Craynerds Planted Tank Mk.2

[craynerd]

Thanks for your suggestions. Keep them coming.

Jen - still have a bit of trouble with tannins but nothing excessive. I see what you mean about the picture, but i think its more the camera and my photography then the water itself. I seem to get a blue tinge to my photographs when i change the white balance. Anyhow...

Yes, the rotala engulfing the wood is exactly what i am aiming for!

I am away now for a while, so update you all in a week or so!

Take Care.

Chris

 

[George Farmer]

Nice progress Chris.

Is it me or is your light really purple?

 

[craynerd]

Is it me or is your light really purple?

Nope, lol, it comes out a blue/purple when i set my white balance on my crappy camera. Its not that colour to generally look at, infact its quite red rather than blue, at 6000K.

Plants are growing fine with it, i hope it is just my camera although its strange that my camera picks the blue up ?!
I go away for a bit tomorrow and hopefully fingers crossed pick up that MH .

Chris

 

[Themuleous]

Tanks coming along nicely Chris and the second photo isn't geeky, its looks great in that photo very professional

Once the hairgrass fills out and covers the rest of the substrate it should bring the whole scape together better.

Sam

 

[oldwhitewood]

Bolivan Rams are brilliant fish, lovely. AND there one of the few cichlids one can actually keep with shrimp.

 

[chameleongeekgrl]

very artistic love it

 

[Qays]

Rams? I dont think those are very neutral, theyre good if you want somthing flashy though.

some neutral coloured fish that pop to mind:

-X-ray tetras (pristella maxilaris) (silver with black and yellow fins)
-Cherry-barbs (rusty orange colour)
-White-Cloud mountain minnows (these are a olive brown colour, with red and white fins)
-Glowlight tetras (quite neutral, but they do have an orange lateral line)

there are many more to look at. i find orange and red fish look attractive against the greeness of the background plants.

Rams also look nice in a planted tank.

BTW, why does your water look misty? Is it just the pics?

 

[Chris_Wood]

Rams? I dont think those are very neutral, theyre good if you want somthing flashy though.


-White-Cloud mountain minnows (these are a olive brown colour, with red and white fins)

I agree if you want nice neutral fish White-Clouds are lovely, and they show off nicely to each other!

They do like colder temperatures though (even though many keep them as tropicals) as they originate from cold mountain streams in China.

Pencil fish are also very nice and neutral, Bekfordii's are lovely and also display (mock fights) constantly when in good condition. Not sure if they are jumpers though?

CW

 

[iamwhoiam]

WCMMs are a bit boring though. They hardly ever move around!

How about harlequin rasboras as a suggestion? The orange goes well with plants, and have an interesting stop-start type movement.

 

[Qays]

they hardly ever move around? yours must have been stressed because mine were the one of the most active fish i have ever seen!

they constantly chase eachother and flare their beautiful fins.

@Chris_wood, they are fine in tropical, although sub-tropical, they easily adapt.

 

[planter]

I want these!!

Difficult to find but they are just stunning!

Nannostomus Mortenthaleri

If anyone knows where I might buy some of these please let me know!!!!

 

[craynerd]

Hi chaps,

Thanks for all your suggestions. I will google image some and have a look at my LFS. Obviously i`ll let you know what i decide.

I`ve been away from the tank for 6 days on holiday with my dad and g/dad on tank duty. They have come up twice during the 6 days, so much less maintainance than normal!!
I am well shocked, the plants have flown up, both rotala species are at the water surface and the hairgrass is certainly taking hold! Which is good, since i was worried that the hairgrass would not do well.

HOWEVER....there is always a BUT...

Since i have been away the tank has developed a medium case of some sort of hair,cobweb beard algae. I can`t properly identify which. I`ll post a picture later on today so hopefully someone could identify it for me.
When i put the java moss in, much of it went brown, i thought it would pick up. It has not, and these are the areas where this algae has taken hold!
Also while i was away i dropped the CO2 down to just short of 2bps, maybe this has added to the cause.

I know you guys can`t do anything yet, but if you could keep poping back, hopefully you`ll be able to offer some advice when you see the picture.

Chris

 

[craynerd]

lol, really sorry, wrong thread : deleted!

 

[Themuleous]

Sounds like it was the lower CO2 that might have done it, I'm going away for 10days in Sep think I'll lower the lighting and ferts and just keep the CO2 high. As Tom Barr say CO2 problems cause 90% of algae issues.

Sam

 

[Graeme Edwards]

I can vouch for that, i cranked my Co2 up in my cube and no alage problems WINNER!!!!!

Crank it up chris and do plenty of water changed and remove any algae you can see.