[lauraleellbp]

Yup. :icon_conf

New snag- the tubing for the intake on my Rena XP2 is too short! aaaaaa Guess I'll be on the hunt now for a new intake tube...

EDIT- problem solved- a genius friend of mine who possesses the elusive gift of common sense suggested I put the filter on top of something! So it's sitting on top of a make-do wire stand till I get something more sturdy (might scour the neighborhood for a cinder block, there's got to be one somewhere around...)

 

[lauraleellbp]

Added some fish, mostly to make sure the cycle keeps going from the established media I added to the XP2 (some mulm also went under the substrate). Ammonia, nitrItes and nitrAtes all at 0ppm ATM, yesterday and again today...

Added/transferred from my other tanks:

1 clown pleco
2 cory cats
3 female cherry barbs (temporary)
1 extremely unhappy senior citizen Tiger barb (also probably temporary)
2 Amano shrimp
12 or so Red cherry shrimp
12 or so Malaysian Trumpet Snails

I'm debating adding the Clown loaches now as a trial run- see if they dig up the plants in there now, and see if they leave the shrimp alone? Since the tank isn't 'scaped yet to my satisfaction, and there's not that many shrimp in there yet, I'm thinking now may be as good a time as any for the test run? I'm sure it would make the poor Tiger barb happy to see his old buds... (he's busy playing "I can't see you so you can't see me" in the Cabomba ATM)

The Amanos, on the other hand, are cracking me up- they've thoroughly investigated every inch of their new home, and now they're zooming back and forth across the front of the tank like crazy! LOL

 

[lescarpentier]

12 or so Malaysian Trumpet Snails

12 today,=1200 tomorrow.

 

[lauraleellbp]

LOL Yeah! I think I've got about 12000 million in my 10gal ATM. Hopefully the Clown loaches will keep them a little more under control in the 90gal, though?

Went ahead and transferred the Clowns over, VOILA! The Tiger barb is out and swimming happily about, sticking near the Clowns, though. So far the Clowns are behaving themselves. They seem to like the Cabomba, too. I kinda thought they'd stake out the driftwood?

The Amanos keep playing Chickenfish with the Cherry barbs, the Cories are infatuated with their reflections in the tank glass, and it's a good thing I don't have much real work to do today b/c I'm not going to get much of ANYTHING done besides watch my new tank! ROFL

 

[lauraleellbp]

Quick update. Everyone seems pretty happy. Active, eating well, and everyone out in the open. Ammonia and nitrItes still zero, haven't bothered checking nitrAtes yet today. I still need to get new gH and kH tests. I keep forgetting to test pH. I need to see if that peat is doing anything...

The loaches aren't digging that I've seen, but I do have about 3 plants floating ATM; probably just not planted too well and knocked loose from swimming though. Some of my plants got a little uprooted playing with the driftwood arrangement. I'm still not happy with it... I actually plan on pulling everything up and out and working on the substrates levels some, as well (don't like where it's all mounded ATM).

More plants should be in later this week; Bacopa caroliniana, Didiplis diandra, stargrass (can't spell the latin name on that one for the life of me, Heter-whatever z-whatever LOL), Echinodorus africanus, E. tenellus 'narrow', and E. angustifolius. This actually just leaves me still needing my E. 'Kleiner bar' and perhaps some other swords to complete the species. I might order some additional quantities of the plants to help fill in the scape.

I also need to decide on another filter. The XP2 is doing fine for now (and I REALLY like it!!) but I'll definitely need more filtration and flow with additional plants and fish. Keeping an eye out for a good price on a used Rena, Fluval, Eheim, or AquaClear...

Tannins are definitely still coming off the driftwood like crazy. I'll add some AC when I get the new filter to help with those. No room in the current filter since I need to keep the established media in there.

The actinic bulbs actually make the water look green with the tannins LOL. I'm also pretty sure I'm going to need to replace one of the actinics with a 6000k; I can tell a dramatic difference in the tops vs the bottoms of the Cabomba and I'm pretty sure also from the look of the E. tenellus that the bottom of the tank isn't getting enough light ATM. I'll probably order a Geisemann 6000k next week.

Found a good deal on a 20gal QT tank on CraigsList, hope to pick that up on Thursday if the guy gets back with me.

 

[A Hill]

So far so good tank wise!

I just today also took down my 55g, cleaned it all out, and set it back up just with TMS (moon sand) Its a bit cloudy but I really just dumped the water in at first since it was the finishing leg of the race:icon_neut now the water is a bit cloudy but ohh well. I'm liking the DW! Just sent him a PM for some as well.

One thing I do want to give you a heads up on is the Willow moss aka Frontinallis. (might be fontinallis, can't remember if the R is correct or not)

wait, willow moss isn't SA, is it?

Nope it isn't, It also is tough to really get going well in warm water let alone hot! I've collected some here and there just to watch it die after three months of acclimating.

That being said, if you still want some, I should be able to collect you a good sized clump. You would have to dip it, wash it, etc. but for the price If I can get a clump the size I'm thinking could be worth it.

Let me know when you get that far, since I'm also going to be getting some for my 55g soon hopefully this week I'll start looking.

I like your stock list!
-Andrew

 

[lauraleellbp]

Thanks for the offer, Andrew. I've got some Willow moss on the way from a RAOK, ATM- I'll see how it does?

The tank's just at room temp right now, too... I'll probably keep it that way for at least a while.

Mosses have always done well in my tanks? Java's a weed and a half (I keep trying to get rid of it in my 10gal without much success LOL) and flame moss is doing really well, Pellia OK, and they're also in a room temp tank... so we'll see?

If the Willow moss does well I might take you up on that offer!

What will you be stocking in your 55?

 

[sea-horsea]

wut are those grassy looking plants in the picture where you buying the plants from? wow i want one of those...

 

[lauraleellbp]

The grassy plants are Echinodorus tenellus (pygmy chain sword). I'm getting most of my plants from the S&S :thumbsup: Those E. tenellus came from Chalu here on this forum (he's on vacation ATM). Some others from another plant forum (APC), and the rest will come from AquaBotanic.com.

 

[James From Cali]

I cant keep Java Moss alive what-so-ever yet I hear claims that it grows like a weed, what gives?lol. LuaraLee, it would look great.

 

[lauraleellbp]

Java moss isn't a New World species. Willow moss is, so I'm going to give it a try. If it doesn't work I'll probably skip moss all together...

 

[James From Cali]

Cant wait to see exactly how you use the moss in this design

 

[A Hill]

Thanks for the offer, Andrew. I've got some Willow moss on the way from a RAOK, ATM- I'll see how it does?

Yeah let me know, Acclimating it to tropical temperatures is a pain but once it is acclimated its nice.

The tank's just at room temp right now, too... I'll probably keep it that way for at least a while.

Thats good to know. Remember most willow mosses are coming from cool streams:icon_cool Even cooler than your tank, so don't be surprised if It takes a while to acclimate.. but if its from another hobbyist it might not be as bad hopefully

Mosses have always done well in my tanks? Java's a weed and a half (I keep trying to get rid of it in my 10gal without much success LOL) and flame moss is doing really well, Pellia OK, and they're also in a room temp tank... so we'll see?

Yeah, same here. I actually have stopped keeping java for that reason. Remember that these mosses are all "tropical" origin most from china and Southeast Asia, verses willow which is found all over north America.

If the Willow moss does well I might take you up on that offer!

What will you be stocking in your 55?

Stocking plant wise will be all epiphytes. Mosses, Anubis, ferns, and also stems to soak up stuff. It will be all fertilized via Water collumn as thats something I've never done (shame shame on me)

For fauna I'll probably go with shrimp. I do love German blue rams though.. and sand substrate is perfect for breeding so I'll see. Shrimp will be probably snowballs or yellows. Cherries are if I'm lazy. Also some dwarf corries, ottos, and bushy nose plecos, and some clams.

I'll be starting a thread sooner or later.

so back to your tank!

-Andrew

 

[eyebeatbadgers]

As a note of my personal experience, willow moss does not attach to wood as well as other mosses, such as java and taiwan. The moss is growing and healthy, but just doesn't "stick" as well or as quickly as other mosses. It might just be me though.

 

[lauraleellbp]

Rescape with new plants

OK so a bunch of new plants came in today- so I rescaped the entire tank.

I leveled out the substrate some. I was pleasantly surprised at how little cloudiness it caused!

I rearranged the driftwood. I'm pretty happy with this arrangement, so I'll probably stick with it... at least, for a while LOL

I pulled out about 1/4 of my pygmy chain sword from my 10gal- amazing how far that stuff goes!!

New plants: Bacopa caroliniana, Echinodorus africanus, Didiplis diandria, and E. tenellus 'narrow' were added to the E. tenellus and E. angustifolius 'vesuvius' already in the tank but now moved around. I removed the Cabomba furcata; the scale of the leaves just did not go with the new 'scape.

I'm waiting on Photobucket to finish uploading ATM, so I'll post pics as soon as that's done.

 

[deleted_user_16]

wooohooo, wow, I hope that this tank will be as good as I hoped!!! (Don't worry, with you, i'm sure it will be)

 

[Ozymandias]

post pics soon lauralee.

 

[James From Cali]

*biting nails...clear coat is officially ruined.....anticipating pictures*

LOL

 

[lauraleellbp]

OK so here's some pics. Keep in mind the green tint to the water is from the actinic blue bulbs and the yellow tannins in the water from the driftwood :icon_roll

Clown loach and Tiger barb on the move (AKA my camera sucks LOL)

Crappy shot this time of one of my Cories (C. trilineatus)

Two of the 5 new Echinodorus africanus and an E. angustifolius 'vesuvius' (I have about 6-7 tiny 'vesuvius' spread around the driftwood)

The smaller Clown loach and blurry fat Tiger barb

Didiplis diandra and a female Cherry barb

My 'helper,' watching a Clown loach

New driftwood arrangement and Cherry barb blurs

Right side of the tank

Left side of the tank (with Clown loaches, Tiger barb, and 2 Cory cats)

FTS

Angle

 

[jelisoner]

photobucket must be running real slow tonight :tongue: