3-Tier Dutch Style Nano

[PaulLB]

Spurred on by the relative success of my first foray into “Dutch style” below I’ve started a new build using another Superfish 45 Scaper, so will keep you updated on progress with that new tank here.

I know neither this nor my previous attempt are really “Dutch” style, but I describe as such just to indicate the lack (in my case) of hard scape and the focus on contrasting groups of plants.

Here’s my existing 6 week old “Dutch” style, you can see that build in another thread on this forum, photo for reference here as used this for cuttings for my new setup.



While the existing tank is designed to be seen from two sides the new one is just going to be viewed from the front, so I built up some terraces using some black plastic mesh I found on EBay.


This seems to work quite well and looks relatively unobtrusive against the std black Tropica soil and thankfully the whole lot hasn’t collapsed in a landslide ….yet.

Planting wise I’ve gone for a lot more species than my other “Dutch” style:


Here’s the list Left to Right, Back to Front:

Rotala Rotundifolia Green
Rotala Vietnam Hra*
Rotala Orange Juice
Ludwigia Palustris super red*
Hottonia palustris
Limnophila sessiliflora
Rotala “Pearl”
Hemianthus Micranthemoides *
Rotala Bonsai*
Staurogyne Repens
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis

Those marked with an asterisk are cuttings from my existing setup. No idea how these will fare.

I ran the setup “dry” for a week but noticed the R Vietnam Hra leaf tips browning so flooded the tank 5 days ago and did one 90% water change yesterday.

I was hoping to establish some root growth before I flooded to hold the plants in place but looks like I’ll just have to play “Planted Tank Jenga” and keep replanting any specimens that detach and float to the surface - something that is even worse after a water change as the plants seem to “pearl” a lot more and with no roots the extra buoyancy just detaches them.

 

[PaulLB]

Completed a second water change Sunday. Having to be very careful as the plants are so easily displaced. Seeing some root growth on the Ludwigia Palustratis and the Rotala Green, but nothing much anywhere else yet.

Also my CO2 kit not arrived yet due to shipping delays over Chinese New Year and likely I’ll have to wait another couple of weeks. Already I notice a loss in the bright red colour of the Ludwigia Palustris cuttings from my donor tank without CO2.

 

[PaulLB]

Noticed some green algae forming on the leaves of the Ludwigia palustris, so removed offending leaves. I also added some glutaraldehyde to try to kill any remnants off.

Boy do I need that CO2 unit to arrive from China !

 

[PaulLB]

Deep joy! The CO2 kit arrived from China today and works perfectly. Not bad for £28 including postage! Same as I’ve been using on my other Dutch scape for a couple of months now and has been reliable so far.

 

[PaulLB]

Transferred about a dozen cherry shrimp to the tank to keep algae under control.

Water rather cloudy today (green/brown tint). I’m going to do another water change and if this doesn’t improve things put some Purigen in the HOB filter.

Really disappointed in the Rotala Macranda “Pearl” I ordered from EBay. Hoping I can bring it back to a more vibrant state. Looking very sorry for itself now.

 

[PaulLB]

Added some Purigen to the HoB filter, and I forgot to rinse it first, so now the tank looks like a foggy morning on the Yorkshire moors.

I’ll see how it looks tomorrow and if no improvement I’ll do a 90% water change.

 

[PaulLB]

Decided to take drastic action today. Drained the tank and replanted:

• removed all the Staurogyne Repens - I just didn’t like how this was growing
• Replanted the Liaopsis B and the Rotala Bonsai in tighter groups and changed the ends I had them planted.
• removed and washed thoroughly all the Rotala Macranda “Pearl” disposing of specimens that weren’t showing root or shoot growth. Also I replanted these it tighter bunches rather than spaced out.
• added some Monte Carlo transplanted from a fish bowl where it wasn’t doing so well

Here’s photo of the sorted Rotala pearl:


Water is still cloudy but I’ve been poking around so will give it 24 hours to settle down.



I’m in two minds about whether to turn back on the HOB filter with the Purigen, what’d you reckon folks ?

 

[PaulLB]

Thankfully water looking much clearer now even with the HOB (and Purigen) back on.

 

[PaulLB]

Still fighting against the green dust algae as you can see from the tinge in the water. I do my best to keep the glass clean and yesterday when I did a water change I removed as much from the plant leaves as I could - Ludwigia palustris and Rotala mostly.



I’m dosing Gluteraldehyde (Flora Grow Carbo) everyday to discourage the algae and give the plants an advantage (I hope). I’ve reduced the photo period too.

The plants do however seem to be getting established now and most pearling very enthusiastically, so hopefully they will out compete the algae for nutrients eventually.

 

[Nick potts]

Great start mate, if this one turns out like your other one it is going to be a stunner for sure.

 

[PaulLB]

Did another huge water change and clean today in battle against GDA. Removed the L Brasilensis and Rotala Bonsai and the Rotala Macranda pearl, rinsed off algae and replanted. I was very surprised to see how long the roots were in the Rotala Bonsai after just a couple of weeks.

Also replaced the Monte Carlo with fresh algae-free specimens from my dry start fish bowl.

The battle against GDA continues!

 

[PaulLB]

I’m finding this tank really hard work. The battle against the GDA is non stop. I haven’t managed to dial in my lights and CO2 correctly so that’s probably a big contributing factor and the constant water changes I’m doing to remove algae and cloudiness isn’t helping maintain that CO2 level either.

Maybe I just got lucky with my first setup but I had none of theses issues. Beginners luck I guess. Well not anymore it seems.

I’ve resorted to removing the worst affected plants and giving them Gluteraldehyde baths to see if I can discourage the algae.

Worst of all is the Rotala Macranda Pearl I bought off eBay. I suspect this is the cause of all my algae problems, but I’m probably just looking for a scapegoat. This plant looks very sorry for itself and while there are new shoots, it’s really struggling to get established.

Here’s latest pic straight after a water change.

 

[PaulLB]

I finally seem to be winning the battle against GDA and the tank is settling down now with no algae in sight thankfully.

I’ve done a bit of rearranging, moving the Rotala orange juice from the back right to the centre right, swapping it with the Hemianthus Micranthemoides, it was just too much of the same colour on the back row.

I’ve also replaced the Monte Carlo with new cuttings from a bowl where I was propagating them emersed and replaced the Rotala Macranda Pearl that I bought off eBay that became smothered in algae with in-vitro specimens from a reputable online retailer.

The key differences in setup now are a 6 hour photo period (down from 8), enforced with a blackout cover outside the photoperiod (see photo) and I have installed a All Pond Solutions canister filter with a UV steriliser.

Within a few days of this regime my water was crystal clear and algae has receded from my plants completely.

I still don’t seem to be able to dial in the CO2 quite right tho. There’s plenty of flow in here but the drop checker isn’t quite in to the green properly (ignore photo as that was just after a water change). The bubble counter is a higher rate than my other “Dutch” tank of identical dimensions, maybe these plants are just super hungry?

 

[seedoubleyou]

The bubble counter is a higher rate than my other “Dutch” tank of identical dimensions, maybe these plants are just super hungry?

If this tank is close to a window, it will be receiving more light? Demanding more co2?

 

[PaulLB]

If this tank is close to a window, it will be receiving more light? Demanding more co2?

In the same room. However this new tank has a lot more fast growing Rotala Rotundifolia than the other tank so maybe that’s something to do with it too.

 

[PaulLB]

Quico update on this tank. Carpet is almost covering the front of the tank, just a small patch to fo where I removed the Lilaeopsis brasiliensis which never seemed happy here.

I seem to have a few brown diatoms back even though I’m running just 6 hour photo period.

This photo was taken towards end of the photo period, I like how the Limnophila close up like umbrellas, this is at their prettiest I think. I’m not really a fan of this plant but every evening when I see them like this I change my mind.

Still not having much success with the R Macranda Type 2 “Pearl”. It’s on second row in the middle. Will keep at it though.