Need plant help please

Oscar_Mania

Oscar_Mania

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Oct 8, 2003
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Hello

After getting tired of the ugly plastic plants in my tanks I decided to get rid of them and I have just converted to live plants. I already had some floating plants in my 10 gallon tank that are doing well. In my 5.5 gallon tank I have gravel substrate of three different sizes. I have planted 3 java ferns and two broad leal swords. I am now regretting buying the swords as they look like they are going to outgrow the tank. In my Oscar and JD tank I am experimenting with a potted borneo fern to see if it can co-exist with those fish. All is well so far. If this experiment works, could I just pot the swords and put them in with the Oscar and JD? What could I use as a pot? I have noticed that the plants have brown spots on them. Is this to be expected?
Since my 5.5g tank has been setup for three weeks now, is it necessary to fertilize the plants? I tested the phosphate and nitrate levels in that tank and they read ~1.2 mg/L and 15 mg/L respectivley. I did a 20% water change in an attempt to bring the phosphates down. The lighting in that tank per gallon is 3 watts/gallon. In the Oscar tank the phosphates and nitrates read ~1.25mg/L and 50 mg/L respectively. Should I do a 50% water change on that tank and then fertilize?

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks
 
From the looks of your big tank, you should do a couple 50% changes and fert. PO4, K and traces.

You can pot plants in terracotta pots, break out the bottoms so that the roots can grow out.

Java fern can be planted wherever, the 'roots' aren't roots, just anchors. I've heard people say that they grow better tied to driftwood or rocks. I grow mine on driftwood, I like the look, but they should grow in the substrate too, just don't bury the rhizome.
 
For those of you who have had planted tanks for awhile, did you do many water changes in the beginning until everything balanced out? If so, how much and how often?
 
Jamz,
I don't have a digital camera, and if I did, there's not much to show right now. We got hit with a heat wave a few weeks back that decimated my java fern, there's basically none left. :( When it was healthy, the wood was covered in nice big emerald leaves that made a great contrast in leaf size and colour to the sunset hygro that was the bulk of the tank at the time.

Oscar, I started out with just plants, no fish. If you're adding CO2, crank it up, aim between 30-40ppm to give the plants a good boost. When you make the move to fish, then drop the CO2 to sub 30ppm. Give the plants a couple weeks to a month to really get settled in the tank, and to give yourself a good idea of fert. schedule. Anyway, that was my approach, which is by no means the only way to do things.
 
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