Journal 40B MTS Nature Aquarium

[FrankZ]

Mother trucker lol I figured. I’m gonna reach out to APF and see if they will either refund or send me what I ordered. Stay tuned. I think I’ll leave them for now since everything is growing well, I just thin the super long leaves seem out of place in the scape where 53B would be just right.

I’m having a hard time scaping it myself. It does what it wants and very randomly at that. At least yours seems to be getting some pink/purple on the tops. Best color I get is slightly darker green.

What’s your dosing scheme? I’m curious because we both have the same twisted/curled growth randomly among the leaves. Maybe some thing will jump out about what we are doing.

I’d like to bring my hygro salicifola help thread to a close with a successful change and not leave it open ended.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

I’m having a hard time scaping it myself. It does what it wants and very randomly at that. At least yours seems to be getting some pink/purple on the tops. Best color I get is slightly darker green.

What’s your dosing scheme? I’m curious because we both have the same twisted/curled growth randomly among the leaves. Maybe some thing will jump out about what we are doing.

I’d like to bring my hygro salicifola help thread to a close with a successful change and not leave it open ended.

So here’s the thing, it’s not every leaf or plant so I’m not sure we’ll find the exact answer. However, I will say that I did narrow down what I believe was too much calcium. Since I’ve stopped dosing it the problem has disappeared. My current dosing is 10-5-20 and 5 Mg, front loaded per week. My tap comes out at 2gH per my tests and I believe that’s all calcium (just assumption). When I was dosing calcium I was dosing 15ppm per water change. This eventually shot my levels up to around 5 gH in tank and I think the bulk of that was calcium. I know people have higher gH but I’m assuming their ratio is much better. I made zero changes other than stopping the dosage of calcium and have only had a positive reaction, but my indicator plants were my Ludwigia and rotala (major stunting, curling and twisting). The Hygro didn’t appear to be as affected but I felt there was more leaf curling during this time.

Micros I am dosing with GLA DTPA/EDTA micros and Fe Gluconate. Goal is .3 for the micro mix and .3 for the Gluconate by weeks end.

 

[FrankZ]

So here’s the thing, it’s not every leaf or plant so I’m not sure we’ll find the exact answer. However, I will say that I did narrow down what I believe was too much calcium. Since I’ve stopped dosing it the problem has disappeared. My current dosing is 10-5-20 and 5 Mg, front loaded per week. My tap comes out at 2gH per my tests and I believe that’s all calcium (just assumption). When I was dosing calcium I was dosing 15ppm per water change. This eventually shot my levels up to around 5 gH in tank and I think the bulk of that was calcium. I know people have higher gH but I’m assuming their ratio is much better. I made zero changes other than stopping the dosage of calcium and have only had a positive reaction, but my indicator plants were my Ludwigia and rotala (major stunting, curling and twisting). The Hygro didn’t appear to be as affected but I felt there was more leaf curling during this time.

Micros I am dosing with GLA DTPA/EDTA micros and Fe Gluconate. Goal is .3 for the micro mix and .3 for the Gluconate by weeks end.

Weird indeed. When you say the problem disappeared you are taking about the other plants not this hygro correct?

I had the problem when I was using straight tap, with just some Mg, and it continued when I switched to 100% RO/DI. I started with 15/7.5 Ca/Mg and recently (last week) went to 30/7.5 Ca/Mg. I am not changing anything for a while to see what happens. I don’t think it’s micro related, I’ve got plenty of first hand experience what that looks like and this isn’t it.

The easiest solution is chuck and replace it which I’m leaning towards.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

When you say the problem disappeared you are taking about the other plants not this hygro correct?

Correct sir. Other than being a little weird and slightly isolated, it was the least of my concern. Like you said, trim and pitch or pull and pitch.

 

[Unexpected 1]

@Burr740 Can you confirm that my Hygrophila is actually 53B? I’ve had it before through Tropica but this bunch I purchased from APF and the leaves seem extremely long to me, with not as much branching and sided shoots as I’m used to. I think it looks similar to the hygro that @FrankZ is growing which he is saying is Salicifolia.View attachment 3290

I also ordered 53b from APF and it’s 100% not 53b. I even sent a photo of @Burr740 tank with 53b circled and they said I was wrong!

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

I also ordered 53b from APF and it’s 100% not 53b. I even sent a photo of @Burr740 tank with 53b circled and they said I was wrong!

YES!!!!!! They responded back and told me I was wrong too! Pisses me off, especially since they have the biggest inventory of plants here in the US that I’m aware of. If you want true 53B it’s available as a tropica pot from GLA right now, and in stock.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Figured I’d post some of all angles, coking along nicely. I’ll advise when I dose the APT Fixlite and the results, if this stuff really can clear up my moss and not kill it I’ll be very impressed.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Whelp, I decided to hold off on using APT Fixlite and just purchased 8 Amanos to see if the helps my current algae riddled moss. It seems to have gotten much better with maintenance and just siphoning with a vacuum over each patch. And good lord, the amount of detritus I’m getting per week is insane! Strictly planting clearly has its upsides over using hardscape, no leaching organics from the wood, no leaching of unknowns from stone, less nooks and crannies for detritus and mulm to accumulate in. I just can’t help but try and conjure up a nature aquarium style tank.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

I reminded myself the disadvantage of a sump setup with shrimp, and that they always manage to find their way down to the sump. Screens don’t help either because they are fantastic climbers. Oh well, plenty to forage on down there anyway so they can keep it clean for me. I guess I’ll be trying the APT FixLite after all.

 

[FrankZ]

Whelp, I decided to hold off on using APT Fixlite and just purchased 8 Amanos to see if the helps my current algae riddled moss. It seems to have gotten much better with maintenance and just siphoning with a vacuum over each patch. And good lord, the amount of detritus I’m getting per week is insane! Strictly planting clearly has its upsides over using hardscape, no leaching organics from the wood, no leaching of unknowns from stone, less nooks and crannies for detritus and mulm to accumulate in. I just can’t help but try and conjure up a nature aquarium style tank.

I was noticed a bunch of gunk build up as well. The downoi catches debris better than my boat catches leaves. I wonder if the MTS we both use causes an abundance of bacterial growth in the tank/sand cap/etc. just thinking out loud here because the filter is mostly free of gunk, yet there is more in the tank than I’m used too.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

I was noticed a bunch of gunk build up as well. The downoi catches debris better than my boat catches leaves. I wonder if the MTS we both use causes an abundance of bacterial growth in the tank/sand cap/etc. just thinking out loud here because the filter is mostly free of gunk, yet there is more in the tank than I’m used too.

You know I’m not sure, but I honestly think it’s because of my particular setup like I mentioned. So many opportunities for gunk to get stuck instead of finding the overflow. I have my spray bar at full power from my jebao 2500 DCP return pump and that has actually helped tremendously keeping my plants happy, but it also likes to encourage small pieces of BBA on my driftwood on the left since it’s right there in the flow stream. My sump has stayed surprisingly clean the past couple months now, not sure why exactly. I have not cleaned the sponges in a long time but I don’t feel I need to, I’ll grab the big stuff stuck to the sponges and I’ll siphon the bottom and rinse the lava rock but that’s it.

I will say this though, I am a MAJOR fan of having Nerites in this tank. They are all over constantly, so I know they are taking care of surface film and any diatoms that may appear.

 

[FrankZ]

How are things going? Have you gotten the upper hand on the algae?

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Yo! So strangely the moss has started to take hold and is growing thicker, and seems to be choking out the brown whatever that was on it. @fablau sent me some great anubias a couple weeks ago and I’ve stuffed them around the driftwood and they are looking great. My Ludwigia and rotala at the moment keep going through bouts of either deficiency or toxicity. I also had some serious melt on my ferns as well, so I’m thinking it’s all linked. My guess deficiency, as I’ve noticed at the end of the week my nitrates are quite low, but hard to tell exactly with the API test. I think my other issue is lack of water change consistency, as I’m changing it when I’m available to do so, Usually within 7-10 days.

I recently had one of my rainbows show some what I believe was fungus on its fins and top of its body. I just ran it through a treatment of doxycycline in an isolation tank and the fungus is about gone

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Not too much to update, I’m learning how this tank works when it comes to dosing. I initially tried Gregg’s way of dosing by replacing my ferts with how much water I change relative to my weekly front load dose. Needless to say I am just not consistent enough with when my WC schedule is so it’s throwing my numbers out of whack and causing unnecessary fluctuations/deficiency. I think even one week I was under dosing Micros due to my own error, oh well lol.

I’m starting to despise this hygro I have so like @FrankZ I’m gonna pitch it. I just placed an order to Dustin for the Parawitota, Kompakt, and Eustrelis Stellata to change things up. I’m pretty sure the amanos I purchased either all found some solitude or died off, not sure. I’m pretty convinced it’s the place they came from and I will not be ordering there anymore. My next maintenance go round I will apply some APT Fix to some anubias that’s in the current and is become a site for staghorn and BBA .

 

[FrankZ]

@Mr.Shenanagins That hygro will not straighten out anywhere I have it. I’m ready to toss it from my low tech tanks too.

I will have a lot of parawitota trimmings, maybe even next weekend. If you still want some just send me a PM. My plan is to reduce the hygro street foot print to about 1/3 of its current size so there will be a LOT removed.

Is that Eustralis Stellata the same as pogostemon Stellata? If so, you’re going to love it. Pictures really don’t do that plant justice.

Edit- just goggled it, they are the same plant

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

@Mr.Shenanagins That hygro will not straighten out anywhere I have it. I’m ready to toss it from my low tech tanks too.

I will have a lot of parawitota trimmings, maybe even next weekend. If you still want some just send me a PM. My plan is to reduce the hygro street foot print to about 1/3 of its current size so there will be a LOT removed.

Is that Eustralis Stellata the same as pogostemon Stellata? If so, you’re going to love it. Pictures really don’t do that plant justice.

Edit- just goggled it, they are the same plant

Yeah it’s just not flattering as it grows, and thanks if I don’t get enough from my order I’ll reach out! I honestly was just impatient

Yes same plant from what I’ve read too, looks like it’ll be a nice olive/purple next to my Ludwigia.

 

[FrankZ]

Yeah it’s just not flattering as it grows, and thanks if I don’t get enough from my order I’ll reach out! I honestly was just impatient

Yes same plant from what I’ve read too, looks like it’ll be a nice olive/purple next to my Ludwigia.

I was hoping to have it thinned by now but my shoulder isn’t letting me do what I want when I want it.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

I was hoping to have it thinned by now but my shoulder isn’t letting me do what I want when I want it.

Substitute your shoulder with my children and we are in the same boat

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Anyone a Tony Horton fan from P90X?

“I LOVE it……….But I HATE it!”

 

[Count Krunk]

Where did you get the bummer amanos from? So we can all avoid that source.