Aquascaping party

[Greengirl]

Hi everyone. Thanks to Sam, for a generous assortment of live plants and some gravel-like sand, I am ready to try out aquascaping my angelfish breeder tank. But I am terrible at aquascaping and my piece of wood will not get waterlogged no matter how long I soak it. Does anyone in the area wanna come over and help me out with this? Snacks and drinks will be provided. Maybe some diamond tetra fry too as a gift if anyone really wants them.

It will be a great opportunity to get to know some of you better. If you have any clippings you want to bring that will be appreciated as well. Maybe on Sunday I was thinking.

 

[DiscusnAfricans]

Sunday is the PVAS auction, might be a godd day to head down and see whats available to add to the tank... Might be able to recruit some people there. Good luck, and post pictures once you're done.

 

[verbal]

The PVAS auction also is a good place to pick up some plants.

 

[Avatar]

PVAS auction is Sunday

For all your wiles and attributes, you're facing tough competition on Sunday. And for all our wiles and wisdom, none of us so far as I know has yet managed to defy gravity or buoyancy - the wood will sink if and only when it is heavier than water although with some wire (or epoxy were it dry) you could secure it to a stone if you are indeed so impatient. You can accelerate the saturation using hot water in a bucket with a something on top of the wood to keep it fully submerged or swap it for a piece of already water-logged wood with someone who has ample supply. If it's not altogether hideous I might indulge you in this, but patience is a virtue (so I am told).

 

[Jeff721]

If you have a pot big enough, try boiling the wood for a half hour to an hour depending on the size and density. Don't let it dry back out or it will float again. This will also get out most of the tannins that would otherwise turn your water yellow/brown.

 

[dogofwar]

A watched log never sinks. Or stops turning the water tan.

Matt (who likes floating logs that turn the water brown)

 

[Greengirl]

If you have a pot big enough, try boiling the wood for a half hour to an hour depending on the size and density. Don't let it dry back out or it will float again. This will also get out most of the tannins that would otherwise turn your water yellow/brown.

It is a really big piece of wood. I don't think I could boil the whole thing.

Also, I didn't realize this Sunday was the PVAS. I am not competing against that. I will pick another day.

 

[mchambers]

Sam's suggestion of tying or gluing it to a rock of some sort is a good idea.

Your idea of not competing with PVAS is also good.

 

[Tony]

Put a rock on top of it temporarily.

See you Sunday at PVAS.

 

[Becca]

You could shut it in a Rubbermaid container with hot water - I've done that before - fill it to the very top and close the lid. It will have nowhere to go but DOWN.

 

[zackcrack00]

How much are plants usually at the PVAS auction, and how are they sold in quantity?

 

[verbal]

How much are plants usually at the PVAS auction, and how are they sold in quantity?

Generally range from $2 or $3 to $15. At $15 or sometimes even 20 you getting a really nice anubias or large java fern. Hornwort and Najas(guppy grass) will go for a couple bucks, but should be a good size bag. Java Moss and Crypts will fall in the middle in the pricing.

 

[zackcrack00]

Thanks, Jesse. Just bought some sword plants, java moss, and hornwort for the Kribensis I am getting from you!

 

[Avatar]

Living color

This will also get out most of the tannins that would otherwise turn your water yellow/brown.

Tannins good. — New World keeper

 

[Jeff721]

Haha, I do like the look and appreciate the benefits of a blackwater tank, but I don't want ever tank to look like that.

That said, for larger pieces, I have been know to boil each part that fits in the pot for 20 minutes. For instance I will boil a log with half in and half out of the water, then flip it and boil the other side. I've got a nice big 2 gallon pot for this. A crab pot would be good too.

 

[Greengirl]

Haha, I do like the look and appreciate the benefits of a blackwater tank, but I don't want ever tank to look like that.

That said, for larger pieces, I have been know to boil each part that fits in the pot for 20 minutes. For instance I will boil a log with half in and half out of the water, then flip it and boil the other side. I've got a nice big 2 gallon pot for this. A crab pot would be good too.

I will definitely give that a shot. Thank you. I tried my hand at aquascaping last night and the results are pretty bad. I couldn't even take a picture it is so bad. The only good thing that came out of it is the angel pair started vigorously cleaning their spawning slate so I hope that means babies soon.

 

[verbal]

I will definitely give that a shot. Thank you. I tried my hand at aquascaping last night and the results are pretty bad. I couldn't even take a picture it is so bad. The only good thing that came out of it is the angel pair started vigorously cleaning their spawning slate so I hope that means babies soon.

It sounds like the fish like the aquascaping

 

[chriscoli]

I always have to remind myself to find the balance between what I like and what the fish might like.

For inspiration, you can always take a look at what the fish's natural habitat looks like, pick some features from that that you particularly like....and try to emulate it. Odds are you and the fish will find a happy balance.

Fran also recently posted a link to a site that had a great article on the principles of aquascaping. I particularly liked the link at the top to the hardscaping article...it discusses the rule of thirds and all of that. http://www.capitalcichlids.org/forums/showthread.php?t=17147

 

[JLW]

The best way I've found to get it to sink is not only to put it in HOT (read: boiling) water, but to CIRCULATE that water over it. Put it in a large trash can or something with several hot pots of water in it, and use a pump with a hose attachment to spray the hot water over it.

Just, for crying out loud, don't burn yourself, okay?

 

[Avatar]

Acquired taste

Haha, I do like the look and appreciate the benefits of a blackwater tank, but I don't want ever tank to look like that.

I have yet to encounter a single non-coniferous piece of wood capable of creating a blackwater appearance all by it's lonesome. An initial mild tinting or tea-color yes, but even that diminishes with successive water changes. I just imagine the myriad compounds in the tannins doing nice things for my fish like inhibiting fungus, suppressing infection and other things beyond the full grasp of modern science - anymore if the water doesn't have some color it strikes me as unnatural and potentially unhealthful, which for Amazon types it absolutely would and could be respectively.