Aquarium update

 I’m trying to learn the art of being patient…. It’s a challenge. Two months into my new tank setup, fish and some plants seem happy. I’ve added some really fun fish: a herd of a dozen lambchop rasboras, two marigold swordfish, three orange platys. I still have a few aging black skirt tetras, and an ancient zebra danio that will outlive us all. I also got some Nerite snails, which are doing a decent job of eating algea bits.

Here’s a current photo:

And here’s how it looked two months ago:

I removed some of the messier plants that were in my initial Darwin in Action post. I find some (most?) stem plants need very very regular pruning and primping, and so I’ve really got to love them to keep them. Two remaining stem plants are probably not going to make the cut, but for now I’m keeping them as the plants grow in. I’ve ordered a few new plants to try, which arrive in the next two days. 

Tank setup:

• 55 gallon
• Lights: 2 Nicrew planted LEDs at 50% intensity on for 8 hours a day
• Under Gravel Filters under natural gravel on 3/4 of the tank
• HOB Tidal 55 filter
• CO2 1bps, 8 hours a day, on/off with the lights
• Fertilizer: Aquarium Coop Easy green 3 times a week
• Monthly water change 25%