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A big YEAH to you Rick

New Rams, spawn as soon as you put them in the tank, I envy you soooooo much. This is fantastic, now you can concern yourself with baby brime shrimp and stuff like that

Yup, there would be a chance that these two ate your shrimpsters, in particluar if they were small.

If your fish are happy then I would not worry about your plants growing slower, as long as they don't die off. And from what I can see in the shots, all looks pretty good.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Rick,

How long did you have these guys before they spawned? They sure must like the home you have given them!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Thanks Guys

I got the Rams on Sunday so it has been less than a week before the spawn. However, the spawn has ginned these two up. They chase the poor little cories around, even if they are just minding their own business. Big Bullies

I did however see the bigger of the two shrimp today. The little one is MIA. I guess they've gone into hiding now.

LF the pictures of the plants look better than they look to the eye. The only plants that look healthy are the various crypts. The stems look like they are suffering from something. The Hygro is putting out a lot of new growth but it is a yellowish green and is very susceptible to BBA. The wisteria is basically just sitting there and slowing getting covered in BBA.

I went ahead and started dosing my micros twice a week. I am still thinking its a micro problem as I always have high nitrate and with all the fish and food plus what I add I can't imagine being low on P.


Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

Unfortunately I have some bad news regarding the male Ram. He apparently had developed Hole in the Head disease. It had a hole forming right over his eye. I tried changing the water and giving him better food as I read this can be nutritional. Unfortunately it was not enough and he died last night.

The female is still alive but I noticed her developing a white spot on her back that is worrying me.


Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

I was admiring your pics of such pretty rams, then read your sad news. Sorry for your loss . I hope your female will be okay, especially so you can enjoy watching her guard her fry.

Cheers
TW

Hole in the Head on a Ram, never heard of that before. It is known that water conditions have something to do with that, but I believe that you are on top of it anyway. Very very strange.

I never had good luck with German Rams and each time someone gets them I keep my fingers crossed. It is such a shame. How is the female? What kind of white spot is it? Like Ich, or more like an infection?

Grrrr, I hate when that happens,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Thanks for the input Ingo. Not to many of the websites I looked at indicated Rams as suffering from this but they did say that Hole in the Head can affect many different cichlids. However, I am pretty confident that this is what it was.

The male started with a white spot over his right eye. The spot just kind of grew and the flesh just deteriorated. He finally stopped eating and died.

The female got a white spot just under the front of the dorsal fine. The spot now is just about the size of a grain of rice. It also looks like the flesh is deteriorating. Fortunately she seems to be eating well.

I have also beefed up my water quality big time. A little mismanagement on my part had gotten the nitrates so high I couldn't really tell what the color chart was reading. My guess is it was ~80ppm. Now after several water changes through out last week it is down to about 20ppm. Hopefully the better water quality will let the girl get over it.

Crossing my fingers.


Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

Rick,

Sorry to hear that it seems like she has the same issue, even if it is looking like it may not be so bad. Having about 80ppm of NO3 for sure can kill a Ram, they are very sensitive to high nitrates. As a matter of fact, over time it would have wiped out you other fishies as well.

I am no expert in external infections, but you could try a half dosage of Melafix and a half dosage of Primafix, I think a treatment with these meds may help. I don't remember though how long you would have to do that.

Hope this helps a little and that she is getting better,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Week 11 Update ( I think )

Here are some shots of the tank tonight as well as my troubled Ram.

Not much has changed on the tank it self. I want to add a lot more plants. The plants I have though just don't seem to take off. I am just now seeing new growth on the wisteria. I think the Flourish is just starting to take effect. I am thinking of adding a few more of the crypts along the front since the cories love to hang out under the leaves.

I am also planning on replanting some of the hygo along the back right corner to hidr the filter intake some.

Anyway here are the pictures.


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Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

Sometime you just get that great shot. For me this is one of them. No matter what happens to this girl I am glad I had her for this shot.

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Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

Now back to my more normal blur. Here is a shot of her wound.

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Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

along the back right corner to hide the filter intake some

You mean the left, right?

Yeah, more plants for sure would be great in the tank, and I can see that more crypts in the foreground could look very nice together.

That is quite a big boo-boo on your Ram already. Is it still growing?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

A bunch of stuff has happened with this tank.

First unfortunately the female RAM did not make it. We went away for a few days on a camping trip and when I returned she had died.

Instead of trying to get more Rams right now I have decided to get the plants in this tank looking better. I went and get a few plants and more will be added. I removed the Crypt Balanase which was not going and replaced it with Bacopa.

Unfortunately the Bacopa is not growing either. I guess I need more light. The plants are just deteriorating and by the time I took the pictures I had remove most of it.

I also added some more crypts up front and will probably add some more. I also found a nice Anubias as well.


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Full Tank

Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

and a side shot

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Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

Hi slickrb,
I'v just read through whole of the thread. Sorry for the loss of such beautiful rams.
Well, i had the same problem with the plants. Lighting was a lil above 1.5 w/g but even the low light plants would not get along. Lost many plants. Luckily one of the bulbs got out of order (yeah, luckily) I just searched the internet and found that I was using a "cool light" bulb with something around 2300K rating. I changed those immediately with 6400K and the plants that had not already died, started recovering. Ive put in bacopa, wisteria and hygro and they seem to be doing good now, even under the low intensity light. I would say, get your lights checked for the K rating.
And instead of phosphate, u can try K2SO4 to compensate for K, or lower the phosphate dosage(this K is for potasium, not Kelvin ). May be this extra phosphate is giving algea a boost. ( I myself am using the PMDD for fertilization)
Edit: And are those white spots on the tank snails?

Rick,

It is looking nice now, except for the Bacopa. Sorry about the Ram, I currently don't even dare to buy any, I lost 2 pairs so far.

The Anubias looks like a Barteri which, if all goes well, may become quite big for your tank. I don't think it will outgrow the tank any time soon, but it will gain center stage rights.

Good catch by mughal113, if this are all snails then you may have an issue. I would assume it is based on either too much rotting or too much fish food or a combination of both.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Thanks for the comments guys. I went to the fish store and picked up some Vals for that back left corner. The leaf shape is similar to the Hygro but right now I am just trying things. I don't think the Bacopa will make it much longer. If the Vals don't take I may just replant some of Hygo in that corner since they grow like crazy.

The snails should even out. While the Rams were alive they were practically eliminated except for a few of the bigger ones. However the last ram died while I was away and was mostly eaten when we got back, plus the rotting of the Bacopa has provided plenty of food so they have made a rebound.

The lights on the tank are the factory eclipse lights and by now are over two years old. I have had replacing them on the back of my mind for awhile. The only reason I haven't is because I have been only running them every day for a couple months. Before that they were hardly on so I figured they are still good. But if I don't get some better results with the plants, I may well replace them sooner.


Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

OK I saw something last night I didn't expect. The big ammano shrimp was holding a snail shell and having himself a fresh meal of escargot. I double checked just to be sure. My little pacifist scavenger has turned carnivore. Come to think if it I haven't seen the small shrimp..... Better watch out putting my hands in the tank

Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

That is very interesting rick. I am wondering if there isn't enough veggy food for them in the tank so it went for something a bit more beefy.

I have both Amano and CRS in my 40G and they seem to leave each other alone as far as I can tell at least.



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Indeed very interesting,

Are you sure it wasn't simply cleaning algae of the shell? Or the snail was dead and rotting away? As far as I know, Amano's don't really have the tools to kill/eat a snail.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Hi Rick

I'm sorry about your rams too (if I didn't already say that). Your Anubias Barteri is looking very nice & healthy. I am starting to like the less crowded looking tanks these days, so I think your's is looking really very nice. Maybe just a little too uncrowded & a few taller stems will help. I read you will be taking care of that with some vals.

Did you say your tubes were 2yrs old. From what I have read, tubes should be replaced at least annually, even if they still work. Something about them losing too much of their intensity to be helping the plants like they should, once they exceed 12 months. It might be helpful for your plants if you do decide to change the bulbs.

Are those neons or cardinals? They look very nice & colourful in the tank. Do you still have those golden fish or are they in your other tank?

Cheers
TW

Happy New Year!

Well my tanks survived for two weeks while I was in Florida and Tennessee, plus all my neglect leading up to the trip. No major issues. I did a trim of the 25 Gallon and thought I'd start the new year off with a picture.

I hope to catch up and see everyone's doings soon!

Attached Image:

Full Tank Shot

Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

nice looking tank Rick. PS, hope your 2 week break was fun.

Cheers
TW

1.7.2007

Here is this weeks picture. I tore the vals out since they weren't growing and just put some cuttings from the Hygro there. It seems to be the only stem that like to grow in this tanks so I am gonna run with it. I hope to fill in the left side and hide the heater.

I also am going to get some more crypts and build up the right corner so there is more hight back there.

I also picked up a python yesterday and I love not needing a bucket and gallon jugs of water. I highly recommend it

Attached Image:


Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

Try not to worry about hiding your equipment, instead focus on the aquascape. Hiding equipment usually comes at a cost to the overall plant layout. I'd just try to fill in with low plants on the left and try to keep the hygro a few inches from the surface, and only in the middle as you have it now and in your last photo. Once the crypts and java fern fill in it will look really good.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Thanks Matty, That's good advice. Good to know there are a few of us still checking in these days. It's been so quite in here.

I'll try your suggestion and fill that left side in with some low crypts to help tie the tank together. I was going to get an assortment of low crypts anyways for the right side.

Everything else is just growing in nicely like you said. I was actually looking at early pictures of the tank. And since I haven't done any Ingo style makeovers the week to week pictures don't show drastic change. But when you look at the first picture compared to today you can see how much everything has matured.

Here is the First Pic


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Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

And the current pic.

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Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

1.14.2007 Update

Nothing all that new this week. I have continued to cut and replant the clippings of the hygro to really try and start filling this tank up. I want to cross over from the medium planted I have now to fully planted. Next time I get to the LFS I'll get those Crypts I have been mentioning and I am thinking about adding a cutting of the Anubias from the 10 Gallon. I just don't know where I would like it best yet.


Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

Update 1.23.2007

I got some crypts to replace the wisteria that was on the bottom right. As usual I bought to little so I will need to go back and pick up a few more plants. However it is looking much better. I picked up a C. Lutea for the rear and C. Tropica for closer to the front. I'll pick up some more. C Wenditi next to fill in the spaces.

I'll post some picks when it is complete.

Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

Update 6.17.2003



Hello it has been a long while since I updated my log. I though I'd post a picture. Not much has changed with the layout. It has filled in a bunch. The biggest change is the filtration. The eclipse hood kept leaking so I bought an Ehim cannister filter to replace the over the top biowheel. It is much quieter and no more leaking. The next step is to replace the hood with new lights and a glass top.

The plan is to get a 24" Coralife Auqalight 1x65 W. However I have been also thinking about the Aqualight 24" with 2x65 since the tank is so deep.

Anyway here is the picture.

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Full Tank - Jun 13th

Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

Rick,

Oh my goodness, where have you been all these months - Did the Gators eat you?

Tank looks noce, not much has changed since January except a few less species and a little more growth.

Hey, you don't have any plants in there that would need the double 65W fixture, are you planning to change the species? If not, what would you do with all the light?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

No, No, The Gators have been behaving themselves.

I'm 1.5 years into a two year project and right now the targets are very high so I have been working a ton. I don't have the time or energy to do much more than water changes. I do have some plans to bring some new life into this tank and totally redo the 10 Gallon.

For now though I am just checking in.

Anyway Ingo you are right about my plants. But the plants I have are a product of my current lighting as I only have 30W.

I want enough light where I can grow most species even at the bottom since this is a tall tank (20" tall). I also want to leave the door open for C02 enrichment later on.


Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

I also want to leave the door open for C02 enrichment later on.

Sounds good to me

But I would say that if you go for 2x65w there is no waiting for "later", you better hook up some form of carbon addition right away with that light (Excel daily, DIY, or the real deal).

Hope you pull the last half year of the project off without a hitch (hasn't happened to me yet though),

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Hello,

I've got a couple new pictures tonight. First here is the full tank. If the picture looks brighter, its because it is. I added the new coralife 65w to this and it make a huge difference.

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Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

(See post on previous page)
And here is the shiny new lamp!

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Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

Rick Hi , love the tank and great shots . Did you just get the one 65 or the double ? Do you have any plans to add more plants etc ?

Look forward to more shots in the future.
Garry

Countryfish, I ended up getting the single 65 fixture. Without out CO2 I could justify over 5WPG on this tank even if for a short amount of time.

Right now with the new light I have 2.6 WPG and I'll see how that works out. It does look a whole lot nicer though. These PC lights are great. Now I should be able to start experimenting again with some new plants.

Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums