Full Tank Re-scape

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

My tank is coming up to its birthday in November and I have some annual leave to take. I’ve decided it’s time to do a full re-scape on the tank.

I have an Amazon sword plant which is far too big for the tank now. I plan to remove it and replant some of the babies it’s given me this year. I am going to replace the substrate with a dark sand and remove the Fluval stratum (I water column dose so it’s not necessary).

A couple of questions for the forum:

1. Has anyone successfully transferred a large Amazon sword to house plant status? I was thinking of putting it in a vase with soil. Flood the soil and run a small airstone to prevent stagnation.

2. Preparing for substrate change, should I try to seed it with bacteria from my existing tank? The wood will be staying in the tank, just being rearranged. The rocks will be removed for more plant space. The filtration, dosing etc all the same. I just intended to remove all substrate and replace. I have the possibility to just leave the new substrate in old water change water with an air pump for a few weeks before carrying out the change.

If anyone else has some suggestions to make this process smoother I’d really appreciate it.

 

[Ernesto]

1. Has anyone successfully transferred a large Amazon sword to house plant status? I was thinking of putting it in a vase with soil. Flood the soil and run a small airstone to prevent stagnation.

my guess if it gets some light theres no need for an airstone since the roots still create O2. Took mine out 6 weeks ago, still growing.

 

[Tyko_N]

Has anyone successfully transferred a large Amazon sword to house plant status?

Yes, but they can be a bit finicky at first, so give it a warm, bright and humid location until it starts putting out new leaves. I would also use sand rather than soil; it doesn't want a lot of nutrients until the roots have recovered, and big plants risk falling over in a too light substrate. No need for an airstone.

 

[megwattscreative]

@Ernesto that's so cool! I'd love to give it a go 🙂 Your tank looks gorgeous Simon. I'm certainly less experienced than you, but it can't hurt to add some of the old substrate - I imagine the seasoned filter media etc will do the heavy lifting though.

 

[Riley]

Good luck

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

my guess if it gets some light theres no need for an airstone since the roots still create O2. Took mine out 6 weeks ago, still growing.

That’s looking great - I’ll try what you’ve done. I’m getting side plate sized leaves every week on mine. It’s flowering for the third time and I get about 6 plantlets on each one. I want to keep it going as it’s a very happy plant but it can’t stay in the tank much longer, it’s huge. 😄

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

Yes, but they can be a bit finicky at first, so give it a warm, bright and humid location until it starts putting out new leaves. I would also use sand rather than soil; it doesn't want a lot of nutrients until the roots have recovered, and big plants risk falling over in a too light substrate. No need for an airstone.

Thanks mate. I think the substrate in my tank is probably mostly expired by now so the nutrients will be coming from the soluble ferts I add. I can plant it in some of the left over substrate from the tank to prevent shock. I may be able to keep it near the tank for a little while too as it adjusts.

I think this plant may be doing some of the heavy lifting with regards to tank cleanliness so I need to do some careful nutrient balancing when I remove it.

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

@Ernesto that's so cool! I'd love to give it a go 🙂 Your tank looks gorgeous Simon. I'm certainly less experienced than you, but it can't hurt to add some of the old substrate - I imagine the seasoned filter media etc will do the heavy lifting though.

The wood is all staying, as are most of the plants and the filter so really I shouldn’t lose much bacteria replacing the sand. However, I agree with you. Probably won’t hurt to leave a bag of old sand in with the new stuff until it’s ready to go in.

 

[Ehcosbie]

Is that an ozelot Echinodorus? Looks great. Good luck with the transfer.

 

[trent315]

My tank is coming up to its birthday in November and I have some annual leave to take. I’ve decided it’s time to do a full re-scape on the tank.

I have an Amazon sword plant which is far too big for the tank now. I plan to remove it and replant some of the babies it’s given me this year. I am going to replace the substrate with a dark sand and remove the Fluval stratum (I water column dose so it’s not necessary).

A couple of questions for the forum:

1. Has anyone successfully transferred a large Amazon sword to house plant status? I was thinking of putting it in a vase with soil. Flood the soil and run a small airstone to prevent stagnation.

2. Preparing for substrate change, should I try to seed it with bacteria from my existing tank? The wood will be staying in the tank, just being rearranged. The rocks will be removed for more plant space. The filtration, dosing etc all the same. I just intended to remove all substrate and replace. I have the possibility to just leave the new substrate in old water change water with an air pump for a few weeks before carrying out the change.

If anyone else has some suggestions to make this process smoother I’d really appreciate it.

I am sorry if it sounds like a stupid question, but how do you manage to clean the sand with so many plants?? I guess buying shrimp was a mistake. They are pooping machines and it doesn’t matter how much I vacuum clean it’s still dirty.

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

I am sorry if it sounds like a stupid question, but how do you manage to clean the sand with so many plants?? I guess buying shrimp was a mistake. They are pooping machines and it doesn’t matter how much I vacuum clean it’s still dirty.

I vaccuum what I can at water change but to be honest, I just get used to the dirt. Really light sand wasn’t a great idea as it shows the dirt very clearly but I just gave up and got used to seeing the dirt after a while.

YouTube level perfection requires a lot of maintenance and I don’t have the time for that.