Shady's Latest Dumbassary

[Wires_Guy_wires]

If it's just a small space where you want to raise the humidity, I suggest hanging an old sheet on the ceiling and leaving the bottom end in a bucket of water.
If you put some plastic on the back side, it will evaporate in just one direction. If the sheet is wide enough, it can raise the local humidity about 15%.
A little cubicle for the plants.

 

[ShadyStump]

This pic shows about 80% of the longest wall in my living room, and the entirety of what I'm working with.

Right now I have a single 4 foot full spectrum LED bar hanging from the ceiling above everything.

So, not an easy space to enclose, and doing so would block out my views of both the window and the plants, making it a very undesirable option. The bottom shelves are mostly empty except for trays to catch runoff.

I do find @Wires_Guy_wires sheet idea intriguing, though. I wonder if enclosing just the bottom half like that would create conditions that would allow the moisture to circulate upwards enough.

 

[Cajunrider]

So, for those of you who haven't heard, I recently lost my job. Best job I've every had, by a VERY wide margin, but I got caught up in the workplace politics. Since then I've been quite depressed of course, and really hating the entire idea of going looking for another run of the mill, miserable, bill payer after having had such an incredible experience the past few years. I finally pulled myself out of it the other day when I told myself, "if you're going to be home all day moping and brooding, why don't you just make yourself useful around the house while you're at it." Next thing I know all the laundry and dishes are caught up, the garden is harvested, I'm working on homework and with my 13 year old, and making cinnamon rolls from scratch. I instantly turned into the best stay at home mom any man could be, and felt like a million bucks.

Then I got to thinking, if this is what I've always loved doing the most, and I'm never happy working for others, why shouldn't I look at ways to make it work for me.
That's a scary proposition, and had me anxious at the very thought of it.
Well tonight at my recovery meeting, one of the guys, who does odd jobs and handyman work for a living, asked if anyone needed any copper. Just giving it away. Apparently today's job was cleaning out a rental after the tenant got busted for an illegal cannabis grow op, and now this guy has TRUCK LOADS of growing supplies and miscellaneous related equipment.

I took this off his hands tonight, and there's plenty more where that came from.
View attachment 456806
About 35lbs of #2 and #6 copper wire, and...

View attachment 456807
Several sets of shelves, and ferts and other chems by the gallon.

And that's just the stuff I could make immediate use of. There's ventilation blowers, propane heaters, he says like 50 more jugs of ferts and chems, all sorts of stuff. Free.

If there's a God, and if God gives us signs...

I am SERIOUSLY considering the greatest act of dumbassery I've ever contemplated; jumping both feet into trying to make a living off a backyard nursery.
Thoughts?

I am sorry about your job loss.
I think your idea of a backyard nursery is doable but your income will have a rough start. How about starting it as supplement income first?

 

[ShadyStump]

I am sorry about your job loss.
I think your idea of a backyard nursery is doable but your income will have a rough start. How about starting it as supplement income first?

That's the plan. I'm still in the midst of job hunting, but I'm also working on starting a bunch of cuttings. Some I can sell as early as spring, others will be a couple years. I think I'm going to make a seed list and give that out as my Christmas want list.

 

[Carol 83]

Maybe I'm being dense but I wouldn't worry about raising the humidity in that space. You don't want mold in your living room. If you're worried about the cuttings put a plastic grocery bag over them. I have some seeds on the way from New Zealand, I'll send you some.

 

[ShadyStump]

Took the dog hiking the other day. I had a spranged ankle, then she got sick and stopped eating for a while, so it's been a long time since we got out.

Stumbled across a salt cedar growing in a gully. Tamarix ramosissima, an invasive species imported as an ornamental in the 1800s. Beautiful fragrant pink flowers in the foliage through early summer, and wispy olive green foliage until fall. Natural weeping clump habit.

They say they root almost as readily as willow, so I cut a branch off.


And dropped it in the rain barrel.


We'll see what happens come spring.

 

[ShadyStump]

So, you may have heard - or maybe not - about my kids going out with friends about a month ago, and nearly a dozen goldfish following them home.

I asked in the Tea House about fishtank advice, but no takers.

YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!!!

Anyways, we're sick of changing the water in the pickle jars twice a week.


My dad just happened to have a 20 gallon tank sitting around, and I had a little pond/fountain pump taking up space in the shed. Seemed like a good start.
Just needed some substrate for the bottom of the tank. We live in the ROCKY Mountains. Why would we pay for sand?

That's why.
And that's AFTER allot of washing.

We anticipated the need for a filter, though, and had root beer floats for dessert last night. A bit of polyfil and some more sand - extra washed this time - and voila!


It's working!
...ish


I decided we needed more mechanical filtration, and also that the pump noise bothered me. Two birds, one finger... I mean stone.
One small coffee can for the inner housing, another larger on for the outer. Outer housing only has intake holes in the side that's now the bottom.
Stuffed the intermediary space with polyfil, slapped the lid on. It likes to float if you move it, so a rock for now.
draws water in THROUGH the substrate as additional filtering.

The pump outpaces the filter bottle by allot, but the aeration is good I guess.

By the time I get the water clean I can definitively say that the tank has been cycled.

Anyone know a tree species that'll live happily in a floating raft in a fishtank? Tropical willow of some sort maybe?

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Hmm…. That seems like a softball question Shady

Bald Cypress Tupelo, Black spruce, tamarack, Ezo spruce (Bill V has Ezo in stock in his seedling sale last I looked )

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[ShadyStump]

Hmm…. That seems like a softball question Shady

Bald Cypress Tupelo, Black spruce, tamarack, Ezo spruce (Bill V has Ezo in stock in his seedling sale last I looked )

Cheers
DSD sends

It's a matter of doing well indoors. Of course cypress, but I'm not so sure it'd make a house plant, if you get what I'm saying. The others I'm only familiar with by name, so I'd have to do allot more research.

It's not really important, just a fun way to Bogart my kids' doings.

 

[nuttiest]

Lucky bamboo might grow in water

 

[19Mateo83]

I can send you a curly willow cutting or two. I’m pretty sure it would do quite well inside a fish tank floating around.

 

[ShadyStump]

Lucky bamboo might grow in water

Actually, we have some that belongs to my 11 year old. If it ever grows healthy enough, I'm getting some cuttings from her.

I can send you a curly willow cutting or two. I’m pretty sure it would do quite well inside a fish tank floating around.

I thought about willow, but I'd need a variety that can withstand indoor growing conditions.
Suppose I could move it outside for winter, but the low light conditions would be tough.

We do have several regular house plants that we'll put in there when the time comes, but nothing that would bonsai.

My 14 yo keeps yelling at me for stealing cuttings from Walmart.

 

[Gabler]

I asked in the Tea House about fishtank advice, but no takers.

I must have missed your post. Your setup looks solid, but be sure to do lots of water changes over the next month or two. Mechanical filtration is important for the viewer. Biological filtration is essential to the fish. Bacteria will eventually colonize every surface of the tank, especially the filter media, and get to work breaking down ammonia into nitrites. Then other species of bacteria will colonize the tank surfaces and convert the nitrites to nitrates. Ammonia and nitrites are toxic to fish. Nitrates are only toxic at high concentrations. Once the bacteria get established, you won’t need to change the water as frequently. A monthly 50% water change should do it once you get to that point. Until then, you’ll have lots of toxins in the water that will need to be frequently removed.

Your idea of growing a plant with its roots in the water is good, since it’ll help with the nitrate levels and reduce unsightly algae growth.

In the long term, make it your goal to get the fish outside into a pond. Goldfish are sickly and finicky in a fishtank, but bulletproof outdoors in a pond. As with deciduous bonsai, they’re actually best enjoyed in the winter. Most shows occur in December. Their colors are brightest when the water is near freezing or frozen over. I’m not sure why that’s the case, but it’s nice, because they add a lot of color to a garden when everything else is dormant.

 

[ShadyStump]

I must have missed your post. Your setup looks solid, but be sure to do lots of water changes over the next month or two. Mechanical filtration is important for the viewer. Biological filtration is essential to the fish. Bacteria will eventually colonize every surface of the tank, especially the filter media, and get to work breaking down ammonia into nitrites. Then other species of bacteria will colonize the tank surfaces and convert the nitrites to nitrates. Ammonia and nitrites are toxic to fish. Nitrates are only toxic at high concentrations. Once the bacteria get established, you won’t need to change the water as frequently. A monthly 50% water change should do it once you get to that point. Until then, you’ll have lots of toxins in the water that will need to be frequently removed.

Your idea of growing a plant with its roots in the water is good, since it’ll help with the nitrate levels and reduce unsightly algae growth.

In the long term, make it your goal to get the fish outside into a pond. Goldfish are sickly and finicky in a fishtank, but bulletproof outdoors in a pond. As with deciduous bonsai, they’re actually best enjoyed in the winter. Most shows occur in December. Their colors are brightest when the water is near freezing or frozen over. I’m not sure why that’s the case, but it’s nice, because they add a lot of color to a garden when everything else is dormant.

The kids have been great at taking care of them in their pickle jars so far: biweekly water changes, feeding, water conditioner, the works.
I rent, so not likely to be a pond any time soon, but I bet I could have some fun with a wading pool.

Of course the first thing I researched was how many goldfish to a 20 gallon tank: answer 1, maybe 2. Oh well.
And the second thing I researched was how to never have to change the water. Easier said than done, but easier done than some would have you think.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I can send you a curly willow cutting or two. I’m pretty sure it would do quite well inside a fish tank floating around.

The problem here, is the dormancy..

I've been looking into Willows that are Semi-Deciduous...

There is ONE...

A CHILEAN PENCIL WILLOW.

Salix Humboldtiana...

I've been searching for one of these.

For my turtle tank!

 

[HorseloverFat]

I must have missed this too!!

I have a turtle tank.. 55 gallons..

Turtles are FILTHY... and I'm cheap.. so I've had to get good at "supercharging filters* to higher capacity, and constructing oxidation/gravity filters..

 

[Cajunrider]

I must have missed this too!!

I have a turtle tank.. 55 gallons..

Turtles are FILTHY... and I'm cheap.. so I've had to get good at "supercharging filters* to higher capacity, and constructing oxidation/gravity filters..

Years ago, I raised thousands of Bettas and Gold fish for pocket money. The fighting Siam bettas were highly prized and brought a lot money. I remember going to the Betta fish fights and bought the injured ones that the bettors discarded for cheap. Then I brought them home, treated their wounds, and used them for breeding.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Years ago, I raised thousands of Bettas and Gold fish for pocket money. The fighting Siam bettas were highly prized and brought a lot money. I remember going to the Betta fish fights and bought the injured ones that the bettors discarded for cheap. Then I brought them home, treated their wounds, and used them for breeding.

My mother was really into fighting fish, well.. the aesthetics side, at least.

She never competed or went to the events.



That sounds awesome! Genetics really fascinate this lil' sponge!

Any albinos, mutants, or new colors?!

 

[Cajunrider]

My mother was really into fighting fish, well.. the aesthetics side, at least.

She never competed or went to the events.



That sounds awesome! Genetics really fascinate this lil' sponge!

Any albinos, mutants, or new colors?!

Unlike other bettas, the Siam bettas have much thicker and shorter fin that don't tear easily. They can fight much harder without suffering torn fins that eventually will rot if not treated properly, something the people in Asia decades ago didn't know how to treat very well. These Siam bettas usually have deep blue color without any trace of red on their fins. Among the desired traits of the Siam bettas:
1. Siam bettas with big jaws and the natural propensity to clamp over the mouth of their opponents, restricting the flow of water going through the opponents' gills, effectively choking them. I have seen many bettas losing a fight in this manner.
2. Siam bettas with a particular trait that cause them to ignore biting the dorsal or tail fins in a fight and focus on the pectoral fins instead. Once the opponents have their pectoral fins torn, they cannot maintain stability and will lose the fight.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Unlike other bettas, the Siam bettas have much thicker and shorter fin that don't tear easily. They can fight much harder without suffering torn fins that eventually will rot if not treated properly, something the people in Asia decades ago didn't know how to treat very well. These Siam bettas usually have deep blue color without any trace of red on their fins. Among the desired traits of the Siam bettas:
1. Siam bettas with big jaws and the natural propensity to clamp over the mouth of their opponents, restricting the flow of water going through the opponents' gills, effectively choking them. I have seen many bettas losing a fight in this manner.
2. Siam bettas with a particular trait that cause them to ignore biting the dorsal or tail fins in a fight and focus on the pectoral fins instead. Once the opponents have their pectoral fins torn, they cannot maintain stability and will lose the fight.

That is extremely intriguing!!!

How do you observe for these traits?

There must be SO many notes to take!!

Sounds really fun!