Danakin's 40B Stress Relief - Replanted 2/2/2013

[danakin]

Sorry about cell phone pics. Battling the flu.





Pogo was very crooked when it arrived. Seems to be seeking the light and straightening out more. Rotala r. looks a bit worse for wear as well. Might pull through, should be able to tell by Friday.

[danakin]

Bigger update with (kinda) better pictures!

BABY!


FTS


Ludwigia inclinata verticillata sp Cuba, still with emersed growth (very broad leaves. These will become longer and denser as it switches to submersed growth)




Ambulia


Anubias in the foreground, pogostemon stellata in the midground, cabomba in the background




Rotala magenta with a scraggly green hitchhiker plant


Side shot


In addition to the new plants, tossed two LED lights in the canopy to help give a broader spectrum of light, as well as illuminate the back a bit better.

[danakin]

(Also, I'm open to suggestions to make this look better. Right now I'm just in grow out mode)

[danakin]

Stress levels high, layoffs are going to be handed out next week and nobody knows who's going and staying. Think I might be up late working on the tank.

Ludwigia is transitioning to submersed growth, but turning a bit yellow and veiny. Adding GH booster and upping CO2.

Pogo looks fantastic.

Pictures tomorrow.

[GMYukonon24s]

Beautiful plants.

[danakin]

Thanks. With the large plant mass, a ceramic diffuser just wasn't cutting it. So....



Rex Grigg reactor in the line now. A few hours in to firing it up, everything seems to be "pearling". There aren't many bubbles coming from the outlet in to the tank, but the ones that are travel far. I was initially worried about flow loss, but I actually gained quite a bit (eye test, haven't measured). Changing from the Fluval ribbed tubing to normal tubing, made a substantial difference.

Stress levels being kept to a minimum. Guinness is good for you.

[danakin]

Got a drop checker, the UP one. Not entirely sure how long it takes to register, but right now it's reading a bit low (still a bit blue). Purdy though.

One more day of having Schrodinger's job. The box gets opened tomorrow. Here's hoping the next post is whislt gainfully employed!

[BoxxerBoyDrew]

Tank is looking GOOD!!!

The plants are really coming along! I will be interested in watching it grow in! I have a 40B as well, but sadly it has been sitting in my Kitchen floor for a long while holding plants from my 55g rescape, BUT I have $ now to build a stand and buy plants!!!

Sorry about your Daughters problem, but it sounds like the Dr.s have the solution worked out! Surgery can sound and be VERY SCARY!!! I have had 5 spinal surgeries, and before my first one , I was 25 years old, I was scared to death! But Medicine has come along so much, even the once terrible surgeries are so much safer now! 12 years and 4 surgeries later, I have learned to trust the Doctors, and have FAITH!!! So, keep Your heads up, and trust in God and all will be OK in the end! I am sure all of the members here will be keeping nothing but the best thoughts and prayers for y'all during this trying time!

So keep up the good work on the tank, and Best of Luck in the Job search!!!
Drew

[danakin]

Schrodinger's box was opened, and the cat was still alive for me. Still employed (at least until the markets get bad enough to force another wave).

Drop checker still isn't budging off the dark green. KH and GH were very high, going to do a mid-week waterchange and see if I can't get that down.

[GMYukonon24s]

Beautiful tank! You have a nice assortment of green and red in that tank.

[danakin]

Thanks!

New pictures incoming. Here's before the replanting:


Some of the l. inclinata cuba showing leaves curled under:


Blyxa cluster with a red minor tetra photobombing it:


New FTS:


I'm still futzing around with camera settings, can't seem to get the pictures to come out as bright as I'd like and not look washed out.

Drop checker is showing sufficient CO2 now. Adjusted the outflow direction (spraybar is next weekend's project) and it solved a lot. KH and GH are both very high, going to try cutting with RO/Distilled water tomorrow on the water change. I think the hardness is what is causing some issues with the ludwigia being stunted and curled.

[danakin]

Nitrate levels were through the roof, lots of stunted growth, but most noticeably in the ludwigia. Doing a large water change today, followed by another one tomorrow.

[danakin]

Losing the battle to keep the ludwigia alive it seems. Pogo is also looking poor, and the ambulia isn't doing much of anything. Frustrating week, as nitrate levels are finally about where they should be, and CO2 is doing well.

Hoping I can post a few pictures in a few weeks that show some growth again.

[danakin]

After a huge melt, and subsequent rethinking of my dosing regime...