4ft tank revamp to glosso lawn concept

**Jervis** · 1st May 2008, 12:20

Originally Posted by geezer333

women can't live with it , can't live without it hahaha

Glosso and women dun mix well

**fugu_88** · 4th May 2008, 23:47

Hi,
About a week ago, i started to grow some glosso in a 3ft tank.
Noticed the glosso are growing upward, how can i grow them crawling?

Thanks

**Jervis** · 4th May 2008, 23:49

If you have low light... they will tend to grow upwards pretty quickly

Trim them frequently... I believe that will encourage crawling/creeping.

**jimsuy** · 22nd Jul 2008, 13:42

updates.......

**hann** · 11th Aug 2008, 22:34

Originally Posted by fugu_88

Hi,
About a week ago, i started to grow some glosso in a 3ft tank.
Noticed the glosso are growing upward, how can i grow them crawling?

Thanks

Most probably due to low light. How is your lighting? What I understand is that high low will produce shorter glosso whereas low light will lead to glosso "stretching" and grow upward.

**Captain Telecredible** · 12th Aug 2008, 22:03

Nice glosso you have there ! Well done love the hardscape too

**Verminator** · 13th Aug 2008, 06:27

I'd love to see an update on this tank. I havnt seen one since its 2nd/3rd week of planting i do believe.

Updates, updates updatesssss

**rick** · 13th Nov 2009, 16:54

Originally Posted by Verminator

I'd love to see an update on this tank. I havnt seen one since its 2nd/3rd week of planting i do believe.

Updates, updates updatesssss

It has been some time since I logged into AQ. My tank today.....

**stelim** · 13th Nov 2009, 19:48

Eh... What happened to all the glosso???

**rick** · 14th Nov 2009, 11:58

Glosso all gone. Glosso is fun short-term, but too high maintenance long term, for me at least. When they grow thick, the bottom layers will not get enough light, and will start to wither. And when they fade, their grip on the soil will not be firm. Results? Whole carpet floats..... I could have replanted or trim strategically, but that is too much work. I changed to this plant, and guess what..... I do not need to maintain it at all. Can I term this plant "lazy-man's plant"?

I may also upload some pictures on the process of growing the current lawn.

**alien54d** · 14th Nov 2009, 12:52

hi doing chiller? how much you set for the discus?

**rick** · 14th Nov 2009, 22:56

no chiller buddy. Discus like it warm. My lazy man plants don't mind the warmth..

**tarzanboy** · 16th Nov 2009, 20:04

Hi, rick what a great tank you had may I know that where you purchase the GEX soil and do you still add any fert in the soil as your glosso seem spread like fire.

**rick** · 16th Nov 2009, 21:56

Originally Posted by tarzanboy

Hi, rick what a great tank you had may I know that where you purchase the GEX soil and do you still add any fert in the soil as your glosso seem spread like fire.

I purchased my soil at Nature Aquarium at Thomson. No additional fertilizer. You just need good light and CO2, and the greenies will pop like no tomorrow. In retrospect, that became the problem as I have no way to stabilize or suppress the growth. I have tried lower light and lower CO2 to control growth, but weren't quite effective.

**dna9179** · 17th Nov 2009, 17:45

Hi rick you are very success with your land of glosso.
Can you help me with these question about glosso here? Thanks

Question regarding triming and planting of glossostigma elatinoides

**rick** · 20th Nov 2009, 00:14

Just my opinion, YMMV.

Hi Rick, I saw your disucs tank image from AQ and I'm impressed.
I have a few questions which i hope you can answer:
a) What is the name of that "lazy-man plant"?

echinodorus tenellus

b) Do you need to wait for the planted tank to mature before intoducing your discus? If so, how long does it take?

Best to wait till your plants stabilized, start growing, and wait for your tank and filter to be matured. Trying to boot-up your plants and discus at the same time will be a bigger challenge, if not disastrous.

c) Is it difficult to keep discus in planted tank? What should I look out for? I heard its easier to keep discus in bare tanks, but I prefer a planted tank setup for my future discus collection.

Keeping discus in bare tank will be best if you wish them to grow fast, big, and breed. In case you wish to keep them in planted tank, it is possible to make them grow fast and big, but breeding will be a little more challenging. My discuses were all coin sizes when bought, they are now all pretty well grown up. These fishes are susceptible to fluctuation of variables (temp etc.). So a stable tank in equilibrium is requisite.

d) How frequent do you change water and the volume?

I can tell you my practice, but it wouldn't mean anything to you. Every tank is different due to different number of fishes, feeding amount, filter capability, plants ability to suck up waste etc etc. Need not follow a breeder that I know who change 100% every 4 hours. A rule of thumb is: when your fish appear listless, you should have done partial water change WAY earlier! (I change 70% water every 2 weeks. Pls don't try this at home.)

Any recommended product needed to add in to keep discus in optimal health?

I use anti-chlorine, salt, BB (when doing filter cleaning), and no other stuff.

e) What type of food do you feed your discus?

I use dry food type.

f) What kind of filtration system are you using in your tank?

Ehiem 2026

g) Do you install ultra-violet tube? Some people say its a must, whats your opinion?

I'm not using after the one I purchased died a year plus ago. If your tank is in equilibrium, you do not need this and many other stuff like additives.

**phuakokhong** · 20th Nov 2009, 00:33

Hi Rick,

for your earlier tank with glosso, do you use chiller?

**rick** · 20th Nov 2009, 00:34

Originally Posted by phuakokhong

Hi Rick,

for your earlier tank with glosso, do you use chiller?

That was a "poor man's tank"... No chiller.

**phuakokhong** · 20th Nov 2009, 01:27

Originally Posted by rick

That was a "poor man's tank"... No chiller.

Thanks for the prompt reply.... then I might switch off my chiller to save on energy. As my tank now only tetra and hasbora, all shrimps eaten by them!

**rick** · 21st Nov 2009, 10:25

Thanks for the reply, Rick. After reading your answers, I have more questions, I hope you don't mind.
a) I noticed you have kept a portion of the tank free of plants. Is there any reason to do this?

Keeping the front part empty is for aesthetic purpose. If you grow the plants up to the front edge, you will see a thick layer of plant in front, reducing the height perception of the tank. Those lazy man's plants are pretty smart; they never bypass the front imaginary boundary that I set for them, and thus never need to trim them. They always choose to propagate backwards instead of forward plausibly due to the light positioning - placed more towards the back. Plants' natural instinct!