How To Get The Garden Growing?

[Naringlo]

Hi, I've just started a planted nano tank and have eventually finished adding the plants I want.
Just a bit of info on it; I'm using colombo flora base complete substrate, cannister Co2 (because I'm a student :L) and Neutro+ Fertiliser and possibly Neutro Co2 after christmas. The lighting is 9w PL. Tank is 25c and pH 6.5. I plan on getting tiger, cherry, blue, green, yellow, bee shrimp and a nice special siamese fighting fish.

Anyway, I'm wanting my garden to grow:

-Heteranthera Zosterifolia - I bought this off eBay, it arrived in 2 days looking pretty dead, it came as 2 stems. 1 was looking a bit more dead than the other so I chopped the top bit off and planted that and trimmed some dead leaves off the other and planted it. Their leaves seem to be doing better and looking green. I didn't know what I was doing with them, I just tried to use common sense. Was I right in hoping that the bottom part of the stem would grow in to roots? Anyway I'm hoping for the star grass to dominate and overgrow slightly in the back to cover most of the black. Any pointers?

-Vallisneria Tortifolia - I bought this to fill some gaps and cover up the diffuser from sight. Plus it looks pretty awesome.

I'm wanting that to spread and fill out a bit near and slightly in front of the back along with the star grass. Any pointers here?

-Eleocharis Acicularis - This I am hoping to carpet the largest area of the tank. I bought some before but it all died so I bought some more healthier looking hair grass and spread it out. It seems to be doing much better. I added some towards the back, in front of the vallis and star grass, leaving a small gap just for the ease of growth and did not chop these just in case. I then chopped of the remaining tops of the hair grass (while it was outside the aquarium, just straight off) and spread it around the area I want it to grow in. I read somewhere that if you cut hair grass close to the aquarium, it will encourage it to spread rather than grow upwards. Is this true or is there another way of doing so?

-Lilaeopsis - I am using this to surround the piece of bog wood and I am not having any problems with this so far. Will this grow and spread? Also, how do you trim this? I'm guessing something to do with the roots rather than the leaves. There is also a piece behind the moss ball.

-Anubias - This is growing wonderfully and is already sprouting new leaves. I've had to pull off a few so it doesn't block all the light. But it's looking very healthy and it is the only plant I am confident with. :L

-Java Moss - There is just a bit of this attached to the bog wood in places just to vary it up a bit.

-Aegagropila Linnaei - Can you even have problems with a moss ball? Haha

Also, yet another question, what moss could I use that would grow and stick to the piece of bogwood? Like hair algae growing on a side surface. Or anything easy really.

As I said in another recent post, sorry for the mass bombardment of questions, but I'm new to this so need the help!

Thanks for any advice and information!

Here is my tank of now.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Ok, the Zosterifolia you just trim and replant, the bottoms will sprout 2 new shoots and you can re plant the tops.

Vallis, not a lot you can do with it as if you trim it the leaves wont re grow or repair, it will spread and shoot runners over time.

The Eleocharis you have is a tall variety so will require frequent trimming to keep short and low trimming will encourage it to spread.

Lilaeopsis is probably changing from immersed to submerged growth and takes a little while, just trim like any stem plant and it will encourage new growth.

Moss balls like you say, leave them be.

Moss wise, something like Fissidens Fontanus, weeping or xmas would do it fine.

Regarding shrimp, you'll find a few of those will cross breed so be careful, maybe stick to tigers and one of the other solid colours, also bee shrimp are less hardy than the others so its always good to keep them as a single species if starting out as they can be out competed in a tank with other breeds.

Hope this helps

Steve

 

[Naringlo]

Alright thanks for the help. It's much easier when you kow what you're doing. I'll probably stick with cherries and tigers then if I can get any. Depends on stock I supose. Also when I trim the hairg grass, it seems to go brown. I have plant aquarium scissors so I can't figure why it happens.

Thank again for the help! Helps a lot!