George's Journal

[George Farmer]

Latest.

You can see oxygen bubbles formed on the surface. I've never known plants to grow so quick! Looks like my 30 mg/l CO2 and fert dosing is working.

 

[Sky042]

wow thats an incredible looking setup.
I'm just starting to take an interest in a planted tank myself looking at converting a 37G into one.

I'm curious though what caused the BGA outbreak?

 

[George Farmer]

I'm curious though what caused the BGA outbreak?

Read through this thread. In summary I beleive the main factor was low nitrates.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=91817

 

[Sky042]

Hmm low nitrates is something I'll never have to worry about. my tap water is about 40ppm

 

[houndour]

love the dark gravel. shame you had to restart, i was interested to see how your hairgrass carpet matured. I'm thinking of giving up on hairgrass. I feel my tank isn't big enough because I want a nice clean area of open space sand. And I can't have both

 

[-*-MicHAeL-*-]

its nice what is the small grass at the base of the tank

 

[tear-scar]

you're going to have a bush when the difformis gets going . . . .

 

[daudy_dojo]

watching you change your tank is so awsome GF i wish i had the money and the time.. cant wait till 2morrow (i get paid for the first time) im going to get a 25G long and work with that

 

[George Farmer]

you're going to have a bush when the difformis gets going . . . .

Good to hear from you again.

You're not wrong about the difformis, you can almost see it grow in front of your eyes! It is a great plant though for establishing that all important balance after a big strip-down.

I'm still completely undecided about the long-term layout. Time to get out Amano's Nature Aquarium World books out again for some inspiration.

-*-MicHAeL-*- The foregound plant is Sagittaria platyphylla. An easy, medium growth plant that forms a carpet (as mine is doing). I only bought one pot which contained 3 or 4 small plantlets - you can see the growth already after only 3 weeks.

daudy_dojo - Good luck. You've come to the right place for advice if you need it.

 

[tear-scar]

There's always the old micranthemum micranthemoides . . . Anubias also cannot look bad. I've got some of the "gold" nana growing in my grow-out now . . . very interesting looking plant . . .

Are you going to try to keep the current short background?

 

[George Farmer]

Here's the latest pic.

I've done some research on Tom Barr's Estimative Index method of fertilising and have decided that along with adding KNO3 every other day I will add KH2PO4 - Potassium phosphate (extra PO4) and possibly another Potassium (K) based compound. Reasons for adding extra PO4 is that my levels are undetectable (with RowaPhos removed) and I am seeing early symptoms of green spot algae on my Sagittaria leaves. Boosting PO4 levels slowly to about 1 ppm should see me get better growth still and combat the green spot algae. That will be my NPK macronutrients sorted. I will continue to dose Dennerle ferts for the micros.

 

[GSD]

wow!im proud of myself for keeping afew ferny things alive,i cant imaging how hard that would be to do.WELL DONE

 

[George Farmer]

i cant imaging how hard that would be to do.

It's actually easier than it looks. With the correct lighting, CO2 and nutrient levels anyone can acheive what I have done.

 

[One_Trick_Pony]

wow!!! looking brillent!

 

[guppygirl]

And yet another layout, gf225!!



I applaude you!!!

Good luck with this one!
~Robin