So I was given a 4 footer by a generous neighbour. I filled it with water and left it standing, breeding mosquitoes for a couple of months before I drained it and moved to another place.
Then I filled it with water again and because I spend a lot of time taking in weak / sick stray dogs and cats and do not have a full-time job, finances did not permit any fancy equipment, critters, plants, substrate or hardscape. I started off buying different types of ferns tied to driftwood and then moved on to anubiases. It was supposed to be a cheap project since the plants only cost around USD1.20 each and that's with the driftwood too.
Then the disease started, my usual tendency to go overboard on hobbies kicked in, and ......
After a few weeks of mucking about with DIY CO2 (resulting in an explosion which sent yeast flying at least 4 metres away) the lady got me a Concoa dual stage regulator from the USA, I read up on EI, started searching online for dry salts and this is where I am after 4 months.
Now I'm definitely no Amano, Picasso, Monet or Da Vinci and I can't boast of any extraordinary artistic talents and I'm not being humble when I say that this arrangement is NOT what I'd like to arrive at but I'm happy with my slow and steady understanding of plant needs and I've had no serious algal blooms from day one.
Then I filled it with water again and because I spend a lot of time taking in weak / sick stray dogs and cats and do not have a full-time job, finances did not permit any fancy equipment, critters, plants, substrate or hardscape. I started off buying different types of ferns tied to driftwood and then moved on to anubiases. It was supposed to be a cheap project since the plants only cost around USD1.20 each and that's with the driftwood too.
Then the disease started, my usual tendency to go overboard on hobbies kicked in, and ......
After a few weeks of mucking about with DIY CO2 (resulting in an explosion which sent yeast flying at least 4 metres away) the lady got me a Concoa dual stage regulator from the USA, I read up on EI, started searching online for dry salts and this is where I am after 4 months.
Now I'm definitely no Amano, Picasso, Monet or Da Vinci and I can't boast of any extraordinary artistic talents and I'm not being humble when I say that this arrangement is NOT what I'd like to arrive at but I'm happy with my slow and steady understanding of plant needs and I've had no serious algal blooms from day one.
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