fishbites Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 (edited) G'day everyone, Finally got round to trying a planted tank... had an old (26 years old) 2ft x 12" x 15" tank sitting here and thought I'd try a planted tank. Substrate is Amgro brand seed raising mix (same as I use to house my whiteworms). I put a sprinkling of CaC03 chips over this and then covered with a very shiny black gravel I got from the LFS. Rocks - just a couple I pulled out of a box in the shed. Plants - from back left - Rotala wallichii, corkscrew val, Rotala macranda (?), Heteranthera Zosterifolia. From front left - hair grass, lilaeopsis (Fraser Island form), hydrocotyle tripartita, blyxa japonica. No CO2 yet - will be trying some DIY to start with. Liquid fertiliser (can't remember brand) - will be getting some other this week. Filtration - very small powerhead/sponge filter just to give water movement. Fish - none yet - thinking of putting in my Cory jullii after the tank finishes settling down. Keeping the fingers crossed this will work out well .... any advice about anything I've done wrong or need to do would be appreciated... Edited October 4, 2009 by fishbites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilchard Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 (edited) its gunna look great with a bit of growth on, love the big red rock. good luck with it. You could go shrimp. Edited October 4, 2009 by pilchard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted October 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 not a bad idea - I could put my cherry red shrimps in there .... they should be ok with corys shouldn't they? Maybe even put my cardinal tetras in there as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilchard Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 iv not kept shrimp but have always been gunna get some i cant see little corys eating them but.... stranger things have happened. Im sure someone on here will know. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 I think it looks great, Wayne. You shouldn't have any trouble with the substrate leeching, as I have used potting mix + gravel myself with success, but maybe try a few hardy 'canary' fish first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted October 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 Lisa I think I got the idea of potting mix from one of your threads originally (thanks!) By canary fish you mean "Splash Test Dummies"??? I'll see what I can find to suit the bill... Then if water tests go ok I'll try a few shrimp first and see if they hold out ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghengis Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 Looks like a pretty good start! The only thing I might do, were I you, would be to pull maybe half the Blyxa out, place it in an Express Post bag and shoot it up to Ghengis in Cairns It looks so beautiful and healthy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 ;) splash test dummies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter16 Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 the cories should be fine with the shrimp. the cardinals might eat a portion of the shimplets though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted October 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 :rolleyes: I like that suggestion Ghengis!!! I'd be glad to do it once they establish if you want some! (assuming I can get them to keep growing). Thought you'd like Splash Test Dummies Lisa! Thanks for that advice Peter - wasn't sure about cardinals but will keep them out of it for now and just let the shrimps go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted October 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 Just thought I'd do a quick update on the tank.... Added a few extra plants and have been dosing the water with Dino Spit and Dino Pee and plants seem to be liking it. Thought I'd add some colour and put in the last of my cambodian spawn - some of which are going to another fish shop in a couple of weeks. They all seem to be quite happy with the plants and are always hiding in them or digging round them to find bits of hidden food that dropped. Some of the Ludwigia and Heteranthera need a trim so will be able to use the cuttings to increase the density of plants in a second tank I have and eventually will plant up a slightly larger tank and be a bit more adventurous. Background: Rotala wallichii, Ludwigia Arcuata, Ammania Gracilis, Heteranthera Zosterifolia. Midground: Ludwigia sp Cuba, corkscrew val, blyxa japonica. Front left - hair grass, lilaeopsis (Fraser Island form), hydrocotyle tripartita, Ludwigia Arcuata and Ammania Gracilis reaching the surface and ready for a trim... Those blyxa Ghengis wants are growing in well .... chances of a few spares are looking good so far Ghengis!!!! Next project is to make a moss tank with a number of different mosses on longs / rocks / etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyarlla Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 Looks very tropical themed in there. Makes me want to go for a holiday to the Whitsundays and have a cocktail on the beach *lol* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghengis Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 (edited) OMG, that has grown in really well, Wayne. Gotta be happy with that! The H. Zosterifolia looks real nice, don't know if I have seen that before... Definitely still keen for a sprig or two of your Blyxa when you have some sapre...might even have something to trade, if you are interested. Edited October 31, 2009 by Ghengis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted October 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 Pretty pleased with it so far Ghengis... for a first effort - probably breaks all the rules on aquascaping, design, etc etc but I'm just pleased to be able to grow some decent plants and not turn them into mulch! Definitely will let you know when I see plantlets forming on the blyxa - would be happy to do a trade - it seems to be doing well so far - doesn't look like its grown until you look at the original photo.... The Heteranthera Zosterifolia is commonly called Star Grass and hails from Brazil - apparently it can be trimmed and shaped like a hedge if used in the mid or foreground of a tank. It also can handle pretty severe trimming down to about an inch and still shoot out and form a low carpet like arrangement due to the side shoots it develops otherwise will grow to about 20" tall if left to just grow. I might trim it back to just about the height of the rock it's behind and let it shoot out into a bushy mid height 'hedge'. Hopefully will have some cuttings of it available for you by the time the blyxa grows out and pups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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