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[APD] Cork backgrounds and my tank



I'm behind on the digests (took the weekend off from the computer) so am going to answer a couple of
questions at once.

1. How I attached the cork. - I went to Tap Plastics and got acrylic sheets (cut one foot widths to
match the size of the cork tiles) to use as a base for the cork. I "glued" the cork down using
aquarium sealant then laid the entire back out on the floor (three one foot wide panels and a fourth
I cut down to fit the remaining width of the tank). I then distributed my plants until I liked the
look. Using a stapler I stapled the plants in place. One panel at a time I added them to the tank,
the bottom inch or so is embedded in the gravel at the back of the tank, then I pushed them back
against the wall, the cork floated them snug up under the back lip of the tank, holding them in
place.  I was impatient, and frankly only gave the sealant about 30 minutes to an hour to cure
before popping it in the tank. Nonetheless, I've had no problems so far. The tank was all set up,
the only inconvenience was negotiating around the existing plants as I maneuvered the panels into
place.

2. With respect to Tom's comments... thanks, I'm looking for all the help I can get. At this point I
just added a second DIY yeast CO2 bottle, the new one bubbles into the sump return from the wet/dry
(which returns water to the right side of the tank) the other bubbles out through a diffuser into a
catch basin on the left side of the tank... I'm not exactly sure what my concentration is, so far
I've not seen any swings in pH (holding around 7), last couple times I checked my kH was 7. The
plants are pearling, but not extremely rapidly... Since I just added the second bottle, I'm not
certain how things will change... I'm watching it to find out. My current pH test kit doesn't awe me
with it's accuracy however... thinking about digital... but don't want to spend too much... any one
have any recommendations?

WRT plants, so far I've had really good luck with anubias, my anubias nana are really prolific, and
the big one on the far left has made a daughter plant. Other varieties are holding on if not exactly
proliferating. I've also been experimenting with a variety of stem plants (don't know what all of
them are all called) that I got from Albany Aquarium and some other local stores, and some nymphaea
and madagascar lace... I'll look into the dwarf lobelia, how big does it get? I've got some
glossostigma and eleocharis parvulas (sp?) on order from Florida driftwood... but they may resemble
a salad bar too much to make it with my goldfish. My last attempt with glossostigma the little
plantlets got eaten before they could get firmly rooted. I'm trying again but buying a 2x2 patch
rather than individual plantlets. I was also thinking about Echinodorus tenellus as a foreground
option.

I'm having a little problem with beard algae (soft green fuzzy stuff) with the extra CO2 and
fertilizer... am hoping the extra plants I've added over the last couple weeks will out-compete
it... when the algae gets too thick, the goldfish start inflicting damage on the other plants trying
to pick it off (they really love the taste of the algae).

Cheers,

Maggie

Tom Barr wrote:

>
>
> Very nice goldfish plant tank.
> Some ideas that would help the tank some:
>
> Cut some of the leftover cork and glue it on that overflow box(3 facing
> sides). Then attach moss etc to it. It's easy to trim the moss also.
> Bolbitus grows extremely well on cork FYI. The dark color accents the tank
> well. You can add java fern, moss, more Anubias, even place pennywort along
> the back/top to cover any tubes etc. Narrow leaf and lace java fern is very
> desirable also. I would mainly only use Anubias barteri var nana for that
> genus. The others are harder and don't seem to adapt as well. Also you don't
> want the wall to shade over too much of the bottom plants either.
>
> I tend to place the java fern down low,corners then the Anubias, maybe the
> hnarrow leaf java fern next and then Bolbitus at the top/corners. Grassy
> crypts such as C.c. balansae or spirlais would be nice back there.
>
> The tank should fill in nicely. Dwarf Lobelia might hold up well for a
> foreground plant. You can sell extra fern/Anubias etc pretty easy on
> websites or at the local club meetings. It's also a good place to add extra
> plants till you get around to doing something with them.
>
> Do you add CO2?
>
> Regards,
> Tom Barr
>
>
>

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