Aquascaping idiot seeking for opinion

[uklau]

Yeah if you do not fancy "lawn mowing"... C. parva is quite a good choice. However, it will make your tank looks small if you fill up your entire foreground using it.

Thanks, Jervis. May consider this if the one I had currently is not melting. The small patch of C. Parva is planted out from 10 pots . Got to start saving money, if I'm going for it .

[uklau]

i always recommend hairgrass dwarf hairgrass or japanese hairgrass...the maintainence is a fortnightly haircut!

Tried Japanese hairgrass many times in either Seachem Flourite or Onyx but they never spread (alghough they did not die off) . Did the ritual (trimming) but still remain as a single patch at the spot I first planted them .

[uklau]

Hi Ben, well done and I like this aquascape with overall layout of plants beautiful planned for a 210 litres tank. There is a pleasing flow to the layout and a nice feeling of depth. Any plan to include fishes or shrimps into the tank to brighten the atmosphere in the tank? Hope to see the foreground plants spread out evenly when mature. After all the pain, hardwork and effort are worth it. Many of us here could learn from you the skill of layout and plan first before the setup. Keep us update and cheers.

Glad that you enjoy the layout, Cpark188.

At the moment, I'll be focusing my efforts on getting plants to grow well. Once the tank is stablised, I'll look into the fauna aspect (& also the aesthetic aspect).

[uklau]

May i know what colour(s) are your lights that you are using?

I'm using Arcadia T5 Plant Pro tube (T5HO), which produces pinkish light.

[uklau]

Day 8 - Ceratophylum Demersum (Hornwort) floating on the surface turned red due to the strong lighting.

[uklau]

Did some water parameter testing & found out the followings:

pH = 6.25
KH = 4
GH = 8
NH4 = 0
NO3 = 5.

Looks good to me. So, I introduced 2 Yamato shrimps to test the water & at the same time hope to clear the algae .

[Jervis]

I'm using Arcadia T5 Plant Pro tube (T5HO), which produces pinkish light.

How many Plant Pro tubes are you using bro? I am mixing 2 of these with 2 white and I love the effect!

[uklau]

How many Plant Pro tubes are you using bro? I am mixing 2 of these with 2 white and I love the effect!

Mixing Plant Pro tube with white tubes? I love the effect too . In fact, I have 3 sets of DIY lighting fixture (4 Plant Pro, 1 Aquamedic & 1 Osram).

For plant's growth, I'm using only 2 Plant Pro tubes. At the last few hours of the photoperiod, I'll blast with another 2 more tubes (plants bubble like crazy). Hope the plants are doing well with this lighting regime. For viewing, I'll mix with the white whenever I feel like it .

[uklau]

Day 9 - Eustralis Stellata sending out new, submerged leaves. Much smaller in size compared to the emersed leaves.

[C_Aquatics]

sooooo tempted..........

[uklau]

Day 10 - Cryptocoryne Parva is not showing any sign of melting, although there are a few leaves turned yellow. Hope this is a good sign. This is my first attempt with C. Parva.




Barclaya Longifolia (red) melted very badly. New leaves are only of needle size. Only half of the tuber/bulb is on the surface of the substrate. Please don't give up on me, Mr. Barclaya .

[uklau]

Not much updates lately. Been busy with my new born baby (born on Mother's Day!!!). Thanks God that the hair algae is not overtaking my tank. BGA disappeared after a manual removal together with hair algae a week ago. Now, having GSA on Anubias, especially the Coffeefolia .




Day 26 - This looks like a flower bud to me. It is from Aponogeton Madagascariensis.

[torque6]

A very warm congratulation on your new born !

[aquaSynthesis]

Congrats on your new born brudder!!!

Boy or girl?

Sleepless nights started bro? heheheh....

[uklau]

Day 30: Aponogeton Madagascariensis flower reaching water surface.




Day 31: Aponogeton Madagascariensis flowering on the water surface. Poor flower being toasted by the T5HO tube .




Another flower bud on the way...

[uklau]

This is my first time with Rotala Macranda & Eustralis Stellata & they are not growing well.

Rotala Macranda is getting leggy. Insufficient light? Any tips to grow compact & lush Rotala?




Eustralis Stellata branching out a lot lately. Also shedding lots of leaves? Sign of nutrient deficiencies?

[uklau]

Close shot of Aponogeton Madagascariensis's flower.

[uklau]

Mr. Barclaya is in ICU now . Looks like I'm having anaerobic substrate . Although the tuber is still solid, the part that was in the substrate turned black . Let's see if there will be any miracle.



Now, back to the more critical issue. I noticed that there are 2 spots where plant is having rotten root. I'm wondering

1) if the anaerobic area will spread out to other area

2) is there anyway to "cure" the anaerobic spot?

Thanks.

[Jervis]

Oh dear... I didn't know anaerobic substrate can have such catastrophic outcome... looking at your Rotala macrandra... I got a feeling there's deficiency in nutrients (in my opinion).

[uklau]

Jervis,

You are right about the Rotala. It was doing well until recently. Wondering could it be another spot of anaerobic substrate .

Eustralis Stellata is doing well, especially when growing nearer to the light source.



BTW, I love all you tanks! Hat off you, man. Wonder how you can manage multiple tanks so well.