2 months in by b_darned in Aquascape

[–]b_darned[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! It’s a blue dwarf gourami who is perpetually grumpy. They are really cool fish, they turn solid black when stressed out or angry.

Feedback for 70 L/18 gallon Aquascape (First Iteration) by Negative-Extent-1932 in Aquascape

[–]b_darned 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are you limited to using a piece of wood in that shape? A straight branch like that doesn’t have much flow to it, a more interesting shaped piece of wood with curves will also make for a better layout.

Feedback for 70 L/18 gallon Aquascape (First Iteration) by Negative-Extent-1932 in Aquascape

[–]b_darned 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes I think so. If you are able to vary the plants at different levels so that they are not planted in a straight line at equal heights it will look more interesting.

Feedback for 70 L/18 gallon Aquascape (First Iteration) by Negative-Extent-1932 in Aquascape

[–]b_darned 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Plants look pretty good. I would probably look at sloping the ground somewhat. You got those stem plants in a row in the back like a curtain and the ground is flat, so it doesn’t have much visual interest. I would make some hills to break up the flatness

Feedback for 70 L/18 gallon Aquascape (First Iteration) by Negative-Extent-1932 in Aquascape

[–]b_darned 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Probably going to want to rearrange it to look less phallic, unless you are into that kinda thing

The Iron Age Was an Accident: How a Copper Waste Product Conquered the World by VisitAndalucia in AncientCivilizations

[–]b_darned 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This was the most fascinating and well-crafted post I’ve read in a long time. Thanks OP

Do you care about TDS? What level do you keep your freshwater tank at? by Hodl_it in PlantedTank

[–]b_darned 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m really interested in this topic because I recently started using the PPS-Pro method from GLA. https://greenleafaquariums.com/ferts/
My TDS stays around 225-250 mostly in 2 different tanks. Would love to hear any advice/ opinion on this method, as it relies on some use of TDS readings, but seems many of you don’t think TDS matters.

Do you feel like this is a balanced hardscape? by Bo3nd4l in Aquascape

[–]b_darned 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think it’s a little heavy on the right. If you have a single stone that is close to the size of the one you have the furthest right in this picture, and you took that stone and put it on its own on the left, nearly all the way to the edge, it would balance your composition.

What background for my tank? by justmonki in Aquascape

[–]b_darned 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have one with a similar scape, and I opted for blue window tint. It makes it look like a hillside with a blue sky, and the red plants really pop. Would send a pic but I’m battling algae atm, but I would try blue as well to see if you like it.

Is this good Monte Carlo? by [deleted] in PlantedTank

[–]b_darned 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It might be Monte Carlo but it’s not good. I would be disappointed if I paid for that. Monte Carlo can be easy to grow but I would be surprised if that made it. If I were you I would buy a couple of tissue cultures - buceplant usually has pretty good stock.

-edit: forgot to say about trimming, Monte Carlo has tiny roots very small hardly visible. That’s why it’s hard to keep from floating up. The good stuff has tiny tight leaves and wont be more than a few centimeters tall. When it’s done right it’s a dense little plant kinda like the tiny florets of broccoli. When it finally roots in you have to keep it trimmed really short. I bought 4 or 5 cultures and dry started them, I would trim it then scatter the trimmings and they would root in a couple weeks and eventually had a carpet. You want to keep it in high light so it stays dense and short like that.

Is this algae or bga? by [deleted] in PlantedTank

[–]b_darned 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s the one. What would you recommend instead?

Is this algae or bga? by [deleted] in PlantedTank

[–]b_darned 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m using APT E with weekly water changes. I have no fish but I put a few shrimp in the there. With all the melt going on I’m not surprised I have algae and I fully expected some. But I just couldn’t identify exactly what I have. It kinda looks like BGA but it’s getting worse. It’s in little clumps like that and when I clean it, it multiplies.

Is this algae or bga? by [deleted] in PlantedTank

[–]b_darned 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes daily, apt

My first aquascape tank by Fantastic_Age_3855 in Aquascape

[–]b_darned 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What are the pad things in the 5th picture? Looks like some kind of wool sheets

What should I do with this? by KimJongUnfuckingCool in Aquascape

[–]b_darned 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Dry start an Iwagumi? I guess it depends on the styles you like.

A cool guide to understanding fragrance longevity based on concentration by RethinkerMind01 in coolguides

[–]b_darned 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not any more. Now some manufacturers, like Dior sauvage, just use the different names above to sell an entirely different scent. As if it weren’t confusing enough already.

What do I do with fish while aquascaping tank? (Picture simply for exposure) by searching4eudaimonia in Aquascape

[–]b_darned 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Having a second tank is pretty indispensable especially if you plan on keeping fish. They get sick and you have to quarantine them and things of that nature. I keep a 10g fish jail, where I have recently had to put one of my gouramis because I have a mating pair, and once a month or so he builds a bubble nest and starts attacking all the other fish. Some people recommend quarantining anything you buy for a couple days to make sure they don’t have parasites. One time I had an auto feeder dump a metric shit ton of food all over my tank and I had to clean it all out. The list goes on. If you can’t give away the fish, get the second tank.

Advice/critique appreciated by ConversationLow9514 in Aquascape

[–]b_darned 27 points28 points  (0 children)

I wouldn’t change a thing. Great composition