# been here a while... finally show and tell



## ksimdjembe (Nov 11, 2006)

figured it was about time to share.

20 gallon low light, low maintenance, planted
for some reason i had a crypt dieback a bit ago... the crypts were wayyy thicker along the bottom... i guess itll just take a bit of time.
plants: crypt wendtii [i think], narrow leaf java fern, anubias barteri, amazon frogbit
fish: highfin platy, metalheads from delta guppies, ottocats, amano shrimp









10 gallon low light, low maintenance, planted
plants: narrow leaf java fern, crypt parva, reg java fern, giant hygro, amazon frogbit
fish: heterandria formosa, ottocats, amano shrimp









10 gallon low light, low maintenance, planted shrimp tank.
plants: various hygros, various crypts, flame moss, thin leaf java fern, amazon frogbit
inhabitants: cherry shrimp and the ottos from the other 10 gal, when there is too much brown algae - i think they are due for a visit.









backyard half whiskey barrel/pond
plants: amazon frogbit, anubias frazerii, water amaranth [alterranthera reinieki]
inhabitants: 2 fantail goldfish. one 15 years old, one under a year.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

gosh i just love the looks of your tanks. The barrel is a favorite of mine.. Did you make it yourself as in line it and such or did you buy it?


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## ksimdjembe (Nov 11, 2006)

i found the barrel for a nice price online. 
a guy was recently retired and collected and made up kits as a hobby.
he got the barrels from wineries. mine still has that nice 'eau de something or other'
it has a solid [non soft] liner.
thanks for the nice comments, the barrel is a fav of my goldfish too.


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## Calmer (Mar 9, 2008)

All of the pictures are nice but the last 2 pictures of the of the goldfish coming to the surface is so beautiful. 15 years old, wow just amazing 
Do you winter the goldfish in the half barrel indoors for the coldest months?


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## ksimdjembe (Nov 11, 2006)

the goldfish get the royal treatment, they get thier own tank in the basement over the winter. i dont think the barrel would be good inside as it still has the off-wine smell. i never thought i would want goldfish, but it really is nice to have the water feature in the backyard


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## ksimdjembe (Nov 11, 2006)

just finished a DIY bog filter for the goldfish barrel. 
testing some bog plants: 
anubias frazeri, tropical pickerel weed, and some sweet flag
spoiled rotten, those fish.
i'll post pics in a bit


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## ksimdjembe (Nov 11, 2006)

theoretically, the water is pumped up the tube on the right and trickles across a bed of pea gravel where the plants are growing. the plants roots uptake the fish wastes in the water, and also help to hold some particulate matter. i need to figure out some other plants to try, as my pickerel weed is not doing too well. the sweet flag seems to love it though. i guess i will continue to tinker...


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

what a smarty  wonderful work!


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## Calmer (Mar 9, 2008)

ksimdjembe said:


> i need to figure out some other plants to try, as my pickerel weed is not doing too well. the sweet flag seems to love it though. i guess i will continue to tinker...


Dwarf Cattails, Canna Lillies, Cardinal Flower, Iris, Taro, Reeds, Rushes, Sedges... http://www.aquaticplantdepot.com/marginalplants.html
The possibilities are almost endless. 
Now you have me thinking about trying tub plants. I am trying to resist though . Unfortunately the problem here is with those wacky ass raccoons that come around here. They would tear the plants up in no time and have a fish diner.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Haha, fish dinner is right. We also live on the ravine, and fish in a barrel = food for a racoon. Hell, garbage in a green bin, inside another garbage can with the lid closed in the shed somehow still manages to become dinner for racoons, so fish in a barrel would just be too easy.


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## ksimdjembe (Nov 11, 2006)

@ Ciddian - thanks. i try. it really was one of those... "i wonder if i can build this..." kinda things..

@ Calmer - thanks for the suggestions and the link, i have been doing some extensive research on which spp to try, but the lighting i have also throws a bit of a monkey wrench into the mix, as there are some parts of the day that are pretty low light, especially when the sun passes behind the house. almost makes for a short [direct] light period. seems the sedges and grass like spp work easiest.
You should try the outdoor garden. i really like how it adds to the garden. and you could just keep some mosquito larvae eating mosquito fish or platy fry or something.

@ Calmer and Ameekplec - so far so good [hopefully not jinxing the situation.] maybe the racoons dont like the 'old' meat. or maybe we dont have as many here... though i doubt that.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

nice barrel. 

When I had a barrel pond at my mother's I didn't line the keg. it held water wonderfully. goldfish "magically" appeared in it after we put in some floating water plants.


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## Calmer (Mar 9, 2008)

Your welcome ksimdjembe 
I actually could keep guppies in the barrel and really mess with the raccoons trying to catch them.  Maybe next year I'll give it a go.


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