Just to say Hello and introduce myself.

**Crypto Russia** · 29th Nov 2009, 06:36

My name is Dmitry, I am from Moscow, Russia. The Cryptocoryne planting is my hobby. I am keeping some of my plants in tank emersed. But my primary focus is to grow my Cryptos in tanks submersed with fishes and shrimps. I have about 30 different spices in my collection. Some of them already identified by blossoming , some not yet.

**vinz** · 30th Nov 2009, 11:21

Hello Dmitry,

Welcome to AQ! I saw your list of Crypts in the other thread, and it is IMPRESSIVE! Do share your experience with them.

**Crypto Russia** · 30th Nov 2009, 22:37

Frankly speaking this is not a long story about my collection J.
Then I was 10 years boy I built my first tank using 3L (around 0.6 gallons) can made of glass, the first fish was Xiphophorus helleri and my first plants were Vallisneria and Cryptocorine affinis (but I realized that it was afiinis only years later). At that time it was just cryptocoryne for me.

The years were passing. I had left my mothers nest, finished my education and started my own family. With this I started to rent apartment to live in and lost the possibility to keep my aquarium hobby. It was just after the Perestroyka in Russia and it was very hard time for me…

Finally, several years ago, I managed to get my own apartment and started to think about my hobby again. Last year I bought my first tank and it was the beginning of my current small farm J.

Right now I am the owner of 10 tanks with submersed plants (mainly Cryptocorynes) and 2 tanks with emersed ones, which I am trying to use as place for safety stock and also to see Cryptocoryne blossoming. Most of my current plants were purchased this year only and by now I have seen blossoming of my Affinis Red (submersed) and Pontederiifolia emersed only.

All my submersed plans I am keeping in tanks with garden soil as a main source of plant feeding (5 cm of usual garden soil with special additives and 3-4 cm of sand or gravel on top). The pH in all my tanks is around 7,0-8,0, the dH is about 8-12, kH is about 7-10, temperature 24-28C . Almost all of my Cryptocorynes are growing very fast with these conditions, but I am still trying to find optimal set up for my Aponogetifolia and Spiralis (suppose the emersed set up with Spiralis should solve the issue), which are not in good conditions now. That is all, if you want more details – just ask. Thank your for your time!

**Crypto Russia** · 3rd Dec 2009, 03:05

By the way, what does it mean “Bro” which a lot of members use to address each other, does it mean BROTHER? Also what does it mean - LFS?

**tawauboy** · 4th Dec 2009, 07:30

yes, "bro" means brother.
lfs - local fish shop

welcome to AQ.
hope you'll have a great time here.

**Crypto Russia** · 4th Dec 2009, 21:07

Originally Posted by tawauboy

yes, "bro" means brother.
lfs - local fish shop

Hello,

Thanks for clarifying that to me. One more question:
Will it be comfortable if I will call others AQ members by colleagues as we do in Russia or better to use “Bros” as you do? For me it will be very easy to call AQ members as Bros, but will it be convenient for them as we do not know each other personally? As for me personally - I am ready to be one of the Bros

Dmitry.