Sam's Now To Be High Light And Tech 20g

[mlawson]

I think it still looks great, the narrow leaf java fern is one of my avourite plants when it get larger.

Mike

 

[blue acara]

Plants look in ggood health Sam, as do the fish. Thanks for always posting on my threads. ty m8

Interesting mix of substrate- it looks good, black with specs of pink.

As experimentation tanks go this one looks luvly.

 

[Castellop123]

This journal hasn't been updated in a long while... What's happening to the tank, Sam?

 

[john starkey]

Hi sam, its looking really healthy mate considering how busy you have been lately its doing very well. regards john

 

[RadaR]

Once I get everything sorted with work and the house, etc, I should be back to my normal self re threads and stuff.

 

[Themuleous]

Thought it was time for an update.

The last scape got ruined as I had a hagen power glo and Arcadia original over it, so lacked light and BBA really took hold. So I stripped it right down, reused the bits of the plants I could and overdose excel for a bit to get rid of the BBG and small amount of staghorn that was present. I also added pressurised CO2 (see my FE thread) which the plants have really responded to. I also had to clear a spout of green water with my UV steriliser, but it worked a treat and only took 2 days.

Here's the tank as of tonight.

Looks better if you ignore the top bit

Once the plants get a bit higher and fill the tank a bit more it should look better. I am also thinking of changing the sags with dwarf hairgrass, as I think the sags will get to high, but time will tell I guess. Thinking I might also put a java fern on the piece of wood, as the swords will probably be rather bare at the base once growing properly.

I pruned the rotala the other night, and the base leaves looked like this.

Anyone got an ideas how to prevent this? It is the lower leaves, so could just be an age thing, it was tall when I pruned it. I guess I might need to be more pro-active with the pruning, that'll also help things bush out as well.

Thoughts/comments welcome

Sam

 

[Dave Spencer]

Your Rotala looks suspisciously like Hygrophila polysperma to me, Sam, possibly with a little `rosanverig` as well (leaves with the prominent veins). It`s hard to make out, but are they being eaten?

The tank has that look where the growth is just about to take off, giving you a mature looking tank in no time. Get your scissors sharpened, as they all look like fast growers.

Small leafed plants such as HM and Micranthemum umbrosum would look great in a smaller tank like this.

What types of fish have you got in there Sam?

Dave.

 

[Gill]

Looks great, are those Limias i see

The little foreground plants, are they chain swords - Want Some as a foreground but can't find any.

 

[Ark]

can u give me a complete list of details about this tank
size lighting dosing co2
and most importantly a list of all the plants

tyvm

 

[mlawson]

Looks good, very green.
That Rotala definitely looks like H. polysperma or another Hygrophila species.

Mike

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh I think you're right H.poly! I cant be expected to remember all the plants I add!

Dave - don't think they are being eaten, these pics are just after I pruned it down so these are the oldest leaves. Just wonder if there is something I should be doing to keep even the old leaves lush and healthy or if the older leaves 'dieing' like this is just normal? You're right about the MH might see if I can get some, would be a nice transitional plant for the mid-ground area too. Trouble with this tank is its tall and not very wide, only 18" its tricky getting a gradient into such a short space!

Fish list is below

Thinking I might replace the sags with hairgrass as it'll not be as tall.

Ark - Tank stats

Plants - H.poly, sags think they are sagittaria subulata, rotala rotundifolia, Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis' I think, amazon swords
Substrate - mixed EC with black fine gravel and laterite
CO2 - pressurised 30ppm
Lighting - 2x Arcadia freshwater 18w T8's
Ferts - just AE trace when I remember!
Tank - 30l x 18d x 24h - 20UKg
Filter - external Eheim 2222
Fish - clown loaches, red phantom tetras, lemon tetra, x-ray tetra, American flagfish, ottos, neon tetras, checkered barb, julii cory cats

Sam

 

[lljdma06]

If you have snails then the leaf shape may be due to that. Without food, snails will turn to eating leaves. Otherwise, look to a deficiency of some sort, or possibly old age. Did you keep the top cuttings?

By the way, the tank is no longer low-tech, you're adding CO2. You should probably change the title.

It looks great. I like H. polysperma, can't get it in the states anymore.

llj

 

[Themuleous]

Just thought I would add these update photo as for last week. Certainly matured in the last month or so. Touch wood very little algae apart from a bit GSA on the glass. This could actually mean I got EI to work for once, na not possible. Think the fert deficiency is over but will give it a few more weeks just to be sure.

Sam

 

[lljdma06]

Fish - clown loaches, red phantom tetras, lemon tetra, x-ray tetra, American flagfish, ottos, neon tetras, checkered barb, julii cory cats

Hi Sam, looking good, very Jungly. I likey. Not entirely convinced that you have Red phantom tetras there. See the red phantom below

http/www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_Megalam...us_sweglesi.php

Yours has too much white in the fins, a sign that it may be a Serpae tetra which is either known as Hyphessobrycon callistus or eques depending on who you consult. There are very small differences between the two. Both are commonly called either the Serpae tetra or the Jewel tetra. Both them along with the Hyphessobrycon sweglesi (the red phantom) are members of the tetra group known as blood characins, noted for their boisterous behavior.

H. eques

http/www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_serpae.php

H. callistus

http/www.tropicalfishprofiles.com/charac...ycon-callistus/

Sorry, I'm being such a nerd, but I couldn't resist.

 

[Themuleous]

Thanks Llj its nothing special but I like the fact thats it developing nicely and the plants seem to be happy. I do really need to do a prune. I might gets some red in there at some stage. That or as Im doing EI anyway, I might whack up the lighting and rip it all apart again!

The Hygrophila corymbosa does so well a bit of a find really, got it on the spur of the moment, but it has worked out well, very bushy and it keeps its lower leaves which is nice. Very slow growing.

You're right about the serpae's that what I means to write, honest

Sam