Trallen44's True low tech 55 gal. journal. (56K new pics 9/25/10)

[Trallen44]

Well, I have gotten in a few shipments of plants from people here on swap and shop. Not sure what all of it is going to go into this tank just yet. I also got my new air pump ordered. It should be here next week I hope. I have also been getting my list of other plants to order ready. Hopefully get them ordered next week, and get them in the next couple of weeks.

[brion0]

Looking forward to seeing what you come you with.

[Trallen44]

Not sure when I am going to be able to start on this now, but still going to get everything gathered up to do it. Probeblly hold of a little while longer on the plants. Simple surgery yesterday turned out to be a big ordeal and had to stay overnite at the hospital. Now I can hardly get around. But will get back on this as soon as I can.

[sewingalot]

This is an amazing tank. And the difference in pictures is outstanding! I hope you are recovering nicely after the surgery. Are you feeling better?

[Trallen44]

Originally Posted by sewingalot

This is an amazing tank. And the difference in pictures is outstanding! I hope you are recovering nicely after the surgery. Are you feeling better?

Thank you. I do feel a little better today, but it is going to take awhile for all the swelling to go away and to be able to be up and working on things. I hope you like my tank after I am finished with it. I am just glad to be home.

[Trallen44]

A small update.

I am getting around a little better, and won't be going back to work for at least 2 weeks. There goes my vacation and sick time. But on to the tank. I have found a local source for petrified wood, so should get some in the next week at a good price. My supply shipment came in today but was sent to the wrong address. Luckily it went to my parents so I will be getting it in the morning. It has my new air pump for this tank. I should also be getting in another plant shipment from the swap and shop on Wednesday. I pretty well have figured out what all else I need to order plant wise for my big shipment of plants, and I will most likely order them the first of the week. Hopefully once they come in I will be able physically to do the rescape on this tank.

[brion0]

Hope your healing up good. How the gathering going for you? What plants have you decided on for the tank?

[Trallen44]

Originally Posted by brion0

Hope your healing up good. How the gathering going for you? What plants have you decided on for the tank?

Thanks Brion,

It turned out the knot they removed was cancer, so they had to remove all the lympnodes in that area. Luckily all the others were benign. I still can't get around real good, but thankfull that I can get around a little better every day. The gathering is going pretty good so far. I will see if I can get the petrified wood this weekend. My plan is to have a few different kinds of val along the back of the tank, and having crypts and java fern infront of them. On the right side, I am going to keep the driftwood that is stacked up there and add some christmas moss to it in a few places. In the back center I have a piece of driftwood with anubias that I like and more towards the middle of the tank and to each side I will have a lace leaf plant. On the left side I plan on having the petrified wood. Maybe attaching one of my bigger anubias to it. I also plan on having a few other plants in there, just not sure exactly what and where yet. I got some glosso in, and will try a little bit of that in front of the lace plants. I am going to have some Ludwiga broadleaf in there somewhere and also some sunset hygro I have gotten in.(not sure how this will do in there, but I am going to try it) I also am going to try some hornwort and watersprite in there somewhere. And I will be floating some riccia. Since I have nothing much to do but sit around most of the day for awhile, I have been tossing around ideas for a DIY hood so that I can have 2 bulbs over this tank to get more even lighting on it. Not wanting to up the WPG so much as to get more coverage.

[Trallen44]

I got my petrified wood today from Welcome to BaconsRock.com - Home
He is a great guy, and since he doesn't live too far, even brought it over to my house since I can't get out for awhile. I highly recomend him to anyone! He has some really nice Texas Holey Rock too! Here is a pic of what I got today.

[Hilde]

I can't believe you have such great growth with just single 48" 32 watt 10,000K bulb. That is less than 1 watt per gallon, even if it were a T5 which almost doubles the wpg rule.

[Trallen44]

Originally Posted by Hilde

I can't believe you have such great growth with just single 48" 32 watt 10,000K bulb. That is less than 1 watt per gallon, even if it were a T5 which almost doubles the wpg rule.

I just put that bulb in when I took the pics. The other bulb I am guessing was lower WPG and lower k. The bulb is a T8. My crypts have melted, but are starting to grow back. But it looks like some of the other plants are growing a little better now with this new bulb.

[Trallen44]

I got a few of the fish that will be going into this tank yesterday. Have them along with a couple of others in a 10 gal at the moment. Hope to get some pics of them tomorrow. I got pacific blue eye rainbows(aka signifer rainbows) and rasbora hengli. I got 10 of each, and 3 scarlet badis that I hope turn out to be females. So far they look really good, but they could turn out to be males once they grow out. So I am keeping my fingers crossed!! Should get some other plants in this next week. Some christmas moss witch I will get on the driftwood and get it to start growing so I might have a small updated pic of the tank in a few days. Still waiting on making my big plant order and being able to get around better since it will take a good full day at least being up on my feet to completely rescape the tank.

[Trallen44]

On a side note, my apistogramma borelli opal red face has some eggs. I noticed them earlier today. If I can get a picture here in a bit I will post it. I hope to get a sucessful spawn from them this time. Wasn't quite expecting the first spawn since they were still pretty small.

[NightSky]

Those are some great pieces of wood you got. I love the shapes.

So you've pretty much got a 1.5yr established substrate and using light and that's it? What kind of substrate is it? Maybe fish waste contributes to the fertilization as well...

[Tex Gal]

So sorry to hear about your surgery. Glad you are on your way to healing. Keep up that good work!

Your tank is so nice. I'm a little confused about the pxs with gravel and those without. Are you taking pxs of several tanks?

Love the red lizards. I just got 3 of them. They are so cool!