emj0341
New Member
Ok here goes...
I began my foray into live plants in my aquariums one month ago today. I tried several things along the way, and have finally settled on a good beginning setup. First my stats:
10 US Gal Freshwater, DIY co2, 2x12watt full spectrum flourescents.
Nitrate 20
Nitrite 0
Ph 7.0-7.2
Kh 80ppm
Gh 75ppm
Co2 15ppm
In this tank I began with Micro Sword, Amazon Sword (a runner plantling), Hornwort, and a purple plant (Hemigraphis colorata). These are "guarded" by two cory cats, two dwarf gouramis, and a rams horn snail.
After a week of nightly browsing the internet for articles relating to planted tanks, I tried some things different. I purchased a bundle of moneywort, and a piece of java fern with driftwood. I also bought a packet of bulbs from a local superstore, figuring the 2 dollars was worth a try (these are the brown spots by the micro sword). Heres week two:
Week 3 brought few changes, I really tried to let my plants settle and was watching my bulbs as they sprouted. It was just after this picture that I found out that the purple plant was NON aquatic, and so I removed it just after taking this picture:
With the purple plant gone, I was left with a gap that I didnt like in the tank, I replaced it with a 6" Amazon sword from a LFS. At the same time as this, I began my DIY co2 in the tank, and planted the Aponogeton Bulbs that had sprouted. The co2 had amazing results, within 10 days my 6" amazon sword has grown out of the water (its now about 12 inches tall) Ive taken the original runner amazon that i had and put it in my 5gal and my aponogetons now have 6-8 inch leaves, and my moneywort is probably two inches taller. My hornwort has really taken off and the only thing that hasnt really grown outrageously fast is my microsword, but it keeps chugging along, as well as my java fern. I really am impressed with the difference that co2 brought to my tank, and once my larger 29gal tank is ready I will co2 that one as well.
(okay i know my pics are kinda blurry - crappy 3mp digital vidcam pix) - so heres a guide:
left top - hornwort (helps hide my airlines and DIY co2)
left rear - Moneywort
center - amazon sword
right front - java fern on driftwood
right rear (behind the java fern) - 3 aponogetons
across front - micro sword
also a water lilly bulb - in front of my micro
Now I know this tank is mightily outclassed by some of the tanks on here, but I am mostly proud that I havent turned all my plants to mush or killed off all my fish.
I plan on getting a black background because i have heard that it really makes your plants "pop" when looking at them in the tank, I also would like to get some java moss to help cover some of the spaces and add some depth to the bottom of this tank. Also thinking about crypts in front of my moneywort or possibly in my midground somewhere.
Well try to get through the blurriness of my pics, feel free to add any contructive criticism, I have only up to go from here.
I began my foray into live plants in my aquariums one month ago today. I tried several things along the way, and have finally settled on a good beginning setup. First my stats:
10 US Gal Freshwater, DIY co2, 2x12watt full spectrum flourescents.
Nitrate 20
Nitrite 0
Ph 7.0-7.2
Kh 80ppm
Gh 75ppm
Co2 15ppm
In this tank I began with Micro Sword, Amazon Sword (a runner plantling), Hornwort, and a purple plant (Hemigraphis colorata). These are "guarded" by two cory cats, two dwarf gouramis, and a rams horn snail.
After a week of nightly browsing the internet for articles relating to planted tanks, I tried some things different. I purchased a bundle of moneywort, and a piece of java fern with driftwood. I also bought a packet of bulbs from a local superstore, figuring the 2 dollars was worth a try (these are the brown spots by the micro sword). Heres week two:
Week 3 brought few changes, I really tried to let my plants settle and was watching my bulbs as they sprouted. It was just after this picture that I found out that the purple plant was NON aquatic, and so I removed it just after taking this picture:
With the purple plant gone, I was left with a gap that I didnt like in the tank, I replaced it with a 6" Amazon sword from a LFS. At the same time as this, I began my DIY co2 in the tank, and planted the Aponogeton Bulbs that had sprouted. The co2 had amazing results, within 10 days my 6" amazon sword has grown out of the water (its now about 12 inches tall) Ive taken the original runner amazon that i had and put it in my 5gal and my aponogetons now have 6-8 inch leaves, and my moneywort is probably two inches taller. My hornwort has really taken off and the only thing that hasnt really grown outrageously fast is my microsword, but it keeps chugging along, as well as my java fern. I really am impressed with the difference that co2 brought to my tank, and once my larger 29gal tank is ready I will co2 that one as well.
(okay i know my pics are kinda blurry - crappy 3mp digital vidcam pix) - so heres a guide:
left top - hornwort (helps hide my airlines and DIY co2)
left rear - Moneywort
center - amazon sword
right front - java fern on driftwood
right rear (behind the java fern) - 3 aponogetons
across front - micro sword
also a water lilly bulb - in front of my micro
Now I know this tank is mightily outclassed by some of the tanks on here, but I am mostly proud that I havent turned all my plants to mush or killed off all my fish.
I plan on getting a black background because i have heard that it really makes your plants "pop" when looking at them in the tank, I also would like to get some java moss to help cover some of the spaces and add some depth to the bottom of this tank. Also thinking about crypts in front of my moneywort or possibly in my midground somewhere.
Well try to get through the blurriness of my pics, feel free to add any contructive criticism, I have only up to go from here.
You going to have anything in front of the piece of wood?
