Stan's freshwater 240 gallon extravaganza. Trials and tribulations of a sunlit aquarium

[Stan510]

Update on the Syngonium. That IS its column of roots.Wood is not. I do have to prune those roots or they will go everywhere.

 

[Stan510]

Todays big news is... I went over the big tank with Hydrogen peroxide here and there. Mainly to do in some BBA on my prized clump of Bolbitis heudelotii and some tiny patches of BGA that resurfaced after a I killed it off a couple times with Erythromycin. But,that gets costly. HP by comparison is nearly free to use.
It went to work in minutes fizzing up on thickest growths of all the algae treated- some hair also. Surprised my how fast it did in some hair algae. In an hour it turned white. The others are going to take longer to see. I can tell you much fizzy action was going on BBA on the Bolbitis worst infected fern fronds.
I also notice that an hour later the water itself looked especially clear. If I got it right.. HP kills gram negative bacteria..and that's all the bad stuff, BGA,fungal infections,gray water. It won't kill when used within reason Gram positive bacteria..like your filters bacteria and what's covering all the inside of the tanks wood,rocks,gravels,panes.
Just remember mosses are low on the evolutionary scale- like algae...and so use on it sparingly.

 

[Stan510]

Rainbows that are now larger and more colorful. My largest is near 6" and some hybrid. Plenty of M. boesemani and one I bought as M. parva..not sure what it is either as it grows..has a shape that's front heavy. With well fed Roseline barbs. My twin peaks rocks. On the left its with java moss. On the right at the "peaks" is just algae and it looks good!.like a forest on those Asian mountains. I missed adding my largest Boesy. Next time- it's got a deep and wide body. 13 full sized Rainbows can fill even my 240 gallon.

 

[Stan510]

A bit more on HP and algae. Last year or two,I did it like the vids...drain tank down, spray peroxide on plants,with moss on wood,I removed and sprayed. It then killed all my moss,and other plants melted.
This time I just turned the power off...used a turkey baster with Peroxide and went over the spots and clumps of algae in the full of water aquarium. No plants melted,not even moss..algae did die.
So,in conclusion-lol- I would say if you are treating a 50 gallon on up tank?..Its safer to use hp underwater.The dilution factor saves plants,while the HP still kills algae.
Always learning in this hobby. ALWAYS.

 

[mbsqw1d]

A bit more on HP and algae. Last year or two,I did it like the vids...drain tank down, spray peroxide on plants,with moss on wood,I removed and sprayed. It then killed all my moss,and other plants melted.
This time I just turned the power off...used a turkey baster with Peroxide and went over the spots and clumps of algae in the full of water aquarium. No plants melted,not even moss..algae did die.
So,in conclusion-lol- I would say if you are treating a 50 gallon on up tank?..Its safer to use hp underwater.The dilution factor saves plants,while the HP still kills algae.
Always learning in this hobby. ALWAYS.

Im yet to use my HP, but I believe I have cause to now. Some anubias and sword leaves have become coated in a dark green (dust?) algae. Not sure what exactly.
What % PH do you use? So you dose it neat?

 

[Stan510]

I just used the 3% sold everywhere. If there is a mitigating factor? It is HP I bought months ago. So,it could be even weaker than 3%. That came to me after posting. Still,nothing has melted and it's almost fun to hunt down the algae and kill it. Just as always,use as little as possible.

 

[Metalman]

Your plants are amazing I just started a new 20gal tank upstairs and have started the liquid iron weekly to see how they like it.
I do feel a well planted tank is the key to it looking great

 

[mbsqw1d]

Your plants are amazing I just started a new 20gal tank upstairs and have started the liquid iron weekly to see how they like it.
I do feel a well planted tank is the key to it looking great

I started added iron after reading this thread. Has made a noticeable difference ?? especially on the Alternanthera

 

[Stan510]

Wait until you use it on Sword plants- they go green right before your eyes.
Here's my Bolbitis with Anubias. It was Amano's Lisbon masterpiece that really got me back into the hobby. I spent over a year,close to two trying to get Bolbitis heudelotii. Then in Jan 2020,my LFS had it for sale.. a 8" runner with a few fronds on it. My goal of seeing that becoming a clump has taken all that time with many ups and downs of finding how to please it with no Co2. Not to mention the Anubias to fill in under it with minimal algae on them I can live with..but always going for better. So, a goal reached and I thought for awhile it was never going to happen. These plants ,Bolbitis,really MUST have time to develop a root system. It sat for a very long time at the start..but was growing those black wiry roots on wood and rock- rock even better.
Plus- no doubt Iron boosted it into gear.
The photo is lots of glare..but you get the jist of the Amano look.

 

[Stan510]

Here's a horticultural tip: Most Chamaedorea palms are adapted to deep shade and with feet- roots,in water. So I have this palm growing like the Syngonium. It's been in pure water a few weeks and has new water roots. When it build a stronger root system I think the color of the foliage will darken.
Lousy photo..but here it is. You could use any Home Depot Chamaedorea palm and some are multiple to give you more impact. I just went with one for now.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Love the bolbitis, assume it has a rhizome then? So much more rewarding to bring a plant back from the brink of death than just buy a ready made flourishing one ??
I'm noticing my tank is catching the sun a little more each morning now. I set it up late summer last year so I'm still learning how it looks year round. Had to dim the lights on it recently as the glass began growing algae although the hillstream loach is always thankful for it.


I've been considering adding a plant to grow out from it, but something more substantial than the usual pothos. Recently learned that peace lillys can be grown in water! Do you add nitrogen for these or are your fish providing enough?

 

[Stan510]

The Syngonium grew well on just what the fish produced- but it went bananas when I started with iron. It just exploded in lush growth. The Palm? Time will tell. But C. elegans is the most common of its kind- sold everywhere. But others would do well like" Cat palm" a clumper palm looking like bamboo. Most are adapted to wet feet. If you had a super bright light- one of those ADA 100 watt thingys ..you could grow the Red Sealing Wax Palm..and just blow the world away.
Yes,I am considering trying a seedling of that palm with red trunks.
Sunlight...is so different. It changes constantly unlike our artificial lights through the day..it changes by the season. My Sword knows its spring from the longer days and is flowering. Things like that. Oh,and times to take the best photo!..Cloudy days work best,late in the day. It's not aquarium keeping for everybody's taste,I know that.
I notice that my tank is more like those very shallow Asian streams with high shade by forest trees. Hence,Crypts,Ferns,mosses dominate my tank. Barbs,Rasboras,Rainbows and Danios all get along and sometimes even chase each other with no damage..play

 

[mbsqw1d]

The Syngonium grew well on just what the fish produced- but it went bananas when I started with iron. It just exploded in lush growth. The Palm? Time will tell. But C. elegans is the most common of its kind- sold everywhere. But others would do well like" Cat palm" a clumper palm looking like bamboo. Most are adapted to wet feet. If you had a super bright light- one of those ADA 100 watt thingys ..you could grow the Red Sealing Wax Palm..and just blow the world away.
Yes,I am considering trying a seedling of that palm with red trunks.
Sunlight...is so different. It changes constantly unlike our artificial lights through the day..it changes by the season. My Sword knows its spring from the longer days and is flowering. Things like that. Oh,and times to take the best photo!..Cloudy days work best,late in the day. It's not aquarium keeping for everybody's taste,I know that.
I notice that my tank is more like those very shallow Asian streams with high shade by forest trees. Hence,Crypts,Ferns,mosses dominate my tank. Barbs,Rasboras,Rainbows and Danios all get along and sometimes even chase each other with no damage..play

Barbs and danios, a perfect combination ??
I was almost ready to rehome my Odessa barbs that would dive into the plants and hide whenever someone walked into the room.
Introduced a dozen giant danio and the Odessa are like a completely different fish. And they're absolutely stunning!

Would you have the ferns in a pot in the tank? I think ive been frightened by an image of roots growing through the seal of a tank ?

 

[Stan510]

The ferns for in the aquarium are all epiphytes- they grow on rocks mostly and maybe roots of trees in the wild. I've said a few times too- they grow much better on rough textured rocks then they do driftwood. Wood is constantly rotting...rock besides not rotting,has a better surface to cling to..Volcanic rocks especially.
No chance of of some houseplant roots ruining the seal of an aquarium. Pacu fish?- yes!..plants no.
You asked about plants...Peace lily is a great one..takes very low light,has a classic elegant form. Blooms like a calla lily. Ficus- Rubber plants would work..maybe too well. They are true jungle giants that love their roots in water. Pachira- the money tree? Grows in wet soils in Mexico and Central America..houseplants of them are already adapted to low light indoors.. a fun plant to try.
So many more...Tradescantia- in many forms and colors. Ti plants. Dieffenbachia with those big paddle leaves...of course the Arums like Taro..sold for ponds in summer are all kinds of Colocasia varieties.
I wish I had a channel..because I WOULD BRING NEW IDEAS...using plants I've worked with in Horticulture. With funding needed-lol.

 

[mbsqw1d]

This thread is a gold mine of info Stan!