Sam's Nano Journal

[TimJ]

Sam

Wow! you should be very proud of this tank it looks wonderfully healthy and to my untrained eye looks great (though I quite liked the wood).

And Wow! it's taken me all afternoon to read the thread, but I've learnt a few things.

You could answer one thing though Where to get "Tropica" plants online?

Keep posting pics I want to see how it matures.

Well done keep up the hard work.

Tim

 

[Themuleous]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for your comments, I am pleased with the tank and plants, they have done me proud. I just think its time to start pushing myself to create a real aquascape thats all

So the tropica plants, I normally get mine fron Birstall they aren't the cheapest but the service is good. They can order you in anything from the tropica list, but some things are not always in stock so dont be surprised if they cant get you everything you want. Just phone them to find out, they are always very helpful

Sam

 

[MoreCoffee]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for your comments, I am pleased with the tank and plants, they have done me proud. I just think its time to start pushing myself to create a real aquascape thats all

So the tropica plants, I normally get mine fron Birstall they aren't the cheapest but the service is good. They can order you in anything from the tropica list, but some things are not always in stock so dont be surprised if they cant get you everything you want. Just phone them to find out, they are always very helpful

Sam

I've used Birstall a few times before (it's close to where I live), usually they are quite good, but not this week.

I wanted some items that are listed on the tropica website but not on birstall's (Juncus Repens & HC) ..... I ordered online and rang them and confirm they have the FULL order. I even spelt out the name of the plant and give the tropica number.
Their online order form has a section for 'Additional comments', I was told to enter details of the other plants I wanted in his section ....... after all that they totally ignored it !

Of the plants that did eventually arrive from Tropica, 3 were so badly covered in algae that I rejected them and one had leaves that were badly eaten (took that one at half price).

If anybody is looking for HC .... birstall told me that it is currently unavailable from tropica.

(minor rant over .... but I'm still missing my plants)

On the whole Birstall are good, but sometimes they can mess up an order and sometimes the quality of the plants offered are a little below what you'd expect from tropica.

 

[Ginge]

Sam do you have any updated pictures for us???

 

[Themuleous]

Haha no not as yet, I'm battling with a horrid case of staghorn algae at the moment and it just wont shift. Found that although I was pumping tons of CO2 into the tank it wasn't dissolving into the water so was still only getting around 20ppm. Have changed and repositioned the diffuser and got it up to around 60ppm, way higher than I probably need (or is safe for the fish over the long term for that matter) but just want to make sure its getting in there to help combat the staghorn, will reduce this to the normal 40ppm in a day or two.

I'm also planning a complete re-scape of this tank, but don't have the time or money for that yet so just keeping the tank ticking over until I do. May post the odd update pic when I get a minute, but it wont be too different from the last ones. Finally got the Pogostemon helferi to green up again, so thats beginning to look a bit better now.

Am letting the lotus grow surface leaves at the moment in the hope it might flower, will definately post some pics of that if it does flower

Thanks for the interest Ginge

Sam

 

[mike5531]

ok iv got a stupid question that carpet plant uv got i belive you call the plant HC, what does this stand for?

 

[Themuleous]

Its not a stupid question at all! Just cos I'm a plant geek that uses short names doesn't mean everyone has to be! HC stands for Hemianthus callitrichoides ''Cuba'' its a great little plant that grows really compact once established, and if you could get a patch big enough and could walk in it, it really would feel like a carpet, its very spongy.

It does best in an EI (Estimative Index just so you know ) tank and will only grow like a carpet in high light

Hope that helps

Sam

 

[mike5531]

thats great thanks by the way love your tank

 

[Themuleous]

Cheers

 

[madcaow]

mad tank!!

i want one! BOO for having nowhere to put it!

 

[Themuleous]

Haha there is always room for one more tank!

 

[14gtr14]

One of the new moss. Its from tropica but even they dont know what it is, its just called 003N

sorry im a bit late, but this moss looks like pelia moss "Monosolenium tenerum" to me. Tropica have recently "given it a proper name" lol.

Do you still have some?? by any chance have you got wayyyy tooo much and could lend a hand to a poor helpless guy like me??

lollol like the plea??

where did you get it because i have been trying to find some after following you blog for ages now!??!

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh I have seen that plant, but its not quite the same as the one I have. Do a search on the tropica website for 003N and it'll show you the one I have. Think they are related but my one is much smaller.

Thanks all the same

Sam

PS I dont have any spare, sorry, it doesnt grow very fast and am hoping to transplant some myself so need all I can get. I got it from a shop in Gloucester, but you should be able to get it by ordering it from someone who stocks tropica plants and asking for 003N.

 

[14gtr14]

i dunno if i can trust my local tropica supplier though!...pets at home

 

[Themuleous]

Well its been quite literally months since ive updated this journal, and thought it was about time. There has been a massive change in the tank, stripped it right back to a very simple layout. Was hoping the HC would carpet more quickly so I could have a 'final' photo but its taking a while so thought I would post it as it is now. Any thought welcome, I may even go the effort of removing all the equipment for a photo as I quite like the layout and think it might look nice done 'properly', well as properly as Im ever going to get it!

Anyway here are the photos

Full tank

Left side

Right side

Sam