VinsonMassif Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 So here are my tanks newly set up. My 80g has the fish in it. My 60g is plants only. I got so sick of all the strands of moss EVERYWHERE. In the roots, the stems, the heaters, the cracks in the logs - everywhere. I must have thrown a bucket load out. With what was left I made a Moss Monster with the flat schist. I also discovered a little rhizome piece of Lotus with two tiny sprouting leaves. I hope it takes off, I had thought I had lost all of the 3 I brought down with me. Also I only added 3-4 cm of sand substrate instead of 4-5 inches. So much more swimming space. The cold water out of the bore has detectable copper ~ 0.25ppm, and the hot water has <2ppm. So the story that all of the pipes had been replaced was clearly bollocks. I am just using cold water from the tap for water changes. The fish are all alright with this. During the day my Sids are king of the tank. The alpha Sid takes on the Redline barbs. He swims onto one of the pectoral fins and harasses the fish for a few seconds. So funny. During the night the Barbs are king of the tank. It is awesome watching them under the moonlights with all their fins extended, on the prowl like a shark. As for the charcoal background on the 60g, the jury is still out. It is better than no background. I made it myself. Took about 10 minutes. I got a 10mm sheet of polystyrene, cut it to size, scratched the sheet with a half burned stick from the fire place, rubbed it with charcoal pieces, dusted it with ash, blew off the excess ash and stuck it to the back with some sticky tape. The ash doesn't stick to the poly, that is why I scratched it, so the ash stayed in the gaps. The 60g is going to be a 'species' tank with only one type of swimming fish. I have been tending towards a school of Serpae Tetra's, although Black skirts would go better with the background maybe. I don't want any cichlids, or anything requiring a strong current. I also don't want anything >2" TL. I would like a bottom dweller group too. Maybe pygmy cory's, no other cory's as I am not in love with the body form. I love my Khuli's so much, and would get some more of them if they didn't spend all their time hiding. Sid's are a remote possibility, but they swim too much for what I want from the tank community. I can't keep algae eater's alive so they are out too. Suggestions for bottom dwellers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 They look really fantastic... 8) I reckon little Ottos would look awesome in one of your planted tanks 8) Not really bottom dwellers, pretty much overall dwellers... :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitzy Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 Looks great, Plants look so heathly I wish mine would look that good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinsonMassif Posted May 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 Well they are a bit tattered from the move and a week without lights, ferts or a heater. But they are bouncing back well. Really it isn't that hard to get your plants growing well. 1.5-2 watts per gallon, Excel, and some plant supplements. Most people over feed so there is enough Nitrates in the water for the plants to utilize. Find plants that are not delicate or demanding and everything should fill up real quick as long as you don't have fish that are shredders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxglove Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 The tanks look great! I love the moss monsters. :lol: What are sids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 What is the substrate?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinsonMassif Posted May 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 What is the substrate?? David it is sand from the beach. It is powder fine. Half black sand and white. It is so nice, no coarseness at all. The loaches love it too. I would say that the average grain size is <0.2mm. So real small. It took twice as long to wash though. So much of that protein scum in it. Maybe if I had got wet sand from the wave line it would have been cleaner. But after I had washed the sand there was just a hint of cloudiness, and one water change cleared it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simian Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 get a school of pygmy chain loaches they are so cool in a big pack of about 9 or 10 they remind me of little fox terriers or ferrets. chuck in a couple of striata loaches and you will never have to worry about snails ever again. HFF Mt Roskil has a special on Dwarf Chains atm, about 1/2 the price we pay down here in Hamilton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinsonMassif Posted May 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 Yeah I have a school of dwarf chain loaches = Sids. So much fun to watch. Mine cleaned me out of snails completely. I will have to wait until I go to Chch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinsonMassif Posted May 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Awesome as! They look so cool! Thanks. They are getting there. In another month they should be looking good. How are the famous Angels doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Looks good, just watch the pH as beach sand often has a lot of crushed shell in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinsonMassif Posted May 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Looks good, just watch the pH as beach sand often has a lot of crushed shell in it. It's west coast beach sand, no shells to speak of, just lost of stones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cichlid7 Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 looks great You might want to change your location though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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