Grownup Swedish Suprise

[Hufsa]

Can it "escape" if I pull a plant up for instance?

Sometimes I run my finger along the glass/substrate line to clean it, and I leave the algae remnants on top of the substrate for the snails to clean up because I am lazy.
It never settles anywhere else despite me doing this. I believe "spores" will be everywhere in our tanks already, but it can only settle in the substrate line because thats the only location where conditions are right. In a way it is already "everywhere". A reasonably balanced tank would not allow it to grow to visible size anywhere else. Therefore mechanically spreading it is not something I am concerned about.

I must add a disclaimer that I could be incorrect about the thing living in my substrate being cyano, in which case my advice might be very bad advice.
I have assumed the ID by that it comes off in filmy sheets, it likes to live in an area of very low flow but with some light (glass/substrate line), and that it doesnt smell very nice if you put a bit of it up to your nose.

 

[NatalieHurrell]

Not sure I want to start snorting it 🤔 😅.

 

[NatalieHurrell]

Just uncovered it and taken a quick snap. The brown, rusty patches appeared first and I assumed it was iron from the Tropica tabs. The cyno is about 1cm under the top of the substrate at it's highest point. It's actually a stronger blue green than I recalled.

Having zoomed in in the photo I am wondering if there are tiny airpockets left, despite stabbing the substrate with my tweezers on setting the tank up and having Malaysian Trumpet Snails. These areas have barely any plants in them, but are no deeper than 3". I only have sand round the sides and front of the tank, with the soil net bags inset slightly, so they didn't show.

 

[NatalieHurrell]

Quick tank update.

Had a wierd experience just before going on holiday. I'd just bought some TNC complete and dosed it conservatively for the first time, following my usual 50% waterchange (15ml into 170-180lts of water). Within 30 minutes two cherry shrimp had died and that night a guppy jumped ship. Did another waterchange the next day and so far so good. Likely a coincidence, but still a worry. Now dosing 5ml TNC and 10ml Aquadip Plus (my previous fertiliser).

Have kept a piece of card over the substrate on the end with the cyanobacteria and planted into that area. Interestingly the cyano has gone in all the planted areas and a little bit is left in the few gaps where there are no plants.

I have split the Peace Lily and the Parlour Palm up and added some Water Crowsfoot to the tank, anchored with one of the suction cups. Let's see how that goes. Now looking for another medium sized riparium plant. The Water Mint has got massive in the pond, but the sprig in the tank went all weak and leggy, so think it needs strong light.

 

[The Miniaturist]

Your tank is coming along nicely.
Congratulations on the anubias bud, one very happy healthy plant!
I notice the plant ladder becoming congested, you have got green fingers!

 

[NatalieHurrell]

Your tank is coming along nicely.
Congratulations on the anubias bud, one very happy healthy plant!
I notice the plant ladder becoming congested, you have got green fingers!

I tend to get carried away. I blame my mum, who was a florist and is an avid gardener!

 

[NatalieHurrell]

I've been thinking on ways to add interest to the riparium section of the tank, so decided to use some random redmoor wood I have as "plant supports". One now has some tradescantia on it, the other I need to buy something for. Also want to get some airplants to attach.

In other news, it turns out that the Crinum makes an excellent corral for the frogbit and water lettuce 😀. It's tripled in length in about three weeks!

 

[NatalieHurrell]

My Mum has donated some Houttuynia cordata Chameleon, that works as a marginal plant. It's tucked into the redmoor wood. Lovely colour to it. Let's see how it goes.

 

[The Miniaturist]

I like the idea of riparium plants entwined with roots. I hope it works, houttuynia chameleon is really attractive!
Is that a fittonia to the right? The white veins are amazing.

 

[PARAGUAY]

That's a great idea using roots above and the aquarium has come along nicely👍

 

[NatalieHurrell]

I like the idea of riparium plants entwined with roots. I hope it works, houttuynia chameleon is really attractive!
Is that a fittonia to the right? The white veins are amazing.

Yes, it's Fittonia. I have the urge to get one in every colour morph. The red ones are fantastic.

 

[NatalieHurrell]

Went to visit a friend today, who had hauled a load of "water weed" out of her pond and it was growing emmersed/bog stylie in lots of trugs. She gave me a large tub to take away. So I basically got given a tonne of parrots feather and a variagated acorus of some sort. A lot went in the pond and inevitably (me being me) some went in the tank. Not sure how well the parrots feather will converted back to submerged, but I also have some floating and some emmersed. I'm hedging my bets!

 

[NatalieHurrell]

It's on rare days like today when I realise how much of a worry a temperate tank can be. I have curtains shut, a bottle of ice in the tank, a fan on the surface and a venturi running. It's already at 26 degrees. Not sure the peppered corys are going to enjoy it much. Been pondering on whether the skimmer and venturi might actually be introducing more heat to the tank from the air. Any thoughts anyone?

 

[Hufsa]

Peppered corys should be super hardy, so i wouldn't worry about them. As far as I know most amazonian habitats have periods of higher temperatures, so as long as youre keeping on top of it like you are then it should be fine. My focus would be on oxygen first and foremost, I believe that for fishes used to cold or fast flowing water, a decrease in oxygen might be the Achilles heel of sorts. So I'd keep the skimmer and venturi running

 

[NatalieHurrell]

Thank you. That was what I thought initially (hence putting the venturi on last night) and has put my mind at ease.

 

[NatalieHurrell]

Yay. Discovered a couple of Cory fry this evening. They're living in the lava rock pile. Don't fancy their chances with hungry guppies in the tank, but you never know!

 

[AlecF]

Ice cream tub, almond leaf. They'll make it.

 

[NatalieHurrell]

Sadly couldn't catch them and they got eaten. However, rescued two eggs off the glass tonight and made a makeshift hatchery for them out of a plastic bottle with tiny holes in it, suction cupped to the side of the tank in the flow of the skimmer outlet. Put some floating plants and a magnolia leaf in it.

 

[NatalieHurrell]

Mixed success with the Corys. One of the original babies reappeared, so hadn't become lunch afterall. He's getting braver by the day. I rescued about 10 eggs off the glass, one of which made it to a reasonable size fry, so I released it into the tank. Not seen it since. Now have another dozen eggs in the hatchery that were laid two days ago.

I upped the guppy numbers by four. Trying to find an equalibrium, whereby little fertilisers are required.

The warmer weather has made the growth go insane in the tank. Annubias are throwing buds and flowers out left, right and centre 🙃. Last count I had 23 varieties of plants under, on and growing above the water.