new setup

[hanno]

Hi,

three days ago, I did a new setup in my office tank. - Now I'm looking for advice to adjust the appearance. Maybe you could help me with your comments.

office tank - a set on Flickr

Thank you very much!

Cheers,
Hanno

 

[Philosophos]

nice job; most offices don't have tanks looking that nice.

I'd have three suggestions maybe.

First, that big rock on the right, sitting at the top of the mound is a little too prominent. The size is too big for the ones below it, and the face catches too much light.

The next would be to replace that cup plastic cup. Your tank looks nice enough to deserve better. Maybe acquaint your self with the needle wheel method if you haven't already.

Finally, don't even think about putting a male krib in with that female. I fear for the rest of your fish if she spawns. At very least, keep a close eye on things. Sometimes they're reasonable.

For the rest, it's the usual wait and see kind of thing. Great job with the tank.

-Philosophos

 

[hanno]

Hi Phil,

thank you very much for your kind comment. I'll fix the layout problem, - you're absolutely right with this stone. I've to look for descent replacement in my stone bucket. (Collected them recently at the local mountains. It's latite.) - With the Kribs it's the problem that there have been three couples when I rescaped the tank. They live there since three years, but I'm looking for an option to give them away. They already spawned successful several time and I had to bring the little ones to my local trader when they had 1 cm length...
The Kribs are strongly after the Hyphessobrycons but they don't get them. But the aggressive behavior of the Kribs forces the Hyphessobrycons to form a proper swarm.

The plastic cup is my CO2 misting machine ;-) It'll be replaced as soon as I've done my DIY job for a proper device. When changes are done I'll provide you with new pictures for seeing the improvements and for giving further advice.

Thank you very much!

Cheers,
Hanno

 

[Gerryd]

Hi,

Very nice tank......... I like the rocks especially......

How about a softer stem like d. diandra to offset the rock?

I doubt that any of the kribs could eat the tetras..

 

[Tom Barr]

Yes, the Kribs, while nice, will cause issues for you.

Might consider checker board cichlids as an option, or remove all the cichlids, and try something like Crystal red shrimp and keep the tetras which look well suited in the tank.

If the moss does not grow well or looks so-so, it's 99% a CO2 issue.

The needle wheel option as suggested will look better and the powerhead can be hidden(see needle wheel threads I recently posted on snipping the impeller, this works very well without further modifications).

Then the chamber CO2 can be removed.
As far as the design, I think sitting down and thinkign about all the types of plants that would look good with this design is a good study to do.

Petite Anubias are small etc and can crawl over the rocks, D. diandra was suggested, Rotala sp Green is another that creeps over things nicely.

Water changes+ Excel + dosing will help a lot.
From there, it's just CO2.........a trim once every 2-4 weeks etc.






Regards,

Tom Barr

 

[hanno]

Hi all,

thank you for your nice feedback. Yes, of course I have to get rid of the kribs... but I want to give them into good hands and have to find somesbody. Otherwise it'll be a good challenge to maintain the tank.

For the layout I agree that Anubias petite might look better than the odd java fern. also nice stems for the background are worth a try. For starting the tank I wanted to take simple plants like the Vallisneria. - They will be removed in a few weeks. With the moss I had issues because the pieces my online shop delivered have been brown and smelly already... But I hope that some pieces will recover. Mosses in the tank are M. tenerum, christmass moss and plain java moss. Aside from that I try Eleocharis accicularis, HC cuba and a hairy little lawn like plant (the name slipped from my mind)

As I wrote before, the rocks are Latite from the local area. - Photos from my collection trip can be seen at Sieben Berge.

I looked for stones that where situated in places where they had much contact with rain an sun, so that they are a little eroded and look more "aged" or mature.
It's hard to find the right ones. - So it will take while with proper replacement of not fiitting stones as the top ston on the right side.

Until now all plants develop good, I've no algae issues aside from a little bluegreen on the glass, but not enough to mention really.

During the day plants start to pearl a little but not to much. I realized that the Hyphessobrycon Amandae are littlle stressed by the CO2 build up during the day, so I reduced CO2 a little. And it is also quite a low light tank with 112 l and 36 W lighting.
For Ferts I use Ferrdrakon liquid fertilizer.

Please keep in mind that it all still has to mature. - It has been planted 5 days or so ago, pictures and movies are from second day.

All in all it was my first try to get into the topic as I set up a larger tank (300 l) during the next weeks...

Cheers, Hanno

PS: at Flickr: headinthetank's Photostream you can also see my Malawi Album...

 

[hanno]

Hi all,

great news, I found a new home for the kribs. As soon as I can catch them, they are out! I'm now thinking about shrimp and maybe some fish. - I'd like to add a good replacement for the kribs, as they did a wonderful job, keeping the swarm of tetras together. what do you think about Papiliochromis Ramirezi? - I have seen very good ones at the local dealer...But I'm not to sure about it.

Also I ordered yesterday a powerhead (JBL ProFlow Maxi 500) for CO2 misting and also a JBL ProFlow Maxi 1000 for the 300l tank that will arrive mid of June...

Cheers,
Hanno

 

[hanno]

Hi again,

couldn't wait for the new powerhead and modified my old eheim 300 mini. I just made a little hole in the cover and inserted the CO2 tube. The effect is great, but quite noisy. So I want to suggest a modification. As it makes an unpleasant sound every time a bubble enters the pump, I would glue an injection needle to the tube and connect that to the pump inflow. I hope that the sound then is more steady...
I'll get needles from the pharmacy on monday and will give it a try...

Regards,
Hanno