Jared's Underwater Jungle

[frogmanjared]

Most up to date specs...
9 hr photoperiod w/1 hr siesta 2x15w 6500k spiral compact daylight bulbs
Dosing: <1/32 t. KH2PO4 <1/8 t. KNO3 <1/32 t. CSM+B 3x/week
(started 8/27/10) mixed in solution, 27.7 ml/dose

Flora:
Anubias barteri 'Nana'
Cryptocoryne parva
Cryptocoryne retrospiralis
Echinodorus tenellus
Ludwigia repens x arcuata
Süßwassertang
Vallisneria americana var. biwaensis

Fauna:
Platys

Trying to have a nice tank with no budget is tough!

Most up to date photo:


The storyline:
Okay, so after my endler's died of a fungal outbreak over winter break (I was devestated... they were forming nice, long sword tails, some up to 1 cm!) I decided to try plants other than hornwort. Up until now, I've been to embarassed to post any pics because of how great all of your tanks look. But compared to plantless tanks, I'll take any plants I can get! Now I will show you the "evolution line" of my 10 gal. I was too lazy to try and fix the substrate, but it's sand on the bottom, and flourite on top. The plants don't seem to mind, as some of my crypts the other day had roots well over a foot and a half.

This is what the tank looked like after clearing out the fungus: plants included, cryptocoryne (brown maybe?), a few java ferns, red ozelot sword, from the wild: elodea canadensis, and a brassicaceae (unkown species)


I added a fake rock structure and pulled out the fake plants, put the java ferns on it. I also added a tiny nuphar rhizome form a lake, but it only ever got to be about 3 inches tall (too warm I think)


It remained pretty untouched until a week ago when I got Braziallian penywort. The addition of CO2 made my plants grow quite well. I also bought a 8,000K bulb. It's a little pink, but my ferns and pennywort are pearling better now. My old bulb was the one that came with the top 2 years ago!


Then yesterday I got some ottos and egersia densa, and rescaped the whole thing. The one crypt that I kept is starting to flower, so hopefully the moving won't stop it from doing so. The otto's are actually eating the cyano!!! I moved the filter to the center of the tank, now there aren't as many dead flow areas.

[@marko@]

its improving, thats what matters.

[crudnugget]

I think you are headed in the right direction, tank is improving nicely! I'd try to get some kind of tall plant for the back, or maybe put a piece of black posterboard behind the tank.

I had my HOB on the left side of my 29g to try and minimize the visual impact of it's intake tube like you had on your tank, and I too moved it to the middle. Shame it has to be there to get good flow throughout the tank.

[frogmanjared]

Originally Posted by crudnugget

I think you are headed in the right direction, tank is improving nicely! I'd try to get some kind of tall plant for the back, or maybe put a piece of black posterboard behind the tank.

I'm planning on painting the back black after I move in July, and once I start trimming the Egeria densa, that will be my background plant, until I have enough money for other stuff.

I haven't put a lot of money or effort into the tank, so I'm pleased with the results thus far.

[fshfanatic]

Good start.

In your first picture, lower right corner, see that little 2 piece tool? Its an algae scraper.

[frogmanjared]

I don't like having a see-through back of the tank, so until I paint it, the algae's staying!

[@marko@]

why paint it? craft stores sell big peices of construction paper (in black and other colors), just get one and cut it too size. its easy and removable if you ever for any reason want to get it off.

[frogmanjared]

I want to have something that won't have air bubbles, get wet, and will last a long time. I've seen other tanks done that way and like the look.

[frogmanjared]

May:

Present:

In the craziness of the wedding and aftermath, I haven't had time to do much with the tank... my next day off work, I'm heading to petco to get eurythromyacin to kill the cyano which has come back, and also get better lighting (prob have to go online for that though). Once I upgrade the lighting, now 15w 8,000K, I'm going to take out the fake rock w/java and put a smaller rock/driftwood piece. Hopefully by then, my riccia will be ready to move into this tank, would say 30w be able to grow it? I'm having a hard time finding lighting for a 10 gal... any suggestions?

[bill|408]

looks nice .. waiting to see what you do with the riccia

anyways .. maybe http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS...plight1x28watt

[frogmanjared]

Last night I went out and got a glass versa-top, and another 15w strip, now a total of 30w, 8,000k, and whatever the stock bulb is. Here it is after the rescape this morning, still a little cloudy. The bare area will eventually have riccia carpet, and the pennywort will trail along the surface with the outflow... only time will tell. I also need to get a bushy stem plant to put behind the sword, replacing the crypt.

[frogmanjared]

I found some black construction paper when I was going through boxes from the move (I finally have everything unpacked!) I put some on the backs of both my tanks... Here's the difference:



I hope the sword doesn't get any larger than it currently is. Any suggestions for plants? I need something tall, yet bushy for behind the sword, and something in the foreground.

[Chrisinator]

Wow! That's awesome! Do you have all male Cherry Barbs?

[frogmanjared]

No, 2 male and 3 female, I had a male pass away last week... now the other males are losing their red and not displaying anymore, it seems they have lost their urge to worry about territories anymore.

[Chrisinator]

Hmm.. are you gonna restock?