Cabomba Plants Having To Be Kept At 78*f? Wut?

[Amberleaf]

Okay so we were at the fish store yesterday buying some plants (we got 2 bacopa plants, 1 java moss, and 1 green cabomba, just so you know ^^, and my Mom was thinking about getting some for the 55-gallon. The guy told us that the cabomba needs to be kept at 78*F or they lose their spikes or something. Or needles. Whatever those soft pointy things are called. Is that true? My Mom took 1 bacopa for herself but I got the other 3 plants. <3

Also, is sand any good to root plants in? I'm switching to black sand on Boxing Day in my 10-gallon, and transforming it into a fully planted tank. I can't wait! The cabomba looks like a little pine tree, so I'm going to surround my little fake house with them, and it'll be a house in the woods. That should look absolutely *wonderful*, lols.

Also, can you ID the plant in these two pictures? Recently, it's changed to have leaves that aren't as spiky.

http/www.flickr.com/photos/35706859@N07/3999178038/ & http/www.flickr.com/photos/35706859@N07/4057345636/

On Boxing Day I'm also planning to get a moss ball. That's a type of algae, right?

Also, is there any kind of plant that I could use to cover the floor of the tank -- i.e., to make sort of a carpet? Thanks for all the help.

 

[three-fingers]

Not true, though the higher the temperature the harder it is to meet it's needs with regards to light, nutrients and CO2. I find Cabomba caroliniana prefers cooler water, like coldwater tanks, and it does much better under high lighting, otherwise it will grow straggly. It usually always loses it's leaves when adapting to the environment its in, unless you happen to get things perfect for it.

Sand is great, while you have the chance, you could also think about a nutrient rich substrate for under the sand .

Plant is wisteria, Hygrophila difformis.

To give recommendation on carpeting plants, we need to know more about lighting, substrate, CO2, ferts and water movement.

 

[Amberleaf]

Well I just looked on the tank lid; it says:
Rated: 120 VAC, 60 Hz, 30 Watts
Kinda lost me at the VAC part.

Gravel is the substrate, rainbow and black.

CO2? What? I thought that with fish you couldn't use CO2? I've got 3 female Bettas (one's sick ), and two cories in the tank. It's 10 gallons.

Ferta? Fertilizers? Don't use any. Again, I thought they were poisonous to fish?

Hmm.... No water movement, except for the slight current at the top of the tank.

Oh, and what do you mean by nutrient-rich substrate?

 

[three-fingers]

Well I just looked on the tank lid; it says:
Rated: 120 VAC, 60 Hz, 30 Watts
Kinda lost me at the VAC part.

Gravel is the substrate, rainbow and black.

CO2? What? I thought that with fish you couldn't use CO2? I've got 3 female Bettas (one's sick ), and two cories in the tank. It's 10 gallons.

Ferta? Fertilizers? Don't use any. Again, I thought they were poisonous to fish?

Hmm.... No water movement, except for the slight current at the top of the tank.

Oh, and what do you mean by nutrient-rich substrate?

Well, 120 VAC just means 120 volts AC (alternating current), and 60 hertz is the frequency it runs at - this just tells me your from America.

The important part from the specs you've listed is just the 30 watt part, but we need to know what kind of bulb it is and those specs don't mention, so tell us, is it a florescent tube? How thick is it?

Nope, CO2 is extremely commonly used in aquariums with fish, as are fertilisers .

More water movement is beneficial to the plants and helps in fighting algae growth. You probably have such a low flow because you've been told bettas don't like water movement, water movement with bettas isnt that hard, just use spray bars to diffuse the flow if you need to. I have all my baby bettas in a tank with over 20x turnover rate - don't worry about it too much.

But there's so much to learn here, the best thing for you to would be to read this: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/298133-back-to-basics/ .

And then read these topics for more detail if your confused about anything: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/296418-planted-aquariums-resource-center/ .

And since your new to plants, stick to low-tech methods.

If you want a nice little planted tank with carpeting plants and everything thriving, reading up is the best way to go.

 

[Amberleaf]

Uhh, I think it's an incandescent bulb.... Also, I've never had algae problems in my tank. It doesn't get much sunlight, as it's on my dresser.... So, Idk. Gaah. Lots of read.

Also, I don't want to add anything with an air pump because air pumps = noisy, and I can't sleep if there's any light or noise in the room (with the exception of quiet filters ), so noisy air pump = I can't sleep = lots of other things = also, no fish tank.

I know; complicated, right? T_T;

 

[three-fingers]

You wont want an airpump, would just lower the CO2 levels in the water .

 

[theshadowinc]

Not true, though the higher the temperature the harder it is to meet it's needs with regards to light, nutrients and CO2. I find Cabomba caroliniana prefers cooler water, like coldwater tanks, and it does much better under high lighting, otherwise it will grow straggly. It usually always loses it's leaves when adapting to the environment its in, unless you happen to get things perfect for it.

Sand is great, while you have the chance, you could also think about a nutrient rich substrate for under the sand

.

Plant is wisteria, Hygrophila difformis.

To give recommendation on carpeting plants, we need to know more about lighting, substrate, CO2, ferts and water movement.

I think I will kick myself for saying this lol so I have no idea why I am going to say it maybe something for me to learn hehe, but I grow wisteria as well as Cabomba, both are in my discus tank so temps are 80-82 and I find that stuff grows like weeds not only that it spreads out like a fan a major difference compared to what it looks like in colder water and non co2 water...... Actually I am looking at getting rid of the Cabomba for the simple reason my discus uproot it all the time erm..... it it needs constant trimmings hardcore all the time, but I think its cause I am running High tech tank as well so CO2 30ppm and EI dosage......

Amber the advice here is what I would say right on the money 20x is extreme for a planted tank but it can be even out throughout the tank with a simple spray bar modification. If I remember correctly the minimum flow rate for a planted tank is 10x, I would also say a planted tank has the cleanest water quality compared to a fish only tank! I have seen many of the mouth brooder community put into a planted tank and they seemed fine to me I don't think the water movement bothered them that much if even at all. (If you are not moving the water at 10x this will lead to algue in a hurry and why most of the people keeping plants in there betta 10gal tanks or 5 gal tanks are running into the algue issues they are running into)

but like three fingers said best advice is to read up on it especially if you want a carpet floor in the tank. Once you read up and are confused about something then ask your questions that you have ^^

 

[RadaR]

Not true, though the higher the temperature the harder it is to meet it's needs with regards to light, nutrients and CO2.

I find that stuff grows like weeds
I am running High tech tank as well so CO2 30ppm and EI dosage......

Hence the reason why you grow it so well.
three-fingers only said that at higher temps it's harder to grow. You have high temp, but you are supplying enough nutrients (most definitely if using EI)and CO2.