FresH2O's 20g planted rescape
- Thread starter Fresh2o
- Start date
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fishenthusiast
Aquarium Advice Addict
I agree, look great!
Sharmon
Aquarium Advice Freak
It looks great.
OP
OP
Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
Thanks guys.
Not needing any plants at the moment; a recent trimming produced 14 pogo erectus stems, 20 Ammania bonsai stems, and a 3x3" section of staur repens. Just going to let this fill out. The BBA is turning pink (finally).
Not needing any plants at the moment; a recent trimming produced 14 pogo erectus stems, 20 Ammania bonsai stems, and a 3x3" section of staur repens. Just going to let this fill out. The BBA is turning pink (finally).
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OP
OP
Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
Just a comparison pic of 3 weeks of growth:
At a glance, not a lot of growth. However, you can see the flattening of the staur repens leaves in the second shot. I've been growing this plant since 2013 and only this past year have I noticed this type of growth pattern. Prior to that it was a full, yet upward growth requiring periodic trimming. Also, side shoots are becoming runners now. Growth rate is medium. The only thing different is the use of the Finnex 24/7 in 24/7 mode. The Planted+ is supplemental and only on for 3 hours per day so I'm not sure if that is a factor.
This tank is close to set-it-and-forget-it.
This tank is close to set-it-and-forget-it.
Mine are the same but I have noticed that when I allow the frogbit to get overpopulated on the surface the staur repens starts reaching upward more.
That has lead me to believe that the light is what keeps it short and causes it to spread horizontally more so than vertically.
Funny we are running almost the same lighting. I have a 24/7 and a satellite pro+. I run the 24/7 on the 24/7 program and the pro+ comes on 2times for 1 1/2 hrs each with a 1 hour break between them.
Your tanks always look amazing and that growth is really good.
Keep up the good work!
That has lead me to believe that the light is what keeps it short and causes it to spread horizontally more so than vertically.
Funny we are running almost the same lighting. I have a 24/7 and a satellite pro+. I run the 24/7 on the 24/7 program and the pro+ comes on 2times for 1 1/2 hrs each with a 1 hour break between them.
Your tanks always look amazing and that growth is really good.
Keep up the good work!
Sharmon
Aquarium Advice Freak
Your tanks make me jealous. What pretty tanks you have.
fishenthusiast
Aquarium Advice Addict
Looking good, Fresh! You have some fine tuning skills if you're able to make this tank an "almost set-it-and-forget" tank. I'd be trimming stem plants for an hour when I had them!
OP
OP
Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
I should learn by now that removing a good portion of plant mass can throw things off. Not the ferts but the CO2. Drop checker looked like Mountain Dew and a few fish were at the surface gasping. I'm only running 2-3 BPS for 5 hours a day. Plants were pearling like crazy so low O2 was not an issue.
I dropped the water level so that the canister output agitated the surface. I reduced the CO2 from 5 hours to 2 hours. Going to slowly bring the water level back up. It may take a few days to stabilize things.
So much for set it and forget it.
Dale - I may hit you up on some frogbit. Many years ago I grew that outdoors. It might do fine in my setup since it is similar to yours. Nice little plant.
The only thing that grows rapidly is the pogo erectus. Easy to trim and remove. Since it is a background plant, I can let it go for a bit if necessary.
I dropped the water level so that the canister output agitated the surface. I reduced the CO2 from 5 hours to 2 hours. Going to slowly bring the water level back up. It may take a few days to stabilize things.
So much for set it and forget it.
Dale - I may hit you up on some frogbit. Many years ago I grew that outdoors. It might do fine in my setup since it is similar to yours. Nice little plant.
The only thing that grows rapidly is the pogo erectus. Easy to trim and remove. Since it is a background plant, I can let it go for a bit if necessary.
Making me think of getting a Finnex. Have been checking out lighting options recently. Got a little 12" Clip on and it is well made and doing a great job on my SW Chaeto ball.
Tank is looking mah-velous (dah-ling) as usual! Liking how the Staurs are growing too. In my lowlight tank they got about 3-4" tall!!! Like the way your are now.
Tank is looking mah-velous (dah-ling) as usual! Liking how the Staurs are growing too. In my lowlight tank they got about 3-4" tall!!! Like the way your are now.
I have tons of the frogbit right now and need to reduce it badly.
Say the word. Shipping only and I'll send you a baggie full.
nirbhao
Aquarium Advice Addict
Frogbit = snail food
TMaier
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yep. They ate all my frogbit. But they are leaving the duckweed and salvia alone at the moment.
TMaier
Aquarium Advice Addict
Fresh your tank always looks lovely! Unless you've had a creative spark and yanked it all out lol.
I must say the plants I got from you are growing gangbusters and I might have to move a few crypts to different tanks soon.
I must say the plants I got from you are growing gangbusters and I might have to move a few crypts to different tanks soon.
OP
OP
Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
Duckweed = can't ever have just one and it gets everywhere
That's too bad; they produce lovely flowers
No, nothing has changed. You see, I'm actually quite lazy and like it when things stay relatively the same. The stem plants I have do not require much maintenance; no wild runners to tame. The staur repens is spreading laterally rather than vertically. Despite the larger leaves, I'm enjoying it more that the HC carpet. No weekly messy trimming. Plus, the star repens' root system is deep; no chance of it lifting up.
I'm dealing with BBA but that's tolerable. Right now i am working on getting the CO2 balance right without stressing the fish. Yesterday the CO2 was on for only 2 hours and the drop checker was yellowish green. Fish were not at the surface. Plants were pearling.
Glad to hear the plants are doing well. Grow them out and spread the love.
nirbhao
Aquarium Advice Addict
It's a lovely plant. The only tank I could keep it in is the one that needs the most light.
Agreed on both counts.
fishenthusiast
Aquarium Advice Addict
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it." When I had Staur repens and they looked good (briefly), it was something to behold. A plant with a very nice green.
I agree! Simple looking plant but holds a natural beauty in such a small package. Spreads like wildfire too.
OP
OP
Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
Came home from work and saw a few ember tetras hanging out near the surface. Drop checker bright yellow. CO2 is only on 2 hours per day. Turned on the solenoid and the bubble count was very high. I dropped it down 1-2 bps and, as a precaution, removed several gallons to increase the surface agitation and promote CO2 off gassing. Oh, boy. Other than that, plants look great!
