Now Presenting.....The Planted African Tank!!!!

[TheFanatic]

It can't be done right? Africans and rocks are the only way to go. Insanely beautiful fish but the aquascaping is just rock work or fake plants that leave something to be desired.

I have just converted my swamp of a 110 gallon to an African Tank. You can see the progress here:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141264

Here is where I am so far. Realize that this is a newly set up tank. Been going about 6 weeks. The water was from the previous tank so it was all cycled, but most of the fish are small and some of the plants are too at this point. That's not to say there are no large Africans. I have 2 very large male Yellow Labs, a smaller male yellow lab and a large male Kenyii who happens to be very curious about the plants...

Here is the tank. It has 2 very large Amazon Swords. 1 Large (behind the one on the left) and 3 small ones clumped on the front tight. I have 3 Java Ferns rubber banded to some drift wood and just added some Wendtii. I will be adding more Wendtii as time goes on. Thinking some Annubias as well....

[DarkDH]

That is beautiful! What is your set up? Wpg, Co2?

[revelino73]

look great nice work

[mellowvision]

them some big ferns! nice tank!

[jpappy789]

nice job!

[Cory Keeper]

nice vals :D

[dspittard]

Sorry for the ignorance, but what is the thick plant on the left?

[Cory Keeper]

sword plant maybe?

[irishspy]

Looks beautiful. :clap: I hope you can get the plants to thrive. I've always had the impression that the hard, alkaline water needed by Africans was too difficult for most plants.

[---MR.CLEAN---]

very cool good job!

[mellowvision]

was thinking about this some more... maybe you should consider african plants too... that would make it truely african.

[TheFanatic]

was thinking about this some more... maybe you should consider african plants too... that would make it truely african.


What aquatic plants are from Africa? Not going with the Madascar Lace. That just seems like a salad in the making. What are my options here?

[TheFanatic]

That is beautiful! What is your set up? Wpg, Co2?

As for the question earlier about the set up, it's pretty basic. No C02. I believe that will drop my Ph. Since the substrate is brand new I am using root tabs but I don't normally use them. I also fertilize with Kent freshwater fertilizer.

I have a dual bulb light strip on the top that is only 4 feet (tank is 5'). I have the lights that came with the tank on stand by with brand new bulbs. If the plants don't thrive I will add those lights back to the top of the tank. I can't remember the WPG for those two bulbs in the 4 foot strip. I'll have to check into that.

I believe the two bulbs I have in the two 2.5 foot strips are 17 watts each. Just in case I need a boost I will put those back on top. I believe everything in there is low light: Amazon Swords, Java Fern, Crypt Wendtii, and Jungle Val, so I don't need a ton of light. I have the light on a timer. Turns on around 1:00 pm and turns off at 11. I turn the lights for more than 12 hours a day on the weekends.

[fishorama]

Looks very nice!

Anubius & bolbitis are african plants, low light too.

[janewalsh11]

looks lovely

[nickmcmechan]

i'd ove to plant my african tank, but thought it not possiblw...could i do anubias?

[TheFanatic]

i'd ove to plant my african tank, but thought it not possiblw...could i do anubias?

Go for it. I'm gonna go with some annubias as soon as I can find some in the St. Louis area...

[TheFanatic]

Looks very nice!

Anubius & bolbitis are african plants, low light too.

Gonna try the Anubius. I've seen that around here. Not so much on the bolbitis. Gonna have to look a little closer for those...

[mellowvision]

http://plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.php?category=6&filter_by=2

[TheFanatic]

I added some anubias nana and it didn't do so well initially. Had to pare it down to 2 leaves. Now it's just sort of in status. Not growing. Not dying.

I also took a flier on this. Not sure what it is but it's growing out nicely

[fishorama]

Looks like a crypt. Anubias are very slow growing most of the time.

[TheFanatic]

Looks like a crypt. Anubias are very slow growing most of the time.

It's not a crypt. AT least not Wendtii. There is some of that right next to it. The new leaves are a very dark green and most of them are very close to the ground. It would seem that wherever they grew these out they had them right on top of each other hence the longer leaves. Now that it is on its own it is more bush like.

[fishorama]

Lots of crypts & several wendtii. I've had them come in different after a change in the tank whether they melt or not, lighting, ferts etc.

[Mgamer20o0]

yea i think its a crypt. i forgot off hand. there are many different kinds of crypts.

looks great.