• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Altums for the 180 gal

plantbrain

Expert
Joined
2 Aug 2007
Messages
1,938
Well, I saw some nice ones and they are eating like pigs..........frozen food, brine, blood worms, Mysis shrimp, live brine as well.

I am planning on redoing the scape and reducing the plant species down to 6 or so species.
I like the species stock list for the fish I have planned, I might get 2 more fish for a total of 9 fish.

I need to get 4 more Royal farowellas, few more smaller cichlids, then that's done.

The plants are chosen on the color and form of the wood contrast and the slope design I have planned.
the plants grow too fast that way things are set up and I want a more stable scape. I have 30cm of growth per week on the L pantanal, :rolleyes:

Too much.
I will keep the Gloss, might consider hair grass or HC some time later, a little blyxa, Erio setaceum, R pusillus, Crypt rosanervig, Tonia belem.

I have some small piece of wood I can add that are from this same piece and might work a bit with those.

resizedcards28.jpg

resizedaltums.jpg

altums282.jpg


Yet another tank done with EI and no issues with the fish :twisted:
Yet folks still claim all sort of baloney about it and the ppms or nutrients.

Having kept and bred CRS's and now keeping Altums for my own personal tanks, bred discus, I have to really feel sorry for the clowns that claim otherwise, because I know the fish and add these nutrients. So if they have issues, I'm sorry, but it cannot be for the reasons they often claim.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
resized180week3.jpg


That's before the power went off for 4 days (no light, not filter, no circulation and 40 C temperatures)while I was on vacation and it took a beating. I lost 50% of the fish.
Threaten to sue the landlord who still has not fixed the electric from the 1940's :twisted:
So I ran some wires down from the ceiling to the tanks form a large new heating circuit that was up in the attic.
Till I move, that's all that can be done without going to court.
It's easier to move than do that and the owner is not well off.

So now I'm reworking the scape, so no pics till I'm a bit happy with where it is going.

We have great tap water here, right out of the 3-4000 meter mountains, so we literally have mountain spring water. Tap is a KH of about 30ppm, Gh is about the same. I add a fair amount of Gh booster.

I'm phasing out the pencils and going with the Altums.
Pencils jump and act weird sometimes.

Altums do not jump and keep the schooling separated. So the cardinals ball up more when schooling.

I plan on adding more slope in the rear, switching to the slower growing easier to manage plants.
The Lag's and Crypts have really thickened and filled in on the left side.
I have a large hedge of Blyxa, not sure if I'll keep much of it, there's only one spot where I like it but I can swap for the Rotala green which I will keep in there. It can fill in as a nice hedge plant like the Bylxa and it is even brighter green.

Riccia stones would be nice and I could get them going well and fast, but that's only temporary.
Gloss is aggressive enough, not the color I like
HC is nice, but these plecos and other fish will maul it before it gets rooted well.
I still have to mow like the Gloss also with HC.
Hair grass works and would fill in. But it's too dark and fine for what I want.
Moss rocks, same deal.
Too dark..........

UG might work, but it would take a lot, a fair amount of time, be prone to uprooting and I have just a bit.
Gloss does as well, but it's so aggressive, it fills back in fast.

E. tennellus is too red.

Downoi was one option, I have a fair amount in the 120, maybe 40 plants. Would take some more time, right color and low enough.

I think I'll try the gloss first, then see.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
Oh, I've seen that tank on your blog before! It's got one of the best hardscapes I've ever seen. I think It'll look even better when the plants fill in more and there's more height to them.
 
That looks like the tank i took inspiration from to start my dsm with my hc,i only wish mine looked half as good :D
 
Absolutely gorgeous! Shame about the losses though, hopefully you have a chance of some refund at least from your landlord.
 
Yanked out a lot of plant biomass yesterday.
Who knew I had fish in here?

I planted mostkly Gloss in a large field. Plecos promptly have gone after it, but I think it can grow in pretty good in 2-3 weeks if I keep after it and replant as they yank it up.

I think the design will look better with an open lower growing layout.
I have a Dutch style weed chocked cess pool for the 120, so there's not lack of difference if both look the same:)

I also have considered adding more blyxa as a low background plant along the back right side(1/2). But Tonia is nice.
I removed the pantanal, infernal weed, but folks like paying $ for it and like the red color. I added some to the 120 gal instead.

If I do the Tonia, it needs kept low and a nice dome shape.
I trim it about 2x a month. It has a nice look to it. Erio setaceum and Tonia manuas are a couple of others I have not home for, but I like the belem better than the manuas.

I added another 9 liters worth of aDA AS on the back to give the slope more rise and moved the AS in the front and pulled it back.

I might forgo the HQI MH's altogether and lower the light fixture some.
I have 96W x 4 on here and using the PAR meter, it's pretty good and even lighting.
I only run the HQI's for 5 hours anyway(10 for the PC's).

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
Personally, I wouldn't go for a low layout but I'm sure it would look great all the same. ;)

Keep us posted.
 
Back
Top