H20CultureLabs
-
Posts
197 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Feedback
0%
Content Type
Forums
Downloads
Store
Events
Blogs
Gallery
Profiles
Posts posted by H20CultureLabs
-
-
Here is what I have been up to. A complete rebuild of the 10 gallon rack now with 20 gallon longs. Details to follow.
-
1
-
-
It has been a great while since I posted on here. I've had a lot of changes, new city, new state, new job, new aquarium rack! I've been busy making the aquarium rack even bigger and better, more pics and stories to follow. Thank you everyone for your patience as I stepped away from the forum.
-
1
-
-
I got a great pic of the male and female E. evergladei tonight! The female looks like she is ready to lay another big clutch of eggs!
-
1
-
-
New project! Stay tuned...
-
1
-
-
I finally got all of the crypts planted into earthworm casting-filled cups. This really seems to be the way to grow them. They are adapting well to container culture and growing more quickly. If anyone needs some Pink Panther crypts, just shoot me a DM!
-
The variegated Buce is starting to throw runners and overall looks vigorous! You can also see the first real generation of CPD fry are now almost adults. I've been steadily filling the 10 gallon below them with the 2nd generation of fry.
-
This morning I wanted to make an ode to floating aquarium plants. I know some do not find them aesthetically pleasing, but their are like a cheat code for nutrient export that our salty breathern wish they had. I find them essential for any overstocked or new aquarium to provide instant nutrient export and algae control. If you haven't tried floating plants, I highly recommend them!
-
1
-
1
-
-
Nice haul from the tubs! Looking forward to seeing the system in action. If it works, you should modify your summer tubs with this system next season to prevent another 24 hr fry catching ordeal.
-
1
-
-
An update on the Pink Panther Crypts. Amazing growth and color without CO2. You just need a good root fertilizer, moderately bright light, and patience!
-
2
-
-
@ChemBob Yes but no! They are Pink Panthers, originally from ADA. Some people think Pink Panther and Pink Flamingo are different; I think they are the same. Nevertheless, they are the only Crypt I grow.
-
1
-
-
@Atitagain Yes, some of the Buce on there have reproduced via rhizomes. No service required, the plants have access to all of it.
-
2
-
-
Here's an update on the Bucephalandra. Attaching them to a sponge filter works great! The growth i have been getting from having them recieve nutrients directly from the sponge filter has been awesome! A Matten-filter wall of Buce would make for an incredible filter and display!
-
5
-
1
-
3
-
-
The first brine shrimp hatch since coming home from my month-long trip! So good to see fry with pink bellies again!
-
1
-
-
A cool journal! For what its worth, I have seen pathos growing in and around salt water hot springs in Hawaii. Its not worth giving up ok just yet; just a matter of finding the right plant!
-
1
-
-
@Hobbit So true! But when you're primarily doing aquariums and small potted plants, one can splurge a little on the soil! Filling a whole raised bed with earthworm castings; that would be an eyewatering proposition!
-
1
-
-
Trying out a new Crypt growing strategy. These are plastic cups with earthworm castings in them (kinda like poor man's aquasoil). We're gonna see how quickly these Crypts can grow.
The CPD fry look great! I probably have about 100 CPDs in total right now. My new goal for this aquarium rack is to figure out how to set the system up to give me 1000 CPDs in 4 weeks. An aspirational goal, but I think it is achievable with some tweeking.
-
4
-
-
@AtitagainYes! The sponge-filter/bucephalandra experiment is going well! Definitely some new growth on the buce!
-
1
-
-
At long last, an update! I am home, and after a little mx the aquariums are back to looking great! You can see all the CPD fry in the first pic and a second pic of how all the aquariums are doing.
-
1
-
-
@Vanish Good question. The drain line is removable to allow to the aquarium to slide without being attached to a fix point. When I redo this, I plan on plumbing them to a sump using non-kink hot tub hose like this: https://www.lowes.com/pd/EZ-FLO-1-1-2-in-Inner-Diameter-x-1-ft-PVC-Spa-Flex-Hose/1000180599?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-plb-_-google-_-plumbing-_-LIA_PLB_142_Pipe-Fittings-_-1000180599-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=Cj0KCQjw1ouKBhC5ARIsAHXNMI_iyA9QRYTS8ZcBELNB4X52uGljllhIOezynLDI08RlI5tqqthIWAoaAjEKEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Happy to answer any microfauna questions!
-
@AtitagainYour profession explains why your fish room set up looks so clean! I have to say, I am very flattered to hear you say I have carpentry experience. Im actually self-taught through 10 years of projects and YouTube, mostly building aquarium-related stuff.
Very glad to hear you're enjoying me thread, I am enjoying yours as well!
-
1
-
-
@AtitagainThank you for your kind words, I am happy to answer your questions. I sell both fish and shrimp, generally on aquabid.
. 1) Your up and running 6 months now right?, any wish I would’ve or minor changes you would make if you started over?
-Yes it has been up for about 6 months now.. Since I am always tinkering, when, not if, I do it over again I will use Gladiator shelving instead of wood. I think this will make it more functional and easier to assemble/disassemble. A cleaner look, too.
2) Are you using slides as much as anticipated?
Yes! More than anticipated actually. It makes it so much easier to clean, plant plants, and catch critters!
3) what’s the clearance between bottom tanks and cross brace for top level? Looks 3-4” any issues with that?
I believe its about 4in. No issues since the aquariums slide out.
4) what is the overall footprint? Closed then open?
Is approximately 60inx27in if I remember correctly. The aquariums add about another 16ish inches when pulled out.
I do have a show tank that I have not posted about on here before since it is in a state of being redone. It is a 180 gallon rimless planted. Here is a picture of it when it was at its "peak" about a year ago. Its a slice of heaven for a lucky group of danios and white clouds. I'll be posting more pics of it in the future when I get home from my trip since it is almost ready to show off again.
-
1
-
2
-
-
I agree with @Struggle, having no other critters in the fry tank offers the best chance for success.
One thing that can help to make sure your fish are actually breeding is removing the eggs with a siphon and checking for their presence with a flashlight. This video offers an excellent demonstration and is a good video about breeding egg scattering fish.
-
1
-
1
-
1
-
-
Just a friendly tip, but personally, I would remove the snails and shrimp. I find I have much better success with White Clouds and CPDs in a setup without them which leads me to believe they are egg eaters.
-
2
-
-
I know there has not been a post in awhile on this thread. I've been traveling for work and I haven't seen my aquariums. My spouse informs me they are doing very well and the babies are growing up. I will be posting more when I return home.
-
4
-
An Aquarist's Journey
in Photos, Videos & Journals
Posted
Oh, where to begin? Apologies for those who have been following this blog, you may have noticed that it has gone by the wayside. That is 100% true, but my hobby has not. A cross-country move, a job change, and a new member of the family have all kept me busy but I have been continuing to work on my aquarium breeding projects, nonetheless. What I have not had time for until recently was a chance to document it all.
First the bad news, most of the fish that I had perished during the cross-country move after Tatayama the crayfish was able to rupture the bag he was being transported within the cooler full of aquarium fish causing a flood inside of the cooler. This asphyxiated most of the fish that were being transport because the fish were in breather bags, and being flooded by water caused the small amount of oxygen inside of each bag to deplete quickly during one of my 10 hour driving legs without me noticing.
I hate to admit it, but I lost my wild-collected colonies of Elassoma, both the Evergladei and the Gilberti. I also lost all of my white clouds and most of my wild-collected Lucania goodei. Further, many of my propagations of the Pink Panther cryptocorynes were also lost during the move. Fortunately, my Celestial Pearl Danios made it as did most of my bucephalandra.
Despite these losses, the move represented a fresh opportunity for me to take my breeding rack to the next level. As much as I enjoyed the rack I'd made with 10s I had located a metal shelving rack that was long enough to support 20 gallon longs. As much as I enjoyed the rack system I built for the 10 gallons, it was clear to me that utilizing steel shelving like the kind seen in garages would be a much better and more effective solution, as well as easier to transport. The issue with this shelving is that it is not deep enough to support larger aquariums; this changed when I located custom shelving solutions that were offered by Menards and I purchased enough components before I left Ohio to build my own 30 inch deep steel shelving system.
The original design of the rack is the picture attached, there were some modifications made before the end but the same basic concept was applied. The 20 gallons would be mounted on cabinet slider trays just like the previous 10 gallon ones, but these would have to more robust and longer. Further, I wanted all the aquariums to be connected to a common sump system and a common error system but also have the flexibility to disengage each individual current from the system as a whole. The idea was to make the very most efficient use of floor space within the garage I had access to. Over the next several days I'll be uploading pictures and continue documents how this journey began and how it is going today.