6 Month Progress of my 110 gallon

[neilanh]

What's the large plant right-front?

[30searay]

I'm not sure any more, I have had the plant for so long I can't remember

[marchmaxima]

It's looking heaps better IMO. I have no suggestions for you, cos I'm not the expert in plants but I just wanted to say that I think it's coming along great.

[Purrbox]

I actually like the spiralis on the left. On the right I'd probably thin and push back the bushes of crypts, etc. and then let the HM fill in the front right as well.

[pitt420dude]

HM?? HC??

I think your tank looks great. I too especially like the spiralis on teh left. It's tall verticle foilage is a good contrast to the immediately adjacent short squat lawn-type carpet (what is that again, the low lying foreground plant? Begins with an "M" right?).

I would (if i had a planted tank that is) keep the left pretty much as is, maybe even rubber band or tie the anubias to the top 3/4ths of the driftwood (it will latch on too!), and thin out the right side considerably. Even if you kept the same plants but just groomed em more, it may look better.

Your ENTIRE tank is pretty much green, which looks great, but if you allowed some substrate to show in between plants, like a little border around each one, it may even look better. (just my opinion). As far as getting some red, I dunno. C'mon peoples, what are some hardy/easy to grow colorful reds?

[Purrbox]

HC = Hemianthus Callitrichoides, a popular foreground carpet plant
HM = Hemianthus Micranthemum, can be used to create a carpet or small bush in the foreground (This is the plant in the foreground you were asking about.)

[pitt420dude]

Thanks for the names purrbox, I really like the HM. It looks like it's doing great.

Is that a java fern that is growing on top of the piece of driftwood in the middle of the tank, I really like the way that looks.

Your tank looks so much better than the first pics in this thread; lots more contrast and better views of all the different plants and fish.

[30searay]

Thanks for the comments Pitt420. I am happier with it as well, although it needs so much more work. The anubias are flowering on the bottom of the tank...Purrbox have you heard of or seen this before? It is really cool.!! The flower bubbles out oxygen bubbles non stop. And yes, that is a java fern on the drift wood, although it doesn't seem to do anywhere near as well as the java fern towards the back of the tank on the bottom, that one is quite large.

Thanks again to Black Hills TJ for the HM , that stuff grows quite well and is already in need of a serious hedge clipping. It's over 6 inches tall and is taking over the anubias space. I would still like to find some reds that grow well but haven't had success so far. I am tempted to change one of my lights (maybe the 6700 K in the center row) over to MH to see if helps with growing red. Depends on whether I get any money back from the tax man this year (or I guess I could take out of the kids college funds). The wife just won't have me buying any right now as they are a bit expensive.

[Purrbox]

It's really neat when Anubias decide to bloom. It's pretty common for Anubias Nana to bloom underwater when it's happy. Mine's done it a few time and is in the process of blooming again after having taken several months off. Unfortunately unless the blooms make it above the water they won't be fertilized. I'm actually growing a couple in my emersed setup in the hopes that I'll be able to get them to bloom and fertilize them.

Congrats and enjoy the sign of happy plants!!!

[30searay]

Well, 3 weeks ago I went ahead and upgraded the lighting on my 110 from the 330w CF setup from AH Supply to the Nova Extreme T5 setup with 416w output. The lunar lights are really something. I guess for us fish fanatics there is always something else to spend our hard earned money on! I wonder if this bothers the fish at night?

I am seeing improved results in some of the plant growth already. However, the HM I have continues to grow upwards rather than outwards. Does anyone have any thoughts on how to get the stuff to spread?

As soon as I get the tank cut back a bit I'll get some new pictures posted. Still need to try some nice reds in the tank and will do that soon....I am eager to see if I can grow them now with the new lights!

On a sadder note, I neglected to notice that I was out of water conditioner until well into a significant water change a couple weeks ago. As it was well past 10pm a couldn't run out to my LPS and pick some up. Ended up having to put tap water into the tank which wiped out my entire school of penguin tetras that I have had for several years. They were huge, very colorful and most importantly, a peaceful schooling fish. Live and learn I guess.