# Progress Report



## Conankills (Aug 26, 2007)

Haven't been back for a few months. 
I began my first NPT in August. 
Well, here is how it looks today. (pics below) 
I have a slight problem with surface space. Wondering what is the best way to trim back the plants? I have Wisteria, Bleheri, Micro Swords, Fox Tail, and what looks like Java Moss (I got it in a clump from Petco) and some other smaller plants.










Welcome to the Jungle (it was worse last week, but I moved some Wisteria out).



























"I taut I ta a Putty Tat!?"


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Love the cat and what a nice jungle for it to view. For the stem plants cut off the tops (maybe 6 to 8 inches or so) and replant in the tank to make a thicker stand. Remove any really leggy bottoms or cut them off just below the surface of the substrate to keep from making a big mess. If some of the bottoms still look good, leave them in place and let them grow out again - they should branch and make a fuller stand. For the big swords you can remove some of the larger outer leaves, just cut them off at the base of the plant. That should help give your shorter plants a bit more light and give everything room to grow again.


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## Conankills (Aug 26, 2007)

Thanks cs_gardener.
I pulled out my machete and trimmed back the jungle so my fish can move.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Nicely done. That gives you a lot more room and you can see what you have in there now.


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## mpagri (Dec 7, 2007)

move the thermometer to the side glass!!


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## Conankills (Aug 26, 2007)

I haven't moved the thermometer yet, but will soon. Notice the yellow rubber band on the bottom of it - my Spotted Gourami keeps nipping it and making it tap against the tank glass. Wakes me up around 6am in the morning, every other morning (not kidding, I feel like a servant) and I don't want it to break. 
Otherwise my plants yet again need trimming (see first pic), but the reason I am writing this is because I began transplanting the... um... plants from this NPT to my regular _beater_ aquarium downstairs. And my, have they thrived there.

The reason why this is odd is because the other tank (20g) just has gravel and even less light (standard tube that comes with the aquarium package deal)! I also have 2 vacuum cleaners (Loaches) that keep the gravel clean, thereby not letting much mulm accumulate under the gravel for roots to suck up on. I change 1/2 the water in it once every two weeks, add some minor fertilizer 0-0-5, and, other than these, I just leave it alone like it's an NPT. I think this is weird, but that's just me. Well, here are the pics:










NPT










Notice one of the "Vacuum Cleaners" in the middle bottom of the tank.










Close up of the middle of the tank.










I didn't plan out the aquarium set up, just threw this and that in there. Lots of improvisations due to ignorance/laziness. Just to note: the duckweed that kept dying in my NPT for months on end is thriving in this tank (though not in large numbers yet, can't really see them in the pictures). They got stuck on the other plants I transplanted. Go figure!
I still haven't gotten Diane's book and still flying by the seat of my pants (plus lots of help from you guys).

EDIT: I forgot to mention! I found shrimp living in the filter of my NPT!! See!! This is what I mean by my dumb ignorant luck. I inadvertently started a fresh water shrimp colony. Weird Science (minus Lisa) !!!


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## baboo_jenge (Apr 6, 2007)

i love the tank. AND THE CAT. So cute!


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## Conankills (Aug 26, 2007)

Random question:

My Otto just did something right out of the Discovery channel. You may have seen footage of marine cleaning fish cleaning larger fish of parasites and such. Well, my Otto just meandered over to my Gourami and started...um... licking its side slowly, like it was a plant leaf or a rock. Thing is the Gourami didn't seemed to have minded. The quicky cleaning only happened for maybe 5 seconds, but I had to do a double take.
Do Ottos tend to do this? Its my first time keeping an Otto.


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## DefChilde (May 15, 2006)

Conankills said:


> Random question:
> Do Ottos tend to do this? Its my first time keeping an Otto.


Yes, I believe that there is a member here, Shalu, who has a photo of an oto sucking on a Discus.

**Edit** Found the link: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/p...00-gallon-tank-updated-04-a-6.html#post185846 3rd photo


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