Kim's High Planted Tank Journal

[Kimlafeiet]

Finally got my high tech plnted tank going. It's been a long road, and I am truly grateful for all the help I have been given along the way

Specs:
25 gallon glass tank
AquaticLife T5HO dual bulbs, 24 in
100w heater & AC 50 filter

Substrate & Scape:
Organic soil capped with Floramax
Clay pot caves & decor

Flora:
Bacopa Caroliniana
Cabomba Furcata
Rotala Macranda
Ludwigia Needle Leaf
Diandra Blood Stargrass
Rotala Wallichii
Potamogeton Gayi
Marsh Mermaidweed
Water Sprite
Blyxa Japonica
Frans Stoffel Sword

Dosing PPS Pro ferts & DIY Co2

No fish yet.........

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Dirt and cap in

 

[Rivercats]

Did you order your plants yet?

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Finally planted. I will say, I found it a little harder to plant the stems in Floramax than I thought. I have only ever planted in sand.......
The macranda was pretty much mush when it arrived....I was able to get it planted, but I am not sure it will survive. The ludwigia lost all of its existing leaves, but the stems seem ok still, so hopefully it will come back ok. Also, I am not sure the plant the had labeled as the Potagameton Gayi is actually that....it looks nothing like any pics I have ever seen of it. If someone could help identify, that would be great. Its the plant on the left, with the reddish orange coloration, behind the mermaidweed.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Will be putting in the Co2 tomorrow. Dosed with Excel today after planting.

 

[Rivercats]

I can't even find the Mermaid weed! I think your going to have to let things grow out some or try getting a close up of that plant only. Did you space your stems? I can't tell that either. When I got Macrandra from AquariumPlant.com it was pretty bad also but some did make it.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

I did plant the stems individually, except the Macranda and ludwigia. Macranda is so mushy I couldnt really seperate it much at all, its in the back right corner under the heater, and the ludwigia is 2 stems per hole. There was a TON of cabomba, stargrass, and the stuff I am not sure is potamageton. Should I take some of it out to let stuff fill in better?
I will dig out my good camera and get some better pics. I am not sure I like the arrangement yet either, but I think I will let things settle before I start rearranging it all, lol.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Here is the plant in question. I like the looks of it, but I really dont think it is Potagamoten Gayi

 

[Rivercats]

For now do just let them alone for a couple weeks but watch to make sure none of the bottom stems start to rot. If they do you will have to pull them out, trim the bad off, and replant with more room. Usually you only need around 6ish stems of each plant, except really thin or tiny stemmed ones, to make a nicely spaced group. It looks bare in the beginning but once they fill in you'd be amazed. When you want a bigger group in a larger tank then usually 10ish stems are enough.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

So I re-arranged a little bit yesterday, and I think it looks a little better now. The Rotala Macranda pretty much turned to soup, so I ended up removing it. Got my Co2 going also, I was starting to see some bubbles coming from the diffuser this morning.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Also, the Blyxa leaves look like they are melting. Can/should I cut them down? Will they do this, and then regow new leaves? The roots on them are solid and seem to be rooting well, just the blades look quite sad.....

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Tank coming along nicely, seeing good growth on most plants. Still strugling with melting Blyxa.

Is this hair algae, or just melted stems from the blyxa. it is only on the blyxa, and a bit on the string root of some wistera that hangs over the blyxa.

 

[jetajockey]

Nice update, that doesn't look anything like the p gayi we get in. I just had a bunch of blyxa go all melty on me and it looked just like that.

 

[jetajockey]

After looking at it for a while, I think that is rotala wallichi.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

You know, that is what I was thinking as well, but I ordered Wallichii, and it is in the back and center, next to the cabomba. They look VERY similar to eachother, but the imposter p gayi is a little more orangey and the Wallichii has a darker tone to it.
I am still not against thinking it is all the Rotalla, maybe from diff bunches or tanks or something. Whatever it is, I like it, and it seems to be doing quite well......but it is definitely not P. Gayi. Lol

 

[Jkeating8]

I agree with Jeta. The top of the stems are very characteristic of R. Wallichi.

 

[Oohitsae]

Just had to say that I absolutely LOVE your scape!

 

[Rivercats]

Kim I don't see any hair algae, just melting Blyxa.

That plant actually looks a lot like Pogostemon Erectus when it's not doing good. Are the new tips growing in a bright green? They kind of look that way in the picture. My PE came in looking similar to that but once it got going good all the new growth is a nice green that can get a tint of color when it gets close to the light. All my Wallichii stems are much smaller in size compared to the PE in my tank. Are the plant in question stems a much larger diameter than the Wallichii you have? Another plant that can look like that is Rotala Vietnam. Vietnam has pinkish stems but mine only has that close to the tops. It would be great if you could post a close up picture of the mystery plant next to a picture of your Wallichii.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Thanks Oohitsae, I have enjoyed putting it together

I will take some comparison pics of the plants and post them tonight after work. Both have nice growth, but I honetly can't remember exactly what color the new growth is..........lol

 

[Kimlafeiet]

1. Labeled Potagematon Gayi
2. Labeled Rotala Wallichii
3. A view of both, p gayi on the left, walichii on the right.
4. Close up of the "p gayi".

They look identical except there looks to be a more orangeish color to the lower stems of the one on the left. New growth looks exactly the same, semi green with red tips on top.