Aaron's 216l journal!

[rawr]

Looking good as always, they're really nice fish. Do you know how large they grow?

 

[Steve Smith]

Love the botia loaches mate I have been tempted by these myself, but no LFS's carry them as far as I can see.

 

[lljdma06]

Looking good as always, they're really nice fish. Do you know how large they grow?

About 4", more like 3.5" or so. Good fish, very active.

llj

 

[skinz180189]

Really like this Tank Aaron, and it's made even more impressive by your photography skills and age. Keep up the good work

 

[Mark Evans]

blimey i missed this.

hey, the c helferi is nice isn't it?....just remember to get those old leaves off as the deteriorate.

good stuff mate.

 

[samc]

looking good!

i once had some loaches similar....never again they dug up all my plants and had eaten them by the morning.
and i never saw them

hope they dont to the same to yoou anyway. they do look awsome though

 

[aaronnorth]

Really like this Tank Aaron, and it's made even more impressive by your photography skills and age. Keep up the good work

Thanks

hey, the c helferi is nice isn't it?....just remember to get those old leaves off as the deteriorate.

good stuff mate

thanks, yeah i love it, much nicer than vallis 8) i was worried it might be to light in comparison with the rest of the plants but the blyxa helps blend it in and it brings out the other plants

looking good!

i once had some loaches similar....never again they dug up all my plants and had eaten them by the morning.
and i never saw them

hope they dont to the same to yoou anyway. they do look awsome though

Thanks, so far 1 c.helferi has come up! i did think in the shop wether i was making the right decision at this stage of the tank. They are really fat after all the snails they have been eating!
They made me panic earlier, as they were laying on their side, so i thought i had gassed them (despite being in 3 days?) but then after a few minutes i remebered they play dead from when i kept clown loaches :!: My heart was in my mouth!

thanks everyone

 

[aaronnorth]

Everything is going along nicely, all except the fungus which is still growing and spreadin through the tank! The plants are in perfect health but the fungus makes thm appear rotting & untidy

the moss is worst and that is right in front of the filter outlet & powerhead

I get sick of cleaning the stuff of, it returns by the next day, as though i havent touched it!

Also one of the pidces of wood has cracked/ cracking down the middle, and the loaches keep digging beneath the substrate and up into the wood which gets me panicking, so i am getting 1 or 2 pieces as a replacement, which is fine by me as it doesnt tie in with the rest of the tank!

I shall be getting some more fish at the weekend. A surface dweller... hatchetfish if i can get them, i have had a fe locations pointed out to me.... Wharf & cml @ Chesterfield so i may go there.... or i have been looking at penguin tetras & killifish, i think killifish are to colourful though.

 

[a1Matt]

It is nice to see an update Aaron. I would offer some advice on the fungus if I could but I don't have any so I will just wish you luck

 

[aaronnorth]

It is nice to see an update Aaron. I would offer some advice on the fungus if I could but I don't have any so I will just wish you luck

Thanks, llj gave a good idea that might work, adding some anti-fungus medication designed for fish, i might try that at 1/3dose and see what happens. There is always spot dosing with easycarbo, and Tom has suggested adding Boron.

 

[aaronnorth]

Im on the lookout for a plant, to go at the back, 1/3rd from the right. Possibly red.... possibly a stem, as it will make a good focal point... i just have to think how to cover the base up, i have crypts that get to 15-20cm in heght, how long it takes to get fully grown is beyond me! And if they get there is another thing, crypts can be so erroneous.
here is a quick picture

perhaps rotala rotundifolia, then another specie (green) to go on the left side. I am replacing the "n" shaped wood as it is crakcing with some from Tom's shipment, and Clark is sending me some E.Tennelus.

Still no algae exep the diatoms on the anubias which i removed the largest leaves anyway. I think the moss has gone beyond me being able to save it now Sorry Matt, i feel bad.
When the fungus stops i may try again in a few more months

 

[a1Matt]

Don't feel bad mate Give me a PM when the fungus is cleared and I will send you some more.

You will probably find the wendtii leaves lay flat if given enough space. If they are crowded they will reach upwards. It is hard to predict how they will end up.

 

[rawr]

This has grown so much in so little time and it's starting to evolve into something nice.

How about a 'brown' variety of Crypt for the focal point?

I'm glad you're removing the n-shaped wood because that was alwayas quite distracting for me.

 

[aaronnorth]

Don't feel bad mate Give me a PM when the fungus is cleared and I will send you some more.

You will probably find the wendtii leaves lay flat if given enough space. If they are crowded they will reach upwards. It is hard to predict how they will end up.

yeah, i have tried to plant them close together!

Thanks Tom, the wood was distracting me too
I have ordered some R.Rotundifolia & L.Palustris, see how that changes things before/ if anything else goes in 8)

 

[aaronnorth]

Hi,
I got 8 x Marbled Hatchetfish & 2 x SAE's yesterday, well at least i think they are. SAE's have clear fins right? And a darker top half?

here's my little friend, he is always there when my hand is in the tank cute but annoying at the same time, especially when i have scissors in my hand :?

Thanks,

 

[aaronnorth]

Here is a FTS, Day 44 already!

and showing how the crypts have thickened up:

Thanks for looking.
Aaron

 

[rawr]

Wow, this has progressed loads! Compared to my tank which has been running probably three times as long as this one - this has grown a million times as much...

 

[aaronnorth]

Wow, this has progressed loads! Compared to my tank which has been running probably three times as long as this one - this has grown a million times as much...

It is high tech dont forget
I have all the FTS in a seperate folder and i can create a flickbook from day1, it is surprising, you dont notice the growth ehen you with it everyday lol.

 

[TDI-line]

Very nice Aaron.

 

[Vito]

Looking good Aaron, they are SAE's, I've stupidly been sold the fake ones before....