Avocado seed experiment

I have grown avocados from seed many times over the years with much success. Usually using the toothpick method. This experiment is trying to root them standing in a bed of water beads instead of poking them. I soaked the seeds in water for a week and finally got the water beads today. The beads have now been soaked and swollen. I placed them in tiny plastic containers that I picked up at the Dollar Tree resting the avocado seeds atop them with what should be sprout side up. Now just to wait and see if roots appear.
*crosses fingers*

New plants plus an update on the Strawberry Ball

I love geraniums and last weekend my husband got me this new one. It is called Fantasy Candy Kiss. It is so beautiful! The petals look as if they were painted with watercolors.



We also picked up some peppermint. He wanted to plant it with our spearmint but I would not let him. It will go in my kitchen herb garden.



The strawberry ball I made has been doing wonderfully. It keeps making new blooms, the plants are growing and there are strawberries forming!

Pearling

I had read both good and bad about the manual CO2 dispenser that comes with the Fluval Flora tanks. I am very happy with mine and glad I decided to get one for my Ebi tank. I am now considering getting one for my basic 10 gallon tank.

8 gallon day 52

The plants could use another trimming. Still no fauna other than a few pond snails. No more algae problems since I started using excell and upped the amount of CO2 I use. The new filter made a huge difference too. After I am well I intend on doing some research to see if I can add cut off valves to the Finnex to make maintenance easier. I also plan to move the CO2 dispenser to the back of the tank where it will be hidden by plants.
I am so very happy with how well the Fissidens fontanus is doing in this tank. It is thriving in it where I could not keep the expensive moss alive at all in my other 2 tanks.

Pin holes

My anubias nana has started showing signs of potassium deficiency so yesterday I started supplementing with some API Leaf Zone. It only contains potassium and iron so I will continue to also use the flourish but on another day.

With today's water changes I trimmed and planted stems in all three tanks. The 8 gallon is getting some diatom algae. I sucked most of it out. Thought about moving a couple of my Amano Japonica  shrimp in there to take care of it but I really do not want to add any livestock to that tank yet.

While planting my stems I did note that of the 3 different substrates I am using the plain old Black Diamond is my favorite.  The hardest to plant in is the Flourite. I will never use that again.

< 8 gallon day 7

It has only been 7 days and the plants have grown a LOT. I cut off the melted Cryptocoryne walkeri 'lutea' leaves and there are a bunch of new ones. All of the plants are doing really well.I am going to let the stems get just a little bit taller then I plan to trim them down a bit and plant the cuttings.

I am happy with this little mini CO2 set-up and am glad I got it. So far I have been filling the 2 compartments every 2 days.
Adding the 2nd light was a good choice too. While I do like the filter, it seems to have good flow and is very quiet..... I am planning to replace it with a Eheim 2213. I do not like that the stock internal filter tends to come apart if moved. Which means that it will most likely do that when it needs to be taken out and cleaned.

< 8 gallon planted tank day one

Day one so it is a bit cloudy. 7.9 gallon Fluval EBI tank. I removed the styrofoam rock background because I read too many stories along with photos showing the thing can and will eventually pop out breaking the glass top and light. It can be siliconed in but I thought it looked cheap. It removed very easily with no pressure so I have no doubt it would have popped out.
Extra light and Fluval Mini Pressurized CO2 Kit have been added. Substrate is 20/40 grit Black Diamond. I am using root tabs and liquid ferts.



Plant list...
Fissidens fontanus
Ludwigia species 'Atlantis'
Ludwigia hybrid species 'Red'
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides
Echinodorus bolivianus
Mayaca fluviatilis
Cryptocoryne walkeri 'lutea'
Lobelia cardinalis, Small Form
One little Marsilea quadrifolia that came as a stow away in the Hydrocotyle order. I planted it in the front by itself for now to see if it will take root. If it does I may order some.
I cannot wait for the Fissidens to grow and cover the glue.

Plantus Collectivitis

I have resigned myself to the fact that while I appreciate the beauty of some planted tanks I just like too many different plants to be able to achieve their look. My inspiration comes from the floor of the woods behind my house or the fields around me. There are so many colors, shapes and textures all mixed together and I want to see that in my aquariums. Not the manicured lawn of a golf course. While I do find tanks that are highly manicured with only 2 or 3 types of plants to be beautiful I do not find them relaxing. Like I always say, if everyone liked the same things it would be a very boring world.


This is a newly planted 10 gallon. I am using Florite Black substrate in it. Since I have taken this photo some of the plants have melted away their emmersed grown leaves and have new submerged leaves in their place. I had not intended to move my betta over here but I had to because of these beautiful little tail nippers aka glowlight tetras. His tail has grown almost completely back now.


I am about to start up a 7.9 gallon Fluval Ebi tank that I got for my birthday in October. Originally I had thought it would be an all moss tank with many different types of moss. Then I found some plants I just had to have and so now I am going in a completely different direction. In other words I like too many different plants. :)