100 gallon, finally getting more interesting.

[Odd Duck]

My poor hubby just happened to have taken the day off and was planning a quiet day in the garage doing his usual tinkering (he’s trying to use up vacation days since his roll over is limited).  But now I’m in a position where I have to either reapply zip ties (Booooo!) or attach slate pieces to the bottom of the wood, which means I need to cut the bottom of the big right side piece at a different angle to get the piece at the angle I want to attach to slate.  Sigh.

Cut to new scene where after some fairly extensive cussing, moving lights, moving the glass top, wrapping the dripping wet wood (with some plants attached [at least it wasn’t the new Buces]) in plastic to carry it to the driveway.  Then finally with me struggling to hold this somewhat rounded, but still lumpy and irregular, wet, and slick with biofilm, hunk of heavy, dense wood (but not heavy or dense enough to sink!), against the side rail of our little flatbed trailer while hubby tries to cut it with a Sawzall on a rough angle I scribed onto the wood.

Wood is cut, holes drilled in 2 slate pieces stacked together for more weight, slate screwed to wood, sawdust and slate dust rinsed away, newly weighted piece back into the tank.  Whew!

Next, long middle piece that doesn’t have a “base” as such.  It has points it balances on with the skinny end slightly lodged under a nook in the left hand piece and the right hand piece hanging over top of the bigger end of this long, skinny piece.  Did I mention this piece just happens to have 2 of my very favorite Anubias clumps on it?  So I grab a couple thicker pieces of slate that were going to have to attach somewhere to the underside of this piece to keep it oriented at least somewhat close to its previous position.  🤦🏻‍♀️

Fit the slates to where they will be mostly hidden and not too obvious they’re only there to keep the wood sunken.  Drill the slate, haul the wet, plastic-wrapped wood to the driveway for pilot holes, then screw the slate to the wood.  Reposition into the tank, adjust the 2 pieces to each other again, then again, fiddle, tweak, etc.

Did I mention I had to unstack the rock stack, set aside, then finally restack after both wood pieces are back in the tank.  Plus the right hand piece still needs just a little more help staying fully down despite 2 layers of slate attached (I only had thin slate to use and I needed the smallest foot print possible for minimal disruption to plantings).

All restacked after much cussing (you’d think the dogs and cats would all be running and hiding by now, but NOOOOOOOooooo, let’s all jump into mom’s way while she’s hauling wet, slimy wood back and forth from the driveway while trying to work fast enough for plants not to dry out). This apparently is the most fascinating thing they’ve seen in ages.  🙄🤪

Mind you, I really should have done all this months ago when I first set up the tank and before I planted the whole thing.  Note to future self, no more zip ties holding rock weights to wood.  Just fit it with slate and attach it right from the beginning.

So, wood attached properly to slate, everything in final position where they will stay for the foreseeable future.  Now I finally feel like I can work a little more at getting plants attached to the right side wood.  I’ve had mixed success with the epiphytes on this wood piece, not sure why, but I think I’ve been going for too many of the more exotic, plants that are not as reliable submersed.  I need to step back to some more reliable species so I’m happier with the results.

Did I mention side quests?  First just gluing a few Buces in place, oh, let’s clean up some leaves, let’s just go ahead and cut these zip ties and get those rocks out of the way (I might want to use this petrified wood in the 46 gallon angelfish project).  Dang it!  Now let’s cut the wood, drill and attach the slate, replace the wood, restack the rocks, but wait, who needs sleep?  This glass is already off, let’s go ahead and clean the glass while I’m at it.  🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

At least the hardscape looks good and is done right, finally!  The water is 16 tons of hot mess with all the disruption, but that will sort out eventually.  The fish have either been fascinated or horrified.  The ones that were horrified are now fascinated with uncovered substrate.

Did you know Kubotai rasboras are kind of like King Charles Cavalier dogs, very pretty, eager to take part and see what’s going on, but maybe not the brightest bulb in the bin.  Bless their little hearts, they were in the middle of everything for the full 5 hours of this saga!  I love them!  💕 ❤️ 

Here’s the final, cloudy results!  And the Buce that started it all.  It doesn’t look super fancy now, but just look at that leaf color!  When it grows in, it’ll be great!  I also like the rock stack much better.  I have put off cutting the zipties because I was afraid this might happen, but I’m glad it’s finally fixed.

Edited December 17, 2021 by Odd Duck

[Torrey]

On 12/16/2021 at 8:31 PM, Odd Duck said:

Sooooo, I fairly recently said this:

 

And I apparently jinxed myself.  🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

I had a beautiful new Buce clump arrive and I wanted to put it right into my tank on my favorite piece of driftwood.  I cut it into smaller pieces so I could wrap it around a kind of knobby piece on the driftwood.  Glued it all up using the Dab and Dive method - the new D&D (tiny dab of glue, swoop the hand into the water and quickly place the chunk of rhizome into the selected spot).  As a person who has just come off a 14 hour overnight shift is standing there, holding still for 10 seconds at a time as glue sets, your mind does get to wandering.  Looking around the tank and thinking, “Man, I’m so overdue for cleaning up some old sword leaves.”

Done gluing, start removing old sword leaves, working mostly around the middle and right side wood pieces because that’s where most of my swords are in that tank.  Keep looking at the zip ties in there holding pieces of rock to the wood pieces to keep them in place.  Exhausted mind thinking, “I’m so tired of looking at these zip ties.”  This wood has been in here since March and was soaking for months before that.  It should stay down by now.  I’ll just cut these zip ties today once I’m done with the swords.”

Sigh.

Oh dear.....

Have I introduced you to my spouse's tank?

It has a piece of wood that I started soaking/boiling/soaking back in January. 

Finished the tank set up and filled it with water April/May....

A couple of pieces still float🤦‍♂️

It's allowed us to learn a lot about endler and snail behavior. Fish will rearrange their habitat to what suits them best, no matter what we do. 

Apparently, moving a *log* around a 4' tank prevents fish from getting bored🙄

[Odd Duck]

Way overdue for an update, but caught a cute pic today of a lemon drop bristlenose pleco and an Otocinclus.  Plus bonus pics that I already posted in another thread of my 2 favorite plecos - my blue eyed lemon (confirmed male just today) and gold nugget pleco that both live in this tank.

 

[Odd Duck]

I did get the best pics I’ve ever gotten of my clown pleco the other day.  You can ACTUALLY tell it’s a fish!  I got a whole series since I was so excited to actually see this one.  They all look pretty much the same.  😆 But s/he is pretty!  BTW, I’m thinking he since I’m seeing lots of “bristles” on the back half of the body.

 

This is the best look I’ve gotten of him since I put him in the tank over a year ago.

And the first look I’ve gotten of his caudal half of his body since he matured.

Edited June 9, 2022 by Odd Duck

[PineSong]

On 6/8/2022 at 9:00 PM, Odd Duck said:

This is the best look I’ve gotten of him since I put him in the tank over a year ago.

And the first look I’ve gotten of his caudal half of his body since he matured.

Okay, that's crazy! You've had him for more than a year and that's the best view you've had? He makes my otos look like exhibitionists! I like that his stripes look like lightning.

[Odd Duck]

On 6/8/2022 at 8:09 PM, PineSong said:

Okay, that's crazy! You've had him for more than a year and that's the best view you've had? He makes my otos look like exhibitionists! I like that his stripes look like lightning.

They are notorious for hiding.  I knew this, but it was recommended to me as an excellent algae eater. I’ve since learned they are biofilm eaters and wood raspers.  I did not anticipate exactly how good he is at hiding.  I usually see him about every 3 months or so in this tank.  If I had a whole group, I might see them more often, I don’t know.

My otos are out running around all the time.  I never see all of them at once, but almost always see at least 2-3 at a time.  I have loads of hiding places, plenty of companion bottom feeders (at least 16 cories and 9 assorted plecos at last count), and plenty of fish that, as far as otos are concerned, would function as “dither fish”.

I say “2-3 at a time”, look over there, and not one in sight!  😂 🤣 

Edited June 9, 2022 by Odd Duck
Correction

[PineSong]

On 6/8/2022 at 9:34 PM, Odd Duck said:

My otos are out running around all the time.  I never see all of them at once, but almost always see at least 2-3 at a time.  I have loads of hiding places, plenty of companion bottom feeders (at least 16 cories and 9 assorted plecos at last count), and plenty of fish that, as far as otos are concerned, would function as “dither fish”.

I say “2-3 at a time”, look over there, and not one in sight!  😂 🤣 

I have six and if I reallllly look for them, I can almost always see all six, but rarely is one front and center and rarely do I see them swim about. They give me a nice game of Where's Waldo by clinging onto the corkscrew val or a stalk of the tiger lily pads, holding still. Strange little guys.

[Odd Duck]

On 6/8/2022 at 9:00 PM, PineSong said:

I have six and if I reallllly look for them, I can almost always see all six, but rarely is one front and center and rarely do I see them swim about. They give me a nice game of Where's Waldo by clinging onto the corkscrew val or a stalk of the tiger lily pads, holding still. Strange little guys.

If I were to walk over to the tank, I could probably spot some.  It was just pretty funny how I was saying how often I see mine, then I couldn’t.  😂  Now I can see 2 without getting up.  One on the glass, one on a tall crypt leaf, floating in the “breeze”.  Ahh, the life of a fishy.

[anewbie]

On 6/8/2022 at 8:00 PM, Odd Duck said:

I did get the best pics I’ve ever gotten of my clown pleco the other day.  You can ACTUALLY tell it’s a fish!  I got a whole series since I was so excited to actually see this one.  They all look pretty much the same.  😆 But s/he is pretty!  BTW, I’m thinking he since I’m seeing lots of “bristles” on the back half of the body.

 

This is the best look I’ve gotten of him since I put him in the tank over a year ago.

And the first look I’ve gotten of his caudal half of his body since he matured.

Yea I will give that to clowns; more than once mine has vanished for a year and I swear it must have died only to show up when I least expect it. I think this year i've seen mine twice - which is really not all that bad; last year i only saw it once. They really aren't bad fishes but I'm not sure they make the best pets - on the bright side it never asks to be let outside at 4 am.

[nabokovfan87]

On 8/13/2021 at 9:51 PM, anewbie said:

That pleco! 😍

Mine is cool. Yours is breathtaking!  Where on earth did you get that from?

On 9/30/2021 at 2:54 AM, Odd Duck said:

I’d love him more if I could see him more often once every 3-4 months!

I see mine every night on wood.  Maybe the little one has a spot that is just.... well hidden?

I enjoy my clowns. One is Luigi.  It has the wider yellow/beige bands.  Then there is the "other one" which has the darker complexion and is similar to the ones you guys are showing off.  I don't think I've ever seen either one of them eat any algae, only wood.  I really enjoy their patterns, but they are definitely more chill than other pleco species.

Edited June 9, 2022 by nabokovfan87

[Odd Duck]

On 6/9/2022 at 2:05 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

I see mine every night on wood.  Maybe the little one has a spot that is just.... well hidden?

He is undoubtedly well hidden.  I also don’t try to flashlight my way into every nook and cranny of the tank because that’s usually what it takes to find him and that’s just rude.  😆  He has the option of 6 ceramic caves, 2 driftwood ones, and a rock stack.  He switches between the wood caves and rock stack.

I just happened to catch a glimpse and he stayed this time while I got the flashlight and phone to take pics.

Edited June 9, 2022 by Odd Duck
Typo

[nabokovfan87]

Makes sense. Usually they go to the same spot over and over. Maybe that helps you make sure he's doing ok.

[anewbie]

On 6/9/2022 at 2:05 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

That pleco! 😍

Mine is cool. Yours is breathtaking!  Where on earth did you get that from?

I see mine every night on wood.  Maybe the little one has a spot that is just.... well hidden?

I enjoy my clowns. One is Luigi.  It has the wider yellow/beige bands.  Then there is the "other one" which has the darker complexion and is similar to the ones you guys are showing off.  I don't think I've ever seen either one of them eat any algae, only wood.  I really enjoy their patterns, but they are definitely more chill than other pleco species.

The one pictured i purchased from Petco for $10. They stopped carrying interesting fishes when the pandemic hit. They actually had 4 or 5 at the time but i wasn't sure ... The others (I have 7 now) were purchased from more specialized dealers.

[nabokovfan87]

Eeesh, super interesting. Mine was from the same spot.