New plants for a 10 gallon

[cherokeeluvr]

I'm thinking about redoing my 10 gallon aquarium due to my long annoying columnaris battle. The plants I have now after covered in algae and look bad. I want to get some plants that will grow with no ferts and grow well. I have a finnex planted plus that goes on for 8 hours a day (2 in the morning, and 6 later). I'm planning to mix flourite and flora max as substrate. The plants I currently have are star repens, creeping Jenny, bacopa, unknown rotala, and ludwigia repens. The ones I've thought about are
- rotala indica
- Amazon sword
- crypts (bronze)
- riccia
- water wisteria

Any other suggestions or concerns?



Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Fishperson]

Is there a reason that the photoperiod is 2/6 instead of 4/4?

IMHO no ferts is not feasible with that kind of light. Ferts are very easy to have at least some. Might as well get some Flourish Comprehensive and Flourish Excel, at least.

I assume you don't run co2 either? I think you have an imbalance, too much light compared to your fertilizer and co2. So you want to either downgrade or raise (physically raise; distance it from the substrate) the light or get dry ferts and some form of co2.

Using liquid carbon like flourish excel is very easy and very helpful. It can certainly help to fight algae, but ultimately it won't go away until you have less light or more co2/ferts.

 

[cherokeeluvr]

Is there a reason that the photoperiod is 2/6 instead of 4/4?

IMHO no ferts is not feasible with that kind of light. Ferts are very easy to have at least some. Might as well get some Flourish Comprehensive and Flourish Excel, at least.

I assume you don't run co2 either? I think you have an imbalance, too much light compared to your fertilizer and co2. So you want to either downgrade or raise (physically raise; distance it from the substrate) the light or get dry ferts and some form of co2.

Using liquid carbon like flourish excel is very easy and very helpful. It can certainly help to fight algae, but ultimately it won't go away until you have less light or more co2/ferts.

It's split 2/6 because that way I can see it at the times I'm usually in my room, where the tank is. I can dose flourish weekly, I've got a huge bottle! I've been dosing a ton of excel, and it didn't help :/ I can keep doing though. I just know people who have the same light and run it 8 hours and very rarely dose and have no algae and great growth!


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Fishperson]

It's split 2/6 because that way I can see it at the times I'm usually in my room, where the tank is. I can dose flourish weekly, I've got a huge bottle! I've been dosing a ton of excel, and it didn't help :/ I can keep doing though. I just know people who have the same light and run it 8 hours and very rarely dose and have no algae and great growth!


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Hmmm. Now that I think about it without co2 the photoperiod probably isn't too much of a problem. I'm not sure though. Someone else will have to chime in.

Those people probably do something different. I suspect the use co2. Dosing excel will certainly help but I maintain that you probably have too much light.

Maybe look into DIY co2, I tried it once and it worked alright, others have had more success with it. I think it would be beneficial for your tank, if you can't go all-out on a pressurized system. Dosing flourish will help I'm sure.

What kind of algae is it? Adding otocinclus catfish or Amano shrimp could help depending on what algae it is.

 

[cherokeeluvr]

Hmmm. Now that I think about it without co2 the photoperiod probably isn't too much of a problem. I'm not sure though. Someone else will have to chime in.

Those people probably do something different. I suspect the use co2. Dosing excel will certainly help but I maintain that you probably have too much light.

Maybe look into DIY co2, I tried it once and it worked alright, others have had more success with it. I think it would be beneficial for your tank, if you can't go all-out on a pressurized system. Dosing flourish will help I'm sure.

What kind of algae is it? Adding otocinclus catfish or Amano shrimp could help depending on what algae it is.

I've gone through all the DIY mess several times. Just doesn't float my boat. Mostly just plain green algae. A little bit of short hair algae occasionally. And I've got an Oto and an Amano. Just not going to get anything more until I've figured out what my plan is. If I redo the tank, I may euthanize my remaining fish who are carrying the columnaris. I really really don't want this awful disease to come back.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[cherokeeluvr]

Thought I'd make a post to show what I've done here is the tank.

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k587/Cherokeeluvr/Mobile Uploads/image_zpsnqkuhnbv.jpeg

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k587/Cherokeeluvr/Mobile Uploads/image_zpsjawcgebo.jpeg

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k587/Cherokeeluvr/Mobile Uploads/image_zpswu7uvnsm.jpeg

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k587/Cherokeeluvr/Mobile Uploads/image_zpspviomugl.jpeg

I ended up getting water wisteria, Java fern, and crypt wendtii bronze and green. I had great luck at pet supermarket and petco! Got all that water wisteria for $4. I bought the huge clump of Java fern with at least 15 babies already for $5. I got the three crypt wendtii green for $6, not the best deal, but ok! And I got all the crypt bronze for only $3.50! I already separated it out into several plants, but it was sold as one giant plant. Measured over 2 ft including roots! Quite impressive for Petco!

I'm cycling the tank with stability and everything is going well! Nitrites and nitrates are at good levels. Ammonia is low, but has a few more days to go.

I'm planning on stocking it with 3 ottos, 3 amanos, and 7 Cardinal tetras.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[cherokeeluvr]

Another tank update:
It's been doing great! No deaths and I have a Cardinal tetra school, a ton of rcs (that are breeding like crazy), and 2 Amano shrimp!

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k587/Cherokeeluvr/Mobile Uploads/image_zpseovodlhk.jpeg

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k587/Cherokeeluvr/Mobile Uploads/image_zpsmaoimo3t.jpeg

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k587/Cherokeeluvr/Mobile Uploads/image_zpszz7se3l2.jpeg

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k587/Cherokeeluvr/Mobile Uploads/image_zpsxkelkcug.jpeg


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[TheresaM]

Another tank update:
It's been doing great! No deaths and I have a Cardinal tetra school, a ton of rcs (that are breeding like crazy), and 2 Amano shrimp!

Very nice! Such good colors on the cards and shirmp

 

[cherokeeluvr]

Very nice! Such good colors on the cards and shirmp

Thanks! And with the abundance of plants and shrimp, I have very little algae!


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice