Looks VERY nice! The tank actually seems bigger than 20l in the pictures. Kudos.
If you are worried about water flow, would an air stone in that corner help?
If you are worried about water flow, would an air stone in that corner help?
20g-Long build thread
- Thread starter irishspy
- Start date
Thanks!
That's what I'm thinking of doing. I had considered a small powerhead, but it would be too visible and probably too powerful for such a small tank.
I love it! I use an AC 50 & a Whisper 30 or 40 on my 20g long, lol. I like flow & filtration, not a super fan of airstones unless in a fry tank with a sponge filter (not for years).
I think your clover will eventually get the single leaf submersed form, that's how mine looks. The 4 leaf form is probably emersed growth. I think I may have 2 different species but both have only 1 leaf/stem. Is H. stricta the lower growing hygro with fairly big leaves? I think I have it or did.
I think your clover will eventually get the single leaf submersed form, that's how mine looks. The 4 leaf form is probably emersed growth. I think I may have 2 different species but both have only 1 leaf/stem. Is H. stricta the lower growing hygro with fairly big leaves? I think I have it or did.
Thanks!
Hmmm... I have an old AC 20 on a 10g that's not being used right now. Maybe I could put it on that side and set it to low...
Yeah, that's the behavior I expect. I'm ready for the current leaves to melt, just want to see new growth. One of the smaller alternantheras "went floater" overnight. First one, so that's not bad.
Yes. It's supposed to get to about 4-6". I may have too many in that spot: I'll have to see how big the leaves get.
One thing I learned is that I bought too many too start. I didn't realize how many plants would come per pot/bundle.
All the more reason to set up another tank to eventually move some to.
Just a quick update: plants have been in for a week, now, and I'm really pleased to see more new growth than I expected. Here are a couple of pics, apologies for the blurriness.
Marsilea Hirsuta:
That runner in the foreground was not there a few days ago.
Cardamine lyrata
In both cases, you can see where the old leaves are yellowing/melting, but the main plants are sending out new runners and leaves.
(Question: what's the best way to handle new Marsilea? Just press the rhizomes back into the substrate? Can I snip off portions to place elsewhere?)
Nutrient dosing begins next week, and I've decided to do DIY CO2 with the citric acid method. Seems the best way to get my feet wet, pardon the pun.
Also, next week may finally see the first new fish. At. Last.
Marsilea Hirsuta:
That runner in the foreground was not there a few days ago.
Cardamine lyrata
In both cases, you can see where the old leaves are yellowing/melting, but the main plants are sending out new runners and leaves.
(Question: what's the best way to handle new Marsilea? Just press the rhizomes back into the substrate? Can I snip off portions to place elsewhere?)
Nutrient dosing begins next week, and I've decided to do DIY CO2 with the citric acid method. Seems the best way to get my feet wet, pardon the pun.
Also, next week may finally see the first new fish. At. Last.
Nice new growth! For marsilea I like to use at least 3 or 4 leaves connected & use a small rock on the runner between nodes.
I have a new Aquaclear filter as well. It was recommended by my pet store and mine is working great!
I love AC filters! So easy to clean & modify, if a bit needy on leveling, a must!
I don't recall the "citric acid method"...tell me again, lol, co2 newb.
I don't recall the "citric acid method"...tell me again, lol, co2 newb.
Thanks for the advice! I'm going to let the leaves get a bit bigger, then weigh them down.
I love Aquaclears: best HOB on the market, very easy to maintain.
So am I. That's one reason I chose to go DIY, at least at first: pressurized tanks make me nervous.
Citric acid and baking soda (not baking powder) replace yeast and sugar, supposedly lasting longer and not smelling up the joint.
Joey (aka "King of DIY") has a great video on it on Youtube:
PS: Quick Update - I've spotted the first signs of my old enemy, green thread algae. This means war.
Finally. At long last, after several years without an aquarium, after weeks of cycling and letting plants take root, after going fish shopping last weekend and being disappointed, we have fish.
Meet the first new inhabitants of JJ&J's Seafood Buffet:
(Letting the temperature adjust for 30 minutes, then in they go.)
These are from one of my local Petcos where, frankly, the fish looked better and the staff were friendlier than my local LFS. These were labeled "Sunset Fire Platies," and I bought one male and four females.
They're out of the bag, now, and exploring their new home. After some initial signs of stress, they're swimming around and snacking on algae. The male seemed to take the longest to adjust, hiding in the Cardamine, but he seems to be doing fine now. I'll give them and the tank a week to adjust, then go shopping for another species next week.
On the plant front, there's good news and bad news.
The good news is that I'm still getting good new growth. Here's a snap of the Cardamine and the Hygrophila Stricta:
And the Echinodorus Tenellus is sending runners. Both plants have several "daughters." In fact, I may have to "harvest some, soon. They're invading other plants' spaces.
That bad news is that my lovely Marsilea Hirsuta, which had been growing like wildfire, has had a major die-off in the central portion. Here's a recent "before" picture:
Here's how it is today:
This makes me sad.
At first I thought it was just old leaves dying during the transition, but even new leaves are rotting. I'm really not sure what's happened here. I started dosing the full Seachem liquid nutrients regime last weekend, including Excel. I've heard of other plants that have a problem with Excel, but I've not read of Marsilea being one of them. Maybe they're unrelated. Regardless, I think this weekend I'm going to rip out the dead plant portions, snip off the runners that still seem good and replant them
Speaking of Seachem products, as I mentioned, I started the full regime last weekend, including Iron. I think most of the plants like it, especially the Cardamine. Even the Alternanthera is getting redder and showing new leaves. I've also noticed the algae that had been bugging me (hair and the beginnings of brush algae) looks like it has vanished. Frankly, I'm surprised.
I'll be starting CO2, soon (DIY with citric acid), and I've decided to add a 2nd AC20 to the tank at the other end, to increase flow there. And the extra biological filtration couldn't hurt.
That's it for now, more when developments warrant.
Meet the first new inhabitants of JJ&J's Seafood Buffet:
(Letting the temperature adjust for 30 minutes, then in they go.)
These are from one of my local Petcos where, frankly, the fish looked better and the staff were friendlier than my local LFS. These were labeled "Sunset Fire Platies," and I bought one male and four females.
They're out of the bag, now, and exploring their new home. After some initial signs of stress, they're swimming around and snacking on algae. The male seemed to take the longest to adjust, hiding in the Cardamine, but he seems to be doing fine now. I'll give them and the tank a week to adjust, then go shopping for another species next week.
On the plant front, there's good news and bad news.
The good news is that I'm still getting good new growth. Here's a snap of the Cardamine and the Hygrophila Stricta:
And the Echinodorus Tenellus is sending runners. Both plants have several "daughters." In fact, I may have to "harvest some, soon. They're invading other plants' spaces.
That bad news is that my lovely Marsilea Hirsuta, which had been growing like wildfire, has had a major die-off in the central portion. Here's a recent "before" picture:
Here's how it is today:
This makes me sad.
At first I thought it was just old leaves dying during the transition, but even new leaves are rotting. I'm really not sure what's happened here. I started dosing the full Seachem liquid nutrients regime last weekend, including Excel. I've heard of other plants that have a problem with Excel, but I've not read of Marsilea being one of them. Maybe they're unrelated. Regardless, I think this weekend I'm going to rip out the dead plant portions, snip off the runners that still seem good and replant them
Speaking of Seachem products, as I mentioned, I started the full regime last weekend, including Iron. I think most of the plants like it, especially the Cardamine. Even the Alternanthera is getting redder and showing new leaves. I've also noticed the algae that had been bugging me (hair and the beginnings of brush algae) looks like it has vanished. Frankly, I'm surprised.
I'll be starting CO2, soon (DIY with citric acid), and I've decided to add a 2nd AC20 to the tank at the other end, to increase flow there. And the extra biological filtration couldn't hurt.
That's it for now, more when developments warrant.
