Planted 10g Pics

[*Sarah*]

Just wanted to show you all my plants. They've been growing for about 2 weeks, I see a lot of new growth, and the substrate is gravel, and I've added 1 capful of fertilizer, along with ammonia for cycling.

I think this is a Jungle Val. Its my newest plant, so I'm not sure how it's doing yet as far as growth.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k194/sarahmom22/th_fish028.jpg (http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k194/sarahmom22/fish028.jpg)

Lots of new growth and shutes on this plant. Anyone know what kind of plant it is???
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k194/sarahmom22/th_fish024.jpg (http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k194/sarahmom22/fish024.jpg)

Roots on the same plant going into the substrate
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k194/sarahmom22/th_fish021.jpg (http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k194/sarahmom22/fish021.jpg)

I believe these are Cardinal plants. According to Plantgeek.com, it is moderately hard to grow, but there's lots of new leaves on top and seems to be well.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k194/sarahmom22/th_fish017.jpg (http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k194/sarahmom22/fish017.jpg)

[*Sarah*]

And a pic of my whole tank. I will probably end up moving things around yet, but for now I'm just letting the cycle finish.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k194/sarahmom22/th_fish015.jpg (http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k194/sarahmom22/fish015.jpg)

[jweintraub]

Your plants look great! I wouldn't wait too long to move things around because the roots will start to get VERY long and to try and pull them out and put then back in the substrate is NO fun. Definately move the plants around as early as possible.

[*Sarah*]

Your plants look great! I wouldn't wait too long to move things around because the roots will start to get VERY long and to try and pull them out and put then back in the substrate is NO fun. Definately move the plants around as early as possible.

Ok, thanks for the advice, I guess I'll have to get to it then. I don't mind the way it's laid out now, and I dont think I'm going to change it too much, but I'm not sure about the long grassy plant where it is, I think I may move that one over to the right side of the tank.

[xoolooxunny]

keep up on the fertilizer, it will keep the algae off the leaves of your plants. I like the natural gravel, looks nice, and im sure the fish will feel more at home with it as well. are those chunks of glass in there?? they look really cool.

[Incredulous_Ed]

That's really cool sarahmom. What kind of lighting do you have?

[Sasquatch]

I think the plant you were asking about is a Hygrophila, it looks like the ones we have in our 10g. Keep an eye on them, they grow fast and will soon be poking out of the water.

Just trim off the tops and re-plant them and they should root where you put them. The are a pretty hardy plant.

[Lady Hobbs]

I emptied and cleaned my 20 gallon today in preparation of my Flourite. (Being chicken starting out with the smallest.) Obviously removing the gravel tossed the tank into new tank snydrome. Should I just go ahead and plant it as is and add some ammonia to get a cycle going again or will it not be necessary?

I have blue gravel up the kazoo!! Five tanks 3 inches deep of the stuff and obviously can not just throw it all out. I will have to use some Laterite in some of my tanks in order to use this gravel. I would use it with Flourite but think it would be rather ugly having Flourite with blue gravel?

I suspect 6 months from now, no matter what the color is it will be covered up in plants but really hate to disgard this much gravel. So, what do you think of flourite 70% to 30% gravel? Or should I just stick with mixing Laterite and this bloody blue stuff?

[*Sarah*]

keep up on the fertilizer, it will keep the algae off the leaves of your plants. I like the natural gravel, looks nice, and im sure the fish will feel more at home with it as well. are those chunks of glass in there?? they look really cool.

Yeah, they're glass I got at the LFS. I think it will look good with the colourful Guppies I put in there:1luvu: Oh, and thanks, I liked the look of other tanks I've seen with dark gravel, really brings out the colour of the fish. After seeing th dark gravel with other tanks it made me sad that I have lighter coloured gravel in my 40gal. Oh well...lesson learned.

[*Sarah*]

That's really cool sarahmom. What kind of lighting do you have?

Well, I started with just the incandescent that came with the tank setup, cheapo ones. They were alright, but they threw a really yellow light that I wasn't too fond of, so I just got some other incandescents at Home Depot. To be honest, I'm not sure I really notice much difference. I will be keeping my eyes open for some natural light incandescents if they exist. I just don't want to have to change the hood that came with the tank (I'm too cheap lol).

[*Sarah*]

I think the plant you were asking about is a Hygrophila, it looks like the ones we have in our 10g. Keep an eye on them, they grow fast and will soon be poking out of the water.

Just trim off the tops and re-plant them and they should root where you put them. The are a pretty hardy plant.

Thanks for the info on the plant. They sure do seem hardy, LOTS of new shutes on them anyway. Before know it my tank is going to be bursting with plants, but that's ok :) I already pulled the top off of one of the really tall skinny plants in there and pushed the end into the gravel. It'll probably grow I think.
I just can't believe how easy it was to just chove the plants in and voila! A planted aquarium:thumb:

[*Sarah*]

Hobbs:
I really have no idea as far as substrates go. I know I'm personally not a fan of coloured gravel, but I see where you're coming from, you can't just get rid of it all. I've never had experience with Flourite, so whatever you decide, you'll have to let me know how it goes. This is my first planted tank experience, and all I've got is gravel ;)

[Sasquatch]

Thanks for the info on the plant. They sure do seem hardy, LOTS of new shutes on them anyway. Before know it my tank is going to be bursting with plants, but that's ok :) I already pulled the top off of one of the really tall skinny plants in there and pushed the end into the gravel. It'll probably grow I think.
I just can't believe how easy it was to just chove the plants in and voila! A planted aquarium:thumb:

One thing I didn't mention, don't throw it down the drain/toilet. You don't want that plant getting into the environment. If it's hardy in your aquarium, it's also hardy in a lake/stream and that can cause a lot of problems.

I've seem a few lakes overrun with Hornwort and it's not pretty.

[Chrona]

I emptied and cleaned my 20 gallon today in preparation of my Flourite. (Being chicken starting out with the smallest.) Obviously removing the gravel tossed the tank into new tank snydrome. Should I just go ahead and plant it as is and add some ammonia to get a cycle going again or will it not be necessary?

I have blue gravel up the kazoo!! Five tanks 3 inches deep of the stuff and obviously can not just throw it all out. I will have to use some Laterite in some of my tanks in order to use this gravel. I would use it with Flourite but think it would be rather ugly having Flourite with blue gravel?

I suspect 6 months from now, no matter what the color is it will be covered up in plants but really hate to disgard this much gravel. So, what do you think of flourite 70% to 30% gravel? Or should I just stick with mixing Laterite and this bloody blue stuff?

-Hobbs
Mixing blue gravel with anything other than a bluish substrate has never turned out well for me...lol.

-Sarahmom - lookin good. I finally finished washing my 15 lbs of flourite (ended up with 15 gallons of muddy water that I put in my moms garden lol) and it's still dirty. It's currently drying out, but I'll post how it goes.

[Lady Hobbs]

Figures. Guess I will just go with Latrite then to use up this gravel. At least the tank won't do any set backs since the gravel has all this biological stuff already in it. It may not be as good as Flourite but we'll see and I can use Flourite in new tanks.

[genitor]

Well, I started with just the incandescent that came with the tank setup, cheapo ones. They were alright, but they threw a really yellow light that I wasn't too fond of, so I just got some other incandescents at Home Depot. To be honest, I'm not sure I really notice much difference. I will be keeping my eyes open for some natural light incandescents if they exist. I just don't want to have to change the hood that came with the tank (I'm too cheap lol).
you can get flourescent bulbs that screw into normal incandesecnt sockets. There light is white and they will be better for the plants.

[Chrona]

you can get flourescent bulbs that screw into normal incandesecnt sockets. There light is white and they will be better for the plants.

The incandescent lights on those hoods are the very narrow variety I believe, and regular household screw-in fluorescent bulbs are fat so they wouldn't fit. Otherwise, I'd buy a incandescent hood for like 10 bucks and slap two 23 watt CF bulbs on them, lolz.

[*Sarah*]

you can get flourescent bulbs that screw into normal incandesecnt sockets. There light is white and they will be better for the plants.

Hmm, well I'm gonna have to keep a look out. I just can't get over 25 watts, the hood says that's the limit. The bulbs need to be pretty skinny to fit in the hood though.

[Chrona]

Hmm, well I'm gonna have to keep a look out. I just can't get over 25 watts, the hood says that's the limit. The bulbs need to be pretty skinny to fit in the hood though.

I wouldn't bother with new incandescent bulbs. Better to save up for that nice CF fixture :>

[*Sarah*]

I wouldn't bother with new incandescent bulbs. Better to save up for that nice CF fixture :>
Nah, no intention of that yet anyway, so far plants and all are fine, and I don't want to throw too much money into it.

[Chrona]

For a 10g, it's much less expensive than you think. I'm getting my 28w Coralife fixture next week and it only cost me 25 bucks shipped, which is the same as a regular hood. Of course, this was with Paypal's $15 off offer, but still. I may be getting in over my head though. Flourite, increased wattage and CO2 all in the same week...hmm...lol

[*Sarah*]

Yeah, that's not bad. We'll see how mine keep growing, so far so good anyway. Were your plants doing ok before you decided to add all that stuff?

[Chrona]

Well, when I first bought my plants, I didn't do any research, so I ended up with swords and stuff that all really needed high light. So while it's surviving, it's far from thriving. One of my main goals with this Flourite/Light/CO2 deal is to get a nice dwarf hairgrass lawn (Just a clump thats not growing right now), along with a nice looking bush of Swords and maybe Java fern.

[*Sarah*]

Oh I see. I tried to research before I left to get my plants, but when I got to the store, I couldn't remember many of the names of them, so I asked the fish store guys (not that they usually know much...lol) but anyway, I guess I lucked out so far anyway, they're doing alright. Eventually maybe I'll have a huge set up, but not right now, just can't afford it.

Oh, I know what you mean, the grass lawns always look great, I'm hoping my Cardinals will really fill out too.