antwan

My flatmate bought a big 8 foot diameter blow up pool thing, and while she's away for christmas I've taken over. I've dumped in tonnes of driftwood to make sure it stays waterlogged and I'm getting a good net-full of larvae every day. It's awesome.

When I had geo's they were very good at burying the leaves, which would then rot, just like David said. I used whole leaves.

Yep the whole leaves, looks really good.

When you poke them do they wiggle and move downwards? Sounds like it could be mosquito larvae.

Nice dimensions on that big tank, you will be able to create something very cool. I've used oak leaves (dead) with great success, they look really nice and give off tannins for the stained water effect.

No, 2 halides will be more than enough light for this tank. I don't think you quite realise the amazing power of halides Joe, they are brilliant!

That's what I was thinking, you need something you're really passionate about, like.... Crypt :lol:

not sure but I like it!

absolutely

Mine looks more like yours Jen, I'd say ours are the same if we both got it from Neon.

Yea think it is, cheers. Not quite as bushy yet though.

Ended up buying the cheapest warehouse digital timer and it's working great fourth times a charm?

I put the diffuser inside a little internal filter, now the bubbles are much smaller and staying in the water a lot longer, that's in the middle at the rear. I'll up the speed too. Photoperiod is 11 hours at the mo perhaps I should tone it down a notch. Got any sponges you'd like to bring over tomorrow Jen? 8)

Smells like fish water There is a faint smell but nothing impressive.

Navarre took them

Thanks Adrienne, Joe, not sure, I probably should have got all the names off Neon, maybe ill give her a pm.

Yep they're a ton cheaper than buying the 'proper' fish halides. CO2 is at ~1 bubble per second, but I also think it needs more as I haven't seen any pearling yet. Might have to steal the girlfriends diffuser and chuck it on the other side 8) someone's gotta be the guinea pig good idea about putting the ballasts under the tank, didn't think of that

so it does :lol: but one has been running on 2-3m for 3ish years and no problems so meh. I don't know where I'd stick the ballasts (other than on top of the tank :-? ) if the cords were to be shorter than 1m. I just went to bunnings and that looked to be the cheapest way to mount them, I was quite pleased with how easy it was too. Nymox, no brand on it, Kiwiplymouth hooked me up with a 5kg bottle then I bought a regulator with solenoid for about $100 off ebay (including shipping) and already had the diffuser. Might get another diffuser for the other side but don't know if it's needed or not? I'm still pretty new to this 'high tech' thing..

No idea what the plant is sorry, Neon gave me a bunch of clippings from her tank and that was in it, I've never seen it before but I like it. I have a book and it looks a lot like Ludwigia inclinata 'Green'. http://www.floridaaquatic.com/aquarium_ ... green.html Yea I went out and bought some new sand, and I guess I bought a bit much, but chucked it in anyway. There's 12 panda cories in there so I may have a go at breeding them at some stage and increase the numbers. Bichirs would be cool, but too big Those halides are shop fittings, I got the first one about 5-6 years ago from my work for about $70 and the second from ryan for $40. Bulbs are about $15ea (6700k) from www.fish-street.com . So basically, they work out cheaper than getting a whole set of t5's, are much brighter, and I share the power bill between 5 other people so it's all good Only downside is they don't look as good, but I don't really care, it's what's 30cm below that counts

It would be cool, but then the halide has to be higher and the sword blocks out half the tanks light.

After my trip up north and seeing all the amazing planted tanks of fellow fnzas members Adrienne and Neon I decided to convert the geo tank and make it into a planted tank. Got another halide over it (thanks ryanjury), pressurised CO2, and dumped a load more sand and aquatic mix in. Took a trip to the west coast and came back with a boot load of wood to choose from too . So, here's the layout, hopefully with all the CO2, ferts, light etc it will do really well. and the biggest of the discus There's some dwarf hairgrass on trademe but I think that may ruin it...not sure. In a few of the gaps there are plants that will grow larger, but I'd like to include the standard amazon sword into it somewhere, maybe on the very left midgrounds.

err

Also, platies are prolific breeders, so if you get a male and female, or even without males (females store sperm), you will have them coming out of your ears in a few months.

looks old and wise too