Get rid of the algae that is growing on my dwarf hair grass?
Stats:
10 Gallon aquarium
15 watt 10000k bulb (might upgrade, but what is a good one that will fit on a 10 gallon aquarium???????
DIY CO2 with yeast and sugar
DIY 95 percent efficient CO2 reactor with powerhead (if you want a design i'll email it to you.
Melon Sword
Java fern (i'm soaking the driftwood)
2 pots of dwarf hair grass
20 gallon filter
On it's way:
3 pots of hair grass
Ruffle plant
Amazon Sword
oh yeah, and my substrate is eco complete (I LOVE IT)
Dry fertilizer every 20 days
Don't know how much co2, but i'm building a bubble counter for it today =)))))))
How Do I....?
what kind of algae is it? fish will only eat certain types of algae and not touch others. and in a 10 gallon only 1 type of algae eating fish will fit, the otocinclus, and they will only eat a few types of algae, not all. shrimp will also eat certain types of algae and are much better algae eaters (amano or red cherry shrimp are best).
ID the algae then look at the root cause rather than just treating the symptom. if you have cyanobacteria for example, nothing will eat it.
Reply:get it away from sunlight, or get snails
Reply:there is a certain type of fish that kills algae go to pets mart
they suck on the side of a tank
Reply:a pleco should do a good job
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Live plant lighting and keeping them algae-free.?
I just bought a compact fluorescent fixture for my 55 gallon tank. It has 2 bulbs for a total of 130 watts. Is this considered as moderate lighting? I have onion plants, green hedges, micro swords, and Brazilian swords; will these live? Do I need to add iron fertilizer each month to keep them green?
Also, how do I keep the algae off of them? I had the tank full of java ferns for about 2 months and they are covered in brown algae. I had to set up a 10 with a dozen oto's to clean them. Short of adding a few dozen oto's to my 55, what else can I do to keep them clean?
Live plant lighting and keeping them algae-free.?
The best way to keep the tank free of algae is to keep all the nutrients and lighting in balance. With a lot of lighting but no fertilizer and no CO2, it will be next to impossible for the plants to grow. Algae, unfortunately, is MUCH less demanding and will happily grow with only light and tiny amounts of nutrients. Until you start adding a LOT of fertilizer and a LOT of CO2 to catch up to your 130 watts of lighting, you will continue to see algae breakouts. You definitely need to be adding fertilizer in the recommended dosages (preferably after each weekly water change) and you should really consider adding some CO2 in the form of a carbon block (similar to this http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/11... brand name is MUCH more expensive; I have a non-brand unit that only cost me $50).
*Green Hedge is not an aquatic plant, so it will soon rot in your tank, leading to further algae problems as your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate rise.
**Are you sure your "Brazilian Sword" isn't Amazon Sword? Amazon Swords are much more common...
Soop Nazi
EDIT: :~( Unfortunately, your Brazilian Sword is actually Spathiphyllum tasson, which is also called the Peace Lily... which isn't a true aquatic plant either... Next time you go to your fish store, I suggest asking why they sold you two different kinds of terrestrial plants, and if they sold them to you knowing that they would soon rot in your tank... All I can recommend is that you either get pictures of them and make sure they are really what they were sold as*, or take them back ASAP!
*Echinodorus bleheri is VERY similar to Amazon Sword (Echinodorus amazonicus), and it has thinner leaves than Amazon Sword, so this might be what you bought... If you can get a photo of it, either post it on photobucket or some other photo site or send it to me to see if I can help you out...
Reply:Thats 2wpg, but do you know the kalvins?
Plants need 6500k-10k specially for tanks larger than 10 gallons
Yes 2 wpg of good lighting is considered moderate, but if not its low medium.
You will need to buy a good fertilizer i will recommend Seachem Flourish and add Seachem Excel for much better plants. I say you buy Both.
The exel and flourish are needed because as the plants light, they need their food to grow. Else you will get you algae all over the place. You maybe have to throw away the tank if you get much algae infestation. Micro -swords need can live in 2wpg , but they need lots of fertilizer and CO2. I think the onions will live. The green hedges and Brazilian sword are going to die because they are terristial plants and need their leafs above water. Yes you need fertilizer/C02 running and you have to add fertilizer every week.
For the algae problem, java ferns are slow growers in poor tanks, so thats why they had algae. You didn't have C02 as well which is making them grow slow, and no fertilizer is just going to grow algae. Add C02, your fertilizer, have a heavy planted tank wth LOTS of plants, one or two plants are just going to grow you and algae garden, and course keep nitrates low. OR you can have otos in their feast.
Reply:wow soup nazi has done it again perfect answer give him the 10 points
Reply:Yup, Soup Nazi pretty much nailed it.
The short answer that a general fertalizer used as needed will be fine to keep the plants alive, but you have to monitor the water conditions. Keeping the algae off of them is achieved by monitoring the water quality with a full test kit, doing your water changes (don't forget conditioner), and putting in some algae eaters.
More info below (Some of which Soup Nazi already covered):
Typically, a planted aquarum looks like this:
1) Good lighting specifically for growing plants: 1watt/gallon = Low 2watt/gallon = Medium 3-4watts/gallon = High. Keep in mind the quality and reflectivity of the Light Hood can increase the wattage without increasing the power consumption or the wattage rating. Your tank falls in the upper range of Medium Lighting. Be sure to put your lights on a timer and leave them on for about 8-10hrs/day.
2) CO2 Injection. Your plants will need this if you really want them to do well. You monitor the amount of CO2 in your tank with a pH meter. It is not harmful to your fish to elevate the CO2 levels with plants in the tank. I've never used or seen anyone use the CO2 system Soup Nazi has, but his experience has been really good with it. I personally have the canister/valve system and have had a ton of success with that.
3) Fertalizers. Most planted tanks use some Laterite in the gravel. They also use colum or substrate fertalizers. It becomes a huge effort of trial and error to get the dosage and frequency exactly right, but it's worth it.
Those three elements all slammed together act essentially like plant steroids. When you put your plants in a tank like that, they go nuts and will start bubbling O2 bubbles. My tank looked like it was filled with Soda instead of Water. However, algae is a plant too, so what's good for your plants will also be good for algae.
The common theory in the planted tank is that your plants will consume the "steroids" before the algae does. If you're getting algae blooms, you have an element of the fertalizer or something out of whack and it's time to adjust. Algae will litterally melt away in a few days if you adjust to get rid of excess elements. Also knowing what kinda algae it is will help direct you to which elements it might be.
Algae will always be present to some degree though, which is why most planted tanks have a plethora of algae eaters. Ottocinclus, Siamese Algae Eaters (not Chinese), Amano Shrimp, Cherry Shrimp, Plecos, Flag Fish, snails, etc... I know Clown Pleco's love brown algae, Flag Fish love hair algae, etc...
Also, how do I keep the algae off of them? I had the tank full of java ferns for about 2 months and they are covered in brown algae. I had to set up a 10 with a dozen oto's to clean them. Short of adding a few dozen oto's to my 55, what else can I do to keep them clean?
Live plant lighting and keeping them algae-free.?
The best way to keep the tank free of algae is to keep all the nutrients and lighting in balance. With a lot of lighting but no fertilizer and no CO2, it will be next to impossible for the plants to grow. Algae, unfortunately, is MUCH less demanding and will happily grow with only light and tiny amounts of nutrients. Until you start adding a LOT of fertilizer and a LOT of CO2 to catch up to your 130 watts of lighting, you will continue to see algae breakouts. You definitely need to be adding fertilizer in the recommended dosages (preferably after each weekly water change) and you should really consider adding some CO2 in the form of a carbon block (similar to this http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/11... brand name is MUCH more expensive; I have a non-brand unit that only cost me $50).
*Green Hedge is not an aquatic plant, so it will soon rot in your tank, leading to further algae problems as your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate rise.
**Are you sure your "Brazilian Sword" isn't Amazon Sword? Amazon Swords are much more common...
Soop Nazi
EDIT: :~( Unfortunately, your Brazilian Sword is actually Spathiphyllum tasson, which is also called the Peace Lily... which isn't a true aquatic plant either... Next time you go to your fish store, I suggest asking why they sold you two different kinds of terrestrial plants, and if they sold them to you knowing that they would soon rot in your tank... All I can recommend is that you either get pictures of them and make sure they are really what they were sold as*, or take them back ASAP!
*Echinodorus bleheri is VERY similar to Amazon Sword (Echinodorus amazonicus), and it has thinner leaves than Amazon Sword, so this might be what you bought... If you can get a photo of it, either post it on photobucket or some other photo site or send it to me to see if I can help you out...
Reply:Thats 2wpg, but do you know the kalvins?
Plants need 6500k-10k specially for tanks larger than 10 gallons
Yes 2 wpg of good lighting is considered moderate, but if not its low medium.
You will need to buy a good fertilizer i will recommend Seachem Flourish and add Seachem Excel for much better plants. I say you buy Both.
The exel and flourish are needed because as the plants light, they need their food to grow. Else you will get you algae all over the place. You maybe have to throw away the tank if you get much algae infestation. Micro -swords need can live in 2wpg , but they need lots of fertilizer and CO2. I think the onions will live. The green hedges and Brazilian sword are going to die because they are terristial plants and need their leafs above water. Yes you need fertilizer/C02 running and you have to add fertilizer every week.
For the algae problem, java ferns are slow growers in poor tanks, so thats why they had algae. You didn't have C02 as well which is making them grow slow, and no fertilizer is just going to grow algae. Add C02, your fertilizer, have a heavy planted tank wth LOTS of plants, one or two plants are just going to grow you and algae garden, and course keep nitrates low. OR you can have otos in their feast.
Reply:wow soup nazi has done it again perfect answer give him the 10 points
Reply:Yup, Soup Nazi pretty much nailed it.
The short answer that a general fertalizer used as needed will be fine to keep the plants alive, but you have to monitor the water conditions. Keeping the algae off of them is achieved by monitoring the water quality with a full test kit, doing your water changes (don't forget conditioner), and putting in some algae eaters.
More info below (Some of which Soup Nazi already covered):
Typically, a planted aquarum looks like this:
1) Good lighting specifically for growing plants: 1watt/gallon = Low 2watt/gallon = Medium 3-4watts/gallon = High. Keep in mind the quality and reflectivity of the Light Hood can increase the wattage without increasing the power consumption or the wattage rating. Your tank falls in the upper range of Medium Lighting. Be sure to put your lights on a timer and leave them on for about 8-10hrs/day.
2) CO2 Injection. Your plants will need this if you really want them to do well. You monitor the amount of CO2 in your tank with a pH meter. It is not harmful to your fish to elevate the CO2 levels with plants in the tank. I've never used or seen anyone use the CO2 system Soup Nazi has, but his experience has been really good with it. I personally have the canister/valve system and have had a ton of success with that.
3) Fertalizers. Most planted tanks use some Laterite in the gravel. They also use colum or substrate fertalizers. It becomes a huge effort of trial and error to get the dosage and frequency exactly right, but it's worth it.
Those three elements all slammed together act essentially like plant steroids. When you put your plants in a tank like that, they go nuts and will start bubbling O2 bubbles. My tank looked like it was filled with Soda instead of Water. However, algae is a plant too, so what's good for your plants will also be good for algae.
The common theory in the planted tank is that your plants will consume the "steroids" before the algae does. If you're getting algae blooms, you have an element of the fertalizer or something out of whack and it's time to adjust. Algae will litterally melt away in a few days if you adjust to get rid of excess elements. Also knowing what kinda algae it is will help direct you to which elements it might be.
Algae will always be present to some degree though, which is why most planted tanks have a plethora of algae eaters. Ottocinclus, Siamese Algae Eaters (not Chinese), Amano Shrimp, Cherry Shrimp, Plecos, Flag Fish, snails, etc... I know Clown Pleco's love brown algae, Flag Fish love hair algae, etc...
Nice medium sized plant for small aquarium?
I have a 5 gallon aquarium with a 10 watt flourescent bulb.
Currently, I have some crypts (2) Java Fern (1) and a Hornwort (1) in there....The hornwort has managed to take over the tank in two weeks, so I want to take that out...Tried an Amazon Sword, and that croaked....
So I guess I would like a suggestion for an easy to grow plant that can withstand medium light, and 74 degree water....
Something about 8 to 10 inches would be great.....
Any Ideas?
Thanks a bunch
Here is a pic of the type of tank, if that helps....
http://www.aquariumguys.com/eclipse3.htm...
Nice medium sized plant for small aquarium?
You could have hydrilla plants. They are very easy to grow.
CC
Reply:There can be a lot of plants offered at your local fish store or on line sales. But they all have different requirements. Some can be quite easy to grow in your aquarium while others can be very difficult with out CO2 and high lighting. Unfortunately there are also several plants that are regularly sold in aquarium shops that are terrestrial plants and will never survive in the aquarium long term.
So what can you do to avoid the disappointment of filling your aquarium with plants that likely won't survive in your set up or even worse that no matter what you do will never live? You have to do your research first. It's no use wasting your money on plants that won't live. You want to get the plants that are most likely to thrive in your aquarium and the best way to do that is know what you're buying before you hand your money to the cashier.
Which plants are the easiest to grow? In part that will depend on your set up and the make up of the water you use in your aquarium, but I have made a list of some of the plants that usually do quite well even in moderate lighting and without too many extra needs.
One of my favorite plants that's easily found is the Amazon sword. The sword plants you purchase in the store has most likely been grown emersed, with the leaves out of the water. Those leaves will probably not last in your tank, so don't panic if you loose the original leaves as long as new ones are growing in. As the old leaves start dying off clip them off near the base of the stem so they don't start decomposing in your tank. Amazon swords can get quite large. They can easily totally fill a 10 or even 20 gallon tank.
Mellon swords are also regularly sold. These can also be grown fairly easily in your aquarium, though the leaves will usually take on a different shape once in your tank, depending on the species, water quality, and lighting.
Swords are known for liking nutrients through their roots. I've found that it will help them along by placing fertilizer tablets or sticks in the substrate near them. Be sure when planting your swords that you don't cover the crown of the plant, where the leaves come out, with gravel. Just cover the roots, it's better to leave a little too much out of the gravel than put too much under it. Sword plants can also have huge root systems that cover the entire bottom of the tank. If you later pull one out, and aren't careful, you may find most of the rest of the tank can come out with it.
Another plant in the same genus that I'll mention on its own is the pygmy chain sword. The great thing about the pygmy chain sword is it's a low growing plant. It will work great in small tanks and as a carpeting plant in any tank. They reproduce quickly and will soon look like a nice lawn in your aquarium. These are also usually grown emersed so the original leaves will die off and new ones will replace them in your aquarium.
Two other rather similar grass looking types of plants are also regularly available and are easy to grow, Vallisneria (val) and Sagitteria (sag). There are several species of both offered. The largest is jungle val. These can grow extremely long leaves, over 6 feet, and are really only suitable for large tall tanks. Most Vallisneria tend to get long leaves and you can trim them so they don't cover the top of your tank, otherwise they can block light from the other plants in your aquarium. Twisted val is an interesting plant. The leaves have the same shape as other Vallisneria plants but are twisted. I've found that these also don't tend to grow as tall as some of the other val and are more controlled in their growth. Most val can grow very well and can take over an aquarium. Vallisneria are true aquatic plants so you shouldn't experience heavy leaf loss when placing in your own aquarium.
Saggiteria usually has somewhat stiffer darker leaves but looks quite similar to val. The best way to tell them apart is the tips of the leaves. You have to look very closely but in Vallisneria the leaves are serrated on the top and in Saggiteria they are smooth. Saggiteria is often preferable to val in most tanks particularly smaller ones. It usually doesn't grow as tall as val and doesn't seem to reproduce as quickly, making it easier to maintain.
Java fern is another popular plant that's usually easy to grow. There are several very attractive varieties available. Don't plant your Java ferns. These plants do well growing on natural wood in the aquarium. It's easy to tie them on to a piece of aquarium driftwood with dark cotton sewing thread. Your Java ferns will eventually attach to the wood itself and the cotton thread will rot away.
Water sprite is another fern for the aquarium. It can be planted in the substrate or left to float with the roots trailing below. These are very attractive plants with bright green leaves. There are 2 species of water sprite most often encountered in the hobby, though others are sometimes seen. The 2 most commonly found are Ceratopteris thalictroides and C. cornuta. They are both lovely plants and differ in their leaf shape. Water sprite has an interesting trait in that baby plants form on the older leaves of the adult plant. They can easily cover the top of your tank so you will have to thin them regularly.
Hornwort is a floating plant that is also a truly aquatic plant. Hornwort is rather interesting in that it never develops roots. This also means that it's useless to plant it in the gravel. Any part of the plant you put under the gravel will just die. Hornwort can grow quickly and will keep light from other plants below it. Another interesting thing about hornwort is that a small piece of the stem will grow into another plant, so it's easy to trim to the amount you need, though you may have to do it quite frequently.
There are several very nice Cryptocoryne species and cultivars that are easy to grow, and will also do well in both low and high lighting. You can usually find these in the potted plants at your local fish store. If they have a name tag they usually are listed as C. wendtii, walkeri or lutea, and come in green red and bronze. These are plants that may have been grown emersed so don't panic if you have leaf loss at first as long as long as new leaves are forming. Once established crypts can grow a bit more slowly than some of the other aquarium plants but they will eventually spread and if not thinned periodically, can eventually take over the whole tank.
Stemmed plants are often a bit harder to grow than some of the other plants available for the aquarium but there are a few that will generally grow easily even in moderate lighting. These plants include, Rotala rotundifolia, Bacopa monneiri, and Ludwigia repens.
Rotala has small leaves that can take on a red tint as they get more light. Often you'll see the bottom of the stems have green leaves but as they near the top of your tank they start getting more red in the color. If you let these plants grow to the surface of your tank they take on a bit different look. The leaves will grow on either side of the stem facing up. Roots will also form on these floating sections of stem.
Bacopa is a bright green plant with rubbery like leaves. It can grow rapidly and tends to like to grow up out of the tank if allowed. It should be trimmed regularly if you don't want it growing out of your tank. If you do have an open tank it can be quite attractive if left to grow out. The stems will start to drape down the sides of the tank. I had some I let go in my fish room once that started on the upper row of tanks and ended up growing into the tanks on the two shelves below it and down to the floor.
Ludwigia can sometimes be a bit more difficult but still is usually pretty easy going. It's a very attractive plant. The leaves can be dark green on top but the undersides take on a dark red color that can even be almost purple. Like Rotala if left to grow to the top of the tank the leaves will turn to the light and the upper stems will grow roots.
Mosses are some of my very favorite aquarium plants. They are beautiful and grow easily in low to high lighting. There are several different mosses available for the aquarium. The most common is Java moss but Christmas tree moss and occasionally Fontinalis can be found too. Mosses are pretty popular right now and there are even some new ones from the Orient that are sometimes becoming available. Some of these may be more difficult to grow.
Mosses are wonderful on branches or wood in the aquarium and can be attached with thread like the Java ferns. They also look great as ground covers or between your plants. I find they often will fill in all the empty spaces between stemmed plants in the tank and look like a mound of moss with the plants peeking out the top. If you don't trim them back eventually they can take over the whole aquarium, so it's good to trim your mosses occasionally. You can cut or pull out the parts you want removed. Mosses also should not be planted under the gravel.
My favorite of the more common mosses is Christmas tree. It seems to grab on to wood and gravel better, stays down better and has a more attractive appearance. It's also easier to control. Java moss is thinner and tends to grow up more and faster. It's just quite as attractive in my opinion. Fontinalis is a prettier moss than the Java but harder to find and a bit harder to grow.
Remember that each plant may react differently to your aquarium. The plants listed above are those that are often available and that through my own experience and talking with others over the years seem to be the most likely to grow easily and well. Your experiences may differ but these plants should give you a good chance for success.
Currently, I have some crypts (2) Java Fern (1) and a Hornwort (1) in there....The hornwort has managed to take over the tank in two weeks, so I want to take that out...Tried an Amazon Sword, and that croaked....
So I guess I would like a suggestion for an easy to grow plant that can withstand medium light, and 74 degree water....
Something about 8 to 10 inches would be great.....
Any Ideas?
Thanks a bunch
Here is a pic of the type of tank, if that helps....
http://www.aquariumguys.com/eclipse3.htm...
Nice medium sized plant for small aquarium?
You could have hydrilla plants. They are very easy to grow.
CC
Reply:There can be a lot of plants offered at your local fish store or on line sales. But they all have different requirements. Some can be quite easy to grow in your aquarium while others can be very difficult with out CO2 and high lighting. Unfortunately there are also several plants that are regularly sold in aquarium shops that are terrestrial plants and will never survive in the aquarium long term.
So what can you do to avoid the disappointment of filling your aquarium with plants that likely won't survive in your set up or even worse that no matter what you do will never live? You have to do your research first. It's no use wasting your money on plants that won't live. You want to get the plants that are most likely to thrive in your aquarium and the best way to do that is know what you're buying before you hand your money to the cashier.
Which plants are the easiest to grow? In part that will depend on your set up and the make up of the water you use in your aquarium, but I have made a list of some of the plants that usually do quite well even in moderate lighting and without too many extra needs.
One of my favorite plants that's easily found is the Amazon sword. The sword plants you purchase in the store has most likely been grown emersed, with the leaves out of the water. Those leaves will probably not last in your tank, so don't panic if you loose the original leaves as long as new ones are growing in. As the old leaves start dying off clip them off near the base of the stem so they don't start decomposing in your tank. Amazon swords can get quite large. They can easily totally fill a 10 or even 20 gallon tank.
Mellon swords are also regularly sold. These can also be grown fairly easily in your aquarium, though the leaves will usually take on a different shape once in your tank, depending on the species, water quality, and lighting.
Swords are known for liking nutrients through their roots. I've found that it will help them along by placing fertilizer tablets or sticks in the substrate near them. Be sure when planting your swords that you don't cover the crown of the plant, where the leaves come out, with gravel. Just cover the roots, it's better to leave a little too much out of the gravel than put too much under it. Sword plants can also have huge root systems that cover the entire bottom of the tank. If you later pull one out, and aren't careful, you may find most of the rest of the tank can come out with it.
Another plant in the same genus that I'll mention on its own is the pygmy chain sword. The great thing about the pygmy chain sword is it's a low growing plant. It will work great in small tanks and as a carpeting plant in any tank. They reproduce quickly and will soon look like a nice lawn in your aquarium. These are also usually grown emersed so the original leaves will die off and new ones will replace them in your aquarium.
Two other rather similar grass looking types of plants are also regularly available and are easy to grow, Vallisneria (val) and Sagitteria (sag). There are several species of both offered. The largest is jungle val. These can grow extremely long leaves, over 6 feet, and are really only suitable for large tall tanks. Most Vallisneria tend to get long leaves and you can trim them so they don't cover the top of your tank, otherwise they can block light from the other plants in your aquarium. Twisted val is an interesting plant. The leaves have the same shape as other Vallisneria plants but are twisted. I've found that these also don't tend to grow as tall as some of the other val and are more controlled in their growth. Most val can grow very well and can take over an aquarium. Vallisneria are true aquatic plants so you shouldn't experience heavy leaf loss when placing in your own aquarium.
Saggiteria usually has somewhat stiffer darker leaves but looks quite similar to val. The best way to tell them apart is the tips of the leaves. You have to look very closely but in Vallisneria the leaves are serrated on the top and in Saggiteria they are smooth. Saggiteria is often preferable to val in most tanks particularly smaller ones. It usually doesn't grow as tall as val and doesn't seem to reproduce as quickly, making it easier to maintain.
Java fern is another popular plant that's usually easy to grow. There are several very attractive varieties available. Don't plant your Java ferns. These plants do well growing on natural wood in the aquarium. It's easy to tie them on to a piece of aquarium driftwood with dark cotton sewing thread. Your Java ferns will eventually attach to the wood itself and the cotton thread will rot away.
Water sprite is another fern for the aquarium. It can be planted in the substrate or left to float with the roots trailing below. These are very attractive plants with bright green leaves. There are 2 species of water sprite most often encountered in the hobby, though others are sometimes seen. The 2 most commonly found are Ceratopteris thalictroides and C. cornuta. They are both lovely plants and differ in their leaf shape. Water sprite has an interesting trait in that baby plants form on the older leaves of the adult plant. They can easily cover the top of your tank so you will have to thin them regularly.
Hornwort is a floating plant that is also a truly aquatic plant. Hornwort is rather interesting in that it never develops roots. This also means that it's useless to plant it in the gravel. Any part of the plant you put under the gravel will just die. Hornwort can grow quickly and will keep light from other plants below it. Another interesting thing about hornwort is that a small piece of the stem will grow into another plant, so it's easy to trim to the amount you need, though you may have to do it quite frequently.
There are several very nice Cryptocoryne species and cultivars that are easy to grow, and will also do well in both low and high lighting. You can usually find these in the potted plants at your local fish store. If they have a name tag they usually are listed as C. wendtii, walkeri or lutea, and come in green red and bronze. These are plants that may have been grown emersed so don't panic if you have leaf loss at first as long as long as new leaves are forming. Once established crypts can grow a bit more slowly than some of the other aquarium plants but they will eventually spread and if not thinned periodically, can eventually take over the whole tank.
Stemmed plants are often a bit harder to grow than some of the other plants available for the aquarium but there are a few that will generally grow easily even in moderate lighting. These plants include, Rotala rotundifolia, Bacopa monneiri, and Ludwigia repens.
Rotala has small leaves that can take on a red tint as they get more light. Often you'll see the bottom of the stems have green leaves but as they near the top of your tank they start getting more red in the color. If you let these plants grow to the surface of your tank they take on a bit different look. The leaves will grow on either side of the stem facing up. Roots will also form on these floating sections of stem.
Bacopa is a bright green plant with rubbery like leaves. It can grow rapidly and tends to like to grow up out of the tank if allowed. It should be trimmed regularly if you don't want it growing out of your tank. If you do have an open tank it can be quite attractive if left to grow out. The stems will start to drape down the sides of the tank. I had some I let go in my fish room once that started on the upper row of tanks and ended up growing into the tanks on the two shelves below it and down to the floor.
Ludwigia can sometimes be a bit more difficult but still is usually pretty easy going. It's a very attractive plant. The leaves can be dark green on top but the undersides take on a dark red color that can even be almost purple. Like Rotala if left to grow to the top of the tank the leaves will turn to the light and the upper stems will grow roots.
Mosses are some of my very favorite aquarium plants. They are beautiful and grow easily in low to high lighting. There are several different mosses available for the aquarium. The most common is Java moss but Christmas tree moss and occasionally Fontinalis can be found too. Mosses are pretty popular right now and there are even some new ones from the Orient that are sometimes becoming available. Some of these may be more difficult to grow.
Mosses are wonderful on branches or wood in the aquarium and can be attached with thread like the Java ferns. They also look great as ground covers or between your plants. I find they often will fill in all the empty spaces between stemmed plants in the tank and look like a mound of moss with the plants peeking out the top. If you don't trim them back eventually they can take over the whole aquarium, so it's good to trim your mosses occasionally. You can cut or pull out the parts you want removed. Mosses also should not be planted under the gravel.
My favorite of the more common mosses is Christmas tree. It seems to grab on to wood and gravel better, stays down better and has a more attractive appearance. It's also easier to control. Java moss is thinner and tends to grow up more and faster. It's just quite as attractive in my opinion. Fontinalis is a prettier moss than the Java but harder to find and a bit harder to grow.
Remember that each plant may react differently to your aquarium. The plants listed above are those that are often available and that through my own experience and talking with others over the years seem to be the most likely to grow easily and well. Your experiences may differ but these plants should give you a good chance for success.
Please click!!! What more do I need for my tetras and beta? What should this combined habitat be like???
I have a beta in a ten gallon tank. I plan to get 5, maybe later 6 neon tetras (please do NOT question this).
My tank has a dark gravel. i have a few plants: a group of 2 sets (however many comes in a small set at petco...6?) of sword plants? (not sure of the name.) These plants are getting thicker by the day. I also have a small set of some kind of freshwater fern. the gallon is 10 gallons. I am not expecting to breed the tetras unless they breed themselves. i have a power filter. i have beta food (IS BETA FOOD ALRIGHT FOR TETRAS??? its Hikari betta bio-gold), freeze dried bloodworms (yes they are actuall bloodworms) and 2 trial packs of tropical fish flakes. what else do i need to get for my beta and tetras. the only reason i ask this is what i need to do for BOTH the fish. Sure, i can find out alot of info on betas and a lot about tetras but nothing about them being together! PLEASE HELP!!! (p.s. you can do a full paragraph answer and stuff, but please make a list of what i need.
Please click!!! What more do I need for my tetras and beta? What should this combined habitat be like???
The tank sounds perfect. The Tetras will be just fine with Betta pellets, as both are carnivorous. I actually feed my Betta and Tetras South American Cichlid pellets because they're basically the same thing, but cheaper! Is the "freshwater fern" Java Fern or "aqua fern"? Java Fern is a true aquatic plant, but "aqua fern" is just a terrestrial fern in water, which will soon rot. Really, it sounds like you've got the whole tank together, just make sure you have the stuff for maintenace: siphon hose, bucket for siphoning into, net, test kits (for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH), a stand, and possibly a good aquarium book.
Textiles
My tank has a dark gravel. i have a few plants: a group of 2 sets (however many comes in a small set at petco...6?) of sword plants? (not sure of the name.) These plants are getting thicker by the day. I also have a small set of some kind of freshwater fern. the gallon is 10 gallons. I am not expecting to breed the tetras unless they breed themselves. i have a power filter. i have beta food (IS BETA FOOD ALRIGHT FOR TETRAS??? its Hikari betta bio-gold), freeze dried bloodworms (yes they are actuall bloodworms) and 2 trial packs of tropical fish flakes. what else do i need to get for my beta and tetras. the only reason i ask this is what i need to do for BOTH the fish. Sure, i can find out alot of info on betas and a lot about tetras but nothing about them being together! PLEASE HELP!!! (p.s. you can do a full paragraph answer and stuff, but please make a list of what i need.
Please click!!! What more do I need for my tetras and beta? What should this combined habitat be like???
The tank sounds perfect. The Tetras will be just fine with Betta pellets, as both are carnivorous. I actually feed my Betta and Tetras South American Cichlid pellets because they're basically the same thing, but cheaper! Is the "freshwater fern" Java Fern or "aqua fern"? Java Fern is a true aquatic plant, but "aqua fern" is just a terrestrial fern in water, which will soon rot. Really, it sounds like you've got the whole tank together, just make sure you have the stuff for maintenace: siphon hose, bucket for siphoning into, net, test kits (for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH), a stand, and possibly a good aquarium book.
Textiles
How do i....?
lol, 3rd time asking this question, but I HAVE GOOD DETAILS YaY fOr DeTaiLs
Get rid of the HAIR algae that is growing on my dwarf hair grass?
Stats:
10 Gallon aquarium
15 watt 10000k bulb (might upgrade, but what is a good one that will fit on a 10 gallon aquarium???????
DIY CO2 with yeast and sugar
DIY 95 percent efficient CO2 reactor with powerhead (if you want a design i'll email it to you.
Melon Sword
Java fern (i'm soaking the driftwood)
2 pots of dwarf hair grass
20 gallon filter
On it's way:
3 pots of hair grass
Ruffle plant
Amazon Sword
oh yeah, and my substrate is eco complete (I LOVE IT)
Dry fertilizer every 20 days
Don't know how much co2, but i'm building a bubble counter for it today =)))))))
Plants only
Plants only
PlAnTs OnLy
thanks!
and only answer if you know the answer....
How do i....?
okay, your bulb is bright enough, I wouldn't upgrade, if you up grade your light you will find your hair algea problem will get worse, you have a 10 000K bulb, that many K will definitely increase hair algea growth, algea doesn't need near the same amount of light that the dwarf grass requires that's why the hair algea is growing over the dwarf grass, how long is your light on? 10hrs. max for me, any more and I find I get algea every were, now the best fish to get for this problem would be
Rosey Barbs, those little guys love to eat hair algea, the cleanliness of the tank has alto to do with hair algea growth, how clear is your water, floating particles settle and promote algea growth, in my opinion I would do a 25% water change every week!, cut the light time down to 8hrs and slowly climb up to a max of 10hrs, that amount of light is just fine for the plants you have, get few Rosey barbs , I know you said "plants only" but you would be surprised how much hair algea they will eat,
how is your amazon swoard, does it have little holes in the leaves? if you ever find you have holes in the leaves it means there isn't enough nutrients in the water, it sounds like you have alot of diffrent items designed to grow plants, im not surprised your haveing algea issues, I bet its your light, thats alot of K.
Reply:Other than your light is Wow, the fertalizer and the Co2 are adding to the problem. How are your plants in your tank? are they tiered or are all of them seated at the bottom? Sometimes moving the plants around (if you know your tank) moving the hair grass farther away from the co2 input may help. cutting back on both the Co2 and fertilizer unless you really need it that often will help Other than that, cleaning it by hand every two weeks. You could add a molly and not feed it. it will eat the algae for you, that is if you want a fish.
You can also try turning the temp down a few degrees. The plants won't notice but the algae will. Unfortunately with your set up, algae will happen and elbow grease is the main way to clean it. Sounds cool though.
Reply:Only leave the light on for 6-8hours Daily and you might want to get ridof the grass before it spreads, If your hood can take 20w bulbs i subjest getting the clearest ones.
Get rid of the HAIR algae that is growing on my dwarf hair grass?
Stats:
10 Gallon aquarium
15 watt 10000k bulb (might upgrade, but what is a good one that will fit on a 10 gallon aquarium???????
DIY CO2 with yeast and sugar
DIY 95 percent efficient CO2 reactor with powerhead (if you want a design i'll email it to you.
Melon Sword
Java fern (i'm soaking the driftwood)
2 pots of dwarf hair grass
20 gallon filter
On it's way:
3 pots of hair grass
Ruffle plant
Amazon Sword
oh yeah, and my substrate is eco complete (I LOVE IT)
Dry fertilizer every 20 days
Don't know how much co2, but i'm building a bubble counter for it today =)))))))
Plants only
Plants only
PlAnTs OnLy
thanks!
and only answer if you know the answer....
How do i....?
okay, your bulb is bright enough, I wouldn't upgrade, if you up grade your light you will find your hair algea problem will get worse, you have a 10 000K bulb, that many K will definitely increase hair algea growth, algea doesn't need near the same amount of light that the dwarf grass requires that's why the hair algea is growing over the dwarf grass, how long is your light on? 10hrs. max for me, any more and I find I get algea every were, now the best fish to get for this problem would be
Rosey Barbs, those little guys love to eat hair algea, the cleanliness of the tank has alto to do with hair algea growth, how clear is your water, floating particles settle and promote algea growth, in my opinion I would do a 25% water change every week!, cut the light time down to 8hrs and slowly climb up to a max of 10hrs, that amount of light is just fine for the plants you have, get few Rosey barbs , I know you said "plants only" but you would be surprised how much hair algea they will eat,
how is your amazon swoard, does it have little holes in the leaves? if you ever find you have holes in the leaves it means there isn't enough nutrients in the water, it sounds like you have alot of diffrent items designed to grow plants, im not surprised your haveing algea issues, I bet its your light, thats alot of K.
Reply:Other than your light is Wow, the fertalizer and the Co2 are adding to the problem. How are your plants in your tank? are they tiered or are all of them seated at the bottom? Sometimes moving the plants around (if you know your tank) moving the hair grass farther away from the co2 input may help. cutting back on both the Co2 and fertilizer unless you really need it that often will help Other than that, cleaning it by hand every two weeks. You could add a molly and not feed it. it will eat the algae for you, that is if you want a fish.
You can also try turning the temp down a few degrees. The plants won't notice but the algae will. Unfortunately with your set up, algae will happen and elbow grease is the main way to clean it. Sounds cool though.
Reply:Only leave the light on for 6-8hours Daily and you might want to get ridof the grass before it spreads, If your hood can take 20w bulbs i subjest getting the clearest ones.
CO2 systems for planted aquariums?
I have a 150 gallon heavily planted tank and it’s filled with the normal variety of plants: Madagascar lace sword, onion plant, java moss, java fern, Anubias barteri, cabwoman, valisneria, etc. For the past 5 years or so, I’ve been supplementing the tank with carbon rich fertilizers to support growth. However, recently I’ve been looking into CO2 injection systems, as a way to promote better plant growth and provide more stability for the plant. I just want to know whether it’s worth investing in one (as they are quite expensive), and what might be some other effects, if any, of implementing a system?
CO2 systems for planted aquariums?
If you don't want to jump straight into the several hundred dollar (even as much as thousands of dollars), you should really consider a carbon block instead of pressurized carbon... It takes up far less space, is just as easy [if not easier] to regulate, is FAR cheaper (name brand only costs about $150, but brandless will be about $50), and a single block will easily provide sufficient CO2 for a 150 gallon tank... However, if you do decide to add CO2, be sure to minimize surface agitation [if you don't already]-- surface agitation will oxygenate the water and release CO2 into the air. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/11...
That is the basic idea of what I was suggesting, though not necessarily that brand.
Reply:If your plants are doing well without it I wouldn't recommend it. CO2 systems can cause problems with the pH if you are not careful so its not worth the risk if your plants are doing fine without it.
Reply:This will help with your pH concern...
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant...
Congrats on the tank, sounds like a nice one.
You've gone this far and once you buy a CO2 regulator you can use the co2 system on any future smaller or bigger tank operations you have with amazing results.
Try finding a used certified cylinder to save money or check at your LFS for anyone selling a complete set up.
CO2 is the backbone of growing strong plants and with a tank that big a pressurized CO2 delivery system would provide some really nice results.
It's like being in a car and stepping on the accelerater. Crank the CO2 you can hear the plants grow.
Your right as supplements cause co2 levels to spike then decrese keeping the water in constant flux and the plants out of whack.
you know with plants its a balance of substrate/lights/ferts/CO2
once there in balance the tank surges.
The only thing you don't have control yet is the CO2 and your at the mercy of iradic supplements.
Monitor your CO2 level now and compare your readings in forums to other people to get an idea.
Once you control the CO2 theres no limit to your tank.
Good Luck!!!
CO2 systems for planted aquariums?
If you don't want to jump straight into the several hundred dollar (even as much as thousands of dollars), you should really consider a carbon block instead of pressurized carbon... It takes up far less space, is just as easy [if not easier] to regulate, is FAR cheaper (name brand only costs about $150, but brandless will be about $50), and a single block will easily provide sufficient CO2 for a 150 gallon tank... However, if you do decide to add CO2, be sure to minimize surface agitation [if you don't already]-- surface agitation will oxygenate the water and release CO2 into the air. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/11...
That is the basic idea of what I was suggesting, though not necessarily that brand.
Reply:If your plants are doing well without it I wouldn't recommend it. CO2 systems can cause problems with the pH if you are not careful so its not worth the risk if your plants are doing fine without it.
Reply:This will help with your pH concern...
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant...
Congrats on the tank, sounds like a nice one.
You've gone this far and once you buy a CO2 regulator you can use the co2 system on any future smaller or bigger tank operations you have with amazing results.
Try finding a used certified cylinder to save money or check at your LFS for anyone selling a complete set up.
CO2 is the backbone of growing strong plants and with a tank that big a pressurized CO2 delivery system would provide some really nice results.
It's like being in a car and stepping on the accelerater. Crank the CO2 you can hear the plants grow.
Your right as supplements cause co2 levels to spike then decrese keeping the water in constant flux and the plants out of whack.
you know with plants its a balance of substrate/lights/ferts/CO2
once there in balance the tank surges.
The only thing you don't have control yet is the CO2 and your at the mercy of iradic supplements.
Monitor your CO2 level now and compare your readings in forums to other people to get an idea.
Once you control the CO2 theres no limit to your tank.
Good Luck!!!
Can anyone help me with a black beard algae problem?
I have been doing a lot of research on BBA and came across a few solutions I would like to try. I have read that SAEs will get rid of it but I have one and his is fat and lazy so I dont want to travel down that road again. I have also read that dosing with Seachem flourish excel will kill it. For the excel I was wondering if it will kill moss balls, and clams. I also have some well developed swords, cryps, and java fern and would like to spot treat the algae with excel but I don't want to uproot the plants. I want an answer from someone who has used excel, WITH SUCCESS, and not just something plajurized off a web site.
Can anyone help me with a black beard algae problem?
I've tried it. Don't do it with loaches, I lost a lot of good fish that way. :\ The plants obviously weren't hurt and the stuff still haunted me until I finally just tore them out through anger. You might have to remove your fish while trying this out.
Did you stifle any potential iron in your tank as well, by the way?
Also, did you try flag fish as well? There's a lot of false siamensis, as you read above , and the true ones will pick on java moss and even do some damage on the balls.
Reply:the only thing i can tell you is maybe you don't have a sae there are like 4 or 5 fish ranging from Chinese algae eater and the flying fox and maybe i think the false sae are all fish that wont eat the black beard algae so maybe go to a pet store you really trust i usually don't recommend the petsmarts petcos and stuff like that because when you buy there fish you never know what your going to get so maybe try buying another sae from a smaller mom and pop store also everything I've read about chemicals that kill algae snails and whatever else you don't want can harm plants so i wouldn't use it. one solution I've read is highering your pH some just for awhile and you'll see the algae die back but yeah i wouldn't use chemicals to do that either maybe several water changes using harder water (usually from i sink in some parts of the world) for the next couple of weeks or so until you notice some changes in the algae growth in the mean time break off leaves with the algae on it and siphon and clean anything with it sorry for not being that helpful.
Can anyone help me with a black beard algae problem?
I've tried it. Don't do it with loaches, I lost a lot of good fish that way. :\ The plants obviously weren't hurt and the stuff still haunted me until I finally just tore them out through anger. You might have to remove your fish while trying this out.
Did you stifle any potential iron in your tank as well, by the way?
Also, did you try flag fish as well? There's a lot of false siamensis, as you read above , and the true ones will pick on java moss and even do some damage on the balls.
Reply:the only thing i can tell you is maybe you don't have a sae there are like 4 or 5 fish ranging from Chinese algae eater and the flying fox and maybe i think the false sae are all fish that wont eat the black beard algae so maybe go to a pet store you really trust i usually don't recommend the petsmarts petcos and stuff like that because when you buy there fish you never know what your going to get so maybe try buying another sae from a smaller mom and pop store also everything I've read about chemicals that kill algae snails and whatever else you don't want can harm plants so i wouldn't use it. one solution I've read is highering your pH some just for awhile and you'll see the algae die back but yeah i wouldn't use chemicals to do that either maybe several water changes using harder water (usually from i sink in some parts of the world) for the next couple of weeks or so until you notice some changes in the algae growth in the mean time break off leaves with the algae on it and siphon and clean anything with it sorry for not being that helpful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)