# Jake's Got A New High-Tech Ebi



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Picked up a new Ebi a few weeks ago and finally got it 90% planted tonight. Doing a dry start to get things grown in well.

The details:



Fluval Ebi, background removed
Eheim 2213
Pressurized CO2 - dual-stage regulator, solenoid, etc
3 Fluval 13w Clip Lights
Fluval Shrimp Stratum
Osmocote Plus gelcaps
Random lace rock
EI dosing

Plants:



Utricularia graminifolia
Staurogyne repens
Vallisneria nana will line the back of the tank once it's flooded

Critters:

Will eventually be home to a bunch of Red Cherry Shrimp or Painted Fire Reds (if I can find the PFRs!), a Nerite or two, a bunch of blue Ramshorns. Really going for lots of bright, contrasting color.

Here's a rough look:



















Not entirely sure how I feel about yet another UG tank but I think I'll give it a go.

Hope you stick around to see how this tank turns out.

Jake


----------



## driftwoods (Feb 2, 2011)

Looks good can't wait to see it start filling in.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Thanks! It's my second small attempt with UG (this was the first) and I'm hoping it turns out as well. I'm thinking it'll do fine, as pressured CO2 is much more suited to UG than DIY yeast.

I'm excited to see how this S. repens grows up and am hoping the Vals aren't overwhelming. If so, I'll have to find another background plant that won't drive me insane.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Geez man, could you put any more lights on that tank?  Should make for massive growth!

And nice staurogyne, that was planted in a nice way (shape it makes around the rocks, very flowing). Let me know if you ever have any extra for sale  

Good luck! Will be watching this!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Haha! I originally had four until I decided that was a bit absurd. Put the extra in a cabinet just in case I decide to use it later.

Hoping to get by using two lamps once the tank is filled while using the third as a midday burst.

Thanks re: the S. repens. I think it's going to add some nice contrast and scale to a tank this size once it starts to grow up a bit.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Yeah it adds kind of a lofty cloudy look around the base of the rocks


----------



## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Awesome! I have never seen 3 Fluval lights like that!


----------



## picotank (Dec 6, 2011)

Looks like a great start to me.
Did they glue the background on? I saw them at the LFS and didn't like the tank with that foam background in it so I passed. Looks much better without it in there to me.
Good luck


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Most here on the forum remove the foam background and I'm of the opinion that it's not attractive.

It's attached with silicone that's easily removed with a razor blade. Took all of five minutes.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

It's been 1 month -- what's changed?


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Not a lot has changed, really:










UG has grown in, S. repens is chugging along - maybe browning a bit because it's tough to keep the stratum wet all the time.

Probably going to fill it this week and crank up the CO2 for a while.

The Val. nana I got from msjinkzd hasn't survived the past month so I think I'm going to have to go on the hunt for more or come up with something else.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Nice and green. I think you should trim the Staurogyne though, make it shorter and spread it out.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

There's only one stem of it that needs to be trimmed at the moment. But it'll definitely be regularly trimmed once flooded. 

Think I'm going to allow it to develop some height on the sides and near the back of the rocks, though.


----------



## JessDay06 (Nov 6, 2011)

I love it!! How have you been BTW? Haven't spoke with you in awhile!


----------



## chubbyone (Dec 9, 2011)

Nice tank! Love the UG.

Question: I got what I believe to be the same exact lace rock from my LFS, and just tonight I got around to testing it with the nitrate test fluid (one small drop of test fluid #1 on various parts of the rock). It fizzed up pretty good. Which made me decide against using it. Are you worried about it rasing the pH of the water? If not, how come? I ask because I do want to use it, I got it cheap enough and it looks pretty neat. Thanks for any feedback!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

chubbyone: This particular type of rock (typically dubbed "Lace Rock") is usually used in marine setups and is usually harvested from marine environments. So it's always best to clean them well in boiling water and to let the soak for several days. 

Each piece is different, really, since the critters that grew on them when they were submerged weren't always the same. Also depends on the amount and type of sediment that's caked on the rock, as it's quite porous.

Not worried about pH fluctuations because I've used this type of rock for years. If anything, it buffers my pH a bit. I also use substrates that lower/buffer pH for shrimp. Neocaridina heteropoda are hardy and I've never really worried much about parameters with them.

If you're concerned about it? Clean it really well. Boil it. Soak it for a week in a bucket. Ditch that water, clean it again, soak it for another week. Then test the water parameters. That'll let you know if there's anything to worry about.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Dangit. Hit post before I was finished. Need to stop that habit.

My big question:

Anyone have thoughts on background plants? The Val. nana I had didn't survive the month-long wait in another tank so I'm on the hunt. 

Thoughts on Vallisneria americana var. biwaensis? Val. spiralis? Blyxa auberti? Maybe a Bacopa of some sort?


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Time for an update!

The S. repens has grown a bit and I've trimmed and replanted some. UG has grown in really well on the lower portion of the slop and I'm quite happy with it.

A look at the front:










From the top:










Ordered some Bacopa monnieri that should arrive this week. Plan to put it in the back of the tank to get some extra height.

Yep, some of the S. repens is gaining height behind the rocks but I thing it really works for purposes of scale.

Hoping to flood and kickstart the cycle once the Bacopa arrives so I can order some PFRs.

Any thoughts on the lighting? Currently have three of the 13w Fluval lamps running but think I'll probably have to cut it down to to once I flood. Will that be enough? Am I still overdoing it? Opinions are definitely requested.

Thanks for checking it out!

Jake


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Amazing work. When do you plan on filling it?


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Thanks!

As soon as the Bacopa arrives - hopefully Wednesday/Thursday.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Got some great Bacopa monnieri from the SnS a couple weeks ago and it's growing in quite nicely as a background plant. Think it's going to easily grow out the top of the tank, which would be a welcome sight in my opinion. 

A couple shots (note: the images are hosted on my own server and we're doing upgrades this weekend, so have patience if they disappear for a bit):



















To the left in that first picture, you'll see some rigid plastic tubing. Had originally hoped to use lily pipes on this tank but work keeps getting in the way of ordering and making it happen. It's also tough to locate pipes that will work for a tank with these dimensions that don't cost $125. So I plan on trying to use a dremel to craft a spray bar and intake from the rigid tubing (also have clear hose from the HD). Anyone had success making their own spray bars? Just can't stomach the ugly green Eheim garb in a tank I've spent so much time trying to make beautiful.

A few friends have been over to check the tank out the past few days and they're all giving me grief over having a 10lb CO2 cylinder _just_ for this tank. Overkill? Maybe.

Still toying with the lighting. Not sure what to do. Leave all three lights on? Just use two? Use two and have the third as a mid-day burst?

Thanks for following me on this latest tank nerd journey.

Jake


----------



## atom (Sep 28, 2011)

I love lace rock. I've used it in my freshwater nano with no problems. It's got a lot of character. 

Love your setup. Can't wait to see it filled!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Decided to flood it tonight:










Not the prettiest thing right now, for sure. But it'll improve as things stabilize.

Ordering lily pipes from a TPT member this week and will replace the hideous green crap with those. 

Relieved to have it filled!


----------



## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

this looks great jake! that bacopa will definitely be poking out of the tank in no time! roud:


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Thanks! I think it's going to be a crazy grower. Has grown at least an inch dry. Was pearling like crazy as I tested out the CO2 rig before lights out.

Really looking forward to see how it looks once it grows out of the tank. Hoping for flowers.


----------



## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

somewhatshocked said:


> Thanks! I think it's going to be a crazy grower. Has grown at least an inch dry. Was pearling like crazy as I tested out the CO2 rig before lights out.
> 
> Really looking forward to see how it looks once it grows out of the tank. Hoping for flowers.


there ya go! ive never gotten it to flower, even when it was pressed right up against my lights, im not sure what the trick is.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Wow - the transition from emersed to submerged with this Bacopa? Amazing. It's now standing straight up and looking amazing.


----------



## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

somewhatshocked said:


> Wow - the transition from emersed to submerged with this Bacopa? Amazing. It's now standing straight up and looking amazing.


roud:


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Yes, this is another bad cell phone pic but look how much the Bacopa has grown in just two days:










Crazy, right?


----------



## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

love that plant!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I mentioned it here but I'll say it again...

My initial cycle is basically complete. What the heck? My mind is blown.


----------



## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

Probably has more to do with your dry start? I thought a well established dry start tank had little to no "new tank" syndrome/cycle.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I've never set up a planted tank that wasn't created with a dry start. From 2.5gal to 800gal. This is my first time experiencing this. 

Gonna try Nutrafin Cycle on a few more tanks in the coming weeks to see what happens. But I'm still skeptical. (And excited, obviously)


----------



## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

I trust that you shook the Nutrafin Cycle bottle excessively? When I first tried using the product, it didn't work (I gave it 3 or 4 shakes). After I did some further reading, I shook it for 1-2 minutes violently before dosing days 1-3 per the instructions.

Every tank I used it in cycled in under a week (before adding fish). The presence of fauna in the tank seemed to slow down the cycling when using this product. Too much waste overwhelms the bacteria causing it to stay inactive? Fauna eating the bacteria? Not sure as to the reason.

For those that claim it doesn't work, probably didn't follow the instructions 

Beautiful tank btw, that's a lot of Fluval 13w CFLs!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Yep, followed the directions. 

Thanks for the well wishes. It's turning out to be a fun tank.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Well… added some bright yellow Neos to the tank a bit ago:




























Ugh - need to get un-lazy and bring my DSLR into the fish room. These iPhone pics aren't cutting it.

Adding Boraras brigittae when they arrive on Tuesday.

Figure the red and yellow will be a nice pop of color and will draw stark contrast to the bright greens already in the tank.

As you can see? Pressurized CO2 and UG go hand-in-hand. That stuff got thick in just two days. Bacopa? Haha, grew four inches in two days. Love this tank.

Thanks for reading along with me,

Jake


----------



## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

I think that the Boraras Brigittae and the yellow neos will be a great combo for the tank.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Looks amazing!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Thanks to you both!

Chilis should be here from Rachel on Tuesday and they'll be moving in then. 

Am setting up a 12gal long on the opposite side of my sofa (before anyone calls me tank crazy - and I know I am - these two tanks are replacing FOUR others... had to downsize) this week that will house PFRs, Green Baubalti, Otos and maybe some Black Tigers if Gordon gets those nice ones in.

Am officially in love with these Ebi/Flora tanks, though. The footprint is perfect and the lack of a seam on the front corners makes it a lot easier to keep clean than my other cube tanks.


----------



## h4n (Jan 4, 2006)

I like it Jake!

Is that where the ferns are going? the 12g?


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Thank you!

The Narrow Leaf (had to buy from several folks to get enough, actually) is going into a friend's Edge. He wanted something simple but beautiful so I helped him pick out a nice piece of Manzanita to serve as a centerpiece. Ferns will flow from behind it and through it.

Nana 'Petite' you sent - along with about 20 other Anubias - are going into the 12gal long. Trying to figure out how to scape it as we speak/probably starting yet another journal. Have a bunch of plants but want to keep it fairly simple (no CO2, though I can run another line if I absolutely have to) and shrimp-only. Have a bunch of lace rock, Anubias, Hydrocotyle, C. parva, Bacopa australis (hopefully), S. repens, mosses. 



h4n said:


> I like it Jake!
> 
> Is that where the ferns are going? the 12g?


----------



## h4n (Jan 4, 2006)

Ahhh cool!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Just started a new journal for my 12gal long.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Whoops! I got un-lazy and brought the T3i down to fishland. 

It's not just my tanks that are jungles:










Just before the photoperiod begins, my DIY automatic moonlight switched on for a moment:










Lost a Yellow last night, though not sure why. Don't think it was CO2 gassing, as the rest are fine and haven't exhibited any sign of problem. That was frustrating as it's the first Neo I have ever lost and actually discovered before a cleanup crew could nom it to shreds. My assistant assures that the death is a direct result of iTunes playlist this week, however.

But today I discovered a female so berried she can barely move around:










She's super-sneaky so it was tough to get a photo. Will try harder once I have a pancake lens with me and the time to sit waiting for her to turn around.

Look how tall the Bacopa m has gotten and how thick the UG is at current:










Here's hoping the Boraras brigittae arriving from Rachel tomorrow enjoy their new digs.


----------



## Deano37 (Jul 17, 2011)

Hi beautiful tank, what co2 setup u got ? i just purchased an ebi and i am trying hard to find a good co2 setup for it, like the paintbal canister setups

thanks dean


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I have a Dual Stage SS Victor regulator, Mouse solenoid with 3-port manifold and various fancy needle valves. 

Tank is currently running on a 20oz paintball cylinder, as I need to get my 10lb tank refilled this week.

While paintball is cheap and easy at first? It ends up being more of a hassle and expense in the long run. $40US, roughly, for a paintball kit. When you can buy a regulator here on the TPT for about the same price.

You can get a dual state regulator, solenoid and needle valve for around $100US. You can use a paintball adapter ($15US) with the regulator so you can attach to paintball tanks, if you wish. But you should be able to obtain a new CO2 cylinder ranging from 5-to-10lbs for $40-$70US.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Finally got a better photo of the berries: 










Also have five more yellows from Liam to add to the tank. Currently acclimating.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Where are the PFRs going?


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

In this tank.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Lol. We're all crazy people.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

HAHA - understatement.



Geniusdudekiran said:


> Lol. We're all crazy people.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Added 11 (or 12? too quick) Boraras brigittae this morning and they're doing quite well. Already hunting, the fat little buggers. And little is an understatement. Perfectly scaled for a tank this size.

Will post photos once they color completely up and I more time to adjust the shutter speed.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Nice! How big do they get?


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

About half the size of a male Endler.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

No way! Next fish for my nano (45-F). How many you think I could fit in it, it's 4.6 gallons.


----------



## xev11 (Jan 19, 2010)

I love those guys. What are they hunting?


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

No clue what they're "hunting" for because there are no shrimplets in the tank yet. The Yellow Neos are twice their size, too.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Contemplating replacing the Bacopa with something flowy like Narrow Leaf Java Fern. 

There's just so much water flow at the top back of the tank - even when throttled - that I can't help but think something moving with the current would be nice. Bacopa, while now growing out of the water, is having a tough time standing tall in the flow.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Bacopa is growing out of the water now:



















As you can see, it's having a tough time in the current. So I'm either going to have to keep it trimmed down or keep replanting to let it grow in really thick to battle the flow.

OR I can replace it with something else. Still loving it.


----------



## Bensr20det (Jul 27, 2011)

Man I love this tank. It looks awesome!


----------



## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

there ya go! bacopa is already growing out of the water!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Ugh! The diatoms are taking over!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Seriously, when will the diatoms end?

This is my first time EVER experiencing them and I want to pop a cap in them all.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Saw that you trimmed it, let's see it!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Gonna be a couple days until I can get it photographed. Also trimming and replanting some Bacopa.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

As you can see, diatoms have nearly eaten me alive. 

Just spent two hours scrubbing this down with a toothbrush:










Here's the surface - littered with a bit of Borneo Wild Stout:










As you can see, I'm now only using two lights and the Bacopa grows out of control.

Added ten more bright yellow shrimp to the tank today (have two that are berried and ready to give off shrimplets). Chilis are finally coloring up.

Once this diatom outbreak subsides, I think it's going to be one of my favorites.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Just bought this massive bunch of Narrow Leaf Java Fern. 

Love this Bacopa but am itching for a change. Contemplating using it as a background plant tied to pieces of black lava rock.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Cleaned out about 10,000 pounds of diatoms only to discover 15-20 yellow shrimplets!


----------



## yellowsno (May 15, 2011)

Ohhhh grats I love finding bonuses


----------



## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

beautiful tank! subscribed


----------



## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

I agree thats beautiful.


----------



## Red_Wall (Mar 14, 2012)

Ohh, I really like this tank, subscribed to you!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Thanks for the kind words, folks.

Still struggling with diatoms, which may cause me to lose a bunch of UG, so here's hoping the outbreak subsides quickly.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I give up! I am literally going to pop a vein if the diatom outbreak doesn't go away. Every day I scrape the UG with a toothbrush, clean the intake sponge off, I'm cutting back on ferts, lighting, trying to wait it out. But this is obscene. 

Here's a peek:










Please note that I cleaned the diatoms off COMPLETELY just 24 hours ago. Completely.

Thank goodness my nerites & pond snails are keeping the glass relatively clean.

Basically, I think it's going to kill off my lush UG carpet before the outbreak subsides. So what carpeting plant that isn't HC or glosso should I choose if that happens? Because UG is nigh impossible to plant when the tank is flooded.

I'm reluctant to add Amanos and know Otos likely won't nom this stuff down. Definitely can't do a blackout very easily.

HEAD - DESK.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Man, you're scaring me for my new tank. 

Have you tried using a different source of water? RO/DI?


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Yep. Everything. Just seems to be the nature of the beast. RO/DI, tap, Fluval Shrimp Stratum, Aquasoil, Azoo Plant Grower Bed, blend of RO/DI and tap, yadda yadda.

I'm gonna win this battle. I am determined.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Next thing you know, you're going to be blasting the tank with straight UV light in 2 second pulses every 3 seconds 12 hours a day. lol It'll work, but the glass will become brittle and snap when you touch it. But you'll still win the battle? Right? hahaha


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I will beat this!


----------



## kuro (May 21, 2010)

I don't think that diatom i think it is Rhizoclonium you can add excel or hydrogen peroxide to beat it, if you decide to throw out the UG let me know I'll take it off your hand trying to grow some emerse.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Definitely not clado. Breaks up into a dust when you touch it.

Excel/peroxide = no nos with my shrimp and sensitive shrimp, unfortunately. I've found my yellows to be a bit less hardy than red neos.


----------



## kuro (May 21, 2010)

sry i edit it it not clado it rhizo look up my old post and hydrogen peroxide is safe for shrimp if you dose it correctly it break into water and oxygen


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Yep, that's part of it.

But there are also tons of diatoms, which is what annoys me most. They get all dark and make it tough to remove anything else from the UG.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I'm so determined to beat this.

Gonna load the tank up with 10 Amanos this week to see if they'll nom it away. They'll eventually be moved to a 75gal that's got a ton of hair algae waiting for them.


----------



## kuro (May 21, 2010)

If all else fail give H2O2 a try just spot treat the the algae for 10-15 mins then do a water change( but i don't think you have too), i did it with SSS crs and they were all fine.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Briefly considered peroxide but have about 40 yellow shrimplets living in the mounds of algae and have to be careful not to harm them.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Just got a text message from the other half telling me all of my beautiful UG has been uprooted by the algae. 

So, dear plant nerds, hurry up and help me decide what to replace it with that won't require a dry start!

UGH.

I'm so ready to pop a cap in algae.


----------



## Bannik (Apr 2, 2011)

Too much silicates dissolved in your water, For me to finally beat diatoms in my 20G I did a 80% water change with Distilled water and a 40% with Distilled the next week, (used fluval Shrimp Mineral Supplement to raise the hardness)


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

This is RO/DI water, using Mosura Mineral Plus Ultra. (I couldn't do a massive water change like that so quickly, anyway, as my Rasboras and shrimp would need to be slowly acclimated to new water)

Happens to me regardless of the water I'm using, regardless of silicates, regardless of substrate. Always with UG. Always.

So I'll stick to keeping my UG in emersed/terrarium/riparium setups, I think.

Now just have to settle on a new foreground plant that will transition nicely to the S. repens in the middle.

P.S.

These are the smaller plant options I have in an emersed setup at home:


Lilaeopsis mauritiana

Lilaeopsis brasiliensis

Lobelia cardinalis 'Small Form'

The Cardinal isn't really a great foreground plant in a small tank - maybe mid ground. Would probably pick the L. maritiana from the three. Though, I don't want anything that's going to be more than an inch or two tall.


----------



## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

try increasing CO2, and flow around the UG. if you can keep UG emersed, but not submersed, look at whats different: not nutrient requirements, not light needs, not nutrients dosing (presumably). CO2.
emersed, the UG gets access to atmospheric CO2, which is at about 1% (10,000ppm), in the water, it gets maybe 30ppm. big difference
most algae is fixed with increased CO2. 

my UG in my ADA 30C is growing in old ADA AS with MTS base. i dont dose fertz except for K when im not lazy. do WCs every 2 weeks (mostly for the shrimp) and use tap water, and just maintain CO2 on a pH controller at 30ppm. it grows very healthily. IME, its significantly hardier than HC.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Not sure you've read the thread entirely. It's not a matter of CO2, ferts, water, lighting, flow. I grow it successfully in all kinds of environments and aquariums. Quite successfully, really. The only time I lose it is when it gets uprooted by a huge snail or rowdy fish.

This is just a rare incident of first diatoms taking over, as part of a new tank, and then algae getting hold on it and nowhere else.

But it's primarily the diatoms that drowned it out at first.



@[email protected] said:


> try increasing CO2, and flow around the UG. if you can keep UG emersed, but not submersed, look at whats different: not nutrient requirements, not light needs, not nutrients dosing (presumably). CO2.
> emersed, the UG gets access to atmospheric CO2, which is at about 1% (10,000ppm), in the water, it gets maybe 30ppm. big difference
> most algae is fixed with increased CO2.
> 
> my UG in my ADA 30C is growing in old ADA AS with MTS base. i dont dose fertz except for K when im not lazy. do WCs every 2 weeks (mostly for the shrimp) and use tap water, and just maintain CO2 on a pH controller at 30ppm. it grows very healthily. IME, its significantly hardier than HC.


----------



## cawolf86 (Dec 31, 2010)

Are you using a custom or cut lid? It looked different in the pic showing the rear of the tank. I am about to start my high-tech ebi up this week - been watching your thread. 

Looks great - hope you get your diatoms sorted out.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Nope, not a custom top. Just the standard Ebi glass that's included with the kit. It's propped up a bit on the return pipe (I have a piece of clear hose wrapped around the harder green Eheim PVC so the glass doesn't rattle).

Diatoms will be under control as soon as I get home, I think. 

I'll either replant the UG in clumps and let it grow in over the course of a month or two or just add $40 or $50 worth of C. parva to create a thick cover in front. (Ha, see what I did there? I'm so frustrated with it that I can't decide if I want to go woah high-tech with the foreground or easy as pie)


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Let's pretend I didn't cut a business trip short to come home to fix my Ebi. (SHHH)

Planted some UG plugs and cranked up the CO2:










Gonna work from home the rest of the day so I can monitor levels and not gas all the Rasboras and shrimp.

Currently drip acclimating a dozen Amanos. Gonna leave them in for a week or two to make sure things stay clean. Then they're off to a new, gigantic home.


----------



## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

Sorry to hear about the UG troubles, it can a finicky plant at times. Marko is right, CO2 really does make or break submersed growth, so I'd rec cranking the co2 as high as the fish are comfortable with, esp during the initial fill in.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

CO2 was previously at about 40PPM. This isn't my first rodeo with UG. Just the first time (out of dozens of tanks) that algae uprooted it. It's usually able to withstand everything.

But I have to say - I have UG growing well in tanks with DIY CO2 where it's at maybe 10PPM (if that), have it in low light situations, fert-only tanks, various emersed and terrarium environments. It's way more hardy than some would suggest.


----------



## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

Yeah, usually if it survives the initial acclimation, it can be pretty much bulletproof. During any sort of transition, though, it's incredibly demanding.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I'm not gonna play pat-a-cake with it this time. I'll work from home every day if I have to in order to scrape it clean. It will not beat me this time.

Or... if it does, I am totally going to switch to C. parva or something janky by comparison.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Excited update: Amanos are now in the tank and going to town on the algae.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

The dozen Amano shrimp (already had one in the tank, added 11 more today) have already cleaned the largest rock up:










Kinda blurry but the Boraras brigittae have been hanging out near the Amanos catching bits and pieces of crud they toss into the flow:










An Amano really hauling you-know-what across the front of the tank:










Have noticed the Rasboras attempting to produce a new generation the past couple weeks and I finally found their hiding spot:










Also discovered another berried Yellow mama so there is absolutely no way I am going to do anything different with the tank just yet.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Just like that, the berried shrimp kicked the bucket.

Since the eggs have visible eyes, I dunked her into a net and stuck that in a container with an airstone beneath it. Hopefully can save the eggs. Gonna try to see if they can be scraped from her body later today.

No strange readings in the tank, either. Amanos could have carried something in but it seems unlikely since there are roughly 30-40 babies wandering around and about 15 adults.

Nature of the shrimp beast, I guess.

_*Update @ 10:33 A.M.:*_ Was tinkering around in the shrimp room to discover the mama shrimp is alive. Strange. Slow moving but alive. 

This is after I watched it twitch out its "last breath" last night and then handled it for quite some time, checking the eggs out with a magnifying glass and such.

Guess the air stone running full blast right under it all night did the trick.


----------



## mluk27 (Jan 22, 2012)

I had a similar experience with my amano shrimp the other day.. It was twitching and sporadically moving on its side and then stopped moving for about 2 hours. I tried poking it and it wasnt really moving, but 30 minutes later it was walking around like nothing happened. Shrimp seizure? lol


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Negative: Shrimp eventually died today and I caught its fellow shrimp eating its remains.

Positive: It dropped 18 or 19 shrimplets before kicking the bucket. At least, that's what I counted hanging out on a rock.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Not sure what I was thinking (guess I wasn't) but the obvious answer is right in front of me.

While trimming the S. repens today I realized it would look okay filling the entire foreground.

Have almost tackled the diatoms/algae:










It'll provide the perfect ground cover for shrimplets and looks great.

Realized I have an extra bag of Purigen. Maybe I should toss that in the Eheim?


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Staurogyne repens is so underrated. Looks great in any size tank, IMO.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I'm really starting to love its bushiness in this size tank. I'm so used to doing everything in threes that it never really crossed my mind to use S. repens all through the tank.

Though my chunks of remaining UG are brightening back up and my new ones are taking hold, I'm tempted to go the S. repens route. Have a spare 3ft tank I want to do nothing but a flowy UG carpet in.


----------



## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

As for your UG, I dont think it appreciates the N as much as other plants do. Mine did better when I reduced it quite a bit.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

You hit the nail on the head! I have N so watered down (pre-mixed, stored in those cheap-o 500ml dosing bottles) in most of my UG tanks that it might as well just be water.

I've been going through the UG I salvaged from this tank last week and cleaning it up today to grow emersed. The diatoms that first attached really changed the texture of the UG. Literally feels much different than UG without diatoms. I think whatever happened texturally allowed this other gross algae to get a better grip.



chad320 said:


> As for your UG, I dont think it appreciates the N as much as other plants do. Mine did better when I reduced it quite a bit.


----------



## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

Yeah Jake, you can spread it pretty thin emergent too and it does well. Good luck with it.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Was about to remove the rest of the UG and replant with a bunch of S. repens and, bam, a sea of yellow shrimplets! Sat for an hour watching the mama drop babies and let the time get away from me. So maybe I'll end up doing the replant tomorrow. That is, if one of the other berried females doesn't start kicking off babies.

In the interim, I've finally gotten staggered Bacopa height that I enjoy. A quick cellphone shot:










Now I just need to replant a few stems and thicken up a couple areas. That mess grows like five inches a week so I've had trouble getting it to remain at staggered heights. Guess I'll need to get more creative with trimmings.

UG nightmare aside, I'm still loving this tank.

Yes, that's an intake sponge loaded down with gross stuff. Letting the Amanos clean it up a bit before I rinse it off.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Moved six Otos from quarantine to the tank. Here they are just after being added, a little skittish:










They've since calmed down and have gone exploring together. Think I want to add 5-10 more of them. 

Now it's a waiting game to see if my Boraras brigittae come out of hiding. Otos are about , oh, a million times their size so they're a bit skeerd.

Also added another six Amano shrimp for a total of 18 - way too many for this tank. In a month or two, I'll move most of them off to another tank. 

Decided to use a large feeding ring to corral some floaters and create a nice hiding spot for shrimplets:










Added 10-15 stems of S. repens from my growout tank and will add about the same amount next week, as you can see in the first photo. Really excited to see a full S. repens carpet.

Thanks for keeping up with my Ebi,

Jake


----------



## cawolf86 (Dec 31, 2010)

Cool idea with the floating pen.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I use these large-ish feeding rings in my other tanks for floaters and realized today it'd be a good idea to use one in the Ebi. Now I can keep floaters in the front of the tank and more easily view shrimplets from the bottom.



cawolf86 said:


> Cool idea with the floating pen.


----------



## cawolf86 (Dec 31, 2010)

Still looking great overall though. Do you have an updated list of your fauna? Will you be removing amanos to add the CRS?


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

No CRS in this tank. It's EI dosed and loaded with CO2.

12 Boraras brigittae
18 Amano shrimp
10ish adult Yellow Neos, bunches of shrimplets
A few Horned Nerites
Several Ramshorns
Pond snails
Six Otos


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Guess it's safe to say the algae outbreak is over:










Boraras brigittae are still a little bit afraid of the Otos and I don't blame them - they're like five times their size. Slowly coming out to play, though. Think I want to add about ten more in about a month. They're so tiny. So so so tiny. I have juvie shrimp larger than they are. Really daydreaming about my spare 75gal being filled with 300-400 of them lately.

S. repens has grown in just two days. Can't wait for it to really take root so the dang Otos will quit knocking it around and so I can trim it. Gonna need to trim the middle section of S. repens this weekend and that will allow me to thicken the foreground a bit more with replanting.

Noticed this morning over coffee that the Otos are way more social and active in this tank than they were my quarantine tank. Before the lights came on, they were schooling all over together and nomming on leftover chunks of Repashy and my own Om Nom Nom (Veggie Complete) shrimp food. They've got such strong little personalities.


----------



## daphilster08 (Oct 21, 2009)

Followed this whole thread and loved every bit from the disasters to getting it back together! Love your choice of inhabitants too! The girlfriend just bought me a Ebi and I have similar plans. Keep up the great work!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Thanks!

I wish I'd gone S. repens in the beginning. It's the perfect scale for this little tank. Think I'm actually going to use it in a pseudo-Iwagumi setup in one of my empty tanks soon. 

Boraras brigittae are the perfect fish for this tank. The 11 or 12 (I can never count them) I have now will look a lot better when the size of their group is doubled.



daphilster08 said:


> Followed this whole thread and loved every bit from the disasters to getting it back together! Love your choice of inhabitants too! The girlfriend just bought me a Ebi and I have similar plans. Keep up the great work!


----------



## Zer0 (Mar 25, 2012)

That was a pretty crazy algae outbreak you had there lol. Reminds me of my reef -_-. That thing is impossible to really fully clean. 

The tank looks great now though! Congrats!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Today sucked a pile of crap.

Both my Hydor ETH AND my Finnex temperature controller failed. Water was at a whopping 191 degrees - not remotely kidding.

EVERYTHING in the tank cooked in under an hour while I was at a meeting.

Ripped the heater off, turned on a pump and pulled out all the water, 100% change, suctioned out the 62 dead Yellow and Amano shrimp, six Otos, 12 Boraras brigittae, nerites, pond snails and Ramshorns.

Frustrating. Now not sure what to do. Gonna make sure there's no crazy parameter spike and try again without a heater.

Strange that both the heater and the controller failed. They were on separate outlets. Great.

ON EDIT: Both the controller and the heater were on the same outlet, obviously. Guess my frustration got the better of me when writing, "They were on separate outlets." Just wanted to edit to make sure I don't sound like a complete tool.


----------



## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

omg that really sucks! I'm sorry for your loss!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Water was so hot my heart skipped a beat when I touched the tank.

This is the last straw for me with heaters for for a while. Unless I have a super-fancy temperature controller. 

I've got a spare Hydor ETH that's new and unused. Guess I'm going to sell it. Screw it.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

And here comes the cycle.

Nitrites at 1PPM, no Ammonia reading.

Threw in a bag of Purigen to help with any nasties.

Gonna do another large water change and will then wait it out.

Emailed Hydor's customer service only to be told, essentially, tough luck. Despite the product being under a 24-month warranty. Gonna email the retailer to see what kind of response I get.


----------



## CatB (Jan 29, 2012)

oh man, that sucks... really sorry for your loss, i hope whatever direction you decide to take this tank in next works out infinitely better.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Plants appear to be okay at the moment, so here's hoping I won't have to do any rescaping. 

Once parameters are stable, I'll likely add shrimp. If I decide to use a heater, I'll go the Boraras brigittae route again.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

And just like that, the Nitrites are 0 and the tank is clear again.

Added ten large Ramshorns and a fat Pond snail to keep things in check. Trying to order more Yellow shrimp tonight. Here's hoping.

Maybe gonna order 21 Boraras brigittae from Rachel.

Used the sad down time to trim and replant some Bacopa. Tank looks great, disaster aside.

Manufacturer is no help. Here's hoping Big Al's comes through.

Decided to use my backup ETH with a $150 temp controller from one of my reef tanks as security for the time being.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

25-30 new Yellows will be here Friday!


----------



## Bannik (Apr 2, 2011)

Sorry to hear about that =( I've had a full on shrimp fry twice with two different brands. The first time was the Marineland heater before they were recalled. I lost a dozen cherry shrimp, 9 neon tetras and 6 rasboras and 4 amano shrimp it was in my first two months of having the tank set up.

The second time was in November I lost 8 Cardinal tetras 10 corydora hastatus and over 100 SS grade CRS.

I only keep one tank heated now and it is a 20h with 3 15 watt heaters, so now if one goes crazy it shouldn't be enough to kill everything.

I had one other mass die offs about a year and a half ago. I lost all but one dark green shrimp, all my yellow cherries and all but 3 of my Crystal red shrimp. We had a very brief power outage when I was at work. I was using only HOB filters for everything but the EBI. The HOB filters never restarted while the CO2 was still on. When I came home all my Amano shrimp were on the floor, all my fish were on the surface gasping for air, the corydoras were swimming upside down and the rest of the shrimp were on their back either dead or barely twitching.

I've had some recent medical problems that required going to surgery twice, and that doesn't even compare how bad I felt each of those days.

As long as you keep your air conditioning above 68 degrees and aren't keeping cichlids I see no reason to use a heater on a nano tank, it just isn't worth the risk.


----------



## cawolf86 (Dec 31, 2010)

Wow that is horrible to read - my heart dropped just thinking about coming home to that. Especially since my equipment list is similar to yours. Here is to hoping my temperature stays stable without a heater. Man.....wow...I'm so sorry.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I've decided to give the ETH (a different unit) another shot along with a different temperature controller. We'll see how that works out.

Plan to add Boraras brigittae again in a couple weeks.


----------



## manualfocus (Jun 15, 2011)

Wow, that's crazy how hot the water got. I didn't think heaters could even get that hot.


----------



## darkrainer (Dec 30, 2011)

Were you using the Hydor inline heaters? Makes me scared of using the one I got used.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

manualfocus: Me either. Most aquarium thermometers aren't even rated for temps above 100F. I just happened to have a digital thermometer in the tank at the time so I had a good idea where the temp was. Water was so hot it almost to the point of burning when I touched the side of the tank.

darkrainer: Yep, discussed just a few comments ago. If you're anxious about using any heater, get a quality temperature controller.


----------



## darkrainer (Dec 30, 2011)

What would you recommend? Not sure if I could go through such a loss like you did.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Finnex has a controller for about $30. It's one that failed on this tank but works fine on my others. 

There are several other brands ranging from $50 to $100. If you have expensive livestock or just want to protect the life in your care, a $100 is a drop in the bucket.


----------



## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

I hooked mine up to the reef keeper lite. All the cheaper temp controllers had very mixed reviews and the ones with good reviews cost almost as much as the rkl. Now I can put my lights and co2 on the same strip and avoid buying 2 extra timers as well.

I wish they made a 50watt inline heater though. that would have been perfect. I'm super afraid of cooking my fish as well.


----------



## darkrainer (Dec 30, 2011)

That would be nice for the tano sized tanks. Wonder why they haven't. Speaking of which dasob I just preorderd this http://www.digitalaquatics.com/lifeguard/lifesplash.html. Not sure how its all going to work though. lol


----------



## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

I know they sell a net module for mine as well, where you can control the settings through the internet! i thought that was a little overkill though cos it was more expensive than the lifeguard  I just got the cheapest one. didn't want the ph probe or extra timers that badly.

does this one come with timers as well?


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

The extreme temperature didn't do too much damage to the plants:










Recently planted S. repens in front is ready for a heavy trim.


----------



## darkrainer (Dec 30, 2011)

I'm not sure if it does have timers with it. Thats pretty cool that the plants survived that.


----------



## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

what i'm assuming is an algae scraper on the right looked like a box of matches to me at first lol 

I really like the (2?) lower rocks on the right


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Forgot to mention that I added 31 Yellows:



















Only one is fire-ish. Hope to obtain more fires from Rachel or someone in the next month or two.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Yet another cellphone pic!










Did a bit of trimming with the S. repens and replanted several tops. This thing is filling in much more quickly than I expected and is looking great. The image above really doesn't do the tank justice.

Of the 31 Yellow Neos in the tank, three are currently berried and I'm quite excited about that.

Plan to order 20/21 Boraras brigittae from Rachel in a week or two. Also plan to add Otos at that time.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Long story short, the S. repens has grown in tremendously well: 










Time for a trim and replanting, don't you think?

Trying hard to grow a bit of algae on the sides of the tank for my baby Ramshorns and the Otos that will eventually inhabit the tank. More difficult to do with other snails in the tank than you would imagine.

And some stray UG decided to sprout up in a weird location:










Think I'm going to leave it and see what happens.

Yellow Shrimp are thriving and I'm ready to add about 20 Boraras brigittae and 6-7 Otos.


----------



## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

wow thats excellent stauro growth. would you say they are more of a root feeder or water column feeder?


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Both. One of the hardiest plants in the hobby, for sure.


----------



## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

I'm always jealous of your tanks lol. can't wait to see the brigittae 

what was left of my bacopa australis finally acclimated and started turning around. Unfortunately I was only left with 1 stem so its gonna take a while to get a nice bunch going. 
My stauro seems finally acclimated and I see some new growth from the top but the bottoms are disgusting.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

If you want to send me a PM, I'll drop some australis your way for the cost of shipping.


----------



## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

Thanks for the offer but I think I will just let it grow out slowly! good way to learn patience


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I'll likely always have it, so just let me know!

I've even got it flowering now.


----------



## dasob85 (Feb 4, 2012)

wow, thats so cool. can't wait for it to bloom


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Who says Staurogyne repens is too big to look proportional as a carpet plant in a nano? This looks amazing, and I bet it looks even better now -- update time! :hihi:

Also -- is there even substrate where the UG has popped up? This gives me an idea. roud:


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

It's nothing special right now, as I haven't trimmed it this week.

Here's a quick cellphone pic, with gross color rendering, of course:










Will trim and update this weekend.

Nope, nothing where the UG popped up. First appeared beneath the acrylic of the lamp and then started spreading.It's now sending out runners like crazy and is growing on the side of the tank and on the surface of the water.

My favorite mat of UG ever was on the side of a breeder net. For some reason, it spread like wildfire and really seemed to enjoy taking root on that fine mesh.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Here's the Ebi before maintenance:










Frogbit roots hanging down in the front of the tank look almost alien.

Here's hoping I actually get to the maintenance thing this weekend.


----------



## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

The tank looks fantastic, and the Staurogyne even more so! That's awesome!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

This tank remains one of my favorites. Have to do weekly S. repens trims (and have it for sale, currently) and can't even begin to tell you how frequently I have to trim the Bacopa. It's a hot mess.

Have tried to culture some green algae on the rocks but only a tiny bit remains. Every time I get a bunch going, the Ramshorns and Yellow Shrimp (yep, they eat it occasionally) clean it all up. Have even tried to culture algae on the sides of the tank to see if I could deter them from nomming the rocks clean but no dice - they eat both.

A couple quick cell phone shots:


















There's a ton of UG growing from the spray bar. Suppose I should remove it at some point. 

Finally think I'll have time in a couple weeks to order more Boraras brigittae and Otos from Rachel. Excitement!


----------



## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

I like the UG caught up in the light at the surface, it looks good. I have some Riccia that attached to my driftwood right at the surface and it's very hard to pull off, strange for a plant that you have to tie to everything.

This tank looks nice and it's a shame the V. nana never made it into the tank.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Thanks.

Most days, the Bacopa in the back is breaking the surface of the water and the S. repens is completely carpeted. Have to trim both so frequently it's almost annoying.

That floating feeding ring contraption I've got at the front of the tank has been a lifesaver for floaters, too.


----------



## cawolf86 (Dec 31, 2010)

Still looking good man - love your tank. Do you currently have no fish post heater incident? I love the look of the chili rasboras - I will be getting some as well. You reccommend them so much and when I have seen them in person they seem more active than CPDs.

I am still trying to think of a second plant species to put in a back corner of my Ebi....thoughts on that?


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Still fish-free. Gonna order in a week or two.

Just have about 50 Yellow Neos and a bunch of snails.

Just about any stem would be great. Ludwigia or Bacopa - could keep them trimmed at differing heights. But those are just two options.


----------



## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

looks great! i love the carpet you have there!!

aww porr you!! cant get algae to grow! you must be soooo sad! lololllllll


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Oh, I can grow algae!

Just not the pretty stuff.


----------



## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

lol!!


----------



## cawolf86 (Dec 31, 2010)

What do you think of adding Syngonanthus sp. 'Belem' to the background, S.repens to the midground in front of it, and eriocaulon parkeri around the S.repens while keeping a close foreground carpet?

Do the scale of any of those plants seem off?


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Syngonanthus sp. 'Belem' could look cool depending upon the scale you're going for.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Weird. Have gotten three messages about this in a day. So I'll answer publicly.

Folks always ask how I dose ferts for smaller tanks. I use these 16oz bottles that have a graduated measurement section in 5ml increments. 

Put in dry ferts (I use a fert calculator like this one to determine proper amounts), add RO/DI/distilled water, pour in the exact amount of ferts my tanks need.

No need to spend a mountain of cash for ferts if you're already on a budget.


----------



## cawolf86 (Dec 31, 2010)

somewhatshocked said:


> Syngonanthus sp. 'Belem' could look cool depending upon the scale you're going for.


I think that's my problem - not sure of what I am going for exactly. I know that is a pretty tall and broad topped stem. I think I am just looking for something to contrast the HC carpet. One or two species to place off the rear corner on one side.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Quick update: The tank actually looks about the same as it did earlier in the month and I have no complaints. Really love it. 

But I really find myself itching for a new ADA 45-F instead. Or maybe even a 60-F? Something high-tech with pressurized CO2 and such. 

Or... maybe something with Super Tigers or BTOE? 

Oh, the possibilities.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Kind of hate to see this tank go but I tore it down today. Selling off all the plants in the SnS, sadly.

Here's how it looks right now:










Had to make room for a soon-to-be ADA 45-F! Plan to use the Eheim 2213 on the new tank. If I don't go the Manzanita route, the rocks will move over, as well.

Toying with selling the Ebi itself but haven't really figured that part out. Have all the original packaging so shipping shouldn't be a nightmare. We'll see.

RIP my fancy Ebi!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Ebi officially went to live with another forum member in Indiana tonight. What a fun run that was!


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

It's fun resurrecting old tank journals like this. Was reminded of this tank when I discovered some fun copyright infringement a couple weeks ago.

Here's the photo they've swiped: 










A look at the silly thievery:










Always eye-roll-worthy and annoying to see people profit from the work of others without permission. Especially when the product is so badly written, contradictory and poorly researched.

Honestly kind of surprised to see the theft/copyright infringement because it's one of the worst Staurogyne repens photos on the internet.

A quick perusal of that site has turned up a ton of photos that they've used without permission from quite a few active members of the forum. If you're reading this, you may want to scroll through that site and ask them to remove your work or properly cite you & provide a direct link if you're granting permission for use. May not seem worth it but they're pulling in 90K uniques a month (according to them) and generating ad dollars and kickbacks from Amazon and other sites. Some of you run award-winning tanks and produce magical photos - so own your work! Stop letting people swipe it.


----------



## Plinkploop (Jan 24, 2021)

Holy crap!! That's pretty messed up right there. I've never heard of that site before now. 

Don't put yourself down, be proud- lots of people love your pic 😁 silver linings have to come from somewhere.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Plinkploop said:


> Holy crap!! That's pretty messed up right there. I've never heard of that site before now.
> 
> Don't put yourself down, be proud- lots of people love your pic 😁 silver linings have to come from somewhere.


They didn't even have the sense to pick a better photo. It's laughable, really. 

The silver lining is that I forgot I had a tote filled with those rocks. Probably 100 pounds of them. They've been used so much in freshwater the past 20 years that they no longer mess with water parameters. I should use them in one of my shallow, rimless tanks to create a mountain scape.


----------



## Plinkploop (Jan 24, 2021)

somewhatshocked said:


> They didn't even have the sense to pick a better photo. It's laughable, really.
> 
> The silver lining is that I forgot I had a tote filled with those rocks. Probably 100 pounds of them. They've been used so much in freshwater the past 20 years that they no longer mess with water parameters. I should use them in one of my shallow, rimless tanks to create a mountain scape.


I love how they say it's not a good plant for nano tank use and used your pic. It is laughable.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Plinkploop said:


> I love how they say it's not a good plant for nano tank use and used your pic. It is laughable.


Just because I'm a jerk and they've refused to stop illegally using the work of others, I filed DMCA takedown demands and had a conversation with their host, Namecheap. So did a few other members here who reached out. Now, instead of just asking permission, they're about to forfeit all of their domains and lose their Amazon referral/affiliate accounts. Ruh ro for them. All over a bad photograph.

But really - I just dug out that tote of rocks and need to create a scape with them this week. It's so nice to have hardscape surprises I forgot about.


----------



## Plinkploop (Jan 24, 2021)

somewhatshocked said:


> Just because I'm a jerk and they've refused to stop illegally using the work of others, I filed DMCA takedown demands and had a conversation with their host, Namecheap. So did a few other members here who reached out. Now, instead of just asking permission, they're about to forfeit all of their domains and lose their Amazon referral accounts. Ruh ro for them. All over a bad photograph.
> 
> But really - I just dug out that tote of rocks and need to create a scape with them this week. It's so nice to have hardscape surprises I forgot about.


Congrats on the find!! Enjoy rockscaping, it can be very therapeutic 😉👍 I'm always finding stuff that I've stashed away... Sometimes it resurrects itself miraculously to my turtle tanks and tub, sometimes the goldfish tank (it's either my hubby or my daughter but neither will admit to it... It's probably both). Here's to momentary senility and the joys it brings us 😂

I'm glad you've taken action. I looked through briefly after I saw your post and noticed a few other pics I recognized from a few different fish keeping forums, with the audacity of asking for pins and shares with pics they didn't even ask for permission for. _Sigh_ too bad they didn't just have some common decency. They'll abandon the website soon enough and start another bunk website with someone else's pictures yada yada, but good job catching them in the act!!


----------

