# New Camera == New Picture <Severe 56K Warning>



## vince+carrie (Dec 9, 2005)

This tank has been established for about 6 months now.










Since my last post I've removed the Java Fern to simplify the look and make cleaning easier. We also just dropped in 5 little SAEs to help with the cleaning.

Plants include Anubius, Vallisneria, and Echinodorus. The tank is 135 gallong BTW.


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## turtlehead (May 31, 2005)

Do you dose ferts? Looks like you need to.


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## vince+carrie (Dec 9, 2005)

I'm currently dosing Iron and Phosphate (our water has lots of Potassium straight out of the tap). Some of the slower growing plants (like the Echinodorus) develop algae on their leaves and then die. However we have lots of new growth that replaces the dead leaves.

Any advice on how to maintain nice clean solid green leaves on the Echinodorus would be muchly appreciated.

-The current lighting on the tank is 200 watts CF on 10 hours/day (for plants) and some ~10 watt on all day (for fish).

-No Co2 injection

-2 Eheim Pro II filters w/ spray bars

-UV filter

-pH ~8.0

-temp ~88 F


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## turbomkt (Jun 9, 2004)

What are your nitrates and phosphates levels? Are you trying to limit NO3 for the fish?


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## JenThePlantGeek (Mar 27, 2006)

Your Echinodoras leaves almost look like mine do after my Ancistrus (bristlenose) get done chewing on them. Do you have any cats that may be snacking on your leaves?


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## vince+carrie (Dec 9, 2005)

Thanks for the help so far. I don't know what the Nitrates are but I imagine they're zero (I'll measure tonight). I used to supplement SeaChem Nitrogen but it isn't available anymore. I know the phosphates were zero last week before I dosed after a water change.

Our only cleaner fish are SAEs.


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## Dieni (Nov 18, 2004)

Your Echinodorus plants would really benefit from some root tabs like seachems flourish tabs or something similar.


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## triple red (May 27, 2005)

Dieni said:


> Your Echinodorus plants would really benefit from some root tabs like seachems flourish tabs or something similar.


correct....swords are heavy root feeders....their root systems get huge.....as for sechem nitrogen...its still available http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=9904&N=2004+113221
btw ...i like your tankroud:


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## kjd1231 (Jan 4, 2005)

I like it!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: 
(Root ferts are an easy fix.)


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## turbomkt (Jun 9, 2004)

Big Al's has a decent price on bulk Seachem stuff...


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## Architect1 (Feb 19, 2006)

Nice tank. I was wondering what kind of discus is the one on the left it looks gray? I also like how you have other colors in there.


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## styxx (Jul 2, 2003)

Seachem root tabs are the best...the swords that I have were of the compacta variety now they've reached the top of my tank! I use only seachem products and their root tabs work magic over 3 months...I had to take out a sword and the root system covered a quarter of the entire tank...I would also suggest dosing Excel and using some CO2...it has seriously limited my algea problem now to only the slightest annoyance...


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## vince+carrie (Dec 9, 2005)

Thanks for all the help. I'm looking forward to trying some tabs and seeing what those swords will do.

The guy on the left is an odd one. Most references we found call him a gold/yellow cap/crown/ghost discus. Here is an old picture of him (I'll try to post a new one soon)










since this photo he has developed A LOT of deep metallic blue.


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## Y0uH0 (Dec 19, 2005)

cool looking discus..is it a hybrid variety? never seen one like it here before in singapore.


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## Adrian (Aug 17, 2005)

If yer not gonna inject Co2, then excel is surely the way to go. A little TMG wouldn't hurt either.


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## Architect1 (Feb 19, 2006)

Wow where did you get him. Hes such a mess that you admire its beauty. I was like eww when i seen the old pic but then I started to love it because he's deferent. I really like him.


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## vince+carrie (Dec 9, 2005)

*After the Weekend*

We did a major cleaning/pruning this weekend and placed Sea-Chem tabs underneath the sword plants. Also dosed with Excel. We'll keep you posted with pictures and see how it goes.

I'll take a few more pictures of the gray dood in the near future and post them as well for those interested.

Thanks for all your help.


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## Brilliant (Apr 11, 2006)

I think the pic in your avatar is awesome. I like the look of the tank look like a good home. Whats up with that pH?


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## vince+carrie (Dec 9, 2005)

Brilliant said:


> Whats up with that pH?


Thanks. Calgary water comes from the rocky mountains so it picks up a lot of minerals before it gets here. Its also extremely stable and is very hard to alter. Most of the breeders have aclimatized the discus to the harder water and they do very well.


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## Brilliant (Apr 11, 2006)

vince+carrie said:


> Thanks. Calgary water comes from the rocky mountains so it picks up a lot of minerals before it gets here. Its also extremely stable and is very hard to alter. Most of the breeders have aclimatized the discus to the harder water and they do very well.



Oh. :fish:


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## ringram (Jan 19, 2005)

Are you sure 200w is enough? that's less than 2wpg. I know that the "loose" wpg rule breaks down with larger tanks, but its just a thought...
Looks great though. You actually have what I want to accomplish someday....planted discus tank.


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## bastalker (Dec 8, 2004)

Swords do great in low light.... If yer stuffin the Discus with food, ya might wanna hold off on the phosphates fer now...The food an the fish waste will be all ya need with that low lighting....

Tanks lookin great by the way!!!roud:


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