Advertisements
Aquatic Avenue Banner Tropica Shop Banner Fishy Business Banner
Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Posts
    7
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?

    Advertisements
    Fresh n Marine aQuarium Banner

    Advertise here

    Advertise here
    Hi I am new here, wish to get so help from the experts here.

    I have a 60cm tank, been trying to grow HC in Iwagumi style for the past few years, but unsuccessful. It was either HC not growing well or infested with algae. Have also been unsuccessful when it comes to battle with the algae too.

    I am still trying...to understand how to balance lighting, CO2 and ferts.

    While many sources in the web but not in the local context, heard that HC needs not only strong light and CO2, it also needs cooler water condition, best between 25C to 28C. However SG is in the tropic, my tank water is constantly at 30C, but when lights are on, it goes up as high as 32C. Will such high water temperature prevent the HC from growing?

    Has anyone successfully planted HC in SG? Do I need a chiller or fans can help?

    May the experts here share your thought/experience on growing HC and particularly ferts dosing advice (e.g. Seachem products).

    Thanks in advance!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Central
    Posts
    2,772
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?

    You can check my old thread. I did grew HC via dry start method on GEX soil for 1-2 months if I recalled, before submersing the tank. After that just Co2 + a gex PL light. Grew like wild fire. Entered a ADA competition too. Sold many cuttings to bros here. But after 9 months, start having problems like algae, then BGA and BBA. So ended up rescaping.

    With regards to temp. 2 decade ago, using fan can efficiently reduce temp to around 28-29 degrees, no problem. Nowadays, using fan only increases humidity. A living room with temp 32 degrees feel like 40 with the increased humidity. Chiller? it's the worst option in my humble opinion. To chill the tank, it will exhaust hot air to your living room and spread to every part of your house. A slightly better option is have the planted tank in a small room with air-con on rotational + standby, keeping ambient temp around 28 degrees will do; if monthly utility is not an issue.

    In UKaps forum where their weather is cool and nice, a simple java moss tank can look super outstanding. Here in Singapore? good luck.

    I did say many years ago, that this is a dead hobby for our climate and weather will only get warmer.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Posts
    7
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?

    Quote Originally Posted by torque6 View Post
    You can check my old thread. I did grew HC via dry start method on GEX soil for 1-2 months if I recalled, before submersing the tank. After that just Co2 + a gex PL light. Grew like wild fire. Entered a ADA competition too. Sold many cuttings to bros here. But after 9 months, start having problems like algae, then BGA and BBA. So ended up rescaping.

    With regards to temp. 2 decade ago, using fan can efficiently reduce temp to around 28-29 degrees, no problem. Nowadays, using fan only increases humidity. A living room with temp 32 degrees feel like 40 with the increased humidity. Chiller? it's the worst option in my humble opinion. To chill the tank, it will exhaust hot air to your living room and spread to every part of your house. A slightly better option is have the planted tank in a small room with air-con on rotational + standby, keeping ambient temp around 28 degrees will do; if monthly utility is not an issue.

    In UKaps forum where their weather is cool and nice, a simple java moss tank can look super outstanding. Here in Singapore? good luck.

    I did say many years ago, that this is a dead hobby for our climate and weather will only get warmer.
    Thank you torque6 for your reply. So it is possible to successfully grow HC Cuba in SG’s climate provided we can find the balanced formula between CO2, lights, water temperature and ferts.

    I also started with DSM for 2 months before submerging. It has been 2 weeks now after submerging, I don’t see any new grow but no melting as well. Some algae is noticeable on the substrate and wall. The problem is that HC has small leaves and slightly darker/dull green. Although I use powder soil (Tropica), the HC doesn’t seem to root deep in to the substrate. It can be easily uprooted by shrimps.

    My water is cycled, reading is:
    NO3: 0
    NO2: 0
    GH: 6
    KH: 6
    PH: 6.8
    Cl2: 0
    Ammonia: 0

    Nitrate is low. So I stated dosing ferts a days back with Nitrogen 1ml, Phosphate 0.1ml & Potassium 0.8ml 3x a week and Flourish 2ml & Trace 1ml 1x a week. Will monitor the progress for 2 weeks. I also using fan to cool the tank now when the lights are on but temperature drops slightly to 30C (from 32C). I am doing 50% WC on alternate day until the tank is stable i.e. till algae is under control.

    Others:
    Livestock: 2 SAEs, 1 Oto, 3 Amano Shrimps and 5 green neon tetras
    Lights: Chihiros A601 (39W) x 2 running 8 hours/day
    CO2: 2 bubbles per second, on 1 hour before lights on and off 1 hours before lights off
    CO2 checker: lime green
    Filter: Fluval 306
    Substrate: Tropica Soil (Powder)

    Not sure if my setup above is proper especially the lighting.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Central
    Posts
    2,772
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?



    Video credits to Dennis. One of the most experience aquascaper here in Singapore.

    My tank was pretty much like this day 1. Plant density 70-80%. I don't just have HC in my tank by the way. I combine with stem plants etc.

    May I ask if your tank looks like this?

    hemiantus-callitrichoides-cuba-aquascaping-5-1024x386.jpg

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Posts
    7
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?

    Thanks torque6.

    Yeah, I have watched some of Dennis's videos...but the one that you have uploaded, I have not watch before.

    My tank is not so nice, I havent been able to find a big seiryu rocks in SG. I have seen in carousell there are some for sale in Tampines but havent had the time to go.

    Mine is attached.
    Tank 20210822.jpg

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Central
    Posts
    2,772
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?

    I expected your tank to look like this.

    Iwagumi are expert and advanced aquascapes. Looks deceptively easy, but it's not. Even harder in our climate without a chiller set to 21-24 degrees.

    I see new hobbyist on facebook attempting these scapes all the time. Not surprisingly, all had problems from at least what I am seeing.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Posts
    7
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?

    yeah...well said, iwagumi looks deceptively easy but is the hardest, as there is no room for mistake.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Central
    Posts
    2,772
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?

    Quote Originally Posted by Maxtan View Post
    yeah...well said, iwagumi looks deceptively easy but is the hardest, as there is no room for mistake.
    What I mean by advance aquascape has nothing to do with a person's skill in this hobby. It just mean that this type of scape requires other advance equipment, chiller (for our country etc), over hanging leds with good PAR coupled with regular ferts (non EI is fine), vs if u were just to keep species like wisteria, bacopa etc.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Central
    Posts
    2,772
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?

    This guy has a tank that looks like Cuba. He has the right equipment, but decommissioned his tank a week ago.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    281
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?

    Not an expert but to my knowledge, HC requires chill water (28 and below, best 26).

    If your plant requires good lighting and co2, with only chilled water, your plant will already be prolonged from melting etc. So to say, chill water is something like a life support system.

    If your plant are just planted or new, if there are growth of algae, separate your lightings to something like 4 hours from 9am to 1pm, 2-3 hours break/lights off, another 4 hours to accumulate a total of 8 hours. Co2 to be amended to 1 hour activation/deactivation before lights are turn on/off.

    Timing of the lights to be adjusted once your plants are “rooted”.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Posts
    7
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?

    Quote Originally Posted by genki89 View Post
    。。。

    If your plant are just planted or new, if there are growth of algae, separate your lightings to something like 4 hours from 9am to 1pm, 2-3 hours break/lights off, another 4 hours to accumulate a total of 8 hours. Co2 to be amended to 1 hour activation/deactivation before lights are turn on/off.

    Timing of the lights to be adjusted once your plants are “rooted”.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Yeah, I have some green dust algae. But my ammonia is zero and Nitrate is also zero. While I still do 50% WC every other day, but will cut down as I have added more tetras.

    May be I will do as you suggested to break the photo-period into 2 sessions and see how it goes.

    Thanks genki89!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Posts
    7
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?

    Hi, just to update the progress of my "Iwagumi tank".

    Changes made since my last post:
    1) Added a fan - effectively reduced the temperature by 1-2C. My tank now is around 29C.
    2) Altered the photo period: lights 10am - 2pm then 6pm to 10pm, 8 hours daily. CO2 on 1 hour earlier for the same intervals.
    3) CO2 1 bubble per second
    4) Fertilizers: Seachem Comprehensive 2ml x 2 and Nitrogen 1ml x2, Trace 1ml and Potassium 0.5ml (both 1x per week)
    5) Water change every 3-4 days
    6) Livestock: 14 green neon tetras, 10 cardinal tetras, 4 SAEs, 2 ottos, 3 Amano Shrimps, 4 blue fantasy shrimps and 2 nerite racer snails

    The result is encouraging, I now have a 2 - 3cm HC carpet. Still have some green dust algae on the glass surface that's why I still need to scrape off the algae and change water every 3-4 days. Will try uploading a photo...thank you all!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Posts
    7
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Re: Has anyone successfully planted HC Cuba in SG?

    Took me awhile to upload this photo...thanks!
    Attached Images Attached Images

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •