From: jimh@ultra.com (Jim Hurley)
Subject: Re: Okay, I'm really serious now!
Organization: Ultra Network Technologies
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 92 18:50:53 GMT

In <1992Aug13.232415.12858@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> lkern@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Leesa J Kern) writes:

>About two years ago I got a 10 gal. tank from my boyfriend for my birthday.  
>Now, after buying 3 books, a subscription to AFM, and some trial-by-error 
>learning later, I've gotten rid of the boyfriend and become completely devoted
>to aquarium fish keeping.  (Got my priorities straight! :)

Cross-post this to the thread about the characteristics of fish people:-)

>Anyway, I've decided to chuck the bright red gravel and plastic plants for the 
>real thing ... natural brownish gravel and some real plants.  I realize 10 gal.
>is not good for plants, but any larger tank would not be good for my checking 
>account, so ....

>What kind of plants would work in a small freshwater tank?  I know this 
>question has been asked alot recently, but I either miss responses, or I see 
>him after seeing what kind of set up the original poster had to see if it's 
>similar.  So sorry for the repeat.

I've just started 7 small tanks, from 14g to 20g on the July 4th
weekend. They all have plants. At this point they are starting to stabilize
and I can see which plants are working well.

I mixed four packages of Dupla laterite, three of Tetra Hilena Initial D, 
and boiled about 5 gallons Sunshine Brand peat moss three times.
I mixed these together with some medium grade sand. Each tank
got this mixture in the bottom 1 1/2". The next inch got coarse
aquarium gravel, and the last 1/2 inch got ordinary sand.

Each tank has a small tetra billi sponge filter and a 75W heater.
No undergravel filter.

There are about 2 or 3 fish in each tank (swordtails, gouramis,
mollies, etc.). One tank has about 100 fry. The molly tank
had 5 small mollies, but now has those 5 and 20 babies.

Each tank has somewhat different lighting over it,
but they are all well illuminated - about 80W per tank, although I
reduced that at the moment because I was getting too much algae.
I'll probably increase it soon.

The plants that did best were rotala indica. They seem to be extremely
well adapted to resisting algae. Hygrophilia grew well, too, but got
covered with algae on the lower leaves. Ambulia seems to do pretty
well, the lower leaves are a little algae covered, the upper have a little
blue-green algae, but it's easy to brush off, and the new growths are
bright green. Java Moss seems to grow pretty fast, but it attracted
a lot of blue-green algae. However, it's easy to grab from the tank
and wash out the algae. Small amazon swords got choked with green algae,
but are surviving. Maybe they will grow out of the algae.

None of these tanks have algae eaters (except for the black molly tank).

I clean these tanks every weekend very thoroughly and change
about 50% of the water. I don't add any fertilizers or other chemicals -
just use aged tap water. (I take that back, I did add a drop of Dupla 24
trace elements once or twice).

Some of the tanks are sparsely planted (although some might call it
adequate) and others are EXTREMELY densely planted - you can't find
the two pearl gouramis unless you look real hard.

All these plants came from my 100g FW tank that has CO2 fertilization.
I can get up to 5 pounds of plant cuttings each week from it. I haven't
used CO2 on these tanks.

>Anyway, as I said it's a cheapy 10 gal. (cheap boyfriend), which has a heater, 
>air pump, and Aqua Clear Mini filter.  Current fish population is one neon 
>tetra,  3 White Cloud Mountain minnows, and a sucking loach (which does a less 
>than admirable job on the algae).  What I'd like eventually is 6 Neons and 6 
>WCM Minnows,and another sucking loach to keep the current one company.

>Thanks in advance!!

>Leesa

>[P.S. to any of you central Ohio fish-netters:  I'm planning on going to 
>Byerly's for this stuff, so any suggestions on who to talk to?]

>******************************************************************************
>Leesa J. Kern                          lkern@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
>Dept. of Sociology, OSU

>With all the socialization I've gone through, it's hard to say whose ideas are
>expressed here!
>            >>>Support Freedom of Choice: LONG LIVE VINYL LP'S<<<
>******************************************************************************
-- 
Jim Hurley --> jimh@ultra.com  ...!ames!ultra!jimh  (408) 922-0100
Ultra Network Technologies / 101 Daggett Drive / San Jose CA 95134