Once more

Upgraded the ball python to a 20 long, he is much happier now:
His former tank had an undertank heater, so I put the giant millipede in it. He was in a 10 with some frogs and skinks before and I was using a heat lamp for heat, so he will be better off without the light drying him out. I'm putting the heat lamp over the snake because he needs it more then the native animals which can handle colder weather.

The 29 after adding new light and pulling up a lot of the swords and dwarf sag on the right hand side:
I also moved my one gallon under this light since I had extra room. I've been fogetting to turn the light on since the betta died, most of the dwarf sag is still alive. Amazing what that plant can handle:
And the 20H after doing all those waterchangings and planting it:

Endless Task

Adding additional substrate to 20g ofter realizing I didn't have enough to plant in.

Lessons we have learned from this experience:

1. Do not use Pavestone Brand Sand in the aquaria.
2. Wash all substrates before putting them in the water.
3. Test all substrates in a jar BEFORE putting them in aquaria.
4. Do not leave an open bag of sand on the floor when you have dog that likes to eat...well everything.
5. Drain tank to less then four inches before adding substrate.
6. Do not add 30 guppies to the tank with the idea of culling them later, only the ones you want to keep will want to be caught.

I'm sure there is more, but those are the ones that are sticking out in my mind. I have completely changed the water more then three times, and now it looks about like the picture of it with the plate still in it a couple of posts ago.

29 gal update

I have no pics today, I've misplaced the camera.

I have acquired a 48 inch Coralife light fixture for a rock bottom price, my tank is only 30 inches long so there is a bit of hangover. The fixture creates 130 watts of light but there is no way of knowing exactly how much effects the aquarium, either way its a LOT of light. I will need to get some more floating plants and emersed plants to help compensate for the extra light, but the design of the light will make that easier since the brackets hold the fixture 3 or so inches above the top of the tank.

My platys have been experiencing a plague recently. The sunset fire I had for so long was growing deformed, with a bent back and sunken belly and looking in general rather gross. When she finally weekend and looked about to die I put her out of her misery, and mine. I added more platys but they have all died except two , one of which is getting deformed and has a fungus on its head.

Strangely though, the green corys that I have had for about four years now are unaffected, as well as 3 ottos, a yo-yo loach and the ghost shrimp.

I did a 80% water change after adding the light to reduce the nutrients in the water, which are evident by the amount of black algae I have beginning to grow. I'm going to have to monitor this more closely then I'm used to to keep it from growing out of control.

Once I did the water change it apparently reduced the tannins enough in the water to let more light through and the plants are exhibiting signs of false pearling. In high tech tanks plants will pearl , most usually in the morning. It is the natural process of oxygen production amped up enough to make it visible to us.

False pearling is somewhere in between, the oxygen is created faster then in lower light situations, but isn't coming from the pores of the plant, it is escaping from damaged and broken areas of the leaf. You see it as a tiny stream of bubbles coming from on point in the plant, instead of allover little bubbles that sit on the plant.