Nolan's 40-gallon

[Nolan W.]

I recently removed A LOT of algae from my neglected 40 gallon, and I'm off to a fresh start. The only plant that survived is Echinodorus bleheri. Next time, I'll ask about a medication being plant safe before buying. I planted some new plants: Hygrophila polysperma, H. difformis, Anubias nana, Ludwiga repens, and Bacopa caroliniana. I'm planning to grow an Echinodorus tenellus lawn in the front, but would like to have more plants in the back, and maybe relocate the bacopa. I want to try some corkscrew val. Anybody have suggestions about other plants for me? Where should I plant the val if I get some? Thanks.

Here's a picture of the tank:

[Hop]

It looks like your off to a great start. I noticed that you were thinking about some vals. I have found out two things about vals. 1. I think they look good and 2. I think they look good in other people's tanks, not mine. The problem is that vals grow like mad and shoot runners out everywhere. In one week mine will send runners out several feet and I have to carefully remove them from around all the other plants. I'm currently growing out some crypt balansae that I plan to replace all the vals with in order to keep the long grass look, but with out the upkeep. But those probable won't work real well in a breeder tank either, due to the height constraints.
good luck!

[wetgreenthumb]

I think a big Amazon Sword would look good, or one of those Corkscrew/curly Vals. You coul place it in back and slightly right.... looks good though!

[Nolan W.]

Hmmm... I've been thinking about a triangular layout since day one. Maybe I could move all the plants and petrified wood to the right side of the tank. OR I can take the petrified wood out and use a piece of driftwood instead, with Java moss and Java fern. I think the moss will make a nice hiding place for the swordtail fry. The Amazon sword in there looks like two small plants stuck together, like Siamese twins. I think I'll separate them. If I do the replanting, I'll have to buy a pair of long tweezers. Fingers are just too clumsy.

Uh oh, hair algae on the anubias. SAE's eat it, right?

[BlueRam]

NWong8589:

Nice looking tank. If you want something like vals (or s. subuleta) that will not try and tank over the tank try Crypt sprialis or retro-sprialis. The can handle high light and spread slowly. You can also try narrow leaf chain sword. Make a nice compact foreground (my fish prevent glosso or hairgrass...) As to the sword. They get big. They will take over really big tanks and they love to feed through the roots so just beware.

Otherwise a great start!

[Jdinh04]

Nice looking tank you have there bud, i'd have a foreground plant some where possibly dwarf sagitaria or glossostigma depending on your lighting. It looks great and man you have a lot of swordtails there.

[jart]

Yes vals do tend to take over but that difformis will be massive in less than 3 weeks if you are dosing ferts heavy. I have both difformis and water sprite right now to act as sponges during my preliminary phase but I soon will have to choose one or the other; they grow too fast (and are IMO quite similar in appearance).

[Nolan W.]

Just wanted to show everyone how fast hygro can grow, even without CO2:



The algae is finally letting up. Must be the hygro sucking up every nutrient in the tank.

[ScottyDont]

what the time between the 2 pics?

[skylsdale]

NOW it's starting to look like true swordtail habitat. Keep it growing!

[uncskainch]

Wow -- looks great. What varieties of swordtails do you have in there? I love swordtails, so I'm excited to see your tankful! Looking forward to seeing the bigger picture -- did dividing the sword plant work out for you?

[Hop]

Just wanted to show everyone how fast hygro can grow, even without CO2:

I feel your pain. I throw a 5 gallon bucket of the stuff out about every 5-6 weeks. It seems to work very well in the composter though.

[Nolan W.]

Scotty, the pics were taken one month apart.

Uncskainch, I only have two varieties of swordtails in there: red and one that looks similar to the one in your avatar, except the tail is red. I would have more, but diseases have wiped out a lot of mine. Tuberculosis, fin & tail rot, you name it. I haven't divided the swordplant yet. I will do it when I finally get to redoing my aquascape.

Skylsdale, yes it is!

Hop, the two hygros I have in there are completely out of control. If I leave a leaf floating, it becomes a whole stem.

Lol, jart, you were right! I only dose Flourish twice a week, and look at the growth!

[jart]

Someone pointed out to me that you can coax the difformis to act as a foreground plant by simply pinching off leaves that start to grow vertically. I'm trying that right now.

I have about 19 varieties of plants right now but I like the look of the difformis taking over one side of the tank. Motifone was doing that as well.

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

[ScottyDont]

whats the sciantific name for hydro? i wanna order some from my LFS