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Live aquarium plants... collecting,
sel., found in NJ 7/26/08
Are there any plants native to New Jersey that are suitable for an
aquarium? Thank You, rjmacrae
<For a coldwater aquarium, very likely yes, provided the tank provides
equivalent conditions in terms of substrate, water chemistry and light
intensity. But broadly speaking temperate zone plants do not do well in
tropical aquaria. The high temperature and the lack of a cold phase during
which the plant can go dormant stresses the plant, eventually leading to its
death. Cheers, Neale.>
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What is the best live plant
for Otocinclus? 4/19/08
What is the best type of live plant for Otocinclus? I have two tanks, one 30
gallon and one 10 gallon. I just added two Otocinclus to the 10 gallon, which is
4 months old and has 8 molly fry, born two months ago. (As they grow, I plan to
move them to a bigger tank and only keep 2 mollies in the 10 gallon with the
Otos.)
I appreciate your site. Thank you!
<Otocinclus spp. couldn't care less about plants, so use whatever you want. What
Otocinclus need is green algae (not diatoms and not hair algae). So provided you
have 2 Watts per gallon upwards, plus lots of surfaces to grow green algae
(rocks, plastic plants, etc.) they will be happy. Otocinclus spp. are not
compatible with Mollies; their water chemistry requirements are entirely
different. Specifically, Mollies more often than not need salt to do well and
definitely need hard, basic water conditions. Salt will stress the Otocinclus,
which need not-too-warm, oxygen rich water that is soft and slightly acidic.
There's no overlap really between what the two species need to do well in the
long term. Otocinclus are extremely demanding, difficult fish, and the vast
majority of specimens die within months of import. Good luck, Neale.>
Re: What is the best live
plant for Otocinclus? 4/19/08
Thank you for your help. I will separate my Otos and my mollies. I am very
new at this, and I obviously have a lot to learn. :)
<Glad to help. There is indeed lots to learn, so buying a book before buying a
fish is always good advice. Remember, the guys in the pet store mostly want to
make sales! Good luck! Neale.>
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New set up question, planted tank set-up, plt. sel.
2/2/08
Good afternoon all. I have had two aquariums going for about two years now.
One for goldfish and one for tropical fish. I have now decided to upgrade to a
planted tank with fish.
<Ahh!>
I love the look of a planted tank but also do not want the aquatic gardens that
I have seen in many pictures as I am a big fan of the fishy inhabitants too.
Following is a list of my planned aquarium and would like your opinions since I
have been reading non-stop for about a month now. Thank you for any help you can
give me.
Jorge
1. 50 gallon glass aquarium
2. Coralife 2x65w 6700K lighting system
<Mmmm, may need, want more light intensity than this>
3. 48in 24LED White moonlight 3/4w each
<I'd switch this to more daytime...>
4. Cascade 1000 canister filter
a. Filter floss
b. Zeolite
c. Bio rings
5. HOB power filter for mechanical filtration only
6. HOB 150w Heater
7. Root Therm 160 substrate heater
<Nice>
8. Red Sea CO2 Bio reactor w venturi pump
9. Aquarium Plants.com <http://plants.com/> Substrate with associated pellets
(Trace elements, Iron etc.)
10. One extra power head, not sure if necessary for water circulation?
<Mmm, of use here with the canister filter>
Flourish additive
Tap Water:
GH= 70-75 ppm or 4 and 5 degrees
kH= between 120 and 180 ppm
Do these parameters and pieces of equipment seem good for the following plants
(ordering from you guys when all other equipment is set up):
1 bunch Rotala indica
1 Ludwigia palustris
1 Ludwigia peruensis
10 Corkscrew vals
1 Indian Red sword
1 Alternanthera reineckii
1 Limnophilia aromatica
1 Anubias nana on driftwood
1 Java fern
1 Crypt Wendtii v bronze
1 Crypt Undulata
1 Tiger Lily Red
1 Dwarf lily
<Mmm, the lilies will not likely grow here>
10 Sagittaria subulata
2-3 clumps of Riccia grass
<All else can/could adapt to the water, light conditions listed... best to start
with the lower growing plants first... introduce the taller plants a month or
two later. Bob Fenner>
Plants and fish... stkg. both
1/5/08
Hello.
<Ave!>
I have a 55 gallon aquarium and got my water tested.
ammonia = 0 mg/L
nitrite = .25 mg/L
nitrate = 40 mg/L
pH = 8.4
alkalinity = 300 mg/L
hardness = 75 mg/L
chlorine = 0 mg/L
temp = 78 F
<Nitrite still too high... only add very hardy fish at this point. How are you
cycling this tank? If using a "no fish" method, then carry on cycling another
week or so before adding fish.>
I have a few ideas on what plants and fish I want, but am wondering if they will
all be compatible. I am wanting to get assorted kinds of platies,
mollies, and Danios.
<I'd nix the Mollies because they do infinitely better in brackish water tanks
than freshwater. But Danios and Platies will both do well in your water
chemistry and can be considered excellent fish for a new aquarium. Do remember
both are sociable: I'd add a school of six Danios first, let them settle in, and
only then think about a second species. Do also remember schooling fish look
better the bigger the group. A school of 20 Danios will be an amazing sight, and
far more rewarding that small numbers of half a dozen species. Trust me on this.
Schooling fish only school in big numbers, and when they do, they put on a
shimmering display of co-ordinated swimming.>
I also want an eel of some sort, like a dinosaur eel or peacock eel kind of
thing.
<Hmm... "Dinosaur Eel" is, I assume, one of the more silly common names given to
a Bichir, likely Polypterus senegalus, the Grey Bichir. A superb community fish
in many ways, and not difficult to keep, but remember two things: It's a
predator, and will eat small fish even though it gets along with other fish of
similar size (20-30 cm). Secondly, it needs chunky, meaty foods like prawns and
mussels, and won't eat flake or pellets. Peacock Eels are typically species of
Macrognathus, such as Macrognathus siamensis. A very difficult species to
maintain in aquaria. Must be kept in well-planted tanks with a SAND, NEVER
GRAVEL substrate and lots of hiding places. Quite sociable, so keep in groups of
at least three specimens. Will try to escape from tanks if unhappy. Only eats
wormy foods, and CANNOT compete with other nocturnal fish, so never mix with
catfish or loaches unless you want it to starve to death. 99.999% of the spiny
eels purchased by aquarists die because most people can't be bothered to work
around this essential requirements. When cared for properly they are lovely
animals though.>
Are there any that are possible to live with the fish I want to have and the
planted aquarium. I want a fish that will make my aquarium unique, like a
different kind of fish to spunk it up.
<Lots of options here, but not all of them go with Danios and other small fish.
Spending some time with a decent aquarium atlas such as Baensch's Aquarium Atlas
is likely the way forward. Failing that, a medium-sized loricariid is usually a
safe way to add a community oddball, since these catfish tend to be harmless
loners. I also have a fondness of Halfbeaks, which would do well in your water
chemistry and generally ignore everything below the surface of the water.
Glassfish are great community tank oddballs, too, but a bit fussy about diet.
You can't go wrong with a school of Kuhli Loaches either. In big groups they
form real tangles, with their heads poking out of their chosen cave. A variety
of new species are available, all similar to the standard orange and brown
species usually traded.>
Right now I have 2 Corys and an African dwarf frog, but I might move that to
another aquarium. Any suggestions would be great.
<Some more Corydoras would be a start. They're schooling fish and are unhappy
kept in groups of less than six. The more you keep, the more fun they will be.
In a 55 gallon tank, you have no excuse to be stingy here. Get half a dozen
more, sit back, and enjoy.>
The plants I am considering are Java fern, Anubias nana, possibly some
java/willow moss, Cabomba, Wisteria, Water Sprite possibly, Amazon Sword,
Anubias barteri, and Dwarf Hairgrass. Do these work with my water parameters and
fish?
<Should all be fine. Loricariids are sometimes a bit hard on Anubias though.>
If you have any suggestions, I'm open to all.
Thanks.
<Hope these help. Cheers, Neale.>
29 gallon, FW... temp. high
and Ram and plant sel.... algae-eater sel. 10/21/07
Hi,
I have had the same 29 gallon aquarium since 1993 when I received it as a
birthday gift from my dad when I was 12. Since that time I have evolved quite a
bit in my knowledge of fish keeping! I recently moved, giving me the opportunity
to completely overhaul my tank to become a planted aquarium.
I purchased a 50 watt cable heater from Aquarium Designs (but it has no
thermostat?!) which I sandwiched between a thick layer of sand on the bottom. I
then spread a thin layer of Eco Completer, a thin layer of Fluorite, and finally
mixed the rest of the two substrates with my original gravel to bring a good
5-6" layer for rooting.
The problem is, with no thermostat, the water is a steady 84 degrees. Too bad 29
gallons is too small for Discus.? I started the cycle with black mollies, Cory
catfish, and a Chinese algae eater (I hate them, but didn't want to buy another
pleco that would quickly outgrow the tank and uproot everything ~ I can't find
any dwarf pleco's locally and the shipping is quite high on my budget for online
ordering). I have several large pieces of wood, and a small (but growing)
collection of plants.
<Hmm... I think you'll regret the "economy" of a Chinese algae eater. Since you
don't need an algae eater (the idea you do is a myth) better to just go without.
Ancistrus sp. catfish make a better alternative, and as 2-3 cm "kittens" they
are usually easy to obtain and very cheap.>
Would Blue Ram's be ok in water this warm? Are there any plants that thrive
in warm water that you would suggest?
<84F (29C) is just about perfect for all Mikrogeophagus species, so this
shouldn't be a problem. However, most Corydoras *hate* water that warm, and in
some cases (e.g., bearded, peppered, panda and bronze Cories) they will die
prematurely from heat stress (those species are subtropical fish). Mollies are
fine in very warm water. If you can, swap out the Corydoras for something else,
or at least make sure you have true tropical Corydoras species (like Corydoras
sterbai and Corydoras adolfoi). At 84F (29C) you're basically running things at
"Discus temperatures" and need to make allowances for the fact relatively few
tropical naturally endure such temperatures indefinitely. Likewise with the
plants. Good choices tend to be things like Cryptocorynes, Java ferns, Anubias,
Echinodorus bleheri. Coldwater plants, like Elodea and Eleocharis, tend to do
not so well. Subtropical and low-end tropicals, such as Vallisneria, are
somewhere in between. To some degree, you'll need to experiment, but going by
the temperature guidelines in an aquarium plant book would be a sensible way to
start.>
Thanks,
Ben
<Good luck, Neale>
Plant Issues for discus tank
8/22/07
Hello everyone at WWM,
My name's Peter Johnstone, I live in Melbourne Australia. Like many others, I've
been (excitedly) reading for a couple months now after stumbling onto your site
while looking for general aquarium advice. Your site is amazing and has helped
increase my understanding immensely which is very much appreciated. I've got a
few questions that I'll put together because I think they're probably related
somehow. I've got a small, approx 90 L (22G) freshwater tropical tank which has
been running very successfully for approx 4-5 years as a community tank with
some basic plants. Here's the stats for my tank so far: Tapwater is very soft
and ph neutral.
Approx 90L, under filter, with only a gravel substrate approx 3-5cm thick 18W
plant-grow single tube (6 weeks old), adequate heating.
Temp is now 28-29 degree Celsius (changed from 24ish about 2 months ago)
pH 6.4
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 10/15
GH 5
KH 4
I have
7 cardinal tetras (? small amount of ich, non responsive to 2 weeks at 32degrees
and Multicure but seem happy otherwise)
1 black ghost knight (growing healthily)
2 glass cat fish (very interactive)
1 pearl gourami (appears happy)
2 flying fox (doing their job)
2 bristle nose
Am planning on getting 2, 3-5cm discus in the near future once I've got a hold
on everything.
I have the following plants with the attached problems. Any thoughts on the
cause would be most appreciated.
4 various Anubias (edges of the leaves and new shoots being eaten/nipped
off-added lettuce and zucchini which are eaten up daily with no changes to the
plant state)
1 wisteria (happy)
2 Amazon swords (1 growing slowly, one has rotting roots which turn brown and
translucent and rot off. Not sure why may be terminal)
some small old java ferns (very very slow growing)
java moss (not dying)
stag horn java fern (new growth turns brown and dies within 1-2 days for no
apparent reason. Tiny new shoots still sprouting occasionally)
1 Bolbitis fern (only the rhizome left after it turned very dark green/brown and
rotted away, 2 days after being in the tank from the shop)
3 pieces of drift wood.
Here's the history.
I'm aware that under filters are not great for plants, however the tank was
originally given to me as is, and I've been learning more along the way. The
plants were doing very well up until the end of 2006, with essentially no algae,
when I went away for 2 weeks and left the tank in the care of my housemates. On
return I had lost almost all of my plants due to an unknown reason- no problems
with the fish. I've been learning more about the tank in an effort to get some
discus soon and so have the current plants and testing kits as stated above.
Since the big die off, I've never been able to get the plants to grow well again
and I'm not sure why because nothing else has changed. I have a few remnants of
the java fern which have very slowly regrown a couple of leaves off the rhizome
root over the past 6-9 months however I bought 2 great specimens a couple months
ago, only to have them both start rotting from the bottom up within two days of
them being in the tank. 1 week later they were gone- and no the roots weren't
buried in the gravel. Why will the old plants regrow slowly, but new ones of the
same species die off so quickly? the Bolbitis died off within 2 days too. Not
sure if its rhizome will survive. I've lost every type of crypt that I've tried
to house with the leaves becoming transparent and flaccid -> rotting off. The
rest of my plants are o.k. but non thriving like they once did when I had
multiple flowering anubias. I have started using fertilizer pellets and some
liquid fertilizer to help add nutrients about 2 weeks ago. Is it possible to
over fertilise, because I think I initially put in too many pellets as my water
levels blew out to high ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels and the ph dropped
within 4 days, which is rare as my tank is always very stable. I removed much of
the pellets, multiple water changes and all's back to normal with no fish
fatalities thankfully. So here's the questions.
As I'm looking towards getting discus, I've put the temperature up from approx
24 to 28 degrees in the last 2 months. Can this effect the plants I have or have
attempted to have? My fish appear much more active and happy since the temp went
up. All fish are growing nicely.
Am I likely to get good plant growth with my setup or is it flawed from the
beginning with the under filter, and if so, why was I able to get good growth
for the first few years?
Also, something is eating/nipping many of the anubias plant leaves and any new
growth that does appear. I'm yet to witness the culprit after hrs of observation
so I'm thinking it may be a nocturnal thing. I'm sure I have no hitchhiker
snails. Any thoughts on who's to blame?
Are products such as black water extract likely to be of benefit to me and can
you suggest any others that may help.
Any other thoughts/advice on the general setup would be most appreciated before
I get the discus in. If all goes well for 6 months or so I'll probably invest in
a nice 4*2*2 setup and redo everything properly, keeping the old tank for
quarantine/breeding.
Again, any help/advice you can offer is greatly appreciated. Thanks again for
such a useful, entertaining and interesting site.
Cheers.
Pete J.
<Hello Peter. Your problem is insufficient light coupled with the wrong water
chemistry. Lighting for shade-tolerant plants needs to be upwards of 1.5 Watts
per gallon, and for most everything else at least 2-3 Watts per gallon. So, Java
ferns and Java moss will want no less than 33 W of light in your tank, and the
Amazon swords 44 W upwards. This is non-negotiable: while plants can adapt to
quite a lot of things, light is something they can't do without. The type of
light used makes a big difference, too. Lights optimised for terrestrial plants
(e.g., Gro Lux) don't work well in aquaria because the red light doesn't
penetrate water well. Instead you need something around the 5500 to 6500 Kelvin
colour temperature. To human eyes, this will seem blue-white. Adding reflectors
to the lights is a low cost way of getting the best from them and highly
recommended. Second, the water chemistry. Relatively few plants like soft water,
and many are highly intolerant of it. A lot of aquatic plants get at least some
of the carbon used for photosynthesis from dissolved bicarbonate salts. Aim for
a water hardness around "medium hard" on the GH and KH scales for the best
results with a broad range of plants. If this is out of the question, then
carefully select plants that tolerate soft water. Amazon swords -- despite the
name -- include many common species (such as E. bleheri) that don't like soft
water. And very few plants come from water that is completely soft in the way
aquarists mean it when keeping blackwater fish like discus. If you look at those
blackwater habitats, there is virtually no aquatic vegetation at all. As for the
damage to the plants, when the plant leaves start to decay, they can become
attractive to Loricariid catfish that would otherwise ignore healthy plants. I
agree with you that trying to get rooted plants (like Cryptocorynes and Amazon
swords) growing in a tank with an undergravel filter is a waste of time. They
won't ever do well. But epiphytic plants, like Java moss and Anubias, which
should NEVER be planted in the substrate, should do fine. Since you have a mind
for discus, and ideal water for them too, you may decide to forget about plants.
Plants are NOT part of the discus habitat in the wild: dead wood is what they
swim around and lay their eggs on. Hope this helps, Neale>
Plants for Discus and Angel Fish – 4/10/07
I have a 60gal freshwater aquarium with 2 Discus and 2 Angel fish in it I would
like to know if I should use artificial plants or real plants...
<Aquatic plants aren't part of the normal discus (or angelfish) habitat: these
fish live in the "flooded forest" where nutrient poor waters wash around sunken
wood and the trunks of huge trees. The fish live hidden among the wood, and when
pairing off, guard bits of wood on which they lay their eggs. So by all means
use real or plastic plants if you wish, but the fish don't care. They'd sooner
have nice tall bits of real/artificial wood that they can explore, guard, or
school around. Also bear in mind not all common aquarium plants enjoy soft/acid
water. Vallisneria spiralis and the common Amazon sword Echinodorus bleheri for
example both like neutral to basic, moderately hard water.>
...also if it is a good idea to use volcanic rock in it as decor.
<Volcanic rock -- if you mean artificial lava rock rather than actual pumice --
does acidify the water. This is the porous, reddish-brown "rock", right? While
harmless enough in a tank with a basic pH and lots of hardness, in a soft water
discus tank I'd personally be vary wary of using it. At least, not without
trying a little first, and monitoring the pH for a few weeks before buying any
more.>
I do not want the fish to get hurt on the rock.
<They shouldn't.>
I would also like to know how many of these fish I can put in it if I was to add
other fish and what kind of fish I can add with them and how many.
<Discus, and to a slightly lesser degree angels, need good water quality.
Understocking is the easiest way to get this. Also, once they mature, angels
especially become very territorial, and will hold an area about 60-90 cm in
diameter, vigorously pushing away any conspecifics. So while you can probably
house half a dozen of either fish in a 60 gallon tank, the question is whether
you want to and whether the fish will put up with that once mature. As for
tankmates, both angels and discus appreciate slightly higher than average
temperatures. Lace gouramis and moonlight gouramis can work well though both are
a bit large. Clown loaches also work well, but again, rather large. Small tetras
(e.g. Neons) become angelfish food so not recommended. Bleeding heart tetras,
silver hatchetfish, African Glowlight tetras, and other non-nippy characins of
this size would work well. Warm-water catfish include Brochis spp., Bristlenose
plecs, and non-subtropical Corydoras (i.e., not bronze or peppered Corys). Very
small Suckermouth cats, like Otocinclus spp., can attack the sides of these slow
moving fish to eat the mucus, so avoid. Likewise aggressive loaches and cichlids
will often terrorize them. All this said, discus are perhaps best kept alone,
simply because it makes maintaining water quality good so much easier.>
George
<Cheers, Neale>
Freshwater Plant Questions, growing 1/7/07
Hello crew,
<Hi!>
I know Java fern should be grown attached to wood, right?
<Or rocks, decor, etc. It can also be grown in substrate - actually, it pretty
much grows anywhere, in most any conditions!>
Well, what about the following, can they be grown attached to wood, grown right
in the substrate, or both? Java Moss, Java Lace Fern, and Anubias nana.
<The java lace fern is merely a different species of java fern, and thus has the
same requirements. Java moss, to my understanding, does need to be grown
attached to something, like plants, rocks, decor, etc. Anubias can be grown
either directly in the substrate or attached to rocks, wood, etc. All of these
plants you mention are fairly undemanding.>
Also, is hornwort grown in the substrate, or is it a floating plant because I
have heard people use it
both ways.
<It is my understanding that hornwort doesn't have roots, per se, thus is a
floating plant. In cooler waters, I understand it sinks, but it doesn't
actually grow from the substrate.>
Also, my LFS told me that Flora-Glo fluorescent lights are good for growing
plants, but my other LFS told me they were useless. Have any of you found that
"special" bulbs help the growth in plants? If so, which ones? My other LFS said
the Coralife Trichromatic bulbs are nice.
<This is largely a matter of preference, really. It sounds as though you have
normal output lights (i.e., not power compacts), right? There are different
brands advertised for plant growth, but in all reality, so long as the minimum
wattage requirements for the species of plants you want to grow are met, it
really doesn't matter. The plants you mention above are relatively undemanding,
and require only around 1.5-2 watts per gallon (WPG). Here's a helpful link
that makes sense of the WPG calculations:
http://www.aquariumplants.com//Articles.asp?ID=111
The bulbs that are specifically advertised for plant growth, such as the ones
you mention, are simply coated on the inside of the tube to emit more
reddish/yellow/violet/blue colors. This is indeed ideal for plants, but doesn't
look as "pretty" as a full-spectrum tube. If you are using two bulbs, I'd
recommend perhaps one of each. If not, simply go with the plant bulb, as there
are benefits for the plants. Peter Hiscock's Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants
does a nice job of explaining lighting (as well as everything else
plant-related) - it's a must-have book for the planted aquarium lover.
Thanks!
<You're welcome. Best of luck, Jorie>
Lake plants to Aquarium? 8/22/06
Hello!
<Hi there>
Is it safe to add Floating Myriophyllum sprigs found in a lake to your aquarium
to make a new plant?
<Mmm, with some prep., quarantine...>
Is there a way of cleansing the sprigs from unwanted lake bacteria before adding
them to your tank? Or is this just not advised all around?
Thanks!
R
<"Outside" plants can often be acclimated to indoor/aquarium use... given a
tolerance/range of conditions... I would at least isolate these in their own
tank... mixing more "domestic" water in with water changes... for a month...
checking on the presence of unwanted hitchhikers (worms, insects, snails...),
treating to rid the plants of same if discovered. Bob Fenner>
Re: Lake plants to Aquarium? 8/22/06
Right now the sprigs are sitting in a small fish bowl where I change the
water frequently and add little bits of aquarium salt
<Not much of this...>
and stress coat (same as I would treat the water for all my tanks). I'll think
about adding them to the main tank in a month or so after I see how it does.
Thanks so much for you help!
r
<Real good. BobF>
Stocking... FW fishes and plants 8/14/06
I have just recently got a 70g tank with plenty of caves and hiding places
in it. It hasn't yet got any fish in it but I will be adding them slowly in
the next couple of months. I was just wondering if the following fish would go
together without fighting:
Red tailed shark
<May well become nippy... feisty with time/growth>
An angelfish
Red line torpedo
<Mmm, is this a barb?
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_Puntius_denisonii.php>
A type of catfish
A gold nugget pleco
Clown loaches
Kuhlii loaches
And maybe a blue crayfish,
<Yikes... not this... too opportunistic a feeder>
some crabs
<Neither these>
and some snails (so the clown loaches
can eat them)
Will the crabs try and get some of the fish like the loaches?
<Oh yes>
Also could I have a black ghost knife fish?
<Perhaps... see WWM re>
What types of plants would these type of fish like?
<Ditto>
I have researched on the fish and I know how big they will get and how many I
need of each one.
Many thanks.
<Take a read on WWM re the plants that "like" similar water quality to the
fishes listed. Bob Fenner>
Transitioning a Discus Tank from Artificial to Live Plants 8/1/06
Hi,
<Hello>
I have a 120 gallon discus tank that I'd like to transition from artificial
plants to live plants, and I'd love to know what you think and if you have any
suggestions. Here are the details:
Current setup:
120 gallon glass aquarium (60" x 26" x 18")
2 x Fluval 405 External Canister Filters
2 x 250W Visi-Therm Stealth Heaters
Medium-size gravel (about 3mm in diameter)
Artificial plants and driftwood
4 x 24" Marineland Eclipse T8 18W Fluorescents
Temperature = 81 F (a little low for discus, I know, but I have Corys... do you
still think I should raise it?)
<I would not raise this temperature unless there was some "call" to do so...
Disease, reproduction/breeding... Likely you have cultured livestock... can/does
do fine at consistently lower-tropical thermal regimes>
pH = 6.8
3 dGH, 3 dKH
NH3 = 0
NO3 = 0
NO2 = 0
30% water changes twice a week, 50% water changes once a week
6 discus (3" and growing)
6 cardinal tetras
2 Corydoras axelrodi (I plan to get a few more Corys once the plants are in to
keep these guys company)
What I'd like to add:
4 x 24" Coralife Aqualife Single Compact Fluorescent Strip Lights: 6700K
(260 W total) (I would remove the current lighting)
"Deluxe Fully-Automatic CO2 System" from Drs Foster & Smith
Substrate: 1/2 sand, 1/2 Eco-Complete
Driftwood from www.aquariumdriftwood.com
Plants (Amazon biotope package from freshwateraquariumplants.com)
- Alternanthera reineckii "Red"
- Lilaeopsis novae zelandiae
- Echinodorus osirus
- Echinodorus tenellus
- Mayaca fluviatilis
- Myriophyllum elatinoides
<Mmm, no... Doesn't do well in warm water:
http://www.fnzas.org.nz/plant_survey/aquarium_plants/?user_plants=98&cHash=bfa1164e86>
- Heteranthera zosteraefolia
- Hydrocotyle leucocephala
- Echinodorus latifolius
<Mmm, a couple other plants will be near their upper thermal limit... I
encourage you to review these individually>
I know the gravel isn't great for plants (or the Corys, either), so I'd like to
upgrade to a mixture of sand and Eco-Complete. The Eco-Complete appeals to me
because it would involve less rinsing and it is packed in blackwater extract,
which I think my discus would like. Would simply mixing the sand and
Eco-Complete into the gravel be a bad idea?
<Can be done... slowly... a few pounds per day>
I think the visual effect might be pretty cool, and the gravel would help
prevent the sand from packing in too tightly and creating anoxic areas. Not to
mention that it would be much easier than removing all the gravel.
Is the "Deluxe Fully-Automatic CO2 System" overkill for the plants I'd like to
keep?
<No. Very worthwhile>
The system is expensive, but it would be nice to have good control over the pH.
Without the automatic controller, I'd always be worrying about a pH crash since
the water is relatively soft. Same for the lighting - is it too much? Or just
enough?
<Should be fine... the plants, fishes listed are adaptable to its output>
Am I missing anything? Any other advice?
Thanks for all your help,
Danielle
<Mmm, your set-up and maintenance listed are close to "picture perfect"... the
transition will be a bit stressful for you and your livestock, but will result
in greatly more enjoyment and vitality for both. Bob Fenner>
FW Planted Tank Set Up 7/28/06
Hi WWM Crew, First I would like to say thanks for having such a great and
knowledgeable site open to the public. My question is about setting up an
freshwater community planted aquarium, here a my plans. A 30 gallon tank,
substrate would be 2 inches
of EcoComplete (for the plants), the filtration would be a Rena xp3 canister
filter, as for fish I'm thinking 3 angels, 2 German blue rams,
and maybe 4-6 true Rummynose tetras, as for plants I was going to get the
drfosterandsmiths standard plant pack. I just wanted to know if this was an ok
setup equipment wise, and if the fish are compatible for a community planted
aquarium, any
recommendations, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks love the
site.
--SBatiste
< As long as the rummy nose tetras are big enough not to be eaten by the angels
the fish set up looks OK. Rams like it on the warm side around 82 F and this may
be a little warm for some plants. Stem plants usually do better with CO2 and
lots of light. Plants like Cryptocorynes, Amazon swords, Anubias and java fern
are very easy to grow and don't require strong light. Try the other types and
see how they do.-Chuck>
Gouramis and plants sel. 7/13/06
Hi folks.
Could you please help me with a small problem? I have a 100 gal. freshwater tank
with 10 blue Gouramis and 8 albino Cory cats. I am trying to get some live
plants started but the fish eat them down to the stalk. I need advice on low
lighting plants that they won't eat.
<Mmm, Ceratophyllum demersum, Ceratopteris, Anubias, Cryptocorynes...>
The Amazon sword I put in lasted 2 days...The anacharis lasted 30 min.. Any
advice would be greatly appreciated. Keep up the great work and thanks
again...DR
<Good to provide some inexpensive live plants for food occasionally... Like the
Anacharis/Egeria. Bob Fenner>
Setting Up A South American Plant Tank - 5/5/2006
Hi Guys, I was wondering if you could give me any information about South
America plants,
I'm hoping to set up a biotope aquarium but I only know of one or to species
such
as Amazon swords I would like some medium plants for the mid ground and some
small plants for the foreground. If you could help with any info about this
biotope and how I would go about setting it up I would greatly appreciate it,
looking to put cardinals and Rummynose once it set up. thanks Yasfir Nadat
< The dark tannin stained waters of the Amazon River actually have very few
plants in them. Go to freshwateraquariumplants.com and click on the biotope and
there you will find lots of South American plants and how to plant them,-Chuck>
Mainly FW plant selection, growing with UG filtration 3/21/06
Dear Bob / Sabrina
I have been keeping tropical fishes for the last couple of years. I have 5
Angels, 3 Clown Loaches & some tetras in my aquarium.
During this period I tried so many times to keep real / live plants in my 5 feet
long tank which is based on under gravel filters but I never got success :-(
again I had to decorate my aquarium along with Plastic Plants.
This time again I am trying to keep the real plants. I need some information
from you
1. Can I keep them in Under Gravel filters based tank. ( Here in Pakistan I have
seen many aquariums which are full of live plants and are running on Under
Gravel filtration )
<Not all species... or not w/o "blind-potting" many of the rooted varieties (in
their own substrate, containers, or with a solid barrier placed on top of the UG
plate between the gravel...>
2. What species of plants should I keep ? I mean what types of plants ? I intend
to keep Hygrophila, Cabomba, Vallisneria, Java Fern & Cryptocoryne, are these
plants suitable for keeping with each other.
<Posted:
http://wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/AquariumGardenSubWebIndex.html>
3. If the above mentioned plants are o.k. then what are the lighting
requirements for these plants and what types of fishes I can keep along with
these plants
<Also posted...>
4. Here in Pakistan a local plants dealer told me that Java Fern do not grow
well if it is potted in a gravel. Placing it on a Bog Wood will do better. Is he
right ?
<Yes... posted>
I am a regular visitor of your website and I think it is very informative.
Wish you good luck in your future endeavors
Very Best Regards
Shany
Karachi, Pakistan.
<Thanks much. Bob Fenner>
Moss sel., mis-mixed FW 2/10/06
Hey James,
<Methinks he's ducked out>
I will start by saying thank you for the quickness in which you answered my
email and the information you gave me, I am very grateful.
That being said, I think I need to reword my last question a little bit Do
you know what kind of moss (mosses since there are so many different
kinds) would be most beneficial to an aquarium of 5 months loaded with fresh
water fish....as to help keep the water at acceptable levels for the
fish....were would be the best place to find the moss you recommend for this?
<Requirements and suggested species are posted on WWM. Sources? Depends on where
you're located...>
I have two Disc,
<What?>
two Angle fish, two Neons, one Chinese algae eater,
<Watch this last... can be trouble/mean>
two Rummy nose, six other assorted tetras, and two other algae eaters that
I think are going to get very large, all in a 29 gallon tank.
<Keep reading... Bob Fenner>
FW Plant Recommendations 1/1/06
Crew, Great site, came across it tonight. I have had aquariums in the
past and
have had limited success with live plants. Hornwort - success - it grows
anywhere. Swords - fair. I just moved and I am setting up a 75 gallon
freshwater
aquarium. What are a good combination of plants that are attractive and easy
to grow?
< Crinums, Cryptocorynes, bulb plants, swords.>
What type of lighting do you recommend and is a co 2 system of some
sort necessary?
< Go with florescent lights with a color length of around 6500K. You will need
at least 80 watts. More is better, maybe two double hoods for 180 watts. Use
Fluorite as a substrate too. Stem plants and red colored plants require good CO2
levels. The one I have recommended with do better with CO2 but generally it is
not needed.>
I am trying to avoid the expense and involvement on the plants, I prefer to put that toward fish. IF you could recommend a variety of plants that are
attractive, grow easily and anything else I need to keep them flourishing, I would be grateful. Happy New year Mike
< Get all your plants at once. If you don't, the algae will take over with all
the new lighting and cause problems. Get at least 3 to 4 inches of Fluorite.
This is pretty expensive stuff but works great. If you don't want to do an
entire tank then place the plant in a pot with the Fluorite. Cryptocorynes will
do very nicely. This is not a good time of year to buy plants. During the winter
the plants are not really growing and often come in in poor shape. If the
conditions are right your plans will bounce back in a couple of weeks and look
great in no time.-Chuck>
Comment re www.aquariumplants.com shipment, and WWM 12/18/05
Dear WWM,
I have benefited greatly from your website and your crew's experience
-special thanks to Adam Blundell, back when I had a 72gallon reef tank.
Since then I've moved from the north east to the SF bay area, and am in the
process of starting a planted FW tank.
I don't really have a question, just a comment. I've seen several crew
members recommend www.aquariumplants.com and so decided to go with them. Let
me just say the plants I got from them were mostly full of dead leaves or
leaves with holes in them or broken stems -they were shipped USPS overnight,
so it couldn't have gotten here sooner.
<Perhaps the shipping was somehow delayed on their end... I do hope you
immediately contacted them re the shipment>
I'm in the process of replacing it
all with plants from my LFS, with the exception of a single Anubias nana!
I'm not so sure that they are worthy of your endorsement... Of course this
is only one data point...
Thank You,
Narayan
<Mmm, thank you for this. For clarification, we (collectively) don't "do"
endorsements. The comments by individuals here are simply that... their
opinions... borne of first and other-hand experience. Bob Fenner>
Plants For An Unfriendly
Plant Tank 11/11/05
Hey guys, quick question about freshwater plants, I’ve got a 55 gallon
tank with two big silver dollars and a ton of apple snails, there's some other
fish in there too, but those guys are the problem. I've tried many times to
plant a wide variety of plants but the only ones that seem to survive are the
anacharis, and they are really growing out of control, nobody seems to touch
them. My question is, are there any other types of plants that could survive in
this situation? There must be something out there, I’ve heard good things
about one called moss something, or something moss... anyway if you could
recommend one for me to try, that would be fantastic. Thanks- Julian.
< Try some of the Cryptocorynes, crinium sp., Java moss and java fern.
Aquariumplants.com has a lot of mail order plants. Just tell them what you have
and they can put together a plant list for you.-Chuck>
Aquarium Plant Retailers and E-tailers - 11/07/2005
Hello to both of you!!
<Both? Actually, there are about 30 on the Crew.... probably 15-25 of us
regularly answering questions.... Or, if you meant both of the personalities of
the one Crewmember answering your question, then I and I say Hi back. Sabrina
and Sabrina with you, this evening.>
I discovered wetwebmedia.com recently when a colleague referred me to an article
on your site regarding teeth trimming on pufferfish. It is a fantastic resource
and I have shared the link with the members of my local fish club.
<Excellent, thank you for this!>
I've been in and out of the tropical fish hobby for about 40 years. I'm back in
now (thanks to a relative) and have been keeping normal tropicals, as well as
fish we collect from the local canals and lakes, which includes natives and
non-natives. See
http://myfwc.com/fishing/Fishes/non-native.html for some state info on
non-natives such as Oscars.
<Very nifty.>
I have some tetra schools, some angels, and a bunch of local stuff such as
darters,
<Etheostoma, yes? I love these little guys....>
killies, and the like. Our canals have some interesting finds, and the club
members know canals down south near the Everglades where there are huge numbers
of tremendous Plecostomus and other exotic fellas. They're a very small club but
the members have a huge institutional memory, know their fish, and know the
local waters. They're at
http://www.gcassf.org/.
<An immense value to one's knowledge, experience, and life-in-general to take
part in such a group. You are very fortunate.>
I have always been a natural aquatic plant nut, and am trying to continue this
with the few aquaria I have set up at home, as well as a small whiskey barrel
pond outside (hey, I have to start somewhere!).... bigger projects to come. My
problem is availability. Even here in plant nursery heaven, I cannot locate most
of the plants I love that you guys write about like water sprite, Vallisneria
and the others.
<What?? Really?? Most of the plants that come to most parts of the country come
either out of or through Florida....!! Surely someone somewhere sells them in
your area.... Might be worth making friends with an owner of a local store and
see what he can bring in for you.>
<<If I recollect, there's also an aquatic plant nursery out in Ramona,
California (east of sunny San Diego). MH>>
These are the plants I used to raise when I was a kid in the hobby. Where are
they now?
<Uhh, aside from growing in my tanks and buckets?>
Local fish sources usually have hornwort, anacharis, swords and a few others
plus some house plants masquerading as water plants.
<Wow, slim pickin's, eh?>
Is there a mail order source for the rest of them, as well as floating water
plants for the small pond? Where do you guys get your plants from?
<Mm, I'm hesitant to recommend any specific mail-order retailers - not because
any are better/worse than others, but because they all have their individual
quirks that make them unique.... I and others have posted reviews on our forum (
http://www.wetwebfotos.com/talk ),
for a starting point.... You might also take a look at our links:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/general_links_pg.htm as
there are a few e-tailers listed there in a couple different sections that you
might take a look at.>
Keep up the great work, I am just starting to explore all the information on
this site, it's really quite excellent.
<Thank you very kindly.... these words are appreciated.>
Sincerely, -Ed Spenser
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Freshwater Questions, stocking, use of live plants
Dear WWM Crew,
The site is wonderful but sometimes there is too
much information that I can't pinpoint an answer I'm looking for. I've sent in a
couple emails and Sabrina
has been great in helping me with my questions and I appreciate it very much.
Anyways, I have a 10 gallon tank (20"L, 10"W, 12"H)
with a light hood with 2 15 watt bulbs (blue),
<These lights won't likely work for growing plants>
a Whisper 30 power filter, bubble
wall, 10+ small -
medium sized plastic plants, a fake log, and I recently changed my gravel from
shallow creek pebbles
to black Tahitian moon sand (for my Cory cats). I am in
the process of stocking my tank. So far there are 4
Corydoras paleatus in my 10 gallon who have been there
for a couple of months. I plan on adding 3 Panda Cory
cats and a small school of Flame Tetras (or Von Rio tetras).
<Sounds good>
I'm new to the whole sand substrate and was wondering if there are any
shrimps or snails that stay
small, are compatible with the livestock I plan on keeping, and would help keep
my sand bed clean.
<Should stay pretty clean with all the Corys>
I searched around the web, but have only found sand
cleaners for marine tanks.
I was also wondering if floating plants would be good
for the fish I am planning on keeping (Cory cats and flame tetras).
<Yes... some live plant material is a good idea for almost all freshwater
systems>
There seems to be plenty of cover for them to feel safe but I think a live
floating plant
would be a nice addition. Could you give me some suggestions?
Wayne
<Please read here re plants, selection:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/AquariumGardenSubWebIndex.html
Bob Fenner>
Low Lighting, Small Tank... Plants? You Bet! - 08/20/2005
Hi, I have a question about lighting. I have a standard 10g freshwater
tank, with 5 head and tail light tetras. I have just upgraded the hood from
incandescent lighting to fluorescent, hoping to grow a few plants. I purchased
(on advice from the pet shop clerk) an 18000k 15w 55 Lux power-Glo bulb. I
also purchased a couple of plants: Dwarf hairgrass-which I now know needs very
high lighting, Rotala indica
<Also does better with higher light than what you have, but may survive and even
grow.>
My question is, will this light work for these (or any) freshwater plants?
<These, maybe not - any? Yes! Most certainly! I would look to Anubias,
Microsorium pteropus/java fern, Vesicularia dubyana/java moss,
Ceratopteris/watersprite, maybe Hygrophila polysperma.... Some of the
Cryptocorynes will thrive in this, as well.>
Or should I exchange this for something better suited to freshwater (from
reading I think I understand this to be better for marine?).
<This will be okay for those lower-light plants.>
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Leah
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Planted Aquarium Remodel 7/30/05
Hello,
I have a 46 gallon tank that's been established for a couple of years. I've
been successful with my livestock (2 schools of tetra's, 3 loaches, 2 SAE's. I've
tried on several occasions to add plants to my aquarium, never with much
success.
<Mmmm, I do so like such mysteries>
I've done much research, and I've decided to take the plunge and truly update my
system so I can grow plants. I now have a Aqualight 2X96 watt CF (6700K bulbs),
timers, Milwaukee regulator, 10lb CO2 tank, and a Milwaukee pH controller to
work with the regulator. I'm now to the point of getting my hands wet. I have
normal LFS bought aquarium gravel. I'd like to put a layer of Fluorite under my
current gravel, but 1) I'm worried about the dust cloud that seems to accompany
Fluorite,
<Yes... I would rinse it... BTW, this is the material I have in my tanks>
and 2) I don't want to ruin my the biological filtration I have in my
substrate. Might the dust from the Fluorite hurt the livestock?
<Yes, definitely>
As long as I leave filtration running (Emperor 400), will the biological
filtration be OK?
<Yes... likely so... I would vacuum the existing substrate... and mix in the
pre-washed Fluorite>
I don't want to worry about cycling my tank again. Also, on to plants. I'm
considering the following package from Aquabotanic.com. 6 assorted bunched stem
plants, 3 Cryptocoryne pots, 10 dwarf sag, 2 small swords, 1 Red Rubin sword, 3
Anubias coffefolia, 2 Crinum onion, 4 Java fern, 10 corkscrew vals,2 Java
moss. Does this sound like too much?
<Mmm, no... but a real "mix" to be sure... plants of differing water chemistry
and light preferences... the Crinum will grow quite large... and quickly... the
Crypts and Java Fern... very, very slowly...>
I want to make sure to out compete the algae, but I don't want to be throwing
away plants because I can't fit anymore. Thank you for your help. You're my
last line of defense before I break out my checkbook again. Thanks.
Jeremy
<I say "go for it" or whatever the current equivalent is... with some degree of
near neutral pH, some bit of alkaline reserve, this mix should do well for you.
Bob Fenner>
Hardy Aponogetons - 06/07/2005
I got some live aquarium plants called hardy Aponogeton bulbs from a pet
store and I don't know much about them; could you tell me more about them?
<Aponogetons are pretty neat plants. Some are very easy to grow, and others
require a bit of attention; chances are, at least some of your bulbs will grow
into nice plants, maybe all of them. Here is an article about this genus of
plants: http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Plants/apons-randall.html
. If you go to
http://www.google.com and do a search on the word "Aponogeton", you'll get
tons of information. My own personal favorite is Aponogeton ulvaceus, which is
a very beautiful plant with broad, wavy leaves....>
Please Email me back with info.
<There is a wealth of information awaiting you on the web; read that article and
do a Google search, and you'll soon know all you like.>
Thanks.
<You bet. Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Lighting Question on My Planted Tank
I am looking for suggestions on tank plants. I have a 30H Freshwater tank. I
have African Cichlids in it. The substrate is blue aquarium sand. I have the Current Satellite 24" 1X65 power compact fixture. The bulb is: "Satellite
Singles come with SmartPaq Lamps (10,000K/460nm Actinics)." This thing is two strips one a 10k and an actinic. I chose the
actinic because I wanted to bring out the colors in the fish. I am now looking for suggestions on
plant life that will do well in the 10k/actinic environment.
< Stay away from stem plants and try Cryptocoryne, Amazon swords, and different types of
Val and sag too.>
I also have a 150 that I am going to setup with 3 ft fixtures. I have the option of (1-96w 10K white/1-96w blue or 2-96watt 6500K whites only for
planted tanks). I am wondering what combo I should do. I have a lot of blue fish and don't like the yellow effect in my tank. What do you suggest here??
< I would go with the 2-96 watt 6500K. The other set up will not provide enough of the right kind of light for your plants to survive or thrive. Here is a little tip I learned years ago. Go down to the LFS and check out the lighting on the saltwater fish. They usually pay more money for these fish and so give them the better lighting. These lights work great on African cichlid tanks.-Chuck>
Plenty Of Plants? - 01/11/2005
How many plastic plants would you recommend for a 75 gallon tank, mix and
match 11" and 7- 8 ". Let me know, I don't want to purchase too much or too
few.
<Well Corey, it's mostly all about aesthetics and what pleases you.... This may
also be somewhat dependant upon what fish you plan on having. I, personally,
like the look of a very densely planted tank. That might end up being "too
much" to someone who prefers a very sparse approach. As long as the fish have
enough cover to feel secure, then it's all a matter of what you like. And keep
in mind, if your fish are hiding, it's probably best to ADD plants or decor
rather than remove - the more places a fish has to hide, the safer it will feel,
and the more you'll see it!>
Which ones would you recommend, ex foxtail, red arrowhead, ruffled sword etc.
<Again, this is mostly just a matter of your personal preference. I,
personally, prefer "natural" colored plants (mostly greens with just a few dark
reds as accents). A very large sword as a centerpiece might be nice. I also
like the look of a large group of Vallisneria. Maybe add some Cabomba shaped
plants for a different texture, and some dark green color. It's really totally
up to you.>
I have it established with fish, I just want to make it nice and attractive now.
<Just one little tip, you might try grouping several of the same type together
for a nice effect - it will look more natural this way. Taller plants toward
the back and smaller toward the front is usually more pleasing to the eye. It's
really all about what you like, as long as the fish have enough cover to feel
safe.
Thanks CG Corey
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
New tank ideas 4 Aug. 2004
Hi <Hi Luke, MacL here with you today>
I'm getting a 100 gallon tank soon. <Congratulations> And I'm having a hard
time deciding as to what to put in it. <Really its all a matter of taste.> I
was wondering if there are any books or web sites that have tank designs in them
or any thing of that nature I already have picked up a book on fish and plants
that I could put in its just the look that I haven't figured out. <I'd suggest
you look at
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/AquariumGardenSubWebIndex.html,
and also do some research on terrariums and native fish aquariums sounds like
that's where you might be heading.> Currently I have 3 tanks a 50 gallon
hex, 20 gallon gold fish tank and a Lizard and crab tank. I was thinking of
putting the 100 gallon and the lizard tank together, but I'm not sure as to how
or if I even can. I was thinking that the lizard part would be up top and the
lizard could swim in the fish part. Hard to explain the picture I have in my
head. <I think I understand, and I think you'll find the answers if you start
where I sent you. Its really all about what you have in mind and making it
happen. Good luck Luke>
Thank you
Luke
Planting the Rift Lake Tank
I have a 75 gal 20" tall tank and am keeping African Cichlids. Water parameters are PH=8.4 GH=15 KH=10. Lights are kept on for 12 hours/day. I have (2) 55w 6500k pcf's installed in the canopy and recently added a fixture for (2) 24" 20w T-8's or T-12's. My question is what type and color temp bulb would you suggest in the 24" tubes for good plant growth?
<My personal preference is for 10,000K bulbs, all the way.... many folks prefer 7500K bulbs, though, for PC-lit plant tanks. Please do read up on this topic, as there are quite a few opinions, and no perfect "right way" - here is an excellent article to help you understand and decide what you want:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/lightingags.htm >
I have tried Java Fern and Amazon Sword because they were recommended. Seems the Africans won't trash them quite as bad as some of the tastier types.
<Mm, beside the fact that rift lake pH is simply too high to keep healthy Swordplants
in, I'm pretty sure any Echinodorus would be a nice cichlid salad.... but they shouldn't eat java fern. Please check to be sure you haven't planted the rhizome (the thick base that the leaves and roots sprout from) of the java ferns; burying this will cause the plant to rot and die. Only plant the soft roots. Or, better yet,
attach them to driftwood or porous rock. For some more hardy plants, look to the
genus Anubias - these should be too tough for the cichlids to eat. Plant the same way as java fern. Java moss (completely unrelated to java fern) is particularly indestructible, and extremely
versatile. Crinum (especially C. thaianum) plants would be a good option, if you want something tall and grass-blade like. There are other options, but these should get you off to a good start.>
Haven't had very good luck getting them to grow, seem to be slowly withering away. As of yet I haven't tried any plant fertilizer. Any types you can recommend?
<My preference is with the Seachem and Kent fertilizer lines; at this point, start with a simple liquid fertilizer containing iron while you decide exactly what plants you want, and learn their needs. Please check out this article to learn more:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/majmicrnutrplts.htm >
Thanks.
<You bet! Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Plants, Fish, and Information for a New Beginner
Over the last few days I have been pouring over all of the info you have on
this site, it's amazing, THANK YOU!! I have learned so much.
<And thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you're enjoying it!>
We live in the middle of nowhere and our only choice for fish supplies is
Wal-Mart or the internet.
<Eek!>
So, as I'm sure you'll understand, I'm trying to figure all this out on my own.
<Yes, research will be your best friend!>
I do think I've come up with a plan that will work, but wanted to run it by you
folks to see what you'd think of it first so I don't hurt my fish or waste time
or money.
<We will help however we can.>
10g tank from Wal-Mart with the Tetra Whisper filter that came with it, a few
plastic driftwood ornaments and a pretty coarse river rock gravel.
<Smaller gravel, pea-sized or less, is much easier to care for and keep
clean, you might want to take this into consideration.>
We have a Fancy Goldfish who is about 5" and a Koi who is about
2". (We were not aware of the size of the adult Koi and he will probably
eventually be put into my brother's pond.)
<Ultimately, the fancy goldfish may have to go into the pond, as well; these
also get potentially huge and worse, they are very, very messy fish and really
foul up the water. Goldfish really aren't a great choice for small
tanks, unfortunately.>
The hood has the regular incandescent lights. I would like very much to give my fishies
some real plants, as I've learned this is much more healthy for them and the
tank in general.
<A wonderful plan!>
The tank has been set up for about 3 days and all is going well, as I'm
monitoring everything I possibly can. Here is my plan...to add some Java Moss
and Java Fern.
<Two of the best plants you could possibly choose. These are
nearly indestructible.>
I've learned that Goldfish will eat darn near any plant, which is ok with me, I
just don't want to waste money on a beautiful plant and then see it get devoured
in a week.
<Fortunately, these two that you've chosen will not be eaten by the
goldfish. Java fern leaves have a really nasty taste to them (I do
not know from experience, just from reading - I'm not too keen on licking my
aquarium plants, hehe) so the goldfish won't eat it, and the java moss (no
relation to the java fern) is too tough for them to tear apart, though they will
"suck" on it a bit, and get any food that has settled into
it. I would also recommend plant of the genus
Anubias. These thick-leaved plants will withstand anything the
goldfish can dish out.>
I don't mind if they nibble on the plants, I know that would be good for them.
<You might want to get them some elodea/anacharis plants specifically *for*
them to eat. These are cheap, and very good for them to nibble, but
they won't last terribly long - they're just too yummy! The goldfish
would love you for it.>
Would any other plants be very easy to care for and withstand the Goldfish
grazing on them?
<Nearly any Anubias, as above. Not a whole lot else will stand up
to these herbivorous fish with perpetual munchies.>
Do I really need to add Fluorite substrate, or something like it to have these
plants grow?
<Java moss, java fern, and Anubias will all do just fine
without. Be certain to only plant the soft roots of the java fern and
the Anubias, not the thick rhizome, or the plants will rot and die.>
Will these plants grow with the regular incandescent lights, or should I replace
one of them with a grow bulb?
<Mm, if you can go to a fluorescent "strip" light instead of the incandescent,
that'd be a plus, but none of these plants (the "food" plant
anacharis/elodea included) need anything terribly special.>
BTW, once the tank is cycled and the Koi begins to get too big he will probably
be replaced by a small school of Danios or Guppies.
<I would do this soon, to be honest, and re-house the goldfish, as well.>
I would like a schooling fish that remains as small as possible, and know that
both of these are ok with Java Moss & Java Fern.
<As are just about any other fish. You might want to look into
white cloud minnows, as well, as these are attractive and inexpensive, as
well.>
Also, we have a 5g tank that is set up the same way with a 2 1/2" Kissing
Gourami and a "Mixed Fruit" (?) Tetra who is currently around 1
1/2".
<Oh my....>
Poor Kisser ended up in there because he was tormenting the poor Goldie. He was
extremely lonely, so the Tetra came to keep him company.
<I'd like to note here, tetras are schooling fish, and do best in small
groups. Also.... that kissing Gourami will ultimately grow
to be one foot long, more or less. He will also be a terror, as you
have noticed with the goldfish. Unless you want a *really* big tank,
I'd strongly recommend trading him for some of the small schoolers that you
like.>
They've only been together less than 24 hours and are best friends already,
swimming side by side and playing chase. No "kiss fighting" going on
from the bully.
<This is ultimately their way of trying to establish a "pecking
order", since they don't have any of their own kinds to do so with.>
I would also like to add some plants for them and remove the plastic ones.
Again, I was thinking Java Moss and Java Fern, but also adding some Water Sprite
to float on the top. I've read that Gouramis love to nibble on this plant.
<They do, indeed! It would also be a good choice for the
goldfish. I'm not sure how long the watersprite would last, as it
would definitely be chewed upon, but it grows and reproduces like mad, as
well.>
Ok, what do you think? Please don't slam me to hard if I'm doing something
wrong!
<I hope I'm not slamming at all! I'm glad you're researching the
care of your fish, that's the biggest, hardest step - and the more you learn,
the more fun you will have, even with bumps in the road like kissing gouramis
and koi in too-small tanks. Live and learn, and definitely research
fish you like *before* you get them, now. That's probably the
toughest lesson of all to get down.>
I really am trying my best to give these fishies a healthy, happy life. Starting
at Wal-Mart doesn't help a lot, I think their people try, but they are not a pet
store.
<Well put.>
When you also factor in not having a ton of money to spend it can get tricky. I
know we'll upgrade everything in the future, but this is what we are working
with for now.
<And with knowledge, it will become great fun, and great tank(s).>
Thank you so very much for your help...for all of us Newbies!!!
:) -Heather
<And thank you again for the kind words. Wishing you
well, -Sabrina>
Plant Descriptions
Dear Bob Fenner,
<Hey Justin, Gage here today.>
I had A look at your website. I was trying to find physical descriptions
of at least 20 plants. Hopefully you could forward me a few
descriptions of any plants. As all part of A school project. If you
could that would be great!
<Check out http://www.tropica.com they
have a lot of information on different aquatic plant species.> Thanks if
possible! Sincerely, Justin Pitts
Plants for a New Tank
Hi, I am new to fishkeeping and would like some advice regarding a new fish
tank that I intend to buy. Some details:
1)Its a 10 gallon tank
2)I would like a moderately planted tank
3)the water is around 28C all year long
I was thinking of getting neon tetras as I like the way they school and their
colour. I would appreciate it if you all could give me ideas on what to get to
complement the fishes.
Plants: (would like some grass-like small plants in the foreground,
taller ones at the back). Found some that I liked, but I do not know if
they are compatible with each other, the fishes and lighting.
Foreground
1) java moss
<tolerant of extremely minimal light conditions as well as strong
lighting>
2) micro sword
3) dwarf hairgrass
<Both need strong lighting>
4) anubias
<If your tank is strongly lit, Anubias must be shaded.>
Background
1) java fern
<Another low-lighter, can tolerate stronger lighting>
2) Amazon sword
<At least moderate lighting, for best results - but this will get far too
large for a 10g.>
3) Cryptocorynes
<There are crypts out there for just about any tank.>
can they all be planted directly into substrate?
<Anubias, java moss, and java fern will attach to wood or rock. If
you choose to plant java fern or Anubias, only plant the soft roots - do NOT
plant the thick green rhizome of the plant, or it will rot and die.>
I understand that neons prefer darker lighting and soft water, thus I would like
plants that can suit them.
<I'd definitely recommend the Anubias, java moss, java fern and some of the
Cryptocorynes (specifically C. affinis, lutea, and walkeri) if you want to stay
a low lighting levels.>
2) type of substrate (preferably dark colour to emphasize the colour of the
neons)
<Seachem makes a product called Fluorite - I use and recommend this product
very happily. Good Stuff.>
3) lighting (how much wattage will be suitable for the plants and neons)
<With the abovementioned low-light plants, a single normal output fluorescent
tube would be just fine. If you're really bent on having the dwarf
hairgrass or microsword, I'd suggest at the absolute least two normal output
tubes - perhaps even power compacts. Good luck on your tank - I hope
you have great fun with it! -Sabrina>
Green With Something Other Than Envy (07/26/03)
Greetings O' Learned Ones!
<Hi! Ananda here tonight, thinking "O Learning Ones" might be more
accurate...>
I have been diligently reading through your various articles on "bad"
algae, yet I am still unsure how best to proceed. My fiancée and I
are having a discussion so we're turning to you as the final authority. We
have string algae and the ubiquitous green algae that discolors the water.
<Ugh. I've had both of those, too.>
We're relatively new to the aquarist group and we've been dealing with our first
serious outbreak of algae. We refuse to treat the symptoms, e.g., use
chemicals, and want to try to get at a more systemic solution. Here's
my data:
Tank: Oceanic 37 gallon Show
Filtration: Currently an Emperor 280 and a brand new Fluval 304
<Sounds good...if you are using any bio-media in the Fluval, make sure to
rinse it in old tank water every once in a while -- if the bio-media catches
detritus, your Fluval just might end up contributing to your nitrate levels.>
Livestock: 7 Danios, 12 Neon Tetras, 4 Gouramis, 4 German Rams, 1 Gold Nugget
Plecostomus, and 1 Dwarf Angelfish (the Angelfish was put into the tank
yesterday).
<The only dwarf angels I know of are saltwater... what species is this?>
Plants: 2 Amazon Sword Plants, 1 Anubias, 4 Pygmy Chain Swords, 6 Rotala indica,
and 6 Anubias frazeri.
<Nice selection.>
The plants have a Coralife fluorescent lighting system, 28 inches and 65 watts. Up
until this past weekend, the light was running for 12 hours a day. I
have since cut it back to about 7 hours per day.
<Might help the algae problem....>
Here’s the latest chemistry: pH = 7.25, NO3 = 5.0, NO2 = < 0.3, PO4 = 1.5,
<There's your culprit! Your phosphates are WAY too high... check your source
water (tap water?) for phosphates. Phosphates and nitrates are algae food. Also
check what the phosphate levels are in the fish food you're using -- freshwater
fish food often has fairly high phosphate levels. Any uneaten food turns into
extra phosphates for your tank.>
KH = 7, GH = 13 The Nitrate and Phosphate testing equipment is from Red Sea and
the rest is from Tetra.
<Your water is fairly hard, too... BTW, Phil says he's gotten some crazy
readings from the Red Sea phosphate kits. I use the FasTest or SeaTest kits for
"high range" phosphate testing, and the Seachem test kit for "low
range" phosphate testing. Of the two, I'd suggest the FasTest/SeaTest for
you right now.>
For the last week I have been using Kent Marine’s pH Minus to try and bring
the pH below or around 7.0. Interestingly, the pH is always lower in
the morning than in the evening.
<That's normal. Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen by day. At
night, they take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. The increased carbon
dioxide decreases the pH. So if you use any CO2 supplementation for your plants,
that would help decrease the pH.>
I have a gravel substrate.
If I have left any pertinent facts out, please let me know. I was
thinking a couple of Platies might be in order for the string algae.
<What you really want for hair algae is a Florida flagfish or two. For the
rest of the algae, get those phosphates down. My favorite thing for that is
Seachem's Phosguard, as it can be left in the filter for a long while.
Additionally, it won't fall out of the media container in the Emperor. You might
also consider some algae-eating shrimp or a Siamese algae eater (the true SAE,
not its impersonators... see http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/saes.htm
for details). They aren't the most colorful fish, but they are always active and
quite fun to watch. --Ananda>
Planted aquarium
I'm wondering, are there any plants that can take temperatures around 28-30C
? (Discus tank)<Do check this link out http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/AquariumGardenSubWebIndex.html
,IanB>
Thank you,
Luke
Re: new 72-gallon tank setup
Hi Ronni at wetwebmedia,
I guess this is all on a voluntary basis? I myself is an application
developer by trade...what about you?
<Yep, we’re all volunteers. For my living I manage the family furniture
business.>
The link you put down is for the conversion site, not on how to get started with
a planted tank...Yah, you have convinced me to stay away from any type of soil. :)
<Doh! Try this one http://www.aquabotanic.com/begin.htm
I did notice after I sent the last message that The Krib doesn’t sell plants
but they have a ton of info there!>
I did visit www.aquabotanic.com and they do have a couple of "hard to kill
plants" starter packages that I might be interested in. I need
plants that won't easily die on me. What do you think about these 2
packages?
---------------------------------------------------------
The New Hard to Kill Package (20 plants - $48.99 US)
2 Java Fern
2 Anubias nana
3 Java Lace Fern
2 Cryptocoryne spiralis
1 Aponogeton olivaceus
1 Hornwort
2 Hygrophila
6 Dwarf Sag
1 Java moss
---------------------------------------------
Hard to Kill Package 2 (32 plants - $125.00 US)
2 extra large Anubias
3 Anubias nana
2 Anubias coffefolia
2 Anubias cogenesis or Frazer
3 Java fern
2 Java lace fern
3 African Bolbitis fern
3 portions Java moss
12 assorted small Cryptocorynes
-------------------------------------------------
Do you have any experience with any of those plants?? Are they really
hardy kind of plants?? What about value for money?? Do you
think I should go for package 1 or package 2? I want to decorate my
72 gallon well with plants...do you think package 1 will be enough?? Or
will package 2 be too much for my tank??
<I like heavily planted tank so would probably go for package two myself.
I’ve tried many of those plants and have had good luck with them. The one
thing I would do if it were me, order whichever package you like but ask them to
leave out the Java Moss (or see if they’ll sub something else for it) or just
throw it away when it gets there. Java moss grows really fast and can rapidly
take over an entire tank. I spent hours trying to clean my plants of the stuff
and ended up having to replace many of them because the moss had taken over so
bad.>
I'm also reading about rinsing of the fluorite and I have been hearing allot of
people complaining about it - the fluorite will turn your water cloudy...Is this
true??? Any comments?
<Unfortunately, it’s very true so rinse it extremely well. It’s still
probably going to turn your tank water a little murky but that will soon settle
and not cause any problems.>
Thanks for your input/feedback. Paul
<You're welcome! Ronni>
Re: new 72-gallon tank setup
Hi Ronni,
<Good morning Paul!>
Thanks for replying to my email so quickly. I didn't expect such a
quick response. By the way, how does the people wetwebmedia get to
answer all those tons of questions from people all around the
world?? You must get thousands of emails each day.
<You happened to send in your message when I was online answering my
messages. :o) We don’t get thousands of messages daily but we do get quite a
few. At last count we are averaging somewhere around 10,000 unique ISP hits a
day but only a small portion of those people write in, many others stop by to
look something up or read the daily FAQ’s. As it is it’s taking all of us to
keep up but it’s a labor of love, I don’t think any of us would give up
doing this.>
Today is overcast. The temperature is about 10 degrees
Celsius...don't know what the Fahrenheit temperature is
<That works out to about 50F. There’s great conversion site at http://hemsidor.torget.se/users/b/bohjohan/convert/conv_e.htm
I use it all the time to convert sizes, weights, and temps.>
LUCKY YOU!!!! How come I never get birthday gifts like that?? :))
<LOL! It took a lot of begging and pleading on my part.>
Hmmm....you make me wonder again if I should use just an inch of organic soil as
my base. Can I have a problem having too much nutrients in my
substrate....using soil + fluorite??
<I was looking around this morning and AquaBotanic has a good article on
getting started with a planted tank. After reading it (http://hemsidor.torget.se/users/b/bohjohan/convert/conv_e.htm)
I would suggest staying away from the soil. Yes, too many nutrients can be a
problem. At the very least they can cause huge algae problems and if they are
too high they can cause problems for your fish as well.>
Okay, no peat moss for me then
<Good choice.>
I'll see if I can exchange one of the lights
<If not, you should be fine with these.>
WOW!! No question about it....marine tank is the way to go
<I’m still an oddball though, especially here on WWM. I love my marine
tanks and am glad I finally set them up but my FW tanks are still my favorites.
It probably has something to do with expense and the hardiness of most FW
fish.>
Ok, I'll try to send some pics when I get the tank all setup and I'll probably
have to write to you again for other questions
<Feel free to write to us at any time.>
Here in Toronto, Canada, we don't really have a good supplier of aquatic
plants. Would you recommend that I order from the US?? Is
it safe? Is it guaranteed? After transportation, will the
plants be able to survive? Can you provide me of some reputable sites?
<I don’t know about shipping to Canada. I know it can be done but I’ve
heard varying reports of charges from the border. Safety should be fine as long
as you quarantine all new stock, even plants. And also see if you can get
yourself some Lime-It, it’s a great cleansing product for live plants and many
retailers carry it. If I were you I would order from the established sites, The
Krib – www.thekrib.com – and Aqua Botanic - http://www.aquabotanic.com/
- are both very reputable. I have personally ordered from Aqua Botanic a couple
of years ago and was very pleased with my plants.>
I would also like to setup my tank to have the back slightly higher than the
front....What would you suggest using to keep the gravel slightly higher than
the front of the tank???
<Really, if you just slope the gravel it should stay that way without being
propped or held in place.>
Thanks. Paul
<Have a great day! Ronni>
Re: clown loaches and snails
Hi gang,
<Greetings!>
I have a planted tank with several medium (3") clown loaches...initially
stocked to control snail stowaways on plants, which they do well. In
fact, not only have the loaches become one of my favorite fishes in all my
tanks, I actually breed and raise Ramshorn snails just so I can give them a
treat a few times a month! =)
<I’m sure they love this, I do it myself with my clowns.>
My question: I have a couple LARGE (2" or so) Gold Inca (not
exactly sure of the species) snails in need of a home. They've been
housed in my quarantine tank for nearly a year, so I doubt introducing pathogens
would pose a risk to the tank, however, would the clown loaches pose a risk to
these big guys?
<Very possibly. I know I’ve seen clowns eat snails that were over an inch
in size so I’d be afraid to try it even with snails as large as yours.>
Also... now that I have your attention, hehe. What are some species
of plants (if any) that would do OK in a moderately aerated
tank? I'm not looking to win any awards in these tanks, just to
add some "live" decorations.
<A lot would depend on your lighting. Some of my favorites for moderately
lit, moderately aerated tanks are Anacharis (this one is rumored to be touchy
but I’ve always had good luck with it), Elodea, and Anubias.>
Thanks a bunch, and keep up the good work on WWM! Cheers, Michael
<Thank you and you’re welcome! Ronni>
Aquarium Plants 3/31/03
I have some Dwarf Sagittaria available to a good home. Also a bit of Sunset
Hygro (Hygrophila polysperma), some moneywort (Bacopa monnieri).
Have some Cryptocoryne Wendtii but only for trade.
Bob Alston
918.494.4913
BobAlston9@Aol.com
<Okay to post your number, email address? Have you looked to posting your
offer on our chatforum: http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/
? Bob Fenner>
Re: It's a jungle in there!
Hi Ronni,
I threw out the Mondo grass before it did any harm
<Good idea>
I moved the large Bacopa to the right of the tank- however, it sort of
hides the wendtii green I have behind it. I know Bacopa needs more light
but now am wondering if I should move the two.
<If you like the way it looks, leave it and see how the plants do in
those spots.>
In the left corner the first plant is a Hygrophila polysperma, has lots
yellow lower leaves, hope it acclimates soon
<I’ve tried Hygro a couple of times and it’s never done well for
me. Never could figure out why though, maybe you’ll have better
luck.>
Behind it is another piece of Bacopa. There are java ferns on the
driftwood centerpiece.
<I love the looks of this!>
I want to add a Val.s spiralis plant behind the driftwood for height-
maybe 2 small skinny ones- or maybe one. The only other thing that is ugly
is the long black filter column
<It looks like your tank is fairly tall, at least 15” or so? You
might be able to put some of the Crinum onions in front of the tube, I
have these in my tank and they do a pretty good job of hiding it (although
I’d like a couple of more). You’d probably have to trim them fairly
frequently though as the get quite long very fast.>
I want to add a windelov fern and attach to driftwood left corner- haven't
found a store that will sell only one plant. AquaBotanic has tropicus,
which is too big and not as nice and someplace called petSwarehouse has
it, but only sells in groups of 12.
<Maybe you could get them, keep what you want and then resell the rest
on eBay or Aquabid? BTW, where did you get your driftwood pieces? I've
been looking for some and those look really nice!>
QT- no idea what that is, then read your site, oh my! I have been washing
off plants and adding direct, and acclimating fish (float bag, add water,
etc) and scooping them in.
<Ack! Never a good idea. People have wiped out their entire systems by
not quarantining new arrivals.>
I am suppose to get a 6 gallon eclipse from manufacturer, since this is
the tank that exploded, and could use that as QT- but please tell me it
doesn't have to be on all the time- couldn't do it.
<Nope, doesn’t need to be set up all the time. A day or two before
you get new stock, set the QT tank up with water and filtration material
from your main tank. Don’t put any gravel or anything in the QT, it’s
not needed. Just a piece of PVC pipe or something for the fish to hide
in.>
Also, that tank might take up to 6 weeks to come in- and I want to add
otos by end of week. Any thoughts?
<Maybe get just a small 1-2 gallon tank to keep on hand for QT'ing new
arrivals? It needs to have filtration of some sort but that’s it. You
should be able to get one for $10-$20 max.>
This one fish store is actually very good, lots of recs, etc., Absolutely
Fish in Clifton NJ. So I have to hope that that will be ok. Thanks, Rosa
<That’s good that you have a nice LFS, many of them aren’t so
great. If they’re easy to deal with, they may let you put a deposit on
the fish and leave them there until you know they are disease free. Many
places won’t do this though because they are constantly getting new
arrivals and need the room. Ronni> |
|
 |
Re: Bubble wand- is it necessary?
Hi Ronni- thanks so much for quick response!!
<You’re very welcome!>
Two more questions, ok?
<Sure!!>
Since this is new planted tank for me, first time at it, can you think of any
other plants I can add before I start with fish? Vallisneria Spiralis? Pennywort
or maybe a Java Lace Fern? I want to add some height and more room for fish to
swim through plants....
<Some of my favorites for adding height with easy to grow plants are
Anacharis and Crinum “Onion” plants. The Anacharis is rumored to be a little
tough but I’ve tried it in numerous different situations and it’s always
grown wonderfully. It can easily reach heights of 2 feet. The Crinum is my
absolute all time favorite FW plant. Mine have reached lengths of over 5 feet
and swirl on the waters surface. They are pickier about light but will live in
even poor lighting and grow very rapidly in high light. Anubias is another very
hardy plant that can grow fairly tall. Java fern and Corkscrew Val would be good
choices for you also, just be sure to stay away from java moss as it can rapidly
spread and take over a tank.>
With water changes and plants--do I still 'dig' into the gravel? Seems harder
now with the plants, especially since they are not established. Any tips on
that?
<You should still vacuum the gravel but probably not as frequently. Just kind
of work your way around the plants, being careful not to disturb the rooting
process. These plants are all pretty tough though.>
Last, should I add fish first and then otos and shrimp? I am worried that since
plants are not established there will not be much for them to munch on. I know I
can give algae wafers but I read that if I do that too often, they get lazy and
don't eat algae--any truth to that.
<I’ve never had this problem, I supplement all of mine with wafers and they
still keep my tanks sparkling. But with the fish you have, it wouldn’t go hurt
to go ahead and wait. You shouldn’t have any aggression problems even if you
add these guys later.>
I liked the idea of barbs and rummy tetras- I think they are cuter. What about a
five banded barb instead of cherry barb? I read they are less likely to 'fin
nip'. Would they be a better choice than the cherry barbs?
<I don’t have any experience with the Banded Barbs but I have 3 Cherries in
with my Tetras and have no problems with fin nipping. If you go with the
Cherries, do try to get them when they’re young and this should help. The
young ones are a bright red color, the older ones fade to a brown with
stripes.>
Thanks SO VERY MUCH for quick response. I am off for fish store tomorrow and
will let you know how it all works out. I'm glad I found your site- have gotten
a ton of 'bad' advice so far and would like to keep the fish I have.... Best,
Rosa
<Do keep me posted. It sounds like your tank is going to be similar to my 60
gallon. It’s a beautiful setup and never fails to get compliments. I’d also
love to see some pictures of it once it’s completed. Ronni>
Baby Plants (Aponogetons)
Hello, I found a bunch of baby Aponogeton plants in my 29 gal. tank
and I am not sure what I did right to have
this happen. I have Crispus and Undulatus in the same tank. I
do remember letting a flower grow out of the water
and it be seemed to have shells on it.
<Neat... sounds like these seeds germinated>
Then I stuck it back in the tank. The filter system was very slow at
that time...I am not using co2, just the old way of having the fish provide the
co2.
<Still works>
As I am just starting back in live plants from a number of years of using
plastic I started with the bulb plants as they always seem to grow fast and
easily.
<Yes... Aponogetons are great for this>
In the 25 years or so that I have grown these plants, I never got babies. The
seedlings are about 1 inch or so and I did find other seed sprouting when I dug
up the tank to get the worst of the algae out and plant more plants to try to
get a better balance going.
<A great technique>
Any help will be appreciated. I enjoy your site and welcome all the
info.
<Mmmm, just keep "doing what you're doing"... these plants should
grow their own bulbs... Do you pull them out, let them "rest" after a
few months? Bob Fenner>
Thanks, Vicki
Riccia Plants
Hello, My name is Alex, i live in N.Y and i searched a lot of websites about the Riccia
fluitans Plant. It seems
impossible to buy. I saw even in your website this plant is for sale. Please let me know how i should order and why everybody tells me it is
impossible to find here because it is a tropical plant.
<Please contact the etailers of plants listed on the WetWebMedia.com Links Pages. Bob Fenner> Sincerely,
Alex
Re: Plant questions
Hi Bob!
Well, I called Arizona Aquatic Gardens on P-F's suggestion (many moons
ago in a brackish thread), and found out they've been wanting to do a
brackish "package" for a few years... sent the guy I talked to over to
your web site, and he was impressed.
For the 30g, here's the list he came up with after I told him which
plants I was interested in:
Background:
2 Hornwort
2 wisteria
6 Val. spiralis
8 Val. americana
2 Asian Ambulia
Midground:
2 Anacharis
10 Java ferns
6 Aponogeton crispus (I requested bulbs, since they're a lot cheaper)
<Very much>
Foreground:
20 dwarf Sagittaria
2 Stargrass
2 pennywort
Looking back over this list and comparing it with the various notes I
have, I'm thinking I'll make a few changes:
- take out the Stargrass and pennywort
<I would>
- add a couple of Ceratopteris
- maybe add some pygmy/narrow leaf chain swords
- decrease the Java ferns and increase the crispus (to cut the costs a
bit -- Java ferns are $3 each and crispus bulbs are 50c each!)
<Cheap>
Any further suggestions?
(BTW, he ixnayed the Mexican oak-leaf plant as being difficult to grow. )
(BTW 2: with all the info about puffers on the brackish plant FAQs page,
you might want to add a link from the freshwater puffers page! :-)
<Thanks for this... better do right now. Done. Bob Fenner>>
Thanks!!
--Ananda
Air Ferns
Hi,
I'm doing a science experiment on Sertularia argenta and preservatives. Do you
have any information on Sertularia argenta?
Rob Moeller
<Sertularia argentea Linnaeus 1758? Air "Ferns" (actually tissue
grade animals, hydrozoans) are almost unknown to me. Unfortunately they have
been utilized (treated, colored) as "ornamental plants" for aquariums.
Bob Fenner>
Re: Air Ferns
Thank you for your help. I think the class is Hydrozoa and the phylum is
Cnidaria. I am looking for the order and family. I am leading toward the order
being Hydrocorallina?
<No, Order Hydroida or Thecata... depending on differing schema.>
Would you know the order and the family.
<Sertulariidae according to my references. Bob Fenner>
Thank you again.
Rob Moeller
Lilaeopsis sp mauritius
I have tried in vain to find a source in the US for Lilaeopsis sp mauritius. Any suggestions?
<I would posit the same question on The Aquarium Gardener's listserv, to the etailers listed on our Links Pages who deal in live plants>
It seems strange that most plants offered for sale require
low pH and soft water, and yet all waters west of the Mississippi are hard and 7+ pH.
Is there a San Diego area based aquarium plant farm as opposed to all the Florida firms with their super soft water?
<There was one... of good size... sort of like a local Tropica, Dennerle... wholesale only... now gone. Do know some folks who are major hobbyist growing types. Will ask them if they have this to go. Bob Fenner>
Regards,
Ron Whitefountain
Polson, Montana
Arizona Aquatic Gardens
Hi Bob,
PF here. I noticed this company wasn't on the links page. Being that
you're a proponent of planted FW setups, I thought you might want to
check them out.
<Thanks much Michael. Do know of these folks... just one of many, many oversights, "haven't gotten to yet" items.>
I ordered from them on several occasions and was very
happy with what I got. Even the little Corbicula fluminea (golden clams)
did well, I ordered a dozen only lost one in shipping and had 3
fatalities over the 5 months they were in my tank. I've heard from
others that sometimes they get only 1 or 2 alive out of that many.
<Yes, often none>
I
also ordered the large SAE who did very well in my system, and all my
plants did very well also. I did have a hard time with the Amano shrimp,
but then I think they had problems with the water hardness, though
nothing else did.
http://www.azgardens.com
Hope all is well with you and yours,
Mike
<Will add two days hence. Be chatting. Bob Fenner>
Hygrophila polysperma
Hi Rob,
I've been having problems with my Hygrophila polysperma recently.
I have 3 40watt tubes in my 170L tank and the h. polysperma is growing
well at the top near the light but lower down the leaves have small
black holes in them and seem a little thinner.
<Yes... a not uncommon situation with "Hygros" in aquarium use>
I've recently started fertilizing with Dupla plant and Duplaplant 24
in hopes to rectify this.
<A good choice in complete fertilizers>
What advice can you give me?
<Do check on the "age" of your fluorescents... they may be "too old" (phase shifted, lost luminosity), and read over our site (WetWebMedia) and links to "the Krib" re use of carbon dioxide and nitrates in planted aquariums. You have a deficiency syndrome going here... that is easily solved once identified. Bob Fenner>
Keith :)
Looking For Live Plants, the Best Ones For Use
Where can I get good freshwater plants for my aquarium, any good websites?
What are the best plants for a new aquarium?
<Please read through "Plant Index" on our site: www.WetWebMedia.com
and the Links Page there... a section on "Plants" is there.
Bob Fenner>
Thanks,
Steven Ho
Hello (offer of sale of aquatic plants, add link)
Do you grow or sell Cyrtosperma, Lagenandra as well as other aroids?
<The only aroids we have are Magnolias... no my friend, no live anything for sale.>
I collect
them and have been looking for a place that would sell them. THANKS
<Will post your Araceae offerings on our site, www.WetWebMedia.com just the same. Be chatting. Bob Fenner>
My aroid site
www.angelfire.com/ky2/bwilliams
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