Need new plant ideas, starting again

[fish_4_all]

Sorry, had to edit out the babbling. I want new, fresh ideas. No limits except 10 gallon tanks with 15 watt flourescent lights, heated, with bottom dwellers.

If anyone has the ultimate idea for a tank that looks like a green carpet on the bottom, java fern or other broadleaf growing in select locations and a tall section opposite the HOB would really make my day. That is if I can get it to work. How to take proper care of whatever your ideas are would be greatly appreciated. Oh, and plants that will withstand a rasping BN pleco would be useful.

TIA

 

[Hillbilly Jerry]

If it were me =
Substrate - a very shallow layer of layerite, with medium-fine pool filter sand covering it to a depth of 3 inches in the back, sloping to 2 inches in the front.
Back ground plants would be all Anachris. I'd place a stem every inch across the back, stopping at the filter intake. There I'd put a nice tall Java Fern. In front of the Anachris and Java Fern, place a row of small pieces of slate, stuck sideways in the sand to make a fencerow of sorts. Next, dead center in the foreground I'd put a Crypt. Wendeti (bronze). I'd place small pieces of driftwood on each side of the Crypt, with Willow Moss tied to them. Along the rest of the foreground, plant a few rhizomes of Anubis petite nana and let them grow wild and spread.

All these plants would do just fine under low light, no CO2, and low dosing of ferts. Other than the Anachris, they would all be fairly slow growing as well. The BNP is going to be tough on any plants though. Give him plenty of Algae pellets and nori or cucumber slices to keep his belly full. Personally, I'd lose the BNP and replace him with a hilli loach. I'd also stock 4-6 dwarf cories (pandas are my favorite), and a half dozen Cherry Shrimp. You could replace the shrimp with 4 otos if "bugs" aren't your thing. Top it off with a few Malaysian Trumpet Snails to keep all that sand stirred up a bit.

 

[fish_4_all]

Thanks Jerry, keep the ideas coming. I need to know the best way to grow the anacharis. I can't grow it in the gravel. I will make a section of sand for it as I want to put it at one end of the tank away from the HOB. Can I put the sand in a plastic box and make it work? Does the java fern need the same sand or will grow on driftwood?

 

[Hillbilly Jerry]

Actually the container filled with sand to plant Anachris in isn't a bad idea. Is there a reason you can't use sand for your entire tank floor? Not only will the plants be able to spread their roots a bit easier, but your bottom dwellers will be much happier on sand. Whichever you do, I really want to stress the layerite. It's a good way to add just a touch of nutrients to the substrate without using extra fertilizers.

For growing purposes, the Anachris doesn't even need to be placed into the substrate. Using weights to hold it down will be just fine. you can trim it when it gets too tall, or wait for stem roots , cut just under the new roots and plant the cutting.

Java Ferns will do best if their roots are NOT planted. Loosely tied to driftwood or rocks is a great way to grow it.

 

[fish_4_all]

No real reason I couldn't use sand. I just don't want to stress my fish out too much by changing the entire substrate. I know about the java fern, it is growing really well now and is only staying in one place because it took ahold of a piece of gravel.

As for the anacharis being rooted in place, I really hate to reach in the tank every few days to try and place it back in the substrate. Is why I left it free floating most of the time.

My concern is the problems you have with sand until it is covered with plants and the roots do the work for you. I realize that MT snails do all the work for you, but what happens when the sand is covered by the cover plant? Do they still dig? Will they dislodge the plants in the sand?

Now don't get me wrong, if I have to, I will go out and get Eco-Complete to get a good planted tank. If sand will work just as well, then I will use it. I just want something that will work well in my intended setup and keep my plants alive and healthy.

With that in mind, how would you replace the current gravel with sand? Can I just mix it in or should I replace it all? The other problem I may run into is I feed live white worms and grindal worms to my corys. Will sand allow the worms to hide easier and make a problem with rotting?

All I know for sure this time is I am going to try and do it right. I tried it my way, trying to adapt what I read with what I have and it failed bad and led to my current algae problem.

 

[Hillbilly Jerry]

Some will disagree with me here, but I wouldn't use a nutrient rich soil (eco-complete, flourite, etc.) in a low light no CO2 setup. It might work just fine, as I've never tried it, but I like to have control over the fert dosing when I'm not injecting gas and using high light. Maybe someone with experience in this dept. will chime in.

I know what you mean about the Anachris floating up. What I like to do with it is make a silicone "cookie" with a plant weight embedded inside it. Then take a razor knife and cut an X in the center to poke your stem through. Holds them down pretty well even with diggers in the tank.

Sand is a PITA until your plants get a good root system. No ifs ands or buts about it. Once they get dug in though it was worth it all IMO. Especially with cories. No red bellies and nice long whiskers, and if fish can 'enjoy' life they certainly do spending all day sifting through sand. Once you get a nice coverage You won't see your MTS very often, but my experience tells me they are doing their job. Mine don't dig up my plants, but I'd never say never.

Sounds like you have some lucky cories. Their diet beats the heck out of shrimp pellets I can say, whenever I feed vinegar eels they spend quite a bit of time afterward sifting the sand. I'm assuming they can smell the worms and are rooting them out. In any case I don't get a spike of any kind after feeding them.

I'd remove the gravel, put down the sand, and cover patches of the sand with gravel for an interesting visual effect.

For a last idea, how about adding one more 15 watt tube and a DIY CO2 setup? Makes fighting algae so much easier...

 

[sherry]

I have used eco complete in a low light co2 set up. the substrate doesn't really add any measurable ferts to teh water column at all. in fact when I put in ludwiga I had to dose trades/iron.

the anacharis will grow in anything and in my higher light tank has actually taken on a really beautiful slim form.... I don't knwo what it will do in low light.. but is suspect the stuff you by at the lfs is emmersed growth.

and if you want some carbon AND algae fighitng capabilities think about excel. It offers both and is a snap to use.

 

[Simpte]

I agree with sherry, though I'm no longer a fan of eco-complete.
Anubias, Java ferns, A. reineckii, crypts, aponogetons, all work well in your lighting.
With fish you shouldn't have to add much in the way of ferts, maybe an all in one like Flourish or Tropica's mastergrow (my preference).
Not a big fan of anacharis........... Easy for most, difficult for others to plant.