The Swamp

[coldcazzie]

So today I went to one of the local garden centres to see if they stocked hydroponic supplies and see what their pond plants were like. Lets just say I won't be going back. The expanded clay balls were £3.99 for a tiny tub, and the pond plants did not look good They stock nice sundried tomato and garlic chutney though, so bought two jars of that

Also looked at LFS for plant/fish prices. Well none of them had rummys in at all, and all the plants were awful. However, in LFS #3 I did find some gorgeous corydoras that I've never seen before: Corydoras sychri. Very nice. £4.99 each. They had ten. I was VERY tempted. But I resisted

I've decided I'm going to get those bits of wood. Will buy those tomorrow probably.

 

[coldcazzie]

get as many Rummys in there as you can, brilliant fish, behaviour is soo much better in groups larger than 10

My LFS' show tank must have 50+, and it's awesome.

I will, but the numbers won't be as high as they could be with a filter as it's just the plants filtering. The cyperus is a good filterer though.

i was using 50 as an example, not a template

'ere, I've spent a while procrastinating on my essay again this afternoon and done some reading around stocking a NPT... so far everything I've read suggests I can get a "normal" stocking level in there, possibly even more than that depending on planting level and how good the plants prove to be at filtering.

I might be able to get 50 rummys after all, and I reckon a corydoras species might be on the table as well...

 

[SamLovesCorys]

I love rummynoses!

 

[Biulu]

Cyperus is being used as the main plant in natural water treatments where you lead your kitchen and shower water into a basin filled with pebbles and Cyperus. The outgoing water is almost nutrient free.

 

[coldcazzie]

Yes I have read good things about the cyperus. I'm in the process of finding out how big the pots are that are available so I can work out how many I would need.

With a very high plant mass... it's looking good for the stocking So according to the calculator above, I'll have 75 UK gallons or 90 US gallons.

So...

60 rummy noses
25 habrosus corydoras
cherry shrimp and MTS

??

 

[SamLovesCorys]

Any centrepiece fish?

 

[stu40]

Any centrepiece fish?

He shoots, he scores

Trust me, 60 Rummys will act as a centrepiece .(as long as you can keep the plants alive

)

 

[coldcazzie]

The idea is that they keep each other alive. The fish feed the plants and keep them alive, the plants remove the toxins from the water and keep the fish alive. Obviously I have to feed the fish occasionally

Perhaps keyholes might feature as a centrepiece later on down the line, but my main focus has always been the rummys.

 

[lljdma06]

This tank is going to be sweet.

L

 

[coldcazzie]

60 rummy noses
25 habrosus corydoras
cherry shrimp and MTS

If you've been following my other thread (see here) you'll know that I went and bought 11 corydoras sychri from a lfs yesterday. They're just gorgeous, and I think I'm in love!

So, I'm going back in a few weeks to pick up some more. I have considered the option of other corydoras species and I don't think I want to add any others. I'll just try to increase this shoal further from other sources.

I may keep the harlequins I have. I'm not sure.

 

[coldcazzie]

So today I ordered some plants.

3 x Cyperus alternifolius
2 x Acorus gramineus var. pusillus (green sweetflag)
2 x Acorus gramineus var. variegatus (varigated sweetflag)

It's a bit of a test as I'm not sure of the size of the pots so we'll see what turns up. Tomorrow I'll be in town so will be picking up some more planters, and I'm just about to place an order for hydroponic clay balls.

I'm currently working on the basis that I can't actually buy the new tank until we've got a new carpet in our living room (frankly, I'm not moving it once it's in! ) so for the moment I'll start things growing in the 240, will see what works and what doesn't, move stock on etc etc.

 

[coldcazzie]

Today my first piece of wood arrived no pictures yet - want to wait til I have all the plants sorted for a big reveal

The kids are being bad influences and telling me I need to get those two bits of wood off eBay, as well as the wood I got today! they know me too well!

 

[DrRob]

I'm with the kids, those grape vines look good.

 

[coldcazzie]

Bah... why do there have to be so many things I want to buy?! I need to decide between 3 bits of wood and I want them aaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllll

I totted up the plants and I reckon it'll be about £100 on plants when it comes to it. Guess I'd better get saving!

We also had a discussion about lighting, and have an idea for it, so I've set the manwife a challenge to get it sorted for me asap... the tank currently has no lighting at all as a bulb went. Clearly that cannot continue with plants imminently incoming...

Watch this space

 

[coldcazzie]

So, I sold off a bunch of wood. I now have but three pieces (always want to say that lol ).

I took some pictures today while attaching the anubias from richpowell to the wood from mattlee. Manage to get a picture of my single shrimp too I've dropped the water level in the tank, and as of yesterday have plants in planters!

I'll put some pictures up soon, but I'm still waiting on some more plants arriving so I want to get those and get them in first