[Mamabear]

I guess my cheap option for lighting is not enough to support my new tank.

Should I just get a Finnex plant+ ? My husbeasts concern is that too much light won't be beneficial for the shrimp and might harm them even.

Thoughts? I really hate to lose my plants!

 

[plamski]

What substrate, how long light period, what fixture do you have. Do you have any phosphate and nitrate in water column?
T5HO are best for plants, algae grow and not too bright for shrimps. You can add floaters to provide some shadow.

 

[Mamabear]

Sure thing...

Eco complete and a Amazon.com: Marineland Hidden LED Lighting System for Aquariums, 17-Inch, White and Blue: Pet Supplies

I have natural sunlight that comes in for a couple of hours during the morning, and then I burn the light from 12noon till 7pm.

This is a new tank, I set it up last week it's been cycling for about 8-10 days. The drift wood has a lovely coating of some white furry stuff but I read that's OK and that snails like to eat it, so I put a mystery snail in there. I also put 11 neons in, to help cycle and I read neons won't really mess with shrimp.

 

[ChadO]

I put two of those lights on a 10 gallon tank, and around a couple of weeks or so, the moss that I had in there started putting out nice green shoots. The lights will grow low light plants like moss, but I think you might need a couple to make it work. You're probably in the boat of buying a 2nd one, or selling the one you have and going to a Planted+ (or similar option) since you appear to be favoring LED lighting.

The only shrimp that I have had that appear to have not liked the brighter lights were OEBT. However, they hadn't been in that tank very long, so I couldn't say if it was more just getting used to the tank or the brighter lighting I had. I switched out to a lower light, and after a bit (couple of days) they were much more visible. Really hard to say that it was the light that made the difference though.

 

[plamski]

It is to early to tell how the plants will grow.Wait for 2-3 weeks they to adjust and root.
If there isn't grow buy new fixture.T5HO or LED.Add some floating plants .

 

[Mamabear]

It is to early to tell how the plants will grow.Wait for 2-3 weeks they to adjust and root.
If there isn't grow buy new fixture.T5HO or LED.Add some floating plants .

Thanks I did put some duckweed on top, that looks lovely now. Maybe its shading what I have too much.

OK Wait 3 weeks and wait and see! I can do that!

 

[Soothing Shrimp]

*covers head in hands when hearing the word duckweed*

 

[Mamabear]

*covers head in hands when hearing the word duckweed*

Did I say a naughty word?

 

[ChadO]

No, but just make sure that you really like duckweed, because short of burning down your house (kidding), I don't know of a way to totally get rid of it. Some folks like it, but those that don't and accidentally get it, it is a vile creation which finds ways to jump from tank to tank, live in canister filters, hide out in moss, etc. I am now much more into salvinia or red root floaters to do the job of duckweed.

 

[TraceyW]

Duckweed, forever will it ruin I mean rule your tanks. =D VERY prolific and hard to get rid of if you decide to go to a different floating cover plant. I like frogbit better but duckweed will get the job done. Just get used to throwing out handfuls of it every so often when it tries to dominate your tanks. Or if you have a fish that LIKES to eat plants in another tank like a goldfish or african cichlids, then you can throw it in there. Mischief Managed!

 

[Mamabear]

Duckweed, forever will it ruin I mean rule your tanks. =D VERY prolific and hard to get rid of if you decide to go to a different floating cover plant. I like frogbit better but duckweed will get the job done. Just get used to throwing out handfuls of it every so often when it tries to dominate your tanks. Or if you have a fish that LIKES to eat plants in another tank like a goldfish or african cichlids, then you can throw it in there. Mischief Managed!

Ah I see! I think I have frogbit too!
I do like it, I'll keep it undercontrol.

Can you make a salad out of it? LOL

 

[35ppt]

I was just thinking of starting a thread to ask which plants end up being unwanted pests in tanks.
Everybody always mentions how good java moss is for shrimps, and after reading tons of threads (and after I already got some), then I learn some people find it unruly & hard to get rid of.
I assume the larger floaters are easier to control? I really like red root floaters but haven't been able to find it in stock anywhere. I'm looking at salvinia minima now...I don't know, sometimes hard to tell from photos how big things are.

 

[Mamabear]

I was just thinking of starting a thread to ask which plants end up being unwanted pests in tanks.
Everybody always mentions how good java moss is for shrimps, and after reading tons of threads (and after I already got some), then I learn some people find it unruly & hard to get rid of.
I assume the larger floaters are easier to control? I really like red root floaters but haven't been able to find it in stock anywhere. I'm looking at salvinia minima now...I don't know, sometimes hard to tell from photos how big things are.

I got my floating plants and some other plants from a user here. You should check the WTB/WTS threads and the trade/pay it forward forum.

 

[Oceangirl]

If you want to know to know what the planted + looks like with the beginning to current. I have a tank journal going. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=524945&highlight=
I plan on adding more pictures tomorrow. Barring I don't have to do water changes tomorrow.

 

[Mamabear]

If you want to know to know what the planted + looks like with the beginning to current. I have a tank journal going. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=524945&highlight=
I plan on adding more pictures tomorrow. Barring I don't have to do water changes tomorrow.

Excellent. Thank you!

 

[ChadO]

I was just thinking of starting a thread to ask which plants end up being unwanted pests in tanks.
Everybody always mentions how good java moss is for shrimps, and after reading tons of threads (and after I already got some), then I learn some people find it unruly & hard to get rid of.
I assume the larger floaters are easier to control? I really like red root floaters but haven't been able to find it in stock anywhere. I'm looking at salvinia minima now...I don't know, sometimes hard to tell from photos how big things are.

Floaters (other than duckweed) are really easy to control, I think. I would take problematic moss over duckweed any day. You can rip all the moss out in a matter of minutes, and the folks complaining that it is unruly are usually meaning that a month later they still found a little bit after they thought they got it all. Folks with duckweed issues turn around to talk to somebody, and 5 minutes later, their tank is full of duckweed again. :icon_bigg

Red Root Floaters (RRF) will come up here on the FS and WTB/WTT/ROAK boards. You can also generally find it on Aquabid.

 

[Mamabear]

This is the type of stuff I have on top.

 

[Menace]

Your hairgrass looks like it's in too large of clumps. Unless you have co2 and good lighting I think it'll struggle immensely. I fair better when it's broken down into small clumps (3-6 blades per clump) this is painstaking to do but it seems to help the roots grow better. I did it both ways (small clumps and lazy large clumps) and after a month the large clumps were still alive but had no root growth.

 

[Mamabear]

Your hairgrass looks like it's in too large of clumps. Unless you have co2 and good lighting I think it'll struggle immensely. I fair better when it's broken down into small clumps (3-6 blades per clump) this is painstaking to do but it seems to help the roots grow better. I did it both ways (small clumps and lazy large clumps) and after a month the large clumps were still alive but had no root growth.

Good point, I can separate them further. Thank you for the tip!

 

[Mamabear]

A little offtopic but I can't wait till this frigging tank cycles so I can put some prudy shrimp in it!