Nbots 55g Community hi-techish Tank (do people on dial up really try to look at pics?

[Nbot]

If you want to skip the details and go to the latest photos

This tank was started in Feb 2007, it is now Aug 07, and this is the first post in the journal, but don't worry.... I have pictures to explain the history:

DETAILS:
Substrate: Terralite clay w/ gravel (wOw)
Lighting: 130 watts (2.4wpg), but hey 65w of those are actinic
Fertilizers: EI (estimative index), 3x dry ferts weekly per the sticky, 3x micro ferts weekly, water change: 50% weekly
CO2: 10lb tank with the "best" regulator, Milwaukee SM110 pH controller, drop checker from BlackSunshine, and Mazzei Venturi
O2: air pump on at night for the fishes
UV sterilizer: TurboTwist 3x
Plants: *seems to change too much to update at this point in the tank stage*
Fish: long-fin bushy-nose pleco, leapord cactus pleco, 2 blood-fin tetras, 3 head-n-taillight tetras, red-tail shark, 3 SAE's, 3 hatchets, 2 clown loaches, 1 moly, 9 Amano shrimp, 1 Horse Face loach, 3 scarlet Badis Badis, 1 Petra cat fish,

You'll have to excuse the photography, I didn't get trained by Amano, and I can't read the damn journals in Japanese:

Well, some sort of chronological order, I don't have pics on hand for the first month or 3: Month 4:


Here's "Akiro", the long-fin bushy nose"


Here's the Leapord Cactus pleco:


An SAE:


Here's month 5:


...and...



Here is month 7, took out the rocks, trying to utilize the pressurized CO2 more, heavier planting in the works...:


....and...


note the new driftwood tied up w/ Xmas moss, and some rocks w/ unsightlyly java/string/flame/xmas moss all tied up in there, waiting to grow out...I think I want to develop a more bushy front & center, we'll see how it goes....

[Saraja87]

O_O I really want that huge plant with the ruffly leaves...what is it??? An aponogeton?

[Nbot]

Here's some updated pics (its a bit "bubbly" in there, just did water change and got the venturi pumping co2 as well):

Removed the parrot feather, added ludwigia repens and Alternanthera reineckii, moved some things around, few new bloodfins and hatchets:

[zach]

lookign nice, get some hairgrass

[Nbot]

Zach... you think hair grass will grow in the gravel? I suppose so...I was thinking that they need a good substrate since they are root plants...but reading T. Barr's posts about substrate vs water column ferts it seems it doesn't matter as much.

[Nbot]

O_O I really want that huge plant with the ruffly leaves...what is it??? An aponogeton?

Sara...sorry didn't see your post before...I really don't know what that plant is! LFS gave it to me for free...it was a dormant bulb, then grows huge long leaves in like 1-2 days...really amazing to watch! I guess later this year it will drop all its leaves and be a dormant bulb again...If anyone can tell me the name of the plant please do...

[Saraja87]

Originally Posted by Nbot

If anyone can tell me the name of the plant please do...

My best guess would be Aponogeton Crispus. From what I've seen, they don't go dormant and lose their leaves. The one my friend has had in her tank has been lush and green for 3 years.

[Nbot]

Hmmm, might not be the plant I have then...it was def. dormant when I got it, and LFS said it would go dormant again, time will tell

[TNUTT8089]

Looks like APONOGETON BOIVINIANUS. My experience with this plant is it does slow down but it never went completely dormant though.

[Nbot]

Well...big weekend!! Finally succumbed to my frustration w/ the gravel and swapped out the entire tank for Eco per this thread:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/su...tml#post472492

Here's a pic of it in progress:



Here's a pic of the "O" rock I turned on its side and stuffed in a huge needle leef java fern I got from SnS! (instead of tying it to a rock or wood, this way the rhizones/roots aren't buried, just stuck in the O like a planter pot, pretty easy solutions for java ferns!)



Here's a pic the next day after the dust settled (thank god its not AS! I'll only be using Eco I think from now on...) I've got some M.minutia coming, going to do a carpet in the front area, that plant is supposed to be good for lower light setups, so should be exciting....will update once I get it in...Some mosses I'm waiting to grow in hopefully, so this is a work in progress....You can see the two tiny Scarlet Badis Badis in the very back! I'm also waiting for the Alternanthera reineckii to grow in on the back left, hopefully its enough light there for it, we'll see. I've got the water down a little bit since I'm still working in there....


Here's a Horse Face loach and an Amano:

[Nbot]

Here's one of the Leopard Cactus Pleco (Cleopatra) and the Longfin Bushy Nose (Akiro--seems a fitting name for how he looks eh!) (taken a few days ago before the swap to Eco, got rid of the Wisteria)

[Madfish]

Looken good I have to say. Thats I cant wait untill its really grown in with that ECO.

[Nbot]

Yah it should really help out dem roots!