Discus Tank Plant Ideas Needed

[tommwest]

hi

im really struggling to tink of my tank planst can you all help me decide. i know i want a carpeting effect so somthing like Hemianthus Callitrichoides or use some slate and tie down some Riccia Fluitans down. along part of the backwall i want the small type of vallis so i believe this to be corkscrew vallis and on the sides of the tank.

then some Echinodorus Tennellus, Tonina Fluviatilas. i really dont know how this will look which is why im asking for your advice. my tank consists of this-

48"x12"x16" = 125ltrs
2x 48" power glo, aqua glo bulbs 6 hrs a day
28 degrees
tds 140
sand substrate

as some examples of what im after here are some pictures of tanks im aiming for

p.s its all got to be plants i can buy from uk

tom

 

[Whitey_144]

sorry, im a nube so can't be of much help.
what is the wide leafed plant in the 2nd photo and is it high light?

also what are the two plant species in the final photo? i really like those

 

[tommwest]

hi im the same as you am very new to this but the first plant you asked i believe to be Hygrophila corymbosa and last two maybe Needle Leaf java fern and Hemianthus Callitrichoides but that would just be a very very wide guessing area from what i think i can see

tom

 

[lljdma06]

Hi Tom, welcome to Planted.

Here is a link to our resource center.

PARC

Things you have to consider for discus tanks include the warmer temperatures.

How large is the tank and what is the lighting, type and wattage?

 

[tommwest]

tank size - 48"x12"x16" = 125ltrs
lighting - 2x 40w 48" power glo, aqua glo bulbs on for 6 hrs a day
tempeture - 28 degrees
tds - 140
substrate - sand

think thats everything im open to get a co2 system its just the jbl and d+d co2 systems are quite exspensive any other suggestions? (if you think i need it)

 

[lljdma06]

If you keep the bulbs as is, I think the tank will need CO2 gas or some sort of Carbon supplement and ferts to achieve the look you are going for. You will also need more plants. If you eliminate 1 bulb, you'll have other options and CO2 and ferts will become more of an optional thing. Both routes will result in lush planted tanks. Really depends on what you want to do with regard to maintenance. Do you want a lot or a little?

Also, what's the filtration?

llj

 

[tommwest]

i have a exsernal fluval 204 filter with peat in one holder the hollow round white block in two (sorry dont know the media name) and just another sponge filter in the last holder then four sponge pads in the sponge holders.

as regards to maintaining the plants i dont mind spending 30-1hr a week sorting out the tank when i normally clean the tank, i do dose with ferts weekly the only thing im worried about is the sand substrate as i know it dont hold much nutriants for plants, if this is ok then i dont mind splashing out on co2 if it will give me a real green lush look. the fert im using is the jbl ferropol .

can anyone tell me all the plants in this tank? i really like the set up and think i want to have this as mine it works well and aslong as i can get it looking this healthy il be over the moon. but will all these plants survive in my discus temps and with a sand substrate?

i know the carpeting effect is Hemianthus Callitrichoides maybe on the right Sagittaria subulata?

thanks

 

[mark4785]

Sorry to interrupt, but can I ask what the name of the 'carpet plant' is in the 2nd picture of the first post?

Thanks.

 

[slakey]

Are you looking to carpet your tank?

 

[mark4785]

Are you looking to carpet your tank?

Yes I am. I'm attempting to carpet my tank using 'Hemianthus callitrichoides' but some of them are dieing off either due to a problem with the way in which I'm managing the tank or due to my dwarf cichlid which keeps ripping chunks out of them.

 

[ian]

it looks like lilaeopsis in the second pic in the first post.

 

[mark4785]

it looks like lilaeopsis in the second pic in the first post.

My Lilaeopsis is spreading in a awkward patchy fashion and it's much larger than the carpet plant picture (around 5cm high).

 

[ian]

it can be cut like grass, here's Mark Evans (aquascaper) trimming his lilaeopsis

 

[slakey]

Ah right, I was going to say if you weren't going for carpet you could put some plant substrate over the area you were going to plant on top of the sand if you get what I mean.

The HC in my tank isn't dying off, it just isn't carpeting my piece of slate lol.

 

[mark4785]

it can be cut like grass, here's Mark Evans (aquascaper) trimming his lilaeopsis

Oh right, I didn't realise people trimmed it like that.

What is the name of those long scissors? He seems to be trimming the grass effortlessly but I bet if he had a dwarf cichlid in there it would behave the same has mine. Mine gets in the way all of the time due to being too nosey. It would upset me a lot if I accidently snipped it's fin/head off