chrisccsci
New Member
Hi everyone,
New to ukaps and new to the hobby, used to keep fish many years ago but didn't have much luck with aquatic plants. Like some others I have been watching aquascaping videos online which inspired me to get back in to it. Got to say great forum this, it's great to see so much constructive help and friendly advice.
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has thoughts or ideas on my new planted tank. I must admit, I have jumped in pretty blindly with this one, and could do with some help on spotting things that might go wrong before they happen! I have done some reading about the plants but only on the websites of the sellers and Wikipedia, which I'm aware are not the best sources of information.
I have got a Fluval spec V 19 litre tank with Tropica Soil Powder and some Driftwood. My goal was to make a nice home for a Betta, using south east Asian biotope plants which needed lower CO2 and could do okay with the standard light that came with the tank. I have some Tropica premium nutrition which recommends 5 doses per week for a 100l tanks, so I have been using 1 dose a week for my 19l.
For the plants, In the back left I have Hygrophila polysperma, In the back right I have Hygrophila corymbosa. I have attached java fern and java Moss to the driftwood, and have a foreground carpet attempt of Marsilea crenata. I also have some floating Asian Watermoss, for which I have made some floating airline rings to try and keep it over the Marsilea for shade, but away from the light needing plants at the back.
When putting this aquarium together I suppose my main thoughts were with the future Betta, or shrimps, and making a heavily planted aquarium with lots of hiding places and branches, with area specific species, so it would all come together and attempt to replicate how it might be naturally.
Now it is all in the tank, and from the apparent ease of the species I have picked, I am mainly concerned about whether I have too many plants, too potentially big plants, or whether I will be able to keep up with their nutritional needs. It has only been set up a few days, but so far it is looking like the H. polysperma might dominate. The Marsilea has signs of some small new roots, but the H. corymbosa is looking like it might struggle.
I don't know much about what I'm doing, so would greatly appreciate some feedback and advice if anybody has any!
Thanks for your time to read my post. Photos attached.
New to ukaps and new to the hobby, used to keep fish many years ago but didn't have much luck with aquatic plants. Like some others I have been watching aquascaping videos online which inspired me to get back in to it. Got to say great forum this, it's great to see so much constructive help and friendly advice.
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has thoughts or ideas on my new planted tank. I must admit, I have jumped in pretty blindly with this one, and could do with some help on spotting things that might go wrong before they happen! I have done some reading about the plants but only on the websites of the sellers and Wikipedia, which I'm aware are not the best sources of information.
I have got a Fluval spec V 19 litre tank with Tropica Soil Powder and some Driftwood. My goal was to make a nice home for a Betta, using south east Asian biotope plants which needed lower CO2 and could do okay with the standard light that came with the tank. I have some Tropica premium nutrition which recommends 5 doses per week for a 100l tanks, so I have been using 1 dose a week for my 19l.
For the plants, In the back left I have Hygrophila polysperma, In the back right I have Hygrophila corymbosa. I have attached java fern and java Moss to the driftwood, and have a foreground carpet attempt of Marsilea crenata. I also have some floating Asian Watermoss, for which I have made some floating airline rings to try and keep it over the Marsilea for shade, but away from the light needing plants at the back.
When putting this aquarium together I suppose my main thoughts were with the future Betta, or shrimps, and making a heavily planted aquarium with lots of hiding places and branches, with area specific species, so it would all come together and attempt to replicate how it might be naturally.
Now it is all in the tank, and from the apparent ease of the species I have picked, I am mainly concerned about whether I have too many plants, too potentially big plants, or whether I will be able to keep up with their nutritional needs. It has only been set up a few days, but so far it is looking like the H. polysperma might dominate. The Marsilea has signs of some small new roots, but the H. corymbosa is looking like it might struggle.
I don't know much about what I'm doing, so would greatly appreciate some feedback and advice if anybody has any!
Thanks for your time to read my post. Photos attached.