HC Journal

[golfball]

Thought I’d share some experience on my 2nd attempt on planting HC on a 1.5 feet tank (first attempt failed).

Attachment 39959

Setup

Tank: 45x27x30
ADA Aquasky 451
ADA Amazonia (with powder type on top layer) + power sand
Filter: Eheim Ecco Pro 2032
Pressurized CO2
Plants: HC and hair grass (HG)

Preparation and planting

HC bought from LFS in rectangular plastic containers - 2 pieces @ $4 each. 1 pot of HG.
Cut the HC patch in small squares 1 cm each. Tried to untangle and straighten the roots a little bit and remove loose roots that may just rot in the soil. Tried to plant deeper to reduce uprooting.
HG split into small bunches and spread out planting.

Week 2
(seems to be doing well, but...)
Attachment 39960

Not enough plant mass + no algae cleaning crew (because tank not cycled yet) = algae out of control

Wanted just to have HC in front and HG behind. However, there was not enough plant mass at the beginning and algae started appearing by the 2nd week. Efforts to control include adjusting fertilizers, CO2, lighting period, manual removal.
However, as the tank is still cycling, the algae cleaning crew cannot be introduced.
Algae eventually covered and suffocated the HC. It took over the tank by week 3.
(no pics to show - it's not a pretty sight)

Start all over again with some new measures

At end of week 3, gave up and pulled everything out (almost all HC melted) and planted new batch of HC and this time, accompanied with some stem plants (interim only) behind, in place of HG. Also threw in some frog bits.

2 weeks after replant
Notice difference from previous (interim stem plants, frog bits and extra pump)
Attachment 39961

As the tank already run with previous batch of HC for 3 weeks, it is almost cycled.
1 week after the replant, the tank is cycled and promptly added 6 amano shrimps (chose the smaller ones to minimize HC uprooting) and 4 ottos

I think this is important - the period during tank cycling (4 weeks for this tank) is most vulnerable as you couldn't add algae cleaning crew and is difficult to control algae. Being so small, HC is easily covered and suffocated by algae while it is still adapting. On hind sight, should use matured filter material right from the start or start cycling before adding HC.

Water change (WC) and maintenance

WC every day for 1st week (50%) and every other day for 2-3rd week (50%), twice a week for 4th week and weekly subsequently (30%).
I think this is important too: Maintain cleanliness of the tank - frequent scraping algae on glass, brushing the rocks, vacuuming the debris and loose plants sitting on the substrate during each WC session
Keeping the tank pristine clean seems to reduce algae.

Light, CO2 and Ferts

Light from the aqua sky is sufficiently bright - no concerns here; Lighting hours: gradually increasing from 5 hours to 9 hours between week 1 and 6
Fertilizer (seachem) - daily K (2ml), no N and P in the 1st 2 weeks - and subsequently 1-2 ml every 2 to 3 days; flourish (1ml) every other day in the 1st month
CO2 adjust until drop checker is green to slightly lime green and fauna not stressed (my big plastic counter shows about 1 bps). Turned it higher at the beginning when no fauna.

Water Circulation

The filter outlet and the CO2 diffuser are positioned at opposite ends, near the front where the HC sits. The CO2 mist circulates to near the HC at the substrate level.
It is apparent that the HC near the right grows better - this is where most of the CO2 mist are seen to be circulating
While on the left it is growing slower. So added a 10w pump directing part of the CO2 mist towards the lower left. Improvements are observed.

Stabilizing

By end week 3, it is clear that the conditions are stabilized - no algae on the HC, thanks to the amano shrimps and ottos. While the HC is still adapting, they can take their time without constantly battling the algae
By week 4-5, the HC has taken root and the interim stem plants are replaced with HG and removed some frog bits.
HC growth is slow but steady. Gradually up the ferts a little bit.
By week 6, HC is flourishing and I removed most of the frog bits and the power head.
In Week 8, 8 pristella tetras were added.

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Y IMG_2863_2013_02_28__1394547628_175_156_139_140.jpg

Hope that some of you may find the above info useful and have lots of fun doing it as I did. Cheers!

[blue33]

Good job!

[furyprix]

Very detailed journal! Very helpful to beginners (like me) who are struggling with growing HC..
Terrible experience I had.

[Mir]

I wish I can grow HC too...Very interesting read. Awesome setup!

[Dodofish]

really zen look!

[golfball]

Thanks all.

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[HeMan]

Well done , thanks for sharing your experience.

I notice that your tank does not have any fans to keep the water temperature low, is the tank in air condition room?

[golfball]

Yup, didn't use fan. There is also no air-con.

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[matashi]

Did you measure the temperature of the water? I failed HC twice and was advised I need colder water. My temperature is about 29-31degrees


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[golfball]

No, I didn't measure the temperature. I guess it might be around 30-32(?) Not ideal, but the strong light, ample CO2 probably compensated for that.

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[cowputer]

Ho bro, very informative post. So in your opinion, what do you think you have done differently between the first failed attempt and the 2nd successful one. I hpe to learn from your experience as Im starting my 1st tank now. Thanks

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[golfball]

Bro, 1st attempt was in my 1st tank (experiment tank). Most of the conditions mentioned in this post (gathered from reading up posts in AQ and elsewhere) were not met in the 1st attempt. It was an experiment tank to start learning about aquatic plants. By the way, many plants died in that tank...

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[dhmy2kgto]

Very enlightening write up, thank you for sharing!!