Jump to content

My fishroom project


Chuckie

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 112
  • Created
  • Last Reply

How? Um - just lucky, I guess.

I kind of have a gut feeling for what foliage colours and forms look right and wrong together, and where to plant them. Phil will tell you - he'll go "what about this plant?" and I go "no, it's just .... wrong". Also, less is more, especially in a 2' tank - it's sort of a play on the Japanese theme of one iris in a vase you meditate on - I pick a collating 'thing" - colour, form or both - and stick to it rather than mixing up random plants in random order with no harmony. A lot of people seem to pick one of each of 10 plant types and shove them all in in a line. There are no real lines or rows in my tanks. There is usually a central structure, like driftwood, that I use as a focal point and group the plants around that in a way I hope is appealing!

I run 2 white household tubes over these tanks, which the plants seem to love. I know that theoretically the spectrum is all wrong, and the plan always was to replace them with aquarium tubes in the very short term, but my philosophy is "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Even red plants are thriving under that lighting, and but for a blue-green algae issue in one tank that I killed with a short course of erythromyacin, I haven't had an algae issue (and BGA doesn't count as algae IMO anyway).

what else ... um, lots of silt, no vacuuming (yes, it's dirty - what do plants grow in if not dirt!?) some iron root tabs, a layer of peaty potting mix under the gravel, and lots of leaving well enough alone, I guess. And pulling out handfuls of duckweed at least once a week.

Oh, thanks for the compliment btw Celeste :thumbs::)

Phil, I haven't got any recent photos but I am sure I'll get around to it one day. You know what an ordeal photographing these tanks is! OH you know that 'red' native val you gave me an offshoot of? well it's sent runners all around the tank so let me know if you want some back as I'm going to have to start pruning it soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

wow those are very stunning planted tankss :lol:

Geeeee. i would to have that much fish in my living room, if im rich enough xD

anyway.. btw, how did u darken ur water for breeding? did u use blackwater extract, almond leaf or atison betta spa?? I don't think betta spa is available around my place (sydney).

and last question.. Is it necessary to have an established "grow-out" tank when breeding bettas?

thankxx.. great tanks once again ;)

Edited: a little advice.. maybe u should cover the bottom compartment with black curtain ? so it doesnt look messy on the bottom part ? maybe :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Um ..... not that I can remember. It may be worth browsing yourself. The box it comes in is a flat rectangular box, and it's white with either red or blue printing on it (depending on the number of shelves/load capacity, or something).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Holy cr@p is thread still going!?!! This fishroom looks great Lisa, maybe one day I'll be able to afford a proper fishroom (apparently the kids take priority :) ). Unfortunately it takes a while for the lights to come on in in my current setup...

tubs.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those kinda storage units are very similar to 'hammerlok', a brand that the hardware stores in Sydney carry a bit. Usually the kg limit per shelf is a little restricting, but they are comparatively very very easy to put together, and not expensive. Nice choice Lilli!

I love how the tanks look with room lights out, particularly attractive are the light guards or whatever you call it. And I wish I could fit a couch into my fishroom! Sigh.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks mike :)

I had to have the light guards, they make a huge difference. The room just glows at night. I often fall asleep in there. I will probably get legionnaire's disease one day, but what can you do!

I'll post one more photo tomorrow once the new plants that arrived today from Aquagreen have unfurled. Then it will be unveiled (and hopefully unrecognisable!) in the aquascaping contest :)

I set up a DIY CO2 reactor tonight. I need to get a small internal power filter that has a venturi attachment that I can feed the end of the airline tube into, so it chops up the bubbles and moves the CO2 around the tank in the current. If anyone knows of a brand like this or where I can get one, that would be brilliant.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a Fluval 2 internal power filter that had an outlet attachment that breaks the surface to suck in air with the water flow. I guess you could modify that so it can attach to an airline.

Apparently the attachment is called a venturi valve.

http://www.fishandfins.co.uk/images/a13921.jpg

DIY: http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76816

Powerhead: http://www.thereefshop.com.au/index.php?ma...products_id=626

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...