Planted Tank Total Rearrange... Pitfalls?

ROYWS3 said:
You mentioned "going big or going home" -- back in the day that's how we started a planted tank -- it was common practice to stuff as many fast growers in there as we could. Most of your plant list are fast growers. That's what you want to get started. That way, they'll out-compete algae for nutrients and that should not end up being an issue. You can swap out some more finicky growers after you get past that initial stage.

Pick up a copy of this book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Optimum-Aquarium-Kaspar-Horst/dp/3925916024
You will not be sorry
Click to expand...

Hey at $4.39 for a used copy shipped, I think I can afford that! LOL
Thanks for the suggestion... I really like to work on the balance of the ecology more than manual cleaning and chemicals. (I NEVER use chemicals aside from water conditioner for new water.)
 
I'm really looking forward to reading it. This is definitely not a new hobby... Technology is "better" today, but there are scientific principles that won't be bested from years past that will always be true. I think people forget that sometimes and try to go the newer "easy" route. Many times new methods don't fix problems long term and require constant monitoring and adjustments while older methods bring balance to the aquarium long-term but take longer or aren't as attractive immediately. To me, a balanced tank is a beautiful thing!


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This might be a bit larger scale, 10X to be exact, but gives a good idea what I do.
I play around like Legos with various plant groups to see where I like certain groups or strong contrast between plant species.
Gets the collectoritus bug, the rare plant bug, the compulsive indecisiveness, the for sale farm tank, and how much work I can do before I destroy things..... all in one go.

This is what the tank looked like after uprooting the EH, Cuphea and UG





Nice eh?


So when I folks whine about why the water is a little hazy, well, frankly they HAVE NO IDEA.


A day later it looks like this:



























The Erio compressum is a good fit in this location.




Tank only has a 4 inch thick sponge foam block with a 20 ppi size, so it's not mechanically filter well at all.
ADA aqua soil is muddy. Plain sand etc, much easier to work with, but I like the way the soil grows the plants and I've managed to get use to it.
The Opt Aquarium is a old book now, I saw it back in 1988.
What is amazing is how much they did get correct looking back.
They got a few things very wrong, but I'd say 90% they got correct.

I'd say this article is about the best info I've seen in the last 20 years:
http://www.tropica.com/en/tropica-abc/basic-knowledge/co2-and-light.aspx
 
That tank is stunning Tom!!

Your are right, that book is from '88 but it is a classic. It was very forward thinking for the time
 
Dupla got a few things very wrong though(Heat cables, ferts excess etc =- algae etc). I think many assumed it was 100% correct at the time.
The CO2, measuring it, good filters, current, lighting(which was sad back then), nice looking display tanks, rimless etc, add lots of plants from the start etc.

I have mag references from 1962 suggesting DIY CO2 to dramatically help plant growth. Dupla and ADA both make the claim they brought CO2 into the hobby and that they came up with it all on their own, either outright or implied.
Maybe as a larger company specific to planted tanks.

The 1970's had some serious debates about CO2 and whether it should be used in planted tanks. Some rather in person angry yelling etc among the NBAT groups from what I heard.
Not flame wars on line:)

Still, the Dutch methods have long been my back group. The above tank represents that influence.

Uproot and trim the tops, replant. I've moved away from much of that, but ....a little of both works well.
 
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