Delapool's 150 gallon tank

[TMaier]

Oh plants in the bin...that's a heart breaker. Glad you held onto a few. Great swap value especially if you mount them on some wood. I'm biased and love my Khuli's. I had one jump out of a bucket once but never had one leap the tank.

 

[Delapool]

I think I'm going to swap over - yours look superb and I'm fed up seeing dried out fish.

Plants are getting to be bit of a jungle. I think I'm going to have to do a more serious pruning session. Lol, pretty tempted to rescape the entire tank.

 

[TMaier]

Honestly I cannot believe you are on this forum and don't have MTS that are just waiting for those plant trimmings! Or friends just begging for your trimmings.

Fish jerky isn't a good find on the floor.

 

[Delapool]

I think the market is so small here (and postage so expensive plus inter-state quarantine). And cichlids are pretty big in the area.

Third blackout in three nights so haven't been up to much. The plant I glued let go so redid that with more glue and replanted the grass one. I think the flowers didn't appreciate being knocked around again but another flower is on way up so no worries.

Since the family were out I did some more pruning and decided Java Fern is really tough! I did find a missing small sword plant which is too well shaded but no where to shift it to. Opened up some Java Fern so it will get some light.

Decided I should of replanted the stem trimmings so will do that next time to tidy the tank up.

 

[Delapool]

And started looking around for large driftwood. I think this is going to be tough and I might have to see if stores know specialty suppliers.

At the moment I want to get a 4ft bowed branch which will go on back of tank and then maybe connect a stump on one side and something else on other corner. Then thinking swords in very large pots. Half inch of gravel for the look. Some plants attached to driftwood. Then buy discus. Probably a year or two away but I can start looking for the sriftwood now.

 

[TMaier]

Planning and collecting! I love it.

 

[Delapool]

Planning and collecting! I love it.

And the planning bit keeps me out of the shops too!

 

[Autumnsky]

Good for planning the Discus. My life dream tank. But I must come up with a suitable and not ugly auto change water set up.

And a good deal on a tank. I found a 175G for $400, and it says it has a not a problem chip on the upper outer seam. I emailed and haven't got a response yet to go look. But was thinking maybe a palludarium if not a stable tank as it is for Discus.

Ah Discus!

Yes, I can't believe you don't have a taker for your plant trimmings!!!

 

[Autumnsky]

Good for planning the Discus. My life dream tank. But I must come up with a suitable and not ugly auto change water set up.

And a good deal on a tank. I found a 175G for $400, and it says it has a not a problem chip on the upper outer seam. I emailed and haven't got a response yet to go look. But was thinking maybe a palludarium if not a stable tank as it is for Discus.

Ah Discus!

Yes, I can't believe you don't have a taker for your plant trimmings!!!

 

[Delapool]

Cichlid country here! Although some of the prices guppies get at auctions makes me think.

Main tank is going 1ppm phosphate and 20 (maybe 30ppm nitrate). Good news there. Looks a bit better with Java Fern pruned a bit.

Saw a young gum tree fallen over from storms today but I think too big (well actually at 20ft long it was too big to drag back). But planning to take a saw over on weekend and have another look at stump and upper branches. Also got to do some research on if gum trees can be used in tanks or not. If ok, I can put the branches in shed for a year or so.

Also tested small tank. It gets massive water changes so 0 nitrates and a tinge of phosphates not surprising.

 

[Delapool]

Java Fern shifted to in the small tank is not happy. Half the leaves (I think those getting most light) have gone to pale green to outright white. Not all of each leaf has changed colour but a fair bit. Very rapid change - probably took a day to start showing. I now have masking tape over half the white LEDs and all the blue LEDs (pfft- who needs a dimmer).

 

[TMaier]

Did it dry out between tanks?

 

[Delapool]

Not that I noticed. I think it did sit on tank for maybe 20 minutes though. From memory time out of tank was same as other plants. Didn't seem dry but pretty tough leaves.

This was pruned off display tank and then I added in to little tank.

I'll find some others to test that this weekend. Thanks!

 

[Caliban07]

Not that I noticed. I think it did sit on tank for maybe 20 minutes though. From memory time out of tank was same as other plants. Didn't seem dry but pretty tough leaves.

This was pruned off display tank and then I added in to little tank.

I'll find some others to test that this weekend. Thanks!

I do notice Java fern dries out pretty quickly. Maybe the sudden change in tank water? Light change?

 

[Delapool]

I do notice Java fern dries out pretty quickly. Maybe the sudden change in tank water? Light change?

It could be the tank water / lights combo. I assume so. DT is ferts, CO2 and moderate light (maybe even low light at substrate). Small tank is no ferts, no CO2 and I guess high light (light is much dimmer now taped off but tank is only 20cm deep and has been growing algae on bottom glass fine). Lights I run for 5.5hrs in a split period. Although could have dried out more than I thought as well.

It did look really nice have some real plants tucked in there.

 

[TMaier]

They recover quickly from my experience.

 

[Delapool]

Fingers crossed! It got suggested locally that I might of shocked it and will hopefully bounce back.

 

[flchamp89]

Well im disappointed in my ferns too. From what I researched it has the look of too much par. Hard for me to believe. I don't have much light. White yellow brown from top down. Idk I cant grow easy plants lol

 

[Delapool]

Well im disappointed in my ferns too. From what I researched it has the look of too much par. Hard for me to believe. I don't have much light. White yellow brown from top down. Idk I cant grow easy plants lol

Like a death sentence for plants isn't it when you have just bought the plants and the lfs says 'ooh, nice lot - love these, so easy to grow'.... I can practically hear the plants shrivelling up.

Ouch there. I do get some tips brown off but I think the tank depth saves them. Although they took ages to get going though.

Some of the leaves in the small tank are still white / very pale green. Kind of wondering if I did something as some of the plastic plants look very white (not green) as well. Betta still fine. That will impress the lfs - killing off plastic plants as well Will have to check them this weekend.

 

[flchamp89]

It may go to the list of things ive struggled with.
B.carolina
B.pennywort
Java fern ?