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help with plants

7K views 56 replies 7 participants last post by  Boredomb 
#1 ·
i just wanted to know when i get ready to plant my stem plants what should i use first, the root tabs or the liquid ferts. I have gravel in the tank and i was'nt sure which one i could use first, i also have two anubias plants in the tank any advice would be much appreciated.:)
 
#4 ·
Presumably this is a low-tech or natural method planted tank, with no CO2 diffusion and not high light. So a basic complete liquid fertilizer will suffice.

All nutrients plants need will occur naturally in a balanced tank, but the level of some may not be sufficient. Some nutrients, particularly the "hard" minerals, occur in tap water so regular weekly water changes replenish these. But the faster-growing plants, such as stem plants and floating plants, do need more nutrition because they are faster growing. A liquid comprehensive supplement provides this.

Many of us here use Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium. It takes very little; 1/2 teaspoon doses 30 gallons, and you only need to use it once or at most twice a week. Another near-identical product is Brightwell Aquatics' FlorinMulti. Whichever you get, make sure it is exactly the named product, as both manufacturers have several different products under these names "Flourish" and "Florin."

You won't need substrate tabs unless you have heavy-feeding substrate-rooted plants as Boredomb said.

Byron.
 
#5 ·
I have good success (and so do others) using Seachems Flourish Comprehensive supplement for a liquid fertilizer. Seachems also has a root tab that is good as well.

Another brand I heard that is good is Brightwells Aquatic Florinmulti for a liquid fertilizer. I have no clue of that product as it isn't available near me.
 
#6 ·
as of right now I have a anubais nana a anubais afzelii and a anubais congensis all are attached to rocks around the middle of the tank I also just planted some anachris and they are in the back on the left hand side of the tank, I put three api root tabs around them and used some seachem flourish on all the plants. I was just wondering what would be a good fore-ground plant to use in a 10 gallon tank and another back ground plant to. I also replaced the lights that came with the tank and put in two G.E. energy smart day light 10 watt 6500k light bulbs for the plants, oh and one other thing I have a piece of anachris floating in the tank and wanted to know if it might start growing some roots soon its about two inches long and has been in the tank for about 4 days now thanks for all the help
 
#7 ·
A good smaller plant for your 10g with the light you have would be pygmy chain sword. Check it out in our profiles. Crypts are another type, though these can be fussy, a few species are in the profiles.

Stem plants left floating will develop roots from the nodes along the stems. They can be left floating.
 
#10 ·
You want to find the balance between light (intensity then duration) and nutrients, and this varies with each aquarium due to the fish load, feeding, plants, etc.

For m,y 10g with identical lights, I run them 8 hours. Flourish Comp dosed once a week. I have never had algae in this tank, interestingly, except when it was in the window as an experiment before I put the light over it.

Use a timer, and you can have the "day" period anytime when you are normally home to view the tank. As long as the tank gets a good period of complete darkness, you're OK.
 
#11 · (Edited)
how effective are root tabs in a tank with gravel, I was just wondering because I followed the instructions and it said to insert half way into bed and I was wondering if I should have put them closer to the roots, some of the tabs are on the other side of the plant( anachris) also out of my three anubias plants one has a leaf that has some black spots on the edge and the other plant has part of the root that is kinda see through and just flowing around where as the rest of the roots look real strong and are a nice green color like the rest of the plant and Im not sure if I should cut that part off or just leave it, its only doing that about half way down the root and the other half is green. I used about 1/2 tsp of seachem flourish today
 
#12 ·
You won't see much benefit from root tabs with Anacharis. The liquid Flourish Comp will be best. I only use substrate tabs with large sword plants and my Tiger Lorus, both of which are heavy root feeders, and I insert a tab about 1-2 inches from the plant.

On the Anubias, can you post a photo, as I'm not sure what you're asking about the roots. The rhizome must not be buried; Anubias is best azttached to a piece of wood or rock.

Byron.
 
#14 ·
I dosed my plants with flourish wensday morning and I was wondering what would be a good schedule between using flourish and water changes and Im thinking about taking out the gravel in my tank and I wanted to know what would be the best kind of substrate to use. Thank you for all the help.
 
#15 ·
The water change should be done weekly, on the same day, example every Sunday or something. Then dose Flourish Comp the following morning.

On the substrate, what fish are in this tank, or intended? Some are best with sand, some could have fine gravel. Plants are fine in either. I have switched all but one of my tanks over from fine gravel to sand. I use Quikrete Play Sand as it is not rough, and it looks like the sand in the Amazon so it is authentic. My substrate fish like corys seem to love it.
 
#16 ·
I was just wondering whats causing my anachris and moss ball to turn brown, I dose with flourish once a week and the anachris is planted but I read that it needs to be anchored down I guess that means not planted. The lights are turned on at 7:00 am and stay on until 3:00 pm im running two 10 watt energy smart day light 6500k cfl bulbs in the 10g tank and I was just curious if I need to up the dosage on the flourish or cut back the duration on the lights thanks for the help and advice that everyone has been given me
 
#17 ·
It is likely the temperature. This stem plant does best in temperate water, i.e., room temperature, not tropical. This is why it is so useful in goldfish tanks.
 
#20 ·
that would explain the browness on the plant I don't have a heater or a thermometer in the tank yet but the water is kind of warm so in a 10g gravel tank what would be a good background plant to have.
If you have moderately hard or harder water, Vallisneria (the "corkscrew" variety) is good. In softer water (Vall does not do well in soft water) chain sword or pygmy chain sword work, or for a stem plant Pennywort.
 
#21 · (Edited)
I decided that I wanted to do pygmy chain swords in front of the tank and I already have my three anubias plants in the middle and since I have gravel right now I was thinking of putting some cypts in and some chain swords in the back just wanted some more advice on other plants I could put in thanks for the advice forgot to mention that the water temp is around 76 f before I turn the lights out and about 74' f in the morning before I turn the lights back on.
 
#23 ·
As this is only a 10g, you don't want too many different species of plants. The ones you've mentioned will be sufficient. And floating Water Sprite would be ideal to complete it.
 
#25 ·
You could try the microsword. I have it in my 70g and it is still alive but very slow spreading, compared to my pygmy chain sword and chain sword that are rapid. In a 10g with the two 10w CFL 6500K bulbs mentioned previously you might be OK. MS will grow in fine gravel, mine did when I had it in Flourite for a coule years; I've moved it into sand now (replaced the substrate, same tank) and I noticed this week it is beginning to send out runners. Ths is with plain sand, no substrate nutrients, just Flourish Comp added once/twice a week.
 
#26 · (Edited)
thanks Byron for the help, I have the micro swords in the tank now and I did a 50% water change Friday and I dosed with flourish comp sat and I did a 1/2 tsp dosing today then I plan on doing a water change Friday. Do you think that is a ok schedule or do I need to try another way, my three anubias plants are doing great so far two of them are sprouting new leaves and I have a dwarf lily in the tank that I got from my lfs but its not doing to good and I think its because the difference between the lfs tank and mine I also had hornwort in the tank from the same fish store and in turned black so I took it out. I'm starting to think that every plant I get from there is gonna die, oh and I got a java fern from them to and it was kinda beat up to I hope it will live. They had the java fern planted and I just put a weight on the bottom and im letting it rest on top of the gravel.
 
#27 ·
How often one needs to add fertilizer depends upon the specific aquarium, as each is slightly different biologically. In a new tank, I usually start with twice a week doses of flourish Comprehensive, the first a day following a water change, the second 3 days after that. I do this for a week or two, then cut back to once (the day following the WC). If the plants seem to be doing fine, and algae is not a nuisance, continue. Adjust accordingly. Less is always better than overdosing, as the latter is almost guaranteed to cause problems.

Byron.
 
#28 ·
since I have plants in my 10g and I have gravel in there to I wanted to change it and I was thinking that I wanted to put some miracle gro organic soil in there with either play sand or pool sand for a cap. does anyone have any other ideas that would work, and the types of plants that would work. thanks for all the help.
 
#29 ·
Is there a reason you are thinking of soil? I myself would replace gravel with sand, but just that.
 
#31 ·
I noticed on my micro swords that it looks like they have nodes and it looks like roots are coming out of them but im not sure because I've never had micro swords before and if they are roots how do I replant them. I have one big clump of them in front of the tank and a few that came out of the clump scattered around the front and sides, also i'm not sure when to trim them they are pretty tall right now I was thinking I needed to pull the clump apart and separate it into smaller sections. thanks for all the help I like having plants almost as much as I like having fish :-D
 
#32 ·
If this is true microsword, are you referring to the runners? Check the second photo in our profile
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/substrate-rooted-plants/lilaeopsis-brasiliensis-207602/
it clearly shows the runners under the substrate along the front glass. These will spread all over. You can leave them to have a nice "carpet," or if you don't want them spreading somewhere just cut the runner. This plant should be spread apart a bit when planting, as it explains in the profile.
 
#33 ·
so the bunch I have needs to be separated then and it is micro swords in the tank. They've been the tank almost two weeks now and some pieces have turned brown and some have turned clear which im guessing means they died but so far about 90% of them are doing good so I think I will pull that bunch out and separate them and scatter them out in a cheaker board pattern like the article said.
 
#34 ·
For the last five days my tank has been kinda foggy and i tried doing water changes but it is still foggy, i only feed the fish once a day and i have four fish the only thing i did was take the cartridge out of the filter and take the pieces of hornwort out of it and then i put it back in and thats when the tank started getting foggy, i wanted to know if this is a bacteria bloom and if it is what can i do to fix it. The tank was'nt cycled the right way when it was set up also can i use other media to put in the filter it's a hob filter or do i have to keep using the cartridges. Any advice will be very helpful.
 
#35 ·
Your tank sounds like it is about a month old or so... With few fish and plants in there it hardly matters now how it was cycled as it is doing it on its own regardless. Just stick with the existing cartridges and wait it out. Maybe don't feed for the next day and cut back feeding for a few days until it clears up. There's not much to "do" for this except reduce organics going into the tank.

Jeff.
 
#36 ·
thanks for the advice jdm I will cut back on the feeding for a couple of days, sofar I have my three anubias plants, my micro swords and Friday I added crypotocoryne wendtii 'tropica', windelov java fern which is attached to drift wood and water wisteria. Do I need to put a root tab in the gravel next to the wendtii ?
 
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