Daize's Planted Photo Journal - 64L 1Wpg Low Light

[daizeUK]

Thanks Diddlebug!  Two of my original platies are starting to look rather elderly, but their offspring all seem healthy!

 

[DiddleBug]

I noticed the java fern on one corner looks a bit raised up.  It it on something?

 

[daizeUK]

There's a large piece of wood in the back corner covered in moss.  I'm thinking of removing that whole piece of wood, java fern and all.

 

[DiddleBug]

Really? It does look kind of cool, having the java fern up high and all... if you replaced it what would you put there? 

 

[daizeUK]

I'm thinking of making it a triangle-shaped scape with tall plants on the left reducing to low on the right.
The wood in that corner is L-shaped so it sticks up but also takes up space along the back of the tank, where I could otherwise put more plants.  I had it there so I could tie a large anubias to it but the anubias has been moved now so it's wasted space.

 

[DiddleBug]

Cool! That should looks really neat!

 

[daizeUK]

Long time no update.
 
The summer was tough on this tank.  Full sun through the patio doors caused havoc with algae.  Sunlight reflecting off the glass made it hard to see and impossible to take photos, not that I wanted to take any with the tank in that state!  The tank spent much of the summer hidden under a cloth to protect plants from the sun - not pretty but at least it helped to keep the algae at bay!   There's still some algae on the anubias leaves, tough stuff, it won't come off Not sure what it is, possibly GSA?  Anyway the worst is over and the tank is finally starting to look nice again!
 

 

[TallTree01]

looks great mama!

 

[daizeUK]

Thanks TT but I ain't Mama

 

[daizeUK]

Got a new fish today - a yellow comet platy.  She's the first new platy I've bought in well over a year.
 
Six more platy babies went back to the fish shop today.  There have been no males in the tank for over 10 months so this is the last batch of babies that were born and have now grown enough to be rehomed.  No more babies!
 
Then again my new acquisition is no doubt pregnant so here we go again I guess!

 

[RyanTheFishGuy64]

I can only imagine....being that talented at aquascaping!

 

[daizeUK]

Wow thanks Ryan! 

 
The new yellow comet platy, named Sunlight by my kids, was indeed pregnant and we have a little yellow baby who is just starting to emerge from hiding in the foliage - he's so cute!
 
The anubias is covered in algae again though 

 and it's flowering, lol it only seems to flower when it's suffering!

 

[TallTree01]

Thanks TT but I ain't Mama

Geez, all brain activity ceased at that point apparently. Sorry!

I would love to see more pics of your tank and your new platies

 

[daizeUK]

Here's the new girl . Looks about ready to drop her next batch!!

 
And this is Spicy, my largest and prettiest platy and also the wariest.  She hides from me a lot, unlike the others.

 

[daizeUK]

This is a tribute to Clarabel, my only surviving female from the original fish I first started with over 2 years ago (the male is also still alive and going strong).  She was the smallest and youngest of my 5 original fish, an inquisitive little orange thing who loved to explore.  She's a dear old lady now and on her last legs fins but I still see that vibrant young fish when I look at her 

 .
 

 
Her strength has been failing these last few weeks.  She's starting to struggle swimming, her fins are clamped and tattered and she is hanging around at the surface quite a lot.  My other two females also got like this when they reached old age so I reckon she's got a few weeks left at most.  She still finds energy to swim fast when there's food around though!