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Lights and Movement - Jewel Vision 180 from pre-set up :)

Stressed.

beeping wood does not want to stay ´down and cats are being oh so "helpful"

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I had forgotten how freaking stressful this part is and my back is killing me and...... and... and....

:arghh::mad:
 
Relax, it's supposed to be fun.
You can't reach perfection the first day, nor the 210th for that matter.

I've relaxed :) Leaving the root floating for now, it's not hurting anyone.
Found a couple of tiny snails that shipped in with the plants. German snails... Not killing them for now.
Plants in amazingly good shape considering they were in the box for 10 (!) days. I expected at least the swords to arrive as mush.

In fact the anubias are still pearling (despite no added CO2) this morning.

Expecting a little melting but hopefully nothing too serious.

I love the effect from the backlighting, very very pleased with that aspect. Created some over the top colour sequences for fun last night, but promise to stick to nice natural backlighting in general. Once the background plants take off the backlighting will become less "intrusive" and hopefully achieve what I meant to achieve: Hint at a lot more tank beyond the plants.
Not loving the lump of wood on the right (present from friend so can't kick it out (yet ;) )

Even though I deliberately ignored the rules of thirds based on what I had available and where I view the tank from most of the time and the bowed front, I actually really quite like the layout (or did before the root that was on the left went for a float.
 
Day 2 evening.

Done a big waterchange.
Fell over cat with bucket.
Naughty root still floating, leaving it alone.
Bacteria bloom (or whatever it was) clearing.
Quite a bit of tannines from the wood, to be expected. Waiting for the horrible white fungus to appear, got toothbrush ready...

Been researching Rainbow fish - would suit my hard water!

plants looking happy enough so far.

Shot main lights off, backlights going through their sunset routine

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Well done on the build :D & tank design :)
(I've finally come to agree with IKEA that their directions are more efficient than my intuitive decisions)


That "present" wood will look rather nice covered in moss & epiphyte plants :D (& perhaps less upright)
- though you may find it's so impervious that moss will need to be tied firmly & kept trimmed to avoid "liftoff"
Or you might open those cladophora balls & glue into place, slower growing than mosses but rather interesting & minimal maintenance

Jurijs mit JS technique c/o George Farmer video
 
Well done on the build :D & tank design :)
(I've finally come to agree with IKEA that their directions are more efficient than my intuitive decisions)
That "present" wood will look rather nice covered in moss & epiphyte plants :D (& perhaps less upright)
- though you may find it's so impervious that moss will need to be tied firmly & kept trimmed to avoid "liftoff"
Or you might open those cladophora balls & glue into place, slower growing than mosses but rather interesting & minimal maintenance

Jurijs mit JS technique c/o George Farmer video

Ha, I hear you with the Ikea stuff. Swedes, it seems, do not do "intuition" very well !
I heard about opening the balls and "doing stuff with them." They were another "present!" - I wish people would not give me (unasked for) presents for the tank. Someone will come with a goldfish next, no doubt :dead:

Talking of fish... I think I would like to go for Rainbows. They should be happy with the water we have here, I've never kept them, and I like the shimmering :)

Dropping some ideas in here to come back to when tank's cycled.

Iriatherina werneri

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Pseudomugil sp. red neon

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Popondetta furcata

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I'd love some Melanotaenia boesemani, but I am not sure the tank is big (long) enough unless I can rehome them suitably when fully grown

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Thoughts?
 
Could be possible, be careful your washing machine doesn't exhaust in to your tank :eek:

:nailbiting:
No, I wasn't going to do anything permanently fixed (there is a doorway and a wall between the tank and the washing machine.) I was thinking of putting a "splitter" on the tap that feeds the washing machine and attaching a piece of hosepipe to one of the outlets and the washing machine "tap" on the other.
The hosepipe could just be a 2 meter length of something soft and flexible to refil tankwater.

This could do the trick:

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and a similar thing for the drain.

Then a tiny powerhead and store those on the washing machine (which is in an alcove in the hallway) and just use them at waterchange time. First pump whatever amount out of the tank, then stick other hose in tank, open tap, refill tank....
 
Rainbows - I love your first 3

Pseudomugil sp red neon are still relatively costly, though prices have dropped substantially even since last year
You should be able to do a decent size shoal of all 3 types (8-10 of each species)

Melanotaenia are a lesser favourite, a little too big & boisterous & they really deserve a big tank, though I've seen them kept in 90cm tanks, they really shine in 1.5 - 2 meter tanks
 
Rainbows - I love your first 3

Pseudomugil sp red neon are still relatively costly, though prices have dropped substantially even since last year
You should be able to do a decent size shoal of all 3 types (8-10 of each species)

Melanotaenia are a lesser favourite, a little too big & boisterous & they really deserve a big tank, though I've seen them kept in 90cm tanks, they really shine in 1.5 - 2 meter tanks

I agree on all counts. I do love the Melanotaenia but with the others being so shy and easily scared maybe I'll just have those and be done with it. I actually prefer more smaller fish than fewer bigger ones.

The Pseudomugil sp red neon I am looking at are 8 Euro each. The Popondetta furcata 5 Euro, thinking 12 of those, and the Iriatherina werneri are 4 Euro (also 12)

Not all at once, obviously.

 
Yes definitely choose either the smaller rainbows OR the larger more robust species (you might make it work in a 2-3meter tank but I'd not try in anything smaller, the delicate "littles" seem to just fade away when kept in non-ideal situations)

As for fish #'s - they're like flowers, more aesthetically (to human perception) in odds ;)
Choose 9,11,13 etc

You've skipped my favourite :p
Pseudomugil paskai

If the fish are stocked regularly, why not begin with 7-9 of each & then add more of your favourites
though if going this route, I'd add 2 groups of 7 at the start just to provide sufficient numbers

Of course, then repeat additions of new fish brings up the issue of quarantine (regardless of shop excellence)- can you fit an All In One Kit tank inside your cabinet? as hospital & quarantine & fry tank :)

Something in 35-50 litres (thinking of the Dennerle Scaper kits as they seem fairly economic, just confirm the lid as stressed rainbows are decided jumpers); a Spec 19 would work, low water volume but decent swimming length for these sized fish & the filter capacity is astounding (but would need to cover the cover re that long slit for light - I just use a plastic bin lid with rock or stymie the Cat Monster)
(Edge series tanks are much lower oxygen, not sure I'd use with stressed rainbows despite better closed top)
 
Hi @alto - I do adore the Pseudomugil paskai as well, but the place I get my fish from does not stock them at the moment. The only suitable ones they have which will live happily together AND want to live in my water AND are little are the first 3 on my list. Of course by the time the tank has cycled this may be different anyway

You're right about the odd numbers, of course, so starting with two groups of 7. GREAT idea.

Which two of the three would you consider to be hardier (I know they're all a bit delicate, but I think my tank will suit them (I added the rest of the plants today and tied slate to the pesky floating root because it irritated the hell out of me,) so there will be plenty of hiding places, the back is quite densely planted (or will be when the amazons start to take off, if they do) and I read they appreciate hanging out under driftwood "bridges".

I actually had a place for a nano tank planned in when I designed my kitchen, so I guess I could use that as a quarantine tank. I LOVED my Edge to look at but it was such a Pita to do anything with.

You only fully appreciate getting your whole arm into the tank and being able to move things about when you had to do everything through a tiny opening for a while...

Thanks for the great advice! I've learned more in the week I've been here than in the last 5 years...
 
I consider 1 & 3 to be reasonably "sturdy" as long as healthy stock is imported & they are kept suitably (especially at the shop) - pale is fine as long as fish are reasonably active & strong food response

P sp red neon & paskai seem less resilient, no idea how many are wild caught now vs tank raised

You might ask if shop is able to hold fish (expect to prepay)

I have impulse bought rarely attainable (wild caught) fish from shop tanks (especially when unsuited to the fish in question) & brought them home despite also needing to set up a tank at the same time :oops:

Between plants (newly bought as well, pots not 1-2-Grow type as plant mass is important) & daily water changes, the fish seemed to manage just fine - appearing far "happier" in my uncycled tank than they'd been at the shop

I used a Seachem Ammonia Alert (& pH Alert) & would immediately water change as needed, fed lightly but more frequently (fish were very thin)
 
Great to know! I need to wait until the rest of the substrate arrives. of course I picked something that is hard to get and they "lost" half my order and now they ran out.
This means it has to come from France which was the only place I could get another bag.
It is darker than in the picture and a beautiful mix of colours so don't want to compromise on that.


Then I hope the floater has decided to stay where it is so I can remove the slate and place it where it needs to be. Then add a bit more of the substrate so the beeping Tetra Complete does not come up every time I move something.

I will get the Seachem Ammonia Alert - good idea. I am a great fan of Seachem, eagerly awaiting my Purigen, it's just so hard to get hold of here in Italy.

:)

Added the rest of the anubia (and temporary slate) to the floater and just let it sink. It will find it's final place once it learns to behave.
Water a bit cloudy as had been messing about stirring things up, hopefully for the last time for a few days. I decided to probably remove the silly column on the right after friend who gave it to me visits, put the anubia elsewhere and hope next time he comes everything is so grown in he won't have the faintest idea which bit of wood is what anyway... ;)

Or I take it out, slam off the "foot" it stands on, and lay it from the front right corner towards the back

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Definitely ditch the "foot" :D

With Anubias so close to light may want to add floating plants or interplant with Microsorum pteropus "petite" (or "trident") as this should shade it

Looks much better with wood down :)

What substrate?
 
I was thinking about floating plants (much nicer than floating wood lol!) - probably a good idea. the rainbows will love them anyway, right?

I added 2 cm (ish) of Tetra complete substrate and then a fine gravel in what is quite a dark mix of warm browns. This one

But.... not enough as the Tetra Complete keeps coming up so I want to add a bit more of this where it's a bit thin.

In hindsight it was borderline idiotic to add the Tetra Complete anywhere other than where the actual "in substrate" plants (the swords and the swirly things / something vesuvius - love botanical names) are growing but hindsight is always 20 / 20... It is mainly there but also in places it didn't need to be.
 
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