Newbie getting started in planted tank

[Xanavi]

Hi David

There will always be chances to upgrade
With so many themes and plants to try out, 1 tank is never enough

By the way, I just visited an LFS this evening and managed to tell the difference between glosso and HC

However, can someone ID this plant in the picture? (middle, near the front part of the tank with long slender leaves)

[limz_777]

looks like dwarf sag

[Xanavi]

Hi guys,

My question for today : For the plants we see in the shops, whether it is in submerged form (in pots i think) or in tray form (semi-wet/moist, eg, like HC), how long can we keep them in the soil-less state before they start to deteriorate? I understand that even if we buy these plants, we still need to quarantine them for a while to get rid of unwanted pests. So how we go about to quarantine them? Put them in a separate tank for a few days before the actual planting?

[Shadow]

you can keep them soil-less for very long time as long as you dip the root on the nutrient rich water. just like hydroponic.

[milk_vanilla]

Soak them for few minutes in small amount diluted bleach. It will kill majority of pets, snail pond eggs, etc. sounds controversy but it works somehow.

[milk_vanilla]

And Don't forget rinse them with anti chlorine afterwards

[Xanavi]

I suppose the nutrients rich water refers to water with the appropriate dosage of fertilizers?

[qngwn]

yup appropriate. too much fert is never too good.

[felix_fx2]

I suppose the nutrients rich water refers to water with the appropriate dosage of fertilizers?

Don't forget need light also. Someone actually kept in co2 enriched and decent lighting for a long time before.

[qngwn]

Don't forget need light also. Someone actually kept in co2 enriched and decent lighting for a long time before.

Just like how some LFS keeps their stock of plants fresh and healthy.

[Xanavi]

I have gotten my tank up and running 2 days ago. The plants are doing ok so far (perhaps too soon to tell)...

I am currently using ADA amazonia soil and JBL aquabasis soil as base fert, photoperiod is about 8 hrs.

I understand this ADA soil is nutrients rich. Despite this, should I be adding in any liquid ferts at this point of time?

The tank is moderately stocked with plants. At the moment, no intention to add in any fishes. I am letting the tank cycle normally and I am doing a water change of about 20% every 2 days, is that ok?

[Xanavi]

Update on Day 6 (HC) :

Had initially decided to do DSM but decided to flood the tank after 1.5 days of planting the HC, partly also due to the fact that I have gotten other plants over last weekends.

So far the HC seemed to be doing fine and bubbling, a small portion of them are turning dark and melting away. Have even seen vertical growth in some patches. I hope this is an encouraging sign.

[qngwn]

I have gotten my tank up and running 2 days ago. The plants are doing ok so far (perhaps too soon to tell)...

I am currently using ADA amazonia soil and JBL aquabasis soil as base fert, photoperiod is about 8 hrs.

I understand this ADA soil is nutrients rich. Despite this, should I be adding in any liquid ferts at this point of time?

The tank is moderately stocked with plants. At the moment, no intention to add in any fishes. I am letting the tank cycle normally and I am doing a water change of about 20% every 2 days, is that ok?

Liquid ferts is not necessary, however if your plant mass is large, and you do not want to deplete your soil of nutrients, you can consider dosing liquid ferts.

[qngwn]

Update on Day 6 (HC) :

Had initially decided to do DSM but decided to flood the tank after 1.5 days of planting the HC, partly also due to the fact that I have gotten other plants over last weekends.

So far the HC seemed to be doing fine and bubbling, a small portion of them are turning dark and melting away. Have even seen vertical growth in some patches. I hope this is an encouraging sign.

Most HCs are cultivated in emersed form, and they do undergo a phase when changing into submersed and some tend to melt while undergoing this phase. Vertical grwoth might be a sign that there is insufficient lighting reaching the substrate. however it might be too early to tell. Do monitor for awhile more to see if they keep growing upwards instead of sideways.

[HeMan]

Your HC are doing fine from the picture . Any full tank shot?

[Xanavi]

Here you go:

Beginning (1.5 days before flooding)


Day 1 (5 Aug)


Today (bought more plants in the process and replaced those that weren't doing well, trimmed those that were growing too fast)

[HeMan]

Very nicely done bro
Think you will get a nice lush carpet of HC very soon. Envy envy....

[Xanavi]

Hi HeMan

I hope everything continues well.I have come across threads that mentioned that their HC are doing fine initially but only to be plagued by various problems.
I have some observations and need some help.

1) I realised that in 3-4 patches of my HC, there seems to be some wispy, fluffy, whitish cotton like substance around the HC. Looks like fungus to me. I am guessing that because there are some leaves that melted or debris that got caught in the HC but I didn't dare to remove them from the HC in fear of dislodging the HC as their roots are not really that established. They can be easily pulled away and I have been manually removing them but they kept on appearing in the same spot since i couldn't really remove them entirely.

2) I also observed that the surface of the HC leaves appears to be a bit dirty or brownish looking.

3) I also saw a layer furry greenish coat on 2 leaves of my tiger lotus which is placed at the corner of the tank, presumably due to poor water current around that area?? The weird thing is that there are other leaves nearby but they all appear to be ok.

Last evening, I got a bag of cherry shrimps and released them into my tank hoping that they could do some cleanup. Was quite surprised to see that one of the affected tiger lotus leave is cleaned up. The HC appears to be much greener and cleaner looking too. I believe the shrimps are responsible? However, I don't really see much improvement in the white fluffy fungus like stuff. How can I get rid of them?

[HeMan]

Bro your point 1) and 2) are similar to my setup

For me my HC are like that since day 1 and I dont do anything to it .
Now most of the so call jelly transparent like fungus are gone. But melting still can be seen
But now much .

I don't have any alage issues probably because I done WC daily of 50percent since
Day 2 till now. ( fingers crossed hoping zero alage)

U might want to try doing WC ...

[felix_fx2]

cherry shrimp do eat algae, but some and not all types.

mould is fairly common & should ease off in weeks, as long as your plants are growing well. its a real eyesore but once hc gets a good rooting and spreading you'll notice things look better.

heman, 50% can lower when plants start to grow. very taxing on body. and it's You not the other.