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GFG,

I would say that a Crypt Wendtii could look very nice as a center piece (or 2).

I am a little at a loss with what kind of foreground plant would be suitable for this small tank and rather low light, hopefully someone else has a good idea. I would almost say that a moss type would be the way to go, but then you might have to deal with uncontrolled growth. That though could somewhat be controlled by creating a pebble barrier between front and back.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Alex is right, my becketii has 'ruffles' on the edges of the leaves, whearas your walkeri does not

The Amazon Nut...

It appears to be Cryptocoryne walkeri(lutea) though it could be cryptocoryne becketii though i personally am leaning towards walkeri.

am still confused on the moss front. hmm. really need some decent plants for the five G. big tanks are much easier to plant....

meanwhile what type of Crypt is this?

goldfishgeek attached this image:


I expect it is a really common one! but I have no idea, also I moved my sword plant to the 12 G hex as a centre piece, do you think it will be ok in there?

thanks

GFG

Last edited by goldfishgeek at 27-Nov-2005 19:20[/font]

Last edited by goldfishgeek at 27-Nov-2005 19:22

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

"It’s good to have a Moss God here at FP."

Why thank you Ingo !
*bows in a regal fashion, hits face off keyboard.
Oops, that didn't work.

I had to specialize in moss, it's the only thing I can't kill. Errr Ummm, except for the majority of my Weeping Moss, which I'm trying to save.

My moss info comes from BRYOLOGISTS in Singapore, whom specialize in BRYOPHYTES, such as MOSSES

Peace,
DaMossMan

ps - GFG, enjoy your crypts !

The Amazon Nut...

It’s good to have a Moss God here at FP .

Thanks for the correction DaFishMan ( - still no name change? ), I am not an expert in this stuff and relied on a rather well known website for the Latin name.

Ingo


Last edited by LITTLE_FISH at 27-Nov-2005 05:12

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Hello GFG !

My recent research shows that...
Java Moss is Taxiphyllum barbieri.
and V.Dubyana is actually Singapore Moss.

Most people who think they have V.Dubyana actually have the other and it's mislabelled all over the world.

As Ingo mentions, it'd make a very interesting addition to your tank. Some varieties of crypts would be nice too

My 10gal carpet is all java ferns and java moss.
The moss is all along the substrate and up the driftwood bits, has taken over the entire right side of the tank and looks amazing..

The Amazon Nut...

GFG,

Java Moss (Vesicularia dubyana) is a moss that you would tie onto driftwood or rocks.
Moss Balls (Cladophora aegagropila) are green algae balls that you lay down on the substrate.

In my opinion, Java Moss is much prettier as a cover.

Moss Balls are more for decorative purposes on open spots. They have to be turned frequently to avoid that the bottom parts (no light) are rotting away.

And most grass type ground covers need more light, your assumption is right .

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Is Java moss the same moss as Moss balls?

They do this short sort of mini grass plant I was thinking of that as "Ground Cover"

I get the feeling that most small plants would need more light.

I will see what happens tomorrow

cheers

GFG





_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

"what kind of foreground plant would be suitable for this small tank and rather low light, hopefully someone else has a good idea."

Marsilea Quadrofolia, and Java Moss



The Amazon Nut...

Hi,
Going back to the first post...
All plants, when transplanted, especially to completely
different environments (from tank to another tank) will
undergo a period of reacclimation. During that time,
the plant will seem to wilt, or die back while it consumes
its stored reserves of nutrients and uses this energy
to grow new leaves, and new roots, tailored for the new
environment. In your first post, you say that all but
one has new growths while the mature leaves are yellowing.
I believe this acclimation process is what is occuring.

If you have placed the plant in a "new" tank (just started)
then that substrate (assuming its either sand or regular
gravel) has not had the opportunity to mature and have the
normal mulm and fertilizer buildup. In this case, you may
need to add fertilizer in either the liquid or tablet form.

If it is an established tank, then the addition of
fertilizers may not help and could lead to an algae
outbreak instead.

Frank


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

What does amazon sword suck up? I know it is a higher light plant and yet my two have survived with very little leaf loss for almost a year in my low-light tank. I use plant-grow and iron, I have recently started using excel and plant-grow N,P,K as well. They just seem to grow slower and have not taken over the tank. I also bought them quite small, but the visuall impact has always been good. When they do get too big they will go to my brother's 55g and I will try the oriental sword varieties, they are supposed to be dwarf var. with very interesting leaves. Not sure of wpg needs though.

"If you're afraid you'll make a mistake, you won't make anything."
-Family Circus

The plants have been in maybe two weeks now. I have the following with the problems in brackets..

25G
amazon sword (going yellow then brown)
some plant that looks like cabbage? (one is doing well the other one is going yellow then brown in places)
another plant who's leaves are going a very pale green, it is almost see through in some parts

Except for that last plant everything has new growth.

I know I should know what the plants are, sorry, the boy who serves me at the LFS only know what plant section goes with what lights - I have 40W of "Plant" light on the 25, these all came from the low light plant section.

35G essentially the same problems, but with one 25w plant light and one 25W sunshine light(I know, new plant light at Christmas)

I have algae in the 35 on the glass on the plants but none in the 25? in both tanks the Annubus and the Crypts are doing very well.

before the last Wc both tanks had 60 No3, O No2.

so ideas suggestions etc please!

GFG

this is a fairly recent pic of the tanks, you can see the sword going brown in the right hand front of the 35, the Cabbage plants are either side of the crypt in the 25....

http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Photo%20Booth/66044.html

Last edited by goldfishgeek at 21-Nov-2005 18:34

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

My shoe heel broke at work so no fish shop for me today,

will bury the balls at the weekend. going to my second viewing of Harry potter tomorrow night so no fish tank time.

I will try to go over the Weekend probably sunday, so now I have more time any more plant suggestions for my five gallon, gravel substrate 9 watts of light tank. (for three cherry barbs)

what about Crypts? one as a centre piece and some type of short ground cover plant?

cheers people

GFG

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

Anacharis is probably the easiest to handle

Except of course if you should use Flourish Excel as a CO2 supplement.

Forgive me upikabu, but I couldn&#8217;t stop to use the wisdom that you taught me in the first place

Anacharis is sensitive to Excel and would potentially wither away.

GFG &#8211; I guess it couldn&#8217;t harm to use the ball under your plants, as long as they are completely covered with substrate they should not mess with the water column. And hopefully it doesn&#8217;t have any Nitrates in it.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Plants that love nitrate: Anacharis (Elodea), Hornwort, Water Sprite. They're all floating plants but can be pushed into the substrate. Unfortunately they're also fast growers and can take over a tank quickly if left unpruned. Anacharis is probably the easiest to handle (least messy when pruned) out of the 3.

-P

If I went to the LFS on THursday what nitrite sucking plants could I get - more hortwort?

I might do a whole order from that site in terms of English prices they look ever so cheap...hmm I see a big spend but will check here before I get any more ferts.

if there is iron in that Seven balls (Fe right?) should I bury them under the cabbage plants, and one under the sword which will be moved to the 35?

thank you so much for this!

GFG

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

GFG,

Did you see This Product on the same site? It says something about added Iron which makes me believe the other one is lacking it. If all your symptons are pointing to Iron defficiency - go and add some.

WOW - 40ppm of Nitrate from the tab. Maybe we can figure out a way to reduce them (chemically or with Nitrate sucking plants). One thing is for sure, don't add anything that adds even more Nitrate to your water (besides the fish, of course ). Loads of unused nitrate might be the reason why your algae is having a field day.

We will dig further and further

Ingo

Last edited by LITTLE_FISH at 22-Nov-2005 14:56

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Wow you guys are the business! thank you!

ermmm now I have forgotton the questions.

Little Fish? - I have sand so don't gravel vac, the sand is sort of sloped towards the front, and so the crap gathers at the front. I hoover it up. I change about 8 Gallons of water from the 35 and 6 from the 25 every sunday.

I tested my tap water, it has 40ish NO3 right from the off, there was a time when I had 0 everything, but that was before the pipe cleaning in the summer. I think what ever it is it does alot of damage. Even thoguh I have regularly test water fish and don't add new fish they still get sick.

I have pointless test strip kits, I get my water tested at the LFS fairly reguarly with proper kits, the whole pH nightmare means I am a familiar face there. They only say my levels are "fine".


any how plants - should I move the sword plant to the 35? it would fit I think.

the fert with Potassium is called Seven Balls you bury a ball in the substrate under the plants. it doesn't say anything about how it affects the water? here it is,

http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&amp;cPath=8_64&amp;products_id=6

Dear God I am annoyed about the price!]:|I paid &#163;7!

here is the liquid stuff, also annoyed about the price!

http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&amp;cPath=94_97&amp;products_id=380

So should I buy flourish Iron as well as using these or not use these? am confused(no change there then)

bet I have to edit this!(edited for typing errors its been a loooong day!)(and links,)

GFG





Last edited by goldfishgeek at 22-Nov-2005 14:24

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

GFG,

Many plants during the first few weeks lose their first leaves. This is really common with swords from my experience.

When I first started with planted aquaria I didn't know much and lined the back of my 12gallon eclipse with about 4 Amazon Swords . This tank only had a 13watt bulb. The original leaves all died off, but the plants lived. In fact they never got huge, but sent off smaller good sized leaves for my 12g.

My Scapes