[malloy85]

Firstly I hope EVERYONE had a Merry Christmas. I'm planning a New tank for the new year. My stats and necessary info...

Tank: 55G
Light: 2x35W T5HO - 1x9000 Kelvin 1x4100 kelvin
C02: Pressurized
PH: 7.5
KH: High
Substrate: ECO Complete (But open to suggestions)

I've always liked the look of HC & UG and while I appreciate glosso I'm not a really a glosso fan. I chose eco complete because I want a substrate with high cec and one which replenishes itself. I recognize that eco doesn't contain Nitrates but will dose that when need be. Please note that I'm open to suggestions on the choice of substrate as long as it meets the above requirement.

I realize that the wpg may be on the low side however, I can't change that as it's a European Juwel aquariums and the bulbs are specifically tailored to fit the hood and on top of that, I just bought new bulbs about two weeks ago.

While researching I came across the idea of leaving the clumps of hc in the mineral wool? and lowering the flow for about a a week to allow it to settle in but I'm starting from scratch here. All advice and pointers from hours of light per day to co2 bps substrate and carpeting plant choice. I know that this is only my 2nd/3rd post but I'm seriously looking to make the leap from mere hobbyist to more "professional look" so please take me under your wing and make me your project as I follow direction well (apart from a new light unit lol)

Thanks a zillion for reading the above and Happy New Year to you all!

 

[danakin]

Depending on your ambition and skill level, it might be worth it to make a new canopy to house a bit more lighting. As you realize, lighting may be against you here.

How do you feel about dwarf hairgrass? I can't speak to UG, but I know in one of my low-light low-tech tanks DHG took off. Could be perfect with your setup.

 

[temple2101]

Have you looked into Staurogyne repens? I use it as a carpet in my tank and it looks/grows great. Just a thought for something that may be more forgiving and still look and carpet well.

 

[acitydweller]

you might want to consider swaping out one of the bulbs for a 6500k which better suits plant growing.

 

[malloy85]

Depending on your ambition and skill level, it might be worth it to make a new canopy to house a bit more lighting. As you realize, lighting may be against you here.

How do you feel about dwarf hairgrass? I can't speak to UG, but I know in one of my low-light low-tech tanks DHG took off. Could be perfect with your setup.

Hi danakin thanks a bunch for the reply here. I wont be buying a canopy but was considering buying several tropica pots of each carpeting plant and seeing which one did best. But your confidence in dwarf hair grass has my interest peaked. Could you please elaborate? And also are we talking about eleocharis parvula? I'm asking because sometimes people use the common name for different plants on different sites.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...F3VOI72vHmut0Gki6_ZfQ&bvm=bv.1355534169,d.d2k

Have you looked into Staurogyne repens? I use it as a carpet in my tank and it looks/grows great. Just a thought for something that may be more forgiving and still look and carpet well.

Hey temple2101 Thanks for your input here. I currently have some S repens in my tank but wont be considering that as a carpet.

you might want to consider swaping out one of the bulbs for a 6500k which better suits plant growing.

Acitydweller I appreciate you taking the time here. The aquarium is a pretty if not the most popular aqurium manufacturer in Europe and because of that I've been able to research others using the same bulbs/tank (juwel vision 180) and growing it successfully. Granted I have only been looking into it for a month (and please correct me if I'm wrong here) but from what I gather, it seems most are unsuccessful with hc because they can get it to root. That or they have stock which refuses to allow it to grow (cory cats and gourami being the worst offenders) My solution was to remove the stocking for 2week-month to give it time to root properly. That or grow it emersed but in the tank...

I hope that that last sentence made sense? I should also say that I tried juwels color bulb which comes in at 6000K while changing nothing else and within two weeks was dealing with several algae outbreaks. Again I changed nothing but the bulb but because i live in london (A recent survey says we have the worst water in europe) I believe that any higher K will result in more algae outbreaks. If not Hc do you think that there is another carpeting plant better suited. Temple2101 mentioned DHG but until he said it was good for my setup I was leaning more towards hc because DHG is said to be painfully slow growing but I'll be waiting on his response as with yours.

Please excuse the essay

 

[malloy85]

Still researching...

For anyone reading this what do you think about Lilaeopsis brasiliensis as a HC alternative
using the same setup listed above?

 

[aokashi]

Some can grow to like 4in. So it probably wont work as an HC alternative

 

[malloy85]

I don't mind the height. Do you think it'll work with my setup?

 

[ThatGuyWithTheFish]

Micro sword is very hard to carpet. (or so I've heard)

 

[aokashi]

i had microsword that carpeted a med/high light set up without CO2. it was however a little slow. you can try dry starting it, once rooted it will do quite well

 

[HD Blazingwolf]

Star repens grows no taller than dwarf hair grass.
And repens is far easier to maintain with trimmings

 

[malloy85]

i had microsword that carpeted a med/high light set up without CO2. it was however a little slow. you can try dry starting it, once rooted it will do quite well

I've done a lot of research with Microsword (Lilaeopsis brasiliensis) with eco complete and have seen some good result in under med light with no co2. So I'm hoping I can do it seeing as I'll have c02.

Right now it's a combination of Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, HC, & UG. Ill Plant each equally and which ever does best is what I'm going to go with? Did I mention that I'm removing the fish for a month?

Star repens grows no taller than dwarf hair grass.
And repens is far easier to maintain with trimmings

Could you please provide the scientific name? I'm not having much luck with that name in google search.

 

[h4n]

i'm currently growing Microsword (Lilaeopsis brasiliensis) under a 26 watt cfl bulb over my fluval flora w/o co2 and it has been about a month and I say it is about 85% covered the foreground.

 

[fplata]

Micro sword carpet


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[malloy85]

i'm currently growing Microsword (Lilaeopsis brasiliensis) under a 26 watt cfl bulb over my fluval flora w/o co2 and it has been about a month and I say it is about 85% covered the foreground.

Can you post pics? How many hours of light and your dosage and name of your ferts

View attachment 60526

Micro sword carpet


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Great pics. Could you post some stats?

 

[fplata]

I use Ada's substrate system, ph 6.5. Gh 4, kh 1, temp 24 c, 50 micro moles to the sediment and 1 bps, K N P + macro 1 time a week on 20% WC day. I keep CRS on this tank


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