Bye Bye 5 x 60, hello 200

[Deleted member 149562]

I forgot the X-Ray Tetras....they are a part of the family too

A couple weeks ago I had 5 Otto, I now have 7 so someone has been busy somewhere.

Lost count of the number of baby BN's....all adults were rehomed a few weeks ago.

Cories are doing their usual thing of reproducing a little too frequently and a little too well.

Fred on the other hand is all on his lonesome in the 30 litre cube and loving every moment. He is quite a character, alwys bounces up and down when I go close to his aquarium....he is like a hyper Springer Spaniel with fins...

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Well 10 months into things with the 53 gallon, over the next few weeks I am going to tear it down and rescape it. The initial build was somewhat rushed due to having to empty my then existing aquariums into the one larger one.

But with the baby BN boom its becoming obvious that work needs doing. So in about 10 days time, it will be drain, catch fish (I have buckets coming for them as a temporary measure), have the LFS come catch and remove all baby/juvenile BN's, totally sterilise (to remove any traces of BN eggs) and start from scratch.

The filters and live floating plants will stay in the buckets with the fish to maintain their "good stuff"

Next week new sand and other bits and pieces will be arriving. Hopefully (as long as all goes according to plan) I shall start on the 5th and finish on the 6th November.

There will only be the one BN, currently living with a very unimpressed Fred Betta in my 29 gallon. All the others will be going to the LFS and to new homes....they range from 2" to 5", so plenty old enough to be rehomed.

 

[Fishmanic]

TOTM starts in 2 days. Hint hint

 

[Deleted member 149562]

TOTM starts in 2 days. Hint hint

Nope.....

My aquariums are not being entered cos artificial gets frowned upon too much despite taking just as much work to get right as any other aquarium. And anyway, my 53 will not be "photo ready" for at least a month after tear down and rebuild.

 

[AquaBarb]

Nope.....

My aquariums are not being entered cos artificial gets frowned upon too much despite taking just as much work to get right as any other aquarium. And anyway, my 53 will not be "photo ready" for at least a month after tear down and rebuild.

Im a big fan of live plants and most my tanks have been well planted but having cichlids thats not possible in some of my tanks so ive needed to use artificial because i feel tanks need green to make them feel natural.

I understand where your coming from when you say artificial is frowned upon because i look at my tanks and think that looks good... but i wont show them off because im using fake plants in them sets ups.

But at the end of the day as long as your happy with your tank and your fish are happy thats all that matters.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Im a big fan of live plants and most my tanks have been well planted but having cichlids thats not possible in some of my tanks so ive needed to use artificial because i feel tanks need green to make them feel natural.

I understand where your coming from when you say artificial is frowned upon because i look at my tanks and think that looks good... but i wont show them off because im using fake plants in them sets ups.

But at the end of the day as long as your happy with your tank and your fish are happy thats all that matters.

Thank you @AquaBarb

Nice to know someone else understands how it feels to be frowned upon when using artificial. Maybe one day there will be a TOTM that is only open to those of us with artificial, so we can get the chance to show what we can do.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

@Fishmanic

This good enough to enter?

 

[AquaBarb]

@Fishmanic

This good enough to enter?

View attachment 169376

Seening this makes me wanting to rescape my 47g.

Anything particular planned or are you just going off your cuff?

 

[connorlindeman]

@Fishmanic

This good enough to enter?

View attachment 169376

Thats definitely worthy

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Seening this makes me wanting to rescape my 47g.

Anything particular planned or are you just going off your cuff?

I shall be ordering a new "interior" on Wednesday for delivery on Friday

Looking at 20kg of Nyasa sand as base, a corbo root (or similar) to the left end with mopani running from that, a few flat stones, caves and all artificial plants as normal with live floaters stolen from Fred's 29 gallon cos he has too many in there

Stock wise....a pair of Apisto's, 30 Neon Tetras and a batch of Cories (type tbd)

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Thats definitely worthy

I don't dare enter it cos it would be way too cheeky

 

[AquaBarb]

I shall be ordering a new "interior" on Wednesday for delivery on Friday

Looking at 20kg of Nyasa sand as base, a corbo root (or similar) to the left end with mopani running from that, a few flat stones, caves and all artificial plants as normal with live floaters stolen from Fred's 29 gallon cos he has too many in there

Stock wise....a pair of Apisto's, 30 Neon Tetras and a batch of Cories (type tbd)

Sounds like a good plan to me nice stocking that with a good group of neons and the pair of apistos. Cant go wrong with cories aswel.

Shall look forward to it all coming together

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Sounds like a good plan to me nice stocking that with a good group of neons and the pair of apistos. Cant go wrong with cories aswel.

Shall look forward to it all coming together

The previous inhabitants have been rehomed.....all 35 juvenile BN's of various ages went to an LFS and the others all went to an aquaintance of mine who I know will take very good care of them.

All that needs to be done now is the last bits of gravel left behind which I will hoover up with my cordless once fully dry in a day or two, then I shall wipe it all down ready to refit next weekend.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

If I did enter the comp with it as it is, the wording underneath would be.....

A diversa 53 gallon aquarium with bare bottom and a fine example of a juvenile plasticus jugulous situated on one corner holding the AquaEl Platinum heater and 24w GKM (both disconnected). The rear of the aquarium is covered with an attractive background poster, the sides covered with frosted Fablon. Lighting fixed to the rear brace is a Nicrew 58cm RGB MCR LED (currently disconnected since the plasticus jugulous is not keen on being lit up)

 

[Deleted member 149562]

For anyone who might be interested, I sorted the 53 gallon yesterday. Using old media it will be ready for inhabitants when they arrive next week. It is a little cloudy but that is to be expected since there is a full bed of sand that got kicked up a little

The stock will be....30 Neon Tetra, 10 Corydora Venezuelan Orange and a matched pair of Fire Red Apisto

I have used 2 x Interpet CF3 filters this time. There are caves within the resin mangroves on either end. There is 20kg of Kivu sand, various rocks and artificial plants plus real moss balls, Mopani and floating plants stolen from Fred's aquarium.

The filters would not fit initially so ended up cutting the hood...that didn't go well and the filters vibrated, so remounted the filters and have a new hood on order.

Should be fine once the mistiness clears in a day or two. I am boosting the old media with a heavy dose of bottled bacteria every day and will do that right til the fish arrive til they take over that duty.