mudboots

...and the List:

Critters so far are Endler's, some natural-form Neocardina (spelling?) and Malaysian trumpet snails.
Still waiting to add my final specimens until the tank has settled in a bit.

Plants - 23 species to see what works:
Staurogyne sp.
Blyxia japonica
Sagittaria subulata
Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo'
Fissidens fontanus (tied to screen)
Anubias 'nana' 'petite'
Anubias barteri var. coffeifolia
Bucephalandra (var.1)
Bucephalandra (var.2)
Bolbitis heudelotii
Crypt. wendtii (a few varieties)
Crypt. pontederilifolia
Crpt. crispatula var. balansae
Bacopa sp
Ludwigia arcuta
Ludwigia (was once called glandulosa...not sure on exact epithet)
Proserpinaca palustris
Limnophila aromatica
Unknown large aquatic (maybe a Largenendra?)
Hygrophila corymbosa var. angustifolia
Hygrophila polysperma var. sunset
Lobelia cardinalis
Nymphaea lotus micranthra 'Gefleckt'

(edited because I can't spell LOL!!!)

Michael

This will be fun to watch!

mudboots

While the water slowly clears, I snapped a pic of one of the Anubias sets, and got a couple of Endlers in the pic

Weaveman

I'm a sucker for endlers! Nice, clean plantings, too. Did you order the fish?

mudboots

Thanks. I can't wait till they fill in some and I can so my first scaping-trim...it'll be a while.
I have not ordered fish yet. I am waiting a couple weeks to see if I can find Apisto. eunotus (water parameters et cetera). I am certain the A.elizabethae will be fine in here, but not "peak"...plus so far I simply can't find them for the life of me...so be it. If I am not successful in locating them for a reasonable price I'll probably go with A.caucatoides, as they seem to be reasonably available AND reasonably priced.

Unless you happen to know someone with some A.caucatoides or similar (and/or some Otocinclus) that are already ready and available for sale?

davemonkey

Looking good, bro! What was the fish species you had back in...[Nacogdoches??...when did you have that 125 so many years ago?]? Something that ended in "macmasteri"? Those were a fairly good species for that size planted tank, good color, and seemed to get along well with angels and such.

mudboots

Hey Dave! Not sure if this is posting a reply or not (first time trying to use a phone for this) but those were also Apistogramma, and I got them from Niko when he was selling fish. They were AWESOME, but really like acidic water I had back then. They could do “okay” in what I have now but I am going to try to get fish that really like these parameters. I put a bid at AquaBid last night on a set of 9 juvenile A.cacatuoides so I’ll know if I end up with them by tonight.

mudboots

As an update I did NOT win my AquaBid, but that's okay. I am glad my little quarantine tank will have more time to cycle, plus I contacted a nearby LFS that happens to carry everything I need. So I'll be calling them early next week to place my order. In the meantime, Pio (Melinda's blue-butterfly betta) was introduced into the tank to hang out with the endlers and the shrimp. I'll have a Pio-pic soon-ish...

The aquarium is still cycling and has NOT fully cleared (dang) but I've not lost a single critter, and the water-test strips keep saying all is well...so maybe I'll just have a cloudy aquarium. We'll see...once I get my new R&J stand delivered (already ordered...couple more weeks for the build maybe) I'll be setting up a sump so I'll be able to customize my filter media a little more.

Some of the plants are not really happy, while others are doing GREAT!


Lobelia cardinalis


Proserpinaca palustris

mistergreen

looking good. Any CO2? Might help with the plants that aren't doing well.

mudboots

I hadn't planned on adding any CO2, which is why it was nice to be able to start with so many species all at once...see what will work with this lighting and the modest amounts of dosing I'm willing to keep up with. With my travel schedule I need inhabitants and a setup that are not quite "El Natural" but at least on the lower end of the tech-spectrum. My older kids are always willing to help with things, but I wouldn't want them responsible for monitoring CO2 levels, pH fluctuations, algal blooms et cetera while I'm out.