AquaticSuppliers.com     Cafepress Store

Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 16 to 30 of 44

Thread: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

  1. #16
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    New Lenox, IL
    Posts
    378
    Real Name
    Kirby

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    Very nice!

  2. #17
    Registered Member Discus-n00b's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Columbia, SC
    Posts
    5,403
    Real Name
    Matt

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    Thanks!

    Quote Originally Posted by Iminit View Post
    You got talent!! What ferts are you using??
    I don't do anything crazy to be honest, have Flourish Tabs under the substrate and dose with Easy Green in the recommended dose. High light, pressurized CO2 and just letting it grow really. I wanted a more natural look so I'm not necessarily trying to trim up everything perfectly. I do need to work on that left corner foreground a bit, and as much as I try to keep the black substrate off the sand, the cories just spread it all over.
    -Matt


  3. #18
    SimplyDiscus Sponsor and MVP Nov.2015 Disgirl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Eastern North Carolina USA
    Posts
    4,477

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    Your tank is beautiful Matt!


    Delightful Designs Discus Cones by Barb -- Check out my Sponsor section --HERE--!

  4. #19
    Registered Member Discus-n00b's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Columbia, SC
    Posts
    5,403
    Real Name
    Matt

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    Quote Originally Posted by Disgirl View Post
    Your tank is beautiful Matt!
    Thanks!

    Not the greatest photo, just a quick Iphone snap, but the Bucephalandra has been sprouting flowers constantly. It's been doing great lately. All the plants except some of the foreground stuff in one corner is doing well, I just can't seem to light that corner very well. Some of the root systems on the anubias are insane as they stretch off the wood towards the substrate. It's exactly the effect I wanted. I'll get a new full tank shot soon. Also seen, blurry, as he chases a female is my dominant male Koi Snake Swordtail in the tank. You can see the female's belly filled with eggs in the same shot.
    image0 (4).jpg
    -Matt


  5. #20
    Homesteader RogueDiscus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    OR
    Posts
    3,130
    Real Name
    Steve

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    Nice to hear from you, Matt. Beautiful tank. Worth what I am sure is a lot of effort and TLC. I used to breed Pearl Gouramis and I've never seen one that comes close to mine. Wish I could find some. The number of folks here also working with rams supports the idea that discus are not the end of the line. And then there's plants ...

  6. #21
    Registered Member Discus-n00b's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Columbia, SC
    Posts
    5,403
    Real Name
    Matt

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    Quote Originally Posted by RogueDiscus View Post
    Nice to hear from you, Matt. Beautiful tank. Worth what I am sure is a lot of effort and TLC. I used to breed Pearl Gouramis and I've never seen one that comes close to mine. Wish I could find some. The number of folks here also working with rams supports the idea that discus are not the end of the line. And then there's plants ...
    Thanks! Discus have a special place in my heart but I can honestly say, these "basic" fish you'd find in most normal fish shops have really invigorated my love for the hobby again. I came back and wanted something super simple fish wise. Something I could just do some simple breeding with, maybe work with some of the koi swordtails I have to see what I can do with the lines, don't have to necessarily stress about water changes and what not. It's really been fun falling in love with the hobby again.
    -Matt


  7. #22
    Registered Member Discus-n00b's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Columbia, SC
    Posts
    5,403
    Real Name
    Matt

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    A little update. Battling some green algae issues now, I think some waste is just getting trapped that I can't really reach on water changes. The stem plants in the back seem to get the brunt of the algae growing on them and they just don't seem to be doing as well recently so something is off somewhere. On the flip side, the Java Ferns, Anubias, and Buce plants are all growing like crazy so i am not too terribly concerned as I really like those. Been getting multiple Anubias and Buce clippings lately. Might replace the stems in the back, not sure with what yet. I never knew how much the cories and snails move the substrate around, but as you can see the sand is almost covered by black now and same on the left side they just track it all through the foreground.

    Fish wise, I have 2 older fry from the swordtails that appear like they may turn out to be females which is great because I have an excess of males currently. I separated some females into my small shrimp tank hoping they would drop some more fry outside of the main tank and I could grow them to the point of being able to sex them early and keep some virgin females separate. They dropped some fry, at least 15 I could see, and moved the large females back into the main tank. Even with all of the plant cover I think between all of the males, the rainbows, and seeing the large females eat the babies before they just don't survive long in there. Going to grow this batch some and see what I have. Looks like a mix between the black tailed koi, koi snakes, and some that seem to be more orange and have less black on them at all. Don't really have a true end goal with breeding, just want to see what I can get.

    So if anyone is going to be looking for some koi/koi snake swordtails, anubias, or some bucephalandra coming up anytime soon I may be able to help. Here is a current dirty FTS
    fts.jpg
    -Matt


  8. #23
    Registered Member Discus-n00b's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Columbia, SC
    Posts
    5,403
    Real Name
    Matt

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    I need to get photos once I clean the tank, i've taken out that branch that goes horizontal in the water column, more swimming room. Everything in the tank has bred, i don't really have the setup to raise any rainbows past fry stage at the moment and I REALLY need some more females. If ANYONE knows where i can specifically get female Dwarf Neon Rainbows please let me know. Everywhere sells them unsexed. I've been trying my best to raise the Sterbai Cory from eggs. Getting terrible hatch rates early, and all of a sudden I see 2 young cory in the tank naturally. Total shock, nature finds a way. The tank did a better job than me. I usually find Cory eggs every day, they are machines. I have some Corydoras melini in another tank that have started breeding so thats exciting. I'll get a photo of the tank but here is a small shot of a couple Cory Sterbai i've raised from eggs both in the photo are from different spawns.

    image7 (1).jpg
    image8 (1).jpg

    Been growing out some plants emersed, doing quite well. Lot of Java Fern, Anubias, and Bucephalandra. Hopefully going to offset a tiny bit of costs.
    image2 (2).jpg
    image6 (1).jpg
    -Matt


  9. #24
    Silver Member Iminit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Long island
    Posts
    2,898
    Real Name
    Tom

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    The thing with emersed is once you put them under water they melt off. Seems this is the new trend with plants. Everybody grows emersed! Anybody buying has melt and thinks there something wrong with their tank. I have many anubias growing in my tanks. About a month ago I bought a really nice plant and added it to my 180. In 3 days the leaves were falling off and the rhizome melting. First thought was anubias rot but the rhizome didn’t stink. It just melted from being submerged. This has been going on for years now with Amazon swords. But at least they will grow back (may take a year) when submerged.

    Yeah they look great when grown emersed but useless in an aquarium.

  10. #25
    Registered Member Discus-n00b's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Columbia, SC
    Posts
    5,403
    Real Name
    Matt

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    I knew of this going in, but so far my experience has been zero melt. Mileage may vary of course. I suspect that since mine is more a hybrid, it stays very wet and a lot of the rhizomes stay mostly in water, that the transition is very easy. I've had java fern back in the tank for multiple weeks and zero melt, I put some Anubias and Buce in the tank last week and have yet to notice any melt to them. I fully expected the Buce to melt first. It's an on going experiment, but so far it looks like its working. I put some of each in the tank with CO2 and the tank without CO2 to see how growth goes when transitioning back. I think this all would be a different story if I grew strictly in soil, which I am doing a few small boxes of, so I will get to compare the melt in soil grown slightly moist environment vs clay pellets slightly submerged in water.
    -Matt


  11. #26
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Northford,CT,USA
    Posts
    26,830

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    Matt, I'm glad to see you still keep fish and Are having fun there with them. Thats funny on your cory breeding... I remember the first time I had albino bristle nose breed in the tank..I had caves, and several males and females..it was a conmmunity tank with potted plants... I never saw any breeding.. until I cleaned my aquaclear filter and found 4 baby bristlenose living in it!.

    Those plants you are growing look great.. any chance you will be selling some?

    Al
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
    Simplydiscus LLC Owner
    Aquaticsuppliers.com


    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

  12. #27
    Registered Member Discus-n00b's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Columbia, SC
    Posts
    5,403
    Real Name
    Matt

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    Years ago I would of never considered myself a plant guy, now i'm addicted. Haven't really updated this, even this photo is a bit out of date but its the general status of the tank, some quick phone shots. Same basic scape just more overgrown now than this photo. Battling a little nutrient issue in there, have some house plant cuttings coming in to assist and dress up the area around the tank some. Some Philodendron, Pothos, etc. Tank has otherwise kind of been on autopilot, try not to put my hands in there too much. Had a few fish jumpers, as you usually do with an open top tank. A lot of them were the rainbows, still have a couple males and some swordtails in there. Last water change i found myself trying to avoid shrimplets, I guess the cherry shrimp I put in there a while back that I had no idea were even still alive bred at least once. Sterbai still breed, I find random eggs all the time but leave them be as they seem to have some hatch and they've never laid a nice single clutch in the same place like I've seen some people get online so I'd rather not pull out 1 or 2 eggs at a time or go on a scavenger hunt.
    Main Tank 1.jpg

    ALSO speaking of shrimp, I may have a new project....figured this space on my desk might be a great spot for a small Caridina shrimp tank. Just planted it the other day. Cost me next to nothing to setup as I had the rock, had the plants, spent ~$65 on the tank and substrate and use remineralized RO water. Can't wait to see this grow in some. Going to give it some time to cycle and grow in before shrimp.
    Nano Shrimp.jpg
    -Matt


  13. #28
    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    31,724
    Real Name
    Pat

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    Matt, great looking tanks and please pics as the shrimp tank grows in. ATM I do not have any fish but I decided to try something I have never done, a terrarium for dart frogs. Its a BIG learning curve since I do not really "do" plants. But I'm loving the learning curve. I am sure aquarium plants are a similar learning curve to be successful.
    Pat
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


  14. #29
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Northford,CT,USA
    Posts
    26,830

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    Quote Originally Posted by Discus-n00b View Post
    Years ago I would of never considered myself a plant guy, now i'm addicted. Haven't really updated this, even this photo is a bit out of date but its the general status of the tank, some quick phone shots. Same basic scape just more overgrown now than this photo. Battling a little nutrient issue in there, have some house plant cuttings coming in to assist and dress up the area around the tank some. Some Philodendron, Pothos, etc. Tank has otherwise kind of been on autopilot, try not to put my hands in there too much. Had a few fish jumpers, as you usually do with an open top tank. A lot of them were the rainbows, still have a couple males and some swordtails in there. Last water change i found myself trying to avoid shrimplets, I guess the cherry shrimp I put in there a while back that I had no idea were even still alive bred at least once. Sterbai still breed, I find random eggs all the time but leave them be as they seem to have some hatch and they've never laid a nice single clutch in the same place like I've seen some people get online so I'd rather not pull out 1 or 2 eggs at a time or go on a scavenger hunt.
    Main Tank 1.jpg

    ALSO speaking of shrimp, I may have a new project....figured this space on my desk might be a great spot for a small Caridina shrimp tank. Just planted it the other day. Cost me next to nothing to setup as I had the rock, had the plants, spent ~$65 on the tank and substrate and use remineralized RO water. Can't wait to see this grow in some. Going to give it some time to cycle and grow in before shrimp.
    Nano Shrimp.jpg
    Hey Matt,
    Love the tank! Looks great. Can you share a bit more on the set up, Lighting, lighting, ferts and plants? Making me want to update my potted plant tank now.
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
    Simplydiscus LLC Owner
    Aquaticsuppliers.com


    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

  15. #30
    Homesteader jwcarlson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Location
    Iowa
    Posts
    954
    Real Name
    Jacob

    Default Re: Been a while, first tank in multiple years

    Wonderful stuff!
    Not all emerged growth melts. I think what you list basically doesn't melt (java fern, bucc, and anubias). Or at least doesn't melt as bad as most everything else.

Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Cafepress