210L Journal (new pics 12/12/2010

[Ben M]

Re: My First Journal

thanks, i do want to propagate the plantlets, but i don't want the plant to grow slower because it is also growing the babies. each plantlet has approx .5cm of rhizome, so i think i could take it off and superglue it to a rock i have. would this slow the plantlets growth?

cheers

 

[Ajm200]

Re: My First Journal

If you feel they are large enough to handle easily they should be fine.

 

[Ben M]

Re: My First Journal

thanks, i'll give it a go then.

cheers

 

[Ben M]

Re: My First Journal

hi, i've planted the plants that people have kindly given me. i think that i've got enough plants now, so i'm just going to let everything grow. i am having a couple of algae issues, and i'll explain below. everything is growing well, and i am going to add some red cherry shrimp soon (when i've given my kribs to my lfs, unless someone here wants them).

pics:

A couple of full tank shots. do you think the layout is good? i've left an open foreground for the corys and kuhlis.

on the right of the tank i've put some plants in front of the bogwood to stop it from looking too over powering. i've also put the baby java ferns on the lava rock, and cut off the oldest leaves. i've stuck the older leaves in the sand to stop them from floating about and there are some more tiny plantlets growing on them.

On the left of the tank, i've planted the crypts and Alternanthera at the front, with some more stems behind them. the kuhlis seem to like playing under the crypts.

In the middle i've left the front open for the kuhlis and corys, and planted the tiger lotus and some Hygrophila polysperma at the back.

There are new leaves coming on the java fern already; is it normal for the tips to be translucent at first?

The Aponogetons are growing back nicely.

The tiger lotus is doing really well, and ads a bit more colour to the tank.

Unfortunately, i'm having some algae growing on my anubias and bogwood (although you can't really tell on the bogwood). is there anything i can do to get rid of this?


any comments on what to do now, or should i just let everything grow? and any answers to the questions?

cheers

 

[Colinlp]

Re: My First Journal

That is looking very good to say the least!

 

[bigmatt]

Re: My First Journal

I think you'll see a big change in grwoth moving to EI. I upped my TPN+ dosing on my 57l to 5ml daily and plant growth took off! Admittedly it'd be a bit expensive on a tank your size!
Changes look great!
Matt

 

[Ajm200]

Re: My First Journal

Looking good!

 

[Ben M]

Re: My First Journal

hi,

That is looking very good to say the least!

Looking good!

thanks, i'm really pleased with how it's coming along.

I think you'll see a big change in grwoth moving to EI. I upped my TPN+ dosing on my 57l to 5ml daily and plant growth took off! Admittedly it'd be a bit expensive on a tank your size!
Changes look great!
Matt

i'm hoping the plants will grow a lot faster when i change over. that's the only problem, everything grows really slowly.

i've been taking a few inches off the tops of the Limnophila every few days, as it grows really fast, and some of the leaves on the vallis are about 3ft long.

cheers

 

[Ben M]

Re: My First Journal

Hi, I thought I'd update, now that I've been dosing my EI ferts for a couple of months. Everything is going well, and the plants are recovering.

I had the Tiger Lotus floating until yesterday, because It hadn't got any roots, but now that it has loads I have planted it again. I borrowed some Limnophila sessiliflora from my brother and also a bit of Hygrophila polysperma, both of which are doing well. I have taken out all of the floating plants except form the Riccia fluitans and the dwarf riccia, as the plants didn't have enough light. I've attached some more normal java fern and some needle java fern to the bogwood and put the lotus infront of it to stop it looking too overpowering. The vallis has gone mad, although you can't really tell in the pics, it's spreading everywhere.

Here are some pics:

What do you think?

 

[chilled84]

very nice, May i say that that high grow will be a beast to control in the middle like that.

 

[Ben M]

thanks chilled, scissors at the ready lol. it isn't really growing that fast, but i'll spend a bit of time controlling it in the future if needs be.

i've got another full tank shot, as the middle of the other one was a bit whack.

i've removed a little baby from the lotus today, which i have planted on the right, infront of the amazon sword temporarily, but you can't see in this pic, as it was taken yesterday.
cheers

 

[Ben M]

I've been having a think about the amazon sword on the left. I don't really like it, it looks too messy to me. I'm thinking of replacing it with a stem plant, but I'm struggling for ideas; any suggestions? I'm also going to be needing some caves in the near future for the lemon BN's, and I think behind the bogwood is the best place, so I don't have to see them. I'm thinking of constructing a block of caves to fit the gap, and then cover them with sand and then plants. this could be a bit of a challenge though, so I'll have to think about how I'm going to do it. Has anyone else ever tried this sort of thing?

cheers

 

[ceg4048]

Hi,
You can cover your caves with any of the mosses or even Riccia using a mesh as described in the thread Riccia and Java moss carpets. Step-by-Step guide. That will soften the appearance and the cave shape will give those types plants form and structure, assuming you trim properly.

You should trim the central hygrophilas more to get them bushier and prune to keep a better shape. They are just too random right now. I would also think about covering that large wood on the left with some type of moss - Fissidens or Xmas moss are popular options.

You can replace the large Sword on the left with amazing stems such as Pogostemon Stellata or Limnophilia Aromatica. Even a stand of Rotala Walichii would add an exotic texture. These are much more difficult species however, as they are demanding of CO2/flow. Otherwise, a Crinium or Aponogeton would add height without adding so much bulk which would balance the sprawl of the wood.

On the right, I'd swap positions of the Sword and the L. Sessiflora(?) and trim the Sessiflora so that it gets bushier and gets the look of a hedge in front of the Sword. Right now it's just seeming like an afterthought in the corner. That plant does more for texture than does the Sword, and texture is one of the things you are missing right now.

Right behind the Hygo, you might even consider Myriophyllum matogrossense or M. mezianum.

The thing about your wood is that seems more of a monument than an accoutrement. To make better use of wood you'll see that most of the guys are using thinner pieces of wood that define a shape such as a "V" or a curve or a bow shape - twisted and/or gnarled but not overbearing. Using some of these thin branches to play against the shapes and textures of the various plants surrounding them is a modern trend worth studying.

Cheers,

 

[Ben M]

Thanks for the input. I've done as you've suggested and swapped the sword with the Limnophila sessiliflora, and have pruned it down a bit, although not too much as I'd like it to reach the surface. How should I go about keeping it bushy right up to the water surface?

I have removed a lot of the vallis, as much of it was really old, and looked a bit rubbish. I've left the good bits, and planted the Hygrophila polysperma to the left of it, and am trying to keep it more uniform. As it grows I'll keep trimming it.

I've also planted some Rotala rotundifolia infront of the vallis, although I'm not sure if it'll do too well, as it didn't last time i tried it (although i did run out of ferts shortly after introducing it). I know what you mean about the wood, I bought it a couple of years ago and regret it now, but I can't really get rid, as my parents paid for it. So I'd rather hide it.

Unfortunately, my SAE's love to eat any mosses I introduce, so that will be impossible really, and I'm not sure what to do with the SAE's, I can't really decide whether to keep them or not.

Out of the stems that you mentioned are there any that don't require good flow and CO2, as i don't have that.

And do you think i could get riccia to work in a tank with no CO2? I've got a decent amount floating, and have been contemplating it, but I'm not sure if it'd work?

cheers

 

[ceg4048]

Hi,
Send you SAE to the LFS and be rid of them if they interfere with the Prime Directive. That's an easy decision.

If you want the plants to be both bushy and tall then you have to have patience. They must be bushy first before they can be both bushy and tall. Every time you cut the stem it responds by producing multiple shoots at the nearest node. That is the definition of bushy. The more nodes you cut the more shoots you will produce. After that happens you can let the shoots grow tall.

The stems I mentioned previously all require good CO2 and flow. You could try needle leaf or narrow ferns. These are very elegant and since they are a dark green that adds some variety. You could also try Hygrophila corymbosa Angustifolia or Heteranthera zosterifolia, which are both very weedy and easy. You could even try one of the Bacopas like monnieri or caroliniana.

The success of Riccia will depend on the amount of light, but it can work.

Cheers,

 

[Ben M]

Thanks, the problem I'm having with the SAE's is that my parents don't like me giving fish away. They think that a fish is for life and it's not fair to give it away. I'll try though when I take my kribs to the shop (that took ages and many nipped fins to convince them).

Thanks for the info on how to get them bushy, I'll be giving that a go.

I have some needle leaf java fern that I've attached to the bogwood, but it hasn't attached yet. (I've used string instead of superglue this time, as in my experience superglue seems to slow its growth).

I'll try to get hold of some Hygrophila corymbosa Angustifolia or Heteranthera zosterifolia when I make a plant order for my nano, but I'm not risking the post ATM, and it looks like it's going to be a while before things get better looking at the fresh 2" of snow we've had today.

I have low lighting, about 1.25 wpg of t8, so I'm not so sure the riccia will work. However, if I can get rid of the SAE's, then I'll just use moss anyway.

cheers for the help, I'll upload some more pics of how it looks soon.