The new planted tank...

[aquatic-Bizkut]

thats honostly some of the fastast growth i have ever seen....nice stuff keep it up.... is it easier to plant in sand then gravel?

becuase i have only a small layer (1-2 inches) of gravel and planteing them is a pain, i have weights but they bob up above the gravel..... what sould i do? and what do you do?

 

[blackfinshark_3]

change to sand, thats what i did, i have 2 inches of it......now all i need is some malaysian trumpet snails to mix it.

 

[aquatic-Bizkut]

ahhh i see, what about mixing sand and gravel??.... or how do you clean the sand out with a python?? just hold it a good inch above, or do you just stir your sand every other day and let the filter clean it??

 

[smithrc]

most of the poop gathers in the same place and i just suck it up from a bit of a distance.

I've been finding the plants seem to like uprooting themselves randomly - they just get put back in

 

[xxSarahxx]

That tank is alreadya stunner!
What is it about planted tanks that make them so delectable?!?!
Gorgeous...keep us updated!

 

[smithrc]

Just had a trimming session...

This is what I removed - It now looks like the 1 week pics again!!!

Move the cuttings to a different tank (see how long they last)

 

[smithrc]

hi folks... its been quite a while

I've had a minor algea outbrake whiles i've been away on honeymoon and have now overhauled the tank (and swapped to a Tropiquarium 88)

This is what it looked like after 6 weeks of neglect with a really bad 6 week water change and poor EI and ferts dosing...

as you can see... the amazon has grown somewhat
you can only just see them in the first pic.
Its now been rehomed (and quickly eaten ) in our trigon350.

The centre peice of bogwood has also been swapped and you can see it on the right in the 350 pic below...
Look at the load of java moss on it now

re-homed in the 350

 

[zig]

haha that is some serious sword plant, they get way to big........

I like the new tank, i see you didnt splash out and buy new tubes for it, still nice and yellow, only joking mate, in my smaller planted tank i have Arcadia origional tropicals, as red as they come.........

but it looks great id say you are well pleased, i know i would...............and very nice piece of bogwood as well...............

 

[IMCL85]

Nice tank. But the light doesn't seem to fit in a planted tank.

 

[jimbooo]

looks great mate, good job

is that the java moss i sent you? it really has taken off hasn't it. got any cuttings mines pretty minging (all takgeled up in hair algae). only joking mate, you leave it be. should fill out nicely.

i see the cold weather has arrived and you've moved inside!!

 

[Bloo]

Well done that was very hard work I'm sure ! Looking lovely now again

 

[smithrc]

looks great mate, good job

is that the java moss i sent you? it really has taken off hasn't it. got any cuttings mines pretty minging (all takgeled up in hair algae). only joking mate, you leave it be. should fill out nicely.

i see the cold weather has arrived and you've moved inside!!

The 350 isn't a new addition - standard lights and it just keeps getting the hand me downs from the planted tank
the new tank just had to be stripped down and moved - the external filter sprung a leak - some how i only lost 1/2" of water and saw it first thing this morning just before i went to work... we moved it this evening to dry the carpet out

jimbo... yep that was the small ziplock bag of moss - gone wild - I need to move it back soon - but the java fern was not doing too well in the 350 and it needed a boost

I use the plantted tank like a treatment spa for plants - on a rotation basis

Nice tank. But the light doesn't seem to fit in a planted tank.

sorry??

yep - these expensive dennerle special plant tubes really dont fit a planted tank at all

 

[IovaykInD]

Did the riccia survive? I didn't see it on the same rock where you attached it to.

Isaac

 

[Smithrc_work]

Did the riccia survive? I didn't see it on the same rock where you attached it to.

Isaac

lol - blommin Riccia.... it floats away... still got loads of scbby stuff (its recoverable) but BGA takes its toll

 

[George Farmer]

Looking good mate.

Do you like the tint of the Dennerle tubes? If not then I can recommend the Interpet Daylights - a much more natural looking light.

I was dubious at swapping mine over at first but the look is far better IMO. Growth is very similar, if not better and I have no traces of problem algae, even after directly swapping the two Dennerles for two Daylights. I'm sure you will experience similar as you have plenty of healthy growth.

You could also try these tubes, I know oldwhitewood likes them (and his tank looks very nice too).

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=107609&st=0