Mebbid's high tech 40b journal

[hroom88]

Post a journal on the breeding & raising the fry(if you intend to). I am sure for many of us thats going to be a great learning.

 

[Mebbid]

Post a journal on the breeding & raising the fry(if you intend to). I am sure for many of us thats going to be a great learning.

Sorry for the long wait, school has been kicking my butt. Just got an 86% on an exam today though so I am happy with that

Sadly, the eggs didn't make it. I pulled about half of them out of the tank and left the other half for the parents. The half I left in the tank got eaten and the half I pulled got a fungus. I don't think they were properly fertilized.

 

[Mebbid]

I took some pictures of my poor tank today. I decided that I was sick of the tannins in the water so I just added some purigen and am in the process of removing them. Some of the plants are finally adjusting to the new tank but others are still struggling Makes me sad because I expected them to be doing better by this point.

Ludwigia Repens

Micro Chain Sword - they died off fast like I expected but they seem to be recovering the quickest.

Star Repens - They don't look nearly as green as they do in this picture but I believe they are finally starting to turn around

Stargrass - If I had gone this long in my last tank without trimming it; it would have completely overgrown my 55

 

[Fishperson]

Following along! I like the tannin look honestly. Too bad about the GBRs though. Do you like the star grass? I've been considering it.


Sent from my iPod touch using Aquarium Advice

 

[Fishperson]

Oh and you should trim the star repens a bit more for it to carpet. It might help.


Sent from my iPod touch using Aquarium Advice

 

[Sk3lly]

I think trimming also stimulates increased growth


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Mebbid]

Following along! I like the tannin look honestly. Too bad about the GBRs though. Do you like the star grass? I've been considering it.


Sent from my iPod touch using Aquarium Advice

I love the stargrass, but it grows really really fast.

Oh and you should trim the star repens a bit more for it to carpet. It might help.


Sent from my iPod touch using Aquarium Advice

My star repens is lagging behind my micro chain sword in recovery but they are getting close. Most of it will die if I cut it too soon.

I think trimming also stimulates increased growth


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

We will see.. I am going to give it a couple more days before I do a trimming and replanting.

 

[Fishperson]

Oh wow. It looked healthy to me. The star grass sounds great. Are you up for a trade, star grass for something of mine? You already have star repens but I could send you some ludwigia repens, water wisteria, or a crypt undulata.


Sent from my iPod touch using Aquarium Advice

 

[Mebbid]

Oh wow. It looked healthy to me. The star grass sounds great. Are you up for a trade, star grass for something of mine? You already have star repens but I could send you some ludwigia repens, water wisteria, or a crypt undulata.


Sent from my iPod touch using Aquarium Advice

Prossibly. Give me a week or two and I should hopefully have an ample supply of it. It just started growing again.

 

[Fishperson]

Thats good actually because I will be away until the 16th so I will PM you then. Thanks!


Sent from my iPod touch using Aquarium Advice

 

[mattcham]

I'm new to planted tanks and was wondering if its better to start the tank with no fish for a couple of months? That way the CO2 can be maximized to help the plants adjust? Will the plants do OK with zero fish for a few months? I'm referring to new tanks like the one on the OP.

Also what substrate change did your plants undergo? (I see that the new substrate is pool filter sand). Why is it that plants in tissue culture gel or pastic baskets don't have adverse reactions like this? Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.

 

[Mebbid]

I'm new to planted tanks and was wondering if its better to start the tank with no fish for a couple of months? That way the CO2 can be maximized to help the plants adjust? Will the plants do OK with zero fish for a few months? I'm referring to new tanks like the one on the OP.

Also what substrate change did your plants undergo? (I see that the new substrate is pool filter sand). Why is it that plants in tissue culture gel or pastic baskets don't have adverse reactions like this? Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.

Co2 and ferts (nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, potassium, phosphate, and others) are consumed by the plants and fish help produce both of those for plants. I would just cycle the tank and add fish and plants at the same time otherwise the plants will likely become starved of nutrients unless extra are added.

The substrate change I did was from an inert sand to a dirted substrate. I did 1" of miracle grow organic gardening soil capped by about 2" of pool filter sand. This creates a highly enriched area of fertilizers for the plants to feed off in order to help establish their root system.

As for the tissue cultured plants, they actually do go through a transition period in where all of their old leaves will die off and be replaced by leaves that are better suited to being under water. I'm assuming that the plants were shocked by the transition into a fairly heavily fertilized substrate.

 

[Sk3lly]

Co2 and ferts (nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, potassium, phosphate, and others) are consumed by the plants and fish help produce both of those for plants. I would just cycle the tank and add fish and plants at the same time otherwise the plants will likely become starved of nutrients unless extra are added.

The substrate change I did was from an inert sand to a dirted substrate. I did 1" of miracle grow organic gardening soil capped by about 2" of pool filter sand. This creates a highly enriched area of fertilizers for the plants to feed off in order to help establish their root system.

As for the tissue cultured plants, they actually do go through a transition period in where all of their old leaves will die off and be replaced by leaves that are better suited to being under water. I'm assuming that the plants were shocked by the transition into a fairly heavily fertilized substrate.

I buy a lot of tropica 1-2 grow plants. Are these tissue cultured plants?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Mebbid]

I buy a lot of tropica 1-2 grow plants. Are these tissue cultured plants?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

I'm not personally familiar with this brand but if it's sold in plastic tubes or plastic packages with jello like stuff at the bottom then yes, they are tissue cultures.

 

[Sk3lly]

I'm not personally familiar with this brand but if it's sold in plastic tubes or plastic packages with jello like stuff at the bottom then yes, they are tissue cultures.

Yep little plastic pots with jelly. You get lots of little plants all algae free.

Ive never had problems with these plants melting or dropping any leaves. Strange that you have


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Mebbid]

Yep little plastic pots with jelly. You get lots of little plants all algae free.

Ive never had problems with these plants melting or dropping any leaves. Strange that you have


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

It happens most with certain types of plants but doesn't always happen. Water wisteria was probably the most radical example of it.

 

[Sk3lly]

Ive had pogo erectus, staur repens, ar mini, ammania bonsai and rotala rotundifolia.

All have been fine, no melting, great growth.


Was just curious thats all


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Dallascowboys16]

I purchased some tissue cultured postegemon helferi and it melted back terribly but after about a month it took off and now I have a little 4x6 carpet of it in my tank.

 

[Thumper828]

Did the purigen take care of your tannis..?

 

[Mebbid]

Did the purigen take care of your tannis..?

Not quite. Between the soil and driftwood two bags of purigen aren't taking care of it but its slowing it down a lot. Water changes are helping to keep it pretty clear.