look how far I've come! 20L journal: new pics 4/11/10

[kyle3]

I just have to share the drastic improvement my tank has had in the past 2 months! The project never ends so let me know what suggestions you have for my tank!

2/5/09:

2/18/09:

3/1/09:

3/17/09:
(this picture has one light turned off to cut down on reflection, the shots with all lights on are really washed out. any tips?)









I'm really happy with the rapid improvement I've gotten in plant health. In November i had rescaped dramatically and pulled all of my fast growing rotala. by January I had brown algae and a number of my slower growing plant didn't make it, (that's why the tank looks so sparse in the feb. photo). So I'm very glad i won my battle! I look forward to your comments and criticisms!

[dewalltheway]

Nice Job! Your plants look really healthy and happy!

Can you give us some details on your tank like substrate, lighting, CO2 etc.

[sewingalot]

Great progress! You have come a long way on this tank. I love the lily.

[kyle3]

LOL I totally forgot to go back and add that stuff

As requested:
up and running since 12/05
AGA 20 gallon long

hagen Co2 ladder with DIY (1 20oz.(approximately) bottle changed every other week or when the bubble count gets low)

36 watts of t-5 (1colormax bulb, 1 6700K bulb)9hrs
20 watts of t-8 "life-glo" 9hrs

ferts: all seachem: root tabs for the swords and lotus, excel every other day, flourish every 3 days, iron every 3-5 days

eco-complete and small black gravel, aquaclear 50 HOB, 75 watt jager heater, AGA glass top

FAUNA: 5 rummy nose tetras, 2 Aeneas corys, 2 Julii corys, 4 otos, 4 amano shrimp

FLORA: Dwarf Sagittaria, Amazon sword(2 varieties, I think black and melon?), Hygrophyla difformis, Bacopa monnieri, Rotala indica, Nymphaea pubescens(lotus)

water parameters:
PH 7.2, KH 4, GH 9, Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5-10, (tap PH is 7.6-7.8)

did i miss anything?

[skabooya]

Water change schedule and how often you need to trim lol

[kyle3]

I'd like to plant something whimsical on the driftwood. I'd also like to find some smaller more spindly pieces of driftwood to have peaking out of the Hygrophyla difformis (wisteria). Well. . .these aare the ideas I've been playing with most recently.

cheers-K

[kyle3]

Originally Posted by skabooya

Water change schedule and how often you need to trim lol

bugger!
water change once a week, 50%

I trim 1-2 times a week I try to do it somewhat frequently so i can do just the hand full of stems that are tallest so the tank (especially the rotala) doesn't have that mowed lawn look.

[skabooya]

Fissidens fontanus would be beautiful on driftwood. OR some taiwan moss drooping down off the driftwood like a cascading waterfall mmmmmmm tranquil

[kyle3]

great suggestions! thanks skabooya

[kyle3]

Ok I've got some ideas to run by everyone:

1st: I'm toying with the idea of planting HC on the driftwood. I'm not sure if i'm up to it. . . opinions?

2nd: I'm thinking about adding more fish. . . I've always been really big on not pushing stocking too far so my tanks are lightly to moderately stocked and I'm not sure if I should add anything at all. The fish I'm thinking of are 2 more rummys and a pair of Rams. I'm really hesitant but I'd love to have a larger school and I'd love to have Rams for all the obvious reasons

thanks for looking everyone!
cheers-K

[Yassmeena]

Your tanbks is gorgeous!!!!! Very nice work, and what a dramatic difference in just two months. Do you mind giving your specs? (lights, fert regimen, CO2, etc)?

The one suggestion I can make is to go with a more graceful peice of driftwood. Perhaps a old curvy manzanita that can draw attention to the focal point and give elegance...

That's all I can really suggest - it's a wonderful tank!!!!

And, yes get rams!!!!!!!

[kyle3]

thanks Yassmeena, and the specs are in the third-ish post
cheers-K

[kyle3]

by the way I agree about the driftwood- it's so straight it seems stiff and rigid. The thing is it's screwed onto one of those slate bases and it would disturb 1/2 the tank if i were to replace it with something more elegant. That's why I'd like to disguise it a bit by growing a plant on it.

[kyle3]

mmmmk so I've been doing a bit of reading and it seems that seachem is not the least expensive sort of ferts to use- but their "diluted" or less concentrated nature might be a good thing since my tank is not large. plus i'm messing with my established balance if i change it up. . .soooo should i hunt down some dry ferts in the twin cities (Minneapolis/St.Paul, MN) or should i leave good enough alone?

thanks for the input!
cheers-K

[kyle3]

tank update: today i lost one of my rummys- I'm quite sad about it b/c he was quite the character. he had scoliosis so he bobbed and twirled around the tank all the time. I imagine his death is related to his condition. I'll miss him, he was my favorite.