# Journey of a 12g long.



## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

Hey everyone, I've been popping up here and there in some discussions but wanted to send out an official hello. I began experimenting with Ms. Walstad's method back in college, but gave up the hobby for a few years as I was figuring out "Ok, now what do I do with my life?" haha. Anyway, I'm back at it! I started with a small 2.5g jar to make sure I was still indeed interested. One thing led to another, and now I have a 12g long and low tank.

I'm big on keeping notes, so I wanted to share my trials and tribulations as I jump back in the game. I'll update here and there as the weeks and months go by. But as a warning, this first post may be a little long... I'm happy for feedback and suggestions.

*12g Long*
_Start date: 3-22-21_

*Aquarium Set-up Details:*

12 gallon long, low-iron, rimless.
Dimensions (LxWxH in inches): 35.5x7.9x9.9 inches.
MarineDepot.com

Potting soil base, aquarium gravel and black sand topper.

Gravel was used in the back portion of the tank and around the left/right sides.
Sand was used in the front portion of the tank.
Two pieces of driftwood that were soaked for 2-3 weeks with a purigen filter and scrubbed with a kitchen scrub sponge half way through the soaking period.

Driftwood was placed on the glass and substrates were added around it.
Marina S10 Power Filter

Slim design, has 3 different chambers for media. One chamber will be for course sponge, one for fine sponge, and the third will be for purigen in the beginning to aid in any remaining tannins. After a few weeks the purigen will be removed and only the sponges will be used for mechanical filtration.
The filter will be used for gentle water movement and mechanical filtration.
FREESEA 50w Heater

*Plant Information:

Initial Plants:*
• Dwarf Sag
• Flame moss
• Christmas moss
• Nana Anubias
• Glossostigma
• Java fern
• Dwarf hair grass
• Banana plant
• Crypt wendtii
• Val Asiatica
• Water Wisteria
• Hornwort
• Frogbit
• Bacopa
• Madagascar lace bulb
• Lucky bamboo


*Plant Notes:*
Frogbit, bacopa, water wisteria, and Christmas moss were taken from a submerged state from other small tanks.

Dwarf sag, flame moss, crypt wendtii, dwarf hair grass, Val asiatica, glossostigma, nana anubias, and Java fern were received and floated in jars for 1-2 weeks where they were mostly submerged, but had some direct air access.

Madagascar lace bulb and the banana plant were received in water and were left in there with the bag cut open for around 1 week.

Concerning the lucky bamboo, I only used stems that currently had some root growth. The leaves and top of the stalk are kept out of water, but the base was pushed into the soil layer.

*Thought process behind the above notes, regarding the second section describing plants floating in holding jars:*
I’ve had a lot of problems with submerging plants and having them die within a few days. The leaves nor stems recovered.

I am testing the idea of floating plants in holding jars where they are mostly submerged but have access to the air, as an alternative to the dry start method. I realize the methods are very different, but by floating them I wonder if the leaves will melt more or less than going directly from an non-emergent to a fully submerged state.

1-2 weeks of holding may not be enough, but during the holding period I didn’t see any leaf loss or other problems. I will then monitor these plants now that they have been fully submerged.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

_March 27, 2021_

*Plant updates:*

Val Asiatica and Dwarf Sag:
Some leaves are experiencing leaf melt, but not all of the leaves. Some Val’s have not experienced any melt (on the top half of the leaf in particular), but over half of the specimens have had melting issues.
More Val and Dwarf Sag was added to the tank.

Nana Anubias:
The only plant experiencing some pearling.

Flame moss:
Most of the moss is experiencing melt, but 2 small sections appear very green and healthy.

Christmas Moss:
Transitioned fantastically. A section of the moss has hair algae, but I’m not overly worried about it at this time. As the tank matures I believe this won’t be an issue.

Glossostigma:
A little leaf melt occurred, but on the whole, the plants have remained healthy and strong looking.

Water Wisteria:
This plant came from an existing aquarium, but the bottom section’s leaves are browning and dying back. The top of the plant is bright green with no issues.

Bacopa:
One stem is looking fantastic, the other is turning brown and dying back. This plant came from an existing aquarium.

Dwarf Hair Grass:
I am surprised there hasn’t been melting issues with this plant, but at this point it is looking fantastic.
Another section of DWG was added.

Crypt wendtii:
Two additional plants were added.

Frogbit:
Additional frogbit was added.

*Note: *
In the mail are a few bunches of: Anacharis, Pennywort, and Ludwigia Repens (dark red). They will be added to the tank upon arrival.

*Livestock:*
A few Melanesian Trumpet Snails and a few Rabbit Snails were added and are periodically seen. More of each will be added in the coming weeks.
Ramshorn snails will be added next week.
Red Cherry Shrimp will be added in the next week or so.

*Tank Notes:*
Since set up, general plant LED lights that I had on hand have been used with no specific schedule or siesta. A new LED light system has been ordered. Once it arrives, it will be set on a timer schedule with an added, daily siesta period.

Hydroten/LECA balls that were boiled and pre-soaked have been added primarily for aesthetic reasons around the driftwood*.
_*As a reminder, the driftwood was soaked and scrubbed before being added to the tank. It was placed directly on the glass bottom and the substrate was built around it._

A half-coconut “cave” has been soaked and boiled and may be added. This tank was set up and designed with corydoras and shrimp in mind. Additional Flame Moss and maybe a Java Fern will be attached.

pH is low, but ammonia is a little high. However, the levels are stabilizing each day and I’m hoping the plant addition’s will help.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

_March 31, 2021_

*Tank Notes:*

Ammonia has decreased to a safe level, but in turn Nitrates and Nitrites have increased dramatically.
Leaf melting seems to have come to a stop. One stem plant was removed as it did not survive the transfer.
Initial snails have survived the varying water parameters.
Biofilm has begun collecting on the surface of the water.
New LED light fixture will be installed tomorrow. 
I’ve had another algae bloom. Green algae has attached itself to a large section of the glass.

I have decided to add the small coconut shell cave (that will be covered in moss and java ferns). Essentially it gives me more surface area to add plants. I intend on sticking it near plants that will fill in around the shell to mask some of its look. I decided to add this element to provide another source of privacy/hiding for shrimp.

*Livestock: *
More MTS and Rabbit Snails will be added this week. Also, a batch of blue ramshorn snails as well as a small batch of black worms* have been ordered.

*Plant Updates:*

Nana Anubias:
One of the leaves has yellowed and looks like it will die.

Christmas Moss:
Still experiencing hair algae. I’ve been doing research on the various kinds of algae (both from _Ecology of the Planted Aquarium_ and online). I am going to gently remove some of the hair algae and discard.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

Woah! The posts, haha. I'm trying to keep it as clean and organized as I can.

*General questions at this point:*

Should I remove the clump of hair algae?
Should I wipe off the algae on the glass?
Does an HOB filter with mechanical filtration degas co2 if it only provides a gentle surface movement?
As ammonia has declined, I've noticed an increase in nitrates and nitrites. Normal? (for a new set up)
It was recommended to add floaters and reduce lighting. What would an appropriate amount be? My set up allows for a 10, 32, 55, 77, and 100% levels of brightness.* (more info below).
*I have a 20watt full spectrum LED lighting system. I read in Ms. Walstad’s book from a question and answer segment that this is too much light for most submergent plants. 
Note: I do have frogbit as floaters. Usually covering 50-75% of the surface area.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Nice looking tank and excellent notes! Everything looks good, except rabbit snails _Tylomelania_ will eat plants. I have them for a while and had to rehome them.

1. Yes.
2, Yes.
3. Usually no.
4. Yes.
5. You will just need to try different settings and coverage of floaters. I suggest that you decide how many floaters you like for aesthetics, then adjust the lighting to keep algae under control.

Good luck!


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

An organized, logical mind. Bravo!
Unlike submerged plants, floaters can use very intense light [my book, page 146 (Fig IX-2)]. So instead of reducing lighting, I would maintain a nice cover of floaters to reduce your light levels. If those floaters are growing well, they are removing ammonia very efficiently. Floaters have the 'aerial advantage' over algae; they can protect your submerged plants in a new setup.


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## DutchMuch (Apr 12, 2017)

Michael said:


> _Tylomelania_ will eat plants


Strange i never had that issue


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

DutchMuch said:


> Strange i never had that issue


Could depend on how hungry they are.


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## seadreamer90 (Jan 19, 2011)

Very nice! I’m looking forward to watching your progress. I have a 6 gallon from Marine Depot and wish I’d gotten the 12 instead.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

_April 2, 2021_

New LED light has been attached. 
Two bunches of Pennywort were added to the tank. They arrived in “ok” condition. So we will see how they adjust. 
Glass algae has been wiped off and a large part of the hair algae has been removed. 
A partial water change was made. 
*Plant updates:*

Water Wisteria:
Roots are growing and new leaf growth can be seen. 

C. Wendtii:
One of the plants was seen floating after the water change so it was placed back in the substrate. The other two wendtii plants have perked up and are looking strong. 

Bacopa:
I thought the bacopa was dying, so I was about to pull it from the tank. When I grabbed the leaves though, I noticed it is just covered in a brown algae. I wiped some of the leaves off gently with my fingers. 

The fact that the wisteria is rooting and growing a new stem, and that the wendtii has perked up gives me reason to suspect the other plants are settling in as well. I hope to see more growth (from various plants) over the next few days. — which will be a very welcomed change, haha. 

*Livestock:*

Red cherry shrimp have arrived, but my parameters aren’t balanced quite yet. I’m going to up my water changes for today and tomorrow and keep them in a holding tank for now. 

I also have two nerites in my original planted jar (3g), and would like to get one acclimated to the 12g as soon as I can. 

_April 3, 2021_

*General notes:*

New lighting system was given a siesta period, and shrimp were added. 
Some plants continue to look healthier than others, but I’m allowing nature to take its course. 
I moved the floating hornwort in front of the filter. 
More frogbit was added from another tank, but the existing frogbit is spreading. 

_April 4, 2021_

We have reached stabled water parameters!

One Nerite snail will be acclimated today.


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## DutchMuch (Apr 12, 2017)

dwalstad said:


> Could depend on how hungry they are.



They usually will eat DECAYING plant matter (or just, unhealthy leaves that are just starting to rot off/decay) but they mostly eat soft algaes. 😷 😩


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## Dude (Nov 14, 2018)

ronnie said:


> This tank was set up and designed with corydoras [...] in mind.


As all tanks should be. 😉

The dimensions of that tank are pretty interesting. Being so shallow I reckon it'll fill up pretty fast. Do you intend to trim a lot or allow the plants to grow above the water too?


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## seadreamer90 (Jan 19, 2011)

Beautiful! I love the latest pic.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

DutchMuch said:


> They usually will eat DECAYING plant matter (or just, unhealthy leaves that are just starting to rot off/decay) but they mostly eat soft algaes. 😷 😩


My Tylomelania were kept in their own tank with anubias and cryptocoryne. They were fed algae wafers and blanched fresh vegetables. They mostly ignored the wafers, and preferentially ate the live, healthy plants instead. When I was researching them I found an underwater photo of their natural habitat, a lake on Sulawesi. There were no higher plants visible at all.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

I read that rabbit snails will eat some plants but not others. When I had them, I did not notice them eating the plants I had.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Interesting. There are several different species, perhaps some are herbivorous and some not.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

Perhaps different species have different plant eating behavior. I had the yellow spotted snail if I remember correctly. These guys are so slow To feed, I’d recommend a species only tank for them. I think mine starved to death.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

Dude said:


> As all tanks should be. 😉
> 
> The dimensions of that tank are pretty interesting. Being so shallow I reckon it'll fill up pretty fast. Do you intend to trim a lot or allow the plants to grow above the water too?


Haha! I agree, corydoras have been my favorite for the longest time. I intentionally got a long and low aquarium with them in mind.


Also I plan to let any that go emergent to do so as they’ll get the “aerial advantage.” However, some will be trimmed as needed.

For now, I’m letting everything grow as it wishes and to take over a bit. It’ll let me see which are successful and which aren’t. Then I’ll dial in from there. 

————

Also, thanks everyone for the input on rabbit snails. It’s really interesting and not what I found in the light research I did. It’s making me want to look into it further! ...because I like the extra info any life in my tank.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

_April 5, 2021_

*Plant updates:*

Pennywort:
Has shed a few of the leaves that didn’t ship well, but the good growth that was there is maintaining.

Anacharis:
Added to the tank today. Two small bunches. Plant had lost a lot of its green during shipment, but no black, rotted sections.

Ludwigia:
2 stem branches added to the tank today.
The third stem had partisan black, Rot. I pinched it off and am going to place it in my “catch all” tank until it grows more.

*Livestock:*

The nerite snail was added yesterday, as well as a gold mystery snail.

The cherry shrimp have adjusted wonderfully and many are carrying eggs.

Three male Endlers were purchased and added. One did not survive overnight, but the other two are active and eating. I plan to add a handful more in the coming days.

_April 7, 2021_

*Livestock:*

Five new male endlers have been purchased and added to the tank. Mixed variety. One is very likely to be a endler/guppy hybrid.

My only concern is the hybrid may be female? Any thoughts? 

*Tank Notes:*

Nitrates, ‘trites, and ammonia are zero.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

ronnie said:


> View attachment 73255
> _April 5, 2021_
> 
> *Plant updates:*
> ...


I don't see any females. Males have color and the gonopodium fin. Females have a gravid spot near the anus and no color. I have never heard that hybridization would change this equation?


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

The male in the center of the photo looks like the tiger Endle's I used to raise. These actually originated as a hybrid between an Endler and a snakeskin guppy. Like Diana, I see no females.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

Diana and Michael,

Thanks! I figured it was a male, but then I began over thinking it. The larger "belly" area made me wonder though. I suppose that's just the guppy in him.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

Check out what I just happened to catch! I’ve never seen such a complete exoskeleton in a tank, and then I wonder if it was the ghost shrimp behind it?

Regardless, a really great find.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

Watch out ghost shrimps will eat any fish they can catch.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

mistergreen said:


> Watch out ghost shrimps will eat any fish they can catch.


So, apparently, there are ghost shrimp and macro shrimp. They look essentially the same until after their juvenile stage. Which means they’re often sold together.

Macro’s will grab and eat fish (larger size and claw), while true ghost shrimp will snack on what they find, but not known to attack fish.

There are red bands on some appendages towards the front of the body on true ghost shrimp (in their adult phase).

Below is a google image I found while looking into it. The top is a ghost, the bottom a macro.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

*A long, full update:*

_April 9, 2021_

*Livestock:*

7 blue Ramshorn Snails added to tank (from Aqua Bid). I’m a believer that their positives in the tank outweigh their negatives.
Shrimp are molting, which suggests positive signs in the set up.
A few Ghost Shrimp were introduced from my small tank a few days ago.
The Cherry Shrimp I got from Aqua Bid are really good specimens. The females are vibrantly red all over, and many are carrying eggs. A few tiny babes were in the batch and they are still alive and seen around the Hornwort. There are at least a couple of small males.

Endlers:
Originally, three males were purchased, but one did not survive overnight. A few days later, five new males were added to the tank, with one being a guppy hybrid and twice the size of the other fish. All seven shoal together most of the time, but sometimes a few will break off and go to the other side of the tank. I’ve noticed the Tiger’s (or maybe Snakeskin) flair up/show off more than any of the others. Whether it is to their own reflection or another one of their tank mates. There’s often chasing, but no nipping.

*Tank Notes:*

I decided not to add the half coconut shell after all. Since all of the plants are growing, there isn’t an ideal location for it. I did not want it to stick out like a sore thumb and take away from the jungle/nature feel of the tank.

Water perimeters are ideal with GH being on the high end of the spectrum.

*Plant Updates:*

Hornwort and Frogbit:
Half of the floating hornwort was removed as the floating frogbit has now covered the entire surface of the tank. I presume a little at a time is better than a large adjustment on a new tank.

Val Asiatica and Dwarf Sag:
Melting has stopped and both the Val and Sag plants have returned to near full vitality. They are each looking brighter and stronger. I keep checking for new plantlets.

Nana Anubias:
The last time I mentioned the Anubias, it was experiencing a yellowing of one of it’s leaves. That leaf quickly fell off, and there have been no issues since. It, like the other plants, is perking up nicely.

Flame moss:
A large section of the Flame Moss was experiencing pretty sever melting. However, out of the old, new “leaves” (moss arms) are growing in its place. There haven’t been any algae issues with this moss.

Christmas Moss:
This moss definitely took a little hit because of the hair algae (there’s still a little left), but it is hanging on. It is a slow grower, but I haven’t seen any growth at this point, compared to the Flame Moss. I assume that as the hair algae continues to disappear, the moss will make a comeback. It’s also in a more shaded area than the Flame Moss.

Glossostigma:
All four bundles of Glossotigma experienced leaf melt. Three of the sections are looking healthier and beginning to grow. One of them has a single strand of green growth, but I feel like it will recover. (Note: The new growth is growing up rather than out wide. While this plant is usually used as a carpet, I’m not worried either way. I just love the look of their little leaves).

Water Wisteria:
A large part of the stem had begun rotting. I went to remove it and saw that roots were growing and a new stem system was growing out of it. I removed the rot and replanted.

Bacopa:
All stems are growing like weeds! They are still having some algae issues (brown algae), but the amount of it continues to reduce.

Dwarf Hair Grass:
Out of all the plants, I really expected the Dwarf Grass to fail. It went through the least amount of melt, started growing new grass the quickest, and has begun slowing spreading. I’m beyond thrilled as I love the look of DHG. (The DHG is planted in the sand capped section of the aquarium).

Crypt wendtii:
All three Crypt’s are looking fantastic. One of them, however, was uprooted recently…I suspect it was from burrowing snails. It was replanted and continues to look good.

Banana Plant:
Similar to the Hair Grass, the Banana Plant had nearly no issues from the start, and began sending roots into the substrate surprisingly quick. (The Banana Plant was just placed on the substrate without any anchor or partial burying of the tubers). In fact, so much so that they can be seen on the side of the glass.

Pennywort:
I mentioned that the Pennywort came in an “ok” condition. All the worst leaves have died off, leaving only one or two “good” leaves on each bundle. The plant is still holding on, and looks much stronger now that part of it has died back.

Anacharis:
Has adjusted well. It took a few days, but the color and appearance is improving.

Ludwigia:
Not much has changed since planted earlier this week. The only noticeable difference is that the stems have strengthened and they stand straighter.

Lucky Bamboo:
Nothing new to update. I suspect they will begin growing again sooner that later. I put a stalk in my small jar previous to these stalks. After a few weeks I noticed new leaf growth on the original. This leads me to believe the three stems will follow a similar pattern.

Madagascar Lace:
Not much to note except that the plant looks healthy.

Java Fern: 
The Java Fern has been struggling a bit, but hasn’t had any rot or melt. I suspect it will improve in time. I may add some additional (and smaller) Java Ferns to the driftwood at some point.

*Plant Thoughts and Discussion:*

My 12g long has been going for about two and a half weeks now. So far, I can’t complain about much at all. However, I find it really interesting that I only had a single stem plant die completely. I almost expected some die out would occur whether from allopathy or other competition. Hence the wide variety of plants used.

Maybe I got dealt a good hand, who knows. But, based on my previous research the true test will be in next few months as to which plants climb up the hierarchy scale.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

_April 10, 2021_

*Livestock:*

There’s a mass shrimp molting occurring in the tank. Hopefully that means some breeding is about to occur. 

*Plant Updates:*

Half of the frogbit has been removed as maintenance and to allow a little more light to the submerged plants. I’ve continued to remove floating hornwort a little at a time. I assume these decisions have lead to much more light reaching the submerged plants, which would theoretically explain the sudden growth in the submerged plants. Also, I think the sudden growth could have something to do with the removal of the super hungry floaters. By reducing the amount of hornwort and regular maintenance of the frogbit, it’s allowing the rooted plants a better chance of absorption from water column nutrients.

All plants are definitely showing growth now. It’s incredible how one day makes such the difference. 

Most shockingly, mere days ago I found the Water Wisteria rotting away. I trimmed that off and replanted the base which had roots and a tiny leaf section. — Today, it’s about 4 inches tall!


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

_April 18, 2021_
Updated pictures included.

*Tank Notes:*

The tank has now been established for one month. I am only topping off evaporated water at this point.
The hair algae is completely gone, as is much of the glass algae. Also the algae that was forming on the Bacopa is gone.
Also, I ultimately decided not to add the coconut cave. I was eyeballing where I could place it and it just made the tank seem cluttered. The artist/designer (my profession) in me was sending up red flags, haha.
*Livestock:*

Endlers:
One of the 7 Endlers has died and no body has been spotted. I assume the shrimp and snails had something to do with that disappearance, haha. Now there are 6 male Endlers who are active and eating heartedly.

Pygmy Corydoras:
Yesterday I finally decided to add the Corydoras (which was the main force behind this tank. They are my absolute favorite). I decided to go with Pygmy Cory’s and purchased 10. I was second guessing myself about the Pygmy’s and I really love the more traditional Cory’s, but wanted to establish a larger school/shoal of them. They are the most adorable things I’ve ever seen and I’m happy with my decision to go with them. They often shoal with the Endlers and add a whole new vibrance and life to the tank.

Inverts:
I’ve kept Mystery Snails in the past, and also have one in my small tank. I’ve never seen them burrow (even though I know they can and sometimes will). The young Golden Mystery Snail in this tank is a burrower. It hasn’t caused any issues, and it seems like there is less burrowing as he is growing. Just thought it an interesting tidbit.

Also, I’ve not seen any plant damage from snails at this point. (There had been talk of the Rabbit Snails being a potential problem).

One of the super red Cherry Shrimp females is carrying a large amount of eggs.

*Plant Updates:*

Val Asiatica and Dwarf Sag:
Most of the plants from each of these species have begun sending runners.

Nana Anubias:
The roots have hit a huge growth spurt. The plant was attached to a section of the driftwood, but the roots are getting long enough that they will soon reach down into the substrate.

Flame Moss:
Amazing growth and at a fast rate. This variety is stunningly green.

Glossostigma:
I mentioned previously that the new growth was vertical rather than horizontal. Since then, each individual plant (3 in total) have begun sending new growth horizontally and small leaves are popping up from the substrate. I hope it continues this carpeting growth which would be exciting for those of us using the Walstad Method. Hater’s are quick to say this plant wont do well without added fertilizer and added CO2… but perhaps that isn’t the case.

Pennywort:
I “think” I lost both bunches of the Pennywort. At a quick glance I may have seen a few viable stems floating in the frogbit roots. If they root, I will replant at that time.

Banana Plant:
I’ve had Banana Plants in the past that have done “ok” at best— This specimen is a superhero. There are 3 large leaves growing from it, and it continues to grow new roots that are being sent into the substrate.

Madagascar Lace:
Vibrantly green, and a few new leaves have grown. The bulb was sitting on top of the substrate but it has grown roots that are anchoring it into the substrate.

Christmas Moss:
Now that the hair algae is gone, the Christmas Moss is receiving good light and benefiting from it. New, vibrantly green growth is occurring from the old section. Only a small part of the moss browned from the hair algae.

Ludwigia:
This plant was also received in “ok” condition but has since settled in nicely. New growth is forming from the original stems and even have some of their signature red color.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

What a pleasure to see this tank. The Madagascar lace plant and the bamboo plants add a little flair. Good that your Val asiatica and S. subulata have started growing. It suggests your tank is off to good start. Nice going!


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

I know some may find these posts wordy and tedious, but I've always appreciated notes like this that include not only success, but failures. So hopefully some is getting something out of this (one day). That said, there are a few questions at the end I have for anyone willing to throw in their thoughts.


_April 28, 2021_

*Tank Notes:*

I’ve noticed a decline of available GH and KH in the past week. During this time there has also been an increase in the population of both RCS (red cherry shrimp) and Ramshorn Snails.

With the increased number of inverts, there have also been some casualties. So far, 2 Ramshorn, and a couple of RCS. The deaths of the RCS have come from molting issues (I believe). I spotted a few “ring of death” on a couple of shrimp, and I don't believe they survived. I’ve left empty Ramshorn shells in the tank, and let nature take its course on the deceased RCS.

In response, I’ve added crushed cuttlebone, which the shrimp and snails have been congregating around and picking at. I’m currently testing my water parameters frequently and preparing for any further adjustments.

*Livestock:*

Shrimp:
See above (Tank Notes) for information on recent death and molting issues. —— There are many baby RCS actively feeding and moving about the tank. Some of the original adults have been affected by recent changes in water parameters. Symptoms include incomplete molting and dull coloring. I’m not super concerned at this time because of the successful rearing and release of babies, but am monitoring my water conditions closely.

Snails:
A few Ramshorn losses, but the production of baby snails has been occuring. I’ve seen a handful of new, tiny Ramshorn snails.
I’ve also seen at least one or two new baby snails with a pointed shell. Unclear as to whether they are MTS or Rabbit Snails until they grow larger.

Endlers:
I’m down to 4 Endlers (one being the guppy hybrid). I’m not overly worried, as genetics probably have a huge part to play in this equation. The remaining little guys are active and eating.

Pygmy Corys:
These little guys are curious. I knew that they don’t school as much as their larger cousins, but I rarely find them in groups larger than four. They hide more than I expected. However, I few love to hang out on the rapidly growing Flame Moss, or on the larger leaves of the Anubias or Banana Plant.

*Plant Updates:*
Overall, due to the drop in hardness and carbonates, a few of the plants have turned pale. I haven’t seen any overall deaths, but I’m keeping a closer eye on their health and my parameters. I haven’t seen anything severe enough to panic.

All Hornwort has been removed.

Additionally, all current plants are still growing almost as expected. Below I will single out a few species for additional notes and observations.

Christmas Moss:
Growth has taken off beyond my expectations! While still a slow grower (more so than the Flame), I am seeing new growth on each stem segment and an overall healthier look to the whole system.

Flame Moss:
Officially my new favorite moss. It is growing really fast, growth is dense, spreading better than anything I previously read about it, and a fan favorite of shrimp and Pygmy Corydoras. Plus, it’s a beautiful moss. Honestly, its the first thing my eyes are drawn to. It receives pretty high lighting and is spreading on Spider Driftwood. It is even spreading around the whole circumference of the wood stems.

Pennywort:
I believe it is safe to say this plant was not successful. I do not see any remnants of it.

Dwarf Hair Grass:
The grass is growing fairly quickly and trying to spread. I’ve noticed some of the new shoots don’t stay in the sand/soil substrate. I’m not sure if this is because of burrowing snails, or snails moving over them, or some other reason. But the most established blades have rooted deep and can be seen on the front of the glass into the soil layer.

However, they have seemed to lose some of their vibrance. I suspect it is from recent changes in water quality. Nothing has died or rotted at this point.

Banana Plant:
The submerged leaves have some translucent areas to them, which I’m monitoring. They haven’t gotten any larger or spread for maybe a week now. However, the plant continues to grow new roots that reach the soil layer. The plant has also sent a long stem to the surface with a leaf.

Dwarf Sag:
The one plantlet that hasn’t sent out any runners has become a bit dull in color, almost appearing white on the ends of the leaves. The individual’s who have sent out new runners, show no signs of problems.

Glossostigma:
Growing has continued at a slow rate, but it is worth noting that all new growth is occurring horizontally spreading through the substrate.

Frogbit:
The largest individuals are getting some browning and yellowing. Perhaps it is sunburn from the LED lights they are a few inches from? I tend to remove those first when I cull the amount.

Interestingly, new growth has now stayed in a much smaller size aerially. However, they still form healthy roots.


*Questions:*

Plants:

Do you think the browning and yellowing of some of the older (and larger) Frogbit is from light exposure? Or should I be aware of anything else?
Re: transluscent/parent areas on the Banana Plant (which is also happing on one of the crypts). What should I be looking into regarding this?
Water Parameters: 
As noted above, I have recently added some cuttlebone which the shrimp and snails have been feeding off of. Should I be considering anything else at this time?

(In the past several days to up to a week) My KH fluctuates from 0-40 mg/L and the GH is from 0-25 mg/L. pH has stayed around the 6.4 general area. Nitrates, ‘Trites, and Cl2 have been in the 0 (zero) range ever since I first balanced the aquarium.

It was this morning (April 28) that I added small chunks and powder of cuttlebone. I plant on retesting the water tonight.

Any advice, feedback, or constructive scolding would be happily accepted!


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

ronnie said:


> Plants:
> 
> Do you think the browning and yellowing of some of the older (and larger) Frogbit is from light exposure? Or should I be aware of anything else?
> Re: transluscent/parent areas on the Banana Plant (which is also happing on one of the crypts). What should I be looking into regarding this?


Frogbit has wide light tolerance, so i doubt that is a problem. Individual plants don't live too long, if they are reproducing they are fine.

Banana plants are related to water lilies. Older leaves become "senescent" and die regularly If the plant is growing new leaves it is fine.


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## jatcar95 (Oct 30, 2019)

ronnie said:


> As noted above, I have recently added some cuttlebone which the shrimp and snails have been feeding off of. Should I be considering anything else at this time?


From what I've heard from others on the forum, adding cuttlebone/coral/aragonite will very slowly increase hardness. It may not be fast enough to save the plants, especially with it as low as it is. If you don't see a rise in GH and your plants don't seem to be improving, I'd consider a more immediate solution, like Ms. Walstad's recipe or wonder shells.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

jatcar95 said:


> From what I've heard from others on the forum, adding cuttlebone/coral/aragonite will very slowly increase hardness. It may not be fast enough to save the plants, especially with it as low as it is. If you don't see a rise in GH and your plants don't seem to be improving, I'd consider a more immediate solution, like Ms. Walstad's recipe or wonder shells.


I went back and reviewed some posts as well as chapters in Diana’s book. Between the cuttlebone and adding a bit of baking soda (I have a 12g tank, and used a little less than what is recommended for a 10g). I saw the results I was looking for without having too much effect on the other parameters (or a balance of some)

After the baking soda, I saw a great response in some of the plants, especially the Dwarf Sag. The DS sent out some healthy runners from parent plants that were previously not doing much.

Also, the bits of cuttlebone collected a large congregation of snails and shrimp. I’ve seen better health from each of them since. (And a breeding outburst from the snails).

Anyway, that’s a bit of an update, but I learned through the process that your post and concerns were definitely true! Thank you for bringing it up. The cuttlebone helped (visibly) the inverts, and the baking soda helped bring some of the plants up to speed.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

A little more food for thought:

I noticed my GH (and KH to a lesser degree) decline after doubling my snail population (and breeding occurring) as well as after my shrimp bred heavily and increased their population.

I feed heavily, which I suspect has led to even more breeding between the inverts. When this happened is when I noticed “the ring of death” molting issues with shrimp, and the shell of snails looking transparent and dull.

I wonder/suspect if it’s all intertwined. I don’t have any invert predators in my tank, but have thought about adding one to help control populations so I can continue feeding enough for the tank as a whole.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

I need to post an updated progress pic soon. I will sometime this week.

However I made a decision that has now become a headache. I received some Guppy Grass a while ago with a shrimp order. I had it floating but one found itself near the substrate and rooted.

Long story short... I don’t like it. And it is proving very difficult to get rid of. If I cut the stems at the substrate level will it die And then the roots will decompose? Or do I need to cut it just below the substrate?

It’s just a messy looking plant for my tank.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

Pull out roots and all.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

mistergreen said:


> Pull out roots and all.


That’s what I feared, but in to battle I go! Thank you.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

The problem with guppy grass is that it breaks into tiny fragments, and each fragment will grow into a huge new mass in no time. You just have to keep puling outy every bit until you don't see any for a month.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

_May 20, 2021_

*Tank Notes:*
There have been a few issue’s here and there, but the tank itself is settling in nicely. It’s amazing to see the difference in it from when I started to now. The tank is now 2 months old.

*Note:* In the Pacific Northwest, the water is pretty soft. I am going to try out “Wonder Shells” and see how the water parameters react. I’ll keep a log and share my results and experiences.

*Livestock:*

Shrimp:
This issues with poor molting and deaths has stopped. All remaining Cherry Shrimp are healthy and a vibrant red. I usually see at least one female with eggs.

Snails:
I mentioned the sudden explosion of Ramshorn. Yes… I know this happens, so I wasn’t overly surprised. That being said, I needed a way to cull the population without wiping it out. I decided to add one Assassin Snail. I’ve never had an Assassin, and he’s pretty cool to look at.

I haven’t seen the Mystery Snail in a while. This has happened before then one day I just see him randomly. So I’m not sure on his current condition.

MTS and Rabbit Snails have been breeding, but not at the rate of the Ramshorn.

Endlers:
The Guppy/Endler hybrid is the only only still remaining. He’s active and has quite the personality. He always “greets” me when I’m near the tank.

Pygmy Corys:
Since purchasing my Pygmy’s they have died off one by one over the course of a month. Water parameters were fine, I fed plenty multiple times a day.
After some research, this “die off” seems to be quite common. I then found out the Pygmy’s at my LFS are wild caught. Being so small, there were obviously many factors at play when it came to their stress levels. I don’t plan on restocking.

False Julii’s:
Cory’s have my heart through and through. I decided to restock with a different variety hoping they are a bit hardier than the Pygmys. Seven of them were added on May 18th. They are all active and cute as hell. I have been supplementing their diet with frozen blood rooms to give them a nutritional boost in efforts to help them acclimate better. I’ll continue feeding the bloodworms a few times a week going forward.
In the coming weeks I intend to add a few more False Juliis. I didn’t want to add too many fish at once.

*Plant Updates:*

Dwarf Hair Grass:
I originally placed the DHG in two separate sections of the tank. One section continues to have a washed out appearance. It has set out some runners, but they didn’t stay in the sand cap.
The other section is growing like a weed and beginning to make a carpet. This section is a bright green.
As long as there is good light, and not overshadowed by other plants, DHG will succeed in an NPT. I have noticed it spreads the easiest with a sand cap.
You can see the sections of DHG in the foreground middle and to the right of the attached image.

Banana Plant:
This plant continues to grow successfully. It has sent multiple stems to the surface which opened a “lily pad” type leaf. Yesterday, I cut one of the surface stems off from the parent plant. I am letting it float. According to my research within 4-6ish weeks, roots will begin forming on the floating stem section and I can replant it to continue growing as it’s own plant.
The Cory’s and Shrimp are often seen resting on the submerged leaves.

Dwarf Sag:
Not growing quickly, but the parent plants have sent out a few runner plantlet’s that are as big as their parent plant.

Glossostigma:
I’ve heard so many varying opinions of Glosso’s success in an NPT. I’m having great success. It has spreading amongst the front sand area interspersed with the Dwarf Hairgrass. This area receives good lighting and isn’t near any other plants except for the DHG. It’s been 3 months since I’ve planted it, but my tank is *confirming it is possible* to grow Glosso and have it create a carpet instead of just a bush plant.

You can see the Glosso spreading in the foreground towards the right of the tank in the attached photo.

Flame and Christmas Moss:
Both varieties are growing constantly and spreading. The best moss growth and success I’ve seen in any of my previous and current tanks. The Flame Moss receives fairly high light levels.

Val Asiatica:
I planted a lot of this variety in the beginning because of the known Val root system. It’s interesting. The ones planted a the edges of the tank are a deep green and doing well. The ones planted in the center back have struggled since day one. I am thinking of cutting the ones in the middle and replacing with other cuttings which are proving more successful.

Ludwigia:
Growing well and showing a deep red color. One section has begun growing emergent and I am going to continue to allow to.

Water Wisteria:
This plant went through a growth spurt a month ago, but has since slowed. One of the stems is showing small holes in the leaves. Any thoughts?

Madagascar Lace:
Growing prolifically. Such a nice contrast compared to other fauna.

All Other Plants:
All additional plants in the aquarium are growing well and nothing much to note.

*Question:*
Any thoughts on the holes in the leaves of the Wisteria? My current guess is when I had the snail breeding explosion it may have been nibbled on because of the ratio of food to population.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

I feel like this lil tank is making the transition to jungle mode! Just a few more images to document the journey.

LED lighting (red, blue, and then half is daylight white). I know there’s a lot of opinions on lighting, but this is working very well for me.

Photo period:
7am-12pm - on
12pm-4pm - off
4pm-9pm - on

Feeding is 2-3 times a day containing a mixture of: spirulina flakes, insect based pellets, freeze dried baby brine shrimp, a second type of veggie based sinking pellet, and frozen blood worms a few times a week.


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## Dude (Nov 14, 2018)

Awesome progress! That sucks about the pygmies. Hopefully it works out better for the juliis.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

VERY nice. Beautiful tank! Clever arrangement of pictures for us to see the transition.


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## ronnie (Feb 26, 2021)

Piggy backing off @johnwesley0 and his thread on his porcelain bowl. Regarding floaters:

Backstory: my Banana Plant is growing well and sending floating leaves. Ive also propagated it and now have a second one growing like crazy.

I’ve been considering getting rid of my Amazon Frogbit and using the lily pads as my “shade areas.” My thinking is that all other plants are growing like crazy, the floater included, but takes over far too quickly. Also it has been growing smaller and smaller and I do not like tiny floaters at all.

I understand the role of floaters, but I feel like my tank may be ok at this point. But I do want some coverage which would come from the floating leaves of the banana plants.

Am I asking for trouble by removing my frogbit? Mostly I want to provide more consistent light to my high light needing foreground plants. I Intend to keep some frogbit on hand in case I need it, but the new tiny plantlets are a pain to remove. They’re basically duckweed at this point.

Also my tank is short, so it often looks messy with the floating roots and the submerged plants which are reaching the water line. 

Opinions? Experiences? Go for it?

——

Overall the tank is doing well and growing like a weed. False Julii’s are thriving, as are shrimp and snails (the ramshorn maybe too well… I have a huge population).


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## johnwesley0 (Feb 23, 2021)

Hi, ronnie. I scrolled through this beautifully documented thread just to check what your parameters were and I have to say the most fascinating thing is the inverse relationship between your inverts and the GH/KH levels. I had not realized it could be so measurable. I am a little confused by the numbers, though. You say they vary between 0-40. Is that by number of drops (using the API liquid test) or ppm (using the color strips?) Zero to 40 drops seems like a lot of variation!

Regarding floaters, I know that for my porcelain bowl it is a matter of "all hands on deck" when it comes to my nitrogen cycle. As Ms. Walstad has mentioned, I really don't have a heavily planted tank; essentially, I have a couple of pots of dirt and an anubias that seems to do well sitting atop a small layer of mulm. All the rest of my plants are emergent and that's including the floaters. With six frisky danios and about 7 gallons of water, it's never been clear to me how all that ammonia is being cleared.

It sounds to me like you have a much more conventional NPT. Your rooted plants took off almost immediately and that contributed mightily to getting it "balanced" right off the bat. Your floaters are supplemental to the whole scheme, IMO.


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