Plant Ideas

[pablothebetta]

I first planted out my tank a few months ago, which turned out like this (sorry it's the wrong way around):

A few months down the line, the java fern and crypts have really grown in (though the anubias has had a bit of a trim, partially due to algae on the leaves) and I've added a background - the tank now looks like this:

Sorry the tank was a little cloudy when I took the pic & please excuse the algae on the sides, it's being a pain to get rid of

However, I have thought of changing it a little. Firstly, I'm hoping the crypts already in there (think they were labelled as c. nevelli (sp?) and c. wendtii) will continue to fill in and 'thicken'. I then thought of glosso to replace the moss balls, possibly a couple of crypts in the front left corner and some vallis behind the anubias instead of the echinodoras (think its e.rose), in the hope that it'll grow quite long and spread along the surface a little.

I'm not planning to do this for a few weeks, but I'm trying to gather opinions and ideas on what to do. I have to say though, last time I tried vallis (the spiral kind, though I'd opt for the straight version this time), it melted. I'm thinking this might have been due to the EasyCarbo I used - would I be able to just use TNC Complete without CO2, or would that just not work?

Any ideas for my tank?

Thanks

 

[Noahs ark6]

Hi.

I use TNC complete without CO2 and it's fine. Is your lighting up to keeping glosso?

 

[pablothebetta]

Hi.

I use TNC complete without CO2 and it's fine. Is your lighting up to keeping glosso?

Thanks for that, I think I'll try the vallis with both, and if it doesn't go so well I might see how things go with just the TNC.
Lighting is the standard 11W fittings with the 28L AquaOne 28L tanks. I'm not sure if it'll be enough, but I thought I'd just have to see how it went. I plan on getting the 1-2 grow stuff, hoping it'll give the glosso an extra boost and will stay more compact (rather than growing upwards if the light isn't quite enough which I've heard can happen)...

 

[Noahs ark6]

Awesome, sounds nice. Good luck

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Prob be just fine with TNC lite tho, the plants will get the N&P from a low tech tank naturally so no need to dose it if not using CO2.

 

[pablothebetta]

Thanks ps3Stevo. I just ordered the TNC Complete last night though, will that be OK to dose with the EasyCarbo? I've got green spot algae which I've heard is caused by low phosphates, so I was hoping it might help with that

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Yeah it can help, GSA goes through a short life cycle so give it a few weeks and clean it off, may have to do this a couple of times in total to get completely rid of it. Yeah dosing the carbon with the TNC will help the plants out compete the algae for the nutrients. But if you don't keep up the carbon dosing and have a sudden stop you might get an out break of BBA.

 

[pablothebetta]

Actually, I have spotted a small amount of BBA on part of the anubias. Will using EasyCarbo help to get rid of it then?

Can you use Easycarbo without ferts, or visa versa?

Thanks for the help

 

[Ps3Steveo]

You can't use carbon or CO2 without ferts but you can use ferts with out CO2 or carbon. If using carbon or CO2 we recommend using all in one ferts with N&P as the plants wont get enough from fish waste and fish food when photo synthesizing at a faster rate. When not dosing carbon or CO2 and having low enough light the plants photo synthesize slower. So, depending on plant mass you can get away with light alone if the mass isn't too high but if you have a huge plant mass then some light ferts not containing N&P can be used.

Yes it will help, BBA is caused by fluctuating CO2 or Carbon levels, its quite important to keep the daily dose of which ever of these you use exactly the same. If you have identified the cause of it (often the best way to treat), then fixing this will eventually clear it. But, a quicker option is to spot dose the carbon to the area with the BBA and it will turn red over a few days and vanish. I normally drain the tank down for a water change and while the BBA is exposed to the air, spray a little of the carbon mixed with water on to the area, leave for a few mins then refill the tank. Just make sure you only water down your daily dose of carbon with say 200ml of water and once sprayed on you can pour the rest into your tank once filled.

Hope this helps.

Steve

 

[pablothebetta]

Thanks

 

[Jay1983]

Looks really nice dude, but personally I hate moss balls and would remove them and replace them with some more crypts. I'd also increase the height of the substrate at the back... other than that its looking really nice as it is!

 

[pablothebetta]

Thanks Jay My plan was to replace the moss balls and have some glosso there, possibly with some more crypts in the front left corner. But, I do like your idea of crypts to replace the moss balls instead of glosso. It would probably be a lot easier too!

This may sound silly, but to increase the height do I just make the sand slope upwards (eg by adding more)?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Correct mate.

 

[pablothebetta]

Great, thanks

 

[pablothebetta]

Any thoughts on cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae to go behind the anubias instead of vallis?