Older Tank Replant help

[Thewestmoh]

Hi all

I am going through a tank evolution, and replanting an existing tank. I am not the greenest of thumbs under or above water

My tank at one point had Cryto (blah blah:s) at the front and some fantastic Anubis growing off the wood and bottom in the back... it looked pretty good...then black fungus went wild.... so without researching I turned the blue light on way earlier in the evening thinking that should help.... yep I learned...anyway a year later.

I am replanting, starting at back with new plants (as per pic), and am I thinking I will pull out the rest of the front Cryto as it is not doing well and roots are probably everywhere....then put in a mixture of Eleochsris Aciulris and Staurrogyne repens in the front (sorry for spelling). Eleochsris on the right and staurrogyne front middle and left.

I am looking for advice, I love seeing some of tanks on this site, and I know I won't get there, but close would be cool thanks.

I think my tank sorta specs more in my profile.


mark

 

[Autumnsky]

Is this a 36G bowfront?

What is your substrate?

What is the light? Do you know it's K rating found near the pins at the end if it is florescent. It will have 4 numbers with the K

Easier for members if it is listed / Faster

Now, are there any fish right now? If so what are they?

 

[Thewestmoh]

Hey

Thanks for the reply and questions, and sorry for my tardy reply. I thought I had all the tank informatipn in my profile, but not sure if it showed up.

80 Gallon, slight bow front.

The Tank is about 8 years old...so intial substrate I can't 100% remember, but store bought brown gravel type stuff, and I just added a bag of tropica Soil power and sorta mixed it in.

10 to 12 Roseline Sharks between 1.5 to almost 4 ish inches 2 years to 5 years old.
1 Clown 6 years old 4 inch
1 Yo yo 6 years old 4 inch
2 plecos 2 years old 2.5 inch
4 Dr. Rufa's old like the hills and about 3 to 4 inches long

I have a multiple color LED 36 inches long and I am pretty sure it said for plants

Hope that helps and thanks

Mark

 

[Autumnsky]

The DW in the tank is fabulous!

You can make this tank pretty darn amazing!

You have the Roseline sharks aka Denison barbs and they are also great in a planted tank.

It is possible I am not able to see the plants clearly, but it looks like the below plants I see in the tank.

The plant in the back looks like maybe Temple plant hygrophila polysperma maybe check a few images and see if it looks the same.
https://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Hygrophilapolysperma(050)/4483

The middle plants, are these Staurogyne Repens like the front ones?
https://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Staurogynerepens(049G)/4481

The plant you mention as Eleocharis acicularis is more of a grassy looking plant.

https://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Eleocharisacicularis(133ST)/19790

You can scroll down in the pictures in the links and see the plants in the aquarium.


As for the other plants you mention, the Anubias is an excellent plant, but does tend to get algae if it grows up close to the top of the tank, it is a slow grower. Anubias Nana Petite is a wonderful plant to tie onto rock or DW.

The African Water Fern / Bolbitis heudelotii is one of my favorites in a larger tank.

To make an amazing looking tank, imho, a bit more needs to be done with the substrate.

Some ideas...

For using stem plants adding enough of the Tropica underneath their root area might be beneficial for growth.

Anubias varieties, Bolbitis and another popular plant Bucephelandra aka Buces all can be tied, attached or wedged in with their rhizome above the substrate and allow their roots to grow into the substrate.

Can you figure out the model and maker of the light?

 

[Thewestmoh]

Hey

Thanks again for the reply, . About 4 or more years ago I had about 6 Green Barbs with the Roseline 's. It was awesome, Green Barbs schooling and taking the top, and the Roselines on the bottom, lasted about 1 to 2 years but the Green Barbs looked to get pregnant, then die one at a time, till there was one left...and he was nasty....anyway that is probably for a new thread

I have attached two more pics.

One showes the middle and the back plants a little closer, please note I pulled most of that front crypto out since then.

The other pic showes the middle and back plants again, but also showes the new plants I put on the right front which were the .Staurogyne Rapens for sure as they were labeled when I bought them.

The middle plants I "thought" were the hygrophillia polysperma (not labeled when I. Bought them) and the back ones I can honestly say I have no idea, again not labeled when I bought them. ...I know kinda silly.

I will try and figure out what the light is, and I was kinda toying with buying a CO2 rig, but **** they are not cheap. My DIY one works, but I don't think it is enough. Does anyone know effective a flugal unit rated for 50 gallon would do on a 80 Gallon tank?

I decided not to try the Eleocharis yet, because I did not think the roots would take....but I still might front center sorta where the Crypto was.....I did but four moss balls in to see if that might help the black fungus a little.


Thanks again for the help.

 

[NicosAquatics]

I’d you’re looking for suggestions on a rescap, move those pieces of wood or whatever they are in the center. Them plant around them.

Plant small plants in front of those in the center then taller plants like Jungle Val in the back.

 

[Thewestmoh]

Hey thanks for the note, I actually did think about that, they are two large pieces so I would only want one in the middle....but that would also take away a lot of good hiding spots as I would have to remove the other.

This is what it looks like now....a little 'unkept" and the Black Beard is getting the back leaves, but I am working on that.

Stay safe in these very strange days.