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Cryptocoryne Parva Carpet

@Jose
It's an interesting one b'cos I wouldn't say this is high light. Runs at less than 0.5w/ltr for what that's worth. I'd say moderate lighting. And yes low tech.

My concept of high tech is pretty much co2 or liquid carbon. Then high light is incidental Along with all the ferts etc.
 
Totally agree akwaskape. I reckon though there is pretty high light in there because of the height of the tank or at least medium as you say.
 
Akwaskape said:
Hi @Troi
specs are above ^ im not sure where I would put it.
I love the 'low energy' label btw

For me high tech is around water chemistry.

This has a light, a pump and a heater but no co2 or liquid carbon nor any ferts so im leaning towards Low tech. And it's dirted.
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Definitely in the low-energy category...which makes the carpet even more awesome...
 
Hi all
had a bit of a tidy up last night, really happy how this tank is maturing :)

20150320_203423_zps4vbkz4sc.jpg
 
Stunning! What other plants do you have in there?
I have just set up my first planted tank this weekend and have included parva as part of my mixed carpet, I would be over the moon if they grow anywhere near as well as yours have!

How often are you noticing new leaves appear?
 
@Chrisvx220
thank you!
Initially the Parva was painfully slow. It can take a while, as I think in the early stages most of what it's doing is under the substrate. But it will get there. It took about 9 months to fill out the carpet from around 5 pots in this 18" tank.
Btw checked out your set up, looking good:thumbup:. But no I'd on the 2 mystery plants soz :(
 
@Chrisvx220
other plants;
crypt Mi Oya
crypt Legroi
crypt Balansae
Ludwigia Repens
And an Aponogeton Crispus. It set seed early and I left it. Now there are lots of baby Apono's popping up here and there. and of course the floating plants. Pretty essential in any dirted / low tech set up.
 
And iv ended up removing one of the rocks back left. It was blocking the light to the Apono Crispus, which was struggling. So I thought I would give it a chance. If it doesn't bounce back then I guess it will be taken over by crypt runners that are starting to appear back there, either way I'll be happy :)

IMG_20150404_191201_zpsffqyahur.jpg
 
Thanks for the info, mine are currently starting the initial melting phase hopefully while putting out roots and preparing to grow new leaves
Might have to keep my eye out for some of those Mi Oya they are lovely!

I don't have any floaters in mine at the moment, why is it that you recommend them for soil/low tech tanks, guessing at light penetration reduction?
 
@Chrisvx220
I think the Mi Oya also goes under the name Wendtii Red. It's a form of Wendtii found in the Mi Oya river. Being one of the Wendtii it's a pretty reliable crypt as well :thumbup:
light diffusion is prob minimal, the main reason I use floaters (I'm used to being on USA sights, ive always wanted to use the term 'floaters' but think it implies something else over there lol) is to strip the water column of all the excess nutrients and help the tank balance through the early vulnerable, to algae, stage.
 
Cool
keep an eye out for
Salvinia (def a top contender, good size not fiddly to crop)
Hornwort one of the best / manageable every low tech tank should have this aka foxtail. It's a great indicator as to what's happening in the tank.
Dwarf water lettuce same as salvinia and very pretty
Duckweed great nitrate puller, but small and can get messy
Riccia fluitans creates a beautiful matt on the surface
Amazon frogbit can get long roots and find the substrate. Personally I like it when it does that as it goes ballistic and flowers but not to everyone's taste
thanks
nathan
 
That's great info, thanks. Quite fancy the frogbit as love the look of suspended roots and the tank is 24" deep so they could comfortably get quite long!
 
Hi all,
Akwaskape said:
keep an eye out for
Salvinia (def a top contender, good size not fiddly to crop)
Hornwort one of the best / manageable every low tech tank should have this aka foxtail. It's a great indicator as to what's happening in the tank.
Dwarf water lettuce same as salvinia and very pretty
Duckweed great nitrate puller, but small and can get messy
Riccia fluitans creates a beautiful matt on the surface
Amazon frogbit can get long roots and find the substrate. Personally I like it when it does that as it goes ballistic and flowers but not to everyone's taste
Click to expand...
Great list. I have floaters on all my tanks, and <"I use all of these">. I've got spare if you can't get them locally.

I'd add Riccia to the "can get messy list", and Ceratopteris thalictroides to the great sub-surface floaters with Hornwort (Ceratophyllum).
Akwaskape said:
It's a great indicator as to what's happening in the tank
Click to expand...
I do this as well, I use the health of the plants as an indicator of nutrient status. I like Amazon Frogbit for this, I started with Duckweed (Lemna minor), which is why I called it the "Duckweed Index", but Duckweed dies in soft, nutrient poor water, whilst Limnobium just looks sickly.

The only one that I can't keep going is Phyllanthus fluitans, it always gets overgrown by the other plants. I've recently picked up some Azolla caroliniana (from the restored bit of the Wilts. and Berks. canal at Lacock), and I'm going to give that a go as well.
Akwaskape said:
Dwarf water lettuce
Click to expand...
Is it really "Dwarf"? I bought some via Ebay, but it was all just small Pistia stratiotes. I've put the "Dwarf" plants on the pond in the summer and they grew into full sized rosettes.

cheers Darrel
 
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