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Looks great. Everything seems happy. The wood really adds some structure that you don't realize is missing until you do it.

As to the lid issue, you can get 1/4"-3/8" bird netting and an aluminum window screen kit to make a very nice "lid" that will keep jumpers out. Just use the netting instead of the screen it comes with. It let's almost 100% of the light and air circulation through.

very cool fish

Almost 2 weeks. Just figured I'd post the Monte Carlo. It was tissue culture, so melting was expected. It seems like the melt is done and new growth is visible. I am interested to see how well and quickly it recovers. Patience is a must in this world. I will try and post some 2 week pics of...

There are definitely some very easy plants to do in a very low-tech community tank with very little care spent on the plants themselves. I have had very good luck with crytps and anubias and java fern just letting them go in pretty much a no-extra-care environment. There are others, but those...

Best of luck with this round.

I live near Chattanooga, TN USA. They have a really nice aquarium, The Tennessee Aquarium, and one of the exhibits is a huge tank of River Giants (some 5-6 foot (ish) arapaima). I'm sure these guys are enjoying their new space. That bichir is something else -- looks like a dinosaur. I don't...

prehistoric

I managed to get some cherry shrimp from aquaswap. They are doing exactly what they should. The place is much more cleaned up as far as the plant leaves etc. The interesting thing is they seem to be making the isopods more comfortable about coming out in the open. They have usually hung out...

While you are collecting, do you log water parameters (micronutrient and standard minerals/chemicals) for future reference/ target goals? I am wondering because of the pristine micro-ecology nature of the location they were collected if there are some very specific food sources that are more...

I'm not vet, but in general, the fenbendazole should be the same compound. The amount is going to be what you need to be careful about -- using the right amount of active ingredient for the water volume. Also, it will likely kill any snails you have...

Test Status

After a look at thread Here, I thought it might be nice to have a discussion about just dirt since dirted tanks have such a mix of understanding and experiences. I am not a soil scientist, but I have taken Soil Science and could play one on TV. My first round of undergrad was Horticulture...

Part of the problem with a lot of the use of "soil" and the experiences thereof is the poor understanding of soil and what is required. Garden soil sold in most stores is just ground up and composted (barely) mulch (sometimes hardwood tree chips, sometimes bark, sometimes pine mulch), with sand...

So I discovered a good way to capture the microfauna on camera. I rubber banded a 10x loupe to the lens and had some fun. In the last post, I joked about there being a monster in the depths. Well it looks like I may have found it. I was looking at an ordinary aquatic earthworm and noticed a...

So I know I said I would do some testing even though I generally haven't tested in the past, but given the more experimental nature of things, I figure I'll at least check. I used one of the API 5 in 1 tests: According to my eyeball interpolations, it looks like: Nitrates: nonzero, but...

One week in update. Getting a little bit of melt and recovery on the emersed-grown plants (as expected), but most of the stuff is just starting to show positive growth. The isopods have made themselves at home and are very active, sometimes climbing all the way to the top of the wood like a...

Check my 20G dirted build in planted tank journals if you have the time. I am in a similar boat with 8 yo kid who wanted "a fish", had lots of prior experience, but have been out of the hobby for over a decade and know enough ecology to incorporate as much nature in the process without...

I wouldn't hesitate to use the spring water barring anything funny about the immediate area or potential for agricultural runoff. But I'm much more of a let-nature-in person. I am currently running creek water in mine.

As for a cover for the hatchets, you can buy a screen repair kit and cut the frame to size. Aluminum cuts easily with any normal power saw (wear safety goggles) or hand hacksaw. Use 3/8" square bird netting instead of screen. It will allow most light through and no chance they are going to...

Looks like I may have inadvertently caught the biggest one having a moment with one of the ladies. I was borrowing my wife's phone because it's way newer and actually takes good photos. At the last second you can see her come rushing out. Also, I went to clean the glass and discovered it has...

Out catching freshwater isopods this morning. Here is a link. Aldo, some nice person at the EPA did a cataloging of them for the USA here. The long term plan is to have 2-3 Amano shrimp and a colony of red cherry shrimp for cleanup, but for now I need something to start grazing biofilm etc. in...

People are definitely reading, but this board is a bit quieter than I am used to -- especially given the membership. I think the interface with phones has pushed people more toward "reactions" rather than bits of commentary. I rarely interface by phone with this kind of stuff. Keep sharing.

Plants taking off. Starting to really look alive. 👍

Always nice to see something you think you've lost. I enjoy reading your journey. In the past I had a very good LFS, and everything was healthy and settled in, or not for sale. Now I have either online, or the petco/petsmart route which just doesn't appeal to me. It's pretty sad that a city of...

Looking good!

Today pic. Definitely cleared up a bunch. A little bit of yellow tannin visible, but everything looks to be settling in. I will just be watching for any algae signs or anything else that might call for lighting adjustment or WC. Keeping the light at 50% for now. Seeing lots of little life...