Dr A Posted November 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 So after problems with my fighter, I wanted to strip the tank down, esp after the fin-rot returned. I completely stripped and washed everything, in the last few days brown algae went wild, possibly due to the lank of water movement. I took the opportunity to add dirt into the mix, I had some Daltons Aquatic mix left-over after potting up a water lily for my pot yesterday. As with everything there's so much conflicting information out there, re: enriched / fertilized soil or not. Anyway replanted my sword and the weedy thing at the back. I think the water-fern is too far gone but I've got a small new bud and some roots left from the crown/center of the then floating plant. Will get some more plants in there tomorrow, seems as though I need lots and lots of plants. Would be nice to go full-walsted if I can. Pics in the meantime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 looks nice who will you be putting in there now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted November 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Well, nothing in the short term. Ideally Mr tail-rot will go back in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted November 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 Went slightly mental and brought heaps of plants! Got some sort of sword things, anubias nana, and a crypt. No idea what I'm doing, fingers crossed they grow. I learned to garden on dry land by the same method... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted November 5, 2012 Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 Isn't that the Walstad method .. chuck all the plants in and see what grows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 5, 2012 Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 if it grows keep it, make sure you remove anything not growing after a few weeks to prevent it rotting. Soil naturally contains nitrifying bacteria that will process and detoxify ammonia and nitrite. It also contains denitrifying bacteria that will process and remove nitrates. ummmm... doesn't that only occur in saltwater tanks??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted November 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 Isn't that the Walstad method .. chuck all the plants in and see what grows? Dunno, it sure makes for a bit of unpredictability though. TBH One of the biggest annoyances I have with this tank are the unpublished strength of the LED lights, at least for growing plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 5, 2012 Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 it because strength depends on brand atm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted November 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Either way, I've got a devious plan going. The missus suggested keeping the fighter OUT of the tank as it had so much plant mass in there. Maybe I could get some of those dwarf puffers?! I really want to try get 2 of those Otto's too, I see that someone else on here was selling 2 out of his 12L tank (w/ puffers too). Kinda think it might be overstocked though... what else is small and inoffensive (ideally a plant/algae grazer)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 just get he puffers and a tank of snails and a laser pointer.... that shouldkeep you happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted November 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 What does the laser pointer do? ( I feel like I'm walking into something) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 http://www.ebaumsworld.com/media/embed/82317054 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted November 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 your weird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted November 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 your weird You're. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 no I meant the weird part that is part of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted November 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 Crypts dying back (to be expected), spotty dieback spreading from java fern. Sounds like might be a N/P/K deficiency. Swords doing OK (battling fine hair like alage). Flourish Excel perhaps? Anubias Nana doing OK. Need to actually start cycling the tank though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted December 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Still plugging away at this! One of my Crypts died right back and is comming up with new growth, the other identical one is doing OK. Battled algae, although I didn't have a filter in the tank for a long time. Dieback on the javafern got worse and worse although new buds. I've stripped it right back and popped it into the other tank with my fighter. Pulling out the diftwood which was the center price of the whole tank left a big hole obviously, so I re-arranged all my swords, and picked up another small compact one, plus some dwarf sags and Zelandiae grass. Out of all the plants I purchased at the beginning only my first sword is still in the tank. Also seems like other plants that were touching or close to the spotty java-fern picked up the disease, I've chopped off most of the effected growth. I've ended up purchasing some flourish excel, which I've just started dosing with. Not sure if should be doing it daily or not... we'll see. Still want some other little fishes in there (ottolinctus?) as well ideally... Not sure on the rock placement once again too. Might try propagate some java moss onto it. Pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgustipated Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 it's funny that carol hasn't come back since you guys told her how to turn off google safe search... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 If you mean me, I checked and it was turned off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted January 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 Still working hard at this. Going to go down the DIY CO2 route, if only for a laugh to see how it goes. Going to do a rescape too. Meanwhile my fighter has another outbreak of fin-rot. Not fair when you do everything correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted January 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 While I'm on the subject, does anyone know where to get small spindly bits of driftwood from, the stuff that looks more like small branches or twigs rather than shapeless off-cuts/forms? Home made? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted January 16, 2013 Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 Most beaches outside of Auckland seem to have that type of driftwood however it's a lot lighter in both colour and weight, takes forever to sink if at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgustipated Posted January 16, 2013 Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 any tips on weighing down floaty bits of driftwood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted January 16, 2013 Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 jam one end under a bit of filter perhaps? That bit of twig in my rasbora tank is barely sunk but because it touches 2 or 3 sides of the tank it seems to sit there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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