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A reflection - putting it all into one scape
- Thread starter JoshP12
- Start date
I suppose @John q what I mean is that the tank won’t get to that supreme picture quality unless I change my behaviours.
If I let it get congested like this, then do some maintenance and continue and don’t replant tops and don’t trim down to the bottom and start taking it seriously - it just won’t hit that next level.
So it is maintenance. The system isn’t going to break now. There is zero stunting , deformity etc. minerals are good. NP is good. Lots of good soil and substrate like it’s all good.
It’s now the fish keeper who needs to determine what is a priority. Because me taking a peak once a day for ~ 1 minute isn’t going to get high quality photos and it will take a year for that Monte Carlo to grow.
That Monte Carlo needs to be transplanted In a good flow and light area and cultivated. The back right needs to be topped 1 inch of soil added and the tips replanted. The entire area which was stems and supposed to be carpet needs to be topped and replants.
And all of this needs to be done over a week-two weeks or the system is going to get shocked.
So it has to be water change, maintenance, let it sit a day, water change maintenance, let it sit, water change maintenance let it sit. Water change, let it sit.
That kind of thing. Some heavy lifting.
Does that synopsis sound fair?
Edit: trimming and replanting and disruption when the system is stable invokes that stress for the plant to thrive. Releases hormones and then with constant stimulation the plant becomes a new level. And ya it’s co2 and light and fert and availability and roots and all that jazz but there is an stress-stimulus response too to our constant stimulation.
If I let it get congested like this, then do some maintenance and continue and don’t replant tops and don’t trim down to the bottom and start taking it seriously - it just won’t hit that next level.
So it is maintenance. The system isn’t going to break now. There is zero stunting , deformity etc. minerals are good. NP is good. Lots of good soil and substrate like it’s all good.
It’s now the fish keeper who needs to determine what is a priority. Because me taking a peak once a day for ~ 1 minute isn’t going to get high quality photos and it will take a year for that Monte Carlo to grow.
That Monte Carlo needs to be transplanted In a good flow and light area and cultivated. The back right needs to be topped 1 inch of soil added and the tips replanted. The entire area which was stems and supposed to be carpet needs to be topped and replants.
And all of this needs to be done over a week-two weeks or the system is going to get shocked.
So it has to be water change, maintenance, let it sit a day, water change maintenance, let it sit, water change maintenance let it sit. Water change, let it sit.
That kind of thing. Some heavy lifting.
Does that synopsis sound fair?
Edit: trimming and replanting and disruption when the system is stable invokes that stress for the plant to thrive. Releases hormones and then with constant stimulation the plant becomes a new level. And ya it’s co2 and light and fert and availability and roots and all that jazz but there is an stress-stimulus response too to our constant stimulation.
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John q
Member
It does mate, fair and honest.
realized I haven’t dose micros for probably a couple weeks 🤣. Noticed a micro bit of plant interveinal on a Macrandra stem (a few stems) - some not all.
Anyways - fixed.
1 hour. This wasn’t my usual maintenance hour where I listen to tunes and relax. I was moving. In between kids naps - best we’re going to get.
Better put my money where my mouth is. Hope I can keep up some form of maintenance!
Anyways - fixed.
1 hour. This wasn’t my usual maintenance hour where I listen to tunes and relax. I was moving. In between kids naps - best we’re going to get.
Better put my money where my mouth is. Hope I can keep up some form of maintenance!
So.
Noticed some side shoots starting ~ 5/6 day mark. This is good. The side shoots are coming off of the bottoms that I left - so those bottoms are still trash from the congestion from before.
Did a water change today and some maintenance - primarily just to remove stuff. No uv or anything running.
Some of the Freshly planted stems got pulled up and have nice roots - not anchored - but roots.
Primary issue here is that there is loads of detritus/old growth that decayed from congestion. Still somewhat cloudy. And that all stems from the startup craziness!!
I think over the next month I can probably commit to weekly’s and once we get substantial new growth ~ 2 inch, I will properly top and replant. If I continue with the waste removal (even an extra 10 minute session) and do the replanting properly, we can probably bring this tank to the next level!
Noticed some side shoots starting ~ 5/6 day mark. This is good. The side shoots are coming off of the bottoms that I left - so those bottoms are still trash from the congestion from before.
Did a water change today and some maintenance - primarily just to remove stuff. No uv or anything running.
Some of the Freshly planted stems got pulled up and have nice roots - not anchored - but roots.
Primary issue here is that there is loads of detritus/old growth that decayed from congestion. Still somewhat cloudy. And that all stems from the startup craziness!!
I think over the next month I can probably commit to weekly’s and once we get substantial new growth ~ 2 inch, I will properly top and replant. If I continue with the waste removal (even an extra 10 minute session) and do the replanting properly, we can probably bring this tank to the next level!
John q
Member
Not sure? Guessing Alfred Wegener would suggest tectonic plate theory. Things shift, if you have diverted from plan A, hey ho 😉
Think what I’ll probably do is top it all slowly but surely and then put a little layer of fresh soil on top (a large layer closer to the top right and slope upwards).
And then slowly replant tops.
Classic, expected behaviour on Monte Carlo all old growth got nuked (remove the sun shade and BAM) … so new growth will be accustomed and then I’ll keep that area free of shading etc to keep it consistent to get it cultivated.
Think that’s our best bet.
And then slowly replant tops.
Classic, expected behaviour on Monte Carlo all old growth got nuked (remove the sun shade and BAM) … so new growth will be accustomed and then I’ll keep that area free of shading etc to keep it consistent to get it cultivated.
Think that’s our best bet.
John q
Member
Suspect your taking the lem, if not... the monte Carlo can't handle new aqua soil.
Not sure what this one means.
No the new aquasaoil will be primarily the top right because there is only 1/2 inch of soil before the bags and planting is terrible.
The Monte Carlo will have to be nursed back to health if I’m going to salvage it enough to carpet.
I undershot how much buffer id need (every time I plant my tweezers are piercing the bags underneath).
John q
Member
Lol, its another way of saying taking the mickey.
I'd misunderstood your reasons for adding more soil, my bad 🙄
Not sure how to update this one. The plants just keep … growing.
The water is still not gin clear.
The flocculant of green pellets/algae thing continues to grow.
My maintenance has not been at the goal.
But here’s the puzzler —- my hand still tingles when I put it in there - like a fresh aquasoil.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s still offgassing loads of ammonia/urea and our tests yield zero ish since it’s all being used.
I actually have a feeling that if I turned down the lights, the plant would melt from the ammonia/urea content that would accumulate. My black chamber even has dust algae 😂😂. Here’s the thing - even dosing as lean NO3 in the column as I am, the rotundifolia is still bright green (would be one of the first to red under nitrate-limitation OR of light was too high … it’s clearly using all the light … that’s scary).
If you remove the cloudy water and do a maintenance session, let the tank sit (and imagine the water stayed gin clear, I think the plants would have the look we want. But everything points to systemic imbalance vs anything to do with plants.
If we “wait it out” with my mediocre maintenance, I think at least a few months if not more.
There are roots that have finally hit the bottom of the soil — maybe as more of those reach the bottom, the faster this will clear?
Slowly dropping co2 to hit favourable pH for bacteria - let’s see. And I mean micro/mini turn down leave it for a few days, and repeat. No drastic changes.
The water is still not gin clear.
The flocculant of green pellets/algae thing continues to grow.
My maintenance has not been at the goal.
But here’s the puzzler —- my hand still tingles when I put it in there - like a fresh aquasoil.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s still offgassing loads of ammonia/urea and our tests yield zero ish since it’s all being used.
I actually have a feeling that if I turned down the lights, the plant would melt from the ammonia/urea content that would accumulate. My black chamber even has dust algae 😂😂. Here’s the thing - even dosing as lean NO3 in the column as I am, the rotundifolia is still bright green (would be one of the first to red under nitrate-limitation OR of light was too high … it’s clearly using all the light … that’s scary).
If you remove the cloudy water and do a maintenance session, let the tank sit (and imagine the water stayed gin clear, I think the plants would have the look we want. But everything points to systemic imbalance vs anything to do with plants.
If we “wait it out” with my mediocre maintenance, I think at least a few months if not more.
There are roots that have finally hit the bottom of the soil — maybe as more of those reach the bottom, the faster this will clear?
Slowly dropping co2 to hit favourable pH for bacteria - let’s see. And I mean micro/mini turn down leave it for a few days, and repeat. No drastic changes.
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Massive improvement in water clarity day after water change (even if running uv etc):
Should be changing water right now.
It’s in these moments, I’m like - yep, it’s moving in the right direction.
The Monte Carlo is going to take over. 3 months I’m hoping!
Should be changing water right now.
It’s in these moments, I’m like - yep, it’s moving in the right direction.
The Monte Carlo is going to take over. 3 months I’m hoping!
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MichaelJ
Member
Gosh! Crazy nice growth there @JoshP12 👍 - I think I envy you (and @plantnoobdude) just a little bit more every day 🙂
Cheers,
Michael
plantnoobdude
Member
At least you can see through your tank without 24/7 UV running and 3 times daily 200% WC😂😂
Only joking of course, lovely looking plants josh.
What @plantnoobdude said, @MichaelJ !
This mysterious cloudy water. Was reminding me of your Jedi post.
Must be magic … blinds the viewer so they can’t see the issues with plant forms and they think everything is perfect 🤣.
This mysterious cloudy water. Was reminding me of your Jedi post.
Must be magic … blinds the viewer so they can’t see the issues with plant forms and they think everything is perfect 🤣.
MichaelJ
Member
Lol … after the water change - boom.
I am growing more and more suspicious that the temperature fluctuation is actually causing some despair on the plants.
Since “startup should be done” the temp coming in during 80% water change is 10 celcius.
After the second last change (before the one two days ago), when I posted the uphill photo - the plants didn’t respond negatively at all. Since the second one where it was absolutely frigid, the plants look shocked - Rotala green had curling that have straightened out now - and the photo above on systemic.
Mixing valve going in end of December so water change water should be nearly identical to tank.
Let’s see if temp was a contributor to this cloud …
Plants are “business as usual” aside from the shock.
I am growing more and more suspicious that the temperature fluctuation is actually causing some despair on the plants.
Since “startup should be done” the temp coming in during 80% water change is 10 celcius.
After the second last change (before the one two days ago), when I posted the uphill photo - the plants didn’t respond negatively at all. Since the second one where it was absolutely frigid, the plants look shocked - Rotala green had curling that have straightened out now - and the photo above on systemic.
Mixing valve going in end of December so water change water should be nearly identical to tank.
Let’s see if temp was a contributor to this cloud …
Plants are “business as usual” aside from the shock.
