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Yep, I still have the ludwigia, it's got a permanent spot in the tank.

Thats good to hear. It looked great with the pearl weed. Any updated pics???

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Have I missed something, or is there only the one little sneak peak picture.

Are you going to show us more soon?

Cheers
TW

The pics of me tearing down the tank were a sneak peek.

I also have this one:


I'm holding out on the full tank pics until I pick out the plants I want and get it scaped.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Matty,

Nice shots of the cats, I have never seen them before. I hope all is going as planned with the tank now, just take it easy and don't install some other funky object, like a ferries wheel or what not, LOL.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Wow, how did I miss the destruction of the deathstar?!?

Looking forward to seeing the new layout

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Back in the saddle!

Alright... It has about about 10 days now. It's time for a new picture!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I guess I'll give you a small update. I'm probably not keeping the wallichi. I like the macrandra and the ammania. That's all I've decided so far.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Is it time for another small update?

Cheers
TW

I'm still unhappy with my plant layout and the health of the red plants. I can't keep them from wrinkling up, even the ludwigia now. So I really don't have much to share with you, sorry. I wish I had something nice to show, maybe a new shrimp pic, will that tide you over?

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Well the shrimp is very nice matty - thanks for sharing that. I know pics don't always show up the faults we are so critical of, but the red plant & the greenery looks pretty nice as well.

Cheers
TW

Nice shot of your Amano! Very clean.

I am guessing you would rather not have our input on your tank by you not showing it to us?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I am guessing you would rather not have our input on your tank by you not showing it to us?

I love your guys' input, but it's just that I'm in the middle of playing around with it at this point and just haven't had time to try and scape at all. It would be like your input on the 5.5 right now.....get some plants in it . It just looks like the tank before I took down the death star, just with some random plants in that corner.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

I wanna see disaster
I wanna see ugliness
I wanna see disarray



Truly, I somehow do not understand why people never show the tank when it is going downhill, except the few times that pictures were posted in a thread to show the tanks from various people at their worst.

I see the purpose of log as a reflection of what is going on in a tank over time, and there are good things and bad things happening.

I hope that others don't look at my logs only for the "pretty" pictures and the best way I can provide them with additional information (including moral support in case of failure) is by letting them know how frustrating this hobby can be once in a while. And what is better to demonstrate such frustration than the display of a photo showing the reasons for the upset?

So - to all of you - be a little more open about this, it is not a competition and I for sure will not value you and your tanks less because you reveal its failures, I actually will respect you more (than I already do).

Sorry for the rant,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I'll post a picture for you guys later on, when the lights come on, since it seems you want to see but:

I see the purpose of log as a reflection of what is going on in a tank over time, and there are good things and bad things happening.

It's really not that bad looking, for the most part things are pretty healthy, just not well taken care of or scaped well. In that respect it's not frustrating(in the case of the plants, the fish are a different story), because it's mostly from lack of trying. Mostly it's just that there's nothing going on to show you guys. Like I said, it looks like I took out the deathstar a few days ago and threw some plants in the corner.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Mr DIY. The guy that show us the inner workings of so many creative approaches all of a sudden is showing some vanity.

Yeah I kinda know what you saying when there's nothing new to report. We all don't do makeovers as often as LF. I haven't seen Nowher's little 4g in quite some time either.

My Scapes

I haven't seen Nowher's little 4g in quite some time either.

You wouldn't be able to handle the BBA. It's so thick on the driftwood, my shrimp think I installed shag carpeting for them.

LF is right, of course, about showing how our tanks look regardless of whether we think they're in show condition or not. IMO, I'm still 3 years into planted tank husbandry. I'm sure in Amano's first 3 years he did a lot of crummy scapes and killed a lot of plants and fish I'm sure.

In a forum like this, I see everyone else's tanks and they look good, and it's a bit embarrassing when I think mine don't look as good. Just have to remember we're all friends here, and it isn't an ADA contest... yet...

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Back in the saddle!

Back in the saddle

yippee kay ya

You wouldn't be able to handle the BBA. It's so thick on the driftwood, my shrimp think I installed shag carpeting for them

Don't think for a second those really nice tanks you see from the Senske brothers, etc, don't get bba on the driftwood. Your just seeing the end photo. MY tank get's bba on the dw, that's why it's important to be able to clean it. Do you also think those glass lily pipes stay crystal clean like they came out of a dishwasher and white sand stays white. If the tank is up long enough that stuff is gonna get dirty. Some of the well-known scapers you see have not desire to keep a tank long-term. They set it up, get it to mature and then take it down and start all over again. That's how they get good at doing scapes. They are constantly creating new ones.

My Scapes

Do you also think those glass lily pipes stay crystal clean like they came out of a dishwasher and white sand stays white.

Oh I know that. Afterall, that's why ADA sells a piece of pipe-cleaner wrapped around a coat hanger for $50. It's the same illusion that all modeling creates: the image of static beauty. But in reality, the make-up comes off, people age, buildings get torn down... or, in our cases, plants grow and age and die, and the whole scape changes.

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Back in the saddle!

What used to be rotala macrandra:


This used to be "pink telanthera" :


And here's a FTS:



I think you can see all 7 of my fish that are left. I've now had 7 for a couple months. I'm thinking about getting some more this weekend. Don't know what yet, but I might just get whatever takes my fancy ant the time. I've also recently decided that I'm going to be using 50% RO/DI for water changes (12g RODI, 12g tap). I believe there's something up with the pipes in the building or the tap in general. I know a few people in this building who have been having the same troubles as I have with their fish. My salt water tank doesn't have a problem because I start with pure water. It's not too hard to connect the dots IMO. I just hope 50% will dilute whatever it is enough to help, cause I'm not doing full 100% RODI - I'd rather not have fish.

It's working it's way towards scaped, but these reds are stalling out on me cause I haven't paid them enough attention. I used to be trying to dose Mg and Ca and K in addition to N, P, and micros. I've also recently started just dosing N,P, and micros, whatever K comes with is good. If the plants look better than it's either the softer water from RO/DI or I was dosing too much of something. If they still look crappy I'll maybe start dosing that other stuff again.

So my recent dosing is every other day .5ppm KH2PO4 and 3ppm KNO3. Between is 2-3 mL of micros via flourish.

I think that's everything, questions/comments/crits welcome.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Matty,

Thanks for posting picturs.



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

What no input?!?!

Sheesh

What's a guy gotta do around here

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

What no input?!?!

Sheesh

I thing Wings said it all

Well you could alot of different ways, but my first reaction is a center mound with branchy pieces of wood poking out. The mound could house the reds with some green inbetween. I think that would work with the pearlgrass and the rocks already there. Plants are definitely hard to fiqure out sometimes. I still haven't been able to my Aromatica going again after it grew like gangbusters and I never slacked off the ferts. Very strange. I even upped my dosing just for the hell of it and nothing, I also added root tabs, nothing. Maybe my water is too soft and acidic, who knows.

My Scapes

Thanks for the comments tetratech. I don't really want to try and get branchy DW, there's never any locally and I can't much afford anything I don't get my discount on. Especially if it involves shipping. I agree that would look great, but also look an awful lot like someone else's tank. I'ma keep the red plants real low, so the rocks can be seen (and maybe get another or two), and throw in something behind them, I'm thinkin' the gayii that has been growing real nicely for me in the corner. TI and the pearlgrass were made for this tank I think. The gayii will have a different leaf texture and color than the pearlgrass, so that and the reds will provide good contrast.

Something else worth mentioning I guess. The rigors of DIY set in today as my plumbing sneakily started slowly leaking. I lost maybe 3 gallons of water on the floor. About 7 towels and a sore back later it cleaned up ok and the leak got a good strong fix.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Yes Matty, it looks very nice, given that you were hiding it for soooo long.

It doesn't matter that the tank hasn't changed in a while, even that is part of the game, called consistency

I am sorry to hear about the leak, I hope you don't have any downstairs neighbors that had to take an unscheduled shower

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I haven't heard from the guys downstairs so I'm hoping that it didn't make it through the floor. It is completely dry up here now.

The reds seem to be maybe growing in better than they were before. I don't want to get my hopes up though. Maybe I was ODing the Ca, Mg, and K or maybe it was the tapwater, and maybe the RO/DI is doing the trick. This week's inch or so of growth looks to be a lot less wrinkly and distorted. Maybe I can pull it off after all. There certainly is a lot more pearling, but that might be the new CO2...

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Very nice carpet of green you've got going there Matty. Contrasts nicely with your splashes of reds.

Cheers
TW

So, matty, will we still see you here in planted tanks, now your a SW moderator?

Congratulations again. /:'

Cheers
TW

Nope, now that I'm the "man" I have too many responsibilities to hang out in the planted forums

Of course I'll still post around here. I wouldn't be a mod if I couldn't talk plants and scapes. And thanks for the congrats Robyn .

So I guess I'll let everybody know I got my blyxa yesterday. It came in very poor shape. It was half mush. I talked to the guy I ordered from and he was very concerned even before I got them asking me if I had received them on wednesday. He assured me that I will get some more if these don't make it. If it all works out well I'll definitely recommend him to everybody here. Only ships in the US, but he's really close to you NYC/Jersey residents.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

If you got them from aquabid, does he go by the name "Lowcoaster"?

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Back in the saddle!

I didn't get them from aquabid, but I did get them from Lowcoaster, yes.

Do you have experience with his plants or business? If so please do tell, even if it's already after I made a purchase with him. A pm might be best.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

What?

Matty is a Mod?

Things must go really bad on the dark side!!!



Congratulations

Say, how come your Avatar thingy does not reflect the mod status? Is it only showing over there? Interesting!

Ingo

EDIT: Ups, now I see it has changed, I guess mods are not that fast

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Say, how come your Avatar thingy does not reflect the mod status? Is it only showing over there? Interesting!

I guess his powers only work on the darkside.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I guess his powers only work on the darkside

Really funny

Congrats Matty!

My Scapes

Hey,

While we are congratulating Matty, I just noticed something with the last post I made in my log.

Check my award banners below my Avatar

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Say, how come your Avatar thingy does not reflect the mod status? Is it only showing over there? Interesting!

I think I have my title and award banner now. I've been updated by Adam. Thanks for the congrats guys.

Check my award banners below my Avatar

Congrats on the top 5 poster LF. Gotta think those fingers get tired .

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Ok, finally got this thing scaped a little. I tossed a lot of plants. The macrandra was just awful, so it went. Lots of ludwigia went as well, only the decent looking stuff stayed. That's why the reds section is a bit sparse. Hopefully that will fill in a bit soon. The stuff that stayed is what has grown well for me. The pearlgrass, some of the ludwigia, and the ptomageton gayii. I also got my blyxa in and wanted to comment about that. I got the plants from lowcoaster, found on aquabid I guess. I found him elsewhere. The first shipping ended with mush, maybe they froze even though there was a heatpack in with them. I told Charley, and without delay said he'd send them again, no charge. Great guy to deal with IMO. Plants look real healthy this time around. If they die it will be all my fault . You can see them on the right side of the tank.

So on to the pic, and please give constructive criticism, at this point I feel like the tank is taking shape towards how I want it, so little tweaks would be nice to hear about. But no DW (sorry tetratech). If you think I could use some more rocks, that won't be too hard to accomplish. Anything else is doable.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

That HM is beautiful matty, well done with that. Did it naturally start growing sideways along the bottom, or did you press it in?

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Back in the saddle!

Thanks nowher, I think the combination of strong light and heavy trimmings keeps it nice and low. I don't pysically push it down or anything like that.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Matty,

Looking very nice and clean (as in organized and structured)!

The Blyxa seems to fit in nicely, and I know that it doesn't show its full potential in pictures very well (tends to blend in). I have quite a bit in my 125G by now, but the gravel substrate makes individual stems come loose almost on a daily base, it drives me nuts.

Overall, I think there are two ways which this tank could go now:

1) a rock only tank (what's that called - iwagumangiugaga ? ), in which case the center group of taller plants would have to go
2) a tank with a nice center group, in which case the group has to grow some more to achieve its dominant position. In this case, I also would suggest to have the red plant (ludwigia) not as the foremost in that group but to put something shorter and green in front of it.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

How about letting the ptomageton gayii grow around the Ludwigia?

Everything I heard about PG was that it was an easy plant to grow. Mine never took off for me. Maybe it was a bad batch.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I think I'm going to skip on the iwigimiboogy LF :

I'm definitely going after a nice little center group, though I do want to keep it low. As for green in front of the reds, the HM is trying to make its way past the rocks in front. I may move the reds back a little on your suggestion and have a little more HM in front, but I don't want the reds as the back group.

Wings - I like the p. gayii enough to give it more room, and I think I'll try to fill it in more as it grows upwards. It does a good job of producing runners on its own so hopefully that will help too. Sorry to hear that you had a hard time growing it. It's probably just one of those can't grow everything deals.

Thanks, and keep 'em coming

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

I think I'm going to skip on the iwigimiboogy

- What? No iwigigloowombly for you?

I may move the reds back a little on your suggestion and have a little more HM in front, but I don't want the reds as the back group.

While I agree on the latter part, the "not making them a back group", I am not too wild about the first part, the "letting the foreground come up the main group. I would try instead to think about a different green plant to distinguish between surrounding and main group. What is that one plant again - Downoi? I think that could be nice.

Ingo

EDIT: Wings, nah - I think the 29G with the platies would not be good either.

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

You guys always gotta pick plants/hardscape that are inaccessible. I do like the downoi, I'll see how much that would run me, then decide if it's worth it. Any other ideas for plants that would serve the same function? My nana petite is growing, but still not large enough to make any sort of difference anywhere. Maybe I could get some more of that. I found a reasonable source for that.

Oh, how 'bout pelia? I've never tried that stuff, looks neat. Would be a different color too.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Oh, how bout pelia?

You mean Monosolenium tenerum, right?

Seems like a nice plant, but I think one would need a larger patch to make it look nice. Also, doesn't it have to be affixed to rock and such?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

You mean Monosolenium tenerum, right?

Yep, I think that's the stuff. I've seen it grow solitary and not float around. It's much more dense than java moss or riccia from what I remember. Could be wrong though .


I also wanted to add that I finally got a few more fish since the tank seems to have been stable for the last couple months. Pictures tomorrow evening I think.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Got some pictures of my new fish, a nice male pearl gourami. I also happened to snap some shots of the furcatas while I was at it. I left out the preacox, I took 190 pics of the pearl gourami and the furcatas, and didn't get to the new preacox. So on to the pics:

Pearl gourami:




And a few of the furcata boys:








Hope you enjoyed

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Nice fish. Haven't ever seen those furcata boys - but I sure think they're pretty. Oh, and your pearl is nice too.

Cheers
TW

Yep, I think that's the stuff. I've seen it grow solitary and not float around. It's much more dense than java moss or riccia from what I remember.

From what I know, Pelia has an overall appearance similar to Riccia, when looked at from the distance, up closer its leaf structure is very different though, and the color is of a darker green. In addition, Pelia is naturally a sinking plant and as such leaves that come off do not float up but would spread with the current along the substrate. As it is (just like riccia) a non rooting plant, such spreadings can produce new cultures anywhere in the tank as well.

I am not sure, but I think there are two forms of Pelia out there, one with significantly smaller leaves than the other. Now, why do I feel hungry and why am I thinking of paella?

On to the fishies:

- Why just a male Pearl? Will he not be bored? I see my couple hanging out together for most of the day, although once in a while the male shows the female who is the boss (but all without injury).

- The Furcatas look very nice and colorful, I hope they will do well now that your tank seems more stable. I assume they are very active as I am accustomed to seeing very sharp and clear pictures from you and these are a little "rushed". How frustrating must that have been for you!

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

The furcatas have been in the tank the whole time, it's the preacox I got new ones of. I just felt like taking pics of the furcatas. It was very frustrating taking almost 200 pictures and none coming out great. They are incredibly swift fish darting all over the place. Like a danio or barbs or something. I'll probably get a the male pearl a mate. They were just really big, he's near 4 inches I'd say, and didn't want to rush the stocking. I don't think he'd really be too bored though. They do ok solitary, I've had them that way in the past. I'm also going to get more furcatas when I get the chance, they aren't quite as commonly stocked as the others.

Yeah, that's what I remember of pelia too. Sounds like it might do the trick, no? And go get yourself something to eat....pelia

Thanks for the comments

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Sounds like it might do the trick, no?

Hm, maybe

I have seen it more as a true midground plant itself, not as a "hedge" in front of a midground group, and that is more what your arrangement looks like.

I think that a small stone (or a few small ones) covered with it might not make an impression, except if you should get your hands on the small version of it (not that I remember what that is called).

Sorry about not being able to keep up with what fish are new and what are "old". So you say the Pearl is already 4", that means he is pretty much all done growing, right?
If I am not mistaken then they can live quite a while, like 7 to 10 years or so, right?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Nice fish shots Matty!

Those are some very pretty fish!

I think you guys are right on the ball with the Pelia. Check tropica's web site. They have an article on the front page right now, i think...



55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Hmm...so the naysayers say nay. I'll have to maybe check on the possibility of downoi too. I'm just worried that the color of downoi will be too similar to that of the HM and get lost. Maybe I can come up with some other ideas in addition. I'll think on it.

So I think that yes, the pearl gourami is about full size. It was a really nice batch of them that came in. I have a soft spot for pearls and had to have one. I'm sure they live a number of years like you said LF, so I should still have him for a good while.

Thanks for the comments guys, I'll check out tropica, thanks wings

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Really like those furcatas. How are they in the schooling department?

My Scapes

When I had a bunch of them they schooled OK. Unfortunately, I only have 3 now....so they don't school real well. That's why I intend to get more. I wouldn't compare them to rummys or cardinals though. They school as well as other rainbows IMO, but are more active than others. They tend to zip around the preacox.

Forgot to mention the best part. Unlike any tetra I can think of, the males REALLY like to display. No aggression mind you, just "who's flashier." This happens on and off all day. The picture with both males in the picture and the one in focus extending his fins is what I'm talking about. Really fun behavior to watch.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Another option would be a small group of low growing rosette plants, I have one in mind but cannot think of its name now.

Your description of the Furcatas makes them even more appealing than the photos already did. I like the male display thingy, I see this in my Dwarf Rainbows all day as well, but of course their finnage is not remotely as nice as the Furcatas'

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Did you happen to think of those rosette plants?

SoMy fish must really be liking something I'm doing nowadays, as my new male pearl is building bubble nests:



I think I'll have to buy him a lady friend. I'll do a little reading first to see what the deal is on the whole breeding aspect of the gouramis, see if anything like aggression goes on. I've only ever kept males by themselves and never had bubble nests. I wouldn't really intend to get babies, but if it helps them live a fuller life, then I'm for it. The behavior would be fun to watch anyhow.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Spring is in the air....

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Looks very nice. If I were you I would try to expand the tank upwards... Besides the bare top. It's very nice.

Chris

Finals have been outcompeting my tanks for attention. However, finals were done yesterday, so today is tank maintanance before I go on vacation tomorrow. I just wanted to show the insane amounts of of HM that I had growing in the tank. Don't mind the debris....I algae wiped the sides of the glass and stirred things up a bit. It's already settled out.

Here's what finals do to the HM:




And this is on a 2.5g bucket....about a 10in diameter ball:



I'll update later with the after pics. The tank is filling with RO ATM.

It seems that I'm having the same problems with my blyxa that LF did in his 40, it's wrinkling up and red. Not sure what's up, but I blame it on the neglect. This week won't be a whole lot better since I'll be away. Hopefully it can pull through.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Red blyxa is good, isn't it?

As for the HM - Yep, that's what finals will do alright. Although I'm sure the extra plant mass was nice for WQ.

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Back in the saddle!

Red is good....wrinkling and stunting is bad. It's not growing much, but I want to blame it on my lax maint. in the last couple weeks.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Nice Pearl Grass, I hope you can sell it to the LFS or something.

Yeah, Red and Stunted is not good, but I don't think it is the maintenance. As you may remember, mine turned this way as soon as I added a light and moved the main one right over the plants (within 2 weeks). Meanwhile, maintenance had not changed of course.

I think more likely it is based directly on the light, at least the reddening, and on top of it it requires some specific micro fert to keep on growing, maybe iron.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Is it possible that we are pushing the blyxa too much with our high tech systems? I am getting a couple of side shoots with mine but not a lot. The tops are turning quite red now so we will have to see how it goes.

Nowher,
Did yours turn red in your 4G?

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Well I'm pretty sure the blyxa isn't going to do it for me. Ah well. I really would have loved for it to work. I'll have to find something else now.

Thought I'd give an updated pic of the tank as I never showed it after the trim....but this is over a couple weeks later after having been on the trip....minimized lighting and ferts so not a whole lotta growth. I still haven't gotten around to changing the layout. We'll see what this month has to offer .

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

show the insane amounts of of HM

So what is HM - is the same plant that LF refers to as Pearl Grass? How do you plant it? Is it one of those fiddly little plants, that are difficult to plant. I think I'd like to try it out as foreground in the new tank, if I can get my hands on some.

Cheers
TW

Yep HM = hemianthus micranthemoides = pearl grass.

It's pretty easy in my experience. High light will encourage low growth as well as "mowing" the lawn frequently.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Wow, the Gayii looks great. Maybe it's me but I really like open and simple with lots of swimming space just like this tank. I really think it would even better with yes you guessed it. Thin pieces of branchy wood poking out about the Gayii and no background.

My Scapes

Thanks tetratech. I'm pretty pleased with the tank, and would get pokey DW if I could find some locally. I'll at least get a few more rocks or something.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

"mowing" the lawn frequently

How do you do this? Do you just trim the tops and, if so, doesn't this result in a mess in the tank? What is your method?

Cheers
TW

So what is HM?

And I thought it was Hetal Malide (got it?)

Anyway, Matty can cut this plant any way he wants to as he has it all over the tank anyway

I actually remove my plants (which are planted with about 6 to 8 stems per bunch) and trim off the bottom (depending how tall it got, maybe between 2 to 5 inches). Then I divide the tops into bunches (the previous bunch usually doubles at least in stem numbers) and replant them - which, btw, is really easy, just plug it into the substrate between 1 and 2 inches deep.


Matty - nice shot of the tank, tetratech pointed out the lack of background and hardscape, so no further comment needed here. All looks healthy and well maintained, very impressive for the fact that you went away. Any negative effects of that time period?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Yep, I take the scissors horizontally and hack off the tops. It's too much work to pull it up and cut the bottoms and replant as LF suggested, but I do that once in a while. The stuff floats real good so I just catch it all at the top with a net. It creates a mess, yeah, but during the water change I can suck up most of the small bits.


Hetal Malide, LF?

Actually all the plants save the blyxa looked better than when I left, oddly.

Thanks for the comments.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Hmm, that sounds like a lot of work to keep it low - all that replanting of tiny stems. If I try this plant, I think I'll try Matty's mowing method.

Thanks for explanation. I'll have to think on it

Cheers
TW

Actually all the plants save the blyxa looked better than when I left

When I went down to NC a week ago I cut down to just 96W's on my tank. It was kind of wild to see the growth I got from the need to get to the light.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Look what we got in at work this week, going to be recarpeting tank :

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Uhhhh,

Nice, I take it that it is an emersed growth form, right? I have never seen it emeresed, but I would guess it behaves like most plants, meaning loss of all leaves and such.

How much of this is going to end up in your tank, and for how much does the store sell what size?

Ingo

EDIT: Actally - your shot looks like a grave with a hedge planted on top and the head stone in the back

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

The pearl grass never lost its emersed grown leaves until I cut them off. I'm pretty sure with the round tiny leaves that this is emersed though, but I'm expecting a pretty smooth transition. We'll see though. I'm wanting to entirely recarpet the tank, hoping it will grow a little slower, and stay a little lower.

They come overflowing out of the 2" round plastic pots for 4 dollars to the general public.

I only got 2 pots yesterday. I want to see how well it grows before getting any more. Plus the store will only buy back so much of my pearl grass at one time.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Well Matty, I really would like you to document the planting of the HC, I found it pretty hard to keep it in the substrate, but I only had a small batch with little roots available.

I assure you that it grows reeeeeaaaaalllllllyyyyy slow, actually - I was going to ask here and in my club why they think mine in the 40G has just doubled in its tiny size since being added like 6 months ago.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

There's not going to be a whole lot to document. I'm not going to be planting individual stems or anything to speed up the process. I'm going to take it out of the pot and remove the potting medium as best I can and put the whole thing into the gravel. I may pull each in half, so I have four patches, but that's it. I had more than I could take of tedious planting when I did the glosso in the death star . I'll remove the pearl grass as the HC grows or buy more HC if it does well but grows too slow.

I will document growth for you, so we know what's up in that department. Yours was shaded quite a bit in the 40 for a while I can imagine, so that may be the problem, but who knows?

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Hi,
Matt, the problem I had with trying to "plant" this type
of plant was that I could not get it to stay where I put
it. I tried holding it down to the surface of the gravel
with a net. I tried placing some stones or gravel at the
4 corners and a spot in the middle and virtually
nothing worked.
I finally tossed it when it became "infected" with algae.
When (if) I try a plant similar to this again, I'll plant
each plant individually with some tweezers and space them
about 1/2 inch apart and see if it won't grow into the
spaces. I've also decided that I needed "finer"
gravel/sand when next I try.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks LF, Frank. I'll try what I can without the tweezers, like I said, and will let you know how it goes. You are all probably right, but I've never had to use tweezers on anything before, even the glosso in the death star.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

What you need to do with a plant like HC is you push it in to the substrate so you basically don't see the plant anymore and then you pull it back up slightly with tweezers. This will allow the substrate to fall in place tightly around the roots. As long as you guys don't blow your supercharged, flow-crazy filters over it, it should stay put. Certainly bottom dwellers like corys or loaches are not gonna help. BTW - According to Robert Hudson of Aquabotanic some suppliers are now calling HC Dwarf Baby Tears.

My Scapes

keen to see how this works for your Matty. I've never used tweezers either, but I guess I coud try it Jeff's way.

Cheers
TW

The only plants that I plant by hand rather than by tweezers are the ones with a massive root system (like a large crypt, sword, etc) where I have to dig a huge hole in the substrate first anyway. All other plants go in with a tweezer, I find it so much easier to keep the plant in the substrate and undamaged during the plant.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Special plant tweezers? Longer than normal ones I guess

Cheers
TW

Matty,

It's going to be VERY hard to plant the HC while the tank is full of water. Ideally you would take out just about ALL of the water so that there's just enough to keep the substrate wet. Then plant them as tetra said. Break them into little clumps and space them an inch or so apart. Then refill the water carefully as to not create a disturbance. I've found it EXTREMELY difficult to keep it down when planting with any water on top of it.

Good luck with it! I've said elsewhere, i haven't had problems growing the stuff as long as there's a lot of CO2, but that may be because I have it in a 2.5 so there isn't much space between the light and the substrate.

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Back in the saddle!

I have about 6 different plant tweezers, straight and bent (at the bottom). 99% of the time I use the smallest of them, about 4 to 5 inches long. Only once in a while do I use a taller (and wider) one, usually when the plant base (roots) is wider than the small tweezers but doesn't rectify me digging holes with my fingers.

Someday I may take a picture of my tools,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Took some shots, ended up getting side tracked by the amanos. Ah well. Hope it won't bore you to death. Also a couple pics of my temporary HC solution. I'll get around to actually planting it, though I guess nobody will like the way I go about it.

And finally the last thing before I get to the pictures is to mention the sort-of redo I'll be undertaking soon, probably tuesday. It involves a bit of a surprise, I won't give a hint yet, I know how insightful LF can be with the slightest hint. I'll only say it's a little bit more exciting than the background.

And to the pics:

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

I'll only say it's a little bit more exciting than the background.

Ha, that's easy - Either it is T5/MH high tech lighting or a rimless replacement tank.

Or maybe you got your hands on a lilly pipe or something along these lines.

Anyway, awesome pictures, and I am glad to read that the HC salad head plant style is only temporary

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Nice shrimp pics. The second one reminds of the race between the Rabbit and the Turtle, but this time it's a Shrimp and a Snail.

Nice HC. Suppliers are starting to call this Dwarf Baby Tears now. Somehow HC Cuba sounds more exotic and

My Scapes

The second one reminds of the race between the Rabbit and the Turtle

- That was my thought as well, tetratech, but I couldn't come up with the name in English .

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Yeah, the supplier we got it from has it all goofy. micranthemum umbrosium is giant baby's tears, HM is baby's tears, and HC is dwarf baby's tears. Ah well. It's just nice to see them get it in. Maybe they will start working on nana petite.

I guess I'll have to give you that hint now. Tetratech will be happy about the surprise.

Thanks for the comments

Oh and I think it was the tortoise and the hare.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Oh and I think it was the tortoise and the hare.

O.K. Do you want to start communicating by exact words on this forum, because that could be really dangerous.

Tetratech will be happy about the surprise

Do you want me to try and guess?

My Scapes

Tetratech will be happy about the surprise.

Pool Filter Sand, or Petrified Wood, or Green Water?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

O.K. Do you want to start communicating by exact words on this forum, because that could be really dangerous.

Sheesh, someone's a bit touchy. I just thought the rabbit and the turtle sounded funny 'tis all.

LF still isn't on target...and of course you are welcome to guess Jeff. It's something you keep telling me to get for this tank. I thought LF would've gotten it on that hint.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Sheesh, someone's a bit touchy. I just thought the rabbit and the turtle sounded funny 'tis all

No I'm not touchy, , just trying to feel out the conversational tone.

LF still isn't on target...and of course you are welcome to guess Jeff. It's something you keep telling me to get for this tank. I thought LF would've gotten it on that hint.

Well, it sounds like you got a hold of some nice wood

My Scapes

Ding ding! A winner!

It's branchy driftwood...yay!



I'll get a couple shots up here in a few of the dw in the tub....still soaking. I'm thinking I'll actually have to tie some rocks to it. It's been a few days and this thing doesn't want to sink. It's pretty good sized, might stretch across 2/3s of the tank with the branches. I hope it will look good, and not over dominating or something.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Matt , great shots of the shrimp etc . Look forward to the next installment with the new Driftwood . Should be fun .

Garry

It's branchy driftwood

- Oh well, I thought you may have something really special

In any case, I am for sure looking forward to seeing your driftwood as well,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Thanks Jeff, Ingo, Garry.

Oh well, I thought you may have something really special

Sheesh, I hope this lives up to the hype. I said it was only a little more exciting than the new background .

So without further ado;

The new DW soaking....still doesn't sink on it's own after five and a half days:


DW in, a lot of potomogeton removed:


Potomogeton back in, filling:


Filled, and one on angle.....I remember there being a lot more potomogeton




And one with the 5.5 shrimp tank (new crypts yay!):


So I really like it, it's a little large....so I'm not sure if everyone is going to go for it. The right most rock is out of place. Any help there would be appreciated. Comments and crits please, lay it on me.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Hi Matt,
Great start for the tank. Yes, the placement of some
of the hardscape "bothers me" but I'd prefer to have
the tank mature for a couple of months before suggesting
something specific.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I think it looks good. The Potomogeton seems to flow with the driftwood. I think that the far left rock is also a little out of place, maybe if you buried it halfway?
Another thought, the far right side of the tank loos just a little to empty now that the wood is in so it isn't balanced like before. If you add some more Potomogeton on that side it may fit in nicely.


-Vincent

Well, when you want to create a focal point, you don't mess around.

I would lose all the rocks they don't do that nice piece of wood justice. You need to decide how your going to support that focal point.

My Scapes

Matty,

Looks great! Very "pond shore" looking if you will Wish I could get mine looking like that. Great job!

Nice shrimp tank too.

Matt , love the driftwood . Its a great piece .
I think I agree with Tetra its a great focal point and needs to be supported with some great rock and maybe a lighter color gravel to draw the eye .
Anyway just a thought , but this is going to be a sensational looking tank when it develops .
Already looks fantastic .
Well done .
Garry

Matty,

It actually does look pretty nice. I am with tetratech on the rocks being rather disturbing, but I also assume that you need quite a few of them to keep the wood down. Did you read in my 125G log that the driftwood branches which I removed during the last makeover had 2 of them that were still floating up, after being in the tank for at least a year (or something like that)? Be prepared for a long term solution on holding your's in place.

Otherwise, very nice. I think the wave shape of the branch could somehow find a similar wave in the substrate, to complement each other. Now the substrate seems just flat.
Also, what about some Nana Petits on the extended part of the branch?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Thanks everyone for the input. I really appreciate it. I was really happy not to hear anyone say "move it to the ___ a little bit" . Or "it would look better if you cut the long arm halfway". So far I'm willing to go with all the suggestions.

Be prepared for a long term solution on holding your's in place.

I did tie a rock to the underside of the DW using some fishing line, and that will hold the peice under water, but the arm wants to go up still. It seemed to continually sink more and more, so I'm hoping, but you may be right LF. Those other rocks really helped with that, and they are holding some pellia in place for now. Does that stuff like to attach to wood? I could possibly use that instead of the petite nana. I wouldn't mind using petite nana though. Or maybe a fissidens sp. might work, what does evreryone think?

Looking at it in real life I do really like the three big rocks (not the ones on the DW). I'd like to keep them and possibly use them to balance out the right side. I also really like how the potomogeton kinda pops out between them and the DW. To me it creates depth, it's just I thought the one closest to the front and right looked odd. If I pushed it back right it might look good. Also, once there's some plant material in front of them, they might be less disturbing. I'm keeping my thoughts open to removing them though.

I like your comment on the flatness Ingo. Maybe that was what Jeff was getting at saying to support the focal point. It would be easy to throw a rock over there and have the pearl grass grow up over it. Might add some three dimensionality. otherwise I guess we are talking stems or hardscape?

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Matty,

I think, but I am not certain, pellia is overall like Riccia from its growth form, meaning I don't think it attaches itself to anything. Its advantage over Riccia is that it sinks naturally and as such doesn't push itself upwards.

Fissidens is the plant that you cannot have, I am planning on having it so it is booked - In other words, a great idea as well.

About the even substrate. Yeah, I was thinking hardscape, but not woods or rock, I thought more in line with changing the substrate itself to have some higher and lower areas.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

That's a nice piece of wood you have there Matty. What is the plant you have on the left hand side?

Cheers
TW

Fissidens is the plant that you cannot have, I am planning on having it so it is booked - In other words, a great idea as well.

Well LF, My Downoi is gone so you can have that and let Matty take the Fissidens. I also think that Fissidens would look nice on the wood. Pella would be too heavy looking and I think riccia would be too light.

I am with you Matty about the rocks. I think that to do work pretty well. Maybe just play with the big one on the right. That's the only one that doesn't seem to fit for me.

I think you should move the DW an inch to the left.... Just messing around...

Now you have my 2 cents and can go one with life...

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Glad everyone likes the fissidens idea, there's some in the mail right now. Will probably take a week to get here though.

I also got some super cheap tenellus from work to maybe grow up over the HM on the right and create a little texture. Moving the rock back there might help a bit too (glad you like the rocks wings ).

So far work has been eating my life, so I haven't gotten anything done on the tank other than dump a couple plants and some ferts in there. The store got some furcatas in, so it looks like I'll be adding to my current group of three.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

So I'm due for my monthly update. I hope LF doesn't mind I'm a little late. I just got done with a water change. Major trimming of the lawn from last week is still a little noticeable...the HM is usually shocked for about a week, then takes right off again. It won't be so flat in a few days.

I moved the rock on the right back and a little more to the right. I think it looks a lot better. The tenellus is more apparent this week, and the stargrass in the corner is doing pretty well. I'll have to decide what I like and don't still.

The weird black things are the fissidens "containers". The fissidens is starting to grow out of them, so they must like it here. I'm kind of growing attached to the pelia on the dw though. It's interesting. I also got a new batch of petite nana....and happened to get a pearling shot . Those things and the bare patch where the HC is slowly growing (look mom no tweezers!) all detract from the aquascape, but are a little part of my collectoritis.

So on to the pics:

I'll start with the aforementioned petite nana pearling shot. Talk about macro:


Finally a nice clear shot of a furcata:


And finally the FTS:


Sorry about the lax in posting in everyone's threads. I don't blame you if you don't respond . I try my best. I've been working 45hr weeks, have 6 hrs. of classes, my mod duties here and my new duties at Adam's new site here, and some social life. AND I got sick on my last day off. Ack, what happened to summer breaks?

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

wow mate sounds like your busy, busy at the moment! why not grab yourself a six pack and forget about it all for a couple of hours. thats my cure for being busy (/pretty much any ailment). any way dont wear yourself out mate.
okey enough from dr dan- the tank looks brilliant mate. i actually like the rocks, they kind of stand out with their brash shapes. a bit of contrast always looks good.

Sorry about the lax in posting in everyone's threads. I don't blame you if you don't respond . I try my best. I've been working 45hr weeks, have 6 hrs. of classes, my mod duties here and my new duties at Adam's new site here, and some social life. AND I got sick on my last day off. Ack, what happened to summer breaks?

Hate to break this to you buddy, but it get's worse. Wait to you have kids, have to work 45hrs in one day (look at poor Ingo) and become a mule for your family. Taking them to and fro and carrying all their &*$#.

Anyway, I really like the center with the wood and the Gayi. I know you've been "busy", but the rocks don't do it for me you need more exposed substrate and smaller rocks to work with that size wood.

My Scapes

lol, tetra. Thanks for painting such a rosy picture for us young guys. Maybe I'll hold off on buying that ring for the GF...

Matty, I too like the center section. And I don't really mind the rocks. I just want to replace all that HM with HC, and maybe you do too. The scape is right, I just wonder what it would look like with some nice thick HC.

And good shot of the furcata. They must be tough to freeze, buzzing around like flies.

Finally, don't worry about being MIA. I'm there too my friend, it happens.

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Back in the saddle!

Finally, don't worry about being MIA. I'm there too my friend, it happens.

Yeah I see why they call you Nowher
Anyway, I'm telling you the bad stuff, but the good stuff far outweights it. It's kinda like an HC foreground. It's a lot of work, but the reward is great
Just remember when you have kids, they don't leave and you can't either. It's a big ad if you have a good support network.

Matty, forgot beautiful macro shot!

My Scapes

Matty, forgot beautiful macro shot!

Nice fuzzy stuff too!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Thanks for the compliments everyone, I appreciate the comments.

have to work 45hrs in one day

I don't mean to be rude, but I think you are making things up here . As I recall, there's only 24 hrs in a day. Also if you can remember that far back You'll remember 6 hrs of classes never = six hours of work. At least not in my fields. Just had to get you back a bit there for making me sound like a whiner. I'm not whining, I'm explaining . 45 hours a week of fish is plenty for me. I do on the order of 200-300 water changes per week.

Just remember when you have kids, they don't leave and you can't either.

Sounds terrible....I'm sorry. I don't think I'm the kids type. Thankfully my gf isn't either. We'd rather have a few animals.

Nice fuzzy stuff too!

Hey! *shakes fish at nowher* Lets see some of your slow growing plants that close up! Thanks for the compliments on the furcata shot at least .

Well back to the tank. I agree that if I end up with an HC (and I would like that wings )carpet, that I'll need smaller rocks. As they are in person, they don't look real big or obtrusive or even as angular. I'll give a matty angle sometime to illustrate that. Anyhow this was more to show I was alive and that the tank still has water in it more than anything else. Thanks for the crits I'll keep working it towards where I want it, it isn't there for sure, but better than it was.

Oh yeah, for you moss lovers out there....I forgot to show more of my colectoritis. Theres a bit of flame moss front and center. I'm thinking of throwing that in the 5.5 and removing the moss that's already there.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients