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New plan for my 32g

2K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  Angel079 
#1 · (Edited)
New plan for my 32g (Plants)

So as some of you know, I have been having issues with cyanobacteria for some time now. It's good news to me that the problem seems to be diminishing with the recent changes I have introduced lately but I guess I won't know for certain if it's worked for another few weeks, hopefully earlier than that.

This problem has however made me realize a few things that I did wrong with my tank when I originally set it up. A few of the mistakes I made have been rectified since but as you all know... caring for an aquarium is forever a work in progress. My goal, after the "problems" of the last few months, are to get my water parameters as stable as possible, with the proper nutrients and lighting, and aspire to cut down on the maintenance for the tank. Please do not read thins wrongly: I enjoy maintaining the tank tremendously... but I hate having to brush off algae from plants that have small leaves! This just takes forever!

Since my plants are pretty much all different strands of hygrophila and pretty much all have small leaves, I now aim to change them for plants that grow taller, and have bigger more robust leaves. My hygrophila is currently used for background cover but due to my water flow (see attached), all plants grow "crooked" (i.e., following the water flow) and it just looks funny and even downright stupid. So, since this is turning out to be a longer post than initially intended, let me get right down to it from here:

I want to remove all my current background plants (all hygrophila polysperma strands) and replace them all with other plants that have bigger leaves and therefore would be easier to "clean" and provide a nice thick background cover that will reach the surface instead of curving mid-tank towards the centered filter... I aim to keep the cryptocoryne wendtii I currently have as a mid-ground/foreground plant since it looks spread out enough to not look too thick.

What are your suggestions for good sturdy background plants that will keep with my requirements stated above in your opinion?

P.S. Sorry for the "novel" guys... it's Tuesday, 2nd day back at work, and I just don't feel like working... so you guys get the repercussions of my lack of motivation ;-)
 

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#3 ·
I'm right there with B ... Are you able to adjust your filteroutlet on the one you have? Or adjust its postion to where the 'blast' would be directed right at a wall or large DW or something. What filter exactly do you have on there? I'm not only asking cause of the plants but from what you're describing there that filter sounds too powerful for you tank to me right now.

A plant set up I enjoy and believe would work in your set up (the way I recall it anyway) plant a row of stems about 2" apart right on your back wall with Pennywort (about quater size round leaf's). in front of it with lil space to grow some larger Swords (like the Amazon Swords).
Alternativly if you'd like to add some more color use Ludwiga Natans instead Pennywort on the back which will give you a nice red-green contrast and Swords in the front of it.
As off set to the Cryps up front you could use some Narrowleaf Chain Sword. Stay's same hight then the Cryps (maybe lil shorter looking at my tank now) but it built nice runners and neatly could cover one front corner nice and green?

Ohhh Hawkin there's a gazzillion set up options coming to my head here....it really dep on the plants you like lol
 
#4 ·
All options I will definitely write down and keep in mind.

The filter is Hagen's AquaClear 50, which is supposedly ideal for tanks between 20 and 50 gallons. It came with the tank as a kit and since I didn't know any better at the time of purchase, that's what I bought. After I saw Byron's post earlier today I adjusted down the flow of water to it: it never dawned on me that there was too much flow before! I'll keep it on "low" for the foreseeable future and see if that makes a difference?
 
#5 ·
See how this low setting works for you, it *should* be ok (I just looked that filter up) see how your plants 'wave' with this set up (or hopefully no movement at all).
If that over time still does not give the desired low flow-no flow effect you'd want for the plants, consider this filter Cascade 400 Model (I know its "only" rated here for 20g but trust me that'll be plenty sufficient for the tank and plants and you may have to actually turn it down too)
Cascade Internal Filters, Internal Filters | Pet Solutions
 
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