Lost Interest In My Tank, But Hopefully Regained It Again

[houndour]

For the last couple of months I've lost interest in my tank. I don't know why as it's my pride and joy (aside from the buns).

Anyway, got my act together yesterday and gutted it. Probably a bit too much. I decided I didn't like the new plants. They grow too fast and look too straggly. They were Ludwigia species.

I have left Rotal rotundifolia which I'm hoping will form a curtain to hide the heater.

Heteranthera zosterifolia which I love, but just seems to disintegrate and turn black.

Anubias nana (on top of wood) which is covered in spot algae and has holes in.

Java moss

Glosso, which half is now on the surface as the fish have dug it up overnight!

And Hemianthus Micranthemoides. I didnt think this plant was doing too well, but after separating it, it has actually grown loads since I got it. It's just looking a bit crap cos of all the hair algae.

So heres my rather bare looking tank.

 

[smithrc]

I know how you feel

They grow too fast and look too straggly. They were Ludwigia species.

I agree our Ludwigia is the same - its all over the place.

BGA is now setting in too - and since the near deaths, I've not turned the co2 back on either... its a mess - but the shed is taking priority.

I only said to Lorna about 30mins ago that i need to sort it out before I kill the plants aswell.

 

[zig]

Good to see you back in planted section Sam, i sure you will have the tank in good shape in no time, any ideas on what you are going to do? some hardscape maybe and work around that? I just redid my own tank, once you get going its not so bad, you will enjoy the results, if you need a hand or if you stuck for a few ideas just ask.

 

[George Farmer]

Welcome back Sam!

I wish you the best of luck - I've never known anyone have so much trouble with algae, and it didn't seem to be your fault either.

 

[houndour]

Thanks for the support

I've been neglecting my tank terribly for the last 2 months and particularly in the last month I haven't even been fertilising.

I'm so tempted to stick some swords in...I just like them But I'm determined to stick to my dream tank of all small leaved plants.

So going along Georges theme of keeping things simple I think I'm going to try and stick with just the plants I have and nothing more.

I hope to have a lovely carpet of glosso like George has. With the hermianthus being a midground between the glosso and rotala. I still want to have a traingle shape. So I will eventaully shift the rotala more to the right with hermianthus on the left.

I'm going to use my javamoss wood as the focal point.

I've just realised I still have the red lily in there. I threw the tiger lily away finally. Its too big and dominating. But the red lily I left seems to be slower at growing and has smaller leaves.

I started my new dry fert dosing regime on Saturday. Today I'm going to buy a diary to keep a record of everything so I can monitor things and get this algae under control. On the positive side of things the BGA has stayed away

smithrc, it's good to hear other people go through the giving up phase I've been through it a few times. And while I'm giving up I just think I'll never get motivated again.

Zig have you posted any new pics of your tank? I havent been on the forum much to see.

 

[zig]

Hiya Sam, No i havent posted pics yet i just did the new layout on saturday, hopefully during the week i will post, but not having a working digital camera ATM doesnt help but i will probably be able to borrow one, i want to see what others make of it, i dont know what to make of it, good or bad, i think its somewhere in between.

On the subject of small leaved plants i think this is exactly what my new layout is missing i went looking for them but i couldnt find what i wanted, the plants i was looking for were Rotola sp. green and Didiplis diandra and ludwigia inclinata var all three are small leaved plants, the rotola i think is a fast grower, i couldnt get any of them but will keep trying, another one which i did get is ludwigia arcuata another small leaved plant, i havent grown any of these before so dont have much experience with them, but i will have experience as soon as i find them, anyway i really like all of them.

Its a pity you cant get the glosso growing it carpets real fast and looks great, i dont know if its the sand it doesnt like or what, but if you got it going you would love it.

The hemianthus can look great as well i have that in my new layout but just clumped together for the moment i will see how it goes, swords will be to big for your tank IMO.......good luck again i will post my pics soon so maybe you can get a few more ideas.

 

[jimbooo]

hiya sam, how funny is this. great minds think alike.

i gutted my rekord 60 on saturday night (one of those 10pm till 4.30am sessions!!)

like you i was bored with it and needed something to motivate me into doing the ferts on time etc..

i ripped out all the glosso and replanted every single piece seperatly. without exageration there must be 150 plantlets if not 250. i'll put some pics up soon.

you should find that with a growing tank you are more inclined to look after it than a "finished tank" kind of adds to the fun watching it fill out.

good luck and nice to hear from you

 

[Jen]

Isn't that funny. I have been feeling the same way with my tank. Mainly I'm sure becuase I'm tired of how it looks and want to change things around. Also because I was used to a maintenance free tank for 6 years (water changes every other month, never having to top the water up) and then diving head into the weekly maintenance and pruning and ferts. It was a huge change, and I'm lazy, so trying to get into it has sorta lost my interest.

I'm hoping that I can spend the next week or so doing the same thing... gutting and re designing everything, but with the Christmas season aproaching, I may not be able to get to it until all the hoopla is over. (I can't believe I just said hoopla!)

 

[houndour]

I think you guys are right. A tank rearrangement is certainly whats needed when you dont feel motivated anymore. I'm now back into my tank Although not into it enough to endure the pain of planting every glosso-let seperate. Well done jimbooo (sorry for calling you a boyracer)...I had to put up with a mere 5 bmws p***ing me off on my journey home last night. *sigh*

 

[jimbooo]

I think you guys are right. A tank rearrangement is certainly whats needed when you dont feel motivated anymore. I'm now back into my tank Although not into it enough to endure the pain of planting every glosso-let seperate. Well done jimbooo (sorry for calling you a boyracer)...I had to put up with a mere 5 bmws p***ing me off on my journey home last night. *sigh*

ha ha, no problem sam. i am afraid i'm about to dissapoint though. the BMW is going, replaced by an 06 spec honda civic type-R in feb.

i think that puts me even deeper into the boy racer category but sod it i like flying around by the seat of my pants. makes a change from spending 4 hours planting glosso. quite a contrast.

 

[AndyTaylor]

...You could always marry the two hobbies......pimp your parcel shelf with a nano reef tank, perhaps!
A betta bowl in your glovebox?
The possibilities are endless!!!! LOL

 

[jimbooo]

ahh but fishies, bass and G force dont really pair up too well. maybe a garage with fish tanks built into the walls. thay may work.. he he