Planted tank journal (10G Hex)

MrJG · 02-12-2007, 09:33 PM

Thanks you guys it feels good that the tank is finally starting to shape up to the way I was picturing it in my head. It makes it that much better that this is my first try at a planted tank and its turning out so well (granted I know the plants in there are low light/hardy). You haven't gotten to see all the fun plant loss from having the very low light hood. :P Onward and upward as they say.

Limi310: odd coincidence... the "local" place I found was in Charlotte. Fintastic over off of 485@Tryon St. Man the saltwater section there is awesome (at least to a newb). I could totally see myself attempting a nano reef tank if I could convince my wife... and win the lottery. :O

MrJG · 02-14-2007, 02:10 PM

Little update. Lost a Rasbora yesterday and still not quite sure what happened.

Either one of two things happened. The two originals had been nipping and fighting quite a bit so something could have happened there or...
After I found it I immediately tested the water to find that adding the driftwood had dropped the ph down to 7.2! Arghhh. Its been sitting at a constant 7.8-8.0 forever. I'm quite happy that I have a better ph level now but the cost may have been mr. rasbora.
I snagged a kh drop test today just to make sure the swing wasn't from very soft water. Will post the results tomorrow.

MrJG · 02-16-2007, 01:13 PM

So I tested the carbonate hardness in the water...

KH - 8 dgh

So with the buffering capacity being there it must have been the fact that it was such a large amount of driftwood going into the small amount of water that made the PH swing so significant. I'll be testing all water parameters this weekend just to make sure everything has stabalized.

I was looking at some CO2 information and found a few calculators. I decided for giggles to put calculate my tanks CO2 with the current PH and KH levels...
Came out to a little over 15ppm which is way higher than it should be. Upon further reading I found that its more than likely something like phosphates thats doing all the buffering. Guess its time for another test kit. :P

Either way, all appears well with the tank. The small bunch of wysteria at the front is taking off quite nicely. Made a plant order today and probably will not do another picture update until adding those in. Got 2 anubias barteri petite plants, 2 marimo balls, and a 6x6 inch patch of taiwan moss.

until next time...

Limi310 · 02-16-2007, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrJG

Limi310: odd coincidence... the "local" place I found was in Charlotte. Fintastic over off of 485@Tryon St. Man the saltwater section there is awesome (at least to a newb). I could totally see myself attempting a nano reef tank if I could convince my wife... and win the lottery. :O

Cool, where about are you? Fintastic is a great store...they have lots of variety. Some stuff can be a little expensive. You can also try out Frank and Peg's on South Blvd. They have a much smaller fish selection then Fintastic, but they are more 'mom and pop'.

MrJG · 02-16-2007, 10:18 PM

Had to update my profile. :P I'm in Lancaster about 30 miles south of Charlotte.

I have Frank and Pegs on my list of places to check out but haven't had a chance to make it by there yet.

Jake · 02-17-2007, 06:01 AM

I haven't seen a 10g aquarium look so natural, and unique. Great Job.

MOsborne05 · 02-17-2007, 09:05 AM

Your tank looks awesome! Hex tanks are really hard to scape but you did a nice job, I love the driftwood. For foreground plants, about the only thing that will do well in that light is dwarf sag. I've had success with it spreading runners in a 5 gallon hex with 2wpg. It won't grow as fast as it would in higher light of course, but it does grow. Marimo balls are a great choice as well. Also, green hygro is IMO the best fast growing stem plant for low-light plants. Red Ludwigia is also a good choice, and cryptocorynes are good fillers because they don't need much light at all.

MrJG · 02-27-2007, 12:41 PM

Thanks for the heads up MO. I actually had my wife pick up some Ludwiga Repens for me the other day and I planted a ton of it at the front of the tank where the mondo grass used to be. From what I read though it might require more lighting that I can give it esp considering how tightly I packed them in. We'll see I guess.

Looks like there were also 4 stems of Ludwiga palustris in with all the bundles.

Hopefully the rest of the plants should show up later this week and I can get everything settled in and leave it alone. Its looking pretty dense already so once the moss and anubias go in its going to be fairly heavily planted with lowlight goodness.

The wysteria continues to recover from the mass pruning a few weeks ago, I think the root system is finally taking hold again so it should explode soon. The java fern is producing new leaflets every other day or so. I might consider strapping one of the plantlets to the driftwood when everything is out of the tank.

I read earlier today that dosing excel with moss is not a good idea and it would kill the moss. I've looked over threads and threads today trying to find any mention of this here, at tpt, and killies.com and can find nothing other than a one line sentence saying that excel will kill moss. Anyone have the lowdown on this?

Smalltank3 · 03-02-2007, 10:22 PM

Well, when I dipped my moss in an Excel bath to get rid of algae, it died. However, Lonewolfblue adds excel to his 26g daily and his moss is better than ever. Here, look at the bottom of the first page. He tells what he does in his tank. Show off your Java Moss!.
BTW, can you post some updates

Smalltank

MrJG · 03-03-2007, 07:43 PM

Thanks for the reply smalltank. I think from reading a bit more as long as the excel isn't super concentrated when it comes into contact with the moss it should be ok. Since I'm only doing 1mL every other day I think it will be ok.

I guess a small update could be in order. Not much has happened since my plants grow very slow (low maintenance is the goal). This will be a in between shot just showing the added Ludwiga and the little progress of the wysteria. Still waiting on my moss and other plants.

Wysteria reaching for the most light it can get.

Added 4 Amano shrimp this past week to help with algae and they have almost taken care of everything.

The only other new stuff...

I decided that I didn't like the woodgrain finish on the tank and put black vinyl tape around the top/bottom rim to match the entertainment center.

I have a LFS checking their suppliers to see if they can order some captive bred galaxy rasboras (celestial danios). If they can get them I'm going to trade in the Hets, Neons, and otto for store credit and pick up 12 of those to attempt to breed them.

Cheers

I'm going to be posting asking about phosphates pretty soon. Its looking like I have an issue with mine. Its still spiked > 10ppm even after 2 - 2 gallon water changes. All other parameters are great. PH 7.2, KH 6, NO2 0, NO3 5ppm, NH4 0

02-17-2007, 09:05 AM	#17
MOsborne05 Super Fish Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gibsonburg, OH Posts: 1,584	Your tank looks awesome! Hex tanks are really hard to scape but you did a nice job, I love the driftwood. For foreground plants, about the only thing that will do well in that light is dwarf sag. I've had success with it spreading runners in a 5 gallon hex with 2wpg. It won't grow as fast as it would in higher light of course, but it does grow. Marimo balls are a great choice as well. Also, green hygro is IMO the best fast growing stem plant for low-light plants. Red Ludwigia is also a good choice, and cryptocorynes are good fillers because they don't need much light at all. __________________ Morgan

03-02-2007, 10:22 PM	#19
Smalltank3 Large Fish Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 958	Well, when I dipped my moss in an Excel bath to get rid of algae, it died. However, Lonewolfblue adds excel to his 26g daily and his moss is better than ever. Here, look at the bottom of the first page. He tells what he does in his tank. Show off your Java Moss!. BTW, can you post some updates Smalltank __________________ 10g Planted Community Tank Fish:3 Threadfin Rainbows, 1 Male Endler, 1 Female Guppy, 1 Male Cherry Barb, 3 Schwartz's Cories, and 1 Oto Plants:Amazon Sword, Apongeton, Java Fern, Moneywort, Rotala Indica, Taiwan Moss, and Watersprite 5g Hex Planted DP Tank Fish: Coming Soon 2 Dwarf Puffers and an Oto Plants:Aponogeton, Moneywort, Rotala Indica, and Taiwan Moss 1g Planted Betta Tank Fish:Male CT Betta and 1 Oto Plants:Moneywort, Rotala Indica, and Taiwan Moss

03-03-2007, 07:43 PM	#20
MrJG Little Fish Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lancaster, S.C. Posts: 104	Thanks for the reply smalltank. I think from reading a bit more as long as the excel isn't super concentrated when it comes into contact with the moss it should be ok. Since I'm only doing 1mL every other day I think it will be ok. I guess a small update could be in order. Not much has happened since my plants grow very slow (low maintenance is the goal). This will be a in between shot just showing the added Ludwiga and the little progress of the wysteria. Still waiting on my moss and other plants. Wysteria reaching for the most light it can get. Added 4 Amano shrimp this past week to help with algae and they have almost taken care of everything. The only other new stuff... I decided that I didn't like the woodgrain finish on the tank and put black vinyl tape around the top/bottom rim to match the entertainment center. I have a LFS checking their suppliers to see if they can order some captive bred galaxy rasboras (celestial danios). If they can get them I'm going to trade in the Hets, Neons, and otto for store credit and pick up 12 of those to attempt to breed them. Cheers I'm going to be posting asking about phosphates pretty soon. Its looking like I have an issue with mine. Its still spiked > 10ppm even after 2 - 2 gallon water changes. All other parameters are great. PH 7.2, KH 6, NO2 0, NO3 5ppm, NH4 0 Last edited by MrJG; 03-25-2007 at 12:10 PM..

02-12-2007, 09:33 PM	#11
MrJG Little Fish Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lancaster, S.C. Posts: 104	Thanks you guys it feels good that the tank is finally starting to shape up to the way I was picturing it in my head. It makes it that much better that this is my first try at a planted tank and its turning out so well (granted I know the plants in there are low light/hardy). You haven't gotten to see all the fun plant loss from having the very low light hood. :P Onward and upward as they say. Limi310: odd coincidence... the "local" place I found was in Charlotte. Fintastic over off of 485@Tryon St. Man the saltwater section there is awesome (at least to a newb). I could totally see myself attempting a nano reef tank if I could convince my wife... and win the lottery. :O

02-14-2007, 02:10 PM	#12
MrJG Little Fish Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lancaster, S.C. Posts: 104	Little update. Lost a Rasbora yesterday and still not quite sure what happened. Either one of two things happened. The two originals had been nipping and fighting quite a bit so something could have happened there or... After I found it I immediately tested the water to find that adding the driftwood had dropped the ph down to 7.2! Arghhh. Its been sitting at a constant 7.8-8.0 forever. I'm quite happy that I have a better ph level now but the cost may have been mr. rasbora. I snagged a kh drop test today just to make sure the swing wasn't from very soft water. Will post the results tomorrow.

02-16-2007, 01:13 PM	#13
MrJG Little Fish Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lancaster, S.C. Posts: 104	So I tested the carbonate hardness in the water... KH - 8 dgh So with the buffering capacity being there it must have been the fact that it was such a large amount of driftwood going into the small amount of water that made the PH swing so significant. I'll be testing all water parameters this weekend just to make sure everything has stabalized. I was looking at some CO2 information and found a few calculators. I decided for giggles to put calculate my tanks CO2 with the current PH and KH levels... Came out to a little over 15ppm which is way higher than it should be. Upon further reading I found that its more than likely something like phosphates thats doing all the buffering. Guess its time for another test kit. :P Either way, all appears well with the tank. The small bunch of wysteria at the front is taking off quite nicely. Made a plant order today and probably will not do another picture update until adding those in. Got 2 anubias barteri petite plants, 2 marimo balls, and a 6x6 inch patch of taiwan moss. until next time...

02-16-2007, 10:18 PM	#15
MrJG Little Fish Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lancaster, S.C. Posts: 104	Had to update my profile. :P I'm in Lancaster about 30 miles south of Charlotte. I have Frank and Pegs on my list of places to check out but haven't had a chance to make it by there yet.

02-17-2007, 06:01 AM	#16
Jake Little Fish Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia , Canada Posts: 105	I haven't seen a 10g aquarium look so natural, and unique. Great Job.

02-27-2007, 12:41 PM	#18
MrJG Little Fish Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lancaster, S.C. Posts: 104	Thanks for the heads up MO. I actually had my wife pick up some Ludwiga Repens for me the other day and I planted a ton of it at the front of the tank where the mondo grass used to be. From what I read though it might require more lighting that I can give it esp considering how tightly I packed them in. We'll see I guess. Looks like there were also 4 stems of Ludwiga palustris in with all the bundles. Hopefully the rest of the plants should show up later this week and I can get everything settled in and leave it alone. Its looking pretty dense already so once the moss and anubias go in its going to be fairly heavily planted with lowlight goodness. The wysteria continues to recover from the mass pruning a few weeks ago, I think the root system is finally taking hold again so it should explode soon. The java fern is producing new leaflets every other day or so. I might consider strapping one of the plantlets to the driftwood when everything is out of the tank. I read earlier today that dosing excel with moss is not a good idea and it would kill the moss. I've looked over threads and threads today trying to find any mention of this here, at tpt, and killies.com and can find nothing other than a one line sentence saying that excel will kill moss. Anyone have the lowdown on this?