Advice Needed: New Azalia Root Position in Tank

Hi Guys. Decided to give you a quick update on the tank....I'll put the pics in chronological order....hope you like it?
16th May: Root added and replanted some of tank



15th June: 1 month later - incredible growth



15th June: Gave the plants a good trimming





Hope you like it guys. What do you think?

One more:



Cheers....

nice!

Very beautiful look Brian!

Thanks so much guys...I'm thrilled with it to be honest and just hoping I don't kill everything in it I've been trying to get this right for a long time and now it seems to be getting there....how did the get together go btw? Sorry I couldn't make it bp but was away for w.end...

Looks great.well done

Many thanks Fishowner, glad you like it.

Looks great Brian.

I've always liked that tank and cabinet. Looked great even before the revamp but I prefer it now with more open space and that crazy piece of wood.
The fish also look great and well cared for. I know you have invested plenty of time for them.

It is good to change or rearrange a tank from time to time. It can refresh our attention or interest.
Well done.

Darren.

Thanks Darren. Appreciate your comments. Lots of thanks go to you for all the advice and support in getting it to where it is. Finding the red leaved plants hard to grow in tank for some reason - well they are growing but not as well as the various greens I have going. Any ideas? B

Very nice Brian !

How is the moss doing ? Did it attached properly ?

For the Alternanthera bronze (red plant) Darren explained me when i started with it that it need iron in order to get the lush red and healthy growth. You might want to check you iron concentration it might be the cause. But I'm sure he will explain you a lot better than me !

Also how is the E.I fertilisation going ? Seeing any good result yet ?

Thanks, Inza.

Beautiful tank. Could you tell me where you got the root(s)? Looking for something similar for my own tank.

Cheers

Gonefishy wrote:

Thanks Darren. Appreciate your comments. Finding the red leaved plants hard to grow Any ideas? B

It can come down to the light, Co2 and the fertz. What light and fertz are you using?

To keep red plants looking there best you need the following:

High light and the right spectrum.
Red plants don't use the same red, orange and yellow spectrum that green plants use. The red pigment of the leaves acts like a sunscreen reflecting most of these colors.
They use blue then green and a small bit of yellow.

Good Co2 is also needed for deep reds.

Low nitrate. This needs to be done with caution if at all. I would focus only on getting the light right first.
If you want to try low Nitrate you will be pushing the ratio limit of Nitrate to Phosphate. High Phosphate can lead to hair algae, low Nitrate can lead to cyanobacteria.

Then there's Iron. Iron wont actually make the plants go red but it will help keep them red. So if a plant has lost its red color you need to bring the red back with light and Co2 before Iron can do its job of keeping it red.
Be careful Iron can promote algae growth.
Iron can also help the green plants look more vibrant.

Once the plants are the red you want you can also cheat a bit by using a 4,500 kelvin red bulb to enhance the reds.
If you just want growth increase Phosphates slightly.

Hope this makes sense and is some help.

Darren.

platty252 wrote:

Gonefishy wrote:

Thanks Darren. Appreciate your comments. Finding the red leaved plants hard to grow Any ideas? B

It can come down to the light, Co2 and the fertz. What light and fertz are you using?

To keep red plants looking there best you need the following:

High light and the right spectrum.
Red plants don't use the same red, orange and yellow spectrum that green plants use. The red pigment of the leaves acts like a sunscreen reflecting most of these colors.
They use blue then green and a small bit of yellow.

Good Co2 is also needed for deep reds.

Low nitrate. This needs to be done with caution if at all. I would focus only on getting the light right first.
If you want to try low Nitrate you will be pushing the ratio limit of Nitrate to Phosphate. High Phosphate can lead to hair algae, low Nitrate can lead to cyanobacteria.

Then there's Iron. Iron wont actually make the plants go red but it will help keep them red. So if a plant has lost its red color you need to bring the red back with light and Co2 before Iron can do its job of keeping it red.
Be careful Iron can promote algae growth.
Iron can also help the green plants look more vibrant.

Once the plants are the red you want you can also cheat a bit by using a 4,500 kelvin red bulb to enhance the reds.
If you just want growth increase Phosphates slightly.

Hope this makes sense and is some help.

Darren.

Very much Darren, thanks.
4xtmc aquagrow aquarays on for 10 hours a day
2x54w t5s for maybe 9 hours.

Co2 at 20-30mg/l

Leaves browning as opposed to dying but showing little growth for shaded reds in particular - May have to cut back canopy of plants to give these ones more light.

Tank at 28c.

Nitrates also low at 5ppm or less

Using Ei salts with macro and micro mix alternated daily.

What you think?

Brian

Bring the red plants out of the shade and in to the light.

I don't know the color spectrum the aquagro's give. May be you can point me in the right direction.
Also I don't know what T-5 bulbs you are using.

I have come across a few recipes for estimated index, what's the mix you are using (ppm or weight).
What are you using for micro mix?

Hi Guys,
Decided to upload a few photos and videos of my tank - constantly evolving and changing....its a real ecosystem that I use daily to teach my son about everything from reproduction to photosynthesis to nitrogen cycles to responsibility,...he's nearly 9 now and has his own little nano tank of 20 litres (his swordtails are regularly producing offspring and they are growing from babies to fertile adults)....he helps me with the cleaning or at least reminds me I need to clean the tank latter probably more accurate ) The angel in my main tank began life in his small tank and is now a monster that my discus (full grown adults) treat with great respect
Anyway, my plants grow like crazy and my discus seem happy...its a balance I always struggle with as I want the planted system to thrive but I also want my discus to have crystal clear, quality water and environment....Its interesting to see how the tank has developed and changed over the months...

The fun of fishkeeping!




Hope you like...

looking great that tank

looks great.well done.

fantastic tank - well done!

Also great to know you're raising the next generation of fish keeper who will know about the nitrogen cycle when they start! When I think of what I used to do a long time ago......

I can't give any advice but love your setup and want to say its look beautiful man

Thanks guys, much appreciate your kind comments....Brian

I adore planted discus tanks!
Very neat and colourful. I hope GBR's are happy there!

thumbs up