Need help with my plants

[Gsdsar]

Recently started up a new tank, my first in many eons, and I decided to give live plants a try. I had no idea what I was doing when I picked them out and when I planted them.

That said, they are doing fairly well, one is even blooming! The others sprout roots all over. I did that I am really enjoying them but need some input.

1. I have a very basic lighting setup, came with an Aqueon "full tank setup". I am starting to see that the as my plants get taller, the bottoms are looking shabby. I am guessing I need to upgrade?

2. Instead if upgrading, is there a safe way to prune the existing plants, and replant the trimmings and have them take hold?

3 I have liquid CO2. How often should I be adding it?

4. I have been feeding them every 3-4 days. Is that ok?

5. I would like to rearrange them. Do I just pull them up and replant them?

6. I am going to add some pictures. Would love some suggestions for adding new plants.

The tank is a 27 g bow front. Running for 6 mo. No fish loss. Everyone is doing great. I have 4 Boesmani ( about 1.5 inches each) 3 Turquoise Rainbow (1.5 inches each) and two banded( about 2 inches each) and 4 Oto cats. I am in the planning stages for a larger tank, a 75 g. I know the fish I have right now will outgrow the current tank. I have no algae since getting my cats.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Super_Blueberry]

Is that anubias in the first picture? If it is you'll want to take the rhizome out of the gravel before it rots.

 

[Gsdsar]

Rhizome???? Is that the bud? If I take it out ofthe gravel where do I put it???

 

[Rivercats]

The rhizome is the log tube that has roots growing from the bottom of it and the leaves growing off the top of it. The bud will also be growing from the top of the rhizome. Just pull up on the plant gently to keep the roots buried but get the rhizome out of the substrate.

As for your questions...

1- IMO it would be better to upgrade as that will give you a much broader variety of
plants to choose from.

2- You have wisteria in the one picture which you can indeed trim and replant trimming
in the substrate.

3- Liquid carbon should be used daily as it only stays in solution 12-24 hours before
breaking down which is why it needs to be dosed daily.

4- What fertilizers are you using? What dosing schedule is listed on the ferts bottle?

5- If you want to rescape just gently remove them from the substrate and replant.

6- With your current lighting your pretty limited. Other plants that you could do is
Crypts, Corkscrew Val, Dwarf Sag, Red or Green Tiger Lotus, and Four Leaf Clover for
a groung cover type plant.

 

[Gsdsar]

Thank you so much!!! LFS trip today. Gonna do some rescaping. Thank you for the suggestions.

The upgrade will happen within the next 6 mo. But I can only afford to buy things piece meal. So it will take a but to have it all together.

The plant food says once a week feeding. Maybe I should just follow the directions.

 

[junglefowl]

Another way to plant anubias is tie it on a rock or DW...

 

[Gsdsar]

Thank you everyone. I got some some new stuff at the LFS, and uprooted my Anubias and reseated it in my new rocks.

Thanks all!!!