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Looking for plant suggestion for my next Aquascape

maverick786us

New Member
Joined
6 Nov 2024
Messages
22
Location
Columbus, GA
My next Aquascape will be 10 gallon small tank (18 X 12 X 12) inches. The first picture, I am not sure if you can determine the size by simply looking into the picture. It won't be all sand. I will have jungle in the background and river in the foreground. The look and feel of that Aquascape will be something bit similar to what I posted in one of of threads.


But tank is bigger the jungle will take more space. If you look at the second and third picture I am considering, considering one of these 2 aquascape designs. When it comes to rhizine plants, I will have Anubias Coffee Leaves, Anubias Nana, Buce Phelandra and some java moss.

I am looking for exotic root plants that looks good, doesn't grow too fast and wild, do not shed their leaves too often, can you suggest me some? Can you also help me in identifying plants in these 2 pictures? Can you also suggest me a good background sticker that looks best and natural with planted tank?

View attachment 38653


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Hi,
Will give it a go.
Image 1. Rotala bonsai, Dwarf Hair Grass, Pogostemon helferi, Rotala Macrandra Pink, Hygrophila sp. 'Bold'

Image 2. DHG, Ranunculus inundates, Alternanthera reineckii, Staurogyne repens, Rotala bonsai, Riccardia chamedryfolia, Bucephalandra Sintang, Bucephalandra Dark Theia.

Not sure about the foreground plant within Image 2?
Could be Hemianthus glomeratus.
 
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Hi,
Will give it a go.
Image 1. Rotala bonsai, Dwarf Hair Grass, Pogostemon helferi, Rotala Macrandra Pink, Hygrophila sp. 'Bold'

Image 2. DHG, Ranunculus inundates, Alternanthera reineckii, Staurogyne repens, Rotala bonsai, Riccardia chamedryfolia, Bucephalandra Sintang, Bucephalandra Dark Theia.

Not sure about the foreground plant within Image 2?
Could be Hemianthus glomeratus.
Thank you sir,

I am still new into the world of Aquascaping.

I took the first image from this video in YT


They also said pearl weed. So which one of these plants in image 1 is pearl weed?
 
Thank you. I forgot to post the picture of my tank in my original post. So that you can determine the size and suggest if the setup . Here it is. Like I said in my original post. I won't use sand all the way. I will only use it in river. I will use lava chips under the hardscape and the aqua soil. Those rocks are heavy with sharp edges. So I don't want the surface of glass to have any scratch. That's why I want to use the lava chips as a cushion under the hardscape and a good medium for nitrifying bacteria to create colony and prevent any possible anaerobic respiration.

I might stick with the design that I posted in first image. and I will replace dwarf hair grass with Cryptocryne Prava.
I find the design in second image much better, but I don't know how am I going to do it. I cannot find any video in YT for a set up like this. I also have a medium sized tank, (24 X 18 X 18) for which I might use the second design. In case you guys know any video in YT to achieve something like this, can you share it?

1731057693110.jpeg
 
Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS,
I am looking for exotic root plants that looks good, doesn't grow too fast and wild, do not shed their leaves too often, can you suggest me some?
I will replace dwarf hair grass with Cryptocoryne parva.
That would be my suggestion, don't use a "stem plant" as such, use a smaller <"Cryptocoryne spp."> for that role.

I'd recommend a quick growing plant for start-up, I'm a floating plant obsessive <"What is the “Duckweed Index” all about?">, but there are other options - <"Using stem plants as a filtering aid at Start Up!">.

Personally I wouldn't add the aroids (Anubias barteri, Bucephalandra and <"Cryptocoryne spp.">) until the tank was <"more established">, they <"often melt"> in newly set-up tanks.

On the subject of newly set-up tanks, you don't need to cycle them with ammonia, in fact it probably lengthens the time period before they establish a robust microbial assemblage. We know this because we've actually talked to some of the leading scientists in this field (links below).

cheers Darrel
 
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Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS,


That would be my suggestion, don't use a "stem plant" as such, use a smaller <"Cryptocoryne spp."> for that role.

I'd recommend a quick growing plant for start-up, I'm a floating plant obsessive <"What is the “Duckweed Index” all about?">, but there are other options - <"Using stem plants as a filtering aid at Start Up!">.

Personally I wouldn't add the aroids (Anubias barteri, Bucephalandra and <"Cryptocoryne spp.">) until the tank was <"more established">, they <"often melt"> in newly set-up tanks.

On the subject of newly set-up tanks, you don't need to cycle them with ammonia, in fact it probably lengthens the time period before they establish a robust microbial assemblage. We know this because we've actually talked to some of the leading scientists in this field (links below).


cheers Darrel
Thank you I had bad experience with newly grown tissue culture of Anibias. Those plants melted. But grown up Anibias plants survived it, but based on my experience. I won't rush up with Anubias. Yes Buce Phelandra is bit sensitive so I will use it once the tank is fully cycled.

What background should I use? The translucent film that I showed in the picture in my previous post is fine or should I use this wallpaper?

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Hi all,

Whichever one you like best. I don't really do aesthetics, but I'm sure other members will chip in.

cheers Darrel
Me either, but I saw a couple of videos in YT where they used these backgrounds which matched with plants and hardscape. Talking about cycling. Yes I will not use any ammonia to start the cycling process. Aqua soil and new plants already release some amount of ammonia. I will use ADA Start kit to speed up cycling process.

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I am not an expert, but in my knowledge this kit is meant for the same purpose which the famous APT Starter is

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But its inexpensive that APT Starter. In my first 2 Aquascape I didn't use any kit, but in my sister's nano tank I used it for the first time. I am not sure how effective these kits really are, it didn't cost me much so I will continue using it in my next tank set ups
 
Hi all,
Aqua soil and new plants already release some amount of ammonia. I will use ADA Start kit to speed up cycling process.
Ammonia isn't actually that important in "cycling", you just need to get rid of it as quickly as you can and ensure you have plenty of oxygen during this time period.

If you can take a rooted plant from an established aquarium it will act as your inoculum <"Correspondence with Dr Ryan Newton - School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee">.

This is what Dr Newton said
.... If you do need to add nitrifiers the best source is from an aquaponics or aquaculture system that is already running and removing ammonia. Some water or sediment/soil or part of the biobilter (if there is one) is an excellent starter. Without this source as an inoculum then you could add some roots from plants from any other tank that is running - these are likely to have nitrifiers associated with them. A small clipping put into the tank would be enough.

In some lab tests we found that adding previous material from a running biofilter could reduce ammonia oxidation start-up time from 2-3 weeks to 2-3 days. We also tested a commercial product of nitrifiers & it did decrease the time to ammonia oxidation start-up. It was slower than our biofilter material transfer, but much quicker than doing nothing. However, the microbes present in the system from the commercial product disappeared over a few weeks and were replaced by those more common to our system. So, it seems some products could help “jump-start” the process, but it will be a lot less predictable and ultimately may not determine what microbe succeed in the long run. ...
The ADA starter kit definitely won't do any harm, but personally if I was in the States? and felt I needed a microbial supplement? I'd use <"Tim Hovanec's"> "One and Only" (without any ammonia addition).

This is about nitrification in marine aquariums <"Tim Hovanec's "Nitrification in marine aquarium" article">, but it illustrates why I have a lot of respect for Dr Hovanec.

cheers Darrel
 
Cool in my sister's nano tank. I propagated these plants from my old tanks. Propagation doesn't contain roots so I am not sure how much effective it will be with cycling. But I appreciate this information. I think I am going to put some marble sized lava rocks in my old tanks, and then will use those rocks in my new tank to speed up the cycling process. In this new tank I change 20-30% water every day to get rid of ammonia

1731067041533.jpeg
 
Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS,


That would be my suggestion, don't use a "stem plant" as such, use a smaller <"Cryptocoryne spp."> for that role.

I'd recommend a quick growing plant for start-up, I'm a floating plant obsessive <"What is the “Duckweed Index” all about?">, but there are other options - <"Using stem plants as a filtering aid at Start Up!">.

Personally I wouldn't add the aroids (Anubias barteri, Bucephalandra and <"Cryptocoryne spp.">) until the tank was <"more established">, they <"often melt"> in newly set-up tanks.

On the subject of newly set-up tanks, you don't need to cycle them with ammonia, in fact it probably lengthens the time period before they establish a robust microbial assemblage. We know this because we've actually talked to some of the leading scientists in this field (links below).


cheers Darrel
I would be happy to have some fast growing plants. My concern is the plants that you cut are left with thick leafless stems
 
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