Green Pekoe Pond - 40 litres

[Laurie Dear]

wow...this really captures how the plants are all basically grown in to one another and like you said "used each other to build on".

looks like you've had a big cut. looking good as always

 

[Mr. Teapot]

looks like you've had a big cut.

Heehee. That's a 'before' pic taken in about October 2014

 

[Laurie Dear]

Oh wow ha... Oops. Plants must be even more entwined and stuff now. How's the emersed hc?

 

[Lauris]

Still like it much
Pair of gbr would be a great choice


P.s. imho RAW is only to take up a space on your desktop, unless you shooting weddings 🙂

I am planted!

 

[zozo]

That sunddew you're having is that the South Afrikan? I wonder, because i have this one in a much dryer little planted terrarium and having a hard time to get ti to grow. When i first bought it last year, it died off, i guess because of the sudden surounding and climate changes. And it's trying to get back all this time but seems to hate water. It keeps dying on me when i water it (to much obviously) and comes back after her roots are dry enough again. Delicate and hardy at the same time.

Here it is, that little sprout behind the moss

Its the 4th time now it died off and comes back.

And yours is standing somewhat in a pool of water..

 

[Mr. Teapot]

Pair of gbr would be a great choice

Really lovely little fish but just temporary accommodation for a friend while his tank is out of action. Really enjoyed having a fish tank again but reckon long-term they would need more space. Also, the higher temperature is giving the plants a real kicking. Another reason to have a tank upgrade!!🙂

That sunddew you're having is that the South Afrikan?

Yes that's right, Cape Sundew. It's planted in a little Perspex container. Kept very wet with a wick drawing up water from the tank:
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/green-pekoe-pond-40-litres.27575/page-6
Post 111

 

[zozo]

Ok!? So i must have it in the wrong soil. It's in a specialized Anthyrium soil with some other plants. That's what the flower shop recomended. I think it's still to rich in firts and that burns it, when i water it. Yours is realy shining beatifully, love that plant (to death till now haha) Got to change that soon.

 

[Mr. Teapot]

This is a bit of a surprise... Mum and Dad showed me their new family this morning. They're doing a good job at keeping them safe from the tetras. Down the shops for some brine shrimp eggs and salt. Anything else to feed them on?

Thinking I'm going to have to get a second tank for all these little chaps... there's over 100 of them! I was only looking after them for a short while and now I have all these little mouths to feed... I going to need a second job.

 

[Mr. Teapot]

I’m not going to get any work done today!

Brine shrimp hatchery is ordered and on its way. My live food cultures have quite a lot of small daphnia and cyclops which I can syphon off and use in the meantime. Fingers crossed, some will make it long enough so they can move them onto dry foods as well.

The parents behaviour is amazing to watch - I always thought Blue Rams were not such good parents - these two are amazing! They keep the fry in a tight formation and guide them across the bottom to graze on whatever is on the plants. Little flicks of Dads fins and they all huddle together - the poor tetras have been corralled into the opposite side of the tank in a confident but not overly aggressive manner. One parent is always with the fry while the other one is off to explore/feed - model parents of the fish world.

In the medium term, I think I’m going to have to get a second tank to house the tetras and eventually use it to grow whatever survives.

 

[Edvet]

Liquifry? Do you have that over there, helps short term.

 

[Mr. Teapot]

Liquifry? Do you have that over there, helps short term.

Thanks Edvet, I'll pick some up today. Pity i didn't have any warning about their 'activities'. All went on for the past week in the caves at the back of the bike sheds.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I'll pick some up today.

You need to feed Liquifry (or powdered dry food) with something that wriggles. You need movement to elicit the feeding response in Cichlid fry, with a bit of luck once they've started on the live food they will sample the dry food fed at the same time.

I've got some micro/Banana worms and Vinegar Eels you can have (to feed along with the BBS).

At the moment squeeze out a filter sponge for them. There are a lot of <"Rotifers"> in the filter mulm.

I usually put the sponge (or ceramic media etc) into a beaker of water, give it a good scrunch up and down, and then let the mulm etc settle out for ~10 minutes. After 10 minutes very carefully pour most of the water off (leaving the mulm layer). Then swirl the remaining water and mulm around to concentrate it in the central vortex. While the filter is turned off, tip the mulm/water mix into the fry cloud. I usually make sure I have a big chunk of moss in the tank, and this tends to very effectively retain the mulm within the moss tangle.

Have a look a these from <"Apistogramma forum">: <"How can I feed Ram fry">, <"Breeding Mikrogeophagus..... "> & <"German Ram wrigglers">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Mr. Teapot]

Thanks Darrel, that's all great information. I'll read all those threads straight away.

 

[DGR]

Hi Mr. Teapot,

I've read the entire thread and I must say I find your tank really fascinating! I love tanks with a big variety of plants, thoughtfully mixed of course.

Right at the beginning you've had a problem with mold. Sometimes I do have the same problem when I start dry, especially with moss. For the next time try spraying cinammon water. It does wonders and it smells good too. You boil 500 ml normal water and add 2 TS cinnamon. Twirl 2-3 min with a twisk and then let it cool itself for 2-3 days. This way the small cinnamon particles will lay out at the bottom. I normally filter the whole once more with a coffee filter paper and then just spray it where you see mold. That doesn't exclude the usual water spraying/misting. After 2-3 days it should all look good.

 

[Mr. Teapot]

Thanks again Darrel for those great links, really useful stuff.

Mr & Mrs Ram are still looking after the wrigglers, really fascinating behaviour. Under the thick carpet plants are favoured by the parents for nursery/feeding. The female ram took several goes at burrowing herself down to make an entrance. When the lights dim at the end of the day they both round up the fry, the stragglers are returned to the nest by sucking them up and spitting them out again. They have made a really nice, almost perfectly circular nest under the large branch at the front of the tank. They’re quite efficient at removing plants from the substrate and I dread to think of the damage they could do to a nice HC lawn if they put their minds to it!

Night-time nest: (You can just make out some Marsilea crenate they uncovered - I thought I had lost all of this plant six months ago.)


I gently syphoned a mix of filter mulm and Liquifry under the carpet using a short length of airline while the filter is turned off. Seems to have gone down well with the little ones. Brine shrimp should be ready in the next 24-36hrs.

For the next time try spraying cinammon water.

That's great info. Definitely try that next time. Hopefully soon!

 

[Guest]

This is a bit of a surprise... Mum and Dad showed me their new family this morning. They're doing a good job at keeping them safe from the tetras. Down the shops for some brine shrimp eggs and salt. Anything else to feed them on?

Thinking I'm going to have to get a second tank for all these little chaps... there's over 100 of them! I was only looking after them for a short while and now I have all these little mouths to feed... I going to need a second job.

That's amazing...you couldn't wish for more positive affirmation that what you're doing not only looks awesome but is prime real-estate as well😉

 

[DGR]

That's really great! I've heard that just the wild catched rams would do the parenting thing, but as I see the rumours were wrong! I have a very similar sized tank, but I think the open layout I've chosen would not be so suitable for those beauties.

You can just make out some Marsilea crenate they uncovered - I thought I had lost all of this plant six months ago.

That's a funny plant. I have a similar mix in my layout too (Marsilea crenate + HCC + Monte Carlo + Eleocharis acicularis Mini). The HCC and the Monte Carlo are taking over the most of the area. I can see sometimes a few shoots from Marsilea, but they stay hidden the most of the time.

Anyway... I'm happy that you share your experience with the rams. It's really a great pleasure!

Cheers,
Daniel

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I gently syphoned a mix of filter mulm and Liquifry under the carpet using a short length of airline while the filter is turned off. Seems to have gone down well with the little ones. Brine shrimp should be ready in the next 24-36hrs.

Brilliant. Things are looking good.

There is always a market for local bred Rams, so if you do grow some of them on they could be a useful source of "pocket" money.

cheers Darrel

 

[Iain Sutherland]

Keep saying but this tank is a real beaut, it just keeps getting better with each update and now fry to boot.
Its a real inspiration for me of what i will do with my spare 40 after i move house.

What kit do you use for your images? You really have some great shots.
Keep the update coming.

 

[Mr. Teapot]

I'm happy that you share your experience with the rams. It's really a great pleasure!

Came as a bit of a bonus when I said yes to looking after them. I have to say, I’ve fallen in love with them both and I really don’t want to give them back now.

There is always a market for local bred Rams, so if you do grow some of them on they could be a useful source of "pocket" money.

Excellent! Fingers crossed I can help some of them along to adolescence.

What kit do you use for your images? You really have some great shots.

I’m really over the moon you’ve enjoyed my little tank, quite funny how much goes on in such a small space. I don’t think I would leave the house if I ever manage to get a bigger tank. I’m a bit of a point it and shoot and don’t really know my way round a camera (Nikon D40). I’ve had it stuck on shutter priority and adjust the exposure on the RAW import. Ends up very, very dark and can’t preview what I’ve shot on the camera but I reckon I got used to doing that on my old manual film camera.