Rebornation (56k) (pg 29, post 426.)

[@marko@]

its what its called when you snip part of a plant to get 2 plants; propagation. when the stem grow big, you cut it and replant the tip.

[SeaSerpant]

ok. good idea. i'll do that when tommorow.

[Viettxboii]

Ahaha while you got yourself all wet i was laughing my butt off.
Anyways i recommend you go find yourself a pair of tweezers unless you want to soak half your shirt again.
If you want them to fill in faster than do what Marko said snip off the tops and poke them. Once they get established you'll have even more stems popping up.
Also surprised that the ambulia didn't get chowed down on by those angels of yours : P.

[SeaSerpant]

nope they leave the ambulia completly alone. i will cut off the tops of all the tall ones then. can i do that with the hygro?

[rountreesj]

yes, you can trim pretty much any stem plants...there is a technique to trimming though...you want it to get bushy at the right height etc.

[rountreesj]

sorry I didn't reply to your questions earlier.

you asked what to buy first. not any easy answer, but I think you should get these 3 first:
1. pressurized co2---reg off ebay for less than $100 and a tank off ebay for about $80 get a 10lb.
2. 2 cannisters rated for 75 gallon tanks. for example, 2 rena xp2's or comparable. eheims are great too. don't get cheap knockoffs like jebo! looking at $150-200 here. get the co2 first, hang-ons will work for the time being, just keep your water level up.
3. get a bunch of easy growing stems, cut them in half and let them float. they wil propogate twice as fast...then plant them.

what was your lighting again...?

water column plants are any kind of ferns, anubias, floating plants, and most stems to an extent. stem plants like a nice sustrate, but sand will have to do for now--it's no better or worse than gravel. but if you want luscious growth like those pics---they use lots of stems and aquasoil. that will be a good investment in the future, but in a 120, that would be $200-300 worth of soil...wait till you have more experience for that...I would suggest in the relatively near future to get about 4-5 bags of a planted substrate for the back...but that is not necessary JUST now.

for driftwood, I suggest manzanita, it is thinner...but again this can wait.

get the plants and co2 first.

[rountreesj]

you should also check on swap and shop and craigslist before you buy new and "you could save ten percent or less"...insert little gecko...

[SeaSerpant]

lol. k i will get the co2 for it but i really have no idea bout co2, so can somebody fill me in?

[lauraleellbp]

Aren't you still at 1 wpg? If so, IMO there's really not much point in adding CO2 to this tank without first upgrading your lighting...

I also think the plants would have a little more impact if you bunched up the plants that are the same species (plant the individual stems an inch or two apart at most)

[SeaSerpant]

k i'll do that. hygro on one side and ambulia on another.

[@marko@]

dont bunch them YET. they grow slower that way.

[SeaSerpant]

ooooooooh. so i should let them grow and then i when i have propogated them all i will bunch them together. i am thinking of just letting them grow to the top then cutting them into 4 then i will have sooo many stems i can bunch them together.

[SeaSerpant]

And i forgot to say, I GOT A JOB . i will be working saturdays from 12:00pm - 5:30pm. and at 10.00 an hour so i'll be getting about 220$ a month. i won't be spending all of it on fish though. maybe once i get a weekday job i can spend more on fish.

[rountreesj]

For co2 milwaulkee is good, jbj is good, or just contact orlando...he can fill you in. a 10 lb tank will last you about 6 months once filled. you will want to eventually upgrade the lights...but a constant co2 source will help eliminate algae outbreaks, even if you keep levels really low, constant co2 is important. you don't really have to get it BEFORE you get the light upgrade, but it will help stabilize your tank, and after you upgrade lights, you MUST get co2. then spend on the canister(s), then a plant specific substrate, etc. etc. either way you do the plants will be fine...you can bunch them or not bunsh them, either way...you just need them to grow right now and get plant masssss. you can make it look pretty once you have enough plants...let me know if you ever want any rotala sp. green, rotundifolia, indica, colorata, or magenta. I trim about every 2-3 weeks.

yeah, don't spend all of your money on fish tanks...save some for video games...

[SeaSerpant]

Thanks for the offer on plants but i can't cause i live in canada. I will have to spend some money on clothes because i go to thrift stores right now for clothes. but otherwise i will get these things in order:
co2
filter
fish/plants
lights

Sorry to say but i'd rather have fish before plants but i usually buy a plant whenever i buy fish.