First post - new custom build

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Hey all,

Happy T day....

Over the next few weeks I will be doing some gardening and some changes looking to step it up to the next level.

For the next 7 days:

1. Daily 50-60% water changes.
2. Daily trimming/edging/etc. Nothing really heavy, just to get it neater.
3. Remove all imperfect/older leaves. This allows room for new growth and induces branching and new growth. Pruning is vital to the health of plants and the garden.

Tomorrow I hope to add another c02 nw pump and see if that helps at all. I reddid a DIY herbie on my cpr overflow and the flow seems fine and is nice and quiet. You will see/hear it in the vid.

At the end of the week, I am going to do a large trim of the stauro repens 049. This is the path that goes left to right from tree to tree and is second in line. This needs it badly and will look ugly for 2-3 weeks while it regrows. The extra maintenance will help facilitate better overall conditions and growth.

So, basically trying to improve things, make it look better, experiment, and learn more. Here is a 10 min video where I go babbling away like a brook..The cat is just wierd along with his brother. That dried up sponge is a favorite toy, for both of them actually :)

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Take care.

[video=youtube;wfSfmnr43SM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfSfmnr43SM&feature=plcp[/video]

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[video=youtube;fLHTSmhjgoE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLHTSmhjgoE&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
Hey all,

Well, long time no post.....Hope all is well out there....

I lowered my light levels approx 2 months ago (iiirc) and the present PAR is avg 20-30 in 90% of the areas. The left side has 4 bulbs out and is perfect over the anubias. The coffeefolia and petite both do very well. The java trident and windelov also do well. The ET at 20 par stays where it is The HG belem does not mind either but also stays where it is and spreads slowly. The hg parvula likes it just fine and keeps the growth much more manageable. The sag subulata does very well but is too tall so I will remove it.

I have had the c02 off again for the past week on purpose again and no real issues. You will see plenty of new coffee leaves in the vid/pics. I removed approx 50-60 coffee leaves today and cleaned the glass inside and out.

The pennywort in the substrate suffered from loss of c02, but the same species in the trees does fine as c02 is available from the atmosphere...The subulate, HG, javas, and anubias all do well with fluctuating c02 levels.

I am going to keep it like this and lower the c02 rate slowly if I can and keep the same rate of growth. I have to plant a new carpet but I like the look of the tank now.. Need to replace the subulata with perhaps pygmy chain sword.

The trees look great and the plants and fish appear to be doing well.

I have been experimenting with 'bad' conditions on purpose as I want to go away for 5-7 days and not worry if c02 runs out, or noone does EI, etc. So long as the filters run it seems to be fine...

I miss the more rapid growth rates of higher PAR but really like the constant look and less maintenance. I also like anubias and ferns so it works out well

Here is a vid.

[video=youtube;F2yLonkP2kQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2yLonkP2kQ&feature=youtu.be[/video]

Take care and hope all is well!
 
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