40B Aquarium ~Sandy Oasis~ *Update 11/9* Starting new tank!

[ZooTycoonMaster]

I can't believe the tank looks like this without any ferts! You've done a really great job with it

[TickleMyElmo]

Originally Posted by leon

looks great!!

Thanks

Originally Posted by Hyzer

Nice work with the HC. I really like your tank.

Yea I was having trouble with HC but now that I bought a lot of it its starting to spread like wildfire.

Originally Posted by VadimShevchuk

pictures and the tank are both amazing! did you buy more Hc or did it bounce back?

I actually bought more, two 5"x5" mats to be exact....I'm not a patient person so I figured I'd buy a bunch so that it fills in quicker

Originally Posted by ZooTycoonMaster

I can't believe the tank looks like this without any ferts! You've done a really great job with it

Yeah I really need to get the ferts going, imagine what it would look like if I used them

[TickleMyElmo]

Decided to take some more pictures today after I got done with a water change earlier in the day and some heavy trimming. I'm having some problems with algae at the moment, don't know exactly what kind it is but I'll get it under control eventually...its all over the driftwood and a lot of the plants. I'm thinking green hair algae but meh, I'm not too concerned just yet

Still haven't started using fertilizers, I should really, really, get going with that....

Start the pictures!





Found this guy today. I thought I only had one MTS, as I've only seen one the entire time I've had the plants. I saw a bunch of little MTS babies today, and found this huge sucker near the blyxa line...He must be really good at hiding for me to not have seen him this whole time Thats a nickel for size reference...



The HC is spreading well....Here's a similar shot to the last update to compare growth...



The new Giesemann bulbs have turned the yellowish high light area of the blyxa a darkish pink-red....and I absolutely LOVE it!







And now for some random pictures...

























I felt like I was watching snail gladiator, seeing who could get to the top first...



Climbing Mount Driftwood...



Then I started messing around with a *cough* fish-eye lens...



As one of them...



My 40 gallon breeder just became a 40 gallon fish bowl...





And just for some perspective on the tank's location....(And yes my roof is half off It's under renovation!)

[CL]

Wow! That looks awesome! That's the reddest blyxa I've ever seen. Awesome.

[Chaos_Being]

Agreed, that Blyxa is awesome...the tank looks great! No ferts yet? Really?

[Reginald2]

lol, your camera fun pays off more than mine. Those are some great pictures.

Is that a snake or something living across the way?

[chris.rivera3]

what type of wood is that???

[TickleMyElmo]

Originally Posted by CL

Wow! That looks awesome! That's the reddest blyxa I've ever seen. Awesome.

Thanks! That means a lot coming from you

Originally Posted by Chaos_Being

Agreed, that Blyxa is awesome...the tank looks great! No ferts yet? Really?

Really, no ferts. Well, I do have flourite black sand as the substrate, so maybe that counts for something. I did buy a bottle of Flourish to get me started until I get the dry ferts, but I've only used it twice in the 4 weeks or so since I've gotten it. I keep forgetting to use it...

Originally Posted by Reginald2

lol, your camera fun pays off more than mine. Those are some great pictures.

Is that a snake or something living across the way?

That would be my blue tongued skink's 125 gallon tank....here's a thread I made a while ago with some pictures...

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lo...nake-legs.html

Originally Posted by chris.rivera3

what type of wood is that???

Malaysian driftwood. I got super lucky because my LFS had a bunch of really nice pieces, but the best part was that it sank instantly and didn't leach a single tannin into the water

[lauraleellbp]

The tank really looks beautiful!

I like those special effect shots- especially the first one from up high.

[Chaos_Being]

Awesome blue tongue you have there I have a co-worker that has a few that he is trying to breed.

[Reginald2]

Originally Posted by TickleMyElmo

Well ok, hes not really a snake, he's a "Blue Tongued Skink" Very peaceful animals, he looks MUCH meaner than he is

lol, he doesn't look mean. He just looks like he's thinking: "yeah, I'd be a snake...if I didn't grow these awesome legs and have this sweet blue tongue."

It looks like he's got a great house too.

[TickleMyElmo]

Well I got a new lens for my camera so I figured I'd test it out Its a Nikon Nikkor 35mm 1.8, which means my pictures should be sharper and allow me to use higher shutter speeds in low light...which happens to be perfect for fishtanks!

I also did some serious tank maintenance today. I kinda neglected the tank, hav'nt touched it in like a month and a half. For some odd reason, nearly all of my blyxa uprooted and started floating, especially on the left side. The left side is just barely hanging on, I had to basically replant the entire right side. Neither side has many small roots anymore, just the main stems if you will, wonder what's causing that? Lack of ferts maybe, or my rambunctious kuhli loach? Oh well, at least its still red

[TickleMyElmo]

Bumpity bump! I'm about to remove the last picture, I really don't like it anymore. Way too bright

[cah925]

Fantastic photography and great looking tank too! About the Blyxa, I've noticed that if it gets too big, it will release itself somehow and float around.

[Chrisinator]

Very pretty!