Cynth's 40 gallon - photo heavy warning

5115 Views 24 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Cynth, Apr 10, 2011

Cynth

Discussion Starter · Oct 31, 2010

6

This year I decided to try some stem plants again. I am on what appears to be a 4 year cycle of going from stem plants to low light slow growers. This year I bought pressurized CO2 so maybe I wont get tired of the stem plants this time

40 gallon breeder
T5 AquaticLife light fixture
Pressurized CO2 (as of last weekend)
Two Fluval 204's
Seachem ferts
20 albino cory catfish
1 bronze cory
1 phantom tetra
2 cardinal tetra
2 porthole catfish
Lots of cherry shrimp

The progression of my tank from June 2010 to Oct 31, 2010

June all low light plants, easy peasy care.

July 2010 I decided to start some stem plants in a 20 gallon long.
The 20 gallon has an AquaticLife T5 fixture and DIY CO2

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Cynth

Discussion Starter · #2 · Oct 31, 2010

10

August/Sept 2010

August/Sept 2010 I start moving new plant starts to the 40 gallon.
Starting DIY CO2 on the 40 gallon reminds me of why I eventually stop doing stem plants. I really hate DIY CO2. My seals always leak and it seems like I am having to mess with it constantly.

Most of them are growing well and I have to remove the wood and rocks to make room for plants. Sept 29

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Cynth

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 31, 2010

15

Oct 2010

Oct 9
Jungle achieved. But that wasn't really what I want.

Oct 30/31 2010

My approach needs to be modified.
I removed all the stem plants and took out all the Rotala, it just grows too fast and I want room for other plants. I cut everything pretty much in half and replanted.

I am still adjusting the pressurized CO2. I have an air stone on a timer that turns on for an hour in the middle of the day to degas the tank. I don't want to kill everyone while I am at work. I have killed before with DIY CO2 the pressurized could make me serial.

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Cynth

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 31, 2010

I forgot to list the plant names. These are the names I bought them under, and some of the plants in the photos are so far unidentified by me. If you see something in a photo that I left out or a plant on my list that isn't in the pictures (lol) please let me know.

In no particular order:

Myriophyllum Mattogrossense
Variegated Hygro Difformis
Fissidens fontanus
Limnophila aromatica
Lindernia rotundifolia varigated
Ludwigia Cuba
Pogestemon erectum
Polygonum sp. 'Kawagoeanum'
Proserpinaca palustris aka Mermaid Weed
Hygrophila polysperma
Ludwigia Repens
Ludwigia Arcuata
Subwassertang
Cryptocoryne Spiralis
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Narrow leaf java fern
Trident java fern
Mayaca fluviatilis

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Nue

· #5 · Oct 31, 2010

Gorgeous! I highly recommend adding at least 4 more cardinals.

problemman

· #6 · Oct 31, 2010

Very nice.do you dose?

Cynth

Discussion Starter · #7 · Oct 31, 2010

Nue said:
Gorgeous! I highly recommend adding at least 4 more cardinals.

Thanks!

The two that are left are from a group I purchased in 2005, one of them is on its last fins.

After I get my CO2 so I feel comfortable with it I want to restock with some sort of "pretty" fish. I have a soft spot for cardinals and rummy nose so they are high in the running.

I've been trying to sell my group of catfish locally with no luck so far. They spawn and spawn and spawn.....

Cynth

Discussion Starter · #8 · Oct 31, 2010

problemman said:
Very nice.do you dose?

Yes, I have been pretty much following the Seachem dosing chart. When I run out of these I want to give Pferz a try, they look much easier

snausage

· #9 · Nov 1, 2010

Excellent job! The tanks go great with those leopard print curtains :hihi:!

Cynth

Discussion Starter · #10 · Nov 3, 2010

snausage said:
Excellent job! The tanks go great with those leopard print curtains :hihi:!

If you think those are bad, you should see the rest of the house :icon_eek:

sidefunk

· #11 · Nov 3, 2010

You have some really nice healthy looking growth. Wish I could say the same. Keep it up.

Nate McFin

· #12 · Nov 3, 2010

Great looking tank and healthy looking plants!

Cynth

Discussion Starter · #13 · Nov 3, 2010

Thanks for the kind words everyone

Klivian

· #14 · Nov 3, 2010

Beautiful tank! Must be heaven for those cherries =)

Cynth

Discussion Starter · #15 · Nov 5, 2010

15

Nov 5, 2010

Week 2 with pressurized CO2. Things appear to be growing fuller and less lanky and the colors are brighter on some plants and the little bit of BBA I had has disappeared.

Olive nerite

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Cynth

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jan 1, 2011

21

New years update.
I bought an awesome fissidens rock this week.
My furnace quit and my house was cold so the catfish are spawning all over the tank.
And just random pictures of my tank this morning.

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Wingsdlc

· #17 · Jan 1, 2011

Nice work on the cory cat spawn. I think I am going to try my hand at a big school of them in my new 75G. Not sure what type I want yet. I guess yours liked the cooler water. Hope you get some fry!

Cynth

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jan 1, 2011

Wingsdlc said:
Nice work on the cory cat spawn. I think I am going to try my hand at a big school of them in my new 75G. Not sure what type I want yet. I guess yours liked the cooler water. Hope you get some fry!

It's really not hard to get them to spawn, mine spawn pretty much every week. It used to be like AWESOME catfish eggs! But after a few months it got a bit overwhelming to save eggs and babies so for now I am just leaving them in the tank. I have a pair of porthole cats in the tank and they clean up most of the eggs before they hatch. I did see a baby catfish in there yesterday that looks big enough to make it past the portholes now.

Good luck with your catfish adventure

Cynth

Discussion Starter · #19 · Apr 9, 2011

Assassin snail eating cory catfish eggs in my tank this morning. I've seen them doing this before but had dead batteries in my camera.

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JamesHockey

· #20 · Apr 9, 2011

you gonna save the eggs?

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