Phishless 80G Journal

[Phishless]

Corner filter substrate barrier is done for the 33G and silicone job complete.
Picked up some BDBS and a pump today during my travels.
Even stopped by LFS and nothing interesting plant-wise for me.
Other than the silicone I just don't have the energy to get into anything else.

Been thinking since this tank is not very tall but long?
I may only use 3/4" of soil and then cap with BDBS.
Having found that 1" of BDBS is not quite enough I will try 1.25"
So many cap breaches has led me to think providing a deeper cap is mandatory.
Water parameters will exactly match my 80G, swapping plants will be a no issue this way.

I should post some pics but nothing has really changed.

Collectoritis has set in since @burr740 decided to sell some plants.

Believe that rotting Syn's have made the water cloudy.
Lovely plants they are but water is too hard I believe.
Not changing my entire scheme to support them.

Thank you all for the many wonderful pics posted lately!

 

[fablau]

Great job Pishless, any pictures of your tank? I'd love to see some...

 

[Phishless]

Well got some Stauro Purple from the Alabama chemist's lab @burr740
It is no longer curled and now doing the "Walk into the Light" thing as I type.
As long as this stays short I am happy. It is very Purple and looks neat.

Some time ago a fellow hobbyist gave me some Stauro Bihar.
They were small 2" plantlets and are now a jungle species of at least 20"

My tank looks like hell with no time to remedy @ the moment.
Cloudy water still, even cleaned the Poret foam.
Shading is an issue now.

Large outdoor event going on with driveway.
Many truckloads of recycled asphalt going on.
Been grading and smoothing to make these low to ground cars feel better.
Yesterday I cut a small hill down 2" and what did I find? Fiber optics from Verizon? Yes! Breakage!
Thought this should be buried a bit deeper, same thing splice repair guy told my wife today.
But I'm back online now, wifey was more concerned than I due to internet loss.

Going to prep soil for new tank this eve, I hope.
It is just mixing top-soil with Miracle-Gro and getting ready to place in the 33G.

Evening All:

 

[burr740]

The purple stays small. Ive never had a group itself get over 8" or so. The leaves can change size for some unknown reason. Ive seen them get maybe twice as big as yours are now. It seems to keep a nicer color in small leaf mode. Fert related if I had to guess.

The one downside is tons of areal roots. But it's not so bad because once the plants are rooted well its very sturdy. You can get in there with your hands and just pull/pinch all those roots off without worrying about hurting anything

 

[Phishless]

Started trimming this eve.
I'll have lots of plants to sell, extra cheap as usual.

This is this eve's trim.
5 mini myrio
55 R. nanjanshen
25 L. arcuata
5 AR.
15 Golden Lloydela

This is a never-ending saga with these trims.

Good thing I trimmed down the 70G to make room.

When I'm near the end I'll consume all these items in one post.
Very difficult to keep track of all these plants.

Night All:

 

[fablau]

I’ be interested in the R. nanjanshen and L. Arcuata. PMing now...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Phishless]

Well it's been one of those days.
44 tons of recycled asphalt are all spread today and more to spread next week.
Used to patch and fill to clean up driveway 2 tons @ a time in the large truck.
No more! I get 22 ton delivered @ a time since I got a tractor.

Trimming this eve and using those sinful weights for the moment.
Cap breaches as always, stupid dirt. Thing grow well in it though!
Week long trim a little at a time, but going much shorter this go around.

Great job Pishless, any pictures of your tank? I'd love to see some...

Well you wanted some pics, here goes. It is a true mess this eve!
Cloudy, cap breached, floating weighted plants once they get to pearling.

Since rain is coming I went out to the "BoneYard" in the woods today to remedy a situation.
Needed to drain the soil of water for the new 33G, found a strainer I repurposed from work.
Now it has a purpose.

It is slow to drain due to the hole size and surface tension but it works.
Stainless steel and propped up with some plastic in the basement tub.

The 33G is slowly moving along.
Corner filter fitted and ready to plumb the pump and reactor.
Cut Styrofoam @ 1"x1" to the perimeter.
Put in the dryer dirt that can stand on it's own and pull the Styrofoam.
Then the perimeter will get the BDBS without mixing of substrates.
Dirt looks nasty up front on the glass, BDBS looks better!

Sunday will be drop ceiling uprooting to run PWM dimming cable and CO2 line for the 33G.
And of course more trimming during the rain!
Maybe a trip to LFS to sell off the Moscow guppies that got to go.
Phishless it is!

Night All:

 

[fablau]

Great pics! Looking forward for your new upcoming 33gl tank...

 

[Phishless]

Well since everyone likes pics.
Got soil in this am, removed foam and got the border of BDBS in.
Trying to wash more BDBS tonight and finish the cap.
Dimming cable and CO2 still not ran through the ceiling.
Need a new power supply to make the lighting right, I run all lighting at 48VDC.

Thinking of writing an article about this to clarify many issues others have.
Not sure how to go about this, it's like one's self cannot start an article.
Must someone (admin etc...) make it an article???
Just a helping thought at the moment.
I'm sure someone would avoid many complications in reading such.
For some strange reason I have also taken many pics of the process at various stages.

Some more trimming this eve and packaging some sold items.
Sometimes plants are a PITA for sure!
I think I have done well, not trying to make some crazy profit, just avoid tossing them.
Except for the riccia that no one seems to want, many shrimp people use it though.
Having tossed cubic feet of this stuff I just don't know.

A 20lb bottle of CO2 was brought to me this eve, over half full.
A win in my opinion! Still with a hydro test and from Airgas, drop and swap.
Don't know what Airgas charges near me though.
Employees fill them @ work and I know the cost is $1.77 in liquid per CO2 for 20lbs.

Algae:
Another strange topic for me.

I'll start with BGA, it shows a bit on P.erectus and Cabomba purple only on the tips of the highest stems.
This is my sign of a double EI dose and extra NO3.
I don't WC the dirted 80G and it is capped soil but the water column dosing sure does make a difference.

GHA appears on wallichii before it gets within 4" of the surface.
If I let it go to reach the surface it disappears and is gone.
One would think more light and with higher PAR near the surface it would get worse.

BBA has completely vanished in the new 80G frag tank.
Guessing CO2 and such are on the spot.
Plants introduced with BBA to this tank seem to go through a cleansing and clean right up.
When I vacuum small remaining tufts are just sucked away from hovering near the substrate.

Snails:
They seem on the decline these days, which is a good thing, unsightly little buggers.
Does anyone else always have a toilet full of snails?

Enough of my rambling!
Evening All:

 

[Kyalgae]

I had a low tech 55g tank loaded with Malaysian trumpet snails, I would remove those things by the dozen every week. You know what annihilated 98% of the population? A tiny $3 dwarf puffer fish, the thing is a pure killer. Video isn't mine but they are cool to watch.

 

[Greggz]

Snails:
They seem on the decline these days, which is a good thing, unsightly little buggers.
Does anyone else always have a toilet full of snails?

If you lived close by, I'd let you borrow my group of Clown Loaches for a week...........they love snails.

The thing is, snails are very hard to completely get rid of. I haven't seen one in my tank in years, but still have them in my filters every time I clean them. I'm sure if I got rid of my loaches, they would be back in full strength in no time.

 

[Phishless]

@Greggz I would not want to be the one to kill the loaches.
Seem like Phishless for good reason.
Since trimming I haven't seen any corys, it's like they disintegrated.
Still have the blue dream shrimp though.
Since the blue dreams are making it I am thinking of adding more.

Evening All:

All of my mad money is cleared and since I don't need much I couldn't spend much.
A new power supply for LED's on the new 33G.
While browsing BucePlant I decided to pick up two clumps belindae & catherinae red.
These are both longer leafed and narrow, good contrast to the wider leafed varieties I have.
I have great luck with Buce on the 80 PAR side of the tank where they will all reside.
Guess it's that collectoritis thing still.
I'm getting better now putting almost all small plants up front.

Survived lots of rain over the weekend in Maryland.
Few spots of the driveway are a little soft but not bad for the low cars.
Another 22 tons delivered today so Saturday daytime is booked.

Tank is a total mess, trimming this eve and using some weights as usual.
When everything has weights I am going to put it all in a tote and vacuum.
This will be the largest WC this tank has ever seen, about 20 gallons.
Going to add about a 1/4" of BDBS to the existing substrate after vacuum.
Thinking I have lost a lot of soil during many trimmings and breaches.
This is aquatic chaos, definitely not a "Dutch Tank" yet.

Lost a dual puck in the 75G today.
I may wait until the weekend to repair, only ambulia is really in the shade, it is such a weed anyway.

More trimming!

Night All:

 

[SingAlongWithTsing]

I may only use 3/4" of soil and then cap with BDBS.
Having found that 1" of BDBS is not quite enough I will try 1.25"
So many cap breaches has led me to think providing a deeper cap is mandatory.

Might be too late but have you already tried adding some like plastic knitting mesh between the BDBS and soil? I think it might reduce some cap breaches, something I've been mulling over in my head for awhile.

 

[slipfinger]

Might be too late but have you already tried adding some like plastic knitting mesh between the BDBS and soil? I think it might reduce some cap breaches, something I've been mulling over in my head for awhile.

Never thought of this...

I assume you would not be pulling plants out, just trimming the roots if you decided to pull something?

 

[Phishless]

Evening All:

Cap breaches I am not so worried about.
It is the removal of dirt and some BDBS when large root mass is removed.
It vacs up quick with almost no mess.
A material between cap and soil not so much.

Repaired LED on 75G this eve.
Lost a 3 watt full spectrum LED, first full spectrum to ever fail.
Usually it is the 15K's that $hit the bed.

Not sure how many of you mess with LED's.
When failed they are "supposed" to short out, moving more amperage to the rest of the string.
Constant current drivers correct this always providing rated current.
Meaning that I should almost not detect 1 bad LED in the array unless I am really paying attention.
Not me, every time 1 fails the entire puck goes dim, like "zero" PAR.

80G is clearing up on it's own during the trimming, go figure.

More trimming this eve and going to give the lines through the ceiling a shot too.
And finish that BDBS cap on the new 33G.

Night All:

 

[Phishless]

Cap not done and no lines ran through ceiling.

Have to laugh BDBS states "Do not get wet!"

Power supply arrived!
BucePlant delivered too!

Found that my LFS got a large shipment of plants.
Now I have to go there this eve and check this out.
Like I need more!
You never know, could be something of great interest in this shipment.

 

[Greggz]

You and I should start a support group......APA.......Aquatic Plants Anonymous. You could call me when you get an urge to go to the LFS and buy more plants, and I would talk you down.

On second thought..........that would never work. What would actually happen is that you would talk me into trying some of what ever you find there, and it would be in my tank next week too.

Yeah, now that I think of it there really is no cure.

Happy hunting at the LFS!!

 

[Phishless]

Bought plants!
Rotala magenta, luwigia broadleaf, ludwigia glandulosa, and ludwigia peruensis.
A bundle of each and made it out a there @ $20.06. Not too shabby, I'd say.

All plants look awesome except the magenta, I beat them down on it.
15 stems, 8 bare, 6-3" salvageable tops, 1 twisted something. Filled with UG I'll need to clean it. $3 for the bunch.
If it doesn't make it I'm not out lots of $$$. LQ sells this for $3 a stem.

Have to weight a few things to get the Buce in it's new home, making room!
I know, bought all red plants tonight.
The new 33G might just be a red tank. Been thinking it might look really cool.
Possible weekend tank swap if I get my ass in gear, doubtful, but I hope.
More asphalt to spread Saturday so maybe only Sat evening will be on tanks.

While @ LFS I witnessed sales girl sell 5 pots of P.stellatus narrow to an unknowing customer.
They were nice pots @ 6.98 each, good growth and about 20 stems per pot. Quite the deal!
They are destined to the trash can for sure after hearing the conversation.

@Greggz the new APA "Hotline" would have not worked this eve.

Got to go now, I have to get Buce in tank and sort through new stems.

Night All:

 

[Kyalgae]

Bought plants!
Rotala magenta, luwigia broadleaf, ludwigia glandulosa, and ludwigia peruensis.
A bundle of each and made it out a there @ $20.06. Not too shabby, I'd say.

All plants look awesome except the magenta, I beat them down on it.
15 stems, 8 bare, 6-3" salvageable tops, 1 twisted something. Filled with UG I'll need to clean it. $3 for the bunch.
If it doesn't make it I'm not out lots of $$$. LQ sells this for $3 a stem.

Have to weight a few things to get the Buce in it's new home, making room!
I know, bought all red plants tonight.
The new 33G might just be a red tank. Been thinking it might look really cool.
Possible weekend tank swap if I get my ass in gear, doubtful, but I hope.
More asphalt to spread Saturday so maybe only Sat evening will be on tanks.

While @ LFS I witnessed sales girl sell 5 pots of P.stellatus narrow to an unknowing customer.
They were nice pots @ 6.98 each, good growth and about 20 stems per pot. Quite the deal!
They are destined to the trash can for sure after hearing the conversation.

@Greggz the new APA "Hotline" would have not worked this eve.

Got to go now, I have to get Buce in tank and sort through new stems.

Night All:

I suddenly have the urge to buy a buce tomorrow...I think it could be contagious, I don't think I can fight it. I think I have just the spot for one. Your trash can comment had me cracking up. Although, one buce is going to cost me $17 Canukistan dollars. "Hello, APA hotline? I'm in crisis, what should I do?"

EDIT: 24 hours later..... 3 plants for $25 dollars! How can I lose?! Buces - Ghost, blue, and firebird. Will be interested to see if the colours develop more. They are covered in black brush algae, so I am expecting them to clear up if my CO2 is ok. They are in horrible shape!

 

[fablau]

Bought plants!
Rotala magenta, luwigia broadleaf, ludwigia glandulosa, and ludwigia peruensis.
A bundle of each and made it out a there @ $20.06. Not too shabby, I'd say.

All plants look awesome except the magenta, I beat them down on it.
15 stems, 8 bare, 6-3" salvageable tops, 1 twisted something. Filled with UG I'll need to clean it. $3 for the bunch.
If it doesn't make it I'm not out lots of $$$. LQ sells this for $3 a stem.

Have to weight a few things to get the Buce in it's new home, making room!
I know, bought all red plants tonight.
The new 33G might just be a red tank. Been thinking it might look really cool.
Possible weekend tank swap if I get my ass in gear, doubtful, but I hope.
More asphalt to spread Saturday so maybe only Sat evening will be on tanks.

While @ LFS I witnessed sales girl sell 5 pots of P.stellatus narrow to an unknowing customer.
They were nice pots @ 6.98 each, good growth and about 20 stems per pot. Quite the deal!
They are destined to the trash can for sure after hearing the conversation.

@Greggz the new APA "Hotline" would have not worked this eve.

Got to go now, I have to get Buce in tank and sort through new stems.

Night All:

All fantastic plants, keep us posted with their growth and please, post some pics!