BW plants???

Tain't fresh, and tain't marine! Talk about brackish setups.
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my name is mike
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Re: BW plants???

Post by my name is mike »

i am embarassed to say that i have never tested my KH -- my tank has done best when i have left it alone and just done 50% water changes once a week -- dosing ferts, adding co2 and all that stuff just gave me crazy algae problems (probably because i wasnt testing the right stuff, like KH) --

i have also found that when my SG gets over 1.005 a lot of the plants struggle. i am keeping figure 8s so i want to keep it close to 1.005, but i err on lower side (1.003-1.004ish)

im not familiar with all the plants in your list, but i dont see any of the typical fast growers, this will help suck up your nitrates and out compete algae - hornwort, vallis and anarchis
Mike
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Iliveinazoo
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Re: BW plants???

Post by Iliveinazoo »

Appaaently the Crispus is a fast grower but it isn't particularly in mine, just steady i'd say.
I might order Hornwort next time. I almost did a couple of months ago but the pictures of it that i have seen don't do it much justice. does it look good in an aquarium or is it there solely to eat up nitrates?

Do your plants grow well without any sort of fertilisers?
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my name is mike
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Re: BW plants???

Post by my name is mike »

yeah, hornwort isnt amazing looking -- i found that if you try to anchor it to the bottom, the bottom part starts to die, so i just let if float, or anchor in some rockwork near the top of the aquarium -- its good for my smaller, over-lit 20 gal tank with 65 watts of CF lighting on it (the hornwort sucks up nutrients and provides some shade)

my plants dont grow great, but steady -- when i was using ferts, i would have some plants doing great, but then out of nowhere id have a crazy algae bloom. so, ive kinda given up on good growth for the moment -- that has included cutting ferts and also cutting my lights to just a few hours a day (maybe 6) -- they are compact flourescents with reflectors, so the light is fairly intense (and the main reason for my algae battles i think)

everyone else though says to use ferts and co2 and all that good stuff -- and if you are dedicated to monitoring them, i think it can work great - i was just unsucessful --
Mike
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Re: BW plants???

Post by xmikebrock »

i have hornwort in my brackish tank, my SGs at a 1.007
it browned a little, but it grows so fast you can just trim it
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Post by Markgilst »

Pufferpunk wrote:Anacharis will "melt" & pollute your tank.
That's how my tank got cycled.
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Re: BW plants???

Post by Solace »

Just curious,
has anyone tried Aponogeton in anything but freshwater?
I have been trying to grow some in my tank, no luck at all.
I really want some live plants though.
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Re: BW plants???

Post by Iliveinazoo »

Solace wrote:Just curious,
has anyone tried Aponogeton in anything but freshwater?
I have been trying to grow some in my tank, no luck at all.
I really want some live plants though.
I've had aponogeton crispus growing successfully in my tank for about a year and a half now, it was one of the only plant that stayed healthy once I went beyond SG1.006, although it stopped growing and I don't think that I could have taken the salinity any higher.

What SG are you running at? Are you fertilising?
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Re: BW plants???

Post by Solace »

I am currently at .006-7.
No I am not. I picked some bulbs up at wal mart and followed the instructions, just threw a few in. No results a week later.
I have a fluorescent lamp called a 'growth lamp' so I dont think it is the light.
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Re: BW plants???

Post by Iliveinazoo »

As I said, my aponogeton crispus stopped growing at your salinity so unfortunately I reckon that you'll be lucky if the bulbs kick into life :( .
If you are using an inert substrate like gravel or sand then try resting the bulbs on the surface of the substrate instead of burying them and fertilise the water column.

I believe that the higher the salt content the more the plants will demand light, CO2 and fertilisation as you're taking the plants out of their natural comfort zone.

Once you raise your salinity above SG1.005 you're really limited to mangroves and sea grasses - I'd love to do a tank with seahorses and sea grasses in the future :D .
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Re: BW plants???

Post by Solace »

Is it best to just take the bulbs out then so they dont become waste?
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Re: BW plants???

Post by Iliveinazoo »

If you don't want to drop your salinity so that they can establish themselves then yes I'd remove them.

Even if you plan on dropping the salinity, take them out and give them a sniff; if they smell like rotten eggs they'll be dead already :(
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Re: BW plants???

Post by Solace »

Nah, I dont want to bring the salinity down and risk messing with the puffers for some bulbs from wal mart. Not sure if you are familiar but they kill these fish on a weekly basis so I have my doubts on them keeping the bulbs in proper conditions. most likely they were dead on arrival anyway.

Any plants that would start growing in my salinity?
3 Green Spotted Puffers 2"/2"/2.5"

1.014 and climbing for a smooth transition.
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Re: BW plants???

Post by Iliveinazoo »

Yeah, all stores seem to overstock on GSP's so the majority inevitably die :(
I don't think anybody has a good word for Walmart fishkeeping either!

You may be lucky with java fern and java moss; I've had both do quite well up to SG1.007ish.

After that it's really mangroves (only the roots should penetrate the water), sea weed and sea grass which need intense light and a deep nutrient rich substrate.
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Re: BW plants???

Post by mairdan13 »

happy days, just ordered some Java Moss and Java Fern...

running at SG1.005, so all should be ok.. just hope my F8's can resist pecking away at the fern :)
smoke me a kipper, i'll be back for breakfast...
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mairdan13
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Re: BW plants???

Post by mairdan13 »

so my F8 has pecked away at my baby Java Fern.. hopefuylly it'll recover but this F8 just loves to peck...

Java moss is going in today.., let's hope he leaves that one alone!!!
:durr:
smoke me a kipper, i'll be back for breakfast...
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