Llj's 20g Journal

[lljdma06]

This tank is going through some changes. I had to divide the Bolbitis and I removed the A. reineckii! I replaced it with R. rotundifolia and we'll see. Not looking so hot right now, but I think it'll grow in well.

llj

 

[cheesy feet]

Although you said it needs a trim,i just love the filled out look

 

[lljdma06]

Although you said it needs a trim,i just love the filled out look

Thanks Cheesy feet.

This tank is going through an awkward phase. I'm not particularly pleased with the photos, but it's important when you have a journal to put both good and bad aspects of the setup. That's how you learn. There's nothing wrong with the tank, no algae or anything, but it's just awkward. It's the bolbitis on the left, it's way too big. This plant was so tiny when I got it, so those who say bolbitis is a slow grower are wrong! I think it'll eventually have to be moved to the 36g (I don't care how big things get there!) and replaced with slower growing anubias. That'll free up the whole left side, I think. If people are really nice, I may have part of a bolbitis to swap.

I also removed the A. reineckii and put R. rotundifolia, but stemplants grow slowly in this tank and it'll be a while before I make a decision on whether I like it. I have to get used to the lack of red, but the A. reineckii looks so much better in the 36g. I have been rewarded with anubia blossoms in both tanks, so that's nice.

I don't like the bulb color right now. I'm using two 6700k and it just looks yellow. I usually mix a 6700k with a colormax and the color looks much better (the cooler colors are better balanced), but my colormax bulbs died. I also need to replace the bulbs on almost all of my tanks, but that takes money, so I have to wait for Holy week to finish (I have lots of church performances).

In the distant future, I mean way distant future, this tank will probably become a full-blown low-tech. The only things stopping it now are the substrate, the CO2 injection, the bioload (which is quite large) and my pocket book (which is quite small ) . I really just have to swap out the gravel and laterite with a soil substrate, remove the CO2 (as the substrate will take care of that), and remove half my fish (probably keep the serpaes, cories, and otos, and move the other fish. It is essentially a low-tech, except that I compensate for an inert substrate by injecting CO2, and I change the water more often because of the bioload. A hybrid system. Over 9 months old now too. Sorry for the picture quality, but the bulbs are an aweful yellow color, which is not helped by tea-colored water. The wood is 9 months old and still leeching tannins. I normally like tannic tanks, but not with this bulb color temperature. It really needs the colormax in there.

Time for pictures.

Thanks for looking.

llj

 

[jaarus]

That tank is truly stunning!



All those layers and textures - looks fantastic!!

 

[cheesy feet]

Although you said it needs a trim,i just love the filled out look

Thanks Cheesy feet.

This tank is going through an awkward phase. I'm not particularly pleased with the photos, but it's important when you have a journal to put both good and bad aspects of the setup. That's how you learn. There's nothing wrong with the tank, no algae or anything, but it's just awkward. It's the bolbitis on the left, it's way too big. This plant was so tiny when I got it, so those who say bolbitis is a slow grower are wrong! I think it'll eventually have to be moved to the 36g (I don't care how big things get there!) and replaced with slower growing anubias. That'll free up the whole left side, I think. If people are really nice, I may have part of a bolbitis to swap.

I also removed the A. reineckii and put R. rotundifolia, but stemplants grow slowly in this tank and it'll be a while before I make a decision on whether I like it. I have to get used to the lack of red, but the A. reineckii looks so much better in the 36g. I have been rewarded with anubia blossoms in both tanks, so that's nice.

I don't like the bulb color right now. I'm using two 6700k and it just looks yellow. I usually mix a 6700k with a colormax and the color looks much better (the cooler colors are better balanced), but my colormax bulbs died. I also need to replace the bulbs on almost all of my tanks, but that takes money, so I have to wait for Holy week to finish (I have lots of church performances).

In the distant future, I mean way distant future, this tank will probably become a full-blown low-tech. The only things stopping it now are the substrate, the CO2 injection, the bioload (which is quite large) and my pocket book (which is quite small ) . I really just have to swap out the gravel and laterite with a soil substrate, remove the CO2 (as the substrate will take care of that), and remove half my fish (probably keep the serpaes, cories, and otos, and move the other fish. It is essentially a low-tech, except that I compensate for an inert substrate by injecting CO2, and I change the water more often because of the bioload. A hybrid system. Over 9 months old now too. Sorry for the picture quality, but the bulbs are an aweful yellow color, which is not helped by tea-colored water. The wood is 9 months old and still leeching tannins. I normally like tannic tanks, but not with this bulb color temperature. It really needs the colormax in there.

Time for pictures.

Thanks for looking.

llj

Yea!That looks great

 

[Themuleous]

I should have noticed it before, but is that Marsilea hirsuta I can see? How do you find it? I'm hoping to use it in my nano, but until it produces the underwater leaves its hard to know how tall it will get, the emergent leaves are well long! I think I see a few underwater leaves in there?

Also, did you remove the leave it came with? It says on the tropica website to remove the emergent leaves as they use up the rhizome unnecessarily and wont adapt. Just hope I've not killed the plant in the process!

Sam

 

[Dave Spencer]

I should have noticed it before, but is that Marsilea hirsuta I can see? How do you find it? I'm hoping to use it in my nano, but until it produces the underwater leaves its hard to know how tall it will get, the emergent leaves are well long! I think I see a few underwater leaves in there?

Also, did you remove the leave it came with? It says on the tropica website to remove the emergent leaves as they use up the rhizome unnecessarily and wont adapt. Just hope I've not killed the plant in the process!

Sam

The emergent leaf on my Marsilea crenata was about 6cm long, but the single lobed leaf is on a stem 2cm long. I never removed my emergent leaves, but they did just rot away, so removing them doesn`t seem like a bad idea. You`ll be seeing little leaves poking out of the substrate in no time.

Oh, Hi llj!

 

[lljdma06]

Oh, Hi llj!

Hi Dave!

You know, I've had the marsilea in the tank for 8 months and I still get two leaf shapes growing. The four-lobed shape, but more tough and darker than the emergent growth and then the little single lobe leaf. Perhaps it is because of the lower light levels. The stalks gon't grow taller than 5 inches and the average is more like 2-3 for the four-lobed growth, and about an inch for the single-lobed growth. The plant has thrived in my tank and has really spread out. It's a good pairing with the anubia and contributes to that whole "woodland floor" feel that I'm going for with this tank.

I removed the big bolbitis on Monday, so I have to post an updated pic. That was it, the tank looks better now, especially when the rotala fills in.

 

[wei0204]

I like the tank a lot, especially the combination of plants & colours. Lovely....

 

[Squirrelbuddies]

I removed the big bolbitis on Monday, so I have to post an updated pic. That was it, the tank looks better now, especially when the rotala fills in.

Hi llj --what did you do with the bolbitus? Any particular advice on what to do for optimal health and growth with this plant? I recently purchased a few pieces and would love to have it look as sweet as yours!

-sondra

 

[lljdma06]

Hi llj --what did you do with the bolbitus? Any particular advice on what to do for optimal health and growth with this plant? I recently purchased a few pieces and would love to have it look as sweet as yours!

-sondra

Hi Sondra, long time no see! I wouldn't throw away such a great plant. I divided it (cut the rhizome) and planted the pieces in my 36g bowfront where it has literally a whole back corner to fill. Though Bolbitis is a slow-growing low-light fern, it really appeciates CO2 injection and strong current, both of which I have. It is happiest when it is swaying.

 

[lljdma06]

I thought I'd post a few pictures. Tank is gradually looking how I would like it to look, but this is, like my 36g, essentially a fish tank with plants. The anubia flower is a pleasant surprise. The Marsilea is pretty to look at and mixed with HM, I create a nice little foreground. I don't know yet if I want to keep the back free (makes this tank super easy to vacumn) or let the rotala and Bacopa meet in the middle.

I can't even see the wood anymore. I've thought about removing most of the moss and leaving just patches here and there, but that would be a project in and of itself. It's growing everywhere and is entangled with the marsilea in places. Still, it wouldn't look bad having a bit of brown showing up. Everybody loves the look of wood with anubias, and since I no longer have red in this tank, the look of wood would be pleasing. Then I'd have a ton of X-Mass moss to give away and people would be happy. But I digress!

Time for pictures!

Tank with dawn/dusk lighting (one T5 tube).

Tank with full lighting.

"Woodland floor". This is what I think the tank reminds me of.

All's good in the fish front. I've moved my peppered cories from the 36g to this tank and I saw breeding behavior the next day.

Thanks for looking.

llj

 

[Castellop123]

Looking good! The Anubias looks in top condition!

 

[mlawson]

The tank looks great, I love the effect you have created with the darkening background which makes the plants look brighter and really healthy. You clearly have a talent fro growing plants. The Anubias looks brilliant and I think it contrasts well to the other leaf textures in the tank. It's also nice to hear you noticed breeding behaviour from your cories.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[wei0204]

Always enjoy the pics in your journals...