Another newbie with 2ft planted intentions

[exo]

Yeah after sometime looked about weird to me also... Well shift it some where else.. Anyway wanna ask you guys. Is it ok to add a layer of reef sand at the front middle? I'm gonna scrap plans for HC in the said area and make a beach for shrimps. Possible?

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[Realcaster]

@realcaster - from C328 florist
Bro I sent you a msg on tapatalk, didn't see it?

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just went down to Y618 during lunch time. Saw that they are selling wild caught Cardinal Tetra. The coloration is better than those Seaview farm bred. However, there are still difference from what GC have. Somehow I find those Cardinal from GC have wider body and color intensity is still better. Could it be a different strain?... Hmmm

Anyone with experience on Cardinal Tetra can comment?

[Urban Aquaria]

I keep a mix of farm bred and wild caught cardinal tetras bought from various LFS over the years, and from my experience, their initial coloration mainly depends alot on the LFS retail tank conditions and lighting.

Those kept in barebottom tanks with bright lights tend to look washed out, while those kept in dark soil based tanks with dim lights tend to look nicer. The overall condition of the fishes also depends on whether the LFS took care and fed them well over a period of time vs just newly added into the tank and still in stressed condition.

Do note that female cardinal tetras tend to be alot larger and plumper, while male cardinal tetras tend to be smaller and slimmer. So if you see mainly small and slim ones in an LFS tank, then chances are most of the plump females have already been scooped up by other buyers.

Anyways, i find that after a few days in the same tank with good conditions and food, both tank bred and wild caught cardinal tetras usually end up showing the same solid bright red and blue coloration, can't tell the difference anymore.

So based on my experience, seems it doesn't really make a big difference where their source is from, its the eventual tank conditions they are kept in which affect their long term coloration.

[Realcaster]

Thank you UA, for your insight. So it seems like it very much depends on the skill of the keeper

[exo]

Is adding a layer of reef sand(middle front area only) possible at this point in time? I'm not too concern abt it getting mixed up with the soil but rather will it have any impact on the plants livestock and water.

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[Realcaster]

Just wash the sand properly before you pour in and do it slowly. GC have many tanks that just have a small layer of sand In the fore ground to add texture to the tank layout

[exo]

Thanks bro... Any idea why to get reef sand or similar textured sand/ gravel prefer West side. Haven't seen it at C328 though...

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[exo]

Some live stock updates
uploadfromtaptalk1460910562486.jpg
Lazing otos in pain view.... Gonna fire then soon if they still dun clean the walls..uploadfromtaptalk1460910644320.jpg

Fire red shrimps grazing
uploadfromtaptalk1460910740097.jpg
Cardinal tetras still currently not schooling well yet probably establishing hierarchy....

Yamatos are hardworking and doing well
Rili shrimps all hiding.. No where to be seen once added to tank..

[fireblade]

if you want to add sand, try this method...
I have not try it though

Is adding a layer of reef sand(middle front area only) possible at this point in time? I'm not too concern abt it getting mixed up with the soil but rather will it have any impact on the plants livestock and water.

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[exo]

Thanks @fireblade. That looks like a very good idea. All the fine particles from the sand which clouds the water are trapped within the bottle..

[exo]

I just bought some plants which are tied to mesh.. do I need to remove the plants from mesh before planting or can I cut the mesh with plants on it and plant it in soil? I dunno what's the name of plant but it's not moss or ferns... it has straight thin stalks with leafs growing at each interval.. has roots...

@Urban Aquaria @Realcaster @Jackchung @anyone

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[Realcaster]

It very much depends on what plant is it. If it is a stem plant you can plant it directly into the substrate. If it's a plant with rhizome you might want to leave it on the mesh or transplant it to lava rocks or driftwood. And the rhizome must be above substrate.

[jackychun]

Do you have any photo bro? It would be better to ID it with photo.


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[exo]

Do you have any photo bro? It would be better to ID it with photo.


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uploadfromtaptalk1461229957286.jpguploadfromtaptalk1461229978565.jpguploadfromtaptalk1461229994044.jpg
This is the one. . Any idea? I see fishing lines going round the entire mesh.

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[jackychun]

It looks like stems plants for me. Then you can carefully detach it from the mesh and plant accordingly. But can wait for other sifus recommendation better. Haha.


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[fireblade]

don't cut the mesh.. once cut everything will fall apart.

not sure if it is Bacopa do give it a thorough wash before putting in your tank.
my guess is you can put the whole mesh in your tank, then let it grow taller then trim and plant them after that.

you can also remove from the mesh and plant individually, but that defeat the purpose of getting the plants with mesh.

[exo]

Thanks Jacky and fireblade..
Yes I quarantine plants before I put them in the tank. Minimally anti snail treatment is done

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[Urban Aquaria]

Yeah, it depends on how you want to use those plants... if you have plans to arrange them in a certain way as background plants, then just untie the stems (remember to do quarantine and pre-treatment on them first) and then plant the individual stems like you normally would with stem plants bought in pots.

You could also just place the mesh with the plants in your tank, though it would look abit artificial with the mesh exposed, and even if buried under the soil the shape of the clump will be rectangular looking, and after some time when the plants grow out and you need to trim the healthy tops and uproot the rotting bottoms, then it can become a problem with all of them attached to a single mesh. So there are some considerations there.

[Realcaster]

Yes, looks like Rotala green or some other stem plant. They are better planted directly into the substrate. Don't have to untied, just cut off the top portion and replant them. Normally when I buy a pot of stem plant, I just cut above the pot and throw the pot away.

[exo]

Thanks all for the input... plant is in snail qurauntine now

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