[Nilet699]

Here's another idea someone suggested to me. A puffer fish biotope. They come from th river panba India, BUT I cant find anything on the indigenous plants there:-/

 

[Nilet699]

Ok, so i managed to find a good list that matches others of plants that are found in the DP'S natural habitat/region.
these are;

Scientific Name Common Name Light Requirement Difficulty
Aponogeton crispus Crinkled or Ruffled Aponogeton 3.0 wpg Easy/Medium
Aponogeton ulvaceus Compact Aponogeton 2.0 - 3.0 wpg Medium/Challenging
Aponogeton undulatus 2.0 - 3.0 wpg Easy/Moderate
Cryptocoryne beckettii Beckett's Cryptocoryne 2.0 - 3.0 wpg Easy/Medium
Cryptocoryne walkeri var. lutea 1.0+ wpg Easy
Cryptocoryne parva Tiny Cryptocoryne 4.0 wpg Challenging
Cryptocoryne undulata Undulate Cryptocoryne 3.0+ wpg Medium/Challenging
Cryptocoryne wendtii Crypt Wendtii 2.0 - 3.0 wpg Easy/Medium
Cryptocoryne willisii 3.0 wpg Easy/Medium
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides 3.0+ wpg Easy/Medium
Hygrophila corymbosa Giant Hygrophila 2.0 - 3.0 wpg Easy
Hygrophila difformis Water Wysteria 3.0+ wpg Medium
Hygrophila polysperma Dwarf Hygrophila 3.0 wpg Easy
Limnophila aquatica Giant Ambulia 3.0+ wpg Medium/Challenging
Limnophila sessiliflora Dwarf Ambulia 3.0+ wpg Easy
Microsorium pteropus Java Fern 1.0+ wpg Easy
Nymphaea lotus Tiger Lotus 3.0 wpg Medium/Challenging
Nymphaea stellata Red and Blue Water Lily 3.0+ wpg Medium
Rotala indica 3.0 wpg Medium
Rotala macrandra Giant Red Rotala 3.0+ wpg Challenging/Difficult
Rotala rotundifolia Dwarf rotala 3.0 wpg Medium
Salvinia natans Salvinia 3.0 wpg Medium
Vallisneria tortifolia Twisted Vallisneria/Dwarf Vallisneria 3.0 wpg Easy
Vesicularia dubyana Java Moss 1.0+ wpg Easy

This list actually gives me quite a few option that iv looked at and thought 'definitly!' so i think this, along with the opportunity to recreate somewhat their natural habitat would be great.

If anyone has any photos of DPs in their natural habitat, or anything else to chime in, feel free to post!

 

[Nilet699]

Ok, so picked up the sand today and have finally finished cleaning it after about 300 fill and rinses - HOW BORING is cleaning sand btw!?!? haha


Its obviously going to be a planted tank, how deep should the sand be? I've filled it with what i've cleaned and its approx 1.2 inches. More? Less? Or im hoping just right!!!

 

[jentralala]

I'd go a little bit deeper just to make room for roots. My tank is around 2/3 inches, and I still have a bit of trouble with large root systems

Also just checked out that plant list. What about tossing in some Aponogeton bulbs? I can pick them up all day long at Walmart, you might have them cheap somewhere too
They grow super fast and provide good coverage on top.

 

[Nilet699]

hmmm so deep? I read once you went past 2 inches you start having to worry about the build up of anaerobic bacteria? This shouldnt be a tank where its too easy to stir up large parts of it as i aim to plant and fill it as much as i can - and keep my puffers interested!

 

[Nilet699]

Ok, sands in, NO cloudiness at all
There's the new water mini bubbles on the walls but water is clear well worth all the washing!
And it looks AWESOME!

 

[Freshcatch]

What kind of sand did you put in your tank. It looks way bright white.

 

[jentralala]

Yeah, I read that too, which is kind of a bummer. I wouldn't do the whole tank super deep, just where you want big plants Sand roots really well, but in my shallower areas it's hard to get the roots in. That came out all jumbled...

Oooh, what type of sand is that? It looks like two different kinds?

 

[Nilet699]

No it's just plain old play sand, which my lfs sold me pretty cheap, even compared to big diy stores. They stock it ss they know people like a cheaper option to aquarium sand- as its basically the same. Lol. I agree it's pretty light coloured, but most were I looked at. Maybe the UK has better standards than you lot haha

 

[Nilet699]

Ok, i have a fluval U2 internal filter for this tank, looking for the best positioning for the tank/puffers. I had it back left corner facing along the back wall to the back right corner - should i leave this or have it stuck at the back left corner facing front left corner as you look at the tank etc? Probably makes no diff, assumed flow etc would be better down the back wall, but perhaps its better at a closer wall to break it up faster...oh i dont know.......

 

[Nilet699]

Here's the tank under the new leds...much brighter think you can tell from the photos!
And then a pic of them on the hood now that I've finished off pliaring off tbh middle kind of support bar thing off the hood and installing them

 

[Nilet699]

Bah! Up and running....kept the water all nice, gave my filter a light clean.....switched it on......spits out small cabomba fibres. God I hate that plant! Gone for good now though!
Went a bit ambitious with my first plant for the tank....to test the new light as much as anything.... it's ludwigia glandulosa. Fingers crossed!

 

[AK Fresh Water]

Nice plant.
How does LED lighting work? I know how many T5/T8 bulbs are needed to grow plants, but I have no clue how much LED is needed to grow properly.

 

[Nilet699]

Tbh AK neither do I! That's why I bought the plant in the lfs that had the highest light requirements and I'll see how it goes. Iv also not bought the perfect spectrum of light here iv bought the best house ones basically that I THINK will work..... so this is a bit of trial and error for me, but I had the expensive part of the kit knocking about so thought I right as well!

 

[Sookielee]

I am looking forward to your test the LED light you made. Once we get the 75 set up I will be starting on a very heavily planted 45. It will be so cool if your home-made LED lighting system works as you hope. I know mt other half could fashion me something similar toot-sweet, he is very handy.

Love the ideas you have for this tank, plus I am a bit jealous of the puffers. I have loved those for so long and maybe my 3rd tank will be for them. (don't even have tank 1 set up and running yet and I already suffer from MTS)

 

[Nilet699]

yeah i know MTS is a real problem. This will be tank 2 set up when its done. I already have tank 3 planned for an amano style aquascape for my kitchen, have drawn the layout, scouted the tank and what will be going in it- and now thinking about tank 4, another smallish one for hillstream loaches. I loved them anyway, then my LFS got them in, then i saw a breeding vid here yesterday and this morning looked up tanks for them etc. haha, its OBSESSIVE!

But right now im just super excited about the puffers.....my LFS that i favour will ring me in the next 3 hours to let me know when/if i can get them soon, OR another good local one will know the same in 4 hours, but i have to ring them. haha.
PRAYING they can order them today as still takes approx 2 weeks till i'll have them!

 

[Sookielee]

Yea but in that 2 weeks you can have their new home all nice and perfect for them. So the 2 week wait is a good thing.

 

[Nilet699]

I know i know but the waiting game kills me! haha
I just rang LFS numero 1, doesn't know yet but they'll ring me very soon as they are about to get the list! About to go to work though which is a bummer!

 

[Nilet699]

LFS rang me today- the dwarf puffers will be in next wednesday.....

Now, they arrive at 1000, i finish at 1600, do i switch my shift to start at 1500 and have the morning off or just wait and have the whole evening...........decisions decisions.....

 

[Sookielee]

How is the LED light experiment going?