High Tide Aquatics

Dream Tank 2 72g Freshwater Planted Tank

My hair algae is going away finally. The only place in the tank is on my mosses. Not sure if it's a combo of me pulling or attempting to do so, or the otos/shrimp/corys, or because my tank is maturing a bit. I've also stopped dosing liquid fertilizer. So I'll hold off another week.

Shutting my co2 tomorrow as I'm going out of town. Will set up a couple of airstones. Have a nice air pump for when power goes off so if that happens while i'm gone it will continue to run. It self charges.
 
Back from the funeral for my aunt. I had shut off the co2 and put 2 airstones in. Got a pump that plugs in and if power goes out, will run 8 hrs. Got home and it was off. The power strip it was plugged into, the switch's light doesn't work, so it was never charging.... Lucky all okay. Figured it would be but the stones were a just in case. Turning the co2 back on. Debating whether I need to run the air stones at night? Any thoughts?

Nice to ocme home and see that all hair algae is now gone!!!! Debating whether to add the 2-4 hillstream loaches. Algae of course on the glass but not bad--barely see it.

all critters seem good. can't really count fish anymore. Ordered 15 forktail rainbows and 4 more amanos. Eventually will get more of the fire red shrimp..I'm lucky if I see 7 or so out at once.

Next is to do a decent size water change after I get my equipment (cans) and replace the filter tubing--too short and get the aol going, although it doesn't lose that much, so maybe I don't need to auto that . Have some blanched and frozen zuccini. Will try that tonight. And test in the am to how its doing
 
5 weeks. Lots of carpeting and even areas that need to be trimmed. Am thinking of taking the trimmings and planting in a container- instead of replanting in tank as the trimmings will be so small-basically a dry start and then when they form a nice mat, planting them where needed. But I might also not need them so then I can sell them. Have a bunch of plant stemps floating in a coral. Need to replant them. I have 1 corner of plants that has not done well so may replace those.

Now that the hair algae is gone, I may up the lights a bit and increase an hour. currently at 8 hrs. So will go 9 hrs.

15 forktail rainbows arrive thur. Waiting for ammonia to remain at 0 for hillstream loaches. It's 0 for a few days and then back to <.25. Using soil does prolong the algae. Nitrates holding at 5. Wed. will do a bigger water change and do my filter maintenance. Decided to remove the sponge on the bottom of the 6 trays and either put it as the 2nd tray or add another of media. Going to take down the 20 gal tall tank and there is media in that canister filter so could use that plus I still have new media on hand. The top tray would be purigen/carbon (maybe boyds if I n eed both) and floss. This way, I just take off the top and change out without having to remove all 6 trays to get to the bottom. The pre filter has sponges.

Actually saw 3 amano shrimp out last night together

5 Weeks
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15 blue eye forktail rainbow fish and wow. Esp when they color up even more. Looks like I have a bunch of males if they are the super colored ones. I think I have an extra one too. I always put then in the tank by 5's and then I ck the empty bags. Found one stuck between the inner and outter bag. Might be a tad mishapen so we'll see if it survives. I have a neon who is bent funny though I don't expect that one to last. Don't see it this morning.

The tank is now very busy. All movement now. The rainbows are my top swimmers everyone else mid to lower. Will add 8 congo tetras and 15-20 galaxy rasboras. then 3-5 hill stream loaches and maybe 1 male aspisto. Have 4 more amano going in after acclimation. And I hope the redfire shrimp breed or I'll get a few more. And tank is set. I spend way too mcuh time at my desk watching fish and even trying to count the schoolers lol's or find how many shrimps are out

the one shrimp that likes to get into the surface skimmer was up there again. I let it be but hours later, it was still there, not all the way in. Took it apart and it was stuck! got it free. guess its grown too big to get inside to the sponge.....

 
Been a couple weeks since my last update. Tank is 7 weeks now and doing great. Nost of the time, no ammonia so either something died or more soil. Nitrate steady at 5. Got some new fish today. 5 hillstream loaches-Reticulated and 15 Celestial Pearl danio or galaxy rasboras. They are tiny but the color should be awesome when they get used to the tank and start growing That leaves 6-8 congo tetras and a couple more cory and my show fish, a aspistogram. Can't remember which one. I only want a male I think.

Did a 4 gal water change. Will test water tomorrow. Might see if my husband can design some water guards--like a guard rail along front of tank to keep the loaches from climbing out. I'd print in transparent filament.

Not sure where all my shrimp are. I may need to order more. Oto
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Oto Nerite
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Hillstream Loach
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7 weeks
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Hillstream Loach
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Galaxy Raspbora. They are going to be beautiful!!!
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Tank is now 11 weeks. Been consumed with writing and marketing so not time to post!

Tank is getting a bit overgrown. Did a 10-15 gal water change today and will trim and replant stems later this week.. I've decided to let the monte carlo overgrow the rock fence but will keep the path down the center most free for the corys. Need to trim the guppy grass and maybe plant on my rock hill and thin out my floating pile of loose stems. The fish and shrimps love the "mess lol's Esp. the galaxies. and betta or they are just trying to find shrimp eggs...

almost lost 1 shrimp. It was up there on its side and hadn't moved so I thought it dead. I used my tongs and pulled it out. It fell and then moved, so picked it back up and put it in tank. But it was acting strange so caught it and put it back on the leaves. Saw some yellow stuff and thought I'd killed it but am thinking those were eggs.. Anyway I now have at least 2 batches of babies!! Sucked up at least 4 doing the water change. netted them and put them back. I was down to only 3 adults I think unless they were hiding so n ow I look into the tank and I see red all over. Counted at least 20 today!

Got my RO fixed. So between the distilled and now RO I'll see what my ec and tds is as they were usper high. Testing tomorrow am to see if I need to add minerals back into the water. I do keep at least 1 mineral block on bottom. Few days ago, saw 5-6 amono's and back to seeing just one. Maybe. They are hiding! Still loving this tank, even a bit wild looking but everything seems happy. Trying to decide on my last batch of fish. Maybe rice fish? Can't do the congo tetras so am bummed but I like my shrimp population! No showpiece cichlids either . Lots of pics.

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Way past time for an update. Life has been a bit crazy. Still dealing with my dad's estate, and I published 1 book in Nov (#41 or 42) and finished the 2nd in the series of 8. Tank is now 6 mo. I just cleared out duckweed (I tried so hard to buy only container-gel plants to avoid this) Obviously one place lied.... Etsy I think... I also did some major trimming and replanting some plants at back of tank. Also tossed a ton of weeping moss. Still more I should get rid of. It falls to the bottom and covers the monte carlo which is doing fine anyway. At some point I may do a rip out of some plants and a redo. My plan to keep everything neat and tidy and trimmed (like those sso perfect tanks) went outj the window . I kinda like the wild look and the shimp love it.

Speaking of shrimp, I. Got. Shrimp!!! Hundreds.... I think when I get back from my next trip, I'll order the congo tetras as even if they do go after the babies, I have so many they should keep repopulating. I also might get a couple more hillstream loaches and octo cats The cats are good with algae on plants and the loaches love the glass the best. I love the loaches. I also love the galaxy rasboras. I don't clean the glass anymore. I can see some algae if up close so I leave it for them. I may also try a small chiclid, just 1-don't remember which one,

Tank seems to be running pretty good without a lot of work from me. Have only done one water change. no3 today around 20. Removing some of the floating debris might help but if all is happy, I'm happy

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Susan Edwards said:
Way past time for an update. Life has been a bit crazy. Still dealing with my dad's estate, and I published 1 book in Nov (#41 or 42) and finished the 2nd in the series of 8. Tank is now 6 mo. I just cleared out duckweed (I tried so hard to buy only container-gel plants to avoid this) Obviously one place lied.... Etsy I think... I also did some major trimming and replanting some plants at back of tank. Also tossed a ton of weeping moss. Still more I should get rid of. It falls to the bottom and covers the monte carlo which is doing fine anyway. At some point I may do a rip out of some plants and a redo. My plan to keep everything neat and tidy and trimmed (like those sso perfect tanks) went outj the window . I kinda like the wild look and the shimp love it.

Speaking of shrimp, I. Got. Shrimp!!! Hundreds.... I think when I get back from my next trip, I'll order the congo tetras as even if they do go after the babies, I have so many they should keep repopulating. I also might get a couple more hillstream loaches and octo cats The cats are good with algae on plants and the loaches love the glass the best. I love the loaches. I also love the galaxy rasboras. I don't clean the glass anymore. I can see some algae if up close so I leave it for them. I may also try a small chiclid, just 1-don't remember which one,

Tank seems to be running pretty good without a lot of work from me. Have only done one water change. no3 today around 20. Removing some of the floating debris might help but if all is happy, I'm happy

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Beautiful, Amazing! thanks for sharing. I have hardscaped my freshwater tank but haven't had the time to add water yet. I like how you are growing house plants with roots in the water. I am growing my money tree like that and plan to add it to my freshwater tank once it's up and running.
 
fishy408 said:
Beautiful, Amazing! thanks for sharing. I have hardscaped my freshwater tank but haven't had the time to add water yet. I like how you are growing house plants with roots in the water. I am growing my money tree like that and plan to add it to my freshwater tank once it's up and running.
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Cool. Would love to see pics. Do you have it on your build thread yet. There are so few freshwater folk lol's. but after a monster saltwater tank, am loving the ease of back to freshwater. A lot less work. I may switch out some house plans for others and try to add a trellis to the wall as I have runners hanging over the back and sides.
 
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