[Ratvan]

Greetings all, a little introduction first.

I have always had reef tanks, this RSM130D was my Office Reef until lockdown 1.0 kicked in. Thankfully I was able to get the majority of the livestock and corals out of the tank and get some funds for it before the country was completely shut down. I was then lucky enough to be able to continue working from the office (unable to work from home) throughout the latest lockdown and relaxation and full lockdown again. During this time the tank sat empty and fallow as I had emptied and cleaned it before all this took place.

I monitored closely the rising price of corals and fish before deciding that I would instead use the tank as a planted freshwater set up for a community tank, I intend to have the following fish stocking list for this set up and keeping it vaguely "Amazonian"

2 German Blue Ram
12 Ember Tetra
8 "Dwarf" Corydora (Smaller species) - still undecided
The Equipment list for the tank is as follows

TANK: RSM 130D hoodless (29 gallon display, 5 Gallon Filtration)
HEATER: 100w Adjustable heater on Inkbird Controller (keeps in the range of 77-78F)
LIGHT: 18W Full Spectrum Par38 Bulb (this thing is adequate for Bubble Tipped Anemones in this Tank)

SUBSTRATE: I have a small layer of peat moss soil under a thicker capping level of very well rinsed playsand, around the base of the plants I have also placed a small amount of pebbles/gravel to keep the crown clear and prevent them being dug up by my planned additions

The filtration in the rear section of the tank comprises of a 3 tier In Tank Media Basket, first level is Filter Floss, the next two tiers are full of sponges that I have had stored in my LFS's sump for a few months to aid with the cycling of the aquarium.

Plants Currently are a few Amazon Swords which as you can probably see are going through the melting stage as they were not being grown fully submerged, however the smaller leaves are coming through strong and bright which leads me to believe that the plants are healthy, also have that weird fern looking thing that was purchased as Water Wisteria although I think that this is most likely incorrect.

A positive ID would be greatly appreciated.

I have also noticed that i have some hitch hiker snails which i believe to be bladder snails that have entered the tank too

 

[Plinkploop]

Does look like a bladder snail... The wisteria looks more fern like than any wisteria I've ever seen before. I don't know what it is but I don't think it's wisteria. It looks almost terrestrial.


*Edit- Did a quick search because I swear I've seen it before- hymenasplenia obscurum- I think that's how you spell it. It's a water fern.

 

[Ratvan]

Does look like a bladder snail... The wisteria looks more fern like than any wisteria I've ever seen before. I don't know what it is but I don't think it's wisteria. It looks almost terrestrial.


*Edit- Did a quick search because I swear I've seen it before- hymenasplenia obscurum- I think that's how you spell it. It's a water fern.

Morning, thanks for your message.

After keeping my eyes on the fern I am starting to think that it is a terrestrial/bog plant also. I notice that the very tips of the leaves are starting to decompose in the water. I have removed this and currently have it planted and keeping the soil very damp. Will keep my eye out for some Java Fern and Staurogyne Repens to add further foliage and cover to the tank before i add the planned fish

 

[Plinkploop]

Could be the semi aquatic bolbitis. So frustrating the amount of times it winds up being peddled as an aquatic version. Good luck in your search. I've had good luck with tc s repens and it's pretty easy to find even in the US, maybe you'd have some luck there- UK seems to have their crap together better than we do over here lol.

 

[Ratvan]

well worse case scenario i plan to get some cheese cloth and plant it in the rear section so that the soil doesnt get into the tank and i can also utilise this section a bit more, like i used to do with mangroves when this was a reef. Just again waiting on pay day so that i can get some more fauna and flora into this

 

[Ratvan]

Well i'm still deciding whether the "fern" is actually aquatic or not, have left it in the tank and it is starting to get some algae growth on the fronds (for want of a better word) so moved it into a higher flow area of the tank. I'm struggling to decide whether it is a rhizome growth or stem, if rhizome then i can more or less be certain that it is aquatic.

Other than that going through the typical die off stages from the Amazon sword, i have been pruning the older leaves as and when they look to be starting to decompose but obviously missed a few over the weekend, thinking about picking up a couple of snails to help me with this task today. As you can hopefully see the new younger leaves are coming through strong.

Might as well finish with a Full Tank Shot, couple of weeks remaining until i start adding fish

 

[Ratvan]

So Picked up a few more plants for the tank today, a bunch of Vallisneria that looks as though shortly I will be able to propagate and spread further around the back and side of the tank, and a rather large Anubias that I have split down into three smaller (but still large) plants, again some of these look as though i can propogate further so these have been tucked into crevises

 

[Zanara]

Your fern looks like a type of Selaginella to me. I would be highly suspicious that it’s not aquatic.

 

[Ratvan]

So had a call from a friend who is setting up a Mbuna tank, i'll be housing 6 juvies for a little while until they grow out to a size where they wont be assaulted in his 180g Mbuna tank. So goodbye vegetation i guess lmao

Your fern looks like a type of Selaginella to me. I would be highly suspicious that it’s not aquatic.

Yeah i returned that to the store