Jimbooo's planted tanks in detail
Juwel Rio 180 - set up December 2004
Equipment List
Tank: 101x41x50 - 180 Litres (39.5 UK Gallons / 48 USG)
Lighting: 4x T8 tubes at 30W. Total WPG 2.5
Tubes: Arcadia Freshwater (7500K), Dennerle Special Plant (3000K), 2x JBL tubes (4000K and 6000K)
Substrate: Fine 3mm gravel with first layer Laterite
Heater: standard Juwel as supplied
Filtration: Standard Juwel as supplied
CO2: 2 Hagen Nurtafin units - diy mixture
Juwel Rekord 60 - Set up June 04
Equipment List
Tank: 61x36x31 - 54 Litres (12 UK Gallons / 14 USG)
Lighting: 2x T8 tubes at 15W. Total WPG 2.14
Tubes: Arcadia Freshwater (7500K), Dennerle Special Plant (3000K)
Substrate: pea gravel (not ideal) with first layer Laterite
Heater: standard Juwel as supplied
Filtration: Standard Juwel as supplied
CO2: 1 Hagen Nutrafin Unit - diy mixture
Fertilisation schedule: 50% water change weekly
I use the Kent Botanic range of Liquid fertilisers. namely Grow, Nitro +, K, FE and Micro. I am currently dosing according to the directions on the pack at water change although Nitro + seems to have no effect on Nitrate levels at all. I am in the process of purchasing dry ferts for use with the EI method.
I do also add root fertiliser sticks beneath the larger rosette plants ie Amazon Swords etc..
Plant List and findings
1 - Vallis.
This stuff grows like a weed in my tank, once I added the laterite it seemed to go into overdrive sending out about 7 or 8 runners a week. Needs weekly pruning, as the long leaves will cover the surface very quickly shading the lower plants. I prune simply by cutting the leaves 2 inches below the surface at a 45-degree angle to reduce browning at the tip. I have also noticed you can gently tug on the longest leaves and they will break off from the crown. This promotes a growth spurt for the following week.
2 - Amazon Swords
These plants were slow to get going. When I had a plain gravel substrate without co2 they would get nasty brown patches on them and tend to wither and wilt quite quickly. Since I discovered laterite and co2 they have taken off. A heavy root feeder that will thrive with a good substrate that needs to be at least 2 inches deep for the roots to take hold. When established the roots of this plant will reach all 4 corners of your tank! Prune by pulling the older leaves from the crown at the base, do not cut the stem. This will promote new growth.
3 - echinodorus "red flame"
From the same family as the Amazon sword, growth identical to above. With good fertilisation and light the red marbled effect is stunning. One of my favourite plants, prune as with Amazon sword
4 - Java Fern (pic below)
One of the most useful and easy to propagate plants in the hobby. This little forest was made from one plant I originally had in my low spec rekord 60 (in the early days). When the plant has insufficient light and nutrients the larger leaves die, sprouting small plantlets at the tip. These plantlets can be removed when the leaves are an inch long and tied to bogwood or stone. My original plant produced about 50 plantlets that have been used on 4 pieces of bogwood to create the effect of one big plant. It will grow healthily in any light but growth rate will increase with higher light.
5 - Tiger Lotus Lilly
Beautiful plant, took a while to get going but once established (after 2 months) it throws off 2 new leaves a week. You need to train the plant for submerged life, remove floating leaves as soon as they get near the surface by tugging at the base; the stem breaks easily from the crown. Leaves are thick and leathery with a deep red colouration. Otto’s, Cory’s and suchlike like to sit on the leaves for a rest or under them for shade
6 - Anubias Nana
Tricky plant to grow without spot algae in my tank. Although it is a common plant in the hobby it does best in low light hence when in my tank under direct lighting the leaves cant keep up with the light so spot algae tends to creep onto the leaves. I have had success with it after putting in the lilies to shade the Anubias, with the lower light the growth rate has increased - cant explain why but it's a fact if a little confusing.
7 - Java Moss (pic below just after making the carpet - will bush out soon)
Very easy plant to grow can be attached to wood or stone and will take hold in a few weeks. Will also make a nice carpet if attached to a flat slate tile with a hairnet. Useful in lower light tanks where a carpeting effect is required.
8 - Dwarf Riccia (pic below)
Well where do I start. My favourite of all aquatic plants, naturally a floating plant but can be submerged to form a dense carpet. Dwarf Riccia is very rare and I have never seen it for sale since my chance purchase in a LFS. Online companies don’t seem to offer it either. Similar to Riccia fluitians but more compact, forms a hedge rather than a lawn if that makes sense. When the tank parameters are correct the whole plant will be covered in a dense layer of oxygen bubbles and your tank will look as if it is filled with lemonade!!
9 - Ludwiga Reapens
Nice plant and useful to add colour to the tank. Requires regular pruning, cutting off the bottom 1/3 and replanting the top. Can be propagated easily by snipping off at the internodes and planting each piece separately. One stem can then give rise to 20 new stems (pm me if your confused, I know I am) with age tends to send out way too many mid stem roots so worthwhile keeping on top of the pruning
10 - Hairgrass (acicularis)
Seems to be growing healthily in my tank but a bit of a pain to keep in check. The runners travel under wood and stone and pop up at the other side of the tank where they’re not supposed to be, getting fed up with it myself just haven't thought of a replacement yet.
11 - Micro Sword
Okay this stuff had caused me more trouble than anything else in the tank. The plant itself is beautiful and carpets more like a garden lawn than any other plant I have come across. The problem is it has always been swamped in algae in between the blades of grass. I have never managed to totally cure the problem; it is a slow grower so my lighting levels are most probably the cause.
12 - Baby Tears (pic below)
Gorgeous plant bright green forms a bush like structure with pearling at the tips. The shape of the leaves means the oxygen bubbles are held in place at the tip. Good plant next to Riccia if they are both pearling. Needs to be prunes as with all stem plants, remove bottom 1/3 and replant the top.
13 - Riccia Fluitians (pic below)
Very close to dwarf Riccia but leaf structure is looser. This is the version used by Amano in his masterpiece tanks. Naturally floating but forms a neat "lawn" when submerged with bubbles across the leaf tips.
I have not included my cube tank as it has only been set up 8 weeks, too soon to advise based on the short time.
