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The Opium Cartel

My LFS also not great for plants sadly. Hopefully they'll catch up soon with more and more people getting involved in planted tanks!

Can get pretty much any of this stuff online, but the postage doubles the price annoyingly! :(
 
Well, a mere 48 hours after the replant and cleaning of everything and anything, I already have several holes in my spraybar plugged up. This has been bugging me for a while, but I'm finally fed up. I'm thinking about replacing the spraybar with two nozzles, either side of the central piece of wood, right above the CO2-diffusors, so splitting the outflow of the filter to two nozzles (these). These are the most open spots, where the nozzles will be able to get the water to the front pane of glass, and that should be enough to get flow everywhere in the tank. Even with the spraybar, I seem to have some deadish spots, especially the far left and far right. What do you guys think?
 
Only thing i can tell you about splicing tubes and water flow (Maybe you already know) is you have to make both hoses exactly even in lenght and make sure that they both give about the same resistance against the presure of the pump. The hose which gives the least resistance f.e. shorter ore less bends, will otherwise spray more water presure then the other..

Or else you have to make a loop to even the presure and make both outlets give the same..
 
Found another dead RCS just now, again with the all too familiar cracked shell behind the head. Temp has been around 22 C for a few weeks now, but I suppose I could still be seeing the effects of the higher temp I had for about 5 weeks for the Betta in combination with the hard water I have here, but I would love to hear the input of others, cause this is really starting to p me off. :(
 
Hiya,

This is actually my third viewing of this wonderful set up. Kudos for the light use. I've had a couple of the same ikea lights on nano tanks that i was doing blackwater experiments on. Never thought they were strong enough to grow stuff, i guess i just needed to think bigger :).

I'm currently adding on things to a 30cm cube dwarf puffer tank with emergent branch section and was musing on sundews. Not having dabbled in the carnivorous plant area much can you give me any tips on its care? It looks to be flourishing under that spot lamp. Is it just bear rooted in the HC? is it fine with the ambient humidity of the tank top in a cooler room that occasionally gets very warm when the fire is lit? misting?

Best Regards,
John (off to browse sundews on ebay)
 
Hey John,

This is my first attempt with sundews as well, and so far, it's doing pretty good, am seeing some new stems emerging and it seems to have adapted fine to its new environment. It's just bare rooted into the HC, doesn't seem to need any extra moisture, but I mist the tank 2 or 3 times a days anyway, mostly to help the emergent leaves of the Echinodorus adapt.
Will keep you posted on my progress! And thanks for the compliments!

Paul.
 
Well, I just replaced the spraybar with two nozzles, and the flow is still rather crap, to be perfectly blunt. I'm starting to realise that getting decent flow around the plants in a tank that is SO heavily planted, especially around the filter return(s) is nigh on impossible. Did just make an offer on a second hand e401, to double the capacity, but even with that second filter, I think I will still be having issues. So, contemplating another rescape now, something a bit more islanish (never done an island layout, so a great excuse off course! LOL Good thing I love this hobby. ;)

Edit: never mind, withdrew the offer, after realising replacing the filter media would make the total place pretty much equal to a brand spanking new one. So now the choice becomes; add a new filter, or do a rescape in such a way that the single e401 will get the job done. Would love some input guys: add filter or rescape (would be #5 in this tank all-in-all LOL)???
 
Picture update, will probably be moving things around this Sunday, keeping most plants, except the E. Red Devil (simply too large/ high for this setup, and the emerse leaves are really struggling to adapt, but growth has been incredible!), and adding one, maybe two more species. The wood pieces will be moving to an island-ish position, with the largest of the Sags serving as a centre point of sorts. Should clear the path for the spraybar, improving flow and CO2-distribution (which is suffering the most at the moment).
Good news is that I have seen no more dead shrimp since Tuesday! Was really getting on my nerves, but am now quitly confident the problem is fixed, be it the removal of the agressive Betta or the adjustment of the temperature.

Some pics now!
Feeding shrimp:
11143385_10152847703096024_6500469351532798202_n.jpg

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Oto butting in:
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Emerse Ludwigia:
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Emerse E. Red Devil (the reddest leaf in the picture went from 1" to emerse in about 5 days!):
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Emerse Echinodorus and new growth on the carnivores:
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Emerse growth:
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Bucephelandra Sekauda (4 new leaves since arriving 6 weeks ago):
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Oto Convention:
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Hope you like it!
 
Updated plant list, pics wil follow later tonight! The Sundew did not enjoy itself, and has been moved to the window sill. The Windelov was getting too big, as was the Red Devil, so they will both be relocated.

Flora:
Juncus Effusus
Juncus Ensifolius
Typha Minima
Sagittaria Graminea
Hygrophila Araguaia
Lobelia Cardinalis
Rotala Rotundifolia
Rotala Indica
Micranthemum sp. "Monte Carlo"
Lilaeopsis Brasiliensis
Ludwigia sp. "Mini Super Red"
Echinodorus Vesuvius
Microsorum Pteropus sp. "Mini"
Anubias Nana sp. "Mini"
Bucephalandra Sekadau
Taxiphyllum sp. "Spiky"
Hemianthus Callitrichoides
Terrestrial Moss (unsure of the exact type, was taken from nearby woods)
Spathiphyllum Cochlearispathum
Hydroctyle Tripartia sp. "Japan"
Alternanthera Reineckii sp. "Mini"
Sarracenia (unsure of the exact type)
 
Right, some pics and a small little, crude vid.

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11351119_10152851697401024_2615309616172132328_n.jpg

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Gorgeous pink!
11109593_10152851697741024_6386499052712758453_n.jpg

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Added some Ember Tetras to the mix.
11330048_10152851698516024_3650709081674372213_n.jpg

Love the flowers on the Rotala Indica!
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And the vid. First time trying to edit, no effects or fancy scene breaks, couldn't work that out. LOL
 
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