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"Dutch something or the other" 120 Gal

clonitza said:
Thanks Tom, the video shows how much flow I should aim for. :thumbup:

Cheers,
Mike
Click to expand...

Well, sort of, but it's a starting point.

Think about it like this, the O2 and current rise the CO2 ceiling much higher and improved fish health and cycling of all waste MUCH faster and better.

Say you can only add 30 ppm without gassing the fish.........with good filtration, current etc, you add 1-2ppm more O2 and(or 15-30% more) and you can double the CO2 to 60ppm without issues.

It's a large jump.

But it's not just 100% about adding more CO2.
That is the root issue for algae and other plant issues, but there is much more to it than merely turnign a knob for Co2. :idea:
 
You're right Tom, I've seen that even if I make my drop checker bright yellow by pumping huge levels of CO2 it doesn't improve my tank health much.
My aim now is to get rid of the biofilm triggered by the organic waste build up, if the bacteria keep up with breaking it I think there will be a huge difference. Now I just have to rely on very low light, frequent water changes and siphoning. I'll see how this is going to turn out and keep you updated.

Cheers,
 
You actually do not need to go to extremes with light and CO2 to fix such issues, just slow and steady and watch the tank and be around to see what happens, do not adjust, then leave for the day.
 
The hole by the main piece of wood will have more UG added.
sidevew12055.jpg


I like the color of the R sunset, I did not really give it a chance before.
I can get a nice thicket going and it'll look nice like the L inclinata, but nowhere near as weedy and folks will actually buy sunset off me.

Good choice, but as is the case often times, you have to try it and see what you think.

Just the way it goes most times.
l
1st Harvest from the Elatine hydropiper, the root mat is really dense, more dense that Gloss, HC etc. It stays pretty well rooted unlike most plants this size( dwarf Clover, HC, Gloss even).
resizedEhydropiper.jpg


Where the tank is headed the next 1-2 weeks.
changesfornextweek55120resized.jpg



I am uncertain how the new Alternanthera cardinalis will do, this is a different vareirty than what we typically get in the USA.
The A reineckii tends to do better for me in lower light, as an understory plant.
I want to see if this biotype will be different.
N. pedicillata is the normal type Yellow etc, it is not the Golden N pedicillata from FAN.
UG will fill in the back side there, more downoi will be trimmed as it grows and will fill that spot in nicely.



This Right side below hopefully will recover from these new Erio broadleaf. We are not sure what species they are. I mixed some of the smaller trimmings of the Tonina. The yellow leaves are the dying emergent leaves on the Erios. Hopefully they will make it and retain the slight off blue color. I also removed most of the Fissidens, it was a trap for detritus and algae. Mini Pellia seems to work better.
resized12055.jpg
 
Elatine hydropiper looks great, unfortunately I planted it when the tank wasn't doing great and it melted. I may try it some other time. Does it have some special needs?
 
I ran the temps around 82F and it was fine, just likes CO2 a lot.
I ran up to 88-90F and the plant started to brown out in a couple of spots.

Likely the thermal limit is around 84-86F.
 
plantbrain said:
But it's not just 100% about adding more CO2.
That is the root issue for algae and other plant issues, but there is much more to it than merely turnign a knob for Co2. :idea:
Click to expand...

I'm sorry Tom but could you be kind enough to eloborate on this please?
Do you mean things like High turn over rate of the filter, good flow & distribution, general good tank husbandry,etc? :oops:
 
faizal said:
plantbrain said:
But it's not just 100% about adding more CO2.
That is the root issue for algae and other plant issues, but there is much more to it than merely turnign a knob for Co2. :idea:
Click to expand...

I'm sorry Tom but could you be kind enough to eloborate on this please?
Do you mean things like High turn over rate of the filter, good flow & distribution, general good tank husbandry,etc? :oops:
Click to expand...

Yes, and in some cases, too high of temp.
 
From the Left:

UG
Red plant Ammannia gracilus
Spiky Erio cinereum
Fissidens moss on wood
Lighter green stem: Tonina Lotus blossom
Ludwigia red
Erio setaceum type 3 giant
Foreground Downoi
Red plant " Ludwigia pantanal
Tonina normal type
Red: L perunesis
Hydrocoytle sibthorpides
 
Bit murky after uprooting and trimming:

Rotala sunset, collected by local plant club back in the Eastern USA.

a3cbb9e5.jpg


f3eece96.jpg
 
Some new pics:

I removed a lot of plants from the rear, I'll add some Rotala macrandra back perhaps.
I removed the Erio type 3 and put the Hydrothrix back in a row instead as it gardens better over time.
Erios do not like to be crowded too much, that's about all I could figure, the light was plenty and when I placed then in less crowded spaces/spots in the tank, they did nicer.
Also removed the Erio Type 1 as well. I have some Rotala mexicana, but likely the green type, not the red. Also got some Cuphea. See where that goes and also the Bacopa "araguaia".
I cut a linear strip of sod from the E hydropiper and sold that off. Added some S. uaupes, I may add a couple more Synognanthus biotypes/species.
Did the Erio's, did the Tonina, etc. Time to come back to the Synognanthus perhaps. See which one of the group fits best in some location and stick with one of the 3-4 types available.
Tonina lotus blossom is nice so I'll keep that one, some of the Erio cinereum like group are nice also, I may add Erio aussie type II back as I have some in a tray outside doing very well.

I'd like to get more of the Alternanthera cardinalis as this variety has done well under the higher light. I placed some of the other reineckii under shade and it did well, so did the Nesaea pedicillata. There's just too much light for those 2 species it seems unless they are shaded and placed in a darker spot.
There's not much UG left over from the algae issues, but a few. So it'll be interesting to see how long recovery takes from these 1/2 dead bits to the nice thick rugs.






6cf5b5bc.jpg

e9ab48dc.jpg

854cc331.jpg
 
Time for some new pics, I removed the Erio type 3 and am going to use more Sygnonathus.
 
Hi Tom,
i know this tank is used for a bit of a plant testing and as a farm which earns you some money but it would be great to see it all grown in for a final picture type shot with the rear stems, midground and foreground plants all at peak growth.
Cheerio,
Ady.
 
I need to rearrange the color scheme in the back and on the right side. After the Tonina, I'll have the A cardinalis or perhaps the Cuphea, not sure, I like the Cuphea though. I'll be working with the A cardinalis and the Cuphea more, for sure.

I'll add some more S. belem in the rear and remove the rest of the Erio setaceum. I'll add the R wallichii back or maybe go with the Myriophyllum tuberculatum, that was a nicer red copper color, not so pink but not the freaky mauve color either. Easier to trim and manage than wallichii.

Rotala mexicana might be a good replacement in the back corn on the Left side. I have a few stems there now.

Other changes: the Ech vesuvius might be changed for the L pantanal var "twisty" or I might keep the Ech and work the Twisty in somewhere in the rear.



fb6dc69f.jpg


Close up of the Rotala sunset from Aaron and Antbug.
30652734.jpg


You can see the diminutive Cuphea with some small reddish tops in the far right a few inches back next to the L peruinesis.

85fcf57c.jpg
 
Ady34 said:
Hi Tom,
i know this tank is used for a bit of a plant testing and as a farm which earns you some money but it would be great to see it all grown in for a final picture type shot with the rear stems, midground and foreground plants all at peak growth.
Cheerio,
Ady.
Click to expand...

Due to the various goals, this will occur but not often.
Also, due to the shape of the tank, and plant design.......... it does not lend well to stereotypical FTS's.
I tend to take a pic based on what people actually look at when they walk by, not the FTS.

I have a few where the tank was a bit overgrown:

1weeklaterFeb.jpg


Also, who the heck wants to look at the same old thing all the time? Or simply set up the tank, then tear it down and start something new? I honestly like to set up a decent tank that I enjoy and garden over the long term.
 
I love the detailed composition of this journal, and that attention to detail also translates well to the stunning tank in question.

Anthony.
 
I caught the Red phantoms which are great red fish, and put Rummies in the tank, they are FAR better suited to this display.

A very good fit.
 
plantbrain said:
I caught the Red phantoms which are great red fish, and put Rummies in the tank, they are FAR better suited to this display.

A very good fit.
Click to expand...

Tom are what you call Red Phantoms, the same as what we call Serpae Tetra here ? Or something different ?
 
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