Tank Log: 55g All Crypts Riparium

[hydrophyte]

Yep, no extra CO2 required. They make nice fish displays too. I have a lot of fun with these setups.

 

[hydrophyte]

Here is one one of the new smaller additions that I am going to introduce in place of the Java fern and other specimens that have grown too large.

This plant has unusual leaf patternation. I understand that this C. wendtii variety is identified with the unofficial variety name 'Hybrid. I put together a blog post with a few more specific observations about it.
[URL="http://hydrophytesblog.com/?p=1231"]http://hydrophytesblog.com/?p=1231[/URL]

 

[Jaykit]

Very cool tank.

 

[hydrophyte]

Very cool tank.

Thanks Jaykit!

I have an update from last night...

I could see that this plant was growing well, but I didn't have an idea of how large it had gotten to be until I pulled it out of my 55-gallon emersed crypts riparium. This is a C. wendtii ('Mi Oya', maybe[?]) in a hanging planter.

I found a stake in the planter dated June 14. So this is a little less than five months' growth. I remember that it was just a couple divisions with just a few leaves when I potted it up. Although I would need to do a more rigorous side-by-side trial for a more valid comparison, I can say that this is much better growth from this plant than I have ever seen when grown in straight gravel with MTS added to the planter cup. If you look closely at the planter you can see the shallow lens of MTS between layers of planter gravel. It looks like just about 1 1/2 tablespoons or so in there. The leaves also have much deeper color than any I have seen in comparison with plants grown without the MTS.

A second picture with spritzer for scale.

Here's more detail.

 

[CatsMeowww]

The next plant is a Lagenandra idontknowwhichoneitis. I picked it up at a LFS a couple of months ago.

LOL! I've not heard of that specific "variation" before.

 

[hydrophyte]

That was my best "provisional Latin".

 

[hydrophyte]

I have an updated full-tank shot from tonight. I plan to return with a numbered version of this picture and list of observations for each plant.

I was finally able to get in there and pull out some of the overgrown plants. I am please that light can get through and that I am once again able to view the fish and the underwater area.

It has something of a disheveled look right now, but that's just because I was moving things about. It will look better when the plants get a chance to settle back in and grow a little more.

 

[addicted2fish]

very neat ! I wanna do one of these tanks soon . I have been buying shower cups with suction cups on them, some I paint black with the krylon fushion paint . and I need to find some of those cups' , the trellis are neat , havent found a cheaper version yet ... can ya tell I AM ALL about DIY ... lol VERY NICE TANK !!!! I know that most plants are grown emersed , so if you get any rooted plant , stick the roots in this gravel in a cup/pot that suctions to the wall at water level, water is sucked up threw the gravel , and it thrives. I do understand your foggyness, and the crypts, in my set up I may leave those as submersed plants, do you think I would get less need for a top, and foggyness then ? I have creepin jenny, bacopa, bolbitis, and some other ferns I would like try , alsong with a few pond' plants I thought would look cool running up the corners fro extreme depth . I LOVE the red rocks !! where do You find those ? and I can see white gravel , thats easy enough . What is teh MTS you are putting in you cups ? where do you get that ? thank you for a very pretty tank, only do I wish what I make up will look half as good !!! watching for updates !!!!! subscibed !

 

[hydrophyte]

You can find those trellis rafts there on the Riparium Supply catalog page, http://ripariumsupply.com/store.html

 

[hydrophyte]

I'm doing some more image editing tonight. Here is another shot of that same big C. wendtii.