FresH2O's 20g planted rescape

[KingKoopa512]

I get my co2 refills at academy sports and outdoors

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[Fresh2o]

I get my co2 refills at academy sports and outdoors

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I get the PB tank refilled Dick's Sporting Goods for about $5. They have a plan where every 5th refill is free. I should get a backup tank since the refills a pretty cheap.

No trimming! That sounds like my kind if plant ?

Never seen it being sold round here. Would have to order online.


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It was perfect under the HOB filter. Stayed low (5-6" at the most) and, unlike the stem plants, did not get pummeled by the filter current near the surface of the tank.
I got rid of it because I was tired of pulling, separating, and replanting it (grew rapidly in my tank).



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[KingKoopa512]

I get the PB tank refilled Dick's Sporting Goods for about $5. They have a plan where every 5th refill is free. I should get a backup tank since the refills a pretty cheap.



It was perfect under the HOB filter. Stayed low (5-6" at the most) and, unlike the stem plants, did not get pummeled by the filter current near the surface of the tank.
I got rid of it because I was tired of pulling, separating, and replanting it (grew rapidly in my tank).



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Same its around 4 for my 24oz but i have 3 other 20oz that i keep as backs up 13 bucks for 4 filled

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[Fresh2o]

Just a quick update. HC Cuba settling in well:

At first several stems were pointing upwards, however, since then many stems are running parallel to the substrate and sending down roots. The leaves are slightly larger than the counterparts that have been aquatic this whole time. Will be observing if there is a change in leaf size in the new growth. Lesson learned: secure patches of DBT with fishing line, not super glue.
FTS from a one day this past week:

Down to one amano and one oto (from four and five, respectively). Bought these in early 2015. Might be time to get more fish in general.


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[Brookster123]

You've been saying "it's time to get more fish" since 2014. Those lemon tetras still kickin??

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[Fresh2o]

You've been saying "it's time to get more fish" since 2014. Those lemon tetras still kickin??

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Not going to argue that one. I just don't pull the trigger often. I could get more CPDs and ember tetras to beef up the numbers. Or go with rasboras (pork chop, micro, harlequin). Also toying with kuhli loaches. Definitely plenty of cover for them frolic in.
I still have ONE golden tetra left. Got it back in 2007. It was probably a year old when I picked up so it is at least 10 years old now.
I was looking through my shrimp thread and found an old pic of my planted tank from almost 2 years ago:

I could not get that Rotala wallichii (pinkish plant in middle) to grow.


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[Autumnsky]

Yup, still beautiful. Heck, I was looking at your thread (very long thread) and it has been a great tank since the beginning, you have been better and better over the years!!! But great tank, nice scaping and nice color and texture choices as well. A very good job.

I am really loving my Cobra Guppy males... You can't see it in the pics but there is a metallic stripe in the center and down the back (like where the skunk stripe would be) these were from a nice strain that was mixed with some other Guppies so the whole batch are going to be mutts, but these males look nice anyhow. They have such beautiful patterns, very interesting looking. Maybe you would find some type you would enjoy.

(I have ~10 momma fish ready and nearing ready to drop.) I imagine since they hold their fertilization for so long, I could still get some quality offspring come from them. The original ones came from one of our CAS auctions. Just PM me if you are interested. The majority of what survives will go to the big fall auction in October. I will probably keep 2-3 nice females (separately from the males).

You have lots of choices of fish in general though. It is truly amazing the jump in available "nano" fish in the last 4 years.

Others I am liking are the Microdevario Kubotai - lively and bright and always have enjoyed the Boraras Brigittae. Finally have a school of a dozen now and they really stick together better having more of them.

It is funny that the all so similar looking as babies, WCMM (I got them as tiny babies) are growing up in the tank with the Chilis and school together with them, at least for now.

Striped Kuhlis are awesome, but I suspect from a prior situation in my tank, eat the shrimplets if you have RCS you want to raise in there.

There is my offering for food for thought or ...fish for tank

Happy planning.

 

[Fresh2o]

Thanks for the compliments and the nano fish suggestions. Little hesitant in ordering online while it's still toasty outside. I went to the LFS but they had nothing I was interested in (then again, it was Sunday and they get their shipments on Tuesday). Might check back later. My local fish club is another resource with breeders (blue eyes, pork chops, others)...I should check there as well.
Update on the DBT growing in the terrariums: after removing a portion for the tank, I dropped several drops of PPS-Pro ferts (both macro and micro) on the DBT just to see if it would have any effect. It did. This morning I saw several areas of melting. The other terrarium was fine (thank goodness for the control group). I misted it heavily hoping to diluted the fertilizers.

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[Bert2oo1]

Hey fresh I think I read somewhere here that u use pps pro method of fert dosing? I'm guessing your tank is high light? How much of each do u dose? I'm currently dosing 6ml a day of each with 3x more phosphate mixed in. Just wondering if I'm dosing enough. My tanks a 30g


30g planted, 90g Oscar tank

 

[Fresh2o]

Hey fresh I think I read somewhere here that u use pps pro method of fert dosing? I'm guessing your tank is high light? How much of each do u dose? I'm currently dosing 6ml a day of each with 3x more phosphate mixed in. Just wondering if I'm dosing enough. My tanks a 30g


30g planted, 90g Oscar tank

Yes, I use PPS-Pro. Since January 2014. I'm dosing the standard amount (2 mL in 20g) which is half of what you are using. 3x on the phosphate as well. Unless you are seeing a deficiency (at that rate you should not) you may want to consider cutting back.
I have medium light. The planted+ (65 PAR @12") runs from 3-8 pm and the FugeRay (45 PAR @12") runs from 7-11:30 pm. For an hour (7-8 pm) it's high light.
Edit: nitrates are in a separate dosing container. I rarely add them.

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[Bert2oo1]

Yes, I use PPS-Pro. Since January 2014. I'm dosing the standard amount (2 mL in 20g) which is half of what you are using. 3x on the phosphate as well. Unless you are seeing a deficiency (at that rate you should not) you may want to consider cutting back.
I have medium light. The planted+ (65 PAR @12") runs from 3-8 pm and the FugeRay (45 PAR @12") runs from 7-11:30 pm. For an hour (7-8 pm) it's high light.
Edit: nitrates are in a separate dosing container. I rarely add them.

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Oh ok I'm not sure what my pars at I can only guess really but my lights are ment to be 120 par at substrate at full strength. I run it at 20% ramping up to 80% over 2 hours then 80% for 4 hours then back down to 1% over 2 hours and stays at 1% for an hour just for viewing till I go to bed. so I'm guess my par would be a max of about 90-100 for 4 hours. Co2 would be around 20-30 ppm but it's hard to say with DIY. Pressure system is coming this week so I'll be running at least 30ppm. So u recon I should knock the ferts back abit?


30g planted, 90g Oscar tank

 

[Fresh2o]

The ramping feature with your fixture is pretty cool.
At this point you are not too far off from EI dosing. I like PPS-Pro because it's a leaner version of EI. Not as wasteful IMO. I guess the key regardless of the method you use is finding the right balance with your setup.


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[Bert2oo1]

The ramping feature with your fixture is pretty cool.
At this point you are not too far off from EI dosing. I like PPS-Pro because it's a leaner version of EI. Not as wasteful IMO. I guess the key regardless of the method you use is finding the right balance with your setup.


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The ramp feature is pretty cool I must say. It's an auto controller and can run up to 6 led tube lights I only have 2 tubes tho

Yea I was looking into EI but I really like the dosing everyday and the bottles u make last forever so u don't have to mix them up all the time. I'm abit torn to be honest.

I can't see any deficiencies in my plants and have good growth but my BBA keeps coming back and I've always had a hair algae issue. GSA was a problem till I tripled the phosphates. I think most of my problems are stemming from inconsistent co2.


30g planted, 90g Oscar tank

 

[Fresh2o]

It's been a few weeks since I have posted any pics. Tank is the same. Did some trimming and replanting recently.
The HC Cuba carpet is filling in nicely. Gaps in between the plantings are less apparent. It is lumpy for sure. It is starting to extend into the AR mini. Need to figure out where I want to go with this.

Here is a side view of the tank. I cleaned the GSA off the side (usually it is green):

For reference: I used the huge thumbnails using the Imgur full browser for these pics

 

[Fishperson]

The Cuba looks niiiiice

 

[Fresh2o]

Quick update: So I figured out why the HC Cuba carpet is lumpy. I am supposed to trim it. I guess I did not read the fine print. Anyhow, I broke out the shears and hacked away. I did not give it a crew cut but managed to smooth it out a bit.

The creeping growth at the edge of the carpet is encouraging. Internodal distance appears to be fine (leaves not spaced too far apart along the stems). One thing I did wrong initially was planting the HC Cuba too densely. This led to the "lumpiness". They should be planted in very small groups. But it usually leads to them getting uprooted by the snails or shrimp.
I used a net to skim off the trimmings and dumped them back into the terrarium (the one I poisoned with PPS-Pro drippings). Now THAT is filled up.

Sorry for the upside down pic.
I think I have enough to cover the entire tank. But that is not in the plan as I enjoy the staur repens and downoi as well.

 

[Autumnsky]

Loving the fine print! Oh and the tank looks great!

 

[Delapool]

Tank looks great. Does the AR mini always do well? Couldn't remember if this was one you mentioned keeping short to keep algae off leaves.

 

[Fresh2o]

Tank looks great. Does the AR mini always do well? Couldn't remember if this was one you mentioned keeping short to keep algae off leaves.

The AR mini can go through spells of BBA but it has been doing well as of late. I do keep it short or at least try to partly because of its proximity in the scape (fore/mid ground) and the lower leaves sometimes turn pale or green and are prone to BBA.

 

[Fresh2o]

Time to trim again. It is a recurring theme.

I am a few days late with the water change. I did apply some H2O2 to the BBA on the driftwood. A day later there is not much of it turning red. A side effect was the bleaching of a few small clumps of algae (cladophoria?). That stuff looked like moss ball algae but messier.
I bleached the CO2 diffuser (Fluval). Not sure what difference it made. I have been eyeing one of the smaller GLA ceramic diffusers. Perhaps its time for an upgrade.