new aquarium plant

[Shane Tesser]

Hi guys, went on a little shopping spree today, yeah hooo, brought home some red plants to make a contrast in one of my tanks, they include: Ludwigia Glandulosa, Red Cabomba, Alt. Lilac, Alt. Reineck, Rottalla Macrantha or Rottalla Macranthla, and Rotalla Indica. All of these are on the difficult to keep list, if anyone has ever successfully kept any, let me know, tips and pointers would be greatly appreciated. Ihave already gathered some info, some before i bought them actually, but anything coming from a personal prospective would be outstanding, gotta go, more planting to do. Thanks, s.t.

[Youkai]

I found that Rottala did well with REALLY good light, and a fertilizer with Iron. I'm sure you know that already, but I figured I'd add my $0.02. I'm positive CO2 would be good for them too, but I've never tried it.

[Shane Tesser]

Thanks for the advice, i hope mine grows well, ive fooled around with the species here and there but never really found one as stunning as i did today. Im going to attempt growth with a little bit less than two watts a gallon, which may be a tad too low, but i think i can manage. I have never used Iron, although i am aware of its usefullness, nor do i use a Co2 set up. In fact, i dont add any commercial fertilizers, liquids, potions or lotions, i have found over the years a simple secret, but, i can't share, tee hee not all of it, maybe one day i will let the aquarium world know!!! (now my heads getting big) Tanks, s.t. P.s. Jeff if your reading this, Dont let the secret out.

[Youkai]

You HAVE to tell me now....you can't talk about it like that and not tell me!!

[Shane Tesser]

Okay twist my arm, here is some very basic formulas that i have followed, and will continue to follow, trust me, this is very trial and error, but has always worked. Here is some of the secret, and anyone who wishes to have plants grow can follow this and i guarantee success. Before i start, i gotta brag, im already have very noticable growth in all of the plants i bought. Not bad for fourty eight hours.

1) Initail set up. Patients must be met here. Before you do anything, start with a tonne of peat, not the garden store variety, but the aquarium stranded type. Ie. Hagen sells this, stay away from the pebble style for this. This has to be washed to get the dust out, then let dry.
2) Clay, potters clay, dont get this from your backyard, thats dangerous. A good garden store will sell this, its usually in loose pieces, the smaller the better. Soak this for at least a week, change every drop of water daily.
3) The clay should be soft by now, mix in the peat, sorry i forgot, the mixture should be about 2-1, peat to clay. You want it fairly plyable at this point, if it isnt, more water, and harder the better, and im not sure why that works so well.
4) very small wood chips, garden centre type, red wood seems to work okay, stay away from ceder. Oak, most hardwoods, anything that ferments really. These must be small, and i mean not quite sawdust small, but one inch by one inch at the most. Mix this into your exhisting mix, about 10-1 mixture verses wood.
5) Spread in very thin layers one the bottom of the tank, make sure you have a very thin film of water in the tank at this point, it just aids in the process, too much and it will not stick. I usually do this by hand, messy but it works.
6) very fine sand, nothing with quartz, or anything metallic for obvious reasons. Must be bought at the aquarium store, remember minerals will make the water hard, and we dont want this.
7) gravel, one to three mm in size tops, place on top for the mix.
8) Fill the tank, and turn on filters, heater etc. You will probably want to put a dinner plate on top of the gravel to pour the water directly on, this way nothing is disturbed.
9) Now we wait, a month, two, three, sometime longer, but hey this type of fertilizer last at least five years. After about a week, the water will turn yellow, this is the tanic acid releasing from the wood and peat, or maybe it will be orangy, thus, the clay. Start at this point changing water as much as possible until it get clear. A little yellow however wont hurt.
10) Buy goldfish, the sacrifical lamb, feeder ones are probably your best bet, cheap, and they will no doubt grow, and stores will always take them back when your done, or keep, donate... they cheap, give them back to the store lol.
11) Start planting, using the same hagen type stranular peat, cut the new plant free of dead leaves, or into the shape you want. Wrap as much of the peat as possible around the roots and insert into the soil.
12) After about two weeks, remove most of the carbon from your filter, hopefully you have a canister type, its just soooo easy. Replace with a mixture of peat pellets and stranular peat....go Hagen, and let her rip, please note, do not replace the small portion of the carbon with new stuff, we want the bacteria to still be doing its job. Run this set up for at least two weeks, then go nuts and buy your fish!!!!, remember at this point everything should be established, and dont worry about the lack of cabon, your plant will take over the job of cleaning the water to a certain extent.
There is a small portion of what i do, trust me it works, there is also quite a bit more to it. Now if you find this to look a little like too much work, dont fret, ive done quick set ups only using steps 11&12, and have had pretty good success, the only problem being is that the nutrients for the plants dont last as long, and you may be forced to remove a plant from time to time to re-peat the roots, and well all know what an undertaking this is. There you have it, the most simple way to explain it that is can, man, alot of typing, lol, Shane. P.s. i should probably add that i change everything in my filter every three month, this is dont over a week. I clean with only cold water, i rinse the sponges out lightly or until it flow clear, then i replace it with the new peat and run for a week. A week later i replace the carbon, wash well with hot water, this gets it activated, and remove the dust, let it soak, amonia remover granuales aren't a bad idea either, let soak, remember this stuff if its not well washed can rob the tank of oxygen and this causes stress for your fish.

[Youkai]

Thanks for all that! I see a reason to set up a new tank here. heheehehe....
Actually, just to be safe I better save all that in case something happens to it. That's a heck of a lot of typing!

[Youkai]

In regards to Hagen...

Have you ever seen on some of their products that it is 'H.A.R.S.' approved? If you don't already know what that means....
HARS is the Hagen Aquatic Research lab (station?)
So yes. They test and approve their own products.

Talking about it in public with the local Hagen rep. is good comedy, trust me. >:]

[Shane Tesser]

Actually, i didn't know, and its funny, a very close friend of my parents is the district manager for eastern canada. Maybe ill test his knowledge next time i see him. s.t

[Youkai]

http://www.hagen.com/hagen/canada/english/aquatic/hars.cfm


This just makes me giggle every time I go by a product that says 'H.A.R.S Approved!'. Sometimes my giggling makes customers look at me funny. Ah well...

[Shane Tesser]

I WOULD LOVE TO WORK THERE!!! Could you imagine, all of those products at your disposal, the animals, the probable unlimited funds.......heaven, and what do you think they do with the stuff when there done, hey Shane, why don't you just take that home, were finished with it.......twist my arm, but okay. lol. s.t.

[Shane Tesser]

Here is a couple of pics of the new reds, they have been in the tank for five days now and i cannot believe the growth. I thought they would be difficult at best, but ive seen about an inch of growth already. My red cabomba already has a flower coming, and its is growing like mad. Im very please.

[Shane Tesser]

more

[Shane Tesser]

another

[Shane Tesser]

Not the best pic but here is another to give you and idea of where some of them are sitting in the tank.