skewlboy

can you convince my wife to let me do the same thing?

geeks_15

This was one of the last projects in our whole house renovation, so I had built up some good will. I asked my wife about your question. She said spend the same amount of money in jewelry on your wife.

geeks_15

Here are some photos from late November. The tank has developed some thread algae and black beard algae. Growth has been pretty good though.

geeks_15

Nov. 28 2009

I took some more photos following my first big trim. I ended up replanting most of the trimmings to get a thicker look.

I also added another rock (with java moss attached) to the stack in the middle and a new piece of driftwood (with java moss) on the left. I think they add more depth to that side. I removed much of the algea by hand and have increased my CO2 to try to combat the algae.

The ludwigia glandulosa had been slowly dying, so I removed what was left of it. I replaced it with a ludwigia sp.(not sure which one it is) that I bought at an auction that has grown well and quickly. It has a pinkish orange color that is OK, but not quite the focal point of color I'm looking for.

The hygrophila corymbosa kompact has been slowly losing its leaves and now is looking pretty thin at the bases (it is worse now than in these pictures). I think it may still be adjusting to life in my tank, so I haven't given up on it yet. The people at www.sweetaquatics.com (where I get most of my plants) say that it can shock, lose many of its leaves, and come back to reform a nice bushy look.

geeks_15

Dec. 9 2009

I made another trip to www.sweetaquatics.com (I live nearby). I mostly got plants for my other tanks, but I also picked up some ludwigia natans (repens) for the 75. Algae growth has decreased, but the black beard algae is still there and growing. I bought some nerite snails which are supposed to be good algae eaters. They are still new to that tank, so we'll see. I also bought a siamese algae eater, which is currently in the QT.

TAB

fixed

bratyboy2

looks very nice but get that algae under control!!!

geeks_15

Yeah, I decreased the light. I have a 4 T5HO fixture. I have a ten hour lighting period with a one hour siesta. I have 2 bulbs on for the whole lighting period. I've backed the mid-day period (all 4 bulbs on) to 2 hours from 5 hours. I use full EI dosing based on the sticky thread in the fertilizing forum.

I'm listening if anyone has any other suggestions.

geeks_15

Here is an update. The aquarium has been running since sept 09.

I stopped doing the midday burst of 4 bulbs of T5 lighting about a month ago and now just use 2 bulbs during the whole lighting period. The BBA is much decreased and the nerite snails and/or the siamese algae eater are helping to get rid of what is left.

The ludwigia repens on the right have lost much of their red color, but they are growing well. They look short because I just trimmed and replanted them.

They hygrophila corymbosa kompact all but died. I have left the stems and roots in place. Who knows maybe they will come back.

I put some hornwort on top of my rock wall on the left, but it isn't giving the effect I want.

I got a stem of hygrophila polysperma at an auction (it came free with a pair of pelvicachromis taeniatus 'nigerian red'). I planted it in the back of the tank and it is growing quick and dense. I may put it on top of the rock wall. It is actually growing that way anyway and may plant itself there. It is one of my favorite plants.

As for the fish, I took out the harlequin rasbora school (they spawned while I was using them to cycle other tanks) and the nannacara anomala pair. I started a cardinal tetra school.

Here is a (little bit blurry) picture of my apistogramma cacatuoides male just for fun:

Jessie

VERY beautiful! The pearl gouramis really look great in this tank!