Help with my first nano (56k, I feel your pain)

[random_alias]

Thanks guys.

I've never stuck with a scape before. Actually, I never did a scape before. In the past I've always collected, grown out, gotten rid of, replaced with something different, etc. Just patches of plants here and there and always changing, getting pulled up.

One good thing about a nano is that you can't fall victim to collectoritis as easily, or have a "stem of the month" mentality.

Seems like it took the HC FOREVER to start growing runners. I guess I should have planted it in clumps rather strands, but I don't have that kind of dough

It sounds like the growth is good. Seems to me like other ppls' nanos grew in faster. Maybe they just waited to take decent pictures

I don't understand the dwarf hairgrass. It will grow a runner from the back of the tank, down under the big wood, out the other side and up comes green blades of grass...but it won't send another clump up right beside itself.

If I didn't know better I would say that every runner of hairgrass in the tank heads for the center of the HC foreground.

[fhqwhgads]

you should get some moss and make a tree out of that driftwood

[kzr750r1]

Originally Posted by random_alias

Things still don't look healthy to me. This is my first non Co2, Excel tank. Is this growth normal looking? You can compare the dates of the picks in the other posts. I may put the pressurized Co2 on it for a few weeks and see if anything spectacular happens.

I guess it's progressed well for non Co2 and pitifully planted but I want LUSH!

Give it time. Non Co2 tanks are slowwwwwww. In nanos (my opinion) youll be tearing it up every week if plants took over too quickly.

I've been acclimating some of my stems to my excel 10 g from the 55 co2 tank. They take on a whole new growth rate.

Another example is the java fern that was in the 10g. It was always a steady slow grower with double dose excel each day. Then moved it to the 55g. It's quickly growing these days and looks awsome. Almost night and day difference.

[ChrisCummins]

Excuse my stupidity, but what does HC stand for?

Great tank BTW

Thanks,
Chris

[random_alias]

Does anyone have any recommendations on a background plant that will work well in this setup? It needs to be small and very easily manageable. I'm considering planting something in a very very small pot, like a medicine cup, so I can easily pull it out and replant the top. Any advice would be appreciated.

[ChrisCummins]

I think a black background would look great on the back there.

[Stan the Man]

Love the tank! I'm partial to Blyxa, so I'd recommend it as a possible background plant in a small tank. It'd also be a lot lower maintenance than stem plants, since essentially no trimming required. Just pluck out the extra plantlets.

It'd also look neat if you put some moss, or perhaps marimo algae balls (cut into quarters and tied on) onto the driftwood.

Great tank. Look forward to updates.

[mrbelvedere]

Originally Posted by ChrisCummins

Excuse my stupidity, but what does HC stand for?

Great tank BTW

Thanks,
Chris

Hemianthus callitrichoides

A small carpet plant. I like it.

[Stan the Man]

Are you running that tank with just Excel, or do you have DIY CO2 as well?

[random_alias]

Just Excel.

I happen to have some blyxa.

A black background does look good on it. However, I won't be displaying it until I get rid of all the little limpets I have

I need to find some extrememly tiny moss. I thought I had some small enough but it turns out it gets way too big.

[Steven_Chong]

How's this for an idea:

Instead of planting something in the background, when you have enough HC, dig out some and tie it to the wood. HC supposedly is able to grow as an epiphyte like ferns, and this would be an interesting thing to try.

[random_alias]

Now that would be cool.

I'm testing it on a piece of wood. I'll post how it turns out. Prolly give it a week or two.

I've given it a little more thought and decided there's really nowhere for me to plant stems.

#1 they'll destroy the sense of depth.
#2 they'll cut out the light in the back half of the tank.

The whole tank is only about 6 inches deep.

However, this is a desktop nano. I could use a shallow tray and plant some terrestrial plants directly behind the tank. Hmm.....

[turtlehead]

You seem to be missing a mid ground, grow the hair grass a little higher in the back and add a tint of red and greens. Rotala sps. would be a goo selection.

[fishfry]

If you can get your hands on some of what people are calling Rotala sp. "mini" it has extrememly small leaves and is a cute little plant, that might work. I think Rotala pusilla has small leaves too.

[azn_fishy55]

Your tank would look good with some HC and moss as well as Anubias Nana Petite on the wood.Looks great even though not fully planted yet.^_^