PlantSlayer curse officially lifted

[TomK2]

Well. some months ago I decided to try and break the "PlantSlayer" curse, by setting up a low light, low tech, low maintenance 10 gal planted tank. I ended up with a potted crypt and a java fern, after killing off some other crypt species and anacharis. I initially messed with the tank, brusing off the algae from the plant leaves, but then decided to put a "benevolent neglect" policy into effect. No interventions other than feed the neons, occasional water changes, and brush the algae off the glass when nagged to do so (tank is not in a highly visible location).

For some time, I have been looking for the same crypt plant that is doing well in the tank to put on the other side where the other plants have died, and haven't seen one at the LFS. But today, I noticed that the crypt has sent a runner out and put up a new plant, that I have snipped and transplanted to the empty area. I had figured that the plantslayer curse was just dormant, awaiting a time to rise up and smite me, but now I can officially pronounce it conquered. My plants are reproducing! Can a high light CO2 tank be far behind?

 

[hulkamaniac]

Very cool. I have something of a black thumb myself and recently planted my tank. I was able to grow Java moss and swords in my very low light tank so I upgraded the lighting and added Anachris and Hornwort. I must confess I'm very surprised at the success I'm having.

 

[Purrbox]

Congratulations! Be aware that Crypts sometimes suffer from Crypt Melt after being divided and/or moved. Just remove any leaves that melt and they should bounce back shortly.

 

[TwoHobbies]

And yet again Patience wins out......what a hobby....one curse down and soooooo many to go

 

[Jchillin]

I had figured that the plantslayer curse was just dormant, awaiting a time to rise up and smite me, but now I can officially pronounce it conquered. My plants are reproducing!

I've waited a long time to hear this, congrats on your new growth and welcome to the world of planted tank keepers.

You can now look at a variety of other plants to grow out and who knows, you may get to the hi tech tank before I do.

 

[hulkamaniac]

This is what I think is so great about the hobby. There are just so many places to go with it. Everyone starts with keeping a few simple fish like danios or maybe some hardy tetras like glo-lites, and then you go on from there. You can start keeping planted tanks, maybe get into breeding, branch off into just cichlids, dedicate a tank to just catfish or so many other things. Then when you get tired of FW, there's always SW to try. You can star w/a simple FO tank then move onto a FOWLR setup and eventually to a reef. If you want you can stick with just FW. There are so many tropicals to try to keep, then there are coolwater fish as well as some fish with unique needs like the mudskipper.

 

[TomK2]

My wife is getting tired of her Goldie tank. A 10 gal tank is kinda limited for planting, being so short and small. The light on the 55 gal goldie tank is a standard 3 ft flourescent, a little too dim to convert the goldie tank to a low light tank? What kind of lights might be abailable for the standard 3 foot by 18 inch 55 gal tank? I was thinking of low light plants and neons. Essentially, my current 10 gal scaled up to 55 gal.