Scapes, stems and CO2 arguments
6 members · founded by @plantedpeteAuction on my swords ends this morning and I'm already thinking about how the winner will deal with a 120 worth of roots. Curious how you all handle runners when you get a big sword: split right away or let it settle a week first? I always wait but I'm never sure it's right.
Attached a few buce to a piece of spiderwood last week with thread and two of the rhizomes have gone soft and brown at one end. Leaves are still green on both. Water is clean and flow is moderate, no big algae. Pic below of the nano tank where they're sitting. Do I cut the soft part off now or leave it and see if it stops?
Lights on for about 5 hours and the stems are pearling hard, bubbles streaming off the rotala and some on the swords too. Pic below. Fish look fine, no gasping, but I'm running the drop checker lime green. Is this the sweet spot or am I pushing it?
Spent most of tonight on a dry start layout with seiryu stone and a couple of branches. Pic below of where I'm at. I keep moving the main stone two inches left and then back again. Do you commit on day one or live with it dry for a few days first? Tank is going to be a low tech slope toward the left.
Tested the tap like everyone suggested. Reads about 0.5 ppm, not as bad as riverina's but not zero. Tubs are in a bright window so the algae shows up quick. Pic below of the test vial next to the tub. Do I just cut the light period, or is it worth mixing some RO in to dilute?
Thinking about adding a few plants to my grow-out room tubs but everything I read says 28 to 30C cooks most stems. Right now I only have anubias on wood and one amazon sword that doesn't seem to care. Anyone running discus warm with plants that actually last? Pic below of the java fern and anubias wood I'm thinking of expanding on.
I've always grown my moss in straight tap water and it does fine, but a friend swears RO remineralized gives tighter growth. Pic below of two tubs side by side, same light and same trim date. Honestly I can't see much difference yet but it's only been ten days. Anyone actually run a comparison?
After the temp swing talk in my bare bottom thread I bought a three dollar stick thermometer and checked the refill bucket. It was 4 degrees off from the tank. Flashing stopped the next day once I matched it. What small cheap tools do you actually use every week? Mine so far is the thermometer, a turkey baster and a headlamp for checking tubs at night. Pic of my cabinet setup below.
Pulling a few swords out of my 120 during a rescape and replanting some of the smaller ones in sand. Last time I buried the crown and half the leaves melted. Pic below of the trim pile from the rescape. Do you leave the crown just above the substrate and let roots do the work?
Following up on my tea colored tub. Juvies are eating hard and the males are starting to show tail color. Ammonia and nitrite still zero. Pic below of the culls bucket from today's sort, not too bad this round.
Got some new buce locales in from a trade and they came with a bit of algae on the rhizomes. Pic below of the pieces. I usually rinse in tank water and tie them on, but wondering if anyone does a short soak first. Don't want to carry hitchhikers into the shrimp tank.
Outdoor guppy tub has hornwort, frogbit and a bit of oak leaf litter. Water is clear but dark tea brown, fish look great and eat well. Is the tannin a problem for juvies or just cosmetic? Ammonia and nitrite both read zero.
Not my own bundle, I picked up some stems from a local swap. Most of the cut ends went mushy and brown within a few days of planting. Tops look fine so far. Should I re-trim above the rot or just toss the worst ones? Pic below of the tank.
Took the advice from the thread and cut the upper half down to about a centimeter, pic below of the wall now. Cut tips are already showing little side branches and the bare gaps are looking less obvious. Lower half I left alone as a control. Will post again in two weeks.
Pic below of my iwagumi. The carpet filled in the front third quickly and then just stalled. Light is the same across the tank, root tabs went in three weeks ago, CO2 is steady. Is this normal and I just need patience, or should I trim it down to push runners?
