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Lee's 40G Planted Aquarium Journal

4K views 21 replies 13 participants last post by  puchisapo 
#1 · (Edited)
Welcome to my journal.

I will be updating it every so often. Please leave your questions, comments, or advice. Thanks and enjoy.

It took me a while to get the algae under control, but now the plants are taking off.

I'd like to share some details of my tank. The current setup is as follows:

Lighting: 96w CF AHS 10kk 8 hours
CO2: Milwaukee regulator & controller, external DIY reactor 10 hours
Fertilization: KH2PO4, NO3 and CSM+B
Aquarium: 90cm x 45cm x 40cm h
Substrate: Quartz gravel
Plants: Microsorum pteropus var. needle, bolbitis fern, Various Cryptocoryne
Fish:cardinals, Otocinclus, Amano Shrimp, Blue Ram
 
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#3 ·
I agree with Orlando... is that L. repens or R. macranda in the back? Or maybe something else entirely? It will look great if you let it spread out more in each direction as it approaches the surface, but the left side will obvioiusly need more weight. Also the back-left corner could use some help... long grassy help.

Keep us updated!
 
#5 ·
The man working at the store said it was a variant of rotala with large leaves. I presume it's Rotala rotundifolia. Anyways it grows very fast, about 1-2 inches a day. In a week it will grow up and out touching the front glass creating a very different look. I might add a piece of driftwood with anubias nana in the back left corner. Initially I was going for a meadow back there but it's becoming slightly overgrown as you pointed out. For now I’m just going to let it grow. Thanks for the replies.
 
#8 ·
James, you're partially right. The Rotalas you're talking about are totally diff. but that plant looks very much like my Lud. palustris. Lee your description and the pics are almost identical. I really love that plant. given decent lighting and ferts, it grows like crazy and has beautiful color. If you got a little more of a closeup, I could tell for sure. Nice setup Lee, looking forward to updates. Ben
 
#11 ·
The sagittaria foreground is certainly something Amano used to use all the time. I don't think he's touched the plant in 10 years.

Lee, if you prune the sag, it will stay low. Let it thicken and it will stretch to the top of your tank. If you want a very similar-looking plant with less maintenance, get a hold of some Echinodorus angustifolis. It's bushier and doesn't grow as tall. E. angustifolis is sold (incorrectly) by Florida aquatics (and their distributors) as E. tennelus (also a good choice, but the leaves are thinner than sag). You should be able to find either plant in the swap n shop area.
 
#17 · (Edited)



I tore out the Lud. palustris, or whatever it's called. Sorry vollphann; it had to go. The grass is also gone, into the koi pond :) Now I'm focusing on a more green look. I upped my lighting to 75ish watts anticipating faster growth. I want the java fern to fill in and almost cover the wood. Once I get some anubias nana it too will be on the wood but bellow. Crypts and java moss for ground cover.
 
#18 ·
I hope u fill up the left side of ur tank though, it seems to have extra space, unless u want it to be like that, but i like the idea of a full nature aquarium. i think planted tanks are great because u get to sort of reconstuct a fish's enviroment.... CAN I GETA HOLLABACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAHA AWSOME TANK!!!!!!!!!
 
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