simon_the_plant_nerd
Member
I like it too. Doesn’t multiply too quickly. It does get caught on a lot of stuff though.
I think dwarf water lettuce is my favourite but Frogbit is the best for turning when it’s unhappy.
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Where am I going wrong ?
- Thread starter Hyenasden
- Start date
I think dwarf water lettuce is my favourite but Frogbit is the best for turning when it’s unhappy.
Aqua sobriquet
Member
When I lived in west London many years ago I couldn’t grow plants either.
These days they grow like mad.
I have a 60L and 37L cube, both with sand substrate. No CO2. I’ve chosen a few plants from the Tropica easy range plus Moss. I have shrimps in both tanks which are great for helping keep the tanks clean. The 60L also has some Corydoras in it as well. Both tanks have external canister filters. I think the biggest reason for plant growth is using largely rainwater. The water where I am in Dorset is about as hard as it was in west London. I only add a squirt of DIY fertiliser every now and then.
These days they grow like mad.
I have a 60L and 37L cube, both with sand substrate. No CO2. I’ve chosen a few plants from the Tropica easy range plus Moss. I have shrimps in both tanks which are great for helping keep the tanks clean. The 60L also has some Corydoras in it as well. Both tanks have external canister filters. I think the biggest reason for plant growth is using largely rainwater. The water where I am in Dorset is about as hard as it was in west London. I only add a squirt of DIY fertiliser every now and then.
chickennublet
Member
I've noticed that you're not sure of the species of plants you've tried growing before. Knowing what plants have done well and what plants have died will be helpful. Would also suggest buying plants that have been grown submersed. You'll have better luck getting those to grow, rather than getting emersed plants to convert to their submerged forms.
Is your water hard? Would suggest briefly looking up general hardness and carbonate hardness and figuring out the values for your water, then choose your plants based on that. I think that generally speaking, the softer the water the wider the range of plants you can try growing.
If you are willing to invest in a CO2 system, you will generally be able to choose from a wider range of plants but definitely not required. Just choose your plants wisely and provide appropriate levels of light and nutrition.
You mentioned that you inherited this tank and it's been running for around 4 years or so? Has that substrate been there for 4 years already?
Is your water hard? Would suggest briefly looking up general hardness and carbonate hardness and figuring out the values for your water, then choose your plants based on that. I think that generally speaking, the softer the water the wider the range of plants you can try growing.
If you are willing to invest in a CO2 system, you will generally be able to choose from a wider range of plants but definitely not required. Just choose your plants wisely and provide appropriate levels of light and nutrition.
You mentioned that you inherited this tank and it's been running for around 4 years or so? Has that substrate been there for 4 years already?
Calamardo Tentaculos
Member
Interesting. I live in West London and had not only problems with keeping plants but with neocaridinas as well until I started using RO water. It could very well be something in the water supply there, not just the hardness.
Hiya @Hyenasden I like your brown and white/yellow fish. Are those the loaches?
I strongly empathise with your experience to date - I'm a relative newbie at the planted aquarium (and fish) and it has taken a number of years to make things grow, helped a lot by lots of really good advice from people on this forum who are generous with their years of knowledge and practical experience. Someone (can't remember who) described light as the plants engine and the fertiliser (from a bottle and the tap water and the fish food/pee/poop) as the fuel. The more light the faster the plants' engine demands fuel to grow faster. With light and minerals in the fertiliser and CO2 in the water, undemanding plants can grow a fair bit without needing to inject CO2 into the water . With good surface agitation from a filter outflow or airstone undemanding plants can use up the CO2 that naturally is dissolved in the water (ref my tank in 'high-light jungle mode'). I quite like my simple plants, but I can totally see why people inject CO2.
You can download your water company's water report for your postcode. That will give you a good start at 'dialling in' your fertiliser requirements by showing you how much nitrogen and other bits and bobs are already present in your tap water. Then it's a matter of filling in the gaps with a good complete fertiliser so all the elements are available to the plant as it's trying to grow. You can then run your light high and sit back and hopefully a few weeks will prove to you that you can grow plants (and algae). That's what I did. Or you can try and dial in the lights too if you want an extra challenge.
I strongly empathise with your experience to date - I'm a relative newbie at the planted aquarium (and fish) and it has taken a number of years to make things grow, helped a lot by lots of really good advice from people on this forum who are generous with their years of knowledge and practical experience. Someone (can't remember who) described light as the plants engine and the fertiliser (from a bottle and the tap water and the fish food/pee/poop) as the fuel. The more light the faster the plants' engine demands fuel to grow faster. With light and minerals in the fertiliser and CO2 in the water, undemanding plants can grow a fair bit without needing to inject CO2 into the water . With good surface agitation from a filter outflow or airstone undemanding plants can use up the CO2 that naturally is dissolved in the water (ref my tank in 'high-light jungle mode'). I quite like my simple plants, but I can totally see why people inject CO2.
You can download your water company's water report for your postcode. That will give you a good start at 'dialling in' your fertiliser requirements by showing you how much nitrogen and other bits and bobs are already present in your tap water. Then it's a matter of filling in the gaps with a good complete fertiliser so all the elements are available to the plant as it's trying to grow. You can then run your light high and sit back and hopefully a few weeks will prove to you that you can grow plants (and algae). That's what I did. Or you can try and dial in the lights too if you want an extra challenge.
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PARAGUAY
Member
Looking at the pictures of the aquarium ,l would fill all the soil areas with fast growing stems, placed in ceramic rings maybe for less soil disturbance and for now do daily waterchanges of 30%plus with something like an AIO TNC Complete, some of the stems could easily be removed later if needed, as said lighting and intensity considered and of course floating plants
Aqua sobriquet
Member
I did think of RO but Darrel on here suggested rainwater so I’ve been collecting it from a large shed roof into a 210L water butt. It gets cleaned out around once a year and I try to keep the gutters clean. I also filter the water through kitchen roll before use to help keep any bugs out. I also have a course sponge in the top of the downpipe which seems to help. It supplies more than enough for water changes and top ups on my 60L and 37L.
