# 125 walstad natural planted tank questions



## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

The tank is not as heavily planted as I would like it to be, but I think the problem lies in the fact that the 4 x 65 watt CFL lights are about 26 inches away from the substrate, which is okay for the taller plants but the smaller plants like ground cover types are dying off.
Does anyone have any low light grown cover suggestions? I prefer either something grass like or at least fast growing of some sort  LOL.
I want something to help out-compete the black beard algae which is growing over the substrate and some of the ornaments. I plan on bleaching the ornaments but want to get a ground cover suggestion or two at the same time. Oh I should also mention that there is a lot of water flow on the tank as I have hillstream loaches and want to make sure they have enough oxygen. 
Here is a list approximate of what is in the tank now:
Corkscrew val's (invading the back side of the tank but looks so pretty).
Dwarf Lily with floating leaves only on one side of the tank, the fish seem to like hanging out under them so I didn't trim them.
2 or 3 crypt wendtii's
anubias nana I think
Another type of anubias with long slender leaves
Java moss growing on a piece of drift wood, as well as a java fern growing on one end.
A portion of what I think is narrow leaf chain sword, it has been suddenly turning read on the new leaves with the covering of the lily leaves, not sure if that is why.
One large sword (sorry do not know the type)
a rubin sword or two
and a few misc. swords that were unlabeled at the LFS 
a small portion of hornwort
An african fern but it's not the normal one listed on the internet so I'm not sure of it's real name, but it grows similar to to small type only long slender middle "fingers" on the leaves that grow babies at the tips. 
Oh a large crypt with larger green leaves, I would have to search the internet to find the name but it's fairly fast growing with new growth at the bottom.
I might have a few other swords in the tank that were also unlabeled at the LFS they are really good at that, I have just recently started ordering my plants on the internet instead, it's cheaper, LOL.

I feel like I'm missing something, LOL.
Oh the tank was originally set up late last November.
The tank does get some late afternoon sunlight but in Alaska that doesn't happen on a regular basis  LOL


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## melauriga (Mar 20, 2009)

I use dwarf sag for a fast spreading grassy low light ground cover. Another good low light foreground plant is Marsilea.


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

Echinodorus tenellus or one of the dwarf sagittaria, or even Juncus repens will do well with your lighting (4x65 gives you about 2.1wpg). Check out the plant finder link on the home page and look for forground plants and each one will have a brief description of care requirements. You may find something you really like that you hadn't previously considered.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

I have a person offering me these plant packs, will they work with my tanks or not?
I have a 55 gallon NPT with 2 x 65 watt CFL lighting and 2 x 65 watt actinics which I'm going to replace with more daylight bulbs I think.
And I have a 55 gallon NPT with 2 x ? watt Fluorescent lights that come from the walmart kits, so they aren't that bright I'm sure.
Then I have the 125 listed above.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

LOL forgot to list the plants:


5 stems of Hygro. sp. 'Porto Velho'
10 plants of Crypt parva
20+ nodes of Eleocharis sp 'Belem' 
3 stems of dwarf lobelia cardinalis
1x1" patch of Utricularia Graminifolia (UG)
1 crypt affinis
1 crypt green gecko
2 crowns of downoi


...for $35. Or...


5 stems of Hygro. sp. 'Porto Velho'
10 plants of Crypt parva
20+ nodes of Eleocharis sp 'Belem' 
1x1" patch of Utricularia Graminifolia (UG)

...for $25.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

Okay so no one responded, I'm getting the first plant package that was offered above, will see how it goes in my 55 gallon NPT for my Angel's, will put anything needing higher lighting in my 55 gallon NPT community tank as it has a much higher lighting system.


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

I don't know anything about the lobelia, utricularia, or downoi, but the others should do just fine in the lighting you mentioned.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

Barnsten said:


> LOL forgot to list the plants:
> 
> 5 stems of Hygro. sp. 'Porto Velho'
> 10 plants of Crypt parva
> ...


I did some research that I could find, most of the plants look to be imported from other countries originally so info in the US is limited, but most of them are medium light requiring plants, as well as a nutritious substrate, which I think I can manage.
I got in a bunch of flourishtabs for fertilizing, I've read that using the liquid ones just gives an algae bloom and I didn't want that to happen, so i got the tablets instead. Hopefully I didn't just waste my money, LOL.


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## Barnsten (Jul 3, 2009)

I also upped the lighting in the 55 gallon community tank to 4 x 65 watts of CFL lighting, I'm hoping that'll be enough for the ground cover types I'm looking at getting, I REALLY want HC, LOL.
Am I wanting too hard?


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