Maintenance today. Spotted a few old blyxa leaves with some possible bba (darkened edges) that I removed just in case and spot dosed some easy carbo on the general vicinity. Adjusted CO2 slightly (comes on 10 minutes earlier now) to see if that fixes it.
Light has been increased marginally a week or so ago (50%, up from 45%). Frogbit is growing fast and large, so I think ferts are at the correct level atm (currently set to 17mm per day).
Contemplating swapping the elodea for ludwigia red, as that deals with liquid carbo better and I think it might look great too. But perhaps I'm just influenced by all the red and orange trees in the woods here giving me this autumnal vibe.
What do you guys think?
All fish seem to be doing well. Havent spotted the fan shrimp since his/her release last thursday though. I've heard they often molt after going into a new tank, then hide for a few days, so I'm hopeful. It cant have escaped (tank is closed off with a net) and I've not seen a dead shrimp either, so it should be around somewhere...
I'm loving the panda cory's, always about and checking everything with their mustaches. Wood, sand, rocks, everything is inspected for possible food.
I'll be adding the 9 embers, 6 or 7 pigmys and one or 2 ottos from the other tank in a few days, and then I've got the following things still planned:
- 3 apisto borelli (1m, 2 f)
- 3 swords (preferably montezuma natural colours, if I cant find those then 3 regular natural colours)
- 3-5 more serpeas
- 8 marbled hatchets
I think that is already close to the limit of what the tank can hold, but after having a very stock-light tank for a very long time, I enjoy having so much to see. I've noticed both wife and kids have also shown a large increase in interest in this tank since the leeri's were added. Their size and 'feelers' make them a hit with the kids
The shrimp in the sump have found ways around the barricades, so they are now inside the bio filtration area and first chamber too. I moved the coarse spunge that was seperating the first room from the refugium up a bit so they can easily pass under it after one managed to kill himself getting stuck between spunge and glass. I spotted another one that killed himself in similar fashion between the finer spunges and the return chamber, but I'm not changing that lest they get shredded by the return pump. I spotted loads of berried females so I'm not worried about their numbers, and most prefer to stay inside the refugium room with the plants and light at night.
Plants in the refugium - mosses ferns and crypts are doing ok, the 53B has been reduced to 1 single stem with a few leaves, the limnophila has all but died off . They might still have been suffering from bleach treatment before going into this tank, so giving them some time still. Added a cutting of elodea to the refugium too to see if that takes down there. The light is relatively low, so might just end up with just ferns and crypts and moss there, which is fine too.