58g Planted w/overflow and sump

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myswtsins

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Here this FTS should make it clearer (the clip). This is before a WC and after pulling at least 30 nice plants so it is a bit messy but I wanted to get a shot out before I go away for a week.
I couldn't decide which light setting I liked best, your choices? I think I like the 1st and 4th the best, the most different from each other ones lol.
IMG_3524.JPG IMG_3525.JPG IMG_3526.JPG IMG_3527.JPG

Pulling crypts out of a tank like this was something I was dreading! All those plants growing SO well? All those roots? So tightly packed! It was SO easy and hardly made a mess at all! Only 1 plant gave me any trouble and it was an affinis that was mis-planted right in the middle of the nurii and it was only slightly problematic, like I had to pull on it harder lol. I love my Oil-Dri!

I think I now have all the plants sorted correctly. When I first planted they were hard to tell apart but now that they are in good growing conditions they are easily distinguishable.

The balansae is doing better but not great and if it melts back again I am going to replace it. Any suggestions? for plants or what to do with the space in general. Yes, I know this is not very "aquascaped" but that is not the goal here. My goal was to have big beautiful healthy crypts. And I must say I was VERY proud of the cyrpts I gave away, and they were mostly young plants even. :D
 

fishorama

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Well, to me they're all quite similar, just a bit of difference in color from 1 through 4. What's your plan for the naked area dead center in front? Crypt parva (slow) might be nice or staurogyne...or just let everything grow into that area? That also might be nice.

My balansae is also a very slow grower/spreader (sniff, sand substrate).Yours doesn't look unhealthy (root tabs?). From what I remember c. spiralis (or was it retrospiralis?) was pretty happy where I lived before. Another similar shaped plant is crinum callimistratum, but like balansae, it's slooow growing for me, not like the robust plants I've seen online.

Happy vacation to you!
 

dougall

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Mar 29, 2005
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I agree that all 4 pics are fairly similar... Could be my phone maybe.

But ultimately it will be how it appears to you... nobody ok is supposed to enjoy it as much as you.

As for balansae it grew really well for me... But now I cannot find it.

But I do have a bunch of Spiralis. I am sure I could be tempted to part with some.

And I need to think out and/or spread out crypts in my shrimp tank... Maybe doing a little rearranging at the same time.
 

fishorama

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Do you have crypt parva too to spare for Jen, dougall? That & c.spiralis is what I think she "needs". You must be a much better fertilizer than I am, lol. Everyone is...
 

fishorama

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Or maybe some marislea of any type? Mine is extremely slowly growing, I think I have 2 types. Next meet maybe I can grab some more or stauro, Jen deserves some return love, we both know it!
 

dougall

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Do you have crypt parva too to spare for Jen, dougall? That & c.spiralis is what I think she "needs". You must be a much better fertilizer than I am, lol. Everyone is...
No parva, unfortunately... Just some different wendtii and some other pink ones.

Really no tech at all here.. just food, maybe a little overstocked and water changes... No fees or CO2 or anything in the past couple of years.. but I think that may be about to change.

Jen is way more than welcone to anything I can spare! But I expect she won't want any of my duckweed or algae :)
 

myswtsins

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Thanks guys. No root tabs, still working off of the original nutrient load from the "mature" oil-dri from my 72g and the little bit of ferts I added have to be used up by now too since it's been over 8 months. It's about time to need some root tabs though, if I see deficiency signs I will.

I don't think I have the light required for C. parva, marisela or stauro and I dose rather lightly and sporadically which they also probably wouldn't like. I LOVE stauro but I have tried it twice in CO2 tanks with higher light and it always died so I don't have high hopes for that one.

That front space was only created because the balansae is not filling in and after cleaning up the other crypts I had extra room behind the Buce cave so I moved it back further. I might just move it forward again and plant something new in the back. Maybe not. :)

BTW D dougall I will be passing your house! You are 6 minutes off my route. But I am all full up on duckweed and algae, thanks! :)
 

dougall

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BTW D dougall I will be passing your house! You are 6 minutes off my route. But I am all full up on duckweed and algae, thank
We could have had lunch!!!

Maybe next time :)
 

myswtsins

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Just got on 80 via 33 D dougall . I waved lol
 
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dougall

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Just got on 80 via 33 D dougall . I waved lol
You just needed to go 5 mins further and I could have bought lunch :)
 
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