Thanks a lot mate
Actually... I already had 4 platies in there since a couple of days after planting.... and today i added 12 neons (i asked for 10, but the assistant couldn;t be bothered to count them) and 4 algae eaters.
I post some new pics asap.
Gardeners World - Update Pg 5
- Thread starter JamieH
- Start date
Thanks a lot mate
Actually... I already had 4 platies in there since a couple of days after planting.... and today i added 12 neons (i asked for 10, but the assistant couldn;t be bothered to count them) and 4 algae eaters.
I post some new pics asap.
SuperColey1
Planted Section
Looking good matey. Nice to see the growth in one week, I had that then decided to move a few things, and it all slowed down. lol
So a few new pics and a bit of an update.
Firstly, the things that aren't going too well....
1: the vallis isn;t really growing much, which is weird, because i have hard water, and it's always grown like a weed in the past. I specifically plated this in the two rear corners because i expected it to hide the equipment, but as you can see from the pics, it's hardly grown.
2: the crypts... they haven't grown much, and many of the leaves look quite sickly. however i noticed that all my beckettii has new green/brown leaves growing today. So i wonder if it's still just settling in
3, the alternanthera - lots of shoots, but not a huge amount of vertical growth.
- today i had to trim the hygrophilia as it had reached the surface... i replanted all the cuttings, so in the couple of weeks the area behind the rocks should be twice as bushy.
I've had a very thin smear of green and brown algae in the tabk since week 1 - but it's not really progressing much and i didn;t have any clean up crew in there so wasn't worried.
I added 4 common algae eaters (loaches?) yesterday and they have reduced the amount by about half in a day. good news!
Anyway, here's the pics, with week 1 and 2 comparisons
Week 1:
Week 2:
Week 3:
Also, my E Osiris has gone MAD in the last few days anf both plants have huge new leaves - i reckon their roots have reached the nutrient layer!
Week 1:
Week 3:
Anyway... as ever, let me know what you think.
Firstly, the things that aren't going too well....
1: the vallis isn;t really growing much, which is weird, because i have hard water, and it's always grown like a weed in the past. I specifically plated this in the two rear corners because i expected it to hide the equipment, but as you can see from the pics, it's hardly grown.
2: the crypts... they haven't grown much, and many of the leaves look quite sickly. however i noticed that all my beckettii has new green/brown leaves growing today. So i wonder if it's still just settling in
3, the alternanthera - lots of shoots, but not a huge amount of vertical growth.
- today i had to trim the hygrophilia as it had reached the surface... i replanted all the cuttings, so in the couple of weeks the area behind the rocks should be twice as bushy.
I've had a very thin smear of green and brown algae in the tabk since week 1 - but it's not really progressing much and i didn;t have any clean up crew in there so wasn't worried.
I added 4 common algae eaters (loaches?) yesterday and they have reduced the amount by about half in a day. good news!
Anyway, here's the pics, with week 1 and 2 comparisons
Week 1:
Week 2:
Week 3:
Also, my E Osiris has gone MAD in the last few days anf both plants have huge new leaves - i reckon their roots have reached the nutrient layer!
Week 1:
Week 3:
Anyway... as ever, let me know what you think.
TBH I haven't tested the water since week 1!
Which is sheer laziness... I know.
The red plant is alternanthera reinicki (sp?)
three-fingers
Fish Connoisseur
These guys? If they are you will need to rehome them eventually though, they can be nasty to most other fish (and will even kill small tetras) once they reach 3-4 inches, but they are very good at eating algae to begin with
.Tanks looking great, its providing inspiration for my 50gal and I think I'll probably just use yeast based co2 on mine too, since it will be medium lighting with easy/fast growing/robust plants (my syno destroys and eats anything that tries to grow).
Thanks
.These guys? If they are you will need to rehome them eventually though, they can be nasty to most other fish (and will even kill small tetras) once they reach 3-4 inches, but they are very good at eating algae to begin with
Tanks looking great, its providing inspiration for my 50gal and I think I'll probably just use yeast based co2 on mine too, since it will be medium lighting with easy/fast growing/robust plants (my syno destroys and eats anything that tries to grow).
Thanks
Yeah.... they will be rehomed when they get bigger. They were only £1.40 each and were all the shop had except gibbiceps. I decided I really should get something to have a go at the algae in case i get past a tipping point where algae does too well.
I want a SWARM of bristlnose when i can find a shop which has some.
Joemuz
Fishaholic
Well done jamie! Im glad to see you setting up the tank again after the disaster.
Looks absoloutly amazing! Im gonna have to get some crinum now, they are realy nice.
Good luck, Joemuz
Looks absoloutly amazing! Im gonna have to get some crinum now, they are realy nice.
Good luck, Joemuz
Thank you Jamie for this very interesting thread.
As I said in my PM I'm getting another tank as soon as I'm able and all the above helped.
Plus it's great that there are so many people on this forum who are willing to help at every step of the way.Sort of gives you the confidence to try more things.
Cheers.
Malfie
As I said in my PM I'm getting another tank as soon as I'm able and all the above helped.
Plus it's great that there are so many people on this forum who are willing to help at every step of the way.Sort of gives you the confidence to try more things.
Cheers.
Malfie
Sophos9, the red plant is Alternanter reineckii either rosefolia or lilac. Jamie, you're dissapointed with its growth, but it is not what I consider a fast-growing stemplant. It grows compact under stronger lighting. It is a steady grower, however, and I have found it to be pretty undemanding. I have it prominently featured in two of my low-light tanks. I get much more vertical growth.
Sorry I missed this thread. It is my understanding then that you have changed this tank from a low-tech to something more like a high-tech? The presence of CO2 injection and that diffusor and your lighting makes me hesitate to call this a low-tech, which to my understanding doesn't inject CO2. Your system is actually pretty similar in concept to my 20g and my 36g, both of which are lower light systems with added CO2. Both these tanks, however, are well below the 2WPG barrier. Be careful with your lighting, it is stronger than you think. Your tank is quite large and WPG is not as effective a lighting estimate with both smaller and larger systems. With larger systems, less lighting is needed to achieve the same effect, and 2.4WPG may not seem like a lot of light to you, but it is a goodly amount. Good enough light for me to recommend that you up your stemplant population by a good margin. This, to me is not a low-tech tank, and should be treated as a high-tech tank.
Make sure the crypts have enough food. Sand is not the best substrate for these plants, the compaction can reduce circulation, but I'm assuming you've got a nutrient-rich base layer. If the sand doesn't compact much, the crypts' roots should find there way there. Your plan for rootabs is a good one. Same story with the valis
If I'm reading what you originally intended in your first post correctly, you could have easily set this system up with the plants you wanted with half the lighting? 1.2WPG would have been more than sufficient for the plants you have. Why did you opt for more lighting? Just curious.
That being said, it is a lovely tank. I would love to set up a larger system eventually, but I've not the cash for even the tank right now, so I must content myself with smaller systems.
The plecos will need to be rehomed soon. The brown algae you're getting now is pretty common in newer systems and many algae-eaters consume this.
Again, I apologize for ignoring this thread. I deal mostly with low-light, low-tech, low-cost systems and it would have been good for me to read this.
llj
Sorry I missed this thread. It is my understanding then that you have changed this tank from a low-tech to something more like a high-tech? The presence of CO2 injection and that diffusor and your lighting makes me hesitate to call this a low-tech, which to my understanding doesn't inject CO2. Your system is actually pretty similar in concept to my 20g and my 36g, both of which are lower light systems with added CO2. Both these tanks, however, are well below the 2WPG barrier. Be careful with your lighting, it is stronger than you think. Your tank is quite large and WPG is not as effective a lighting estimate with both smaller and larger systems. With larger systems, less lighting is needed to achieve the same effect, and 2.4WPG may not seem like a lot of light to you, but it is a goodly amount. Good enough light for me to recommend that you up your stemplant population by a good margin. This, to me is not a low-tech tank, and should be treated as a high-tech tank.
Make sure the crypts have enough food. Sand is not the best substrate for these plants, the compaction can reduce circulation, but I'm assuming you've got a nutrient-rich base layer. If the sand doesn't compact much, the crypts' roots should find there way there. Your plan for rootabs is a good one. Same story with the valis
If I'm reading what you originally intended in your first post correctly, you could have easily set this system up with the plants you wanted with half the lighting? 1.2WPG would have been more than sufficient for the plants you have. Why did you opt for more lighting? Just curious.
That being said, it is a lovely tank. I would love to set up a larger system eventually, but I've not the cash for even the tank right now, so I must content myself with smaller systems.
The plecos will need to be rehomed soon. The brown algae you're getting now is pretty common in newer systems and many algae-eaters consume this.
Again, I apologize for ignoring this thread. I deal mostly with low-light, low-tech, low-cost systems and it would have been good for me to read this.
llj
Sibelius
Fishaholic
I really like your tank too. Have you considered any floating plants, perhaps just a few in one corner, to give an extra dimension? I love using amazon frogbit to give my tank extra interest.,It's also hugely appreciated by my top-water fish. I think hatchets would look great in your tank.
Sophos9, the red plant is Alternanter reineckii either rosefolia or lilac. Jamie, you're dissapointed with its growth, but it is not what I consider a fast-growing stemplant. It grows compact under stronger lighting. It is a steady grower, however, and I have found it to be pretty undemanding. I have it prominently featured in two of my low-light tanks. I get much more vertical growth.
Sorry I missed this thread. It is my understanding then that you have changed this tank from a low-tech to something more like a high-tech? The presence of CO2 injection and that diffusor and your lighting makes me hesitate to call this a low-tech, which to my understanding doesn't inject CO2. Your system is actually pretty similar in concept to my 20g and my 36g, both of which are lower light systems with added CO2. Both these tanks, however, are well below the 2WPG barrier. Be careful with your lighting, it is stronger than you think. Your tank is quite large and WPG is not as effective a lighting estimate with both smaller and larger systems. With larger systems, less lighting is needed to achieve the same effect, and 2.4WPG may not seem like a lot of light to you, but it is a goodly amount. Good enough light for me to recommend that you up your stemplant population by a good margin. This, to me is not a low-tech tank, and should be treated as a high-tech tank.
Make sure the crypts have enough food. Sand is not the best substrate for these plants, the compaction can reduce circulation, but I'm assuming you've got a nutrient-rich base layer. If the sand doesn't compact much, the crypts' roots should find there way there. Your plan for rootabs is a good one. Same story with the valis
If I'm reading what you originally intended in your first post correctly, you could have easily set this system up with the plants you wanted with half the lighting? 1.2WPG would have been more than sufficient for the plants you have. Why did you opt for more lighting? Just curious.
That being said, it is a lovely tank. I would love to set up a larger system eventually, but I've not the cash for even the tank right now, so I must content myself with smaller systems.
The plecos will need to be rehomed soon. The brown algae you're getting now is pretty common in newer systems and many algae-eaters consume this.
Again, I apologize for ignoring this thread. I deal mostly with low-light, low-tech, low-cost systems and it would have been good for me to read this.
llj
Yeah... my tank ended up a sort of halfway house.
Thanks for the very comprehensive comments.
So.
I moved the alternanthera from the left hand side to the left hand middle... and filled the rear left hand corner with cuttings of the hygrophilia. The vallis from the rear left hand is now in the middle, where it should get more light.
I've also removed a rock which i thought was overpowering now the plants have grown.
Other than that... no exciting news.
So there'[s the new pics... as ever, your comments are appreciated.
J
I moved the alternanthera from the left hand side to the left hand middle... and filled the rear left hand corner with cuttings of the hygrophilia. The vallis from the rear left hand is now in the middle, where it should get more light.
I've also removed a rock which i thought was overpowering now the plants have grown.
Other than that... no exciting news.
So there'[s the new pics... as ever, your comments are appreciated.
J
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