Hunting Expotitions

[kiya]

teinedreugan was home today 'cause he was feeling sick yesterday and wanted to kick it early. So we went hunting.

We went to Woburn to get brewing stuff. (Incidentally, qarylla, the supply store I use is I think a bit less than a mile from the Woburn Mall. I looked for signs of bus stops but didn't see any. But I figured the Woburn Mall was a good landmark and possibly bussable.) Got another gallon jug and appropriate bits, the malt I need for the braggot, and miscellanea.

Then went to the Lowe's right near there (far side of the Woburn Mall) and bought a large bag of dirt, because my other lily arrived before we left, and the last of the soil I bought for the other plants wasn't anywhere near enough.

Then we went to the pet shop and got some underwater plants for my tank, more fish food, and water treatment stuff. Didn't get fish yet, though I've got lots of algae in my tank for algae-eaters to eat; want the plants to have a little bit to establish first, and there was enough mucking about anticipated for getting the new lily in that the fish would likely have a rough time of it.

Planted the new lily. I suspect it may wind up grumpy at me; it's built on a rather different scale than the other one is. (The pads have something like thrice the diameter.) Must ponder building wider/deeper tank at some point. Planted the underwater plants too, in a pot to one side. Got teinedreugan's help moving the pots around, after I called him up to show him the lilypad that had wound up somewhere bizarre.

Went grocery. Got honey (for the braggot for whenever I start it) and unground cumin (same); got more flour and replaced the flour tub that brooksmoses and I broke making pierogies a while back.

It has been a good day. We hunted many needful and useful things. I may rack the melomel and/or start the braggot later.

Comments

[leanne-opaskar.livejournal.com]

Ooo, fishies? What kind of fishies are you getting? (:

[kiya]

Probably going to start out with Chinese algae-eaters because the tank in question will just give them a feast right now. (It's in the window so the other plants have sun, which means that it's currently glazed gently with red-brown algae on most of the underwater.)

I should find teinedreugan's fishie books and make sure the algae-eaters will be okay with the temperature in the tank, actually. I wonder where those are.

After that, I'm not sure. Platies, maybe. The idea is to have something enrich the water for the plants' sake, eat decomposing plant matter, and skitter about happily, mostly.

[leanne-opaskar.livejournal.com]

Mrrr. Platties? You do know they're livebearers, right? You will have LOTS of baby platties if you get platties. (Ditto mollies, guppies, and swordtails.) If you've got a place to keep them or a pet store that will take them, good ... or I guess you could feed them to Kunda if he eats fish.

Eats decomposing plant matter, hmm ...? Most herbivorous fish that aren't algae-eaters are tough to keep, like discus. What you'd get would really depend on the size and temperature of the tank. If it's a coldwater tank (i.e., no heater), you'd probably be best off with a goldfish or three. Bettas can live in coldwater tanks, but they're completely carnivorous. Goldies will eat anything, but they'll want some meat as well as plantses to nibble on. (;

You could get a plecosthumus or two to eat the algae, but it's worth noting that when they run out of algae, the plants are fair game. They eat my java fern, and that stuff tastes nasty to almost every fish out there! (: Plecos are good in both cold and tropical tanks.

Most barbs are omnivorous and like plant material, but they're definitely of the tropical variety. You'd want to keep the water at about 75-78 degrees for barbs, and they will want meat as well as plants. There are some strongly herbivorous barbs, but I can't remember which they are off the top of my head. Hmm.

Just a couple thoughts. (: Good luck finding fishies!

[kiya]

I kept guppies when I was a kid. I know all about livebearing fish. ;) (I was given a guppy unto the fifth generation.)

Not a coldwater tank: my plants are tropicals.

Shall ponder at barbs. Thanks for thought. (I know the store we go to has 'em.)