[Ratvan]

Love these loaches always active in the evening

 

[Ratvan]

Moved across my original 8 Harlequin Rasbora taking the number in the school to 20. The behaviour already is a lot better in greater numbers

The size difference is a lot more noticable in person

Also been removing the Amazon Frogbit to allow the Salvinia and Dwarf Water Lettuce to take over. These both have a much nicer root structure

 

[Ratvan]

Currently faffing about with the Cabinet of this tank and have decided that I would set something up to try and grow some Emersed (grown out of the water) Aquarium Plants as I have already installed some LED lights within the cabinet so that I can see what it is I am doing when it comes to maintenance

Roma 200 Stand: L100cm x W40cm x H71.5cm
Usable Space: L95cm x W35cm x H60cm
Cabinet Power strip: 8 Gang Surge Protected with Individual Switches.
Cabinet Lights: Full Spectrum 40cm 30LED Strip Plant Grow Lights
12 On/Off Schedule: On 6pm – 6am

Upper Shelf: L95cm x W20cm x H30cm – plant grow bins
Bottom Shelf: L95cm x W35cm x H25cm – generic Fish Tank Storage and QT Tank (L45cm x W30cm x H30cm)

Grow Bins: 3x Ikea Samla Boxes w/ Clear Lids (L28 x W20 x H14)
Gravel Layer: 2-4mm Leca Horticultural Grit
Substrate Layer: Tetra Complete Substrate

I plan on testing this idea with some Cuttings that I have laying around, as well as some of the Plants that I have in various tanks that are currently growing very well

Starting with the Epiphytes, I know following my Dry Start/Moss Misting that the below works well
Bucephalandra Diabolica Kedagang
Bucephalandra Micranthra Needle Leaf
Bucephalandra Pygmea Bukit Kalem
Hygrophila Pinnatifida

I want to try again with the Pogostemon Helferi as I believe that the issue I experienced is that I over fertilized these plants as I was not as religious with emptying the stagnant water from the container as I should have been, they often get dug up by the Kuhli Loaches as well in the display tank so I constantly have a floater or two to hand. Similar to the Hygrophila Pinnatifida.

I know from messing around with my Plant Cupboard that the Java Fern (Microsorum Pteropus) also grows well in an Emersed set up but does require a lot (nearly 100%) humidity so that will be an interesting experiment.

I will give this idea a decently long period of time (60 days from set up) so that I can see any issues that i experience and also since the Bucephalandra is a slow growing species whether it would be worth expanding this idea to include more plants (list below) I can also use on of the 3 Plant Bins to store Propagations and Cuttings from my house plants as we are now entering into the main growing season for those as well.

Again these will be In Vitro plants as I really enjoy growing these out

Plant Bin 1: Epiphytes
Anubias Barteri “Mini Coin”
Anubias Barteri Nana
Anubias sp. Nangi – AQAUDIP In-vitro


Plant Bin 2: Cryptocoryne’ s
Cryptocoryne Crispatula
Cryptocoryne Flamingo – AQUADIP In-vitro
Cryptocoryne Nurii
Cryptocoryne Parva
Cryptocoryne Petchii Pink – AQUADIP In-vitro
Cryptocoryne Wendtii “Mi Oya”

If this goes well then I plan to slowly expand into rarer and harder to locate Species of plants that I want in my tanks, especially the below two species of Lagenandra
Lagenandra Keralensis
Lagenandra Thwaitesii

 

[Ratvan]

Working out PAR levels

The tank and stand

 

[Ratvan]

The latest additions to the tank a school of 9 Glass Catfish (Kryptopterus vitreolus)

I've wanted to keep these fish for a very long time.

 

[JackTheCaptain]

Wow, they're amazing!

 

[Ratvan]

Wow, they're amazing!

Yes they are a very unique looking fish, also really nice to have a catfish that schools as well so definately add a uniqueness to the appearance of the tank

Jus the centre piece surface level fish then i am done with stocking this one..... will most likely then move onto swapping out the plants and seeing if i can find any interesting inverts

 

[Ratvan]

Spent the weekend trimming and replanting stem plants in the tank. Also noticed that the formerly melty Vallisneria is now producing pups all over the tank

Have also started the Moss and Buce farm inside the cabinet so will be offering more plants on my Etsy soon

 

[Ratvan]

Farm been running about a week now and the Bucephalandras are putting out a new leaf so on track for a little grow out

Also have some Java Fern and Java Moss growing out in patches in these little prop trays.

Floaters are selling ok on Etsy shop, at the rate it's going I can afford 3/8 Pearl Gourami that'll finish off my fish stocking.

I also want to sort the lid out so I can propagate some houseplants in the back of the tank and encourage to go up the wall.

 

[Ratvan]

So this weekend I am planning on going to my Local Fish Store to reserve or order the final fish for this tank. I am more excited then usual because all of these fish are going to be funded by the plants that I have been growing from this tank over the last couple of months. These I have sold either on Ebay, Etsy or in this case taking a bag of plants to the fish store.

Pearl Gourami Harem or two will be going into here shortly, then focus will shift to buying and selling aquatic plants as well as the Ramshorn Snails

 

[Ratvan]

Picked up the final fish for this tank a small Harem of Pearl Gourami, all paid for by my plants via Etsy shop and lfs trade in.

The fish stocking in this tank is now complete, I'm going to be concentrating now on the plant growth of the existing stem plants. Since I had some spare credit I picked up a pot of Rotala Rotundifolia as well

I've split the one pot down into 3 smaller ones as these are top cuttings so do not yet have water roots

 

[Ratvan]

With CO2 the rotala growth is very speedy.

 

[Ratvan]

Pearl Gourami Colouring up nicely

 

[imaal]

One of my favorite species and certainly my favorite gourami. So elegant. They ARE coloring up nicely and will be knockouts when fully mature.

 

[Ratvan]

They are indeed beautiful and I am very much enjoying them especially the sparring and displays. I am aware that I more then likely have more males then I have tank space for but I was aware of this when I collected the group of 8. As they are Juveniles I was aware of this risk and the long term plan for them is to separate the smaller males until I have the ratio of 1 Male to 4 or 5 Females. The LFS will take the males back once they have grown out a little.

Now just concentrating on growing out Stem plants and making the tank look nice and bushy before the next little contest tank is set up and I fully immerse myself in Dutch Style Aqua scaping

 

[Ratvan]

Little trim and replant session today

Hoping that soon will have enough stems in front of the filter to cover it over next 3 or 4 trims

 

[Ratvan]

Have had a flurry of activity on Etsy lately and the tank is looking better for it in my opinion

I also rid myself of the Rotala as it just didn't look great and I think that the tank looks better without it. The S Repens is growing in nicely as are the Hygrophila Difformis.

The fish are active and the Rasbora are laying in the Val which finally seems to be liking the tank and is sending out runners and pups right to the front glass. Currently gauging interest in selling this plant on my Etsy along with the Java Fern which doesn't seem to sell surprisingly

 

[Ratvan]

So I decided that the tank is looking rather good and since this has now been running for slightly less than 6 months I would consider it established enough to try a Nymphaea Tiger Lotus.

I purchased a leafed bulb and added it to the tank in a little plant weight so that it can establish itself within the substrate system. I will slowly be adding sand to this area to build up a bit of height in this area. I also want to rid myself of some plants as well these are;

Vallisneria, I love this plant it looks fantastic in every tank that I have seen except for mine! I get amazing and rapid growth until the leaves hit the surface of the tank then it either slowly starts to melt away or it forms a coating of very dark stringy algae, and I get annoyed and trim it out. So, this is going to be the first of the plants to go.

Next is the Microsorum Pteropus (Java Fern), I absolutely love this plant, and it loves this tank apparently. I have so much of this in the tank to the point that I am actively hiding it behind the rocks at the very rear of the tank. I do plan on locating some wood that I can add to the tank, and I want to cover this in the largest of the Java Fern section so that I can hide the equipment in the rear right corner. I need to shuffle the heater along slightly and then the filter can move to the back corner which should provide me enough space to be able to hide these behind the Java Fern. I think that the difference between the leaf shape and colour of the Java Fern and the Hygrophila will look gorgeous here.

The final plant that I want to at least thin out is the Pistia Stratiotes (Dwarf Water Lettuce), again I absolutely adore this plant and everything that it brings to the tank, except for the growth rate. I am constantly on a weekly basis removing this from my tank. My current plan once the Nymphaea Lotus is beginning to grow in is to remove all but the largest three or four plants from the tank and keep on top of the rate that these spread. I also think that having the Lotus in the tank with a few surface leaves will allow me to better contain these plants into a single area of the tank and allow me to keep on top of the removal a bit better.

I have a few remnants of failed tests in the tank as well, these are namely the Rotala Species that I moved into here after my failed attempts at a Nano Dutch style aquarium. I do very much enjoy these plants however I do feel that I need much more nutrients as well as a more robust and controllable CO2 system is required for these plants. I did briefly consider root tabs under these plants but feel that at this stage I may as well focus on my overall view of the tank long term.

I am currently in two minds about the Bucephalandras in this tank, they grow very well however they typically get lost within the tank as unless you are very close to the glass you cannot really see these. I routinely decide to remove them to add to the Fluval Evo which is slowly becoming an epiphyte and rock only tank only to catch a glance at them submerged and the colours to quickly change my mind again. I think that perhaps given enough time that they will grow large enough that I can spot them from across the room. Alternatively if I ever spot some wood that is perfect for the tank I can mount them onto this to give them a bit more prominence within the tank.

 

[obsessedwithplants]

How fast was the crypt.nurii for you? I got some tropica 1-2-grow! but they're not doing anything :/ . Compared to my wendtii 'green', crispatula var. balansae, wendtii 'green gecko' and my affinis even.

Also can't wait for the nymphaea lotus to mature . I love lilies, i got some gardneriana 'santarem' recently but it's very small. They all melted, 4 plantlets in a lead. Biggest plantlet has a bulb and after it died back it produced a runner (which i accidentally snapped off. The baby on the runner is still growing tho), now it's on its second. Smallest plantlet managed to hold onto some leaves and is growing slowly. I removed a bulb to try sprouting in another container, and the last I cant find it anymore.

 

[Ratvan]

I never went ahead with the Nurii in the end, I couldn't find a reliable stockist that kept the cups in suitable conditions. With the exception of the Dennerle In Vitro plants nothing else that I have tried (mainly Tropica just isnt as good in quality or condition).

The Buce and Anubias bins however are doing very very well

The Lotus is looking pretty cool already, had already popped out a couple of new leaves and they've each grown quite rapidly as well