ADA Mini-M & Mini-L Iwagumi (flooded pics added Jan. 19th)

[TLE041]

Progress update for week 5...

Mini-L

HC groundcover continues to fill in at a good rate.





All the old growth on the DHG has turned brown and isn't looking very good right now. There are a lot of healthy new growth, though.




Mini-M

Pretty slow progress in this tank.





DHG continues to do well.

[TLE041]

Here's a week-to-week slideshow.

Mini-L







Mini-M

[thebettashop]

Looking Awesome! What kind of pricing were them Hanging Pendant's go for?

[TLE041]

It's been a week since I've flooded the tanks so I think it's about time I update this thread with some pictures.

Mini-L

The HC carpet is just about completely filled in now. It'll be ready for its first trim in a couple of days.










Mini-M

The carpet isn't as nice in this tank because I didn't have any CO2 running up until today. Now that the paintball tank is full again the HC should start to improve quickly. I'm expecting the algae breakout to go away soon as well.







The next step is to test the water and put back the livestock.

[Couesfanatic]

how are things going on these?

[myjohnson]

Looks good so far dude!

How did you keep the back water level up while the hc was emersed?

I'm planning the same thing but with a steeper slope.

[Jeff.:P:.]

Very nice! i have a tank very similar to these. Whats your plan for fertilizing? EI? ADA?

[ali0chka]

Any updates? Its been a while

[sayurasem]

please

[bitFUUL]

Any updates? How do you compare the Current Pendant light with the Archaea clip on?

[Rcjay272]

Originally Posted by TLE041

...Continued from here.

After waiting almost two months for my submerged HC carpet to fill in and getting nowhere (most of it just kept getting uprooted), I decided to bite the bullet and just do a DSM on both tanks.

I started by setting up a temporary 10 gal. tank for the existing livestock. There are 8 CPDs, 20 microrasboras, 7 pygmy cories, and 2 otos. I've sold most of the CRS/CBS because I plan on getting better grades later on. I stuck in a spare Ohko stone and a wisteria plant. It's lit by a Marineland LED hood. Substrate is Fluval Ebi.





Close-up:



To avoid cycling I just connected both existing Eheim canisters to the tank in series. It's heated by one of the Hydor in-line heaters.



Now onto the tanks... week 1

Mini-L

I kept the stone arrangements the same and just planted the HC and Eleocharis parvula individually to help speed up growth/spreading.







After learning the first time how wildly DHG can spread, I've made sure to use taller plastic dividers and doubled up it against the glass. It'll all disappear once the carpet fills in.

The HC is doing well after 6 days. There are no yellowing leaves. A lot of the older leaves on the DHG has turned brown, but there's a lot of new growth visible as well.






Mini-M

I've used the same two plants for this tank. The rock arrangement was also kept the same.





Top view:







Both tanks are lightly misted twice a day with dechlorinated water that's been added with a few drops of Pfertz and Excel. The lights are on for about 12-14 hours.

Thanks for reading!

Sorry to ask....why do you put plastic wrap over the tank? Is that to help the plants grow? How long do you keep it on?

Thanks
Rob

[bitFUUL]

Originally Posted by Rcjay272

Sorry to ask....why do you put plastic wrap over the tank? Is that to help the plants grow? How long do you keep it on?

Thanks
Rob

This is a growing technique called "emersed". As opposed to "submersed" which is underwater, "emersed" is right at the water lever. These plants need high humidity, so the plastic wrap keeps them at optimal wetness. Do some searching around these forums and the internet for "growing emersed plants", etc.

[Rcjay272]

@bitFUUL. - thank you

[WoodRiverTroutBum]

Looks excellent! This gives me some hope for my dry start with HC. I did larger clumps but am going to go thin them out to try and avoid die off. I will have a ton extra I think so I may throw some in a spare tank and try putting it outside.

[Mr. Fish]

I dont know how you got away with watering twice a day w/out getting Mold..

I did the same method but got mold and it tore my HC up.. I'm wondering if the addition of excel helped you out.. I was only using declorinated tap water