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How do people win? Is it luck?

Bhu

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16 Aug 2014
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563
Well I've come to the conclusion that a healthy planted tank with fish is a real challenge. To get it right for all the plants top and bottom as well as the fish is a constant battle. The only plant I have not growing well is my Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, which dare I say it needs more light. To increase my light will put demand on the other plants that are already growing well to grow better! Hence the dilemma enfolds as now I need more co2 and ferts to keep them happy and then my fish start to look unhappy and stressed. Its a real challenge almost an alchemy of water and chemicals to get a perfect balance for fish and plants.

The real conclusion is that I need a better understanding of plant varieties and their needs. Such that all the plants grow well in one set of parameters such that the fish will be happy as well as they are used to that kind of environment and its stable.

It would be good if someone compiled a book (maybe its already out there) of groups and species of plants that grow well together and the fish that would prefer those kinds of environments. For example with fish only tanks its easy to do a lake Malawi set up or pure discus set up, but clearly if you mixed these two then something is going to die. I'm beginning to see that some plants are like this too.

And so my study continues as I learn more about plants and what goes best together...

Any suggestions at reading material much appreciated. ;)

Cheers

Bhu
 
To add to it, I'm sure some scapers create a beautiful scape with out fish then after a few months when its all grown like crazy they trim it shape it some more, then add a shoal of small beautiful fish take out all the equipment and take a professional shot that encourages us all to keep trying ;) But in a home environment of planted tank and community fish its quite different. Especially if we come to trouble its not so easy just to turn the co2 up to yellow on a DC triple the flow and do a 90% water change to save the day... I think that I may try this way one day ;) he he
 
The only plant I have not growing well is my Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, which dare I say it needs more light. To increase my light will put demand on the other plants that are already growing well to grow better! Hence the dilemma enfolds as now I need more co2 and ferts to keep them happy and then my fish start to look unhappy and stressed.

Just as a matter of interest, how long has the Lileaopsis been in the tank? My experiences taught me that with certain plants, patience is a virtue! There were plants that took off straight away, but others that did absolutely nothing for MONTHS (some easier ones too), then as if by magic they would get going and then become unstoppable!

I had a Crypt sp. balansae in my hi tech for months and it was soo slow, then it started one day and grew really quickly. When I took the hi tech down, i wanted to keep the crypt for my next low tech tank and at the minute I still have it in an ADA Mini M, i swear it grows inches every week and is taking over (looks lovely tho :)), despite removing a ton of light, ferts and pressurised CO2 from its environment.

Funny things plants, but i say if they look healthy but aren't doing much then just leave them to it and see what happens :)
 
Just as a matter of interest, how long has the Lileaopsis been in the tank? My experiences taught me that with certain plants, patience is a virtue! There were plants that took off straight away, but others that did absolutely nothing for MONTHS (some easier ones too), then as if by magic they would get going and then become unstoppable!

I had a Crypt sp. balansae in my hi tech for months and it was soo slow, then it started one day and grew really quickly. When I took the hi tech down, i wanted to keep the crypt for my next low tech tank and at the minute I still have it in an ADA Mini M, i swear it grows inches every week and is taking over (looks lovely tho :)), despite removing a ton of light, ferts and pressurised CO2 from its environment.

Funny things plants, but i say if they look healthy but aren't doing much then just leave them to it and see what happens :)

Its been in about 2 months now so not long really. Im just getting impatient lol I know if I can sit it out it will do well. Most plants do if you give them what they need and are patient with them. It looks healthy at least just a very slow grower!
 
Ill tell you the trick that did it for me. Its all about co2 micro bubbles and not about co2 ppm. If you have co2 micro bubbles flowing over any plant it just wont stop growing.

Good luck and once you get the hung of it its not that difficult.

I think we should listen more to what amanos videos are telling us.
 
Sorry you're not having any luck with the L.B.
Out of curiosity,was it a Tropica 1-2 pot,or just regular.
When I used the 1-2, it took really well,even under T8 lighting.
(not what you want to hear I know :) )
 
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I can only say: welcome to the wonderfull world of learning about the diffeent needs of your different plants. There are a lot of needs, plants have in common - but there are also individual needs. This is how plants compete to be superior in a given place of growing. Different environments create a demand for different specializations.
If this wasn't tbe matter, there would be only one species of plant in the world :)
 
Sorry you're not having any luck with the L.B.
Out of curiosity,was it a Tropica 1-2 pot,or just regular.
When I used the 1-2, it took really well,even under T8 lighting.
(not what you want to hear I know :) )

Well mine is the regular pot. It is growing just painfully slow. I will be patient and wait for the LB to catch up before I change thngs.
 
Snap!! When you really want to succeed and you glare into the tank every morning and don't see an extra leaf it does nothing more than chew on your brain .. Grrrr!!!
Painstakingly does your crust in!!!
 
Honestly guys - if you don't have the patience/knowledge/curiosity/parametres, or whatever it takes to grow a certain plant.............why don't you just choose another plant, that fits your needs?? There are so many to choose from.
- I know this is becoming my mantra, but ; Choose the right plant, for your need (instead of trying to force a wrong plant into behaving against its natural behaviour).
Chances of success will increase hundred-fold, working WITH Mother Nature, instead of AGAINST her. She's really not a compromising Lady !!!
Lill. brass. is just not a really fast-growing species, so if speed is the more important issue, look for other options. ( and maybe have a look at George Farmers "catch-line" ;) )
 
Honestly guys - if you don't have the patience/knowledge/curiosity/parametres, or whatever it takes to grow a certain plant.............why don't you just choose another plant, that fits your needs?? There are so many to choose from.
- I know this is becoming my mantra, but ; Choose the right plant, for your need (instead of trying to force a wrong plant into behaving against its natural behaviour).
Chances of success will increase hundred-fold, working WITH Mother Nature, instead of AGAINST her. She's really not a compromising Lady !!!
Lill. brass. is just not a really fast-growing species, so if speed is the more important issue, look for other options. ( and maybe have a look at George Farmers "catch-line" ;) )
Your right here and I agree 100% . It is frustrating though seeing all the top beautiful Scape's and not being able to match them .. A big hand for the guys who achieve them .. :)
It's no walk in the park :)
 
Well I have been doing this C02 lark for about 30 years now & I most certainly don't have success every time.
Personally, I have found small tanks pretty easy but, with larger tanks I have sometimes found it impossible to get good results to the extent of breaking down the tank & starting over.
I think the hard scape can make a big difference as correcting the flow & dwell time of the C02 can be very difficult with some designs.
Having a mature filter & a mature tank also seems to make a big difference, I have now been using the same trickle filter for around 15 years with the same media!

30 years ago, planted tanks worked under very different conditions than most people use today!
However we had beautiful lush planted tanks with low flow, low light & 10% weekly water changes. Perhaps not like some of the competition tanks you see nowadays but still lush, Dutch style aquariums that looked great!

Using low light is most definitely a good way to go but I see so many folk searching for super fast growth & insisting on using bright light for long periods!!!
Light green DC, 7 hours of not to bright light & lots of patience will see a lovely tank in 4-5 months.
If your desire is for a dense super green carpet of HC or whatever, then I would suggest a 'no fish' tank is the way to go.
In fact I think it is a great experiment to grow a tank full of plants without any fish or shrimp, just to see how C02 can make or break a tank!
 
I have found small tanks pretty easy but, with larger tanks I have sometimes found it impossible to get good results

Ive been having issues with my large tanks and just keep playing around till i found the right balance.
Back to the OP i still have one plant i cant grow for the life of me, but I'm sure there's a formula just waiting for that one too.
 
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