Badger's Sumatran Rice Paddy

[mcordelia]

can't wait for the pictures, I hope you have a ton to post at this point!!!

 

[WhistlingBadger]

So. I was going to be all diligent and internetty and post tons of process pictures of my build. But when it came to it, I have so many projects going and other irons in the fire, I just decided to press on and get it done. So, if anybody is dying to know how I did this, I would be happy to explain.



But enough with the apologies! Who wants some pictures? Here's what my fake retaining wall looks like. I'm reasonably pleased.

 

[mcordelia]

Whoa, that is so impressive!!!! Well done!!!!

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Thanks! I think it will look cool with a black-ish substrate and some green plants in front of it.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

This is the point at which I usually start to get really excited about a build. The glue won't be fully cured until tomorrow afternoon, and the wait is killing me! ha ha

I plan to start ordering plants this weekend. Our high temps are hovering around the freezing point for the foreseeable future, with lows considerably below, so shipping can be a bear this time of year. Hopefully by the time the plants are growing, it will be warm enough to order fish and snails. And just because I'm excited about this and sort of obsessing about it, here are some ripped-off pics of the fish I plan on stocking:
Blue Rasboras. These are little tiny guys, less than an inch long, and the original impetus behind this project: I am really hoping to establish a breeding colony.

Dwarf rasboras. Size and habits very similar to the bluies, and I expect they'll all school together. The bright red should provide a cool color contrast.

Betta imbellis. Expecting to get a breeding pair of these critters, too.

Shadow catfish. These little guys (around 1" full grown) are SO hard to find, but I am really, really hoping to get a school of them.

Chopstick snails. These actually are from Sulawesi, next door to Sumatra, but there is reason to believe they (or very, very similar species) live on Sumatra, too. I can't exactly hop a plane over there to find out for sure, so I'll just have to make my best guess. These are said to be substrate burrowers like MTS, but they reproduce very slowly if at all in fresh water. They're also said to be good algae eaters. If they don't keep up, I plan to add some ramshorn or pond snails.

Kuhli loaches. These are a plan B substrate feeder, if I can't find shadow cats or chopstick snails. I really like some of the smaller, slimmer species, which are usually available from TWS.

Assorted inverts: Tubifex/black/detritus worms, daphnia, rotifers, seed shrimp. All that sort of thing. I might set up a refugium to raise my own live food, but I'm really hoping that I'll have self-sustaining populations in the main tank, too.

OK, thanks for letting me obsess a little bit. Better get back to work.

 

[Slaphppy7]

This is the point at which I usually start to get really excited about a build. The glue won't be fully cured until tomorrow afternoon, and the wait is killing me! ha ha

I plan to start ordering plants this weekend. Our high temps are hovering around the freezing point for the foreseeable future, with lows considerably below, so shipping can be a bear this time of year. Hopefully by the time the plants are growing, it will be warm enough to order fish and snails. And just because I'm excited about this and sort of obsessing about it, here are some ripped-off pics of the fish I plan on stocking:
Blue Rasboras. These are little tiny guys, less than an inch long, and the original impetus behind this project: I am really hoping to establish a breeding colony.

Dwarf rasboras. Size and habits very similar to the bluies, and I expect they'll all school together. The bright red should provide a cool color contrast.

Betta imbellis. Expecting to get a breeding pair of these critters, too.

Shadow catfish. These little guys (around 1" full grown) are SO hard to find, but I am really, really hoping to get a school of them.

Chopstick snails. These actually are from Sulawesi, next door to Sumatra, but there is reason to believe they (or very, very similar species) live on Sumatra, too. I can't exactly hop a plane over there to find out for sure, so I'll just have to make my best guess. These are said to be substrate burrowers like MTS, but they reproduce very slowly if at all in fresh water. They're also said to be good algae eaters. If they don't keep up, I plan to add some ramshorn or pond snails.

Kuhli loaches. These are a plan B substrate feeder, if I can't find shadow cats or chopstick snails. I really like some of the smaller, slimmer species, which are usually available from TWS.

Assorted inverts: Tubifex/black/detritus worms, daphnia, rotifers, seed shrimp. All that sort of thing. I might set up a refugium to raise my own live food, but I'm really hoping that I'll have self-sustaining populations in the main tank, too.

OK, thanks for letting me obsess a little bit. Better get back to work.

Looking great so far, T.....and please tell me you've reconsidered the MTS, lol.....haven't read the whole thread yet

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Looking great so far, T.....and please tell me you've reconsidered the MTS, lol.....haven't read the whole thread yet

Chopstick snails. These actually are from Sulawesi, next door to Sumatra, but there is reason to believe they (or very, very similar species) live on Sumatra, too. I can't exactly hop a plane over there to find out for sure, so I'll just have to make my best guess. These are said to be substrate burrowers like MTS, but they reproduce very slowly if at all in fresh water. They're also said to be good algae eaters. If they don't keep up, I plan to add some ramshorn or pond snails.

I'm not always really smart, but when I hear the same thing from that many people, I take it to heart. ha ha Honestly, about the only people saying that MTS are OK are the websites selling MTS.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I'm not always really smart, but when I hear the same thing from that many people, I take it to heart. ha ha Honestly, about the only people saying that MTS are OK are the websites selling MTS.

Hey, you can get $ for them?.....I'm sitting on a fortune...

 

[eatyourpeas]

Got the rocks dry-brushed to bring out the texture and make them more realistic. Gluing them in tonight if all goes as planned. Then pictures.

Are you gluing them to the tank? I have seen nightmare scenarios where foam scape just floats.

Edit: NVM, it looks like you are

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Yep, silicone glue is amazing stuff.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Plants ordered! So exciting. I was able to find most of what I wanted at buceplant.com, and the rest on ebay. Plant list:

Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia
Java moss
Christmas moss (lots)
Riccia Fluitans
Cryptocoryne Blassii
Clover fern (Marsilea Crenata)
Rice paddy herb (Limnophila aromatica)

I was going to plant arrow leaf (Sagittaria latifolia), a North American species, to simulate taro, a root crop grown in Sumatran paddies alongside rice. Taro comes in dwarf varieties but is toxic, so I'd be afraid to trim it. Anyway, I realized that Crypt pontederiifolia actually looks more like taro, AND it's native to Sumatra, AND it's a crypt. I like crypts. So, we're going with that.

Yippee!

p.s. The Badgerling made soft pretzels for supper. Could life get any better?

 

[Slaphppy7]

I've never been a fan of pretzels, but maybe homemade soft ones would change my mind...

Hope the plants make it to your (new) home, in great shape, and ready to flourish

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I've never been a fan of pretzels, but maybe homemade soft ones would change my mind...

Hope the plants make it to your (new) home, in great shape, and ready to flourish

Thanks! Buceplant ships with a heat pack this time of year, so I'd say there's a better than even chance of them getting here in decent shape. Or at least alive.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Sounds good, get us some pics when they arrive...

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Got the substrate and water circulation system in; planted the rice seeds. Will get a bit of water in tonight so the rice can start germinating. Rest of the plants should be here this week; once I get the mosses and java ferns glued to the substrate, I'll fill 'er up and start cycling.

No pics yet. Had to take a computer break this weekend. Stay tuned...