From The Ashes. Another Planted Journal

[Man of fish]

Bob from bobs tropicals has 7 wild types in for $10 each at the moment. I'm ordering soon, should be sent out Saturday if I order anytime this week so next week I can tell you about his shipping

 

[FishFanatic04]

Sounds good. I have ordered ferts and plants from him with great results. I was planning to put in a call when I am ready to begin stocking my tanks.

 

[Man of fish]

Not sure if express would be worth doing or if priority would be fine.

 

[Jay1983]

Fantastic! brilliant start. beautiful hardscape...great start. Lovely wood. Can't wait to see this progress!

 

[FishFanatic04]

Thanks Jay! Its the same wood as before, I just wrestled it and tangled it together. Like always I was freaking out and have spread the Sagittaria out so the tank wouldn't look cut in half. I'll hold off on pics until I add the plants when I order them. I just posted these up to be able to compare.

lol Almost. Zip it!

 

[Jay1983]

I'm so tempted to do something simular on my 110l as everything I've tried so far I've hated!

Same wood, nice one it looks really great how you have it. Spot on!!

 

[Biulu]

Your hardscape is lovely as always, you really have a gift for it! Why don't you go for a regional theme? The angels, south american cichlids, your swords and dwarf sag gives already provide you with the basis for this. Add some cories and a nice shoal of south american tetras or similar will make this a lovely tank

 

[FishFanatic04]

Oh, I love that idea. I have plenty of time to plan a layout while the tank cycles You always have the answer I am searching for Lu, thanks!


Glass diffuser broke. I noticed a hole in the tubing and while trying to fix it the stem broke. again. I keep buying them cheap on ebay and need to invest in an atomizer. I am having to use an airstone for week or two. There are tiny bubbles everywhere so it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

 

[FishFanatic04]

I'm all like this :

I am seeing a lot of vallis in these biotopes. I find that odd when I always read that vallis appreciates harder water, and angels don't. I am barely in a range where I can happily keep angels. My ph is lowered quite a bit by the co2 and wood, but the hardness is in their higher range. I think Vallis might do well in my water and it would look lovely behind the wood with lots of swords and then Dwarf sag. taking over everywhere. A very grassy tank and then the contrast of big broad swords. {Not as grassy as Jay's unfortunately} my stupid love of cories ruins that.


The blackwater types tempt me, but that would require a lot of effort, I tried a root system with my wood yesterday and it looked great too, I also know where I can get leaves to scatter on the tank floor...I may order some anyway to play around, I'm sure the dwarf cichlids would appreciate them. Where can you get peat for the filter? I planned to anyway just so the angels would be more comfy.

Oh man, I've now spazed twice today when I said I wouldn't!!!!

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Yeah that was definitely a spaz-attack my love hehe

I learned two interesting things though! 1. I have hard water so fingers crossed my new vallis will live! 2. If was was to ever switch up my stocking I'd go angels and that's a no-no My pH is 8 but it's gone down to 7.6 I guess because of the wood ???

 

[FishFanatic04]

I think what really matters is your water hardness. I can't say mine off the bat, I haven't tested since the last time I stocked angels. I remember it being in the high of their range, but with a little help from some peat in the filter and some leaves, they should be happy.

My ph from the tap is between 7.8-8.2. My ph sits at 7.0 pretty stable after the co2 and wood addition. My 46g is always between 7.6-7.8


I don't plan to do anything else to this tank except let it exist, until I can buy the plants needed. The kewl thing is that by then the Dwarf sag should have thrown of a ton of runners. Here's the tank now, sorry for the daytime shot. I fixed the line of the sagitaria.

I am going to let the crypts grow here with the co2 until I can buy plants. Then they can go fill in the 46g. yay!

I'll settle down here now too. Swear!

 

[Biulu]

Many aquarists buy peat in garden centres; much cheaper! According to some speakers we got from the US a few months ago Canadian peat is THE best for fishkeeping. Just check that it has not been treated with chemicals! For leaves a cheap option -although I am aware you are in the midst of a desert- is collecting oak leaves in autumn. Any type of oak will do the trick, is good for fish health and promotes spawning. Another natural with the same characteristis are alder cones.

 

[FishFanatic04]

I'll have to look for oak trees next year when we move to Georgia.


Ugh {Forehead slap} I didn't have my timer set up right and my co2 has been running over night for 3 days. I just went and looked and the canister is almost tapped out. I am selling some of my spare equipment on ebay, but have to wait for something to sell to refill my co2. Luckily I have the lighting that came with the tank and can switch to that. Its a 32 watt T8 bulb. I would do anything to rewind the clock and get back the money I spent on fish meds. I now have a full useless pharmacy and no co2.

I am not too worried about it, I am not keeping most of the plants in the tank. But I wanted to start out form the beginning with an overdose of co2 and ferts to really spark some good growth. I'll have to hold off for a bit now.

 

[Man of fish]

When are you moving? I would happily send you some stuff really cheap once you move. Media if you'd like it, plants, maybe some fish (not sure what else you're intending to stock but I'm trying to breed a few things like my new yellow pingus and cherry shrimp) stuff like that