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Tay's 20g high journal (New pics May 25th)

3K views 26 replies 13 participants last post by  nemosreef 
#1 · (Edited)
This will be my first journal so please be kind. :icon_smil

I started this tank with a gift card I got for Christmas and it's been running since the first week of January.

Lighting Two 26 watt CFL 6500K Daylights, 8 hours a day
Substrate Flourite
Filter Aquaclear 50

Plants Cryptocoryne tropica, Vallisneria Spiralis, Dwarf Sags and Amazon Sword

Fish 6 Serpae Tetra, a couple ramshorn and a MTS or two

I have no CO2 or Ferts, though I suspect I will be needing to get some ferts in the future.




I'm rather new at this live plant thing so I'm not really sure to watch out for. So far I can tell that my sags and crypts are melting. I'm under the impression that it is common for melts to happen after shipping and being newly replanted. Is it just a sit and wait sort of thing or do I need to be doing something?

I was also quite the dummy and forgot to rinse my plants and ended up with what looks like hydra. There seems to be slightly less than yesterday so I am hoping they will go away with water changes.

Stocking Plans 6 serpae tetra, 6 marbled hatchets, 1 keyhole cichlid and possibly 4 cories


Any advice, suggestions and criticisms are welcome. Please keep in mind that this was just planted on 1/26/10.
 
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#2 ·
Folks on this forum are excepionally kind... ;)

This looks like a good start. The light does not require you to have CO2 I don't think. You could dose some Ecxel, that almost never hurts. Just don't over dose it, your vals will melt otherwise.
The sword could be a little on the large side for a 20, the can get large. Keep in mind, that these kind of plants are typically grown emersed and then sold as aquatic plants. They typically recover nicely, you just have to know that all emersed leaves will die. Be patient there.
From what I hear (no experience myself) crypts can be temperamental when it comes to change as well, meaning they could melt all their leaves just because they moved tanks... I also seem to recall that they need quite a bit of substrate. The sword will need that as well. How many inches of substrate did you put in there?

Looking good so far ;)
 
#3 ·
For the substrate I have about 1 inch in the front to 2 inches in the back. Could probably use more but I'm not sure how to go about it now that I have plants and fish in there.

I know the sword will get big. I couldn't pass up the cheap price and I have seen them recommended to people with small tanks before. Hopefully by the time it gets too out of hand I will be working again and can afford a larger tank. ;) Until then I'll be trimming, I'm sure.

Thanks for the feedback!
 
#4 ·
Update Feb 3rd 2010

Guess I'll post a one week update and see it that sparks any interest. ;)

I added 6 Silver Hatchets on 1-30. The next day I noticed what looks like ich on two of the hatchets. It was kind of difficult to tell since the spots are the same color as the fish themselves so I really only see a texture. I've raised the temp to 86 and am treating with salt. I've seen no additional spots that I can tell and they seem less itchy overall.

Also added a few Ludwigia stems that I grabbed just to see how they do and a Brigg snail.

Plants are doing OK as far as I can tell. I haven't noticed many new leaves or much growth of the main plants. The Vals are sending a few runners though and the Crypts seem to have stabilized and stop melting.

Pics!

The fish and snail:




Some Sag coming back to life:


Val runners:


Crypt:


Full tank shot:



I'm trying to figure out the best way to take photos with my camera so I hope those improve with time as well. I'd love some more feedback as it's a bit embarrassing to have the most posts in my own thread. :icon_lol: Even is you want to just say that it sucks and that I should stick to plastic!

Thanks!
 
#5 ·
Go back to plastic!!!! :icon_lol:
(Heck I should!)

Fine start! If you can, try to QT the hatchets, just in case! For improving you full tank shots, turn all the lights in the room off along with the cameras flash, but keep the tank light on. Then shoot a pic! It made mine turn out alot better!
 
#6 ·
Yeah QT would have been the best choice. I knew that even before I went to get them. I just don't have an extra filter and my fiance doesn't understand the need for one. I can talk him into $20 of fish but not $22 for an AC 20. Bleh.

Thanks for the photo tip. I'll try that next time.
 
#7 ·
i love hatchets! i've been considering getting some but the top of my tank isn't COMPLETELY covered and im worried they will jump. this looks like a great start! i would let things grow in for a while. adding some flourish comprehensive and excel would probably help.
 
#8 ·
Thanks! I'm pretty happy with my hatchets even though they brought ich with them. I think I have the fiance convinced that we need to QT future fish though. So it may be worth it to have dealt with this ich. I guess he needed to see a problem break out rather than just hear that it's possible.

I'll look into the Flourish Comp and I do have a bottle of Excel here. Just been too afraid to try it with the Vals, high temps and salt treatment.
 
#12 ·
I think I have the fiance convinced that we need to QT future fish though. So it may be worth it to have dealt with this ich. I guess he needed to see a problem break out rather than just hear that it's possible.

I'll look into the Flourish Comp and I do have a bottle of Excel here. Just been too afraid to try it with the Vals, high temps and salt treatment.
I use Excel and have a few Vals. I just dose 1.5 ml daily in my 29 gallon tank. For ferts it would probably be cheaper in the long run to get PMDD dry fert from aquariumfertilizer. Probably just need to dose 1 Tbs weekly with the light you have.

To get items for a quarantine tank check out Craigslist.org in your area. I got some 10 gallon tanks and sponge filters free through it. Presently I just put a big Java fern in the tank and a heater in 10 gallon tank for quarantine. Some fish don't need a heater. For light I have a under counter light fixture over it.
 
#9 ·
I feel like the ich is nearly out the door! I looked today and saw no spots on my serpae. It's VERY difficult to see white spots on silver hatchets though. Going to keep treating for at least 4 more days.

The Vals are shooting runners all over the place but that's the only plant that seems to be growing much. My sword is turning yellow and one of my crypt leaves has a hole in it. :(
 
#15 ·
It will probably be API. That's what the stores around here carry. I would rather get Seachem tabs but I'd have to order them.
 
#17 ·
Thanks so much. At least now I will know what to go for if I do make the switch.

I got my root tabs yesterday. I also added some more substrate. I wasn't comfortable with the amount I had in there. Picked up a small bunch of Lloydiella golden at the LFS too. I think it looks great in the empty corner I had. I will try to remember to take some pics after the house is a bit darker tonight.
 
#18 ·
I think you're off to a great start!

If you haven't started dosing it yet i would be careful with the flourish excel. Your Sag, crypts & vals can melt when excel is added -so i would recommend starting with a super low dose and increasing the amount very slowly. I killed an entire carpet of sag. in a display tank at work by adding a standard dose of excel to a tank that had never been dosed with it. My sag and crypts at home are fully accustomed to it and do great with it; so it seems it's a matter of not shocking the plants with the change.

as far as ferts go. . .i started just like you have and now i use a the EI method for my 20g Long. I thought it was intimidating to switch to dry ferts. but it's really easier and the plants respond so well- you never have to figure out deficiencies. I got mine form GLA for $20 it included all three macro nutrients and the CSM+B (micros). i found one of those measuring spoon sets that are for really tiny amounts - it works so great, i dose it 6 out of 7 days and it takes me like 40 seconds. that's my 2 cents

cheers-K
 
#21 ·
Here are some update pics. I think It's looking ok. I've got a QT tank now but I am waiting for more plants to fill in before I add more fish.

And thanks for the advice on the ferts. I'm being pretty careful about the excel. Not seeing any problems yet.
 

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#23 ·
It's been awhile since an update. The tank is now 4 months old and seems to be going well.

Here are some new specs:

Filter Aquaclear 50 and Aqua Tech 15

Plants Cryptocoryne tropica, Vallisneria Spiralis, Amazon Sword, Hornwort and some Wal-mart bulbs (there is also a banana plant I'm trying to save that was in another tank but it's not doing much)

Fish 6 Serpae Tetra, 6 Silver Hatchets, 6 Guppies

Inverts 2 Zebra Nerites, a few ghost shrimp, ramshorns and MTS
 

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#24 ·
That is great Tayius! It really grew in well.
 
#26 ·
Yes, I am dosing Excel daily and Flourish Comp twice a week. Thanks for the compliments!
 
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