55 Turq Rainbow

[spoot]

Here's the latest rendition of my 55 with Turquoise Rainbows. Not that great of a picture, and if you take even a quick glance you can see the doofus with the camera (me) reflecting off the glass.

The black stuff in my substrate is some leftover Tahitian moon sand that I had tried to use for a dusting effect. It worked ok until I raked through the gravel for deadzones. As soon as I get the settings good on the ole Nikon I'll get some better pictures. Also I need to train the doofus with the camera (me) to remember that looking directly perpendicular to glass will create a reflection...

My 46 Gallon is still settling. It's in the "almost done with diatoms" phase, so as soon as that clears up I'll get some pics of it. The 30 I'm still working on, kind of. I can't get satisfied with it for some reason.

Oh, and in the pic of my 55, the big clump of green on the left hand side is some pennywort that I had floated to give shade for my anubias and java ferns. It has spread rather prolifically. It's due to be trimmed back this weekend.

[bjones]

This tank is beautiful! I have a few turq rainbows too, mixed with a few australian. I have also been trying my hand at some plants. but that is failing miserably. I think the plants I bought are not true aquatic. I think I'm gonna take them out and start over. I can only dream that one day mine will look like this.

[spoot]

Thank you. I had a rough time finally getting it to where I liked it, but now I'm pretty well satisfied with how it turned out.

Plants can be a bugger. I stick with a mostly low tech setup. I actually think I might be hurting myself with the dual T5 HO lights and no CO2. Keep tossing the idea of doing a DIY CO2 but wind up talking myself out of it. The biggest key with plants is patience. Allow the tank time to balance itself out before you start overly worrying. Also keep in mind some plants (crypts for example) will appear to melt and die, but will eventually grow back. Also, some like java ferns and anubias are almost impossible to kill and require little special attention. A simple java fern or anubias attached to a piece of wood or rock will, with time, be absolutely beautiful and very undemanding.

[bunnie1978]

Very well put together landscape!! I would recommend NOT doing DIY CO2... the inconsistancy of the CO2 levels throughout the days and weeks is very difficult to control and wreaks havoc. And then more havoc. Oh, I mispelled havoc... I meant Algae.

[spoot]

Yea, the algae and potential ph swings are what keep me from trying a DIY. But then when I start thinking about investing in a system, I talk myself out of it as well. I think as a whole I'm going to skip CO2. I would probably get more growth, but I can live with the tank as it is. The only problem I'm having is my Alternanthera reineckii has been having some stem rot for some reason. Cabomba, and Ludwiga are both growing nicely. I would like for my ferns to attach to the wood faster, but that's always been a slow process.

[jgentry]

Very pretty tank. Nice aquascaping.