JeffK
Member
I didn't experience aggression between males, but I did keep them in a slightly bigger footprint. It's always better to stay on the safe side of things to prevent disappointment.
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Very first tank (planted, low tech)
- Thread starter megwattscreative
- Start date
hydrophyte
Member
- Joined
- 22 Aug 2009
- Messages
- 1,068
Hi all, not much to update on other than everything is growing well. I've been dosing with small amounts of chelated iron + solufeed 2:1:4.
Aquatic plants are growing well, bladder snails, daphnea and asellus are flourishing, moulding on the moss wall is dying down a little. I think I'm just going to wait for the terrestrial moss to slowly spreadI think I will drain the tank a little at some point to spread java moss across the aquatic moss wall section. You can't really see the capillary fabric in person what with the floaters and tannins, but I know it's there and would definitely like to hide it.
The asparagus fern experiment failed (welp) but I'm not really surprised- I'm terrible with them. The cyperus is growing out of the top of the tank which is quite excellent - I think I'll keep it for as long as possible before it outgrows my living room! I also really like that the syngonium roots are rooting into the bark.
I've also added some airtube circles to let light in, as the floaters have been growing like crazy.
I'm thinking about adding fish next month after my travels! Have been reminded of how much I like sparkling gouramis, but I know it's difficult to find females... We'll see.
View attachment 218574
Happy plants in there! You know what might look really nice would be a Lagenandra meeboldii positioned at the waterline along the back with foliage up in the air. This plant would normally prefer to be rooted in a soil substrate, but so long as you maintain fertilization it will root OK on the background. Various rheophytic Aroids would be other nice companions planted like that and so would Microsorum and Bolbitis. With the tank mostly enclosed as it is there should be adequate humidity for these.
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megwattscreative
Member
Hi all, it's fish day!
Yesterday I added my first fish:
8 × sundadanio axelrodi/ neon blue rasbora
8 × Boraras brigittae/ chili rasbora
8 × Paracheirodon simulans/ green neon tetra
they are all from Abyss Aquatics in Stockport and are settling in nicely. I slightly overfed them with ground up bug bites today (didn't realise quite how tiny the rasbora's mouths are!), so I'm thinking I'll leave off feeding them tomorrow.
they seem to be traversing every inch of the tank and are enjoying the shade underneath the driftwood, as well as the dense planting and open space at the front. (Video here)
I opted for green neons instead of green kubotai as I've seen kubotai's "cohabiting" with chilis in a LFS, and the chili's seemed pretty terrified of all the movement.
they're very small and not at all coloured up atm, but that will come with time. I've got access to my neighbours water butts and @dw1305 is sending me a micro worm culture (thanks dad!!), so there will be plenty of live food.
now all I can think about is how amazing the tank will look with twice as many in the shoals 😂
I'm planning on adding some pygmy Corys when I can get my hands on them, and think I will leave off a centerpiece fish for now. I'm really just enjoying the nano fish in my 100L(ish).
now how do I get a good photo!?!?
Yesterday I added my first fish:
8 × sundadanio axelrodi/ neon blue rasbora
8 × Boraras brigittae/ chili rasbora
8 × Paracheirodon simulans/ green neon tetra
they are all from Abyss Aquatics in Stockport and are settling in nicely. I slightly overfed them with ground up bug bites today (didn't realise quite how tiny the rasbora's mouths are!), so I'm thinking I'll leave off feeding them tomorrow.
they seem to be traversing every inch of the tank and are enjoying the shade underneath the driftwood, as well as the dense planting and open space at the front. (Video here)
I opted for green neons instead of green kubotai as I've seen kubotai's "cohabiting" with chilis in a LFS, and the chili's seemed pretty terrified of all the movement.
they're very small and not at all coloured up atm, but that will come with time. I've got access to my neighbours water butts and @dw1305 is sending me a micro worm culture (thanks dad!!), so there will be plenty of live food.
now all I can think about is how amazing the tank will look with twice as many in the shoals 😂
I'm planning on adding some pygmy Corys when I can get my hands on them, and think I will leave off a centerpiece fish for now. I'm really just enjoying the nano fish in my 100L(ish).
now how do I get a good photo!?!?
simon_the_plant_nerd
Member
I have 18 of these in my tank. They are truly beautiful, hardy little fish. An excellent choice.
Scaperinc
Member
I have 10 neon green and my little one has scared them they never come out until I put feeding tube thing and some food
Courtneybst
Member
Lovely to see fish in the tank Meg! I'm sure they're gonna love it.
megwattscreative
Member
Hello all! Not much to update on other than tank is doing well having some yellowing of leaves (thinking this is due to low iron). I haven't changed doses, however I have been changing the water more often due to the fish - so I think I just need to dose more regularly. It may also be the emergent plants hogging the light, so I'll see if removing some of the floating plants helps too.
The fish that I do see are fat and happy - I've only seen 3/8 chillis and 5/8 axelrodi since the 2nd or 3rd day, so either they're in there or they've spontaneously disappeared. I was feeling quite terrible about this, but I know I'm doing everything right food and water wise - hopefully if I bulk up the rasbora numbers the secretive ones will come out of hiding (or the remaining ones will feel a bit safer).
I'm planning on adding some pygmy Corys and more rasboras this week or next.
I also built a drip wall today (don't recommend doing this after setup!) using some 12mm tubing and an API flow 400 water pump. It's all running smoothly, but the filter is a bit overpowered for my purposes - I went for this one as a cheap option that would clear the vertical head height I needed, but I definitely could have gone for a weaker one that may have been quieter. We live and learn! This will hopefully replenish my moss wall, as I think it was too dry at the top near the lights.
Any tips on quietening filters or reducing duck weed highly welcome
A little video here
having some yellowing of leaves (thinking this is due to low iron). I haven't changed doses, however I have been changing the water more often due to the fish - so I think I just need to dose more regularly. It may also be the emergent plants hogging the light, so I'll see if removing some of the floating plants helps too. The fish that I do see are fat and happy - I've only seen 3/8 chillis and 5/8 axelrodi since the 2nd or 3rd day, so either they're in there or they've spontaneously disappeared. I was feeling quite terrible about this, but I know I'm doing everything right food and water wise - hopefully if I bulk up the rasbora numbers the secretive ones will come out of hiding (or the remaining ones will feel a bit safer).
I'm planning on adding some pygmy Corys and more rasboras this week or next.
I also built a drip wall today (don't recommend doing this after setup!) using some 12mm tubing and an API flow 400 water pump. It's all running smoothly, but the filter is a bit overpowered for my purposes - I went for this one as a cheap option that would clear the vertical head height I needed, but I definitely could have gone for a weaker one that may have been quieter. We live and learn! This will hopefully replenish my moss wall, as I think it was too dry at the top near the lights.
Any tips on quietening filters or reducing duck weed highly welcome
A little video here
Attachments
Onoma1
Member
I love your set up. It is fantastic and is clearly going to be amazing.
I had the same issue with duckweed. I manually removed it and then pounced (metaphorically) on any leaf that emerged. The issue for me was it tangling in the moss and roots on the wall. This was impossible to remove and I had an enduring issue with duckweed.
However, after the plants on the wall developed it seemed that the duckweed stopped thriving and it simply disappeared. Other floating plants continue to reproduce, however, the pace of growth is slower and the size of leaf is much reduced.
Others with greater wisdom and plant knowledge may be able to explain this phenomenon.
There is, however, hope...
I had the same issue with duckweed. I manually removed it and then pounced (metaphorically) on any leaf that emerged. The issue for me was it tangling in the moss and roots on the wall. This was impossible to remove and I had an enduring issue with duckweed.
However, after the plants on the wall developed it seemed that the duckweed stopped thriving and it simply disappeared. Other floating plants continue to reproduce, however, the pace of growth is slower and the size of leaf is much reduced.
Others with greater wisdom and plant knowledge may be able to explain this phenomenon.
There is, however, hope...
megwattscreative
Member
megwattscreative
Member
Hi all,
Hope you're well! Ive also posted this in the planted tank discussion forum (hope that's ok!) just to maximise people who may see it and have advice.
I noticed this morning that at least 1 chili rasbora and 1 pygmy corydoras had made their way behind the matten filter! There are tiny gaps on the sides that they must have slipped through. I'm totally ok with them hiding in there if they choose too, but I want to make sure they can get back into the main tank / are getting enough food. For now I've used some airline tubing wedged between the side of the tank and the egg crate/sponge to widen the gap a little
bit.
Whilst I was doing this the chili slipped out, but the Cory is still chilling behind the filter. It doesn't seem stressed, but is swimming up against the glass occasionally as though looking for a way out. I do think it would be happier with the rest of the shoal.
Any ideas for better solutions than my very janky tube wedges? Id like the least intrusive options possible as I don't want to fiddle with the tank too much and stress the fish.
Hope you're well! Ive also posted this in the planted tank discussion forum (hope that's ok!) just to maximise people who may see it and have advice.
I noticed this morning that at least 1 chili rasbora and 1 pygmy corydoras had made their way behind the matten filter! There are tiny gaps on the sides that they must have slipped through. I'm totally ok with them hiding in there if they choose too, but I want to make sure they can get back into the main tank / are getting enough food. For now I've used some airline tubing wedged between the side of the tank and the egg crate/sponge to widen the gap a little
bit.
Whilst I was doing this the chili slipped out, but the Cory is still chilling behind the filter. It doesn't seem stressed, but is swimming up against the glass occasionally as though looking for a way out. I do think it would be happier with the rest of the shoal.
Any ideas for better solutions than my very janky tube wedges? Id like the least intrusive options possible as I don't want to fiddle with the tank too much and stress the fish.
