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Rivers Edge - ADA 45P - planted and filled

I'd go for an air-stone as well. If the ammonia is converted to nitrate (NO3) (and it will be eventually, even without the air-stone) you don't then want anaerobic denitrification (NO3 ~ N2 gas) to occur. If the the oxygen levels are higher it will just remain as NO3 until the plants use it.

See @Kalum I'm not as daft as I look....I couldn't possibly be :D Wasn't a bad guess. Told you they'd be here as soon as they finished work, they can't resist a good bacteria discussion ;)
 
Haha thanks gents, water change done on the buckets last night and an air pump with 2 lines added in each to keep things moving
 
Commiserations on your Betta loss - amazing how attached one can become

Maybe look for a HMPK next time around - gorgeous colours but a lot less fin to manage

Just be careful with “dragonscale” Bettas (plakat or “regular”) - breeders attempt to get a full mask, but there will always be some with partial mask, and some where the mask “overgrows” and the metallic scales eventually cover eye and gills as the fish matures (I’ve seen this most often in the “dragons” red,black,gold etc where there’s a high degree of glitter/iridescence on the body scales, and full mask of course)

Have you seen the “hellboy” Bettas - brilliant strong colours
(non dragonscale)

For the MC, try planting very small clumps - my tap is basically rain water and this seems to work best - once I’ve got submerse MC established, I can rip it up and use as minimal replanting stock and it grows like crazy
(Tropica Soil Powder)

Can you add CO2 temporarily? this definitely helps MC
- though I’ve had it do very well in the window low tech tanks in summer: lots of light, no CO2 - even with only a few inches of water, no filter, loads of green algae arrived ... when I finally got back to the tank, water changes etc, the MC and Marsilea crenata were battling for carpet space (and no visible algae :wideyed:)

Hemianthus micrathemoides does very well in soft water, no CO2
H siamensis 53B Tropica tissue culture did fine initially but without adding GH/KH it gets unhappy after some months

Don’t let the H tenellum invade the MC - without CO2 I suspect the MC will fade in the battle
 
Commiserations on your Betta loss - amazing how attached one can become

Maybe look for a HMPK next time around - gorgeous colours but a lot less fin to manage

Just be careful with “dragonscale” Bettas (plakat or “regular”) - breeders attempt to get a full mask, but there will always be some with partial mask, and some where the mask “overgrows” and the metallic scales eventually cover eye and gills as the fish matures (I’ve seen this most often in the “dragons” red,black,gold etc where there’s a high degree of glitter/iridescence on the body scales, and full mask of course)

Have you seen the “hellboy” Bettas - brilliant strong colours
(non dragonscale)

For the MC, try planting very small clumps - my tap is basically rain water and this seems to work best - once I’ve got submerse MC established, I can rip it up and use as minimal replanting stock and it grows like crazy
(Tropica Soil Powder)

Can you add CO2 temporarily? this definitely helps MC
- though I’ve had it do very well in the window low tech tanks in summer: lots of light, no CO2 - even with only a few inches of water, no filter, loads of green algae arrived ... when I finally got back to the tank, water changes etc, the MC and Marsilea crenata were battling for carpet space (and no visible algae :wideyed:)

Hemianthus micrathemoides does very well in soft water, no CO2
H siamensis 53B Tropica tissue culture did fine initially but without adding GH/KH it gets unhappy after some months

Don’t let the H tenellum invade the MC - without CO2 I suspect the MC will fade in the battle

Thanks alto, some good info and I'll definitely take your advice when planting the MC and I'm raising my GH/KH a bit over tap as I've found a few plants struggle with very low levels so hopefully keeping it in the 4-6 range will help. No spare reg for co2 so isn't an option but liquid co2 can/will be used

I've decided on a Galaxy Koi HMPK which also have localised iridescent scales and markings but the hell boys are stunning as well, really bold colours. The mustard gas variation is also one I was considering

Interesting to hear about the dragonscale varient and its a shame it gets to the point of selective breeding where the animal suffers as a result

And yes I only read about the tenellum being quite invasive after I placed the order, is it still quite rampant under low tech conditions?
 
Initial very quick layout after receiving the stones today, going away for a couple of days so will come back to it and see what I want to change

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Thanks Oscar

Meant to say the stone behind the vertical branches is just there to hold it in place and that area will be planted. Part of me kind of likes it as well if raised a fair bit in height

A bit more height would be added to the right hand side stones with substrate
 
The low curving wood is my favourite - I’d elevate it slightly above the substrate so it’s not lost in the planting
 
The low curving wood is my favourite - I’d elevate it slightly above the substrate so it’s not lost in the planting

Thanks Alto, it's a good point and I'll have a play about with levels in the next day or 2

Any suggestions with planting?

So far my thoughts are:

Helanthium tenellum 'Green' behind stone on left (should keep it from taking over)
Monte Carlo around base of wood and lower section of rock (not looking for a carpet of this)
Hygrophila Siamensis 53B back right corner

I did have Echinodorus Tenellus and Cryptocoryne Willisii ordered but Aquarium Gardens are out of stock now and need to get back to Dave with alternatives

Torn with what to plant back middle and right hand side........
 
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Buces?

Try establishing some MC in the rock crevices - not sure how this will go as no CO2

Hemianthus micrathemoides usually grows well without CO2 - not as “lush” but still a lovely green fine leaf stem

Rotala Vietnam H’ra seems to do OK as well, again nice small leaf, though you’ll need to seed how green vs pink it goes

I quite like some E parvula for texture - it’s usually less compact under lower light

H tripartita - again nice contrasting texture, colour


Crypt beckettii petchii (Tropica) is one of my favourite crypts

Helanthium ‘Quadricostatus’ (Tropica) also plays quite nice in low tech setups
 
Buces?

Try establishing some MC in the rock crevices - not sure how this will go as no CO2

Hemianthus micrathemoides usually grows well without CO2 - not as “lush” but still a lovely green fine leaf stem

Rotala Vietnam H’ra seems to do OK as well, again nice small leaf, though you’ll need to seed how green vs pink it goes

I quite like some E parvula for texture - it’s usually less compact under lower light

H tripartita - again nice contrasting texture, colour


Crypt beckettii petchii (Tropica) is one of my favourite crypts

Helanthium ‘Quadricostatus’ (Tropica) also plays quite nice in low tech setups

Some food for thought there @alto cheers

Buces (possibly theia or mini red) at the base of the wood is on my list and I have anubias nana pangolino for between the rocks

H tripartita is a good idea but unsure if this would be too much for a tank my size and the scape, could be nice back right if I moved the Siamensis 53b to the back centre possibly...

I have C. Beckettii in my other tank and really like it but thinking something about 10cm height max for the right hand side so it doesn't hide the back right planting
 
Tropica C beckettii petchii is maybe 4-5cm tall in my tanks, C parva is very low, but also very slow
If you begin with C wendtii green (Tropica) it may also remain small in a low tech

H tripartita is all about the trimming :p

I’d keep the Siamensis less central as it can easily dominate
 
OK, after staring at the hardscape and a few tweaks decision made

Planting will be:

Tenellum back left
H tripartita back centre
Siamensis 53b back right
C willisii right middle
MC around around wood base and above rocks
Buce (tbc) at base of wood
Anubias nana between rocks
And unsure whether to add some riccardia to the wood or leave it clean, will decide later
 
Just curious mate, how do you find your light? I am about to set up my old 40l tank (Dimensions approximately: W = 12 inches, H = 14 inches, L15 inches) and need to get a light for it. Unsure what to get at the moment.
 
Just curious mate, how do you find your light? I am about to set up my old 40l tank (Dimensions approximately: W = 12 inches, H = 14 inches, L15 inches) and need to get a light for it. Unsure what to get at the moment.

If anything its too bright, I'm running it low tech and I've got it around 10% and it's more than enough, it's a good light and have zero complaints but on a tank this depth it's overkill, if I was to buy another it would be the wrgb version
 
Realised that I had set the left hand branch far too low but I'll just have to live with it for now and will adjust in a week or 2

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Didn't last long before I changed the wood the joys of using bastel plastik is that it just needs dipped in boiling water to soften, adjust and leave to reset

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Looking great mate. Just realised your in Dunfermline (I'm in Alloa) so good to know there are semi locals to share advice lol.
 
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