Journal Dutchy Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

[Tim Harrison]

Beautiful looking tank

 

[Burr740]

Having a plant dead center is okay? I’ve been trying to not have anything center but it would be easier if it’s not an issue.

Lol nah bro, not OK at all. I said that Id just stuck it there to look at for a few days and think about where to use it. Easy since its in a pot and thats the only space it would go

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

 

[Burr740]

Amazing info here. I learned a lot reading and rereading. Keep it coming man!

The tank is looking amazing! What for fish do you have in?

Japanese Rice Fish - Medaka Orange. I keep them in the tubs outside during the summer to eat mosquitos. Thats what I got them for. Winter they come inside. They like to school and hang at the top but they also roam around the lower levels too

Also 3 Julii Cories, need to get 3-4 more

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Japanese Rice Fish - Medaka Orange. I keep them in the tubs outside during the summer to eat mosquitos. Thats what I got them for. Winter they come inside. They like to school and hang at the top but they also roam around the lower levels too

Also 3 Julii Cories, need to get 3-4 more

I almost bought some off you a while back when you had them for sale. Cool little fish. Now you have the tubs set up specifically to hunt mosquitos in the yard? Now that’s interesting

 

[Burr740]

I almost bought some off you a while back when you had them for sale. Cool little fish. Now you have the tubs set up specifically to hunt mosquitos in the yard? Now that’s interesting

Hahaha...no, I grow floaters in the tubs and mosquitos lay eggs in them. The fish eat the larvae

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Double post, my bad

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Hahaha...no, I grow floaters in the tubs and mosquitos lay eggs in them. The fish eat the larvae

Was gonna say I’m gonna set up a big ass swimming pool of rice fish

 

[FrankZ]

Japanese Rice Fish - Medaka Orange. I keep them in the tubs outside during the summer to eat mosquitos. Thats what I got them for. Winter they come inside. They like to school and hang at the top but they also roam around the lower levels too

Also 3 Julii Cories, need to get 3-4 more

These would be awesome in our small duck/frog pond out back it certainly draws the “bosquitos” as the kids used to call them. The giant tidal marsh out back doesn’t help with the bugs either lol. I could do the same thing, “free range” them in the summer and bring them inside during the winter.

 

[GreggZ]

Instead of fooling with a bunch of tops, what I did is cut all the tops off and just left stumps to regrow. It'll come right back out and the new stems will all head in the right direction

Great post Joe and I love getting your insight into how you present the tank and the trimming methods.

The quote above caught my eye. I have also found this to be true. With some plants like Cuba and others like Pogo K sometimes the stems get so large you just need to start over again. Like you said that new growth seems to come back better than ever. The problem is it takes patience which most don't have enough of.

Also love where the presentation is going. Posts like this help people understand the time, thought, and effort that goes into creating a piece of art like that. It doesn't happen by accident.

As always very well done my friend!

 

[JuJuFish]

, I grow floaters in the tubs and mosquitos lay eggs in them. The fish eat the larvae

Do you have filters or pumps in the tubs? Or just floaters and fish? And … what kind of tubs?

I have buckets of floating plants all over the patio and mosquito season is about to be upon us.

 

[Burr740]

Do you have filters or pumps in the tubs? Or just floaters and fish? And … what kind of tubs?

I have buckets of floating plants all over the patio and mosquito season is about to be upon us.

No filters or current of any kind, just plants and fish. I'll change 50-75% water maybe every two weeks. Fertilize about the same as the regular tanks except in bigger, less frequent doses

The tubs are basically 40-60 gal versions of this

 

[JuJuFish]

Thanks!!!!!

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Thanks!!!!!

Check Facebook and local listings these are always for sale and you can get them for a good deal.

 

[Burr740]

Post trim and WC update

This is a few days prior but we're gonna call it the before pic



Removed Hygro arguaia in the foreground. Its pretty good right there but Id never planned on it staying. Too many species, be a better Dutch without it

Dont like the Lobelia street dead center but it'll probably wind up mostly in it. Now with araguaia gone I can bring it over a little bit, and/or do something to give it a better presence

The super red needed lowering. Just went back with tops and tossed all the bottom. Nothing precise, just went through the group with my hand and pinched all the tops off first. Then pulled up the bottoms, rescued a bunch of short side stems to re-grow elsewhere, tossed the rest

After

Plants closed up for the night and white balance is off... but you get the picture



Still not digging Rotala sunset right there, think it takes over as the focal point, or adds two. But its staying for now

Added more babies to the street, just gonna look at it for a while and see what needs to happen. Right now all I know is a street goes here, will work out the details later

Its been 10 days since topping Ludwigias Cuba and White down to stumps. Lots of tiny new branches starting to come out. This journal is gonna help me time things when it matters





Whites throwing 3-4 each. Overexposed a little trying to get a detailed image



See the little tuffs of BBA ? Its on the tip ends of some of the old leaves (and the ratty grass blade top right) This is normal

This isnt a case of BBA done swooped in and attacked my plants! lol Its there because the old degrading leaf is oozing stuff that feeds it, and probably actually spawned it

And it wont spread to healthy leafs either. Healthy leaves dont get most algae. Start noticing, it will never be on healthy leaves, esp BBA . Literally never

Thats why "good pruning" is so important to keep crappy growth and degrading leaves out of the system. None of it repairs, it just sits there feeding algae while slowly rotting away

Makes sense if you think about it. We wouldnt want dead fish laying all over the place would we, of course not. Its a similar principal

 

[Burr740]

Pogo kimberly going bonkers in another 75 gal

 

[Joel Armstrong]

Love it when you do updates! I learn more and more!

 

[Burr740]

These would be awesome in our small duck/frog pond out back it certainly draws the “bosquitos” as the kids used to call them. The giant tidal marsh out back doesn’t help with the bugs either lol. I could do the same thing, “free range” them in the summer and bring them inside during the winter.

You may not even have to bring them in. They can handle cold down to 40 degrees and I doubt a night or two in the 30s would hurt much. And Ive never seen it too hot for them, outside in black tubs with AL summer temps pushing 100 they stil breed like rabbits

Cant get them to breed inside. Used to think it was a co2 thing, even though they are very tolerant of high co2 in general. But last year I kept a bunch in a tank without co2, same floating plants, etc, and they didnt breed either. Have a friend with the same exp, only breed outside for him too

So now I suspect it may be temperature related. Most literature says ideal breeding temps are 72-78 but I think they need it higher, 80+ maybe. Its the only difference I can think of between inside and out

 

[FrankZ]

You may not even have to bring them in. They can handle cold down to 40 degrees and I doubt a night or two in the 30s would hurt much. And Ive never seen it too hot for them, outside in black tubs with AL summer temps pushing 100 they stil breed like rabbits

Cant get them to breed inside. Used to think it was a co2 thing, even though they are very tolerant of high co2 in general. But last year I kept a bunch in a tank without co2, same floating plants, etc, and they didnt breed either. Have a friend with the same exp, only breed outside for him too

So now I suspect it may be temperature related. Most literature says ideal breeding temps are 72-78 but I think they need it higher, 80+ maybe. Its the only difference I can think of between inside and out

We do get some skim ice on this little 125 gallon pond from time to time. Haven’t seen it freeze hard though. Haven’t had a hard winter since 2017. My water fowl hunting success certainly reflects that LOL.

I’m going to have to give them a try.

 

[Burr740]

We do get some skim ice on this little 125 gallon pond from time to time. Haven’t seen it freeze hard though. Haven’t had a hard winter since 2017. My water fowl hunting success certainly reflects that LOL.

I’m going to have to give them a try.

Wait you're in FL right? Just noticed your avvy says Delaware. I had FL in mind with the rice fish post

What waterfowl game is there in Fla, is duck hunting even a thing?