Tom's Bucket O' Mud (semi self-sustaining aquarium)

driftwoodhunter · 01-08-2012, 10:57 PM

It's beautiful.
I love the idea of what you're aming for - the notion that you have mosses and such appearing out of nowhere makes the whole thing worthwhile.

**xenxes** · 01-09-2012, 01:01 AM

Amazing tank, amazing pics, amazing videos! It's anything but a bucket of mud!

gabysapha · 01-09-2012, 07:35 PM

Incredible! I can't wait for more updates and especially pictures!

LB79 · 01-09-2012, 09:58 PM

Hey, how about finding a zoo and asking if you could do a few of these for them?

Very natural looking. I love it! Have you noticed any increase in the numbers of fish? I would think that in such a tank they would readily breed.

BigTom · 01-10-2012, 05:42 PM

Cheers for the feedback guys.

LB79, no successful breeding as yet, something appears to be pushing the water hardness up (I suspect the soil may actually contain lime) and all three species require soft water to breed in. I'm contemplating a rescape at some point, in which case I'll probably change the soil. Also in the process of setting up a dedicated spawning tank for the Paros.

**xenxes** · 01-31-2012, 02:54 AM

Any updates? Please?

BigTom · 01-31-2012, 10:12 AM

Hah, patience! It's all still looking more or less identical to the last update. Growth is slooooooooooooooow.

chiefroastbeef · 02-01-2012, 12:05 AM

Tom,

That is absolutely amazing, what a beautiful job you've done with the tank and photos. I love the dense natural look, and you designed that perfectly. The plants shooting out of the tank is something I've always wanted to do, you've done this all too well!

leeteekyung · 02-01-2012, 05:05 AM

"Maintenance and feeding:
I normally just top off the water lost to evaporation with dechlorinated tap water and add beech/oak /ketapang leaves for the inverts to feed on"
great tank tom, im sure it brings your room alive. anyway, how do u know about ketapang leaves? i think ketapang is indonesian, does it also called ketapang there? thanks for sharing your tank tom.

**xenxes** · 02-01-2012, 04:47 PM

Ketapang / Indian Almond Leaves lower pH levels and create a black water environment. It also has mild anti-fungal effects. I think it was largely used by betta breeders in Thailand, but aquarists now use it all over the world. I throw a piece in all my tanks.

Tom: what do the fish eat? Dead plants and inverts? I'm only familiar with the otocinclus that feed on algae.

BigTom · 02-01-2012, 07:04 PM

Aye, the ketapang is widely available as in import in the UK, used a lot.

xenxes, the otos obviously eat algae and whatever invisible stuff grows on the dead leaves I put in. Everything else feeds on various inverts (baby shrimp, Hyallela, copepods, ostracods, etc).

chiefroastbeef · 02-03-2012, 05:17 AM

Tom,

Would you mind elaborating on how you managed to grow your emersed plants? I would love to have lilies that grow out of the water like that. Is there substrate right below the lilies?

Thanks!

BigTom · 02-03-2012, 07:43 AM

They are just planted in shower caddies stuck to the side of the tank and filled with hydroton clay balls. However, I'm planning a major rescape in which I'm planning on creating a proper island for all the emergent plants.

Most of the plants seem to take a few weeks to adapt to hydroculture, during which time the old root stock dies off and they then grow a whole new root system suitable for emersion in water.

**xenxes** · 02-03-2012, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigTom

They are just planted in shower caddies stuck to the side of the tank and filled with hydroton clay balls. However, I'm planning a major rescape in which I'm planning on creating a proper island for all the emergent plants.

Most of the plants seem to take a few weeks to adapt to hydroculture, during which time the old root stock dies off and they then grow a whole new root system suitable for emersion in water.

Island would be very cool, will you be keeping it where the current emergent plants are in the back corner?

chiefroastbeef · 02-03-2012, 03:23 PM

Thank you Tom. Can't wait to see your rescape, wish you the best!

01-08-2012, 10:57 PM	#46
driftwoodhunter Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (23/100%) Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Christiansburg, Va Posts: 2,758	It's beautiful. I love the idea of what you're aming for - the notion that you have mosses and such appearing out of nowhere makes the whole thing worthwhile. __________________ *The Fraternity of Dirt # 7* **- Daughter of the Dirt - Canon Club #018 Twin 29g Dirt Tanks on an Iron Stand - DIY 3D Backgrounds http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...stand-pic.html The Behemoth - 125 dirt tank** http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=199772

01-09-2012, 01:01 AM	#47
xenxes Gotta Catch 'Em All (View User Tanks) PTrader: (37/100%) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,663	Amazing tank, amazing pics, amazing videos! It's anything but a bucket of mud! __________________ A: [2g x2] [5g] [5g-S] [6g] [9g] [20g] [24g] \| T: [Balcony] [Nano Wabikusa] \| Shrimp Blog

01-31-2012, 02:54 AM	#51
xenxes Gotta Catch 'Em All (View User Tanks) PTrader: (37/100%) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,663	Any updates? Please? __________________ A: [2g x2] [5g] [5g-S] [6g] [9g] [20g] [24g] \| T: [Balcony] [Nano Wabikusa] \| Shrimp Blog

02-01-2012, 04:47 PM	#55
xenxes Gotta Catch 'Em All (View User Tanks) PTrader: (37/100%) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,663	Ketapang / Indian Almond Leaves lower pH levels and create a black water environment. It also has mild anti-fungal effects. I think it was largely used by betta breeders in Thailand, but aquarists now use it all over the world. I throw a piece in all my tanks. Tom: what do the fish eat? Dead plants and inverts? I'm only familiar with the otocinclus that feed on algae. __________________ A: [2g x2] [5g] [5g-S] [6g] [9g] [20g] [24g] \| T: [Balcony] [Nano Wabikusa] \| Shrimp Blog

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01-09-2012, 07:35 PM	#48
gabysapha Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 162	Incredible! I can't wait for more updates and especially pictures!

01-09-2012, 09:58 PM	#49
LB79 Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: South-central Washington State, USA Posts: 1,793	Hey, how about finding a zoo and asking if you could do a few of these for them? Very natural looking. I love it! Have you noticed any increase in the numbers of fish? I would think that in such a tank they would readily breed.

01-10-2012, 05:42 PM	#50
BigTom Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: UK Posts: 184	Cheers for the feedback guys. LB79, no successful breeding as yet, something appears to be pushing the water hardness up (I suspect the soil may actually contain lime) and all three species require soft water to breed in. I'm contemplating a rescape at some point, in which case I'll probably change the soil. Also in the process of setting up a dedicated spawning tank for the Paros.

01-31-2012, 10:12 AM	#52
BigTom Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: UK Posts: 184	Hah, patience! It's all still looking more or less identical to the last update. Growth is slooooooooooooooow.

02-01-2012, 12:05 AM	#53
chiefroastbeef Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Hong Kong/Dallas, TX Posts: 783	Tom, That is absolutely amazing, what a beautiful job you've done with the tank and photos. I love the dense natural look, and you designed that perfectly. The plants shooting out of the tank is something I've always wanted to do, you've done this all too well!

02-01-2012, 05:05 AM	#54
leeteekyung Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: indonesia Posts: 75	"Maintenance and feeding: I normally just top off the water lost to evaporation with dechlorinated tap water and add beech/oak /ketapang leaves for the inverts to feed on" great tank tom, im sure it brings your room alive. anyway, how do u know about ketapang leaves? i think ketapang is indonesian, does it also called ketapang there? thanks for sharing your tank tom.

02-01-2012, 07:04 PM	#56
BigTom Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: UK Posts: 184	Aye, the ketapang is widely available as in import in the UK, used a lot. xenxes, the otos obviously eat algae and whatever invisible stuff grows on the dead leaves I put in. Everything else feeds on various inverts (baby shrimp, Hyallela, copepods, ostracods, etc).

02-03-2012, 05:17 AM	#57
chiefroastbeef Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Hong Kong/Dallas, TX Posts: 783	Tom, Would you mind elaborating on how you managed to grow your emersed plants? I would love to have lilies that grow out of the water like that. Is there substrate right below the lilies? Thanks!

02-03-2012, 07:43 AM	#58
BigTom Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: UK Posts: 184	They are just planted in shower caddies stuck to the side of the tank and filled with hydroton clay balls. However, I'm planning a major rescape in which I'm planning on creating a proper island for all the emergent plants. Most of the plants seem to take a few weeks to adapt to hydroculture, during which time the old root stock dies off and they then grow a whole new root system suitable for emersion in water.

02-03-2012, 03:23 PM	#60
chiefroastbeef Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Hong Kong/Dallas, TX Posts: 783	Thank you Tom. Can't wait to see your rescape, wish you the best!