My personal journal

Changed ten gallons and brought GH down to 9. Scraped algae off of the front and cleaned top glass. Trimmed plants as needed. All of the fish hide when I am inside the water column. There is a lot of trimming to do to the top areas to allow more light to lower areas. I had half an ice cream bucket full when I finished. Also shaped the baby tears bush. I am waiting for the Ludwigia Glandeosa to grow out in the center. Added the usual 12 drops of Duplant 24 fertilizer, which is added on a daily basis. Added Duplagan, DuplaCur, and Duplaplant to the fresh water change. This aquascape is gorgeous! It is almost where I want it to be five months after I started. The Hatchet fish chase each other in a playful circle and the Tetras swim happily together. Their colors are intense! The Amano Shrimp always seem to come out in view on water changes. The Pearl Gouramis hide most of the evening after the change. I have the Amazon sounds playing on continous as that seems to calm them after the change. The female Pearl just came out as I type this. It has been a couple of hours. More later. I'm back. The male Rathbuns are dancing with each other again tonight. It is a ritual of some sort, but I am not sure of the significance yet. They swim rapidly, side by side and it is over as quickly as it had begun, but it sometimes goes on for hours. There is a Hatchet swimming very low, exploring his world when he feels safe. The three Siamese algae eaters are all nibbling on the Brazillian water lily roots together. They are slender with light and dark brown markings, and methodically clean the algae from many different species of plants. More later.



DAY ONE 10/11/2002

Where shall I begin? It has been a wonderful journey of both discovery and self discovery. This aquascape is situated in my home office, sitting on a Cedar and Oak stand that I designed and made so that it would be more functional than the ordinary stands. It has extensions on both sides and in front to accomodate lights and equipment. It is only fitting that I give the dimensions here as well as details on technical aspects. Oceanic Natures View Pine trim Aquarium is 36.5 x 18.5 x 21.5 inches. Lighting is one All Glass Compact Flourescent 110 watts One Oceanic 30 watt Flourescent Tetra Tec 300 "Living Filter" Filtration Dupla Undergravel Heating System Dupla Creativ Plant Tray System 10 LB> CO2 system with Dupla regulator and needle valve Dupla CO2 Diffusor and Visual Test Indicator 3-5 milliliter natural stone gravel Indestructable Underground foam insulation padding underneath Plant Listing Foreground Micro Sword (Lileaopsis) Glosstigma Tennelus Midground Baby Tears "Bush" Narrow Leaf Java Fern on rock Bolbitus (Asian) on Petrified wood Anubias on Driftwood Hygrophilia Stricta Lobelia Cardinalis Didiplus Diandra "Riccia Rock" Rotala Wallichi Right wall Christmas Moss Wall Background Plants Hydrocotyle Verticulata (Brazilian Water Lily) Rotala Indica Ambula Lace Java Fern Hygrophilia Stricta Hygrophilia Polysperma Ludwigia Repens (Broadleaf) Ludwigia Glandeosa Vallisneria (Italian) Sagitaria Bacopa Monneri Ludwigia Brown Rotala Macrandra Floating Plants Riccia Duckweed Creatures 2 Pearl Gouramis 9 Marbled Hatchetfish 11 Rathbun Tetras 5 Ancistrus Hopyglonas 3 Octinuclus 3 Flyimg Fox 3Siamese Algae Eaters 12 Amano Shrimp History I started this aquascape in May. After five days I introduced the creatures. I then had an outbreak of "Green Water" for three days until I cleaned it out with a Diatomic Filter. It never had a nitrate spike. It has been a labor of love from the beginning. My intention was to use as many varieties of plants as I could and still have it look balanced and beautiful. It has been continously algae free! Day One 10/12/2002 Changed ten gallons and brought GH down to 9. Scraped algae off of the front and cleaned top glass. Trimmed plants as needed. All of the fish hide when I am inside the water column. There is a lot of trimming to do to the top areas to allow more light to lower areas. I had half an ice cream bucket full when I finished. Also shaped the baby tears bush. I am waiting for the Ludwigia Glandeosa to grow out in the center. Added the usual 12 drops of Duplant 24 fertilizer, which is added on a daily basis. Added Duplagan, DuplaCur, and Duplaplant to the fresh water change. This aquascape is gorgeous! It is almost where I want it to be five months after I started. The Hatchet fish chase each other in a playful circle and the Tetras swim happily together. Their colors are intense! The Amano Shrimp always seem to come out in view on water changes. The Pearl Gouramis hide most of the evening after the change. I have the Amazon sounds playing on continous as that seems to calm them after the change. The female Pearl just came out as I type this. It has been a couple of hours. More later. I'm back. The male Rathbuns are dancing with each other again tonight. It is a ritual of some sort, but I am not sure of the significance yet. They swim rapidly, side by side and it is over as quickly as it had begun, but it sometimes goes on for hours. There is a Hatchet swimming very low, exploring his world when he feels safe. The three Siamese algae eaters are all nibbling on the Brazillian water lily roots together. They are slender with light and dark brown markings, and methodically clean the algae from many different species of plants. More later. Next day here! BACK TO TOP