# Anyone got any views/advice?



## Martin cape (22 Jan 2013)

Hi guys. 

Got everything going now, ferts, co2, lighting, the works. And........ stuff is growing like mad lol. More than I thought. 

I would like some views/hints/advice on whether I should move/get rid of anything while I can still see everything lol. Here's a quick glimpse. I have in there Amazon Swords, Crypts, Java Ferns, Flame Moss, Rotala Rotafundi in the back left, Alternanthera reineckii lilacina in the front right and back middle and Heteranthera zosterifolia at the back beside the filter box (which is coming out at some point.


----------



## krazypara3165 (22 Jan 2013)

i must admit i like it! i have black substrate and a carpeting grass in my plant but this is swaying me towards changing!


----------



## Martin cape (22 Jan 2013)

Cool thanks. I didn't do any research when I set it all up. It's more a recent thing all this ferts and co2 lol. Hence the aquascaping advice lol


----------



## Martin cape (22 Jan 2013)

This is the night view


----------



## foxfish (22 Jan 2013)

I am really pleased you are enjoying your planted tank journey mate.
Those swords are just about the fastest & largest growing plants we keep!
They will swamp you tank in a couple of months, completely fill the substrate with roots & start growing in the air above the water LOL...


----------



## Martin cape (22 Jan 2013)

Yea, that's why I've asked for advice lol. 

My brothers girlfriend came in the house before and said "bloody hell, them plants have grown!"

She was here 2 days ago lol. I reckon that amazon has grown pretty much nearly 2 inches in height in a few days!!


----------



## LondonDragon (22 Jan 2013)

Looking good so far, what a journey  what you need now is more plants!


----------



## Martin cape (22 Jan 2013)

More lol?? Bloody hell. I thought I had too many lol. 

Can I ask something about stem plants?

I've never had any before and as they are growing there seems to be random roots coming out mid way up the stem. Can I trim them just below the root and re plant them? Is that how they work?


----------



## foxfish (22 Jan 2013)

Yes that is right although if you keep cutting the same stem back it might not fair so well, so after a few cut backs it might best best to pull it up & just re plant the top.
Stems are another fast growing high maintenance plant LOL..
PS if (when) your swords out grow you tank I would be interested in buying one.


----------



## Martin cape (22 Jan 2013)

Haha. 

No problem. By the looks of them it might not be too long till they are too big. Especially the one at the front lol. 

Wonder how big the root system is lol


----------



## Martin cape (28 Jan 2013)

This is the difference after a week lol


----------



## AverageWhiteBloke (29 Jan 2013)

Looking good mate, coming along nicely! Regarding the Swords, they are notorious for having a massive root systems. If/when you pull one out expect to pull out the majority of smaller plants around it  On occasion when I had decided there was a large Amazon where I didn't want it to be I have pulled it out so far then cut it off with scissors leaving a lot of the roots in the substrate. Don't know if that's a good idea or not but not had any problems. Liking the sand as well, used to have it and changed to cat litter but now I'm wondering if that was the right move.


----------



## Martin cape (29 Jan 2013)

Yea I know about the Amazons. Dunno how big these are going to get lol. Probably have to do summot at some point. 

Yea I love the sand, only thing it shows every bit of fish poo lol. I've got some TNC root plugs in there too.


----------



## Pinkmummy79 (30 Jan 2013)

Clean and tidy mate
Love the sand just wish mine was as clean as that but with a 12" sailfin plec he craps everywhere lol

I notice you nolonger have the easy aqua diffuser, are you havig better results with the glass one in the photo? just wondering if this would benefit my tank once Richrd has sorted my new reg out....


----------



## Martin cape (30 Jan 2013)

Yea I ditched the atomisers. Nothing but trouble. Needs too high a pressure. The glass ceramic is much better, only needs 1.5 bar to function. I have it set to 2 to keep it all stable though as these regs prefer a high pressure apparently.


----------



## Pinkmummy79 (30 Jan 2013)

cool, i'll bear this in mind, I obviously got mine as part of the kit from AE and need one suitable for 260 litre tank less my offset for bodwood and substrate etc


----------



## Martin cape (30 Jan 2013)

The one I have is the big one. Ya just fire more CO2 through it. At the min I'm injecting about 3.5 to 4 bps. That's on a 180 litre, minis bogwood etc. I would say you might be about 5 bps. Rough guess.


----------



## Pinkmummy79 (30 Jan 2013)

righty then i'll order one as they're not expensive, cheers pal


----------



## dw1305 (31 Jan 2013)

Hi all,


LondonDragon said:


> what you need now is more plants!


Don't listen to me, because I don't do aquascaping, but definitely some plants more required, they all look a bit "dotty" at the moment. I can only grow jungles, so I'd be adding plants, dead leaves and bits of planted wood until 75% of the bare sand was covered (I'd leave some sand for your Cories). I also always have floaters, partially to add shading, but also for their roots.

I'd go for some _Anubias, _Ferns and moss for the wood, and some more smaller leaved rosette plants (like the _Cryptocoryne_ you have) to provide a bit more of a transition between the Swords and the sand, _Sagittaria platyphylla,_ _Echinodorus tenellus or Echinodorus quadricostatus _would do, or a smaller _Cryptocoryne sp._ like _C. x willisii_. The other plant I think you need is something with a dissected leaf, I like _Ceraptopteris, _but you could use_ Myriophyllum mattogrossense, Cabomba caroliniana _or _Hygrophila pinnata_ etc.

I'm not a CO2 user so these are mainly low-tech, but others will be able to suggest plants that would grow with added CO2.

cheers Darrel


----------

