[Italionstallion888]

I'm starting a new journal to chronicle my next stage in fish keeping. Purchased a house in feb and had my daughter 5/5/15. Its been a busy year, I neglected the tanks a bit during this time. Tore down my 29g and moved all my equipment to the 55g. High light co2, soon to be replaced with a 90g. My house came with a nice back yard perk that I've been cleaning up for the last month. My old journal is linked in my signature.

My new fish den

Back yard perk

big things coming, I would subscribe

I do encourage participation, if you have questions or a comment, please feel free.

The next post will get into more detail of what went on during the last few months.

 

[Italionstallion888]

A glimpse of my morning coffee.

https://youtu.be/mjdKHugYSLA


Its up and running, I have addressed 90% of the leaks I have found. Its holding water and I think what water I do loose is from the waterfall, stream bed, and to many plants wicking water. I need to move the rocks along the stream bed and lift the liner up to keep the water in the stream. Exploring ideas to build up the ground under the liner that will hold. Getting closer. Another weekend of work.

 

[Italionstallion888]

The pond has a second waterfall, but I believe it had a leak or there is a clog causing the water to pool and overflow the liner. I just spent about an hour fixing the river rock erosion, pulled them out from the middle to build the bank back up. I have a faster moving stream. Still a few parts to pull away. I'm just looking at it as a big fish tank lol.

Not sure on the 55g. I have up to 4 canister filters to run on the 90g if it needs it. Might turn it into an outdoor grow tank under the patio. If I open the curtains I, I can see the tanks and pond together.

When I upgrade to the 90g, the bolivian rams will be split into 2 rubber maids. Temp homes until the tank cycles.

 

[Italionstallion888]

 

[Italionstallion888]

Having a daughter has been great. Love this kid. Having so much fun with her.

I have 6 very colorful bolivians in the 55g. I think they are all males though. The 10g may get a pair of breeding blue rams or a colony of shrinp. Have not decided. I'm not sure the pond will get fish this year. It wasn't very well maintained prior to our purchase. Just needs. Little tlc and thinning of plants. I have a lilac bush and my entire rear treeline is honeysuckle trees. 1 red maple, 1 silver maple, 2 elms, 2 walnuts, 1 river birch and 3 Bradford pears on the property.

 

[Italionstallion888]

Last night we got hit with a boat load of rain. Major floods in the area. Last night I learned I need to turn the pond off during flood warning. Otherwise I will be pumping hundreds of gallons of water into the basement lol. I have a drain on the patio. I stacked my bags of pool filter sand around the door and spent 2 hours pushing water into the yard with my push broom. needless to say, I'm having my gutters upgraded tueday lol.

Upgrade for today?

Bye bye 10g, hello 20g long

 

[Italionstallion888]

The pond will eventually get fish. I need to thin out the lilies in the center. I have some fear they expanded from below the pond liner. My plan is to pull the bulbs, about half and transfer them to the pond on the farm. I need to build up the river bed banks more and then address the 2nd waterfall. After all of that and I know it's all working with minimum water loss. I will drain it and clean out all of the sludge on the bottom. Fish next year for sure. My goal is to get the back yard entered into a water/garden tour here locally. I'm trading plants with my mother in law. I won't know my results for a spring season or 2. We plan on living here for 7-10 years.

 

[Italionstallion888]

V 1.0

 

[Italionstallion888]

Trickle fill. I'm super stoked for this tank. Bringing the mopani back. This tank will house a pair of apistogramma or blue rams.

Plants go in next. Still debating if I want to add natural gravel to some areas of the scape. Mainly infront of the slate stack on the right. Coming out and around from under the mopani.

 

[Italionstallion888]

Few snaps with the phone

Up and running

 

[Italionstallion888]

Day 1 of cycle

Ammonia: 8+ppm

I also decided last night the 20g will get the co2 treatment in the way of a paintball set up. I'm growing anubias, dwarf sag, and stargrass in this tank. Maybe hygro tiger or willow. Low light with a little co2 is the goal. I have a finnex sting ray that can go on the other end if I need more light.

 

[Italionstallion888]

It is high, mainly to kill whatever might be in the substrate, and filter. 3 days of keeping it at 8ppm, then 3 days at 5ppm. By day 9 I should be into nitrates.

I won't be planting any demanding plants. I moved the light to the center of the tank for more even spread.

My main use for the co2 is to fight off algae and kick root growth in on the anubias. It will be low bubble count. Probably equivalent to a diy yeast, just more consistent.

 

[Italionstallion888]

The eheim was on the 10g, it. Cycled when I moved it downstairs. Seemed like a good time to start over.

 

[Italionstallion888]

Here is my meditation corner

Cleaned up the 8.7g, its bouncing back from a cycle as well. The tanks didn't take well to the move.

20g has the ammonia "haze" I'm off to a good start. Bacteria bloom in less than 24 hours.

 

[Italionstallion888]

Its been 3 days, no water changes and as of 3pm the ammonia has dropped on its own down to 4ppm. Nitrite is showing 1ppm. On the right track. Water change later today, test and then add ammonia to raise it back to 4ppm. 2 more days and I should be into the nitrates.

 

[Italionstallion888]

Some quick progress pics of the 55g, im pretty cramped for space.

Looks like hell. I'm having to regrow out most of them. I managed to save 3-4 stems of each during the move. My plants took a beating. They are all showing new growth. Once this raok is done and I remove all the floating they should bounce back quicker. I've increased the co2 levels a bit and started dosing a bit more aggressive now that the tank has stabilized.

 

[Italionstallion888]

Thinking about the light on the 20g. It might not be enough to keep the plant nodes short. I might look into another finnex planted+ for it. I cant wait to finish this cycle and get the plants in. I've decided on apistogramma ca. Double red for the stock. 1 pair if I can find them. Maybe some shrimp if I keep the apistos fed.

Finnex planted+ on only.

I'm in kansas, the pond on the farm is pretty large, there are 2 actually. My mother in law has a much bigger green thumb than I. She said she wanted them, I need to pull them lol.

I have an ikea 1.2 miles from me. I feel ya. My next step is the diode strips from them under shelves. I will give them a test run. They may not be bright enough. If not I'm going to build a rig to hold 5-6 brooder lamps across the wall. by the bookshelf is the only socket on that side of the room. Built in 1976 baby. My only issue is wire length on the brooder lamps. I'm not sure if I could or should at that add length to them. Basically poor man's track lighting lol.
For these

I have a wall o marvel, just started my iron man wall

I build this room around my rocking chair. Its perfect. I'm going to put some shelves up and put some pothos above the tanks.

I love house plants. Here are a few at work I've had going for awhile. They love the lights we have.

My lilac bush in the back yard, its a mess. I gave it a good thinning once the blooms dropped.

My little lady

 

[Italionstallion888]

All of my house plants started as a few cuttings from places that would let me cut their plants. I traded with local hobby friends for everything else. Diy isn't about how much you spend. Its how you put it together with what you have. Which makes it more unique. I want her to have a fun, educational play area when she gets older. Fun Lil projects keep me sane right now. I get about 3 hours of sleep from her, then she's up for 2 hours, 24 hours a day right now. I just work on stuff I can start and stop on. I'm trading my mother in law the lily bulbs for house leak and habiscus bushes. I need to give the stream bed some shade. The house leak will look great in front in the red mulch area. Previous owners did dick with the landscape. We have a lot of weeds to pull. They just let stuff run wild. I have vinca EVERYWHERE

 

[Italionstallion888]

I've had Sebastian for over 2 years. My favorite fish.

 

[Italionstallion888]

Quick trip to home depot and I've got some adequate lighting.

These plants came home with the wife from work while she's on maternity leave. Once they go back I will replace them with more variety and color.

13w 6500k bulbs all around

Bouncing back after being in a low light situation for about 2 months