Si's Low Tech Tank Journal

[PDSimon]

England so not far at all, I did a thread and he had replied. Can't find what he suggested anywhere though unfortunately...

I saw some diamond tetras today which I'm quite keen on if they fit

 

[PDSimon]

Heres how the tank looks. I should've wiped the water of the front but you get the idea

I've added 6 diamond tetra, which are a little shy in the picture as i'd just done weekly maintanence. Great fish, very friendly, brought the rams out more..great to watch especially when feeding. Feel pretty happy with this..Pretty much finished in terms of new stuff for it...

 

[Tropical_Noobie]

Long time no speak, I hope all is well?

Your Planted Aquarium looks very impressive Si I am so jealous well done!

I have been saving my pennies to start a Planted Aquarium and am just about there all bar a few items which I am buying tomorrow

(I have had it with these Silk plants, They just don't cut it!)

Please feel free to drop into my Journal from time to time with any words of wisdom if you have the time. lol.

Clint.

 

[PDSimon]

Hey! It is indeed. How're things for you?

Thanks, nice to hear that!!

I will definately drop in. I read your other thread but don't really know anything about using gas co2 except that it'll look great if its properly set up Ianho recently started using co2 and the colour of his plants changed a lot. I imagine the growth will have too.. Not to mention a great choice of plants.



My diamond tetra have taken quite a liking to hygrophila difformis not quite what I expected. Luckily I think thats all they like. It was one of the fast growing plants but I think i'll shove it to the side and put another ozelot or osiris and something else in that middle space. I also want a tall red plant so any low light plants that anyone knows of would be appreciated.

 

[Verminator89]

The red pigmentation in "red" plants comes from high lighting and high CO2, usually indicating a difficult plant to grow - unfortunately. Ludwigia Rosanervig is such a plant, in high light tanks it shows a vibrant purple/red but in most of our aquaria it'll either go green, or die. Only once did i manage to get it red, and it spent the other 90% of its time green

EDIT: and i quote from me "Ludwigia Rosanervig" <--Lol. i meant to put Hygrophila Polysperma 'Rosanervig'. Ahhhh, only took me like 24 hours to figure that mistake out haha.

 

[PDSimon]

My ech. Rubin is pretty red though and the underside of lugwigia is red.

Don't lie to me I want a red plant

would hygrophila corymbosa 'red' grow? I need to stop buying echinodorus plants so I need help

 

[Verminator89]

Echi's are the way forward! Haha, they are brilliant, unfortunately they consume your tank. I had two massive ones in a 3ft. Going along the 3ft of the tank they touched the sides and each other, so continuously along the tank it was an Echi chain

 

[PDSimon]

Thats awesome... I do love a good ech. I would probably fill it all with echs if I was rich They all seem to be 10quid plus with tropica

Do you think the corymbosa would be any good as a red plant?

 

[Verminator89]

I think it'll be mainly green to be honest. The tips might be redish slightly but the rest of the plant will be green i'm convinced of it. Try it by all means.

Don't get your Echi's from Tropica. I know its a sin, but my local P@H are amazing for plants. I'd NEVER buy anything from them, except plants - they seem to get in all sorts of weird Echi's and all sorts. Of all places aye, i aint complaining though

 

[PDSimon]

My LFS is awful for plants

I found some cheap deals for echs on here https/www.theaquaticroom.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=52_94_95&sort=2a&page=7&osCsid=e652bfd6a916b8127086c7c66ee3aacf

but the price of postage would make it fail.

I'm sure i'll find something. Couldn't find any corymbosa red for sale though

 

[fluffycabbage]

love to see the progression of planted tanks on here - yours is great do you think the tropical substrate/play sand combo has worked well?

 

[PDSimon]

Thanks fluffy

I think it must have worked fairly well, especially for the root feeding plants I have but I also used root tabs. Growth is fairly good whereas some people are struggling to keep their plants alive so I am pretty pleased I didn't want the expense of co2 but still wanted to have a nice planted tank, theres a lot more growth yet till I am completely happy though!

Most plants take most of their nutrients through their leaves so a good substrate isn't essential, most of the growth is probably down to dosing TPN+ and easycarbo everyday..


Small update:

I added an echinodorus osiris - Yes another ech I have 6 now. Do you think it might be a good idea to get an iron supplement on top of the TPN+?

 

[fluffycabbage]

Im heading the same way - its nice to see something without co2 growing so well I love the tiny ones in the front, what are they?

 

[PDSimon]

The grass like plant is eleocharis parvula. Hopefully one day i'll have a somewhat low tech carpet


Update: Ok, so dosing is at 5ml of TPN+ and 4ml of easycarbo a day.

Growth has increased quite a bit, the ozelots have kicked into action, but the leaves grow and seem to be staying really low? I would have thought they'd go higher as there would be more light. I planted a tiny ozelot, with a couple of leaves probably less than 1cm big and its send out a new leaf, quite impressed!

The new osiris is doing well... even the cyperus helferi seems to be doing ok.

crypts are sending out runners and growing pretty fast...same for the parvula in parts but not so much in others. Everything seems to be doing fairly well

 

[lljdma06]

No picture? What is wrong with you?



With regard to iron, TPN+ supplies it, so I see no need to invest in an additional iron supplement.

Glad everything is going well.