Se Asian Biotope

[CezzaXV]

Looking good! I really love the slope effect.

 

[coldcazzie]

Soooooooooooooooooooooooo.......

I feel this is due an update. Scape will be 4 months old at the weekend (can't believe how fast it's gone! ) Crypts are lovely and thick, java fern is taking off, disappointed with the moss and p.helferi though. I might rip the helferi out. The moss is very thin and leggy. Down to 12 harlequins. No jumping as far as I can tell: they both got sunken bellies and snuffed it.

To do list:
- plant the crypts which are floating.
- sort out the java ferns which are trying to attach themselves where I don't want them!
- thicken up the moss with the spare leftover from the 180.
- look into a new bulb. I think this one is dying: the output has noticably decreased.

I shall attempt to pull my finger out and do this over the weekend, along with a small water change (only been top ups so far). Pictures to follow as soon as possible will post an old picture too so as to compare growth. I know it's growing, but it doesn't seem like it is seeing it everyday!

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Cool, can't wait to see pics, I know what you mean about Crypt growth and Helferi, mine are all like a jungle of mixed Crypts now and I didn't notice the difference till I looked back to the start of my journal. Can't beat Crypts tho for a variety of different leaf patterns and shades of green and brown. My Helferi took ages to spread but after a while it just seems to perk up one day, now it's really thick.

 

[coldcazzie]

The helferi has shrunk. Leaves are tiny. It looks silly now. I originally wanted parva at the front so I may well take the helferi out and buy some parva to replace it. I've a huge clump of moss which I'm going to spread around... the moss right under the light has been drowned in a mass of stringy green algae (not surprising really, considering where it is) - that's coming off.

I'm going to put my anubias plants up for sale. The funds from those will buy me some new plants: bolbitis heteroclita for the top branches which will grow partially emmersed, crypt parva and something emergent.

 

[lljdma06]

Looking forward to the update.

L

 

[minnnt]

Sounds like a great plan caz. I had algae on my moss that is at the top of my tank. I increased the flow and upped the fert and it went away.

Look forward to seeing the parva.

 

[coldcazzie]

ok so I'm a bit pap at updating when I say I will!

I'll take some pictures tonight I promise! (I think! )

 

[lljdma06]

ok so I'm a bit pap at updating when I say I will!

I'll take some pictures tonight I promise! (I think! )

You've been very busy lately. Cut yourself some slack.

 

[coldcazzie]

Thanks Liz I think my plans will have to go on hold again... our living room window started leaking this afternoon so it's gonna have to be repaired. Rainy day savings* will cover it but I'll have to put back into them so no non-necessary purchases for a while. Sigh. I was so looking forward to buying new plants for this

*edited to add, haha, rainy day savings, that's quite ironic considering it's been bucketing down all day and that combined with gale force winds is what's caused the leak in the first place!

 

[Ps3Steveo]

What plants you after as I have a load spare at the mo and they'll end up in the bin otherwise?

 

[coldcazzie]

These:

bolbitis heteroclita for the top branches which will grow partially emmersed, crypt parva and something emergent.

are what I had in mind Steve. The emergent one's common name is silver queen, I'll have to buy that definitely. What do you have, if you don't mind my asking?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Stems and ferns at the moment, a bit of needle leaf fern, narrow java fern and some star grass. Cba with Latin names this time of night lol.

 

[coldcazzie]

Lol, don't blame you! I'd be interested in the ferns I just attached my last 2 free floating fern plantlets the other day, but the biggest still only has leaves 2 inches long. Bigger ones would be great. I took a couple of snaps on my phone and it still looks very sparse. I may have to reassess my uber low tech decision... *sigh*

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Lol well I'll post them off to you, they're plantlets from my main tank but can do what ya want with them they're free lol, could do with some tlc but if you bunch them together they'll soon fill out.

 

[lljdma06]

Lol, don't blame you! I'd be interested in the ferns I just attached my last 2 free floating fern plantlets the other day, but the biggest still only has leaves 2 inches long. Bigger ones would be great. I took a couple of snaps on my phone and it still looks very sparse. I may have to reassess my uber low tech decision... *sigh*

You dosing anything?

L