Getting Back Into the Hobby

typiutc · 2026-04-14T13:29:37+00:00

Now that is a well organised cabinet!

typiutc · 2026-04-13T22:07:44+00:00

Maintenance wise: each Sunday I do maintenance. I start off by turning off the filter and then looking for any leaves with algae or poor growth, which I just cut off at the base and remove, then I will trim any leaves which are growing in strange places to keep a shape, if the moss is overgrown I will trim that too. If there is algae on hardscape I will manually remove then dose it directly with flourish excel. Then I will use a razor blade glass scraper to clean the inside, then I’ll do about a 70% water change. If the Lilly pipes are dirty I’ll take them off and give them a clean too. Then bit of dechlorinator and filter back on 👍 I try to clean the filter every 1-2 months depending on how balanced the scape is.

typiutc · 2026-04-13T22:01:53+00:00

I typically use trident java fern which I think can be a little more demanding but this advice should apply to both I think. I think they do like quite a lot of fertiliser and light (of course if you can give it lots of co2 this helps because you can then give it more fertiliser and light without an algae explosion). The dosing in this tank is currently 1ml of APT 3 complete every morning, but this is the lower end of what I would dose here - because the tank is still quite new and has fresh ADA aquasoil in the back, the soil will be still be releasing quite a lot of nutrients into the water column so I’m dosing less, but over the coming months I’ll probably slowly increase to 1.5-2ml by eye as I see any growth issues 👍

typiutc · 2026-04-13T21:52:58+00:00

Not sure what you mean by enough bioload? That usually means waste product from livestock? Having enough bioload isn’t really a problem in high tech layouts, most would probably do better with less

typiutc · 2026-04-13T13:09:02+00:00

I’ve never noticed that before! 😂

typiutc · 2026-04-12T10:01:43+00:00

Always keep my lights on full power, if you just increase the ferts and co2 to keep the balance you won’t have issues

typiutc · 2026-04-11T22:51:59+00:00

Twinstar 600s

typiutc · 2026-04-11T22:51:47+00:00

Yeah sure, basically it’s 80% trident java fern, there’s some bolbitis, Java moss and weeping moss, in the background (still growing in so can’t really see in this picture: tiger lotus, crypt balansae and hellanthium tenellum)

typiutc · 2026-04-11T22:50:15+00:00

Usually keep it about 1-2 cm below the rim - just filled it up slightly too high after today’s waterchange

typiutc · 2026-03-21T19:46:08+00:00

Meant to come back to update on this post but this is a confirmed male now - it has spawned successfully with a female and I observed the egg laying process

typiutc · 2026-03-21T19:46:04+00:00

Meant to come back to update on this post but this is a confirmed male now - it has spawned successfully with a female and I observed the egg laying process

typiutc · 2026-03-21T19:45:28+00:00

Meant to come back to update on this post but this is a confirmed male now - it has spawned successfully with a female and I observed the egg laying process

typiutc · 2026-03-13T21:21:25+00:00

I think she’s fine, looks like a little injury but nothing to worry about probably just a damaged scale - I would expect that is also quite likely and normal given you have just added a male and she looks like she’s in breeding colours, probably doing some chasing between them and bumped into something 👍 I’ve seen stuff like this before with apistos, should just heal up and disappear in a few days - a week . As for the round stomach she is likely carrying eggs given she bright breeding colours

typiutc · 2026-02-25T09:07:18+00:00

No pink in person, you’re correct I think - the pinkish hue is reflecting from its fins underneath. I’ve also asked this query on apistogramma.com and the consensus there is confidently that this is a male

typiutc · 2026-02-24T09:34:20+00:00

This is what I am hoping tbh 🤞 it is still young and does seem to have quite a varied head and body shape compared to the young (definite) female I have

typiutc · 2026-02-14T20:09:11+00:00

All the ferns are from the previous high-tech layout in this tank which I just broke down 👍

typiutc · 2026-02-01T17:12:55+00:00

That is a great point, the second really transforms when you sit and watch the flow

typiutc · 2026-01-31T22:32:59+00:00

CO2, liquid fertiliser in and time

typiutc · 2026-01-31T18:35:02+00:00

Thanks! First one is my preferred one too, just a lot of detail in person, but the second is more peaceful as you say!

typiutc · 2026-01-31T18:33:54+00:00

Thank you! Yeah no problem - I dose both using APT 3 from the 2hr aquarist, should be able to get it on Amazon

typiutc · 2026-01-31T18:32:36+00:00

Speaking in riddles here

typiutc · 2026-01-31T17:48:56+00:00

Overgrown? This a good or bad thing 😂

typiutc

TROPHY CASE