ScholasticSpastic
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So here's my tank, about two weeks after setting it up. Not everything in there has been in for the full two weeks. The moss and ludwigia are both relatively new and it's been stocked with temporary fish for about a week. So it's definitely still cycling. These pics were taken moments ago, after a >50% water change to deal with tannins from the wood.
An overview of the tank:
You can see that my lighting is probably weaker than the water wisteria's used to as the new growth isn't as fine:
Here's one of the crypts, some echinodorus tenellus, and the ludwigia:
A better view of the moss and java ferns:
Here you can see the young anubias coffeefolia:
Everything is still rubberbanded to substrates until anchored. The anubias is showing good root development and the java ferns have already put out several new leaves, so I look forward to ridding my tank of rubber bands soon.
Tank Specs:
(US) 20g long
Black sand
Sponge filter
2x 24" T5NO
150W heater @ 28F
Plants:
2x Cryptocoryne balansae
several Ludwigia repens
several Hygrophila difformis
3x Anubias coffeefolia
several echinodorus tenellus
some Vesicularia montagnei
Animals:
3x Cherry barbs (Puntius titteya)
>8 Malaysian trumpet snails
2x nerite snails
Once the tank is cycled and the plants have established, the barbs are going back to the LFS and I'm dropping some shrimp in. Despite the low WPG, this tank can be considered a moderate light tank due to the relatively low height, so I'm harboring hope I can keep the Ludwigia. Failing that, I'll just fill in the rest of the back with cuttings from the wisteria- which is obviously quite happy.
When tannins are less of an issue and I can begin doing less frequent water changes, I'll be fertilizing with Flourish and Excel and maybe experimenting with DIY CO2. For now I'm not keeping my water long enough to waste my money on ferts. I've amended the sand with plant tabs to keep the echinodorus happy and help it decide to fill in the foreground some day.
Feedback is welcome. Especially concerning whether I can keep the following shrimp without risk of interbreeding: Taiwan Fire Red (Neocaridina heteropoda var. Fire Red), Blue Tiger Shrimp (Caridina cantonensis sp "blue"), & Cardinal Shrimp (Caridina sp. "Cardinal").
An overview of the tank:
You can see that my lighting is probably weaker than the water wisteria's used to as the new growth isn't as fine:
Here's one of the crypts, some echinodorus tenellus, and the ludwigia:
A better view of the moss and java ferns:
Here you can see the young anubias coffeefolia:
Everything is still rubberbanded to substrates until anchored. The anubias is showing good root development and the java ferns have already put out several new leaves, so I look forward to ridding my tank of rubber bands soon.
Tank Specs:
(US) 20g long
Black sand
Sponge filter
2x 24" T5NO
150W heater @ 28F
Plants:
2x Cryptocoryne balansae
several Ludwigia repens
several Hygrophila difformis
3x Anubias coffeefolia
several echinodorus tenellus
some Vesicularia montagnei
Animals:
3x Cherry barbs (Puntius titteya)
>8 Malaysian trumpet snails
2x nerite snails
Once the tank is cycled and the plants have established, the barbs are going back to the LFS and I'm dropping some shrimp in. Despite the low WPG, this tank can be considered a moderate light tank due to the relatively low height, so I'm harboring hope I can keep the Ludwigia. Failing that, I'll just fill in the rest of the back with cuttings from the wisteria- which is obviously quite happy.
When tannins are less of an issue and I can begin doing less frequent water changes, I'll be fertilizing with Flourish and Excel and maybe experimenting with DIY CO2. For now I'm not keeping my water long enough to waste my money on ferts. I've amended the sand with plant tabs to keep the echinodorus happy and help it decide to fill in the foreground some day.
Feedback is welcome. Especially concerning whether I can keep the following shrimp without risk of interbreeding: Taiwan Fire Red (Neocaridina heteropoda var. Fire Red), Blue Tiger Shrimp (Caridina cantonensis sp "blue"), & Cardinal Shrimp (Caridina sp. "Cardinal").
