The Nymph's Spring (EA900)

[shangman]

@shangman I never quite realised the extent of the animals you kept! Sounds like Noah's Ark!

Also, let the scheming snowball! Here here!

It basically was 😂 I look back and think.... omg it was INSANE. We had rows and rows of tanks on shelves! No wonder I don't find maintenance that much a chore, I was trained basically at birth, and it's so much less than it was then, even with 4 tanks. I really can't wait to go to my first fish convention at some point, the conventions were always awesome.

It does seem to be snowballing... every project is so much fun!

H all,

Thank-you, I always hope they help, but I'm never entirely sure. I'm not really the originator of any of "my" ideas, <"Diana Walstad">, Horst & Kipper, <"Bob Marklew">, @foxfish etc. had got there long before I did.

cheers Darrel

Yes, they definitely do help!! 🙂 I know you arne't the originator but certainly you are a very good teacher with a great way of explaining it all. I actually managed to read Walstad's book and completely miss crucial info! You made the concepts practically applicable which I am very grateful for.

------------------------------------------------​

Put the first fish in the aquarium yesterday (a lone rare type of oto, my dad bought a small group and all the rest died, it didn't seem happy in his 45L 🙁 ), and it has SURVIVED and didn't seem to suffer at all with CO2, it's now enjoying munching on the wood. As the oto seemed to really like the extra flow when it lived with my baby apistos, and cos in the back left corner the rotala isn't really doing much I added the second filter, so the flow is pretty great now. It had been making extremely annoying noises, but I replaced the sealing ring and sprayed it with silicon and that seems to have done it! I'm still not convinced by the skimming inlet, my jet outlet seems to get a lot more done with a little whirlpool effect, and it's quiet. Honestly really love being able to view the tank top-down too, especially when the shrimps are on the wood near the surface, it's like rockpooling as a kid.

I bought some black rose shrimp which arrived today, to join the black shrimp that were magically born into my nano tank (cherry shrimp genetics is fascinating) and now live in the big tank (my first successful animal-adding experiment). Since I had all the gear set up, I also acclimated 6 amanos from my nano tank and added them too, I've been noticing a bit of hair algae at the top of the tank and I wanted to see if they would be able to clobber it a bit.

I'm planning adding my 6 otos from my 60L after the next big waterchange at the weekend, as there are a lot of diatoms to munch, and last time I had apisto babies 2 otos jumped out which I def don't want to repeat. The courgette harvest has just begun too, so they'll have their extra veggies if they eat everything quickly.

What I really love is that so far, all the animals are really interacting with the hardscape and ignoring the bottom layer completely, and because the tank is so massive I can really enjoy watching them at different angles, they're very often out in the open enough for me to watching them and they don't really notice. I think it also helps that the hardscape makes some deep shadows so they can feel very hidden, even though I'm like 👀👀👀

Many apologies for the terrible blurry photo, my phone seems to get confused by the CO2 bubbles and blur everything out. Photography is def the next skill I'll try to learn! But I just love seeing the fish silhouetted like this so I wanted to share, it was so cool lol

​

 

[shangman]

Bonjour, I have a question today. I've noticed some hair algae (seems to be a mix of spyro and clado) growing out of the mosses at the very top of the scape on the wood. Should I do something about this? I will try to pick some of it out but i think it'll be kinda hard to get it all.

Things I'm doing that will hopefully help:
I have some floating plants which are growing
I added some cherries (15) and amanos (6) in yesterday
The light's max is currently 50% for 4 of 8 hours, the 2 hours before and 2 hours after that are just it ramping up and down from that.
I'm dosing 35ml of ferts a day, alternating macro/micro
I have 2 filters running - 1 Oase Biomaster 600, 1 Eheim Pro4+ (the Eheim has no media it in, it's just for flow). The inlets/outlets are both on the right side facing the left on either side of the wood, so should hopefully make a big circle.
The CO2 is lime green (should I move it around to check each day at different points or not bother?)

Maybe should add some fast growing plants? Or dose liquid carbon? IDK. Don't really want to add any algaecide or do a blackout when the plants are young and not very stable yet. Maybe should just buy more plants, I do think I need more bolbitus, monte carlo, moss and buce, though I don't think they're that fast growing!

Just wondered if there was anything you guys think I should try!

 

[Wookii]

Bonjour, I have a question today. I've noticed some hair algae (seems to be a mix of spyro and clado) growing out of the mosses at the very top of the scape on the wood. Should I do something about this? I will try to pick some of it out but i think it'll be kinda hard to get it all. I have some floating plants which are growing, and I won't remove any. I also added some shrimp in yesterday which will maybe get around with helping this. The light's max is currently 50% for 4 of 8 hours, the 2 hours before and 2 hours after that are just it ramping up and down from that. Maybe should add some fast growing plants? Or dose liquid carbon? IDK. Don't really want to add any algaecide or do a blackout when the tank is young and not stable yet. I have recently added the second filter, and my CO2 is lime green, so I think that should be ok (hopefully).

Just wondered if there was anything you guys think I should try!

Hair algae is almost impossible to prevent in a high light tank in my limited experience. The only time I've eradicated it is in my low light low tech tank, where no algae at all seems to be able to survive the snail and shrimp army in that slow growth environment.

It particularly loves embedding itself in slow growing plants like moss, particularly if they are near the surface. I always get it growing around emersed sections of moss (pulled a chunk of it out of my tank yesterday from such a spot) or moss patches near the surface. It's easy to remove with a toothbrush during tank maintenance, and usually doesn't tend to grow quickly enough to be a significant nuisance unless something is majorly off in your tank in terms of CO2 and ferts - generally about 2 minutes with a toothbrush for me, once a week or two.

In the end I think you just have to live with it to an extent, and treat it as part of your natural tank environment, as its not that unsightly in small quantities like Staghorn or BBA is.

 

[shangman]

Hair algae is almost impossible to prevent in a high light tank in my limited experience. The only time I've eradicated it is in my low light low tech tank, where no algae at all seems to be able to survive the snail and shrimp army in that slow growth environment.

It particularly loves embedding itself in slow growing plants like moss, particularly if they are near the surface. I always get it growing around emersed sections of moss (pulled a chunk of it out of my tank yesterday from such a spot) or moss patches near the surface. It's easy to remove with a toothbrush during tank maintenance, and usually doesn't tend to grow quickly enough to be a significant nuisance unless something is majorly off in your tank in terms of CO2 and ferts - generally about 2 minutes with a toothbrush for me, once a week or two.

In the end I think you just have to live with it to an extent, and treat it as part of your natural tank environment, as its not that unsightly in small quantities like Staghorn or BBA is.

Yeah I get the same sad you in one of my tanks, all around the moss at the emergent moss I can just pull clumps of it off. But I used moss from another tank that seemed algae free, I guess it's just always embedded (it's all in the fissidens I got from eBay, can't seem to buy it in pots).

Living with it is ok if it's subtle like now, I just saw it now and went nooooo cos in my lowtechs it is MUCH worse and I really don't want that for this tank!!

How do you clean it off with a toothbrush? Just rub it around on the moss were it is? I'll try it!!

My other thought was to try a 1-2 punch of peroxide and liquid carbon on just those areas affected, they're all mosses that are far above the water line during waterchanges do it would be easy to spray and spot dose. But also I think it might murder the mosses? So annoying!

 

[Wookii]

Yeah I get the same sad you in one of my tanks, all around the moss at the emergent moss I can just pull clumps of it off. But I used moss from another tank that seemed algae free, I guess it's just always embedded (it's all in the fissidens I got from eBay, can't seem to buy it in pots).

Living with it is ok if it's subtle like now, I just saw it now and went nooooo cos in my lowtechs it is MUCH worse and I really don't want that for this tank!!

How do you clean it off with a toothbrush? Just rub it around on the moss were it is? I'll try it!!

My other thought was to try a 1-2 punch of peroxide and liquid carbon on just those areas affected, they're all mosses that are far above the water line during waterchanges do it would be easy to spray and spot dose. But also I think it might murder the mosses? So annoying!

Excel has never done anything for me, even heavy spot dosing with a syringe. Not tried peroxide, but ultimately it’ll be a band aid, and give it a month and it’ll be back again - and yes, it will damage moss.

For the tooth brush, just use it like a fork in spaghetti, snag the hair algae in the bristles and then keep twisting the brush, wrapping the algae around it, until you pull it all out. For Fissidens you can brush it like brushing hair too to get more bits out. You’ll pull some moss out as you go, but not much usually. Like I say, once you get used to doing it, it only takes a couple of minutes.

 

[Wookii]

Fat fingered double post

 

[shangman]

Excel has never done anything for me, even heavy spot dosing with a syringe. Not tried peroxide, but ultimately it’ll be a band aid, and give it a month and it’ll be back again - and yes, it will damage moss.

For the tooth brush, just use it like a fork in spaghetti, snag the hair algae in the bristles and then keep twisting the brush, wrapping the algae around it, until you pull it all out. For Fissidens you can brush it like brushing hair too to get more bits out. You’ll pull some moss out as you go, but not much usually. Like I say, once you get used to doing it, it only takes a couple of minutes.

Excel has worked great for staghorn for me before, but it seems like that's all it really helps! I think you're right, I'll just try your removal technique and just keeping hammering it, as it's all so close to the surface I might not even need to get my hands wet. I'm hoping to have more time on my hands soon when the 60L tank gets taken down and I go from 4 to 3 tanks.

All my creatures are still all acting completely naturally, looking forward to adding my fish from the 60L soon. This tank is starting to become hypnotic to watch which is awesome, I want to spend more time doing that and less time doing maintenance on the 4 tanks, that extra one is just slightly too much.

 

[shangman]

This morning I put my otos and cardinals in the big tank, and already they look sooooo good. The way they are exploring and swimming about, using all parts of the tank, darting inbetween twigs and the otos sucking upside down on the wood is MAGICAL. Bigger tanks are always a good idea!! The BEST is when the fish swim through the big hole in the wood, as soon as I saw that wood I imagined that and it's so awesome to see it actually happen.

Will post some photos tomorrow when they're more comfortable 🙂 have a lovely Sunday!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

My other thought was to try a 1-2 punch of peroxide and liquid carbon on just those areas affected, they're all mosses that are far above the water line during waterchanges do it would be easy to spray and spot dose. But also I think it might murder the mosses?

"Murder the mosses" would be my guess. They don't have a cuticle, so will be easily damaged by <"any oxidising agent">.

cheers Darrel

 

[shangman]

Hi all,

"Murder the mosses" would be my guess. They don't have a cuticle, so will be easily damaged by <"any oxidising agent">.

cheers Darrel

Won't do that then, luckily the algae so far is very minimal on the mosses and easy to pull out with the tooth brush!

 

[shangman]

​

Here's a pic from 2 days ago, it's looking nice at the moment. The fish are acting soooooo much happier and more naturally in this tank, so after I moved the otos and cardinals over last Saturday, I added the apistos and kuhlis this Tuesday. Things on the fish-front have been great, I've seen all the fish really interacting with the environment and exploring and playing. I will eventually add one or two other types fo fish, but I'm mostly going to focus on adding numbers to what I already have to get more interesting behaviour from them, particularly the kuhlis. I'm thinking of buying another one or two female Macmasteris, or maybe an agasizzi pair that looks very different, but am waiting for now. The dream would be a few dicrossus but as the water is 50/50 rainwater-tap I don't think it'll work out, and should wait for my next tank early next year. Planning on visiting the Fish Barn at some point to really see all the beautiful fish I love IRL so I can properly decide, it's so hard to tell from photos and videos online. Also would love any suggestions for interesting top-half tank fish, I was really interested in a group of long-fin rainbows but apparently they like near-still flow, and with 2 big filters going mine isn't really that!

Things have been growing slowly but steadily, especially the mosses which are very fluffy which is lovely. BUT I also added some monte carlo 2 days ago (not pictured here soz), and this morning I noticed that it is melting a bit, and also that my rotalas are looking a bit stunted. I have been adding 35ml of fertiliser every day, so I think that's fine, I think the C02 has gone a bit wonky. I realised this morning that the fluid in my bubble counter was very low (didn't know that was a thing), so I've topped that up and readjusted how much C02 goes in to see if that will help. I think things are just slightly off, it hasn't ben perfected yet. I'll take some more photos later, the melt/stunting of fast growers is all over the tank so I don't think it's flow. Will keep a good eye today to make sure it's all good. I always expected things would be a bit dodgy at first as I learn so it's ok, as long as I can get things back in track before everything melts or something!!

 

[Wookii]

Also would love any suggestions for interesting top-half tank fish, I was really interested in a group of long-fin rainbows but apparently they like near-still flow, and with 2 big filters going mine isn't really that!

Lots of choice for you for top layer fish - unfortunately most of them are jumpers though, I can't tell if you have a glass cover or not, if not you may want more surface cover like floating plants. A nice shoal of Chilli's perhaps (you probably guessed I was going to suggest that lol), or a fish I've always wanted; a decent sized shoal of Dwarf Pencils (Nannostomus Marginatus), or maybe Spotted Blu-Eyes (Pseudomugil Gertrudae), or Clown Killi's (Epiplatys Annulatus), or maybe even some more common Zebra Danio (perhaps a long fin variety if you want something more fancy).

I have been adding 35ml of fertiliser every day, so I think that's fine . . .​

What ferts are you using? On a 180 litre tank its going to be worth moving to DIY salts (assuming you are EI dosing).

 

[Gill]

Also would love any suggestions for interesting top-half tank fish, I was really interested in a group of long-fin rainbows but apparently they like near-still flow, and with 2 big filters going mine isn't really that!

How about some of the rarer guppies. And If you want long finned why not some swallow or ribbon tailed. You should be able to find some in the groups or on Ebay. though you do have x2 big filters so subsequent generations will have shorter finnage with guppies.
LF danios would be nice, especially the Gold Leopard ones.

 

[shangman]

Lots of choice for you for top layer fish - unfortunately most of them are jumpers though, I can't tell if you have a glass cover or not, if not you may want more surface cover like floating plants. A nice shoal of Chilli's perhaps (you probably guessed I was going to suggest that lol), or a fish I've always wanted; a decent sized shoal of Dwarf Pencils (Nannostomus Marginatus), or maybe Spotted Blu-Eyes (Pseudomugil Gertrudae), or Clown Killi's (Epiplatys Annulatus), or maybe even some more common Zebra Danio (perhaps a long fin variety if you want something more fancy).

Yes it's the jumping that makes me go hmmm... it is an open-top tank. I am planning to wait a good while to get them, so the bolbitis, ferns, mosses and things can grow thickly around the top of the wood and create more top cover, as well as the stems at the back making nice thick bushes. I still have more bolbitis to glue on this weekend, I'm hoping all of it really thickens out and makes a great place for the top fish to hide so they don't get too jumpy. Also thinking of attaching some wabi kusa balls to the backs of the emergent wood to create more trailing top emergent cover like in my nanos. The flow is strong enough that all the floating plants go in a corner all pilled on top of eachother which is v annoying.

Your ideas are very close to what's on my hypothetical list!! The chilli rasboras are definitely up there after the recent thread on them in a big group. Eventually my cardinal tetras will go to live in a new blackwater tank, and I think then the chillis are on. The dwarf pencils are also lovely, I was looking into coral pencils too (though they're so expensive if they jump it'll be rubbish!), originally I really wanted hockeystick pencils but I think the flow might be too strong 🙁 Those clown killis are amazing too, I've heard they're super jumpy though, anyone ever managed to keep them without probems?

I didn't think of the zebra danios but the longfin variety is very nice! Do they have a bit of personality? I'm hoping for something that does something interesting sometimes, which is why the spotted blue-eyes (or the orange version) are at the top of the list with those funny fins they have, though I'm not sure if they like flow either!!

What are your/other's opinions of dwarf rainbows, is this tank big enough? In my favourite tank at Aquarium Gardens (shown below) they have dwarf rainbows which seemed to love swimming in the flow, when I was there they just swam in a group against the flow the whole time. This tank is also a big inspriation, I love how the bolbitis and buce goes all the way up the wood create extra habitat. That tank is 150cm though, and mine is 90cm (50 depth). Online it says minimum 60cm, I don't want to keep fish at their minimum though, I want them to feel like they can really thrive and have space.

​

What ferts are you using? On a 180 litre tank its going to be worth moving to DIY salts (assuming you are EI dosing).

Yes I am EI Dosing, but don't worry it is DIY salts, though I put mix them in water cos I don't quite understand how much dry salts to put in daily, I should do the maths and buy a proper teaspoon maybe. I have a macro and micro mix that I alternate every day. I'm using things from aquariumplantfooduk that I bought second hand from Carpman when he took his tank down.

How about some of the rarer guppies. And If you want long finned why not some swallow or ribbon tailed. You should be able to find some in the groups or on Ebay. though you do have x2 big filters so subsequent generations will have shorter finnage with guppies.
LF danios would be nice, especially the Gold Leopard ones.

What would you consider a rarer guppy? I don't really know much about them tbh, though I do quite like the endlers. Since all my tanks have been rainwater I never considered them before, though they are always very pretty at the shops. Do they have any interesting sparring behaviour? I'm sort of hoping for something like that to keep my entertained.

The gold leopard longfins are CRAZY looking!! Wow, like bettas! I'll keep an eye of for them.. also there was a photo next to them I just saw with some longfin moutain minnows, anyone kept any of them? Looking like a Kardashian with those lips wow lmao, possibly they like cold water but they are great.

​

 

[Gill]

What would you consider a rarer guppy? I don't really know much about them tbh, though I do quite like the endlers. Since all my tanks have been rainwater I never considered them before, though they are always very pretty at the shops. Do they have any interesting sparring behaviour? I'm sort of hoping for something like that to keep my entertained.

TBH there are so Many types of Guppies now, and they are creating new strains all the time.
The Koi Guppies are very nice as well as the tuxedo guppies, but they are only in Short(Coffer) tail varieties and not longfin yet. There are also a CrownTail variety, but they are a very niche fish to keep and alot of people think that they have finrot from how they look.
I Would have a Look on the guppy section of ebay for a general idea for the different types that are available in the uk. I would suggest the B.L.A auction thi sunday in Leicester, but thats a bit far from london. You get to view all the sales fish prior to the auction.

The LFGWCMM I have not seen for sale in the UK yet, though the standard are on ebay. And have bought from this seller in that Past
With the Golds you have to pay a premium for decent ones, or you can end up with the marbled/calico ones. and they can look a biy muddy when older.
The Red Lips are certainly a KK look
10 (ten) x Tanichthys albonubes «Long Fin» (White Cloud Mountain Minnow)

OHHHHH Have you thought of Threadfin Rainbows, they are an a stunning fish once you start to get a Dominant Male appearing and their sparring displays are fast and all about the biggest finnage on display.
They are alot more pricey than they used be when you could get them for as little as 95p each. And now I have seen them going for upwards of £8 each.
You can get lucky and get some of the other colored males, but generally you only see the red tailed males.
The Alpha Male gets a large Silver lump on its lower jaw, and is something to behold.



I have also kept this variety, and these males are something else when they are sparring with the other males in the group.

Iriatherina werneri «Merauke»

What are your/other's opinions of dwarf rainbows, is this tank big enough? In my favourite tank at Aquarium Gardens (shown below) they have dwarf rainbows which seemed to love swimming in the flow, when I was there they just swam in a group against the flow the whole time. This tank is also a big inspriation, I love how the bolbitis and buce goes all the way up the wood create extra habitat. That tank is 150cm though, and mine is 90cm (50 depth). Online it says minimum 60cm, I don't want to keep fish at their minimum though, I want them to feel like they can really thrive and have space

These are lovely active fish (praecox) that dont get big and love a fast flow.

 

[shangman]

TBH there are so Many types of Guppies now, and they are creating new strains all the time.
The Koi Guppies are very nice as well as the tuxedo guppies, but they are only in Short(Coffer) tail varieties and not longfin yet. There are also a CrownTail variety, but they are a very niche fish to keep and alot of people think that they have finrot from how they look.
I Would have a Look on the guppy section of ebay for a general idea for the different types that are available in the uk. I would suggest the B.L.A auction thi sunday in Leicester, but thats a bit far from london. You get to view all the sales fish prior to the auction.

The LFGWCMM I have not seen for sale in the UK yet, though the standard are on ebay. And have bought from this seller in that Past
With the Golds you have to pay a premium for decent ones, or you can end up with the marbled/calico ones. and they can look a biy muddy when older.
The Red Lips are certainly a KK look
10 (ten) x Tanichthys albonubes «Long Fin» (White Cloud Mountain Minnow)

OHHHHH Have you thought of Threadfin Rainbows, they are an a stunning fish once you start to get a Dominant Male appearing and their sparring displays are fast and all about the biggest finnage on display.
They are alot more pricey than they used be when you could get them for as little as 95p each. And now I have seen them going for upwards of £8 each.
You can get lucky and get some of the other colored males, but generally you only see the red tailed males.
The Alpha Male gets a large Silver lump on its lower jaw, and is something to behold.
View attachment 172218

View attachment 172219
I have also kept this variety, and these males are something else when they are sparring with the other males in the group.

Iriatherina werneri «Merauke»
View attachment 172220



These are lovely active fish (praecox) that dont get big and love a fast flow.

Thank you so much for all of this!! I will go on an ebay search, when I first started fishkeeping I would endlessly trawl through ebay fantasising about buying all the nice fish there, it'll be nice to try that again! Thankyu for all of the links too, I'm super tempted by those lfwcmm too.

Honestly in my opinion those threadfin rainbows are THE fish to get, I can imagine them in there sparring and they'd be absolutely glorious. The only thing is that online it says that they come from still waters (which isn't surprising given the fins) and need low flow. Maybe I'll have a research around the internet and see if anyone has tried them in a higher flow and how that goes. They are so beautiful, I think all the colour varieties are lovely, even if they aren't neon-coloured they're still very nice.

​

Look at this one, amazing!

 

[Gill]

They do Look stunning in nice large groups with males sparring. And have kept them in high flow tanks and low flow and still water in the past.
And seen no real change within the behaviours in high flow.

 

[shangman]

They do Look stunning in nice large groups with males sparring. And have kept them in high flow tanks and low flow and still water in the past.
And seen no real change within the behaviours in high flow.

Just what I wanted to hear @Gill! 😀 Will have a look around and see if anyone stocks them or if they'll have to be ordered in.

.... almost got carried away there and then remembered I have to wait until the plants are a bit more grown in! 👀 Hopefully Kew Aquatics or the Fish Barn will be able to supply some then

 

[mort]

With your lovely layered planting that's going to get thicker, plus the apistogramma in the lower areas, you might not need to think of normal top dwelling fish. I'm a huge pencilfish fan but it's a real risk to keep them in an open top. The same goes for any top dwelling species as they tend to have evolved to leap when spooked rather than dive for cover.
I think that if you got a traditional middle swimming tetra or similar fish, like black phantom tetras, then the vegetation and the apisto's would push them more to the upper waters. I know tetras aren't as exciting as rainbowfish or killi's but they are harmonious and generally quiet, plus interesting when the males spar. My mindset for fish is perhaps different to others/most, I'm a less is more and like to keep things kinda similar in local, at least down to continent, plus I like quieter fish rather than those hyper active species which I find distracting (although great if activity is what you are after).

So my tip is to not be constrained by traditional categories of fish. Try to think what you want the species to bring into the tank, like if all your other fish are quiet then adding a really active species probably won't impress them much and you lose a lot of their behaviour. Bright and colourful doesn't always mean exciting, and common and bland isn't always boring.

I know that's probably the least helpful post when asking for fish ideas but from my time selling fish I know that often people had buyer regret when what they picked just didn't fit in with their tank or what they wanted to achieve. Consider less species but more of them. Your dwarf rainbows would be a nice colourful addition but even species like silver tip tetra can look and act amazing on mass.

 

[mort]

Praecox can easily be sexed as well which makes getting the ideal mix easier.