Aquascaper 600

[Sgooosh]

Wow its been a while! 2 months in fact! Heres the tank this morning, the Monstera has really started growing now and the tank is looking after itself much better than it ever has. Algae in the tank does exist but I'm ok with that and the fish and shrimp like it too.

The sand at the front has had soil leak into it so might need to revisit that at some point. Puffers are all doing great too. Only thing I have noticed in the tank is the right of the tank does better than the left? Could it be the extra shade from the Monstera?

View attachment 157266

maybe the flow is disturbing the plants and the monstera is providing shelter
i have one of these but in a glass jar

 

[Wills]

Inadvertently been an other monthly update! So whats changed, had to chop my plants back as they were getting out of hand a bit, right side of the tank still doing better than the left but left doing better overall. Monstera growing really fast now and the roots are really coming through, I've not tested my water for a while but will soon to check things out. Added some new floating plants including red root floaters which I'm really liking, hoping they can become the dominant floater over time as they look great and the roots dont get too long like the frogbit. Puffers, Gobies and Shrimp all still doing great! I added 8 more Green Neon Rasboras which all seem to be doing great, even more convinced that the first batch I got were not right, they were so small. The new 8 joined by remaining 2 who I've had for a while now and they were all the same size so confident I'm on the right track.

I need to get back into the swing of maintenance as it has been slack since my last post, I think if you dont do it for a while it becomes this huge thing in your head and then you do it and a massive clean, trim, filter clean and big water change took around an hour so really not much but just one of those things when life and responsibilities get in the way of hobbies.

Wills

 

[Wills]

Bit of an update fish all still doing great and I've had a thin out of the plants and replanted some of the valis runners to thicken up parts of the tank. I need to cut down the Limnophilla and replant some tips to the right of the current bush as that will help keep it lower overall. Really liking the dwarf sag at the front starting to fill in.

The Monsterra is doing really good with really thick roots coming in now - really enjoying having it as part of the tank too, I think all my tanks will have some kind of terrestrial plant growing like this in the future.

I have been leaving my lights on quite a lot recently as my timer messed up so just been doing it manually so must have been on over 12 hours most days. Algae has not been that bad at all really, only if I dont clean it at water changes. But just to try and get it even better I've fixed my timer so its still on a lot but it has a break in the middle of the day when people are not around too much and when it comes back on at 4pm its gradually fading down to 0 by 11pm so probably only usable lighting on for 6-7 hours in total but we get to see the fish when we are home. Which is something I always hated with the high tech as you set up the 6 hours you can have the light on and might only actually be around the tank an hour or so.

This tank may get moved in the next few months to my home office which will be nice and also looking to get my 4 foot tank I've been dreaming of just need one or two more stars to align!

Wills

 

[AquaBarb]

Looking really good Wills
That monsterra is growing lovely and it does make a nice impact to the tank.

I put some Epipremnum devil's ivy in my grow out tank a few months ago but its growing nothing like that.

Glad to hear your still planning to get the 4ft tank

 

[Wills]

Looking really good Wills
That monsterra is growing lovely and it does make a nice impact to the tank.

I put some Epipremnum devil's ivy in my grow out tank a few months ago but its growing nothing like that.

Glad to hear your still planning to get the 4ft tank

That looks good I just googled it, its something I'd like to do as it does make the tank look better. I think you just need to give the plants time to transition, looking back through the journal the Monsterra was added on Jan 23 and started producing leaves by March 30, since then its really developed the root system over the last 5 weeks and I do notice a big difference in water quality, clarity and algae growth. I really like the hanging basket I've got too, it does blend in even though its in a really prominent place at the moment - eventually I want to move it to the back but need to reshape my jump guard to allow for it.

And yes pretty confident about the 4 foot tank - just started my own business and need to get a few more good months under my belt - currently trying to decide if I want anything second hand, I've seen some really good priced FX4s and 6s near me. Probably dont want second hand tank which is the other issue with cost as the ones I want are £700-£900 and then theres lights, jump guard, plants, substrate and decor. Not really planned out the scape yet though so that could be interesting - thinking of using lava rock and get some nice big black pieces.

Wills

 

[Wills]

Added some more plants in, some more Lagenandra to the left, more dwarf Sag in the foreground as what was there is doing well but slow growth. I've tried a couple of Tiger Lotus's but they kind of fell apart while I was planting so not confident about that. I've also added some Crypt Balansae which is something I've wanted for a long time, hoping it will complement the Vallis, I've seen it mixed before and looks good. Also added some Helanthium Bolivianum, which I like but it is bigger than I was hoping so see how that goes. I've also taken out all my frog bit as the roots were just getting too messy and added more Red Root Floater as that is doing quite well and the roots dont get as long and are a bit more interesting.

I will be moving this tank again in the next few months to my office so likely keep all the plants but will be rescaped and will likely juggle the fish around. I'll definitely rehome my Gobies and probably the Rasboras, the Gobies are just too shy for me, if I stand at the far end of the room I can see them really active all over but as soon as I get within 6 feet they all hide. The Rasboras are quite nice but just not sure they are for me. The puffers will very likely stay but not 100% on that, probably like 95% though

 

[Wills]

Behind on water change so missed last week - its been 2 weeks so did a big one. Didnt clean the glass tonight as didnt think I needed to (can see on the pic left side might need it a bit) Also learning that perhaps my plant choices have not been perfect so far as the bright green plants in the middle stand out against the rocks better. The rocks are pretty dirty right now, not so much algae just need a good scrub but they are quite loose, not in a way they will topple but in a way that it lets the soil through...

I'm away this coming week but hopefully before the end of June this tank will move to my office next to my desk which will be great Think its time for a rescape and I want to rehome some of the fish in here as not exactly what I want right now. Going to say 80% certain I'm keeping my Puffers but going to change my Rasboras and Gobies. Currently trying to decide what to keep with them but no decisions as yet. Maybe a bigger school of a more colourful Rasbora (sorry Neon Greens, but you are only colourful in certain lights and you are a bit glass like).

Wills

 

[Lynnzer]

View attachment 160805
Behind on water change so missed last week - its been 2 weeks so did a big one. Didnt clean the glass tonight as didnt think I needed to (can see on the pic left side might need it a bit) Also learning that perhaps my plant choices have not been perfect so far as the bright green plants in the middle stand out against the rocks better. The rocks are pretty dirty right now, not so much algae just need a good scrub but they are quite loose, not in a way they will topple but in a way that it lets the soil through...

I'm away this coming week but hopefully before the end of June this tank will move to my office next to my desk which will be great Think its time for a rescape and I want to rehome some of the fish in here as not exactly what I want right now. Going to say 80% certain I'm keeping my Puffers but going to change my Rasboras and Gobies. Currently trying to decide what to keep with them but no decisions as yet. Maybe a bigger school of a more colourful Rasbora (sorry Neon Greens, but you are only colourful in certain lights and you are a bit glass like).

Wills

Hey Wills, that tank is magnificent. I have green neon tetras and they are lovely when shoaling together. They are all alone as community fish right now, though I do have otos, a pair of Scarlett Badis and a couple of Panda Cory none of which that really interact with the neons.
One of my other tanks, the one in the link in my signature, has a good number of nano fish, ie CPD's, Chili and Dwarf Rasboras as the main display fish but I added 8 absolutely gorgeous Golden Tetra last week. They stand out like Venus in the night sky. They are just so colourful. I think they may very well fill your own needs.
They sparkle like they are luminous but only better.

 

[Wills]

So... I've been on holiday this past week so left my dad to feed my fish a few times in the week. I actually think hes done a good job but theres a slight chance he has over fed a bit.

Basically the tank is now over run with Ramshorn Snails, since the puffers decided they didnt want to eat the last batch of fish I added and they have eaten all my Dwarf Sag As you can see in the picture (sorry for the reflections) you can see that green path up the middle is no more. I know Ramshorns are only meant to eat dead or decaying plants but I thought it was doing quite well?

The tank is now covered in babies too so I'm going to have to work out how to get rid of them if the puffers wont eat them. I did head to an LFS yesterday to get some assassin snails but they havent moved since I put them in so I fear the worst....

 

[Wills]

Wahooo! Just seen a shop localish to me has some puffers in stock! I rang and they are selling as singletons too (which is quite rare) so should be able to get 2-3 more females which will 1. Boost my numbers making life better for my 2 current females and 2. New, less lazy puffers, used to a cushty life of blood worm should eat through the Ramshorn infestation and hopefully inspire the other lazy bums to get back to their snail murdering ways.

Wills

 

[Wills]

Todays my birthday so I got the chance to go to the store I mentioned above which is Ferrybridge Aquatics. I first went there about the same time I joined this forum, and had some great fish but hit a few waves of pretty nasty diseases so I've stayed away for quite a long time now. I have been nipping in if I'm passing on the M62 as its not too far from the junction and it has been very good, not 100% to my taste but some great fish and most importantly everything is looking healthy.

I saw on their facebook page a picture of a Irrubesco Puffer so rang to see if they had any females and they thought they did so I headed down today and found that they had one - 2 were borderline but I'm fairly confident they were stressed males (naturally in a shop - not anything concerning). So I've come away with her to add to my group making a total of 4 - 1 male, 3 females.

Heres my newbie meeting one of the established females - new on the left OG on the right.

Unfortunately, my third female is not doing great at the moment. She is quite thin and I think its because her teeth have overgrown which is a dilemma many puffer owners face. I think she is at the point where I need to intervene so I'm planning to order some surgical clippers and some clove oil and following the procedure online... not looking forward to it but its my responsibility and ultimately a mark of my failure in keeping them correctly.

To make sure this does not happen again I am going to start a snail breeding pot comprised of a peace lily, stones and sand. Every few weeks I'll put in a snail trap and remove some of the population for the main tank for the puffers.

Wills

 

[Wills]

Getting really worried about my third female now, I actually think she is my eldest. Really hard to get a good picture or look at her teeth but they do look different to the other two.

I've ordered some surgical clippers and clove oil. I've been watching the videos on youtube and have a good idea of what I need to do. Think I'm at the point where I need to do it now.

I've also ordered some Repashy food that people say to smear on rocks to help grind beaks down which I'll do once it arrives for the other three.

Pretty much one of the toughest bits of fish keeping I think I've ever had. But something I've massively learned from!

 

[Naughts]

gorgeous Golden Tetra

Hemigrammus Rodwayi?

 

[Wills]

Not sure how many are following this but unfortunately lost the female above tonight. I was just waiting for the clove oil to arrive to attempt the trimming should come tomorrow but not going to get the chance.

Really tough this one I think she was one of my original puffers which looking back meant I got her in April 2021 so just over a year with me.

Lesson learned for the others though. I've ordered some Repashy food which I've been meaning to try for ages, the plan is to apply this onto a rock for them to scrape off with their beaks and wear it down. Theres also a tough repashy pellet that I'm going to try too. One of my big failings for these guys so far is giving them adult snails, which they have eaten in the past but the advice is to feed them snails around the size of their eye so need to be feeding babies.

I'm going to be setting up a little planted vase set up for snail breeding very soon so that will improve in that respect too.

Wills

 

[HoldenOn]

Sorry for your loss Wills.