# Darkness Into The Light



## REDSTEVEO (21 Jun 2021)

I've renamed this planted tank after viewing it today. I think the name sums it up rather well.


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## REDSTEVEO (26 Jun 2021)

Does anyone know why Riccia Fluitans seems to photosynthesis more than any other plant?


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## dw1305 (26 Jun 2021)

Hi all,


REDSTEVEO said:


> Does anyone know why Riccia Fluitans seems to photosynthesis more than any other plant?


I think it retains oxygen bubbles pretty efficiently. All the T shaped thallii lock together to form a structure with lots of spaces where an oxygen bubble can be retained.

The advantage to the plant is that the oxygen buoys the mat of _Riccia_ to the water surface where it has access to CO2 and light.

Cheers Darrel


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## sparkyweasel (26 Jun 2021)

I think it also retains a layer of water that can't easily mix with the surrounding water. That layer becomes saturated with oxygen and that's when the bubbes form, as the extra oxygen can't dissolve into the water. When the water in contact with, eg a sword or crypt leaf receives dissolved O2 it can easily flow away to be replaced by water with less O2 in it. Only when all the water in the tank is saturated will bubbles form on flat leaves, and when they do, they can easily float away. Feathery leaves like Cabomba and Hornwort come somewhere between the two.


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## REDSTEVEO (28 Jun 2021)

Thank you for the info.

Much obliged.


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## REDSTEVEO (12 Jul 2021)

Things reaching the critical mass point regarding the plants. Regular pruning needed.

Lots of Riccia Fluitans, and the Blyxa Japonica needs thinning out. Offers welcome for either.


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## REDSTEVEO (17 Aug 2021)

Reaching critical mass now. Some severe pruning in order very shortly.


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## aquagenetics (7 Oct 2021)

Very nice looking tank, what lights are you using ? your alternanthera's look very nice red coloured. is this mini or regular ?


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## ceg4048 (8 Oct 2021)

Nice one Steve. Well done mate.

Cheers,


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## REDSTEVEO (17 Oct 2021)

aquagenetics said:


> Very nice looking tank, what lights are you using ? your alternanthera's look very nice red coloured. is this mini or regular ?


Sorry for the late reply. Originally I had upgraded my lights from T5 Daylight tubes 2 x 54 Watts, to a Fluval Aquasky LED, and a Fluval Aquasky Fresh Plant Pro 3.0 LED. To be honest I wasn't that impressed with either of the LED's, in terms if colour or plant growth. 

So in the end I removed one of the LED's, the Aquasky and replaced it with 2 x 54 watt Sylvania Grolux tubes. Very old school lights, but in my opinion still the finest in terms of colour spectrum, plant growth, and pinging the colours of the fish.


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## REDSTEVEO (17 Oct 2021)

ceg4048 said:


> Nice one Steve. Well done mate.
> 
> Cheers,


Thanks Clive, it is still doing well even after severe pruning. Sadly I am throwing out tons of Riccia Fluitans every time I do any pruning.

Still using EI Dosing, 50% water change once a week. 

Take care mate.


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## REDSTEVEO (17 Oct 2021)

aquagenetics said:


> Very nice looking tank, what lights are you using ? your alternanthera's look very nice red coloured. is this mini or regular ?


The plants are Alternanthera Reineckii Mini.


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## REDSTEVEO (17 Oct 2021)

This is how things are looking today after a 50% water change.


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## aquagenetics (26 Oct 2021)

what happened with the alternanthera's on the foreground, they look way less red then the before pictures ?


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## REDSTEVEO (26 Oct 2021)

aquagenetics said:


> what happened with the alternanthera's on the foreground, they look way less red then the before pictures ?


You are right they don't look as vibrant do they. I think it is a combination of things. Light, CO2, and iron. As the overhanging plants have grown out they are shielding the Altananthera from the light, I don't think the CO2 is flowing to them as much as it was, and I have not been keeping an eye on the iron levels.

I kind of slacked off on dosing additional iron along with the Trace Elements, the water kept going milky which I put down to the iron.

I have got some strong iron plant tabs which I am going to push into the roots, to see if that makes a difference. May also trim back some overhanging plants and up the CO2.

This was the tank this morning with just the Fluval Plant 3.0 on.


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## aquagenetics (28 Oct 2021)

Aquarium still looking great, i just noticed the Alternanthera's lacking color as before pics when i told you they were really nice color red.


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## REDSTEVEO (30 Oct 2021)

A very big pruning session just completed. Of everything. The Mosses especially. Some of the ferns, and the lower slow growing plants like the Trident were being buried.

The was less 'darkness and light' so after pruning and binning a lot of mosses, I think now there is a bit more shape and definition to the whole look of it.


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## REDSTEVEO (14 Nov 2021)

Update as of today following yet another huge pruning session since the 30th October.
I have slightly adjusted the EI Dosing, after the 50% water change I now only dose one lot of Macro, and one lot of Micro and leave for two days, then repeat. So like a six day cycle.


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## REDSTEVEO (14 Nov 2021)

This is the quantity and volume for the liquid solutions I make up from the dry powders. Courtesy of @LondonDragon  with thanks.


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## REDSTEVEO (29 Nov 2021)

Both wife and son have told me this needs a Mega pruning, and sorting out as they think it is totally overgrown and no longer looks interesting.
I am inclined to agree.

Under this mass of plants are six inter linked pieces of wood covered in moss and trident fern.

I don't want to rip it down completely but I need to do something with it.

Any suggestions please.

Thanks.


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## Wolf6 (29 Nov 2021)

I heard the same complaint about my previous tank which was fully overgrown, so I got a new bigger tank where I could start from scratch  you could opt to redo part of the tank, like just the middle or something, and create more swimming space and interest there that way?


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## bazz (29 Nov 2021)

I personally think it looks awesome!


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## dw1305 (29 Nov 2021)

Hi all,


REDSTEVEO said:


> Both wife and son have told me this needs a Mega pruning, and sorting out as they think it is totally overgrown and no longer looks interesting............Any suggestions please.





bazz said:


> I personally think it looks awesome!


I'be got to agree with @bazz, I know it sounds harsh, but keep the tank how it is and swap your family?

cheers Darrel


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## MichaelJ (29 Nov 2021)

Tank looks great!


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## REDSTEVEO (29 Nov 2021)

Wolf6 said:


> I heard the same complaint about my previous tank which was fully overgrown, so I got a new bigger tank where I could start from scratch  you could opt to redo part of the tank, like just the middle or something, and create more swimming space and interest there that way?


The difficulty is that the six pieces of wood that are inter linked run virtually the full length of the tank. So to redo it would mean removing all six pieces. Which is practically a tear down of the tank.

So not sure what to do.


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## Laoshan (29 Nov 2021)

I think it really looks wonderful! If my family were that critical I would have had to drain the tank long ago..😅


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## jaypeecee (29 Nov 2021)

REDSTEVEO said:


> Under this mass of plants are six inter linked pieces of wood covered in moss and trident fern.
> 
> I don't want to rip it down completely but I need to do something with it.
> 
> Any suggestions please.


Hi @REDSTEVEO

I'd want to leave your masterpiece as is. Tearing it down would be a bit like defacing the Mona Lisa. Well, maybe.

BTW, just a little snippet that came to mind when I saw the title of your creation. S/he who takes someone from (spiritual) darkness to light is the literal meaning of the word 'Guru'. 'gu' is darkness and 'ru' is light.

JPC


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## REDSTEVEO (30 Nov 2021)

jaypeecee said:


> Hi @REDSTEVEO
> 
> I'd want to leave your masterpiece as is. Tearing it down would be a bit like defacing the Mona Lisa. Well, maybe.
> 
> ...


Well I didn't know that. Every day is a school day.

I am not tearing it down, just sort of control freaking it a bit. I've just done a huge trim and prune. All plants bunched and bagged, at least £100.00 worth of Riccia Fluitans, plus moss, Altananthera Reineckii Min, all on its way shortly to my local LFS for £50.00 at least.


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## REDSTEVEO (30 Nov 2021)

This is what it looks like now after a huge trim, not that SWMBO will notice. Plants Pearling like crazy.







I would take out the large Cryptocoryne at the front but the root system is huge so it would make a right mess.


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## Wolf6 (30 Nov 2021)

You can always cut the crypts to ground level. It will take them a while to grow back to that size again, starting off with somewhat smaller leaves.


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## REDSTEVEO (28 Mar 2022)

This tank just keeps on giving. Everyone who visits just says how amazing it looks.
I suppose when you see it every day you don't quite appreciate it as much.

Much as I like Riccia Fluitans, it is becoming a bit of a nuisance, and sadly I'm still chucking a half bucket full away every two weeks.

It doesn't matter how much I chop out, it still comes back. Any tiny fragments just grow again into huge clumps.


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## REDSTEVEO (11 May 2022)

This tank finally reached saturation point. To the point where there was more plants than water. I had two choices, strip it down completely and start again; or remove at least two thirds of the plants.

I went for the latter option. So it has gone from this,






To this.


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