Is there any products anyone can recommend from experience? I've had a bare tank for sometime with only sand and light decor but it became more than boring, so I need a change. I've read the thread 'planting brackish aquaria' however, it mainly talks about having a co2 system (or thats what I took in from it) and I want to know my other options. The last time I had plants was over a year ago when I had a freshwater system. All of the products I had/know to buy are all marketed towards freshwater and I don't want to make a mistake and use them if it's not going to work in my setup. I guess the next question is, would it be possible to do with a sand substrate? I probably know the answer to the last question but thought i'd ask anyways...
Plant Advice
- Thread starter La.La
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Try this, can't talk from experience, but it seems like a sensible and well written review.
http/www.fishforum...ackish-aquaria/
Yes, I read that and it is very helpful in many aspects and very well written, I am just unsure of whether or not they are putting a heavy emphasis on a co2 system or for instance if a 'booster' can be supplemented as can be used in freshwater as well as other plant food, ferts, etc. Everything is marketed towards freshwater or marine so i'm just a little confused. I've been smooth sailing with no plants for almost a year now and I and the fish need a change of scenery.
nmonks
A stroke of the brush does not guarantee art from
What salinity do you want to maintain? If we're talking around 10-18% salinity, i.e., about SG 1.001-1.003 at 25 C, then pretty much any hard water tolerant plant will do well. Such a salinity will be fine for mollies, most gobies, halfbeaks, glassfish, killifish, figure-8 puffers, orange chromides and most of the other low-end brackish species. Generally, you don't need to add CO2 unless you want to. Fast-growing plants will do better with it, to be sure, but adaptable and/or slow-growing species like Vallisneria, Water Sprite, Anubias and hardy Cryptocoryne species like C. wendtii (all ideal choices for low-end brackish systems) will do well either way.
Above this level of salinity things become trickier, and to be honest, I would't bother. Scats eat plants, while most of the other high-salinity species want an environment more tailored to their needs: open swimming space, bogwood roots, smooth sand, etc.
Cheers, Neale
Above this level of salinity things become trickier, and to be honest, I would't bother. Scats eat plants, while most of the other high-salinity species want an environment more tailored to their needs: open swimming space, bogwood roots, smooth sand, etc.
Cheers, Neale
iliveinazoo
Fish Crazy
I agree with Neale really, sand will be fine but it would be handy to have a bottle of ferts NPK+trace to take care of any defficiencies. A couple more to add to the list that have worked for me:
Aponogeton Crispus, Bacopa Monnieri, Sagittaria Subulata, Java Moss and Java Fern. Water Sprite and Java Moss don't seem to like higher temperatures so if your tank heads up towards 28-30DegC then they will quickly melt away.
Aponogeton Crispus, Bacopa Monnieri, Sagittaria Subulata, Java Moss and Java Fern. Water Sprite and Java Moss don't seem to like higher temperatures so if your tank heads up towards 28-30DegC then they will quickly melt away.
I may just do some rockwork and place in some bogwood or something. I'll have to see though because it was a good point about needing swimming space because I want to eventually get some monos in there. Have to do more research on them though before that happens. Thanks guys.
Hi Lala,
my (little) experience in a similar situation.
I started one year ago my (very first) tank, SG 1.002, sand only, and artificial roots. I just wanted a little corner of plants, since they actually didn't fit that environment (a mangrove river bank). Also, I wanted it looooow-tech. So, no CO2, and my standard 2x 39W, 6500 K, T5 tubes.
1) After quite some time of research I opted for Ceratophyllum, which seemed hardy enough, and didn't need any nutrient from the substrate (that solved the problem with the very poor substrate I had): I simply attached it to a hollow rock; this way, I also solved the rotting problem typical of this plant, if buried in the substrate. I started with freshwater, and very slowly rose to SG 1.002; it did grow quite well, but always looked miserable, and covered with some kind of algae: worth mentioning here that the tank was not mature at all. I was adding simply a liquid fert, once a week, half the recommended dosis.
2) In July I removed what was left of the hornwort, and tried Vallisneria Asiatica. In this case I had to enrich the ground a bit, so I used Tetra Plant Crypto tablets, and again a liquid fertilizer, on an irregular basis. Again, the plants are struggling, with the leaves opened wide, instead of growing nicely vertically. Also, lots of rotting tips. They are propagating, though, and I can see that the plants born in there appear faring better.
Again, I'm a beginner, so I AM doing lots of wrong things in there, but I must admit so far my experience with plants is not a happy one. But I keep trying. And learning, hopefully.
my (little) experience in a similar situation.
I started one year ago my (very first) tank, SG 1.002, sand only, and artificial roots. I just wanted a little corner of plants, since they actually didn't fit that environment (a mangrove river bank). Also, I wanted it looooow-tech. So, no CO2, and my standard 2x 39W, 6500 K, T5 tubes.
1) After quite some time of research I opted for Ceratophyllum, which seemed hardy enough, and didn't need any nutrient from the substrate (that solved the problem with the very poor substrate I had): I simply attached it to a hollow rock; this way, I also solved the rotting problem typical of this plant, if buried in the substrate. I started with freshwater, and very slowly rose to SG 1.002; it did grow quite well, but always looked miserable, and covered with some kind of algae: worth mentioning here that the tank was not mature at all. I was adding simply a liquid fert, once a week, half the recommended dosis.
2) In July I removed what was left of the hornwort, and tried Vallisneria Asiatica. In this case I had to enrich the ground a bit, so I used Tetra Plant Crypto tablets, and again a liquid fertilizer, on an irregular basis. Again, the plants are struggling, with the leaves opened wide, instead of growing nicely vertically. Also, lots of rotting tips. They are propagating, though, and I can see that the plants born in there appear faring better.
Again, I'm a beginner, so I AM doing lots of wrong things in there, but I must admit so far my experience with plants is not a happy one. But I keep trying. And learning, hopefully.
iliveinazoo
Fish Crazy
I've got to say that Hornwort didn't work very well for me either - it seems to hate temperature rises like water sprite and java fern but is much less hardy. I think that regular regimes for plants is much better for plants than irregular, even if that means putting a larger dose in weekly instead of a smaller dose every 1-5 days. If your plants aren't doing well try upping the fert dose and make sure that you are adding NP&K not just trace. You could think about buying a liquid carbon to aid the nutrient uptake, but keep in mind that vallis is touchy about liquid carbon and will need to be introduced to it slowly.
Thank you for letting me know. I added 3 'bunches' of anacharis and 3 of the moneywort as well about a week ago without adding anything to the water at this point because I had a "what did you just do to yourself" moment where I realized I made a mistake knowing I didn't know how to take care of the plants properly in this environment after dropping them in there. I havent even arranged them or anything knowing I may have to take them back out if I couldn't work it out. I took the background I had off as well and quite honestly I really hope that I CAN make the plants work because I havent seen the tank itself look this good since it was freshwater.. The fish have always been fine but even they seem like they are getting along a little better and like the plants in there as well. I think i'm going to try to see if I can be successful with the plants before I give up and just get some knew rocks/wood etc. because I can't imagine that it will look good without the plants at this point.
What brand of products are you using for the plants? I usually prefer seachem.
What brand of products are you using for the plants? I usually prefer seachem.
Next time I'll get them online, but here where I live I don't have a large choice, so I ended up using this Colombo Flora-Grow liquid, which indeed defines Fe, Mg, K and Co as trace elements. So, in my case, perhaps I should up things a bit (I'm just freaking scared of algae!
The tablets are Tetra.
I would say that not arranging the plants, even if you expect small chances of success, doesn't help, because if you do succeed, then you'll have to stress them to move them in final position, and THAT all plants hate.
iliveinazoo
Fish Crazy
I mix my own with dry powders mixed with water and use Easycarbo as a liquid carbon source. I put in about 15ml of NPK on Saturday and about 15-20ml of trace on a Wednesday. I also add about 4ml of easycarbo every Saturday as well. 50% Water changes are usually done every Friday night.
Ok so are you doing such large water changes due to the additional supplements you're putting in the water? I usually do one once a month, plus the regular 10-20% every weekend.
iliveinazoo
Fish Crazy
[sub]That and it's nice and easy to remember - I set aside a couple of hours once a week to clean.[/sub]
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