Low Light 47gal - My Planting Ideas

[DevUK]

Hey all.

Been planning this for the last week since getting the "beast" here's a link to my list of foreground, mid and background planting ideas for this tank:

http/www.deviant-uk.org/pics/aquatics/Ta...o180Plants.html

I have a hand scribbled sketch as to how I want to arrange things:

On the left side it would be the more bushy stem like plants. In front will be some Bacopa Australis, with some stones and small hard scape. Then behind that will be some Hygrophila Polysperma and behind/staggered to the right of that a little will be a Hydrocoytle Leucocephela, with perhaps a bit of slender pointy bogwood seperating them.

In the middle will be some more hard scaping with small pebbles perhaps, and grassy stuff - Elecharis "Parvula" for the foreground shorter grass and Echinodorus Angustifolius for the mid/back ground longer grass. These will be spread right to left, but focused in the middle more.

Then on the right will be more bogwood with Java Ferns (normal and "philipine") with some mosses. Also some Anubias Barteri var. Augstifolia latched onto a larger cave like bit of wood (nice secluded home for CAE!). Behind these will be some Vallis. Vallisneria Americana (Natans) in the corner, Vallisneria Nana left a bit and also a Crinum Calamistratum to provide a different texture, all waving about a little and mingling (hopefully). Also, down on the front right, some Marsilea Hirsuta to try and echo the Bacop on the left side.

Hope that reads as I see it in my head/on my scribble!

Anyone got any suggestions or see any issues?

Tank is 60w, so about 1.3wpg. I'll be adding DIY CO2, and dosing tropica plant nutrition. Got about 1cm Tetraplant complete substrate under the gravel and I'll be using tropica root tabs under the crypts. Not sure about EI dosing. I'll see how it goes for a while first

Any ideas/comments?

Thanks

 

[DevUK]

Hopefully my dodgy photoshopping will explain a little better!

 

[lljdma06]

Hopefully my dodgy photoshopping will explain a little better!

That is one of the best photoshops I've seen here in a long time. My attempts have just been silly.

If you've got a good substrate, rootabs, I'd go easy on the ferts initially. You may only need an all-purpose and possibly trace initially, as you get your stock settled. Now that my similar systems are older, I no longer even dose ferts except for placing some rootabs in the substrate for my crypts and other root feeders. Your eventually livestock levels will also determine how much ferts you add. I have a lot of fish, so adding ferts to the water column isn't necessary. There are people who actually don't overstock, though. But I like fish.

If it were me, I'd still plant with fast-growers and stems initially, and then gradually swap to the grass after the tank has settled. Grassy plants tend to attract algae and there's no sense in planting a plant like that initially only to have it get clogged up and have to bin it. When the tank is settled, 3-4 months, then you can plant the grassy stuff. Since the ferns and anubias attach to wood, they don't occupy precious substrate, so I usually add these in initially, so my tank isn't just a stemplant jungle. Aim for 60-75% of the substrate covered with the stems. I know the advice is typical of high-tech, but I really think this works for the low-light, CO2 tanks like yours and mine as well.

Otherwise, I really, really like the layout. It has the potential to be very attractive.

 

[DevUK]

That is one of the best photoshops I've seen here in a long time. My attempts have just been silly.

If you've got a good substrate, rootabs, I'd go easy on the ferts initially. You may only need an all-purpose and possibly trace initially, as you get your stock settled. Now that my similar systems are older, I no longer even dose ferts except for placing some rootabs in the substrate for my crypts and other root feeders. Your eventually livestock levels will also determine how much ferts you add. I have a lot of fish, so adding ferts to the water column isn't necessary. There are people who actually don't overstock, though. But I like fish.

Excellent, I have tropica tabs as I say, so they're going in under the crypts

If it were me, I'd still plant with fast-growers and stems initially, and then gradually swap to the grass after the tank has settled. Grassy plants tend to attract algae and there's no sense in planting a plant like that initially only to have it get clogged up and have to bin it. When the tank is settled, 3-4 months, then you can plant the grassy stuff.

Crumbs. Well its too late now! I won a load of Elecharis "Parvula" on ebay the other day. It arrived today and I've just spent the last 2 hours untangling half of it! I've also planted it! I got loads of the stuff! I've planted most of the tank with the half I've un-tangled! I expect it to be all turfed out by morning (stupid CAE!)

Since the ferns and anubias attach to wood, they don't occupy precious substrate, so I usually add these in initially, so my tank isn't just a stemplant jungle. Aim for 60-75% of the substrate covered with the stems. I know the advice is typical of high-tech, but I really think this works for the low-light, CO2 tanks like yours and mine as well.

Otherwise, I really, really like the layout. It has the potential to be very attractive.

I got a Hygrophila corymbosa ''Siamensis 53B'' and a Cryptocoryne x willisii which aren't on my planting list, but you know how it is...

I think I'll take your advice on the stem plants, and get several Hygrophila polysperma. Any other reccomendations for other stem plants? (I prefer narrow leaved plants).

Thanks again

 

[Dave Spencer]

Dev, if you have any spare suckers with clips, such as those for filter hoses. you could put stem plants in them and stick them around the sides of the tank without spoiling the scape. Too many potentially good scapes have been spoilt over the past few months by people not filling up with temporary fast growing stems from the outset. Do yourself a favour and get plenty of fast growing stems from Greenline right now (Rotala rotundifolia ).

I have had people say they will do it when the algae starts appearing, but by then it is too late. Algae prevention is so much easier than algae removal. 1.3WPG over 47USG should be fairly forgiving and I am sure you will be OK (I have just started two lower light tanks that have been easy in terms of algae), but get it right now and enjoy a stable tank for as long as you like after the first three months or so. Having the weeds around for a while will be a PITA, but it will be worth it.

I gaurantee that despite all this, you will see some algae. I have a 60l tank that had a band of algae on all four glass panes, two inches from the top and two inches up from the substrate obscuring my view in to the tank. I read JamesC`c guide on algae which recommended leaving it for around three weeks before removing it. A little before the three week mark I noticed that the algae (GDA) was starting to disappear, so rather than remove it myself, I have waited a further three weeks and watched it slowly disappear naturally. Get it right now and you should have a great looking tank.

Dave.

 

[DevUK]

Excellent

Right now, I have some Egeria Densa in the tank, along with a stem of cabmoba lol. I plan to buy more fast growers! Also, I'm not using the light as yet due to the fact that I'm repairing it So the only light this tank is getting is daylight. Seems to be fine so far, but then theres minimal bio load at the moment.

Gonna put an order in with Greenline then I think, when I know the light is working properly!

What do you think to the following?

Shinnersia rivularis - Mexican Oak Leaf
Rotala rotundifolia
Hygrophila Polysperma
Egeria Densa

Anything else?

 

[lljdma06]

This is a tropical tank, right? Egeria densa is a fantastic plant, but the growth is better under cooler temperatures. You already have some, but a better tropical option is Egeria najas, a slender-leaved cousin of Egeria densa. Other options for your lighting level are either Lymnophila sessilifolia, indica, or aquaticum. This is the poor man's Myriophylum and really very adaptable plants that do pretty well in lower light levels. A fine-leafed plant without the fine-leafed hassle.

llj