Tank update

[Matt Nace]

Well my flourite settled, and my plant tank has started.

I decided to filter with a Hot magnum. I turned the flow down so it wouldn't ripple the water.My Other filte(Hang on back)caused too much surface disturbance for me. The magnum also make s agreat current.

My DIY Co2 is working good. I have the tank pretty well planted, but not really, to leave room for growth, and to see what else I want to add. Wheather it be more of a same plant, or a different one.

It blows my other tanks away.

My stock of fish for now until my plants start to thrive is 6 Ghost shrimp, 1 Ammano Shrimp(he was bought with them by mistake ),6 SAE and 4 Ottoes.

The SAE are pretty cool fish. The ottes even swim with them on occasion. I am not sure what else I want in there. I am going to get something different though, that I dont have, like a rainbow, killiefish, or maybe 2 Rams.
I am going to try and take a digital camera shot of it, even though my camera stinks.

[arcab4]

yeah. post a picture when you can. i'll do the same once my algae dies down. i'm betting itall on the flagfishes to do their job!

[Franky099]

Hey Ruby Barb...what size tank is it?  Hopefully with in the next month I will be getting started on a 130 gallon planted tank.  SHould I use pure florite or a mix?  What kind of filtration would you reccomend??

[Matt Nace]

It is only a 30 gallon tank. I have a lot of flourite in there. Used 4 15 # bags..one left over. I have some nice hills and valleys. My back of the tank is an inch to 2 inches higher than the front. I took some pics of it..it makes it look so horrable. I will mess around some more and post whatever I have. Even though when I look at the pics..it makes it look so dull.

I answered your questions in the other post Franky

I forgot to add..you probebly should get a real co2 unit, if your lighting is bright enough. But DIY Co2 is so easy, that you could get a couple bottles going in no time.

[Matt Nace]

I could have bet it has been up for more than a month!

Here are a few things that are happening in my 30 with Co2 and 80 watts of light.I will also note what my results are from my 30 g with out Co2 and only 40 watts of lighting (   )

My Co2 is till going strong.

I have found that foxtails dont do too well in my hard water. I have some remains that are starting to grow but nothing of what they were.(Very, very slow growth)

I found camboda do grow nice and high, the stems being not as brittle as Ambulia. (It does well without added liquid ferts and without Co2 )

My Ambulia(Limnophila aquatica) is so awesome. It started growing very tall, and very full and "fluffy". I take clippings and replant them and they look picture perfect.

My Hydro is like a weed. I need to cut it every 4 days and get rid of about 3 stems worth of 12" of plant. (This plant need a supplement (liquid) or its leaves will become clear and droop away. I have all my cuttings in a 30 gallon with no addatives but root spikes.)

Java moss is growing very rapidly along my wood. I placed a tied end into the gravel(yes I did!)and placed a root tab with iron, and a plant spike right where it sat.It is starting to spread over the wood and looks very bright green now.(In my other tanks it is doing well but a darker green, and slower growth. Just a few pieces and you start a new plant)

Water wisteria started out slow. I had it placed in the back, left center. It slowly grew, and onced it reaced about 5 inches from the top, it took off. Now it is huge. I need to clip this plant and reroot with the top 8 inches as the bottom is getting thinner.This plant need intense light too really grow great IMO.

Red Hygro is a new addition, and I have seen no real growth yet to mention.

Bronze and green wendtii is doing very well as a foreground plant. Makes a nice contrast to the rest of the plants.

Micro swords is a bit of trouble for me. It grows quite well, and is starting to lawn effect (into my wendtii   )but it is getting algae on it. It needs to be trimmed or thinned, or pruned and I am not sure the best way to do this.

Amazon Swords are out of this world. The leaves are so big.(very slow growth in my 55 gallon with out Co2, 120 watts)

My crypt is a new addition and is growing very nice .

My Bacopa started in the rear ,right center but was very slow on growth. Moved to the middle right and now is growing very fast.

I still hve 2 unnamed plants. one is a hygro the other a round leaved plant with green leaves and a deep purple on the other side. The purple one shows ok sign of growth.

Also anoth rplant which is a hydro which actually split itself into daughter plants, and doing well.

Hornwort..yet another weed.It looks good in contrast, but I give this stuff away every few days.

8)
Sorry for the length, maybe it will help some decide what they want to use in their tanks.

Just to mention, dont add too many plant spikes, or your nitrates may rise too high.

I have some spot ??? algae on my front glass and more thank I like. my 6 pack of ottoes are not really getting it(slackers). Need to add more Ottoes to see if it helps.

[scrimman]

Sounds great, MaleRubyBarb!  Yes, it does help quite a bit.  I just got a 55gal going that I got on a deal, and I'm looking to stock it with all kinds of plants.  Started it up just last night. I've got aponogeton v. WalMart, Dwarf Sag, anacharis (Elodea), and some Marsilea crenata (clover) going so far, but the tank looks, well, nekkid.  :-/ I'm getting some crypts (Wendtii and Becktii) from a guy on AquaBid (hopefully, 'cuz I'm still fresh from my PetSwearhouse hose-job and not inclined to trust right now), and I'm going to transfer some Micromeria brownei (Creeping Charlie), Java Fern, and some Cabomba later next week.  I'm using laterite, 'cuz you can't find florite down here.  I'm going to be watching your posts to see how you're doing (and how you're doing it)  
LUCK! ;D

[Matt Nace]

Just to let you know, hornwort is a pain. If you have a smaller tank forget it. It grows too fast for me. Like a weed. I left about 4 inches in there , and pulled the other 50 feet out(not really 50 feet)and threw it literly in my 55 gallon. My wife loves it in there. It looks like a hanging garden.

Yes rosy and ruby barbs...you may eat that!!!

I swear that the rosy barbs showed the ruby barbs how to eat plants. >

[Matt Nace]

This tank looks amazing.

It looks so good...but my "bubble" popped when I had to work on my usual water change day...well the tank went 2 weeks w/o a change.

Word of caution...use jobes with care. I put the whole jobe in under my plants.

The results were my nitrates shot into the 50's. The high nitrates and phosphates caused some black brush on my swords leaves (which are at least 10 inches long!!)

Other than that, I might be looking for my featured fish soon. I still only have 6 SAE and 6 ottos. A few ghost shrimp, and one ammano.

[Matt Nace]

Well by increasing Co2(2-2L bottles), I almost completely got rid of the brush algae from when the jobes shot my nitrates up.

I did however, ran out of minor trace elements(and major), and got a tad of hair algae(on a sword), and green spot on the glass.

Stupid SAE.....go eat it!!! Anyway. Everything is growing extremely well. AS soon as the trace elements are added, hopefully the plants will better utilize whatever the spot and 5 hair algaes are using, to eliminate them.

I am thinking of moving the Honey gourmis early. They are showing no bad signs. I dont think the cherrys are going in this tank, I am not happy with their looks yet. I don't know where the LFS got them, but 3 of them were deformed..after I even inspected them..doh...guess that is why they were cheap.

Thats it for now.

[Somonas]

You guys got pics? Please post them.  I would -love- to see these tanks. I need some inspiration