Yet another 10 gallon plant build

[Trout11B]

Well I came across a liquid fertilizer at the local ag supply that I hoped would help alleviate some of the micronutrient deficiency in the tank.

The L. repens leaves were curling over and paling. After a few hours of the nutrients being in there the leaves have unfurled slightly. The unknown in the tank seems to be a little better, but that may be do to the early morning trim.
I'm thinking the sword needs some heavy dosing of macronutrients and that'll be back on track.

 

[Trout11B]

Purchased some new plants today and rescaled slightly. One was, unfortunately a poor judgement call on my part, is the Brazilian Sword which I found out later, is a non-aquatic. I've heard mixed things so maybe somebody could give me some insider info.

The other didn't have a tag, but looked interesting and familiar but have been unable to put a name to a plant yet. If anybody can figure it out before me I'd appreciate it.

Finally, I rescaped slightly, changing up the ludwigia and drawing the amazon out slightly. It's still nowhere near where I want it, but its slowly getting there.

R

 

[Trout11B]

Well I've been out of town for about a week and had my girlfriend watch the tank for me. She did a really good job taking care of things for me, and I came back to a bunch of new growth.

The ludwigia is taking off and was sprawling across the top of the tank, the swords are really growing too! I've ditched most of the unknown wild specie as it just seems to die off and make new growth at an equal rate, not the worst thing in the world but the amount of floating debris was bothering me. The duckweed has grown too.

 

[Trout11B]

I'd already trimmed the ludwigia before I took the pictures, anyway, can someone recommend a good foreground plant? The mid and foreground sections are really bare and its beginning to bother me. I'm not ecstatic about the scape either so any comments would be appreciated.

 

[Billbug68]

I'd already trimmed the ludwigia before I took the pictures, anyway, can someone recommend a good foreground plant? The mid and foreground sections are really bare and its beginning to bother me. I'm not ecstatic about the scape either so any comments would be appreciated.

Fist things first. The amazon sword is gonna grow huge and look extremely out of place in a 10g. I know, I've done it... Lol. they can get 20+" look in to getting some crypts instead, they are pretty easy care and hardy once established.

 

[Trout11B]

When I first got it I had an idea they were going to get huge, but I never realized it would grow so quickly haha.

Now I just have to figure out what to do with it, I have a 55 that isn't planted, but it doesn't have lighting, CO2, etc. So I'm kind of at a loss for what to do with it. I really like it, even though they get large and ungainly to a point.

 

[Billbug68]

When I first got it I had an idea they were going to get huge, but I never realized it would grow so quickly haha.

Now I just have to figure out what to do with it, I have a 55 that isn't planted, but it doesn't have lighting, CO2, etc. So I'm kind of at a loss for what to do with it. I really like it, even though they get large and ungainly to a point.

Yeah, I thought I could just trim off the larger leaves and let smaller ones grow, trim again, etc. but no, it just doesn't work in a small tank. It might do okay in the 55 in low light. It doesn't NEED added co2, just maybe a root tab and some light.

 

[Trout11B]

Ok I'll try transferring it in the next week or so, the lighting in my 55 is pretty weak, but maybe if I can somehow plant it in a depression on the driftwood it can be closer to the light.

 

[Billbug68]

Ok I'll try transferring it in the next week or so, the lighting in my 55 is pretty weak, but maybe if I can somehow plant it in a depression on the driftwood it can be closer to the light.

What is the lighting? I mean, depending, it might not have astonishing growth, but you could probably keep it alive.. Lol

 

[Trout11B]

Stock hood from a Walmart special 55. So a single strip light, 18 watt I think?

 

[Trout11B]

Well I transferred the amazon to the 55. My driftwood piece had a indentation near the top that I poured some gravel into, this keeps the amazon near the weak light, which I believe will help its situation. I'll add a DIY root tab to the gravel in the coming days to aid it.

So now I have a lot more room in my 10 gallon and its looking empty again, the ludwigia is growing in my tank fairly well. The top leaves have still paled, but I'm still seeing green and red colors. However I'm feeling fairly blah to the tank setup because there isn't much to it. I really need to get some more plants and diversify.

 

[Trout11B]

Added a dwarf gourami today. I believe it's a female. Man, are they skittish. I'm thinking I should've added some more plants before I got one.

 

[Billbug68]

Added a dwarf gourami today. I believe it's a female. Man, are they skittish. I'm thinking I should've added some more plants before I got one.

Awesome. I thought it was hard to find females... When I had one he was real weird at first too. I had a piece of driftwood that had a nice big whole in it and he backed himself in there for a while. Super cute. I'm sure she'll get used to her new home in a few days!

 

[Trout11B]

I hope so. They look pretty good. I'm thinking if I can find some more plants it'll help give them some comfort in the cover. Without the amazon it's really just the ludwigia. Kinda barren.

 

[Trout11B]

Well after purchasing some plants from a fellow member, who happens to have an awesome ten gallon of his own, my tank looks a little less barren.

New additions: A ton!! of Baby Tears, two stems of what I believe to be P. stellatus, a couple stems of narrow leaf java fern, and some floating frogbit, which apparently can be insanely messy, but still adds an attractive touch to the tank. As well as two anubias spp. Anubias nana and anubias nana "petite". I like the look of the anubias. I'm hoping it will thrive. The nana is currently attached to a small rock, and the petite is lightly placed in the substrate. I wish I had some driftwood to put in there to attach them. Also I found a small sprig of four leaf clover, well see how that one does too.

The local plant shop here also had some more stems of Golden Nesaea which look a sight better than mine so I picked some up to supplement my current bunch. As well as some alternathera reineckii. Well see how those do.

 

[Trout11B]

Any aquascaping advice would be appreciated. I tried planning around a "full" tank, allowing for some swimming room for the harlequin rasbora school in there. The dwarf gourami is enjoying the shelter of the thicker plants right now. He's probably more worried about the hand that's been delving in and out of the tank all day.

 

[Trout11B]

Looked at my hood today. I haven't had a chance to upgrade lighting yet, so I took off the plastic water shields, weren't serving much purpose except cutting down light anyway. I don't have a lot of splashing water, and worked in some tinfoil reflectors. They're a little bigger than the dinky ones that were on the hood. Maybe it'll help.

 

[Trout11B]

Added a few things to the tank last night. To help control the algae a little I picked up two little oto's. well see how they do.

Also I picked up a piece of mopani to the tank to tie the anubias petite too. Also added a few stems of anarchis and a stem of watersprite. I'm planning on the watersprite eventually will help shelter the anubias.

I see some growth on the clover too. That's exciting.

 

[Trout11B]

Well, when I picked up the oto's I knew I was in for a bumpy hit or miss ride. Even with mental preparation I wasn't really ready for a loss. I haven't lost a fish, except for predation, in years. This afternoon I found one of oto's at the surface, swimming weakly but hanging on.

I did a water change, but I think this is it fr the little guy. I'm going to keep him in there until the end, just to see.

My waters been cloudy ever since I started dosing flourish and excel. I'm wondering if this might have contributed to something...

 

[Fresh2o]

In my new shrimp tank (which I have been meaning to start a journal on) I started excel and flourish about 2 days ago and there is some cloudiness present. I was not running a filter for a day or two because I was running it on my other tank temporarily for mechanical filtration only. Hopefully it will clear up on it's own.