125G Rescape - Page 11 - Large Aquariums and Ponds

Tex Gal · 03-20-2008, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cs_gardener

I plan on keeping the lotus short like you have it - it's so pretty as it is I can't quite believe you're giving it up. Anyway, I have Nuphar japonica toward the back of my tank and the lotus will be in front of it. I'm hoping that will be a nice contrast and they can have root wars to their hearts' content. I'm figuring I'll never be taking them out until I tear down the tank since I have a soil underlayer in there and it would be a bit of a mess.

Once your Bolbitis gets going you're going to have it coming out of your ears. Mine likes to put out fronds that are 12+ inches long and while they're attractive, they take up a good bit of space. I'm lucky I live near Robert of Aqua Botanic and can give him my excess. That's one plant I can't bring myself to compost.

Man.... I can't even put compost and bolbitus together in the same sentence (Oops, I guess I just did

) I still have my original rhizomes in there tied on to my wood but hardly any growth. I will be grateful to have the problem of overgrowth. This has been one plant that has give me fits.

Only one is more difficult for me and that is downoi. I thought my downoi was taking off in my shrimp tank only to see it barely hanging on. I'm beginning to wonder is someone is eating it. That seems so silly since I just have pygmy rasboras and RCS in that tank - along with 2 pygmy corys. It sure does look like it though. I just bought some for my 125g and hope it will acclimate and take off. It is so slow to acclimate. I really want that plant. I will keep struggling.

I have another 2 other lotus plants in the tank. One is red and one is green with red spots. They are such big leafed plants I feel like that is plenty. I do have a couple bulbs in there also that haven't leafed out. I'll end up selling them when they finally put out a plant.

Don't you just love talking fish tanks!

cs_gardener · 03-21-2008, 08:21 AM

I do love talking fish tanks! That's why I'm here so much.

I hope you have better luck with the downoi than I did. I only tried it once and after a fairly long period of nothing happening, it rallied briefly and I saw some new growth before it melted. This was some time ago, well over a year, but as I recall there was actually a whole tank problem that stressed all my plants (for one thing, my Rotala rotundifolia stunted and then melted after growing like gangbusters for a long, long time). Just when I start to think I've got a handle on growing aquarium plants and have found the right balance - wham!

something happens to show me just how little I know after all. Ah well, that's what keeps it so interesting.

brewce · 03-25-2008, 05:24 AM

[quote=Tex Gal;371869]Clear Tank!!!

Time for some pxs. I'm gonna do a little fine tuning with my plants and cut down on my collectoritus. It's time for a trim.

/QUOTE]

Great looking plants! Wow, that is some serious growth. What finally cleared your water? And do you still plan to upgrade your lights? With all that plant happieness why go for more light? It might be a little overkill. But, hey what do I know...

thanks for the updates and pics

brewce

Tex Gal · 03-25-2008, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewce

Great looking plants! Wow, that is some serious growth. What finally cleared your water? And do you still plan to upgrade your lights? With all that plant happieness why go for more light? It might be a little overkill. But, hey what do I know...
thanks for the updates and pics
brewce

You are right about the growth. I've never had problems with general growth. I have a few goals for lighting that I can't seem to reach with the current lights.

1. foreground of glosso or HC
2. bushy growth for Cabombas, Rotala Magenta Narrow leaf, Rotala Macrandra etc.
3. moon light would be nice - don't have those (I have plecos and would love to watch them at night.)
4. gradual day light with midday sun burst to sunset. Current lights are 1/2 on or off or full on or off.

If I didn't really want these things I would be very happy with my current lighting. Obviously this is a "want" not a "need". I currently have Marsilea spreading rapidly as a foreground and it's very nice, just a little darker green.

I have a friend who has offered to make me a light with the bells and whistles. I'm really excited about it.

Tex Gal · 03-25-2008, 07:07 PM

SO... I got something today to help me with my fish..... Guess what it is.... Give up? Hint: I will use it when I bring fish and supplies home.

I got a new car!! It's a Dodge Nitro 2008. I'm so excited.

Here's a px. It has a chrome package. 20" wheels, V6, 4.0L engine. I love the color.

fishman9809 · 03-25-2008, 08:18 PM

Do those get bad mileage?

cs_gardener · 03-26-2008, 09:22 AM

Hey, nice vehicle! You can schlep a lot of aquarium supplies around in that. I love the color too - a summertime blue sky.

Tex Gal · 03-26-2008, 10:34 AM

Fishman, they get 17 town and 25 highway.

Catherine, thanks! It's very cool! The color is called electric blue pearl.

fishman9809 · 03-26-2008, 10:38 AM

not too bad for a awesome car!!! Most cars that look nice don't get good mileage, except the Aptera and the Tesla Roadster.

mkrupp · 03-26-2008, 10:47 AM

Hey Tex Gal,

Your tank looks amazing. I can see I'll be using it for inspiration for along tiime while I develop some plant keeping skills of my own.

Did you ever get your low pH sorted out? I have the opposite problem; pH that's at about 7.7 during the day and 7.3 at night so I guess the average would be 7.5. I'd like to get it a little lower, say 7.3 or 7.2 average. I've tried using peat put I've had to use so much that the water has gone tea color. I kind of like it but the amount of peat I need to use is silly and the affect only lasts a short time before it bounces back up. I think I'll just have to let it go back up to 7.5. Did your pH come back up?

You're thinking of getting a moonlight, well I have one on my tank and it's sure is cool. It's timed with the actual lunar cycle so it has the new moon/full moon effect. The fish seem to like it too. Several of them gather at the surface just under the light and seem to have a little moon dance there every night.

Regards,
Mitch