Tomb Raider Petrified Wood Anubias Garden- evolution pics p.1! video 3/6

[whitepapagold]

I should mention there is a very specific way to feed a tank like this.

I buy-
Cyclopeez
Reef Flakes
Sinking Pellets

Then I mash them up together with my finger tips-
3 parts pellets
2 parts flake
1 part cyclopeez

I have the powerhead and filter on a remote control so I turn them off and add the food mix. I keep it in my hand, close fisted, submerge my fist then open my hand- keep the food in a small area.

Leave the tank for 30 minutes if possible. NO FLOW AT ALL.

Then power up the filters for about 20 seconds and shut them off again. Another 10 minutes at least. Repeat this stage until MOST top floating food has sunk.

The power heads will blow the food around of course but the point of the 30 minutes is to have it in a small area where the fish come looking first EVERYTIME. This is to help address uneaten food.

I feed once a day. If I had a smaller khuli loach population I would feed every other day the same way.

This method also benefits the clams. The cyclopeez are clam crack... Not to mention fish and shrimp crack!

[macclellan]

Looks good. The only thing it's missing is Lara Croft's ________.

[whitepapagold]

Originally Posted by macclellan

Looks good. The only thing it's missing is Lara Croft's ________.

I was thinking a Dwarf Cichlid with a boob job maybe...

[whitepapagold]

Heres a close up of the rock on the far high left of the tank. Its the Cherry Shrimp breeding ground! In the shot I counted 25 shrimp (before shooting the pic).

Crappy phone pic but you get the point!

MAN Cherries are awesome!

[globali]

Cool, Interesting, Nice,
Fun, Creative, Awesome.

[whitepapagold]

Originally Posted by globali

Cool, Interesting, Nice,
Fun, Creative, Awesome.

Thanks!

Update pic-

I wanted to add a pic of my favorite Khuli loach of all time (I even started a beauty contest thread...)

Hes REALLY that yellow (thats an iphone pic...)


And he has a mask!


I have 14 and he makes them all look bland!

[problemman]

So cool!

[snausage]

Amazing tank! Very refreshing to see someone go all out on a more old school type design than an Amano nature scape (which I think is becoming totally cliche at this point).

Butterfly/hillstream loaches have to be one of the coolest looking fish. I'm probably going to turn my 29 gallon into a strong current/river type tank so I can keep some.

[whitepapagold]

Originally Posted by snausage

Amazing tank! Very refreshing to see someone go all out on a more old school type design than an Amano nature scape (which I think is becoming totally cliche at this point).

Butterfly/hillstream loaches have to be one of the coolest looking fish. I'm probably going to turn my 29 gallon into a strong current/river type tank so I can keep some.

Thanks! And I totally agree about Amano being played out at this point!

BTW- the chinese butterfly loach will do fine in most tanks- even without high oxygen! (it looks the coolest anyway!) I tried a pair of the traditional ones and they died but as usual the chinese ones do GREAT!

[whitepapagold]

Update shot- crappy phone pic!

Had a bad die off during the heat wave here in Newport last month. Tank hit 89 degrees for 3 days... ALL new growth melted and numerous rhizomes melted too (aka rotted)... IT SUCKED!!!

BUT as with all planted tanks, patience will cure anything so Im not overly concerned. It did set me back at least a month or two... Even the old strong adjusted plants melted.

100% of new growth (as in any newly forming leaves- at least one per plant) gone... My 2 big ones from Tongs went into stasis and still refuse to put out leaves...

So this is whats left and on the comeback trail. I inceased Co2 yet again and its jumpstarting nicely.

I did also lose a few Khuli loaches during the heatwave... And some got in the back filter (darn cat chewed the foam that blocked the spot they go through...) But those I can catch if Im patient. And one Khuli fell to the powerhead...

Worst of all, I haven't seen my favorite Khuli of all time for over 2 weeks... He may be in the back filter or dead from the heatwave...

My school of 5 true SAEs have demolished my shrimp population with the help of my 7 CPDs! Thats OK though as I have a dedicated shrimp tank to keep stocking the big one with. And once the plants get to full potential, the shrimp will be able to hide better!

Side note on the CPDs for So Cal Locals- Eye Candy is the only place close to me to get them but man do they sell some PITIFUL fish. Out of my last 15 only a few lived- the rest had CONCAVE stomachs and were in horrible shape... Beware of Eye Candy guys. Thats my 3rd and FINAL batch from them. The first batch was GREAT but the last 2 have been pathetic... And theres NO QUESTION they know the fish aren't healthy (NO QUESTION). You can tell by just looking... Thats what I get for not watching everyfish they put in a bag... really really poor... And NOT cheap... Thanks for nothing Eye Candy... No I never called them to resolve it, the fish should NEVER have been sold to begin with... Bad business period. And one less customer!

The positive news about the tank is-

1. still looks killer! Lots of plants doing great!
2. The headdress obviously took well! Its getting huge!!!
3. And everyone who sees it just flips out... I have the reef guys thinking freshies!

I also started adding real wood... The benefits are just too much to stay snotty! Ill be adding more as well...

FUN STUFF!

[whitepapagold]

No feeding at all anymore. Now adding just tap water. Tank goal- zero maintenance.

So far, so good.

The Annubias Petite is doing well! If it keeps growing Ill make it the dominant species!

[doncityz]

Dang... this is something else... cool tank!

[whitepapagold]

Originally Posted by doncityz

Dang... this is something else... cool tank!

Thanks!

I just added 100 cherry shrimp and some malaysian trumpet snails- hoping things balance out and both colonize.

I still need to get much better shots of the tank! It looks way better in person...

[.Mko.]

Nice! you could definately say it gives off an idiana jones feel too. One of the most unique scapes i've seen in a while. I love the anubias. Keep it up!

[whitepapagold]

New shot with a decent camera!



Added Fissidens Fontanus to the top wood pieces a few weeks ago. Added Bolbitis to the top left as well.

The tank is finally balanced. The anubias petite is doing GREAT!