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More from DarkIceWolf
Sooo.. I've changed some things around in my aquarium.
I know this is a horrible picture, but my camera hates me right now for some reason.. Anyway, you can see what has been changed, and the plants that have been growing.
Recently added a chunk of driftwood (boiled it for about six hours before it stopped leeching tannins) and some lava rocks for future plant growing attachment area, and they look great.
20 gallon with faux stone backdrop, sand substrate, and acrylic mangrove root system. Real driftwood, live plants, and lava rock.
This tank has a CO2 system hooked up to it, as well as two 20 gallon filters and an air stone to keep oxygen levels at an even amount.
Live plants include, but are not limited to - Hygrophila difformis (wisteria), Eleocharis acicularis (dwarf hairgrass), Ludwigia Peruensis, Three unknown species of Aponogeton, and java fern.
Soon to be added will be Weeping moss, Plagiomnium affine, Cryptocoryne balansa, and Anubias barteri Petite.
Fish in the tank are endlers and guppy endler hybrids. One glofish, and one clown pleco that enjoys killing other algae eaters for the hell of it.. idkwtf. Also one ghost shrimp, because i have no idea what happened to the other five i'I've got. My pleco probably ate them for all I know because they've just vanished. o_O
Lighting - LED with double setting for daylight and 'moonlight'. The plants love it.
I know this is a horrible picture, but my camera hates me right now for some reason.. Anyway, you can see what has been changed, and the plants that have been growing.
Recently added a chunk of driftwood (boiled it for about six hours before it stopped leeching tannins) and some lava rocks for future plant growing attachment area, and they look great.
20 gallon with faux stone backdrop, sand substrate, and acrylic mangrove root system. Real driftwood, live plants, and lava rock.
This tank has a CO2 system hooked up to it, as well as two 20 gallon filters and an air stone to keep oxygen levels at an even amount.
Live plants include, but are not limited to - Hygrophila difformis (wisteria), Eleocharis acicularis (dwarf hairgrass), Ludwigia Peruensis, Three unknown species of Aponogeton, and java fern.
Soon to be added will be Weeping moss, Plagiomnium affine, Cryptocoryne balansa, and Anubias barteri Petite.
Fish in the tank are endlers and guppy endler hybrids. One glofish, and one clown pleco that enjoys killing other algae eaters for the hell of it.. idkwtf. Also one ghost shrimp, because i have no idea what happened to the other five i'I've got. My pleco probably ate them for all I know because they've just vanished. o_O
Lighting - LED with double setting for daylight and 'moonlight'. The plants love it.
Category All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 561 x 398px
File Size 457.1 kB
What are you currently doing?
I did let it go for a month to see just how well it worked in comparison to when it wasn't running, and it actually made my plants wilt and start to die off a bit, so I put it back on and had a burst of rapid growth from a lot of my plants, so it helps quite a bit to keep them healthy, green, and growing. Even plants that don't normally demand the CO2 grow a lot faster and a lot more vibrantly with it running.
I bought one of these - http://www.petmountain.com/photos/p.....0-gallons-.jpg and when the materials it came with turned out to be expired, I started using it with the normal yeast-sugar method, and it works like a charm for my tank.
It is the cheapest way to do it. If yours is a 40, double mine, then you'd probably need a bit more, but if you're just interested in trying it out to see if it works, that would probably be your best option to start out with.
If you do start using CO2, watch how long you leave the lights on, because algae will likely become an issue if you don't have a large amount of plants to counter it. A few of mine have some growing on them, which is part of the reason I'm getting more plants.
I also use - http://www.petsolutions.com/images/.....s/10105130.jpg
at a half bottle cap full every week to fertilize the water.
I did let it go for a month to see just how well it worked in comparison to when it wasn't running, and it actually made my plants wilt and start to die off a bit, so I put it back on and had a burst of rapid growth from a lot of my plants, so it helps quite a bit to keep them healthy, green, and growing. Even plants that don't normally demand the CO2 grow a lot faster and a lot more vibrantly with it running.
I bought one of these - http://www.petmountain.com/photos/p.....0-gallons-.jpg and when the materials it came with turned out to be expired, I started using it with the normal yeast-sugar method, and it works like a charm for my tank.
It is the cheapest way to do it. If yours is a 40, double mine, then you'd probably need a bit more, but if you're just interested in trying it out to see if it works, that would probably be your best option to start out with.
If you do start using CO2, watch how long you leave the lights on, because algae will likely become an issue if you don't have a large amount of plants to counter it. A few of mine have some growing on them, which is part of the reason I'm getting more plants.
I also use - http://www.petsolutions.com/images/.....s/10105130.jpg
at a half bottle cap full every week to fertilize the water.
Had to look, Lyreal is right...that is AWESOME.
by the way, I love the tank, it is gorgeous. I can't have fish tanks were we are without landlord approval first and they probably wouldn't let me have what I want...Had an 80 gallon for a while that we had koi breeding in. Was rather awesome to see the leeeetle babies darting about all over.
by the way, I love the tank, it is gorgeous. I can't have fish tanks were we are without landlord approval first and they probably wouldn't let me have what I want...Had an 80 gallon for a while that we had koi breeding in. Was rather awesome to see the leeeetle babies darting about all over.
You can have a planted tank as small as a nano aquarium. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HjdpRxY8q.....CC41B20164.JPG These in particular are absolutely fantastic. As are these - http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/36...../p1070249z.jpg
He's got faux plants in with him since the two pet stores by me don't sell live plants. However I do give him occasional pellets that contain plant matter. They like their greens, but not too often and not too much. They're definitely predominantly carnivorous.
And every now and then I catch him picking at whatever algae the otocinclus misses lol
And every now and then I catch him picking at whatever algae the otocinclus misses lol
I have really hardy plants, and really hardy plants. If you're worried, start out with guppies or endlers and water wisteria, maybe some java moss and aponogeton species. They can come in many varieties and sizes, and they're all very hardy plants. Hard to kill. I've moved mine around by uprooting them and replanting them in the sand substrate I've got. All of those seem to thrive in almost any type of water. If you're worried about that, they sell bottles of stuff that preps water for fish, super easy. Also, the best things about those particular plants I've mentioned is that they don't really need CO2 to thrive. It helps them flourish, but they don't need it. They do however like ferts like - http://www.petsolutions.com/images/.....s/10105130.jpg to help them get the minerals they need to live.
I've owned standard boring tanks so many times that i cannot express my dislike of them. I want something I can look at every day, multiple times a day, and still be fascinated with it. Plus, the work on the aquascaping and keeping of the plants is never done. You've always got something you can do to make it better. Not to mention they're always growing, so there's always something new to look at. :)
Even if you're not big on fish, you could still own a planted tank with plants only, or a couple of snails to keep the glass clean. They're fun to look at, fun to mess around in.. and well, if they die, you can always start a totally new one if ya got the spare cash for plants. -shrug- They can be as little as one gallon to as big as.. well.. I guess as big as you can afford. -shrug- I'd personally LOVE to own a 100 gallon long tank so I could fill it with plants and endlers. XD .. Sadly no room for one that large though. Maybe some day.
Even if you're not big on fish, you could still own a planted tank with plants only, or a couple of snails to keep the glass clean. They're fun to look at, fun to mess around in.. and well, if they die, you can always start a totally new one if ya got the spare cash for plants. -shrug- They can be as little as one gallon to as big as.. well.. I guess as big as you can afford. -shrug- I'd personally LOVE to own a 100 gallon long tank so I could fill it with plants and endlers. XD .. Sadly no room for one that large though. Maybe some day.
Pleco's are semi aggressive to aggressive. And more used with carnivorous fish. Should have went with a more relaxed algae sucker.
They're also waste builders and more then two in a tank is not recommended at all. One is the golden number, if that.
Your shrimp are probably missing because they're at the bottom of everyone's food chain, and depending where you've obtained them they could've just died. They are more treated like feeders with pet shops/stores so they're not really cared for at all. Just mass multiplied or caught.
Normally if they're in a tank with fish they don't last long at all. Even sometimes by themselves. They're just so fragile it's not hard to knock them off because of specific variables
They're also waste builders and more then two in a tank is not recommended at all. One is the golden number, if that.
Your shrimp are probably missing because they're at the bottom of everyone's food chain, and depending where you've obtained them they could've just died. They are more treated like feeders with pet shops/stores so they're not really cared for at all. Just mass multiplied or caught.
Normally if they're in a tank with fish they don't last long at all. Even sometimes by themselves. They're just so fragile it's not hard to knock them off because of specific variables
My guppies ignore the shrimp, so I'm thinking its probably the pleco. I've thought bout getting rid of him, but idk.
I used to have a huge one that got along with everything, so I was prepared for a mild fish. Nobody I've ever spoken to has said that they were aggressive, so I didn't think he'd do any harm. .. Hell he won't even eat algae.. -facepalm- .. Idk what he's eating, so he's probably eating the shrimp. They were doing very well till they vanished, so I know they weren't sick or dying on their own.
Think maybe I should return him to where I got him and get some new algae eaters? Maybe some Oto Catfish?
(If I could ever catch him. He's always hiding in the root system. :/
I used to have a huge one that got along with everything, so I was prepared for a mild fish. Nobody I've ever spoken to has said that they were aggressive, so I didn't think he'd do any harm. .. Hell he won't even eat algae.. -facepalm- .. Idk what he's eating, so he's probably eating the shrimp. They were doing very well till they vanished, so I know they weren't sick or dying on their own.
Think maybe I should return him to where I got him and get some new algae eaters? Maybe some Oto Catfish?
(If I could ever catch him. He's always hiding in the root system. :/
Certain types of pleco's are also known for sucking the good slime off fish, which causes lots of problems so are only normally used with things that can protect themselves. Try something smaller, if you do. They shouldn't be bigger then your fish, otherwise they will try and eat them.
My pleco is in with two oscars, as soon as i finish their tank stand i'll be putting them in a larger tank, but he usually eats what i feed them, or an occasional algae disk, not often though. He's really a butt though. I see him pushing the oscars away and jabbing them with his side fins all the time, or knocking them with his head. Though i can't blame him, when they were a bit younger they always tried to eat on his tail fan. They all kind of keep each other in check.
I've never had any type of catfish for my tanks, so i don't know how they'd work.
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co......t.php?sid=3962 there's a lot of info about them here. But from the looks of it, i think they'd be great if you did decide to rid of the pleco. Just keep a close eye on your tank, it might be something at night, your not noticing or just that they're hiding REALLY well on you and your not really missing them at all :p
I'd watch closely before i decided to give him up, but the oto's are a great replacement if you feel you have to as long as you can house them.
My pleco is in with two oscars, as soon as i finish their tank stand i'll be putting them in a larger tank, but he usually eats what i feed them, or an occasional algae disk, not often though. He's really a butt though. I see him pushing the oscars away and jabbing them with his side fins all the time, or knocking them with his head. Though i can't blame him, when they were a bit younger they always tried to eat on his tail fan. They all kind of keep each other in check.
I've never had any type of catfish for my tanks, so i don't know how they'd work.
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co......t.php?sid=3962 there's a lot of info about them here. But from the looks of it, i think they'd be great if you did decide to rid of the pleco. Just keep a close eye on your tank, it might be something at night, your not noticing or just that they're hiding REALLY well on you and your not really missing them at all :p
I'd watch closely before i decided to give him up, but the oto's are a great replacement if you feel you have to as long as you can house them.
I've only ever seen him bully other algae eating or bottom dwelling fish. I've never seen him go after the shrimp, and I've never seen him go after my guppies/endlers or glofish. I did see him go after the cory catfish though, and saw him kill one of them by stabbing it repeatedly with his side fin... which is why he is now 'not so fondly' called mr stabbyfish. ... .. yeahhhh..
Again! it might be some other fish. They can act totally different at night while your sleeping, so just keep an eye out.
Though it is likely the pleco. if you lose any more bottom dwellers to his blades i'd take him back, they'll just re-home him and you can get something else. When having a tank of so many, it's best to do research before hand because some times if you ask in store they don't know wtf their talking about. But with so many in the tank you're bound to have disagreements sometimes, without knowing.
We had a cannibal goldfish once. Ate the other 18 tank mates.
He got huge needless to say.
Though it is likely the pleco. if you lose any more bottom dwellers to his blades i'd take him back, they'll just re-home him and you can get something else. When having a tank of so many, it's best to do research before hand because some times if you ask in store they don't know wtf their talking about. But with so many in the tank you're bound to have disagreements sometimes, without knowing.
We had a cannibal goldfish once. Ate the other 18 tank mates.
He got huge needless to say.
Lovely tank! The faux background is neat (was that custom-made?) and I'm diggin' the rocks. Endlers are so cool-looking but I've had them for any of my tanks.
I've never had luck with hairgrass (I have a low-tech tank)... where is yours located? I'm having some trouble finding it through all that lovely wisteria! Shrimp can be weird — they can be harassed/killed dependent on your fishes' personality, they could have been close to their natural expiration date when you bought them, or it could very well just be hiding. Water quality can sometimes be the case, but yours looks well-cycled and cared for so I wouldn't worry too much!
If you're not already 100% set on the other plants, might I recommend tiger lotuses? I've had 'em before and they're a joy. :D
I've never had luck with hairgrass (I have a low-tech tank)... where is yours located? I'm having some trouble finding it through all that lovely wisteria! Shrimp can be weird — they can be harassed/killed dependent on your fishes' personality, they could have been close to their natural expiration date when you bought them, or it could very well just be hiding. Water quality can sometimes be the case, but yours looks well-cycled and cared for so I wouldn't worry too much!
If you're not already 100% set on the other plants, might I recommend tiger lotuses? I've had 'em before and they're a joy. :D
I did have a tiger lotus at one time, but it kept blocking all of the light by sending up to many of the floating leaves, and ended up killing itself in the process. o_O
I used to have a lot more of the hairgrass, but over time a lot of it has gotten sucked up into the filters because it had nothing to cling to. Now i've just got a little patch here and there, which I've placed stones around so that new sprouts will have something to cling to when they begin putting off new shoots.
Actually bought my background from this site - http://www.designsbynature.net/
I do believe it was one of the pre-cut backgrounds. 10-BJ27a, I think.
They're all really nicely priced, and very easy to install. Had to cut mine down quite a bit in order to get it to fit properly inside the tank. They are made of some sort of foam, but I've never had any trouble with mine breaking or wearing much, and when they do wear a bit, its black foam, so you really cannot see it.
Here's a pic of how I installed mine. -- http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9155156/
Basically just cut it down, put some aquarium silicon on the back and put it in place, put some moderately heavy things on it to hold it steady while I sealed the sides of it with the same kind of silicon, then let it sit 24-48 hours to dry.. Then its done. :)
I used to have a lot more of the hairgrass, but over time a lot of it has gotten sucked up into the filters because it had nothing to cling to. Now i've just got a little patch here and there, which I've placed stones around so that new sprouts will have something to cling to when they begin putting off new shoots.
Actually bought my background from this site - http://www.designsbynature.net/
I do believe it was one of the pre-cut backgrounds. 10-BJ27a, I think.
They're all really nicely priced, and very easy to install. Had to cut mine down quite a bit in order to get it to fit properly inside the tank. They are made of some sort of foam, but I've never had any trouble with mine breaking or wearing much, and when they do wear a bit, its black foam, so you really cannot see it.
Here's a pic of how I installed mine. -- http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9155156/
Basically just cut it down, put some aquarium silicon on the back and put it in place, put some moderately heavy things on it to hold it steady while I sealed the sides of it with the same kind of silicon, then let it sit 24-48 hours to dry.. Then its done. :)
I'm loving the backdrop, mangrove roots, and sand substrate! The whole thing looks really nice. An old roommate of mine got me interested in fish keeping, but currently I don't have a tank set up.
I've got frogs, lizards, snake... all cool as well, but there is just something special about a fish tank, you know? Always something moving around in there.
I've got frogs, lizards, snake... all cool as well, but there is just something special about a fish tank, you know? Always something moving around in there.
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