495litre - Simple

[sgdiscus]

Sorry to hear of the loss of your loaches and Shrimp. In The wild the Loaches are found in fast flowing streams with a high dissolved oxygen content, water temperature is generally between 20 to 24 centigrade, and an alkaline ph. As far as i'am aware all fish offered for sale are wild collected, it's probable that the parameters in your tank have not suited the loaches. I kept a small group of four fish roughly five years ago and tried to replicate a biotope aquarium, with regard to the specific requirements of the loaches. The last of the group died last year.

Hi Alex, you are right. I think got to do with water temperature rather than pH. My LFS had them in an air-conditioned room and hence water temperature was below 28C while my tank is at ambient temperature around 28C.

These guys are really eye-catching... but sadly, they not suited for my tank.

 

[sgdiscus]

Tank Maintenance day.

Also added two new pieces of bucephalandras. I decided to put one onto the driftwood with its root hanging freely and another piece in the substrate. My LFS was not sure if they had been grown submersed or emersed. So I will use this thread to also track their development.

Also had two fresh water clams in the tank. Dug up one to check on their health. They had been there for three weeks. Looks like they were unaffected by my fert and anti-algae regimes.

 

[sgdiscus]

Added some buce plants as follows:

1. Buce sp. Brownie Phantom
2. Buce sp. Pygmeae
3. Buce sp. Brownie Helena
4. Buce sp. Black Bell
5. And two other pieces of unknown Buce plants.

Hopefully I don't end up killing them.... finger cross. Let's see how they look by Christmas. One of the projects that I am thinking of - is to replace the petite nanas with buce plants on the top most of the drift wood near the water surface since I have a ready source of buce plants near my home.

On another note, sadly the tiger lotus don't really like sand substrate. I just can't get them to grow well despite adding root tabs. Thanks for viewing!

 

[JimB123]

Hi quick question for you I noticed you are using primes what settings do you run them on I have a pair on my reef which I am planning to switch it to planted would rather keep the primes if I can use them

 

[sgdiscus]

Hi quick question for you I noticed you are using primes what settings do you run them on I have a pair on my reef which I am planning to switch it to planted would rather keep the primes if I can use them

Yes, I am using the AI Primes. As for the settings, I suppose it really depends on the density and type of plants you have. For my tank the settings as follows:
1. CW 90%
2. Blue 90%
3. Green 80%
4. DB,Violet, UV 80%
Times:
1. Start at 3pm, ramp-up to my settings within 30mins.
2. Sunset at: 8pm and quickly ramp down to 20% by 9pm (because I cut-off Co2 at 8pm) and then from 9pm to 10pm a more gradual reduction from 20% to 0%.
The reason for this setting is because I am at work during the day and so at least i have lighting to enjoy my tank when I am home for the evening.
Also this setting is done in conjunction with my co2 and fert regime so that I spend as little time as possible scrapping my tank during my maintenance night.

 

[sgdiscus]

Originally wanted to update in Nov. But woke up this morning to find a surprise visitor 'taking root' on my driftwood.

I had previously soaked this wood in boiling water and even treated it in a salt bath. The other possibility is that the spores were blown in from the garden 11 floors below my apartment.

 

[Manisha]

Sad to report that i lost 4 of the panda loaches and all the yamamotos within the first 24 hours. For me to lose so many at one go means I might have introduced them into my tank too early in my eagerness. Sigh.

Sorry for your losses

Originally wanted to update in Nov. But woke up this morning to find a surprise visitor 'taking root' on my driftwood.

I had previously soaked this wood in boiling water and even treated it in a salt bath. The other possibility is that the spores were blown in from the garden 11 floors below my apartment.

September & October are when my garden has most mushrooms so would hazard a guess the spore came from the garden...

You maintain your sand substrate very well ☺Very clean! Also I like your stock, I've 2 sparkling gourami also & would love to get a dario dario mix but females don't seem common in the UK & my lfs live food source isn't consistent enough yet! Beautiful tank overall you have ☺

 

[sgdiscus]

Christmas came early... had some new additions to the tank.

Picture 1: Apisotgramma Macmasteri (male) settling in.

Picture 2: Bucephalandra sp. Skeleton King on the left.

Picture 3: Macmasteri inspecting his new home...

Picture 4: Sideview... a view that is not often appreciated or considered in an aquascape.

Picture 5: Macmasteri with the rest of the village.....

Picture 6: Another perspective.

Picture 7: The village out foraging again...

 

[alto]

Tank is looking good & fishes seems happy

Sad to report that i lost 4 of the panda loaches and all the yamamotos within the first 24 hours. For me to lose so many at one go means I might have introduced them into my tank too early in my eagerness. Sigh.

Sorry to go back in time but missed this earlier - I doubt it was your tank specifically that caused the issue - those panda loaches are very young (they lose those dramatic markings quite quickly) & thin, it's not surprising that they didn't survive the stresses of capture to sale farm to sale shop to home aquarium ...
The yamato shrimp may've been similarly stressed as well - too many changes, too quickly.

It's a good idea to water change just before adding new fish (I don't know what your water change schedule is or how much you remove at each change), this way you won't need to stress new additions with an immediate water change, also you know that your tank water quality is at its best, add new fish when tank is dim - either after bright lights are finished for the day or I just skip a day of lighting to accommodate new fish, same with CO2, levels should be low or I just keep them lower for a couple days (adjust lights to match reduced CO2 level)

Accommodations for new fish rather depends on how sensitive new fish may be - I just assume that any new fish may be stressed etc

Picture 4: Sideview... a view that is not often appreciated or considered in an aquascape

I have a tank that I look at from the side much more than the front ... it often looks "better" from that position as I set up hardscape & plants to look their best from that perspective

 

[alto]

Are you still planning discus?

 

[sgdiscus]

Are you still planning discus?

Yes, that's still the plan. I am waiting for my LFS to get some wilds. The shipment will happen in Dec.

But I am still thinking hard about it whether my routine allow wild discus in my tank.

 

[sgdiscus]

Tank is looking good & fishes seems happy




Sorry to go back in time but missed this earlier - I doubt it was your tank specifically that caused the issue - those panda loaches are very young (they lose those dramatic markings quite quickly) & thin, it's not surprising that they didn't survive the stresses of capture to sale farm to sale shop to home aquarium ...
The yamato shrimp may've been similarly stressed as well - too many changes, too quickly.

It's a good idea to water change just before adding new fish (I don't know what your water change schedule is or how much you remove at each change), this way you won't need to stress new additions with an immediate water change, also you know that your tank water quality is at its best, add new fish when tank is dim - either after bright lights are finished for the day or I just skip a day of lighting to accommodate new fish, same with CO2, levels should be low or I just keep them lower for a couple days (adjust lights to match reduced CO2 level)

Accommodations for new fish rather depends on how sensitive new fish may be - I just assume that any new fish may be stressed etc




I have a tank that I look at from the side much more than the front ... it often looks "better" from that position as I set up hardscape & plants to look their best from that perspective

@alto

Thank you for viewing and I appreciate your pointers when introducing new fishes. Yes, I agree with you totally about trying to keep water parameters stable. I will actually take up your idea about the making water changes the next time when I have to introduce new fishes. That will come in handy as my next purchase could be discus.

 

[xandro007]

Your water is so clear What is your secret


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPad met Tapatalk

 

[sgdiscus]

Your water is so clear What is your secret


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPad met Tapatalk

Hi there, thank you. I don't think there is any secrets. I do 50% water change. During the water change, I siphon dirt/waste from the sand as thoroughly as I can. I change the filter wool in my sump regularly.

I think if you are to see my tank in person, you will still see small particles floating around. So it is not completely clear. Probably my handphone camera did not capture the particles.

 

[sgdiscus]

@moderators, thank you. I was beginning to wonder too if I should move the thread to this forum. Much appreciated!

 

[sanj]

I have kept green and black varieties of Skeleton King, its the only Bucephalandra sp. I tried that eventually fails. Im talking over a period of a year or so, but I am not sure it is a successful 100% of the time being submersed. Maybe you will have better luck.

 

[sgdiscus]

I have kept green and black varieties of Skeleton King, its the only Bucephalandra sp. I tried that eventually fails. Im talking over a period of a year or so, but I am not sure it is a successful 100% of the time being submersed. Maybe you will have better luck.

Thank you for the tip! You could be right. I have scoured the internet about Skeleton King and many share your experiences although you are the first guy to have noted that your specimen lasted a year.

I am planning to try one or two of my specimens in emersed form and maintain the remaining 4 in submersed form.

Will post some photos of the new layout once I have more time and track them either via pin interest or in this thread.

 

[sgdiscus]

I have six bucephalandra sp. Kishii or aka Skeleton King and I have decided to document their growth (I hope... ) in my tank. Hopefully this will contribute a little bit more knowledge as to whether this particular species can be grown submersed.

1. Plant 1 - apparently it had been in my LFS tank for awhile. I accidentally broke a root when I brought it home. I decided that this will be the candidate to be grown emersed because it is the smallest of the 6.

 

[sgdiscus]

Plant 2 and 3.

One on the left (Plant 2) has a light green leaves compared to the other 5. Both are planted at the substrate. Plant 2 is tied to a rock. Plant 3 is just stuck to the substrate with roots protruding.

Plant 2 - another view

 

[sgdiscus]

Plant 4.

Also planted at the substrate tied to a rock. It is partially shaded.