# Just started - need advice



## ropate (Mar 12, 2009)

Hi all... some of your work on here is inspiring.

I have 2 tanks and am just getting into thewhole aquascaping thing. due to tank dimensions and current lack of Co2 systems, i'm not sure how to proceed.

I have 2 tanks that i've been trialing various plants in and its becoming an expensive task, deciding on a plant then not liking it.

Here is the smaller ( and longest running ) 70L tank. Very strong lighting, internal filter. I've had the Blyxa Japonica in it since the beginning and massivley trimmed back the Ambulia on the side. The Japonica i bought 3 plants which i managed to plit into 5 smaller plants that have done well i think. This one i am ok with for now. Unless anyone has a suggest? IT holds 18 neon Tetra, 6 Cardinal Tetra, 2 dwarf gourami and one SAE.




























The new toy is the 200L (55 gallon i think) which is a cube shape and had terrible lights built into the hood. I've taken one of the 2 ft 15 W T8 lights out of the front section and put in a 2 x 14W T5 light fixture in just today so hopefully some of the plants in the foreground may pick up. you will recoginse most of the plants. What does anyone think? Have trialled a few setups which either didn't look right (plant-wise that is) or the dwarf cichlids had a field day chewing off the leaves.

Front View









Side view









This one is stocked with:
3 red jewel cichlids
2 bolivian butterflies
8 congo tetras
1 ghost knife
1 SAE
Temporary residents - 1 Arowana and 1 gold spot pleco

Keep in mind, I've only gotten into aquarium keeping about 1 1/2 months ago, so all quite new but trying to learn fast.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Hey Ropate, first off, welcome to apc and to planted tanks! Your tanks look like they're off to a nice start. On the second tank, that sword plant will grow to take over that area, you might want to think about that.

If you haven't seen these yet, here are a couple of references which you might find helpful:
http://www.aquatic-plants.org/articles/basics/pages/index.html
http://www.rexgrigg.com/


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Welcome to APC, ropate. And welcome to the wonderful world of planted tanks! The links that Bert provided are an excellent source of info. 

I look forward to seeing how your tanks develop. As Bert mentioned, that sword will get LARGE. In my opinion, it would look GREAT behind the driftwood, in the back/left corner. You could try a group of cryptocoryne in the spot where the sword currently is (they would add some color).

-Dave


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## ropate (Mar 12, 2009)

thanks so much guys!! i am reading over the links now and getting so many questions answered.

One quickie though, keep the wood in the second tank? your thoughts?

Also, Bert, what have you used in the foreground right of this tank (image = 50, apr23/06) as ground cover? really wanting to get a bit of a 'lawn' effect in the tank. 
Beautiful setup by the way


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I say keep the driftwood and attache some Java Fern or Bolbitus to it. It's a very cool looking piece of wood! Of coarse, others may say that it's taking up valuable space where more plants could go. 

-Dave


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> Also, Bert, what have you used in the foreground right of this tank (image = 50, apr23/06) as ground cover?


Can you provide a link for this? I'm sorry, but I don't know what pic you're referring to with that.


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## gravy9 (Aug 28, 2008)

Welcome to the forum, Rob.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Bert, I think this is the picture. From your image gallery:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...owimage.php?i=3152&catid=member&imageuser=159


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

davemonkey said:


> Bert, I think this is the picture. From your image gallery:
> 
> http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...owimage.php?i=3152&catid=member&imageuser=159


Thanks for finding that Dave. In that tank, there is Hemianthus micranthemoides on the left side and Elatine triandra on the right side. The HM I still have in one tank, and I just keep it trimmed as a sod in the foreground. The Elatine, I no longer have, but it was a nice plant, and tended to generally stay lower, so it needed less trimming than the Hemianthus, the Elatine was also a little more finicky to maintain.


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## ropate (Mar 12, 2009)

thanks for that. Have moved some of the blyxa japonica from the smaller tank into the bigger one, its growing like wildfire in the smaller one. Will take pics soon..

210L tank:
-moved the sword to the back but still under the stronger light.

-Because the wood (which i love) is so large, the back of the tank is darker and out of view so only have T8 powerglo at 15W at the back half.

-The front half i removed the built in T8 bulb and inserted a T5 lighting housing with 2 14W bulbs. Much brighter.

72L tank:
-removed one of the rocks and the dwarf gouramis which were biting off the blyxa japonica leaves
-moved the hairgrass from the 200L tank into this one
-cut up some of the blyxa stems into smaller plants and distributed them a bit.
-bought one narrow leaf mid-ground plant which is slightly longer than japonica but its offshoots will be shorter apparently (due to stronger lights in my tank than the LFS). So just trying it out.
-Removed the drawf gouramis because they were biting off the blyxa leaves and generally ruining the new growth.
-Added 3 x cherry shrimp and 2 endlers

Let me know what you think in the next post with pics....suggestions welcome.

Fertilizers:
- seachem flourish excel
- spureal ferreal
- root grow tablets for the newly planted stems


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## ropate (Mar 12, 2009)

72L

















210L


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi ropate,

Nice start! It looks like you have a bunch of dwarf hairgrass in there with your Blyxa. I find my hairgrass grows better, and in my opinion looks better, if I separate the bunch into individual plants or very small groups. Keep up the good work!


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## ropate (Mar 12, 2009)

Thanks Roy... Will such small plants work in the gravel size i have though? its quite large. About 3 to 4 mm. I suppose i could just bury it in deep?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi ropate,

Yes, planting individual plants can be very difficult, especially with larger grain substrate. I don't see any catfish in your tank that would uproot them, so you may not have any problems. If you don't want to do individual plants (which I found to be a large pain), you could divide your large clump into smaller clumps so they have a better chance to grow and spread.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Have you tried some taller stem plants. I think you could use some height in both tanks. Course that's just a suggestion. There are so many amazing plants out there. Check out the plant finder. It can help you with growth habits and size so you don't have to try ones that you know won't work eventually.


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## ropate (Mar 12, 2009)

Tex Gal said:


> Have you tried some taller stem plants. I think you could use some height in both tanks.


Thanks TG!! Bought some Hygrophila polysperma and placed in both tanks for a splash of colour (pinkish purple) Will take pics soon and thanks for the suggest.

Contemplating removing the wood as it is the one thing that appears to be disrupting the planting. At least, thats what i think, its difficult to plan around.


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## ropate (Mar 12, 2009)

*Re: Just started - need advice - problem!!!*

There's been some progress with plant health due to ferts and lighting increase!! See below for new hygro planting.

There is a slight problem though. the Red JEwels that i was planning on removing from the tank due to their love of munchingon my blyxa.....have just bred smack in the middle of the wood in a little cave!!! Must have just happened as i'm currently watching the male fertilizing them.

And I've just ordered a whole load of plants which arrive tomorrow. any idea on how this will affect the breeding pair! Gievn this is a community aquaria anyway with congos and a visiting arowana, i don't expect the fry will survive.

Advice please, should i plant anyway?

Pre-breed:









After breeding:









This is the hole which is in the front and centre of the log in pic above. I will put the rock with java moss on it (just to the top right of the log in pic above over the hole:


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## ropate (Mar 12, 2009)

*A little update on 72L*

Hi all....a little progress. The 72L 2 footer with 2WPG now has a ERA start Co2 tab system in place and have started with seachem range of ferts. I got a few plants off a friend and unfortunately a range of snails as well, although not too bad a problem.

Funny thing is, all the introduced plants have done amaingly well, and my Blyxa has dropped off as per another recent post asking for assistance.

Here is the updated pic of the 72L with most of the introduced plants removed. Thoughts?


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## ropate (Mar 12, 2009)

*Re: Just started - need advice - UPDATE*

hi all, please see latest pics below!! there have been a few changes.... most notable is the removal of the large driftwood in my 50GAL. The mat in the mid to foreground is lillaeopsis surrounded by blyxa japonica.

Any advice appreciated on what needs to change!? First photo is front view of cube and second is side view.

Last photo is my 20 Gal shrimp tank...


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