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Thanks yeah I was dosing what the bottle said but since it’s 9 gallons insted of the 10 gallons per pump 2ml! So I didn’t want to over or under dose per the plant load I have in the tank!

I just got some new plants Ludwigia palustris, limnophilia hipporoides, and s. repens. How much ferts would you add per day to keep especially the Ludwigia palustris healthy and red? I don’t use co2 and do a 50% water change every week. The fert I use is Nilocg thrive all in one that has 2.56%...

How many do you think I could put in a 9 gallon flex? Thanks

I have had this scape set up since last February with uns controsoil as the substrate and nilocg thrive as the liquid fertilizer I use! In the beginning I was dosing 2ml once to twice a week and things grew well. But in the last month all of my Ludwigia acruata has stunted or just melted. I’m...

I have a fluval flex 9 gallon that’s been set up for 9 months. What would be a better nano fish for this tank? It has decent flow but I slow it down by turning the outlets towards the glass and back of the tank. I was torn between choosing celestial pearl danios or chili rasboras. Which one is...

Thanks! I was thinking of piercing the capsules too! Maybe I’ll just try seachem then! I would hate to have floating tabs!

I’ve had my scape set up for 8 months. I used uns controsoil and dose nilocg thrive c 2ml twice a week. No co2. I do a 40-50% water change my weekly. The tank is a fluval flex 9 gallon. The stem plants have seemed to really slow down growing and I’m guessing the soil needs a recharge. I wanted...

I never had ammonia or nitrites from day one! I used a bunch of old filter floss from my 29 gallon. It pretty much insta cycled. There was a lot of white filmy stuff on the spider wood that they ate all the time and once it was gone I started to lose them one by one over a month period. They...

I set up my first scaped tank about 2-3 months ago. I started with seiryu stone, uns controsoil and spider wood. The plants I used were Ludwigia acrtuta, inclinata, anubius nana petite, crypt parva and a small Java fern from my other tank. I stocked the fluval flex 9 gallon with 3 amano shrimp 4...

Thanks! I do like the amount of leaves on the stem but was worried about how easily they fall off! Was hesitant thinking my betta would knock a lot off swimming in between them and he likes to wedge himself in between the plants and sleep on the leaves! I didn’t know if the lfs was labeling it...

Thank you Tim! Do you think Rotala green would work in the right and left corners? I like the green that it gets! Or does it look like it wouldn’t get enough light? Thanks I would like to try 53b but I’ve never seen it at my lfs! They always have Rotala indica and narrow leaf Ludwigia. I’ve...

Thank you Tim. You’ve been a great help before in some suggestions on my other posts before I did my first scape! I would love palustris but I haven’t seen it at my lfs and not sure about online buying and who would provide healthy plants! I would love to get some Tropica plants but I live in...

Thank you for the help with the decision! Now hopefully the lfs has it. Never ordered plants online! Thanks! That’s a nice looking plant! Now to find it by me. Never ordered online and kind of nervous about getting quality plants that’ll service in the mail! Haha Thank you! I will definitely...

I have a scape set up with narrow leaf Ludwigia as the only stem plant right now. I had Ludwigia inclinata but it recently all melted. I would like to add another easy stem plant that doesn’t need co2 injection to go in the far right and left corner of the tank. I was going between limnophila...

I have a 9 gallon fluval flex set up with uns controsoil and Carib sea sand. It’s been set up for a lil over 2 months. I planted pretty heavy in the beginning with Narrow leaf Ludwigia, Ludwigia inclinata, which melted off and died after a month, crypt parva, anubius nana petite, and a java fern...

what type of light are you using and how bright? Thanks for the info.

Ok thanks. I might try those!

Those look very nice. How tall do they get? I don’t plan on dosing liquid nitrogen like excel so hope they grow that well without it. What do you have them planted in? Thanks

Those are good options thanks! What about Ludwigia palastrias? And is there any way to stop the old leaves from falling off when I first put the plant in? I lost a lot of the bottom leaves from the narrow leaf Ludwigia when I first added it! Was hoping that didn’t happen again when I added a new...

Thanks those are nice!

I have java fern in there but would like a stem plant to go with the narrow leaf Ludwigia!

I recently set up a 9 gallon fluval flex using uns controsoil and cosmetic sand. I have Ludwigia acruta as the stem plant, the inclinata just melted on me. I also have crypt parva, anubius nana petite and java fern. The left and right sides are looking empty now since the inclinata melted so I...

Yeah it might be but can’t figure out what’s causing it because I clean the tank every 5 days or so and it still kicks out this brown stuff out of the filter. Not sure if it’s just a design flaw with the fluval flex filter or what! Even though I have filter floss in the first compartment and the...

Thanks! I was trying to find a galaxy koi with darker colors instead of the normal orange white and red coloring.

It’s not algae I think because I tried rubbing it off with my fingers and it won’t come off! And my ottos would’ve eaten it off I think haha thanks

I set this tank up about a month or 2 ago and when I added the anubius it was perfect and green! I have been getting new growth and it’s been looking good until the last few weeks when I noticed brown on some of the edges! I have uns controsoil and recently started to dose Niloc g thrive once a...

Haha sounds good! I tested the water and so far 0 ammonia and 0 nitrates. Hoping the seeded filter media will allow me to add a fish Monday! Then I’ll have some tea!

I recently just scaped my first tank using uns controsoil. I have a fluval flex 9 gallon and used some controsoil on the left side and right side with a sand path in between. Filled the water and was really clear the first day. I used some filter pad from my 29 gallon and matrix that had been...

Cool thanks! Good to know! I can’t wait to scape this tank! Haha I just hope I wash the sand enough.

Ok thanks for the heads up! I would hate to have sand mixed in the Aquasoil.

Ok thanks. I bought CaribSea supernaturals moonlight color. Not sure if anyone has experience with that brand?

Yeah I was planning on covering it with plastic or paper towels! Thanks for the heads up though! I’m just hoping that the plastic doesn’t move as soon as the water hits and have the same result anyway haha

Sounds good thanks. I was planning on adding water like that anyway so I might just try that instead of the whole washing process! Just would hate to have cloudy water later on because I didn’t wash it initially! Thanks for the advise!

Haha I was thinking that. Thanks for the confirmation. Just weird how every time I watch those videos they are pouring it right in and you just see a cloud of dust! Thought the would prep the sand more than that but the tanks look crystal clear after they fill it. Better safe than sorry I guess.

I was going to get a fluval flex 9 gallon and do my first actual scape. I was going to use seiryu stone and spider wood on either side to make a sand path to try and create some depth. On the left and the right of the path I was going to fill it in with Controsoil to use as a substrate for the...

Haha it’s a IKEA dresser 3 drawer. I think it’ll be fine. I sat on it for a minute and I weigh 195! Not even a creek out of it! Felt very stable and solid. Plus I have it bolted to the wall! I can’t wait to pic up the flex and scape it. It'll be my first actual full start to finish scape. I’ll...

Yeah in the video he only had the tank running a week and there was green spot algae all over the white background of the flex! Would hate to by the white one for that to happen. Still fighting myself on the decision on white or black version haha! I do plan on using contrasoil and planting...

Thanks that helps a lot! I just saw a video on you tube that showed a white back round with algae all over it! Maybe the guy wasn’t good at keeping up with maintenance haha!

Was wondering if anyone had experience with this tank and if the white version was prone to staining from algae. I was going to pick one up at my lfs for my kids room and put a betta in it. The white would match way better with the white dresser but was worried if it would look really bad over...

Ok almost did what you suggested I moved the 1 piece over to the big piece and glued Christmas moss to pieces 2 and 3! I’m loving the way it looks! Just trying to figure out where to put piece one cause I don’t want to cover the cave that 3 created since I moved it! Thanks for the suggestion!

Haha that’s exactly what I use for my bn pleco and farlowella catfish! I break up a wafer or half a wafer into about 3 or 4 pieces and spread through the tank on left middle and right side! Usually add it after lights out on tank and right before I turn lights out in the room! Not sure if they...

Thanks again! I will try that and I did want to add a lot more plants to back right! And maybe some Anubis petite or Bucephalandra red in front! I saw a nice red shrimp this morning that I still hasn’t lost it’s color eating the algae off of my Anubias and narrow leaf ludwigia in the left...

Haha the one you first posted with floating plants. They are the same tank! Just the second pic is when I first got the tank. I slowly added real plants and new river stone gravel! I just didn’t have a updated photo of where in the room the tank was! Thanks

As you can see in the pics I’ve made some changes since first setting it up. Hoping to scape it one day!

I use seachem purigen in the filter. The 100ml bags. I do have a plug in the wall outlet air freshener in the room. Water temp is about 78-80f. I have a bn pleco and farlowella catfish that are active at night. Also assassin snails. I don’t think the snails are a concern though cause I saw a rcs...

I do usually three pumps each time for my 29 gallon tank. Sometimes only two. I have a aqueon power 30 HOB filter and clean it once a week with my water changes which were usually 50% but since I got the shrimp have been 30-40% water changes. I use seachem matrix in the filter with filter floss...

I do usually three pumps each time for my 29 gallon tank. Sometimes only two. I have a aqueon power 30 HOB filter and clean it once a week with my water changes which were usually 50% but since I got the shrimp have been 30-40% water changes. I use seachem matrix in the filter with filter floss...

I have had these rcs for over a week now. Seems like they are happy and are foraging. They did hide from my fish in the beginning because my female cherry barb went after them but they have all calmed down now and I haven’t seen them chase them lately. I had two super red ones and the rest were...

I think I like the sp. red!

Unless someone can come up with a better option?

Thanks! I think that’ll be the one! Nice looking plant!

I really like the way Bolbitis looks thanks! Probably don’t want to root tab though! Thank you for the help!

Ok thanks! I did like the way bacopa looked and they had it at my lfs! Thanks for the help!

I was thinking of putting another plant in the right corner of my tank or on the driftwoodthere. It’s pretty shaded from the red root floaters so it would have to be low light. I have a big java fern that I could put but was wondering if any other plant would do ok there? I dose Nilocg thrive 3...

Haha I’m sorry but haven’t tried what?

Just picked up some nice looking narrow leaf Ludwigia at the lfs! Or at least that’s what it was labeled. I was wondering if it being planted in my gravel and dosed with niloc g thrive would be enough to keep it looking the way it did when I bought it? I have a chihiros rgb 60 set at 57% now...

Ok, thanks again for the help!

Hi Tim. I was wondering if this shading material would do the job of covering the dirt? Does it matter what the material is made of? It’s made of polyethylene I believe.

Haha yeah I was a lil confused when I read it since you said you only use river cobbles! I like that natural look also.

Ok thanks for the help!

Thanks again! What rocks have you used? Have you used petrified wood? I was thinking about that for the canyon wall maybe.

These rocks!

These are some of the rocks the kids found in the back yard for their tadpole tank. Not sure what they are!

Thanks Darrel for the response and help! Haha here I always thought I had hard water! We do have lot of river stones like that around the lake. Not sure I wanted that look. More like a canyon wall for my valley. Would dragon stone raise the hardness to much? Is there any other stones besides...

I found this about Chicago water hardness. Not sure what it means haha

Would like to do Ludwigia super red but not sure if it’ll do well without co2 or if they are the same as the Repens as far as needs to grow well? New to this planted tank thing but want to learn and will never not do a planted tank again! Also would like to do Rotala and bacopa if possible...

Thank you for the info! I’m pretty sure the water is hard and not soft. I don’t have a dKH tester. Only the api liquid test kit for ph, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates. I will not be using co2, yet. I was going for a dirt tank with a cap. Maybe black blasting sand? Was hoping to do a non co2 carpet...

I was going to delve into aquascaping for the first time and was wondering what we’re good stones or rocks to use that won’t raise my ph to much. I have hard chicago tap water that’s a ph around 7.8-8. I had what I think in my head to be some good ideas of valleys and maybe a land bridge over...

Ok thanks for the help, again.

Wow look at that, thought of another question. Sorry but was wondering if you also left a gap at the back of that tank with dirt you sent me the pic of? Or does the dirt go up against the glass at the back and just not the front and sides? I can’t really tell in that pic so had to ask haha!

No worries! Thanks for all the help. I do research, research, and then more research before I do something usually. Good to know I can repurpose the old gravel instead of buying new stuff to get height for the scape I want to do!

Would I be able to use the old gravel I’m using now in a media bag to get height where I want it once I redo the tank and dirt it? It would be the white and river rock mix I have in my pics I’m using as substrate now. Also do you or anyone know of shading material in the states I could use to go...

My tank is 30 inches long and I believe it’s supposed to be good from 60 to 80cm’s. I also have the commander one hooked up to it and the sunrise/sunset function works pretty well. Especially for price I got it on AIexpress!

It’s my first led. I had a old fluorescent bulb in a hood. So I don’t know how much better they are compared to other led’s but from what I researched they have a pretty Big Bang for their buck! I instantly noticed the colors of my cardinal tetras popped more and looked great. Especially the...

Ok thanks. Yeah I think my Chihiros rgb 60 is 50w so hope that’s enough for my 29 gallon!

Ok t ok thanks. Yeah I have a Chihiros rgb 60 so hope that can get bright enough to grow a carpet without algae problems!

What light did you use to grow and if LED what was the brightness set at? I don’t want to risk a algae problem since I’m not using co2!

Thank you very encouraging! I really like that look of carpeted MC! I’m hoping if I dirt it and water column fert I won’t need to use root tabs! Thanks for the info! Makes me feel better trying it without co2!

Yeah I can’t wait to set up a scape when I redo this tank! Thanks again for all the help. I will post a journal when I start my dirtied tank!

Looks nice! I noticed a bag of something in the back left corner of the tank before you put the dirt down! What was that? I’m assuming it was put there to get it higher in the back so you wouldn’t have to add to much soil? Thanks for all the help again!

What plants were you planning on growing in that gravel? I thought that was to big of gravel to plant? I like the look!

Ahhh I got it right after I sent it! Smart. Thanks for the quick response though!

Ok thanks! Looks nice! Thanks again! Is it necessary to leave that space from the soil to the edges of the tank? Looks like you left about a inch gap all around or just the sides and the front of the tank?

Mesh??

Ok good. Thanks!

Well look at that I have another question haha! I plan on using the drift wood or at least the large piece in my tank now that is actually attacked to a piece of slate to hold it down. Will that be a problem putting that or rocks on top of the soil? When I was reading the Walsted method I found...

Thank you Tim! Once I break this tank down when I move I will do a detailed journal to let you guys know how it goes! I can’t wait dirt the tank! Just hope I don’t disturb the soil to much and am able to keep crystal clear water haha!

And the Walstad method link you sent was very informative and gave me everything I need to know to succeed in using dirt! Thanks!

Sorry but what tutorial did you link about capping soil and what to use to cap it? You sent me a few good links can’t find that one. Thank you, again!

Sorry but what tutorial did you link about capping soil and what to use to cap it? You sent me a few good links can’t find that one. Thank you, again!

Once again thank you. I feel like I have all the info I need to try this dirt tank method! I may have ran out of questions, for now! Thank you for the detailed info. I will definitely suggest UKAPS to anyone that’s new to this planted tank thing!

Thanks again! Has anyone or you used straight organic soul with a sand cap? Is it to messy or harder to do water changes without causing a cloudy mess and that’s why you use Tropica as or ada? Sorry for all the questions but I rarely get all these questions answered haha I hope to have the aqua...

Thank you for all this info cause there are some forums I’ve been on (won’t name names) that don’t respond at all some times. This is by far one of the best forums for detailed info from experienced people! Would you say miracle gro organic soil would last indefinitely like ada or Tropica if I...

Would say miracle gro organic soil capped with sand do the same or is ada as or Tropica as just that much better in the long run? Also what’s the difference between ada AS regular or ada as light? Thanks again for all the help!

I really want that color and bubbled look in my tank! And the red roots!

No worries. Thanks for the help!

Is there a way to do high light without added co2? Thanks for any helpful info!

Thank you for the help! If the red root floaters cover the top would that help the java fern and the co2? I was trying to get red roots and tops which I have neither haha! They do grow quick and even flower. Just no red roots which is at least what I got them for!

I was hoping that since I have the top covered about 80% in red root floaters I could keep the java fern from getting to much light! I was hoping to get the rrf red roots at least and maybe red tops since that’s why I got them. I like that look. They are still green and have almost flat tops to...

Thanks. With high light and no co2 how do you keep algae at bay? I don’t plan on dosing co2.