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Background options for 30 litre cube

billiemackers

billiemackers

Member
Joined
31 Jul 2016
Messages
64
Location
Merseyside
Hello,

I've just set up a small aquarium and although I am generally patient, I'm not sure that the crypts that I have selected will grow tall enough to cover as much of the aquarium background as I thought. I opted for crypt. wendtii 'green' for the back corners..

What would you suggest for a suitable background species for such a small tank? I really like how crypts look, do any grow taller in a tree like manner? Longer stemmed? I also like the look of Rotala indica but am concerned that this might end up looking a bit weed-like.

I would really appreciate people's thoughts as I am new to the hobby so don't have an extensive knowledge of aquatic plants. It's all well and good looking at images online, but it's hard to gague how invasive they become!
Cheers

Here's my setup:

DSC_7729.jpg

Doesn't looks like my Pogostemon helferi is doing too well!

I've ordered some EasyCarbo, so hopefully that will help things along
 
Hi and welcome to ukaps! I agree, it's hard to judge what will look good without seeing a plant properly or how it will look in three months say, if you haven't grown it before. I think it's sensible to have a fast growing stem plant which can help when your setting up a new tank (to utilise nutrients while other plants are establishing) which helps with preventing algae using them. Ceratopteris thalictroides (water sprite) and hygrophila defformis (water wisteria) are hardy and popular but may be bushier than you'd like. Or narrower stems would be egeria densa or elodea although theor appearance deteriorates over time and are usually removed after the tank has established.

Could you post what light you are using? As some plants do better with high light! Lovely tank so far!
 
I think that light looks slick 😉 don't think it's super high, your pogostemon helferi I've avoided as I think it does better in a high light co2 enriched environment so I think easy carbo is a good call ☺ If you visit www.tropica.com/en/plants/ I found it helpful as it gives you an idea of how easy/hard a plant is to maintain good luck ☺
 
That front rock looks fairly flat so takes away considerable planting space, I'd try without it ... you could also break it into pieces & tie/glue moss to it - if you just place it on the substrate, you can take it out for trimming or adjust the placement etc

Small tanks have a better sense of scale with small leafed plants so keep that in mind when looking at the Tropica site (or Dennerle etc,, depending what plants are available to you)

Tank looks great for a first go!
🙂
 
Cheers,

I have a few more rocks that may be a bit more suitable than the flat one, I'll persevere first and then decide. Some planted driftwood would perhaps be a better option too. I just feel like it could do with something nice and tall at the back to fill in the gaps between the wood! So that the wood emerges from the plant growth instead of just sticking out as it is at the moment. That will likely take a while though, even if I do add more plants!
 
How about HM? It's a small low light stem.
 
billiemackers said:
I'm considering Echinodorus 'reni', rotala indica or Crypt. crispatula for the back - any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Echinodorus "Reni" is really nice, and a slow grower, but it will definitely get too big for your tank eventually. Cryptocoryne crispatula is another nice plant, but much too big. I'm not an expert on stem plants, so I'll leave the suitability of Rotala to some-one else.

How about just attaching some epiphytes to the wood? A smaller Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus), possibly Microsorum pteropus "Philippine"? or an Anubias "Nana" or "Coin leaf"? Other cultivars are available from <"Aqua Essentials"> etc.

cheers Darrel
 
Doesn't Rotala bonsai need high light and CO2?
 
dw1305 said:
Echinodorus "Reni" is really nice, and a slow grower, but it will definitely get too big for your tank eventually. Cryptocoryne crispatula is another nice plant, but much too big. I'm not an expert on stem plants, so I'll leave the suitability of Rotala to some-one else
Click to expand...

Ah, this is what I was unsure of - it's a shame, really like the look of "Reni".

dw1305 said:
How about just attaching some epiphytes to the wood? A smaller Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus), possibly Microsorum pteropus "Philippine"? or an Anubias "Nana" or "Coin leaf"? Other cultivars are available from <"Aqua Essentials"> etc.
Click to expand...

Ah yeah, hadn't really thought of that. I really like java fern, will definitely consider that! Cheers

rebel said:
Doesn't Rotala bonsai need high light and CO2?
Click to expand...

This is what I thought, looks really nice though!
 
dw1305 said:
Microsorum pteropus "Philippine"?
Click to expand...
Absolutely nice choice for this tank.. Wonderfull small bright green java, propagates realy bushy. :thumbup:

Cryptocoryne Spiralis (var. shola i have) also would do nice in this small narrow tank.. It doesn't grow realy tall also, resambles Valis a little bit it has a very narrow leave.. High tech it grows relatively steady and a bit taller, low tech it will take time, lots of time and will stay significantly smaller..
 
Great, thanks very much! I like the looks of both of these.

Crypt. spiralis looks like it would fit the bill nicely! Hadn't come across this on the tropica site.

I assume "high tech" refers to intense lighting and advanced CO2 input?
 
billiemackers said:
I assume "high tech" refers to intense lighting and advanced CO2 input?
Click to expand...

Yes 🙂 and at first look your tank doesn't seem to have that.. I'm growing spiralis in both conditions.. In high tech it easily gets 40 cm, but in the low tech it grows much slower. I have no idea how tall it gets in low tech, but seeing it grow, if it ever does it will take years.

Hard to see from a picture, but looking at you dimensions and the tank is higher than wide in my point of view long narrow leaved plants will suit that best. Maybe Crypt costata would suit as well also doesn't grow that big. At least not so soon as what i see in my tank.. 🙂
 
billiemackers said:
I assume "high tech" refers to intense lighting and advanced CO2 input?
Click to expand...
Technically, high tech = CO2 injection. Higher light is implied but not required. Others may disagree... 🙂
 
rebel said:
Doesn't Rotala bonsai need high light and CO2?
Click to expand...
no I sent some to another member who grew it low tech sorry I cant remember who or what the journal was called. it can be hard to transition from the in-vitro pots but once it does its quite easy
 
Hi all,

Made some slight changes to the tank.

Removed the big flat rock and added H. pinna at the back as well as Rotala rotundifolia in the end. The rotala is growing really well and the H. pinna hasn't melted yet like I was full expecting and also seems to be growing. My P. helferi melted so I've left it out for now, although I am dosing with EasyCarbo which may have meant it would have made it if I used it from the start. There is also a small M. pteropus "phillipine" in there at the front (for now) on a small piece of wood, courtesy of zozo (thanks again!).

Getting a bit of a buildup of algae in places and there is a little bit of detritus building up which some shrimp should take care of when the tank is ready for them. At the moment I'm still getting ammonia readings of 1 to 2ppm - I thought it would have started to drop by now. Any ideas?

Let me know what you think - cheers!
DSC_7778.jpg
 
Hi, I think your rescape is a big improvement 🙂

If you have algae in places, you can remove manually with a tooth brush followed by a water change. If use use a syphon to remove any detritus you can - this can improve general water quality & tank health 🙂

What soil/substrate are you using? A nutrient rich soil such as ADA aquasoil can leech ammonia from 4 - 8 weeks for example.
 
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