Wy Renegade's German Blue Ram Planted Pseudo Paradise

[aqua_chem]

Is that narrow leaf Java fern buried completely on the right side near the front? The one behind it looks ok, but I'm not sure about that one.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Furcata Rainbow fish would be nice too

 

[Wy Renegade]

Looks great cant wait to see it fill out

Me either, but since it is low tech, I'm sure it will be a while.

Looks like you are off to a great start here Randy. Thanks for chronicling it for us.

Thanks fort, I'm sure I'll be picking yours, Marks, and Rivercats brains as those plants start to succeed or deteriorate.

Looking even better! Those rams will love it

One tetra that I really like that hasn't been mentioned yet is the Emperor Tetra. When full grown, their finnage is quite elegant for a tetra. Just something to look in to.

Thanks, I'll check into those.

Is that narrow leaf Java fern buried completely on the right side near the front? The one behind it looks ok, but I'm not sure about that one.

Thanks for checking Mark and for I.D.ing the plant. I got a bunch of types of anubias and some Java fern and none were labeled, so I have no clue which is which. One both plants I have just the roots buried, but on the the one you asked about, there just isn't much rhizome.

Furcata Rainbow fish would be nice too

Thanks, I'll check into those as well.

 

[aqua_chem]

Furcata rainbows aren't native to SA, just in case you're trying to do something like that.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Furcata rainbows aren't native to SA, just in case you're trying to do something like that.

Thanks Mark, haven't really spent much time looking at anything at this point, as I was more interested in getting the tank up and going. I've checked my local resources, and at this point none of the suggested species are available locally or even sort of locally, so I guess we'll have to see. I don't know that I'm sticking too close to a biotope on this one, just wanted to have a similar feel to it. Probably would have been easy enough, but neither of my wood sources are authentic and the oak leaves won't be either.

 

[Scottyhorse]

I just like the look of furcata's. Are you wanting to do a bio-tope type setup?

 

[Wy Renegade]

I just like the look of furcata's. Are you wanting to do a bio-tope type setup?

Nope, no biotope on this one.

 

[Wy Renegade]

January Update (07Jan2013)

Ok time for an update and hopefully some advice on this one. I'm definitely going to have to work on the photo skills a bit, I can't seem to get the nice pictures in these freshwater tanks that I'm used to getting in the saltwater ones.

First off, a FTS;

Right End;

And left end;

As you can see the mosses and water lettuce in particular appear to be doing really well. The stem plants on the other hand, not so great. One of the narrow leaf Java ferns has lost almost all the leaves (turning brown), and a lot of the other stem plants leaves are developing black spots. Any suggestions on what I should be looking at?

The Christmas moss is doing really well;

As is this unknown stringy moss that came with some unknown plants growing in it;

Interestingly the applewood that I peeled completely has developed a large growth of the infamous white fungi, while the pieces that I left the inner bark on have not;

I'm not worried about the fungi except where it is threatening to over run some of the tiny anubias plants;

Should I attempt to scrap the fungi off around the plant or will it be ok?

The cottonwood piece hasn't developed any of the fungi at this point, and the anubias plants on it appear to be doing ok, a few black spots, but not much;

 

[fort384]

How high off the tank are the t5NOs? Are they reflected?

Whats your NO3 testing at?

I hate the driftwood fungi. I had a piece of DW once that took a year before it stopped growing. I always scraped it off...

I feel the pain on the pics. Not sure why, but it is immensely more difficult to get a good planted tank shot than a reef shot.

EDIT: Also, java ferns develop black spots as the leaves age. Just gotta trim em and toss em once they look bad enough. The crypts looks fairly healthy. The java fern shedding leavings/turning brown concerns me though.

 

[aqua_chem]

Did you ever address the issue with the rhizomes? They shouldn't be buried, but rather attached to something else like a epiphyte.

 

[fort384]

Good point - my best java ferns were always the ones that I tied to DW with fishing line. Always better than the ones in the substrate.

 

[Wy Renegade]

How high off the tank are the t5NOs? Are they reflected?

Whats your NO3 testing at?

I hate the driftwood fungi. I had a piece of DW once that took a year before it stopped growing. I always scraped it off...

I feel the pain on the pics. Not sure why, but it is immensely more difficult to get a good planted tank shot than a reef shot.

T5s are sitting right on top of the tank, and they are reflected.

NO3 appears to be testing below 5ppm at this point, but the test kit is old enough that I'm not sure I totally trust the results. Guess I need to pick a new one up this weekend.

Yes the fungus is a bit unsightly isn't it? I think I'll attempt to remove it at least from around the plants.

 

[fort384]

I think the light ought to be enough then to grow the plants you have selected. I would try uncovering the rhizomes if they are in sand and see if you see improvement. The rhizomes need light, or they can start to rot and kill the plant.

Are you adding any fert to the tank? If NO3 is less than 5 that could also be an issue - might be bottoming out on N. Even though this is a low light tank with undemanding plants, you might be to the point where a trace/K supplement would b e beneficial as well.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Did you ever address the issue with the rhizomes? They shouldn't be buried, but rather attached to something else like a epiphyte.

Good point - my best java ferns were always the ones that I tied to DW with fishing line. Always better than the ones in the substrate.

I did check them to make sure the rhizome wasn't buried, but maybe I'll move them onto one of the upright stems instead.

I think the light ought to be enough then to grow the plants you have selected. I would try uncovering the rhizomes if they are in sand and see if you see improvement. The rhizomes need light, or they can start to rot and kill the plant.

Are you adding any fert to the tank? If NO3 is less than 5 that could also be an issue - might be bottoming out on N. Even though this is a low light tank with undemanding plants, you might be to the point where a trace/K supplement would b e beneficial as well.

I know they are getting more light in this tank then they were in the tank they were in before. I did stop back in tonight though and I see my light wasn't shutting off with the timer like it should be. Would too long of a lighting period be part of the issue?

I've added both excel and comprehensive, but haven't added any of the Nitrate, although I do have it. Would it be worth adding a portion of the recommended amount to see how that affects the test results? Should I be adding anything beyond the excel and comprehensive for trace elements?

 

[fort384]

Long photoperiod could cause that I think.


I'd dose some N as well.

 

[Karay]

Good point - my best java ferns were always the ones that I tied to DW with fishing line. Always better than the ones in the substrate.

I've read that cotton thread should be used as it dissolves and by that time the plant has attached itself. Fishing is always there and could cut into the plant as it grows.

 

[fort384]

I never had an issue with it. Yes it does not dissolve but in my experience the plant just grows around it. I had some pretty remarkable java ferns using this method back in the day.

 

[aqua_chem]

It's also only a temporary thing. Eventually the plants will root themselves to whatever you've got them on and you can remove it.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Long photoperiod could cause that I think.


I'd dose some N as well.

I've been trying to figure out why the water lettuce and duckweed in this tank has exploded, but wasn't doing much in the other tanks. Now that I've realized that the lights were running 24/7 for an extended period of time that kind of makes sense. Unfortunately that is one of the problems with having the tanks at school - you're not around all the time to see what is going on. Anyway, guess I've some maintainence to do.

I've read that cotton thread should be used as it dissolves and by that time the plant has attached itself. Fishing is always there and could cut into the plant as it grows.

Thanks for the suggestions. I've seen that as well, but hopefully once the plants get growing I can go in and cut the fishing line out and get rid of it. I'm not a real big fan of adding more organics than I need to to the tank.

It's also only a temporary thing. Eventually the plants will root themselves to whatever you've got them on and you can remove it.

That was my thought as well.

 

[fort384]

I never cut mine off. Eventually it just disappeared into the plant.