CG's 20 Gallon Community

[chevyguy8893]

Since this tank is going through changes a lot I thought I would make a journal on it. I am getting dry fertilizers, hopefully tomorrow, from member nilocg, so hopefully correctly dosing the tank will help out more.

Plants
- Purple Cabomba
- Chain Swords (E. Bolivianus)
- Rubin Sword
- Indian Red Sword
- Banana plants
- Java Moss wall
- Riccia (dwarf and regular) attached in various forms
- Rotala indica and rotundifolia
- Limnophilia Aromatica
- Alternanthera reinekii "cardinalis"
- Brazilian pennywort (floating)

Setup
- 20 gallon high tank
- Aquaclear 20 and 50
- Pool Filter sand (regretting it now for plants)
- Milwaukee MA957 Regulator on a 5 lb. CO2 tank
- AquaticLife dual 48W T5HO

The tank went through a complete rescape today since it was really disorganized looking. Plus plants were being choked out by others. I think it looks better now, but I am open to any opinions on it.

Before


After

[chevyguy8893]

So, I am now about a week and a half into EI dosing which started out pretty conservative, and the growth was good for the first week. I felt it could have been stronger, so my dosing has increased a little along with the CO2.

I bought more rotala indica doubling the amount I had originally to fill things in a little better. I bought a previously unknown plant locally that I now know as sunset hygro thanks to some members here. I can see why this stuff is illegal, the growth rate is amazing, but all of the trimmings will be going to the compost pile. All of my riccia has filled in nicely, but not completely. I added one of my emersed grown crypt wendtii "green" to the tank and it took the change really well.

I have some trimming to do this weekend, but I think everything is coming along well. Many of the plants are pearling halfway through the photoperiod (8 hours) with the exception of the riccia that starts pearling in about two hours.