, I'm done know.


Feel free to threadjack anytime, rekles. Doesn't bother me at all. :redface:


----------



## spiralin

seriously I came in to look at a 55 planted, because mine is too  but the name was very appealing .. I LIKE it !! ~~~ lol ~~ some good things come from a night with a buzz, hell I have some rum left over I think I will have me one tonight , LOL ~ your tank has become a wonderful , awesome planted tank !! ~~ great job !! ~ made me think , I have never ' trimmed my blyxa, I am going to do that right now !!! ~~~~ and I need to make some new batches of diy co2, gosh wish I had pressurized ..... aarrgghh !


----------



## sewingalot

spiralin said:


> seriously I came in to look at a 55 planted, because mine is too  but the name was very appealing .. I LIKE it !! ~~~ lol ~~ some good things come from a night with a buzz, hell I have some rum left over I think I will have me one tonight , LOL ~ your tank has become a wonderful , awesome planted tank !! ~~ great job !! ~ made me think , I have never ' trimmed my blyxa, I am going to do that right now !!! ~~~~ and I need to make some new batches of diy co2, gosh wish I had pressurized ..... aarrgghh !


Thanks, spiralin! Have you checked out rekles and dewalltheways 55 gallon tanks yet? They are beyond amazing! I didn't mind the co2, but my husband hated the smell of it. I would probably still be doing the diy if it wasn't for that. I have found using less sugar is just as effective, have you tried the jello method? It is supposed to last more than a month.


----------



## fastfreddie

I feel like I need a 55g just to jump in this fun little circle you 55'ers have going here!


----------



## sewingalot

fastfreddie said:


> I feel like I need a 55g just to jump in this fun little circle you 55'ers have going here!


Fastfreddie, you should! :hihi: '55 galloners with depth challenge' need all the help we can get! Maybe we should name the club something fancy. Quick, Icehouse for Rekles, lol!


----------



## rekles75

lol, At work right now so no Icehouse for me, _yet_

inept depth
no room
12in of no pleasure
Shallow falls
Cant Get Right
2 deep not wide enuff


Just a few off the top of the dome.


----------



## sewingalot

I like them, especially "inept depth!" Still at work, huh? That sucks.

ARGH!!!!! I have algae for the first time (never count GSA, it's decoration), all kinds of BBA! :help:me.....:icon_frow


----------



## mpodolan

sewingalot said:


> .
> 
> ARGH!!!!! I have algae for the first time (never count GSA, it's decoration), all kinds of BBA! :help:me.....:icon_frow


Time to bump up the co2 or increase flow, etc.

EDIT: I need to read these more thoroughly on thirsty Thrursdays


----------



## sewingalot

Mpodolan - I upped the Co2 recently, but I am not sure how long it takes for the results. Also, I am waiting for my diy inline rex reactor to dry, so would that help with the flow? Thanks for the ideas, I need all the help I can get.


----------



## mpodolan

How is your co2 diffused? What is the flow/filtration on this tank? I didn't read the whole thread, so I was just wondering


----------



## sewingalot

Right now, with a powerhead. There aretwo eheims, one is the 2232 model and the main one is a 2234 model. I am glad I am not the only one guilty of not reading my thread, ha!


----------



## mpodolan

OK, when did you increase the co2? What type of needle valve are you using? What is you drop checker registering? Where is the drop checker in relation to the powerhead that is diffusing the co2? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to get a better idea of the setup. 

I would guess that you should have pretty good flow with those eheims (assuming they are cleaned/maintained regularly) plus the powerhead(s).

The Rex-style reactor will reduce the flow of whichever canister you hook it up to


----------



## sewingalot

mpodolan said:


> OK, when did you increase the co2? What type of needle valve are you using? What is you drop checker registering? Where is the drop checker in relation to the powerhead that is diffusing the co2? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to get a better idea of the setup.
> 
> I would guess that you should have pretty good flow with those eheims (assuming they are cleaned/maintained regularly) plus the powerhead(s).
> 
> The Rex-style reactor will reduce the flow of whichever canister you hook it up to


I like the questions. You're helping me, thanks. :biggrin: I increased the co2 last weekend on Friday evening. I used 4dkh solution this time in my drop checker and it was blue, so I upped the co2 until it is now lime green - pushing yellow.

I just set up the smaller eheim Friday as well (so it is clean) and I am planning on using it for co2 diffusion to get the clutter out of the tank. But that means the powerhead is coming out. My plants just started pearling like mad for the first time last night.

I cleaned the other eheim on the 3rd of last month.

Edit: - the drop checker was on the same side, but I moved it to the opposite side of the tank as well.


----------



## mpodolan

When I increase my co2, it usually happens over the course of 1 day, when I can keep a close eye on the tank. So, I start early in the day, and slowly increase every few hours, keeping a close eye on the fauna. At the first sign of stress, I back it down just a touch. This is how I attempt to keep the maximum amount of co2 in my tanks, along with good surface movement from my canisters, for good gas exchange. My drop checkers are invariably very light green to yellow when I utilize this method. IMHO, they are only good for a general estimate of co2. Tom Barr has shown how co2 is extremely variable throughout any given tank, inside plant masses, etc. However, with good flow, maximum co2 (that your tank can support), good maintenance/pruning, and good ferts, we can do a nice job of preventing algae or stopping it once it presents itself

If you spot treat the bba with H2O2 or excel to kill it and keep your co2/ferts/maintenance up, you can win this battle:thumbsup:


----------



## rekles75

mpodolan said:


> When I increase my co2, it usually happens over the course of 1 day, when I can keep a close eye on the tank. So, I start early in the day, and slowly increase every few hours, keeping a close eye on the fauna. At the first sign of stress, I back it down just a touch. This is how I attempt to keep the maximum amount of co2 in my tanks, along with good surface movement from my canisters, for good gas exchange. My drop checkers are invariably very light green to yellow when I utilize this method. IMHO, they are only good for a general estimate of co2. Tom Barr has shown how co2 is extremely variable throughout any given tank, inside plant masses, etc. However, with good flow, maximum co2 (that your tank can support), good maintenance/pruning, and good ferts, we can do a nice job of preventing algae or stopping it once it presents itself
> 
> If you spot treat the bba with H2O2 or excel to kill it and keep your co2/ferts/maintenance up, you can win this battle:thumbsup:


 
YES, YES, YES. Exactly what Mike said. Thats what I did, I could tell a difference in about 2 days. If yo just use H202 or excel its just a temporary fix. Excel only turned my BBA red and then i came right back.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks guys! I will use the drop checker as a guide this weekend and see what happens when I tweak the needle valve (cheap crappy valve). I am hesitant to tweak too much since I have a lot of cories that seem to react the fastest to the increase for some reason. I will make sure that I am home for the day, to keep a close eye like you suggested. Wish me luck! I am rolling up my sleeves this weekend for a fight!


----------



## sewingalot

Updated pictures as of today. If you have been following, you will know that I have been fighting algae for the first time since switching to co2. I am trying to get this under control by using the recent suggestions of upping co2 and flow. I still haven't put on a background; I know it's ugly and the glare sucks without it. I was leaning toward painting it, but I want to someday upgrade and I am not sure if painting the back would make it harder to sell this one. 

I want to achieve better coloring on my higher light plants, so I bought a new light fixture last night at this link: http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=71_136&products_id=1423. I hope this will be enough to see more reds in the plants. I would like to get the co2 in check before adding the new lights. So I may wait to see if the new co2 levels help first.

Front view









Algae on marselia sp.









BBA and GSA









Hair algae? and GSA :help:









Pearling!









More breeding! The bronze cory eggs.









Family gathering. :biggrin:









And this is my other love. Now you all know my username actually has meaning. :hihi:


----------



## brion0

My mother likes to quilt, she used to have a quilting loom setup in the living room. 

Looks like you may be needing a larger tank, with population boom your having.


----------



## sewingalot

brion0 said:


> My mother likes to quilt, she used to have a quilting loom setup in the living room.
> 
> Looks like you may be needing a larger tank, with population boom your having.


Wow your mom quilts by hand? I should get with her and learn some tips. I still stitch in a crooked line. I have two twenties cycling right now for the overload. I just hate to move them right now since I am lazy. :hihi:


----------



## brion0

She would do the pieces with a machine, then do all the quilting by hand. She was having trouble with arthritis at the time, an it helped to keep her hands nimble. I have a log cabin quilt she made for me, its very nice. I wouldn't use it, but she thinks I need to, so put it on my bed a couple months a year.


----------



## sewingalot

I did one quilt by hand and that was enough for me! What a tedious task. I admire her ability.  I agree with her. Use the quilt. It will make her happy. I have the hardest time getting my family to use theirs as well. I am not sure if they like them when that happens.


----------



## timleete

just wondering if u could describ your whole diy co2 set up iv been contenplsting the idea on my 55. i got 165 watts ooof t5 but only run 110 i do a bit of ferts but not much

so just wonderiung how much time u have to put into it after its made and what do u use to regulate the amount that comes out

just wondering because ur getting nice growth


----------



## sewingalot

timleete said:


> just wondering if u could describ your whole diy co2 set up iv been contenplsting the idea on my 55. i got 165 watts ooof t5 but only run 110 i do a bit of ferts but not much
> 
> so just wonderiung how much time u have to put into it after its made and what do u use to regulate the amount that comes out
> 
> just wondering because ur getting nice growth


I used to use diy, but I recently switched over. It is pretty easy to setup, though. 

I used the following items:

drill and 11/32 drill bit
small pliers (mine are made for jewelry making)
plastic tubing about two inches long
silicone glue
a T-connector
two 2 liter pop bottles
a 20 ounce pop bottle
an extra cap for shaking mixture
regular airline hose
a barbeque skewer stick
a powerhead 
a sponge
a check valve
yeast
sugar
water

1. Drill one hole in both 2 liter caps, one on the side of the plastic tubing and two in the 20 oz. cap
2. Cut three pieces of airline tubing for the bottles. I used about 8" length. Cut one side of the airline tubing at an angle and pull through the top of the caps. This will be tight fit to will ensure a leak proof seal. I left about 1" tubing on the inside of the caps
3. Attach both with a plastic T connector.
4. In the cap with two holes, the airline tube coming out of the T connector to the 20 oz bottle should be pulled down a little past the halfway mark when the bottle is connected. The tube going from the bottle to the tank will be like the 2 liters with 1" tubing on the inside.
5. Install a check valve with the flow pointing away from the bottle toward the tank. Attach enough tubing to reach the tank and go to the bottom.
6. On the last bit of tubing, insert a broken off skewer (1 - 2") and push this through the plastic tubing.
7. Glue the plastic tubing to the bottom of the powerhead where the intake is. Let dry throughly before using following the instructions on the glue.
8. Place a piece of sponge in the bottom of the tubing to filter out debris. Clean this sponge at least once a week. Instead of a sponge, you can use panty hose or cheese cloth. Below is a crude pictures I drew out to help me.
9. Put 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar in each 2 liter. Put in 1/2 teaspoon of yeast (active dry yeast found in the baking section). Fill the 2 liter within four inches of the top of luke warm water. Cold water takes longer, hot water kills the yeast. I usually use room temperature water that I set out the night before. Shake throughly.
10. Fill the twenty ounce bottle with water up to halfway or so the longer tube is in water. This will aid in counting bubbles.
11. I poured out some of the water, added another cup of sugar to one of the 2 liters every ten days. Every month, I would clean out one of the bottles entirely and restart the mixture.


















I left the co2 running 24 hours. Hope this helps. Here's the link I used as a reference. http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html#6


----------



## sewingalot

This is the first time I tried blanched zucchini for the otos. Yum, yum. :fish: The cory didn't approve but at least he tried to eat his veggies. :redface:


----------



## sewingalot

Well I purchased the paint this weekend and the smallest roller. Unfortunately, there isn't enough room to paint.  In the meantime until I decide between the plexiglass idea or garden mat, I put back up the background. Then I realized I put up the blue side! :icon_redf I actually kind of like it, what do you all think?

The blyxa has all raised up and the stems are only being held down by the roots. They are literally an inch and one-half above the substrate right now. Another strange thing developed in my tank. I have a mystery plant in the back. It looks little like green peacock feathers. I have no idea where it came from. :confused1:

Yeah! My downoi and rotala wallichi is coming back! I stopped dosing Mg in my tank since I already have hard water and all the plants look better. After test phosphates and discovering my local water source also has plenty on its own (between 2 - 5 ppm on the test), I have also backed off the dosing of this as well. In addition, my nitrates are always at 20 without the addition of nitrates, so I am thinking about just dosing Micros and Potassium for now to see what happens.

Good news! The BBA is turning red in some places and white in others. Thanks, Mpodolan and Rekles75! :thumbsup:

I am planning on rescaping soon. I am trying to create a focal point using the golden ratio, but I am not sure which side I favor for it. Also, I am waiting for new tubing to come in so I can move the filter over to the left. Right now it is very distracting to me. Lots of planning and dreaming to do.....


----------



## rekles75

Glad to hear about the BBA. Well and the downoi and rotala wallichi also. I bet it will really bounce back with the t5HO light you are getting. 

What are you going to use as your focal point for the golden ratio....Wood......Rock.....Or some kind of plant?


----------



## sewingalot

I haven't decided what to use. I was thinking about using a plant, but they grow so fast at times. Suggestions?


----------



## Jeanette N

Your tank is beautiful. So what fish do you have in there? My mollies are killing my bunch plants. 


Jeanette Neagu


----------



## Fish for Brains

I'll be setting up my first large, higher-tech tank soon, and yours is a beautiful inspiration. Really like seeing the progress and it gives me lots of hope after reading way too many articles about algae and fertilizers...

Platys are really interesting. I have a couple and I introduced a new one who liked to go to the surface and blow a couple of bubbles and swim off when I was near the tank. Soon, the other two were copying him. It's only when I'm near the tank (ie: FOOOOOD!), so it's not distress. Just amusing behavior.

I was thinking about using a piece of black gator board (foam core, but more rigid/dense) for a background. It's easily cut to size, rigid and comes in several colors and a few different surfaces. It should be readily available at most craft/art supply stores. Just a thought. Not sure if it was a good one, though. 

Congrats again on an awesome tank!

Jason


----------



## sewingalot

Jeanette N said:


> Your tank is beautiful. So what fish do you have in there? My mollies are killing my bunch plants.
> 
> 
> Jeanette Neagu


Thanks, Jeanette! I have quite a fish load. There are danios, platties, a few mollies, guppies (fancy and common), otos and cories cats. I had problems with my mollies and guppies eating my plants until I looked for a food higher in fiber. I also give them freeze dried blood worms. They will pick occassionally, and love looking for algae, but have now left the plants alone for the most part.



Fish for Brains said:


> I'll be setting up my first large, higher-tech tank soon, and yours is a beautiful inspiration. Really like seeing the progress and it gives me lots of hope after reading way too many articles about algae and fertilizers...
> 
> Platys are really interesting. I have a couple and I introduced a new one who liked to go to the surface and blow a couple of bubbles and swim off when I was near the tank. Soon, the other two were copying him. It's only when I'm near the tank (ie: FOOOOOD!), so it's not distress. Just amusing behavior.
> 
> I was thinking about using a piece of black gator board (foam core, but more rigid/dense) for a background. It's easily cut to size, rigid and comes in several colors and a few different surfaces. It should be readily available at most craft/art supply stores. Just a thought. Not sure if it was a good one, though.
> 
> Congrats again on an awesome tank!
> 
> Jason


Jason,

Thanks for such wonderful praise. :icon_redf My advice to get a mid level light until you get the hang of everything. You will sometimes get leggy growth, but it is healthy with little to no algae. Focus on co2 and you will be happier in the long run. 

Also, there are a lot of good people on this board. I have found taking advice from those with high plant trader scores has never lead me wrong. And take newbies (like me) advice with a grain of salt.  We mean well, but frankly are quite often wrong. Hahaha.

Your platties are funny! I see mine blow bubbles occassionally, but they really like to follow me when I walk back and forth. They are such cows! You should set up a journal with there antics.

Hey, that is a great idea using black gator board. I googled it just now and it looks like a great option. I am thinking I am going to by a few different colors and try it out. Thanks a lot!

Sara


----------



## sewingalot

By the way, I love your username "Fish for Brains." Cracked me up.


----------



## Fish for Brains

I'm actually piecing together my C02 system. I've got a 75 gallon tank and stand lined up already. And plan to get the Catalina 3x54. I know it's more light than I need to start, but it's only about $15 more than the 2x54, and gives me options of 1, 2 or 3 lights (sunrise, morning, noon burst, afternoon, sunset or any number of things...). It also comes with the legs, which the 2x54 doesn't seem to... so I figured that was the way to go. Hope I'm right. LOL

I avoided the impulse buy at the LFS about two weeks ago, and I think I'll end up spending about 2/5s of what they tried to get out of me and wind up with more/better equipment.

As for the gator board, we have dozens of sheets of black and white gator laying around my office of all sizes from past jobs, so it would be free to me. And it's hard to beat free..

I'll stop hijacking your thread now! 

Look forward to watching your tank continue to grow!


----------



## sewingalot

Good luck with the co2 system. I was in tears for a few days initially, no joke. I just bought a light from Catalina. The customer service is outstanding. I had a small issue and they fixed it quickly and gave me extras!

Good to avoid the impulse buys. I am guilty of doing this and regretting it later. I spent way too much for a cheap regulator.

Yeah! Free. Let me know how it works out, I will definitely be interested. Hijack my thread any time, I don't mind. 

Good Luck with your 75. I am jealous! Check out imeridian's 75 for great inspiration.


----------



## sewingalot

Lesson three: Don't run 4 x 54 T5HO lights over 55 gallons of water for eight hours straight and expect an algae free tank. I have turned off a set of lights, cut off lots of algae (as you can see), and prayed for redemption.

Bucket o' Algae!!!!









Kind of pretty.


----------



## brion0

I cleaned a ton of that same algae out of my 55 two days ago. Seems 1 54w on for 9 hours can grow a nice stand of it, with no CO2. I cut the light to 7.5, an I'm hopping this will slow it down.

I keep waiting for you to do something like the 55 on aquariumfertilizers home page with your Blyxa, that tank is sweet.


----------



## fastfreddie

Oh nooo! The Suga shack had an algae attack! Nice pink bucket by the way. 

It is really hard keeping light at modest levels. I've stayed at 2.28 WPG and a 6 hour photoperiod for the first few months I've had my tank up, and things have been okay, but its really hard for me to see other peoples tanks growing like crazy (like your insane blyxa.) It really seems like light is the easiest variable to control though, and adding a lot of light just makes having everything else balanced so critical. Guess I never have been a huge risk taker anyway. Maybe I'll get some guts and crank up to 3.0 wpg one day, though 216 W of T5 HO over a 55 is a little gutsy Sara!!! :tongue: 

I'm not sure if we have different sp. of Blyxa or if yours is just growing a lot better. Yours seems to be about 6-8" tall and mine stays at about 2", though I have been separating and replanting in order to spread across the foreground, so maybe thats why it's staying low.

Hope the algae clears soon..... Have a great Sunday! I'm sure you are at church right now " Please forgive me for I have sinned. I promise never to use 4 wpg for 8 hours again... :angel:


----------



## arn24

I wasn't aware you could grow cactus in an aquarium!

Aaron


----------



## arn24

rekles75 said:


> lol, At work right now so no Icehouse for me, _yet_
> 
> inept depth
> no room
> 12in of no pleasure
> Shallow falls
> Cant Get Right
> 2 deep not wide enuff
> 
> 
> Just a few off the top of the dome.


Cant Get Right...lmao

From the movie "Life"?


----------



## sewingalot

brion0 said:


> I cleaned a ton of that same algae out of my 55 two days ago. Seems 1 54w on for 9 hours can grow a nice stand of it, with no CO2. I cut the light to 7.5, an I'm hopping this will slow it down.
> 
> I keep waiting for you to do something like the 55 on aquariumfertilizers home page with your Blyxa, that tank is sweet.


Thanks for the idea on the lighting. My plans were to be able to grow high light plants, not algae. :eek5: I like the challenge, though. I like that blyxa picture on aquariumfertilizers.com My problem is with it's growth. It's out of control. I took out so much last time, I was afraid it was too much. But it is back with a vengeance. I need to move some more outta there.



fastfreddie said:


> Oh nooo! The Suga shack had an algae attack! Nice pink bucket by the way.
> 
> It is really hard keeping light at modest levels. I've stayed at 2.28 WPG and a 6 hour photoperiod for the first few months I've had my tank up, and things have been okay, but its really hard for me to see other peoples tanks growing like crazy (like your insane blyxa.) It really seems like light is the easiest variable to control though, and adding a lot of light just makes having everything else balanced so critical. Guess I never have been a huge risk taker anyway. Maybe I'll get some guts and crank up to 3.0 wpg one day, though 216 W of T5 HO over a 55 is a little gutsy Sara!!! :tongue:
> 
> I'm not sure if we have different sp. of Blyxa or if yours is just growing a lot better. Yours seems to be about 6-8" tall and mine stays at about 2", though I have been separating and replanting in order to spread across the foreground, so maybe thats why it's staying low.
> 
> Hope the algae clears soon..... Have a great Sunday! I'm sure you are at church right now " Please forgive me for I have sinned. I promise never to use 4 wpg for 8 hours again... :angel:


Gutsy, no. Crazy stupid? Very. My goal is to say "Honey, these lights would be soooo much better on a 75 gallon." Haha! Probably won't work.....

The Blyxa is the same, look at the second paragraph in this link: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=123&category=genus&spec=Blyxa. This actually was another reason for the lights. I have a lot of lanky growth and would like a true grow pattern. There is a bunch, then the stem for a few centimeters, and another bunch of blyxa leaves. I don't seperate and replant for a month and they start to look like that.

Cute poem. I love the inspiration my algae has inspired in you! By the way, I should have been at church, but I slept in.....again. :icon_roll



arn24 said:


> I wasn't aware you could grow cactus in an aquarium!
> 
> Aaron


I laughed so hard at this. You are right - It is a cactus!

Sara


----------



## brion0

I'm sorry, I wasn't suggesting you go down to one light. Our tanks are a bit diferent. My goal is to have low light, an no CO2. I'm starting to feel 1 T5HO may be on verge of to much light for me. Maybe just a challange to find a way to get ballance in the tank.

In my 29 I found that dosing dry ferts has helped out, even with DIY CO2. Algae is still present, but less than it's been in months. An algae growth has been very slow.


----------



## sewingalot

I understood what you meant.  I went from 4 lights to just 2 and cut the light back to 6 hours for now. I'll see what happens.


----------



## rekles75

arn24 said:


> Cant Get Right...lmao
> 
> From the movie "Life"?


Yeah, From "LIFE" Its also what I call one of my dogs when she gets to flipping out, Shes still a puppy and she has me laughing all the time. 



Sara, I bought the same light from catalina a month ago, and I decided to put it on my 55gal#1 yesterday. I was saving it for a rimless 75 gal I am trying to convince the wifey to get for me for my B-day. Did you get the optional 6500k replacements instead of the reef bulbs? Are you running the 10000k or the 6500k now?


----------



## sewingalot

rekles75 said:


> Yeah, From "LIFE" Its also what I call one of my dogs when she gets to flipping out, Shes still a puppy and she has me laughing all the time.
> 
> 
> 
> Sara, I bought the same light from catalina a month ago, and I decided to put it on my 55gal#1 yesterday. I was saving it for a rimless 75 gal I am trying to convince the wifey to get for me for my B-day. Did you get the optional 6500k replacements instead of the reef bulbs? Are you running the 10000k or the 6500k now?


I asked for the 6500k, but they accidentally sent me the actinic bulbs. They were really nice and are sending me the 6500k. While I am waiting on a replacement, I am only running the 10,000 bulbs. I tried running the actinic bulbs for a burst thinking it would be a good idea. Ultimately, I think this caused the algae (after what I read).

By the way, what do you think of the lights? And Happy Birthday early!

Oh, yeah. "Life" is the movie with Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy, right? I laughed so hard at that. It was like "Shawshank Redemption" with a comedic twist.


----------



## rekles75

sewingalot said:


> By the way, what do you think of the lights? And Happy Birthday early!


VERY BRIGHT!!!!!!!! The reason I used them on my 55 was that I noticed the Limno and P. Stellatus had growth but were losing the bottom leaves. I wanted to try this light to see what happens. I believe I can grow anything with them including a lot more algae if I dont keep an eye on things. I opted for the legs but I think later on I will retrofit it to hang about 6-8 inches from the tank. I believe it is too close right now.

My B-day isnt till the end of May, I am just trying to work her early. I will probably have to get rid of my 55 's though. Not to big of a deal though. Its think its easier to focus on one tank. Thank you though.


----------



## sewingalot

rekles75 said:


> VERY BRIGHT!!!!!!!! The reason I used them on my 55 was that I noticed the Limno and P. Stellatus had growth but were losing the bottom leaves. I wanted to try this light to see what happens. I believe I can grow anything with them including a lot more algae if I dont keep an eye on things. I opted for the legs but I think later on I will retrofit it to hang about 6-8 inches from the tank. I believe it is too close right now.
> 
> My B-day isnt till the end of May, I am just trying to work her early. I will probably have to get rid of my 55 's though. Not to big of a deal though. Its think its easier to focus on one tank. Thank you though.


I bought them in order to grow higher light plants as well. My blyxa was nice, but got leggy as well as everything else. I hate trying to work in the tank, though. I have like four inches of room. If you retrofit it to hang, send me the details. :thumbsup: Smart idea working on the wife early. I asked my husband a few minutes ago and he laughed. :icon_cry: Try, try, try again!

By the way, I took out over forty stems of blyxa yesterday. Updates soon. Sneak preview:


----------



## Complexity

Wow, your Blyxa is amazing! For some reason, I can't grow it! I've tried several times, and my torpedo barbs like to eat the tips of the stems which pull them up. I replant, and they pull them up. Over time, the plant tips decay which only encourages the barbs to nibble some more which, yup, causes them to pull them back up! I am soooo envious of your Blyxa forest! It's just beautiful!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks! I have great luck with this plant for some reason. It branches out so fast that I am constantly pulling it out of my tank. If you ever want to try the blyxa again, let me know, I'll RAOK you some!


----------



## Complexity

You have a deal! Maybe we can trade if I have something you'll want.

I'd love to try Blyxa again. This time, I don't want to just put it in my 75g, but I want to try it in my 29g where I don't have fish that pull it up. I'm thinking it might grow in that tank. But I need to get that tank in shape first. But keep a nice chunk of blyxa for me and be sure to look at what's in my 75g tank for plants you might want as a trade!


----------



## sewingalot

Awesome. I will start making my "shopping list."  Just let me know when you'll want some and how much. I have three tanks full of this stuff!


----------



## Complexity

I want it ALL and I want it NOW. :hihi: But I know that's not in the best interest of my tanks. So I will be patient. My 75g is stabilizing, but I'm not quite there yet with it. My 29g, well, let's just say it's best I wait. 

I hope to have plants ready for shipping within the next week. The only thing stopping me at this point is waiting on my USPS boxes to arrive. I ordered them last Sunday so they should be in soon.


----------



## sewingalot

Sure, why not? I'll just keep one stem and in a week, I'll have eight hundred.  I'll hold it as long as you like. How are your rainbows? Have you gotten two more females yet?


----------



## Complexity

LOL! You could have a full Blyxa farm in that tank! :hihi:

Rainbows are doing great! I didn't get the extra females yet. Wasn't a good night for me on the night I was in that area. But I'll try next week.


----------



## sewingalot

Glad to hear your rainbows are doing great. Do you quarantine before adding to your tank? I just 
started this summer after wiping out my tank with one very sick fish. 

A blyxa farm, now that's a thought.....lol!

Oh, and here is one of my favorite pictures I have taken lately. I like the big fish in the front the best. :redface:
*


----------



## Complexity

That's one big fish you got there! Looks like he's a ham, too. Probably wiggles up to you whenever you come near wanting... food? 

I preach and praise Q/T always, under all circumstances, no matter what. So did I quarantine the rainbows? NOPE! :icon_eek: :icon_redf

I got them from the one LFS that I really trust. They had them in the store for 2 weeks without any problems so I gulped and put them straight in my 75g. If I had bought them anywhere else, I don't think I could have done it.

Still, it's one heck of a risk to take. It turned out fine this time, but I would be really kicking myself if one of them had been sick and killed a lot of my other fish!


----------



## sewingalot

Lol! He is a hungry fellow. The brine shrimp's his favorite.  Yeah, talk about quarantining this fish! That was difficult. Took five years before I decided to make it a permanent fish in the home. Haha. 

It sounds like you not to quarantine those fish. They were just too pretty not to enjoy immediately, right? That's why I hate to quarantine. The tank is small and ugly and I don't get to enjoy the fish right away. I am glad you didn't have any issues. You must have a better source than I have. Until this new pet shop opened, all the fish I had access to had only a 25% survival rate. That place should be closed down for the way they treat there fish.


----------



## Complexity

I've been spending a lot of time trying to organize all my aquarium stuff, and I just did not want to drag out the Q/T stuff. I'm trying to get it all put away! Plus, I dropped by the LFS to ask about some Pelvicachromis and had no intentions of buying any fish (yeah, like I could leave without fish in hand!). Next thing I knew, I was leaving with three different kinds of fish for all 3 of my tanks! Didn't Q/T anything. But the other fish aren't as critical or expensive so losing them wouldn't be as upsetting as it would be if I lost my fish in my 75g tank.


----------



## monkeyruler90

wow. thats a beautiful blyxa forest!
and that sucks to hear about the lights giving you algae, did you raise the co2 when you upgraded?


----------



## monkeyruler90

oh and i started laughing sooo hard when you mentioned that you had to qt your "big fish" before you put him in your tank. that was hillarious. :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

monkeyruler90 said:


> wow. thats a beautiful blyxa forest!
> and that sucks to hear about the lights giving you algae, did you raise the co2 when you upgraded?


Thanks for the compliments, monkeyruler90. Did I raise the co2 or nutrients? No. I just put them on the tank, plugged them into the timer and sit back and relaxed. :icon_roll And I wonder why I am getting algae.....lol! I wanted to wait on the weekend to up the co2 so I could keep a close eye on the fish. I am already seeing improvement after 2 days. I also cut out a lot of infected plants, but I need to take out more. I also dropped the lights to six hours and upped the nutrients. I guess it is going to take a while.

Strange thing is the blyxa is virtually algae free. Go figure. Oh, and I noticed three new shoots off my long dead downoi! Happy day!



monkeyruler90 said:


> oh and i started laughing sooo hard when you mentioned that you had to qt your "big fish" before you put him in your tank. that was hillarious. :hihi:


Thanks, for finding me amusing. I am normally not the funny type. I normally tell the punch line first. My "big fish" tells me I shouldn't even try to tell jokes. 

Vicki - I love your tank! I am glad to hear you haven't had any issues with the rainbows. Welcome back! More pictures soon, please. :redface:


----------



## sewingalot

My new fish in quarantine is showing signs of septicemia and has a pop eye. It has bad red streaks all over her body and her eye is very cloudy. I am treating her and changing the water 25% a day but I am angry she had this disease since it is preventable with simple water changes.  I hope she gets better. :icon_cry:

Today, I have been moving at snails pace.









But I finally got the pictures taken of my new setup with my new plants - algae!









Snail doing its job:









Teenage platties in front of a plant I don't know the name of:









My Erio type 2 is finally thriving thanks to the new lights:









And so is the algae (otos couldn't be happier):









One bright note, my downoi is coming back!


----------



## boltp777

eveything is looking great im happy your downoi is coming back since the fry were eating it from when the last time i seen it. the platies look like gold twinbar platies or sunburst platies or a hybrid.


----------



## Complexity

Your tank looks great! Your algae problem looks to be very small at this stage. I bet you can stop it quickly. Plus, a little algae is in all tanks so what you have now isn't bad at all.

I'm so sorry about your sick fish! The popeye is bad enough, but the red streaks is a really bad sign. Can you return the fish? I would not blame your water unless you put the fish in a small amount of water, over fed it a million times, and never changed the water for a month. Otherwise, the fish was already sick, and the stress of being bagged and moved has weakened it enough for the disease to really attack full force.


----------



## sewingalot

boltp777 said:


> eveything is looking great im happy your downoi is coming back since the fry were eating it from when the last time i seen it. the platies look like gold twinbar platies or sunburst platies or a hybrid.


Thanks. :icon_redf I think the babies are enjoying the algae at the moment and leaving the downoi alone for now. That or it's coming back after I quit dosing Mg (since my water is already hard). You know what is strange about those platties? I have no other platty that looks like them. Go figure. Pretty though, I looked up sunburst and they do look a lot like that.



Complexity said:


> Your tank looks great! Your algae problem looks to be very small at this stage. I bet you can stop it quickly. Plus, a little algae is in all tanks so what you have now isn't bad at all.
> 
> I'm so sorry about your sick fish! The popeye is bad enough, but the red streaks is a really bad sign. Can you return the fish? I would not blame your water unless you put the fish in a small amount of water, over fed it a million times, and never changed the water for a month. Otherwise, the fish was already sick, and the stress of being bagged and moved has weakened it enough for the disease to really attack full force.


The algae was worse. I cut most of it out. I just blurred the pictures enough to disguise how bad it really looks.  On a bright side, there is definitely some red on the bba in the moss. So I am thinking it is beginning to turn around. I cut my hours back to 6 1/2 and upped the co2 a bit. I am going to try the H202 if this doesn't work. A wise gal named Vicki suggested fixing the problem instead of just treating it. :thumbsup:

I am not able to return the fish. I put some Furan (spelling?) in the tank yesterday and already the eye is clearing up. The red streaks are still there and she is still breathing heavy. Also, the fish is very gravid which is probably adding to her stress. However, she did eat a little for the first time in days. 

I tested the water in the quarantine tank. Ammonia is 0, Nitrites 0, and Nitrates 20. I am thinking you are right about the fish already being sick before I bought her. I am hoping the best for her. Keep your fingers crossed.


----------



## boltp777

this sounds like 

*HEMORHAGIC SEPTICEMIA *


What is it? 
Thankfully, most fish owners will never come across this disease. But when this disease occurs it has devastating consequences. It progresses slowly, often with little symptoms. The fish will continually more lethargic until it finally dies. 
It is caused by a bacteria that attacks a fish's blood vessels. The bacteria slowly spread, causing hemorrhaging along the way, thus the name. Eventually the disease reaches the heart and other vital organs and the fish will die. 

It is often brought about by poor water quality, as are many diseases. Parasitic infections may trigger the disease, but are not a direct cause. The fish may exhibit dropsy-like symptoms as body fluids leak into the abdomen, causing the fish to appear pine-cone like. 

It is also often due to high ammonia levels, and for that reason is more common in goldfish. (I.e., goldfish produce a lot of waste and in turn water is more susceptible to high ammonia.) Water changes should be carried out regularly to help prevent this nasty disease. 

It may not affect all fish in an aquarium, and often only affects fish with a wound or point of entry. 

As well as a bacterial form of this disease, a viral form also exist. It is less common however. 

Symptoms: 
Streaks of blood in fins are often one of the first obvious signs. The may have red areas on their body and eyes as well. The fish will become lethargic, which increases in severity as time goes by. 

If the condition is brought about by ammonia, ammonia poisoning symptoms may also appear. These include gasping at the surface and rapid breathing. 

Cure:
Quick treatment is essential! Firstly check water parameters (pH should be 6.5 - 7.2 and ammonia should be 0). Fix these and progress to treatment. A broad spectrum anti-biotic should cure the problem, providing there has not been too much internal damage done. Medicated food may also help. Sadly, it may be too late and the fish may die regardless. 

A small amount of aquarium salt added to the aquarium will help with stress and will help restore fluid levels to a normal level within the fishes body. 



Remember, water quality is always extremely important- so always check that first as it is often the cause of disease in aquarium fish. When treating sick fish, try to put the least amount of stress on them as possible, as stress will hinder the heeling process. Another thing is to remember is that generally, a healthy fish is a happy fish. 

source : http://www.angelfire.com/blues/fish_problems/HEMORHAGICSEPTICEMIA.html

i seen some of the fish at my work have it its sad.


----------



## sewingalot

boltp777 said:


> this sounds like
> *HEMORHAGIC SEPTICEMIA *
> . . . source : http://www.angelfire.com/blues/fish_problems/HEMORHAGICSEPTICEMIA.html
> 
> i seen some of the fish at my work have it its sad.


Crap! This is it exactly. :icon_cry: Unfortunately, the other two fish that I had in quarantine but were recently put in the main tank are showing signs as well this evening. I took them back to quarantine and am treating them as well. I am keeping a close eye on the parameters (which are really good, thankfully) and changing 25% of the water every other day. I was changing everyday, but the medicine I put in there said to wait 48 hours for the medicine to work before changing the water. I am not sure the female is going to make it. She is becoming lethargic and breathing sallow.

What should I do about the main tank since the two fish now sick were in there for a day or so before I moved them back to quarantine? Should I wait until I see any symptoms showing up or treat as a preventative? Poor fish. I am coming close to culling the female. She is really pitiful looking. :fish1:


----------



## boltp777

i wouldnt treat the main tank. i would leave the fish in quarantine and treat them there
i would buy a medicated fish food like Jungle Anti-Bacteria Medicated Fish Food for the fish that are in your tank. if your really scared take all your fish out and treat them in the quarantine tank. Treatment is usually a week sometimes longer below is some more information on what types of medication is effective. hope the fishes feel better =(

source: http://www.nippyfish.net/septicemia.html
How to Treat Septicemia?


Usually when treating fish illnesses I recommend antibiotics be used sparingly but in the case of septicemia, I strongly suggest starting with them. The bacteria in the blood can quickly overcome a fish and antibiotic treatment is usually the quickest and most effective method for treatment. Most aquarium antibiotics are designed to dissolve in the tank water where they are absorbed by the fish, but because this is an internal bacterial infection this type is often ineffective. I recommend a medicated fish food like Jungle Anti-Bacteria Medicated Fish Food. I have also successfully treated septicemia by soaking pellets in a concentrated mixture of Mardel’s Maracyn & Maracyn-Two. I chop up the amount I would use to treat the tank, add a few drops of water and soak a few pellets for 10 minutes. I then feed the fish and add the pre-measured mixture to the tank as directed. This method isn’t fool proof, for one, there is no way to measure exactly how much of the antibiotic they are consuming. All I can say is it worked well for my betta. Loss of appetite can commonly afflict fish with an infection so it’s important to medicate as soon as possible while the fish is still eating. If the fish will no longer eat, then the standard method of adding the antibiotic to the tank should be employed. Because the average hobbyist has no way of determining the type of bacteria that has infected the fish, I suggest a combination of wide spectrum antibiotics that treat both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Some effective medications include,
•Mardel’s Maracyn and Maracyn-Two in combination
•Aquarium Pharmaceuticals’ Triple Sulfa
•Kanamycin Sulfate is also very effective, especially for fish that won’t eat.


----------



## Complexity

Oh, no, this is so sad! I really hope it didn't spread to your existing fish in your tank. That's everyone's nightmare. Having a stable tank with fish you just adore, and having one new fish wipe it all out. I hope you got those other fish out of the tank fast enough to keep your other fish safe.

boltp777, do you know if the bacteria becomes water born as a method of transferring from one fish to another? If so, wouldn't a good UVS help prevent the spread of it to her fish in her main tank? I would think water changes should help, as well.


----------



## boltp777

the thing is if she treats the tank i dunno if it will cause any harm to the plants i would just make sure the medication does not, but if the medication is safe for it yes she should treat the tank and continue to do water changes.



Complexity said:


> Oh, no, this is so sad! I really hope it didn't spread to your existing fish in your tank. That's everyone's nightmare. Having a stable tank with fish you just adore, and having one new fish wipe it all out. I hope you got those other fish out of the tank fast enough to keep your other fish safe.
> 
> boltp777, do you know if the bacteria becomes water born as a method of transferring from one fish to another? If so, wouldn't a good UVS help prevent the spread of it to her fish in her main tank? I would think water changes should help, as well.


----------



## sewingalot

Complexity said:


> Oh, no, this is so sad! I really hope it didn't spread to your existing fish in your tank. That's everyone's nightmare. Having a stable tank with fish you just adore, and having one new fish wipe it all out. I hope you got those other fish out of the tank fast enough to keep your other fish safe.
> 
> boltp777, do you know if the bacteria becomes water born as a method of transferring from one fish to another? If so, wouldn't a good UVS help prevent the spread of it to her fish in her main tank? I would think water changes should help, as well.





boltp777 said:


> the thing is if she treats the tank i dunno if it will cause any harm to the plants i would just make sure the medication does not, but if the medication is safe for it yes she should treat the tank and continue to do water changes.


Thanks you two. I am using Furan 2 to treat her. It is supposed to be specifically for this disease. Here is a link on the medicine. Boltp777 - thanks for the diagnosis so I could get the proper medicine. http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/images/graphics/furan2pro2.jpg

She is actually coming out of hiding, so I was able to get a few pictures (a couple were blurry, but I wanted to turn back off the lights quick to keep her stress down). One side is noticeably better than the other already. However, her fin is almost gone on her left side and her eye is still cloudy. On the third picture, she almost looks healthy. To give you an idea, her belly was more orange. The red tint is actually the disease. Poor girl. :fish1:Good news is the male fish is doing much better and may actually have made a turn around. :fish:Luckily, no other fish are showing signs. I think I moved them in time. I am still keeping a close eye on my other fish though.


----------



## Complexity

Oh, the poor thing! I hope she makes it, but I hate seeing any fish suffering from a disease. Good to hear the news on the male and the rest of the fish in your tank. I'll keep sending good thoughts your way in hopes that the worst is over now.

Keep us updated on her progress.


----------



## sewingalot

Complexity said:


> Oh, the poor thing! I hope she makes it, but I hate seeing any fish suffering from a disease. Good to hear the news on the male and the rest of the fish in your tank. I'll keep sending good thoughts your way in hopes that the worst is over now.
> 
> Keep us updated on her progress.


I know what you mean. I really hate seeing fish sick as well. I have debated on whether or not to treat her or cull her. I hate to not try and help a fish first, though. Especially my tropical goldfish. Guess what? She is eating today!!! Thanks for the good thoughts! Keep those up!

Sara


----------



## sewingalot

Well my algae is almost gone. Just the stubborn GSA remains with a few places of random fuzz algae here and there. I stopped dosing nitrates and phosphates after reading my water report that came in the mail and testing the water. Wow. No wonder the water tastes so funny. :eek5: All the other fish look fine. I think the infection was contained. The girl is swimming around now. She may just pull through! Thanks you guys!

Overexposed FTS. I am getting better with the camera on the closeups, though. :thumbsup:









Oh Mr. Demille......I'm ready for my closeup!









Yeah for Downoi - such troopers!









In the background on the left is one of my new favorite plants Lindernia sp. rotundafolia varigated from akamasha:









Random picture of my celestial pearl danios that won't stay still long enough to take a decent picture.


----------



## organic sideburns

nice fish selection and cute otto! ur tank is coming along great, nice jungle.:thumbsup:


----------



## boltp777

awesome glad to hear your fish are doing better =) that is great to hear =)


----------



## rekles75

WOW that downoi really did snap back. Looks good.


----------



## sewingalot

organic sideburns said:


> nice fish selection and cute otto! ur tank is coming along great, nice jungle.:thumbsup:


Thanks organic sideburns! Cool name, by the way. I cracked up writing this. 



boltp777 said:


> awesome glad to hear your fish are doing better =) that is great to hear =)


Thanks for all your help. She is still alive and eating for lost time. I think she lost the fry, but at least she is still alive!



rekles75 said:


> WOW that downoi really did snap back. Looks good.


Thanks Rekles. Apparently, the roots were still good. I thought the baby fry ate it all, but they were just picking on the mushing leaves. It was really the Mg that melted it. Who knew?


----------



## Complexity

Wonderful news! You may have treated her in time. So good to hear she's eating!

Tank looks great, too! Lots of lush growth. :smile:


----------



## sewingalot

It is great news! Only, now she is really skiddish and disappears when I come up to the tank. I hope that is not a bad sign. Yeah, the tank is finally getting that jungle growth I like again.


----------



## Complexity

I am so happy to hear the good news! If she's doing that much better by now, then it looks like she's going to make it. That doesn't happen often. You did great!

I'm sure she's shy for now, but she'll settle down. She's been through quite a bit. She's been shipped to the LFS, then plucked out of that tank, put in yours, suffering a disease, and then having to undergo meds! I think I'd hide, too! :icon_lol:

She should be fine once she's completely well and can finally explore her new home enough to get used to it. Then she'll start to associate you with food (instead of meds!), and she will LOVE you and come swimming up to you, just begging for more food! Oh, how they love us when we mean food to them!


----------



## Karackle

Hi Sara! Wow, I can't believe I'm looking at your thread for the first time, BAD KARA! But wow your tank looks fantastic! It has come such a long way in a few short months!!! I started with plastic plants in my 5 and 20g tanks too! Then i switch the 20 over to live plants, then the 5, then got a 30...so i take it you're hooked too? :hihi: 

I am sorry to hear about your algae problems and your sick fish, but I am glad both things are clearing up and making a turn for the better! :biggrin:

So where are journals of your other tanks...hmmm?


----------



## sewingalot

OH NOOOOOOOO! 

Dropsy, and four dead fish in my main tank! Just when the other fish in quarantine were turning around, too. The fish with dropsy was not from the batch of fish I bought that I am treating. I checked my parameters and Ammonia is 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 40 (actually lower than normal). The only thing I can imagine is the short time the sick fish were in the tank, the contamination must have taken place. The fish that died were young, three platties and one cory cat. They were stuck to the powerhead intake. 

The most of the other fish are acting strange with quite a few gasping for air, and I don't know what to do. The weird thing is how happy the otos are right now. Not a single oto is stressed. I am changing as much of the water as I dare, at least 50% tonight. I have had most of these fish for over a year and I don't want to loose them. :icon_cry:


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> Hi Sara! Wow, I can't believe I'm looking at your thread for the first time, BAD KARA! But wow your tank looks fantastic! It has come such a long way in a few short months!!! I started with plastic plants in my 5 and 20g tanks too! Then i switch the 20 over to live plants, then the 5, then got a 30...so i take it you're hooked too? :hihi:
> 
> I am sorry to hear about your algae problems and your sick fish, but I am glad both things are clearing up and making a turn for the better! :biggrin:
> 
> So where are journals of your other tanks...hmmm?


Thanks, Kara! It's all yours and Complexity's fault.  I saw your 20 and her 75 and I thought "I wonder if I can grow plants....." So much nicer than plastic plants. Actually, you both indirectly inspired me to keep trying along the way. Especially the hybrid guppy tank you have.

The algae is all but gone. However my fish are really sick. :fish1: :fish1: :fish1: I am finishing up a 50% water change right now. Thank God for my new Python!


----------



## Karackle

Wow, that's so nice, you made my day! I often wonder if people read my threads, so I am very glad that it's inspired you! 

I am so sorry to hear about your fish though! I hate losing fish too, so I know how you feel. You mentioned they seem to be gasping, have you checked your CO2 level? and what about your pH? I would imagine the dropsy is unrelated to sick fish in the other tanks, I think it's caused by something different than the popeye and red streaks, but I could be wrong (so someone correct me if I am) also, i would imagine a disease like what the fish in QT got that is due to bad water quality (presumably from when they were in the pet store, not with you) would not get a good foothold in your healthy tank. THat's the only reasons I'd say look at your pH and Co2. In my experience, dropsy is a random occurrence and there's not much known about the cause i don't think. 

I'll keep my fingers crossed for your fishies!


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> Wow, that's so nice, you made my day! I often wonder if people read my threads, so I am very glad that it's inspired you!
> 
> I am so sorry to hear about your fish though! I hate losing fish too, so I know how you feel. You mentioned they seem to be gasping, have you checked your CO2 level? and what about your pH? I would imagine the dropsy is unrelated to sick fish in the other tanks, I think it's caused by something different than the popeye and red streaks, but I could be wrong (so someone correct me if I am) also, i would imagine a disease like what the fish in QT got that is due to bad water quality (presumably from when they were in the pet store, not with you) would not get a good foothold in your healthy tank. THat's the only reasons I'd say look at your pH and Co2. In my experience, dropsy is a random occurrence and there's not much known about the cause i don't think.
> 
> I'll keep my fingers crossed for your fishies!


I read a lot of your threads. You and Complexity cracked me up. I felt like a snoop, but I really learned a lot from you two. :icon_redf I would say yours, Complexity's, Torpedobarb, Dewalltheway, Imeridian and Mizuchan are my favorites from when I started. Now I can add TexGal, Rekles75, Boltp777, and Soundtweakers up there. I know I am leaving some off my favorites list....there are so many good ones out there! Man, I have a lot of time on my hands. Lol!

The pH is 6.2 and the co2 DC is dark green. Oh, no. Dropsy is unrelated? I thought it might be related since this guy has a little bit of red streaking in his body as well. Poor fish! :fish1: I am not sure what the reason is now. I do weekly water changes and have recently cut back on feeding. I took the fish out and gave him a salt bath. He is now in another tank acclimating. Only, this tank has a few feeders in it to keep it cycled. I am not sure what to do with the feeders now. Thanks for the good luck wishes.

Edit: There are a lot of sick fish. I think I have finally narrowed down what it is. The fish have a parasite of some sort. There are tiny bubble like places on some of the fish. I am thinking it is possibly ich or some kind of lice? I called my fish "expert" pal. He is coming over tomorrow afternoon to help me determine what is going on. With luck, the fish will be better soon! Go fish, go! :thumbsup:


----------



## Karackle

Well I suppose the dropsy could be related, I just know that when I've seen it before (i worked in a pet store and in a zebrafish lab) we'd pull the sick fish, and usually no one else would get it...it's one of those weird ones. Perhaps he was fighting the dropsy already and the red streaks were secondary, or vice versa....or i'm totally wrong and it is related. For the sake of the other fish in the main tank though, I hope it is unrelated and they stay healthy though!!!  

As for the feeders, I'd say maybe leave them in there and treat the whole tank with meds or a salt dose (unless there are plants in there) as a preventative measure for the other fish, that will also help keep the tank cycled since a tank that takes a few fish to keep it cycled may not stay well cycled with just one fish in it, and an uncycled tank will just add to the patient's stress. 

Also, you definitely don't need to feel like a snoop, that's what the threads are here for, to be read!  I am so glad we helped you learn, and entertained you as well! It's nice to know that I can pass on what I've learned since I started from the wonderful people here and help someone newer than myself! :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

I think you are right about the dropsy. It seems unrelated at this point. I soaked him in epsom salts and transferred him to another tank. I am running out of tanks. I am thinking I have ich or something else in the main tank, other fish are showing signs of illness. I am prepared to medicate everyone, but I don't want to harm them unnecessarily, so I am going to be very cautious.

Thanks for your help. Well, I am off to snoop!


----------



## sewingalot

Well, Boltp777, you are correct in your diagnosis. My friend did inform me after visually looking at my tank that my fish does indeed have hemorhagic septicemia as you said. What is worse is the main tank has been infected. I am pulling them out as I find them, but I think the majority of the sick fish are now being quarantined. You weren't kidding when you said this was a brutal disease. I am actually relieved to find that I am not also battling something else, which I was starting to think after see dropsy. I went back and read your initial post and saw that this disease can show symptoms of dropsy and pop eye as well.

I am no longer shopping at this LFS and am warning others of its treatment/ill fish. Ever since the owner passed and the children took over, the quality of the fish and products have went down hill. 

Now for the good news. After two major water changes in a row, most of the fish are back to normal appearances. I am feeding them a small amount of anti-bacterial food as a precaution. Thanks for everyone's kindness, I am encouraged to move on. I have lost seven fish (six platty fry and one juvenile cory cat) and five are in quarantine with varying stages of illness. I had my husband cull a baby tonight that was really ill. 

By the way - thanks for the awesome plants, boltp! My fish (and me) are finding comfort in the pretty leaves. I'll have to update a picture soon.


----------



## Karackle

so sorry to hear about your troubles Sara! and sorry I was wrong, i didn't know the septicemia could cause dropsy like symptoms, live and learn! But i too am glad you are not battling more than one thing. I am very happy to hear that the water changes seem to have helped the other fish in the main tank though!  I'll keep sending you and your fish good luck and happy though vibes! 

Also, can't wait to see updated tank pics to see how the plants have grown in!


----------



## sewingalot

Don't worry about being wrong. I am all the time.  Actually, it took a lot of convincing for me to believe this could all be related to septicemia. This has to be the worst disease I have ever experienced. I cannot believe the fish with dropsy is still alive. He is slightly less puffy (or maybe it is wishful thinking?) thanks to the epsom salt bath.


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## joshua_pope2001

This is an amazing journal.....


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## sewingalot

joshua_pope2001 said:


> This is an amazing journal.....


Awwww. I'm blushing! Thank you. :icon_redf


----------



## Complexity

Oh my goodness, you have been going through so much this last week! I had no idea. 

Yeah, dropsy can be caused by a number of diseases. It's actually not a disease itself, but a symptom. It's caused by damage to the internal organs of the fish. It is rare for a fish with dropsy to survive because of that. So you can see dropsy occur with many different diseases. Think of it similar to a fever in us. The fever itself is not the disease, but a symptom of it, and we can run a fever for many different diseases. Although, for us a fever is nothing compared to dropsy for a fish.

He could be less puffy because of the Epsom salt. That's the point of the salt. It's to draw the fluids out of the body to help make the fish more comfortable.

The wiki page gives a little more info; although, it's rather generalized. But it's still helpful.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_Dropsy

Okay, this page is better. It spells it straight out that dropsy is a symptom that is caused by the internal organs failing. While dropsy itself is not contagious, whatever caused the dropsy (usually a bacterial infection) _IS_ contagious.

http://www.fish-helpline.co.uk/health/dropsy.html

I'm so sorry your fish have been sick. I hope you can save the rest of them. You may want to notify the LFS of the problem. If they care, but are just struggling, then they'll be glad to know the bacteria they're fighting. If they don't care, then at least you did your best to help.

Keep in mind that the bacterial infection may not have necessarily been the LFS's fault. The fish may have been shipped to the store with the infection already present. I generally try to find out how long the fish has been in the LFS's tanks before I buy one. If it just arrived, I'll pass on it. But if they've had the fish for 2 weeks already, then at least the sickest ones have been culled out by now. It also helps reduce stress because it gives the fish some time at the LFS to adjust from being shipped. And the LFS's water is probably the same or very close to the same as yours which means the time the fish spends at the LFS is time being used to acclimate the fish. An exception would be if the LFS is mixing RO water in their tanks (one LFS around here does it). I've had mixed results with fish bought from that store which I contribute (but can't be certain) is due to the fish having to acclimate to different water conditions all over again. The fish may be too stressed by that point to handle more changes.

You are living my nightmare. Putting a fish in the tank, and then losing many of my other fish as a result. I've been lax in Q/Ting my new fish. I think I'd better get back to it because all it takes is just 1 fish to wreak havoc on the entire tank. I am so sorry you're going through this!


----------



## sewingalot

My fish are getting better! :redface: Sadly, I lost eight fish total. Seven platty fry and one albino cory, I am so sorry my friends. :icon_cry: I finally stopped crying on the second day. I was really getting depressed over my fish being so ill. Thanks for helping me and listening everyone!

However, things are turning around. I did three 50% water changes three days in a row to clean out the tank as much as possible. Tonight, they started acting so much better, I gave them there regular food and skipped the yucky medicine food. They are quite thankful. To celebrate the fish being on the mend, I took lots of pictures tonight.

Obligatory FTS - Everything is overgrown for now while the fish recuperate.










You can see one of my sick fish recovering on the left side of this photo. After most of the fish started showing symptoms, I decided to treat this tank.









The pearling almost made me forget that I need to put the background up better. :icon_redf









Ludwigia repens x arcuta.









This is my hybrid common/fancy guppy. The daddy is a cobra skin. Ain't he cute in a ugly sort of way? Also, I can now count eight downoi!









I love this platty. He has black markings on his face and an orange and black dorsal fin.









Here fishy fishy fishy......:fish:









The sickly male and two robust black platties.









These otos are so smart they know the alphabet! Okay, Sara this is an "L."









Pretty pearling. Looks like diamonds. :hihi:









One of my new favorite plants - the ocelot sword. The new leaves are coming in red! Thanks BOLTP!!!!!!!! Everyone, his plants are mega awesome. If you ever have a chance to buy from him - do so! :thumbsup: The camboba (which is hiding on the left side in the FTS) is also amazing and so were the floaters!









Riccia ball above the rotala something or another species.









Poly "K". Such a pretty plant. However, strange as this sounds, since I have lowered my nitrates from 80 to 40, both of the poly species have lost some of there red intensity. :icon_evil









Ludwigia.....









Mini salvinia (also sometimes called mini water lettuce) surrounding my flowering red root floaters (from fishboy). 










The End. Hope you were mildly entertained with the pictures. :icon_eek:


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## Complexity

Wonderful pictures! I really enjoyed them! And, OMG, do you have pearling going on in there! You clearly have pressurized CO2, are you doing EI ferts? What lighting do you have and what's your photo period?

Your ottos are definitely enjoying your tank. Such fat bellies! I like your common/fancy hybrid guppy. He really is pretty! Very colorful!

Is that Blyxa japonica on the front right? If so, it's looking beautiful! Why can everyone grow that plant except me? All your plants are looking so great. Very lush growth!

Nice to have some happy news after hearing about your sick fish.


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## sewingalot

Yep, pressurized with 2 bps and powerhead with a ceramic diffuser to make the plants happy.  I dose PPS-Pro without Mg (and more recently no NO3). I just upgraded the lights to Catalina 4T5HO. I run both banks from 4 to 11. Any longer than that and the algae comes in waves. :hihi: We came home tonight after dark (for the first time after I bought these lights) and the whole living room was glowing like a Poltergeist.....spooky.

Yes, fat happy ottos. The algae outbreak fattened them up quite a bit, lol. I called the guppy Gus. Go figure. I am glad he made it through the illness so far.

Yep, that's Blyxa japonica. When my fish are clear from illness for at least a month, I'll ship you some. The secret is to pull them up a bit after planting them (like sword plants). That and fish poop.


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## boltp777

its very hard to hear that your fish passed but im very pleased that you like the plants so much i love your tank from what i first saw it has come such a long way you should be very proud of yourself. =)


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## ZooTycoonMaster

Wow the tank looks great! Especially with all the pearling


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## monkeyruler90

that pearling is mad crazy! your plants must be super crazy!


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## sewingalot

boltp777 said:


> its very hard to hear that your fish passed but im very pleased that you like the plants so much i love your tank from what i first saw it has come such a long way you should be very proud of yourself. =)


I was feeling pretty happy until I started killing my babies.  But I am still a little obnoxious over how well I am doing after looking at the original pictures to my family. :icon_roll



ZooTycoonMaster said:


> Wow the tank looks great! Especially with all the pearling





monkeyruler90 said:


> that pearling is mad crazy! your plants must be super crazy!


Thanks you guys! :redface: Yeah, the pearling is great. I went months without pearling griping every time I looked at everyone else's tanks. Finally, with the new lights, pearling madness. I actually get sad when the lights go off now. I especially love my algae. I feel so happy to have anything green, lol!


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## organic sideburns

ur tank is looking great. i love the jungle, and i really like ur platties. i used to have a few years ago, and now i want a few again. nice tank!


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## Karackle

I'm glad to hear your fish have turned a corner Sara, but so sorry to hear about the ones you lost! *Vicki* thanks for that info about dropsy, it's good to know! 

I love all of the pictures! The tank looks really pretty, I like tanks a little bit overgrown so I enjoy it! It looks so happy and healthy and what amazing pearling!!! 

i think the fancy / common guppy mix is actually quite pretty, i'm a fan of the neon spotting!  I almost bought a couple really pretty feeder (common) guppies once but wasn't set up for QT and definitely didn't want to place feeders directly in my tank! Maybe one day I'll add some common ones to my mix, but I think I have enough livebearers on my hands with my guppy/endler tank at the moment :hihi:

I hope your battle against disease continues to go well!


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## sewingalot

Thanks, Kara! If you ever have dropsy, get Maracyn 2. This stuff is amazing. My platty in the picture above is actually half that size and the pine coning is almost all gone. Amazing medicine.

The common guppies are great, but the females are brutal on the fancy males. He seems to always have a chunk of tail missing. He fights back pretty well. I am keeping a close eye on him, though.

What's a few more hundred livebearers? :hihi:


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## sewingalot

organic sideburns said:


> ur tank is looking great. i love the jungle, and i really like ur platties. i used to have a few years ago, and now i want a few again. nice tank!


Thanks organic sideburns! I kind like the overgrown look as well. Maintenance free.  You don't know what you're wishing for, lol. One platty turns into thirty overnight. :icon_eek:


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## Karackle

Maracyn 2...hm...that is one of the ones I don't have on hand, perhaps I should pick it up when I head out to do some errands this evening, I have Pimafix and Melafix, can't hurt to have more! I am so glad to hear the guy with dropsy is getting better! That is really amazing! And how are the others fairing? still doing ok? 

That's interesting about the female common guppies, if I ever do pick any up, I'll be sure to get the males then! :hihi: what's a few more genes mixed in with my already crazy guppy / endler project? :hihi: But yes, the hundreds of livebearers, that is why in my display tanks now I try to only keep males or females and not both. Talk about population explosions! WOAH! hahaha


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## sewingalot

Yeah, Maracyn 2 is wonderful. It was a little expensive though. The female with popeye is stable, but not getting any better. I did a 75% water change and am going to use marcyn on her as well.

Those female common guppies are vicious. They even pick on the platties if they get too close. I love your hybrids! They would be pretty cool to mix a few with commons eventually.


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## Karackle

Sounds like it works so the price tag must be worth it though! I don't mind spending a few extra dollars if it means the difference between saving my fish or not either, especially with some of the pricier fish too! 

Wow, they pick on the platties? platties are no small fish to be picked on, they must be bold those crazy female guppies! :hihi: And yes, I agree, i think it would be neat to mix the common guppy colors in eventually, but i think i'll probably stick with the males when I do that if they're less agressive!:icon_eek:


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## sewingalot

Mean little guppy girls. I am starting to wonder if they are gambusia hybrids. I hear those are very heinous. The maracyn is an expense I couldn't justify until now. I hope I don't have to use it any time in the near future after this outbreak.

Speaking of which, how are your hybrids?


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## Karackle

I've never heard of gambusias, i'll have to look them up! 

And yeah, I can see only spending the $ on the maracyn once you need it. Make sense. But I hope you don't have to use it again either! 

My hybrids are doing well thanks! I want to get the large female pure endlers that I started with out of the tank and let the younger mixed generation do their thing


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## sewingalot

Gambusias are also called mosquito fish. A very close relative of the guppy and very aggressive toward their fancier cousins. They are very common around here and I am really starting to believe the common/feeder guppies have been crossbred with them. 

Although....prevention seems to be the best bet. Sadly, the platty with dropsy was euthanized. I actually had to get my husband to do it for me. His dropsy looked better, but he was laying on his side barely moving breathing rapidly. I didn't want him to suffer any more than he already has. I feel so bad. 

The other male is back to normal. He is still in quarantine though. I am not chance him having a relapse or infecting the main tank. The female is no longer bloody streaked, but her eye is still cloudy. She is still eating, which I am hoping is a good sign.

Great news! No more deaths in the 55 gallon! They are all looking bright eyed and bushy tailed. I am thinking I can finally trim up the plants a bit this weekend since the fish appear to be happy again. I'll update with pictures soon.


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## Karackle

ah yes, mosquito fish I have heard of. I was unaware that they were that agressive though. It does sound like yours might be a mix then!

I'm so sorry to hear about the guy with dropsy,  but I do agree with you that sometimes it's best to euthanize to prevent further suffering. But it's never easy. 

I am so glad to hear the other male is looking great and the female is looking better! Definitely not a bad idea to keep them in QT for a little while though, especially if they're in together and she's not 100%. And YAY for the 55! It's always such a relief to have healthy looking fish when you've had a disease outbreak!  woohoo! :bounce:


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## sewingalot

Thanks, Kara. :hihi: I am glad to see the other fish doing so well. I am going to take your advice and leave the two platties in quarantine for a while. I figured a good month at least after all signs of illness should be sufficient.

Hopefully, I can trim this weekend. The reds have suffered by the lack of light. Although.....this no maintenance is pretty easy, lol.









By the way, my pearl danio says "Hi there!"


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## Karackle

heeheehee that is a great shot of the danio! The picture is very clear!........why were you asking me how I got good pictures again? I should be taking your advice! :hihi:

I would say 2 weeks after all signs of disease are gone is probably sufficient, but a month certainly couldn't hurt if you can keep up with the WQ  

Hahaha your tank is a jungle! I actually really like how it looks :tongue: but i agree, the reds are getting hidden  Looks very healthy though!!!


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## sewingalot

Because those *@$^%)Q fish called CPDs will not stay put, lol. And after seeing your avatar, wow. You can take some good pictures. 

2 weeks would be good enough? Thanks. I'll do that, it would be nice to have the 20 back eventually.


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## Karackle

hahahaha that is true, the CPDs are very skittish making it hard to get the camera close to them without them swimming away :hihi:

I'd say 2 weeks is generally the standard after all signs of disease are gone, but feel free to put the question to the forum


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## sewingalot

Thanks Kara. 

I took a shot of the Poly K growing out of the water. Man, there is dog and cat hair everywhere. :icon_redf


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## Karackle

ooooooh pretty!!! hahaha i wouldn't have noticed the dog and cat hair if you hadn't mentioned it :tongue:


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## sewingalot

Well I took a little over 4 pounds of plants. No joke. My red were really suffering from the lack of light. They are still healthy, just not as vivid. Hopefully, with more light they will brighten up soon. I learned my lesson with the sick fish. I have removed twenty fish in order to lighten the load. I had to wait for the tanks to cycle to remove them. Here are the results. :eek5:


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## organic sideburns

wow u did a huge trim eh? i like it a lot, lots of healthy plants and i love ur fish they are so colorful.


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## Karackle

Looks great! I can't believe how nice and lush and full it still looks after such a massive trim!  

Fish look nice and healthy and colorful now too! It is tricky to keep your population down to a manageable number with livebearers though, i finally had to separate my males and females in my display tanks.


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## boltp777

im sorry to hear what happened but it still looks amazing! i love your twinbar platies! and the plants


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## sewingalot

Organic - thanks a lot! My hands are still prunny from the trim. :hihi:

Kara - Doh! Why didn't I think about seperating the sexes? Haha. Well, there is only one male platty left in the tank for now. Hopefully that'll slow down the breeding some. Want to know something funny? I still need to tackle that blyxa. I took over half of it out and it is still crowded in there. Where is Complexity? I think she wanted some, lol!

Boltp - Where have you been?!? Thanks again for the plants. The sword is amazing and the camboba (or how ever you call it) took over a good chunk of the tank in the back corner quick!


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## Karackle

hahaha i don't know where she is, I was supposed to trade plants with her and I do recall something about her wanting to try Blyxa.....oh Vicki....where are you? :hihi:

And I wouldn't count on that slowing down the breeding with livebearers....especially once those females all drop their fry, then there will be loads more boys again :tongue: You can try removing the last poppa in there and then removing fry as they drop until the females have no more fry to drop. That could help  Or just making sure you don't let too many grow to adults in there could work too


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## sewingalot

You must have cursed me. I came home to a tank full of fry! It looks like a platty gave birth while I was at work. :hihi: Good point....where is Vicki? I haven't been able to harrass her lately....

I would move the poppa, but he is my favorite platty. He is yellow, orange and black. A little mutt, but still cute.


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## talontsiawd

Looks very healthy. Can't wait to see it grow back out.


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## legomaniac89

That is one big Blyxa monster :icon_eek:

I'm usually not a big fan of livebearers, but I like the way they contrast with all the greens in your tank. A splotch of orange and yellow here and there looks good.


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## sewingalot

talontsiawd said:


> Looks very healthy. Can't wait to see it grow back out.


Thanks! I can't wait until it grows back either. I always get nervous after a large trim. :help:



legomaniac89 said:


> That is one big Blyxa monster :icon_eek:
> 
> I'm usually not a big fan of livebearers, but I like the way they contrast with all the greens in your tank. A splotch of orange and yellow here and there looks good.


Blyxa just loves this tank. What can I say? I can't grow it anywhere else, go figure. I am usually more into goldfish, but I settled for the tropical goldfish this time, the platty. Thanks for the compliments! My head is really big now! :hihi:

Kara - 

These pictures are especially for you.

This is my beat up fancy cobra. I finally got a good picture. He is also the oldest fish in the tank. He is almost two years old. Look at those grey hairs! I haven't seen him with a full tail in over a year. Poor guy. Don't let him fool you, he's a bad mamma jamma!










Kind of blurry, but this is a first generation hybrid.









My new pride and joy. Ain't he something?









Another hybrid female. By the way, that is a cory nosing the zuchinni. :icon_smil









Well, I'm off to watch House. :icon_smil


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## Karackle

Heeheehee pretty fish! thanks for the pictures, I love them!!!  

Those are some very pretty and handsome fish! :biggrin:


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## demonbreedr16

sewingalot said:


> Well, I'm off to watch House. :icon_smil


 
Haha! I was watching it too!!

BTW: Your guppy looks like my mom's old guppy -- half beaten up and ready to kill a betta!


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## sewingalot

I am glad you enjoyed the pictures, Karackle! The male guppy looks really ticked off in that picture. Right after I snapped that picture, he got in a fight with the female hybrid that was picking on him. He reminds me of that guy in "Falling Down." Lol!

Demonbreedr - don't you just love House? I was really depressed over Kutner. He was one of my favorites. Although, I think they did a good job with the scenario.

Hahaha - your mom's guppy must have fathered mine. Gotta give them credit!


----------



## sewingalot

Weekly update. I finally saw my new emporer tetras come out and about. They are beautiful fish. I am not really talkative since I should be sleeping......so here are the pictures. 

I ripped a lot of moss off the bogwood. My husband was mad, but I like it. :eek5:









My new grass plant, potamogeton gayii from Dr. Tran. Thanks!


















The emporers. Aren't they gorgeous? They made it through quarantine and the illness breakout in the tank. Yeah!


















The reds are finally coming back after the trim. 









Yet, I uncovered a new problem. BBA.  I guess it was do to the lack of co2 circulation from the jungle of plants. I trimmed this leaf after the documentation. I think it is important to show the ugly of plants so new people can see it isn't always fun.









What makes it worth it all. Pearling and happy fish.









*







*


----------



## funkyfish

I love your tank! And sorry to hear about your fishes, but I am glad they all doing better. And I love your pearling plants, I hope I will see some pearling in my tank one day, still testing my DIY CO2 receipe. Can't wait to see more great pictures from your tank


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks for the kind words. If you ever need any help with diy co2, feel free to ask me or shoot me a pm. I used it for a long time and still love it.


----------



## funkyfish

Thanks I might just do that hehehe 
I'm still testing mine that I set up yesterday. Boy was that fun and I actually managed to hurt my self by cutting my finger on my glass diffuser that I broke, only me could do something like that  I want to wait one more day to see if it will pick up, but from what I can tell my recipe is not that good. LOL 
And thanks again I will definitely shoot you a pm very soon


----------



## sewingalot

Glass diffusers will sometimes be difficult to use with diy co2, especially the cheap ones I bought off ebay. I finally gave up and used a chopstick shoved into the end of the tubing. It diffused the bubbles a lot better than the ceramic diffuser. That sucks about the cut. I broke quite a few myself.


----------



## funkyfish

My diffuser was from ebay, and I didn't even get a chance to test it, oh well not a big deal  Good thing I got some wooden diffusers as someone recomended. I'm getting some action but not a lot. So I'm waiting one more day and then expect lot's of questions from me LOL


----------



## sewingalot

Haha. We probably got it from the same place, even. Wooden diffusers are great. I am glad you are at least getting some co2. Feel free to ask away. If I don't know the answer, I'll direct you to someone that does. :hihi:


----------



## Karackle

Wow, you mean I'm not the only one who should be sleeping but is instead posting here? :hihi:

Tank looks great Sara! I really like the way one side is more jungley (<- not a real word but you know what I mean ) and the other side is more open, it's a really nice contrast. 

And yes, the emperors are gorgeous! My boyfriend has some in his tank and they are really beautiful fish. They have gotten progressively brighter purple on their sides and blue in their eyes as they've gotten older. Maybe they are just bigger now though so it looks brighter :tongue: It did take them a couple of weeks to color up after initial placement in the tank though too. But I love them, I wish I could have some! But if we move in together like we hope to in a few months, I'll get to see the ones in his tank every day! :icon_lol:


----------



## sewingalot

What really sucks is when you cannot sleep and your wireless starts acting up. Last night, it finally died. The money we have been saving up went to a new router and modem. Grrrrr.....

I wanted to get more emporers, but they were the only ones in the entire store. It was a mistake order and they won't get more. Oh well. These are pretty anyway.  Hey, congratulations on the moving in together. You are inheriting fish! Yeah! I inherited two dogs and he got two devil cats, haha.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks to rich815, I am totally excited to have the weekend hit. Here is my 55 jammed with plants begging to be arranged. You should also see the CPD tank and even George got a piece of the action! There was literally bags upon bags of plants. And sooooo healthy! The picture is overexposed, so you really cannot see the beauty of these plants. I will post better ones this weekend with closeups. I just wanted to brag on Rich815 a little. Everyone buy from him when you get a chance. Amazing!


----------



## Ishar

I love your tank! Your blyxa seems to just be loving life- very nice.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Ishar. Yeah, the blyxa is so amazing. It is supposed to be a difficult plant, but this tank loves it. Ironic thing is it dies in all my other tanks or just kind of hangs out pathetically. I am actually trying to sell some on the S&S to make room for my new plants. I so want a 75 gallon!


----------



## dewalltheway

sewingalot said:


> I so want a 75 gallon!


Your plants look insanely healthy! You are doing a great job! You are where I was at last year when you find that you could do so much more if you just had more depth in your tank because that 55 just don't. Hope you get to make the jump and enjoy.


----------



## rich815

sewingalot said:


> Thanks to rich815, I am totally excited to have the weekend hit. Here is my 55 jammed with plants begging to be arranged. You should also see the CPD tank and even George got a piece of the action! There was literally bags upon bags of plants. And sooooo healthy! The picture is overexposed, so you really cannot see the beauty of these plants. I will post better ones this weekend with closeups. I just wanted to brag on Rich815 a little. Everyone buy from him when you get a chance. Amazing!


Hey, hey! :thumbsup: Glad to hear it! Looking forwarding to see how you "style" the tanks with all those nice plants of mine! Thanks for the kind words!


----------



## Karackle

Tank is looking awesome, can't wait to see the pictures of how it gets arranged this weekend!


----------



## sewingalot

dewalltheway said:


> Your plants look insanely healthy! You are doing a great job! You are where I was at last year when you find that you could do so much more if you just had more depth in your tank because that 55 just don't. Hope you get to make the jump and enjoy.


I actually went to look at the tanks yesterday. Wow. The extra six inches would make a world of difference. Unfortunately, the space I could put the tank isn't deep enough.  I need to move the tank somewhere else, and there is simply no wall space. Oh well, my goal is to make this a deep 55 illusion like yours was, dewalltheway!



rich815 said:


> Hey, hey! :thumbsup: Glad to hear it! Looking forwarding to see how you "style" the tanks with all those nice plants of mine! Thanks for the kind words!


Rich, I am telling you man, these plants are amazing! The rotala green literally has grown two inches! I haven't lost one stem yet. Thanks a tank full! :bounce:



Karackle said:


> Tank is looking awesome, can't wait to see the pictures of how it gets arranged this weekend!


Thanks, Kara. You are my #1 motivator. I really appreciate all your kind words. By the way, have you heard from Complexity? I was wondering how Vicki's BBA and Clado was doing.

Your tank is looking great since the addition of lights. I want some of that hygro!


----------



## Karackle

sewingalot said:


> Thanks, Kara. You are my #1 motivator. I really appreciate all your kind words. By the way, have you heard from Complexity? I was wondering how Vicki's BBA and Clado was doing.
> 
> Your tank is looking great since the addition of lights. I want some of that hygro!


Wow, thanks!  You have become one of my #1 motivators too, so thank you for your kind words and encouragement as well!!! :biggrin: 

You know I haven't heard from Vicki, she must've gotten busy again!  

i'll need to trim my sunset hygro again soon, so consider it yours!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Kara! I have a place picked out for the hygro already!  And you are too kind. If you saw the algae I pulled out.....hahaha!

Here is a sneak preview of the new scape. I took out three times this amount of plants. I hope everyone enjoys the plants! :redface:


----------



## sewingalot

If you have been following, you know that I am always taking out plants and rearranging due to the new lights. If not, know you know, lol. I sold the best plants and gave away a ton of freebies. After taking out three sopping wet pounds, here are the results.

Full tank shot of my new "growout" scape.









I got rid of most of the blyxa and kept mostly the shaded plants to bring them back to full glory. What can I say? I like a challenge.









The following shots are some of the beauties from Rich. I'll let them speak for themselves. 


















Intermission picture (due to double post )



























Not bad for plants that have been overshaded all week. They are really starting to color up in just one day of stretching room. :redface:

Just a random shot I thought was pretty.









I thought this had all died due to lack of light. I uncovered this last night. It is d. diandra.









Rotala sp. "butterfly" HATES H202. This is all that survived.  I am actually starting to wonder if it is rotala macranda sp. green?


















How do you kill which won't die? Buy cories! I actually saw the cory swallow a chunk of BBA right after snapping this photo!









Another random shot....









Look how pretty these root on the camboba from boltp! The cory loves this plant, she is frequently nosing around it's base.









Not tonight, honey. I have a headache!!!


----------



## rich815

Wow! Looks great! That Hygro. balsamica will grow into a gorgeous feathery emerald head of leaves, just you wait. Go thing to me is that it is NOT that fast a grower so I do not need to trim it twice a week! The 'Cuba' looks to be coming along fine as does the aromatica. That 'butterfly' does look bad. I am 100% sure it is not 'green'. I kept that plant in one place right after i got it from a Hawaiin grower. It was a gorgeous bright red-magenta. It had faded for me too but not that much. Must need more light, more iron, more ???? That bush of variegated Lindernia is looking happy!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks.  The Hygro balsamica is one of my newest favorite plants. It is amazing how thick the stalk is and how beautiful the leaf really is in person. Those are some amazing roots on it as well. I wish my teeth were as white. :hihi:

Here is a question, which plant is which? I think the cuba is the one next to the camboba and driftwood and the l aromatica is on the far right. 

The Pogostemon stellatus 'narrow leaf' is really looking great, I'll have to get a better picture of it along with the rotala green and red that is doing fantastic. Also, the Tonina fluviatilis has new side shoots! I forgot to take a picture, but I'll get one soon.

Haha. I didn't realize how bad the rotala butterfly looked until I glanced back at the original pictures of the seller. Man, they were beautiful when I got them!  I was about to pitch them last night when I noticed the roots were very healthy and the new growth. I am keeping my fingers crossed. (Thanks for identifying it not as "green" magenta. I was grasping at straws on that suggestion, lol.) I think it's only help at this point is a new owner. :hihi:

Thanks again for the great plants.


----------



## rich815

Third photo above is the 'Cuba', the fourth the aromatica. The Cuba should get a nice yellow-red inside the crown as it gets more light and nutrients.

Hey, that Pot. gayi is looking good too. I love that plant personally. I started with a few snips about 6 or so months ago and have sold off bunches and bunches of it. Always leave myself with 4-5 stems and it just goes nuts on me each time from there. I like it's grassy look, the thin line down the middle of the leaf, and that it pearls like mad!

And of course gotta LOVE the 'kawagoneum'!!!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks for the id. I thought I had them right, but I wasn't positive. The gayi is awesome. I took these pictures right after the lights came on, and now the plant is pearling like mad! It really is beautiful, isn't it? The Poly K is a fave. I look forward to the plants growing with better with the extra light after the massive trim. 

One stupid thing I forgot to do after the trim was to adjust the co2. I started noticing the some of fish acting strange and barely moving. I kicked off the co2 and threw in my emergency air stone! Thankfully, no deaths. I am glad I was hear to catch a potential disaster.


----------



## funkyfish

Looks great  Awesome pictures  
And what that plant in the picture #4? I really like it. And is that a marimo ball that your shrimp is sitting on? I'm thinking of getting a couple.


----------



## sewingalot

This is the plant: Limnophila Aromatica: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...ails.php?id=98&category=genus&spec=Limnophila.

Yes, it is a marimo. My 5" marimo split, so I made new ones, although they aren't round yet. :hihi: If you can't find one, let me know. I can send you some babies.


----------



## funkyfish

sewingalot said:


> This is the plant: Limnophila Aromatica: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...ails.php?id=98&category=genus&spec=Limnophila.
> 
> Yes, it is a marimo. My 5" marimo split, so I made new ones, although they aren't round yet. :hihi: If you can't find one, let me know. I can send you some babies.


Oh thank you I will let you know! I think I saw some in my LFS but they didn't look to good. If I won't be able to find some online for a good price I will take some of your babies :hihi:
And you are awesome! :thumbsup:


----------



## sewingalot

Put up a WTB in the forum, you will definitely find some nice marimos! I personally love them. They are in almost every tank.


----------



## funkyfish

sewingalot said:


> Put up a WTB in the forum, you will definitely find some nice marimos! I personally love them. They are in almost every tank.


 
Great idea, didn't think of that  I think Im starting to loose some brain cells after being on the computer for so long :icon_eek: Thanks for the suggestion


----------



## Karackle

Tank is looking wonderful Sara! I really like it!  Nice and lush and full, but not quite a jungle (yet)  I dig it!  

Which plant is the hygro balsamica? It has a pretty name and I imagine it's a pretty plant if it's your new favorite!


----------



## sewingalot

Lol. It is the stalk with one tiny leaf starting out in the 8th picture. It is actually very lovely. I can't wait until it grows out. It is a lot like wisteria, but prettier.


----------



## Karackle

hahahaha well it does look like it will grow out to be pretty. Is the common name for that watersprite? I guess I could look that up for myself, but that ruins all the fun of asking questions and having a conversation on here! :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

You know, I don't know. Lol. How's that for an answer? hahahaha


----------



## Karackle

hahahahaha awesome! I shall google it now and get back to you though! (p.s. don't love how "google" has become a verb? yep....i'm random....that's a little insight into how my brain works )

*edit* it is NOT the common name for watersprite (now i gotta do more googling to find out watersprite's scientific name :tongue but it also says it's not very well suited for low light tanks so i probably shouldn't take any from you, i'd hate to just have it die off in my low light tanks. I'll just have to think of some different plants I want to steal from ya


----------



## rekles75

sewingalot said:


> Not tonight, honey. I have a headache!!!


 
This is my favorite, The caption cracked me up. Tank is looking great, you have got to love those Catalinas.


----------



## sewingalot

Rekles, you are my favorite friend that is always too busy! :hihi: Glad to see that you are still around!

Pictures coming up in a few everybody!


----------



## sewingalot

*It's all the shrimp's fault!*

I have been busy with my new friends, the cherry red shrimp. 
I was so totally enamored to the point I almost outgased my fish and had to stick the powerhead back into the tank for a while. Sorry pals! :confused1:

I am down to just one type of algae again. GSA, my favorite. I have decided to live with it for now. I am getting good growth and overall, there is not any other issues except for the occasional fuzzy growth here and there. I went back to PPS-Pro to the letter after trying several different methods. I am happy with the results overall. What do you all think after seeing this? Rich's plants have done great! Except the tonia - melted it with my super hard water :icon_roll. We'll see if it comes back. Right now its a stick in the mud, lol.










My new addition. The only time I have seen him. I've been looking until my eyes hurt. :icon_eek: Saw a tail yesterday brushing off a cory.









But the sword has seen him plenty. Time to move it to another tank.....









Limnophilia Aromatica is looking great!









So is the p. gayi









Ludwigia Brevipe









Downoi (I love saying this instead of Pogostemon Helferi)









H2O2 doesn't like Marselia Minuta, but it is recovering.









Poly 'K' (Polygonum sp. 'Kawagoeanum')









Pogostemon stellatus









What the?









Not sure if I like this plant yet. Rotala sp. 'Nanjenshan'









My blyxa is blushing! :icon_redf









Rotala Magenta, Rotala Roundifolia and Ludwigia Inclinata 'Cuba'









Squiggly plant, no clue what it is.









Rotala Magenta sp. Green :thumbsup:









Rotala sp. Butterfly is coming back!


----------



## Dollface

that marimo looks like it's going to grow legs and attack tokyo, that's huuugggeee


----------



## FrostyNYC

Your squiggly plant is Echinodorus sp. 'vesuvius'


----------



## sewingalot

Dollface said:


> that marimo looks like it's going to grow legs and attack tokyo, that's huuugggeee


Haha, that was too funny. You should have seen the one that just split apart. It was three times this size. 



FrostyNYC said:


> Your squiggly plant is Echinodorus sp. 'vesuvius'


Hey! Thanks for the identification. I just looked it up and sure enough, that's it.


----------



## Karackle

Tank is looking great Sara! 

I should have plants to mail you this week or monday next week at the LATEST. I don't mean to keep putting it off, I want to get you the plants! They're not growing as fast as I'd hoped, maybe i need some Jobes! And the interview i have tomorrow totally throws off my "drop them on the way to work tuesday morning" plan because i'm not going to work tuesday morning! :redface::icon_redf I WILL get your plants (and air pump and baby-proof (hopefully) pre-filters) to you soon!


----------



## Superedwin

Wow! Really nice tank you got there and those plants are flourishing, keep it up


----------



## cah925

Superedwin said:


> Wow! Really nice tank you got there and those plants are flourishing, keep it up


X2! Great photos, I love all the pearling.


----------



## RianS

I loved this journal.
It took me over an hour to read it all. Probably since i really took in the photos. Please keep going


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> Tank is looking great Sara!
> 
> I should have plants to mail you this week or monday next week at the LATEST. I don't mean to keep putting it off, I want to get you the plants! They're not growing as fast as I'd hoped, maybe i need some Jobes! And the interview i have tomorrow totally throws off my "drop them on the way to work tuesday morning" plan because i'm not going to work tuesday morning! :redface::icon_redf I WILL get your plants (and air pump and baby-proof (hopefully) pre-filters) to you soon!


Kara - no hurries. I think you may be right about getting some fertilizers. Those lights should have sent them into overdrive be now. If you want, I can send you some fertilizer with the plants I am sending to you. 



Superedwin said:


> Wow! Really nice tank you got there and those plants are flourishing, keep it up


Thanks, Superedwin! I am still not very happy with it, but it is coming along. 



cah925 said:


> X2! Great photos, I love all the pearling.


Thanks! I love the pearling, too. Unfortunately, I noticed my fish don't appreciate the high co2 levels. With the GLA in line diffuser, I had to back down to 1bps and the drop checker is lime green.



RianS said:


> I loved this journal.
> It took me over an hour to read it all. Probably since i really took in the photos. Please keep going


Thanks RianS! Thanks for liking my journal. Sometimes I wonder if anyone really wants to look at it. Then you make me happy! roud:


----------



## vtkid

In about a half of a year you have had amazing progress, and I hope you find the time and money to start a 75.:hihi:


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

the tank looks like you have collectoritis! I think that most of us do. Looks great and well diverse!:thumbsup:


----------



## sewingalot

vtkid said:


> In about a half of a year you have had amazing progress, and I hope you find the time and money to start a 75.:hihi:


Thanks vtkid. I had a lot of ups and downs. Right now I am battling algae. I am trying to fix this by switching to EI method now that our water line is fixed. When are you starting your journal? 



Torpedobarb said:


> the tank looks like you have collectoritis! I think that most of us do. Looks great and well diverse!:thumbsup:


Ken,

I think I caught it from you. :hihi: I'll have to post the mineralized soil tank soon. It is looking great!


----------



## sewingalot

*Ebichua's awesome snails!*

Mini update! After reading Homer's thread on GDA - do something seriously! I decided to buy a few Netrites and a Clithon Corona to help with my algae battle. Don't ask which one is the Clithon, I have no idea!  Boy do they have there work cut out for them. Thanks for the new friends, Ebi!!! Edit: The little horned guys that are both black and yellow and solid black are the clithon. Thanks for the identification, Ebichua.


----------



## sewingalot

*Algae war part 2*

This is one of the things keeping me from updating this and other journals more timely - poopy little cute fellers. :hihi:









Aren’t they cute?









Well back to the “suga shack” as named by Rekles75……Where to start? Oh yeah, as Wolfen can tell you, don’t buy 4X55 T5HO lighting and expect no algae. Haha. You name it, I am fighting it. BBA? Check. GSA? Check. GDA? Check. Fuzz Algae? Check. Clado? Check. Staghorn? Nope. That is one I have been lucky enough to avoid. roud: I have my co2 cranked up to the point any more and the fish are uncomfortable. I won’t sacrifice my fish, so I am also dosing excel and have finally went to the EI method of fertilizing until I can raise the lights and re-evaluate my progress.

Full tank shot at an angle.









The dance of the cories. I believe this dance and the hard water is what did in the tonia. Sorry Rich, I really tried. 









What is suffering from algae the most? This unknown plant.









Then the l cuba









And then my poly k…..









But I still have some great shots and overall, the plants are happy.









Preggers pearl danio under the awesome l aromatica.









My downoi and marselia sp is doing much better!









My male molly loves GDA/GSA. :biggrin:









Joker’s growing up!









Fish news – Guppy is pregnant……she is getting therapy for multiple birth issues….









Who are you? My work fish, Larry.









Pretty poly k









Tiger platty. :icon_mrgr









Rotala Macranda “red”









Rotala Macranda “green”


















And here is a pleasant surprise.  Here is the rotala butterfly. It is no longer red, but it is alive and growing!









Close up


----------



## sewingalot

By the way, this time I have a reason for the lowered water levels. The nerites kept trying to escape. Now they are happy.


----------



## vtkid

sewingalot said:


> Thanks vtkid. I had a lot of ups and downs. Right now I am battling algae. I am trying to fix this by switching to EI method now that our water line is fixed. When are you starting your journal?


I will start my journal soon, once I find a camera that works and figure out how to take good pictures.


----------



## sunfire99

Wow!! Your tank looks great. Sorry to hear about the algae problems though. You really do have them covered don't you?


----------



## sewingalot

vtkid said:


> I will start my journal soon, once I find a camera that works and figure out how to take good pictures.


A working camera helps. I broke mine a while back. Don't worry about taking good pictures. I sucked at pictures in the beginning. Now, I am okay. Hey, but I still have lots of fun with my journal. How are your plants doing?



sunfire99 said:


> Wow!! Your tank looks great. Sorry to hear about the algae problems though. You really do have them covered don't you?


Sunfire - thanks. You wouldn't know about to algae if I would keep my mouth shut and stop posting pictures of it, right?  I think I found out part of my problem, though. I somehow managed to switch my light to turn on it the middle of the day for four extra hours! :angryfire That's it, I am going back to the green and red plugs and not these push in timers. Lol, between that and too much light to begin with, no wonder I am having these issues. :icon_mrgr


----------



## Karackle

Sara, despite the algae issues your tank is looking great! Really lush and the fish all look super happy too!  

This plant looks like Guppy Grass to me:










Good luck with the algae battle! incidentally have you tried hydrogen peroxide on algae? Or shortening how long the lights are on?


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks for the id, Kara. I looked it up and it looks very similar. Here is a picture after a haircut. :hihi: I shipped your plants today, by the way. 










I can't get over how red macranda rotala gets!


----------



## rich815

Looking pretty good! I must say though I went 4x54W T5HO over my 72 gal and my BBA and GSA got quickly out of control. Especially the GSA on all the leaves up near the surface and the lights. I bought a 1x54W to replace one of my 2x54W ones and now that I'm 3x54W and dropped from 10 hours to 8 hours of light per day my BBA is gone, my GSA minor and I only wipe the glass every week or two from some GDA that begins to show. But even with that less light my tank looks plenty bright and most if not all my plants grow just fine....in fact I now trim once every week or two instead of every week (heck some hygros and myrios was needing mid-week trims!) and that is MUCH better....


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks for the encouragement, Rich! I have plans to raise the lighting with my next payday and to use only two lights for now. But even then, I worry it is too much light. At least I know there is hope.


----------



## sewingalot

Argh! I have been shipping out so many plants and trimming, I just noticed I am missing my Hygro. balsamica! I think there will be a lucky person out there with my stem! And it just started branching this past week, too. :hihi: I guess it happens.


----------



## rich815

sewingalot said:


> Thanks for the encouragement, Rich! I have plans to raise the lighting with my next payday and to use only two lights for now. But even then, I worry it is too much light. At least I know there is hope.


Most important I think it lower your photoperiod to 8 hours until the algae is in check. This really works for me...


----------



## rich815

sewingalot said:


> Argh! I have been shipping out so many plants and trimming, I just noticed I am missing my Hygro. balsamica! I think there will be a lucky person out there with my stem! And it just started branching this past week, too. :hihi: I guess it happens.


Don't worry. If you cannot find it I'll save you another snip. The base I left behind from that earlier trim has branched in three directions already for me....


----------



## sewingalot

rich815 said:


> Most important I think it lower your photoperiod to 8 hours until the algae is in check. This really works for me...


Check. I just now lowered it to 7.5 hours to be extra cautious. 



rich815 said:


> Don't worry. If you cannot find it I'll save you another snip. The base I left behind from that earlier trim has branched in three directions already for me....


Yes! I really think it is gone. I have looked everwhere and it was there in the front. How do you loose a plant? :icon_roll


----------



## hydrophyte

sewingalot said:


> And then my poly k…..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tiger platty. :icon_mrgr


nice work! thanks for all of the pictures. i recently acquired some _Polydgonum_ 'Kawagoneum' and it reached right up out of the water for me to. have you noticed the little chevron markings on the leaves? my stems grew with pink leaves for short distance out of the water, then they all switched to green with the red chevrons.

you have great fish too. many people favor smaller fish and use them as accents in planted tanks, but i really like the look of platies with plants. there is a tank at school that is full of big fat platies. i should get a picture of that aquarium some time.


----------



## sewingalot

You are right. There is a chevron look to them from what I can tell from the picture. I'll have to let it grow out some again to check it out in person. I love platties. I love them so much, I still spell them the wrong way like I did when I was younger. :hihi:

When you get the picture, feel free to post in here. That would be totally awesome. My goal was to make the "hardy fish" a haven. I feel so sorry for the platties and common cories stuck in an ugly tank. (Like my first picture in the journal - I even had a hamster tunnel!)


----------



## hydrophyte

my _P._ 'Kawagoneum' also has a flower spike developing. i'll put up a picture of that when the blooms start to open. it has lots and lots of roots in its planter too.


----------



## hydrophyte

hey here is a picture of _Polygonum amphibium_ that a friend of mine got last summer.










this plant is widespread in North America. i tried growing some in a riparium last year, but it didn't take. i might try again this summer. it gets beautiful big pink blooms during mid-summer.


----------



## sewingalot

Too cool, a flowering poly k! I love the Polygonum amphibium. It kind of reminds me of a poinsetta before it turns red. That is so pretty!


----------



## hydrophyte

here's a link to picture of a _P. amphibium_ flower.

http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Pink%20Enlarged%20Photos/2peam.jpg

that plant has a funny growth habit. it can be rooted in up to two feet of water, but the stem just rises straight up leafless until it reaches the surface then develops floating leaves. it can also hold different leaves fully up out of the water and grow in wet soil out of the water too.


----------



## kid creole

I love this journal. It's inspiring.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks for the link, Hydrophyte. I now want to buy this plant.  Kid Creole - thanks for the compliment. I am actually feeling a little low about it right now. I don't know if it because I have been sick or that I am just really not liking the fact I can't beat this algae problem. :hihi: I'll try to keep you inspired.


----------



## sewingalot

*My Bristlenose Came out Today!*

I am so excited. The bristlenose came out today to eat.  I haven't since him fully since putting him in the tank, and frankly he is HANDSOME. Check it out.


----------



## vtkid

nice lookin' fella


----------



## rich815

Very nice! I have two of those living happily in my 72 gal for almost 2 years now. Got them when they were lil' 'uns. They are quite interesting. If you ever want to see him (her?) just drop an algae wafer in the front in the visible area. Their senses are so keen within only a couple minutes he'll (she'll?) be out munching away on it. 

Or, I often slice a piece of English cucumber (normal kind makes the water cloudy) or a zucchinni and attach it to a small stone with rubber band (fresh cut side of the veggie facing up). The plecos and ottos LOVE it.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks guys! Rich, funny you mention the algae wafer. I actually threw in an algae wafer today to see if he was hungry. Sure enough, the big guy came out and is actually attached to it in the photo. I have some zucchini in the freezer for the ottos. I'll throw in a piece tomorrow for him. Thanks for the tips. :thumbsup:


----------



## boltp777

man thats one healthy and happy pleco!


----------



## hydrophyte

it's nice to see an update. that is a handsome fish. i see my bristlenose every day. he has learned to beg for food.


----------



## sewingalot

I've gotta start feeding him more algae wafers.


----------



## fastfreddie

Cool pleco!

Hey what is the name of this plant? Does it grow emersed as well? I swear I've seen it at the local nursery.


----------



## sewingalot

Lindernia rotundifolia sp. varigated. This link shows it emersed. It is a lovely plant. http://www.plantgeek.net/plant-282.htm


----------



## sewingalot

Well, I finally took the advice given to me and raised the lights. Don't you love the diy legs? Pretty ugly, I know. But it works for now until I can afford something nicer. I turned on both lights to show how bright it gets even 8" above the rim. I still need to raised them higher, but I am afraid to until I figure out a better method.

Also, I got rid of all but 11 blyxa this week. I always get nervous when I "thin" them. Are they going to come back?










Just some random pictures of my plants, fish and algae.


----------



## Gatekeeper

I like the DIY legs. Gives it the "home built" look.


----------



## hydrophyte

awesome! it looks great. i bet you can really lose track of time staring into that tank.


----------



## sunfire99

Still looks great. Your pictures always seem to show your fish top center of the tank. Are you feeding them prior to the pics or do they just hang out there waiting? lol My fish seem to always be hiding...:icon_neut


----------



## hydrophyte

i have seen that platies often just hang out in that area. they are nice for viewing and also for photography. i have taken a number of pictures of aquariums that were full of fish, but in the shot appeared empty. i am becoming more conscious of fish selection for picture-taking.


----------



## sewingalot

gmccreedy said:


> I like the DIY legs. Gives it the "home built" look.


Thanks. Too bad I don't decorate like my mom, or I could call it "primitive art." But hey it's working and it was easy to do. Kind of fits the faux oak, though. :hihi:



hydrophyte said:


> awesome! it looks great. i bet you can really lose track of time staring into that tank.


Between the tank and this board....my house is a wreck. :icon_smil



sunfire99 said:


> Still looks great. Your pictures always seem to show your fish top center of the tank. Are you feeding them prior to the pics or do they just hang out there waiting? lol My fish seem to always be hiding...:icon_neut


They are goofy. Everytime we walk by the tank, they beg for food. But just in case, I put in an airstone just now to make sure they aren't getting too much co2.



hydrophyte said:


> i have seen that platies often just hang out in that area. they are nice for viewing and also for photography. i have taken a number of pictures of aquariums that were full of fish, but in the shot appeared empty. i am becoming more conscious of fish selection for picture-taking.


Have you ever noticed when you are trying to get a particular picture the platties come out of no where? I would love some cardinals, but I am already maxed out. I just look at other's tanks for my fix.


----------



## hydrophyte

red fish are generally real good for showing up in photographs. i appreciate the cherry barbs that i have in my 65 for that (i enjoy their personalities and behaviors too!).


----------



## sewingalot

I like the look of orange fish too. Unfortunately, they are the ones always in the way. I love cherry barbs! They are such fun fish to watch.


----------



## fastfreddie

Nice! Loved the blyxa, but it was blocking all of you other beautiful plants.

I also like the DIY legs. You have to care for your plant's health before you can worry about looks, even if it means an ugly piece of equipment. It's kind of like those helmets people have to put on babies with the flat spot in their heads. No one wants to carry their baby around in them, but you have to because it's safer and they will look better with a round head. But really, I always love those babies even more when I see them sporting the embarrassing helmets, so I like your tank better with the raised up legs too. Maybe when you get some time you could suspend that fixture from the ceiling. 

Seriously though, the tank looks really cool, and you should get a lot more of the lone red stem thats in the middle. What is that one?


----------



## sewingalot

Fredster! Cute analogy. Those babies are adorable aren't they? My cousin had two preemies almost five years ago and they both had to wear them. Talk about double cuteness. I'll see if I can find a picture......

Yeah, I love blyxa, but it grows a little out of control. I don't understand it, other tanks it won't grow as well. Must be the platties. :hihi:

The red stem is rotala macranda. I have two little stems in front that I cut off but it is slowly taking its time. Boy, no wonder it is listed as a difficult plant! You can actually see different growths while I was tweaking the lighting, co2 and changing over to EI.


----------



## legomaniac89

Man, I leave for work today and come back nine hours later...and your username turned green! Does this mean I need to behave when you're around now?


----------



## sewingalot

legomaniac89 said:


> Man, I leave for work today and come back nine hours later...and your username turned green! Does this mean I need to behave when you're around now?


You better!  If not, I call for backup. :help: Your tank is looking sweet!


----------



## legomaniac89

sewingalot said:


> You better!  If not, I call for backup. :help: Your tank is looking sweet!


I'll watch my manners :biggrin:.

Thanks! Yours is awesome too. How many different species do you have in there?


----------



## sewingalot

Around 20 or so that I can think of right now. Let me think:

Limnophilia Aromatica
Minuta Marselia
P. Gayi
Rotala Colorata
Rotala Roundfolia
Rotala Macranda 'red'
Rotala Macranda 'green'
P Stellus narrow leaf
Ludwigia repens x arcuata
Ludwigia brevipes
Ludwigia something or another
Matogross spelling?
Blyxa 
HM
Hygro sp. Bold
L. Cuba
Downoi
Marimo
Moss sp.
L. Sessiflora
Limno. sp. Mini
Some type of large leafy hygro
Something like guppy grass
Erio type 2
Rotala sp 'butterfly' (one stem hanging in there!)
About 3 types of algae
Zucchini :hihi:

I think I am sick.......


----------



## legomaniac89

Only 25? Before I rescaped my 20L, there was a point where I had *well* over 30 species in that thing. I could list them off, if you want :hihi:

Luckily, I am now _mostly_ free of collectoritis. I still get the urge every now and then when cruising through the SNS. :help:


----------



## sewingalot

legomaniac89 said:


> Only 25? Before I rescaped my 20L, there was a point where I had *well* over 30 species in that thing. I could list them off, if you want :hihi:
> 
> Luckily, I am now _mostly_ free of collectoritis. I still get the urge every now and then when cruising through the SNS. :help:


You make me feel better. Yes, list them if you don't mind. I'll be less alone.


----------



## legomaniac89

sewingalot said:


> You make me feel better. Yes, list them if you don't mind. I'll be less alone.


Alright, let's see...hmmm. There was

-Blyxa japonica
-Hygrophila sp. "Araguaia"
-Hemianthus callitrichoides
-Ranunculus inundatus
-Rotala indica "Singapore"
-Rotala indica "Bonsai"
-Rotala sp. "Mini Type 1"
-Rotala sp. "Mini Type 2"
-Rotala sp. "Butterfly"
-Rotala nanjenshan
-Polygonum sp. "Sao Paulo"
-Polygonum praetermissum "Ruby"
-Nesaea pedicillata "Golden"
-Echinodorus angustifolius (I think)
-Echinodorus angustifolius "Vesuvius"
-Hyptis sp. (Hemigraphis traian)
-Bacopa sp. "Colorata"
-Tonina fluviatilis
-Syngonanthus sp. "Belem"
-Eichhornia diversifolia
-Taxiphyllum sp. "Peacock"
-Fissidens fontanus
-Limnophila sp. "Mini"
-Cryptocoryne wendtii "Green x Hybrid"
-Cryptocoryne wendtii "Green Gecko"
-Ludwigia sp. "Guinea"
-Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata "Cuba"
-Rotala sp. "Vietnam"
-Cabomba furcata?
-Hottonia palustris
-Cryptocoryne spiralis var. spiralis
-Lindernia rotundifolia "Variegated"
-Salvinia minima
-Lemna minor (seriously, what tank doesn't have this :icon_smil)
-Ludwigia glandulosa
-Hygrophila sp. "Tiger"
-Hygrophila sp. "Bold"
-Hygrophila polysperma "Rosanervig"

Dear lord, I had a serious problem :icon_eek:. All of that was crammed into a 20g Long. Granted, there was only one stem of a few of those, but it was all in there at the same time at one point.

How many was that? Never mind, I don't even want to know. And don't worry, you are never alone with collectoritis :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Wow. I thought I had it bad. Apparently collectoritis is highly contagious. At least you can spell the names of the plants you have. I can't spell or say them. I kind of rate Lemna minor right up there with mosquitoes. Annoying, they breed quickly and if your not careful, you are covered in them!

What was your favorite species? I am starting to lean toward marimo. A big ball of algae. What's not to love?


----------



## hydrophyte

i got it pretty bad too. you should see the mess in my fishroom/shop.


----------



## legomaniac89

sewingalot said:


> Wow. I thought I had it bad. Apparently collectoritis is highly contagious. At least you can spell the names of the plants you have. I can't spell or say them.


Hehe it took me quite a while to get all the Latin names down. I really have a thing against common names, they just drive me crazy. Like Baby Tears, I can think of 3 plants that go by that name. Total chaos :hihi:



> I kind of rate Lemna minor right up there with mosquitoes. Annoying, they breed quickly and if your not careful, you are covered in them!


:biggrin:



> What was your favorite species? I am starting to lean toward marimo. A big ball of algae. What's not to love?


Whoof...I don't think I can pick a favorite single species. There are too many out there. I do have a favorite genus though: _Cryptocoryne_. Don't know why, but I love 'em.


----------



## sewingalot

So you probably hate when I say downoi. Thing is, I can't find the real name half the time. I really should look up the correct names for the benefits of others. As you say, there are three different baby tears. 

I like crypts, but suck at keeping them alive. I think I move them too much. I do love them in an emersed setup though. I do well with them that way.


----------



## legomaniac89

Downoi isn't so bad. There's only one Downoi (_Pogostemon helferi_ ). Plus it's fun to say. Downoi downoi downoi...:hihi:

I have crypts in every single aquarium I have set up, and I'm growing a few emersed too. Like I said, I dunno why I like them so much, I just do. I got a Florida Sunset right after FAN released them, threw it in a small terrarium in a window, and now it flowers nonstop for me. I think that's what really got me hooked on them. The spathes are so cool.


----------



## brion0

Hey sewingalot your tank looks great. Dont know how you get your blyxa to grow so well, mine is busy gettin over run with algae, if its not floating at the top of the tank. 

If you want a good way to get your light up, check out Torpedobarb's thread. Maby I can help you out to [ spam spam spam] jokes, Pm me Ill give you a swingin deal.


----------



## CL

Wow! Your tank skills have improved A LOT since I last checked!


----------



## hydrophyte

i don't know why but i like crypts the best too. i need to sit down and try to figure out species/varieties for more of these that i have here. i also need to work on culturing them better and getting them to bloom, because i have only had success with the real easy ones.

i agree with cl this tank has undergone an amazing transformation from the beginning.


----------



## sewingalot

I love the multiple quote button. 



legomaniac89 said:


> Downoi isn't so bad. There's only one Downoi (_Pogostemon helferi_ ). Plus it's fun to say. Downoi downoi downoi...:hihi:
> 
> I have crypts in every single aquarium I have set up, and I'm growing a few emersed too. Like I said, I dunno why I like them so much, I just do. I got a Florida Sunset right after FAN released them, threw it in a small terrarium in a window, and now it flowers nonstop for me. I think that's what really got me hooked on them. The spathes are so cool.


Downoi is especially great to say when you are a hick like me. Da-Now-ah-oy. :biggrin:

I would love to get a Florida Sunset for my window sill. Thing is, we just had the window replaced and haven't yet put back the sill. Is that the one in your avatar? It is very nice.



brion0 said:


> Hey sewingalot your tank looks great. Dont know how you get your blyxa to grow so well, mine is busy gettin over run with algae, if its not floating at the top of the tank.
> 
> If you want a good way to get your light up, check out Torpedobarb's thread. Maby I can help you out to [ spam spam spam] jokes, Pm me Ill give you a swingin deal.


Torpedobarb's light stand is awesome. Did you make that? If so, you should totally offer to make me one for free. :hihi: Just joking. The blyxa secret is talking to it. I always talk to my fish and plants. They love it. It was the first plant I had and it still is one of my favs. 

Seriously, I have found an iron rich substrate like flourite does wonders for it. I have tried it in Turface, gravel and sand with no success. Don't know if that helps. And forget about water needing to be soft. My water is very hard and still does fine.



clwatkins10 said:


> Wow! Your tank skills have improved A LOT since I last checked!


Thanks. I like to think it isn't half bad. I quit worrying about the algae and started excepting it. Makes all the difference in the world.



hydrophyte said:


> i don't know why but i like crypts the best too. i need to sit down and try to figure out species/varieties for more of these that i have here. i also need to work on culturing them better and getting them to bloom, because i have only had success with the real easy ones.
> 
> i agree with cl this tank has undergone an amazing transformation from the beginning.


I wish I could grow crypts better. I melt them, bruise them and punish them to the point I feel sorry for them and end up emersing them. Then they do well. Problem is I am running out of room. That is why I am leaning toward your idea of ripariums.


----------



## legomaniac89

sewingalot said:


> I would love to get a Florida Sunset for my window sill. Thing is, we just had the window replaced and haven't yet put back the sill. Is that the one in your avatar? It is very nice.


Thanks! That's the one. That pic was my first crypt spathe ever and I was so pumped when I saw it. Since then, it's been about 2 months and 5 spathes later. As soon as one spathe matures and starts to wither up, another is ready to take its place.

That crypt is single-handedly responsible for causing me to set up a terrarium for, guess what...crypts! I have 5 different species growing in that thing now.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

I might have an extra set of legs for that light problem. sent pm


----------



## sewingalot

legomaniac89 said:


> Thanks! That's the one. That pic was my first crypt spathe ever and I was so pumped when I saw it. Since then, it's been about 2 months and 5 spathes later. As soon as one spathe matures and starts to wither up, another is ready to take its place.
> 
> That crypt is single-handedly responsible for causing me to set up a terrarium for, guess what...crypts! I have 5 different species growing in that thing now.


I can see why. It really is amazing. Watch, you'll be making hybrids before long. 



Torpedobarb said:


> I might have an extra set of legs for that light problem. sent pm


Haha. My legs are that bad? What's wrong, don't like shabby chic? :icon_eek:


----------



## legomaniac89

sewingalot said:


> I can see why. It really is amazing. Watch, you'll be making hybrids before long.


Haha thanks! But I think it'll be quite a while before I'm hybridizing 'em. Gotta graduate college first :icon_eek:


----------



## sewingalot

legomaniac89 said:


> Haha thanks! But I think it'll be quite a while before I'm hybridizing 'em. Gotta graduate college first :icon_eek:


Watch out for that last semester. It took me from magna cum laude to cum laude...goofed off too much. Ah, college. I miss it........


----------



## Karackle

Tank is looking GREAT!!! 

And thanks so much for all of the wonderful plants, I promise to get some updated tank shots with them SOON!


----------



## fastfreddie

Wow. I joined a month before you, and you have 1,300 more posts than I do. Have you worn the letters off of your keyboard or what? 

You are ADDICTED to TPT like a teenager on facebook.:tongue:


----------



## fastfreddie

I think the fish and plants are pretty happy compared to this :









So, all of your hard reading and typing has definitely paid off!


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> Tank is looking GREAT!!!
> 
> And thanks so much for all of the wonderful plants, I promise to get some updated tank shots with them SOON!


I am waiting........



fastfreddie said:


> Wow. I joined a month before you, and you have 1,300 more posts than I do. Have you worn the letters off of your keyboard or what?
> 
> You are ADDICTED to TPT like a teenager on facebook.:tongue:


Hehe. What can I say? Guilty. :icon_redf I think I need to go to a support group. Seriously, I love this stuff, and I probably annoy people with all my posting, but oh well. I love it here. :redface: Plus it doesn't hurt to have a boring job and a husband addicted to the playoffs right now. :hihi:



fastfreddie said:


> I think the fish and plants are pretty happy compared to this :
> So, all of your hard reading and typing has definitely paid off!


Thanks, I think.....


----------



## fastfreddie

sewingalot said:


> I am waiting........
> Plus it doesn't hurt to have a boring job and a husband addicted to the playoffs right now. :hihi:


Haha, that explains it, and it was certainly meant to be a compliment. I don't think you annoy people with your posts at all. You are pretty darn nice and very helpful to everybody  Exactly what this place counts on!


----------



## sewingalot

Sucking up to the new moderator, huh? :hihi: If we weren't friends before, I would worry about your integrity, lol. 

I ran out of co2 today. I didn't notice it until I got home and the refill center was closed.  If that wasn't bad enough, I nearly outgassed my CPDs. One didn't make it and I feel simply terrible. I learned a valuable lesson today. Do *NOT* adjust the co2 in mid cycle one day and leave the next day without keeping a close eye on the fish. I changed nearly 80% of the water, put on an air pump (Thanks Kara!) and turned off the CO2. One fish is still struggling, but he's a trooper. Truthfully, this one made me seriously think about throwing in the towel. Then I remembered everyone makes mistakes and its only failure when you give up. Right?


----------



## rich815

I keep an extra 5lb CO2 tank around as a back-up. That way I do not have to rush out and get a re-fill at the whim of my CO2 running out. I run out of CO2, I change the tank using my back-up tank. I now have plenty of time to get that empty one re-filled to sit ready and waiting in the garage for next time. 

As for when you run out I've noticed we have at least 5-6 days of warning time as the higher number on the gauge (about 900 for me) slowly starts moving down as the tank empties in the last week. I can usually know when I'm getting close but I check AT LEAST once a week when I do my water changes and catch it then if not sooner. I usually change it when it hits 500 or less....


----------



## sewingalot

That's a great idea. I am going to have to look into doing this. I'll have to wait until I can afford one. I keep spending my money in the swap and shop. Now that I think about it, the gauge was really low. I just thought I knocked the wheel loose and tightened it a bit. D'oh. Not bad though, six months of use!


----------



## rich815

sewingalot said:


> That's a great idea. I am going to have to look into doing this. I'll have to wait until I can afford one. I keep spending my money in the swap and shop. :hihi: Now that I think about it, the gauge was really low. I just thought I knocked the wheel loose and tightened it a bit. D'oh. Not bad though, six months of use!


Watch here and on maybe your local Craig's List? 5lb'ers can be had for not too much money. One CO2 dump or running out and not realizing it's run out, having a huge flucuation of CO2 that results in a BBA outbreak a couple weeks later and that extra tank now seems VERY cheap.....


----------



## fastfreddie

Another cool thing (or warm thing I should say) about a spare tank is, it's already at room temp, so there is no adjustment period after a cold refill. Just keep the needle valve right where it is. 
I know with the Milwaukee when a cold tank has very low pressure, it's a real pain to get the bubble rate adjusted for the next day or so.


----------



## sewingalot

I'll keep an eye on craigs list for one. The last time I bought one it cost 75 filled. Ouch. I didn't think about the temperature idea either. You guys are great. What would I do without your help? Oh, I know. Run out of Co2 after the store closes.


----------



## fastfreddie

sewingalot said:


> I Oh, I know. Run out of Co2 after the store closes.


Insert: Peewee Herman laugh


----------



## sewingalot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwuEo4y5luk :hihi:


----------



## rbarn

You me owe me 30 secs of my life back .........


----------



## sewingalot

rbarn said:


> You me owe me 30 secs of my life back .........


What, didn't like it? I loved Pee Wee Herman. Grew up with him. :icon_bigg


----------



## mistergreen

oh, hey,
If you run out of CO2, you can always leave the lights off till you get more.


----------



## sewingalot

mistergreen said:


> oh, hey,
> If you run out of CO2, you can always leave the lights off till you get more.


Great idea! I guess the pleco is in heaven right now with all that darkness. :icon_mrgr


----------



## fastfreddie

sewingalot said:


> What, didn't like it? I loved Pee Wee Herman. Grew up with him. :icon_bigg


Me too! The show was great. What a classic movie too. 

"Tell em Large Marge sent ya!"


----------



## sewingalot

What's not to love about Chairy the talking chair? Hehe. Small update, finally got my co2 refilled. The lights were turned off per mistergreen's suggestion until I got the co2 and a lot of the algae disappeared. The reds are a little faded, but not bad. I am slowly turning up the co2 until the fish can get used to it again and leaving the lights off for all but six hours right now. My cories are brreding! I guess the great amount of raining and the dark lights must have spurned them into a frenzy. I don't know if ottos spawn the same way, but they were acting similar earlier this evening.


----------



## sewingalot

The tank is a little overgrown again. I am too lazy to trim right now, so there is even emersed growth. I need help. I definitely have issues. You'll have to excuse the poor photo quality. I have this nifty button on the camera that is supposed to take aquarium pictures, but apparently, it is not a great option.


----------



## skratikans

I really love your riccia...when I grow mine in no added CO2, it was nice an compact..and when I started DIY CO2, it grow large and very grass like...how do you keep yours like that?


----------



## hydrophyte

nice! those _Polygonum_ and _Limnophila_ reach right up out of the water when they hit the surface, don't they? that's a lot of stems in there!


----------



## sewingalot

skratikans said:


> I really love your riccia...when I grow mine in no added CO2, it was nice an compact..and when I started DIY CO2, it grow large and very grass like...how do you keep yours like that?


Probably not a good thing to admit to, but I tear it apart occasionally when it annoys me. It'll start taking off like crazy after that, usually with small growth.



hydrophyte said:


> nice! those _Polygonum_ and _Limnophila_ reach right up out of the water when they hit the surface, don't they? that's a lot of stems in there!


They are cool looking grown out like that. I measured that Poly K at 39". I should have taken a picture of it.  Sorry, next time I will. I was going to leave it in the tank like that, but there was algae on the bottom, so I threw out over half of the stem.

I finally broke down and trimmed up the tank. I took out over half the plants. I wanted to take more, but I was afraid of an algae outbreak. My algae is almost finally gone after lifting up the lights and turning off a bank of lights. I hate to chance it. 










By the way, anyone know what this is? It was given as a freebie, so I have no clue. Hygro something or another?


----------



## talontsiawd

This tank is so inspirational. I have been having trouble figuring out my "mid-ground" or really the very short transition from forground to background. This is perfect.


----------



## ZooTycoonMaster

It looks much better after the trim:hihi:

And I think the mystery plant is Giant Hygro...aka Hygro. Corymbosa


----------



## Tex Gal

Is this the tank you are going to put your new plants in? If so I can see why you needed to make more room! 

BTW nice color on your reds!


----------



## ryan_p

What an amazing tank. Its so full and well planted, pretty much all the space were used up and covered the whole tank. Nice platys btw, they really stand out with those green plants.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks you guys.  Talontsiawd - your tank is the inspiration! I agree with Fastfreddie, it is time to take newbie out of your title! I still can't get over the driftwood not being rocks, it is dark and mysterious. Love it.

ZTM - thanks for the id. That looks like it.

Tex Gal - Yep, had to give away a ton of plants to make room for your beauties. That apricot coloring is amazing!

Ryan- My tank is a crazy hodge-podge of plants. I wish I could learn to actually scape, but I am in too far with this collectoritis issue.....


----------



## kyle3

sewingalot said:


> Ryan- My tank is a crazy hodge-podge of plants. I wish I could learn to actually scape, but I am in too far with this collectoritis issue.....


I'm starting to exhibit the symptoms too  uh-oh!

your tank is looking lush and beautiful- thumbs up as usual! 

cheers-K


----------



## sewingalot

Watch out - it is highly contagious and incurable. :hihi:


----------



## legomaniac89

sewingalot said:


> Watch out - it is highly contagious and incurable. :hihi:


True that. Save yourself while you still can :biggrin:.


----------



## sewingalot

Well, I came home from the hospital to this:









I hacked at it for over an hour and it looks like this now:









I was really tired and had to give up for the week. I sent out almost 2 pounds of plants this morning.  Not bad, but it needs work. I have been narrowing down the plants, and I have decided I want to get a more organized approach to the madness.














































My favorite plant from Rich:









Thanks for the tips on the zuchinni! My pleco comes out all the time now.  I need to get him a name.




























On a side note, here is one of my shrimp!









And I had to share this little guy. Another male betta had leaped over into his tank and nearly killed him. I rescued him by alerting the manager and she gave me him for free! He is eating well and made a bubble nest today while I was a work. Yeah! :redface:


















Sorry for the crappy pictures, but my hands are still a little unsteady. Hehe.


----------



## legomaniac89

That was one heck of a jungle. Did you have to get a deforestation permit before clearing it out? 

And what's this I hear about the hospital? I think I missed something. Everything alright for you down in West Virginia?


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, deforestation permit. That's funny. :hihi: I am a little nervous about the L. Cuba. I got rid of all but four stems 5" tall. I'm crossing my fingers on that one.

Since you asked, I was in the hospital for six days. I got out on the 4th of July of all days. I missed almost 6 weeks of work and was really sick there for a while. Sometimes the medicines you take to feel better stop working. I learned an important lesson - talk to your doctor when you start feeling bad, don't ignore it.  I am better now. Thanks for asking!


----------



## dewalltheway

Glad your back and feeling better! Plants look super healthy as usual. I am sure your cuba will do fine and mutiple quickly.


----------



## fastfreddie

Thoughts are definitely with you even now that you are feeling better. I know missing work is stressful, but in the long run, nothing is more important for you and your family than your health. I have a feeling with your good attitude, you'll be back on track in no time.


----------



## Karackle

Holy jungle-tastic batman! :hihi: Nice hacking job! That tank looks GREAT!  

And that is a beautiful red betta! Good eye on saving him! And for free no less! Just keep an eye on whether his fins are getting chomped on, but there's lots of room to hide in there, I imagine he'll be just fine!  

I know I already said it, but I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling better!


----------



## vtkid

UPDATE?!?! por favor.


----------



## sewingalot

Thank you so much for the kind words. It really has lifted my spirits. I have to update soon, and I will try to get to it this weekend. Getting back to work has been a little difficult for me and the tanks have been sitting on autopilot along with the journaling.

Here is a narrative in the meantime:

The l cuba and hygro corymbosa took a hit from the trimming. The bottoms keep rotting away and losing leaves. I am upping the lights by a half an hour to see if I can get some life back in them.

Kara - the red betta is in a tank by himself. He is getting really pretty, but is restless. I think the fight he had still has him nervous. I am considering putting in a few fry to give him some courage back.


----------



## mizu-chan

Your tank is gorgeous! Your plants all look so healthy and I am very jealous of all the variety you have in there. 

This is where I would want to swim if I were a fish


----------



## lljdma06

What a big, beautiful planted tank! I love the vigor and the fine growth. Very lush. I would die with a tank that size with so many stems. I gave up on that long ago. My largest tank, only 36g, has only crypts. My goodness, I bet you make a lot of hobbiests happy with your cuttings. 

Fine job,


----------



## sewingalot

Mizu - Good to see you are back! I am excited to see you around.  It is a curse at times to have so many stems. LLjdma06 - It is hard to keep the stems trimmed. I envy your crypt tank.


----------



## sewingalot

Check out this girl. I got this as a hitchhiker fry a few months ago with some some plants. Had no clue it was a female betta! I didn't even know she was in the tank until yesterday. She loves hanging out with the female guppies.









BBA in my moss. :icon_evil On the plus side, this is the only place there is algae now.


----------



## legomaniac89

Hey that's looking nice! I like the random floating marimo ball


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks Adam. I just finished rinsing it and rolling it for its monthly back. It took two days to sink again.


----------



## hydrophyte

Looks nice Sara. I like the changes!



sewingalot said:


>


----------



## fastfreddie

Whoa! I missed the new scape until now. When I saw the pic, in my head I was hearing " A whole neewwww world" from Aladdin. It looks great. 

What is this plant? Not wisteria is it? If so it looks awesome!


----------



## rich815

fastfreddie said:


> Whoa! I missed the new scape until now. When I saw the pic, in my head I was hearing " A whole neewwww world" from Aladdin. It looks great.
> 
> What is this plant? Not wisteria is it? If so it looks awesome!


 
Hmm, that stuff looks familiar......


----------



## legomaniac89

I think that's Hygrophila balsamica? Correct me if I'm wrong Sara


----------



## rich815

legomaniac89 said:


> I think that's Hygrophila balsamica? Correct me if I'm wrong Sara


It is. I sent it to her.


----------



## fastfreddie

rich815 said:


> It is. I sent it to her.


Haha, I figured that. I'll be lucky enough to get one of your packages one of these days.


----------



## sewingalot

fastfreddie said:


> Haha, I figured that. I'll be lucky enough to get one of your packages one of these days.


His plants are awesome. Only one didn't make it do to my stupidity, lol. All else has done great.

Rich - It's like looking into a funhouse mirror. No tank is as beautiful as yours. I just wish you would update it more often!


----------



## sewingalot

Random pictures I took while trimming on Tuesday morning. I must say L. Cuba hates me. I can't seem to get it to stand up straight....


----------



## rich815

Nice, nice, nice! Is that the balsamica in the background there?


----------



## hydrophyte

Nice! Your plants look like they are getting everything they need.

I have a strange urge to set up a goldfish tank and just this afternoon I picked up a fish. He's real handsome and about the same colors as that platy there near the center of the frame, minus the black spot through the tail.


----------



## sewingalot

rich815 said:


> Nice, nice, nice! Is that the balsamica in the background there?


That is the balsamica! I love it. There are now four stems of it! It is my favorite plant at the moment. I am actually moving out species to make room for its giant roots/stem. Thanks again, Rich!



hydrophyte said:


> Nice! Your plants look like they are getting everything they need.
> 
> I have a strange urge to set up a goldfish tank and just this afternoon I picked up a fish. He's real handsome and about the same colors as that platy there near the center of the frame, minus the black spot through the tail.


I love goldfish. They are my favorites.  Take pictures soon!


----------



## Karackle

Wow, tank is looking fantastic! Also, HI!


----------



## Chrisinator

Sweet Tank!


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> Wow, tank is looking fantastic! Also, HI!





Chrisinator said:


> Sweet Tank!


Hi Kara! Thanks to both of you for the compliments. I need to update the pictures, but I am lazy right now. All the tanks are kind of on auto pilot until I decide what to do next.


----------



## hydrophyte

sewingalot said:


> Hi Kara! Thanks to both of you for the compliments. I need to update the pictures, but I am lazy right now. All the tanks are kind of on auto pilot until I decide what to do next.


You must be busy too. Just last week I packed up and sent off almost all of my livebearer colonies, which was a little sad, but necessary. They went to good homes anyway.


----------



## sewingalot

Yeah, it is a busy time at work right now. One person quit, another is on maternity leave and I am coming in early, staying late/bringing home work a lot of times picking up the slack. Sucks, but it'll get better. Sorry to hear about your liveberarer colonies. I'll have pictures up in a few. I actually took some the last few days.


----------



## sewingalot

I am trying for a hygro background! I love this plant. The fact it can become deadly emersed is so intriguing to me. It is huge, though! I am not sure where I am going with this, but I am going to see how much it'll grow for me. 

I must say I am not fond of the Cal Aqua inline diffuser when it comes to the mist in the tank. Everything looks grainy in the pictures now. Also, I have a hard time with getting the co2 distributed evenly, I am wondering if I need a stronger filter or something. You can see what I am talking about in this shot:









One of my favorites, poly k. It is now considered a delicacy to the bristlenose. He likes to rasp on the lower leaves. He is an annoying fish sometimes. Still cute though.









Here is the deviant now. This is all the blyxa left in my tank. I kept one bunch and shipped the rest of it. Let's see how it grows in. 









To further show my neglect, here is the plant debris/red root floater mixture. Thanks to my buddy, heydude, I can now say I don't want to disturb the RR, not I am too lazy to pick up the trimmings. :biggrin: 









I honestly can't remember if this is l. arcuata or brevipes at the moment. I haven't had enough sleep lately.....









Rich gave me this a while back. It was buried under the blyxa - I had honestly thought it died. I moved it to the other side and wow, it is rebounding!









My marselia field. It is supposed to be minuta, but I really don't think it is. It occassionally pops up four lobed clovers. I don't mind, though since I am Irish and I feel lucky. roud: Most of this was hiding under blyxa as well. 









My pretty plant from TexGal. It's something or another. I forgot it's name, too.









The area I am not happy with. I need to get a plan, but this is also the darkest area, so I need lower light plants. Maybe a crypt?


----------



## fastfreddie

Awesome! That Marsilea is super thick! I had a tough time with that plant. 

As far as the Co2, I always just cut mine off for a few minutes when I take pictures (the filter as well.) I think when people take pics of photo contest tanks, they take out all the equipment and hold a hairdryer over the water for surface movement (I'm serious.) I'm personally way too lazy to do that every time I want a picture of my tank, but it works. 

As far as the even distribution you spoke of.... I wish someone would make a clip on attachment for a canister filter output, that would angle the holes right and left like an air vent in your house. It would make so much sense. 

Anyway, hope your work schedule calms down soon. Darn those new mothers on maternity leave! ...jk... My wife will be one of them soon. I can't wait!!!


----------



## demonbreedr16

Very nice and I like how you treat the debries in the RRF I just couldn't keep dowing that in the Floating Fern I have, so the fern in the 55[with new debries up there].....*mutters angrily* ROFL


----------



## sewingalot

Congrats, Freddie on the baby to be! Be prepared to not sleep again. I am now a work aunt.  She'll be back soon, and I can go back to being lazy with work. :hihi:

Great idea on the co2 being turned off. A hairdryer, hmmm.... I see myself getting electrocuted. I am not talented enough for that one. The distribution really does suck. It blows really hevy for the first half of the tank, and just barely on the other side. I am still trying to figure out a solution. I like the idea of the air vent. Go and invent it for me.

Apparently, the goal for Marselia is to forget that it's there and let the blyxa grow on top of it. I had no idea there was so much of it. I actually pulled out a softball chunk for the other tanks before I took this picture.


----------



## sewingalot

demonbreedr16 said:


> Very nice and I like how you treat the debries in the RRF I just couldn't keep dowing that in the Floating Fern I have, so the fern in the 55[with new debries up there].....*mutters angrily* ROFL


Thanks! I had to come up with a solution to my problem, right?


----------



## hydrophyte

Well your plants look happy enough they don't seem to mind your busy schedule. I like my bristlenose pleco a lot too he looks just like yours. Sometimes he decides to start nipping plants too but he doesn't do so much damage. They are neat fish with a lot of character.


----------



## legomaniac89

That Hygro is huge! Tank's looking great too!


----------



## sewingalot

I don't know where I am going with this tank. I am trying to get rid of my collectoritis, but I am slipping.


----------



## mistergreen

Nice looking tank!

what's your filter? I have one rated for a 100+G in my 75G. And I really like placing the outlet low in the tank and have a regular powerhead moving the surface.


----------



## sewingalot

I have two. Ecco 2234 and 2236. Outlet is stuck on the top.


----------



## Tex Gal

Your two mystery plants - the first one is L brevipes. The one you got from me is L. glandulosa. I love them both. 

That's Hygro sp "Guinea" right? I love that one too. I just got some of it. The good news is it's a relatively slow grower. The bad news is that it gets BIG. It's beautiful in your tank. 

A couple of suggestions?... Move your Echino. Vesuvius over to the left darker corner. It will do fine. Let your Marsilea got over to the left in the extreme foreground and also to the right. Let the Blyxa japonica be behind it. Leave it deeper and thicker right where you have it. You need bigger clumps of L. glandlosa and Poly. Kawagoeanum. Try not to put anything in a straight line. (You probably already know ALL of this!) It's gonna be FANTASTIC!!


----------



## mountaindew

"My pretty plant from TexGal. It's something or another. I forgot it's name, too."

I like your style!
The natural underwater farmer. I dont know what it is, I just take care of it.


----------



## Karackle

wow the reds are gorgeous! And the whole tank is looking great. 

I'll be sure to post updates on mine soon...it doesn't look too good after the move, but you gotta post the good and the bad i reckon!


----------



## rich815

Tex Gal said:


> That's Hygro sp "Guinea" right? I love that one too. I just got some of it. The good news is it's a relatively slow grower. The bad news is that it gets BIG. It's beautiful in your tank.


Actually if it's the stems I sent her it's Hygro. balsamica.

(btw, I have the Hygro. sp. 'guinea' too, and love it)


----------



## sewingalot

Tex Gal said:


> Your two mystery plants - the first one is L brevipes. The one you got from me is L. glandulosa. I love them both.
> 
> That's Hygro sp "Guinea" right? I love that one too. I just got some of it. The good news is it's a relatively slow grower. The bad news is that it gets BIG. It's beautiful in your tank.
> 
> A couple of suggestions?... Move your Echino. Vesuvius over to the left darker corner. It will do fine. Let your Marsilea got over to the left in the extreme foreground and also to the right. Let the Blyxa japonica be behind it. Leave it deeper and thicker right where you have it. You need bigger clumps of L. glandlosa and Poly. Kawagoeanum. Try not to put anything in a straight line. (You probably already know ALL of this!) It's gonna be FANTASTIC!!


Thanks for the identification of the l glandulosa. The problem with collectoritis is forgetting the names of everything. It is a beautiful plant, is it a slow grower for you as well? The Hygro is balsamica. Got it from Rich. After it's initial period of dormancy, I now have 7 stems about 7" tall. I am eventually going to pass some on, but I am worried about shipping this one.

Thanks for the suggestions! I moved the E. Vesuvius over after cutting up some of the runners and shoved it in the corner in front of the driftwood. It looks great. I'll have to move things around this weekend and see what I end up with.

Unfortunately, I am not sure how to group the hygro at the moment. My blocks of wood the light are on are blocking light in the corners making it impossible to move right now. I am thinking about a solution to the lighting still....

I hate the 55 gallon depth! I am just about to throw in the towel and buy a 75 gallon and move the couch outside so it'll fit somewhere. :icon_mrgr



mountaindew said:


> "My pretty plant from TexGal. It's something or another. I forgot it's name, too."
> 
> I like your style!
> The natural underwater farmer. I dont know what it is, I just take care of it.


Yup, it's the hillbilly coming out in me. Growing up, we'd care for weeds if we thought they were nice.



Karackle said:


> wow the reds are gorgeous! And the whole tank is looking great.
> 
> I'll be sure to post updates on mine soon...it doesn't look too good after the move, but you gotta post the good and the bad i reckon!


Hi Kara! Thanks for the encouragement. I've missed you on the boards, it's been lonely. I'll have to check out your tank. Hope the move went well.



rich815 said:


> Actually if it's the stems I sent her it's Hygro. balsamica.
> 
> (btw, I have the Hygro. sp. 'guinea' too, and love it)


Hygro sp. 'guinea'? My curiosity is peaking you guys! Any pictures other than on plant finder?


----------



## rich815

sewingalot said:


> The Hygro is balsamica. Got it from Rich. After it's initial period of dormancy, I now have 7 stems about 7" tall. I am eventually going to pass some on, but I am worried about shipping this one.


This is so AWESOME! Great job with it. It looks wonderful.



sewingalot said:


> Hygro sp. 'guinea'? My curiosity is peaking you guys! Any pictures other than on plant finder?


Here you go:

http://www.guitarfish.org/2009/01/07/hygrophila-sp-guinea

I love this one. It is a MUCH slower growing that the balsamica and difformis. But has a somewhat similar look. I got a couple of stems from that guy who's link I showed you above. I've trimmed it once and it's coming back even stronger. But again, a nice moderate growth pace. I hesitate to trim it too much being such a slow grower but it's getting big again......he he.....I'll bet you wanna' piece, eh? :icon_mrgr


----------



## Karackle

Hi, i know, i've missed being on the boards, only my 30g made the move with me, i posted a few pics but it's definitely not my best scape, it's temporary, i can't WAIT until we make the final move (end of the month) and i can set it up more permanently and get a nice new scape going, and get the 5 and 10 gallons set up too!!! :biggrin: The plants and fish are at least healthy though  I'll post some pics of the boys 60g soon too! 

But sorry, I'm hijacking your tank thread!


----------



## sewingalot

Just a few crappy pictures as I was rooting around.


----------



## hydrophyte

_That looks marvelous._


----------



## Karackle

It looks gorgeous! I love it!!! What is that plant that you took the close-up of?


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> It looks gorgeous! I love it!!! What is that plant that you took the close-up of?


Thanks - it is hygro balsamica from Rich. Believe it or not - it's all gone. I sold it this week. I have decided I love the plant, but it is too big for a 55 gallon. Just like my amazon sword. I'll love them from afar and experiment with others.

Hahaha - Great picture Hydrophyte.


----------



## hydrophyte

So can you remember back that far? I wondered if that reference would be lost on most everybody here--that was a while ago.


----------



## Tex Gal

Looks like your tank is doing great. Congrats!


----------



## sewingalot

'Fernando Lamas' right? Funny stuff. Thanks TexGal! Here's an update: I am slowly moving out species. The balsamic found a nice home with plantluver. How can you not be happy to share with someone with the name plantluver?? They are in a good home. :icon_mrgr

I also received some awesome crypts, sag and something other pretty plants from Church today. I was worried because the box got soaked in the rain, but the plants were packaged perfectly. Thanks Church!

FTS:









Random picture of my berried yellow shrimp. 









Hygro sp. bold. I didn't even know I still had this, it was a lone stem hiding underneath the balsamica.









My husband's favorite - Limno Sessiflora (Notice: this is an invasive weed - be careful with the trimmings of this plant!)









Limno mini:









Ludwigia brevipes:









TexGal's pretty plant:









Aromatica









Poly K - see the chunk's Bristlenose Tony's taken out? 









My berried rcs:









And my CPD fry in case you didn't hear me jumping for joy in WV:









My co2 is running low, and I just noticed it. I put in a drop checker last night to monitor the levels and ordered a hagen mini elite filter for diffusing the co2. The GLA inline is beautiful, but sadly, the ecco is not strong enough to evenly diffuse the co2 and I am seeing distorted new growth and GSA is appearing. I lowered the lights back to seven hours for now and hope for improvement soon. I like this hobby, but I am starting to wonder why I change something that works for aesthetics. :icon_conf

Anyone need a GLA diffuser for 12/16 mm tubing? Going to have to RAOK this......JOKING!


----------



## speedie408

Great looking tank sewing. What's the name of the plant from Texgal called? I like it.


----------



## Karackle

Tank is looking awesome, I love the limno sessiflora too, yours looks awesome! LMK if you trim that and want to send some trimmings my way  

Your reds are gorgeous! You capture them so much more effectively than I do, or perhaps they're just that much brighter :hihi:

GREAT pic of the berried RCS, that's a lot of babies on the way!!! 

And of course, CONGRATS again on the CPD fry! :biggrin:


----------



## hydrophyte

Nice plants. There sure are a lot of beautiful stems out there. That scarlet _Polygonum_ is amazing.


----------



## JennaH

just discovered this journal and read about every post up to page 12 haha...then got distracted by the "last page" link. tank looks great and always seem to rebound so quickly after trimmings! you mind posting your dosing schedule? if you have before, im sorry i must have missed it >.<


----------



## sewingalot

speedie408 said:


> Great looking tank sewing. What's the name of the plant from Texgal called? I like it.


_Ludwigia glandulosa_ The plant is grown at its glory for me. I think the lack of co2 and lowered lights is hurting it, but it is hardy. It is a relatively slow growing plant (in comparison to many stems). It didn't branch for a long time. It wasn't until I topped off the stem, that the bottom has started to branch. The tops are still not branching, so if you get it, don't through out the bottoms! 



Karackle said:


> Tank is looking awesome, I love the limno sessiflora too, yours looks awesome! LMK if you trim that and want to send some trimmings my way
> 
> If it isn't illegal to ship it to you, I'll send some your way. Let me check that out. http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/invasives/classification/pdfs/LR_Limnophila_sessiliflora.pdf According to this, we are good to go! Remind me when you see it growing to the top of the tank, shoot me a pm and and I'll be glad to send you a bunch. Wanna trade for the sword I sent you earlier? :hihi:
> 
> Your reds are gorgeous! You capture them so much more effectively than I do, or perhaps they're just that much brighter :hihi:
> 
> GREAT pic of the berried RCS, that's a lot of babies on the way!!!
> 
> And of course, CONGRATS again on the CPD fry! :biggrin:


Thanks. The reds still aren't true to the eye, I can't figure out this camera setting. It's still overexposed. I wish you could see how beautiful this plant really gets.



hydrophyte said:


> Nice plants. There sure are a lot of beautiful stems out there. That scarlet _Polygonum_ is amazing.


I love it, I wish I could grow a tank full of just this plant.  This is the plant I want to tank to riparium status when I can figure out how to talk the husband into another tank. :confused1:



JennaH said:


> just discovered this journal and read about every post up to page 12 haha...then got distracted by the "last page" link. tank looks great and always seem to rebound so quickly after trimmings! you mind posting your dosing schedule? if you have before, im sorry i must have missed it >.<


Haha, I'm impressed you made it that far, lol. Did you get to see how rekles75 named my tank as a joke? Priceless, entertaining stuff.

Here is the dosing schedule I am following:

*KNO**3 - *1/2 teaspoon once a week (my bioload is outrageous and if I add this 3x a week, it ends up getting to over 80 ppm over the week)
*K2HPO4* - 1/8 teaspoon three times a week
*K2SO4* - 1/8 heaping teaspoon three times a week
*Micros *- 1/8 teaspoon three times a week
*Iron *- 1/8 teaspoon three times a week
* CO**2* - 1 hour before lights turn on and 1/2 hour before turned off


----------



## JennaH

> Haha, I'm impressed you made it that far, lol. Did you get to see how rekles75 named my tank as a joke? Priceless, entertaining stuff.


haha- yea i did see that  thanks for posting your dosing!


----------



## sewingalot

You are welcome. Any time. By the way, I really liked PPS Pro except for the GSA problem. The plants grew wonderfully with it.


----------



## JennaH

that's funny i was looking at the pps pro a few minutes ago, but i just placed an order for KNO3,K2SO4, and KH2PO4 1 lb each from aquariumfertilizer.com. price was decent, 17 $ shipped.


----------



## sewingalot

You still use the same fertilizers, you just need to weigh it and dump it in a water solution. I found it was easy to dose, but took a little work each month (about 1/2 hour) to get the solution ready. There are pros and cons to each method. EI is quicker with dosing, but you are supposed to change 50% of the water each week and you do go through the ferts quicker. PPS Pro is just as quick once you have the formula mixed, but GSA was always an issue for me once I upped the lighting.

I still use PPS Pro on some of my tanks that are smaller due to the time constraints and the fact I only change the water once a month or so. Just top offs.


----------



## speedie408

sewingalot said:


> _Ludwigia glandulosa_ The plant is grown at its glory for me. I think the lack of co2 and lowered lights is hurting it, but it is hardy. It is a relatively slow growing plant (in comparison to many stems). It didn't branch for a long time. It wasn't until I topped off the stem, that the bottom has started to branch. The tops are still not branching, so if you get it, don't through out the bottoms!


It must be the pic, I have L. glandulosa too but it doesn't look like yours. I guess all plants grow differently given different conditions.


----------



## sewingalot

Oh, wait. It may be Alternanthera Reneckii sp (a rare variety) (leaves outline themselves with a apricot red). I just looked at her journal. I'll have to contact her for another identification. That is the problem with collectoritis. Forgetting all the names. I need to make a more detailed list. I'll shoot her a pm for help.


----------



## sewingalot

sewingalot said:


> TexGal's pretty plant:


Tex Gal was kind enough to send me pictures of both plants, and I was able to determine the one is indeed _Alternanthera Reneckii sp 'rare.' _Funny thing is, after hearing back from her, I found my notebook where I wrote down the plants I bought from her. I also found out that I need to pay another doctor's bill.....:frown:


----------



## Karackle

Well yay for the plant ID :biggrin:, sorry about the doctor bill though  that is never fun


----------



## Tex Gal

sewingalot said:


> Tex Gal was kind enough to send me pictures of both plants, and I was able to determine the one is indeed _Alternanthera Reneckii sp 'rare.' _Funny thing is, after hearing back from her, I found my notebook where I wrote down the plants I bought from her. I also found out that I need to pay another doctor's bill.....:frown:


I'm sorry to be so confusing. You had mentioned Alternanthera reneckii so I thought you might have the rare one I have. 

That plant looks like Ludwigia senagalensis. These leaves are about 3/8" long by 1/4" wide










Here is the Alternanthera sp (rare one). These leaves are about 1" long x 1/2" wide


----------



## sewingalot

I have the Ludwigia senagalensis in front, it is much smaller in comparison to the plant in question. 

Here's a picture of the what I beleive to be l. senagalensis, right?









The problem with these pictures is the fact the co2 was not being disbursed well and the plants suffered. Everything is stunted. Here are some earlier pictures:

In the middle of poly k, top shot









Here's a picture when it came in the mail (left of the rotala macranda and right of the 6" bristlenose):









By the way, thanks for helping me figure this one out. I at still working on my identifications and love to find out the plants origins and such.


----------



## funkyfish

I love your tank and your plants look gorgeous every time you post new pictures I look sadly at my empty 55g and sigh... Actually it's not totally empty, right now it serves as display for some of my art and my small dragon collection! lol 

Love that Aromatica definitley the plant I will want in my 55g along with Ludwigia senagalensis


----------



## Tex Gal

Yes! You have the correct plant IDs. L. senegalensis is a real nutrient hog. It requires a lot of everything. It will loose leaves and get small new growth if it doesn't get it's full. 

Looking good!


----------



## Centromochlus

Your tank looks awesome, Sara! I didn't know L. Sessiflora was an invasive species - i have quite a bit of it in my tank. You taught me something new today, lol!


----------



## sewingalot

sewingalot said:


> What the?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rotala Magenta, Rotala Roundifolia and Ludwigia Inclinata 'Cuba'


This was the last time I was really happy with my 55. I lost all vigor after trying EI. The 50% water changes, the overdosing of ferts, and the ALGAE kept compounding. I upped the co2 to the point of the fish gasping at the last hour each night with the cories getting very still for hours after massive water changes and at night swimming drunk. I felt awful watching the fish that I would literally cry. It got so bad, I had to start leaving the room before the last hour. I no longer enjoyed the hobby. I actually started thinking of quitting for the sake of the fish. As a last resort, I posted this in the plant section: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/plants/95496-deficiency-excess-what.html#post933728

I started looking back at my notes (yes, I have taken notes on my fish tanks.....) and found a GOLDMINE. PPS-Pro, co2 diffused at 1 BPS with a powerhead and lighting on for 8 hours = happy, healthy plants and fish with a bit of GSA on the glass. Nothing that couldn't be taken care of at weekly 25% water changes.

And since a picture is worth a thousand words, here's a few thousand for you (and this is just a week's time ):



























































































Notice how much healthier the new growth is? You can almost draw a line on the stop of algae growth. I am so stoked! :icon_mrgr Will update the progress in a week. Thanks for stopping by!


----------



## Centromochlus

Looks great Sara! What type of cory catfish is that? Emerald green? Kinda looks like the ones i have.


----------



## sewingalot

Plain ole' bronze cory. They get a little more gray with age. She's actually the one I've been worried about the most. She is nearly 5 and I want her to live many, many years. She's my baby.


----------



## JennaH

glad you got things figured out, tank is looking great! quite a jungle and lots of pearling looks like


----------



## hydrophyte

Hey that looks awesome. Nice job on the problem-solving. Your plants look so happy and you got nice pictures of them too.


----------



## sewingalot

JennaH said:


> glad you got things figured out, tank is looking great! quite a jungle and lots of pearling looks like


Thanks. I am not saying EI doesn't work, it's just not for me. I tried it twice now and hated the results. Others swear by it. My recommendation is to experiment with all types of fertilization and use what's right for you.



hydrophyte said:


> Hey that looks awesome. Nice job on the problem-solving. Your plants look so happy and you got nice pictures of them too.


Thanks, hydrophyte. Still not where I want it, but it's chugging along. Forgive me, I went a little picture crazy tonight trying to fix the settings. I somehow got it stuck on lowered light levels.



















Look at this rebound growth!









Growing for my fry tank and it is doing a great job at sucking up those excess nitrates:













































Look at my new girl!


----------



## demonbreedr16

Gorgeous Sara!  I'm happy your tank is doing good again and you are happy! *THIS* is what I want the 52gal Flatback Hex to look like. Simple while complex, but, for the most part, easy to maintain!


----------



## Karackle

Wow the tank is looking fantastic! good work Sara!!!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, you two! The algae is slowly dying off and I am trimming as much as I can. The plants were stunted for a while, so I need to let them grow out a bit, top them and replant. I am debating about pulling out the polygonum sp. 'Kawagoeanum' and the Limnophila aromatica and placing them in my riparium. I am wanting to eliminate some of the bigger plants due to the inability to plant a larger group of them. It looks odd to only have a few of each, unnatural of sorts. My goal is to get smaller stems like some rotala, bacopa and lindernia sp. and to get a large group of them growing. Kind of like the blyxa is now. Decisions, decisions.....

I took this picture the other day of the emperor tetra. I wish I could find more of these fish, I would one day like to have a tank of just these guys, danios and cories. Look how beautiful his eyes are!









One disparaging note: my bristlenose pleco has become very territorial, has now decided he likes shrimp pellets & plant leaves more than algae, and has been beating up on two of my cories.  I am not very happy with this guy and may have to send him packing if he doesn't straightened up soon.

And since I don't have a journal for my shrimpers: Look at this!


















She had many babies and tonight I was able to count over 20! I was only counting 4 at first. I am excited to see them grow up, they are now about 2 weeks old and so cute. :icon_mrgr I feel like I am mama.


----------



## Church

I hope you can find some buddies for the emperor! I'd love to see a school of them myself.


----------



## legomaniac89

Hey the tank's looking pretty good! And the Emperor is so pretty! I'm considering a school of them for my new scape


----------



## sewingalot

I just called all the local fish stores and no one has any avaliable. I am so sad, I only have two. The teeth are wicked awesome. One actually nibbled on my elbow the other day and it hurt! But honestly, they are doll babies. I took a full tank shot for comparison. I am not stuck sticking to PPS Pro, but it is nice not having to do that 50% water change today. I just topped off and plan to change 25% every other week for now depending on the nitrate levels.

Right now, I am just taking pictures for progress sake. I love when plants "wake up." The lights just came on a 1/2 hour before the picture this afternoon and some plants have stretched out yet.


----------



## hydrophyte

That looks really nice. I can't remember is the red stuff to the left a _Polygonum_?

My bristlenise pleco is the same. He hunkers down on top of the Hikari wafer like a lion at a kill and holds up his armor and the other fish have no hope to reach it. I bust the wafers in half to get around this problem.


----------



## sewingalot

Isn't it beautiful? It is Polygonum sp. Kawagoeanum. I've been feeding the bristlenose his own special food and he still is aggressive. I am hoping he will calm down with a little more time, but I hear they get worse with age.


----------



## funkyfish

The tank looks great Sara  
Love the emperor


----------



## jart

Beautiful pics; love the Rotala, cory cat and oto cat.
I don't see Emperors much here either. Not sure why they aren't more readily available. I had a large school of them a few years ago, along with a dozen harlequins... very nice.


----------



## sewingalot

funky and jart - I love the emperors so much I wish I could hug them! Thanks for the compliments. I would love to see that tank with the emperors and harlequins you have. I bet it was beautiful.

Since this is my journal, I am posting some boring information below (this is also on the thread I started in the plant forum):

I am 10 days into switching over to PPS-Pro, lights on 8.5 hours and 1bps with a yellowish green drop checker. Here are the stats and results....

Was at:
co2 2.6 bps
Nitrates varied between 40 - 80
Phosphates 10+
Water changes 50% - 70% a week.

Now:
co2 1 bps
Nitrates 10
Phosphates somewhere between 6 - 7 (I can't read the color well...)
Water changes 25% once a week.

Positive:
The new growth is virtually algae free. The rotala macranda is bunching up again without being smothered by hair algae. Lots of new sprouts between the nodes on most stem plants. BBA is gone! Fish are estatic. The cories are more active than ever and the fish aren't hanging up at the top of the tank.

Negative:
There are pinholes in some of the leaves. I am not sure if this is a potassium deficiency. If you look closely, you can see the algae and pinholes on the lower leaves. Therefore, I am not sure if this is from the old method or if there is a deficiency. GSA is still present on the glass.

Plans: I am going to add Potassium Sulfate once a week at 1/8 teaspoon and see how that helps while keeping all variables consistent.

I did a trim today and am slowly pulling out the lower parts where the leaves are covered in algae. I don't want to remove too much as to upset the balance of things. Mainly, the fry still need hiding spots. 

I thought I lost the erio sp. but it is coming back nicely. All the new grow is green and happy.


----------



## Karackle

Tank seems to be coming back to it's former glory quite nicely! Very nice problem solving! Can't wait to see it in another couple of weeks! I'm glad to hear the fish seems to be happier as well. 

Emperors are gorgeous aren't they? Those eyes are STUNNING Ian has 2 in his 60g and sometimes they'll be hanging out near the back or behind some moss but you can see those bright blue eyes shining through the darkness like little flashlights, very cool. And when they're out and about swimming around the purple streak on the side is gorgeous too. Especially on the males. I had no idea they got so LARGE though!!! He has more initially but we lost a few fish in the early stages of the tank's life, I think the dominant male might have had a say in the disappearance of some of the other emperors though which makes me worry about adding more....alas...maybe one day we'll start fresh with a larger school that is female heavy, but for now, the 2 in there seem happy enough with each other


----------



## sewingalot

That's how my emperors seem to be. They are happy with each other and are pleasing to look at. 
How is the move coming along? Hopefully well. Here are some updated shots for S&Gs:





































Isn't the GSA shadow cool?









The algae is doing better, but there is still GSA and a little fuzz present. It is much less now.

Update on the fertilization:
Decided to try something completely different for a while just for fun and to see if I can eliminate the algae. 
I am going to be using Chuck Gadd's calculator found here.


----------



## hydrophyte

I like that full-tank shot.


----------



## mistergreen

Nice, It looks like things are working out for you.

You get yellow-green just from 1bps? Are they big bubbles?


----------



## Emerica88

Wow the tank has really come a long way


----------



## sewingalot

mistergreen said:


> Nice, It looks like things are working out for you.
> 
> You get yellow-green just from 1bps? Are they big bubbles?


Funny you mentioned this. I just replaced the solution yesterday with the water change, and it is now only showing a darker green, almost bluish. I am wondering if the drop checker solution was old; I was using the stuff that came with my ebay drop checker. When I put it in the solution, it was yellowish green to start with. I ran out of it and read on here you can use ph solution. However, when I put in the solution, it started off blue. I am so confused.....:help:

EDIT: I posted a question about this in the water parameters/fertilizers forum. I figured I would get more traffic over there. I am trying to figure this whole ordeal out. I just want rid of _ALL _my algae and healthy plants and fish. Sometimes I wonder if I am ever going to understand aquatic plants.


----------



## Karackle

Well your tanks are gorgeous and lush so I'd have to say you understand them pretty well!  But those nuances are always tricky...i imagine more so when dealing with high light and CO2, but it seems to be coming along! 

Unfortunately i can't help with the drop checker question as I am strictly low tech in my tanks


----------



## Wasserpest

sewingalot said:


> Funny you mentioned this. I just replaced the solution yesterday with the water change, and it is now only showing a darker green, almost bluish. I am wondering if the drop checker solution was old; I was using the stuff that came with my ebay drop checker. When I put it in the solution, it was yellowish green to start with. I ran out of it and read on here you can use ph solution. However, when I put in the solution, it started off blue. I am so confused.....:help:
> 
> EDIT: I posted a question about this in the water parameters/fertilizers forum. I figured I would get more traffic over there. I am trying to figure this whole ordeal out. I just want rid of _ALL _my algae and healthy plants and fish. Sometimes I wonder if I am ever going to understand aquatic plants.


Here is an easy test to test your pH test. It should start out (bromothymol) blue... take a straw and blow into the mixed drop checker solution. It should turn green or even yellow (depending on the quality of your breath :hihi.


----------



## macclellan

I can't see how 1bps would be adequate on a 55g tank. 

That said, with the lights that high off the tank and so low co2, dosing less than EI seems reasonable. Your nutrient buildup indicates too much fertz for your lighting & co2. Backing off ferts makes sense. That, or keeping it the same increasing light (i.e. lowering) and increasing c02.

Your pics make me miss Poly. sp. 'Kawagoeanum', which I used to keep. :icon_neut Such a pretty plant. The whorls and leaves are more delicate than Poly. sp. 'Sao Paulo,' but not as outrageously colored.


----------



## lauraleellbp

It looks really lovely, Sara! :fish:

I left my tank lights off while I was in Phoenix last week (3 days) just b/c my timer's been acting up and I've been having Clado issues... even though it wasn't a full blackout, I came back to an almost completely algae-free tank, so that's another option to try if the algae starts making headway again.


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> Well your tanks are gorgeous and lush so I'd have to say you understand them pretty well!  But those nuances are always tricky...i imagine more so when dealing with high light and CO2, but it seems to be coming along!
> 
> Unfortunately i can't help with the drop checker question as I am strictly low tech in my tanks


I am starting to like my low tech tanks more and more. :tongue: Shoot me a pm when you are ready for your plants!



Wasserpest said:


> Here is an easy test to test your pH test. It should start out (bromothymol) blue... take a straw and blow into the mixed drop checker solution. It should turn green or even yellow (depending on the quality of your breath :hihi.


OMG - this actually works! Here I thought you were messing with me again. Speaking of which, do you know any lung exercises? 



macclellan said:


> I can't see how 1bps would be adequate on a 55g tank.
> 
> That said, with the lights that high off the tank and so low co2, dosing less than EI seems reasonable. Your nutrient buildup indicates too much fertz for your lighting & co2. Backing off ferts makes sense. That, or keeping it the same increasing light (i.e. lowering) and increasing c02.
> 
> Your pics make me miss Poly. sp. 'Kawagoeanum', which I used to keep. :icon_neut Such a pretty plant. The whorls and leaves are more delicate than Poly. sp. 'Sao Paulo,' but not as outrageously colored.


I had the lights low to the tank, but there was a LOT of algae. T5HO sucks for the inexperienced. After discussing on the boards, researching and elsewhere, the consensus was I have too much light. So this why EI isn't working for me? Makes sense. 

I actually am debating on getting rid of the Polygonum sp. 'Kawagoeanum.' It is beautiful, but it doesn't really fit in many places.


lauraleellbp said:


> It looks really lovely, Sara! :fish:
> 
> I left my tank lights off while I was in Phoenix last week (3 days) just b/c my timer's been acting up and I've been having Clado issues... even though it wasn't a full blackout, I came back to an almost completely algae-free tank, so that's another option to try if the algae starts making headway again.


I threw in some floaters to help with the excess light until the co2 has a chance to kick in. When you turned off the lights, did you leave off the co2 as well? I am starting to think this semi-darkness may not be a bad idea.


----------



## demonbreedr16

LOL -^ Laura doesn't use Co2, her tanks are relatively low tech, which is awesome, because they look high-tech!

I really like the fact your tank is looking better Sara! Have you put any thought into trading this one in for a new 75??? It shouldn't cost you anything more then the stand & tank...


----------



## sewingalot

demonbreedr16 said:


> LOL -^ Laura doesn't use Co2, her tanks are relatively low tech, which is awesome, because they look high-tech!
> 
> I really like the fact your tank is looking better Sara! Have you put any thought into trading this one in for a new 75??? It shouldn't cost you anything more then the stand & tank...


She doesn't? Wow, she does a great job at the low tech! I have thought about a 75, but funding is limited and so is the space right now. Maybe in a year or so....


----------



## demonbreedr16

I know what you mean about limited funding...I can't afford the 15gL or 130W T5 Light for my 29 yet...[or co2] or firebellied newts.....[yes, I can go on, LOL]

My mom told me, if I ever buy a 75, the 55 will stay [alive or not], so that could be a lot of fun...

I don't think she knows I'd like a 125 more. :hihi:

*sigh*, my fish room is taking FOREVER to be complete...


----------



## sewingalot

Here is an update. Nothing great. The tank really needs work. I am trying to decide which plants to eliminate. I have a holding tank ready and I am going to pull out a bunch and see where I get.

The algae is almost gone! Just some on the older growth, but a lot of it is going away. No GSA on the glass.

Couple of notes:

My co2 _WAS _too *low*. I had crappy drop checker solution, and once I switched to using pH indicator solution from API test kit, I noticed my "yellow" was a false positive. With the pH solution, it was a blue with a hint of "green." Upped the co2 to 2.2 - 2.7 BPS (my needle valve sucks and the BPS fluctuates throughout the day).

Also, I did notice with this change, the nitrates were nearly gone at the end of the week. Actually, the nitrates were bottoming out before the end of the week. Wouldn't it figure, the diagram in the "Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants" diagram of needing a balance of co2, nutrients and lighting is 100% accurate?

You guys are right, I was wrong. I am stubborn, but when I finally listen, I will admit when I am wrong. :biggrin:

So here has been my current dosing strategy:

Phosphates - Not added. I am a heavy fish feeder and the water has 2 ppm already to start with. (I know, don't trust test kits. I like them as a guide, so I still use them. )
KNO3 - 1/4 teaspoon 3 times a week. I got this from the Chuck Gaad's calculator
K2S04 - 1/4 teaspoon 3 times a week. (Chuck Gaad - to make up the additional potassium needed not gained from KNO3)
Micros - 1/8 teaspoon (seems to work, why change it?) 3 times a week

25% water change every week. I do this on Sundays right after the lights come on and run an airstone for most of the day. This seems to help the cories a great deal. No more lying motionless on their side/twitching on water change day. roud:


----------



## lauraleellbp

Very lush! I love all the color in your tank, Sara. I bet it's really going to boom now that you've got the CO2 issue worked out.

Nope, no CO2 on any of my tanks. That would mean too much work for me. :icon_lol:

You said you're thinning out the plants for another tank? Which one? You starting a new one up?


----------



## sewingalot

Haven't quite figured it out other than getting rid of the Alternanthera sp. and the Erio Type 2 is eventually going in a 2.5 once it gets cycled.


----------



## fastfreddie

Hey Sara!
I'm glad you're getting the dosing figured out. I bet the crummy drop checker (and lack of Co2 thereof) was the root of any problems. I agree that T5HO lights are seriously intense. I think most people can get away with much less light than we all tend to buy.

I still love the way you have a huge variety of plants and fish. I would think a few years of hosting so many species would really narrow down what works best for your tank/ city water supply.

Glad to see you are still so active and involved with TPT. Your supportive comments have brought joy to many beginners, and I'm sure flattered quite a few pros as well! I fell off the edge of the aquarium world for about two months and it feels like a century. Slowly climbing back in :icon_smil

Keep up the good work!


----------



## sewingalot

I am so happy to see you around, Freddie! I am really excited to know you are coming back to the Planted Tank, you have been missed by many (including me)! It seriously is great to see you here. Okay, enough badgering you. :hihi: 

You are more than likely correct about the Co2 issue. Not enough Co2 with a combination of these monster lights.....well, you know.  I took the drop checker out and painted the back white so that I can see the solution easier. Here it is finished. You can really see the blue color now! The color takes about two hours to change from blue to green when first putting it in the tank. Is that an issue or is this normal? I don't know.....

I can't wait to see the growth really start to come in again. Here is a picture with the alternanthera sp. 'rare' gone and the rotala macranda put in the back. Sorry for the glare. I was too lazy to turn off the lights in the room. :red_mouth


----------



## fastfreddie

I think the 2 hour "warm up" time is pretty much standard for the drop checker to change to green after you first put it back in. Painting the back white was a great idea!


----------



## Karackle

Tank is looking very lush and beautiful, I think it's already making a comeback! I know it's sometimes harder to see that on your own tank though  But I think it looks great! :biggrin:



lauraleellbp said:


> Nope, no CO2 on any of my tanks. That would mean too much work for me. :icon_lol:


Hahahaha me too Laura Lee! :hihi:


----------



## Coltonorr

Sara, I love the reds!
did you pull out the Rotala macrandra? 
That was beautiful!


----------



## sewingalot

Couple notes: My drop checker never turned green the other day, so I looked at the tank and it was empty. But I listened to you guys and had another tank on standby, so I am set! The place I was getting this filled across the river, but just found out the place is closed. Now I get to pay $5 more for a refill!  But, at least it is downtown. 

Also, I took out seventeen guppies! There are about six more that I couldn't catch, so I left them until I can find a home for the ones in the twenty gallon. 

You and Laura Lee have a great idea, Kara. This Hi-Tech is for the dogs. I sometimes wonder what I was thinking buying this @#T$% lights.  Can't take credit for the white paint, found it on here. We have such talented members on this forum! Still have the rotala mac. It's just hiding in the background. I did a massive trim and shipped plants off to Kara, Kenny and Xue. Below are the results. I really like the ability to see the progress, you can really see the imbalance in some of the lower branches before I got the co2, nutrients in order. In my opinion, it is quite lovely. Isn't it wonderful how forgiving most plants are when you screw up??

Like my new catfish? She's a winner! :icon_bigg Jody likes to watch the fish get fed. She runs up and jumps on the loveseat when she hears me open the drawer that holds the food.












































































































All that I kept of the Erio 2









Didn't know this plant was still alive


----------



## hydrophyte

That looks awesome Sara. What a cute kitty. What is that yellow plant, 8th from bottom in series of photos above.


----------



## Karackle

sewingalot said:


> You and Laura Lee have a great idea, Kara. This Hi-Tech is for the dogs. I sometimes wonder what I was thinking buying this @#T$% lights.


I would definitely just end up with algae soup if i had high tech because I know i'd forget to fertilize and whatnot! 



sewingalot said:


> Like my new catfish? She's a winner! :icon_bigg Jody likes to watch the fish get fed. She runs up and jumps on the loveseat when she hears me open the drawer that holds the food.


Hahahahaha love the catfish! I love the she likes to watch the fish get fed too, kitty television! heehee


----------



## lauraleellbp

Occasionally I run across a plant that *really* tempts me to go high tech (Ludwigia 'pantanal' is one... *sigh*) but then I remind myself that I do NOT want to have a tank I can't neglect for weeks on end! LOL


----------



## funkyfish

Tank looks great Sara  
Love your plant selection like a lot


----------



## sewingalot

Do you mean this picture?








If so, it is ordinary Rotala rotundifolia

I do have some tanks that I neglect all the time and they do well. But you are right, there are some plants that won't grow. Now I remember why I went high tech with this one.


----------



## sewingalot

Tank's finally stabilized. After beating my head against the wall and digging my feet into the ground, I am starting to understand what everyone's been trying say about less light. 

A little too overgrown at the moment. I need to offer up a RAOK soon. I took a couple pictures before the water change. The heat's been on and the water is evaporating quickly. I need to add water more often, but I've been in and out of the house the past week. I must say, I am not fond of the Poly K when it breaks through the water. For some reason, the lower leaves fade. The algae is slowly dying. I still have a bit of fuzzy hair on the upper section of the glass, but it is getting better.


----------



## legomaniac89

What a jungle! That Blyxa is HUUUGE!!!


----------



## demonbreedr16

WOW! That's a lot of plants!


----------



## HEINEKEN357

Wow great tank I just got the 4x54w t5ho solar how many hours you running them now? I been running mine for 7hours on my 55g with 4-5bps. Let me know next time you goin to sale or Roak some of them great looking plants.


----------



## mistergreen

wow sara,
you're going to have to send me a few stems.


----------



## CL

Dang. It looks good. That blyxa is amazing. It's huuge (the guy with the breath from the ad lol)


----------



## hydrophyte

Those plants look awesome.


----------



## Karackle

looks great Sara! I like the jungle look! :biggrin: Also, I'm right there with you on needing to do water changes more often with the heat being on too....winter is soooo dry!


----------



## sewingalot

legomaniac89 said:


> What a jungle! That Blyxa is HUUUGE!!!





CL said:


> Dang. It looks good. That blyxa is amazing. It's huuge (the guy with the breath from the ad lol)


Blyxa loves my tank, what can I say? (I love my modesty, lol.) I really don't know why, it must be the live bearers that hide out in it at night. It's really funny that you can see a herd of eyes glowing at night after lights out. Right now, the back stem groups are only held down by a few long white roots. It reminds me of this song. (Don't worry, Church it's not Bing Crosby again.)



HEINEKEN357 said:


> Wow great tank I just got the 4x54w t5ho solar how many hours you running them now? I been running mine for 7hours on my 55g with 4-5bps. Let me know next time you goin to sale or Roak some of them great looking plants.


I only run two lights at 7 1/2 hours. For my experience with all four lights, see Lesson #3. I had forgotten how bad it looked. Of course, I can't run my co2 BPS that fast, so you may be able to have more leeway. I have finally choose to listen to mistergreen and the others nudging me and lowered my light intensity. To make sure of this, I even unplugged the second set for those times I get tempted. My fish even had a picket "Just say no to 4 x 54W T5HO!" Let me know how you do, I am really intrigued to see how it works out for you.



mistergreen said:


> wow sara,
> you're going to have to send me a few stems.


I'll pack them up in the morning and ship them off!



hydrophyte said:


> Those plants look awesome.





Karackle said:


> looks great Sara! I like the jungle look! :biggrin: Also, I'm right there with you on needing to do water changes more often with the heat being on too....winter is soooo dry!


Thanks everyone for the kind comments. 

Kara - **off topic alert** my skin is soooo dry as well. I hate the things gas heat does to my skin and hair. I look like that witch that used to cash Bugs Bunny! (Others will heartily agree. :hihi

Updated pictures to follow in the next few days! Stay tuned for announcements.


----------



## problemman

lol witch hahahahaha to funny! cant wait to get mine!


----------



## sewingalot

Haha! Hey guys - your plants are on the way.  Hopefully, they make it in this weather! For anyone who is interested, I took out 4 pounds 13 ounces of plants and am still left with this:










And this is what I am left with in algae woes:










I finally checked my phosphate levels and they didn't even register on the scale by the end of week before the water change!!! Woot! It looks like *I finally hit the correct lighting and co2 levels *since even the nitrates were only 5 ppm! But can everyone say what happens when phosphate runs too low? GSA! Luckily, it is just starting and I am adding it back in the tank as of yesterday morning. I also cleaned one of the filters for good measure. 

Which reminds me. Eheim Eccos are great but the flow is too weak for the amount it claims to put out. Hence, the purchase of a second Ecco (smallest size) used a while back. If you get the Ecco, up the size if you are on the fence. You'll regret it later if you don't.

So this is my plan: I am going to try out EI again. Simply because I have been stubborn and said algae is caused by the excessive nutrients not lighting as you all can witness in this unintentional hijack (sorry again, HungrySpleen). Between Mistergreen, Hoppy, Tom and the others trying to explain the scientific relationship of lighting, nutrients and co2 to me, lets see if it sunk in. Shall we?

By the way, I didn't scape anything. I just took a quick picture after pulling out all the plants. Suggestions are welcome on how to arrange what is left. I completely removed three plants and shipped them off to remove temptation: alternanthera reneckii (regular, not the rare I already shipped out), limnophilia aromatica (once I pulled it out, I discovered it was infact aromatica due to the pleasant minty smell), and Hygro sp. bold. These plants no longer reside in my home. I am not sure how I feel about that. :icon_neut

In addition to my ramblings, I have discovered if I don't find another job soon that I am going to go completely mad! This sucks being unemployed in this economy. I have a MBA and can't even get a job at McDonalds!


----------



## CL

I've never heard of 5 pounds of plants being taken out before :icon_eek:
lol. You know you're an aquarium nerd when you weight the plants you trim :hihi:


----------



## Karackle

ooooh nice work! It still looks jungley but in a manageable sort of way! 

I am RIGHT there with you on the job thing....i started going a bit mad myself by the end of those 3 months....ugh! I wish you all the best of luck on the job search and hope you find something soon! I might be getting a second part time job IF i can find one...i figure that way i can afford my planted tank [STRIKE]addiction[/STRIKE] hobby and still afford the new car .....I mean....that way I still have money to put into savings? :hihi: 

Anyway, the tank looks great! Can't wait to see how this second try at EI dosing goes!


----------



## mistergreen

4.995 of that 5lb is water. Have you ever let aquatic plants dry? it's pretty amazing.


----------



## lauraleellbp

I think the Blyxa needs to go over to the side of the tank and you need a more organized foreground. The left front corner needs something, too. And the red plants need to be arranged along the "golden rule" if you want them to be focal points.

And, hang in there on the job issue! You'll find something! Actually, ever considered starting your own business? Many of the people I know who were recently laid off are doing this and actually finding new ways of making a go working for themselves.


----------



## sewingalot

CL said:


> I've never heard of 5 pounds of plants being taken out before :icon_eek:
> lol. You know you're an aquarium nerd when you weight the plants you trim :hihi:





mistergreen said:


> 4.995 of that 5lb is water. Have you ever let aquatic plants dry? it's pretty amazing.


Well....I had the scale for the boxes and I thought, why not? You got me pegged, I am a nerd. :icon_bigg Actually, funny you mentioned the letting plants dry. I chopped off a lot of the bottoms today that had the leftover algae woes (blackened, dead algae, holes, etc) and left them out to dry before throwing them out. The pile filled up one of those plastic shoe boxes and is already down to 1/2 the size. Blyxa is a sad one to see dry up. It happens almost instantly. Reminds me of fall when the leaves start to fall.



Karackle said:


> ooooh nice work! It still looks jungley but in a manageable sort of way!
> 
> I am RIGHT there with you on the job thing....i started going a bit mad myself by the end of those 3 months....ugh! I wish you all the best of luck on the job search and hope you find something soon! I might be getting a second part time job IF i can find one...i figure that way i can afford my planted tank [strike]addiction[/strike] hobby and still afford the new car .....I mean....that way I still have money to put into savings? :hihi:
> 
> Anyway, the tank looks great! Can't wait to see how this second try at EI dosing goes!


Thanks for the encouraging words. I know you feel for me after your bought of joblessness. I am actually going to a call center tomorrow because I heard they are hiring. :icon_neut Sad thing is, I'll take it if I am offered it because the bills need paid.... Honestly, I am going to have to take down more tanks soon if not. Good luck on your second job if you take one!



lauraleellbp said:


> I think the Blyxa needs to go over to the side of the tank and you need a more organized foreground. The left front corner needs something, too. And the red plants need to be arranged along the "golden rule" if you want them to be focal points.
> 
> And, hang in there on the job issue! You'll find something! Actually, ever considered starting your own business? Many of the people I know who were recently laid off are doing this and actually finding new ways of making a go working for themselves.


Thanks for the kind words as well, Laura. I thought about opening a business, but I don't have much money due to the student loans for capital. Anyway, I'll find something. I am determined!

When you mention the blyxa going over to the side of the tank, which side? I actually found a crypt growing in the left corner when I moved out the alternanthera. Maybe I could pull it up a few inches. Part of the issue is the driftwood's base is huge and nothing much grows over there. I wonder if there is sulper building up? I trying to poke around with a chopstick weekly, but I worry.

I definitely feel you on the red plants. The rotala is almost a sore thumb where its at. I need to pull up the golden ratio article again by those aquascaper people. Gee....I am vague, aren't I? :hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

I think the Blyxa would look nice over on the right side. 

And www.Aquatic-Eden.com is the site I always go back to for the Golden Rule. :icon_mrgr


----------



## mistergreen

You should scape it sara. It starts with driftwood and or rocks.

I was taking some graduate business classes (MS) but it got too expensive since I had to pay in full and had enough with loans. But the classes taught me a lot and I'm building an application now to launch my business.


----------



## JennaH

wow, can't believe you took out all those plants and the tank is still so packed! haha. it looks great!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks guys! That's the link I was looking for Laura, thanks. Great site, isn't it? Good luck with your business plan, Minh! I know you can do it. I am seriously thinking about trying for my CPA, but I don't know if I want to continue down this route. I've been in accounting for years, but I feel so uncreative....

I'll tell you while I am a little hestitant at scaping. Here is my lame attempt in my low tech, no co2, no fert (I need to fertilize, just don't know how much for a tank this low tech) shrimp tank:


----------



## Karackle

Well, I'm a fan of the slightly disorganized, more "natural" look, so the only thing I'd probably change is putting the sponge filter behind the lush java fern (i think that's what it is on the right) bush to hide it. And then maybe some stems for the back 

As far as fertilizing, I find root tabs go a loooonnng way in low tech tanks and then I'm a fan of slightly overstocking for other fertilizer, but you said this is a shrimp tank so that's a bit more difficult. I'd either add some small fish or just dose a small amount of something like flourish comprehensive once a week or so. I also find bubble walls / air stones to be very helpful in my tanks, i think they give a bit extra CO2 to a tank that isn't having it injected. 

Just a few things that seem to help me with my loooow tech tanks!


----------



## sewingalot

Good eye, Kara. It's dwarf java fern growing on a piece of Driftwood I got from Ken. Unfortunately, it is not able to fit in front of the sponge filter. I was thinking about covering part of it in moss. What do you think.

So, I looked up the link Laura gave me on Aquascaping and a few others as well for ideas. I also figured out the golden ratio: 48"/2.618 = 18.33". I hope I am doing this right. Since the driftwood is stuck in its place - slate bottom - I decided to put the rotala macranda on this spot. I put the hacked up Poly K next to this on the right. 









I tried putting the smaller leaves in the middle like one article suggested to create depth, but I was starting to think the three plants in the middle were too similar, so I moved some to the far right and placed the sad Pogostemon Stellatus to the center. I am actually surprised this plant is still alive. I found it behind the driftwood all shriveled up and twisted early in December. So, I am actually kind of pleased to see it recovering - albeit slowly.


----------



## problemman

holy moley! your tank looks so different with out all the plants you sent me lol want some back lol


----------



## sewingalot

No, you can't give them back!  I am trying to kick my habit of collectoritis. Actually, I took out three more plants: Ludwigia Arcuata x repens, najas sp romaria (spelling?) and hydrocotyle luc.....something or another. I am minus seven types now. However, in my rooting around, I found another crypt (lucens?) and sunset hygro (that is amazing to me, I haven't seen this in months!). I still plan to take out the rotala rotundfolia and the lindernia sp varigated. I am just leaving them in for now for place holders while the L. Cuba and P Stellatus recovers. That way I'll be down to....groan......seventeen plants.


----------



## legomaniac89

I still got you beat. I had 35+ species in my 20 long for a while. It's only collectoritis if you have more species of plants than gallons of water :hihi:


----------



## problemman

whats the big deal with a bunch of plants?


----------



## Karackle

ooooooh i really like the way you rearranged it! I definitely dig the use of the red centerpiece plants as the focal point. 

As for the 10g, I think willow moss could be a really cool way to cover up a sponge filter!  I bet it makes the moss grow really well too!


----------



## sewingalot

legomaniac89 said:


> I still got you beat. I had 35+ species in my 20 long for a while. It's only collectoritis if you have more species of plants than gallons of water :hihi:


Hands down, you are the winner, lego! I think I only got up to 37 species at one point. And that's in the 55. How'd cram it all in that tank, I wonder if you spent hours with your tweezers and a schematic. :tongue:



problemman said:


> whats the big deal with a bunch of plants?


It is the dreaded collectoritis disease that's the problem. It is when you start buying more and more just to satisfy your urges and you are up at 3:00 looking for the latest stem instead of sleeping. :redface: Really, not a big deal, I like the jungle look and am a huge fan of the dutch aquariums. It's just there becomes a point when the scape becomes scapeless......like mine for instance.



Karackle said:


> ooooooh i really like the way you rearranged it! I definitely dig the use of the red centerpiece plants as the focal point.
> 
> As for the 10g, I think willow moss could be a really cool way to cover up a sponge filter!  I bet it makes the moss grow really well too!


Great idea with the willow moss! Now to find some willow moss.......uh-oh. Here's the collectoritis kicking back in! :smile:


----------



## problemman

tu shay! but go dutch lol!


----------



## Karackle

Hahaha you know what's funny? In my mind YOU had actually said willow moss, i just looked back at the post and all you said was a moss wall! OOPS! hahahaha didn't mean to kick in the collectoritis! I think fissidens (which i believe you already have) would look really nice too! Don't hurt me for triggering collectoritis please, it was an accident! :help:


----------



## lauraleellbp

I don't have collectoritis... I just need more tanks to keep all the cool plants and fish I want in... :help:


----------



## chumblaka

So green, hope my tank can grow and carpet!


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> Hahaha you know what's funny? In my mind YOU had actually said willow moss, i just looked back at the post and all you said was a moss wall! OOPS! hahahaha didn't mean to kick in the collectoritis! I think fissidens (which i believe you already have) would look really nice too! Don't hurt me for triggering collectoritis please, it was an accident! :help:


If you weren't so helpful, I'd be cursing you, lol. :tongue: I had willow moss at one time but accidently dried it out. Good to know, don't leave the room when you are in the middle of pulling out plants.



lauraleellbp said:


> I don't have collectoritis... I just need more tanks to keep all the cool plants and fish I want in... :help:


Haha, love this one. It's right up there with "I'm not overweight, I'm just under tall." (Loved Garfield growing up)



chumblaka said:


> So green, hope my tank can grow and carpet!


Chumblaka, welcome to the forum! You can do this, too. I recommend starting out with lower lights after many aggravating months of highlight. There are plenty of nice plants that grow in lower lights. I was growing most of these plants under less light and less problems.

An update, these are my water parameters provided by the Water Company. I am kind of floored by the fact the GH and KH is so low. I was always under the assumption we had super hard water. Now I am finding it isn't. The nitrate levels are very surprising. I am drinking this stuff, eww.

Alkalinity, Total (ppm) 59
Hardness, Total (ppm) 124​pH (standard units) 7.3
Calcium (ppm) 25
Magnesium (ppm) 7
Nitrates (ppm) 10

Here is an updated picture of the grow out phase: 










The erio wasn't growing well (had torn edges) and I finally found out why. The Emporer Tetras are eating it! It must be tasty, but it is infuriating. I am going to move it to another tank soon if the fish keep snacking. I don't want another Downoi disaster.


----------



## Tex Gal

Very pretty. Your water sounds great for the plants! Lucky girl!


----------



## hydrophyte

That looks really nice. I like it as a more orderly layout like it is now.


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## lauraleellbp

hydrophyte said:


> That looks really nice. I like it as a more orderly layout like it is now.


Couldn't have said it better!

It's lovely, Sara.

Which tank are you going to put the Erios in?


----------



## sewingalot

Yes, the tank parameters surprised me pleasantly. Only, I feel bad because I have given advice based on the thought I had harder water... As far as the layout, gotta give credit to Laura on this one. I moved a lot around just like she suggested. The only issue I am having is the upper left hand corner. The bristlenose knocks everything but the crypt out of the substrate. He has claimed that area and the driftwood as his territory and is very particular to what is allowed there.  Luckily, he is accepting the crypt Church gave me.

As far as the Erio, I haven't decided if I am going to put them in a 2.5 gallon or 10 gallon. I just started an experiment on a couple 2.5 gallons with Flora Base, so I am probably going to use one of these. I tried to move my little Erio over to the 10 and it melted.  So I am only going to move a little bit at first to see how it goes. A long answer to a simple question, huh?


----------



## problemman

wow i guess i dont feel bad now for getting the plants lol!


----------



## Karackle

I LOVE it! I think it looks just beautiful now! It still has that jungle feel but on a more organized kind of way allowing the viewer to really get to see everything that is happening. I dig it. 

And yes, I have made the same mistake, walked out of the room "just to get a glass of water" or "just to use the bathroom" or "just to [fill in the blank]" and remembered far too late i'd left plants laying out ready for a trim. I like to think it's just one of those "human things" but perhaps i'm too easily distracted / forgetful :hihi: knowing someone else does it too though, I'll go with it's just a human thing


----------



## sewingalot

Great news! I got a job! I started last week, and even though I work longer hours than I use to, it is a paycheck, everyone's been pleasant overall - and so far - it isn't terrible.

Thanks, Kara. I like it too. It may not win an aquascaping contest, but I love coming home at the end of the day and watching the fish interact with each other and plants. :biggrin:

No updates on that tank, but I did rearrange the low tech/non co2 from Kara's suggestions and with some manzanita from badcopnofishtank (awesome!!!). The manzy was in a 2.5 gallon, but I didn't like the fact it only gave me a small corner for plants, so I moved them over here. So here is my attempt at aquascaping a V shape:



















I'll have to take another picture once the lights aren't shinning in the background (blinds in left hand corner reflected), I've filled up the water line and cleaned the glass. 

The plants are as follows: 
fissidens font
crypt lucens
crypt parva
anubias nana (regular)
unknown - possibly java moss
'dwarf' java fern (only gets about 4" x 1/2")
regular java fern (one small piece)
needle java fern
microsword
red root floater
najas guada.....something or another
hornwort
almond leaves are fantastic! my tank is alive with babies!!

The fauna:
Red Cherry Shrimp
Snails: pond, trumpet and ramshorn

Gee....I have collectoritis even in my low tech tanks.....


----------



## Karackle

Oh Sara that looks MUCH better! Well done hiding the sponge! And the manzanita looks great, this totally looks like a little snapshot of a pond that has a fallen branch in it. 

It's looking good!


----------



## funkyfish

Congrats on the job  I can't wait to start work unfortunately for now it's not possible. 

And as always tanks are looking great 
Love the one with manzanita, I'm planing to do my 14g this week I got a bag of flourite and got my manzy tree a while back all I got left to get is some fissidents


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks you guys, it was really cool to see the fungus on the driftwood getting devored by shrimp, snails and critters. Icky!









It's almost gone, now and I'll have to show an update soon.

On the main tank, I pitched two plants. One is the rotala macranda and the other is an unknown stem that kept floating to the top every other day. I put them in another tank for now. Quite honestly, I am sick of the macranda. It is an annoying plant. If grown to it's glory, it is beautiful. But for me who doesn't want to spend the time looking in the tank and complaining it isn't 'just right', I am ready to move on.

I left in some of the more easy stems such as l sessiflora, blxya and rotala for filler. Also, I pulled up and hacked the bottoms off every stem that showed even a bit of algae. 

I am still struggling with the P. Stellatus and Erio type 2. I need to move the erio, but I keep thinking the fish will stop eating it. As if. 

One algae that is currently haunting me is BBA. It is on the lower leaves of some of the slower growers and the java fern is speckled with it. I upped the co2 and within a few hours, the fish were showing negative signs. I put it back down and decided to wait a little longer and see if the EI dosing helps. GSA is gone, but in all honesty, I would rather deal with GSA than this BBA that appeared. I am waiting a few more weeks and if I don't see any improvement after pulling out 99% of the algae infected plants, I am going to start supplementing with excel.


----------



## hydrophyte

That looks super Sara.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Devin. 

It still isn't what I am going for, but it's a start. I was walking by my tank a few minutes ago after the lights had been off over an hour and the drop checker is yellow! Eek. Perhaps this is from my taking out a lot of plants and my playing around with the lousy needle valve earlier. Either way, I put in an airstone and attached it to my biggest airpump. 

I took out all the adult guppies and what fry I could catch. I found 13 fish and tonight I saw six more fry! Unfortunately, I now have more guppies to home and it was a pain getting rid of them before. I am starting to think I am finished with guppies. It's a pain enough to deal with the platties and now the guppies are in overdrive as well.

Also, I removed all the erio (I hope it survives!) to the 2.5 gallon experimental tank and uprooted all the microsword as well. 

A side note about one particular plant. I thought I got rid of all the l. cuba, but recently one small stem hidden into a corner has turned into a dozen.


----------



## ryan_p

Wow those RCS are pure red. Those fungus will be gone soon being eaten by those guys like cotton candies.


----------



## problemman

hey sara the blyxa you sent me is doing ugh okay i guess. im going to move it into another tank in a few short days. new scape and hope it will take off. 

the aromatic is just amazing. doing so well in the el natural tank!!! and the others are doing great too. 

thanks again!


----------



## Karackle

Tank is looking good as usual! :biggrin:

If the guppies are driving you nuts, you could always put just males in the tank. They have the brighter colors anyway. Just a thought.  Or you could put a small school of zebra danios in the tank for, um, population control, though I know you may hate that idea, but I figured I'd throw it out there if you like the look of guppies but are being driven crazy by their epically prolific breeding. 

As for BBA, have you tried spot-treating with excel? It's done wonders for me in the past!


----------



## sewingalot

problemman said:


> hey sara the blyxa you sent me is doing ugh okay i guess. im going to move it into another tank in a few short days. new scape and hope it will take off.
> 
> the aromatic is just amazing. doing so well in the el natural tank!!! and the others are doing great too.
> 
> thanks again!


I've heard others say it does iffy in MTS/NPT setups. If it doesn't fair well, I can always send you more in the spring. Glad to hear about the L. aromactica. I miss that plant, so I am glad to hear it is doing well for you. :icon_mrgr



Karackle said:


> Tank is looking good as usual! :biggrin:
> 
> If the guppies are driving you nuts, you could always put just males in the tank. They have the brighter colors anyway. Just a thought.  Or you could put a small school of zebra danios in the tank for, um, population control, though I know you may hate that idea, but I figured I'd throw it out there if you like the look of guppies but are being driven crazy by their epically prolific breeding.
> 
> As for BBA, have you tried spot-treating with excel? It's done wonders for me in the past!


Haha, Kara. There are nine danios in the tank and they still didn't make a dent.  I guess that's where the millions fish name comes into play again. The betta was eating his share. Unfortunately, I came home and found him on the floor. After that many years, I thought he would never jump ship....I felt awful. No more bettas for me for a while. :icon_neut

And you do know me too well with the population control, lol.

Edit: I was actually looking at the thread about spot treating excel, good idea. I'm still curious to see if the tank balances out first before adding excel, though.


----------



## Karackle

Hahaha well I guess you'd have to have a lot more danios to keep up with the platies AND the guppies then! But you could still have only males if you wanted :thumbsup:

I'm so sorry about the Betta though!  I lost a betta or two from jumping when I was younger. Totally sucks. I lost my bamboo shrimp to jumping too 

And I understand wanting to get it balanced so definitely continue that route, but spot treating excel does work very well, so it's a good back-up plan before you go trying to pull off every infected leaf roud:


----------



## seds

How's the suga shack doing? The growth back there was pretty intense! It's too bad that you are having so many troubles with BGA. Green spot algae is annoying too. It is very painstaking to remove it from the glass. And from slow growing leaves...

Lots of nice species in there too. So intricate. So delightful. So tranquil.

edits: OH DEAR I just heard of your betta. That's pretty rough. I felt pretty aweful when I had an anonymous male odessa barb jump ship a while back... also.


----------



## sewingalot

The rotala macranda and erio has been moved to a new tank. Both are struggling from the move to a lower light tank. I have found out two things: riccia tied on a rock with cories = floating riccia next morning. Also, the lindernia sp varigated will not stay put in the substrate after replanting. These plants will probably not make the cut.

I am trying to find a home for the guppies and a few of the platties (yes I'm still using 2 t's) with not much luck. A few people responded one wanted the platties for feeders (no way!) and the others wanted to know if the would do well with a 1 gallon fish bowl (30 fish??) and another wanted to put all of them in a 10 gallon uncycled tank. I guess I am being too picky. I turned them all down and was called a blanket-blank by one of them. Like that would change my mind. :tongue:

What sucks is that I had this tank covered really well and during the water change, I took of the plastic cover to clean it and thought it looked better without it so I left it off. I feel like a horrid fish owner. Talk about irresponsible.

Not BGA (although a friend's tank has this), just BBA and GSA (coming back!!) in this tank. Don't you love acronyms? I have also recently discovered a few stray hairy algae. The plants are pearling like mad, the lights are 16" above the water's surface, the drop checker is light green and I still have algae?!?!

So on Wednesday (the 20th) I almost lost a couple cories. They were literally laying on their sides motionless. Feeling horrible, I flipped on the lights, I placed an airstone in the tank, lifted up the filter output three or four inches and even churned the water a bit with my hand and the cories came around in an hour. I really thought they were done for, the drop checker was light yellow. I think there is too much co2 in the water in combination with the large water change I did an hour before lights out (I never do this!!) and a needle valve that keeps straying between 2.4 - 2.8 BPS. I hate the fizz in the water now. It's awful. I am going to have to buy a new valve once I have some extra money.

I am just about done with these massive water changes. I am going to back off to 25% twice a week. This is a really bummer though and may be the end of my EI days. I liked it much better when I did 25 - 30% water changes every week and they fish seemed to not respond so harshly. But that's just me. I may be doing something wrong here.

Lots of pictures:

The algae:



























The tank at feeding time!

















































































Poly K side view









Top view of poly k (why do they look so different in color? I think it may be because the underneath is darker red, but I'm not certain)









I thought the L. Cuba was stunting, but I found out today why! Look at the branching!









Here's a baby shoot









I found this lone stem. I hope it makes it:



























Bottom portion of blyxa sprouting new growth



























Blushing Mickey with bright blue eyes









Look, her babies have the blushing (some more than others)



























The last betta in the household (came in as an unknown fry) and I think she is ready for a mate


----------



## HEINEKEN357

sewingalot said:


>


Tanks looking good besides the BBA problem you are having :icon_smil. Also what is the name of that algae? I been seeing this on a few of the plants and don't know what its from. Are you running a diy reactor? If not you should I got sick of the power head and bubbles flying around the tank. I Just built one a few days ago and its working great now in 1 and a half hours I get pearling on most of the plants and by 3 hours hole tank pearling at 2bps.


----------



## Karackle

Tank is looking good despite the algae! I'm sure you'll get the algae sorted soon enough! 

On a sidenote, thank you again for the root tabs, the plants are LOVING them! :biggrin:

*edit* I forgot to mention, your pictures are fantastic! How do you such clear shots and so close up?!


----------



## mistergreen

Those t5ho lights are crazy intense aren't they?

The benefit for me is that they're so high above the tank, I have plenty of room too work with and they look good and not distracting. I have mine hung from the ceiling.


----------



## ryan_p

Nice pics, so much pearlings on those plants, i like it. gotta take care of those algae before they get out of control.


----------



## problemman

oh how algae can ruin a persons day in a matter of 1 second.


----------



## sewingalot

HEINEKEN357 said:


> Tanks looking good besides the BBA problem you are having :icon_smil. Also what is the name of that algae? I been seeing this on a few of the plants and don't know what its from. Are you running a diy reactor? If not you should I got sick of the power head and bubbles flying around the tank. I Just built one a few days ago and its working great now in 1 and a half hours I get pearling on most of the plants and by 3 hours hole tank pearling at 2bps.


I believe it's fuzz algae. Since I raised the lights even further, it is getting better. I don't even use the second set of lights anymore. They bring this algae out in a minute. It'll even grow on the glass if I turn them on. 

I had an inline reactor, but didn't like it. My filter was too weak to handle the flow, and only half the tank benefited. If I ever upgrade one of the filters, I'll look into it again. Thanks for the idea, though. It is a great one. Right now, I am using the Hagen Elite Mini without the sponge. Maybe I should put it back on and see what happens.



Karackle said:


> Tank is looking good despite the algae! I'm sure you'll get the algae sorted soon enough!
> 
> On a sidenote, thank you again for the root tabs, the plants are LOVING them! :biggrin:
> 
> *edit* I forgot to mention, your pictures are fantastic! How do you such clear shots and so close up?!


Glad to hear it.  The root tabs were fun to make, it was like I was making mud pies again. :hihi: The algae doesn't bother me much anymore. I am learning my perfection attitude needs to be adjusted if I am ever going to be happy with the tank (and life). 

After all, like you said - the tank looks good despite the algae. I am starting to believe algae is going to always be present in some small amount. I see a bit of algae in six square inches of space and discount the other 99.8% of the tank. I am starting to think it is a little silly of me to worry about it. Know what I mean?

Oh and as far as the pictures - I take about a thousand pictures and use the macro setting on the camera. For every picture you see, I took about 20 lousier ones. 



mistergreen said:


> Those t5ho lights are crazy intense aren't they?
> 
> The benefit for me is that they're so high above the tank, I have plenty of room too work with and they look good and not distracting. I have mine hung from the ceiling.


I am starting to think they are great if you have the ability to adjust them like you said, but as a stationary light, they are way too bright. I miss my other lights. :icon_conf



ryan_p said:


> Nice pics, so much pearlings on those plants, i like it. gotta take care of those algae before they get out of control.


Don't let the pearling pictures deceive you. I bet a lot of it is from the million co2 bubbles finding a place to rest for a while. eh....algae. I am loving it. :thumbsup:



problemman said:


> oh how algae can ruin a persons day in a matter of 1 second.


Not anymore for me. I am giving up on hating it so much. Too much effort is involved.


----------



## mistergreen

heh, algae pearl too. People forget that


----------



## sewingalot

^^That's funny. I figure if Amano gets algae problems, it's okay for me to have some, too. On a personal note: if I don't get a full time job soon, I am going to go bananas! This current place I am working is only a few hours a week and besides the financial aspect, it is disheartening. I am thinking I should stop getting on the pc so much and start pounding more pavement. So maybe I need to shut off the PT for a few days and actually get cracking.


----------



## Karackle

I think that is an excellent way to think about the algae! Heck, as long as it's not hurting the other plants, some algae is even kind of pretty! For example, i've got some serious GDA on the large rock in my 30g, but I think it kind of adds a natural feel to the tank and looks pretty cool, so I like it! :biggrin:

Good luck with the job hunt!!!


----------



## sewingalot

I've been trying to spend less time on the net and more searching for work when I am not at work. Fun stuff. It's actually kind of a neat challenge. I am meeting a lot of nice people and some not so nice, but interesting non-the-less. While looking for a full time job, I'll get back on topic and update my tank. 

Famous last words - my co2 ran out. Looks like algae may be around more often.  Worse yet, couldn't get anyone to fill the 5 lb tank all the way. Apparently, the 5 lb doesn't list the capacity, so they didn't feel comfortable filling it above 3 lbs. Can't say I blame them after seeing the burns on AZFishkid.

Funny thing is they showed me tank was first stamped in 1961! That's pretty awesome. After discovering the 10 lb has an out of date stamp and also doesn't have a capacity stamped, I found out the place I bought them from went out of business. So now I am not sure how to find someone to inspect the tanks. Well, at least the company did fill it to 3 pounds. Now to get the pressure to hold. It's leaking somewhere.....argh! LMAO!

Edit: Kara - I like the GDA on your rocks as well, it is neat-O.


----------



## mistergreen

oh! ask around if you can do a tank exchange instead of a refill. I did a tank exchange with a welding co... I went from a 10lbs to a 20lbs. I'll have CO2 for a while


----------



## Karackle

I'm confused, isn't 5lbs the capacity? This may be a dumb question, but I have no experience with CO2 :tongue:

And I think it is definitely more important that you spend your down time on the job hunt than on here, though I do miss you!  So once a full time job is locked down I expect to see you around more often! :hihi: Glad to hear you are meeting at least some nice people even if you are meeting some less than nice people  

Oh and thanks for the compliments on the GDA too


----------



## RipariumGuy

Great tank Sewingalot!


----------



## problemman

sewingalot said:


> Not anymore for me. I am giving up on hating it so much. Too much effort is involved.


LMAO very true very true


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> I'm confused, isn't 5lbs the capacity? This may be a dumb question, but I have no experience with CO2 :tongue:
> 
> And I think it is definitely more important that you spend your down time on the job hunt than on here, though I do miss you!  So once a full time job is locked down I expect to see you around more often! :hihi: Glad to hear you are meeting at least some nice people even if you are meeting some less than nice people
> 
> Oh and thanks for the compliments on the GDA too


Don't worry, Kara. I am confused as well on this.  Here's how they explained it to me. The tank is not the same height as a typical 5 pound tank. Also, there is nothing on the tank indicating it is a 5 pound tank. The guy said it looks more like a 3 pound tank, and he wouldn't feel comfortable filling it any more without a new inspection (PRICEY!). 

Apparently, there is a pressure valve that is designed to blow if overfilled. He says they are really expensive to replace, but also can cause burns if they erupt while holding/filling the tank. Hence, the 3 lbs of co2 refilled. I am just lucky he refilled it.

On a bonus, I got a gift certificate recently and was able to get a new 5lb tank (properly labelled) ordered for $11.95 shipped!!! And it is aluminum. Sweet.

A couple plants suffered from the lack of co2 and lighting, but seem to be recovering already. 

It is interesting going back to work as a part-time retail cashier after years of being an accountant. Last time I worked at minimum wage it was 5.15 an hour, so it was like getting a bonus starting out with today's rates. Still kinda sucks compared to a salary with benefits, though. 

On a positive note: it's been great having the opportunity to meet lots of new people and is actually relaxing in comparison of my last job. Crappy pay but great atmosphere. The management is nice and so are the coworkers that I've met. Makes the financial struggles not so significant.


----------



## Karackle

OOOOHHHH i get it. That makes more sense to me, and congrats on the killer deal for the new (properly labeled) 5lb tank!!!  

And i'm glad to hear you are enjoying the work atmosphere despite it being part-time and not so great pay, it's so important to enjoy the work you are doing too, makes it less painful to go to work! I'm glad you've found something so that you are at least making some money in the interim until you've found a new full-time, salary-based job!


----------



## Triv

ahh 11.95 shipped.. ooooooooo


----------



## sewingalot

*Crash!*

Okay, so I know I said I like algae now, but this is ridiculous! I have officially decided to go back to the measuring and testing off my phosphates and nitrates. I had much better results when I wasn't adding additional phosphates (they are already high and I have a high bioload). Sure, I'll admit that can be a contributing factor and that is why I am coming to the conclusion each tank is different. What works for one may not work for another. I actually enjoy the measuring and targeting the suggested levels of nitrates and phosphates. I also enjoyed the benefits. I would much rather have a bit of GSA than this nightmare anyday.

Two plants have greatly suffered from this algae - the blyxa and l cuba. I've also almost lost all my rotala indica to BBA. I threw out all but a few stems with a bit of algae still present. In fact, I've pitched half of the plants now. I should get a full tank shot, but it upsets me. :icon_frow 














































And with only three days of no added phosphates? Red (dying) algae!









I just realized that my spare tank only lasted about two months before running out of co2. Of course, I was using it on another tank, so I am not sure how much was left in it. Anyway, when I set up the tank this time, I got my husband to help. He fixed the needle valve and it is now very easy to dial in the correct bubbles per second. Go hubby! I have it at 2bps for the time being and it hasn't strayed.


----------



## Karackle

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear about the algae explosion! Sounds, or rather looks like reducing the phosphates is helping already! I'm rooting for you!!!


----------



## fastfreddie

Sorry about the algae! One of these days this algae thing will get easy (yeah right....what fun would that be?) 

Could you send your husband over to fix my needle valve too? Better yet, have him teach you how he did it. I'm sure you could make a full time job of working on needle valves around here! 

I'm glad about your part time gig. You are always able to see the positive in things! I'm sure they are very happy to have you there. 

Just sent you a pm about a weird looking post.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks for the sympathy guys. Apparently, he took the needle valve completely apart and put it back together on the regulator. He said it was cross-threaded? Whatever that means.... 

Anyway, to be fair, here is a full tank shot. There is still some more I wanted to do, but I had to stop before there was nothing left. Almost every plant had algae in some sort. We'll see what makes it. Did another major water change after uprooting everything to avoid another algae bloom or ammonia spike.


----------



## talontsiawd

Tank looks good.

Cross threaded means the threads you screwed in were off and it took off some of the metal and doesn't screw in right anymore.


----------



## mistergreen

Oh man, I feel ya.. I'm having the same problem, mostly brown algae though but some BBA too and the rest even the dreaded clado. All of this after the fishes played in the soil substrate and made a big mess.

I'm desperate so, I got some otos, up to the nutrients, and adding excel in addition to the CO2. The excel should kill off most of the algae.

I bet if I tested my P, I would get solid blue and N would be blood red


----------



## !shadow!

wow you got the same color/amount of phosphates as my 40g tank and yes i do have the same test kit(api). l added seachem's "phosguard" bascially you put it inside a filter media bag. i'm currently using it and it has slowed down the phophates. l have yet to test it again and replace the media. ln my case i had bga and im thinking about stepping it up a notch and start dosing nitrates(no3).


----------



## StillLearning

sewingalot I see you switched to only 1 set of lights so I have a question. What bulbs are you running in your light fixture 6500k, plant grow or 10k? Also what do you have bulbs 1 and 3 on and 2 and 4 off or do you do a mid day burst?? Thanks


----------



## sewingalot

StillLearning said:


> sewingalot I see you switched to only 1 set of lights so I have a question. What bulbs are you running in your light fixture 6500k, plant grow or 10k? Also what do you have bulbs 1 and 3 on and 2 and 4 off or do you do a mid day burst?? Thanks


One is 6500k and the other is 10,000k. I have only two on for 7.5 hours. I never turn on the second set. Hope that helps.


----------



## StillLearning

Thank you very much.


----------



## Karackle

Well despite the algae, I have to say, the FTS looks great still! I enjoy your natural-looking wild kind of scape a lot! What can I say, I'm biased towards jungles!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Kara. Algae is much better. Bba is almost completely dead. Fuzzy algae is struggling but losing as well.

Feeding time. 








































































Limnophilia sp. Wavy. Beautiful plant:










I found this pitiful stem of rotala macranda that was withering behind the driftwood. Never planted it there, so it must have floated over when I uprooted the stems. Felt sorry for it, so I put it in front of the co2 mister:


----------



## problemman

wow im going to need some more stems from you lol


----------



## kyle3

great "portraits" of your plants! looks good.

cheers-K


----------



## Karackle

Wow Sara, the tank is looking GORGEOUS! Those reds are just unbelievable, makes me realize why some people choose to put the effort into high tech, wow those colors are lovely!  

High tech is still not for me though :hihi: 

Great pictures too by the way. Well done! roud:


----------



## problemman

yah high tech is way out of my area of interest but they are beautiful when done right.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks for the continued support you guys.  Here is an update on the tank (and yes, I need to clean the glass!). I started using the Method of controlled imbalances by Christian Rubilar found here over on APC. I figured since I started to try it before but didn't completely understand, I would try it again once he translated the entire article over to English and the fact I don't add phosphates at the moment. This is exactly the type of article I've been looking for; one that explains the relationships and imbalances of nutrients. I am glad to finally have the opportunity to understand how NPK work together. Anyway, here are some updated pictures.














































Check out the rotala macranda!


















Just for fun:









Also, I removed all the danios (nine of them) and put them with the nine CPDs I have. The CPDs are so happy and active now. A little bit of nipping going on, but all is fine and dandy with the guys. Probably a little overstocked on the tank, but I have kicked up the filtration and will get rid of some of the fish in the future.


----------



## mistergreen

nice! they're pearling and looking very healthy.
You got the touch.


----------



## redfalconf35

Wow this is an impressive tank!


----------



## Karackle

Very cool! 

Glad to hear the zebra danios are acting as good dither fish for the CPDs!


----------



## Tex Gal

Looks like your plants are enjoying what you are doing!


----------



## HEINEKEN357

Wow keep up the good work glad you got your algae under control your plants are doing great pearling like a mofo. And BTW your wrong the water spots looks great on the tank hahah.


----------



## sewingalot

Got mad at the algae I am still battling and went from this (overexposed funky picture):









To this (underexposed funkier picture, lol):









The algae is some kind of black short fuzzy algae. It's not tufty like the BBA I am used to seeing, but rather a line of individual hairs. However, it is only on the oldest leaves and 97% or more of the plants are clean. Thought about bumping up the co2, but the fish are my main concern. Anyway, fret not. I RAOK'd the plants off. Most of them. Some did get destroyed (limnophilia sessiflora) and the bottoms of some stems were pitched. Moved the driftwood a bit. Not sure I like it.

I've got to clean the diffuser filter. Maybe the co2 would be better distributed.....

Oh, and my single male guppy jumped ship. This is the first known loss due to an open top in the 55. I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. I felt awful. :icon_neut


----------



## mistergreen

you can't beat algae 
You'll have to live a happy co-existence.

Oh, I found that if you fill the tank not to the brim, jumping suicides are cut down significantly.


----------



## HEINEKEN357

sewingalot said:


> The algae is some kind of black short fuzzy algae. It's not tufty like the BBA I am used to seeing, but rather a line of individual hairs. However, it is only on the oldest leaves and 97% or more of the plants are clean.


How much are you dosing and what are you dosing? How do you like leaving the top off the tank doesn't the water make spots all over the lights? I just put the glass top back on the lights were getting a lot of water marks all over the lights and reflectors.


----------



## sewingalot

Good idea with the water lowering. I'll try that and see how it goes. Currently, I am dosing a little more than 1/2 teaspoon nitrates every three days. I just added back 1/8 of of teaspoon of csm+b 4 times a week. I'm skipping phosphorus for now to see what happens in the long run.

The light is raised by a couple 2x4's, but it still gets water spots. I personally stopped worrying about it after the second week. I just try to avoid looking at the reflectors.


----------



## sewingalot

*Warning: blurry picture alert.....*

Because I believe in documenting the good and the bad on my journal, here is an update.

The Hagen Mini Elite apparently doesn't produce enough flow for my tank. You know it is bad when the filter is covered in BBA. :hihi: I go mad after throwing away a bunch of algae covered plants that I could be sharing if the tank wasn't in an uproar..... Anyway, I decided to take action. I pulled out my aquaclear 30 powerhead, attached a diffuser underneath the output with zip-ties and turned it on full blast. 

Poor fish probably thought I went crazy. I turned it back just a bit and still the bubbles are flying around the tank. The plants are swaying clear on the other side, so I think all is well. I had to turn down the bubble count within an hour because of the drop checker turning a yellowish color. I decided to turn it way down and work on it tomorrow since I want to stay by the tank for signs of too much co2.

With luck, I'll be RAOKing again in the near future without embarrassment. :biggrin:

Gah!









And double Gah!!









Before changing the powerhead:









One day after changing the powerhead and lowering the bubble count (can you say bingo?):









Full Tank shot after the massive butchering of the plants:









Because this is my journal and I can if I want too. 









My latest completed project:









Until next time, here is a parting shot:


----------



## hydrophyte

Oh look at the cute puppy and kitty. I like that blanket too and naturally the fish and plants also.


----------



## lauraleellbp

LOL I love the Betta shot. :hihi:


----------



## problemman

that algae has been in my tank before and i found that once we started putting in RO water after our water changes algae went away fast. we dont dose though so idk


----------



## hydrophyte

Is that your boxer in your avatar? I once knew a boxer and he was as dumb as a post but had the sweetest disposition of any dog I ever met.


----------



## sewingalot

hydrophyte said:


> Oh look at the cute puppy and kitty. I like that blanket too and naturally the fish and plants also.


They pretend to hate each other, but when they think no one's looking.....:wink:



lauraleellbp said:


> LOL I love the Betta shot. :hihi:


Bettas are such hams. She was my mystery fry. I should think of getting a partner for her, she's quite lovely. She's also the only betta that has been ever able to live successfully in a community tank for me.



problemman said:


> that algae has been in my tank before and i found that once we started putting in RO water after our water changes algae went away fast. we dont dose though so idk


Too cheap for RO, but it's definitely an idea if the diffusion doesn't work.



hydrophyte said:


> Is that your boxer in your avatar? I once knew a boxer and he was as dumb as a post but had the sweetest disposition of any dog I ever met.


Yep, that's Kafka. He's super smart, fortunately not a post. He's a handful but has been getting lazy in his older years. He just turned 9 and still acts like a puppy when he's awake..... He's really possessive of me which drives the husband crazy since this is technically his dog. Lol. We have a regular zoo in this house. :wink:


----------



## hydrophyte

I'd like to get a boxer someday just because of that one that I knew. I wonder if they show up very often in rescue(?).


----------



## problemman

hahaha to cheap. start slow. only add it when you do ur water changes. if u have a clearwater systems company my friend did a 180 for 20 bucks filled. not bad in my opinon ment to do it on my 40 but i got to anxious so once i start doing water changes thats what im doing


----------



## Captivate05

Even with the algae, I think your tank is just lovely. Your journal was one of the first things I ran across when I started researching planted tanks. I immediately bookmarked the page, then joined TPT!:biggrin:


----------



## lauraleellbp

hydrophyte said:


> I'd like to get a boxer someday just because of that one that I knew. I wonder if they show up very often in rescue(?).


My mom bred them when I was a kid. They're great family dogs. Awesome with kids (very full of energy too). I'm sure there are Boxer-specific rescue organizations around...

It's amazing how quickly adjusting your CO2 distribution made a difference for that Rotala, Sara!


----------



## problemman

Captivate05 said:


> Even with the algae, I think your tank is just lovely. Your journal was one of the first things I ran across when I started researching planted tanks. I immediately bookmarked the page, then joined TPT!:biggrin:


another success story


----------



## sewingalot

Unfortunately, they do show up a lot in the pounds. There are also a lot of sites like this one: http://www.boxerrescue.com/ Of course, I am sure it's the same for all breeds. They are definitely a great dog, very intuitive and sensitive to the family members. One thing I have noticed is he's very gentle with rough kids and dogs.

Good idea on the RO water. Definitely something to think about.

Oh, wow. Another day wasted on TPT. I've gotta get off here.


----------



## problemman

never wasted on here i have been on since i have been up lol 2 in the afternoon


----------



## sewingalot

Captivate05 said:


> Even with the algae, I think your tank is just lovely. Your journal was one of the first things I ran across when I started researching planted tanks. I immediately bookmarked the page, then joined TPT!:biggrin:


Awwwww! I'm blushing! Thanks for the compliment. I feel honored. By the way, welcome to the Planted Tank. It is great having a new member.

Laura, the rotala seems to react the fastest to any changes. In a way it is an excellent indicator plant. When the rotala macranda looks bad, others are soon to follow. It is also a very forgiving plant I am finding.


----------



## Karackle

I think the tank looks great too! Algae or no algae, it's look great! Some algae is definitely definitely something we've all got to live with, but I'd bet though, given the change in the rotala after one day (UNBELIEVABLE by the way!) you'll see a reduction in algae too because your CO2 really seems to be well distributed now!  

LOVE the betta shot! and of course the puppy and kitty!  And NICE blanket! Looks toasty warm and soft!


----------



## macclellan

I have the Hagen Elite Mini as my CO2 diffuser on my 75g. You're right that it doesn't give enough flow (200LPH), but it's a diffuser not a 'distributer.' The trick is to have it in an area of high flow. Mine is right next to my canister filter inlet. This gets co2 where the spray bar lets out and down in the plant beds at the same time. Just an idea anyways in case you don't want to use the AC30.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Kara. Yeah, the rotala blows my mind on how fast it grows. 

I actually tried setting the hagen underneath the spray bar recently and saw a bit of improvement, but not enough. I honestly think the flow is too low on this filter. I have two filters on this tank and still have dead spots. I am not crazy about the AC30, but perhaps I can buy a stronger filter in the future.

Truthfully, I think you hit the nail on the head. I keep getting diffuser and distribution confused in my head and think they are the same thing. I am starting to realize that they aren't and the distribution is my problem.


----------



## macclellan

The Elite mini is tricky because it seems "active" but isn't high enough flow to really count as active. It's closer to a simple glass/ceramic "passive" diffuser than the typical higher flow reactors (canister inline or on a dedicated pump/powerhead), and needs placed accordingly.


----------



## sewingalot

Yeah, it is a tomfoolery of a diffuser. I think the fact that it was moving water, I thought it was enough. However, the ceramic diffuser hooked up under the power head is really making a difference. I am seeing a consistent drop checker color in every place I've moved it so far. It seems to be distributing the co2 very well.


----------



## sewingalot

This will be my last update for a while. I sliced/blistered my finger pretty good this past weekend and it is not healing well enough for me to want to put my hands in fish tanks. That and I've promised to help my mom paint. Thank goodness for the python! Well, since I haven't been trimming, things are a little overgrown. Still have a bit of BBA, but it isn't horrible. Mostly confined to the slow growers and equipment. I am not turning up co2 any more since the fish were gasping at the last upping. I've decided to cut back on time if I need to. Anyway, thanks Kara for the plants! Gorgeous and algae free! What more could a gal want??? :icon_smil


----------



## sewingalot

*Crashed! To be renewed in coming weeks*

An impromptu experiment came about on my tank. Recently, my co2 ran out. I think there was a leak in the line somewhere. Anyway, I decided to keep on the lights, dose EI and *not *refill the co2 for a few days. In addition, I also chose not to refill the aquarium in order to avoid the gases from the tap water.

Today, after I turned back on the new tank of co2, I decided to take some pictures to share with you guys. It's amazing how many of these plants looks like nutrient deficiencies. I guess is it is possible the nutrients aren't being taken in as well due to no co2 being present. 

However, I think it's more co2 since things went south so quickly after I ran out. That and the fact I've forgotten to fertilize for days at a time and the plants looked fine while co2 was present.

From a distances, things look great. In fact, the Poly K has grown out of the water and is beautiful.

































Then, I decided to show the reality. BBA is taking over, plants are melting as though there wasn’t enough light, twisted growth, yellowing leaves, transparent leaves, cupped leaves, you name it, my plants showed it. On a side note: the otos, pleco and snails were loving life.

















































































































Surprisingly to me, the Ludwigia Cuba (which is now gone from my tank) was the most forgiving plant in my mini experiment. 

















Here is my tank now that I have cleaned house and RAOKed off as much as possible. 









By the way, if you stuck with me this long, the co2 experiment lasted a total of 4 1/2 days. I threw out over 3/4 of my plant mass and decided to dose 1/2 the EI until the plants have a chance to catch up. 

The co2 is being raised slowly now. I lost a couple of platties overnight and I suspect it could be from my adding back too much co2. I feel terrible and have turned back the dial considerably with an addition of the airstone.


----------



## mistergreen

interesting!
looks like the plants are in shut down mode and throwing off leaves it can't support aka melting.

The algae pictures are cool too.


----------



## lauraleellbp

Yikes I just caught the post about your finger, I hope it's doing better?

And you'll bounce the tank back again in no time... you've done it how many times, now? :icon_smil


----------



## sewingalot

mistergreen said:


> interesting!
> looks like the plants are in shut down mode and throwing off leaves it can't support aka melting.
> 
> The algae pictures are cool too.


It did seem like the lower leaves were leaving in a hurry on some of the plants. I was really fascinated by the way the plants reacted. I really wonder if the poly K and limno wavy decided to emerge in order to kick into survival mode. Kind of like how if you stress a plant enough, it'll flower in order to preserve itself.

When I was cleaning up the plants, the bottom half of the Pogostemon erectum was mush. It disintegrated in my hands. This plant does not fair well at all without co2. After getting coated in BBA, it melts quickly. I have only 5 or six stems left that are less that 4 inches in height.



lauraleellbp said:


> Yikes I just caught the post about your finger, I hope it's doing better?
> 
> And you'll bounce the tank back again in no time... you've done it how many times, now? :icon_smil


I may have a scar and a bruised ego, but it is fine other than that. My mom gave me some space aged bandages that did wonders for it. The cost like 10 for 6. I couldn't believe she spent that much. But it's nice to still have your mommy take care of you sometimes even if you are nearly 30. :redface:

Good point. I am always messing around with this tank and bringing it back from near destruction. What can I say, I have a tinkering complex.


----------



## Green Leaf Aquariums

What a great before and after journal


----------



## fishsandwitch

does that sunset hygro have a deficiency? Mine started looking like that just a day or two ago.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Orlando!

Fish - yes it has a co2 deficiency. I was dosing EI, but ran out of co2. When you have high lights, co2 is a must.


----------



## sewingalot

Found the leak in my co2 line. The plastic check valve was bubbling soapy water. Replaced it with a new check valve and need to invest in a brass one. Decided to experiment with fertilizers now that the tank has been reset. I am using the following amounts three times a week: 

1/4 teaspoon KNO3 
1/4 teaspoon K2SO4
1/16 teaspoon Micros

Plants are recovering nicely.


----------



## HEINEKEN357

Glad you found the leak in the co2, I can't believe how fast the algae kicked in without the co2 looks like you lost a lot of plants :icon_conf. How long have you been dosing that measurement of ferts for have you tryed upping the measurements a little? Keep up the good work in 2weeks that tank will be a forest again :bounce:. Whats the name of this plant?


sewingalot said:


>


----------



## lauraleellbp

Sara the BBA ninja-woman! 

Oh- and that is Sunset Hygro.


----------



## sewingalot

Hi Heineken! I didn't really loose a lot of plants to algae. I RAOKed off a lot of them and threw out a bunch of stems that had even a scrap of BBA on them. Plus, I moved three species out of the tank. I'm falling in love with some of my plants and want to dedicate a large area for them. 

Just started the new dosing schedule two days ago. I'm experimenting with a theory of luxury consumption is not necessary for my tank to grow effectively. My brother sent me this link: 
http://www.gfredlee.com/Nutrients/WileyEutrophication.pdf

He bet me I could grow my plants just as nicely at a smaller dose of fertilizer than I had been using. I figured why not? Let's try this out. If I have another algae bloom, it's his fault this time. roud:

Oh, and Laura is right. It is sunset hygro.

As far as the BBA, it was nothing that a pot scrubber and a bunch of trimming won't take care of.  Of course, I keep going by and picking out random pieces of substrate with BBA on it. My goal is to have it not grow for at least a week. Ha!


----------



## idontknow

Great before and after pictures. Its amazing how quickly that turned bad for you. Theres been a few times where I had been rearranging my plants and had turned the powerhead off that chops up my co2 and distributes and forgotten to set the timer back on it. Took me a couple days to realize it one time and had lights running for 2 days with no co2 and plants were for the most part ok but then I run pretty low lighting. Interesting to see how the difference in light can really drive that stuff. 

Great looking tank regardless


----------



## mightyoak

Amazing how fragile these ecosystems are. I am learning so much from everyone.


----------



## sewingalot

I think the algae really took hold because it was always there just waiting to spring into action. Kind of like a fire getting oxygen all the sudden. If there wasn't such an imbalance before, I don't think the co2 being off a few days would have been such a big deal.


----------



## sewingalot

So I am over at my Mom's tonight after starting the arduous task of peeling wallpaper (by the way, vinegar takes most of the work out of the equation) and wishing I could sleep. I have nothing else to say other than I hate insomnia and I am going to bed. LOL. It's my journal, so I'm rambling. 

To make it plant related, my Poly K is going back to its emersed state with very little melting and is already turning red. Also, I am daring to have a burst of 1 hour of full 216 of lighting for the fun of it. Why not? I don't mind my constant algae battles.


----------



## benon

I love how we can just approach our tanks with a scientific perspective and correct all problems and keep them perfect...



> Also, I am daring to have a burst of 1 hour of full 216 of lighting for the fun of it. Why not? I don't mind my constant algae battles.


...But this quote made me think about the way I (and possibly many others) approach fishtank maintenance.

"well, maybe it just needs a bit more of this..."

3 days later... algae

"dang... maybe I just need to clean my filter..."

"I'll dose a bit of this and everything will be good. It will clear my mind and let me sleep soundly."

"Yea just for today, cause I feel really good, the plants will wallow in some extra light. Just for today. They're looking kinda sad."



I kinda trailed off into my own thinking, but at least that's kinda how I do things, coupled with a partially "proper" way of doing things.

I'm an insomniac who is rambling too...


----------



## lauraleellbp

ROFL

I like it when ya'll post at god-awful incoherent hours of the morning, do it some more! :bounce: :red_mouth


----------



## VincentK

Lol, how can you manage to stay up so late (that is if you are staying up, waking early is a bit easier), the latest I can stay is probably until midnight. I also lol'd at benon's quotes.

Nice tank, I really like that plant in the back right, it reminds me of a Christmas tree.


----------



## demonbreedr16

lauraleellbp said:


> ROFL
> 
> I like it when ya'll post at god-awful incoherent hours of the morning, do it some more! :bounce: :red_mouth


I was actually up around the time they wrote that! lol

I can't sleep much at all recently...

Tank is looking good BTW, Sarah! :icon_mrgr


----------



## sewingalot

benon said:


> I love how we can just approach our tanks with a scientific perspective and correct all problems and keep them perfect...
> 
> 
> 
> ...But this quote made me think about the way I (and possibly many others) approach fishtank maintenance.
> 
> "well, maybe it just needs a bit more of this..."
> 
> 3 days later... algae
> 
> "dang... maybe I just need to clean my filter..."
> 
> "I'll dose a bit of this and everything will be good. It will clear my mind and let me sleep soundly."
> 
> "Yea just for today, cause I feel really good, the plants will wallow in some extra light. Just for today. They're looking kinda sad."
> 
> 
> 
> I kinda trailed off into my own thinking, but at least that's kinda how I do things, coupled with a partially "proper" way of doing things.
> 
> I'm an insomniac who is rambling too...


LOL, Benon. I like the way you think. roud: I think I get into most of my trouble with algae in the middle of the night when I should be . Like the hour of too much light thinking. :icon_mrgr



lauraleellbp said:


> ROFL
> 
> I like it when ya'll post at god-awful incoherent hours of the morning, do it some more! :bounce: :red_mouth


I'll probably give myself an infraction for trolling my journal at the wee hours. Seriously, I hate not being able to sleep. Right now, I am feeling sorry for myself because my brother is great at painting, can even do trim work without tape, and I have half a gallon of paint in my hair. :red_mouth 



VincentK said:


> Lol, how can you manage to stay up so late (that is if you are staying up, waking early is a bit easier), the latest I can stay is probably until midnight. I also lol'd at benon's quotes.
> 
> Nice tank, I really like that plant in the back right, it reminds me of a Christmas tree.


How can you manage to sleep? I'd like to know your secret. It does look like a christmas tree. It's Limnophila sessiliflora. It's a nice plant, but very invasive. Great for dark corners.



demonbreedr16 said:


> I was actually up around the time they wrote that! lol
> 
> I can't sleep much at all recently...
> 
> Tank is looking good BTW, Sarah! :icon_mrgr


Poor demonbreedr, welcome to the 'dark' side of insomnia. I'm on my third cup of cocoa trying to fall asleep. Want some?


----------



## demonbreedr16

sewingalot said:


> Poor demonbreedr, welcome to the 'dark' side of insomnia. I'm on my third cup of cocoa trying to fall asleep. Want some?


LOL..and yes...I'm very tempted! Anything to sleep! I started working on the 29gal tho. It's brackish now...:icon_mrgr Not sleeping does lead to some things getting accomplished.


----------



## funkyfish

sewingalot said:


> Poor demonbreedr, welcome to the 'dark' side of insomnia. I'm on my third cup of cocoa trying to fall asleep. Want some?


I'm not the only one who can't fall asleep :icon_bigg
We should open an insomnia club :hihi:

Sara I love your tank even with an algae I still think it looks great. Everything will grow in back nicely in no time. I can't wait to start my 55g I am sure it will bring many algae battles for me as well :icon_bigg


----------



## sewingalot

demonbreedr16 said:


> LOL..and yes...I'm very tempted! Anything to sleep! I started working on the 29gal tho. It's brackish now...:icon_mrgr Not sleeping does lead to some things getting accomplished.


Looks like another sleepless night for you, huh? Talk about getting things accomplished. I cleaned up two rooms, did all the laundry and dishes and still had enough time to clean the downstairs bathroom. I'm actually about to go and finish painting my mom's dining room in a few minutes. And I have another interview tomorrow. We're indestructable. 



funkyfish said:


> I'm not the only one who can't fall asleep :icon_bigg
> We should open an insomnia club :hihi:
> 
> Sara I love your tank even with an algae I still think it looks great. Everything will grow in back nicely in no time. I can't wait to start my 55g I am sure it will bring many algae battles for me as well :icon_bigg


I think you are right about the club, it could be called.....I'm too tired to think creatively, lol. You won't have as many algae battles if you are smart and avoid buying too much lighting (T5HO) and too little co2. And don't mess around with your fertilizers like I do all the time.


----------



## demonbreedr16

Yep; another sleepless night. Blah. 

I'm trying to figure out how to keep my RCS colony and SW without having to buy another tank because 7 aquariums, 1 terrarium, & 1 pond is definitely enough..plus the car[don't worry, I haven't been driving much, but I do have to get the netbook I forgot about] and computers that require maintenance even if not constant. I'm actually working on school too[yep. multitasking] so no time is lost really...

And you're right. We are indestructible! LOL Just slightly grouchy at times [yells at one of the cats for knocking something over]


----------



## sewingalot

Maybe you can take one of the tanks down, silicone a piece of glass to seperate it and viola! Two in one.  Lol about the cat.

By the way, for anyone interested. Turning on the lights for a burst of lighting is not a good idea. There is already a nice dusting of algae on the top of the glass. Turning back off the second sets and unplugging them again. No more "bright" ideas for me.


----------



## Centromochlus

Tank looks great, Sara!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks. I am really okay with it at the moment. I turned back off the second set of lights after a bit of algae appeared, but I am still struggling a bit with algae on the substrate. Any ideas?


----------



## demonbreedr16

I just bury the infected pieces when doing a WC. 

I think we should trade lights BTW. hahaha


----------



## HEINEKEN357

sewingalot said:


> I am still struggling a bit with algae on the substrate. Any ideas?


Is the substrate algae only where there is not good flow or its everywhere?


----------



## sewingalot

HEINEKEN357 said:


> Is the substrate algae only where there is not good flow or its everywhere?


Late response, but the flow is good, you can feel the water move when you put your hand in the areas with the BBA. I've been dosing EI and 50% water change every couple weeks due to no time. CO2 was is so high, the bubbles are annoying BBA is still present. :icon_conf

I quit all dosing a few days ago due to my screwed up schedule and simply forgetting to. New job has me pretty much exhausted and this is the first night in three weeks I've felt not terrible.

Starting tomorrow, I am only going to dose micros and KNO3 for a while. Just feel like tinkering.

Here's some beautiful pictures of my new rare plant, 'Tufty.'



















This one shows it's true beauty. Look at that pearling:









I'll be offering it shortly in the Swap and Shop for $50 a small bunch. Plus shipping and no guarantees, of course.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

keep that co2 up to get rid of that algae. I would dose the bba directly with peroxide to kill it. it will work, but I would also try to remove the leaves that are covered alot with it.


----------



## TheCryptKeeper

oh btw.. the tank looks great in the last fts pics you have up!


----------



## sewingalot

Sigh. Despite the BBA taking hold, I was tired of seeing the fish gasp, and I am unemployed again so I decided to mess around with the tank. I decided to turn down (yes, I said down) the co2, rearrange the scape, stop all water dosing while popping in a few root tabs, pulled out the algae covered powerhead and playing the waiting game.

I am thinking of something. Low or fluctuating co2 is supposed to cause BBA. Maybe it is the high swing I've been pushing from no co2 at night to a lot of co2 in the day? Anyway, I have nothing but time to find out.

Pictures:


----------



## dj2005

Wow, you're good at growing Tufties. :tongue:

The tank looks good in the last picture. I hope you find a method that works on ridding the tank of BBA.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks. Unfortunately, my tufties are harder to grow by the minute. With my new experiment, they are fading fast.  Anyway, I am experimenting based on readings from Scolley's findings. I love tinkering too much to have a cookie cutter approach. No pictures yet because the lights are off and things are not much different in a few days due to the tank balancing out. Just less algae. I'll update soon.

In the meantime, here is what happens if you water your outdoor planters with water not free of debris:


































This is why we should make sure we destroy all non native species for disposal. This came out after snow and ice covering it for many wintery days.

And this is our neighbor's cat helping me clean the substrate for my latest project:


----------



## Centromochlus

KITTEH!
=) Your _blyxa japonica_ looks really good.


----------



## dj2005

Cats love buckets. I do not know why.


----------



## sewingalot

Cats, gotta love the quirks.  I see red on the remaining algae! Yay!


----------



## Karackle

Sorry to hear about the algae problems, but I'm glad things seem to be heading in a better direction. 

I think it's pretty awesome that your plant debris took root in your outdoor planters! Unless, that is, it was to the detriment of the plants that were supposed to be growing there! :tongue:


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> Sorry to hear about the algae problems, but I'm glad things seem to be heading in a better direction.
> 
> I think it's pretty awesome that your plant debris took root in your outdoor planters! Unless, that is, it was to the detriment of the plants that were supposed to be growing there! :tongue:


Kara! I am so glad to see you on the forum! How's life? :biggrin: :bounce:

The plants in the planter are late bloomers, so we'll see what happens. No biggie if they don't return.

Changes, changes! I quit dosing fertilizer for eight days straight after adding diy root tabs and did a course of three 40% water changes in a week's time. For the last few days, I've added back a modified plan of fertilizer based on my water parameters obtained from the water company and the size of the tank. 

Ready for this? I added back phosphates slowly and am holding my breath this takes hold. Also, I should mention that I am now bursting the light full throttle for 30 minutes each day just for the fun of it. 

At the moment, I am dosing on a daily basis for six days and changing 30% of the water twice a week for now.

I am using
1/4 tsp kno3 
1/16 tsp k2so4
1/16 tsp k2hpo4
1/16 tsp micros

Here are some pictures! In the last 10 days one major change! The BBA is loosing it's foot hold!

Before:









Now:








The place underneath the BBA is yellowish/brown from lack of light/nutrients from the algae, and there are a few spots of dying algae still on the wood, but I'd say this is a 98% improvement in just under 2 weeks time!

The sunset hygro was moved over to the center since it wasn't favoring the dark corner so well. I moved the l. sessiflora over to it's previous spot. Also, in this picture, you can see the tiny bit of hair algae I am still finding on some of the leaves. But not excessive at all.










This picture was taken right after the lights came on and some of the leaves are still closed up for bedtime.  Also, I did something weird to my camera and everything is showing up in a weird hue. I got out the booklet to read on how to fix this. 









My favorite plant now. 









Another one of my plants I am starting to grow found of.









Here is a closeup of the bottom of some of the leaves. As you can see, the tops are recovering nicely in comparison. I think in a few months, this tank will finally be happy once more.









I was able to save a couple of my favorite plants before the meltdown of this tank and placed them in quarantine to recover:




































And a blurry picture of my CPD:









You know me. I love to tinker and then complain. Complaints to follow next week. :icon_twis


----------



## Hyzer

Very glad to hear you are getting control of the BBA. It is running rampant in my 29g.


----------



## Karackle

hahaha i love your last comment "complaints to follow" classic. 

But the tank looks to be rebounding nicely and I am glad you were able to rescue some of your plants and that they are recovering nicely in QT. Good good. 

Also HI! good to be back. I need to start allowing myself a little more computer time I think, because now I miss the forum!  I'm doing well, thanks! How are you? (more details back over in my 30g thread )


----------



## sewingalot

Hyzer said:


> Very glad to hear you are getting control of the BBA. It is running rampant in my 29g.


Thanks, it took some doing, but it's dying off! I have personally found pushing up the co2 is pointless if you don't diffuse it well. Of course, this is based on my own rambling.



Karackle said:


> hahaha i love your last comment "complaints to follow" classic.
> 
> But the tank looks to be rebounding nicely and I am glad you were able to rescue some of your plants and that they are recovering nicely in QT. Good good.
> 
> Also HI! good to be back. I need to start allowing myself a little more computer time I think, because now I miss the forum!  I'm doing well, thanks! How are you? (more details back over in my 30g thread )


I'm doing well, Kara. Thank you for asking. Would love a job, but it'll happen when it does.


----------



## Karackle

sewingalot said:


> I'm doing well, Kara. Thank you for asking. Would love a job, but it'll happen when it does.


Glad to hear it! And yes, I totally sympathize on the job thing. Blargh.


----------



## sewingalot

"Blargh." Love this word. Since it is 5:31 in the morning and I haven't been to sleep yet, I thought now would be a good time to complain, lol. Big digging up some of the crypts and dividing them in order to share with Kara. Must have annoyed my guys because now they are melting and the algae is taking hold on some of the leaves. Kara, you may end up with bare roots.


----------



## sewingalot

I was going to take pictures, but I forgot and the lights are turned off for the evening. Still using this fertilizer schedule, however I wanted update it though since I was not clear before on the amounts dosing. It sounds like I was dosing each daily. 

1/4 tsp kno3 (every other day)
1/16 tsp k2so4 (once a week)
1/16 tsp k2hpo4 (every other day)
1/16 tsp micros (every other day)

Anyway, these numbers are based on some research I've been doing on PPM and the atomic mass of elements. Having plenty of time, I've been calculating percentages of the chemicals I've been adding. This is what I came up with for just KNO3:

K	39.0983(1)	
N	14.0067(2)	
O	15.9994(3)	

K	39.0983	
N	14.0067	
O3	47.99829	
101.10329	Total Atomic Weight

K	38.67163967	
N	13.85385184	
O	47.4745085	
100	Percentage of Atomic Weight

So, if my calculations are right, I am adding something like 4 ppm of nitrate, 1.3 ppm phosphate, and 4 ppm of potassium with each dose. Why does this matter? It doesn't really. I just really like numbers and am curious on what will happen in the long run.

I have good news potentially - got a call back last Friday. Even if I don't get the job, at least they called back. That's always a good sign, since it means you made it past the first round of "no way."


----------



## sewingalot

Trying to set my camera back to normal setting, but not sure if it's quite there yet. The plants don't have this yellowish look like they do here. Hmmmm....back to the manual. Also should have gotten out the tripod since there is some definite blurring going on in some of the pictures. 

I am very pleased with the results of my new routine overall. The growth is nice a full, not so leggy in between the nodes, which is more pleasing to me. There is a nice golden orange showing on some of my plants that were previously covered in BBA. Currently, the BBA is at bay, some is still lingering on the gravel (oddly not the flourite and mostly the lighter pieces) and silicone. I am not sure what to do about the silicone algae. I am scared to scrap it or treat it, so I am leaving it alone for now.

On the plants, there is a little bit of the short fuzzy algae (I think it's called hair?) on some of the leaves. Nothing bad, just a sprinkling here and there. The moss was hit the hardest, and in one area I ripped off as much of the dying moss I could. I guess the BBA one that round.

A few tweaks I made this week that I thought I should mention for prosperity. One being that I started back my routine of poking holes in the substrate with a skewer to keep it from compacting so much around the driftwood. A couple smelly bubbles popped up the first week, but since then, it is all good. Also, I backed off on the water changes. I am doing only 25 - 30 % once a week right now. I'll up this as needed, but for now I think it is more than sufficient.

Anyway, the pictures as promised:










And this is why I love my platties. They are so comical. Hey, Food Person, look at me!!! It took quite a bit of time to get some fish free photos.













































I sneezed right as I hit the shutter. What a cool picture resulted. 













































Found this sole survivor of the rotala macranda variegated. It's not even an inch in height.









Moss is slowly adjusting:




































Great crypt from Ken:


















And here is our new addition to the family:










Momma bird didn't like the paparazzi. 










Right after this picture, she flew directly at me and started screaming like a cat. I left her and her baby back to their flight lesson:


----------



## dj2005

sewingalot - The algae slayer. 

What Crypt is that from Ken? Bronze?


----------



## mistergreen

sewingalot said:


> I am thinking of something. Low or fluctuating co2 is supposed to cause BBA. Maybe it is the high swing I've been pushing from no co2 at night to a lot of co2 in the day?


I wonder at this also. I also wonder if it's the Ohio river water that's the problem

It's pretty cool to see your BBA go away with nothing but water changes and modifying the ferts. I'm having the same issue but I'm using excel which I swore not to use again. I used up the bottle so I can go back to my promise to not use it. Besides, I think I might be allergic to it.

I'm going to modify my ferts too especially the micros.


----------



## lauraleellbp

Looking better in no time at all! :smile:

The bluejay pics cracked me up. Reminded me of the mockingbird that's decided it's the boss of my parents' yard (there's probably a nest somewhere though they haven't found where...)- it "moved in" this year and constantly harasses the osprey that's perched for years on the mast of their sailboat... funny how such small birds can sport such big 'tudes! LOL


----------



## sewingalot

dj2005 said:


> sewingalot - The algae slayer.
> 
> What Crypt is that from Ken? Bronze?


I really have no clue. I am bad at identifying crypts. He could probably tell you the name. I told Kara the name was the "brown" one. :redface:



mistergreen said:


> I wonder at this also. I also wonder if it's the Ohio river water that's the problem
> 
> It's pretty cool to see your BBA go away with nothing but water changes and modifying the ferts. I'm having the same issue but I'm using excel which I swore not to use again. I used up the bottle so I can go back to my promise to not use it. Besides, I think I might be allergic to it.
> 
> I'm going to modify my ferts too especially the micros.


I really think it could be. This water is not the best quality since the plants started dumping in the river up north. Actually, there was one recently that affected Pomeroy really bad, I have an aunt that got really sick (along with many others) from a company pouring sludge into the river illegally. We actually did a lot of tests on the Ohio River water and local creeks. I could tell you horror stories on the results. 

Anyway, you are using excel again? I am resisting it during this whole process to keep the experiment based on fertilizing and not simply the excel miracle cure. It's quite possible you are reacting to the chemical. It gives me headaches pretty bad. That's one of the main reasons I stopped using it.

What are your thoughts on micros? I am limiting them right now due to the fact I am not sure I need as much as it is claimed. I'll add more if necessary, but for now I am trying to wait 3 weeks before changing anything to do with fertilizing. My thought is if you can get by with much less fertilizer and still have healthy growth. So far, I'm happy.



lauraleellbp said:


> Looking better in no time at all! :smile:
> 
> The bluejay pics cracked me up. Reminded me of the mockingbird that's decided it's the boss of my parents' yard (there's probably a nest somewhere though they haven't found where...)- it "moved in" this year and constantly harasses the osprey that's perched for years on the mast of their sailboat... funny how such small birds can sport such big 'tudes! LOL


I love mockingbirds. They are mean little buggers, though. LOL, Laura. I'd love to see that big osprey's reaction. Bluejays are amazingly aggressive when they breed. It's hard to leave the house without getting targeted. I feel like I live in a Hitchcock film right now.









I just realized that I messed up and linked the same picture twice. Fixed it.


----------



## mistergreen

sewingalot said:


> I really think it could be. This water is not the best quality since the plants started dumping in the river up north. Actually, there was one recently that affected Pomeroy really bad, I have an aunt that got really sick (along with many others) from a company pouring sludge into the river illegally. We actually did a lot of tests on the Ohio River water and local creeks. I could tell you horror stories on the results.
> 
> Anyway, you are using excel again? I am resisting it during this whole process to keep the experiment based on fertilizing and not simply the excel miracle cure. It's quite possible you are reacting to the chemical. It gives me headaches pretty bad. That's one of the main reasons I stopped using it.
> 
> What are your thoughts on micros? I am limiting them right now due to the fact I am not sure I need as much as it is claimed. I'll add more if necessary, but for now I am trying to wait 3 weeks before changing anything to do with fertilizing. My thought is if you can get by with much less fertilizer and still have healthy growth. So far, I'm happy.


Oh, I know all about the Ohio River ... When I was in college I walked along the river to take these 4x5 pictures. These are the large cameras you see in 1900s. I'll have to scan some of them and post them.

We don't have that much to worry about except for the ubiquitous pharmaceuticals & pesticides in out water supply. 

I got impatient and used excel to kill off the BBA. I know for sure BBA is not triggered by high light. I found large patches growing on rocks in the shade.
Strange thing is I had less algae issues when I was limiting the ferts. And my thinking on the micros is that we know the macros don't trigger algae, maybe it's the micros given the same CO2 & lights.

I'm tired of pushing the CO2 as well. I had 2 close calls with the fishes already.


----------



## hydrophyte

Hey here is this tank again. You plants look great Sara. I like all of your close up specimen shots.

This is an artsy picture. It looks like it would go well as an album cover. 



sewingalot said:


>


----------



## sewingalot

Of course, you probably had the same classes I did. Lol. Don't forget about the nice chemicals coming from the carpet factory.  

I think you are right about there being more to BBA than is known currently. I have found it in lower light tanks as well with good co2 and fertilizers. Good thought process on the micros. Let me know how it goes for you. I am curious to know the results.

Here's something interesting, since I have started adding more light, the algae is not getting worse as predicted by many. Of course, it may be too early to tell.

CO2 is great, but I think it is simply silly to put your fish at risk. If your goal is to have an optimum planted tank, go with no fish at all. No what I mean?


----------



## sewingalot

Artsy, I like it hydrophyte. Much better than, "my hand was shaking as the bird was stalking me" shot. Ha!


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

sewingalot said:


> I really think it could be. This water is not the best quality since the plants started dumping in the river up north. Actually, there was one recently that affected Pomeroy really bad, I have an aunt that got really sick (along with many others) from a company pouring sludge into the river illegally. We actually did a lot of tests on the Ohio River water and local creeks. I could tell you horror stories on the results.



Blame it on the Monongahela! That river is disgusting compared to the Allegheny (they merge to form the Ohio in case anyone didn't know). The sewage system in Pittsburgh sucks. When it rains hard, raw sewage flows into the rivers because they use the same pipes for sewage as they do for rain water. Combined sewer overflows sucks... I heard billions of gallons of raw sewage gets dumped into the rivers annually.


----------



## CL

Ahh. The good ole Ohio river. My grampa has a house overlooking it (more or less) up in Huntington (he lives a couple of miles down the road from Hillbilly hotdogs hahaha, and I've always heard stories of drunk somewhat distant cousins swimming across it and back in the middle of the night. Strangely enough I have never gone to the banks for a closer look.

The past couple of weeks I started to get BBA on my driftwood in my 48 gallon tank when I decided to up my CO2 quite a bit (CO2 fluctuations are one of the main suspected causes of BBA, which you know). It was briefly growing on my eleocharis right under the powerhead (which shades that area of grass a bit), but I trimmed the eleocharis down to the substrate, spot tread 5 mils of H2O2 to the area, and it hasn't come back. It remains on the wood, however.


----------



## Karackle

Tank is looking amazing Sara! I can't believe how fast you turned it around! Well played!  

Sweet bluejay pics too! Try not to annoy mama again though or you might lose an eye!


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## sewingalot

Cardinal Tetra said:


> Blame it on the Monongahela! That river is disgusting compared to the Allegheny (they merge to form the Ohio in case anyone didn't know). The sewage system in Pittsburgh sucks. When it rains hard, raw sewage flows into the rivers because they use the same pipes for sewage as they do for rain water. Combined sewer overflows sucks... I heard billions of gallons of raw sewage gets dumped into the rivers annually.


That's a great idea! I'm blaming on you northerners. :hihi: You don't even want to get me started on the sewers here. The main public works guy told us several years ago it was failing and nothing has been done to it since. Speaking of dumping in the rivers, you can actually drive around town and see the drainage pipes sticking out above the waters. Don't eat the fish around here. :fish1:



CL said:


> Ahh. The good ole Ohio river. My grampa has a house overlooking it (more or less) up in Huntington (he lives a couple of miles down the road from Hillbilly hotdogs hahaha, and I've always heard stories of drunk somewhat distant cousins swimming across it and back in the middle of the night. Strangely enough I have never gone to the banks for a closer look.
> 
> The past couple of weeks I started to get BBA on my driftwood in my 48 gallon tank when I decided to up my CO2 quite a bit (CO2 fluctuations are one of the main suspected causes of BBA, which you know). It was briefly growing on my eleocharis right under the powerhead (which shades that area of grass a bit), but I trimmed the eleocharis down to the substrate, spot tread 5 mils of H2O2 to the area, and it hasn't come back. It remains on the wood, however.


I might live close to your papa, depending on the store location. Either place, we're pretty close to one another. Everyone used to swim the river back in the day. That's how my papa would get across to WV without paying the toll bridge. :icon_smil I'd still go in it, just wouldn't want to get water in my mouth. :drool:

I am starting to learn a lot about BBA from my experiments lately. It is all conjecture at this point, but I am learning that flow and fluctuations in co2 have a lot to do with it. For instance, if you don't have a lot of co2 and then start upping it too high, when the co2 abruptly stops due to running out of gas, the timer snaps off or it is not diffused evenly, the BBA gets a strong edge in my tank. That's the main reason I backed off from my co2. Right now I am barely turning the drop checker green. Of course, with all experimentation, this could fail terribly and I'll be eating crow.

But honestly, I find this all fun and that's why I continue my ideas. Sure, I could have a very nice tank and not worry about it so much and automate my dosing, thinking, and water top offs. But where would the enjoyment be for me? I like getting a deeper meaning to it all.



Karackle said:


> Tank is looking amazing Sara! I can't believe how fast you turned it around! Well played!
> 
> Sweet bluejay pics too! Try not to annoy mama again though or you might lose an eye!


Thanks, Kara. Still needs a little work, but I think my theory is so far working out well. We'll see if it holds up.

That bluejay is psychotic. Luckily, I am wearing glasses or I wouldn't leave the house right now. It's pecked me on the head quite a few times now. :help:


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## Karackle

sewingalot said:


> Thanks, Kara. Still needs a little work, but I think my theory is so far working out well. We'll see if it holds up.


Let's hope it does!  And I am sure it will continue on it's rebound! 



sewingalot said:


> That bluejay is psychotic. Luckily, I am wearing glasses or I wouldn't leave the house right now. It's pecked me on the head quite a few times now. :help:


Oh dear! Well definitely be careful then!!! :icon_surp


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Kara. The bluejay moved out of the porch. I am assuming that Ed the baby blue jay finally got his wings and the parent's job is done. Yay! I can go outside again without ducking.

Well, some news on the tank. GSA is finally showing up. This indicates from numerous studies and articles I've read that there is not enough phosphates. Duh? I am not really surprised since I have been limiting them on purpose to allow the tank a chance to rest and balance out while getting a hold on the algae. I contribute the GSA appearing also to the phenomenal growth that's been happening recently. The tank used up all the phosphates avaliable, which is great. This means to me the co2 is being utilized at this level of phosphates.

Therefore, I will add just a tad more phosphates and see what happens. I've decided to limit my co2 for the sake of my overcrowded tank, which appears to have a very close relationship with phosphates.

Could I eliminate this problem by adding more fertilizers and not worrying about it? Sure. But that's not how I learn things. I like to limit or increase different aspects to see what happens. Some of my experiments have caused major algae, others have all but eliminated it. So why do I keep tinkering and upseting the balance of light to co2 to nutrients? Because this is the fun part of the hobby for me. I am slowing gathering knowledge that I am sure the experts have known for years. But I like to learn and quite frankly, knowing the how to doesn't explain the why. The why is my passion, the drive that makes me move forward.

In the mean time, Bristlenose Tony is ecstatic with the palate of flavors. He's actually venturing out in the day time. :biggrin:

By the way, what do you think, Kara? Is the low tech tank looking better since I hid my sponge filter behind the moss like you suggested (it's overexposed because the sun is shining behind the tank)?


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## Karackle

Experimenting is good and a good way to find out what your plants are using how fast  But I think if GSA is your only algae so far you're in pretty good shape, I think that's one of the most unavoidable kinds of algae in any tank and it sounds like the bristlenose is happy about it! :biggrin:

I think that the low tech looks fantastic with the sponge filter hidden by moss! You can barely see it now, all you can see is a really nice nest of moss! 

Also, glad you don't have to duck when you head outside anymore 

*edit* changed "algae to moss" i'm an idiot....hahaha :icon_lol:


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## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> I think that the low tech looks fantastic with the sponge filter hidden by *algae*! You can barely see it now, all you can see is a really nice nest of *algae*!


I choked with laughter on this paragraph!


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## sewingalot

Instead of upping the phosphates, I have decided to remove most of the hornwort (which is a nutrient sponge) except a small piece between 1 - 2 inches. I am leaving a small piece for a while for the betta. She loves to lounge on the plant. 

The algae continues to subside and I decided to keep things status quo until I do more research and understand what I am putting into my tank. I took plant biology in college and I loved it so much. My research so far is showing there is a lot of similarities (not surprised) between aquatic and non aquatic plants. So all I have to do is connect the dots I've always known and draw some more where needed.

I've been listening to some people who think I am not smart enough to understand this stuff and I started to believe them. Then it hit me: Who is this hobby for? Me! And I enjoy the measuring, tinkering, and seeing cause and effect vs. correlation. So that is what I'll continue to do. Sometimes, I'll create problems, but I'll learn on my own how to fix them through good old thinking a spell. 

Anyway, I got a bunch of plants in from some very nice people! Thank you! I'll update the journal in a few weeks once I've settled into my new routine.

By the way, probably won't be on here much for a while. I just found out on Friday that I start a new job on Monday and I am so excited! However, going from not working to working part time to not working to working full time will be taking it's toll. LOL, that was a run-on sentence. Anyway, enjoy your time off from my ramblings.


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## Karackle

HAHAHAHAHA i can't believe I wrote algae instead of moss! What a dummy i am:iamwithst:help:

Anyway, you are definitely right this hobby is for YOU and if you enjoy the tinkering etc. then keep it up! And don't believe people who try to make you think you're not smart enough to do it, you definitely are!  

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE JOB!!!! That is such wonderful news!!! YAYAYAYAYAY!!!! I'll miss you now that I've finally come back, but YAY for the job, it's definitely more important! :biggrin:

Can't wait to see the updated pics of the tank


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## sewingalot

You're too cute, Kara. I don't know how I missed this post. Anyway, tank is being pretty much neglected at the moment due to my job. I've been forgetting to dose, but thankfully, the diy root tabs are helping to keep the plants alive. The one plant that is not liking the inconsistent dosing is the one in the far right corner. Can't remember what Ken told me it was called, though. Hopefully, I will get a chance soon to catch up on my life and then my tanks.


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## macclellan

sewingalot said:


> The one plant that is not liking the inconsistent dosing is the one in the far right corner. Can't remember what Ken told me it was called, though. Hopefully, I will get a chance soon to catch up on my life and then my tanks.


That's Pogostemon erectus (formerly Rotala verticillaris), if I'm not mistaken. The tips will suffer and go white/small/deformed if it's lacking 'something.' Happened to me a few times. I assume it is low iron and/or nitrogen.


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## sewingalot

Thanks for the id. It's actually recovering quite nicely after just a few days of dosing. I am working on getting an automatic diy dosing thing built like Wasserpest has.


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## lauraleellbp

Looks to me like the tank has recovered really nicely!

Blyxa loves you! :icon_mrgr


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## sewingalot

I love blyxa.  It's my favorite plant.


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## vtkid

its good to know your tank is looking great as usual  but sorry to here about the bba and phosphate troubles


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## sewingalot

Well, I think found the source of the BBA and excessive phosphate. I was redoing the slope, scrubbing the BBA off glass, filters and trimming off infected leaves when I decided to really clean off the driftwood outside of the tank. The back was covered in BBA and it was rotting so much that chunks were falling off as I picked it out of the water. :eek5: So much for cottonwood lasting long term underwater. I've had it for five years, so I guess that's pretty good. In the meantime, I have put in a random piece of driftwood for the bristlenose until I can decide what to do with the scape.

Took some shots of the progression and clean up to show how awesome the Eheim filters really are as it cleared up the tank in only a few hours. :thumbsup: Tank is not really were I want it at the moment, but it is a start.


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## PzykoSkillz

Looking good again. I wish I could find some blyxa around here.


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## sewingalot

If I knew you needed some, I'd sent you the stuff I just threw away. Contact Jeff5614. He usually has a ton of it available and is in TN.


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## sewingalot

Well, some sad news. I lost a few of my favorite fish. Some platties, a couple cories and the my bristlenose pleco.  Although I changed 50% of the water and cleaned the filter, I think uprooting and re-sloping the substrate caused a mini cycle to spur up. I checked my nitrIte and it was somewhere between .25 and .50 on the scale. I am changing the water daily and adding prime to try to help neutralize it while the cycle completes. The nitrIte is now just barely reading and I am hoping it is almost over. I am also not feeding the fish just to be safe and lowered the temperature of the water slightly. The remaining fish seem to be okay, although there are a couple fish I am thinking may not make it. I am also having a hair algae outbreak which I suspect is due to the cycling. Plants are doing great, though.


----------



## sewingalot

Cycle is over! Also, I completely stopped dosing for a while and let the tank run on empty. Today, I saw my first beginnings of BGA. That was exciting for me.  I did a 50% water change, and added in some KNO3. I have decided to get rid of my collectoritis and narrow down my plant choices.

I am definitely keeping the blyxa, but I want to get rid of some of the stems and move the crypts over to another tank. No picture updates this time.


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## Tex Gal

Sorry for all your troubles. Sometimes it's nice to start again. You have so many possibilities! Good luck with taming collectoritis. I have given up on myself! LOL


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## funkyfish

Hey Sara! 
Sorry about all the troubles you were having, and sorry about the fish  
Can't wait to see new pictures and I am sure you'll get it looking beautiful in no time


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## funkyfish

P.S. Love the blyxa I need to get some once my 55g is ready to go...


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## Centromochlus

SUGGGGGGAA SHACK.
Ahahaha makes me laugh every time. 

I need some blyxa... im jealous of yours!

We need to catch up some time. Hope all is well with you!


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## macclellan

Dang, sorry to hear! 

That's interesting about the wood rotting. I've started suspecting that high dissolved organics play _a_ causal role in BBA. I don't think that high light with low co2 is all there is to the story. I never get BBA except when I slack on tank maintenance.


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## speedie408

sewing - It'll be back up to speed in no time. Your tank looked nice before, it's just time for a redo like any other tank. Sorry to hear about the fishes though. 

X2 on what mac said.


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## sewingalot

Tex Gal said:


> Sorry for all your troubles. Sometimes it's nice to start again. You have so many possibilities! Good luck with taming collectoritis. I have given up on myself! LOL


I love my troubles and happy times alike. It makes the hobby less boring. Especially if I am the one inducing the problems. You should never give up on your collectoritis! I'll probably want more plants from you in the future. LOL



funkyfish said:


> Hey Sara!
> Sorry about all the troubles you were having, and sorry about the fish
> Can't wait to see new pictures and I am sure you'll get it looking beautiful in no time


P.S. Love the blyxa I need to get some once my 55g is ready to go... [/QUOTE]

Combining quotes, because I am lazy. Anyway, contact me for blyxa a few weeks before you need it and I'll grow some out for you.



AzFishKid said:


> SUGGGGGGAA SHACK.
> Ahahaha makes me laugh every time.
> 
> I need some blyxa... im jealous of yours!
> 
> We need to catch up some time. Hope all is well with you!


Life's been hectic, but I am doing pretty swell. Hope life is well with you as well. I'll catch up with you on the weekend. Same with the blyxa, give me a holler if you need some a few weeks in advance. 



macclellan said:


> Dang, sorry to hear!
> 
> That's interesting about the wood rotting. I've started suspecting that high dissolved organics play _a_ causal role in BBA. I don't think that high light with low co2 is all there is to the story. I never get BBA except when I slack on tank maintenance.





speedie408 said:


> sewing - It'll be back up to speed in no time. Your tank looked nice before, it's just time for a redo like any other tank. Sorry to hear about the fishes though.
> 
> X2 on what mac said.


I am completely convinced there is more resolving BBA issues than upping co2 and lowering lighting levels. I upped it to the point I gassed my fish, upped the light until the bottoms of leaves grew black. It didn't budge. Now, I cleaned the tank really well, and am pulling out any BBA I can and I've noticed the bit that is still in there is slowly turning gray and loosing it's tufty appearance. Yes, I know that I am not supposed to use test kits according to many, but I have discovered that the phosphates already dropped from well over 10 ppm to actually undetectable when I cleaned the filters, removed the driftwood, cleaned some (not all the mulm) from the front substrate and stopped dosing for a week to let things settle. roud: 

I am thinking you are correct that the Organic Phosphates cause a lot of issues, and people tend to avoid suggesting this to keep from hearing the "nutrients don't cause algae" speech. My thoughts are _nothing_ causes algae but _algae_. Nutrients and light and co2 all help algae to grow just like plants. If your plants aren't up to snuff or your algae is abundant, it seems the primitive plant wins every time.

After all, how is it some people can have very high light planted tanks with less co2 and less nutrients and show the most brilliant displays? That is what I am researching and trying to figure out with my experiments. I don't care about excessive growth, I want slow, steady, eye dropping plants.

P.S. Plants are doing much better. I got rid of the p. erectus, moved the crypts out, actually took a plunge and sold ALL of my poly k (one of my favorites!) and I am down to 12 species of plants. Not bad from someone that counted as high as 43 a while back.


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## funkyfish

sewingalot said:


> Combining quotes, because I am lazy. Anyway, contact me for blyxa a few weeks before you need it and I'll grow some out for you.


 Nothing wrong with being lazy :hihi: Thanks hun I will for sure, you the best  
I am not sure when I will be ready to set up this tank it's taking longer than expected, we trying to catch up with some bills first. Hubby promised we will set it up before baby comes and it better be soon because my belly starting to get on the way of some things LOL I want a nice relaxing view when I feed the baby or when I just want to relax, because I foresee many sleepless nights in the future for me :hihi:

Glad to hear plants are doing much better :thumbsup:


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## Dan the Man

Hey Sara, been reading your journal. Thanks for taking the time to document all the various highs and lows of your tank, looking forward to seeing it continue. I noticed your living in huntington and got excited. I went to college for 6 years at Marshall and lived just off 6th avenue. Anyway, good luck with trying fewer plant species.


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## sewingalot

funkyfish said:


> Nothing wrong with being lazy :hihi: Thanks hun I will for sure, you the best
> I am not sure when I will be ready to set up this tank it's taking longer than expected, we trying to catch up with some bills first. Hubby promised we will set it up before baby comes and it better be soon because my belly starting to get on the way of some things LOL I want a nice relaxing view when I feed the baby or when I just want to relax, because I foresee many sleepless nights in the future for me :hihi:
> 
> Glad to hear plants are doing much better :thumbsup:


I'm surprised you haven't posted pictures of your baby belly on here. :hihi: Yeah, just let me know and I'll be glad to share any thing I have at the time with you. How much longer do you have?



Dan the Man said:


> Hey Sara, been reading your journal. Thanks for taking the time to document all the various highs and lows of your tank, looking forward to seeing it continue. I noticed your living in huntington and got excited. I went to college for 6 years at Marshall and lived just off 6th avenue. Anyway, good luck with trying fewer plant species.


Sometimes, I think it is more important to show the lows than the high points. I was discouraged when I read so many success stories when I had trouble. It's like experts consider algae the curse word of planted tanks and we tend to avoid mentioning it in our own tanks. 

Hello, fellow alumni and former neighbor! If you ever come back, be sure to get in touch. Did you live near campus? A lot of sixth avenue has been taken over by real estate and the university. It looks a lot different since I graduated in 2003.


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## funkyfish

sewingalot said:


> I'm surprised you haven't posted pictures of your baby belly on here. :hihi: Yeah, just let me know and I'll be glad to share any thing I have at the time with you. How much longer do you have?


I know I got to post some pictures )) We actually just found out yesterday we having a girl! So exciting ))) 
Thanks again hun and I will let you know. I am just trying to save some money to get colorquartz, why do bills always have to be a priority  LOL 
I have till January till this little nugget comes so I have a little over 4.5 months


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## sewingalot

Congratulations on the baby girl! I love the picture of the foot. So cute!!! Seems like we have the same issue with bills having to be paid first, lol. 

Well, I am letting this tank cruise a bit while I figure out what plants to use and what to get rid of. I don't remember the last time I dosed, but I am still changing the water on a weekly basis. Here's a pitiful picture:


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## funkyfish

Thanks Sara! Damn bills *shakes fist* LOL 

The tank looks good it just needs to grow in a bit more.


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## sewingalot

Lol, bills suck.

This tank is a disaster at the moment. I spent almost four hours scrubbing the sides, vacuuming the organic filled substrate and filling the tank up. I repeated this process until I had changed 40 gallons of water and then cleaned out a filter. I am only hoping I didn't create a mini cycle again. 

I have decided to part ways with the rotala, limnophilia sp. wavy, and possibly the macranda as well. After all, I can always find these plants on the S&S with much ease and want to add a few other plants instead: ludwigia sp. mostly. Thought it would be neat to grow some North American species for a while. Plus, I am looking for some easy plants to help reset my tank's balance.

And I actually dosed some micros today. I set back up my pill reminder so that I can open a day and 'medicate' my poor plants. Just adding KNO3 and micros until I check to see GSA appear and then I'll start back with the phosphates. Right now, I am limiting them for the simple fact the organics in this tank seem to be at an all time high. Well, maybe not after today's cleaning.

Anyway, I know that test kits are taboo here, but I am happy to see these results for the first time in ages:


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## msnikkistar

Psst Sara, would you mind growing some blyxa for a Bad Asian Woman Driver too? lol


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## sewingalot

I'll put you on my list, I love to share! So far I have five people wanting blyxa. I am about to rip out the stems and dedicate this tank to a farming tank for you guys. :hihi:


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## msnikkistar

YESSSS! LOL! It's because you love you Sara!


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## funkyfish

sewingalot said:


> I have decided to part ways with the rotala, limnophilia sp. wavy, and possibly the macranda as well. After all, I can always find these plants on the S&S with much ease and want to add a few other plants instead: ludwigia sp. mostly. Thought it would be neat to grow some North American species for a while. Plus, I am looking for some easy plants to help reset my tank's balance.


I might have some anubias 'nana' if you want. Maybe some dwarf sag, I still trying to figure out why they call it dwarf sag?! LOL I want to see what regular sag looks like :icon_eek: I also might have a stem or two of ludwigia repens. Let me know


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## sewingalot

Actually, I have all these stems on it's way. If I didn't, I'd jump on the deal.  Thanks for thanking of me. Yeah, the dwarf sag is not really tiny is it? I love this plant. Church gave me some a while back and it is great in a low tech setup.


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## sewingalot

*Changes!*

So, I just finished packing up several plants and a whole section of blyxa (see left of center, lol) to go to new homes. I haven't the energy to move the plants around. Plus, I am expecting some plants from some fellow members of the fabulous TPT and didn't really care to stay in the tank for another minute, especially at 2:20 am. 

I was going to throw away the one really ratty stem of limnophilia sp. wavy I was too embarrassed to send to anyone, but then my heart melted and I stuck him in the corner of my tank. I stripped all the lower leaves of any stem plant with the remaining algae that didn't get taken care of with the deep cleaning, adjusting of fertilizers and lighting. I'll beat this plague, yet!

Here is what is left in the tank (I can never spell plants, so forgive me if any are wrong):

Blyxa (about twenty plants left)
Eriocaulaceae sp. 'Type 2' (one branching experimental stem)
Limnophilia sp. 'wavy' (one sad stem spoken of previously)
Ludwigia repens x arcuata 
Hygrophilia sp. bold or tiger. I don't remember which
Glossostigma elatinoides (thanks sooo much prototyp3!)
Hygrophilia sp. 'sunset' (one branching stem)
Limnophilia sessiflora (two stems)
Myriophyllum aquaticum (one LONG stem) 
Rotala magenta (that morphed back into macranda )
Flame moss
Lindernia sp. varigated
A lone stem of Rotala sp (colorata or rotundfolia that snuck out of the bag to it's new home)
and 
Clinopodium cf. brownei (my favorite plant at the moment)

The ones in blue are questionable and most likely being moved elsewhere in the future. The plan is to leave only a few of non-native plants and to do the majority in Northern/Central American plants. I thought this could be pretty neat to go with the platy fish that are native to the Central America. Of course, I love my blyxa and other plants, so that's why I am not going for a strict approach. After all, it is only I that is needing pleased, right? And maybe, just maybe, the sweet husband. :icon_mrgr

And here is the result of many plants parting company. The cories are having a fantastic time digging around in the flourite. I also had to back down the co2, the drop checker went yellow after removing so much plants, I guess.


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## The Plantman

I have to tell you, I've had major issues with BBA in the past too. Now you get to watch your tank grow all over again! You have done a fantastic job! I love your tank. I look forward to seeing your tanks proggress in the coming months.

I also run DIY Co2. I run it on a 46 Bowfront and can just get yellow green. I read in one of your very early posts that you got full yellow and almost gassed your fish. This tank is a 55 yes? Can you post pictures of you Co2 set up? What Eheim filter are you running? Can I see your inline reactor?

Thanks,

Shawn


----------



## sewingalot

The Plantman said:


> I have to tell you, I've had major issues with BBA in the past too. Now you get to watch your tank grow all over again! You have done a fantastic job! I love your tank. I look forward to seeing your tanks proggress in the coming months.
> 
> I also run DIY Co2. I run it on a 46 Bowfront and can just get yellow green. I read in one of your very early posts that you got full yellow and almost gassed your fish. This tank is a 55 yes? Can you post pictures of you Co2 set up? What Eheim filter are you running? Can I see your inline reactor?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Shawn


I haven't used diy for a while now, but I loved the tinkering of it when I did. I actually did manage to kill a few fish with diy co2 on this tank. I had used 3 - 2 liter bottles and quick activating yeast. I made the mistake of changing them all at once. Yellow drop checker in the morning with dead fish. Almost gave up after that.

Actually, the BBA didn't really get a head start until I got the pressurized co2. I am thinking fluctuating co2 with the combination of too much organics did me in. Then again, the mega lights probably had something to do with it.

The best co2 reactor was this one hands down: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/827581-post211.html

I rigged up a powerhead, piece of rigid tubing that I super-glued over the intake, a hole drilled in the side of the tubing that I shoved a piece of bamboo into the co2 line. The bottom was covered with a piece of netting. It was really ghetto, but it worked better than the inline reactor I built, the GLA inline reactor I bought and the into the filter methods. Basically, it was a sort of 'needle wheel' modified.

I actually took it apart, but am building a new one. If you are interested, I'll post pictures of the process.

The down side is it is in the tank and can be obtrusive. But quite honestly, you get used to it and don't notice it after a while.

Mini update: I got some really nice plants from joraan in today. I can wait to get them organized. Also, I've been studying chemistry and the reasons behind why we fertilize certain ranges. Been reading and calculating. I love numbers.


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## mistergreen

Hey, I built a wasser-controller so I can turn on the CO2 an hour before the lights turn on and off 2 hours before the lights turn off. Hopefully this will solve the BBA problem but not kill off the fishes.

You have pretty low fauna, not sure if organic build up is the issue for you. It's definitely an issue for me.

ps. I'll send you some wasser-controller stuff sometime. All you will need is the DIG controller to hook it up.


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## Chrisinator

If you ever need to get rid of some plants, I'm here!! HAHAHa, jk.

Awesome tank!


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## sewingalot

mistergreen said:


> Hey, I built a wasser-controller so I can turn on the CO2 an hour before the lights turn on and off 2 hours before the lights turn off. Hopefully this will solve the BBA problem but not kill off the fishes.
> 
> You have pretty low fauna, not sure if organic build up is the issue for you. It's definitely an issue for me.
> 
> ps. I'll send you some wasser-controller stuff sometime. All you will need is the DIG controller to hook it up.


Pretty awesome, mistergreen. I saw your build on his original thread. How is it working for you? 

The fauna population just got lower with the clean out. I moved almost 2 dozen fish to other tanks.  Since cleaning the substrate, there isn't as much as an issue. I still have spots of BBA here and there, but they are turning grey. Is that a good sign? I hope so.



Chrisinator said:


> If you ever need to get rid of some plants, I'm here!! HAHAHa, jk.
> 
> Awesome tank!


Heck, if you see something you like, let me know and I'll put you on my list of algae....err....plants.


----------



## sewingalot

I just did a huge trim and didn't think about taking pictures until after. Right now, I am focusing on plant health and not super fast growth, so I popped in a bunch of diy root tabs, and stopped dosing the water column. Sorry that the picture is a little dark. But surprisingly, this is probably a pretty close example of the actual colors in the tank. Unfortunately, the tetra is also enjoying HM and MU (don't ask me how to spell either of these plants), so I am not sure if they are going to have a chance to take.


----------



## sewingalot

Last pictures for the month:










Loving this plant as it forms its submersed leaves:


















Trimmed off the bottom emersed leaves to let it concentrate on growing underwater:



























I keep this as my indicator plant for co2









Creeping jenny:









Clinopodium cf. brownei (see the subtle differences )









Plants seem to be responding well to my new 'green' method of fertilization. I am putting 1/8 of the nutrients in the water that I used to and using diy root tablets. For experimental sake, I am cranking the lights full blast for two hours a day (not so green) to see what happens to algae and plant growth with the new method of fertilization. So far, I am seeing glass fuzzy algae by the third day of this that needs tending to. Fun stuff.


----------



## sewingalot

Totally loving the fact co2 seems to always run out on the weekend. Had to leave the lights off Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Tuesday, I must have hit the wrong button on the timer when setting back up the tank because the lights were on when I came downstairs yesterday morning and they aren't scheduled to light up until 2 pm or so. I guess I will find out what happens in the near future. On the plus side, the lights running full blast for who knows how long has brought out some of the darkest reds and brightest oranges I have seen in quite a while. That's why I love the high light of things.

The new fertilization method is working quite well so far. However, only time will tell. I am finding that numbers are my friend. Some do not like testing, think that it's pointless, but me, I find it relaxing. Go figure. 

Well, I have a second interview today and am supposed to be there by 9 and I am so nervous I decided to update this journal. No pictures today. Maybe later this week.


----------



## fish-n-pups

very nice looking!


----------



## malaybiswas

sewingalot said:


> Loving this plant as it forms its submersed leaves:


Thats Nesea Pedicellata right?


----------



## lauraleellbp

Hey Sara it will prolly be the end of next week before I get that Bacopa out to you, I'm headed out of town again tomorrow.

Hope your job interview went well!!!


----------



## sewingalot

fish-n-pups said:


> very nice looking!


Thanks, I am starting to be happy with my tank again. I actually read my journal to find out what went wrong and I decided it was me trying to expect perfection. When I accepted some of the algae as tank maintenance, I was thrilled. It's when I started to view it as a failure I started to dislike my tank. I've decided to go back to my previous thinking and be happy with what I have.



malaybiswas said:


> Thats Nesea Pedicellata right?


Yup, it is quite lovely submersed. The pink turns more reddish and the leaves get more golden. It is a very temperamental stem, though. I am finding it loves root tablets and it has done much better since adding a few.



lauraleellbp said:


> Hey Sara it will prolly be the end of next week before I get that Bacopa out to you, I'm headed out of town again tomorrow.
> 
> Hope your job interview went well!!!


Interview went well. I was offered the job! Came home and found out I was offered another job as well. :biggrin: Now to decide (quickly) which one to take. They are both great offers, and I wish I could do both. One is more in my field, but pays a lot less, and the other isn't but pays more. Decisions, decisions. It's great to feel needed after searching for so long.

I can definitely wait on the bacopa. I am quite patient for pretty plants. roud:

Have fun out of town.


----------



## mistergreen

Your plants are looking great.

The BBA is not going away in my tank... I've tried H2O2 & UV for a few days now with no noticeable affect. Going out to buy a bottle of excel


----------



## sewingalot

It took a good month before I saw any difference in the BBA. It's still present, but not in an abundant amount. Most of it is found on a gravel here or there, a couple of the older leaves, the silicone and the filter pipes. I have done nothing with excel, gave up on H2O2 after melting a bunch of ludwigia and finally started to think about what caused the BBA to appear more and reduced that factor. You'll see the extent of what's left in the pictures below.













































































































Here's what happens when you forget to dose micros for like a week and a half:









Here's the BBA that I am talking about:


----------



## sewingalot

*Timer broke, fish lost.*

Sad day, I came downstairs today and noticed the co2 was still running. Apparently, the timer broke and the co2 became too much. As you can see in the picture, the drop checker is a nice yellow. The cories apparently couldn't handle it and expired. :frown: Apparently, the platies were not far behind. since they were up at the top gulping air. I think if I didn't get up when I did, I wouldn't have any fish left. . My timer broke and didn't turn off overnight and I guess the cories couldn't handle it. I cleaned out a filter, unplugged the co2, found a spare timer and started counting the days until my job starts so I can create the 'wasser controller' mistergreen gave me parts for. Feeling really lousy. Does anyone know if co2 overdose is painful for fish? I sure hope not. The cories looked like they were asleep and I didn't notice they weren't breathing for a few moments. :icon_cry:

Since I took out a lot of water to let the filters really splash about, I took a picture when I refilled it to show the progress. I am leaving the co2 off tomorrow just to be sure. Probably overly cautious, but I am not wanting to loose more fish.


----------



## Centromochlus

Sorry to hear about that Sara! Same thing happened to me a few weeks ago. Thankfully though, I caught it in time and didn't lose any fish.

I don't think you're being overly cautious. I did the same thing- left the co2 off for a day after the overdose.

What type of cories were they? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## sewingalot

Bronze cories. I am sad because I had most of these guys for years and they were even tank bred ones in the mix. I always loved the bronze and albino cories the most. I want to add more, but I am going to have to wait until I get money, a free tank to quarantine them in and over the loss of these guys. Sorry to hear you had the co2 problem, but I am relieved to hear you didn't loose fish!


----------



## problemman

That its what makes me so nervous about getting a co 2 track setup on my tank.i got pretty fish I don't want to just give up.


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## Da Plant Man

This tank is really looking good.


----------



## mistergreen

I feel ya, I lost 2 of my prized loaches the other day due to excel poisoning. I can't wait till I can stop using it.

The DIG controller is pretty reliable. Can't wait till you set that up. Test it out first by having it turn on desk lamps and stuff


----------



## Da Plant Man

mistergreen said:


> I feel ya, I lost 2 of my prized loaches the other day due to excel poisoning. I can't wait till I can stop using it.
> 
> The DIG controller is pretty reliable. Can't wait till you set that up. Test it out first by having turn on desk lamps and stuff


I lost 8 fish yester day...two jump and the others never even got out of the bag... :eek5::frown:


----------



## sewingalot

Yeah, pressurized co2 is great, but the more high tech you get, the more errors that can be made. It never occurred to me that a timer could stop turning off, but it makes sense, I guess. I did have one that wouldn't turn on didn't realize it until one day I walked in when the tank lights were supposed to be on. Turned on the lights, and the plants were looking a little lanky. 

Looking forward to the DIG controller. Have you started using yours yet, mistergreen? Sucks about the loaches dying because of the Excel overdose. Good thing you haven't lost them all. I quit using the stuff and started experimenting on more natural ways to deal with algae. So far, the BBA isn't growing too much. I may always have a tuft hear and there, but after reading how special algae really is, I am taking the _laissez faire_ approach. I am viewing it as a decorative accent. Don't want algae in your tanks? Definitely don't get plants from me. :redface:

Eight fish at once? Are you taking them back or is it an option. Sorry about the jumpers and the others. You are sounding like my disaster. I lost all nine of my cories that I had left in the tank. I guess they aren't as strong as other fish when it comes to co2 overdose.

I feel like a serial fish killer. :fish1:


----------



## Aqua'd

Cories and Otos are (in my experience) the most "Death by CO2" prone fish.
It can be tough sometimes to keep everything balanced in a high tech tank - EVERYONE has had problems at one point. This hobby is Live and Learn though, Good luck with your tank!


----------



## problemman

@sara wanna come north for a day ? Show me how to set up my co 2? And we can go fish shoppingat some of my favorite stores? Could be fun for a day or maybe an over night stay...


----------



## mistergreen

sewingalot said:


> Looking forward to the DIG controller. Have you started using yours yet, mistergreen? Sucks about the loaches dying because of the Excel overdose. Good thing you haven't lost them all. I quit using the stuff and started experimenting on more natural ways to deal with algae. So far, the BBA isn't growing too much. I may always have a tuft hear and there, but after reading how special algae really is, I am taking the _laissez faire_ approach. I am viewing it as a decorative accent. Don't want algae in your tanks? Definitely don't get plants from me. :redface:


Yeah, been using the DIG for a month now and it works great. I told it to turn on the CO2 before the lights and off 2 hours before the lights turn off. Oh, and it also turn on a powerhead at the surface to start degassing the CO2 the moment the lights turn off. No more fish dying from CO2!

The BBA was getting out of control. I'd scrub it off the equipments or rocks and it just ended up on the plants and multiplied like those tribbles on Star Trek. I really hate this algae. I don't mind the others though.


----------



## mistergreen

problemman said:


> @sara wanna come north for a day ? Show me how to set up my co 2? And we can go fish shoppingat some of my favorite stores? Could be fun for a day or maybe an over night stay...


ehhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmm. Sara's a married woman


----------



## sewingalot

Aqua'd said:


> Cories and Otos are (in my experience) the most "Death by CO2" prone fish.
> It can be tough sometimes to keep everything balanced in a high tech tank - EVERYONE has had problems at one point. This hobby is Live and Learn though, Good luck with your tank!


That would explain why the other fish were not yet gassed. Do you think it is an incredibly painful death for them? I hope not.



problemman said:


> @sara wanna come north for a day ? Show me how to set up my co 2? And we can go fish shoppingat some of my favorite stores? Could be fun for a day or maybe an over night stay...


That could be an interesting trip. I have to warn you, though. My husband likes to cuddle and it could get a little crowded three to a bed. :hihi:



mistergreen said:


> Yeah, been using the DIG for a month now and it works great. I told it to turn on the CO2 before the lights and off 2 hours before the lights turn off. Oh, and it also turn on a powerhead at the surface to start degassing the CO2 the moment the lights turn off. No more fish dying from CO2!
> 
> The BBA was getting out of control. I'd scrub it off the equipments or rocks and it just ended up on the plants and multiplied like those tribbles on Star Trek. I really hate this algae. I don't mind the others though.


BBA does look like tribbles!!!! I really think BBA is an evil alien sent to destroy us all while we sleep. :icon_eek:


----------



## problemman

Um your not staying in my bed lol.i would put you up in a spare room.


----------



## msnikkistar

Lolol


----------



## sewingalot

problemman said:


> Um your not staying in my bed lol.i would put you up in a spare room.


Just so you know, Earl is now heartbroken. :icon_cry:


----------



## problemman

Good lol


----------



## sewingalot

You're too funny. Now that I am sitting here wide awake, I realized I forgot to mention that I took my two emperor tetras to the LFS after they decided to get mean and added not only plants to their diets, but also platy and betta. My poor girls have missing fins and scales. I changed some water and will keep an eye out to see if I need to medicate. I miss my tetras, but something had to give and this store seems to treat the fish well.


----------



## problemman

You need discus lol.


----------



## sewingalot

Even I am smart enough to know I will never be able to take care of discus, lol.

I decided I might have to give away my platy fish. Simply because I am not able to take care of so many fish tanks and I have to tear down some smaller tanks that have other fish in them as well. I am trying to get down to a manageable size of tanks and this has been so difficult!


----------



## sewingalot

Can't sleep again, so I am updating the old journal. Sugar shack is about to become sugarless.  I am moving the platy fish to another tank. I had to tear down a few tanks recently, one due to a horrible batch of fish I got and others for lack of interest. So, I decided to dedicate one of the tanks to just live bearers and make it a more alkaline tank with no co2 injection. I may even see if adding a little salt livens things up a bit. Not too much, just a bit.

No other deaths, the plants are doing nicely and the algae is still present, but not rampant. Overall, I'm pleased with the tank again. I'll get pictures up soon for those who may be interested.

I hate insomnia!

Zid is getting me some more of the mystery rasboras I had bought and I decided to move them into the 55 with the good batch of CPDs I had bought from a fellow member and the ottos that are already in the tank. I may keep the female guppies in one tank and the males in another to stop the insanity. It'll take a few more drops, but I hope to eventually stop the breeding of these fish. I have too many to contend with and I am starting to tire of them. I will probably also keep the female betta in this tank for the time being. She got pretty beat up recently, and I am not sure if she is going to recover. Only time will tell.


----------



## Profector

I've like reading through your thread and looking at you pics. Feel free to post new pics for us.


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## sewingalot

Thanks, Profector. I didn't see your message until now, or I would have taken pictures sooner. With some delay, here is the current jungle status: 





































Crappy picture to show one of the healthy CPDs. 









With the heater now running some days, I am having a heck of a time keeping the water topped off. I just filled the tank two days before this. I think I am loosing about a gallon a day or a little more. Probably should fill it up, but I have the new fish and am not sure if they are jumpers, so leaving it a little low for now.

Slowly moving out the platy fish - four fry and two larger fish - to a 20 gallon. I am going to have to get a bigger filter for the 20 gallon before I move any more. I really want to move them quickly, but I know that wouldn't be good for the fish. I am feeling kind of guilty moving them to a smaller tank, but I am going to have it without co2 and add a bit of crushed coral to get the water more for their liking.

BBA is still present, but so far keeping to the silicone, some substrate, and some of the lower leaves of slower growing plants. I just pull off the leaves that are infected, take out the bits of gravel and call it a day. Not really caring anymore. However, my experiment is apparently working for the BBA is now under control! I have a feeling in a few weeks I'll be seeing less of it.


----------



## sewingalot

Quick update. Removed all the fish but a few to keep the cycle going and divided them up among my other tanks. I am getting ready from an awesome shipment from Zid Zulander. Normally, I would quarantine in another tank, but I am really looking forward to getting more of these rasbora dosiocellata. I really need to trim up the tank, but I am feeling lazy and am kind of enjoying the jungle appearance. Here's a couple pictures:

Yesterday:









This evening:









And thanks to Wasserpest, I have plants again in the 20 that had to be torn down and thoroughly sanitized:

Here it was just a few days ago restarted (sorry for the flash, I forgot to turn it off):


















The plants are just kind of planted for now until the fish get used to their new surroundings. Plus, he sent me so much, there is still more in a 10 gallon I am needing to plant. YAY! I really was sad about loosing my plants and fish, but his plants have really cushioned some of the blow. I moved over an established filter shortly after this picture, and put on a background, but the lights flipped off before I had a chance to take pictures. If I remember, I'll update later.

Oh, and here is a baby yellow shrimp (Thanks, Chad for the males!)









And the elders (color's a little off on the camera and I don't photoshop, sorry)









That's about it. If anyone needs some plants from the 55, I'm doing a trim this weekend.


----------



## problemman

Welcome to the jungle


----------



## Rion

...we got fun and games. Sorry had to, tank looks like a nice healthy jungle! Sorry to hear about the corys, though. You even get your CPDs to spawn?


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## sewingalot

....We got everything you want
Honey we know the names..... LOL

I loved GNR growing up. My favorite was Paradise City

.....take me down to the paradise city where the grass is green and the girls are pretty.....:biggrin:

The CPDs spawned a few times, and I saved a few fry, but I never did get them to spawn successfully in the breeder tank. I gave up when life got in the way. I want to try again, but for now, I am focusing on other stuff. 

How are your CPDs doing? I am in love with your signature. Are those your pictures?


----------



## Rion

....Oh won't you please take me home yeahyeaaaah... 

Uh, I had 9 of mine die from the city flushing the lines with highly chlorinated water because of students moving in (I even dosed a declorinator...). But they bred back up the numbers to a nice 16-18 till I tried actively breeding them where I lost 2 from stress (I'm guessing), bred 2-3, lost 2-3 from jumping, bred 3, lost 1 from over dosing excel, lost 2 from stress again, but now have 7+ fry that are a week or two old now. I won't count them towards the total till they have breeding colors though, no counting chickens before they hatch so to speak. I have no idea how many I have now, not counting the new fry, but more than I had initially bought so I won't complain. My biggest problem has been fish stressing out in the breeding tank and I'm not sure why. There's *lots* of cover in way of plants and the parameters are all good so I'm guessing it's just the change of scenery. Gonna try cross breeding platys soon too. Also, finally got my hands on 2 German Blue Rams so that's been exciting as well.

Thanks! And yes, those are my pictures. I really need to update my journal.


----------



## sewingalot

I had the exact same experience with the CPDs. They would get stressed in the breeder tank, some would jump or die from stress (as it seemed) and most of the time they just hovered in a corner to the point I started feeling guilty and moved them to the 55 and said phooey with the breeding for now. I have too much stress right now with everything else. I am not as lucky as you. I have less than what I started with. I may try again, but not for a while.

I've heard a lot of people have lost fish recently due to water issues. I guess it is common this time of year. I was doing dishes last night and the chlorine (or whatever they are using) was really strong smelling. It really smelled like I had added bleach to the water. I am too scared to do much more than topping off the tanks after loosing two of my yellow shrimp after a water change last week. 

Platy fish are easy to crossbreed. JAWAW. Remember that saying? (Just add water and wait?) Really true, isn't it? Can't wait for the update. Score on the Rams!


----------



## sewingalot

Older picture:









Looking through my pictures and others, I have decided I really like the inverted triangle scapes that aren't as common anymore. I am going to attempt to recreate this scape with a few modifications. Maybe this time I will have better pictures. :red_mouth

Will start this scape tomorrow. Sending off another batch of plants, so I'll have an excuse to get my hands wet. Stay tuned for updated pictures.


----------



## mistergreen

Nice tanks, what's your secret?
I'm getting a little BBA again.
I'll just have to buy a fish that eats the stuff. Bristlenose?


----------



## problemman

Get a garra. I got 4 ping ping s and thru are funny


----------



## lauraleellbp

Holy mother of Blyxa! :hihi:

I think it looks great.

What about the other tanks?


----------



## sewingalot

I still am seeing a little BBA, but I've found a secret to controlling it. I've lowered my co2 doing it as well! :biggrin: I've been reading a lot and experimenting. :biggrin: My secret success? I have been turning on the co2 for 12 hours a day. Each week, I increase it by an hour. I have the drop checker at 1BPS and am finding that the consistent, low co2 is great for keeping it at bay. I am going to keep up my experiment and see if my assumptions are correct.


----------



## sewingalot

lauraleellbp said:


> Holy mother of Blyxa! :hihi:
> 
> I think it looks great.
> 
> What about the other tanks?


By the way, this was an older picture. roud: I'll get pictures tomorrow of the tanks.


----------



## OoglyBoogly

sewingalot said:


> Can't sleep again, so I am updating the old journal. Sugar shack is about to become sugarless.  I am moving the platy fish to another tank. I had to tear down a few tanks recently, one due to a horrible batch of fish I got and others for lack of interest. So, I decided to dedicate one of the tanks to just live bearers and make it a more alkaline tank with no co2 injection. I may even see if adding a little salt livens things up a bit. Not too much, just a bit.
> 
> No other deaths, the plants are doing nicely and the algae is still present, but not rampant. Overall, I'm pleased with the tank again. I'll get pictures up soon for those who may be interested.
> 
> I hate insomnia!
> 
> Zid is getting me some more of the mystery rasboras I had bought and I decided to move them into the 55 with the good batch of CPDs I had bought from a fellow member and the ottos that are already in the tank. I may keep the female guppies in one tank and the males in another to stop the insanity. It'll take a few more drops, but I hope to eventually stop the breeding of these fish. I have too many to contend with and I am starting to tire of them.


Gahhh guppies... It feels crazy when I put my arm into my tank and all the fry start poking at my hairs like it's live food for them... I just gave away several hit Endlers to my friend who I infected with the planted tank bug but I keep trying to persuade him to give back Giant Zebra Danios to his LFS b/c they are eating the endler fry... LOL maybe us live bearer owners should invest in some Giant Zebra Danios once our population is where we want it! I only worry about the harassment of my CPDs since they are such fun fish to watch and I wouldn't mind an excess of CPD fry! 

I am having the same problems as you and rion when I try to move some CPD pairs to a breeding tank. It's like they know what's up in the aquatic motel and boycott sex and decide to hide in the corner behind a filter sponge and only come out when they are enticed by some live food or falling food darting past them!


----------



## Da Plant Man

You wouldn't happen to have hygro polysperma? I really need some...


----------



## problemman

Oogily your to funny


----------



## sewingalot

OoglyBoogly said:


> Gahhh guppies... It feels crazy when I put my arm into my tank and all the fry start poking at my hairs like it's live food for them... I just gave away several hit Endlers to my friend who I infected with the planted tank bug but I keep trying to persuade him to give back Giant Zebra Danios to his LFS b/c they are eating the endler fry... LOL maybe us live bearer owners should invest in some Giant Zebra Danios once our population is where we want it! I only worry about the harassment of my CPDs since they are such fun fish to watch and I wouldn't mind an excess of CPD fry!
> 
> I am having the same problems as you and rion when I try to move some CPD pairs to a breeding tank. It's like they know what's up in the aquatic motel and boycott sex and decide to hide in the corner behind a filter sponge and only come out when they are enticed by some live food or falling food darting past them!


I have a mole on the inside of my elbow. Everytime the fish try to eat it when I put my hands in the tank. Crazy fish. I got a betta to help with the population. Problem is she prefers the shrimp. Fat, lazy girl. :biggrin:

Haha! I don't know whats up with cpds. However, I noticed from moving them from a 3 to 10 to 15 to 20 to 55 gallon tank that they are much more comfortable in larger tanks. My breeder tanks were small and freaked them out too much. That's why I stopped trying to breed them. I get the occasional batch of fry, but not much as I would like.



Caton said:


> You wouldn't happen to have hygro polysperma? I really need some...


Strange thing, I did have some of this plant and now I am only down to one stem. I don't know what happened to it..... 



problemman said:


> Oogily your to funny


Isn't he a blast? :red_mouth


----------



## problemman

Very much so!


----------



## OoglyBoogly

sewingalot said:


> Strange thing, I did have some of this plant and now I am only down to one stem. I don't know what happened to it.....


/whistles innocently... I got a couple of stems in the package that you sent to me! mwahahaha mine mine! just kidding


----------



## mistergreen

problemman said:


> Get a garra. I got 4 ping ping s and thru are funny


oh, yeah forgot about these guys.



sewingalot said:


> By the way, this was an older picture. roud: I'll get pictures tomorrow of the tanks.


sneaky about the co2, I might have o give it a try too.



Caton said:


> You wouldn't happen to have hygro polysperma? I really need some...


It's illegal to ship.


----------



## sewingalot

I decided there was more to the story. I had my co2 cranked up so high that I killed my cories (still feel rotten on this one) and the BBA was flourishing. The drop checker would read lime green/yellowish by the time lights out. I thought it was because of my light but when I backed it down raised it up and still had major algae issues. Still BBA flourished. I reduced feedings reduced nutrients increased nutrients when to sediment only nutrients and still nada. Then on one sleepless night the co2 trick actually occurred to me. I remembered constantly getting people to say 'low/fluctuating co2' was the cause in BBA threads. Then I remembered when I've done diy co2 I was religious on the amount of days I would allow it to run and had it down to the point if it dropped below a certain bubble count I'd quickly change it out. And it ran 24/7. Back then I didn't have as much algae issues and definitely didn't have problems with fish dying (until I tried to raise the amount of co2). Of course I did a lot of experimenting on this and it is a slow process. Some plants did get stunted/harmed in the process but they are now recovering quite nicely. I figured that I could always grow them in another tank if they started to really take a hit. Over the last two weeks I am noticing the BBA is receding to the previous stunted growth and on the gravel and silicone. And I would have to say my tank is 97% algae free at the moment. I want to gradually up the co2 to more hours without raising the bubble count and see what happens for experimental sake and see if I can eliminate BBA. I know I promised pictures but I'll warn you all I've done was take out a bunch of plants today to ship off to another member and it's kind of bare.  But I'll also take some close ups of the stunted growth recovery and algae. Give me a few minutes to find my camera and take a few shots. The landscaping has just begun so it is very roughly done.


----------



## problemman

I'm lost sara so more co2 and less light?


----------



## sewingalot

No. Less Co2 per second but over a longer period of time. Also the light is now from 2x54 to the full 4x54 watts. Getting pictures uploaded. Just taking a while lol.


----------



## sewingalot

Okay here are the pictures. Full tank shot to show all four lights blaring: 









Plant that was effected by the co2 tweaking:









Same plant different stem after tweaking of co2 this plant is gorgeous!









Bacopa from lauralee (you rock!) 









Lindernia sp india (in this tank it isn't getting as purple for some reason. I am thinking because is it only six inches or so from the substrate and hasn't gotten close enough to the lights: 









Creeping jenny: 









Clino something cf. brownei: 









Ludwigia repens broadleaf (got rid of repens x arcuata): 









Rotala rotundfolia 









Ludwigia brevipes: 









Emerald eye rasboras (the pictures do not do them justice): 









D. Diandra: 









Stupid glosso won't stop growing vertically ( I actually like it better this way): 









Micro something or another I know it's initals are MU: 









Some plant that starts with an L from wasserpest (love this plant): 









The algae shots on the gravel stunted leaves from experiments (I am leaving it on purpose). I just noticed some staghorn need to test my parameters for a spike!: 


















Hygro sp bold (or tiger - do you know which one this is??) 









Blyxa (found a bunch of platy fry): 









My cpd being a ham and my awesome emerald eye rasboras from zid :biggrin::


----------



## problemman

Very nice sara!


----------



## mistergreen

Nice plants. Yeah I had a feeling either too much co2 and too much micros trigger BBa. I've never had this issue before. I keep reading to get the maximum co2 to get healthy plants and algae shouldnt be a problem. Well guess again. There are natural systemS with full on sunlight with no where the co2 concentrations that we have and plants do beautifully. When I get back I'll try your method but with a little higher bps. And I guess I won't degass the co2 at night anymore.


----------



## Rion

Very nice I really like those rasboras. They remind me of _normani_ lampeyes. I need a bigger tank so can grow all of these nice stem plants I've run out of room in all of my tanks. I'm staring at my 29 and thinking of converting it but there are 3 clown loaches in it that would wreak havoc on plants.


----------



## speedie408

Love it! Takes me back to my 40B looking at your tank. Collectoritis was fun... until I got tired of trimming _every_ day.  Hope you find a cure for that dreaded algae otherwise your plants look healthy.


----------



## OoglyBoogly

I like how neat your tank looks. I feel like a hoarder with my tank... like something bad will happen if I get rid of them... or Algae will take over even more than it already has! Is there something up with the forum? I've had to go back twice now and edit my posts and reformat them (add 2 line breaks between my text and IMG tags). I thought it was my browser but then I went on to a different computer and the same thing happened.


----------



## OoglyBoogly

speedie408 said:


> Love it! Takes me back to my 40B looking at your tank. Collectoritis was fun... until I got tired of trimming _every_ day.  Hope you find a cure for that dreaded algae otherwise your plants look healthy.


 LOL I for one welcome our collector-itis overlords! It means I get random awesomeness from the S&S that I get to use to learn about all different plants and how they grow. Sarah if you saw what I did in my backyard you would feel at home LOL.


----------



## sewingalot

Wow thanks for the compliments guys. I am pleased you can find beauty in my chaos. Collectoritis is fun. I gave up on trying to curb it.  Those fish are like lampeyes! I must say I love the schooling behavior. I should take a video to share with you guys. Mistergreen if you are going to start out with a higher bubble rate I'd be careful not to change the outgassing until after you are sure your fish can handle the longer periods of co2. What had me thinking like this was I'd wake up with a dark blue drop checker and go to bed with a yellowish drop checker. I've now tested the co2 at various times and the color is almost always a nice darker green. I am upping the co2 another hour this weekend. It's taken over a month with this last experiment but it is really seeming to work. And if I end up being wrong oh well. I am having fun in the process.


----------



## Hyzer

sewingalot said:


> Collectoritis is fun. I gave up on trying to curb it..


Ain't it the truth. Good looking tank! I also like your CO2 before/after pics.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks Hyzer! How are things doing in your tanks? Well I hope. I like to document my journey especially trials and errors. What's the point of lying and saying my tank is always great? I see people that only post great pictures and I am almost sad not to see the initial issues and such.


----------



## chad320

Your nesaea golden looks great. These plants are really picky about changes in co2 and ferts. Especially ferts if theyre low. They let you know in a couple days. The whole tank looks good.


----------



## mistergreen

I'll recommend another fish you'd love white clouds. They'll school and it's fun when the males display toward each other.


----------



## Xalyx

Beautiful tank. I have to get me some of those rotala rotundfolia


----------



## Hyzer

sewingalot said:


> Thanks Hyzer! How are things doing in your tanks? W ell I hope.


Things are going well. The 40 is coming along nicely with lots of growth. My first algae bloom has started but it's quite mild compared to my 20g. I've learned to love algae and let it do it's thing so maybe the only difference is my attitude. The root development is crazy with flourite/peat/Osmocote layers. Tried to pull out some hygro and it broke off at the stem. I've never seen crypt roots grow this quickly either. In other news there are lots of shrimplets in my 10g:icon_smil.


sewingalot said:


> I like to document my journey especially trials and errors. What's the point of lying and saying my tank is always great? I see people that only post great pictures and I am almost sad not to see the initial issues and such.


 And in doing so you are performing a great service to the planted tank community. The thing is most people like shiny things... Maybe I'll add some algae pics to my thread.:biggrin: On a side note any idea why I can't separate paragraphs or put any commas in my posts?


----------



## Da Plant Man

I dont think I would do white clouds they like cooler water. I think that is hygro sp. bold doesn't quite look like my hygro tiger I could be wrong. I love your tank.


----------



## Captivate05

Due to pregnancy insomnia I stayed up all last night reading your thread from page one. Yours is still my favorite journal probably because you've been fighting with this tank for so long without giving up on it. I can honestly say most other people wouldn't stick it out through so much challenge. Of course I hate you now because I'm starting to get collectoritis. :hihi: But I'm trying to curb it to interesting plants that will suite my 29g. Problem is that ALL of them are interesting!


----------



## sewingalot

You are right about the nesaea being a great indicator plant. I've really been using this plant as my guide to tell you the truth. Just found the source of the staghorn, I think. My Nitrates were about 40 ppm! This is a calibrated test and I feel is rather accurate, or at least for me it is. I went and looked at my latest fertilizer solution on the computer and I just realized I made a huge error on this batch. It is important to get those decimals in the right place. Looks like I need to make a new stock solution. I don't know why it didn't occur to me that I was putting a lot of KNO3 in this bottle.....

Glad your tank is doing well, Hyzer! I'll have to go lurk on your journals in a bit to see if you have any updates.

Wow, you read this whole journal? I am thoroughly feeling warm and squishy at the thought that you took the time to read it. And then you say such lovely comments. Those pregnancy hormones work for you.  Sorry about the collectoritis. I told you guys it was HIGHLY contagious.

By the way, congratulations on the little one! It's one thing I must say I am truly envious of. :biggrin:


----------



## Karackle

tank is look lovely and lush and green! And I love the CPD shot, they're such cute little buggers! 

So I might have missed it (I didn't read through everything I've missed YET because I wanted to comment quick and then I am off to take LOOOONNNG overdue pics of my tanks because I actually have a spare moment today!) but why is it the "Sugafree shack" now? lol

I'll have to catch up on the rest of the thread later (or potentially over winter break :hihi but I'm going to try to at least catch up on the most recent posts in EACH thread first (when I come back with pictures that is ).


----------



## problemman

i didnt notice that till you pointed it out. why is is sugarfree now lol


----------



## OoglyBoogly

transition from sugar based DIY CO2 to a CO2 tank/regulator? this is just a guess based on a quick search of this entire thread using the keyword "sugar"


----------



## sewingalot

Lol, you guys. I was wondering how long it would take for you all to notice that. :biggrin: Another member, fast freddie (awesome guy) nicknamed my tank the "Suga Shack" because of all the platy fry I had. I moved the platties to another tank (although I did find some fry last night) and moved in the emerald eye rasboras from zid zulander (another awesome guy).


----------



## OoglyBoogly

sewingalot said:


> Lol, you guys. I was wondering how long it would take for you all to notice that. :biggrin: Another member, fast freddie (awesome guy) nicknamed my tank the "Suga Shack" because of all the platy fry I had. I moved the platties to another tank (although I did find some fry last night) and moved in the emerald eye rasboras from zid zulander (another awesome guy).


LOL and I actually read that post after I did a search... /facepalm sometimes things fly right over my head

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals-photo-album/76359-sugafree-shack-55-gallons-no-depth-49.html#post1185236


----------



## Karackle

hahahahaha fair enough!!! 

You're not going to believe this, I UPDATED my threads! WOAH! lol. 

And now I have to go to my friend's house to watch Harry Potter 6 because we're going to the midnight show of 7 this week, but I'll catch up on your other threads ASAP


----------



## sewingalot

Nothing else to catch up on really, Kara. I've been too lazy to update them. Oogly, that is a hilarious picture of your boxer!


----------



## fastfreddie

Suga free huh? Tank still looks great and I am so happy to see you still active on TPT! How are you? 

I have not posted here in months! (except to sell my co2 system)

We had a sweet little baby boy named Monroe back in April and my tanks pretty much went downhill. I have NO plants at the moment and only my 29 is running with all the fish in it. 

Will check in soon from the computer. I'm iPhone browsing from bed right now. Should be sleeping because I rarely get the chance these days.


----------



## sewingalot

Freddie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's great to hear from you. Glad to hear you are enjoying life and have a new baby boy! Monroe is a great name. If you ever want to get back into plants, send me a pm and I'll hook you up for the cost of shipping. 

Platies were moved to a non co2 tank after they started showing ill effects to the co2. By the F3 generation, they weren't doing as well. And I love my little guys, so I moved them to another tank just for them.


----------



## Karackle

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BABY FREDDIE! Very exciting! 

Sara, glad to hear I'm caught up on everything now :hihi: I'll try to stay more up to date from now on then


----------



## fastfreddie

Hey thanks for the offer Sara. I may try something low tech in a few weeks (but you know they all START "low tech" for me.) Monroe really loves to stare at my cardinal tetras. It evens gets him to stop crying sometimes. I need to fix it up for him.


----------



## ZID ZULANDER

You could go out on a limb and get these instead. A little less known than White Clouds but come from the same area.







Common name of Vietnamese Cardinal Minnow or just Cardinal Minnow. I have a few and they did spawn in my 20 gallon tank. The fry have a neon blue or Green line through the middle of them. Cool little fish and not easy to find. Not the best picture and not my picture. Here is the scientific name ( Tanichthys micagemmae )




mistergreen said:


> I'll recommend another fish you'd love white clouds. They'll school and it's fun when the males display toward each other.


----------



## sewingalot

I'll start letting plants grow out for you Freddie. Should have a bit in a few weeks that are low tech to share. Cardinal minnow? After a quick search, they are beautiful fish. They may work for my newer project.


----------



## Karackle

new project eh? which project is that? i guess I AM still behind :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

No, you're good. This is a project in my head for when I get rich from my customer service job.  Female betta almost jumped out of the tank today. I took the water down an inch or so. She's not felt good since a failed breeding attempt.


----------



## Karackle

Hahahahaha fair enough!  Future projects are always fun to plan and get excited for! :hihi:

Oh no! It's frustrating _and_ scary that bettas like to jump! Taking the water down should help.


----------



## sewingalot

I'm a little worried about her. I don't think she is recovering from being beat up by the male and the male ate the eggs!


----------



## Karackle

do you have a separate 5g or something you can put her in for a little while? or did you already do that?


----------



## sewingalot

10 gallon lowered 3/4 of the way. Just put her in a few seconds ago. Good idea. No other fish in there. It's my snail trapping tank, lol. I've gotta get off TPT before I annoy even myself. I've been trolling my own journal.


----------



## Karackle

Hahahahaha it's ok, because then I can keep posting on your journal and annoying you :hihi:

and i'm glad i mentioned a separate tank idea then!


----------



## sewingalot

Me too. I actually was using this tank for the spawn and got lazy and never tore it down. I then just started adding pond snails to it that I find in other tanks. The thought of squishing them make me squemish. I also added an almond leaf to the tank. See is just kind of hovering at the moment.

Seriously, I need to get off of here and deal with life issues. My mom is having surgery tomorrow in Tx and I need to stay with my brother while she is gone. I guess I was storing up for the fact I probably won't be on the forum much next week. He keeps me busy, lol.


----------



## Karackle

I hope the betta likes her new home  

Well then I suppose I should stop commenting on your thread so I don't keep you online  I hope your mom's surgery goes well and good luck with your brother


----------



## problemman

Good luck sara and best wishes for your mom.see you in a week


----------



## sewingalot

Just popped on for a few minutes to check in and decided to share the good news that my mom's surgery went very well. I don't know much, but didn't want to leave anyone hanging that's been asking me. Thanks for the well wishes everyone!


----------



## problemman

Yay! Congrats


----------



## Karackle

so glad to hear that Sara, thanks for the update! :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

Life has been interesting lately. Mom had a successful surgery, she won't know how well it has worked for at least 8 weeks. I spent a week with my brother and it was fun but exhausting, and I came home to find out my husband forgot to dose the tank. Thankfully, there were a lot of root tabs to hold up the plants, but there is some stunting going on. After being home a few days the tank is doing much better. Still some algae, and the snail population is increasing, so I suspect a little overfeeding has taken place while I was gone as well. :hihi: But no deaths, I had thought, until my husband broke the news about my betta girl. She jumped ship a few days ago.  Poor thing never acted right after the failed breeding. To top it off, our dog developed a mysterious eye problem overnight. My husband went to work in the morning and the dog was fine, I came home mid day from work and found him with a swollen eye, the other was bloodshot and he was acting really different. After four different eye drops, some pain medicine and antibiotics and four trips to the vet (will be selling a lot of things on CL to pay for this), he is doing better!!!!!!!! We seriously thought he was going to loose his eye over this. The vet says even though it may still happen in the future if the medicine stops working, he is doing much and looking better. She even took him off the pain medicine. This morning, he actually started showing signs of being able to see again out of the eye! 

It occurred to me I haven't mentioned my camera settings. I mainly use macro on a Canon Powershot and turn the exposure down to -1 or so to help cut out the glare. It is set to auto white balance and auto ISO (don't know what this means), so I don't what this does to the color. Over all, the pictures look pretty accurate to my actual tank.

Needless to say, I haven't done much since I have been busy at work, just got home, house keeping and the dog's illness. Never the less, here are pictures including the algae shot. BBA is a pain, but I am not seeing it in too many places. 


Full tank shot (I never get these right)









Nesaea pedicellata









Hygrophilia sp bold (?)









Lindernia sp india









Limnophilia sp wavy









Algae shot









Blyxa (tell me high light doesn't produce reds better than low light)


















Rotala rotundfolia sp.









Lindernia sp rotundfolia 'varigated'









Lysimachia nummularia (center) Clinopodium cf. brownei (surrounding and solo shot)


















Erio type 2 (thought I pulled this out and moved it all, showed up while I was gone - such a weed)









CPD youngun' born at this address. :icon_mrgr









Bacopa colorata (thanks to Lauralee for the bacopas!)









Bacopa carolina


















Micranthemum umbrosum









Ludwigia brevipe


















Didiplis diandra



















My new pride and joy! Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'Pantanal' (Thanks bsmith!!)


----------



## OoglyBoogly

Whoa I'm bookmarking this page for an easy reference of half the stuff in my tank XD. I hope everything works out with your mom and the poochy.... oh and those CPDs are a pain in the rear to take pics of... they seriously never stay still and if they do it's only a moment before their twitchy nature takes them in some random direction.


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, I was just commenting on your journal. Glad you can use the page as a reference. You are right about the CPDs. That was the best picture I had. Pretty sad. :hihi: Yeah, it's great the pooch and mom are recovering. It's been a strange month. Happy Thanksgiving, by the way!!!


----------



## bsmith

The pantanal looks great. Your nubby must not have feed too much because your k would be high and the pantanal wouldn't look that pretty. The two most important things to get pantanal looking good are lower nitrates and a ton of light. Keep it up!


----------



## problemman

Happy thanksgiving sara! Glad things are back to normal!

And what a color explosion! Nice looking plants sara.I'm going to need some blyxa the day after christmas lol. Oh and what bout or trade?...


----------



## Centromochlus

Nice pantanal- i'm jealous!
Happy thanksgiving!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks you guys! I am loving the pantanal. Thanks for sharing it with me. :biggrin: I thought it was stunting on one piece, but today I noticed that piece is branching into three new stems! Yay. Oh, yeah. Forgot to pm you about the trade, problemman. I'll do that, now.

Eat your heart out, Fishkid.  If I get it growing well, I'll share some with you in the spring.


----------



## Centromochlus

sewingalot said:


> Eat your heart out, Fishkid.  If I get it growing well, I'll share some with you in the spring.


Yay! I'd love to try pantanal sometime. 
And i just finished mah dinner... i'm stuffed!


----------



## problemman

I had thanksgiving lunch.have yet to eat again....to full. Got your pm and that pantanel is so beautiful!


----------



## sewingalot

We went to a buffet this year. I didn't even eat turkey. No cleanup, but the husband is sad about no leftovers. It was fun, though. And I promised to make up with Christmas time.


----------



## problemman

Bake them some cookies they will get over it lol


----------



## sewingalot

Great idea! I am going to go do this now.


----------



## sewingalot

Don't have a journal for these, so I am sticking them here. Plants provided by the lovely wasserpest. Unfortunately, I am not doing well with the low tech side of life. I need to wait the plants out of their melting phase. This is annoying to me. But, the husband says the 20 gallon is his favorite tank and thinks it looks the most natural. As long as someone is happy:

My attempt at copying Chaos's tank:









My easiest tank ever with Red Cherry Shrimp (taken with cellphone)


----------



## problemman

Aw more organized chaos! Lol


----------



## Centromochlus

Wait.. sorry if i missed it, but why is it "sugafree shack" now, instead of "suga shack"?

AHAHA. I love that name. Makes me smile every time i see it.


----------



## Karackle

Well I'd say the tank is look quite gorgeous, and not even "for missing a week of dosing" just in general!!! :hihi:

and you know me, I love the natural looking 20g too 

Also, happy Thanksgiving!!!


----------



## problemman

Cuz she moved alot of the baby making fish out lol


AzFishKid said:


> Wait.. sorry if i missed it, but why is it "sugafree shack" now, instead of "suga shack"?
> 
> AHAHA. I love that name. Makes me smile every time i see it.


----------



## OoglyBoogly

problemman said:


> Cuz she moved alot of the baby making fish out lol


hah and I thought it was bc she transitioned from sugar/yeast based CO2 to a regulator/cylinder setup...

Sarah how many tanks do you have? Seems like so many! I'm envious.


----------



## problemman

I think 4 which she laughed at me when I told her amount I have cuz she couldn't keep up. I have 12 lol


----------



## OoglyBoogly

problemman said:


> I think 4 which she laughed at me when I told her amount I have cuz she couldn't keep up. I have 12 lol


12... lol I would make my bedroom inside a cylindrical shaped fishtank with a spiral stair case leading out if I could... with some sort of grate inbetween the walls of the tank and my sleeping area of course so that I don't drown or get crushed from the water in case the walls of the tank somehow break and release tons of water at me while I'm asleep.


----------



## problemman

Um that's extreme.there is a guy in or club that has if I could guess by looking at all them 110 tanks biggest being 275 and multiple 125's....insane


----------



## Hyzer

Both tanks are looking good. I always love your individual closeups. Hope it doesn't take long for you to get over the hump in your 20g, although it looks pretty healthy to me.


----------



## sewingalot

You guys are too funny.  I'll have to get some closeups of the 20 soon to show you what I am talking about, Hyzer. I passed by my tank last night and think I am going to have to change the name back.  There were dozens of babies. If they are still there with my next update, it's a done deal. LOL.

Oogly, I have four tanks setup at the moment. The 55, 15, 20 and 10 gallon. Oh, and a quarantine 10 gallon that I don't count since I don't mess with it too much. I am probably going to just run a second filter on one of the tanks so that I can put away the quarantine until I need it. I had nine set up last year, but that was a headache. When I lost the job and the roof started to leak, I tore those down. I am still trying to find a way to pair down two a couple tanks, but with shrimp, it's hard to figure out.

AZ, you're too funny for your own good.  Happy belated Thanksgiving, Kara!


----------



## funkyfish

Hey Sara! 
How are you? I been missing a lot, I glanced a few pages back, your tank looks good and I love love love a picture of blyxa! I need to get me some since I can finally say that my 55g will be set up by this weekend :bounce: I just picked up 2 bags of colorquartz or the next best thing ceramaquarts. It's the same thing since when I went to the place and asked for colorquarts I was given bad news that the 3M company dropped the product (I shake my fist at them for doing it) and this is the same stuff. It looks the same maybe a little smaller. I am excited that finally I get my 55g going.  
How is your mom doing? Hope everything is well


----------



## sewingalot

Hi pregnant lady! No wonder you haven't been around getting ready for that baby, huh? :biggrin: I'll send you out some blyxa and other stuff on Saturday. It's good to hear from you! 

Mom is doing okay. She is having one issue that I won't go into details about since it is rather graphic, but other than that, her spirits are up. We are all just sitting on pins and needles hoping that this surgery fixes the damage done by the original surgery. The original doctor needs to go back to medical school.

Since I'll be ripping out plants for you, I'll also update the journal this weekend as well. Gotta go to work!


----------



## funkyfish

Babies make you get stuff done LOL Thank you sooo much for the blyxa and other stuff! ♥ Can't wait to get it! I will be making a 55g journal later on today. Starting to work on it after my cup of coffee  

Glad to hear your mom doing better. Wishing her a speedy recovery and wishing the doctor who did the damage to loose his licence. I know all too well about doctors mistakes *sigh*


----------



## sewingalot

Mom is having good and bad days. I am just hoping she will at least have a more pain free life after recovering from the surgery. Thanks for the well wishes. 

Since I have taken out a bunch of plants to send to you, funky, I decided to snap a few progress pictures. Also, I turned off a bank of lights and upped the nutrients until I sent off the plants so they'd transition better for you. Some of the coloring is dulled, but it'll come back with the lights back on. 

FTS









Ludwigia pantanal (don't remember if this is the correct spelling)


















Lindernia sp. india









Hygro sp. bold (until I am told otherwise)









Blyxa (I kept 10 plantlets and sent the rest off. Also shows the substrate is looking better with lack of algae everywhere)









Clinopodium sp. Brownei









Rotala macranda 'green'









Finally found ludwigia arcuata from Mr. Fisher, so I took out all the brevipes to make room. 


















Rotala butterfly!









Bacopa sp. something or another









Bacopa sp. carolina









Finally got some decent shots of the CPD juvy and elder:


















Cute picture of an emerald eye rasbora checking out the camera:









Suga shack is back, lol (There is like a dozen or more fry in the HM):









Limnophilia sp. wavy









Algae is turning grey and white!


















Staghorn showing up after last water change. Tested the tap water and there was ammonia reading on the scale.


----------



## skewlboy

araguaia is your bacopa "something" 
nice pics.


----------



## problemman

Looking good looking good


----------



## sewingalot

skewlboy said:


> araguaia is your bacopa "something"
> nice pics.


Thanks, I always forget the name and get too lazy to look it up again. :hihi:


----------



## Karackle

Looking good! Glad to hear your mom is doing better, sending well wishes your (well her) way! :biggrin:

Heeheehee suga shack is back indeed!


----------



## funkyfish

sewingalot said:


> Mom is having good and bad days. I am just hoping she will at least have a more pain free life after recovering from the surgery. Thanks for the well wishes.
> 
> Since I have taken out a bunch of plants to send to you, funky, I decided to snap a few progress pictures. Also, I turned off a bank of lights and upped the nutrients until I sent off the plants so they'd transition better for you. Some of the coloring is dulled, but it'll come back with the lights back on.



I hope your mom recovers soon and be pain free. 

The tank looks good! And can't wait for the plants! Thanks again  
The blyxa gonna look so awesome in my tank :biggrin: 
P.S. love the fish pictures, I still can't take a decent picture of my CPDs


----------



## Captivate05

I hope my bacopa carolinia starts looking more like yours here soon. I just got it and it's... ugly. I was so disappointed with the whole order. I just hope it likes my tank and turns pretty. I finally got my blyxa to like me, and that took about a month to do...

Hope your mom starts feeling better soon. I hate it when surgeries get botched up; it makes you wonder if the surgeon really cared or not. It's a good thing she's feeling better now, good spirits are needed for a good recovery roud:


----------



## Xalyx

Your tank looks amazing, so many different plant species. I'm jealous. I spent so much money on equipment that now that my tank is setup I can't afford many plants. haha


----------



## Vix

Long time forum lurker but first time poster from the UK here!

Just wanted to say that this is an amazing journal (its taken me a few days to read thru) and fantastic tank!  

I'm about to start up a 55G low tech tank myself after getting bitten by the planted tank bug, am just wondering at what temp your water is for the CPD's?


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> Looking good! Glad to hear your mom is doing better, sending well wishes your (well her) way! :biggrin:
> 
> Heeheehee suga shack is back indeed!





funkyfish said:


> I hope your mom recovers soon and be pain free.
> 
> The tank looks good! And can't wait for the plants! Thanks again
> The blyxa gonna look so awesome in my tank :biggrin:
> P.S. love the fish pictures, I still can't take a decent picture of my CPDs


Thanks, gals! Had to do errands today and I am now veggin on the couch listening to my husband watch football. Do they ever learn the players and refs can't hear them? roud:

That is the best picture of CPDs I've ever gotten and it's only taken me what, over a year and 100000000 pictures? Keep it up, you'll get one eventually too. 



Captivate05 said:


> I hope my bacopa carolinia starts looking more like yours here soon. I just got it and it's... ugly. I was so disappointed with the whole order. I just hope it likes my tank and turns pretty. I finally got my blyxa to like me, and that took about a month to do...
> 
> Hope your mom starts feeling better soon. I hate it when surgeries get botched up; it makes you wonder if the surgeon really cared or not. It's a good thing she's feeling better now, good spirits are needed for a good recovery roud:[/QUOTE
> 
> When Lauralee first sent me the bacopa, it had round leaves and looked completely different in a non co2 environment. I am actually more fond of its appearance like that. Give it time, it took a good 3 weeks to really start responding to my tank positively. Glad the blyxa is working out for you.
> 
> 
> 
> Xalyx said:
> 
> 
> 
> Your tank looks amazing, so many different plant species. I'm jealous. I spent so much money on equipment that now that my tank is setup I can't afford many plants. haha
> 
> 
> 
> Right now, I think there is roughly sixteen types of plants in here. I am actually slowly trying to move more into the dutch landscaping and hope that I can get a layout I like. I am finding what plants work for me and what doesn't. I know what it's like to not be able to afford stuff. I begged, bartered, and borrowed recently to get plants. LOL. If you ever see something you like, shoot me a pm and I'll work with you. Algae free with all deliveries. :icon_twis
> 
> 
> 
> Vix said:
> 
> 
> 
> Long time forum lurker but first time poster from the UK here!
> 
> Just wanted to say that this is an amazing journal (its taken me a few days to read thru) and fantastic tank!
> 
> I'm about to start up a 55G low tech tank myself after getting bitten by the planted tank bug, am just wondering at what temp your water is for the CPD's?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> This is the nicest comment I've had in a while! I am grinning ear to ear. The CPDs have been in temperatures anywhere from 22 - 26 Celsius (I looked up the conversion of Fahrenheit). The best so far seems to be around 24. I have noticed the more swimming space, the less shy they are as well. In the 10 and 15 gallon tanks, they were always huddling in the corner behind plants. Right now, I am watching them swim in the open. They also seem to really appreciate the high light.
Click to expand...


----------



## Karackle

Oh yeah I forgot to comment on the CPD picture, I meant to tell you it's AMAZING! well done!!! 

And no, I don't think they ever learn. The boy and his buddy are sitting on the couch opposite me yelling at the coaches and players. I am studying and lurking on TPT


----------



## sewingalot

At least you are studying. I am just pretending to do housework.  Really, I am playing with test kits: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/f...085-warning-osmocote-peoples.html#post1220683

I just about jumped out of my chair earlier from his screaming at the tv. I don't understand this part of the game. :biggrin:


----------



## OverStocked

that is filling in really nice! Looks like you have the potential for quite the jungle!


----------



## problemman

Sara I'm just glad my hubby don't like any sports. I would prob kill him. Well not literally lol


----------



## sewingalot

problemman said:


> Sara I'm just glad my hubby don't like any sports. I would prob kill him. Well not literally lol


LOL, that is too funny. When I met my husband, he said he didn't like football. Then came fantasy football. He's such a liar. :red_mouth


----------



## problemman

That's all they do its lie about there in there hobbies. He said I was a nerd and that fish were pointless until I made him stop at a fish store with me one day then he fell in love with sharks so I got him a 55 lol 2 years later and we have only been together for almost 3. He wants a 125 lol so his 8 inch black fin sharks can grow better! Lol now who's the nerd!


----------



## Karackle

HAHAHAHA oh yeah, my boyfriend thought I was a huge nerd for my love of fish tanks....until he saw how awesome they were and got jealous and had to go out and get a bigger one :hihi: 

And I was doing a lot less studying and a lot more "playing on the computer in a sometimes useful to studying way" I used powerpoint to make flashcards.....it took about 9 times longer than it would have if i had written them, but it was more fun and it's neater and i can say i was being productive  oh and I also reorganized my address book / contacts on my computer and gmail.....so that had nothing to do with studying but at least it was also productive :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

LOL, I think all of us are kind of nerdy in a geeky, cool way.  Boys are so cool like that. :biggrin:


----------



## problemman

Lol! Boys can't live with then can't live with out them!


----------



## Karackle

oh i fully admit i'm an nerd (nerd = cool geek in my book :hihi and for a lot more reasons than my love of (obsession with?) planted tanks. I'm ok with it! :biggrin:

Oh.....are we supposed to be talking about your tank? lol :icon_lol: It's awesome!


----------



## sewingalot

Nah. I am bored talking about my tank. Boys are more interesting to talk about.  Anyway, I really, really need to get off here and pay attention to my boy. His game is over. LOL.


----------



## problemman

Forget him he neglected you for men running around with a ball for no reason lol I understand the game but it sounds more stupid and points in my way...


----------



## Karackle

problemman said:


> Forget him he neglected you for men running around with a ball for no reason lol I understand the game but it sounds more stupid and points in my way...


Heeheehee totally agreed!


----------



## Karackle

for sure! Or do what I'm doing....now we're watching TV together sitting next to each other on the couch with our separate computers :hihi:


----------



## problemman

Us too watching some dangerous trucking show! Lol


----------



## funkyfish

I really dislike football season! And as many times as I tried to explain to my hubby that the TV can't hear him he doesn't seem to get it LOL 
Next Sunday I have to get out of the house because apperantly it's "very important" game (I hear that every weekend) and he will have his friends over so I don't think I can deal with 6 boys yelling at the TV :icon_roll 
But I think I awakened my hubby's nerdy side he seems more and more intrested in the tanks and he's been very helpfull with my new 55g set up :biggrin:


----------



## problemman

Be lucky your pregnant cuz once its over he's done lol
Mine wint put his hand in the tanj cuz the fish might bite him! Haha


----------



## funkyfish

:hihi: That's why I let him have his fun... for now :tongue:


----------



## problemman

Just for you sara!


----------



## funkyfish

OMG! Now I want some... LOL


----------



## OoglyBoogly

sewingalot said:


> Nah. I am bored talking about my tank. Boys are more interesting to talk about.  Anyway, I really, really need to get off here and pay attention to my boy. His game is over. LOL.


pshh on the man hating! Some of us read your thread too! Gahh I swear I turned on the weekly notification b/c I kept lurking on TPT and kept losing my focus... and BLAM your notification was like seven pages long! Damn sorry to hear about your mom... It's messed up but in our current society and the way people just try and bang work out for more money, they wind up doing surgeries as if it's an assembly line. Yes certain operations become a routine procedure but every body is still slightly different... Anyways something similar is happening with my mother and it's irritating to say the least.

In regard to taking CPD pics... I feel your pain! Darn fish are so twitchy and just change their direction on a whim. I feel like they are paranoid and always stopping and checking to see if anyone is about to eat them... or if they missed something to eat. Taking pics of them gets worse with a macro lens. I need to try taking some pics of my fish again as soon as I get a replacement lens for my new hood. My old pics are so dark and I had to use some flash and mess with it's direction to get better lighting since the CPDs would always come out blurry if I just relied on the illumination from the 2x 4" (literally 10ish year old)T12 bulbs that I had. Can't wait to take new pics with the brand new 4x4" T5HO with polished aluminum reflectors. My algae looks splended with them! I should support TPT just so I can change my title back to algae grower since it's such a fitting title!

Sarah... I'm envious of all your tanks! I have a 15g on it's side outside... I think it's calling my name out telling me to use it as a quarantine tank. I thought one of my new scarlet badis fish was malnourished so I figured since it wouldn't eat any of the big live food in the little quarantine thing I built for it so I decided to drop it into my CPD 30g fry tank thinking that I could sacrifice 4 of the very tiny new hatchlings. I know that sounds so terrible but it was for a good cause! Gah then someone mentions that the fish might have fish TB and I ran down and took out some water and did a gravel vac of the tank and couldn't find the scarlet badis anywhere! :iamwithst Perhaps my 1 last shrimp and snails ate it after it died. Lol 1 shrimp that hitched a ride from my 55g before my shrimpy disaster when I had your plants floating in it and needed to move them temporarily to my 30g due to them getting in my way while I was replanting stuff. Anyways I think I'm going to go to petland and get some antibiotic or something like that as a precaution in case it is fish TB. I'm pissed though that I was so excited to get these fish combined with the low light in the fish store that I didn't even notice how bad of shape they were in.

Anyways live and learn right?


----------



## OoglyBoogly

mmm banans... I did a 2am "run" to the stop and shop the other night with my neighbor and friends and almost bought a banana cream pie... ahaha I had the worst stomach ache from a medly of junk food... everyone bought stuff and then combined it... I wanted to gag after eating potato chips and dip, funions, chocolate covered pretzels, ice cream cake with hot chocolate fudge... and I almost bought chocolate mousse mix before realizing I needed more than just a bowl and water :hihi: Although I must say aside from the all around indigestion, I've never seen someone so happy after I put amazon frogbit in their chiclid tank. Haha they started out with like 20 tiny chiclids in a 30g high tank and now there are 3 big ones and 1 baby in a net thinger.

It's late and I am rambling about nonsense D:


----------



## Karackle

Nah it's not man-hating, it's just goofing on our boys that we love :tongue: you have to admit, (most) men (and, too be fair, some women) ARE silly about football


----------



## funkyfish

OMG Sara!!! Did you leave any plants for yourself?! LOL 
They arrived today all safe and sound, floating in the tank until I get to planting sometime today after my Christmas tree is up  
THANK YOU SO MUCH! You are the BEST!!!! ♥ I wanna give you a big hug! 

If you want Anubias 'nana' let me know I got a piece about 2"-3" that I don't know what to do with


----------



## Vix

sewingalot said:


> The CPDs have been in temperatures anywhere from 22 - 26 Celsius (I looked up the conversion of Fahrenheit). The best so far seems to be around 24. I have noticed the more swimming space, the less shy they are as well. In the 10 and 15 gallon tanks, they were always huddling in the corner behind plants. Right now, I am watching them swim in the open. They also seem to really appreciate the high light.


Thanx for ther info  

I've promised my chap that we'll have some cardinal tetras in the new tank so I may have to save the CPDs for my next project 

Will start a journal once I have everything I need to start up, just waiting for some filter parts and lighting to turn up from eBay


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Brad. Now I want Chunky Monkey.  

Oogly, you are cracking me up. I promise I am not man hating. I love my guy. :biggrin: With the temperature changes in your area, make sure you do a test for leaks. You may want to consider resealing it even.

Just pay it forward. I did leave a stem or two for myself. :hihi: Let me know if you need ids.

Kara - shouldn't you be studying? LOL

Vix - cardinal tetras are pretty fish. I've never owned them, but wouldn't mind having some in the future. Looking forward to the journal startup. Make sure to send me a link so I don't miss it!


----------



## Karackle

sewingalot said:


> Kara - shouldn't you be studying? LOL


Hahaha....YES, yes I should....


----------



## problemman

Bad kara! Lol jk


----------



## Karackle

lol i know!


----------



## sewingalot

It's Alive! My journal runs itself. I love it! :hihi: Get to work, Kara.


----------



## problemman

Oh sara.....i don't like my tank lol but I got an idea


----------



## OoglyBoogly

problemman said:


> Oh sara.....i don't like my tank lol but I got an idea


go on...  Sarah has already given consent to let her thread continue on without her acknowledgement


----------



## funkyfish

problemman said:


> Oh sara.....i don't like my tank lol but I got an idea


Yes please do go on :hihi:


----------



## problemman

Check my thread out you will see lol


----------



## funkyfish

Sara, 
I will need your help identifying the plants you sent me. I need to take some pictures first


----------



## sewingalot

No problem, post them and let me know. And since I am here: my co2 ran out sometime this week. I noticed it last night after work. No wonder the plants were looking puny.


----------



## Karackle

Bummer about the CO2 Sara! that's why you should go all low tech MUAHAHAHA :icon_twis

No just kidding, your tank is awesome as is. I hope you get new CO2 soon!


----------



## problemman

Jeez sara you ever going to catch a brake?


----------



## funkyfish

I will take some pictures this weekend.
Sucks about CO2 running out. Hope you get it up and running soon 

P.S. I have a question for you about blyxa. It's loosing lots of leaves is it normal? 
I was playing in my tank and just put my hand through the blyxa because it looked like it had some floating leaves stuck in it and you should've seen the amount of leaves that came out. I just hope its getting used to my tank...


----------



## problemman

It always does that in a new tank


----------



## Captivate05

My blyxa freaked out when I planted it, and many leaves melted. My Gertrudae rainbows didn't help them in the least. It blows my mind that such tiny little fish can somehow tear up plants that are so much bigger than they are. They like to spawn in it.

It took them about a month to throw down good roots and come back around. Now it's doing very well!


----------



## funkyfish

Ok Cool! Thanks guys! While I was playing with it most of it floated up so I just riped all off it out because the scape was messed up, I took most of the melting leaves off and replanting it now. It was making so much mess that I couldn't handle it anymore. Hopefully it will be ok.
Sorry Sara for hijacking your journal...


----------



## sewingalot

Yeah, blyxa melts easily in the beginning. If it doesn't make it, let me know and I'll send you more in the spring if you like. Hijack the thread. That's fine with me.  At least it's getting more attention than my poor tank right now. 

The co2 is back on and the algae is slowly going away again. I haven't dosed all week, so I am guessing I really need to buy that DIG and get the Wassercontroller up and running before I kill all my plants.

Thanks, Daud for the awesome plants, by the way! :biggrin:

Here is a picture. Crappy, but it shows the progress.


----------



## problemman

Wow growth!


----------



## chad320

Yeah, looks goos Sara!


----------



## Karackle

Woah Sara, tank looks awesome! I think u are too hard on yourself! I love it. That is some SERIOUS growth!


----------



## mistergreen

I know your secret Sara... You have ferts in the substrate too! 
I put a few osmocote pellet under my struggling stauryn?sp last week and now it's finally taking off. I have a feeling ferts in the water column isn't enough to cover all plants.


----------



## sewingalot

mistergreen said:


> I know your secret Sara... You have ferts in the substrate too!
> I put a few osmocote pellet under my struggling stauryn?sp last week and now it's finally taking off. I have a feeling ferts in the water column isn't enough to cover all plants.


 I don't even fertilize this tank hardly at all now that I use root fertilizers. I'll have to post a diy sooner or later this week.


----------



## sewingalot

Quick update. I just finished trimming up some plants, moved a few around to try to get more lighting and finally mixed up a batch of fertilizers. Not quite where I want it, but look much better. BBA is still on some gravel, silicone and a little bit on the older stems. Just about to pitch some of the slow growers until I get this liked.

Got some great pictures of the rasboras, finally. Also, the CPDs constantly stay in the rotala vietnam now. Showing spawning behavior, but I am not goning to try to breed them any more. Not feeding the fish as much to encourage them to help keep down on the guppy population.



















Lindernia rotundfolia sp varigated









Rotala vietnam









Rotala butterfly (growing quickly, but still adjusting to the lack of ferts)









Clinopodium cf brownei (this was emersed from the tank, notice its change in leaf structure?)









Bacopa carolina









Bacopa colorata (The stem on left started to turn in emersed form. I wish I got pictures out of water!)









Ludwigia arcuata









Got this plant from Daud (what is it???)









Limnophila sp wavy









HM









Couple pictures from my 20 gallon


----------



## funkyfish

Looking good Sara! 
Love the close ups. I need to take some new pictures of my 55g with a new camera hubby got me.  I don't have much growth tho but I think it's due to my anaerobic pocket problem I am having  

Hope yo had a great Christmas! And Happy New Year!!! :biggrin:


----------



## Da Plant Man

sewingalot said:


>


LIKE!!!^^^


This tank is AWESOME! So many stems!


----------



## problemman

Next trim I so call dibs!


----------



## sewingalot

Sucks about the anaerobic soil, funky. Have you tried the chopstick method to release the gases? Caton, you are too cool. I like this shot the best, too. Reminds me of cactus. 

What are you wanting, problemman? Pm or post here and I'll make sure to let it grow out and not throw out the stems as I have been doing.


----------



## talontsiawd

Sarah, I have been checking your thread frequently but don't reply. Great seeing the recovery on this. Looks very full again. Great job.


----------



## problemman

I would love some vietnam, varigated, arcuata.  I live the vietnam and arcuata so send as much as you would like! Lol


----------



## funkyfish

sewingalot said:


> Sucks about the anaerobic soil, funky. Have you tried the chopstick method to release the gases?


I been pocking around with my tweezers. Seems like I have to do it more often. The thing that bothers me is that I can't figure out if my plants are not growing well because of these pockets... I mean water spryte should be growing like crazy, at least it did in my 10g... I will try to post some pictures this weekend :icon_smil


----------



## sewingalot

talontsiawd said:


> Sarah, I have been checking your thread frequently but don't reply. Great seeing the recovery on this. Looks very full again. Great job.


Thanks for commenting! I lurk on a ton of the journals and rarely comment as well. I just moved some stuff around and am deciding to limit to a few species in bunches now. I am liking the arcuata, vietnam and lindernia. Other than that, work is required.



problemman said:


> I would love some vietnam, varigated, arcuata.  I live the vietnam and arcuata so send as much as you would like! Lol


Alrighty. You'll have to cover shipping as usual, but I'll start letting it grow out. Remind me. I actually have a nice insulated box, so it shouldn't be an issue for such a short distance.



funkyfish said:


> I been pocking around with my tweezers. Seems like I have to do it more often. The thing that bothers me is that I can't figure out if my plants are not growing well because of these pockets... I mean water spryte should be growing like crazy, at least it did in my 10g... I will try to post some pictures this weekend :icon_smil


Best way to find out is to uproot them and check the roots. If they all aren't white, but blackening, the soil is your problem. How long do you have the lights on for? I literally would use that fixture for 12 hours straight with only GSA issues. Of course, your tank is pretty new, may just be acclimating. My 20 gallon is just now starting to look respectable enough to take pictures.


----------



## sewingalot

Agh! For journalist reasons, I found a stink bug eating off a piece of leaf that was floating on the top of the tank this evening. I saw him AFTER being in the water for quite a while. Thankfully, the husband came to the rescue and the bug is now outdoors again where it belongs.

I have been finding a few bugs with the changing of the weather that try to find food/water in the tank. Most don't live to tell about it. This guy was actually surfing in the rippling water. Creepy bug could actually steer his boat by using it's feet.


----------



## funkyfish

sewingalot said:


> Best way to find out is to uproot them and check the roots. If they all aren't white, but blackening, the soil is your problem. How long do you have the lights on for? I literally would use that fixture for 12 hours straight with only GSA issues. Of course, your tank is pretty new, may just be acclimating. My 20 gallon is just now starting to look respectable enough to take pictures.


That's what I did yesterday. When I pulled most plants out lots of bubbles came up. Some roots are looking good some are not, they a little blackened, and those are the ones that were in the spots were the most of the gases came out from. It can't be the soil IMO because my crypts are not melting and MTS came from Ken "TheCryptKeeper" I got it a while back but it was sealed in 2 bags and standing in a box in my garage for a while. MTS can't expire right? 
The light are usually on for 8-10hr, I also think that part of my problem is that the tank is pretty new and I am sure because your plants come from high tech tank it probably will take a bit for them to acclimate. 
I have most plants floating at the moment I want to poke the soil for couple of days before I replant, hopefully this problem won't last long. Oh and I found a surviving shrimp, I can't believe he survived, but now I am sure it wasn't gas bubbles that killed my shrimp it's Scrappy the betta :icon_lol:


----------



## Reginald2

sewingalot said:


> Agh! For journalist reasons, I found a stink bug eating off a piece of leaf that was floating on the top of the tank this evening. I saw him AFTER being in the water for quite a while. Thankfully, the husband came to the rescue and the bug is now outdoors again where it belongs.
> 
> I have been finding a few bugs with the changing of the weather that try to find food/water in the tank. Most don't live to tell about it. This guy was actually surfing in the rippling water. Creepy bug could actually steer his boat by using it's feet.


lol, I don't know which I like more: the image of a surfing bug, or how obviously it disturbed you.


----------



## Betta Maniac

sewingalot said:


> My cories love to dig up the giant baby tears. I am starting to hate it!  I find pieces of it floating in all my plants.


I have the exact same issue, LOL!


----------



## sewingalot

Good luck, funky. I don't know what it could be. Is it possible the top substrate is too deep?

Lol, I really wish I got a picture, but quite honestly, I was really, really creeped out. I don't even like to see pictures of stink bugs.

Ever since my cories died there awful untimely death due to co2, I haven't had this problem.  I miss my floating baby tears now. I love cories, but I am too nervous to get them again in a co2 tank.


----------



## funkyfish

sewingalot said:


> Good luck, funky. I don't know what it could be. Is it possible the top substrate is too deep?


Thanks! I am doing almost daily pocking of substrate it looks like it's getting better but probably will take a while for it all to go away because it's deep in MTS. But most plants starting to look good even blyxa that got dug up today due to me pocking it has some good looking roots growing :biggrin: so hopefully everything will take off once I'm done with my little rescape.

Hope you had a wonderful New Year celebration! All the best in 2011 

And those stink bugs creep me out .....


----------



## funkyfish

I posted some pictures in my journal, no full tank shots since it's in the process of rescaping but I did post some pictures of plants for ID :biggrin: I promise more pictures to come in couple of days.


----------



## Karackle

your tank is looking really good. 

I am totally obsessed with the close-ups from your 20g, those pics are AWESOME! What plant is that? I love the spiky leaves!!! Those pictures are awesome too, (you've probably said before but) what kind of camera are you rocking?


----------



## sewingalot

That's salvinia minima. Larger than duckweed, smaller than frogbit. I throw out handfuls of it every week. I literally got ONE piece of it from wasserpest. It's a total weed. It gets reddish roots, too. If you ever want some, shoot me a pm.

I use a cheap Canon Power Shot SD1100 IS. Cost me like $100 on sale. I would really like to have a high end camera, but groceries are more important. My husband showed me how to take pictures after I started this hobby. Just check out the earlier ones for some really crappy quality. I am not great, but I am getting better, huh? :biggrin:


----------



## Karackle

I like it a lot! I might take you up on that offer if the 5g needs some light cut back in it  

And yes your pictures look really good, you'v e definitely gotten better! I think I need to play with the settings on my camera more seeing what you can do with a point and shoot!  

And I agree, I'd love a more high tech / high end camera, like a DSLR, but as you say, groceries are more important


----------



## sewingalot

Turn down the exposure. It does wonders for the glare you get on plants.


----------



## sewingalot

Always remembering to forget to post things in my journal that happens to the tank. Sometime yesterday afternoon, the solenoid stopped working on my regulator. It was really hot to the touch. Here is a picture of the $2.39 fix: 









I removed the solenoid and bought a female to female coupling. A little teflon, a lot of swear words and a bit of crying fixed it up about an hour this afternoon. Co2 is running between .5 - 1 bps. The needle valve is kind of wonky, so I can't tell for sure. I'll adjust as needed. Since it is going to be on 24/7, I am being overly cautious and starting out super slow.


----------



## Karackle

LOL I clearly know nothing about CO2 setups because nothing about that pic makes sense to me :hihi: But I'm sure it's a great fix!!!  

Glad you got it all sorted!

Also, yes, I do tend to turn down the exposure but I can only go so low because of the low light of my tank :icon_lol: Maybe I need to buy some clip lights to boost my lighting for photo shoots


----------



## sewingalot

Don't worry, Kara. I don't know what I am looking at either. :hihi: The fish made it overnight and the drop checker is a darker green color. I am giving it another day to see if the co2 changes (cheap regulator likes to stray on bubbles when initially set). I may leave it at this color for a while and see how the plants perform. The rotala vietnam is pearling and so is the blyxa, so we will see. If not, I'll SLOWLY adjust since it is on 24/7 now.

Ludwigia arcuata almost completely melted. I don't know if it was from lack of co2 one day, the fact I used excel for the first time in months on that day, the new microplex solution, or a combination of everything. I am backing off to 10 mL micros daily and will see if this helps. Also, I am never using excel again. I got so sick from the smell of it. I don't think I am able to tolerate it anymore.

Here's a picture with the remaining arcuata. Problemman, you can either wait for it to grow back before I send your plants or get plants without it or just a few stems or what's left. I am sad. 










And here is my pregnant (or really fat) oto


----------



## problemman

Data everything still looks great and I don't need the arcuata I got another way of getting some.if that falls through then when it gets back up and running I'll grab some then. But that vietnam on the other handsend away send away! I love that plant!!!!!!!


----------



## sewingalot

I can send you the others by Saturday morning if you like. Should arrive Monday that way. If you don't find the arcuata, let me know and I'll send you some when it grows back (if it does).


----------



## problemman

oh it will its a hardy fast growing plant!


----------



## sewingalot

Let's hope so. I really, really want this plant to succeed. I just finished labeling the baggies for you. Don't worry, I won't put them in there until Saturday morning. I mixed up some fertilizers. Diy Tropica micros 5 grams of millers + 1.5 grams of Fe to 500 mL of water (this was a few days back). Tonight I did a Macro of 2.5 tsp of KNO3, .25 tsp K2SO4, .25 tsp KH2PO4 and .5 MGSO4 to 500 mL of water. This should give me three weeks of 14 N, 1.7 P (like this is a lot for me), .4 mg (just a nice steady boost) and 10 K. The math I did was by hand, so I could give you the exact decimals, but I am just rounding for my memory's sake. Also, I am deducting 5 gallons for substrate and error in calculations. Plan to dose around 30 mL macros and 10 mL of the millers every day and adjust from there.

I figured since I am back to the unemployed status, I should at least get my tanks (and house back into shape again). Sorry if the ramblings are distracting. It helps on sleepless nights. Plus, I like to journal my experiments to see what happens.


----------



## problemman

keep rambling im going to be up all night and prob all day. i got to get to lowes and petsmart to return and by 2x4's so i can make my fish tank rack down stairs so i can get stuff in order and get breeding again! oh and yay!!!!! baggies labeled that means im on step closer to getting my plants!!!! im so excited for some Vietnam!!!!


----------



## sewingalot

How many tanks are you going to end up with, 50? LOL. I am really, really sleepy, but I lay in bed wide awake. My husband needs to get up before six in the morning, so I figured I'd just stay up doing laundry and some cleaning. So far, I've put in one load of laundry and spent more time labeling bags and mixing up fertilizer. Oh wait. I did move a box. :hihi:


----------



## problemman

Lol no I did one and replaced that with 2 more tens and a five


----------



## sewingalot

Pretty soon, you'll be moving out the bed for more tank space. :hihi:


----------



## problemman

No that's what the basement is for lol


----------



## sewingalot

That's how it starts out, and then you run out of room.


----------



## problemman

Stop! Lol


----------



## sewingalot

I am happy to report I got two loads of laundry done. :thumbsup: Now back to loafing.


----------



## problemman

Yay come do mine now lol


----------



## sewingalot

After 12 more loads I still have. Might be a slight over statement. But pretty close!


----------



## problemman

Lol I love how we are having 3 different convos in our threads


----------



## sewingalot

That's what insomnia does to people. It makes them a little spacey.


----------



## Karackle

GO TO SLEEP! Hahahahaa

Good luck with the experimenting! I hope it helps everything up and running! 

Sorry to hear you are unemployed again though!  That's a bummer! I hope you find something soon! In the mean time, enjoy the free time to get the tanks and house ship shape!


----------



## sewingalot

Ah, it's the same old song and dance for me. I'll find something soon enough. In the meantime, I just get up in the mornings (most of the time), spend that time looking for work and about 4 pm I tell myself it's time to go home from work. Looking for work is more work than work. LOL.


----------



## Karackle

sewingalot;1246350 Looking for work is more work than work. LOL.[/QUOTE said:


> SO TRUE! I feel your pain on that one. Well good luck with the job hunt!
> 
> And as I said, in the meantime, enjoy the time to play with your tanks :hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

Just catching up with your tank, it's been awhile (still don't have internet at home *AUGH*). Sara, I like your tank now the best I think I've ever liked it! (Did that make the least bit of sense?)

Anyways, chin up, something will come along for you (and me both) along the work front. Till then, there's always Farmville.... (ROFL)!!!!


----------



## Karackle

No internets at home?! oh no! Well it's good to see you online today then!!! 

You two and your farmville :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Laura! I had to block farmville to get motivated enough to get out of the house and find some work. :hihi: Good luck on your search as well. Kara will feel sorry for us when no one else does. She remembers what it's like.  Wow, no internet at home? I'd be going bonkers. 

I must say I am overall more happy with this tank than the past scapes. I am actually trying to go 'jungle dutch.'


----------



## funkyfish

Sorry to hear about you job Sara, hope you find something very soon.


----------



## Karackle

Hahaha you know I'll sympathize, I was unemployed for how many months out of last year? :hihi: And probably still would be if I hadn't gotten into school! :help:


----------



## sewingalot

It'll get better soon enough. It has to because I am starting to feel a little down in the dumps.


----------



## Csababá

*?*



sewingalot said:


>


Hi, what's the name of this plant?
Thx,
Cs


----------



## sewingalot

Salvinia minima. It's a great floater. Here's a link on it: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...etails.php?id=49&category=genus&spec=Salvinia


----------



## Karackle

Dude that plant is totally cool looking. Does it proliferate as ridiculously fast as the other common floaters? (i.e. duckweed, rrf etc.)


----------



## problemman

Says it spreads very fast! Lol large duckweed but nutrient sucker!


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> Dude that plant is totally cool looking. Does it proliferate as ridiculously fast as the other common floaters? (i.e. duckweed, rrf etc.)





problemman said:


> Says it spreads very fast! Lol large duckweed but nutrient sucker!


I had one little piece from Wasserpest. A month later, it covered the tank. It's a great nutrient sucker. I overfeed, but don't otherwise fertilize and I've removed handfuls of this stuff since last month. It's almost covered the top of the 20 again. Much prettier and easier to move than duckweed. It doesn't like a lot of current though. It dies in my 55 from getting tossed around.


----------



## Karackle

Good to know. Well I'm going to see how the 5g does but I might request some from you at some point if I need it  (or just want it :hihi


----------



## sewingalot

It'll probably be a want more than a need.


----------



## Karackle

most likely :hihi: I'll keep you posted  You said the roots look cool right?


----------



## sewingalot

I like to think so. I'll get a picture in a day or so and post it on here.


----------



## Karackle

Awesome! Well now that i've hijacked your thread.....anything we should know about your tank? :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

I upped the co2 to about 1.6 bps and it's not seeming to affect the fish being on 24/7. Drop checker is a lovely green color. Oh and I like listening to David Bowie and work on my tank. Does that count as on topic? :hihi:


----------



## Karackle

Sounds good! Glad to hear the fish are doing well with the CO2! :biggrin:

And of course that counts as a topic! I like to listen to Queen, Billy Joel, James Taylor, Bruce Springstein or one of the other classic rock records I have when I'm working on the 30g. (because it's in the same room as the record player). When I'm working on the 5 and 10g tanks upstairs, I usually still listen to classic rock OR an audiobook :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

An audiobook?!? You are a dork.


----------



## Karackle

HAHAHAHAHA yes, yes I know. Mostly I listen to Harry Potter or other sci-fi / fantasy books :hihi:


----------



## problemman

I listen to my mp3 of country, pop, musicals (so showing my gay side), and done r&b.....makes me move faster so I get stuff done.lol


----------



## sewingalot

Still love you, Kara. We all know I am a dork. :biggrin: Brad, aren't you afraid of dropping the mp3 player in the tank? I would be.


----------



## lauraleellbp

Muse and Evanescence make pretty good tank maintenance listening too. :hihi:


----------



## problemman

I keep it in my pocket lol with head phones.


----------



## sewingalot

I like to use my mp3 player as the microphone. I guess I am the only one that does this. :biggrin:


----------



## problemman

I use the fish net! Lol


----------



## funkyfish

You guys are funny. Just to add to conversation I listen to my hubby's house music mixes :icon_mrgr And I don't sing I just shake my booty... or my big preggo belly LOL


----------



## problemman

Funky I'm dieing over here!


----------



## sewingalot

Your comment makes no sense. Are you driving and texting again?:icon_conf

LOL, funky. The image is hysterical.


----------



## Karackle

HAHAHAHA I LOVE IT!!! I totally use my net as a microphone too when I'm listening to music, or I just sing to the fish while I'm working :hihi: Either way, the iPod stays securely in my pocket  (that is when i'm not listening to my books like a dork :hihi Problemman, show tunes is an awesome idea, I might have to load some up, I love musicals! :biggrin:


----------



## problemman

Hairspray or grease are the best to work to!


----------



## Karackle

Excellent calls, grease was definitely on my upload list. Avenue Q and Newsies are also on it :hihi:


----------



## problemman

Don't forget rent and the newest and bestest! Burlesque! Omg in love!


----------



## Karackle

oh Rent! good one! I'm unfamiliar with Burlesque though! 

Oh btw Sara, sorry for hijacking the thread! :hihi:


----------



## problemman

She don't care when she gets on here she will read this and then start adding sons to her play list lol.


----------



## Karackle

hahahaha true! I just wish I'd made my new playlist before I spent 5 hours playing in my tanks today :tongue:


----------



## funkyfish

sewingalot said:


> Your comment makes no sense. Are you driving and texting again?:icon_conf
> 
> LOL, funky. The image is hysterical.


Ok so it's wasn't only me who was confused by the comment... :hihi: 

You should see it in person LOL


----------



## funkyfish

Karackle said:


> Oh btw Sara, sorry for hijacking the thread! :hihi:


I don't think Sara mind, I think she is used to the fact that her thread has a life of it's own :icon_lol:

And I totally need to add some sound tracks and showtunes to my collection. roud:


----------



## problemman

I edited it!


----------



## Karackle

funkyfish said:


> I don't think Sara mind, I think she is used to the fact that her thread has a life of it's own :icon_lol:


Hahahaha an excellent point!



funkyfish said:


> And I totally need to add some sound tracks and showtunes to my collection. roud:


Awesome! Also, I too love the mental image you conjured of yourself dancing :hihi:


----------



## funkyfish

problemman said:


> I edited it!


I just noticed it :biggrin:



Karackle said:


> Awesome! Also, I too love the mental image you conjured of yourself dancing :hihi:


LOL :icon_lol:


----------



## sewingalot

Nothing to really say, but I don't care if you chatter. Makes me feel like you've all come for a visit. :biggrin: I've been listening to Lenny Kravitz all day - and Pink. Nice combination for cleaning.


----------



## problemman

Love pink! 
So raise your class ,
you are wrong in all the right ways!.....if your too school for cool....

Lol sry resisting lyrics!


----------



## sewingalot

I really like 'Sober.' It's a beautiful, sad song.


----------



## problemman

Truly is! I love so what...it is my ex and I song lol


----------



## Karackle

Heehee it does feel like we're here for a visit! Love thinking of it that way! :biggrin: 

We did a bunch of cleaning yesterday, I listened to my book :tongue:


----------



## problemman

Listened to a book? Lmao


----------



## Karackle

yeah dude, audiobook roud: I'm a dork! (or did you miss that Sara and I covered that already? :hihi


----------



## problemman

Lol that's some funny stuff right there!


----------



## Karackle

I love my audiobooks, and I'm ok with that! They're also excellent for long car rides and long walks with or without the dogs


----------



## problemman

Where did sara go?


----------



## Karackle

I guess she and I switched roles, tonight I am the one with the insomnia and she was able to get to sleep?


----------



## problemman

I guess


----------



## Karackle

on that note though, I should probably try to get some sleep.....wasn't it 12:30 like 5 minutes ago? lol :hihi: there should really be a chat feature on here....


----------



## problemman

Night on my way too


----------



## sewingalot

I actually feel asleep for like an hour just now. And then the insomnia came back and woke me up. I'd rather be ing.


----------



## problemman

Well then its me and you sara I'm still up.i got fish tank stuff to do! Lol


----------



## sewingalot

I took a picture tonight. Here is the tank after the massive trim. Sorry for the blurriness, I am too tired to take a better one.


----------



## problemman

How is the arcuata doing? And wow that thing never stops growing does it!


----------



## sewingalot

It's not dying, but it's not growing either. I think it is taking a little time to get over it's cold. :biggrin: I just noticed that one stem of the hygro sp. bold didn't make it into your package. Sneaky plant....


----------



## problemman

What a bummer! Lol like I don't have enough


----------



## sewingalot

I hope the plants make it in this weather. Let me know regardless. I am going to get off here and do some house work.


----------



## problemman

Shall do


----------



## Karackle

Well at least you got a nap? I could have stayed on much later, I didn't REALLY fall asleep until about 6am, though I think I might have dozed? But I was in bed on the computer and I think the typing was disturbing the boy's slumber :hihi: 

Anyway, if you did a massive trim and your tank is still that full....your plants must grow ridiculously fast! Either way, the tank is looking good, as always! What is that sort of lily pad looking plant on the far right corner? I like it!


----------



## sewingalot

Looks like the 24/7 co2 is working for the BBA. Before and after pictures:



















Still hanging on in some places:









Underneath the silicone (should I worry?)









Took some pictures as the plants were closing up shop for the night, I got some interesting pictures of them getting sleepy. :hihi:

The ludwigia arcuata is randomly melting again, I usually dose right above this area, I wonder if that is an issue?: 









Parts of it are doing well:









HM:









Hygro Bold:









L. Sessiflora. I thought this plant died months ago. It popped up all the sudden after starting Tropica DIY (coincidence?)









Lindernia rotundfolia varigated


















Lindernia sp india. In this tank, only the tips get purple?









Bacopa carolina, left - Bacopa colorata, right:









Bacopa carolina









No clue what this is:









Rotala vietnam:









Rotala butterfly, both the morphed rotala macranda green and the butterfly growing on the same stem and rotala macranda green morphed:


----------



## problemman

Stop dosing over it or I'm never going to get any! That mystery thing I believe is spatterdock


----------



## Karackle

Nice looking plants you have! 

And isn't it funny how the fish like to sneak into pictures when you're trying to photograph the plants but when you actually want a picture of the fish it's next to impossible to get them? :hihi: I mention this because that's a pretty good CPD shot in the picture of the arcuata


----------



## dewalltheway

Plants look happy with all that great pearling Sara! What is your bubble count and how are you injecting?


----------



## sewingalot

problemman said:


> Stop dosing over it or I'm never going to get any! That mystery thing I believe is spatterdock


Spatterdock? I'll have to google that. Thanks for the lead. I started dosing on the left side to see if this is going to make a difference. 



Karackle said:


> Nice looking plants you have!
> 
> And isn't it funny how the fish like to sneak into pictures when you're trying to photograph the plants but when you actually want a picture of the fish it's next to impossible to get them? :hihi: I mention this because that's a pretty good CPD shot in the picture of the arcuata


I know, right? I've been trying to get a picture of that girl for months! I didn't even notice her in the picture until you mentioned it. She is a looker. :biggrin:



dewalltheway said:


> Plants look happy with all that great pearling Sara! What is your bubble count and how are you injecting?


I am currently using a Hagen mini elite. I counted 1.6 BPS just now. I am an advocate of injecting lower amounts of co2 after loosing the cories. I am learning that the health of my fish are more important to me long term. I'll deal with a little algae for that.


----------



## Karackle

she IS a looker!!! :hihi: Yeah tonight I was trying to get Betta pics without flash....no go....normally he's pretty chill, tonight, he felt like swimming all over the darn place! :flick: though maybe that's a sign he's happier in here


----------



## sewingalot

Between the healing fins and the swimming, I'd say so. He probably loves his cave. Just wait until that moss starts to grow in. I am going to be setting up a new look after seeing your tank. I am inspired for my ugly 10 gallon.


----------



## Karackle

Remind me which one is your 10? Is that the one with moss covering a sponge filter or is my memory way off? So what are your new thoughts for the 10? Glad I could be an inspiratoon :hihi: I wish I had leftover moss for you!


----------



## problemman

Ya sara is your plan?


----------



## sewingalot

You guys are killing me with your texting. I have to read everything twice to get my brain to decipher half of it. :biggrin: Your memory is perfect, Kara. I'm not telling my plans yet. That way I can change my mind and you guys can't give me grief.  Right now I am thinking of a way to kill the #%#@! duckweed.


----------



## Karackle

AHAHAHAHA inspiratOOn I wrote. nice. 

Ok FINE don't tell us your plans :flick:


----------



## sewingalot

:tongue: I ain't sure the plans will work, but I am basically thinking 'half wall of moss.' There, that should satisfy you for a while.  inspiratOOn make me think of _Tiny Toons _ characters 'Pinky and the Brain.' That is now you and problemman's nicknames. I'll let you guys fight over who gets to be the brain. :hihi:

I am thinking of going dutch in this tank. What do you think? So far, I am REALLY liking the grouping of stems together in large areas. Now to pick out which stems to keep and which ones to send packing.....


----------



## problemman

I'll take pinky! Lol also dutch is cool! And would be great for you! I can get you the guide lines for dutch style. And look what I did tonight!


----------



## problemman

Guidelines!
there are some basic rules of thumb to dutch planted tank layout design

it is very important to keep a sense of harmony and simplicity, and for that reason having no more than 1 plant species per 4 inches of tank length is very important. adherence to this keeps the group of plants well defined and not overpowering.

like many artist the dutch use the rule of thirds. divide the tank length into thirds and create a major focal point at the 1 third and second third lines. and never place a focal point dead center.

variation in color leaf structure and height are very important, otherwise you end up with 1 solid wall of indistinctive plants the length of the aquarium.
in order to better emphasize these contrast spaces are left between the group of plants and ascending rows of plants that help to add depth of field. the creation of see throughs give a greater sense of depth. while color and contrast is important overuse of it is distracting and takes away from the sense of balance in uniformity.

the dutch planted aquarium does not have a large amount of open floor space. at least 80 percent of the aquarium floor should be planted.


----------



## sewingalot

Alrighty, Pinky it is. LOL

You are obsessed. I love my yellow shrimp. In my humble opinion, they are the cat's meow. 

Thanks for the guidelines. I am thinking right now I have a _solid wall of indistinctive plants_. The bacopa, lindernia and clinopodium are a little too similar in shape.


----------



## problemman

Yay I'm pinky! And if you really follow those guidelines you will have an amazing dutch. Do you know what streets are?


And you should send me some shrimp


----------



## sewingalot

Yup, I've been doing some research. I think the clino would make a great plant for this in general. I've been trimming it to see what happens. I don't ship livestock yet. I am too skeered.


----------



## problemman

Do you have a breather bag? And some more of that damn riccia!? Lol 

Its pretty easy really cherry shrimp are cold tolerant more do then others. Wink wink lol

here's more on this topic

there are many traditional plants that are used for specific reasons. the dutch street is a pathway of low growing plants set at the viewing angle and ascending towards the rear. when the plants grow too tall there simply be replaced with shorter ones.

Hygrophila corymbosa and limnophila aquatica have been commonly used in aquascaping for decades. they are both large stem plants that have a strong visual effect and grow quickly. By continually topping off the them when they grow too tall and replanting the tops, they remain healthy and bushy and the desired look is always retained.

Small cryptocoryne such as wendtii, becketti,lucens,lutea and walkeri, are used in groups or rows from the front to the middle. they're dark earthy colors provide a nice contrast and once planted they can be left alone for years.

for color highlights, alternanthera reineckii, ammania and rotala are long time favorites. Ludwigia and pogostemon stellatus are also sometimes used.

other focal points may include sword plants, tiger lotus, aponogetons and other large plants that stand alone as a solitary plant. rarely will you see more than 1 large fully grown plant in a dutch aquascape

java moss is often used to provide dark contrast between plant groups and sometimes to act as a actual focal point on a large piece of wood.
the foreground in a dutch setup is essential. it should be neat tidy and blend into the background. it may consist of contracting groups, but different species are never mixed together in the same group. sometimes a foreground group may become or blend into an ascending street. small grass like plants are often used next to group of small crypt and streets.

Terracing is a component of dutch aquascaping but it is done on a simple basis. the substrate is raised in areas most often using only driftwood. plants are also attached to wood solely for the purpose of creating the illusion of acsending substrate.

In more elaborate layouts plant walls are created against the glass by using sheet cork or even cork bark to attach plants to. terraces are used for the specific purpose of creating more depth perception and are tied to a viewing angle and street

a good that suck with you yes if you're a different perspective depending on which they were there you mean it from: the left, the right or front center.

this is all from an article in freshwater and marine aquarium january 2008 so I must give credit 2 them for this. this was done by hudson


----------



## sewingalot

problemman said:


> Do you have a breather bag? And some more of that damn riccia!? Lol
> 
> Its pretty easy really cherry shrimp are cold tolerant more do then others. Wink wink lol


Nope. I was ordering some, but the seller contacted me and said he was out of stock. And now I am unemployed, so I canceled the order instead of waiting. Such language....tsk, tsk. You actually want more riccia after cursing me for sending it to you? Ha!

Edit: Oh and thanks for the information, I'll read through it again and see if I can start picking out some plants.


----------



## problemman

What if I bought one for you....?
And I hope you read what I just spent 20 minutes on typing got the dutch guidelines lol


----------



## sewingalot

I actually printed it out, so there. :flick: I'd charge you like $50 a shrimp. :biggrin: Wait until spring, I am trying to up my numbers. If you haven't found them by then, we'll work out a trade or something.


----------



## problemman

Aw your killing me sara!


----------



## sewingalot

I love them too much to kill them in this weather.  Well, I am going to go dig around in Treasure Isle. Nite!


----------



## problemman

Your what?


----------



## Karackle

I'll send you some RCS if you send me some of that Balansae :hihi: 

I've shipped RCS in everything from zip lock bags to tupperware and as far as everyone told me, they arrived happy and healthy. roud:

I'm good with being the Brain. Though most of my friends just call me "scientist" :hihi:


----------



## problemman

I really want the combo of yellow shrimp and cbs but thank you kara!


----------



## Karackle

well in that case, Sara, shrimp are pretty easy to ship roud: just through a bit of moss in for them to hang on to and they'll be fine :biggrin:


----------



## problemman

Yah sara! Lol


----------



## Ethics

Wow, the difference from when you first started to how your tank is looking now is truly inspiring. Keep up the great work, can't wait to see the tank progress further.

Mario


----------



## sewingalot

Plants are growing quickly; I continue to throw out plants at least twice a month in addition to sharing with others. Some of the plants I thought had died are coming back, others are growing out of the tank. Some plants I am deciding I really just don't like, so I am parting ways despite the investment made. It's a happy jungle. 

I have found at running 1.6 bps 24/7, phosphates around 1 ppm and nitrates around 10 ppm is working for me. The BBA is but gone except a tuft here or there on a rock or a piece of equipment. I truly am relaxed with the tank once again, I find myself once again sitting in front of the tank to relax. I am no longer worrying about whether or not the tank is pleasing for others. After loosing site of what this was all about, I found my inner peace with the tank again. This is my oasis, and I am not in this hobby to be miserable like I've been lately. Last night, I found myself smiling at the fish playing in the lindernia rotundifolia varigated, weaving in and out like a piece of yarn making a scarf. Now, will the lower levels of co2, the fish are once again hardy, happy, and healthy. And the plants are healthier, growing faster. I honestly believe the answer was there all along. The tank was _starving _for oxygen.

This will be one of my last posts in the journal for a while. I am getting burned out and I am not sure if I am taking a break or breaking the tank apart. It seems like my life has taking a turn, and I've got to take some time to decide what is important to me. Because right now, I honestly feel at a loss.

Here is a fitting picture to end the journal for a while, which is completely unrelated to planted tanks except for the fact the stand is in the background. :wink:


----------



## problemman

now I have a question,
You said your running 1.6 bps, 24 hours a day, and your seeing that the bba has All but disappeared?

Think I should be doing this? Lol

What is your drop checker reading since you are doing this?


Also with the nitrates low and phosphates on the rich side what are you nothing different?

You better keep posting sara or me and yous are going to rumble! I love watching your jungles get denser every update and I like to great what your trying out. Like this. And I'm seriously pumped to try this on the 75. I have yet to order my dry ferts but the pager is book marked. And your directions are still in my inbox!

See sara your help to me ans others with what you do on here and we need you around in here. Who else is going to stop the fighting lol

Facebook me!


----------



## Karackle

Glad to hear you are enjoying your tank again, I'm sorry to hear you WERE NOT enjoying it for a while, I didn't realize that! It's definitely not worth stressing over! Tanks are supposed to bring enjoyment, not stress so I'm glad you're back to the enjoyment part. I'd love to see one last pic before you give the journal a rest though! :biggrin:

Are you going to stop being on TPT altogether? Or just giving the journal a break? Because we'd be very sad and TPT would lose a very important member who is chock full of knowledge if you stop posting completely!


----------



## problemman

I think sara needs a plant package from me of some stuff! What's your address?


----------



## problemman

Plus I want to see a few of the stems I have under your conditions and see what the plant does under different conditions


----------



## Centromochlus

Karackle said:


> Are you going to stop being on TPT altogether? Or just giving the journal a break? Because we'd be very sad and TPT would lose a very important member who is chock full of knowledge if you stop posting completely!


I sure hope you're not leaving all together, Sara.  I agree with Karackle 110%...


----------



## problemman

AzFishKid said:


> I sure hope you're not leaving all together, Sara.  I agree with Karackle 110%...


She better not I know where she lives! Lol


----------



## sewingalot

I'm not sure what my plans are at the moment. Right now, I am waiting for a filter to arrive to a fellow member. Once I find out it has arrived and he's happy, I am taking a break for a while. I'm kind of tying up some loose ends around here in the meantime. It's not that I don't love TPT, it's just my non-virtual life is starting to demand some attention. Honestly, I'm starting to get a little more than worn around the edges. I feel lost and I am realizing I need to find my way out of this funk before it gets worse. I promise to update you all with the decision regardless the outcome.


----------



## Karackle

well I suppose your non-virtual life IS a pretty important thing to keep together and focus on, and although we'll miss you terribly, I'm sure you'll be back once you've sorted out your non-virtual life  At least I hope so!!! In the mean time, enjoy your tanks!!! and let them relax you roud:


----------



## sewingalot

Well, since I've hit a few days of calmness, I actually snapped a picture of it with only two bulbs. It is so ugly. Things aren't as vivid to me, the rotala macranda is an ugly greenish with a small tint of red. Rotundifolia is all green now. Such sad colors....I'll probably up it back to the four lights later after my experimenting days. That didn't last long. Give me high light any day :biggrin:

Here was my dosing (3 week mixture) up until a few days ago:

KN03 2 1/2 tsp
KH2PO4 3/16 tsp (was .125)
MGSO4 1/2 tsp
K2SO4 2 tsp (was .125)
Micros 30 ml millers + iron (this is an average since I was down to 10 ml and as high as 50 ml - I kept having problems with arcuata. I'm going back to the drawing board later)

For the next few weeks, I am going to stuff the tank full of nutrients with limiting nitrates. I want to find out what happens for the fun of it. After that, I'll see where things go next. 

Playing with borders on photobucket, thought this was a neat result. Isn't the kitty cute watching the fish tank? :tongue:


----------



## problemman

Love that!


----------



## Karackle

Well you know me, I think it looks nice with the jungle look and since I pretty much only grow green plants with my low lights, the lack of reds doesn't bother me any! :hihi: 

Other than the lack of reds, the plants look healthy and lush to me! 

Can't wait to see your experiments though :hihi:


----------



## 2in10

Jungle looks healthy


----------



## sewingalot

I'm glad someone likes the green blob. :hihi: I miss my pinks, oranges and reds. I'm still working on my hood. Things seem to go slow for me. I'm such a clutz, pulled a piece off when I was moving it.


----------



## Karackle

Hahaha you know i love me some jungles!!! :hihi: 

Sorry to hear about the hood! I can totally see that happening to me too!


----------



## sewingalot

What's funny is I knew this is the weakest point due to poor planning on my part. Oh well. I'll finish it sometime before the end of the year. :flick:


----------



## Karackle

Hahahaha fair enough!!! :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Now it may be 12/31/11, but it'll be up. I hope..................:hihi: I've got like six coats of stain already.


----------



## malaybiswas

Rgdg green macrandra. What is the GH? May be try notching up mg and add ca?



Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk


----------



## sewingalot

Oh, dear. I'm so sorry but I am not sure what you are trying to tell me, malaybiswas. :icon_redf So perhaps if I explain a little about my tank to see if that answers your questions (or maybe suggestion?).

Right now, I've been experimenting with intentional nutrient manipulation. You can see the details here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/p...hotos-yes-ive-been-torturing.html#post1303638

In order to do so, I've turned off one set of lights (from 4 bulbs to just 2 bulbs) so that I was better able to control the co2. I didn't want to have the lights intervene with my experiments. The macranda green was immediately ugly to me because I was not used to the lighting, not because of the nutrients. 

However, if you are interested in seeing my experiments, you'll have to visit the thread I linked to. I just think it would be asinine to post in both locations.

So, to recap for everyone:
I am finished with my experiments for now. Here is a current picture of the tank after I cleaned up. Yes, I turned on all four lights again. Will these experiments teach me nothing? :icon_eek:










The Plan!
I am leaving in a few hours to stay with my brother for about a week. So my husband has graciously agreed to dose both this tank and the 15 gallon via the EI method. I figured why not load up both tanks with some good old fashioned luxury consumption after they've put up such a great fight. :thumbsup:

And luckily, he is less generous than me with food, so they will not be overfed while I am over there.


----------



## problemman

I just read that. pretty cool. Thanks sara.


----------



## sewingalot

By the way, did you notice the arcuata in the middle???? Ever since I went back to using CSM+B, the amount has tripled even with the torture. Remind me next week to ship you some if you still want it.


----------



## problemman

Yah I did! And sounds good. We will swap packages


----------



## hoover cichlid man

Looks awesome! I read about plecos and cories since I am setting up a 55 myself. They dig up plants as well as eat some.


I have before and after pics as well. 

So when I get a chance I will load them. I wanted to ask a question as to where did you get the lids for the tank? I have been wanting to get rid of the lighting and hood that came with it and go with a t5 dual.


----------



## Karackle

i'll be interested to see how the plants look in a week after a week with 4 lights back on and EI dosing. roud: 

Will we still be hearing from you this week while you're with your brother? And if I remember correctly it's his microscope you borrowed for the BBA experiment, so I'm hoping for more pictures! :biggrin: (i'll go check that thread to see if you mentioned anything :hihi


----------



## sewingalot

problemman said:


> Yah I did! And sounds good. We will swap packages


:hihi: :thumbsup:



hoover cichlid man said:


> Looks awesome! I read about plecos and cories since I am setting up a 55 myself. They dig up plants as well as eat some.
> 
> 
> I have before and after pics as well.
> 
> So when I get a chance I will load them. I wanted to ask a question as to where did you get the lids for the tank? I have been wanting to get rid of the lighting and hood that came with it and go with a t5 dual.


Can't wait to see the pictures, cichlid man! I had a pleco that ate my swords, but never had problems with cories. The did uproot my blyxa all the time, though. 

Is it the glass lids you are asking about? I got them here: http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578 3731 3790&pcatid=3790 I don't even use them anymore. I sat on one and broke it when I was cleaning the glass. :icon_redf Don't set glass on your bed or chairs. LOL.



Karackle said:


> i'll be interested to see how the plants look in a week after a week with 4 lights back on and EI dosing. roud:
> 
> Will we still be hearing from you this week while you're with your brother? And if I remember correctly it's his microscope you borrowed for the BBA experiment, so I'm hoping for more pictures! :biggrin: (i'll go check that thread to see if you mentioned anything :hihi


I'm going to be good and start out with 2 lights. I'll turn off the set when I go over there today. I figured, why not? Another experiment to see if lower lights are actually all I need to grow plants nicely. 

Yep, I'm going to pick up some samples at home, too. He's going to let me use it this time. Last time, he took the pictures.


----------



## Karackle

Hahahaha well experiment away then my friend! I look forward to seeing your results regardless! :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

Since I have no journal for this one and I've posted it here before, here is my 20 gallon. Really bad picture, but it's sufficient for my needs.:










It's totally needing work, but I've got some sick fish in the tank (beat up by the recently departed betta) and I'm not messing around with it until they heal up a bit more. The sponge filter stays in here in order for me to set up an emergency quarantine, so I need to find a plant to hide in front of it.


----------



## problemman

Soon you will...wednesday or thursday.


----------



## sewingalot

:bounce: I had to hook up a couple HOB to this tank to up the filtration. I'm not crazy about low tech tanks. They take soooo long to grow in.


----------



## problemman

Amen!


----------



## malaybiswas

Ok, now I get it. I saw your other thread as well but did not correlate the two. Good experiment. I am also playing around with nutrient dosing right now, so this is very informational. 

Btw, just call me Malay


----------



## sewingalot

Hey Malay,

It finally occurred to me you were suggesting how to make my plants look better. Sometimes I'm a little dense.  Yeah, this was for the experiment and I was just griping. I am still grumbling about deciding to go down to two bulbs while the tank recovers and I try out the EI (yet again) to fix it all. But thanks for the help. I can always use it for future references. :thumbsup:


----------



## problemman

Sara your package is going out tomorrow! And there is a surprise you will need to be home for!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks Brad! How is the weather up there? I have your plants, but no heat pack.


----------



## problemman

weather is going to be great for shipping tomorrow! in the 50's im sending your surprise with a 10 hour heat pack to get it out of ohio lol they will be fine but i hope you have room for them! lol im sending you a pm


----------



## sewingalot

I'll pick up another box when I'm at the PO tomorrow and ship your plants first thing Tuesday.


----------



## problemman

sounds good to me!


----------



## H82LOS3

Nice driftwood u got there :icon_mrgr
It looks like a cave lol



sewingalot said:


> Since I have no journal for this one and I've posted it here before, here is my 20 gallon. Really bad picture, but it's sufficient for my needs.:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's totally needing work, but I've got some sick fish in the tank (beat up by the recently departed betta) and I'm not messing around with it until they heal up a bit more. The sponge filter stays in here in order for me to set up an emergency quarantine, so I need to find a plant to hide in front of it.


----------



## problemman

H82LOS3 said:


> Nice driftwood u got there :icon_mrgr
> It looks like a cave lol


Lmao that's obvious :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

problemman said:


> Lmao that's obvious :hihi:


H82LO3's commenting about a pm I sent this past week. I brought that driftwood off H and I pm'd recently that I made a cave out of it unintentionally. All's well, it's in jest. roud:


----------



## problemman

I like it lol


sewingalot said:


> H82LO3's commenting about a pm I sent this past week. I brought that driftwood off H and I pm'd recently that I made a cave out of it unintentionally. All's well, it's in jest. roud:


----------



## sewingalot

I need to take down one of the tanks. Would you take down a 10 or 20 gallon if you had to choose. Part of me is thinking the 20 would be more stable, but the other part off me thinks I could turn the 20 into an emersed setup. Any suggestions, Brad?


----------



## problemman

I like the height and the foot print of a 20 more the ten you could de rim and wabi kusa it or start a emmersed setup with it using very shallow water


----------



## sewingalot

True, you have a point there. I'm going to give this some thought. I do have better light fixtures for the 20.


----------



## rekles75

Its Been a while ..... Its good to see the Suga Shack still going!


----------



## Karackle

I suppose it also depends WHY you are taking a tank down and which tank fulfills that requirement. 

Also, I like the 20m but you know me, I love the jungle look! :biggrin: 

Also, if you take down a low light tank and can't figure out what to do with the plants, I'll take them :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

rekles75 said:


> Its Been a while ..... Its good to see the Suga Shack still going!


Rekles, my man! I am so glad to see you on the forum! I've missed you. Are you visiting or planning on staying? I hope the latter. I miss your tanks and conversations.



Karackle said:


> I suppose it also depends WHY you are taking a tank down and which tank fulfills that requirement.
> 
> Also, I like the 20m but you know me, I love the jungle look! :biggrin:
> 
> Also, if you take down a low light tank and can't figure out what to do with the plants, I'll take them :hihi:


I'm wanting to clear out some space (and time spent with maintenance) so I can get my sewing stuff put back together now that one of our rooms is almost finished with the repairs. It was nice to hear the wind blowing this weekend and not cringing over the house making scary noises from the water damage. One more room to fix, and then it'll just be a few walls after that. I am hoping it'll get repaired in the next couple of years and I'll be around to see it. Of course, money is an object of prevention. 

Actually, I do have some plants for you, I sent you a pm if you are seriously wanting them.  I'm leaning toward the 20, but the filtration sucks on this tank, so I would probably be wise to keep the 10. Either way, I'm clearing out a bunch of plants, so if you want them, they are yours.

Speaking of plants, Brad - yours were shipping yesterday morning.


----------



## problemman

Alright! Can't wait! He speaking if people that we have not seen in a while but where in the hell had oogly been?!


----------



## sewingalot

That is a very good point! I knew he was planning on moving someday in the near future, but I miss him. Oh, wow. It's 4 in the morning. I need to try and force myself to sleep. I'm going with my mom to a doctors appointment in just a few hours.


----------



## lauraleellbp

sewingalot said:


> I need to take down one of the tanks. Would you take down a 10 or 20 gallon if you had to choose. Part of me is thinking the 20 would be more stable, but the other part off me thinks I could turn the 20 into an emersed setup. Any suggestions, Brad?


If I had to take down a tank it should definitely be the smallest one IMHO.

Then you can use the 10gal and covert it to a vivarium for a Crested Gecko. 

[yes I'm totally obsessed with them these days- they're so CUTE!]


----------



## dewalltheway

sewingalot said:


> Oh, wow. It's 4 in the morning. I need to try and force myself to sleep. I'm going with my mom to a doctors appointment in just a few hours.


Sara....do you ever sleep??? Go get some zzz's


----------



## Karackle

LauralLee - Crested Geckos ARE SO CUTE!!! I totally agree with you! I miss my little Squishy.  I would love to get another but I just don't have the time / $$ right now. Alas. 

Sara - you could always use the filter from the 10g as secondary filtration for the 20g maybe, if that's the one you'd prefer to keep running. But if you'd prefer getting more space back (and if the 10 is less maintenance) then that would probably your best bet. 

Thanks again for the plants too! :hihi: I DO need a few in the 5 and 10 and the 30 could use some more greenery too. It's looking sort of sad right now :tongue:


----------



## problemman

I have always wanted a gargoyle gecko!


----------



## sewingalot

You are obsessed with those guys, Laura. You want a spare tank? 

Poor Kara's Squishy...He was a cutie pie. 

The one thing that appeals to me about keeping the 10 gallon is the fact less water to change, but the 20 would be more stable. Unfortunately, the 10 is filtered with a sponge filter only and the 20 is way under filtered. I was thinking I may just turn it into a moss only tank with shrimp. Then again, this could be my algae scape.....:icon_twis



dewalltheway said:


> Sara....do you ever sleep??? Go get some zzz's


Nope. I average about 2 - 2 1/2 hours a day. Usually crash a week or so from utter exhaustion. My mind never wants to shut down. House is clean, though. :biggrin:



problemman said:


> I have always wanted a gargoyle gecko!


Uh-oh, Brad's hooked, too. I used to have a newt, toad, box turtle and iguana as a kid. Some got released back into the wild when my mom found out, one died (Mr. Spot the toad. ) and the iguana got a new home when I moved to college. Right now we have fish, dogs and cats.

Plants and FEESHIES came in today from Brad from the trade!! Thanks! Totally wasn't expecting the wealth of plants. I felt like it was my birthday. :red_mouth

I got a bunch of lyretail mollies and a few guppy fry. The 'suga shack will be really back.' roud: Speaking of which, I wonder how fastfreddie is doing??

Here's the plant list provided by him (thankfully as I would have never known):

Ludwigia senegalensis (going in the 15 gallon)
Hygrophila balsamica
Hygrophila odora
Hygrophilia ceylon
Hygrophilia bold (seeing a them here, lol)
Staurogyne sp Bihar
Cyptocoryne green gecko (eat your heart out)
Nymphaea lotus 'red' (my absolute favoritist)
Pogostemon stellatus 'braodleaf'
Macaya fluviatus
Hydrocotyle verticillata
Echinodorus 'Kleiner Bar'
Echniodorus 'Flame'
Alternanthera reineckii 'Rosaefolia'
Polygonum sp. Sau Paulo
Syngonanthus sp 'manus' (going in the 15 gallon)
Tonia fluviatilis (15 gallon)

So for anyone wanting to know where Brad's collectoritis went......:hihi: I'm going to have lots to do the next couple of days finding room for it all. I'll post pictures in a few days once I get it planted and it has a chance to settle in from the trip.


----------



## problemman

Glad your happy.I'm happy to finally share plants with you and rid my tanks lol more of that to come this weekend as well


----------



## Karackle

Wow, Sara, you weren't kidding the "dutch" in Brad's tank really does appear to have gone to you! :hihi: 

Can't wait to see the new plants in action in YOUR tank. Oh, and the fishies! You know I always love pics of FEEESHEEEEEEEES!!!! :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Yeah, I'm like going - What the??? There is so many plants! I'm going to be looking for hiding spots for them all. You want one of the two crypts? I figured that way if I kill it, you can give me some back. :biggrin: Did I tell you that I called back Brad to cuss at him for sending me back riccia? LOL


----------



## problemman

Lmao! Yes she did with her twang voice lol I'll call you later but I will txt first to see if your still up lol


----------



## Karackle

HAHAHAHAHA awesome! And sure, I'll take some crypts! :hihi: What kind? LOL (like how i said yes and THEN asked what kind?) :hihi: 

So you don't like riccia then?


----------



## sewingalot

problemman said:


> Lmao! Yes she did with her twang voice lol I'll call you later but I will txt first to see if your still up lol


You're just jealous you don't have my beautiful accent. Don't worry. I can teach you how to speak like me. You gotta admit I make latin sound smolderingly......BAD. :eek5:

Kara, I totally said "HM" on the phone and he didn't understand me. I kept trying to say "you, know the letters." Only it came out like this. "ACH E-mm" and "ewee no tha lay-dders." Finally, he was like "Oh, the Letters!" Boy, you city folk sure do them hurry words. :hihi:



Karackle said:


> HAHAHAHAHA awesome! And sure, I'll take some crypts! :hihi: What kind? LOL (like how i said yes and THEN asked what kind?) :hihi:
> 
> I can't tell you the names. I suck at identifying crypts and rotalas. I am lucky I can tell those two apart. LOL. I'll let you figure it out. :icon_wink
> 
> So you don't like riccia then?





Karackle said:


> So you don't like riccia then?


Send me your phone number and I'll tell you what I really think of Reek - ah! :icon_twis


----------



## H82LOS3

sewingalot said:


> H82LO3's commenting about a pm I sent this past week. I brought that driftwood off H and I pm'd recently that I made a cave out of it unintentionally. All's well, it's in jest. roud:


Lol yes that, glad u liked it Sarah :thumbsup:
Btw nice tanks!


----------



## Karackle

HAHAHAHAHAHA i am dying laughing over here!!! I LOVE how you spelled out the way you pronounce everything, I can totally hear it now! I have this great little movie in my brain of you guys talking and not understanding each other and it's hilarious :hihi:

reek-ah! HAHAHAHAHAHA seriously, the dude at the desk next to me is looking at me funny :help: :icon_lol:


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, H82Los3. You'd love them now. All the tanks are in pretty sad looking shape. I keep telling myself I need to work on them. Yet I keep finding other things to do. Perhaps when I ship off plants on Saturday, I'll get motivated. :hihi:

Kara, I think Brad will no longer look at my posts the same way again after that.....He'll probably have difficulty reading them without that twang. :biggrin: I may have lost him as a follower.....


----------



## problemman

Nope im still here just planting my glosso that I got. Made the tank dirty! Ugh. I hope this crap grows fast and pretty


----------



## sewingalot

What did I tell you? You have to talk baby talk to your plants if you want them to grow in nicely, not call it crap. :flick:


----------



## lauraleellbp

ROFL!

What we REALLY need to do is get a recording of Sara sweet-talking her plants into growing, patent it, and sell it. :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

After abusing my plants, I have to be nice to them again. I was TRYING to talk to Brad's plant, but he wouldn't put the phone up to it's ear. So I told him what I'd say to the little baby stems. :hihi:


----------



## problemman

Omg! I'm dieing over here!


----------



## sewingalot

"He's going be a strong baby plant isn't he? Such a small little tyke, but if he eats his nutrients and baths in sunlight, he'll grow up tall and full of leaves. Such a cute widdle guy...."


----------



## Karackle

HAHAHAHAHAHA hilarious! My stomach hurts from laughing so much!

And LauraLee, I totally agree, I think that is exactly what needs to be done! So Sara....if you call me later, just ignore that clicking noise....i'm totally not recording you :hihi: 

I haven't actually spoken to you on the phone, but now I definitely read your posts with a a lovely southern twang 

Oh and I bet my betta is baby talking his little crypt into growing in his cave :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

He totally is. I saw that betta's mouth singing a lullaby. Hahaha, clicking noise. If you wanna hear my voice, I'll call you. But only if you learn how to properly pronounce appalachia at the end. 

Onto the journal, I am thinking about removing the red rotala and other plants. That lily Brad sent is my new inspiration!


----------



## Karackle

i don't know how to pronounce that anyway so you can teach me 

and i'm really excited to see the lily AND the scape it inspires! :biggrin:


----------



## problemman

Lol my plant is inspirational! Yay!

She said its said like this app-a-lan-chia lol


----------



## chad320

You guys are killing me over here


----------



## problemman

Good chad now you can make a silly remark about something and we can pick back lol


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> i don't know how to pronounce that anyway so you can teach me
> 
> and i'm really excited to see the lily AND the scape it inspires! :biggrin:





problemman said:


> Lol my plant is inspirational! Yay!
> 
> She said its said like this app-a-lan-chia lol


No, no, no! Brad repeat after me: App (as in application) - Puh - Latch (as in a door) - uh (like uh-oh)

App-Pah-Latch-uh. :hihi: Keep trying, you'll get it. roud:



chad320 said:


> You guys are killing me over here


I thought everyone ignored us by now, Chad. LOL. Glad to see someone still listens to us. :icon_bigg


----------



## problemman

Lol I give!


----------



## sewingalot

I'm going to call you and test your new accent.


----------



## problemman

oh no! that means you will keep me up till 6 lol i cant do that!


----------



## chad320

Heres my freind Vince Herman sigin it for you...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8AFruMg5ZI&feature=related


----------



## sewingalot

No worries, Brad. j/king. I'm going to fake sleep in a bit. 

Chad,

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!  I am like totally crying right now. So sad, but so true.....


----------



## problemman

fake sleep!? lol okay will buy that!


----------



## chad320

Sorry  Sad song, great message. You guys need to get some sleep so ill quit checking to see if you replied


----------



## problemman

chad320 said:


> Sorry  Sad song, great message. You guys need to get some sleep so ill quit checking to see if you replied


just for that comment sara i think we should keep going lol :iamwithst


----------



## sewingalot

problemman said:


> just for that comment sara i think we should keep going lol :iamwithst


Me too.



chad320 said:


> Sorry  Sad song, great message. You guys need to get some sleep so ill quit checking to see if you replied


It was beautiful. I am just sad that it's a harsh reality for many of my friends and family to face. Good voice, he must be WVian. Total sexy accent.


----------



## problemman

so..........check the twisted wood thread! lol


----------



## sewingalot

I sent you a bedtime story, Brad. It's about Fred and Julie the frogs.


----------



## problemman

save me now!


----------



## sewingalot

What?????? You DIDN'T like it?!?! It must be the lack of the voices. :hihi:


----------



## chad320

Maybe I could write him a sad and lonesome song on the guitar about my chinese fire belly newts lonesome life. Isaac needs a mate. hes sooooo sad.......


----------



## problemman

lol....i dont want to hear about another frog! lol if i do im going to take pictures of me making frog legs! lol


----------



## sewingalot

Good idea, Chad. He really seems to be enjoying bedtime stories, I think a song would be even better. I posted the frog story in his journal for you. Last night, I told him about the bird that stumped his toe. Yes, stumped. As in stubbed and you can't make me say it any other way. :flick:

And about the Suga Shack - I turned on my four bulbs the last couple days. I couldn't hold out. Looks like my torture experiments are coming to an end......No wonder I keep screwing up the EI method. I'm like a moth to flame. I love my mini sun. :biggrin:


----------



## chad320

I fially wired my lights seperate to make a noon burst for a few hours in the evening when im loking at the tank. They sure are bright but that makes it fun doesnt it?


----------



## problemman

i need to get 4 bulbs


----------



## sewingalot

Great idea. The dear husband (he doesn't know this yet) is going to help me rewire the lights when we move them over to the canopy (it's almost done!!!!). I am thinking maybe just a few hours of all four bulbs will give me the look without having to constantly trim.


----------



## sewingalot

problemman said:


> i need to get 4 bulbs


I don't recommend it, Brad. It's dangerous, it's worse than collectoritis and you start complaining non stop about algae after that. :biggrin:


----------



## problemman

i only want it for the burst of light lol


----------



## sewingalot

Welcome to the dark side.....err bright side. Nite, you too! Behave.


----------



## chad320

:icon_twisWho us? We never do anything....lol:icon_twis


----------



## Karackle

HAHAHAHAHAHA now I'm the one that's dying over here! :icon_lol:

As for the tank.....I can't wait to see the new hood Sara! Good ol' hubby helping you rewire even though he doesn't know that yet :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

He found out that when we got home from dinner I wanted him to wire the hood. He promptly fell asleep on the couch. I threw out all but one branching stem of the rotala macranda red. The experiments really did a number on them. And I really think it didn't appreciate the two bulbs as much as me. I'm going back to my special dosing for this tank and will continue the EI on the 15 for the experimenting. I just really don't feel like giving up my uber lighting. I can't stand to not enjoy this hobby for the sake of silly experiments no one but me really cares about, lol. Maybe later on I'll give it another go. But for now I am going back to the dosing that got me in good graces with my plants.

Okay. TOTALLY FREAKING OUT right now!!!!! There was a stink bug sitting next to me on my cell phone. :help: I shrieked so loud, it woke up the dogs and the husband. I hate the spring. I want my bugless winter back.


----------



## JamesHockey

sewingalot said:


> He found out that when we got home from dinner I wanted him to wire the hood. He promptly fell asleep on the couch. I threw out all but one branching stem of the rotala macranda red. The experiments really did a number on them. And I really think it didn't appreciate the two bulbs as much as me. I'm going back to my special dosing for this tank and will continue the EI on the 15 for the experimenting. I just really don't feel like giving up my uber lighting. I can't stand to not enjoy this hobby for the sake of silly experiments no one but me really cares about, lol. Maybe later on I'll give it another go. But for now I am going back to the dosing that got me in good graces with my plants.
> 
> Okay. TOTALLY FREAKING OUT right now!!!!! There was a stink bug sitting next to me on my cell phone. :help: I shrieked so loud, it woke up the dogs and the husband. I hate the spring. I want my bugless winter back.


Lolzzzzz


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


----------



## problemman

Forget winter I can handle the bugs!

And I care


----------



## sewingalot

Don't anyone call, text or email me for the next 8 hours. I am totally spraying my phone down with Lysol and going to bed to hide. Oh, crud.....What if they are in the bed, too?!? :help: I literally have chills....


----------



## Karackle

I care about your experiments, but if they're making you stress about the hobby instead of enjoy it, they probably aren't worth it  

Hope you got some sleep!


----------



## problemman

Kara don't forget about our three way later. Ugh I mean phone call lol


----------



## Karackle

Hahahaha I haven't forgotten.....but tomorrow is better.....we're going out for dinner and a movie this evening


----------



## problemman

I will let you slide one more day lol


----------



## Karackle

hahahaha sounds good, i appreciate it! :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Do I need to moderate you two? PG - Brad....PG....

Kara, I couldn't seperate some of the plants from the manzanita, so you are getting the whole thing, lol. It only cost 8.95 and I only had to open the box 3 different times to keep putting in *#%#@ I kept forgetting about. Couldn't tear the tank down completely, though. I found four platy juvies in the tank, so I left a bit of riccia and moss and some driftwood until I find a place for them. My 55 is already stocked to the max. And the other two tanks have shrimp. :help:

Guess what?!? I slept for 5.5 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Tex Gal

sewingalot said:


> No clue what this is:


Sara- I think this plant is Nymphoides sp Taiwan. or Nymphoides sp minima. Look it up and see what you think. Spadderdock doesn't have such a thin branch so far as I know.

Ludiwigia arcuata is a nutrient hog. If it doesn't get consistent unlimited ferts it will melt away. I've never had excel hurt it. Is there a supply of unlimited nutirents all the time. That may be the issue.

Just stopped in to say "HI!"


----------



## sewingalot

It's Nymphoides sp Taiwan. for sure! Thanks for the id. Once I went back to csm+b from millers, it stopped melting. I think it was a lack of iron or too much copper. But, I don't have the problem now, so I'm happy. Oh, HI back!

Oh, wow. I just got on the scale for the first time in months and I've gained some major weight. I think it is time to put down the tweezers and put on the ol' workout clothes. If I go missing for a while, you all will know why at least. 

I know, this has nothing to do with fish tanks, but I felt like sharing.


----------



## sewingalot

Hahahaha! After the experiments I've done recently, This tank is a disaster. So I got brutal and started trimming it a bit aggressively. I can't stand just two lights, so I'm cheating and turned on all four for four hours. (Say that 10 times fast). Didn't learn a thing from this, did I? :icon_wink So onto the evidence:




























Look, Brad new leaves on the plants you sent!













































and it looks like the other sword plant will recover!









UG found it's way in this tank....









Rotala looks like crap, lets see what the lighting will do for me:









I found some shrimp in my tank:









Lindernia sprouting new stems:


















Clinopodium is not liking me still. This one is going to take a little more time to recover:









Bacopa still balking a bit:









This bacopa is happy, though:


















Male guppy showing off:









Very gravid female guppy









Some of the new fish from Brad:

<There would be a picture here if any of them would hold still for me! If you look in the FTS, you'll see some yellow blurs - that's some of them>

Trimmed the rotalas back pretty harshly. They are already starting to send up babies:









Just an FYI, when I dosed iron at 1/2 teaspoon, the hair algae exploded in my tank. Not a cause and effect relationship, for sure, but a nice correlation here. The snail doesn't mind one bit:









Just because this is my new inspiration for the tank:


----------



## speedie408

All of your plants look very healthy except the r. macrandra. I don't see any algae at all... Nice job Sara.


----------



## malaybiswas

sewingalot said:


> Hahahaha! After the experiments I've done recently, This tank is a disaster. So I got brutal and started trimming it a bit aggressively. I can't stand just two lights, so I'm cheating and turned on all four for four hours. (Say that 10 times fast). Didn't learn a thing from this, did I? :icon_wink So onto the evidence]


The evidence looks pretty promising Sara


----------



## sewingalot

speedie408 said:


> All of your plants look very healthy except the r. macrandra. I don't see any algae at all... Nice job Sara.


The algae is there, it's just the r. macranda is so pitiful looking that you don't notice it. :biggrin: Seriously, I don't know why I saw I have a lot of algae. I really think if you gathered it all up including what is on the glass right now, it wouldn't take up a square inch. I'm just a perfectionist, I suppose. 



malaybiswas said:


> The evidence looks pretty promising Sara


I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the state of the tank to tell you the truth. I wanted to trim more, but I was afraid of stressing out the fish. I figured I'll work on the lindernia next few days or so. I'm debating about putting in some hornwort temporarily until things balance out more.


----------



## funkyfish

Your plants look so good! I'm jealous it seems that I can't grow much in my 55g.
But I hope since my bubble/gassy problem seems better I can grow more plants soon, and maybe it also means that my tank is finally settled, maybe it's just needed little more time :hihi: The good thing is that my crypts are doing great *knocks on wood* so that's what I will be going with for now.

Again love your tank so green and nice!


----------



## funkyfish

problemman said:


> Kara don't forget about our three way later. Ugh I mean phone call lol


Oh my LOL I been missing out on a lot of fun I see :hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

really like it. algae & all.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, guys. Funky, you can always pm me as my plants are your plants.  I hope the plants made it to Kara alright, speaking of which. Here is the 20 gallon in it's last few moments of existence. I've got to find a home for these platy fish. I am about to put them in the 55 until I can find a place for them. Only, I am afraid I'll feel sorry for them and keep them. Which, let's be honest, that's totally going to happen sooner or later.


----------



## lauraleellbp

Algae schmalgae. Until you've got enough to stuff a pillowcase with it, you haint got none (I speak from experience, yes?) :icon_lol:



You left out the most important update, though- what happened to the stinkbug?


----------



## funkyfish

sewingalot said:


> Thanks, guys. Funky, you can always pm me as my plants are your plants.  I hope the plants made it to Kara alright, speaking of which. Here is the 20 gallon in it's last few moments of existence. I've got to find a home for these platy fish. I am about to put them in the 55 until I can find a place for them. Only, I am afraid I'll feel sorry for them and keep them. Which, let's be honest, that's totally going to happen sooner or later.


Thanks Sara! I <3 you! ( I feel cool now that I know what "<3" means LOL)
I will let you know, I want to wait for a warmer weather and see how the crypts that I will be getting next week will do first  
Do platies breed like crazy?


----------



## sewingalot

You'd know, wouldn't you Laura? :hihi: Seriously, have you seen the 15 gallon? There is some great algae in that one. 

I moved the four platy fish into the 55 (yeah, I'm a sucker). I'm really sad as they look awful. I didn't know they were in the tank, so they've been only eating what little algae and maybe snails/critters? Poor things look hungrier than a super model. I fed them all blood worms and I hope they'll recover. I am such a bad fish mother. I'm still trying to figure out how they didn't get moved over. My only guess is the fact they were babies and were hiding until I started moving plants around.

Funkyfish, platies breed faster than guppies in my experience. 

Oh, the stinkbug......I caught him under the saran wrap and wrapped that in a paper towel and then wrapped that in a grocery bag and that in a ziplock baggy. The husband called me cruel and promptly rescued the stinker and put him safely in the dogwood tree. Later, I found one sitting next to me on the phone and after screaming like a little girl, he was rescued and placed outdoors in the tulips. I am really not liking these critters.



funkyfish said:


> Thanks Sara! I <3 you! ( I feel cool now that I know what "<3" means LOL)


Oh, yeah I felt cool, too. Like how did I make it this many years without knowing?!?


----------



## SkyGrl

those stinkbug are seemingly attracted to you... i say get a misquito one piece suit and live in it until they go away!!! it would be easier to catch fish lol


----------



## chad320

What kind of stinkbug are you talking about? The kind that look like ladybugs? With all of the corn and bean fields around here we have lots of those. In the fall they swarm your house by the 100s.


----------



## rekles75

sewingalot said:


> Funkyfish, platies breed faster than guppies in my experience.



I 2nd , 3rd, and 4th that statement. lol.


----------



## problemman

chad320 said:


> What kind of stinkbug are you talking about? The kind that look like ladybugs? With all of the corn and bean fields around here we have lots of those. In the fall they swarm your house by the 100s.


That's disgusting lol


----------



## sewingalot

rekles75 said:


> I 2nd , 3rd, and 4th that statement. lol.


And you would know more than me. Do you still have your platy fish?

This is the bug I am talking about: http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/brown-marmorated-stink-bug So when you guys get up the nerve, feel free to click on that link. And let this serve as a good reminder as to what happens when a non-native species invades an area. :frown:

Amy, bugs in general love me. My family calls me the human bug spray. All they have to do to keep bugs away from them is to ask me to come outside. :eek5: I've tried everything, but they still find me irresistible even with that awful Deet spray. I'm that full of it. :icon_cool


----------



## lauraleellbp

sewingalot said:


> Oh, the stinkbug......I caught him under the saran wrap and wrapped that in a paper towel and then wrapped that in a grocery bag and that in a ziplock baggy. The husband called me cruel and promptly rescued the stinker and put him safely in the dogwood tree. Later, I found one sitting next to me on the phone and after screaming like a little girl, he was rescued and placed outdoors in the tulips. I am really not liking these critters.


ROFL!!! See, she thought you were giving her a special spa sauna treatment with all those wraps, and came back for another!


----------



## sewingalot

Possibly. My husband was laughing at me. These bugs are like SUPER SLOW. There are harmless to non-plant life and there only defense is the smell when squished or scared. But still, when I see one, it's like I am looking at a skunk raising its tail.


----------



## funkyfish

Ok so no platies for my tank LOL I was thinking of getting some but I don't want a fast reproducing fish  

And I shouldn't have clicked on the link with the bug, I am itching all over now LOL I hate bugs the only ones I am cool with is spiders but only because they eat other bugs


----------



## sewingalot

I warned you, lol. If you ever want to see one in person, feel free to come down in the spring and beginning of winter. 

Yeah, if you don't want little bunnies, stay away from platy fish. I find them in my filter every month.


----------



## problemman

I can't get platies to breed for nothing lol I got a ton of american white guppies though


----------



## sewingalot

I told you, Brad. You've gotta talk to your fish like they are little cute puppy dogs.


----------



## sewingalot

Okay, so I am starting to think I need to re-think this four bulb thing. Turns out that my other timer (same brand as the last one that failed....and not even 5 months later) is now acting up. 

Due to having a severe allergic reaction and being sick all night/day, this is the first time I've been home in the same room with the tank for the entire lighting period in months. I discovered the lights are randomly turning off mid cycle for around four hours. I'm surprised that the plants are even growing with such a low time for the lights to be on. Since it looks like I will be home a few days do to this; I am going to watch the cycle for a few days. If the timer is still turning off, I am going to plug back in my old non-digital timer. And since this is happening, I am going back to two bulbs once I plug in the other timer. Gotta give the lower light method a fair chance.

Just an update so that I personally can come back and reference in future months.


----------



## chad320

If you use a splitter plug you can have 2 on for 10 hours and all four on for 3-4 hours. Two timers. One extention cord.


----------



## Centromochlus

SUGGGA SUGGGA SUGGGA SHACK
Baahahahahaahaha

You wanna sell me some lindernia sp. 'india' Sara?
I luvs you for ever!


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> If you use a splitter plug you can have 2 on for 10 hours and all four on for 3-4 hours. Two timers. One extention cord.


I don't know if it's because I am sick or if the new medicine (which I suspect is causing the allergic reaction) that is causing my brain to go......what?  I'll have to read this again tomorrow. Thanks for the tip, I am sure it'll make since tomorrow.



AzFishKid said:


> SUGGGA SUGGGA SUGGGA SHACK
> Baahahahahaahaha
> 
> You wanna sell me some lindernia sp. 'india' Sara?
> I luvs you for ever!


Oh, Philip! IF you would have asked me this on Friday! I just sent almost all (I kept one branching stem) of it to Cardinal Tetra! Shoot him a pm or if you want to wait a while, I'll have more in a month or so.


----------



## chad320

Whoa! Did we just catch the grammar police spelling sense as since? Oh boy.....:hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> Whoa! Did we just catch the grammar police spelling sense as since? Oh boy.....:hihi:


Why do I hear people cheering you right now? :eek5: I have a feeling nonconductive will _love _this comment. I should totally pm him this just to make his day.

I told you I was sick! (You should totally see what I write, it is so grammatically incorrect, you'd giggle like a girl.)

ROFLOL - I'll give you a 10.9/10 for that one. :thumbsup: Have you been taking lessons from Glenn? 


And for the record, I am not as retentive as I used to be after reading both sides and seeing how pretentious I sounded (which was not my intent).


----------



## problemman

sewingalot said:


> Why do I hear people cheering you right now? :eek5: I have a feeling nonconductive will _love _this comment. I should totally pm him this just to make his day.
> 
> I told you I was sick! (You should totally see what I write, it is so grammatically incorrect, you'd giggle like a girl.)
> 
> ROFLOL - I'll give you a 10.9/10 for that one. :thumbsup: Have you been taking lessons from Glenn?
> 
> 
> And for the record, I am not as retentive as I used to be after reading both sides and seeing how pretentious I sounded (which was not my intent).


huh? Lol


----------



## nonconductive

hmmmm lol


----------



## sewingalot

Pm Brad, he'll tell you he was being a bad poster or gripe about me.....if he even remembers last night, lol.


----------



## Karackle

crazy about the timers. so you're going with just the 2 bulbs for now?


----------



## chad320

*cough* Where did you go? I hope you are using this time to take us some new pictures  Haha, lets spam Sara for pics now:hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

yea how about some pics....


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> crazy about the timers. so you're going with just the 2 bulbs for now?


Yeah. I've been a bad girl and turned on all four lights today when I was sitting in front of the tank for an hour staring blankly after getting that stupid medication at the dr.'s this after noon. It was so sparkly!!! The husband is not going to wire up the second set of lights until I learn to behave. We are moving the canopy on this weekend. He told me I need to stop trying to fix all the imperfections or I am going to keep sanding until there is just air. I am married to a comedian. :angryfire :icon_mrgr So, I need to pick up new hinges (the ones I want (hidden) won't work due to poor planning by yours truly. Oh well, we live and learn. I'm going to go as far as to say it isn't terrible.



chad320 said:


> *cough* Where did you go? I hope you are using this time to take us some new pictures  Haha, lets spam Sara for pics now:hihi:





nonconductive said:


> yea how about some pics....


Chad, wouldn't you like to know?  I found a new hobby - sleeping! In fact, I slept like 4 1/2 hours or so this time (only woke up three times during, a record) My mommy came and got me to go to the dr and they both agreed I needed sleep, so she tucked me into her bed, told me her bedtime story about the frogs and dared me to move out of that bed before I got some sleep. Yes, I am 30 and yes, I am still scared of my Mom! I come from the generation when corporal punishment was in style. :help:

I can give you pictures, but I am actually about to raid the tank for plants to send to a fellow hobbyist. So it'll be a mess if you really want them. But it'll have to wait until the evening as I am about to start the day all over again. (I've been up since 9 pm or so and can't sleep since my afternoon nap, figures) I figured I might as well cook breakfast...I am letting the biscuits rise as we speak, before I have to go over to my mom's to help her out. (She's going to be furious when she finds out I didn't sleep.)

Here is my current state of mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aepBpZ3kXek&feature=related

So please forgive me if I make no sense. (Chad is that the right one?) Apparently for those of you who have wondered if insomnia really starts messing with your brain if it lasts long enough now know the answer. Mr Sandman where are you???? I think he's  on the job.


----------



## chad320

You make perfect sense. And now you are scarring me


----------



## problemman

I want some of that southern cooking lol


----------



## sewingalot

*My algae is showing....*



chad320 said:


> You make perfect sense. And now you are scarring me


You should be scared. Not really, lol....I'm harmless, I promise.

I've been avoiding TPT today. Medications don't react well with me. I actually went for a wade in the Ohio River during a flood. :confused1: It's been an interesting day....



problemman said:


> I want some of that southern cooking lol


I don't cook it but twice a year. Too bad for you.  I prefer spicy foods.

Here's the pictures. Don't blame me for the bad pictures, either. You should be careful what you ask for. :tongue:

You 'otto' know by now to not ask for pictures from me when I've been tinkering around with lights.


















Sidenote - Kara, here is one of my now almost empty tanks I shipped to you with Chad's pretty painted reds playing.









OT - but does your fingernail paint chip this easily when working with the tanks? I am a sad gal. Okay, focusing on the tank (I promise)!

I took a picture of the rotalas that were starting to send off nice shoots and then shipped them off to a fellow member:









Does this look crooked to you? I'm not sure.....









Limno wavy (my only stem)









mu









bacopa sp from lauralee!



























bacopa salzmannii (or however that is spelled)









Look at the same plant in the 15 (higher light)









HM is not happy from my light tinkerings, but the algae is!










True pearling:









Brad's donations are doing well:













































Fisheys from Brad (platy is mine)




























One of the starving artists.



























More plants:
Rotala is improving somewhat









So is the clinopodium brownei




































Still wishing I shared pictures? :tongue:


----------



## problemman

I so want some of the red bacopa! Looking good sara!


----------



## sewingalot

It's actually purple, it looks red because of the cloud of algae on the glass. I'll try to get a better picture in a few days when the algae clears up more.


----------



## Wingsdlc

What is the floating plant in the picture labeled: 
Limno wavy (my only stem)

Is it fuzzy?


----------



## sewingalot

It is salvinia minima. It has little spiky hairs on it and yes, it is fuzzy. It's my favorite floater.


----------



## Karackle

Ok first thing, I think everyone remains afraid of their own mother forever! :hihi: And second, those macro shots of the snail and oto are AWESOME! you've gotten amazingly good at that! :biggrin: and a lot of the plants shots are good too! I'm mucho impressedo 

I'm SO excited to hear your canopy is almost done, I can't wait to see it!!! :biggrin:

oh and yes, my nail polish chips in about 8 seconds when working on tanks :tongue:


----------



## sewingalot

Kara, you're too cute. I just <3 you! :icon_mrgr I usually have my face pressed up to the tank, so the macros are pretty much a result of that. I wish I could figure out the settings on this new camera, though. The pictures have a strange hue to them.

Yeah, this canopy is not my friend......I have to use another kind of hinge again! And the only ones I could find that will work are.....well ugly. :icon_conf I got the blasted canopy sitting on the dining room table trying to decide whether or not to abandon the idea......again. I'll probably put it up for shear stubbornness at this point, though.

(At least I am not the only one with fingernail polish issues. )

Oh, and I've successfully made it 3 days without four bulbs. 25 more to go to break a habit. roud:


----------



## Wingsdlc

sewingalot said:


> It is salvinia minima. It has little spiky hairs on it and yes, it is fuzzy. It's my favorite floater.


Thank you! I was gifted this plant a couple of months ago. Much easier to control than duckweed. It is starting to grow pretty fast in my 75G now so it might end up just as bad.


----------



## Karackle

OH is salvinia minima the floater entangled in the plants you sent me too?! I put it in the 5g, I was a little nervous it might grow way too fast if it was something else, but there's a lot of algae in that tank so I figured a small reduction in light wouldn't be a bad thing  I have to top off that tank every couple of days anyway, so pulling out floaters then will be easy enough :biggrin: 

I think you should definitely put the canopy on, you can always change the hinges later if you find better ones, but it sounds like you've put too much energy into the thing to abandon it!

Also, I don't think the pictures have a funny hue, not to my eye anyway. And the macros are definitely FANTASTIC! What kind of camera is it if you don't mind my asking?


----------



## sewingalot

Salvinia Minima is a fast grower, but nothing like duckweed. Very easy to remove completely from your tank. I usually throw away all of it but a piece here and there once ever few months.

Here is the canopy. It definitely looks better in the house than the modern light fixture, but the rest of the tank looks funky now. :icon_conf I'm actually kinda liking it and looking forward to getting rid of that bright glare the other light throws off in all directions. 

Oh, the camera is just a cheap point and shoot canon. Literally, it was the cheapest one. One day when I am rich, I am going to buy a DSLR and a famous photographer to take pictures for me.

My co2 is running near the end of it's life, the drop checker is showing blue green and the plants are starting to distort. I figured I'll let it go a little longer in order to get some pictures for my deficiency thread. Then I can pretend I did this on purpose. roud:


----------



## chad320

Wow!! Nice pics Sara!! The salzmanii is looking great. IDK why I ever got rid of mine? Im in need of a few stems for a new project soon so ill keep this plant in mind. Everything in your tank looks pretty healthy


----------



## sewingalot

We can do a trade on some peacock moss for the bacopa when you want some (just give me a few weeks cuz Cardinal got all but three stems).


----------



## chad320

For sure. Ive got a 29g FULL of it.


----------



## sewingalot

Awesome. I am so needing some moss. I think peacock is by far the prettiest. I wonder if that's why they call it peacock moss? Hmm.....


----------



## Karackle

i checked out the thread for your hood, I dig it! 

Am I subscribed to your deficiency thread? I'll have to go check it so i can make sure to check out your newest project :hihi: :tongue:

that's a good point and shoot! i thought my nikon was good but your canon blows it out of the water i think! i've actually been _slightly_ disappointed with my new ("new" it was my birthday present Jan 2010 i think) camera, I actually thing my old nikon took better macro pictures. Unfortunately, when she got me the new camera for my birthday, i gave my mom my old one so i can't use it for macros. alas. :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

So you don't think the canopy thing is too bad? I am torn. I hated Nikon. I actually had that first and took it back (don't tell Earl, lol). They are both blue, so he didn't notice. (But now everyone else knows.) IDK if you are on that thread. I'll get some pictures of the co2 issues and send you a link if you like when I do. You just reminded me, I haven't checked on the BBA thread. 

My old camera was crushed due to my stupidity, lol. But it still sorta takes pictures. You just get two options, like the old 35mm ones.

Does anyone want to come over and disable my heater for me? It's like 70 in here and the boy is sweating me out. Grumble.


----------



## Karackle

No I think the canopy looks good! Too much work to not use it! And if you do make a stand for it (or even a facade to go over the current stand) it'll really pull it together roud:

I LOVED my last nikon, if you look at some of the very early pics of my 30g you can see the macro shots I got of my bamboo shrimp and my RCS and some other little fishies, and I think they were MUCH better than my new camera. But that one was so good, I wanted to stay with nikon because they usually make a really good product! Ah well....

also, 70 is way too hot inside. if I knew how to disable a heater i'd do it for ya :tongue:


----------



## lauraleellbp

70 is hot? I'm freezing when it's 70 inside!

Total threadjack- can Sara hit 8k posts before I hit 20k?


----------



## Karackle

I think it depends.....70 when the AC is on feels cold, 70 when the heat is on feels warm....isn't it weird how that happens? At least it seems that way to me! 

And I think the race is on! (but Sara might beat you unless you do a lot of really fast posts! :hihi also....20k?! holy moly! is that a record? :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

lauraleellbp said:


> 70 is hot? I'm freezing when it's 70 inside!
> 
> Total threadjack- can Sara hit 8k posts before I hit 20k?


Nope. I am going to start getting people to ask you a ton of questions so you hit it first. And I am just going to sit here quietly until you do. (Unless PMs count, then I am in trouble, ROFL)



Karackle said:


> I think it depends.....70 when the AC is on feels cold, 70 when the heat is on feels warm....isn't it weird how that happens? At least it seems that way to me!
> 
> And I think the race is on! (but Sara might beat you unless you do a lot of really fast posts! :hihi also....20k?! holy moly! is that a record? :biggrin:


I hate the heat. It is finally down to a lovely 65 in the house. He will turn it down before bedtime. Maybe that's why I stay up all night? To enjoy the cool air. :icon_idea

Laura, we should tell everyone that our posts helps keep TPT on the top of the search engine. :hihi: That way we look helpful in many ways. :thumbsup:


----------



## lauraleellbp

Sara!!! Oh Saraaaaaaaa... Where did you go? Are you sleeping? 

Why are you torturing yourself this way? You KNOW you want to post some more... you know you can't resist... :flick:


----------



## Karackle

hahahaha well hopefully she is sleeping! I think the better question is LauraLee - why didn't you make 30 posts last night? :hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

She's too funny!

I guess I'd better get busy posting so she can come back! (I got stuff to do this afternoon, though!)

Sara, I misssss youuuuuu!


----------



## Karackle

You only need 20 more posts, you can do that in a snap! :hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

spam4


OK Sara- all yours now!!! ROFL!!!!

I'll delete my spammers after I get back...


----------



## sewingalot

I am victorious!










Boy, I thought I was going to explode the last couple hours. :hihi:


----------



## Karackle

HAHAHAHAHAHA well done ladies! Well done indeed :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

You know what I was thinking? It would be really quiet around here without Wasserpest, Laura and me.  You all might actually talk about just plants. 

Speaking of plants, I am having a hard time finding a place to fill up my co2! The place I've been using is now closed down, and the other place took over a week to fill the co2 last time. I've been calling around and the closest I've found is Charleston or Ashland (like 45 minutes + away) and they want a good day. This stinks.

Also, I am not so sure I am liking the tank. This two bulb thing is working great and it irritates me that I was wrong......again. :hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

Sucks about your CO2. I remember hearing something about fire stations doing it or keeping a list of places that do it or something like that a while back...?


----------



## Karackle

It would most definitely be quiet, and quite boring around here without you 3!!! 

That really stinks about the CO2! What the heck?! I can't believe the only good place closed down! GRRRRR  :angryfire

And yes, our human egos have a tendency to get in the way of enjoying things that work when it means we were wrong :hihi: On the plus side, I'm glad the 2 lights seem to be working!


----------



## sewingalot

The other place is a fire place. They are the ones that take over a week. At this rate, I'm going to be rigging up the ol' DIY co2 again. And I don't care if the husband hates the smell. 

I was thinking, Kara. If I took out the useless posts I make chatting with you all and talking to myself, I'd have three actually helpful posts. ROFLOL.

Yeah, I am so often wrong, that my ego left me along time ago for someone smarter. At least I can admit to my mistakes....And I have some pretty algae for it all!

The plants are actually looking good without the co2 (NOT). Great news, though! I was able to track them down. They moved over to Ohio! Not 15 minutes away, so I'm happy again. I should go play paintball while I'm there. Nothing like hitting your spouse with a bunch of paint to stay happily married. :biggrin:


----------



## lauraleellbp

sewingalot said:


> Nothing like hitting your spouse with a bunch of paint to stay happily married. :biggrin:


I think that's my favorite quote of the week!


----------



## Chaos_Being

And you always say your tank looks so bad...it looks pretty good to me!

(oh yeah, I finally updated my log :icon_redf)


----------



## Karackle

I agree LauraLee, that's actually one of my favorite quotes EVER! :hihi:

I'm glad you found the CO2 place though Sara! WOOT!!! YEAH PAINTBALL! :hihi:

Also, it's good to hear you are enjoying your tank and it's growing well, even if that means you had to admit you were wrong :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Chaos, check out this thread and you'll feel better: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/p...tos-yes-ive-been-torturing-2.html#post1327373 I stick the bad pictures there. :wink: There is some deficiency photos I posted over there that could be included here, but I don't feel like it is necessary since I gave you all a link.

Thanks, gals. I aim to please. Speaking of which - PICTURES!

Obligatory FTS









What happens to glosso in my tank 









My sole captive bred CPD. She's a she! Just started getting her coloring, so yay!









Otto and the snail - and the pictures are different, they are focusing on either the otto or snail, so there. (why do I put two 't's in otto and platty?)




































Very gravid females:


















Platties are such hams. There is one sneaking in the picture of the rasbora family 



























(And nonc - if you are reading this, my pictures may suck and have water spots, but at least people can see 'em. :flick


----------



## nonconductive

touche


----------



## sewingalot

Do you like the hair algae all over the glass in the second to last picture? I think it's a nice finishing touch. By the way, I took these pictures just so you could compare. I could send you a brief tutorial if you need one.


----------



## problemman

I think you should do the red tank like we talked about


----------



## Karackle

LOVE the hair algae. I've got some like that in the 5g :tongue:

also love the sneaky little platties :hihi:

by the way, is the orange spotted fish in the background of the pair of gravid females an endler or wild / feeder guppy? or c) none of the above? :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

problemman said:


> I think you should do the red tank like we talked about


Moving in that direction, but I need to think about it some more, since I just realized the substrate is clashing.

Kara, Hair algae is my next project. :biggrin:

c) none of the above. That is Bart, the extraordinary, not ordinary common guppy.

I just had to put down two platties that were really sick from the 20 gallon tank. I found them in the tank beaten up pretty bad when I was tearing it down and sadly, they weren't improving. I tested the water, and sure enough, it was an ammonia spike. Classic symptoms. Today, the female was having difficulty swimming from where her tail was completely burned. The male was just a baby but was very sick, burned fins, emaciated. 

However, I am sitting here really, really feeling awful about it. I used clove oil, but I started thinking about how it's oil and that oils are bad for fish, I am literally sick to my stomach. I watched them slowly lay still and now I am not able to go and look to see if they have expired. I have tears pouring from my eyes. I want to take it back and I can't. I hope I did the right thing. I'm so upset. Goodbye my loves.


----------



## lauraleellbp

Clove oil is an anaesthetic- it just puts them to sleep, so it should have been very peaceful.

((((((((((Sara))))))))))


----------



## macclellan

sorry to hear about the fish, sarah.

on a brighter note, I loled at the glosso.


----------



## SkyGrl

it sounds like you did the best you could for them. its better to have them sleeping then suffering in my opinion. once a fish is past the point of no return, we keep it alive to satisfy our need to nurture.

dont get me wrong i know i have hung on to the bitter end, and it hurts the heart, but i know if i was ever in that much pain i would get kyle to "put me down". no joke. im a vegetable and there is no hope.. pull it, its in my will. 

i think you helped them pass on peacefully. thank you for caring for fish sara. more ppl should.

i like the close ups of the snail and oto... i have 2 and they are pretty cute! scoot scoot!

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks you all, I felt better today when I looked at the picture objectively. That poor fish was in pain and you are right, Amy. It was selfish to keep it alive on my benefit. 

Scoot, scoot. Why does this crack me up? I think it is the visual it gives. :hihi:

Mac - glad you like the glosso, it finally one the battle and is happily growing tall like nature intended. Who said high light lays out the plant?


----------



## Karackle

sorry about the fish Sara! But I agree with others, you put them out of their misery in a very gentle way and did the right thing by doing so. It's never easy to lose fish, but it's good that you care. I agree with Amy, not enough people are about the fish enough.

and I like your extraordinary common guppy AND i'm excited about the hair algae project  

Also, scoot, scoot cracked me up for some reason too. maybe because otos do scoot around the tank. scoot, scoot.


----------



## SkyGrl

lol i use scoot scoot and cute cute all the time. its influenced my friends to start saying it too. i use cute cute because sometimes something is so darn cute its doubly cute! LOL 

and otos do scoot scoot!

Amy


----------



## macclellan

sewingalot said:


>


 what plant is this?


----------



## legomaniac89

Haha I love that shot of the guppy hogging the camera. Livebearers are such hams


----------



## Reginald2

Sorry to hear about the fishes, I always hate loosing them. I just lost a couple myself. You're platty antics have me wondering if I need to get a few more.

I hope your hair algae battle comes out better than you're bba battle.


----------



## nonconductive

macclellan said:


> what plant is this?


 
looks like nymphoides sp. taiwan


----------



## macclellan

sewingalot said:


> Mac - glad you like the glosso, it finally one the battle and is happily growing tall like nature intended. Who said high light lays out the plant?


While I'm not much a fan of poetry nor fiction,
I do have a thing (and even a fling!) for proper diction!
While not everyone is a win, and
Nerds like us are beyond the pale,
Poor spelling and grammar is the ultimate sin,
So typing one for won is one helluva fail!


Poetry slam, blipshes!


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, nice won. :hihi:


----------



## macclellan

sewingalot said:


> Haha, nice won. :hihi:


Glad you appreciated it.


----------



## sewingalot

Now that things have been cleaned up a bit and the party is over, I thought I would share the celebration and morning after. :hihi:

Kafka's favorite fishing hole:









Fishing (please don't mention the bald spots, he's sensitive about his old age):









The mole the guys scared. Look at this jump!































































The next morning:


----------



## Karackle

oh Sara, Sara, Sara my dear,
have you seen all the posts, and did you hear? 
the poetry bug has everyone smitten
poems in new threads now have been written
It actually might be just this one
but it's clear that rhyming is incredibly fun
and everyone seems to love Dr. Seuss
have you ever seen just how large is a moose?
that last line did not make any sense
worrying you'll hate it is making me tense
but I think you'll appreciate my rhyming today
i truly hope so because all i can say
is I now seem unable to speak not in verse
which makes what I say not at all terse
oh Sara, Sara, Sara my dear
I do love your tank, I hope that is clear


----------



## Karackle

after posting my post
to your dogs I will toast
i now see their photos
and there's one thing i know
your dogs are so cute
i bet they scoot scoot
and it looks like some fun
at the park where they run
and fish in the hole 
and chase a small mole
i hope that tonight
i get home while it's light
so to the park I can go
with my sweet Leo
and of course you can see
i would also bring Cody
and they'll run and they'll play
til the end of the day 
i'm all out of rhymes 
for the present times
and i probably should work
though i'd rather lurk
but i'll think of some more
and then come back for sure
to write more poetry
on your thread for your glee


----------



## nonconductive

this has become very infectious.....


----------



## sewingalot

Kara, you've found me speechless. Brilliant.



nonconductive said:


> this has become very infectious.....


Lol, I know and I love it. If I were to die today, I'd die smiling.


----------



## Karackle

sewingalot said:


> Kara, you've found me speechless. Brilliant.


It's because I'm not your muse and you're not trying to get me to post a large picture :hihi: and thanks, but i don't know about brilliant, they are fun though :biggrin:



sewingalot said:


> Lol, I know and I love it. If I were to die today, I'd die smiling.


WOOT WOOT! 
SCOOT SCOOT! 
(sorry Amy, stole your line
please do not send me a fine) <--i can't stop! :icon_lol:


----------



## Reginald2

Well if you where to ask me, this thread's gone quite silly
We should all take a deep deep breath, to collect ourselves really
who is better for this won
I kid, I kid we all one
what with all these rhymes flying back and forth willy nilly


----------



## SkyGrl

use the scoot scoots, its for all to share.. lol 

i know i smile everytime i see it. it brings a picture to my mind that i find hilarous! and each time its a different memory or scenario.. 

15$.. or a bag of shrimp... LMAO jk

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

You all are cracking me up. I am *supposed* to be outside with the dogs at the park, but I am sitting here being lazy. I didn't sleep well last night. This will be my last off the wall post for a while. Starting Monday, I'll be starting back with the family sitting. Time to put aside technology and pick up portable sewing. You all can breath a sigh of relief. I'll be MIA for much of the time.  On the bright side, it's fun to spend time with family regardless of the reason behind it. And as awful as this sounds - we are a great family when someone becomes sick. The rest of the time, we don't really connect. 

Anyway, since I promised, here are some pictures of me. Feel blessed, I literally only have a few pictures of myself. I *hate* pictures. By the way, pierced noses does NOT make them look any smaller. It just draws attention to them. :hihi: Oh, and enjoy these while you can. I cannot guarantee they'll still be up tomorrow. Did I mention that I *hate* pictures???

*sorry, you missed the pictures* 

Onto tank news, I am going to take out a bunch of plants Monday morning to ship off to various people (before the dr's appoint for my grandma). If I have the time, I'll take pictures of what's left. This tank is seriously starting to annoy me. I am looking forward to making this a MTS tank this summer. I'm tired of the work involved in maintaining it. The 15 gallon isn't so bad. I'll probably keep that one up more high tech. The 10 gallon is already half empty, and I'll be converting either that or a smaller tank into my algae tank, the new wave of the future.

All right guys. I am going outside since my lovely dogs are now giving me the stink eye.


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> By the way, pierced noses does NOT make them look any smaller. It just draws attention to them. :hihi:


 
yea i figured that out the hard way too. My septum is the only one that never closed up after taking them all out.

was your hair bleached in that top pic? it must have been cuz i see roots!

where are the 800 x 600's that you're so fond of?


----------



## sewingalot

Park was amazing. I wanted to stay longer but the poor dogs got tired. Both are camped out dreaming and snoring away. I would go back, but I'm too lazy. 2 miles should be enough for one day.

Roots were totally in style back in the late 90's. :tongue: Yeah, it's bleached, and it's one of the most embarrassing pictures of me, so I hope you thoroughly enjoyed it. A couple of my friends used to always pierce my nose just to torment me. Most of the piercings are long gone, but I do have a couple left. And I still have a spock ear because of the safety pin piercing I got. That one I kept for the fun of it. LOL 

And 800x600 _never _applies to pictures of me. :hihi:

I've decided I am ripping out any stems that take work in this tank. That probably means I'll rename this the green machine. Just felt like I *should* say something about the tank.


----------



## Karackle

Sounds like an epic night to wake up with a piercing! Is the kitten in the 2nd picture the cat in the 3rd? :hihi: Glad to hear the park was fun! I'm a little disappointed though, when you said you died your hair a lot, I was expecting some crazy colors like fire engine red, fuchsia or jet black....but maybe that's just because those were my colors of choice back in the day :hihi:

NonC - the difference is you can click on Sara's thumbnails and enlarge the photo!  :icon_lol:

As for the tank, make sure to post before and after pictures if you're planning to do a major hacking! You know how much we like pictures! :hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> I've decided I am ripping out any stems that take work in this tank. That probably means I'll rename this the green machine. Just felt like I *should* say something about the tank.


whats wrong with green tanks? :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

The kitten is Mollie, she's the screaming cat in my 15 gallon journal. Speaking of Mollie, she is laying on my chest and driving me batty right now. Anyone want a cat? 

Oh, I have a few pictures of died blue, black, purple and I do believe orange hair too. But I am not dressed PG appropriate in those....So they will stay in my personal collection. :icon_mrgr



nonconductive said:


> whats wrong with green tanks? :hihi:


They are so......green. I am sending you a red plant tomorrow just so you can see why it's so lovely.

Well, miss Kara, I've already thrown out a TON of plants, but I snapped a 'between' shot. Nonc - this picture is especially for you.:thumbsup:


----------



## nonconductive

wow that is green!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxcCl9h1TFA


----------



## sewingalot

Figures you wouldn't notice how TINY that picture was. It probably looks gigantic to you. 

Oh, wow! I haven't heard them in years! I think I have that on tape somewhere. Isn't is awful green? So sad. I am not used to it. I guess that's what happens when you turn off a set of lights.


----------



## nonconductive

it did look big to me. haha. i dont think it looks awful though.


----------



## sewingalot

You are just trying to suck up to me so I'll write you more poems. You can totally tell me that the tank is bad. I know it's pretty sad looking.


----------



## Karackle

Well I appreciate the in between shot, but how dare you make it so tiny?! hahahaha

The tank looks pretty normal to me....i guess it's because I have low tech tanks without the reds :hihi: Add some red/bronze crypts to your tank :biggrin:

Also, I figured I'd post some pics of myself from my more punk days with funky hair  

Blonde Hair:









Black Hair:









Fuchsia Hair (yes I am dressed for a regular Saturday night)









Red Hair (dressed up for a "good vs. evil" pub crawl, but with the exception of the horns, I didn't buy anything special for this outfit)


----------



## sewingalot

I posted the tiny picture *hoping* nonc and you would write me a poem, LMAO. Are those safety pins?!? YOU ARE A TRUE ROCKER! You are totally banging with fushia hair. Just sayin'


----------



## Karackle

a poem, of course! 

How silly of me
that I didn't see
a tiny picture
needs a poem for sure
Sara, how could you do it?
betray me with a teeny pic
that doesn't really rhyme
but i think it's just fine
sara my dear, if you don't mind
and if you think that you could find
one i'd really like a large photo
a medium one would work also
anything bigger than teeny tine
would be real nice and work just fine

eh-hem, anyway.......

good eye, those ARE indeed safety pins, I actually still have that shirt, but I need to lose quite a few lbs before I can ever wear it again! :hihi:

Also, thank you, I've thought about doing some shade of purple again, perhaps more subtley as just the under layer, but I don't know, but then i think maybe i'm too old? I don't know.....:hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Yay! I missed poems. (I think nonc should write one of his longer posts just in celebration. Let's see if he'll post four sentences. ) I'll have to get a bigger picture up sometime next week if I have time. Grandma's starting back up chemo tomorrow morning, got a personal issue to look into, and I've gotta go to moms this week. But, I'll get to talk my brother into letting me look at some more algae with that microscope of his. So there is a bright side to every story.

Want to hear a _duh _moment? I am sitting here wondering why my lights weren't going off and it occurred to me I forgot about the time change last week. :hihi:


----------



## mistergreen

Alright, I'm buying rhyming dictionaries for your birthdays.


----------



## sewingalot

You loving our poems that much, Mistergreen? :hihi: I am soooo good at writing bad poetry, I don't need a rhyming dictionary. Now a regular old dictionary, that's another story. I can't spell for the life of me. (But don't worry, we are keeping the poetry to only our on journals and topics - and I *promise* not to post where I'm not welcomed. LOL) Did you know I have people pming me for more? True story.


----------



## mistergreen

I'm quite the poet myself but haven't written in a long time. I'm a Shakespeare nut.


----------



## sewingalot

Well, Mrgreen, write some poems in my journal! I _love _them. The hardest part is staying PG, but rhyming makes it a lot easier. And based on the pms (thank you all :wink I've gotten recently, there are many of us out there (and yes, I will write more eventually). I've been getting some even pmed to me that are quite good. Shakespeare is pretty cool, but I really enjoy the darker poets like Poe and Joyce. To be completely and utterly honest, until I started tormenting non-c, I hadn't written much more than a poem or two in a long time....like a _really _long time. He seriously is my muse. I think it's the space boots.


----------



## chad320

Did I hear her crying,
or fertilizing?
Scrape, scrape,scraping on my algae door.


----------



## sewingalot

Good one, Can't Handle Any Decisions. a haiku of sorts. :thumbsup: I've got an EPIC bad poem sitting in my head especially for non-c, but I am making him wait in anticipation for it. That way, it'll sound even more horrific.

I'm supposed to be sleeping right now. This insomnia sucks. Why does it always hit when you have a hundred and one things scheduled?

Something that is bothering me lately....someone I have traded plants with has been telling people to contact me since I give away plants and shrimp. Whereas it is true I give things away 99% of the time, and I don't mind helping out my friends...I like to _choose _the people I give them to and when. At first, I simply ignored the requests, but this makes the 11th one I've gotten in a few weeks time. From this point forward, I'm deleting these pms immediately and for the person that has been giving out this information, I would truly appreciate it if you would stop. And to those who are tempted to pm me after being told inaccurate information, please understand that I don't want to sound hateful, but I literally cannot afford to give away things like I used to. I have recently had to sell things I cherish in order to pay bills. I don't mind giving until it hurts, but my debts come first.


----------



## mistergreen

haiku:

to err is human
to forgive is divine almost
forgive me my plants


I stare at my fish
in a transcendent mesmer
quickly look away


my head is burning
my heart is racing away
my betta has fry

.

.

more to come.


----------



## sewingalot

Awesome, Mistergreen! Keep them coming. Haiku is something I've never been able to master. I like the second the best. You know what? You should make a cartoon about this, lol.

I'm more of a prose type writer, though. But I do like to write Limericks (I suck at them...like bad). My husband wrote this about my tank that has the silicone peeling:

“The Procrastinator”
My tank it has sprung a small leak.
I’ve ignored for over a week!
The water’s been seeping,
While I kept on sleeping.
I guess I am now up the creek!

He wrote a few others, but they aren't appropriate. I even got him talking to me in poetry. :hihi:


----------



## mistergreen

Yeah, I know all about you limerick writers,

There was a lady from nantucket.......

I think I've been to Nantucket actually.


----------



## sewingalot

Hahahahahahaha! Am I going to have to moderate you?  The good ones are always inappropriate. I've heard it is quite a lovely place. Okay, I am shutting up for the night! Feel free to post haikus here till your heart's content. I love reading this stuff.


----------



## Karackle

hahahaha awesome! Loving the haikus. And Sara, loving the hubby's poem! HAHAHAHA i think you'd better get to fixing that :icon_lol:

My very favorite haiku is one that i did not write, but I thought I would share it anyway:

"Haikus are easy
but sometimes they don't make sense
refrigerator"

it's from a Tshirt :hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

wow kara, who would have guessed...

Chad & Mr Green, those were awesome.


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> hahahaha awesome! Loving the haikus. And Sara, loving the hubby's poem! HAHAHAHA i think you'd better get to fixing that :icon_lol:
> 
> My very favorite haiku is one that i did not write, but I thought I would share it anyway:
> 
> "Haikus are easy
> but sometimes they don't make sense
> refrigerator"
> 
> it's from a Tshirt :hihi:


That is so funny sad to me. LOL. I really can't comprehend haikus, the syllables always throw me off. (That's why I like prose - there are no rules.)



nonconductive said:


> wow kara, who would have guessed...
> 
> Chad & Mr Green, those were awesome.


My long-term friends are always _*THAT *_cool, nonc. In fact, that's why we are now pals. (That and being around people like this makes me less dorky.) :biggrin: Gives you a new perspective of the sewing(spin)ster, huh?

Kara, aren't you supposed to be writing a paper? :hihi:


----------



## Karackle

I'm the coolest nerd I know :hihi: Oh wait....i'm probably not supposed to say that about myself am i? :icon_lol:

I finished my paper! YAY!


----------



## sewingalot

Kara, you're too cute.  I am glad you are finished with your paper! By the way, since I was bragging about it being in the seventies yesterday, you'll be pleased to know that horrific thunderstorm brought wind, hail _and_ cold weather. It's like 38 outside and I was standing in a t-shirt and shorts playing with mud. :hihi: Speaking of which, here is some of the progress of my MTS (yeah, I know. I've been working longer on this than anyone. LOL)

WV sifting box (patent pending)









Debris (sifter works, for those interested I'll be selling these for $50 each in the S&S shortly....and yeah, I recycle everything, used screen, used box, used dirt)









Sifted out dirt:









Kara's famous hot cocoa:









Mud wrestling anyone?









Dried out and now ready for another round of wet/drying cycle. I hope this is enough dirt. I started out with 4 - 5 gallon buckets full.









Any questions?


----------



## nonconductive

cant wait to see it go into a tank!


----------



## defiesexistence

A mug of Kara's
Renowned cocoa I'd prefer
O'er micro pictures.

It looks delish, spammingalot. Lookit the head on that! You can patent it as "Sara's Green Recycled WV Magic Sifting Box kit, INCLUDING cocoa recipe, and random dirt clod" Or is that a rock? Would you venture to stamp an estimated completion date on the MTS?


----------



## nonconductive

defiesexistence said:


> spammingalot.


Fitting, very fitting indeed.


----------



## defiesexistence

^It's not an original.


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> cant wait to see it go into a tank!


Me neither. And I am tired of my mailman teasing me. He's threatening to turn me in for making that pipe bomb (that's what he calls the co2 in-line reactor I made last year) if I don't use the dirt soon. And no, I still haven't hooked up the reactor. I know, I know....:red_mouth



defiesexistence said:


> A mug of Kara's
> Renowned cocoa I'd prefer
> O'er micro pictures.
> 
> It looks delish, spammingalot. Lookit the head on that! You can patent it as "Sara's Green Recycled WV Magic Sifting Box kit, INCLUDING cocoa recipe, and random dirt clod" Or is that a rock? Would you venture to stamp an estimated completion date on the MTS?


Nice poem. :biggrin: _Consistently_had is going to get a box full of stinkbugs, elder beetles and ants for giving me that nickname. :hihi: 

I still need to get the dolamite, and potash - anyone have a portion for a 55 gallon laying around? Send me prices in a pm. roud: And troublemaker is going to send me some of his magical clay once I get some money together.

And I need to resilicone the tank (but I've been forbidden to do this until school's out for the summer - grumble.) Then to decide whether or not to use turface mixed with flourite or just flourite or just turface or something else...... I hope I have enough dirt! What if it isn't as deep as they suggest? And what is the depth I am looking for total with substrate - 3 inches? How in the world do you plant in such little amount of substrate? 

Here is the main dilemma I am facing: I have a 20 gallon tank that will be free of fish that I could store the fish in until the silicone cures/passes the leak test. However, I also have more fish than I should in the 55 gallon as it is. If I were to hook up both filters, what are my chances of them making it? And what kind of cycle am I looking at when I tear down this tank and set it back up?

I'm skeered. (I told you I needed my hand held!)

So I am thinking.....sometime in 2014. Maybe.


----------



## nonconductive

yuck turface! too lightweight. 3" is plenty deep. some of my tanks only have a 1/2" soil 1/2" cap.


----------



## defiesexistence

sewingalot said:


> _Consistently_had is going to get a box full of stinkbugs, elder beetles and ants for giving me that nickname. :hihi:
> 
> I still need to get the dolamite, and potash - anyone have a portion for a 55 gallon laying around?


I can send you some spare bugs if you need: a few undiscovered bugs, centipedes, and spiders from the basement to aid you in your endeavor. But you have to promise TPT not to kill him with insects, because then we would have less poetic banter to laugh at :icon_cry:

Nutritive value of a banana peel Here's your potash, chop it up finely and sift it in, but start it decomposing first.


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> yuck turface! too lightweight. 3" is plenty deep. some of my tanks only have a 1/2" soil 1/2" cap.


But I have like 5 billion bags of this stuff! I'll use part of it if I need to as filler. I'm going to sift out the rocks in the turface that is already in the tank and see where I stand. This is going to take forever, isn't it?



defiesexistence said:


> I can send you some spare bugs if you need: a few undiscovered bugs, centipedes, and spiders from the basement to aid you in your endeavor. But you have to promise TPT not to kill him with insects, because then we would have less poetic banter to laugh at :icon_cry:
> 
> Nutritive value of a banana peel Here's your potash, chop it up finely and sift it in, but start it decomposing first.


Haha, that would serve him right. Consistentlyhad will be safe, I promise. I've still gotta keep my yellow shrimp swapper around. And I need some of that magical dirt.

Wait....you want more poetic banter?!?? :icon_twis Wait until you see my latest plan of attack. It's going to take a while, but it'll be the most annoying yet! Well worth the effort.

Banana peels, huh? Speaking of which, do you peel them at the top or bottom? I peel them at the bottom, like a monkey. :biggrin:


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> Wait....you want more poetic banter?!?? :icon_twis Wait until you see my latest plan of attack. It's going to take a while, but it'll be the most annoying yet! Well worth the effort.


I can hardly wait.:hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

I promise, it'll be worth the wait.....NOT. 

So, this is probably a silly question, but does the water on rinsing the soil ever look clear when it settles a bit? Kind of like a creek without flow? Or will it always be chocolate in color? Because I am thinking the soil might be ready otherwise. I could've had a full-term pregnancy in the time it took to get this far....


----------



## sewingalot

Pictures! To entertain myself, mostly. :biggrin: I was spending time checking out all my fish to make sure they aren't sick (clean bill of health) and I saw that one snail is infected.....with BBA! 



























Speaking of BBA, I am only running two bulbs, drop checker is lime green, still dosing EI and this algae is starting to run rampant like I haven't seen it in a long, long time. (Yes, that is stray UG - don't even ask how it got in there, because I don't know.):


















The only red plant left in the tank now, debating about getting rid of it, but we shall see. Right now, it's hidden in a corner to see if it'll stay red shaded. So far, so good:









Don't ask me to spell this....I just found out what it is









Something else I don't plan on spelling, it starts with a 'L' and it came from Wasserpest:









Clinopodium brownei is finally over the temper tantrum:









Bacopas recovering nicely:


















Lindernia sp india branching in a cool way:









I'm going to call this plant "Sam" 









Random platy being her ham self. She followed me all over the tank until I snapped the picture. :hihi:









Held the shutter open for a 'night time' traffic look:









And a random picture of our cherry tree in full bloom:


----------



## ryndisher

Great pictures!


----------



## boltp777

ahah i havent been on this thread in a while everything looks like is coming along great!


----------



## Karackle

BBA SNAIL! AMAZING! he is so cute! :biggrin: your snail has a mohawk! :icon_lol:

also, your dirt is looking awesome, but now I want hot chocolate! :hihi:

dude i am continuously amazed by your macro shots from a point-n-shoot! are you sure you're not lying to us and secretly have a DSLR? :tongue: Loving your platy hams too  

As for putting the fish in the 20g, I think if you WAY over filter it, put a lot of stems and floaters, and do a lot of water changes, you could maintain the fish for a few weeks for sure, might be a little tricky but probably manageable. Also, as long as you use the filters that you will be putting back on the 55 on whatever tank(s) you hold the fish in, you shouldn't see too much of a cycle. You don't necessarily need to use the same filters, but as long as you use the same media, shouldn't be too much of a problem, you'd definitely want to keep an eye on it, but between the beneficial bacteria kept alive on the filter media and all of the stems you have in the tank, i think you should be good to go roud:


----------



## lauraleellbp

[email protected] BBA snail

I want to know what your thing you don't know how to spell is!


----------



## chad320

Sara, your MTS is not enough
for a 55, dont take it rough
Just do again what you already did.
That or you could have a kid.
You want a layer a 1/2 thick.
Im not trying to be a....slick?
And hopefully you get your clays
before 2014, were counting the days.


----------



## sewingalot

ryndisher said:


> Great pictures!






boltp777 said:


> ahah i havent been on this thread in a while everything looks like is coming along great!


I am glad to see you! Hope all is well with you and your tanks. :thumbsup:



Karackle said:


> BBA SNAIL! AMAZING! he is so cute! :biggrin: your snail has a mohawk! :icon_lol:
> 
> also, your dirt is looking awesome, but now I want hot chocolate! :hihi:
> 
> dude i am continuously amazed by your macro shots from a point-n-shoot! are you sure you're not lying to us and secretly have a DSLR? :tongue: Loving your platy hams too
> 
> As for putting the fish in the 20g, I think if you WAY over filter it, put a lot of stems and floaters, and do a lot of water changes, you could maintain the fish for a few weeks for sure, might be a little tricky but probably manageable. Also, as long as you use the filters that you will be putting back on the 55 on whatever tank(s) you hold the fish in, you shouldn't see too much of a cycle. You don't necessarily need to use the same filters, but as long as you use the same media, shouldn't be too much of a problem, you'd definitely want to keep an eye on it, but between the beneficial bacteria kept alive on the filter media and all of the stems you have in the tank, i think you should be good to go roud:


Kara, be glad I don't have a DSLR. Could you image how many pictures I'd be posting? :hihi:

I was thinking about using the filters on the 55 on the 20, but I don't want to have the fish plastered to the sides of the tank from the flow. :eek5: It would only be a few days, though. I am thinking about taking this opportunity to part ways with my livebearers. Only I hate to give away perfectly good fish and worry they won't care about them as much as I do. It took me a long time to decide who to ask to take my shrimp....LOL



lauraleellbp said:


> [email protected] BBA snail
> 
> I want to know what your thing you don't know how to spell is!


Just for you, Laura. (I looked up non-c's post on the one, thx!)

_Nymphoides sp. Taiwan _is the lily looking one
_Lagarosiphon madagascariensis_ is the stem with the fine leaves.



chad320 said:


> Sara, your MTS is not enough
> for a 55, dont take it rough
> Just do again what you already did.
> That or you could have a kid.
> You want a layer a 1/2 thick.
> Im not trying to be a....slick?
> And hopefully you get your clays
> before 2014, were counting the days.


Consistentlyhad, brilliant poem! (I like the censored part best) And it broke the news in just the right way. :icon_cool How much dirt do I need in addition? I was thinking twice as much. At this point, it's going to be half mineralized/half dirt. Maybe I DO need to get some creek dirt...

Oh, and the snail is my favorite part. I'm putting him in the algae tank. I usually move them over when they start looking a little raggedy. I wish the water wasn't so acidic.


----------



## chad320

Yeah, it looks like twice as much ought to do it. I am so happy with my MTS that I cant wait to see you get yours  It just makes sense that plants like dirt. I never see aquatic plants growing on rock. So it eliminates alot of wondering where problems are. You automatically know that the substrate and root ferts are good so it has to be something else. it really helped me dial in my water column ferts as well. At least as far as micros go. Im glad you liked the poem:hihi: I spend alot of time writing it. Like 15 seconds


----------



## sewingalot

The best poems are always written in haste.  Gah, well it looks like I am going to call that guy with the pile of dirt a few blocks away and beg for more dirt. Or maybe I should just throw in a bucket full of dirt with it and call it a day.

Yeah, it makes since that MTS will work, but I am still skeered. LOL. I really think I've put it off this long out of fear. Peer pressure is what I need to get this done, I think. The guy is outta school at the end of May and promised that I could start the first day of his vacation, so I am hoping I'll have it up by the end of June. Because, quite honestly, I SUCK at the EI method, I'm trying to finish off my deficiency thread, but I don't know how much longer I can put up with it. I'm about to go back to my own recipe of fertilizing. However, after finding out about my poison water, I am wondering if this could be part of the problem....

Good points on the substrate.


----------



## chad320

Have you ever done a small tank with just RO water to find out iof your source water is bad? Its an idea. And yes just lumping more in with your MTS will work. I dont feel complete drying help anymore than drying a little. Dont be skeered. Its just as easy to set up as any other. It IS however easier to maintain in the long run. Have you looked into PPS-pro dosing? Its what I use. Here...http://sites.google.com/site/aquaticplantfertilizer/home/pps-pro


----------



## nonconductive

As my loving wife said after I tore down my 125 for the 2nd time.... "Plants & dirt, who would've figured that."


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> Have you ever done a small tank with just RO water to find out iof your source water is bad? Its an idea. And yes just lumping more in with your MTS will work. I dont feel complete drying help anymore than drying a little. Dont be skeered. Its just as easy to set up as any other. It IS however easier to maintain in the long run. Have you looked into PPS-pro dosing? Its what I use. Here...http://sites.google.com/site/aquaticplantfertilizer/home/pps-pro


I started out with PPS-Pro. It did quite well for me except the GSA. It eventually just became a part of my weekly chore, so it was no biggie. But now I have a TON of BBA and GSA. I actually found a good method not too long ago that I am going back to.

Never used RO water, but we are looking into that for the whole house due to recent findings. Nothing definite, yet, but I'm 97% sure the water in our house is swill. I've already started giving the dogs and cats another source. I'm still drinking it like an idiot, though. :confused1:



nonconductive said:


> As my loving wife said after I tore down my 125 for the 2nd time.... "Plants & dirt, who would've figured that."


Another good reason to like your wife. Smart and pretty....that is a rare combination. You better hold onto that one.  Didn't you start out with EI method? What made you change your mind to go the opposite direction?

And I'm still skeered!


----------



## chad320

For your whole house system, just hook it up under the kitchen sink. No need for RO in your washer or shower. At least thats what I do. Then wait 10 minutes for a glass of water. lol.


----------



## nonconductive

I actually was using both PPS and EI on different tanks. But to answer your question it's because I have a life outside of aquatic plants & it's an unnecessary waste. (Here's where some "know it all" will chime in and say light and co2 is a waste and my response to that is I only run 2x39 watts of t5ho on a 125 and my co2 is minimal).


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> For your whole house system, just hook it up under the kitchen sink. No need for RO in your washer or shower. At least thats what I do. Then wait 10 minutes for a glass of water. lol.


Chad, not to go into too many details, but unfortunately, it is looking like it is important for the whole house to be filtered.... 10 minutes for a glass of water? Oh wow. My life sounds like it is going to be interesting. Reminds me of the well water baths. :redface:



nonconductive said:


> I actually was using both PPS and EI on different tanks. But to answer your question it's because I have a life outside of aquatic plants & it's an unnecessary waste. (Here's where some "know it all" will chime in and say light and co2 is a waste and my response to that is I only run 2x39 watts of t5ho on a 125 and my co2 is minimal).


Behave, you. :tongue: Unfortunately with the internet, you get many opinions, including those undesirable ones. I am sure I irritate people as well (actually been told I'm an idiot...like, duh?) However, some people do tend to get stuck on his/her methods of doing things and can no longer see merit in other options. Me? I say use what works for you. So far, diy root tabs have been my best friend. I am thinking I am simply too lazy for the more disciplined methods. 

Just so you know, I agree with you on excessive fertilization, but I think it's cause I come from poor country farmers and we didn't waste a stitch of supplies. It was a necessity to make things last.

But I am never going to give up my suntan lights! Never!!! And I will freely admit to wasting on that. :redface: (Although it should be noted: my husband did make me turn off every other light in the house at night to compensate, and our electricity bill went down as a result, lol). And did I mention I am sitting here in a darkened room because we draw the shades/curtains to conserve heat/air conditioning? But at the same time, I like my microwave conveniences.

Wait......you have a life outside of aquatic plants? Is that even possible?


----------



## chad320

Whats up with the avitars? Now I cant tell the bozo moderators from the good ones? (runs to hide)


----------



## nonconductive

wait, its only 10 minutes if you dont have pressurized storage tanks, or if you drain those tanks into your aquarium.



chad320 said:


> Whats up with the avitars? Now I cant tell the bozo moderators from the good ones? (runs to hide)


HAHA. They must be forming a united front, pretty soon they'll have them on arm bands. j/k


----------



## chad320

nonconductive said:


> wait, its only 10 minutes if you dont have pressurized storage tanks, or if you drain those tanks into your aquarium.


True. I dont have mine pressurized. The holding tanks a way more efficient. I just dont trust that itll be any more sanitary in the tank after a year than drinking from the well.


----------



## nonconductive

chad320 said:


> True. I dont have mine pressurized. The holding tanks a way more efficient. I just dont trust that itll be any more sanitary in the tank after a year than drinking from the well.


I never thought about that. I guess I should figure out how to clean them.


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> Whats up with the avitars? Now I cant tell the bozo moderators from the good ones? (runs to hide)





nonconductive said:


> HAHA. They must be forming a united front, pretty soon they'll have them on arm bands. j/k


Haha, look at Chad calling us bozos, but he can't spell _avatars_. :hihi: The united front is to kick you into taking more pictures...... Actually, mistergreen made it. I'm trying it out. Cute, no?



chad320 said:


> True. I dont have mine pressurized. The holding tanks a way more efficient. I just dont trust that itll be any more sanitary in the tank after a year than drinking from the well.





nonconductive said:


> I never thought about that. I guess I should figure out how to clean them.


What in the world are you too talking about? LOL. Now my head is really hurting.....


----------



## nonconductive

If you run your r/o unit to a pressurized storage tank, you won't have to deal with the slow trickle and a 10 minute glass fill. But as stated, they might not be very sanitary after awhile.


----------



## chad320

sewingalot said:


> Haha, look at Chad calling us bozos, but he can't spell _avatars_. :hihi:
> 
> What in the world are you too talking about? LOL. Now my head is really hurting.....


Haha, I can spell TWO tho.:hihi: It about the RO unit being pressurized so you dont have to wait for a glass of water.

Only a few posts left folk until we have sucessfully spammed Saras paged full w/o ANY pictures from the picture queen!!!! Hahahahaha!!! Finally, weve lame'd you up!!!

EDIT: Project page 86; Success!!! Not one picture on page 86. I guess we 86'd that page:hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> If you run your r/o unit to a pressurized storage tank, you won't have to deal with the slow trickle and a 10 minute glass fill. But as stated, they might not be very sanitary after awhile.


So new problem to face. But I guess unsanitary won't be an issue if you are obsessive about cleaning?



chad320 said:


> Haha, I can spell TWO tho.:hihi: It about the RO unit being pressurized so you dont have to wait for a glass of water.
> 
> Only a few posts left folk until we have sucessfully spammed Saras paged full w/o ANY pictures from the picture queen!!!! Hahahahaha!!! Finally, weve lame'd you up!!!


And I can spell THOUGH. :flick: My profile is set to 40 posts per page, so there. Speaking of pictures.....I should take one of the carnage I plan to cause tomorrow. :hihi:


----------



## mistergreen

chad320 said:


> Whats up with the avitars? Now I cant tell the bozo moderators from the good ones? (runs to hide)


hey, that hurt.. it really did.


----------



## chad320

mistergreen said:


> hey, that hurt.. it really did.


It was just a joke. Trust me, I like all of you. You keep me from posting dumb stuff after drinking all night :icon_roll


----------



## sewingalot

mistergreen said:


> hey, that hurt.. it really did.


Don't worry, I fixed it! Now I have a different avatar and you are the cool mods again. :wink:


----------



## chad320

sewingalot said:


> Don't worry, I fixed it! Now I have a different avatar and you are the cool mods again. :wink:


WOW!!! I really LOL'd on that one. I still am!! Hahahaha...


----------



## mistergreen

haha. I was kidding as well. I'll eventually change my avatar too, getting sick of the design.


----------



## chad320

mistergreen said:


> haha. I was kidding as well. I'll eventually change my avatar too, getting sick of the design.


I really do like it. I was just teasing Sara.


----------



## sewingalot

Everyone picks on Sara except for Kara. Hey, that rhymed. :hihi: I should stop before pick on myself....

Since you are actually paying attention, how do you clean substrate with BBA on it? Thinking about pouring some H2O2 on it once I get it out of the tank.


----------



## mistergreen

Squirt the substrate with H2O2 with a turkey baster. It works for my woes.


----------



## macclellan

Tank looks good, wonder why you still have bba though. Sounds like yer doing everything right


----------



## sewingalot

Good idea, mistergreen. I'll just nuke it with H202 out of the tank later this year.



macclellan said:


> Tank looks good, wonder why you still have bba though. Sounds like yer doing everything right


That is the million dollar question. This is also why I started my research on BBA. So far, nothing has killed it except weeks of complete darkness. And I refuse to use excel until I find the underlying reason. I thought it was my driftwood, so I removed it. Vacuumed the substrate, cleaned the filters, lowered the light, raised the co2, went back to using the EI method and nothing. 

However, I have been told that it takes time to fix something you've broken, so I am going to be fair and continue this method for a least another week or longer if I can stand it. After that if it doesn't turn around, I give up on it once and for all. Three times is either a charm, or a strike out for me. Just like people, I am giving this every opportunity to work, but sometimes they just aren't compatible with my life. I need something more stable and consistent right now. There are too many unknown variables for me to deal with tank drama....


----------



## problemman

sewingalot said:


> Good idea, mistergreen. I'll just nuke it with H202 out of the tank later this year.
> 
> 
> 
> That is the million dollar question. This is also why I started my research on BBA. So far, nothing has killed it except weeks of complete darkness. And I refuse to use excel until I find the underlying reason. I thought it was my driftwood, so I removed it. Vacuumed the substrate, cleaned the filters, lowered the light, raised the co2, went back to using the EI method and nothing.
> 
> However, I have been told that it takes time to fix something you've broken, so I am going to be fair and continue this method for a least another week or longer if I can stand it. After that if it doesn't turn around, I give up on it once and for all. Three times is either a charm, or a strike out for me. Just like people, I am giving this every opportunity to work, but sometimes they just aren't compatible with my life. I need something more stable and consistent right now. There are too many unknown variables for me to deal with tank drama....


I upped my flow and all my bba is gone. If you read tom barrs I think its his algae thing it says low flow is an under lying problem


----------



## Gatekeeper

chad320 said:


> It was just a joke. Trust me, I like all of you. You keep me from posting dumb stuff after drinking all night :icon_roll


Man, I hear you! We got your back, maybe.... lol.



sewingalot said:


> Don't worry, I fixed it! Now I have a different avatar and you are the cool mods again. :wink:


Yea, we are all cool except that dude with the frog. He is the old grumpy guy.


----------



## Gatekeeper

Ahhh,. BBA. Nightmare. No real fix other than hold steady and major water changes. Get your routines down steady and get healthy plants. Fight the BBA the whole time until you think you found a solid regiment then just go forward. Treat, don't treat, whatever. Just push through.

I have found though that more times than not, BBA is always there once it rears its head. You need to stabilize it and get the aquarium healthy.


----------



## macclellan

sewingalot said:


> And I refuse to use excel until I find the underlying reason.


 Why? Discovering the underlying cause of a case of cancer does not cure that cancer. There are several reasons to have BBA. Excel or H2O2 (and/or extreme pruning) is (IMHO) a necessary part of getting on the right track. Not using them is like not using antiseptic in a wound. It's great to practice good prevention... like in Hockey: wear pads, play carefully, but if you get a hit and the cut get's infected... deal with it. Prevention doesn't work when it's too late. What's wrong with excel?


----------



## mistergreen

problemman said:


> I upped my flow and all my bba is gone. If you read tom barrs I think its his algae thing it says low flow is an under lying problem


Nope, they grow at sites of fast moving flow too. You're probably distributing CO2 around better and that helps the plants. But BBA will grow on none-living things quite easily.


----------



## problemman

Wonder why I'm not having problems then?

Sara did make my fert mix and I'm running 30ppm of co2, 2 bulbs of high output and lots of flow...


----------



## mistergreen

BBA is one of those mysteries of the universe.


----------



## problemman

Guess so


----------



## Da Plant Man

Here is a poem for you.

Your an amazing Moderator.
You never act like a aligator.
Sometimes you might fancy some snail art
And most the time you are smart.
Now go watch your snails feast on algae.
And then post some pictures of a bloated algae covered snail. (a FTS would be nice...)

I can't rhyme worth beans (or for the plant nerd...Yatabeanus  )

But I try


----------



## Karackle

Wow I missed a lot! 

Sara - glad to hear you're at least thinking about getting an R/O or filtration system for the house after reading that article! 

Non-C - If you're putting essentially sterile water into a storage container, I imagine it would take a while for the container to become unsanitary, no? 

AWESOME poem Caton! :hihi:

BBA really doesn't seem to follow any specific rules does it? LOL But I am LOVING the mohawk snail even though unfortunately that means your tank is still having BBA issues despite going down to 2 lights.....or have you been using 4 again? :icon_lol:


----------



## sewingalot

Took out 20+ live bearers a boat load of plants and I am down to a mess of blah... 











I am down to five female platties (extra t just cuz), on male platy (one t to even things out). My extraordinary ordinary guppies. And a new resident rescue. 

My latest rescue. I think the beating he took from the other betta is going to to kill him, though.  I hate petstores. Mental note, continue avoiding at all costs in the future! Yeah, and I am taking this really stupid risk by adding a fish into a tank without quarantining him. I did this same stupid thing last year. Here is hoping I don't end up with a huge epidemic, my plants don't all die and the betta survives.












macclellan said:


> Why? Discovering the underlying cause of a case of cancer does not cure that cancer. There are several reasons to have BBA. Excel or H2O2 (and/or extreme pruning) is (IMHO) a necessary part of getting on the right track. Not using them is like not using antiseptic in a wound. It's great to practice good prevention... like in Hockey: wear pads, play carefully, but if you get a hit and the cut get's infected... deal with it. Prevention doesn't work when it's too late. What's wrong with excel?


Mac - If I kill it with excel there won't be algae for my new tank. I can't do that! Seriously, I have nothing against excel except it makes me sick to smell it. I quit using it a long, long time ago. I've actually gotten so fascinated by BBA that I have a whole thread dedicated to it in the Algae Forum. I tried the agressive approach many times and it keeps coming back. Now, when I find it, I shrug my shoulders and if I feel like it, I gather it in a cup for a project or two.



Caton said:


> Here is a poem for you.
> 
> Your an amazing Moderator.
> You never act like a aligator.
> Sometimes you might fancy some snail art
> And most the time you are smart.
> Now go watch your snails feast on algae.
> And then post some pictures of a bloated algae covered snail. (a FTS would be nice...)
> 
> I can't rhyme worth beans (or for the plant nerd...Yatabeanus  )
> 
> But I try


Yay! LOVE IT, Caton! This cheered me up on a sad day. My grandma's chemo isn't going as well as hoped. But life is not always as we plan, right? And I am blessed to have the opportunity to be with her during treatments. So all is not in vain. 



Karackle said:


> Wow I missed a lot!
> 
> Sara - glad to hear you're at least thinking about getting an R/O or filtration system for the house after reading that article!
> 
> Non-C - If you're putting essentially sterile water into a storage container, I imagine it would take a while for the container to become unsanitary, no?
> 
> AWESOME poem Caton! :hihi:
> 
> BBA really doesn't seem to follow any specific rules does it? LOL But I am LOVING the mohawk snail even though unfortunately that means your tank is still having BBA issues despite going down to 2 lights.....or have you been using 4 again? :icon_lol:


Kara, I found her twin brother!



















I missed nothing! But I thought I'd sit back and enjoy the multitude of pictures non-c had posted for us. I am as happy as a tick on a dog, that I don't have much to say. :hihi:

We've been hiking a lot lately, wanna see some pictures? Well if not, move on to the next thread right now. 

Lost a bunch at this sign:


















You all get aquatic plants? We get daffodills, lol









Disturbing. I actually had to investigate this. Shoes were by themselves. Whew


















Fissidens sp.









10 points if you know what this is without googling.


----------



## Karackle

Oh what a pretty Betta!!! He's so lovely! I think you should name him Comet, or Meteor....or maybe Volcano :hihi: buncha random names there for ya  

LOVING the twin brother! HAHAHA amazing. You have mohawk snails all over there durn place! 

VERY pretty pictures too! Wish there was some good hiking by me! I'm jealous. I love hiking. So do the boys










you can't tell because he's black, but Cody is almost as muddy as Leo (but he's much more fleet of foot and didn't quite sink into the mud the same way when he strayed from the wood planks. Leo went off the wood planks, took about two steps and the was completely stuck :hihi: poor old man :tongue

I feel like I recognize the pyramid / fireplace looking thingamajig but I can't remember what it is.....unless it is some kind of fireplace?


----------



## chad320

Love the hiking pics Sara! its the perfect time of year for it!!! Did you get your feet wet like Leo did? He looks like hes got his mud boots on. :hihi:


----------



## mistergreen

sewingalot said:


> My latest rescue.


He looks like my very first betta.



sewingalot said:


> Mac - If I kill it with excel there won't be algae for my new tank.


You know you're right. I depend on algae to feed my algae eaters but nothing I have eats BBA


----------



## macclellan

I give up. What's that weird building?


----------



## sewingalot

Kara! Cody and Leo are hilariously cute! I LOVE the muddy feet. Such scalawags, they are. Love the hiking backpack. Leo is hilarious! What I want to know is what you looked like after fishing him out of the mud bath. 

Dude, I was in water up to the top of my britches. Unlike non-c, I'm _huckleberry fin _tough. :icon_cool Not really, it was too cold outside, the water was in the low 30s. There's a fine line between tough and stupidity. Luckily this weekend I used a few brain cells. But I will be going back when it warms up for swimming, boating. There is a really cool bridge that is about a 1/2 mile long. I didn't want to leave. The city boy with me got too cold, though. :wink:He hates to be called a city boy, but doesn't like to be called country either. Generally, he hates labels. So I compromise and call him my old man....and run and hide before he throws something at me. :hihi:











Mr. Green, he is a cutie, but probably sick. How long ago, did you start out with bettas? 


Well, as I find it important to journal the good and the bad....I _knew _I was asking for it. Yea, I'm not going to the fish section of pet stores ever again. (We all know this isn't a definite.) I shouldn't have let them give me credit..... I'll pause here for the "I told you so" commentary.
.
.
.
Are we done? (No, okay a few more minutes of snickering)
.
.
.
Alright, here is the damage. _Cometano_ (name given by Kara) probably brought ich with him. And I figure I've already introduced it, so it's best to treat everyone at this point. That reminds me, I need to disinfect the net and critter carrier....

I already started the sauna and raised the filter to create splash. I also turned down the co2. Here's hoping for the best. On the bright side, the betta was swimming around by the end of the evening and is already looking less pitiful. He's enjoying the temperature. All the other fish are more active, as I expected to see. Contemplating on whether or not to take some plants out and moving them over to another tank after disinfecting them with potassium permanganate. 

Speaking of which, Mac you may want to wait on that plant. You too, Philip. Oops.....












macclellan said:


> I give up. What's that weird building?


I'll give you a hint. It's in the town of _Iron_ton and Kara is somewhat close in her guess. :thumbsup:

If you look back at this time last year, I did something similar. You'd _*think*_ I'd be smart enough to not buy fish and you'd _*think*_ I'd be smart enough to quarantine if I couldn't resist. Nope. Even after all these years, I am still foolish.


----------



## macclellan

Sucks about the ich.

Is it a blast furnace for iron smelting?


----------



## sewingalot

Congratulations. You win 10 points. Iron furnace is the correct answer. 










As far as ich: I was asking for it. _C'est la vie_ No sense in dwelling on it. Just need to move forward at this point. The heat seems to be doing its job at speeding up the life cycle. Looks like the ich is starting to fall off. Now just to get the heat up high enough to kill the little guys. 

I need to tattoo the word _quarantine _on my hands.


----------



## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> As far as ich: I was asking for it. _C'est la vie_ No sense in dwelling on it. Just need to move forward at this point. The heat seems to be doing its job at speeding up the life cycle. Looks like the ich is starting to fall off. Now just to get the heat up high enough to kill the little guys.
> 
> I need to tattoo the word _quarantine _on my hands.


With the heat or without you can use flu too on ich.

never forget quarantine (costs too much)


----------



## mistergreen

I knew that was a furnace having grown up on the Ohio River ... I also studied kilns a little bit.

That or it was stone pants for a giant.

Man, too bad about the betta. That appeared overnight. Luckily ich is super easy to get rid of but it takes time. 

I was away from home when I first went off to college. I got my first betta to keep me company while my goldfish and guppies were in Cincinnati.


----------



## sewingalot

wkndracer said:


> With the heat or without you can use flu too on ich.
> 
> never forget quarantine (costs too much)


Yea, I need someone to beat common sense into me. How much of the flubendazole did you use for ich? _ (Edit: found an article on it - same amount as used for velvet - 1/4 tsp per 5 gallons: http://www.inkmkr.com/Fish/FlubendazoleTreatment.pdf) _ I've got a bit of that still on hand. Plus I noticed the snail had what looks like hydra on his back. 



mistergreen said:


> I knew that was a furnace having grown up on the Ohio River ... I also studied kilns a little bit.
> 
> That or it was stone pants for a giant.
> 
> Man, too bad about the betta. That appeared overnight. Luckily ich is super easy to get rid of but it takes time.
> 
> I was away from home when I first went off to college. I got my first betta to keep me company while my goldfish and guppies were in Cincinnati.


So in college, eh? It's funny you remember your first betta like that given the thousands you've raised over the years. I don't remember my first fish. I do remember my mom letting me name her two goldfish Goldie Locks and Three Bears when I was really young. We pretty much always had fish tanks. I just am not sure when I actually took care of them versus my mom caring for them. I think I was 22....lol 

Actually, the ich showed up last night. I think the temperature must be higher at home than it was in the pet store. Plus with the stress of the beating, moving over to a new home was just enough to give the ich a chance to develop faster. If I were paying a little attention, I would have noticed the now obvious spot behind his gill and the little one in the middle of his back when he was still in the bag.

I let my heart cloud my vision. 

Haha, it does look like stone pants. When I was younger, we'd go all over Ohio looking for furnaces. This was before they even had markers. Actually, my mom's friend is one of the people responsible for their preservation. 

Side note: My mom and her crew are big advocates on history/genealogy. There's nothing like crawling under barb wire with a note pad and shaving cream to read cemeteries while fighting off a goat trying to eat what you are writing down. :hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> I need to tattoo the word _quarantine _on my hands.


 :thumbsup:

I thought maybe that thing was where you heated up your water for warshin & cookin.


----------



## wkndracer

Went back to page 78 and read the end of the thread again catching up.
(Loved it,,, great pictures and banter)



nonconductive said:


> yuck turface! too lightweight. 3" is plenty deep. some of my tanks only have a 1/2" soil 1/2" cap.


completely agree on turface being too light. 



defiesexistence said:


> Nutritive value of a banana peel Here's your potash, chop it up finely and sift it in, but start it decomposing first.


Ugh,,, sewing your dragging your feet already for too long on this project. Just send me your mailing addy and potash and clay can be on the way. If I remember correctly clay is 10% of soil weight so how much?



sewingalot said:


> Or maybe I should just throw in a bucket full of dirt and call it a day.


prolific edit here; hehe the ants made me do this.



Karackle said:


> If you're putting essentially sterile water into a storage container, I imagine it would take a while for the container to become unsanitary, no?


Minimum light for interaction and maintaining O2 levels before adding RO to the aquariums is the key to RO storage (imo). Adding the air is the issue during storage. Pollen and or mold spores can find a way in through the air pump. Insulated the tank with black rubber leaving a 2 1/2" gauging gap marked at 5gal. intervals limited the light. 
This is my rig out in the shop.








When I have reservoir drawn down low I add H2O2 to about 10ml/g on whats in the tank and just dump it in. Kills anything in the water remaining in the tank (bacteria or algae) and the final stage on my RO is a UV lamp so the new water is clean this cycle just repeats over and over on my system. The 3% H2O2 added to holding tanks last 15-30g is history before the water is pumped into the tanks.


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## sewingalot

Yeah, yeah. Rub the salt in the pride wound, eh? 

LMAO! I haven't heard _warsh_ in a while. That was one thing I refused to pick up from my grandparents. Warsh your teeth, Warshington DC....


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## sewingalot

You ninja'd me. 



wkndracer said:


> Went back to page 78 and read the end of the thread again catching up.
> (Loved it,,, great pictures and banter)


You actually read this journal? You must be bored. :icon_cool I don't even read what I write half the time...



> completely agree on turface being too light.


I still really love my mostly turface tank, though. It grows the loveliest of plants. But I hate that it bottoms out the kh. I may still have to mix it, though. We'll see. How do you successfully plant in only three inches of substrate? I have like 7 inches in the back of the tank. (Yes, too much. I eyeballed it...)



> Ugh,,, sewing your dragging your feet already for too long on this project. Just send me your mailing addy and potash and clay can be on the way. If I remember correctly clay is 10% of soil weight so how much?


I'm just building the anticipation for you guys. After all I hear that once I switch to dirt, my plants are going to eventually all die because I'm not going to using the more conventional methods of fertilizing. 




> prolific edit here; hehe the ants made me do this.


*snicker* Don't be sneaking ants into my dirt.



> Minimum light for interaction and maintaining O2 levels before adding RO to the aquariums is the key to RO storage (imo). Adding the air is the issue during storage. Pollen and or mold spores can find a way in through the air pump. Insulated the tank with black rubber leaving a 2 1/2" gauging gap marked at 5gal. intervals limited the light.
> This is my rig out in the shop.
> 
> 
> When I have reservoir drawn down low I add H2O2 to about 10ml/g on whats in the tank and just dump it in. Kills anything in the water remaining in the tank (bacteria or algae) and the final stage on my RO is a UV lamp so the new water is clean this cycle just repeats over and over on my system. The 3% H2O2 added to holding tanks last 15-30g is history before the water is pumped into the tanks.


Ummm.....ouch. I think I just lost a brain cell trying to understand all this. I think it is time for me to do some serious research. (By the way I can't see a picture.)

Well all I have left is 2 grams of flubendazole. It's almost a teaspoon full. I went ahead and dumped that in the tank and will go to the feed store later with some couch change. Here's hoping for the best.


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## Kibblemania1414

there is only one reason i don't like this forum: i get so jealous of everyone tanks!!


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## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> Ummm.....ouch. I think I just lost a brain cell trying to understand all this. I think it is time for me to do some serious research. (By the way I can't see a picture.)


Why can't you see the pic? Nothing new, but I don't understand.

RO opinions translated to hillbillyette;
#1) "Keep that ther' watar in th'dark" (like good parents do with they're kids) and nothing organic grows in it.

#2) Run th'air pump overnite in your watar holdin' jug befor' pourin' it in th'tank.

haha fun for me anyway.

I run air into a bubble wand (keeps the water turning over in the tank and maintains a good O2 content) I maintain my reservoir temp at 78f with a 500w heater. That way it's ready to go straight into the tanks. I set up with a 105g holding tank because I'm using 100% RO for my tanks. The water doesn't set in the tank for very long before use. Even when it does sit for a week I haven't had an issue with anything growing in it or a problem in the tanks using it.

Replacing pre filters or membrane cartridges I wipe the housings off/out with 3% H2O2 while the unit is opened up then flush the first 2-3g down the sink before filling the tank.

I use H2O2 for most of my cleaning on tank stuff, that and salt solutions for net and tool dips.


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## sewingalot

It wants me to log into an angelfish forum. It just hates me. I'll check on another computer later on. 

Haha, that was funny. And what is hilarious is I understand what you are saying now. :icon_redf So basically you don't want stagnate water, right?

I wonder how this works on house filtering....oh. A quick google gives me answers.  This is going to be _expensive_.


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## wkndracer

I'll upload a different pic

edit gotta new one up and hope it loads


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## sewingalot

Thanks! I'll check back later on. I've got to take care of somethings for a bit. I appreciate it.


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## mistergreen

sewingalot said:


> So in college, eh? It's funny you remember your first betta like that given the thousands you've raised over the years.


Thousands? How old do you think I am? 
Maybe hundreds.

Oh, my mind is like a steel trap for remembering fishes but not so much on people's names and other things. Today was my first class and I had everybody introduced themselves. 15 minutes later I called a kid, "Hey, you!".


nice.


----------



## chad320

Dang, Ich? That sucks! I have wiped out a tank full of fish over not quarantining too. It'll get better. Heck, at least its not duckweed :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

mistergreen said:


> Thousands? How old do you think I am?
> Maybe hundreds.
> 
> Oh, my mind is like a steel trap for remembering fishes but not so much on people's names and other things. Today was my first class and I had everybody introduced themselves. 15 minutes later I called a kid, "Hey, you!".
> 
> nice.


850. You are ancient, right?  Haha, now you sound like the old man. He is always forgetting names. It must be a teacher qualifier or something. 




chad320 said:


> Dang, Ich? That sucks! I have wiped out a tank full of fish over not quarantining too. It'll get better. Heck, at least its not duckweed :hihi:


Oh, the ich is not the bad part. The good news....ich is probably completely wiped out from this stunt. Bad news - I'm a fish murderer.  So I used less than half the amount of flubendazole recommended for ich treatment based on a few different articles I looked up and then left the room.

15 dead and still counting. :icon_frow The flubendazole must have poisoned them in combination of the 82 degree heat and stress from adding a sick fish.

What's gone:
1 CPD - the female!
13 Rasboras 
1 baby shrimp
1 Betta (I am so sorry Cometano. I really just wanted to rescue you. Not poison you, too. Waaaaaaaaaah!)

So the tank is currently like this (forgive the cell phone picture, I really didn't have the heart to get a legitimate photograph). I uprooted 99% of everything looking for dead fish. I left a bit on each corner for them to hide in:










What's still here:
I have 17 rasboras left, two which are looking really bad.
Half a dozen platties unscathed
Four female guppies, one male and fry fine
Three otos are surprisingly acting normal.
Lots of baby shrimp and Darwin

Darwin Award and her children are doing quite well. Here's her picture. You can still see some flubendazole on the substrate. I am getting the gravel vacuum out tomorrow. I was more focused on removing water quickly:









So, since I am down to this many fish and I am at rock bottom, it looks like I finally learned my lesson on quarantining. I've never killed fish like this in my whole fish-keeping life. :icon_frow And I will never, ever, ever do this again. I love fish too much to do this. I don't even eat fish because I like them so much.

I changed 100% of the water and then another 50%. I am hoping I didn't kill the bio-filter in the process. I took water samples and everything was okay before and I don't think I missed any dead fish. Just to be safe, I am going to keep testing the water and changing small amounts daily. Co2 and lights are off to minimize stress. I added a few air stones to aerate the water more. I'll leave the co2 off until I don't have fish dying for at least 24 hours. My poor fishes. I had a mass burial tonight in the back yard. It wasn't right to do anything else with the bodies.

Yeah, I feel like two centimeters tall right now.

So for anyone listening:

QUARANTINE YOUR FISH AND DON'T RESCUE FISH IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. IT'S CRUEL.


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## SkyGrl

oh dear. this sucks that you lost all the fishies you did. but like you said. you learnt your lesson. the good news is.. you get to rescape!! woop woop. and your shrimps are looking fine along with the otos. awesome! shrimp are pretty hardy in my experience.

its hard to concentrate due to the sweet&sour chicken i have been making...the smell is making me so hungry! just waiting on the rice... i didnt plan this supper well.. LOL 

Amy


----------



## mistergreen

Ouch, that sucks. Didn't know flu can be dangerous.

Don't feel too bad. We've all been there. Over the summer I killed off 1/4 of my fishes from overdosing excel while running CO2. I didn't know excel binds up O2.


----------



## chad320

Ouch. Sorry for your losses. For every door that closes, a new one opens. Best of luck to you in the next few days  (keep smilin')


----------



## msjinkzd

I live near codorus furnace, where we have a similar iron furnace! My kids call it robot rock!


----------



## wkndracer

OMG!!! I just caught up enough to get back to the thread. Too bad and am so sad geez! dUMBAZZ question #1 but was to O2 level cranked up with the heat? I have NEVER had this reaction either!


----------



## nonconductive

that stinks. sorry about the fish.


----------



## sewingalot

SkyGrl said:


> oh dear. this sucks that you lost all the fishies you did. but like you said. you learnt your lesson. the good news is.. you get to rescape!! woop woop. and your shrimps are looking fine along with the otos. awesome! shrimp are pretty hardy in my experience.
> 
> its hard to concentrate due to the sweet&sour chicken i have been making...the smell is making me so hungry! just waiting on the rice... i didnt plan this supper well.. LOL
> 
> Amy


Oh, wow. That sounds excellent. We had stirfry yesterday! And I ate plain white rice today and tomorrow, more rice. :hihi: It's really cheap and rice is quite filling (a little under 10$ for 25 pounds!). Between flour, rice and potatoes, we don't go hungry. I call them meal stretchers. (I'm nice and eat a lot less of the meat portions than I'd like for the hubby's sake. Don't tell him, lol. :wink You need a rice cooker. We almost always have rice fixed. The good ones will keep rice for up to 12 hours in good shape. I remember dropping a hundred bucks at dinner and not batting an eye lash not that long ago. Now I'm like excited when we get to go to MacD's. :hihi:



mistergreen said:


> Ouch, that sucks. Didn't know flu can be dangerous.
> 
> Don't feel too bad. We've all been there. Over the summer I killed off 1/4 of my fishes from overdosing excel while running CO2. I didn't know excel binds up O2.


The weird thing is I used half the amount. There is one other thing I was thinking could have happened. I had used potassium permanganate the other day to disinfect plants and had some stain on my hands, but once I changed out the water, the other fish that were acting funny were almost immediately better.



chad320 said:


> Ouch. Sorry for your losses. For every door that closes, a new one opens. Best of luck to you in the next few days  (keep smilin')


I always smile.  I had braces for six years, and my stepdad liked to have me show off my smile so he could brag on buying them. LOL.

But thanks, Chad. Keep on moving forward is my motto. Stay in the past and it will eat you alive. :icon_smil



msjinkzd said:


> I live near codorus furnace, where we have a similar iron furnace! My kids call it robot rock!
> View attachment 29200


Hahaha, it does look like a robot rock! That is awesome. The one pictured is not too far a distance from us around an hour's drive, but I had never been there before. I've seen the others, but the closest one I never got around to visiting until this weekend.

I tell you, I am actually liking being poor again like I was growing up. You really learn to appreciate the simple thing in life again: good friends, family, home cooked meals, nature walks, books, writing and, of course, whiskey. :hihi:



wkndracer said:


> OMG!!! I just caught up enough to get back to the thread. Too bad and am so sad geez! dUMBAZZ question #1 but was to O2 level cranked up with the heat? I have NEVER had this reaction either!


The water level had dropped about 1 1/2" and I hadn't topped it off, plus I raised both output valves a good couple inches out of the water. Right now it sounds like a waterfall in here. I hate the sound of running water.

This is odd to me. The only thing I can think of is that, the pp stain on my hand, or that it combined with some of the nasty stuff in our water and created a poison. I've used this stuff several times before and never had an issue. 

To be a little descriptive, the betta had a bloated belly and his fins were burned off. The rasboras looked like nothing was wrong, just dead fish. The CPD, too. I don't think the male is going to make it. That leaves me with the $200 tank bred CPD if I am lucky.



nonconductive said:


> that stinks. sorry about the fish.


Thanks. It's my fault and I take full responsibility. I was crying the whole time I was cleaning out the tank. It's looking like the lindernia isn't going to make it.... I'm hoping to get a few good stems.


----------



## chad320

And my sympathies to Earl, you had to put up with this mess......:hihi:


----------



## Karackle

I'm so sorry about the fish Sara!!! How is everyone doing today? Your CPD cost $200?! or was that a typo? or did I misread something? 

I wish my CPDs would breed so I could send you some babies!!! Anyone know how to get the lil buggers to breed? :tongue: 

An iron furnace!!! I was sort of close! :hihi: either way, it's very cool!

Also, I actually didn't look too bad after fishing Leo out of the mud, he was closed enough to the boards that I was able to lean over and scoop him out without actually having to get into the mud myself (though I would have if I'd had to of course :tongue so he's a good boy for at least not wandering too far!!! HAHAHA


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> And my sympathies to Earl, you had to put up with this mess......:hihi:


Hush, you. Sticking up for the boy, I see. LOL, he went to bed early. (But he was the kind gravedigger.)



Karackle said:


> I'm so sorry about the fish Sara!!! How is everyone doing today? Your CPD cost $200?! or was that a typo? or did I misread something?
> 
> I wish my CPDs would breed so I could send you some babies!!! Anyone know how to get the lil buggers to breed? :tongue:
> 
> An iron furnace!!! I was sort of close! :hihi: either way, it's very cool!


Yup, you were very close. That's just a small bit of whats left. This place is full of iron coal. When it rains, parts of the rocks will turn orange. It's quite pretty, actually.

If you figure in the cost of all the CPDs I bought and factor in I got _one_ baby, $200. So, unless she dies, she's the most expensive fish I've ever owned..... The best success I had was to remove the adults after watching the female closely go from plump to skinny. Easy to breed, not so easy to grow. I've found it's very easy to over feed the fry and they will often die. This one survivor actually wasn't intentional. I was tearing down a tank like 3 weeks later and found her. She ate microorganisms. I probably won't buy CPDs again. If I do, they will have to be tank raised.

As far as the tank is concerned.....5 more dead - 4 rasboras and the male CPD.  I couldn't see much in the tank, but will look again when it has light on it. I want to minimize stress as long as possible, so the lights are staying off. So far the parameters are still good. Zero across the board. I'm not even fertilizing. But I plan to do some small water changes to clear it up some more.

So the million dollar question is - should I find a home for the other fish before more die? I am thinking strongly about this. I'll make up my mind soon. I'm a jerk. Poor fish. I really want to hang up my net for good after this one. My thought is to remove all the fish but a few and to let it sit for a while before I do anything. And then I'll add fish back AFTER quarantine.


----------



## Karackle

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear about more deaths  Don't hang up the net though! We all make mistakes, this is by far the hardest kind to make (when you're a fish lover) but don't give up! 

At this point, I would probably just let everyone that can / will recover in the tank, netting them and putting them in a new tank might be more stressful at this point, you know? But definitely quarantine new recruits  

And WOW that really IS an expensive fish then! I guess I don't watch them close enough to see chubby ladies....maybe I should keep an eye out for that and see if I can get some babies. It's definitely really easy to overfeed babies, but I actually do have experience raising fry so maybe I could do it. Maybe I should move the CPDs to the 10g. Wonder if they'd be happier in there. (sorry for the thread jack lol)

VERY cool about the orange when it rains on the iron furnace!


----------



## msjinkzd

sewingalot said:


> If you figure in the cost of all the CPDs I bought and factor in I got _one_ baby, $200. So, unless she dies, she's the most expensive fish I've ever owned..... The best success I had was to remove the adults after watching the female closely go from plump to skinny. Easy to breed, not so easy to grow. I've found it's very easy to over feed the fry and they will often die. This one survivor actually wasn't intentional. I was tearing down a tank like 3 weeks later and found her. She ate microorganisms. I probably won't buy CPDs again. If I do, they will have to be tank raised.
> 
> 
> So the million dollar question is - should I find a home for the other fish before more die? I am thinking strongly about this. I'll make up my mind soon. I'm a jerk. Poor fish. I really want to hang up my net for good after this one. My thought is to remove all the fish but a few and to let it sit for a while before I do anything. And then I'll add fish back AFTER quarantine.


No, because thy are carrying disease.

Also, I ordered more cpd's and will replace those you lost at cost (cheap) if you like. I can also walk you through breeding them easier and feeding them easier. Just let me know when you are ready.

I like to use yarn mops, pull the mops about a day after you see mass chasing subside and place it into a small (5g or so) tank with just sponge filtration. After I see wigglers at the top (smaller than eyelashes), I will start to feed microworms. At this time, I also add an apple snail (mystery snail, pomacea diffusa). They eat uneaten foods, leave the fry alone, and their slime is basically infusoria which is a great first food.


----------



## sewingalot

Found the issue! Wnkdracer suggested _*flu*_bendazole and I thought I had that on hand. It was in a small jar I got from the vet and only had dewormer written on it. So......I called up the vet that I got it from and asked them. They gave me _*fen*_bendazole. I assumed it was flu, not fen. My horrible bad. To confirm without going into details, I found a small pebble of it in one of the fish I had die today. So apparently, it didn't dissolve like I was expecting, I left the room and when the lights came on, they ate it. It was too much for them to handle. You can actually feel the bulges in some of the fish. If you look at the poor CPD in the middle, you can actually see it quite well. That explains why it failed this time but worked for everything else. So make sure you are using the right medication! (In addition to quarantine.)

Final death toll: 35 and suspecting at least two more. I am down to four rasboras. This hurts more than a bit. They are schooling fish and they are not happy. All the CPDs are gone now.  Two extraordinary ordinary common guppies MIA I tore the tank apart, took all the plants out rinsed them well and didn't find them.

Well, pictures now that it is put back together. Doesn't look too bad, I actually think it has some real potential. So, Amy you are correct. At least I got to rescape. :icon_idea









And here are the most recently fallen fish. (If this bothers anyone, please let me know and I'll remove it.)









Onto good news! 
There is no sign of ich whatsoever. 

Despite beaten plants from being uprooted, co2 off and no fertilizers, all but a few plants made it. The lily is shedding leaves, but it always does that when moved around. I only have a few stems of each of the lindernia species left, but they are in good shape. MU is gone. But that's fine with me I secretly despised that plant. Erio is a little banged up, but I have plenty of it in another tank, so I'm happy. 

Also, the otos are doing fabulous. They are spawning! I can't get a good picture of the eggs because of the air bubbles, from the water, but if there is any left over (not eaten), I'll be sure to snap some pics. Probably from the the massive water changes.

So between the 20+ fry I took into the store to start the disaster and the 35 dead, at least I don't have to worry about where to put them when I change out the substrate/fix the silicone. And the tank is officially no longer overstocked. So that much is good. :wink:

Kara, my dear, you can thread-jack my threads at any time. I really don't care. It's conversation, no? (And at least it's fish related unlike my off-topic monologues in here ) Once you get used to seeing the CPDs spawning behavior, it's pretty easy to notice the subtle differences in the belly size. I am sad that I have no more CPDs, but I am done with them for now. Time to let the tank rest and balance out.

Rachel, thank you for the generous offer! But I'd pay you going rate gladly. If I ever decide what to get, that is. I'll keep this in mind.

But I saved the best news for last! You will all be glad to hear that the BBA is all safe and sound. Not one fluffy hair was harmed in this process.


----------



## msjinkzd

bwahahahah! heaven forbid the bba be effected!!!!

I am so sorry for all your losses, but commend you on your exceptional attitude!


----------



## !shadow!

Sorry about your losses. I know how you feel, I just had a year old ram just randomly pass away yesterday. That was my longest kept fish I've had. Hope everything goes well down the road.


----------



## sewingalot

msjinkzd said:


> bwahahahah! heaven forbid the bba be effected!!!!
> 
> I am so sorry for all your losses, but commend you on your exceptional attitude!


Thanks. You can mourn your losses, but you have to keep moving forward while you do so. I fall down, I get up. I fall down, I get up. True failure is staying down. Mistakes happen to the best of us. 

If my poor BBA was effected, I would have simply had to cut my losses in the hobby and went back to sewing. What would I use for my new setup? Nobody better mess will my algae. :hihi:



!shadow! said:


> Sorry about your losses. I know how you feel, I just had a year old ram just randomly pass away yesterday. That was my longest kept fish I've had. Hope everything goes well down the road.


Thanks and sorry about your ram. It's always heartbreaking for me to loose fish. They become part of the family and each have their own little quirks and beauty. 

I honestly do this for the fish, not the plants. That's why I am converting over to MTS/soil/clay/whatever else I think of between now and then method. I never understood the fish = accent pieces. Some people own fish. Fish own me. :wink:


----------



## SkyGrl

bwa hahahahaha that BBA can survive anything.. make a bomb shelter and youll be safe from the nuclear holocost!! hahaha. 

that sucks that you have so many fish that died. but the rescape looks great. i think you need some color. like red ludwigia :hihi: . it stays red in my no dose tank even.. i found dried amano on my floor now too.. what is going on!!! im doing a w/c tonight. maybe that will help. 

ooohhhh cute cute the otos are spawning!! they are so adorable when they get so fat! hehehehe. 

down with bad labels!!! bbboooooooooooo 

Amy


----------



## lauraleellbp

Oh Sara I'm so sorry about your fish!

I get those two mixed up ALL the time! :thumbsdow on your vet for not labelling what they gave you properly, though!


----------



## Karackle

well thank goodness the BBA is ok! Heaven forbid!  I agree, I too am in admiration of your attitude and I agree with you, the true failure would be to stay down. 

The new scape it looking lovely, it definitely has lots of potential! Can't wait to see it with the new dirt/mud/clay/etc substrate


----------



## sewingalot

37 dead and counting. Otos are spawning away like there is nothing going on. 

Amy, there are actually a few stems in there that are supposed to be orange and pink, but with the lower light levels, they are all green. *grumble*

My poor little rasboras in there little school of three. One of them expired just moments ago. So the deaths may not be over yet. There is a guppy doing that shimmy shake, so I don't think she'll last. And the male isn't doing much better. I changed another large portion of water but with our possible water problems....

That's the main benefit of growing up a poor hillbilly. You learn to keep moving forward even when it hurts. roud:

And the BBA is alive so I must embrace that.....Right?

On there behalf, the little pill bottle said see insert for ingredients. I'm the one that didn't keep the box and insert.


----------



## Chaos_Being

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear about the mix-up with the medication! I can definitely see how that would be easy to do though with those similar names...I probably would have done the same thing 

On the other hand, the re-scape does look like it will grow in nicely (and shouldn't take long I would think seeing how stuff grows in your tank.) And, I guess the silver lining is that you are basically being given a fresh start. You could do something completely new with your tank- anything that you've wanted to do, but couldn't because of the types of fish you had in there before?


----------



## sewingalot

39 and counting. There are more looking really sick. I am now starting to question whether or not to euthanize them as soon as they get that noticeble shake....I don't want to, though! They may pull through. Today I lost the guppy adult and a platty juvie. Looks like the almost adult platty is struggling. The smallest babies are doing well. I think the pieces of med was too big for them. Oto fish are still behaving normal and the three rasboras are schooling just fine. But the larger guppies and platies are struggling to pull through. I am suspecting I'll loose most of the fish. Between the trade ins and the deaths, 59 fish are gone from the tank. 

I really think this is the most devastating experience I've ever faced. I know it wasn't intentional and it was an accident, but I still feel rotten. I am seriously struggling with the guilt I feel. I should have kept the box or at least the insert or I should have at least marked the bottle. But hindsight is always 20/20. I'm going to mourn my fish and learn a way to cope with this experience.

After all, like you said, I can try any fish I've been wanting but haven't because of the live bearers. Only, I'll have to think of an another name for the tank. It's given name is no longer a fit. I feel sad, but at the same time, it would be more horrible if I didn't feel remorse and grief. I'm not able to put into words the emotions I am feeling over this. 

Anyway, I'm thinking I need to put back on the co2 before I loose my plants, but I am hesitating on this. I don't want to add fuel to the flames. But at the same time, the plants are starting to show signs of no co2. What to do?

On the plus side, at least it'll be easy getting out the fish for the rebuild. At this rate, they'll all fit in a 10 gallon for a few days easy.


----------



## lauraleellbp

I'd do a few big water changes today and wait till tomorrow for the CO2.

DON'T FEEL GUILTY!!!


----------



## mistergreen

Yeah, I take the same approach to fishkeeping. The plants are there to show off the fish. Same with aquascaping.

I missed this but what meds was used instead of flu?
And I'm assuming you've done a water change already?


----------



## sewingalot

*Fen*bendazole: two letters wrong. It didn't dissolve at all, the fish that could eat it, ate it and I think that was what killed them in addition to the ich, temperature change and co2. Just too much all at once. I've done five huge water changes so far and am about to log off and do another. Only, I am out of prime from using the last of it yesterday and all I have on hand is generic water conditioner. I am hoping the two don't interact.


----------



## mistergreen

Oh, fenben dosen't dissolve all that well. A good vacuum should do it.


----------



## chad320

:icon_arroWARNING: This tank is under construction! Please keep and hands and legs inside the vehicle


----------



## sewingalot

mistergreen said:


> Oh, fenben dosen't dissolve all that well. A good vacuum should do it.


Done. But I am still seeing parts of it in the places I didn't get too. Good news is there are no signs of ich or hydra now. No deaths for the last few hours either. Hopeful that is the end of it, but I am highly doubtful of this since there is some doing head stands or sitting really still. I'm going to pick up some activated carbon and replace the stuff that's in one of the filters tomorrow to see if that will help.



chad320 said:


> :icon_arroWARNING: This tank is under construction! Please keep and hands and legs inside the vehicle


In the words of my mom "You just think you're cute, don't you?" :flick: Haha, all joking aside, you are quite right. This take is _definitely _under construction. 

You know who I feel sorry for the most? My poor husband. I've been sulking so much he's actually offered to give up part of his spring break to finish the light for me. And he told me that he'd buy me some fish from Rachel when the fish tank balances out. Although, I am actually really scared to buy fish after this. I love that guy. :redface:


----------



## chad320

chad320 said:


> And my sympathies to Earl, you had to put up with this mess......:hihi:


See? Even he feels bad for you  Quit sulking and tell us of your next master plan for this giant tank!!:angel:


----------



## msjinkzd

> You know who I feel sorry for the most? My poor husband. I've been sulking so much he's actually offered to give up part of his spring break to finish the light for me. And he told me that he'd buy me some fish from Rachel when the fish tank balances out. Although, I am actually really scared to buy fish after this. I love that guy.


He sounds like a keeper! 

I really hope the death stops soon  I cannot imagine how terrible you feel. I dont have many livebearers, but I do have chilli endlers, black bar endlers, red platies with black tails and moustaches, and ameca splendens (they would eat your lovely algae but they are extinct in the wild and on the ACA Cares list). I also have some Poeciliopsis prolifica which are on the ACA cares list (threatend species) that I am working with should you choose to retain the suga sack name/theme


----------



## sewingalot

40 and counting. Sigh. Will this ever end? It was a platy and I am seeing another that is suspect. I hate for the lights to come on. Surprisingly, the cycle is really good. Only the nitrates spiked up today to around 40 ppm. I did a water change and got it down to a more reasonable number. 

Thanks you two. Rachel, I'm lucky to have the guy. :biggrin: I think I am done with live bearers, though. That's really sad about the fish being extinct/threatened in the wild. I hate to be adding to the demand of overfishing. That's actually why I refuse to go salt water. 

You want to hear plans?
I'm getting a red lotus plant, a red ocelot sword and some other plant in hopefully. I've been saving up my extra money up from sales and bought some plants. I am going to get the canopy finished this weekend, I bought another bag of dirt and I've stolen all the flourite out of the 10 gallon I broke down in preparation for the algae tank. So there is a bucket of mud on the front porch waiting for me to put it on the tarp. Only, the tarp is buried underneath a bunch of plaster that was knocked out of the walls upstairs. LOL. So I have another excuse. :hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

you better sweep that plaster off and get busy, missy!


----------



## chad320

nonconductive said:


> you better sweep that plaster off and get busy, missy!


Yep, if Earl is helping you, then you should help him too by cleaning off that tarp for him :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Hahaha, Missy. :hihi: That was one of my nicknames growing up that my cousins used to call me. (They couldn't say my name and that's what it ended up.) You can't sweep this plaster up. It's in one of those 30 gallon trash cans. I tried my best to move it off the tarp a bit ago and all I managed to do was to break a sweat. It ain't budging for me. You'd appreciate the fact the old man just stood there and laughed at me. He told me he'd help me move it but I was too stubborn to ask for help. There is also a broken tv on the other side of the tarp (water damaged) and I couldn't lift that either.  I guess I'm going to have to eat some crow when he gets back home and ask him to help....I'm just bracing myself for the typical _I told you so_ look.


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> _I told you so_ look.


My wife has come to know that as my normal face.


----------



## msjinkzd

:icon_lol:


----------



## Karackle

Hahahaha you're so stubborn you silly! :hihi: You better ask him to help you so we can see your tank with some dirt in it! :biggrin: Especially because he's totally a keeper and wants to make you happy, so he might give you "the look" but he'll do it willingly 

On the bright side, I am actually excited to see the new scape and whatnot now! :bounce:


----------



## sewingalot

Nonc, I give your wife permission to feed you ants for dinner.  After a few smug looks from my husband and that little self-satisfied he gets, he helped me lug the television a few feet (I am telling you it probably weighs 200 pounds, no joke.) and carried the trash can over and then went back into the house while I swept off dust, broken pieces of plaster, lathe strips and nails. And then, I got to make a mess! Does this make you guys happy at all? The tarp is 6 x 8 in case you wanted to know. I don't know if I need more dirt or not. It is hard to show, but the middle part was a couple inches in high and once I finished spreading it out, it nearly took up the 2/3 of the tarp. We'll see. I bought a bag of Miracle Grow Organic Potting Soil (this time). Is it supposed to look like mulch? :confused1:










Anyone want a broken tele? It is a great paper weight. :biggrin:

And since I am dog tired, what a more appropriate picture than this to share (don't tell the husband the dogs got on the couch!)


----------



## chad320

That is awesome! Get the fans on it and lets get drying!!!! Tell Earl thanks for us!!


----------



## speedie408

Sucks living in an apartment! I have no real estate to prep MTS.  Make me some and ship it to me Sara!! haha j/k or am I?


----------



## sewingalot

Chad, I'll be sure to thank my guy when his isn't mad at me for making a mess in his kitchen. :icon_redf I cleaned it, but he's still grumpy. Oops. 

Speedie, I don't know if you want me to make your MTS. Did you not see the part where I've been working on this for over 9 months? So, sure but you may not see it until next year. :hihi: Since I am bored, have nothing to torment nonc with (sigh) and am hiding from the loving but rightfully mad at me husband....I figured I should take some pictures of the fish, especially of the sick ones, just in case. I got a little camera happy as usual, so you all will have lots of mediocre pictures to look at! You can really see the number no fertilizers no co2 and a day of darkness has done on some of the more sensitive plants like erio type 2, blyxa and lindernia sp india. But everything else did surprisingly well.

And for the greatest news of all! The BBA is healthy and thriving! 


















Not sure these guys are gonna make it. But they are still picture hams which encourages me!









Here's the girl beaten up but still following me around wanting her picture taken:


















Burnt tail from the OD (you don't even want to know what that poor betta's fins looked like. )









Sam:


















One of the rotalas I got from Cardinal Tetra (don't ask which one, these are actually a couple types grouped together but I don't know what they are)









Just a neat picture, and yes, that is hornwort. 









Clinopodium brownei









Fat oto:









Skinny oto:









Laura's bacopa!









Lagarosiphon madagascariensis (I'll never spell this correctly without looking it up)









Sad Erio. type 2









Sad lindernia sp india









Sad blyxa









Bacopa









Clinopodium brownei surrounded by little plantlets going to Mac in the am (Qt this guys!!!)









One of Mac's plant to be (don't forget to qt!)









Ludwigia brevipes









Ludwigia arcuata









Limnophilia sp wavy









Fissidens that I found on my pants coming from the hike. :hihi: It's growing!


----------



## SkyGrl

cool!! those HAMS indeed!! lol so cute! your stems dont seem like they took to much of a beating, just a couple others ones.. they will recover in no time. Quick turn on the 4 lights!! hahaha i know im a bad influence  :hihi:

Amy

P.S. the BBA growing off the glass is AWESOME!!! it looks like its a perfect circle.. kinda reminds me of clown hair....


----------



## chad320

hey that doesnt look 1/2 as bad as I had pictured in my head. You will recover just fine!!! And on a side note, the next time you guys go hiking, get me a big lump of that fissidens would ya?


----------



## sewingalot

Amy, I love the bba on the glass. It's like a little hair plug. It stays there, the low portions of stems and the substrate now. Actually I am about to turn on those four lights, lol. :hihi:

What was you expecting, Chad? LMAO! The fish took the brunt of the disaster sadly. I'd rather lost all the plants and none of the fish. 

You ain't getting any intentional fissidens. If it winds up attached to me or Earl, I'll send it to you, though. I'll go hiking in a non-protected environment and fetch you some if you like. We are heading down to Kentucky this or next weekend. I'll look for some while I'm out.


----------



## Karackle

YAY for mud! Looks like lots of fun! :biggrin: looks like you have quite a lot there too! Can't wait to see it in the tank!!! well.....i mean, I can't wait to see how the plants do with it in the tank roud: 

Other than the tail burn the fish look like they're doing pretty well actually, definitely hams! :hihi:

I too thought the plants were going to be much worse off from what you said, glad to see they're not sooo bad!  

Also, your puppies are adorable! :bounce:


----------



## sewingalot

Dirt is still drying. A little cool outside, so it's not in a hurry to go anywhere. On the edges where it is dry - is the dirt supposed to be an ash when it crumbles? It's been so long ago that I got my MTS kit from Ken for the 10 gallon I set up that I can't remember the consistency. It reminds me of soot. If so, I'd go as far as saying I'll be finished with the dirt wet/dry cycle after this. And as usual, it is supposed to start raining tomorrow, so the moisture in the air is slowing down the drying further. 

No more deaths so far. I think the worst is over. There are still a few that are wounded, and I'm not certain of their future, but they are swimming around and eating, so I am encouraged with that much. Shrimp and otos are still doing excellent. Nitrates keep shooting up a bit, and there is a hazy look to the water, so I've been doing a lot of water changes to keep them at a comfortable level. I'm sorry, but if it gets above 20 ppm, I'm just not comfortable. Actually 20ppm makes me a little nervous, and this is coming from my fish only keeping days, but if it isn't just fertilizers pushing the numbers, I worry. Looking at my tank makes me sad right now. I have a feeling this is going to take a while to get over.

I went to a pet store yesterday and didn't even want to look at the fish. I'm sure this is a normal reaction for someone that loves her pets, but some times I wish I were one of those people that did view animals as property so that it didn't hurt to loose these fish so much. But then again, I'd rather have a heart to get hurt than no heart at all. Right?

Trying to narrow down the species in the tank plant wise. I'm so over collectoritis. I realized I'll never get anywhere just hoarding plants. Even the loveliness of the dutch scapes have a method to their collection. I'm starting to grow out of this phase of _I have to have everything _to the more sensible approach. To my roots so to speak you could say.

So I've been randomly contacting members and offering some of my prized collection to them for shipping costs. However, I am getting down to just a few rarer species left and if the last few people don't want them, I'm pitching them. I see others selling these semi-precious plants, so it's not like the end of the world. I'm getting ruthless. I got rid of all my limnophilia sp. wavy this weekend. That one hurt just a bit. I've always kept a stick or two of that hiding in the background.

Bacopa, HM, erios, lindernias and rotalas are for sure out of this tank. If I don't find a home by tonight, I'm tossing them in the morning.

Potential plants to keep:
Lagarosiphon madagascariensis 
Blyxa japonica (getting in aubertii from Mark - Yay!!!!)
Ludwigia brevipes and possibly a stem or two of arcuata that seems to pop up occasionally. 
'Sam' and possibly 'Sally'
Possibly clinopodium brownei (Might just grow this emersed, not sure)
Hygrophilia corymbosa angustifolia
Nymphaea sp 'tawain'
Glosso (on the fence, but only if remains vertical)

I moved some Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides over here temporarily to see if I like it for a ground cover. So far, so good.

Oh and Rachel and her brother (BBA snails - got moved to their new home this morning.) So far the algae tank has diatoms, BBA and clado added. Will accept donations. :hihi:


----------



## msjinkzd

I will happily send you more clado should you want it! Also have hair algae in abundance, lol


----------



## macclellan

Some neat plants there. Looking forward to some pics. 

You'll love B. aubertiii (Mark got that from me originally). I still regret not keeping one plant for myself and will have to pick some up AFTER I get rid of these dang tetras.


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, you'll have to get with me later on then. If it grows, I'll glad do a trade. I'm hoping it grows similiarly to japonica. I'll get some pictures in a day or so when things are growing in a little more and I get rid of the extra plants.

Rachel, I'm in. I'll contact you when I get some extra cash. :thumbsup:


----------



## macclellan

Yeah, it's just like japonica, but about 18" tall, more roots, and flowers more often.


----------



## sewingalot

Wonderful! I hope it makes it here alive. We hit a cold spell this weekend. If not, I'll get more. I've been wanting this plant for a while and Mark was kind enough to remember me. I love the idea of the plant even more now.


----------



## matt12

sewingalot said:


> lagarosiphon madagascariensis (i'll never spell this correctly without looking it up)


send me some!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## sewingalot

Remind me in a few weeks after the tank has grown in some more in and I'll be glad to trade or something.


----------



## Karackle

So glad to hear that there haven't been anymore deaths and that the injured fishies are eating and lively  I hope that bodes well for them! 

Good will power not looking at the fish roud: 

Can't wait to see the new layout and landscape with new, minimalized plant list! :biggrin: sounds like it'll be awesome!


----------



## wkndracer

Caught up on the posts this am. Easier with only a couple of pages. I may have a bunch of tank but wow do you have a plant selection. Reading through I stumbled when I hit all the pictures (cool cool cool) if I missed the response sorry for the double post. Miracle Grow is like half rotted, finely ground mulch is the best way I can describe it. At least all the bags I've seen were. When dry the organic content (I kno 'organic content' haha wood chips) make it almost bounce back when you try to pack it down. The MTS when done is exactly like ash in it's consistency and no odor at all. 

Nine months,,, wowza! only way I could wait that long on flooding a box is if the well went dry LOL. 

Very nice run of plant pics and glad things are settling into routine again.


----------



## lauraleellbp

Karackle said:


> Can't wait to see the new layout and landscape with new, minimalized plant list! :biggrin: sounds like it'll be awesome!


My prediction- deprivation will only fuel the flames of her collectoritis, so she'll be back to "normal" in no time! :flick:


----------



## Gatekeeper

macclellan said:


> Yeah, it's just like japonica, but about 18" tall, more roots, and flowers more often.





sewingalot said:


> Wonderful! I hope it makes it here alive. We hit a cold spell this weekend. If not, I'll get more. I've been wanting this plant for a while and Mark was kind enough to remember me. I love the idea of the plant even more now.


Well, there is some descrepancy Joel that should be noted and I am sure you know this. _Blyxa aubertii _will propagate like a rosette from the base. Pull the plant every few months and you will usually have three or four plantlets ready to be parsed from the base. This also is why the plant can get very very full (sometimes the plant will suffer from this if not attended to from time to time).

_Blyxa japonica_ grows like a stem plant and will propagate from the main stem.


----------



## Gatekeeper

> Dirt is still drying. A little cool outside, so it's not in a hurry to go anywhere. On the edges where it is dry - is the dirt supposed to be an ash when it crumbles? It's been so long ago that I got my MTS kit from Ken for the 10 gallon I set up that I can't remember the consistency. It reminds me of soot. If so, I'd go as far as saying I'll be finished with the dirt wet/dry cycle after this. And as usual, it is supposed to start raining tomorrow, so the moisture in the air is slowing down the drying further.


Yes, it will be almost the consistency of silt (smear between fingers and will have a smooth velvet feeling). The nuggets should be easy to break up in your fingers.

Don't bother letting it dry all the way, its done. You are just going to add it to water at this point. If you have gone through a few wet/dry you are done.

Just start now. Don't over complicate the recipe and no, you can't screw it up.


----------



## sewingalot

Well.....my husband made me go at least visit the wall to show me I wasn't going to kill them just by looking. :icon_redf I bet they all breathed a sigh of relief when I walked away. LOL.

I've got to take a picture of the tank. It's like empty right now. I don't think I've every had so little of plant species in my tank. It's killing me! 

Okay, that is exactly what the Miracle Grow looks like. I was expecting soil, but got a bag of peat? Good to know it's supposed to look like that. I am not sure if I want to use it at this point. 

Yeah, the husband is teasing me, said I could have had a baby in all this time. I'm more country than him. I take my time with everything. I just say good things come to those who wait. :redface:

:icon_eek: I'd say something back to this, Laura, but we know it's probably true. LOL

That is good to know on the blyxa. I've never had this plant and I'd hate to kill it. I simply don't see it that often on the forum and would like to be able to keep it alive. I've already tore out a big place for it. Haha, I'm getting like one plant and the space is like a foot wide. :confused1:

Okay, so you guys are saying it's ready then. It is definitely ashy, consistent like silt. Just picking up the pieces of dirt makes them break apart. It's actually neat to see the difference.

Trust me on this, Glenn. If anyone is able to screw this up, it'll be me. 

I'm trying to talk the old man into letting me re-seal this tank sooner than the end of May. He's not budging, but I'll start showering him with so much attention, he'll give in just to have me stop pestering him. :hihi: Or I _could _sing to him. He recently told me _"You're not a bad singer, but you aren't great, either."_ Gee.....I wonder why the 7th year is so hard. Hahaha! Gotta love him for his honesty. :icon_eek: I chose to think this is what he meant: _"You're not a bad singer, you should be the next Lita Ford."_ I'll threaten to sing _Lisa _to him, that should do it.

Yeah, I take too many pictures and talk too much on this journal. What am I going to do when the MTS takes over? :confused1: We shall see, we shall see.


----------



## nonconductive

Maybe you two could do a duet of "Close My Eyes Forever"


----------



## sewingalot

Hahaha, do you wanna sing the Ozzy part to him? I'm so alone in my love of Lita Ford in this household.....along with a lot of other singers. He actually told me my signing wouldn't be so bad if I'd at least get the words right. Know that song _Voices Carry_? I sing "Oh, Charles. Keep it down, now. This is scary..." Yeah, he hates that. I love that song. Ironically, my lyrics fit quite well. :hihi:

Dirt is dry, by the way. It's in the 70s today, so all is well. 

Now onto thinking of songs to annoy the guy with when he gets home. I was thinking of starting with _Don't Know What You Got (Till it's Gone)_ I might even pull out my Aqua Net and Bandanas for that song.... (Total secret 80s hair band freak, lol.) Although, I can really caterwaul _Heaven_......Hmmm. He is a teacher....Maybe _Girlschool_??? 

P.S. If I never post again after tonight, you'll know he finally done me in.


----------



## Gatekeeper

He is a teacher. _Hot for Teacher_. Van Halen, 1984.


----------



## chad320

Everytime I miss this thread for a few days and come back to it, I find myself smiling at whats going on. Thanks for keeping it interesting Sara!:thumbsup:


----------



## sewingalot

Gatekeeper said:


> He is a teacher. _Hot for Teacher_. Van Halen, 1984.


_Teacher needs to see me after school._ Hahahaha! Good song choice.



chad320 said:


> Everytime I miss this thread for a few days and come back to it, I find myself smiling at whats going on. Thanks for keeping it interesting Sara!:thumbsup:


You are welcome, Chad. It is my goal to have people laugh at me.....err with me. Either way works, really.  People don't laugh enough and often take life too seriously.  (At least I find myself guilty of this.)


----------



## macclellan

Gatekeeper said:


> Well, there is some descrepancy Joel that should be noted and I am sure you know this. _Blyxa aubertii _will propagate like a rosette from the base. Pull the plant every few months and you will usually have three or four plantlets ready to be parsed from the base. This also is why the plant can get very very full (sometimes the plant will suffer from this if not attended to from time to time).
> 
> _Blyxa japonica_ grows like a stem plant and will propagate from the main stem.


Yeah, both are stem plants, but _aubertii_ 'splits' at the bottom, it doesn't branch up like _japonica_ does (even though the latter does so much more compactly than most stem plants. Aubertii doesn't produce in the manner of "true" rosette plants: runners (like Hellanthium sps.), bulbs (like Nymphaea sps.) or flower stalks that become plantlets (like Echinodorus sps.). At the end of the day, both Blyxa species need pulled, separated, and replanted every few months to look good. I never got seeds that germinated that I noticed, even though it flowered a lot. That would be neat to see!


----------



## nonconductive

Gatekeeper said:


> He is a teacher. _Hot for Teacher_. Van Halen, 1984.


 
hahaha...

isnt that the video that had sweet, sweet waldo in it?


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> hahaha...
> 
> isnt that the video that had sweet, sweet waldo in it?


The very one, lol. I had to look it up on youtube after that. That song cracks me up. 

Mac - thanks for the wealth of information on the blyxa! Hopefully it makes it here safe and sound. Our weather is doing strange things, 40s one day 70s the next.....

I did get an ozelot sword in from Tom855 and some awesome shrimp, plants, snails and bettas from Cardinal Tetra this afternoon! Thanks! Okay, so the red claw shrimp are freaking me out just a tad. LOL. One of the males jumped out of the bag that was being opened into a 2 gallon bucket onto my leg, onto the floor. I had to pick him up by the tail. He was literally hopping in the air a good foot or so. I actually had to weigh down a lid (with air space) to keep him from getting out while acclimating.

Here is the guy in his new home:









These things are scary big (I may never put my hand in the tank again, lol)


















Random cherry shrimp picture:



















The bettas are adorable and safely in quarantine. I threw a few fry and shrimp in the 20 gallon to give them something to do and stole a few plants and a filter from the 55 to keep the tank clean. Such cutie pies! Instant love!




































They'll be moved over to the 55 as soon as I feel comfortable that the ich is not present and the fish haven't died for at least a week. The nitrates are down to 10 ppm now, so I'm feeling pretty good with the outlook of the tank. 

I'll get better pictures when they've had a few days to settle in and I am not as scared by the monster shrimp, lol. The otos are having a blast with the shrimp, though. I saw an oto cleaning the back of the largest shrimp. These guys are as big as baby crawdaddies. :help:

Also got some beautiful blue tigers and endler fry. They are in the algae tank. I told them not to eat too much algae. Let's hope they listen. I'll get pictures of them soon, too. That reminds me, I've gotta box up some plants for CT.


----------



## msjinkzd

ver nice!!

what kind of bettas are they?


----------



## sewingalot

Betta bellica - aren't they adorable? Looks like I'll be centering my tank around this pair if all goes well. I really like them. The girl is cracking me up now that she's not so shy. She curls up and jumps forward in the tank. It's like she's testing her reflexes. I can't wait to see those two color up more. 

Finally braved it enough to stick my hand in the tank with the gigantic shrimp, by the way. The guys are scared of me. :hihi: Figures. But that is fine by me, cuz they are still nerve wracking, lol. Turned off the co2 for the day and will turn it back on tomorrow at a slower rate for the sake of the new shrimp.


----------



## nonconductive

nice new bettas!


----------



## macclellan

they look like eels!

hey, how tall do these nymphodies sp taiwan get?


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

macclellan said:


> they look like eels!
> 
> hey, how tall do these nymphodies sp taiwan get?


They strike like snakes when they hunt small fish and shrimp! They're so vicious!


----------



## SkyGrl

oh your bettas are super cute! they will love having the 55. scoot scoot. *ambush* 

i like your red claw shrimp. what do they eat? do you think they could grow a mustache of BBA? that would make them much easier to look at for you. YAY! for random cherry shrimp pictures!!!!

Amy


----------



## chad320

Nice bettas. These will make a nice focal point for the 55. Hopefully you get some breeding action in the future. I assume they do the bubble nest thing? Get you some floaters. Oh, nevermind, you have glosso. :hihi: And the red claws are awesome too. I debated getting some from him. I declined because I want to phase out some shrimp and get more fish. Apparently these guys would have been fine with them. Big as baby crawdaddies!!! You crack me up


----------



## Karackle

lauraleellbp said:


> My prediction- deprivation will only fuel the flames of her collectoritis, so she'll be back to "normal" in no time! :flick:


HAHAHAHA totally possible :hihi:



sewingalot said:


> Well.....my husband made me go at least visit the wall to show me I wasn't going to kill them just by looking. :icon_redf I bet they all breathed a sigh of relief when I walked away. LOL.


What did Earl make you go look at exactly?



sewingalot said:


> Now onto thinking of songs to annoy the guy with when he gets home. I was thinking of starting with _Don't Know What You Got (Till it's Gone)_ I might even pull out my Aqua Net and Bandanas for that song.... (Total secret 80s hair band freak, lol.) Although, I can really caterwaul _Heaven_......Hmmm. He is a teacher....Maybe _Girlschool_???


what about "girls just wanna have fun"? :icon_lol:



sewingalot said:


> I did get an ozelot sword in from Tom855 and some awesome shrimp, plants, snails and bettas from Cardinal Tetra this afternoon! Thanks!


WOOHOO!!! bettas are GORGEOUS and adorable! Glad to hear everyone is safely in quarantine! roud: I'm a little confused though....who is where now? LOL



sewingalot said:


> Okay, so the red claw shrimp are freaking me out just a tad. LOL. One of the males jumped out of the bag that was being opened into a 2 gallon bucket onto my leg, onto the floor. I had to pick him up by the tail. He was literally hopping in the air a good foot or so. I actually had to weigh down a lid (with air space) to keep him from getting out while acclimating.


they're cool looking! don't be freaked out, like you already discovered, they're more afraid of you  It does sound like your initial encounter was a bit traumatizing though! :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> nice new bettas!


Aren't they precious? I'm going to be taking name suggestions once they get out of quarantine. Also, poetry about them are encouraged. 



macclellan said:


> they look like eels!
> 
> hey, how tall do these nymphodies sp taiwan get?


I want to say at least 20+ inches. They grow to the top of my 55 gallon and start to fan out. 

They kind of do look like eels, don't they? I put in a couple of the healthiest fish from the 55 gallon in with them to see how they'll treat the new tank mates. They've already ate half a dozen fry. :icon_eek: 



Cardinal Tetra said:


> They strike like snakes when they hunt small fish and shrimp! They're so vicious!


Oh, CT! The colors are amazing on these two now that they are getting comfortable with there surroundings! Thank you soooooooo much! And you are kidding about them being mean, lol. I actually like the spunk they have. 



SkyGrl said:


> oh your bettas are super cute! they will love having the 55. scoot scoot. *ambush*
> 
> i like your red claw shrimp. what do they eat? do you think they could grow a mustache of BBA? that would make them much easier to look at for you. YAY! for random cherry shrimp pictures!!!!
> 
> Amy


Hahaha, BBA mustache! Love the idea. I wonder if they'd tolerate a knited scarf, too?  Actually, now that I am getting a little used to them, I'm really appreciating the little guys. I guess they eat shrimpy things. So far they are trying to catch up to the guppy fry, but I did see them eating a piece of food that made it to the bottom. They haven't bothered the cherries at all. I'm happy to report.

Scoot scoot! Love it. I'll try to get a video of these shrimp walking in front of the blyxa between the glass. They are cracking me up. I'm growing fonder of them by the minute. They look like little lobsters. :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> Nice bettas. These will make a nice focal point for the 55. Hopefully you get some breeding action in the future. I assume they do the bubble nest thing? Get you some floaters. Oh, nevermind, you have glosso. :hihi: And the red claws are awesome too. I debated getting some from him. I declined because I want to phase out some shrimp and get more fish. Apparently these guys would have been fine with them. Big as baby crawdaddies!!! You crack me up


Ninja'd by you and Kara! I don't care if they breed, I just want them to live. They are so cute I want to cuddle with them. The more they color up, the more I like them.

You are actually getting away from shrimp? That was my goal until CT loaded me up with a bunch of new friends. I hate that I lost all those poor fish, but for the first time in days, I'm smiling when I look at my tanks. 



Karackle said:


> HAHAHAHA totally possible :hihi:


Hush, you. I'm trying my best, lol. :hihi: But you are probably right. I just got a new ludwigia in from CT and now I am going maybe I should keep....LMAO



> What did Earl make you go look at exactly?


He's smart, he told me about these really cute goldfish, my absolute favoritest fish in the world is the common and comet type goldfish. :biggrin: 



> what about "girls just wanna have fun"? :icon_lol:


That could work. I know almost all of Cyndi Lauper songs by heart. 
_
I can get up on the right side of the bed but that don't stop the rain from comin' down on my head. I can live my life playing hide and seek....._

Okay, over reminiscing. I was really disappointed to see her live, though. She's terrible in concerts. 



> WOOHOO!!! bettas are GORGEOUS and adorable! Glad to hear everyone is safely in quarantine! roud: I'm a little confused though....who is where now? LOL


The endler fry and blue tigers are in the algae scape (they've been warned not to mess with my algae, lol). The gigantic red claw shrimp (which are starting to color up amazingly pretty) are in the 55.

The bettas are in the 20 gallon that I never got around to fully tearing down (thankfully). I put in an oto a platty and a few guppy fry with the bettas (probably not the wisest idea, but they were young and healthy looking) to see what happens. The male betta is chasing around the small platty opening his mouth really wide. I am almost positive I won't be seeing that platy when I go check on them. All the guppy fry were MIA and the female looked quite smug. They are ignoring the oto. Thankfully. I may go ahead and move them over to the 55 by the end of the week if there are no more deaths and no signs of ich. I really hope these guys live. I love them so much already!



> they're cool looking! don't be freaked out, like you already discovered, they're more afraid of you  It does sound like your initial encounter was a bit traumatizing though! :hihi:


I'm just glad I was wearing pants today. LOL. That guy is fiesty. I'll have to get you some pictures soon! The colors are already darkening up and the red claws are super red now. I'll get used to them......eventually.


----------



## chad320

sewingalot said:


> I'm just glad I was wearing pants today.


Haha, quotes are funny when you take them out of context :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Hahahahaha! Good one. But all too true, Chad. For example:



chad320 said:


> Hopefully you get some breeding action in the future.


----------



## macclellan

ha!


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

No blue tigers Sarah. Just blue pearls. I'm too poor for blue tigers lol. One day though...one day.


----------



## chad320

LOL, nice one. Really LOLing at that one!!!!


----------



## SkyGrl

LOL priceless!!! i love this thread... laughs every day... 

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

Cardinal Tetra said:


> No blue tigers Sarah. Just blue pearls. I'm too poor for blue tigers lol. One day though...one day.


Haha, funny thing is I didn't know there was a difference. I had to google them. Personally, I like these guys better than the tigers. Such a pretty shrimp, especially now that they are coloring up!

Oh, and look what I caught the bettas doing:









They are so happy they are blowing bubbles. :icon_cool I caught them in the act. And now they aren't as shy and are starting to come up to greet me. I ♥ my new fish! Thanks!!!!!! 

Um.....you weren't kidding about the fish eating, though. Only the oto remains in the tank with them this afternoon.

Still working on the creepy cockroach/grasshoper crawdaddy shrimp. They are getting cuter now that the color is showing up, but I'm still freaked out a bit. LOL. It's going to take a few days. I feel :icon_redf that they scare me. The husband is infatuated with them, though. He actually sat in front of the tank for a good half hour looking at them (he never does this).


----------



## Da Plant Man

Very cool! I don't think betta's blowing bubbles is a good sign that they are really happy. I had my first fish (henry...RIP) as a betta, kept him a 1g bowl with monthly waterchanges, if even that. Un heated and he still blew bubbles. Sadly, we have all been there at some point, but now I know better.


----------



## sewingalot

Caton said:


> Very cool! I don't think betta's blowing bubbles is a good sign that they are really happy. I had my first fish (henry...RIP) as a betta, kept him a 1g bowl with monthly waterchanges, if even that. Un heated and he still blew bubbles. Sadly, we have all been there at some point, but now I know better.


Caton, I don't know if it is _really _a sign of happiness. I just choose to think that is the case. LOL. But I will tell you I've never seen a sick betta make nests. (RIP Henry.)


----------



## chad320

So you did get a little breeding action yesterday huh?:hihi: Well hopefully you get some babies soon. I remember watching my paradise fish breed for the first time when I was about 16. I was so excited I stared at the tank for hours:eek5: As for the monstrous killer shrimp, now you have a reason to involve Earl. To come save you from the gianormous shrimp:hihi:How many did you get:icon_ques


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Bubbles usually mean they want to get it on in the bushes 
They are bubblenesters after all.


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> So you did get a little breeding action yesterday huh?:hihi: Well hopefully you get some babies soon. I remember watching my paradise fish breed for the first time when I was about 16. I was so excited I stared at the tank for hours:eek5: As for the monstrous killer shrimp, now you have a reason to involve Earl. To come save you from the gianormous shrimp:hihi:How many did you get:icon_ques


Yea, it appears the mood is set. Looks like the Suga Shack will live on with these two! Haha, I was too scared to count the shrimp. I think there is at least six if not more. The guy actually had to put them in the tank for me. :hihi: Once you get over the giant shrimp are going to kill me factor, they are cute.....LOL



Cardinal Tetra said:


> Bubbles usually mean they want to get it on in the bushes
> They are bubblenesters after all.


So that is happy, lol. I think that would be cool if they bred, but I am not too concerned if they don't. I just want them to live. I'm already thinking up a few good names for them. :icon_cool

I'm trying my best not to move them over to the 55 today!!! I'm going to at least wait a few more days. I know these are extremely healthy fish, so I don't want to subject them to the potential disease that may still lurk in the big tank. I am thinking the ich never had a chance to fall off the betta, but I'm still wary especially with the poisoning. However, a day past without a single death, so I am optimistic.


----------



## macclellan

sewingalot said:


> I want to say at least 20+ inches. They grow to the top of my 55 gallon and start to fan out.


Woah... and you sent 5?!? I have absolutely no idea where to plant them, lol.


----------



## sewingalot

Hahaha, I've always been told I send too many plants. I wanted you to get at least one that grows. Trash the others or sell them. I don't mind at all. I've heard you can train them to grow shorter, but it hasn't worked for me yet.


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> Hahaha, I've always been told I send too many plants.


I concur.


----------



## Chaos_Being

Ooh, I like the red claw shrimp! I had a different but related species of freshwater prawn once (machrobrachium rosenbergii.) He was super mean and could snatch up fish swimming near him with ease. Too bad I didn't have a big tank at the time, I'd probably still have him. I've though about putting red claws in my tank, but was concerned that they may be too predatory (?)


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> I concur.


Nonc......it's the country in me. Never let a guest go hungry and all that jazz. Plus, I have this aversion to throwing away plants so I make someone else do it for me.  What's funny is when I get plants from others and I'm like......yea. I send too much. LOL.



Chaos_Being said:


> Ooh, I like the red claw shrimp! I had a different but related species of freshwater prawn once (machrobrachium rosenbergii.) He was super mean and could snatch up fish swimming near him with ease. Too bad I didn't have a big tank at the time, I'd probably still have him. I've though about putting red claws in my tank, but was concerned that they may be too predatory (?)


I took some pictures of them coloring up just for you. :biggrin: So far, they aren't aggressive to anyone but the fry and squabble with each other a little bit when eating. They aren't even paying attention to the cherry shrimp. I was able to tolerate them more today. I even had one climb into my hand and I only jumped and didn't scream this time. :icon_redf

Well, it must be the year for heaters not working. :thumbsdow After spending a good half an hour looking over every fish in the 55 and see no signs of illness and finding out that I have a busted heater in the 20, I made the decision to go ahead and move the betta pair over to the 55. 

I know that they are healthy, I am just worried about them catching ich from the 55...however, I think it's okay. After all, I did have the temperature up and if the fen was strong enough to kill fish.....and with over 200% water changes....the possibility is low.

I figured the lack of a heater combined with the fact there is no heat upstairs and it's in the upper 40s outside....they have better chances in the 55. Wish them luck!

So far, they seem to be doing well chasing around the guppies. I'm so mean.... But they are actually coloring up even more now and I am super excited to see them brightening up. And they've already started a nice looking bubble nest!

Speaking of love:









Forgive the window glare, lol. I tried my best to get a picture of the 't' but this is the best I got.









(this is the corner that is starting to really peel away)









Red claws showing up now!


----------



## lauraleellbp

BETTAS! :fish::fish::fish:

I can't wait to see them color up for you, Sara. 

If they're anything like my B. simplex, they're going to make short work of all the dwarf shrimp in your 55gal, though...


----------



## sewingalot

Probably so. To be truthful, I thought I had sent all the shrimp to nonc but Darwin Award and a few babies escaped. Not too worried about Darwin. She's defied death twice now. But if the betta gets her, at least it'll be quick. They are loving the 55 gallon, by the way. The other fish aren't so happy. I've gotta find a way to turn down the flow now, though. It's too strong for them.

I feel sorry for my rasboras in there school of three. I hate that more didn't make it.


----------



## wkndracer

great pics


----------



## Chaos_Being

Oh yeah I definitely like those shrimp...those are some cool looking Bettas too roud:


----------



## chad320

Yeah, I hope the bettas do good. Nice round of pics! Have you had any dreams about the red claws yet? I bet you could hand feed them to get used to them


----------



## JamesHockey

im lazy,can you tell me what kind of betta? pugnax?


----------



## sewingalot

James, look at post #1404.

Thanks guys. Chaos, you'll be able to see what happens here before you take the move with shrimp, no? I can tell you if you do decide to get these shrimp, open the bag in a TALL bucket.  Chad, the only dream I've ever had about TPT was where Laura was our dogs' new vet. :hihi: I have the reoccurring dream about fish swimming in the air, but other than that, no fish related dreams. LOL Woke up with less fish and no bodies but two very content looking bettas......These two are evil. :icon_twis Or is it me since I put them in the tank know the probable outcome? Hmm...


----------



## Chaos_Being

sewingalot said:


> Chaos, you'll be able to see what happens here before you take the move with shrimp, no?


Yep, you get to act as the guinea pig!


----------



## speedie408

Cool Bettas Sara. 

You're getting better at taking pics


----------



## sewingalot

What a cute picture. I love the devious look on that frog's face. :biggrin: 

Nick, I just wish I could figure out how to get the glare to go away. Actually, I've figured I'll get better with more time. I've got some pretty good shots for every 1000 pictures I take. If I'd wipe off the glass before hand, I bet they'd look even better. 

I would be taking more mediocre pictures, but my camera's battery is dead and I just got some fantastic plants and music from Mac and I want to share! But my cellphone camera doesn't like aquariums too much.

He gave me:
Two really awesome CDs
Echinodorus Kleiner Prinz
Echinodorus parviflorus
Nymphaea zenkeri
Nymphea stellata

The one lily is so adorable I can hardly stand it. It's is small and compact and cute. You don't bury the bulb do you? I left it on top of the substrate for now. Loving the swords, especially the parviflorus. Thanks, Mac! I feel like I got the better trade here.

The bettas are looking better now that I diverted the flow to the back wall. They are starting to rule the roost and it's fantastic. I might just stop at this point and pick up some more otos and call it a day in this tank. Only, I really need to either find a home for the rasboras or get them some roommates. The three amigos are starting to get a little irritated with each other. And I should probably find a new place for the guppies and platies that are left before they becoming a midnight snack.

So what was that you were saying about collectoritis Laura? :hihi: On the plus side, the swords will be perfect for the MTS! I can plant them and forget about them. The otos are inspecting each leaf right now. I think they approve. I love swords! I can't wait to see them grow in.


----------



## nonconductive

swords are great, its a shame that they're not "cool".


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

I'm very glad you were able to give these guys a good home Sara. I would have had to take them back to the pet store if no one wanted them since I know I wouldn't have room for them in a month or so. 

You should definitely get more rasboras. The bettas feel safer with open water fish.


----------



## macclellan

sewingalot said:


> The one lily is so adorable I can hardly stand it. It's is small and compact and cute. You don't bury the bulb do you? I left it on top of the substrate for now. Loving the swords, especially the parviflorus. Thanks, Mac! I feel like I got the better trade here.


 Yeah, just leave the bulb on the substrate. It recently sprouted and will send out roots soon and anchor itself. Don't be fooled though - it will have 6" diameter leaves in no time!

The stellata is peach with smaller, more oblong leaves and gets about 16" tall (long stalks) but not very bushy, at least in my tank.

The Kleiner Prinz is underwhelming as-is, but it will look nothing like that in a few months - it will be about 12" tall and have slender maroon and red leaves.

The parviflorus will get deeper green leaves submerged and max out as about a 6" diameter half-sphere.


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> swords are great, its a shame that they're not "cool".


I started out in this hobby with a beautiful Amazon sword. I hated that it grew out of the water. If I had realized there were more manageable swords....... But I kind of like the fact they aren't "cool." Makes them more desirable. I've been guilty of having to have the trendy plants but now I'm going toward plants both my husband and I love. His favorite plants are "Sam" and "Sally."



Cardinal Tetra said:


> I'm very glad you were able to give these guys a good home Sara. I would have had to take them back to the pet store if no one wanted them since I know I wouldn't have room for them in a month or so.
> 
> You should definitely get more rasboras. The bettas feel safer with open water fish.


I'm really glad you thought of me. I'm really excited to watch the fish interact with one another, even if the bettas are worrying me just a bit. The red claws are growing on me and the endlers and blue pearls are just plain cute, but I can't get a clear picture of them because of the algae growing on the glass. I might actually have to move some around to get a picture for you all. :hihi:

Yeah, I need to get some rasboras, I really love these fish. I am going to ask Rachel later this month about ordering some otos and rasboras for me.



macclellan said:


> Yeah, just leave the bulb on the substrate. It recently sprouted and will send out roots soon and anchor itself. Don't be fooled though - it will have 6" diameter leaves in no time!
> 
> The stellata is peach with smaller, more oblong leaves and gets about 16" tall (long stalks) but not very bushy, at least in my tank.
> 
> The Kleiner Prinz is underwhelming as-is, but it will look nothing like that in a few months - it will be about 12" tall and have slender maroon and red leaves.
> 
> The parviflorus will get deeper green leaves submerged and max out as about a 6" diameter half-sphere.


Is the Kleiner emersed? Because if so, I understand what you were saying about the differences. It has a sturdier texture to it than I am used to. Sounds like it is going to be a beauty.

And even if the zenkeri gets bigger, right now it is adorable! It looks like Barbie's aquatic plant. 









Little worried about the abuse the bettas are enduring from each other. Here is one hiding.









Here is the other sulking after getting kicked out 



















Pictures of the latest plants:













































A neat random picture:









Snails from CT - blue and red:









My purple snails:









Sally:









Bacopa that I left as an after thought. It's sp. japan:









And tragic news! Something is seriously wrong with my BBA! This is currently the only BBA I can find currently in the tank. This reminds me, I keep forgetting to fertilize.....oops. Can't let my algae starve! I find it interesting that the BBA is only growing on the non flourite substrate (i.e. river rock):









The dirtiest thing in my house right now is this (I'm still not brave enough to leave my hands in the tank long enough to unhook the power head. I'm such a horrible housewife.









Full tank shot. Water's lowered for the benefit of the bettas. I just turned back on the co2 today and have it really low.


----------



## msjinkzd

looking good!!


----------



## chad320

Wow Sara, you really pulled that one off. This thing is going to be nice all filled in!


----------



## macclellan

Wow - that's a really macro shot of that little lotus, lol!

Disregard what I said above about the parviflorus. my mistake. That one is submerged (an offspring of one of mine, it's not one of the emmersed ones I just got in.

Here's a pic of a submerged Little Prince so you have something to look forward to:


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Rachel. Chad, never underestimate the power of a hillbilly.  Mac, that is beautiful!!!! I hope that this sword does well for me now. Holy cheese and crackers! That is so pretty I'm starting to wonder like non-c as to why swords aren't "cool." I just love your angel fish. I think you should take some pictures of her now just for me. :biggrin:


----------



## nonconductive

MuchoFlatulosOnara - 私は何回もおならしている。- a new organic shrimp fart enhancer. Specifically formulated for sensitive freshwater invertebrates. More frequent and flowery aroma

hahahahahahaha.... sorry.


i like the FTS. it doesnt look cluttered at all.


----------



## sewingalot

No worries, non-c. I actually had to pm him about that signature it had me in stitches this morning. If all we talked about was plants in this journal, it'd all be on two pages. 

Just wait, it'll be cluttered in no time. Mark's plant is my last addition the blyxa albertii (am I even spelling this right?) and perhaps some repens (hint) in the future. It'll be a ludwigia/sword paradise. With of course, my friend blyxa. I'm trying to get it to look like a garden of sorts. Larger areas of the same plant and not just a hodgepodge of the latest fad. Some people like Tex Gal and Cardinal Tetra can pull off the collectoritis. Me? It just looks like........fill in the blank here yourself. I imagine my great grandma's garden. Goofy? Probably, but that is my current inspiration. Getting back to basics, so to speak. I think she'd be pleased to here I am using dirt in the tank.

Do people even want to hear these anecdotes? Ah, who cares if not. It's easy to skip over and look at the pictures if I bore you....or look elsewhere, right? :tongue:


----------



## nonconductive

actually if all you talked about was plants, itd be pretty boring and just like every other thread.


----------



## msjinkzd

i enjoy the anecdotes. Its one of the things that keeps me coming back for more!


----------



## SkyGrl

Your little red lotus (im assuming) bulb is looking like its making a come back! this will add some awesome red to this already great tank! i like the idea of a garden scape. makes me want to try something like that. now if only i could plant tulip bulbs in my aquarium! im more of an outdoor gardener but the place we live in says im cant create flower beds or a garden... pretty lame in my opinion. 

i love that sword. maybe ill try one some day. i failed pretty hard on them in the beginning. it seems as though your BBA has preferences.. i think its being pampered to much.. all these ferts its getting... no wonder it grows where it pleases.. :hihi:

Amy


----------



## macclellan

Aubertii


----------



## SkyGrl

macclellan said:


> Aubertii


had to look that up. i can see why you like it. its beautiful!!! to have that in an aquarium?!?!?! that would be epic!:eek5: :hihi: 

Amy


----------



## macclellan

nonconductive said:


> MuchoFlatulosOnara - 私は何回もおならしている。- a new organic shrimp fart enhancer. Specifically formulated for sensitive freshwater invertebrates. More frequent and flowery aroma
> 
> hahahahahahaha.... sorry.


 Newly reformulated for enhanced propulsion.


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> actually if all you talked about was plants, itd be pretty boring and just like every other thread.


I think your thread is quite entertaining. Oh wait....I got you off topic over there, too. :icon_redf Oh, well. At least I keep you entertained, right? :redface:



msjinkzd said:


> i enjoy the anecdotes. Its one of the things that keeps me coming back for more!


Well that settles it. To keep you entertained and selling fish here, I'll just keep thinking of random stories for you. For instance, my friends used to give me topics to talk about just to see if I could think of something to say. I know a _lot _about nothing. :icon_roll Yea, I'm a chatter box. Poor husband. He looks forward to the days I get sick with a sore throat. :hihi:



SkyGrl said:


> Your little red lotus (im assuming) bulb is looking like its making a come back! this will add some awesome red to this already great tank! i like the idea of a garden scape. makes me want to try something like that. now if only i could plant tulip bulbs in my aquarium! im more of an outdoor gardener but the place we live in says im cant create flower beds or a garden... pretty lame in my opinion.
> 
> i love that sword. maybe ill try one some day. i failed pretty hard on them in the beginning. it seems as though your BBA has preferences.. i think its being pampered to much.. all these ferts its getting... no wonder it grows where it pleases.. :hihi:
> 
> Amy


The little red lotus was actually a surprise gift from Mac. I'm telling you guys, if this guy ever wants to trade with you, don't hesitate. I felt spoiled opening that box of plants and he recycles! roud:

That sucks that you can't create an outdoor garden, especially if you like to garden. True story - I love daisy flowers....aster, shasta, any of the white ones. So last year, I planted a bunch of daisies and then had to spend a week with my brother while my mom was out of town for surgery. After coming home, I couldn't find one daisy. I was really sad because they were about to bloom when I had left. I ask the old man about it and he just lowered his head and said "I thought those were weeds." :eek5: I stopped trying to grow flowers after that, lol.

Haha, go back a few posts and see where the daffodils were growing out of the lake we went to. Wouldn't that be awesome?

Funny thing is I keep forgetting to add fertilizers except root tabs. And for the first time, the bba isn't doing so hot. No worries, though! I snapped it up and tossed it into my algae tank. :hihi: You all are going to love the new tank. I just realized....I'll have to put the blue pearls in quarantine if I ever want to sell them. They are so full of algae, lol.



macclellan said:


> Aubertii





SkyGrl said:


> had to look that up. i can see why you like it. its beautiful!!! to have that in an aquarium?!?!?! that would be epic!:eek5: :hihi:
> 
> Amy


Thanks! I'm trying to spell it like my accent pronounces it. LOL! I can hardly wait! Mark's going to ship it soon and I just hope it does well for me. It's going in behind the sword on the left.



macclellan said:


> Newly reformulated for enhanced propulsion.


Men (notice I didn't say boys, non-c) and their humor with bodily functions. . . . Actually after growing up with two older brothers, I could tell you quite a few ornery jokes. They'd get me to say them and I would like a little parrot and get into big trouble. LOL. The best part of your new signature? Now I don't have to see the word [email protected] :icon_eek::thumbsup:


----------



## macclellan

sewingalot said:


> I just love your angel fish. I think you should take some pictures of her now just for me. :biggrin:


 She's still in time out, so no pics. I'm freaking out for the blackies because I have to put her back into the tank and I won't be able to supervise bc. I'll be out of town for a few days


----------



## sewingalot

Maybe the time out will help though? Sometimes moving them out of the tank and back in seems to give the hierarchy an upset. We used to separate our cichlids and when they got reintroduced, they seemed to drop in the pecking order for a good week or more. Have fun out of town!

Speaking of aggression, this guy needs to be taught some manners on sharing:



















Don't worry, that BBA gravel was moved over safely to the algae tank. And I actually handed this wafer to the little guy and he actually made me smile. *I think I am officially in love. * By the way, this is Scampi Jr. (named after Chaos' shrimp).


----------



## SkyGrl

GREEDY Scampi Jr.!!!!


----------



## chad320

Those are nice shots! I wonder if you could remove the algae wafer in the pic and insert a waffle:hihi: Feel free to repost this pic when you are ready


----------



## matt12

i love red claw macros for that very reason lol cant wait to get mine from cardinal tetra!!


----------



## sewingalot

LOL, Chad. At the risk of getting a flash mob.....I _really _don't like waffles. There. I said it and I feel better. Corncakes, pancakes? Wonderful! Waffles? Nah. I don't like syrup enough. Something about the texture kind of disturbs me, lol. Plus it's cheaper/faster to make pancakes.

Matt - they really are neat shrimp, even if they are sinister looking. I've traded with CT for quite a while now. He's a great guy. Spoils you.

Edit: Yes Amy, this guy is very greedy, lol.


----------



## SkyGrl

you need some corn waffles!!! mmmm delish! with some canadian maple syrup! mmmmmm

us canadians are spoiled, my cousin makes maple syrup from the trees on his land every year.. the fresher the better! 

Amy


----------



## nonconductive

wow that shrimp is pretty nifty. i wonder if they would survive in my 125.


----------



## chad320

Way to change the subject back off of her waffle bashing nonc


----------



## nonconductive

chad320 said:


> Way to change the subject back off of her waffle bashing nonc


 

woops sorry...


waffles are fabulous.


----------



## chad320

I <3 waffles...


----------



## sewingalot

Amy, if I had a tree that oozed maple syrup, I'd probably like them. Most syrups around here (even the _maple _syrup) corn based and I can't eat it. Makes me violently ill. Oh, wow. My thread has hit an all time low. Waffles.....:help:

Chad, you stink for this one. LOL



nonconductive said:


> wow that shrimp is pretty nifty. i wonder if they would survive in my 125.


They just might. CT says they get about 4" long. How big is a discus mouth? I don't know.


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> Amy, if I had a tree that oozed maple syrup, I'd probably like them. Most syrups around here (even the _maple _syrup) corn based and I can't eat it. Makes me violently ill. Oh, wow. My thread has hit an all time low. Waffles.....:help:
> 
> Chad, you stink for this one. LOL
> 
> 
> 
> They just might. CT says they get about 4" long. How big is a discus mouth? I don't know.


 
they have pretty small mouths


----------



## chad320

Well, Nonc might have tiny pics, but you only posted two, so I helped you out  Youre welcome :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

I think they could be alright. You should toss one in and find out. Speaking of shrimp...... The bettas ate almost all my cherries....*sniff*.....but Darwin is still kicking and berried! For now.

Chad, thanks for the help. Speaking of which, as far as your question about algae and the dry start method......good luck: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/1351907-post402.html


----------



## chad320

Are those the plants/mosses from your planter outside?


----------



## sewingalot

Yeah, I put the HC back in the Tupperware sauna about a week ago because the stupid squirrels were digging it up and throwing it on the deck. The algae exploded with the increased humidity. Sigh. :biggrin:


----------



## chad320

Dang, another solution down the tubes. Well at least it looks pretty in a flowerpot  Ima going to have me some mossy tomaters this summer :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Not saying it won't work for you, lol. We should all know by now that algae = me. I sometimes wonder if my pores exude algae. I got a new pretty leaf on one of the swords, the prinz! I'll have to update with a picture soon. Mossy tomatoes, it might be the new organic fruit!


----------



## chad320

Picture pages, picture pages....:hihi: Well, at least ill know when the tomatos need watered. My algae will dry up


----------



## sewingalot

I'm telling you, put your settings on 40 posts per page and you'll see a picture on every page. :flick: And don't think that I haven't noticed you've not been updating your journal with those pictures, either. 

For my lamest attempt yet at bad humor: 

Introducing the _"Pictures? We don't need no stinking pictures!"_ new growth on sword photos:































































BBA resting comfortably in his dark corner.


----------



## chad320

Wow! Looks pretty nice. Those Ozelot swords get Awesome! when they get big. your tank is looking really healty! I havent updated because ive been extracting shrimp for another tank and I just planted some plants that are converting from emergent to submerged and it isnt worth posting pics.


----------



## sewingalot

Yeah, it came from tom, pretty nice! There are a few leaves that didn't make the travel well, but it is a very healthy specimen. I only wish it would stay that pretty red. I actually had one of these not to long ago but it was _covered _in algae. I pitched it and a lot of other plants that were like that from day one of receiving them. Not a biggie, though. You win some and loose some, no? I simply was not up to fighting staghorn and clado along side BBA. LOL. I do have my algae limits. I was pretty lucky. I think disinfecting them and then pitching them early kept the clado from taking hold in the tank. I've been keeping an eye out for it and haven't seen any since removing them. *crossing fingers*

Haha, no worries on not updating. But people do like words, too. Not just pictures.


----------



## macclellan

Lookin good. That hydrocotyley looking stuff is cute.


----------



## chad320

Can we get an update? Its been like 2 DAYS already :hihi: Just Kidding, hope you guys had a great weekend!!!


----------



## sewingalot

*Had a nice weekend!*

Weekend started out well:









But got really funny many drinks later. Let this be a lesson to you younger folk. When you are old enough to drink - do so _responsibly_. I started thinking about the Manhattans I used to drink while in college and since I have all the ingredients on hand, I decided to make one. Only, it looked really small, so I doubled the amount. Mistake #1. A few drinks later and I'm looking at my fishtank and decide it's about time to finish the canopy because I am sick of the dust that won't go away no matter how much I clean it. Mistake#2. I'll spare you most of the details and show the pictures. LOL










Had a great idea to label and take pictures along the way. Unfortunately, most looked ended up looking like this:









The few decent shots didn't really help at all, lol:













































And apparently, I thought this would be a great time for me to sand down the door ledges that were sticking. Not smart. My beautiful stain and finish, not so pretty anymore, hahaha!









Don't worry, at least the other side matches. :icon_mrgr



























So today, I started trying to figure out my mess with the husband's help after he stopped laughing, that is. Working together, we did a wonder job of connecting every wire beautifully and professionally together. It looked it was done by the manufacturer. We stepped back, admired our handy work and finally decided to see how good it looked once we turned it on. It still looks fantastic, but without any light. It did manage to flicker once or twice like tinker bell dying, but that was the extent of the light show.











So to add to yall's list of things _*not*_ to do while drinking:

*Electricity*
*MTS*: I spilled half my soil on the lawn - looks like I'm going with mostly Miracle Grow Organic twigs and mulch
*Photography*
*Using a Dremel*

If you don't heed this warning, you'll end up with this by the week's end:









I hope you all had a fantastic weekend as well! Tomorrow, it's time to go to Lowes and pick up some wires and wing nuts. Oh, and did I mention my computer is still broken? I am simply amazed that the light bulbs are still intact....

Oh and Mac - if you ever want to try the plant, let me know and I'll send you some.


----------



## msjinkzd

sewingalot said:


> Yeah, it came from tom, pretty nice! There are a few leaves that didn't make the travel well, but it is a very healthy specimen. I only wish it would stay that pretty red. I actually had one of these not to long ago but it was _covered _in algae. I pitched it and a lot of other plants that were like that from day one of receiving them. Not a biggie, though. You win some and loose some, no? I simply was not up to fighting staghorn and clado along side BBA. LOL. I do have my algae limits. I was pretty lucky. I think disinfecting them and then pitching them early kept the clado from taking hold in the tank. I've been keeping an eye out for it and haven't seen any since removing them. *crossing fingers*


Haha, no worries on not updating. But people do like words, too. Not just pictures. 

Are you sure we are not related?


----------



## chad320

I hate to laugh but that update is hilarious. I hope you get things worked out. Looks like you had a one step forward, two steps back weekend  Your hubby must be proud


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, Rachel. You should hear the non-PG version (not on the forum, though). LMAO!

I don't hate clado, I just don't want it in the 55 gallon. That stuff is a pain to get rid of. Don't worry, it's resting comfortable at the algae spa.


----------



## msnikkistar

LOLOLOL!

I know I am not suppose to laugh, but POOOOOR SARA


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> I hate to laugh but that update is hilarious. I hope you get things worked out. Looks like you had a one step forward, two steps back weekend  Your hubby must be proud


Double posting since you ninja'd me.  Glad you enjoyed the update. I'll snap a picture of what's left of the mineralized soil tomorrow. That made me laugh until I was gasping for air when Earl told me what I had done at like 1 in the morning. :hihi: No wonder I woke up with dirt on myself and in my hair..... I think I am done drinking.

Edit: Don't worry Nikki, I'll laugh with you. :biggrin:


----------



## chad320

Lol. save it foor scaping, not electricity or science. Art only :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

What's funny is this light fixture had 14 places to hook up and with the splices, it was 28 separate places that could have been the culprit. And since we buttspliced and used heat shrink on half of the parts and used crimping wing nuts on the other, there is no good way to fix it without starting over. This time we are going to trial hook things up and then permanently secure them. Luckily, our break works. :hihi:

So this is going to be a full fledged dirt tank with 10% MTS. LOL. Do I even need clay still?


----------



## SkyGrl

sounds like a very interesting weekend! drinks+dirt=FUN!

besides it sounds like you had vigirous spurts... now to finish all the 1/2 jobs you started while drinking! LOL sounds like a full week! :hihi: 

btw im secretly giggling inside because i have done the same thing so many times! (the starting 50 jobs without finishing the first one i started.

Amy


----------



## msnikkistar

I just can't stop snickering here. lol


----------



## sewingalot

Well, my journalist efforts have been to include the good, the bad and hilarious. I hope you are enjoying my moment of facepalming.


----------



## chad320

Lol. I learned a long time ago that kids markers(or permanent) work goos for coloring the wire BEFORE you cut it  Rewiring for switches and such is not my forte' though. I can pull one out of the other and move it from plastic to wood, but different times and wiring has been tough on me. Weird too, because my ol' man was an electrician. I guess I typically, never listened to him :hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

All I have to say is...

LOL!!!

(and what exactly were you TRYING to do with that reflector...? :icon_lol


----------



## nonconductive

lol. you get an A for effort


----------



## Solid

I wish I was that productive when I drink... actually now that i think of it maybe not...


----------



## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> I thought of you this weekend when I busted myself in the face with wire strippers and scratched my new glasses. Don't worry, though. Things just went down hill from there. You just might be visiting me in the ER before too long. :biggrin:


I'm NOT making a special trip just to sit in one of my three least favorite places! 
OMG! Nowhere did I see or hear "Hey yawl watch this!:eek5:" 

Mandate that someone video the next how NOT too training session.
Has the Red Cross been notified? 
I wondered where everyone was yesterday , applying Band-Aids and cleaning up after the toga / waffle party explains a lot.

Question though plz,,, where was the kung fu hillbilly during all this?
(+ yes I still want to move to WV )


----------



## Gatekeeper

lauraleellbp said:


> All I have to say is...
> 
> LOL!!!
> 
> (and what exactly were you TRYING to do with that reflector...? :icon_lol


The real question should be,


WHO WON? I am leaning toward the hillbilly with the drink, but that reflector looks like it fought back a lil bit.


----------



## nonconductive

Gatekeeper said:


> The real question should be,
> 
> 
> WHO WON? I am leaning toward the hillbilly with the drink, but that reflector looks like it fought back a lil bit.


:hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

Rofl!!


----------



## nonconductive

btw i thought all hillbillies took their liquor straight.


----------



## sewingalot

Chad, that is too funny. If you look on one of the pictures that isn't so bad, the wires were indeed labeled. Only problem is that I couldn't read what I had written. Funny thing, the pictures and labels looked so clear to me when I started out.  Good idea on the markers! I have to try that next time. There was a total of 28 splices that could have used this idea. 

Laura, cute. The ballasts were riveted on. I hated to do that to perfectly good metal, but there is a metal recycling center down the road a ways we will take it to. 

Probably a good thing we don't have kids, non-c. Could you image the havoc my offspring would play on the gene pool? :red_mouth

Solid - Trust me....not a good idea to drink and do anything tank related. 

Mike, good thing I am certified in first aid, huh? Ha! That video would not have been suitable for this forum. I think I invented at least three new cuss words just for that lamp fixture. 

Kung fu hillbilly, lol. He was sitting back amused at my trials and tribulations.

LOL, Glenn. I won the fight. The ballasts are intact. I'm just really surprised I have all my fingers still attached. Would you believe I am still sick? You should see that light fixture in person. It's amazing I didn't cut myself to pieces. 

Actually, the guy I spoke to at the electric supply store this morning was impressed with our splicing abilities. He recommended we use wire nuts and temporarily hook everything up and go from there. Luckily, the ballast has a diagram on how to hook up the wires, so I spent some time studying it, writing down directions and measuring the wire. It didn't look half bad actually for a couple of amateurs. I am pretty sure I found the problem, too. When I was taking it apart, I noticed a few of the splices were really loose. I guess that I am not strong enough to crimp anything thicker than hair.










Oh, and here is what is left of my poor dirt. I still don't know why I decided to dump the dirt into a bucket from the tarp in the middle of the night. And it rained, so I wasn't able to rescue the pieces that fell off the porch into the grass and sidewalk.










After all this, I am seriously rethinking the sealing the tank myself. For some reason, something tells me I'd be an idiot to do this. And there is NO WAY I am hooking up that rex reactor I built last summer now. LMAO!


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> btw i thought all hillbillies took their liquor straight.


Haha, I'm a renaissance hillbilly. Usually, I drink the Jameson straight up, but I really liked manhattan drinks in college. Was feeling reminiscent, you know. So let this be a warning to y'all. Don't drink and _DIY_.


----------



## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> After all this, I am seriously rethinking the sealing the tank myself. And there is NO WAY I am hooking up that rex reactor I built last summer now. LMAO!


I'll bring my own razor blades in July (I don't think your allowed to buy them LOL) and an air compressor to pressure test your glue job on the pvc LMAO.


----------



## nonconductive

wkndracer said:


> I'll bring my own razor blades in July (I don't think your allowed to buy them LOL) and an air compressor to pressure test your glue job on the pvc LMAO.


you might as well bring a bag of dirt, some plants, fish, & water so she doesnt have any more excuses.


----------



## Coltonorr

Gulp! That update was flat out hilarious...I was totally not expecting that!!
As soon as I saw the drink picture...
It looks like you were trying to wrap the reflector around the ends of the bulbs...haha!


----------



## wkndracer

nonconductive said:


> you might as well bring a bag of dirt, some plants, fish, & water so she doesnt have any more excuses.










wait not funny







naw its funny


----------



## sewingalot

Laugh it up, you all. Enjoy my pain. LOL. Actually, it's too hilarious for me to get mad at myself. I almost didn't post this, but I was crying from laughing so hard at my endeavors that I figured you all might appreciate all the hard work I put into my tank this weekend.

I will tell you that the catalina light fixture is well built - except the bulb holders and the end pieces. They are cheap. It is really difficult to change a light bulb and the plastic part has broken twice now. I am going to buy some legitimate socket/endcaps from aquacave soon and replace these generic things.

I actually bought a brand new pack of razor blades for the occasion. My husband has now taken them away from me. :hihi:

Well, wish me luck. I am going to go try and salvage my light. However, the bettas are enjoying the subdued lighting from only 1/2 the tank being lit up.


----------



## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> I actually bought a brand new pack of razor blades for the occasion. My husband has now taken them away from me. :hihi:


smart man roud:

I'll have to tell you about losing a fight with a HOB, a table lamp, a table saw, a ceiling fan and another story about a computer kicking my butt one day hehe your not alone,,, but I never lose to the same appliance twice LOL


----------



## nonconductive

wkndracer said:


> smart man roud:
> 
> I'll have to tell you about losing a fight with a HOB, a table lamp, a table saw, a ceiling fan and another story about a computer kicking my butt one day hehe your not alone,,, but I never lose to the same appliance twice LOL


lol please share.


----------



## Karackle

Ok I missed a lot so I'll so I'll fill in the best I can with some quotes and comments on them :hihi: 

But I also wanted to say I'm LOVING the bettas and new shrimpies! roud: And the new plants are gorgeous too!!! LOVE THEM! :biggrin:



sewingalot said:


> Do people even want to hear these anecdotes? Ah, who cares if not. It's easy to skip over and look at the pictures if I bore you....or look elsewhere, right? :tongue:


Gonna have to go ahead and agree with everyone else and say that the digression from ONLY tank related is what I love! 



sewingalot said:


> I don't like syrup enough. Something about the texture kind of disturbs me, lol. Plus it's cheaper/faster to make pancakes.





SkyGrl said:


> with some canadian maple syrup! mmmmmm
> us canadians are spoiled, my cousin makes maple syrup from the trees on his land every year.. the fresher the better!





sewingalot said:


> Amy, if I had a tree that oozed maple syrup, I'd probably like them. Most syrups around here (even the _maple _syrup) corn based and I can't eat it. Makes me violently ill.


I _think_ you might feel differently about maple syrup if you tried REALY legit maple syrup, the kind ms. Amy was talking about. The consistency / texture is MUCH different.....i personally can't stand the corn syrup based "waffle" and "pancake" syrup that isn't MAPLE syrup. 

A good waffle doesn't need any more syrup than a pancake though really  AND you can make waffles with bisquick batter just as easily you can make pancakes! :hihi: so there goes the cheaper/easier theory....i think you're just waffleist :icon_lol:



sewingalot said:


> Well, my journalist efforts have been to include the good, the bad and hilarious. I hope you are enjoying my moment of facepalming.


A) that picture is HILARIOUS 
and
B) your story had me dying laughing, I was buckled over my desk laughing and everyone was staring at me HAHAHAHA :icon_lol:



Gatekeeper said:


> The real question should be,
> 
> WHO WON? I am leaning toward the hillbilly with the drink, but that reflector looks like it fought back a lil bit.


My thoughts exactly!!!! :biggrin:


----------



## lauraleellbp

sewingalot said:


> And there is NO WAY I am hooking up that rex reactor I built last summer now. LMAO!


Even if I beg?

[I bet I could send Earl something bribe-worthy to record it, too]


----------



## nonconductive

lauraleellbp said:


> Even if I beg?
> 
> [I bet I could send Earl something bribe-worthy to record it, too]


i'll beg too.


Puuuurttttttyyyyy Plllleeeeeeaaassseeee.


----------



## macclellan

Tragedy is the best form of comedy. 

I saw you mention me above and some plant, but I didn't get what you meant.

Hope you get the tank fixed, with or without the booze. lol


----------



## sewingalot

The hydrocotyle plant (I call it ivy), Mac. Well the update is this: I got the first set of lights working by the time the husband got home a little after 5. And then with his help......the second set of lights aren't working. And because I got irritated, I gave up a little before nine, ate my ration of rice and sat down in tears of exhaustion. It took me a little under two hours to strip all the wires, hook them up with wire nuts, and label things nice and neat. Light works perfect. Then it took the husband and I two hours to explain why my method wasn't effective and how it should be done over. And another two hours to hook up the other side (Mind you this is all ready prepped at this point, just needs hooked together with wire nuts) to find out it won't turn on.

I love the guy, but we do _not _work well together. LOL. We rarely fight, but when we do it's about a project we are doing around the house. :hihi: I like to follow directions, he tries to analyze everything and talk about how to improve things before getting started. Needless to say we are now glaring at each and swearing we'll never work together again. (Even though we know we will.) Haha!

Wknd - I could use some stories right now, lol.

Kara! I am glad to see you on here (even though I missed you)! And I don't even eat syrup on pancakes 999/1000. I am weird like that.

As for you other two, I really don't think it'd take much to bribe Earl right now. He's dying to get even with me for my finally being able to give him an _I told you so_ look.


----------



## Karackle

YAY! good to be back!!! :biggrin: 

I'm just saying you should give real honest maple syrup a shot......it's SO DIFFERENT.....the other stuff makes me ill as well.....it DOES have a weird texture.....it looks and tastes like what i imagine pur high fructose corn syrup must be like.....YECH! :confused1: <-- that's the closest i could find to a nauseous face :hihi: 

ANYWAY 

loving the tank! how are the bettas doing?


----------



## sewingalot

Bettas are doing well. One of them leaped out of the water this afternoon and dove back in. I need to get some screening fixed up. I was feeding them bloodworms and I think she got excited about the prospect. LOL. The water is dropped a good four inches now until I can get finished with my screening.

Oh yeah - I've had real maple syrup, it's just been like many, many, many years. Probably back when I ate molasses and sorghum on pancakes fried in bacon grease. :hihi: I can vaguely remember it, but to be honest, I'm not a syrup person. Honey? You bet! Syrup is just......icky.

I couldn't sleep thinking about his blasted light, so I made a trip downstairs and started to unhook the ballast not working and rewiring it. Although I noticed the wires were crossed, even when I fixed that, nothing happened. I removed all the wires, connections and took the ballast off the wood and turned it over. It looked normal so no help there. LOL. 

So I went through, hooked back up all the wires correctly this time and plugged it in expecting a suntan. Nope. Got a _bright _idea: I decided to hook up just one bulb using the schematics printed on the ballast. Nothing. So repeated it with the other bulb and the other sockets. Nada. And then I decided to unhook the wires from both ballasts and switch them around. Bingo. Lights came on the other set. So it looks like the ballast is busted. But at least the switch is still good. On the plus side, I won't be tempted to turn on all four bulbs and the new reflectors are so bright, that it looks amazingly different. :hihi:

Therefore, I apparently *tied *with the light fixture. 

I am just going to say I did this accidentally on purpose. I am going to go ahead and put up the lights as is and look at getting a replacement ballast in the future. However, I was thinking I'd like to hook up just one bulb now that I know how easy it is to wire a ballast. In the end, there were 32 wires to split or connect. Not too bad. It was really like connecting the dots. It would have been a lot easier if the original wires were all different colors. Definitely putting off that wasser-controller for a while. At least I have a better reason than being without funds for once. 

Tomorrow I'll straighten up the wires with some zip ties and tape up the connections after removing the other ballast completely along with the power cord and switch. Fun times. 

So I guess I should apologize to the husband and let him off the hook. He may have hooked up the wires screwy, but it was broken anyway. Appears like he'll be giving back that _ I told you so_ look in addition to my helping of crow. Groan.

And now I can rest peacefully in time to get up for the guy coming over to repair the damaged floors in the back room. One step closer to getting my sewing corner back. Yay!


----------



## sewingalot

All is well with my world. Looks fantastic! 









I hope that I have enough light, the light is nearly 30 inches from the substrate. I'll measure it if anyone is dying to know exact height. No more light blinding my eyes.

The fish are doing well and my guppy dropped her babies. I separated the lone male so that the gal can recover. I took in the remaining platties (and since this is the last time I am officially writing about my cute little guys, I can spell it wrong just because, lol) to the pet store this afternoon. I came back home from picking up my laptop and the fry are all gone and the bettas are looking very pleased. Luckily, I got a picture of them this morning:









Tank is doing alright for no light one day, and only 65 pc watts for nearly three days: 









Can you imagine how lovely this E. prinz is going to be with more light on the tank now?









I'll get a better picture of the canopy in the morning. The lighting in the living room kind of sucks. I posted a crappy one over in the diy section so I can forget about that thread now. I figured it's always nice to post the end result in the diy for people like me that love to see the progression.

At this point, I am pretty pleased. Still have all ten fingers and the lights are bright enough to make this high light lover happy. I might just end up leaving it as is and forgetting about getting a new ballast. It would definitely keep me from having to worry about pushing the plants to the extreme. Kind of tired of the fast growth. But I do miss my reds. However, those swords and lilies are giving great reds without hard work.


----------



## Gatekeeper

Unintentional black out. How is the BBA looking?


----------



## sewingalot

BBA is unscathed.  If anything, I think it enjoyed the shade. I'll get some up close pictures tomorrow of it and other plants. I noticed some of the stems grew fast and leggy. I guess they were stretching for the little light there was. Did I mention I installed the light switch on the wrong side and ended up having to move around everything in my cabinets to compensate? After all this, the soil doesn't sound so intimidating....


----------



## Karackle

looking good! :biggrin: 

Can't wait to watch the new plants, especially that sword, grow in! Very pretty!!! 

Bummer about the guppies, unless you're done with livebearers in this tank anyway? 

Sounds like you're right about the dirt not being as intimidating anymore :hihi: can't wait to see how the plants do with that!!!


----------



## speedie408

Glad to hear you got your lighting figured out. 

About them bettas... you better hurry up and build a mesh netting. You plan on doing what I did for my tank back when I had my Macs?


----------



## macclellan

speedie408 said:


> You plan on doing what I did for my tank back when I had my Macs?


You never owned any Macs. They owned you.


----------



## sewingalot

After killing 42 fish to fendabendazole, spilling half a container of dirt on the ground to watch it get rained into the ground, breaking a ballast and putting the switch on the wrong side of the canopy, dirt looks easy now, Kara. 

Famous last words? Possibly. What intimidates me is the silicone. The husband is strongly considering just buying me a new tank to protect the house from my path of destruction. 

Thanks, Nick. I got a piece of netting secured underneath the canopy for now. Yeah, I am trying to do what you did, but I am not sure how to compensate for the filters.


----------



## speedie408

macclellan said:


> You never owned any Macs. They owned you.


Hey man, that was only round 2. I've got some heart left in me to try them one more time, "MAC"!  Now I just need to find a current source. 



sewingalot said:


> Thanks, Nick. I got a piece of netting secured underneath the canopy for now. Yeah, I am trying to do what you did, but I am not sure how to compensate for the filters.


Make holes through the netting and poke the pipes through . At least that's how I ghetto rigged mine. :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

They'll be the mac, macs. :hihi:

Okay, now I feel silly for not thinking of that one.  But at least I have you all to keep me in line. I tell you I must have lost brain cells on that lighting project. 

So there are two guys talking in Greek in my house right now working on the flooring, right? Should I tell them that I understand quite a bit of what they are saying or just keep eavesdropping on the conversation for my own amusement? I'm thinking the latter.


----------



## nonconductive

the latter


----------



## chad320

The latter. Tell us if its anything good  My family is Irish gaelic and it was funny to have some guys stop by speaking my parents language, cussing and all, while doing our driveway. I waited until they were almost done to speak back to them. The look on their face was priceless.


----------



## MoeBetta

Definitely the latter, I secretly want to learn Chinese for that very reason.


----------



## sewingalot

Should have seen his face when I said _αντίο_ to them when they were leaving. :hihi: I can't share 98% of what they said cause they were cussing at each other, but I can tell you that I know enough to be dangerous.  Oh, and the one guy was crushing on my hair color. LOL.


----------



## nonconductive

you know what they say about redheads.....


----------



## sewingalot

Hush you. I am going to believe you mean fiery temper so I don't have to moderate you. :tongue:

Stupid cat, anyone want her? Look want she did to the still wet floor:


----------



## chad320

Haha, thats charachter  I have a two year olds footprint on mine


----------



## wkndracer

scotch tape her paws


----------



## nonconductive

the hair is a nice touch.


----------



## sewingalot

Isn't it though? I think that must have been the first step. Gross. The floor guy said to leave it and he'll come back in a week or so to fix it. That means I have to see it every day until then. Oh and Mike, I'm thinking about gluing the cat to the floor after that.

Pictures of the tank. Don't worry, only the plants suffered during the lights being reduced. The algae is not only fine, but growing and BGA decided to show up during this time....

































































































































And I am officially in love head over heels for these guys after seeing this:


----------



## Karackle

heeheehee shrimpy in the plants! so cute!!! :biggrin:

and yes, the hair being an awesome touch was my first thought too :hihi: silly cat! 

plants are looking pretty good too, seem to be recovering nicely if they suffered at all roud:


----------



## SkyGrl

LOL your cat is adorable. ill take her  i get a trial period tho... my kitty needs to make friends first, she is older and hitting menopause.. LMAO! 

That shrimp is adorable! i want one for my 55 gallon. do you think he would mess with my bamboo/wood shrimp? i saw that Aquarium Central got some in.. maybe....

Amy


----------



## Chaos_Being

I admit, I was laughing at your drunken escapades with the lighting and all, but I'm glad to see that you got it straightened out. Eventually :hihi:

Those red claws continue to look great, and I feel for you about the cat. I just had to lock mine out of the room so I could post in peace. He thought that repeatedly jumping on top of my chair and pawing me in the side to get my attention was a _splendid _idea.


----------



## chad320

Glad to see everything is back on track!!!


----------



## sewingalot

The old man is still not speaking to the cat and she keeps following him around the house meowing. It's hilarious to watch him try to pretend she's not there.

Tank is moving along. These two bulbs sure do slow down the plant growth....I'm still not sure if I am happy about this or not. I got the second ballast working! I took the metal case apart and found one of the connections was broken. A little bit of soldering and it works again. Yay for me. I haven't decided whether or not to attach it though.

Amy, this is an 'as is' _purr_chase. No refunds. Mollie's about 11 or so. I can't remember exactly when I got her. I know I was still in college. Right now she is annoying me as usual.

Haha, kitty menopause. Love it!

I don't know if they would or not. I know that they've left the red cherries alone (although the bettas didn't). 

Here is a video. I don't know why everything is white washed on the camera the past few days. Not completely an accurate color, but oh well. Hope you like the song. 

http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/sewingalot/?action=view&current=shrimp.mp4


----------



## Chaos_Being

Cool video. I definitely need some of those


----------



## SkyGrl

that shrimp is cute!!! i couldnt hear the song cuz im at my friends house and she has no speakers... so when i get home ill watch it again. LOL i cant believe he is ignoring the cat! AWESOME! i try to do that when Audi has been bad but she is just so cute!!! how long has he held out for? 

Amy


----------



## chad320

I like your video. 23 seconds? What a tease!!! I was just about to do my Irish jig when it cut out. Has nonc been giving you lessons?:hihi: Now we got something to pester you about...longer video


----------



## nonconductive

i ignore our cats all day everyday. air breathers.......

unfortunately i cant watch the video here at work so i have to wait... ooohhh the suspense!

you guys are so hard to please.... pictures too small, now im getting slack about short videos. atleast mine was a whole minute, any longer and it'd be boring.


----------



## sewingalot

23 seconds is about as long as I can hold a camera without getting bored. Just be glad I didn't speak/sing to you all in it. :biggrin: Keep poking me with a stick, Chad and I might just torture you all with my lovely voice if I ever take another video.

Non-c I think you need a dog. :hihi: 

The husband's going on his second day of ignoring her. He's really stubborn, so this could go on for a while.

Amy, the song is Moses Ri-Tooral-I-Ay. There is a bunch of variations of this song. It's basically about the time when it was illegal to speak Gaelic in Ireland. If you ever read some of the history about Ireland, it is a very violent past quite. After the famine of 1846, my ancestors had enough and moved over here. There is a brief history lesson that no one wanted.


----------



## chad320

I wanna hear you sing. Dig through your favorite Irish reels and get us something good missy. How about some Dropkick Murphys? But video it at the same time. I want to see if it scares your fish :hihi: Those shrimp are gianormous so they wont be scared of nothin


----------



## sewingalot

I don't think so, Chad. Trust me, it ain't purty. I sing in one key: off.  I'll tell you that the dogs bark when I sign to them. LMAO.


----------



## chad320

C'mon, just so we can give you the karaoke heckels..."What are you a tenor? Take it ten or twelve blocks down the road, would ya!" Or my favorite, "How about a solo. So low we cant even hear it." :hihi: What does Earl think of it?


----------



## sewingalot

Earl says and I quote "you aren't really good but you aren't terrible, either." :hihi: Trust me on this one. I sound better being goofy than actually trying. :tongue:


----------



## nonconductive

just the good ol boys, never meanin no harm...........


----------



## sewingalot

Watch it you two or I'll upload my singing an old song called "Little Girl." And trust me, it'll bring tears to your eyes.....


----------



## nonconductive

-sniffle-


----------



## chad320

Like hot pepper fingers to your eyes or or sadness tears? Im guessing hot peppers:hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

tears of joy maybe?


----------



## sewingalot

Tears of joy when it's over. I'm telling you, it's worse than me asking for "i"ce cream in a big city. :hihi:


----------



## wkndracer

sing it sewing sing it!
I double dog dare you


----------



## nonconductive

i triple dog dare you.


----------



## chad320

You get preparation-H dont you? :hihi: Well the advice for the day is "Stay in school kids. This could happen to you."


----------



## sewingalot

Hahahaha! Chad, you DO know my accent. LOL. Kind of embarrassing. I learned to like frozen yogurt instead. :hihi:

What is this, junior high with the triple dog dares? Guys........trust me on this one. My intentionally bad singing is 1000 times better than my trying to sing good. It's like Roseanne Barr bad.

Hi, Wknd! Did they let you out of your job?


----------



## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> Hi, Wknd! Did they let you out of your job?


Nope! hiding behind the control room in the simulator on a work station.
Read more posts on the puttytat and was all set to post a reply but thought you'd ban me from the thread so I didn't haha I have no other outside contact options working all these hrs. LOL


----------



## sewingalot

As long as it's within forum guidelines, you can pester me all you like. I grew up with some of the meanest boys this side of the Mississippi. lol. You poor thing. You read my thread to keep yourself occupied. You _must _be lonely. :hihi:


----------



## wkndracer

*My Uncle Walt on puttytats*

I ignore cats now too.

Had them as a kid and they were 'my cats'.

My uncle ruined me on having cats as a kid. 
He destroyed their standing with me. 
Uncle Walt said cats are vile, foul, nasty creatures with mean intentions. 
What he said was this;
Nephew, cats are evil, nasty creatures with no good intentions and I'll tell you why,
They won't come when you call them without food involved and never when they get out in the yard, out in the yard you have to chase them.
They do EVERYTHING you don't let the dog do. It gets on the furniture, the kitchen counter and it gets on the bed leaving hair on the pillow.
They don't walk on a leash worth a crap or do anything but pester you.
Under your feet in the kitchen trying to trip you all the time when you’re cooking. 
Meow meow meow all the time and under your feet.
The thing bothers me constantly he told me.
If I sit down it jumps up meow meow meow.
Climbs in my lap getting hair all over my clothes meow meow meow.
When I can't stand it anymore and surrender to pet the damn thing it spins around, throws its tail up in the air and sticks its butt in my face! Jumps down and walks away. 
I hate cats! 

My Uncle Walt told me all that and I've never looked at a puttytat the same,,, 
watching them you always see they're butt. 
I watch them now and yes I too see this behavior. 

I'm a dog kinda guy ever since LOL


----------



## nonconductive

lol mike.... your uncle is a very wise man. i wish someone would have had that talk with my wife.


----------



## macclellan

words of truth. The Egyptians worshiped cats as deities. They have not forgotten.

the only good cat is... one dragged on a leash @ 60mph from your bumper.


----------



## Hyzer

---


----------



## lauraleellbp

My cats (who are in fact named after Egyptian gods) swish their tails in your general direction.


----------



## macclellan

There are no pics on this page! More Pics!



lauraleellbp said:


> My cats (who are in fact named after Egyptian gods) swish their tails in your general direction.


neat, which ones?


Hyzer said:


> Hilarious, isn't it?


 Um, no. Real-world animal abuse is not funny at all (even if it weren't associated with physical/mental abuse in children or resulted in increased interpersonal violence), but that has nothing do with what I said.


----------



## SkyGrl

*Heyuck!*

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

Mike, hilarious. I was in tears reading this. Simply because that describes annoying cat #1 and annoying cat #2 to a T. I love Jody and Mollie, but boy do I now know what my mom meant about hating cats due to the destruction they cause. Just so you know, the husband is still ignoring the cat and she is getting more meowy with him. It's funny, like watching me and my brothers fighting all over again. :hihi:

Mac - gross. If I didn't know you as a peace lover and that you are only trying to raise my blood pressure, I would totally find a way to hook you up to the bumper first so the cat would have something to surf on comfortably. 

Hyzer, thanks for the picture compliments. 

Mac - one of the few possessions I have of my grandfathers is a foghorn leghorn sign. How cool is that?

And you all, I found a cassette of me singing Little Girl when I was younger (my brother snuck and taped it, jerk), so behave or I'll upload it. :tongue:


----------



## macclellan

Waiting on those pics, dear. Do unto others as you demand of their threads. 



Hyzer said:


> ---


 I guess he changed his mind.  Random anectdote: Jeffrey Dahmer is from close where I'm from. My babysitter growing up was his next door neighbor... creepy, eh?


----------



## wkndracer

Glad you approve of the post. Now post the pics! and wheres the singing link?

Stuck here working all weekend and need a haha


----------



## sewingalot

macclellan said:


> Waiting on those pics, dear. Do unto others as you demand of their threads.
> 
> I guess he changed his mind.  Random anectdote: Jeffrey Dahmer is from close where I'm from. My babysitter growing up was his next door neighbor... creepy, eh?


You want pictures? I'll give you pictures. I don't know why you want them, though. Nothing has changed except......I have a major algae outbreak of BBA. Yay for me!!!! More for the algae tank!

Nitrates keep bottoming out, phophates 2+ ppm. Lights are half what they used to be. Co2 on the low side, but like 1 full point drop in ph, so good enough for me. I'm going to up the nitrates a bit and see what happens. I guess if I would dose consistently, it would help, eh? That or take out the hornwort that is floating around there for the bettas...

That explains a lot about you, Mac. You're related by osmosis to Dahmer. :icon_cool

Awful pictures. Having a heck of a time figuring out a setting for this to show actual colors, so imagine prettier, (notice the light shining through on the crooked cuts of the canopy?):


















Closest color wise but too dark (loving the Prinz by the way. The maroon/burgandy leaves are amazing!









Washed out:


















Too yellow, but cool pictures of the shrimper


















Too blue









This camera isn't very user friendly. I'm blaming the equipment not the operator (even though we all know it is me.....)


----------



## macclellan

You need to turn off the auto white balance... take a few test shots with the various options, 'fluorescent' is probably best, and if your camera is decent, it will also have a "+/-" option for fine tuning.

Is that an erio behind the blyxa on the left in the second photo?


----------



## wkndracer

aaahhhh thank you

whats the tall bunch back right?


----------



## sewingalot

I'll try that, thanks Mac. I do use the +/-, but not so much the AWB. I'll see what happens. Yup Erio type 2. It looked better before the lighting went dark for a while. And since it has a number in it, you know it's special. 

Wknd, I have the song on tape, but it is like really bad and I was younger, so it's probably illegal in 15 states to play, lol. If I feel ornery enough later I'll upload it just for giggles. My great grandma used to get into trouble signing that song with her daddy. There are a lot of different variations, verses too. Leadbelly, Nirvana sang a version of it. And little girl is actually not the original phrase. It's actually based on a true story, a really sad one.....only there is many versions of the story as well. It's an old American Appalachian song....bout the 1870s. Needless to say, since I was young when my greatgrandma would sing it to me, I was taught the PG version.... 

Another history lesson for you all.


----------



## sewingalot

wkndracer said:


> aaahhhh thank you
> 
> whats the tall bunch back right?


The fluffy plant that looks like Limnophilia Sessiflora? That's Sam. Not the same plant at all, a distant cousin.....


----------



## wkndracer

The sunset I see in there I know I'm not the only one with naughty plants.
but would love to replace the Ambulia I've got, if you remember the name hit me with it.


----------



## Hyzer

wkndracer said:


> I know I'm not the only one with naughty plants.


 Haha, Sunset Hygro doesn't play well with others.

Nice collection you have there Sara. Everything looks very healthy.



macclellan said:


> I guess he changed his mind.  Random anectdote: Jeffrey Dahmer is from close where I'm from. My babysitter growing up was his next door neighbor... creepy, eh?


 Definitely changed my mind about Sara's journal being the right place to post that. And yes, that is creepy.


----------



## macclellan

I didn't mean the exposure compensation +/-, but the white balance+ /- which your camera may or may not have


----------



## sewingalot

wkndracer said:


> The sunset I see in there I know I'm not the only one with naughty plants.
> but would love to replace the Ambulia I've got, if you remember the name hit me with it.





Hyzer said:


> Haha, Sunset Hygro doesn't play well with others.
> 
> Nice collection you have there Sara. Everything looks very healthy.


I have no idea what you two are talking about. I don't have either of those plants, I do have Sam and Sally in my tank. They are just like the Viceroy butterfly. Looks like the Monarch, but completely different. :wink:

Thanks for not noticing the algae, Hyzer. The plants are quite healthy underneath a fine layer of BBA and GSA. LOL



macclellan said:


> I didn't mean the exposure compensation +/-, but the white balance+ /- which your camera may or may not have


Haha, nope. I looked but don't have it. It has an evaluate white balance where you are supposed to hold up a white piece of paper close to the light source, maybe I'll try that. Anyway, I'll try all the settings and find the closest. Or just keep giving you all weird tinted pictures. Either way, it's all good.


----------



## sewingalot

Given my history with DIY......I came up with an idea to do a practice run on a smaller tank with the silicone replacement. I am going to be spending most of next week deciding on whether the 2.5 or 20 gallon would be better to practice on. I am thinking the 20 gallon since it is more likely to show problems (i.e. leaking). For once, I've decided to do a little thinking before jumping in feet first. 

Also, I need to separate the larger sized gravel from the flourite, so I am in the process of drilling holes in a smaller bucket to make a sieve of sorts. Only, I am trying to figure what size I want the largest pieces. And obviously, if I don't have enough flourite, I'll have to substitute with something else; I am thinking turface since I have 100 pounds of it still.

However, issues in the family are taking precedent starting tomorrow, so I doubt that I'll have much energy in the coming days to do much journal wise (or to pester you all) so consider this a early birthday present from me. :hihi:

If the practice reseal goes well, I'll be starting at the end of next month with the 55 breakdown and resetting up. If the trial run doesn't go as planned....I'll be saving up for a new tank......

Oh, and I'm about 10 minutes from hooking up the other lights. I am a glutton for punishment I suppose. I figured since the BBA is still here, I might as well speed up the growth to get rid of the worst stems. 

Hope everyone is having a great Sunday and will have a fantastic week. And if anyone is wanting to know what to get me for a random gift: http://www.crayola.com/products/splash/colored_bubbles/ LOL. Isn't that the coolest thing you've ever seen? Here I am 30 years old and I want one of these things. Haha.


----------



## lauraleellbp

macclellan said:


> neat, which ones?


The cats are Isis and Osiris (and our dogs are Selkis and Nefertiti. Yes, I am a dork like that. Don't even get me going on the Crested Gecko names...)

Sara I'm going to miss your "journal" (and I use that term oh so very loosely) terribly while I'm on vacation!


----------



## macclellan

Cool names for cats, Laura.

Thinkin before drinkin, sara? Why that's clever!


----------



## lauraleellbp

Sara, forget DIY, how are you with roaches?

There's a dead roach in my 90gal and my hubby is in Bimini... but I've got to get in there and trim so I can mail out those plants I already sold *HALP*!!!


----------



## sewingalot

lauraleellbp said:


> The cats are Isis and Osiris (and our dogs are Selkis and Nefertiti. Yes, I am a dork like that. Don't even get me going on the Crested Gecko names...)
> 
> Sara I'm going to miss your "journal" (and I use that term oh so very loosely) terribly while I'm on vacation!


Haha, I don't know whether to be insulted or honored, Laura. LOL. When are you leaving? I need to know what day to tell all my friends that I have a free beach house to stay at. :icon_bigg

But I want to hear the names of these geckos now. 



macclellan said:


> Cool names for cats, Laura.
> 
> Thinkin before drinkin, sara? Why that's clever!


Yeah, this time I'm going to wait until after the project to start. 



lauraleellbp said:


> Sara, forget DIY, how are you with roaches?
> 
> There's a dead roach in my 90gal and my hubby is in Bimini... but I've got to get in there and trim so I can mail out those plants I already sold *HALP*!!!


Karma, Laura, karma. That's what you get for laughing at me and my stink bug plight earlier this spring. :icon_mrgr For a free stay at Florida, I think I'd totally brave a roach, though. Unless you are talking about one of those giant creepy ones. You are on your own for that. *shudders at thought* Is it floating? Use a piece of paper to get it.


----------



## lauraleellbp

Yes, it's floating. The problem is even after I manage to get that nasty thing out, I have to stick my arms back in the tank to trim all the plants. I may ralph in the tank...

Gecko names is a much more pleasant subject. Since Crested Geckos are native to the islands of New Caledonia, all mine are named after New Caledonian towns and cities (well except for the adult male who arrived with his name already and I diidn't want to give him an identity crisis). I have:

Kone
Imone
Noumea
Tesra
Thia or Theo (depending on if it ends up a boy or girl)
Gala
Ashir, and
Amoa

(pics of them all are here: http://www.iherp.com/HerpTrack/MyAnimals/)

I now have the problem of whether my 25gal QT tank will end up a planted tank or a crestie vivarium after I'm done with it as a QT tank... LOL


----------



## sewingalot

Well........to be gross, if you do ralph, think of it as free fish food.  My brother told me a story about everyone but him getting sick on a snorkeling trip.

Haha, Identity crisis. LOVE IT! Cute names. :biggrin: By the way, I clicked the link and got this message (after registering) _There were no animals found for this grouping. Click Here to add an animal to your collection._

I think you are bitten by the reptilian bug!  If I ever get to the point I don't have a cat in the house, I'm getting another iguana. I loved that guy!


----------



## lauraleellbp

Whoops - try this one: http://www.iherp.com/Public/ShowUser.aspx?UserID=166c5251-ac7a-4483-89f4-6cb36e7b98be


----------



## sewingalot

Cute, cute. I love this one:










Where is the tail on the first one? Let me get this straight, those geckos don't scare you but cockroaches do???? Okay, we must be related. LOL. :hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

Naw, I've always loved lizards. Used to catch them and get them to bite my earlobes and wear them around as a kid. :icon_smil

Kone is a pretty boy. All pastel-y LOL I haven't found him the perfect mate just yet, I've got something very specific in mind for him...

Where's the tail on which one?


OMG I just caught the ralphing on a snorkeling trip and got a visual with fish- EWWWWWWWW!


----------



## sewingalot

This guy and his little nub: 









Reminds me of a hamster tail. Haha on the earrings. Did your mom like those guys? Yeah, pretty gross no? My brother told us a story about him and his wife going on a honeymoon and snorkeling.......funny gross.


----------



## lauraleellbp

Ohh that guy. He's the sire of both Ashir and Amoa. I'm hoping both (or at least one) of them are girls and inherit their mom's olive color and their dad's head structure.  Pretty common for cresties to loose their tails, and they don't grow them back.

No, my mom feels about lizards pretty much the same way I feel about roaches. I'm afraid I wasn't too sympathetic as a child, either. :icon_evil

It's funny- I just met a "forum friend" from TFH this week in person for the first time. She's from Australia, and she and her family were visiting Disney so I drove up and had dinner with them.

One of these days I'll drag you down here... :smile:


----------



## sewingalot

He's a cutie and the fact he doesn't have a tail makes him even more loveable. My mom is the same way. I had a box turtle named Houdini that would escape from his cage and crawl into the laundry to snuggle. You'd think after the third or fourth time, my mom would stop screaming, but noooooooo.  Houdini had to be released back into the wild after the winter. LOL.

How cool that you met a forum friend from Australia! That's is cool. Sometimes I just find it fascinating that they are actual people behind the usernames. I used to wonder as a kid if they were just all computer programmed people. Haha!

I'll come down covered in mosquito netting and during your 'cold' spell. LOL. No way do I want attacked by your _monster _bugs. I bet Mothra vacations there. I've only seen the ocean once in my life and it has been over 12 years ago. Is it prettier in Florida than South Carolina?


----------



## toofazt

Tank looks great! What's this plant?


----------



## sewingalot

Ludwigia arcuata. The lone stem that hid in the brevipes. It's a great plant, easy to get red without a lot of light.


----------



## sewingalot

Since this is my journal and I can talk about whatever I like.........

My grandmother died unexpectedly this morning. Yes, she had been sick, but this was sudden...I felt it in my bones early this morning well before my mother showed up on the door step.

As many of you know, I have been in emotional turmoil these past few months due to several family and personal health issues, but finding out my grandmother had cancer recently was enough to send into a chaotic state. 

On the plus side, I found out who my friends are during this and for that, I will always truly be grateful. It is surprising to me how illness brings out both the best and worst in people. You really find out if people care about you when life is less than perfect. I am melancholy. 

Anyone want to send me a goofy poem to brighten my mood?


----------



## lauraleellbp

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Sara))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

It would take me a week to write you a horribly awful poem so you'lll have to take a rain check on that. lol

Love ya though, chica, hang in there and I'm going to be totally Sara-deprived while in India!!!


----------



## nonconductive

sorry for your loss sara!


----------



## rekles75

I have no poem I am terrible at those but I do offer my condolences. Bless you and your family Sara.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks you all. I am still stunned. When it starts to sink in, I am going to be a mess. Right now I am not sure what to do. This was my week to do all these family duties and now I am just sitting here wondering what the future is going to bring in the upcoming days. I'm worried the most for my autistic uncle. I want to go and kidnap him and bring him home with me.

I wanna go to India! Let's trade places, Laura!


----------



## chad320

Bummer, my sincere condolences  I wrote you a terrible poem to try to cheer you up...

You spice up this forum so its not so square, 
without your humor my thread would be bare.
Thanks for your help with the newbs and the rookies,
this is to me like your grandmothers cookies 

I hope you cheer up and can use your situation as a postive stepping stone in some way in your life. (((hugs))).


----------



## JamesHockey

when im sad and down,i get a new (larger) fishtank the screw with *winkwink* or i just mess with mine.


im here about 20 hours a day 7 days a week! JUST FOR YOU! not even here to post,just to comfort you


----------



## SkyGrl

oh Sara, im so sorry for your loss. i cant write a poem worth a damn but i will send you good thoughts. if you get a sudden shiver of cold, its your canadian friend thinking of you. :hihi: (yes we are still getting snow) many virtual hugs to you.

Amy

P.S. i say kidnap your uncle. it is a great idea!


----------



## wkndracer

internet hug at ya

Losing my mom's brother (Uncle Walt) when I bummed on it my mind always turned to remembering how he lived. GittyUp! 
He found out about his cancer too late to treat anything and just went about cleaning up loose ends and we (the family) pitched in to clear as much off his bucket list as we could. 

He had a cabin in the woods that was a never ending project Dad, my two brothers and I went in kicked butt for a week and finished it in and out. Walt got to send a couple days laying on a bed there before we lost him. Totally sorry for your loss, only knew my gramps on Dads side and lost him before I was 10.

Hang on to the happy thoughts Sara those teach us how to live.


----------



## JamesHockey

wkndracer said:


> internet hug at ya
> 
> Losing my mom's brother (Uncle Walt) when I bummed on it my mind always turned to remembering how he lived. GittyUp!
> He found out about his cancer too late to treat anything and just went about cleaning up loose ends and we (the family) pitched in to clear as much off his bucket list as we could.
> 
> He had a cabin in the woods that was a never ending project Dad, my two brothers and I went in kicked butt for a week and finished it in and out. Walt got to send a couple days laying on a bed there before we lost him. Totally sorry for your loss, only knew my gramps on Dads side and lost him before I was 10.
> 
> Hang on to the happy thoughts Sara those teach us how to live.


Same about bot knowing my grandparents long.


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


----------



## Karackle

i have a story for you
it might just cheer you up too
the picture you've seen
but my muse it has been
so hush now and listen to me
or the story you won't get to see

there once was a girl with two mutts
and a boyfriend she kicked in the butt
to hike along with the three
which made her shout out with glee

so off hiking they went in the wood
but the trail, alas, it wasn't that good
because you see it had rained all that week
so a dry path was quite hard to seek 

but onward they all forged together
they said "to heck with the weather!" 
of course you know what came next
and maybe she would have been vexed

but the dogs were so awful cute 
and one wore a backpack to boot
so when they ran through the mud
she began to yell "holy crud"
but then Leo got stuck
in 3 feet of muck
and he looked so forlorn
her emotions were torn
then she just laughed at her pup
who had clearly just given up

he was up to his chest
and despite his best
he could not budge
so she went in the sludge
to rescue her dog
she stepped on a log
and reached out to pluck
her little old dog from the muck

onward they went to the peak
a beautiful view is what they did seek
on the way Leo avoided the mud
but the same can't be said for his bud
Cody frolicked and bounced 
and he ran and he pounced
in, on and through
every mud puddle in view

you see Leo is older, more fragile
but Cody is quite young and agile
therefore he's quite fleet of foot 
so right over the mud he would book
but old Mr. Leo he sank 
so he learned to walk on the plank(s)
set over the mud on the trail
all while wagging his tail 

so onward we went
until the trail bent
and then we saw
to our shock and awe
that we'd reached the peak
for the view we did seek

and that is the story 
in all of its glory
of two muddy puppies,
my sweet little buddies
who are cute cute
and they scoot scoot
and Cody hop hops
and Leo bop bops 
to the beat of their own little drums
and that makes me sing and hum

the ending is now really great
but now it is getting quite late
and i should head home form school
before someone calls me a fool 

i hope that it helped cheer you up
and now go cuddle YOUR pups! 

pictures of said adventure:


----------



## nonconductive

hmmmmmm....


----------



## Karackle

Pippi longstocking!!!!!!


----------



## chad320

Mmmmm.....the Baconator....OH, sorry, continue......


----------



## sewingalot

I love you guys. I feel like we've been friends for years. Chad, that was too funny (only grandma never made cookies, we dipped brown bread in hot cocoa for desert, ewww). 

Mike, Amy, James....you are all great. I would write more, but I don't know what to say other than thank you for the words And I was wondering what that cold chill was. 

Kara, you are fantastic. I found myself laughing out loud and I cling to the fact I'll feel better again in the future. Reading all these messages finally let me cry, like a gut wrenching, heartbreaking, brokenness, mournful cry. And such peace enveloped my soul......like a blanket wraps a baby on a cold winter morning.....As much as it hurts, it comforts me to know she is finally at peace. 

Haha, non-c. Good one. I used to love going to Wendys with my papa. Actually, our last meal was eating Wendy's on top of a four story garage, I was working 60+ hours a week and he and mom came over and brought me food. So isn't that neat?

Anyway.......thanks you all.


----------



## macclellan

Sorry to hear. 

Random fact: my first "on the books" job was at Wendy's. That didn't last long, lol.


----------



## Centromochlus

Sorry about your loss Sara... loosing someone close is always hard. It always takes a while to recover from (as i'm sure you already know), but i know you'll pull through it. roud:

Take care of yourself.


----------



## Karackle

:hihi: glad you liked the story! :biggrin: i thought you might enjoy that  puppy stories always cheer me up too :tongue:

and I'm glad you feel more peaceful after a good cry, sometimes you just have to cry in order to feel better  l♥ve you!


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, Mac. Don't tell me how nasty they were. My first job was MacDonalds. I lasted not even a week, lol. It took me many, many years to want to even eat there again. 

Thanks, Philip. L♥ve you too, Kara. Thank you for being a great friend. I owe you a major dinner next time we are up that way.

Mac, looks like the suggestions helped on this new camera. Rion helped me on my last one and now you are helping me with this one. Pretty accurate picture (just a tad yellow):


----------



## chad320

Whoa, looking good!!! Did you still want peacock moss? PM me your addy AGAIN and I can get it in the mail tomorrow if you'd like


----------



## sewingalot

This is probably the best representation of colors. I tweaked it a bit on irfanview and I've never tried this, so forgive the amateurishness.










Chad, I'd love to have some peacock moss, but I will need to pass until I have some spare funds. I spent all my money on doughnuts and ate four of them when I found out about my grammie. Did I mention I am really sick now? lol :eek5::icon_redf

But thank you so very much! I'll get with you in a few weeks.


----------



## macclellan

LoL, I'll only say one thing about Wendy's. DON'T EAT THE CHILI! and don't ask why. ew.

First pic looks good, second is too yellow.


----------



## JamesHockey

sewingalot said:


> .
> 
> Thanks, Philip. L♥ve you too, JAMES




^^^^^ fixed your post for ya 


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


----------



## chad320

Sara, seriously? You think ima charge you for it? Just send me your addy so i can start stalkin....I mean sending it to you.


----------



## sewingalot

macclellan said:


> LoL, I'll only say one thing about Wendy's. DON'T EAT THE CHILI! and don't ask why. ew.
> 
> First pic looks good, second is too yellow.


Luckily, I hate chili (was my papa's favorite, lol). I never cared much for something that looks like dog food.

Yeah, the second one is sucky. I am sticking with just the camera settings, lol. I'm not good at picture fixing. :hihi:



JamesHockey said:


> ^^^^^ fixed your post for ya
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


Haha, James. When you turn 18, let me know and I'll officially say I heart you. Until then, it's a little creepy, lol. :hihi: Thanks for fixing my post. LOL.



chad320 said:


> Sara, seriously? You think ima charge you for it? Just send me your addy so i can start stalkin....I mean sending it to you.


Chad, my dear. I don't take hand outs. Don't you know that by now? Trades? IOUs? Sure, but not something I don't earn. (It's a country thing instilled to me by my papa.) I ain't giving you my address. Good luck getting it, lol.  (And as my old boss used to say.....it ain't harassment/stalking if it's welcome. LMAO!)


----------



## chad320

Well then, Ill just toss it in the garbage. Then pick it out and mail it to you. So technically, you'll be saving its life  you can just pick off the bits of ketchup and macaroni and cheese :hihi: Dont make me have to stop being lazy and get on my paypal and find you.


----------



## sewingalot

Yuck. True story....If something falls into trash on accident, it will stay there. My husband fought with me a week over my refusal to pick out my engagement ring. I wouldn't even wear it until it was professionally cleaned, lol. Sorry for the off topic chatter. I am trying my best to not do this!

I'm not giving you my stinking address. I'll buy some from you when I get that clay from you.  Or I'll trade later on. 

Haha, wanna hear something funny? I am listening to country music right now. Nothing like a good ole' country song to help you cry. :hihi: Viewing is tomorrow. If you don't hear from me in a few days, someone come bail me outta of the local jailhouse, lol.


----------



## chad320

Ha ha!!! I found it!!! Maybe just to be mean ill send you the clay too. Then I will own your soul. Mwahahahaha!!!:hihi:

You almost traded your ring in to the garbage man? Ida dug through the cat box to find mine  And stop listening to country music. That stuff could send Santa Clause spiraling into depression  Bah, nevermind. Cry it out. Its good for you. Crying, not country:hihi:


----------



## JamesHockey

sewingalot said:


> Luckily, I hate chili (was my papa's favorite, lol). I never cared much for something that looks like dog food.
> 
> Yeah, the second one is sucky. I am sticking with just the camera settings, lol. I'm not good at picture fixing. :hihi:
> 
> 
> 
> Haha, James. When you turn 18, let me know and I'll officially say I heart you. Until then, it's a little creepy, lol. :hihi: Thanks for fixing my post. LOL.
> 
> 
> 
> Chad, my dear. I don't take hand outs. Don't you know that by now? Trades? IOUs? Sure, but not something I don't earn. (It's a country thing instilled to me by my papa.) I ain't giving you my address. Good luck getting it, lol.  (And as my old boss used to say.....it ain't harassment/stalking if it's welcome. LMAO!)


Already had that day marked on my calendar -


March 19,2014-
Let Sara know she can officially and legally " heart" me *cough cough* cougar * cough cough*



Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, I'll stop listening soon enough. There is only so much this country gal can listen to of country (even of Johnny Cash, the man). Tomorrow, I'll have to listen to happy songs to crawl back out of this hole. Haha, Santa Clause, my grandma called him the "Hackey Man." I didn't believe him growing up because of it. Isn't that funny? Turns out he's actually a real person, too.  (Okay, I can't stay on topic for the life of me. Have you seen the commercial with foghorn leghorn? That's me, haha.)

Don't you dare! I still have your paypal address and I'll have to send you $20 just to feel better. LOL.


----------



## sewingalot

JamesHockey said:


> Already had that day marked on my calendar -
> 
> 
> March 19,2014-
> Let Sara know she can officially and legally " heart" me *cough cough* cougar * cough cough*
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk



Hahahahahahahahaha! _THAT _is one thing I can promise I'll _never _feel about you, kiddo. (No offense, mind you. I am sure you are a good catch for a teenage girl, LOL) Sorry to disappoint you, but Earl is the only man I'll ever love. :redface: Hahahahahaha! You crack me up, truly. Good one.


----------



## chad320

If you send me twenty bucks im a filin a complaint:hihi: How about this...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOwhrCkMiKA&feature=related Thats the hard part right in there...:hihi:


----------



## wkndracer

*Brand New Day*

Wake up sunshine life is calling. :smile:


----------



## nonconductive

JamesHockey said:


> *cough cough* cougar * cough cough*


 
hahahahahahahahahaha


nice pics mike


----------



## sewingalot

Hush, Cooter. That's just plain mean to laugh at. I'm only 30....And I don't like _boys_, lol. How cute is that video! Chad, that had me laughing. I love it. Actually.....I love it with a capital E.  

Gorgeous view, Mike. Is that local to you? Very lovely. 

You are indeed right. A new day is here, a new life has begun. I have nothing left to stay silent for. Oh boy, watch out world. You are in for a treat!

Honestly......I've never felt so much inner turmoil as I have these past few hours. The grief is overwhelming, yet the peace from finally being free is tearing me apart and lifting me up at the same time. I want to feel something more than the dogmatic matriarch reign has finally ended. Yet, this very thought is pulling me out from underneath the darkness in which I've resided the past 17 years. I feel like the pain is finally coming to a close. I am finally free of the bonds of shameful silence. For the very first time, I am able to forgive her, to let go, to see this for what it was. For the very first time, I can live my life without having to endure the ignominy of being the victim. So, goodbye my dear grandma. I hope you find the peace and comfort you've been lacking. I will truly miss her....


Onto tank news!

I have BGA growing in the front of my aquarium! Yay for me. Actually, I really, really, really, really hate BGA. But it isn't an algae so I am allowed to. I am thinking the massive die off and mini-cycle flared it up. Oxygen level is great, flow is good, h2o2 doesn't effect it and neither does nitrates. It's tormenting me.


----------



## Coltonorr

Sara,
Just caught up...so sorry for your loss.

BTW on a less important note... I love the sessiflora in the back right of the tank.
Its like a really nice version of cabomba! LOL!


----------



## nonconductive

its great that you're being positive sara


----------



## JamesHockey

I'm definitely not a catch ( no pun intended) 


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


----------



## SkyGrl

ohhh nooo BGA!!! your mortal enemy!!! LOL 

you will have to start scraping... 

it will feel good to go through all those emotions and come out happy. it can only get better Sara. i know when my grandpa died i was so angry at the world but he was in so much pain and suffering that i began to understand how he couldnt hold himself in this world any more. its tough to loose a grandparent, i have lost all of mine over the last 8 years. i had 6 grandparents (mom was adopted then found her real parents when i was 11) and they where all great. from experience i can tell you it will get better. maybe not easier but better. 

your tank is looking very nice Sara. how is the lotus doing? 

Amy


----------



## nonconductive

macclellan said:


> LoL, I'll only say one thing about Wendy's. DON'T EAT THE CHILI! and don't ask why. ew.


lol. it smells about the same going in as it does coming out.


----------



## macclellan

nonconductive said:


> lol. it smells about the same going in as it does coming out.


 TMI dude!


----------



## JamesHockey

nonconductive said:


> lol. it smells about the same going in as it does coming out.


XD


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


----------



## nonconductive

macclellan said:


> TMI dude!


you started it!


----------



## chad320

Ugh! I cant decide which is worse, the chili jibber jabber or the BGA. At least nonc is testing it out for you and you'll have the full EM report if you decide you need to use it to break it down. BGA is nasty stuff.


----------



## nonconductive

i would rather deal with bga than wendy's chili.


----------



## Karackle

Wknd - gorgeous pics! 

Sara - first, I too am glad you are staying positive, at least as much as possible given the situation. Also, I couldn't agree more with out on chili in general! I'm not a fan. As for tank related comments, sorry to hear about the BGA but I'm sure you'll get it sorted out. As for the moss offer from Chad, TAKE IT! He's offering and you give SO MUCH, let him pay it forward back at you!  (or at least take it with an IOU while he has it ) I know, I know, I should butt out! :hihi: 
Also, I LOVE that foghorn leghorn commercial! :icon_lol: and don't worry about going off topic, as I've said before, part of the reason I like your journal so much is that it DOESN'T always stay on topic, keeps things interesting! :hihi: 
Finally, i posted some calming and some cute photos for you at the end here.

Everyone else - i luv all y'all but WHY would you EVER think it was a good idea to even try fast food chili?! LOL that's all i have to say about that. :hihi: 

And now for your viewing pleasure:

Calming / pretty pictures:























































Cute animal pics: 




























Cody as a puppy:










Leo getting an interesting hairdo:










Cody, Leo and my (then) roommate's dog Rally playing chase:


----------



## JamesHockey

Gimme dat turtle!


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


----------



## chad320

Kara, that pic with the tree above all of the others is majestic. They are all great but that one speaks. Good job!!!


----------



## nonconductive

Kara nice pics, love the grumpy old tortoise


----------



## Karackle

thanks guys! I love the tortoise too....if they weren't so darn big i would have snuck one into my suitcase, too bad they're called _giant_ tortoises for a reason :hihi:

And Chad thanks! I love that picture too, that and the second one I posted (with the tree in the ocean on the rocks) are actually 2 of my favorites from that trip! 

I misse that camera.....my new one doesn't take as good pictures I don't think.


----------



## chad320

Yeah Kara, that second one is awesome too. Looked like a cool spot to relax for a bit. FWIW, lets spam Saras thread while shes gone


----------



## Chaos_Being

Sara- I'm so sorry about your loss. I am happy that you're staying positive, though. Speaking of positive, your tank has bounced back admirably in a short amount of time. It looks great!


----------



## chad320

Well, the spamming isnt working so here...


----------



## Chaos_Being

^^ LOL :icon_mrgr


----------



## Karackle

Chad, thanks again! It was definitely a nice spot to relax :hihi: 

and I'm loving the cat pic! HAHAHAHA amazing. Now I want to watch Robocop! :hihi:


----------



## chad320

Sara, You can not beat Amy for cheif lurker in charge:hihi: _yawn_ How about an awesome FTS?


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks for the condolences everyone. It's been an interesting week to say the least...

What are you talking about, Coltonorr? I have no sessiflora in my tank! Oh, you must be talking about Viceroy Sam. :hihi: By the way, thanks. It's my hubby's favorite plant so I let it stay even though it is a big algae magnet:












nonconductive said:


> its great that you're being positive sara


You've heard the saying "Fake it till you make it?" I live by that motto....at least I try. Life is testing my limits of pain that's for sure.



JamesHockey said:


> I'm definitely not a catch ( no pun intended)


James, James, James. Do I need to send you a mirror? I think yours is broken. With your little justin bieber hair do, you probably have secret admirers swooning all over you. You need a lesson in self confidence, kiddo. P.S. Girls are really easy to catch....they are as self conscience as you are, believe it or not.....especially at your age.

Thanks, Amy my dear. I've now lost both of my grandparents within less than three years apart. My paternal grandma died a year to the day before I was born (I'm often teased that I am her reincarnated) and I don't know who my paternal grandfather is, so I am basically without grandparents. It's very humbling. Especially when your grandparents raised you for half your life. It's like I lost a set of parents.

The lotus plants are both doing well. Finally starting to recover, but the BGA and BBA is rampant in my tank! EEK! I can say that I took out the 10k bulbs and am already seeing an improvement. I don't know why that is since nothing else has changed. I don't even remember the last time I dosed consistently. I really need to work on that autodoser.....but then I'd probably just forget to feel that up. I really need to get the tank setup for soil. That would probably help. I got the third bulb wired up. I decided not to install four, but three bulbs. That way, I can have a little extra light without going overboard. As of yesterday, I am only running one bulb over the 55. I'll see what happens for the fun of it. I figured it would be a nice change for a while......bettas like it.



nonconductive said:


> i would rather deal with bga than wendy's chili.


You guys love to talk about this for some reason. These are the days I am glad I was born a girl.....although I just spent the afternoon with my two brothers and that was enough to bring out the boy side in me.



Karackle said:


> Calming / pretty pictures:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cody as a puppy:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Leo getting an interesting hairdo:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cody, Leo and my (then) roommate's dog Rally playing chase:


Such great pictures, Kara! Those above are my favorites. They did cheer me up quite a bit, thank you. I am sitting here thinking how blessed I am to have good friends like you during this time. The dogs running is just amazingly happy, relaxing and pleasing. Nothing like watching dogs play to make you enjoy the simplicity in living. :redface:



chad320 said:


> Yeah Kara, that second one is awesome too. Looked like a cool spot to relax for a bit. FWIW, lets spam Saras thread while shes gone





chad320 said:


> Well, the spamming isnt working so here...


Haha, told you, Chad. To have true spam, I must be involved.  



chad320 said:


> Sara, You can not beat Amy for cheif lurker in charge:hihi: _yawn_ How about an awesome FTS?


I lurk quite nicely, though. No? I am sure you all missed me greatly.....insert _yeah, right _here......Pictures just because you asked. :tongue:

I got the awesome plants from Mark! Doesn't it just complete the tank?









Bettas enjoying the low light:









Cool ludwigia lac.....something or another from Cardinal Tetra:









Ozelot (forgive the yellowish pictures, still working on that)









Red claws:









One of the lily plants just for you, Amy:









And because I know you all are dying to see the algae outbreak! Low light equals more algae for me. :confused1: The husband is actually dosing some excel (1/4 dose) for me (after I leave the room). This is war. Some algae, fine. But I _still_ have to see the plants.....













































Pretty, no?


----------



## Coltonorr

Lol Sara
It was either sessifolia or cabomba...I've grown both and the sessifolia always green really green like yours and the cabomba always looked darker
Either way I like it!
And nice work on the 5:30 AM Saturday update...I only get up that early if I'm goin fishin!


----------



## SkyGrl

Wow all your tanks are looking awesome!!! :hihi: i love that lily. have you got your package yet???? :icon_excl

Amy


----------



## chad320

Again with the great update. The tank looks FULL. I hope you win the algae battle:icon_twis and how long does it take you to type up a response like that? If I tried something like that it would have about 15 mistakes in it. After I spell checked:icon_smilSo what is the taller plant on the right? It looks new.


----------



## sewingalot

Coltonorr said:


> Lol Sara
> It was either sessifolia or cabomba...I've grown both and the sessifolia always green really green like yours and the cabomba always looked darker
> Either way I like it!
> And nice work on the 5:30 AM Saturday update...I only get up that early if I'm goin fishin!


Well.....I'm not admitting to anything from this point forward, lol. What is funny is I really thought this plant was gone and when I started a new fertilization method (nothing consistently, ha!) that it started taking off again. As far as the 5:30 am update, I was up since 3. I feel asleep at like 8 yesterday and woke up wide awake during a thunderstorm. So, since I was bored (and a little scared, haha), I updated.



SkyGrl said:


> Wow all your tanks are looking awesome!!! :hihi: i love that lily. have you got your package yet???? :icon_excl
> 
> Amy


Not yet, still waiting for customs to let it through. They don't like us, Amy. I think we are too cool for them. :icon_cool Nice to see you out and about and not lurking. 



chad320 said:


> Again with the great update. The tank looks FULL. I hope you win the algae battle :icon_twis and how long does it take you to type up a response like that? If I tried something like that it would have about 15 mistakes in it. After I spell checked:icon_smilSo what is the taller plant on the right? It looks new.


Check out just two days of a weak dose of excel:









Haha, Chad if I am awake with no one else awake here or posting online, it takes about 15 minutes or so. In the evening, it takes like 5 hours to update. Today is a slow day and things are finally calming down for the first time in months, so I have plenty of hours to waste. Lucky for you that you are busy this weekend, huh? 

On the left, it is new blyxa aubertii, and it is about to flower already! It sent up a shoot overnight. She just started opening up for me (see the white petals showing at the tip?):









On the right side, it is Sam and LM (please don't ask me to spell that out.)

On the plus side, there is a lot of dirt left, after all. Almost a full 5 gallon bucket full. I may just have plenty even with my spilling over half of it in the yard. :thumbsup:










Oh, and because I am playing around with the camera, I took pictures of the plants 'waking' up. I think it is cool how the ludwigias are all squished up like this in the morning. It's one of the reasons I love the plant type in general.

Brevipes:









x lacustris:









arcuata:









porto velho from Mark (I also have a few stems in here hiding that came from him. They are just hiding behind the brevipes and blyxa and I can't get a shot of them yet. I think next week they should be tall enough to show.):









This is the same lily leaf that looked like crap not too long ago. The rest of the plant is growing quickly, but is hiding behind some japonica. I plan to do some rearranging in another week or so. Right now I am letting things get settled:









BGA is getting worse!









Rotala sp from CT that hid when I was getting rid of it all (I wish I new which one this is, it's pretty)









Isn't the prinz looking awesome? I have slowly removed the emersed leaves and it is now all submersed growth except one last leaf:


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

I like the aubertii! It'll probably eventually reach the top of your tank and then stop. Mine always seems to only get as tall as the tank it's in and then send up dozens of flowers our of the water. It's one of my favorite grassy plants because it doesn't send out runners all over the place and it isn't particularly prone to algae infestations. The reddish brown color is nice too.

I have no idea what the Rotala is. It's probably either sp. gia lai or singapore. Singapore grows straight up while gia lai bends over in high light.

Save some room for the Hygro!


----------



## sewingalot

Might be gai lai. It's only about six inches tall and it is bending over a bit. But then again, that could be because it's getting crowded in here. I hope it grows as tall as the tank, that would be awesome on the aubertii! It's a lovely plant, and I like how it's sturdier than japonica, but still delicate.

I've been clearing out a space in the back for it.  It looks like my collectoritis will never go away, huh? At least I am liking the tank, though and I am limiting it to plants I like this time around.

I put in a 4100k bulb and everything has a more vibrant hue. Who would have thought all I had to do to pull out the reds is to change the light bulb from 10k to 4.1k? Make due with what you can afford, no? The plants are loving the light. And honestly, the color isn't _terrible_. (Same settings on the camera as the FTS from this morning, just different bulb.)









I must say I am glad I went with the process of finishing the canopy. It fits the house much better and as the husband stated, the tank looks more _peaceful_. You aren't drawn to the light blaring out on the sides or the ******* wooden blocks and more importantly, the dust isn't collecting in the tank as it was before.

The tank is finally becoming a place for emotional catharsis in a world filled with so much hostility.


----------



## macclellan

Yippee, no light leak from the canopy!

Plants look good... makes me miss L. arcuata and brevipes.

Yeah, that N. stellata lotus' leaves are a bit finicky/melt prone.


----------



## Karackle

tank is looking awesome!!! And I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures  Frolicking puppies are so joyous that I think you'd have to have a heart of ice not to at least crack a smile :hihi:


----------



## Gatekeeper

Looks great Sara!!!

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk


----------



## sewingalot

Mac, that n. stellata lotus is finally starting to look really good. I am going to be doing a major trim on Friday afternoon to share with Peyton, so hopefully I'll be able to get some pictures of it's growth.

I think those with hearts of ice will even melt a little with those pictures, Kara.

Amy, my lurker pal - Thanks so much for the card!!! :biggrin:

Glenn, not too shabby, eh? thx.

Added some repens (many thanks) in the tank and hoping for the best. For some reason, this plant really hates me. Any growing tips? Oh, and got some hygro pin....ersomething from CT with some fancy najas in too. I'll have to look up the names later. Oh, and I threw in an aponogeton bulb I got from nonc as well as the ludwigia. The red claw is rearranging it. Haha.

Did get some video of the redclaws again, but I am not sure if I want to show them since they are only a short time. 

But since I am adding new species, I'd decided that Laura is right. My collectoritis is back. I'm going to move out three species to make room. Just haven't made myself go through with it yet. I'll wait until the weekend to decide which ones. I did trim up the right side and send 3/4 of the L.M. to Matt this morning, so it looks a little nicer.


----------



## sewingalot

Just to annoy Mac with bad video quality, Non-c with the song choice and Chad with the shortness of it and for the amusement of myself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD37sZOUqA0

Oh, and for the record, BGA is gone with simple H2O2, but the UG was not pleased and is all melty. That is what the shrimp is on just FYI. And I am getting mucho GSA and hair on the glass and I am too lazy to get rid of it. I am only dosing Mg and Nitrates in this tank with a weekly pinch of micros. I am just too lazy to care otherwise.

Ooooh! I am getting an SAE this weekend and some other plants. I am looking forward to seeing if this guy can eat BBA (don't worry, the algae tank is off limits!) I forget most of the plants I am trading for, but one is ludwigia glandulosa or something like that. Tank will be bare tomorrow after the raid, but things seem to grow quickly. I'll get up a picture sometime this weekend.

I MIGHT even clean off the glass first. But don't press your luck.


----------



## [email protected]

*Dosing*



dewalltheway said:


> #1, "every week you do a 50% water change and this will level or start fresh your tank for another week of dosing without the worry of overdosing or doing a bunch of testing. I do this and it works out great!
> 
> #2 "The only flourish product I am using is Flourish but I only dose 5ml of this 3X a week so it last me awhile. If I can be of any other help, let me know.


#1- Is it really necessary 2 do such large w.c so often? Plan on using the flourish in my tank and was just curious.

#2- Y do u use so much of this? Another person in here only uses 5ml 1x a week with "great results".

Thanks in advance.


----------



## chad320

Huh?....Anyway, nice video. Those guys look like agressive feeders. Do you have to feed them seperate? And I know you tried to annoy me, but the length was perfect. I didnt even fall asleep :hihi: what kind of food is that? an O-nip tablet?


----------



## sewingalot

[email protected] said:


> #1- Is it really necessary 2 do such large w.c so often? Plan on using the flourish in my tank and was just curious.
> 
> #2- Y do u use so much of this? Another person in here only uses 5ml 1x a week with "great results".
> 
> Thanks in advance.


It is not necessary to do large water changes or to add a large amount of fertilizers. Depending on your needs, goals and fish load you could technically go without water changes. I have had tanks that I only topped off for years. The reason dewalltheway was suggesting large water changes was to flush out the system of the excessive fertilizers using the Estimative Index. There is a sticky in the water parameters that can explain it better than I can.

Just remember one thing: Light drives the need for more co2 and fertilizers.



chad320 said:


> Huh?....Anyway, nice video. Those guys look like agressive feeders. Do you have to feed them seperate? And I know you tried to annoy me, but the length was perfect. I didnt even fall asleep :hihi: what kind of food is that? an O-nip tablet?


Haha, I tried to annoy you but it didn't work. Next time perhaps. I don't feed them separate. I throw in a tablet or two a week in addition to the other food they find and they'll eat for a while, move on and come back. Plus, they are eating every ramshorn and pond snail I toss in there. Funny that they aren't bothering the red cherry shrimp.

Guess what? I have a berried red claw shrimp!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll try my best to get pictures. I am getting rid of most of _Sam _and I am debating about just tossing it all but I think I'll phase it out gradually first. This collectoritis thing drives me crazy. I am trying my hardest to narrow down species, but its not working very well.

I can say I am loving all the ludwigias and swords and the blyxa together, though. And the lily plants of course. And the hydrocotyle and the....:biggrin:

Edit: Oh yeah, Chad that food is this: http://www.hagen.com/uk/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=108&PROD_ID=01061200030101 (don't tell them they are eating their relatives.)


----------



## msjinkzd

bwahahaha <love the don't tell them they are eating their relatives line>


----------



## [email protected]

Ty sewingalot. My gf tank has been established for years but i decided to make it planted after the need to make it look not so boring and the want to use my extra equipment instead of allowing it to sit and rot. These forums r so beneficial to newbs like me and I, for 1, appreciate any advice and knowlege I can use in my own setup. Again, ty. Your tank is awesome, btw. keep up the good work.


----------



## sewingalot

msjinkzd said:


> bwahahaha <love the don't tell them they are eating their relatives line>


Glad to amuse. Wait until you see the food in the next set of pictures. They are thoroughly enjoying being cannibals. 



[email protected] said:


> Ty sewingalot. My gf tank has been established for years but i decided to make it planted after the need to make it look not so boring and the want to use my extra equipment instead of allowing it to sit and rot. These forums r so beneficial to newbs like me and I, for 1, appreciate any advice and knowlege I can use in my own setup. Again, ty. Your tank is awesome, btw. keep up the good work.


Hey, Tony. Good luck on your tank and have fun with it. Just remember, you don't need to focus on a show stopping tank, focus first on growing plants. Start out with easy ones, get your confidence going and then trade up. Or jump head first. Whatever you are comfortable with. I am sorry that I sounded vague with the fertilizing. Quite frankly, I am better at growing algae than plants and I am hesitant to offer any fertilizing advice. Now if you need help with figuring out dosing based on a particular method, I love math.  I look forward to seeing your tank progress! Please keep me updated. And remember we were all newbs. I'm still a newb when it comes to understanding ferts and lighting and I've been doing this a few years now. It's a fantastic hobby. You can learn just a little and still have a nice tank. The first key is to find out what you want in the hobby (fast growth, no maintenance, etc.)

Because I am so excited about my fish (and plants) from peyton (thank you!!!) I had to sneak a picture of my new sae. I am shocked at how much he has ate already. And his size! He is bigger than the other fish. He must be making the bettas feel more at ease because for the very first time ever, they were out and about thoroughly exploring and enjoying themselves. So yay! Sorry if it sounds like I am bragging on my new fish, but I am totally!!! 



















The plants were really healthy, but I don't have a picture yet. I stuck some in the 15 gallon and the other two types are floating. I didn't want to disturb the sae on his first night in the tank as his health is the most important thing to me. I took a few pictures in the 1 lightbulb lighting, so they are kind of blurry, forgive me. Tank is kind of empty from my raiding it for my trade, but it is actually kind of pleasant at the same time. Plus, it grows back. By the way, enjoy the algae, peyton. 










CT - I managed to get a picture of the berried shrimp! Well kinda, lol:









Lovely algae for the newbies:









n. stellata lotus is finally uncovered by the mountain of blyxa: 









Sword from Mac and a very pregnant guppy going to Kara on Monday! (I hope she doesn't drop babies before then. Haha):









ozelot:









prinz:









lily pad now:









ludwigia x lacustris









ludwigia from Mark and Nonc (look it's still alive! It's a miracle.):









SAE hard at work! I'm thinking he works as long of hours as wkndracer, so I am naming him Junior.









Funny picture of one of the boys. If you look close, you can see a piece of the food in his jaw. I am glad I gave these guys a chance. I am now viewing them as handsome and not creepy.  I love the pop-eye arms on the [STRIKE]boys[/STRIKE] _men_.


----------



## macclellan

Ok, those shrimp officially creep me out with pics that big. Imagine if that thing was like 5 feet long and walked in your door, eek!


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

macclellan said:


> Ok, those shrimp officially creep me out with pics that big. Imagine if that thing was like 5 feet long and walked in your door, eek!


I'd eat them at that size. My friends came over as I was emptying my tanks to move home today (already home from school and all the stuff is swimming around in gallon jugs). They wanted to eat my red claw colony, saying that some of them were eating size :hihi:

Sara, you'll have lots of little beasties in like 6 weeks or so. They take a little longer than dwarf shrimp. Move her out before then or else those bettas will eat the babies!


----------



## sewingalot

Here's a bigger picture for you, Mac. 










If something like that 5 feet long walked into my door, I'd be abandoning the homestead and running out the back.

Ah! I just realized I have no tank setup without snails. Looks like she is going to force me to set up that 20 gallon again. I wonder if I can get it cycled by then?


----------



## macclellan

I deserved that.


----------



## sewingalot

I've been patiently waiting to get you back for that [email protected] picture. Enjoy.


----------



## peyton

I'm glad that sae is working hard for you. I know my tank is a lot more peaceful now without him and my other sae fighting all the time.

and btw any algae you gave me is long gone cause of my great cleanup crew lol.


----------



## Karackle

heeheehee Sara, it's TOTALLY ok to brag about your fish! :hihi: that SAE looks totally fat and happy, I LOVE it!!! :biggrin: Also, i'm totally loving the red claw shrimp, they're so cool! And it's definitely really neat how you can see the piece of food in his mouth, and I love the gigantic piece of food he's holding in his claws! :hihi: HAHAHA he does have Popeye arms!!!! that's excellent! :hihi: 

So I think i might have missed something but, why do you need a tank without snails? 

certainly looks like you have a lot of new plants, I can't wait to see everything planted!


----------



## problemman

Looks like everything is going well! How big is that flame ozelot sword now?


----------



## Hyzer

Your tank is looking really good. That shrimp is knar...


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## chad320

*cough* More pictures? Thanks! :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

peyton said:


> I'm glad that sae is working hard for you. I know my tank is a lot more peaceful now without him and my other sae fighting all the time.
> 
> and btw any algae you gave me is long gone cause of my great cleanup crew lol.


I was worried at first when I saw that he was bigger than my other fish, but it turns out he is a dollbaby. I am glad we could help each other out. roud: I noticed ALL the hair algae on the glass is completely gone. I was stunned at the amount he's eating. Today, I noticed he was cleaning off the bba gravel. It's fantastic! I can't thank you enough.

Good to hear the algae eating crew took care of the algae....err I mean plants I sent you.



Karackle said:


> heeheehee Sara, it's TOTALLY ok to brag about your fish! :hihi: that SAE looks totally fat and happy, I LOVE it!!! :biggrin: Also, i'm totally loving the red claw shrimp, they're so cool! And it's definitely really neat how you can see the piece of food in his mouth, and I love the gigantic piece of food he's holding in his claws! :hihi: HAHAHA he does have Popeye arms!!!! that's excellent! :hihi:
> 
> So I think i might have missed something but, why do you need a tank without snails?
> 
> certainly looks like you have a lot of new plants, I can't wait to see everything planted!


This shrimp are funny. They don't bother the red cherry shrimp, but they find a snail and will flip it over and yank the poor creatures out of their shells. I haven't seen a snail after just having them a few days. I did find a lot of shells on the bottom of the tank though.

I saw a red cherry shrimp riding on the back of one this morning like a little horse. :hihi: Wish I could have snapped a picture. However, when the bettas get near, the red cherries go in hiding.

Haha, I just took out a good third of plants, too. I have the rotala macranda green and diandra upstairs and it looks great! The isotes sp and glandulosa (forgive me if I am killing the spelling) are in this tank. I am hoping they take as they are cool looking plants.

Thanks for taking my extraordinary not ordinary common guppies! I was worried I was going to have to give them to a pet store.

By the way, if you think that sae is fat now, just wait. He's going to waddle from eating the algae in my tank. :icon_mrgr 



Hyzer said:


> Your tank is looking really good. That shrimp is knar...


Thanks! Isn't that a neat shrimp? I am glad CT sent them to me. I can't wait until I get a colony going.



chad320 said:


> *cough* More pictures? Thanks! :hihi:


Here is a picture just for you, Chad (and since you guys enjoy bodily functions....):


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Both of my large male red claws fell over dead during the move home :/

I now have 6 mature females 4 of which are berried and a mess of juveniles. One of those juvies has bound to be a male lol. Those baby red claws will be orphans!


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## chad320

Thanks for the self portrait :hihi: I always wondered what color hair you had  So the red claws are eating all of yours snails? Cool. Do you think they would mess with small fish like CPDs? If not I may want to borrow a few for a few weeks


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## Cardinal Tetra

chad320 said:


> Thanks for the self portrait :hihi: I always wondered what color hair you had  So the red claws are eating all of yours snails? Cool. Do you think they would mess with small fish like CPDs? If not I may want to borrow a few for a few weeks


They're pretty safe Chad. I keep mine with cpds, vietnamese white clouds, yunnanilus cruciatus, boraras, otos, and assorted dwarf shrimp with no casualties except cannibalism of some red claw babies...They eat all types of snails except mts, assassins, and nerites.


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## chad320

I might seriously try some out. Its gotta be easier to catch them out of a scaped tank than loaches. I was considering assassins, but I dont really like them and would hate to have to trade them off after I was done with them. These guys might find a permanent home around here somewhere.


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## Cardinal Tetra

They're super hardy too. I think I only had 3 die during my move home from school. On the other hand, I had 1/2 of my blue pearls die and perhaps 2/3 of my tigers die, and that amounted to hundreds of dead dwarf shrimp :/

The one thing I don't like about them is that they're aggressive feeders and will push aside fish and dwarf shrimp, and squabble among themselves at feeding time.


----------



## sewingalot

Cardinal Tetra said:


> Both of my large male red claws fell over dead during the move home :/
> 
> I now have 6 mature females 4 of which are berried and a mess of juveniles. One of those juvies has bound to be a male lol. Those baby red claws will be orphans!


Oh no! That is awful. Good thing you shared your shrimp with others, isn't it? Smart to do so. Sucks, though. If I get any males and you don't, I'll send you some. Or I can send you one of the two males I have now. 



chad320 said:


> Thanks for the self portrait :hihi: I always wondered what color hair you had  So the red claws are eating all of yours snails? Cool. Do you think they would mess with small fish like CPDs? If not I may want to borrow a few for a few weeks


Haha, that's when I used to dye my hair. That isn't natural. Do you like how I was picking my nose in the photo? Seriously, I LOVE gorillas. Like since I was a kid.

The snails are 100% gone. I'm amazed. Just dozens of little shells on the substrate. They don't seem to mess with the fish too much although they were chasing around the guppy fry the first day or so, I never saw them catch one. I was watching an oto cleaning the female and she was ignoring him. I only see a little aggression with the males and during feeding. I got smart with the food and broke it into smaller pieces.



chad320 said:


> I might seriously try some out. Its gotta be easier to catch them out of a scaped tank than loaches. I was considering assassins, but I dont really like them and would hate to have to trade them off after I was done with them. These guys might find a permanent home around here somewhere.


You should try them. They are great and have fantastic personalities. Funny thing though, the girls are more out going and the boys are rather shy.



Cardinal Tetra said:


> They're super hardy too. I think I only had 3 die during my move home from school. On the other hand, I had 1/2 of my blue pearls die and perhaps 2/3 of my tigers die, and that amounted to hundreds of dead dwarf shrimp :/
> 
> The one thing I don't like about them is that they're aggressive feeders and will push aside fish and dwarf shrimp, and squabble among themselves at feeding time.


Ugh on the amount of dwarf shrimp that died. I think I would cry.

Good news! I noticed a bunch of blue pearls babies in my 10 gallon the other day! They are growing fast and the females are already berried again. 

Oh, Chad if you need some blue pearls or yellows to replace your stock, get in touch with me in a few months when they've had a chance to get bigger in population.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Nice about the blue pearls Sara. I was wondering what on earth happened to them lol.

I can send you some blue pearls Chad for shipping. Just give them a couple weeks to recover from the horror I put them through lol. The 100 so survivors are probably rejoicing right now but I wouldn't know...my tank is so muddy right now lol.


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, they are still here. The endlers (minus the three babies I shared with Kara), blue, red, purple ramshorns and the shrimp are all in the algae kingdom. I am just having a really hard time getting a picture of them. The tannins in the water make them look green and yellow most of the time. I took a few pictures to elaborate:



















Blurry picture of an endler:


















See what I mean? LOL.

Oh, because I think it is cute:









By the way, the husband loves the red snails. He was mad that the shrimp eat them in the 55 because he wants some in the bigger tank. Cute.


----------



## SkyGrl

awe so cute! thats adorable that your hubby likes snails, you can get some pretty crazy ones. Candice has bred albino mystery snails... dont ask me how i think they just decided to do it! LOL


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## chad320

Wow! Thats alot of BBA! How blue are your blue snails? Im trying to decide if I have some or not. I dont think I do. Can we get a FTS of the BBA tank? Thats crazy that it looks that healthy along with the plant behind it.


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## sewingalot

SkyGrl said:


> awe so cute! thats adorable that your hubby likes snails, you can get some pretty crazy ones. Candice has bred albino mystery snails... dont ask me how i think they just decided to do it! LOL


I'm glad someone likes them. It took me many, many months to get used to them, and I am still not fond of touching them. They creep me out a bit, more than shrimp. :tongue: Cool on the albino snails! That would be awesome.



chad320 said:


> Wow! Thats alot of BBA! How blue are your blue snails? Im trying to decide if I have some or not. I dont think I do. Can we get a FTS of the BBA tank? Thats crazy that it looks that healthy along with the plant behind it.


The blue pearls are like the moon when it gets that blue coloring to it. Not garish, but you can definitely see the blue. I wish I could get you a picture. They are translucent, so they tend to pick up the background. So if your water has tannins, they get a little coloring from that. Maybe Cardinal Tetra can get you a picture? I'd call it turquoise turned down a notch.

Thank you. I am trying hard to grow my algae. Looks nice, no? :icon_smil Full tank shot, sorry about the glare/quality, I'm not sure what to do about it. The hornwort is temporary. I don't have the heart to get rid of it. But hey, the shrimp like it so it may stay. The random stem is in there because it was covered in algae. I am encouraging it to flourish. 









And Chad, I got covered in duckweed and completely weirded out by the sucking of the snail on my fingers, but here are you some pictures of the blue snails (and yes, I am that pale, lol).


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## chad320

Those are pretty cool. Haha, imagine that, now I like snails again. :hihi: I wish these silly pond snails came in all the cool colors. Ive got albinos and thats it. The red ramshorns are cool though. Maybe ill start snail collecting next :


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## sewingalot

How can you not like snails? They are natures garbage collectors. I'm not crazy about the pond snails because of the creepy factor, but they do an excellent job at keeping the tank clear of crud. My pond snails are weird, they have purple and glitter bodies. I keep trying to stop collecting. Unfortunately, it just seems to happen. I still want to get some peacock moss from you. Start growing it out for me. I should have some money coming in this month. (My recalled heaters are getting me 78$, lol. Here I should pay a bill, but that is all I ever do anymore. :/)


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## chad320

Ive got plenty of peacock moss left. I only trimmed about 1/2 of it so there are still at least 10 golfballs left. We could organize another trade too. I have been secretly wanting some of your pennywort.


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## Karackle

heeheehee i love snails, i like watching their little raspy mouths moving across the glass :biggrin: those blues are cool! 

Glad to see how nicely the algae tank is growing in! :hihi: you'll be getting some more from me soon enough! 

i enjoy the gorilla picture. They're not afraid to pick their noses. Power to the gorilla! :hihi:


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## sewingalot

Gah! I just typed out this long response and hit the wrong key! Gone! So you get the shortened version (lucky you, huh?). Kara, gorillas are awesome. So awesome that even nose picking looks cool when they do it. :hihi: Looking forward to the algae. I am running out of algae in my 55 to add. between the sae, shrimp and lowered lights, there is not much left.

1. No more guppies unless they are hiding in the canister. Sent them to Kara this morning
2. Chad, I wish I had known! I literally just sent 1/2 a 15 gallon worth of this stuff to Kara. All I have left is in the 55 gallon, but not that amount. I can start growing it out if you like and we will trade in a few weeks. It grows really fast and is lovely.
3. My bettas got into a huge fight over the love nest. The female tarred and feathered the male this morning after a bubble nest being rejected and destroyed. The poor guy is at the bottom of the tank huddled in a corner of blyxa and isn't looking great. I am hoping it is just stress and pride. Both fish are a little beat up from the squabble, but he looks really dark and forlorn. I'm a little worried.
4. The right front side silicone were most of the weight from the 1/8 inch tilt is focused is looking really bad. I did a massive water change to help the betta and stopped a little over half way when I realized there is not much silicone left in the top corner. So now we are discussing our options. Get a used tank and reseal it, which the cheapest is going for $100. Get a new tank for $129 (plus tax mind you) and sell the other. Reseal the current tank and find a temporary home for all the fish. Given my recent super-duper handy diy skills and the price of our floors, the husband is leaning toward a new tank and selling the old one. On the plus side, that means I will be able to get the new tank properly leveled and clean behind the stand and possibly move it out a bit.

Has anyone painted the back of there tank brown before? I have some leftover dark brown paint that I could use but didn't know if it would look stupid. I guess it is a good thing that my heaters were recalled after all. I'll have almost enough to pay for half the tank.

Oh, and the lower stems of the ludwigia doesn't like the one bulb. It's starting to look melty and dropping leaves. So after the betta recovers, I am going to turn back on two bulbs.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

chad320 said:


> Ive got plenty of peacock moss left. I only trimmed about 1/2 of it so there are still at least 10 golfballs left. We could organize another trade too. I have been secretly wanting some of your pennywort.


I have a lot of the tiny pennywort if you want it. PM going your way.


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## sewingalot

Gah! CT - I am trying to trade for some Peacock moss. LOL. Seriously, though that is great that you have plenty to share. I love this plant and am glad you can help Chad out. 

Took parameters just in case before and after water change.
Ammonia 0 - 0
NitrItes 0 - 0
NitrAtes 10 - 5 ish
Phosphates 2 - 1.25 - 1.5

Actually, it was pretty much dead on to what I just dosed not much earlier this morning on phosphates, so I was pleased to see the test kits are pretty accurate in the lower numbers.

As I was testing the tank, I watched the female betta and she is heavy with eggs and the male kept running from her. Betta is doing a little better. He actually swam around a bit and gulped some air. The female promptly chased him back to the corner though and he is sulking again. I am almost positive this is a lovers quarrel. But I've had bettas kill each other trying to mate them so I am wondering if I need to separate them. If he doesn't look any better tomorrow, I'll have to move over a filter from the 55 to the 20 to give him some much needed rest.


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## Cardinal Tetra

I'll get the moss for you lol. I can be persuasive.

That's great that they are trying to mate but so weird that the female is beating up the male. Maybe she's mad that he's not doing a good job and all those eggs are annoying her. I've never tried breeding this species but it sounds like the male is a bit too scared to make any advances.


----------



## macclellan

Peacock is my favorite moss - chicka chicka yeah!


----------



## chad320

Peacock in my favorite too and I have a bunch of different kinds of mosses. I want this pennywort because the leaves on my regular Brazilian PW are too big and shade alot of space in my 65g.

Weird about your bettas. Its usually the male harassing the female. And doesnt the male usually make the bubble nest? IDK? I do know that the male made it for the paradise fish I had in my pond.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Where did they even make the nest?


----------



## sewingalot

Cardinal Tetra said:


> I'll get the moss for you lol. I can be persuasive.
> 
> That's great that they are trying to mate but so weird that the female is beating up the male. Maybe she's mad that he's not doing a good job and all those eggs are annoying her. I've never tried breeding this species but it sounds like the male is a bit too scared to make any advances.


What is funny is Chad offered to send it for me for free but I am too stubborn to take anything without at least offering something in return. Hmmm.....I wonder if he would be interested in a bottle of glitter... :icon_idea

The girls are usually more agressive in my family. :hihi:



macclellan said:


> Peacock is my favorite moss - chicka chicka yeah!


Isn't it lovely? I had a bunch of it at one time but slowly parted ways with it. Now I wish for it back. Typical always wanting what we don't have.



chad320 said:


> Peacock in my favorite too and I have a bunch of different kinds of mosses. I want this pennywort because the leaves on my regular Brazilian PW are too big and shade alot of space in my 65g.
> 
> Weird about your bettas. Its usually the male harassing the female. And doesnt the male usually make the bubble nest? IDK? I do know that the male made it for the paradise fish I had in my pond.


You'd love this pennywort. It hugs the bottom of the substrate and will make a carpet. It's very invasive though. I pulled it out of my tank this morning and took uprooted a bunch of downoi and the r rostrata where it had vined around its base.

The male made the bubble nest, the gal just busted it up. I don't think she approved. I am about to go get a leave out of the backyard and float them for the guy to build a better nest.

Oh, yeah. Since you brought up moss, we have this moss that grows in our front yard, right? Like there is more moss than grass, lol. I have it in water for over a month now and it is growing. I wonder if it will last. And does anyone know if Ludwigia polycarpa is able to grow under water? I found a bunch of this recently and I am tempted to try it out.


----------



## sewingalot

Cardinal Tetra said:


> Where did they even make the nest?


Sorry, didn't see this. In the corner of the tank in the back. It was pretty pathetic, a puny little nest. I am going to feed some live foods and see if it helps.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

sewingalot said:


> Sorry, didn't see this. In the corner of the tank in the back. It was pretty pathetic, a puny little nest. I am going to feed some live foods and see if it helps.


Live food and a leaf for foundation always helps with bettas. I used to breed them outside during the summer in a tub. I would put them in after there were a bunch of mosquito larvae in there and I'd find a bubble nest with eggs a few days later. Don't feed them your extra yellow shrimp though! I want some for a tank I just set up lol. It's going to only have shrimp and maybe a couple hillstream loaches and minimal planting.


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, not my babies! I <3 my yellow shrimp. In fact, I am seriously trying to decide if I want to get a larger tank to breed more of them. I have been feeding freeze dried blood worms, but I am thinking it's not enough. Let me know when you want some. I don't have a lot at the moment, but what I do are berried. I am sure I could fish out half dozen or more if you don't mind babies.


----------



## Karackle

glad to hear Mr. Betta seems to be recovering, i think you need to give Mrs. Betta a stern talking to :hihi: I hope they reconcile so everyone can be happy, i'm sure she'd be a lot less grumpy without a belly full of eggs! LOL

oh and I forgot to respond to the part about why you need a snail-less tank, that's a good reason, though I suppose it's good to know that if you need to manage your snail population they'd be helpful?


----------



## sewingalot

What happens if the betta doesn't release the eggs? Do they reabsorb like the other egg bearers or am I going to have to help in that situation? Please, oh please tell me they get reabsorbed! There are some things as a fish keeper I don't care to do. I am looking online and haven't found a definite answer. The male betta was still looking a little frazzled at lights out, but I just walked by the tank and saw that he is back at the top of the tank blowing bubbles. At least he is persistent.

I tell you I like them for the overpopulation factor, but I am starting to miss the snails _scoot-scooting _around the big tank. (to steal Amy's words - Hi Amy!).

I'll have the husband talk to Mrs. Betta. He's good at making me feel less grumpy, maybe it'll work for fish too?


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

I've had overly egg-laden females just release eggs and then eat them! :O


----------



## SkyGrl

awe i hope you have baby bettas. yours are so cute! it would be even cuter to have 50 more!!! LOL jk . maybe you will have to get some super XL snails for your tank.. or even a medium size apple snail. ill ship you one  with some flame moss... heheheheh.. cant ship that back to me!! i live in canada... plus ill just continue to ship stuff... a package everyday plus ill label it LIVE FISH!!!! MUST OPEN UPON RECIEVING! hahahaha :evilgrin: 

Amy


----------



## Karackle

I'm hoping for babies too because baby fish are SO CUTE CUTE! :hihi: 

I'm glad to hear that Mr. Betta is being persistant! Hopefully they'll figure out the whole thing soon so we can see some bebbes!!!!! :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

Congratulations on finishing your test, Kara! Now it is time to catch us up on _your _journals.

I braved it and filled back up the tank plants werent' happy. This may be a disaster. LOL

Hopefully she do something with those eggs. Her little ovipositor is showing today. I've been trying to get a picture of her being fat and grumpy, but she keeps charges the camera. Hahaha! Babies may not happen.

Here are pictures. The colors are a little blue, but I must say this is probably the most accurate coloring yet. This is taken with just one bulb going and I think it is a blue bulb than the other two.

Remember this area just last week? The SAE cleaned it up amazingly. 









For Chad:









Look non-c it's pearling!!!









Who says you need high light for pearling? This is one 54 watt bulb. Haha, just kidding. This is 'false pearling' from a water change. But pretty sweet, no?:













































Sam:













































My lonely rasboras are talking about the new school coming:



























Goofy picture:









The last ramshorn didn't make it:



























Interesting picture of a leaf melting (before anyone freaks, this isn't attached, the plant itself is okay):









This is why I filled up the tank. The splashing water driving off the co2 did this in a matter of days:










Just because I think it is a neat photo:


----------



## SkyGrl

that last photo is awesome. its like a fairy nest... 

Amy


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

The 4th picture down of the Blyxa aubertii is so cool. I love this species. I didn't know you had Ludwigia repens 'Rubin' (12th down). It has practically disappeared over the years.


----------



## chad320

Those are a bunch of good pics!!!:icon_excl You seem to be getting better a those. That or the lighting had a great effect. I like the one you dedicated to that Chad guy best :flick: And the very first one, and the last one, and....all of them. Stop it with posting so many at a time you are making the rest of us look bad:icon_evil And I bet that WC makes your bettas wanna.........breed, yeah thats it, breed even more:icon_surp BTW your pic of the last snail is hilarious:hihi: Thanks for the pics and have a good evening


----------



## sewingalot

SkyGrl said:


> that last photo is awesome. its like a fairy nest...
> 
> Amy


Glad you like it too. I think it is fun to take pictures after a water change. It's like little diamonds under water, lol. I often wonder how many 'pearling' shots are actually the false ones induced by water changes. Most of the time, I have streaming and a little pearling, but nothing like that all over the tank.



Cardinal Tetra said:


> The 4th picture down of the Blyxa aubertii is so cool. I love this species. I didn't know you had Ludwigia repens 'Rubin' (12th down). It has practically disappeared over the years.


I am really liking the blyxa aubertii. I got two of them and I love the dimension they give to the tank.

Funny you mention it. I didn't know I had 'rubin' either. But that explains why the two repens look so different. I just figured it was coming from different parameters/emersed status, but they are still growing unique leaves from each other. Let me know if you want some and next trim I'll ship some up to you.



chad320 said:


> Those are a bunch of good pics!!!:icon_excl You seem to be getting better a those. That or the lighting had a great effect. I like the one you dedicated to that Chad guy best :flick: And the very first one, and the last one, and....all of them. Stop it with posting so many at a time you are making the rest of us look bad:icon_evil And I bet that WC makes your bettas wanna.........breed, yeah thats it, breed even more:icon_surp BTW your pic of the last snail is hilarious:hihi: Thanks for the pics and have a good evening


Well _one _of us needs to post pictures to make up for the lack of pictures from Amy, Kara and Προμηθεύς (non-c).......:tongue:

Those bettas are still fighting. He builds a nest, shimmies up to her and she busts up his nest and brawls. He's currently huddled in the corner again. This isn't going well at all. Maybe I need to light some candles for them... 

Lol, poor snail. It came as a hitchhiker from peyton. I had such high hopes....


----------



## chad320

I think if you fed some frozen live foods and bumped your temp up and down:hihi: daily with small water changes you would get some breeding action.  If shes fat with eggs he must be a bit younger than her. Give it a month of two. That is, if she doesnt kill him


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

LOL that male is bigger than she is if I remember correctly. He just needs his libido improved:hihi:

No need for the Ludwigia Sara. It gets too big for my tank. I was just pointing it out


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> I think if you fed some frozen live foods and bumped your temp up and down:hihi: daily with small water changes you would get some breeding action.  If shes fat with eggs he must be a bit younger than her. Give it a month of two. That is, if she doesnt kill him


I think I have it figured out. They are missing the activity in the tank and are feeling uncomfortable. There isn't but three otos, the sae, shrimp and four otos. I am thinking that maybe they are feeling scared a bit. So maybe with the fish coming from Rachel (thanks for hold them until I get the tank switched over!!!!) they will get back to business. :wink:

But good idea on the temperature.



Cardinal Tetra said:


> LOL that male is bigger than she is if I remember correctly. He just needs his libido improved:hihi:
> 
> No need for the Ludwigia Sara. It gets too big for my tank. I was just pointing it out


Yup, he's a little bigger. Makes it funnier that he's so scared of her. I am looking into pulling out the Barry White records. That is cool on the ludwigia. I wonder if Mark knows (it came from him). I should let him know.

By the way, when are you shrimp coming in? I expect pictures of these guys!

Oh - I have some potentially fun news! The husband says that I can keep the 55 that we are replacing and we can still reseal it this summer as planned. Only if I get rid of my 20 gallon setup though. _Anyone want a 20 gallon stand and tank? Cheap! LOL. _ I am thinking a 55 gallon full of yellow shrimp and otos! Wouldn't that be awesome? I don't know if I want the heartache, though. That a _lot _of water. If I do it, this will be a soil tank for sure, and very little water changes, low light. What do you think?


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Yeah they're probably just shy. Lots of cichlid breeders use dither fish and such so maybe your bettas just need a larger group of rasboras swimming all over the top to make them really feel at home. They come from the same region (somewhere in indonesia?) after all 

Mark? dewalltheway? I got some from him but I passed to people who actually had the room lol. 

I should be getting the shrimp either next Monday or Wednesday according to the seller and I'll make sure to take a couple pictures before they disappear into the tank. I've wanted the blue bees for a while but I've always been a bit of a penny pincher and didn't want to spend the money when they first came out.

A 55 gallon tank full of yellows would be awesome! You can farm them and spread them all over the place haha. I never see large shrimp tanks. They're always 10-30 gallons and rarely ever significantly larger.


----------



## Karackle

SkyGrl said:


> that last photo is awesome. its like a fairy nest...


Heehee that's what I was thinking too! (or something along those lines :hiih



sewingalot said:


> Well _one _of us needs to post pictures to make up for the lack of pictures from Amy, Kara and Προμηθεύς (non-c).......:tongue:


Well you can't count me in on that one anymore! :hihi:



sewingalot said:


> Those bettas are still fighting. He builds a nest, shimmies up to her and she busts up his nest and brawls. He's currently huddled in the corner again. This isn't going well at all. Maybe I need to light some candles for them...


Poor Mr. Betta! He's trying so hard!!! Candles are a good idea, I used to think about that for the zebrafish when they wouldn't mate :hihi:



sewingalot said:


> I think I have it figured out. They are missing the activity in the tank and are feeling uncomfortable. There isn't but three otos, the sae, shrimp and four otos. I am thinking that maybe they are feeling scared a bit. So maybe with the fish coming from Rachel (thanks for hold them until I get the tank switched over!!!!) they will get back to business. :wink:


That could work too, but I think you might have meant something other than otos the first or second time 



Cardinal Tetra said:


> A 55 gallon tank full of yellows would be awesome! You can farm them and spread them all over the place haha. I never see large shrimp tanks.


That was my exact reaction too!!! I think a large tank full of shrimp would be totally amazing!!! :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

I am looking forward to getting them. Hopefully that's all they need. They are reminding me of how the CPDs acted before getting dithers, so I am thinking that may be partially if not the issue.

I have been googling 'filtering over peat' for days now. I am trying to figure out how to get the ph down and tannins in, but not crashing the ph to the point the shrimp and otos won't be happy.

Yup, dewalltheway, I meant to put that, lol. He is awesome. His tank was my inspiration! I don't think I would have even attempted the co2 if it weren't for his 55 gallon thread. I just about cried when he tore it down. I am happy he is busy with his new baby, but I miss his updates. 

Can't wait to see the shrimp. Are they similar to care as far as other crystal shrimp? One day, I am planning on trying out more exotic shrimp, but right now I am happy with the ones I have.

I am just about talked into doing the 55 now. That would be awesome to have a sea of yellows. It will either be no co2 or low quantities. Now to start hording plants again.....lol.


----------



## sewingalot

Ninja'd by Kara! SO:



Karackle said:


> Well you can't count me in on that one anymore! :hihi:


You and Προμηθεύς. I'd pester Amy, but she has an excuse - there is no camera.



> Poor Mr. Betta! He's trying so hard!!! Candles are a good idea, I used to think about that for the zebrafish when they wouldn't mate :hihi:


Hahaha, I wonder if it would. That would be cool if it were that easy.




> That could work too, but I think you might have meant something other than otos the first or second time


Haha, I did. Nice catch. 3 emerald eyes and 4 otos. I was just checking to see who's reading. 



> That was my exact reaction too!!! I think a large tank full of shrimp would be totally amazing!!! :biggrin:


You two got my wheels spinning! Maybe I could set up a 55 gallon algae scape! Muhahahahahaha. Maybe not. LOL. That would be a little much. Plus I already have that in my 55. :wink: Speaking of algae - I am getting diatoms in my 55!!!! What the? This is new. I am thinking I need to up the lighting from just one bulb.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

I think blue bees are supposed to be more forgiving than crs but I'll find out soon. I'm keeping them in crs conditions because I want to get bees to put with them. I get whatever shrimp I can afford, whatever survives my water, and whatever doesn't hybridize with my current species


----------



## sewingalot

Smart to stick with what you can afford. Plus after you become a pharmacist, you'll have plenty of dollars to buy the more expensive ones. :biggrin: When do you start? Let me know how they do. I am always curious on the shrimp you get as you seem to have excellent taste.  By the way, do OEBT hybridize with yellows? I've heard both yes and no. I am so thinking about saving up for some of those guys.

So I cleaned out one of my filters and the dumb thing won't stop humming. I took it apart three times and it is still noisy. What is it with me and Eheims? It literally sounds like an air-pump from the 90s. :hihi:


----------



## msjinkzd

OEBT won't hybridize with yellows


----------



## msjinkzd

Wow! Your pics have really gotten good!


----------



## nonconductive

great pics but how about a fts?


----------



## macclellan

nice pics. +1 on the fts

I'll be the voice of dissent and say no to the 55g full of yellows. Fish are just way more interesting and yellow shrimp are kinda ugly to me, maybe a tank full of shrimp would be cool if they were cool shrimp like snowballs, tigers crs, or cbs, etc.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

sewingalot said:


> Smart to stick with what you can afford. Plus after you become a pharmacist, you'll have plenty of dollars to buy the more expensive ones. :biggrin: When do you start? Let me know how they do. I am always curious on the shrimp you get as you seem to have excellent taste.  By the way, do OEBT hybridize with yellows? I've heard both yes and no. I am so thinking about saving up for some of those guys.
> 
> So I cleaned out one of my filters and the dumb thing won't stop humming. I took it apart three times and it is still noisy. What is it with me and Eheims? It literally sounds like an air-pump from the 90s. :hihi:


My parents actually miss my huge colony of rcs that I had years ago. They complain that my red claws are always hiding and they claim that they can't see my blue pearls and tigers against the substrate. They told me to get something that they can actually see next time. They probably won't like the blue bees lol.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

macclellan said:


> nice pics. +1 on the fts
> 
> I'll be the voice of dissent and say no to the 55g full of yellows. Fish are just way more interesting and yellow shrimp are kinda ugly to me, maybe a tank full of shrimp would be cool if they were cool shrimp like snowballs, tigers crs, or cbs, etc.


I think you're just biased because you don't have yellows if I remember correctly 

BTW I still have the tigers you sent me years ago. Not the originals of course. Those guys are long dead lol.


----------



## Karackle

macclellan said:


> I'll be the voice of dissent and say no to the 55g full of yellows.....and yellow shrimp are kinda ugly to me


PARTY POOPER! :tongue:

Well Sara *I* think it would look awesome :hihi: and I'm rather enjoying my fancy new yellow shrimp, I think they are quite pretty and adorable and not the least bit ugly! roud:

I do have to agree with Mac and NonC on wanting a FTS though! :biggrin:


----------



## SkyGrl

yes!!! FTS! how can you not!  i think you should get a 100 gallon.. just think how your collectoritis will flourish... you could have ANY plant!!  and a swimming pool for summer.

bahahaha i just imagained you dangling your feet in getting them cleaned by shrimp.. (ive seen japanese koi pedicures before!) 

cute cute!

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

The husband does have his limits. I have been trying to wear him down into getting a 75 for years. I'm actually surprised he said I could keep both 55 gallons. I would have 12 foot long tank if I could. That would be amazing!

Haha, shrimp pedicure. Love it. Alright, here you guys go. More pictures.

Worked on fixing the camera. I sat my lazy self down and read the manual cover to cover. And I am very pleased! Even the husband agrees these are very close to the actual tank if not spot on except for the plants that are a little light in areas. But, this is actually what you see with the tank hitting the leaves, so it's pretty accurate - say 95% + true.

I like my yellow shrimp. And I usually hate the color yellow. Like seriously, yellow only belongs in the center of flowers, on bumblebees, color of corvettes and shrimp. Mac, you are just jealous. :tongue: I'll share with you if you promise to love them. :biggrin: (And besides, the other shrimp are perfectly happy where they are at.)

Here are some pictures:

Look how quick that ludwigia lacustris has improved since raising the water level and getting the co2 back in the water:









How do you people without livebearers get rid of this film???? This is the first time I've seen protein skim in this tank in literally years....It even bubbles. Gross.









Looks like a pond. See the stupid duckweed hiding in there? Everyday I go by there and pluck out every little strand of it and every morning I find some I missed. Thanks, non-c. LMAO! At least I have something to occupy me now. Clever try, but I already have a poem written for you about duckweed. roud:









I love above photos. In my opinion, this is always shows the truest color of plants. Repens and repen 'rubin': 









Oh wait, you guys were wanting a FTS? Here you go (notice the diatoms on Sam? I switched on all three lights, I can't stand it!):









Once some of the newer plants grow in, the idea is to have a trailing border of blxya in front of the group of stems in the shape of a 'v'. Trying to decide if Sam is staying or not. Things a little bare as I took out quite a bit of the ludwigia brevipes for peyton. It'll be back in no time. But hey, I really like this. I call it my flower garden. :icon_mrgr


----------



## macclellan

That looks super!

WhoTF is Sam?

Like I said, I just don't dig the look of the yellow shrimp & I usually love the color yellow.


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, apparently I thought it looked so great I posted it twice. I deleted one of the double posts, sorry. LOL.

Like that, Mac? I'm good at growing algae, eh?


----------



## chad320

Very nice!! This FTS is just what we needed. Your tank semms to have bounced back pretty quick from some minor disasters. Looks like a flower garden to me too


----------



## dewalltheway

Looking great Sara! The Blyxa A. seems to have adapted well and the repens rubin looks awesome.

Also, thank you for the kind words above. I wish I could give more updates and be on here more but my baby girl is just too cute to spend to much time on here. I hope one day to get her involved with planted tanks as well. Take care!


----------



## nonconductive

you're welcome! i do what i can. 


i actually like the duckweed in my 125, it congregates around the stumps and doesnt survive elsewhere because of the flow. but my other tanks are plagued & ive given up the fight.


----------



## peyton

I think your tank looks awesome Sara! I love that ludwigia "rubin"! Next time we swap plants, and if you have some to spare, I'd like to try that.

Oh and I have found that dwarf neon rainbows seem to eat duckweed. At least mine did. Can't speak for other types of rainbows though. I use to have it bad in both my high light tanks but now it's all gone. Well, increasing surface movement helped a good bit also.


----------



## jcgd

You need to get some surface movement in there. My tanks with no surface ripples used to get this. It's gross and I hate how food and stuff gets stuck in it...


----------



## chad320

I only like the GIANT form of duckweed. AKA Frogbit :hihi:


----------



## mcintosh

Love the full tank shot and have enjoyed reading your awesome posts. Thanks!

I skim the stuff off with a paper cup (the larger the better). You could get the Eheim surface skimmer.


----------



## sewingalot

macclellan said:


> WhoTF is Sam?


Forgive my manners. Mac, meet Sam. Sam, Mac. :wink: Unfortunately, Sam has a cold. He's covered in snot: 











chad320 said:


> Very nice!! This FTS is just what we needed. Your tank semms to have bounced back pretty quick from some minor disasters. Looks like a flower garden to me too


Thanks, Chad! I <3 my tank. Right now it's a mess thanks to the bettas fighting. And it looks like it is the females turn to get pummeled. That, or I've got the male missing part of his fin. 









Here are the remainders of the latest busted up nest:









Picked up the tank this evening. If all goes well, it should be set up by Monday evening. And thanks to Rachel holding my fish!!!!! I will hopefully be able to add them right away given they've been in quarantine for quite a while now. 

However, I will be leaving one of the bettas in the 20 gallon that was temporarily set up for the move with one of the canisters until they have a chance to calm down. Hopefully the addition of more fish will ease the tension.



dewalltheway said:


> Looking great Sara! The Blyxa A. seems to have adapted well and the repens rubin looks awesome.
> 
> Also, thank you for the kind words above. I wish I could give more updates and be on here more but my baby girl is just too cute to spend to much time on here. I hope one day to get her involved with planted tanks as well. Take care!


If I had a cute baby, I'd be ignoring TPT as well. :wink: I am sure that you'll be back eventually and in the mean time, at least you visit once in a while. The plants are doing fantastic, thanks so much for them! I hope they transition the move well!



nonconductive said:


> you're welcome! i do what i can.
> 
> 
> i actually like the duckweed in my 125, it congregates around the stumps and doesnt survive elsewhere because of the flow. but my other tanks are plagued & ive given up the fight.


Know what is funny? My very first plant I feel in love with was duckweed. About 5 years or so ago I was trying unsuccessfully to grow it. I couldn't understand why it wouldn't grow, lol.

Sorry to say the duckweed has been moved all to the 10 gallon. By the way, the easiest way to get rid of it: an airstone. No joke. I have successfully eliminated it several times over the years with just a few days of boiling water. Of course, you have to repeat it a few times since duckweed drops seeds to the bottom of the tank and people tend to forget about this on.

But don't worry, just found out another kind soul has sent some my way, lol. At least I know that I need to work on the flow..... Oh and your tank looks good with duckweed. Mine looks.....icky.



peyton said:


> I think your tank looks awesome Sara! I love that ludwigia "rubin"! Next time we swap plants, and if you have some to spare, I'd like to try that.
> 
> Oh and I have found that dwarf neon rainbows seem to eat duckweed. At least mine did. Can't speak for other types of rainbows though. I use to have it bad in both my high light tanks but now it's all gone. Well, increasing surface movement helped a good bit also.


Sure thing on the rubin! By the way, the plants you gave me are doing fabulous! I am really liking the isoetes. (Or however that is spelled.) I'm going hunting for some more now that I know it is native to this area. The glandulosa is doing well but isn't as pretty as yours. I'm just thrilled it's not dead yet.



justincgdick said:


> You need to get some surface movement in there. My tanks with no surface ripples used to get this. It's gross and I hate how food and stuff gets stuck in it...


Haha, seeing a them on this increasing surface movement suggestion. :hihi: I actually had the surface movement decreased for the bettas and I guess the guppies and platties took care of the film and I never noticed the issue in this tank. I think increasing protein feedings is probably also causing the issue. Gross.



chad320 said:


> I only like the GIANT form of duckweed. AKA Frogbit :hihi:


Got that and salvinia, too. Haha, figures. I am looking for red root floaters and can't find a decent price on it.



mcintosh said:


> Love the full tank shot and have enjoyed reading your awesome posts. Thanks!
> 
> I skim the stuff off with a paper cup (the larger the better). You could get the Eheim surface skimmer.


Thanks. unLucky for you, I am bored in my old age of 30 and too broke to go out to the clubs like I used to. Haha. Don't get older and poor. Leads to many uninteresting nights. Ah, but it is fine. Life comes and goes in cycles. I am rather enjoying the lazy days. Mainly because I know it won't be forever. Enjoying the quiet while I still can. :smile:

Oh, and I also annoy chad320, karackle, wkndracer, macclellan and nonconductive in their journals whenever possible. I am taking applications for new people to pester, so please send your resume to me. :hihi:

By the way, excellent idea on the paper cup! It worked much better than the paper napkins I was trying to use.

Going to be using turface on the new tank with a little layer of MTS. I love my tanks with turface and I am not sure why I am scared of it. It has about 5 gallon bucket of gravel and flourite mixed in just because I had some extra rocks to find a home for. I am shooting for 1/2 inch of MTS just to get my feet wet and if it goes well, I'll add more by freezing it and shoving it in the soil later on. I am going to set up the other tank as a soil tank, so life will be interesting on that manner.

Now if you all will excuse me, I am reminiscing and listening to an old mixed tape I found of _Filter, The Human League_and_ ABC_. Haha, I found a whole box of cassettes and am having a blast. And having just found my old bootleg of Iggy Pop and David Bowie, well I am in seventh heaven. :hihi:


----------



## Chaos_Being

Hello! Its been a few weeks since I've been on here and figured I would check in. Your tank is looking lovely- I especially like that Repens Rubin! Great looking plant. I liked the video of your Red Claws a few pages back too. I probably will have to give them a try after all eventually. I need to get a few pics of my tank and update my journal- the plants really went nuts while I was gone on vacation because it looks like I accidentally left one of my timers set to on the entire time...so one of the lights was on 24/7 for a week. Surprisingly the only fallout was a little extra GSA that the nerites have already taken care of. Now that I'm back I should hopefully be getting some new fish soon too!

Good luck with that other 55g you are planning. I wish I could talk my wife into another tank


----------



## nonconductive

MTS & NPT? i'll believe it when i see it!:hihi:


----------



## wkndracer

chad320 said:


> I only like the GIANT form of duckweed. AKA Frogbit :hihi:


My baby plecs love this stuff more than anything else and almost destroyed all I had. Saved just a couple rootless plants to another 'ICU' tank and it's trying to recover.


nonconductive said:


> MTS & NPT? i'll believe it when i see it!:hihi:


*LMAO this will only happen when the earth stops spinning.
Dirt in Sara's tank???? ha! that would be too easy.


----------



## nonconductive

wkndracer said:


> lmao this will only happen when the earth stops spinning.
> Dirt in sara's tank???? Ha! That would be too easy.


omg hahahahaha


----------



## sewingalot

Chaos! Missed you....As you know, a world without chaos is very boring.  I hope you enjoyed your vacation. That is amazing on the light. Good thing it was just one of them, huh? Can't wait to see these pictures.

Shut it, non-c. I'll get around to it eventually. :tongue: The _plan _was to work on the tank this weekend but I kind of got.....distracted. LOL. And the rain stopped me from painting the tank. I am about six seconds from saying forget it and slapping the background on it. Well, I suppose I should finish getting that 20 gallon moved downstairs so the fish don't have to be toted so far.


----------



## sewingalot

Mike, hilarious, but keep it PG, my dear. LOL. If I wasn't so bloody tired, I'd be out right now playing in mud. Yeah, I'm pulling out the excuses already. You all might be right.


----------



## Chaos_Being

Yep, the vacation was fun, although the weather didn't cooperate very much. The part when we were staying in a 1 room cabin at the Mammoth Cave National Park during a tornado watch with tornadoes a few counties over was...interesting (my poor wife didn't sleep much that night, it stormed non-stop!) We went to a bunch of other places too. Maybe I'll put a few of my vacation photos up as well when I update my journal 

And yep, I'm surprised my tank didn't go out of whack with that light on...I think I must have turned one of the lights on manually to get a look at something in the tank before I left, and forgot to put it back to timed. Or, maybe the cat did it. Who knows. I didn't notice until the night of the day when I got back, when my bubbler came on in the evening (which is usually when all of my lights go out,) and my brightest light was still on...


----------



## sewingalot

Yes, please put up photos of the vacation. As you can tell, off topic photos are just as fun to look at. You know something I realized? For a person that loves pictures so much, there are hardly any in our house and the ones we have are years old. How ironic.

Scary on the tornado watch while on vacation. I would have been right there with your wife. Mammoth Cave, you weren't that far from us! I used to go there a lot growing up, but am more familiar with Carter Caves to be honest. Both are nice though. Yes, tornado season in those parts going on right about now. 

I think you should blame the lights on the cat. It's always nice to blame them when you do something like that. At least, I think so. 

Did you know that a 55 gallon aquarium weighs nearly 80 pounds? There is no way I am moving forward on this project alone. Time to goof off until the husband gets home later and feels like helping.


----------



## chad320

Poor Earl. He doesnt even know whats waiting for him  And no wonder he not as fond of the tanks as you :hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

he can join the club my wife's a member of.


----------



## chad320

We should start a support group on here for disapproving spouses  And the funny things they say about our disease.


----------



## Karackle

dude your tank is looking GORGEOUS!!! SO MUCH RED!!! I love it!!! How's the new tank though? Did you get everything moved over? And I'm glad to hear the bettas are relaxing at least a little now that momma released her eggs


----------



## snausage

Uhmmmm, I'm definitely very offended that you haven't contributed to my red plants thread in the plants subforum :hihi:!!!


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> he can join the club my wife's a member of.





chad320 said:


> We should start a support group on here for disapproving spouses  And the funny things they say about our disease.


We should. We can call it "Ever since my spouse found TPT and planted tanks, I am second best" club. Poor guy, he doesn't realize that I went for the MTS tank to have more time for him and life in general. :wink:



Karackle said:


> dude your tank is looking GORGEOUS!!! SO MUCH RED!!! I love it!!! How's the new tank though? Did you get everything moved over? And I'm glad to hear the bettas are relaxing at least a little now that momma released her eggs


Yup, Kara. Moved all over! Everything is going well with the pair again. Also, I think they are enjoying the new water and painted sides. They are out much more. I am a little freaking out about my plants. They are all so puny looking now that I hacked them down. Let's hope for the best!

It is storming something awful here. I am glad we got the painting all finished yesterday or we'd be in trouble. I can't believe how pretty yesterday was in comparison. Anyway, I am rambling, and I know you all are wanting to see the finished product!

And wknd and non-c - check this out! I have dirt in my tank. So there. :flick:


Boring pictures, but for documentation sake:


















Earl's going to kill me for posting this, but check out this mess underneath the stand that's been sitting there about 5 years. 









Temporary holding center (which mind you is still sitting in the living room and I am supposed to break down, but I am literally too exhausted to care. The husband was not happy to see this still up. Oops.....)









Oh, look what finally sprouted! Sorry for the poor picture, it was my cell phone. Didn't even think this thing was ever going to sprout. 
I found it tangled up in ludwigia brevipes. Apparently, it was rolled over there last by the shrimp. I put it in the tank, and it's already been dug up and moved to a more pleasing area for the shrimp.









Only have a few pictures of the messy part. No one explains to you how gross it is to emulsify clay. Imagine the scene from Ghost without the romance. 
And to make the guys happy, it is the color of poo, so here I was squishing up this nasty mess and thinking about non-c's journal comments and about ralph because of it.


















In the tank, mud and clay:











Done:


















Happy bettas and SAE:



























The male is now relaxed and his fin is repairing itself:









Momma shrimp


















I trimmed everything really short except a few stems that I forgot about and could care less at that point and just kind of stuck it in the general area that it is staying. Now mind you, there needs to be some rearranging because I was planting this without any lighting except overhead and I am already seeing a mess, but I am going to wait until water change day for that.

Going for a creek look, so the brown paint actually works well. I am going to slowly add tannins for the fish but that is another day. Oh, and I must have pulled some wires loose putting back the hood because only one bulb is working. The stupid bluish one.


----------



## sewingalot

snausage said:


> Uhmmmm, I'm definitely very offended that you haven't contributed to my red plants thread in the plants subforum :hihi:!!!


Haha, so sorry, snausage. I thought you wanted challenging red stems. These are easy to obtain.


----------



## chad320

Awesome Sara! And here I though you were having a relaxing weekend in some paradise :hihi: It looks really good! I hate looking at those bettas. It makes me want some. DOWN collectoritis!!!, DOWN boy...


----------



## mistergreen

Is that a betta bellica?
THe tank is looking good.
If you need some staurogyne porto velho, I can send you some but watch out for BBA 
It's to the point where I'm throwing away trimmings.

Try some hardscape too.


----------



## SkyGrl

i love it. i personally like the scattered look. sure its nice to have groupings of plants, red plants vs green plants ect ect... 

@ the dirty corner pic. LMAO i find that plus wall stains all the time! nothing a quick sweep doesnt fix.  

your bettas look super happy too. once the male is all healed up maybe they can be friends..  

you must post more pics (even this is a tonne!) **thankyou** we want to see the harscape and re-arrangement. PLZ! we <3 you! 

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> Awesome Sara! And here I though you were having a relaxing weekend in some paradise :hihi: It looks really good! I hate looking at those bettas. It makes me want some. DOWN collectoritis!!!, DOWN boy...


I did this all yesterday, my friend (took roughly 7 hours). This weekend I was having a VERY relaxing weekend. I literally slept like 12+ hours. The paradise of dreamland! You know you want some bettas - they are excellent! I'm hoping they'll come out more.



mistergreen said:


> Is that a betta bellica?
> THe tank is looking good.
> If you need some staurogyne porto velho, I can send you some but watch out for BBA
> It's to the point where I'm throwing away trimmings.
> 
> Try some hardscape too.


Yup. Bellicas came from Cardinal Tetra! He's always spoiling me with cool plants, shrimp and fish. I highly recommend finding a way to trade with him. :wink:

No hardscape in this tank. I'm going old school with a WVian twist. :hihi:

I actually have some porto velho hiding in the tank! I'll take some pictures in a few days once they've had a few days to settle. Now to find someone that wants a bunch of scrap plants.....



SkyGrl said:


> i love it. i personally like the scattered look. sure its nice to have groupings of plants, red plants vs green plants ect ect...
> 
> @ the dirty corner pic. LMAO i find that plus wall stains all the time! nothing a quick sweep doesnt fix.
> 
> your bettas look super happy too. once the male is all healed up maybe they can be friends..
> 
> you must post more pics (even this is a tonne!) **thankyou** we want to see the harscape and re-arrangement. PLZ! we <3 you!
> 
> Amy


Thanks Amy! The plants were grouped together with a border of blyxa, or so I thought. Once I turned on the lights - it was like what in the world did I do? Hahaha, I am funny, but exhausted. My body aches.

Thought you'd enjoy the dirty corner. I was shocked. I thought I have been cleaning well under there. Apparently not. :help:

I'm just happy the bettas are doing well. I have a few days to get the tank going again. I need to go pay Rachel! She is so sweet to have held fish this long for me.

Speaking of pictures - I am going to have to snap a picture of that seam on the old tank. I am surprised it didn't leak yet. Scary....

I'll get more pictures soon, I promise. Right now everything looks kind of wilty from being uprooted for so long. I figured in a few days. And ignore the hygro on the right, it is getting trimmed down. I am growing it out for someone......only I forgot who. So if you see this send me a pm. LOL.


----------



## Karackle

Well you know me, I love the scattered / wild / natural look so I'm biased, but I love it!!! :biggrin: 

YAYAYAYAY on a successful move to a new tank!!! The bettas are definitely looking happy, glad they are doing well  And I didn't realize how HUGE that SAE is!!! He's awesome! :hihi:

Mud is fun! heeheehee can't wait to see more pictures! roud:


----------



## nonconductive

well blow me down......


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> Well you know me, I love the scattered / wild / natural look so I'm biased, but I love it!!! :biggrin:
> 
> YAYAYAYAY on a successful move to a new tank!!! The bettas are definitely looking happy, glad they are doing well  And I didn't realize how HUGE that SAE is!!! He's awesome! :hihi:
> 
> Mud is fun! heeheehee can't wait to see more pictures! roud:


Isn't the SAE a giant? I couldn't believe they got so huge. It's peyton's doing. I am just homing him now. He's such a puppy dog, too. He and the male betta are pals. They are playing all the time (not fighting). Well, you saw one of the pictures. they like to swim together in the evenings.

Yeah, well at least I know you'll love my tank even when I don't then. :biggrin: Having a really hard time not fertilizing. I don't know if I can handle it.

Heater needs fixed.....again. The canister is making an awful rattling noise. And we put the tank too close to the wall and now I have to figure out how to install it without kinks or it laying sideways (which apparently makes it sound like a sick blender). 

Sometime this afternoon, I need to fix the light, too. But first! I have an interview in a bit. roud:

Did I mention the tank is off kilter still? Apparently, our floor is off by a good half inch + and after fighting with it for a good hour, we gave up and settled. So, it's off a little under 1/16 now instead of 1/8". Yeah, lesson not learned on that.

I'll try to get some pictures this week sometime. Maybe tonight if I haven't broken the light completely. :hihi:



nonconductive said:


> well blow me down......


As skinny as you are, I'm sure it wouldn't take much. I'm still wondering if that is the real reason behind your boots in Chicago. :icon_wink

Nothing like peer pressure from you all for me to get into action. My brothers taught me that bad habit. LOL.

Now if these plants don't grow, I am blaming you and wknd and Chad. Just letting you know. :icon_bigg


----------



## wkndracer

hahahahaha lookIE LOOKIE at this!!! (luv it) shamed into it at last,,, Yippie!!! and a hillbilly hot dog and peanut butter sandwich for you! 
Did it 'yourself' in about 7 hrs. after wiggling and whining for how long?

(i have a tiny little tear in my eye seeing these pictures)

Whoopie! your in the 'dirty world' now girl haha no going back.

congrats :icon_wink


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> But first! I have an interview in a bit. roud:
> 
> As skinny as you are, I'm sure it wouldn't take much. I'm still wondering if that is the real reason behind your boots in Chicago. :icon_wink
> 
> Now if these plants don't grow, I am blaming you and wknd and Chad. Just letting you know. :icon_bigg


good luck on the interview!! 

well actually they are anti-gravity boots so they dont work for that purpose. and LOL.

I will be the first one to point the finger at the other 2 :biggrin:..... he did it!!!!!


(and hehe about the clay/dung..... so thats why my bowels were in a ruckus, someone was thinking about them.)





wkndracer said:


> hahahahaha lookIE LOOKIE at this!!! (luv it) shamed into it at last,,, Yippie!!! and a hillbilly hot dog and peanut butter sandwich for you!
> Did it 'yourself' in about 7 hrs. after wiggling and whining for how long?
> 
> (i have a tiny little tear in my eye seeing these pictures)
> 
> Whoopie! your in the 'dirty world' now girl haha no going back.
> 
> congrats :icon_wink


 
lol mike.

the tiny tear in the eye.... hahahaha

kind of like watching your youngins growing up

do i want to know what a hillbilly hot dog is?


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Wow great job on your project! Sorry to hear the cherries met their end... at least the bettas look super happy now and they'll have a new school of friends soon.


----------



## wkndracer

nonconductive said:


> do i want to know what a hillbilly hot dog is?


I have NO IDEA,, working with a "big time ******* ridge running hillbilly"
(his words not mine). 

I know all about the history of the term '*******' and the union/mine owner battles that happened in WV but the guy is always saying 'hotdogs and peanut butter!' and 'thats better than a hotdog and peanut butter sandwich'. He says it every time he is happy about events like getting a free lunch for working an injury free week or going on 7/12hr shifts when he knows the pay is double the rates working on Sunday. I've been hearing it for almost a month so I posted it. :icon_roll

edit; sara can probably tell both of us as she threatened to take my family out to lunch at a restaurant made out of a school bus that selling hotdogs


----------



## chad320

Hillbilly hotdog= cut hotdog lengthwise 1/2 way through and fill with spray type cheese. Wrap with bacon and grill. Sorry Sara, my Arkanstyle kicked in :hihi:


----------



## Gatekeeper

chad320 said:


> Hillbilly hotdog= cut hotdog lengthwise 1/2 way through and fill with spray type cheese. Wrap with bacon and grill. Sorry Sara, my Arkanstyle kicked in :hihi:


You forgot... "marinade with Natural Light and serve over a fine bed of Dinty Moore".

Sorry guys... my WVU days just flashed before my eyes.


----------



## sewingalot

Well, 7 hours wasn't _all _work. At least 2 of those were full of bickering and cussing at each other. The husband is a saint. I honestly don't know how he stands me. He helped with the lifting, leveling and after I spray painted my arm instead of the glass with the first go, took over and painted the glass. :hihi: And he is still talking to me. Amazing.

LOL, Mike. Did you need a tissue for that tear or a jar to collect it in? So far, not enjoying this sitting on my hands and not fertilizing thing. Are you all sure I shouldn't add something more than the dirt and roottabs? Looks like there is a tiny bit of haziness in the water. I am not sure if it is just because there is only one bulb and it's blue though. I went to the store and picked up a new switch for the light, so hopefully, that will be fixed by this weekend. I was going to work on it tonight, but have a stupid problem. I didn't pull the tank out from the wall far enough. Well, I did. And then in the process of leveling it (which never fully happened, mind you), it got shoved back just enough to make the inline heater not work and since it needs mounted vertically, I have it sitting upright on the 10 gallon stand until I brave up enough to get the tank moved from the wall a few inches. Crap.

Nonc- hope you enjoyed the potty comment. Now I know why I put it off so long. The dirt was icky, the clay was really gross. And for what it is worth, it was worse than I could have imagined. That feeling of clay becoming mush was horrifying to me. Reminded me of that 'slime' stuff that used to come in the quarter machines. Do they still make that? 

Rachel is shipping my fish out next week as she gave me the option and she is the best! Yay! I can't wait until my _game show_ fish arrive to keep them company. The rasboras look amazing next to the brown walls, as the blue washed out their eyes. I'll try to get some pictures. Also the reds aren't as bright as they were blending with the brown, but I am actually starting to appreciate it.

Oh and how could I forget????

Hillbilly hotdogs: http://www.hillbillyhotdogs.com/menu.php According to Sonny (owner) - it is a "Deep fried beef weenie with homemade chili sauce, mustard and onions." Yup, deep fried. And if you have time, check out the Home Wrecker page. Very interesting. And non c would appreciate the Man of Fire Dog for the commentary alone. (And they wonder why we are called the unhealthiest city in America. :hihi


----------



## sewingalot

Here are the pictures. Everything looks blah. I think they took a beating from the sitting in buckets and tanks and no co2/ambient light and then some co2, little light and no water column nutrients. I'll patiently wait until I get the co2 upped again. I am leaving it at 1/2 bps until I get the new fish in next week so that I can acclimate them more slowly to co2. If anyone doubts my co2, they are welcome to come and count the noise hitting the impeller. Lol. However, I don't recommend going this low even 24/7 because the plants are not very happy. 

First, the old tank's corner that was splitting at the silicone:









And a corner that was still somewhat in okay shape.









It is strange to see the new silicone edges on the tank. It's amazingly bright.

Got a picture of the girl betta. It's blurry because it was an impulse picture, but she is doing much better without the eggs:









Oh, the individual plants below. I am embarrassed to show these, but for the sake of documentation and if it helps people see that you can bring back sad looking plants, so be it.

ludwigia repens 'rubin'









ludwigia arcuata x repens (new addition)









ludwigia repens









ludwigia glandulosa









ludwigia lacustris









ludwigia brevipes









poly k (took a beating in the fact I didn't know it was delivered and set outside in hot weather for a few hours, but it'll bounce back just fine - thanks Mike!)









lilies are melting from the move. :/


















The other plants look fine, so I didn't think to take closeups. So you all, that is the gory details. And now that I am :icon_redf, I'm ending this post. Hope you all learned something. Stay tuned for progression.


----------



## macclellan

New tank looks good!


----------



## SkyGrl

teacher teacher!!! i have a question..???? 

lol JK!

i think they will bounce back fast! mowr pictures soon!!!

Amy

*im going through picture withdrawls.. my camera is still being used by my lil sis!*


----------



## peyton

Can't wait to see it progress! BTW, sae's get bigger than the one I gave you.


----------



## Karackle

sara you're too hard on yourself, the plants are looking good! Can't wait to see another full tank shot though so we can see for ourselves if the reds blend into the brown too much  :biggrin: Just glad to hear it's up and running and everything is in a new, freshly siliconed tank roud:


----------



## chad320

Wow Sara, you got alot of cool plants in there. Wanna trade my crappy green plants for your cool red ones:hihi: J/K! I cant wait for this to grow in! Awesome. Where did you find your red ludwigia? Mine still turn green on me


----------



## sewingalot

So you are telling me this SAE is going to get larger, peyton? What does he eat other than algae? I am running out of algae to feed him! I threw in a piece of zucchini and he ignored it. That reminds me, I need to find that it's been in the tank overnight. Oops...

I am having a big issue with surface scum. I thought it was a symptom of too much food, so I cut down on feeding. Didn't help. Raised surface agitation, it just moves it around. Used paper cup, paper towels and even siphoned it off. Still keeps coming back. Today, I poured a glass of water out of the tap (yes, I am still using this nasty water, lol) and walked away. I came back in about an hour and the surface is an oil slick! Yuck, yuck, yuck! That means it's coming from our water supply. I am wondering if it is all the excess rain and the chemicals they pump into the water during this season to over compensate? Either way, I found a cheap solution. I removed all the film again and I put a coffee filter over my water changer and it filtered out the gunk. Haha! Had to change the filter twice and run the water slow, but it worked. Just an FYI for future reference.

Tested the water today, the cycle is still in tact. I was surprised to read zero across the board. I was honestly expecting a mini-cycle at least. Well, this will probably happen with the addition of the new fish next week. So don't worry guys, I am sure there will be disaster to happen soon enough. It is the law of my tank. 

Amy, I'll get a bunch of random pictures just for you. Here is one of my mutant shrimp.









Kara, you are silly. The plants looked awful. Hahaha, you are such a good friend. I'll get a picture up later of the full tank shot now that I temporarily fixed the lights. Sure enough, a wire got pulled out. I am going to work on putting on a switch this weekend to the lights. Did I mention that I melted one of the on/off rocker switches and couldn't find a replacement and am going to use this instead? Right now, they are wired to stay on, but I have them plugged into a surge protector for the switch on that. I switched over to two bulbs and not the blue bulb and things are looking better already. The haziness was indeed the bulb and the reds are back to looking pretty thank to the color of the other bulbs bringing them out. The blue bulbs are not my friends anymore. They make the fish look pretty, but the plants sucky.

Haha, depends on what crappy green plants you want to offer. :hihi: Stems yes. Crypts no. For instance Mike or Matt sent me a lovely crypt (sorry, I didn't see which one before I put the plants together) and it already melted into oblivion. Hopefully, it'll grow back soon. I'll probably be sending that to Kara half alive in a few months to nurse back to health. Sigh. I love crypts and they hate me so. I think I poke around too much to keep crypts alive.


----------



## peyton

I don't think that SAE will get much bigger but I seen one that someone traded in at a petstore that was at least 6" long.

He ate mostly flake food when I had him btw.


----------



## sewingalot

Good to know, because he has done such as good job, most of the algae is gone! (Plus new substrate and glass didn't hurt.) Based trade ever for algae control. Thanks! Since we are on the subject of the SAE, look at the redecorating he just accomplished zooming around the blyxa. I must say it looks better. Awful picture, but it works for me to give away the floating plants. He is doing a great job, and I love him!


----------



## Karackle

sewingalot said:


> Today, I poured a glass of water out of the tap (yes, I am still using this nasty water, lol) and walked away. I came back in about an hour and the surface is an oil slick! Yuck, yuck, yuck! Either way, I found a cheap solution. I removed all the film again and I put a coffee filter over my water changer and it filtered out the gunk. Haha!


GROSS! but good fix! roud: 



sewingalot said:


> Amy, I'll get a bunch of random pictures just for you. Here is one of my mutant shrimp.


VERY cool shrimp but why is it a mutant?



sewingalot said:


> I'll probably be sending that to Kara half alive in a few months to nurse back to health. Sigh. I love crypts and they hate me so. I think I poke around too much to keep crypts alive.


HAHAHAHA woohoo! crypts! :hihi: and that is probably exactly why they do well for me and less so for you.....i tend to plant my tank and not touch it for long periods of time.....I didn't change anything in the 10g for almost a year until you sent me all the new plants! :tongue:



sewingalot said:


> Awful picture, but it works for me to give away the floating plants. He is doing a great job, and I love him!/QUOTE]
> You are silly, this picture is not craptastic! Even if you don't like it, I love seeing the whole layout! :biggrin: Also you are right, the other lights bring out the reds and make them stand out more from the brown, so that's good! roud: yayayayayay!!!
> 
> Ok.....now you've REALLY put me to shame....I'll try really, really hard to get some pics posted tonight! :hihi:


----------



## msjinkzd

I love those ludwigias. I think your tank is lovely.

As for the surface scum, what kind of filter are you using and how old is the media? Is this a new problem?


----------



## mistergreen

You sure can grow them plants... Do you sell them in the S&S?


----------



## sewingalot

Kara, the glare in that picture is killing me. But one thing should this picture tell us is that don't trust other people's red plants. Lighting plays a big trick to the eye. :hihi: Those plants are really just plastic, you know.  

Speaking of reds, they aren't doing very well without the addition of water ferts. I don't know if this is the transition everyone has warned me about, but it's killing me. Today I cheated and added some fertilizer. I couldn't stand looking at my damaged repens any longer without helping somehow. I figured, I'll fertilize a couple times a week to help them get established for a while and then try again without the ferts to see if all is well again.

Kara, the shrimp has three eyes, two noses (for lack of a special term), two digestive tracks, a gazillion legs and antennae, and one melted nervous system. Isn't she gorgeous?

Probably why I do suck at crypts. I don't know when to stop leaving them alone. Emersed one do well for me, so that has to be the reason.

About time you got photos. 

Thanks, Rachel. The surface scum is not new to the tanks, but it is to this one. I am using two canister filters, Ecco 2234 and 2232 on this tank. One is full of biomedia and is only rinsed in tank water ever month or so, and the other was changed a week before the move. I am thinking it is just the nasty water supply, since it is coming out of the tank like this and no live bearers to suck it up. Fish don't seem to mind. It's just gross looking.

Mistergreen, usually I just RAOK them or trade. I rarely sell....unfortunately, that means I am occasionally suckered, but I've gotten pickier who I share with these last few months. If there is anything you ever want, I'm always up for trades.


----------



## sewingalot

Went to the dungeon (scary basement) yesterday and noticed something. The egg crate. I forgot to use it. And sitting pretty next to it was my little bag of potash and dolomite. So maybe that explains some of my nutrient issues. Going to make some mud balls and shove it in the substrate and hope for the best. Egg crate, too late. I'm so silly. And after Mike went to the trouble of explaining how to cut it. Sigh. For the next project.

On a whim, decided to sell the other 55 gallon. It sold in one day. Now trying real hard to decide on whether or not to sell the 20 gallon and stand. Probably will. 

Look what also happened this weekend :biggrin::









Some "mowr" pictures just for Amy:

Crooked FTS









bubble nest #6713


















fish are happy


















Hurting repens 'rubin'









brevipes









glandulosa with hurting bacopa sp 'japan'









ozelot









hydro has pinholes









random picture to give you something to look at, Amy









creepy pictures of shrimp, lol (coloring is a little dark):


----------



## SkyGrl

OH THANKS SARA!!!! you know how i love pictures!!! i love your tank. now with all your extra time (with lessish tanks) youll start gardening?!! :hihi: to bad WV is so darn far away! maybe ill convince kyle to take a roadtrip down to see you. its only 1 day 13 hours... LOL! maybe a couple days driving! hahaha with the price of gas nowadays.. ridiculious! your shrimps are skilled glass climbers! 

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

Gas recently jumped up to almost 4.70 a gallon this past month, too. It's kind of sad that we live next door practically to one of the biggest producers on this side and they charge us so much. I think it'd be cheaper to fly.  

No gardening for me. Too many bugs, lol. I like plants that don't require work.


----------



## SkyGrl

lol me too. i like veggies.. very little work and you get to pickle them mmmm pickled carrots!!!


----------



## sewingalot

Pickled carrots, eh? Are you sure you aren't from this area? :hihi: I tell you, I wouldn't mind a garden if we had an area for it. Out back, it is too shady and out front it gets stolen. I miss living in the country for that and many other reasons. What's funny is I was more of a hillbilly in Ohio than I am in West Virginia. I meet people from this area and they look like city folk. LOL.


----------



## chad320

YESSSSS!!!! Pickled Carrots!!! Finally someone else who likes them!!!   

Sara, your tank is looking great!!! I love the rubin! I am starting to think I need to alter my formula for macros, my reds fade to green. Im thinking too much N. How are the shrimpies? Are they breeding yet? They look great in the pic!


----------



## SkyGrl

STOLEN FROM YOUR FRONT YARD?!?!?! by rabbits or ppl... LOL thats just cruel! well i have a garden at friends house as we dont have any space in our current or future back yard. but i do love planters!!


----------



## sewingalot

The female is still berried, the other females are too young I suspect. Sooner or later she'll have babies. I've noticed she dug a hole in the substrate and is living there now. Sounds like it'll be soon.

Gross on the pickled anything but pickles. :hihi:

By people. No rabbits in this area, too much traffic. And squirrels and birds eat what isn't taken by people, lol. In the one patch in the backyard that is not shaded gets trampled by the two mutts. I'm afraid my gardening days are over.


----------



## chad320

Sara, have you never had pennies from heaven? Little slices of wavy carrots picked like bread and butter pickles? Crunchy AND tasty  Sorry about the death of your gardening  I cant wait to have a yard to get a garden in. I love it!!!

A breeding hole for those shrimps huh? Thats different. I hope you get some babies and they arent real carnivorous(sp?) towards them


----------



## nonconductive

SkyGrl said:


> lol me too. i like veggies.. very little work and you get to pickle them mmmm pickled carrots!!!


 
oh man... pickled veggies.... mmmmmmmmmmm 



sara, the fts looks great. thats also an interesting color choice for a background.


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## sewingalot

I don't know if she needs a breeding hole, but she's made one. :biggrin: We'll see what happens. Especially since I know longer have the 20 gallon setup and the 10 and 15 gallon is overstocked to add anything else. I'll be sending some shrimp to CT this week (hopefully) and will have room to move her over.

Pennies from heaven? Haha, no way. Carrots except in a cake are gross to me. Something about the taste always bothered me. *shivers* My mom is growing a garden (well my brother) and I'll beg for crops from her.


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> oh man... pickled veggies.... mmmmmmmmmmm


Still gross unless it's pickles. 



> sara, the fts looks great. thats also an interesting color choice for a background.


By interesting, do you mean my family's version of _interesting_? (I.E. an insult) :hihi: I had a can of brown paint. Waste not, want not. The goal was to have the tank look like a river bottom. Still working on slowly adding tannins to the water. Right now there is a boat load of carbon in one of the filters to help the tank transition over, so they aren't visible.

By the way, _Silence of the Lambs_ - shows an excellent example of a West Virginia accent. I must say Jody Foster did a fantastic job! Off topic, but I am half watching an Inside Story on the movie.


----------



## Karackle

PICTURES PICTURES YAYAYAYAYAY!!!! :biggrin:

I'm LOVING how the tank looks, can't wait til the background gets nice and tall so it really has that underwater jungle feel that i LOVE :hihi: And you are seriously getting good with those macro shots!!! 

Also, I can't believe I never responded to your answer about the mutant shrimp, but that is pretty AWESOME! And very cool that she's alive and kicking and apparently doing well because she looks pretty big! Cool cool! :biggrin: 

Also, i LOVE the movie Silence of the Lambs, one of the best psychological thrillers out there!


----------



## chad320

Nice peony picture BTW. Have you tried landmines and hand grenades for the theives of your garden? :hihi: might work


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## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> PICTURES PICTURES YAYAYAYAYAY!!!! :biggrin:
> 
> I'm LOVING how the tank looks, can't wait til the background gets nice and tall so it really has that underwater jungle feel that i LOVE :hihi: And you are seriously getting good with those macro shots!!!
> 
> Also, I can't believe I never responded to your answer about the mutant shrimp, but that is pretty AWESOME! And very cool that she's alive and kicking and apparently doing well because she looks pretty big! Cool cool! :biggrin:
> 
> Also, i LOVE the movie Silence of the Lambs, one of the best psychological thrillers out there!


Silence of the Lambs still scares me, lol. Great movie. I have this problem with remembering movies in general. If I remember a movie after a week of watching, I either really liked it or hated it. 9/10 movies I forget about the next day usually. Drives the movie buff husband crazy. Never been much into movies. They usually last longer than my attention span. 

The background is.......growing on me. I'm trying to tell myself to look at the big picture, but it ain't working.

To make you feel better about macros shots, there are some lousy pictures included in this post for you.  They were taken from far away on Auto White Balance (not a good setting as you'll soon discover).



chad320 said:


> Nice peony picture BTW. Have you tried landmines and hand grenades for the theives of your garden? :hihi: might work


Hahaha, I have been waiting literally three weeks for that bloom to open up to remember what kind of plant this was, spent a good 1/2 looking through flower pictures and you knew all along. Next time, I'm saving myself trouble, and pming you the picture. :thumbsup: Earl took that shot, good yes?

That would work.....only our gas line is in the front yard. :eek5: I think you can see a picture of our front yard somewhere in my pointless journaling. :hihi:

Did a water change and the bettas are fighting again. Or is it love? So hard to tell with these two. I think they are made because I accidentally busted the huge bubble nest that was taking up a good 1/8 of the tank. Oops....

So without further ado, the bettas (by the way, they love the new tank, I think they appreciate the poopy walls.)

Shows the algae tank and how dark it is (yes the lights are on in that tank). And if you are all wondering why there is a 10 right next to the 55, it is because the 55 gallon stand is too short for the co2 canister, and the husband built me this stand for the 10 to hide the co2 canister. I like the contrast of light and dark.












































































































I like the last picture because the female is showing her vertical stripes. I wish there were more information on betta bellicas on the net to explain what makes their coloring change so drastically. I am worried they are stressed out more than I realize and I am hoping the new fish (COMING TOMORROW!!) are going to help them relax. I did a large water change ahead of schedule and turned down the co2 to a crawl for the new arrival. If the plants suffer, that's okay. They'll bounce back quickly and the most important thing here is the health of the fish.


----------



## SkyGrl

i see a mating dance!!! oooOOooo so exciting! 

your shots look great. i love catching the action of fish!
Amy


----------



## sewingalot

She's getting fat again, so I am suspecting you are right, Amy. I keep hoping to get a video of them, but I can't find the tripod and they are shy if I get too close to the tank.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Vertical stripes on the female means she's ready and willing


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## sewingalot

Woo-hoo! He is starting to build back up a nest again and I'm surprised because he normally waits until the lights are out. He's probably ticked at me for breaking it earlier. I need to run to the store and toss in half a coffee cup.


----------



## chad320

Have you tried frogbit? It worked good for me with paradise fish and gouramis.


----------



## sewingalot

Got some of that and salvinia and water lettuce in the tank as we speak. I'm always having to scoop it out by the handfuls. Maybe I need to let it cover most of the tank for a while?


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## chad320

Or you could velcro a barrier up so you only have a corner of it that stays there.


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## Karackle

oh boy oh boy that looks like a mating dance to me too! loving the pictures, even if some are a bit blurry, they're pretty good for no-flash-fish-in-motion pics!!!  YAY! I'm glad they seem to be happy again! :biggrin:

Chad - I'm intrigued by this barrier thing, care to explain? (sorry for the threadjack Sara :redface: I know you don't really mind though :hihi:


----------



## chad320

Since I dont have one currently set up for pics ill try to explain the best I can. I take a piece of acrylic/plexiglass the width of the tank(not length  ) and attach velcro to the ends of it. I then lower the water level and attach the other side of the velcro to the underside of the rim approximatley where you want the barrier to stay. This way its easy to remove or adjust. I think making a triangle of floaters in the back corners works best for still having plants grow in your substrate. I use them width-wise on my tanks that the lights are too short on (aka lights not the full length of the tank) Hope this helps to thread jack Saras journal a bit :hihi:


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## Karackle

ooohhh very cool! The new hydrocotyle is doing well on the DW in the dark corner of my 30g, but if it starts to do poorly, I might try corralling some floaters in that corner and let the roots grow down and fill it in that way :hihi:


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## sewingalot

Brilliant idea, Chad. Guess what everybody? My fish are here! Rasboras to add to my lonely school of 3 and 8 otos to add to the 4 I have! I can't wait. Slowly been acclimating them. 1 hour and 7 minutes to be exact.  I'm so excited!!!!!! :bounce:

Thanks, Rachel!

Pictures soon, I promise.


----------



## Karackle

:bounce: YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!! Can't wait to see them!!! New fish are so exciting!!! :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

Pictures of the new residents. Only because I know Kara is dying to see them now. 

Acclimating:













































Oto watching tv:









Took this picture to show how happy the old rasboras are, blurry, yes. But the brownish one is the rasbora that has been in the tank. They will all turn this pretty color once they calm down a bit:









New oto and the betta checking him out. Probably wondering if he can eat the little guy for dinner tonight.









Poly K finally acclimating and a pretty decent shot of some of the guys (already coloring up within a few hours!):


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## Karackle

YAYAYAYAYAY!!! LOVE THEM!!!! I love seeing fish swimming in your tank too! Really livens it up!!! :biggrin: :bounce:


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## nonconductive

yay for new fish!


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## msjinkzd

Hurray!


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## Gatekeeper

Love them!


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## sewingalot

Yay is right! The bettas are now out and about with the SAE!!! I didn't get them on video, but I did get the rasboras schooling. And this song choice was especially for non-c because he was just begging for more of my fabulous Irish collection. Only, it never finished buffering for me, it's a humongous file (40 odd MB). So for all I know, it is a blank movie.


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## msjinkzd

I love that song! My girls listen to it all the time!

That video really captures how AMAZING these fish are at schooling! Tank looks lovely, as always.


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## Karackle

AWESOME video!!! I agree, it really shows some awesome schooling! I just love it!!! 

Perfect song too. :hihi:


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## mistergreen

Woah, nice schooling rasobora.
Mine used to swim back and forth but they just hang out now. Nice looking tank btw, with or without hardscape.


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## sewingalot

Thanks, all. I love these guys, the last ones I had were fabulous, but I had a smaller group. I like that they are taking laps in the tank. They have it timed well now. They are smoothly turning the corners and going in a giant oval shape and now a separate school has started. Know what? I want MORE! I love them. (THANKS, RACHEL!)

Lol, I think I am now cooler just because you all didn't hate my Irish song. :hihi:

I am just really hard-scape challenged. I've tried and it always looked like sticks in mud. Not really a scape. Or I'd get something looking decent and realize everyone and their brothers looks the same way. So, for now, I give up.


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## peyton

Wow those little guys school really well. Tank looks outstanding Sara!


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## SkyGrl

pictures and a video! im leaving TPT more often!!! hahahaha. looks way better with so many excellent fiah in there!!! love it!


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## sewingalot

Thanks, Peyton! I love these guys. My only regret is that I didn't get 50000 of them. That would be awesome! Don't leave me, Amy! What would I do? LOL. Mini-update, I got some AWESOME belem grass from Mr. Fisher. Adding it tonight when I am not so sick. Blargh.


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## SkyGrl

BLARGH!!! love it! i wont leave you... but i wont be on for the last couple days of the month.... 

Amy


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## sewingalot

Is that when you are moving? Good luck with that. I can't imagine moving all those tanks....


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## msjinkzd

ack, i cannot entertain the idea of EVER moving again. When we moved here, our friends complained that all of our things were made of steel (hubby is a welder and car enthusiest) or rock (I was a stone carver in a previous profession). I shudder to think what tehy would say if they had to move 100 tanks!!!!

I will think of you! Good luck!


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## SkyGrl

lol the poor fish are going to be sitting pails and rubber maids for so long. i think ill put a filter on the bigger tubs. i hope we dont lose any in the move. i have one sick jewel that i really dont want to lose. he is suffering pretty bad right now and id almost feel better for him if he croaks. at least he would be out of misery..  poor thing. ill post pics of the monster move... GAAADDDD not looking foward to it. 

Amy


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## msjinkzd

Last time I moved, I used coolers and airstones, floated all the plants. I didn't lose anything. Of course back then, I had like 5 tanks.


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## sewingalot

I feel for you, Amy. Is it still snowing up there? That would make it even more fun. I tell you just moving the 55 over made me a nervous wreck. LOL. I can't imagine doing more than that. Last time I moved, I didn't loose any fish, though. Wishing the best for you! Will your guy be home for the move or working?


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## nonconductive

nice vid.....


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## sewingalot

Did you like the song, huh, huh? :hihi: I don't understand videos. It bored me for the most part (but probably because I suck at taking them.)


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## Karackle

good luck with the move Amy!!! PM me if you want my $0.02 we only had a couple tanks to move, but they were big, and we weren't able to set them back up immediately, but we didn't lose a single critter and the plants did pretty well too. So let me know if you want some tips!  Unless you've done it before and have a good strategy, then you can just tell me to shush LOL


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## SkyGrl

we have a pretty good plan in place. 

1. put fish in buckets and move to new place. set up in quiet area with airpump and heater.
2. drain and remove substrate.
3. call every freakin ppl i know to come and help move tank and stand to new place. we will do the 140 and 170 at the same time because they are the biggest and take the longest to fill. they also have the least fish. 
4. repeat. ugh!

Amy

any suggestions?


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## Karackle

sounds like a good plan!!! The only thing I would add if you hadn't already thought of it is put the filter media in the buckets with the fish, this serves 2 purposes....it keeps the ammonia down in the buckets, and it keeps the beneficial bacteria alive which helps prevent a new cycle. We did this and saw absolutely no ammonia build up in the 60 or the 30 that we moved. I realize they are smaller tanks, but I imagine it would only help, not hurt anything to try it roud: Aside from that, we basically did the exact same thing as you are planning


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## SkyGrl

good to know. thanks Kara  

Amy


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## ReefkprZ

SkyGrl said:


> any suggestions?


offer to buy the beer, but dont serve any until AFTER the tanks are moved.


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## SkyGrl

LOL suggestion taken!

Amy


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## sewingalot

ReefkprZ said:


> offer to buy the beer, but dont serve any until AFTER the tanks are moved.


Make it whiskey and I'll be up to help. Of course, you may have a mess to deal with later. :icon_mrgr Amy, do you know anyone with a clean shop vac? Great for removing substrate and you can just empty it into containers as it fills up. 

Oh, I can't wait until the tank clears up from planting the belem hair grass (I can't spell the other word, but I'll look it up for the picture)! I love my tank now. It's perfect and all thanks to everyone on this forum. :icon_mrgr


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## SkyGrl

hhmmmm ill have to call around..  if not ill go pick up a cheap one from canadian tire

Amy


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## sewingalot

Well worth your money. Just remove the dry filter. LOL. Learned that from here. I bought a small one for like 10 USD and it was perfect for the move. Only took minutes and I didn't scratch the tank up like I did manually removing it.


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## SkyGrl

ok ill get one!


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## Karackle

No problem Amy! Glad to help  And definitely a good call on the beer being served AFTER the move Reefkpr!!! :hihi: That's what we did for our friends when they helped us paint....we had more beers stashed away that were available with the dinner we cooked AFTER painting :icon_lol:

Sara - I can't wait to see this fancy new belem hair grass in the tank! :biggrin:


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## sewingalot

You guys are cracking me up. LOL. Oh, and since I woke up in the middle of the night yesterday sick, I am wide awake right now and kind of irritated with myself because I have another interview tomorrow morning. Haha, we should really get paid for going on interviews. :hihi: Anyway, I took a bunch of pictures and decided to update them for you all night owls. Also, the drop checker is broken silly me cracked it while cleaning it. Oops and with the new fish, I turned down the co2 for a few days and you can see what happened. And great news! I found my first bit of algae in the new tank. So I am proud that I didn't kill it all in the move.  Pictures to be posted in a few minutes.


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## sewingalot

I love this picture just to share with you the areas of the door I didn't line up well and the light leaks out. 









Cool picture of the repens 'rubin' with the underside showing because the filter is blowing it over.









Repens 'rubin' with the filter diverted just a tad









Lovers nook









New ottos (all well cross fingers)









Blyxa alberti flower not opened on top, released on bottom:









Algae:


















Ludwigia lacustris









repens and ozelot sword


















glandulosa and prinz sword









hygro something or another









Look Kara! Fissidens just showed up, lol









The gathering









co2 damage on brevipes



























Belem (I need to replant this. All the other plantings stayed but this one the shrimp doesn't like it's placement.)



























Amazing hygro and cute oto









Male betta upset with the missus









Dearly departed snail that snuck in with plants









I guess otos also eat more than algae









Told you this was the gathering









Anyone need some hydrocotyle sip....ersomethingornother?


----------



## nonconductive

tank looks awesome sara.


----------



## Gatekeeper

Hairgrass should be spread out thinner than this Sara. Give it a haircut too to keep it tame.

Tank looks incredible though!


What is the taller plant on the far left side of this photo behind the foreground plant??


----------



## Karackle

tank is looking gorgeous Sara!!! I can't wait to see that hair grass filled in!!! I LOVE the jungle look in this tank, it's awesome! 

Also, I remembered that I believe Chad wanted some of that Hydrocotyle if you didn't already toss it!


----------



## SkyGrl

looking good!! i gotta say i love this tank more and more. its so awesome!!!

Amy


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Poor snail didn't stand a chance against the shrimp 

You can let the Hydrocotyle float around and it'll develop into a large mat if you dose the water column. Maybe the bettas would like it lol.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, guys. Glenn, it is an isoetes sp. I got it from peyton. He wasn't sure of the species, but isn't it awesome? It's doubled in size already.

Oh, and I was way too sick and mostly lazy yesterday to separate that grass any more. I may work on it this weekend though. Only problem with separating it, is if you see the one picture, the shrimp like to uproot the smaller sections when they pilfer. So I am not sure how to handle that. However, Matt did say I could bury it deeper. 

Good idea on the hydrocotyle floating...right now it is tangled up in the ludwigias.  I know that CT promised Chad some, but he is welcome to have more as well.


----------



## Gatekeeper

Wow, that is cool. Do you know how it propagates? If you ever get some plantlets off of it, I would love to give one a try. Would be willing to pay or trade with you.


----------



## sewingalot

I think it is almost like a group of wild onions in the way it propagates. I'm always up for trades, I could probably split it in half, but I will warn you I'm getting some BBA on the older leaves. You could also pm peyton and see if he has more, as it was clean of algae when I got it from him and he's a great guy. First person I've actually met in real life from here and he was very nice. Long term member, more of a lurker though.  It's an awesome plant. I've been looking out for them on walks, apparently, they grow around water everywhere. Contact peyton either way, I am sure he can tell you more about the plant and where he got it from. It's really fantastic.


----------



## msjinkzd

Any updates


----------



## sewingalot

Well, miss Rachel, not much is going on. I can say there are still no DOAs!!!! (Thanks a bunch!) In fact, they are now spoiled on bloodworms, brineshrimp, nice flake food and veggies. (And apparently they all love Nikki's shrimp food, lol.) The fish are now segregating and seem to gather at night for a tour of the city. :hihi: It's really cute to see them being around the tank exploring and all the sudden getting a hankering to start schooling. 

Oh, the long leafy hygro on the right side angustfolia or something like that is going to be leaving soon. I've been growing it out for Chaos Being. And Philip found me Ludwigia Inclinata! So I am hoping it'll grow well and replace that area. The hygros in general aren't liking MTS and neither dose the blyxa. So I am fertilizing the water a bit. Having a tiny bit of GSA and a tuft of BBA but nothing too bad. Also, I am not digging the placement of the repens rubin. I am up for suggestions. The Poly K is starting to grow up!

Oh, and I found the cause of the water slick! We have major iron bacteria in our water. It's kind of gross to pour a glass of water in our house. They say it's not harmful, but it's still disgusting.

I posted this over at the shrimp area, but here is the big guy's molt. Cool, eh?









Obligatory FTS









I promise I'll get a good full tank shot soon. I finally found the tripod, but I am too lazy to put it up.

The co2 is now back up to right under 1 bps. I need to tweak it a little more, but the drop checker is showing a nice lime green and I don't want to turn it up too quickly. The ludwigias are balking a bit, curling leaves, longer node lengths and such, but they are still growing. Except I think I lost the arcuata. Oops. But the fish are more important to me by far, and I have a source for fabulous arcuata now. 

Over all, I'm waiting for the MTS to kick in, but realizing that I forgot to add the potassium and dolomite is probably my issue, since I am definitely noticing pinholes without dosing. 

How's that for an update? P.S. Can you see Nessie (my female betta peeking out on the left side? :icon_mrgr)


----------



## Coltonorr

I seriously don't know how you pull this off in a 55g.
The tank looks like it has some depth to it which is hard to do in a 55.
Nice Job Sara!
BTW love your swords.


----------



## sewingalot

^^Best complement ever! Thank you. I'll take it beaming.  Honestly, I owe that to the golden ratio. It actually works. I am actually fooled for the first time into thinking I have more depth when just looking at the tank. It still needs a little work, but I can honestly say for the first time in my planted tank life, I am happy with this scape and it is way beyond my expectations. 

Those swords are great, aren't they? The ozelot came all the way from Texas and the Prinz is Mac's. It's a slow grower, which is perfect for that area.


----------



## msjinkzd

Looks great! I really was just curious about how your new fish were  Glad to hear they are doing well!!


----------



## sewingalot

LOL, I just realized I said DOAs and not all are still alive and well. I'm such a silly goose. I figured you were checking up on your babies.  The otos are having a great time playing with the SAE and the rasboras are being cute as always. Had a mini spike in the nitrates, but I kept it under control with small daily water changes. For the last few days, no more spike so it looks like there is nothing to worry about there.


----------



## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> Obligatory FTS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How's that for an update?


_simply dazzling_! *stunning*! Wowza!

Your going to have to share that 'golden ratio' with the planted world.
I got sooo lost the last few weeks whats the calendar count wet on this one now?

(incredible picture)


----------



## sewingalot

5/10 was the start up day. Hard to believe it's only been 13 days. I saw my first co2 bubble today. Looked like a little volcano erupted. No smell, so I am assuming it is co2.

Golden ratio, just for you Mike:

Technical:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio

As applied to planted tanks:
http://www.aquatic-eden.com/2006/11/golden-rule-of-aquascaping.html

http://www.freshwateraquariumplants.com/aquascapingprinc/aquascaping101.html

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/g...054-aquascaping-101-basic-design-article.html

http://www.aquascapist.com/aquascaping/using-the-golden-ratio-in-aquascaping/

Hope this helps explain it better than I ever could.


----------



## nonconductive

wow that fts is awesome!


----------



## Karackle

FTS looks great! You're definitely too hard on yourself, the shot is beautiful (and so is the tank!)  

So glad to hear the fishies continue to do well! :bounce: the shrimp molt is definitely very cool!!! YAY for happy shrimpies too!!! :biggrin:


----------



## Rion

Awesome new fish and video, coming from an Irish-Scotch heritage I can appreciate that song. Your tank is looking really good I hope that belem hairgrass fills in well for you.


----------



## Church

Wow everything is looking fantastic in here!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks you guys, but I am still not certain I like it. I do know the hygro on the right is leaving soon and I am trying my best to wait to hear back from CB, but I really am having a hard time keeping it in the tank. I'm going to find a place to hide a stem for him and get rid of the other. 

Rion, too cool, we are kindred spirits. I will let you in a little secret, I have some Scot in me but I hate to admit it, lol. My grandma's family is Scot-Irish, my grandfather's Irish and when they got over here, a little of Cherokee was added in. So basically, I am an American mutt today, especially when you consider my grandfather on my dad's side is unknown and his mother's side was German. 

Another underexposed picture for you all with auto white balance setting. If I use the regular exposure, everything is too bright and you can't see anything. So, sorry that it is a little dark, but I love it anyway. The background is finally pleasing to me now that it is getting covered by plants and is more like I imagined and not so......._poopy_ looking. I think that comment will please some of you. 

I did get rid of a bunch of floaters (sitting in a bucket until I figure out what to do with them) that was entirely covering the tank with yesterday's water change. I need to trim the plants, but I am really apprehensive. How do I do this without throwing soil everywhere? I uprooted the dwarf hair grass and separated it more, but it hadn't taken hold yet. Any suggestions from you dirt lovers?










Oh, and in case you are wondering, that black square always present on the side of the aquarium is the 10 gallon stand. It is also the hider of the co2 equipment. roud:


----------



## wkndracer

appeal to the jungle lover in all of us (looks like one of my messy tanks)

Why are you 'apprehensive' about trimming? 
Unless trimming = up rooting stuff.


----------



## sewingalot

wkndracer said:


> appeal to the jungle lover in all of us (looks like one of my messy tanks)


I keep telling myself I'll go the dutch route, but I like the American jungle. roud:



> Why are you 'apprehensive' about trimming?
> Unless trimming = up rooting stuff.


Precisely. Uprooting. Haven't done this in mass yet and the ludwigias need thinning badly. But it looks like I have a good excuse today. I can't find my scissors.  Actually, I am trying to wait until Tuesday morning to trim, but some of the plants are getting to the point they are going to be growing emersed if I don't.


----------



## wkndracer

(imo) leave the root base in the sub and cut the stems. Cut it within the capping layer if its just to thin an area. What remains ends up being more organics and not a dirt drama that way. Thinning is doable but uprooting intact plants I've never done with a dirt sub without a water change following to clear the dirt that follows. NonC referred to slowly removing things but mine has always been a let things be kinda method with the dirt subs. That was the reason for going Eco-Complete and Flourite in a couple of tanks with root tabs to allow me to grow crypts, sag and all the other rooted plants for use in my new tanks with the dirt subs and SnS offerings.


----------



## sewingalot

I'll try both ways on water change day and see what works. To be honest, I used a lot more clay than I think I should have, so maybe I'll get lucky and it'll settle quicker?  I'll trim at the substrate and also uproot and see which makes the biggest fuss. Why not? I'm in this deep, right?


----------



## wkndracer

bet I kno what the survey results will be :hihi:


----------



## Karackle

Tank is looking awesome Sara, you know me and my fondness for the jungle look! :hihi: I LOVE it!!!! And see, I told you your plants would grow in fast and cover some of the walls and you wouldn't mind the background color anymore roud:

Good luck with the trimming too! Obviously, let us know what happens!


----------



## Rion

I'll confess to that I'm in the same boat that I'm Scot-Irish with some German and some Mohican/Ojibwa/Crow, and Welsh, and English but I'm mostly Scot-Irish so that's what I say I am. You have a mighty fine jungle growing there and I like it.


----------



## Chaos_Being

PM sent


----------



## sewingalot

Survey says........CLOUDY TANK when uprooting:









But surprisingly, not half as bad as expected. Actually, I got a bigger storm with my flourite tanks. So, nothing I can't deal with with a partial water change. Couldn't sleep, so I uprooted a bunch of plants to go to there new homes - Chaos and Non-c, I just packed up plants about 30 minutes ago to head off in the am. I gave up after packing up the plants, though. I dropped the tweezers in the water and it tore two good size holes in two difference leaves on its way down. Made me mad enough to give up.  I'm about half way through.

Haha, Rion sounds like we are both sprinkled with a little of everything. We are too cool.


----------



## wkndracer

Yes your absolutely cool  and glad to hear your plant removal wasn't a storm but only cloudy weather. Busy weekend here and happy it's Tuesday.


----------



## Karackle

glad to hear uprooting them the way you like to do your trimming went well! I like the way wknd put it, just cloudy weather :hihi: 

Sorry you couldn't sleep again though! Must be somethign in the air, I didn't sleep well last night at all either. I'd say maybe it's the full moon, but the moon is nowhere close to full right now, it's closer to a new moon :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Surprisingly, the 15 was 10 times more cloudy than this one. Go figure. Must be the amount of clay I put in there. It was more like a 1/3 of clay and 2/3 dirt, not 10 percent, lol. I did notice in uprooting, the roots are extremely healthy and white. Like new dentures. 

Looking at the tank this evening just shows I have too many plant types again. I'm going to have to decide which ones to keep and which to part ways with on my next trim. I'm thinking the two of the hygros I kept aren't going to work in here as they are shedding leaves all the time and crowding the ludgwigias. I am also not sure about the right side at all. I am growing out a few different stems to see how I feel, but nothing is looking as I had imagined in my head quite yet. I'm not sure if it just needs a little growing time or what. The hygro pina....something sent off a bunch of runners that I didn't realize, so I sent some of those out packing to share with others.

I'm going to upload some macros later tonight. Something strange is happening with the repens 'rubin.' One stem is blood red and the other is more peachy. The peachy one looks healthy and I am thinking it was from the floaters covering the light. 

Oh, and the front of the glass is COVERED in GSA or GDA. I'm not sure, but it may be both. I need to pick up a scraper (thanks for the tip, peyton) when we go out shopping this week.


----------



## peyton

sewingalot said:


> Looking at the tank this evening just shows I have too many plant types again.


 Is that even possible? Too many? :hihi:

Seriously though I'm coming to the same conclusion with my tanks. I'm going to do a MAJOR trim next week if time permits. I'm growing a few plants emersed also so if I get rid of the submersed from the tanks I still technically "have" them so my collectoritis is happy.


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, I was thinking the same thing. I am setting up a emersed setup soon for myself as soon as I get a few extra dollars. I'm going to do Zapin's method with the shoe boxes and big container to get some of the plants out of the water and still have them just in case I want them again in the future in the tank. Do you have any pictures of your emersed setups?


----------



## peyton

I'm just growing them mostly in pots outside. Nothing fancy.

pogostemon stellatus 'broad leaf'. I came home the other day to find it wilted because I forgot to water it.









Hydrocotyle verticillata. SUPER easy to grow.









Marsilea quadrifolia. also super easy to grow.









didplis diandra. Not doing good at all.









These next few grow in or by my pond. Only plants native to the region btw.
Riccia









Ludwigia glandulosa









Ludwigia repens









I tried growing anubias outside but couldn't keep it wet enough. I have a small patch of HC also but it's growing slowly so far.


----------



## Karackle

Darn that collectoritis and its flare-ups! :hihi: Can't wait to see pics after the big trim! 

Peyton - it's always amazing to me how different the emersed growth looks than the submerged! Well, all but the hydrocotyle that is :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

That is really cool, peyton! You'll have to tell me how you started those out. Do you leave them out the whole summer? Too awesome. Have you found a source locally for finding plants yet? Everywhere I've looked is either protected or so turbid there are no more plants. Knowing me, I probably walk by them and don't even realize they are aquatic....ha!

Trim is going to have to wait. I sliced my finger....well thumb this morning like an idiot. Only I can make a cell phone cover dangerous. 

I did play around taking some pictures last night. So here (you get to see my GSA):


















Peek-a-boo









Pictures a little off color wise...whenever I get some money freed up, I think I'm going to take a photography class. :icon_mrgr



























One of the holes I caused in my sword with the tweezers as I mentioned. *sniff*









Emersed growth put back in water:









Look at those babies!









The other repens 'rubin' stem is paler in comparison thanks to all the floaters









Apono.....long....er, whatever and clinopodium brownei









Runners on the hairgrass already!









Frogbit picture for peyton









Visitor on the frogbit. I hate these gnats. They come out of the drains in the summer everywhere in the city and bite you. We called in a few plumbers throughout the years and they all told us it's part of living in this area with crappy sewer systems from the city. Nothing we can do. 









Emerald Eye Rasboras, my little ones being adorable


----------



## nonconductive

your tank is coming along quite nicely.


----------



## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> Trim is going to have to wait. I sliced my finger....well thumb this morning like an idiot. Only I can make a cell phone cover dangerous.


Awesome posts in the thread since my last visit! LOVE all the pictures on how the tank is pushing the top off with how everything is growing so great.

But most of all I couldn't believe what I was reading! OMG!!! Can some of us start a fund for a life insurance policy? Major medical at the very least! 

Oh and I am so NOT going to comment/suggest ideas on how you can build your own tank. You'd kill yourself! Can't afford to lose any buddies so quit this crap plz!


----------



## msjinkzd

You could add some hatchetfish which would LOVE those gnats


----------



## Karackle

YAY FOR PICTURES!!!! Thanks Sara, your pictures made my day!!! :biggrin: 

How DID you slice your finger on a cell phone case?! I'm sorry to hear about it! But I'm going to have to agree with Wkndracer, no moving around large pieces of glass to build a tank for you my dear! Not if you can manage to slice open your finger on a phone :hihi: And Wknd, I'd gladly contribute to that fund you mentioned! roud: 

REALLY cool shot of the GDA/GSA! I don't know why I like it so much, but it just looks really cool to me! All of those shots are really good, very crisp. You're too hard on yourself, I think you could teach a photo class! :biggrin: 

Bummer about the gnats though! From the drain, yikes! That's kinda creepy. At least it's not toilet monsters though! I like MsJinkzd idea though, hatchetfish could be cool!


----------



## nonconductive

Karackle said:


> At least it's not toilet monsters though!


 
tee-hee


----------



## sewingalot

LOL, how did the potty talk get over here? Only you and non-c would do such a thing. :icon_mrgr By the way, the gnats do like to surf in the toilet. So imagine getting bit all summer by sewer gnats. Ewwwwwwwwww. 

The brilliant thing of that incident was I went to pick up my cell and my thumbnail got caught between the plastic case and the phone and cut my finger under the nail bed. I had to pry it out of my finger. Ouchy. 

Here's the latest brilliant thing that happened to me for some giggles. I went in for a doctor's appointment yesterday and I should be safe there, right? Apparently not. They have this automated blood pressure cuff and by the time they let me go, I had six perfect little lines of bruises on my arm. Looks like cat scratches. :hihi:

Common, Mike. Give me some building tips! I'll sign a release of personal liability. roud: By the way, I read your post to the husband and he got quiet for a minute before saying, "He is a wise man." Haha, it seems I have a reputation for injuries.

Hatchet fish scare me, lol. I think they look like little demons like what gremlins pet fish would look like.  Funny, huh? Maybe I need to get a frog? He'd have a cute little lilly pad to hang on.

Kara, I agree with the GSA shots. It reminded me of green snow. 

Weird question, have any of you all used your non-dominant hand for reaching into the aquarium? It's weird trying to grab hold of plants. Just thought that was a neat little observation.


----------



## nonconductive

hmmm. my left arm almost always stays dry, unless its something heavy or im using 2 nets.


----------



## Rion

That's not such a ridiculous injury, one of my friends back in high school sliced his finger open on a bagel. 

The Bettas should get a kick out of those gnats, that is if they hang out near the top of the water otherwise most of your fish might take a swing at any gnats they see.

I use both hands when working in my tank.

Also your photography is doing quite well! Sometime I'll have the time to write up a post about photo-editing to correct color, white balance, etc; since you have little control about that on the camera side unless you fool around with the custom white balance setting but it's just easier to fix it on the computer.


----------



## nonconductive

Rion said:


> That's not such a ridiculous injury, one of my friends back in high school sliced his finger open on a bagel.


how in the world did that happen?


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> hmmm. my left arm almost always stays dry, unless its something heavy or im using 2 nets.


Try it out, it's hysterical. My depth perception was off for some reason, lol. So maybe it's just me.



nonconductive said:


> how in the world did that happen?


I want to now the same thing. LOL. Sounds like me and that guy need to stay far away from each other.



Rion said:


> That's not such a ridiculous injury, one of my friends back in high school sliced his finger open on a bagel.
> 
> The Bettas should get a kick out of those gnats, that is if they hang out near the top of the water otherwise most of your fish might take a swing at any gnats they see.
> 
> I use both hands when working in my tank.
> 
> Also your photography is doing quite well! Sometime I'll have the time to write up a post about photo-editing to correct color, white balance, etc; since you have little control about that on the camera side unless you fool around with the custom white balance setting but it's just easier to fix it on the computer.


You reminded me. I met up with peyton today to trade plants and such and we had to put a bucket in the back seat of the car and it moved the seat forward. I wasn't thinking and when I went to get in the seat, I busted my face on the door....teeth were bleeding most of the way up there. Can't win, I'm telling you. At least I didn't loose any. :icon_mrgr

The gnats are too smart. They sit on the floaters so they can't be seen below....although a moth feel in the water last week and the bettas were fighting over the wings. Gross. I would love to walk around covered with mosquito netting all summer if I wouldn't look ridiculous. 

Yes, please do a writeup for people like me. You helped me a lot with the picture taking, but this new camera won't allow fiddling with the white balance setting. Most of the time, I just leave it on Auto White Balance, because the others look too blue, yellow or red. I also have to turn the exposure down to get a decent picture. I'm excited just thinking about Rion's tutorial to picture fixin'.


----------



## chad320

Lookin nice still Sara!!!


----------



## sewingalot

Consistently had!!!!!!! I've missed you! Did you get the ole' computer fixed up or are you borrowing someones??? Glad to see you back.


----------



## chad320

I got mine fixed finally. I really missed all of you folk too  Glad to see your tank is doing good. Mine is not so good, but not terrible either.


----------



## sewingalot

I know you missed me! How couldn't you? Earl tells me at least once a week he wishes he'd have a chance to miss me.  Glad it is fixed. You know that I am expecting like a thousand pictures now, right?


----------



## Chaos_Being

Your tank is looking good, and your hygro definitely has a good home in mine now. I think I may end up having to move a few more of my plants now that I think about it though, especially one clump of java fern that is basically being eclipsed now


----------



## SkyGrl

*lurk lurk* jealous of your awesome tank and your great shots!!! your photo skills kill! :hihi: thats the only rhyme you get from me  

Amy


----------



## Karackle

Rion said:


> That's not such a ridiculous injury, one of my friends back in high school sliced his finger open on a bagel.





nonconductive said:


> how in the world did that happen?





sewingalot said:


> I want to now the same thing. LOL. Sounds like me and that guy need to stay far away from each other.


I also definitely need to hear more about this bagel slicing open someone's finger! 



sewingalot said:


> I wasn't thinking and when I went to get in the seat, I busted my face on the door....teeth were bleeding most of the way up there. Can't win, I'm telling you. At least I didn't loose any. :icon_mrgr


Hahahaha oh Sara, Sara, what are we going to do with you?



Rion said:


> Sometime I'll have the time to write up a post about photo-editing to correct color, white balance, etc; since you have little control about that on the camera side unless you fool around with the custom white balance setting but it's just easier to fix it on the computer.





sewingalot said:


> Yes, please do a writeup for people like me. You helped me a lot with the picture taking, but this new camera won't allow fiddling with the white balance setting. Most of the time, I just leave it on Auto White Balance, because the others look too blue, yellow or red. I also have to turn the exposure down to get a decent picture. I'm excited just thinking about Rion's tutorial to picture fixin'.


I also agree that a write-up would be awesome! :biggrin:


----------



## nonconductive

ouch! maybe you arent WV enough with all those pretty teeth.  

(glad you didnt lose any)


----------



## Rion

We don't know how he managed it, it wasn't even toasted. I think he said he caught the edge of the bagel or something, I don't know but it was hysterical at 7:00am.


----------



## Karackle

Rion said:


> We don't know how he managed it, it wasn't even toasted. I think he said he caught the edge of the bagel or something, I don't know but it was hysterical at 7:00am.


That is ridiculously amazing. I think it wins the "most ridiculous and unlikely way to cut open your finger prize" Sara - that is NOT a challenge to do better! :hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

Karackle said:


> Sara - that is NOT a challenge to do better! :hihi:


hahaha


----------



## orchidman

nice tank!


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> ouch! maybe you arent WV enough with all those pretty teeth.
> 
> (glad you didnt lose any)


Thanks....I think. lol. I have two good assets I am told, one of them being my smile. I have random people tell me that all the time (kind of creepy sometimes, haha). A big wig boss stopped by my desk one day and he was a grumpy old man. When I smiled up at him, he looked at me and smiled back. I think that was the first smile he'd done in years, cause you could hear the face crack. :hihi: After that he was always pleasant toward me and the others demanded to know my secret. 



Rion said:


> We don't know how he managed it, it wasn't even toasted. I think he said he caught the edge of the bagel or something, I don't know but it was hysterical at 7:00am.


Oh my!!!! That is hysterical. I can't even imagine topping that one. Earl wants to know if it was a Halloween bagel. :wink:



Karackle said:


> That is ridiculously amazing. I think it wins the "most ridiculous and unlikely way to cut open your finger prize" Sara - that is NOT a challenge to do better! :hihi:





nonconductive said:


> hahaha


Hush you too. Does walking into the bathroom door this morning count? I think Mike is right, I do need some accidental insurance. :help:



orchidman said:


> nice tank!


Thanks, Bob! I took out a bunch of plants and am about to move out some blyxa, so I need to update the picture and get some advice from all you lovely people.


----------



## orchidman

cant wait to see pics!!


----------



## Rion

Sara, honestly I don't know if the insurance companies could afford you.


----------



## macclellan

sewingalot said:


>


roud:


----------



## sewingalot

orchidman said:


> cant wait to see pics!!


Just for you, Bob. Everyone else - don't look. :wink:











Rion said:


> Sara, honestly I don't know if the insurance companies could afford you.


Hahahahaha, well, I will just show you the picture and let you see why the husband recently bought me these: http://www.aquacave.com/t5-waterproof-socket-end-cap-br1-pair-1223.html












macclellan said:


> roud:


Glad to see you Mac! And thanks. 

Really sad to report I killed one of my lillies and the other is MIA. I don't know what happened, but they never recovered when moved over. Melted like a crypt. Speaking of crypts, that is MIA as well. :confused1: I am dosing twice a week in this tank just for good measure. GSA was annoying me, so I finally scraped it off the front glass and left it on the other walls. Not a problem if I can see in the tank.

Need help on deciding whether or not to part ways with any of the other plants, especially the hygros and clinopodium. Thoughts?


----------



## orchidman

looks good! thanks for posting pics


----------



## wheezo

My 2 tanks... still growing back form a rescape/trim.


----------



## sewingalot

Nice tanks, wheezo. I think you should trim those rocks and send them to me. What's the fish in the box?

Edit: And thanks Bob. Glad someone likes the tank as much as I do.


----------



## wheezo

Sure thing, just pay for shipping. 

The fish is sadly... my test fish lol. I just cycled the tank for a month and he was my test fish lol. He survived and still kicking, want him too? =P


----------



## sewingalot

Aren't you just in a giving mood, lol. I should ask for stuff more often. :biggrin: I sure do hope that downoi and blyxa makes it to you alive. I'm feeling antsy about it.


----------



## wheezo

I definitely like giving. It's hard... to kill blyxa. But don't worry about it and I'll let you know when it comes.


----------



## sewingalot

A give and take type relationship, eh?  If it is all dead, I may cry. But I'll send you more when it's not a furnace out here. The temperature just gets hotter by the moment it seems. :/


----------



## VeeSe

Hope my tank can look anything like this in a year or so!


----------



## Karackle

Sara your tank is looking GORGEOUS! You know I love me the jungle look! Seeing tanks like this, and how fast they grow in and how lush they are ALMOST makes me want to go high tech....almost. But it's too much upkeep for me, I'm way too forgetful :hihi:

Also, I am SO glad your hubby bought you those water-proof end caps! PHEW! I'm still impressed by your wiring skills, I don't think I'd ever get the lights to turn on if I tried to wire things together myself :hihi:


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Hopefully I'll be able to send you some spiffy ricefish or something similar if my breeding project works out.


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> Just for you, Bob. Everyone else - don't look. :wink:


wooah!! (sorry i looked) but thats freakin awesome.


----------



## Karackle

nonconductive said:


> wooah!! (sorry i looked) but thats freakin awesome.


I fully concur!


----------



## peyton

sewingalot said:


> Really sad to report I killed one of my lillies and the other is MIA.


 There was a lily with the plants you gave me. Could that be your missing one?


----------



## sewingalot

VeeSe said:


> Hope my tank can look anything like this in a year or so!


You'll have one that looks even better! I bet you'll have me jealous soon enough. :biggrin:



Karackle said:


> Sara your tank is looking GORGEOUS! You know I love me the jungle look! Seeing tanks like this, and how fast they grow in and how lush they are ALMOST makes me want to go high tech....almost. But it's too much upkeep for me, I'm way too forgetful :hihi:
> 
> Also, I am SO glad your hubby bought you those water-proof end caps! PHEW! I'm still impressed by your wiring skills, I don't think I'd ever get the lights to turn on if I tried to wire things together myself :hihi:


Hahaha, that was a PAIN to put together, 32 different splices. I am going to have to find a way to lower the reflectors so that we can install them. And I need to take one to the hardware store to get the right gauge in wire. What a person will do to try not to electrocute themselves.



Cardinal Tetra said:


> Hopefully I'll be able to send you some spiffy ricefish or something similar if my breeding project works out.


That's awesome. Not for my sake, but I hope the breeding project works out for you!



nonconductive said:


> wooah!! (sorry i looked) but thats freakin awesome.





Karackle said:


> I fully concur!


Both of you peeked! Tsk, tsk. I can't take you anywhere, can I? LOL. Did you notice my glandulosa in the front is now completely green? Oops.



peyton said:


> There was a lily with the plants you gave me. Could that be your missing one?


:red_mouth Probably! Yay - I didn't kill them both! Glad you found it. Now I can stop looking for it, lol. When the other one just melted away like a crypt, and the other one must have noticed and jumped into that bag of plants when I wasn't looking...survival instinct and all. :icon_mrgr


----------



## orchidman

haha, survival instinct!


----------



## wheezo

sewingalot said:


> A give and take type relationship, eh?  If it is all dead, I may cry. But I'll send you more when it's not a furnace out here. The temperature just gets hotter by the moment it seems. :/


Yes, you give, I take. =P All the plants arrived just fine and ready to be stuffed into the tank. 

What type of fishes do you have in the tank? Oh, I looked too =P It's like when you tell a guy to look away... he just can't do it. lol


----------



## sewingalot

orchidman said:


> haha, survival instinct!


Plants are clever like that. roud:



wheezo said:


> Yes, you give, I take. =P All the plants arrived just fine and ready to be stuffed into the tank.
> 
> What type of fishes do you have in the tank? Oh, I looked too =P It's like when you tell a guy to look away... he just can't do it. lol


LOL, user.  Just wait until I coming begging for a return favor. :biggrin:

Yay for the plants! Now I don't have to cry. On to find out if the other guy got the plants in okay shape. I hope so.

2 betta bellicas
40ish emerald eye rasboras - (Rasbora dorsiocellata or now called Brevibora dorsiocellata)
12 Otos (don't even ask me to spell that)
and red claw shrimp (too lazy to look up the scientific name)
and one giant Siamese Algae Eater

Edit:

The lily I thought was dead was found under a ton of ludwigia repens! I must have been moved by the same shrimp that moved around the apono bulb. I'm excited!
Can you see him? :biggrin:









Didn't feel like getting the hands wet, so I just snapped a picture so I remember where to find it later.

Also, having some issues with phosphates. They keep bottoming out:









Don't know if I need to add something more to the soil or more water column dosing at this point. Really wishing I remembered to add those nutrients to the soil, lol. I'm going to start out by making some diy root tabs this week sometime and see if that helps first.


----------



## Karackle

YAY for the lily!!! 

bummer about the phosphates though, I know nothing about ferts though, so I have nothing to offer in the way of advice, sorry!


----------



## sewingalot

That's okay, Kara. I know just enough to be dangerous. The tank is already improving. I think it just needed a little time to get adjusted to mostly dirt ferts.

Wanna see a cool picture? I pulled up a few plants to leave floating until the morning (trying to get the dirt out of the roots before I send them off) and here is the tank mess.










Reminds me of a foggy day around here. Eerily beautiful. 









Having too good of a time watching the 'smoke' swirling around to do a water change just yet. It did prove to me that I'll really like putting tannins in this tank. I can't wait until they start showing up.


----------



## Gatekeeper

Wow! Look at all that plant mass though. Looks crazy. Thanks for the plants Sara!


----------



## sewingalot

Now you see why I'm getting rid of some plants.  No problem, you're doing me a favor. I'll get them to you in the morning. Here's hoping they survive. The goal is to move over the ludwigia inclinata from the 15 once it grows more. Can't wait. Right now, there is 7 types of ludwigias in the tank. I really like how they branch one establish.


----------



## Karackle

That is a REALLY cool shot of the dirt.....it does look like fog rolling in! Bummer so much dirt got stirred up though, I hope it clears up soon!


----------



## SkyGrl

what we need right now is a scary poem to go with all this dirt fog... AHEM... Sara im volenteering you because its your tank and your rhymes rock!

LOL 

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

I know, right? It's awesome. I'm sad because it already is settling. I was rather enjoying it thinking about the nights I used to drive my car around the mountains in fog. It's my favorite weather. Dangerous to drive in, but beautiful and stunning.

And sense I am feeling like crud, you'll get Poe's work tonight. 

Clears throat to cite _The Raven_:

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore--
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door--
Only this, and nothing more."
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;-- vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow-- sorrow for the lost Lenore--
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore--
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me-- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door--
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;--
This it is, and nothing more."
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"-- here I opened wide the door;--
Darkness there, and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore!"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"--
Merely this, and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice:
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore--
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;--
'Tis the wind and nothing more."
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door--
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door--
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore--
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning-- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door--
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."
But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered-- not a feather then he fluttered--
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "Other friends have flown before--
On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore--
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never-- nevermore'."
But the Raven still beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore--
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee-- by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite-- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore;
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!-- prophet still, if bird or devil!--
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted--
On this home by Horror haunted-- tell me truly, I implore--
Is there-- is there balm in Gilead?-- tell me-- tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil-- prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us-- by that God we both adore--
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore--
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting--
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!-- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted-- nevermore!


----------



## Karackle

hahaha PERFECT!


----------



## SkyGrl

awesome! lazy! i love being lazy

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

Lazy is grand, isn't it? I've had a nice, uneventful weekend. Well, it was very eventful, but I'll spare you all the details.

Yeah, uprooting a bunch of plants in dirt is a huge mess (right as usual, Mike). Didn't bother with a water change. I'll get to it on Tuesday....

Took out a ton of plants and pitched some, put some in a container outside and gave others away. Hairgrass 50% melted and is now coming back with runners. Put the bettas outside for the summer. That was a chore rounding them up. I'm hoping they help with our mosquito population from our neighbor's leaky gutter. :icon_smil










I had blyxa coming out of nowhere. I pitched over half of it and still have too much to deal with. Cut everything else back and will just let things cruise for a while. Probably last picture update for a few weeks, so sorry about the cloudy weather. 

It'll just impress you all more when I take a clearer updated shot. :wink:

If I can remember, I'll update the plant list in a few days. I just feel so puny that I could care less at the moment.


----------



## Karackle

woah! the jungle is gone!!! But I know you will have it back in no time :hihi: That is definitely some cloudy water! Can't wait to see the clear water follow up shot! :biggrin: 

Sorry to hear you are feeling down though! I might just have to make you a poem once my exams are done  

Glad to hear the hair grass is doing well! YAY! :biggrin: I want some updates on the pond too, (once there are updates to give)! roud:


----------



## SkyGrl

im excited that you are putting the bettas outside!!! i wish i could do that! arent you scared the neighborhood cats might get one? can i see some pics of the outdoor set up? ive never ever seen one! REALLY! this is the first Ive heard about it!! PLZ share for us cold candadians...  <3

your plants always look great.. even in spindly stages.. or during your nutrient starvation you tried... 

im going to try to get some shots on my ludwigia that i have trained to grow rather oddly.. well i really didnt do much, the flow off the filters pushes it softly.. it has a Y shaped stem.. one growing to one end and another growing to the other side.. it has become horizontal and is starting to shoot down roots.. now this just might be wishful thinking, but i hope that the roots grow into a root wall-ish thing. Then i can weave moss between the roots.. ill see at least if it could be done... 

ok ive rambled lol.. SORRY! 

Sara i consider this a picture exchange (P.E.) :hihi:

Amy


----------



## dysorder

I just spent around 2 and a half hours watching the progress of this tank. Absolutely amazing I must say. To think this started as a clumb of dying java moss and plastic plants. Your trials and tribulations are an inspiration. I can only hope to gain half the success with my tank that you have had with yours.


----------



## wkndracer

hoping you feel better


----------



## chad320

Hey Sara!!! The tanks looking most awesome!!! Im still having issues with busy-ness. Im sure ill talk to you in the next few days. Miss all of you and GREAT JOB on the tank!!!


----------



## mscichlid

Trying to catch up on reading this thread! Great evolution and progress.


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> woah! the jungle is gone!!! But I know you will have it back in no time :hihi: That is definitely some cloudy water! Can't wait to see the clear water follow up shot! :biggrin:
> 
> Sorry to hear you are feeling down though! I might just have to make you a poem once my exams are done
> 
> Glad to hear the hair grass is doing well! YAY! :biggrin: I want some updates on the pond too, (once there are updates to give)! roud:


Water is cleared up and I am not sure I like the layout. I am telling myself to not touch anything and give it some time. Isn't that we tell each other when we grumble? :icon_mrgr

Eh, I'll be fine in a few days. I'm just grumpy I think from the exercise. I've been working out again and it's seeming to make me feel worse. I'm so out of shape....lol.

Looking forward to the poem. 



SkyGrl said:


> im excited that you are putting the bettas outside!!! i wish i could do that! arent you scared the neighborhood cats might get one? can i see some pics of the outdoor set up? ive never ever seen one! REALLY! this is the first Ive heard about it!! PLZ share for us cold candadians...  <3
> 
> your plants always look great.. even in spindly stages.. or during your nutrient starvation you tried...
> 
> im going to try to get some shots on my ludwigia that i have trained to grow rather oddly.. well i really didnt do much, the flow off the filters pushes it softly.. it has a Y shaped stem.. one growing to one end and another growing to the other side.. it has become horizontal and is starting to shoot down roots.. now this just might be wishful thinking, but i hope that the roots grow into a root wall-ish thing. Then i can weave moss between the roots.. ill see at least if it could be done...
> 
> ok ive rambled lol.. SORRY!
> 
> Sara i consider this a picture exchange (P.E.) :hihi:
> 
> Amy


Just for you, Amy. :icon_mrgr Isn't it lovely (not)?



















As far as the spindly plants versus over fed: Rubisco. I'm a firm believer in making plants earn their place in the world and not pampering them with excessive nutrients to take up whenever they feel like it. It is my belief after many experiments that fat lazy plants do not recover to periods of starvation and algae as quickly as toughened plants. Kind of like when you take a plant from the greenhouse to the dirt. You have to harden them to the weather first or they'll die. Same principle and pure speculation on my part, but it works for me.



dysorder said:


> I just spent around 2 and a half hours watching the progress of this tank. Absolutely amazing I must say. To think this started as a clumb of dying java moss and plastic plants. Your trials and tribulations are an inspiration. I can only hope to gain half the success with my tank that you have had with yours.


You poor thing! Must have been incredibly bored, eh? I am glad that you felt inspired. I can guarantee you'll have much success with your tank and if you do have downfalls, you can always talk to me. (I've screwed up just about everything there is to screw up in the aquatic world. I could tell you about my pre-plant days when our 55 gallon broke at the seam and emptied water onto the floor in a few minutes, the invisible George that survived a broken vase, a cat and other mishaps. And our poor oscar and his disease.) Anyway, my point is just jump in and ride the waves. I have no doubt that you'll have fun if you ignore the experts that tell you everything is supposed to be easy. Expect the bumps in the road and you'll be much happier for it is my motto.



wkndracer said:


> hoping you feel better


Thanks, Mike! I feel better just having you say so. :thumbsup: Remind me to tell you about my latest mishap with tools. It involves hitting myself in the chest with a hammer, lol. :icon_mrgr



chad320 said:


> Hey Sara!!! The tanks looking most awesome!!! Im still having issues with busy-ness. Im sure ill talk to you in the next few days. Miss all of you and GREAT JOB on the tank!!!


Chad! Glad you are stopping by. I expect a full update when you are less busy! 



mscichlid said:


> Trying to catch up on reading this thread! Great evolution and progress.


People read this thread? I'm amazed at that idea. Even I don't read half of what I write.  Honestly, that makes me feel happy. Thanks for reading or even glancing at pictures. It gives me joy.

OH! I almost forgot! Updated plant list:
Ludwigia brevipes
Ludwigia repens 'rubin'
Ludwigia repens
Ludwigia lacustris
Ludwigia glandulosa
Ludwigia repens x arcuata
Ludwigia arcuata (small stems hiding in front of repens)
Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'cuba' (ditto)
Aponogeton longiplumulosus
Lagarosiphon madagascariensis (will be switched with the ludwigia inclinata shortly)
Eleocharis sp 'belem'
Ranalisma rostrata (just here for now to grow out some)
Blyxa japonica
Echinodorus kleiner prinz
Echinodorus ozelot
Echinodorus parviflorus (hiding behind the blyxa)
Nymphea stellata (somewhere hiding)
Nymphoides sp. taiwan (a baby plantlet that didn't get to the 'pond')
Polygonum sp 'Kawagoeanum'
Hygrophilia 'pinnatifida'
Microsorum pteropus sp 'get shorty' (sorry, I don't know what this is called exactly)


Any questions?


----------



## chad320

I see you havent shaken the collectoritis bug yet :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> I see you havent shaken the collectoritis bug yet :hihi:


Tell me about it. It's better, but not by much.....especially since I just noticed I also have

Polygonum cowabunga
Java fern, the little guy
and 
watcha call that stem again? 

So basically, the list is larger still. I'll look up names later and update it. For now, I don't feel like it. LOL.


----------



## chad320

Haha, I hear ya. I just seperated my collectoritis out into different tanks


----------



## sewingalot

I tried so hard to get rid of species! I now lump all the ludwigias together as one to feel better.


----------



## chad320

Yeah, im down to about 5-6 species of stems. And only 2 of 9 tanks have them so I did good getting rid of stems. But the moss and Crypt fever got me so it still isnt going so well


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, I finally forced my self to get rid of my 20 gallon (gave it to neighbor's kids) and thought I'd par down that way. Then I do this really stupid thing and set up the tub outdoors. Just gave me an excuse to keep plants.... How many mosses do you own now?


----------



## chad320

I think last count was 11. HAHA!!! on the pond. The collectoritis gets me there too  I have 3 floater ponds. Guess what? I have 13 different kinds of floaters,lol. Want some for your pond?


----------



## Karackle

heeheeehee I love the pond! The plants certainly seem to like it!!! And because it's outside, you can pretend those plants don't count toward collectoritis because outdoor ponds are a different category that indoor fish tanks :hihi: roud:

Glad to hear the tank has cleared up too!  But i think you are right, despite being not thrilled with the layout, leave it be for a little while, see how it grows in, and give the dirt a chance to settle completely :hihi:


----------



## SkyGrl

awe so cool!!!! i want to be able to have a betta pond in the summer.. time to move south... LOL thanks for the great update sara! no to nap with my newly aquired food baby... 

Amy


----------



## Karackle

eh-hem....

I promised a poem to cheer you up some
now lets see if I can make one that's fun
with words and phrases it's sometimes hard
but i've recently fancied myself a bard
I suppose that is not entirely true
but i thought it might bring a smile to you
after all, you know, it is all your doing
inside my head these poems are now brewing
you started me off with convincing NonC
that pics of his tank we wanted to see
then something happened, turned on in my brains
and now i enjoy writing these silly refrains
so now I write them to amuse you my friend
I hope you don't tell me you want it to end
because I rather enjoy it but as you must know
without an audience away they will go 
but I think they bring smiles and maybe cheer
so on i'll go writing and post my thoughts here
I'll write for all reasons, whether to take a frown
and hopefully change it so you don't feel down 
or to convince someone else, or possibly you
that i love seeing pictures, that's really true
or simply because I get the compulsion
to write about fish, or jet propulsion 
or simply for the joy of writing these verses 
as it's quite an exercise to write without curses
so whatever the reason, unless you tell me to cease
i'll keep writing these things as much as i please
and post them on here for your reading pleasure
but do take your time, as it's all for leisure
I hope that this helped to bring you some grins
because if it did then i'll say, that wins!


----------



## sewingalot

LOVE it, Kara! Too cute of a poem and I always welcome creativity of any kind. I feel tons better already.  Speaking of creativity, I have gotten a TON of compliments on the jewelry you gave me. I caught my mom trying to _borrow _the green necklace, lol. I am so begging for more jewelry in the future, so beware. 

Plants seem to be doing well with dirt and turface, eh? Pretty nice. Tragic news. My husband woke me up the other day to let me know the male jumped out of the water despite it being lowered a good 3 inches and didn't make it.  I felt terrible and still do. He went ahead and moved the female back to the 55, so the endlers are by themselves in the tub. They show no interest in jumping and seem to be content. What a sad event and I feel completely responsible. I should have taken more precautions. What is depressing is the fact I'll never find another mate for the female. These fish are impossible to locate everywhere I've looked. And she is hiding in the tank more than ever. I think she is lonely.  I'm a heel. It's days like this I feel like throwing in the towel. I really hate when fish die. Especially if it was preventable like this one. Sorry, CT. I am a cad. 

On the news of the 55 - I updated the plant list in the previous post of mine. I finally looked up the names. And the inclinata is looking great in the 15 gallon. I'm letting it grow a little longer before moving it over. I was thinking I'll keep a stem in the 15 just in case. Fast becoming a favorite plant.


----------



## Karackle

Heeheehee I'm glad you liked the poem! I do what I can :-D Also, you are welcome to ask for jewelry any time, I love making jewelry but there are only so many pieces I can wear myself.  And since I don't really have any plants you want (because you gave most of them to me :hihi I'm more than happy to do trades with jewelry, or make jewelry at your request whenever roud: 

I'm SO sorry to hear about your male Betta Sara!!! You tried to prevent that from happening, you knew it had rained so you made sure to lower the water level, I know it's hard and nothing I say will make you feel much better, but try not to blame yourself, you DID think about it and try to prevent it. WHY do bettas jump?! they are fish. Aren't they supposed to want to stay IN the water?! 

On the other hand, I'm glad you got the lady safely inside before she followed suit. Sigh. Don't throw in the towel though!!! Your tanks are lovely and your fish are happy! 

Also, yes, the plants definitely seem to be enjoying the dirt and turface! roud:


----------



## nonconductive

sorry about the betta sara


----------



## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> better, but not by much.....especially since I just noticed I also have
> 
> Polygonum cowabunga
> 
> So basically, the list is larger still. I'll look up names later and update it. For now, I don't feel like it. LOL.


*Polygonum cowabunga* ahhh :tongue: a new common name,,, I luv it! Thats what mine is now (ty) opps that was mine sorry LOL

Sorry to read about the suicide fish  had a couple of those here too.

and don't fret about looking up water weed names just make up a couple new ones,,, if enough of us use the new handle they get a name change anyway roud:


----------



## nonconductive

wkndracer said:


> and don't fret about looking up water weed names just make up a couple new ones,,, if enough of us use the new handle they get a name change anyway roud:


haha im just going to start making up words for them.


----------



## Church

That poem was very Shel Silverstein, Kara. I like it a lot!

Sara, I'm sorry about your fish. My heart goes out to you and him, in fishie heaven.


----------



## Karackle

wkndracer said:


> and don't fret about looking up water weed names just make up a couple new ones,,, if enough of us use the new handle they get a name change anyway roud:


I totally agree, especially when you come up with awesome names like *Polygonum cowabunga* hahahaha AMAZING! :biggrin:



nonconductive said:


> haha im just going to start making up words for them.


We'll revolutionize the planted tank world by replacing boring plant names with AWESOME ones like _Cryptocoryne velocirapticus_ 
(let's face it....Cryptocoryne is pretty cool sounding as is.....and if we start changing the genus names, it might be harder to sell, but if keep the genus and change the species name i think we have a pretty good shot :hihi



Church said:


> That poem was very Shel Silverstein, Kara. I like it a lot!


Thank you very much! I think Shel Silverstein influences a lot of my poetical stylings, at least subconsciously, because I used to read his poetry books over and over as a kid, but other than Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss, I was never much into any other poetry accept the odd shakespearean sonnet and a few other individual poems.


----------



## sewingalot

You all are fantastic, do you know that? Know how to put a smile to this gal's face. Just for that, I'll share a few pictures:










Don't ask.....









If I feel up to it, I'll update the after shot. The repens is fast overtaking my tank. I am going to remove it from the 55 and put it in an emersed setup to see if I can flower it again.


----------



## nonconductive

looks great sara, but whats going on in the 2nd pic? yea yea i asked....


----------



## sewingalot

I don't like repens anymore. I had a war with the plant. I refuse to let it take over the tank, and it doesn't listen. This is worse than any other plant I've owned as far as not behaving......


----------



## SkyGrl

looking good. your plants look so healthy.. oooo revamp!!!! i was thinking i should make some drastic changes in the 15... then i thought about how much work that entails and i decided against it! :hihi:

Amy


----------



## .Mko.

whoa the last time i saw this tank it was mural of algae its really starting to shape up into a beautiful tank. love the blyxa =) looks great . And that sword is looking nice and healthy


----------



## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> I don't like repens anymore. I had a war with the plant. I refuse to let it take over the tank, and it doesn't listen. This is worse than any other plant I've owned as far as not behaving......


haha (sorry)


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> I don't like repens anymore. I had a war with the plant. I refuse to let it take over the tank, and it doesn't listen. This is worse than any other plant I've owned as far as not behaving......


 
you wanted it! lol


----------



## peyton

sewingalot said:


> I don't like repens anymore. I had a war with the plant. I refuse to let it take over the tank, and it doesn't listen. This is worse than any other plant I've owned as far as not behaving......


 Ever try guppy grass? It's a nightmare. I'm still trying to get rid of it :icon_evil. Potamogeton gayi gave me a lot of trouble also.


----------



## wkndracer

nonconductive said:


> you wanted it! lol


YUP! YUP! you ask and your friends provide









and the smiles are free anytime :tongue:


----------



## Karackle

Tank is looking great! Sorry you're fighting with the repens, but I bet your pond would enjoy it! :biggrin: 

I can't help thinking "poor Sara, she's so good at growing pretty plants they are trying to take over her tank.....such a tough life" :hihi: <3 ya lady! :biggrin:


----------



## Rion

Sara I have the same problem with moss, it gets everywhere and if a little strand is left it explodes and take over a sizable section of tank in a few days (slow grower my butt!). Same thing with anubias _nana_, I hack off 3-5 5" sections every week from my 20 gallon. Plants best learn to behave!


----------



## sewingalot

Rion, what do you think of my two shots? The first one was with Gimp and the second one was without! I think it really takes out the white wash without making things look falsely red or blue now! You are too awesome to have posted that tutorial! I still need to work on it a bit, but making the over exposure go away is fantastic. 

Haha, guppy grass is awful. I had it over take a tank in a week. Worse than hornwort covered in duckweed I say. 

And non-c and wknd- I did ask for it, didn't I? Repens is like chicken pox without the scratchies. :hihi: It's growing in places I know I didn't put it. 

Mko - I love that phrase "Mural of Algae." I'm stealing that one. There is still a bit of GSA and a tiny bit of fuzz algae cropped up because my powerhead that diffuses the co2 decided to stop sticking to the wall and is cockeyed at the moment blowing straight up. Oops. So don't worry, algae always is welcome to visit, just not redecorate.

Amy! What are your plans?????? I'm excited!


----------



## Karackle

ooooh there's a tutorial?! where?!


----------



## SkyGrl

i may take out my christmas moss rocks and put them in my 20 gallon. then im hacking the ludwigia down and cancelling the moss wall. i dont think it will work and bah! i am impaitent.. im gunna pick up some new plants i think.. not sure what yet but i want to stuff the tank.. mwhahahaha! ill basically just go to Natures corner and pick out the plants i want. with my light i think i can grow most anything... lol it will be a mighty change. 

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> ooooh there's a tutorial?! where?!


http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals-photo-album/139871-gimp-photo-editing-tutorial.html :smile:



SkyGrl said:


> i may take out my christmas moss rocks and put them in my 20 gallon. then im hacking the ludwigia down and cancelling the moss wall. i dont think it will work and bah! i am impaitent.. im gunna pick up some new plants i think.. not sure what yet but i want to stuff the tank.. mwhahahaha! ill basically just go to Natures corner and pick out the plants i want. with my light i think i can grow most anything... lol it will be a mighty change.
> 
> Amy


Nice! I like the new plans. Hahaha, I gave up on my moss walls for the same reason. I don't know Kara's secret. I feel like sending her some $$$ to grow one for me. LOL. Looking forward to the operation fix a new tank!


----------



## nonconductive

wkndracer said:


> YUP! YUP! you ask and your friends provide
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and the smiles are free anytime :tongue:


lol


----------



## Rion

The picture looks really good, I'm glad you got some use out of the GIMP tutorial. I didn't even notice that this tank thread was in the toolbar when I was doing screen shots, I had to chuckle when you pointed it out. I'll have to grab my wife's point and shoot cameras and make a tutorial on taking photographs next.


----------



## Karackle

thanks for the link Sara!!! roud:


----------



## sewingalot

This _oto _be a fun post. I crack myself up.



















The SAE thinks he's a giant oto. They are always hanging out together now. It's cute to see the otos cleaning him. 



























Is this safe to eat?









Proof that otos eat more than algae, this is a krill wafer









Random picture of the prinz









If you look closely, you can see my handy dandy algae cropping up. I did a microscopic slide of it and I'll post it later to reveal what this "hair" algae is. 









Ocelot is liking the room from the thinned out ludwigias.









Party at lacustris street!









Little girl is digging up a storm in this corner.









When I grow up, I wanna be just like Mom!


----------



## nonconductive

those sure are some plump otos!


----------



## sewingalot

"What you talking about Willis?" I'm not plump, it's the camera. It adds 10 grams. :hihi:









My little algae machines. The biggest is a girl, she's fat full of eggs. I'll try to get a close up of


----------



## nonconductive

sorry mrs garret!


----------



## orchidman

i love otos!


----------



## binders

Love your otos. Wish I had as much luck with them as you do. They look so happy.


----------



## SkyGrl

i love the mom picture!!!! cute cute! im gunna be a big girl.


----------



## Karackle

heeheehee love the oto shots!!! And that certainly is one plump (from eggs of course) mama!!! :biggrin: Love the pic of momma and the little one too :hihi:

Plants are looking good too! roud: FTS? :biggrin:


----------



## msjinkzd

they look like they are loving your tank!


----------



## SkyGrl

Can you see how I adore you?
Bliss brings lovelight to my eyes
You speak ~ I hear a symphony
Flowers dance, the bluebird flies.

When first we met, I just knew
No other soulmate could there be
To settle deep within my heart
And cherish its key eternally.

Playing our parts for all to see...
We are "Sylvia and Dante Rossetti"
Whene'er we talk, where'er we walk
Moon and stars sprinkle confetti.

Bliss brings lovelight, never gloom
Shall we dance where roses bloom?

Amy
i <3 you

i decided to up the creep factor :hihi:


----------



## chad320

The ottos are nice but holy WOW!!! Look at those lampeyes. Lookin great in there and im super jealous! I love the placement of the swords too. They look so fat and happy  Its nice to check back in and see some pics for a post  You tank is looking fantastico!!!


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> sorry mrs garret!


Hahaha!



orchidman said:


> i love otos!


Me too! They are quite happy in my tank full of algae. :tongue:



binders said:


> Love your otos. Wish I had as much luck with them as you do. They look so happy.


My luck is buying from msjinkzd. Before that, I've bought over 30 otos and only 4 survived. Every single oto from her is swimming fat and happy. :icon_smil



SkyGrl said:


> i love the mom picture!!!! cute cute! im gunna be a big girl.


Me, too. It was is favorite picture.



Karackle said:


> heeheehee love the oto shots!!! And that certainly is one plump (from eggs of course) mama!!! :biggrin: Love the pic of momma and the little one too :hihi:
> 
> Plants are looking good too! roud: FTS? :biggrin:


For you, Kara, anything :biggrin::











msjinkzd said:


> they look like they are loving your tank!


I want 500 more now. 



SkyGrl said:


> Can you see how I adore you?
> Bliss brings lovelight to my eyes
> You speak ~ I hear a symphony
> Flowers dance, the bluebird flies.
> 
> When first we met, I just knew
> No other soulmate could there be
> To settle deep within my heart
> And cherish its key eternally.
> 
> Playing our parts for all to see...
> We are "Sylvia and Dante Rossetti"
> Whene'er we talk, where'er we walk
> Moon and stars sprinkle confetti.
> 
> Bliss brings lovelight, never gloom
> Shall we dance where roses bloom?
> 
> Amy
> i <3 you
> 
> i decided to up the creep factor :hihi:


Joyce Hemsley, nice touch. I <3 you, too. LOL But _to up the creep factor_, you'll have to do better than that. I may have sent you something equally creepy in return on your facebook wall. :wink:



chad320 said:


> The ottos are nice but holy WOW!!! Look at those lampeyes. Lookin great in there and im super jealous! I love the placement of the swords too. They look so fat and happy  Its nice to check back in and see some pics for a post  You tank is looking fantastico!!!


These aren't lampeyes, they are emerald eye rasboras. Much easier to care for and lovely.










I'll get more pictures up in a while. Right now, I'm supposed to be cleaning the house some more. By the next time you and the wife visit, wknd Mike, you'll think we moved. :hihi:


----------



## msjinkzd

Thanks for the kind words about the otos. FYI, I do have 500 more  Have a new import of them cleared qt and eating their brains out


----------



## SkyGrl

Great FTS!! your tank looks amazing!!!!!

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

msjinkzd said:


> Thanks for the kind words about the otos. FYI, I do have 500 more  Have a new import of them cleared qt and eating their brains out


Same goes for the rasboras. Not a single death (let's hope it stays that way). And don't tempt me on the otos! If I ever hit it rich, I'm getting like 125 gallon full of just otos. :wink:



SkyGrl said:


> Great FTS!! your tank looks amazing!!!!!
> 
> Amy


Thanks, Amy. In person, it's a mess....just ask Mike when he gets home. Got a little bit of BGA problem showing up. Just bought some EM to help clear it up. But then I remembered that I have shrimp and never found out if it is shrimp safe. :help:


----------



## Chaos_Being

I really like that apogeteon (spelling?) that you have there...makes me want one, but I'd have to yank something out of my tank to make room :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Yeah, I didn't think I'd like it so well, but it's such an awesome little plant (well giant plant). You'll need quite a bit of room, the thing is now 1/3 across the tank, but the fish seem to like it's drape. 

Lots of changes. Got to meet Mike (wkndracer) and his wife this past week. That was a blast. You all should be jealous, he scaled a steep hillside to pick me some water weeds. Turns out it's not aquatic (American Water-willow or Justicia americana), but it bloomed some very gorgeous flowers.










So it's now happily growing outdoors and I still have a plant from Mikie. :hihi:

Oh, and I got some electric advice from him while he was in so I was able to rewire the tank up with a switch. However, after taking a lot of time to rewire the tank for the new waterproof sockets and causing a leak with a Cereges reactor (small one - needs a different part), I decided to leave the switch off. I just didn't feel like having another part to go wrong. They are plugged into a timer and a power strip, so I'm good until I decide whether or not to hook up a switch later on.

So this is why I redid the wiring:




































And this was broken when I first purchased the light. Between this, the fact the original wiring wasn't up to code, and the fact the ballasts weren't grounded as they clearly made apparent this was needed, I am glad I redid the whole fixture now.




























Now. Looks much better, doesn't it? And I did 99% of this myself. Earl checked it to make sure I didn't blow myself (or the house) up and cut a few pieces of wood to remount the light on since the water proof sockets were 1 1/4 inch off the canopy. This actually helps keep things cooler too. I am now using 3 bulbs.





































1. Don't talk about her stretch marks, she's already uncomfortable being pregnant in the summertime. 2. Yes, her vent is showing and no, she's not sick. After two days in the dark, I've found she is now skinnier and there are no signs of eggs. I'm almost positive the betta and other fish got to them. That or she reabsorbed them.


















Got a lot of flow and the stupid water still has a milky skim coat on it. 









There was a lot of debris flying around and dead plants due to only having 1 28 watt T5 and 1 54 watt T5HO. Add that to the two and half days of darkness and you get this:






























































































































Random shrimper pictures, he was coming up for a flake of food. He's more adventurous than ever.






















































Added more iron and all I got was more algae. Explain this to me? Collected samples to determine what kind



























All cleared up and ready to start repairing itself.


----------



## chad320

Looks good. Man that shrimp is HUGE. Is he leaving everything alone? I hope you have finally settled on your lighting. It only took two short years  And you sure do have some clean thumbs for digging in the dirt all the time :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

He's a pussycat, truly. The otos will clean him off from time to time. They get into squabbles with each other during dinner, but after that, they usually are too busy exploring the tank for something to do. 

I really thought you were going to make fun of my tiny digits at first. I think I grew up and my hands didn't.  Thanks, I think. Haha. Strange compliment, Chad. 

Oh, and it was nearly 2 years, time flies when your screwing up things. How's that for commitment? LMAO!


----------



## chad320

Tiny hands? You really should hold your plants for sale in your hands when you take a pic then. Itll make your plants look GIANT :hihi: Love all of the pics. I need to quit being lazy and get up a whole string of pics like you do. Thanks!!!


----------



## sewingalot

Hahaha, I like that idea, Chad. It totally would fool some, wouldn't it? :hihi: My great grandma gave them to me. I couldn't play a piano, that's for sure. I actually have a bunch of other pictures I need to put up, but I'm too lazy to sort through them. I'm having a hard time getting the color right, so I'm not even bothering anymore to try to make them presentable for now.


----------



## nonconductive

glad you got the light worked out.

in the 19th pic from the top, that haze on the surface, is that scum?


----------



## sewingalot

Iron and sulfur bacteria. It's lovely. Creates bubbles, and has a white film on the water surface. Even with the water churning, it's still there, just moved. Comes out of the tap like that. In our toilets, we have this nice black ring that develops constantly from it. If you pour a glass of water and let it settle a few minutes, you'll see it as well. I try to filter out as much as possibly, but it's still there in smaller amounts.

Some of it actually looks and feels like algae. In fact, I am finding the more I investigate my algae in the 55 gallon, most is a bacteria and diatoms. Very little actual algae besides 6 trillion diatoms.

Here's a nice picture detailing iron bacteria (black twisty stuff), the sulfur bacteria (some red strands), algae and critters floating on the top of the tank. I just gathered a bit of the water in a dropper and placed it on a slide. I have tons of upclose and personal photos to share if I could ever get motivated to upload them all.










More information if you are interested:
http://www.environmentalleverage.com/cooling tower lab services.htm

I know, more than you actually wanted to know. So yes, it is scum. LOL


----------



## nonconductive

wow thanks for all the info.

i wish i had a microscope.


----------



## sewingalot

You ever want anything looked at (algae, water and such), send it my way....except nematodes and leaches. I made that mistake and had a nightmare for two days of the little pulsing bodies chasing me. :hihi: I'm actually tempted to put up a want to buy for algae so I have more to inspect. I've slaughtered all but the driftwood algae for my experiments.

By the way, newer bottles of excel seem to be less potent. I've now tried two different ones in comparison to one give to me by peyton, and the older bottle is much stronger. Walked around with a buzz from excel for a week or so now. All in the name of algae loving. 

I much prefer hydrogen peroxide (new containers). Confirmed by many scientific articles as a great way to 'clean' algae such as diatoms: 

http://www.jstor.org/pss/3226387

http://micrap.selfip.com:81/micrapp/cleandiatoms.pdf

I've got pictures of all this if you are interested, I'll take the time to post it next week with my 'findings.' This is my obsession. I am tired of the simple answers to algae. It's proving to be much more complicated than people want to believe.


----------



## peyton

sewingalot said:


> By the way, newer bottles of excel seem to be less potent. I've now tried two different ones in comparison to one give to me by peyton, and the older bottle is much stronger.


 Maybe it's because it sat in my closet for so long? I thought I read somewhere it was a type of alcohol (?).


----------



## Chaos_Being

That shrimp is a BEAST now. I'm surprised that he is leaving your fish alone...I guess that particular macrobrachium species really is less onery (I love that word) than most of the others.


----------



## sewingalot

peyton said:


> Maybe it's because it sat in my closet for so long? I thought I read somewhere it was a type of alcohol (?).


Maybe it fermented and is stronger? All I know is yours is doing great at killing algae and the two newer (much smaller) bottles suck at it. I'm wondering if they made it weaker?



Chaos_Being said:


> That shrimp is a BEAST now. I'm surprised that he is leaving your fish alone...I guess that particular macrobrachium species really is less onery (I love that word) than most of the others.


Isn't he? I'd say he's closer to 5 inches. The female betta is more of a pest toward other fish than he is. He likes to show his dominance when eating, but for the most part is very tolerant of everyone. Still freaks me out a bit. :icon_cool


----------



## msjinkzd

I have some algaes I could send you  I culture a TON of different types (don't ask me what they are!) to feed wild caught fish and shrimp and would be happy to try and share some. Just holler!


----------



## orchidman

i culture algae too! just not on purpose!


----------



## Karackle

WOAH! It's been way too long since I commented! Things are getting busy in the lab these days and I've been busy at home too! 

Tank is looking great! Thanks for the FTS a while back that I requested, you're the best! And now I REALLY need to get those baby fish pics up for you! And pics of my other tanks too. The problem in the summer is that it gets dark so late, by the time it's dark enough to take good pictures I don't have the energy anymore :hihi: but for you, I'll get them!  

Did you take that iron algae picture?


----------



## sewingalot

msjinkzd said:


> I have some algaes I could send you  I culture a TON of different types (don't ask me what they are!) to feed wild caught fish and shrimp and would be happy to try and share some. Just holler!


HOLLER! Haha, you know I want some now.  I never pass up algae. 



orchidman said:


> i culture algae too! just not on purpose!


That's how it starts, and then one day you learn to love it. :hihi:



Karackle said:


> WOAH! It's been way too long since I commented! Things are getting busy in the lab these days and I've been busy at home too!
> 
> Tank is looking great! Thanks for the FTS a while back that I requested, you're the best! And now I REALLY need to get those baby fish pics up for you! And pics of my other tanks too. The problem in the summer is that it gets dark so late, by the time it's dark enough to take good pictures I don't have the energy anymore :hihi: but for you, I'll get them!
> 
> Did you take that iron algae picture?


Hi Kara! Long time no post.  Glad you are staying busy. It would suck if you weren't.

Hahaha on the pictures. I completely understand that. I'm too lazy to even upload my pictures from my pc to photobucket. I need to update my algae thread, but I don't feel like converting video to frames to photos to uploading. How sad, huh?

Iron algae picture that was posted? Yup sir. Getting better, no? I <3 my microscope. Best gift ever received. :thumbsup:


----------



## orchidman

now that i think about it, its a pretty green!


----------



## kangared

I'm sorry if this repeat question, but what species is that giant sword. Or is it a lily species. It looks huge! Btw, thank you for inadvertent plant id (American Water Willow). There's big thickets of it in the river by me and I've been wondering for ages. The minnows love hiding in them.


----------



## sewingalot

See, Bob? Already getting a new convert. :hihi:

It's supposed to be a red ozelot, but I am wondering if it's a green. Either way, it's lovely. (I am assuming you are talking about the large sword on the left of the tank?)

Glad I could help you on the water willow. It took me a few hours of forensic googling to find it out after it bloomed. I was excited to find out the id after investing that much time.


----------



## orchidman

uh oh! i guess this is how it all starts!


----------



## sewingalot

Yup, sir.

Here are some pictures of the 'pond.'


















































































Plants are growing well in the green pea soup, and fish are breeding, no ferts added. Neighbor cat keeps trying to fish them out. And bugs are snacking on my floating plants (jerks).

(Now since I changed my tank title for a moment, let's see who can find it :icon_mrgr)


----------



## nonconductive

you think you can hide?


----------



## VeeSe

Found it. Suga shack can't hide.


----------



## 10gallonplanted

Ohh I can get you some funky blueish algae off of my non planted tank or in my pond.


----------



## 10gallonplanted

Or some salt water algae. Or both.


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> you think you can hide?


I sure can try. I feel like such a liar having it called _suga shack_ with no baby fish to show. So I snapped a few pictures of my pond. LOL.



VeeSe said:


> Found it. Suga shack can't hide.


Oh, well. I gave it a go. Let's see if Kara can find me. 



10gallonplanted said:


> Ohh I can get you some funky blueish algae off of my non planted tank or in my pond.





10gallonplanted said:


> Or some salt water algae. Or both.


Oh! That sounds awesome. Do you think you could put some of each in a baggie and ship it first class? I'll be glad to pay shipping costs! Send me a pm later if so! The more algae to inspecti_gate_, the better. roud:


----------



## orchidman

im subscribed so i foudn you fine!

remind me again what your breeding?


----------



## peyton

Dang, you got me. Took me a while to figure out you changed the title lol. 

I been thinking about doing a "porch pond" myself. I got a nice 30gal tub and a powerhead last summer but never got around to it.


----------



## kangared

sewingalot said:


> See, Bob? Already getting a new convert. :hihi:
> 
> It's supposed to be a red ozelot, but I am wondering if it's a green. Either way, it's lovely. (I am assuming you are talking about the large sword on the left of the tank?)


Yep that's the one, never seen a green one. And what now, am I new convert to the Church of Algae? :icon_smil


----------



## latnem

Hi Sewing cool stuff in this thread 

Question - Does your gigantic SAE pictured a few pages back still eat tank algae?


----------



## Bahugo

orchidman said:


> remind me again what your breeding?


Algae! I think fish are just the bi-product. :red_mouth


----------



## Chaos_Being

Ok, you got me on the thread title, I went "hmm, here's a 55g journal with a lot of posts that I haven't read somehow, whaaa," clicked on it, and here I am :icon_mrgr


----------



## orchidman

Bahugo said:


> Algae! I think fish are just the bi-product. :red_mouth


should've known


----------



## nonconductive

she just keeps fish so people wont think she's weird when they see her tomb of forgotten souls.


----------



## orchidman

i knew it! in reality she just likes the algae. 

ill send ya some sara! get myself some brownie points


----------



## chad320

No wonder I havent seen your thread for days lady!!!! I thought maybe you gave yourself enough infractions that you kicked yourself off :hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

haha chad


----------



## Bahugo

Where has batwoman been? I feel like she hasn't posted in like 3 days!


----------



## orchidman

i feel the same rich!


----------



## sewingalot

Awwww....you all missed me. That's too sweet. I've been spring cleaning the bat cave, and I came across spiders. And even though I am a bat, I don't care for spiders, so I flew far, far away deep into the cave and came across a snake. And he slithered and hissed and told me to get lost. Feeling sorry for myself, I explored deeper into the cave and came across a dragon, Theodore. And he wasn't thrilled to meet me at ALL. He was sniffling and sneezing from the dust I stirred up with my bat wings during cleaning and demanded I stop. But I explained to him my love of cleaning and how I've been living in dirt for a while now due to the stalagmites leaking and now that they've been repaired, I had to get the cave looking good for the family. So after bargaining and promising to invited him over for pizza on Tuesday nights (Two for Tuesday, don't you know), he agreed to let me finish cleaning up. So, that's where I've been. What are you all up to?  



nonconductive said:


> she just keeps fish so people wont think she's weird when they see her tomb of forgotten souls.


You weren't supposed to tell! :icon_twis



orchidman said:


> i knew it! in reality she just likes the algae.
> 
> ill send ya some sara! get myself some brownie points


I do love algae samples!



chad320 said:


> No wonder I havent seen your thread for days lady!!!! I thought maybe you gave yourself enough infractions that you kicked yourself off :hihi:


Let's see if you can find me now. I changed the title again to see if you can find me. :biggrin: And see above story for my absence. 

And because I've been gone nearly a week, PICTURES!

Now, the ludwigias were already closing up for their evening nap, so I'll try to get pictures when they are more alert next time. I love how this plant unfurls and closes up depending on it's circadian rhythm. :biggrin:

Obligatory algae shot (diatoms)






















































Lovely shot of GSA









What is this again? 


















For what it's worth, Blyxa HATES MTS alone. Lost a bunch of it. Starting to fertilize a bit in the water again.









Sword parv.....something









Sword prinz something









Flowering Poly cowabunga!


















One of the ludwigias, probably lacustris









One of the _three _stalks from the ozelot at the moment











Before I clipped it last night


















Gallionella ferruginea (Iron bacteria) from our lovely water supply









Stalk #2









These little whispers of hair algae all over the glass have been examined and determined to be a mixture of diatoms, iron and sulphur bacteria. 





























Been trying to figure out where these holes are coming from and finally discovered the problem.









You can't see me.




































About a week old FTS. I'll get another one up soon that shows the difference









My new tank, testing for leaks before I move it (excuse the mess):









Scratched up on the rim, this is the nicest area. So mad. 









I've got a ton more pictures, but this tank is ugly. I am guessing this is why all 'reddish' planted tanks do not exist. I am going to look for some new ideas soon.


----------



## nonconductive

i see you've been busy. 

and i will always find you because this thread is in my subscribed list no matter what you change the title to. hah!


----------



## SkyGrl

ME TO HAH!

AMy


----------



## orchidman

nice! im subscribed too, so you cant fool me!

great pictures       you deserve a bunch of points 


your sword seems happy


----------



## nonconductive

happy as a clam.


and hah! again.


----------



## Karackle

You can't hide from me either because I too am subscribed! haHA! :biggrin: 

Ok, that sword has gotten HUGE! I like this tank! You just need to stop trimming it bald, let it get a little jungle-like and I think you will like it better too roud: 

Pond is looking happy too! What fishies are in there again? Just endlers? Or endlers and guppies? The plants have gotten pretty huge! I love it! Make me want to do a similar pond because I happen to have the exact same tub, I just don't have a great spot for it, and I'm not sure the condo association would appreciate the mosquito breeder :hihi:

How are the fish in the 55g doing?


----------



## Bahugo

Batwoman is back! Yay! It was getting so silent around here. I just uploaded a bunch of pics, you better enjoy. 

Also, I think I've found some plants in your tank I may trade you for.:hihi:

Do you have any rotala species?


















I love that plant btw, I want it when you figure out what it is. :icon_lol:


----------



## nonconductive

limnophilia aromatica


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> i see you've been busy.
> 
> and i will always find you because this thread is in my subscribed list no matter what you change the title to. hah!


I tried to hide. 



SkyGrl said:


> ME TO HAH!
> 
> AMy


And you are the one I've been hiding from, my stalker girlfriend. LOL. Every since that bat cat, I'm skeered. 



orchidman said:


> nice! im subscribed too, so you cant fool me!
> 
> great pictures you deserve a bunch of points
> 
> 
> your sword seems happy


That sword is taking over the tank. Here is the third stalk surrounded in a film of iron and sulphur bacteria, yum. Iron bubbles. Tasty....seriously need to save up for some more EM:











nonconductive said:


> happy as a clam.
> 
> 
> and hah! again.


Or as a shrimp?













Karackle said:


> You can't hide from me either because I too am subscribed! haHA!
> 
> Ok, that sword has gotten HUGE! I like this tank! You just need to stop trimming it bald, let it get a little jungle-like and I think you will like it better too
> 
> Pond is looking happy too! What fishies are in there again? Just endlers? Or endlers and guppies? The plants have gotten pretty huge! I love it! Make me want to do a similar pond because I happen to have the exact same tub, I just don't have a great spot for it, and I'm not sure the condo association would appreciate the mosquito breeder
> 
> How are the fish in the 55g doing?


Totally wasn't expecting the ozelot to grow this wide and tall. Some of the leaves are longer than from my elbow to my hand. And now the girl is sending off babies like mad. I don't know what I am supposed to do now. I keep trimming off a few outter leaves, but it's dominating the tank. I think that is why the stems aren't doing so well. They need more nutrients because this gal is sucking them up.

Endlers, guppies and some yellow shrimp and lots of snails that will be going to you later on for your imaginary puffer. Honestly, the mosquitoes are gone in the front. The fish eat them faster than they can breed! So it's working wonders. I don't think it'll last more than a year out doors, but they are under 8$, so I'll replace them. I see that they come in black, so that's my plan next year. I did change the water last week about 30% since there is 90000000000 babies and it was a REALLY hot day. I figured they'd appreciate the 'rain' from the hose. Anyone want some babies in the fall? 



Bahugo said:


> Batwoman is back! Yay! It was getting so silent around here. I just uploaded a bunch of pics, you better enjoy.
> 
> Also, I think I've found some plants in your tank I may trade you for.
> 
> Do you have any rotala species?
> 
> I love that plant btw, I want it when you figure out what it is.


Just three. R. indica (true), green, and naj......I don't know what it's called, just got it from peyton. 

If it grows for me, I'll be glad to trade, that's all I have at the moment, but peyton has some, that's where it came from.



nonconductive said:


> limnophilia aromatica


Thanks for the id, non-c. That sounds about right. I get this one confused with cuba and I think the toothy ones are limnos, right?

Oh - the lights came on. Chopped down the stalk (sorry if this isn't the correct term) with the babies and planted them in front. Isn't the layer of iron beautifully glistening? Gross.


----------



## orchidman

imma have to get some yellow shrimp from you!


----------



## peyton

Bahugo said:


> Batwoman is back! Yay! It was getting so silent around here. I just uploaded a bunch of pics, you better enjoy.
> 
> Also, I think I've found some plants in your tank I may trade you for.:hihi:
> 
> Do you have any rotala species?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I love that plant btw, I want it when you figure out what it is. :icon_lol:


Ludwigia inclinata "cuba".


----------



## sewingalot

peyton said:


> Pogestemon stellatus "broadleaf".


I thought that the broadleaf one was the one with the dark purplish leaves you just gave me? This one is a few months old now. 

Bob, get in line for the shrimp. You're first, just wait until fall, though. :wink:

And just because it's my journal and I can do what I want (within reason, lol):


----------



## chad320

Y'alls got damaters? :hihi: Sweet!. I looked at the previous pic and im sticking to L. aromatica. I got it and it looks the same. The purple undersides kinda give it away  The rest of your pics are beautiful. Pretty danged impressive! And dang it, quit switching titles. I dont subscribe to anything, I just check my posts.


----------



## sewingalot

Chad, I love that you know that just by looking. You make this fellow hillbilly (that wknd Mike found out lives in the city) proud. 

Thanks for the input on the id. In the meantime, I'm called him Chester the plant. He needs a name for when I talk to him.

And I'll quit naming the thread when I find a suitable replacement for the sugar shack or I get babies again.


----------



## peyton

sewingalot said:


> I thought that the broadleaf one was the one with the dark purplish leaves you just gave me? This one is a few months old now.


 Dang I need more sleep. Thats Ludwigia inclinata "cuba".


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Bob, get in line for the shrimp. You're first, just wait until fall, though. :wink:


I'm second! haha. 

Nice title change, going for a record for most title changes? lol :red_mouth


----------



## sewingalot

peyton said:


> Dang I need more sleep. Thats Ludwigia inclinata "cuba".


Thanks, Peyton. I think it's the green/diatom spot algae that's blocking it's view, too. I'm purposely letting it grow because I am running out of algae to sample. Too funny, eh? :hihi:



Bahugo said:


> I'm second! haha.
> 
> Nice title change, going for a record for most title changes? lol


I tell you what, Rich. If you can wait until I tear down the tub, I'll give you and Bob both some.

Feeling fickle. LOL. What about now? Do you think Chad can find the thread? 

Oh and let's see who actually cares, lol - should I remove the ocelot and find a replacement? It's getting quite obtrusive. Also, I need to remove the hair grass (well the shrimp is moving it for me). Should I put in more blyxa there or something else? I don't know.


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Thanks, Peyton. I think it's the green/diatom spot algae that's blocking it's view, too. I'm purposely letting it grow because I am running out of algae to sample. Too funny, eh? :hihi:
> 
> 
> 
> I tell you what, Rich. If you can wait until I tear down the tub, I'll give you and Bob both some.
> 
> Feeling fickle. LOL. What about now? Do you think Chad can find the thread?
> 
> Oh and let's see who actually cares, lol - should I remove the ocelot and find a replacement? It's getting quite obtrusive. Also, I need to remove the hair grass (well the shrimp is moving it for me). Should I put in more blyxa there or something else? I don't know.


I posted some pics up of the emersed setup for you! Just because you are the best and gonna trade me shrimp for plants because i be so broke, you get pics! :red_mouth:icon_lol:

I totally forgot to get a pic of that super red lotus too, it's getting huge!


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, I understand broke. Most of the plants and fish I've been getting lately are from trades. I have a few really great buddies on this forum that spoil me so. Great bargaining chips: downoi, HC and shrimp. Remember that. 

Yay for pictures! I'm heading that way. And here are some I posted elsewhere, but they fit as they are from the tank:


















Can't wait to see the lotus!

And in tub related news - RRF is slowly turning redder. Every time I pester it, it balks. It's _not _appreciative of movement.

Stupid bugs are now discovering the plants and chewing on parts of them.  No fertilizers are added to this tub. This is strictly experimental.










OH! Suga Shack is BACK! I just found a guppy fry in one of my filters. How in the world? I tore down this tank completely and even cleaned one the filters with out a single guppy in site. This girl has been living in there a good two months or more:


----------



## nonconductive

that plant is definately L aromatica. my 125 was full of it at one time. 

your outside tub is looking nice, love the rrf.

guppies are like cockroaches.


----------



## orchidman

sewingalot said:


> Bob, get in line for the shrimp. You're first, just wait until fall, though. :wink:


roud: WOOHOOO!! too bad i dont have anything to give ya back 



sewingalot said:


> I tell you what, Rich. If you can wait until I tear down the tub, I'll give you and Bob both some.
> 
> Oh and let's see who actually cares, lol - should I remove the ocelot and find a replacement? It's getting quite obtrusive. Also, I need to remove the hair grass (well the shrimp is moving it for me). Should I put in more blyxa there or something else? I don't know.


i think it would looks good without the ocelot. 

we should do a shrimp switch. i might have some spare sakura or RCS by that time. the three of us could swap


----------



## chad320

Wow, your tub is looking great. The lettuce will take that over shortly here if you dont keep thinning it. The RRFs are nice  And I see you are still hiring that kid to hold your plants for you with his tiny hands and all :hihi:

Found it again!!! Haha, you cant hide from me!!!


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> that plant is definately L aromatica. my 125 was full of it at one time.
> 
> your outside tub is looking nice, love the rrf.
> 
> guppies are like cockroaches.


I think you are right. I went back and looked at my old photos of limno and ludwigia cuba and this looks too much like limno not to be. I'm going to grow it emersed and find out if it tastes good. :hihi:

I really can't understand this one. I remember cleaning out both filters after giving Kara the fish and also breaking down the tank, I cleaned out another one. This little had to be going on 3 months or older. I don't see her in the tank. So she is either hiding or is in the belly of the betta that only visits at night. 

Personally, I think it was the journal demanding it's name back. 



orchidman said:


> roud: WOOHOOO!! too bad i dont have anything to give ya back
> 
> 
> 
> i think it would looks good without the ocelot.
> 
> we should do a shrimp switch. i might have some spare sakura or RCS by that time. the three of us could swap


I'm always up for a swap. I prefer to trade over selling any time. IOUs are great, too. Just remember yellows and reds make brown babies. 



chad320 said:


> Wow, your tub is looking great. The lettuce will take that over shortly here if you dont keep thinning it. The RRFs are nice  And I see you are still hiring that kid to hold your plants for you with his tiny hands and all :hihi:
> 
> Found it again!!! Haha, you cant hide from me!!!


You win, this time. 

Nice on the kid hands comment. Real nice. LOL

Oh, and isn't the RRF cute? Not bad for just a small starter set. Anyone want any, call dibs now. I'm up for trades at the end of summer.


----------



## peyton

If that is the clipping that I gave you it was sold to me as L "cuba" and thats what I presumed it was, but now... I think nonconductive is right. The leaf shape is not right for cuba. Dang it! Now I have to find L "cuba" for my collection lol.


----------



## nonconductive

peyton, the L cuba i had didnt have the jagged leaves like aromatica has. it also didnt have the purpley underside. but the the top side would get pretty orange. i tried looking for an old pic of it growing next to aromatica. but once again my camera skills are lacking.


----------



## peyton

Yeah the leaves on what I got have a jagged edge similar to pogestemon stellatus "broadleaf". None of the images of cuba on a google search show a jagged edge like that.


----------



## sewingalot

Here we go. I dug through my journal for pictures of all three plants in question since I knew I had owned them all at one time. 
Limnophilia:


















L. Cuba



























broadleaf









SURVEY SAYS......The PP wins another point! Way to go non-c on the identification.


----------



## orchidman

woohoo! good not antwon

check out my 29g journal, worth a point there too!


----------



## nonconductive

score!

"not antwon" lol


----------



## orchidman

Lol I think it was supposed to say " good one Antwon"


You can call me Bob


----------



## Karackle

what the......how did I get so far behind on this thread?! 

Anyway, I can't believe you found a guppy baby, that's just crazy! What a sneaky lil bugger she must have been! Survival of the fittest at its finest! That's good to know about the mosquitos, maybe once our patio gets redone I'll see about convincing the boy to let me make a pond since yours is looking awesome :hihi: Although by then the summer will probably be over, so maybe next year :icon_lol:

The pond is looking really good! I love the floaters! I'm sad now that the water lettuce you gave me didn't make it, it's really pretty! Though I suppose that one would do better on an open top tank anyway. I love the reds in the RRF though, it's a great touch. A black barrel might look better, but I wonder whether it would get too hot? Unless you've got the pond parked in the shade?

I'll get in line for some guppies / endlers if you find you have some really brightly colored males when you pull them out  Otherwise I think I have enough :hihi: If I haven't seen any baby yellow shrimp I'd take more of those too. And once i send you those zebrafish, I'll be getting my puffer, but I can't send you the lil buggers in this heat, so I can't get a puffer yet :tongue: So for now, yes, he's imaginary. I'll take snails any time though and start getting them breeding in my tanks by overfeeding so I'm ready for the puffer when I get him! :biggrin: 

I actually really like the sword, though it is sort of taking over your tank....maybe you could plant some of the babies and then post in the SnS that you have a huge sword if anyone wants it for a bigger tank? It's a beatiful and healthy plant, but it does seem like it might fit better in a larger tank, or you could make it the centerpiece and then just plant some crypts and anubias around it and make this a low maintenance tank, but I know that probably sounds like a terrible plan to you since i know you love your stems :hihi:


----------



## Bahugo

I'm becoming very jealous of some of your plants.:hihi:

Isn't the score 
PP: infinity 
woman: 2

 I think the fact that we have the woman's Pink Panties gave us a majority of your points. :tongue::hihi::icon_lol:


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks Kara! I know, right? The guppy is completely without color, it's awesome that she adapted to the filter full of mulm. I bet she is like "wow! Look at this palace!" 

The pond is under a branch from the neighbor's dogwood, so think that helps with the heat. Although, this heat wave is amazing. Fish are doing well under the umbrella of floaters, though.

You got it on the endler/guppy hybrids. I'll give you the true endler male if he is still around as he's done his job by now. 

You will be homing that sword soon (thanks), and then I'll be looking for a new idea. I'd like to have more green in the tank, that's my idea so far, lol. And I would like a swordish plant. Pretty much the way the sword looked like at half it's height. I honestly thought it only got 12" tall, not gigantic. It's doing really well, but it is just growing too fast in this environment. I guess my "brown thumb" isn't. 

I love the sword, I just wish there was a smaller version of it. :/

Rich, which ones? I am about to do a huge remodel, so if there is some you are eyeing, let me know now as I'll hold onto them for you (except the large sword, it's claimed, but there are babies!). I'll trade for rotala rotundfolia. 

I think we are just letting you win. Cause I have tons of poetry, comics and stories I could write and obliterate your team. :hihi:


----------



## Karackle

guys guys guys.....what part of "girls get a million points for Sara's awesome comic" did everyone not understand about us being in the lead? Silly boys and your pink panties, they're fogging your brains. :hihi: 

Sara, thanks for the sword! I hope it does well in our 60g, it's gorgeous right now, i'd hate to ruin the growth that your not brown thumb has gotten out of it! I've already got the spot all picked out for it :biggrin: Now for this hear wave to end! It really is ridiculous. Stupid global warming, what part of humans are not dinosaurs that thrive in these temperatures does our planet not get? :icon_lol:

Between all of my low tech tanks I've got plenty of green plants if you want any of them when I send you the algae


----------



## sewingalot

I think it's going to be cooling down your way! We just had a major storm and it's starting to feel better already! Yay. Any suggestions on where to find a gigantic plastic bag? :hihi: May have to take one of the runner/stalks off to get it to fit, lol. I stretched it out and it's over 5 foot long now. 

I just may take you up on that offer of plants. Poor little shrimp are going to miss their hammock. You'll love the little holes they snipped in some of the leaves. Cute!


----------



## Karackle

i would be SO happy if that storm came our way and cooled stuff down! it's SO miserable outside!

You should keep the stalks with the babies attached for yourself! You can grow some back out or even try them emersed, or pass on the babies to others. Share the wealth! And keep some babies on the chance I kill the mom :tongue: (don't worry, killing the mom isn't my _plan_ but it could happen)

heehee silly shrimp! Why do they poke holes? I bet they don't even do it on purpose, they're adorable gigantic claws are just too unruly :hihi: What's the smallest size tank you can put one of the clawed shrimp in?


----------



## sewingalot

It was actually in the 80's today! Higher temperatures, but much better. Hopefully it's breaking. 

I' should grow one emersed, shouldn't I? Good idea! I'll be finding homes for most of it, though. I woke up today to find it growing out of the tank, behind the wall. She's been renamed Seymour. :hihi: FEED ME!










The filter guppy:









Random blue pearl pictures for Bob since he was asking.

She's a pale gal: 



























The algae tank, needs a makeover. :hihi:









The stars of the pearldome









You can't find me:









I love that shot. As soon as I chopped down the emersed growth of the poly k and stuck it back in the tank, the big guy had to inspect it for his approval.

More pictures of the big guy on campus. He makes me actually like the brown background. :hihi:



























What I've been up to, non plant related:


















The plan was to restore the natural woodwork. And it was going really well:









And then I found a giant patched hole in the door and other damage. Sadly, this once beautiful wooden door will be recovered with paint.  But, it will be fabulous regardless and the door and I agreed he would appreciate looking pretty with color. 

And a full tank shot:









The diatoms are starting to loose strength. I think they are exhausting the silicone supply from the new tank finally. Still some whispers of algae here and there, but the tank is finally maturing. I'm happy.

If the larger stalk doesn't bloom soon, I am chopping it off as it is getting on my nerves seeing it creep out of the tank. LOL.

Planning to replace some ludwigias in the future with other plants. I love seeing ludwigia sp emersed, so I am going to move a lot of the plants over and give others away. I am loving my emersed setup! It allows me to keep plants for the future.


----------



## Karackle

tank is looking great Sara! I can't get over how HUGE that sword is though! Is that a red crypt of some kind I see on the middle right side of the tank doing well?! :biggrin: Can't wait to see how you rescape it 

Too bad about the repair in the door that makes bringing back the wood impossible, it does look like it was going really well!  but a fresh coat of paint always brightens things up and brings them back to life too, you'll have to show us the final product


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> tank is looking great Sara! I can't get over how HUGE that sword is though!


I am glad you agreed to take it. Muhahahahaha. :tongue:



> Is that a red crypt of some kind I see on the middle right side of the tank doing well?! :biggrin: Can't wait to see how you rescape it


Ha! You noticed it! CT told me to just put up a picture and see how long it would take for anyone to notice the crypt in there. It's fresh from his home, so give it a week to see if it survives. :icon_roll

Too bad about the repair in the door that makes bringing back the wood impossible, it does look like it was going really well!  but a fresh coat of paint always brightens things up and brings them back to life too, you'll have to show us the final product [/QUOTE]

I know, right? I probably inhaled a pound of lead for nothing. (Crossing fingers it's lead free and hopeful as it felt like oil-based.)

Now for the news I JUST KNOW everyone will be weeping over. I am going on a hiatus from the forums for a week or so. I have some things to take care of (Fronterville). :hihi: Seriously, though. I do need to take some time off from here and get a few projects done and I find myself getting sucked into just one more thread and procrastinating. :confused1: So I'll be back in a bit, and in the meantime. Pester each other for me.


----------



## chad320

You should have known I was going to notice the crypt. What kind is it? its a nice red and looks good where its at. Hiatus? I didnt really think you had the will power to stay off of you puter for a whole week :hihi: Or did you and Skylurker plan something we dont know about? Your tank and giant shrimp look great BTW! And since you posted pics then decided to take a week off, we will need to see more pics as soon as you get back on


----------



## sewingalot

He called it a prolific crypt. We'll see, we shall see. Oh, I'll still be on my computer, I'm addicted to that stupid FB game. But I am really bad at wasting time on here, so I'm taking off for a while.

Oh, and touche on the request for more pictures. They'll be completely non fish related and of people's feet. :hihi:


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

sewingalot said:


> He called it a prolific crypt. We'll see, we shall see. Oh, I'll still be on my computer, I'm addicted to that stupid FB game. But I am really bad at wasting time on here, so I'm taking off for a while.
> 
> Oh, and touche on the request for more pictures. They'll be completely non fish related and of people's feet. :hihi:


Do you play farmville? :tongue:

My friends told me not to play it because it's supposed to be super addictive. I always see stuff on my news feed about someone harvesting such and such or adopting abandoned geese or getting a billion gold coins...

BTW I think I accidentally send you all my good stuff. I went through my tank today and couldn't find any 3-eyed beauties. I did see a blue pearl with white eggs. Maybe I'll get snowballs or something from them. Did you find any other unique shrimp?


----------



## orchidman

wow! i feel like i missed so much!!


----------



## chad320

FYI, Cardinal Tetra, Farmville IS super addictive. I bought the biggest farm and covered the whole thing with trees  except a small stream going down the middle. I learned my lesson and quit playing any FB games about a year ago. Nice to see you check in here! I still got my BPs from you and they are going crazy. Sara, hurry back now, ya hear :hihi:


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

I don't really like facebook that much. I'm switching over to google + because I think it has higher privacy. I don't have my birthday, actual name, or a discernible picture of myself as my profile on facebook (not that I'm a criminal or anything  ). I keep getting all these random friend requests from people in my class next year who I haven't even met yet all because I joined the stupid fb group 

Good to hear the bps are going well for you, Chad. I never know what happens to them after I send them away. I must have sent shrimp to dozens of people and I never see them offered for sale, so I always think they end up dying or something


----------



## orchidman

hi card- PA ppl unite! 

those blue pearls dont seem very blue


----------



## Bahugo

orchidman said:


> hi card- PA ppl unite!
> 
> those blue pearls dont seem very blue


You can see blue in them, the lighter colored gravel will wash out their color though and make them seem much more transparent. I still see blue tint though!


----------



## sewingalot

Cardinal Tetra said:


> Do you play farmville? :tongue:
> 
> My friends told me not to play it because it's supposed to be super addictive. I always see stuff on my news feed about someone harvesting such and such or adopting abandoned geese or getting a billion gold coins...
> 
> BTW I think I accidentally send you all my good stuff. I went through my tank today and couldn't find any 3-eyed beauties. I did see a blue pearl with white eggs. Maybe I'll get snowballs or something from them. Did you find any other unique shrimp?


Hahaha, thanks for the three eyed wonder. She's getting up there in age and I wonder if she'll make it through the summer especially with this heat. I'm getting a few random snowballs, does that count?

Not anymore on farmville (I actually spent last summer drinking a lot of beverages and junk food from 7-11 to get codes), I'm into fronterville now. _Blasted internet done gone quiet! _Is enough to get a slew of cursing from my mouth.



orchidman said:


> wow! i feel like i missed so much!!


Me too.



chad320 said:


> FYI, Cardinal Tetra, Farmville IS super addictive. I bought the biggest farm and covered the whole thing with trees  except a small stream going down the middle. I learned my lesson and quit playing any FB games about a year ago. Nice to see you check in here! I still got my BPs from you and they are going crazy. Sara, hurry back now, ya hear :hihi:


I quit playing FV when they came up with the stupid missions. I liked just farming, didn't care about making jams and whatnots. I'm in for a few hours, and hopefully the a/c will be fixed tomorrow and I can go back to doing other things.



Cardinal Tetra said:


> I don't really like facebook that much. I'm switching over to google + because I think it has higher privacy. I don't have my birthday, actual name, or a discernible picture of myself as my profile on facebook (not that I'm a criminal or anything  ). I keep getting all these random friend requests from people in my class next year who I haven't even met yet all because I joined the stupid fb group
> 
> Good to hear the bps are going well for you, Chad. I never know what happens to them after I send them away. I must have sent shrimp to dozens of people and I never see them offered for sale, so I always think they end up dying or something


I love/hate facebook. I don't even accept most requests as I use it mostly for the games, lol. And I set up a junk email just for it.



orchidman said:


> hi card- PA ppl unite!
> 
> those blue pearls dont seem very blue


You've just dropped on the list for yellows for insulting my BPs.



Bahugo said:


> You can see blue in them, the lighter colored gravel will wash out their color though and make them seem much more transparent. I still see blue tint though!


What he said.  I am setting up a darker substrate tank for them, but I let the paler ones that pop out stay in the gene pool. I think that causes them to be a little less blue than they could be.

Tub before robbing it of plants for wilson:









Shrimp lost his life in the heat. My guess is higher temperatures, not enough surface movement and co2 cause him to look elsewhere.:


















CO2 is now turned off/also ran out the next day after the jumped ship. The lights are only on for 3 hours a day right now and the water is lowered a good 2" for a splashing effect to keep up the oxygen levels while we wait for the part to come in to fix the downstairs unit. Upstairs was fixed, but the a/c isn't that great, so it doesn't really help cool off things up here. 

Add that to the fact I have a million mosquito bites, my room is not finished due to unexpected heat and other issues, it's starting to get annoying. So to relax, I decided to catch up on TPT for the afternoon.

These following photos are not completely G rated pictures. But I can tell you the Suga Shack is back in business. :icon_eek: Early last week before the a/c broke, the two males started fighting like crazy. Not knowing why, I let them duke it out.










Look to the right of the shrimp, see the claw laying on the ground? It was a little rough in the house. Also, this is the last picture of the guy that jumped ship - part of my wonders if this was also part of the reason (jilted lover)









Just the claw 









One armed strong man (look at the new claw already forming!)









And berried shrimper hiding:









Tank with the doors opening right before I lowered the water. Figured I should take a good picture before the heat/no co2/not long lights kills everything:









Plants already taking a hit, but screw it. Fish/shrimp are way too important for me to loose another one.


















And a brief affair only to part ways in a few days:









For CT and the crypt lovers. Even in the heat, no co2 and hardly any light:









Pink for the PP team:


----------



## orchidman

aw  dead shrimp


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Wow your red roots are so nice! I think that my hordes of snails ate most of mine... I tossed in 3 assassin snails to control them and I already see assassin eggs all over the place. 

That's too bad about the shrimp. I can tell you I've lost plenty of red claws to jumping... at least you have another berried shrimp now. The babies will fill the dead one's void.

I'm very pleased that the crypt is doing well for you, especially since that species is more prone to melting. I have so many of them now!


----------



## sewingalot

That was really sad for me. Between the betta and the shrimp, I'm feeling like a pile of poo. We'll see how long that crypt lasts. LOL

I'm going to move over the berried girl next week when the a/c is fixed. I don't want to shock her right now.

Remind me and I'll send you some red roots when I start tearing this down.


----------



## nonconductive

sorry about the shrimper, batgirl!

also thanks for the point! (that tub is really great!)


----------



## orchidman

sorry bout the shrimp  i saw a bunch of of emerald eye rasboras at rachel's house today, she said you like those.. just imagine a tank with like a hundred! hopefully that cheers ya up


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> sorry about the shrimper, batgirl!
> 
> also thanks for the point! (that tub is really great!)


It was a sad day. I am looking everywhere for my betta, I'm starting to worry. She's really good at hiding, though so I'll give it a few days.

I really need to clear off the top and take pictures of the inside of the tub, it's neat to see plants growing inside under the shade. I'll do that some day. 



orchidman said:


> sorry bout the shrimp  i saw a bunch of of emerald eye rasboras at rachel's house today, she said you like those.. just imagine a tank with like a hundred! hopefully that cheers ya up


Since I kind of have err.....almost 60 in my tank, I can imagine, lol. I want more. Rachel's fish are the best. Did you get any?

A/C is back on as of this afternoon! The part was _still_ on backorder, but the guy found a part to fix it! And here is the best part, I gave them a tank setup (38 gallon) and he actually fixed it for free. TOTALLY unexpected and we are extremely grateful. It pays to be nice. :biggrin:

Here is the tank without lights for 4 days and only 3 ish hours of light for about 4 days. (I lost count.) Also playing with the camera to try out difference settings.









And here it is trimmed up to 'reset' the hurting plants. All the dead/dying leaves were stripped as much as possible. The tank is still lowered water wise until the temperature drops a little more in the house to prevent jumpers.









All the babies from the sword:


















Best picture I could get of the berried shrimp:









My co2 ran out and I was waiting for the air conditioning to be fixed since I left the lights off for so long, so pretty blue liquid:









Had some plants melt from being without real light in almost a week:









Others, lightening up, but hung in there:


















Look CT! It's still alive, I'm honestly shocked.









The big guy is getting darker and better looking:


----------



## SkyGrl

looking great! damn your sword babies are HUGE!!!!

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Amy. Once Kara gets back, I'm sending her the sword and looking for homes for the babies. I'm going a different direction in this tank. The pink/red theme was a brilliant yet failed plan. :hihi:

I wish you lived closer, I'd talk you into taking some swordlets. LOL


----------



## SkyGrl

LOL yeah i would love some plants... not mush LMAO

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

Hahaha, I still need to send you that brine shrimp hatchery and some other things. I've been slowly working my way over to the box were it resides. LOL.


----------



## SkyGrl

LOL like i said no rush... 

Amy


----------



## orchidman

wow! thats alot of emerald eye's!!!!!! thats like what 120 eyes/:icon_lol:

how could i go to reachel's and not get fish??!!?? of course i got fish. you would know that if you followed my acuario de rio ***** journal

wow! the tank looks good! the plants should bounce back quickly. that sword is huge! its probably shading alot of things.

i hope you find the betta


----------



## sewingalot

SkyGrl said:


> LOL like i said no rush...
> 
> Amy


Lol, good thing. Us country folk get in a hurry for nothing. :icon_wink



orchidman said:


> wow! thats alot of emerald eye's!!!!!! thats like what 120 eyes/:icon_lol:
> 
> how could i go to reachel's and not get fish??!!?? of course i got fish. you would know that if you followed my acuario de rio ***** journal
> 
> wow! the tank looks good! the plants should bounce back quickly. that sword is huge! its probably shading alot of things.
> 
> i hope you find the betta


Actually, a few are missing eyes. But they are my favorites: they are named Moe, Larry and Curly. The others are all named Shemp. Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk....:hihi:

You have another journal? Gotta go find it.


----------



## orchidman

ROFL!!!!!!

yeah its title 29g blackwater biotope-acuario de rio *****. i like the spanish sounding part


----------



## redfalconf35

Wow, even with all the turmoil, the tank looks nice! I'm really digging the way the shrimp darkened up.


----------



## orchidman

why brown for the background?


----------



## msjinkzd

I forgot about sending you the "special" emerald eyes. Did I ever tell you I found the culprit? Its a macrobrachium shrimp that is now over 5" long. He was totally noshing on eyeballs. Scary


----------



## orchidman

thats crazy about the shrimp! what did you do with him?


----------



## msjinkzd

he was in with my cuban gar.


----------



## sewingalot

orchidman said:


> ROFL!!!!!!
> 
> yeah its title 29g blackwater biotope-acuario de rio *****. i like the spanish sounding part


Nice. River of black....aquarium



redfalconf35 said:


> Wow, even with all the turmoil, the tank looks nice! I'm really digging the way the shrimp darkened up.


Thanks. A healthy tank can take a little beating. That shrimp is even more beautiful in person. He's turning a dark chocolate brown. I keep trying to get a better picture, but I lack in photography skills.



orchidman said:


> why brown for the background?


The goal was to make it look like the Ohio river (muddy waters), and I wanted to try something different. However, I got side tracked and still haven't quite gotten there.



msjinkzd said:


> I forgot about sending you the "special" emerald eyes. Did I ever tell you I found the culprit? Its a macrobrachium shrimp that is now over 5" long. He was totally noshing on eyeballs. Scary


No, you didn't! Yum. My ex-sister in-law used to tell us how her sister and she would fight over the fish eyes. And now you are making me wonder about my shrimp and the emeralds. Luckily, they aren't very aggressive except when mating. They even let the otos clean them. So hopefully they'll be okay.


----------



## orchidman

msjinkzd said:


> he was in with my cuban gar.


thats why i didnt notice them, lol!



sewingalot said:


> Nice. River of black....aquarium
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks. A healthy tank can take a little beating. That shrimp is even more beautiful in person. He's turning a dark chocolate brown. I keep trying to get a better picture, but I lack in photography skills.
> 
> 
> 
> The goal was to make it look like the Ohio river (muddy waters), and I wanted to try something different. However, I got side tracked and still haven't quite gotten there.
> 
> *i see. looks cool.*
> 
> 
> No, you didn't! Yum. My ex-sister in-law used to tell us how her sister and she would fight over the fish eyes. And now you are making me wonder about my shrimp and the emeralds. Luckily, they aren't very aggressive except when mating. They even let the otos clean them. So hopefully they'll be okay.


----------



## chad320

Wow! Your tank does handle neglect/trouble well! I envy you and all of the reds a little  I especially like the tub. My tubs are terrible this year. The silly lawnboy this year wont stop blowing massive amouts of grass into them causing algae issues. My neighbor even said they looked like crap this year compared to last year. maybe we could do another trade for some RRfs at the end of the season. Im getting low again with the bad ponding this year.


----------



## orchidman

lol! darn lawnboy


----------



## nonconductive

i think the color of your background works well. i like it alot and think its a nice change from black or the ones that pretend to be a sky.


----------



## sewingalot

Bob, you are funny. The bolded parts inside a quote took a while.



chad320 said:


> Wow! Your tank does handle neglect/trouble well! I envy you and all of the reds a little  I especially like the tub. My tubs are terrible this year. The silly lawnboy this year wont stop blowing massive amouts of grass into them causing algae issues. My neighbor even said they looked like crap this year compared to last year. maybe we could do another trade for some RRfs at the end of the season. Im getting low again with the bad ponding this year.


I'm telling you, this tank is a mess right now. The stems are starting to wear on me a bit. Mosquito netting for ponds? We will definitely trade in the fall. Just remind me.



nonconductive said:


> i think the color of your background works well. i like it alot and think its a nice change from black or the ones that pretend to be a sky.


At least someone appreciates it. roud: I've gotten some grief for that background, just wait till you see my newest tank in the works. :hihi:

Found the female betta!









That's the good news, the bad news is she is snacking on my emerald eyes. I noticed a few were missing recently, but I thought it was the heat that may have done them in. And about three seconds after snapping that picture, she snagged a little guy whole and disappeared back into the ludwigias.  She'll be moving into a new tank soon.


----------



## zachary908

Ha, reminds me of my Knight goby. The day I put all of my cardinals and rummy nose in my tank he started chasing them all around like a sheep dog. I don't think he ever caught any, Though I'm sure he would pick them off one by one if he didn't get his black worms, but how can you get mad at this!

Isn't he cute, Sara?


----------



## sewingalot

That is a very good looking fish, I'll agree. Makes me want one.


----------



## zachary908

Heh, I would get more if I wasn't already worried about this guys making a meal out of my Cardinals and Rummynose... He has a huge mouth, and I'm pretty sure he could eat them if he wanted to.


----------



## sewingalot

You should just get rid of your cardinals and rummys and get a ton of these guys. Much better looking.


----------



## zachary908

sewingalot said:


> You should just get rid of your cardinals and rummys and get a ton of these guys. Much better looking.


Haha, that would be totally awesome! I would have to dump tons of food in though, these guys are pigs! I really do like my rummys though, they are fantastic schoolers. I don't think the Knight goby could catch them. More worried about the cardinals. If he eats them... oh well. Cardinals are kind of boring in my opinion.

You should get a few Knight gobies, Sara!


----------



## sewingalot

I've thought about them, but I'm out of tanks. I'll just enjoy them when I visit your journal. I loved my rummynose tetras. I would mind seeing those again.


----------



## zachary908

I'll make sure to take pictures of him every now and then just for you!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Zachary! That'll earn you 10,000 for each picture.


----------



## zachary908

Oh yeah, I'll be rolling in points!

I should be taking lots of pictures of my new plants tomorrow, so I'll get you a pic or two of mister goby then. I'll put all the pictures in my journal! :thumbsup:


----------



## wheezo

Where's the algae? How can you <3 BBA when I can't find any in either tanks? =P


----------



## orchidman

sewingalot said:


> Bob, you are funny. The bolded parts inside a quote took a while.
> 
> *LOL! thanks.... see how ling it takes you to find this!*
> 
> 
> I'm telling you, this tank is a mess right now. The stems are starting to wear on me a bit. Mosquito netting for ponds? We will definitely trade in the fall. Just remind me.
> 
> 
> 
> At least someone appreciates it. roud: I've gotten some grief for that background, just wait till you see my newest tank in the works. :hihi:
> 
> Found the female betta!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's the good news, the bad news is she is snacking on my emerald eyes. I noticed a few were missing recently, but I thought it was the heat that may have done them in. And about three seconds after snapping that picture, she snagged a little guy whole and disappeared back into the ludwigias.  She'll be moving into a new tank soon.


uh oh! poor emerald eyes!



sewingalot said:


> You should just get rid of your cardinals and rummys and get a ton of these guys. Much better looking.


i agree! get rid of the superman spawn! lol i think it makes a greater affect with one large school. since ive got my rummies, they have become my favorite schooler! 



sewingalot said:


> I've thought about them, but I'm out of tanks. I'll just enjoy them when I visit your journal. I loved my rummynose tetras. I would mind seeing those again.


uh.. hello! anyone home? perfect reason for a new tank! :iamwithst




sewingalot said:


> Thanks, Zachary! That'll earn you 10,000 for each picture.


when my camera decided to work again, ill get you rummy nose pics! OOH!! idea! ill just do a video! :iamwithst cant believe i didnt think of that. im busy today, and away this wekeend. but ill try monday for ya


----------



## hydrophyte

sewingalot said:


>


Wow that swrodplant is really cool. What species/variety is it?


----------



## sewingalot

Bob, I found the message, but it took a while to realize ling meant long. LOL. Nice idea on the video! I look forward to it. (I have a 33 long just waiting to be set up, by the way.)



hydrophyte said:


> Wow that swrodplant is really cool. What species/variety is it?


Thanks! It's supposed to be a _Echinodorus x._ 'Ozelot'. However, it doesn't match some of the pictures out there, so I'm not positive. If you want a baby, let me know, I'll be glad to send you one. I've only got five to home.



wheezo said:


> Where's the algae? How can you <3 BBA when I can't find any in either tanks? =P


Here's the thing - I became obsessed with algae, like _loving _it, and my family bought me a microscope as an early birthday gift which further fueled my passion and long story short......I may or may not have killed all the BBA and most other algae in my tanks through several experiments. I can pretty much erradicate all types of algae through a few simple techniques.

(Except for francine, she is fine):









But don't worry: I do have plenty of diatoms (not really algae, by the way) and some protists and rotifiers, and a little bit of other things in my tank like iron bacteria, cyanobacteria and other goodies that come in with the water supply (never, ever look at your water supply under a microscope). But I am finding a way to replace _bad _algae with _good_ algae.

Like I have this wispy 'hair algae' on my plants that turned out to be diatoms:









And boy were they loving it in there. However, they aren't as much anymore now that the tank is maturing.

But, don't worry, I came up with a plan and am growing algae outdoors for my mad love affair! (Unfortunately, my plan backfired and the plants started growing instead.)









Oh and for anyone interested - the new co2 tank was setup on 8/4 after being off for more than a week. I am running about .5 bps and the drop checker is now a dark blue green. I am upping it _slowly _so that the fish can adjust after being without it for nearly 2 weeks. Plants are already looking more cheerful with some co2 and full time lighting again.


----------



## mscichlid

(Except for francine, she is fine):

Huh? LOL!

Francine


----------



## wkndracer

great update


----------



## sewingalot

mscichlid said:


> (Except for francine, she is fine):
> 
> Huh? LOL!
> 
> Francine


Where are my manners? Mscichlid, meet the BBA driftwood Francine:
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/sewingalot/IMG_2533.jpg

Here is her profile: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/algae/125230-bba-loves-low-light-too.html

:hihi:



wkndracer said:


> great update


Thanks, Mike. :tongue:


----------



## Bahugo

If you really want algae, I can get a jar and give you some of the water from my emersed setup, and scrape the walls. It looks like green paste. It's pretty sick, not gonna lie!


----------



## mscichlid

Thanks Sara; post #215


----------



## sewingalot

Bahugo said:


> If you really want algae, I can get a jar and give you some of the water from my emersed setup, and scrape the walls. It looks like green paste. It's pretty sick, not gonna lie!


You should know that I am in love with algae, and that I have a small collection of pictures now. Do you really think I would turn down more? I am trying to find a way to perserve slides. Some algae just withers away and dies overnight.  So sad.



mscichlid said:


> Thanks Sara; post #215


I'm still patiently waiting on your starting a journal. Being a photographer, I am sure you would have some great photographs to admire.


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> You should know that I am in love with algae, and that I have a small collection of pictures now. Do you really think I would turn down more? I am trying to find a way to perserve slides. Some algae just withers away and dies overnight.  So sad.


http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/PlantNet/fwalgae/Introduction/preserve.htm

Check that out, maybe you can store it in liquid? So would the algae not make it too you in a jar? bummer  I could get you like a gallon full! lol


----------



## mscichlid

> _I'm still patiently waiting on your starting a journal. Being a photographer, I am sure you would have some great photographs to admire._


Thanks for reminding me to update the one I started.  In the meantime, a 40 brdr got started as well. I'll get on it tomorrow.


----------



## sewingalot

Bahugo said:


> http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/PlantNet/fwalgae/Introduction/preserve.htm
> 
> Check that out, maybe you can store it in liquid? So would the algae not make it too you in a jar? bummer  I could get you like a gallon full! lol


Oh, it would ship well in a plastic baggie with some water or a small jar (some do better in plastic because of alkalinity in glass according to that link you provided, lol)

What I meant was how to perserve it on the slide past a day. That link also gave some suggestions. I'm relatively new to this hobby of microscopes, so I have a lot to learn. I'm such a dork, I am actually looking for a forum on microscopes. :help:

Oh, my plants are now growing well again with the addition of the lights and co2 again now that the a/c is back on and all. (Who would have thunk, lol.) So I am pretty sure I'll be able to send you a package of plants by the end of the month (it's supposed to be cooler, too.) I'll send you a list of my plants I have enough to share and you'll have to remind me which ones you wanted. If they aren't ready, I can share later with you.



mscichlid said:


> Thanks for reminding me to update the one I started.  In the meantime, a 40 brdr got started as well. I'll get on it tomorrow.


You'll send me a link (feel free to post here) when you update it? I'll subscribe to keep up with it. Nice on the 40 brdr! Pea green with envy on that. :confused1:


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Oh, it would ship well in a plastic baggie with some water or a small jar (some do better in plastic because of alkalinity in glass according to that link you provided, lol)
> 
> What I meant was how to perserve it on the slide past a day. That link also gave some suggestions. I'm relatively new to this hobby of microscopes, so I have a lot to learn. I'm such a dork, I am actually looking for a forum on microscopes. :help:
> 
> Oh, my plants are now growing well again with the addition of the lights and co2 again now that the a/c is back on and all. (Who would have thunk, lol.) So I am pretty sure I'll be able to send you a package of plants by the end of the month (it's supposed to be cooler, too.) I'll send you a list of my plants I have enough to share and you'll have to remind me which ones you wanted. If they aren't ready, I can share later with you.


I'll be ready! I haven't removed or trimmed any HM because I been saving it for you, it's one of the only plants I haven't touched at all so I could keep growing it since I planted it, same with the Rotala it hasn't been touched for two weeks I honestly doubt i'll even trim it this week and it's starting too run crazy, you'll see whenever I update pics for you in my journal, hah. I hope you realize that you will be getting more plants then just those two though, but it will be my secret until it arrives. 

Well, then I will have to get a liter bottle or something like that and duck tape the top on, haha. In all seriousness if I could figure an effective way to transfer the algae from my emersed set up to a shippable container it will definitely be coming your way, there's plenty in the bottom of the tub (not in the plant containers but on the large container) to go around, and I can try and get some out of the tanks to send too you. I just don't know how to transport algae lol, maybe I should get a glowstick and put in the bag/container.


----------



## lauraleellbp

Hey Sara, did those Hygros I sent a while back ever end up anything besides mush? LMK, b/c my tank is always full and I can send more whenever this HOT weather decides to stop killing us all! lol

I'm totally jealous of your microscope. I think I've got to put that on my Santa list this year.

Though I'm serious about wanting it for looking at gecko poop... :icon_smil :help:


----------



## sewingalot

Very pleased with the tank right now maturation, that is. The algae is minimal, just some diatoms hanging around on the edges of leaves and a bit of green spot/diatoms in the the darker corners.

Kafka says "HI!" 











Bahugo said:


> I'll be ready! I haven't removed or trimmed any HM because I been saving it for you, it's one of the only plants I haven't touched at all so I could keep growing it since I planted it, same with the Rotala it hasn't been touched for two weeks I honestly doubt i'll even trim it this week and it's starting too run crazy, you'll see whenever I update pics for you in my journal, hah. I hope you realize that you will be getting more plants then just those two though, but it will be my secret until it arrives.
> 
> Well, then I will have to get a liter bottle or something like that and duck tape the top on, haha. In all seriousness if I could figure an effective way to transfer the algae from my emersed set up to a shippable container it will definitely be coming your way, there's plenty in the bottom of the tub (not in the plant containers but on the large container) to go around, and I can try and get some out of the tanks to send too you. I just don't know how to transport algae lol, maybe I should get a glowstick and put in the bag/container.


No need to share more than HM and a few stems of rotala and I'll be happy. But my collectoritis flares up and welcomes all plants into my home, especially with the emersed setups.

Hahaha, you should seriously see the bottom of my setup, it's bright red from the iron bacteria. I'm scared of it, lol. I should take pictures and update that thread.



lauraleellbp said:


> Hey Sara, did those Hygros I sent a while back ever end up anything besides mush? LMK, b/c my tank is always full and I can send more whenever this HOT weather decides to stop killing us all! lol
> 
> I'm totally jealous of your microscope. I think I've got to put that on my Santa list this year.
> 
> Though I'm serious about wanting it for looking at gecko poop... :icon_smil :help:


Well.......I thought I could salvage the hygros and they were in the pond and became a pile of goo instead of recovering. :icon_mrgr So, I scooped it out and used it as fertilizer for the cherry tree. LOL. I'll probably ask for more in late September after it cools down and I find time to sort through another massive pile of plants I know you'll send. 

I was totally shocked at the microscope. I could tell you that it was a big surprise as my family isn't big on gifts at ALL. I'm such a nerd.

Hahahahahaha. I bet you are. Gecko poop lover. If we lived close, I'd let you borrow it anytime.

PICTURES!

Some of you have seen a few of these elsewhere (not TPT):




































Already improving with co2 (now at about 1.3 bps) and light pictures:



























Reflection for non-c (to prove bats have reflections)


















More fish pictures:









Some guppy believes she is a emerald eye:









New growth, CT!









And for cuteness factor, the old man is exhausted after supervising.


----------



## Bahugo

Plants look Amazing!!!!! Love the dog pics too!


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> *No need* to share more than HM and a few stems of rotala and I'll be happy. But my collectoritis flares up and welcomes all plants into my home, especially with the emersed setups.
> 
> Hahaha, you should seriously see the bottom of my setup, it's bright red from the iron bacteria. I'm scared of it, lol. I should take pictures and update that thread.
> 
> I was totally shocked at the microscope. I could tell you that it was a big surprise as my family isn't big on gifts at ALL. I'm such a nerd.


There *is* a need to send you more plants! I don't have anything to do with my trimmings right now, so you can get an assortment! You said you never had Water Wisteria either so I will have to for sure give you a stem at least of that. I am hoping that you will be happily surprised when you get my package when we trade. 

The microscope is really cool! I have several plants in one of the extra tanks that have algae on them, would you be interested in having some of the more covered plants for you to inspect/play mad scientist? 




>


This picture is too cute! 

*So I have a question*, What's the word on Co2 and water disturbance? I feel like alot of the co2 in the 56g is getting "off gassed" because how the spray bar is setup, does alot of water disturbance off gas co2?


----------



## mscichlid

> You'll send me a link (feel free to post here) when you update it? I'll subscribe to keep up with it. Nice on the 40 brdr! Pea green with envy on that. :confused1:


Here you go: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals-photo-album/138786-mscichlids-120-a.html#post1407434

If you come down to Maryland anytime soon, let me know 'cos I can probably get you a 40 brdr from somewhere.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Hahaha! The prolific crypt lives! Have you found an adequate crypt replacement for your sword yet?


----------



## zachary908

Plants are looking fantastic, Sara!


----------



## msjinkzd

Shoot, I probably have an unused 40b in my spare tank room! I will check. Perhaps that would give you incentive for a road trip. You could pick up mscichlid on the way (super fun gal to hang out with)


----------



## orchidman

you have a million unused tanks in your spare tank room! and heaters and filters and lights. i wanted to grab one of each! so i could setup another tank! next time i come hopefully i can think of something to bring you to trade. i have a snail farm for ya.

great update sara! stuff looks so healthy! what plant is this?


----------



## zachary908

I'm guessing ludwigia repens.


----------



## orchidman

oOOooooohhh nice. its nice and red


----------



## zachary908

Don't trust me on that, I could be wrong. To be sure you better wait for Sara to respond. I think she is hiding. 

Come out come out wherever you are, Sara!

Bob is back!

Everything is so quiet without him!

Welcome back, Bob!


----------



## orchidman

lol! nice to know im appreciated. im leaving again thursday though. for like 10 days! 

sara! im home! its safe to come out, someone will actually notice your posts now


----------



## 2in10

Beautiful shots, you make me want to get my CO2 set up yesterday with your comments.


----------



## zachary908

orchidman said:


> lol! nice to know im appreciated. im leaving again thursday though. for like 10 days!
> 
> sara! im home! its safe to come out, someone will actually notice your posts now


No, Bob, don't leave us again!!!


----------



## orchidman

zachary908 said:


> No, Bob, don't leave us again!!!


i love you guys and all, but im going to ireland. cant say ill miss ya! roud: here is a picture of last time i went!










this is in dun laoghaire


----------



## zachary908

Awesome, have fun Bob! A friend of mine recently too a trip for people top people, and she went to Ireland, London, and all kinds of other cool places.


----------



## orchidman

cool! i just went to ireland. and im only going to ireland again. wish i could explore europe though!!


----------



## defiesexistence

Love the dandelions in that photo! The scenery wherever you go and eat a burger is splendid and all, but how often are you home, really? Poor Leroy's gotta have some equally splendid seperation anxiety.


----------



## Bahugo

defiesexistence said:


> Sure, the scenery wherever you go and eat a burger is splendid and all, but how often are you home, really?


LoL


----------



## orchidman

Lol. This summer I will have been away 4 weeks and a few odd weekends. That's all. And my little brother loves on Leroy when I'm gone


You can call me Bob


----------



## defiesexistence

That's still over a third of what is typically coined summer by kids in brick prisons. Good that Leroy isn't completely left to fend for affection thoughroud:


----------



## orchidman

Summer well spent though! 

Yep and leroy has friends in there now. And he hasnt tried to eat them.


You can call me Bob


----------



## Bahugo

orchidman said:


> Summer well spent though!
> 
> Yep and leroy has friends in there now. And he hasnt tried to eat them.
> 
> 
> You can call me Bob


We'll see what happens when he goes without food for a week! Nom nom nom


----------



## SkyGrl

nom nom nom nom... off topic!!!LMAO!

i love the visual of nom nom nom... who wouldnt...

Amy


----------



## orchidman

Bahugo said:


> We'll see what happens when he goes without food for a week! Nom nom nom


lol! thats why i feed him! lol


----------



## Karackle

wow i missed a lot!!! I suppose that isn't surprising given I was away for a week :hihi: 

Glad to see the tank did well through the ups and downs AND you have AC again! woohoo!!!! :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

Not quoting everyone, sorry. I'm just not smart enough to! But Bob - super jealous of the Ireland trip. I'd say drink a pint of whiskey for me while you are there, but you're like 5, right? 



Bahugo said:


> There *is* a need to send you more plants! I don't have anything to do with my trimmings right now, so you can get an assortment! You said you never had Water Wisteria either so I will have to for sure give you a stem at least of that. I am hoping that you will be happily surprised when you get my package when we trade.
> 
> The microscope is really cool! I have several plants in one of the extra tanks that have algae on them, would you be interested in having some of the more covered plants for you to inspect/play mad scientist?
> 
> This picture is too cute!
> 
> *So I have a question*, What's the word on Co2 and water disturbance? I feel like alot of the co2 in the 56g is getting "off gassed" because how the spray bar is setup, does alot of water disturbance off gas co2?


Feel free to send me whatever you like, I'll love them all. What I can't use, I'll stick in my emersed setup or share with others after they grow a while. 

I won't turn down algae, especially since most of mine is dead....except clado, in the 'algae' tank, and Francine the bba covered driftwood, it's almost all gone. *sniff* So the mad scientist in me will appreciate it. 

As far as co2 and surface movement, you may need to add more, but I don't. I'm lazy like that. 



mscichlid said:


> Here you go: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals-photo-album/138786-mscichlids-120-a.html#post1407434
> 
> If you come down to Maryland anytime soon, let me know 'cos I can probably get you a 40 brdr from somewhere.


Visited the link and your plants are looking great! Thanks for making it easy for me, lol. I do want to get to DC in the fall but my husband would kill me if I brought in another tank (I just gave away a complete 38 gallon setup even.) But I do appreciate it and if I do get down that way, we should do lunch. 



Cardinal Tetra said:


> Hahaha! The prolific crypt lives! Have you found an adequate crypt replacement for your sword yet?


I'm still wishy-washying on the crypt replacement. Especially after uprooting a sword plant tonight.  But IF I get one, I want a dark green one with no red tones, does this even exist? I'm not finding one that is taller (10 - 16 inches approximately) that fits the bill.



zachary908 said:


> Plants are looking fantastic, Sara!


Thanks Zach!



msjinkzd said:


> Shoot, I probably have an unused 40b in my spare tank room! I will check. Perhaps that would give you incentive for a road trip. You could pick up mscichlid on the way (super fun gal to hang out with)


Now I am tempted!! It would be a fun trip. 



orchidman said:


> you have a million unused tanks in your spare tank room! and heaters and filters and lights. i wanted to grab one of each! so i could setup another tank! next time i come hopefully i can think of something to bring you to trade. i have a snail farm for ya.
> 
> great update sara! stuff looks so healthy! what plant is this?


Both are unidentified as of yet. The one in back is a hybrid of a ludgwigia of some sort and the one in front is ludgwigia sp. 'red' plant that manini was selling (they are nearly identical, but not). Both have been sent to Cavan (one from manini) and one from me for idenitification purposes. Both grow well under low light and neglect.



zachary908 said:


> I'm guessing ludwigia repens.





zachary908 said:


> Don't trust me on that, I could be wrong. To be sure you better wait for Sara to respond. I think she is hiding.
> 
> Come out come out wherever you are, Sara!
> 
> Bob is back!
> 
> Everything is so quiet without him!
> 
> Welcome back, Bob!


I am hiding, painting my room and doing some moderating duties. My bat cave is still being spring cleaned. :icon_mrgr 



2in10 said:


> Beautiful shots, you make me want to get my CO2 set up yesterday with your comments.


Haha, thank you 2in10! If you look at my tank in the beginning, it was all diy co2. I actually miss those days when I look back. Here is Sara's guide to planted tanks summed up in one sentence: "Don't get discouraged, crap happens to all of us (even to the ones that claim otherwise)."



Karackle said:


> wow i missed a lot!!! I suppose that isn't surprising given I was away for a week :hihi:
> 
> Glad to see the tank did well through the ups and downs AND you have AC again! woohoo!!!! :biggrin:


Some pictures, just for you Kara (tiny hand McGee reporting for duty):
Before removal:








































































And yes, to answer your question, this was bigger than Wishbone:









Ohio River biotope roud:




































Cool pictures of the emerald eyes:


















and my first real harvest from the emersed setup:









Tank is still really cloudy after two 50% water changes (took out 50%, added 50%, repeat). Need to put in some floss tomorrow, but that will require finding some first. :icon_bigg

Fish don't seem to mind. Just having a minor problem with the dirt. I added too much clay to begin with, so there are pieces off dirt clods that I could blindly feel above the turface. I have no choice but to wait to see the damage.

Edit: Oh, and Kara! If the plant dies in transit, break it to me gently. LOL


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

LOL that's horrible! Picture 5 looks like a mudslide! 

Maybe Cryptocoryne moehlmannii? It doesn't have any reds but it isn't that dark in color. There probably is a dark green crypt with no reds out there. It's just I've never gotten my hands on one before hahaha.


----------



## sewingalot

I'm thinking about keeping the stormy waters look, what do you think? :biggrin: 

I personally think the sixth picture is pretty awesome. Looks like a fog rolling in. Moehlmannii is nice, but you are right, it's a lighter green. Cryptocoryne usteriana is perfect, I wonder if anyone has it.

Also, I am noticing my SAE is eating my aponogeton longiplumlosus. Ornery little guy. It did have a few strands of staghorn living on a few leaves, so I am suspecting that is the problem.

Tank still looks like a foggy mess even with the lights off and 8 hours later. I _really _need to put in some floss tomorrow.


----------



## peyton

That's the way one of my old setups with laterite substrate use to look every time I rearranged it. Whatcha going to put in place of the sword?


----------



## Karackle

"stoooooorrrmy weather" i think that's a song, but that's all i know of it, but your tank made me think of it :hihi:

Wow Sara, that crypt is looking awesome! I love it! What kind is it (apologies if I already asked that :hihi Where are you going to put the crypt you harvested from the emersed setup? 

Those shots of the emerald eyes are definitely cool! But I think you probably do need to get some filter floss or cotton balls or SOMETHING in there


----------



## sewingalot

Still super cloudy, too. :/ Peyton, no clue on the replacement. Toying around with the idea of a crypt, but I don't know. Right now I added a piece of driftwood I wrapped in moss, but I'm just trying to give it some thought first. I broke the pogestomen broad leaf into three tiny pieces up rooting the sword accidentally and I am sad about that. 

Yup Kara, Lena Horne sung it, a favorite singer of mine from the 30's. (I could caterwaul you most of the song even, lol) Found the _filter _floss (i.e. pillow stuffing) in one of my boxes. Sadly, something stinky broke open and covered it what smells like rose petals. So now I am thinking I need to make a trip to walmart (greeeeat) or I might just use a ton of cotton balls in a quick filter and just remove them tonight before they break down.

What you don't like my Ohio River biotope? It looks just like it! roud: That emersed crypt is walkerii 'lutea' and it is somewhere between my house and NJ, my dear.


----------



## nonconductive

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo no no no no no no no no no no no no

what did we tell you about rescaping large root feeders.

PS. regular old dirt tanks dont cloud as bad as that ime. another reason why MTS is inferior.


----------



## sewingalot

Yeah, yeah, yeah. About a split second after picture #4 when the enormous cloud dust started to plume, I went UH-OH! Now I remember that I was supposed to......poof. 

You are just jealous of my 9 month old, added way too much clay and forgot to add my dolomite and potash soil. :flick:

Anyone have some seriously cheap fast growing plants to send me? LOL


----------



## nonconductive

shouldve kept all that L repens!

so what are you going to do with it now? 

btw what were those 2 ludwigias you sent me last time?


----------



## wkndracer

nonconductive said:


> Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo no no no no no no no no no no no no
> 
> what did we tell you about rescaping large root feeders.
> 
> PS. regular old dirt tanks dont cloud as bad as that ime. another reason why MTS is inferior.


No, no they don't and even if a giant dodo bird sneaks in through an unlocked door and uproots ALL your plants NPT tanks clear almost overnight.



sewingalot said:


> Yeah, yeah, yeah. About a split second after picture #4 when the enormous cloud dust started to plume, I went UH-OH! Now I remember that I was supposed to......poof.
> 
> You are just jealous of my 9 month old, added way too much clay and forgot to add my dolomite and potash soil. :flick:
> 
> Anyone have some seriously cheap fast growing plants to send me? LOL


OMG!!!! sending me screaming and logging off of the site! The senseless 
destruction of a fragile ecosystem


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> shouldve kept all that L repens!
> 
> so what are you going to do with it now?
> 
> btw what were those 2 ludwigias you sent me last time?


You aren't kidding. Missing them now. :icon_neut My plan is to cry a little longer and then to wait for it to clear up 

I added a quick filter filled with cotton balls (ha at you, corporate Wally world!) and did a small 15% water change. Everything is covered in nice bright orange clay silt, lmao! I went ahead and pulled up most of the stems to rinse in a bucket.

What do they look like? Pictures and I can tell you. Probably repens x arcuata and brevipes or ludwigia x lacustris.



wkndracer said:


> No, no they don't and even if a giant dodo bird sneaks in through an unlocked door and uproots ALL your plants NPT tanks clear almost overnight.
> 
> 
> 
> OMG!!!! sending me sceaming and logging off of the site! The senseless
> destruction of a fragile ecosystem


I think I'm not going to do an NPT tank as I don't know if I can trust this without seeing said statement photographed. Do you have this problem with MTS at all when uprooting? I added a bit more clay (accidentally on purpose)and it's now acting like glue. :hihi:

sceaming? LOL Took me a few minutes to figure this one out. And my tank's ecosystem will be fine (I hope....) May have some algae to deal with, but it's all good. It did really well until the roots decided to bring up a gigantic dirt clod. 

Seriously, guys.....Did you not see this one coming? I mean at the first mention of the sword being uprooted, did you expect any less from me? :red_mouth


----------



## nonconductive

i was actually suprised you waited this long lol


----------



## orchidman

sewingalot said:


> Not quoting everyone, sorry. I'm just not smart enough to! But Bob - super jealous of the Ireland trip. I'd say drink a pint of whiskey for me while you are there, but you're like 5, right?  *snip*


*uh 15 not 5 roud: and you can drink when your 18 over there, but its not enforced. so we will see. *



i like it better without the sword.


----------



## sewingalot

Non-c, me too. But I will sacrifice my tank's scape for my Kara, Laura and Amy (and _possibly _some members of the PP team.)

BOB! I fixed your quoting for you. Dude - you've got to learn to snip out parts of quotes that aren't needed and when not to quote at all (or else I'm going to question my sanity when I see pictures posted twice like that and myself talking in bold :hihi


----------



## Karackle

HAHAHA thanks for fixing that Sara, I was questioning both our sanities thinking I was seeing double or that you double posted! :hihi:

Glad I didn't make that song up! roud: You can caterwaul to me any old time you please  

I was going to say something else too I think, but then my boss came in to talk to me and i got distracted and now I forget. Sigh. :hihi:


----------



## mscichlid

I'll send you a few plants.  You're just a hop, skip and a jump from MD. Hopefully it'll cool down soon.


----------



## orchidman

i did it like that because " i like it better without the sword" was directed at the pictures that i quoted roud: actually not just too lazy to snip!


----------



## Karackle

LOL Bob - I'm also not sure if you were joking about liking it better without the sword, I think maybe you were because you can't even really see anything once the sword was removed? In which case cropping the quote down to the most ridiculously muddy picture would have made it more clear that it was a joke. Instead I just scrolled on through to your comment only because I didn't need to re-read Sara's entire (long) post and therefore missed the joke....hence why we're getting on you a little about over quoting, don't take it personally though man, we're just trying to help  roud: 

ALSO I remembered what else I wanted to say when I posted before

THANK YOU FOR THE CRYPT SARA!!!!! :biggrin:


----------



## orchidman

lol! not taking it personally  it wasnt a joke either. i honestly like it better ( at least in the idea i have that it would look like wihtout it)


----------



## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> I think I'm not going to do an NPT tank as I don't know if I can trust this without seeing said statement photographed. Do you have this problem with MTS at all when uprooting? I added a bit more clay (accidentally on purpose)and it's now acting like glue. :hihi:
> 
> sceaming? LOL Took me a few minutes to figure this one out.
> Seriously, guys.....Did you not see this one coming? I mean at the first mention of the sword being uprooted, did you expect any less from me? :red_mouth


MTS is a cloudy nightmare breaking the cap in my 110g. I followed the directions on laying it all in the tank too. Once was enough. 
As I said natural dirt's don't do this in my experiences with it.
Fixed the typed at work internet violation spelling error.


nonconductive said:


> i was actually suprised you waited this long lol





sewingalot said:


> Non-c, me too. But I will sacrifice my tank's scape for my Kara, Laura and Amy (and _possibly _some members of the PP team.)
> 
> BOB! I fixed your quoting for you. Dude - you've got to learn to snip out parts of quotes that aren't needed and when not to quote at all (or else I'm going to question my sanity when I see pictures posted twice like that and myself talking in bold :hihi


While Non-C (D) expected you to do this I did not. (lesson learned) You believe nothing men say so suggesting things or saying I have experienced 'x' doing 'y' and that wasn't good a good thing is a waste of time. So,,, I'm now guessing you actually did it on purpose. Also I think I don't actually think so I'll go home now.

Thanks for fixing Bob's post whether he wanted you to or not.
:smile:


----------



## orchidman

lol! sorry guys


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

I've got the usteriana  PM me if you want it next week.


----------



## nonconductive

batgirl,
when i uproot NPT, it will cloud a little. but most of the muck settles on top the cap, which is easily siphoned off. and like mike said, the cloud is gone by morning. but i am also careful and dont manhandle things to make up for my puny hands:hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Franny! I appreciate it. It's really said I am so close to DC and never been. You are actually giving me yet another reason to show up.

YOU'RE WELCOME, KARA!!!

Bob - Hi!

Well, Mike, at least I'm not _entirely _alone in this causing such a mess. I have a feeling the added extra clay was part of the issue if not the majority though. My thinking was "clay settles, so more is better." The rest was pure stupidity. Really didn't think about it settling EVERYWHERE. :iamwithstHa, internet violation spelling error. _Hear_.....to make it even, I typo'd for you, Mikie. 

CT - Thanks! (But after seeing my neglect on my poor 15 gallon are you sure you want to send anything else?)  I'll send you a pm in a few days when things get back on track.

Non-c - Do you mean you get stuff like this?










I didn't think about looking on the top of the substrate for clods of dirt. I thought this would all magically sink to the bottom again (foolishly).




nonconductive said:


> but i am also careful and dont manhandle things to make up for my puny hands:hihi:


These  _puny hands _can still karate chop your _puny frame _to your knees. And after that, I'd stuff you in a bag and ship you to Kara just like my manhandled plant. LOL.

OH! So after looking at the dirt on top of the dirt, I pretty much did what you said and siphoned off the top. Brought out the old 10 gallon siphon to have a nice slow suction and time to work. Managed to pull said end of siphon out of the tote and spray a good amount of water onto the power strip. Had to stop said siphon; cry, curse and dry out soaking power strips and wonder why I didn't shut the door to the cabinet first. After drying the power strips and plugging one back (one only got a little water - other is still thoroughly soaked, will probably replace with another one as a preventive measure) I repeated the steps above minus the mishap. Good thing it was the small siphon. :icon_mrgr

So went from this (just realized how blue that middle bulb is):


















To this (cute fish photos):


















and this morning:









Today, I am going to take apart one of the filters and scrub it down (I'll soak the media in tank water from the 15) and leave the other one alone for a few weeks before tackling that one to prevent killing off what little bit of bacteria may be left. :icon_conf

Also going to quit being lazy and will make the long hike to Walmart (it like a 10 minute drive) and pay some corporation more of my (Earl's) hard earned money for pillow stuffing and some cheapo carbon.

Lost a few prized plants, but that's okay. It's helping curb the old collectoritis.


----------



## zachary908

Tank looks good, Sara! I love the emerald eyes. We get them in at work pretty often, so maybe if I ever set up another tank I'll get a nice school of them!


----------



## orchidman

yep i was right. looks good without the sword!


----------



## nonconductive

hey zach i just noticed your sig!

its about time someone added it lol


sara i cant see any dirt clods on the substrate really. for me i just usually get a little poo patty with some woody bits near where i uprooted, along with a small little mushroom cloud. like i said its easily removed but the downside is that the layers are mixing.

so that cloud actually caused you to lose some plants?


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, all. I like it better with the gigantic sword missing too Bob. Emerald eyes are great by the way, a great schooler. Not the cloud; when the pulling of the plant I broke some stems along the way and they are just little bitty pieces now. I am leaving them float to see if they'll recover. If not, there is more emersed. There were clumps of clay dirt, like soot more than cow patties.


----------



## nonconductive

let me rephrase.... the cow patties are similar looking to mulm buildup.


----------



## sewingalot

Oh, so not literal, lol. This basically looked like that first picture. but thicker in some areas than others. After siphoning out the gunk, and some of the turface that followed along, I decided to suck out some of the clay/dirt as well. I gutted the area where the sword was and plan to stick some dirt in it's place. I basically made little mud balls, rolled them in some turface and am going to let them dry and put them back in that area next week after things calm down. I figured if I'm quick, they should make it to the bottom of the tank without much of a mess.


----------



## nonconductive

are you going to freeze them? i think thats what chad does? i've never had to add any so i dunno.


----------



## sewingalot

Nah, just let them dry out really well. Will probably take a week or so based on the humidity factor in this area.


----------



## zachary908

nonconductive said:


> hey zach i just noticed your sig!
> 
> its about time someone added it lol


Oh yeah!


----------



## orchidman

zachary908 said:


> Oh yeah!


LOL! roud:


----------



## zachary908

orchidman said:


> LOL! roud:


'
BOB what is with the massive quote?!?! :hihi:


----------



## orchidman

oopse! didnt do that on purpose ( or did I kara? muahah)


IL FIX IT


----------



## wkndracer

nonconductive said:


> batgirl,
> when i uproot NPT, it will cloud a little. but most of the muck settles on top the cap, which is easily siphoned off. and like mike said, the cloud is gone by morning. but i am also careful and dont manhandle things to make up for my puny hands:hihi:


Yup! that's dirt being easy recovery from a foobar :hihi:
Men must be kinder hearted handling dirt so it doesn't get nasty with us.











sewingalot said:


> Well, Mike, at least I'm not _entirely _alone in this causing such a mess. I have a feeling the added extra clay was part of the issue if not the majority though. My thinking was "clay settles, so more is better." The rest was pure stupidity. Really didn't think about it settling EVERYWHERE. :iamwithstHa, internet violation spelling error. _Hear_.....to make it even, I typo'd for you, Mikie.
> 
> I didn't think about looking on the top of the substrate for clods of dirt. I thought this would all magically sink to the bottom again (foolishly).
> 
> These  _puny hands _can still karate chop your _puny frame _to your knees. And after that, I'd stuff you in a bag and ship you to Kara just like my manhandled plant. LOL.
> 
> OH! So after looking at the dirt on top of the dirt, I pretty much did what you said and siphoned off the top. Brought out the old 10 gallon siphon to have a nice slow suction and time to work. Managed to pull said end of siphon out of the tote and spray a good amount of water onto the power strip. Had to stop said siphon; cry, curse and dry out soaking power strips and wonder why I didn't shut the door to the cabinet first. After drying the power strips and plugging one back (one only got a little water - other is still thoroughly soaked, will probably replace with another one as a preventive measure) I repeated the steps above minus the mishap. Good thing it was the small siphon. :icon_mrgr


My MTS is just as big a mess maker too.
I laughed so hard my eyes watered reading this.
Then I died reading the siphon foobar and needed CPR! I can't tell you how many times I've wet the carpet on the porch cleaning the mustache pans. Seems like the hose will NOT stay in the bucket.


sewingalot said:


> I gutted the area where the sword was and plan to stick some dirt in it's place. I basically made little mud balls, rolled them in some turface and am going to let them dry and put them back in that area next week after things calm down. I figured if I'm quick, they should make it to the bottom of the tank without much of a mess.


Good luck with this and keep the camera handy dirty girl


----------



## Karackle

HAHAHA i only saw this after you fixed, but thanks for doing so Orchibob  

Oh man, Sara, I'm feeling a little bit guilty about the dust cloud in your tank and broken stems.....I'd feel a lot guilty if you weren't planning on pulling that sucker out no matter what though, so I guess il est qu'il est (that's french for it is what it is :tongue 

Now that the tank isn't hot chocolate and I can see what's going on in there, I'm gonna have to agree with Orchibob and say that I think the tank looks better without the sword. It's getting that jungley look that is my favorite :biggrin:


----------



## orchidman

wkndracer said:


> Yup! that's dirt being easy recovery from a foobar :hihi:
> Men must be kinder hearted handling dirt so it doesn't get nasty with us.


no comment :iamwithst


----------



## nonconductive

hahahahahahahahahaha...


that is all.


----------



## nonconductive

wkndracer said:


> I can't tell you how many times I've wet the carpet


taken out of context this could be quite amusing.


----------



## wkndracer

wkndracer said:


> _I can't tell you how many times I've wet the carpet _


 


nonconductive said:


> taken out of context this could be quite amusing.


wet spot!

puppy, dog, kid, me, 14 tanks theres always a wet spot somewhere


----------



## Karackle

nonconductive said:


> taken out of context this could be quite amusing.





wkndracer said:


> wet spot!
> 
> puppy, dog, kid, me, 14 tanks theres always a wet spot somewhere


my turn to say 

hahahahahahahahahaha


that is all.


----------



## zachary908

Wow.... :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

What on earth are you guys talking about? Wait, don't answer that. :hihi:

Pictures:


















Also, a quick note. I am going to start posting all my journals in this thread now. The 15 gallon previously found here thread has been closed and will be updated in this journal. When I do updates, I'll try to use a new post for each tank instead of lumping them together. I'm just not up to having multiple journals as it is a struggle for me to keep up with one thread.


----------



## sewingalot

*Urban Decay - 10 gallon tank*

The algae tank met it's maker. I have spend so much time experimenting on it that I killed everything but Francine and a sponge covered in clado (from the marimo ball that lived in the tank for a long time) and grew tired of looking at an empty tank. Meanwhile, the husband was cleaning out the apartment after tenants moved out and came across a 10 gallon that they didn't want. So he brought it home and I started to work on a bright idea I came up with on an insomnia filled night. I owe Karatech credit for giving me some ideas about tanks and walls and the rest kind of fell into place.

Contents:
10 gallon standard glass rectangle
Folk art acrylic paint
Foam brush
Old scrap piece of poster board to protect acrylic paint
Packing tape to hold up said poster board
Scraper to remove paint due to trying to paint to quickly and bubbling the background
2nd tube of folk art acrylic paint to correct above error
1 versa top with the handle and plastic removed
1 tube of silicone
Caribsea Tahitian Moon Super Naturals sand
Turface
Red Sea Florabase (this stuff is excellent, I wish I could afford to use it exclusively)
A random stick

Fauna:
Blue Pearl Shrimp
Snails

Flora:
Three small swords for now until I find plants for the background I like
Moss
Cladophora covered sponge (the shrimp love picking on it and I had to honor the algae)
A stem of MU I found floating 
Hornwort and Red Root Floaters
The crypt was moved over long enough to hate it and moved back to the 55 (I kind of melted leaves overnight as a result. )
Stupid riccia
Microsword
The _real _marselia minuta (I hope it lives as this is all I have of it)

The goal of the tank is to represent city streets decaying and returning to nature. This is a common occurrence in our town and I wanted to represent that. A little different, I know. But I think it'll look cool once I get it set up more. So basically, I siliconed both pieces of glass in the tank with approximately 1/3 space for plants, left a gap and filled with sand. I think it looks pretty good. Can't wait to add more plants - anyone have any dwarf sag? 

Pictures:









The hubby helping (he likes this idea and picked the paint color)




































Tip, don't just accept tiny leaks in the silicone. It's settled a bit and I lost a tiny amount due to not sealing it tightly....









Baby's of the sword I took out of the 55 (not staying)









Cute picture of the small sword covered in shrimp(staying if it can handle life without co2):


















Snail going to the direst place in the tank, he's not happy about the clean home:









Odd yellow that came from the pearls. May take him/her to another tank free of shrimp (a nano)



























Dinner time:


















And a tank without algae would be a travesty


----------



## peyton

Lol, free tanks are the best aren't they? I like the new setup! At first I thought you were making a riparium there.


----------



## zachary908

I like the new tank, Sara! You sure can't beat free!


----------



## zachary908

And yes, hopefully I can tame my pleco! Oddly he hasn't ripped the hairgrass out once, and it is sending out little tiny runners.


----------



## hydrophyte

sewingalot said:


>


This is fun. I look forward to seeing it grow in.


----------



## CKJ

Love the new tank idea!!! Cool shrimp!!!


----------



## wkndracer

wow nice idea! wish I could tank shrimp :icon_cry:


----------



## speedie408

I like the elevated substrate. Nice work!


----------



## Karackle

REALLY cool tank idea Sara! Usually you only see the raised plant area in a paludarium, but a fully submerged version is really cool, I'm definitely digging it! :biggrin: 

Can't wait to see what else you decide to do with it!


----------



## wkndracer

*represent city streets decaying and returning to nature*

represent city streets decaying and returning to nature

enjoyed the post slowly at home for a second time


----------



## wkndracer

*city streets decaying and returning to nature*

The mayor is going to hate you LOL (quit picking on your town)
enjoyed the posted new to you tank & DIY (way 2 go :biggrin a second time at home. That sword I'm betting will do just fine w/o co2 and end up growing emerged. I've got sag too. 

Thinking I don't think and this is going to be a cool little tank. :smile:


----------



## kangared

I like the new setup too! It reminds of a post from a while back where someone was glueing tahitian moon sand to objects and things. It was very strange. This is cool though (not strange).


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks for all the comments.

What's funny is this tank belonged to me and I gave it to a tenant a while back when he mentioned he was about to buy a 10 gallon. I had an extra setting around so I gave him lights, filter and tank. Earl found it all sitting in the back room. I filled it for leaks, wiped it down with vinegar and went from there. The other 10 that had the algae in it may be set up as a sump. I'm just not sure yet.

Mikie, I worked for over 5 years with the city and no comment on what I think. :hihi: Remind me to beg for some dwarf sag from you.

I call it my underwater riparium, lol. It's a mixture hydrophte's idea with the wall being almost 1/3 the height of the glass and about 1/3 depthKind of took some ideas from that one journal you are talking about kangared in the since of doing something different. And mix in the paludarium and there you have my thinking. I was starting out with clay pots, but didn't like it.

I've already changed it a lot, but I'm not sure if people want me to bombard them with pictures. 

Onto news of the 55, water is clean. Pictures of the tank in a few days.


----------



## chad320

Nice work Sara!!! Was that a flower all the way back at the beginning? You only gave us from 2:30 am to 5:30 am to post so it kinda got skipped. I am surprised one of the two people on at that time didnt comment on it. You know those two, God and Satan? So, are you going to use this 10 for some of your emergent stuff? Are you going to keep it topped up with water? It looks like another awesome idea from you and I cant wait to see this grow 

(BTW, it was nice to catch up on this journal, you guys crack me up everytime  )


----------



## Karackle

What the heck to you mean you're not sure if we want to be bombarded with pictures?! OF COURSE WE DO!!!! 

WE ALWAYS WANT MORE PICTURES!!!!!!!!! 

Oh, and good call on the flower Chad, is that growing in your pond Sara? it's very pretty!


----------



## chad320

She mentioned it in my thread so I came to get caught up. Ill call it shamelessly plugging ones own thread :hihi:

more pictures please!!!! notice i didnt capitalize anything. i sure hope my uncle jack doesnt need anything today :hihi:


----------



## zachary908

We want pictures, Sara!!!!


----------



## 2in10

Very good setup, like the two levels


----------



## 2in10

zachary908 said:


> We want pictures, Sara!!!!


They are just as bad here as on the Reef site I belong to. LOL:hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, you guys are cracking me up (Chad, you are too funny to mention your Uncle). I'm sure you appreciated my shameless plug for my flower. I was so excited about my flowering plant that I posted it over in the plants section too! :biggrin: Kara, yup, the one in the tub, given to me as Nymphoides sp 'taiwan.' Thanks 2in10. They are giving me tit for tat it seems. I usually demand for more and more pictures. :smile:

Here are some more pictures (some non plant related) now that I'm slowly moving things back on track:

Random dog picture (look at all the toys strewn about, they tuckered themselves out, lol)









Sneak preview of the bat cave.....er sewing room (this is the corner I was telling you about Kara that I patched and is now making the rest of the room look like crud. I should have spackled uglier)









The room is almost completed paint wise (will be this morning when the husband wakes up and helps me carry up the molding and put it in place.) Decided against repainting the windows and stop as they are being replaced with new windows next year (hopefully). Next step is to replace the electrical outlets (one with GFCI) and to move in. After this contest of bettatail's is over ( I am still really impressed with his generosity ) I plan to take a few weeks or more off from the forum to get some dragon slaying (sewing) done. I know you are will cry each day that I am gone.

10 gallon (sand is still leaking like an ant farm, lol. Need to fix that on next month's water change.) Added and moved things around:









Still eating the food from the other day, and have left crumbs along the nice sand (like ants).









Plants are slowly recovering from the co2/lights/a/c/nutrient/mud slide:









I just discovered last night as the power head filter (big surprise) clogged up and stopped working so I need to fix the co2 again. Actually, I need to set up that reactor that I haven't been able to get to stop leaking yet and remove the power head reactor altogether. I know how to fix it now (thanks, Mike) but laziness and lack of $$$ is stopping me. Mostly laziness.

I added a piece of wood (gasp). The SAE mauled down the moss. Is this normal?









FTS (Cleared right as rain!): 









Left side is barren from lack of sword. Hence the added piece of wood until I figure what to do. Trimmed a boatload and sent away this Saturday. Giving the ludwigias on the right side to Rachel this weekend for a new plant to take it's place. The aponogeton (not looking forward to moving this) lost most of it's leaves to scissors in preparation of moving to the 33 gallon.


----------



## zachary908

Looking good, Sara! I know what the left side needs.... more stems!!!!!


----------



## chad320

As always your lil doggies are cute! Your room is coming along good too!!! I cant wait until I can trade you plants for my new quilt :hihi: Your BPs did alot better than mine. I didnt realize a FL flagfish was eating babies. Oops  I also like the red ludwigia. Is it pretty easy care? It seems to have weathered the mudstorm pretty good.


----------



## Bahugo

Rooms coming along nicely! I love the dog photos haha.


----------



## 2in10

Very nice tanks, I haven't seen SAEs nail moss before. 

How large are your SAEs?


----------



## peyton

Yes I'm afraid sae's do like to munch on mosses and fine leaf plants like rotala wallichi IME.


----------



## Karackle

Hahaha should have spackled uglier. You crack me up. The room looks good, it looks like you did a really good job painting! Yay! That will be fun to have your sewing room again! YAYAYAY! Don't forget, I want a quilt too! I'll trade you for jewelry, or a duct tape wallet, or whatever you want  :biggrin: 

I like the rearrangements in the 2 level tank, those blues are looking bluer against the black background for sure!

And I'm glad the 55 cleared up so nicely! We still need to get that monster sword planted, in fact, I plan to do that as soon as I'm done posting on the forum


----------



## sewingalot

Lol, Zach! I don't think I disagree with that statement. 

I'll be. Peyton, tell that girl to stop eating Chad's moss! I rewrapped it yesterday morning and it's already been chewed down again. It's kind of funny and it also confirms she's the one chewing on other plants. I guess once the algae was gone, the SAE had to find something to snack on.

Chad, the red ludwigia is easier to care for than most of other ludwigias. I'd say they are like bacopas. I can't believe it grew in muddy waters (yes, it looks like crud, but it still grew!) 

Kara, room looks completely different color wise. The primer walls (pictured above) have been covered with algae and dirt.  I'm finally giving up on the trim as it'll never be perfect enough for me and will be moving in next week. It's going to be so peaceful on here by next Friday. LOL! I'll update the pictures of my room on FB just for you since I know you will be curious.  And thanks about the 10 gallon. I think it looks better, too. 

LOL, on the quilts you two. I am running out of people to make quilts for that you might just see a few thrown your way eventually.


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Sneak preview of the bat cave.....er sewing room (this is the corner I was telling you about Kara that I patched and is now making the rest of the room look like crud. I should have spackled uglier)
> 
> 
> The room is almost completed paint wise (will be this morning when the husband wakes up and helps me carry up the molding and put it in place.) Decided against repainting the windows and stop as they are being replaced with new windows next year (hopefully). Next step is to replace the electrical outlets (one with GFCI) and to move in. After this contest of bettatail's is over ( I am still really impressed with his generosity ) I plan to take a few weeks or more off from the forum to get some dragon slaying (sewing) done. I know you are will cry each day that I am gone.


We will cry! You better, at the very least stop by to tell how my plants arrive, I'll pm when they are sent after I receive your package!


----------



## Bahugo

Your plants came in! Packing your box in a bit should be sent tomorrow morning


----------



## dr.tran

My god sara, you sure have gone a long long way from when I first remembered you even before you were a moderator. lol


----------



## Karackle

WOOHOO!!! YAY QUILT!!! I think we talked about you making me a quilt before, remember, I like purple, green, blue and black  or black and red. Or black red and silver. Or black and silver. Or black, silver and dark purple or blue. You get the idea. Nothing too "girly" and something definitely funky :biggrin: I'm sorry.....am I getting ahead of myself and a bit overzealous here? :hihi: 

And that is excellent, I'm glad you've decided to leave it "as good as it's gonna get" so that you can move in and claim your sewing space!!! Can't wait to see the FB pics! :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

Glad you got the plants Rich!
Hi Dr Tran! Long time no see. Good to see you around.

Kara - I remember. You want a pink quilt with a hot pink background and yellow trim. Would you believe I am still in there with a small brush try to be a perfectionist? :hihi:

I'VE GOT A RED CLAW BABY SHRIMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


















He was following her around.









I don't get it, she was the only one carrying eggs and is still carrying them. Is it possible this is a new baby and they hatch at different rates or is this one from months ago??

Oh, and the SAE is destroying the moss completely.


----------



## nonconductive

yay for the baby shrimp!

and thats why i dislike SAE's


----------



## zachary908

Yay for baby Shrimps!!!

Bad SAE. I wonder when mine will start eating moss.. probably when I stop feeding blackworms...:hihi:


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Glad you got the plants Rich!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't get it, she was the only one carrying eggs and is still carrying them. Is it possible this is a new baby and they hatch at different rates or is this one from months ago??
> 
> Oh, and the SAE is destroying the moss completely.


Awww he's cute, I wish my babies followed around mommy. How old is the baby? I'm pretty sure that they don't have their babies all at once, if you look at the eggs and there are eyes it's most likely the same batch. However some shrimp can berry>birth>birth>molt>berry from birth to reberry almost instantly if they were ready again. It's possible she had a batch and reberried right away.


----------



## Bahugo

I expect pics today! *really hope plants came in healthy for you*


----------



## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> Kara - I remember. You want a pink quilt with a hot pink background and yellow trim. Would you believe I am still in there with a small brush try to be a perfectionist? :hihi:
> 
> I'VE GOT A RED CLAW BABY SHRIMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Yup I believe it. Enough with the painting already! Winters coming and this quilt is needed to keep poor Kara from freezing.

congrats on the baby phrimpy


----------



## Karackle

YAY for baby shrimplets!!! WAHOO!!! No idea what batch they might have come from, but what I do know is that baby must mean the mommas and poppas are nice and happy!!! :biggrin: roud:

Thanks wkndracer, been trying to tell her to put down the brush and let it be so she can start using the room, but i didn't want to tell her it was so i could get my quilt. So thanks for looking out for me there  :icon_lol: 

And yes Sara, those are EXACTLY the colors I want, plus also some light pink.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks on the shrimpy comments, my friends. I was really excited that I was practically talking like a three year old. 

Rich - haven't got pictures yet, sorry. Been catching up on sleeping. Plants came in, those were a bunch of plants! Thanks for them all.  I'll get some pictures up before I take off. Probably this weekend or the beginning of next week. 

Kara - bubblegum pink, check.

Mike - I think I'm stalling now. I found a *gasp* lady bug in my room a few nights ago and I want to make sure there aren't more to follow. Bugs + fabric = sad me. Still not happy with the paint. It's depressing. I've often been told my perfectionist attitude stifles me into action. :hihi:

Having a hard time keeping the co2 up to snuff all the sudden. I looked at the co2 regulator and saw that the pressure had dropped. I guess there wasn't enough muscle put into tightening it this time around. Got the husband to fix it and it's finally working again, sorta. Went from dark blue to blue-green within a few hours last night. But it's only going at about one bubble every 4 - 6 seconds, no matter what I turn it to, it's still straying. I am thinking the needle valve is dying on this one just like it did on the other regulator.  It's sad because I am now broke and with no funds coming up, it may be back to DIY co2 if I can't find a cheap part to get me through. I may go to Lowes and get one of those $3 needle valves to see if I can get something to work between the one I already have and that one. We'll see. This higher tech side of the hobby isn't fun when you are broke. I miss my paycheck on days like this one.


----------



## zachary908

Sara! Start sewing, and selling! Then you can buy all kinds of fancy high tech stuff! What kinds of things do you make anyway, can I see some pictures? Pretty please!


----------



## nonconductive

she makes bat wings out of sheep skin.....


----------



## zachary908

nonconductive said:


> she makes bat wings out of sheep skin.....


:hihi: That would be something. Is this true, Bat girl?


----------



## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> Thanks on the shrimpy comments, my friends. I was really excited that I was practically talking like a three year old.
> 
> I may go to Lowes and get one of those $3 needle valves to see if I can get something to work between the one I already have and that one. We'll see.


hmmmm I remember a couple members giving me ALL KINDS of grief for being excited about new angelfish hahaha

I have two regs I'm not currently using and one has two needle valves on it, want me to mail one? 


zachary908 said:


> Sara! Start sewing, What kinds of things do you make anyway?





nonconductive said:


> she makes bat wings out of sheep skin.....





zachary908 said:


> :hihi: That would be something. Is this true, Bat girl?


Nope! Not true! Bat wings are made out of pig ears.
Sheep's skin is used to make wawa drying rags for the pink panty crying club.


----------



## nonconductive

wkndracer said:


> wawa drying rags for the pink panty crying club.


lol.


----------



## zachary908

wkndracer said:


> Nope! Not true! Bat wings are made out of pig ears.
> Sheep's skin is used to make wawa drying rags for the pink panty crying club.


Oh, that makes so much more sense, thanks. :hihi:

Sara, I will take one pair of bat wings, ha!


----------



## orchidman

it looks awesome! its looks gteat now that we can actually see it! lol. i like the new scape tiered thing, its really cool!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks for the offer on the needle valve, Mike. I may take you up on that soon if things don't improve. I took the needle valve off, and reattached it. Seems like it was cross-threaded (by me) and is now doing better. We'll see.

Guys, you are forgetting one thing. The batwings are attached. No need to make more.  The bat cave is complete. Now moving in and already sewn something today! Granted, it was my husband's pants for work, but I was actually happy to hear the sound of the machine humming. So my folks, this may be the beginning of the end for my love affair with planted tanks. I'm taking off for at least a month of R&R to catch up on sewing projects and to concentrate on home repairs, so I won't be around much at all after the 23rd of this month. 

This is the last picture on here that I am going to share with you all on TPT of my bat cave, so enjoy:









And as promised to Rich, below are a few updated shots of the 55 gallon. Thanks for the plants, Rich! They seem to be rebounding nicely after a trip in the dark for a few days. Those that follow should be able to spot the new additions. This is my husband's camera, so it was set to auto without flash and let it do the rest of the work. Surprisingly very true to life.













































































































Tossed in a ball of moss in the corner from Chad to try to discourage the SAE from eating my blyxa. I figured I can sacrifice a bit of moss for the sake of the blyxa japonica. 

Other than some diatoms and GSA, no algae problems. Pretty happy on that part. I haven't been dosing at all for a while now and letting the MTS do the work. However, stupid me didn't add the dolomite and potash, so I am seeing some deficiencies in the plants, mainly potassium. I am going to set up a light dosing regimen in a few days. Just don't really care at the moment as I am happy with the tank tanking care of itself and weeding out the weak plants. 

So to sum it up: Planted tank is so-so at the moment due to focusing on other things and next time you see me, I'll be knee deep in fabrics.


----------



## orchidman

nice bat cave. although it has to many windows! i want a quilt! 

i still think it looks good. good job with being about to control the algae mostly. i have some BBA. but the Bga is gone


----------



## 2in10

Very nice tank, that is a big, fat and happy SAE


----------



## kangared

Nice, I like the moss corner especially. And..


> However, stupid me didn't add the dolomite and potash, so I am seeing some deficiencies in the plants, mainly potassium.


I have the same problem^ :/


----------



## wkndracer

Congrats on completing the room!
For neglected the tank looks pretty good too. :wink:


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> I'm taking off for at least a month of R&R
> 
> 
> so I won't be around much at all after the 23rd of this month.


No say it isnt so.....


----------



## zachary908

It looks great, Sara.

It's too bad you are leaving us. Have fun sewing, and get lots done. We will miss you! Maybe by the time you get back my OEBT thread will have some pictures with shrimp and stuff!


----------



## sewingalot

LOL, you guys and quilts. Everyone is getting a quilt with bba and clado stuffing! 



nonconductive said:


> No say it isnt so.....


Okay, I won't say so. How about "It is sew." :biggrin::hihi::biggrin: I crack myself up! You all will just be getting used to me being gone and I'll show back up to annoy you and pester for pictures. Speaking of pictures, non-c any chance of seeing pictures today? :icon_wink

Tank doesn't look too shabby, eh Mike? Kangared, at least I am not alone in my troubles. That comforts me. I like working on my tanks in the winter more than the summer, so I plan to get it in tip top shape in time for the holidays.


----------



## orchidman

glad you arent leaving


----------



## Bahugo

Your room look great Sara ! 

You crack me up "It is sew!"


----------



## Bahugo

I like the tank setup! Hopefully my plants will rebound quickly from shipment, alteast they came algae free!  Hopefully, for the most part, snail free too! Hopefully the Pogostemon Erectus will grow, it's just starting to transition to submersed form in my tank now on a few stems. the third plant is Eichornia Diversifolia which should rebound, that plant is super easy to grow for me, even in the 56g, so I would imagine it's a super quick grower.


----------



## sewingalot

Yeah, it all came in free of algae, I must say I was a little sad about that. Just a touch of GSA here and there on the lowest of leaves, but nothing else. Thanks for the id on the Eichornia. It's a fantastic plant. I was wondering what that pogostemon was, too. Everything seems to be sending off new growth already. I didn't notice any snails, but whatever made it through will be ate by the red claws. Those guys love escargo. Thanks again for the million plants. I have more in my 15 and 10 that wouldn't fit in here.

P.S. Glad you caught my joke. I'm going to miss you guys, Earl doesn't even _bat _an eye at my puns. LOL


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> P.S. Glad you caught my joke. I'm going to miss you guys, Earl doesn't even _bat _an eye at my puns. LOL


I honestly LoL'd, nice pun! Bat woman! 

I honestly completely forgot about algae to send you, If I get any more algae I will throw it in a first class envelope for you or something! I was disappointed in myself about forgetting to send you algae.


----------



## Karackle

I love the color you painted the room! It's lovely! Our kitchen is a similar color but a little bit darker. YAY for the sewing machine moving in!  

The tank is looking good too! I agree, I love the [STRIKE]algae[/STRIKE] why do I always do that?! MOSS corner even if it was meant to just be a snack stand for the SAE  

Well darling, we will miss you dearly while you are on hiatus, but it will be fun to see how much the tank has changed when you stop back in a month from now! I hate to see you go, but I totally understand the need for a break in order to finish getting the house fixed up and to catch up on your sewing and other things.

*Edit* I was giggling at your puns too, nice ones!


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, thanks you two. 

And have no fear, Kara sent me a _ton _of algae this week. I'm up to my eyeballs in algae samples now, lol. My brother and I bond over the microscope. When you find a way to connect with people with his condition, you just jump in with both feet. We are even going to be writing a blog together on my microscope findings. I think people don't understand that is what really drives me in this hobby and especially in algae. It's a way for me to connect with my disabled brother. And those that mock me for it are just clueless on who I am and what I'm about. Life is so fleeting and it's not worth such discontentment some seem to feel. To me, this is a hobby and a way to stay earthbound, not a paycheck. 

LOL, feeling a little sappy today, hahaha. To make up for it, here's a joke:

_Guy is riding on the interstate and sees a three legged chicken passing his car at 75 mph. Fascinated, he decides to follow it home. Going up a long-winding dirt road, he comes across a farm full of three legged chickens and an old man feeding them. 

Getting out of the car, he approaches the old man. "Sir, I've never seen anything like it! Three-legged chickens that could out run my car and a whole farm of them! Where did they come from?"

Chewing on his toothpick the old man says "Well you see, the wife, son and I all like chicken legs. But you had to kill two chickens to feed the family and that's just wasteful. So I bred three legged chickens."

"Fascinating! What do they taste like?"

"Don't well know. Haven't caught one yet."_


----------



## orchidman

ill send you some BBA! i have a good amount. but when i get a mr aqua ill switch it out and kill the dang stuff!


----------



## SkyGrl

hahaha i love chicken wings!! you can have the legs and ill get the wings?? ... i want to get a turkey deep fryer... oh god! i love deep fried birds!!

we will miss you Sara. i have been off of here for a while due to my life getting ridiculiously busy! ill still stalk you... :ninja:

:hihi:

Amy
i <3 you


----------



## sewingalot

<3 and xoxo my little stalker girl! Amy, just for you, a craptastic cell phone picture of the 15 gallon. I'll see you on FB, my dear.


----------



## orchidman

im going to steal your downoi


----------



## Karackle

I LOVE the tall fern looking plant! Love you Sara, will miss you tons on here!!! And we look forward to your return :biggrin:


----------



## SkyGrl

i agree the fern looking plant is outragously good looking... 

Amy


----------



## orchidman

is that hygro pinnifata?


----------



## zachary908

Hygrophila pinnatifida 

Sara I want all of your downoi. PM me for the shipping adress. :hihi:

They look great, I hope mine will become that nice looking.


----------



## orchidman

i was close.. lol!

NO! i have dibs on the downoi! at least share it


----------



## jkan0228

What's your address? All that downoi is worth coming over and taking it myself!!! But probably dead by the time I get home.... Hahaha


----------



## orchidman

ill beat ya to it! i know where she lies! MUAHAHAHAHa


----------



## jkan0228

Hahaha I guess I'll just convince her to give me all of them!!  
Even though your orchidman.... Your no superman. You can't chase down a USPS truck across the state.


----------



## orchidman

nope... im no cardinal tetra! ROFL! guess your going to have to share


----------



## Centromochlus

Sara, is that the Hygrophila pinnatifida that i sent you a while back?
Regardless, it looks like it's doing very well in your tank! Beautiful!


----------



## Karackle

Is the hygro pinnafiwhatchamacallit the tall ferny looking one on the right side that I like? If so, I still like it. I want some but I don't think it would do well in my tanks. 

Also, guys, before you kill each other over Sara's downoi, I feel I should remind you, she's taking a hiatus from the FORUM, not from her tanks, so I don't think she's parting with ALL (or even any at this time?) of her downoi or other plants LOL :hihi:


----------



## wkndracer

sewingalot said:


> We are even going to be writing a blog together on my microscope findings. I think people don't understand that is what really drives me in this hobby and especially in algae. It's a way for me to connect with my disabled brother. And those that mock me for it are just clueless on who I am and what I'm about. Life is so fleeting and it's not worth such discontentment some seem to feel. To me, this is a hobby and a way to stay earthbound, not a paycheck.


Hoping this blog will be here or open web and not FB bound :icon_frow.
I refuse to facebutt.


sewingalot said:


> <3 and xoxo my little stalker girl! Amy, I'll see you on FB, my dear.


Pop in here and cut down on the FB time. (just a selfish thought) 



Karackle said:


> Is the hygro pinnafiwhatchamacallit the tall ferny looking one on the right side that I like? If so, I still like it. I want some but I don't think it would do well in my tanks.
> 
> Also, guys, before you kill each other over Sara's downoi, I feel I should remind you, she's taking a hiatus from the FORUM, not from her tanks, so I don't think she's parting with ALL (or even any at this time?) of her downoi or other plants LOL :hihi:


If Sara's sending out pity packages then I want one too. LOL
Training all month just about at work is cutting my web time WAY back.
Sorry to all I'm not helping more with the boohoo don't go feel guilty posts more than I am. :hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

i hate to burst your bubbles but the downoi is mine:icon_smil


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Good thing I nabbed some of Sara's downoi early on. It looks like everyone wants to snatch it all up :hihi:


----------



## wkndracer

nonconductive said:


> i hate to burst your bubbles but the downoi is mine:icon_smil


IS NOT! (and keep your hands off my bubbles too!!!)


----------



## orchidman

ROFL! its just our way of showing affection kara! if we arent beggin for your plants, probably means we dont like that person! ROFL!!!! what has the internet become? lol!

i dont think i could grow downoi anyways


----------



## zachary908

Karackle said:


> Is the hygro pinnafiwhatchamacallit the tall ferny looking one on the right side that I like?
> 
> Also, guys, before you kill each other over Sara's downoi, I feel I should remind you, she's taking a hiatus from the FORUM, not from her tanks, so I don't think she's parting with ALL (or even any at this time?) of her downoi or other plants LOL :hihi:


Yep, the tall ferny one is the hygrophila pinnatifida. It's a lovely plant, I'll have to get some one day.

Ha, I was mainly joking about the downoi. I already have some, I just want it to start multiplying, so far it is just getting bigger. :hihi:

Sara does have some great looking downoi though. Maybe if I show pictures of it to my downoi it will get jealous and begin to spread!


----------



## orchidman

you could always show it pictures of a blazing inferno and use the grow or die method. works on orchids


----------



## Karackle

Hahaha good good, just makin' sure everyone knew she was selling off all of her tanks, just taking a break from the forum :hihi: 

Sara, I definitely hope you point us in the direction of the microscope blog!


----------



## zachary908

Karackle said:


> Sara, I definitely hope you point us in the direction of the microscope blog!


Yes, me too! It sounds fascinating!


----------



## wkndracer

Karackle said:


> Hahaha good good, *just makin' sure everyone knew she was selling off all of her tanks*, just taking a break from the forum :hihi:
> 
> Sara, I definitely hope you point us in the direction of the microscope blog!


Selling off all her tanks? What do you mean selling?
I printed out the post she made in my thread as proof! 
She said she's _*GIVING*_ them all to me, not selling. LMAO!


----------



## wkndracer

*working in secret*








Eureka! Its green mostly and grows in water ALGAE!








ALGAE! new strain in development combining GSA and GDA Bwahahaha! It's super soup that will defeat glut! :bounce:


----------



## zachary908

Rofl!


----------



## orchidman

wkndracer said:


> Eureka! Its green mostly and grows in water ALGAE!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ALGAE! new strain in development combining GSA and GDA Bwahahaha! It's super soup that will defeat glut! :bounce:


nothing can stop this untamable beast! :icon_evil


----------



## Hyzer

sewingalot said:


> <3 and xoxo my little stalker girl! Amy, just for you, a craptastic cell phone picture of the 15 gallon. I'll see you on FB, my dear.


I was driving along CA-1 today and looked at an artichoke field. All I could think about was downoi.








http://www.ipni.net/ppiweb/gusawest.nsf/$webindex/1019C8A4FC15C69F88256DF5000905E5/$file/artichoke%202.jpg

Not too much of a stretch, right?

You, ma'am, have some beautiful plants.roud:


----------



## Karackle

wkndracer said:


> Selling off all her tanks? What do you mean selling?
> I printed out the post she made in my thread as proof!
> She said she's _*GIVING*_ them all to me, not selling. LMAO!


OH NO! THAT WAS A *MAJOR* TYPO! I meant wasN'T as in was NOT, she is NOT selling off all her tanks!!! OOPS!!! 

Given the rest of your response, I assume you know this, but I needed to make it clear :hihi:

Also where on earth did you find those mad algae scientist pictures?! they're AMAZING! :icon_lol:

*Hyzer* that totally DOES look like downoi! good call!


----------



## zachary908

Hyzer said:


> I was driving along CA-1 today and looked at an artichoke field. All I could think about was downoi.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.ipni.net/ppiweb/gusawest.nsf/$webindex/1019C8A4FC15C69F88256DF5000905E5/$file/artichoke%202.jpg
> 
> Not too much of a stretch, right?
> 
> You, ma'am, have some beautiful plants.roud:


Nice looking downoi, Hyzer! :hihi:


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## orchidman

haha super giant mega downoi!


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## Cardinal Tetra

I always think of kale or romaine lettuce whenever I see downoi lol. My shrimp and snails definitely like to eat it up whenever I skip feeding for too long...


----------



## orchidman

lol!


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## msjinkzd

i was giving a bunch of hygrophila pinnatifida. I really like it too!!


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## sewingalot

Hyzer, that is too awesome, downoi does look like artichoke. Damon and wknd will get some downoi. Other than that, everyone else must pay triple for begging.  Um....not much is going on with the tanks. Let's see what has happened in the 6ish weeks I've been away from TPT with the tanks and life? Oh, okay.

The 33 gallon is on hold indefinitely. Our little dog impaled herself on a broken branch (she survived and it was a miracle!) and my car was hit on the same day. I will spare you the details, but here is a picture:









She is much better, and we are financially poorer, but my life is rich and I couldn't ask for much more than this cute face to brighten my mundane life:









So, the tank stand cannot be built as our money is very tight lately and even more so with the unexpected hiccups. Right now it is holding batting and fabric and is sitting on the floor covered with stray threads. LOL.

The 15 hasn't been fertilized in weeks, I don't think I've done it since August sometime and the tank is chugging along. No pictures as I can't find my camera. But I will get some soon.

The 55......sigh. I haven't been taking very good care. However, the BBA is erradicated (crosses fingers). Haven't seen it in months. I do have a minor issue with BGA, but can't afford the treatment, and blackouts, upping co2, nitrates, nada cured it. I have a lot of o2 in the water and the decrease of co2 from increasing water flow is a struggle to fix. Tank really needs antibiotics to cure it's woes. But I don't mind, it's more to mess around with algae wise.

Biggest issue is the SAE, aka plant destroyer. He ate the moss to threads, look at it at the bottom of the ludwigia where the yellow shrimp is:









He destroyed this plant:









Ate my rotala rotundfolia completely to nubs and when it tries to grow back, he eats it.

Is eating my blyxa and hydrocotyle sp. 'pretty guy'









And now he is going after:









All the poly k is gone, wiped out, kaput. *%T#[email protected]!!! Luckily, most of the plants he went after I moved to the emersed setup before he got them all, but not the rotala and a few of the nicer plants that I won't mention as it depresses me, lol.

So, I am growing what is left and vigourously looking for a good plant free home for the guy as he will not just eat flakes, algae and veggies like a good boy. Such a shame as he is a great looking fish. 

Emersed plants for those who don't look at the emersed thread I have:


















The 10 gallon is doing great. I just found my camera, too, it feel out of a cubbyhole that holds the laptop, lol. So next time I am on, I'll provide more pictures and current ones.

Oh, sad news. My biggest red claw passed away last night. It looks like he got in a big fight with something and the smaller (now largest) male shrimp was missing a claw still laying by the big guy. RIP little dude. He is now in the pot of flowers with the other dearly departed bigger fish. On somewhat nice news, there are baby red claws showing up all the time and the yellows I put in from the tub I tore down are surviving nicely.

Speaking of the tub, here was the lily. The roots were longer than the plants. When I uprooted it, a great stench bubble about floored me. Seems like it didn't mind as the roots were gorgeous. It is now in the 55. Thankfully, the SAE doesn't seem to like it too much.

Oh, and to share a random thought, everytime I start to think, oh yay, it's been a few days since I pricked my finger sewing.....

So to sum up: Dog saved by first aid, vet and miracle. Car broke in hit and run. Vanilla gift cards don't work with amazon (had a birthday last month), so be ware. Kafka still ornery and thankfully was hurt as he is old and needs to be well. 15 gallon is ignored, so is the 10 and 55. Sewingalot, check. Motor was so hot, the machine wouldn't move so I came for a brief visit today. Going back to sewing and won't be on here for at least a few more weeks as I take care of more things. And last but not least - BEAUTIFUL SAE is the plant eating machine that is wiping out my collectoritis. So cure for collectoritis? An old gorgeous fish that is insatible. :hihi:


----------



## jkan0228

Welcome back Sara!!!! So sorry to hear about your dog. But welcome back!!


----------



## orchidman

Aww sorry about your dog. Glad he is okay though!

Isn't it amazing how much neglect or tanks can actually take? I have basically forgotten about my 10g and yet things still grow! 

I heard you have been sick. I hope you are feeling better! 


You can call me Bob


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks guys. Not sick, lol. Just rumors. :hihi: The girl is doing well. Sleeping next to me dreaming about something. My tanks are always neglected now. 

Oh, I forgot to add, the inline heater is humming something awful when it kicks on. Also, there was a short in the wiring. I had to take the hood off and fix it. Apparently, the power cable got jarred loose. This time we tacked it in two places to allievate the pull on the cord (gravity). Unfortunately, I lost two bulbs from this short and now am using two ugly 10k bulbs and the tank is ugly with this bluish hue and the red plants look sickly under the light.


----------



## Bahugo

Did I hear that you are low on rotala rotundifolia? Let me know in the future if you need some, you have my email. 

Yeah, we used a 10k bulb on the 56g for a few weeks and it turned everything . . . white? It was a weird tint to the leaves. If you posted like a week in advanced I would have tried to pick you up a new (well used) heater from the auction I went too, I could have gotten several.


----------



## nonconductive

yea me too. there were brand new hydor inlines going for 5 or 10 bucks at the last auction, like a dozen of em or so.


----------



## jkan0228

Btw what plant is that in the 6th pic, the one your SAE is going after now.


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## zachary908

SARA!!!! I've missed you! Sorry about your doggy.


----------



## wkndracer

nonconductive said:


> yea me too. there were brand new hydor inlines going for 5 or 10 bucks at the last auction, like a dozen of em or so.


ah hum! I could eat several of those in that price range and maybe one for Sara's Christmas present.


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## speedie408

Welcome back Sara. Time to whip those plants back into standard formation! 

Don't be dipping that hand into your tanks without PPE.


----------



## fastfreddie

Wow! 155 page journal now. You're like half the bandwidth of the whole internet!! 

So sorry about poor puppy dog! I had the same thing happen to a dog I was "babysitting". I took it on the Appalachain Trail, and it slid down a hill into a stick that went straight in her chest. We had to hike her out 7 miles in the dark. SUCKED, but she lived. Owner was not happy. 

Hope you are doing well, and I'm glad you are busy "sewing a lot." 

I think this is my first post on TPT in months!!


----------



## 2in10

Sorry about your dog, glad she is doing well. Hope everything settles down in your life. Ready about your SAE has me very nervous since mine (4) were working over my Rotala wallichii so much I took it out. Looks like I need to feed the tank a little more heavily since they eat anything I add in for now.


----------



## sewingalot

FASTFREDDIE!!!! You made my day coming back. I sure do miss you, the name giver of my tank. How are you. And wow on the dog injury you had to deal with I can't imagine having to deal with that for a seven mile hike in dark. Wisher's injury happened in the morning, and I was a wreck for the brief 1/2 or so it took to get her to the vet. I feel the owners pain, but I would have been extremely greatful that you did that for my dog and would have been scared, relieved but not mad. But then again, I was mad at myself for not getting that branch out of there sooner. This branch was a the size of a tree, literally a good 15 - 20 feet and took up a good chunk of the yard. The husband cut it up in manageable pieces (two people to lift he said). There was a splintered branch that was about 1 - 2 inch in diameter she just 'ran' into. Chasing a squirrel, probably along the fence line. I was so mad at myself for leaving it there all summer that I actually moved the branches myself out of the yard. Nothing like fury to make you strong. Still recovering from that. LOL. TMI? Glad your friends dog is fine! And Wisher is recovering nicely. Doesn't even act like it happened. 

You guys are killing me on the cheap heaters! I am trying to decide if I should just put a sump on this tank with my old heater or just wait and see. The eheim is annoying the crap out of me, it is humming so loud I can't stand it. I really need to open it up and see what gives.

Yeah, everything is whitish blue, Rich. That's the sick ugly color. I hate it. I'll show you a picture of the sad state of the rotala. Everytime it starts to grow, the big guy goobles it up. Ha! Jerk, beautiful jerk of a fish.

That plant was Pogostemon stellatus 'Broad Leaf'. I am sending it to wknd to see if he can revive it. I'll get more when I find a home for my little eating machine.

2in10, don't be nervous about your SAE. I think my guy is just more rambunctious than others and I underfeed my fish.

PICTURES!

10 gallon is maturing nicely. Growing nice GPA for an experiment. Doing wonders 'inducing' it.









'Suga Shack' Before trim for Mike's bounty (or more like TLC package ):









After:









Pictures are gross white blue because of the bulb, but here is the damage as I feel it is more important to show the bad for the sake of newer members to show that there will be good out of this.

PPE? Haha, Nick. True. Some plants are doing okay.

I just started fertilizing again for the first time in a month or so. I FORGOT to add the nutrients to the MTS and it is biting me in the rear. Was going to buy some of those tablets from nicolg, but with one income and a vet bill and car repair bill from Hades, it'll be a long while. So I am actually going to dose.....wait for it......water column style for a few days to see if it helps. LMAO. Mainly because I think the plants need extra nutrients to fight off the fact I neglected the tank so long. 

Look CT, the crypt is alive! And that is the baby red claw growing up









Lindernia (sorry for the glare) that is not on the menu:









Also he doesn't eat the hygros:


















lily









or most of the ludwigias


















but loves my ludwigia red species, the moss is thread now









The poor rotala buffet:










And the sad, sad blyxa. Notice the hair cut on the right side of the plant. I was watching him mow this down right before I snapped the picture:









Got K?










And, of course what would I do without the obligatory algae shot? Can't loose site of my love.  This is at the bottom of the tank and scrapings confirm it to be BGA. Not totally surprised, as this and GSA are all over the place as I am too lazy to dose.










And I don't know what is happening to my rasboras. Perhaps the betta is getting them or the red claws? But I am certain there are some MIA and no bodies to be found. Time to do some counting.


----------



## zachary908

Everything looks good, Sara! Hope you are having a good time " Sewing A lot" !


----------



## 150EH

I'm sorry to here about you and your dog, she is a little cutie and it always amazes me how animals handle pain and are still so loving, but your going to have to rename her "lil zipperneck" sorry just trying to get a smile.

I like the hygrophila pinnatifida and want some, I didn't know it grew on a stem like that I thought it was more rosette like, and your moss in the corner is the shape of a Christmas tree so ornament in the tank this year. It's also amazing how fast the plants spring back and the algae goes after you start dosing again.

I hope you and fido feel better soon.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Hahaha they live! I knew you could do it 

I see you're turning the tank into a yellow shrimp factory? How are the surviving against the betta?

The yellows you sent me are reproducing at home under the horrid care of my parents (they managed to cook dozens of tigers by accidentally turning the heater to 95... but the yellows survived). 

My tank is being weird again. Plants that used to flourish are now struggling and vice versa. The downoi you sent is actually growing while stuff like UG and Rotalas are just hanging on. I think I need to add new substrate or more root tabs (dosing has become more sporadic).

What did you ever do with all those fish and shrimp you grew outside all summer?


----------



## Bahugo

Grrr, I am going to send you a box'o'java'moss too feed that fish lol. How dare he eat all your rotundifolia


----------



## sewingalot

Ha on the Wisher joke. The vet is not great at stitches, that's for sure. Good thing the vet's not a plastic surgeon.

The hygrophila pinnatifida is a strange hygro. Grows in runners and also like a stem. Intriguing, really. I like it a lot.

15 gallon cellphone picture. One of these days, I'll take the camera upstairs and take a picture that actually is worth posting.









The front right is bare because I moved the hygro from the 15 over to the 55 and sent a large portion of downoi to another member. Brought some naked, struggling stems from under the didplis diandra and placed them in that area. Not bad for a tank that's top layer was covered in mini frogbit, missing 5 gallons of water and no co2 for over a month, huh? Took most of the diandra and placed it in the 55. 

The betta is eating the rasboras! I am down to 13!!  I didn't know what was going on, so I watched the fish tank after lights out and saw her come up and snatch the littlest one as it was sleeping at the top. Some are gone, but there are a few that have managed to hide in the managed moss.

On the plants, I am having similar issues. I kind of killed off the erios from not having co2 on the 15 gallon for so long How is the erio type 2 doing for you? Is it still alive? How is school doing? Learning lots of chemistry?

Sucks about the tigers, but glad to hear the yellows are doing well. Those pearls you gave me are still randomly throwing out yellows. LOL.

The yellows came in and were added to the 55 gallon, after I added a few to the 15. There were so many that there wasn't enough room in the 15. I am thinking the yellows like hotter weather. I pulled over 100 out of the tub at the end of the season (quit counting at 80 and there were at least twice that amount left to count). Most of the fish but a handful was eaten by the neighbor's cat (she actually started learning how to catch them pretty good). Put the lily back to the 55 and some plants to the emersed setup. Rest went under the cherry tree buried under the turface for free fertilizer.

Wonky test readings on the 55:

KH 5
nitrate 20 (just added this amount, so expected)
phosphate 5 (ditto)
gh 8
ca 60 mg/l
both 
ammonia and nitrite 0 - .25, closer to zero, but not exactly there, definitely a small spike. Probably from the dead shrimp and dying plants I've been ignoring.)
ph over 7.6 (dark blue, almost navy. Not even on the chart I own)
copper 0
mg, too lazy to calculate

out of tap
KH 4
gh 6
ph between 6.8 - 7.0 (letting it sit over night as suggested by Mike to get better reading, duh should have thought of that)
ca 60
nitrite and ammonia 0
nitrate between 0 and 5. Much closer to zero
copper 0
phosphate .5

As a result, I moved around a bunch of plants, threw away most of the ludwigia and did a 80% water change. Normally I wouldn't do such a large water change, but with the large red claw that died  a few days ago and the test results being strange, I thought it would be wise. The whole pollution solution through dilution motto. And since I was doing such a large water change, I made a mess and didn't care. Tank was full of bubbles, so I didn't take a picture of the changes in plantings. Will try tonight as I plan to change the bulbs this afternoon.

Mike (wknd - so many Mikes on the forum!) gave me a Cereges reactor not long ago, but unfortunately, I couldn't get it to hold water. Earl took off the fittings on the side that was leaking and it shows torn threads, and I am thinking this is the weak area. So, not wanting 55 gallons of water on the floor as this year been leaky enough and there is enough water damage to deal with for many months to come, I bought a new kit for my birthday. Will be glad to get the Hagen mini elite filter that is doesn't work well anymore, no longer suctions and is mostly a debris magnet out of the tank once and for all.

Will be posting pictures of the build (minus the gluing as it was not in my best interest to have glue next to my camera and the camera stuck to PVC in a day since my sewing machine is waiting for a part from a store that is closed until Monday. 

Here is the list and pricing for those interested
3/4" PVC pipe $1.78
PVC coupling (this isn't a tight fit, but the CPVC and other PVC didn't fit well and this does seat inside the housing nicely and I will glue in place) 0.24
Whirlpool whkf-dwf whole house filter 22.00 
Teflon tape 0.93
1/2" Female to 1/2" barb (2) 2.70
3/4" to 1/2" bushing (2) 1.78
3/4 elbow (bought elbow for one side for fitting under the cabinet and not kinking the return hose) 0.98
3/4 extender 0.70
pvc primer and glue 7.48
2 garden mums on sale $1.98 (completely necessary for this build, as I will need something pretty to look at)

With tax, almost $44. Not at all what I expected, I thought it would only cost $25 bucks to make from the thread out there. However, we found some primer, tape and glue downstairs, it will cost about $33. Still, much better than paying. So for my birthday last month, I am getting a fancy reactor. And unlike the other inline reactor you can make, this one will fit in the space I have to work with.

Parts picture minus the pvc pipe, coupling and glue









Also got two new bulbs to replace the two I shorted out and to get rid of the ugly 10k. These are 4100k. I like the look of them and have a theory on kelvins and it's effect on BBA that I'm experimenting with. Will be keeping the old 6500 k in the single fixture.

Oh, and before I forget, I am going to take the SAE over to a friends this afternoon. They have a nice place for it and a larger tank than mine, so I am happy to part ways. Now to find something else to blame for my plants not growing in the future posts to come. :biggrin:

I bet after 6 weeks of silence, you all wish I'd shut up already and go back to the cave. Don't fret, I will be taking more time off in a few days. roud:


----------



## zachary908

The tank looks nice, Sara. If I had room for more downoi in my tank I'd ahve you send me some. I can always set up another tank for downoi... right... :hihi:


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> The hygrophila pinnatifida is a strange hygro. Grows in runners and also like a stem. Intriguing, really. I like it a lot.
> 
> Also got two new bulbs to replace the two I shorted out and to get rid of the ugly 10k. These are 4100k. I like the look of them and have a theory on kelvins and it's effect on BBA that I'm experimenting with. Will be keeping the old 6500 k in the single fixture.
> 
> Now to find something else to blame for my plants not growing in the future posts to come. :biggrin:
> 
> I bet after 6 weeks of silence, you all wish I'd shut up already and go back to the cave. *Don't fret, I will be taking more time off in a few days.* roud:



Yeah the stem you sent me grows everywhere, it looks like somebody trying to play twister, after they drank too much. It's a really cool plant though, and interesting  

Hmm, are you trying too cook up some new colors of bba? lol. I know mine got much much worse when I used the 10k bulb in my 56g then with two 6700k's. It will definitely be interested to know what happens! 

Blame it on the shrimp, that's what I do. I blame everything on those evil little things lol :tongue:

Leaving us again? WHYYYYYY?


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Yeah those bettas really like their live food. They used to goggle up shrimp and small fish when the lights went out. They have great night vision! You should probably move her to save the remaining rasboras...

The erio type 2 is hanging on for me. It hasn't been growing well for whatever reason. I'm going to put a new layer of florabase over the existing one to help with my bad dosing. I'm sure the old stuff ran out of nutrients a while ago.

Wow that's a lot of yellows! I should try yellows too next summer. Did you convince Earl to let you have a "real" pond? 

I need to get some new fish. All my ricefish sadly succumbed to ick. I tried raising the temperature and indian almond leaves but to no avail and I didn't want to try chemicals because there are hundreds of shrimp in there.

Maybe you should cull those mutant shrimp. Did you find more 3 eyed ones? I found some orange blue pearls when I moved mine inside but they disappeared after a couple days so I'm assuming they changed back to blue.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks you guys. I am still with the SAE. The friend didn't want him after looking at him thinking he is too big for a 75? Oh well. He'll stay a little longer. I am over feeding him at the moment to help curb the eating.

Rich, I'm needing to finish a few quilts. If I don't do it now, I'll never get it done. That and since the backroom flooded on us last month, there is a lot of books, various items floating around that needs homes. It seems like every time I start to clean the house, something breaks. Kitchen looks great, though.....if you don't look at the giant hole in the ceiling, lol. House remodeling sucks, especially the unexpected. 

That's about right on the analogy for the hygro, Rich. Love it. Drunk twister.

I had no bba in my tank under 4100k bulbs that I could see. I put in the 10k and BAM, three little tufts of algae started growing on filter output. So, I changed over the bulbs and pulled out the filter outputs to clean them. I will watch to see if it happens again. Or maybe the yellow pink hue hides the bba. :hihi:

The erio never made it. The shrimp picked at it from day one from getting it from you and I think the heat from shipping made it tasty. If you get it going again, I'll have to steal a piece from you next year.

So sad on the ricefish! I know you were excited about them. Earl is going to let me setup another temporary setup next year and he told me if I can repeat the success, we'll get a real pond when they go on sale at the end of the season. I am already checking the cushions for spare change. 

Looks like I am with you on restocking. I added a bunch of virgin female guppies to the tank, but there is only three or four left. So I am looking for more ideas.

Don't know what to do with the betta. I am feeding bloodworms to her every night now to try to curb her appetite. She almost jumped out of the tank after the water change. I don't think she appreciated it. As far as good eyes, lol. I used a small strand of christmas lights to spy on the fish. :icon_cool

No more mutant shrimp and she finally passed this summer. It was a shame as that was an awesome shrimp. The yellow blue pearls are also changing back to blues as they age. I am thinking it's a juvenile rebel stage. Like how I died my hair black when I was 12. :hihi:

Some more pictures of the Cerges reactor build. 




























Dry fitting to make sure I got all the right parts before using the tape. Learned this the hard way. Saves time and cursing.



























For some reason, I bought this piece and don't remember why as it doesn't fit to anything. I think I must have just had it in my hand, so the reactor cost a few pennies less.


















Stopped after that because I dropped the top trying to add the above parts and the pvc popped off. Re-gluing it now. LMAO

Did get the new bulbs in and since I rearranged things, I took pictures. Sorry about the debris on top, most of it's spare plants that I am trying to decide whether or not to pull or add. And the java fern isn't attached to anything as I am looking for something to tie/glue it to. So it keeps floating around.



















Here is more haircut blyxa from the SAE (hiding the yellow shrimp)


















Blurry picture of the lily from Rich coming back from the grave.









I put the diandra in the tank yesterday and the red claw is combing it picking off the pondsnails. Here is a picture of him eating one




































If I have time tomorrow, I'll finish the build and post pictures. IF not, it'll be a few days. Sitting here watching the SAE eating the blyxa and waiting for midnight so the lights will turn off and I'll only see a shimmer occasionally and not the carnage.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Oh yeah! Yellowish babies are occasionally seen in my tank. They do indeed usually turn blue with age. I didn't know that when I first got them years back and culled the heck out of them until I got lazy and started to notice the yellow ones disappearing as the shrimp matured. 

Maybe you could even keep the shrimp outside permanently once you get the real pond. I've heard of people overwintering cherries under a layer of ice! Yellows and blue pearls aren't very different from rcs after all.

I can send you a couple new ludwigia species once they grow if you want, since your SAE seems to ignore those. 

Do you have a spare tank for the betta? Those poor little fish and shrimp probably sleep in fear  You'd probably have had an army of red claws by now if the betta didn't eat all the babies except for that 1.

Any chance you're interested in adopting the rest of my red claws? They're just too much for me to handle. They easily overpopulate and get too large for my small tank.

I'm thinking about those green eye rasboras. Either those or kubotai or espei rasboras. I always liked rasboras since they school better than tetras. I could get cardinal tetras again too . Haven't had those in a couple years.:hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

If you like, we could trade fish for shrimp. I can send you the rest of my 13 emerald eyes (or what will be left of them) for the red claws before the betta gets them. How many are we talking though? Don't want 6000. :hihi:

I am going to take the betta out as soon as I can. Thinking I may put her in the 33 on the floor, but the cats would eat her, so I am trying to think of a solution. I have a few ideas.

What ludwigia's do you have?

Strange on the blue pearls. Strange little shrimp. Nice idea on the overwintering. It rarely gets too cold here, usually above 10 in the coldest of months. Something to think about.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

A trade would be great  I probably have 2 berried females and 4 visible babies right now. I'm sure I have dozens more around that recently hatched. You'll have 6000 soon enough with those berried females lol. The last male unfortunately carpet surfed so your male will just have to adopt whatever babies hatch. We usually don't see shrimp tanks as big as your 55 so that would be interesting to see herds of yellows and red claws roaming around.

I have Ludwigia cf. palustris x glandulosa and L. pilosa that are growing out. The pilosa gets too big for my tank but you could probably figure something out with it.


----------



## sewingalot

That would be cool. Shoot me a pm and I'll check back tomorrow and we can work out the details. For instance, I don't know if you need a heat pack and when to ship, $$$. You know what I mean. 

Are they emersed? If you like, send me a stem or two. I'm always up for new stems. Where in the world did you get them?


----------



## CKJ

Love your tanks as awlays and that red claw is very cool!


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## sewingalot

Thanks, Cindi (I hope I'm spelling your name right)! I'm hoping the red lugwigia will eventually fill the right corner and the small ludwigia red will recover from the jaws of madness to fill the front left of the tank.

Those red claws are creepy but growing on me.


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## Cardinal Tetra

sewingalot said:


> Are they emersed? If you like, send me a stem or two. I'm always up for new stems. Where in the world did you get them?



Nah they're submersed. I got them through trade. The palustris x glandulosa was growing outside but I salvaged a couple stems to bring inside and the pilosa is a recent addition. I get everything from trade either with my various random plants and shrimp or with cold hard cash :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Sounds like I'm coming out ahead in this trade. I'll let you know on Saturday how many fish I am left with before I ship. Might only be three.  Since I forgot my car was in the shop, I couldn't go to the sewing store. Sew (haha) here are the actual pictures showing the despair of the 15 gallon under weeks without co2, layers of floaters and plants and no fertilizers. Shrimp are doing great, though.














































And turning on the co2, finally: 









Removed all the floaters I could get, cranked up the co2, put in a ton of ferts 25-5-50 if I am calculating right, will check my math again and also removed most of the stems over to the 55 gallon. Sorry for the window glare. I knocked down the curtains when I tried to open them this afternoon. Isn't it odd that I'm not reflected? Shouldn't I be? :confused1:


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## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Sorry for the window glare. I knocked down the curtains when I tried to open them this afternoon. Isn't it odd that I'm not reflected? Shouldn't I be? :confused1:


LOL 

Ok. So tell me if you see this in the glare:










Do you see it? 













































I messed with the adjusters in gimp to make it more visible


----------



## 2in10

I made my Cerges reactor from the same filter. Very effective when my canister filter pads are clean. Tanks don't look too bad for the confessed neglect.


----------



## sewingalot

LOL, disturbingly funny Rich. Thanks, 2 in 10.


----------



## nonconductive

all that downoi! stop torturing it you sadist. seriously, it looks better than i thought it would with all your talk of neglect.


----------



## sewingalot

It's now getting fertilizers and co2 out of this person's mind. Happy? LOL. Actually, the plants are already perking up and I see the new growth is dark green and healthy. Once the tank is looking better, I'll split it up and redecorate. I plan to put the downoi where the downoi is. 

Broke my iron last night and burned the ironing board. This isn't my week. I had just plugged it in and it started smelling burnt and smoking and leaking water that I put in there. Nice. Happened so fast and I didn't want to unplug it at first. Anyone have a spare iron? This sewing room hates me.


----------



## nonconductive

guess thats the world telling you to take a break!


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> It's now getting fertilizers and co2 out of this person's mind. Happy? LOL. Actually, the plants are already perking up and I see the new growth is dark green and healthy. Once the tank is looking better, I'll split it up and redecorate. I plan to put the downoi where the downoi is.
> 
> Broke my iron last night and burned the ironing board. This isn't my week. I had just plugged it in and it started smelling burnt and smoking and leaking water that I put in there. Nice. Happened so fast and I didn't want to unplug it at first. Anyone have a spare iron? This sewing room hates me.



Truth be told.. I might have one. I'm sure we can work something out if I do I'll look around for it today.


----------



## orchidman

i love the shrimpees!


----------



## jkan0228

The shrimp look super happy! Either berried or saddled.... Hope I cam do the same with my Rili's.  
Btw is that didplis diandra? if so we'll need to do a trade.


----------



## sewingalot

Probably, non-c. Probably. The fish tank world isn't helping much better. I am having an issue with hooking up the reactor. My tubing on the used eheim is so piece-mewled together to the point I don't have enough to reach the top of the tank when adding the reactor. Also, on the straight piece and not the elbow, the tubing is kinking. So I am going to buy another elbow, which may effect the flow, but I have another filter, so I'm not worried. But that just means more $$ I don't have. I am trying to sell shrimp just to buy a new iron. Will look for some tubing at Lowes to rig it up since I can't afford the $16 tubing right now. Sigh.

The shrimp are great. There are running out of room in the 15, and I don't want to add more to the 55 until I get the fish out of there.

Noted on the diandra (yes, that is). When I get things turned around and some money to spare for shipping, will do.


----------



## Bahugo

What is your secret on breeding shrimp!? I feel like mine hate life lol Would you be interested in an iron if I find one? I'll ask kate in a few she'll know if we have one


----------



## sewingalot

Honestly, it would probably cost too much to ship, or else I would. I am going to goodwill tomorrow to look for one. The yellows are finicky, Chad and I both had a heck of a time getting them to start and they often only have a few berries at a time. I have found too much water changes stress them out, forces them to often molt too early. I only change 20% of the water every few weeks or more. Other than that, I feed them sparingly.


----------



## 150EH

Did you finish the Reactor? I like that Cerges style reactor and I use the Carbondoser from AP.com but it's the same type and works really good.

How tall will H. Pinnatifida get if you let it go???


----------



## BoxxerBoyDrew

Hey Sara!

Tanks and Plants looking pretty good especially with lack of nutrients, Co2 and the SAE! Good Luck with the reactor! I built mine before I joined this site, in 2004 IIRC and it is still going strong!!! It does really well, and I don't notice much flow reduction with the Fluval 204! 

Sorry about the dog!!! I am Glad he is getting better! The Dog I had when I was growing up looked just like Benji, and her name was Sugar! She was a stray that wondered up that was beaten and half shaved! I was 7 and took her in, and we were best friends! She ran free, we lived in the country, and went everywhere I did! She lost her Left Eye when chasing a rabbit near where we were building on to the house, and hit a nail that was being used for a plumb line and was sticking out of the edge of a board!!! So the Vet had to remove the eye, BUT after a few weeks, she was back to her old self!!! Chasing the cars that went around our circle road in front of the house, chasing rabbits, and doing what she wanted! She lived to be 15 years old +, as we didn't know how old she was when I found her! So She goes to prove little dogs are TOUGH, and given enough love they will be there for You for a LONG TIME!!! So I hope Wisher a Quick and Total recovery!!! Give Wisher a treat from Me!

I wish You a better rest of the month than You have been having! It always seems to come all at once, bad things happening that is! But it WILL get better, IT HAS TOO!

Good luck and Holler at Ya later,
Drew


----------



## sewingalot

Haven't finished the reactor yet. I need to run to lowes and get another elbow. The straight piece kinks the hose when I try hooking it up and I also need to get some generic tubing as it is now literally 3" too short to reach the tank. 

Thanks for the confidence builder in the reactor, Drew! I am hoping to get it finished tonight. I just found a $5 in my sock drawer. Yay for me! So that should help.

Just to complain - With the iron broke, I can't finish any projects and it's annoying as I am so close to finishing the quilt for my brother. And I really can't wait to finish it as it is bright blue and yellow (he picked the fabric and is proud of it) and it literally is so bright, it hurts to look at, lol. Luckily, it's an easy job as he wants blue and white stripe at the top and solid blue on one side and yellow on the other. Only, I have no iron now and the fabric is too wrinkly to quilt.

Thanks about the well wishes for Wishbone. She is doing so well, she was racing around the house yesterday, running up and down stairs, jumping on furniture and barking up a storm. She's back to her old self, but incredibly stinky because I can't give her a bath until the stitches out. And since she is a roller in anything smelly, I'm about to pass out around her, lol.

That is awesome that you guys rescued a stray and she recovered so well after loosing an eye. I think dogs are amazing in that extent. They are so much more resilient when disaster strikes. She was a stray, too. There was an older lady that lived near my mom's old house and the kids took her to a nursing home and dumped her dog outside to fend for herself. People are jerks sometimes. Luckily, I came home to visit one day and the little girl jumped in my car when I opened the car door. Love at first site. She's a great dog and the big dog loves her. 

Things turn around eventually. It's been stressful, but I'm still alive. That counts for something.

Going to have to sell the 33 Long I bought earlier this year. I just can't afford the stand or equipment and honestly, I am not up to setting up another tank. I will keep the 15, but move it to another room once I sell the 33. I paid 86$ and am regretting it every time I walk in the room and see it sitting empty. It's so depressing to be in this hobby when you are broke.


----------



## mscichlid

sewingalot said:


> It's so depressing to be in this hobby when you are broke.


Amen, to that sister!

My dog is a roller in stinky stuff as well. I have give her a wash up with a wash cloth and dog soap. Otherwise, I can't let her near me. Pew wee!!!


----------



## sewingalot

Did you get your co2 tank setup, Franny? I can't wait to see. I need to find your journal and subscribe. I think I forgot to, as I am not seeing updates. I wonder if it would be okay to give her a wash down with a cloth? I'll call the vet and see since they said no bath.

Edit: I forgot about the hygro Pinnatifida. It grows to the top of my 55, so I assume it'll grow as tall as it could. It also grows emersed. Tends to melt some when you uproot it.


----------



## mscichlid

Working on the 40 brdr today. I have to borrow a UV unit from a club member 'cos it's green, green, green! I'll update the 120 today....promise!

I imagine wiping your baby down avoinding the sutures should be okay.


----------



## sewingalot

Ha on the green water. I've been fortunate to avoid that for the most part, except outdoors. I'll look forward to the update. Check on the dog. I just got off the phone and they said not to only use dawn and not the flea shampoo until the medication is finished.


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> It's so depressing to be in this hobby when you are broke.


Don't get so down!! Things will work itself out. 

You want to hear something depressing, the other day when I did the whole fish tank and planted everything I was like "sweet today went smoothly, I didn't want to bang my head off a wall, and I actually like how things look!" ya know? Just like one of those smooth days, when you don't feel so depressed about all the drama in life.... *Then* I get in my car to get ice cream and get a flat. I just laughed, Kate and me were just like "who hates us?" I swear it's my dad playing practical jokes on me or something from his grave. lol.


----------



## SkyGrl

hahahaha poor girl. you will have to use a nose plug for a while! ha! i can understand the broke part. we HAD (in kyles opinion) buy a bigger tank for our piranhas when we where on EI last year... well there went 200 bucks that didnt buy us food. in his favor they did need the space.. and i did lose about 14 lbs during the "lean year" bwahahaha!

we ended up cutting corners by buying broken filters and finding free stuff online. most broken filters can be fixed with usually a simple part. but anyway! im glad your keeping the 15! woop woop! i think you should sell me some of your magic clay nubs! ill pay a large amount of cash!  :hihi: heh heh 

Amy


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Rich. It sounds like you and I could start a soap opera alone on the trials and tribulations of being unemployed, broke and living on dirt. :hihi:

She's really gross and they are sleeping in the room with us. It practically knocks you over, lol. I think there is something dead she rolled in.

Nice on the lean year. Although, you are so skinny already, I think I could send you 50 of my extra pounds and you'd still be a stick. :hihi: I'm actually going to work on making clay root tabs this weekend. I'll make extra for you too.

Oh, and by the way, I got the parts, but have to wait for muscle power as I can't turn the part even with the wrench, lol.


----------



## lauraleellbp

You might try Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo, that's what we used on Neffi for a while when we were trying to track down her allergies.

BTW- In case I haven't mentioned it recently, I like having you back around. :fish:


----------



## Bahugo

I think we should combine our free time to make our own online company! SnR shrimp megalopolis. 

Specializing in DIY raised shrimp breeding endeavors (I.e cheap), low budget plant production, and knock off goods. 

Guaranteeing our endeavors are off the beaten path and often wrong according to internet sources because of lack of funds since 2011!


----------



## 150EH

Btw I did see the grim reaper reflection right in the center of the tank and thanks for the H. pinna info.


----------



## sewingalot

Okay, so I ate some wheaties, and sat down in the floor with a crescent wrench and that Cerges reactor, a cup of hot water and put some muscle into it. After three tries, it is finally leak free. Still going to have my loved one tighten it a little more for security. 

I turned the bubbles down to 1 bps as I was using the power head to count the bubbles and I didn't want to kill fish as I am not sure how more effective this will be. Also, I took out the drop checker and filled it with 5dkh solution and fresh ph drops. 











Two things posting this picture, one I need to dust under the cabinet, again. And two, this will be moved to under the cabinet once I am sure it won't leak. Put a sponge on the intake to help keep it cleaner.









Some questions, is it supposed to have air trapped in the compartment? It seems to bubble every few minutes. I am wondering if it is the co2 line or if there isn't enough water in the chamber. Or is the tubing supposed to be bulled further down? Is it a big deal with this "hiccup" or should I take it apart? Also, I need to build a diy bubble checker as I don't have one now.


----------



## Craigthor

Some air will build when first setup ove time it should work it all out overnight or so.

Craig


----------



## sewingalot

Oh, that is great news! Thanks. It seems like it is less frequent already. Like every 3 minutes or so and the burps aren't as violent for a lack of better terminology. Thanks for posting that awesome thread on how to build this. Was easier than I though it would be. 

Also, I took the leaking one with me and the lowes guy said there is an easy fix! He said to get this thread glue and to also glue the outside with the pvc glue since I don't need to remove that piece for maintenance. It'll be a $4 fix. 

Also, on the sewing note, the dear husband gave me enough money to buy the iron and some fabric I needed. So, I am going to finally start working on sewing again and will be MIA for the rest of the week.


----------



## Bahugo

But I was just going to post pics of all my flowers in my emersed setup


----------



## nonconductive

oh yea i see the reaper too.


----------



## Gatekeeper

Sara,

It sounds like you don't have a tight fit on the PVC insert to the top piece and that the build of CO2 is bypassing the reactor by sneaking through this leak. I fixed this by getting an O ring from the hardware store that was just about the size of the little piece that the filter media would normally snug up against.

See my little sketch.


----------



## sewingalot

Glenn, you were pretty close on what was happening. I put the tubing on backward. I went to look at it after signing off and noticed my mistake. So basically, the bubbles were the co2 just coming out not diffused. Flipped it around and no more bubbles, but a bigger disaster!

See here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/e...ing-accuracy-need-help-depth.html#post1550873

Basically, I had a hagen mini elite diffusing the tank (as suggested on an APC thread) for a long time 24/7 since I don't have the money to get another solenoid. Liked it until this morning. It was counting bubbles by the amount of times it hit the propeller, and I was counting 1.5 bps. Hearing the Cerges reactor is incredibly more efficient, I turned it down to 1 bps before unhooking the powerhead. Then I got out a jar of water, and put the tubing in the water and depending on where it was placed, the bubbles changed speed. Scratching my head, I decided to turn it down further to be on the safe side, to about have of what it was at the highest point I could count (about 1/2" underwater) and it was about 2 bps. If I dunked it further, the thing wouldn't even work. It was literally a few small notches from being completely off. Watched it the rest of the evening and it went from the blue above to a barely dark green. Thinking I may have to adjust it up higher to get a nicer green, I decided to play it safe, pulled up the spray bar to break the surface and just take it slow. 

This morning, I was walking by the fish tank when I saw something strange in the shadows. Thinking about the reactor, I flipped on the lights and it was my SAE  Then I looked at the drop checker, it's so lime yellow, the color is almost gone. As I was looking at it, another dead fish floated by. I immediately turned off the filter driving the reactor and then looked into the tank. 90% or more of the fish are dead. I'm devastated. Like first the chemical poisoning and then after getting these fish back and things starting to turn around for me......to poison them with co2? I pulled out the obvious dead ones, uprooted some plants and laid the half dead ones on them and hooked up the airhose, raised the spray bar even further and sat down and cried till I thought I'd be sick. 

How do you make an effective bubble counter? At what depth is the counter accurate? And given the fact the co2 was so low in comparison to the powerhead, how was it possible that the Cerges reactor is this powerful? On the flip side, the Cerges reactor gets an A++ for co2 diffusion.

Won't really know the death toll until much later. So far it is almost a total loss of fish. Some are barely breathing, others are struggling to survive. Yellow shrimp by the handfuls gone. It's gut wrenching.

So Rich, I think that may have been death visiting after all.

I don't have it in me for another massive death, don't have any money to replace the loss and honestly don't know if I want to even try to move forward after this. With all the other crap in my life I have to deal with, this is just too much.


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Glenn, you were pretty close on what was happening. I put the tubing on backward. I went to look at it after signing off and noticed my mistake. So basically, the bubbles were the co2 just coming out not diffused. Flipped it around and no more bubbles, but a bigger disaster!
> 
> See here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/e...ing-accuracy-need-help-depth.html#post1550873
> 
> Basically, I had a hagen mini elite diffusing the tank (as suggested on an APC thread) for a long time 24/7 since I don't have the money to get another solenoid. Liked it until this morning. It was counting bubbles by the amount of times it hit the propeller, and I was counting 1.5 bps. Hearing the Cerges reactor is incredibly more efficient, I turned it down to 1 bps before unhooking the powerhead. Then I got out a jar of water, and put the tubing in the water and depending on where it was placed, the bubbles changed speed. Scratching my head, I decided to turn it down further to be on the safe side, to about have of what it was at the highest point I could count (about 1/2" underwater) and it was about 2 bps. If I dunked it further, the thing wouldn't even work. It was literally a few small notches from being completely off. Watched it the rest of the evening and it went from the blue above to a barely dark green. Thinking I may have to adjust it up higher to get a nicer green, I decided to play it safe, pulled up the spray bar to break the surface and just take it slow.
> 
> This morning, I was walking by the fish tank when I saw something strange in the shadows. Thinking about the reactor, I flipped on the lights and it was my SAE  Then I looked at the drop checker, it's so lime yellow, the color is almost gone. As I was looking at it, another dead fish floated by. I immediately turned off the filter driving the reactor and then looked into the tank. 90% or more of the fish are dead. I'm devastated. Like first the chemical poisoning and then after getting these fish back and things starting to turn around for me......to poison them with co2? I pulled out the obvious dead ones, uprooted some plants and laid the half dead ones on them and hooked up the airhose, raised the spray bar even further and sat down and cried till I thought I'd be sick.
> 
> How do you make an effective bubble counter? At what depth is the counter accurate? And given the fact the co2 was so low in comparison to the powerhead, how was it possible that the Cerges reactor is this powerful? On the flip side, the Cerges reactor gets an A++ for co2 diffusion.
> 
> Won't really know the death toll until much later. So far it is almost a total loss of fish. Some are barely breathing, others are struggling to survive. Yellow shrimp by the handfuls gone. It's gut wrenching.
> 
> So Rich, I think that may have been death visiting after all.
> 
> I don't have it in me for another massive death, don't have any money to replace the loss and honestly don't know if I want to even try to move forward after this. With all the other crap in my life I have to deal with, this is just too much.


:frown: I'm really super sorry to hear about everything Sara. Keep your head up. :frown::icon_cry:


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Rich. I am beyond my breaking point. I am seriously trying to hang on, but my grip is weakening. Know how there is that proverbial straw? My real life is hard enough right now without adding this failure to the mix.


----------



## lauraleellbp

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Sara)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

This was NOT your fault!

I'll say it yet again- this was an ACCIDENT!!


----------



## sewingalot

I am going to wait a few weeks before I decide what to do. SAE (didn't want him to leave the tank this way ), all the red claws (this really breaks my heart), many of the emerald eyes, most of the otos, and dozens of yellow shrimp are gone. I do see some fish actually swimming around now, and the drop checker is turning a dark yellow as I have lowered the water level, turned off the co2, turned on air pumps. I need to up root the plants later and find all the dead fish. Right now, I am more concerned on getting the co2 out of the water.

Oh, miss Laura! I am trying to tell myself it is an accident, but I feel sooooooooo bad. I did all the right things. I waiting for hours and made sure the co2 drop checker was a good color, lowered the needle valve, raised the spray on the output, and yet, it wasn't even enough. Le sigh.

Will evaluate how I feel in a few days, if I am still feeling this terrible, I am not restocking the tank at all and possibly tearing it down.


----------



## zachary908

So sorry to hear about everything, Sara.  Hope you feel better.

I wish I still had some emerald eyes at work.. If we still had some I would be more than happy to send you a dozen or two .


----------



## sewingalot

Thank you for the offer, Zach. I appreciate it. However, I am not planning on restocking with fish for a long time except maybe some otos. And I get all my fish from Rachel (or occasionally members) but 99.9% of the time, it'll be Rachel as she rocks, period. All arrived, healthy, and I didn't loose any to sickness. Just a hungry betta and stupidity. Happy Birthday, by the way.

It looks like there are some otos that were laying on their sides barely breathing may indeed recover. Only a few didn't make it of this fish, thankfully. 8 of the 13 emeralds survived, two guppies fine. Betta, is a little shaken, but was picking on a few dead shrimp I hadn't yet gotten. Red claws decimated. I was really upset over these more than anything. Especially my babies. CT is graciously trusting me with more. I am going to be smart and put on of the berried females in another tank and move her over after birth. 

Now that it is completely over, it looks like I didn't loose as many fish as I thought. Less than half the fish, but more than half the shrimp. So I'm calling it 50% loss. 

This has been a trying day. If I TRY to look on the bright side, I can say at least I had an excuse to rescape, the dead babies are now fertilizing my mums, and their isn't anyone left that destroys my plants (so sad, still). Many tears later, I am able to see this in perspective. But still feel awful.

I must say that I'm very *impressed *with the Cerges reactor. To use less than half the co2 I was using and still gas my fish? Freaking amazing. I don't regret building it. I just regret not having a more reliable way to count bubbles first. Stupid, stupid move on my part. Hindsight is always 20/20.


----------



## Bahugo

I'm glad things seem too be working out better then you expected! Hang in there Sara! 

Sounds like we will have too look into doing another trade soon (and I will make sure I keep the paper towels out this time :icon_redf). A box'o'plants always cheers people up right?


----------



## orchidman

Aww Sara! I'm so sorry. But dot bet yourself up on this one! It was an accident. Those thongs happen. I remember when wanted to quit, you wouldn't let me. And guess what I'm doing for you know! Hang in tree and talk it out. In a few days you'll be feeling better. 


You can call me Bob


----------



## nonconductive

thongs happen? so that explains them!

sara, really sorry about the fish and shrimp.


----------



## zachary908

nonconductive said:


> thongs happen? so that explains them!


:hihi:


----------



## SkyGrl

i have faith in you Sara! Lots of hugs! it sucks so much to lose fish due to random acts of humans. im glad you still have 50% at least. they will keep the tank busy looking. and boxes of plants do always cheer planted ppl up :hihi: some one sent sara some of looking4roselines crypts. how could you not love some crypts!!!  ill be thinking of you sara. 

<3 you! 

Amy
your stalker/lurker friend


----------



## msjinkzd

sewingalot said:


> Thank you for the offer, Zach. I appreciate it. However, I am not planning on restocking with fish for a long time except maybe some otos. And I get all my fish from Rachel (or occasionally members) but 99.9% of the time, it'll be Rachel as she rocks, period. All arrived, healthy, and I didn't loose any to sickness. Just a hungry betta and stupidity. Happy Birthday, by the way.
> 
> It looks like there are some otos that were laying on their sides barely breathing may indeed recover. Only a few didn't make it of this fish, thankfully. 8 of the 13 emeralds survived, two guppies fine. Betta, is a little shaken, but was picking on a few dead shrimp I hadn't yet gotten. Red claws decimated. I was really upset over these more than anything. Especially my babies. CT is graciously trusting me with more. I am going to be smart and put on of the berried females in another tank and move her over after birth.
> 
> Now that it is completely over, it looks like I didn't loose as many fish as I thought. Less than half the fish, but more than half the shrimp. So I'm calling it 50% loss.
> 
> This has been a trying day. If I TRY to look on the bright side, I can say at least I had an excuse to rescape, the dead babies are now fertilizing my mums, and their isn't anyone left that destroys my plants (so sad, still). Many tears later, I am able to see this in perspective. But still feel awful.
> 
> I must say that I'm very *impressed *with the Cerges reactor. To use less than half the co2 I was using and still gas my fish? Freaking amazing. I don't regret building it. I just regret not having a more reliable way to count bubbles first. Stupid, stupid move on my part. Hindsight is always 20/20.


aww shucks, such sweet words! I needed to hear it today! 

I am so sorry to hear of your troubles, but glad to hear it may not be a total loss. 

Happens to ALL of us from time to time. I hate when it happens, especially to people as nice as you. Keep your chin up and know that I have more emerald eyes and otos with your name written ALL over them


----------



## sewingalot

orchidman said:


> Aww Sara! I'm so sorry. But dot bet yourself up on this one! It was an accident. Those thongs happen. I remember when wanted to quit, you wouldn't let me. And guess what I'm doing for you know! Hang in tree and talk it out. In a few days you'll be feeling better.
> 
> 
> You can call me Bob


Bwahahahahahahahaha. Bob, this is too funny. Your cell's autocorrect had me in stitches. Great plan to cheer me up. :biggrin:

Thanks guys for the empathy, it helps a lot. (Hi Lurker Amy!) I've left the co2 off for the night, will turn it back on tomorrow at a really low number and watch the tank more carefully. Also I am adding a powerhead at night until I am sure it's safe.

And Rachel - I meant every word of it. :icon_smil

Here are pictures. You can see the yellow drop checker and algae I am much too lazy to scrape it off and it's all good because it's free algae. Oh, and you can see the re-scape. The blyxa was mowed by the SAE, but the roots are it excellent condition, so I am sure it'll bounce back.









Nothing like a large water change to help remove toxins, even co2. 









Pulled out the watersprite/wisteria aka Audry II and tossed most of the ludwigia species. Left some floating that I want to put in the emersed setup. Once the plants start growing, I'll remove some of the strays that I left. Really attempting to finish my "garden" design. Need to move the hoses over a little more, but I didn't have enough gumption left to work with.


----------



## peyton

Sorry to hear of the losses Sara :icon_frow.


----------



## sewingalot

Sorry I killed your fish, peyton.  I'm still really sad.


----------



## jkan0228

Everything is looking good! Keep it up as you'll be back in no time.


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Pulled out the watersprite/wisteria aka Audry II and tossed most of the ludwigia species. Left some floating that I want to put in the emersed setup. Once the plants start growing, I'll remove some of the strays that I left. Really attempting to finish my "garden" design. Need to move the hoses over a little more, but I didn't have enough gumption left to work with.



What plants are you looking for for your garden design maybe I can help out?


----------



## msjinkzd

bwahahah audrey II


----------



## sewingalot

Hey Rich, not really looking for more plants at the moment for the tank I don't already own. I'm going to pull some emersed plants out and give them a try soon. But first, I think I am letting things rest for a few weeks. 

Tested ammonia and it was 0, but nitrites spiked to .25. Not surprised given the amount of dead fish that was in the tank for who knows how long.

Finished three quilts now, and I've decided to take a break this evening after the last one I made. I am so done with polyester batting. I am feeling incredibly sick, can't breathe very well at the moment. Wouldn't have even used it if my brother hadn't asked for the blanket and gave me the fabric batting to use. Literally washed pieces out of my eyes with saline, and I don't even want to think of my lungs. 

All of the fish but two looks okay, even healthy like nothing happened. However, one of the emerald eyes fins are kind of milky. 

Did another water change, added 3 times the amount of prime to help lock up any ammonia not being detected, and decided to turn back on the co2. It is at .9 bps according to my generic bubble checker. Been on since 4 and the drop checker isn't showing green yet. Going to take this really slow. Plants are starting to pearl a bit, though. And I am already seeing a little bitty growth on some plants that I thought the SAE had chomped to bits.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

The replacements are on the way


----------



## sewingalot

You are two awesome to send me more macros!!! Isn't it hysterical that the buggers creeped me out and now I can't wait to see them again? :hihi: Out of everything that was wiped out, this was the hardest blow. I was more upset over the shrimp than everything else combined. Thanks for sending me more babies!!

By the way, my needle valve is doing something incredibly weird. Bubbles spew out randomly, if I turn it down, the bubble count goes higher at one point. I think I've got it staying at about .9 bps for the moment, but every few minutes, 5 or so bubbles will erupt. Thinking there is more to this story of the fish dying. I am thinking my needle valve is shot. This happened to my other tank and these are the same regulators. So I'm thinking, it's a crappy needle valve, no solenoid and the very effective Cerges reactor that did them in.

And yay for me! I'm getting more red claws! :bounce:


----------



## zachary908

The tank is looking great, Sara. I need to get mine back into shape... been out of CO2 for a week, and my plants are super over grown.. I might post a picture tonight. 

Glad everything is doing better. I'm excited for you to get your replacement red claws!


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> By the way, my needle valve is doing something incredibly weird. Bubbles spew out randomly, if I turn it down, the bubble count goes higher at one point. I think I've got it staying at about .9 bps for the moment, but every few minutes, 5 or so bubbles will erupt. Thinking there is more to this story of the fish dying. I am thinking my needle valve is shot. This happened to my other tank and these are the same regulators. So I'm thinking, it's a crappy needle valve, no solenoid and the very effective Cerges reactor that did them in.


I had this happen too me the other day, I was ready too throw my co2 out the window.. then I looked at my high pressure gauge and it was at like 200 which I knew was wrong because I just had the tank filled, and it was still very much full by the weight of it. (I have a 25lb tank) then I realized that the co2 tank was barley barley open, I opened it up more and haven't had an issue with it at all. Could that possibly be the issue? If not, I give you the right too laugh at my very n00bish mistake. It was a rough day lol.


----------



## Karackle

Wow you're back for a few days and it takes me an hour+ to catch up on your thread! :hihi: 

I'm so sorry to hear about the CO2 issues and the loss of fish but I'm glad to hear it wasn't as bad as you originally thought! I agree with Laura, don't blame yourself! It was definitely an accident, you had no way of knowing that the new reactor would be so much more productive. Also, it sounds like it might have been an unavoidable issue if the needle valve is shot, so don't give up, think about how you SAVED the fish that were on the edge of death and that's an amazing thing. 

I'm sorry to hear about Wisher too, but I'm SO glad she's recovering well!!! Dogs are amazingly resilient. 

Let me know if you want me to hold off on sending the zebrafish if you think they are at risk of being Betta Food. I suppose you could always put them in the 15g though if you want them sooner rather than later. 

Just let me know and they're yours!!!!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks guys! I'll get the fish from you soon, Karalittle.  This was a good day for the fish tank wise. The drop checker is a light green, no yellow and is looking good upon the lights on. About where I hoped it to be. The needle valve is about shot as it strays a bit more than it used to, but good point on opening the co2 all the way as I've done that before, lol. 

No more deaths, although most of the yellow shrimp are now gone from the 55. I will replace them soon from the 15 when I move the betta girl if she makes it. Not wanting to move any fish until necessary.

OH! How could I forget? I got the red claws in from CT (thanks!!!!) this afternoon! There are babies and two berried females. I put a few in each tank to try and prevent wiping all the population out in case of another disaster. Went ahead and put the berried females in the 55 as I am planning to move out the betta this weekend. Yay! 

Will continue to closely monitor the co2 on the tank and will adjust it as necessary.


----------



## 150EH

That sucks that you lost so many fish and that style reactor is extremely effecient, I was telling somebody how I gassed my fish using my new drop checker and they quickly replied it takes the drop checker a couple of hours to change color, that may be true but it I turn my needle valve on that reactor 2 minutes later the plants will be pearling double time so it delivers quickly and they are great for large tanks.

I need to remove that bubble counter as I no longer use it and only rely on the plants pearling and if I think I'm pushing the CO2 too far I look at the fish for signs of stress instead of the drop checker.


----------



## Karackle

I'm glad to hear that the fish are recovering nicely Sara!!!


----------



## 150EH

I wish I had learned to use Google SketchUp before you built your reactor, there are a few modifications that make it very efficiecnt.


----------



## sewingalot

Nice sketch, 150EH! If I were more techy, it would be cool to do the modifications. Of course, with my limited DIY skills, maybe not a great plan for me. :hihi: But still, that is awesome. Have you put this in the Cerges reactor thread in the DIY section? That would be a valuable addition IMO. 

The drop checker is now showing a blue green and I am thinking I'll try bumping it up this afternoon. It's at a little over 1 bps, so I am not surprised it needs upped a bit.

ALGAE OUTBREAK!!

Between the adjusting of the co2, killing fish and mini cycle, I am seeing some wispy algae on the glass and a LOT of dusty algae. I am going to take pictures of the tank, scrape samples of the algae and test water parameters today before water change. 

Plants seem to be responding well to the co2 and increased fertilizers despite the hiccup. It's like my tank is going through puberty or something. Algae, the acne of planted tanks.


----------



## Bahugo

Tank puberty sounds like a scary process... what is considered the rebellion stage? lol


----------



## nonconductive

when they start dying & piercing their leaves


----------



## SkyGrl

*SNORT* i can just see it with with some iron dosing.. bahahaha! 

"Look Mom i pierced my new red leaf!" 

Amy


----------



## Bahugo

lol! Well, Sara, you can't beat yourself up about your co2 mishap... Your tank is going through puberty


----------



## nonconductive

hahaha amy.... "if you dont stop turning red im taking away your iron supplement"

gross rich! haha


----------



## Bahugo

nonconductive said:


> gross rich! haha


You know you snickered lol. :red_mouth:hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

Its true, i did.


----------



## orchidman

Oh rich! Grody!! That's nasty. But I snickered too! Haha

When does the armpit hair come in?

You can call me Bob


----------



## nonconductive

orchidman said:


> Oh rich! Grody!! That's nasty. But I snickered too! Haha
> 
> When does the armpit hair come in?
> 
> You can call me Bob


i dont know bob, lift up a leaf and find out.


----------



## orchidman

"don't get exited kiddo! It's just hair algae! Jeep on dreamin..."


You can call me Bob


----------



## sewingalot

Rich, you were being a little too naughty for the youngsters, lol. I edited that one out to stay PG and keep you outta of trouble. I deserved it for saying my tank is in puberty. Bob, tell you mom to wash your eyes out for seeing that one. :hihi:

Snickering at the dyed leaves and piercings.


----------



## zachary908

Saw it before it was edited.. The comments I see from fellow PP members makes me feel like I'm at work with all the guys. :hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

yea its like a PG locker room


----------



## sewingalot

LMAO D! That was quite funny. Zach, didn't anyone ever tell you that kind of talk belongs at my house not on the forum? :hihi:


----------



## msjinkzd

i miss all the fun


----------



## zachary908

sewingalot said:


> Zach, didn't anyone ever tell you that kind of talk belongs at my house not on the forum? :hihi:


Haha, you would fit right it at my work then... some of the stuff that gets said in there... well, it's all guys and the youngest one ( Other than myself) Is 23, so you get the idea. :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Rachel, pm incoming, lol. Zach, I grew up with two older brothers. I wanted to be just like them. Many a beating did I receive, lol. My brothers now say my mouth is worse than both of them combined.  Amongst friends, yeah. But at work, nah. That's against _The Man's_ rules. I'm a good puppet. Good thing I'm not working at the moment. :hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

so you need to bring a bar of soap to work and wash a bunch of filthy mouths is what you're saying.


----------



## zachary908

nonconductive said:


> so you need to bring a bar of soap to work and wash a bunch of filthy mouths is what you're saying.





sewingalot said:


> Zach, I grew up with two older brothers. I wanted to be just like them. Many a beating did I receive, lol. My brothers now say my mouth is worse than both of them combined.  Amongst friends, yeah. But at work, nah. That's against _The Man's_ rules. I'm a good puppet. Good thing I'm not working at the moment. :hihi:


Non C, pretty much... but it doesn't bother me at all

Haha, no body talks bad when customers are in the building, but once customers leave it's a free for all.. We do a lot of name calling all in good fun. The boss doesn't mind... he is just as bad. :hihi:


----------



## nonconductive

thats how we are here except around certain people, but as soon as they leave its bleep bleep bleep bleep. the girls are even worse than the guys with the potty mouth action.


----------



## Bahugo

Lol you guys are too funny. 

It's ok Sara, sorry  I'll go wash my mouth out with soap *cries*


----------



## sewingalot

Have you ever really had your mouth washed out with soap? I have. My aunt made me sit with a bar of soap in my mouth for quite a while. It's really disgusting. I must say, I didn't say any bad things for a LONG time after that. Oh, lights are finally on! I'll get some pictures of the tank in a few before I get offline for the day.

Stupid crappy sewing machine is still under the weather.


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Have you ever really had your mouth washed out with soap? I have. My aunt made me sit with a bar of soap in my mouth for quite a while. It's really disgusting. I must say, I didn't say any bad things for a LONG time after that. Oh, lights are finally on! I'll get some pictures of the tank in a few before I get offline for the day.
> 
> Stupid crappy sewing machine is still under the weather.


I think I have once. 

Maybe you should take your sewing machine inside so it's not under the weather anymore. :hihi::red_mouth


----------



## nonconductive

da da tssss....


----------



## zachary908

Bahugo said:


> I think I have once.
> 
> Maybe you should take your sewing machine inside so it's not under the weather anymore. :hihi::red_mouth


Good one, Rich :hihi:

The weather here actually sucks big time. How is it where you are?

And Sara.. Where are those pictures?


----------



## sewingalot

*Return of the MAC......err BBA. *

Ha! Weather got really cold here all the sudden. Just realized I need to ask people about their weather before shipping this weekend. Wasn't expecting it to be in the 40s, yet here it is rainy and cold. Yay! I love the fall weather. Leaves are turning, too. 

Upped the co2 to 2.6 bps. Staying by and watching closely. Was at 1.6 before turning it up according to the husband who helped me count.

Here are the pictures. Had to take them, upload them, curse at photobucket and debate on whether or not to post them.

Cuter in person, and would have been better if I had my camera still and not the cell, but the biggest macro in the 10 has a new home:









Downoi is already improving in the 15 gallon:



























Diatoms are prolific. Seeing how long I can stand it before I scrape it off. In the meantime, it gives interesting slides. (And here is my elusive reflection)









FTS, nothing really worth taking pictures for:









Onto the 55 gallon - FTS:




















































































































































































10 gallon:


















Blurry pictures, but one of the baby redclaws picking off a snail:




































And this is what happens when you put ludwigia repens out doors all summer and don't fertilize it, bring it indoors and don't fertilize it. LOL. TIny baby plant.


----------



## zachary908

The downoi doesn't look that bad at all! everything looks nice, I love the algae shots!


----------



## orchidman

Nice shrimp!!


You can call me Bob


----------



## 150EH

I liked the shrimp too, the yellow one standing on a little plant nub, i think, and what kind of shrimp was that near the end with the 3 red strips in the claws?

The algae shot were nice but if you can't growing any better than that why bother, I'll give you my algae dosing routine!


----------



## jkan0228

Sara!! We have something in common! Cyano in our substrates 
Great pics. Love the algae. And the shrimp. And everything else


----------



## nonconductive

nice pics! poor l repens.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks Zach and Bob! Bob - notice the pictures to keep you nice and calm. LOL Finally, we have some common ground, jkan. Too funny.



nonconductive said:


> nice pics! poor l repens.


LOL. It's the only stem of I have left, too. But on the bright side, it's alive and still growing.....just growing tall and skinny....like you. :icon_eek::redface:




150EH said:


> The algae shot were nice but if you can't growing any better than that why bother, I'll give you my algae dosing routine!


Are you actually insulting algae in MY thread? I <3 algae! Algae is important to me and my relationship with my brother. Long live algae!


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> LOL. It's the only stem of I have left, too. But on the bright side, it's alive and still growing.....just growing tall and skinny....like you. :icon_eek::redface:


lol... touche.

is that one that came from me? if so, its just trying to be like me.


----------



## sewingalot

Yes, it's from you originally. I threw it outside in the 'pond' and brought it in last month. I was like 7 feet long, but I cut off most of it and just kept a small part. It's mini-non c.


----------



## nonconductive

lol 7 feet long.


----------



## Bahugo

Is nonC this tall and skinny? Is there some real life pictures in his journal some where that I am missing>


----------



## sewingalot

His avatar shows him, but I've seen him in my nightmares and he looks exactly like a skinny version of Andre the Giant.

Edit: I forgot to add this and since it is relevant to the tank, I turned down the co2 to right around 2 bps before heading to bed last night. The problem with the needle valve is getting worse at higher numbers. It will be steady for a few minutes and then it will just randomly through out like 10 bubbles in a nano second. So I pulled out my gas mask and actually dosed excel for the first time in many, many months.


----------



## sewingalot

Sent fish and shrimp to new homes today. It was oodles of fun trying to catch emerald eyes. The betta was easiest to get, she was still sleepy and it wasn't until she was out of water for that split second that she was balking. The shrimp were easy, but I did it in the dark as I didn't want to forget turning off the timer and the light in the room was enough to get a few for a couple people. But the emerald eyes! I caught as many as I could with the lights out as they sleep at the top of the tank, and the first six went quickly. And then.....over an HOUR (no joke) later, I caught the final three. Two took 20 minutes with one jumping out of the net onto the floor (seems okay, it was a one eyed one, too) and the last one took almost an entire hour. I ended up having to uproot most of the plants and removing them from the tank to get that last mister fish. And it wasn't until the husband came over and helped me corral it into a corner and he was the one to catch it. So, after getting up at 7:30 and fishing out plants, it was nearly 11:00 by the time I had them off to the PO. And then they wanted to give us a hard time about shipping live fish again. And after all this, I am never shipping fish again. Shrimp I can handle, but they make me nervous a bit worrying they'll get there alive. This was a nightmare and I have a new respect for those that do this for a living. Now I am sitting here praying that they get to the new home alive and live happily ever after. 

So then it was another 2 hours replanting with tweezers my dear guy bent and tried to straighten but they now only grasp in one area and not well and scraping algae with a scraper I dropped and he tried to bend back for me, but one corner is bent and this is not a good thing to use. I scrapped just enough to collect samples for my microscope and to cultivate in more jars and used a rag for a bit and then quit leaving some for the otos. All in all, I was about 95% algae free with some algae on the glass and mostly on older leaves (except diatoms that are whispy on the leave edges) but now I am down to maybe 1% algae if that in the tank (minus diatoms). Diatoms are a cool algae and not even considered an algae by many now. I don't mind them and they are great for otos, so I was careful not to disturb them.

What is left in the tank? Tons of yellow shrimp, two large female red claw shrimp, 2 female guppies and 4 or so otos. I am not positive, there may be more, but I lost quite a few last week. The plans are to get a lot more otos, keep the guppies for now and let the shrimp breed away. These are guppy/endler hybrids and don't seem to pester the shrimp that often. Seem to enjoy picking on the algae more. 

So, all-in-all, I am very pleased with the progress of the tank. And I am very excited about my algae collections. I got GSA, GPA, BGA, BBA, diatoms and I think some clado! Only time will tell. Can't wait. :bounce: My brother will be very pleased. He has borrowed my driftwood Francine. He enjoys watching the little snails and thinks the algae is pretty. Actually, she is now getting a fur coat for winter. I sprinkled in some anabaena cyanobacteria from one of my outdoor accidental emersed setups to cultivate and it's covering her in a cool looking way. So she has BBA mohawk and a BGA coat to rock on for the coming months. So algae nano tank is seriously impressive. He is coming over soon and bringing her back so I'll be sure to share pictures. :biggrin:

Since I spent so long on the tank, I snapped more pictures. Really pleased with the new growth. The plants are shaping up like me on my new diet. The ludwigia palustris sp 'red' is doing excellent now. Didn't finish planting it as I plan to move all but two stems into the emersed setup. The limno is going emersed as well. The blyxa is making a huge recovery from the hungry SAE. Many has literally doubled in size. Others are recovering at a steady pace. Lily sp ' Tawain' is happy, the sword is bubbly (I trimmed off many outter leaves) and the mosses are growing and not looking so much like pieces of random thread. And the hygro pinna.....something is now finally settling and the leaf melt from the move is slowing to a crawl. Oh, and I think there is a small piece of ludwigia brevipes or lacturis left. I threw most of it out, and planned to keep some, but sadly, I let the other pieces dry out on accident. So I need to get a piece of the one I am missing later on. The lily from Rich is blooming a small leaf or two, and I need to move her now that the roots are showing. The ludwigia sp 'big red' is doing most excellent. Still looking for superglue for the javafern. D. Diandra is showing nice new growth and the lindernia is transitioning well into submersed form. And the HG (formerly HM) is doing fantastic. Few other odds and ends I can't remember at the time. I am very happy with the smaller variation of plants and am trying to decide which ludwigias to keep and which to move to emersed for now. I'll probably move the unknown for now over once it grows a bit more. Other than that, nothing much to report. Still haven't turned up the co2 as I just don't trust this need valve at all. So the co2 isn't great, but it isn't too low either. 

The 15 is getting torn down after Monday to move into a new room. What I don't ship yellow shrimp wise will move over to the 55 temporarily. I plan to change out the substrate with new florabase and turface as this ADA powersand is now showing all over the place and driving me bonkers. Will provide pictures of the move. Probably turn this into a UG, downoi and HC tank only. UG grows very easily for me. I think it's CT's steroid plants. Most of it is emersed and being stored for the move. Won't move the shrimp back over until I am sure there isn't a big spike in ammonia or may just move over the guppies and leave the 55 as a shrimp and oto tank. Sounds like a strong possibility as these are my two favorites right now. Still need to get CRS low grade, but waiting on money to do so.

I'm really happy at how far I've come since the short time I've been back at working on my tanks. Even with the set back of the co2 snafu, it is going quite well. Algae is moving over for nice plant growth. I think that's it for now.

PICTURES!!!

I tried to adjust the colors on the FTS as it is for real, but didn't quite get there. The walls are orangish brown, and the plants are a little more like reddish pink, but it's close I think. 









Guppies!


















Shrimpers




































A spec of UG for the fun of it:









Crypt that hasn't died! WOW.









Floating fissidens collected locally









Clonopodium cf. brownei (probably slaughtered this name)









New happy growth on diandra!









Hygrophilia









Ludwigia sp 'Big Red'









Ludwigia palustris sp 'red'


----------



## mscichlid

Good work...and a lot of work, woman! I like the new layout.
Ludwigia sp 'Big Red' AND Ludwigia palustris sp 'red'! How fortunant you are!


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> . Still need to get CRS low grade



I see what you did there. You knew I would catch that. :red_mouth

Nice pics, Is that my HM in the "shrimpers" pictures? I think mine is finally starting too grow again, when I rescaped a few weeks ago (before I got the driftwood the first rescape) I left it out for over 2 weeks in a bowl (until after I got the driftwood) after I sent some too chad because I forgot too replant it, luckily everything was still alive (I have no idea how) but you could tell it was on the brink of dying 

Who's the lucky foke who got your live animals? I'm going to try and snap some pics tonight so keep an eye out!


----------



## sewingalot

Thank you. I am thinking I will really like it once it starts filling in and I have a few minor adjustments like moving the java and uprooting and replanting a few stems here and there. I'm excited to see it progress. Franny, you like the 'Big Red'? I just named it that, lol. Cavan's got a sample from me and is looking into it's id. Says it is a hybrid, but definitely not 'rubin' because of the leaf axil or something like that. He's so much smarter than my one semester of plant biology. When it grows out enough for trimmings, I'll let you know and we can do a trade if you like. Your tank is looking great even with the GW, by the way!

You liked that, Rich? Haha, I will be waiting quite a while. I am so broke. By the time I sold the shrimp and shipped everything out, I'm in the hole. Earl felt so sorry for me that he bought me the fabric I needed to finish Kara's quilt. And stupid me forgot I have an old timey sewing machine sitting in the foyer of Earl's great grandma. I'm going to open it up and clean it to sew with (hopefully unless it's like the tin man and oil doesn't help.)

Cardinal Tetra sent me replacement red claws for the emerald eyes, Kara is getting yellow shrimp and the betta, Rachel is getting shrimp for otos and Alyssa is getting shrimp on Monday. We should trade soon shrimp for shrimp. I could give you two yellows for every CRS or something.  *hint*

That is your plant indeed. It's doing great since the SAE from hades left for the clouds. Ha on the bowl of HM. I thought I was the only one that did stuff like that. We have a sink that apparently is no longer sealed and I set some really expensive plants in it filled and went out to a movie. By the time we came back, they were crispy. Left some on my bed in tuperware, walked away and came back to the cat eating them and accidentally throwing away, sending it all off not thinking about the fact I didn't keep even a lousy stem. It goes on and on and....

I'm about to sign off for the weekend, but I'll be sure to look if I have a chance Sunday evening. Monday for sure. Have a great weekend, Rich!


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Wow! Not only has the crypt survived. It's grown as well! I should send you some more next time. Where did you manage to collect Fissidens? I got some for free but that was from bugging a friend:hihi:

I can't wait to get those emerald eyes


----------



## mscichlid

I got a sample from Cavan at a Gwapa meeting in September. It was burgundy now it is sort or reddish-orange. I'll post a pic. Sure we can set up a trade!


----------



## Karackle

looking good Sara!!! I'm glad I have the space to rehome the betta for you so you can get your shrimp populations growing full throttle! roud: I'll send out those zebra danios in the next week for you, monday or tuesday if I can, otherwise Saturday  

I can't wait to see the plants fill in with the new scape! 

By the way, the 10g is looking REALLY cool as it fills in, I still just think that whole set up is such a cool idea, I LOVE it!

Can't wait to see what you do with the 15 either, very exciting!  

And of course, I love your algae :hihi:


----------



## 2in10

Looking good, hopefully raising the BPS does the trick in your algae fight.


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> I've seen him in my nightmares and he looks exactly like a skinny version of Andre the Giant.


 
hahahahahahahahaha. thats too funny.

you better watch it or i'll give you a flying elbow from the top rope, then put your head into the turnbuckle.


but really, i'm not very tall.


----------



## sewingalot

For those that have stuck with me so far, I have protrayed myself poorly and it sucks. It was never my intention. Thinking Wishbone getting hurt may have effected my mood more than I realized and I really need to remind myself this hobby should be fun. Basically a time to due a little practicing of my sermons. So sorry for being grumpy and thanks for sticking with me so far.

To show the return of my former self, my tank wrote an satire using the great Charles Dicken's words: 

_It was the best of stems, it was the worst of stems, it was the age of algae, it was the age of noncommital, it was the epoch of war, it was the epoch of peace, it was the season of death, it was the season of growth, it was the spring of youth, it was the winter of tomfoolery, we had no co2 before us, we had dying plants before us, we were all going direct to massacre, we were all going direct to the end - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only._

Just remember one thing, non-c. I am the incredible Hulk Hogan and I can hold my own. Watch out for the breaking chairs. :icon_mrgr (Plus I know what you look like in real life and it's a cross between kermit the frog and Morrisey.) :icon_mrgr

The fish and shrimp are out for delivery! Crossing fingers that they make it alive! Never shipping fish again, never, never, never. Too stressful.

CT, don't hold your luck on the crypts. This was a freak of nature for me. I have an emersed 'lutea' I'm thinking of moving over. If that one lives, I may venture out. roud:

Also, what plant is this that you gave me, a ludwigia hybrid?









Franny, if Cavan gave that to you and it was burgundy, I am thinking it was emersed as that is how it looks. Submersed sounds about right colorwise.

Thanks guys for the comments. Algae is doing quite....poorly. Sigh. The diatoms are hanging in there, thankfully but the rest is going away. So sad. See you soon, my pals.


----------



## msjinkzd

love the dickens!


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

That plant with the jagged edged leaves is Proserpinaca palustris. Looks great submersed! Is it still forming fruit? I remember some on the stem I sent you.


----------



## orchidman

sewingalot said:


> For those that have stuck with me so far, I have protrayed myself poorly and it sucks. It was never my intention. Thinking Wishbone getting hurt may have effected my mood more than I realized and I really need to remind myself this hobby should be fun. Basically a time to due a little practicing of my sermons. So sorry for being grumpy and thanks for sticking with me so far.
> 
> To show the return of my former self, my tank wrote an satire using the great Charles Dicken's words:
> 
> _It was the best of stems, it was the worst of stems, it was the age of algae, it was the age of noncommital, it was the epoch of war, it was the epoch of peace, it was the season of death, it was the season of growth, it was the spring of youth, it was the winter of tomfoolery, we had no co2 before us, we had dying plants before us, we were all going direct to massacre, we were all going direct to the end - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only._
> 
> Just remember one thing, non-c. I am the incredible Hulk Hogan and I can hold my own. Watch out for the breaking chairs. :icon_mrgr (Plus I know what you look like in real life and it's a cross between kermit the frog and Morrisey.) :icon_mrgr
> 
> The fish and shrimp are out for delivery! Crossing fingers that they make it alive! Never shipping fish again, never, never, never. Too stressful.
> 
> CT, don't hold your luck on the crypts. This was a freak of nature for me. I have an emersed 'lutea' I'm thinking of moving over. If that one lives, I may venture out. roud:
> 
> Also, what plant is this that you gave me, a ludwigia hybrid?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Franny, if Cavan gave that to you and it was burgundy, I am thinking it was emersed as that is how it looks. Submersed sounds about right colorwise.
> 
> Thanks guys for the comments. Algae is doing quite....poorly. Sigh. The diatoms are hanging in there, thankfully but the rest is going away. So sad. See you soon, my pals.



i love the poem!!! its great

ive always wondered what Damon looked like, now that i know, im somewhat scared....

yep, its prosepinaca palustris! i love that plant!!!! when its submersed it gets really frilly and looks amazing!


----------



## sewingalot

Liked that, Rachel? LOL. I used to not like Dickens until later in life. That is probably his best book.

Thanks, Bob, but it's really Charles Dickens' work with a little word play. Also, Non-c's actually good looking guy, no joke. I've seen pictures. Hard to believe, I know. 



Cardinal Tetra said:


> That plant with the jagged edged leaves is Proserpinaca palustris. Looks great submersed! Is it still forming fruit? I remember some on the stem I sent you.


Yeah, but the fruit is boxed shape which threw me off. I collected some of the palustris in Meigs County and I was wondering why it looked the same. I try to get decent pictures, but everything is blurry nowadays.

Oh, and the fissidens was collected locally by my foot, lol. I came home with it stuck to the bottom of my shoe. Not even sure it is fissidens.


----------



## orchidman

you brought fissidens inside via your shoe? lol! i dont know why thats so funny 

i never doubted his good looks, i mean if you look like the offspring of kermit and morrisey how can you look like anything but a hunk? lol  im sure he looks great!


----------



## nonconductive

LOL......

"this is a song from a frog....."


----------



## sewingalot

orchidman said:


> you brought fissidens inside via you show?


There you go with txting again, lol. you show? hahaha. Yeah, hiking in a park and it was wedged on my shoe. Nice find, eh? Goes to show you never know a person until you walked a mile in his moss covered shoes.

Yeah, Kermie and Morrisey made a pretty baby.


----------



## nonconductive

btw i can see the kermit comparison, because me and kermit have similar bodys (esp the appendages) but im not sporting a pompadour. i think you're confused because Morrissey sings like Kermit.


<3 Morrissey


----------



## orchidman

nonconductive said:


> LOL......
> 
> "this is a song from a frog....."


roud: :bounce:


sewingalot said:


> There you go with txting again, lol. you show? hahaha. Yeah, hiking in a park and it was wedged on my shoe. Nice find, eh? Goes to show you never know a person until you walked a mile in his moss covered shoes.
> 
> Yeah, Kermie and Morrisey made a pretty baby.


wow.... i need to learn how to type! 

thats pretty cool, i should try going hiking, see what i bring home... last time i went hiking was this summer in montana, there was cow pies all over the place because some ranchers were their with their herds apparently. dont want to put that in my tank!



nonconductive said:


> btw i can see the kermit comparison, because me and kermit have similar bodys (esp the appendages) but im not sporting a pompadour. i think you're confused because Morrissey sings like Kermit.
> 
> 
> <3 Morrissey


i think you need to get one! a pompadour that is...


----------



## Nubster

Just wondering where in WV you are located?


----------



## sewingalot

Nubster, right across the southern most point of Ohio and almost the most Northwest of the state, Huntington

Non-c, I was thinking more of the swankiness of you both, lol. Is that a word? This is your dream hairdo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjFYuZpNRK0&feature=related (like the subtle song choice? )

Bob, actually that would be free fertilizer, lol. (And you should see me text, I'm awful.)


----------



## orchidman

hungtington WV???? my mom's family is from there. i think her mom! thats so weird!

nice hair! i used to have a pompadour.... i try to block that time out of my memory!

free fertz! woohooo


----------



## sewingalot

Ask her what the surname is and where she went to school. May have relatives. LOL. I actually had Morrissey hair in 98, lol. My mom won't destroy the photo, either.


----------



## msjinkzd

my husband has a kick butt pompadour! They are smexy!


----------



## orchidman

ill see if i can find a picture of mine!

okay ill ask... i know my mom's maiden name is graham. and i think we have relatives named cook, but im not sure if they are the WV relatives or not.


----------



## Bahugo

Your emersed setup is looking thick!!! I Want too see pics.


----------



## 150EH

msjinkzd said:


> my husband has a kick butt pompadour! They are smexy!


If it's sexy on a man it's smexy?

and on a woman it's swexy?

or did you just misspell?

in any event I like the new words Rachael!


----------



## sewingalot

Rich, I posted more over in the emersed thread in the plants forum. 

150eh, Smexy = smart + sexy. Gender neutral. For instance: _I hate Suzie. She's smexy._ The most envious of all women to other women out there. :biggrin:

Bob, I know some Cooks, but no Grahams. I'll ask the old man. Town's like 50,000+ so it's possible to grow up not even knowing them, lol. Still pretty cool. Ever come down this way, let us know. We'll take you to Chucky Cheese or whatever you teens like to go. :hihi:

Rachel, I've seen a picture of your guy, he does have a nice do. 

Good news on the shrimp/guppy/oto zone. The red claw females are now crawling and swimming around the tank freely. This is the first time they've done anything but hide on the filter sponge since getting here. Thinking I'm liking this watching yellows and red claws flying around with the otos swimming in a tight school. Can't wait for more otos. Oh! And apparently there are 5 and not 4 left. A small pleasant surprise.

Co2 is now a light green, no blue, and no yellow detected. Happy to say the plants are bubbling away. I did a small rearranging. I put the lilly that won't bloom behind the sword shaded. Seeing if that helps since nothing else has worked. If this doesn't pan out, I'm moving it to a smaller tank. Also moved over the lily sp 'tawain' to the right corner behind ludwigia sp 'big red.' I like the contrast. Finally after watching the java fern pearling just to spin around all over the tank for weeks, I glue it and my thumb to a rock. So there is a bit of skin and java in the center back of the tank. Looking to create a general "^" shape in the tank. Blyxa is coming back slowly but surely and I see that hydrocotlye is sprouting from bare stems and finding bits of 'belem' that I thought I pulled up to move to emersed land. Interested in seeing what else shows up after the SAE buffet eating machine is gone, may he rest in peace and fertilize my mum.


----------



## msjinkzd

hurray!!! Good news!!! Just let me know when you are ready for otos


----------



## sewingalot

I'm ready when you are!  Parameters have been holding steady all week, ammonia and nitrite is back to zero, and the otos are lonely, lol. Send me a pm with the $$ for the extras we talked about when you get a chance.


----------



## orchidman

sewingalot said:


> Rich, I posted more over in the emersed thread in the plants forum.
> 
> 150eh, Smexy = smart + sexy. Gender neutral. For instance: _I hate Suzie. She's smexy._ The most envious of all women to other women out there. :biggrin:
> 
> Bob, I know some Cooks, but no Grahams. I'll ask the old man. Town's like 50,000+ so it's possible to grow up not even knowing them, lol. Still pretty cool. Ever come down this way, let us know. We'll take you to Chucky Cheese or whatever you teens like to go. :hihi:
> 
> Rachel, I've seen a picture of your guy, he does have a nice do.
> 
> Good news on the shrimp/guppy/oto zone. The red claw females are now crawling and swimming around the tank freely. This is the first time they've done anything but hide on the filter sponge since getting here. Thinking I'm liking this watching yellows and red claws flying around with the otos swimming in a tight school. Can't wait for more otos. Oh! And apparently there are 5 and not 4 left. A small pleasant surprise.
> 
> Co2 is now a light green, no blue, and no yellow detected. Happy to say the plants are bubbling away. I did a small rearranging. I put the lilly that won't bloom behind the sword shaded. Seeing if that helps since nothing else has worked. If this doesn't pan out, I'm moving it to a smaller tank. Also moved over the lily sp 'tawain' to the right corner behind ludwigia sp 'big red.' I like the contrast. Finally after watching the java fern pearling just to spin around all over the tank for weeks, I glue it and my thumb to a rock. So there is a bit of skin and java in the center back of the tank. Looking to create a general "^" shape in the tank. Blyxa is coming back slowly but surely and I see that hydrocotlye is sprouting from bare stems and finding bits of 'belem' that I thought I pulled up to move to emersed land. Interested in seeing what else shows up after the SAE buffet eating machine is gone, may he rest in peace and fertilize my mum.


my mom just laughed at me! i told her you knew some cooks, and then she told me how common that name is. lol! she wants me to ask if you know any Harper's, Fogarty's, Conley's, or Hill's. we are probably related somehow! haha!


i met rachel's hubby, his hair is pretty cool!

yay so happy for you about the params!


----------



## nonconductive

rachel's hubby's hair might be cool but theres no way its as awesome rachel's.


----------



## BoxxerBoyDrew

AWESOME bunch of plants Ya got there Sara!!! I can't wait to see it grown in! And WOW 2 BPS!!! I can remember those days!! Kind of wish I still was able to count the BPS in my 55g! I have had to start watching my Drop checker and to heck with trying to count those darn bubbles! I can't count that high without taking off my shoes, then I still loose count!!! LOL  

You have some nice textures in there too! I will be looking for some clippings in the SnS soon!!!

Take Care and God Bless!
Drew


----------



## orchidman

nonconductive said:


> rachel's hubby's hair might be cool but theres no way its as awesome rachel's.


so true!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks Drew. How are you diffusing your co2 and what are the hours? I think the fact I have co2 running 24/7 lets me get by with a lot less. It could be a little more, but I'm not complaining....for now. 

And Rachel's hair deserves an Awesome Reward. I so want to see this in person.

Started cleaning up the 15 gallon for the move. Decided to wait until I see more progress on the downoi. It is starting to shape up, but slowly as it was starving. No roottabs replenishing, no co2, no ferts. I'm surprised it or the shrimp made it through.

Here is my favorite part, algae (kind of like snot when you have a bacterial infection) :tongue::









Kept some for the ol' microscope. I have tons of pictures, but not sure if anyone wants to see them?

Water change begins....









The sadest stems ever.









Poor erio type 2, this is all that is left. (Notice that the downoi was sending out a new plantlet on the left? Yay!)









Diandra looked great, ironically. I have moved it all to the 55 gallon now. Speaking of moving things.....even with the 40ish shrimp I shipped this week, I pulled out 95 shrimp in the 15 gallon this morning. I honestly didn't realize there was that many shrimp or I would have sent more to everyone. That is amazing, especially since most of these were adults. Moved them over to the 55, and still count at least 19 shrimp in the 15 that I didn't move because I didn't want to the youngsters before I have the chance to get a sponge on the other filter.

Beautiful healthy roots show me the downoi will be fine with TLC (I know, the tiny hands appear, lol)




























A person should uproot plants first, then do a water change or they get this.......









Oops. Well, this is the best it's going to look until the dust settles. Plan to clean out the filter this week and try to fish out the rest of the shrimp for an experiment on excessive nutrients and co2. But first, I need to rescue the live stock. 









Well, that is it for the 15 gallon. I am going to hold off on pictures for a while as I think you all will be surprised. I want you all to really enjoy how the algae takes over between now and a few weeks from now. :redface:


----------



## Craigthor

Nice Downoi collection, wish I could keep Downoi alive, I seems to have no trouble with Erios but the big D is another story.

Craig


----------



## sewingalot

I nearly killed it off this last time. I really think if the roots weren't established it would have been a goner. I didn't know you had trouble with any plants, as your tanks are beautiful.


----------



## Craigthor

sewingalot said:


> I nearly killed it off this last time. I really think if the roots weren't established it would have been a goner. I didn't know you had trouble with any plants, as your tanks are beautiful.


Yeah I get it and plant it, looks great for a week then it likes to melt off for no good reason. I'm hoping these last few stems due in this week decide to grow this time. I wonder if it is due to moving it that it decides to melt?

If you ever need some new stems to try just let me know, not like I have collectoritis going on or anything.

Craig


----------



## sewingalot

It's really much like a crypt when you move it, I've found. It loves to balk, salk and then it'll grow back. One thing that has helped me every time I've moved it to other tanks was to leave it floating in a tank for a day or so and then planting it. Seemed to cut down on the leaves melting or loosing the entire plant. If this batch doesn't work for you, let me know and when/if this downoi recovers, I can send you some more in a few months.

Probably will look for some stems in the future. Right now, focusing on resetting the tank. 

One thing I'm having an issue with is didiplis diandra. In the 15 with no ferts, co2, the plant thrived. In the 55, now with a lot of fertilizers, good consistent co2, it is turning an orangish almost yellow color. In the 15, it's a dark green. Should I be worried? Or is this normal for a higher light tank?


----------



## orchidman

ive seen her hair in person! it wasnt spiked, but it was still awesome!

the downoi looks great!!!! what stems did you have that got uprooted?


----------



## msjinkzd

oh my hair, you guys will be sad! I just cut about 8" off the mohawk. I was no longer fitting in my car, lol. Its hard to drive when you turn your head and the mohawk hits teh windows.


anywho, sarah, I will pm you today to figure out details for shipping! I just saw your post. I am, apparently, a thread slacker!


----------



## Craigthor

sewingalot said:


> It's really much like a crypt when you move it, I've found. It loves to balk, salk and then it'll grow back. One thing that has helped me every time I've moved it to other tanks was to leave it floating in a tank for a day or so and then planting it. Seemed to cut down on the leaves melting or loosing the entire plant. If this batch doesn't work for you, let me know and when/if this downoi recovers, I can send you some more in a few months.
> 
> Probably will look for some stems in the future. Right now, focusing on resetting the tank.
> 
> One thing I'm having an issue with is didiplis diandra. In the 15 with no ferts, co2, the plant thrived. In the 55, now with a lot of fertilizers, good consistent co2, it is turning an orangish almost yellow color. In the 15, it's a dark green. Should I be worried? Or is this normal for a higher light tank?


I'd say it is the high light and all the fixin's coloring it up. 

Craig


----------



## nonconductive

msjinkzd said:


> oh my hair, you guys will be sad! I just cut about 8" off the mohawk. I was no longer fitting in my car, lol. Its hard to drive when you turn your head and the mohawk hits teh windows.
> 
> 
> anywho, sarah, I will pm you today to figure out details for shipping! I just saw your post. I am, apparently, a thread slacker!


strange, i thought about this the other day (dont know why). i was wondering how you fit in a car. because when i had big mean grrrrrr rivethead spikes (over a foot) i had to lower the seat all the way and slouch all the way down, which was difficult because the shoes i used to wear were so big.


i was lucky enough to see all her awesomeness in person.


----------



## orchidman

Aww. I'm sure it's still totally sick! in can imagine it would be crazy on an airplane!

How short is it now?


You can call me Bob


----------



## msjinkzd

probably about 5" or so, I will put it up and take a pic for you guys inteh next day or so. lol

Maybe instead of a tank journal, I should do a journal of my hair and its many manifestations and trials and tribulations.


----------



## orchidman

so should!


sara do you want some mulberry leaves for your shrimp? im shipping some today and can put some in a regular envelope and send them to ya if you want.


----------



## msjinkzd

I could take pictures of all the aquatic plants that get stuck in it.......LOL

back on topic!

I have killed more downoi than I care to admit too...


----------



## orchidman

get stuck in your hair? haha!


----------



## sewingalot

The downoi that was left floating I sent to you, non-c. We'll see if it makes it to you. It's pretty sad looking, but I just couldn't bring myself not to give it to someone as it's downoi. Know? 

Bob, the stems were d. diandra and the downoi. Both are stem plants. There is some blyxa-ey stem in there that CT gave me that is doing quite well. Diandra moved, the other two stayed. And thanks for the offer on the leaves, but we have a mulberry tree that drops leaves in our back yard (and berries, you should see what Wisher looks like in the summer, lol).

Craig, thanks. I was a little worried about it's change in color. I am going to hope for the best. 

Rachel, if you put in occassional picture of your tank, it'd be the equivalent to my journal.  So totally post your do here when you fix it. What do you use to keep it up?

The visual you guys are giving me is cracking me up. So since you both talked about 
pointy, rivety things and shoes, I'll leave you with this:
















You can take the girl out of the scene, but you can't take all the scene out of the girl.


----------



## orchidman

how did you find a picture of D's shoes?

okay. pick the mulberry leaves fresh. the new growth is more nutricious by the way


----------



## chad320

Holt wrinkled up granny hands batgirl!! Have you ever been fingerprinted? Did they just go, "OK, ummmm...nevermind." But I do have to say great job on the Downoi tank! Its awesome that you grew that much of it. I still have a few pieces from what you sent me. Like 30 years ago, before the thing with your wrinkles :hihi: Do you still have you gianormous shrimp? I still got some yellows for you. I could use a giant shrimp for some snail cleanup


----------



## nonconductive

does that buckle say dirty?


----------



## dewalltheway

sewingalot said:


> One thing I'm having an issue with is didiplis diandra. In the 15 with no ferts, co2, the plant thrived. In the 55, now with a lot of fertilizers, good consistent co2, it is turning an orangish almost yellow color. In the 15, it's a dark green. Should I be worried? Or is this normal for a higher light tank?


Sara....Some Didiplis I had in a high light tank was yellow to orange, so no need to worry. My only problem was the stem would get these black areas halfway down and then break off. It was almost like a mold that ate the stem or the stem was rotting. I just figured it was because not enough light was getting down into the stems but not real sure. Good luck with the 15..sure it will do great!


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> Holt wrinkled up granny hands batgirl!! Have you ever been fingerprinted? Did they just go, "OK, ummmm...nevermind." But I do have to say great job on the Downoi tank! Its awesome that you grew that much of it. I still have a few pieces from what you sent me. Like 30 years ago, before the thing with your wrinkles :hihi: Do you still have you gianormous shrimp? I still got some yellows for you. I could use a giant shrimp for some snail cleanup


Haha, wrinkled up granny hands. You forgot to say TINY. :wink: I have the spitting image of my Great Grandma's paws. In due time, the liver spots will make it complete. I love being able to see the traits of family members in myself. Isn't that weird?

I sent that downoi off and still had plenty left over. Once it is feeling better, I'll move some to the other tanks for safe keeping.

Killed off a lot of fish and all the red claws due to co2, unfortunately. But CT sent me babies and two preggo females. The females are in the 55 hiding a lot in there cave of diandra. I'll try to get a picture at feeding time. One is particularly beautiful.



nonconductive said:


> does that buckle say dirty?


Sure does. :biggrin: And they are two and a half sizes too big, but what can a girl do? Consignment works that way. But at least the toes are safer now being all moved back and all. :icon_wink



dewalltheway said:


> Sara....Some Didiplis I had in a high light tank was yellow to orange, so no need to worry. My only problem was the stem would get these black areas halfway down and then break off. It was almost like a mold that ate the stem or the stem was rotting. I just figured it was because not enough light was getting down into the stems but not real sure. Good luck with the 15..sure it will do great!


Yeah, that is exactly what is going on with them. I really am not fond of the color, to be honest. There is a little black showing on some of the old growth, I was hoping it was micro deficiency, so I upped it quite a bit. I liked how it looks like a holly tree in the 15. I just turned off a set of lights and switched out two bulbs from HO to NO. They may be overdriven, but I'm going to see what happens. Supposed to make the tank low light this way. Worst case scenario, I'll put the bulbs back in. So for now, the tank it's running on two T5NO 28 watt bulbs, 25-5-25 and .5 iron. I'm intrigued to see what damage will be done. :biggrin: 

And thanks! It's great to see you posting again!


----------



## lauraleellbp

msjinkzd said:


> oh my hair, you guys will be sad! I just cut about 8" off the mohawk. I was no longer fitting in my car, lol. Its hard to drive when you turn your head and the mohawk hits teh windows.


Hahahahah!

Thanks for the laugh I just got at that visual!! :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

I swore I wasn't getting online today, but alas, I am stuck waiting on family members that seem to be still sleeping. :/

Onto tank news. Operation 25-5-25 and .5 (npk, iron to determine micros) dosing in combination with the 2 x 28 watts in a t5ho ballast aren't going as I've planned. Lights are nearly 30" from bottom of tank, by the way. The dreaded BBA that was cropping up in the beginning of this idea is getting worse. CO2 is a consitent green now, and I lowered my lighting, so shouldn't this theoretically work? So far, the diandra is stunting, so is the blyxa and the lower leaves are getting algae and there is a potassium deficiency? What is going on here? Before with higher lighting, less fertilizers, it was improving. Now it is turning into algae stew with a few good men.....err plants.

Why did I have to neglect in adding the nutrients when making MTS?!? I sprinkled the bottom with tiny amount of dry ferts, and I think this is what lead me to forget the dolomite and potash. Waiting for little clay fert pellets to dry in order to make it right with the world.

I'm thinking I'll give this to the end of the week and then I'm rearranging my fertilization methods. Getting tired of this dump and pour method already. Just seems incredibly wasteful to this gal who was raised with the words "During the depression, I didn't have.....(fill in the blanks from paper to steak)"


----------



## Rion

What about you clay mixture root tabs you made before? Couldn't you add your dolomite and potash to the clay and distribute to the soil with ferts?


----------



## sewingalot

Rion, sometimes I feel so dumb for not seeing the obvious. After reading your suggestion, I went back to make more with just dolomite and potash. :hihi: Thanks, by the way.


----------



## Rion

I was just trying to think of a binder that would hold as you pushed it through the soil and water and then I remembered your root tabs that I want to try on my restart.


----------



## sewingalot

Sometimes I worry about myself. I am not the lady I used to be a few years ago. Went from having an awesome memory and thinking critically to.....eh.....not so much. It'll improve one day, I keep promising. Haha.

Let me know how the tablets do for you! By the way, where are you moving to? Locally or long distance?


----------



## Karackle

can't wait to see the new fishies Sara!!! And I bet the new root tabs on will do just the trick you need them to do!!! I know they work wonders for me! :biggrin: (i know they're different ones but still)


----------



## Rion

I am moving back to Michigan, home sweet home. So about 600 miles.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Kara! Things are already improving, just not as I'd like. I am thinking the root tabs as Rion and you both pointed out will fix it right up. If not, I'm tearing down this tank and starting over with the substrate. I will not be conquered by a 4 foot box of water! :hihi:

Rion, you'll be just a few hours from me. Ask around what Huntington is referred to in Detriot, lol. Welcome home, by the way!

Nothing exciting to report for the tank as of late. More algae, more plants, less fish. That's about the sum of it all. So until I have something to report, that is all.


----------



## msjinkzd

i will get your otos out tomorrow, I have been without power and internet since Friday


----------



## chad320

Picture pages, picture pages....:hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp

BTW Sara, did I mention I want to steal those boots?


----------



## sewingalot

Tested some parameters:
ph 6.2
Phosphates over 10 ppm (dark, dark blue)
Nitrates - 40 - 80 ppm
Something is wrong with these readings. Going to do a water change and look at my dosing. I am thinking I am using twice the amount I meant to. Still, it works. I was trying to see what lower light in combo with high nutrients does, lol. 


msjinkzd said:


> i will get your otos out tomorrow, I have been without power and internet since Friday


Take your time, Rachel! I'm in no hurry. 


chad320 said:


> Picture pages, picture pages....


Yeah, yeah, yeah. Here you go, Chad:
FTS








Diandra is not happy with the tested 40 - 80 ppm nitrates. Time for a water change and to see what I am doing with my dosing. Maybe I mixed that batch too strong, lol.
















hygro:








Algae and potassium issues








BBA is exploding in growth :








And this is pretty:








Crypt is still alive and growing. 








Prinz sword:








Ludwigia species
































Moss is growing again, finally:
















Cool picture of the 10 looking into the 55:








Downoi is doing great!

























Happy Chad? LOL

Sorry if I repeated pictures. Speaking of pictures, I actually hit my limit in the default album on photobucket. So I am moving a few into other albums to make room as PB doesn’t work with my phone unless the default has space. Hoping I can fix most of the links and not break them all. :hihi:

Edit: Ninja Laura - you can totally have them for the money I paid, lol.


----------



## Bahugo

Nice pics Sara!!!! My HM seems too be spreading nice for you! Are you going to let it carpet? 

Btw started the new journal.


----------



## zachary908

Lovely pics, Sara! Downoi is looking good. Mine is recovering very nicely as well!


----------



## chad320

There you go!!!! Everything is coming along good. I love all of the yellow shrimps that snuck into the pics! You have got a ton of different plants! I like the mini skirt your crypt affinis is wearing :hihi: Are you back to dosing the downoi again?


----------



## jkan0228

I dunno if chad likes it but I sure do.  love the downoi farm.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, guys! 

Rich, yeah that's your HM and yes, the plan is to let it carpet the tank. I'm also thinking of moving dwarf sag (*hint to a certain someone*) in the place of blyxa for a more North/South American planted tank. I'll move most of the blyxa over to the 15 when things grow a little more with the downoi. (I'll also bookmark your journal, thanks for letting me know you started it.)

Zach, I noticed your tank is looking great again after that brief hiccup. Didn't take long after getting that co2 back up and running, huh?

Chad, I'm not too unhappy, but I just checked my math on the dosing and sure enough, I was dosing 50-10-50 npk and like 1.0 fe in the micros for the last week. OOPS. And they say it doesn't cause algae flare ups. Oh, and I didn't even notice that picture of the crypt. CT sent the shrimp with subwassertang and it's floating around everywhere along with moss thread that is finally coming back. 

Oh, yes I am dosing a small amount on the downoi tank, but mostly I upped the co2. I'm waiting for the fertilizer clay to dry and plan to go back to mostly substrate fertlizing in this tank. 

CT! My red claw females are hiding all the time now. I went looking for them and found one hiding under the fissidens and the other under the java fern. Both look like their water is about to break. :biggrin: I hope this means a new addition soon! They baby red claws you sent are now all in the 10 until I am see babies. I am going to try and keep a few away from co2 just in cast. One is definitely turning out to be an alpha male. 

Thanks Jeff! Oh, and Chad loves my tanks. In fact, he cries daily because he doesn't have such a fine collection of algae as I have. :hihi:


----------



## Jeff5614

Sara, I feel the need to weigh in with my 2 cents on your recent BBA outbreak. From what I've read, if you just crank up the CO2 and dump some more ferts in your tank it should go away. You know as well as I do that it's a proven scientific fact that high levels of nutrients in the water column in no way contribute to the growth of algae and high CO2 levels inhibit BBA.


----------



## zachary908

sewingalot said:


> Zach, I noticed your tank is looking great again after that brief hiccup. Didn't take long after getting that co2 back up and running, huh?


Thanks, Sara! Yeah, it didn't take long at all! I'm glad, I was beginning to worry about my precious downoi! Luckily I had the ones in my emersed in case it would have turned out worse.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Wow! I see someone has been good and didn't touch that crypt! May it produce many runners for you soon.

Glad to hear the babies are doing well. Those females definitely need a male to keep them company and make more babies. You'll have a red claw farm in the 55


----------



## chad320

*wiping tears away* I am envious! Ever since I tore down the pond tub of algae this year I feel the need to grow some more :hihi:

...and YES, I agree with CT, all of my affinis are throwing out runners like crazy!!! VERY easy to grow crypt.

Nice job on the ferts math. How often and whats your mix?


----------



## msjinkzd

when you are ready to thin that hygro pinnatawhateverai will you let me know? I willhappily buy some. Somehow its doing "ok" in one tank and I killed it in the other.


----------



## sewingalot

Jeff5614 said:


> Sara, I feel the need to weigh in with my 2 cents on your recent BBA outbreak. From what I've read, if you just crank up the CO2 and dump some more ferts in your tank it should go away. You know as well as I do that it's a proven scientific fact that high levels of nutrients in the water column in no way contribute to the growth of algae and high CO2 levels inhibit BBA.


Ha, Jeff. I should push in more fertilizers and crank up that co2, you are right. Right now I only had 50-10-50 & 1.0, so let's make it 100-20-100 and 2.0 fe for the micros. Why not? I know, I know - it's my co2 and I need to turn it up higher to make my shrimp breed faster, too. But.......I am a failure. And failures don't listen to what is being spoon fed to them as gospel. LOL. All my problems began because I wanted to kick start the plants back into growing and add that with not realizing I added 500 ml of water when I should have added 1000 ml of water, making me dose double just made everything INCLUDING the algae explode in growth. At the end of this week (gotta finish my experiment), I am going back to a really lean consistent water dosing and relying mostly on the substrate. Actually thinking about using darkoon's method he posted for us in the plant section and over in my thread about lighting. 

He gave me this formula:



> I actually got the formula from a friend, i add the followings into 1000ml of tap water premixed with 1000mg of vitamin C, and dose 20ml 2-3 times a week. and i do add some small amount of Ca and Mg as well as Baking soda after every water change since we have very soft water here in NYC.
> 
> KNO3 34.29g
> KH2PO4 1.57g
> CSM+B 3.57g
> K2SO4 0.14g
> MgSO4.7H2O 12.14g
> Fe Gluconate 3.57g
> Iron EDTA Fe 3.57g


His tank is beautiful and defies everything we are told must be done for a planted tank to be successful. I love when the hobby has contrary information. It just goes to show there is no one way for everyone. I'm going to crunch numbers (and this time triple check) and see what this gets you ppm wise just for the fun of it. It sounds promising. I'm all for trying new methods. 



zachary908 said:


> Thanks, Sara! Yeah, it didn't take long at all! I'm glad, I was beginning to worry about my precious downoi! Luckily I had the ones in my emersed in case it would have turned out worse.


Downoi is a resilent plant (I should know) once the roots are established. And you should see the roots on my bad boys. LOL. I can't grow them emersed yet, though. Too lazy to remember to mist them. If you would have lost them, at least you have the bottomless pit of the shop to replace them, right? But I know what you mean. I would sob if I lost all my downoi. 



Cardinal Tetra said:


> Wow! I see someone has been good and didn't touch that crypt! May it produce many runners for you soon.
> Glad to hear the babies are doing well. Those females definitely need a male to keep them company and make more babies. You'll have a red claw farm in the 55


I'm trying so hard not to move it. I want to so bad, but I say "No, Sara! CT said not to touch the crypt!" But I so want to move it over just to see what happens. I was planning on letting the females be until alone with the yellows and the other tank inhabitants until the eggs hatch and then move the alpha juvenile male shrimp over, but now I am thinking I may just go ahead and move him over for company. Maybe they won't feel the need to hide so much? Seems like the males were always more adventurous than the girls.

Did you see the yellowish blue pearl in non-c's journal like the ones I've asked you about before? I tried for months to get a decent picture to show you and he gets one in less than 24 hours of owning them. 



chad320 said:


> *wiping tears away* I am envious! Ever since I tore down the pond tub of algae this year I feel the need to grow some more
> 
> ...and YES, I agree with CT, all of my affinis are throwing out runners like crazy!!! VERY easy to grow crypt.
> 
> Nice job on the ferts math. How often and whats your mix?


I knew it! I need to take a picture of Francine to really get your goat. 

In a 500 ml, there were the following:

kno3 3 tsp
kh2po4 .5 tsp
k2so4 1.5 tsp
csmb .75 tsp

I did the math for 70 ish ml every day for 2 weeks. Unfortunately, I used the smaller bottles (500 instead of the 1000 ml as planned) and didn't realize it until I did a test and then looked at my notes. I was wondering why I was almost out of fertilizer and it wasn't a week yet. It should have clued me in when it wasn't dissolving well. I'm smart like that.



msjinkzd said:


> when you are ready to thin that hygro pinnatawhateverai will you let me know? I willhappily buy some. Somehow its doing "ok" in one tank and I killed it in the other.


Sure thing! I'll probably be thinning it out at the end of the month. If there isn't 50000 feet of snow your way, I'll pm you. Looks like you can spell it better than I can.


----------



## Bahugo

What is this method of ferts? I am curious I'll experiment with it with you!


----------



## sewingalot

Which one, Rich? My current disaster, my next major disaster or darkoon's? Or would you like my successful tried and true approach I am doing on the 15 gallon?


----------



## Bahugo

Whatever is the most against the grain method for amazing growth! lol


----------



## sewingalot

Check out darkoon's tank: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/plants/152874-tank-defies-some-common-believes.html and he fertilizes with this:

I actually got the formula from a friend, i add the followings into 1000ml of tap water premixed with 1000mg of vitamin C, and dose 20ml 2-3 times a week. and i do add some small amount of Ca and Mg as well as Baking soda after every water change since we have very soft water here in NYC. 

KNO3 34.29g
KH2PO4 1.57g
CSM+B 3.57g
K2SO4 0.14g
MgSO4.7H2O 12.14g
Fe Gluconate 3.57g
Iron EDTA Fe 3.57g


----------



## nonconductive

what does the vitamin C do?

oh it was just luck on that odd shrimp. if you want another pic itll probably never happen.


----------



## Jeff5614

nonconductive said:


> what does the vitamin C do?
> 
> oh it was just luck on that odd shrimp. if you want another pic itll probably never happen.


Inhibits mold and such, I think.


----------



## Jeff5614

sewingalot said:


> Ha, Jeff. I should push in more fertilizers and crank up that co2, you are right. Right now I only had 50-10-50 & 1.0, so let's make it 100-20-100 and 2.0 fe for the micros. Why not? I know, I know - it's my co2 and I need to turn it up higher to make my shrimp breed faster, too. But.......I am a failure. And failures don't listen to what is being spoon fed to them as gospel. LOL. All my problems began because I wanted to kick start the plants back into growing and add that with not realizing I added 500 ml of water when I should have added 1000 ml of water, making me dose double just made everything INCLUDING the algae explode in growth. At the end of this week (gotta finish my experiment), I am going back to a really lean consistent water dosing and relying mostly on the substrate. Actually thinking about using darkoon's method he posted for us in the plant section and over in my thread about lighting. ..


Well, as you know very well, doubling your dosing should have had no affect on the growth of your algae if you had enough CO2 based on your lighting.


----------



## Bahugo

Does excess nutrients really cause algae growth?


----------



## nonconductive

thanks jeff. i really had no idea.


----------



## Jeff5614

nonconductive said:


> thanks jeff. i really had no idea.


I'm not completely sure but I think I've read that somewhere along the way. The same reason you can add a bit of HCl to liquid ferts and acidify them which inhibits mold and bacterial growth.


----------



## Jeff5614

Bahugo said:


> Does excess nutrients really cause algae growth?


One of the basic tenets of EI is that excess nutrients do not cause algae which is why they're added in nonlimiting amounts or excess, if you will. Although the word excess has a negative connotation, that is what you're doing with EI in that you're adding more than the plants will use so that they never run low.


----------



## sewingalot

Non-c, very likely what Jeff said. However, vitamin c is great at fighting the fish flu.  I tried forever to get those shrimp's photographs and everytime, I had a blur. You are a lucky guy on that shot.

Jeff, as usual, you are right. Despite the overwhelming evidence I laid out in bsmith's GDA/BGA thread that not only contradicted otherwise, you are correct. After all, we saw that my idea supported by overwhelming evidence wasn't valid one iota. Just ask bsmith what he thinks about my algae curing method.  Adding that amount of fertilizer should not have caused my algae to explode and to reveal BBA for the first time in months. It had to be my already lowered intensity of lighting and my too little co2. After all, high levels of co2 has no effect whatsoever on the health and well being of fish as noted in many articles like this one: http://jeb.biologists.org/content/204/22/3963.full.pdf and http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/08/scienceshot-co2-makes-fish-dumb.html

I'm just another one of those failures of a tried and true method. If you fail, it's your own fault. Right? What I'd like to know is why? Isn't it just possible there is a flaw in the system? I really think that people who have ill results don't even get a chance to express themselves freely and this is creating a false positive. Real science would be able to explain why something didn't work without getting personal. It should be able to objectively look at each instance and explain the failed method. However, it's usually a war and not a discussion when certain things are brought up. 

But so is human nature, especially when it comes to people doing this for a living. Rather than discuss in a mature manner why it didn't work, often people bully the other, and try discrediting them either professionally or personally. You should totally go to a quilt forum and say that a quilt without 100% cotton fabric is just as good if not better. Same kind of war ensues. People are silly. 

Rich - I won't answer that as my opinion is based on years of scientific research and not on a profit margin.


----------



## chad320

Will your plants grow in your fert bottle if you add enough Co2 and lighting? :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

I don't know about the plants, but I could bet algae sure will.  Chad, are you enjoying this conversation, between Jeff and myself? LOL


----------



## chad320

sewingalot said:


> I don't know about the plants, but I could bet algae sure will.  Chad, are you enjoying this conversation, between Jeff and myself? LOL


Its a most excellent arguement. Errr.....uhhhh....Topic I mean


----------



## Bahugo

My BBA kind of resembles Popcorn in my 56g, it's fitting for this conversation. 

I just LoL'd at my own joke.


----------



## sewingalot

I just laughed at you laughing at your own joke, Rich. LOL. Chad - Jeff and I love to bicker over all things planted. :hihi: 

Rich, I will tell you that I follow more along the lines of Collin & Sears with a bit of updating. They didn't say phosphates were bad as many claim, and actually said they are needed. They did limit them to control algae in their tank. If you can't get your ratio of light, co2 and nutrients just right, it's worth doing this as a temporary measure to control algae until you learn what your plants need and what you are lacking. Many think this is outdated. However, I think it is a great tool for many. I personally put a lot of my phosphates in the substrate and dose lean on them in the water column and in "pulses" so to speak. Once the grow gets established, I add more fertlizers as the plants show need for them. However, on my downoi tank, I am much too lazy for that and I use the TPN all in one diy fertilizer avalible online here: http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/allinone.htm

Basically, all-in-one at half the recommended dose once a week and a ton of diy fert tabs in the 15 and a watch and observe (poke a stick at it) in the 55 when I am actually interested. All other times, I more often am experimenting to see what algae I can manipulate. I love doing this more than I like growing plants to be honest.


----------



## chad320

Awesome. The new and revised "Poke a stick at it" method of fertilization :hihi:

And I wouldnt argue with Jeff. He obviously knows his stuff. You can tell by the fancy numbers after his screen name and the fact that its gold. Pure genius


----------



## DarkCobra

nonconductive said:


> what does the vitamin C do?


In addition to what Jeff said, it's supposed to prevent the iron from precipitating out in reaction with the phosphate; by lowering the pH to the point where the EDTA chelator is 100% stable.

Could theoretically be replaced with any acid, as long as it brings your solution down to 6.0 pH or below.


----------



## Jeff5614

chad320 said:


> Will your plants grow in your fert bottle if you add enough Co2 and lighting? :hihi:


Isn't that hydroponics? 



sewingalot said:


> Non-c, very likely what Jeff said. However, vitamin c is great at fighting the fish flu.  I tried forever to get those shrimp's photographs and everytime, I had a blur. You are a lucky guy on that shot.
> 
> Jeff, as usual, you are right. Despite the overwhelming evidence I laid out in bsmith's GDA/BGA thread that not only contradicted otherwise, you are correct. After all, we saw that my idea supported by overwhelming evidence wasn't valid one iota. Just ask bsmith what he thinks about my algae curing method.  Adding that amount of fertilizer should not have caused my algae to explode and to reveal BBA for the first time in months. It had to be my already lowered intensity of lighting and my too little co2. After all, high levels of co2 has no effect whatsoever on the health and well being of fish as noted in many articles like this one: http://jeb.biologists.org/content/204/22/3963.full.pdf and http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/08/scienceshot-co2-makes-fish-dumb.html
> 
> I'm just another one of those failures of a tried and true method. If you fail, it's your own fault. Right? What I'd like to know is why? Isn't it just possible there is a flaw in the system? I really think that people who have ill results don't even get a chance to express themselves freely and this is creating a false positive. Real science would be able to explain why something didn't work without getting personal. It should be able to objectively look at each instance and explain the failed method. However, it's usually a war and not a discussion when certain things are brought up.
> 
> But so is human nature, especially when it comes to people doing this for a living. Rather than discuss in a mature manner why it didn't work, often people bully the other, and try discrediting them either professionally or personally. You should totally go to a quilt forum and say that a quilt without 100% cotton fabric is just as good if not better. Same kind of war ensues. People are silly.
> 
> Rich - I won't answer that as my opinion is based on years of scientific research and not on a profit margin.


One person's valid evidence is another person's internet myth. It all comes down to if you believe it and defend it hard enough then it will be true.roud: ( lol, it was the best I could come up with on short notice )


----------



## sewingalot

chad320 said:


> Awesome. The new and revised "Poke a stick at it" method of fertilization :hihi:
> 
> And I wouldnt argue with Jeff. He obviously knows his stuff. You can tell by the fancy numbers after his screen name and the fact that its gold. Pure genius


Yes, the "poke a stick at it" method. I tell you, it takes a really great person to love and nuture algae as I often do. :hihi:

LOL, Chad. Jeff and I go way back. We probably agree much more than you'll ever realize. 



Jeff5614 said:


> One person's valid evidence is another person's internet myth. It all comes down to if you believe it and defend it hard enough then it will be true.roud: ( lol, it was the best I could come up with on short notice )


Ah, yes. The _Große Lüge _effect. Sadly, when people agree and say things like "It works for me" or "Why question it?" and don't fully understand why, they become just one of the masses. Quite sad if you think about it. More than 1000 years have went by and people are still easily swayed by emotions and popularity. As said by G. Santayana "Fashion is something barbarous, for it produces innovation without reason and imitation without benefit." or more likely known "Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors are destined to repeat them." 

Sadly, the truth is not relevant if you are good at propaganda techniques. And unfortunately, many aren't wise enough to realize it. Even more depressing is the fact people don't care as long as they get instant gratification. It bothers me the greatest that people are so willing to pick up their little signs and join a cause they don't fully understand just because they benefit in the here and now. So many people don't think of what they do or say in the present effects so much in the future. But alas, we do not care or think about these things. We have better things to think about like Sunday night football.

Could you imagine how advanced this world could be if we'd actually stop and think about the bigger picture? 

(Jeff, you are cracking me up here, great response. :biggrin


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> I just laughed at you laughing at your own joke, Rich. LOL. Chad - Jeff and I love to bicker over all things planted. :hihi:
> 
> 
> Basically, all-in-one at half the recommended dose once a week and a ton of diy fert tabs in the 15 and a watch and observe (poke a stick at it) in the 55 when I am actually interested. All other times, I more often am experimenting to see what algae I can manipulate. I love doing this more than I like growing plants to be honest.


Lol, If you can't laugh at your own jokes what fun is it right? roud:

You would have been giggling like a 5 year old hopped up on halloween candy when I was messing around with my emersed setup the other day. I had to take out a container to empty it and switch it too peat and what not and there was like a film, i mean literally a film of algae (I'm pretty sure GBA), growing in the water and on the sides of the big container in the water. I honestly thought about you because I was using a knife too take it out because I didn't want too touch it because it was pretty bad, and I was thinking too myself "This would be amazing algae for Sara and her brother too look at on slides, it is perfect for making slides it's soo slimy and filmy"... Next time I do something like that I am going too go find a tiny jar or one of those science class culture cup things and send it in the mail too you. 

I will have pics up of the new tank tonight btw, everything is so hacked though you are going to cry, or make fun of me, or both... but atleast this time things won't be getting moved around!!!! :biggrin:


----------



## roniemarcus

Bro,
you are on the right track you just remind me myself and when i's started this year from 55 gallons.
if you read it a little more about.....


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> Could you imagine how advanced this world could be if we'd actually stop and think about the bigger picture?


:thumbsup:


----------



## sewingalot

LOL, Rich. Non-c: roud:

Got my otos from Rachel today! No DOAs and all look extremely healthy. Already in the tank and eating algae. Tank is looking good with the new dosing regimine and lowered lights. All is in the substrate now and only K in the water is my new idea. Abandoned the water column dosing experiment. The algae growth was becoming unbearable.


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> The algae growth was becoming unbearable.


 
dont you mean fantastically superb?


----------



## orchidman

woohoo! glad the little guys are safe


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> dont you mean fantastically superb?


There is a point when even I can't stand it. When you go from 99% algae free to 90% within a week, you know it's time to pull back on the reigns a bit. It was hysterical as I woke up a few days ago not being able to see in the tank because of the fuzzy wall.



orchidman said:


> woohoo! glad the little guys are safe


Me too! It was perfect weather today for dropping off and they are swimming around the tank overwhelmed by the algae.  I should really get a picture, but I'm feeling really lazy.


----------



## Jeff5614

sewingalot said:


> LOL, Rich. Non-c: roud:
> 
> Got my otos from Rachel today! No DOAs and all look extremely healthy. Already in the tank and eating algae. Tank is looking good with the new dosing regimine and lowered lights. All is in the substrate now and only K in the water is my new idea. Abandoned the water column dosing experiment. The algae growth was becoming unbearable.


I still don't understand why high levels of nutrients in the water were causing any algae. I understand that the nutrients will give you fast healthy plant growth but have no affect on algae. Is not algae unaffected by nutrient levels? They don't grow faster and more when nutrients are available and less when they're not available. They're basically independent.


----------



## sewingalot

Pictures! I was waiting to show the plants and the status of the tank, but the addition of the otos have me too excited to not share!
It was fun taking pictures as most looked like this due to the otos zooming by cleaning and checking out the new digs :biggrin::






















































The crypt (and algae) that couldn't die:


















Ug is growing runners!









HC soul patch









Clinopodium cf. brownei 









Lindernia









Jeff, I really have no answer for that explanation you gave. My education is simply no match for this type of argument. I can tell you people far smarter than myself have proven time and time again that nutrients do feed algae. Although, I guess it is possible for Nasa to be wrong in all their studies. And I suppose these people are wrong as well: http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrec...96&q=alga+culture&uid=790130098&setcookie=yes and so are these: http://www.oilgae.com/algae/cult/cos/cos.html and all the others showing the same correlation. And the algae in my tank was caused by low levels of co2, because we been told that's the problem, right? After all, my lights were lowered and nutrients were so enormous that it was a salt bath in my tank, so that had to be co2 being insufficent. Strange that my tank outside with no added fertilizers (outside of fish waste, mind you), enormous amounts of sun, and no co2 was nearly free of algae. Of course, not all plants grew. :wink: Here is my belief: algae is caused by algae being introduced into the tank. Algae grows on the same things plants do: light, co2, and fertilizer. (How's that for you? :biggrin Of course, to support my claims the algae in the pictures were photoshopped for my agenda so I can sell more........wait, I don't have any thing for sell.

So, I am happy about my progress. Plants are responding well (especially the blyxa, most stems have recovered from being mauled by the SAE except a few struggling pieces), the otos are zooming, shrimp are breeding and guppy fry are growing.

Know what I enjoy best? Looking at the stems and seeing the results from the different experiments. The wiggly, holey, crumply leaves and then nice, new growth at the top. So I assume until a few months pass, things will look okay and then it will be pretty. IF I stop with experiments and just let the tank be. So, until then: enjoy my algae tank. :biggrin:


----------



## msjinkzd

hurray the otos made it well  

I also enjoy a good experiment! Keep up the good work and even better chronicaling (is that a work??)


----------



## chad320

Nice pics! I especially like the affinis crypt and the clinopodium cf brownei. "Browny" was a favorite plant of mine for a long time  The ottos look happy seeing that they posed for almost every shot  So are all of the fish gone from this tank except the ottos? I have barely any fish at all  Mostly just shrimpies  

Did you miss the last post on page 34 of my journal? There were a few bad jokes and im surprised you didnt comment on them :hihi:

I am totall growing plants in my fert bottle...or algae...or both


----------



## cableguy69846

I made it to about page 67. Then I skipped to the end. I am gonna have to go back. The stuff I saw was great though.:biggrin:

I can't believe how much the tank has changed from what I have seen. Looks good.


----------



## orchidman

cute ottos!!!!

i like the HC soul patch!


----------



## rockwood

lol Sara... I giggled at the soul patch.


----------



## sewingalot

Having fun with my multiquote abilities. :tongue:



msjinkzd said:


> hurray the otos made it well
> 
> I also enjoy a good experiment! Keep up the good work and even better chronicaling (is that a work??)


Rachel, I am glad you enjoy my mad scientist faux experimenting. I love to tinker and really don't care much about how the tanks look if I am having fun. The old man teases me with "Is she a real scientist? No, but she stayed in a Holiday Inn last night." :wink:

Otos are doing fabulous! I left some algae laying around (I'm going to start saying I intentionally grow it for my fish, lol) for them on the glass. This afternoon, there is a huge clean spot smack dab in the middle. It is fun watching them and the shrimp perusing. Not sure if I want to keep the guppies in the tank, but so far they aren't too mean to the shrimp.

Yay for otos! P.S. All are still accounted for. That is simply amazing to me. Before I was getting like 50% loss in the first day and both times I've gotten otos from you, absolutely no issues (except the co2 )!



chad320 said:


> Nice pics! I especially like the affinis crypt and the clinopodium cf brownei. "Browny" was a favorite plant of mine for a long time  The ottos look happy seeing that they posed for almost every shot  So are all of the fish gone from this tank except the ottos? I have barely any fish at all  Mostly just shrimpies
> 
> Did you miss the last post on page 34 of my journal? There were a few bad jokes and im surprised you didnt comment it?
> 
> I am totall growing plants in my fert bottle...or algae...or both


Chad, I totally saw that comment. Notice I didn't comment? After all what am I supposed to say about the shell wearing Chad? :hihi:


I am actually liking this little crypt. It has a nice coloring to it's new leaves. CT is great at luring me into the crypt keeping. I'm shocked I haven't killed it. Browny is a great little plant. It was completely gone from the tank when the SAE was in there. All the sudden, it just appeared from the substrate and is now looking nice. At least not all was lost by his jaws. (I won't tell you the fabulous plants that were not spared though.)


There are 23 otos, 2 female guppy/endler hybrids (long story, this was not intentional) and 6 fry that made it from the pond. The rest are shrimp. How did you loose most of your fish? Hopefully old age and not error in judgement like I did.



cableguy69846 said:


> I made it to about page 67. Then I skipped to the end. I am gonna have to go back. The stuff I saw was great though.:biggrin:
> 
> I can't believe how much the tank has changed from what I have seen. Looks good.


Haha, if you like I can send you my link to my photo albums. That way you can look at the picture book. I have my settings to show 40 posts per page, so I only show like 64 pages total. :icon_smil



orchidman said:


> cute ottos!!!!
> 
> i like the HC soul patch!


Thanks Bob!



rockwood said:


> lol Sara... I giggled at the soul patch.


Glad someone appreciates my sense of humor. :biggrin:

Oh! I have a thought. I am thinking about taking out more plants and I am not sure which ones or if I will, but I am thinking Ludwigia big red.


----------



## Jaguar

Looking good, skimmed through the thread and can't believe the progress. Hopefully I'll get there some day. 

Otos are the best little algae cleaner uppers. They're cute and a lot of fun to watch, too. Mine LOVE blanched zucchini.


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> Haha, if you like I can send you my link to my photo albums. That way you can look at the picture book. I have my settings to show 40 posts per page, so I only show like 64 pages total. :icon_smil


I think I will have to take you up on that offer.:icon_wink


----------



## Bahugo

Sara your tank is looking superb! (Felt like using a cool word would be more dramatic but it just sounded corny, lol) Really though I'm loving the tank it's turning into a nice little jungle. And I love the soul patch, I didn't get a chance too comment about it earlier before my interview.


----------



## jkan0228

I'm actually so lazy that I won't even look at the multiquotes... No offense.  

How are the shrimpies doing?!


----------



## orchidman

jkan0228 said:


> I'm actually so lazy that I won't even look at the multiquotes... No offense.
> 
> How are the shrimpies doing?!



:iamwithst

your just jeleous!


----------



## jkan0228

Haha hell yea I am... 170 pages of thread.... This is more like a frickin book!


----------



## msjinkzd

i love multi-quotes, saves my tired old fingers from having to click "post reply" too many times in a row 


I am glad the otos are doing well for you. I caught the ones I sitll have spawning this morning, don't be surprised if yours do soon, as well!


----------



## Jeff5614

Glad to hear about the oto's also. They're one of my favorites and I've actually given thought to making them the predominant/only fish in my tank. How do you think 40 or so would look in my tank?

As a side note, if you don't dump some more ferts in your tank and get the CO2 cranking, your new oto's are going to get fat and lazy on all the algae you're gonna be growing.


----------



## sewingalot

Jaguar said:


> Looking good, skimmed through the thread and can't believe the progress. Hopefully I'll get there some day.
> 
> Otos are the best little algae cleaner uppers. They're cute and a lot of fun to watch, too. Mine LOVE blanched zucchini.


Thanks Jaguar. You'll surpass me in no time.  Haven't fed them the zucchini yet, I am letting them eat all the algae for now. They got their work cut out for them. :eek5: I really should get a picture of the semi circle free of algae. It's really impressive. Such great little fish.



cableguy69846 said:


> I think I will have to take you up on that offer.:icon_wink


Here you go, Cable. Since you like picture books.  The first is all mixed up in no particular order since I recently moved them over to make room. I really should put them back in chronological order, but I'm too lazy. The second ones are the latest. First album is full because I am that lame.

http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/sewingalot/Aquarium/
http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh38/sewingalot/Aquarium2/



Bahugo said:


> Sara your tank is looking superb! (Felt like using a cool word would be more dramatic but it just sounded corny, lol) Really though I'm loving the tank it's turning into a nice little jungle. And I love the soul patch, I didn't get a chance too comment about it earlier before my interview.


Haha, I love the word superb! Want to know another one I love? S_erendipitous. _How did the interview go??? Hopefully well *crosses fingers* Did I tell you that I am thinking about trying for my CPA license? Figured might as well do something productive while I'm off work.



jkan0228 said:


> I'm actually so lazy that I won't even look at the multiquotes... No offense.
> 
> How are the shrimpies doing?!


No offense taken. Shrimp are doing great. 


orchidman said:


> :iamwithst
> 
> your just jeleous!


LOL, Bob. Your posts crack me up.



jkan0228 said:


> Haha hell yea I am... 170 pages of thread.... This is more like a frickin book!


Jeff, remember this quote from Naisbitt: "We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge." So as long as you are reading _something_, that is all that matters. 



msjinkzd said:


> i love multi-quotes, saves my tired old fingers from having to click "post reply" too many times in a row
> 
> 
> I am glad the otos are doing well for you. I caught the ones I sitll have spawning this morning, don't be surprised if yours do soon, as well!


I just like the little blue boxes. LOL. Nah, same reason. I don't know if they are trying to spawn yet, but I did notice some definite flirting with the new males and the older girls in the tank. 



Jeff5614 said:


> Glad to hear about the oto's also. They're one of my favorites and I've actually given thought to making them the predominant/only fish in my tank. How do you think 40 or so would look in my tank?
> 
> As a side note, if you don't dump some more ferts in your tank and get the CO2 cranking, your new oto's are going to get fat and lazy on all the algae you're gonna be growing.


I am thinking of heading that way. Eventually, I'll move the guppies over to the 15 gallon. I love watching the otos play. In my opinion, it's a great disservice to this fish to not have a school. The 5 that were in there all kind of huddle together and hid. Now that I have 23 in this tank, they are zooming around everywhere. I bet they would look great in your tank.

Bwahahahaha on your last part. You won't give up will you? If I did that, my tank then the fish would starve to death, don't you know? Can't do that. :hihi:


----------



## jkan0228

Lol, it takes a good amount of algae to sustain 23 otos!


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Haha, I love the word superb! Want to know another one I love? S_erendipitous. _How did the interview go??? Hopefully well *crosses fingers* Did I tell you that I am thinking about trying for my CPA license? Figured might as well do something productive while I'm off work.



It went ok, still waiting to hear back in the mean time I am going to rescape lol... check my journal why. why isn't there a crying face?


----------



## sewingalot

Good point, Jeff #2. Jeff #5614, I need the algae for the otos. :hihi: Ooh, you gave me an idea for a new title. 

Not another rescape! LOL. I'll have to check out your journal. I've been lurking a lot lately, not posting comments on most journals. Getting overwhelmed by the reading and pictures. :hihi:


----------



## 150EH

I think your tank looks nice and I see a little algae but not bad, just the glass really. In my tank it's on half the substrate, rocks, and I clean the glass weekly or more. It's is getting better for my tank as it has started growing after I replaced the last 2 bulbs I needed, everything started growing nicely, I've slowly increased my EI to a full dose with Fe daily, and algae is decreasing, it only took me since April.

Sara your substrate is clean, plant leaves are clean and healthy, and your fauna look happy and some are making babies so I wouldn't complain about a little algae on the glass because your tank really looks good.


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Good point, Jeff #2. Jeff #5614, I need the algae for the otos. :hihi: Ooh, you gave me an idea for a new title.
> 
> Not another rescape! LOL. I'll have to check out your journal. I've been lurking a lot lately, not posting comments on most journals. Getting overwhelmed by the reading and pictures. :hihi:


I forgot to say it but that would be really cool about getting your CPA I have considered going that route in the past but my lack of college-finish-motivation kind of limits that option... maybe in the future! Let me know what you decide and how everything goes, I'm sure it will open up doers for you in the future!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks 150eh. Algae's really become a passion for me and most of these guys are teasing me about it. If you came over and saw the tank, you'd see very little algae and would actually have to look for it unless I am in a middle of an experiment to cultivate it. I am the type that finds the tiniest of flaws and obsesses over them. I even had an algae tank in the summer. It was accidentally killed by a doting husband that dosed a large amount of excel in it thinking he was helping grow the algae for me. Now I just have Francine and her other jarred sisters:










It's a way to take a step back for me and try and appreciate the hobby as I easily get discouraged and sometimes even hurt when my tanks are what I consider subpar. It's a constant struggle to accept that fact and this is how I cope with my nitpicking. 

Glad your tank is improving!

Speaking of Francine, non-c: the anubias leaves are still in there. She is going to get a haircut (harvest algae for experiments) and I'll have to take a picture for you. :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Bahugo said:


> I forgot to say it but that would be really cool about getting your CPA I have considered going that route in the past but my lack of college-finish-motivation kind of limits that option... maybe in the future! Let me know what you decide and how everything goes, I'm sure it will open up doers for you in the future!


Ninja'd by you. I do have a masters and graduated with honors in both degrees. I started to study for the CPA exam when life unexpectedly got in the way and had to put my dreams on hold. The plan is if I ever do get able to go back to work, I want to be well prepared. It's the one area where my obsession of minute details pays off. So the plan is to take a lot of time off from the internet in order to study and eventually succeed. Only, it costs money for the test material and that is seriously lacking at the moment. Every one I know right now is being given quilts for practice of sorts (and cause I like to quilt). Once I get back into the grove and get better again, the long term goal is to make some for sale in order to pay for the books. Long response, no? :smile:


----------



## 150EH

What exactly is in that jar? It looks scary from here.


----------



## sewingalot

It has anubias leaves with BBA, mini java fern, flame moss, BBA on Francine the driftwood and a fur coat of clado and cyanobacteria. There are also ramshorns, snails and some microscopic creatures living in there. She's my pride and joy. The start of it all things algae.

My motto is the following: _If you want to grow algae, I can help. You want to grow plants? Ask around._


----------



## zachary908

Love your motto, Sara! Reminds me of myself. :hihi:


----------



## orchidman

is that the famous francine?


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Zach. Tis, Bob. 

Last of pictures I'll be sharing for a while. 

Look at the dent they are making in the algae wall!


















She's alive! 









Shrimp love to get in the way of every picture. 



























Ludwigia sp 'red' (Thought there was a dead fish in the photo, went back to look and it was an oto eating. Whew.)









This ludwigia sp 'big red' was looking puny for a few days and now I know why, it was branching off!









Return of the Mac.....lily I thought this was long dead. It's a lily I got from Mac back in the summer. Must have went dormant or the SAE wouldn't let it grow. Ditto with the Hydrocotyle sp.









And oto hard at work.









And the blyxa went from shaved, to struggling, to thriving once more!









Oh, and one of the female redclaws either had the babies or dropped her eggs. She was actually walking around the tank for the first time since she arrived and didn't seem so timid. I am going to look for baby red claws in the filter I need to take down and put netting on. Will update if I see any around.


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Thanks, Zach. Tis, Bob.
> 
> Last of pictures I'll be sharing for a while
> 
> Oh, and one of the female redclaws either had the babies or dropped her eggs. She was actually walking around the tank for the first time since she arrived and didn't seem so timid. I am going to look for baby red claws in the filter I need to take down and put netting on. Will update if I see any around.


Are you leaving us again?  

I hope your shrimpy had shrimplets!!


----------



## cableguy69846

Very nice.roud: Those yellows are really yellow.:biggrin:


----------



## chad320

Wow! 23 ottos? Thats alot! I am starting an otto collection myself :hihi: Did I read that right that you think your tanks are "Sub par" ? What???? No way, I love following your threads!! I just spend about 15 minutes picking over your pics. The yellow shrimpies are super healthy and awesome!! I especially love the pic of the otto with the fissidens in the backgroud. How long have you been growing that? It looks happy, just like the Ludwigia red. Mine doesnt get a super fat stem on it like that, it must be liking the experiments. Have you heard from Mac? i havent seen him on in awhile. That lily will fill that space nicely. Sorry for all the random jibber-jabber


----------



## sewingalot

I hope so too! I am going to stick my nose to the tank and look for a while in a few. In the meantime, here is an unrelated sewing picture of mine:


----------



## sewingalot

Always getting ninja'd . :hihi:



cableguy69846 said:


> Very nice.roud: Those yellows are really yellow.:biggrin:


These are Chad's and my project. We trade at least once a year to keep them purty. Speaking of which, I need to do that soon.



chad320 said:


> Wow! 23 ottos? Thats alot! I am starting an otto collection myself :hihi: Did I read that right that you think your tanks are "Sub par" ? What???? No way, I love following your threads!! I just spend about 15 minutes picking over your pics. The yellow shrimpies are super healthy and awesome!! I especially love the pic of the otto with the fissidens in the backgroud. How long have you been growing that? It looks happy, just like the Ludwigia red. Mine doesnt get a super fat stem on it like that, it must be liking the experiments. Have you heard from Mac? i havent seen him on in awhile. That lily will fill that space nicely. Sorry for all the random jibber-jabber


I wanted more but restrained myself. At count a few moments ago, they are all still there. Yay! Yeah, you read right. "Subpar!" My tanks sucketh, but that's okay. I have happy fish and that's the important part! 

The fissidens has been in there since about March, but the SAE wouldn't give it a chance to grow. Now it's flying around everywhere along with the other mosses you gave me finally looking more like moss and less like sewing supplies. There are two types of ludwigias in there. One is small like the size of rotala and the other is large like repens x arcuata, but larger leaves. Haven't heard from Mac for a while, he did say he was taking time off in his journal, so I'm sure he'll be back when life slows down. I'm surprised you spoke this long, Chadrick. roud:


----------



## chad320

:hihi: I like it!!


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

I need to send you more plants that you're not allowed to touch :tongue:

Were you ever able to convert those random plants I sent you to emersed life?


----------



## jkan0228

Haha Sara! Love how all the otos are making dents! My 10 seem to be pretty lazy.... Tons of algae but not all of them have round big bellies.. 

Btw I'll send you some blyxa....


----------



## orchidman

hahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahhahhahaaa!!!


i love the ludwigia!  and i can never get over how yellow your shrimp are! they are beautiful!


----------



## DarkCobra

LOL @ the monogrammed toilet paper!

If it were me, I would have replaced the "H" with a "Cr" though; seems somehow appropriate.


----------



## nonconductive

hahahahahahah nice tp...


you should send out monogrammed TP for xmas presents.


----------



## sewingalot

Like that? There are others I've done, some not so nice in the message.  I actually did give that one as a gift. It's pretty cool it's even possible to embroider on it. Everyone is getting one for Christmas! :biggrin: You should see some of my other unorthodox crafts. Many are arts and crafts for people that don't like arts and crafts.

Edit:

Onto tank news! I found some baby red claws! WOOT! Couldn't get a decent shot for the life of me. Right now they are about the size of an adult yellow male.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Are those the ones from the berried females I sent or are they survivors? You'll have an army soon enough.


----------



## msjinkzd

hmmm...i wonder how my font would look embroidered on toilet paper? LMAO...wait a minute, maybe that is not such a great idea


----------



## SkyGrl

Cant you just see Sara marching down the street with a train of wagons carrying tanks filled with her red claw shrimp army! so awesome! maybe some Shrimp TP as marching flags. LMAO

Amy


----------



## orchidman

SkyGrl said:


> Cant you just see Sara marching down the street with a train of wagons carrying tanks filled with her red claw shrimp army! so awesome! maybe some Shrimp TP as marching flags. LMAO
> 
> Amy


hahaha! i can too!


----------



## Bigga514

hey sara please stop calling your tank subpar while im following your journal almost bible like for the past few days while planting (and replanting)... i quite like your (sub par crooked cut planted tank )


----------



## wkndracer

Jeff5614 said:


> I still don't understand why high levels of nutrients in the water were causing any algae. I understand that the nutrients will give you fast healthy plant growth but have no affect on algae. Is not algae unaffected by nutrient levels? They don't grow faster and more when nutrients are available and less when they're not available. They're basically independent.


It took me a very long time to understand this.
Ruined many tanks before finally learning and accepting this simple truth.
Stubborn that way ya kno.



sewingalot said:


> I have a masters and graduated with honors in both degrees. I started to study for the CPA exam when life unexpectedly got in the way and had to put my dreams on hold. It's the one area where my obsession of minute details pays off. So the plan is to take a lot of time off from the internet in order to study and eventually succeed.


Yeah! you can't take that exam unless you can score the highest in the history of written record keeping. (need another plaque on the wall)
You or my daughter I don't know who's worst?,, LOL oh wait! You'll still chat with dummies like me. Another area where your obsession with minute details payed off is Earl. Don't know how much shopping you did before buying (non of my biz) but you grabbed off the top self there.

Just caught up on my tanks enough to settle in and catch up on the thread without skipping around today. The shrimp and the red ludwigias sp had me drooling. I need to get 30 - 50 more Otto's too so I'm very jealous.

monogrammed TP is a great wedding gift too as it keeps on giving 
_corny line and the post is complete_


----------



## Bahugo

wkndracer said:


> monogrammed TP is a great wedding gift too as it keeps on giving
> _corny line and the post is complete_


LOL! 

I agree with *Bigga514* you need too stop calling your tanks subpar Sara! Everything is great!


----------



## sewingalot

Cardinal Tetra said:


> Are those the ones from the berried females I sent or are they survivors? You'll have an army soon enough.


From the ones you sent. Sadly, there were no survivors from the co2. :icon_frow Since the shrimp FINALLY came out of hiding, I was able to snap some blurry pictures (free algae in every photo)! Here is the new Momma:









But not for long, as she lives in a hole she dug under the fissidens. Her shrimpy poo must be what is causing this moss to grow faster. :icon_wink









If you look in the far back, you can see another shrimper. 









And here is a baby, not much bigger than the male yellow above. I suspect these are more than a few days old, maybe they are just now feeling adventurous enough to leave the nest?









Who-hoo!!!!!!!!!



msjinkzd said:


> hmmm...i wonder how my font would look embroidered on toilet paper? LMAO...wait a minute, maybe that is not such a great idea


LOL! I'll be glad to make you some if you want to associate the two. :hihi: 



SkyGrl said:


> Cant you just see Sara marching down the street with a train of wagons carrying tanks filled with her red claw shrimp army! so awesome! maybe some Shrimp TP as marching flags. LMAO
> 
> Amy





orchidman said:


> hahaha! i can too!


You are too funny, Amy. You know, I do have a digitizing program and I can virtually draw and trace anything to be embroidered......hmmmmm. I'll embroider a cheeseburger eating shrimp hat for Bob. :biggrin:



Bigga514 said:


> hey sara please stop calling your tank subpar while im following your journal almost bible like for the past few days while planting (and replanting)... i quite like your (sub par crooked cut planted tank )


Thanks, Bigga514! It's a work in progress that's for sure. So sweet that you are following along. You guys are going to loose me for the next few weeks starting tomorrow, so I'll update when I get back. But, in the meantime, please send me algae samples when they ensue from following my methods. Rachel has my address for delivery. roud:



wkndracer said:


> It took me a very long time to understand this.
> Ruined many tanks before finally learning and accepting this simple truth.
> Stubborn that way ya kno.


LOL, if you only knew how Jeff's and our pming battles of the fertilizers have evolved over the past year, this statement would be hilarious to me. 



> Yeah! you can't take that exam unless you can score the highest in the history of written record keeping. (need another plaque on the wall)
> You or my daughter I don't know who's worst?,, LOL oh wait! You'll still chat with dummies like me. Another area where your obsession with minute details payed off is Earl. Don't know how much shopping you did before buying (non of my biz) but you grabbed off the top self there.
> 
> Just caught up on my tanks enough to settle in and catch up on the thread without skipping around today. The shrimp and the red ludwigias sp had me drooling. I need to get 30 - 50 more Otto's too so I'm very jealous.
> 
> monogrammed TP is a great wedding gift too as it keeps on giving
> _corny line and the post is complete_


I did lots of shopping around, took back some for a full refund, others I threw in the trash. Others I window shopped. :hihi: I <3 Earl. He's done more for me than anyone will ever know. Awwww..... 

It's a dream to pass it, even if I never get to use it. My main goal in life is to learn and to question everything, even things we aren't supposed to as it is important to not just accept, but to truly understand. I try to avoid complacency and feel others should do the same. That is my morale for the day. 

Haha, you are so not jealous. But you should be of the otos. Although, I did find one dead. *sniff* When I went to feed the shrimp, one apparently jumped onto the middle support bracket and didn't find his way back into the tank. Must have went up for air and over shot it a little. I had no idea they'd jump ship.  I am so disappointed in the fact I wasn't around to find him earlier. 

Completely unrelated, but we just came back from a night out on the town and there was apparently a skunk in the area that sprayed. I can smell it in the house it's musk is so strong. :help:

Oh and thanks again Bigga and Rich for calling my tank not subpar. How about I compromise and call it par for course? :redface:


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Completely unrelated, but we just came back from a night out on the town and there was apparently a skunk in the area that sprayed. I can smell it in the house it's musk is so strong. :help:
> 
> Oh and thanks again Bigga and Rich for calling my tank not subpar. How about I compromise and call it par for course? :redface:


Skunks have been bad around here for the past month, not sure why!  

I think you need a Par meter, because your tank is off the meter!  LOL I really hope that the corniest joke ever made you giggle a little. :icon_mrgr


----------



## sewingalot

Hahahaha, you are clever, Rich. Took me a few seconds to get it which made it funnier. This is the first time I've smelled a skunk in the city. I didn't even think they were this close to the houses. Stupid to think that. It was literally so strong outside that it made my eyes water. It had to have sprayed within a short distance of our driveway across the street where we park.


----------



## jkan0228

jkan0228 said:


> Haha Sara! Love how all the otos are making dents! My 10 seem to be pretty lazy.... Tons of algae but not all of them have round big bellies..
> 
> Btw I'll send you some blyxa....


Haha my post got washed away with everyone elses, not sure if you saw it but just to stick it out there... 

Do you know why shrimp go into hiding?


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Wow that shrimp looks maybe 3-4 weeks old by the size! Or maybe yours just grow really fast lol.


----------



## sewingalot

Oh, sorry, Jeff! I didn't see it, or the other two. Bad Sara.  

My otos are constantly snacking. Maybe you need more for your 95 to show improvement? They are funny little guys. I may need to take you up on the blyxa if mine doesn't rebound, thanks. I noticed it is doing very well for you. I've been lurking like Amy on a few journals and am impressed with the growth but don't have much to add lately to the conversation, lol.

The shrimp went into hiding because of the eggs getting close to hatching is my thought. At the time, there was a hungry betta in there and I don't think the girls realized until recently there isn't really a threat to there fry left. Plus they were so fat with babies they could barely walk in the end. Now, I think they just like their little nests. One has claimed the moss and the other the java fern. Quite common from what I've noticed. The male in the 10 gallon has done similar. He lives in the sponge filter cut out. Like a little cave. The girls are now coming out more though and spending much of the day looking for food.

Oh, and I see I lost a few more posts. My bad. CT:
Most of the plants seem to be converting. Not sure about one or two, but they look like they may just make it. The ballast is going bad in this light and it flickers. Noticing a little bit of slowed growth because of it. I am going to change out the lights for something else this weekend. I need to get a picture, but I was in the back cleaning but you know how you sometimes make a bigger mess first? There are stacks of games blocking the way, lol. As far as other crypts, I am still apprehensive. Just because I can grow "prolific crypt" doesn't mean I'd be able to grow anything else. I would like to try balanese again, though.

And thanks, Chad!



Cardinal Tetra said:


> Wow that shrimp looks maybe 3-4 weeks old by the size! Or maybe yours just grow really fast lol.


Could be as it's much bigger than the others and I noticed the other lady is no longer holding eggs. Maybe it's just now feeling comfortable enough to venture on his own? How do you tell males from females this early? Or can you? Because part of me thinks it might be a male.


----------



## jkan0228

Maybe you should making some conversation so I'll get some other posts on my thread? Hehe 

Btw I've noticed that my blyxa has tons of melting leaves. But it's only on the right half which isn't really right since the outflow is on the right so they should have the most co2 etc. On the other hand, the left side is literally doing surperb. Growing all the way against the glass. The problem is that I suck at trimming them. Haha

I'm thinking that my livestocks needs a little more color. I've got orange, brown and some red. Maybe some yellow? It is autumn after all.... Hmmmm I wonder what kind of fauna would suit my situation? :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, I'll go see what I can do for you. I'll go back and look at pictures and ask based on that.

Platy fish come in yellow and so do guppies.  Funny that you mention the flow. The blyxa in my tank that is doing poorly is right under the flow and it's melting constantly. The blyxa on the far right with not direct flow (but still some) is flourishing. I'm going to move the center blyxa over and see what happens. 

I don't put much stock in high levels of co2, I think consistency is more important. However, that is just from personal experience. I run mine relatively low in comparison to many others on this forum. Everytime I try to bump it up, BBA gets worse. No clue why.....well I do have a lot of clues but Jeff#5614 will debate me on them. :hihi:


----------



## wkndracer

haha you've seen the blyxa that comes outta my injected tank but I need to post pic updates of it growing non injected also because it's starting to fill the 40B and the top tank in the stainless rack now has about a 6"x6" patch that started as three small plants.

Bushy, green and growing without gas :smile:
seems like this plant likes me, now if I could just get it to grow in red :hihi:


----------



## jkan0228

sewingalot said:


> Haha, I'll go see what I can do for you. I'll go back and look at pictures and ask based on that.
> 
> Platy fish come in yellow and so do guppies.  Funny that you mention the flow. The blyxa in my tank that is doing poorly is right under the flow and it's melting constantly. The blyxa on the far right with not direct flow (but still some) is flourishing. I'm going to move the center blyxa over and see what happens.
> 
> I don't put much stock in high levels of co2, I think consistency is more important. However, that is just from personal experience. I run mine relatively low in comparison to many others on this forum. Everytime I try to bump it up, BBA gets worse. No clue why.....well I do have a lot of clues
> but Jeff#5614 will debate me on them. :hihi:


Hehe just replied. I was thinking on more of the lines of something that crawls, sometimes flies and well, reproduces like rabbits. Got any clue on what I'm talking about? Since I'm stumped.  

For me right now I was tweaking with the co2 way too much before so I'm keeping it a twitch below the maximum and so far so good.  
Although I first started getting BBA once I had removed my SAE's so that could be both our problems.


----------



## chad320

Well congrats on the babies! I dont have much to add other than I love the pic of the ottos doing some extra edging on your crypt. And weird about your jumper. I dont think thats ever happened to me and ive killed alot of ottos


----------



## msjinkzd

we had a skunk in teh spring that kept going under our wraparound deck and spraying..it was brutal


----------



## nonconductive

wkndracer said:


> haha you've seen the blyxa that comes outta my injected tank but I need to post pic updates of it growing non injected also because it's starting to fill the 40B and the top tank in the stainless rack now has about a 6"x6" patch that started as three small plants.
> 
> Bushy, green and growing without gas :smile:
> seems like this plant likes me, now if I could just get it to grow in red :hihi:


it grows no problem without co2 for me as well. just a little slower


----------



## orchidman

congrats on the babies sara!

rachel, that really stink, no pun intended, about the skunk!


----------



## Karackle

Ok I've been SUPER busy recently so I had a lot to catch up on. I admit I did a lot of skimming  

But anyway, the tank is looking GREAT Sara and (maybe) more importantly, Im SO glad to hear that the new Otos and all the shrimpies are doing well!!! And YAY FOR SHRIMPLETS!!!

And how did you end up with more guppies?!?! LOL :icon_lol: I think they spontaneously generate in your tank out of algae or something :hihi: 

I'm also glad to see that crypt is doing so well (Though I admit i'm also a little upset because now i don't get to have it :hihi: JUST KIDDING i have SO many crypts!!! LOL)

Seriously though I'm glad to see everything recovering from being eaten by the plant-eating algae eater and that the otos are doing a good job eating just the algae. YAY!


----------



## Karackle

p.s. awesome monogrammed TP! HAHAHAHA that's brilliant. I never knew TP could be monogrammed!!!


----------



## Jeff5614

sewingalot said:


> Haha, I'll go see what I can do for you. I'll go back and look at pictures and ask based on that.
> 
> Platy fish come in yellow and so do guppies.  Funny that you mention the flow. The blyxa in my tank that is doing poorly is right under the flow and it's melting constantly. The blyxa on the far right with not direct flow (but still some) is flourishing. I'm going to move the center blyxa over and see what happens.
> 
> I don't put much stock in high levels of co2, I think consistency is more important. However, that is just from personal experience. I run mine relatively low in comparison to many others on this forum. Everytime I try to bump it up, BBA gets worse. No clue why.....well I do have a lot of clues but Jeff#5614 will debate me on them. :hihi:


Someone has to do it.


----------



## green_valley

Congrats on the babiesroud:roud:


----------



## kangared

I loled at the tp. That's some serious skill. Congrats on the shrimplets too!


----------



## sewingalot

Well I stained a quilt after spending literally three months working on it. The new machine came in and I used it to bind the border. Sadly, I didn't realize until after the wash and dry cycle oil must have soaked into the fabric. It was really funny to find out after the fact it was actually the machine oil and not fabric bleeding as I originally thought. The husband got a kid at school to transfer the VHS to dvd and the first thing the woman mentioned was wiping down the excess oil that may occur during shipping. Many tears later, I decided to take a break for a few days and heal my pride. So sad.



wkndracer said:


> haha you've seen the blyxa that comes outta my injected tank but I need to post pic updates of it growing non injected also because it's starting to fill the 40B and the top tank in the stainless rack now has about a 6"x6" patch that started as three small plants.
> 
> Bushy, green and growing without gas :smile:
> seems like this plant likes me, now if I could just get it to grow in red :hihi:


I did see your blyxa, it's pretty. The blyxa in the tank is turning around! I moved the pieces that were directly under the flow and they are already rebounding. Maybe they didn't appreciated having the full force of the filter directed at them.

Here is a bad picture:











jkan0228 said:


> Hehe just replied. I was thinking on more of the lines of something that crawls, sometimes flies and well, reproduces like rabbits. Got any clue on what I'm talking about? Since I'm stumped.
> 
> For me right now I was tweaking with the co2 way too much before so I'm keeping it a twitch below the maximum and so far so good.
> Although I first started getting BBA once I had removed my SAE's so that could be both our problems.


I know exactly what you are talking about and they go for a nice price. :icon_mrgr LOL. Actually, given the great feedback I've received on how my yellow shrimp are more yellow than any these people have seen, I am thinking of raising the price next time. roud: Neon yellow shrimp will be the name. :hihi:

BBA is almost all gone and the plants are looking better than ever. Only change that occurred was less nutrients. How can that be? 



chad320 said:


> Well congrats on the babies! I dont have much to add other than I love the pic of the ottos doing some extra edging on your crypt. And weird about your jumper. I dont think thats ever happened to me and ive killed alot of ottos


Thanks Chad. I don't know what happened to that oto. The best I can figure was it was water change day and I over filled as it was at the touching the top of the brace. Maybe he went up for air and went a little too far. I did find two more dead otos since then. I am thinking that the ones that were nearly killed by the co2 may have been the ones as I am not seeing them in the mix (they were adults and Rachels were younger). So sad. But I still have 20!



msjinkzd said:


> we had a skunk in teh spring that kept going under our wraparound deck and spraying..it was brutal


Nasty, isn't it? The smell finally went away in a few days.



nonconductive said:


> it grows no problem without co2 for me as well. just a little slower


Yeah, pretty sure it was the flow, as it's doing well now.



orchidman said:


> congrats on the babies sara!
> 
> rachel, that really stink, no pun intended, about the skunk!


thx bob! (Notice I wrote in your language. :biggrin 



Karackle said:


> Ok I've been SUPER busy recently so I had a lot to catch up on. I admit I did a lot of skimming
> 
> But anyway, the tank is looking GREAT Sara and (maybe) more importantly, Im SO glad to hear that the new Otos and all the shrimpies are doing well!!! And YAY FOR SHRIMPLETS!!!
> 
> And how did you end up with more guppies?!?! LOL :icon_lol: I think they spontaneously generate in your tank out of algae or something :hihi:
> 
> I'm also glad to see that crypt is doing so well (Though I admit i'm also a little upset because now i don't get to have it :hihi: JUST KIDDING i have SO many crypts!!! LOL)
> 
> Seriously though I'm glad to see everything recovering from being eaten by the plant-eating algae eater and that the otos are doing a good job eating just the algae. YAY!





Karackle said:


> p.s. awesome monogrammed TP! HAHAHAHA that's brilliant. I never knew TP could be monogrammed!!!


Kara, I've got your monogrammed TP all wrapped up. :icon_bigg I moved the crypt. Shhhhhhh! I did loose a few leaves along the way, but I wanted to move some downoi into the tank to prepare for operation move 15 gallon.

One guppie came fro the filter 3 months after sending you the last one. The rest of the guppies/endlers came from the "pond." There were no males and yet the girls stored up enough to still keep breeding. Here is another fry I just found hiding on the ludwigia:











Jeff5614 said:


> Someone has to do it.


You are a good opponent, I'll admit. I've got a great quote just for you: "
I'd rather be a failure at something I enjoy than be a success at something I hate." -George Burns :icon_mrgr



green_valley said:


> Congrats on the babiesroud:roud:


Thanks, thanks!



kangared said:


> I loled at the tp. That's some serious skill. Congrats on the shrimplets too!


And thanks! LOL, I have no life. Embroidered TP actually sells, though. Can you believe it? Haha.

Pictures some of you may have already seen. For the rest of you, I hope you enjoy (This is momma, and does anyone notice the thread moss is getting back it's fronds in the background? Yay):









More moss growing:









Berried shrimp, saddled shrimp and baby red claw:









Baby yellow shrimp









Downoi is seeming to do well. I threw out all but about a dozen stems of diandra to make room. 









I love this overexposed picture because it shows how little the BBA wall of shame is now!









New location of the crypt









Ludwigia sp 'big red'
Also shows how much algae is left:









The glass is now almost completely free of algae and most of the plants are doing very well. :bounce:

What has happened recently in the tank? Two or three days ago, the bulbs randomly burned out. I guess T5NO in a T5HO isn't working very well. LOL. So now I am using one ugly 10K bulb. That is why most of the pictures suck more than usual. Also, I cleaned out my filter recently and found a bunch of baby shrimp. Right now I have an ugly white netting and red tie to help keep them in the tank until I find a sponge for it. Oh, and I am getting rid of the lily from this tank. It's getting too large for the area. The reds seem to be brown because of the blue in the light and over all, the coloring of the plants are blah because of the bulb. But it will cost $25 on fleabay to replace the lights and I don't have the money until later. So for now, it's a blue lagoon. Ha! I'm so funny. Not.


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Well I stained a quilt after spending literally three months working on it. The new machine came in and I used it to bind the border. Sadly, I didn't realize until after the wash and dry cycle oil must have soaked into the fabric. It was really funny to find out after the fact it was actually the machine oil and not fabric bleeding as I originally thought. The husband got a kid at school to transfer the VHS to dvd and the first thing the woman mentioned was wiping down the excess oil that may occur during shipping. Many tears later, I decided to take a break for a few days and heal my pride. So sad.
> 
> What has happened recently in the tank? Two or three days ago, the bulbs randomly burned out. I guess T5NO in a T5HO isn't working very well. LOL. So now I am using one ugly 10K bulb. That is why most of the pictures suck more than usual. Also, I cleaned out my filter recently and found a bunch of baby shrimp. Right now I have an ugly white netting and red tie to help keep them in the tank until I find a sponge for it. Oh, and I am getting rid of the lily from this tank. It's getting too large for the area. The reds seem to be brown because of the blue in the light and over all, the coloring of the plants are blah because of the bulb. But it will cost $25 on fleabay to replace the lights and I don't have the money until later. So for now, it's a blue lagoon. Ha! I'm so funny. Not.


Super sorry about your quilt  

What size bulbs are they? How many do you need?


----------



## sewingalot

Kara's getting it anyway, lol. She said she'll blame the stain on a dog. That's a true friend, there. <3

They are the 54watt t5ho bulbs. I am going to get the lower 3000k and 6500k watt bulbs. I'm kind of excited about it. Until then, the one bulb seems to be doing an okay job. I just don't like the look of it.


----------



## 150EH

All your plants look to be in tip top condition, good form and color too, your are algae sensitive and you would simple pass out if you saw my tank in person, I can hide it all in the photos, here a crop, there a crop, everywhere a crop, crop.


----------



## sewingalot

I <3 algae. I'm just a perfectionist. One dot of algae and I say my tank is ruined. See the third leaf on the ludwigia to the left and those four strands of algae? That is me considering my tank overrun with algae. :hihi: Sadly, I am like this with all my hobbies.

Haha, I love the way you think about cropping photos.


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Kara's getting it anyway, lol. She said she'll blame the stain on a dog. That's a true friend, there. <3
> 
> They are the 54watt t5ho bulbs. I am going to get the lower 3000k and 6500k watt bulbs. I'm kind of excited about it. Until then, the one bulb seems to be doing an okay job. I just don't like the look of it.



Lol! The dogs always get blamed. My dog smelt like a skunk crawled up her butt yesterday, she cleared the room lol. 

Well got anything for sale? Maybe I can bring you closer too 25$


----------



## sewingalot

Dogs are funky like that. Our dogs are room clearers. The cats can be just as bad. What's the worst part is they always hover around me, and ignore the husband.

I wish I had stuff for sale. Right now, I am sending a bunch of plants to a friend that lost a lot of her plants for shipping. In the future, I'll see what I can muster. Thanks, though. That is very nice of you to think of that. It'll happen eventually. Christmas is coming up after all.


----------



## jart

Very nice tank, S.... the red ludwigia and Blyxa are really impressive. Otos too!


----------



## Karackle

Tank is looking great Sara! What i like best is that you KNOW a few strands of algae isn't "overrun" but you think it is anyway :hihi: 

And don't worry I won't tell anyone you moved the crypt  :hihi:

I can't wait to get my quilt! I bet it's not as bad as all that :biggrin: And yeah, the dogs always get blamed.....but that's because it's usually their fault....so nobody questions the once or twice that you say it's their fault but it isn't :icon_lol:


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks Jart. That ludwigia is a nice specimen. Still not identified as of yet, so I just call it 'big red.' It works for me. Although, with the one bulb, it's loosing it's coloring.

Kara, you'll be crying in the same spots I was when you see it. LOL. I really stink at quilting. I am just as bad at quilting as I am at planted tanks. That or I am seriously too obsessive. I'm not sure. 

LOL at the dogs getting blammed. You are a good friend.


----------



## Karackle

The fact that you say you stink at quilting is your answer....you clearly DON'T stink at quilting OR at planted tanks, therefore, you are being too obsessive _and_ perfectionist(ic?) about them both roud: :hihi: 

I agree with the assessment of the quilt store lady too though, does it consist of essentially 2 large pieces of fabric sandwiching some batting? yes. is it comfy and warm to snuggle under? yes. good. it's a quilt. :biggrin: And it's sure as heck better than an quilt i could ever make!!! roud: 

And by the way you would probably cry your eyes out if you saw the amount of algae in my tanks! :icon_lol:


----------



## jkan0228

Well kudos to you Sara for gettin rid of your BBA. I however have seem to gotten some super BBA....


----------



## zachary908

I figured I'd come out of lurking for a bit to say hi!

Your tank is doing fantastic, Sara! Everything is looking great. One day I may have to get some of that neat red ludwigia off of you! I'm low on hobby funds right now though, so it will have to wait. Sorry about your quilt.

If you are bored I posted some pictures of my emersed set up in my journal!


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> The fact that you say you stink at quilting is your answer....you clearly DON'T stink at quilting OR at planted tanks, therefore, you are being too obsessive _and_ perfectionist(ic?) about them both roud: :hihi:
> 
> I agree with the assessment of the quilt store lady too though, does it consist of essentially 2 large pieces of fabric sandwiching some batting? yes. is it comfy and warm to snuggle under? yes. good. it's a quilt. :biggrin: And it's sure as heck better than an quilt i could ever make!!! roud:
> 
> And by the way you would probably cry your eyes out if you saw the amount of algae in my tanks! :icon_lol:


Hahaha, you know me well miss Kara. You will see first hand on the stain and the poor quilting. If you don't want to wait on the bad quilting skills, non-c can tell you about them. :biggrin:

Yeah, I hate being this obsessive perfectionist with hobbies. I literally spend more time ripping out seams than I do sewing. Sewing and planted tanks are supposed to be helping me to learn to accept flaws. I'm working on it. :icon_mrgr



jkan0228 said:


> Well kudos to you Sara for gettin rid of your BBA. I however have seem to gotten some super BBA....


Oh no! What did you do different? I will tell you something that goes against the grain on this site. I couldn't raise my lights any further or raise my co2 anymore without killing fauna, so I did the next logical step. I lowered my phosphate dosing to about 1.0 - 1.5 ppm and started putting root tabs enriched with phosphates in the tank. 99/100 times I did this experiment, it worked for me. I new that I'd never have that perfect balance, and this was what I did to compensate. Never hurt plant growth, and even seemed to help as I wasn't fighting so much algae.



zachary908 said:


> I figured I'd come out of lurking for a bit to say hi!
> 
> Your tank is doing fantastic, Sara! Everything is looking great. One day I may have to get some of that neat red ludwigia off of you! I'm low on hobby funds right now though, so it will have to wait. Sorry about your quilt.
> 
> If you are bored I posted some pictures of my emersed set up in my journal!


Hey Zach! I'll go check out your journal in a few! Thanks for the well wishes on the tank. Unfortunately, it is getting hard to photograph algae in this tank. I must apologize for that. :biggrin:

Sure thing on the red ludwigia. Whenever the holidays are over (all of my spending money is in fabric at the moment), I'll get with you to see if you want to do a trade for plants.

Tomorrow, I am back to sewing. I am nursing my wounds about the quilt with TPT for a few more minutes tonight. :icon_mrgr


----------



## zachary908

sewingalot said:


> Hey Zach! I'll go check out your journal in a few! Thanks for the well wishes on the tank. Unfortunately, it is getting hard to photograph algae in this tank. I must apologize for that. :biggrin:
> 
> Sure thing on the red ludwigia. Whenever the holidays are over (all of my spending money is in fabric at the moment), I'll get with you to see if you want to do a trade for plants.
> 
> Tomorrow, I am back to sewing. I am nursing my wounds about the quilt with TPT for a few more minutes tonight. :icon_mrgr


Cool!  I've noticed that, your tank is looking pretty algae-less. I guess I will have to pick up your slack and take some pics of my algae sometime. :hihi:

Sounds good, Sara. I doubt I have any cool plants that you want, plus generally my trimmings aren't quality enough to sell by my standards. But I'll gladly pay cash sometime!

Haha,I hope tomorrows sewing goes well!


----------



## sewingalot

I don't know, you have some amazing plants like Erio type 2 and that cool creepy emersed plant I asked you about. I'm seriously drooling over that one. I'd be glad to see some algae shots. I did find a few, for you guys, though. I'll let you know how it goes in the future. So far, I am not dosing anything but a small amount of K on water change days. I suspect as things grow, this may need revisited. 

Thanks, if this latest quilt stains, I'm going to need serious hugs. :hihi: I think be the time I stopped sobbing, the quilt was even more stained, lol.


----------



## zachary908

sewingalot said:


> I don't know, you have some amazing plants like Erio type 2 and that cool creepy emersed plant I asked you about. I'm seriously drooling over that one. I'd be glad to see some algae shots. I did find a few, for you guys, though. I'll let you know how it goes in the future. So far, I am not dosing anything but a small amount of K on water change days. I suspect as things grow, this may need revisited.
> 
> Thanks, if this latest quilt stains, I'm going to need serious hugs. :hihi: I think be the time I stopped sobbing, the quilt was even more stained, lol.


I'm sure I can hook you up with some of the Erio type II when we are ready! It grows pretty well for me so far. It's a pretty neat plant, one of my favorites. Hopefully I'll have some of that rotala ready for you then as well. It will probably be small stems though, because I don't have much of it yet. I'm getting pretty good at hiding my algae  Notice the lack of closeups in my 75g? :hihi:


----------



## Craigthor

If you are wanting some Erio Type II to play with LMK I will be thinning mine out shortly as is starting to take off. Jsut PM me your shipping addy.

Craig


----------



## cableguy69846

The tank is looking good Sara. Sorry about the quilt. That sucks. Speaking of algae, you should have seen my 2 gallon earlier today. Nothing but algae. Should have snapped a pic for you. DOH! Next time. And you ain't lying about the cats. My cat clears the room every couple of hours or so. It is the worst smell in the world. Don't know how something so small can make so much stink.


----------



## sewingalot

*A bright idea?*

Okay, algae cadets! First rule of owning algae proudly is to display it in every photo shoot. It is unexceptable to scrape, clean or take shots 15 feet from the tank. Up close and personal is mandated! Show those tufts, spots, dots and slime with *pizazz*. 

Thanks for the offers on the erio! I will probably take someone up on that in the future when things settle down in the tank and as it stablizes.

My new machine is doing pretty well. Having some learning curves with it's quirks as all machines have them, so I am still not sewing like I should be. Running out of courage, mostly. 

I decided to sign on and post an update on my tank since I do like to journal changes for myself. That way, when something goes right or wrong, I have a documented reason for it. So here goes. The T5NO bulbs in the T5HO ballast would turn on, flicker and turn right back off. This caused me to put on only one 10K bulb as I stated earlier, but the tank didn't look good color wise. In fact, here are the latest pictures of the poor ludwigia sp 'big red' and 'red' respectively. Also, if you notice, algae is croping up in some of the shots.




























So, one bulb at 29 - 30" above substrate (one of these days I'll measure it again) isn't doing it for me. Last night, I had the husband help me remove the canopy and I put in the two old bulbs from long ago, one 10k and one 65k. They are more than a year old, and I am not happy with the coloring, but it's much better than just the single ugly 10k. I will update as the days progress. As I type, I am also trying to set up a few ads on CL to make money in order to buy a few bulbs. It's amazing what a person is willing to part with for the sake of red plants. :icon_cool 

In addition, BBA is still hanging on next to the filter in the back and a few places on plants. So don't worry, some algae is still present! :thumbsup:


----------



## SkyGrl

damn lights! geez! well algea always seems to make its way back into your tanks  

every photoshoot should have algae! hahaha nice motto. hopefully your ludwigia doesnt hate you to much :hihi: starting a feud i think Sara!

Amy


----------



## cableguy69846

Sorry to hear about your lighting issues. I hope everything works out for you. And the same goes for the sewing. Just keep at it.:thumbsup:

It gets better.:icon_cool


----------



## orchidman

aww poor lights


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Bob.

Haha, Amy. Look at my new signature.  I think the nice touch is the half dead HG flying in the background, don't you? I have no clue how long the lights were turning right back off after turning on, so in fairness, the lack of coloring could be from that scenario. I figured two bulbs would be better than one until the plants recover, then I could try just the one bulb to determine which caused harm. Kind of like a tiny myth buster. 

Thanks, Cable. Did I ever share a picture of the stained quilt? I found crinkling it up, laying it sideways and taking a grainy shot hides it nicely. LOL:









Here is a earlier picture of it, with semi-accurate coloring pre bp oil spill:









And here is the harsh reality (stain on right):









One, I will no longer buy fabric from walmart as it now sucks and some of the fabric didn't hold it's character in the wash. Two, I will clean all machines throughly before using (important step!). Three, I'm making an even better gift for Kara in the future. This future one will be algae covered. :icon_eek:

Such a travesty that you guys come here for planted tanks and I complain about my quilt. Maybe I should save face by posting one I did well?









And this turned out good enough:









So I am guessing I'm a little rusty. Who's up for the next semi-decent quilted item?


----------



## orchidman

wow! that grey quilt is really really cool!


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> Thanks, Bob.
> 
> Haha, Amy. Look at my new signature.  I think the nice touch is the half dead HG flying in the background, don't you? I have no clue how long the lights were turning right back off after turning on, so in fairness, the lack of coloring could be from that scenario. I figured two bulbs would be better than one until the plants recover, then I could try just the one bulb to determine which caused harm. Kind of like a tiny myth buster.
> 
> Thanks, Cable. Did I ever share a picture of the stained quilt? I found crinkling it up, laying it sideways and taking a grainy shot hides it nicely. LOL:
> 
> 
> Here is a earlier picture of it, with semi-accurate coloring pre bp oil spill:
> 
> 
> And here is the harsh reality (stain on right):
> 
> 
> One, I will no longer buy fabric from walmart as it now sucks and some of the fabric didn't hold it's character in the wash. Two, I will clean all machines throughly before using (important step!). Three, I'm making an even better gift for Kara in the future. This future one will be algae covered. :icon_eek:
> 
> Such a travesty that you guys come here for planted tanks and I complain about my quilt. Maybe I should save face by posting one I did well?
> 
> 
> And this turned out good enough:
> 
> 
> So I am guessing I'm a little rusty. Who's up for the next semi-decent quilted item?


Those quilts are all amazing. My sewing ability stops at patching things or sewing buttons back on. That quilt still looks good, even with the stain.

Are you offering to send more out? I will gladly be a guinea pig for your quilts.:icon_wink

On a serious note, how much would you charge for a custom one? I really want a John Deere one and, by no means, have the ability to do it myself.


----------



## sewingalot

That was inspired by an awesome design of this person. She is a talented quilter and has skills far above mine. Kara picked the colors and I screwed up......err redid some of the blocks to look more retro. Yeah. That's it! I modified the design. :icon_cool Most of my family friends like traditional, so I found it awesome to be able to do something not so boring. You should see this latest quilt I made for non-c's baby girl. It's an old design with a twist. He's going to either love or hate it. 

Edit: I just saw you ninja'd me, Cable. I'll send you a pm on the John Deere. I am sure you could make one if you are able to sew a button.


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> That was inspired by an awesome design of this person. She is a talented quilter and has skills far above mine. Kara picked the colors and I screwed up......err redid some of the blocks to look more retro. Yeah. That's it! I modified the design. :icon_cool Most of my family friends like traditional, so I found it awesome to be able to do something not so boring. You should see this latest quilt I made for non-c's baby girl. It's an old design with a twist. He's going to either love or hate it.
> 
> Edit: I just saw you ninja'd me, Cable. I'll send you a pm on the John Deere. I am sure you could make one if you are able to sew a button.


That is a nice quilt, but I am not sure how I feel about the green. I like the one you did way better. Not as loud. Lol.

Let's not get into how I sew a button. It is scary.

Lol. I ninja'd Bob a minute ago too. And got your PM. And replied. Thank you.


----------



## Karackle

sewingalot said:


> This future one will be algae covered.


O.........M.........G...........I.........AM...........UNCONTROLLABLY...................EXCITED!

HAHAHAHAHA

Well I haven't seen it in person yet, but i can hardly even see the stain on the supposed picture of the stain. So don't worry everyone, I'll let you know the truth when it arrives :hihi: The quilt is gorgeous no matter what, so thank you!!!! :biggrin: 

Also, that last set of plant pics were AWESOME! I know you were showing some algae and discoloration or whatever (they look basically algae free and super colorful to this low tech gal :hihi but the pictures themselves are fantastic!!! are you sure you're just using a P&S camera and not a super fancy DSLR with like 9 flashes?!


----------



## Karackle

sewingalot said:


> I am sure you could make one if you are able to sew a button.


I can sew buttons and seams back together like a champ.......quilting is an entirely different skill. Don't play yourself down so much, you're really good at quilting! 

The "quilt" I tried to make for my nephew is nice enough, but it looks like a bunch of squares crappily sewn together compared to your quilts  It served it's purpose of being warm and soft for him but it's no piece of art like yours are roud: 

I forgot to mention the 2 red ones are lovely!!! The circles are really cool, but I'm glad I could give you the chance to try something less traditional since i'm not much of a traditional kind of gal


----------



## cableguy69846

Karackle said:


> I can sew buttons and seams back together like a champ.......quilting is an entirely different skill. Don't play yourself down so much, you're really good at quilting!
> 
> The "quilt" I tried to make for my nephew is nice enough, but it looks like a bunch of squares crappily sewn together compared to your quilts  It served it's purpose of being warm and soft for him but it's no piece of art like yours are roud:
> 
> I forgot to mention the 2 red ones are lovely!!! The circles are really cool, but I'm glad I could give you the chance to try something less traditional since i'm not much of a traditional kind of gal


+1 to what she said about sewing a quilt. I would not even attempt it. Lol.

And, Karackle, traditional is no fun at all.:thumbsup::icon_cool


----------



## sewingalot

cableguy69846 said:


> That is a nice quilt, but I am not sure how I feel about the green. I like the one you did way better. Not as loud. Lol.
> 
> Let's not get into how I sew a button. It is scary.
> 
> Lol. I ninja'd Bob a minute ago too. And got your PM. And replied. Thank you.


Haha, and you think bright yellow and green won't be LOUD? :hihi: I got a tickle out of that one. It was a nice quilt, but yeah that green is a little on the bright side in that picture.

Nice to see I have a future guinea for a project. 



Karackle said:


> O.........M.........G...........I.........AM...........UNCONTROLLABLY...................EXCITED!
> 
> HAHAHAHAHA
> 
> Well I haven't seen it in person yet, but i can hardly even see the stain on the supposed picture of the stain. So don't worry everyone, I'll let you know the truth when it arrives :hihi: The quilt is gorgeous no matter what, so thank you!!!! :biggrin:
> 
> Also, that last set of plant pics were AWESOME! I know you were showing some algae and discoloration or whatever (they look basically algae free and super colorful to this low tech gal :hihi but the pictures themselves are fantastic!!! are you sure you're just using a P&S camera and not a super fancy DSLR with like 9 flashes?!


Just my old point and shot, Missy and on auto program to boot. Ha! Maybe I need to just leave all the shots like that from now on, since that is a pretty nice shot, I'll admit. Noticed the yellow shrimp butt in the first shot? It is so hard to get a picture without shrimp in it now. 

And you so better tell them the truth on how awful the quilt looks. It would be a great injustice if you lied. But don't you worry, the algae one will be even better!


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> Haha, and you think bright yellow and green won't be LOUD? :hihi: I got a tickle out of that one. It was a nice quilt, but yeah that green is a little on the bright side in that picture.
> 
> Nice to see I have a future guinea for a project.
> 
> 
> 
> Just my old point and shot, Missy and on auto program to boot. Ha! Maybe I need to just leave all the shots like that from now on, since that is a pretty nice shot, I'll admit. Noticed the yellow shrimp butt in the first shot? It is so hard to get a picture without shrimp in it now.
> 
> And you so better tell them the truth on how awful the quilt looks. It would be a great injustice if you lied. But don't you worry, the algae one will be even better!


Lol. It is not loud when you have John Deere pillow cases already.:hihi:

Glad to help.:thumbsup:


----------



## sewingalot

Guys stop ninja'ing me. LOL. You all are flattery in a cute little bucket, you know. You both are just sucking up for the blankets, and we all know it. But I <3 it anyway. Kara, I'll send you the salvation army number to donate the quilt. :hihi:

Hahahaha! John Deere, pillow cases. Are you sure you aren't from WV?


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> Guys stop ninja'ing me. LOL. You all are flattery in a cute little bucket, you know. You both are just sucking up for the blankets, and we all know it. But I <3 it anyway. Kara, I'll send you the salvation army number to donate the quilt. :hihi:
> 
> Hahahaha! John Deere, pillow cases. Are you sure you aren't from WV?


Lol. Not sucking up, just pointing out the truth.

Lol. Born and raised in Illinois by a family of hicks.:hihi:roud:


----------



## Craigthor

If you ever get a bunch of the Big Red I would love to get on your waiting list for it.  Got plenty of stems to trade for it. Lots of Type II


----------



## Karackle

cableguy69846 said:


> And, Karackle, traditional is no fun at all.:thumbsup::icon_cool


roud: too right!!! :icon_twis :tongue:

Sara no, no, no i am NOT bringing that gorgeous quilt to the Salvo, DUH i'm going to sell it at a consignment store!!! :icon_lol: 


I am of course KIDDING


Also, can you believe this guy CraigThor actually wants to talk about plants? PPFFF! heeheehee :hihi: :tongue:


----------



## Craigthor

Hey now my single post keeps her thread on topic, now back to quilts 101....


----------



## sewingalot

cableguy69846 said:


> Lol. Not sucking up, just pointing out the truth.
> 
> Lol. Born and raised in Illinois by a family of hicks.:hihi:roud:


City hicks, now that is some talent.  I will tell you a secret, I am from the country and many of my family thinks I am now too "uppity" and "city-fied." Their words, not mine. LOL. Pictures are funny like that, you can show the good and hide the bad. 



Craigthor said:


> If you ever get a bunch of the Big Red I would love to get on your waiting list for it.  Got plenty of stems to trade for it. Lots of Type II


I wish I'd know this a few days ago! I just trimmed down half of it and tossed it in the trash! I'll start growing it out if you like. Should be back in no time. Can't guarantee pretty coloring though with these ugly bulbs. But with a nice light, it bounces back quickly. As always, algae included with every trade and purchase. 

And editing to keep my post count from being 50000000 by the end of the year: LOL, Kara! Consignment post was priceless. For that, I think you deserve a gold star.


----------



## chad320

sewingalot said:


> Okay, algae cadets! First rule of owning algae proudly is to display it in every photo shoot. It is unexceptable to scrape, clean or take shots 15 feet from the tank. Up close and personal is mandated! Show those tufts, spots, dots and slime with *pizazz*.


*Cough* Ummm...someone needs to police the spelling and capitalization police on here!!! I believe you spelled "unacceptable" wrong in this quote  Sorry back to the plants...err..uuhhh...quilts, yeah. :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Hahahahahahaha, you caught me! _Unexceptable _sounds better, though. I am horrible at spelling, and I like to blame it on hanging around with non-c too much. In reality, sadly, I have to look up everything, ask Earl, or use spell checker. It's sad when the you spell it write*, but the spell check doesn't pick up the incorrect usage. You should know by now that I'm such a hypocrite.

*Used for point driving. 

Here is a question I was asking Kara on IM, should I just change out the light fixture to a T5NO or T8? I can get these bulbs easily around here and they are much more affordable. Thoughts? If I did switch out to a T5 ballast, do I use the Programmed Start Type, Self Start, Electronic Program rapid start or Quick Start? What does all this mean? I am thinking this may be a good idea for the long run. Either way, it'll cost money.


----------



## chad320

Fill me in on why you would want to change your lights? Off topic, but if your 'Red' ludwigia is losing its color its based on your lighting. Ferts dont seem to affect it at all. Anywho, why would you want to go to a T-8? I believe the effectiveness of a T-5 of twice that of a T-8 so it offsets the cheap replacement cost.


----------



## sewingalot

Because I need money to buy new bulbs, $30 and some change to the front door, and I don't have that. We do have a few t8 ballasts downstairs, and that would make it more affordable and easily obtained. But then, I have t5 lighting reflectors and clips, so I was thinking about a t5 ballast. Basically, to save money. To be honest, I am getting down to poor and poorer. I am finding this hobby is sometimes discouraging without the funds I used to have. If I went lower on the lighting, I could theoretically go lower tech. But that would mean less plants, and that would be depressing for me. So now I am like, maybe I should sell everything and give up the hobby? Yet, I've vested all these years in it and I do enjoy the fish tanks, so I am back to "HELP! I don't know what to do!" LOL.

Yeah, nothing has changed in the tank except the lighting, and I am pretty sure both ludwigias are loosing color due to that. They are also a little more leggy within the last few nodes and it seems like they are racing to the top of the tank. I moved a few more pieces over to the emersed setup just in case. Seems like my emersed setup is growing and my actual planted tank is shrinking in specimens.


----------



## mscichlid

Your 'retro', modern quilts are exsiquisite.


----------



## chad320

How bout you sell some yellows and ill send you some replacements?  Or your quilts, my goodness you could make bank on those, theyre the bomb!!! or some stems? I could send you a pretty good trim package with the shrimps. Either way you do it I would stick with the T-5s. Especially after all the work you did to get them rigged up. Earl would prolly kill you if you told him you want to switch :hihi:


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> City hicks, now that is some talent.  I will tell you a secret, I am from the country and many of my family thinks I am now too "uppity" and "city-fied." Their words, not mine. LOL. Pictures are funny like that, you can show the good and hide the bad.
> 
> 
> 
> I wish I'd know this a few days ago! I just trimmed down half of it and tossed it in the trash! I'll start growing it out if you like. Should be back in no time. Can't guarantee pretty coloring though with these ugly bulbs. But with a nice light, it bounces back quickly. As always, algae included with every trade and purchase.
> 
> And editing to keep my post count from being 50000000 by the end of the year: LOL, Kara! Consignment post was priceless. For that, I think you deserve a gold star.


We prefer the term Urban Hick. Lol.:hihi:

Lol. Uppity and City-fied. That is funny.



sewingalot said:


> Because I need money to buy new bulbs, $30 and some change to the front door, and I don't have that. We do have a few t8 ballasts downstairs, and that would make it more affordable and easily obtained. But then, I have t5 lighting reflectors and clips, so I was thinking about a t5 ballast. Basically, to save money. To be honest, I am getting down to poor and poorer. I am finding this hobby is sometimes discouraging without the funds I used to have. If I went lower on the lighting, I could theoretically go lower tech. But that would mean less plants, and that would be depressing for me. So now I am like, maybe I should sell everything and give up the hobby? Yet, I've vested all these years in it and I do enjoy the fish tanks, so I am back to "HELP! I don't know what to do!" LOL.
> 
> Yeah, nothing has changed in the tank except the lighting, and I am pretty sure both ludwigias are loosing color due to that. They are also a little more leggy within the last few nodes and it seems like they are racing to the top of the tank. I moved a few more pieces over to the emersed setup just in case. Seems like my emersed setup is growing and my actual planted tank is shrinking in specimens.


T5 lighting would be better in the long run. And go for an electronic ballast. Quick start and all that is not necessary, it will just make them flicker a bit before they get up to full power. Magnetic ballasts are bad for this application. Stick with one of the electronic types.

And Krackle, the fiancee and I are so far from traditional it is crazy.roud:


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Because I need money to buy new bulbs, $30 and some change to the front door, and I don't have that. We do have a few t8 ballasts downstairs, and that would make it more affordable and easily obtained. But then, I have t5 lighting reflectors and clips, so I was thinking about a t5 ballast. Basically, to save money. To be honest, I am getting down to poor and poorer. I am finding this hobby is sometimes discouraging without the funds I used to have. If I went lower on the lighting, I could theoretically go lower tech. But that would mean less plants, and that would be depressing for me. So now I am like, maybe I should sell everything and give up the hobby? Yet, I've vested all these years in it and I do enjoy the fish tanks, so I am back to "HELP! I don't know what to do!" LOL.
> 
> Yeah, nothing has changed in the tank except the lighting, and I am pretty sure both ludwigias are loosing color due to that. They are also a little more leggy within the last few nodes and it seems like they are racing to the top of the tank. I moved a few more pieces over to the emersed setup just in case. Seems like my emersed setup is growing and my actual planted tank is shrinking in specimens.



Do you have an extra heater laying around? I could really use one and I would buy one from you too put towards your new light bulb. If you give up you loose out on too many things (Including the propagation of algae for you and your brother). You made me stick it out when I was ready too give up a few times. 

Think of it this way: 
The next little bit while you are waiting for funds for new bulbs you will have extra algae too put under your scope for you and your brother. You can document the color shifts in your plants (I know mine changed drastically in the 56g when I was running a 10k bulb). I say wait it out till you can afford some bulbs. I have like 26 bucks on paypal (I think? I need too pay back wkndracer for something) I'll help you get closer too your bulb fund let me know what you have.


----------



## sewingalot

mscichlid said:


> Your 'retro', modern quilts are exsiquisite.


Thank you! But the credit really goes to Kara for giving me the courage to try something different. And what is great about her, is she'll love it stains and all because she's really that sweet. :biggrin:



chad320 said:


> How bout you sell some yellows and ill send you some replacements?  Or your quilts, my goodness you could make bank on those, theyre the bomb!!! or some stems? I could send you a pretty good trim package with the shrimps. Either way you do it I would stick with the T-5s. Especially after all the work you did to get them rigged up. Earl would prolly kill you if you told him you want to switch :hihi:


Actually, I sold all the yellows I am going to until spring. I am now down to less than forty adults after selling the ones I did for the planned fabric and then emergency (ha! emergency!) sewing machine. Tactus was awesome to sell me that machine for part trade and part $$$. I am thrilled.

Honestly, if you saw the quilt up close and personal, you'd change your mind. Once I get back into the swing of things, the plan is to sell quilts for CPA exam books. But, we'll see. Probably right on staying with the T5's though. I am looking at the costs to switch out the ballasts and new bulbs and it's more pricey. If I buy 4 bulbs from fleabay, I can get them for $31, so I might try that out. That way, I'd have two extra bulbs in the future, too. I have been hinting around for bulbs for Xmas, so I'll wait and deal with the ugly reds for a while. But I guess Kelvins do make a difference on the appearance of reds!

Haha, and great point on Earl. He was about to strangle me with the wiring with the last job. :hihi:

But thanks for the ideas, all are good!



cableguy69846 said:


> We prefer the term Urban Hick. Lol.:hihi:
> 
> Lol. Uppity and City-fied. That is funny.
> 
> 
> 
> T5 lighting would be better in the long run. And go for an electronic ballast. Quick start and all that is not necessary, it will just make them flicker a bit before they get up to full power. Magnetic ballasts are bad for this application. Stick with one of the electronic types.
> 
> And Krackle, the fiancee and I are so far from traditional it is crazy.roud:


Sounds like T5s are the idea to stick with or the NO variety. Might just stay with the HO for reasons above. Haha, Urban hick. Sort of a related subject, when I went to college, I started at OSU for the first year. I took a class called Rural Sociology. It took me the entire 10 weeks to learn how to pronounce it properly. Still have trouble with it, lol.



Bahugo said:


> Do you have an extra heater laying around? I could really use one and I would buy one from you too put towards your new light bulb. If you give up you loose out on too many things (Including the propagation of algae for you and your brother). You made me stick it out when I was ready too give up a few times.
> 
> Think of it this way:
> The next little bit while you are waiting for funds for new bulbs you will have extra algae too put under your scope for you and your brother. You can document the color shifts in your plants (I know mine changed drastically in the 56g when I was running a 10k bulb). I say wait it out till you can afford some bulbs. I have like 26 bucks on paypal (I think? I need too pay back wkndracer for something) I'll help you get closer too your bulb fund let me know what you have.


Sadly, no heaters. Remember the recall on the Marineland heaters? Every one of my heaters except on the 55 at the time were Marineland. In fact, you just reminded me!!!!! WOOT! I found one in the backroom about a month ago and I forgot that they offered cash for it! Took like 6 weeks to get the refund, but it did come. That's roughly $20 there for the lights! Rich, my friend, you are so awesome!

You guys are too kind, though. And I think you for encouraging me to keep going. These last few months (maybe year?) have been trying on me for lots of reasons. Seems like the 10 gallon is doing the best, and it's no co2, no water changes, and no ferts, lol. I really need to get a picture.


----------



## zachary908

Sara, at some point I'm going to need your shipping address. roud:

The tank is looking great by the way!


----------



## Bahugo

Happy Thanksgiving Sara!


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> Sounds like T5s are the idea to stick with or the NO variety. Might just stay with the HO for reasons above. Haha, Urban hick. Sort of a related subject, when I went to college, I started at OSU for the first year. I took a class called Rural Sociology. It took me the entire 10 weeks to learn how to pronounce it properly. Still have trouble with it, lol.
> 
> You guys are too kind, though. And I think you for encouraging me to keep going. These last few months (maybe year?) have been trying on me for lots of reasons. Seems like the 10 gallon is doing the best, and it's no co2, no water changes, and no ferts, lol. I really need to get a picture.


I would stick with the T5's just because of the light output. Not to mention, if you are already setup for that, it is the best way to go. No need to completely change everything.

Lol @ rural sociology.:hihi:

And I hope things get better for you. Just keep at it, it will all turn around. And let's see this 10 gallon. I am intrigued.roud:

Edit: Happy turkey day!!


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Wow I envy your shrimp farm! I came home for Thanksgiving to a tank without yellow shrimp and a huge red claw that appeared from nowhere! I swear he wasn't there 3 months ago. I need to steal away some of your shrimp down the road. On a positive note, the downoi you sent me last time is still going strong! It only took 3 tries before it didn't totally die lol.

Did any of the little red claws grow into a male yet?


----------



## sewingalot

Just typed up this huge reply to you guys and I accidentally hit the "X" instead of switching over from the pictures I was posting. So to highlight instead of retyping everything:

Happy Thanksgiving, Rich and Cable as well (and everyone else of course). Had a great time with the mother-in-law. First time I ate turkey in years on turkey day. Promptly took a two hour nap. They aren't kidding about tryptophan.

Zach, if you want the address that bad, pm me. LOL.  Coming for a visit? Ha!

Sounds like the majority says stick with the T5's. It was a hard decision, but we finally put the 33 up for sale on CL once and for all. I decided to use the money to pay for bulbs and other supplies. I can always buy it again. 

CT, we'll have to do a trade in the future so you can get more yellows. Too funny on the redclaw. Maybe he misses his family?  Not sure if there is a male yet. I think one of them is, but it's still a little early to tell. I counted 7 shrimp including the two females. 
Here is a momma shrimp. She almost looks berried, but is that even possible?



























Oh, and I took pictures of the 10 gallon for you, Cable.









Microsword (one of my favorites, this is an awesome plant. I should move some to a co2 tank to grow it out)









Sword:









Remember the monster sword in the 55? Grows much slower here. Thankfully!









Algae sponge:









Moss is trying to take over:









This faux riccia isn't crystalwort. I grew it emersed and it looks like a lichen. I'll try to find the picture.

MU and hygro pinata.....something like that:









Lily and pitiful ludwigia, now suspected to be palustris:









Since I had the camera out, I took pictures of the 55:









and then discovered the dead oto. 









Gross, but cool:









Not sure what happened, but first I noticed it. There is some algae on the glass for the first time in a few weeks, I am suspecting the dead fish and ammonia.

Ludwigia sp 'red' - despite the lack of light, this is still pretty red. An EASY plant to grow.









Not so much the case with ludwigia sp 'big red'









Blyxa is doing amazingly well!









Oto enjoying the HG (is this HG/formally HM or the other one that is still yet to be identified?)


















Only picture I could get of the guppy:









Algae wall is shrinking:









Diandra is christmasy in low light. 


















Downoi is transitioning smoothly. This must be a hard water loving plant:









Crypt survived the move and I saw a baby runner today!


----------



## cableguy69846

Thanks Sara. Turkey day was awesome. I just ate leftovers too. :hihi:

Love the 10 gallon. In the algae sponge pic, what is the bright green branchy looking algae. I have some of that in one of the greenhouses in the water, and think it is really cool.

And where did the 55 gallon come from? Is that the Sugar Shack?

Sorry to hear about the 33 gallon, but at least you will be able to keep the other tanks up and running with the funds from it.


----------



## sewingalot

Eating elsewhere, there were no leftovers. We ate homemade pizza.  

No clue on that bright green branchy stuff was what I thought was sinking riccia, but when it grew emersed, it looks like this:










Haha, this journal is all about the 55, for the most part. Fastfreddie jokingly named the the tank Suga Shack after the platy and guppy fish that never stopped breeding. It stuck. Still fits give the shrimp are dropping babies almost daily.

Yeah, if it sells, I think I'll be happy enough. Was looking forward to the tank, but the lack of funds to build a stand and wondering how to afford the other equipment was cruddy anyway. I do have some 2.5 gallon tanks and a 10 gallon not being used. I may set those up if I get rambunctious enough.


----------



## jkan0228

Any reason on why the oto died?


----------



## Bahugo

Love the pics SAra! Everything is looking great for you. I like your moss sponge, did you see the pics of the 3g hex I posted the other day? It has a clado carpet underneath a HM carpet, but there is ruffles coming out, looking like a rolling meadow lol. I posted some algae pics for you the other day, not sure if you got a chance too see them before you had too get off. Sorry, I am rambling Kate and me were doing the black friday fiasco, and got a new camera!  It's so exciting, will be having bologni (spelling) sandwhiches this week though LOL. Check out the new pictures, I got a ton for you too look at up, like 45 today.  

I'm glad you had a good Thanksgiving! Ours was nice, we went to Kate's mom's and I ate too much but it was reallllly good. Then I brought like 5 plates home because there was so much leftovers and because my mom had too work Thanksgiving so we brought some home for her (she's a nurse). 

Rambling over. 

Bazinga.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Wow that red claw really does look like its berried! If no males eventually turn up then you can just have the random one I found. I was shocked when I saw him jump from the plants. 

I love all the open space you've made in that 55! Like a clean lake I'd like to swim around in:hihi:

I was wondering when that crypt would start to invade. I'll have to send you more various crypts. Mine are producing lots of runners.

EDIT: Oh wow that weird riccia is really cool. Too bad it doesn't stay like that underwater but instead turns into a plague  Whats that bare stem below it?


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> Eating elsewhere, there were no leftovers. We ate homemade pizza.
> 
> No clue on that bright green branchy stuff was what I thought was sinking riccia, but when it grew emersed, it looks like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Haha, this journal is all about the 55, for the most part. Fastfreddie jokingly named the the tank Suga Shack after the platy and guppy fish that never stopped breeding. It stuck. Still fits give the shrimp are dropping babies almost daily.
> 
> Yeah, if it sells, I think I'll be happy enough. Was looking forward to the tank, but the lack of funds to build a stand and wondering how to afford the other equipment was cruddy anyway. I do have some 2.5 gallon tanks and a 10 gallon not being used. I may set those up if I get rambunctious enough.


Now I am sure that is a cool algae. I am going to grow some too. Lol. The algae bug is contagious. And the 55 gallon has changed a lot. Those small tanks can be fun, and easy on the pocket book. I think you should set 1 or all of them up.:hihi:



Bahugo said:


> Love the pics SAra! Everything is looking great for you. I like your moss sponge, did you see the pics of the 3g hex I posted the other day? It has a clado carpet underneath a HM carpet, but there is ruffles coming out, looking like a rolling meadow lol. I posted some algae pics for you the other day, not sure if you got a chance too see them before you had too get off. Sorry, I am rambling Kate and me were doing the black friday fiasco, and got a new camera!  It's so exciting, will be having bologni (spelling) sandwhiches this week though LOL. Check out the new pictures, I got a ton for you too look at up, like 45 today.
> 
> I'm glad you had a good Thanksgiving! Ours was nice, we went to Kate's mom's and I ate too much but it was reallllly good. Then I brought like 5 plates home because there was so much leftovers and because my mom had too work Thanksgiving so we brought some home for her (she's a nurse).
> 
> Rambling over.
> 
> Bazinga.


I see you watch The Big Bang Theory.:hihi:


----------



## orchidman

looks great!!!! 

i forgot about the 10g! i still love it just as much as before  your betta in ythere is so cute! can we get a picture please??

the blyxa and ludwigia look awesome. and the diandra is just in time for christmasz!!

sorry about the oto  maybe it was just old.

that lily is so great!


----------



## zachary908

Everything looks great, Sara! I'm glad you had a good Thanksgiving. By the way, that mystery plant is definitely a liverwort... so related to riccia. It's pretty neat!

You've got a PM, miss Sara!


----------



## sewingalot

jkan0228 said:


> Any reason on why the oto died?


I am suspecting these are the ones from the co2 posioning from a while back. That is the third or fourth one. I am _almost _positive they are the original otos as they've all been larger and not the teenagers I got from Rachel. I've checked the parameters and everything appears normal except the spike in Nitrates from the recent death.



Bahugo said:


> Love the pics SAra! Everything is looking great for you. I like your moss sponge, did you see the pics of the 3g hex I posted the other day? It has a clado carpet underneath a HM carpet, but there is ruffles coming out, looking like a rolling meadow lol. I posted some algae pics for you the other day, not sure if you got a chance too see them before you had too get off. Sorry, I am rambling Kate and me were doing the black friday fiasco, and got a new camera!  It's so exciting, will be having bologni (spelling) sandwhiches this week though LOL. Check out the new pictures, I got a ton for you too look at up, like 45 today.
> 
> I'm glad you had a good Thanksgiving! Ours was nice, we went to Kate's mom's and I ate too much but it was reallllly good. Then I brought like 5 plates home because there was so much leftovers and because my mom had too work Thanksgiving so we brought some home for her (she's a nurse).
> 
> Rambling over.
> 
> Bazinga.


That camera you got was sweet! I looked briefly at your journal before I feel asleep sitting up (lot @ turkey) and really enjoyed that one pleco lip shot. It was too cool! What kind of camera is it?

Glad you had a great Thanksgiving! Sounds like you had fun and plenty to eat. Both are important. I ate so much, my stomach still hurts. roud:



Cardinal Tetra said:


> Wow that red claw really does look like its berried! If no males eventually turn up then you can just have the random one I found. I was shocked when I saw him jump from the plants.
> 
> I love all the open space you've made in that 55! Like a clean lake I'd like to swim around in:hihi:
> 
> I was wondering when that crypt would start to invade. I'll have to send you more various crypts. Mine are producing lots of runners.
> 
> EDIT: Oh wow that weird riccia is really cool. Too bad it doesn't stay like that underwater but instead turns into a plague  Whats that bare stem below it?


I know, right? I saw her again today and she really looked berried, but she won't come closer. The oldest red claw that I think is male is only -------------- long and I read they aren't sexually mature for a few years. Can red claws store milt? Or is it possible she is carrying infertile eggs? We will know soon enough.

I can't believe you got me to liking red claws and crypts. What's next? Speaking of which, how are your tanks doing? Did you go home for Thanksgiving?

Thanks on the space of the tank. I am trying something a little different and I was wondering if it looked okay. Still have some plans up my sleeve.  Sadly, I don't think the larger ludwigia looks very good in the tank at the moment. Tomorrow, I am going to move some stems around. If it doesn't look better with the rearranging, I may consider moving it out of the tank for a while and just growing it emersed.

Isn't that licheny stuff cool? Yeah, it's just as about invasive in the emersed setup as it is in the tank. I didn't even put it in there, it must have hitchhiked. At least we now know the identity of "sinking riccia." Honestely, that would be an awesome plant to have in a planned tank. It pearls like riccia, breeds like riccia but doesn't float. And excel doesn't kill it. Maybe I'll market it as indestructible Ricciaish ground cover. :icon_mrgr



cableguy69846 said:


> Now I am sure that is a cool algae. I am going to grow some too. Lol. The algae bug is contagious. And the 55 gallon has changed a lot. Those small tanks can be fun, and easy on the pocket book. I think you should set 1 or all of them up.:hihi:


Not really an algae, though. Although now I want to take a microscope to it. I should really start doing more of that. It's more envasive than algae. I hated this stuff in the 15 gallon. Drove me nuts for months. I finally got rid of it, but only after hours upon hours of painstaking tweezing.



orchidman said:


> looks great!!!!
> 
> i forgot about the 10g! i still love it just as much as before  your betta in ythere is so cute! can we get a picture please??
> 
> the blyxa and ludwigia look awesome. and the diandra is just in time for christmasz!!
> 
> sorry about the oto  maybe it was just old.
> 
> that lily is so great!


The only thing I am not crazy about is the silicone finger print in between the glass and my lack of siliconing skills to trap in the sand. Also, I wasn't thinking and poured a glass of water in the back which through some pieces of florabase and turface onto the black sand. That was okay, since the tank is titled "Urban Decay." Kind of fits things returning to nature. :hihi:

Thanks for the oto comfort. I am going to tell myself old age for now. If another dies, I am digging deeper. 

Just for you, Orchidbob. I got her on my birthday, and even though I swore off bettas, she was a cutie. She wouldn't eat flake food and almost died. I put her in the shrimp tank and she lives off baby shrimp. Cruel? Maybe. But that's what fish do in nature. Forgive the camera glare.






































zachary908 said:


> Everything looks great, Sara! I'm glad you had a good Thanksgiving. By the way, that mystery plant is definitely a liverwort... so related to riccia. It's pretty neat!
> 
> You've got a PM, miss Sara!


Thanks for the confirmation of a liverwort. I wonder where it came from originally? Strange little plant. Oh, I do see I have a pm. I turned off my notification and sometimes forget to look up. Heading there now.


----------



## chad320

I believe your liverwort is asterella


----------



## sewingalot

You're good. Looks just like it, especially with it's little spore bean sprouty things: http://www.azoresbioportal.angra.ua...erella_africana_01_Balcoes_Asterella12_pb.jpg Want some, Chad? Oh, and I am glad the shrimp made it to you well and happy. :thumbsup:


----------



## chad320

Now dont go thinking I would know that outa no where  I collected some around here and had to ask myself. After Zach suggested I search local liverworts, I found the name. I have some in my emergent set up and it doesnt get too crazy like ricca submerged does


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, you are a collector of liverwort, I know for a fact. I've read your journal once or twice.  Have you tried submerging it? I'd be interested to know if anyone else is successful with it under water. Or am I the unlucky one?


----------



## zachary908

sewingalot said:


> Haha, you are a collector of liverwort, I know for a fact. I've read your journal once or twice.  Have you tried submerging it? I'd be interested to know if anyone else is successful with it under water. Or am I the unlucky one?


Not directed to me I know, but figured I'd jump in! Hope you don't mind, Sara!

That's a good question, I'm sure there are other species of liverwort that grow submersed, we will all have to experiment.

There is a place right by my house where there is a ton of Great Scented Liverwort (Conocephalum conicum)... I'll have to collect some next year to try it out. The stuff is pretty awesome, smells just like cinnimon, and it has a really neat pattern on it.


----------



## chad320

Yeah, I didnt try either but I would like to know. It did do good at almost 100% humidity for a long time.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

sewingalot said:


> I know, right? I saw her again today and she really looked berried, but she won't come closer. The oldest red claw that I think is male is only -------------- long and I read they aren't sexually mature for a few years. Can red claws store milt? Or is it possible she is carrying infertile eggs? We will know soon enough.
> 
> I can't believe you got me to liking red claws and crypts. What's next? Speaking of which, how are your tanks doing? Did you go home for Thanksgiving?


Not sure if they can store milt but I know mine definitely reached breeding size in about 4 months after hatching. They grew fast. 

My tank at school is doing pretty well. The algae issue is getting under control and the stunting stopped after I increased dosing and added new substrate. I'm starting to prepare for winter break by filling up the substrate with various root tabs in a week or 2.

Yes I did go home for Thanksgiving! I love not having to do stuff and just sitting around! I'm glad to hear that you had a good time too. 

My tank at home was totally covered in algae! You couldn't see in through the glass. I bought some nerite snails and they cleared up the problem quickly though. It's a good thing that I only had bolbitis, moss, crypts, and subwassertang in there.


----------



## sewingalot

That is a great idea, Zach. We should start trying some lichens for the tank. Chad, you said they did well at 100% humidity? Maybe they would grow under water. I'm going to pick some out of my backyard and give it a whirl in a jar of water by the window.

Nice on the algae tank, CT! I think you should totally take pictures next time. Was it the GDA? I should really get some nerites. Do red claws eat them, too? I actually tried to put some snails in the 55 and they were empty shells within days. Forgot that the red claws love escargo. I bet you didn't know what to do with yourself on the break given the amount of work you are doing at school. Funny you mention adding new substrate. I was going to ask if you thought I should use new florabase when I move the 15 over to another room or just recycle the old substrate. I did pack the substrate full of root tabs recently and the downoi is doing fabulous. Like you, my tank is covered in a wall of diatoms. I'm needing to replace the bulb upstairs, it's barely putting out light at the moment. Luckily, I have two barely used light bulbs floating around for that tank. 

It must be the little male you sent me then. You said he was a few months old and he's grown. Sounds like it must be a male after all. There is so little about them online and apparently the long time for maturity isn't accurate.  I drew her out with some food at the front of the glass and she is definitely berried!!! (Making such a mess while eating, look at that food flying everywhere.)









Edit: I forgot! CT, I think that stem was the hyptis you gave me. I'll go look in a day or so and see what's still alive.


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

sewingalot said:


> That is a great idea, Zach. We should start trying some lichens for the tank. Chad, you said they did well at 100% humidity? Maybe they would grow under water. I'm going to pick some out of my backyard and give it a whirl in a jar of water by the window.
> 
> Nice on the algae tank, CT! I think you should totally take pictures next time. Was it the GDA? I should really get some nerites. Do red claws eat them, too? I actually tried to put some snails in the 55 and they were empty shells within days. Forgot that the red claws love escargo. I bet you didn't know what to do with yourself on the break given the amount of work you are doing at school. Funny you mention adding new substrate. I was going to ask if you thought I should use new florabase when I move the 15 over to another room or just recycle the old substrate. I did pack the substrate full of root tabs recently and the downoi is doing fabulous. Like you, my tank is covered in a wall of diatoms. I'm needing to replace the bulb upstairs, it's barely putting out light at the moment. Luckily, I have two barely used light bulbs floating around for that tank.
> 
> It must be the little male you sent me then. You said he was a few months old and he's grown. Sounds like it must be a male after all. There is so little about them online and apparently the long time for maturity isn't accurate.  I drew her out with some food at the front of the glass and she is definitely berried!!! (Making such a mess while eating, look at that food flying everywhere.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: I forgot! CT, I think that stem was the hyptis you gave me. I'll go look in a day or so and see what's still alive.


The algae was a mixture of GDA, diatoms, GSA, and fuzz algae! There's also some staghorn and BBA on the plants. I think I'm just missing some spirogyra for a complete set of algae LOL! It was horrid but those nerites went to work fast. They must have been starving at the lfs lol. Red claws won't bug them at least mine never did. I think their super thick shells and opercula keep the red claws at bay. 

I like to add some new florabase to the mix each year since the depth of the substrate seems to decrease for some reason after time  It's like the plants really are eating it up. 

Looks like she is indeed carrying the next generation. I sense the army coming!

I'll have to send you some crypts and erio type 2 very soon! The crypts are everywhere...


----------



## sewingalot

Excellent set of algae you had there! I must say, I am a little green eyed.  Nice that you can get nerites locally. I had to order them the first time (and last) time I got them. Most crawled out of the tank and the rest died from the shells disintergrating.  

I <3 florabase. My only complaint is the expense of it. But similar happens to me everytime I move around plants to sell or throw away, I'd loose a bunch. 

Yay for berried shrimp! I did a huge water change today and she was walking around in the last few inches of water left chasing baby guppies. I think she was having a blast. 

I decided to actually scrape the walls of the back of the aquarium for the first time since setup. It was a little hairy. :hihi: Now I am watching all the otos jump up to the top swallowing air and I am a little worried I over did it with the 90% water change. I'll keep an eye on them.

Nice on the erio and crypts. I'll send you yellows in return when you are ready! Or $$$ of course when I get those.


----------



## orchidman

SOOOOOO cuteee!!! and her color is great, must be from the shrimp!


----------



## sewingalot

:bounce: She is definitely berried!! :bounce:









Like my wall of BBA terror in the background? Thanks Bob! She just started eating flakes, so I'm really happy because she isn't pestering the shrimp as much as she had been. All is well with the betta.


----------



## SkyGrl

very nice! i love seeing berried shrimp! cute cute!


----------



## chad320

Wow! Yep, shes berried! How long do these girls take unitl actual babies?


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks guys. I'm happy.  Not really sure on the shrimp. I read on the same place that it took a few years to get sexually mature that they carry eggs for 6 weeks. However, given the first tidbit was obviously an error (note berried shrimp), who knows?


----------



## chad320

Well we can figure this out easily. When she has the babies scroll back to your post  I am betting 30 days.


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, true, true. Or we could ask Cardinal Tetra. Just thought about that. Duh. 

Pictures of the progress of actually scaping the tank for the first time ever. The plants on the left will be moved and the biggest ludwigia is maybe moving out of the tank.










The oldest ludwigia red is really not appreciating these light bulbs. It's growing, but not fantastic. I'm adding excel daily and leaving the lights on longer by an hour, but nothing sort of better bulbs will improve this poor guy:









All the new growth is now a sad greenish red. 









But to show how ludwigia sp 'red' is so easily obtainable on reds:









Berried yellow for Amy:









Baby oto and the minor hairy algae outbreak from the mini cycle (dead fish).


----------



## chad320

What are you doing to the left? I kinda like it the way it is.


----------



## SkyGrl

oooooo yellow berried. man those eggs are YELLOW!!!!


Amy


----------



## sewingalot

Not sure yet. I moved over a lot of the downoi from upstairs and I still need more space to move the rest over. So I may move over the stems to put in more downoi. Thinking of having a ground cover and then just plants on the right. Of course, I change my mind like every day, so we'll see. 

Edit: Amy, that is a young girl, too. Usually by the time they are adults, it's difficult to see them berried as they get opaque.


----------



## orchidman

waohh! the scape looks like it has awesome potential


----------



## zachary908

I think it looks fantastic, Sara! I really like it a lot. Especially the left side! Looks like the downoi is doing well.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, guys! I moved over some more plants tonight with water changes and am leaving the rest on the left, as those are the onces I'm sending to you, Zach. 

Right now, I am changing nearly 60% of the water every third day. Dosing next to nothing at the moment. I am thrilled with the MTS with the addition of the root tabs. I just add a bit of K on water changes and a pinch of micros every few days out of habit. Nothing is dying, so I'm going with it for now. One thing is I am getting horrible headaches from dosing Excel (darn allergies), so I am not sure how long I'll keep that up. May beg the love of my life to help me.

Oh, and _if_ the three plant packages (downoi and ludwigia) make it safely to there destinations (i.e. not dead), I will have enough to place the order for the bulbs!!!!! Woot! I had a couple kind people that threw in a couple bucks extra just for the niceness of it to help fund my bulbs. I'm excited. But as they say, don't count your chickens before they hatch. So cross your fingers everyone.  This forum is fantastic!


----------



## zachary908

Woohoo! Ludwigias for Zach! 

One of these days I'm going to have to set up an MTS tank, how hard is it to make?

Shoot, Sara! If you would have told me you needed a few more bucks for the bulbs I would have thrown some cash in your package o' plants. Ps, I hope you have some extra room in your emersed.


----------



## sewingalot

Lindernia and some ludwigia. LOL Sara DIY time for MTS? It's faster to carry a baby to term. Literally took over 10 months. :hihi: It was easy, really. You don't even have to completely dry the dirt if you lay it out thin. What normally happens is on hot days it dries so quick that you can do a few cycles and be done in less than a few weeks. Mine is super duper mineralized. Lazy as usual. Haha, sweet of you to offer on the cash, but the trade is great on it's own! I really wasn't expecting the generosity, which makes it even nicer.  You are really going to have me look at the emersed for the first time in over a month. I'll make the room. Did I mention I found some of those display cases like Philip's on consignment a few weeks back for like less than 5 dollars for 6 of them? I'll set those up if need be.


----------



## zachary908

I forgot about the lindernia! I'm going to need to make room in my emersed as well! Thanks for the MTS info.

I'll give you a list of what I sent, that way you can find room ahead of time. 

Bacopa Sp. Japan
Rotala sp 'gia lai'
Rotala rotundifolia
Hygrophila Corymbosa 'Komapakt'
Hygrophila Sp. 'Bold'
Java Fern
Riccia

All of it is emersed grown. Should convert easy though.

For some reason I think I'm leaving something out. I'm really not sure what I sent, I was half asleep. :hihi:


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## dewalltheway

Good job girl! roud:

So glad you didn't give up on it! Looks great!


----------



## Karackle

I have a lot to catch up on, but I wanted to post this first I RECEIVED MY QUILT AND IT IS FREAKING AMAZING!!! I LOVE IT!!! So that's the truth. The stain is barely noticeable, in fact I'm pretty sure I looked at that section of quilt 2-3 times looking for the fun designs hidden in the quilting pattern before I finally noticed it. I could never EVER make a quilt like this......or if i did it would take me about 3 years and 10 tries :hihi: Sara my dear, you are VERY talented! 

Anyway, this us enjoying our gorgeous new quilt: 









and then Cody liked it so much he stole it :hihi:








"MINE!"


----------



## Bahugo

Tanks are looking really good Sara, congrats on the berried shrimp!  I sent you a PM about something when you get a chance.


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## SkyGrl

CUTE! lol that quilt looks amazing! 

Amy


----------



## orchidman

waohh! awesome quilt!


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## sewingalot

Thanks for all the plants, Zach! I'll give them good homes. Or torture them with my experiments. :icon_twis



dewalltheway said:


> Good job girl! roud:
> 
> So glad you didn't give up on it! Looks great!


Thanks, dew! That means a lot coming from my 55 gallon mentor. :icon_mrgr Did you know that repens you sent me is an unknown hybrid? I sent a piece Cavan a while ago and he confirmed it's not rubin or repens and sent it off for further identification. Isn't that too cool? It's a pretty plant whatever it is.

Glad you all like it Kara! Nice on being able to hide the stain under the dogs like that.  When you wrote "Anyway, this us enjoying our gorgeous new quilt" it kind of looks like Cody and Leo are writing this message, lol. By the way, It still looks blue and not purple to me. :hihi: 

Thanks, Rich Amy and Bob! I'd write more, but I've got nothing. 

Oh, I lied! I got some fancy shmacy shrimp and mosses from Chad (Thanks!) to refresh the genes on the super duper yellows. And they are now sitting in the tank to warm up from the snow. Actually, it was toasty in their little cabin, but you get the drift.


----------



## dewalltheway

sewingalot said:


> Thanks for all the plants, Zach! I'll give them good homes. Or torture them with my experiments. :icon_twis
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, dew! That means a lot coming from my 55 gallon mentor. :icon_mrgr Did you know that repens you sent me is an unknown hybrid? I sent a piece Cavan a while ago and he confirmed it's not rubin or repens and sent it off for further identification. Isn't that too cool? It's a pretty plant whatever it is.


Very interesting! I had a bunch of different Ludwigia species in my tank at one time and I wonder.....could they have cross bred in my tank??? Does this make me a celebrity! :hihi: Where are the kickbacks??


----------



## sewingalot

True story: I nicknamed it 'Big Red' because I think of the chewing gum when I think of Mountain Dew. I wouldn't be too surprised if that crossbreeding didn't occur in your tank as it is magical. After all, you made a 55 gallon look much larger than I've ever been able to accomplish or seen in years. So you are definitely famous.


----------



## dewalltheway

sewingalot said:


> True story: I nicknamed it 'Big Red' because I think of the chewing gum when I think of Mountain Dew. I wouldn't be too surprised if that crossbreeding didn't occur in your tank as it is magical. After all, you made a 55 gallon look much larger than I've ever been able to accomplish or seen in years. So you are definitely famous.


LOL! Big Red sounds like a good name plus it is easy to pronounce and spell.


----------



## chad320

The new scienticic name for the shrimp is fancius schmanticus :hihi: Glad everything got to you ok. I was worried. I havent used a heat pack since last winter and I packed it and taped it and shipped without waiting to see if it still worked. Then I thought FIDDLESTICKS! I hope that worked. Now if we can just get these guys as big as amanos and still bright yellow


----------



## sewingalot

Glad you approve of the high tech name, Mark. I took a lot of thinking on my part.  Chad, haha on the name. And maybe not pack it air tight next time, though. I just pulled off the tape to throw out the heat pack and steam just hit me like a wave. :hihi: What is that poor sacrificial crypt that you sent me? And nice other moss and najas r. surprises! I am feeling like you got ripped off on this trade with the punny clinopodium and yellows. How is this for a bigger and brighter yellow? (Amano size would be cool if I new how big that was. LOL.)










Guppy:









The moss floated up after a water change and a little shrimp was having a blast walking on it as it spun around in the flow.



























Now for the bad news.  Another oto died and this time, it was a baby. This happened sometime last night. And I've been keeping track and the only thing in common is this happens the very next day after a water change larger than 25%. Here is how they are behaving right after a water change.



















Last night, I noticed some of the fish and even shrimp had little bubbles stuck on their bodies from all the dissolved gasses. I really think this is "Gas Bubble Disease." 

In particular from that passage:
"Gas bubble disease is caused by supersaturation of water with dissolved gases. It is more common in coldwater aquaculture, in which cold, inflowing water, already saturated with gas, may be heated without adequate time or aeration for volatilization of excess gas. It also commonly results when water from deep wells, often high in nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide, is brought into an aquaculture facility without proper aeration. The disease can also be caused in small pools or tanks by leaving a garden hose running on the bottom of the tank. Once the hose is submerged, there is no release of excess gas to the atmosphere, resulting in supersaturation of tank water and acute mortality. Gas bubble disease has also been associated with faulty pumps and, although rare in ponds, the presence of heavy algal blooms with afternoon DO levels >25 mg/L. Gas bubble disease is manifest by exophthalmos and the presence of tiny gas emboli in fins or tissue. The presence of gas emboli in gill capillaries is diagnostic. Treatment of gas bubble disease is vigorous aeration to volatilize excess gas."

I have been using a generic python and the fish always act lethargic after water changes. I used to have to change the water in less quanities because of the cories I had did the same thing. I try to run airstones, raise the output on the filter, turn off co2 and it doesn't help. I am feeling rather bad as I caused these deaths unneccesarily. So, instead of doing larger water changes, I am going to do smaller ones for a while (20 - 25%) and see what happens. Sorry otos.


----------



## speedie408

Where's the FTS Sara? I never knew you had an army of otos in there. Do they always stick together like that? I want to see more of that hydrocotyle in the back there as well.  Get to work!


----------



## sewingalot

I'll get a FTS soon, as there are some mosses and plants just randomly floating around I want to move. There is one a couple days ago on the last page, though. They do tend to socialize a lot, but that was taken right after a water change. They spazed out. The water changes aren't going so well fish wise.


----------



## msjinkzd

Are you using heated water for your water change? What temp does it come out of your tap if you run it cold and what temp is the tank?


----------



## zachary908

I'm with Nick, Sara! Get crakin! Is that hydrocotyle sibthorpioides? If it is let me know when you have some up for sale!


----------



## sewingalot

msjinkzd said:


> Are you using heated water for your water change? What temp does it come out of your tap if you run it cold and what temp is the tank?


The first time, I did just cold water, but with the temperature dropping, the water is coming out in the low to mid 60s depending on the time of day. I have to add warmer water to get it up to the 76-78 the tank usually runs. I didn't have this problem in the summer as the cold water was coming out about 74 - 76 consistently. It wasn't until I need to add heat that this started occuring. I'm really getting upset about the deaths. This last time, I turned the water down really low and it took over 1/2 hour to fill the tank. That didn't help. I know that colder water holds more gasses, but I don't know how to handle this. I am too weak to carry the 5 gallon buckets back and forth. Any ideas would be appreciated. I don't want to loose any more of my babies. They are eating, really healthy and showing signs of breeding, but these water changes are setting them back. It's literally killing them. This is the very thing that killed off my cories and I don't want to do this to the shrimp and otos. The guppies are indestructible.



zachary908 said:


> I'm with Nick, Sara! Get crakin! Is that hydrocotyle sibthorpioides? If it is let me know when you have some up for sale!


Tis the very plant. I'll send some if you like, it's growing in my emersed setup as well. Lovely plant. I promise, you'll see a Full Tank picture soon enough.  Haha, someone begging _me_ for pictures. Haven't had that in a while. The tank must indeed be improving. :icon_mrgr


----------



## zachary908

sewingalot said:


> Tis the very plant. I'll send some if you like, it's growing in my emersed setup as well. Lovely plant. I promise, you'll see a Full Tank picture soon enough.  Haha, someone begging _me_ for pictures. Haven't had that in a while. The tank must indeed be improving. :icon_mrgr


If you've got some to spare I'd love some! But if not just grow it out for yourself, and I'll buy some from you in the future.  

I'll be waiting for that Full Tank Shot, Sara! Hehe, who am I to ask for pics, I just now finally got a few up lol.


----------



## msjinkzd

I don't know if its possible or not, or if Earl would loveit, but if you could set up a holding container to age teh water inside overnight, it would probably get up close enough to temp, and let the gas off occur, for your water change water. Then you could hook a powerhead to your python hose to refill, rather than running buckets. 

Or you could pick up a cheapy pond pump to make it really fast, I think I got mine that i use for draining tanks on the floor for about $20 at a hardware store. I have a 55g drum that I age water/peat bomb water in. They can usually be found on craigslist. I am not sure if this is feasible for you, but its an idea.

If not, the smaller more frequent water changes sound like a good idea. Fingers crossed you had your last loss! If not, I have 400 more otos coming in this weekend!


----------



## sewingalot

I should have some to send, Zach. And about time on the pictures for you journal. 

Rachel, thank you for the help on the otos. I knew something was off because I've had them all this time and they are fat, happy, and healthy except for these random deaths. I'm going to try a combination of the two. I'll do a 10% water change and then have a few 5 gallon buckets sit out overnight. I will report back for better or worse. 400 otos! You should totally get some video of these little guys together. That would be awesome.

I went to remove the dead oto and the berried momma was munching on it. She grabbed it by the tail and ran for cover. So disgusting. I'm going ahead and letting her have it. It was such a small fish anyway. Never take food from a pregnant lady. :biggrin:


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

At least someone is benefiting from the misfortunes  Hopefully she'll produce a bigger clutch next time with the extra food. The eggs normally hatched after 6 weeks for me but it would depend on the water temperature, I think. You should have more crypts to torture tomorrow and don't try growing the Najas emersed. I think it would just shrivel up haha.

You know, for once I think I'm pretty satisfied with the 50 or so species of plants I have atm. Just watch me eat my words a few weeks later hehe.


----------



## chad320

Wow, your yellow boys are figgin YELLOW! I dont even use a heater on mine (bad experiment  ) and I think they breed better.


----------



## mscichlid

Sorry to hear about your losses. I think getting a resevoir to aerate (sp) and heat your change water would be a good idea. 

Here is one of mine:


----------



## 150EH

I was reading a little and mostly Wikipedia about fish anatomy and some of the slower swimming bottom dwellers can have dual swim bladders that double as lungs with a direct connection to the gills. I think these are the 2 tiny golden orbs in the upper back you see in macro photos of juvenile Otocinclus, so you may be on to something and want to try to fore go the water changes and dosing or make smaller water changes. It's very possible with a high concentration of gas in the water column that it is taken in and is overload for the fish, even if it is oxygen it could be like drowning from air in the water.

A side note, that even with water changes via my new plumbing with the tank getting filled back wards through the inlet strainer I get the same amount of gas in the water, pearling, etc. as if I had placed a hose over the top rim.

Good luck with the Oto's.


----------



## 150EH

mscichlid said:


> Sorry to hear about your losses. I think getting a resevoir to aerate (sp) and heat your change water would be a good idea.
> 
> Here is one of mine:


That's it, I'm stalking you home after the next meeting, I keep seeing little bits and pieces of aquarium gear and here is the utility room with RO/DI units, 100+ holding tanks, etc. and I know you hiding more. 

I really like that tank, I have a 50 gallon drum but would rather have something larger like yours, I was thinking of connecting several holding tanks with bulkhead fittings etc., I'll see you at the meeting I hope, I'd like to hear where you found this beauty.

I do agree with water temps being very close on water changes, and a guy in Cananda lost 3 Oto's just the other day because he didn't include a wat to regulate the temp. on a 250 gallon tank with an autofill, so he has to carry buckets of scolding hot water to try and balance the water temp and it's just not the way to do it. I know that's not the case here but it's a good point that some folks may over look.


----------



## mscichlid

225 gals, son.


----------



## sewingalot

Looks like a meet and great at Franny's house.  



Cardinal Tetra said:


> At least someone is benefiting from the misfortunes  Hopefully she'll produce a bigger clutch next time with the extra food. The eggs normally hatched after 6 weeks for me but it would depend on the water temperature, I think. You should have more crypts to torture tomorrow and don't try growing the Najas emersed. I think it would just shrivel up haha.
> 
> You know, for once I think I'm pretty satisfied with the 50 or so species of plants I have atm. Just watch me eat my words a few weeks later hehe.


I know, right? I just saw another red claw eating half a yellow shrimp. :eek5: I think it must have been one that died from the water change as well 
since she was pinkish white like cooked shrimp look. These guys are getting some serious protein. No more oto deaths and I am happy for the moment.

I'll give you until next month before you want more plants. I got the plants planted! I taped up my cut hand and went for it. Only problem is I don't know which crypt is the Indonesia and which is the Florida Sunset now. :hihi: I can tell the green gecko and crypt nurii phang mutated (from Chad) apart for now at least. I can't believe there are 5 crypts in my tank. Who wants to bet the newer ones are dead in a week?



chad320 said:


> Wow, your yellow boys are figgin YELLOW! I dont even use a heater on mine (bad experiment  ) and I think they breed better.


Now you know why I am hunting down that pale yellow male of mine to get it out of the tank.  I add any males that don't look just like that little guy to my mutt tank. 

A new experiment on heat? :hihi: Speaking of experiments, outdoor living was a success. I put like 6 in their in the beginning summer and end up with over 200!



mscichlid said:


> Sorry to hear about your losses. I think getting a resevoir to aerate (sp) and heat your change water would be a good idea.
> 
> Here is one of mine:


I did talk to the husband about the storage water unit and he said maybe in the future. For now, I am going to get three buckets and stack them in our back room. 

I figure I'll do smaller water changes as well with the buckets and see what happens. No new deaths on the fish today.



150EH said:


> I was reading a little and mostly Wikipedia about fish anatomy and some of the slower swimming bottom dwellers can have dual swim bladders that double as lungs with a direct connection to the gills. I think these are the 2 tiny golden orbs in the upper back you see in macro photos of juvenile Otocinclus, so you may be on to something and want to try to fore go the water changes and dosing or make smaller water changes. It's very possible with a high concentration of gas in the water column that it is taken in and is overload for the fish, even if it is oxygen it could be like drowning from air in the water.
> 
> A side note, that even with water changes via my new plumbing with the tank getting filled back wards through the inlet strainer I get the same amount of gas in the water, pearling, etc. as if I had placed a hose over the top rim.
> 
> Good luck with the Oto's.


That is interesting on the otos. I think they are really sensitive to co2 and h202 as well. The extra gasses in the water must have sent them into panic mode. I am really hoping this is the cause. So far, all the other otos are doing fantastic.

I got a TON of plants from Zach, Chad and Cardinal the other day. So I manuevered some things around. The crypts are on the left side of the tank with the erio type 2 for now. I am not sure where they will end up, but I am going to leave the crypts alone for at least a few weeks to give them a chance to survive in my possession. It's a toss up. Sold most of the ludwigia 'big red.' There are a few stems still in there, but all the new growth is yellowish green now thanks to these crappy lights.



















Don't you love when new plants come in and the fish and shrimp inspect them?


















My pride and joy of the tank. She is almost an inch long now and is seriously SOLID yellow. 



























My other pride and joy, she is over 1/2 inches:


















It's been years of moving out paler shrimp, but it's finally paying off. :icon_cool


----------



## SkyGrl

LOL looking GREAT! holy! that would be my pride and joy to! shes gorgeous!!! :hihi: how often is she berried? have you noticed her babies are just as awesome? i love shrimp!! so cute! 

man that sword is awesome! it looks freaking purple all over!!! yowza!  even with less red in the tank the pops of color that are there really set off the awesome greens. so many shades. can you tell i love shiny colorful things...  

LOL it would be great if thats how customs checked plants... throw some shrimp in there!!!  hahahaha... another way they can waste our money!  lol even the otto!!! cute cute! skoot skoot! 


Amy


----------



## zachary908

I'm really digging your tank lately, Sara! It looks fantastic. Those yellows are phenomenal, I hope they approved of the Java fern Ho.w about some pics of the emersed?


----------



## sewingalot

SkyGrl said:


> LOL looking GREAT! holy! that would be my pride and joy to! shes gorgeous!!! :hihi: how often is she berried? have you noticed her babies are just as awesome? i love shrimp!! so cute!
> 
> man that sword is awesome! it looks freaking purple all over!!! yowza!  even with less red in the tank the pops of color that are there really set off the awesome greens. so many shades. can you tell i love shiny colorful things...
> 
> LOL it would be great if thats how customs checked plants... throw some shrimp in there!!!  hahahaha... another way they can waste our money!  lol even the otto!!! cute cute! skoot skoot!
> 
> 
> Amy


The younger female on the sword is her baby and so are the three in the corners. On that one picture with the sponge, you can see that pale yellow shrimp I am trying to catch. She is berried all the time. She just released her eggs last night and there are baby shrimpers everywhere. Yay! 

LOL, I see that you do like shiny things. That's the kleiner bar "prinz" sword. In higher light, it seems to fade a bit, actually. It's a beautiful plant. 

Too bad customs exists in a way, or I'd send you a ton of plants and shrimp. 



zachary908 said:


> I'm really digging your tank lately, Sara! It looks fantastic. Those yellows are phenomenal, I hope they approved of the Java fern Ho.w about some pics of the emersed?


Thanks, Zach. They did like the java fern. There was a tiny bit of clado on the roots and they love that stuff. I think it's the prettiest algae.  How did I know you were going to ask for emersed pictures? I didn't get a chance to take any tonight as it gets dark early and the light sucks in the back room, but I'll try to get a few this weekend for you.


----------



## zachary908

sewingalot said:


> Thanks, Zach. They did like the java fern. There was a tiny bit of clado on the roots and they love that stuff. I think it's the prettiest algae.  How did I know you were going to ask for emersed pictures? I didn't get a chance to take any tonight as it gets dark early and the light sucks in the back room, but I'll try to get a few this weekend for you.


It's funny that it had clado on it since it was emersed, I didn't even know clado grew emersed! I'm glad they liked the snack. :hihi:

:bounce: Sounds good, I'm looking forward to them!


----------



## Bahugo

I am loving your layout Sara, your plants and shrimp are looking super sexy!


----------



## jkan0228

Imagine how yellow the shrimp will get with selective breeding! Looks pretty good to me right now.


----------



## cableguy69846

Looks good Sara. I am definitely going to have to get some of those yellows off of you this spring.:thumbsup:


----------



## sewingalot

I figured you sent it to me on purpose. :hihi: Zach, I have a picture in my "BBA loves low light, too!" thread of clado growing emersed. Both it and cyano loves emersed setups. Have you looked at the shoe boxes inside and found cyano yet? It's awesome!

Thanks for the kind words, guys. I am really pleased with the way the right side is shaping up. I am having a lot of the plants on the left needing tended to, but I am not positive what to do with everything just yet. Time will tell. 

Stick around for a while and we'll see how yellow they get! I am currently working on the males. I've gotten most of them to a nice yellow, but some are still on the pale side. Plus a few of the females come out with white racing stripes occassionally (which is awesome!)


----------



## sewingalot

Small update. I am getting rid of my Eheim 2232 and just keeping the 2234 for now. If I need more filtration in the future, I'll add either the Marineland c160 I have upstairs I will be taking down from the 15 gallon in replace of the HMF or I will add a simple powerhead. I hope that the one filter will be enough and I may look into other internal filtration in the near future and get rid of both canisters.

I am thinking off all kinds of creative ways to make money, and it's amazing what I am willing to part with. :biggrin:


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> I am thinking off all kinds of creative ways to make money, and it's amazing what I am willing to part with. :biggrin:


:icon_eek:


----------



## orchidman

things like filters? or things like kidneys?


----------



## Karackle

Ok bare with me, i had a LOT to catch up on, so I quoted a lot of stuff!!! :tongue:



sewingalot said:


> Thank you! But the credit really goes to Kara for giving me the courage to try something different. And what is great about her, is she'll love it stains and all because she's really that sweet. :biggrin:


Awwww thanks!!! and i DO love it!!! and the stain is BARELY noticeable so it's all groovy, but even if that weren't the case, the quilt is so awesome i still wouldn't care! 



sewingalot said:


> Honestly, if you saw the quilt up close and personal, you'd change your mind.


LIES! you could DEFINITELY have sold this quilt for a good chunk of change (thanks for not doing that though cuz then I wouldn't have it :hihi



sewingalot said:


> Sounds like T5s are the idea to stick with or the NO variety. Might just stay with the HO for reasons above.
> That's roughly $20 there for the lights! Rich, my friend, you are so awesome!


Sounds like a plan! and Early really might have gone nutso if you said "sooo...I know we just finished this hood but....i want to rewire it" :icon_lol: and it sounds like that heater will get you a long way toward the bulbs you need, so that's great too! 



Cardinal Tetra said:


> I love all the open space you've made in that 55! Like a clean lake I'd like to swim around in:hihi:


I definitely, completely agree with this!!! 



sewingalot said:


> Glad you all like it Kara! Nice on being able to hide the stain under the dogs like that.  When you wrote "Anyway, this us enjoying our gorgeous new quilt" it kind of looks like Cody and Leo are writing this message, lol. By the way, It still looks blue and not purple to me. :hihi:


i LOVE it!!!  and you are so right, it did seem like the puppies were writing the note! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! nice!



sewingalot said:


>


I LOVE this!!! heeheehee 



sewingalot said:


> Only problem is I don't know which crypt is the Indonesia and which is the Florida Sunset now. :hihi: I can tell the green gecko and crypt nurii phang mutated (from Chad) apart for now at least.


Meh, names shmames, as long as they look pretty, who really cares? :hihi:



sewingalot said:


> I can't believe there are 5 crypts in my tank. Who wants to bet the newer ones are dead in a week?


That's crazy!!! and I bet they won't be!!! Not if that other gorgeous crypt that's doing well is anything to judge by roud: (which is sad for me, now i don't get half-dead crypts to try and revive :hihi



sewingalot said:


> I figure I'll do smaller water changes as well with the buckets and see what happens. No new deaths on the fish today.


I think that sounds like a good plan!!!



sewingalot said:


> My pride and joy of the tank. She is almost an inch long now and is seriously SOLID yellow.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My other pride and joy, she is over 1/2 inches:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's been years of moving out paler shrimp, but it's finally paying off. :icon_cool


GORGEOUS shrimp Sara!!! OH! and congrats on the berried red claw too! SO COOL! 



sewingalot said:


> Small update. I am getting rid of my Eheim 2232 and just keeping the 2234 for now. If I need more filtration in the future, I'll add either the Marineland c160 I have upstairs I will be taking down from the 15 gallon in replace of the HMF or I will add a simple powerhead. I hope that the one filter will be enough and I may look into other internal filtration in the near future and get rid of both canisters.


I think you'll be ok with this plan, we just have 1 large and 1 small HOB filter on our 60g and it does quite well roud:

ok, i THINK that's all....we already chatted about the oto / water change issue and I think your new plan sounds like a good one. 

The tank is looking FANTASTIC i really do like the new look a lot! :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

Boys, you are too funny. And you'll never know what I've sold.  



> (which is sad for me, now i don't get half-dead crypts to try and revive )


Kara, look at the bright side, now you'll get healthy runners if they survive. LOL! Oh and thanks for the help on the filter information. And between Rachel, you, Franny and the others, I'm set on water changes. I am glad to say there has been zero deaths since the one, but I am nervous as I plan to do a smaller water change tomorrow. I only have one bucket, so it's going to be only 5 gallons, though. If anything happens, I'll report back.

I am really glad you like the quilt, miss Kara! By the way, I took a quilt into a store recently to find a binding for it as the fabric used in the actual quilt is literally 5 years or older and I couldn't find the original fabric to match as it's now discontinued, so I took the whole thing with me. (Boy that was a long sentence!) Anyway, a lady begged me to sell it to her and I wouldn't cause it's a gift. She offered a pretty penny, too. Also gave me her name and number if I would change my mind.  The point of this story is to say that for the first time, I was kind of proud of my work. That didn't last long as I came home later and was frustrated with the stitches, haha. But it was nice for that little bit of time. :hihi:

Well, I haven't forgotten about getting pictures of the emersed setup, I promise! I just keep forgetting until after dark and it's like dark at 5 now. Love the winter....


----------



## zachary908

sewingalot said:


> was nice for that little bit of time. :hihi:
> 
> Well, I haven't forgotten about getting pictures of the emersed setup, I promise! I just keep forgetting until after dark and it's like dark at 5 now. Love the winter....


Tsk tsk, Sara! Stop slacking. :hihi: Kidding of course. Maybe there ill be pics when I return home from work tomorrow. roud:

Oh, by the way.. I was taking a look at my emersed today, and realized I was out of room.. big time..

So.. I set up another emersed, a 20G Long with 2x 65w PC's! Now Your plants will have somewhere to go. :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Hahaha! Nice. I am sure you are going to cuss me for the algae I sent on the plants, lol. I'll stop slacking......tomorrow.  That means more pictures for us with a new setup. Let me know if anything doesn't make it and I can send more when it grows back in.


----------



## zachary908

sewingalot said:


> Hahaha! Nice. I am sure you are going to cuss me for the algae I sent on the plants, lol. I'll stop slacking......tomorrow.  That means more pictures for us with a new setup. Let me know if anything doesn't make it and I can send more when it grows back in.


Sara, If algae bothered me I would have already committed suicide. :hihi: Have you seen my tank??

I'll let you know, but don't worry about replacements. I'm sure everything will be in great shape!


----------



## sewingalot

Algae is a great water filter. That's what I keep telling myself.  I'll try really hard to get pictures for you tomorrow on the emersed setup. I will, I will, I will TRY! LOL


----------



## zachary908

sewingalot said:


> Algae is a great water filter. That's what I keep telling myself.  I'll try really hard to get pictures for you tomorrow on the emersed setup. I will, I will, I will TRY! LOL


Actually I'm just being hard on myself. Other than a bit of dust algae on the glass ( Lighting and ferts have been incosistent lately) I'm pretty much algae free. Except for on my Bucephalandra 'Sintang' :angryfire


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, sounds like bucephalandra is much like anubias and swords. Slow growers are so hard to keep algae away. I found hiding them under other plants help, but then you can't see the pretty plants.  Glad you are almost all algae free! That's too cool. 

Oh, yeah I forgot to mention this, but I plan to tear down the 15 gallon tomorrow to get ready for the hamburgermattenfilter. I'll update with pictures if I get motivated enough.


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> Oh, yeah I forgot to mention this, but I plan to tear down the 15 gallon tomorrow to get ready for the hamburgermattenfilter. I'll update with pictures if I get motivated enough.


What the heck is that? Sounds like food.:hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Well if you like eating foam, it could be tasty.  Oops. Didn't think you guys might like a link to know what I am talking about: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/145084-hamburger-mattenfilter-low-tech-setup.html


----------



## Bahugo

HMF HMF HMF WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT

I been dying too ask you about that, bnut always forget

how was that sponge? 

I know what you sold, a little birdy told me you sold your 2nd degree too me for light bulbs, I will expect it shipped tomorrow FYI


----------



## sewingalot

Hahaha, nice. You were supposed to keep that a secret. LOL! The sponge looks like 30PPI, I don't have much to say about it other than it's spongy and black. I did want the black so it would hide better. I'll let you know what I think of the filter after it's installed and running a while.


----------



## Bahugo

Well chip chop chop let's go woman. Sheesh. I've been on the edge of my seat since you got the sponge, waiting for an update with it installed. Do you know what that does too your butt sitting on the edge of your seat for that long? I think I have lost feeling too both pinky and big toes. LOL


----------



## sewingalot

After it taking 18 months for my DIY canopy with light shining through the doors, and 10 months on the MTS, why are you thinking this would take less than 6 months? Get up, walk around, visit family, grow a beard, shave it, grow a stache, shave that, then grow dreadlocks. Come back after that is all done and I'll be on step #2: picking out the silicone. :hihi:


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> After it taking 18 months for my DIY canopy with light shining through the doors, and 10 months on the MTS, why are you thinking this would take less than 6 months? Get up, walk around, visit family, grow a beard, shave it, grow a stache, shave that, then grow dreadlocks. Come back after that is all done and I'll be on step #2: picking out the silicone. :hihi:


I have done all those things already, I got up too walk the dog a few times a day (I hate living on a busy street without a fence), have visited family (while sitting on the edge of my driver seat btw) grown a bear, grown a beard, shaved it, grown a goatee (no stache for me), shaved it, havent grown locks, think kate would come and hunt you down for telling me too do that if I said "Sara told me too so she would get the move on the HMF". But depending on the time of day (bed head) I look like I have a nice mullet lol! I really need a haircut. I actually haven't had a hair cut for like 3 years because I have been just using a beard trimmer so I look like a skin head lol then it grows back... 

So, now, pick your silicone and then start building. Take pictures when you silicone your fingers together. (I actually did once, but shhhhh I had a blonde moment)

Still on the edge of my seat, drivers seat, sleep on the edge of my bed, walk my dog on the edge of my toes, I'm LIVIN ON THE EDGE!!!!!!!!! dunnnnunnnunnaaa LIVIN ON THE EDGE lol

Oh i'm in such a slap happy mood.

How have you been Sara?


----------



## sewingalot

Sorry, Rich. I literally feel asleep sitting at the desk, or I would have replied earlier.  Glad you were in such a great mood, it's good to see. 

You will be proud to know that I started draining the tank yesterday. I found over 20 yellow shrimp hiding in the plants and a lot of downoi hiding under the pellia and subwassertang. I stopped draining the tank about 1/4 of the tank. The reason for this was I found a TON of baby shrimp and the tank was murky from the uprooting of plants. I couldn't see them unless they were swimming right against the glass. So I am letting the dust settle and I'll pick it up tomorrow.

Hopefully, by this weekend I'll have it ready to install.


----------



## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> After it taking 18 months for my DIY canopy with light shining through the doors, and 10 months on the MTS, why are you thinking this would take less than 6 months? Get up, walk around, visit family, grow a beard, shave it, grow a stache, shave that, then grow dreadlocks. Come back after that is all done and I'll be on step #2: picking out the silicone. :hihi:


 

hahahaha this is true.


----------



## Karackle

sewingalot said:


> Kara, look at the bright side, now you'll get healthy runners if they survive.


hahaahah an excellent point! I like the way you think! roud: :biggrin:



sewingalot said:


> Oh and thanks for the help on the filter information. And between Rachel, you, Franny and the others, I'm set on water changes.


No problem, glad things are looking up and definitely keep us posted! 



sewingalot said:


> Anyway, a lady *begged* me to sell it to her and I wouldn't cause it's a gift. *She offered a pretty penny, too.* Also gave me her *name and number* if I would change my mind.  The point of this story is to say that for the first time, I was kind of proud of my work. That didn't last long as I came home later and was frustrated with the stitches, haha. But it was nice for that little bit of time. :hihi:


HAHA! SEE!? I TOLD you!!!!!! :biggrin: that is AWESOME!!! so now whenever you get frustrated just remember, it looks MUCH better than you think it does, strangers who are not looking out for your feelings are begging to BUY IT from you, if she didn't honestly think it was gorgeous, she would have just said "that's a nice quilt, I think this color will work for the binding, enjoy finishing your project!" Know what i mean? :bounce::icon_mrgr



sewingalot said:


> Algae is a great water filter. That's what I keep telling myself.


This IS actually true, it's excellent water "purifier" ...... it just gets annoying when it overgrows and kills your plants and/or blocks your view by growing on the glass :hihi:



sewingalot said:


> After it taking 18 months for my DIY canopy with light shining through the doors, and 10 months on the MTS, why are you thinking this would take less than 6 months? Get up, walk around, visit family, grow a beard, shave it, grow a stache, shave that, then grow dreadlocks. Come back after that is all done and I'll be on step #2: picking out the silicone. :hihi:





nonconductive said:


> hahahaha this is true.


HAHAHAHAHA this had me laughing hysterically, especially because, as NonC says, it's probably true!!! :icon_lol: :hihi:

I am really excited to see your new project too! You'll have to let me know how you like using hamburgers as filters :hihi: no but seriously, i've thought of doing this in the 5 or 10g for better filtration so i'm excited to see how it goes for you!  roud:

......and sorry for all the quotes again :icon_redf it's just the easiest way to make sure i remember everything i wanted to comment on :redface: 
(and make sure you know what i'm commenting on too :tongue


----------



## sewingalot

LOL! At least I am predictable even if it means slow.  After spending 3 hours, I think I caught the last baby shrimp, many the size of "--" and most of the snails. I am seriously sick of shrimp herding now. I felt bad putting the snails in the 55 knowing they will be redclaw bait, but at the same time, the other alternative was to let them dry up or squish them. Both just seem so mean....like having them ripped out and eaten by a shrimp is any better? I don't know why, but it seems less cruel to me. 

I did finish draining the tank, got a few great algae samples to grow and study and took apart the filter. Tomorrow, I will remove the substrate, clean the filter to store or sell and start cleaning the tank itself.

You will have to see the pictures I took of the 15 gallon. The GSA was taking over the entire tank. So hopefully, my tank will be cleaned by Friday and ready for the second step. We'll see since Saturday, we are going to yet another funeral out of town. This time, it's my husband's uncle. 

Thanks, Kara for the nice words on the quilt! LOL at the multiquotes. I <3 them.

Oh, and no one died with the smaller water change! I know it was only 5 gallons, but I am glad they are all okay. Later this week, I am going for 10 gallons. I figured between 20 - 25% may be still on the safe range for water changes for the fish weekly. Before planted tank days, I only did that much on a monthly basis with top offs and everyone was fat and happy until the ich outbreak. So thanks for helping me everyone!

HOW COULD I FORGET?!? I just finished placing the order for my bulbs. They are coming out of Pa, so they should be here soon. Thanks to all that helped me get them. Yay! Nothing more to share at the moment.


----------



## zachary908

Sounds like you had a busy day with the tanks, Sara! Glad everything went well.

Oh emersed pics, where are you? :hihi:


----------



## sewingalot

Hehe, they are on the camera. Only, I forgot where I put it from running around the house today with it. As soon as I locate it, I will upload them. I promise no later than tomorrow evening.


----------



## sewingalot

First off, I decided to glue the java fern from Zach to a piece of driftwood since it kept floating all over the tank. I figured it would be easy to remove later on. However, I ended up gluing these the the driftwood at the same time. When will I learn? :hihi:



















Full Tub? Shot









ludwigia sp unknown (aka 'big red')









I think this is Proserpinaca palustris









Polygonum/Persicaria sp. 'Kawagoeanum'









Acmella repens/oppositifolia, Spilanthes americana









Rotala indica









Cuphea anagalloidea (and Eleocharis acicularis sp 'Belem' hiding in bottom)









Hyptis lorentziana









Bacopa salzmannii


















Ludwigia (I think pilosa, not sure)









Hygrophilia sp 'Kompact' (Is that right, Zach?)









Bacopa sp. Japan (top right), Rotala rotundfolia (middle), Hemianthus callitrichoides (bottom)









Ludwigia (from CT - L. pilosa)









Ludwigia (from CT - L. cf. glandulosa x palustris )


----------



## orchidman

those plants look great!!!

where id dyou get the palustris?? i really would like to get some for my emersed, maybe even my 10g


----------



## zachary908

Lovely stuff, Sara! Thanks for the pics. I love the palustris. And yes, it is Hygrophila Corymbosa 'Kompakt' Long name, huh?


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

LOL you have all the plants that I left to freeze outside. I hope some of them like the Proserpinaca and Ludwigias come back in the spring since they're supposed to be used to the cold. I think the last Ludwigia might be L. cf. glandulosa x palustris if you got them from me and the 2nd to last is L. pilosa. The long pointy leaved plant next to the Hyptis might be the Hygrophila lancea I sent you.


----------



## chad320

Nice job Sara? How do you grow algae emergent?


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Oh I should send you my other Proserpinaca palustris that isn't frozen...it looks more like P. pectinata but Cavan insists that it's some local form of palustris he collected. Have you gotten any flowers? My PP produced lots of flowers and seed pods when I grew it outside but I never saw any baby plants.


----------



## jkan0228

I love that Palustris... Lookslike a better version of Staurogyne Bihar


----------



## msjinkzd

What is the best method to ship you algae? I have some spice jars, would that work if they are kept damp? I want to send you some of my not quite clado from the 230g. I think you would enjoy looking at it under the microscope.


----------



## sewingalot

orchidman said:


> those plants look great!!!
> 
> where id dyou get the palustris?? i really would like to get some for my emersed, maybe even my 10g


I got some in WV/OH border a little northwest from here and the rest from Cardinal Tetra. He's got collectoritis worse than me. I started collecting in earnest through my emersed setup. I love the ludwigias the most.



zachary908 said:


> Lovely stuff, Sara! Thanks for the pics. I love the palustris. And yes, it is Hygrophila Corymbosa 'Kompakt' Long name, huh?


Thanks for the name! I couldn't remember the Corymbosa part! lol



Cardinal Tetra said:


> LOL you have all the plants that I left to freeze outside. I hope some of them like the Proserpinaca and Ludwigias come back in the spring since they're supposed to be used to the cold. I think the last Ludwigia might be L. cf. glandulosa x palustris if you got them from me and the 2nd to last is L. pilosa. The long pointy leaved plant next to the Hyptis might be the Hygrophila lancea I sent you.


That is lancea! Nice eye. I didn't remember to take a picture of it. And those others are indeed what you said. I went back and looked at my paper diagram (high tech on organization, eh) and I do have those plants and I'm pretty sure they are those since that's the area they were planted.



chad320 said:


> Nice job Sara? How do you grow algae emergent?


Probably because algae knows it is safe in my home. :hihi:



Cardinal Tetra said:


> Oh I should send you my other Proserpinaca palustris that isn't frozen...it looks more like P. pectinata but Cavan insists that it's some local form of palustris he collected. Have you gotten any flowers? My PP produced lots of flowers and seed pods when I grew it outside but I never saw any baby plants.


I won't say no.  I've gotten some seed pods, but no flowers since the summer.



jkan0228 said:


> I love that Palustris... Lookslike a better version of Staurogyne Bihar


I had to google that staurogyne first, but you are right, they are similar!



msjinkzd said:


> What is the best method to ship you algae? I have some spice jars, would that work if they are kept damp? I want to send you some of my not quite clado from the 230g. I think you would enjoy looking at it under the microscope.


Hehe, a plastic baggie works great. Actually, much like plants are shipped.


----------



## dewalltheway

Sara...not suppose to glue your fingers too! A simple solution I use and it depends on the size of your wood, but I use zip ties to attach java fern, fissidens, moss, etc to my driftwood. If the wood is too big in diameter, then that won't work but just an idea for you.


----------



## sewingalot

LOL, Mark. It only occured to me as I am standing there with a chunk of wood no bigger than 2" stuck to my hands and waiting for my husband to finish laughing long enough to pry me off. The good news is the java is stuck to the wood. :tongue: I usually use string, but didn't even think of zip ties. Great idea. Next time I'll try that.


----------



## Karackle

sewingalot said:


> I felt bad putting the snails in the 55 knowing they will be redclaw bait, but at the same time, the other alternative was to let them dry up or squish them. Both just seem so mean....like having them ripped out and eaten by a shrimp is any better? I don't know why, but it seems less cruel to me.


But at least this way they're part of the food chain instead of going to waste, so I think that was the best thing to do. roud:

I can't WAIT to see how this 15g project goes, sounds like you're moving along pretty quick actually! :hihi: WOOHOO on the lack of deaths after water changes too!!! 

Can't wait to see pics of the algae either, 'scope pics?



sewingalot said:


> It only occured to me as I am standing there with a chunk of wood no bigger than 2" stuck to my hands and waiting for my husband to finish laughing long enough to pry me off.


Hahahaha oh Sara, Sara, what am I going to do with you?! Though I have to say, Ian would laugh at me too :hihi: actually I'd probably laugh at myself :tongue: Anyway, yes please try string or zip ties next time roud:


----------



## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> WOOHOO on the lack of deaths after water changes too!!!



I am sorry to report another death. I didn't notice him at first, but sure enough, less than 24 hours after water change, another dead oto. I noticed one of the smaller ones pumping his gills pretty hard after the water change, but they do that sometimes. So even though it took nearly 2 hours to change less than 15 gallons of water with the python on a trickle, it still didn't help.  

I'm going to go and buy some water at the store for next change. I am also going to check our water. I know that they told us last year we shouldn't even be drinking this stuff.....:icon_conf

I feel so stupid for doing this. RIP little guy.

At least the superglue is gone off my hands.....

And yes, Kara healthy crypts if you are lucky (or half dead ones if I'm not). 

Bulbs came in, but I haven't installed them. Waiting until we get back to mess with them.


----------



## sewingalot

So, I got the new bulbs in and they are working great!......until I put the canopy back on the tank and 2 out of 3 bulbs won't work. Something about the way the bulbs are sitting I guess. Works like this: |, , ,| but not like |```| Grumble. I gave up and decided to just plug in the one bulb and say the heck with it until tomorrow. Loving the look of the 65k bulb already in comparison to the two old 10k bulbs. The colors are brilliant by far. 

Seems like there is a bit of BBA wanting to come back into my tank. It's on the oldest of leaves (from my experimenting days) so I've been snipping them as I find them. Not too terrible. Also a bit of hair and GSA on the glass after a week or so, but nothing that can't be cleaned off with a quick swipe. Most of the time, I leave the hairy algae as the otos seem to enjoy it immensely. 

Talked to the water company, one of the big steel mills flushed their pipes recently which took thousands and thousands of gallons of water. They are using more chloramine that usual to ensure safe water for drinking (Ha!), she also confirmed the colder the water, the more co2 and other gasses will be present. So, I am now going to by some 5 gallon buckets or larger to store water as soon as verify I don't have a bunch hiding around the house. At one time, I had like 30 buckets until the DH threatened me. I really am not sure, but I think I got rid of them all but one or two. I am going to see if I can trudge my way to the depths of the attic and scary basement to see if I didn't hide a few along the way. If not, I'll pick some up.

Finally got the 15 gallon drained:









Eww:









And the stuff moved out of the tank itself, but then I realized I have nowhere to move it to. The 33 is still in the area this tank is going and the tank is still up for sale. So.......it looks like I need to clean a space elsewhere to store the other tank. This is getting annoying. So Rich, if you are reading this, I TOLD you it'd take at 6 months for the HMF to be installed. :hihi:


In other news:

I am enjoying the 55 right now. I do need to jazz up the ugly filter issue, but for now I ignore it as my point of view doesn't see the filters. (Seriously, if I saw them all the time as I do when I take a front shot, I'd be fixing them 5 minutes ago.) So here are pictures and that should brightened everyone's days. 










Trying to get pictures of fish, I got this:









and many blurry over exposed shots like this:









And finally, these are my best ones (sigh):



























Cool hybrid (check out the red speck on the tail)



































































































And for those that wonder where my algae resides:


----------



## cableguy69846

Nice. Love the shots of the guppies. I have a soft spot for livebearers.roud:


----------



## orchidman

love the 55! the downoi looks great!

i love livebearers too! something about that "first fish" feeling haha. i want to get some wild columbian guppies from rachel. but i know leroy will eat them. and i dont have anywhere else to put them


----------



## SkyGrl

LOL loving the algea self! live bearers seem to be so skittery!!! lol 

Amy


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> So Rich, if you are reading this, I TOLD you it'd take at 6 months for the HMF to be installed. :hihi:


I knew there was a reason why I needed too read this. Comon Sara! Sheesh, I'm still sitting on the edge of my seat. 

I love your new scape. Not even exaggerating, one of my favorite scapes of all time! And I don't just mean your journal, I mean favorite scape anywhere. 

By the way, next time we trade plants *cough* you never msg'd me a list*cough* I want some blyxia. I miss mine so much  It was so colorful and sexy.


----------



## sewingalot

cableguy69846 said:


> Nice. Love the shots of the guppies. I have a soft spot for livebearers.roud:





orchidman said:


> love the 55! the downoi looks great!
> 
> i love livebearers too! something about that "first fish" feeling haha. i want to get some wild columbian guppies from rachel. but i know leroy will eat them. and i dont have anywhere else to put them


Livebearers are great algae eaters. :biggrin: I virtually don't have to feed them in my tanks. Although, they are gobble-guts and eat the Omega One food with flourish. I saw the big momma following a shrimp around picking on the shrimp until it dropped the flake it was eating and she stopped annoying the shrimp and shot for the flake.



SkyGrl said:


> LOL loving the algea self! live bearers seem to be so skittery!!! lol
> 
> Amy


Glad someone noticed my algae shelf. I knew you or Kara would appreciated it. 



Bahugo said:


> I knew there was a reason why I needed too read this. Comon Sara! Sheesh, I'm still sitting on the edge of my seat.
> 
> I love your new scape. Not even exaggerating, one of my favorite scapes of all time! And I don't just mean your journal, I mean favorite scape anywhere.
> 
> By the way, next time we trade plants *cough* you never msg'd me a list*cough* I want some blyxia. I miss mine so much  It was so colorful and sexy.


Sorry, Rich. I really need to get on the ball but I am still *exhausted* from our 7 hours in the car and 5 hours out of town for a funeral of my husband's uncle yesterday. The plan is to clean up a spare room this week and move the 33 down to it and then to move the 15 gallon over. I still need to clean the glass anyway, lol.

Glad you like the new scape! I feel special that you think so highly of my tank. That means a lot, especially since it looked so bad in October. I'm really happy that it's turned around so much that someone thinks so highly of it. :biggrin: Honestly, I'm really starting to like it too and feel like its one if not my best looks for the tank. I really need to take an angled shot that I normally see. It's very pretty in my opinion as the far right side is taking it's time filling in. 

Gah! I forgot completely about that plant list. I was supposed to get one for you and peyton. I'm so ditzy lately. I'm blaming my being sick lately.  I'll get it tomorrow for sure!


----------



## jkan0228

Nice shots and plants Sara. The 55 looks clean and simple.... Makes me wanna tear down my 95G and go with crypts and moss....  Hahaha Where's my algae?!?!?! I have lots more if you still want some... haha


----------



## cableguy69846

Is the algae shelf outside? I am wondering if this will work for moss too.:icon_twis


----------



## zachary908

Looking great, Sara! That ludwigia is growing like mad! The ludwigia you sent me is still settling in, but hopefully it will start growing fast! How is the stuff I sent you doing? I managed to kill some of the lindernia you sent me somehow... so currently it's floating is some water till I figure out how I killed it in my emersed.


----------



## jkan0228

cableguy69846 said:


> Is the algae shelf outside? I am wondering if this will work for moss too.:icon_twis


As long as they don't freeze outside... However its better to grow them on a window sill so it doesn't get too cold... The colder they are, the slowly they grow/metabolize. Slowly they'll probably die. Not sure how cold moss's can live in... I plan on growing a ton of moss in a jar on my window sill after my next trim on my shrimp tank...


----------



## cableguy69846

jkan0228 said:


> As long as they don't freeze outside... However its better to grow them on a window sill so it doesn't get too cold... The colder they are, the slowly they grow/metabolize. Slowly they'll probably die. Not sure how cold moss's can live in... I plan on growing a ton of moss in a jar on my window sill after my next trim on my shrimp tank...


I know they like cooler temps, and when the 20 gallon was about 69 degrees, the peacock moss was going nuts. I wanted to know for the spring summer though. In the future, I may have a shelf somewhere dedicated to moss jars.roud:


----------



## jkan0228

cableguy69846 said:


> I know they like cooler temps, and when the 20 gallon was about 69 degrees, the peacock moss was going nuts. I wanted to know for the spring summer though. In the future, I may have a shelf somewhere dedicated to moss jars.roud:


Yea pretty much you should be fine. Just wait till theres a consistent weather of 50+ and out go the jars.... Lol just make sure you use RO water or something very clean so algae doesn't grow...


----------



## cableguy69846

jkan0228 said:


> Yea pretty much you should be fine. Just wait till theres a consistent weather of 50+ and out go the jars.... Lol just make sure you use RO water or something very clean so algae doesn't grow...


I use fish tank water, and change it out, so far, once a week when I do my 20 gallon. I use the water I pull out for them. Maybe I should use the water I put in. I am going to have to play around with it. And when I do put them out, I am going to put them in a spot that will only get a few hours of sunlight.


----------



## zachary908

Who's journal is this? :hihi:

Sorry, couldn't resist.


----------



## cableguy69846

zachary908 said:


> Who's journal is this? :hihi:
> 
> Sorry, couldn't resist.


Lol.:hihi:



Sorry for hijacking, Sara.roud:


----------



## jkan0228

cableguy69846 said:


> I use fish tank water, and change it out, so far, once a week when I do my 20 gallon. I use the water I pull out for them. Maybe I should use the water I put in. I am going to have to play around with it. And when I do put them out, I am going to put them in a spot that will only get a few hours of sunlight.


With RO water, or something close, algae won't grow at all theoretically... You could put it on your roof with massive moss growth and no algae growth... With cleaner water, me being lazy, I can just place it on the window sill and forget about it... If I constantly have to care and tend for it, I get frustrated that I don't see much moss growth... 



zachary908 said:


> Who's journal is this? :hihi:
> 
> Sorry, couldn't resist.


Sara's probably asleep... She won't notice the few extra posts... :biggrin:


----------



## cableguy69846

jkan0228 said:


> With RO water, or something close, algae won't grow at all theoretically... You could put it on your roof with massive moss growth and no algae growth... With cleaner water, me being lazy, I can just place it on the window sill and forget about it... If I constantly have to care and tend for it, I get frustrated that I don't see much moss growth...
> 
> 
> 
> Sara's probably asleep... She won't notice the few extra posts... :biggrin:


That is true. I am getting irritated now that I am not seeing growth. Lol. Then again, it is getting spill over light from my 2 gallon tank. I may get a light for it for now. No good windows this time of year.


----------



## sewingalot

cableguy69846 said:


> Is the algae shelf outside? I am wondering if this will work for moss too.:icon_twis


 
Typical Cable. Taking another person's ingenious plan and using it to try and turn a profit.  To answer your question, no these aren't outside. Below 32 degrees + water in glass = frozen algae cylindricals and cracked glass. Also, not to deter you from profiting off my endevours, but these are a lot more work than just sitting out a jar and adding water. Stagnant water is a great breeding ground for germs, bacteria and bugs. One single cup of water can literally breed hundreds of mosquitoes. Given the amount of diseases they are carriers of, it's really something you don't want in your home. There's nothing like waking up to a few dozen mosquitoes to make your day. Especially given they have around two weeks to find other sources in your home to breed. I won't tell you how I found out this nightmare the hard way.  There are ways around it, but some interfere more than others. I could give you tips, but where's the fun in that? You won't learn on your own. Took me a long time to figure out the right amount of light, fertilizers and water changes to grow the healthiest possible algae and even mosses in the past. 



jkan0228 said:


> Nice shots and plants Sara. The 55 looks clean and simple.... Makes me wanna tear down my 95G and go with crypts and moss....  Hahaha Where's my algae?!?!?! I have lots more if you still want some... haha


Thanks, Jeff. It took me years to get the courage up to try and actual "scape." I've got your algae up and ready to show you. Here you go! 

First off, your algae was such a pill:









It moves, shimmies and shakes:









And finally calms down after an hour of dancing:









And allows for closeups:









10 points if you know what kind it is! I could tell you how to get rid of it easily, but I'd get bashed by the "myth busters." LOL.



zachary908 said:


> Who's journal is this? :hihi:
> 
> Sorry, couldn't resist.


lol!



zachary908 said:


> Looking great, Sara! That ludwigia is growing like mad! The ludwigia you sent me is still settling in, but hopefully it will start growing fast! How is the stuff I sent you doing? I managed to kill some of the lindernia you sent me somehow... so currently it's floating is some water till I figure out how I killed it in my emersed.


For the lindernia, take a stem, cut a few inches (you want two or three nodes) from the top and lay it like this: ___ Don't bury it at all. Alternatively, lay a few stems on the top of the tank and allow them to emerse. Then crop off that part and plant. 

That ludwigia just started taking off about a week ago. Not bad especially if you consider how I almost killed it not even two months ago.

And since I finally got this done for Rich and peyton, here is a current plant list of everything I own. Really thought I was curbing this collectoritis.................:icon_conf

· Acmella repens/oppositifolia, Spilanthes americana
· Algae: BBA, Cladophora, BGA, Spirogyra, Diatoms, GSA…..
· Bacopa salzmannii
· Bacopa sp. Japan
· Blyxa Japonica
· Clinopodium cf. brownie
· Cryptocoryne Affinis
· Cryptocoryne Florida sunset
· Cryptocoryne Indonesia
· Cryptocoryne nurii phang mutated
· Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Green Gecko'
· Cuphea anagalloidea 
· Didiplis diandra
· Echinodorus ''Kleiner Bar prinz'
· Echinodorus 'Ozelot' 
· Echinodorus parviflorus 'Tropica'
· Eleocharis acicularis sp 'Belem' 
· Eriocaulaceae sp. 'type 2' (erroneous)
· Glossostigma elatinoides (not positive on this one)
· Hemianthus callitrichoides
· Hemianthus glomeratus (was Hemianthus micranthemoides)
· Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides
· Hygrophilia Cory 'Kompact'
· Hyptis lorentziana (only one stem at the moment)
· Lilaeopsis brasiliensis
· Lilaeopsis sp ‘microsword’
· Limnophila aromatica (I think)
· Lindernia rotundifolia 'Variegated'
· Lindernia sp 'india'
· Ludwigia cf. glandulosa x palustris
· Ludwigia palustris variant (sold as ‘red’)
· Ludwigia pilosa
· Ludwigia repens (one stem)
· Ludwigia sp unknown (aka 'big red')
· Marselia sp ‘minutia’
· Micrantheum umbrosum
· Microsorum pteropus
· Microsorum sp ‘dwarf needle leaf’
· Mini Pellia
· Mosses various kinds, don’t ask what they are I don’t know
Najas sp. Roraima 
· Nymphaea sp ‘Taiwan’
· Pogostemon helferi
· Polygonum/Persicaria sp. 'Kawagoeanum'
· Proserpinaca palustris
· Riccia fluitans
· Rotala indica
· Rotala rotundfolia
· Subwassertang
· Utricularia graminifolia

Some I only have like one small stem of, so I'm claiming that I am more organized. :icon_mrgr


----------



## jkan0228

Lol please tell me how to get rid of it! It looks more like rope under a microscope.


----------



## Centromochlus

Send me some Didiplis diandra please!!


----------



## orchidman

nice list!


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> Typical Cable. Taking another person's ingenious plan and using it to try and turn a profit.  To answer your question, no these aren't outside. Below 32 degrees + water in glass = frozen algae cylindricals and cracked glass. Also, not to deter you from profiting off my endevours, but these are a lot more work than just sitting out a jar and adding water. Stagnant water is a great breeding ground for germs, bacteria and bugs. One single cup of water can literally breed hundreds of mosquitoes. Given the amount of diseases they are carriers of, it's really something you don't want in your home. There's nothing like waking up to a few dozen mosquitoes to make your day. Especially given they have around two weeks to find other sources in your home to breed. I won't tell you how I found out this nightmare the hard way.  There are ways around it, but some interfere more than others. I could give you tips, but where's the fun in that? You won't learn on your own. Took me a long time to figure out the right amount of light, fertilizers and water changes to grow the healthiest possible algae and even mosses in the past.


I know it takes a lot of work and experimentation. Everyone keeps telling me to just put water in the jar and stick it in the sun. I am like "what about nutrients?" I know the moss will need nutrients just like any other plant, and getting them to the moss will be no easy task. Plus I don't want them to turn into algae fests. The real reason I am doing this is to have something to tinker with as most of my tanks are how I want them. Lol. As for mosquitoes, I don't want to give them a place to breed. I am going to do weekly water changes on these just like the tanks. Maybe in the future I can avoid that, but for now, that is how it has to be. I don't want to put it out in the sun now, as it is cold as you-know-what here, but in the spring, it would be pretty cool to do that. As for turning a profit, I doubt I will ever turn a profit, but if I can make some money to spend on fish and plants, then I will be happy.roud:


----------



## sewingalot

jkan0228 said:


> Lol please tell me how to get rid of it! It looks more like rope under a microscope.


Spirogyra, it seems. Cute article: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/what-is-spirogyra.html 

Post your parameters, dosing schedule, filter maintenance, lighting and feeding methods and I'll help you out. :icon_mrgr



AzFishKid said:


> Send me some Didiplis diandra please!!


I sent you a message over on FB on what I can part with, Philip!



orchidman said:


> nice list!


thx, bob. <----text speak for you. 



cableguy69846 said:


> I know it takes a lot of work and experimentation. Everyone keeps telling me to just put water in the jar and stick it in the sun. I am like "what about nutrients?" I know the moss will need nutrients just like any other plant, and getting them to the moss will be no easy task. Plus I don't want them to turn into algae fests. The real reason I am doing this is to have something to tinker with as most of my tanks are how I want them. Lol. As for mosquitoes, I don't want to give them a place to breed. I am going to do weekly water changes on these just like the tanks. Maybe in the future I can avoid that, but for now, that is how it has to be. I don't want to put it out in the sun now, as it is cold as you-know-what here, but in the spring, it would be pretty cool to do that. As for turning a profit, I doubt I will ever turn a profit, but if I can make some money to spend on fish and plants, then I will be happy.roud:


:icon_mrgr LOL, enjoyed that ribbing, Cable? :icon_mrgr

If you really want to know my secret, I will warn you there is a small hitch. You have to either treat the moss or let people know you have these before trading/selling (usually a non issue). I use live snails as fertilizer. I'll put two small babies in each jar initally and remove the ones that follow. I feed them literally one half a piece of flake food a week and change the water every other day. Betwen the snails and water changes (tap, not RO), you have free fertilizer. 

Also, cool weather is excellent for mosses, warmer weather not so much. Moss grows faster for me in my non heated tank and jars than it ever did in my heated tanks. If you can find small pieces of wood, it will use that to anchor and as it breaks down.....you got it. More fertilizer.  The trick is to constantly change that water. I pick out the moss, stir it around in a bowl of fresh water to shake loose snail poo, pour out the water, add fresh. You can also use tank water......for more free fertilizer. You don't really want a window with strong light, so avoid the east and usually the west. North and south work well as it's perpendicular to the way the sun moves (Ever heard the phrase on where to find moss growing if you are lost? There is truth to this.) And as far as freezing moss, I have it growing outdoors in the summer and I leave it over winter under snow and ice. Not in jars, in a planter. Sure enough, it comes back every year. Heat kills moss more often than cold.

Hope that helps. By the way, It only takes most types of the ol' mosquito about four days to hatch in warmer weather, so keep that in mind.


----------



## orchidman

Np sara. txt speak 4 u 2


----------



## Bahugo

I love the algae closeups Sara. 

You put so much more thought into your moss jars.. I always just threw them in a completely sealed jar with some snails and let them be.. I would change out the water every once in a while but nothing high maintenance. I would usually rinse out the moss every once in a while too, give it a good squeeze under running water too get any funk off of it. My only issue with moss jars was that the moss would always get a weird smell too it after a while if it didn't get rinsed out, it was still super green and healthy.


----------



## orchidman

hey guys, checkout my journal for pics 

youve got me wanting to try a moss jar now!


----------



## sewingalot

orchidman said:


> Np sara. txt speak 4 u 2


What scares me is I am now understanding you guys.  TTYL



Bahugo said:


> I love the algae closeups Sara.
> 
> You put so much more thought into your moss jars.. I always just threw them in a completely sealed jar with some snails and let them be.. I would change out the water every once in a while but nothing high maintenance. I would usually rinse out the moss every once in a while too, give it a good squeeze under running water too get any funk off of it. My only issue with moss jars was that the moss would always get a weird smell too it after a while if it didn't get rinsed out, it was still super green and healthy.


Thanks, Rich. In the words of my husband "I over think things." I've found the rinsing was really benefical as it kept parts of it from getting skunky to the point it starts dying.



orchidman said:


> hey guys, checkout my journal for pics
> 
> youve got me wanting to try a moss jar now!


Haha, good to know, I'll go look! Don't be like me, label the jars and not the lids! I took all the lids off and couldn't remember what was what. :hihi:


----------



## orchidman

hahaha! thats really funny actually! ill try not to!!


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> :icon_mrgr LOL, enjoyed that ribbing, Cable? :icon_mrgr
> 
> If you really want to know my secret, I will warn you there is a small hitch. You have to either treat the moss or let people know you have these before trading/selling (usually a non issue). I use live snails as fertilizer. I'll put two small babies in each jar initally and remove the ones that follow. I feed them literally one half a piece of flake food a week and change the water every other day. Betwen the snails and water changes (tap, not RO), you have free fertilizer.
> 
> Also, cool weather is excellent for mosses, warmer weather not so much. Moss grows faster for me in my non heated tank and jars than it ever did in my heated tanks. If you can find small pieces of wood, it will use that to anchor and as it breaks down.....you got it. More fertilizer.  The trick is to constantly change that water. I pick out the moss, stir it around in a bowl of fresh water to shake loose snail poo, pour out the water, add fresh. You can also use tank water......for more free fertilizer. You don't really want a window with strong light, so avoid the east and usually the west. North and south work well as it's perpendicular to the way the sun moves (Ever heard the phrase on where to find moss growing if you are lost? There is truth to this.) And as far as freezing moss, I have it growing outdoors in the summer and I leave it over winter under snow and ice. Not in jars, in a planter. Sure enough, it comes back every year. Heat kills moss more often than cold.
> 
> Hope that helps. By the way, It only takes most types of the ol' mosquito about four days to hatch in warmer weather, so keep that in mind.


I always enjoy a good ribbing.:hihi: Lol.

The window that faces east only get a few hours of direct sun during the morning. That is why I am thinking it may work for now. As for fertilizer, if I change the water with water from my 20 gallon when I add the ferts (every other day) I should be good. Now you say you use snails. I have fish fry and shrimp fry, what if I put one shrimp or fish in the jar, do you thin that would work just like the snails without the risk of a snail infestation? I have some moss that made it in the emersed boxes by accident, and it is growing. Slowly, but it is growing. That may be another route to take.

As for mosquitoes, I don't plan on letting them any where near my precious moss.roud: I do plan on a pond of some sort this summer, but I am going to have some fish in it for bug control.


----------



## orchidman

lol! it took me a while to decipher what i was writing! i hate abbreviations like 2, 4, and u


----------



## chad320

Gobble guts...hahahaha, havent heard that phrase in years :hihi: On a more serious note, this tank is freakin awesome looking!!! :drool: I love what youve done with it. roud: I think ive discovered your secret. If I dont post here for awhile your tank comes out looking awesome :icon_mrgr I really think it shows youve kicked some of the collectoritus too. Nice big groupings of plants with a few accent plants.  I have to agree that this is probably my favorite tank on TPT right now! The yellow shrimps are looking good too.  Now just maintain it instead of fiddling with it and messing it up for us :angryfire BTW do you like my heavy use of the smileys? I did it just for you  because you like aliens :hihi: and bouncing algae spores :bounce: Well, I better go now


----------



## jkan0228

Hey Sara. This is my setup: EI dosing, High co2 and lights. Not enough flow might be m problem even though the algae still grows in the way of the Powerhead.... it might be because of my dirty substrate which is from the lack of flow... Amanos could clean it up pretty fast IMO but something's killing them and I dunno what. Most likely it's the osmocote root tabs that keep popping up.


----------



## Chaos_Being

Wow, the tank looks great now! Quite the change, and in a good way!

Your algae jars made me laugh though :hihi:


----------



## chad320

I didnt see Ranalisma rostrata on your list. Did you get rid of this plant?


----------



## Hyzer

I just enjoyed catching up on your "plethora of plants" journal. All I can say is WOW. Everything looks so healthy. Great job Sara!


----------



## sewingalot

orchidman said:


> hahaha! thats really funny actually! ill try not to!!


Believe me, if there is a mistake to be made in any hobby, I soon become the master of it.



orchidman said:


> lol! it took me a while to decipher what i was writing! i hate abbreviations like 2, 4, and u


u h8 abb that include numb3rs eh? good 2 kn0w 4 the 4ture. :biggrin:



cableguy69846 said:


> I always enjoy a good ribbing.:hihi: Lol.
> 
> The window that faces east only get a few hours of direct sun during the morning. That is why I am thinking it may work for now. As for fertilizer, if I change the water with water from my 20 gallon when I add the ferts (every other day) I should be good. Now you say you use snails. I have fish fry and shrimp fry, what if I put one shrimp or fish in the jar, do you thin that would work just like the snails without the risk of a snail infestation? I have some moss that made it in the emersed boxes by accident, and it is growing. Slowly, but it is growing. That may be another route to take.
> 
> As for mosquitoes, I don't plan on letting them any where near my precious moss.roud: I do plan on a pond of some sort this summer, but I am going to have some fish in it for bug control.


The only thing I have against the east sun is the fact it is the brightest and it heats up the water the fastest. For algae, it is great. For moss, find a way to shade it a little if you start seeing either browning of the moss or algae growing.

I don't like using anything other than a plain old snail because the nitrogen cycle never fully establishes itself if you are constantly changing 100% of the water. To me, it's not fair to subject a fish or shrimp to the water as snails can crawl out if something gets bad, but they are stuck sitting in it. But, if you used a larger jar and actually gave the cycle a chance to establish, didn't change the water so heavily, I could see it working. 

You'll love your pond. Getting 15 feet around ours meant getting 15 mosquitoes attached to my legs. The closer I got, the more they annoyed me. Of course, people know me as the bug deterrent. I am invited to barbeques so everyone else remains bug free. :biggrin:

Pretty much, you can't screw up the moss jars. Moss will grow in just about anything. You could use just aquarium water for fertilizer even. As I tend to do, I overthink even this little setup.



chad320 said:


> Gobble guts...hahahaha, havent heard that phrase in years :hihi: On a more serious note, this tank is freakin awesome looking!!! :drool: I love what youve done with it. roud: I think ive discovered your secret. If I dont post here for awhile your tank comes out looking awesome :icon_mrgr I really think it shows youve kicked some of the collectoritus too. Nice big groupings of plants with a few accent plants.  I have to agree that this is probably my favorite tank on TPT right now! The yellow shrimps are looking good too.  Now just maintain it instead of fiddling with it and messing it up for us :angryfire BTW do you like my heavy use of the smileys? I did it just for you  because you like aliens :hihi: and bouncing algae spores :bounce: Well, I better go now



Ha! At first I thought you were Kara with the smiley's. That's how we communicate with each other. :icon_bigg Gobble guts was one of my great-grandma's favorite ways to describe black birds. She hated them as they cawed and ate all the food from the pretty birds. I actually love black birds because of the fact no one in my neck of the woods ever liked them. 

You are too kind with your compliments. My only complaint right now is I can't do water changes and it worries me. Don't know how long I'll leave things alone, but I'll try. roud:



chad320 said:


> I didnt see Ranalisma rostrata on your list. Did you get rid of this plant?


I was just saying on little D's journal that I must have lost it along the way. I really need to find this plant as I really want to use it in the 15 gallon. It's a fantastic plant.



jkan0228 said:


> Hey Sara. This is my setup: EI dosing, High co2 and lights. Not enough flow might be m problem even though the algae still grows in the way of the Powerhead.... it might be because of my dirty substrate which is from the lack of flow... Amanos could clean it up pretty fast IMO but something's killing them and I dunno what. Most likely it's the osmocote root tabs that keep popping up.


This type of algae loves the same setup as plants do, just so you know. I've never really bought into the "not enough flow" suggestion. I have had tanks with no filtration or little flow be almost algae free. 

Are the osmocote root tabs relatively new? They could be a source for many algae issues if you don't get them out or push them back in the substrate as they will leach ammonium and nitrites very quickly. Dirty substrate could be an issue in the long run, but this doesn't usually grow this type of algae. This algae loves clean waters and based on the maintenance you do in your tank, the substrate shouldn't be an issue unless you start seeing plant roots turning black and dying.

How long are your lights on for? My suggestion would be to cut your lights by at least an hour overall. Also, you could turn off all filters get a toothbrush and manually remove as much as possible. Then brush your teeth :biggrin:, change the water as much as possible, don't fertilize and leave the lights and co2 off for couple days. No need to bag up the tank or anything, just let the tank rest for a few days. You may notice some paler coloring when you turn back on the lights, but it'll brighten right back up. Then do another manual removal if you see more, do another large water change and go back to normal routine. Except for a shorter lighting period. 



Chaos_Being said:


> Wow, the tank looks great now! Quite the change, and in a good way!
> 
> Your algae jars made me laugh though :hihi:


My algae jars are the love of my laugh. Hush you! :icon_bigg Yeah, it makes most people laugh.

I am glad you are liking the changes. It's amazing that I can grow plants, huh? 



Hyzer said:


> I just enjoyed catching up on your "plethora of plants" journal. All I can say is WOW. Everything looks so healthy. Great job Sara!


Thanks, Hyzer! I am glad you like the latest. I was really about to quit the hobby and told myself if things didn't turn around this last time, I was throwing in the towel. 

Instead of following anyone's methods, I started to apply common sense. I used all the knowledge I've collected over the years, studied my journal throughly to see what worked well for me and what didn't and then sat down and came up with a game plan. My tank is apparently a "myth" but that's okay. It works for me! :biggrin:


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> The only thing I have against the east sun is the fact it is the brightest and it heats up the water the fastest. For algae, it is great. For moss, find a way to shade it a little if you start seeing either browning of the moss or algae growing.
> 
> I don't like using anything other than a plain old snail because the nitrogen cycle never fully establishes itself if you are constantly changing 100% of the water. To me, it's not fair to subject a fish or shrimp to the water as snails can crawl out if something gets bad, but they are stuck sitting in it. But, if you used a larger jar and actually gave the cycle a chance to establish, didn't change the water so heavily, I could see it working.
> 
> You'll love your pond. Getting 15 feet around ours meant getting 15 mosquitoes attached to my legs. The closer I got, the more they annoyed me. Of course, people know me as the bug deterrent. I am invited to barbeques so everyone else remains bug free. :biggrin:
> 
> Pretty much, you can't screw up the moss jars. Moss will grow in just about anything. You could use just aquarium water for fertilizer even. As I tend to do, I overthink even this little setup.


I may try something in a bigger jar if I can get my hands on it. Right now with it being all cold and that, I am not worried about the jars heating up too much from the sun. And hopefully by the time spring hits, they will be in the basement where it is much cooler.

I agree with you on the cycle. If I were to go that route, I would let the nitrogen cycle fully establish before I did anything. But, like you said, a bigger jar would be optimal. I may try to find one that is a gallon or so. Maybe a big pickle jar.

When I do the pond, I plan on adding a bunch of hardy bug eating fish. Mosquito fish if I can find them, if not maybe swordtails, or guppies. That way the bug population will stay low. Probably will overflow it once a week too to help with that. Maybe more often if I have to.

For now I am going to stick with tank water until I can try a more controlled experiment. I want to setup something where I can control the light and temp a bit better and eliminate as many variables as I can so I can get a good test going. Playing with light and all that will be an experiment that I will perform first though. But for now, I am good with the fish tank water.

Thanks for all the info, I really appreciate it.roud:


----------



## sewingalot

My pond was full of guppies and endlers. Didn't really help much. I think they just like water. I did hear water movement will help. They also make mosquito dunks that don't hurt fish, but I don't know if they hurt other things like snails.

Try craft stores for larger jars. They often have coupons for half off as well. Lot less work than eating a bunch of pickels. :hihi: Good luck with your experiments, and keep that thread updated.


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> My pond was full of guppies and endlers. Didn't really help much. I think they just like water. I did hear water movement will help. They also make mosquito dunks that don't hurt fish, but I don't know if they hurt other things like snails.
> 
> Try craft stores for larger jars. They often have coupons for half off as well. Lot less work than eating a bunch of pickels. :hihi: Good luck with your experiments, and keep that thread updated.


Good to know on the fish. Maybe a type of Killie would work better for bug control. That is going to be another experiment. Lol.

I will look there. As for the pickles, not sure eating them all would be a problem with a pregnant fiancee. Lol.:icon_lol:


----------



## sewingalot

The fish eat the mosquito larvae, it's the flying xyz's that annoyed me (and apparently my neighbor's girlfriend now hates me, lol). True, just pick up some ice cream and you're good to go! Maybe send a jar to D's wife to get some help with that. :hihi:


----------



## cableguy69846

sewingalot said:


> The fish eat the mosquito larvae, it's the flying xyz's that annoyed me (and apparently my neighbor's girlfriend now hates me, lol). True, just pick up some ice cream and you're good to go! Maybe send a jar to D's wife to get some help with that. :hihi:


Those are going to be a pain. Lol, the funny part of that is, the fiancee hates ice cream, but she has been craving it.:hihi: Lol. I am sure he wouldn't mind. "Hey Damon, you think your wife can polish a big jar of pickles off for me? I want to grow moss." That would be an interesting convo for sure.:icon_lol:


----------



## sewingalot

LOL, Cable. Didn't see this until now. Funny. 

Small update for you all that are following just dying to know what is going on with the tank. First off, I am done to one bulb because of something going on with the ballast. The ludwigias are taking the biggest hit. Twisty growth, not so preety over all. Also, the HG/HM is growing upward instead of creeping. Some of this could be due to the fact it needs a haircut. The downoi is looking fabulous! Still looking for what to put in the right side. Was hoping some of the stems would grow already. 

Guppy/endler hybrids for Kara especially (two out of all these pictures are good, lol)








































































Shrimper! and oto hiding









Full tank shot of the 10 gallon "urban decay"









Little bit of pinholes showing up. May have to actually do a water change or add some K









Yellow + blue shrimp = brown shrimp. Can you see him?









Sadly, my blue pearl tank is contaminated with yellows. I tried not to, but it happened. Will consider moving some true blues into a new tank if it ever gets setup.


















Snails!









Cute albino snail


















Okay picture of the girl. Water is getting so cold in here, I am thinking of using a heater









Snail and moss! Any idea on the species of moss?









Cute!









I will not be selling these guys. Look at the cool yellow/blue hybrid on the right, though. 









Onto the 55, the "Suga Shack" (caution! These pictures contain algae. Just looking at them is said to cause a possible algae outbreak in your tank.)

Still looking? Okay!
Locally collected fissidens









Preggo oto, proof I didn't kill the crypts, an empty snail shell tanks to the red claws and a yellow shrimp









Crypt affinis is hiding. Need to trim the Hg/Hm:









Didilpis diandra and ludwigia hybrid?









Hurting ludwigia sp 'red' Need to finish fixing those lights:









Najas r.









Downoi is doing well!!









To give you an idea of how it looked, this is some I recently pulled over when I tore down the 15:









And now, again it looks like this:









HC sole patch:









Berried yellow









Crypts (how do I tell the sunset from the indonesia?): 









Erio Type 2 and crypts (notice the baby mutated crypt?)









My view point of the 55:









The end:









Still need to do the following: 
1. Fix up the filters and think seriously about taking down the second one. 
2. Fix the light, too lazy to finish that
3. Find some buckets to do a water change
4. Clean the glass for once before pictures
5. Scrape algae off glass if I ever find the motivation.
6. Realize I haven't done anything on my list and get a drink instead.

Well that is the last post of the year for sure on this tank! Nothing more to show as you can see, nothing really is changing. Sadly, had a difficult time finding algae to photography, but if you look at some of the pictures, there should be some GSA on some of the pictures, maybe BBA if you look hard enough!


----------



## cableguy69846

Wow. All the plants and tanks look really good. I wish I had tanks that looked like that. Oh, well. I will just stare at yours.:icon_smil


----------



## zachary908

Lovely pics, Sara! The tank is looking good. And there has definitely been some growth, especially on the Ludwigia hybrid.

Your downoi is looking good. roud:

I starved mine of macro nutrients for a while, so a bit of the newer growth is whitish, I'm guessing it's mack of Mg and or Iron.


----------



## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Small update for you all that are following just dying to know what is going on with the tank. First off, I am done to one bulb because of something going on with the ballast. The ludwigias are taking the biggest hit. Twisty growth, not so preety over all. Also, the HG/HM is growing upward instead of creeping. Some of this could be due to the fact it needs a haircut. The downoi is looking fabulous! Still looking for what to put in the right side. Was hoping some of the stems would grow already.
> 
> Full tank shot of the 10 gallon "urban decay"


I like this tank alot, truthfully I am not a fan of "urban" scapes, I usually find them really tacky but I think this one is tastefully done. You should try too somehow attach moss too the divider, it would look like vines growing up it! 



> Yellow + blue shrimp = brown shrimp. Can you see him?


Lol, I have some brown shrimp and I moved them too a high temp tank the one with my tylos in it, it's 80+, well was now I lowered the temp somewhat in there but the shrimp aren't in there anymore... enough blabbering too my point. When I moved the light brownish-interbreed colored shrimp into the high temp tank he turned almost completely black, and stayed that color until I lowered the temp. And it was actually a really solid color too, I may have some pics somewhere of it. Not sure why I felt like mentioning that but I thought it was interesting lol. 



> I will not be selling these guys. Look at the cool yellow/blue hybrid on the right, though.


This guy is cute! You can actually see both colors. 




> Still looking? Okay!
> Locally collected fissidens


I'm jealous, I wish I could find some fissiden locally. Maybe me and Chad will have too go on a hunt this year lol 




> Preggo oto, proof I didn't kill the crypts, an empty snail shell tanks to the red claws and a yellow shrimp


Grats on the oto! I love oto's I am always so scared to buy them though because when I did before they all died.  The crypt is super cool! 



> Crypt affinis is hiding. Need to trim the Hg/Hm:


It's like the great divide lol. 


> Hurting ludwigia sp 'red' Need to finish fixing those lights:


What is wrong with the Ludwigia red? It looks really good too me... 



> Najas r.
> crypts (notice the baby mutated crypt?)


I'm a huge fan of Najas R. is it just as weedy as regular guppy grass? If you ever need too trim it you know who's over yonder. Grats on the baby crypt!  



> The end:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> !


Tank looks great Sara! Not sure I see anything wrong with the ludwigia, seems like it is happy and sending off sideshoots..


----------



## Cardinal Tetra

Looks like those hybrids both shrimp and fish didn't turn out too badly. I like the mixed colors on the endler guppies. 

LOL on the urban decay tank! You should see the one I have at home Nothing but algae, shrimp, snails, and giant crypts. It hasn't had a water change in 3 months. 

That mystery moss looks like peacock moss. Love that stuff.

I didn't realize that the fissidens ball was that big until I saw the fts. I'll need to go search for some one of these days. There are some trout streams around here that might hold some. Where did you find it?

What's all that stuff you've got growing on the filter pipe and sponge?

The crypt up front is C. wendtii 'Indonesia' and the one behind it is the florida sunset. They're all wendtii varieties I got from Chad, I think. I'll have to send you more various crypts!


----------



## orchidman

yowza!   thats alot of pictures  they look great!

i especially love that 10g!


----------



## sewingalot

cableguy69846 said:


> Wow. All the plants and tanks look really good. I wish I had tanks that looked like that. Oh, well. I will just stare at yours.:icon_smil


Thanks, Cable. If I can do it, you can do it! (Those commercials that say that phrase annoy me, the ITT tech ones, haha)



zachary908 said:


> Lovely pics, Sara! The tank is looking good. And there has definitely been some growth, especially on the Ludwigia hybrid.
> 
> Your downoi is looking good. roud:
> 
> I starved mine of macro nutrients for a while, so a bit of the newer growth is whitish, I'm guessing it's mack of Mg and or Iron.


I do know they are Mg hogs and do appreciate iron. They don't really seem to care where it comes from though. I've found downoi responds excellent to root fertilizers.



Bahugo said:


> I like this tank alot, truthfully I am not a fan of "urban" scapes, I usually find them really tacky but I think this one is tastefully done. You should try too somehow attach moss too the divider, it would look like vines growing up it!


Not a bad idea with the moss. The idea of this tank was to represent a city street being reclaimed by nature after it's abandoned. I got the idea from the sidewalks in disarray in parts of this city. I find it fascinating how nature finds cracks and crevices to re-establish itself in a concrete jungle.



> Lol, I have some brown shrimp and I moved them too a high temp tank the one with my tylos in it, it's 80+, well was now I lowered the temp somewhat in there but the shrimp aren't in there anymore... enough blabbering too my point. When I moved the light brownish-interbreed colored shrimp into the high temp tank he turned almost completely black, and stayed that color until I lowered the temp. And it was actually a really solid color too, I may have some pics somewhere of it. Not sure why I felt like mentioning that but I thought it was interesting lol.


Nice. I'll remember that to kill shrimp, cook them. :smile:



> This guy is cute! You can actually see both colors.


Too bad they don't stay that way. Most of the offspring is now like a wild cherry looking shrimp. But I think they are cute. Just really glad I was able to ship some of the blue pearls to non-c before the contamination. Now CT can ask him for BPs if he has a disaster. 



> I'm jealous, I wish I could find some fissiden locally. Maybe me and Chad will have too go on a hunt this year lol


I found it randomly, didn't even know I brought it home with me. LOL 



> Grats on the oto! I love oto's I am always so scared to buy them though because when I did before they all died.  The crypt is super cool!


They never seem to get to the point of breeding, sadly.



> What is wrong with the Ludwigia red? It looks really good too me...


The new growth is curly and smallish. Looks like she curled her leaves under for a date. Some of the leaves are paler red. 



> I'm a huge fan of Najas R. is it just as weedy as regular guppy grass? If you ever need too trim it you know who's over yonder. Grats on the baby crypt!


Roger that. Remind me when the time comes and I'll share. 



Cardinal Tetra said:


> Looks like those hybrids both shrimp and fish didn't turn out too badly. I like the mixed colors on the endler guppies.
> 
> LOL on the urban decay tank! You should see the one I have at home Nothing but algae, shrimp, snails, and giant crypts. It hasn't had a water change in 3 months.
> 
> That mystery moss looks like peacock moss. Love that stuff.
> 
> I didn't realize that the fissidens ball was that big until I saw the fts. I'll need to go search for some one of these days. There are some trout streams around here that might hold some. Where did you find it?
> 
> What's all that stuff you've got growing on the filter pipe and sponge?
> 
> The crypt up front is C. wendtii 'Indonesia' and the one behind it is the florida sunset. They're all wendtii varieties I got from Chad, I think. I'll have to send you more various crypts!


Peacock could be the winner. I remember getting that particular moss a long time ago. I'm going to try and rescue a piece and grow it in another tank.

Those endler hybrids are really good looking in person. One has a grey tail with white stripes on the top and bottom. I've never seen such a brilliant shade of white on a guppy before. They are really cute fish.

Sad about the blue pearls. I am setting up a small 3 gallon to rescue some of the younger ones that aren't berried and for sure are BPs. I figured with a little time, I'll rebuild a population.

Thanks on the id. So the wrinkly one is Indonesia. Guess what? She is with child! I have a baby crypt!!! I can't believe it.

As far as the fissidens, I found it on my shoe from a trip to a local park. It was stuck in the ridges, lol. This is mostly what it looked like: http://ohiomosslichen.org/MossID11.html Almost like little christmas tree branches. Didn't even know if it was aquatic, I just threw it in the tank for the fun of it. It grows on sand near the water at the base of the rocks in this area. Not sure what sp of fissidens it is even.

It and the hydrocotyle has taken over since the SAE (RIP) depature. I am impressed at how much this one fish could eat.



orchidman said:


> yowza!   thats alot of pictures  they look great!
> 
> i especially love that 10g!


Thanks, Bob. Went a little camera happy. I tend to take 500000 pictures in hopes of getting at least one nice shot. Most of the time I fail, lol.

Oh, on tank realted news:

I trimmed the HM for the first time in weeks. Oh boy, did this create a huge mess! Didn't think until after I started trimming to turn off filters so there was little pieces flying everywhere. It was snowing green leaves. After one half of an hour of scooping and picking, I got the majority of it and decided to stop trimming. That was fun. Meanwhile, I am one the lookout for a new carpetting plant that isn't so adventurous. 

And some awesome news! I got a very generous gift recently! It was a regulator built by one our members. It has a solenoid and all kinds of bells and whistles. Frankly, it is awesomeness at it's finest. Waiting for the husband to help me set it up after the holidays. I didn't plan on posting in the journal for a while, but I really had to share how excited I am about build by bettatail. It's so fantastic. I'll take pictures when I get it setup and working!

Until then, enjoy the days to come!


----------



## nonconductive

tanks looks lovely sara!


----------



## cableguy69846

Lol. ITT commercials.:hihi:


----------



## chad320

Wow, this tank is doing great. I hope you get your stuff done through the holidays and post us up some more when the Christmas fog clears  I am really likeing the look of the HM. Thats a first for me, I usually dont like it. Yours looks great! What a fantastic tank this must be in person!


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks D! I like it enough. 

Don't know how someone thinks commercials like that are effective in the first place.

Forgot to answer one of CT's questions. The stuff hanging on the filter is mini pellia, subwassertang and a bit of moss. It's plants that belongs in my 15 gallon that I am still waiting to move. I did get the substrate out of the bucket I put it in last night, if that counts. 

Chad, I wasn't a fan of HM as a carpet until I saw it growing along the edge of the tank. It works well I think. I looks better after the trim. I let it grow up to smother out the algae that was leftover from the excessive nutrient mishap. Nutrients might not cause algae, but at 50-10-50, it sure does help feed it! :biggrin:

Actually, the tank does look better in person mainly because I can't take pictures for the life of me.


----------



## chad320

Haha, you know why I knew it looked better in person? Because I am useless with a camera. I can never seem to capture the right colors. Even if I shop them its still terrible.


----------



## sewingalot

Hahaha, nice to know I'm not the only one that is lacking photography skills on here. For some reason oranges and purples are never true. And since the background is "buckeye brown" which is a reddish/orangish/brown, you can really tell the coloring is off at first glance. Add that with the fact purples and blues often look the same to me, and you get blah photos. The only way I can get semi-decent pictures is to turn down the exposure. I tried so hard to use Gimp, and I still practice with it, but everything ends up worse than if I left it alone. So for now, I just point, shoot, publish. :hihi:


----------



## chad320

Yep, me too. Well, I do like to crop the crappy edges out that I get.


----------



## wkndracer

Merry Christmas!
Tanks look great! (even better than the last big update), and awesome looking pics whether you think you can frame a shot or not (in your opinion LOL)
actually started stepping up my attention on the high techs because you did.:smile:


----------



## zachary908

You aren't alone, Sara. My photography skills aren't that great either.


----------



## Chaos_Being

That fissidens that you randomly found near you is pretty neat. It looks like the same stuff that spontaneously grew out of crack in my driftwood not long after I set my tank up, and has been slowly growing and expanding ever since. I didn't see if anyone tried to ID the moss pic you had posted up, but it looks like Xmas moss to me.


----------



## sewingalot

Hi guys! Long time no update! Thanks for the comments! This is just a brief stop in, not planning to be on much for a while still. Plan to lurk and read more than post when I do return. I currently have 7 projects I am sewing and need to finish.

Onto tank news: I am still working on my HMF. Haven't been doing much on the tanks much at all. On the 55, I am running only one T5HO bulb, low co2 (15 - 20 ppm) very light fertilizers, minimal to no algae (appears when lack of filter maintenance) and excellent plant growth. Some of the reds are uneffected (magic lugwigia sp 'red') others, wouldn't turn red until hitting top 1/3 of the tank. Oh, and I am finally growing crypts successfully.  Never saw that coming. I am still shaping up the tank, it's nearly there. But as you know, I am the turle of the marathon.  Will be doing more in the future as time and money become available.

Here are the pictures of the progress. First one or two maybe a repeat, I am not sure. 































































Also, I am going to be slowing down in participation outside of my journal and moderation. I've been writing a blog on algae and find it quite fullfilling. Frankly, I never much cared for those that love to hijack any thread in order to discuss something that's been discussed 100000 times before. This only causes loss of objective (which for me was to reflect on what I've learned and maybe help others along the way). I really think people didn't care for my experiments anyway, lol. So, I will keep my algae killing secrets to myself for the time being. :hihi:


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## SkyGrl

yay! your back! your 55 is looking great you have a freaking doweni (freaking spelling) carpet that is awesome! 7 sewing projects! HOLY GRAIL!! man taht seems like a crazy amount! im glad you can have some time to do that. we wont hold it against you for not spending so much time on here. its becomes tiresome looking at new posts and seeing 5 or 6 "help me stock my tank!!!" threads. i just ignore those also. still glad to have you back lurking

Amy


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## zachary908

Nice to see you here, Sara! The tank is looking fabulous! And I expect a link to that algae blog when you are ready to share. roud:


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## peyton

Your tank looks great Sara and you aren't even half trying lol.


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## orchidman

the tank looks awesome sara!

especially those nice crypts!


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## jkan0228

Wow! Sara's back!!! Hahaha 

Nice carpet. Is it Hydrocotyle Sid?


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## cableguy69846

Not bad Sara. Keep it up.:icon_smil

And I second Zach. Show us the blog.:icon_eek:


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## sewingalot

*Update on Yellow/Blue Shrimp experiment *

Thanks guys! Hydrocotyle sp. 'japan' or whatever it's called now is the name, Jeff. I've been slowly moving out more plants. I can't believe I am saying this (I wonder if Nick will see this as he called me a loser for liking stems, lol), but I am moving out most of my stem plants and replacing them with crypts and java ferns. I know, right?!?

Few pictures:









Who can guess what these are? :biggrin:




















SkyGrl said:


> yay! your back! your 55 is looking great you have a freaking doweni (freaking spelling) carpet that is awesome! 7 sewing projects! HOLY GRAIL!! man taht seems like a crazy amount! im glad you can have some time to do that. we wont hold it against you for not spending so much time on here. its becomes tiresome looking at new posts and seeing 5 or 6 "help me stock my tank!!!" threads. i just ignore those also. still glad to have you back lurking
> 
> Amy


Haha, I know what you mean on the stock my tank threads. I love that people are diligent enough to post up the threads, but I am finding my time to answer things like these and constantly commenting on journals take up a lot of time when I could be sewing. So I limit myself now. I'll still help but in moderation. I think I was becoming a TPT junky and I hit rock bottom last year. :icon_wink



peyton said:


> Your tank looks great Sara and you aren't even half trying lol.


SHHHHHHHHHH! Peyton, you are giving away my secret, no fair! :hihi:

* Update on my accidental blue pearl shrimp tank getting contaminated with yellow shrimp turned into an experimental project. roud:* 
As many of you may have seen, I gave away _tainted _yellow shrimp that were found in my blue pearl tank after moving plants from the 55 to the 10 gallon (luckily I've never moved plants from the 10 to the 55!). As I stated to those that got the shrimp, if you didn't separate and either cull the babies or determine them to be pure yellow, they would eventually turn back into their wild coloring (brown and reddish brown). Since I already let it happen, I took one for the team and let them breed out. :hihi:

Let's see what happens! OOOOOOOH! The suspense!! 

*Before cross breeding:*
These are what the majority of my yellows look like (thankfully, no blues contaminated this tank) that were crossed over to the 10 (click link for pictures):
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/s...-babies-now-updated-pictures.html#post1626145

*Early signs of contamination*: 
For the blues, the colors fade and you'll see red strips and more brown:









In yellows, you start seeing the effects with paler females, racing strips and pale male yellows appear in the babies from the yellow shrimp tainted by blue pearls 









Notice the random brownish red shrimp that is also pictured. This is how most end up looking from the paler yellow/blues:









(In this shot, notice how pale both the blue pearls and yellows have become in just a short time period):









Then you get some neat shrimp as the blue starts overtaking the yellows:









But oddly, some yellows still persist even as the mutation continues (note the pale cherry looking shrimp on top?):









Less and less yellow are prominent:









And finally, you end up with the shrimp front and center.










So if you don't want this to happen, don't let your shrimp crossbreed and if they do, immediately cull all berried females or separate them until they give birth and cull the babies if you are not *100%* certain they bred true. Also, if you this does ever happen to you or you knowingly receive shrimp like these, be sure to clearly state they have came from tainted lines. roud:


EDIT: I forgot to add, the blog is by personal invite for now only, but once it is edited for mistakes, I'll share you you guys


----------



## jkan0228

Dude!!!! I'm switching to crypts too! Haha alot has happened with my tank while you've even gone. :hihi:


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## Bahugo

sewingalot said:


> Thanks guys! Hydrocotyle sp. 'japan' or whatever it's called now is the name, Jeff. I've been slowly moving out more plants. I can't believe I am saying this (I wonder if Nick will see this as he called me a loser for liking stems, lol), but I am moving out most of my stem plants and replacing them with crypts and java ferns. I know, right?!?
> 
> 
> Who can guess what these are? :biggrin:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So if you don't want this to happen, don't let your shrimp crossbreed and if they do, immediately cull all berried females or separate them until they give birth and cull the babies if you are not *100%* certain they bred true. Also, if you this does ever happen to you or you knowingly receive shrimp like these, be sure to clearly state they have came from tainted lines. roud:
> 
> 
> EDIT: I forgot to add, the blog is by personal invite for now only, but once it is edited for mistakes, I'll share you you guys


Ludwigia sp. "Big red" and Persicaria (known also as polygonum) sp. 'Kawagoeanum'. 

So wait, the hydrocotyle sp you sent me, is that Japan?? 

I have some mutant Neo's that I am thinking about selectively breeding. They look like a mixture of crystal blacks and tigers but the size of a cherry shrimp. They are wild looking! I will selectively breed the first Black Neo Tiger! Then I will send you their offspring so you can do a document on them in your algae blog and their clean up abilities. 

One of these days I will have too send you some CRS too, they are actually happy and breeding for me. Oddly, I don't ever do maintenance on that tank just top off with RO water the last water change I did was when I moved the tank onto the rack which was like... octoberish/November? lol.


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## sewingalot

jkan0228 said:


> Dude!!!! I'm switching to crypts too! Haha alot has happened with my tank while you've even gone. :hihi:


Yeah, I've been reading you are tearing down your entire tank. :thumbsup: That's fun yet hard work. 



Bahugo said:


> Ludwigia sp. "Big red" and Persicaria (known also as polygonum) sp. 'Kawagoeanum'.


Nope and nope. Both aren't in the tank and these I haven't seen in too many tanks.  



> So wait, the hydrocotyle sp you sent me, is that Japan??
> 
> I have some mutant Neo's that I am thinking about selectively breeding. They look like a mixture of crystal blacks and tigers but the size of a cherry shrimp. They are wild looking! I will selectively breed the first Black Neo Tiger! Then I will send you their offspring so you can do a document on them in your algae blog and their clean up abilities.
> 
> One of these days I will have too send you some CRS too, they are actually happy and breeding for me. Oddly, I don't ever do maintenance on that tank just top off with RO water the last water change I did was when I moved the tank onto the rack which was like... octoberish/November? lol.


Yes, but there is another name for it, but I don't remember how to spell it. 

Haha, deal on the algae blog. I can tell you yellows are excellent for cleaning up all algae, and even BBA. Glad your CRS is doing so well! I've heard lots of water changes can be brutal on them. Don't really know personally.


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## cableguy69846

She lives!:icon_eek:

Everything is looking good still.:thumbsup:


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## sewingalot

I was going through my old shrimp photos for the timeline in my earlier post and stumbled across one of the shrimp I got from Chad. Makes me what these again:









:eek5::eek5::drool::eek5::eek5:


----------



## nonconductive

ferns and crypts??? who are you and what have you done with sara?


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> ferns and crypts??? who are you and what have you done with sara?


Ha! You caught me! This is my alter ego. I know, right? Really looking to make the 55 gallon less work and more enjoyable. Plus the emersed tubs are there to help me change my mind. I really think emersing plants changed my planted tank life for the better.

Plus, I am almost done setting up the 15, so I'll have that for stems and such. :wink:

Have you heard from Mike? Haven't seen him around much.


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## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> Ha! You caught me! This is my alter ego. I know, right? Really looking to make the 55 gallon less work and more enjoyable. Plus the emersed tubs are there to help me change my mind. I really think emersing plants changed my planted tank life for the better.
> 
> Plus, I am almost done setting up the 15, so I'll have that for stems and such. :wink:
> 
> Have you heard from Mike? Haven't seen him around much.


yea mine too. you can still have all the stems w/o busy, cluttered collectoris scape.

i think mike fell into a mustache pan and hasnt been the same since.


----------



## sewingalot

Haha, you are probably right. I saw his journals are packed with angels and mustaches. Haven't commented on them, yet. Mostly catching up on reading. Exactly! It really helped me curb my collectoritis big time. I am hoping that this tank will be more peaceful and leave me time to focus on breeding my shrimp to even better colors. I am actually going to get a few CRS from Rachel when the 15 cycles.

I am really digging your new look without all the emersed house plants. Are you worried about algae without those nutrient suckers?


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## zachary908

Hydrocotyle sibthorpiodes.. I think that's the name you are looking for. roud:


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## jkan0228

Hey Sara. Got any suggestions for my new tank? Seeing that you're also getting into a majority of crypts.


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## Bahugo

Sara! Here is my shrimp


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## SkyGrl

what kind of shrimp is that?

Amy


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## peyton

That looks like the persicaria hydropiperoides I gave you. It has much shorter leaves than p. kawagoeanum.


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## zachary908

peyton said:


> That looks like the persicaria hydropiperoides I gave you. It has much shorter leaves than p. kawagoeanum.


Agreed. Nice plant!


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## Centromochlus

^ Definitely not Persicaria hydropiperoides. P. hydropiperoides stays green under any conditions, even high light. It also usually has wavy leaves. I had it a while back and it's an awesome plant. Wish i could find more of it...

It looks like you have P. 'sao paulo'.


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## peyton

AzFishKid said:


> ^ Definitely not Persicaria hydropiperoides. P. hydropiperoides stays green under any conditions, even high light. It also usually has wavy leaves. I had it a while back and it's an awesome plant. Wish i could find more of it...
> 
> It looks like you have P. 'sao paulo'.


 I have to dissagree. I collected it myself from a local source. This is a pic of the same stem I collected from the wild after turning from emersed form.










and this is what it looked like growing emersed.
http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/where/ponds/p/ap/guide/emergent/polygonumh.cfm

P. sau paulo does not grow in the wild here.


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## Cardinal Tetra

Wow the colors remind me of P. kawagoneum! Very nice find. My P. hydropiperioides never got any pinks in them, just boring green.


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## sewingalot

Philip, that is indeed mild water pepper (Hydropiperoides) that is native to this area. I used to eat it as a kid long before I knew about aquatic plants. If you see it in the fall here, it actually can get really red in the non shady parts of the water. 'Sao Paulo' is from Brazil according to APC plant finder. Maybe you had a variation? I know there are quite a few out there: http://wisplants.uwsp.edu/scripts/detail.asp?SpCode=POLHYD1

Cute shrimp, Rich!


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## sewingalot

Haha, ninja'd by the collector of this particular plant himself. Thanks, Peyton!


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## Centromochlus

Yes i know P. 'sao paulo' is from Brazil... the name kind of gives it away, lol. I wasn't aware that Peyton had collected that locally. I wouldn't have thrown out that name if i would have known that. 

Oh well, still a nice plant. It doesn't look ANYTHING like what i had but i guess there's some variation.


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## sewingalot

I didn't even know the 'sao paulo' was from Brazil until I looked it up a moment ago.  It is always possible the names have changed along the way as well. It's always been called water pepper to me, so who knows? But I have seen a longer leaved variation listed on a Michigan site. Maybe that is what you had?


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## Centromochlus

HAHA, i just did a bit of searching and found a thread that i posted about a year ago and in it Cavan says that P. hydropiperoides CAN have some color. Interesting...

Whatever variation i had definitely stayed completely green even under 216 watts of T5-HO, lots of co2, and dry ferts. 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/plants/122849-polygonum-plant-id.html#post1228411


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## sewingalot

Don't you love it when both sides are right? :biggrin: That would be cool to get both variations and see what they look like side by side emersed. After a while, they'd probably cross pollinate and create another variation.  Question is where to find the mysterious green only version. It looks like the plant grows everywhere except two states in the cont. US. Maybe we should all go to swamps and collect a sample. LOL


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## Chaos_Being

You're switching to ferns and crypts?

whatisthisidonteven



Seriously though, welcome to the lazy side!


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## sewingalot

I know.  I love the easiness and frankly lack of need of daily maintenance. I do plan to have a few stems like HM or other ground covering and maybe a stem or two, but I am not sure about it. I'm actually going even more low-tech as I am going to sponge filters and a submersible heater and getting rid of the canisters and such. I already detached one of the canisters and am waiting until I sell it to pay for a new heater to detach the other one.

Seriously, I am looking forward to the lazy side of the hobby.


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## sewingalot

Few quick photos. Things are kind of boring in the transition stage, but I find it important to show all stages of my tank, not just the model's portfolio. 




































By the way, shrimp love BBA. If you don't over feed them, they will devour it. I only have a few specks of algae here and there in the tank, so this little girl felt adventurous and as she moves, part of her body is out of the water. I am really getting proud of my girls, most are getting more solid before they are fully mature.









I already took down one canister and am taking down the other when my powerhead and sponge filter arrives and is seeded with new bacteria.


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## SkyGrl

what a fat oto!!! lol and your shrimp are looking awesome! i looked for some red claws and i could find none.. how sad! lol but i did find some pearl shrimp that i want. they where 25 bucks a shrimp tho! ACK! im not paying that! lol. your plants are looking SO healthy! and i didnt see a spot of algea... are you sure these are your tanks? LMAO


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## nonconductive

i think she was replaced by a clone! the real sara is addicted to stems.


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## cableguy69846

The tank is looking good. Keep it up.


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## sewingalot

Amy, second page down with the momma shrimp, look at the glass. Lots of spots of my dear friend. Health algae, of course, so I am happy!

LOL, Damon. I think I caught a disease from staring at your tank's pictures so long. I am blaming this entirely on you.


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## nonconductive

sewingalot said:


> LOL, Damon. I think I caught a disease from staring at your tank's pictures so long. I am blaming this entirely on you.


 
im totally not at fault as i have plenty of stems (just not in that tank) :flick:



health algae? what be dat?


(and i still think you've been replaced, the real sara dreams of ludwigia)


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## sewingalot

Healthiest algaes are GSA and clado, having some in your tank is a sign of healthy water (not talking about plant growing, just general health). I'd include diatoms, but there is a debate on whether or not they are still considered to be algae. 

I may have been replaced. You never know. I have been watching some alien abduction movies lately.  

P.s. I have tons of plants, they are just emersed. I am planning on still using stems, just in a smaller tank. I am not well enough to spend a lot of time on the 55. Perhaps when I am feeling better I'll stock it full of stems again. :tongue:


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## nonconductive

You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead.......... your next stop, the Twilight Zone.


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## Jeff5614

sewingalot said:


> I know.  I love the easiness and frankly lack of need of daily maintenance. I do plan to have a few stems like HM or other ground covering and maybe a stem or two, but I am not sure about it. I'm actually going even more low-tech as I am going to sponge filters and a submersible heater and getting rid of the canisters and such. I already detached one of the canisters and am waiting until I sell it to pay for a new heater to detach the other one.
> 
> Seriously, I am looking forward to the lazy side of the hobby.


Now you're talking! Give me epiphytes or give me death! Well, not really but you know what I mean. I'm not sure I could go for sponge filters in the tank and that sorta thing but welcome to the easier side of life. Stems are more trouble than they're worth, IMO.


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## chad320

Haha, now I know what to send you  The easier side of life  I only keep stems in small tanks too. Its just too much maintenance with other stuff to do.


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## nonconductive

I agree with you guys, stems arent worth the trouble in bigger tanks. but sometimes i get tank envy when i see all the pretty colors.


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## chad320

Yeah, I dont think I could ever handle anything bigger than a 40B. Mine is a 29g and its a pian as is


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## Chaos_Being

Aaaaaaaah the second picture, with the big shrimp...AWESOME roud:


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## jkan0228

Hey Sara 
What lighting do you have? I'm considering using Downoi in my new setup which will be used with 2 T5HO's with a screen on it to reduce intensity. Wondering if Downoi can grow decently in a medium-close-to-low-light setup.


----------



## zachary908

jkan0228 said:


> Hey Sara
> What lighting do you have? I'm considering using Downoi in my new setup which will be used with 2 T5HO's with a screen on it to reduce intensity. Wondering if Downoi can grow decently in a medium-close-to-low-light setup.


Should do fine, Jeff. Just give it a rich substrate and plenty of micro nutrients!


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## sewingalot

Loving the multi-quote right now. :redface:



nonconductive said:


> You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead.......... your next stop, the Twilight
> Zone.


Holy cow cud!!! I AM thinking I am in another demension. You used capitalization and punctuation marks. If you didn't just copy and paste that, I'd swear you were the one cloned. :flick:



Jeff5614 said:


> Now you're talking! Give me epiphytes or give me death! Well, not really but you know what I mean. I'm not sure I could go for sponge filters in the tank and that sorta thing but welcome to the easier side of life. Stems are more trouble than they're worth, IMO.


I can see you now having a sword defending your tank from Limnophilia Aromatica like my favorite hero, He-man. LOL! I love stems, I really do. But I am just not up to them on such a large scale anymore. I figured I'll still have a few like downoi, HM and maybe put in something like the diandra, but I don't want to be working in the tank more than a few times a month. The shrimp sure do appreciate the java ferns much more it seems.



chad320 said:


> Haha, now I know what to send you  The easier side of life  I only keep stems in small tanks too. Its just too much maintenance with other stuff to do.


Send me stems! MUST HAVE STEMS! :icon_eek:



nonconductive said:


> I agree with you guys, stems arent worth the trouble in bigger tanks. but sometimes i get tank envy when i see all the pretty colors.


I do miss the stems already, I have to admit. I just don't miss the work, it was frustrating to get that perfect look, the one you want to take pictures of and show off, only to blink and see overgrown again. Set up the 15 gallon for stems, so I do have a backup. :smile:



chad320 said:


> Yeah, I dont think I could ever handle anything bigger than a 40B. Mine is a 29g and its a pian as is





Chaos_Being said:


> Aaaaaaaah the second picture, with the big shrimp...AWESOME roud:


Thanks. :fish:



jkan0228 said:


> Hey Sara
> What lighting do you have? I'm considering using Downoi in my new setup which will be used with 2 T5HO's with a screen on it to reduce intensity. Wondering if Downoi can grow decently in a medium-close-to-low-light setup.


1 T5HO about 27 inches (+/- few ") from the bottom of the substrate. Would have to measure to remember how much exactly. On 8 hours. Never set back up the other ballast. It grows bigger, less compact, like you see in the picture above in lower light.



zachary908 said:


> Should do fine, Jeff. Just give it a rich substrate and plenty of micro nutrients!


I agree that a richer substrate is more important than anything for this plant (and most) plants.


----------



## sewingalot

Not much going on. I am too lazy to work on the tank, and have been finding I don't really have the time when I have the gumption. 









On the happy side!!!!! I have baby red claws and I got some decent shots. Here is the best:









And I found this too cool. Mini pellia has attached itself to the glass:









The incredibly annoying sinking riccia/lichen is now in this tank, but the shrimp love playing in it. I let it grow for a while and yank most of it out.

Other news, the Hamburger Mattenfilter is setup and lightly planted. All the plants came from emersed setup to prevent the tank from getting lots of unwanted algae. Also too lazy to work more on this:









Speaking of which, the emersed set is doing well:









So status update? Things are on autopilot. I have plans, but too lazy to implement them. Basically, a normal occurrence as of late. I have a ton of plants floating that need planted, so the hope is to get them planted by tomorrow, and I'll update when they straighten out and grow a bit. I think it'll look great when I finally get around to it.


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## mizu-chan

Look like things are going along swimmingly. I'm excited so see more pics once you've planted everything - I'm in the same process myself. 

Your emersed set up is looking great btw!


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## sewingalot

Mizu!!!!! It is fantastic to hear from you. I must say I've missed you and your lovely tanks. How is life? I hope well! 

(And thanks. )


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## nonconductive

that mini pelia looks like its suspended in space.


PELIA IN SPPPAAAAACEEEEE


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## mizu-chan

Life has been pretty good. Just a lot of school and whatnot! 

I've miss you too!  I just got caught up on your journal and it really makes me want to crack down on the hobby again - all of your plants... so healthy and pretty! 

I hope life is treating you well!


----------



## sewingalot

nonconductive said:


> that mini pelia looks like its suspended in space.
> 
> 
> PELIA IN SPPPAAAAACEEEEE


That's pretty funny. :hihi: I don't know how or why it decided to grow there, but it did.



mizu-chan said:


> Life has been pretty good. Just a lot of school and whatnot!
> 
> I've miss you too!  I just got caught up on your journal and it really makes me want to crack down on the hobby again - all of your plants... so healthy and pretty!
> 
> I hope life is treating you well!


School consumed me. Getting my graduate degree was the worst, working full-time and going for a MBA isn't fun. I can understand your absence from that alone. 

You are too kind with the compliments. It's been a little touch and go, but I'm happier with the lower tech side of life. :smile:

Life is good. Ups and downs as expected, but very well as of late. Hope to be seeing you around some more!


----------



## orchidman

everything looks great, i really like the way your big tank looks, and that baby red claw is so cute!


----------



## sewingalot

*Algae, the memories are forever.*

Thanks, Bob! Sorry I didn't reply sooner, been busy sewing:









Here was an early stages picture of the "lily pad" inspired quilt. 









Yes, I just posted sewing pictures in a plant journal. I find it fun to include everything in my life that reminds me of why my tank looks less than ideal at the moment. That way I can say, my tank sucks right now, but I made something pretty good! It helps to also put into perspective that my attention is divided and makes it easier to accept the flaws in both hobbies. 

Onto Algae related news! I am having a very hard time finding algae in the 55. It's kind of bitter sweet. After scouring, I found these little specks. Yay for algae! Of course, there will always be the line under the substrate, so that's a positive, but it's cyano so not so happy.









Sadly, I had to tear down most of my algae "tanks." There is an influx of bugs due to unforeseen spring weather in the winter and they love to do laps in the jars. Jerks. So with that, I took a parting picture:









On the plus side, Francine is staying as her glass is self contained with a lid. In addition, I have successfully been able to both grow and kill every algae that I set out to, including false algae (cyanobacteria). On the negative side, for now my experiments are on hold until indefinitely. I know, you all are completely heart broken. Here are some parting microscopic shots to ease the pain:













































Onto the tanks, the 10 and 55 are just sitting pretty. I turned off all external filters from the 55 and am now just running a sponge on a couple powerheads and a heater. Right now, I am not even trying to hide the equipment as I have plans that are in the need of supplies. 



























Here is the beginnings of the 15 gallon hamburger mattenfilter setup (HMF). Lots of algae there due to the initial setup and lack of co2 at the moment, but it eases the pain of lack of algae in my other two.









Now onto detailed pictures and arbitrary comments where I see fit. :redface:

My moss wall was a sort of success/failure. 
Failures: 
1. Suction cups I bought that were suggested sucked in a bad way. Most don't hold and it keeps popping off in places. Stupid suction cups that don't suction.
2. One of the red claws was playing on the wall and SNAP went a thread and a good chunk fell away with more barely hanging on.

Success:
1. It's a wall!
2. The shrimp adore it!

Future plans:
Take down the moss wall and replace suction cups and either sew with more knots and less spacing or cover with a topping of gutter guard.

Current picture:









Red claw update: 
Babies are exploding all over the place (see the two in the moss?). The plan is to ship off the adults and keep the babies for now.









Yellow shrimp update: there are new babies! And to show what I mean about the babies, they come out YELLOW at birth in the super strain:









Yellow and red claw babies making friends:









Flying shrimp! A few of my yellows have developed racing stripes. It seems when Chad and I exchange shrimp, the first few batches tend to come out a little stripey and the males a little paler. I think it's because they are kind of getting new blood (same lines but distant relatives) and not being inbred so much. This is great as it gives me an opportunity to breed in more yellow and better traits in the long run as I cull (sell) the first batches. Also, I set up the 15 to put the best quality yellows in there to start a new line. I am working on getting solid legs. Part way there!









Better picture to show the solid male with a hopefully solid tale for Chad (notice the trapeze artist in the RRF):









The "paler" males I was talking about. Now most wouldn't think this is pale, but as Chad and others can tell you, this is not as bright as they normally get. I call them pale as the tails and legs are clearish. Can you spot the other four babies?:









Clado heaven and one of my super cool hybrid yellows and blue pearls. If I could keep this strain, they'd be a fortune. Sadly, most are now brown. This is one of the only ones left. I call it Blue tiger. 









Lots of HMF 15 gallon closeups. Did you really think I'd leave you hanging without lots of lovely algae shots? Actually, the algae is subsiding much more quickly than I'd like. I say this as the diatoms are excellent food for the shrimp (and free!). I temporarily took down the algae off the HMF for the most part. I want to give the HMF more time to seed bacteria without impeding flow.


















The mermaid weed is finally converting:









UG is growing under the cloud of diatoms!









Diatoms and apparently BGA from microscopic pictures (included above).









Oh! Bettatail made me an awesome setup shortly before Christmas. It has 3 outlets for the co2 and a solenoid! It's really pretty and I hate that it will be hid in the 10 gallon stand. (Did you know the only reason for the 10 gallon next to the 55 is to have a place to hold the co2? Fun fact!) Anyway, I am ashamed to say I haven't yet set it up. Partly because of lack of funds. Since I took down the canisters, I no longer have the Cerges reactor setup, so I am looking into diffusion methods. Thinking of going "old" school with 2 ceramic diffusers in each corner and running the third line to the 10 gallon for co2 for the first time in years. (Noticed the pale blyxa from lack of co2) I don't know if I included the picture here so bare with me if it is a repeat. Notice the awesome sticker from Rachel? :smile:









Ummm.....I have a few more things I wanted to include, but my mind is blank as I've been typing this for an half-hour or so and I am wearing down.

A lengthy update and if you've stayed with me and better yet read this post, thank you! If you didn't read the post and you ask questions that are obviously in this post, please don't be offended if I don't answer you. I am trying to encourage you to read as it's a pet peeve of mine. :icon_mrgr

Finally, I'll leave you with this. Are my tanks where I want them? Not yet. But if you are one of the lovely people that have followed my musings, you will know that my tank is never finished.


----------



## peyton

I think those java ferns in your 55g look awesome. Why are you doing away with the canister filters? If you need any equipment let me know. I still have a ton of misc stuff laying around. Got a old hagen co2 bubble ladder if you want to try it in the 55g.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks! I am getting some taller (not the dwarf) needle leaf java from Rachel soon to continue my plans. I might take you up on the bubble ladder, I am also looking on this as an idea: http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Ceramic-88g-CO2-Diffuser-Ounces/dp/B004GCO35G/ref=lh_ni_t Did you have success with the bubble ladder?

Getting rid of the canisters had a lot to do with my algae experiments actually. No matter what, I kept getting bad BBA with canister filters. I find this was because they essentially become a cesspool for me as I neglect cleaning them and there was a lot of waste from plants and fauna. I was just circulating dirty water throughout the tank. Lately, I was experiencing nitrite spikes and I found through lots of research that could be the cause. With the sponge filtration, the algae is almost a non issue. Just a few specks here and there. And the cycle is holding steady.

Second, less chance of a leak. After having the Eheim break in the same place twice and having the company send parts three times, I realized my warranty runs out in October. I don't want to chance another leak although most say they've had no issues, these eheim quick disconnects have failed on me two too many times. Wouldn't be able to afford the replacement parts if they were to fail again. I'm going to try to sell them locally, and if they don't sell, I'll put them up here. I have a 2232 and 2234 and also a Marineland c160 I'm planning to sell. 

Third, I did a lot of research on sponge filtration when setting up the HMF and I really like the consistency. Surprisingly, the flow from the two power heads is superior to the two Eheims. It was a pleasant find.

By the way, we still need to get together so I can give you the Cerges reactor. That thing is awesome for diffusing co2!


----------



## orchidman

Woahh! Are those cat pictures on the first quilt?! Super awesome! And that flower one is super fabulous!!!

That java fern looks nice and healthy!

This algae shots are really cool! You'd love my 10g right now! Its got loads of algae!


----------



## nonconductive

hey that dresden quilt looks mighty familiar. good job on the other one too! hope you didnt prick your finger too many times! hehe


why not just put lids or screens over all the jars?

55 looks great, looking forward to seeing what you do with the ferns from rachel


----------



## sewingalot

orchidman said:


> Woahh! Are those cat pictures on the first quilt?! Super awesome! And that flower one is super fabulous!!!
> 
> That java fern looks nice and healthy!
> 
> This algae shots are really cool! You'd love my 10g right now! Its got loads of algae!


Yeah, they are cats. I bought a ton of cat fabric when I was much younger and now I have no idea what to do with it all. :help: That flower one was awesome to make, but I really made myself sick looking at all the flaws and almost didn't send it. LOL.

I went to look at your 10 gallon and got distracted with the great job news. Back to see if there were any algae pictures.



nonconductive said:


> hey that dresden quilt looks mighty familiar. good job on the other one too! hope you didnt prick your finger too many times! hehe
> 
> 
> why not just put lids or screens over all the jars?
> 
> 55 looks great, looking forward to seeing what you do with the ferns from rachel


That other one has been finger prick free.....so far. :biggrin: You probably recognized it from the quilting forum we are both on. :wink:

I did have lids on some of the jars for experiments, but took them off for my latest rounds. And truthfully, after having a thought dead bug crawl out of the jar and up my arm as I was moving it to clean it was enough to send me on a heebie-jeebie rampage and I threw them out in a fit of bug rage. :icon_wink

And I'm looking forward to the plants too. I have huge plans that I am just so lazy to commit to at the moment.


----------



## orchidman

That is so cool! Any chance of us getting Some detail pictures of the cat quilt? I think it's SUPERRRRRR awesome!!! And that flower one, I love all the colors, I'm sure the mistakes are things that only you could see. It looks amazing!

There aren't any algae pics, sorry  in due time my friend


----------



## plantbrain

Nice Regulator


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks, Tom. Bettatail did a great job on the build. I'm super excited to use it.

How's this, Bob?


















I haven't worked on it since or ironed it yet. I have no idea what to do with it, other than to try to sell it for the cost of materials. I'll wait patiently on pictures. 

Speaking of which, I redid the moss wall since most of it was gone. I used two pieces of mesh, one I cut more spacing into and used Rex-lace (this stuff is awesome!) to sew it together. If this works, I'll slowly make more. Also, the adult red claws were shipped to another planted tanker. I have babies, though. And since fishing out the shrimp resulted in having to rip out the plants, I did a rescape:

Water changes and it was still cloudy for two days. That's the only thing I don't like about the MTS setup. On a major uprooting, it's a mess. 









Moss wall attempt #2









First day, really cloudy:









Next day, clearing up but a little cloudy:









After cleaning, feeding time of the younguns









Meanwhile, in 15 gallon land, the algae is at it's breaking point:









Sloughing off like a bad sunburn:









Plants are doing okay despite the cloud of cyano and diatoms. 









Nothing much to report. Just a small update.


----------



## orchidman

How is it!? It's great!!! My favorite is the one with the angel wings, lol! Give it to someone who just had a baby and tell them you made it just for them, they will be forced to keep it because it was a gift! Lol 

Guess you'll have to patiently wait for the algae to grow back. Probably wont take long, I'll get algae sooner or later.

Tank looks great! Soon you'll have a java jungle!!


----------



## sewingalot

I don't know anyone having a baby that I haven't made something for recently or I would. Haha. I haven't even quilted it yet as I am that unmotivated. 

That's the plan on the java. And I'll always wait for decent algae pictures, lol.


----------



## Bahugo

That Cat quilt is really cute Sara! 

I like your algae slides, I have algae I Can't seem too kick in the 20g it's getting annoying.  Congrats on the new regulator! And babies! How do you like your HMF?


----------



## orchidman

Haha! Its worth finishing for sure! I think it's a neat idea!

Cool! What all fish do you have In there? I can't remember but did you have an emerald eye tetras in one of your tanks?

A java jungle will be super awesome!

I'm sure you won't have to wait long!


----------



## sewingalot

Bahugo said:


> That Cat quilt is really cute Sara!
> 
> I like your algae slides, I have algae I Can't seem too kick in the 20g it's getting annoying.  Congrats on the new regulator! And babies! How do you like your HMF?


Thanks, Rich. What kind of algae is it? I might be able to help.  I am still up in the air with the HMF. So far, there isn't much to say about it. It's really doing it's job, I just noticed a ton of baby shrimp in the tank and they were covering the wall. So, in that regards it's doing well. 



orchidman said:


> Haha! Its worth finishing for sure! I think it's a neat idea!
> 
> Cool! What all fish do you have In there? I can't remember but did you have an emerald eye tetras in one of your tanks?
> 
> A java jungle will be super awesome!
> 
> I'm sure you won't have to wait long!


I used to have emerald eye rasboras. An underrated, beautiful schooling fish. Right now, in all my tanks there are just shrimp and otos in the 55, a betta female in the 10 gallon.


----------



## plantbrain

sewingalot said:


> I don't know anyone having a baby that I haven't made something for recently or I would. Haha. I haven't even quilted it yet as I am that unmotivated.
> 
> That's the plan on the java. And I'll always wait for decent algae pictures, lol.


Here's some motivation










Daughters are cool beans. 

Those quilts are frankly, awesome.


----------



## sewingalot

Cute baby! Is that girl yours? (Love the giraffe. ) You are welcome to the quilt as it is unspoken for at the moment.


----------



## orchidman

sewingalot said:


> Thanks, Rich. What kind of algae is it? I might be able to help.  I am still up in the air with the HMF. So far, there isn't much to say about it. It's really doing it's job, I just noticed a ton of baby shrimp in the tank and they were covering the wall. So, in that regards it's doing well.
> 
> 
> 
> I used to have emerald eye rasboras. An underrated, beautiful schooling fish. Right now, in all my tanks there are just shrimp and otos in the 55, a betta female in the 10 gallon.


i saw a tank full of them at Rachel's house last summer, they were amazing! i want to get some sometime!



plantbrain said:


> Here's some motivation
> 
> 
> Daughters are cool beans.
> 
> Those quilts are frankly, awesome.


cute kid!!


----------



## plantbrain

sewingalot said:


> Cute baby! Is that girl yours? (Love the giraffe. ) You are welcome to the quilt as it is unspoken for at the moment.


Yep, all mine, spoiled rotten but I do not think that's possible with babies. Teenagers for certain. They say she looks more like me, I do not think so but my grown son is the spitting image of me. 

I was just admiring the work, no need for a quilt, the mother would wash it 5x anyhow:redface:


----------



## ua hua

plantbrain said:


> Yep, all mine, spoiled rotten but I do not think that's possible with babies. Teenagers for certain. They say she looks more like me, I do not think so but my grown son is the spitting image of me.
> 
> I was just admiring the work, no need for a quilt, the mother would wash it 5x anyhow:redface:


What a cutie Tom. My 7 month old has that same toy giraffe. It is one of the top selling baby toys in Europe(at least thats what lady at the store told my wife)


----------



## plantbrain

ua hua said:


> What a cutie Tom. My 7 month old has that same toy giraffe. It is one of the top selling baby toys in Europe(at least thats what lady at the store told my wife)


Mom lived in a hut in Malawi Africa for 2 years, so certain animals are welcomed in the house. Something to gnaw on beside manzanita driftwood while teething.


----------



## plantbrain

Have you got that nice CO2 reg operating yet?


----------



## nonconductive

cute kid Tom, our 2nd is due in like 8 days. a girl, and sara has already made her a quilt, and also my son. they were both pretty darn awesome.


----------



## sewingalot

They say the second year, babies actually really favor the father. I don't know, I haven't been around children in years. My cousins all had babies starting at 14 and they are now teenagers and young adults and my godson is now heading off to kindergarten. 

The momma sounds like me when it comes to washing things. You are always welcome to a quilt. I have pushed them onto so many people, I'm running out of takers. That one is actually pretty sad looking to be honest. First attempt at paper piecing and I am not found of cat prints I'm finding. :hihi:

No, I haven't had a chance to set up the regulator. I am trying to do some trading for some ceramic diffusers for it (I need three) but so far, no takers. So until I either create revenue or find a trade, I'm stuck. I used to have a Cerges reactor, but I am now running all the equipment inside of the tank, so my method of diffusion is limited. I'm using a powerhead, but the one it's hooked up to really isn't doing a good job at diffusing.


----------



## SJInverts

Amazing the progression on the this tank.


----------



## sewingalot

Thanks! 

Here is a small update. The moss wall is slowly filling in....









I am really liking the in tank equipment, but am still having a hard time diffusing co2. Supplementing with excel (which I hate to do) in the meantime. I set up a nano diffuser under the power head and it's helping a bit, but not much. 

Have some changes on the tank, but not ready to show pictures just yet. Waiting to make sure it doesn't fall apart first like the moss wall did earlier.


----------



## sewingalot

It appears the moss wall is a success. It is slowly filling in, but more importantly, it is a hub for the shrimp. I think they have developed a fondness of climbing. After water changes, they like to climb up the wall out of the water and back down. I don't fill up the water for an hour or so and let them play. Then I put it on a small trickle with the python on the wall and they love to get under it like a waterfall. It's too cute. Let me show examples. Too adorable!

"Thanks for being my rock climbing buddy, Ned."









Yeah, I need to clean off the calcium build up again:













































This was pretty cool, the female was starting to molt in this picture. You can see the cracks in the shell starting. I didn't catch it on film, but seconds later she popped right out and went scurrying off into the thicket. Never actually saw what they look like before molting. At first, I was really nervous thinking she was sick.









Yeah, water spots. I don't want to show all of the tanks just yet as I'm trying to work on a few things.









Great wall of algae!









So for my fellow shrimp lovers, this was mainly for you; an update of the incredibly slow growing, shrimp fascinating, incredibly well built by a genius "Moss Wall Extraordinaire."


----------



## tippeecanoe

Hi sewingalot,

It took me about two weeks to get through all of the comments, photos, etc. while I had some down time at work (don't tell the boss!). I liked the transition from "plant hoarder" afflicted with "collectoritis" to, what seems to me, a more restrained approach to planted tank maintenance. Please do not take offense, as I mean none. I have been a hands-off aquarium keeper for several years and have always been frustrated with the types plants I was able to keep. I've enjoyed and learned much from reading your thread. Thank you for sharing your highs and lows and allowing me to "lurk" at the window of your tank(s). 

Best regards,


----------



## tippeecanoe

PS: The quilts are AWESOME!


----------



## sewingalot

Hi Tippeecanoe (great username, by the way. )

Thank you for the comments, I do appreciate them and am honored you spent the time reading through the entire journal. That is very cool! I took no offense to your comments and feel you have pretty much summed up my experience in a few short sentences. (And I won't tell the boss. )

Here are a few pictures since I'm on here. I did a few projects like gluing stuff (subwassertang and java plantlets) to pvc and coconuts. I then decided to make a project out of pvc, rexlace and subwassertang. It's still not all place in the ideal location, but I am much less enthusiastic about the tank these days. The lower tech is more boring I'll say that much. Planning is important and watching things grow is painful at times. And the left side of the tank is still much to be desired. I haven't even tackled that area as I am trying to focus on one area at a time. But I am debating on whether or not to remove all stems as they are less appealing in this tank at the moment. We shall see and much thought and deliberation will be put into it and then abandoned in a moment of frustration.


----------



## sewingalot

Low tech is boring. I'll admit it. But it's also painless.

Watching things like moss grow in is excruciating:









And you'd think with all this free time, I'd start removing the water spots, yet I still don't half the time as noted below:









Converted this into my "cull" tank. I call it this as these are lesser yellows in my opinion (Camera is set at auto white balance, -1 exposure to prevent the washed out plant color):


















Setup the 15 to pull out the beauties. It's a long process.

Left off the lights accidentally on the 15 for quite a few days and am loosing some of the rarer plants as a result. I am also unable to replenish them and start over as I made a huge error and lost my emersed setup (windy day, bad tape):









CRS are still alive and healthy from Rachel. I'm happy for that:









Got in some apistogramma rotpunkt from a friend and am stoked. They ate all the worms up and I'm now feeding them BBS/crushed flake:









So the tank is slowly filling in, but growing and nearly algae free. It's nice, but sometimes bittersweet at the same time. I miss the drastic changes from week to wee. But for this point in my life, it's much more manageable and I am thrilled to see the fish and shrimp happily enjoying the tank. I am really thinking of trying no co2 to see what happens in this tank. I figured if it doesn't work out, I can put it back.


----------



## sewingalot

*Yay! Another update of the best tank in the whole world according to Kafka*

Long time no update. Sometimes I feel like I am talking to myself which is A-Okay by me. I find myself quite engaging, imaginative and pleasant company. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah......an update. 

Things are growing, but slowly. That includes my friend, algae. Yesterday I finally saw a tuft and actually was joyful. Then I plucked him out and threw him in another tank (the 10) that is currently battling GDA. I love algae, but I don't want it to over take the 55. I mean in 10 years, there may be a leaf covered. Gasp! The right side is looking very pleasing to me. I am really digging my "fallen branch" now that the pvc is covering up and the subwassertang reminds me of the lichens, moss and ivy that converts fallen trees into supple grounds for more trees to grow. I love that about nature. Even in death, there is life. Very fulfilling to think about.

The moss wall is not going as planned (again). The plan is to once more tear it down, but use gutter guard on the front. The left side grew a bunch of red ludwiga and it was sadly killing the bottom of the wall. It's a learning process. I have more plans but money is short and holds back progress. But soon!

The left side has completely been torn down as I am currently babysitting plants for a friend. I haven't taken many pictures other than those included below. Not many changes in a lower tech tank.:









Feeding time:









Yellow shrimpers:









See all the babies in this one? Even they are nicely yellowed up!









Oh and for those that don't visit my HMF thread (see signature link if curious), I am proud to say it's going well with some hiccups along the way:


----------



## green_valley

sewingalot said:


> Low tech is boring. I'll admit it. But it's also painless.


I totally agree with that. Your tank looks nice. I love apistogramma, But never seen apistogramma rotpunkt.


----------



## 2in10

Tanks are looking great. Too many viewers and not enough commentators on this site. Good thing you find your conversation stimulating.:wink::hihi:


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## sewingalot

I got them from Indyplanted. They are great little fish.  And 2in10, I really don't mind if people don't comment. I love to update the journal for myself. I figure if others like it, it's a bonus.


----------



## Bahugo

Tanks are looking really good Sara! Your plants are growing in nicely in your HMF tank. How have things been with you?


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## kwheeler91

Is that ug in the foreground?
Nice tanks your plants look really healthy. Whats the lighting on the 55?


----------



## sewingalot

Bahugo said:


> Tanks are looking really good Sara! Your plants are growing in nicely in your HMF tank. How have things been with you?


Thanks. Things are pretty good, been writing a bit and sewing a little. Focusing on home life right now. How are things with you?



kwheeler91 said:


> Is that ug in the foreground?
> Nice tanks your plants look really healthy. Whats the lighting on the 55?


In the 15, yes that is UG. On the 55, it is one 54 watt T5HO bulb somewhere between 26 - 30" from the substrate. I've long forgotten and am too lazy to measure. It's on about 9 hours a day now.


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## nonconductive

rotpunkt just sounds cool.... how are they doing? last time i was at bradley's i think i stared at them for 1/2 an hour.


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## sewingalot

They are doing good, lost a few to an unknown red claw that was bigger than the fry and they were sleeping in his lair (it was too late when I realized it). They hide constantly in plants, I rarely see them. I'll try to get a picture soon. Gorgeous fish! How are you doing with the wee one, non c?

Parting shot of the moss wall. All but the parts sticking out completely died off. I am currently looking for hardware cloth to redo it. Sigh. Attempt #3 to follow. Shrimp aren't happy without their wall to climb. I promised a new one soon. And yes, I talk to my shrimp. :tongue:









Why do you ask am I showing this emersed setup? Because I can and also to show how special I am. Not only do I get algae, but I also get snails! I bet you all are just wishing for my abilities, aren't you? Free fertilizer! So the moral of the story? Just because it's emersed doesn't mean it'll be pest or algae free. Remember that. 




































I don't know when it happened, but I have a juvenile oto!









Obligatory FTS. Ignore the left side, it's temporarily housing plants. Some great plants in there, though!









Don't mind me....umm.....kissing snails. I was hungry and didn't want to wait for the food to water log itself.









Nom nom nom









Whole new meaning of taking food "To Go"









I am cracking myself up, time to get off here and actually do some exercise before I gain an extra size!


----------



## sewingalot

Not much going on in the low tech setup. I added another moss wall attempt #3. Let's hope this works better. So in the interim, here is the HMF tank (yes, I updated some of this in the HMF thread, but I like to update here as this my main journal):

Pre trim:









Post trim:













































Hello!









I'm hiding....shh!









Got plants?









Attack of the UG! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, run for your lives!!!!!!!!!









Lichen, sinking riccia look alike:









Plants going for stretch:









Prettiness!


----------



## wkndracer

while you're claiming boredom I think the removal of weekly drama can be a good thing.
the updated pics look like stable tanks and happy critters.

congats on the baby otto too! I think that is really cool (and no diapers to change)


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## cableguy69846

The tanks are looking good. That HMF seems to be working like a champ. Keep it up.


----------



## Karackle

Sara, your tanks are looking great! I LOVE the "fallen branch", it looks AWESOME all filled in, I might have to try something like that :hihi: so you literally just superglued the plants onto PVC? People keep talking about supergluing plants to things....I really need to try this :tongue: Do you want me to send you some gutter guard stuff that I used for my moss wall? works pretty well!  

I actually really like the look of the jungle on the right side of the tank and some empty, free swimming space for the fish on the left. Not necessarily left bare, but I sort of like how it slopes to one side. It will look really cool if the moss wall fills in on the left too and if the grassy plants (not sure what they are) keep filling in and over to the left. Could be a really cool look. 

I didn't recognize this tank at first! It's looking really good! But I thought it was a much bigger tank and the growth in the back was emersed, but not I realize you only took a picture of the bottom portion of the tank :hihi: I want to see more pictures!  









I have to go find the HMF thread now! Great updates and I'm still jealous of your pictures, they're so clear!


----------



## Chaos_Being

*poke*

How's version 3 of the moss wall doing? Bored to death of low tech yet? LOL!

Tanks look good...I especially like that "fallen log" you made.


----------



## chad320

Im lichen your lichen :hihi: How in the heck do you get giant UG? Its so cool looking! I am about to fold the cards on the Yellow shrimp. You get three times as many babies as me and now im sad seeing all of yours


----------



## ophiophagus

What is the foreground plant on the left? I really like the look 


Oh and for those that don't visit my HMF thread (see signature link if curious), I am proud to say it's going well with some hiccups along the way:







[/QUOTE]


----------



## Karackle

I too would like to see how the new moss wall is doing!


----------



## sewingalot

wkndracer said:


> while you're claiming boredom I think the removal of weekly drama can be a good thing.
> the updated pics look like stable tanks and happy critters.
> 
> congats on the baby otto too! I think that is really cool (and no diapers to change)


Hi Mike! And yes, so cool on no diaper changes. I only wish there were more to look at. How are your tanks coming along? I've been lurking, but not as much time to do so.



cableguy69846 said:


> The tanks are looking good. That HMF seems to be working like a champ. Keep it up.


Love it, best decision I ever made. I'll never go back to canisters unless I have to.



Karackle said:


> Sara, your tanks are looking great! I LOVE the "fallen branch", it looks AWESOME all filled in, I might have to try something like that so you literally just superglued the plants onto PVC? People keep talking about supergluing plants to things....I really need to try this Do you want me to send you some gutter guard stuff that I used for my moss wall? works pretty well!


I used something called Rexlace to tied it down. Was more sturdy than nylon and cotton string and is permanent. In my past experience, superglue isn't too keen with pvc. Most of the time I use superglue, my fingers end up attached to said project as well. :help:



> I actually really like the look of the jungle on the right side of the tank and some empty, free swimming space for the fish on the left. Not necessarily left bare, but I sort of like how it slopes to one side. It will look really cool if the moss wall fills in on the left too and if the grassy plants (not sure what they are) keep filling in and over to the left. Could be a really cool look.


My plan is to leave the other side really low, but I haven't gotten it even figured out in my head yet. I was babysitting plants that I need to move over to emersed life, but I haven't gotten to that point yet. I'm slow. :tongue:



> I didn't recognize this tank at first! It's looking really good! But I thought it was a much bigger tank and the growth in the back was emersed, but not I realize you only took a picture of the bottom portion of the tank I want to see more pictures!
> 
> I have to go find the HMF thread now! Great updates and I'm still jealous of your pictures, they're so clear!


Haha, this tank is pretty sad. Case in point:










I raided it for plants and haven't gotten around to redoing it. The fish is happy, so I am not in a hurry.



Chaos_Being said:


> *poke*
> 
> How's version 3 of the moss wall doing? Bored to death of low tech yet? LOL!
> 
> Tanks look good...I especially like that "fallen log" you made.


Hey Chaos!!! Attempt #3 is going much better. I took some pictures a few days ago, but it's already looking even better. Low tech is so slow. But it's not a lot of work so....sigh. It's a trade off. Best looking tank I've had in a while. And practically zero maintenance. That's ideal.



chad320 said:


> Im lichen your lichen How in the heck do you get giant UG? Its so cool looking! I am about to fold the cards on the Yellow shrimp. You get three times as many babies as me and now im sad seeing all of yours


*snorts at nerdy plant joke* I have critters, they love critters. :biggrin: The yellows are doing quite well for me. I think the key is really is WV water. Send them to me and I'll take care of them for you. :wink:



ophiophagus said:


> What is the foreground plant on the left? I really like the look


"Utricularia graminifolia" or UG for short. It's a carnivorous plant that can be also grown emersed.



Karackle said:


> I too would like to see how the new moss wall is doing!


See below for updates. They aren't very new, but I'll try to get more soon.































































Needs some work....









Overexposed, but that's typical for me.


















Some of the java ferns I got didn't faired well in shipping. :icon_frow


















Moss wall:


----------



## Bahugo

Love the update Sara what crypt is that too the left of the Java fern in the center of the tank? Its sexy!


----------



## LICfish

Bahugo said:


> what crypt is that too the left of the Java fern in the center of the tank? Its sexy!


Lol I was thinking the same thing. It's so eye-catching! 

The tank looks really great. I love it. I haven't been on the forum much in a while but I remember how you used to struggle with algae earlier on, and that reminded me of my struggle with my tanks. Now your tank looks so great! 

Sadly mine is still not clear of algae  (haven't had the time to pay attention to it).


----------



## jkan0228

What's the sword with the hydrocotyle draping over it? Looks fancy


----------



## Complexity

Okay, you did the show, but you didn't do the tell! We want both, show and tell! :biggrin:

I'm also interested in the crypt. Very pretty color! I don't know the name of it, but I also love the way the clover-like plant is growing. Very nice growth on it. Probably one of the prettiest examples of it I've seen. Nice looking plants!


----------



## sewingalot

Sorry all! I forgot my manners and haven't been checking my journals lately. So I'm multi-quoting to save space. 



Bahugo said:


> Love the update Sara what crypt is that too the left of the Java fern in the center of the tank? Its sexy!


First - Eww! A plant is never, never, ever SEXY. That's just so _wrong._ :hihi: 

Second, it is a Cryptocoryne Nurii Phang 'mutated.' From what I understand, Ghazanfar Ghori actually developed the mutation. I could be wrong, so don't quote me without asking him first. I got a little itty baby from Chad that he said something like "I sent you a banged up one to see if you can grow it." He was referring to my up until recently manslaughter of all crypts that crossed paths with me. I'm actually surprise that it's doing so well. In fact, I noticed a runner yesterday!



LICfish said:


> Lol I was thinking the same thing. It's so eye-catching!
> 
> The tank looks really great. I love it. I haven't been on the forum much in a while but I remember how you used to struggle with algae earlier on, and that reminded me of my struggle with my tanks. Now your tank looks so great!
> 
> Sadly mine is still not clear of algae  (haven't had the time to pay attention to it).


Algae is a natural life cycle. It'll clear up when you pick back up maintenance. I wouldn't worry about it unless your plants start to suffer. Look at it as free food. I'll tell you my secret to controlling algae, but don't spread it around. :icon_cool

It is this: I _quit _listening to everyone's well-intentioned advice _especially _the experts and started experimenting on my own. I went old school. Searched actual scientific articles on growing plants (above water and aquatic). Learned the basics of how light, co2, temperature and nutrients play a role in the health of both plants and algae. I focused on how to grow algae, not how to eliminate it. I set up little jars of different _alga_ (singular for algae, by the way), manipulated nutrients, co2, lighting, water quality, etc one a time and observed. I came up with a hypothesis like "Nitrogen causes BBA to spike when it is abundant supply" and did exactly that and observed. If the hypothesis failed, I started over with a new idea. If the hypothesis worked, I repeated it over and over again to make sure it didn't fail. At that point I came up with it being a theory. Not fact, but plausible. It was lots of fun and I learned a lot about how algae grows, what you can do to limit it's growth and how to grow healthy plants with minimal water column dosing. This essentially was my goal even for higher lit tanks as our water quality sucks so bad the city was fined recently by the EPA and I can't afford nor want an RO filter. Probably more than you wanted me to say, but there it is. 



jkan0228 said:


> What's the sword with the hydrocotyle draping over it? Looks fancy


Echinodorus parviflorus 'Tropica' is the name. If you ever get the opportunity, jump on it. Great sword but slower in growth and smaller than any other sword I've owned. Really wish I had more.



Complexity said:


> Okay, you did the show, but you didn't do the tell! We want both, show and tell! :biggrin:
> 
> I'm also interested in the crypt. Very pretty color! I don't know the name of it, but I also love the way the clover-like plant is growing. Very nice growth on it. Probably one of the prettiest examples of it I've seen. Nice looking plants!


Hydrocotyle sp 'Japan' is what it was given to me as. Lovely, lovely plant grows everywhere is invasive even. If you ever want to try it, I'll hook you up. :biggrin: Any other tell you'd like? If not, I have updates! I finally began rescaping the left side and I'm getting really pleased with my tank.

FTS









Moss wall progressing 3rd time around:




































I need to ask Wasserpest for an id on this cute little crypt in front of the Limnophilia sp. 'wavy' and some purplely plant I don't know the name of either.









Look at my lovely dremil work at the end when I found out the door wouldn't close and I was irritated. 









Crypt mutated you all asked about:









And the sword with a mystery snail (cute!)









The new java fern that made the trip. We'll see how it grows out. I moved the green gecko (still debating on the correct id for that) to the left (see FTS)









And finally - shrimp! I moved 9 shrimp outside to breed and took this opportunity to take pictures against a white background with automatic settings on the camera. I didn't touch up the picture, so you all can see how years of selective breeding pays off for coloring. 


















And here they are above water climbing on the food to eat. I still kept the auto settings, but the bulb on the tank is 6500 Kelvins which may or may not change their appearance. I frankly don't know. The males are bright yellow and the females are a darker yellow almost sunflower at times.









And finally, the shrimp meet their new roommate. One of three awesome mystery snails.









So that is my update. Where's yours?


----------



## Complexity

sewingalot said:


> Second, it is a Cryptocoryne Nurii Phang 'mutated.' From what I understand, Ghazanfar Ghori actually developed the mutation. I could be wrong, so don't quote me without asking him first. I got a little itty baby from Chad that he said something like "I sent you a banged up one to see if you can grow it." He was referring to my up until recently manslaughter of all crypts that crossed paths with me. I'm actually surprise that it's doing so well. In fact, I noticed a runner yesterday!


I'd like to formally take my place in line for one of the runners. I think I'll probably be somewhere around #356 which means I'll get one around the year 2074, but that's okay. I'll be sure to include its posthumous arrival in my will. :biggrin:

Seriously, very pretty crypt. I'll have to watch for it when it becomes available. I'd love to add that one to my tanks.



> I set up little jars of different _alga_ (singular for algae, by the way), manipulated nutrients, co2, lighting, water quality, etc one a time and observed.


Have you ever done a write up on your experiments and experience? I would love to learn from you on this!

I'm especially interested in two areas. One is the growth of BBA because I don't think it's as simple as high or stable CO2. It sounds like you gained more information that I'd find highly interesting.

The other is a theory I've been batting around in my mind, but don't know where I could even start to narrow down the actual cause. I have noticed that new tank setups are especially prone to algae. And while the normal rationale is to suggest that the person alter their lighting, ferts, CO2, or what have you, I have found that this is not always the cause. There seems to be _something_ that changes as a tank matures which makes it more resistant to algae (or less susceptible, if you will). I have no idea what that mysterious _something_ may be. It's not cycling, but it is definitely related to new tank setups.

I have watched my tanks go through this new tank algae phase, and without changing a single thing in my setup, I've been able to get rid of the algae and not have it come back. If I'm not changing anything in my setups, then that cannot be the reason for the change. The only factor I can see that seems to trigger this algae susceptibility and then algae resistance is the age of the tank. Therefore, I believe _something_ happens, but I have no idea what.

But I digress. I find it funny how the joy of planted tanks brings us to become little scientists regarding algae! LOL!



> Hydrocotyle sp 'Japan' is what it was given to me as. Lovely, lovely plant grows everywhere is invasive even. If you ever want to try it, I'll hook you up. :biggrin:


I'd be crazy to say no! Sure, I would love some. Send me a PM whenever it's a good time for you.

On your updates... I love your moss wall! One of the prettiest I've seen! Which moss is that?

I'm not Wasserpest, but my guess on the little crypt ID is either _C. parva_ or _C. lucens_. _C. parva_ is really small and very slow growing. By looking at the picture, I'm suspecting you have _C. lucens_. I think the purplely plant looks like _Hygrophila araguaia_.

Your tank is looking really nice! Lots of healthy plants. Love the shrimp, too! Their meeting with their new mystery friend is too cute! LOL!


----------



## sewingalot

Complexity said:


> I'd like to formally take my place in line for one of the runners. I think I'll probably be somewhere around #356 which means I'll get one around the year 2074, but that's okay. I'll be sure to include its posthumous arrival in my will. :biggrin:
> 
> Seriously, very pretty crypt. I'll have to watch for it when it becomes available. I'd love to add that one to my tanks.


You are first one to mention it, so congratulations, you are first in line if I can ever convince myself to part with it. It wouldn't be until fall, though. This heat wave is awful. We lost power for almost a day and it was miserable. I thought my fish made it through unscathed, but now I am finding I lost all but one apisto and I'm now finding many yellow shrimp bodies. Even some of the more cooler water plants are melting.  



> Have you ever done a write up on your experiments and experience? I would love to learn from you on this!


I have outlines and notes with plenty of sources cited both by first hand discussions with those passionate about algae (professional level) and secondary research. My intention is to write up my experiences for the fun of it, but I am in the process of writing my first fictional novel just for kicks. I'll probably pick it up after that's done and will be glad to send you my links to the blog of terror in a pm. 

In the meantime, I'll just tell you based on personal experience and reading my brief thoughts on your own observations.



> I'm especially interested in two areas. One is the growth of BBA because I don't think it's as simple as high or stable CO2. It sounds like you gained more information that I'd find highly interesting.


You are indeed correct. It's not as simple. I found in several instances that this was not proven as the end all of be all. I even hooked up pressurized co2. I can tell you a very interesting aspect of Rhodophyta algae some are found in very clean acidic fast flowing waters like what most refer to as BBA, others that actually look similar to BBA but aren't and staghorns like the exact opposite alkaline, slower waters. Both are found in cleaner waters and it's been thought that they aid in helping to purify the water source. So think of it this way. You and I have "BBA" but mine is actually Compsopogon and yours is actually Audouinella. In the initial stages, Compsopogon really mimics the look of BBA and in certain circumstances stays compact and doesn't get branchy. This is the type of algae that doesn't typically respond well to CO2 and thrives in low co2. Upping your co2 often shuts it down. Now say that I have an acidic loving algae and up my co2. What's going to happen? 

However, there is a level of co2 that most red algaes can't thrive at and they are also at the stages that are often not great levels for some types of fish. Despite what people may say that their fish are healthy, take a guppy or platy and put it in an extremely acidic conditions long term, breed it a few generations and see how healthy they end up being. Also, look at most of the people that say "I got rid of my algae with high levels of co2." Consistently, the majority will use H2O2 or excel as a spot treatment in addition to cranking up the gas. So they are effectively killing and removing the algae manually. Are they truly getting rid of it with high co2 levels?

Now here is the kicker. These algae reproduce sexually. And they need water movement to do so. Where do most BBA reside in tanks? Near or on filters. This is the highest flowing area making it prime real-estate. My ultimate cure that's worked a lot of the time? Removing the plants, putting them in a tank free of water movement or in a sunny window and letting them sit for a LONG time. You can fertilize, blast it with light everything. Just don't let the water move. But now you are finding more issues including BGA. This is lovely water for other algae, lol. It's an interesting process.



> The other is a theory I've been batting around in my mind, but don't know where I could even start to narrow down the actual cause. I have noticed that new tank setups are especially prone to algae. And while the normal rationale is to suggest that the person alter their lighting, ferts, CO2, or what have you, I have found that this is not always the cause. There seems to be _something_ that changes as a tank matures which makes it more resistant to algae (or less susceptible, if you will). I have no idea what that mysterious _something_ may be. It's not cycling, but it is definitely related to new tank setups.
> 
> I have watched my tanks go through this new tank algae phase, and without changing a single thing in my setup, I've been able to get rid of the algae and not have it come back. If I'm not changing anything in my setups, then that cannot be the reason for the change. The only factor I can see that seems to trigger this algae susceptibility and then algae resistance is the age of the tank. Therefore, I believe _something_ happens, but I have no idea what.


Absolutely something is happening. Look at nature. In the spring, start following the life of a pond. It starts out with green water, BGA. These are meant to feed the new life. This in turn feeds the diatoms that feed the bottom feeders that feed the other fish. Temperature, lighting, nutrients available and what types of nutrients available affect what algae thrives. By the end of the summer, the cycle has matured. When you first set up a tank, if you don't interfere you really see what nature intended. Initially, there is an abundance of ammonia, bacterias, unicelluar algae feeding frenzy and then it settles down.

I'm probably not making much sense, especially since I am mostly asleep. LOL



> But I digress. I find it funny how the joy of planted tanks brings us to become little scientists regarding algae! LOL!


Me too. I love learning the hows and whys more than excepting standard practice. I've been known to annoy people because of my curiosity, but that's alright by me. I don't keep planted tanks for them. I keep them for myself and part of the fun for me is to test the boundaries. LOL



> I'd be crazy to say no! Sure, I would love some. Send me a PM whenever it's a good time for you.


Will do. 



> On your updates... I love your moss wall! One of the prettiest I've seen! Which moss is that?
> 
> I'm not Wasserpest, but my guess on the little crypt ID is either _C. parva_ or _C. lucens_. _C. parva_ is really small and very slow growing. By looking at the picture, I'm suspecting you have _C. lucens_. I think the purplely plant looks like _Hygrophila araguaia_.
> 
> Your tank is looking really nice! Lots of healthy plants. Love the shrimp, too! Their meeting with their new mystery friend is too cute! LOL!


It came from NeoShrimp and another person I can't remember. One is supposed to be Taiwan and the other is Christmas. I don't know which is which, though. Should have labeled. 

And thanks for the id's. I remember the name Hygro araguaia being listed in the plants so you are probably spot on with that - the pictures do look very similar. Very pretty plant, it should be used more often in the hobby.

That crypt does look like a lucens but maybe a hybrid? Definitely not parva. I've had that before and this is larger in leaves. It's bright green in the middle and bronze on the edges. It's very pretty.

And thanks. Oh, Happy 4th!


----------



## BoxxerBoyDrew

WOW LOOKING GREAT!!!!

SHRIMP ARE SUPER YELLOW!!! AWESOME!!! I need to go back and read the last few pages that I have missed being gone soo much this summer! But been up all nite with upset stomach, so I'm a bit tired now! 

Looking Great !!!
Drew


----------



## LICfish

sewingalot said:


> Algae is a natural life cycle. It'll clear up when you pick back up maintenance. I wouldn't worry about it unless your plants start to suffer. Look at it as free food. I'll tell you my secret to controlling algae, but don't spread it around. :icon_cool
> 
> It is this: I _quit _listening to everyone's well-intentioned advice _especially _the experts and started experimenting on my own. I went old school. Searched actual scientific articles on growing plants (above water and aquatic). Learned the basics of how light, co2, temperature and nutrients play a role in the health of both plants and algae. I focused on how to grow algae, not how to eliminate it. I set up little jars of different _alga_ (singular for algae, by the way), manipulated nutrients, co2, lighting, water quality, etc one a time and observed. I came up with a hypothesis like "Nitrogen causes BBA to spike when it is abundant supply" and did exactly that and observed. If the hypothesis failed, I started over with a new idea. If the hypothesis worked, I repeated it over and over again to make sure it didn't fail. At that point I came up with it being a theory. Not fact, but plausible. It was lots of fun and I learned a lot about how algae grows, what you can do to limit it's growth and how to grow healthy plants with minimal water column dosing. This essentially was my goal even for higher lit tanks as our water quality sucks so bad the city was fined recently by the EPA and I can't afford nor want an RO filter. Probably more than you wanted me to say, but there it is.
> 
> 
> 
> Hydrocotyle sp 'Japan' is what it was given to me as. Lovely, lovely plant grows everywhere is invasive even. If you ever want to try it, I'll hook you up. :biggrin:


Nice. I'm going to have to go through your journal to see the results of this. The algae definitely wiped out some of my plants. Luckily, my algae situation has gotten better now and it keeps my ottos very fat and happy so I don't mind it as much anymore.

Oooooh would you hook me up with the Hydrocotyle sp 'Japan' too if you have more to spare? :biggrin: I can give you some java fern in exchange. I have 3 kinds that you can choose from :icon_wink


----------



## Bahugo

What are you dosing now after all your experiments Sara? I'm scared to dose my tanks because whenever I start I end up getting algae. 

I'll grab second place in line for some crypt runners, and downoi and hydrocotyle sp. japan (and whatever else is growing out of control for you like your stems :icon_wink) . I lost my hydrocotyle when I lost my stem plants.  We will have too do a trade again, even though I don't know if I have anything different... I could use a thinning on my crypts sometime.


----------



## Karackle

great updates!!! I don't know HOW i missed your previous one either! I too am in love with that crypt and would like to formally put my name in line to receive a runner if ever you have enough that you are willing to part with some (don't part with the whole plant, it adds a really nice bit of color and contrast where it is situated in your tank!!!) :biggrin: 

Also the moss wall is looking FANTASTIC!!! DO NOT TOUCH IT!!! LOL It's really looking great, I can't believe how evenly it's growing in! LOVE IT! roud:

And boy do I love those shrimpies!!! They are SOOOOO yellow now! GORGEOUS. :bounce: 

I really like that hydrocotyle that vicki was commenting on too but last time you sent me some it didn't fair well in my tanks for some reason. Sigh. maybe once I get the stocking up higher in the 10 and/or 30g so there is more natural fertilizer I will try it again, might have grown too fast for the amount of nutrients in my tank. Not sure. 

Anyway, the tank is looking outstanding roud: Thanks for the updates! love them!


----------



## sewingalot

LOL guys. Chad sells this crypt, go stalk him. Tell him I said "Hi!" :biggrin:



BoxxerBoyDrew said:


> WOW LOOKING GREAT!!!!
> 
> SHRIMP ARE SUPER YELLOW!!! AWESOME!!! I need to go back and read the last few pages that I have missed being gone soo much this summer! But been up all nite with upset stomach, so I'm a bit tired now!
> 
> Looking Great !!!
> Drew


Hi Drew! Hope today has you feeling better. Nothing like the old plumbing issues to screw up your night. My yellows are fed algae, they do well because it's the equivalent of Pop-Eye's Spinach. 



LICfish said:


> Nice. I'm going to have to go through your journal to see the results of this. The algae definitely wiped out some of my plants. Luckily, my algae situation has gotten better now and it keeps my ottos very fat and happy so I don't mind it as much anymore.
> 
> Oooooh would you hook me up with the Hydrocotyle sp 'Japan' too if you have more to spare? :biggrin: I can give you some java fern in exchange. I have 3 kinds that you can choose from :icon_wink


I found once I accepted algae as a part of the life cycle, I enjoyed my tanks a lot more. In the 55, I only have occasional spot algae or a tuft or two of clado. If you gathered it all up it seriously wouldn't surmount to a 1/2 teaspoon. I'm pretty happy. The otos are great workers.

I'm up for trades, but not in this heat. It won't be until it breaks that could be weeks or months away. Apparently, we are having record breaking heat. I walk outside and feel like this: :angryfire 



Bahugo said:


> What are you dosing now after all your experiments Sara? I'm scared to dose my tanks because whenever I start I end up getting algae.
> 
> I'll grab second place in line for some crypt runners, and downoi and hydrocotyle sp. japan (and whatever else is growing out of control for you like your stems :icon_wink) . I lost my hydrocotyle when I lost my stem plants.  We will have too do a trade again, even though I don't know if I have anything different... I could use a thinning on my crypts sometime.


See above on trades. PM me in a few months, like fall. Want to feel annoyed with me? As an experiment, I put about $50 worth of downoi in my super low lit tank and am currently watching it wither away to nothing. Oops.

As far as dosing - some are solely substrate like the 15 gallon of goodies. The 55 is 99% substrate with a boost of water column dosing sporadically, maybe a few times a month. One is just fish poo since the lights are pathetic and not much more than microsword, subwassertang, hornwort, hydrocotyle and moss live there. And lots of diatoms that I like to scrape off and toss into the 55 to watch the ottos go into a feeding frenzy. roud:

Honestly, every tank is different depending on maintenance, lighting co2, etc. Trying to use a particular fertilizer in one tank may not work for another. What are your problems? Is the growth slow, deficient or is it just the algae? Sit down think about what are the main issues and we can go from there.



Karackle said:


> great updates!!! I don't know HOW i missed your previous one either! I too am in love with that crypt and would like to formally put my name in line to receive a runner if ever you have enough that you are willing to part with some (don't part with the whole plant, it adds a really nice bit of color and contrast where it is situated in your tank!!!) :biggrin:
> 
> Also the moss wall is looking FANTASTIC!!! DO NOT TOUCH IT!!! LOL It's really looking great, I can't believe how evenly it's growing in! LOVE IT! roud:
> 
> And boy do I love those shrimpies!!! They are SOOOOO yellow now! GORGEOUS. :bounce:
> 
> I really like that hydrocotyle that vicki was commenting on too but last time you sent me some it didn't fair well in my tanks for some reason. Sigh. maybe once I get the stocking up higher in the 10 and/or 30g so there is more natural fertilizer I will try it again, might have grown too fast for the amount of nutrients in my tank. Not sure.
> 
> Anyway, the tank is looking outstanding roud: Thanks for the updates! love them!


Kara, I have lots of babies with your name on it of various crypts and some shrimpers for the fall. I'll take your death of hydrocotyle and match it with the hygro you sent me. :hihi:

Did you ever trim your wall? I'm hearing some do and others don't. I plan to extend the java wall as I get babies. I'm have another few new ideas up my sleeve that I'm hoping will work out. If so, it will be epic.


----------



## LICfish

sewingalot said:


> I found once I accepted algae as a part of the life cycle, I enjoyed my tanks a lot more. In the 55, I only have occasional spot algae or a tuft or two of clado. If you gathered it all up it seriously wouldn't surmount to a 1/2 teaspoon. I'm pretty happy. The otos are great workers.
> 
> I'm up for trades, but not in this heat. It won't be until it breaks that could be weeks or months away. Apparently, we are having record breaking heat. I walk outside and feel like this: :angryfire


Yeah it's too hot for me here too. By the time it cools down I may even have more to offer you 

Again, love your tanks!


----------



## Karackle

sewingalot said:


> Kara, I have lots of babies with your name on it of various crypts and some shrimpers for the fall. I'll take your death of hydrocotyle and match it with the hygro you sent me. :hihi:


WOOHOO! :bounce: also, fair enough! If you want to try the sunset hygro again, just let me know  



sewingalot said:


> Did you ever trim your wall? I'm hearing some do and others don't. I plan to extend the java wall as I get babies. I'm have another few new ideas up my sleeve that I'm hoping will work out. If so, it will be epic.


I did trim my wall, once. I wouldn't have except that in a 5g tank, it was taking up the whole tank :icon_lol: Actually, the wall never really recovered after the trim if I remember correctly, though, I think the severe neglect of that tank also began shortly after the trim, so it's hard to say whether I'm to blame for neglect or for the trim  :hihi: I think if the betta does well in the 10g and make this just a shrimp tank, I won't bother trimming the wall, but if I need to make room for a fish to swim, I will try to keep it trimmed, but change up how I do it. I think I will not remove the wall to do the trim, but rather try to do the trim with the wall in place.


----------



## Wasserpest

Very interesting reading Sara! Moss wall looks great, that's Christmas moss, not Java, right? And the yellow shrimp are fabulous, I wish I had WV water here! 

The little Crypt is indeed a C. lucens, which according to Kasselmann is a synonym of C. x willisii. Reminds me, they have taken over my tank again, time to sell some off.


----------



## sewingalot

LIC - javas if you have anything interesting is great. I'm looking for windelove or however that is spelled and some others.

Kara, I'll keep that in mind. I was thinking about trimming a small section to see what happens. That betta might like the moss wall untrimmed. My betta loves nestling in the hydrocotyle ball I threw in there. 

Thanks for the id confirmation, WP! It's either Christmas or Taiwan. I was sold/given both but they look identical to me, so I really don't know. If you can keep reds, yellows would be no issue for you. I'll be glad to send you some in the fall. I put a few outside to breed, so I should have plenty.

Speaking of your tank, when are we going to see updates?


----------



## Karackle

A small section might not be a bad idea to see how it goes roud: In your higher light tank, it might bounce back fast enough not to make much of a difference. And again, it could have been a combination of neglect that caused mine to do not-so-great post trim  

That is a good point about the betta, they do like nice slow moving water and things to rest on. In fact, I know they don't love empty tanks which is why I tossed some sunset hygro and that other hygro into the tank for him  we'll see how it goes :biggrin:


----------



## sewingalot

I'll have to get a picture of the little miss next time. She usually comes out wiggling anytime I get near the tank. :hihi: I'll see how it goes and let you know on the wall. Right now, I'm not touching it. After three attempts, I want to see if it still grows for a while, lol.


----------



## Karackle

sewingalot said:


> I'll have to get a picture of the little miss next time. She usually comes out wiggling anytime I get near the tank. :hihi


Love it!!! :biggrin: i'd love to see a picture if you can get it roud:



sewingalot said:


> I'll see how it goes and let you know on the wall. Right now, I'm not touching it. After three attempts, I want to see if it still grows for a while, lol.


HAHAHAHA totally understandable! I'd definitely let that baby grow out a while first!


----------



## @[email protected]

Karackle said:


> That is a good point about the betta, they do like nice slow moving water and things to rest on. In fact, I know they don't love empty tanks which is why I tossed some sunset hygro and that other hygro into the tank for him  we'll see how it goes :biggrin:


they often seem to enjoy squeezing themselves into tight spaces. i have had several who would spend a lot of time wedged in a hole in this piece of driftwood i have. and almost all loved to vanish into the stem plants.
and sometimes they do weird things. i have one female who will turn herself so she is vertical and facind downward, and press herself into the corner of the glass and divider, letting the flow through the divider stick her to it. she'll stay like this, tail partially out of the water, and curl upwards for air every night while sleeping. first time i saw this i thought she was dead, then as i came closer she noticed me and swam to the feeding spot to beg for food.


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## 150EH

Your moss wall does look great and it may be the best I've ever seen, I've owned Christmas, Peacock, and Taiwan and I would say it is definitely Christmas Moss but Chad is the real moss guru.

I think the way you constructed the wall with the plastic and steel let in more light and the moss is not only growing well but looks extremely healthy. Is that mesh stainless steel, it looks so light against the plastic?

Now you've insrired me to redo mine, I used a single piece of the green plastic mesh to hide the mesh easier and I cut out every other web and crochet the moss on to it because most people were trying 2 pieces of mesh but it blocks too much light, I also used green plastic paper clips to hang the wall from the rim of the tank to eliminate seeing the suction cups but besides that your system is the ultimate way to go, nice job.


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## sewingalot

Karackle said:


> Love it!!! :biggrin: i'd love to see a picture if you can get it roud:
> 
> 
> HAHAHAHA totally understandable! I'd definitely let that baby grow out a while first!


I was trying to get a picture for days and then I notice the baby red claw that was put into the tank getting beaten up by the other red claw had clipped her tail. :icon_cry: So I gently netted her out and alley-oop! she got a new home in the 55. Now she gets to pick on yellow shrimp. :confused1: But she is much happier in her mansion and I'm keeping her stuffed full of flakes to minimize the carnage. She spent the first evening glaring at the other betta (her reflection) and puffing up ready to fight. It was too cute. :redface:

And then I noticed the fact that my last apisto is mia. I really hope he was hiding and not eaten by the red claw. Bad shrimp.



@[email protected] said:


> they often seem to enjoy squeezing themselves into tight spaces. i have had several who would spend a lot of time wedged in a hole in this piece of driftwood i have. and almost all loved to vanish into the stem plants.
> and sometimes they do weird things. i have one female who will turn herself so she is vertical and facind downward, and press herself into the corner of the glass and divider, letting the flow through the divider stick her to it. she'll stay like this, tail partially out of the water, and curl upwards for air every night while sleeping. first time i saw this i thought she was dead, then as i came closer she noticed me and swam to the feeding spot to beg for food.


Adorable! I love bettas for their quirky personalities! They just make me smile and every time I swear off of them when one passes (you really get attached to these little ones) inevitably one will catch my eye.



150EH said:


> Your moss wall does look great and it may be the best I've ever seen, I've owned Christmas, Peacock, and Taiwan and I would say it is definitely Christmas Moss but Chad is the real moss guru.
> 
> I think the way you constructed the wall with the plastic and steel let in more light and the moss is not only growing well but looks extremely healthy. Is that mesh stainless steel, it looks so light against the plastic?
> 
> Now you've insrired me to redo mine, I used a single piece of the green plastic mesh to hide the mesh easier and I cut out every other web and crochet the moss on to it because most people were trying 2 pieces of mesh but it blocks too much light, I also used green plastic paper clips to hang the wall from the rim of the tank to eliminate seeing the suction cups but besides that your system is the ultimate way to go, nice job.


Thanks, 150eh. I am thinking that you are right. They are supposed to be two different mosses, but so far they look identical in growth and shape. I plan to eventually put a few pieces under the scope.

I used this (picture from Lowes.com and idea from Kara):









and this (source is about.com):









The sandwich of two needle point plastic mesh ended up in disaster. The gutter guard only (even though many have great success) kept rolling off the table and wasn't too sturdy (I'm a klutz). Then, the idea of using both materials made so much sense to me. Sturdiness of the plastic mesh and the thinner material without worrying about the thread breaking (as the reclaws snipped it right down the first try, lol). I pointed all the fronds down (idea from another member.) Takes a long time, but it seems to help it look better. Only took three attempts. :redface:

Great idea on the paper clip hangers! I'm so going to try that when I eventually do a trim. Only area that isn't growing well is directly below the brace, but only for about 2 - 3 inches. Trying to figure out what to do in that instance. Any suggestions?


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## LICfish

sewingalot said:


> LIC - javas if you have anything interesting is great. I'm looking for windelove or however that is spelled and some others


Yup I have that. I also have needle and the regular


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## 150EH

I guess you could try to place some moss in the bare areas after a trim, I bent a paper clip and use it like a Crochet needle and just pull a little through. My wall doesn't even come close to how nice yours is but I have some growth popping out of the water so I think it's just a matter of time before yours will fill in, plus I don't have CO2 in that tank.

BTW That was a great idea and if you document the next one and place it in the DIY section it will become the standard method, the gutter guard lets it so much light and flow the moss grows much better than other methods.


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## sewingalot

Just remind me Licfish. I have the others and tons of it, but definitely been looking for the one.

What is strange is the moss is still there, just growing super slow when I looked yesterday. I am thinking that I will be trading sides with them. Another thing I am noticing is the suction cups are now being slowly hidden as the moss fills out. Good idea on the DIY of it. I'll call it the Kara hybrid method.


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## Karackle

@[email protected] said:


> they often seem to enjoy squeezing themselves into tight spaces. i have had several who would spend a lot of time wedged in a hole in this piece of driftwood i have. and almost all loved to vanish into the stem plants.


Definitely a good point, if the moss wall does well again then I might just leave it be for him roud:........unless it starts shading out its own growth by the bottom, then I suppose I'll have to do a minor trim and hope for the best 



@[email protected] said:


> and sometimes they do weird things. i have one female who will turn herself so she is vertical


Hahahaha I had a boy that did this but in the folds of a piece of fake coral I had in the tank (this of course was ages go before I went planted, yes it was silly to have fake coral in a fresh water tank but I also had purple blue and black gravel at the time so.....:hihi 



sewingalot said:


> I was trying to get a picture for days and then I notice the baby red claw that was put into the tank getting beaten up by the other red claw had clipped her tail. :icon_cry: So I gently netted her out and alley-oop! she got a new home in the 55. Now she gets to pick on yellow shrimp. :confused1: But she is much happier in her mansion and I'm keeping her stuffed full of flakes to minimize the carnage. She spent the first evening glaring at the other betta (her reflection) and puffing up ready to fight. It was too cute. :redface:


Oh no! Poor girl! I'm sure she'll recover quickly in her MANSION, and at least the tank is big enough with a lot of plant growth for the shrimp to hide in that I'm sure she won't decimate the population. And keep her well fed can't hurt :hihi:



sewingalot said:


> I used this (picture from Lowes.com and idea from Kara):


I LOVE this stuff, (well mine looks a LITTLE different, but same basic idea) but I agree, it's a bit flimsy and rolly, that's why I made the "pouch" with it first and stuffed the moss inside and THEN did some sewing. However, I noticed that there were a few places where it was folded that it was actually breaking, so I'm thinking you're on to something with your hybrid method! If I make another moss wall, I'll probably try it your way!  



sewingalot said:


> (as the reclaws snipped it right down the first try, lol).


SMART SHRIMP! 



sewingalot said:


> What is strange is the moss is still there, just growing super slow when I looked yesterday.


They're probably just a bit in the shade due to the lip of the tank rim and that's why the moss is alive, but slower growing. I wonder what would happen if you just rotated the moss wall 180º so the bottom became the top and top became the bottom? 



sewingalot said:


> Good idea on the DIY of it. I'll call it the Kara hybrid method.


I'm honored! :biggrin: :redface::icon_redf


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## 150EH

I had to pull out my moss wall today, I told you I cut the openings larger in the plasic mesh then pulled a wad of moss in with a hook and looked ok but the moss behind the plastic doesn't get enough light and dies which transfer to the front and it was all brown. The other thing is hanging it with paper clips made it too close to the glass so it was like a dead spot back there, although there were plenty of shrimp back there picking at it.

Now I'm going to try your method after I gather the materials and some new moss.


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## sewingalot

^ I can tell you that the moss under the center brace is almost completely dead. I was basically frondless (stringy) when I moved it. So if you stick one at that area, turn frequently! The good thing about this method is the fact it wants to grow toward the front. The other way, it was growing in both directions and did the same thing. The paper clips might help with fish not getting trapped behind there. So far, it's not been an issue, but when I put in the guppies for the winter, I could see this becoming one. I'd offer to send you gutter guard that I have left over, but it is sooooo cheap, you'd probably spend the same amount for shipping versus buying a new roll.

Good luck and let me know how it does for you!


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## sewingalot

Pictorial update. I did like the downoi, but it was growing too quick in this tank, so I sold most of it off and left a few baby pieces. Only, the snails tend to like to eat it when I get lax on feeding. So, the plantlets are slowly recovering now that I'm keeping the mystery snails fat and happy with food.

I haven't updated in a while (our doggie isn't feeling well), so be forewarned. There is a lot of pictures in this post.

Shrimpers









This little guy jumped right out of his skeleton after this shot. Pretty neat to have caught the initial splitting of the exo









Snails


















Betta:



























Otos being cute:









Murky due to uprooting lots of crypts, stems, etc:



























Mid water change because I want to include this picture









Betta coming out to inspect the progress






















































Oto feast (soilent green is awesome!)


















Meeting of the minds:


















Mid scape:


















At an angle:









Some diy:









Giving the java some height:









Attaching with rex-lace:









More shrimp 



























Placing in the heightened fern:









More diy:









Back (sorry for the blurriness):









In place:


















Only, I don't like it. I lost that distinctive triangular shape. So my plan is to do a little adjusting. But that'll come later. 

Notes: I hate marineland powerheads. I've replaced it with a aquaclear that I've had for years. This 660r was supposed to be more powerful, but isn't, is louder than the aquaclear and clogs quickly. Plus it has no controls despite the description on the website I got it from (not that it would matter).

The moss wall was flipped to help grow in the moss that was under the brace. All but a space on the now bottom (that was underneath the brace) grew in quickly. But now the other side is getting a little sparse. So I'm going to have to flip it again or find another way to get light in that area. Maybe one of those stick on LED lights will work, I don't know. The white suction cups have all but disappeared except in the two bare spots. I figured I'll take it down on next cleaning and weave in some moss if it doesn't grow back by then.

I also think I need to sell of some ferns. I just have too much and it's not working in the space. Some of the java I got earlier this summer is still looking ratty because there isn't enough light in the corner.

Subwassertang is an excellent hole filler. It's a great way to hide problem areas in the tank.


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## fastfreddie

*wOW!*

It looks great! I know those fish are happy with all that room to hide in there!

If you sell some Java Fern (or others) like you mentioned, will you send me a pm? I'd like to buy some. I really need some low tech plants. Our poor aquarium just hasn't been the same since my little boy was born. I need to make it more of something to look at. 

We have another baby on the way in October, so that should be interesting! 
I have not been on the forum much as you know, but I've been missing TPT over the last few weeks.


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## Karackle

Your tank looks AWESOME Sara!!! It's just so lush and gorgeous and I agree with FastFreddie (congrats on the kiddos by the way) that the fish must be VERY happy!!! 

I am in LOVE with your moss wall, can you come and redo mine so it looks that good? :tongue: 

I love your DIY stuff, but I have to agree with you, I think the tank looked better before the java fern wall was put in. Don't get me wrong, the Java fern wall is a SUPER cool idea (and something I think I might try in the 5g because the moss wall isn't growing in so well this time so maybe i'll try something different ) however, I think the tank had a really nice "side of creek-bed" slope happening after the installation of the java on PVC but before the java wall was put in. We all know i personally love the jungle look, so I think you could leave it either way, but I thought I'd put in that I agreed with you that it looked better before (which is sad because again, java wall, such a cool idea!)


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## BoxxerBoyDrew

WOW Sara!!!

You have some of the BEST LOOKING Java Fern I have ever seen!!!! I WISH I could grow it like that! I SUCK at Java Ferns! I too like the look before the wall was put in! But either way it is a BEAUTIFUL Tank of green!!!Shrimp are looking very good too!!!

What is the Green Wafer that your ottos are eating on? I did a google search and all I got was a Metal Band!

VERY SORRY about the Doggy troubles!!! We have been there, and it is a very hard thing to deal with, both mentally and financially! I pray everything gets better soon!

Keep up the awesome work, and I can't wait to see what You do next!!!
Drew


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## Mahlady

Inspirational.


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## driftwoodhunter

I don't know how I missed this thread - what a beautiful tank! I've never tried to grow moss and I know nothing about it, but I am crazy in love with your Java Fern and Subwassertang. I have a little bit of regular Java Fern, I'm going to get in that tank this week & see what I can do about encouraging it to propagate! (and I'm going to look up Subwassertang's needs) ; )

Any updates on this tank?


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## nonconductive

sara, come out come out wherever you are


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## Chaos_Being

^ agreed, I came back and posted after a long hiatus, it's your turn now


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## MlDukes

Over 12000 posts to nothing new in a whole year. C'mon Sara! :flick: hope all is well!


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