# 5*3*2 Iwagumi



## Gill (17 May 2008)

5*3*2 Iwagumi

200 Gallons

Here it is Guys,
Took ages to get it here and in place.
(Dev I owe you big Time and Thanks for Buying my Old 4footer)


5 foot by 3 foot tank that is 2foot deep.
It sits on a purpose built stand made from 6mm Steel box section and angle the stand takes up a foot print of 5 foot 4 inches by 3 foot 4 inches,
From floor to top of the stand level is 2 foot.
With the upper tank on the stand the total height from the floor to the top of the tank is 3 foot 7 inches.
On the lower level is a second custom made tank that is 4 foot long by 2 foot wide and 1 foot deep, this tank has been divided in half to provide separate 2 foot by 2 foot by 1 foot deep tanks.
The lower tanks have sliding lids.
Along with the stand and tanks I am supplying the following items:
2 external filter systems, a Ultra Jet UJ338 professional and a Fluval 304. Both filter systems come with all hoses and internal workings, they both work fine.

A rather large collection of Aquarium rocks of varying, size, shape and material 30Kilos of Slate and Granite Rocks.
3 large tubs of river sand 50 Kilos.

Will House All my Fish and 20-30 Denisoni Barbs and loads of stuff.

It wasn't Xp3 filters that came with, got muddled with another auction i was watching.


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## Gill (17 May 2008)

I don't want the divided tank that came with it. 
So open to Offers. 
Expect alot of stuff to go in buy and sell this week as need to appease the wife and get rid of as much as possible.


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## Ed Seeley (17 May 2008)

Wow what a tank!  You mean you're not keeping the bottom tanks as a QT system?    Could come in really handy as you stock the tank and then again if you rescape!!!


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## JamesM (17 May 2008)

Shhhwing! 

I am sooooo looking forward to this. You lucky pup you!


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## Martin (17 May 2008)

Now that's a big tank. Did just the two of you set this in place along with the stand? I'm guessing you both had 3 weetabix each this morning before tackling this behemoth!


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## Steve Smith (18 May 2008)

It took Me, the seller and Gill to get it all into the van, and took 5 of us to man handle it into Gill's house.  Needless to say my shoulders ache this morning! 

Hope you don't get killed by your wife


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## Themuleous (18 May 2008)

Sodding hell!  Nice!

Sam


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## Gill (18 May 2008)

Thanks Guys. 

Well I was Up Bright and Early @ 0530am to start work on the beast and its is done now @ 1300pm.

My Hips are like Jelly but it was worth all the swearing by my mother Wife and Grandmother. No One can swear like Angry Punjabi Women. Imagine all 3 at the same time swearing @ the top of there voices using the most vile language. Punjabi Swearing is Very guttural and vile. 

Took 30 Mins to scrub down and disinfect it. 
I have used one bucket of River sand. As Scampi (the owners cat) used it to mark his territory. so scrapped the other 2 tubs. 
There's over 2 ton of slate in there, its all from my rockery (have been collecting the choicest pieces for years).
Then I pumped all the water out of the 4footer straight into this and seeded the filters with all the muck out of both of my externals. 
Next i filled both dual sinks and then pumped decholrinated water in to fill it. 
This is my Ultimate tank and will never need another one after this. 

Only Steve knows how much it cost. Could never afford to have something like this built from scratch.


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## aaronnorth (18 May 2008)

wow, this is going to be cool, similar to TGM tank maybe?


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## Joecoral (18 May 2008)

looking quality mate! i love that its so big that you have to use a mop to clean it! what are the tall grass like plants at the end, look more like pond marginals than an aquarium plant!


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## planter (18 May 2008)

Is this tank in a conservatory?? its looking rather like your going for the glass outdoor pond as opposed to indoor aquarium - If so you'd be well advised to fit a UV Clarifier to stop the water going green. Be nice to have some pygmy lillies growing in there   Ive fancied an outdoor pond tank for years, always wanted to keep some perch   

keeps us posted


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## LondonDragon (18 May 2008)

Looking great  look forward to seeing it complete and the water clear 
Keep us posted, the hard work was well worth it


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## Gill (18 May 2008)

Joecoral said:
			
		

> looking quality mate! i love that its so big that you have to use a mop to clean it! what are the tall grass like plants at the end, look more like pond marginals than an aquarium plant!



The Mop was the easiest and fastest way to clean it. Was really good to get into ther corners and meant no stretching or bending. 

The Tall Plants are Flag Iris'. I have always wanted to have them in a Tank. 

Can't wait for the shipment of Plants to arrive from Thailand this week. _700 Mixed Valliserna._


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## aaronnorth (18 May 2008)

> 700 Mixed Valliserna


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## Gill (18 May 2008)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> > 700 Mixed Valliserna



Yeah want to pack it in and have it grow like mad. all the direct sunlight will do wonders. 
There are already over 200 stems of Vallis in it ATM, But you can hardly Tell.


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## Superman (18 May 2008)

Please may I say

(Insert swear word here) me, that's a rather large tank.

Can't wait to see it finished.


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## fishgeek (18 May 2008)

do you have any further details on the stand . i quite like the broad section steel it looks to be made of 

andrew


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## TDI-line (19 May 2008)

Nice setup Gill.

What fish are you going to stock?


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## Steve Smith (19 May 2008)

TDI-line said:
			
		

> Nice setup Gill.
> 
> What fish are you going to stock?



Right now I beleive everything from this tank has gone into it:

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1287


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## Gill (19 May 2008)

Guys 
I'll ask the previous owner for the Specs on the Stand. He had it commissioned by a steel works. 

I have turned off the heaters as this is Float Glass and will retain Heat During the day. 

I have had some Casualties:
My Hong Kong Plecs - Water became to hot for them. 

On the Plus Side i have the following Nest Building:
2 Pairs Of Fighters - True Giants and a PK HM pair. As the tank is sooooooo Big, they have no issues. 
Male Peal is also Nesting - So will find a female for him. 

My Cuttlefish Bobies are doing great and have changed to a mottled black/green/brown/grey/yellow color.


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## Gill (24 May 2008)

Hey Guys,

All teh planting is done.
All the Vallis arrived direct from the Plant farm in Thailand. Its is Perfect. I have added 2 Powerheads to create enough force to make the Vallis sway in the current.
All the Shrimp love the current they all rest on the tips of the stems and catch passing particles of food. Can actually watch the wood shrimp behaving naturally.
Managed to salvage all the river sand, and it looks great in there. I am not a fan of flat gravel so its all in mounds and truoughs and valleys with mixed size gravel and stones in it. More riverbed.
Lots of Twigs chucked in to provide natural river bed.

Dad is Fitting The Halides Today, to give full spectrum and intense Lighting.

The water is still a little cloudy but slowly clearing up.
The Flag Iris' are all flowering and look so cool.

Stocking
Here Goes:

3 Cuttlefish Gobies
10 Mixed Platties/Mollies
20 Dwarf Puffers - They Love it and are feeding on Hikari Cichlid Pellets
15 Denisoni Barbs Under 3Inches (Angie more Every Month Please Darling)
20 Threadfin Rainbows
30 Gertrudes Rainbows
15 Forktail Rainbows
10 Clown Killies
5 Albino Cories
10 Mixed Eels/Kuhli Loaches
20 Hasboras Cories
3 Delphax Cories
3 Julli
3 LongFin Paleatus Cories
5 Hong Kong Plecs - added more now stable
30 Coffee Bean Roasboras
10 Pencil Fish - Mixed
5 Rams
1 Tropheus Moori
2 Paradise Fish (pair)
3 Pairs of Mixed gourami
10 Sparkling Gourami
10 Apple Snails
3 Bumblebee Snails
10 Mixed Nerites
50 Amano Shrimp
30 Cherry Shrimp
15 Red nose Shrimp
10 Wood Shrimp
5 Orange Cherry Chrimp
3 Tiger Shrimp

Fighters
True Giant Purple HM
1 True Giant Cambo Female
3 Half Giant Female PK
10 Odds/Sods Females







Angie - Thanks for the Plants they look great swaying in the Current. i might spend double what i spent yesterday next month(so be prepared to spend over 3 hours bagging fish for me, instead of 2)


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## LondonDragon (24 May 2008)

That is an impressive stocking list!!! Any photos so we can see how it look now? cheers


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## planter (24 May 2008)

Is that a list of livestock youve added already or intend on adding. Are you using mature media ?


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## JamesM (24 May 2008)

What happened to the Iwagumi style? :?


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## Gill (25 May 2008)

Thanks Guys, 
I have used mature media from the other tanks i have.

The Iwagumi kind of went out the window once the plants arrived. 
now half the tank is rocks and then loads of plants. 

some pix from this morning,


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## sanj (27 May 2008)

Wow dude.... had no idea you were doing this. When i saw you mention denisonis in a pond on another post, thought you literally meant a pond.

I am planning an 8'2'x2' ...bit nervous its going in my fron room and well at least i dont have a wife to kill me.  

maybe ill get to see you tanks one day.


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## Gill (28 May 2008)

sanj said:
			
		

> Wow dude.... had no idea you were doing this. When i saw you mention denisonis in a pond on another post, thought you literally meant a pond.
> 
> I am planning an 8'2'x2' ...bit nervous its going in my fron room and well at least i dont have a wife to kill me.
> 
> maybe ill get to see you tanks one day.




Yeah it was spur of the moment when i saw the tank on ebay, as I was planning the glass and equipment.
I was not going to let this one go at the price i got it for with everything included. 

yours sounds so cooooooool. 

You know what i think we have met in Robs before without noticing, But not sure if it was you. 

Yeah no Probs you can come round anytime. You will have to listen to Galla from the wife and Rents'


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## sanj (28 May 2008)

Think we need som update photos to see how things are coming along.


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## TDI-line (28 May 2008)

How is it coming along Gill?


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## Joecoral (28 May 2008)

there appears to be a vacuum cleaner floating in the tank in picture 1


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## Gill (1 Jun 2008)

not done anything to it for a while guys.
Moved the old 90G to Steve's This Afternoon, and has about it.
Dad Said he'd sort out the Lighting today but he spent it watching Sky Sports All Day.


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## REDSTEVEO (1 Jun 2008)

Gill said:
			
		

> I don't want the divided tank that came with it.
> So open to Offers.
> Expect alot of stuff to go in buy and sell this week as need to appease the wife and get rid of as much as possible.




Tut Tut, talking of appeasing the wife, watch out for them rocks mate on the old laminate flooring they make some mean scratches which are a ***** to hide. Aint you got an old blanket or something to whack it all down on.  

Steve.

Monster looking tank by the way, my mates selling a shark if your interested!!


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## Gill (5 Jun 2008)

Guys is this good enough lighting
HIGH QUALITY 500 WATTS FLOODLIGHT IN BLACK WITH DIE CAST ALI CONSTRUCTION AND HIGH EFFICIENCY COOLING FINS,COMPLETE WITH R7 240v 119mm 500w LAMP,GLASS


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## Gill (7 Jun 2008)

redone the whole scape thismorning. took me 5 hours from start to finish and i am not tired at all/ guess working out everyday in the gym is paying off.

normally i would have had to take my tranquillizers after doing it. 

I think it looks so nice. 
the far left corner is stacked slate to create loads of caves
on top lots of large flat peices to create enough area to cover in river sand and shale.
ontop of that some sand and slate caves and bogwood and twigs.
the hermit crabs love it, they have been busy clambering about all over it and looking down at the fish. 

then replanted alot of the vallis and did some trimming as it was a jungle of matted vallis and hygo.


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## Gill (9 Jun 2008)

MMMMMmmmmmmm never thought of that. oh well its built now and has settled. packed in plenty of soil and sand and gravel so that the structure could bed itself down.

I have insulated the land area with polysterene sheets so that hermits are nice and warm/humd and surrounded it with silk plants and Ivy's also added lots of resin bogwood, left over from the 4footer. The crabs love exploring all day long. theyhave been exploring all the nooks and crannies in the bogwood caves and climbing around in the silk plants.

went to the garden centre this morning and picked up some nice moisture loving ferns, and have planted those in the plataeu near to the waterfall.
also picked up more shells for the crabs to choose from.

been feeding them grapes and bananas and mango today. its so interesting to watch them feed.

Devuk is the only person to have seen it so far.


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## sanj (9 Jun 2008)

I was expecting more photos!!


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## LondonDragon (9 Jun 2008)

sanj said:
			
		

> I was expecting more photos!!


So was I, we want to see the new scape


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## Steve Smith (10 Jun 2008)

I've seen some small photos that gill MMS'd me.  Hard to make it all out but looking good so far


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## Gill (11 Jun 2008)

Okay Okay Okay i get the Hint,

Here a few pix before the new lighting goes on_ (which Dad has still Not Done)_


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## JamesM (25 Jun 2008)

I've just read the bad news on tff, Gill. Gutted mate 


When is the divorce?


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## sanj (25 Jun 2008)

Oh dear... I would be well peed off!

Gill, what are you planning on doing with that crack?

Maybe its a good excuse to get a bigger tank.


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## aaronnorth (26 Jun 2008)

ouch, thats bad :?


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## sanj (1 Jul 2008)

What has happened to Gill? :?:


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## JamesM (1 Jul 2008)

Not sure... Steve is MIA too :?


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## JamieH (1 Jul 2008)

OMG!

Maybe it's burst and the resulting tidal wave has left them both stranded miles from home?


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## Gill (5 Jul 2008)

Guys Sorry for not Replying. 

Been really ill for the last 3 weeks and have not been able to do anything, as been having fits that were lasting more than 3 days long and meds would not work. The Vertigo Fits were the Worst and would last hours at a Time. 

Have had to have 3 weeks of Work. 


Right, Teh Mahhhooooossssiive Crack has been sealed for now with Good Old Duck Tape. 

Once i Have Torn Down the Tank today and Sold Most of the plants from the Open Sale i am Hanving today and tommorow. 

I am going to cut some Spare Peices of Flaot Glass and Make Braces to Secure the Crack Properly. 
I have been Given Full Instructions By Rob on what to Do. Then i will Slather the actual crack in Silicone befoer putting another peice Diagonally long the Crack. 

My Dad got my Uncle to Precision Cut some Float Glass Off Cuts for me - so they will fit the Dimension Perfectly.


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## sanj (5 Jul 2008)

Gill,

that sounds terrible, fits for yours must really take it out of you. I have no idea what vertigo fits are unless you have been hanging around the top of ladders? lol

So this sounds pretty major, this crack, i dont quite understand it, is the float glass going to cover the width of the side of the tank?

Has your wifey been nice to you since breaking your tank?   

Glad to hear you are through that bad patch, hope they dont happen often for you...and hopefully not again.


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## Gill (5 Jul 2008)

sanj said:
			
		

> Gill,
> 
> that sounds terrible, fits for yours must really take it out of you. I have no idea what vertigo fits are unless you have been hanging around the top of ladders? lol
> 
> ...



Vertigo Fits are Like Standing on the top of Blackpool tower and your head is psinning so much you can't talk or walk or do anything. Your Vision Comes and goes and its hard to focus on anything for more than a few minutes. 
But new meds have been working so far, so its ok. 

Yeah i will have 2 Braces across the top and bottom and then a large pane siliconed over the crack. 

Sold Loads of Stuff to Rob this Afternoon and Came back with Loads of Stuff and Fish. 
Emptied a few of his tanks    

_PS you better not go anywhere near the SB Clown Plecs he has in, Once he has priced them they are mine. _


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## sanj (5 Jul 2008)

Lol, you are ok i wont go anywhere near them.

What did you sell him then?


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## Gill (5 Jul 2008)

sanj said:
			
		

> Lol, you are ok i wont go anywhere near them.
> 
> What did you sell him then?




300Stems of Mixed Vallis
100 Stems of Hygro
1 Very Big Mature Nymphae Lotus
7 Hyacinth Plants
100 Stems of Hydroclite Floating Plants.

Gonna Sell Him Loads of Slate and Shal i have aswell.


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## Gill (5 Jul 2008)

Shadow Wood Cats







White Skirt Tetras






















BGK


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## Gill (6 Jul 2008)

Today has been Very Good So Far, 
Sold The Fish ScouseAndy Had ordered from Me. Lovely to meet you and ickle Tom (Don't let him eact all the Sweets).

Bought 2 More orders of Fish 

And then went to See Angie and spent Â£400 On Fish. 

Bought 50 Coffee Bean Rasboras
20 Bagrid Cats
6 Blue Panchax Hopefully Some Pairs
25 Glass Sun Fish(HumpHeads and Blues)
Some Female Rams
10 Apple Snails
10 Denisoni Barbs
5 BN Plecs
2 Chocolate Zebra?? Plecs - Angie what were these called again
Almost bought 2 Blue Pananques - Angie ( Keep 2 for me)
10 Dwarf Sunset Honey Gouramis
Some Oscars
Congo Tetras
Some Emersed Pond Plants
Another Fintro Acclimating Box
Transport HEAVY DUTY Caryy Bags

Ordered a 6*2*2 with stand and 2 XP5's 

The went to World of Water and Bought

10 FW Bumble Bee Gobies
A Pair of Smokey Blue Leopard VT Angels

Some Roberty Tetras

Some more Hermit Crabs
Pygmy Black Crickets
An Imperial Scorpion - He is amazing and i have been Jousting with him to test his Aggression. Have already been holding him and letting him crawl over my Arms and fed hi some Crickets


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## jay (6 Jul 2008)

Not all for this tank are they? That is a whole lotta fish


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## PM (6 Jul 2008)

WOW!

That looks coooool, never seen *white* skirt tetra either - nice!


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## Gill (6 Jul 2008)

jay said:
			
		

> Not all for this tank are they? That is a whole lotta fish



Not the Denisoni have been Sold on to there new owners
Oscars have all been Sold On to there new owners
Crabs have gon to new Owners
Angel fish and Panchax going in another tank.
bagrid Cats being sold on this week.
Apple snails are sold already. 

Not keeping much for myself. most is sold or to be posted on next week after acclimating fully and switched onto hikari foods. 



> WOW!
> 
> That looks coooool, never seen white skirt tetra either - nice!


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## sanj (8 Jul 2008)

Have you sold ALL your Denisoni??

Where are you putting your Oscars?


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## sanj (8 Jul 2008)

Im a bit confused. 

I thought you only had the 5x3x2 now or do you still have lots of tanks around the house?

BTW ill be selling my rio 400 and Rena Aqualife 350....guessing though you might have a full house.

Is the 6x2x2 an addition to the 5x3x2 or is it replacing it?

My 8x2x2 came yesterday...its HUGE!


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## Gill (16 Jul 2008)

sanj said:
			
		

> Im a bit confused.
> 
> I thought you only had the 5x3x2 now or do you still have lots of tanks around the house?
> 
> ...




damn, that is gonna be ace. let me know if you want bulk order plants from the farms in thailand, ill put u in touch with them.

The 6*2*2 are in addition this this and some are for work rest areas. 


Finished. 
My Mum and Wife love it, They say it look like a window into and underwater Forest. 
Thanks to DevUk + Ulster Exile for all the Plants.


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## sanj (17 Jul 2008)

> My Mum and Wife love it,



Ah so they love them really.


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## Gill (17 Jul 2008)

sanj said:
			
		

> > My Mum and Wife love it,
> 
> 
> 
> Ah so they love them really.



yeah now it looks nice, theydo. they know it takes me a while untill i am happy with a final scape. 
they also kno that it won;t last long and i will want to try something different.

you coming to the BBQ


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## Gill (18 Jul 2008)




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## Steve Smith (18 Jul 2008)

Nice to see my goldfish looking good   Bet he's had fun exploring   Hope he doesn't dig up too much stuff!


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## Garuf (18 Jul 2008)

The ammonia spike when all those flowers melt is going to be through the roof, good luck.


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## Gill (19 Jul 2008)

Garuf said:
			
		

> The ammonia spike when all those flowers melt is going to be through the roof, good luck.



What do you mean, Its Creeping Jenny, they are aquatic.
If they rot - so the fish eat them and the clean up crew will have a field day with them. 
I am also plucking them off and feeding them to my Crickets, Mealworms and Land Hermit Crabs. 
And My Scorpions seem to like them aswell. 

I have chucked loads of flowere outside into the Pest Snail Tank for them to eat. 

So All Bases are covered - did you honestly i did not kno wwhat to do with them if the started to rot. Doh!


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## Garuf (19 Jul 2008)

I've had a look round and creeping jenny is a marginal not a fully aquatic plant. 
Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems like it will only die, unless you know better of course.


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## Steve Smith (20 Jul 2008)

It has an aquatic form, so it will die off but grow back in this form.  Gill stole this stuff from my garden.  I've used some in my own tank before and it grew fine 

It's sold as Moneywort I beleive.  GreenLine sell a species called Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'.  Looking at the immersed form it looks pretty similar to the stuff in my garden.  The leaf shape is very similar to the Aurea version, whereas with the normal Lysimachia nummularia the leaf shape is not as round from the pictures I've found.


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## Gill (20 Jul 2008)

Garuf said:
			
		

> I've had a look round and creeping jenny is a marginal not a fully aquatic plant.
> Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems like it will only die, unless you know better of course.



 I have been using it for ages. 
used to nick it from mums work places' hanging baskets. 
it will fully grow under water and sends out tonnes of flowers when established. 
it does better if you use the thickest stems from the garden. 
the thinner the stem the less ikely it is to adapt. 
All of steves were very mature so knew there would be no probs. 


PS Steve Frog got eaten by a ABF this morning. Jumped right on top of one and Chomp - Gone in a split second. the others lunged at tit hanging out of its moth and tore it apart like crocs. Sooooo amazingly cooooool to watch them eat like this,


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## Gill (25 Jul 2008)

Ok Guys

bound to happen, but i am going monsters, so all the fish are for sale. have some lovely jurapari geos coming in the morrow
the lists on tff - don;t want to make loads of threads.,


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## LondonDragon (25 Jul 2008)

Wheres my shrimp??? lol


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## Gill (26 Jul 2008)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> Wheres my shrimp??? lol



iam catching them this weekend as i can seperate them out into holding tanks as stuff sells.


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## sanj (28 Jul 2008)

Gill said:
			
		

> Ok Guys
> 
> bound to happen, but i am going monsters, so all the fish are for sale. have some lovely jurapari geos coming in the morrow
> the lists on tff - don;t want to make loads of threads.,



Cant see the list on TFF, the Buy/sell section appears to be bugged at the moment.


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## Gill (29 Jul 2008)

Yeah Tff started messing up last night.
got loads of PM's but can't access the site.

Found a lovely Pink Kamfa Flowerhorn 15Inches- and Paid nothing for him - picking him up tonight - guy wanted a good home for him. will take pix tonight in his holding tank. looks ratty ATM as been in with Lake Malawi's and they have done a right number on his Fins - Plenty of TLC needed. 
+ Have a Female on Hold aswell.


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