New planted tank

[JW_Tan89]

Hi guys, this is a pic of my new planted tank. Kinda looks bare so any suggestion on how I can decorate it further? Also should I use CO2 tablets for the plants?image.jpg

[diazman]

I see you using some aqua soil? can get some hairgrass in it if you like. Don't bother using c02 tablets. You are better off using DIY c02 setup. The plant you currently have is easy to maintain plant, anubias barteri

[qool]

Like what diazman said more hairgrass would be nice! But maybe you can consider japanese hairgrass. They will curl up making the tank look nicer

[JW_Tan89]

Actually I have some doubts to clarify:

1) What are hairgrass and how do I handle them?

2) I've read about people suggesting the usage of Seachem Excel as a replacement for CO2 tablets. Is it some kind of substitute for CO2 to the plants?

3) Is there a limit of the degree of KH in which livestock (for eg. Tetras, bettas and shrimps) can tolerate?

Would be glad and thankful if you guys can help clarify my doubt

[diazman]

Actually I have some doubts to clarify:

1) What are hairgrass and how do I handle them?

2) I've read about people suggesting the usage of Seachem Excel as a replacement for CO2 tablets. Is it some kind of substitute for CO2 to the plants?

3) Is there a limit of the degree of KH in which livestock (for eg. Tetras, bettas and shrimps) can tolerate?

Would be glad and thankful if you guys can help clarify my doubt

its abit hard to explain theoretically , but i have a video for your viewing pleasure

1) How to handle hairgrass



2) Excel isnt CO2 per se, but provides a carbon source for plants. C02 tablets is a waste of money to be exact, never seen them work their magic before.

3) Not sure about KH. Never bother to measure. But my tank has the usual : Cherry barb, Platy, cherry shrimps & galaxy danios.

[JW_Tan89]

Hi diazman,

Do you mind sending the video link? Also if I were to use Excel, does it lowers the pH of the water since its another source of carbon?

[Urban Aquaria]

Excel doesn't lower the pH of the water, that's actually one of its listed benefits.

[JW_Tan89]

Thanks for your valuable input! Do I need to supplement the plants with anything else other than Excel for it to thrive?

[milk_vanilla]

to thrive your plants, you need 3 major components: nutrients, light, and co2.

Speaking of low tech tank
Excel could replace co2 function on low tech tank.
have you prepared the remaining 2 components?

[JW_Tan89]

to thrive your plants, you need 3 major components: nutrients, light, and co2.

Speaking of low tech tank
Excel could replace co2 function on low tech tank.
have you prepared the remaining 2 components?

I've got the lights. Just lacking the nutrients. What are some of the essential nutrients needed? I understand that different plants require different nutrients but are there any basic must-have stuffs?

[diazman]

Hi diazman,

Do you mind sending the video link? Also if I were to use Excel, does it lowers the pH of the water since its another source of carbon?

Link to Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJHk6bbUwuE

As low tech implies, you slow down on the fert or don't dose at all. You may be a bit impatient due to the slow growth though. Perhaps, you can get seachem comprehensive and seachem Excel, used those on my low tech tanks and plants grow well, albeit slowly. I dose my tanks with those when ever i remember, the rest is taken care of by the fish poo & the fish food.

Some ideas if you intend to add more plants. These are my tanks Nothing much. hope it spurs some ideas

1ft low tech.



Plant list:

Flame Moss
Java Moss
Mini Xmas Moss
Mini Taiwan Moss
Spiky Moss
Java Fern Regular
US Fissidens on BW

[JW_Tan89]

What moss is that on the foreground of your tank? How do you manage to secure it on the gravel?

[milk_vanilla]

Plant fertz could be found on most of local lfs. Buy Macro and micro ones.

Either liquid or dry based, they serve the purposes well.

Dosage might vary for every each tank, depends on biomass amount, lights power, co2 level and definitely the plant itself.

You could start by follow the dosage instructions, and do up down adjustment from the observation and growth behavior.


Sent using Tapatalk 2

[wongce]

For low tech setups, you can try out seachem flourish comprehensive + flourish excel as mentioned earlier. Easy to find at lfs and it works.. I am using them for lowtech setup...dose half of the required amount and monitor plants health before you add more if you see any issue

Low tech plants are sloow grower thus they need less fertilizer and lower requirement...

[diazman]

What moss is that on the foreground of your tank? How do you manage to secure it on the gravel?

those are mini xmas moss (bought off C32 tied to small lava rocks

[JW_Tan89]

What do u mean by macro and micro? Need some enlightenment

[milk_vanilla]

It's gonna be a long paragraph, to exactly know macro and micro and purposes of it's content. Best you search yourself through the internet.

but the bottom line is you could imagine macro is primary food component for the plants, micro something like secondary / supplement.

they are both are necessary, can't live without one of the another.

[wongce]

For me flourish comprehensive is like "all in one" fertilizer,although a bit diluted compared to other fertilizer

[diazman]

hey there, sorry for the late reply, wasnt able to log on into AQ all night due to the busy server. I had typed something about the ferts and it got lost in the process

Fert reading material: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/article...zers_intro.php

In a nutshell:

Macro fert refers to , (N) Nitrogen, (K) Potassium & (P) Phosphorus. These are main stuff needed by the plants for growth, especially in heavily planted tanks, where they nutrients go up short

Micro fert refers to supplements like Iron, manganese, magnesium, baron, zinc, etc, etc. These are supplements that you add into the tank from time to time to replenish them. The plants do still need them but in small quantity, with the exception of Iron, which you may find yourself dosing often to maintain the redness of plants.

Correct me if im wrong, my english isnt that good

[JW_Tan89]

Hi guys, heeded suggestions from you all and add some japanese hairgrass to my tank. Wasnt a very good job though but a good learning experience!

Also if i want to dose my 10litre tank with Excel according to the suggested dosage, I only need 1ml of it? Is 1ml too little?

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