You may need to back off on the CO2 levels for a few days while they acclimate (biochemically) to the higher levels of CO2 ...
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Big Red Rootscape 160 litre
- Thread starter Simon Day
- Start date
Up to day 75 (ish)
Following problems with holes in sturogyene and some green spot algae on anubias I have upped the CO2 (dropper now much lighter green rather than blue-green) and upped the fertilisers (now 10ml ADA Green Brighty special lights + 5ml Tropica Premium per day). Been doing this for about 10 days now and green spot much reduced and other plants looking much brighter green (with no sign of any more holey sturogyene).
Tank now has about 30 ember tetras, 4 Ottos, 10 neons and 7 harlequin rasboras + 14 Amanos & 100+ CRS ……. all seem to be getting on fine although I suspect my shrimp population may now not get much bigger given the way the neons in particular seem to lurk around the lower reaches of the tank at night-time!
Not planning to add many more fish but I have been looking at Galaxy Rasboras as I think these look great …however all the info pages on these seem to suggest that they prefer slightly alkaline water so my 6.0 - 6.2 tank may not be best suited. I would be interested to hear from anybody who has managed to get Galaxy's to thrive in medium soft water at 6.0 …. I expect they can survive at this PH but I would rather not risk it if they are stressed at these levels.
Following problems with holes in sturogyene and some green spot algae on anubias I have upped the CO2 (dropper now much lighter green rather than blue-green) and upped the fertilisers (now 10ml ADA Green Brighty special lights + 5ml Tropica Premium per day). Been doing this for about 10 days now and green spot much reduced and other plants looking much brighter green (with no sign of any more holey sturogyene).
Tank now has about 30 ember tetras, 4 Ottos, 10 neons and 7 harlequin rasboras + 14 Amanos & 100+ CRS ……. all seem to be getting on fine although I suspect my shrimp population may now not get much bigger given the way the neons in particular seem to lurk around the lower reaches of the tank at night-time!
Not planning to add many more fish but I have been looking at Galaxy Rasboras as I think these look great …however all the info pages on these seem to suggest that they prefer slightly alkaline water so my 6.0 - 6.2 tank may not be best suited. I would be interested to hear from anybody who has managed to get Galaxy's to thrive in medium soft water at 6.0 …. I expect they can survive at this PH but I would rather not risk it if they are stressed at these levels.
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Downside of more ferts + CO2+ flow = more maintenance……
Being new to this hobby in the past 12 months or so I have perhaps a bit shy when it comes to getting the pruning scissors out and having a good hack back.
Hence scape looking a bit wild this morning with the 'big red root' now barely visible.
(apologies for poor iPad picture, dirty pipework and exotic patterned splash protector for oak cabinet!)
A few hours later, post water change and a bit of a trim the root is visible again (for another week at least) ….
I am beginning to regret the amount of christmas moss that I started the scape with. Although it is generally growing pretty tight in most places the stuff seems to get everywhere and I am sure would take over the whole tank if I let it! Doesn't help that it does not float off when trimmed unlike most stem plats etc …. think I will have to rig up a little suction 'hoover' to use when trimming the moss in future.
Generally plants doing OK but anubias have never really taken to being submersed. They were a lovely deep green before submersion and when very pale within the first week of flooding the scape. Since then they have picked up a bit but still look a bit washed out and nowhere near as good as when first purchased. Green spot/dust algae seems to have receded a bit and leaves get a regular cleaning by the team of shrimp in the tank. Anyone got any ideas as to how they can be revived? Is this a sign of some sort of nutrient deficiency?
Being new to this hobby in the past 12 months or so I have perhaps a bit shy when it comes to getting the pruning scissors out and having a good hack back.
Hence scape looking a bit wild this morning with the 'big red root' now barely visible.
(apologies for poor iPad picture, dirty pipework and exotic patterned splash protector for oak cabinet!)
A few hours later, post water change and a bit of a trim the root is visible again (for another week at least) ….
I am beginning to regret the amount of christmas moss that I started the scape with. Although it is generally growing pretty tight in most places the stuff seems to get everywhere and I am sure would take over the whole tank if I let it! Doesn't help that it does not float off when trimmed unlike most stem plats etc …. think I will have to rig up a little suction 'hoover' to use when trimming the moss in future.
Generally plants doing OK but anubias have never really taken to being submersed. They were a lovely deep green before submersion and when very pale within the first week of flooding the scape. Since then they have picked up a bit but still look a bit washed out and nowhere near as good as when first purchased. Green spot/dust algae seems to have receded a bit and leaves get a regular cleaning by the team of shrimp in the tank. Anyone got any ideas as to how they can be revived? Is this a sign of some sort of nutrient deficiency?
Katch
Member
- Joined
- 16 Sep 2010
- Messages
- 80
I've bred these successfully in the softest water imaginable and kept them with no problems.
Lauris
Member
Loved every bit of this. Also got some answers I needed. I guess the light unit is one of the possible to-buy for me. Lovely tank. Thanks
I am planted!
I am planted!
parotet
Member
I hadn't seen this journal... Really beautiful!
Jordi
Jordi
RynoParsons
Member
- Joined
- 22 Jan 2013
- Messages
- 205
One of my fav scapes
Not done an update on this one for a while …busy at work etc
As a consequence of being busy I have recently let the scape grow on a bit and have been a bit lax on the trimming. It is 5 months old now and it is interesting to see how different plants seem to grow and dominate parts of the scape and the plants around them. I had worried that the Christmas moss was taking over but it is now being overgrown by the Monte Carlo and some of the other plants.
I have so far had no algae issues, I put this down to good flow rates (still got a spray bar at one end), strict 50% water changes every week and limited fish feeding. Ferts are 7ml Tropica brown and 3ml ADA Green Brighty Special lights each day. CO2 is just enough to keep drop checker green rather than blue. Key thing I think is also to avoid changing anything ….. 'if it works then don't fix it' is a motto I tend to stick to!
Apart from being somewhat overgrown only real concern recently has been the apparent dissappearance of the bulk of my Amanos a few weeks ago. I now regularly see only 2 when I have had around 12 until about 6 week ago. One died while trekking across my lounge floor and another died at the front of the tank … it appeared to have some sort of parasitic flatworms emerging from it after death so it is possible that the others have gone the same way? Has anyone any experience of this? I don't think water parameters have anything to do with this as my CRS seem to keep multiplying by the day. I have also not sen more than 1 of my 4 Ottos in recent weeks …however tank is so overgrown they may well be hiding in the undergrowth somewhere as they are shy creatures.
A few pictures …..
CRS seem to be thriving ok
As a consequence of being busy I have recently let the scape grow on a bit and have been a bit lax on the trimming. It is 5 months old now and it is interesting to see how different plants seem to grow and dominate parts of the scape and the plants around them. I had worried that the Christmas moss was taking over but it is now being overgrown by the Monte Carlo and some of the other plants.
I have so far had no algae issues, I put this down to good flow rates (still got a spray bar at one end), strict 50% water changes every week and limited fish feeding. Ferts are 7ml Tropica brown and 3ml ADA Green Brighty Special lights each day. CO2 is just enough to keep drop checker green rather than blue. Key thing I think is also to avoid changing anything ….. 'if it works then don't fix it' is a motto I tend to stick to!
Apart from being somewhat overgrown only real concern recently has been the apparent dissappearance of the bulk of my Amanos a few weeks ago. I now regularly see only 2 when I have had around 12 until about 6 week ago. One died while trekking across my lounge floor and another died at the front of the tank … it appeared to have some sort of parasitic flatworms emerging from it after death so it is possible that the others have gone the same way? Has anyone any experience of this? I don't think water parameters have anything to do with this as my CRS seem to keep multiplying by the day. I have also not sen more than 1 of my 4 Ottos in recent weeks …however tank is so overgrown they may well be hiding in the undergrowth somewhere as they are shy creatures.
A few pictures …..
CRS seem to be thriving ok
Mr. Teapot
Member
- Joined
- 30 Apr 2013
- Messages
- 461
Lovely.
Growth is fantastic 
.... though I'm looking forward to the trim & re-emergence of the Big Red Root 
It's possible the Amano's are just playing "least in sight", some are very dedicated to this (slightly confusing as they'll often be out & about initially), I suspect the "worms" you saw arrived post death rather than being the cause; I'd be inclined to sell on some of the CRS to keep numbers under control.
At least all that greenery has provided loads of respite for the fishes (from the DeathRay)
.... though I'm looking forward to the trim & re-emergence of the Big Red Root It's possible the Amano's are just playing "least in sight", some are very dedicated to this (slightly confusing as they'll often be out & about initially), I suspect the "worms" you saw arrived post death rather than being the cause; I'd be inclined to sell on some of the CRS to keep numbers under control.
At least all that greenery has provided loads of respite for the fishes (from the DeathRay)
Greenfinger2
Member
Hi Simon, Fantastic 
banthaman.jm
Member
Looks absolutely fantastic
Jim
Jim
Felix Wagner
Member
- Joined
- 14 Sep 2014
- Messages
- 51
Hi Simon, looks amazing
Liebe Grüße Felix
Liebe Grüße Felix
A further development on the 'missing' amanos any the mystery worm like parasites…. watched one amano die yesterday at the front of the tank and within a few minutes a few of the small flatworms exited the body! Not pretty. Hopefully this was not the same fate suffered by the Ottos (only seen one of these in recent weeks). Losses are definitely not a water quality thing as the other fish & CRS are doing fine. Don't test water often as I think the plants and animals soon let you know if things are not right …however tested everything today ahead of water change and no issues here. Otto reduction might simply due to a lack of food as they may be out-competed by the shrimp population explosion! I don't tend to get any algae on the tank glass either so maybe not enough surfaces to keep them fed?
I would be interested to know if anyone has lost amanos in similar circumstances?
I would be interested to know if anyone has lost amanos in similar circumstances?