40 Breeder #1 - rescape journal - new pics 10/27/08

[SeaSerpant]

Love it. Can't wait to see what it looks like when it grows in.

[cah925]

I was going to wait to take some more photos, but my plants are growing like crazy. It's only been 3 weeks and I needed to trim a few plants.

• The Ludwigia sp. 'Cuba' in the back right was an inch or so from coming out of the water. I trimmed and replanted the tops behind the original plant.

• I moved the Limno Aromatica from the back right to the back left. It was being swallowed by the 'Cuba' and I wanted a sturdier stem plant in the back left.

• The Rotala sp. 'Nanjeshen' in the right middle was tall enought to trim and replant. I'm trying to get a bushy effect around the wood.

• I finally got the Pogostemon yatabeanus & Nesaea pedicellata I was looking for. I put the Nesaea in the back against the glass with the Pogostemon directly in front of it. Then I planted some HM in front of that for a small leaved bushy effect to hide the bottom of the stems.

• The Hygro sp. 'Porto Vehlo' is beginning to take off. It shouldn't be too long before the foreground is filled in.

FTS


Left and Right close up


Hygro beginning to grow


new growth from Rotala macrandra 'Red' - you can see the older green stem next to it

[CL]

Those plants are growing great

[cah925]

I haven't had any green water problems :knock on wood:, but I have had some pretty nasty BBA. I gave the tank a big overdose of Excel and it looks like it worked. The algae has turned a reddish/gray color today. Hopefully the otos will eat it otherwise I'll need to go back in and trim off the affected leaves. It seems to have only affected the Blyxa, so trimming shouldn't be a problem.

[bsmith]

Tank looks nice. What kind of light are you running?

[queensalmon]

This is looking great! Isn't the 40 gal breeder a great space to work in? Gives a little depth to work with. Really like how you changed the driftwood - made all the difference!

Queensalmon

[cah925]

Originally Posted by bsmith782

Tank looks nice. What kind of light are you running?

I have Coralife 4X55W in the back (with only one set running, I blast the other set once in a while if I'm home during the day). I have two 40B's side by side so the second bulb is 50/50 over this tank and the other one. I also have one AH supply 55W kit over the front. I estimate 3.4 wpg.

Originally Posted by queensalmon

This is looking great! Isn't the 40 gal breeder a great space to work in? Gives a little depth to work with. Really like how you changed the driftwood - made all the difference!

Queensalmon

Yes, I love the 40B's. They are by far my favorite tank to play with. Thanks for the driftwood comments. I bump the wood on the left just about everytime I put my hand in the tank. The wood ends up at a slightly different angle every time. There isn't much holding it down at the base and it tends to be very heavy at the ends, causing it to unbalance with the slightest touch. I like where it's at now and do my best not to bump into it, but it's right in the middle of the tank.

[kotoeloncat]

a good BBA is a dead and pinkish red ones


yup, when it turn red like that its dead. keep pictures coming, seems like an interesting thread

[Complexity]

I really like the design. I agree that the driftwood placement is wonderful. I like how the two sides balance and play with each other while keeping a natural asymmetric look. I can envision a trail of some sort starting on the front left side and traveling between the wood towards the back right side. The placement of the wood just gives me that feel. Nice flow!

Keep a close eye on that BBA. I "killed" mine several times only for it to come back again. And this was after it survived its initial 2+ minute soak in a 1:20 bleach solution. That was supposed to have killed it, but it didn't. The darn stuff started growing again and then spread into my tank. After numerous treatments of H2O2 and overdosed Excel (directly on the BBA while filters were off); plus, 10 new, hungry SAEs, I'm just now beginning to win the battle against it. I have the CO2 cranked up as far as I can without killing the fish, and that seems to be the final solution to killing it.

[cah925]

My original plan was to put in a path as you suggested. I wanted the path to start out wide in the front and lead toward the back with a sort of "S" curve gradually getting narrow until it disappears behind the wood/plants, to give the impression that the tank is actually larger than it is. I couldn't figure out what kind of plants to use to help with the illusion either. Eventually I will get my plant list together and make an attempt, but for now I am satisfied with how this tank is progressing.

[Complexity]

What you just described is exactly what I was thinking! You definitely have a good start with the positioning of the driftwood and all.

I can't wait to see how you do it. It's going to look great!

[workn4frags]

Very nice, this is the next size I am setting up.

[Jeremy VanderKelen]

40g breeders are should be renamed 40g 'planters' because they always turn out slick when planted. This is another success story. I like the way the driftwood comes out of the plants on the right side. Excellent work and keep up the trimming and propagating.

[cah925]

Yeah, I'm real happy with the way the right side is coming together. The left should (hopefully) look just as good, I just have slower growing plants on that side (Hygro 'Low Grow' & Crypt wendtii 'Green Gecko'). I have faith that as these grow to their potential, I will have spent a good amount of time trimming and forming the other plants to acheive the look I'm going for.

[cah925]

Here's another fun pic from the left side.