Planting Brackish Aquaria

[AMS]

Excellent thread - I have a couple of follow up questions.

I had been trying to grow several of the enumerated plants in 1.005 SG conditions, with little success. I think perhaps my substrate and lighting could be at issue, though, instead of the salinity. The tank in question is 29 gal., housing mollies and a knight goby. Sadly, I introduced some sort of parasite into the tank through lack of QTing a new molly (lesson learned!), so as a last resort and after losing many fish, I just tore the tank down Sunday night. I was using aragonite sand (black), Instant Ocean marine salt, and had very recently (within past week) upgraded to a power compact lighting fixture. I intend to set the tank back up with entirely new substrate, and am wondering what type would be best. I like the look of sand, but I believe perhaps it was too compact to allow proper aeration... how about mixing the black sand with Flourite?

Re: lighting, specifically I've got java moss, java fern and tiger lotus...the microswords were choked out by hair algae. Is the PC too much light, and perhaps causing the algae issues to become worse? I use only RO/DI water, run a PolyFilter to help control phosphates, do weekly 5 gal. water changes.

And what about a CO2 system - would this perhaps aid in the plant growth? I've heard competing reviews of running CO2 on a BW tank.

I don't know what all fish will be in this tank...the knight goby, hopefully (he's in QT at the moment), and perhaps a figure 8 puff...trying to decide between the puff and Florida flag fish.

Advice here would be greatly appreciated! I have no problem growing low-medium light plants in my FW tank (44 gal. pentagon...tall tank, with PC lights), but it's been a disaster thus far w/ the BW tank...

Thanks in advance,

-JKJ

How many watts is your PC lighting? As for substrate, if you want microsword or tiger lotus regular sand won't cut it, you really need something like laterite for proper growth. C02 is perfectly fine to inject into brackish water, but you may not need it depending on how effective your lighting is. What (if any) ferts are you using?

 

[jkj454]

"How many watts is your PC lighting? As for substrate, if you want microsword or tiger lotus regular sand won't cut it, you really need something like laterite for proper growth. C02 is perfectly fine to inject into brackish water, but you may not need it depending on how effective your lighting is. What (if any) ferts are you using?"

My PC is 36watts. With regard to the substrate, yes, I realize that the sand wasn't ideal. I suppose maybe it is a blessing in disguise that I had to tear down the tank, so now I can start again properly. I had been keeping FW plants in pea-sized gravel with great success, but the more reading I've done, I realize that it's the type of plants (annubias, crypts) that allow me such latitidue, as they are not-so-demanding. I do not have any micro-swords left, as the were choked out from algae, but I may want to try them again. Will a substrate like Fluorite be good enough for tiger lotus/micro-swords? At this point, I want to give myself as many options as possible for plants, so am willing to spend the extra $$$. With regards to fertilizer, I had just started using www.aquariumplants.com's proprietary substrate tabs. Prior to that, I wasn't fertilizing at all. So that, coupled with just a regular NO flourescent light and plain sand substrate all probably added to the problems.

This time I'm determined to do things right, which is why I'm asking all the questions! I am in the process of reading Peter Hiscock's Encyclopedia of Planted Aquariums as well, to better educate myself.

I'd be curious to know what substrate and fertilizer you would recommend, as well as whether you'd suggest CO2.

On a final note, I was attempting to gros java moss on rocks (had it attached with cotton thread). Unfortuntaly, it isn't taking off at all - it's mostly brown, and has yet to form roots. Any further suggestions there? The java fern was doing fine, on the other hand...

Thanks!!

-JKJ

 

[AMS]

Yes, flourite should be fine. C02 isn't neccessary on a 29 gallon tank with 36 watts of PC. Sometimes java moss just takes time to establish itself, make sure it isn't shaded by other plants. As for ferts I personally use Seachem and I highly reccomend it, although you won't be needing much as you only have 36 watts.

 

[jkj454]

Any tips of controlling the algae this time 'round? As mentioned before, I use RO/DI water, run a PolyFilter, try not to overfeed, and do regular water changes...

I had read before (sorry, cannot remember where), that CO2 may well be the only way to effectively control algae in a BW tank. What is your opinion on the effect of CO2 on algae, if any? Or do you have any other solutions? I realize you want more plants rather than less, to use up the excess nutrients, but with the problem of getting anything to grow, you can see how this becomes a Catch 22...

-JKJ

 

[nmonks]

There's a very good pinned topic in the Planted Tanks section. Well worth a read.

Basically, the nutrients are less of an issue the higher the rate of plant growth is. Once the plants are growing, they actively depress algal growth rates by pumping out toxins. I've seen algae in tanks with barely any nitrate, and tanks with tonnes of nitrate but minimal algae. I swear by hornwort... it seems to be an amazing algae buster. I'm sure there are lots of other options, Hygrophila, Vallisneria, and the like. Slow growers like Java moss and Java fern are rubbish at beating algae though.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[jkj454]

Hi Neale (others)-

That last link was great - thank you!

Also, I want to correct what I earlier said about PC wattage - it's 55, not 36. Does that affect anyone's anylsis re: whether or not I need CO2? Just so you know, a CO2 unit is on my Xmas list

I bought a whole bunch of plants yesterday and aquascaped the tank...currently, there are tiger lotus, anubias (two sp.), java fern (two sp.), 4 marimo moss balls. I planted pretty heavily. I realize there aren't really any "quick growers" here, but I just haven't had *any* success at all with stem plants. I'm going to give this a go and cross my fingers. The slow growing anubias, along with crypts, in my FW tank are doing very well, and I have minimal algae problems there. Also, FYI, I used about 3" of Eco-Complete as a substrate.

Secondly, the LFS guy suggested that I gradually build up to using my PCs...he suggested starting with my normal output fluorescents for only a few hours a day, gradually increasing, then switching to the PC and starting of again with only a few hours a day, gradually increasing. In reading the algae article (link from last post), I see the suggested 5-2-5 "siesta" schedule, but no mention of what the LFS guy was talking about. Is what he suggests necessary/beneficial, or will I be OK to go ahead and set up the 5-2-5 w/ the PCs?

Finally, with regard to java fern, I attached a lot to various pieces of driftwood, but then had extra...will this plant survive in the substrate? That's how the LFS had them planted, but you never know with regard to what the stores do...

Thanks again...I think we're almost there

Next topic will be re: fish!!

-JKJ

 

[flamingonhot]

Seagrass (turtle grass, manatee grass, etc.) can be grown in a normal aquarium. It's harder than macros etc. but can be done. Needs a deep sand bed that's been established with detritus and bacteria, etc. and higher lighting such as power compacts. Some like turtle grass need a recommended 10 inch sand bed supposedly, but IMHO you could go lower.


Straight Vallisneria, IMHO, is the best plant to use in the brackish aquaria, or any freshwater aquarium. I've manintained it in Sg's up to 1.014 at times with no troubles. It's just the perfect plant in my opinion. Easy to maintain, grows readily, does not require high lighting, etc. It's one of the only plants I readily use in my aquariums. Usually I make giant thickets of it, and any one of my fish love playing in the stuff. SO far, my favorite thing i've done with it is the giant plant thicket in my 65 gallon. It was taken down a while ago, but watching the giant strands in the current really looked amazing. I even had them send up flower shoots and release seeds.

 

[reiverix]

I've also had good growth with vals. Americana has been the outright winner. Widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima) is also another option.

 

[carracarra130]

hi folks hope you dont minde me adding as Ive a 5ft brakish estury tank on the go with a beach and red mangroves growing (just roots so far bought 11 pods thinking only 2or three may survive but only two didnot make it ' the stock we have is archers4, red scats two monos two (wich will go into our reef as they get older) and 4 indian mudskippers hte tank is partily covered to allow humidty for skippers and growth space for mangroves as will be re homing excess mangroves

 

[fishfishfish]

i read that anubias work well in brackish tanks.is this true?

 

[rbittman]

Neale,
I am new to brackish but not new to planted tanks. I recently set up a small planted tank meant to house six small Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis at spg of about 1.003-1.004.
The substrate is ADA Aquasoil Amazonia II and the water is R/O with 1.2 Tbsp marine salt added per gallon (added to source water, not to the tank). Lighting is quite high: 26 watts on 5 gals.

The plants are Java fern, Anubias nana, Eleocharis and Lilaeopsis sp (mini). The plants are doing well and growing, though slower than in a fresh tank. Lilaeopsis is particularly slow, but I understand that may be normal for this plant.

I inject CO2 to a level of 30ppm, measured with a drop checker (CalAqua; essential item!).
So, the tank has been up for a month and is fully cycled. By now the ADA soil should be fairly settled down (it causes drop in pH initially). But, it isn't.

My pH is consistenly below 7.0. I have taken to adding 1/4 tsp. baking soda to raise the pH and add buffering capacity, but should I have to do this given all the Instant Ocean I add?
I have not added the fish yet as I am concerned about the pH being so low.

Any thoughts?

 

[jonny5]

right now my tank is running at 1.004sg and i (mistakingly for a wanted planted tank) used fine argonite substrate for the light to medium brackish tank. So my ph is at 8.2, salinity above the peek where alot of the "brackish tolerable" plants start to die off, and general and carbonate hardness is quite high.

I threw in some giant valls and hope they would take, at first there was a decent leaf die off, but now all 3 of plant bundles are starting to produce new shoots from the runners about 2-3inches away from the main plant. So Giant val has proven its self very hardy, plus the sheer amount of plant matter it puts into the tank is greatly used by many of my fish.

 

[fi_sjo]

I've made an Excel spreadsheet with the plants named in this thread, including pictures of each and some links of where to buy in the UK.

Download here: http/di.cx/stuff/Brackish_Plants_List.xls (6.72 MB)




Hope you find it useful

 

[guitarquen]

I had heard somewhere that Java fern is poisonous to Scats.  Is this true?

 

[iliveinazoo]

I had heard somewhere that Java fern is poisonous to Scats.  Is this true?

I've also read that Java Ferns are poisonous and they may well be as many plants are but I had one in a Scat tank without problems - in fact it was the only greenery the Scats left alone! the only issue is that Scats will prefer higher salinities.  Java Ferns will struggle over SG1.005@25DegC