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New Member - from Texas

T

TXLutzy

Seedling
Joined
16 Sep 2020
Messages
6
Location
United States
Hi All!

Thanks for letting me join...even though, I'm from Texas! I am currently running 2 tanks, both planted - low tech. The first is a Fluval 15g with built in filtration, the second is a small 10g with an HOB. ( I started with an internal - but, it wasn't enough water movement)

I am returning to the hobby after 25 years of tank free life. Prior to children, I had a small saltwater reef tank and a 55g african cichlid tank. I stumbled upon "Aquascaping" and have been hooked. Very peaceful, a way to connect with nature. You tube is a fantastic resource that didn't exist my last go round.

I'm hoping to engage with folks here on discussions around what may work with my parameters, tips and techniques. here's what I've learned so far:


1. Substrate: I believe a "mix" of substrates will prove most successful for me. In my first tank (Fluval 15) - I used 100% Eco-Complete with root tabs. The look is OK. The planting experience is poor. The material itself is light, sharp and doesn't hold roots very well. I've had a number of roots severed as I've tried to move plants around. Doesn't seem "great" for the fish either. I tried Fluval Stratum (100%) in my 2nd tank and it is much better to plant in. NEXT TIME: I will likely do a small layer of Eco complete with tabs, followed by Fluval stratum, then black sand on top. I've found planting in sand is MUCH easier...particularly for small plants that lack large root structures.

Advice on Substrates? Thoughts?

2. Water: My water is maybe the hardest water on the planet. My test kits "max" at well over 350ppm. I suspect this will be limiting and frustrating as I don't really want to use anything other than tap water. I've had a few plants melt away already...but, that may not be completely down to hard water....hard to isolate.

3. Fish: I have: Amano shrimp, chili raspboras, celestial danios, one red shrimp, one blue, nerite snails and many ottocinclus. The danios have actually been pretty outgoing - they don't hide and have been out front a lot. I started with 10 chili raspboras...down to 5. I think a larger school would be much better - thinking >15.

4. Plants: first - and, this drives me crazy - I have the hardest time identifying plants. Mine never seem to look exactly like pictures.

- Pogostemmon Octopus does very well - it grows and grows - also takes to replanting well. Seems immune to the hard water.
- I *think* I have limnophilia aromatica - (bought at LFS without a name) - and...it too seems to do well in the hard water.
- Monewort - seems to be doing VERY well, I trim and replant and it keeps growing well
- Amazon Sword - has been in the tank for months - looks exactly the same as the day I put it in. No new growth, no melt.
- Java Fern - eh. also hasn't done much in the 3 weeks it has been in the tank.

I've had problems with bucephalandra both varieties I purchased melted away and aren't doing well.

I'm generally not having much luck with water column feeders. I've been dosing with an easy green 1-2 times per week. I get a lot of melt.

I look forward to being an active member here - I hope everyone is healthy and happy.
 

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Welcome to the forum. I too have returned to the hobby after over a decade away. I was also lured back by the dream of a lush planted tank!
 
Well,

Pretty discouraged. I just don't think I can overcome the water conditions here in Texas. Plants just aren't doing well.....and, I think can only attribute to water. I've been dosing, testing, adding iron, easy green, water changes just about every day.

Plants are still struggling. I really thought an underwater garden would be cool....but, it's not meant to be.

Thanks for the quick welcome. Good luck with your scapes.
 
Welcome fellow newcomer ;)
It sounds like you may have to collect some rainwater to soften that hard Texas tap stuff
 
Welcome to the hard water club!

TXLutzy said:
Amazon Sword - has been in the tank for months - looks exactly the same as the day I put it in. No new growth, no melt.
Click to expand...

Snap! I'm also new to this. Having read around this site I've stuffed my tank full of plants on the premise that at least some will survive. And there are a couple that are (very slowly) growing. Do you know if your carbonate hardness is high? There are some plants (like Vallisnaria and Crypts) that extract their carbon from carbonates in the water, and like hard water.
 
:oops: reply had actually posted ... despite showing as “not yet posted” :banghead:
 
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TXLutzy said:
Pretty discouraged. I just don't think I can overcome the water conditions here in Texas.
Click to expand...

I’d suggest contacting the folks at ADG (Houston) as they may have some good advice

https://aquariumdesigngroup.com/

For more accurate water parameters, contact your water supplier (your city/town etc should be useful)
If you’re on a private well, then local university/college and state water board/regulation etc will likely have knowledge of local water parameters

I suspect you’ll have “easier” success if you invest in CO2 (you can start with very economic DIY yeast systems, also Neo Aquario has a rather nice kit including diffuser etc that can be a starting point)

Regardless of water hardness, non-CO2 etc, daily water changes can do a lot towards improving plant growth and discouraging algae

Choosing suitable plants for your water and aquarium system (light/CO2/substrate/fertilization etc) will defiantly improve growth, also sourcing good quality plants that can manage the transition more successfully - thinking of ADG again, also BucePlant, Glass Aqua, Green Leaf Aquariums which all ship ... Glass Aqua has always seemed to me more personalized (I don’t live in the US so no direct contact with any of these)

(note that EC and FS would be much lower on my Substrate list than Tropica, UNS, Neo - I just glanced at Glass Aqua list of available aquarium soils)
 
Karmicnull said:
There are some plants (like Vallisnaria and Crypts) that extract their carbon from carbonates in the water, and like hard water.
Click to expand...

I haven't tried any Crypts (which I guess I should prior to giving up)

Vallisnaria I have tried - didn't do well at all.

The only plant that has thrived is Moneywort. I can trim, regrow, etc. As I noted above, the Amazon sword is *fine* - no growth though.
 
@alto

Thank you. I will try to the ADS store in Houston - certainly worth calling.

The trial and error is rather expensive....and, I have 3 tanks going with different plants in each (same dosing, lighting). I used Buce Plant over the summer for a few plants.
 
If it's possible to buy RO water at your LFS (which I understand is common in parts of the US with hard water), you could "cut" your tap water with it, thus decreasing the hardness.

Alternatively, pre-pandemic you could pick up a cheap 50 gallon per day RO unit for about $60 on Amazon in the US- I bought a similar unit, as my tap water has variable amounts of nitrate, sometimes quite high, and it seemed the best way to ensure stability for my livestock. Not sure if they are more expensive now. Others here preach the use of rainwater but I expect in Texas that would not be consistently available.

Note that if you choose this route, you must either remineralise with a remineralising salt or mix the purified water with tap water, as pure RO water is very unhealthy for aquatic plants and livestock.
 
Welcome to ukaps Quite a lot of members here have hard water and are successful with a wide range of plants . Dive into the journals and tutorials :)
 
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