Journal 40B MTS Nature Aquarium

[BigWave]

Can you discuss a little why you have chosen mineralized topsoil as your substrate, please? Pros and cons?

Every time I've made mineralized topsoil it has blown the closest competitor (ADA Amazonia) out of the water. Growth, longtivity, nutrients etc. There is the only one big downside to it, its soil and hasn't gone through the process commercial soils do eg tiny balls. You need to cap it, but then again never seen anyone not . If you pull plants often it will make a huge mess of the tank. I suppose the other downside is it takes several weeks to make a good batch.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

If you pull plants often it will make a huge mess of the tank. I suppose the other downside is it takes several weeks to make a good batch.

This is true, however you can combat that. I used mesh media bags but I first tried a layer of mosquito netting when I read @Tim Harrison guide on UKAPS. It worked great, but I like the bags better because it allows me to place the soil a little easier then just pouring/dumping it in.

In terms of how long it takes to make, that’s the only downside IMO. However if you make a big batch, you have enough to last you a good while with very little cost if you plan on doing multiple tanks or starting over. The hardest part really is finding a suitable topsoil that isn’t just forest mulch or filled with fertilizer or other nonsense you don’t need.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Alllllllllllllrighty. Just placed a nice order to APF, here’s my plant list: Hygrophila 53B, Hygrophila Pinnatifida, Persicaria São Paulo, Ludwigia Rubin, Rotala H’ra, Java Fern Petite, Hydrocotyle Tripartita Mini, and Bucephelandra Brownie Phoenix.

I have a good amount of hardscape so I want to make sure I have a good amount of epiphytes to fill the voids, will be using the Buce, hydrocotyle and pinnatifida for this. On both the left and right side of the background I will be using the 53B and Persicaria mixed in. The center will be the Ludwigia and rotala, like an explosion of color where both pieces of driftwood meet. Hopefully this time around is more successful with better maintenance and better water quality this time around

 

[Art 181]

Wow, that is a nice plant order. Please let us know how they arrive.

 

[Count Krunk]

Following along!

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Alright got my order yesterday from APF, and not gonna lie, I was underwhelmed with what I received. The stem portions were great, and very healthy, I was worried about their condition knowing they were being delivered to 95 degrees + what I was unhappy with was the portions I recieved of bucephelandra. I received VERY small cuttings, 3-4 leaves max on a tiny rhizome. Other than that, what I received was excellent quality. I will post some pictures later, of where everything went.

The only issue I’m running into is my rainbows not liking the CO2, so I’m just going to keep lowering the BPS until they get comfortable.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Here it is freshly planted, reds in the center where the wood meets and greens to the outside. Also in the center is a mix of anubias, Java fern petite, and the hydrocotyle trip mini. They are TC plants so we shall see how they fare. I just recieved a nice generous portion today of pilo moss and I will be placing it on the driftwood and stones. Ignore the diatoms, need to do a WC and some light scrubbing.

 

[Count Krunk]

looks quite nice!

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Ok here’s where I’m at 12 days later, Ludwigia and Hygrophila growing well and adjusting. I’ve since added Pilo moss to the stones to blend in the rock work. I have some blyxa japonica on the way too to put the far left and right edges of the scape, should prob be getting that next week. Once these stems get closer to the top I’ll chop em and replant and discard the bottoms. Picture doesn’t really represent the Ludwigia well, it’s more pink in true color. My lights are currently only at 60% to not stress the system, the plan is to go up 10% each week until I get to 100. At that point I’ll prob try 8 hours instead of the 6 I’m currently doing.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Day 16

Ludwigia is really coming in nicely, as well as the 53B and Persicaria. First time using the latter and I like the contrast it gives with the Hygrophila. It’s starting to show some pink so I guess it’s enjoying the increase in light intensity. The hydro mini is starting to reach for the light and sprout new leaves as well, I just need to give it a good brush to remove some diatoms on the older leaves.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Really love Ludwigia, such a beautiful red.

And is it just me, or does the site mess with images a bit when they are attached to a post? I keep having to adjust the photos because they are looking washed out once I upload them. Side by side comparison of my originals and what I post don’t match. Bizarre

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Did a trim and replanted the fresh tops, and the usual vacuum of the surface and cleaning up the hardscape. The large piece of driftwood is starting to collect some algae but I personally don’t mind it so I’m leaving it be for the time being. With the amount of light right over it I’m not going to fight with the inevitable.

I also added two nice sprigs of blyxa japonica I received from Etsy to either side of the tank. Once they grow in they’ll help soften the transition to the stones. The seller has some beautiful plants and even some rare ones.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Some close ups of the plants, I ended up switching the position of the Rotala H’ra to the front just behind the Pinnatifida because it wasn’t thriving behind the Ludwigia. Not sure why I did that, but now it’ll be a nice bridge to the deep red of the Ludwigia. I actually also have a tiny bulb of Tiger Lotus with 4 very small leaves. I wasn’t sure if it was going to make it from my previous failure, but it’s hanging on and the small leaves are quite healthy. I’m sure in a months time it’ll throw a decent sized leaf up through the Pinnatifida.

Tried to get some shots of the fish but they are quick lol. My juvenile male boesmani are starting to color up and I’m loving it.

 

[Count Krunk]

Fish are hard to capture with phones, usually. Especially if they dart about. The tank looks good.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Tank is growing in nicely, dealing with some hair algae that I think I introduced from the moss. I just ordered APT Fixlite so we will see how that helps the moss.
Disregard some of the loose plants and disarray of the anubias lol. I recently got a nice bunch of anubias to fill in more gaps so that’ll be forthcoming. You’ll notice some fresh Monte Carlo on the wood as well, I didn’t like how that little shelf on the driftwood stood out so much. Right now my focus is keeping a clean tank, and shaping my plants to be aesthetically pleasing. I didn’t remember hygro 53b being so large the last time I used it but when I had it in the past it was more shaded and didn’t get great flow to it.

I had some serious stunting with my Ludwigia a while back that I believe was induced by way too much calcium dosing. I thought maybe it was an issue with micros but I scratched that thought and stopped adding extra calcium. Miraculously the stunting ended and the Ludwigia bounced back with better growth. I also bottomed out one week on NO3 and woah, my tank did NOT like that lol growth visibly stopped and algae set in real fast. After solving that dilemma the algae and diatoms subsided. Right now I just have some lingering staghorn and the spots of hair algae. I also increased my flow tremendously to help keep things moving with the amount of growth I'm getting.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

Post trim and clean up

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

@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.

 

[FrankZ]

@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

It looks just like the hygro salicifola purple I purchased from APF. Right down to the twisted curled leaves.

 

[Burr740 76]

Yeah that's not growing like 53B. Probably salicifolia like you said

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 454]

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.