# Impulsive 20H



## problemman (Aug 19, 2005)

so far so good


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

Did the much needed overhaul of the tank

I replaced the substrate completely got rid of the large river stone. Now I'm using Pondcare Aquatic Planting Media, Capped with some standard black aquarium stone. Not quite sure if i want to keep this as the cap or try something else, it does hold down the other stuff quite nice. I have root tabs so the soil, get everything started.

I had plans of a real nice rock setup, but... I found my rock's lovely stripes were Pyrite. From what searching I did I found the to be a no no for an aquarium.(is this true or did I misread?) So im stuck with my old rocks and, tiny piece of Driftwood for my hardscape. I want to get out and try to hit up some creeks/rivers for some nice DW but, here in CO we got lots of conifer trees which are no no's too. I might have to look at the lfs or online.

I added two different types of Hygro since my last post also.

Setup a DIY Co2 system, its using a bamboo diffuser at the moment. I ordered a Glass one on ebay so just waiting on it.

Layout, need to find a source of HC here locally, I really wanna start a carpet in the open areas.











FTS











Messing with the camera settings, this one looks more like what I see.











I need hardscape suggestions, please help!!!

I need to keep a cave/overhang of some sort for my Bamboo shrimp and Pictus, they get stressed without cover.


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

oh ya,

I picked up some planting tools for real cheap at Harbor Freight, 5 bucks a piece.


this thing helps so much, getting a curved tipped one next week. They were out at the time.
(Clickable)




just need to find a good pair of long stem scissors. and im set.


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

my one week update tons of growth now i need to find out the proper way to trim the hygro (which has roots growing out of it from everywhere).

The Diy Co2 is working fantastic i have consent pearling and bubble streams raising from my plants. still waiting on my Co2 checker is still on the way but the fish seem fine. i am running a airstone at night to help.

I also added 15 CRS and they have almost eradicated my hair algae issue i had right after adding the Co2. 

starting to see what i believe is BBA on my anubias, which is minimal but im keeping an eye on it.











i need to get a descent camera this 5mp does this tank no justice.


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## Trallen44 (Dec 10, 2008)

Doing a great job!


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## demosthenes (Aug 23, 2008)

good job! haha it looks just like my tank did when i started! be careful not to get too addicted though, i've spent probably over $700 on my 10g tank over the past two and a half years, so try to figure out what you want and THEN buy it instead of experimenting with lots of stuff. remember, "he who buys cheap buys twice." as long as you are in the hobby, live by that rule.


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

did a rescape last week. Im finding my HoB is not enough flow for me and i have ordered a canister filter to help cover the job. im trying to avoid using a power head if all possible.












i know i need to trim

with this cheap camera i get great pics with a flash .....minus the big white spot in the middle of the pic


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

It looks really good!


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

latest up to date shot, ive removed the anacris and wysteria amonst moving everything and adding a few new plants








\



what would it take to get this thread moved to the tank journals section, it seems better suited there


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## demosthenes (Aug 23, 2008)

looking good! heres a couple of things you may want to think about:
1. that borneo fern that you have in there isn't aquatic, it'll quickly die in there if you leave it submerged.

2. keep you taller plants in the back of the tank, and shorter ones in front. ie, your java ferns shouldnt be used as a background plant, because they grow extremely slowly and they don't get all that big. also, your Vallisneria and Ludwigia shouldnt be used as midground or foreground plants. they get really big, so you should move them back into the background and move the Java ferns up.

3. the amazon sword in the back there will get HUGE if you let it. I'm not telling you to move it, because you could definitely make it look good, but just so you know, it'll outgrow your tank by a lot. Make sure to keep cutting it back, or replace it with crypts that won't get as big.

4. congratulations on the canister filter! i was so much happier with mine once i got it, theyre so much nicer than the old loud HOB's.


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

did a bit of a revamp for the most part i wanted bury my DW so the shrimp wouldn't hide under it all the time.

Thinned everything out quite a bit as well, going to trying growing a mini 4 leaf clover and DHG carpet.


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## demosthenes (Aug 23, 2008)

looking very good! keep up the good work, it looks like everything is growing in very well


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## Ariel301 (Sep 7, 2009)

Looking good!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that pictus cat will outgrow your tank. They get pretty large and are very active swimmers, so they really do best with 50+ gallons.


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

Ariel301 said:


> Looking good!
> 
> I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that pictus cat will outgrow your tank. They get pretty large and are very active swimmers, so they really do best with 50+ gallons.


Yea, I know he'll get big, and have to go. he's a refuge from a buddies tank disaster. For now he's still a small fella and hides in the ludwiga all the time. Eventually he'll hopefully get that 55+ :icon_smil


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

An update, ive rescaped just a little bit.

Moved the java fern back to the back to fill in the bottom of my swords, and to hide it a little i didnt care for it up front.

Also cut the lighting back to see if that will help with my algae problem im just using the 28w t5 at the moment. Made my ludwiga repens start turn bright red on a few of the stems. 

finally got the zebra danios out, and added two more black skirt tetras, still haven't been able to catch the pictus cat.

You can see the algae im fighting, mainly on the leaves of the anubias to the right.
 http://g.imageshack.us/img141/100b1350.jpg/1/

With flash, since its the only way this camera can catch detail
 http://g.imageshack.us/img177/1001349n.jpg/1/

Also need a *plant id*, I got a tiny piece of this awhile back and its started growing pretty good in the last few weeks.
 http://g.imageshack.us/img177/1001363.jpg/1/


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

removed the Swords and did a total revamp due to the destruction all the roots caused.

i plan on taking the crypts on the hill and the cardinal plant switching places. Im also thinking of cutting up my mini clover and planting it more spread out to make a better carpet right now i just took the long runner chains i had from before and bunched them up and stuck them in the gravel as their quite the pain to plant.

all i got are cell phone pics at the moment just after planting so its still hazy.


















i love my chop stick diffusers they work 10x better than my glass diffuser. smaller bubbles and i never have to clean em.


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## vtkid (Jan 5, 2009)

i believe your mystery plant is lobelia cardinalis. i like your tank, nice job.


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

got a tripod still the same crappy cam but now less blurry due to "shakes mcgee"

testing out the new toy so i hadn't cleaned the glass or topped it off for the shots.

also planing on getting some black sand to re cap my substrate it grows great as it is but its ugly



Close up of the start of my 4leaf clover carpet, im thinking my 28w t5 lighting is just a bit low might pick up another of the same light


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

just a quick update

added a few cardinal tetras, im wanting to get rid of/swap out the blood fins for more of these guys.

added a couple stems of rotela (two types but i dont recall which) they were in rough shape when i got them but their starting to pull through.

My 4leaf clover carpet is slowly but surely filling in


























My DHG is finally filling in i think the seachem tab is to thank


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

I love your bloodfins! Such an under-appreciated schooling tetra... I'm not sure why more people don't keep them. They school _just_ as tightly as rummies, IME.

Looks good!


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

^^ they are cool to watch and do school very nicely but i suspect they have quite the appetite for my cherries that went from 20+ and always out to 4-5 left and always buried in the moss log.

they may get a reprieve from being sent to the LFS if i teardown and redo my 10g trimmings grow out tank to make it a shrimp tank


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Yeah, tetras eat shrimp for breakfast.


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## ryan_p (Mar 18, 2009)

hey I like the progress of your tank. your doing a great job with it, keep it up.


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

bonus shot of my ugly 10 gal its were alot of my clippings go before i give em to my buddie for his budding collection.

My Java fern loves this tank for some reason, its getting huge


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

Removed my big piece of drift wood and leaving only my moss covered dw stick in there so i could tie my anubias and javafern.

doing so gave me alot more space for my dhg and clover carpet to spread.



Make sure you click the bar at the top of the images to see fullsize


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## problemman (Aug 19, 2005)

wow i really like the tank so far good job.


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

Lawn Mowing Time!!!!

Before



















After


















I've found trimming my grass like a lawn every few months it simply makes it explode and throw out runners everywhere making for a nice thick carpet.


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

An almost total revamp from my last update. I have revamped just about everything but my carpet plants. I have also removed all of my crypts due to them simply being way to big for my dinky 20g.

I have also added a few more Cardinals, a Nerite Tiger, 2 Assassin Snails, and a Pair of Juvenile GBRs!:icon_mrgr

Need to go pressurized, the Co2 fluctuations of Diy, is causing BBA. Luckily BBA is the the only Algae I fight with, My clean up crew keeps everything else in check. 

A video of me playing with my male GBR he's pretty cool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur8RO5zjwFA 

Could'nt get a good pic of my male he doesn't like to stay still long enough for my slow camera.









On to the Tank Shots (make sure to click the bar to see em full size)


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## Da Plant Man (Apr 7, 2010)

Looks really good. I like the video of you playing with your ram. Just wondering, how do you use the chop stick diffuser method? Thanks.


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

Noticed my tank has exploded since my last update so i decided to post a new shot

im slowly making my background plant just one plant Rotala Rotundifolia, the java fern/anubias corner will make its way to my 10G once i can cover the corner 










my gbr's ended up having a disease that rotted them from the inside out  so they're gone.


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

seeing i haven't updated in almost 6 mos
here's where the tanks is at now

never could quite decide on what i wanted to do with the tank, so it currently looks like two scapes side by side in the same tank


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

nice little flower i noticed today


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

cool pic of one of my giant anubais leaves this is 3"x6" easily i love the coloring on this leaf.


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