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Very true Frank - it was previously hidden by stems, which I don't intend including in this scape.

My other tanks have heaters that have black covers - maybe that would help. That bright chrome really hit your eye visually doesn't it.

The position of the power cords mean that I either have to have it vertical, or if I'm going to slope it, it has to be this angle. I'd like one of those external heaters, but they are soooo expensive. Hmmm, I'll see what I can do.

Cheers
TW

The Visi Therm Stealth Heaters are all black and blend in nicely, if you can get them Down Under.

On the other hand, why does the "position of the power cords" dictate that you cannot move the heater horizontal at the bottom in the back? Is the wire too short?

Here is a shot from this weekend of my 20G - and there is a shiny silver heater horizontally in the back left section of the tank. The cable is coming up in the left back corner and in these lights (picture) not even visible.

Ingo

Attached Image:

Where Is The Heater?

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I still have to work on completely hiding the heater - so just pretend you can't see it. There are more anubia nanas now, but still more are required.

Attached Image:


Cheers
TW

For no reason, other than I like him, here's a shot of the new apisto male, who lives in peace with my 11 juvenile kirbs. He mainly chases his harem, rather than mating. Aggg, another reluctant male in my tank

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Cheers
TW

Aggg, another reluctant male in my tank

- Join the club, Robyn

I like the loads of Anubias, but you created a left and a right tank. The left side is great, the right is so-la-la, with the plants being too grande, you know what I mean?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Join the club, Robyn

Annoyingly, the private owner I bought these from tells me they laid in his tank - but I don't know what to believe now.

the right is so-la-la

Yes, I know what you mean. I feel everything on the right is just temporary at the moment, just marking time until I bring bring across some stuff from the 20G once it (eventually) shuts down.

The below pic is the 20G & I will definitely bring across the two nanas you see (they're on small pieces of wood that can be placed strategically on the substrate & make nice natural caves for reluctant romeos & their harems). I will also try bringing across the two crypts, although I think it was you who said crypts often get very cranky at being moved & so I suppose they might up & die on me. I also might bring across the larger anubia & if I do, I might attach it the rear & far left of my large feature wood. So in the end, the right hand side should all be a fairly low level affair & when the time comes I'll ask where the crypt should go. My vision at the moment is the eye drawn up wards from left to right by my main feature wood with just low stuff (the anubia on wood) underneath & maybe the crypts don't fit that plan - hate to see them wasted thought. Maybe they could go front left?

It is still my kribs that stop my tank plans going ahead but I don't know what to do with them and while they stay, I can't shut the 20G tank down. They are my babies & I'm finding it hard to think of parting with them - but I will have to as I just do not have room for 11 kribs when they grow to full size. I can probably keep one or two in the planted tank, but can't see 11 adult kribs continuing to live in peace with the apistos.

This tank also always continues to give me problems with algae. I sometimes wonder if setting up C02 would solve this. It would also allow the addition of riccia rocks, as I am convinced that (as seen in my 43G) C02 is more important to riccia than high light.

Do you think C02 would help the algae problem?

Thanks for popping in Ingo

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Cheers
TW

I "can't see it."

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

yeah, I don't see any algae.

I agree with Ingo on the assessment of the tank. Those nanas could replace the current plants on the right, or you could use that low growing wisteria. I think either would work. Those crypts IMO could fit in well if properly placed on the left.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

yeah, I don't see any algae.

See it now? Look on the anubia. Anyway, tank is still in it's very unsettled state, although I'm a step closer to shutting down the 20G & bringing it's plants across to this tank. Till then, this tank is looking bare. I had too much riccia from my trim in the 43G, so I've added 2 small riccia covered rocks. The Tenellus has been removed from the front right corner - you can see it floating top left - haven't brought myself around to throwing it out just yet.

I can't get the algae under control in the tank. I will try reducing the lighting by another hour less per day. If that doesn't work, I may have to give in & put in some creeping wisteria - but I don't really want to do that, so will try reduced lighting.

The reluctant romeo apisto & one of his brides have finally spawned. She is guarding, but not as well as the krib mum did. She seems intimidated by dad & if he comes too near to her nest, she runs away and the eggs are unguarded for a short time. She always returns, but she is certainly gone long enough that if there were predators, they would be eaten. I removed the juvenile kribs as soon as I found the eggs, but it is probably from dad there will be a threat, if any. So, grandma is waiting patiently to see if the eggs hatch and if the fry survive. Fingers crossed.

Attached Image:


Cheers
TW

Till then, this tank is looking bare

but I have to say that the tank looks really clean

I assume you have algae issues because you have very little plant mass in there that is actively growing on a measurable scale. What is your fert regime? Can it be that you are imbalanced? Turning off the lights earlier (or on later) may help though.

And Yeah!!! to the eggs, although it certainly makes me jealous. You sure have talent in the breeding department

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Congrats on the eggs! That's great. I agree that the tank needs a few more plants, especially to hold back the algae, but looks real nice otherwise.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

I reduced the lighting as much as I dared, but still the algae advanced onwards. The pic tells a 1000 words

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Cheers
TW

So I caved in and added some wisteria to the tank in the hopes it will help with the algae. Besides that, I removed the big wood temporarily & painted the non planted areas with excel, in the hopes the algae will die off as a result, without the annubia suffering also.

Fingers crossed for improvements.

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Cheers
TW

Robyn,

That looks like a combined algae attack in the close-up. I seem to identify BBA and hair algae, is that right? The BBA should give way to the Excel, I doubt that the hair algae will though.

Would it be possible (without making a major mess) to remove the wood and give it a good scrub to remove the existing algae?

You know, maybe it is even some leaching of the wood that causes the algae in the first place

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Hi LF, thanks for the visit.

Yep, seems to be green flowing algae & the little black tuffs, which I think is BBA. The wood can be easily removed (that's what I did last night - although I didn't scrub it). I rubbed each leaf until the removable stuff came off, leaving only some leaves with black marks that wouldn't budge & then painted wood with the excel. I'll pull it out again in a day or so and do the scrub, since the excel won't work with the hair algae.

This tank is supposed to be the easy one, but what with regularly having to deal with algae, it's not turning out that way. This is the tank with the expensive UV filter, and whilst I have it for parasites, I thought it was supposed to help with algae too. Grrr.

Even though I didn't want the wisteria in there, I think the apistos may prefer it. The girl apistos should be able to move about with more cover now, so the male mightn't notice & chase them so much.

BTW, the eggs mentioned a few posts earlier disappeared without a trace. Hopefuly, the fact they spawned once might mean they'll try again.

Cheers
TW

Robyn,

I have hair algae confined to the wood in my 125G since maybe at least one year. I don't bother to take action as long is it does not spread. During my make-overs, I remove the wood anyway and give it a good scrub.

I will keep my fingers crossed on the spawning, I am sure it will happen again (as it did in my 40G, but with no positive end result so far).

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

The BBA is going red, so I guess that means it's in the process of dyeing. I'm just about positive the hair algae is doing the same. I'm not going to do a wood scrub at this stage, but at next water change (Wednesday) I'll give the wood another brushing with excel - that is, if it needs it.

For comparison, here is a shot of the wood full of the the black BBA and green hair algae

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Cheers
TW

Algae still there, but I'm sure there's a lot less fuzzy green stuff now.

Attached Image:


Cheers
TW

I'll give the wood another brushing with excel - that is, if it needs it.

If it is not too much trouble to give it a brushing then I would do it anyway, as you may think it is good but there is still some tiny stuff left.

Otherwise, glad to read that it works. If it behaves like mine then after turning red it will get smaller and smaller and then is gone.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Tank Watcher, Hi just thought I would say hello Just joined FP after reading Little_Fish's , Wings and your logs in the Planted Forum . I am back in the hobby after 30 years and have a lot to catch up on . Love your stuff and I look forward to seeing more of your tanks in the future .
Garry

Hi Countryfish

Welcome to FP

Thanks for your kind words & for stopping in. Hope to see you around the forums /:'

Cheers
TW

Hi TW

Just saw your log. Congrats on the fry! how are they gng now?

have you decided what to do with the male yet?

my two rams had this same type of behaviour.. one minute they were great and the next the male was attacking the female whilst trying to guard the fry. i moved the fry into a breeder net cos it was safer.

keep us updated on how the fry are! they are such cute little creatures!

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

Hi CD, thanks for the visit.

have you decided what to do with the male yet?

I was too scared to put him back in the main tank, in case he forgot the fry were his & ate them. I kept him for a while in a small tank I had, but I felt sorry for him in there, so I took him to Auburn. Unfortunately, the mum has since died. She started to get a swollen eye (I don't know why, as I am careful to always 50% water change & my water parameters are always good). Luckily the fry were almost juveniles, but I didn't want to medicate the tank with them in there so tried melafix & pimafix - didn't work and she passed on.

keep us updated on how the fry are! they are such cute little creatures!

Yes they are. But I have made a mistake & recently lost 3. Since their mum died an appisto male & 3 females moved in & for a long time, no breeding. Then there were eggs & I worried that the bigger apisto when guarding may pick on the much smaller krib juveniles, so I quickly set up another tank for them. Thought it would be okay, as I used media from my cycled tanks for the filter for this temporary tank, but within 2 weeks, 2 of them died. Tonight, I found another one dead, so I have moved them back into the tank with the apistos (nothing came of their eggs - just disappeared). I don't think they have been as active in the last week, so I hope the move back to their birth tank isn't too late to save the rest. Heartbreaking to have them since last October & then to lose 3 in such quick succession.

I won't be able to keep them all for much longer. When I get my african tank up & running, I have to shut down one of my planted tanks (my other half has put his foot down about the number of tannks I can have) & there won't be room for 8 adult kribs. I will keep one in my planted community tank and unless I can find someone I trust to take them, I will have to give them to Auburn. I'd refer to give them to someone I know, but don't know of anyone - so it will probably be Auburn.

They're one reason why I'm going slow on the African tank (although St George should just about finished making it now - waiting for their call) as I thought I would keep them as long as I can.

Do you still have your krib fry?

Cheers
TW

Hi Tankwatcher , sorry to hear about your loss of the little ones Always difficult when you loose fish but must be even harder when you've breed them . Hope it all works out in the long run
Garry

The excel works a treat on the hair algae. Here's the before shot, taken around 11.05.07



and here's a couple of shots taken tonight



I still have algae problems on the leaves and you might notice the holes on the anubia leaves. Any suggestions to help out with the holes would be appreciated. I had reduced the lighting considerably & I'm gradually increasing. Back up to 6hrs a day now. Ferts are KNO3 1/8th tspn, a pinch each of KH2P04 & K2S04 dosed once weekly. Traces 5ml & iron 2ml dosed once weekly.

Cheers
TW

Robyn,

I of course can't say this for sure, but normally holes are a sign of a lack of Potassium. This is supported further by your routine of

Ferts are KNO3 1/8th tspn, a pinch each of KH2P04 & K2S04 dosed once weekly.

I use in my low tech tanks at least as much potassium as nitrate, even a little more. The fish in the tank (and decaying matter to some degree) produce ammonia and phosphates, as such avoiding a total null value. But potassium, that - I believe - is only added by us. Given that, by EI Standards and my guess, potassium should be on the level of nitrates, you seem to add too little.

Hope this makes sense,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Thanks for the post LF.

KH2P04 = Mono Potassium Phospate
KNO3 = Potassium Nitrate
K2S04 = ???

I think it's the K2S04 you are saying I need more of???

Cheers
TW

K2S04 = ???

Potassium Sulfate, yes - that is the one where I would add more.

There have been recent discussions on overdosing Potassium, but nothing solid has been formed of it yet. Also, I do it since a year at least with no problem. And the Sulfate is no problem either, it just doesn't do anything (good or bad) in these quantities.

here is my dosing schedule for my 20 / 29:

- Water Changes every other week on both, immediately followed by:
- KH2P04 (I have 2ppm in the tab): pinch / pinch
- KNO3: a little less than 1/4tsp / a good 1/4tsp
- K2S04: 1/4tsp / 1/4tsp
- Excel: 10ml / 15ml
- Micros (on next day, Tropica Plant Nutrient liquid): 5ml / 7ml

And that is only once in these two weeks between water changes.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Thank Ingo

Just in case Frank ever pops in - see the pic - no more silver heater. I've found a black one now.
Also shows the agassizii They're easier to photograph these days. Always begging for food. If they see me come near - out they come & head straight for the feeding corner (that's where they are now). They must recognise me though, as if I have friends over & they look in the tank, they hide & won't come out at all.

Excuse the glare/refelction on the back & sides of the tank glass. I have a lot of trouble with that reflection lately - in all my tank shots

Cheers
TW

Hi TW,

The tank is beginning to really look nice. I suspect the
fish are "hiding" because it is kinda "stark" and very
bright. Now, by "stark, I mean you may want to consider
something that will encourage the fish to feel safe
swimming out in the open. Perhaps some floating plant, or
some stem plants along the three boundries (back & sides)
that you allow to grow to the surface and across it. That
will give the shade that they may require.

I gather the heater is laying on the bottom in the back?
(grin)

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Hi Frank

fish are "hiding" because it is kinda "stark" and very
bright

They don' hide for me (only when other people - not me - stick their faces up to the tank for a closer look. Fish sure hide then. All I have to do is stand in front of the tank, and out they come, one by one until all are waiting patiently in their feeding corner. I don't want stems in this stank for some reason, but do you think floating duckweed (is that what it's called) would make them more comfortable?

Cheers
TW

Robyn,

First of all, don't fix what is not broken

If your fish come out for you, but not guests, then nothing is wrong with the light etc. I have duckweed and water lettuce in my tanks (or had, in some cases) and the fish do the same. No wonder, as most guests have an attitude that is not suitable for our spoiled animals, as in jumping up and down in front of the tanks etc

Tank looks nice, and while I was looking at it for the second time I noticed that it has quite a few similarities to my current vision for the 29G after its next redo, bummer.

How many Nana petites are in there? Seems like 30 at least (if they are petites, maybe they are small Nanas).

About the glare: try to put the focal point of the camera onto the wisteria, the brightest plant in the tank. This may adjust lighing to that level and make it less glary.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Hi Ingo

Thanks for the visit.

I noticed that it has quite a few similarities to my current vision for the 29G after its next redo, bummer.

Wow, to think you have even some similarities with a tank of mine is quite an honour. Pls don't let any perceived similarities prevent you from your plans. You won't have the same driftwood, so it will be different. Your plants will be arranged differently, so it will be different. I am planning to borrow ideas from you all & hope to incorporate a beach area in my new 70G. A few of us have already done that and others (you I think) are considering it.

Also, if I get my way, this tank will shut down & be replaced with a 3 footer. I commenced negotiations with hubby on this plan tonight If negotiations successful, new tank will have the ability to divide into either 2 or 3 separated areas. Each section will be a scape on it's own. Because of the dividers, my focal driftwood will not fit. Sadly, I don't think I'll have room for it anywhere. I'd love to rehouse it in the new 70G I'm setting up - but I am stuck with my large fern covered log (see 43G log), as hubby bought that for me. I'm learning why it's not a good idea to accept gifts for the tank.

You are probably right with your count of nanas. I don't know if they are petite or just small nanas. I've never seen one here that is labeled petite. These were labeled "miniature nana" , so who knows.

Cheers
TW

Robyn,

A 3 footer with dividers? Intersting

Why?

I guess it must have to do with the breeding of Apistos, right?

I will have to find time to put my 29G into action, and currently I cannot afford another 6 to 10 hour makeover time slot. In a while maybe though.

"I commenced negotiations with hubby on this plan tonight " - I will not ask

Miniature nana sounds like Petite to me, maybe you folks Down Under simply don't like the French and that is why you use another name. Remember the time when the Americans called a certain food product "Freedom Fries" ?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Remember the time when the Americans called a certain food product "Freedom Fries" ?

No, I didn't hear that before, but it's funny. Don't know why we call it by a different name, here Down Under, but this thread http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/threads/33190.1.htm?99# shows we say lots of things differently.

Why? I guess it must have to do with the breeding of Apistos, right?

Yes, that & because of the fish/tank shuffling I will have to do when I set up the African 4 footer. The trade-off was that the 20G must shut down & the male Nigerian red from that tank is not accepted in any of the other tanks. The other Nigerian Red male in the 43G will not have a bar of him. I experimented & moved him into this tank (23G), but the male agassizii will not tolerate him there either. I could divide the 20G (which is 2ft), but if I go 3ft I can have 3 sections. I then could move the apistos from the 43G into one section - where they could breed. The current agassizii would have their own section (so no mistakes between females from the cac & ags could occur) and I would have a safe haven for my Nigerian red in the final section. I also feel confident (sort of) that I could, if necessary, place fry in with him. Guppy fry have been born in his tank before & he couldn't have cared less. So really, the new 3ft divided tank plans are his fault, as I have nowhere to put him. I don't want to return him to LFS - I really like him. If I was allowed, I'd set him up in a separate tank on his own - but I have more chance of negotiating a shut down of this tank with a replacement tank.

Keep for your toes & fingers crossed for me.

Cheers
TW