60cm beginner's journal. (Finally set up my tank)

[erwinx]

skf7: yes thanks for the clarification. David also pointed it out. Realised, there are 2 different green Crypts in the tank, most of them are the thicker stem type but there were some bunch with very thin stems. So possibly a mix of C. Willisi and C. Wendtii Green (as suggested by David).

Thanks for all the help in ID. I am new to planted aquarium and find it interesting to learn more about the different species.

[erwinx]

Day 22 Update




Rotala Macandra. Reached the top of the tank and I think has stopped growing and sprouting new red leaves instead.

Ludwigia Brevipe: Nice orange coloured leaves. Looks very nice against the Black Oyama. I had 2 long straight stems that hit the top of the tank and started bending since no more room to grow upwards. I trimmed and replanted and unfortunately because I was too late in trimming, the stems are 'bent'. Hope they straighten up soon. The stems are very fragile sometimes merely by yanking a leaf, I can break the stem, so must be more careful....

Hygrophila Polysperma (tenative ID?): It was growing fast but the new leaves were so much larger than the originals. Did a major trim off the tops and I think they were in shock... have since seen new growth so they are ok and still very green.

Rotala Wallichi: Tips are nice and pink and I like it how they open and close during day/night respectively. The latest pic above they are in the 'closed position'

Various Crypts: Seem to be doing ok. Added C.Wendtii 'Tropica' on extreme right side and removed some Tennellus

E. Tennellus: have to keep on cutting back the side shoots.
Zenkeri Red: Slow but steady progress. Will have to post close up and ask forummers to advise if I have to cut any of the leaves (i.e. at what point can we ID the floating leave and cut it before its too late)

Eleocharis: Above surface no progress but roots are spreading below surface.... i'm not in a hurry....


Fauna:
After checking Ammonia levels ok, added Guppies which seem to be doing well. They are super efficient bottom scavengers... no need Corydoras. I try to give the Yamato shrimp algae wafer in a discrete heavily planted corner of the tank, the Guppies can still find it and fight the Yamato shrimp for the wafer. After that added rummy nose tetras for the schooling effect.

[Jonneh]

Thanks for sharing! What an awesome set up!

[erwinx]

Day 28 aka 1 month anniversary





(1) Hairgrass has started sending out new shoots. Finally, but still long way to go.
(2) Red stemmed plant. I think the plant I've been called Rotala Macandra is Alternanthera rosaefolia. I let one stem breach the water surface and the bright pink leaves are so pretty outside the water. I'm pretty sure the bright pink leaves are the emersed leaves but... the new leaves coming out at the top are also bright pink. New leaves on side shoots are 'wine red' (i.e. dark red like red wine). So if i trim off the top, I will get a stem with much darker leaves versus cutting and replanting the top
(3) Brown/Reddish Crypts are doing well. My educated guess is that they are C.Wendtii Tropica. For some reason, there are a lot of bubbles coming out from the leaves, more than the bubbles from the Green Crypts. (Always thought red plants rate of photosynthesis lower than green plants)
(4) E.Ozelot At least its surrounded by rocks, otherwise it is going to take over the tank. I planted it with one of those black plastic pots with holes that most plants at LFS come with in the hope it was restrict its growth but no such luck. Many new leaves with lots of distinctive red dots/streaks. Got to learn how to trim this.
(5) E.Hadi Red Pearl - growing sideways instead of growing upwards. New leaves come out red but turn green with browh streaks.
(6) C. Parva - there has been speculation that C.parva at LFS is actually C X Willisi. I bought a pot to test and planted it right in front of my C X Willisi and will see if they are the same....
(7) Marsilea -I have a lot of space around the E. Ozelot that I wanted to fill with something. I have Anubias Nana Petite on superglued pebbles and they are doing ok (growth is mostly upward because they are in shade i guess), so when C328 brought in Marsilea this week, I just had to try since its reputed to be ok with lower light....

Algae Update: Green Spot Algae on sides of tank. I bought what amounted to a rough sponge on stick from LFS. But I should do more research on the best tools from algae on glass. I don't know how to use credit card... i tried a credit card and it doesn't seem to scrape anything...

Fauna Upate: I have been waiting so long for regular Rams to appears as I don't like the Balloon Type. Finally C328 has brought them in, and cheaper than Balloon Rams too

[erwinx]

Week 6 nothing much to report. Got myself Canon 50mm f/2.5 lens from amazon for US$269 free shipping (much cheaper than SG price). Have to slowly learn how to take fish photographs and how to position the flashes, but her are some luckier attempts...

[erwinx]

[bennyc]

Nice Picture, color rich picture, expected of a DSLR.

GSA can be remove easily by Credit card. Just tilt it 45 degree, press against the glass and scrape. Becareful not to be too violent or you will create wave in tank. If one scrape is not sufficient, repeat a few times will do.

[tuktuk]

nice photo shot

[pattermelon]

Hi may I know what fish is that with the faint black bands across its body


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[creech]

I use those white magic sponge to clear the algae, you can get them in different sizes from Daiso. I usually get the 30 pieces bag for $2.


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[erwinx]

The fish with the black band is the Rummy-nose Tetra, one of the "best" schooling fish.
Thanks for the info about the sponges. I am using a "Tom" brand metal scraper from C328. Very effective, but the algae after scraping still remains in the aquarium (just drops off the glass). So a sponge that picks up the algae may be useful...

[pattermelon]

The fish with the black band is the Rummy-nose Tetra, one of the "best" schooling fish.
Thanks for the info about the sponges. I am using a "Tom" brand metal scraper from C328. Very effective, but the algae after scraping still remains in the aquarium (just drops off the glass). So a sponge that picks up the algae may be useful...

I meant the cichlid! Is it a dwarf cichlid?


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[erwinx]

The Cichlid is the German Blue Ram. Many LFS sell the mutated Balloon Version, but I like the shape of the original. http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/cich...manblueram.php

In terms of behaviour, it harasses the Yamato Shrimp but not the tetras or guppies, so the shrimp don't come to the front that much. Maybe when the hairgrass grows longer, the shrimp will be more brave....

[CPONovice]

German ram?

[CPONovice]

Going to C328 now.Hope can buy some stem plants like yours haha

[erwinx]

Here's a more recent photo. Need to trim the stem plants. Bought a few more crypts from Teos to put in front while waiting for the hairgrass to slowly spread. On the extreme right of the tank is the E.Tennellus. As the edges were the dimmest part of the tank, thought no chance to grow hairgrass so put Tennellus and Tennellus has no problems creeping.

[saintdevilz]

very nice tank you have there!

[erwinx]

Current status of the tank.
Trimming and re-trimming the Ludwigia Brevipes & Rotala Wallichi to make them into a denser clump, but what happens is that there are always 2 or 3 stalks that shoot up to the surface at a superfast rate. Some hair algae on the Ludwigia Brevipes leaves... trying spot does Excel on selected leaves as an experiment.
Alternanthera Roseafolia, stalks have breached the surface the tallest is 5cm above the water line.
Other than that, algae is generally the green spot kind and using scraper to remove from the glass.

[CPONovice]

Hi! Is the brown crypt at the left side crypt wendtii brown or tropica and what is the name of the echinodorus with red spots at midground ?thanks

[erwinx]

Hi,

On the left side there is C.Wendtii Tropica and C.Wendtii Green (I think). The Wendtii Green has wrinkled green leaves and brown stems. The Wendtii brown has smooth leaves

The C Wendtii brown is in the centre right of the photo but obscured by the C. Wendtii Tropica. The C.Wendtii brown is a much smaller and slower growing plant...


The Enchindorous in midground is E.Hadi Red Pearl: http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...odorus-hybrids