plantbrain

Some pictures a day after the event.

No, none of my aquariums are Dutch style, they have strong Dutch influences for 2 of them, but they would place poorly in any Dutch contest. The closest I think I ever came to a Dutch style aquarium was back in the mid 1990's, with one of my 90 Gallon tanks. I could do it, but not any time soon. Maybe ina few years, I will come back to that style and do a pure Dutch style tank.

http://youtu.be/f0PznAIPVhs

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Yes, a CPR overflow to a sump wet/dry filter.

Older, maybe 2 to 3 months ago

Ludwigia sphaerocarpa is looking good right now. Not sure why really, it's weird sometimes post trims and gets a little wrinkly, but I've hacked it and few times now and it's just fine and the color is still becoming richer. I want to move the Trithuria sp, blood vomits. I think they will look best in a row. But where to put that row? I'd likely put something like Belem hair grass or maybe the Monte carlo again. Added the Fissidens moss to the branches that make a border around that section. The Erio compressum's have done well thus far. No floating. I split them into a couple more plants once I got them from Aaron, but I counts another 3 on one group and another 3 on another ans at least 2 on the 3rd plant. So they are growing and doing well in this tank. They are so nice, it would suck if they did not:rolleyes: So the 3 problems sections for now: 1. The Rear Left side(see below) 2. The Blood vomits(sounds like my friend's old punk rock band, the blood farmers) 3. The rear right side. I'm okay with these issues for now and have a couple of options. But I want to maximize the return for ease of care, stability of growth patterns, able to sell the plants for a decent return and most importantly,a nice look and eclectic species. Weighing all these demands is never an easy choice, you can quickly chose a few, but as you get towards the end of the location spots in the tank, and the picky behavior due to placement location in the tank to different plant preferences, well.......... I have some issues here, I'd like to move the Syngonanthus urapues over to the left, but it's too dark for it under the branch. I could try and pack more soil back in there and that would raise the level up more, but that will be tough over time. I could call the Fissidens branch a green row and then move the Cuphea back one spot and add Rotala sunset in the more forward section where the Cuphea is now. Both the Syngonanthus and the Rotala need open areas and good current and CO2 to do well.

Finally found some nice Ludwgia inclinata red: The Amcella repens makes a nice Lizard tail substitute. Lizard tail is an often used plant in Europe and in Dutch scapes, but this native Amcella is a nice alternative that many who have used it, frankly have not scaped with it much. The Erio is assuie type 2, a smaller Erio and it will likely split a few more times and then the individuals will fatten up much like E. cinereum. The bright coloration of the L inclinata makes for a nice contrast. It responds well to frequent trimmings and grows quickly. There really is not quite enough space, I needed another 3-5 inches longer tank, then fill out the rows thicker and nicer. Maybe I'll come up with something and a decent solution eventually. I'd thought and still am..........about replacing the Amcella with Downoi. I'll have that plant(either) come down and "fan out" in the front, the L inclinata will fill in a bit more, as will Ludwigia pilosa. L. pilosa has become blotchy red on some leaves, I have about 6-8 plantlets coming along also, but they will take a good 4-8 weeks to research the same sizes as the plants here. The Blotchiness may be from transplanting them a couple times trying them out in other spots, they are sort of like the L. perunesis and the stem is a little fragile and they have similar root systems. The UG replanting method is the best I've done some far, certainly the best method I've seen and the results are quite nice. This is roughly 2 weeks after replanting, this use to take 6-8 weeks to get like this. I moved the Ludwgia "sunset" behind the Erio type 3 Lorax like trees. It grows well and I'm not sure if I plant on keeping it just yet. It will be difficult to beat up the L inclinata for that coveted spot.

I have new plants and some old ones to fill in some spots to see how they look, it's been a fun process trying various species contrast over the last few months.

Haha, I'm not sure WHY I posted in the Marine section, well, I do have seagrasses marine tank: This is a RARE endangered species and I got by accident, but I can grow it well. Halophilia jonhsonii Monderator, could you please move the topic to the sub forum? thank you.

The cabinet cuts out 2ft of the front of the tank. Hard to get a decent pic of this tank. Tank is about on it's 4th week after total tear down. I'll add some new stem plant sin the rear and make a nice hedge.

I NEVER post at APC, and have not since being banned some years ago. It is not like they offer me advice Maybe TPT or the BR? The idea is to have the stump 1/2 in and 1/2 out of the water. It will be covered with Anubias, which are actually not an aquatic plant in natural systems. The plants will act much like leaves on a tree and the roots will grow and hang down, giving a two split level view of the tree, a sort of flooded forest effect. I observe many locations in nature where I see emergent plants and they grow deep down into the water. The aquarium would have to be 2x as large to accommodate the wood 100% submersed. If you have an open top aquarium, why not use it?

I actually got around to doing this aquarium finally You can see the duct tape around the lip of the sump. A simple CO2 system, Victor reg, Clippard in line check valve, burket solenoid, and Nupro valve with vernier micrometer handle. Feed into the intake of the needle wheel and into the return. Lots of sponge and bioballs. Clear PVC return. I'll be getting a lot petite Anubias in a few days and will tie them to the wood. The tank is 120 cm x 80cm x 40cm It will likely be an West African theme

Update: Switched to more Fissidens and Hair grass var "belem". Regards, Tom Barr

Update: Tom Barr

70 Brass tetras, 6 Leopard frog plecos, 200 RCS.......few zebra nerites. Easy to care for, about 1.5 w/gal light and a distance of more than 1 meter away from the hairgrass "belem". Regards, Tom Barr

Just give us some more time, we will mess this place up good eventually, China is beating up pretty good though. Destroying their own........most of Africa is also, Brazil.......most places........ Regards, Tom Barr

I'm sorry, South East Asia The CO2 is still mostly from bacteria that respire and is trapped in the ground water as the water goes from the surface, downwards. We see a few beaver damns, far more in Canada, but they are semi common. they really hunted them for a long time, but have recovered. Giant water rats. Some plants, but they uproot and cause other problems for many aquatic plants. The crow's foot will grow in warmer water, the Moneky flow does not do very well. Moss the same things. For such springs to exists, you must have stable sources of water that have not been diverted or altered. Pierre Spring water from France is carbonated naturally also, so there are sources, but they have been used for other human purposes. Weeds can still grow in most of the water in Portugal also, Hyacinth and Egeria, Myriophyllum, Crispy pondweeds, Hydrilla certainly...............careful what you ask for!!! Bad weeds are no good. Still, for all the land and natural resources we have, human encrochment has really really harmed Califonria. We have lost 96% of our wetlands. 94% of the old growth forest, most of the plant communities are invaded by weeds. Water has been really altered on a scale never before seen anywhere in California. About 30 Billion dollars a year in Agriculture production in this state alone drives politics and business. The Environment has little chance. It is only where they cannot get at the water or it is too far away or a state park, National park etc..........that these places are safe, isolation helps. Nothing can be grown in Hat Creek....it's nothing by hundreds of meters thick of volcanic rock and pumic. The creek eventually flows into the Sacramento River a hundred or so miles away, so it gets used. Logging is common in the area also. Regards, Tom Barr

Crow's foot and Monkey flower mostly, mosses, 3-4 species/liverworts etc, and lots and lots of Trout!!! this creek is well known for fly fishing. There's another 3-4 plant species in here I'm not sure what they are. Regards, Tom Barr

The ground water is richer because there is nowhere for the excess CO2 to degas, like Caves........the CO2 comes in from soil bacteria and the water picks this up as it trickles through the soil. This has no effect on O2 levels, which are also quite high, about 15ppm or so. But the water is very cold. Regards, Tom Barr

Why say much? There are a few places like this in CA, unlike TX, and FL, SEA and other regions where truly lush aquatic plants exist(Pupu springs in NZ is an exception), this is volcanic based geology for the source, not Krast(limestone). The lush growth, really wide diversity, density of plants, clarity of the water, rich CO2 content, intense fast flow........ Really something to behold. The water is about 38F or slightly less, bone chilling. I can handle cold water, this was near shock level since it's flowing really fast. Monkey flower growing permanently submersed, Crow's foot, several species of moss and about 4-5 species of other plants I've got no clue as to what they are. Blew me away, just right by the road. Faster than heck water, something you'd love to fish for trout in maybe. Similar to the headwaters of Burney Mc Arthur Falls but even nicer and more accessible. Regards, Tom Barr