# Vanish's 75g Community



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

April 16th, 2018 FTS










November 8th, 2016 FTS










February 3rd, 2016 FTS










Last photo before December accident/January 2016 rescape:











*ORIGINAL POST*

This is my first foray into a planted tank. I run several other non-planted tanks but really love the look of the live plants. I really do not like how fake plants react when fish rub against them. Last week I ordered a starter pack of plants from a forum member. Great decision as far as getting started. I am terrible at aquascaping.  Really, I just wanted to see how each species of plant reacted in this tank before getting too picky with the plant locations.


As of FIRST PLANTING - June 19th, 2014...










*Fish*
1 Convict
2 Bolivian Rams
5 Bleeding Heart Tetras
1 Glo Tetra
12 Mollies - Black, Dalmation, Creamsicle
5 Cory Cats, Albino

*Plants*
Water Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis)
Red Ludwigia
Corkscrew Valisneria
Unknown Sword 
Sunset Hygro
Scarlet Hygro
Anubias (Larger, unknown strain)
Anubias Nana
Anubias Nana Petite
Alt Reneicki (Mini)
Ludwigia Repens
Micro Sword
Lobelia Cardinalis
Bacopa Caroliniana

*Light*
Current Satellite Plus 48"
9am to 5pm
19 to 21 inches above the substrate

*Substrate*
Safe-T-Sorb

*Fertlizers*
Flourish Comprehensive once a week
Root Tabs under the Swords


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

As of June 26th, 2014










First, a note about the fish. Since I have a few tanks, sometimes fish get moved around. This isn't my ideal set of fish for this tank, but sometimes you have to work with what you've got! I never intended on keeping the mollies, they were a rescue, but they have grown on me. They let me pet them and eat algae off the background and decorations.

Now, on to plants.

I have lost almost all the Scarlet Hygro and Alt Reineckii. There are a few stems with melting leaves left, but I am wondering if I should just remove them. I don't see any roots growing.

I thought the Ludwigia Repens was in the same position, but I am seeing some roots growing from the remaining stems with leaves. The leaves look pretty rough though.










The Anubias Nana and Petitie have almost completely melted away. I don't know what went wrong here. I thought this was supposed to be one of the easier plants to grow.

Corkscrew Valisneria completely melted within days.










I am unsure of the species of this plant. It was marked as "Anubias Graz" Some of the leaves look good, others are yellowing/browining.

There are two other similar plants in similar condition. 










The Lobelia Cardinalis seems pretty happy and roots are growing on almost all stems. Bacopa Caroliniana looks pretty decent, too, though it was much brighter when I first planted it.











Water Wisteria looks OK. Most of the lower leaves have come off or look weak, but the upper leaves are bright green. Roots are growing.

Sunset Hygro is in similar condition.

Micro sword is kind of hard to tell. They look like they are browning to me, but since they had so many roots to begin with I can't tell if those are growing.


*SO.... What can I do to liven these guys up? I'm new to this, and I haven't really seen a guide to determining the causes for the different issues I am having. Am I short on light? Fertilizers? Why the heck did my Anubias melt away so dang fast?*


----------



## BuddhaBoy (Jun 12, 2014)

Have you tried dosing with excel? My Anubis is flourishing with excel. I also use flourish and potassium.


----------



## jmsaltfish797 (Oct 27, 2012)

the plants are going through shock from shipping and replanting. just give it a little time. i didnt see any mention of co2 in your equipment. if your not running co2, go pick up some excel and start dosing it. should help everything snap back to health.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Thanks folks. I was shying away from C02/Excel as I would prefer this to be a low tech/low maintenance setup, but there's nothing wrong with a bit of a jump start.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

What light bulb/lights are you using and how long are they on?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> What light bulb/lights are you using and how long are they on?





vanish said:


> *Light*
> Current Satellite Plus 48"
> 9am to 5pm
> 19 to 21 inches above the substrate


In original

------------------------------------------------------------------------

In other news, I watched the convict kill a molly recently. I'm really surprised since they've been together for a couple of months. Then I found another one dead this morning, obviously killed the same way.

I've already arranged for him to be adopted tonight...


The Anubias Nana has lost all of its leaves. Should I pull it out, or could it just be readjusting and new leaves might sprout? I can't quite tell if roots are growing.

I kind of struggle with this in lots of places. *When a plant isn't looking good, what do I remove completely VS what should be trimmed VS what should be left alone?* I'm sure it varies by species.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

While watching the tank at lunch time today, I noticed some bright green new micro sword leaves! Hooray!

Tiny, blurry photo, sorry, no macro lense!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Sad day. The Convict was picked up. I really liked him but I like the Bolivian Rams more.

Did a large water change including cleaning under the stump where the rams had recently started to hide. Only found one under there.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Oh my gosh. I don't know where he was, but suddenly he's swimming in front of me! 

Yay!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

*Two Weeks*










Inhabitants

[STRIKE]1 Convict[/STRIKE]
2 Bolivian Rams
5 Bleeding Heart Tetras, 1 Glo Tetra
[STRIKE]12[/STRIKE] 9 Mollies - 3 Black, 2 Dalmation, 4 Creamsicle
5 Cory Cats, Albino
2 Gold Apple Snails (they are good guys, leave the plants alone, forgot them in the OP)

Everyone seems to be enjoying Big Head Todd's departure. He went to a 4000 Gallon pond at the local Aquaponics place. The rams are once again out and about. He took out three black mollies before he went. I don't know what pissed him off all of a sudden.

PLANTS
My Glut has not arrived yet.

Micro swords got a bit torn up while trying to capture BHTodd. We'll see if they come back.

I thought I had lost all the Alt Reneicki mini. It appears two of them have started acclimating.



















Similarly, ONE stem of Scarlet Hygro seems to have sprouted new leaves. There is one other stem still in the tank.










I thought I had lost all the Corkscrew Val. Turns out there is one little one trying to survive the transplant (left). On the right is an adorable fresh growth Sunset Hygro. The zoom really throws off the scale.










Almost all the Lobella Cardinalis have a new leaf or two.










Most of the Wisteria has grown fat new leaves on top. If you compare it with last weeks photo, you can see the Wisteria is two-three inches taller already.










Most of the Sunset Hygro has pretty new pink leaves on top.










There is also ONE stem left of Ludwigia Repens. It is hiding between the stump and the back wall and I had originally missed it when doing last week's survey. It has brand new leaves, too!

The sword in the stump seems like it is adjusting. New roots started after I trimmed off the rotting leaves. The Anubias Nana is gone. There are a couple of pieces of the petite that look like they are trying to hang on.

*Questions*

1.) I've been told I should have more than 5 Bleeding Heart Tetras. These 5 have been together for a year or so. They are currently cheap, so I could pick up a few more. Is it a bad idea to add new, smaller ones? Is 5 enough? They do nip at each other, but I haven't seen them pick on the rams.

2.) Are there any shrimp that would thrive in this tank? Shrimp as so cool.


----------



## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

LOl "Big Head Todd." Great looking tank, I really like the background. 

Keep nurturing that Ludwigia. If it ever takes off you'll have quite a showy plant. Mine got totally out of control, even before heavy ferts/co2. (although I was dosing Excel)


----------



## PhysicsDude55 (Oct 24, 2011)

Good looking tank! I really love the rock 3d background.

If your 5 tetras don't seem too aggressive I wouldn't worry about adding more. I've had mixed success adding small fish to nippy schools.

I would get some Amano shrimp. They get pretty big (2" or so), and are pretty good at evading hungry fish. You might have to separate them for a few months to let them grow. When they're juvies, they're probably small enough that some of your fish might eat them.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

On the light, that is supposed to be a good one. If you get any more fish, consider quarantine.


----------



## xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx (Jul 12, 2011)

I would double the amount of Flourish Comprehensive you're dosing to the tank, or you can go with dosing the tank twice a week just to give the plants more available nutrients. Whether you're going with a low tech setup, or a high tech one the plants still need some sort of source for co2, so using some excel wouldn't hurt but make sure not to over do it with excel or you can start losing fish.

What kind of root tabs are using for the swords? The lighting fixture is fine for a planted tank, but your plants are deteriorating not because of "initial stages" but because of a lack of available nutrients in the water. Especially if they're deteriorating within a week, for the anubias plants I would suggest attaching them to something away from the substrate such as a piece of driftwood. Make sure to never bury any part of the rhizome part on the anubias plants, this is why you see most people attaching anubias to driftwood.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I hope my glut gets here soon. Tracking says between tomorrow and next Tuesday. It seems like things are growing, but even the wisteria and sunset hygro have lost or are losing most of their original leaves. They do have new leaves but things are looking a bit thin.

In better news, I found this plant I had tossed in my outdoor tank and had forgotten about. I can't ID it, and now I feel like I might have one of my other IDs wrong? You can also see some of the deterioration on the sunset hygro behind it.


----------



## redfirebird87 (Feb 18, 2013)

Tank looks nice Vanish. I hope the plants liven up soon. 

Everyone can find Sunset but me! I want some!


----------



## ced281 (Jul 6, 2012)

vanish said:


> I hope my glut gets here soon. Tracking says between tomorrow and next Tuesday. It seems like things are growing, but even the wisteria and sunset hygro have lost or are losing most of their original leaves. They do have new leaves but things are looking a bit thin.
> 
> In better news, I found this plant I had tossed in my outdoor tank and had forgotten about. I can't ID it, and now I feel like I might have one of my other IDs wrong? You can also see some of the deterioration on the sunset hygro behind it.


Can't say for certain, but it looks a lot like a rotala species that's been grown in low light. Maybe its rotala rotundifolia?


----------



## ced281 (Jul 6, 2012)

Also, if you still have the anubias nana, it is still salvageable. My guess is that the nana was grown emersed and so it melted all of its leaves once grown submersed. As long as you keep the rhizome, new leaves adapted to your tank will grow from it. You just need to make sure it gets a decent amount of light to trigger the spawning of new leaves.

Nana is a heavy root feeder from my experience, so it will not grow vigorously until it has secured a nutrient source via its roots. Putting some osmocote plus into the soil right underneath its roots or putting a pond plant spike (fertilizer spike) or a root tab will give it a direct nutrient source that will make it grow at insane speeds.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

ced281 said:


> Also, if you still have the anubias nana, it is still salvageable. My guess is that the nana was grown emersed and so it melted all of its leaves once grown submersed. As long as you keep the rhizome, new leaves adapted to your tank will grow from it. You just need to make sure it gets a decent amount of light to trigger the spawning of new leaves.
> 
> Nana is a heavy root feeder from my experience, so it will not grow vigorously until it has secured a nutrient source via its roots. Putting some osmocote plus into the soil right underneath its roots or putting a pond plant spike (fertilizer spike) or a root tab will give it a direct nutrient source that will make it grow at insane speeds.


Thanks. I had put root tabs in underneath. The larger nana's rhizome even turned brown, so I decided to get rid of it. The petite looked like it was rotting in the center, so for better or worse I clipped and replanted the good looking parts. One of them has been planted over a root tab, the other tied to a rock. They still look a little sad, but each has a new leaf this morning.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

*Three Weeks*










I almost didn't want to post this week because I feel like things are kind of sad. I don't know if it was time yet, but I took some Wisteria cuttings that had roots growing down and replanted them to try to get more plants going, so things actually look MORE sparse this week than last. The cuttings were planted behind the stump and log, so you won't really see them on a frontal shot like this until they grow.

*My glut arrives today.*

In more detail, I had thought the Lobelia was doing alright, as I had seen new growth and roots. Now, I am not so sure. The one in the middle has suddenly lost almost all its leaves.










Lastly, I just wanted to post this shot because I find the little sunset hygro plantlets so cute. Also, you can see the new leaf on the anubias nana petite.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Amano Shrimp ... my rock background goes all the way to the top trim on the tank. I've been running open top and I would be concerned they would climb out. I could put the tops back on (and actually, I might have to if I continue losing a gallon a day to evap!), but I generally prefer it this way. Thoughts?

Rabbit Snails ... just saw these guys for the first time and thought they were pretty sweet. Some people say they eat plants, others say they only eat dead plants, and I have no idea if they would crawl out of the tank. Opinions?

I just love having a diversity of life in my tanks.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I suppose I should talk about my DIY "behind the tank filter" a bit in this thread and not just other's.  Its a 6 gallon planter box sitting on a shelf behind the tank containing lots and lots of media (ceramic, pot scrubbies, purigen). There is a chamber for my heater in there, but I haven't moved the heater yet. The hob lid has 5 holes in it, in which I put flex pots. Each plant is in one of those flex pots with hydroton.

I may change the order of the plants as the two cuttings grow in. From left to right: pilea involcrata (friendship plant), epipremnum aureum (pothos - cutting), pilea cadierei (Aluminum plant), tradescantia fluminensis 'variegata' (a wandering jew), last one is unknown clipping.

My hope is eventually they will cover the whole filter and back of the tank, and you won't see any of the filter anymore. This will make cleaning a bit more of a chore, but I've already had comments on how much nicer it makes the tank look.










Here is the unknown clipping, if anyone can ID it.










I'm working on a GU10 track light system for lights. I picked up 4 3x1 GU10 LED lights, 4 swivel light holders and the track from the local ReStore for $8.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Picked up some more wisteria as well as some Dwarf Sag and a few others from a local forum member last night. Rearranged the plants a bit to try to get some more cohesive groupings going on. Going to give the wisteria a few days to settle in before I trim it. Its pretty ridiculous at the moment.  I hope the dwarf sag takes hold, I like it.

FTS tomorrow.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Still no luck IDing the mystery plant?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AquaAurora said:


> Still no luck IDing the mystery plant?


I haven't tried terribly hard just yet.  Still working on getting the lights up for the planter box plants as yesterday got absorbed with moving a friend and then planting all the new plants.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

*Four Weeks*










Wow, four weeks already. Look at all that growth? JUST KIDDING. I picked up a bag of plants from a local forum member. Giving those tall wisteria a little time to settle and then I'll trim them down a bit. Also got some Dwarf Sag in front, and rearranged the Sunset Hygro around the stump more. A few tiny java ferns tied to rocks on the log and upper shelf. The right side is a bit barren, but its because I'm waiting to see if certain plants take hold before I go rearranging that.

The sword plants are all growing new leaves and roots. Hooray! Same with the two tiny anubias. I'm unsure of the lobelia ... I like it and its growing lots of roots, but the leaves of the plants are getting some algae. I think I have seen some new leaves, but I'm not certain. I know the light is probably too low for this plant. The bacopa is starting to grow now, but I think its my least favorite. 

I think I lost an apple snail last night. Looks like he was chewing on some leaves stuck to the powerhead and got his head stuck. Probably going to have to get a prefilter. The tank also feels a bit understocked at the moment, but two things are happening preventing me from acquiring more fish: 1.) A 150 Gallon tank is in the works, yay Craigslist. 2.) I am waiting to see if my mother angelfish (different tank) recovers from parasites.

Depending on how those things work out, I may be shifting tank locations and fish around.

Before I added these new plants, the two bolivian rams had staked out territories and stayed in them most of the time. Now, they are out and about and playing with each other. 

I really like how this section of the tank is coming together:










A couple of the tiny java ferns, as well as another new leaf on anubias nana petite. Sorry I suck at close up photos:


----------



## AGUILAR3 (Jun 22, 2013)

Love the filter. Any pics of the internals and plumbing?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AGUILAR3 said:


> Love the filter. Any pics of the internals and plumbing?


I have a few pics from during the build. I do not have any pictures of the final configuration yet. It will give you an idea of what's inside, but its not exact. Much of the internals are built from $1 plastic baskets from the dollar store, styrene light diffuser from the ReStore and needlepoint plastic grid.




























The whole filter can be thought of in three vertical layers. 1.) Submerged media and heater chamber. 2.) Filter floss, pot scrubbies, purigen 3.) plant flex pots

Water is supplied by a 350 GPH powerhead with 3/4" tubing. There is only about 6 inches of head, so this actually more water than the planter outlets can handle. To compensate for this, I spliced in a t-barb fitting and an old Magnum quick disconnect. Automatically, the water splits at the t-barb adding flow to the tank, reducing the flow into the planter. I can also regulate the flow with the quick disconnect ( acting as a ball valve), but it turns out that its pretty close to perfect already. The water flows through a 90 degree watertight fitting attached to a scrap of styrene. There is a slot in the lid, where the fitting slides through the lid with the square of styrene under the lid. This holds everything perfectly in place.

The first vertical basket is not like that in the final version. It is similar, but the input goes into a basket with a plastic grid lid filled with filter floss. This catches all the plant bits and such. It is the easiest part to access, as I only need to remove one plant and slide the lid back 4 inches. The water then hits baffles forcing it down.

Under that basket is ceramic media. The water flows around the ceramic media, then up into a couple baskets of put scrubbies, as well as plant roots. Continuing right, it hits the purigen basket and then hits another baffle, where it goes down to the heater chamber. Finally, it passes through a plastic grid and then into the 1" PVC watertight fittings (find in electrical section).

During normal operation, it is completely silent except for a low hum from the powerhead. The flow is tuned such that a single outlet can handle the entire flow via full siphon if one outlet should get jammed. It makes funny slurping noises when transitioning back and forth between full siphon and not, which acts as a nice audible alarm if something should go wrong. The planter is sitting on a planter tray, which catches any drips (there shouldn't/aren't any during normal operation) and would give at least a little bit of time if something doubly bad (both outlets blocked?) should happen.










If I was to build another one, I would do a couple of things differently. Due to the design of this specific planter (vertical slats molded in), I had to mount the outlets very high where the box is actually flat, as well as at nearly the same level. I would much rather have had the outlets in a vertical orientation, with the lower one being lower overall. The level in the planter is pretty high, within 3/4" of the top and in emergency mode (one outlet running) it gets up to about 1/4" from the top. I would like to have a little more comfort zone.

Here is a pic I took during testing emergency mode (one outlet sealed off):


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Some newcomers:



















A very busy lady bristlenose.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

What variety of cory are those? And did you get more than 2?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I believe they are Trilineatus (False Julii). I only got two, but there are the albino cories in the tank already to keep them company.

I've been trying to get a better shot of lady bristle, but she's always in inconvenient places.

PS: Since its related to your question, here is a thread I started a week ago about mixing corydoras http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=678538


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Once the bristlenose is settled in you'll see more of her in easier to photograph areas.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)




----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

*Five Weeks*










I almost didn't bother with an FTS today as things haven't changed visibly in it. Plants ARE growing though, no doubt about it. I continue to propogate the "grove" of Sunset Hygro near the stump. Love it.

Bacopa Caroliniana - Slowly growing in

Lobelia Cardinalis - Continues to lose original leaves and produce new ones. My light is supposed to be too low for this plant so I am not terribly surprised. This is one of the plants I've had algae on, as well.

Micro Sword - The cories keep uprooting this. Its not really doing much either. I'm guessing the dwarf sag will eventually outcompete it.

Big Swords - All three have a new leaf, almost at the exact same time. The oldest leaves on the sword in the stump may indicate some sort of deficiency? I'm debating whether I should try to solve it, or watch the new leaves.










Not a good picture, but I now have several great looking stems of one of my original plants, but I am not sure which one it is. (its NOT the bacopa in front)










These two (alt reneicki ?) finally seem happy:


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I couldn't resist when I saw a LFS had these tank raised pandas in stock and brought home a pair. 










They also has skunks but their colors were a bit too blended for our tastes; from a few feet almost looked just gray. I'll try again for a pair of them later.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Last pic of the plant looks like possibly a variety of Vinca vine. Periwinkle.






vanish said:


> I suppose I should talk about my DIY "behind the tank filter" a bit in this thread and not just other's.  Its a 6 gallon planter box sitting on a shelf behind the tank containing lots and lots of media (ceramic, pot scrubbies, purigen). There is a chamber for my heater in there, but I haven't moved the heater yet. The hob lid has 5 holes in it, in which I put flex pots. Each plant is in one of those flex pots with hydroton.
> 
> I may change the order of the plants as the two cuttings grow in. From left to right: pilea involcrata (friendship plant), epipremnum aureum (pothos - cutting), pilea cadierei (Aluminum plant), tradescantia fluminensis 'variegata' (a wandering jew), last one is unknown clipping.
> 
> ...


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Hey, look what the inlaws brought! For reference, the longest piece is just over 3 feet long. Will have to figure out how the heck to treat them this week.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Is that how to treat the inlaws or how to treat the Cholla? LOL My Mystery snails and Ramshorns would do a great job cleaning them. I would give them a shower and put them in a plastic tote/tub and weight and soak them for a few weeks.

Those are very awesome. Good job Inlaws! Those are keepers, the Cholla and the inlaws:smile:


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> Is that how to treat the inlaws or how to treat the Cholla? LOL My Mystery snails and Ramshorns would do a great job cleaning them. I would give them a shower and put them in a plastic tote/tub and weight and soak them for a few weeks.


Hilarious! 

I have large plastic tubs, I just don't have any large enough. I don't think my wife would appreciate me using the downstairs bathtub, but she also doesn't look in there very often ....


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Here is a better pic of the cholla. I've started cleaning it up, but going out of town tomorrow and will not finish this week.










I'm actually going to miss the fake stump on the left I think. I liked the way the plants were filling in around it. I'm also curious how the cholla will look with the rock background, but I think cholla is just so cool. I'll have to collect a pile when we go to visit for the holidays. Hopefully more pieces like the double Y instead of the more straight pieces.

I do think cholla will be more difficult to scape with than traditional driftwoods. I guess I'm not 100% that I will make the switch to these in this tank.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Weird, got some database error and see my post in one place but not another.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

*Six.5 Weeks*

Was on vacation last week, that's why no Thursday update, and will be again.










Inhabitants

2 Bolivian Rams (unknown sex, I think two males)
5 Bleeding Heart Tetras, 1 Glo Tetra
9 Mollies - 3 Black (2 males), 2 Dalmation (1 male), 4 Creamsicle (all females)
2 Albino, *2 Panda, 2 Trili Cories*
*1 Female Bristlenose Pleco*
[STRIKE]2 Gold Apple Snails[/STRIKE]

(The other albinos were temp moved to another tank)

Both snails committed suicide on the powerhead. They liked to eat the dead matter off it, and eventually their bodies got pulled into the filter guard. This gave me a second reason to install a pre-filter. The first is, my female mollies are pregnant, with one showing the black triangle. So, ugly white pre-filter foam blocks have been added. Naturally there wasn't any black in town. I'll need to find a better long term solution. ( Added after photo )

Something that resembled ick appeared on my Bleeding Hearts today. I immediately moved them into the hospital tank. This is poor timing because I am headed out of town tomorrow. I am nervous about it showing up on other fish while I am out.

PLANTS

Not a whole lot to update here. Things are slowly growing. Some of the Dwarf Sag has started sending out runners.

Turns out one of the plants I thought I had lost, one stem remains and is now growing. Help with ID? I thought it was marked as ludwigia repens but I'm not sure due to its leaf shape.










I've also found some beaten up java ferns as stowaways in the wisteria which I've tied to some rocks. We'll see if they adapt.

Oh yeah, one more stowaway was some java moss. I put it on the background. Long time I'm not sure this is a wise decision, but I think it is growing. This is one of four bunches.










I have the cholla soaking in my outdoor aquaponics system at the moment. It looks great in there, so my feelings have swung back to swapping out the fake stuff for the cholla.

I'm also considering getting an additional light (maybe beamswork 48") to supplement the Sat+. I think I'm only getting around 25 par at the substrate, when I would like to have more like 40.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Figured AquaAurora might like a planter box update. 










Other than the T Fluminensis growing up toward the light, not a lot of _visible_ updates. Most of the growing action has been roots in the planter itself. There are new roots growing on all plants. I took two cuttings each from the friendship and aluminum plant so they are actually smaller. I figured if they didn't work out in the planter filter, at least I would have some potted instead of wasting my $$. I'm also still working on something better than 13w CFL the clamp light I've got up there now. Many projects. 

The prayer plant in front is there temporarily to see if it does any better with the conditions here. Originally, it was in my wife's office and had almost twice as many leaves. Our house is very dry and even with misting it did not seem to be doing well so we're trying something different.

The mystery vine has new shoots!


----------



## mflander (Jul 30, 2014)

Great tank Vanish!


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Yes, yes I would ^^ looks awesome!


----------



## inclament (Nov 13, 2011)

Not sure if your mystery plant is still around but it's vinca minor, possibly "illumination"


----------



## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

that little plant you have there is ludwigia repens.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Well, today I decided to move all fish to quarantine. The bh tetras look like they are better now, but I've seen a few salt specs on other fish, so I would rather play it safe. Going to give the tank plenty of time without fish for any ich to die. Catching the fish out of this tank is "fun"

Bump: Oh hey, a new page and I didn't see it until I added a comment!

Thanks for the plant IDs. That will help a lot.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Sorry to hear that.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Took a couple of hours to catch them all, with the bristlenose being the last. I took out about 85% of the water which I think will be a good thing in the end. I'm also going to take this opportunity to clean the hoses and such on the planter box.

I also took out both of the fake driftwood pieces. I'm not planning on putting them back in this tank. Next FTS will probably look a bit odd.



AutumnSky said:


> Sorry to hear that.


Its all part of the hobby. I think either I am being overly cautious or I caught it very early, both of which will be worth the effort in the end.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

*Nine Weeks*










Ich has been cured/removed and the fish have returned to the tank, minus the glo tetra. His swim bladder had been questionable for some time, and with the smaller amount of room in the QT tank he got picked on. I'm noticing more ramshorn snails in the tank. No idea where they came from but they are a brilliant red/orange translucent color, some of them with black polka dots. I donated some to a friends puffer tank, but I don't mind them here.

You should notice the fake wood has been removed. I had to pull it out to get all the fish out anyway, so I decided to leave it out for now. The cholla has been soaking in my aquaponics tank and is ready whenever I am, but I might just leave this one as plants only for now and use the cholla in the upcoming 150G.

Plants

Plants have been grouped more after removing the fake wood. The sunset hygro forest continues to be expanded. I love this stuff, not only because it grows steadily but its multiple colors as well. I was finally able to propogate the Lobelia Cardinalis. I didn't think this stuff would survive originally, but it looks pretty neat with its fat leaves. The Alt Reineckii is coming along now, too!



















Planter Box

The Pilea involucrata is not doing well, so I split it into several chunks and reduced this one to a single stem. The others have been planted different ways in hopes that I can keep it going in at least some form. I had rearranged the plants and moved the vinca minor and it suffered, so I moved it back.

_These photos were taken last week when I did a big cleaning._

Wandering Jew doing its thing









Pothos and Aluminum Plant growing some roots.










Notes
A really busy time for me right now. I have many more plans for this tank, but between parents visiting, elk hunting starting and the 150G build, I haven't been able to focus much. The day the 150G is ready is going to be crazy with moving fish and tanks around.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Sorry one of the plants is not doing well for you, hope it recovers in your varying setup tests for it. The aluminum plant will get long fine/thin roots overtime, great fry hiding place. The poths will get super long thick roots (not as many as the aluminum plant though), if it gets down into the substrate they'll spread everywhere and be a real mess to uproot. 
Btw your tank looks awesome (underwater). I wouldn't be able to resit the urge to shove plants or more likely mosses in the rock crevices.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AquaAurora said:


> Btw your tank looks awesome (underwater). I wouldn't be able to resit the urge to shove plants or more likely mosses in the rock crevices.


Thank you, that means a lot to me. It is coming along. Sometimes I have to remind myself that this tank is 5 times the size of the average tank on here, and it takes a LOT of plants to fill in. Not so easy for a first timer with thrifting in my bones.

I have java ferns growing in a few of the crevices, as well as java moss starting to get a foothold on top. Both these came as beat up hitchhikers so I haven't really documented them.  I wasn't sure how they would do but it looks like they are growing now. I'll try to photo them next update.


----------



## Sajeev (Mar 24, 2010)

the plant with the green/pink leaves with white lines, I was told its on the Obnoxious Weeds list by the FDA or EPA and had to get rid of it. Banned for sale in US.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Sajeev said:


> the plant with the green/pink leaves with white lines, I was told its on the Obnoxious Weeds list by the FDA or EPA and had to get rid of it. Banned for sale in US.


Don't tell!  Its my favorite plant!

Big move today. The tank is coming upstairs into the living room. I moved the 55G into the dining room last night to make space. My office will be getting the 150G that has now been water tested. Two weeks from now there will be a big change in the stocking of this tank. I would do it sooner but I am out of the house all next week.


----------



## blue-sun (Jul 25, 2014)

PhysicsDude55 said:


> Good looking tank! I really love the rock 3d background.


Me too! Where did you purchase that background?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

blue-sun said:


> Me too! Where did you purchase that background?


DIY'd

http://diyfishkeepers.com/forum/showthread.php?12201-75-Gallon-DIY-Background-(-Finished)

The project was _really easy_ once I got started on it. I wish I would have spent more time on it but I was excited to see how it came out.

All supplies you need are 1.) Foam insulation board 2.) Drylok 3.) Cement tints. 4.) Time

Tools used were a knife, a dremel tool, a heat gun, a paint brush and a sponge.

Total cost if you only consider the amounts I used was under $15.


----------



## blue-sun (Jul 25, 2014)

vanish said:


> DIY'd
> 
> http://diyfishkeepers.com/forum/showthread.php?12201-75-Gallon-DIY-Background-(-Finished)
> 
> ...


Very cool, thanks!

My 75G is already up and running, I'd hate to have to break it all down to install one of these. I am setting up my old 15G as a shrimp tank, maybe I'll do that for the 15g and see how it holds up!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

No pic this week because I am just too busy. In-laws are here to house sit and we leave for the mountains this afternoon.

The big thing is this tank moved upstairs to the living room. It was very scary, but nobody wound up in the hospital. Since we're going out of town, no fish have been moved yet. I also installed a new track lighting fixture above the tank for the planter box. i just have temporary bulbs in at the moment as the LED bulbs I ordered have not arrived yet.

The plants are all looking good even after most of them were uprooted. They also got a nice 70% water change due to the move which I am sure many plants will appreciate. Where I trimmed the Lobelia is especially noticeable as many new leaves have grown. The dwarf sag is not taking off as I had been warned it would, but there are definitely new plants growing on runners. While it makes the right side a bit empty, once it grows in it means I won't need to remove plants very often.

One of the Mollies gave birth the night after the move. I counted a half a dozen fry huddling in the background cracks and behind the return lines. Its impossible to know how many there actually are in the tank, and we'll see if any survive. It is exciting to finally have my first fry though!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Oh yeah, I probably won't get to read your response for awhile, but now that the tank is upstairs, my wife has requested I add some flowering plants to the riparium. Taking suggestions! (aside from Peace Lily)


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Away archery elk hunting all last week (with success!). We had our parents as house sitters watching our dog and all the tanks. All fish seem happy and the in-tank plants are looking great. Its amazing how fast stuff seems to grow when you aren't looking at the tank for 10 days.

The new LED bulbs for the riparium track lighting arrived and as I said the tank was moved up to the living room. I am attaching a terrible photo of the setup as it is right now. It is REALLY hard to get a good photo with the riparium lights on as they just completely throw off the light sensor. These are marked as 30 degree bulbs, but I feel like I am getting a lot more spillover than expected. They are 26W (13x2) 5500k LED PAR38 bulbs.

You can't even see the planter box in the photo. We need to reorganize our wall hangings with this new setup as the old tank in this place was much lower. I'd like to add a trellis behind the planter box for the tradescantia to climb.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Playing with my new phone. We started moving some fish around in prep for the 150.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

*12 Weeks*










(Tried a bit of a different angle this week)

Holy moly, really 3 months?! Tank time goes so fast when you aren't home to stare it it. Of which, now that I AM home again I have done quite a bit of this week. Pumpkin looks awesome in this tank. The molly babies are really hard to find. They like the "cracks" in the "rock" bg. They may all be gone, I don't know. I thought they were all gone a few days ago, then I saw two swimming about. I'm undecided on whether the mollies will stay in this tank.

No new plants, but I continue to propagate the stems. The amount of sunset hygro is uncountable. rotala rotundifolia is up to 8 stems from 2. bacopa has roughly doubled. the slowest is the lobelia, but I can tell that's going to be an awesome plant as it grows. The large Anubias is doing really well now. The java ferns have returned to life on their little shelf. There is even one growing from a crack in the bg. One of the java moss colonies near the surface is taking hold. There is both dwarf sag and micro sword growing slowly on the right hand side. The dwarf sag has roughly doubled since I put it in.

Still debating picking up some crypt wendtii bronze from a local for that right hand side.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Tomorrows project:


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Let's see if I can name them all...

Fittonia albivenis 'mini'
Peperomia caperata ( this one I may pot instead of putting in the planter box )
Zebrina Pendula ( Purple Wandering Jew )
Syngonium podophyllum ( Arrowhead Vine / Nephthytis )
Hemigraphis colorata 'Exotica' ( Purple Waffle )
Epipremnum aureum ‘Marble Queen’ ( Pothos )
Syngonium podophyllum 'pink' ( Arrowhead Vine / Nephthytis )
Dieffenbachia ( Dumb Cane )
Spathiphyllum ( Peace Lily )
Epipremnum aureum 'Scindapsis' ( unpictured )

Where exactly am I going to fit them? I am not sure. I might redo the lid to the planter filter such that it is much more open using a lot more LECA, or I might add more holes to the current lid, not sure. I feel like the current hole structure is too restrictive/static as far as plant placement.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

vanish said:


> Tomorrows project:





vanish said:


> Let's see if I can name them all...
> 
> Fittonia albivenis 'mini'
> Peperomia caperata ( this one I may pot instead of putting in the planter box )
> ...


Nice specimens!! Gl with cramming them all in ^^ Be sure to post photos when you're done
I looked at buying a variety of Peperomia a while ago, but pt member hydrophyte advised against them. Let me know how yours turns out if you do add it to the riparium!
I'm getting ready to upgrade my riparium from the 20g to the 55 so yay more room but its a shame its so late in the year, harder to find plants at local stores/nursaries that aren't half dead since we started getting cold weather here :c


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AquaAurora said:


> I looked at buying a variety of Peperomia a while ago, but pt member hydrophyte advised against them. Let me know how yours turns out if you do add it to the riparium!


There was a specific kind of peperomia that I read would do well, but this species wasn't the one. It was kind of an accident that I bought this one. :iamwithst Especially considering it was almost 3x the price of the rest of my plants.

I've been working with my wife trying to come up with a starting arrangement. The current wandering jew is incredibly leggy (even though I've been propogating it like mad), which is making things more difficult.



> I'm getting ready to upgrade my riparium from the 20g to the 55 so yay more room but its a shame its so late in the year, harder to find plants at local stores/nursaries that aren't half dead since we started getting cold weather here :c


Indeed! I couldn't find any Ruellia as I was told they were done with them for the season. I'm watching your thread!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I'm having a hard time photographing the new planter filter.

The Fittonia is adorable. I hope it does well. I'd like more of them.

Just need to replace that brace with something less noticeable.


----------



## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

I have the fittonia, it does well. Gets super bushy


----------



## klibs (May 1, 2014)

Nice! This tank is filling in very nicely. Your filter plants look excellent!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

*3 Months*










*Fish*
2 Discus
1 Angel
2 Bolivian Rams
5 Bleeding Heart Tetras
3 Long-finned Serpae Tetras
9 Mollies - 3 Black, 2 Dalmation, 4 Creamsicle
6 Cory Cats - 2 Albino, 2 Trili, 2 Panda
1 Bristlenose Pleco

?? Ramshorn Snails

*Tank Plants*
Water Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis)
Unknown Sword 
Sunset Hygro
Anubias (Larger, unknown strain)
Anubias Nana 'Petite'
Alt Reneicki (Mini ... supposedly)
Ludwigia Repens
Micro Sword
Lobelia Cardinalis
Bacopa Caroliniana
Dwarf Sag
Rotala rotundifolia? ( I can't tell, its not happy )
Java Moss
Winelov Java Fern
Needleleaf Java Fern

*Filter Plants*
Fittonia albivenis 'mini'
Tradescantia Zebrina Pendula ( Purple Wandering Jew )
Syngonium podophyllum ( Arrowhead Vine / Nephthytis )
Hemigraphis colorata 'Exotica' ( Purple Waffle )
Syngonium podophyllum 'pink' ( Arrowhead Vine / Nephthytis )
Dieffenbachia ( Dumb Cane )
Spathiphyllum ( Peace Lily )
Pilea Involcrata ( Friendship Plant)
Epipremnum Aureum (Pothos)
Pilea Cadierei (Aluminum Plant)
Tradescantia Fluminensis 'variegata' ( Green/White/Yellow Wandering Jew)

*Light*
Current Satellite Plus 48"
Noon to 8pm
18 inches above the substrate

Two Par38 26W 30d LED Spotlights (for planter filter)

*Substrate*
Safe-T-Sorb

*Fertlizers*
Metricide 14 daily
Flourish Comprehensive twice a week
Flourish Iron once a month

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For now, I started a second group of sunset hygro on the right side of the tank. I can't tell if the dwarf sag is performing. It seems like it could be happier. Some of the clumps have sent runners, but others have done nothing. The needleleaf java ferns have spawned babies, but the windelov still looks sad.

I was able to propagate the Alt Ren. again.

The Wisteria is actually doing _too_ well at this point. I don't know if anyone would be interested, but I could probably put a couple dozen 8 inch to foot long stems in a ROAK. I have a bunch in another tank not set up for plants just because I didn't want to waste it. We'll see how it does in there.

Oh yeah, I picked up a Tom's Aqua Lifter on sale to do the Metricide dosing for me. But I completely forgot to get a daily minute timer, so its just sitting around for now.

Holy crud. I just looked at the last photo from before I set up the planter filter lights. The wisteria has gone NUTS since then. They must be adding to the PAR.


----------



## pewpewkittah (Jan 14, 2014)

vanish said:


> *3 Months*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow, SO LUSH!! I love how it looks like the plants are creeping up the background wall. Also, really nice job with the terrarium plants! Did you get them from hydrophyte? Those are some beautiful discus... I might need to get 75 so I can keep some . 

Keep the updates coming!!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Sad day. Went to feed this morning and found my cobalt blue discus "Pancake" drifting in the wisteria. So random.  There was never any sign of illness and everyone else looks very happy.


----------



## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

It's always those blue fish *sigh*

Sorry for your loss man.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

So sad. That was a stunning fish. Did you ever get any babies?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> So sad. That was a stunning fish. Did you ever get any babies?


One of the mollies gave birth at the end of August just as we were leaving for the week. I saw about 8 or so fry the day we left. By the time we got home, I could only spot 2. They are very hard to find in the cracks of the background. I'm sure they were all eaten at this point. There are three pregnant. My wife wants to move them to a different tank to spawn, but at the same time she doesn't want me to set up more tanks... 

The angelfish keep eating their eggs. I have a tank set up for the eggs next time. She looks ready to lay again right now.










I don't believe I ever posted photos of their tank. It didn't have any lives plants but recently some have magically appeared. Its not set up for live plants but they aren't dying.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Picked up some crypt wendtii 'Tropica' on clearance yesterday. This will be my first time working with any crypts and also my first time working planting those plants in gel. We'll see if they survive.

Oh yeah, I forgot... I picked up another timer at the thrift shop, this one a much smaller form factor so now I can actually fit my three timers on one power strip (Tank Lights, Planter Filter Lights, Metricide Dosing Pump). I switched my tank lights to the new timer, which means I can use the digital timer to hook up my Metricide dosing pump. I picked up a graduated container at the thrift store as well, to hold the diluted metrice, but I want to paint it black except for a strip where the gradations are located. I can do that tonight, so hopefully tomorrow I can start auto-dosing!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

A bereaved Pumpkin ... actually he seems happy.










New Growth on one of the Fittonia










Cloudy getting some camera action. Some of the new, adjusting crypts behind.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I'm really trying to keep my hands out of the tank this week. Obviously not a total success since I added the crypts on Sunday (they are near the swords on each side).

I'm sourcing suggestions for "aquascaping" the wisteria and well, everything else I guess. I really wanted it to grow in front of the filter intake but Pumpkin doesn't want it there.  My current thought is to move the stems in the center to the edges, thus giving the tank more "depth" to the eye. Pumpkin has claimed that spot under the powerhead and every time I plant something there it winds up floating the next day.

I wish the Lobelia section would grow a little better, but I should be surprised its even growing at all. It doesn't like me to propagate it so I'm keeping hands off and slowly surrounding it with other plants.

I'd like to adjust the position of the alt ren. now that its growing nicely, but I feel like it only started growing well since I stopped messing with it and I'm afraid moving it around will piss it off again.

I'm also surprised the dwarf sag hasn't spread more, but it is. Just need to give it time. 

There's a half a dozen baby java ferns growing on the upper left wall. Cool!


----------



## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

I just jumped in at the last page, but I see nothing that is a "Mess" about this tank. I think it looks wonderful. Good looking pun'kin too. :thumbsup:


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Daximus said:


> I just jumped in at the last page, but I see nothing that is a "Mess" about this tank. I think it looks wonderful. Good looking pun'kin too. :thumbsup:


Haha, thanks! Well, when I started it the plants did not look happy ( Patience solved that ) and I wanted what I thought might be a catchy title. Hope including mess in the title didn't scare people off :icon_excl


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Tropica Crypts look to be doing well. Here is one group.










Large Anubias is having a few issues. Its still producing new leaves, but since the addition of the "riparium" lighitng the rear-most leaf has started attracting GSA. The foremost, oldest leaves have some strange black patches. I posted about this in plants forum.










I thought the micro-swords were dying, but I think they might just have some sort of deficiency or they like growing this sort of bronze color. Not sure, but they are spreading regardless.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Pumpkin is beautiful... again so sad about the Blue.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

The Glut auto-doser is hooked up! It runs for one minute every morning pumping a 50/50 mix of water to metricide 14.

I found a graduated container at the thrift shop the other day. Covered the markings and painted the rest black, so I can still see the level but most of it blocks light. Drilled a hole in the top a pushed some tubing in, which hooks up to a Tom's Aqua Lifter. The reservoir sits on the stand behind the tank and the aqua lifter is on the planter box filter shelf. I can just barely see the levels by looking back there.






























AutumnSky said:


> Pumpkin is beautiful... again so sad about the Blue.


Thank you. I'd love to say I raised him that way but I didn't. They were both adopted and doing well for almost a year now. I'm torn on what to do because I know Discus like their own kind, but I don't have the $$ for more at the moment.


----------



## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

This is just a wonderful set-up all around. Im truly envious.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

burr740 said:


> This is just a wonderful set-up all around. Im truly envious.


Thanks burr ... your tank is stunning so I think you're crazy! :fish:

--------------

The purple waffle has been blooming constantly. Yay! It has grown considerably so I am going to take a stem cutting soon ( EEP! ).










These Fittonia are awesome. They've all grown so much already. Here you can see one of the java moss colonies growing beneath it. I hope I don't regret having it there. It has grown a couple of inches down the rock wall, too.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

I like the moss growing up the wall. The auto doser is brilliant!!!

Maybe you can find someone with a batch of babies you can pick up a few half dollar sized ones. Our somewhat lfs will sometimes have them from around low $20's on up, and sometimes 3 or 4 for 100 depending on size and variety. So far though the reasonably priced ones are only at one lfs I have seen. You may start checking in with hobbyists in case they will be selling some. I know your fish would be happier with a few more but it does have company.

I think the aquarium society is having their sale this weekend.

Here is the info for the local auction!
http://coloradoaquarium.org/ofiles/fallAuction2014c.jpg

If you go and end up getting too many, let me know!!!


----------



## monkey4life (Oct 31, 2013)

Tank looks great! I'm gonna have to borrow your idea for dosing ferts.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> I like the moss growing up the wall. The auto doser is brilliant!!!
> 
> Maybe you can find someone with a batch of babies ... I know your fish would be happier with a few more but it does have company.
> 
> I think the aquarium society is having their sale this weekend.


Its a good idea, but I don't know if I am up to the task of feeding 6-8 times a day!  Thanks for the note about the auction, could be interesting. 



monkey4life said:


> Tank looks great! I'm gonna have to borrow your idea for dosing ferts.


It was really easy to set up and a fairly inexpensive system. Total cost for me was $19 (Aqua Lifter, Timer, Reservoir, Air Tube). The one thing to note is that you wouldn't want to put the reservoir too low as the aqua lifter isn't very strong. I had planned on this when I was setting up the tank and its why I made that shelf behind the tank accessible. Only time will tell on the reliability of the aqua lifter, though I am certainly not the first one on this forum to use it.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I'm not doing a very good job on keeping my hands out of the tank.

Petsmart ( I was picking up some Pictus Cats _on sale_ for the 150G, they are in QT atm ) had some Crypt Undulata 'red' marked way down so I rescued it. This required moving some other plants to get it to fit. Somehow the front corners of the tank are "thin" on plants, when I was originally intending on things being the other way around. Have to consider a rescape.

I also ROAK's some Wisteria earlier this week and a friend took a little, too. The Wisteria is still pressing against the surface so I will probably do another ROAK soon.

I picked up some thin metal to use on the planter filter in place of the wood bracer. Just need to bend it to the right size and paint it, then I can remove that wood block brace in the middle, and probably the plastic one on the end, too. This will be far less noticeable.

I want to get some larger plants for on top of my speakers (next to the tank) but there's just too much going on at the moment.


----------



## soking (Sep 6, 2014)

This tank is so gorgeous! Really cool to watch it evolve over time. Looks so lush and amazing. 

Totally jealous of that sunset hygro forest, it's always been one of my personal favorite plants.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Really like how the tank is looking ^^ Especially with all those green plants and yellow fish just popping out against them! And lucky you with your purple waffle bloom! mine hasn't yet but I only just finally put it in the riparium this past weekend, but my Ruellia brittoniana 'Katie' is spitting out seeds ^^


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

As I was doing something to the tank yesterday I noticed little blips fleeing from my hand. A LOT of little blips (between 30-40). DW said we need to save them! So I set up a 10G temporarily. It will be interesting to see what kind of coloration we get, as I can see right now some are very dark, some light and some two-tone.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

This hobby is so addicting. I splurged and ordered dry Macro Ferts... not all that expensive in comparison to a lot of things in the hobby! Why not since I can just mix them into my Auto Glut doser? Trying to figure out my daily dosage for when they come in because I simply cannot do weekly 50% water changes (which would be recommended for EI dosing). Right now I do about 20% twice a week.










That sunset hygro really grows when its not trimmed! I've pretty much reached my propagation limit in this tank, so I'm letting it grow for now, as the 150G could be ready as soon as next Wednesday (unlikely, but possible) and while I wasn't planning on putting sunset in there, I won't have a ton of plants ready for it, so why not? Doing the same with some of my extra Wisteria, though I am storing it in the angel tank, and I did ROAK about 20 stems.

The new crypts seem happy. Surprised because of the "crypt melt" warning but I didn't lose any leaves on either type.

I need to do a slight rescape at some point ... its getting to thick to see my cory cats anymore.  I want to create an open space for them.

Lastly, It just so happens someone has a birthday coming very soon, and his in-laws loved watching Pumpkin so much when they house-sat for us a month ago that they want to contribute to finding him some new friends.  The serpaes and mollies will be moving to a different tank.


----------



## Regenesis (Apr 12, 2011)

Absolutely stunning tank!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Thanks for all the great comments. Its amazing to see how far the plants have come with a little patience.

All the molly fry are still alive in the QT tank. I haven't been able to figure out which one is the mother.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

The battle for growing space is on! Soon I am going to have to make some decisions, as I don't think everything is going to be able to fit forever. Oddly, the Syngonium podophyllum (arrowhead) seem to be the only plants that aren't doing much. They aren't dying, but I haven't seen any real growth either.

The purple waffle is going nuts, having almost doubled in size already. I want to propagate it, but I'm torn on which stem to cut and where, without making it look like I took a big chunk of plant out. @*AquaAurora* - While I was at my parent's house I noticed they had a plant with a 'Purple Waffle' tag in it, but it is quite different than mine. It had a different scientific name. I guess most 'Hemigraphis' get the same common name

If you look closely, you can see a couple Zebrina Pendula blooms.










On another note ... more molly fry while we were away over the weekend. But because we were away, only saved 10 this time. They went in the 10G with the other fry.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Sorry about the glare in this shot, but I don't have time to retake it this morning.










So, just looking at these photos I realized, I no longer need to have the heater on the right side of the tank. I can move it behind the powerhead and it won't be quite so visible and probably get better water movement around it anyway. This will allow the Wisteria to fill in the right side better.

Today was the first day starting dry ferts mixed in with my autodoser. I'm operating at ~1/4 of EI. The amounts were surprisingly little, so I'm worried I did the calcs wrong. I talk more about it in http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showpost.php?p=6851105&postcount=98 Unfortunately Zorfox just now got back to me, but I highly doubt I am over fertilizing. I also now calculate I have enough KH2PO4 to dose my tank for 347 years at the current rate.

I have a re-scape (an actual scape instead of "put in plant, see if plant grow" ) forming in my mind, but I don't have the time just yet as I've been working on the 150G almost every free day. I want to create some negative space and to be able to see my cory cats again.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Zorfox and I came to the same fert numbers, woot woot!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Update this week will be coming a little late as tomorrow I'm planting my new 150G tank! I'll be doing some significant trimming in this tank so its pointless to take any pics now.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

GL with planting, i always find it takes much longer than I plan to get done >.< Btw I envy your wondering jew bloom! mine never did that (probably my frequent trimming down of them prevented it). Also why don't you have links for your 55gs and 2g in your sigy? No journals yet, or plan to put everything in one journal?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AquaAurora said:


> GL with planting, i always find it takes much longer than I plan to get done >.< Btw I envy your wondering jew bloom! mine never did that (probably my frequent trimming down of them prevented it). Also why don't you have links for your 55gs and 2g in your sigy? No journals yet, or plan to put everything in one journal?


The 2G isn't really maintained ... I'm probably going to shut it down soon. I found I'm just not all that into the little tanks.

The 55G Angelfish isn't set up for live plants, though it does have wisteria and najas grass growing in it at the moment. The only light is two hidden LED bars. I would convert it to live plants but when we got this tank originally I got the one with the Discus and my princess wanted the angelfish. I've since fallen in love with them but I'm supposed to keep my hands out.

The 55G Goldfish Tank doesn't have any live plants except the Pothos in its HOBs. I don't really do much with it aside from gravel vac it. I wouldn't even have goldfish except some survived the fish who started it all, we had in this 55 for 5 years, our green sunfish (since moved to a pond). Now my princess is attached to the Orange and White one (False Koi ). He's "very efficient" when it comes to food, double the size of his brothers, who were all purchased at the same time. The fantail was a rehome. I know you aren't supposed to keep them together but they do just fine. There are lots of rescues in here actually. Calculators say the tank is crazy overstocked but I've never had any issues with it.

Photo from six weeks ago:










Roosevelt also lives in there:


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Nothing really new to see here. I cut down the wistera 6-8 inches so its no longer hitting the surface. Also pulled some from the middle. It will grow back in over it, creating a cave. The fish like to hang out in the "cave". Also cut down the sunset. Need to rearrange so you can see both the sunset and the alt ren.

I would have done more but I did plant the 150G on Saturday and it was exhausting. Journal coming soon.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Here's the journal for the 150G in my basement office!

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=754793

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------










Time for a riparium filter update. Surprisingly, the only plant I feel is really struggling is the peace lily, probably the one I expected to do best. Diffenbachia and Purple Waffle are going gangbusters. The Nephs aren't really growing much, but they aren't dying either. That's actually ok by me as they get viney when they grow and I don't really want that at the moment.


The only new addition, another wandering jew (purple queen) from a relative's plant. This one likes to bloom as well. It has some striking purple coloration.










The waterline is starting to grow in well, too. My hope is that in a month or two you won't be able to see the aquarium to planter box transition, just one big mass of plants!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

A bit of a fish shuffle occurring as the 150G has been set up. We decided to change our cories around, make them more species specific. This was also precipitated by finding Bandit Cories at the LFS. All our Trili cories are now in the 150G, all the Sterbai and Albino Aeneus are in the Angel tank and all our Peppers and Aeneus are in the Goldfish tank. It was a good choice as they definitely school more now. The Bandits and Pandas are so similar that they are always hanging out together. 

We're not done shifting fish around as we just don't care for the Bleeding Hearts, but they are keeping the Serpaes in check. Also, the mollies were never supposed to be in here but we don't have any better place for them either. Its hard for us to just give away fish.

Current Stocking:
1 Discus (Pumpkin)
2 Bolivian Rams
5 Bandit Corydoras, 2 Panda Corydoras
5 Bleeding Heart Tetras
3 Long-fin Serpae Tetras
5 Glass Catfish
8 Mollies


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Can you get more Serpae Tetras? Seems some more aggressive tetras are more mellow around other fish when kept in a larger school size.
Btw whats the large leafed plant in the photo with the cory? A sword or crypt? Love the leaf 'vein' patterning.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

That plant came in my original plant package as "Unknown Sword." It has been putting out new leaves much more often since I started dosing macros.

The Serpaes are pretty mellow right now even though there only three of them. They play with each other but never the other fish. My thought is because they see the larger bleeding hearts there and feel the small fish in a larger school. If we got rid of the bleeding hearts (might give them to a friend) then yes, I believe we might need to get more Serpaes. However, I don't know if princess wants more Serpaes either. Can't get a straight answer there. If I had my way I would get more of them as the long finned variety bring a nice bronze/red color to the tank, whereas the bleeding hearts are fairly pale.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Nothing new to see here. I lost the peace lily in the planter box filter, but other than that things are just slowly growing. Time to just appreciate the flora and fauna.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Did you ever get a Anthurium? The dwarf or small (regular variety is just bigger depending on which size you want) varieties produce nice flowers which last for a long time and they constantly shoot out new ones all the time. I think the Flower Bin Nursery has them pretty regularly. I would get a couple since they have flowers so often.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> Did you ever get a Anthurium? The dwarf or small (regular variety is just bigger depending on which size you want) varieties produce nice flowers which last for a long time and they constantly shoot out new ones all the time. I think the Flower Bin Nursery has them pretty regularly. I would get a couple since they have flowers so often.


My planter box is getting pretty full, even with the peace lily being removed. I'll definitely try one if I ever need a new plant up there.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Can we got an update photo of your planter box? 

I've grabbed an Anthurium from a store but have not put it in the riparium yet. Its huge and the suction cups suck on my empty baskets.. it would slide down and become submerged (possibly crushing a cory or ghost shrimp (temp qt in 20g) in the process). So trying to find a new way to hold up the in tank planter boxes (want a plastic mini version of a reef hanger). I've been intentionally over watering in (with removed tank water) to see how it does saturated, there's a ton of new sprouts at the base of the plant but they've not opened/grown yet.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AquaAurora said:


> Can we got an update photo of your planter box?


There's a box in there? 










The purple queen is adapting very well.


----------



## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

What plants are you growing out of the tank like that? Very, very pretty.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Love the purple queen saw first photo and said "oooo what's that purple one on the right?" And you answer before I can ask ^^
Your riparium is growing in very nicely!! I have to say I'm quite jealous.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

HybridHerp said:


> What plants are you growing out of the tank like that? Very, very pretty.


I think they are all ones you have experience with. My tank background is made from foam, so I stuck stems of plants into the "cracks" in the foam bg (these were carved on purpose) and so their roots are literally in the tank and are growing up in front of the planter box. Earlier in the thread is a list of all the box plants, but these are in the tank as well:

Fittonia, Wandering Jew, Purple Waffle, Aluminum Plant, Frienship Plant.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Current FTS:










Looks a little odd at the moment as I pulled out a ton of wisteria yesterday. I am going to see how things grow back in as the wisteria was very thin in the lower 2/3 of the tank and threatening to block out the entirety of the light on the top 1/3 of the tank. I could trim it back and it would cover the top 2/3 of the tank in a few days. I'm curious to see how the other plants respond to the increase in light, and the wisteria should grow back in thicker, lower in a few weeks time.


----------



## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

vanish said:


> I think they are all ones you have experience with. My tank background is made from foam, so I stuck stems of plants into the "cracks" in the foam bg (these were carved on purpose) and so their roots are literally in the tank and are growing up in front of the planter box. Earlier in the thread is a list of all the box plants, but these are in the tank as well:
> 
> Fittonia, Wandering Jew, Purple Waffle, Aluminum Plant, Frienship Plant.


That I have experience with? I only have grown Fittonia at the top of a tank lol


----------



## Regenesis (Apr 12, 2011)

Jealous of all the beautiful plants!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

From some different angles today. This shot of the planter box is from the ceiling. I think I'm going to have trouble getting a trellis in behind it at this point.  I don't think the plants will have any trouble climbing it. Its about time for a serious trim. One can't even see the Fittonias anymore.

We were gone for 9 days for the holidays and I was amazed to find several stems of Sunset Hygro reaching the top of the tank. Also, while most of the dwarf sag seems to be doing great at staying 3 inches tall, there is a couple of bunches that are growing wildly tall. I'd remove them but my wife likes them.





































I got this African Violet a few months ago when I picked up some free aquariums from Craigslist. It seems to like its spot on top of the tank light.


----------



## Regenesis (Apr 12, 2011)

Looking great! I LOVE African Violets! I haven't been able to find any around here though


----------



## du3ce (Jan 26, 2013)

u should add another 2 discus to the tank discus are community fish


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

du3ce said:


> u should add another 2 discus to the tank discus are community fish


If I'm going to have more than one, I'd prefer to have at least 5. I assume you're going to donate them, awesome! PM me for my address.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Pre-Sale / Moving plants around:


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Pre-sale??? Underwater or above water? I could use some of both.

Recently I was given some plants, Fittonia, Pothos, Purple Waffle and Varigated Dracaena. After noting your plants, I think I will start a gorgeous addition to my tank from your awesome inspiration. I may need some pointers and "how-tos".


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> Pre-sale??? Underwater or above water? I could use some of both.
> 
> Recently I was given some plants, Fittonia, Pothos, Purple Waffle and Varigated Dracaena. After noting your plants, I think I will start a gorgeous addition to my tank from your awesome inspiration. I may need some pointers and "how-tos".


Absolutely! Any help I can offer is yours. Those should be perfect plants for this, though I havem't tried Dracaena. Make sure you pinch the tips on the Purple Waffle or it will grow too tall and fall over.

I sold my extra aquatic plants to a local. The tank looks a little rough at the moment. I'll post an updated shot soon.

I'm trying to propogate my terrestrial trimmings in small pots in an extra 10 Gallon tank, but I don't have any more spots with good light in my house.


----------



## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

I just recently found your thread, and I just want to say this is an incredible tank, easily one of my favorites! I love the way your emersed plants merge into the tank without those silly looking suction cup planters everyone else seems to use, and I love the way your background looks like a stone wall out in a field somewhere getting covered in plants.

A couple quick questions for you as I've been trying to come up with a similar looking plan for quite some time.
1. How is your planted filter attached behind your tank? Is it on some sort of stand or do you have some nifty hanging clips?
2. How often do you mist your plants if at all? I'd love to do something like this, but my work schedule won't allow for constant misting, so I'd be really REALLY excited if you don't have to mist yours all that often.
3. Is there anything you would change about your filter box besides water level? I'd be open to all sorts of ideas with that since I'm looking only for plant growth, since I've already got an internal mat filter that I love that takes care of all my needs for filtration/equipment hiding/etc.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I keep forgetting this (I should label it on the bottle!) but I'm going to put this here:

The amounts below are for 25% EI daily dosing for a 75 gallon tank using a container size of 2000 ml and a dose size of 100 ml.

KNO3 7.407 gm (approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons)
KH2PO4 1.22 gm (approximately 1/4 teaspoons)
K2SO4 2.959 gm (approximately 1/2 teaspoons)

Each 100ml dose will raise 75 gallons by the following amounts (25% of normal EI daily dose),

NO3	0.8
N	0.180712865
PO4	0.15
P	0.048919258
K	0.8
S	0.095877174


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

theatermusic87 said:


> 1. How is your planted filter attached behind your tank? Is it on some sort of stand or do you have some nifty hanging clips?
> 2. How often do you mist your plants if at all? I'd love to do something like this, but my work schedule won't allow for constant misting, so I'd be really REALLY excited if you don't have to mist yours all that often.
> 3. Is there anything you would change about your filter box besides water level? I'd be open to all sorts of ideas with that since I'm looking only for plant growth, since I've already got an internal mat filter that I love that takes care of all my needs for filtration/equipment hiding/etc.


Thank you! Its been a lot of fun.

1.) Yes, there is a platform behind the tank. The stand was for a 24x48 inch footprint 150G tank, but this is a 75G, so there is 6 inches behind the tank. I have a shelf about 16 inches up held up by 2x6 on the stand, then the planter box sits on that.










2.) No misting, and I live in Colorado, so its pretty dry. I think the open top tank keeps the local humidity up a little.

3.) Something I'm still planning is to put a trellis behind it for the plants to grow up. If the box was bigger, I wouldn't mind a "chute" where water flows back to the tank rather than the tubes as it would accommodate much larger flows (but maybe my slow flow is a positive? Hard to say). More like a HOB return. That's riskier to implement, though. Otherwise, It works really well.

But of course, BIGGER~


Currently Recovering from a big Trim / small Rearrangement











Since I don't have a journal for it, as it wasn't intended / built to have plants, here's our fry tank (after removing a dozen or so plants today). I didn't think mixing real and fake would work, but I like it.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> Pre-sale??? Underwater or above water? I could use some of both.
> 
> Recently I was given some plants, Fittonia, Pothos, Purple Waffle and Varigated Dracaena. After noting your plants, I think I will start a gorgeous addition to my tank from your awesome inspiration. I may need some pointers and "how-tos".


Hey Autumn, I didn't realize you lived right here or I would have arranged something with you.

This photo gives a nice sense of scale:


----------



## knm<>< (Mar 18, 2010)

I'm digging the plane on the wall, did you make that?


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

vanish said:


> Hey Autumn, I didn't realize you lived right here or I would have arranged something with you.
> 
> This photo gives a nice sense of scale:


No worries, I think at the moment I will use the tank I was thinking of (for the house plants instead) for a SW because my Saddleback Clowns are growing fast and need more room. will likely get a different tank for them when I find what I am looking for at the price I want to pay, lol. The tank I have has a built in hood where there is a filter flow trough. I don't know the real name for the filter other than "built in" to the hood. So there is room for some plants, and I have been meaning to use it for that for quite some time.


----------



## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

Ive got a couple more questions for you if you dont mind...

How does your planter box return to the tank. Ive tried a couple different ideas and have been less than happy with the results. My planter sits directly over the tank, and a straight drain blasts substrate everywhere, and an elbow is too much surface agitation.

Also is this your only form of water circulation; how much water movement do you get?

Actually I think an even more appropriate question is about how many gph do you have flowing through your filter box? Maybe I'm just moving too much water (roughly 100gph)

Thanks, Mike


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

theatermusic87 said:


> Ive got a couple more questions for you if you dont mind...
> 
> How does your planter box return to the tank. Ive tried a couple different ideas and have been less than happy with the results. My planter sits directly over the tank, and a straight drain blasts substrate everywhere, and an elbow is too much surface agitation.
> 
> ...












*How does your planter box return to the tank:* 

There are two 1 inch tubes on the exit side that curve into the tank, as shown above. They are not quite parallel with the tank water. This gives a nice smooth transition.










*Also is this your only form of water circulation* Yes and no. 

The power head has a splitter so I'm guessing only about 1/3 of the water actually enters the planter box. Originally I wanted more, but I think the slower flow is actually really good for filtration. This is my only filter. If I raise or lower the splitter it changes whether I get surface agitation or not. Considering I am not using CO2, I don' mind agitation and have it just below the water surface, depending on how much evaporation has occurred. When it starts making splashy noise I know its time to add more water. 

*how many gph do you have flowing through your filter box?* 

The powerhead I am using is a JEBO AP1800 Aquarium Power Head, 345GPH

Dividing that by 3 puts it at ~100GPH. I question whether it is even that much. The big factor I used in picking my flow was I wanted a single gravity powered 1" horizontal exit tube to be able to handle the full flow in case one was blocked.

Pumpkin says hi. He wants me to take a new FTS since the tank has grown back in after the trim but with all this snow there is just too much glare at the moment.


----------



## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

Rather than clutter your thread with my build I made a thread here with some pictures. It's not completely finished, and not planted yet, but it's running as a proof of concept thanks to your excellent advice.

also i LOVE pumpkin


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

For some reason I never thought to look behind the tank before....


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

'Bout time to trim and sell some riparian plants ^.~


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

vanish said:


> For some reason I never thought to look behind the tank before....


That is hilarious! And a nice surprise!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Current FTS, sorry its not a better photo!










This was shortly after I trimmed some of the Sunset but not much else. As you can see, the dwarf sag has finally breached the left side of the tank. It shouldn't be too long now before it fully carpets. That left side is where I have always just dumped random extras (MM, Crypt Parva, etc), so I am interested to see how things develop. Of course, now that the dwarf sag has taken such a strong hold, the pygmy chain sword finally seems to be spreading rapidly as well.










Its probably time to sell some of the swords. I am finding baby swords all over the tank. There are probably 10 of those swords in there now. The fish love to sit under their leaves, but I only need two plants for that.

The crypts are all doing very well, but you can't even find the c.w. green due to its location in the back right, which is just a jumbled mess. I should probably move some stuff around there but it can be tricky due to the way the water flows.



Last time I posted a shot of the planter box from behind. I crawled under the tank to take a photo, looking straight up.










This was actually fairly concerning. That's a fair amount of weight all pulling backwards and really really bad if it managed to bend or tilt the planter box. I decided I needed to trim, and maybe I went too crazy ... I took it all out. I removed 98% of the wandering jew, including everything hanging behind. It will be a goal of mine to find a trellis this week. I have no doubts about the WJ growing back.

Post-Hacking, going to require some time to fill back in ... I think it might be time to propogate the Dieffenbachia. Its about two feet tall and as big as my arm at the base. It would be a disaster if it tipped over. 










But, hey what's this? I can see the nephthytis again and wha?>?? A peace lily! I had lost the only peace lily in there but apparently something of it survived and its now returning.










Pothos and Purple Queen have taken hold ... going crazy on the right side. I may have to do something about this. You can only see about half the purple queen that's growing right here.










Pre-trim: Always fun to try different angles. I wish I was a better photographer!


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Pm me for what and when you are selling some plants! The Swords look so healthy, they all do. Very nice!


----------



## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

Have you considered expanding into a second tray? You seem pretty DIY savy so to add a second "shelf" behind your current filter and add some taller plants like ferns or palms could be an interesting alternative or addition to a trellis. The plants obviously get enough light back there to grow, and another purpose built to fit stand could lessen/remove the chance of your current box ever falling over.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

theatermusic87 said:


> Have you considered expanding into a second tray?


I have! Its definitely an idea worth consideration.

A couple of roadblocks. Both are probably solvable but they exist.

*1.) Increased head height for the powerhead.*

I could, of course, get a stronger powerhead.

*2.) Arm length. *

Some of the plants growing in another box would be almost three feet horizontally away from where I can stand on the floor. Also, it would be fairly high, so I would probably need a step ladder to work on it.

I have extra hardware as I bought 5 packs of the bulkheads and such. Finding a usable 3+ foot planter boxes cheap ( I love thrift shops and try to get parts for DIY projects there ) has been a more difficult task than I expected. I have an extra 30 inch box at the moment, but 36 inch would be better.


----------



## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

It's incredibly funny you're looking for a planter box, and I was just at home depot looking for some for my window ledges and I found one that might work for you. I'm actually going to be getting the 30" one cause that's what'll fit, but I thought you might be interested.

I wish I could think of a way to make your arms longer though... That would make my life so much easier for me as well


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Unfortunately that's just a liner for a box. It won't be strong enough to hold the gallons of water and media.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Considering doing a full replanting of the filter box. The Dieffenbachia is enormous and hogging up half the space in the box. Even propagating it won't really help.

The problem is the root systems are well outside the baskets and into the media of the box. If I rip the plants out, I'm going to leave a LOT of dying plant matter in the filter. If I full clean, I risk ruining my bio-filtration. I suppose I could just remove the Dieffenbachia basket. Hmm....


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

vanish said:


> Considering doing a full replanting of the filter box. The Dieffenbachia is enormous and hogging up half the space in the box. Even propagating it won't really help.
> 
> The problem is the root systems are well outside the baskets and into the media of the box. If I rip the plants out, I'm going to leave a LOT of dying plant matter in the filter. If I full clean, I risk ruining my bio-filtration. I suppose I could just remove the Dieffenbachia basket. Hmm....


I might try the last option, even doing that you will be removing a huge amount of filtering. If you do make sure to lightly feed for a week or so to help with the adjustment with the loss of root filtration. Then maybe start with a new one. The leaf shape, size and color are very nice.

Congratulations, on a very successful filtration system!!! And a very happy plant.


----------



## fastfreddie (Sep 10, 2008)

This tank is amazing! What a great read!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I think the recent local craigslist killing has really put people off buying my plants! Might just have to take them to the forums here, or move some into the beast in the basement.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Yeah, definitely needed to come out.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Wow, that is the most bushy, overall most happy looking Dieffenbachia I have seen! Crazy how that fit! Great job. How are the tank parameters since moving it out?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I wish my Dieffenbachia looked that happy now  Here's hoping its just going through its root adjustment period.

------------------------------------------------------------










*Aquarium Plants*

Ok, we're about to go out of town for a week, so I thought I'd do some heavy pruning. The tank can look like hell while we're away.  (Don't worry AutumnSky, I'll still have plants if you want to buy some and we can work out a time, I've just moved them to other tanks)

Of course, I should have taken a before picture but ... that's the way it goes. My wife said "Hey, there's fish in this tank and I can see them!" after I finished. Much of the wisteria has been moved into the fry tank and more might still. I'm going to try giving other plants a chance. 

The Sunset and Alt. Ren. we're both starting to lose a lot of their bottom leaves so they've been topped and replanted. There's still Bacopa in here! I moved a couple of the big crypts into the 150G, but there's probably 10 in here, even more than I thought. 

Moved some of the Dwarf Sag into other reaches of the tank. I want to create an open zone in the front 3 inches or so of the center of the tank, but the Dwarf Sag and Pygmy Chain Sword is _really_ thick there. I'll need to sell some.

Hiding behind the the Wisteria on the left is a "shelf" of java fern that's been really filling in. It looks quite cool. I need to get the same thing to happen on the shelf below it, which currently only has one sad Anubias that accidentally got left out for a couple of hours while cleaning the 150G. We'll see if it recuperates.

The rotala rotundifolia, of which I was down to two stems, is really startign to take over the far left front corner. I think I'm going to leave it there so it grows up to eventually hide the filter powerhead.

--------------------------------------------------------

*Fish*

So ... there's been a fair amount of change in the fish over the past couple of months. We've lost some and moved some. Sadly, the Bolivian Rams both died within a day of each other. I'm not sure what happened. I noticed over the course of a couple of days one was looking skinny and then they were both dead :/. We lost a couple of Bandit Cories, too. I found a couple of molly corpses when I cleaned behind the tank a couple of weeks ago. Lastly, the Bleeding Heart with the half tail was not looking right so we moved him to QT 

We've both enjoyed the LongFin Serpae Tetras as they shoal nicely, show up against the plants and don't hide all day. After we lost the rams we bought half a dozen more Serpaes.

1 Pumpkin ( Discus )
3 Mollies (2F, 1M)
1 Bristlenose Pleco
4 Bleeding Heart Tetras
5 Glass Catfish
9 Longfin Serpae Tetras
Some number of Cory Cats (4 albino aeneus, 2 pandas, 1 trili, 2+ bandits) ... with the thick plants and background they can be hard to find.

--------------------------------------------------------







































Look what we found at a thrift shop for $3! The betta in there cost more.










A new project coming soon, a mini aquaponics system. Found the file cabinet cart at thrift yesterday and it is perfectly sized for a 10G aquarium. I have a perfect pump that came with some free craigslist aquarium stuff. Need to put together a nice wooden box to hold the planter bins.










I've been researching outdoor aquaponics a LOT recently so I may be lost to that endeavor soon.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Sorry to hear about the plant.

The Aqua Farm are interesting I am using mine to just hold the fish. Never got around to setting it all the way up, but hope to soon. $3. is awesome. Mine was a gift (and clearance item  ) from my daughter. 

Love the cart and the idea. Bargain shopping - the best!!! Sounds exciting!


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Glad your peace lily managed and is re-growing! My smaller one has a new baby plant off to the side now, the domino is so huge I couldn't tell if its multiple plants or 1, but the domino has a spathe about to open (yay)! 
Give the dieffenbachia time to adjust, as long as you don't let it dry out it will bounce back!
What are you growing in the aquafarm? not the original seeds right? I kept reading reviews they were mostly duds (probably the packets set on the shelf too long or not in proper temp conditions for long storage). Also where is the betta? i don't see it. DO you have a heater? Bettas really d better at 80F range than room temp.
What will you use for aquarponic media? Gravel will be heavy and bow the tupperware (especially if you put holes in the bottom to let it gravity freed back into the tank). DO you have some expanded clay media to use? Its much lighter.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> Sorry to hear about the plant.
> 
> The Aqua Farm are interesting I am using mine to just hold the fish. Never got around to setting it all the way up, but hope to soon. $3. is awesome. Mine was a gift (and clearance item  ) from my daughter.
> 
> Love the cart and the idea. Bargain shopping - the best!!! Sounds exciting!


Thrifting is one of those things we enjoy doing together. We must be part German.

Definitely set up the plant baskets! Very easy.



AquaAurora said:


> Glad your peace lily managed and is re-growing! My smaller one has a new baby plant off to the side now, the domino is so huge I couldn't tell if its multiple plants or 1, but the domino has a spathe about to open (yay)!


Nice! I 'll have to check out your latest updates. I haven't been trolling forums as much recently, instead spending that time working on projects instead of dreaming about them. 



AquaAurora said:


> Give the dieffenbachia time to adjust, as long as you don't let it dry out it will bounce back!


I hope so, it was gorgeous that first day when I moved it 



AquaAurora said:


> What are you growing in the aquafarm? not the original seeds right? I kept reading reviews they were mostly duds (probably the packets set on the shelf too long or not in proper temp conditions for long storage).


They are the originals. I was shocked to see they were still in the package at the thrift shop. Those tall ones are just wheat grass. They've already been trimmed and eaten twice and its only been going maybe two weeks at the most? Some basil is now showing up in the other two pots, though I think it will need more light.



AquaAurora said:


> Also where is the betta? i don't see it. DO you have a heater? Bettas really d better at 80F range than room temp.


I do not have a heater in there. I'll keep that in mind.



AquaAurora said:


> What will you use for aquaponic media? Gravel will be heavy and bow the tupperware (especially if you put holes in the bottom to let it gravity freed back into the tank). DO you have some expanded clay media to use? Its much lighter.


A layer of red scoria (lava rock) with hydroton on top. The plastic bins will have a wood frame around them so bowing should not be a problem. Ideally one won't even see the plastic when I am done with it. Similar to this, except that instead of a gap below the planters, I'll have a gap between them for tank maintenance / feeding.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Because of you when I saw a purple queen at Lowes I had to grab it! Glad I did though, less than 5 days with its roots in the 55g water is spitting out lil flowers every day (on day 3 with 2 blooms a day-new bloom each day)!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Its becoming a bit of a jungle again! I might replace the photo later in the day, this one didn't come out too well but I wanted to at least put some sort of update in.

The left side continues to not carpet as that's where lady bristles like to play, but the powerhead is almost completely hidden now.


The planter filter is completely filled back in again ... Ok overgrown might even be appropriate. 










No fish changes recently.


----------



## Mariostg (Sep 6, 2014)

Vanish, is it African Violet you have on the left to the front?


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Looks nice enough for a photo shoot !


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Mariostg said:


> Vanish, is it African Violet you have on the left to the front?


Yes it is. Sits on top of the Current Sat+ and has been happy there. I think its because its so close to the water, but not in water.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Yesterday I noticed my auto-doser hadn't been dosing. Seems as if the timer wasn't firing, so I replaced the timer with a different one.

Unsure of what exactly happened, but about an hour later I noticed half of my excel/fertilizer reservoir was drained. I lost almost all of the fish, with a few surviving moved to the 150G. /cry

When I come back from xmas, I'm going to do a rescape and restock on this tank. I do not yet know what fish I will be stocking. The plants will pretty much stay the same, just woods added and plants moved.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Sorry for your lost. Did the submerged and riparium plants survive at least?


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Oh no! That is really sad. Are you going to replace your auto doser?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

So far I haven't lost any plants. I'm not sure what is wrong with the doser. I think its just an issue with the timer. I'm not sure if I hit a wrong button and thought it was 2 minutes when I had it an hour and 2 minutes or what. I think it will just require some verification of the pump time.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

While on vacation, I've been trying to figure out what we want to stock this tank with, and how we want to change the aquascape. My wife wants me to do Fancy Guppies and Cory Cats. If we go that route, I could do Red Cherry Shrimp as well, though I am a bit concerned they might crawl up and out via the back wall.

I don't have much of a vision yet for the layout, so we'll see.


----------



## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

cherry shrimp shouldn't climb up and out of the tank, I have them in all my tanks and have never seen them leave the water. They'll climb up the outflow of a HOB filter, but as soon as you turn it off, back into the tank they go. I've also occasionally seen them in my planted filter box like the one you have, I can only imagine they swam up the return line, but thats as far as i've seen them go. Only thing you'll need to change on your tank is a pre filter over your power head, otherwise they should do very well


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Well, I got home from xmas trip to find almost all the dwarf sag carpet melted. :frown2: I was hoping to sell about half of it to finance some new plants, but I'll just have to grow them I guess.

Did a big water change to remove the dying plant matter. Some of the cholla has started to waterlog, and I started more soaking last night. I'm excited to have some wood in the tank. It already looks great. I can see this process is going to take a bit longer than I want, though.



theatermusic87 said:


> cherry shrimp shouldn't climb up and out of the tank ... Only thing you'll need to change on your tank is a pre filter over your power head, otherwise they should do very well


Put one on about a month ago as it was! :laugh2:


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

We're looking a mite disheveled at the moment


----------



## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Dang. Why do you think your dwarf sag melted? Mine seems to be extra hardy.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Freemananana said:


> Dang. Why do you think your dwarf sag melted? Mine seems to be extra hardy.


I'm guessing it just couldn't handle the 10x+ dose of metricide 14, and didn't shows signs of trouble until a few days after the incident.


----------



## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Jeeeeez. Did you do a large water change after the incident? I read where it dumped way too much after not dosing. This is seriously scary. _When automation goes wrong!_


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Freemananana said:


> Jeeeeez. Did you do a large water change after the incident? I read where it dumped way too much after not dosing. This is seriously scary. _When automation goes wrong!_


Yeah, I did, but apparently it was too late.

I think I figured out what happened, and it was entirely my fault. I had accidentally set the new timer to ON > Auto instead of Off > Auto, and thus the nutrient pump was going to run until the next day turned it off and got it back going on the normal cycle.

Two glass cats, one bandit cory and the bristlenose pleco survived after being moved to the 150G. I lost all the other fish.


----------



## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I'm sorry. That's a huge loss, in my opinion, and really does hurt. Glad to see there were some survivors. Mistakes are made and this hobby is no exception. I have read to try automated systems with water in separate buckets and such before placing them on the tank. 

You can attach a piece of tile or rock to the bottom of that wood to help it waterlog if you find it floating. I tied little bits of lava rock to my wood and shoved them into the sand on one of my tanks haha. Cholla wood has sunk decently for me in the past, compared to some other woods.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Better shot of the planter filter.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Starting to look better again. Wood isn't in place, just trying to waterlog it. I have an entire 55G in the basement filled with more pieces, too.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Glad things are looking brighter for you and the tank and plants.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

It has begun.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I planted java fern on the back wall?!?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

The plants I pulled out of the tank:

1.) Java Ferns, Dwarf Sag ( in mostly very sad shape ), forgot the last one ... every time I try to propogate it, it dies.

2.) One of the surviving dwarf sag

3.) Can't see most of it, but a whole lot of rotala rotundifolia ... I grew from ONE stem!

4.) Sunset Hygro

5.) Crypts!!! Wow, where did all these come from?!

6.) Anubias ... I lost half of this one about a month ago. The one leaf was starting to touch the heater and burned it.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I don't know where I am going to put all these crypts. 

Might have to go to Craigslist or ROAK!


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Wow! Whole lotta work right there. That is what deters me from getting the rest of my tanks redone.

Interesting about the Java moss wall?!?!

Friday the 8th is the CAS meeting mini auction too. :brows:


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

1.) Just a few pieces to play with.
2.) Playing with hardscape


----------



## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

While the tank is stripped down, now might be a good time to investigate a trellis or larger planet on top


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

theatermusic87 said:


> While the tank is stripped down, now might be a good time to investigate a trellis or larger planet on top


Doobie dooo ... its already filled up again! I did a major cleaning while it was empty, but I had to get it replanted again that day.

I don't know how I feel about the scape. Its going to take time for the plants to grow in and for it to look right.

Two of the Ten pieces of woods apparently were not waterlogged yet, so that messed things up slightly, too.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Doing a RAOK for some of the crypts: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/1...cryptocoryne-pontederiifolia.html#post8754697


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Just picked up 6 albino Corydoras Aeneus and a Farlowella for this tank.

Bought some new Alt Reineicki. I tried to move it once and it did not like its new location.

Also saved some Anubias Nana, Hygro Corymbosa 'Compacta' and Crypt Wendtii 'Green' marked down to 50%.


----------



## JennieEilerts (Dec 1, 2015)

What is this plant? I can't see it closely enough, but I must find some!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

JennieEilerts said:


> What is this plant? I can't see it closely enough, but I must find some!


Which plant are you referring to?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I debated posting these photos, as the water isn't uber clear, plants are messy, a couple pieces of driftwood are floating and the cories even uprooted a couple plants during the night. But hey ... what good is a journal if you can't see what the tank evolved FROM!

Rotala Indica needs grow in, in both corners. I should probably trim it all to the same height.
Sunset hygro is just starting to pop over the top of the driftwood in the center-right.
Dead center is a hole where there was a Crypt wendti green last night, and its completely missing this morning.
Corymbosa 'Compacta' is center left, right in front of the "cave", but isn't quite tall enough to see yet.
Top center-right there are a couple pieces of wood that floated up. They aren't supposed to be there!
Front center is the remains of the best of the dwarf sag after the accident. We'll see if it grows back.
On anubias leaf with Farowella is actually mostly sediment, not algae. I'm having a bit of an issue with that right now. Lots of sediment on all the leaves.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I have a ton of sediment of some sort that it sticking to the plant leaves. I removed buckets of it during the rescape, so I can't believe there is as much as there is. I added an additional powerhead to try to keep it in suspension / sucked into the filter but no luck. I'm doing daily water changes and that helps, but any other ideas?


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Just noticed this in my tank I just did a big water change as well, odd. Activated carbon/charcoal or Purigen. My water is nice and clear but these little muck silt bits are there especially noticed on the plant leaves.


----------



## d33pVI (Oct 28, 2015)

vanish said:


> I have a ton of sediment of some sort that it sticking to the plant leaves. I removed buckets of it during the rescape, so I can't believe there is as much as there is. I added an additional powerhead to try to keep it in suspension / sucked into the filter but no luck. I'm doing daily water changes and that helps, but any other ideas?


What is your substrate? I just redid my tank with Flourite sand and have noticed grey dust tends to collect on surfaces. Doing the same as you, kicking it up and trying to get it sucked through the filtration system. Going to try siphoning up as much as I can tomorrow, as well as clean out the filters.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

My substrate is Safe-T-Sorb. It could be bits that have broken down, it could be dust from fresh stuff (even though I rinsed that), it could be mulm that built up over the last year (even though I must have run 200 gallons of water through it before refilling). :/ As with AutumnSky, my water is very clear, so I don't mind it being in the tank, but its all over the leaves and moss and makes things look dirty.


----------



## d33pVI (Oct 28, 2015)

From what I have read, both STS and Flourite are montmorillonite clay products. The dust is what happens as it breaks down. I'm thinking if it remains a problem I will try and add some black diamond sand to cap it and see if that helps. Did you have this issue before your recent restart?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

d33pVI said:


> From what I have read, both STS and Flourite are montmorillonite clay products. The dust is what happens as it breaks down. I'm thinking if it remains a problem I will try and add some black diamond sand to cap it and see if that helps. Did you have this issue before your recent restart?


Now that I think about it, I may have had this issue when I moved the tank from the basement up to the living room, but it went away.

I guess I'll just keep trying to keep the leaves as clean as I can with water and filter changes and hope it settles.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Good morning FTS ( little bit of reflection from the window )

Things are starting to look better again. The hygro sunset behind the log has already grown ~5 inches! The nuked dwarf sag is starting to show signs of life.

Now for the bad, the tank appears to be going through another cycle. I must have crashed the bacteria colony either during the overdose or the rescape. I should have tested it but I had loaned my kit to a friend and just assumed that since the tank had been running for 16 months that it would be fine. Yay water changes.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Well ... the anubias nana I am attempting to rescue from one of the gel packs is just falling apart. Down to the last little bit of rhizome on both of them. Darn!

In better news, the Dawrf Sag (what little I kept of it) is bouncing back.

When I measured some ammonia the other day, I was worried my Farlowella had died in the cholla somewhere. Last night a friend was over and spotted her under the main log! Of course, she came out this morning. Whew!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I've been hoarding all the albino aeneus cory cats as they come in. Up to 9 now. Two of them are ultra tiny, and one is a large adult. Just took a quick cell phone snap.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Made some new updates to the stand yesterday. I've really been in a "project" mood recently. Added a DJ Power strip to allow me to turn off each item individually. Labelled each item as well as I quickly found out I have a bad memory! Still need to do some wire management. I also built and mount a shelf for my ferts and chemicals and such. Might add some net holders next.

Ad yes, that is a sound system receiver under my aquarium. Ballsy...


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

vanish said:


> I've been hoarding all the albino aeneus cory cats as they come in. Up to 9 now. Two of them are ultra tiny, and one is a large adult. Just took a quick cell phone snap.


They look great and stand out well.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Not a whole lot to update. Everything is getting established mostly growing roots. The gel-pack anubias I tried to save completely melted. First time I was unable to bring back one of those plants.

Hygro Corymbosa 'Compacta' (left) is growing new submersed leaves.
Crypt Wendti Green is so green!
Alt Reneicki took a long time to get established in this tank last time, then turned a gorgeous red. Some nice air roots started.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

You most likely got an anubias with rhizome rot (plant eventually falls apart from rotting) be careful as it is contagious to other anubias sharing the same water. Its also been reported to spread to swords and crypts.


----------



## monkey4life (Oct 31, 2013)

I have some anubis you can have if you want it. Sent ya a pm. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Albino Aeneus shoal is up to its final count of 15. With no other fish in there besides the Farlowella, they have no reason to group up. Its a cory cat frenzy all over the tank. They especially like hanging out in the return. Trimmed down all the sunset hygro in the back as it was hitting the top of the tank. Needs to be a bit thicker.

Recently did a major hackdown of the aluminum plant in the planter filter. Trying to establish a lower growing plant in front and a taller in the back. Honestly, I think I need a bigger container.  Peace lily is trying to bust out now.


----------



## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

Looking good! Tank looks like it's rebounding really well


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Having a bit of an issue with cloudy water and, may be related, an oily film on the surface. I'm not entirely sure where its coming from but it doesn't seem to be affecting anything except my view. Nothing else of note happening.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

I have 3-4 Hanging vine parts of the houseplant Arrowhead if you have any interest in some; they are getting too long. From my Planted bowl. Medium green with lighter area in the veins of the leaves. We also have a dracaena marginata which needs a new home and also Christmas/Spring/Summer/Thanksgiving catus that fell out of its pot and got stuffed back in and is trying to recover if you have interest in that peach yellow orange color flowers blooms at all times of year. We need to get out of the houseplant part of life and these are the last ones. Shoot me a PM.

Did you consider using Purigen... of course carbon maybe first. Surface especially, but also just water agitation seems to help with the wierd top film and I also use paper towels to blot a bunch off. Just whole sheet flat/horizontal on surface of water. You can also lower the water level to help accomplish this at least maybe if you are gone during the day more splash if the sound doesn't drive you crazy. lol


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> Did you consider using Purigen... of course carbon maybe first. Surface especially, but also just water agitation seems to help with the wierd top film and I also use paper towels to blot a bunch off. Just whole sheet flat/horizontal on surface of water. You can also lower the water level to help accomplish this at least maybe if you are gone during the day more splash if the sound doesn't drive you crazy. lol


I have some purigen in the planter filter, but it is probably time to recharge it.

I've done the paper towel thing a few times. The film is gone for about a week after that, then it comes back. I don't know if the haze in the water is related or not. Potentially it could be related to the shrimp pellets I am now feeding, as I didn't used to put any in this tank, but I feed them in my 150G and don't get any film.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Could it potentially be residue from remaining gel ( I tried to wash it all off, but you never know) the tissue culture plants came in?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Rehomed ~14 Hemigrammus erythrozonus ( Glowlight Tetra ) into this tank yesterday. I know, I owe you some photos. Will get them soon. Maybe even break out the SLR if the hazy water isn't bugging me.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I still have a slight haze, but its going away. It must have been a bacterial bloom caused by biological waste from the rescape. I'm making sure to religiously clean my filter floss daily and it has been helping. Still getting a bit of surface film, though. :/

I tried to photo the tank this morning, but its hard with light coming in the window, even with the blinds drawn closed.

The Alt Reneickii really seems to be struggling to get established. There are "air" roots forming, but they don't seem to be penetrating into the substrate. Every time I re-plant one in the substrate the bottom seems to melt. I know they can grow well in this tank once established! That's the reason for the apparent "hole" in the center.

Lastly, I'm attaching a photo or two or a plant I acquired when picking up another tank. I don't know what it is. It is pretty flat in the water. Its not terribly happy as the person was only running 1 T8 light on the 90G tank. The Anubias loved it, though!


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

I think its just a sword. Give it a triangle of root tabs about 4" apart at the root zone. It will be happy soon enough!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Still battling surface oils. My wife is starting to become annoyed wife the disappearing paper towels. I know I still owe latest photos but it seems like the light is never right when I'm available to take photos, just too much reflection.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Added 6F/2M fancy guppies last night. I've never had guppies before and my wife wanted some livebearers. So far I like them quite a bit. This brings us to a current stocking of:

8 Fancy Guppies
15 Albino Aeneus Corydoras
15 Glowlight Tetras
1 BNP
1 Farlowella

I have a friend that is breeding RCS, so I might give them a shot, too. Stocking list is getting pretty high now, so I don't plan on adding any more fish (until they breed), though I've never measured more than 5 nitrates.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I removed the powerhead I had tried recently to see if it would help with the brown crud settling on the leaves (which has mostly gone away). This cleared up my oil slick. There must have been lubricant still inside of it.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Finally! On Saturday, I found some trellis at the ReStore for super cheap. Spent Saturday evening putting together a frame for it, and my wife helped me put it in place on Valentine's Day. I was planning on painting it, but she said she liked the contrast. Now, we just need the plants to grow up it. 

Some quick cell pics.


----------



## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

That gave me an idea for the unused space above and behind my tank stand in the TV room.

PS, buy a roll of disposable kitchen wipes, the cloth type....looks almost like tyvek.


----------



## Doogy262 (Aug 11, 2013)

Hi Vanish,looks great,I see you are using metricide,how is that working for you and do you dilute it??/


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Doogy262 said:


> Hi Vanish,looks great,I see you are using metricide,how is that working for you and do you dilute it??/


It works very well! I dilute it 1:1 with water. Honestly, I have had it on an automatic pump for a year and couldn't tell you exactly how much I am dosing every day.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Self note: I have quadrupled (4x) the amount of K I am dosing.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Added 4 stems of hygro pinnatifida. Was looking for a cool blue guppy, but instead found these marked down to 75% off, woo! Here's hoping they adjust.

Need to remove that one damaged anubias leaf...

The open space on the bottom of the trellis has several young plants that need to grow in.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I won some Red Cherry Shrimp in a RAOK! How fortuitous and fortunate. They should arrive tomorrow.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

We have shrimpies! They showed up a day earlier than expected. Gave them an hour's drip acclimation. They're really enjoying the back wall with all its crevices and moss. I probably should have taken a closer look to see if I could verify any females, but these are young shrimp between 3/8" and 5/8". Here's hoping they take!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Accidentally melted my dwarf sag again with excel. Its bouncing back already. Shrimp have occupied the java fern bush in the upper left. Been trying to get photos of my guppies, including a really cool blue female, but its really hard. Attempting to grow out some dwarf lillies for a different tank (new journal coming soon!). Not sure if the hygro pinna is taking. One plant for sure melted.

Swapped the spider plant, which was doing well, but being dominated by the others, for an Anthurium. Its going to look awesome with those red flowers. The peace lily is sending up 4 spathes in addition to the one bloom already.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

The shrimp have grown a LOT and they've colored up nicely. I've for sure spotted one berried female now. I don't really have the camera equipment to get good photos of them. We've had our first guppy babies, perhaps 20 of them but its impossible to tell with the plants and moss. I feel like the plants are not as happy as they used to be, but the moss is happier than ever. Not certain what the deal is there.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I didn't think my cell phone could do this well!


----------



## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

If it is an android phone, download magnifier... it is quite good for taking pictures of small things.... getting better quality shots than with the stock camera app.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Good shot of the Shrimp!!!

The flowers are looking good above the tank. Coming back together again.  Still have 2+ house plants for you if you are still interested.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Nothing really to update. Fish and Shrimp are doing well. The peace lily currently has 9 blooms and the wandering jew is starting its way up the trellis. Glare is giving me a devil of a time with photos.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I saw some shrimplets! I wasn't sure they would survive since the guppy fry seem to slowly disappear, but I definitely spotted two 1/4 inchers crawling around in the java fern bush the other day.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Shrimplet proof  That's the wire for the powerhead to give you an idea of scale.

I was able to count 6 (babies) of them out cleaning things today. Who knows how many are in there, considering even at adult scale I can only usually find 6-8 of the 18 at a time.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Come one full tank shot (including riparium)!!
And grats on the shrimplets


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Full System Shot.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I disabled the auto-doser due to my over-dose issues. Plants are definitely not as happy as they once were. Moss is exploding, though! I have a a lily in there that's pretty cool.

Planted Filter is out of control. Wandering Jew has finally reached the trellace, but the pothos up there seemed to get burned.

Lots of baby guppies in there, but all the female adults died. Some of the shrimp are huge and bright red, but I haven't seen any shrimplets recently.

I probably need to be taking better care of the system.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Sorry to hear there are some troubles. Do some water tests, make some changes and keep on, it is quite a nice set up even though you are having some issues. Have you ever considered a already made / commercially produced auto doser?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> Sorry to hear there are some troubles. Do some water tests, make some changes and keep on, it is quite a nice set up even though you are having some issues. Have you ever considered a already made / commercially produced auto doser?


I have, but I just haven't made the budget for it. I kind of go in waves and usually winter is my strong time in this hobby. I'm not sure why I had troubles, as the parts are relatively simple.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

The tank had to spend a couple of months outside during the summer due to some reconstruction on the living room. I think the shrimp approved, as I can't tell you how many I have now! I started with 18 from an RAOK here (thank you again!) and I counted 47 yesterday without even trying. The baby guppies developed some cool colors, but they're really hard to photo. Moss and java ferns have gone bonkers.

FTS is after I removed a bunch of moss.... >_>


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

More shrimps


----------



## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

cool tank! love the room pic.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Well, I might be in the market for a new light. After 2.5 years, I've noticed the color leds on the Current Sat+ are going out on me. Only about 10% of the reds are still working, 20% of the greens and 50% of the blues. I thought my tank was looking a bit different colored!

Not sure what the hotness is these days, but thinking about a 24/7. I always wanted to automate my Sat+.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I removed a pile of moss from the tank, as it was starting to really shade out the rest of the plants. We gave away the glowlight tetras to a friend that needed a mid-level fish, as they pretty much were always behind the central log, and thus never seen. To get them, we had to do about a 90% water change, which also showed just how many shrimp there are (a lot).

Hoping the plants appreciate that, as I noticed a fair amount of bba after removing the moss. This is my fault as I've slacked on the water changes and ferts. Having such a thriving shrimp colony, I'm scared to re-enable my auto-doser and have an excel dump again. I might spend a little cash and get a more accurate one.

I also swapped a dozen shrimp with a friend to mix up the gene pool some. He brought over some cabomba for me to try in my tank. That's neat looking stuff. Tank is looking a bit messy, but very alive! 

9 Adult Fancy Guppies, Unknown #s of Fry
15 Albino Aeneus Corydoras
A boatload of Red Cherry Shrimp
1 BN Pleco
1 Farlowella

We almost never see the BNP or the Farlowella.


----------



## Brian Rodgers (Oct 15, 2016)

Nordic said:


> If it is an android phone, download magnifier... it is quite good for taking pictures of small things.... getting better quality shots than with the stock camera app.


 which developer please? JKFantasy? CoolGuy?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Brian - you might be better off with a PM, since that's not the OP.

I grabbed that app back when it was recommended ( don't know the dev either) and it does work better for macro shots then stock.


----------



## Brian Rodgers (Oct 15, 2016)

Beautiful tank layout and design.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I might have more shrimp than I thought. This was after 12 minutes of my 2 liter bottle trap being in the tank. No noticeable difference in the number of shrimp crawling around outside the trap. The cory cats did not enjoy being in the trap.

Bump: With fish removed.

Bump: And wow, my new 48" Beamswork DA FSPEC with timer just showed up. I didn't expect that for another 4+ days. Guess you guys might get a journal for my 90G sooner rather than later!


----------



## Jaye (Mar 11, 2015)

> I might have more shrimp than I thought[/unquote]
> 
> Looks like you might!


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Nice job!


----------



## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Brian Rodgers said:


> which developer please? JKFantasy? CoolGuy?


Apps2U









example of _Danio rerio_ larvae


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I think the "Cabomba" my friend gave me is actually hornwort. Its growing an inch a day. I've never seen either plant in person, so its hard for me to tell. I don't know if I am going to keep it in this tank. I might just grow out some for the 90G. 

Debating whether I want to maintain another journal, or if I should just combine all my journals into one. Here's a preview shot of the 90 from a few days ago. Looks very messy as the way I'm starting the Hygro Sunset involves laying the stems horizontally. All the plants are just extras coming from my other tanks. I've added more plants and the rest of the riparium plants since.

Currently houses 8 juvenille angelfish and a BNP.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

photo of plant in question?
hornwort's pine needle like leaves are much more stiff/rigid than cabomba (always want to spell Cambodia)
hornwort









cabomba


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Here you go @AquaAurora! - In other news, you can see a couple eggs on the left hand side. The corydoras laid eggs all over the place last night. Must have had something to do with my light change. I don't think any took, though.

Bump: Oh yeah ... my Beamswork timer (independent main and moonlight timers) worked for approximately 5 hours before the clock stopped ticking. Having it replaced, but I hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

Bump: Might as well add some more photos.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

vanish said:


> Here you go @*AquaAurora*! - In other news, you can see a couple eggs on the left hand side. The corydoras laid eggs all over the place last night. Must have had something to do with my light change. I don't think any took, though.
> 
> Bump: Oh yeah ... my Beamswork timer (independent main and moonlight timers) worked for approximately 5 hours before the clock stopped ticking. Having it replaced, but I hope this isn't a sign of things to come.
> 
> Bump: Might as well add some more photos.


Not hornwort


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

https://youtu.be/5z5Th07hpk8


----------



## astex (Aug 13, 2009)

I would say definitely hornwort, I go by the thinner green main stem.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

from the photo it looked more cabomb, but the video with it at the surface it is hornwort, sorry for mis-ID.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Wanted to add a new FTS


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Corydoras eggs all over the place! Here's one section.


----------



## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

very pretty tank! subscribed to, read the entire 18 pages and it looks like its going great! wish I had that much growth with my java fern so quickly it seems


----------



## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

Look there is a trellis!


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Any babies from those eggs make it??? I have Vinegar eels if you need some live baby food.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> Any babies from those eggs make it??? I have Vinegar eels if you need some live baby food.


I don't think so. I'm not sure any ever fertilized. With the cholla, things can hide for a long time before you see them though. It was interesting, as they did that off and on for a week, and then never again. A new batch of baby guppies in the tank, hopefully a few will make adulthood.

Things are looking quite good in the tank right now. Unfortunately, with the snow, I can't take a photo right now due to all the glare. LOCALS! Shrimp for sale!  Also have cholla I brought back from AZ. Need some for the 150G but brought as much as my car could hold.

The journal-less 90G is starting to fill out. Still looks messy, but the fish like it.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Like it, and if the shrimp / fish like it then it is the best kind of tank. I have one that the the shrimp love (it looks like a crazy jungle of Moss, Java Fern and Subwassertang.)


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Well, the tank is looking a little big rough at the moment (far too much glare to get a photo atm). Also, I sold a bunch of shrimp locally and I may have sold too many females. I must have also lost a batch of young, and now my shrimp colony is looking pretty sparse, too.

I bought a new timer and will be setting up the auto-doser again. The tank has never looked so good as it did then. I just get worried since I had two timers go bad and dump the dose. Bought a bit more expensive brand this time / crossing fingers.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Wow, I swear sometimes the universe answers.

A local I had sold some shrimp to 4 months ago is moving cross country. He asked if I wanted the shrimp, since he couldn't take them. Including two very berried females and lots of little guys. He also brought me 4 otos - I was just looking for some last weekend.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Congrats on getting the shrimp back and Otos to boot!! The 6 shrimp from you got some babies and a nice berried one I shared about 6 with a new to shrimp keeper & friend. So the shrimp are gettin around all over the place!

I have shared about your tank and growing the extra plants in back with a bunch of people over the years. Are you growing any in the back now (is/was that the 90G or 75G?)

Life with fish tanks is full of trial and error and equipment and other failures. We just keep going and do the best we can.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Tank is still running but the shrimp are down to about half a dozen. I don't thinkI have any females. Nothing terribly exciting happening with the plants. There is still about 8 different species in there, but the java fern is dominating. I've debated selling off the remaining shrimp and moving one pair of angels from the 90G into this tank (it has 3 pairs), so they can "spawn" in peace, though I don't think I have the dedication to actually raise the fry. A part of me wants to shut down this tank and put the 90G in its place.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

When you stop being lazy, simple things like this happen.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

We had the carpets cleaned, so I had to move the tank for a few days. 90% water change was probably good for it anyway. I took the opportunity to add a third line to the planter filter. It had been running within 1/8 inch of the top and that was just too risky. This new line should run full siphon, allowing the other two to be overflow. This should drop the water level in the planter filter a half inch or so.

I remove a lot of the moss, and the crypt are already bouncing back. When I put the tank bank in place, I will hook up the autodoser again for the first time in ... a year? It made a huge difference with some of the plants.

Now, if only I could find a local source for good fancy guppy stock.


----------



## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

I love your scapes. Is that cholla wood branch one piece or several pieces secured together?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

The Dude1 said:


> I love your scapes. Is that cholla wood branch one piece or several pieces secured together?


The 5 branch piece is a single cholla stump.

Its worth noting that the floaters are usually on the opposite side, but the flow is temporarily altered while the filter is being worked on.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Well, the tank is back in position, the planter box filter upgrades have been made, the peace lilly was split into 6 pieces and we now have 2 male and 4 female fancy guppies. I may have to buy another dozen or two of shrimp to get my colony jump started again, but the weather is too cold for that. 

The tank is looking pretty good, but the last thing to do on this tank right now is get the auto-doser hooked back up. I really think that made a huge difference in the plant health and growth.


----------



## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

vanish said:


> Corydoras eggs all over the place! Here's one section.


That's a _lot_ of cory eggs! I never see more than four or five in my tank, and I've only got three cories, so I really am surprised I got a fry at all (that's why I named it Lucky)


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

One of the two male guppies. They other won't hold still.










Bump: I took this photo of the tank this morning. Its a phone pic so I'm not terribly happy with the quality.










Bump: I'm hoping with hooking the autodoser back up, the crypts bounce back. They used to be so lush under/around the main piece of cholla. They're still there, just small.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

If you follow the thread, you know I have a 90G planted tank with Angelfish. I don't do much with it, so I don't feel like it needs it own journal, but I'd still like to talk about it once in awhile. Debating combining my two journals into one that covers all three.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

This is the 90g.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I've been doing some hard pruning on the java fern in all tanks. Recent reading indicates it appreciates being cut back once a leaf starts browning. We'll see how it goes. I was worried the tank would look more empty, but it just looks green!


----------



## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

vanish said:


> I've been doing some hard pruning on the java fern in all tanks. Recent reading indicates it appreciates being cut back once a leaf starts browning. We'll see how it goes. I was worried the tank would look more empty, but it just looks green!


Ive learned the same thing. Anytime I see any type of damaged or browning leaf I go through the entire fern looking for others. Its made a tremendous difference in growth. Even in high light, ferts, and C02 they weren't growing all that fast. Ive got almost all of the leaves grown without C02 and ferts gone and it puts out several leaves a week now.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Crypts: I have at least 3 species in this tank. Cryptocoryne Pontederiifolia in the back used to grow like bonkers, while the smaller ones in the front at least used to be nice and bushy. I don't particularly understand why they're not anymore. They're all alive and fine, but most only have 3 or 4 leaves and don't seem to be adding any more.

The Safe T Sorb is supposed to be high CEC, so am I just not dosing enough? Do I need to do some root tabs? And if so, any suggestions on where to find some?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I'm wondering if perhaps my metricide mix had gone past its shelf life. I just mixed up a new bottle yesterday, so we'll see what happens over the next month.


----------



## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

vanish said:


> Crypts: I have at least 3 species in this tank. Cryptocoryne Pontederiifolia in the back used to grow like bonkers, while the smaller ones in the front at least used to be nice and bushy. I don't particularly understand why they're not anymore. They're all alive and fine, but most only have 3 or 4 leaves and don't seem to be adding any more.
> 
> The Safe T Sorb is supposed to be high CEC, so am I just not dosing enough? Do I need to do some root tabs? And if so, any suggestions on where to find some?


I've got pontederifolia too. Only in my 150 though as it can 1uickly over run a scape. It's definately a nutrient hog. Mine go through a couple osmocote root tabs every 3 months or so. I also dose the water column. It's a subtle margin to keep them growing versus overtaking EVERYTHING. 
As to the metricide it definately would lose some potency over the course of a year, but not more than 10-15%. It's highly reactive.... but requires a source of H+.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Since my photos suck, I think I'll just stick to short videos.


----------



## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

They're gorgeous. Wow, the ventrals are so long and graceful.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

0:32 These crypt wendti brzone used to be bushy and as tall as the middle of the stump. Why so sad? Although it looks like a new leaf is coming up, so maybe my recent attention has them growing again.

0:40 I used to get a new c. pontederfolia about every two weeks. Haven't had a baby in awhile though.

0:48 Are these crypt parva?

0:55 Not sure what this guy is?
1:00 Another of the same? There's one more behind it.


----------



## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

Do you feed the crypts? I have safe-t-sorb too, but found out I have to dose ferts anyway. I give my crypts, stems and swords root tabs about once ever 4-5 weeks. For a long time I used API root tabs (from the chain fish store), lately I've been trying out Aquafertz tabs- they are NOT sufficient on their own, I still have to dose dry ferts weekly- but I do like that they are smaller, easier to push into substrate.

The last plant you asked about, could be a type of sagittaria or vallisneria.


----------



## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

Those crypt parva look to be the emersed grown form. Did you just add them in there? The submerged form looks much different. Shorter thinner leaves and much more dense. Took mine several weeks to transition and start going. Now they are doing pretty good. They don't like any shade whatsoever.
Interesting about your pontederfolia. Even under very poor conditions with my African cichlids chewing on them they still had plants spring up all over the place. No ferts or C02, but I'm sure nitrates were always pretty high given the bio load. The leaves looked horrible, but it just kept on trying. As new leaves sprout up I'm trimming all of the old leaves off. They are all wrinkled and deformed looking with rotting edges... but it still shoots out a new sprout every couple of days. I tore all but 2 out of my 150 as I was constantly having to rip them out and disturb the hardscape or pull up substrate around other plants. Your single plant looks very nice though. Sorry... Not much help with the original question I guess. 
As to the wendti... have you given them a root tab? Did you increase lighting? I have them in one of my high tech 75's and a low tech 11.4. In the 75 they get pretty large with large leaves and increase in actual plant size. In the 11.4 which can have high light at times (when the floating plants move) they are maybe 3 inches tall with proportional leaf size. They literally stay as a "mini" version. I don't add root tabs and I am very light with ferts in that tank given it is low tech. My observation is that the plant is that size due to low nutrient levels and has no need to increase in mass or surface area as it is photosynthesizing more light than is necessary given the available nutrients and carbon.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

JJ09 said:


> Do you feed the crypts?


I don't do root tabs as I dose macros daily with my metricide, and micros once a week. I was considering trying root tabs, too. I'm almost wondering if some micro / trace is low due to the tank having been set up for 3 years, blocking macro uptake, or if my riparium plants are sucking up all the macros.



> The last plant you asked about, could be a type of sagittaria or vallisneria.


I had tons of dwarf sag in here two years ago and lost it all to an excel overdose. It remember its leaves being about twice as broad, but that would be interesting to have it come back after so long.



The Dude1 said:


> Those crypt parva look to be the emersed grown form. Did you just add them in there? The submerged form looks much different. Shorter thinner leaves and much more dense. Took mine several weeks to transition and start going. Now they are doing pretty good. They don't like any shade whatsoever.


Are you looking at the right plant? The one I am referencing has leaves about 1.5 inches long with a spoon shaped leaf. I didn't just add them. The one on the left appeared about two months ago, and the one on the right just last week. I had some crypt parva in the 150G at one point and may have put some in this tank, but these plants are not those exact plants.



The Dude1 said:


> As to the wendti... have you given them a root tab? Did you increase lighting? I have them in one of my high tech 75's and a low tech 11.4. In the 75 they get pretty large with large leaves and increase in actual plant size. In the 11.4 which can have high light at times (when the floating plants move) they are maybe 3 inches tall with proportional leaf size. They literally stay as a "mini" version. I don't add root tabs and I am very light with ferts in that tank given it is low tech. My observation is that the plant is that size due to low nutrient levels and has no need to increase in mass or surface area as it is photosynthesizing more light than is necessary given the available nutrients and carbon.


More indication that I may not be dosing enough.


----------



## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

I think you should just try it- the root tabs. I had slacked off on adding tabs for a long time, and my crypt wendtii in particular was getting longer, narrow leaves with dull color and algae marks. Scraped by snails more often, too. It wasn't bad enough I was alarmed, but when recently I started adding tabs again, the response was dramatic. The plant immediately starting putting out broader, shorter leaves with richer color and hammered texture. Sprouted a bunch of babies, too. Now it's starting to drop the older leaves. I'm keeping up the tabs dose monthly so it doesn't decline again.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

After watching some aquascaping videos on Monday, I was inspired. I finally tried using some extra long hemostats for planting stems. Holy cow it was like 10 times easier than using my fingers. I don't know why I didn't do that before. No wonder people use aquascaping tools.  I had thought it was just because some people were afraid of sticking their hands in the tank.

DW wants me to try to raise some of the Angel fry in the 90g, so here we go down the dark tunnel of breeding! Next Tuesday will involve getting a brine shrimp system set up. The upside is I should be able to use brine shrimp for raising guppy fry, too.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

While waiting for some coffee to drip, I was looking at the new growth on the plants and spotted movement. Looks like the first batch of guppy fry is happening, as after some study I saw upwards of a dozen. They're very hard to spot as there are many nooks and crannies. I'm kind of surprised since none of the females looked spawned out, or retreated into a corner to give birth like I'd been accustomed.

And yes, the attention is definitely spurring plant growth.  I'll see if I can get some photos up later. The difference in some of the plants is pretty dramatic.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

The Brine shrimp eggs arrive this weekend, and I've got my fry tank and BBS factory set up.

On cue, Teacup and Havarti got down to business.










Bump: The focus is actually fair in this photo.


----------



## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

vanish said:


> Are you looking at the right plant? The one I am referencing has leaves about 1.5 inches long with a spoon shaped leaf. I didn't just add them. The one on the left appeared about two months ago, and the one on the right just last week. I had some crypt parva in the 150G at one point and may have put some in this tank, but these plants are not those exact plants.
> 
> 
> 
> More indication that I may not be dosing enough.


If it just sprung up I don't have any idea... but probably not Parva. My submerged Parva is much smaller and thinner. 
I am slowly learning that given enough time deficiencies will arise. Even dosing macro's and csm-b and slower growing plants I've still developed obvious Ca, Mg, and Fe.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Well, the angels did not make fry this time. I've definitely got uncountable numbers of guppy fry swimming around in the 75, but I think I want to reserve the BBS for the angels for now. Tomorrow is water change, trimming and photo day!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Along with the water changes, I got the fry tank put together. I have the tank "hidden" inside our plant cuttings. Continued making use of that acrylic I found and made a top for it. The top doubles as extra support for the in-tank BBS system.










I think I have an MTS overabundance in the 90g. Keep in mind I pull out a couple dozen daily to feed to the clown loaches. I need a better trap. There must be thousands in there.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I'm very much considering a pressurized CO2 system. I have the cash available. It would take several years for it to pay off compared to metricide 14, but its also better performing and opens up the capability to try a high light tank some day.

Between the 75g and the 90g is just a half wall. If the Co2 system is with the 75g, it would only be about 10ft to run a line to the 90g. Should I consider a manifold system?

I've been pricing things out and there's some pretty good values on the bay. I'm usually a DIY type person, but some of the systems I've seen could only be DIY'd for slightly cheaper once its all added up, and I'm not sure its worth it. However, if I go the manifold route, that changes things a bit, as I'd most likely be doing some DIY anyway.

If you like to build CO2 Reg systems, send me a PM, maybe we can do business. I realize the value of time.

Others, pitch me on why I should do it DIY (or not).


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

I have oodles of Vinegar Eels, maybe 3 or 6 extra bottles of the little creatures. PM me if you need any for new fry. I can give you a very reasonable deal. Also I am really liking the Cobalt Coral Food frozen food for my shrimp and other tiny fish, Endlers included. They love the stuff. 

So not ever using CO2 can't exactly argue the yes or no But if you take a little extra effort and do the manifold, you do not need to run it really high - possibly avoid some issues to take it easy. Might as well add it on, or just plan /set up for the manifold spot for when you find the right deal. 

As for the cost I always hear to do it right the first time and save $ in the long run. When you try and justify a cost of things for the fish, just realize it is your hobby and part of your daily life and a little like "family". For something you use and see every day it can be worth it to just spend the money!!!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> I have oodles of Vinegar Eels, maybe 3 or 6 extra bottles of the little creatures. PM me if you need any for new fry. I can give you a very reasonable deal. Also I am really liking the Cobalt Coral Food frozen food for my shrimp and other tiny fish, Endlers included. They love the stuff.


I've got BBS I'm going to try as I've never done that before. It looks like a pita but its winter, so why not? I also made some DIY food roughly following Joey's recipe that the fish in the 150g go nuts for, but he said he fed to discus fry. We'll see. Thanks for the offer! Good to know about the Cobalt Coral Food as I don't have much experience with small fish.



AutumnSky said:


> As for the cost I always hear to do it right the first time and save $ in the long run. When you try and justify a cost of things for the fish, just realize it is your hobby and part of your daily life and a little like "family". For something you use and see every day it can be worth it to just spend the money!!!


Yeah, _if_ I do CO2, and I'm leaning that way ( its not yet another tank, so DW probably won't mind as much ), I want to get "the good stuff". Dual Stage Reg, 20lb tank, etc. Its just the ~$500 up front cost that's an ouch. I don't think I've paid that much for the entire rest of the 75g system.

And while people can argue you can do CO2 way cheaper, then tend to leave out lots of bits and pieces, and those bits and pieces add up.

-------------------------------------------------------

The plants in the tanks are both looking pretty good. I started removing any leaf with algae or damage, and this time around I only pulled out about 5 java fern leaves from each tank. There's tons of bright green new java fern leaves.

In the 75, the Nymphaea is putting out a new leaf about every third day. All the crypts have new leaves. The dwarf sag is coming back from nowhere.

There's still seems to be a lot of detritus in the 75. I think I finally figured out where it comes from though - inside the cholla. As I was doing the water change, I was swishing my hand around the java ferns when I pushed water through the cholla stump, and out came tons of detritus. I'm hoping the ~50% water changes each week will get that cleaned up eventually. I have a feeling my organics are high atm.

The fish are all good atm. I keep trying to trigger a spawn in my cories by feeding good food and dropping the temp during the water change, but no luck yet. I think the tank must just be too dirty? Not so for the guppies as there's at least 5 dozen fry swimming around and the females still look huge.

My shrimp are still not reproducing, as far as I can tell. I know there are at least 8 shrimp in the tank, but I think I only have one female. She was berried a couple weeks ago, but not anymore. Haven't seen any shrimplets yet, but I know they have a gazillion hiding places. I want to source a couple dozen more for jump start the colony again, but now is a bad time of year for shipping, and LFS want a ridiculous $6 each for mediocre grade shrimp.

In the 90, Angels of course have not spawned since I got the fry tank set up for them.

Bump: Oh, and sorry about the lack of pics. I finally figured out that there is something in my phone camera lens causing it to only focus half the view, either left or right, and that makes my pics terrible.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

You bet. 

The VE are simple, I thought it would be a big problem but not the case. They need natural vinegar like Braggs or the store version. 

A couple med. to thin slices of organic apple one time per month. They live in the dark cupboard or under the tank stand.

They can live in a plastic water bottle, jar or soda/ beer bottle kind of container. Use a piece of paper towel to cover bottle and secure with fish bag rubber band. No bugs get in that way. 

Rotate bottles for harvesting, if you have 3-4 bottles it is easier to produce, then feed them, and not over use the colony. You can number them for rotation.

To harvest 
Add vinegar liquid to the shoulders of the long neck bottle (I use a clear one to see the VE)- add a piece of rolled bulk filter media with a string tied in the middle to create a "loose plug". You can reuse it each time just rinse off.

Top off neck of bottle with treated fresh water, wait until water is teaming with VE 1 hour to 6 hours, pour top fresh water with VE liquid into cup and feed to fry. Can use a dropper or turkey baster.

The VE go through the filter media "plug" to get to the air above the FW and it makes harvesting simple.

Return the VE liquid from the bottle back to their container and add some vinegar back in.

I have left the bottles in the dark cabinet for a few months before and just need to add a little treated water to reconstitute and an additional amount of Vinegar periodically. So simple though the instructions make it sound more complicated than it really is. I have pics of it and it is easy to do. I was hearing of all kinds of ways to harvest them and they were messy and could lose a bunch of Eels in paper filters, etc. After I used this method to harvest I was very relieved how simple it was.

There are no bubblers and no worrying about salinity, very tiny. In the future let me know if you ever want to try them.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I was going to wait until the parts came in and the build was under way, but since I mentioned it on another thread, I figured I'd add the details of the co2 system I'm putting together.

CONCOA/PURITY PLUS 432 SERIES SS regulator
Parker Skinner 3 watt/24 Volt/40 PSI Stainless Steel solenoid
Swagelok 316SS metering valve

I pick up the co2 tank locally this week. Still going back and forth on diffusion methods, as I am not running a canister filter on the 75g.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Got a fresh set of angel eggs in the 90g. They're on the slate but we decided to let them do their thing. If we get fry, we'll move them to the fry tank. A different pair look like they're prepping a crypt leaf.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Bump: Argh, I didn't realize how blurry that came out :/


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

YES!

My shrimp colony is rebounding! I thought i saw a berried female a couple of weeks ago. While watching feeding time today, I spotted a tiny shrimplet. Careful study of the tank revealed more and more. I stopped counting at 15. Adults can be hard enough to spot in there.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

YAY, YAY, YAY, YAY!!! Great news. Amazing how well they can hide!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Now I've got two different sets of eggs in the 90g. I'll probably have fry right about when we have to go away for a few days. Figures!

Looking like the CO2 stuff should start showing up tomorrow! I think I could use a bit more flow in the 75g, but I don't want to be shredding baby fish or shrimp. Do I need to be concerned about that with something like a Koralia nano? I'm half tempted to just buy a canister filter and use that to 1.) supplement my flow 2.) Add a reactor and 3.) Add a polishing element to my filtration. DW would undoubtedly start questioning.


----------



## ChrisX (May 28, 2017)

vanish said:


> I'm very much considering a pressurized CO2 system. I have the cash available. It would take several years for it to pay off compared to metricide 14, but its also better performing and opens up the capability to try a high light tank some day.
> 
> Between the 75g and the 90g is just a half wall. If the Co2 system is with the 75g, it would only be about 10ft to run a line to the 90g. Should I consider a manifold system?
> 
> ...


I pieced together a CO2 system w/ Paintball tank, regulator, and other accessories for < $100. Works great. The ebay regulator (green box) is no joke.

Another benefit of the CO2 over metracide is for your fish health. Your angels will really like an acidic pH and will have more success breeding. CO2 and ability to control the pH was an integral part of breeding Keyhole cichlids in my tank.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I pulled the slate out as the parents started eating their eggs last night as soon as the lights went out. Only about 20 eggs left on there. This morning it looks like I've got about a dozen wigglers in the fry tank.

Still have about 60 eggs with the other parents. We're supposed to go away this weekend so I don't expect any success, but will see what we can do anyway.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Water change night went as normal. I found a little anubias stuck under some java fern in the 90g. Rubber banded it to a rock and hopefully it bounce back. The crypts are really coming on strong in the 75g. Up to 4 dwarf sag ( from _none_ ) now. Three of them were growing from _inside_ the cholla, so I stuck the 4th in there, too.

Need to find a new local source for a 20lb co2 tank. The one I was going to pick it up from does refills, but they wanted an obscene amount for a tank. I was willing to patronize them and pay a little more, but i can get a cylinder for 1/3 the price down in Denver.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Alright CO2 pros, what am I missing, besides my cylinder?

Regulator
Solenoid (with power source)
Metering valve
Dwyer 5-50 cc/min Flow Meter + Connectors
4/6 CO2 proof tubing
Stainless Check Valve
Digital Timer
Powerhead-based diffusion (to be replaced with reactor eventually)
PH Testing Kit

I don't have a drop checker, but I'm honestly not convinced of the value. Convince me one way or another.

** I probably won't read this thread until Monday or Tuesday.


----------



## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

You can make a co2 drop checker relatively easily. You can also make the indicator solution relatively easily as well.

The indicator solution
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/20-diy/1116610-4dkh-recipe.html
my diy drop checker
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/9-equipment/1079857-co2-drop-checker.html#post9553266
co2 to drop checker color chart for various dkh indicators
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/9-equipment/1079857-co2-drop-checker.html#post9531529

Now do you need/want one? It's neat for the first little while you're running co2 and can help you get it dialed in (think much more convinient than a ph test) but after a while you get used to the way your tank responds and can gauge the co2 accordingly from there


----------



## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

A drop checker is pretty cheap. It helps you quickly determine what bps or flow you want when adding it to a new tank. Also your absorbtion will vary based on dispersion method... you may do 4-5 bps (pretty quick) with a powerhead and only 2 bps with a good reactor. You also get to quickly and easily check where you are after 2 - 3 hours once the water is saturated. I use one for a few weeks anytime I set up C02 on a new tank. Alot cheaper than setting a bps and next thing you know your fish are dead. You can observe the color change at a quick glance and see how close you are to lime green or even yellow / green. I would definately do it if I were you. It's like $20... I've got the rhinox one. Works perfectly. It also allows you to catch variation in your needle valve over a couple days.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Wagner Welding Supply??? No idea about cost for tank.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> Wagner Welding Supply??? No idea about cost for tank.


Yeah, they're the place that wanted a ridiculous amount for a tank. They're priced fine as far as refilling goes, though you do have to drop off your tank with them for a few days - they won't fill on demand. If you don't care about your own tank, they'll do a swap.

I'll be trying to get a hold of Boulder Airgas as they had a good price listed.

--------------------------------------------------

I had a small drip from the planter box filter while I was away. I could not figure out where it was coming from, but the drip tray was full, and some had run off the back of the shelf and onto the floor. Had to drain the tank, move it into the kitchen, dry the carpet, etc. This is the third strike for the planter box, so I've ordered another SunSun 304B.

I like the planter box, but I don't like water on my carpet. If I want to have a planter box, I'm going to have to figure out something more foolproof. I mean, its been running for over 3 years, so its not like it was constantly having problems, but I just don't want to have to deal with water where its not supposed to be.

I tested my water just before we left, and found I had ZERO nitrates. I was pretty shocked to see that. I can only imagine the planter box is sucking up a ton of nutrients I meant for the in-tank plants. That also has me wondering if its worth having those plants.

No decisions made there just yet.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

A half dozen angelfish fry survived our trip away, and are feasting on the baby brine shrimp. I had my doubts about this in-tank BBS gizmo, but its definitely working. What shocked me was it had only been about 14 hours and there were lots of BBS swimming around already. Probably more than the angels can eat, but I wanted to follow the directions initially.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Well, Airgas website had them listed at $85 empty, but I just called in and the guy quoted $185 for a full 20lb cylinder. Still looking, I guess.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Since I am adding a canister filter, I now have a way to plumb in a reactor. 2" Rex Griggs Reactor build incoming ( 2" pvc not pictured ).


----------



## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

Strange that your planter leaks and mine hasn't. Have you taken it apart since it was planted? I know in mine the peace lily roots really took over and started to impede the overflow


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

theatermusic87 said:


> Strange that your planter leaks and mine hasn't. Have you taken it apart since it was planted? I know in my the ice like to really took over and started to impede the overflow


Yeah, I had a flow issue two months ago. Removed tons of roots and added a third outlet.

I have it empty right now and cannot figure out where the leak was coming from. I've got it filled with water and let it sit, no leaks. Almost makes me wonder if it was somehow dripping off a plant.


----------



## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

vanish said:


> Well, Airgas website had them listed at $85 empty, but I just called in and the guy quoted $185 for a full 20lb cylinder. Still looking, I guess.


Just for comparison sake, I got a new 20lb tank from Amazon for $120 or $130 shipped, and then paid $32 to "swap" it for a filled one. So that's not far off. 

So the Angel fry and just swimming in the main tank with everyone else? I had some Angels breed years ago and I don't recall them being super awesome parents. Are you going to leave them in there or remove them and grow them out? The idea of raising fry in the main tank is so cool, but doesn't seem to work very often.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

The Dude1 said:


> Just for comparison sake, I got a new 20lb tank from Amazon for $120 or $130 shipped, and then paid $32 to "swap" it for a filled one. So that's not far off.
> 
> So the Angel fry and just swimming in the main tank with everyone else? I had some Angels breed years ago and I don't recall them being super awesome parents. Are you going to leave them in there or remove them and grow them out? The idea of raising fry in the main tank is so cool, but doesn't seem to work very often.


Yeah, but this is Colorado, where there are grow shops around "every corner". There's a place in Denver that sells them for $100 full. I just happen to be driving to Denver on Friday night, so I will try to get one from them. If it fails, maybe I'll just get the local one. 

The angel fry are in a 10g tank with a `Toms Aquarium Continuous Hatch 'N Feeder`, heater and sponge filter. I posted a photo somewhere in the link below. I have had them get to free swimming stage in the 90g, but they didn't last long after that.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/1...nity-90g-angel-aquariums-20.html#post10795809


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

In random news, my PVC cement has turned to gum. Another trip to the store incoming. Boo.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Last FTS (~6 weeks ago): http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/10745706-post272.html

New FTS: (Ugh, I just noticed all the reflections ... maybe I'll try again this evening)










Things of note: GSA on background for the first time _ever_. Crypts in front right coming back strong. Red Lotus more compact. In the front cholla, The magical return of Dwarf Sag after 2 years of none in the tank ( and I didn't add any ). Up to 5 plants now. Rotala ( rotundifolia ? ) on left is coming back. Micro Chain Sword ( ? ) in front right of lotus has babies. BBA on the front most cholla, where I can't do my spray bottle treatment. Growing Hygro Polysperma very densely.

There's going to be some plant species changes made once I get the co2 system hooked up. I'll be removing some of the java fern that has just started growing in random places ( bottom right, for example ) and planting more specific plants. Definitely want to get some alt reneicki again. Perhaps a third try of Hygrophila pinnatifida on the log. Cryptocoryne Pontederiifolia will be moved, and a stem plant placed in the back. Going to continue spreading the dwarf sag along that forward branch, hopefully creating a little dropover the swimming area in the front, but keeping it controlled.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

My 25"x2" Rex Griggs reactor. That was a super easy and quick project.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Argh, arranged to pick up two full 20lb cylinders in Denver this weekend while down there. It was supposedly a shop, but the guy I was in contact flaked out on me during my drive. What a waste of time.

I ended up picking up a drop checker because they really aren't very expensive in compared to what I've spent on this (which is getting way higher than my initial estimate :/) and I guess I'll just get the tank locally.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I picked up my co2 tank from Wagner Welding supply. I wanted to proceed with this project and not waste any more time. I'll try to keep my eye open for a cheap 5lb backup tank locally, but there's no rush on that.

It fits in my stand, but there's a problem. In order to get it in/out, I have to lean it. It doesn't fit when leaned. I only need about 1/2 inch more clearance. Haven't decided on how to best solve this problem yet. I could just stick it behind the stand, since the stand is on an angle, but that gets a bit difficult to access once the stand is full of stuff and the trellis is in place.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Well, the 75g is back in place. It now has a Sunsun 304b for filtration and that 425gph powerhead that used to power the planter filter for extra movement. Feels like a lot of water movement. I do plan on adding another planter box, but it won't be the same one I was using, and it won't be my only source of filtration.

I added a drop checker and wow, its tiny. I guess I'm so used to seeing them on small tanks. I still have a little bit of wire routing (darn timers) before the CO2 system is ready, but today is the day.

Had to put together a bracket to hold my flow meter. Works great.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

We're all hooked up and co2 is running at 5-6 cc/min to start. I don't want to go all crazy and end up killing my livestock. Using the flowmeter+reactor is a bit awkward for a noob, as all I have to go on that something is actually happening is the little indicator on the flowmeter.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Alright, I need a little help from you folks with flow meters ( @Greggz , @chayos00 , others ). I'm having a very hard time getting mine set. When I think I've got it, I come back 5 minutes later and its reading much lower. Just the slightest turn of the flow meter knob pushes the flow up considerably. 

Regulator: I also have no idea what the optimum PSI coming out of the regulator is (mine is set at 30 PSI), and how that interacts with the flow meter. 

Needle Valve: I've got it set wide open at the moment. It seems like I should be able to reduce it to an "emergency high" but I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with the 3 adjustments. 

I feel like I should know this by now considering all the research I've done.

Edit: About 30 minutes ago, I bumped it up to closer to 10 as the drop checker did not seem to have changed color, or if it did, not enough for my memory to tell the difference. Its been holding steady since.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Everything seemed to stabilize once I stopped touching things. I was just worried and didn't want to hurt my livestock. Looks like we got to ~5ppm at 10cc/min, which seems like a good start for the first day.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I reduced the regulator to 20 PSI as I was reading that should be plenty for a reactor, but have bumped the flow meter to ~16 cc/min. Its been running for about 3 hours today and well, I'm still not convinced anything is happening.  That drop checker - I just can't tell. I'm going to continue on this path of increasing ~5 cc/min each day until I start to see a change in the drop checker.


----------



## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

vanish said:


> Alright, I need a little help from you folks with flow meters ( @Greggz , @chayos00 , others ). I'm having a very hard time getting mine set. When I think I've got it, I come back 5 minutes later and its reading much lower. Just the slightest turn of the flow meter knob pushes the flow up considerably.
> 
> Regulator: I also have no idea what the optimum PSI coming out of the regulator is (mine is set at 30 PSI), and how that interacts with the flow meter.
> 
> ...


I just got my flow meter delivered today so not sure how it's going to work yet. But I do know the pressure max is 100PSI for these, so I was thinking doing something like you did 30-50 psi for a starter to see how it works. Since the needle valve isn't needed for this, just ignore it and only think of the flow meter and the regulator pressure. As the flowmeter is just replacing the needle valve.

Haven't had a chance to read over your thread yet, where did get the fittings for the meter? I'm gonna need to hunt down some fittings myself.


----------



## Greggz (May 19, 2008)

vanish said:


> I reduced the regulator to 20 PSI as I was reading that should be plenty for a reactor, but have bumped the flow meter to ~16 cc/min. Its been running for about 3 hours today and well, I'm still not convinced anything is happening.  That drop checker - I just can't tell. I'm going to continue on this path of increasing ~5 cc/min each day until I start to see a change in the drop checker.


Vanish do have a pH meter? If not, you should get one, along with some calibration solution. Relying on a drop checker for our purposes is not accurate enough. pH drop and CO2 concentration is probably the most important variable we control. And getting it wrong can create all kinds of issues.

You need to know your fully degassed pH value, and then base the drop off that. Believe me it will make your journey less bumpy.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

chayos00 said:


> Haven't had a chance to read over your thread yet, where did get the fittings for the meter? I'm gonna need to hunt down some fittings myself.



I picked up there: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AXBVOZ6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Though they were only $8 when I got them.




Greggz said:


> Vanish do have a pH meter? If not, you should get one, along with some calibration solution. Relying on a drop checker for our purposes is not accurate enough. pH drop and CO2 concentration is probably the most important variable we control. And getting it wrong can create all kinds of issues.
> 
> You need to know your fully degassed pH value, and then base the drop off that. Believe me it will make your journey less bumpy.


Yeah, I bought one at the same time as all the rest of this stuff. I need to calibrate it. I was just thinking that was going to have to be the next thing I tried as seeing a PH drop would definitely indicate CO2 concentrations changing. That's just the motivation I need. I really need to get a bit more scientific with the whole aquarium.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

( Sorry about the lack of good photos. I only have USB 3.0 ports on this new computer and I don't have one for my cameras yet. My phone takes terrible photos. )










I had a busy weekend and did not get around to testing my PH. CO2 has been running at 17 cc/min and the drop definitely changes color somewhat, so I've just decided to stop messing with it until I can get technical with it while everything gets accustomed to the higher co2 levels. I need to mix up a new batch of ferts this week, so I started using https://rotalabutterfly.com/nutrient-calculator.php to generate some EI amounts. The last time I checked my NO3 ppm it was ZERO, so I wasn't surprised when the calc indicated I should significantly increase my dosing there.

*Livestock*: Guppies and Shrimp are both breeding like bonkers. The first batch of shrimp are almost adult sized now. Its looking like I have two different general lines of shrimp now; one is a solid red variety, and the other appears more orange. The guppies have yet to show any of their colors. There's at least 3 different batches growing out in here.

*Plants*: Turns out the Nypmhaea had a baby, so I split it out to the left side of the tank. I also moved the mother back as it was growing taller than the plants behind it. This is where the circles come into play. 

*Yellow circle*: There's not really anything planned going on here. I want to bring the wood forward slightly as the "raceway" is supposed to be about 3 inches, but its closer to 5 here. I'm thinking Lobelia Cardinalis. I loved that plant but it didn't love my lack of co2.

*Red circle*: If the nymphaea "flattens" out, I may not need anything here. It just looks a little off at the moment.

*Aqua circle*: Crypt Pontederfolia is growing here at the moment, and I like the negative space above it, but its mostly hidden by the wood. I think I will try moving the crypt p. to below the blue circle, but what to plant here?

*Purple circle*: I have been planning on putting alt. reniecki here, but I am worried it is "too central". Thoughts?

*Orange cicle*: Thinking of trying something like marselia quadrifolia here, letting it drape over the wood. The java fern between the orange and blue circles just kind of fell here and grew, so it may get moved. However, I think it would look good over the MQ.

*Blue circle*: The problem in this area is there is a ledge sticking out from the background, making it so stem plants planted tight to the base do NOT grow against the background. There's also a high circular flow here. There's a couple anubias just hanging under the main log that I could potentially plant on the ledge, if I can figure out how to get the to stay put, but I'd worried about the amount of light they'd get there.

Lastly, I will split off the 90g into its own journal. Now that the 75g has co2, its going to get confusing if I don't.


----------



## ipkiss (Aug 9, 2011)

Welcome to the CO2 club! I'm sure your plants will love you for it! I like how you did colored circles to identify the areas in your post. I hope you don't mind if I "adopt" that idea too instead of just vaguely mentioning areas in the tank.


----------



## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

Re: the blue circle... I had a couple areas like that in my 150. I bought a 48" of aquarium weight that you cut to size and wrapped it around the base of some windolev java fern in one area and some anubias in another area and they now stay EXACTLY where I place them. It was like $8. In case you don't want to glue, tie, or tac plants on.
Also C ponterifollia grows some BIG wide leaves with good C02 and ferts. Give them a couple months and they will fill up some serious space.
Tank is looking awesome especially the ferns!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Increased my month's dosing solution from:

3.5 tsp KNO3 to 7.5 tsp KNO3
2.5 tsp KH2PO4 to 3tsp KNO3

I'm dosing 80mL per day from a 2400 mL container. Numbers calculated via https://rotalabutterfly.com/nutrient-calculator.php using EI Daily.

Adjusted CO2 on/off time from 30 min to one hour before/after lights on.

Need to get some distilled water to calibrate my PH meter as well as decipher a this poor attempt at translating the calibration instructions.


----------



## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

vanish said:


> Increased my month's dosing solution from:
> 
> 3.5 tsp KNO3 to 7.5 tsp KNO3
> 2.5 tsp KH2PO4 to 3tsp KNO3
> ...


Depending upon your pH meter you should be using a known pH solution to calibrate the meter on. Distilled/RO water have very little in them to give them a stable 7.0 reading, you'll find it reads more lower 6ish. However these are what I use, as my meter calls for a 4.0, 7.0, and an optional 10.0 cal solution. But make sure to look at your pH meters directions for calibration to see what you need. 

General Hydroponics Ph 4.01 & Ph 7.0 Calibration Solution Kit, 8 oz


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

chayos00 said:


> Depending upon your pH meter you should be using a known pH solution to calibrate the meter on. Distilled/RO water have very little in them to give them a stable 7.0 reading, you'll find it reads more lower 6ish. However these are what I use, as my meter calls for a 4.0, 7.0, and an optional 10.0 cal solution. But make sure to look at your pH meters directions for calibration to see what you need.
> 
> General Hydroponics Ph 4.01 & Ph 7.0 Calibration Solution Kit, 8 oz


Yeah, it came with 3 different powders I mix into the water. The problem is the directions are terrible in expectations. I should photo them!


----------



## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

vanish said:


> Yeah, it came with 3 different powders I mix into the water. The problem is the directions are terrible in expectations. I should photo them!


My first pH meter was junk, it had to be calibrated EVERY SINGLE time I tried to use it or it was way off. I junked it and replaced it with this meter, which was twice the price, but so far much better to use! So with just the powder mix that was only good for a single use for me. Which I why I bought the larger jug of the calibration solutions.

Apera Instruments AI209 PH20 Value Waterproof pH Pocket Tester, ±0.1 pH Accuracy, 0-14.0 pH Range, Complete Kit


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I stopped by *The Fish Crew* on my way through Fort Collins last night. I remembered they had a nice plant display, and they do, but somehow they were out of every plant I had wanted to get ( Lobelia Cardinalis, Alt. Reneicki, any Marselia ). Still, I decided to support them and picked up a few just to see if they grew.

Cardamine Lyrata - Which I hadn't heard of and I'm already not sure if the look interests me. I've got it draped over some wood on the left side. (Near yellow circle)
Micranthemum monte carlo - I want to see if I can grow this over some of the foreground wood. Currently on the right side (orange circle). Messy to plant.
Ludwigia Glandulosa - which I've been warned I may not have enough par to grow well. Currently in the back of the right. (Blue circle)

While getting the Ludwigia Glandulosa, a funny to me situation occurred. She was commenting on how it was a light demanding plant. She asked how strong of lighting I had, and before I could really answer, said well if it doesnt grow well, you'll want more light, and started showing me their light fixtures. I was like ... If it doesn't grow, I can handle the loss of a $4 plant over buying a $200 fixture. 

They have some big display tanks, including an 800 gallon planted ( which I should have photo'd! ) and a big salt tank. These guys were cool:


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

This is my PH meter kit. Yes, it was one of the cheaper ones on Amazon. Probably should have asked first.











There are the calibration instructions:










Step 2: Is it saying, adjust it until it reads 6.86 ?

Step 4: After one minute, do _what_ ?  They seem to have left out the verb.


Here are the usage instructions:










Step 2: Suck it with filter paper. Pardon me ?


----------



## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

vanish said:


> This is my PH meter kit. Yes, it was one of the cheaper ones on Amazon. Probably should have asked first.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Throw that instruction set out for the poorly translated Chinese it started as except for the numbers and order. 

Mix the solutions with RO/Distilled water. Then let it sit in the solution for a few minutes. Once the meter stabilizes then adjust the screw on the back to make it match the calibration fluid number. Rinse in RO/distilled water and then repeat for the other solutions. However I only ever use the 4.0 and the 7.0 solution for calibration. No need for the 10.0, unless you really do have liquid rock for water LOL

However this meter looks almost exactly like the junk one I got tired of calibrating. So since I learned that mine never kept calibration, make sure to buy the bigger bottle of cal solution I mentioned above as you will most likely need it EVERY time you use this meter. As well as it needs to sit in calibration solution to not dry the bulb out..... ask my how I know..... :icon_wink

Bump: This link might help too. LOL 3 Simple Ways to Calibrate and Use a pH Meter


----------



## Bratmanxj (Jul 25, 2013)

vanish said:


> This is my PH meter kit. Yes, it was one of the cheaper ones on Amazon. Probably should have asked first.
> 
> 
> There are the calibration instructions:
> ...


It's fun to read translated technical manuals...some words or phrases in other languages just don't have a clear translation. You "menial labor" translating who don't understand the technical aspects of the instructions they are re-writing. Harbor Freight tools are good for this as well. 

My wife is a Spanish teacher and she's done a bit of translating for a friend who's a private investigator. Legal terms are hard to explain as well.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Wow, I really need to figure out how to take and post good photos, cause I have to say, the tank looks fantastic at the moment. The water is super clear, the plants are extra green ( except where they're colored! ) and the livestock is plentiful and active. I haven't been this happy with how it looks in a couple of years.


----------



## Immortal1 (Feb 18, 2015)

vanish said:


> Wow, *I really need to figure out how to take and post good photos*, cause I have to say, the tank looks fantastic at the moment. The water is super clear, the plants are extra green ( except where they're colored! ) and the livestock is plentiful and active. I haven't been this happy with how it looks in a couple of years.


Let me know when you figure it out. Been trying for awhile now on my LG-G6 - has lots of settings... but I still have not figured out what "looks" like what I see in person.


----------



## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

vanish said:


> Wow, I really need to figure out how to take and post good photos, cause I have to say, the tank looks fantastic at the moment. The water is super clear, the plants are extra green ( except where they're colored! ) and the livestock is plentiful and active. I haven't been this happy with how it looks in a couple of years.


What tools do you have on hand. Cell phone and or a regular camera? 

I've never tried with my phone (Google Pixel), but normally use my Canon 70D, a camera I have no clue how to really use. 

If taken from my DSLR camera (70D) I host the photo on Flickr. If from my phone I use Tapatalk and let it so it's hosting of photos however it does it. 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Pretty exciting to have the feeling the tank is running and looking it's best. I might just have to get started with CO2.

Hey FYI - CAS Spring Auction is this Sat. 24th!!! Maybe some great deals!
Welcome to The Colorado Aquarium Society


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

chayos00 said:


> What tools do you have on hand. Cell phone and or a regular camera?
> 
> I've never tried with my phone (Google Pixel), but normally use my Canon 70D, a camera I have no clue how to really use.
> 
> ...


My camera phone is damaged, so I know that's part of the problem.

The other half of the problem is I'm working with a new computer that only has USB 3.0 ports, and none of my other devices can connect with that yet - I need a converter. Once I get one I can use my DSLR again. But ... my DSLR has some problems, too! 



AutumnSky said:


> Pretty exciting to have the feeling the tank is running and looking it's best. I might just have to get started with CO2.
> 
> Hey FYI - CAS Spring Auction is this Sat. 24th!!! Maybe some great deals!
> Welcome to The Colorado Aquarium Society


Thanks for the reminder. I'm a member on Facebook. I already had plans that day though.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Finally got my PH meter calibrated. I missed being able to check PH level before co2 turned on today, but I'll be checking the PH levels hourly just to get a rough idea what's going on, and will get the pre-co2 PH tomorrow. First check ( co2 +2 hours ) was 6.4.

No luck finding the three plants i was looking for locally, but I'm in no rush. New plants are still settling in.

First batch of guppy fry are finally starting to show some color.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

The secret project is almost done! Built from the acrylic I found out at the road for trash pickup. I was torn on using it for this purpose, but something built is better than just having materials laying around my basement.

48" x 9" x ~5" water level ( box sides are ~7" ).


----------



## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

vanish said:


> The secret project is almost done! Built from the acrylic I found out at the road for trash pickup. I was torn on using it for this purpose, but something built is better than just having materials laying around my basement.
> 
> 48" x 9" x ~5" water level ( box sides are ~7" ).


Some sort of overhead sump? Looks neat! 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

chayos00 said:


> Some sort of overhead sump? Looks neat!


Yep. If you read back in the thread, you'll see an overhead sump was my filtration until last month ( over 3 years ). It was built from 36" planter box, but I started having an issue with a very slow leak. It also had a limited flow rate due to using hoses instead of an overflow. I lost confidence in it, but I really liked having it.

This new one will not be the main source of filtration as I added a canister filter when I did the CO2 system. I'll be running very low flow through it, though how low I haven't decided upon yet.


----------



## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

What did it look like to start? That doesn't look home built to me. It looks manufactured. Are you just cutting pieces of acrylic and using silicone or was that somehow in that shape beforehand? How does it work?? I remember reading about your planter box, but never really understood how it functioned


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

The Dude1 said:


> What did it look like to start? That doesn't look home built to me. It looks manufactured. Are you just cutting pieces of acrylic and using silicone or was that somehow in that shape beforehand? How does it work?? I remember reading about your planter box, but never really understood how it functioned


The acrylic was a couple of large sheets (perhaps 5 feet x 3 feet) with a series of rows of holes drilled in it. You can see the remnants of the holes along the top edge. I essentially cut the pieces as wide as I could. I don't know what they were using it for, but when I saw it at the road, I snapped it up! 

Its really easy to work with. I cut all the pieces on my table saw, polished the edges with sand paper ( I should have used a router ) and assembled with acrylic adhesive (weld-on 4). Acrylic actually kind of welds together when done properly.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I will be a couple more days before the new HOB planter is ready, so back to the tank!

I checked both my 90g, and 24 hour degassed tank water, and both measured PH 7.4. Lowest measured PH during the co2 period was 6.3, so with a ~1.1 PH drop, it looks like I'm in the right area already. I know I could bump slightly higher, but my lighting isn't high enough for that to be necessary.

I took a few quick shots this morning ( plants are still "sleeping", so leaves up), and how blurry they are upsets me, but I'm going to post one anyway since this thread lacks pics.


----------



## TacitBlues (Aug 4, 2016)

Wow, I'm totally jealous about finding a piece of acrylic (which seems weird to say!) Luckily one of the local hardware stores has scraps that you can buy for a discount when I need acrylic for projects--that stuff can get stupid expensive when you need thicker bits.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Gah, my $8 check valve failed already. Flow meter is full of water.

------

Alright, well, looks like I got it cleaned up. Added another check valve in series. Although, I have to say I am not sure I understand the physics of this, or I may have a leak of some sort somewhere. When I had the line disconnected, I put it in a cup of water on the floor. No gas bubbles in the glass, even though it said 20 cc/min. I raised the glass 2 feet, and suddenly I had bubbles. Derp ?


----------



## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

vanish said:


> Gah, my $8 check valve failed already. Flow meter is full of water.
> 
> ------
> 
> Alright, well, looks like I got it cleaned up. Added another check valve in series. Although, I have to say I am not sure I understand the physics of this, or I may have a leak of some sort somewhere. When I had the line disconnected, I put it in a cup of water on the floor. No gas bubbles in the glass, even though it said 20 cc/min. I raised the glass 2 feet, and suddenly I had bubbles. Derp ?


Man that sucks! I guess that's probably why people mention having at least two check valves in place. 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


----------



## TacitBlues (Aug 4, 2016)

I think I hear more stories about check valves causing floods then preventing them...


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Still need to do finishing and install the magnets on the "fence" but I'm just about done building a new plant stand / co2 system holder.


----------



## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

That looks fantastic. The plants have also perked up and filled out really quickly! 
Was it one of the metal rhinox check valves? Had like 5 seize up on me in 18 months. Using the cheap plastic ones now and no problems in 3 months. The ones where you can see the hard porous material inside of the center cylinder.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

The Dude1 said:


> That looks fantastic. The plants have also perked up and filled out really quickly!
> Was it one of the metal rhinox check valves? Had like 5 seize up on me in 18 months. Using the cheap plastic ones now and no problems in 3 months. The ones where you can see the hard porous material inside of the center cylinder.


"Dr.moss Stainless Steel Check Valve for Air Co2 Line 4/6mm Tubing Regulator Diffuser Plants Tank"

It looks exactly like the Rhinox one.

---------------------------------------------

Started staining the co2 stand. Finished the main body of the planter box last night. Will start leak testing today.

I had that list of several plants but I'm pretty happy with how things are looking at the moment. I wouldn't turn down some _Alt. Reineckii_ but I'm not going out of way my to get some. The _Cardamine Lyrata_ and _Micranthemum monte carlo_ have taken the place of the proposed _Marselia Quadrifolia_. It looks like the _Ludwigia Glandulosa_ is transitioning and new leaves are developing while the lower most are dropping, but I can't tell for sure.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Love secret projects!!!

With this new acrylic box, are you pumping in water and then it just flows through the roots and out and back into the tank at the other end?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

*I'm posting a photo of the new "planter box" but I have to warn you, the plants need some time to settle in! It looks like a mess at the moment!*



AutumnSky said:


> With this new acrylic box, are you pumping in water and then it just flows through the roots and out and back into the tank at the other end?


I just got this hooked up today. There's a small pump on the right side of the tank, which pumps to the middle of the "planter box". The water then moves through each side and back into the tank via an overflow on each end. The flow is pretty low. A couple of trickles on each end.










Box of new plants:

_Codiaeum variegatum_ 'Variegated Croton'
_Adiantum sp._ 'Maindenhair Fern'
_Pilea spruceana_ 'Norfolk Friendship Plant' 
_Hydrocotyle ranunculoides_ 'Water pennywort'
_Gynura sarmentosa_ ( I actually think is mislabeled and it is something else entirely. )
_Hypoestes phyllostachya_ ( Polka Dot Plant )

I haven't added the mainenhair fern yet.

There are two meshed sections designed to contain emmersed grown stems. The hyrdoton is fresh and still floating, so I cannot plant them yet. It probably won't be humid enough, but I'll give it a try with extra clippings.

The overflows are screened off at the moment. The screen will probably stay, as its nearly invisible, but the polyfill is just temporary. I washed all the new hydroton but there was still some clay dust and I want to try to catch it in the polyfill, before it gets into the tank.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Terrible photos as usual, but most of my guppy fry are showing _endler_ color / patterns.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Friggern fraggin fuzzlebumpkins.

I did a water change today, and decided to clean the canister since there had been a lot of detritus before the switch. After cleaning, I went to reattach the canister and the locking clips on my less-than-a-month-old Sunsun were broken right off. I had to jerry-rig a strap to secure the hose manifold. I've had my other one for 2 years without a problem!

While messing with that, I looked at the timer for my auto-doser, and it was dead. I had set an alarm to check on it today, because while I thought I was crazy, I didn't think the macro levels had changed in the reservoir. Sure enough. Timer completely dead. So, I grabbed an extra timer ( different brand ) I had for another project. I tried to program it, but none of the buttons worked.

Ridiculous.

By the way, I have some mechanical timers from what I'm guessing is the _1970s_ that still work just fine. I needed a digital one for this since I only wanted it on for a minute.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

My wife came home and tried a hard reset on the second timer and it seems to have unlocked it. I set it back up and plugged it in last night.

Well, apparently I should have double checked it because it must have been set to "auto on" and not "auto off". This mean it was actually on when I plugged it in. It pumped about ~20 days worth of ferts in. I didn't realize this until a 5am bathroom trip.

Luckily, there's no excel in there anymore!

But, hooray for 5am water changes? :ugh:


----------



## chayos00 (Sep 22, 2013)

Oh man the joys of hardware! I hope the SunSun I got a month or two back lasts for me! Good luck! 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Some closer photos of the new over tank box. Next time I'm by tractor supply I'm going to pick up another bag of Safe-T-Sorb and swap out the hydroton in the emmersed section. Might be missing a grassy or fern looking plant, we'll see. I can probably remove the polyfill now. My hope is that things like the hydrocotle will cover the hydroton eventually, just showing plants, but I'm not going to go out and buy enough plants to do that.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

That all sounds like how my life usually goes. Glad you keep a sense of humor. Liking all the colorful plants.

Creeping Jenny is good for "ground" coverage, nice color contrast.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

There's at least one tiny guppy fry swimming in the planter box.

I wrapped the pump in screen material, but not well enough, apparently. How on earth did he get through the impeller without a scratch?


----------



## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

Is that new planet 2 tiers? Also not sure about the hydrocotle, but the pennywort I have had made a nice emersed carpet. Trim the runners short every now and then and it gets bushy


----------



## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

I personally think the hydroton looks cool. That being said Hydrocotyle Japan will adapt to emersed and cover that area in weeks. It is one of the few plants that seems to grow much faster emersed than in my high tech tanks. Or you could cultivate some moss... I've got a huge amount that's probably an inch thick on the outlet of my AC50 that started from just a few sprigs of vesicularia mini


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

theatermusic87 said:


> Is that new planet 2 tiers? Also not sure about the hydrocotle, but the pennywort I have had made a nice emersed carpet. Trim the runners short every now and then and it gets bushy


No, its one tier, but I have a couple sections blocked off with gutter guard that have a different level of hydroton in them. That's where I have some aquatic plants atempting to grow emmersed. The hydroton is floating though, so I want to replace it with Safe-T-Sorb, just in those locations.

Hydrocotyle ranunculoides _is_ Water Pennywort


----------



## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

vanish said:


> No, its one tier, but I have a couple sections blocked off with gutter guard that have a different level of hydroton in them. That's where I have some aquatic plants atempting to grow emmersed. The hydroton is floating though, so I want to replace it with Safe-T-Sorb, just in those locations.
> 
> Hydrocotyle ranunculoides _is_ Water Pennywort


Have you successfully transitioned submerged to emersed in an open environment like that before? I have always put them in sealed clear bins sprayed twice a day until they convert to their emersed forms. Then I move them. I have not had success taking them out in their submerged state and growing them in anything less than a very high humidity environment for the transition. Even the moss was completely submerged by the outlet flow from the AC50 and eventually converted and grew almost faster than I could find places for it. What's funny is the emersed form seems to take to submerged conditions immediately (the moss at least not so much for Hydrocotyle Japan).


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

The Dude1 said:


> Have you successfully transitioned submerged to emersed in an open environment like that before? I have always put them in sealed clear bins sprayed twice a day until they convert to their emersed forms. Then I move them. I have not had success taking them out in their submerged state and growing them in anything less than a very high humidity environment for the transition.


They are not above water, but rather planted just below a very shallow water line. This should allow them to convert naturally when they break the surface.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I didn't think it was true until I looked at the first photo, but things are growing in very fast in the planter box.

I think the maiden hair is still acclimating. I hope it works as I really like that plants.

The hygro polysperma had no trouble growing emmersed. You can see a dozen stems popping up.

I think I need one more plant in the left center, but maybe not depending on how things grow in.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

FTS before tomorrow's trim


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Not really much to update. Just trucking along.

Have a bit of BBA and GSA I'm trying to tackle, but otherwise looking good.


----------



## sdwindansea (Oct 28, 2016)

I want to see the FTS after the trim


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

A bit of a haze cause I just water changed and dosed micros, and a little different color temp because the blue lights are on as well.

Cardimine Lyrata looks cool when it behaves, but its a weed. Over an inch of growth per day. I just pulled out 2/3s of it.










Hydroton is almost completely hidden.


----------



## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

Wow... it's really looking fantastic. The windolev is so lush green! It's looking really good!!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I feel like the photo doesn't do the colors justice, as the different shades of green kind don't really come through, but it is looking good!

Sold a dozen shrimp and a couple dozen female guppies. Hooray for more money in the fish fund!


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Gotten a bit overgrown. Sold some plants after this photo but still have excess.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I finally took my 20lb co2 tank in for an exchange. That's just about a year. $14 for the swap. I am happy with upgrading to co2.  I think I will bump up the co2 rate slightly.

I accidentally nuked my Beamswork DA FSPEC 48" power supply. I replaced it with a whole new light, but the LED bar is still good from the original one (verified). Does anyone know what replacement PSU I can purchase that will work with this light?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Not too long after this last update, I had a leak with the plumbing on this tank. This had me annoyed to the point where I decided I didn't want to deal with a tank in this location anymore, and moved my canister and CO2 system to my 90g. This tank spent most of the last 2 years as a riparium with a small powerhead and sponge filter, running at room temperature and the only light being those mounted on the ceiling.

It was interesting to do something different, but I just wasn't in love with doing a riparium in a rimmed tank. I had a devil of a time with various algae and bga as well, which surprised me considering its gotta be at least 4.5 feet from the lights to the water. It housed a dozen or so guppies.










As of a week or so ago, the riparium plants have been pulled out and planted elsewhere and the tank is full again. Still running it very low tech, but added in a dozen Corydoras splendens ( 4 albino ).


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

So are you going to grow anything up the back again? It is nice to make a change once in awhile. Things don't always suit your life forever.

Are you still using CO2 in any tank? If so, are you still glad you are using it? What regulator, etc are you using?


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

AutumnSky said:


> So are you going to grow anything up the back again? It is nice to make a change once in awhile. Things don't always suit your life forever.
> 
> Are you still using CO2 in any tank? If so, are you still glad you are using it? What regulator, etc are you using?


We have potted plants on the shelf above/behind the tank. Nothing ever _really_ grew on the trellis. Not sure why.

Yeah, the CO2 system is on my 90g (though if you read that, you'll see there was a recent hiccup  ). Vanish's 90g+CO2 Community ... I haven't paired it with high light, but it makes a world of difference in plant health / growth. The initial investment wasn't cheap but it is only about $14 a year to maintain it, and I sell way more plants than that from the faster growth.

The equipment is all in this journal starting here: Vanish's 75g Community ( FTS 2/27/2019 ) - I haven't made any changes to it and see no need to.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Far from its former glory  I noticed I'm only getting female guppy fry and what do you know, that seems to be proven with a tank running at 72 degrees. Darn ... I don't really want to run a heater on this tank.

Got a bit of a solids problem at the moment as the roots from the removed plants are melting. Many water changes in our future. Keep in mind the top half is plant free at the moment because I just filled it back up again. I'll be moving windelov java ferns over from the 90g as they grow fast in the CO2 there. The fish at least seem to like the random piles of stuff.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Well I looked up the amount an according to this study 86F / 30C is the magic number for the most males! That is a lot of heat. This explains how I ended up with hundreds, and hundreds of females last year!

study info here if anyone is interested in the full facts...


https://www.entomoljournal.com/archives/2017/vol5issue3/PartY/5-3-78-680.pdf


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

Well my wife said she wants pretty boys, so in went a heater and the tank is now running at 78F, so hopefully we'll start seeing some boys. Will use cooler water with Water changes to see if I can trigger my cories to spawn after they've grown out a few more months.


----------



## AutumnSky (May 19, 2012)

Well I really, really, wish I had known this before so storing for future information! I have 2 trios and will breed them. Look forward to seeing lots, and lots of males!!!

Baby Cories are the cutest!


----------

