crypts

[Turtle71]

Hello fishifriend3, just moved over to the planted section.
You mentioned the crypts yesterday and that they can be planted in gravel just not to deep.
I found this info on line:
The ground is really important for these plants, because as said before, they have a really developed root system, that needs a lot of nutrients to grow. This mean you can not use neutral sand or gravel, but is important to provide a fertilized gravel rich of clay or organic rests, covered with a thin substrate of small gravel or sand.

did you manage to grow them in normal gravel with just ferts tabs?

 

[Rivercats]

Crypts do not need to be grown in any special substrate. They do have to have root tabs added around them on a regular basis regardless of they type substrate they are in as they are heavy root feeders.

 

[Turtle71]

Crypts do not need to be grown in any special substrate. They do have to have root tabs added around them on a regular basis regardless of they type substrate they are in as they are heavy root feeders.

Thank you rivercat. Do you have any tip for me which high growing plant I could choose for Angelfish?
I have a 75 gal with medium light.

 

[Rivercats]

What is the exact fixture and bulbs your using? That will determine what plants will work.

Easy lower light tolerant plants would be crypts (there are many types and sizes), swords, tiger lotus (red or green), most bulb plants, val's (but are sensitive to liquid carbons), water sprite, wisteria, along with anubia's, java fern's, and bolbitus for tying onto rocks and driftwood. Crypts, swords, bulb plants, and wisteria need root tabs. Other plants need either dry of liquid ferts. You want nitrates at 10-20ppm and phosphates at 1-3ppm in planted tanks.

 

[Turtle71]

What is the exact fixture and bulbs your using? That will determine what plants will work.

Easy lower light tolerant plants would be crypts (there are many types and sizes), swords, tiger lotus (red or green), most bulb plants, val's (but are sensitive to liquid carbons), water sprite, wisteria, along with anubia's, java fern's, and bolbitus for tying onto rocks and driftwood. Crypts, swords, bulb plants, and wisteria need root tabs. Other plants need either dry of liquid ferts. You want nitrates at 10-20ppm and phosphates at 1-3ppm in planted tanks.

still waiting for my new lights to be delivered. here is a short description from Company.

Differentiating itself from the original Finnex FugeRAY LED, the Planted+ series offers true 660nm red LEDs. Unlike competiting LED fixtures offering a cheaper and mass produced labeled ‘RED’ LED, the Finnex Planted+ has incorporated TRUE 660nm RED LEDs- which studies have found to be one of the most efficient wavelengths for plant photosynthesis. The true 660nm red LEDs also offer a warmer tone throughout one’s aquarium. Such as the Original Finnex FugeRAY LED, the FugeRAY Planted+ also has the blue LED moonlight feature.

apparently this Finnex lights give low to medium light.

 

[Rivercats]

The new lighting will give you some more plant options then. If I remember a 75g tank is still fairly deep so with only 1 new fixture you still will be at the low end of medium lighting. Plants like ambulia, many types of rotala's and ludwigia's will work, along with several other plants. You will need to look into dosing dry ferts and use either CO2 or liquid carbon with that lighting.

 

[Turtle71]

The new lighting will give you some more plant options then. If I remember a 75g tank is still fairly deep so with only 1 new fixture you still will be at the low end of medium lighting. Plants like ambulia, many types of rotala's and ludwigia's will work, along with several other plants. You will need to look into dosing dry ferts and use either CO2 or liquid carbon with that lighting.

I am using Seachem Comprehensive and will also purchase flourish tabs.
Is there any co2 liquid product you can recommend?

 

[Rivercats]

It is going to cost a lot to use a liquid fert in such a large tank. I suggest this...

I use these ferts.... Estimative Index | Aquarium Fertilizer | Green Leaf Aquariums.


I also suggest 3 of these dosing bottles... Fertilizer Dispenser | 1000 mL (32 oz) | Green Leaf Aquariums


Read this thread about dosing PPS-Pro but only read the opening post and not all the comment posts... Newbie Guide to PPS-Pro - PPS Analysis and Feedback - Aquatic Plant Central.


There are two things I do differently than the thread is that I split my macro nutrients up using one dosing bottle for nitrates, and one dosing bottle for phosphates and potassium. This allows me for better custom dosing to the needs of my tank. I shoot for 10-20ppm of nitrate and 1-5ppm phosphates. The thread also has MgSO4, magnesium sulfate in the macro mix. If your tanks Gh is 4 or over then your tap water has enough magnesium in it that supplementing it is not needed.

For liquid carbon you can buy a gallon of Metricide 14 Day Solution for about $20 online. It's twice the strength of Excel so if you use it straight from the bottle dose it at half the amount I listed above. It also comes with a small activator bottle which you need to throw away. If added to the glut it will kill everything in the tank. Only use the glut in the gallon bottle.

 

[Coursair]

For taller Crypts I like my
C. balansae they are thin leaved and tall.

 

[Autumnsky]

For taller Crypts I like my
C. balansae they are thin leaved and tall.

Loving those too, they have a little crinkle to the leaves and I have some that are almost 2' long (maybe 6-7 months since putting them as as tissue cultured plants.)

 

[fishyfriends3]

Sorry turtle I've only just seen this thread. I see you've had lots of good advice already. For the angel I'd suggest vallisneria spiralis would really help him/her feel secure. I'd plant it all the way along the back of the tank. Then crypts in the mid to fore ground. If you have wood or rock available for aquarium use I'd buy java fern and anubias to attach to them. Hope that helps.

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[Brookster123]

For taller Crypts I like my C. balansae they are thin leaved and tall.

they are very nice looking plants indeed, fast growers too!

 

[Turtle71]

So far growing in my tank are:
- a water sprite which is really growing well since I have the new light
- java fern attached to rock which is turning slowly green after it was all brown
- dwarf hair which is doing nothing. It looks healthy but doesn't spread at all.
- melon sword just planted that one yesterday.

I am using now from Saechem comprehensive ferts, root tabs and since yesterday also Flourish Excel. Hoping all of this together is making my hair grow. Even focused the light on them.

uuhh we have a new friend since yesterday. His name is Mr. Cragger....a bushynose Pleco. Nice fish, very interesting and kind

 

[Turtle71]

Sorry turtle I've only just seen this thread. I see you've had lots of good advice already. For the angel I'd suggest vallisneria spiralis would really help him/her feel secure. I'd plant it all the way along the back of the tank. Then crypts in the mid to fore ground. If you have wood or rock available for aquarium use I'd buy java fern and anubias to attach to them. Hope that helps.

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Does this one thrive in medium light? That truly is my problem. I was standing in front of all the tanks at big al's yesterday and got a bit frustrated. All the high growing plants which I would really like for my Angel are in the strong light category. The plants for my light level are so small I can't find anything suitable high growing for my tank.
Is there maybe any floating plant that grows the other way around ?

 

[Brookster123]

Does this one thrive in medium light? That truly is my problem. I was standing in front of all the tanks at big al's yesterday and got a bit frustrated. All the high growing plants which I would really like for my Angel are in the strong light category. The plants for my light level are so small I can't find anything suitable high growing for my tank. Is there maybe any floating plant that grows the other way around ?

you could do swords with your light, anarchis too although it doesn't like excel..

 

[Turtle71]

you could do swords with your light, anarchis too although it doesn't like excel..

gosh why do plants have do be so picky? I don't like this but I want that ...sounds like my kids.

Where else than the big pet stores can I purchase plants? The selection is not that big and pretty pricy as well
Don't forget shipping fees to Canada

 

[Brookster123]

There is a couple online sources that will put together a nice plant pack based on your tank size and lighting!

 

[Turtle71]

There is a couple online sources that will put together a nice plant pack based on your tank size and lighting!

yeah brookster that might be exactly what I need. post or pm me a source ok?

 

[fishyfriends3]

There is a couple online sources that will put together a nice plant pack based on your tank size and lighting!

Yeah this could be a great short cut for you turtle. I've only got low lighting and vallis grows like crazy btw.

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[fishyfriends3]

Oh great news about the new addition, glad you like him.

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