[jfynyson]

Good deal.

I'm curious as to how you or Dutch Styles in general deal with high plant growth/load vs enough water circulation. How is it ensured the hidden stems are getting adequate CO2 & ferts while having no dead spots to keep healthy growth while keeping algae at bay ?

Thanks & Happy Labor Day (means we just work around the house instead, right)

 

[UDGags]

Good deal.

I'm curious as to how you or Dutch Styles in general deal with high plant growth/load vs enough water circulation. How is it ensured the hidden stems are getting adequate CO2 & ferts while having no dead spots to keep healthy growth while keeping algae at bay ?

Thanks & Happy Labor Day (means we just work around the house instead, right)

Personally, I have a Vortech MP40 that is next to the overflow on the front side of the tank and two outflows from a MAG1800. One outflow is pointed down and one is pointed up. I seem to get decent flow as long as things are not blocked. The MAG1800 pumps a maximum of 1800gph and the Vortech MP40 moves a lot of water (I have it set pretty low otherwise it's like a hurricane in the tank). For a 125g tank my goal was 10x+ for the flow rate, which I'm pretty confident I'm at without ever having measured it.

 

[jfynyson]

Thanks ! Yeah I just trimmed around my powerheads before something bad takes over.

 

[UDGags]

My apistogramma pair just had some more babies. Trying to get a good picture but they are hiding out in the plants pretty good.

 

[UDGags]

These are the best I can get with current conditions right now....

Baby Apistogramma's

Anubias Flower

 

[UDGags]

Well I finally got around last night into moving plants where I think I want them. I've been much more active taking care of the tank the past couple weeks and the algae is going away slowly. Once the plants fill in a bit and the algae is cleared up I'll post some pictures.

One useful tool I found....baby bottles for measuring liquids. We had a bunch of extra small bottles (hospital gives you a ton) for newborns and they have mL markings, lids, etc.. My son is now 8 weeks and using larger bottles so I reused these for my aquarium and they work great!

Edit-All the apistogramma babies died again I believe...I'm sure they were fish food.

 

[jfynyson]

Well can't wait to see the new layout.

I created a thread (link below) for the Dutch inspired. I'd love for you (if you get time) to add your $0.02 on your trimming and pruning techniques as I recall you being somewhat inspired by the style. I like you, enjoy the breaking of some of the Dutch rules, mainly the use of hardscapes while using a lot of the beauty of the style.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=436617&highlight=

 

[UDGags]

I did a carpet of mini-alternanthera reineckii...waiting to see how it fills in.

I'll check your link out tonight if I get time....or sometime this week.

 

[UDGags]

Well the algae is just about all gone. Not really sure the direction I'm going with the tank. I'll let things grow some more and probably mess around with a few things to see how they look.

Here is a cell phone picture. The glass needs cleaned so it isn't the greatest to start with.

 

[UDGags]

I found one of the babies from the last batch...it's about the size of a dime...excited! It's hiding in the Lobelia Cardinalis 'Dwarf'. It's about a month old.

 

[jfynyson]

it's cute, congrats ! Hey just noticed in that pic what looks like the green fuzz algae that I had dealt with back in August. Have you found your Amano's eating it ? I don't have shrimp b/c of my clown loach but I only found full tank Algaefix treatment to be able to take care of it (it laughed at Excel & H2O2 full tank & spot treatments). I also heard Algaefix can be bad for some shrimp though...

 

[UDGags]

It's hair algae in the picture. It's pretty much cleared up in tank just left on a few of the lobelias and some of the 'mini'. I plan on plucking off those leaves this weekend that are still bad.

I basically removed some of the plants that got bad, cranked up my CO2, added a new batch of amano's and been changing the water religiously twice a week. Over the past 2-3 weeks the algae has almost disappeared. I think the biggest thing was the CO2. I really need to do some water testing because my pH/CO2 levels don't match what was at the start of the tank. Probe might need calibrated too. Fish don't seem stressed but going off pH I have 50+ ppm easy.

 

[UDGags]

Found 2-3 more Apisto's about a month old hiding today.

 

[UDGags]

I finally broke down and took some good pictures. I did a water change, glass cleaning, etc. last night so it would look its best for pictures.

You can see I still have algae in places but its decreasing daily so I just have to be patient. I also need the red Ludwigia to grow a little faster in the back

I'm not completely happy with the layout but its better than nothing right now.

 

[jfynyson]

It'll fill in nicely. It took the red hybrids a couple months for me and now they grow like crazy. I like the new carpets!

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 4

 

[UDGags]

Yeah, I know they take a bit to take off from when I first planted them in the tank.

I don't like lobelia that much to be honest...thinking about putting some different wood in the tank or some black lava rocks.

 

[UDGags]

Well I took the plunge and took out the other driftwood. I was losing a battle with BBA so decide to do a new hardscape. Some of the wood is now soaking and this is what it looks like at the moment. I figure it will be floating for a little while while I get the plants I want in. I have some other wood I might put in but haven't decide on the right in terms of hardscape yet.

 

[Dr. Brand]

I'm just starting my 200 gal setup and I really appreciate all the detail in your post.

 

[UDGags]

I'm just starting my 200 gal setup and I really appreciate all the detail in your post.

No problem, being an engineer I'm all for details on how things work.

 

[UDGags]

All the wood has pretty much sunk now....trying to locate some rocks that I want and then will order a few different plants and a few more fish/shrimp if budget allows.