another thinking post- still learning

Last week saw that some of my barbs were often going to the surface- even when no food on offer. That they tended to just hang in the water. Filter needed cleaning again- seems to clog easy- I cut the last piece of filter material off the plastic backing to clean out old carbon particles, and just set it loose back in the box. Flows better now. But while doing that, turned on little sponge filter again. The fish immediately perked up. They've stayed active all this time, and I haven't noticed any negative effects on the plants so decided to keep it on. Until I learn otherwise.

I'm confused about iron supplement. Thought my Java Ferns look awful for lack of iron? Went off today and bought some Leaf Zone. But then realized the micros I give have iron in them- even more than the Leaf Zone does. So maybe the Javas are really just withdrawing from their old leaves and putting energy into new ones- because I see bright green baby leaves unfolding. I dread that soon they too will turn awful mottled colors but crossing my fingers they stay ok this time.

 And learned recently I'm supposed to dose macros and micros on different days- because something in the macros makes iron less usable for the plants. That could be why my plants seem a bit deficient still? (the crypts once again lacking the lovely reddish color underneath). I think I'll try that this week- dose the micros on sat or sun. I thought this wouldn't matter since I'm doing low dose (1/3 the norm) for a low-tech tank (no CO2) but maybe I'm wrong

One thing I think I did do right- swapping the light back. I had low ferts doses with med light (because I mistakenly thought my light was low) and was told to up the ferts dose to match the growth light is triggering, or go proper low-tech (nutrient rich substrate, minimal to no ferts added) instead. I haven't been able to do that yet (the rich substrates can be expensive and I'm not sure which cheap option would be best- they all have pros and cons)- so I cut the light back and kept my dosing same. (Excuse if I'm repeating myself here- it's been a year with this tank and I'm still trying to figure it all out!)

I added root tabs today also (a day before maintenance, because they dissolve fast and then water surface looks dusty- figured the water change next day will clean some of that out after most has settled.)

Trying for pics of the good baby java leaves- this one is still looking more or less okay, and there's a new baby leaf bottom left corner:

More new leaves coming up on in rear of the log- so I took a pic from the back- angled thru short side of the tank- can see a few bright contrast to the dying off stuff:

lovely fern

Looking back on earlier posts, I'm surprised how different the growth on my Boston Fern is. I used to think it was so pretty, but now it's even nicer. The new fronds growing in are longer, straighter, with smoother leaves than before. I'm not sure what made the difference- spending the summer outside? getting repotted? The nutrients from fish waste? Simply getting cut back and divided, to promote new growth? I am still trying to remember to mist it daily, plus give it time in bathroom humidity, but I was doing that last winter too.

small things

I have noted about my plants lately.

Still eating lots of the Parsley. If I pinch off leaves from outer edges of the plant, just above where a stem forks, it fills in again from the crown and I get a much better growth habit (before I was cutting entire stems near the base- I should have known better! Doesn't harm the plant any, but it looks nicer now).

Water the Jades when the soil looks/feels dry. Noticed that the base of stem (an eighth or quarter inch up) remains darker for a day or two. Either because it was dampened when I watered previously, or from inside the plant tissue I don't know- but now I wait another few days for that to dry out also, when the stem has uniform color. Because I so easily overwater.

oliver's beauty

I love the burnt red-brown color in his fins and scales, seen against ambient light

and the dark edging on his pectoral fins

Excuse all the awful camera reflections! I'm still figuring out how to avoid that.

palm leaf

just admiring

kuhlis hanging out

I've named these two black ones Moe and Sid.

sunlight

I've been trying to learn to take better pictures of the aquarium. It's hard to avoid glare/reflections. On the smaller tank, I just had to put something dark (in this case, sheet of cardboard) over the white windowsill and wall edge that were reflecting into the anubias end of the tank.

On the bigger tank, when I take pictures after dark all room lights off, I get awful glare on the top of the watersprite.

Normally I close the blinds in afternoon hours to keep direct sunlight off the tank but today when walked into the room to shut them, noticed how pretty it was on the tank. So I took a few pictures. (Then shut the blinds.)

side view

I still need some practice, but it's better than what I had before.

snails

It is true what people told me on forums- once the malaysian trumpet snail population stabilizes, you hardly notice them. I have to look close to find them during the day- but still can easily count two dozen or more. After dark there's always ten or so climbing the glass. Every now and then notice a bit of gravel moving as one sifts its way downwards.

I had a momentary fright the other day when saw Mavis on the underside of the cover skirt on my tenner!

My first thought was- bad water parameters? But then I saw her little mouth scraping- she'd found a patch of algae I neglected to clean off the skirt.

I kept an eye on her and sure enough, a little while later she was back down in the tank. Here's Oliver eyeing her from below:

aquarium plants

I put a new cover on the 20gal- full glass and clear plastic skirt, so that more light passes through. With the original cover's black plastic lid and skirt, light was in a main strip down the center of tank, shaded significantly in front and back. I had been thinking of bumping up the daylight hours a bit, but then realized a glass cover would raise light levels some without increasing hours yet. (The skirt does not quite reach the back edge of my tank- an eighth inch gap- so I fastened on a strip of packing tape folded over itself. It doesn't give more support but does block water evaporating.)

A few more plant pictures I took recently- beautiful apono:

Crypt wendtii

and its offspring:

Rotala indica:

Watersprite growing growing growing

The really exciting thing is the new apono flower stalk. I swear you can see that thing growing. In one day it went from half the tank height to breaking the surface; overnight it has stretch across the width of the tank at surface and is pushing the floating watersprite bunch into the corner. I can't wait to see the flower.

moss

I sold another bunch of java moss recently and started a new one, with tiny bits trimmed off the fake skull.

The surface of my desk where they've been is quite cold (near window)- so I moved the two jars to sit on the smaller aquarium's cover glass. The tank is near eighty and its heat now keeps the jars close to room temperature. They look better.

tank notes

I have been trying to get a good tank picture, but it's hard to avoid glare on the watersprite thicket in center. This one is okay

but it actually looks more like this now, after I trimmed the rotala again:

Another overhead view:

It is starting to look full and green! Same doses on ferts with the water change, today. Most of the plants look good, so I'm hoping that java fern is just having an adjustment period and will recover too- at least the new fiddleheads coming up are nice. It's supposed to be a tough plant, so I'm surprised it seems more sensitive to changes. On the other hand, it's my only epiphyte in this aquarium, maybe that has something to do with it- since the other plants get nutrients from substrate, and this one only pulls out of the water column? I did cut out a few mottled leaves today, and tried to attach some down better. Have noticed that the ones that were tied tightly or held with rubber bands, with good contact to the surface, are clinging firmly. Others that I didn't tied so well (very tricky to do with wet thread!) are pretty loose, not holding well. I have weighed down one in the back with pebbles (but they fall off all the time, have to be replaced) and fastened a front lower one with new rubber band.

Now that the plants are looking better I'm starting to think about aesthetics again. Maybe the fine-leaved plants are better as background, and the apono crispus which I admire so much should be in the front. I am starting to try this out, gradually. Gave away my amazon sword (it just wasn't doing well in my tank) and moved one of the smaller aponos to front center:

I have also learned these plants like to stand alone, have space. Not sure if it's the reason, but the biggest apono (widest leaves) has surprised me with a new shoot- looks like a flower stem. I was not expecting, or even hoping, for my aponos to flower. I'm tickled that this one is- it means the plant is happy!!

Half a dozen rotala stems reached the surface again, so I've cut those back and replanted, two in back left corner behind apono, a few more behind the java log. Already I'm liking the effect:

Some more rotala pics- from above

and in dim light, the young green seems to glow (bad reflections in this one but I still like it)

cyclamen

This one is growing lots of new leaves in the center. I am hoping even more for spring flowers!

climbing kuhlis!

caught a black one sitting halfway up in the rotala bunch,

later same one resting on the broad crypt leaves (this one is Mo)

and a striped one going up onto the log

it's so fun to watch them