Phishless 80G Journal

Phishless

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Fishless definitely allows CO2 without limits.
I'm cycling my new tank, and I'm blasting the CO2 to beat back hair algae.

"So where are the fish?":mad:

CO2 is about 33-38ppm, so not @ nose-bleed levels, but always consistent @ all times.

My wife believes me to be nuts with no fish.
Phishless was decided as a new "handle" basically from her harassment.
Had to add the Ph just to make it strange.

And by the way, your plants are looking very happy and healthy! Nice work and great journal.

Healthy yes, almost all algae ridden stock has now been trimmed away and disposed of.
Trimming can be rough though, many cap breaches for me all the time.
Remember I triple sifted all soil and skimmed all floating debris.
A cap breach only means filter off and a quick little vacuum of affected area.
Never a tank clouded messy holocaust like some have.

I am preparing more dirt to cap a 33 long to replace the 55G.
Same exact mix as described early on in this thread. It works, I ain't changing it.
New tank will be much shorter though, am going to target only 80PAR @ substrate.
Basically it will be a trim tank, small specimens go there before sold or gifted away.
 

Phishless

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Good Evening All:

Surface scum is gone, still.
This completely rules out any dosing, still EI some double doses and some not.
Trimming with cap breaches and such, including vacuuming not the cause.

The only thing I have not done lately is clean the corner filter(Poret foam).
When cleaning I have dosed the water in the bucket with Glut.
Most likely killing lots of stuff living in the foam.
Not too mention the rather warm water.
Next test will be just rinsing it with conditioned 74° water.

Tomorrow evening will start replanting with a more organized approach.
Floating plants, some are weighted, hopefully some sales too.
6 species removed from my tank, have to let things go.

Does Blyxa flower?
I have aubertii & japonica, both are sending up shoots.
Aubertii is taller more robust growth, I really like the presence, japonica not as much.
Need to sell off the japonica it seems, S.repens will replace it's presence.

Still 3 blue shrimp in the tank.
Just saw them out of the corner of my eye while typing.
These buggers can hide really well in my tank.
Been almost a month since last viewed.

New Kimberly seems to be happy and growing from a very small acquisition.
Worried it was not Kimberly @ first, looked like stellatus narrow but has colored up to that orange look.
Mini Butterfly has doubled in size to be trimmed and replanted during the weekend.
L.cuba has many side-shoots, excited to have this thriving.

Macrandra may get trashed this weekend, one more species down.
It looks like crap from overhead but not too bad through the glass.
It was a $3 purchase so I don't feel too bad trashing it.

Indica "true" is doing well but small and growing, Liking this specimen a lot!

Pantanal has 3" of new growth, not stunted but somewhat different.
Going to move this to the 120PAR zone and observe.

Still dosing Excel to combat green hair algae.
Only seems to effect the wallichii this round.
Trimmed wallichii last night and placed all stems in Excel treated container.
Stems look great this eve after weighted in the tank.
Contact time was about 1.5 hours, 12 drops Excel in 24oz. of tank water.

Sorry for long winded rambling but it is a journal.
Maybe a take away for someone else.

Night All:

PS. I'll surely have pics @ end of weekend.
It did happen!
 

Dale Hazey

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You crack me up Dutch.

He gives us the juicy exciting details, builds up the suspense, then hooks us with the cliff hanger.

Great journal, you grow um like a boss phishless. Perhaps a pic of the platy farm and guppy tank?
 

Phishless

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The platy farm is CO2 and really very clean.
Use it as grow and holding for extra plants.

Guppy tank is lo-tech and grows the best BBA possible.
 

DutchMuch

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The platy farm is CO2 and really very clean.
Use it as grow and holding for extra plants.

Guppy tank is lo-tech and grows the best BBA possible.
I now have to phishless tanks, literally no moving life other than plants. No shrimp. Nothin'

The fluval
and my crypt tank.

your right sensi... Phishless is *wait sorry Fishless* is better.. idk how but it just is... Water is crystal cl34r, smells nicer, no feeding....

aaaah. Smell the roses.
 

Phishless

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Good Evening All:

Packaged up a lot of plants this eve.
Feels like I wouldn't even know it, still too much.

Emptying out the guppy farm, cleaned up and listed some low tech plants.

Bought some Lotus Blossom today, we'll see how that goes.

Still weighted plants swirling around.
Tomorrow they get placed for sure.
Been thinking about better organization of plants too.
Many of these plants creep up you and before you know it they form their own little jungle.
Surface scum still gone, this is a win for sure.

Night All:
 

DutchMuch

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Wait wait back up...
How did you get rid of that surface film?
And what is lotus blossom?
See phishless this here proves the reason we need pics for literally everything.
;)
 
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Phishless

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Surface scum went away but I believe it is relative to me deep cleaning the Poret foam which I have not done for a while.
I will no longer treat it with excel and clean, I'll just rinse it in conditioned Prime water.
Hope this is the answer.

Just spent a few minutes gazing @ the plants in my tank.
The reality is I will be getting rid of some more.
There is just too much in there.

Also I need a higher PAR zone for a few species.
Those being Pantanal, L.Cuba, and Macrandra.
They are growing but not like they should.

P.Erectus seems happier @ a lower PAR of 60-70
Fronds are longer and look better.

Also am looking for a Buce with skinny leaves and great color.
What I have is growing well @ 60PAR with no complaints.
Need something to break up the broad-leaf syndrome.

Japonica creeps up on ya too.
Plant a few pieces and without noticing they have doubled and tripled even.
They root deep too, extra care when pulling to ensure re-planting.

Aubertii is a big win, a much more awesome tank presence by far.
Taller more robust growth with colored tips.

staurogyne bihar is another high tech monster but the serrated leaves look really cool.
Not ready to ditch this yet!

Pics after I get all the weighted plants in, rather embarrassing right now.
 
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Phishless

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This most recent trim has turned into an ever evolving cyclone.
As I trim/clean up I find a buyer for the items etc...
Spent more time shipping and such in the past week than ever.
Mom in and out of rehab/hospital, what a roller coaster.

Tank looks better though, removed about 6 species and added zero!
My mind has not really been on my tanks lately, life gets in the way.

Quiet time this eve though.
A bit of trimming and planting and going to get some pics too.

Lotus blossom looks awesome and hope it continues to look this good.

Wallichii is a weed for me, gave more away as extras in a plant package this week.

Getting better organized, smaller plants up front etc...
Pantanal took a dive on old growth, but new growth @ nodes seems strong.

Rotala rotundifolia has turned white again.
This plants is a very strange color changeling for sure.

Back to work hoping to get some pics this eve.
 

Phishless

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No pics yet!
All of the weighted trimmings have grown so much had to trim them again.
Really going short this round, amazing what grows in a week.
Kimberly has 3" of roots on the ends, trimmed before planting again.
Trying to complete more in the am.

Night all:
 
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Phishless

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Down to some pics here.

In the middle of tank.
Substrate can now be seen around some of the plants!
Cropped really low this time.
Pearling well this eve since most all shading has been eliminated.
full



Pantanal took a dive, stems grew 3" and began to rot.
New growth has started at many different nodes though.
Rotting bottoms have started some GHA stringy mess.
Got to leave them for a bit until they get a bit taller.
Need something to trim and replant.
full


If plant growth is not satisfactory algae makes a quick start on these items.
Snails must be able to smell a dying stem, they waist no time moving in on a meal.
Rest of the tank has good growth and trashed anything weak.

Night All:
 

Greggz

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Looks like you are starting to tame the jungle! Really looking great!

Interesting about the Pantanal. I have pretty good luck with it.....even with Phish! But seriously I wonder what that could be. Everything else looks uber healthy.

And what is the pinkish short stem in the lower middle of the first pic??
 

Phishless

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And what is the pinkish short stem in the lower middle of the first pic??

Alternanthera ficoidea bettzickiana is the short red stem. It is a terrestrial but many use in the tank. Life of 7 to 8 months submerged I hope. It looked really cool @ LFS, if I remember to pull and grow a while I can put it back.
 

Phishless

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Good Evening All:

Small update, short and sweet.

Bio film is back, only 2 days after weekly micro dose, go figure.
In no way is this as bad as in the past.

New plants in, like I need them. They are really cool.
Batch of 4 different Syn's.
Planted in an 80PAR lower light area, no trimming or splitting them up yet.
Will wait and see how they respond to the new environment.

Pantanal making a comeback now, looks like success.

Riccia façade in the front is floating again.
Can't trim, will need to break down again, it is too dense.

P.kimberly looks like it will turn into a weed.

Macrandra grows like a weed but still looks like pig vomit.
Looks fair from the front but an overhead pic would be terrible.

Now I am thinking the crypts must go from this tank.
They enjoy soil way too much. Getting very large, very quick.

New 33G long soil tank to start up soon.
Going to use as a grow out tank for selling/sharing.

Night All:
 

Phishless

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Evening All:
Didn't happen without pics, right???

Cabomba is doing well.
In this 120PAR section of tank nodes are growing tight together as it should.
None of that really leggy growth is occurring.
Lotus blossom is new but has grown 3/4" so far.
full


L.cuba & P.kimberly are doing well.
Cuba has been topped and replanted.
Kimberly is new but grows roots at an extreme rate.
full


Pantanal that went to hell is growing well.
Topped and replanted.
Many new stems @ nodes, just waiting to top some more.
full


Dennis provided some Syn's.
Not even 24 hours yet, hoping I don't kill them.
full


A partial tank shot here after the reorg deal.
Still a mess but I'm slowly getting it thinned out.
full


Hopefully getting new tank this weekend to replace the 55G.
This will give me some room to thin out this tank.
55G is a low tech, new 33Long will be hi-tech to grow out all the short stuff.

I have given up on editing pictures.
The colors don't represent what's in the tank.
Camera time will have to wait.

Night All:
 

Phishless

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Surface scum returned but for only 1 day after dosing micros?
Three Solo cups worth of water skimmed it away and no more.

Blue shrimp are in there somewhere.
Maybe see them every 3 weeks or so.
Possibly I should move amano shrimp over to this tank???
They are extremely active and don't seem to hide much.

Found 2 dragonfly nymphs in the 75G over the past two days.
Maybe the Platy factory has suffered some death due to these little monsters.
Won't bother with my worried look on this one.

75G cleanup may be on my agenda this weekend, it is very weedy right now.
I'll have to grab a pic of the 75 before the make-over.
Pic from June it is actually much worse now.
full


The riccia façade must be pulled and replanted again, not only is it starting to float it is detaching from the SS mesh.
Hopefully some shrimp keepers will want it! Mostly over 2" tall now!
 
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Phishless

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Evening All:

I have lied to myself and everyone here. No longer Phishless!
Just purchased 3 Corydoras paleatus(blue leopard cory).
They are acclimating as I type, almost ready to go in.

The Reason:
I feel like I need something to move around and stir/scour the bottom.
Debris etc... will get moved around by them I'm sure.
Snails have been on the decline, healthy plants and lots of empty snail shells.
Hope they don't poo things up too much or they will be re-homed.

Had to go cut them loose.
They are very busy now scouring the substrate.