# [Wet Thumb Forum]-no laughing at the newbie



## imported_Sicklid (Feb 27, 2003)

Ok here's my 55 so far. The two different crypts (front left, and mid-right back) are doing great. My hair grass is spreading pretty well, both together into a lawn, and off into the verges. The mammoth E. Rubin that dominates the right side of the tank, is going to the LFS sometime soon. It came free with an order and was only about 10" tall when I got it. I'll replace it with a cluster of ocelot swords and some more lilliaopsis (sp?) from another tank. I'm just starting to see some growth from the L. repens in the center behind the stump arm, and the A. terenthera (sp?) on the far left side. I plan for these to grow up through and around the stump and each other, tall enough to fill in the big voids in the back. Once they get going I'd like to mix in a bit of water sprite or something for contrast.
So far, I am proudest of the wood I found for the tank. Its all wild caught root wood from a bog out here, boiled for a solid 10 hrs in a metal food grade barrel, and soaked for an additional week or two, before and after the boiling. The "stump" on the left is only about 5-6" in diameter where it enters the gravel, but it has several root "legs" that extend out into the tank before they go under the substrate. This gives me lots of wood/plant interaction, and lots of little "territory zones" for various dwarf cichlids etc, without sacrificing much planting area. The long arm that extends out to the right from the stump, comes all the way to the front of the tank (within an inch of the glass) giving me a bit of that elusive visual depth in a 55. There is another interesting piece of wood that is hidden under the shadow of the Rubin, but it has several arched tunnels at gravel level, that the grass is just starting to grow through.
I'm working on a water clarity issue right now. I think it is mostly due to my not doing to much gravel vacuuming yet, and the mulm is getting stirred up by my bristlenose faster than its sinking into the gravel.

_*BlackMesaDesigns*_

[This message was edited by Sicklid on Wed March 12 2003 at 09:02 AM.]

[This message was edited by Sicklid on Wed March 12 2003 at 09:03 AM.]


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## imported_Sicklid (Feb 27, 2003)

Ok here's my 55 so far. The two different crypts (front left, and mid-right back) are doing great. My hair grass is spreading pretty well, both together into a lawn, and off into the verges. The mammoth E. Rubin that dominates the right side of the tank, is going to the LFS sometime soon. It came free with an order and was only about 10" tall when I got it. I'll replace it with a cluster of ocelot swords and some more lilliaopsis (sp?) from another tank. I'm just starting to see some growth from the L. repens in the center behind the stump arm, and the A. terenthera (sp?) on the far left side. I plan for these to grow up through and around the stump and each other, tall enough to fill in the big voids in the back. Once they get going I'd like to mix in a bit of water sprite or something for contrast.
So far, I am proudest of the wood I found for the tank. Its all wild caught root wood from a bog out here, boiled for a solid 10 hrs in a metal food grade barrel, and soaked for an additional week or two, before and after the boiling. The "stump" on the left is only about 5-6" in diameter where it enters the gravel, but it has several root "legs" that extend out into the tank before they go under the substrate. This gives me lots of wood/plant interaction, and lots of little "territory zones" for various dwarf cichlids etc, without sacrificing much planting area. The long arm that extends out to the right from the stump, comes all the way to the front of the tank (within an inch of the glass) giving me a bit of that elusive visual depth in a 55. There is another interesting piece of wood that is hidden under the shadow of the Rubin, but it has several arched tunnels at gravel level, that the grass is just starting to grow through.
I'm working on a water clarity issue right now. I think it is mostly due to my not doing to much gravel vacuuming yet, and the mulm is getting stirred up by my bristlenose faster than its sinking into the gravel.

_*BlackMesaDesigns*_

[This message was edited by Sicklid on Wed March 12 2003 at 09:02 AM.]

[This message was edited by Sicklid on Wed March 12 2003 at 09:03 AM.]


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## imported_Sicklid (Feb 27, 2003)

Ok, I think I have things figured out now.

_*BlackMesaDesigns*_

[This message was edited by Sicklid on Wed March 12 2003 at 09:00 AM.]

[This message was edited by Sicklid on Wed March 12 2003 at 09:05 AM.]


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## EDGE (Feb 28, 2004)

you need to delete the space between and http.

very nice layout so far. I think a tall plant on the far back corner of the left would be great.

could you make the picture a little bigger?

75 Gal, 4.6 WPG MH 10 hour, pressurize co2 /w controller, Fluval 404, ph 6.8
[URL="http://www.rupert.net/~mryeburn/"]Mike's Canadian Aquatic Plant Page[/URL]
A Canadian's Plant Traders website

[This message was edited by EDGE on Thu March 13 2003 at 08:01 AM.]


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

That's beautiful! Why're you going to get rid of the Rubin? It's adding so much character to the aquarium! When I look at your tank I see a more open "shallower" area on the left as the wood creates the impression of a bank. As I look to the right I get the feeling of looking along a grade into a deeper part of the water.

If you do replace it what about putting another piece of wood in that corner. Something thinner, but that reaches out into the tank in a similar fashion to your other piece. It would need to be smaller, and have a more direct front to back line but it will unify the feel of your tank. If done right it will also accentuate the darkness of your (very well placed) dark crypts giving an even greater impression of depth.

One more last minute idea. Try putting some rocks in there, especially in the blank area in front of your root and one the size of your fist in front of your darker crypts at the point where the plants and wood intersect in your photo. A nice medium gray granite would do well. Done sparingly a few rocks placed in a roughly diagonal line will help draw the eye back into your tank. Also, a rock surrounded by plants, almost to the point of being overgrown, will impart a feeling of age.

This aquarium has a wonderfully natural feel which is probably it's greatest strength. Play to that strength when making changes and you'll have an outstanding aquarium.

Proverbs 3:7-8

[This message was edited by Phil Edwards on Wed March 12 2003 at 05:52 AM.]

[This message was edited by Phil Edwards on Wed March 12 2003 at 09:40 AM.]


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## imported_Sicklid (Feb 27, 2003)

I think if you could be here in person, you might change your mind about the Rubin. Its a great plant, and it's growing better than any other plant in either of my tanks, but it is just too big for the 55. The picture doesn't really show all of the leaves that are bent over double, and grown almost back down to the bottom of the tank. When I got it (as a free unasked for addition to and order) I thought it could possibly work where it is in the back corner, but only if it would stay there. It has started growing so large and fast, that it defines the dimensions of the tank, and prevents anything else from growing under it. I think it's probably also why the crypts near it are growing straight up, instead of out over the grass a bit.
My plan for the tank was a stump/reef in a slow moving stream, so I wanted an open current area with short grassy plants, leading into a taller thicket of plants that may have grown up behind the shelter of the tree roots. 
My main concern right now is getting the stem plants to grow out more. I have them planted to eventually fill in the dark areas in the back, on both sides the main stump. I think they will look great poking through and around the wood, with the crypts hanging out from underneath them.
I like the idea of a few more larger rocks. There are few in there right now, but they are mostly sunk on edge in the gravel for planting zone division. My wife wants a little rock trail somewhere, which I've seen done in larger tanks to suggest stream beds etc, but I'm not sure if it would fit in with my scheme.

>> This aquarium has a wonderfully natural feel which is probably it's greatest strength <<










_*BlackMesaDesigns*_


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## imported_Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 31, 2003)

That IS a nice peice of bogwood. If that were my
tank,I'd remove a few of those crypts from infront of the wood. Maybe replaced with
that rock Phil is talking about with hairgrass
growing out from around it. That will bring
a little more attention to the driftwood.
Get rid of the rubin, and add maybe
some crypt spirilis or balensae in the back
left corner (something tall that won't require
pruning). Then put the crypts that were removed
from the front of the wood to the right side -
not just in the back corner, but the whole
right side from front to back with more towards
the back than the front.

Looking good though - keep us updated!

-
Ghazanfar Ghori


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## imported_Sicklid (Feb 27, 2003)

Aye my crypts do need some thinning, if not outright removal. This set-up is a recent re-do of an older tank in which I had three different species of crypts: some were tall with straight edges and not so much red, some were tall with ruffled edges and more red, and some were short, straight edged and mostly green. When I re-did the tank, I took out $150 worth of crypts and sold 'em to my LFS. I tried to keep all the small ones, and some of the larger red ones, but unfortunately they all look the same when they are small, so I'll have to pick out the larger crypt species from the foreground. When properly thinned the foreground crypts should stay down below around 4-5 inches in actual height. I had planned for the hairgrass to spread in along the front, but.....the crypts won that race.

I'll post some new pics when i get rid of the Rubin. I'd really like to see the whole right side covered in hairgrass. The other low piece of root wood (the one hiding in the shadow of the Rubin) is really pretty neat with its little archways/tunnels, and I'd love to see it stretch out over the grass.

_*BlackMesaDesigns*_


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## Jon Mulzer (Mar 9, 2003)

That is a gorgeous piece of driftwood you have there. That was a lucky find. May I ask where you bought it?

I agree with you on the Rubin, it is overpowering. IMHO it would look nice removed and replaced with some other tall plants that aren't so thick. Perhaps some vals or myrio. I like the effect it gives with the break between it and the driftwood but it appears to be too much. Absolutely gorgeous tank though. I am jealous, hehe.

This is all just my humble opinion though and I am pretty much a newbie so take it with a grain of salt.


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## imported_Sicklid (Feb 27, 2003)

>> That is a gorgeous piece of driftwood you have there. That was a lucky find. May I ask where you bought it? <<

used hip-waders...$35
laundry fee from falling in muck because of cheap oversized hip-waders...$4
insect bite medicine aplied by my wife when I got home and still had a leach on my neck...$5
wadding through thigh deep muck in hip-waders to find the perfect piece of bog wood for my fish tank.....priceless

_*BlackMesaDesigns*_


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## Jon Mulzer (Mar 9, 2003)

LMAO!!!!!

I admire your dedication for going out and finding your own. Even moreso I admire the sense of humor about the mishaps you had in your adventure. I can almost assure you that I would not be in such good spirits about it. I would probably be a little bitter. But hell, if you can't laugh at yourself who can you laugh at right?

That's some funny stuff my friend.


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## imported_aspen (Feb 20, 2003)

>>'Its all wild caught root wood from a bog out here...'

he he, that is a funny phrase. i like your description of your 'hunting expedition' too. that is a nice tank, you are going to have fun moving plants around, and in and out of there. you really started right with that wood. very nice.

rick


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## Moe (Feb 1, 2003)

What do you have for a light setup?

Moe


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## Jon Mulzer (Mar 9, 2003)

Hehe, if only I had read your first post I would have known that you didn't buy any of it. My bad. But with my stupid question came your entertaining Mastercard parody so it's not all bad. I need to quit skimming so quickly so I can get to the pictures. hehe

(Edited because I said Visa to start out with instead of Mastercard, lol)


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## imported_Rufus (Feb 3, 2003)

ROFLMAO!

The best things in life ARE free! & for everything else there's mastercard.....

Aaahhh, the wisdom you guys dispense is immeasurable









ps. nice furniture!

Rufus.


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## imported_Sicklid (Feb 27, 2003)

>> What do you have for a light setup? <<

160 watts from two cheapie double bulb shop lights. Not sure if I trust 'em for maximum efficiency anymore though. I've been using the same fixtures for close to three years now, and they don't seem as bright as they used to be, even after I replace the bulbs.

_*BlackMesaDesigns*_


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## Jon Mulzer (Mar 9, 2003)

You should consider getting electronic ballasts to replace the magnetic ones. Usually brighter, much more energy efficient and the bulbs tend to last longer. You can pick them up at any home improvement place for cheap.

Disclaimer: Any errors in spelling, tact, or fact are transmission errors.


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## imported_Sicklid (Feb 27, 2003)

The fixtures i have, which I think are Lights of America, I got at Wal-Mart for about $7-$8 each. Are these for sure the magnetic ballasts? (the boxes are long gone).

I have been eyeing some regular (electronic ?) double bulb fixtures at Home Depot, but they are $20 plus each. I guess if I can spend $30 on shrimp I can spend $40 on new lights. Is there really a significant output/efficiency/life difference between magnetic and electronic ballasts?

_*BlackMesaDesigns*_


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## imported_aspen (Feb 20, 2003)

sicklid, they are definately magnetic ballasts. these will deterioriate over time, as the insulation in the windings do, but i would bet there is more deterioration at the sockets. do the lamps go black fairly quick? this is a sign of this. the 'new' fixture also has a magneitc ballast for that price as well.

buy new electronic ballasts and shunted sockets (require only 1 wire to the socket) and t-8 lamps. pref phillips 850 or 865 or similar and re-wire the fixture you have. (diagram is on the ballasts.) you will save money on hydro, get tons more light, and you will also get a lot more usable life outta your lamps and ballasts will last a LONG time.

rick


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## Slappy (Mar 2, 2003)

I'd keep the rubin...just give it a major haircut, leaving only the shortest,newest leaves.

Slappy


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## Moe (Feb 1, 2003)

I would upgrade the ballasts. You will notice a difference.
Moe


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## imported_Sicklid (Feb 27, 2003)

Since this isn't supposed to be the "answer all of Sicklids questions" forum, I have posted a lighting question in the hardware forum.

Please reserve this thread for expressing your reverence for my aquascaping skils









_*BlackMesaDesigns*_


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