[Byron]

I also can't see any issues in the combination of species, though I am not expert by any means in allelopathy. But the light will I suspect "weed out" some plants, in particular the cabomba and red ludwigia. GH also plays an important role in these.

Byron.

 

[Byron]

The "oregano" plant is I believe Hygrophila polysperma; it has that leaf structure and stem nodes. But I wouldn't insist if someone argues this.:lol:

The two swords I would move apart; they will get huge. They are most probably the "common" sword, Echinodorus bleherae in our profiles though as it mentions there this might actually be E. grisebachii. But they will grow to 20 inches in height and spread almost as far, so moving them apart will allow for better development. I have noticed that when these plants are close together, one often grows and the other is rather stunted. In your aquarium, I would leave one where it is and move the other close to the left side, about 4-5 inches in from the end wall.

With all these plants, and most being heavy feeding, I would dose Flourish Comp at least once a week. Weakening plants initially will not help them. Your harder water does contain the hard minerals, but these are not in Flourish in any significant amount anyway. What you will be missing are the trace minerals. These will occur from fish foods, but unless you have a heavily-stocked fish tank with multiple feedings per day, this is not going to amount to much plant nutrition.

By the way, the brown spots on the swords are iron deposits. This obviously occurred from their previous life; either too much iron, or insufficient calcium which causes plants to uptake more iron. The leaves will not improve, but as long as new growth from the centre of the crown is good there is nothing to worry about. I would leave the older leaves on until the new growth is significant; some nutrients are what we call transient, and the plant will shift them from older leaves to assist new leaves. Another reason to provide Flourish weekly; this prevents the plant from having to go this route if the nutrients are insufficient for new growth. Remember, plants will do everything they can to grow at the maximum level, until one nutrient is missing.

Byron.

 

[Byron]

The first is probably an Aponogeton crispus.

The second is the freebie and looks VERY similar to the AC above but is a different plant.... although maybe just a different variety of the Aponogeton. The plants it was with were much different so I don't think that was any indication.

Number three is a crypt, apparently also a Wendtii, although it looks different enough to be a different variety that's what keeps coming up. Perhaps it has to do with the leaf shape and wavey edges... any thoughts?

Number four is, well, I'm not certain where to start. I think a crypt of one form or another. The bunches have already got a few leaders sprouting green.

Plants in photos 1 and 2 [the front plant in 2] are Aponogeton species, photo 3 is Cryptocoryne, and I would agree 4 is prob Cryptocoryne. I'm not much on species epithets for these two genera, but the genus is usually distinctive.

Crypts have a rhizome, so one of these on the fourth would probably clinch it.

 

[Byron]

It is not always easy (to me anyway) to see the rhizome on crypts, but many times if you happen to dig up a plant that has been there for a while it is pretty obvious as it can be several cm in length. There are some photos here:
Structures: foliage, rhizome and roots in Cryptocoryne

 

[Byron]

Updated picture.

Notice the absence of all that dwarf hygrophila

Now the plants stand out on there own more rather than a wall of green.... which I didn't mind. Those stems in the middle are actually uprooted and stuck on the filter intake... they do look like they are very tall but I just haven't gotten around to replanting them yet. I want to re-arrange the aponogetons and remove one sword.

Jeff.

Jeff, is this aquarium in the photo the tank with the Marineland Double Bright LED?

 

[Byron]

Yes, it's a 24" over a 30" tank.

Jeff.

That settles it. I am going to have to get one of these for my 29g. The "sun" light effect is very nice. I'm planning on combining the present fish in the 29g with the 33g, and re-do the 29g. This would be a good tank for a quiet lagoon aquascape.

 

[Byron]

Yes, and I like the effect of the LED light too. Not just the shadow effect from the moving duckweed, but even more the effect of direct sun that is not possible with any fluorescent lighting. You can achieve this with halogen spot lighting, which is high heat and energy so I've never bothered. And I believe the metal halide lighting gives this, though I 've never done that either.

 

[Byron]

Jeff, that plant looks like an Echinodorus species.

 

[Byron]

Yah, I found some examples of it, sort of a chain sword and I have my doubts as to whether my light will suffice, it hasn't for what I suspect is another dwarf sword species. I put it in the brightest spot of the tank to see how it responds.

I will be doubling my light to compensate for more floating plant material... let's see if I can generate algae with an LED system or not as I won't be reducing my photo-period of 14+ hours per day.:twisted:

Jeff.

I wasn't thinking of the "chain" swords in Helanthium, but of a true sword in Echinodorus. I have a couple that look like this one. I bought it as a larger plant and it weakened (in the tank with Flourite substrate no less) and I replanted it when I replaced the F with sand. The new leaves it acquired before this have been much smaller, maybe 4 inches or 5 inches in length (from the substrate to leaf tip). I'm hoping it will now recover, with sand and Flourish Tabs. My other larger swords in this tank are rebounding after the change. I think it was labelled E. palaefolius, but E. subulatus has similar leaves too. B.

 

[Byron]

The long stems are as long as 12" and the largest leaf might be 3/4" on the stems whereas the leaves at the substrate are the long narrow type with almost no stem apparent.

I haven't put a tab in with it, I was going to but without adequate light... I'm testing that first.

Jeff.

I couldn't gage the length from the photo. The stems on the plant species I mentioned this might being should be to the top of the tank normally, if that is what this is. Tank top being 18-24 inches.

Echinodorus can be quite variable due to various factors. I'm not insisting this plant is an Echinodorus, just that it looks like one I have.