Knuggs Main Tank Journal (Lots of Pics and Vids)

[Hcancino]

All the l. aromatica I got from you I chopped down to the base and it's all grown out and looks good but it all turned a bright yellow green and has a little reddish pink tint to it. Do I need more iron? I feel like I have enough light

[jkan0228]

I've heard that Pandas are excellet algae eaters. Have you found this to be true?

Also, are all your crypts in your 40B Wendtii? If so, what variant?

[knuggs]

Originally Posted by Hcancino

All the l. aromatica I got from you I chopped down to the base and it's all grown out and looks good but it all turned a bright yellow green and has a little reddish pink tint to it. Do I need more iron? I feel like I have enough light

Yeah, you need more iron to get it that color. My tapwater has alot of Iron in it but I still dose every once in awhile like once a week along with a few other nutrients. Wasserpest is putting some extra Crypt Willisii in my package for you.

Originally Posted by jkan0228

I've heard that Pandas are excellet algae eaters. Have you found this to be true?

Also, are all your crypts in your 40B Wendtii? If so, what variant?

I would say they are good algae eaters as far as what grows on the glass like green spot but they didnt seem to bother with the bba that would grow on rocks over time. They definitely are eaters, constantly! Im a fan of them, they are really fun to watch and kinda have a mind of there own. I would keep them with more than one just because they are very interactive with each other and quite the show sometimes

Those are Wendtii, I have tried to get a id on them and have heard Bronze and Green/Brown but alot of them vary in so many ways. I have one now that is reddish...but all came from the same stock of crypts that I have manage to keep over the last 5yrs so not really sure what they are exactly.

[jkan0228]

So would you prefer SAE's or Pandas? Or otos?

But how come the supposedly Wendtii grow differently in the same tank? Different levels of lighting?

Sorry for so many questions.

[knuggs]

Originally Posted by jkan0228

So would you prefer SAE's or Pandas? Or otos?

But how come the supposedly Wendtii grow differently in the same tank? Different levels of lighting?

Sorry for so many questions.

Hmm, thats a tough one! I actually have all 3 in my tank and all have different benefits. Otos are good at there job and always have been and great if you like schoolers. Pandas have great personalities and fun to watch and do a great job as well. SAE's are also great and will work on everything, plus I can buy them for $3 a piece and have them work on algae til they get to big since its only and 40 and sell them back to the lfs for $7

I does grow completely different in all sorts of parameters wether it be light or co2. Im sure nutrients play a factor as well. Being in the same tank though I guessing it is light but not sure why one is starting to get real red, Im guessing the iron. Alot of times the stems will redden up big time and the underneaths will be pink. I have the same crypt in other tanks as well but grows differently in a lot of those as well. Before I sold them all I could have taken pics of this same kinda of Crypt looking 10 different ways, even though they all originated from the same plant.

I encourage questions Its hard to learn if you dont ask them! Nobody should be afraid or sorry for doing so.

[Hcancino]

Originally Posted by knuggs

Yeah, you need more iron to get it that color. My tapwater has alot of Iron in it but I still dose every once in awhile like once a week along with a few other nutrients. Wasserpest is putting some extra Crypt Willisii in my package for you.

wooo! Let me know if it arrives Wednesday or Thursday and I'll come down that day

[2in10]

Tank looks great, love the progression pics

[knuggs]

Originally Posted by Hcancino

wooo! Let me know if it arrives Wednesday or Thursday and I'll come down that day

Will do.

Originally Posted by 2in10

Tank looks great, love the progression pics

Thanks Alot has changed over the last 5 yrs!

[knuggs]

Ive been thinking looking a the pic more Im kinda thinking a lil less is more like the plant in the middle in the back needs to come out and I can run my HC all the way back and divide the tank to make it look like a valley hmm....

[knuggs]

Here is a vid of what my main tank looks like at the moment. Thought I would share...

Click on this to see vid


Shot at 2012-04-09

Still waiting for the HC to grow it but has been a battle with all the fish in there but I am hell bent to have it grow out, it is the icing on the cake!

[crazydaz]

If the fish are ripping up your HC, and you have plenty of light (which you do), you could buy a cheap pyrex or glass bowl or pie plate or baking dish, put it into your tank and invert it so it is upside down and place it over your HC. Maybe put a small piece of driftwood or a rock under two sides so there is just enough space to keep the water flowing through. You would probably have to take it out once or twice per week to clean any beginnings of algae off....otherwise, it should offer enough protection to allow the HC some time to root and spread nicely.

Nice tank!

[knuggs]

Ill have to try that got to be better than replanting alot everyday. I think MTS are part of the culprit but this should help with them too. Since HC grows more broad under lower light then I should do alright without having to blast more light and still get it to root nicely. I appreciate the idea, thanks!!

[knuggs]

So far its been working pretty well.


Shot at 2012-04-13

Shot at 2012-04-13

[knuggs]

Heres some new pics I need to try and keep up on my trimming but getting hard to do. The plastic over the HC has been working well. I took some top shots to show the color a lil more. Not the best pics but better than nothing.


Shot at 2012-04-23

Shot at 2012-04-23

Shot at 2012-04-23

Shot at 2012-04-23

Shot at 2012-04-23

Shot at 2012-04-23

Shot at 2012-04-23

Shot at 2012-04-23

Thanks for looking

[knuggs]

So, I had some time last night to fiddle with my cam and play with the settings a bit and think I got some better shots.


Shot at 2012-05-02









Shot at 2012-05-02


Shot at 2012-05-02


Shot at 2012-05-02


Shot at 2012-05-02