tetrin
Aquarium Advice FINatic
whoa...looking great...keep it up...
ummm....(scratches head)...i'm jealous....
ummm....(scratches head)...i'm jealous....
Aquascaping a 150g.
- Thread starter kaaikop
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
kaaikop
Aquarium Advice Freak
Day 24. Done some major cutting on the long stem plants, some were bending
over the top and reducing light. Nypheae coming out nicely, and an old, weakly
amazon swordplant which was rescued from my lowtech 29g is growing fast,
behind the large wood pieces. Should be visible on next update.
FINALLY, some clear water! Got my UV installed yesterday, and it's a Miracle!
had cloudy water from the beginning, and green water since about a week.
Cleared up in less than 24 hrs.
Finally getting some NO2, NO3 readings, I guess I will have a cycle afterall...
or perhaps this is due to the dying algea.
over the top and reducing light. Nypheae coming out nicely, and an old, weakly
amazon swordplant which was rescued from my lowtech 29g is growing fast,
behind the large wood pieces. Should be visible on next update.
FINALLY, some clear water! Got my UV installed yesterday, and it's a Miracle!
had cloudy water from the beginning, and green water since about a week.
Cleared up in less than 24 hrs.
Finally getting some NO2, NO3 readings, I guess I will have a cycle afterall...
or perhaps this is due to the dying algea.
Attachments
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
Dying algae is worth it, lol! You may be right, too, that the decaying algae (I never tire of saying that 
) will cause your burgeoning biofilter to take a hit.
There has been so much talk about UV's lately - I am so tempted!! (all the cool kids are doing it )
) will cause your burgeoning biofilter to take a hit. There has been so much talk about UV's lately - I am so tempted!! (all the cool kids are doing it
)
travis simonson
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would not advise running UV during a cycle, no matter how much it may clear up your water During the cycle your bio-filters have not been completely colonized by nitrifying bacteria and benefit greatly from being exposed to the free-floating bacteria in the water column. UV, however, will kill all of the free-floating nitrifying bacteria in your water column and extend the length of the cycle greatly. I guess if you're in no hurry to get your bio-filter up to maximum strength it shouldn't make any difference. I think I read this as a bit of expert advice in the DrsFosterSmith catalog. Makes sense to me.
And yes TG, all the cool kids are running UV now. My favorite thing about it (and I have lousy quarantine procedures) is that I've never had a sick fish since I started using it (almost a year now)
During the cycle your bio-filters have not been completely colonized by nitrifying bacteria and benefit greatly from being exposed to the free-floating bacteria in the water column. UV, however, will kill all of the free-floating nitrifying bacteria in your water column and extend the length of the cycle greatly. I guess if you're in no hurry to get your bio-filter up to maximum strength it shouldn't make any difference. I think I read this as a bit of expert advice in the DrsFosterSmith catalog. Makes sense to me.And yes TG, all the cool kids are running UV now. My favorite thing about it (and I have lousy quarantine procedures) is that I've never had a sick fish since I started using it (almost a year now)
Jchillin
Aquarium Advice Addict
That tank is gorgeous. I went back to the beginning of this thread once again to see how your original plan and what you've accomplished is amazing.
Good job...keep that CO2 pumping (or slowly dripping).
UV huh? hmmm...
travis simonson
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yes, that tank is really taking off It looks like your foreground is starting to spread nicely. Very nice work
It looks like your foreground is starting to spread nicely. Very nice work kaaikop
Aquarium Advice Freak
Thanks guys! I'm pretty pleased for a beginner!
Travis that makes a lot of sense, about the UV & bacteria... didn't think about it.
Well, I'll clear the water then shut it down for a while. Thanks again!
I'm pretty pleased for a beginner!Travis that makes a lot of sense, about the UV & bacteria... didn't think about it.
Well, I'll clear the water then shut it down for a while. Thanks again!
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
I think in your case with your lighting, CO2 and plant growth your cycle will be relatively "silent." I am interested to hear what differences you note when you D/C the UV for a bit.
kaaikop
Aquarium Advice Freak
Oh, and by the way...
This would not have been possible without YOU guys!
AA IS THE PLACE!!
This would not have been possible without YOU guys!
AA IS THE PLACE!!
kaaikop
Aquarium Advice Freak
Tank after 4 weeks... growing pretty fast!
The nympheae is shooting leaves to the surface, should get a flower eventually,
now my girl is getting interested
Okay, now I would like to have some suggestions...
I would like to plant another row in front of the myriophyllums and behind the
carpet plants... something that would contrast (different colour & foliage type) and
that does not grow too high... (and hopefully something that is not too hard to find)
Any ideas?
The nympheae is shooting leaves to the surface, should get a flower eventually,
now my girl is getting interested
Okay, now I would like to have some suggestions...
I would like to plant another row in front of the myriophyllums and behind the
carpet plants... something that would contrast (different colour & foliage type) and
that does not grow too high... (and hopefully something that is not too hard to find)
Any ideas?
Attachments
travis simonson
Aquarium Advice Addict
Looking good Cryptocoryne wendtii variants are great for midground and should be easy to find and raise. They don't require much light and grow fairly quickly once established. Plus they come in quite a few different varieties: 'Red', 'Green', 'Brown', and many different, harder to find variants.
Cryptocoryne wendtii variants are great for midground and should be easy to find and raise. They don't require much light and grow fairly quickly once established. Plus they come in quite a few different varieties: 'Red', 'Green', 'Brown', and many different, harder to find variants.
Jchillin
Aquarium Advice Addict
kaaikop
Aquarium Advice Freak
Thanks guys!
I kinda like those... are they okay with high light?
Well I guess I could just give it try, I did see some of those at one of the LFS.
By the way, anybody in the Montreal area in need of cuttings...
I am throwing away a whole bunch every week
I kinda like those... are they okay with high light?
Well I guess I could just give it try, I did see some of those at one of the LFS.
By the way, anybody in the Montreal area in need of cuttings...
I am throwing away a whole bunch every week
krap101
Aquarium Advice Addict
how far is montreal area
travis simonson
Aquarium Advice Addict
Cryptocoryne wendtii adjusts well to high light, which causes it to grow a little lower to the ground - though that may be just what you want
Here's a pic of a C. wendtii 'Green Gecko' variant I've got growing in my tank taken from above to give you an idea of how they spread laterally. This one is about 4-5" tall now and doesn't look like it's going to get much bigger (heightwise anyway )
Here's a pic of a C. wendtii 'Green Gecko' variant I've got growing in my tank taken from above to give you an idea of how they spread laterally. This one is about 4-5" tall now and doesn't look like it's going to get much bigger (heightwise anyway
)
kaaikop
Aquarium Advice Freak
Cool! Thanks for the pic. I will try to find some! 8)
Oh Danny... Montreal is probably a good 16 hours drive (from Chicago)
Oh Danny... Montreal is probably a good 16 hours drive (from Chicago)
krap101
Aquarium Advice Addict
ah so about 17 hours and 30 mins. i can make it on foot
kaaikop
Aquarium Advice Freak
Just a quick update, the tank is now 7 weeks old, and now home to my very first
cichlids! (see below). I had to chop down the hygro. corymbosa almost to nothing
(extreme left) to give a chance to the ludwigia arcuata to get some light, they are
now coming out nicely (some cuttings have been transplanted to the right, in front
of the myriophyllum, and I added some crypts (I think crispatula...) in front of the
red myriophyllum (could not find the wendtii...) they seem to be doing okay, but
not growing very fast. Some algea, but nothing to panic about. The lilaeopsis in
the middle foreground is doing poorly... barely growing, and it gets covered with
some brownish stuff (looks like algea). I hope that the sag. subulata will take the
space over.
Now I'm pretty much at the limit as far as fish & plants are concerned...
starting to think about another tank... muah, ah, ah, here it comes: MTS
cichlids! (see below). I had to chop down the hygro. corymbosa almost to nothing
(extreme left) to give a chance to the ludwigia arcuata to get some light, they are
now coming out nicely (some cuttings have been transplanted to the right, in front
of the myriophyllum, and I added some crypts (I think crispatula...) in front of the
red myriophyllum (could not find the wendtii...) they seem to be doing okay, but
not growing very fast. Some algea, but nothing to panic about. The lilaeopsis in
the middle foreground is doing poorly... barely growing, and it gets covered with
some brownish stuff (looks like algea). I hope that the sag. subulata will take the
space over.
Now I'm pretty much at the limit as far as fish & plants are concerned...
starting to think about another tank... muah, ah, ah, here it comes: MTS
