# 1st planted tank..opinions?



## seAdams (Jun 2, 2008)

I covered the driftwood with Java fern and some anubias. They all grew, but then I had a bad algae attack and nearly gave up: (the Elodea melted during a recent heatwave)


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## seAdams (Jun 2, 2008)

I then added a very small albino BN, and the algae disappeared.

Now it looks like this, and I wondering what I can put to cover more of the substrate? I did plant some Micro sword, but that was lost to algae:


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

With your current setup, it's not likely that alternanthera will do well- that's a plant that needs high light and lots of ferts and CO2.

You might try dwarf clover (Marseila minuta) or 'narrow' pygmy chain sword (Echinodorus tenellus 'narrow') in the foreground. These are 2 plants that are able to carpet in low light. They just take a while to fill in. Microsword also tends to like light and CO2, so I think you may have more success with these 2.

GL and keep us posted- the pics look great! :smile:


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## seAdams (Jun 2, 2008)

Thank you! Yes, I realized the alternanthera wasn't happy when it started getting tall and thin. Anyway, it's kind of large for this setup.

My Moneywort doesn't do well either. Any suggestions?

I could have much higher wattage lighting, but am not sure if this is possible in this tank with causing problems? What is the highest wattage I could use without adding CO2, yet will maximize plant growth?

I'll try to find the plants you mention!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Is your light 2x 13 watt tubes, or 2 of the spiral CF bulbs? If you have tubes, then IMO your lighting should be fine. You may be OK with just the spirals as well, but I've always prefered tube lights, myself, b/c I think they lend to better light distribution throughout the tank.

You don't want to go much over 2 watts per gallon on a 10gal tank. You could offset algae by dosing the tank with Seachem's Excel, however- this is a carbon source that not only will encourage plant growth but also inhibits algae and can be used as an algacide.

You could try floating the Moneywort- I really like the look of a few stems that kept getting pulled up so I have just been letting them float in my tank. The shrimp and oto cats love hanging out in it :fish:


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## seAdams (Jun 2, 2008)

Funny you mention floating the moneywort. When the stems in the substrate rotted, I did just pinch the rotted parts and let the rest float. Guess I'll leave them like that.

I have one Coralife bulb and one spiral bulb, so the only part not really well lit is the very middle of the tank, where my Java fern is, and that's doing well.

Since everything else seems to be doing well, I probably shouldn't change it. I just hope this light is enough for the Pygmy chain sword you suggested.

I don't worry about algae anymore, since I have this housekeeper. You can see by the green tummy where all the algae goes!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I grew this carpet of pgymy chain sword in a 10gal tank, under an 18watt T8 fluorescent bulb, in Fluorite, with no ferts.


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## seAdams (Jun 2, 2008)

That looks absolutely awesome. I will definitely plan on adding it soon.

Just wondering - when you clean the tank, how do you vacuum up debris without disturbing the chain sword?


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I didn't ever vacuum the substrate. That tank was a RCS colony, so I would have vacuumed up shrimplets if I'd tried... so I just did water changes with airline tubing drawing from the middle of the water column. I had the tank set up for 4 years, just took it down recently to make room for a 29gal.


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## seAdams (Jun 2, 2008)

So I reworked the tank a bit.

Removed a large rock in the middle, took out all the alternantheras and added some hygro at the back. I also moved the sword that wasn't growing in the back and positioned it more under the light and thinned out the Java moss.

Better? OH, I also wanted to ask if I should be using Flourish Excel in this low-tech tank?


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## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

wow thats pretty dang cool great job


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## markalot (Apr 8, 2007)

seAdams said:


> So I reworked the tank a bit.
> 
> Removed a large rock in the middle, took out all the alternantheras and added some hygro at the back. I also moved the sword that wasn't growing in the back and positioned it more under the light and thinned out the Java moss.
> 
> Better?


Looks a lot better, I like it!


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## mybrotherdarrell (May 28, 2008)

Very inspiring. Good job!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Looks awesome! The crypts especially look like they're very happy  

Excel is a good carbon source plus discourages algae, so you can certainly try dosing. I'd start with low doses first though to get your plants used to it- there are some plants that melt if not slowly adjusted to Excel. (I think Hornwort is one?)


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## seAdams (Jun 2, 2008)

Thank you! I was hesitant to post my tank after seeing all the awesome tank pics around here. They made me feel like giving up before I started!

I'll try the Excel dosing, and start with just a drop or two first. My BN does do a good job of fertilizing though.:icon_lol:


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