Nolan's 40-gallon

[Nolan W.]

Originally Posted by jart

Are you dosing NO3?
Where is your L. repens?

The L. repens is lost somewhere in my hygro jungle... lol. I'm not dosing anything except Flourish right now. I'm sure you'll have to prune the hygro more than once a week if you are dosing CO2, macros, micros, and have high lighting.

The hygro on the left is Hygrophila polysperma, and the one on the right is Hygrophila difformis. Hygro polysperma is illegal to import into some states and maybe provinces because it grows so fast, it can invade local waters and choke out all native plants. I know it's illegal to import into California. I'm lucky my dad and uncle have been growing it in their tanks for years.

Will put my piece of driftwood in soon, if it fits. I'm going to completely redo the aquascape, moving the tall plants to the right, tying the anubias onto the driftwood, and planting a foreground of E. tenellus on the left. I only have a few E. tenellus though, so I won't have a foreground effect right away. I don't have time to go to Albany to get some more.

[jart]

I just though that if you moved the repens to a more prominent place, the darker colors might add some interesting contrast. Keep an eye on the polysperma and if it starts to yellow and gets stunted, you may need to test for nitrate. But then again, you have a fair # of fish in there.

[Marc]

Man That Hygro Is Scary!

[Nolan W.]

Originally Posted by Marc

Man That Hygro Is Scary!

Lol, yes it is. It can grow with no ferts at all!

Okay, I'm planning to rescape the tank sometime in the next few weeks. I've bleach-dipped the anubias, and it's free of algae now. The plants are showing rapid growth without CO2. Hmm... what else is new? The SAEs are getting fatter! Oh yeah, I got green and green spotted swordtails now! Five males in the tank now. Surprisingly, aggression towards each other has been minimal as of late. Yay!

[equinecpa]

I can't believe your growth. That's wild! What kind of lighting do you have on this tank?

Carolyn

[Nolan W.]

Carolyn, I have 96 watts of 6700ºK compact fluorescent over this tank. It's a 36" Coralife Aqualight.

I spent three hours tearing up the tank, redoing everything. Huge PITA. And I'm still not done. I'm so tired now, so I'll finish it tomorrow.

Thanks for the Limnophila aromatica, Marc. I should have looked at the ludwiga I already had more carefully. Now I have too much. Guess my tank will look a little like yours for a while.

Now I really wish that I had planting tweezers.

[Nolan W.]

Bam! New layout! What does everyone think? I still need to fill in the far right, maybe with green crypt wendtii? I know the foreground could use a little work, too, but I don't have time to go to Albany to pick up some pygmy chain swords. Thanks to Marc for the L. aromatica!

[Blade]

Bam! I like it a lot more.

[Jdinh04]

It looks clean, but you need more plants!

[Blade]

Originally Posted by Jdinh04

It looks clean, but you need more plants!

I really disagree. If you look at the tank many of the plants are in the early stages. In short time they will fill in much of the empty area. I think there is sometimes a rush by people to pack a new tank with as many plants as possible. I prefer to allow young plants to first mature, and then do a second round of planting to fill in neglected areas.

[Marc]

Hey Nolan- I like the tank! You had a massive amount out Hydro in there!
The L Aromatica should do well in your tank! I like the new look. The Repens should grow fairly quick. Can wait to see it start filling in!

[Nolan W.]

I appreciate the thoughts, everybody.

Question about L. aromatica: After being pruned, does it from side shoots? Or should I just pull the rooted part out?

[Jdinh04]

Originally Posted by Blade

I really disagree. If you look at the tank many of the plants are in the early stages. In short time they will fill in much of the empty area. I think there is sometimes a rush by people to pack a new tank with as many plants as possible. I prefer to allow young plants to first mature, and then do a second round of planting to fill in neglected areas.

I think I already noticed that, but thats in the background. What about the foreground?

[Thanks]

yeah. get a foreground.
looking good, especially when it starts filling in, but that driftwood looks very bare. I would cover it with some moss or riccia, and get a foreground of glosso or micro sword (lileopsis or however you spell it). The colors would flow nicely. My favorite foreground plant is hairgrass, but I think it wouldnt fit your tank well. Good luck with everything

[Marc]

Originally Posted by Corydoras85

I appreciate the thoughts, everybody.

Question about L. aromatica: After being pruned, does it from side shoots? Or should I just pull the rooted part out?

On mine it shoots off the main stem. When it gets big enough i trim them off.