My 30gal Journal

[Esfa]

I put the java moss in and seperated the stem plants a bit.

 

[TigerLotus]

I really like you tank : ) the new light makes a lot of a differnce in how the tank looks. I must ask what your experience is with the hillstream loach in your tank. I read that they like alot of flow in there water and was wondering how it was going with having plants and flow and loachs and what not? : )

TigerLotus

 

[Esfa]

I have had him for about 6 months. When the tank gets a bit warmer on hot days, it sits at the waterlevel with a tiny bit of its "mouth" sticking out of the water. But it seems to be fine. It's never off the glass though (except for ALGAE WAFERS! ), and seems to hate being in the flow of the pump which is a bit strange I suppose.

But yeah, it's active, it eats well so I'm guessing it's happy.

 

[Esfa]

Okay, so my dad went to the lfs and got some new fish.

His tank is now slighty overstocked, but itworked out okay for me, haha.

My stocking is now:

1 reedfish
5 leopard danios
5 otos
Chinese hillstream loach
Bumblebee Catfish
3-spot gourami

My wanted stocking is:
1 reedfish
5 leopard danios
5 otos
Chinese hillstream loach
Bumblebee Catfish
5 Swordtails

 

[RadaR]

No chance

 

[Esfa]

Didnt think so. Expensive dinner, Eh?

 

[Themuleous]

Nice load of plants you've got in there, thats the way to do it

Sam

 

[lljdma06]

Okay, today i added 115 plants. By added, i mean stuffed in any space i could find.

There is totally more room in there. It's not stuffed by any means. You can still see substrate. You have the right idea, though. In the beginning of a setup, whether low or high light, I really like a tank to be densly planted, and I'm never overly concerned with having a set scape. I think you help yourself out quite a bit with any algae problems. You have a good variety too, which really gets you experience growing many different types. When things settle, you can then pick what grows best or your favorites, and really work on developing a scape. Many try the scape first, and it doesn't work for them, especially if they are inexperienced with whatever technique they are using to grow plants.

Looking forward to seeing this tank develop.

llj

 

[ICEEGRL]

Keep us up on how it is going.
You have some beautiful plants.

 

[Themuleous]

You have a good variety too, which really gets you experience growing many different types. When things settle, you can then pick what grows best or your favorites, and really work on developing a scape.

Ditto what she said

 

[Esfa]

Thanks for the good comments!

The tank already looks totally different. All three of the crypts melted, and have already started to regrow, i have two lilly bulbs growing already, i think i accidently put the big piece of bogwood on top of the 3rd bulb......

I'm going to give everything a trim later on today, already a few plants are growing out of the water.

You might get a few pics, if you are lucky.

 

[Themuleous]

Letting plants grow out of the water, in particular the lily, often stimulates them to grow, which is always nice to see


Sam

 

[Esfa]

Letting plants grow out of the water, in particular the lily, often stimulates them to grow, which is always nice to see


Sam

But a couple of them are touching the light, and turning black and crispy, haha. The willow leaf in particular.

 

[Themuleous]

Oh right, well thats not good, just cut them off then

Sam

 

[john starkey]

Okay, today i added 115 plants. By added, i mean stuffed in any space i could find.

There is totally more room in there. It's not stuffed by any means. You can still see substrate. You have the right idea, though. In the beginning of a setup, whether low or high light, I really like a tank to be densly planted, and I'm never overly concerned with having a set scape. I think you help yourself out quite a bit with any algae problems. You have a good variety too, which really gets you experience growing many different types. When things settle, you can then pick what grows best or your favorites, and really work on developing a scape. Many try the scape first, and it doesn't work for them, especially if they are inexperienced with whatever technique they are using to grow plants.

Looking forward to seeing this tank develop.

llj

Hi Esfa, your tank looks great but if you can afford more plants then i would add more maybe a foreground plant something like eleocharis acicularis (hair grass), the more fast growing plants you have the less algae problems, regards john oh merry xmas