New method(?) to start up an algae free tank without any water changes or work(really

[fishscale]

Just out of curiosity, Tom, should you give the HC a trim before you flood it? The HC in my emersed tank has gotten quite thick.

Also, are any of the following plants Excel sensitive: Blyxa Japonica, Blyxa Aubertii, L. Repens x Arcuata, L. Repens, Java fern, Rotala sp. Green,

[gmccreedy]

Originally Posted by fishscale

Also, are any of the following plants Excel sensitive: Blyxa Japonica, Blyxa Aubertii, L. Repens x Arcuata, L. Repens, Java fern, Rotala sp. Green,

the Blyxa and rotala, no. I have all three of these species and OD excel daily.
i would assume the ludwigia sp. shouls be fine as well.

[imeridian]

I can also confirm that Blyxa and Rotala are fine with Excel, along with Ludwigia and Java fern.

[fishscale]

I just used the last of mine. I have the sinking feeling that Big Al's is about to eat my wallet.

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by fishscale

Just out of curiosity, Tom, should you give the HC a trim before you flood it? The HC in my emersed tank has gotten quite thick.

You can if you want, I trim as needed, but typically wait a week before flooding.
I'm doing this for a 180 Gallon tank soon so it'll be interesting.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[fishscale]

Post pics, Tom

[jazzlvr123]

Originally Posted by plantbrain

Ryan's "Pete Townsound" style of guitar playing got away from him and he broke it

The HC is a few days old now in that tank and looks fine after flooding.
I think he said is was set up for 6-8 weeks, plenty of time for the bacteria to get established in the sediment and oxidize the majority of NH4 that will leach quickly.

And we know Shrimps are pretty sensitive to most toxins, so they are doing fine as well.

I think Ryan said he used 1 clump that you see to farm this out and waited a few weeks for it to grow in first. Then you just flood the tank and crank the CO2.

If your HC has issues upon flooding, sorry, it's not the method or transition, it's not giving it enough CO2/Excel. HC transitions very well.

A few critics of this method(interestingly who have never tested their own hypothesis/claim/criticisim) suggested that this method is not good because the plants will all melt and go through a transition peroid.
That does not really occur with the emergent plants we get any(which is how most of the aquatic plants sold are grown). Nor does it occur in the tank grown species, which already have nice well established roots.

The plants obviously have enough nutrients via the sediment, enough light etc, the difference when you flood: CO2 mostly.

This method will not save those who cannot grow HC submersed well to begin with.

Or hairgrass, or any other foreground plant.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Thanks for all the comments Tom however my name is Kyle not Ryan. Regards, Kyle Hernandez

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by fishscale

Post pics, Tom

Never

Well, I got the Wood glued down good in the 180. I really like the wood I have.
Lots of folks focus on rocks, and that's good, but I am a wood guy, rocks are for Rift tanks

You can use wood like rocks as well.

I will have a rock tank, the Tangy planted tank.
And the CA tide pool tank will also be all rock.
The 38 Gallon will be Bald Cypress.

I'm not sure about the West African tank. Still trying to figure out what I wanna do, I have the fish list.

I can start some of these tanks via this method.(3 of them, the 180 South American, the 60 West African Cube, and the Whimple piranha 38.

All are nothing but wood, but I need to figure out what precisely I want to do with the 60.

I have some really neat wood pieces that are more like rocks than wood and no one has ever used these in tanks like this.

And this method + that wood are perfect for eachother.
I think I'll do a quick scape and then tear it down and do something more for the community of fish I have planned.

I design most of the scapes for the fish community I plan on having.
You see, I still like fish
Most clients do as well.

I also have a large number of fish I really love, so I trade off the designs for the fish.

I do not over stock, but I do not understock or go with one single species.
Unless I was breeding etc, I would not do that with a non planted tank either.

One nice thing about this method, you can set up a few 20 Gal tanks, get a nice rug of several different foreground plants, then fill with water, add rocks , wood , whatever, then add a mature filter and clean it it up, and about 1-6 weeks later, you have a real nice scape.

Then you can tear it down and try another one.

Etc.

It makes scaping a number of different foreground plants and options really easy and far less labor.

Most folks can work hard for 2-3 weeks on a tank, get a nice shot and then go from there.

Many will keep their tanks also.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[plantbrain]

Originally Posted by jazzlvr123

Thanks for all the comments Tom however my name is Kyle not Ryan. Regards, Kyle Hernandez

Dangit icon_redf
I know that, I've never called you that in person
Why the heck did I write that? I knowmyour name but for some reason I wrote Ryan. What the heck was I thinking?
The feeble mind is going........

Now I'm worried I'm forgetting something else!

Good luck in Boston!!
You better get in!
We are rooting for you, not that Ryan guy

Regards,

Tom Barr

[ikuzo]

love the wood work on in the behemot Tom. let us see this 180 you're talking about please

[plantbrain]

I'll post pics later today perhaps or tomorrow.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[fishscale]

Hi Tom, I've got another question. In preparation for filling the tank, I decided to trim the HC lawn a little bit. The top was extremely healthy looking, a nice lime green. However, when I trimmed off the top layer, the stuff under was yellow and not so healthy looking. Is this normal?

[plantbrain]

To some degree yes, but in flooding state, the stuff can build up over 1" at least before getting ratty, and sometimes even more/higher etc. This is especially true with the ADA AS.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Homer_Simpson]

Originally Posted by plantbrain

....
I've grown Crypts for many many years this way...
Regards,
Tom Barr

I am looking to tear down a 3 gallon tank at work that is literally got an out of control snail problem. All efforts to eradicate these pond snails have failed.

The White Cloud Minnow and Amano Shrimp will be relocated to one of my tanks at home.n I wanted to bleach the tank, get rid of the plants with the exception of the anubias which I may be able to bleach dip to hopefully get rid of any snail eggs and start over.

The plan is to do the emersed/"dry" method using a Crypt and two anubias plants. The substrate will be ADA Aquasoil II. The idea was to use a hybrid method. This method followed by Excel Dosing with water changes for a a few weeks or until the plants are firmly established, then to taper off or go cold turkey on the Excel Dosing. The tank will be a low tech tank and will be home to a Betta.

My concern was how well the method would work with crypts, given that crypts are prone to melting(the equivalent of transplant shock). I imagine that this would likely happen as the crypt is going from submersed(from the store tank) to emersed. Tom, what is your experience with how quickly crypts recover from melt with this method and do you have any suggestions/recommendations to deal with this. Also should the the ADA AS II be soaked heavily with water at the bottom or should it just be kept with continual spraying twice a day to prevent it from drying out.

Thanks.

[lauraleellbp]

FYI Homer- If you want to start with emersed Crypts instead to reduce acclimation issues, I know that gmccreedy grows them emersed...