Joining the ranks of the planted

[pseud]

Very cool pseud!!
Sounds like youre able to get more co2 into solution with a turned over soda bottle then i can with the ladder...
Course you may be correct in thinking i had a harder time, since my tank was already fairly planted up.....
It will be interesting to see how everything comes along as plants are added....

houndour makes a great point about consistancy... with only 1 unit, you will deff see some down time, when the yeast stop producing at the end, and having to get a new batch going.....

Having run my co2 for a week now, i see that the adjustments on the bpm is a sensitive game..... once it slows down, it doesnt take long for the ph to start to rise...
At least in my tank

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Yeah, it's interesting. How much yeast were you using?

I'll be monitoring my levels closely as I add plants.

I just set it up again using only 1/4 teaspoon of yeast, and 8 hours later my pH has dropped to about 7.1 So not much of a change. Will test again in the morning and add another 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon if needed.

 

[pseud]

No change in pH overnight, added 1/2 tsp yeast. Will monitor in roughly 6 hour periods.

 

[Walt]

Im not using yeast... im using a big heavy can..

 

[pseud]

Im not using yeast... im using a big heavy can..

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Uhhh, oh yeah, I knew that.

 

[pseud]

Ok, slow pH decline over the day, down to 6.8 tonight, with a KH of 3.5 that's a CO2 level of 16. Need to come down to 6.6 to get 26ppm CO2.

(On another note, my Blue Rams spawned tonight! Their second spawn. ALOT of eggs this time on a big piece of slate in the middle of the tank. Male is being very protective of the eggs. I got some video footage, hopefully the night mode on my Mini DV camcorder worked well with the cold cathode moonlight. Will get it online this weekend)

I've been thinking about substrate and the layout of my tank. I really kinda want quite a large gradient, so I'm gonna purchase another bag of silica sand and some laterite. I'll put a layer of sand down sloping upwards to the back, then a layer of laterite, mostly toward the back of the tank and the sides, leaving a kind of arc in the middle front with no laterite. I want to keep this area as a kind of sandy bay type place, no plant growth. Maybe some driftwood, or rocks there. Then another sloping layer of sand on top. The foreground will almost certainly be riccia fluitians on pieces of slate... that's teh plan so far.

I've also been thinking about the fish stock. On my mind are clown loaches, corydoras, and khuli loaches at the moment (not thinking about getting them all though).

 

[pseud]

pH is still at 6.8 this morning.
...and the eggs are still there

 

[pseud]

Ok. I've been working on a plan for the tank, which plants to use and where, and I've come up with something. I'm a little ambivalent to show you, but here it is, the preliminary plan:

1. - The bay. Sand, with maybe a couple of pebbles. A nice sandy area as a focal point.
2. - Riccia Fluitians
3. - Slate caves covered with Riccia
4. - Dwarf Sag. Baby Tears. Mexican Oak Leaf
5. - Hygrophila corymbosa ''Stricta''
Hygrophilia Difformis
Hygrophilia polysperma
Hygrophilia Polysperma (tropic sunset)
Didiplis diandra
Ludwiga
Ludwiga Palustris
Ambulia
Egeria Densa

I wont be using all of those plants for 5, but will be choosing a selection of them. Any tips you have for choosing those plants would be great.

Anyway, the lights will be here on tuesday! Not long to go now. It's a shame they didn't arrive yesterday as I have this weekend off, working next weekend. I don't want to have to wait another 2 weeks to do this project! Argh!

Anyway. What do ya think?

 

[Jen]

I really like the future set up of the tank. The sandy section will be a nice contrast to all the plants.

I'm not sure about the colour of all your back plants, but it would be nice to have 1 or 2 reddish ones. They really stick out and make for a nice colour change amongst all green. My tiger lillies just seem to pop out at you.

 

[pseud]

Thanks

Yeah, I'm definitely a green/red plant preferer. Some of the plants do have a red color, the hygrophilia polysperma (tropic sunset) is one such that I will definitely be having. I think also one or two ludwigia species will work their way in there too.

 

[houndour]

I'm a bit confused by 2 and 3. What will you use to hold the riccia down with in 2.

I like the design, when trying to go ahead with it, make sure things don't turn out too symetrical. I like designs that include some bare sand too, so I like your bay area . But it's all personal preference.

 

[pseud]

Well, before I decided to go planted I bought a bunch of slate to use, but it didn't turn out anywhere near how i liked so I'm not going to use it. I'll recycle the slate and use it to tie the riccia to, probably using hair nets. I'll use the smaller pieces of slate and arrange them on the sand.

I like the sandy bay area for lots of reasons: I put sand in my tank because it looks better than gravel; i wanna be able to see some sand. I can create a sandy bay with a few slate caves and use this as a 'centerpiece', rather than paying for more stuff and buying a piece of bogwood, and the obvious appeal of having a nice contrast; the aesthetic appeal.

I'm so excited to get this done. Thanks for your comments, it's good to see people approving of my idea for my first planted tank!

 

[paulioo]

Thats has the potential to be a superb looking tank. Cant wait to see it progress.

Paul.

 

[pseud]

Alright, so this morning I've spent hours making a pretty much final decision on plants and placement. Here it is:

4 - Dwarf Sag plants (each number = 1 plant)

5 - Mexican Oak Leaf

6 - Hygrophila Corymbosa

7 - Ludwiga Repens

8 - Hygrophilia difformis

9 - Hygrophila Polysperma

0 - Hygrophila Polysperma (tropic sunset)


4 -

5 -

6 -

7 -

8 -

9 -

0 -

Lights being delivered tomorrow!

 

[George Farmer]

Very well planned pseud - in all aspects.

I hope to see come to fruition.

 

[pseud]

Thanks GF.

Do you think I'll be ordering enough if i purchase:

4 - Dwarf Sag plants (1 order = 10 plant)

5 - Mexican Oak Leaf (3 orders)

6 - Hygrophila Corymbosa (1 order)

7 - Ludwiga Repens (3 orders)

8 - Hygrophilia difformis (3 orders)

9 - Hygrophila Polysperma (2 orders)

0 - Hygrophila Polysperma (tropic sunset) (2 orders)

It's a 55 gallon tank (48" x 12.75 x 19).
They're all bunched plants so 1 order = 6-8 stems.

Do you think I'd be ordering enough of each one? or you think that will be too much?