Ishar's 20GH Planted tank

[alter40]

Have you decided on anything for the left side of the tank yet or are you still debating on what to put over there?

[ishar]

thanks Ken . With any luck I won't lose much of the windelov I separated- apparently the rhizomes need a few leaves on it to survive... but I have a few sort of big sections with no leaves on them- I hope they grow a few

[ishar]

Well I put some of both types of ferns on the wood on the left, so I am hoping that that wille ase the transition from background to midground on the left side.

[ishar]

Well on another note, I am getting the feeling that the flow rediretor I put on my tank is have detrimental effects. Because the outflow is directed across the surface rather than downwards, the flow is reduced through the tank, allowing my plants to root more easily. That is good. However, because the CO2 is injected into the filter, that means that the CO2 is not getting down into the tank (this is my prediction anyways). I believe my suspicion to be confirmed as I notice that some of my plants pearl- but only above about the halfway mark of the tank. I am going to take off the redirector and see what happens. I can always put it back on if there is no real change.

[ishar]

UPDATE

I dosed 5mL of excel yesterday to help fight this green fuzzy stuff that is taking over my tank again, and have not noticed any decrease in algae, but I did notice some melting on my vals which are starting to grow quite well now. My C02 is what is causing th problem I believe as it is always giving a different rate of CO2 production. I am going to post another thread askign for some advice about getting rid of the DIY for a few months until I can get pressurized C02. Other than that my plants are growing well and my fish are growing nicely.

[ishar]

UPDATE

I have decreased my nitrogen dosing dramatically, back to the Seachem suggested dosing. I did this to fend off the green algae which is apparently not a CO2 problem but a macro imbalance problem. So I have done that. My vals did a bit of melting, but I think they are stopping melting nd are just growing again- thankfully.

After only one day of reduced N dosing, I think, unless I am crazy or seeing things, the algae is starting to disappear. I can see leaf on my anubias again and the threads on the vals are not so long any more. Hopefully I am neither of the things I suggested lol.

My glosso is not fairing very well. I fear that I may have damage a lot of them during planting, squishing the roots and cutting them too short perhaps. I am finally starting to see some growth though so it is encouraging, but I still feel bad though. But I learned from it, so that's the important part i guess .

The pieces of my windelov fern that just had a rhizome are starting to send up a leaf or two each I am also getting new leaves sprouting from the other, full sized pieces. I am glad that they are spreading, as that was sot of the whole point of all of that work spreading them out around the tank.

[ishar]

Well here is a bit of an update for whoever is keeping up with it all. I apoligize for the lack of pictures lately, but things haven't really changed a whole lot that a picture would show.

Well I upped the dose of Nitrogen a bit because I noticed my Anubias Nana, my beautiful anubias, has one leaf going quite yellow , and my nana petite has one leaf rotting away. So I upped it gradually, by .25mL per day. The rotala was also losing its pink, but I am not so sure that is a N issue, but as long as it survives I don't care so much what colour it is.

My windelov is doing something totally unexpected. The last week or so, it has started sending out baby plants off of the main plant's leaves! I have like 10 or so new windelov plants growing in, with healthy roots so far, and a few little baby leaves. This whole time I have had them I have had two baby plants grow- one is growing very slowly and the other had to be discarded long ago. So I am pretty excited about that.

The algae in my tank had subsided and my tanks was almost clear, but suddenly I am having a new outbreak. The same light green hairy algae is back on the glass of the tank- likely from the additional N in the water, but I also have this dark green, short growing fuzzy looking algae on my anubias and rocks and filter intake tube. I haven't done a w/c for two weeks now (sort of busy with school and I know they are fine for that long) but when I do this weekend I will rub it and see if it comes off.

Um, my guppy fry are doing amazing. The male born in October is doign very well, all coloured up, and I have one born much more recently, and he is AMAZINGLY coloured. I wish I could get a good pic of him- you'd all love him.

My new otto is loving the tank I think, and he looks good and healthy, so thankfully I think he has survived the acclimation period .

[alter40]

Hopefully more N will help your plants out and bring back some of the color in your rotala.

That sucks to hear about the algae starting to grow in the tank again.

I look forward to seeing some new pictures.

[emmanuelchavez]

ishar, how about I just pay you to do the aquascaping on my tanks! lol.

I wanted to take the same route you've taken, but I LOVE my cories sooo much, that I don't think a fully covered tank would work for me.

[ishar]

lol I am flattered emmanuel :P. If you ever have any questions about aquascaping or anything, just send me a picture of the tank and maybe a list of euiment of the tank and I'd be glad to give any help that I can.