# It's a Mess



## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

I've become extremely passive with my fishkeeping. The attached photos are my 100 gallon. I don't do anything for this tank. There is no substrate other than gravel. Filter is an Eheim 2217. Lighting is supplied by 11 hours per day from 8 30" daylight T8s and 2 48" Plant T12s. I fertilize extremely rarely. Water changes are done about every 2-3 weeks.

I'm considering being a little more active with this tank. Maybe overhauling it. Or maybe I'll just leave it as is. 

At the moment, residents are:

5 Clown loaches
3 Khuli loaches
8 Odessa Barbs
2 Cherry Bars
2 Red Paradise
2 Betta Falx
9 Bushynose Plecs
5 Emperor Tetras
3 SAEs
5 Gold Barbs
3 Corydoras panda
2 Corydoras julii

No fish are visible here cos I had just done a water change and hacked back the foliage a bit, so they were more than freaked.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

It reminds me how much I suck at aquascaping when I look at that


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

If you think that's a mess come over here and see my 150 you'll feel better instantly! I think its beautiful! May I ask what the tall grasses in the back are? I have to have them for my 150 gallon!


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

I think it looks beautiful to so natural bet you have very happy fish.Pat


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## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

The fish do seem pretty happy - I've had many of them breed successfully in the tank.

The grass at the back is boring ol' Valisneria. There are various crypts - wendtii, willisi etc, Bacopa and a large hybrid tropica sword.

I do think it would be nice to have a big piece of driftwood. I picked up a CO2 system a few years ago but haven't gone any further with it than sticking it in my basement as I have a 3 year old with busy hands.

As far as aquascaping - I don't. I let the plants do what they want to and just try to hack them back when I can't see anything.

I started the whole thing about 2 years ago with 6 single vals, 6 single crypts, the sword and 2 bunches of bacopa.

I've just been looking at some of the beautiful set ups lately and thinking I should do something more.


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## Grey Legion (Mar 20, 2006)

I see nothing wrong with it.

maybe a prune here and there and water changes once a week and your all set.

Sometimes "less" is best


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## Brian (Mar 14, 2006)

I think it looks awesome, I wish those grassy plants were in my tank to cover my back wall!


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## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

Yeah - the problem is that they cover my back wall and then they keep on going. I can pull out about 75 plants in any two week period and not miss them. They are the most likely to choke out the rest of the tank.

Seriously - if anyone wants some, let me know. I'll be happy to pass them on next time I weed.

Sorry - I mean prune.


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## Brian (Mar 14, 2006)

I wouldn't mind grabbing a few if they don't outcompete my other plants 

I only have java and windelev fern, some mosses and pelia.


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## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

You're welcome to some. They grow extremely fast and reproduce fast too - you just have to keep on top of them.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

Brian said:


> I wouldn't mind grabbing a few if they don't outcompete my other plants
> 
> I only have java and windelev fern, some mosses and pelia.


itll outcompete. Your plants wont die but you willl notice reduces happiness.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Oddest thing, I've not been able to keep val's successfully...

I have some in my current tank that are doing "ok", but none of these horrors of taking over the tank. Haven't really met anyone else who hasn't been able to grow these weeds


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## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

well, if you want to experiment on some more, let me know. I'll bet I could mail them to you in a paper towel roll with a stamp on it and they'd be fine!


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## Fishfinder (Feb 17, 2008)

zomgz, u have extra Vals??? b/c iv more or less just started my 130 and would love some more plants! ^_^


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Chris Stewart said:


> Oddest thing, I've not been able to keep val's successfully...
> 
> I have some in my current tank that are doing "ok", but none of these horrors of taking over the tank. Haven't really met anyone else who hasn't been able to grow these weeds


Me neither!


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Westender said:


> well, if you want to experiment on some more, let me know. I'll bet I could mail them to you in a paper towel roll with a stamp on it and they'd be fine!


Yep they'd be fine just wrap the paper towel in some newspaper. If you have any for sale I'd love to try them again and my celestial pearl danio's would be very greatful!


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

I used to have them growing prolifically in my 20gH in my living room. Nothing has changed in terms of inhabitants or other plants and yet they have noticeably been out competed by my amazon swords. This is especially odd because the swords in this tank have historically grown quite poorly and now they have pushed back. The slow war between plants is quite a fascinating dynamic.


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## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

I have one sword that manages fine on its own. The vals are like army ants though - they just keep on marching on and on.

I'll be happy to swap some vals with anyone who wants them. I also just pulled out a load of Bacopa if anyone is interested.

pm me.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

this thread has me intrigued. I've never done planted...would your spare"weeds" survive a school of Jacks? I get down to the Parkdale area occasionally.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

Riceburner said:


> this thread has me intrigued. I've never done planted...would your spare"weeds" survive a school of Jacks? I get down to the Parkdale area occasionally.


Possibly... if the jacks decided to 'check it out' though its dead...


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

that's what I'm afraid of. My Jacks eat almost anything.


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## Shattered (Feb 13, 2008)

That is a nice tank. 

I thought you had to have substrate? Is there a way to use only gravel? If so, I wish I had seen your tank before dropping 30$ on some eco-complete.


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

Shattered said:


> That is a nice tank.
> 
> I thought you had to have substrate? Is there a way to use only gravel? If so, I wish I had seen your tank before dropping 30$ on some eco-complete.


Many of my planted tanks have eco complete for substrate. This isn't so much because you need it but because I bought too much initially for my 90g. I have found that tanks with absolutely no eco complete, or any other bagged high cost substrate, do equally well as far as plant growth is concerned.

This is an overall judgment on my part and not at all scientific because most of my tanks have their own types of plants that are not commonly present in more than 1 or 2 other tanks. Oddly enough my glosso doesn't grow well in any eco complete tanks and yet it is taking over in my collected Muskoka gravel tank.


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