Recent content by savga

Swords can have big root systems. I've found that it helps to cut around the plant with a plastic knife or scraper a few inches out from the plant before trying to pull it up, so that it doesn't pull up everything else in the tank.

Could be potassium deficiency which can cause thin weak leaves. If calcuim is lacking, magnesium may also be lacking. My water is very soft and I had the same problem with plant growth. Instead of trying to supplement calcuim, etc. I started adding RO Right with water changes which brings...

I don't know the scientific name off hand but it looks like something I've seen called Star Grass.

The UV bulb in the sterilizer can burn your eyes also. You should never have it turned on unshielded especially when it is close to your eyes.

About.com has some good articles about making your own tank. Here is a link. http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/diytanksrefugiums/

If it is a flat spiral, it sounds like a ramshorn snail. They don't get nearly as big as a mystery snail. I think it would be ok to leave it and watch it grow.

Sounds like a bad infection. You could try antibiotics like Maracyn 1 and 2 or kanamycin. Even if it is too late for him, I would treat the quarantine tank to keep the others from catching it.

American Flag fish (Jordanella floridae) and Ameca splendens also eat hair algae. I got Flag fish to eat hair algae and the even cleaned it out of the java moss. Flag fish do nibble plants though.

Lack of calcium causes twisted and curled new foliage and stunted growth. I had that problem with my soft water. Intead of tring to dose Ca and Mg separately I just started adding RO Right with the water changes to bring up Ca, Mg, and Kh in a balanced way. It worked great. I don't think that...

I've gotten mine to take freeze-dried bloodworms occasionally. They really go crazy for live bloodworms.

I made one out of PVC pipe. It is pretty easy.

I would trim off the old part at the bottom and replant the tops at least the first time so all the growth looks the same. Next time if you want new sprouts to plant, leave the stumps planted and new growth will emerge. Anacharis hits the top of my aquarium in about 1 week.

Nice start. The plant may be Hygrophila corymbosa. Also a background taped up on the back of the tank will hide your equipment. Solid black or blue will make the plantings really stand out.

Wouldn't it be great if there were such a thing as a cheap underwater light meter, then we could real standardize lighting requirements in foot-candles or lumens or whatever. Just daydreaming.