# My first real planted tank - 40 L



## sponge1234 (Jan 6, 2014)

That looks great!
I would add more than six RCS, just so that you have better chances of getting a good ratio of males and females.


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## Riceman (Nov 17, 2014)

Looks healthy


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## Kosmonaut (Sep 21, 2014)

Hi, thanks! I hope that it stays that way or maybe it gets better.

An update from today. Water is getting clear now, rearanged the cabomba and hygrophila. The latter is a bit problematic because the leaves are too big, if it grows is going to be too much, but I guess thats the price to pay while learning. Now the Ludwigia is not totally obstructed, I believe that it adds a nice contrast. Planted the Hydrocotyle (lower right corner). A snail was the only resident, but have not seen it in the next 2 hours or so, hope its fine.

The integrated internal filter is a bit noisy, any ideas how to silence it??

I have been researching and seem like a lote of shrimps could live in there, maybe I will be adding around 10 or 15 when the tank is ready.

On Sunday I added some java moos and the other floating plant that you see (looks similar to cabomba), took them from the vase with shrimp that I have been keeping. Today I saw some nematodes (?) and ostracodes, dunno if they are good and while I would like a clean tank, I am not worring too much about them.

Have been thinking that maybe there are too many sorts of plants in there, but had to test and see which ones can survive. I any case seems like a good starting point to me.

What do you think? I am still waiting for your comments and critics...


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## Indian fern (Jul 16, 2012)

I bet all those plants would survive(although the hairgrass may take time to carpet in your lighting). The floating plant you place looks like hornwort. The ostracods and nematodes are harmless, I've got tons on my neglected 2 gal shrimp tank. Add more shrimps and snails. You can also tie the moss on rocks. Shrimps will always love to graze on moss.


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## Kosmonaut (Sep 21, 2014)

I hope that they survive for sure. The floating plant is a smooth frostbite I believe. The nematodes and ostracodes seem to be gone, maybe the water parameters are not good yet. There are no shrimps by now, I am patiently waiting for the tank to cycle... 



I will post an update soon, there's a lot of growth now.


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## jlfkona (Jan 1, 2013)

I really like your tank. Can't wait to see it mature. 


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## Booswalia (Nov 29, 2003)

Lovely tank.


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## Raith (Jun 27, 2014)

What kind of rocks is that?


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## Kosmonaut (Sep 21, 2014)

Update:



I am really surprised of how much the plants grew in just one week, the Ludwiga and the Limnobium are really growing fast. I am a little bit concerned because I got some root tabs and was supposed to place them every 5 cm or so, but instead cut them in two and placed them every 2.5 cm just to have an even coverage :hihi:. Hopefully they are not leaching nutrients in a uncontrolled way that can be good for plants but harmful for animals.

Seems like I will have to start pruning the cabomba. Do you have any idea how to prune the Hydrocotyle (down right) so it remains low, like a carpet plant?

Strangely the Hygrophila (back right) is not growing that much, it is getting good light though, so maybe just needs a bit more time.

I placed a bit of shrimp food inside the filter with the hope that the water current will distribute it. As said before the filter is only using mechanical filtration. Is this a good way to cycle the tank?

Had the impression that the cripts and java fern were supposed to lose all ther leaves and grow new ones. That didn't happen, is this normal?

Saw some ostracodes and nematodes today, will take that as a good sign. Water is very very clear, I know that there are many factors involved but any idea of when a new tank is more vulnerable to algae? Don't want to claim victory just yet.

Want to say thanks for your comments, is nice to see tha someone aside from me and my wife found the tank nice.

The stones are basalt, got them from a bulding construction materials shop close to my place.


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## Indian fern (Jul 16, 2012)

Hygros need lots of potassium to grow. To keep the hydrocotyle low, bury the stems down or weigh down with a small pebble so it will continue spreading and stay low and compact.


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## Dan110024 (Jul 14, 2014)

Great tank! Nicely planted. Keep us updated. I think I'll draw some inspiration from yours when I setup a low tech tank in the near future


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

Wow your tank filled in nicely!


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## Kosmonaut (Sep 21, 2014)

Update:



At last managed to get the tank cycled and added my shrimps, they are there but seems like they take privacy very seriously and are hidden somewhere...

Anyway I made some changes, the Hydros were not growing well and had too big leaves, so I replaced them with something with even bigger leaves! The Spathiphyllum from my old jar was transplanted to this tank. I am hoping that it will grow enough to go emergent, it is going to take a while though. On the plus side I won't be needing so much potassium now, but thanks for the tip Indian fern.

The stargrass (Heteranthera zosterifolia) was moved to the back, I had placed it in a foreground position before and was growing too fast, the stones behind could not be seen anymore. It was replaced with dwarf hairgrass (Eleocharis Acicularis) but it has not been growing that well and some strands are turning brown. Any tips?

All in all I think that the tank is doing well, the water parameters are fine I think: PH 7, GH 12, KH 3-4, Ammonia and Nitrites 0, Nitrates 25-50.

I waited four weeks for the tank to cycle and then made a big water change, just to reduce the nitrate and give the shrimps fresh water. I noticed that at the very begining after setting up the tank some plants were pearling, after some time this stopped, but after the water change started again. I can see this very clearly in the glosso for example. Why is this happening, any idea? Should I be changing water more often?

If there are not shrimp casualties in the next days, another 10 or 15 will be added this weekend, there is going to be at last something to see aside from plants growing.

Dan110024, thanks for your coment, saw your 8G tank, that is a Dennerle scaper's right? Was about to get one but then found mine and it was too cheap to resist.

GMYukonon24s, thanks!


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