Newbie to plants

2276 Views 16 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Kena, Jan 13, 2011

carriej

Discussion Starter · Oct 5, 2010

Hi Guys,

I have been keeping aquariums for about 6 years now but I just began my planted adventure in about July. Everything in my tank so far was given to me by fellow hobbyists at group meeting so it's taken a few months to get where it is today and it's not looking too hot! I am not running much equipment on here right now... a shop light from home depot running t8s at 64 watts on a 55 gallon tank but so far things have been doing ok.

Here's a picture.. Critique it! I need advice and what would look better and what plants to add. Only rule is I love my mossy rocks and my piece of driftwood.

As you can see some plants are just scattered in here (lacy java fern on my driftwood which hasnt grown at all yet... and the hornwort is just floating there)

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1 - 17 of 17 Posts

GitMoe

· #2 · Oct 5, 2010

That Hornwort is a good test. That stuff with decent lighting and nutrients Ive seen grow up to 4" per day and it grows way bushier. I would say you have enough nutrients in the tank to keep the plants alive and healthy as it seems you have pretty low requirement plants, but not enough to get any real growth. Using any ferts at all? Seachem Flourish and Excel can go a long way and root tabs for your stem plants...

lauraleellbp

· #3 · Oct 5, 2010

My recommendation with your current light level is to stick with very low light-tolerant plants. So crypts, Anubias, and more different varieties of Java ferns is what I'd look to add to fill things in. You may need to keep stems floating for them to live.

Welcome to TPT!

carriej

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 5, 2010

The hornwort is wild, I keep stealing pieces of it to put in my killifish tanks. It's so bristly.

Only thing that has grown a lot is those vals.. I started out with a stumpy piece of it and now it is to the top of the tank. My moss also grows a lot and I trim it regularly, but the lace java fern, and the bacopa (sp?) haven't grown much.

I do use flourish excel but it's hard to get (middle of nowhere New Brunswick here.. LOL) so basically I use it when I can get it. I would be interested in a CO2 system but have no idea where to start. I would also be interested in better lighting but it is EXPENSIVE! Thats why I have a 60 dollar home depot shop light on my tank.. hehe

lauraleellbp

· #5 · Oct 5, 2010

Yeah Vals can get invasive. I actually have a "corral" made out of some plastic landscape border trying to keep some contained in my 90gal but apparently a runner has "escaped" since I'm seeing a Val growing up where it's not supposed to right now... LOL

If you do get to upgrade your lighting, I'd probably put a Coralife T5NO over your tank, keep it low tech. I know they're more expensive in Canadia-land, but here they run about $60 at Big Als.

I wouldn't even bother with DIY CO2 on a tank this big- it will be really really difficult to keep the levels consistent.

carriej

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 5, 2010

I have ordered from Bigalsonline.ca before with good results, but I guess I didn't know much about it. Is this the fixture you are talking about? http://www.bigalsonline.ca/BigAlsCA...3/cl0/coralifefwt5aqualightdoublestriplight48

If so I would have got it if I had of known.. But when I was starting everyone told me to get a shop light because it had more wattage (64 total, versus the 56).

its 89.99 plus tax and shipping... Probably looking at a little over 110-115 for everything.

Hilde

· #7 · Oct 11, 2010

carriej said:
The lace java fern, and the bacopa (sp?) haven't grown much.

The bacopa is not a low light plant. I think replacing it with a crypt v balance would look nice. The Java fern needs potassium sulphate, approx. 2Tbs weekly, in addition to the flourish. Potassium sulfate and flourish here. Probably cheaper in the long run to get Brigwell multi for you wouldn't need the flourish. It contains - Calcium chloride, Iron EDTA, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium iodide, Potassium sulfate, Zinc sulfate.

If you get crypts you will need Excel. Excel can be bought on Ebay. There is also an Excel alternative Metricide. Recommended dosing of Metricide would be 2.9ml daily for 50g (Excel is 5ml)

Next upgrade for light would be T5NO. Big Als has one for $64. Seems would be cheaper in long run to stick with your light and low light plants. Just add more wood. That is what I wish I had done. The stem plants are cheaper but then you have to invest in lights.

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lauraleellbp

· #8 · Oct 11, 2010

Yep, that's the light I'm talking about. The wattage may be lower, but it's T5 instead of T8 and the ballast is much more efficient at converting wattage into light- so actually you'd end up with more light than your current T8s.

But you can work with what you've got as long as you stick with easy plants.

Bacopa is one of the stems that does the best for me in low light, personally, but I suspect under your current lighting it's going to get leggy (loose leaves on the bottom) as it grows taller. I'd put it directly under the bulbs, try and keep it trimmed rather low, and maybe that will work OK?

If you keep this tank fully stocked then you probably won't need to dose ferts at all. Perhaps just some root tabs under the larger plants.

carriej

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 12, 2010

That is exactly what has happened to my bacopa.. it's "leggy" however, it has sprouted new "branches" (lol..) and they are perfect looking. It's only really the main plant that I initially put in the tank that looks leggy.

I like stem plants.. I may have to just get a better light. I find I have a hard time with green spot algae on my glass, I scrape it off with a razor every few days.

gringostar9

· #10 · Oct 12, 2010

Im new to this as well, but i have been reading everything on the web the past few weeks, and the only thing i would say is maybe your substrate is not deep enough from what i see in the picture. Your tank looks great thought. I want to get moss but i dont want it to over take my tank. good luck with your tank.

fish-n-pups

· #11 · Oct 12, 2010

I love your moss rocks! Nice look

carriej

Discussion Starter · #12 · Oct 12, 2010

Thanks guys. The substrate is about 2.5 inches deep. There is just a border of trim around the bottom of the tank (I didn't want to see that black edge, and I wanted something that the tank fit tight into so it didn't move) I have another bag here of the same sand I could put in, but I think I'm going to pick up some of that planted substrate and mix it in with it and hope it doesn't look like heck.. lol

gringostar9

· #13 · Oct 13, 2010

carriej said:
Thanks guys. The substrate is about 2.5 inches deep. There is just a border of trim around the bottom of the tank (I didn't want to see that black edge, and I wanted something that the tank fit tight into so it didn't move) I have another bag here of the same sand I could put in, but I think I'm going to pick up some of that planted substrate and mix it in with it and hope it doesn't look like heck.. lol

I really like your tank the moss looks great... Tank my advice lightly, i am still new to this as well, but 2.5 inches should be good, that about what i have. From the pic it looks like 3/4 of an inch

littlefish

· #14 · Oct 14, 2010

Lovely, the moos is awesome, just a few more plants in the back I would add.

carriej

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 11, 2011

Here is an update -- added new stuff, killed lots of stuff (lol!) and had a severe BBA/some other weird algae outbreak and hauled almost everything out of it.

here is the end result.

I think I have to haul my moss rocks ..

they are so infested with weird black algae (doesn't seem to be BBA) that seems to be killing it.

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Hilde

· #16 · Jan 11, 2011

I find dealing with algae problems similar to yours that having a siesta time of 3hrs and dosing with KNO3 (potassium nitrate) helps keep it at bay. Spectricide stump remover is 100% KNO3. You can make a solution using 1Tbs of KNO3 and 1 cup of water. Then dose 5ml daily until algae starts dying then dose weekly.

Kena

· #17 · Jan 13, 2011

carriej said:
Hi Guys,

I have been keeping aquariums for about 6 years now but I just began my planted adventure in about July. Everything in my tank so far was given to me by fellow hobbyists at group meeting so it's taken a few months to get where it is today and it's not looking too hot! I am not running much equipment on here right now... a shop light from home depot running t8s at 64 watts on a 55 gallon tank but so far things have been doing ok.

Here's a picture.. Critique it! I need advice and what would look better and what plants to add. Only rule is I love my mossy rocks and my piece of driftwood.

As you can see some plants are just scattered in here (lacy java fern on my driftwood which hasnt grown at all yet... and the hornwort is just floating there)

Beautiful tank. I'm new to all of this, can you tell me if it is normal for the bulbs to float:icon_ques:icon_redf

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

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