What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

New guy introduction

Hi Guys,

I'm new to this forum,

My name is Doug and I'm a Cactus Grower in the Hi Desert area of Joshua Tree California, hence my handle...Cactusdoug.

I found this Forum looking for info on making a terrarium.

I just picked up a 40 Gal Reptile tank that I don't think it sturdy enough to hold 40 gallons of water, so I thought I would make a terrarium out of it.

I was surprised to find that there was a aquarium section on this board.

I have 6 aquariums all heavily planted.

So I guess you'll see me on this section quite a bit.


Here is a couple of pics of two of my tanks

10_gal_1_04_04_04_resize.jpg


This is my 10 Gal #1
The stock is...
7 Glowlight Tetras, 7 Black Neon Tetras, 3 baby Albino Cories, 1 Albino or Golden Chinese Algae Eater,5 Ghost Shrimp

10_gal_3_on_2_6_04_resize.jpg


This is my 10 Gal #3
The stock is...
12 Black Widow Tetras, 7 Head & Tail Light Tetras, 3 bronze Cories, 5 Ghost Shrimp

This tank won first place in the Fish Profiles dot com Aquascaping contest in Febuary in the fresh water category,
and my #1 tank is entered in this months contest.

I'll leave you with just these two pics right now,
They say always leave with people wanting more. LOL

Cactusdoug

Click here to see my Tanks
 
Welcome to the forums!
smile.gif


Wow, that first one is really amazing... Very well planted!
biggrin.gif
What do you have for lighting? How do you keep the algea down?

I love neon tetras... I used to have a school of 10, untill they "misteriously dissapeared" once my pacus got over 6 inches
mad.gif


that second one is amazing too. Looks like you put A LOT of effort into them!
smile.gif
 
Thanx for the compliments.

For lighting on the 10 gals,
I replace the two incandescents with two 10 watt 6500K compact fluorescents.
As for algae... I keep Chinese Algae Eaters in all my tanks as well as Ghost Shrimp,
and keep close tabs on the water parameters.

One other thing I learned...
If you break up the light cycle by running them for a few hours,
and then shutting them down for an hour or two,
and then running them for a few more hours,
it breaks up the day - nite timing of algae but has no harmful affects on the plants.

I do put a lot of effort in them, but it is a labor of love.
I find it very relaxing.

I keep my main 55 Gal tank in the living room but all the others are in my office, so I can take a break from working on the computer and spend a little time tinkering with them.

Heres a pic of my three 10 gal and one of my 20 gal tanks on a cabinet in my office. This pic is several months old. The tank on the left is my # 1 before the major planting was done. You can see the bare bones of the rock work. With the plants grown in, the cave that the CAE lives in, can't be seen.

CD

office_tanks_resize.jpg
 
Welcome to the forums! Some of us, Spec73, Biggun10, RamPuppy, myself, and a few others I can't think of are into fish as well. I had 8 tanks as a teen. One was devoted to water sprite. the rest was for breeding anabantids, convicts, and jewel fish. Later I would work for a wholesaler, taking care of fresh, salt, and plants. Salwater fish and inverts are my passion - but CP's are a lot less financially taxing.
 
Jimscott: For me as a teen right now, it is the other way around...at least involving livestock. Forget about the $100 dollars I spent on lights
wink.gif


Welcome Cactusdoug! I like both tanks! If the second tank was my own, I would probably remove the round rocks and leave everything else, but thats just me.
 
Oh yeah, growlights. I don't have them, because of the cost. Someday... maybe... I have ~8 different window sills at work doing my bidding form me as well as outside. Ask the two co-workers that have registered with the forums - I have even utilized the breakroom and a bathroom!
biggrin.gif
 
Welcome to the forums.

Nice tanks.
I have a 40 gallon planted tank with discus.
smile.gif
 
Thanx for the welcome guys.

Jimscott, are Glowlights expensive where you live?
I bought mine down in Riverside for $1.99 each.

I was into CP's a long time ago.
Back in the early 70's a friend of mines Dad owned a place called "The Plant Shop" in Studio City.
He carried a lot of different CP's and I had a 20 gal tank set up as a terrarium,
it was really doing well until I put in this really cool moss I found in Griffith Park.
Within two weeks a really nasty mould took over the tank and killed all my plants.

After that experience I lost interest.

CD
 
What I was referring to were Growlights, lighting used by some folks for their CP's and probably other plants. I aked my co-worker how much they are and he said they were about $100. Not sue what Glowlights are, other than a Tetra. That sounds about right for the fish.

Too bad you had that experience with moss / CP's. most people kill them due to using tap water or keping the plastic cover on all the time, so they don't get air circulation, or leaving it off and drying them out or not knowing about dormancy (VFT's) or having it flower. Personally, I did everything wrong in ithe book -- and left the hobby for years - until I saw an array of VFT's at my Home Depot - and just couldn't pass them up. Then I read and read and read and stumbled onto these here forums - and read and read - and asked a bunch of newbie questions. Now I can keep them alive through the winter and kill 'em by putting them outside and having mice gnaw on them. Guess I found a new way of ruining a good thing - but I'm learning and adapting - just like the Borg.
smile.gif
biggrin.gif
tounge.gif
They're worth it, though, seeing pretty flowers and watching seed germinate - not unlike watching anabantoids make bubblenests and convicts herding their brood.
 
  • #10
Growlights, Glowlights... Ooops.
tounge.gif


These old eyes aren't what they used to be. LOL

I might have to try some CP's in the terrarium I'm starting.
It's funny, I saw Gubler's mentioned in several threads here, they're only about a half hour drive away from here.
I send tourists there all the time to see the orchids, I didn't realize the sold CP's.
I might have to go over there and see what they have available.


CD
 
  • #11
[b said:
Quote[/b] (cactusdoug @ April 25 2004,10:35)]Growlights, Glowlights... Ooops.
tounge.gif


These old eyes aren't what they used to be. LOL

I might have to try some CP's in the terrarium I'm starting.
It's funny, I saw Gubler's mentioned in several threads here, they're only about a half hour drive away from here.
I send tourists there all the time to see the orchids, I didn't realize the sold CP's.
I might have to go over there and see what they have available.


CD
Old eyes? You're only 2 years my senior. You're scaring me! I will always be 18 - and holding. Same with BigCarnivourKid. Emphasis on "kid."

Let us know what they have.
 
  • #12
It'll be a couple weeks before I can make the time to get over there.

I'll make a list of what I see.

I just got the news this morning, my #1 - 10 gal tank tied for 2nd place in the April Aquascaping contest at Fish Profiles .com.
biggrin.gif


CD
 
  • #13
Congratulations! I was taking a closer look at your tanks and was trying to identify the plants. The only ones I was reasonably sure of were Amazon Swords and a Cryptocorne. What else is in there? When I was a kid (chronologically), I had a small tank devoted to scraps (fronds?) of Water Sprite. I just put an incandescent light on top and left it alone. Several weeks later I had several plants growing above the water line. Never duplicated that again. Also, I have found that the "cheap" plant bulbs had somewhat attractive white flowers and thrived nicely. Banana plants did well, too. Do you ever utilize those plants?
 
  • #14
Well, I just got a 96 watt light over the 46 gallon bow...plus a black background. The tank looks AWESOME(okay...a bit messy and bare too). Hopefully i'll be able to add more plants and laterite too.

Jimscott...you must be pretty lucky. I own some apogonetons, but no flowers.
 
  • #15
I can't remember which species of plants were in the "assorted plant bulbs. There were at least two of them. I DO remember them having long, skinny stems and white flowers that looked like pipe cleaners. They could take over a tank in a weeks. They were like the guppy of the aquatic plant world.
 
  • #16
Jimscott,

I'm guessing you mean my 10 Gal #1...
Yes there are Crypts and Amazon Swords.
The rest of the plants are...

Three different types of Hygrophila,
the low growing ones are called "Indian Star" - H. polysperma,
The mid height one on the right with the pinkish leaves is "Sunset Hygro" - H. polysperma "Sunset",
and the tall one in the back is H. corymbosa v. "Crispa".

And the small leaved one on the right in the mid ground is Rotala indica AKA R. rotundifolia.

There is also a micro Sword (looks like grass) on the left,
and a Dwarf Sag. Sagittaria subulata (also looks like grass) on the lower right.

The plant floating at the top of one of the twigs is Riccia - Riccia fluitans

And of course the large dark green plant in front of the rocks is a Java Fern - Microsorum pteropus

Lot of variety for a 10 Gal tank, Eh?

I've tried the Banana Plant, but they've always rotted on me.

I've never tried the WalMart Lily bulbs, but I've been tempted to get some.

CD
 
  • #17
Hi All,

The "mystery" bulb plants are usually Aponegeton crispus, ulvaceus, natans and Nymphars. Sometimes there are hybrid bulbs in the mixes. They are great growers. I'd clip the flower stalks as you get more leaves that way. I have 2 big 8" pots of them in 2 of my tanks. Aponegeton bovinianus is gorgeous -- long wide forest green waffled leaves. A. longiplumiflorus (spelling?) is also a killer -- huge. For great plant info check out "the crypt pages" which is a Dutch hobbyist's site -- enormous, info filled, a zillion pics only on crypts and Tropica.com which is a great Danish plant nursery. They have wonderful info and pics on their site -- info on all the plants they grow.

Bobby
 
  • #19
Doug - Yup, tank #1. Most of the other plants weren't ones we brought in. We had a few Hygro (green, red, and one other.) We had a few Sag's. One supplier, Dolphin International, had a bazillion of different aquatic plants that our retail guy would bring in. Maybe that is where to get the others.

Bobby & Nflytrap: Thanks. I had forgotten that they were of Aponogeton genus. My favorites were the bulbs and water sprite. The bulbs were like some underrated plant, but they were reasonably attractive and halthy as all get out! WE sold tons of anacharis, cobomba, hornwort(why?). corkscrew val, amazon swords, and banana plants. Also sold a lot of non-aquatic types - purple krinkle, palms, crotons, etc...
 
  • #20
Hi Spec,

I don't have a webpage. I'm too dumb to build one :).

Bobby
 
Back
Top