# My Freshwater Reef



## Scorpio1646 (10 Jan 2018)

Coming from a marine reef background I decided to set up my first attempt at a planted freshwater tank with a reef theme. No substrate and lots of natural light....I've got a long way to go to match the standard of some of your guy's tanks but so far I'm pretty pleased with my first go....this was taken at dusk, my tank sits on the desk next to my computer in my 'at home' office....wish I had a proper camera instead of my iPhone!


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## Edvet (11 Jan 2018)

Be carefull, lots of natural light means lots of light. You will probably gonna need CO2 and lots of ferts to keep it working


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## foxfish (11 Jan 2018)

Looks geat at the moment, good luck.


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## PARAGUAY (11 Jan 2018)

Welcome, nice aquarium


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## Scorpio1646 (11 Jan 2018)

Thanks for the good advice Edvet. I set this tank up at the end of November. I spent 3 months trawling the forums for advice before I started to avoid just the problems you mentioned. So far not a smidgeon of algae in sight...it is against a North West facing window though, the tank is an ADA 60P and I use CO2 at 1bps with a Fluval G3 on maximum flow which I reckon gives me about 10times turnover per hour. I use Flourish Excel every other day with 20% water changes twice a week...and TNC Complete once a week. My biggest problem at the moment though is that the plants are growing too fast. I'm reluctant to cut them back too much because I think their proliferation helps algae competing. Still a long way to go on the learning curve but I'm enjoying it, which is the main thing.


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## dan4x4 (13 Jan 2018)

it looks soo clean without the dirt. sweet!


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## Kalum (13 Jan 2018)

How long between 1st and 2nd pic as it looks good. Being nosey would be good to see a list of plants you've got in there


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## Scorpio1646 (14 Jan 2018)

Can anybody tell me how I list my equipment/plants/ fish etc on here without having to do it for each individual post?...thanks


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## foxfish (14 Jan 2018)

I have a bare bottom tank too...


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## Scorpio1646 (16 Jan 2018)

Pics were taken a couple of days apart....I'm working on making a list of the plants but I've lost a lot of the labels


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## Scorpio1646 (16 Jan 2018)

Nice tank Foxfish!
Can you or any other member tell me the name of the large palm tree looking plant in this pic? It was taken just a few minutes ago when my lights are in twilight mode. Its my favourite plant because it reacts to the light levels in my tank, fascinating to see the fronds open up as it gets lighter and then start to close when darkness descends.


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## Edvet (16 Jan 2018)

google Crinum natans


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## dw1305 (16 Jan 2018)

Hi all,





Scorpio1646 said:


> large palm tree looking plant in this pic?


Might be an_ Eichornia_ sp., <"_E. diversifolia_">?

cheers Darrel


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## Scorpio1646 (16 Jan 2018)

Thanks guys.....I found the label ...it is Eichhornia diversifolia....has anybody any pics of these in flower?


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## Scorpio1646 (18 Jan 2018)

This pic shows how much it opens up in the daytime (taken with crappy iPhone camera)......almost all the light is natural daylight.


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## Scorpio1646 (18 Jan 2018)

Mr Ram just loves cruising' round the Cuba...


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## Macman6 (19 Jan 2018)

This is nice,

i'm interested to see how this develops over summer with he natural light, i have a Tank directly opposite a west(ish) facing window and didn't experience problems last summer...

.. personally i have a feeling that if you can keep on top of the algae, Natural light is beneficial to both the plants and Fish.

Mike


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## kadoxu (19 Jan 2018)

Macman6 said:


> This is nice,
> 
> i'm interested to see how this develops over summer with he natural light, i have a Tank directly opposite a west(ish) facing window and didn't experience problems last summer...
> 
> ...


All my planted tanks are in a conservatory that gets direct sunlight and I never had a problem (just a bit more trimming to do). One thing to worry about is heat. the water in my tanks went up to 30ºC and higher last summer, so I had to find ways to cover them up a bit.


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## Edvet (19 Jan 2018)

Wel my plans are to , when i get to be a big boy, build a conservatory and combine orchids and a big tank


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## Scorpio1646 (19 Jan 2018)

About 10 years ago when I was keeping Discus I had a large tank by the same NW facing window which was intended to be a hospital tank. I ended up just throwing all the unwanted plant cuttings in there and they grew like crazy with no substrate, no ferts and no electric lights....just a glass top with an Eheim thermo keeping the water at a constant 24C. I never had even the slightest trace of algae and besides the plants the only other inhabitants were a bunch of albino bristlenose places. 
I have a line of mature trees opposite and even in high summer the sunlight was diffused through the leaves. I also had triple glazing so temperature rises were not a problem. I ended up using this as my main Discus show tank and everybody who visited said they had never seen such vibrant colours on the fish, especially the Heckels. Whether its the right balance of natural light, the bristlenoses or the natural transition in the morning and evening I don't know...maybe I'm just lucky.
I did purchase a Twinstar M5 from aquarium gardens today though because some of my fish are starting to breathe a little bit faster than normal. I want to use it to try and raise dissolved oxygen levels, I already have my G3 going flat out to give the water surface a good ripple and the surface skimmer on my lily pipe is doing a great job.
Will let you know if the M5 helps.


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## dw1305 (20 Jan 2018)

Hi all,





Scorpio1646 said:


> has anybody any pics of these in flower?


There is a picture at <"http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=95">. 





Edvet said:


> Wel my plans are to , when i get to be a big boy, build a conservatory and combine orchids and a big tank


Same with me, but I'm not sure it will ever happen.

cheers Darrel


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## Scorpio1646 (20 Jan 2018)

Thanks for the pic dw....maybe one day (fingers crossed) I will get it to flower. The fronds are already getting big in full light...


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## dw1305 (22 Jan 2018)

Hi all,





Scorpio1646 said:


> The fronds are already getting big in full light...


I've never grown this plant, but with the related <"_Heteranthera zosterifolia"> _you need quite a lot of stem at the surface before it will grow aerial leaves, and quite few floating leaves <"before it flowers">.

@Tim Harrison has had a tank recently with flowering _Heteranthera_.

cheers Darrel


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## Scorpio1646 (22 Jan 2018)

Thanks for the feedback Darrel, I have noticed a few other mini Eichhornia diversifolia sprouting up in my tank, heavens knows how they got there because I only remember planting the one. None of them are doing as well as the main plant though and their new leaves are showing blemishes. I think this is because they are lower down the tank and not getting so much light. Will see how they progress over the next week or so and remove them if necessary.


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## Scorpio1646 (23 Jan 2018)

Dreading having to strip down my tank and rebuild.....but this is what I found when I shone a torch into my tank at the dead of night.


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## Scorpio1646 (23 Jan 2018)

So I think I have 2 options:

1) Strip down my entire tank, plants, fish and fry. Put the fish and fry into a holding tank for resale and then build the tank up again from scratch.
The big problem with this option is that Bristlenose fry are notoriously difficult to remove. They stick to leaves and inside the driftwood etc and will go un-noticed till I put everything back in the tank.
OR
2) I set up a holding tank, take out all the fish that I can catch.... then over time, catch the fry as they get larger.
The problem with this option is I doubt if I will ever catch anywhere near 100% of the 100 plus fry and fish and fry even after several months.

Has anybody got any other possible options I can try?


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## Scorpio1646 (25 Jan 2018)

Nearly there!


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## Scorpio1646 (25 Jan 2018)

This eichornia diversifolia is really intriguing me....it seems to have a life of its own. Within the space of a few minutes tonight it suddenly came alive, its as if the fronds are waving around making a desperate attempt to get to the top of the water. Previously it did sway slightly in the current but nothing like this. I haven't changed the flow output or adjusted the angle of the lilypipes in any way.
Anyway I grabbed my iPhone and did the best I could in the low light levels.
Hopefully my Lumix GH5 will be here next week so I'll be able to take some proper tank shots.


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## Scorpio1646 (27 Jan 2018)

Finally installed my Twinstar M5...not so sure about all the bubbles every 15 minutes or so, not so noticeable during daylight but a bit like a bonfire at night. Maybe I should encase it in a plastic volcano?


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## Scorpio1646 (28 Jan 2018)

I have a question which I hope somebody on here more experienced in planted tanks can answer. My ammonia levels in my planted tank are undetectable as are my nitrites but my nitrates have stayed at a consistent 5 for the past couple of months. I dose regularly with Flourish Excel and TNC complete. I have other non-planted tanks containing Discus where the nitrate levels are practically zero....so could it be the addition of ferts in my planted tank which causes the persistent although not dangerous levels of nitrate?
I run a Fluval G3 filter with has a built-in EC display, this display usually shows around 450-500 but as soon as I add the ferts then the EC levels rise to almost 600 before gradually dropping back down to 550 then down to 450 after each twice weekly 20% water change. Fluval do a nitrate removal cartridge for the G3 and I'm tempted to try it....but if I removed the residual level of nitrates would that be detrimental to my plants?


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## Edvet (29 Jan 2018)

We want nitrates, we even add them
https://www.ukaps.org/index.php?page=dosing-with-dry-salts
Planted tanks are different from non planted tanks.


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## zozo (29 Jan 2018)

Scorpio1646 said:


> I will get it to flower.



I wish you luck.. It's a Pontederiaceae and all are actualy rather difficult to get to flower once it emerses. If high light intensity and a very rich in fert invironment isn't provided. Had a few of this family in the garden pond setups during the summer, yet not the E. diversifolie but the E. azurea and crasipides and because i'm not realy into high fertilized setups i never got one to flower till now. Also the more temporate Pontederia cordata seems one of the easiest around in this family and it doesn't flower if it doesn't get what it needs.

I believe the Eichornia diversifolia and azurea are the only water Hyacinth with this deviating submersed grow form available as aquariumplant. Also had it in the indoor aquarium for a while. The melting and shedding of the lower leaves is indeed a light deficiency. It makes new growth at the rootbase very easily, but as you experience, not meeting up with the light intensity it needs it'll melt before it is half way there. And 36cm is quite a height for this plant to give it enough light to be realy happy and reach the surface undamaged.

After a while i decided to try this plant outdoor, but even under the sun i never got the E.azurea to develop it's floating grow form. That year wasn't warm and bright enough for it i guess. Yet didn't try again, it's a rare plant to get and if so, to expensive actualy to fail all the time.


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## Scorpio1646 (29 Jan 2018)

Thanks for the feedback, I have observed extra fronds appearing from the centre of the plant, some have now use reached the top but during the day they spread out more, think I may prune the lower leaves soon.
I'm really pleased with the Purigen I added to my filter yesterday, this iPhone photo doesn't do it justice but the water is absolutely gin clear now.


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## Scorpio1646 (1 Feb 2018)

Well my eichornia div has reached the top and is quickly spreading along the surface..... a fitting canopy to my 'jungle reef'


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## Edvet (2 Feb 2018)

It should start "spooning"anytime now ( making spoonshaped leaves witch float)


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## Scorpio1646 (2 Feb 2018)

Spooning? Thats a new one for me....have you got pics of any examples of plants doing this? I just googled 'spooning and had to quickly clear my history!


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## Edvet (3 Feb 2018)

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/400-gallon.28821/page-2#post-305215


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## Scorpio1646 (6 Feb 2018)

Thats a really cool pic Ed....no sign of spooning here yet, but getting to the point where I'm considering a drastic pruning....


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## Scorpio1646 (10 Feb 2018)

I just took this shot a couple of minutes ago and as you can see the eichornia div is getting out of control. Is this growth normal for this plant?


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## Edvet (10 Feb 2018)

It's happy


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## dw1305 (10 Feb 2018)

Hi all,





Scorpio1646 said:


> Is this growth normal for this plant?


It is really a plant for a big tank. @Edvet  has/had it in his <"400 gallon tank">, and even there it needed quite a lot of management.

cheers Darrel


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## Scorpio1646 (11 Feb 2018)

Hi Darrel....Since reading Zozo's previous reply I've been googling eich. diversifolia and eich. azurea and cannot decide which of the two plants it is. With regard to its size what I can't understand is that the plant came as a culture in vitro and several other cuttings from the same culture have all stayed mini-size in the tank (as you can see from previous pics/videos on this thread).....yet this one has grown into a behemoth.
https://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Plants/Eichhornia.html


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## zozo (11 Feb 2018)

Scorpio1646 said:


> I've been googling eich. diversifolia and eich. azurea and cannot decide which of the two plants it is.



Look closely at the crown of the plant, i do not know the proper botanical terms in English.

But diversifilia grows leaves overlapping around its stem axis. Like it spirals up..





Azurea only laterally..


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## Edvet (11 Feb 2018)

Indeed i have had both, i love them. they both start getting emersed leaves in the same way.


 Eich. azurea 


 Eich diversifolia


 Eich azurea


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## Scorpio1646 (11 Feb 2018)

Hi Marcel,  I just took a quick iPhone snap from the top of the tank.....based on what you said I'm 99% certain its  eich div.


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## Scorpio1646 (11 Feb 2018)

Just seen your pics Edvet....now I'm not so sure again!


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## Edvet (11 Feb 2018)

Oh it is
Azurea looks totally different in the tank, you can't miss it


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## Scorpio1646 (11 Feb 2018)

Ref the patchiness on some of the surface leaves, I'm reluctant to add more ferts because my EC levels are going through the roof


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## Scorpio1646 (11 Feb 2018)

Got nice surprise this morning when I peeked through the foliage and saw that my Rams have been busy .... now that I have taken the bigger fish out there may be a slight chance some of the fry will survive


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## Scorpio1646 (14 Feb 2018)

I just don't have the heart to trim it


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## Scorpio1646 (17 Feb 2018)

Mrs Ram shopping for pearls in Cuba


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## Scorpio1646 (19 Feb 2018)

Can anybody give me some advice on how I should trim this lot?


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## Edvet (20 Feb 2018)

???


 ???


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## Scorpio1646 (20 Feb 2018)

Thanks Ed....but I was thinking more...


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## kadoxu (20 Feb 2018)




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## Scorpio1646 (20 Feb 2018)




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## Scorpio1646 (20 Feb 2018)

My plants have taken a real hammering these last few days. I have the lights on at night to prevent predators getting at these little guys (terrible autofocus on iPhone btw)


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## Scorpio1646 (22 Feb 2018)

Dusk in the jungle...


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## Scorpio1646 (22 Feb 2018)

The underworld stirs ...

 (I hardly ever see these little bristle noses until I put algae wafer crumbs in the tank at night)


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## Scorpio1646 (1 Mar 2018)

Talk about Jack & the beanstalk...its growing over the lights now.


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