Hi, I somehow managed to succeed in growing Utricularia graminifolia carpet for my aquascape from the first try with no melting--what luck! lol It is also my first time trying aquascaping.
I bought one cup of UG from ADA-very small, ~3-inch diameter I think, dry. I laid the tank with tropical river soil (also from ADA)--it sounds almost like I am a fan of it ADA but that is not the case, that was simply the only substrate available in the aquarium shop that constantly keeps the water acidic--from what I read at the back of the package. (I had the dilemma of using this substrate vs peat moss, but I just bought the substrate anyway for the heck of it, then I thought if I failed I would change to peat moss. I really did not expect to succeed on my first try.)
First day:
I just tested out my landscape which I have already had in my mind--big and small white-orange layered stone which I collected from a mountain and some I bought from the shop, I'm sorry I have no idea what they are. lol I cleaned the stone with 2M HCl and ultrasonic cleaner, then rinsed a couple of time with ultrasound in MilliQ water.
I then sprayed pure water on top of the substrate, then I divide the UG I bought into super tiny bunches--around 30 bunches). I used a forcep and fingers to bury those bunches into the substrate halfway, around 2/2.5 cm apart. I was somewhat concerned that they would float back up because I didn't use any net and UG grows on runner.
I then added cycled water (I do have another aquarium tank for fancy goldfishes and some carnivorous fish) into the tank just enough so that the water level is around 2 cm above UG). Nothing floated back up, then I simply went to sleep. >_>
Note that some part of the tank also have a rich soil substrate (Jungle Soil from ADA again) on top of the tropical river soil. Also the cycled water was soft water, that tank has been cycled for a long time already, and every change of water I added just enough bacteria/infusoria to keep the water quality as constant as possible.
Second day:
I cleaned the foam and some small floating residues of UG. The water was clear. pH 5.5.
I then went to another aquarium shop in search of something to hold UG down, should it manage to grow. lol It was hard for me because everything seems to make the water basic and I don't want that. I found something called Colorado Sand (from ADA again), it didn't say anything about pH behind the package, and the shop staff also didn't know how basic it was but he was pretty sure it must be quite basic. However, judging from the colour and the sand particle size, I was pretty sure it was from taken a river, so I was quite positive with myself that it was not going to change the pH so much. (When I reached home and started googling it, I confirmed that it would not change pH of the water lol, should have done that at the shop though.)
I also bought Hemianthus callitrichoidus cuba and Wendtii green. (I looked up their tolerable pH range, light, and temperature before I bought them. I was already set on growing Cuba from the beginning and I knew that Cuba loved nutrient-rich substrate, many people probably think growing Cuba in the same tank as UG are crazy. I just really wanted to do it. It is so cute.)
I then proceeded to dividing these plants into many small bunches again and bury Cuba and Wendtii into wet jungle substrate (not submerged, they are on the rocks).
I lightly spread sand on top the substrate and UG. I retired for the day.
From this day, the tank received average amount of light around 14 hrs/day, plus some from the window in the morning.
Third day:
I added the cycled water up to 3 cm from the tank edge in the morning.
In the evening I ran the new filter in the cycled tank for a few hours, then transfer the system to the new tank. From this point on CO2 was injected (1 hr before light on and 1 hr after light off).
A week later:
UG spread nearly 50% of the foreground, the colour was so lush I was surprised at the speed. Nothing floated up. The leaves were much larger. pH 5.5
Cuba and Wendtii grew roots into the substrates, cuba grew longer and wider but slower than UG. (Also a surprise here)
Two weeks later:
UG nearly covered everything. Cuba and Wendtii are also growing well.
I bought one cup of UG from ADA-very small, ~3-inch diameter I think, dry. I laid the tank with tropical river soil (also from ADA)--it sounds almost like I am a fan of it ADA but that is not the case, that was simply the only substrate available in the aquarium shop that constantly keeps the water acidic--from what I read at the back of the package. (I had the dilemma of using this substrate vs peat moss, but I just bought the substrate anyway for the heck of it, then I thought if I failed I would change to peat moss. I really did not expect to succeed on my first try.)
First day:
I just tested out my landscape which I have already had in my mind--big and small white-orange layered stone which I collected from a mountain and some I bought from the shop, I'm sorry I have no idea what they are. lol I cleaned the stone with 2M HCl and ultrasonic cleaner, then rinsed a couple of time with ultrasound in MilliQ water.
I then sprayed pure water on top of the substrate, then I divide the UG I bought into super tiny bunches--around 30 bunches). I used a forcep and fingers to bury those bunches into the substrate halfway, around 2/2.5 cm apart. I was somewhat concerned that they would float back up because I didn't use any net and UG grows on runner.
I then added cycled water (I do have another aquarium tank for fancy goldfishes and some carnivorous fish) into the tank just enough so that the water level is around 2 cm above UG). Nothing floated back up, then I simply went to sleep. >_>
Note that some part of the tank also have a rich soil substrate (Jungle Soil from ADA again) on top of the tropical river soil. Also the cycled water was soft water, that tank has been cycled for a long time already, and every change of water I added just enough bacteria/infusoria to keep the water quality as constant as possible.
Second day:
I cleaned the foam and some small floating residues of UG. The water was clear. pH 5.5.
I then went to another aquarium shop in search of something to hold UG down, should it manage to grow. lol It was hard for me because everything seems to make the water basic and I don't want that. I found something called Colorado Sand (from ADA again), it didn't say anything about pH behind the package, and the shop staff also didn't know how basic it was but he was pretty sure it must be quite basic. However, judging from the colour and the sand particle size, I was pretty sure it was from taken a river, so I was quite positive with myself that it was not going to change the pH so much. (When I reached home and started googling it, I confirmed that it would not change pH of the water lol, should have done that at the shop though.)
I also bought Hemianthus callitrichoidus cuba and Wendtii green. (I looked up their tolerable pH range, light, and temperature before I bought them. I was already set on growing Cuba from the beginning and I knew that Cuba loved nutrient-rich substrate, many people probably think growing Cuba in the same tank as UG are crazy. I just really wanted to do it. It is so cute.)
I then proceeded to dividing these plants into many small bunches again and bury Cuba and Wendtii into wet jungle substrate (not submerged, they are on the rocks).
I lightly spread sand on top the substrate and UG. I retired for the day.
From this day, the tank received average amount of light around 14 hrs/day, plus some from the window in the morning.
Third day:
I added the cycled water up to 3 cm from the tank edge in the morning.
In the evening I ran the new filter in the cycled tank for a few hours, then transfer the system to the new tank. From this point on CO2 was injected (1 hr before light on and 1 hr after light off).
A week later:
UG spread nearly 50% of the foreground, the colour was so lush I was surprised at the speed. Nothing floated up. The leaves were much larger. pH 5.5
Cuba and Wendtii grew roots into the substrates, cuba grew longer and wider but slower than UG. (Also a surprise here)
Two weeks later:
UG nearly covered everything. Cuba and Wendtii are also growing well.
