New guy introduction

[cactusdoug]

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



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



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

[Spectabilis73]

Welcome to the forums! [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif[/img]

Wow, that first one is really amazing... Very well planted! [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif[/img] 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 [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif[/img]

that second one is amazing too. Looks like you put A LOT of effort into them! [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif[/img]

[cactusdoug]

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

[jimscott]

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.

[Nflytrap]

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 [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif[/img]

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.

[jimscott]

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! [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif[/img]

[elgecko]

Welcome to the forums.

Nice tanks.
I have a 40 gallon planted tank with discus. [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif[/img]

[cactusdoug]

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

[jimscott]

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. [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif[/img] [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif[/img] They're worth it, though, seeing pretty flowers and watching seed germinate - not unlike watching anabantoids make bubblenests and convicts herding their brood.

[cactusdoug]

Growlights, Glowlights... Ooops. [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif[/img]

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