Getting CO2 this week! Journal of tank's evolution

[FishBR]

Hi everyone,

Here is my 55-gallon rainbowfish tank. It used to be a low-tech tank, but I have decided to take the plunge and I am getting my first CO2 system in the next few days. I need suggestions of plants. But first allow me to introduce the setup. The light is a Fluval Plant 3.0 LED fixture and the substrate is black diamond blasting sand. I will start using the Thrive All In One Liquid Fertilizer. Water parameters: PH 7.7 / Ammonia and Nitrite 0 / Nitrate 12 / GH 335 / KH 113 / Phosphate 0.7 / Temperature 77 F (25 C). Water change: 75% once a week.

The tank currently has the following foreground and midground plants:

Anubias (Barteri Nana Long Wavy, Barteri Round, Congensis, Nana Petite White, and Nana Thick Leaf), Cabomba, Cryptocoryne Mioya, Echinodorus Ozelot, Mini Bolbitis, Red Tiger Lotus, and Sagittaria Subulata.

It also includes the following background plants, from left to right: Rotala Wallichi, Bacopa Monnieri, Ludwigia Repens, and Vallisneria Americana.

I decided on most of these plants (with the exception of the Rotala and the Ludwigia) before knowing I would have CO2 injection. I might get rid of the Vallisneria to open room for news plants (would you do the same?). I need suggestions of background and midground plants that will add color (especially red) and variety to what I already have. Any suggestions?

Also, can someone identity this plant? I got it from Petco but they had no information about it. It turned out to be one of my favorites.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

Java fern, hornwort. I have these plants in a 22 gallon that gave the same parameters to you. They include: Asstd Anubias and this unidentifiable plant to the far left.

 

[itiwhetu]

The new plant is Ludwigia natans ( repens). Good luck with your adventure.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Some plants that do good with high light and CO2

Background (20cm+)
Ludwigia glandulosa - Slow grower, needs good light (which you should have), nice red colour.
Ludwigia Palustris Red - Fast growing, easy to grow, great red colour. Trim and replant to get it nice a dense.

Mid to front:
Alternanthera Reineckii: I haven't grown this myself but been looking at it for my current tank. Slower grower, can be kept trimmed low. Nice red/pink colour.

Edit:
You probably already know this but if you haven't already make sure you get yourself a drop checker and some 4dHK solution so you can properly measure your CO2. Also remember that a drop checker can be several hours behind what is actually happening so take it really slow.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

Some plants that do good with high light and CO2

Background (20cm+)
Ludwigia glandulosa - Slow grower, needs good light (which you should have), nice red colour.
Ludwigia Palustris Red - Fast growing, easy to grow, great red colour. Trim and replant to get it nice a dense.

Mid to front:
Alternanthera Reineckii: I haven't grown this myself but been looking at it for my current tank. Slower grower, can be kept trimmed low. Nice red/pink colour.

You give great advice.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Could do with having some tall plants around your anubias to shade the leaves of the anubias as they will quickly become algae magnets if given full light.

If Hydrocotyle tripartita var. “Japan” hasn't already been mentioned then that would be a recommendation from me. It's incredibly versatile, can grow as a bush or be used as a carpeting plant.

 

[FishBR]

Java fern, hornwort. I have these plants in a 22 gallon that gave the same parameters to you. They include: Asstd Anubias and this unidentifiable plant to the far left.View attachment 144582

Thank you for the suggestions. Honrwort is an option.

 

[FishBR]

The new plant is Ludwigia natans ( repens). Good luck with your adventure.

Thank for the identification. It looks very different from the other repens in the tank. I must have another variety of Ludwigia. The plant is looking better everyday, getting more and more red. Here is how it is looking today.

 

[FishBR]

Some plants that do good with high light and CO2

Background (20cm+)
Ludwigia glandulosa - Slow grower, needs good light (which you should have), nice red colour.
Ludwigia Palustris Red - Fast growing, easy to grow, great red colour. Trim and replant to get it nice a dense.

Mid to front:
Alternanthera Reineckii: I haven't grown this myself but been looking at it for my current tank. Slower grower, can be kept trimmed low. Nice red/pink colour.

Edit:
You probably already know this but if you haven't already make sure you get yourself a drop checker and some 4dHK solution so you can properly measure your CO2. Also remember that a drop checker can be several hours behind what is actually happening so take it really slow.

Thank you for all the great suggestions. I went to my LFS today and they had the Alternanthera Reineckii so I got a bunch Here is the pic. It is still small and not fully colored, but hopefully with CO2 (arrives Wednesday) and ferts it will thrive. I will look at the suggested Ludwigias.

I have ordered a drop checker. I did not know it runs a few hours behind, thanks for letting me know.

 

[FishBR]

You give great advice.

I agree!

 

[FishBR]

Could do with having some tall plants around your anubias to shade the leaves of the anubias as they will quickly become algae magnets if given full light.

If Hydrocotyle tripartita var. “Japan” hasn't already been mentioned then that would be a recommendation from me. It's incredibly versatile, can grow as a bush or be used as a carpeting plant.

Thanks for the heads up about the anubias. I will try to have them more shaded by taller plants.

I will also look at the Hydro, thanks.

 

[FishBR]

So I got a few plants at my LFS today and moved some plants around. Here is the current configuration:

Besides the Alternanthera Reineckii, I also got the Nasea Pedicellata Golden. Beautiful plant.

I also got the Rotala Macrandra "narrow leaf." It is not yet in good condition, but hopefully it will adapt.

The Red Tiger Lotus is looking good:

 

[itiwhetu]

So why the move to CO2?. I'm interested in knowing what that is going to give you that you don't already have.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Looking great.

This is going to look really good once everything has grown in.

There is actually a really good guide to using a drop checker on this site:

Drop Checkers - How They Work

Drop checkers – How they work A lot of people have been asking various questions on Drop checkers, and it is quite hard to write up about them in a short answer, so here is a complete guide to the Drop checker. A drop checker (or a permanent CO2 test) gives us a constant reading of the CO2...

www.fishforums.net

 

[mbsqw1d]

So I got a few plants at my LFS today and moved some plants around. Here is the current configuration:

View attachment 144646

Besides the Alternanthera Reineckii, I also got the Nasea Pedicellata Golden. Beautiful plant.

View attachment 144647

I also got the Rotala Macrandra "narrow leaf." It is not yet in good condition, but hopefully it will adapt.

View attachment 144648

The Red Tiger Lotus is looking good:

View attachment 144649

Looking incredible. Is that a sponge filter you're using?
You may want to move to an internal or external if so.
Planted tanks, especially with co2 require good circulation. Also, the bubbles from the sponge filter will mess around with your co2 levels. Air stones can be used but most co2 planted tank folk use them at night on a timer.