Plant ID please

[fishish]

I bought some Java fern on ebay, the seller threw this in for free but what is it??? lol I googled and thought maybe Hairgrass? But I can't find anything about what hair grass needs?? I'm thinking not a genuine aquatic plant. You can see I currently Have it planted but I'm not sure that is what it needs?

In this first pic you can see it has like a shoot, a green one in amidst the roots... its like a stem in the roots... weird why???

[Yanagi]

Looks like a baby chainsword, they spread via runners hence the 'stem' in the middle of it.

[fishish]

Thanks Yan The pics of them google brings up are pretty different but maybe its leaves will broaden when bigger? Appears its ok I have it planted, shoudl it be more planted? I've left rhizome and some of roots exposed at the top as wasn't sure if I should even be plating it :P

[Yanagi]

Oops, forgot to mention.. There's broad and narrow leaf varieties.

Yes it needs to be planted, same as you would for an amazon/sword plant. They do like a really rich substrate, like proper plant substrate (flourite, ADA aqua soil, flora base etc). Sandy substrates are good too.

[fishish]

oh no..... here goes entire tank overhaul #2! lol joking, no way! I have fertilizer tabs, not enough?

[fishbites]

Looks more like a clump of hair grass to me....

[Yanagi]

Really? The leaves look too thick to me.

[wernerii1978]

It's a rare type plant that is not commonly available in your LFS.

Eriocaulon lividum, a beautiful native plant which can grow quiet large.

Tend to like a soft/acidic environment.. it's more suitable in a 4ft + tank as it will grow quiet large.

Cheers

Jeff

Ps If you got it from Ebay.. I was the one that gave it to you as a freebie

[fishish]

ooow really!? Well thanks very much for the freebie, made my day hmmm... last I checked pH in the tank it was in was 7.4. Not exactly acidic! its the only tank I have that has a light above 18 watt though so far it hasn't grown, though it is covered in algae like all my plants, try as I might to get rid of the algae lol

[Bettarazzi]

You should get some Dino Spit from Aquagreen to deal with the algae http://aquagreen.com.au/plant_data/Dinosaur_Spit.html

[fishish]

ooow thanks ugh they're out of stock though and closed till next year. Hopefully I can get it elsewhere??? Never seen it around.

[Neffy]

its the gluteraldehyde you need to kill algae and is harmless to fish it is very toxic to us tho if u get it by its self so thats why dino spit is only 10%. I think it was Seachem who also have it in their fertiliser products but at 5%

[fishish]

Ta will see what I can hunt down then!

[fishish]

I think everyones stopped reading this but oh well: what about other algae control products? There are a few I've seen.

[Sarah]

What about some suckers?

They cleaned my tank pretty quick. I've also seen a few algae control meds. around, but haven't ever tried them. I think you should give the suckers a go, if not try some products.

Hope this helps. :)

[fishish]

You mean like Bristlenose? I have some, that was the plan and they eat SOME of it but ...... lol

[fishbites]

some algae types won't get eaten by fish.... (unfortunately).... best way is to control nutrients and light rather than go the chemical way.... reduce the hours of light or direct sunlight and do regular water changes helps.... if all else fails - go for the Dino Spit or Sechem's Flourish (I think)

[Bettarazzi]

Seachem's Excel (not Flourish) has the same ingredients as Dino Spit but it's a weaker solution and more expensive.

[fishbites]

Damn.... thanks for writing what I was meaning.... Excel is what I meant..... :)

[Neffy]

i have a mystery snail that cleans up some/most algae but yea not all off it :(

[fishish]

Thanks I had figured out its not flourish, already have that. Good try though Wayne lol

Neffy mystery snails were my original plan but guy at LFS said they won't do well as they don't like warm water so i walked out with a couple of bristlenose instead!

[fishbites]

Bristlenose (and most catfish) don't go for warm water either

but then bristlenose means more profit than mystery snails which survive in heated fry tanks quite nicely ..

[Neffy]

:( i wouldnt recommend bristlenose's they make so many poops it will make the water quality low, snails do clean up and dont make as much mess