aquascaping with crypts

lousybreed

lousybreed

Aquaria Central Site Controller
Sep 7, 2004
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Bay Area, CA
It seems like alot of the liturature on crypt size contradicts each other

What are good crypts for back, mid, and foreground for a standard 55 gallon

i know that balanse (sp??) are good for background but after that is where the liturature starts to get fuzzy. i would like responses from people with crypts!!
 
I've got C. wendtii and C. undulata (very similar, wavier leaves). C. wendtii comes in many variations, so it's hard to say exactly how large it will get - there was a thread recently about the size of this plant, and many of us have had different experiences with it. Overall, for a 55g I'd say it would make a good middle ground plant, reaching somewhere between 6" - 10" in height (my largest are ~8" right now).
There are small Crypts that are excellent for the foreground, C. parva comes to mind. I tried a tiny species in my 65g but they didn't seem to suit the environment - I don't think there was enough light getting to the bottom of the tank (24").
 
Walkeri which you can find around under the name 'lutea' is taller than many. But we are still just talking 15cm or so. Big ones are hard to find. I recently got my LFS to order me some ciliata which I am now trying to grow. It gets very big but will most likely have to grow emersed from what I have read. (If I can keep it alive.) Bullosa is listed at 30cm but this isn't going to be your back glass cover it is going to take up a lot of space. There is an undulata braodleaf form that gets middling. (edit. like bliny said.)

If you are looking for low ligh some of the hygrophila will grow as the recent hysteria shows. They are regional at least.
 
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There are some Wendti varieties that get fairly tall. Balansae propagation is like watching paint dry, and mine always throw new shoots towards the front of the tank which drives me nuts:).
I've got some Ciliata growing upwards of 16" - 17" but that's really not tall enough to cover my tank backs.
I've been using tall Anubia as a background plant and also Barclay Longifolia, and am happy with the results I'm getting.
Eventually, I want at least one all Cryptocoryne tank, which seems like it's going to take forever at my present pace:).

Len
 
Ciliata? I am reading this needs more light than most. Are you growing it in a fairly high light? I think I may need to move it.
 
I had one C. Pygmaea (sp?) that would have made an excellent foreground plant if it would have lived. It melted not long after planting and never did come back. I think it's a bit hard to find. If I see it available again I will likely buy a bunch of them and give it another go.

Wendtii is a good midground plant IMO. 6-10" seems about right, with some leaves stretching a bit higher on large specimens.

I'm still waiting on my balansae to come back after melting, but it seems like they will make a nice curtain of growth in the rear of the tank.
 
Most of the very small varieties require more light than the average crypt.
C. Parva is a beautiful little plant an fits that criteria.

Len
 
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