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Struggling Artist

Areyes

Areyes

New Member
Joined
30 Jan 2021
Messages
7
Location
New Jersey, United States of America
I mean I'm no artist but I believe aquascaping to be an art. My name is Andre but people call me Dre for short. I've been into aquascaping for about 4 years yet I have had no success being able to grow a tank. Partly due to time that I haven't been able to dedicate to the tank and also because I won't quit trying to grow a nice HC carpet which I'm sure it's something I shouldn't be attempting with my lack of experience lol. I happened into this forum a couple weeks back when I was googling guides to help me grow an HC carpet and I have to say this seems better than trying to ask reddit for answers. I'm hoping to learn a lot from this forum which will help me grow many beautiful scapes. If anyone has any recommendations regarding readings i could be doing or videos to help me get started that would be amazing and truly appreciated. For my first project I would love to start a nano DSM with HC cuba carpeting. Anyways thank you for your time reading this and allowing me to be part of this forum.

Sincerly
Dre
 
Hi Dre,

You should be able to grow a HC carpet no problem, if you get a couple of things right. This was my last one, and I’m by no means an expert.

EBCBA451-51B9-444B-A411-F2920BB92B12.jpeg
My main tips for the carpet would be:

1) Slowly increase the flow from the filter when it’s first planted to allow it to take root and establish its self before being blasted. This is striking the balance between having as much flow as possible from the start, but without washing the plantlets away.
2) Use a good fertiliser. Many in here use EI, but I just use TNC complete and it works fine.
3) Make sure your Co2 is enough. Bring the Co2 up to the upper levels of what your fish will tolerate. Make sure the co2 levels are consistent once you have found the sweet spot.
3a) Make sure your Co2 levels are consistent throughout the photo period. The input rate should not exceed or fall below what the plants are using. You can work out this sweet spot using a drop checker and a Ph profile throughout lights on period. Plenty of info on here regarding ph profiles.
4) Slowly increase your photo period as the tank grows in. Don’t blast it with 8 hours of light at 100 percent right from the start, as this will cause algae issues
5) Make sure your flow is adequate and even around the tank. This is key for getting CO2 and other nutrients to where they need to be. Many use Lilly pipes, but I use spray bars along the back of the tank facing forwards, and have found that this gives better flow all around the tank.
6) If you start to get a brown fuzz on the carpet after a few weeks of it staring to establish, get a Siamese algae eater immediately.
7) Trim the carpet regularly once it has spread. Don’t let it get too thick as it will lift and detach from your substrate. When you trim it, press it down hard to compress it and keep it low.

I think with those things, you should be able to grow a lovely carpet in my experience.

Good luck, and welcome to UKAPS 😀
 
I can recommend DSM and the longer the better. I have recently flooded a Monte Carlo carpeted tank which I did a lazy DSM start to (just cut up pieces dropped on top of soil, no planting) and it is doing great.

I had it dry for a couple months before I had time to flood and it was almost a full carpet at flooding.

Not sure how HC Cuba likes long starts.

Have you tried Monte Carlo yet? I plan on moving onto HC in my next tank but wanted to get the basics with and easier species first.
 
aquascape1987 said:
Hi Dre,

You should be able to grow a HC carpet no problem, if you get a couple of things right. This was my last one, and I’m by no means an expert.

View attachment 163135My main tips for the carpet would be:

1) Slowly increase the flow from the filter when it’s first planted to allow it to take root and establish its self before being blasted. This is striking the balance between having as much flow as possible from the start, but without washing the plantlets away.
2) Use a good fertiliser. Many in here use EI, but I just use TNC complete and it works fine.
3) Make sure your Co2 is enough. Bring the Co2 up to the upper levels of what your fish will tolerate. Make sure the co2 levels are consistent once you have found the sweet spot.
3a) Make sure your Co2 levels are consistent throughout the photo period. The input rate should not exceed or fall below what the plants are using. You can work out this sweet spot using a drop checker and a Ph profile throughout lights on period. Plenty of info on here regarding ph profiles.
4) Slowly increase your photo period as the tank grows in. Don’t blast it with 8 hours of light at 100 percent right from the start, as this will cause algae issues
5) Make sure your flow is adequate and even around the tank. This is key for getting CO2 and other nutrients to where they need to be. Many use Lilly pipes, but I use spray bars along the back of the tank facing forwards, and have found that this gives better flow all around the tank.
6) If you start to get a brown fuzz on the carpet after a few weeks of it staring to establish, get a Siamese algae eater immediately.
7) Trim the carpet regularly once it has spread. Don’t let it get too thick as it will lift and detach from your substrate. When you trim it, press it down hard to compress it and keep it low.

I think with those things, you should be able to grow a lovely carpet in my experience.

Good luck, and welcome to UKAPS 😀
Click to expand...

wow, what a beautiful carpet! I just got inspired to start again haha Thank you for the advice!
 
DaveWatkin said:
I can recommend DSM and the longer the better. I have recently flooded a Monte Carlo carpeted tank which I did a lazy DSM start to (just cut up pieces dropped on top of soil, no planting) and it is doing great.

I had it dry for a couple months before I had time to flood and it was almost a full carpet at flooding.

Not sure how HC Cuba likes long starts.

Have you tried Monte Carlo yet? I plan on moving onto HC in my next tank but wanted to get the basics with and easier species first.
Click to expand...
I haven't and I know I probably should start with Monte Carlo but since I'm using UNS 3N nano tank I rather go with HC for the smaller leaves. I do however want to do a DSM
 
Areyes said:
I haven't and I know I probably should start with Monte Carlo
Click to expand...

I started this one with Monte Carlo but had some issues with it melting (my fault).

After sorting the issues, I ripped out the MC anyway and replaced with HC, for the same reason you mention above (the smaller size of the HC leaves).

When the Monte Carlo started growing, I realised that it didn’t give me the scale I was looking for in my aqua scape, and HC Cuba’s smaller size helped me achieve that better in the end.

Although it is supposed to be a more difficult and more demanding plant to grow, I actually found Cuba easier to grow than Monte Carlo... Not sure why, or whether this was just luck of the draw 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
aquascape1987 said:
I started this one with Monte Carlo but had some issues with it melting (my fault).

After sorting the issues, I ripped out the MC anyway and replaced with HC, for the same reason you mention above (the smaller size of the HC leaves).

When the Monte Carlo started growing, I realised that it didn’t give me the scale I was looking for in my aqua scape, and HC Cuba’s smaller size helped me achieve that better in the end.

Although it is supposed to be a more difficult and more demanding plant to grow, I actually found Cuba easier to grow than Monte Carlo... Not sure why, or whether this was just luck of the draw 🤷🏻‍♂️
Click to expand...

Interesting. The second time I attempted to grow HC, it grew in quickly and was looking good but I left for a snowboarding trip and when I came back the mold was basically all over. I def need to get better with the misting technique as I think I tend to waterlogged it too much.
 
I've def been debating it since I have all the equipment to do so. I think I will attempt DSM once more, specially with the guidance and help from this forum, and see how that goes. If it fails then I'll grow it conventionally.
 
Areyes said:
I am using UNS controsoil extra fine for my DSM. It's the smallest size grains that they have. I'll look to see if I can find finer grains than that.
Click to expand...
I’m fairly certain that the rather nice folk at Glass Aqua https://m.facebook.com/glassaqua/ or Glass Aqua Planted Aquarium Tank Inspiration - Shop The Look (if you prefer non-FB) will have some advice - they’ve been using UNS soils for some years and have done some DS

Depending upon tank temperature, you might also consider Elatine hydropiper - much less trimming than HC and even MC (it does require good lighting and CO2)
 
Areyes said:
I def need to get better with the misting technique as I think I tend to waterlogged it too much.
Click to expand...

Jurijs mit JS does quite a lot of DSM (just skip ahead for the “flooding” misting part)

 
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