Phage's 55usg

[Phage]

Substrate: Flourite with a tiny bit of regular gravel
Temperature: 76-78F/25C
Lighting: Two 56W bulbs T-5, 3pm-10pm
Filter: HOB Topfin 60
CO2: Pressurized, 1 bps. Drop checker shows limeish green, using diffuser.
Ferts: EI 1/4 tsp kh2po4, 1/4 tsp kno3, 1/8 csm+b 3x a week
Water Change: Once a week
Extra: Piece of mopani wood, Aquaclear 70 powerhead
Inhabitants: 2 angelfish, 1 gold gourami, 3 zebrafish, 1 danio kytathit, 1 oto. Trumpet snails. I had more fish but they have started to disappear recently... no trace left behind
EDIT: Now have 10 danio kytathit and 3 oto.

Plants:
Nymphaea zenkeri
Microsorum pteropus
Cryptocoryne wendtii green and brown
Lilaeopsis mauritius
Anubias barteri var. nana
Ludwigia repens
Hydrocotyle leucocephala
Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae
Echinodorus x. 'Ozelot'
Christmas moss
Bacopa australis
Sagittaria platyphylla
Hornwort

Problems I've had:
Lots of algae problems, still have them. Got rid of hair algae I think, don't see any.

Battling: Black brush, Green spot keeps growing on glass, and disappearing fish.
Algae forming on the lower leaves of my stem plants.
BBA starting to form on filter intake tube and on mopani wood.
Top of lilaeopsis curling over and growing algae.
Lower leaves of pennywort dying off

 

[Amunet]

OOO I want a red tiger lotus! Darn walmart bulbs don't grow and the 1 I got from ebay didn't grow either.. also the replcement I got for it was smooshed in the mail BAH! lol

What other fish disappeared?

 

[Phage]

I had a 2 year old female german blue ram, 1 upside down catfish, 1 zebra danio, 1 white cloud mountain minnow, and 4 otos disappear.. no bodies in the tank or on the floor. I did have 2 more danio kyathit but they committed suicide over the winter I havent seen anymore kyathit in the store, I really want more. Well I can't tell if it is kyathit or burma danio.

I love the lotus's as well but the leaves get rather large and are very delicate, they tear easily. I had two bulbs but one fell apart into mush after making two plants. Maybe the other one will survive. Two bulbs have given me 4 plants so far. That sucks though I hope you find a good bulb. They are really neat. Maybe I can grow a bigger one from the small plants I have and try to send it.

Trying to fix my algae problem Long battle it seems.

 

[tom_os]

whats the mesh at the back for?

 

[bagu]

whats the mesh at the back for?

a moss patch
the xmas moss will grow through it

or so i think

 

[Phage]

Yea, it's for christmas moss. Right now I have some in there and when it gets pretty long I trim it and grow it in a window. Trying to get a lot so I can cover the whole back. My angels love to eat it though lol.

Any ideas on the algae? :\

 

[Phage]

Bought some of these plants, waiting for them to arrive. So happy Hopefully all works out.

Bacopa australis
Wisteria
Eleocharis parvula
Brazilian Pennywort
Jungle Vallisneria
Water Sprite
Riccia
Micranthemum micranthemoides
Heteranthera zosterifolia
Cabomba caroliniana

Took out ludwigia repens and hornwort.

Raising kno3 to 1/2 tsp and co2 to 3bps

 

[FishBeast]

I am interested in knowing what could have happened to your vanishing fish. I have had this happen once before although I was away on holidays and someone else was feeding the fish for me. So I got sus on them. It was only a baby blackmoor so I couldnt see why anyone would want to steal it.

 

[Phage]

Maybe they were sucked up by the powerhead, however I would think I would find a body, I check it every few days and clear it of mostly christmas moss. Accidently got an oto, felt bad for it but I did find a body... no one touches the tank but me, cat can't get that high and doesn't pay attention to the fish :\
BTW love your picture lol, reminds me of austin powers


Still waiting on my plants to be sent. Not exactly sure how to arrange them either, I am really bad at that :\
Any ideas on powerhead, filter, and plant placement? Can take out plants from list as well, I bought some for the 20. My crypts like to grow flat so I moved them to my 20gal.

I will have:
Nymphaea zenkeri
Microsorum pteropus
Anubias barteri var. nana
Hydrocotyle leucocephala
Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae
Christmas moss
Bacopa australis
Sagittaria platyphylla
Bacopa australis
Wisteria
Eleocharis parvula
Jungle Vallisneria
Water Sprite
Riccia
Micranthemum micranthemoides
Heteranthera zosterifolia
Cabomba caroliniana
Cryptocoryne wendtii green and brown


extras will go to my 20gal.

 

[Amunet]

I have no idea how to aquascape well lol... But I can't wait to see what you do when you get the plants in!

 

[Phage]

Let me know when they are in as well! I mean... I should get back to planting. I did half and I am pooped lol. Kinda wished they planted themselves while I am taking a break. (I hate cabomba btw, I feel your pain now)
Here is sorta the plan. Not drawn to scale as I suck with that lol

I might have an extra tiger lotus if you want it.

 

[Phage]

Here's what it looks like so far, does everything look alright?

Before

 

[Phage]

Now my angels have decided the grass is a good snack They didn't pick at the two pots I've had for a week. Maybe they are asking to be banished to the 20 gal while the plants root

How long does it take for plants to root?

 

[Phage]

 

[Amunet]

Looks great so far! That ground cover is going to look fantastic once it thickens up and spread! And can't wait for photos of the moss wall once it grows out some more!