[Alpinist]

Hey,

I just picked up my "last" Crypt. spiralis yesterday, as I intended to finish off a curtain of the stuff in the middle of the back of my tank (seen here, where at the time of the photo there was 3, now there are 5http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/yourtanks.php?do=view&id=1547)

I also decided to add some depth to the tank by increasing the depth of the substrate in the back. I slowly added gravel a cup or two at time up to the level of that higher cardinal near the middle of the picture. I tried to gently pull up on the crypts so that they wouldn't be so buried, but was pleasantly surprised when they didn't budge. About two months on, and they are quite well rooted.

So, based on my description here, do you think it's a problem if the base of the crypt plants are a little more buried than they normally might be? The substrate is a mixture of flourite and pea-gravel (rounded, 3-8mm or so).

Thanks for help!

 

[Ravenmoon]

Very well put together aquarium. I bet it'll look really neat when the plants start filling out.

 

[Hoppy]

My experience, largely with Crypt Wendtii, is that they are very rugged plants that will grow even if you bury them. It just takes longer. I have pulled up crypts, had them break apart, and left the stub of roots in the substrate. Then re-graded the substrate, and later the crypts showed up again.

 

[Alpinist]

Very well put together aquarium. I bet it'll look really neat when the plants start filling out.

Yeah, thanks. I'm liking it too. The plants are doing quite well at the moment, considering there's no CO2, 2.6Wpg, only Flourite in the substrate, and only Excel dosing.

I didn't really think of an aquascaping plan, either. I started at the right end with a couple plants and that lace rock, then gradually started moving to the right. Plenty of Java fern and anubias on those rocks and wood, already adhering well to the support. That narrow-leaf chain sword in the middle has been replaced with another Crypt (like the green lutea on the left). Hungry clown plecos went to work on the chain sword the day I put them in, but the attacks have subsided.

The only thing I want to do now (other than add a dry fert dosing regime and C02) is to let the microsword grass fill out, redesign the filter's diffuser bar, and have some floating H. difformis for surface cover.

Thanks for the input, guys!

 

[NJAquaBarren]

Hoppy. LOL "...will grow even if you bury them. It just takes longer..."

 

[Stim]

love the rock/java on the left